Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 3.djvu/395

365 and my pains and sickness had left me, I went to the bath and thence betaking myself to my shop, sold all that was therein. With the proceeds, I bought four hundred white slaves, such as no king ever got together, and caused two hundred of them ride out with me every day. Then I made me yonder barge, on which I spent five thousand dinars, and styled myself Khalif and appointed each of my servants to the charge and clad him in the habit of some one of the Khalif’s officers. Moreover, I let cry abroad, “Whoso goeth a-pleasuring on the Tigris [by night], I will strike off his head without mercy;” and on this wise have I done this whole year past, during which time I have heard no news of the lady neither happened upon any trace of her.’ And he wept copiously and repeated the following verses:

When Er Reshid heard the young man’s story and knew the passion and transport and love-longing that afflicted him, he was moved to compassion and wonder and said, ‘Glory be to God who hath appointed to every thing a cause!’ Then they craved the young man’s leave to depart; which being granted, they took leave of him, the Khalif purposing to do him justice and entreat him with the utmost munificence, and returned to the palace of the Khalifate, where they changed their clothes for others befitting their station and sat down, whilst Mesrour stood before them. After awhile, the Khalif said to Jaafer, ‘O Vizier, bring me the young man with whom we were last night.’ ‘I hear and obey,’ answered Jaafer, and going to