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Baghdad without the Khalif’s knowledge.” On[1] this wise, then, the Imam Aboubekr did away from the minds of the folk the ill thought[2] which he had planted [there] by his speech concerning Zein ul Asnam.
Moreover, when he had made an end of the prayers, he returned to his own house and donned his gaberdine; then, weightening his skirts and lengthening his sleeves,[3] he went forth and took his way to the prince’s house. When he came in to Zein ul Asnam, the latter rose to him and received him with the utmost reverence. Now he was by nature religious,[4] for all he was a youth of tender age; so he proffered the Imam all manner of honour and seating him by his side on a high divan, let bring him coffee with ambergris. Then the servants spread the table for breakfast and they took their
- ↑ Night DIX.
- ↑ Et tsenn er redi. Burton, “the evil.”
- ↑ So that they might hang down and hide his feet and hands, it being a point of Arab etiquette for an inferior scrupulously to avoid showing either of these members in presenting himself (especially for the first time) before his superior.
- ↑ Lit., “religiousness or devoutness (diyaneh) was by nature in him,” i.e. he was naturally inclined to respect religion and honour its professors. Burton, “He was by nature conscientious,” which does not quite express the meaning of the text; conscientiousness being hardly an Oriental virtue.
