with blows begin to lead
her away."

Noureddin did as Hagi Hassan advised, to the great wrath of Saouy, who
riding straight at him endeavoured to take the beautiful Persian from
him by force. Noureddin letting her go, seized Saouy's horse by the
bridle, and, encouraged by the applause of the bystanders, dragged him
to the ground, beat him severely, and left him in the gutter streaming
with blood. Then, taking the beautiful Persian, he returned home
amidst the acclamations of the people, who detested Saouy so much that
they would neither interfere in his behalf nor allow his slaves to
protect him.

Covered from head to foot with mire and streaming with blood he rose,
and leaning on two of his slaves went straight to the palace, where he
demanded an audience of the king, to whom he related what had taken
place in these words:

"May it please your Majesty, I had gone to the slave market to buy
myself a cook. While there I heard a slave being offered for 4,000
pieces. Asking to see her, I found she was of incomparable beauty, and
was being sold by Noureddin, the son of your late vizir, to whom your
Majesty will remember giving a sum of 10,000 gold pieces for the
purchase of a slave. This is the identical slave, whom instead of
bringing to your Majesty he gave to his own son. Since the death of
his father this Noureddin has run through his entire fortune, has sold
all his possessions, and is now reduced to selling the slave. Calling
him to me, I said: "Noureddin, I will give you 10,000 gold pieces for
your slave, whom I will present to the king. I will interest him at
the same time in your behalf, and this will be worth much more to you
than what extra money you might obtain from the merchants." "Bad old
man," he exclaimed, "rather than sell my slave to you I would give her
to a Jew." "But, Noureddin," I remonstrated, "you do not consider that
in speaking thus you wrong the king, to whom your father owed
everything." This remonstrance only irritated him the more. Throwing
himself on me like a madman, he tore me from my horse, beat me to his
heart's content, and left me in the state your Majesty sees."

So saying Saouy turned aside his head and wept bitterly.

The king's wrath was kindled against Noureddin. He ordered the captain
of the guard to take with him forty men, to pillage Noureddin's house,
to rase it to the ground, and to bring Noureddin and the slave to him.
A doorkeeper, named Sangiar, who had be