Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/365

331 and to put off cheat upon cheat upon the girl’s mother, till Muhziyeh had tarried seven days with the young man, of whom she took a hundred dinars each day for herself; but at the end of this time, the girl’s mother said to her, “Bring my daughter back to me forthright; for I am uneasy about her, because she has been so long absent, and I misdoubt me of this.” So the old woman went out, angered at her words, and going to the young man’s house, took the girl by the hand and carried her away, leaving him lying asleep on his bed, for he was heavy with wine. Her mother received her with joy and gladness and rejoiced in her with an exceeding joy, saying, “O my daughter, my heart was troubled about thee, and in my uneasiness I offended against this my sister with an injurious speech, that wounded her.” “Rise and kiss her hands and feet,” replied Muhziyeh; “else art thou no mother of mine; for she hath been to me as a servant in doing all I needed.” So the mother went up to the old woman and made her peace with her.

Meanwhile, the young man recovered from his drunkenness and missed the damsel, but was content to have enjoyed his desire. Presently, the old woman came in to him and saluted him, saying, “What thinkest thou of my fashion?” Quoth he, “It was excellently well contrived of thee.” Then said she, “Come, let us mend what we have marred and restore the girl to her husband, for we have been the cause of their separation.” “How shall I do?” asked he, and she answered, “Go to Aboul Feth’s shop and salute him and sit down by him, till thou seest me pass by, when do thou rise in haste and catch hold of my dress and revile me and rail at me, demanding of me the veil. And do thou say to the merchant, ‘O my lord, thou knowest the face-veil I bought of thee for fifty dinars? I gave it to a slave-girl of mine, who burnt a corner of it by accident; so she gave it to this old woman, who took it,