Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/283

255 five slaves we bought for a thousand dinars of the old woman?’ ‘There are no slaves here,’ answered they; ‘only these five men, who found the old woman and brought her hither. We fell asleep, whilst waiting for thee, and she stole away and entered the harem. Presently out came a maid and said to us, ‘“ [sic]Are the five with you with whom the old woman came?’” [sic] And we answered, ‘“ [sic]Yes.’”’ [sic] ‘By Allah,’ cried the Master of police, ‘this is a rare great swindle!’ And the five men said, ‘We look to thee for our goods.’ Quoth the Master of police, ‘The old woman, your mistress, sold you to me for a thousand dinars.’ ‘That were not allowed of God,’ answered they: ‘we are free-born men and may not be sold, and we appeal from thee to the Khalif.’ ‘None showed her the way to the house save you,’ rejoined the Master of police, ‘and I will sell you to the galleys for two hundred dinars apiece.’

Just then, up came the Amir Hassan Sherr et Teric, who, on his return from his journey, had found his wife stripped of her clothes and jewellery and heard from her all that had passed; whereupon quoth he, ‘The Master of police shall answer me this;’ and repairing to him, said, ‘Dost thou suffer old women to go round about the town and cozen folk of their goods? This is thy business and I look to thee for my wife’s property.’ Then said he to the five men, ‘What is to do with you?’ So they told him their stories and he said, ‘Ye are oppressed,’ and turning to the Master of police, said to him, ‘Why dost thou detain them?’ ‘It was they who brought her to my house,’ answered he, ‘so that she took a thousand dinars of my money and sold them to my women.’ ‘O Amir Hassan,’ cried the five men, ‘be thou our advocate in this affair.’

Then said the Master of police to the Amir, ‘Thy wife’s goods are at my charge and I will be surety for the old