Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night - Volume 2.djvu/87

Rh will watch by night at her tomb. Should he say to himself: Verily Zubaydah, the daughter of my uncle, hath compassed in her jealousy the death of Kut al-Kulub ; or, if love-longing overcome him and he bid her be taken out of her tomb, fear thou not ; for when they dig down and come to the image in human shape he will see it shrouded in costly grave-clothes ; and, if he wish to take off the winding-sheet that he may look upon her, do thou forbid him or let some other forbid him, saying : The sight of her naked- ness is unlawful. The fear of the world to come will restrain him and he will believe that she is dead and will restore the figure to its place and thank thee for thy doings ; and thus thou shalt escape, please Almighty Allah, from this slough of despond." When the Lady Zubaydah heard her words, she commended the counsel and gave her a dress of honour and a large sum of money, ordering her to do all she had said. So the old woman set about the business forthright and bade the carpenter make her the afore- said image ; and, as soon as it was finished, she brought it to the lady Zubaydah, who shrouded it and buried it and built a sepulchre over it, wherein they lighted candles and lamps, and laid down carpets about the tomb. Moreover she put on black and she spread abroad in the Harim that Knt al-Kulub was dead. After a time the Caliph returned from his journey and went up to the palace, thinking only of Kut al-Kulub. He saw all the pages and eunuchs and handmaids habited in black, at which . his heart fluttered with extreme fear ; and, when he went in to the Lady Zubaydah, he found her also garbed in black. So he asked the cause of this and they gave him tidings of the death of Kut al- Kulub, whereon he fell a-swooning. As soon as he came to him. self, he asked for her tomb, and the Lady Zubaydah said to him, " Know, O Prince of the Faithful, that for especial honour I have buried her in my own palace." Then he repaired in his travelling- garb 1 to the tomb that he might wail over her, and found the carpets spread and the candles and lamps lighted. When he saw this, he thanked Zubaydah for her good deed and abode perplexed, halting between belief and unbelief till at last suspicion overcame him and he gave order to open the grave and take out the body. When he saw the shroud and would have removed it to look upon her, the fear of Allah Almighty restrained him, and the old woman A servant returning from a journey shows his master due honour by appearing before him in travelling suit and uncleaned. VQL. ii. E