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eating thus till they were content, when Aboulhusn brought bowl and ewer and potash[1] and they washed their hands.
Then he lighted him three candles and three lamps and spreading the drinking-cloth, brought clarified wine, limpid, old and fragrant, the scent whereof was as that of virgin musk. He filled the first cup and saying, “O my boon-companion, by thy leave, be ceremony laid aside between us! I am thy slave; may I not be afflicted with thy loss!” drank it off and filled a second cup, which he handed to the Khalif, with a reverence. His fashion pleased the Khalif and the goodliness of his speech and he said in himself, “By Allah, I will assuredly requite him for this!” Then Aboulhusn filled the cup again and handed it to the Khalif, reciting the following verses:
Had we thy coming known, we would for sacrifice Have poured thee out heart’s blood or blackness of the eyes;
Ay, and we would have spread our bosoms in thy way, That so thy feet might fare on eyelids, carpet-wise.
When the Khalif heard his verses, he took the cup from his hand and kissed it and drank it off and returned it to Aboulhusn, who made him an obeisance and filled and drank. Then he filled again and kissing the cup thrice, recited the following verses:
Thy presence honoureth us and we Confess thy magnanimity;
If thou forsake us, there is none Can stand to us instead of thee.
Then he gave the cup to the Khalif, saying, “Drink [and may] health and soundness [attend it]! It doth
- ↑ A common Eastern substitute for soap.
