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Khalif ceased not to wear a frowning face and smiled not at that which gladdened the soul, albeit it was his wont to love mirth and merriment and the putting away of cares, and I knew that he was free from envy and no oppressor. So I said to myself, ‘I wonder what is the cause of his moroseness and ill-humour.’
Presently they brought the wine-tray, the uniter of friends, and clarified wine in flagons of gold and crystal and silver, and the host smote with a wand of bamboo on the door of an inner chamber, whereupon it opened and out came three damsels, high-bosomed maids, with faces like the sun at the fourth [hour] of the day, one a lute-player, another a harpist and the third a dancer. Then he set before us fruits and confections and drew between us and the damsels a curtain of brocade, with tassels of silk and rings of gold. The Khalif paid no heed to all this, but said to the host, who knew not who was in his company, ‘Art thou noble?’ ‘No, my lord,’ answered he; ‘I am but a man of the sons of the merchants and am known among the folk as Aboulhusn Ali, son of Ahmed of Khorassan.’
Quoth the Khalif, ‘Dost thou know me, O man?’ ‘By Allah, O my lord,’ answered he, ‘I have no knowledge of either of your worships!’ Then said I to him, ‘O man, this is the Commander of the Faithful El Mutezid Billah, grandson of El Mutawekkil ala Allah.’ Whereupon he rose and kissed the ground before the Khalif, trembling for fear of him. Then said he, ‘O Commander of the Faithful, I conjure thee by the virtue of thy pious ancestors, if thou have seen in me any shortcoming or lack of good manners in thy presence, do thou forgive me!’ ‘As for that which thou hast done with us of hospitality,’ replied the Khalif, ‘nothing could have exceeded it; and as for that wherewith I have to reproach thee here, if thou tell me the truth respecting it and it
