having opened it, she made a sign to the porter to
approach.

"Come and assist me," she cried. He did so, and went in with her, and
returned a moment after, followed by two black dogs, each of them
secured by a collar and chain. They appeared as if they had been
severely whipped with rods, and he brought them into the middle of the
apartment.

Zobeide, rising from her seat between the calenders and the caliph,
moved very gravely toward the porter.

"Come," said she, heaving a deep sigh, "let us perform our duty."

She then tucked up her sleeves above her elbows, and receiving a rod
from Safie, "Porter," said she, "deliver one of the dogs to my sister
Amina, and bring the other to me."

The porter did as he was commanded. Upon this, the dog that he held in
his hand began to howl, and, turning toward Zobeide, held her head up
in a supplicating posture; but Zobeide, having no regard to the sad
countenance of the animal, which would have moved any one else to
pity, nor to its cries that resounded through the house, whipped her
with the rod till she was out of breath; and having spent her
strength, threw down the rod, and taking the chain from the porter,
lifted up the dog by her paws, and looking upon her with a sad and
pitiful countenance, they both wept. After this Zobeide, with her
handkerchief, wiped the tears from the dog's eyes, kissed her,
returned the chain to the porter, and desired him to carry the dog to
the place whence he took her, and to bring the other. Then taking the
whip, she served this in the same manner; she then wept with it, dried
its tears, kissed it, and returned it to the porter.

The three calenders, with the caliph and his companions, were
extremely surprised at this exhibition, and could not comprehend why
Zobeide, after having so furiously beaten those two dogs, that by the
Mussulman religion are reckoned unclean[12] animals, should weep with
them, wipe off their tears, and kiss them. They muttered among
themselves; and the caliph, who, being more impatient than the rest,
longed exceedingly to be informed of the cause of so strange a
proceeding, could not forbear making signs to the vizier to ask the
question. The vizier turned his head another way; but being pressed by
repeated signs, he answered by others, that it was not yet time for
the caliph to satisfy his curiosity.

[Footnote 12: The dog is in great disrepute among the Mohammedans.
Mohammed is reported to have said, "No angel