"I was once in debt to the full amount of three hundred thousand
gold pieces;
FN#402 and, being distressed thereby, I sold all
that was behind me and what was before me and all I hent in hand,
but I could collect no more than an hundred thousand dinars"--And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her
permitted say.
When it was the Three Hundred and Forty-fourth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the Wali of
Bulak continued: "So I sold all that was behind and before me,
but could collect no more than an hundred thousand dinars and
remained in great perplexity. Now one night, as I sat at home in
this state, behold, there came a knocking; so I said to one of my
servants, 'See who is at the door.' He went out and returned, wan
of face, changed in countenance and with his side-muscles a-
quivering; so I asked him, 'What aileth thee?'; and he answered,
'There is a man at the door; he is half naked, clad in skins,
with sword in hand and knife in girdle, and with him are a
company of the same fashion and he asketh for thee.' So I took my
sword and going out to see who these were, behold, I found them
as the boy had reported and said to them, 'What is your
business?' They replied, 'Of a truth we be thieves and have done
fine work this night; so we appointed the swag to thy use, that
thou mayst pay therewith the debts which sadden thee and deliver
thee from thy distress.' Quoth I, 'Where is the plunder?'; and
they brought me a great chest, full of vessels of gold and
silver; which when I saw, I rejoiced and said to myself,
'Herewith I will settle all claims upon me and there will remain
as much again.' So I took the money and going inside said in my
mind, 'It were ignoble to let them fare away empty-handed.'
Whereupon I brought out the hundred thousand dinars I had by me
and gave it to them, thanking them for their kindness; and they
pouched the monies and went their way, under cover of the night
so that none might know of them. But when morning dawned I
examined the contents of the chest, and found them copper and
tin
FN#403 washed with gold worth five hundred dirhams at the
most; and this was grievous to me, for I had lost what monies I
had and trouble was added to my trouble. Such, then, is the most
remarkable event which befel me during my term of office." Then
rose the Chief of the Police of Old Cairo and said, "O our lord
the Sultan, the most marvellous thing that happened to me, since
I became Wali, was on this wise;" and he began
the Story of the Chief of the Old Cairo Police.
