so they pointed them out and caused bring them before the mock Khalif，who looked at them and said，How come ye here at this hour？O our lord，'answered they，we are foreign merchants，who arrived here this day and were out a-walking to-night，when ye came up and these men laid hands on us and brought us before thee.' Quoth the mock Khalif，Since you are strangers，no harm shall befall you；but had ye been of Baghdad，I had struck off your heads.' Then he turned to his Vizier and said to him，Take these men with thee；for they are our guests this night.' I hear and obey，O our lord，'answered he；and they followed him，till they came to a lofty and splendid palace of curious ordinance，such as no king possesses，rising from the dust and laying hold upon the marges of the clouds. Its door was of teak，inlaid with glittering gold，and by it one passed into a saloon，amiddleward which was a basin of water，with an artificial fountain rising from its midst. It was furnished with carpets and cushions and divans of brocade and tables and other gear such as amazed the wit and defied deion. There，also，was a curtain drawn，and upon the door were written these two verses：
A palace，upon it be blessing and greeting and grace！Fair fortune hath put off her beauty to brighten the place.
Therein are all manner of marvels and rarities found；The penmen are puzzled in story its charms to retrace.
The mock Khalif entered with his company and sat down on a throne of gold，set with jewels and covered with a prayer-carpet of yellow silk；whilst the boon-companions took their seats and the sword-bearer stood before him. Then the servants laid the tables and they ate and washed their hands，after which the dishes were removed and the wine-service set on，with cups and flagons in due order. The cup went round till it came to Er Reshid，who refused it，and the mock Khalif said to Jaafer，What ails thy friend that he drinks not？O our lord，'replied the Vizier，this long while he hath drunk no wine.' Quoth the mock Khalif，I have drink other than this，a kind of apple-wine，that will suit him.
So he let bring apple-sherbet and said to Haroun，Drink thou of this，as often as it comes to thy turn.' Then they continued to drink and make merry，till the wine rose to their heads and mastered their wits；and Haroun said to Jaafer，O Jaafer，by Allah，we have no such vessels as these. Would God I knew what manner of man this is！' Presently，the young man glanced at them and seeing them talking privily，said，It is unmannerly to whisper.' No rudeness was meant，'answered Jaafer. My friend did but say to me，'Verily，I have travelled in most countries and have caroused and companied with the greatest of kings and captains；yet never saw I a goodlier ordinance than this nor passed a more delightful night；save that the people of Baghdad say，Drink without music often leaves headache.' When the mock Khalif heard this，he smiled merrily and struck a gong[145]
with a rod he had in his hand；whereupon a door opened and out came an eunuch，bearing a stool of ivory，inlaid with glittering gold，and followed by a damsel of surpassing beauty and symmetry.
He set down the stool and the damsel seated herself on it，as she were the sun shining in the cloudless sky. In her hand she had a lute of Indian make，which she laid in her lap and bending over it as a mother bends over her child，preluded in four-and-twenty modes，amazing all wits. Then she returned to the first mode and sang the following verses to a lively measure：
The tongue of passion in my heart bespeaketh thee of me And giveth thee to know that I enamoured am of thee.
The burning of an anguished heart is witness to my pain And ulcerated eyes and tears that flow incessantly.
I had no knowledge what Love was，before the love of thee；But Gods forewritten ordinance oertaketh all that be.
When the mock Khalif heard this，he gave a great cry and rent his robe to the skirt，whereupon they let down a curtain over him and brought him a fresh robe，handsomer than the first. He put it on and sat as before，till the cup came round to him，when he struck the gong a second time and behold，a door opened and out came an eunuch with a chair of gold，followed by a damsel handsomer than the first，bearing a lute，such as mortified the heart of the envious. She sat down on the chair and sang to the lute these verses：
Ah，how can I be patient，when longing in my soul Flames high and from mine eyelids the tears in torrents roll？
Life hath no sweet，by Allah，wherein I may rejoice. How shall a heart be joyous，thats all fulfilled of dole？
No sooner did the youth hear this than he gave a great cry and rent his clothes to the skirt；whereupon they let down the curtain over him and brought him another dress. He put it on and sitting up as before，fell again to cheerful talk，till the cup came round to him，when he smote once more upon the gong and out came an eunuch with a chair，followed by a damsel fairer than she who had foregone her. So she sat down on the chair，with a lute in her hand，and sang thereto the following verses：
Have done with your disdain and leave to make me rue；For，by your life，my heart to you was ever true！
Have ruth on one distraught，the bondslave of your love，Sorry and sick and full of longings ever new.
Sickness，for passions stress，hath wasted him to nought，And still for your consent to Allah he doth sue.
O ye full moons，whose place of sojourn is my heart，Amongst the human race whom can I choose but you？
At this the young man gave a great cry and rent his clothes，whereupon they let fall the curtain over him and brought him other clothes. Then he returned to his former case with his boon-companions and the cup went round as before，till it came to him，when he struck the gong a fourth time and the door opening，out came a boy，bearing a chair and followed by a damsel. He set the chair for her and she sat down upon it and taking the lute，tuned it and sang to it these verses：
When，when will separation and hatred pass away And what is past of joyance come back to make me gay？