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of his lodging, intending for the palace, and when he came thither, he found eunuchs and slaves and servants, black and white, sitting and standing, and looking at them, saw, seated amongst them, the eunuch who had bought the fish of him, with the others waiting on him. Presently, one of the servants called out to him; whereupon the eunuch turned to see who he was and knew him for the fisherman.
When Khelifeh was ware that he saw him and recognized him, he said to him, ‘I have not failed [of my appointment], O Rosy-cheeks![1] On this wise are men of their word.’ ‘By Allah, thou art right, O fisherman,’ replied the eunuch, laughing, and put his hand to his pouch, to give him somewhat; but at that moment there arose a great clamour. So he raised his head to see what was to do and finding that it was the Vizier Jaafer the Barmecide coming forth from the Khalif’s presence, rose and went before him, and they walked about, conversing, a long while. Khelifeh waited awhile; then, growing weary of standing and finding that the eunuch took no heed of him, he set himself in his way and beckoned to him from afar, saying, ‘O my lord Rosy-cheeks, [give me my due and] let me go!’
The eunuch saw him, but was ashamed to answer him, because of the vizier’s presence; so he went on talking with Jaafer and took no notice of the fisherman. Whereupon quoth Khelifeh, ‘O tardy paymaster! May God put to shame all curmudgeons and all who take people’s goods and baffle them! I appeal to thee, O my lord
- ↑ An ironical nickname, bestowed by Khelifeh on the eunuch, in allusion to his black colour, much after the same fashion as in America and the West Indies, where it is common to call a particularly black negro “Snowball.”
