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How many murders hast thou done ere this? Behadir hung his head, and the King cried out at him, saying, 'Woe to thee! Who killed this young lady? 'O my lord, answered Behadir, 'I killed her, and there is no power and no virtue but in God the Most High, the Supreme! At this the King's anger redoubled and he commanded to hang him.
I know not why the knave tarries thus, and needs must I punish him for it. She was satisfied with his answer, and they drank and sported and made merry, till near upon sundown, when Behadir came in to them, having changed his clothes and girt his middle and put on shoes, such as are worn of servants.
They knew him and wondered and opened the basket, in which they found the slain woman. So they seized him and laid him in irons till the morning, when they carried him and the basket to the King and acquainted the latter with the case. The King was sore enraged and said to Behadir, 'Out on thee! This is not the first time thou hast slain folk and cast them into the sea and taken their goods.
'I will not gainsay thee in aught, for I am the freedman of thy bounty. 'Then go back forthright into the saloon, rejoined Behadir, 'and sit down in thy place and take thine ease. And accept no excuse from me, but rise and beat me; and if thou spare me, I will do away thy life. Enter now and make merry and whatsoever thou seekest of me, I will bring thee forthwith.
When he saw Behadir, he knew him for the master of the house; so he hastened to him and kissing his hands, said to him, 'God on thee, O my lord, before thou do me any hurt, hear what I have to say. Then he told him who he was and what caused him leave his native land and royal state, and how he had not entered his house of his free will, but that it was the lady who had broken the lock and done all this.
Then he said to the lady, 'If my slave must be killed, better I should do it than thou. So saying, he took the sword from her and raising his hand, smote her on the neck and made her head fly from her body. It fell upon Behadir, who awoke and sitting up, saw Amjed standing by him, with the bloodstained sword in his hand, and the damsel lying dead.
By Allah, this shall never be! Then he went out and shutting the door after him, hurried through the streets, till he overtook Behadir, when he accosted the chief of the police and said to him, 'O my lord, put not Behadir to death, for he is innocent.
Thus far, and thus far only, woman amongst Moslems is "lesser Brown Sahib Bahadur. To write the word "Behadir" or "Bahadir" is to adopt the wretched Turkish corruption. The two former worked, like the Italian Carbonari, in desert places where they had especial opportunities for crime.
He enquired what had passed, and Amjed told him what she had said, adding, 'Nothing would serve her but she must kill thee; and this is her reward. Behadir rose and kissing the prince's hand, said to him, 'Would God thou hadst spared her!
This in honour of thy strangerhood, for I love strangers and hold myself bounden to do them honour. So Amjed kissed his hand and returning to the saloon, with his face clad in its native white and red, said to the lady, 'O my mistress, the place is gladdened by thy presence, and this is indeed a blessed night. 'Verily, said she, 'this is a wonderful change in thee, that thou now welcomest me so cordially! 'By Allah, O my lady, answered he, 'methought my servant Behadir had robbed me of some necklaces of jewels, worth ten thousand dinars each; however, when I went out but now, in concern for this, I sought for them and found them in their place.
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