dering that I had been ordered to
take every care of this prisoner, I concluded that I had better keep
him in my own house, in a chamber of which I then confined him. I
asked him what place he had come from, and on his replying that it was
Damascus, I expressed my best wishes for the prosperity of that town,
whereat he was astonished. I told him that I had been there, and asked
him about a certain man; he said that he would like to know how I
could be acquainted with him, and on my replying that I had had some
business with him, he promised to satisfy my curiosity if I gave him
first some information. Accordingly I made the following statement:

"When I was with some other officials at Damascus the population
rebelled against us, and even the governor was under the necessity of
escaping by getting himself let down in a basket from his palace. I
also fled, and whilst doing so the mob pursued me, and I ran into the
house of the above-mentioned man, who was sitting at the door of it. I
said to him: 'Help me and Allah will help you!' He received me kindly,
and told his wife to put me into a certain room, whilst he remained
sitting at the door. I had scarcely gone in when my pursuers likewise
rushed in and insisted on searching the house, which they actually
did, and would certainly have discovered me had not the man's wife
kept them off from the room in which I sat trembling for my life. When
the people at last dispersed, the man and his wife comforted me as
much as they could, and hospitably entertained me in their house for
four months, till every danger had passed away. When I was bold enough
to go out and see what had become of my slaves, I found that they had
all dispersed, and I asked my kind host to allow me to depart to
Baghdad. He consented, but when the caravan was starting he insisted
on presenting me with a horse, a slave, and all the provisions
required for the journey. All these were surprises thrust upon me when
I was about to start, and was wondering how I could possibly travel
without any of these things. Moreover, during my whole sojourn this
kind man had never asked me my name for fear that I might thereby be
compromised. After I had safely arrived in Baghdad I desired many a
time to show my gratitude to this man, but could obtain no information
about him. I still desire to requite his services, and this is the
reason why I was so anxious to learn something about him from you."

'After the man had listen