" Asked Khalifah, "And how came they to
take my slave girl?" and quoth one, "Had he fallen in their way,
they had slain him."
But he, so far from heeding them, returned running to the shop of
Ibn al-Kirnas, whom he met riding, and said to him: "By Allah, 'twas
not right of thee to wheedle me and meanwhile send thy Mamelukes to
take my slave girl!" Replied the jeweler, "O idiot, come with me,
and hold thy tongue." So he took him and carried him into a house
handsomely builded, where he found the damsel seated on a couch of
gold, with ten slave girls like moons round her. Sighting her, Ibn
al-Kirnas kissed ground before her, and she said, "What hast thou done
with my new master, who bought me with all he owned?" He replied, "O
my lady, I gave him a thousand golden dinars,' and related to her
Khalifah's history from first to last, whereat she laughed and said:
"Blame him not, for he is but a common wight. These other thousand
dinars are a gift from me to him, and Almighty Allah willing, he shall
win of the Caliph what shall enrich him."
As they were talking, there came a eunuch from the Commander of
the Faithful in quest of Kut al-Kulub, for when he knew that she was
in the house of Ibn al-Kirnas, he could not endure, the severance, but
bade bring her forthwith.
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