THE CHIEF OF THE COUS POLICE AND THE
SHARPER
It is related that Alaeddin, chief of the police of
Cous[FN#57], was sitting one night in his house, when a man of
comely aspect and dignified port, followed by a servant bearing
a chest upon his head, came to the door and said to one of the
young men, 'Go in and tell the Amir that I would speak with him
privily.' So the servant went in and told his master, who bade
admit the visitor. When he entered the Amir saw him to be a man
of good appearance and carriage; so he received him with
honour, seating him beside himself, and said to him, 'What is
thy business?' 'I am a highwayman,' replied the stranger, 'and
am minded to repent at thy hands and turn to God the Most High
but I would have thee help me to this, for that I am in thy
district and under thine eye. I have here a chest, wherein is
that which is worth nigh forty thousand dinars; and none hath
so good a right to it as thou; so do thou take it and give me
in exchange a thousand dinars of thy money, lawfully gotten,
that I may have a little capital, to aid me in my repentance,
and not be forced to resort to sin for subsistence; and with
God the Most High be thy reward!' So saying he opened the chest
and showed the Amir that it was full of trinkets and jewels and
bullion and pearls, whereat he was amazed and rejoiced greatly.
Pages:
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196