and said, “If you understand your art, you must be able to discover the king’s ruby.  Do so, and I will give you two hundred pieces of gold.  But if you do not succeed within six hours, I will use my influence at court to have you put to death as an impostor.”  Poor Ahmed was thunderstruck.  He stood long without being able to speak, reflecting on his misfortunes, and grieving, above all, that his wife, whom he so loved, had, by her envy and selfishness, brought him to such a fearful alternative.  Full of these sad thoughts, he exclaimed aloud, “O woman! woman! thou art more baneful to the happiness of man than the poisonous dragon of the desert!” Now the lost ruby had been secreted by the jeweller’s wife, who, disquieted by those alarms which ever attend guilt, sent one of her female slaves to watch her husband.  This slave, on seeing her master speak to the astrologer, drew near; and when she heard Ahmed, after some moments of abstraction, compare a woman to a poisonous dragon, she was satisfied that he must know everything.  She ran to her mistress, and, breathless with fear, cried, “You are discovered by a vile astrologer!  Before six hours are past the whole story will be known, and you will become infamous, if you are even so fortunate as to escape with life, unless you can find some way of prevailing on him to be merciful.”  She then related what she had seen and heard; and Ahmed’s exclamation carried as complete conviction to the mind of the terrified lady as it had done to that of her slave.  The jeweller’s wife hastily throwing on her veil, went in search of the dreaded astrologer.  When she found him, she erred, “Spare my honour and my life, and I will confess everything.”  “What can you have to confess to me?” said Ahmed, in amazement.  “O nothing—­nothing with which you are not already acquainted.  You know too well that I stole the king’s ruby.  I did so to punish my husband, who uses me most cruelly; and I thought by this means to obtain riches for myself and have him put to death.  But you, most wonderful man, from whom nothing is hidden, have discovered and defeated my wicked plan.  I beg only for mercy, and will do whatever you command me.”  An angel from heaven could not have brought more consolation to Ahmed than did the jeweller’s wife.  He assumed all the dignified solemnity that became his new character, and said, “Woman!  I know all thou hast done, and it is fortunate for thee that thou hast come to confess thy sin and beg for mercy before it was too late.  Return to thy house; put the ruby under the pillow of the couch on which thy husband sleeps; let it be laid on the side farthest from the door, and be satisfied thy guilt shall never be even suspected.”  The jeweller’s wife went home and did as she was instructed.  In an hour Ahmed followed her, and told the jeweller he had made his calculations, and found by the aspect of the sun and moon, and by the configuration of the stars, that the ruby was at that moment lying under