Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 9.djvu/25

7 the beauties of Bassora and were all of accord that there was nothing in the world goodlier than Baghdad and its people. Then they fell to describing Baghdad and the excellence of its air and the beauty of its ordinance and the goodly manners of its people, till my soul longed for it and all my hopes clave to the sight of it.

So I arose and selling my ships and houses and lands and slaves, male and female, got together a thousand thousand dinars, besides jewels and precious stones, with which I freighted a ship and setting out therein, sailed nights and days till I came to Bassora, where I abode awhile. Then I hired a bark and embarking therein with all my goods, sailed up the river some days till I arrived at Baghdad. I enquired where the merchants abode and what part thereof was pleasantest of sojourn and was answered, “The Kerkh quarter.” So I went thither and hiring a house in a street called the Street of Saffron, transported my goods to it and took up my lodging therein.

Here I abode some days, till, one Friday, I sallied forth apleasuringa-pleasuring [sic], taking with me somewhat of money. I went first to a mosque, called the Mosque of Mensour, where the Friday service was held, and when we had made an end of prayers, I went out with the folk to a place called Kern es Serat, where I saw a tall and goodly house, with a balcony overlooking the river-bank, wherein was a lattice-window. So I betook myself thither with a company of folk and saw there an old man sitting, handsomely clad and exhaling a sweet scent. His beard flowed down upon his breast, where it divided into two waves like silver-wire, and about him were four damsels and five pages in attendance upon him. So I said to one of the folk, “What is the name of yonder old man and what is his business?” “His name is Tahir ibn el Alaa,” answered he, “and he is a keeper of girls: all who go in to him eat and drink and look upon fair ones.” “By Allah,” quoth I, “this