Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 9.djvu/68

50 commend itself to my reason, thou shalt be saved from me; but, if thou tell me not the truth, I will take thee with manifest proof and punish thee as I have never yet punished any.’

‘God forbid that I should tell thee a lie!’ answered the host. ‘But what is it that thou reproachest to me, O Commander of the Faithful?’ Quoth the Khalif, ‘Since I entered thy house and looked upon its goodliness, I have noted the furniture and vessels therein, nay, even to thy clothes, and behold, on all of them is the name of my grandfather, El Mutawekkil ala Allah.’ ‘Yes,’ answered Aboulhusn. ‘O Commander of the Faithful (may God protect thee), truth is thine inner and sincerity thine outer garment and none may speak other than truly in thy presence.’ The Khalif bade him be seated and said, ‘Tell us.’ So he sat down and said, ‘Know, O Commander of the Faithful, whom God stablish with His aid and encompass with His bounties, that there is not a richer in Baghdad than am I nor than was my father: but do thou grant me thine ears and eyes and understanding, whilst I expound to thee the cause of that which thou reproachest to me.’ Quoth the Khalif, ‘Say thy say.’

‘Know then, O Commander of the Faithful,’ began Aboulhusn, ‘that my father belonged to the markets of the money-changers and druggists and linendrapers and had in each a shop and an agent and all kinds of goods. Moreover, behind the money-changer’s shop he had an apartment, where he might be private, appointing the shop for buying and selling. His wealth was beyond count and limit, but he had no child other than myself, and he loved me and was tenderly solicitous over me. When his last hour was at hand, he called me to him and commended my mother to my care and charged me to fear God the Most High. Then he died, may God have mercy