Presently, the cresset-
bearers espied them and seeing three strangers in merchants'
habits, misdoubted of them; so they pointed them out and caused
bring them before the mock Khalif, who looked at them and said,
'How come ye here at this hour?' 'O our lord,' answered they, 'we
are foreign merchants, who arrived here this day and were out a-
walking to-night, when ye came up and these men laid hands on us
and brought us before thee.' Quoth the mock Khalif, 'Since you
are strangers, no harm shall befall you; but had ye been of
Baghdad, I had struck off your heads.' Then he turned to his
Vizier and said to him, 'Take these men with thee; for they are
our guests this night.' 'I hear and obey, O our lord,' answered
he; and they followed him, till they came to a lofty and splendid
palace of curious ordinance, such as no king possesses, rising
from the dust and laying hold upon the marges of the clouds. Its
door was of teak, inlaid with glittering gold, and by it one
passed into a saloon, amiddleward which was a basin of water,
with an artificial fountain rising from its midst. It was
furnished with carpets and cushions and divans of brocade and
tables and other gear such as amazed the wit and defied
description.
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