' 'I will
not let thee go alone,' replied he: and I said, 'None can enter
where I am going but myself.' Then said he, 'I believe thou
hast an assignation with some woman to-day; else thou wouldst
take me with thee, for it is the like of me that furnishes a
merry-making; or if thou go to any one with whom thou wouldst be
private, I am the fittest of all men for thy purpose, for I would
help thee to what thou desirest and look that none saw thee. I
fear lest thou go in to some strange woman and lose thy life; for
in this city one cannot do aught of the kind, especially on a day
like this and under so keen and masterful a chief of the police
as ours of Baghdad.' 'Out on thee, O wretched old man!' cried I.
'Avaunt! what words are these thou givest me?' 'O dolt!' rejoined
he, 'thou sayest to me what is not true and hidest thy mind from
me; but I know that this is so and am certain of it, and I only
seek to help thee this day.' I was fearful lest my people or the
neighbours should hear the barber's talk, so kept silence, whilst
he finished shaving my head; by which time the hour of prayer was
come and it was wellnigh time for the exhortation.[FN#98] When he
had done, I said to him, 'Take the meat and drink and carry them
to thy friends. I will await thy return.' For I thought it best
to dissemble with the accursed fellow and feign compliance with
his wishes, so haply he might go away and leave me.
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