Page:Sinbad the sailor & other stories from the Arabian nights.djvu/304

 through the ways of the city again, searching for one as of old. Now Er-Rashid had kept a watchful eye on Abu-I-Hasan's movements, and thus it happened that one evening the Khalifeh, in the garb of a merchant, stood before him. "Greeting to thee, O master of devils!" cried Abu-I-Hasan, recognising him as soon as he saw him. "Hast thou then suffered at my hands?" asked Er-Rashid. "Suffered! vilest of devil drivers!" returned Abu-I-Hasan with bitter anger. Then, after recounting the many things he had endured, he asked, "Is this the way thou returnest my hospitality, to give thy devils control over me, to make sport of my sufferings? Begone! I wish to see thy face no more."

Er-Rashid then sought to disarm his resentment with courteous explanations. "Nay," he said, "thou art surely in error, brother. Yet I am to blame in some way, for, on parting with thee that night, I neglected to close the door of thy house behind me; and, methinks, the Devil entered to thee after I had gone." And so, with subtle words, Er-Rashid softened the anger of Abu-I-Hasan and drew from him the whole tale of his sufferings, advising him on this point and on that and showing a pitiful countenance at his wrongs. But not until Er-Rashid had sworn on oath that, neither by carelessness nor otherwise, would he let in the Devil upon him again, would Abu-I-Hasan comply with his earnest entreaty to be invited once more to his house that evening. "I swear by Allah," said Er-Rashid, "thou shalt suffer no manner of ill through me."

During the evening Abu-I-Hasan entertained his guest as before, and again, at midnight, the Khalifeh dropped a lozenge into his host's wine, so that as soon as he had drained his cup he fell into a deep slumber. Then once more the 212