reatures who force their way into houses to beg for alms? Take back
your money. I am thankful to say I do not need it, for I belong to a
beautiful lady who is very rich and gives me everything I want."

My brother was not clever enough to detect that the old woman had
merely refused the two pieces of money he had offered her in order to
get more, but he inquired if she could procure him the pleasure of
seeing this lady.

"Willingly," she replied; "and she will be charmed to marry you, and to
make you the master of all her wealth. So pick up your money and
follow me."

Delighted at the thought that he had found so easily both a fortune and
a beautiful wife, my brother asked no more questions, but concealing
his purse, with the money the lady had given him, in the folds of his
dress, he set out joyfully with his guide.

They walked for some distance till the old woman stopped at a large
house, where she knocked. The door was opened by a young Greek slave,
and the old woman led my brother across a well-paved court into a
well-furnished hall. Here she left him to inform her mistress of his
presence, and as the day was hot he flung himself on a pile of cushions
and took off his heavy turban. In a few minutes there entered a lady,
and my brother perceived at the first glance that she was even more
beautiful and more richly dressed than he had expected. He rose from
his seat, but the lady signed to him to sit down again and placed
herself beside him. After the usual compliments had passed between
them she said, "We are not comfortable here, let us go into another
room," and passing into a smaller chamber, apparently communicating
with no other, she continued to talk to him for some time. Then rising
hastily she left him, saying, "Stay where you are, I will come back in
a moment."

He waited as he was told, but instead of the lady there entered a huge
black slave with a sword in his hand. Approaching my brother with an
angry countenance he exclaimed, "What business have you here?" His
voice and manner were so terrific that Alnaschar had not strength to
reply, and allowed his gold to be taken from him, and even sabre cuts
to be inflicted on him without making any resistance. As soon as he
was let go, he sank on the ground powerless to move, though he still
had possession of his senses. Thinking he was dead, the black ordered
the Greek slave to bring him some salt, and between them they rubbed it
into his wounds