if that wretched man makes a mistake and his heart weakens and becomes constrained and says i have done it and he knows that he has secured and obtained it and has thrown it behind his back he will not be satisfied with that until he says what did you have for lunch? he will have to lie or make up excuses. if he is certain of his bond and leaves him unable to sway he will not be satisfied with that until he says in a conversation of his we were with soandso and soandso entered upon him and invited him to lunch but he refused. then he changed his mind and said in your food is a little thing that you are good at then he took it. so he continues to increase his bonds and to close the doors on him and to protect himself from the beginning until he reaches the limit and says o bearer of good news since soandso has eaten lunch and is satisfied then bring us something to play with.
فان أخطأ ذلك الشقي وضعف قلبه وحصر، وقال قد فعلت ، وعلم أنه قد أحرز وحصله وألقاه وراء ظهره، لم يرض أيضا بذلك حتى يقول بأي شيء تغديت ؟ فلا بد له من أن يكذب، أو ينتحل المعاريض ٣ فإذا استوثق منه رباطا، وتركه لا يستطيع أن يترمرم ٤ ، لم يرض بذلك حتى يقول في حديث له كنا عند فلان، فدخل عليه فلان فدعاه الى غدائه، فامتنع. ثم بدا له، فقال في طعامكم بقيلة أنتم تجيدونها، ثم تناوله فلا يزال يزيد في وثاقه، وفي سد الأبواب عليه، وفي منعة البدوات حتى إذا بلغ الغاية قال يا مبشر أما إذ تغدى فلان واكتفى، فهات لنا شيئا نعبث به .