لخّصلي

ONCE UPON A time there was a newly married couple; still dressed in their wedding finery, they relaxed in their new home when the last of the guests at their feast had left.'A bridegroom in this splendid costume, with a priceless robe and a dagger studded with jewels?The policeman called massive reinforcements and the swarming custodians of the law became more and more enraged at the total silence, which to them seemed obviously a calculated affront.Still the pair sat there, while the thieves collected all the valuables, and even rolled up the carpets under them.The robbers crept into the silent house, which seemed so deserted, and began to load themselves with every portable object of any value which they could find.Neither of them spoke or moved as the burglars went from room to room, until at length they entered the sitting room and at first failed to notice the utterly motionless couple.Mistaking the idiot and his stubborn wife for wax dummies, they stripped them of their personal jewels - and still the couple said nothing at all.The thieves made off, and the bride and her groom sat on their sofas throughout the night.There were two sofas in the room, and the pair settled themselves, face to face, one on each, sitting mutely looking at one another.They had been in this posture for two or three hours when a party of thieves came by and noticed that the door was open.Neither man nor wife deigned to reply.said the groom.

ONCE UPON A time there was a newly married couple; still dressed in their wedding finery, they relaxed in their new home when the last of the guests at their feast had left.

'Dear husband,' said the young lady, 'do go and close the door to the street, which has been left open.'

'Me shut it?' said the groom. 'A bridegroom in this splendid costume, with a priceless robe and a dagger studded with jewels? How could I be expected to do such a thing? You must be out of your mind. Go and shut it yourself.'

'So!' shouted the bride, 'you expect me to be your slave: a gentle, beautiful creature like me, wearing a dress of finest silk that I should get up on my wedding day and close a door which looks onto the public street? Impossible.'

They were both silent for a moment or two, and the lady suggested that they should make the problem the subject of a forfeit. Whoever spoke first, they agreed, should be the one to shut the door.

There were two sofas in the room, and the pair settled themselves, face to face, one on each, sitting mutely looking at one another.

They had been in this posture for two or three hours when a party of thieves came by and noticed that the door was open. The robbers crept into the silent house, which seemed so deserted, and began to load themselves with every portable object of any value which they could find.

The bridal couple heard them come in, but each thought that the other should attend to the matter. Neither of them spoke or moved as the burglars went from room to room, until at length they entered the sitting room and at first failed to notice the utterly motionless couple.

Still the pair sat there, while the thieves collected all the valuables, and even rolled up the carpets under them. Mistaking the idiot and his stubborn wife for wax dummies, they stripped them of their personal jewels - and still the couple said nothing at all.

The thieves made off, and the bride and her groom sat on their sofas throughout the night. Neither would give up.

When daylight came, a policeman on his beat saw the open street door and walked into the house. Going from room to room he finally came upon the pair and asked them what was happening. Neither man nor wife deigned to reply.

The policeman called massive reinforcements and the swarming custodians of the law became more and more enraged at the total silence, which to them seemed obviously a calculated affront.

The officer in charge at last lost his temper and called out to one of his men: 'Give that man a blow or two, and get some sense out of him!'

At this the wife could not restrain herself: 'Please, kind

officers,' she cried, 'do not strike him - he is my husband!' 'I won!' shouted the fool immediately, 'so you have to shut the door!'