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This man is unfortunate, and there is no fault in him; indeed ye

have wronged him in cutting off his hand." When I heard this, I

took heart and, my soul presaging good, I said to him, "By Allah,

O my lord, I am no thief; but they calumniated me with a vile

calumny, and they scourged me midmost the market, bidding me

confess till, for the pain of the rods, I lied against myself and

confessed the theft, albeit I am altogether innocent of it."

"Fear not," quoth the Viceroy, "no harm shall come to thee." Then

he ordered the Syndic of the bazar to be imprisoned and said to

him, "Give this man the blood money for his hand; and, if thou

delay I will hang thee and seize all thy property." Moreover he

called to his guards who took him and dragged him away, leaving

me with the Chief. Then they loosed by his command the chain from

my neck and unbound my arms; and he looked at me, and said, "O my

son, be true with me, and tell me how this necklace came to

thee." And he repeated these verses:-