Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/267

239 It hath been revealed to her that I am in want of money; so she hath conjured me these three dinars out of the air.’ Then said he to her, ‘O my aunt, take these three dinars that fell from thy pitcher.’ ‘Away with them from me!’ answered she. ‘I am of the folk that occupy not themselves with the things of the world. Take them and use them for thine own benefit, in lieu of those the Amir owes thee.’ Quoth he, ‘Glory to Allah for succour! This is of the chapter of revelation!’

Then the maid accosted her and kissing her hands; carried her up to her mistress, whom she found as she were a treasure, whose guardian spells had been done away; and Khatoun bade her welcome and kissed her hand. ‘O my daughter,’ said Delileh, ‘I come not to thee but by God’s [especial] advertisement.’ Then Khatoun set food before her; but she said, ‘O my daughter, I eat but of the food of Paradise and fast continually, breaking my fast but five days in the year. But I see thee troubled and desire that thou tell me the cause of thy trouble.’ ‘O my mother,’ answered Khatoun, ‘I made my husband swear, on my wedding-night, that he would take none other than me to wife, and he saw others with children and longed for them and said to me, “Thou art barren.” And I answered, “Thou art a mule that begetteth not.” Whereupon he left me in anger, saying, “When I come back from my journey, I will take another wife.” So, O my mother, I fear lest he put me away and take another wife, for he hath houses and lands and stipends galore, and if he have children by another, they will possess the property from me.’ ‘O my daughter,’ said Delileh, ‘knowest thou not of my master, the Sheikh Aboulhemlat, whom if a debtor visit, God quitteth him his debt, and if a barren woman, she conceiveth?’ ‘O my mother,’ answered Khatoun, ‘since the day of my wedding, I have not gone forth the house, no, not even to pay visits of congratulation or