And I crave of Allah the Most High
power for one day, that I may beat each and every of them with four
hundred lashes, as well as the imam of the mosque, and parade them
round about the city of Baghdad and bid cry before them: 'This is
the reward and the least of the reward of whoso exceedeth in talk
and vexeth the folk and turneth their joy to annoy.' This is what I
wish, and no more."
Said the Caliph: "Allah grant thee that thou seekest! Let us crack
one last cup and rise ere the dawn draw near, and, tomorrow night I
will be with thee again." Said Abu al-Hasan, "Far be it!" Then the
Caliph crowned a cup, and putting therein a piece of Cretan bhang,
gave it to his host and said to him, "My life on thee, O my brother,
drink this cup from my hand!" and Abu al-Hasan answered, "Ay, by thy
life, I will drink it from thy hand." So he took it and drank it
off, but hardly had it settled in his stomach when his head forewent
his heels and he fell to the ground like one slain. Whereupon the
Caliph went out and said to his slave Masrur: "Go in to yonder young
man, the housemaster, and take him up and bring him to me at the
palace.
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