The merchant sent him
bedding by a slave, who spread it for him on the bench behind
the door and went away. Presently Ali went into the inner court
and seeing there a well with a bucket, let down the latter and
drew water, with which he made the ablution and prayed the
obligatory prayers. Then he sat awhile, till the merchant's
slave brought him the evening meal from his master's house,
together with a lamp, a candle and candlestick, a basin and
ewer and a gugglet; after which he left him and returned home.
Ali lighted the candle and supped at his ease and prayed the
evening prayer; after which he said to himself, 'Let us take
the bed and go upstairs and sleep there, rather than here.' So
he took the bed and carried it upstairs, where he found a
splendid saloon, with gilded ceiling and walls and floor of
variegated marble. He spread his bed there and sitting down,
began to recite somewhat of the sublime Koran, when suddenly he
heard one calling to him and saying, 'O Ali, O son of Hassan,
shall I send thee down the gold?' And he answered, 'Send away.'
Hardly had he spoken, when pieces of gold began to rain down on
him, like [pebbles from] a mangonel, nor stinted till the
saloon was full.
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