Caliph could answer him, he turned away and went into the
house, and the other followed him.

"Have you ever heard of this unfortunate Naima before?" asked Haroun
al Raschid of his Grand Vizier; and as he answered in the negative, he
said, "Let us rap at the door of the next house, where this Naima
dwells; perhaps we may discover the cause of his sorrow."

They drew near, and saw the light from the inner court shining through
a crevice. The Caliph placed his eye at this crevice, and after he had
watched for some time, he beckoned his followers to him, and said,
"Two grey-headed men are sitting in this court by a lamp, and one
seems to be comforting the other; but this latter continues to weep
more bitterly. Both seem of the same rank; and I am desirous to know
what sorrow oppresses the unfortunate Naima. Order him to appear at my
palace early to-morrow morning; perhaps it may be in my power to
lighten his calamity."

The next day the Grand Vizier executed his commission. Naima was
frightened when his presence was required at the palace. He was led
into the great hall where the divan usually assembled; but he was
quite alone there when the servants had left him. He reviewed the
whole of his past life, to see if he had sinned in any way so as to
bring on him the displeasure of the righteous Caliph; for he knew that
Haroun al Raschid often, in a mysterious manner, discovered the faults
of his subjects, and punished them accordingly. But he could not call
to mind any deed of which he, felt ashamed, nor any that deserved
punishment. Whilst he was thus meditating, a curtain was drawn back,
and the Caliph entered, followed by his Vizier and his Chamberlain.
Naima rose from the ground, and bowed with his head even to the carpet
on which the Caliph stood.

"Naima," said the Caliph, "a heavy weight of grief oppress you; and by
the anxiety which your neighbours manifest to show respect for the
sorrows of your soul, I must consider you as a man of great worth. I
wish to know the cause of your despondency: will you confess it before
these two witnesses, or would you rather confide to me alone the
reason of your tears?"

"Ruler of the Faithful," answered Naima, "sorrow is great and deep in
my soul; but still the cause of it is unworthy to distract for a
moment the attention of the Caliph from the cares of his kingdom."

But Haroun al Raschid answered, "That which fills the heart of the
meanest of my subjects with such grief t