Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/327

299 am become bankrupt.’ She laughed at him and said, ‘Go and seek of thy neighbours somewhat for me to eat, for I am hungry.’ So he went forth and cried out, saying, ‘Ho, people of the quarter!’

Now they were asleep; but they awoke and said, ‘What ails thee, O Khelifeh?’ ‘O my neighbours,’ answered he, ‘I am hungry and have nothing to eat.’ So one came down to him with a cake of bread and another with broken meats and a third with a piece of cheese and a fourth with a cucumber, and so on till his lap was full and he returned to his chamber and laid the whole before her, saying, ‘Eat.’ But she laughed at him, saying, ‘How can I eat of this, when I have not a drop of water to drink? I fear to choke with a mouthful and die.’ Quoth he, ‘I will fill thee this pitcher.’ So he took the pitcher and going forth, stood in the midst of the street and cried out, saying, ‘Ho, people of the quarter!’ Quoth they, ‘What a pest thou art to-night, O Khelifeh!’ And he said, ‘Ye gave me food and I ate; but now I am athirst; so give me to drink.’

So one came down to him with a jug and another with an ewer and a third with a gugglet; and he filled his pitcher and carrying it back to the damsel, said to her, ‘O my lady, thou lackest nothing now.’ ‘True,’ answered she; ‘I want nothing more at present.’ Quoth he, ‘Speak to me and tell me thy story.’ And she said, ‘Harkye! If thou knowest me not, I will tell thee who I am. I am Cout el Culoub, the Khalif’s slave-girl, and the lady Zubeideh was jealous of me; so she drugged me and put me in this chest. Praised be God for that the matter hath come to no worse issue! But this befell me not save for thy good luck, for thou wilt certainly get of the Khalif Er Reshid money galore, that will be the means of thine enrichment.’ Quoth Khelifeh, ‘Is not the Khalif he in whose palace I was imprisoned?’ ‘Yes,’ answered