a piece of great value, with which she was highly pleased, and
inquired the price. "Five hundred deenars," replied I: she took
out her purse, paid me the money, and went away with the cloth;
upon which I had a profit of one hundred and fifty deenars. She
returned the next day, bought another piece, paid for it, and, in
short, did the same for fifteen days successively, paying me
regularly for each purchase. On the sixteenth day she came to my
shop as usual, chose the cloth and was going to pay me, but
missed her purse; upon which she said, "Sir, I have unfortunately
left my purse at home." "Mistress," replied I, "it is of no
consequence; take the cloth, and if you return, well, if not, you
are welcome to this trifle:" she would not take it: I pressed
her, but in vain. Much friendly argument passed between us, till
at length she said, "Sir, you contradict, and I contradict, but
we shall never agree unless you will favour me by accompanying me
to my house to receive the value of your goods; so lock up your
warehouse, lest any thing should be lost in your absence."
Accordingly I fastened my doors, and accompanied her; we walked
on conversing, till we came near her house, when she pulled out a
handkerchief from her girdle, and said, "My desire is to tie this
over thy eyes." "On what account?" replied I. "Because," said
she, "in our way are several houses, the gates of which are open,
and the women sitting in their balconies, so that possibly thy
eyes may glance upon some one of them, and thy heart be
distracted with love; for in this part are many beautiful
damsels, who would fascinate even a religious, and therefore I am
alarmed for thy peace."

Upon this I said to myself, "This old woman advises me properly,"
and I consented to her demand; when she bound the handkerchief
over my eyes, and we proceeded till we arrived at her house. She
knocked at the door, which was opened by a damsel, and we
entered. The old lady then took the handkerchief from my eyes,
when I looked around me, and perceived that I was in a mansion
having several quadrangles, highly ornamented, and resembling the
palaces of the sultan.

The old lady now desired me to retire into a room, which I did,
and there beheld heaped together all the pieces of cloth which
she had purchased of me, at which I was surprised, but still more
so when two damsels beautiful as resplendent moons approached,
and having divided a piece of cloth into halves, each took one,