Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/344

310 awhile, till he put out his hand to her; but she said to him, “O my lord, this day is thine, all of it, and none shall share it with thee; but first, of thy favour and grace, write me an order for my brother’s release, that my heart may be at ease.” “I hear and obey,” answered he; “on my head and eyes be it;” and wrote a letter to his treasurer, to the following effect: “As soon as this letter reaches thee, do thou, without delay and without fail, set such an one free, neither answer the bearer a word.” Then he sealed it and she took it from him, after which she began again to toy with him on the couch, when, behold, some one knocked at the door. Quoth he, “Who is that?” “My husband,” answered she. “What shall I do?” asked he, and she said, “Enter this cabinet, till I send him away and return to thee.” So she clapped him into the second compartment and locked the door on him; and all this time the Cadi heard what they said and did.

Then she went to the door and opened it, whereupon the Vizier entered. She kissed the earth before him and received him with all worship, saying, “O my lord, thou honourest us by thy coming to our house; may God never deprive us of the light of thy countenance!” Then she seated him on the couch and said to him, “O my lord, these thy clothes and turban are the apparel of the vizierate; so leave them to their own time and don this light gown, which is better fitted for carousing and making merry and sleep.” So he put off his clothes and turban and she dressed him in a blue cassock and a tall red cap, after which she began to toy with him and he with her, and he would have done his desire of her; but she put him off saying, “O my lord, this shall not escape us.” Presently there came a knocking at the door, and the Vizier said to her, “Who is that?” “My husband,” answered she. Quoth he, “What is to be done?” “Fear