Pagina 702 van 1116

I fared forth from the Khan and walked down "Between the Palaces"

street till I came to the Zuwaylah Porte, where I found the

people crowding and the gateway blocked for the much folk. And by

the decree of Destiny I saw there a trooper against whom I

pressed unintentionally, so that my hand came upon his bosom

pocket and I felt a purse inside it. I looked and seeing a string

of green silk hanging from the pocket knew it for a purse; and

the crush grew greater every minute and just then, a camel laden

with a load of fuel happened to jostle the trooper on the

opposite side, and he turned round to fend it off from him, lest

it tear his clothes; and Satan tempted me, so I pulled the string

and drew out a little bag of blue silk, containing something

which chinked like coin. But the soldier, feeling his pocket

suddenly lightened, put his hand to it and found it empty;

whereupon he turned to me and, snatching up his mace from his

saddle bow, struck me with it on the head.