It would have required a harder heart than beat in the old coffee-maker’s bosom, to deny so simple a request. “Very well, my son,” he answered. “Remain! and may peace be upon us! We will get on with whatever Allah sends.”
The youth then kissed his master’s hand and went into the shop, where he sat down to think upon his new estate and to plan what he could do to increase the fortune of his discouraged master.
When evening came, the old man arose. “My son,” he said, “I am going home now. When you are ready to sleep, lock the house carefully.” With these words he went away, leaning heavily upon his stick—for he was very old.
The apprentice locked the door after him and lay down above the counter, where, after a little, he composed himself to sleep.
Exactly at midnight there was a knock upon the [[170]]door. The sleeping youth wakened but did not arise. Another moment and the door—which was locked—opened, without difficulty, and a dervish entered with a salaam!
The astonished apprentice returned the salute, without feeling quite sure whether he were asleep or awake.
“Arise, boy!” commanded the midnight visitor, “and make me a cup of coffee; but expect no money for it.”
The boy, thus commanded, arose at once and made the coffee, which the dervish drank without a word, and directly left the shop. The apprentice looked after his departing figure and said: “May Allah grant success to your journey!”
Afterward he relocked the door, lay down in his place, but could not sleep again that night. When morning brought his master to the shop, the two greeted each other, but no word concerning the strange visitor of the night before passed between them.
The day passed slowly enough to the apprentice lad, and, when the shop was closed at night, he lay down and went to sleep as before. “Such occurrences come not often in pairs,” he said to himself. “I shall have peace to-night.”