red what he would do next. Yussuf
then walked up to the caliph, and prostrated himself. "O caliph,
vicegerent of the Prophet! deign to listen to your faithful beeldar,
while he narrates a strange adventure which hath befallen him within
these few days."

"Speak, beeldar, we are all attention; remember that thy words be those
of truth."

"It was on the evening before your highness issued the decree that no
water should be supplied to the bazaar from the Tigris, that as I was
sitting in my house, performing my sacred duties, and studying the
Koran, which I read in a loud voice, three merchants of Moussul claimed
and intreated my hospitality. The Koran has pointed out hospitality as
a virtue necessary to every true believer, and I hastened to open my
door and receive them."

"Indeed," replied the caliph, looking at Giaffar. "Tell me, beeldar,
what sort of looking personages might these Moussul merchants be?"

"Ill favoured to a degree. One was a pot-bellied, rascally-looking
fellow, with a great beard, who looked as if he had just come out of a
jail. (The caliph winked at his vizier, as much as to say, There is
your portrait.) Another was a black-bearded, beetle-browed, hang-dog
looking rascal. (Giaffar bowed to the caliph.) And the third was a
blubber-lipped, weazen-faced skeleton of a negro. (Mesrour clapped his
hand to his dagger with impatience.) In short, your highness, I may
safely say, that the three criminals whose heads have just been
forfeited to justice, were, as far as appearances went, honest-looking
men, compared to the three Moussul merchants. Nevertheless, as in duty
bound, I received these three men, gave them shelter, and spread a table
of the best before them. They indulged in kabobs, and asking for wine
and rakee, which, as forbidden by the law, I never taste, I went out and
purchased it for them. They did eat and drink till the dawn broke, and
then they departed."

"Indeed," said the caliph.

"The next night, to my great annoyance, they aroused me from my
devotions as before. Again did my substance disappear in providing for
their demands; and, after having eaten and drunk until they were
intoxicated, they went away, and I hoped to see them no more, as they
were not sparing in their observations upon the new decree of your
highness, relative to the shutting up of the baths."

"Proceed, good Yussuf."

"The third night they again came, and having no more money to spare, and
find