They appeared as if they had been
severely whipped with rods, and he brought them into the middle of the
apartment.
Zobeide, rising from her seat between the calenders and the caliph,
moved very gravely toward the porter.
"Come," said she, heaving a deep sigh, "let us perform our duty."
She then tucked up her sleeves above her elbows, and receiving a rod
from Safie, "Porter," said she, "deliver one of the dogs to my sister
Amina, and bring the other to me."
The porter did as he was commanded. Upon this, the dog that he held in
his hand began to howl, and, turning toward Zobeide, held her head up
in a supplicating posture; but Zobeide, having no regard to the sad
countenance of the animal, which would have moved any one else to
pity, nor to its cries that resounded through the house, whipped her
with the rod till she was out of breath; and having spent her
strength, threw down the rod, and taking the chain from the porter,
lifted up the dog by her paws, and looking upon her with a sad and
pitiful countenance, they both wept. After this Zobeide, with her
handkerchief, wiped the tears from the dog's eyes, kissed her,
returned the chain to the porter, and desired him to carry the dog to
the place whence he took her, and to bring the other. Then taking the
whip, she served this in the same manner; she then wept with it, dried
its tears, kissed it, and returned it to the porter.
The three calenders, with the caliph and his companions, were
extremely surprised at this exhibition, and could not comprehend why
Zobeide, after having so furiously beaten those two dogs, that by the
Mussulman religion are reckoned unclean[12] animals, should weep with
them, wipe off their tears, and kiss them.
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