29
us, and he took his part and wasted it in lewdness and debauchery, till he was reduced to beggary, when he came upon us and cited us before the magistrates, avouching that we had taken his good and that of his father, and we disputed the matter before the judges and lost the money. Then he waited awhile and attacked us a second time, till he brought us to poverty; nor will he desist from us, and we have no peace for him; wherefore we would have thee buy him of us.’ Quoth the captain, ‘Can ye go about with him and make shift to bring him to me here? If so, I will pack him off to sea forthright.’ ‘We cannot avail to bring him here,’ answered they; ‘but be thou our guest [this night] and bring with thee two of thy men, no more; and when he is asleep, we will fall upon him, we five, and gag him. Then shalt thou carry him forth the house, under cover of the night, and do with him as thou wilt.’ ‘So be it,’ rejoined the captain. ‘Will ye sell him for forty dinars?’ ‘Yes,’ said they. ‘Come to such a street, by such a mosque, after nightfall, and thou shalt find one of us awaiting thee.’
Then they repaired to Jouder and waited awhile, after which Salim went up to him and kissed his hand. Quoth Jouder, ‘What ails thee, O my brother?’ And he made answer, saying, ‘Know that I have a friend, who hath many a time bidden me to his house in thine absence and hath ever hospitably entreated me, and I owe him a thousand kindnesses, as my brother here knoweth. I met him to-day and he invited me to his house, but I said to him, “I cannot leave my brother [Jouder].” Quoth he, “Bring him with thee;” and I answered, saying, “He will not consent to that; but if ye will be my guests, thou and thy brothers . . . . . . ;” for his brothers were sitting with him, and I invited them, thinking that they would refuse. But he accepted my invitation, saying, “Look for me at the gate of the Mosque, and I will come to thee, I and my
