The caliph, touched with compassion, said to the fisherman, “Should you have courage to return and throw your nets once more? We will give you an hundred sequins for what you bring us.” The fisherman, taking the caliph at his word, and forgetting all the troubles of the past day, returned towards the Tigris, in company with him, Giafar, and Mesrour, saying to himself, “These gentlemen appear too civil, and too reasonable, not to recompense me for my pains; and even should they give me only an hundredth part of what they promise me, it will still be a great sum for me.” They arrived on the banks of the river, and the fisherman, having thrown his nets, drew out a case well closed, and very heavy. The caliph immediately ordered the vizier to count him his hundred sequins, and discharged him. Mesrour took the case on his shoulders by order of his master, who in his curiosity to know what it could contain, returned immediately to the palace. The case being opened, they found a large basket made of palm leaves, and sewn at the opening with a bit of red worsted. To satisfy the impatience of the caliph, they cut the worsted with at knife, and drew out of the basket a packet, wrapped in a piece of old carpet, and tied with cord. The cord being untied, and the packet undone, they perceived with horror, the body of a young lady, whiter than snow, and cut into pieces. The caliph’s astonishment at this dismal spectacle cannot be described; but his surprise was instantly changed to anger, and casting a furious look at the vizier, “Wretch,” cried he, “is this the way you inspect the actions of my people? Assassinations are committed with impunity under your administration, and my subjects are thrown into the Tigris, that they may rise in vengeance against me on the day of judgment. If you do not speedily revenge the death of this woman, by the execution of her murderer, I swear by the holy name of God, that I will have you hanged together with forty of your relations.”--“Commander of the Faithful,” replied the grand vizier, “I entreat your majesty to grant me time to make proper inquiries.”--“I give you three days,” returned the caliph; “take care of yourself.” The vizier Giafar returned home in the greatest confusion; “Alas!” thought he, “how is it possible for me, in so large and vast a city as Bagdad, to discover a murderer, who no doubt has committed this crime secretly, and without witness, and has now in all probability fled from the city? Another in my place might perhaps take any wretch out of prison, and have him executed, to satisfy the caliph; but I will not charge my conscience with such a deed; I will rather die, than save my life on such terms.”