Karnak Campaign - Desert Lands

Storytelling          An Akbar Murder Mystery: An Engagement with Death

Akbar
As the group traveled, Akbar speaks, "Awhile back you asked me for a tale of my life. You have already witnessed some of the more traumatic episodes of my life, but there is an incident from earlier days that I would tell. Perhaps it explains some of my interest in things that others consider morbid and distasteful.

"Not much happened in the village that I grew up in. It was on the fringes of the desert and only minor trade routes passed through. The livelihood of the villagers was in livestock and agriculture, although there were a few craftsmen and merchants. Ahmad was a combination of both these professions and others as well. He traded in spices, herbs, and minerals, most for such mundane purposes as to use for cooking or personal hygiene. But now that he had retired from his days in the caravan, he dabbled in the art of healing and alchemy. Ahmad was a fairly prosperous man in many senses, blessed with good health, a respectable fortune, a sensible wife and two fine sons, with many grandchildren expected.

"Of these two sons there is more to tell. The elder son, Ali, was the epitome of what every merchant might wish for in an heir: capable, dependable, and moderately ambitious. Ali had married well, to a daughter of a merchant from a neighboring village. He spent much time on the trade route, continuing to expand the businesses of both his father and father-in-law. The younger son, Jahif, was blessed with traits that would make any parent proud. Men respected his strength and courage. Women admired his compassion and found his features and his manners pleasing. That he did not become vain after girls started casting veiled glances and giggles his way tells even more of his good character - or, perhaps, his lack of astuteness in not observing the admiration.

"However, there was some sadness in the otherwise joyful heart of Ahmad. Neither of his sons had any interest in his hobby or in other intellectual pursuits. The elder was interested in mathematics only for the purpose of accounting and had no wish to learn about philosophy, music or art. Jahif's fancy for such things was only so that he might have something witty to say to others. Many admired or envied Jahif's great qualities but failed to note his one shortcoming, a distinct lack of intelligence.

"Ahmad had noticed that the youngest son of one of the village herders had taken interest in his herbs and uses for them. This boy, gifted with intelligence never seen before in the village, was more of a curse than a blessing to his parents who required little more than two more strong arms from their offspring. Ahmad talked with the parents. He offered them money and the occasional services of Jahif, in exchange for allowing their son to become his assistant. That is how I came to be apprenticed to my first master.

"One might think that Jahif and I, two such different people, would have had little to do with each other. However, this is the exact opposite of what happened. Perhaps we complemented each other. Jahif, while not terribly intellectually stimulating, was a kind soul and served as my protection from the village bullies. Unlike others, he was not fearful or jealous of my superior intellect. Perhaps he was too stupid to be envious, but he was also too generous to begrudge me the one gift I had. I advised him on any decisions that he needed to make and pointed out to him the many things that he overlooked. And, as I will relate, I helped him out of a most difficult situation.

"As I have already mentioned, little of import ever happened in our village. Weddings were the most exciting events, and so our village prepared to celebrate when it was announced that Aziza, daughter of Tamir, had been betrothed to Jahif. In addition to being the elder daughter of the wealthiest man in the village, Aziza was also rumored to be very beautiful, if one believes the tales of old ladies. Everyone congratulated Jahif on his great success, as if the handsome oaf had had anything to do with the arrangements.

"I know not the customs of other villages of the desert, but the celebration of marriage is a long, drawn out affair in mine. First the betrothal announcement is made, and the village celebrates. Actually, this is but an unofficial tiding of betrothal. What is actually proclaimed is the construction of the betrothal tent. This tent, which is a reminder of the nomadic days of our people, is erected in the town square. The size and sumptuousness of the tent depends upon the wealth of the bride's family. In Aziza's case, it was constructed of the finest, whitest hides, with silk banners flying at all corners. The groom also gets a tent erected in his honor, but it is much smaller and placed in solitude outside of the village. The future bride and groom both begin the purification process, abstaining from food and drinking only water.

"Three days elapse after the tent is erected before the igtimeh, the meeting of the bride and groom. Then he groom goes to the bride with food and drink, and he officially asks for her hand in marriage. Of course, their families have made all the arrangements beforehand, and the request is only ceremonial. It is not as if young grooms get to choose their brides or the young ladies get to reject suits that have come to this point. So the couple sits in a tent, sips dibis, the fermented date drink of our region, and nibbles on the plate of fruit, sweetmeats and candies. Then, after the formal question and response, they try to make conversation for 15 minutes with the person with whom they have been assigned to spend the rest of their life. They are alone in the betrothal tent, but members of the local militia guard the tent. If they plan to do more than talk they must be swift and quiet, since intimacies before the ceremony of bonding are forbidden. I suspect that most such meetings are awkward rather than passionate.

