Pagina 870 di 1116

He also disguised himself as a Persian that none might know him,

and hid a sword under his clothes of foreign cut. Then he went

out and presently, falling in with the old woman, said to her,

speaking Arabic with a Persian accent, "Venerable lady,[FN#677] I

am a stranger arrived but this day here where I know no one. Hast

thou a pair of scales wherein I may weigh eleven hundred dinars?

I will give thee somewhat of them for thy pains." "I have a son,

a money changer, who keepeth all kinds of scales," she answered,

"so come with me to him before he goeth out and he will weigh thy

gold." My brother answered "Lead the way!" She led him to the

house and the young lady herself came out and opened it,

whereupon the old woman smiled in her face and said, "I bring

thee fat meat today."[FN#678] Then the damsel took my brother by

the hand, and led him to the same chamber as before; where she

sat with him awhile then rose and went forth saying, "Stir not

from thy seat till I come back to thee." Presently in came the

accursed slave with the drawn sword and cried to my brother, "Up

and be damned to thee." So he rose, and as the slave walked on

before him he drew the sword from under his clothes and smote him

with it, making head fly from body.