and gave him to drink and ceased not their carousal till a third
part of the night was past. Then said the damsel, "O Shaykh
Ibrahim, with thy leave I will get up and light one of these
candles." "Do so," he replied, "but light no more than one." So
she sprang to her feet and, beginning with one candle, lighted
all the eighty and sat down again. Presently Nur al-Din said, "O
Shaykh Ibrahim, in what favour am I with thee? May I not light
one of these lamps?" "Light one," replied he, "and bother me no
more in thy turn!" So he rose and lighted one lamp after
another, till he had lighted the whole eight and the palace
seemed to dance with brilliancy. Quoth the Shaykh (and indeed
intoxication had overcome him), "Ye two are bolder than I am."
Then he rose to his feet and opened all the lattices and sat down
again; and they fell to carousing and reciting verses till the
place rang with their noisy mirth. Now Allah, the Decreer who
decreeth all things and who for every effect appointeth a cause,
had so disposed that the Caliph was at that moment sitting in the
light of the moon at one of the windows of his palace overlooking
the Tigris. He saw the blaze of the lamps and wax candles
reflected in the river and, lifting his eyes, perceived that it
came from the Garden Palace which was all ablaze with brilliancy.
So he cried, "Here to me with Ja'afar the Barmaki!"; and the last
word was hardly spoken ere the Wazir was present before the
Commander of the Faithful, who cried at him, "O dog of a
Minister, hast thou taken from me this city of Baghdad without
saying aught to me?" "What words are these words?" asked
Ja'afar; and the Caliph answered, "If Baghdad city were not taken
from me, the Palace of Pictures would not be illuminated with
lamps and candles, nor would its windows be thrown open. Woe to
thee! who durst do a deed like this except the Caliphate had been