"The man then leaves his fiancée and returns to his tent to continue with three more lonely days of fasting and praying before the ceremony of bonding. The woman stays in the betrothal tent and continues her purification rites. Everyone else gets to indulge in feasting at the expense of the bride's family. As in the three days before the igtimeh, the cleric - our Mullah --visits the bride and the groom in their respective tents on each of the next three mornings. He is the only person permitted to interrupt their purification rites, and he brings them water and lectures them on the responsibilities of marriage. I have wondered if he surreptitiously checks for caches of food and diversions to help through the fast, but that is my cynical nature showing.

"The ceremony occurs on the third day after the igtimeh. After six days the newly married couple can finally celebrate and feast with the rest of the village. The bride and groom spend a night together in the bridal tent and they depart for their permanent lodgings. The villagers burn the bridal tent in celebration. This waste of good goatskin may be a crude allusion to the destruction of the bride's virginity. Or perhaps some merchants with only one daughter did not want those with several to be able to reuse the tent. Other ceremonies and celebrations follow, but they are not relevant to my story.

"When Aziza and Jahif's betrothal was announced, or rather, Aziza's bridal tent began to be constructed, local gossips expressed surprise that Jahif had made such an excellent match. He was, after all, only a second son, and although his father and elder brother would provide a generous position for Jahif, he would never be as rich as a first son. Jahif took all of the fawning congratulations and lewd remarks in his customary good-natured manner. I was filled with sadness for him although I dared not show it. Others would have mistaken my morose demeanor for jealousy of one who would marry a rich and beautiful woman. But I knew that Jahif cared little for riches, and although Aziza was rumored to be beautiful, her eyes and her manner suggested a surfeit of coldness and selfishness.

"On the night of the , Jahif gave me the honor of accompanying him to the bridal tent, carrying the flask of dibis and the plate of delicacies, and bidding him luck in winning the hand of the one inside. I did as any friend was expected to do. I wished him well, even though his suit was by tradition a forgone conclusion and I had misgivings about the union. Had all gone as expected, the next time I would have talked to him would have been three days later, after the wedding. I waited a distance from the tent and, a quarter of an hour later, watched him walk alone to his solitary tent. We were no longer allowed to speak. He cast me a look of such helpless confusion, I nearly broke the village customs. I hoped that his demeanor was merely the nervousness of one soon to be wed, although that was not to be.

"The next morning I had finished morning prayers and just started into the day's chores when I heard the screams reverberating from the town square. I rushed out to the bridal tent to find the cleric howling incoherently about death. One of the guards, my oldest brother, Hafiz, was standing, ashen faced at the tent. The other, Asam, had gone. I entered the bridal tent. Amidst the woolen carpets, chests of rare wood, and silken tapestries lay Aziza, her hands clenched to her throat. Her veil had fallen aside and the once beautiful features of her face were contorted in an expression of agony. It would have been obvious to anyone that she had died a painful death from poisoning. I looked around the tent looking for anything else out of place, but found nothing.

"By now the cleric had recovered his few wits and began to protest my entry into the tent. I ignored hm and started to question my brother. 'Were you and Asam on duty the entire night?'

"Normally Hafiz ignored me. Now he was willing to answer my questions. 'Yes. Our shift began shortly before the igtimeh.'

"'Did anyone else visit the tent last night?' I continued, 'And did either of you leave the sight of the other at any time?'

"'You and Jahif were the only ones to approach the tent. Asam and I never left sight of each other.'

"'Not even, to, uh, relieve yourself?'

"'Unlike some womanly boys, I do hot hide in a corner to water the sands," Hafiz retorted, his insolence returning to him. 'Jahif was the last one to see her. He will have much to answer for.'

"I would have commented on his lack of manners, but realized that I had more important things to do. Asam was leading a mob of the village youths out of the village to where Jahif was camped. 'Stay by the tent, reverend cleric. My brother, go gather Ahmad and the elders,' I commanded, departing before either of them could protest my orders.

"I managed to get to Jahif's tent before Asam and the group. The leader of this excess of bravado now appeared to be Ja'Qal, the first son of our village leader, the Sharif. He glared at me and sneered, 'Out of our way, little scholar boy. Who are you to obstruct justice?'

