refused this, but he conjured him and said to him, "Allah upon
thee, O my lord, go with me, for thou art my guest this night,
and baulk not my hopes of thee!" And he ceased not to press him
till he consented; whereat Abu al-Hasan rejoiced and walking on
before him, gave not over talking with him till they came to his
house and he carried the Caliph into the saloon. Al-Rashid
entered a hall such as an thou sawest it and gazedst upon its
walls, thou hadst beheld marvels; and hadst thou looked narrowly
at its water-conduits thou would have seen a fountain cased with
gold. The Caliph made his man abide at the door; and, as soon as
he was seated, the host brought him that eating might be grateful
to him. Then he removed the tray and they washed their hands and
the Commander of the Faithful sat down again; whereupon Abu al-
Hasan set on the drinking vessels and seating himself by his
side, fell to filling and giving him to drink[FN#9] and
entertaining him with discourse. And when they had drunk their
sufficiency the host called for a slave-girl like a branch of Ban
who took a lute and sang to it these two couplets:--

"O thou aye dwelling in my heart, * Whileas thy form is far from
sight,
Thou art my sprite my me unseen, * Yet nearest near art thou, my
sprite."

His hospitality pleased the Caliph and the goodliness of his
manners, and he said to him, O youth, who art thou? Make me
acquainted with thyself, so I may requite thee thy kindness."
But Abu al-Hasan smiled and said, "O my lord, far be it, alas!
that what is past should again come to pass and that I company
with thee at other time than this time!" The Prince of True