 been? Indeed thou hast tarried long from us, and our hearts
were troubled for thee.” And the captain of the ship said to me, “O
merchant Abdullah, the wind hath been fair for us this great while, and
thou hast hindered us from setting sail.” And I answered, “There is no
harm in that: ofttimes slow[526] is sure and my absence hath wrought us
naught but advantage, for indeed, there hath betided me therein the
attainment of our hopes and God-gifted is he who said:—

[Illustration]

 I weet not, whenas to a land I fare ✿ In quest of good, what I shall
    there obtain;
 Or gain I fare with sole desire to seek; ✿ Or loss that seeketh me when
    seek I gain.

Then said I to them, “See what hath fallen to me in this mine absence;”
and displayed to them all that was with me of treasures and told them
what I had beheld in the City of Stone, adding, “Had ye hearkened to me
and gone with me, ye had gotten of these things great gain.”——And
Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.


       Now when it was the Nine Hundred and Eighty-fourth Night,

She continued, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Abdullah bin
Fazil said to his shipmates and to his two brothers, “Had ye gone with
me, ye had gotten of these things great gain.” But they said, “By Allah,
had we gone, we had not dared to go in to the King of the city!” Then I
said to my brothers, “No harm shall befal you; for that which I have
will suffice us all and this is our lot.[527]” So I divided my booty
into four parts according to our number and gave one to each of my
brothers and to the Captain, taking the fourth for myself, setting aside
somewhat for the servants and sailors, who rejoiced and blessed me: and
all were content with what I gave them, save my brothers who changed
countenance and rolled their eyes. I perceived that lust of lucre had
gotten hold of them both; so I said to them, “O my brothers, methinketh
what I have given you doth not satisfy you; but we are brothers and
there 