"'I had thought that it was your father's job to mete out justice,' Then I squinted for effect, and exclaimed in mock horror, 'Oh, pardon me Great Sharif. I have mistaken you for your hotheaded son, since your beard has migrated to the top of you head!'

"Insulting the heir or the lack of hair of the Sharif is rarely a wise thing to do. But my jeer had the desired effect, for the mob broke into a chorus of laughter.

"By now Jahif had woken up from his slumber. When he peered out from the tent he was quite confused and when told of the death of his intended, he was sufficiently shocked and bereaved that all but Asam and Ja'Qal now looked on him as the unfortunate bridegroom rather than as a murderer. But I knew that the ordeal to prove Jahif's innocence had only begun.

"True to my directions, my brother had summoned Ahmad, Tamir, and the other elders of the village. Ja'Qal's father was away on a trade mission, so the Council of Eight had been assigned to govern in his absence.

"The graybeards of the Council were far more level headed than the youthful mob. They agreed that Jahif should have a chance to prove his innocence. But they would not acquit him by his mournful cries alone. Since he was the last one known to see her alive, he must be suspect. Even worse, Aziza had been poisoned and he had supplied the food and drink on the eve of her death. They agreed that more needed to be learned, but warned that by the time the Sharif came back, Aziza's murder was to be avenged. This return was expected in a few days. Even Ahmad, one of the Eight, had to agree to this verdict. If my friendship with Jahif had not been sufficient for me to undertake the task of proving his innocence, the tearful eyes and trembling hands my master would have been ample inducement.

"Although Jahif was to be held in custody, he could receive visitors. I was one of the first. The groom's tent was now serving as a prison. Asam and one of my other brothers, Sakir, stood as guards. Jahif was hunched over inside looking quite miserable. His hands were tied together, as were his feet. When he saw me, his misery turned to glee momentarily, part of which was no doubt due to the basket of bread and fruit that I carried to him. Sakir unbound his hands so that Jahif could eat with as much dignity as he could muster. After the food was devoured, I fixed a look on Jahif that he had seen before. He protested, 'I didn't kill her, even after what she said.'

"'I know. But what did she say?' I asked.

"'She said no.'

"'No?' I questioned. 'No to what?'

"'When I asked her to marry me, she said "no." She refused my hand.'

"'Why?' I asked.

"'She did not tell me.'

"'And you didn't ask,' I stated flatly. 'You didn't ask why she was going to deny the wishes of her parents and yours. You didn't ask why she was about to embarrass you in front of the entire village.'

Jahif recognized that tone of voice and sighed, 'I asked but she wouldn't say. What was I supposed to do, beat it out of her?'

"'In your shoes, I would have been tempted. So what did you do?'

"'I asked her if she still wanted to eat some of the food that I had brought.'

"'She's about to make you the laughing stock and subject of gossip and bad jokes for years - no, decades - and you ask her if she wants to eat the betrothal food?' I snorted incredulously.

"'Well, I was supposed to offer her the food after she accepted, or would have accepted. That's the custom. Nobody ever told me what to do if she refused.'

"That stopped my exclamations of exasperation. 'You both sampled at least one piece of all the delicacies? And you both drank some of the dibis?'

"'Yes. We sipped some from the silver cups before I asked the question. That went according to custom. And we each tried some of the different pieces of food. They were really good, especially the almond coated chicken morsels. I sure was hungry.'

"'You are always hungry,' I scoffed. "But after three days of fasting anyone would be.' Then I thought aloud, 'Aziza was generous in the sharing of the food?'

"'Yes. She tried a piece of everything, but she let me have more than half of the food. She said that at least she could let me have a decent meal. She is not ... was not a monster.'

"I did not think that Aziza would be so generous with sharing her portion of the one meal she would get to eat that week, even after pulling such a trick. But I kept that opinion - as well as what I generally thought of her disposition - to myself. Instead I queried, 'What did you talk about while eating?'

"'Well, not much really. It was rather awkward. I admired all of the wall hangings in the tent and the furnishings and made the usual small talk. And then I left.'

"'You didn't notice anything unusual?' Seeing his blank stare, I clarified, 'You didn't think that the food or drink tasted funny, you did not feel ill, and she did not appear discomforted? You didn't notice anything in the tent that did not appear as should be?'

