Then forget all this business." "What charge must be entered in the book, General ?" asked the officer, saluting.
"A charge of stealing figs that belonged to the Caesar Nicephorus and his royal brethren," I answered, and looked through the window.
He followed my glance, saw the poor monkey lying dead, and started.
"All shall be done," he said, and the man was led away.
When he had gone, I sent for the physician of the jail, whom I knew to be trustworthy, since I had appointed him myself.

Without telling him anything, I bade him examine and preserve the figs, and also dissect the body of the monkey to discover why it died.
He bowed and went away with the fruit.

A while later he returned, and showed me an open fig.

In the heart of it was a pinch of white powder.
"What is it ?" I asked.
"The deadliest poison that is known, General.

See, the stalk has been drawn out, the powder blown in through a straw, and then the stalk replaced." "Ah!" I said, "that is clever, but not quite clever enough.