When I came to the houseI knocked at the doorwhereupon a slave-girl came out and opened to mesaying'Who art thou？' I made her no answerbut entered and saw the two witnesses and the master of the house sittingand lewd women with themand great plenty of wine before them. When they saw methey rose to receive mewithout showing the least alarmand made much of me，seating me in the place of honour and saying to me'Welcome for an illustrious guest and a pleasant cup-companion！'
Presentlythe master of the house went out and returning after awhile with three hundred dinarssaid to mewithout the least fear'O my lordit iswe knowin thy power both to disgrace and punish us；but this will bring thee nothing but weariness.
So thou wouldst do better to take this money and protect us；for God the Most High is named the Protector and loveth those of His servants who protect each other；and thou shalt have thy reward in the world to come.' The money tempted me and I said in myself'I will take the money and protect them this once；butif ever again I have them in my powerI will take my wreak of them.'
So I took the money and went away；butnext dayone of the Cadi's serjeants came to me and cited me before the court. I accompanied him thitherknowing not the meaning of the summons；and when I came into the Cadi's presenceI saw the two witnesses and the master of the house sitting by him. The latter rose and sued me for three hundred dinarsnor was it in my power to deny the debt；for he produced a written obligation and the two others testified against me that I owed the amount.
Their evidence satisfied the Cadi and he ordered me to pay the money；nor did I leave the Court till they had of me the three hundred dinars. So I went awayin the utmost wrath and confusionvowing vengeance against them and repenting that I had not punished them.'
Then rose the chief of the Boulac police and said'As for me，O our lord the Sultanthe most remarkable thing that befell meduring my term of officewas as follows：
Story of the Chief of the Boulac Police.
I was once in debt to the amount of three hundred thousand dinarsand being distressed therebyI sold what was behind me and what was before me and all I could lay my hands onbut could raise no more than a hundred thousand dinars and abode in great perplexity. One nightas I sat at homein this state of mindthere came a knocking at the gate；so I said to one of my servants'See who is at the door.' He went out and returned，pale and trembling in every nerve；so I said to him'What ails thee？'There is a man at the doorseeking thee，' answered he.
'He is half nakedclad in skinswith a sword and a knife in his girdleand with him are a company of the same fashion.' So I took my sword and going out to see who these werefound them as the boy had reported and said to them'What is your business？'We are thieves，' answered they'and have made great purchase to-night and appointed it to thy usethat thou mayst pay therewith the debts that oppress thee and free thyself from thy distress.'Where is it？' asked I；and they brought me a great chestfull of vessels of gold and silver；which when I sawI rejoiced and said in myself'It were ungenerous to let them go away empty-handed.'
So I took the hundred thousand dinars I had by me and gave it to themthanking them；and they took it and went their way，under cover of the night. Buton the morrowwhen I examined the contents of the chestI found them gilded brass and pewterworth five hundred dirhems at the most；and this was grievous to mefor I had lost what money I hadand trouble was added to my trouble.'
Then rose the chief of the police of Old Cairo and said'O our lord the Sultanthe most remarkable thing that befell me，during my term of officewas on this wise：
Story of the Chief of the Old Cairo Police I once had ten thieves hangedeach on his own gibbetand set guards to watch them and hinder the folk from taking them down.
Next morningwhen I came to look at themI found two bodies hanging from one gibbet and said to the guards'Who did this，and where is the tenth gibbet？' But they denied all knowledge of itand I was about to beat themwhen they said'KnowO Amirthat we fell asleep last nightand when we awokewe found one of the bodies gonegibbet and allwhereat we were alarmedfearing thy wrath. Butpresentlyup came a peasant，jogging along on his ass；so we laid hands on him and killing himhung his body upon this gibbetin the stead of the missing thief.'
When I heard thisI marvelled and said to them'Had he aught with him？'He had a pair of saddle-bags on the ass，' answered they. 'What was in them？' asked I and they said'We know not.'
Quoth I'Bring them hither.' So they brought them to me and I bade open themwhenbeholdtherein was the body of a murdered mancut in pieces. When I saw thisI marvelled and said in myself'Glory be to God！ The cause of the hanging of this peasant was no other but his crime against this murdered man；and the Lord is no unjust dealer with [His] servants.'