"'The date wine was strong, the food was delicious, and Aziza seemed happy enough. There was a lot of stuff in the tent, but I didn't pay any attention to it.' He added, 'I have not been in a bridal tent before. I was nervous and confused, but I did not feel sick.'

"'And then you walked out of the tent and returned to your tent to continue the purification for a union that she had just rejected?' I sighed.

"'Well, I didn't know what to do, and I couldn't break my vow of silence to ask. I hoped that maybe if I went through the purification, everything would become right again.' He pouted. 'I thought that she might change her mind. It's not as if the dishonor would fall upon me alone. She would also bestow shame upon herself, and that's not like Aziza.'

"Indeed, I thought to myself, how very unlike Aziza, who seemed quite concerned with improving her place in the world. Refusing Jahif would make him the laughing stock of the village, but it would hamper her future marriage prospects and would provide gossip for years. Why would she refuse Jahif and be shamed in front of all?

"This nagging thought was joined by another. Why would Aziza's family have married her to Jahif? Our village was short on first sons of wealthy merchants or community leaders. But other villages had a deficit of well-connected daughters. In face, rumor had it that Tamir had rejected other offers for Aziza's hand last year. With her beauty only increasing, why settle for Jahif? At seventeen, she was well under the age that women are considered too old to wed, so it was not as though the family was running out of time to marry her off.

"Or maybe they were, I thought. But to test this hypothesis, I needed to do an autopsy, and I knew that I had better do it with caution. Autopsies are not generally practiced in the small villages of this region. I went to see the, who had been placed in charge of her body. The poor old man, who I admit to treating with some disrespect, may have once been a fine beacon for the greatness of Ashar. Alas, that would have been before I was born. His kindness, patience, and occasional lectures on spiritual duties were sufficient for what a village such as ours needed in ordinary circumstances. But circumstances now required more than a gentle old man to recite scripture. I began the inquiry with routine questions about the guards posted around the bridal tent the three days prior to the igtimeh. He confirmed what I expected, that the bridal tent had been surrounded every day and night by two guards who never left sight of each other. In his morning visits he had found both the bride and groom in good health and spirits. He noticed nothing odd in the bridal tent. Next I asked, in the most plaintive tone I could muster, 'Honored Mullah, in order to solve the mystery of Aziza's murder, I need to examine the body further. Do I have your leave?'

"'Seeing the body of a lady is not appropriate for a young man,' he lectured, shocked at my unorthodox request. 'Besides, she has been poisoned. What more need you to know?'

"'I assure you that I will take no pleasure in doing this ritual,' I replied, 'but there may be other things that can be learned. Things that would prevent another young man from suffering the dishonor of a wrongful death and prevent an evil person from being brought to justice. Do you have a better solution? Perhaps an augury or other divination?'

"'Alas, no,' he wailed. 'Ashar be merciful, but I have none of the sight that other disciples possess. Perhaps if we sent to another village for a greater cleric than I?'

"'By the time we can send for anyone, the will have returned and the punishment will have been meted. And the wrong person's head could be impaled on a stake in the village square. Do I have your leave to pursue my investigations?' I persisted.

"The old man was very fond of Jahif, no doubt because he was one of the few youths who still treated him with great respect. And I suspect that he may have feared that the murder was part of a divine punishment or test of the village in general and him in particular. He mumbled his assent and left the tent.

"I began my autopsy. I examined the body and found no bruising or lacerations. But I had not expected to find any signs of violence. In order to help with diagnosing the poison, I obtained samples from the digestive track. And, finally, I discovered what I had suspected. Before I confronted anyone else with this knowledge, I returned to Jahif's tent.

"Asam and Sakir were still on guard. One flashed me a look of hostility, the other of boredom. I addressed them, 'I would like to speak with Jahif. Alone.'

"Asam protested, but Sakir laughed, 'Why not? It's not like they are going to run away without horses. Or do you fear for our captive's life in the hands of my puny brother?'

"They made sure that I had not brought any weapons or tools before they left. I entered the tent and greeted the weary prisoner. I told Jahif that we should speak in muted tones, and first gave him news of the Council's decision. Then I watched his face carefully as I asked, 'You didn't know that Aziza was with child?'

"Jahif gaped, 'She was what?'

"'About three months pregnant.'

"'How?'

"'I would assume the usual way,' I retorted. 'I can assume from your response that you ere not the father of the child?'

"'I never even talked with her before last night!'

"'Having a conversation is not required for conception to occur,' I remarked snidely.

