"Yes," said the other, "I am a tailor as well as the muezzin at the little mosque in the fish-market. What more can I do?"
"Well, Babadul," said Mansouri, "have you a mind for a job,—a good job?"
"Am I a fool," answered the old man, "that I should dislike it? Say what it is."
"Softly, my friend," remarked the eunuch; "we must go on slow and sure. Will you suffer yourself to be led blindfolded at midnight wherever I choose to take you, for a job?"
"That's another question," said Babadul; "times are critical, heads fly in abundance, and a poor tailor's may go as well as a vizier's or a capitan pacha's. But pay me well, and I believe I would make a suit of clothes for Eblis, the foul fiend, himself."
"Well, then, you agree to my proposal?" said the eunuch, who at the same time put two pieces of gold in his hand.
"Yes, most surely," said Babadul, "I agree. Tell me what I am to do, and you may depend upon me."
Accordingly they settled between them that the eunuch was to come to the stall at midnight, and lead him away blindfolded.
Babadul, being left alone, continued his work, wondering what could be the job upon which he was to be so mysteriously employed; and, anxious to make his wife partaker of the news of his good luck, he shut up his stall earlier than usual, and went to his house, that was situated not far from the little mosque in the fish-market, of which he was the muezzin.
Old Dilferîb, his wife, was almost as much bent double as her husband; and in consequence of the two gold pieces, and contemplation of more which they expected to receive, they treated themselves to a dish of smoking kabobs, a salad, dried grapes, and sweetmeats, after which they consoled themselves with some of the hottest and most bitter coffee which the old woman could make.