Noureddin consented to what the caliph had proposed; and there being every thing necessary for writing in the hall, the caliph wrote a letter to the king of Balsora; at the top of which, pretty near the edge of the paper, he placed this set form, in three small characters: ‘In the name of the most merciful God,’ to show he would be absolutely obeyed.
THE LETTER OF CALIPH HAROUN ALRASCHID TO THE KING OF BALSORA
‘Haroun Alraschid, son of Mandi, sends this letter to Mohammed Zinchi, his cousin, greeting. As soon as Noureddin, son to the late vizier Khacan, the bearer, has delivered you this letter and you have read it, pull off the royal mantle, put it on his shoulders, and place him in thy seat: fail not. So farewell.’
The caliph folded up the letter, and sealed it, and giving it to Noureddin, without saying any thing of what was in it, Go, said he, and embark immediately in a vessel that is ready to go off, (as there did constantly every day at the same hour), and you may sleep when you are aboard.
Noureddin took the letter, and away he went with the little money he had about him when Sangiar gave him his purse; and the Fair Persian, distracted with grief at his departure, retired by herself to one of the sofas, and fell a-weeping bitterly.
Noureddin was scarce gone out of the hall, when Scheich Ibrahim, who had been silent during the transaction of this affair, looking steadfastly upon the caliph, whom he still believed to be a fisherman: Hark you, said he, Kerim, thou hast brought us two fishes that are worth twenty pieces of leather or more, and thou hast got a purse and a slave: but dost thou think to have it all for thyself? I here declare that I will go halves with thee in the slave; and as for the purse, show me what is in the inside: if it is silver, thou shalt have one piece for thyself; but if it is gold, I will have it all, and in exchange, give thee some pieces of leather I have in my pocket.
(For the better understanding of what follows, said Scheherazade, interrupting herself here, we must observe to you, that the caliph, before his serving up the fish, had despatched the grand vizier Giafar to his palace, with orders to get four slaves with a rich habit, and to wait on the other side of the pavilion till he gave a signal with his finger against the window. The grand vizier receiving his commission, he, Mesrour, and the four slaves, waited at the appointed place, expecting the sign).
The caliph, still personating the fisherman, answered Scheich Ibrahim very boldly, I know not what there is in the purse, gold or silver: whatever it is, you shall freely go my halves; but, as to the slave, I will have her all to myself; and if you will not accept of these conditions, you shall have nothing at all.
Scheich Ibrahim, enraged to the last degree at this insolence, considering him only as a fisherman, snatched up one of the china dishes, and flung it at the caliph’s head. The caliph easily avoided the blow, being thrown by a person in drink; but the dish striking against the wall, was dashed into a thousand pieces. Scheich Ibrahim having missed his aim, grew more enraged, and catching up the candle that stood upon the table, rose from his seat, and staggering along, went down a back pair of stairs to look for a cane.
The caliph made use of this opportunity, and striking his hands against the window, the grand vizier, Mesrour, and the four slaves were with him in a trice, who quickly pulled off the fisherman’s clothes, and put on him the habit they had brought. They had not quite dressed the caliph, (who had seated himself upon the throne that was in the hall), but they were very busy about him, when Scheich Ibrahim, spurred on by interest, came back, with a swinging cane in his hand, with which he designed to pay the pretended fisherman soundly; but, instead of finding him, he saw his clothes in the middle of the hall, and the caliph upon his throne, with the grand vizier and Mesrour on each side of him. He stood a while gazing upon this unexpected sight, doubting whether he was awake or asleep. The caliph fell a-laughing at his astonishment; and, calling to him, Scheich Ibrahim, said he, what dost thou want? whom dost thou look after?