One morning as he was hobbling through the streets he met his old enemy prowling to see if she could find anyone to decoy.  He went up to her and, imitating the voice of a woman, he said, “Do you happen to have a pair of scales you could lend me?  I have just come from Persia and have brought with me five hundred gold pieces, and I am anxious to see if they are the proper weight.”

“Good woman,” replied the old hag, “you could not have asked anyone better.  My son is a money-changer, and if you will follow me he will weigh them for you himself.  Only we must be quick or he will have gone to his shop.”  So saying she led the way to the same house as before, and the door was opened by the same Greek slave.

Again my brother was left in the hall, and the pretended son appeared under the form of the black slave.  “Miserable crone,” he said to my brother, “get up and come with me,” and turned to lead the way to the place of murder.  Alnaschar rose too, and drawing the sabre from under his dress dealt the black such a blow on his neck that his head was severed from his body.  My brother picked up the head with one hand, and seizing the body with the other dragged it to the vault, when he threw it in and sent the head after it.  The Greek slave, supposing that all had passed as usual, shortly arrived with the basin of salt, but when she beheld Alnaschar with the sabre in his hand she let the basin fall and turned to fly.  My brother, however, was too quick for her, and in another instant her head was rolling from her shoulders.  The noise brought the old woman running to see what was the matter, and he seized her before she had time to escape.  “Wretch!” he cried, “do you know me?”

“Who are you, my lord?” she replied trembling all over.  “I have never seen you before.”

“I am he whose house you entered to offer your hypocritical prayers.  Don’t you remember now?”

She flung herself on her knees to implore mercy, but he cut her in four pieces.

There remained only the lady, who was quite ignorant of all that was taking place around her.  He sought her through the house, and when at last he found her, she nearly fainted with terror at the sight of him.  She begged hard for life, which he was generous enough to give her, but he bade her to tell him how she had got into partnership with the abominable creatures he had just put to death.

“I was once,” replied she, “the wife of an honest merchant, and that old woman, whose wickedness I did not know, used occasionally to visit me.  “Madam,” she said to me one day, “we have a grand wedding at our house to-day.  If you would do us the honour to be present, I am sure you would enjoy yourself.”  I allowed myself to be persuaded, put on my richest dress, and took a purse with a hundred pieces of gold.  Once inside the doors I was kept by force by that dreadful black, and it is now three years that I have been here, to my great grief.”