NAWADIR (_continued_) 'What happened to the man who went to seek one filthier than she was?
How could he ever find one filthier ?' inquired Rashid, reverting to Suleyman's unfinished story of the foolish woman and her husband and the hapless cow, when we lay down to sleep that evening in the village guest-room.

I also asked to hear the rest of that instructive tale.
Suleyman, sufficiently besought, raised himself upon an elbow and resumed the narrative.

Rashid and I lay quiet in our wrappings.
'We had reached that point, my masters, where the injured husband, having seen the remnant of the cow, said to his wife: "Now, I am going to walk this world until I find one filthier than thou art; and if I fail to find one filthier than thou art I shall go on walking till I die." Well, he walked and he walked--for months, some people say, and others years--until he reached a village in Mount Lebanon--a village of the Maronites renowned for foolishness.

It was the reputation of their imbecility which made him go there.' 'What was his name ?' inquired Rashid, who liked to have things clear.
'His name ?' said Suleyman reflectively, 'was Salih.' 'He was a Muslim ?' 'Aye, a Muslim, I suppose--though, Allah knows, he may perhaps have been an Ismaili or a Druze.

Any more questions?
Then I will proceed.
'He came into this village of the Maronites, and, being thirsty, looked in at a doorway.