what to make of it. Then he rubbed his eyes and gazed around upon the sumptuous magnificence of the apartment with its gorgeous roof and walls, its rich silk hangings, its vessels of gold and sparkling crystal, its jewelled furniture, ornaments and luxurious carpets. "By Allah!" he gasped; "have I attained to the fragrant Paradise, or do I dream?"
With that he closed his eyes as if to hold the dream in further slumber, but a eunuch advanced and kissed the ground before the royal couch. "O, Prince of the Faithful!" he said, humbly; "bethink thee of thy usual custom." At this Abu-I-Hasan, sorely perplexed, opened his eyes again very slowly, and saw the rich trappings of the couch whereon he lay. Little by little he opened them until at last they were wide with wonder, for this was no dream—the voice of the eunuch who had spoken, the faces and forms of the attendants, the royal splendour of the place—all were as real as he could wish; and yet—yet—he raised his hand to his mouth and bit one of his fingers hard; then cried out with sudden pain. Angrily he raised himself on one elbow, and, addressing one of the female slaves, "Come here!" he said. "My lord, I am always at thy service," she answered, drawing near. "What is thy will, O Prince of the Faithful?" "Tell me," he said, "who am I, and where am I?" "Thou art the Prince of the Faithful," answered she. "Thou art in thy palace and upon thy royal couch." "Nay, nay," said he; "I sleep. Methinks I dream, or—" he went on, half to himself,—"Can it be? My guest he bade me drink and—what subtle enchantment is this? Am I now Abu-I-Hasan dreaming I am the Khalifeh, or was I, last night and heretofore for many nights, the Khalifeh dreaming he was Abu-I-Hasan?" And the Khalifeh himself, observing
207
