since. My great ancestor, _Katir, ben Khur, ben Asp, ben Al Madian_,
was of the tribe of Koreish, and that brought him in direct relationship
with the family of our blessed Prophet, from whom all the best blood of
Islam flows.'

'Allah, Allah!' exclaimed the old woman, 'enough, enough. If you are all
this, my mistress wants no more. And if your riches are equal to your
birth, we shall be entirely satisfied.'

'As for my riches,' said I, 'I cannot boast of much cash; but what
merchant ever has cash at command? You must know as well as myself, that
it is always laid out in merchandise, which is dispersed over different
parts of the world, and which in due time returns back to him with
increase. My Persian silks and velvets are now travelling into
Khorassan, and will bring me back the lambskins of Bokhara. My agents,
provided with gold and otter skins, are ready at Meshed to buy the
shawls of Cashmere, and the precious stones of India. At Astrakan, my
cotton stuffs are to be bartered against sables, cloth and glass ware;
and the Indian goods which I buy at Bassorah and send to Aleppo are to
return to me in the shape of skull-caps and shalli stuffs. In short,
to say precisely what I am worth, would be as difficult as to count the
ears in a field of wheat; but you may safely tell your mistress that
the man of her choice, whenever he gathers his wealth together, will
astonish her and her family by its extent.'

'Praise be to Allah!' said the confidant, 'all is now as it should be,
and it only remains to make you acquainted with each other. You must not
fail to be at the corner of the street at night-fall, when, with all the
necessary precautions you will be introduced to the divine Shekerleb;
and if she approves of you, nothing will interpose to defer your
marriage and your happiness. There is only one piece of advice which I
have to give; that is, be sure to like cream-tarts, and to disapprove
of cheese ones. Upon every other topic she is liberal and without
prejudice. May Allah keep you in peace and safety!'

So saying, she drew up the lower part of her veil over her mouth; and
receiving two pieces of gold without a struggle, which I put into her
hand, she walked away, and left me again to my meditations.

CHAPTER LXVIII

He obtains an interview with the fair Shekerleb, makes a settlement upon
her, and becomes her husband.

I did not long remain at the foot of the tree, for I felt that much was
to be done bef