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then put it in his turban and set out at once on his journey. As soon as he was gone, Gaffer Ibrahim turned to the Khalif and said to him, ‘O vilest of fishermen, thou hast brought us a couple of fish, worth a score of paras, and hast gotten three dinars for them; and thinkest thou to take the damsel also?’ When the Khalif heard this, he cried out at him and made a sign to Mesrour, who discovered himself and rushed upon him. Now Jaafer had sent one of the gardeners to the doorkeeper of the palace for a suit of the royal raiment for the Commander of the Faithful; so he went and returning with the suit, kissed the earth before the Khalif and gave it to him. Then he threw off the clothes he had on and dressed himself in those which the gardener had brought, to the great amazement of Gaffer Ibrahim, who bit his nails in bewilderment and exclaimed, ‘Am I asleep or awake?’ ‘O Gaffer Ibrahim,’ said the Khalif, ‘what state is this in which I see thee?’ With this, he recovered from his drunkenness and throwing himself on the ground, repeated the following verses:
Forgive the error into which my straying feet did fall, For the slave sues for clemency from him to whom he’s thrall!
Lo, by confessing I have done what the offence requires! Where then is that for which good grace and generous mercy call?
The Khalif forgave him and bade carry the damsel to the palace, where he assigned her a separate lodging and servants to wait upon her, saying to her, ‘Know that we have sent thy master to be Sultan in Bassora, and God willing, we will despatch him a dress of honour and thee with it.’
Meanwhile, Noureddin fared on, till he reached Bassora, when he repaired to the Sultan’s palace and gave a loud cry. The Sultan heard him and sent for him; and when he came into his presence, he kissed the earth before him and pulling out the letter, gave it to him. The Sultan, seeing that the superscription was in the handwriting of
