Having called her nurse, who was admitted to the retirement of her secrets, she said, “I am tormented by my unfortunate luck, for God has afflicted me with two dreadful calamities; one, estrangement from the auspicious society of my beloved, and the other, the sight of the ill-boding visage of my husband.”

“At present, though how to gain the daily felicity of my lover’s company, policy-teaching wisdom hath not given a direction, or pointed out the exact road, yet I perceive, that from the source of bounty a ray has fallen on my mind, and enlightened it from the other world. With much art, pre­tending myself ill, I will feign a life-wasting complaint, and at length, with utmost effort, acting the last agonies, during the struggle of death I will bequest, that only thyself shall be employed in enshrouding and bury­ing me. After this, in the dusk of evening, when to prepare the requi­sites of unavoidable travel, the bride­groom of day shall have sunk into the grave of the west, and the leila* of night deshevelled her locks over the face of the sun in mourning, I will so hold in my breath, that my husband shall think I have deserted this vain world. After my burial, when all are returned home, my soul-delighting friend, having opened my tomb with all speed, can take me out of the coffin, and hasten with me to a distant city, where, to the end of our lives, we shall, to the extent of our wishes, enjoy an ample share of the felicity of each other’s society. In the retirement of leisure, without the interruption of an intruder, we can scatter the roses of delight, and quaff the wine of plea­sure from the goblet of bliss. It is proper that thou explain this glorious scheme and immortal victory fully to my lover, that, not being heedless of such unthought-of felicity, he may watch the opportunity.”

To the wicked nurse the above speech appeared worthy of approbation; and she uttered praises on the superiority of her pupil’s understanding, the strength of her mind, and the penetration of her judgment. She gave intelligence to the gallant; who, esteeming it as an important blessing and high attainment, from excess of exultation, threw his cap to the sky. The vicious-minded and deceitful wife, after two or three days confinement on the bed of pretended infirmity, with much dexterity panted upon the couch of extremity. With monstrous artifice, giving to her situation the semblance of the expiring lamp of dawn, she began to count her respirations, and, as if expecting her last breath, according to declaration, made her will. Having given repeated instructions for the width of her tomb, she so held in her breath, that to distinguish between her and a corpse was not in the power of the professors of wisdom and knowledge. In short, when her impure executor, the nurse, having buried this wicked wretch, returned to the city, the bridegroom of the heavens had sunk into the grave of the west. The gallant, who was concealed in a corner of the burying ground, with a crow and spade instantly darted out, and not giving Munkir* and Nukkeer the opportunity to question, snatched the black starred woman from the grave; the opening of which having properly closed, he dived into the night, and conveyed her to another city; where both having arrived at the height of their wishes, devoted themselves to sensual enjoyments. At the husband’s mansion, the nurse having prepared all the ceremonials of mourning, hypocritically performed the customs of condolence, practised the forms of sorrow, and loudly set up the screams of lamentation.

The artless-minded husband, igno­rant of the wiles of women, as he had devoted his soul to the love of his wife, from this heart-distressing event, withered as the grass, rubbed his face with ashes, and throwing a black dulk* over his shoulders, took up his abode with eternal grief. Courting estrangement from his relations and friends, and chusing his residence in the burying-ground, he became in his life-time allied to the grave. Day and night, from his eyes flowed scalding tears, with which he washed the dust from her grave. His food was sorrow for his love, and his companion the tomb of his beloved. In ashes-stained robes, like Mujjenou, bare headed and bare footed, he wandered round the graves. Except with the tomb of the infamous woman, he chose no connection. The hearts of relations and strangers were tortured at his distraction and misfortunes, and friends and enemies alike pitied his forlorn con­dition.

By chance, after some interval, a Choree* seller’s wife of the same city, and who knew the woman, for some cause being disgusted with her native place, removed to the town in which the wicked wretch had chosen her abode; where, to exercise her calling and gain a livelihood, having set up a shop, she became employed in her trade. On a cer­tain day, according to the rules of brace­let sellers, she walked through the city. By chance, in passing the door of the wicked wife, she cried her wares, and a handmaid coming out, called her to her mistress. The bracelet seller, on sight recognized her, and, from excess of astonishment, for an instant was silent. She examined her person, and when the suspicion of doubt was removed, said, “O virtuous lady, who hadst removed the robes of existence from the con­finement of this perishable abode, to the immortal world, and tulip-like left the scar of affliction on the heart of thy husband, and having driven him from the path of sanity, hast made him like Mujjenou, a wanderer in the desart of madness; how is it, that thou hast come a second time from the cave of annihilation into the plain of existence? For God’s sake, speedily inform me of thy wonderful story, otherwise, from excess of suspense, the fumes of madness will seize my brain.” The hypocrite, pretending ignorance, made her not in the least acquainted with the affair; but, accusing the bracelet seller of frenzy and delirium, drove her from the house.

