y,
who had covered her face with her veil as soon as Ganem appeared,
was extremely sensible of the obligations she owed him. "I return
thanks to God," said she "for having sent so worthy a person as
you are to deliver me from death; but since you have begun so
charitable a work, I conjure you not to leave it imperfect. Let
me beg of you to go into the city, and provide a muleteer, to
come with his mule, and carry me to your house in this chest;
for, should I go with you on foot, my dress being different from
that of the city ladies, some one might take notice of it, and
follow me, which it highly concerns me to prevent. When I shall
be in your house, I will give you an account of myself; and in
the mean time be assured that you have not obliged an ungrateful
person."

Before the young merchant left the lady, he drew the chest out of
the pit, which he filled up with earth, laid her again in the
chest, and shut it in such a manner, that it did not look as if
the padlock had been forced off; but for fear of stifling her, he
did not put it quite close, leaving room for the admittance of
air. Going out of the burial-place, he drew the door after him;
and the city gate being then open, soon found what he sought. He
returned with speed to the burial place, and helped the muleteer
to lay the chest across his mule, telling him, to remove all
cause of suspicion, that he came to that place the night before,
with another muleteer, who, being in haste to return home, had
laid down the chest where he saw it.

Ganem, who, since his arrival at Bagdad, had minded nothing but
his business, was still unacquainted with the power of love, and
now felt its first attacks. It had not been in his power to look
upon the young lady without being dazzled; and the uneasiness he
felt at following the muleteer at a distance, and the fear lest
any accident might happen by the way that should deprive him of
his conquest, taught him to unravel his thoughts. He was more
than usually delighted, when, being arrived safe at home, he saw
the chest unloaded. He dismissed the muleteer, and having caused
a slave to shut the door of his house, opened the chest, helped
the lady out, gave her his hand, and conducted her to his
apartment, lamenting how much she must have endured in such close
confinement. "If I have suffered," said she, "I have satisfaction
sufficient in what you have done for me, and in the pleasure of
seeing myself out of danger."

Though