Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 1.djvu/299

277 and peace hath said, “The best affair is that which is undertaken with deliberation.” By Allah, thy case troubles me, and I would have thee let me know what it is thou art in such haste to do, for I fear me it is other than good.’ Then said he, ‘It wants three hours yet of the time of prayer. However, I do not wish to be in doubt as to this, but am minded to know the time for certain; for speech, when it is conjectural, is but faulty, especially in the like of me, whose merit is plain and known of all men; and it does not befit me to talk at random, as do the common sort of astrologers.’ So saying, he threw down the razor and taking up the astrolabe, went out under the sun and stood a long while, after which he returned and said to me, ‘It wants three hours of the time of prayer, neither more nor less.’ ‘By Allah,’ answered I, ‘hold thy tongue, for thou breakest my heart in pieces!’ So he took his razor and after sharpening it as before, shaved another part of my head. Then he said, ‘I am concerned about thy haste; and indeed thou wouldst do well to tell me the cause of it, for thou knowest that thy father and grandfather did nothing without my counsel.’ When I saw that there was no getting rid of him, I said to myself, ‘The time of prayer draws near and I wish to go to her before the folk come out from the mosque. If I am delayed much longer, I know not how I shall come at her.’ Then I said to him, ‘Be quick and leave this prating and officiousness, for I have to go to an entertainment at the house of one of my friends.’ When he heard me speak of an entertainment, he said, ‘This thy day is a blessed one for me! Verily, yesterday I invited a party of my intimate friends and I have forgotten to provide aught for them to eat. I bethought me of it but now, on hearing thee speak of an entertainment. Alack, how I shall be disgraced in their eyes!’ ‘Be in no concern for that,’ answered I. ‘Have I