Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 9.djvu/190

164 of guilt in this world and the next! Indeed, it is I who stand in need of their forgiveness, for that these twelve years past I have beaten them grievously every night!’ ‘O Abdallah,’ rejoined the Khalif, ‘God willing, I will endeavour for their release and that they may become men again, as they were before, and I will make peace between thee and them; so shall you live the rest of your lives as loving brothers; and like as thou hast forgiven them, so shall they forgive thee. But now take them and go down with them to thy lodging and this night beat them not, and to-morrow all shall be well.’ ‘O my lord,’ answered Abdallah, ‘as thy head liveth, if I leave them one night unbeaten, Saïdeh will come to me and beat me, and I have no body to brook beating.’ ‘Fear not,’ quoth the Khalif; ‘for I will give thee a writing under my hand. If she come to thee, do thou give her the scroll and if, when she has read it, she spare thee, the favour will be hers; but, if she obey not my commandment, commit thine affair to God and let her beat thee and suppose that thou hast forgotten to beat them for one night and that she beats thee because of that: and if it fall out thus and she gainsay me, as sure as I am Commander of the Faithful, I will be even with her.’

Then he wrote her a letter on a piece of paper, two fingers broad, and sealing it, gave it to Abdallah, saying, ‘O Abdallah, if she come, say to her, “The Khalif, king of mankind, hath commanded me to leave beating them and hath written me this letter for thee; and he saluteth thee.” Then give her the warrant and fear no hurt.’ And he took of him a solemn pledge that he would not beat them. So he took the dogs and carried them to his lodging, saying in himself, ‘I wonder what the Khalif will do with the King’s daughter of the Jinn, if she disobey him and beat me to-night! But I will run the risk of a beating for once and leave my brothers at peace this night,