As a man was passing the house which had been the Vizir's, he saw Ali at the window peeping out, and ordering the groom to saddle a horse, he wanted to ride out. The Arab called to him, "Ali!" And he answered, "Yes." "Why are you in this house?" And Ali said, "Did not the Sultan tell me to sell dear, and not cheap, mind you? And I have sold dear."
"Eh!" The Arab was astonished. "How comes this Ali to be in the house of the great Vizir; however, no matter." And he waited.
Another Arab passed, and saw him down in the reception-room, and called to him, "Ali!" And he answered, "Yes." And he said, "Why do I find you here, Ali?" And he said, "Is not this my house?" "How comes this to be your house?" "The Sultan told me, 'Sell dear, don't sell cheap;' and I have sold dear, mind you."
The Arab arose and went to the Sultan's door. And he said to him, "My master, my lord, I have met with your slave Ali, in the house of your Vizir, and I asked him, 'Ali!' And he answered, 'Yes.' 'What are you doing in this house?' And Ali answered me, 'The Sultan told me. Sell dear, don't sell cheap; and I have sold dear.'"
The Sultan was astonished. "This is how the Vizir has served me, and we promised one another to exclude asking Ali. Has he then gone and asked Ali, and is his property gone? So then now he has lost it twice over, he has lost his property and lost the Sultanship. And you go quickly and call Ali to come." "All right, master."
And he went out running, and found Ali wanting to get into a boat to go on the water. And he called him, "Ali!" And he said, "Yes." And he said, "Quick,
