第29章 THE PORTER AND THE THREE LADIES OF BAGHDAD.(4)

'Don't you know？'asked he；and they said'No.'Quoth he'This is the mule Break-allthat browses on the basil of the dykes and gobbles up the peeled barleycorn and lies by night in the khan of Abou Mensour.'And they laughed till they fell backward. Then they fell again to drinking and continued after this fashion till the night came upon themwhen they said to the porter'In the name of Godput on thy sandals and be off and let us see the breadth of thy shoulders！'Quoth he'By Allahthe leaving life were easier to me than the leaving you！Let us join the night to the dayand to-morrow we will each go our own way.'My life on you！'said the cateress'let him pass the night with usthat we may laugh at himfor he is a pleasant rogue；and we may never again chance upon the like of him.'So the mistress of the house said to the porter'Thou shalt pass the night with us on condition that thou submit to our authority and thatwhatever thou seestthou ask no questions about it nor enquire the reason of it.'It is well，'answered he；and they said'Go and read what is written over the door.'So he went to the door and found the following words written thereon in letters of gold'He who speaks of what concerns him notshall hear what will not please him.'And he said'Be ye witness against me that I will not speak of what concerns me not.'Then rose the cateress and prepared foodand they ate： after which they lighted the lamps and candles and strewed on the latter ambergris and aloes-wood；then changed the service and set on fresh fruits and flowers and wine and so forth and sat down again to drink. They ceased not to eat and drink and make merryhobnobbing and laughing and talking and frolickingtill there came a knocking at the door： whereupon one of them rose and went to the doorwithout disturbing the partyand presently returnedsaying'Verilyour pleasure is to be complete to-night.'How so？'asked the othersand she replied'There are three foreign Calenders at the door，with shaven heads and chins and eyebrows and every one blind of the right eyewhich is a most extraordinary coincidence.

Apparently they are fresh from a journey and indeed the traces of travel are evident on them；and the reason of their knocking at the door is this. They are strangers to Baghdad and this is their first coming to our city： the night surprised them and they could not find a lodging in the city and know no one with whom to take shelter： so they said to each other'Perhaps the owner of this house will give us the key of a stable or outhouse and let us sleep there.'AndO my sisterseach of them is a laughing-stock after his own fashion；and if we let them inthey will make us sport this nightand on the morrow each shall go his own way.'

And she ceased not to persuade themtill they said'Let them come inon condition that they ask no questions of what does not concern themon pain of hearing what will not please them.'So she rejoiced and going to the doorreturned with the three Calenderswho saluted and bowed low and held back；but the ladies rose to them and welcomed them and gave them joy of their safety and made them sit down. The Calenders looked about them and seeing a pleasant place and a table elegantly spread with flowers and fruits and green herbs and dessert and winewith candles burning and perfumes smokingand the three maidenswith their faces unveiledsaid with one voice ''Fore Allahit is good！'Then they turned to the porter and saw that he was tipsy and jaded with drinking and dalliance. So they took him for one of themselves and said'He is a Calender like ourselveseither an Arab or a foreigner.'When the porter heard thishe rose and fixing his eyes on themsaid'Sit still and do not meddle. Have you not read what is written on the door？ It befits not folk，like yourselveswho come to us as mendicantsto loose your tongues on us.'We ask pardon of GodO fakir！'answered they.

'Our heads are before thee.'The ladies laughed and making peace between themset food before the Calenders. When they had eaten，they all sat down again to carousethe portress serving the new comersand the cup passed round awhiletill the porter said to the Calenders'O brothershave ye no story or rare trait to divert us withal？'The Calendersbeing warm with winecalled for musical instruments；so the portress brought them a tambourine and a lute and a Persian harp；and each Calender took one and tuned it and played and sang；and the girls joined in lustily and made a great noise. Whilst they were thus engaged，some one knocked at the gate and the portress rose and went to see who it was. Now the cause of this knocking was thatthat very nightthe Khalif Haroun er Reshid had gone down into the Cityas was his wontevery now and thento walk about for his diversion and hear what news was stirringattended by his Vizier Jaafer and Mesrour his headsmanall threeas usualdisguised as merchants. Their way brought them to the house of the three ladieswhere they heard the noise of musical instruments and of singing and merrimentand the Khalif said to Jaafer'I have a mind to enter this house and listen to this music and see the singers.'O Commander of the Faithful，'answered Jaafer'these people are certainly drunkand I fear lest some mischief betide us at their hands.'It matters not，'rejoined the Khalif；'I must and will go in and I desire that thou contrive some pretext to that end.'I hear and obey，'replied the Vizier and going up to the gateknockedwhereupon the portress came down and opened. Jaafer came forward and kissing the earth before her，said'O ladywe are merchants from Tiberias： we reached Baghdad ten days ago and sold our merchandise and took up our lodging at the khan of the merchants. Now we were bidden to-night to an entertainment at the house of a certain merchantwho set food before us and we ate and caroused with him awhiletill he gave us leave to depart and we went outintending for our lodging；