Then he repaired to the audience chamber, and causing Abu Sir to
be brought before him with his elbows pinioned, sent for his sea
captain and said to him: "Take this villian and set him in a sack with
two quintals of lime unslaked and tie its mouth over his head. Then
lay him in a cockboat and row out with him in front of my palace,
where thou wilt see me sitting at the lattice. Do thou say to me,
'Shall I cast him in?' and if I answer, 'Cast him!' throw the sack
into the sea, so the quicklime may be slacked on him to the intent
that he shall die drowned and burnt." "Hearkening and obeying,"
quoth the captain, and taking Abu Sir from the presence, carried him
to an island facing the King's palace, where he said to him: "Ho,
thou, I once visited thy hammam and thou entreatedst me with honor and
accomplishedst all my needs and I had great pleasure of thee.
Moreover, thou swarest that thou wouldst take no pay of me, and I love
thee with a great love. So tell me how the case standeth between
thee and the King, and what abominable deed thou hast done with him
that he is wroth with thee and hath commanded me that thou shouldst
die this foul death.
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