The old woman who accompanied me being extremely troubled at this accident, endeavoured to comfort me.  “My dear mistress,” said she, “I beg your pardon, for I am the cause of this misfortune, having brought you to this merchant, because he is my countryman:  but I never thought he would be guilty of such a villainous action.  But do not grieve; let us hasten home, I will apply a remedy that shall in three days so perfectly cure you, that not the least mark shall be visible.”  The fit had made me so weak, that I was scarcely able to walk.  But at last I got home, where I again fainted, as I went into my chamber.  Meanwhile, the old woman applied her remedy; I came to myself, and went to bed.

My husband came to me at night, and seeing my head bound up, asked me the reason.  I told him I had the head-ache, which I hoped would have satisfied him, but he took a candle, and saw my cheek was hurt:  “How comes this wound?” said he.  Though I did not consider myself as guilty of any great offence, yet I could not think of owning the truth.  Besides, to make such an avowal to a husband, I considered as somewhat indecorous; I therefore said, “That as I was going, under his permission, to purchase some silk stuff, a porter, carrying a load of wood, came so near to me, in a narrow street, that one of the sticks grazed my cheek; but had not done me much hurt.”  This account put my husband into a violent passion.  “This act,” said he, “shall not go unpunished.  I will to-morrow order the lieutenant of the police to seize all those brutes of porters, and cause them to be hanged.”  Fearful of occasioning the death of so many innocent persons, I said, “Sir, I should be sorry so great a piece of injustice should be committed.  Pray refrain; for I should deem myself unpardonable, were I to be the cause of so much mischief.”  “Then tell me sincerely,” said he, “how came you by this wound.”  “I answered, “That it was occasioned by the inadvertency of a broom-seller upon an ass, who coming behind me, while he was looking another way, his ass came against me with so much violence, that I fell down, and hurt my cheek upon some glass.”  “If that is the case,” said my husband, “to-morrow morning, before sun-rise, the grand vizier Jaaffier shall be informed of this insolence, and cause all the broom-sellers to be put to death.”  “For the love of God, Sir,” said I, “let me beg of you to pardon them, for they are not guilty.”  “How, madam,” he demanded, “what then am I to believe?  Speak, for I am resolved to know the truth from your own mouth.”  “Sir,” I replied, “I was taken with a giddiness, and fell down, and that is the whole matter.”

At these words my husband lost all patience.  “I have,” said he, “too long listened to your falsehoods.”  As he spoke he clapped his hands, and in came three slaves:  “Pull her out of bed,” said he, “and lay her in the middle of the floor.”  The slaves obeyed, one holding me by the head, another by the feet; he commanded the third to fetch a cimeter, and when he had brought it, “Strike,” said he, “cut her in two, and then throw her into the Tygris.  This is the punishment I inflict on those to whom I have given my heart, when they falsify their promise.”  When he saw that the slave hesitated to obey him, “Why do you not strike?” said he.  “What do you wait for?”