THE THIEF AND THE SHROFF.
A certain Shroff, bearing a bag of gold pieces, once passed by a
company of thieves, and one of these sharpers said to the others,
"I, and I only, have the power to steal yonder purse." So they
asked, "How wilt thou do it?"; and he answered, "Look ye all!";
and followed the money-changer, till he entered his house, when
he threw the bag on a shelf[FN#406] and, being affected with
diabetes, went into the chapel of ease to do his want, calling to
the slave-girl, "Bring me an ewer of water." She took the ewer
and followed him to the privy, leaving the door open, whereupon
the thief entered and, seizing the money-bag, made off with it to
his companions, to whom he told what had passed.--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Three Hundred and Forty-fifth Night,
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the thief
took the money-bag and made off with it to his companions to whom
he told what had passed. Said they, "By Allah, thou hast played a
clever trick! ''tis not every one could do it; but, presently the
money-changer will come out of the privy; and missing the bag of
money, he will beat the slave-girl and torture her with grievous
torture. 'Tis as though thou hast at present done nothing worthy
of praise; so, if thou be indeed a sharper, return and save the
girl from being beaten and questioned." Quoth he, ' Inshallah! I
will save both girl and purse." Then the prig went back to the
Shroff's house and found him punishing the girl because of the
purse; so he knocked at the door and the man said, "Who is
there?" Cried the thief, "I am the servant of thy neighbour in
the Exchange;" whereupon he came out to him and said, "What is
thy business?" The thief replied, "My master saluteth thee and
saith to thee: 'Surely thou art deranged and thoroughly so, to
cast the like of this bag of money down at the door of thy shop
and go away and leave it.' Had a stranger hit upon it he had made
off with it and, except my master had seen it and taken care of
it, it had assuredly been lost to thee." So saying, he pulled out
the purse and showed it to the Shroff who on seeing it said,
"That is my very purse," and put out his hand to take it; but the
thief said, "By Allah, I will not give thee this same, till thou
write me a receipt declaring that thou hast received it! for
indeed I fear my master will not believe that thou hast recovered
the purse, unless I bring him thy writing to that effect, and
sealed with thy signet-seal." The money changer went in to write
the paper required; and in the meantime the thief made off with
the bag of money and thus was the slave-girl saved her beating.
And men also tell a tale of
