Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 9.djvu/236

206 me this and that.’ And he told her his story from beginning to end; whereat she laughed and said, ‘Verily, thou art skilled in the practice of lying and imposture!’ And he answered, saying, ‘O my lady, may God the Most High preserve thee to veil faults and dispel troubles!’

‘Know,’ rejoined she, ‘that thou imposedst upon my father and deceivedst him by thy much boasting and ostentation, so that of his covetousness he married me to thee. Then thou squanderedst his wealth and the vizier bears thee a grudge for this. How many a time hath he spoken against thee to my father, saying, “Indeed he is an impostor and a liar!” But my father hearkened not to his speech, for that he sought me aforetime in marriage and I consented not to be his wife. However, the time grew long upon my father and he became straitened and said to me, “Make him confess.” So I have made thee confess and that which was covered is discovered. Now my father purposes thee mischief, because of this; but thou art become my husband and I will never abandon thee nor transgress against thee. If I told my father what I have learnt from thee, he would be certified of thy falsehood and imposture and that thou imposest upon kings’ daughters and squanderest their wealth: so would thine offence find no pardon with him and he would slay thee without recourse: wherefore it would be noised among the folk that I had married a man who was a liar and an impostor and this would dishonour me. Moreover, if he kill thee, most like he will require to marry me to another, and to that I will never consent, no, not though I die.

So rise now and don a slave’s habit and take these fifty thousand dinars of my monies, and mount a swift charger and get thee to a land over which my father hath no dominion. Then do thou set up for a merchant and send me a letter by a courier, who shall bring it me privily, that