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floors of coloured marbles and ceilings inlaid with gold and lapis lazuli, and its gardens were full of warbling birds. So he asked the porter what was its rent, and he replied, “Ten dinars a month.” Quoth the young man, “Speakest thou truly or dost thou jest with me?” “By Allah,” answered the porter, “I speak nought but the truth, for none who taketh up his abode in this house lodgeth in it more than a week or two.” “And how is that?” asked the other. “O my son,” replied the porter, “whoso taketh this house cometh not forth of it, except sick or dead, wherefore it is known among the folk of Baghdad, so that none offereth to take it, and thus cometh it that its rent is fallen so low.” At this the young merchant marvelled exceedingly, saying, “Needs must there be some reason for this.” However, after considering awhile and seeking refuge with God from Satan the Stoned, he rented the house and took up his abode there. Then he put away apprehension from his thought and busied himself with selling and buying; and some time passed over him without any ill case befalling him.
One day, as he sat at the door, there came up a grizzled old woman, as she were a speckled snake, calling aloud on the name of God and magnifying Him at a great rate and at the same time putting away the stones and other obstacles from the path. Seeing the youth sitting there, she looked at him and marvelled at his case;[1] whereupon quoth he to her, “O old woman, dost thou know me or am I like any thou knowest?” When she heard him speak, she hastened up to him and saluting him, said, “How long hast thou dwelt in this house?” “Two months, O my mother,” answered he. And she said, “O my son, it was at this that I marvelled; for I know thee not, neither dost thou know me, nor yet are thou like unto any one I know; but I marvelled for that none other than
- ↑ i.e. at seeing him in occupation of a house of so fatal a repute.
