sojourn in Baghdad. As for the house, if it like thee, I will
abide therein; so take of me its price."

So saying, he put his hand to his poke and bringing out therefrom
three hundred dinars, gave them to the merchant, who said in
himself, "Except I take the money, he will not abide in the
house." So he pouched the money and sold him the house, taking
the folk to witness against himself of the sale. Then he arose
and set food before El Abbas and they ate of the good things
which he had provided; after which he brought him dessert and
sweetmeats. They ate thereof till they had enough, when the
tables were removed and they washed their hands with rose-water
and willow-flower-water. Then the merchant brought El Abbas a
napkin perfumed with the fragrant smoke of aloes-wood, on which
he wiped his hand,[FN#80] and said to him, "O my lord, the house
is become thy house; so bid thy servant transport thither the
horses and arms and stuffs." El Abbas did this and the merchant
rejoiced in his neighbourhood and left him not night nor day, so
that the prince said to him, "By Allah, I distract thee from thy
livelihood." "God on thee, O my lord," replied the merchant,
"name not to me aught of this, or thou wilt break my heart, for
the best of traffic is thy company and thou art the best of
livelihood." So there befell strait friendship between them and
ceremony was laid aside from between them.

Meanwhile the king said to his vizier, "How shall we do in the
matter of yonder youth, the Yemani, on whom we thought to confer
largesse, but he hath largessed us with tenfold [our gift] and
more, and we know not if he be a sojourner with us or no?" Then
he went into the harem and gave the rubies to his wife Afifeh,