Then he seized upon the Sultan and his
Vizier and laid them in ward, and commanding Noureddin to be
released, seated him on the throne in the place of Mohammed ben
Suleiman. After this Jaafer abode three days at Bassora, the
usual guest-time, and on the morning of the fourth day, Noureddin
turned to him and said, 'I long for the sight of the Commander of
the Faithful.' Then said Jaafer to Mohammed ben Suleiman, 'Make
ready, for we will pray the morning-prayer and take horse for
Baghdad.' And he answered, 'I hear and obey.' So they prayed the
morning-prayer and set out, all of them, taking with them the
Vizier Muin ben Sawa, who began to repent of what he had done.
Noureddin rode by Jaafer's side and they fared on without
ceasing, till they arrived in due course at the Abode of Peace,
Baghdad, and going in to the Khalif's presence, told him how
they had found Noureddin nigh upon death. The Khalif said to
Noureddin, 'Take this sword and strike off thine enemy's head.'
So he took the sword and went up to Muin ben Sawa, but the latter
looked at him and said, 'I did according to my nature; do thou
according to thine.' So Noureddin threw the sword from his hand
and said to the Khalif, 'O Commander of the Faithful, he hath
beguiled me with his speech,' and he repeated the following
verse:
Lo, with the cunning of his speech my heart he hath beguiled, For
generous minds are ever moved by artful words and mild!
'Leave him, thou,' said the Khalif, and turning to Mesrour,
commanded him to behead Muin.
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