" But
he said, "This talk is absurd and will not impose on me, O
strumpet!" Then he stripped her naked and stretching her on the
ground, tied her hands and feet to four stakes and proceeded to
torture her to make her confess. I could not bear to hear her
weeping; so I ascended the stair, quaking for fear. When I
reached the top, I replaced the trap-door and covered it over
with earth; and I thought of the lady and her beauty and what had
befallen her through my folly and repented me sore of what I had
done. Then I bethought me of my father and his kingdom and how I
had become a woodcutter, and how, after my life had been awhile
serene, it had again become troubled, and I wept and repeated the
following verse:
What time the cruelties of Fate o'erwhelm thee with distress,
Think that one day must bring thee ease, another day
duresse.
Then I went on till I reached the house of my friend, whom I
found awaiting me, as he were on coals of fire on my account.
When he saw me, he rejoiced and said, "O my brother, where didst
thou pass the night? My heart has been full of anxiety on thine
account, fearing for thee from the wild beasts or other peril:
but praised be God for thy safety!" I thanked him for his
solicitude, and retiring to my chamber, fell a-musing on what had
passed and reproached myself grievously for my meddlesomeness in
kicking the alcove.
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