against the true believers."

"Was he who took her away wrath thereat?"

"Nay, on the contrary, he seemed well satisfied that it should be so,
and ever since then he has left the girl in peace. He regards her as a
peri, as one who is not in her right mind, and therefore should be dealt
gently with. She is free to go about the house as she likes. Halil will
never permit her to do any rough work, nay, rather, will he do
everything himself, with his own hands, so that all his acquaintances
already begin to speak of him as a portent, and his patience has become
a proverb in their mouths. Halil they say took unto himself a
slave-woman, and lo! he has himself become that slave-woman's slave."

"Of a truth it is a remarkable case," observed the Padishah; "try and
find out what turn the affair takes next. And the Teskeredji Bashi shall
record everything that thou sayest for an eternal remembrance."

During this speech the Berber-Bashi had artistically completed the
official dressing of the Padishah's head, whereupon the Ibrikdar Aga
came forward to wash his hands, the Peshkiriji Bashi carefully dried
them with a towel, the Ternakdji Bashi pared his nails, the Dülbendar
placed the pearl-embroidered _kauk_ on the top of his head, and adjusted
the long eastern shawl round his waist, the Chobodar handed him his
upper jacket, the _binis_ heavy with turquoise, the Silihdar buckled on
his tasselled sword, and then everyone, after performing the usual
salaams withdrew, except the Khas-Oda-Bashi and the Kapu-Agasi, who
remained alone with their master.

The Khas-Oda-Bashi announced that the two humblest of the Sultan's