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out and calling [on God] for aid and saying, “O crafty and perfidious Amir, thou depositedst with me a woman [yesternight] and broughtest her into my house and my dwelling-place, and she arose [in the night] and took from me the good of the little orphans,[1] six great bags, [containing each a thousand dinars,[2] and made off;] but as for me, I will say no more to thee except in the Sultan’s presence.”[3] When the Master of the Police heard these words, he was troubled and rose and sat down; then he took the Cadi and seating him by his side, soothed him and exhorted him to patience, till he had made an end of talk, when he turned to the officers and questioned them. They fixed the affair on me and said, “We know nothing of this affair but from Captain Muïneddin.” So the Cadi turned to me and said, “Thou wast of accord with this woman, for she said she came from the Citadel.”
As for me, I stood, with my head bowed to the earth, forgetting both Institutes and Canons,[4] and abode sunk in thought, saying, “How came I to be the dupe of yonder worthless baggage?” Then said the Amir to
- ↑ Which was in his custody in his ex-officio capacity of guardian, orphans in Muslim countries being, by operation of law, wards of the Cadi of their district.
- ↑ Altogether six thousand dinars or about £3000.
- ↑ i.e. except thou give me immediate satisfaction, I will complain of thee to the Sultan.
- ↑ i.e. forgetting all that is enjoined upon the true-believer by the Institutes of the Prophet (Sunneh) and the Canons (Fers) of the Divine Law, as deduced from the Koran.
