occurred at Bagdad while he had been
absent. Giafer, indeed, to whom all the details of the government of
the country had practically been confided for many years, he could
thoroughly trust. But Ibrahim, who would probably have succeeded to
the Caliphate, was known to hate the Grand Vizier, and would not only
put him to death, but might also, not improbably, have taken measures
to rid himself of Zobeideh and her son. Oppressed by these gloomy
thoughts the Caliph sat for a long time without moving.

At length, hearing the tramp of horses in the distance, he looked up,
and was overjoyed to behold two men coming along the road, whom he at
once knew by their dress to be Arab merchants. Each was on horseback,
and they had with them, besides several other horses, some mules and
asses laden with packages. And there was also a kind of closed
carriage or palanquin, borne by some slaves, in which no doubt was
conveyed a lady or female slave of great value.

Now, when the Caliph saw these men approaching, he rose up quickly and
went to meet them. When he drew near, he saluted them and inquired
whither they went.

To which they replied: "To Bagdad." And they inquired of him how it
came to pass that he should be on foot and alone in that pagan kingdom,
seeing it was evident by his dress that he was a Moslim.

Now, the Caliph had already learnt by experience that to proclaim his
true rank would be only to court a suspicion of madness, therefore he
replied briefly, that he too was from Bagdad and was returning thither,
but that unhappily he had been taken prisoner by the idolaters, and
robbed of all that he had, except only the clothes upon his back. He
begged them, therefore, to lend him a horse and to take him with them
to Bagdad, in which city he had plenty both of friends and funds, and
where he would reward them handsomely for their kindness.

To this they answered that since he was in distress he was very welcome
to come with them, and that without any claim on their part for fee or
reward, the more especially as they would be glad, while travelling
through that wild and lawless country, to have another strong man of
their party. With that they lent him a horse, and he, nothing loth,
but glad enough to get his feet off the ground and his face turned
towards home, rode cheerfully along with them.

The Caliph soon discovered that the two merchants were very intelligent
men and agreeable fellow-travellers. The name