manners and politeness on the part of my
friend Yussuf; he is perhaps a little bit jealous of the good fortune
of one who has been regarded as the Grand Vizier."

Abraha, who was a rather dull and stolid personage, accepted these mock
apologies with such imperturbable gravity and sincerity that Haroun was
delighted with him.

Saluting Haroun very solemnly, the sham Grand Vizier said, "Sir, I beg
that you will give yourself no concern respecting the language or
demeanour of your friend Yussuf. I dare say he is a good plain man,
however unused to the company of high personages, and in any case I am
able to make allowances for any whiff of passing ill-humour or
jealousy."

During this conversation between Haroun and Abraha, Giafer and Sidi ibn
Thalabi had fallen a little way behind and were walking and talking
together. A little way behind these came the two slaves whom Mesrur
had brought to the slave merchants with him to carry the gold pieces.

When the party arrived at the bank of the Tigris, Haroun, stepping
aside, beckoned the slaves to him and despatched them to the palace
with a note addressed to the Grand Chamberlain.

In this note he informed that functionary that he should not return to
the palace for some hours, and commanded him to send the two slaves at
once, under guard and without allowing them to speak to any one, to a
town fifty days' journey from Bagdad, he having no mind to entrust the
secret of his last night's adventure to the indiscreet tongues of the
slaves who had participated in it. Having thus got rid of the slaves,
Haroun and Giafer accompanied their new acquaintances, Abraha and Sidi
ibn Thalabi, on board the ship or pleasure barge belonging to the
latter.

After they had been seated for some time, and had appeased their hunger
by partaking of a very substantial breakfast, Haroun said to Sidi ibn
Thalabi--

"I must now remind you of your promise to tell me something of your
recent experience."

Upon which Sidi ibn Thalabi spoke as follows:

THE NARRATIVE OF SIDI IBN THALABI.

"I must first tell you, friend Hamad," he began, for Haroun and Giafer
were known to him only by their assumed names of Hamad and Yussuf--"I
must first tell you how it came about that I was induced to personate
our sovereign lord, Haroun Alraschid, whom may Allah preserve, and from
whose ears may the story of my presumption be hidden for ever."

"I should say," said Haroun, "that he is never likely to hea