"At once a dense purple vapour rose in clouds from the lip of the flask and curled upwards through the hall. Whosoever breathed of this his eyes flashed and he dreamed of mornings long ago, and of fair women and of boyhood, so that all who felt it stood bewildered.
"Then cried the King, 'I drink to youth!' and would have drained the flask, but Ali held his hand and bade him read the words which were graven upon the vessel.
'"It is but a moment to wait for youth,' cried the King, and turning to a magician bade him read the words, 'For,' said he, 'I am old and my sight fails me.'
"'Oh my master!' said the magician, 'these are the words:
"'He who steals to-morrows
Shall drink the wine of sorrows.'"
"Then the aged counsellor fell back with an altered face as he breathed the purple fumes, 'Woe is me! I am stronger! I am grown younger! Woe is me! I am further from Allah.'
"But the King, saying no word, set the flask to his lips and drained it to the utmost drop. Then with a cry of delight he threw the vessel away, and shouting aloud, 'I am young again!' bounded up the steps and pausing faced the mutely wondering crowd.
"When he turned he was seen as a man in the lusty vigour of life, stalwart and strong of limb.
"'Ho!' he said, 'my guard!' but none stirred, for his face was still changing, and now his beard was gone, and it was a lad who sat upon the throne, and a lad's voice which cried aloud.