as soon as it was night, his wife according to custom served him
with supper and they seated themselves before it. Now he had a
mockingbird which was wont, whenever he sat down to meat, to come
and eat with him and hover over his head; but in his absence the
fowl was grown familiar with Masrur and used to flutter about him
as he sat at meals. Now when Masrur disappeared and the master
returned, it knew him not and would not draw near him, and this
made him thoughtful concerning his case and the fowl's
withdrawing from him. As for Zayn al-Mawasif, she could not sleep
with her heart thinking of Masrur, and thus it was with her a
second and even a third night, till the Jew became aware of her
condition and, watching her while she sat distraught, began to
suspect somewhat wrong. On the fourth night, he awoke in the
middle thereof and heard his wife babbling in her sleep and
naming Masrur, what while she lay on her husband's bosom,
wherefore he misdoubted her; but he dissembled his suspicions and
when morning morrowed he repaired to his shop and sat therein.
Presently, up came Masrur and saluted him. He returned his salam
and said to him, "Welcome, O my brother!" adding anon, "I have
wished for thee;" and he sat talking with him for an hour or so,
after which he said to him, "Rise, O my brother, and hie with me
to my house, that we may enter into the pact of
brotherhood."[FN#347] Replied Masrur, "With joy and goodly gree,"
and they repaired to the Jew's house, where the master went in
and told his wife of Masrur's visit, for the purpose of
conditioning their partnership, and said, "Make us ready a goodly
entertainment, and needs must thou be present and witness our
brotherhood." But she replied, "Allah upon thee, cause me not
show myself to this strange man, for I have no mind to company
with him." So he held his peace and forbore to press her and bade