"'Oh, Akbar, you know what I mean. I never spent any time with her alone; I never aspired to such heights. I never thought that I would be chosen to marry her. I'm only a second son; why should she give me the time of day, much less let me.. uh,' he stammered, red-faced.

"'Enter her treasured gate?' I interrupted. "Because she was madly in love with you or was seized with uncontrollable desire?'

"'Me?'

"'Well, most of the rest of the village girls would gladly...' I interrupted my sarcastic response as I was seized with an idea. 'But not Aziza. No, she wouldn't let love or lust get in the way of improving her status. So who would she consent to lie with?'

"I approve of one aspect of the otherwise backward customs of our area. If a woman is assaulted by a man, she may lose her virginity technically, but not her honor. She is given an herbal concoction to purge her system of any fruit of the union, and this is considered sufficient purification that no shame falls upon her. She is considered as much of a maiden as she was before the attack. Her rapist, should he be caught, would face a slow and painful death. Few women are assaulted in our corner of the desert, and the assailants are most often foreigners who do not live long to regret their mistake. Therefore, I doubted that Aziza had been raped.

"Jahif laughed, regaining his good humor for the moment, 'I dunno. I don't think that we have had any sheiks pass through the village recently.'

"'No, nor any viziers or even any ministers,' I chucked. "Not in the last three months. It's been even more boring here than usual lately. Unfortunately, I had hoped to relieve the boredom in a different way.'

"Hearing that Asam and my brother were returning, I left Jahif with promises that I would clear his name. I spent the rest of the evening in the laboratory, trying to identify the poison. It was not one of the common ones that Ahmad had on hand. Many toxins are purgatives in small doses, and it did not help Jahif's case that his father collected such substances. The venomous nature of this compound was more complex. I was in the midst of my alchemy when the door burst open. Two burly men barged in to announce, 'Tamir will see you now. You have much to answer for.'

"I had anticipated such a visit. I left with the guards to go to the House of Tamir. The great patriarch glared at me, his massive weight spread out upon many cushions. Not even offering me a seat or a token morsel for hospitality, he yelled at me, 'Vile debaucher, how dare you debase the body of my daughter!'

"'I was acting in the role of detective and first asked permission of the . I will admit that he may not have understood the nature of my investigation,' I replied pointedly, adding, 'Besides, your daughter's body had been debased long before I examined it.'

"'What do you mean?' he exclaimed, his fleshy face livid.

"'You mean when? I estimate at least three months ago, if not before, since conception may not have occurred the first time your daughter shared her favors,' I replied. 'Or were you unaware that your daughter was pregnant? I doubt it, and rather suspect that you arranged for her marriage as quickly as possible when you found out.'

"'How dare you accuse me... my daughter...,' he choked with rage.

"'The evidence supports my accusations of your daughter's conduct. If you doubt them, I can offer you and the rest of the Council tangible proof. That would mean exposing your daughter..." I interrupted my statement with, 'Do you know who fathered the child?'

"'I will have your body torn apart by my strongest horses,' he ominously threatened, 'And your head put on a pike next to that of...'

"'Do that and all the world will know that you fathered a whore. I left an explicit statement behind, where - even if the oxen you hire for guards could read - it is safe from their and your grasp. Yet it would be found eventually. It explains her condition and what others should think of you if I am harmed.'

"My counter threat silenced his tirade, although he still glared at me with hatred. I suppose I did nothing to ease his dislike of me when I commented, 'You have a right to be angry. The purpose of my investigation is to prove Jahif innocent. If the groom were convicted of murder, you would, I believe, get thrice the bride price. You would have not only lost a dishonorable daughter, but gained a small fortune. A great merchant such as you could not have ignored the value of such a transaction. Perhaps you even arranged for it.'

"If the fat man had still been able to wield his scimitar, I might have been run through. Instead he merely replied in a low, steady voice that scared me more than his rantings had, 'I did not kill my daughter. Leave this house now before I kill you.'

"Although I still had more questions to ask, I knew that I had best depart. I returned to the laboratory to continue my work. Soon after, I realized that the door had been opened. Fearing that I was about to be attacked, I grabbed a surgeon's knife. However, instead of Tamir's thugs, the intruder was a young lady. She whispered, 'You were quite brave to defy my father so. I have never seen him so angered.'

"By her statement I knew her to be Najmeh, the younger sister of Aziza. 'Not even when he found out his elder daughter was pregnant?' I ventured.

