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to the harem; else would he restore her to Ishac’s palace.
One day, the Commander of the Faithful’s breast was straitened; so he sent after his Vizier Jaafer the Barmecide and Ishac the boon-companion and Mesrour the eunuch, the swordsman of his vengeance; and when they came, he changed his raiment and disguised himself, whilst Jaafer [and Ishac] and Mesrour and El Fezl[1] and Younus[2] (who were also present) did the like. Then he went out, he and they, by the privy gate, to the Tigris and taking boat, fared on till they came to near Et Taf,[3] when they landed and walked till they came to the gate of the thoroughfare street.[4] Here there met them an old man, comely of hoariness and of a venerable and dignified bearing, pleasing[5] of aspect and apparel. He kissed the earth before Ishac el Mausili (for that be knew but him of the company, the Khalif being disguised, and deemed the others certain of his friends) and said to him, ‘O my lord, there is presently with me a slave-girl, a lutanist, never saw eyes the like of
- ↑ Elder brother of Jaafer; see my “Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night,” Vol. IX. p. 342 et seq.
- ↑ Younus ibn Hebib, a renowned grammarian and philologer of the day, who taught at Bassora and whose company was much sought after by distinguished men of letters and others. He was a friend of Isaac of Mosul.
- ↑ Apparently a suburb of Baghdad.
- ↑ i.e. the principal street of Et Taf.
- ↑ Or “elegant.”
