[452]. Note the difference between “Zirt,” the loud crepitus and “Faswah” the susurrus which Captain Grose in his quaint “Lexicum Balatronicum,” calls a “fice” or a “foyse” (from the Arabic Fas, faswah?)
[453]. These lines have occurred in Night dcxix, vol. vi. [246]: where the pun on Khaliyah is explained. I quote Lane.
[454]. The usual pretext of “God bizness,” as the Comoro men call it. For the title of the Ka’abah see my Pilgrimage vol. iii. [149].
[455]. This was in order to travel as a respectable man; he could also send the girl as a spy into the different Harims to learn news of the lady who had eloped.
[456]. A polite form of alluding to their cursing him.
[457]. i.e. on account of the King taking offence at his unceremonious departure.
[458]. i.e. It will be the worse for him.
[459]. I would here remind the reader that “’Arabiyyun” pl. ’Urb is a man of pure Arab race, whether of the Ahl al-Madar (= people of mortar, i.e. citizens) or Ahl al-Wabar (= tents of goat or camel’s hair); whereas “A’rábiyyun” pl. A’ráb is one who dwells in the Desert whether Arab or not. Hence the verse:—
They name us Al-A’ráb but Al-’Urb is our name.
[460]. I would remind the reader that the Dinár is the golden denarius (or solidus) of Eastern Rome while the Dirham is the silver denarius, whence denier, danaro, dínheiro, etc., etc. The oldest dinars date from A. H. 91–92 (= 714–15) and we find the following description of one struck in A. H. 96 by Al-Walid the VI. Ommiade:—