But yesterday，in gladness，one dwelling held us both；We saw the enviers napping，all heedless of their prey.
But fortune played the traitor with us and sundered us，And left our dwelling-places even as the desert grey.
Wilt have me，O my censor，be solaced for my loves？Alas，my heart the censor，I see，will not obey！
So make an end of chiding and leave me to my love；For of my loved ones converse my heart is full alway.
Fair lords，though youve been fickle and broken faith and troth，Deem not my heart for absence forgets you night or day.
When the mock Khalif heard the girls song，he gave a great cry and tearing his clothes as before，fell down in a swoon；
whereupon they would have let down the curtain over him，as of wont；but the cords stuck fast and Er Reshid，chancing to look at him，saw on his body the marks of beating with palm-rods and said to Jaafer，By Allah，he is a handsome youth，but a foul thief！
Whence knowest thou that，O Commander of the Faithful？asked Jaafer，and the Khalif answered，Sawst thou not the marks of whips on his sides？Then they let fall the curtain over him and brought him a fresh dress，which he put on and sat up as before with his courtiers. Presently，he saw the Khalif and Jaafer whispering together and said to them，What is the matter，gentlemen？Nothing，my lord，'replied Jaafer，save that my friend here，who （as is not unknown to thee） is of the merchants and hath visited all the great cities and countries of the world and foregathered with kings and men of worth，saith to me，'Verily，that which our lord the Khalif hath done this night is beyond measure extravagant，never saw I any do the like of his fashion in any country；for he hath rent four dresses，each worth a thousand dinars，and this is surely excessive extravagance.
O man，'replied the youth，the money is my money and the stuff my stuff and this is by way of largesse to my servants and followers；for each suit that is rent belongeth to one of my boon-companions here present and I appoint him，in exchange therefor，[if it so like him，] the sum of five hundred dinars.'
Well is that thou dost，O our lord！' answered Jaafer and recited the following verses：
The virtues sure have built themselves a dwelling in thy palm；
Thou hast thy wealth to all mankind made common property.
An if the virtues doors were shut on us one luckless day，Thy hand unto their locks，indeed，were even as a key.
When the young man heard these verses，he ordered Jaafer a thousand dinars and a dress of honour. Then the cup went round among them and the wine was pleasant to them；but，after awhile，the Khalif said to Jaafer，Ask him of the marks on his ribs，that we may see what he will say.' Softly，O my lord，'replied Jaafer；be not hasty，for patience is more becoming.' By the life of my head and by the tomb of El Abbas，[146] rejoined the Khalif，except thou ask him，I will assuredly make an end of thee！' With this the young man turned towards Jaafer and said to him，What ails thee and thy friend to be whispering together？
Tell me what is to do with you.' It is nothing，'replied Jaafer；but the mock Khalif rejoined，I conjure thee，by Allah，tell me what ails you and hide from me nothing of your case.' O my lord，'answered the Vizier，my companion here saw on thy sides the marks of beating with whips and rods and marvelled thereat exceedingly，saying，'How came the Khalif to be beaten？'
And he would fain know the cause of this.' When the youth heard this，he smiled and said，Know that my story is wonderful and my case extraordinary；were it graven with needles on the corners of the eye，it would serve as an admonition to him who can profit by admonition.' And he sighed and repeated the following verses：
Strange is my story and outdoes all marvels that can be. By Love itself I swear，my ways are straitened upon me！
An ye would know my case，give ear and hearken to my tale And all be dumb，on every side，in this our company.
Take heed unto my speech，for lo！therein a warning is；Ay，and my words no leasing are，but naked verity.
I am a man of passion slain，the victim of desire，And she who slew me fairer is than all the stars to see.
A bright black eye she hath，whose glance is as an Indian sword，And from her eyebrows bended bows full many a shaft shoots she.
My heart forebodes me that mongst you the Khalif of the age，Our Imam[147] is，of high descent and noble pedigree，And that the second of you he，thats known as Jaafer，is，His vizier and a viziers son，a lord of high degree.
Yea，and the third of you Mesrour the eunuch is，I ween，The swordsman of his vengeance. So，if true my saying be，I have of this my case attained to all for which I hoped And hearts content from every side is come，indeed，to me.
When they heard this，Jaafer swore to him a dissembling oath that they were not those he named；whereupon he laughed and said，Know，O my lords，that I am not the Commander of the Faithful and that I do but style myself thus，to get my will of the people of the city. My real name is Mohammed Ali son of Ali the Jeweller and my father was one of the chief men [of the city]. When he died，he left me great store of gold and silver and pearls and coral and rubies and chrysolites and other jewels，besides houses and lands and baths and gardens and orchards and shops and brickfields and slaves，male and female. One day，as I sat in my shop，surrounded by my slaves and servants，there came up a young lady，riding on a mule and attended by three damsels like moons.