Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/354

326 eunuch said], ‘But look thou sell it not except locked.’ ‘It is well,’ replied the other; ‘we will do that.’ So he set down the chest, and they cried it for sale, saying, ‘Who will buy this chest for a hundred dinars?’ At this moment, up came Khelif and bought the chest and there passed between him and the porter that which hath been before set out.

To return to Khelif. He lay down on the chest, to sleep, and presently Cout el Culoub awoke from the effects of the drug and finding herself in the chest, cried out and said, ‘Alas!’ Whereupon Khelif sprang off the chest and cried out and said, ‘Ho, Muslims! Come to my help! There are Afrits in the chest.’ So the neighbours awoke from sleep and said to him, ‘What ails thee, O madman?’ Quoth he, ‘The chest is full of Afrits.’ And they said, ‘Go to sleep; thou hast troubled our rest this night, may Allah not bless thee! Go in and sleep, without madness.’ ‘I cannot sleep,’ answered he; but they railed at him and he went in [and lay down again].

Presently, Cout el Culoub spoke and said, ‘Where am I?’ whereupon Khelif fled forth the chamber and said, ‘O neighbours of the inn, come to me!’ Quoth they, ‘What hath befallen thee? Thou troublest the neighbours’ rest.’ And he said, ‘O folk, there are Afrits in the chest, moving and speaking.’ ‘Thou liest,’ answered they. ‘What do they say?’ And he, ‘They say, “Where am I?”’ ‘Would thou wert in hell!’ rejoined they. ‘Thou disturbest the neighbours and hinderest them of sleep. Go to sleep, would thou hadst never lived nor been!’ So Khelif went in, fearful [and knowing not what to do], for he had no place wherein to sleep save on the top of the chest, when, behold, as he stood, with ears listening for speech, Cout el Culoub spoke again and said, ‘I am hungry.’

So he fled forth in affright and cried out, saying, ‘Ho, neighbours, ho, dwellers in the khan, come to me!’ Said