g, "Wherefore hast thou put upon me such
a stratagem?" when she replied, "Wretch, recollect the day that I
brought thee a packet, in return for which you seized, beat, reviled,
and drove me scornfully away. In retaliation for such treatment, I
have taken revenge by giving thee such a delectable bride." I now fell
at her feet, entreated her forgiveness, and expressed my repentance;
upon which, smiling upon me, she said, "Be not uneasy, for as I have
plunged thee into a dilemma, I will also relieve thee from it. Go to
the aga of the leather-dressers, give him a sum of money, and desire
him to call thee his son; then repair with him, attended by his
followers and musicians, to the house of the chief magistrate. When he
inquires the cause of their coming, let the aga say, 'My lord, we are
come to congratulate thy son-in-law, who is my beloved child, on his
marriage with thy daughter, and to rejoice with him.' The magistrate
will be furiously enraged, and exclaim, 'Dog, is it possible that,
being a leather-dresser, thou durst marry the daughter of the chief
magistrate?' Do thou then reply, 'My lord, my ambition was to be
ennobled by your alliance, and as I have married your lordship's
daughter, the mean appellation of leather-dresser will soon be
forgotten and lost in the glorious title of the son-in-law of your
lordship; I shall be promoted under your protection, and purified from
the odour of the tan-pit, so that my offspring will smell as sweet as
that of a syed."

I did as the lady had directed me, and having bribed the chief of
the leather-dressers, he accompanied me with the body of his
trade, and a numerous party of musicians, vocal and instrumental,
to my father-in-law's house, before which they began to sing and
dance with great clamour every now and then crying out, "Long
live our noble kinsman! Long live the son-in-law of the chief
magistrate!" The magistrate inquired into the cause of our
intrusive rejoicing, when I told him my kinsfolk were
congratulating me upon my alliance with his illustrious house,
and come to thank him for the honour he had done the whole body
of leather-dressers in my person. The chief magistrate on hearing
this was passionately enraged, and abused me; but reflecting that
without my consent the supposed disgrace of his noble house could
not be done away, he became calm, and offered me money to divorce
his daughter. At first I pretended unwillingness, but at length
affecting to be moved b