" Then he said to her, "By the protection of Allah, O
damsel, am I Commander of the Faithful?" She replied, "Yes, indeed, by
the protection of Allah thou in this time art Commander of the
Faithful." Quoth he, "By Allah, thou liest, O thousandfold whore!"
Then he glanced at the chief eunuch and called to him, whereupon he
came to him and kissing the ground before him, said, "Yes, O Commander
of the Faithful." Asked Abu al-Hasan, "Who is Commander of the
Faithful?" and the eunuch answered "Thou." And Abu al-Hasan said,
"Thou Hest, thousandfold he-whore that thou art!" Then he turned to
another eunuch and said to him, "O my chief, by the protection of
Allah, am I Prince of the True Believers?" Said he: "Ay, by Allah, O
my lord, thou art in this time Commander of the Faithful and
Viceregent of the Lord of the Three Worlds."
Abu al-Hasan laughed at himself and doubted of his reason and was
bewildered at what he beheld, and said: "In one night do I become
Caliph? Yesterday I was Abu al-Hasan the Wag, and today I am Commander
of the Faithful." Then the Chief Eunuch came up to him and said: "O
Prince of True Believers (the name of Allah encompass thee!), thou art
indeed Commander of the Faithful and Viceregent of the Lord of the
Three Worlds!" And the slave girls and eunuchs flocked round about
him, till he arose and abode wondering at his case.
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