This half he dipped in the honey and gave to Ali Sharsaying'O my lordI swear by thy religion that thou shalt take this.'Ali was ashamed to make him forsworn；so he took the half banana and swallowed it；but hardly had it reached his stomachwhen his head fell down in front of his feet and he was as though he had been a year asleep.
When the Nazarene saw thishe roseas he had been a bald wolf or a baited catand taking the saloon keymade off at a run，leaving Ali Shar prostrate. Now this Christian was the brother of the decrepit old man who thought to buy Zumurrud for a thousand dinarsbut she would have none of him and flouted him in verse.
He was an infidel at heartthough a Muslim in outward showand called himself Reshideddin；and when Zumurrud mocked him and would not accept of him to her lordhe complained to his brotherthe aforesaid ChristianBersoum by namewho said to him'Fret not thyself about this affair；for I will make shift to get her for theewithout paying a penny.'
Now he was a skilful sorcerer crafty and wicked；so he watched his time and played Ali Shar the trick aforesaid；thentaking the keyhe went to his brother and told him what had passed，whereupon Reshideddin mounted his mule and repaired with his servants to Ali Shar's housetaking with him a purse of a thousand dinarswherewith to bribe the master of policeshould he meet him. He unlocked the saloon doorand the men who were with him rushed in upon Zumurrud and seized herthreatening her with death if she spoke；but they left the house as it was and took nothing therefrom. Moreoverthey laid the key by Ali's side and leaving him lying in the vestibuleshut the door on him and went away. The Christian carried the girl to his own house and setting her amongst his women and concubinessaid to her'O strumpetI am the old manwhom thou did reject and lampoon；but now I have theewithout paying a penny.'God requite theeO wicked old man，'replied shewith her eyes full of tears'for sundering my lord and me！'Wanton doxy that thou art，'rejoined he，'thou shalt see how I will punish thee！ By the virtue of the Messiah and the Virginexcept thou obey me and embrace my faith，I will torture thee with all manner of torture！'By Allah，'answered she'though thou cut me in piecesI will not forswear the faith of Islam！ It may be God the Most High will bring me speedy relieffor He is all-powerfuland the wise say'Better hurt in body than in religion.'
Thereupon the old man called out to his eunuchs and women，saying'Throw her down！'So they threw her down and he beat her grievouslywhilst she cried in vain for helpbut presently stinted and fell to saying'God is my sufficiencyand He is indeed sufficient！'till her breath failed her and she swooned away. When he had taken his fill of beating herhe said to the eunuchs'Drag her forth by the feet and cast her down in the kitchenand give her nothing to eat.'They did his biddingand on the morrow the accursed old man sent for her and beat her againafter which he bade return her to her place. When the pain of the blows had subsidedshe said'There is no god but God and Mohammed is His Apostle！ God is my sufficiency and excellent is He in whom I put my trust！'And she called upon our lord Mohammed（whom God bless and preserve）for succour.
MeanwhileAli Shar slept on till next daywhen the fumes of the henbane quitted his brain and he awoke and cried out'O Zumurrud！'But none answered him. So he entered the saloon and found 'the air empty and the place of visitation distant；'
whereby he knew that it was the Nazarenewho had played him this trick. And he wept and groaned and lamented and repeated the following verses：
O Fatethou sparest not nor dost desist from me： Lofor my soul is racked with dolour and despite！
Have pityO my lordsupon a slave laid lowUpon the rich made poor by love and its unright.
What boots the archer's skillifwhen the foe draw nearHis bowstring snap and leave him helpless in the fight？
And when afflictions press and multiply on manAhwhither then shall he from destiny take flight？
How straitly did I guard 'gainst severance of our loves！ But，when as Fate descendsit blinds the keenest sight.
Then he sobbed and repeated these verses also：
Her traces on the encampment's sands a robe of grace bestow： The mourner yearneth to the place where she dwelt whiles ago.
Towards her native land she turns；a camp in her doth raise Longingwhose very ruins now are scattered to and fro.
She stops and questions of the place；but with the case's tongue It answers her'There is no way to unionI trow.
'Tis as the lost a Levin werethat glittered on the camp Awhile，then vanished and to thee appeareth nevermo.'
And he repentedwhenas repentance availed him notand wept and tore his clothes. Then he took two stones and went round the citybeating his breast with the stones and crying out'O Zumurrud！'whilst the children flocked round himcalling out'A madman！ A madman！'and all who knew him wept for himsaying，'Yonder is such an one： what hath befallen him？'This he did all that dayand when night darkened on himhe lay down in one of the by-streets and slept till morning. On the morrowhe went round about the city with the stones till eventidewhen he returned to his houseto pass the night. One of his neighbours，a worthy old womansaw him and said to him'God keep theeO my son！ How long hast thou been mad？'And he answered her with the following verse：
Quoth they'Thou'rt surely mad for her thou lov'st；'and I replied'Indeed the sweets of life belong unto the raving race.
My madness leave and bring me her for whom ye say I'm mad；And if she heal my madnessspare to blame me for my case.'
