end of this
stratagem, and to be ready to act according as circumstances
might require.

The nurse, in the mean time, made all the haste she could to
Zobeide. The pleasure of carrying the princess news favourable to
her wager, but still more the hopes of a good reward, added wings
to her feet, and running into the princess's closet quite out of
breath, she gave her a true account of all she had seen. Zobeide
hearkened to the old woman's relation with a most sensible
pleasure; and when she had done, said, with a tone which shewed
triumph at having, as she supposed, won her wager: "Repeat it
once more before the caliph, who looks upon us all to be fools,
would make us believe we have no sense of religion, nor fear of
God; and tell your story to that wicked black slave, who had the
insolence to assert a wilful falsehood."

Mesrour, who expected the nurse's report would prove favourable
on his side, was much mortified to find it so much the contrary,
and so vexed at the anger Zobeide expressed against him, for a
thing which he thought himself surer of than any body, that he
was glad of an opportunity of speaking his mind freely to the old
women, which he durst not do to the princess. "Old toothless,"
said he to the nurse, "you are a liar, and there is no truth in
what you say; for I saw with my own eyes Nouzhatoul-aouadat laid
out in the middle of the room."

"You are a notorious liar yourself," replied the nurse, with an
insulting air, "to dare maintain so great a falsity before my
face, who am just come from seeing Abou Hassan dead, laid out,
and have left his wife alive." "I am not an impostor," replied
Mesrour; "it is you who endeavour to lead us all into error."

"What impudence," said the nurse, "to dare tell me I lie in the
presence of their majesties, when I saw just now with my own eyes
what I have had the honour to tell them." "Indeed, nurse,"
answered Mesrour again, "you had better hold your tongue, for you
certainly doat."

Zobeide, who could no longer endure this want of respect in
Mesrour, who, without any regard to her, treated her nurse so
injuriously in her presence, without giving the old lady time to
reply to so gross an affront, said to the caliph, "Commander of
the faithful, I demand justice for this insolence to us both."
She was so enraged she could say no more, but burst into tears.

The caliph, who had heard all the dispute, thought it very
intricate. He mused some time, and could not tell