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he had sold. He was followed by the woman, and when he stopped at my shop, she stood by his side and cajoled him, and indeed he inclined to her with a great inclination. As for me, I was consumed with solicitude for him and fell to casting furtive glances at him and winked at him, till he chanced to look round and saw me winking at him; whereupon the woman looked at me and made a sign with her hand and went away. The Turcoman followed her and I counted him dead, without recourse; wherefore I feared with an exceeding fear and shut my shop. Then I journeyed for a year’s space and returning, opened my shop; whereupon, behold, the woman came up to me and said, ‘This is none other than a great absence.’ Quoth I, ‘I have been on a journey;’ and she said, ‘Why didst thou wink at the Turcoman?’ ‘God forbid!’ answered I. ‘I did not wink at him.’ Quoth she, ‘Beware lest thou cross me;’ and went away.
Awhile after this a friend of mine invited me to his house and when I came to him, we ate and drank and talked. Then said he to me, ‘O my friend, hath there befallen thee in thy life aught of calamity?’ ‘Nay,’ answered I; ‘but tell me [first], hath there befallen thee aught?’ [‘Yes,’] answered he. ‘Know that one day I espied a fair woman; so I followed her and invited her [to come home with me]. Quoth she, “I will not enter any one’s house; but come thou to my house, if thou wilt, and be it on such a day.” Accordingly, on the appointed day, her messenger came to me, purposing to carry me to her; so I arose and went with him, till
