er; "is it you, ye
bankrupt vagabonds, who have annoyed me? Begone; or by the sword of the
Prophet, I'll impale you all three on my broomstick."

"Dost thou not know us, Yussuf?" replied the caliph; "we are your
friends, and once more request admission under thy hospitable roof."

Yussuf came out into the verandah. "Oh! it is you, then; now take my
advice; go in peace. I am now in good humour, and peaceably disposed,
but had I fallen in with you to-day, I would have twisted off your
necks."

"Nay, good Yussuf," replied Giaffar, "we have heard of the unaccountable
and mad decree of the caliph, and have called to know how thou hast
fared, and if we can be of service to one so hospitable and kind?"

"You lie, I believe," replied Yussuf, "but I'm in good humour, so you
shall come in, and see how well I fare. I am Yussuf, and my trust is in
God." He then went down and admitted them, and they viewed with
surprise the relics of the feast. "Now then," observed Yussuf, who was
more than half drunk, "you know my conditions--there is my meat, there
is my wine, there is my fruit--not a taste or a drop shall you have.
Keep your confounded sharp eyes off my sweetmeats, you black-bearded
rascal," continued Yussuf, addressing the caliph. "You have your share
of them."

"Indeed, most hospitable sir, we covet not your delicacies: all we wish
to know is, the reason of this unheard-of decree, and how you have
contrived to supply your usual merry table."

"You shall hear," replied the water-carrier. "My name is Yussuf, and my
trust is in God. When the decree of the caliph came to my ears this
morning, I became as one deprived of sense, but wandering near the
hummaum of Giaffar Bermuki, a friendly servant of the baths accosted
me." Yussuf then stated how he had gained his money, much to their
amusement. "Now," continued he, "I will no longer be a water-carrier,
but an attendant at the bath will I live and die. May all evil fall
upon the cold-blooded caliph; but, thanks to Allah, it never will enter
his head to shut up the baths."

"But," observed Giaffar, "suppose the caliph were tomorrow morning to
take it into his head to shut up the baths?"

"Now, may all the ghouls seize thee, when thou visitest thy father's
tomb," cried Yussuf, jumping up in a fury, "thou bear-whiskered rascal!
Did not I caution thee against evil predictions--and did not you swear
that you would deal no more in surmises? The devil must attend you,