Listening to his stories Said could not help being glad that he was to visit Bagdad and probably see the celebrated Harun Al-Raschid in spite of the fact that he was so anxious to see his father.
They reached Bagdad in ten days’ time and Said was astounded at the magnificence of the city, which was then at the height of its glory. The merchant invited him to come to his house and Said accepted willingly, for he had no money to pay for a lodging. The day after his arrival he dressed himself carefully in the splendid clothing bestowed on him by the robber chieftain and thought to himself that he need not be ashamed to go out into the streets and show himself. But at that moment the merchant entered and looked at him with a cunning smile.
“It is all very well, young sir,” said he, “to have a fine appearance; but have you money in your pockets to suit your attire? What do you intend to do with yourself? It seems to me you are a bit of a dreamer, and do not consider the future at all.”
“Dear Kalum-Bek,” said the youth, blushing, for he was much confused, “it is true I have no money, but perhaps you will be kind enough to advance me a little, so that I may journey home, and my father will not fail to refund it to you.”
“Your father, fellow?” cried the merchant, laughing loudly, “I verily believe the sun has injured your brain. Do you suppose I believe a single word of the fairy tales you told me in the desert, about your father being a rich man in Balsora, you his only son, and about the robbers attacking you and so on? I know that all rich people in Balsora are merchants and I have had dealings with most of them. But I never heard of one named Benezar. Therefore, it is quite certain that either you never came from Balsora or else you are the son of a poor man, and to a young vagabond like you I will certainly advance no money.”
Said turned pale with rage; but nothing that he could say would apparently convince the merchant that he was speaking the truth. Said reminded him how he had been found lying bound in the desert, but the merchant replied that it was quite likely he was a robber himself and that the persons he had attacked had overcome and bound him.
At length, as the merchant would advance him no money, Said decided that there was nothing left for him to do but to apply to the Caliph for assistance; but Kalum-Bek reminded him that in order to approach the Caliph he would have to apply to Messour the Chamberlain, and that he would give his cousin a hint of the sort of liar Said was. Presently the artful fellow pretended to relent.
“I pity you on account of your youth,” he said, “there is still hope that you may improve, and I am willing to employ you in my shop in the Bazaar. You shall serve me for a year and at the end of that time if you are not satisfied to remain with me I will give you your wages and let you go where you will. I give you until mid-day to decide. If you consent, well and good; if not I shall seize your robe and dagger and all you have that is worth anything to repay myself for the cost of your journey here, and the price of the seat on the camel. After that I shall have you turned out of my house and you may go and beg in the bazaars or at the doors of the mosques.”
With these words the wicked little creature left the poor young man, who gazed after him with contemptuous eyes. He was disgusted to think of the cunning way in which he had been entrapped. He thought he would escape, but found the windows were barred and the door locked and so, after some consideration, he came to the conclusion that for the present he had better agree to the terms offered him and serve in the shop. There seemed nothing else to be done, for without money he could not hope to reach Balsora; but he made up his mind to appeal to the Caliph on the first opportunity.
The following day Kalum-Bek took his new servant to his shop. He showed him the shawls and veils and stuffs in which he dealt and instructed him in his duties.