said he, "cut her in two, and then throw her into the Tygris.
This is the punishment I inflict on those to whom I have given my
heart, when they falsify their promise." When he saw that the
slave hesitated to obey him, "Why do you not strike?" said he.
"What do you wait for?"

"Madam," said the slave then, "you are near the last moment of
your life, consider if you have any thing to dispose of before
you die." I begged permission to speak one word, which was
granted me. I lifted up my head, and casting an affectionate look
on my husband, said, "Alas! to what a condition am I reduced!
must I then die in the prime of my youth!" I could say no more,
for my tears and sighs choked my utterance. My husband was not at
all moved, but, on the contrary, went on to reproach me; and it
would have been in vain to attempt a reply. I had recourse to
intreaties and prayers; but he had no regard to them, and
commanded the slaves to proceed to execution. The old woman, who
had been his nurse, came in just at that moment, fell down upon
her knees, and endeavoured to appease his wrath. "My son," said
she, "since I have been your nurse and brought you up, let me beg
the favour of you to grant me her life. Consider, that he who
kills shall be killed, and that you will stain your reputation,
and forfeit the esteem of mankind. What will the world say of
such sanguinary violence?" She spoke these words in such an
affecting manner, accompanied with tears, that she prevailed upon
him at last to abandon his purpose.

"Well then," said he to his nurse, "for your sake I will spare
her life; but she shall bear about her person some marks to make
her remember her offence." When he had thus spoken, one of the
slaves, by his order, gave me upon my sides and breast so many
blows, with a little cane, that he tore away both skin and flesh,
which threw me into a swoon. In this state he caused the same
slaves, the executioners of his fury, to carry me into a house,
where the old woman took care of me. I kept my bed four months;
at last I recovered: the scars which, contrary to my wish, you
saw yesterday, have remained ever since.

As soon as I was able to walk, and go abroad, I resolved to
retire to the house which was left me by my first husband, but I
could not find the site whereon it had stood. My second husband,
in the heat of his resentment, was not satisfied with the
demolition of that, but caused every other house in the same
street to be razed