Day began to appear whilst he was thinking
upon these things: he arose and went to his council-chamber,
where he used to give audience, and sat upon his throne.
The grand vizier came in a little after, and paid his respects as
usual. Vizier, said the caliph, the affairs we have to consider
at present are not very pressing; that of the three ladies and
the two black bitches is much more so. My mind cannot be at ease
till I be thoroughly satisfied in all those matters that have
surprised me so much. Go, bring these ladies and the calenders at
the same time; make haste, and remember that I do impatiently
expect your return. The vizier, who knew his master's quick and
fiery temper, made haste to obey, and went to the ladies, to whom
he communicated, in a civil way, the orders he had to bring them
before the caliph, without taking any notice of what had passed
the night before at their house. The ladies put on their veils,
and went with the vizier; as he passed by his own house, he took
the three calenders along with him, and they, in the mean time,
had got notice that they had both seen and spoken with the caliph
without knowing him. The vizier brought them to the palace with
so much diligence, that the caliph was mightily pleased at it.
This prince, that he might keep a good decorum before all the
officers of his court who were then present, made those ladies be
placed behind the hanging of the door of the room that was next
his bedchamber, and kept by him the three calenders; who, by
their respectful behaviour, gave sufficient proof that they were
not ignorant before whom they had the honour to appear.
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