56
Tell me then the truth of thy case, that I may further thee to thy desire.” Then, “I conjure thee by God,” added he, “[tell me,] art thou not in love?” “Yes,” answered I; and he said, “With whom?” Quoth I, “With one of the women of the Khalif’s palace.” And he exclaimed, “May God put them to shame! How long shall they seduce the folk? Knowest thou her name?” “No,” answered I; and he said, “Describe her to me.” So I described her to him and he said, “Out on it! This is the favourite lutanist of the Khalif El Mutawekkil. But she hath a servant, and do thou clap up a friendship with him; it may be he shall be the means of thy having access to her.”
As we were talking, out came the servant in question from the palace, as he were the moon on its fourteenth night. Now I had before me the clothes that the tailor had made me, and they were of brocade of all colours. He began to look at them and examine them; then he came up to me and I rose and saluted him. “Who art thou?” asked he; and I answered, “I am a man of the merchants.” Quoth he, “Wilt thou sell these clothes?” “Yes,” replied I. So he chose out five of them and said to me, “How much these five?” Quoth I, “They are a present from me to thee, in earnest of friendship between us.” At this he rejoiced and I went home and fetching a suit embroidered with jewels and jacinths, worth three thousand dinars, gave it to him.
He accepted it and carrying me into a room within the palace, said to me, “What is thy name among the merchants?” Quoth I, “I am a man of them.”[1] “Verily,” rejoined he, “I misdoubt me of thine affair.” “Why so?” asked I. “Because,” answered he, “thou hast bestowed on me a great matter[2] and won my heart therewith, and
