Presently Noureddin said, 'O Gaffer Ibrahim, how
stands my favour with thee? May I not light one of these lamps ?'
'Light one,' replied he, 'and plague me no more.' So Noureddin
rose and lighted one lamp after another, till he had lighted the
whole eighty and the palace seemed to dance with light. Quoth
Ibrahim (and indeed intoxication had mastered him), 'Ye are more
active than I.' Then he rose and opened all the windows and sat
down again; and they fell to carousing and reciting verses, till
the place rang with their mirth.
Now as God the All-powerful, who appointeth a cause to
everything, had decreed, the Khalif was at that moment seated at
one of the windows of his palace, overlooking the Tigris, in the
light of the moon. He saw the lustre of the candles and lamps
reflected in the river and lifting his eyes, perceived that it
came from the garden-palace, which was in a blaze with light. So
he called Jaafer the Barmecide and said to him, 'O dog of a
Vizier, has the city of Baghdad been taken from me and thou hast
not told me?' 'What words are these?' said Jaafer. 'If Baghdad
were not taken from me,' rejoined the Khalif, 'the Pavilion of
Pictures would not be illuminated with lamps and candles, nor
would its windows be open. Out on thee! Who would dare to do this
except the Khalifate were taken from me?' Quoth Jaafer (and
indeed he trembled in every limb), 'Who told thee that the
pavilion was illuminated and the windows open?' 'Come hither and
look,' replied the Khalif.
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