nding, and he will, if he chooses, tell you what is in the sack and
whither it is going, but we dare not say anything."

The Grand Vizier might probably have returned a very rough answer to
this speech, or even have cut down the slave who uttered it, but at
that moment the Caliph himself entered the lane, accompanied by a guard
of soldiers, who happened to be patrolling the city in that direction,
and whom the Caliph had summoned to his assistance.

Directing some of the soldiers to escort the slaves and their burthen
to the palace, he ordered the officer of the guard with the rest of his
men to enter the house of the Emir, and to conduct him also at once to
the palace. He furthermore strictly charged the officer to permit the
master of the house to hold no communication whatever with any of its
inmates before leaving, and as soon as possible to send a guard to
seize and hold possession of the place until the Caliph's pleasure
should be known concerning it. After giving these orders Haroun
Alraschid returned with Giafer to the palace.

When he had changed his clothes and assumed his seat on the imperial
divan, he commanded the Emir to be brought in before him. Then,
addressing him, he said with a stern expression--

"This evening my officers have stopped and arrested a party of slaves
belonging to your household, who were carrying in a sack the body of a
young lady. They say that they carried it from your house by your
command. Explain to me, therefore, who the lady is, and what your
slaves were ordered to do with her."

The Emir Bargash ibn Beynin, having prostrated himself before the
throne of the Caliph, replied--

"Prince of the Faithful, I hasten according to your command to declare
to you the whole truth concerning the young lady whose body my slaves
were carrying in the sack. That young lady was my niece. She was
Persian by birth, my nephew having married her while staying in that
country, and brought her back with him about a year ago, when he
returned to his native land. For the last three or four months they
have been staying with me in my house in this city. I must here inform
your Majesty, though I say it with sorrow and regret, that my nephew,
who is a man of violent passions, ever treated his young wife with
scandalous severity and harshness. Often, but in vain, I have
remonstrated with him as to his conduct. At length, this evening, when
going into my garden, I found my niece lying there