But,
when I had finished, he smiled and said, "Out on thee, O fool!
Thou hast entered my house and sold my handkerchief and spent
my money: so, with whom art thou wroth, O pimp?" Then he left
me and went away to her, whilst I said, "By Allah, thou art
right to call me a fool and a pimp!" Then I left his door and
went away in sore concern, whereof I feel the trace in my heart
to this day; and I never had my desire of her nor ever heard of
her more.
ISAAC OF MOSUL AND THE MERCHANT.
(Quoth Ishac ben Ibrahim el Mausili), One day, being weary of
assiduous attendance upon the Khalif, I mounted my horse and
went forth, at break of day, having a mind to ride out and take
my pleasure in the open country, and I said to my servant, "If
there come a messenger from the Khalif or another, say that I
set out at daybreak, upon a pressing business, and that thou
knowest not whither I am gone." So I rode forth alone and went
round about the city, till the sun grew hot, when I halted in a
street, known as El Herem, and stood my horse under the
spacious jutting porch of one of the houses there, to shelter
me from the glare of the sun.
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