"'Oh, you never stop asking questions, do you?' She laughed, her voice sweeter than the sound of the first rains of spring. 'No not even, for Aziza would never have abused my father so.'

"'Does he know who fathered the child?' I asked.

"'My sister refused to say, though he ranted and raved. So he arranged for her marriage before her condition would show.' She thought for a moment, adding, 'Perhaps he had even planned for the young couple to ride out on caravan for a year or two. Who in the village would ever know the child was born a few months too early? He would never have had her murdered.'

"I had my own thoughts on that matter but did not wish to offend the graceful young lady. Despite the grave nature of my task, I found myself wondering if she were as pretty as rumored. The gossip of those who run the bathhouses was that Najmeh was not as beautiful as her elder sister, but was still very lovely for her sixteen years. I doubted that the old crones had considered the intelligence in her bright eyes or the lightness of her step in their assessment of her charms.

"'Do you know who the father was?' I asked, suspecting the answer might be different.

"'Alas, I do not. She did not confide in her worthless younger sister,' she replied, rolling her eyes skyward, 'But I know that shortly after the construction began on the tent she slipped out of the house. I followed her by hiding in the shadows and watching her from a distance. She met with someone whom she spoke with for some time. I could not hear what was said but did perceive the tone of their conversation. It was urgent from the start and gradually their exchanged words became harsh. But then there must have been a reconciliation, because they talked a bit longer in sweet tones and left with a passionate embrace.'

"'Could you tell who?'

"'No, he was wearing nothing with insignia. In face, who's to say for certain that it was a man?' She laughed, 'But assuming that the loose robes contained a man, he was of moderate height and build for our village. And I think that he also gave her something as they parted, a small bundle that one could cup in both hands.'

"'You never saw the bundle again?'

"'Only a few hours later my sister entered the bridal tent. I never saw her again,' she sighed, suddenly looking quite forlorn.

"I knew that I should offer some words of comfort but could not figure out what to say, so instead I asked, 'The bundle may contain something that would help me solve the mystery of her murder. Perhaps you might be able to find it. I doubt that I would be welcome anywhere outside of this laboratory at present. Do you think that you could look for it?'

"'I will gladly do whatever I can to help,' she promised eagerly, her sadness dissipated.

"'And, Najmeh, I'm sorry that,' I stuttered, 'that I called your sister a whore.'

"'I know, Akbar. She was not a nice person,' she responded soothingly, 'But no one, even a whore, deserves to die like this. We will find who is responsible.'

"We spent nearly an hour discussing the case. She had no more information to offer, but listened eagerly as I told her all that I knew so far. She seemed surprised at her sister's refusal to marry, and absorbed everything else that I related, asking insightful questions occasionally. After she left I was lost in pleasant reveries. Not only had I found someone to assist me in my investigations, but my helper was also a resourceful and clever young lady. Between thoughts of her pleasant voice, I continued my investigation of the poison. The nature of the toxin in her veins continued to elude me. Even more puzzling was how the murderer had been able to time the death so perfectly. I knew that the poison had not been in the victuals that Jahif had brought, since he would have also died. And I trusted the word of the Mullah sufficiently to take for granted that she had been healthy for the three days before the igtimeh and that she had received no other visitors. So when did the murderer poison her, and what sort of poison would take effect three days later?

"I was still pondering these questions when I heard a rustling behind me. Spinning around I was confronted with Najmeh, who was much amused by my surprise. She placed a small black cloth on the workbench, and stated, 'I found this in the bridal tent.'

"'I started to protest that I had looked in the tent, when she interrupted me, 'As thorough as your sleuthing may have been, I doubt you would have ever found the secret compartment where this lay. In fact, I doubt that anyone other than my dearly departed mother, my sister, myself, and the cabinet maker would have known how to find it.'

"Eagerly I opened the bundle. Inside were several wilted flowers, a filigreed silver bracelet, and a bunch of crumbs. By the degree of their decay, I estimated the flowers were about four days old. On seeing the leavings of what appeared to be candies and cakes I exclaimed with glee, 'Now I know why she did not eagerly devour the plate of sweetmeats brought by Jahif. Behold, Najmeh, for these crumbs are all that are left of the toxin that slew your sister.'

"Eager to prove my brilliance, I gathered a few of the crumbs and fed them to one of the caged mice. I waited for his death convulsions. After 5 minutes, 10 minutes, even 15 minutes, nothing happened. I mumbled, 'Hmmm, well, I guess it would be slow acting. Or maybe a higher dosage is needed.'

