The Grand Vizier had already cast his eye upon a door, by the side of which sat an old man, with a venerable beard and an engaging air. He began with giving him alms, and then saluted him. He appeared more attentive to the civility of the salutation than to the alms he had received. He returned the salute, and made a sign to Giafar to sit down on a seat a few paces distant from him.
"You are undoubtedly come here to be instructed, young man," said he to him. "You ought to thank Heaven for having been so well directed. Of what chapter in my book do you wish to understand the text or the explanation?"
The book, of which this man seemed to speak, was a small square plank of cedar, on which there were no characters. Giafar asked what book it was.
"What! do you not distinguish in these characters the finger of God, and the inspiration of the angel Gabriel? A Mussulman not know the divine Koran, nor discover in him who presents it, according as he was inspired, the great prophet Mahomet!"
Upon this exclamation, the Vizier rose up and withdrew.
Having joined the Caliph, "Commander of the Faithful," said he, "I have been forced to abandon my project. The man whom I have left makes me tremble at his blasphemy: he says he is the Great Prophet."
"It is not certain that he blasphemes," replied the Caliph: "every man may call himself a prophet, provided he proves his mission by miracles. Go and ask him concerning this point."
Giafar obeyed, and returned to his place.
"If you are Mahomet," said he to the old madman, "who has put you in a place like this?"
"My ungrateful people," replied the pretended prophet. "They would not believe in me, and this has vexed rather than surprised me, for they scarcely believe in Allah."