reply, ’He requireth a ladder of four rungs and its gear, not forgetting a bundle of rods;[FN#165] also do thou, O man, enter with four of thy lieutenants and see what else he demandeth.’” When the ancient dame heard this from him she exclaimed, “And doth the Wali also dread thee or fear this seal-ring?  My only fear is that they may now seize me and throw me and beat me with a bastinado so painful that it will be the death of me, and they hearken not to a word of mine, nor suffer thee to avail me aught.”  Rejoined the Caliph, “Be not alarmed, he shall not be able to gainsay my word;” and she, “An the Wali fear thee and give ear to thee, then will I gird my loins and suffer thee to teach me something of thy craft even were it that of robbing slaves’ shoon.”  “Go forth without affright,” said he laughing at her words, whereupon she took the seal-ring and went as far as behind the door and no farther, muttering to herself, “I will not open it wholly but only a little so as to give them the signet; then if they hearken to what saith this Robber ’tis well, otherwise I will keep the bolt fastened as it was.”  Presently she went forward and addressed the watch saying, “What is it ye want?” and Shamamah cried in reply, “O ill-omened old baggage, O rider of the jar,[FN#166] O consorter of thieves, we want the robber who is in thy house that we may take him and strike off his hand and his foot; and thou shalt see what we will do with thee after that.”  She shrank from his words, but presently she heartened her heart and said to him, “Amongst you is there any who can read a whit?” “Yes,” said the Wali, and she rejoined, “Take thou this seal-ring and see what be graven thereupon and what may be its owner’s name.”  “Almighty Allah curse him,” cried the lieutenant Shamamah, presently adding to the Wali, “O Emir, as soon as the old crone shall come forth I will throw her and flog her with a sore flogging; then let us enter the door and slay her and harry the house and seize the robber; after which I will inspect the signet and find out its owner and who sendeth it; then, if this be one of whom we stand in shame we will say, ’Indeed we read not its graving before the command was somewhat rashly carried out.’  On this wise none may avail to molest us or thee.”  Hereupon he drew near the door and cried to her, “Show me that thou hast, and perhaps the sending it may save thee.”  So she opened one leaf of the door sufficient to thrust out her hand and gave him the ring which he took and passed to the Chief of Police.  But when the Wali had considered and read the name engraved (which was that of the Commander of the Faithful, Harun the Orthodox), his colour waxed wan and his limbs quaked with fear.  “What is to do with thee?” asked Shamamah, and the other answered, “Take and look!” The man hent the ring in hand and coming forward to the light read what was on it and understood that it was the signet of the Vicar of Allah.  So a colick[FN#167] attacked his entrails and he would have spoken but