The bracelet seller enraged, as, from vicinity, she had some knowledge of the husband, hastened to him. At first, in the way of sympathy and condolence, she enquired after his health; then shortly mentioned the beauty, fidelity, and tenderness of his wife. The husband instantly dropping a shower of tears from his eyes, wept at the mention of his wife, and renewed his distraction at her name; when the bracelet seller said, “Ah! simple man, thy wife is alive and well, enjoying the society of her gallant. Into his mouth she pours from her ruby lip the sherbet of eter­nal life, and scatters heaps of moist­ened nusseruns into his bosom from her delicate person. Why foolishly sittest thou like a snake, coiled upon this heap of dust? why torturest thou thyself on the fire of sorrow, and col­lectest upon thyself alone the troubles of the four quarters of the world? Arise from the earth of despondency, cleanse the vesture of thy condition from this filth, and, if thou canst, devote thyself to the service of God, the only pure.”

The husband was enraged at this, and said, “Woman, stranger to good sense, what madness-mingled nonsense is this? If satire has possessed thy mind, yet what applicableness has ridicule and irony to one like me, whose bosom is pierced by the sword of affliction, and his heart scorched with the flames of sorrow? It is not befitting thee. How is it possible that a wife, (may her soul repose in the highest mansion of paradise!) whose members by this time have become an heap of dust, and her bones the grave hath devoured—how is it possible, that she can play the game of incontinence with a gallant, or how quaff the wine of enjoyment, unless Jesus, having descended from the skies, has breathed upon her decayed remains?”

The bracelet seller replied, “Why dost thou, who hast no knowledge of the tricks of women and artifice of the sex, accuse me of falsehood? If thou wishest that the truth should be dis­closed to thee, and this mystery become revealed, instantly arise and follow me, and, without the inter­ference of another, enlighten thy eyes with the beauty of thy wife.” The husband from this occurrence became overwhelmed in the sea of astonish­ment, and under the guidance of the bracelet seller reached the place where his virtuous wife dwelt. Without delay entering the house, he beheld her seated on the musnud of pleasure, in all the richness of attire, jewels and ornaments. At sight of this disgraceful situation, the husband being rapt in amazement, the goblet of his brain became void of sensa­tion, and he stood like a pictured figure by the side of his wife, motionless and silent. He could not determine whether such strange events were passing in a vision, or clearly beheld by him in a state of wakefulness. At length, he addressed the faithful and pure-robed lady, saying, “O thou, who from this antique repository of dust, having taken up thy cloathing (bundle) hadst placed it under the earth of repose, how hast thou issued forth from thy clayey mansion, and from the stores of the water of life, how hast thou drank twice of the cup of existence?”

The artful wife did not in the least attend to the questions of her husband, but set up the cry of oppressed inno­cence, exclaiming—“O Mussulmauns, my neighbours, hasten to my relief, for a maniac having entered my house is attemptingmy life.” People now ran from all quarters, and having formed a circle round the husband, were prepar­ing to punish him, when he by persuasion of his eloquence prevented the hands of the crowd from doing him any injury, and remained secure from the evil designs of the hypocritical woman. He now informed them of the state of his circumstances; after which intelligence, all putting the finger of astonishment to their lips, remained silent. In the twinkling of an eye the story was rumoured abroad, and small and great (all ranks) uttered execrations against such an arch-deceiver. The affair was now referred to the sovereign of the country; and after the usual tortures according to the rules of justice, the hidden mystery became apparent on the face of day, and the infamous adulteress was stoned for her wickedness, according to the divine law. The nurse also was exalted to impalement, and dispatched to the infernal regions. The husband, out of shame, deserted society; and having retired for the rest of his life to the desart, (where he spent his days in worship of the Divine Unity, and in the path of truth,) before death made himself as it were dead.*