hs that can be found for her service. Then I shall put on my most
gorgeous robes, and mounted on a horse with a saddle of fine gold, and
its trappings blazing with diamonds, followed by a train of slaves, I
shall present myself at the house of the grand-vizir, the people
casting down their eyes and bowing low as I pass along. At the foot of
the grand-vizir's staircase I shall dismount, and while my servants
stand in a row to right and left I shall ascend the stairs, at the head
of which the grand-vizir will be waiting to receive me. He will then
embrace me as his son-in-law, and giving me his seat will place himself
below me. This being done (as I have every reason to expect), two of
my servants will enter, each bearing a purse containing a thousand
pieces of gold. One of these I shall present to him saying, "Here are
the thousand gold pieces that I offered for your daughter's hand, and
here," I shall continue, holding out the second purse, "are another
thousand to show you that I am a man who is better than his word."
After hearing of such generosity the world will talk of nothing else.

I shall return home with the same pomp as I set out, and my wife will
send an officer to compliment me on my visit to her father, and I shall
confer on the officer the honour of a rich dress and a handsome gift.
Should she send one to me I shall refuse it and dismiss the bearer. I
shall never allow my wife to leave her rooms on any pretext whatever
without my permission, and my visits to her will be marked by all the
ceremony calculated to inspire respect. No establishment will be
better ordered than mine, and I shall take care always to be dressed in
a manner suitable to my position. In the evening, when we retire to
our apartments, I shall sit in the place of honour, where I shall
assume a grand demeanour and speak little, gazing straight before me,
and when my wife, lovely as the full moon, stands humbly in front of my
chair I shall pretend not to see her. Then her women will say to me,
"Respected lord and master, your wife and slave is before you waiting
to be noticed. She is mortified that you never deign to look her way;
she is tired of standing so long. Beg her, we pray you, to be seated."
Of course I shall give no signs of even hearing this speech, which will
vex them mightily. They will throw themselves at my feet with
lamentations, and at length I will raise my head and throw a careless
glance at her, then I shall