country, and I have heard of Mubarak thy lord that he is famed
for liberality and generosity; so that I come hither purposing to
become his guest." Thereupon the chattel went in to his lord and,
after reporting the matter to him, came out and said to Zayn
al-Asnam, "O my lord, a blessing hath descended upon us by thy
footsteps. Do thou enter, for my master Mubarak awaiteth thee."
Therewith the Prince passed into a court spacious exceedingly and
all beautified with trees and waters, and the slave led him to
the pavilion wherein Mubarak was sitting. As the guest came in
the host straightway rose up and met him with cordial greeting
and cried, "A benediction hath alighted upon us and this night is
the most benedight of the nights by reason of thy coming to us!
So who are thou, O youth, and whence is thine arrival and whither
is thine intent?" He replied, "I am Zayn al-Asnam and I seek one
Mubarak, a slave of the Sultan of Bassorah who deceased a year
ago, and I am his son." Mubarak rejoined, "What sayest thou? Thou
the son of the King of Bassorah?" and the other retorted, "Yea,
verily I am his son."[FN#25] Quoth Mubarak, "In good sooth my
late lord the King of Bassorah left no son known to me! But what
may be thine age, O youth?" "Twenty years or so," quoth the
Prince, presently adding, "But thou, how long is it since thou
leftest my sire?" "I left him eighteen years ago," said the
other; "but, O my shild Zayn al-Asnam, by what sign canst thou
assure me of thy being the son of my old master, the Sovran of
Bassorah?" Said the Prince, "Thou alone knowest that my father
laid out beneath his palace a souterrain,[FN#26] and in this he
placed forty jars of the finest green jasper, which he filled
with pieces of antique gold, also that within a pavilion he
builded a second palace and set therein eight images of precious
stones, each one of a single gem, and all seated upon royal seats