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Burton, Richard Francis

"The Arabian Nights"

" Then he sealed it and she took it from him, after which she
began to toy again with him on the divan when, behold, someone knocked
at the door. He asked, "Who is that?" and she answered, "My
husband." "What shall I do?" said he, and she, "Enter this cabinet,
till I send him away and return to thee." So she clapped him into
the second compartment from the bottom and padlocked the door on
him, and meanwhile the Kazi heard all they said.
Then she went to the house door and opened it, whereupon lo! the
Wazir entered. She bussed the ground before him and received him
with all honor and worship, saying: "O my lord, thou exaltest us by
thy coming to our house. Allah never deprive us of the light of thy
countenance!" Then she seated him on the divan and said to him, "O
my lord, doff thy heavy dress and turban and don these lighter
vestments." So he put off his clothes and turban and she clad him in a
blue cassock and a tall red bonnet, and said to him: "Erst thy garb
was that of the wazirate, so leave it to its own time and don this
light gown, which is better fitted for carousing and making merry
and sleep.


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