Such an act appeared to him to
be a deadly sin, for it was most plainly held and laid down by
the rules of his religion, and had moreover been amply proved by
experience, that one wife was enough for any man. Therefore when
the Sultan, hearing that Ashimullah had but one wife, and
considering the thing very suspicious and unnatural, sent for
him, and required him to order his establishment on a scale more
befitting his present exalted position, Ashimullah was in sad
perplexity. To obey was to sin, to refuse was likely to cost him
his life; for if his master suspected the sincerity of his
conversion, his shrift would be short. In this quandary
Ashimullah sought about for excuses.
"O Commander of the Faithful, I am a poor man, and wives are
sources of expense," said Ashimullah.
"My treasury is open to the most faithful of my servants," said
the Sultan.
"A multitude of women in a house breeds strife," urged
Ashimullah.
"He who governs an empire should be able to govern his own
house," remarked the Sultan.
"I have no pleasure in the society of women," pleaded Ashimullah.
"It is not a question of pleasure," said the Sultan solemnly, and
Ashimullah thought that he saw signs of suspicion on his master's
august face. Therefore he prostrated himself, crying that he
submitted to the imperial will, and would straightway take
another wife.
"I do not love a grudging obedience," said the Sultan.
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