After awhile, I espied a tailor hard by
and going up to him, saluted him. He returned my greeting and I
said to him, "Whose house is that?" "It belongs to a merchant
called such an one," answered he, "who consorteth with none but
merchants."
As we were talking, up came two men of comely and intelligent
aspect, riding on horseback; and the tailor told me their names
and that they were the merchant's most intimate friends. So I
spurred my horse towards them and said to them, "May I be your
ransom! Abou such an one[FN#58] waits for you!" And I rode with
them to the gate, where I entered and they also. When the
master of the house saw me, he doubted not but I was their
friend; so he welcomed me and made me sit down in the highest
room. Then they brought the table of food and I said, "God hath
granted me my desire of the food; and now there remain the hand
and wrist." After awhile, we removed, for carousal, to another
room, which I found full of all manner of rarities; and the
host paid me particular attention, addressing his conversation
to me, for that he deemed me a guest of his guests; whilst the
latter, in like manner, made much of me, taking me for a friend
of the master of the house.
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