reason, for this is the Devil’s doing.”  Quoth he, “Thou sayest sooth, O my mother, and bear witness of me that I repent me of that talk and turn me from my madness.  So do thou deliver me, for I am nigh upon death.”  Accordingly his mother went out to the Superintendent[FN#52] and procured his release and he returned to his own house.  Now this was at the beginning of the month, and when it ended, Abu al-Hasan longed to drink liquor and, returning to his former habit, furnished his saloon and made ready food and bade bring wine; then, going forth to the bridge, he sat there, expecting one whom he should converse and carouse with, according to his custom.  As he sat thus, behold, up came the Caliph and Masrur to him; but Abu al-Hasan saluted them not and said to Al-Rashid, “No friendly welcome to thee, O King of the Jann!” Quoth Al-Rashid, “What have I done to thee?” and quoth Abu al-Hasan, “What more couldst thou do than what thou hast done to me, O foulest of the Jann?  I have been beaten and thrown into Bedlam, where all said I was Jinn-mad and this was caused by none save thyself.  I brought thee to my house and fed thee with my best; after which thou didst empower thy Satans and Marids to disport themselves with my wits from morning to evening.  So avaunt and aroynt thee and wend thy ways!” The Caliph smiled and, seating himself by his side said to him, “O my brother, did I not tell thee that I would return to thee?” Quoth Abu al-Hasan, “I have no need of thee; and as the byword sayeth in verse:—­

‘Fro’ my friend, ’twere meeter and wiser to part, * For what eye
     sees not born shall ne’er sorrow heart.’

And indeed, O my brother, the night thou camest to me and we conversed and caroused together, I and thou, ’twas as if the Devil came to me and troubled me that night.”  Asked the Caliph, “And who is he, the Devil?” and answered Abu al-Hasan, “He is none other than thou;” whereat the Caliph laughed and coaxed him and spake him fair, saying, “O my brother, when I went out from thee, I forgot the door and left it open and perhaps Satan came in to thee."[FN#53] Quoth Abu al-Hasan, “Ask me not of that which hath betided me.  What possessed thee to leave the door open, so that the Devil came in to me and there befel me with him this and that?” And he related to him all that had betided him, first and last (and in repetition is not fruition); what while the Caliph laughed and hid his laughter.  Then said he to Abu al-Hasan, “Praised be Allah who hath done away form thee whatso irked thee and that I see thee once more in weal!” And Abu al-Hasan said, “Never again will I take thee to cup-companion or sitting-comrade; for the proverb saith, ’Whoso stumbleth on a stone and thereto returneth, upon him be blame and reproach.’  And thou, O my brother, nevermore will I entertain thee nor company with thee, for that I have not found they heel propitious to me."[FN#54] But the Caliph coaxed him and said, “I have