"Najmeh was not impressed, 'Even if that is the source of the poison, how would the murderer guarantee that she died after the, so as to cast the blame on Jahif?'

"Embarrassed by my lack of foresight, I could only offer, 'Perhaps she knew it was deadly and took it to avoid a fate worse than death?'

"'My sister, commit suicide?' She arched her fine eyebrows, 'If that were not so ludicrous I would take offense. I'm sure she would have preferred marriage to a second son of a moderately wealthy trader over death.'

"'But would she prefer death to shame? Would she be willing to live the rest of her years and old maid, the subject of village gossip because she had once refused a nice young man after the betrothal had been arranged?' I ventured.

"'No, in that case she would prefer death.'

"'Then by the triangle law of inequalities...' I began pontificating. Seeing her confusion, I then explained, 'Where if A is worse than B and B is worse than C, then A is worse than C. How could she refuse Jahif, knowing that such a fate would await her?'

"'Because she planned to avoid that fate!' Najmeh exclaimed.

"'But you said she wouldn't kill...' I began.

"'She was not going to kill herself, foolish one,' Najmeh retorted. 'She must have planned to elope.'

"Stunned by my lack of insight as well as for being at the other end of a comeback, I was silent while Najmeh continued, 'She met with her lover who promised to elope with her. He gave her flowers, a bracelet and some food to get through the fast. He told her that he would steal her away within the week, before she must be married. He had likely concocted some story about how he has status in another village. But in actuality he planned to kill her, and poisoned the food. Yet how did he time her death so perfectly, so that she appears to die from poisoning after the?'

"Having recovered my wits sufficiently, I countered, "It must be the nature of the toxin. But I think we both now know who her lover is. Go and get the , for we have a tale to tell. I will go to Jahif to give him the comfort that he deserves.'

"I grabbed the cloth bundle and hastened to the groom's tent. The young son of the was standing beside Asam and Sakir. Ja'Qal looked down his nose at me and sneered, 'Any words of wisdom for the condemned inside the tent?'

"In my anger I rejoined, 'Obviously you know nothing of topology. The one who is condemned stands the tent. I'd suggest that he kill himself quickly to avoid the horror and humiliation of a public execution.'

"'What do you mean, scholar boy?' He snarled, 'Jahif was the last person to see her alive. He must have put poison in the food or the .'

"'There was no poison in the food or drink that he brought. But there was in the food that you gave her,' I retorted, showing him the black cloth bundle.

"Ja'Qal's eyes widened at the sight of the cloth, but he persisted, 'And how was it that she died only after the igtimeh? That was three days after I could have seen her to give her that.'

"'You are clever to anticipate this apparent snag in my theory,' I retorted, 'But stupid to give yourself away by admitting that you knew that I would not try to accuse you of smuggling it in later. No mater, the toxin was slow acting and has a special property.'

"Ja'Qal was silent, as he digested the meaning of my last statement. I continued, hoping to goad him, 'As the future Sharif you had anticipated the need for a sophisticated poison. I doubt even you knew that you would be using it on your lover when you acquired it, but it became necessary once she became pregnant and insisted that you marry her. Perhaps you would have wed her under different circumstances. But I bet that the trade mission that your father ventured on is expected to yield a marriage contract to a woman of even higher status than Aziza.'

"'You have spent too much time sniffing strange chemicals,' Ja'Qal fumed. 'Your head will go on a pick next to Jahif's for your insolence.'

"I ignored his threats and continued, 'To keep Aziza quiet you promised to marry her. When her father found out about the pregnancy, he arranged for her betrothal to Jahif. But you knew that your actions would come back to haunt you, so you planned to kill her off if she would not be quiet. In your last meeting with her, she threatened to reveal everything, canceling the wedding, and bringing shame upon you both. So you promised to elope with her and gave her the poisoned sweets. You sent your lover to the grave because you did not want to risk your personal status or Daddy's goodwill.'

"Ja'Qal swiped the cloth full of crumbs and swallowed the remaining morsels. He jeered, 'The fact that I ate what's left of the supposedly poisoned food does not deter you from this insane story of yours?'

"I now had all the pieces but one in place. 'How about some to wash that down?' I suggested mildly.

