e, much marvelling for what purpose he had been sent
for to the palace.

On his arrival he was received very graciously by the Caliph, who told
him that he had frequently observed him sitting in his little garden, and
desired that he would relate the particulars of his life and fortune.

"Sire," said the old man, "I have but little to tell your Majesty, and
scarcely anything that deserves your notice; but at your command I will
with pleasure narrate the few noteworthy incidents of my life, and that
as briefly and faithfully as possible."

ABDURRAHMAN'S STORY.

"My name," said the old man, "is Abdurrahman, and fourscore and three
years ago I was born in this city, not very far from the spot where I now
dwell. My father, who was a merchant, and fairly prosperous, furnished
me, when I was twenty years of age, with a stock of goods with which to
commence to trade, and, as young merchants are wont to do, I departed to
try my fortune in foreign countries.

"The first country I visited was Persia, and arriving at Shiraz, the
capital, I remained for many months engaged in selling, at the best
profit I could obtain for them, the goods I had brought with me from
Bagdad.

"At length, having disposed of almost all my stock, I began to consider
what kind of merchandize it would be most advisable that I should buy to
take back with me, and trade with on my return.

"But as I sat one day in the shop of a jeweller of my acquaintance in the
bazaar, a circumstance occurred which at once put to flight all ideas of
an early return to my native land.

"A young lady entered, whose fine apparel and elegant bearing immediately
attracted my attention. Two slaves waited on her, and stopped outside
the shop while she entered.

"Why I should have been especially attracted by this young lady I should
probably have found it difficult at that moment to explain. But my eyes
were no longer under my control, and I thought surely no one ever moved
more gracefully. I was young then, and a young man's imagination, like a
high-mettled steed, soon runs away with him. Yet, being young, and
probably in those days not altogether ill-looking, it is not unlikely
that the lady was, on her side, not at all displeased to observe my very
evident admiration; and taking pity upon me, or rather, I should say,
determined instantly to complete her conquest, she contrived, as though
by accident, to remove her veil for one moment, exposing thus to my
aston