Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 9.djvu/106

88 this young merchant! Never did I set eyes on a more open-handed or a comelier than he, no, nor a sweeter of speech.’ And he went on to recount to her his charms and liberality and was loud in his praise. ‘Lack-courtesy that thou art!’ said she. ‘Since thou notest these attributes in him, and indeed he hath given thee two rings of price, it behoveth thee to invite him and make him an entertainment and entreat him friendly. When he seeth that thou tenderest him and cometh to our house, we shall surely get great good of him; and if thou grudge him this, do thou bid him and I will entertain him of my monies.’ Quoth he, ‘Dost thou know me to be niggardly, that thou sayest this?’ ‘Thou art no niggard,’ rejoined she; ‘but thou lackest of breeding. Invite him this night and come not without him. If he refuse, conjure him by the oath of divorce and be instant with him.’ ‘On my head and eyes,’ answered he and wrought at the ring till he had finished it, after which he passed the night and went forth on the morrow to his shop and sat there.

Meanwhile, Kemerezzeman took three hundred dinars and carrying them to the barber’s wife, gave them to her for her husband. Quoth she, ‘Most like he will invite thee to his house this night; and if he do this and thou lie with him, tell me in the morning what happens to thee and bring with thee four hundred dinars and give them to thy father [the barber].’ ‘I hear and obey,’ answered he; and as often as he ran out of money, he would sell some of his jewels. So he repaired to the jeweller, who received him with open arms and clapped up a friendship with him. Then he gave him the ring, and he found it