Ja'Qal's eyes grew big as if the poison he consumed had started to act upon him. I continued with my flash of inspiration, 'Quite a convenient custom of ours that the groom brings food and drink to the igtimeh. The sweetmeats may change from betrothal to betrothal, but every couple toasts to their union with . It is even more convenient that the groom leaves the tent within 15 minutes of that drink, too soon for anyone to notice the effects of the now-activated toxin. I'd guess that it was formulated so that death would occur about an hour after the ingestion of the triggering agent. But I guess we will have to wait for your execution to see for certain.'

"With that, Ja'Qal drew out his scimitar and screamed. My brother went to intercept him but Asam drew his weapon and the two engaged in battle. I knew I was defenseless against Ja'Qal's attack, but at least I had the grim satisfaction of having solved the mystery before I died. Yet I was spared death for at least a few moments. Jahif emerged from the tent, the ties binding his legs mostly undone, but his arms still held fast. Jahif used his bound arms as a two-fisted hammer, pummeling Ja'Qal before he could swing at me. Ja'Qal recovered enough to turn on Jahif, weapon ready. But Jahif, in great courage, threw himself at his foe, overbearing him.

"'Get off of me!' Ja'Qal screamed, hacking at the body on top of him with his sword. Those blows sliced a Jahif, and the sand was covered in blood. But, pressed against the sands, Ja'Qal could not gain sufficient purchase to deal a killing blow.

"And what was I doing, you may ask? I stood there in horror and confusion. What did I know of the ways of combat? In my defense, these actions took at most a minute before Sakir dispatched Asam, and then rushed to Jahif's aid, knocking Ja'Qal's weapon out of his hand with his own bloodied scimitar. The defeated villain lay there while I rushed to Jahif's behalf. 'How could you charge a man with a sword while you were bound and unarmed?' I gasped.

"'I did it for you, Akbar. You were trying to save me. How could I not try to save you?' Jahif asked as I checked his wounds. Luckily the cuts were not deep, and it looked like he would suffer no permanent damage with timely cleaning and tending of his injuries. Sakir had also taken some minor blows. Asam was dead, spared a public execution. That honor would go to Ja'Qal alone.

"Najmeh arrived with the and the Council of Eight. When she saw the tableau of bodies and blood she nearly fainted. 'Akbar, are you okay?' she asked, with a concerned look in her eyes.

"My younger brother proceeded to tell those gathered what had happened, while I finished tending to Jahif's wounds. Soon his audience was looking at the two of us in awe. Even Tamir seemed to bear me some respect, however grudgingly. Najmeh's eyes expressed relief, admiration and perhaps something else. 'How brave you both were!' she exclaimed.

"Alas, I would too soon discover that Najmeh's blossoming feelings were directed towards Jahif. He also developed a fondness for her. I suppose this mutual attraction made matters easier for the rest of the village. Tamir might have been able to make a more advantageous match for his new first daughter, but in the light of all that had happened he agreed to settle on Jahif. Ahmad was delighted to have his younger son safe and well matched. I suspect he secretly hoped that his grandchildren would inherit their intellect from the mother.

At least I had the satisfaction of testing out the last hypothesis of my theory. The Council of Eight had agreed to execute Aziza's murderer, but did not wish to put the son of the Sharif, however disgraced, through the usual barbarities of a public execution. I exp0ressed how fitting it would be for Ja'Qal to suffer the same fate as his victim, and so the dibis was brought out. That it had to be forced down his throat speaks of the little dignity he had left. It took 50 minutes for the convulsions to begin, and he was dead within a few minutes thereafter, unable to scream out as his own body asphyxiated itself. The Council even erected the pike in the center of the village with the customary decoration. However, men were posted on the trade route to warn the Sharif about the sight that would await him. I was happy not to have that job.

Najmeh and Jahif were betrothed to one another, and this marriage occurred with much less difficulty than the last. Even the Sharif was able to cast off his mourning robes and attend the festivities looking only mildly glum. I will admit to some disappointment in the union. But what young girl, even an intelligent one, would chose a homely and abrupt bookworm over a handsome and affable young man? Najmeh must have sensed my adness, for she later came to me and said, 'With your mind and talents you are destined for a life beyond this village. Unlike you, I am content to remain here. And who would watch out for Jahif once you were gone?'

"Her prophecy soon came true. Ahmad and Tamir made me a large gift so that I could attend a university. While Ahmad's donation was out of love and his hope that I could become a great scholar, I suspect that Tamir's charity was motivated by the desire to see me leave. And so I left my village, never to return. I shall always wonder how Najmeh and Jahif fare and whether she ever regrets the choice she made."