Then he said, 'I am
concerned about thy haste; and indeed thou wouldst do well to
tell me the cause of it, for thou knowest that thy father and
grandfather did nothing without my counsel.' When I saw that
there was no getting rid of him, I said to myself, 'The time of
prayer draws near and I wish to go to her before the folk come
out from the mosque. If I am delayed much longer, I know not
how I shall come at her.' Then I said to him, 'Be quick and
leave this prating and officiousness, for I have to go to an
entertainment at the house of one of my friends.' When he heard
me speak of an entertainment, he said, 'This thy day is a blessed
one for me! Verily, yesterday I invited a party of my intimate
friends and I have forgotten to provide aught for them to eat. I
bethought me of it but now, on hearing thee speak of an
entertainment. Alack, how I shall be disgraced in their eyes!'
'Be in no concern for that,' answered I. 'Have I not told thee
that I am bidden abroad to-day? All the meat and drink in the
house shall be thine, so thou despatch my affair and make haste
to shave my head.' 'God requite thee with good!' rejoined he.
'Tell me what thou hast for my guests, that I may know.' Quoth I,
'I have five dishes of meat and ten fricasseed fowls and a
roasted lamb.' 'Bring them out to me,' said he, 'that I may see
them.' So I had all this brought, and when he saw it, he said,
'There lacks the wine.
Pages:
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374