mysterious dialect I had once learned. They spoke of
taking you prisoner and of killing your vizier. As it was too late to
warn you, I resolved to go to the place where they would lie in ambush
for you, and give you my assistance."

"Thank you," said Haroun; "but it is not best to remain long in this
place; take this ring, and come in the morning to my palace; we will
then talk over this affair, and see how I can best reward you. Come,
vizier, it is best not to stop here; they might come back again."

Thus saying, he placed a ring on Said's finger, and attempted to lead
off the grand vizier, but the latter, begging him to wait a moment,
turned and held out to the astonished Said a heavy purse: "Young man,"
said he, "my master, the caliph, can do anything for you that he feels
inclined to do, even to making you my successor; but I myself can do
but little, and that little had better be done to-day, rather than
to-morrow. Therefore, take this purse. That does not, however, cancel
my debt of gratitude; so whenever you have a wish, come in confidence
to me."

Overpowered with his good fortune, Said hurried home. But here he was
not so well received. Kalum-Bek was at first angry at his long absence,
and then anxious, for the merchant thought he might easily lose the
handsome sign of his shop. Kalum therefore received him with abusive
words, and raved like a madman. But Said--who had taken a look into his
purse and found it filled with gold pieces, and reflected that he could
now travel home, even without the caliph's favor, which was certainly
not worth less than the gratitude of his vizier--declared roundly that
he would not remain in his service another hour. At first Kalum was
very much frightened by this declaration; but shortly he laughed
sneeringly and said:

"You loafer and vagabond! You miserable creature! Where would you run
to, if I were to give up supporting you? Where would you get a dinner
or a lodging?"

"You need not trouble yourself about that, Mr. Kalum-Bek," answered
Said audaciously. "Farewell; you will never see me again!"

With these words, Said left the house, while Kalum-Bek looked after him
speechless with astonishment. The following morning, however, after
thinking over the matter well, he sent out his errand boys, and had the
runaway sought for every-where. For a long time their search was a vain
one; but finally one of the boys came back and reported that he had
seen Said come out of a mosqu