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The Khalif Haroun er Reshid had a son, who, from the time he attained the age of sixteen, renounced the world and walked in the way of ascetics and devotees.
Then the barge passed on and disappeared from sight; whereupon the boatman pushed out again into the stream, saying, 'Praised be God for safety, since none hath fallen in with us! 'O old man, said Er Reshid, 'doth the Khalif come down the river every night? 'Yes, O my lord, answered the boatman; 'he hath done so every night this year past. 'O old man, rejoined Er Reshid, 'we wish thee of thy favour to await us here to-morrow night, and we will give thee five dinars, for we are strangers, lodging at El Khendek, and we have a mind to divert ourselves. 'With all my heart, replied the boatman.
Then said Er Reshid, 'Bring me the girl at once, for I long for her exceedingly. So they brought her and the Khalif said to Abou Yousuf, 'I have a mind to lie with her forthright; for I cannot endure to abstain from her during the prescribed period of purification; how is this to be done? 'Bring me one of thine unenfranchised male slaves, answered the Imam, 'and give me leave to marry her to him; then let him divorce her before consummation.
There lived once at Damascus, in the days of the Khalif Haroun er Reshid, a wealthy merchant, who had a son like the moon at its full and withal sweet of speech, called Ghanim ben Eyoub, and a daughter called Fitneh, unique in her beauty and grace.
"O my lady," answered I, "an thou wouldst know who I am, I am Ali ben Mensour of Damascus, the Wag, boon-companion to the Khalif Haroun er Reshid." When she heard my name she came down from her seat and saluting me, said, "Welcome, O Ibn Mensour! Now will I tell thee my case and entrust thee with my secret. Know that I am a lover separated from her beloved."
The unpleasant news was given him by Reshid, who, after the unsuccessful issue of his matrimonial projects, had made a long voyage amongst the islands for trading purposes; had bought the powder for his friend, and was overhauled and deprived of it on his return when actually congratulating himself on his acuteness in avoiding detection.
"So you have seen it?" asked Reshid, eagerly. "Is it Dain? You have seen him many times. You would know him." The girl's lips quivered and she remained silent for a while, breathing quickly. "I have seen him, not a long time ago," she said at last. "The talk is true; he is dead. What do you want from me, Tuan? I must go."
And now, with thy leave, I will show thee, for thy diversion, something of what I can do. 'Do what thou wilt, answered Er Reshid, 'that we may see. 'I hear and obey, said Abou Mohammed and moving his lips, beckoned to the battlements of the palace, whereupon they inclined to him; then he made another sign to them, and they returned to their place.
When near Reshid Taminah stood with downcast eyes. Reshid looked at her a while before he asked "Are you going to Almayer's house? They say in the settlement that Dain the trader, he that was found drowned this morning, is lying in the white man's campong." "I have heard this talk," whispered Taminah; "and this morning by the riverside I saw the body. Where it is now I do not know."
When Er Reshid heard the young man's story and knew the passion and transport and love-longing that afflicted him, he was moved to compassion and wonder and said, 'Glory be to God who hath appointed to every thing a cause! Than they craved the young man's leave to depart; which being granted, they took leave of him, the Khalif purposing to do him justice and entreat him with the utmost munificence, and returned to the palace of the Khalifate, where they changed their clothes for others befitting their station and sat down, whilst Mesrour stood before them.
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