Then we arose，he and I，and repaired to my house，which I found empty and stripped of everything，whereat I was confounded and said to myself，I care not for the loss of the gear，though indeed I borrowed part thereof of my friends；yet is there no harm in that，for they know my excuse in the loss of my goods and the pillage of my house；but as for Ali ben Bekkar and the Khalifs favourite，I fear lest their case get wind and this cause the loss of my life.'So I turned to my neighbour and said to him，Thou art my brother and my neighbour and wilt cover my nakedness；what dost thou counsel me to do？I counsel thee to wait，'answered he；for they who entered thy house and stole thy goods have murdered the better part of a company from the Khalifs palace，besides some of the police，and the Khalifs officers are now in quest of them on every side. Haply they will chance on them and so thy wish will come about without effort of thine.'Then I returned to my other house，that in which I dwelt，saying to myself，This that hath befallen me is what Aboulhusn feared and from which he fled to Bassora.'Presently the pillage of my pleasure-house was noised abroad among the folk，and they came to me from all sides，some rejoicing in my misfortune and others excusing me and condoling with me，whilst I bewailed myself to them and ate not neither drank for grief. As I sat，repenting me of what I had done，one of my servants came in to me and said，There is a man at the door，who asks for thee；and I know him not.'So I went out and found at the door a man whom I knew not. I saluted him，and he said to me，I have somewhat to say to thee privily.'So I brought him in and said to him，What hast thou to say to me？Quoth he，Come with me to thine other house.'Doss thou then know my other house，'asked I. I know all about thee，'replied he，and I know that also wherewith God will dispel thy concern.'So I said to myself，I will go with him whither he will；and we went out and walked on till we came to my other house，which when he saw，he said to me，It is without door or doorkeeper，and we cannot sit in it；so come thou with me to another house.'Accordingly，he went on from place to place and I with him，till the night overtook us. Yet I put no question to him and we ceased not to walk on，till we reached the open country. He kept saying，Follow me，'and quickened his pace，whilst I hurried after him，heartening myself to go on.
Presently；we came to the river-bank，where he took boat with me，and the boatman rowed us over to the other side. Here my guide landed and I after him and he took my hand and led me to a street I had never before entered，nor do I know in what quarter it is.
Presently he stopped at the door of a house，and opening，entered and made me enter with him；after which he bolted the door with a bolt of iron and carried me along the vestibule，till he brought me in presence of ten men，brothers，as they were one and the same man. We saluted them and they returned our greeting and bade us be seated；so we sat down. Now I was like to die for very weariness；so they brought rose-water and sprinkled it on my face，after which they gave me to drink and set food before me，of which some of them ate with me. Quoth I to myself，Were there aught of harm in the food，they would not eat with me.'So I ate，and when we had washed our hands，each of us returned to his place. Then said they to me，Dost thou know us？I never in my life saw you nor this your abode，'answered I；nay，I know not even him who brought me hither.'Said they，Tell us thy case and lie not in aught.'Know then，'rejoined I，that my case is strange and my affair marvellous： but do you know aught of me？
Yes，'answered they；it was we took thy goods yesternight and carried off thy friend and her who was singing to him.'May God let down the veil of His protection over you！'said I. But where is my friend and she who was singing to him？They pointed to two doors and replied，They are yonder，each in a room apart；
but，by Allah，O our brother，the secret of their case is known to none but thee，for from the time we brought them hither，we have not seen them nor questioned them of their condition，seeing them to be persons of rank and dignity. This it was that hindered us from putting them to death： so tell us the truth of their case and be assured of their safety and thine own.'When I heard this，I was like to die of fright and said to them，O my brethren，if generosity were lost，it would not be found save with you and had I a secret，which I feared to divulge，your breasts alone should have the keeping of it.'And I went on to expatiate to them in this sense，till I saw that frankness would profit me more than concealment；so I told them the whole story. When they heard it，they said，And is this young man Ali ben Bekkar and this damsel Shemsennehar？Yes，'answered I. This was grievous to them and they rose and made their excuses to the two lovers. Then they said to me，Part of what we took from thy house is spent，but here is what is left of it.'So saying，they gave me back the most part of my goods and engaged to return them to my house and restore me the rest. So my heart was set at ease，and some of them abode with me，whilst the rest fetched Ali ben Bekkar and Shemsennehar，who were well-nigh dead for excess of fear. Then they all sallied forth with us and I went up to the two lovers and saluting them，said to them，What became of the damsel and the two maids？We know nothing of them，'answered they. Then we walked on till we came to the river-bank，where we all embarked in the boat that had brought me over before，and the boatman rowed us to the other side；but hardly had we landed and sat down on the bank to rest，when a troop of horse swooped down on us like eagles and surrounded us on all sides，whereupon the robbers with us sprang up in haste and the boatman，putting back for them，took them in and pushed off into mid-stream，leaving us on the bank，unable to move or abide still. The horseman said to us，Whence come ye？
