There were lofty domes surrounded by beautiful statues, and containing various kinds of birds and abundance of flowing water, and in their midst was a hall with windows of silver.  He opened it and found it looking upon a garden like that of Paradise animated by the songs of the birds and the perfumes of the flowers and the ripple of the brooks.  The house, wherein were fountains and birds warbling their songs understood in every language, was carpeted with silken rugs and furnished with cushions of Dibaj-brocade.  It contained also in great number costly articles of every kind, it was perfumed with the odours of flowers and fruits and it contained every other imaginable thing, plates and dishes of silver and gold, drinking vessels, and a censer for ambergris, powder of aloes and every sort of dried fruits.  Brief, it was a house like that described by the poet:—­

Society became perfectly brilliant in its beauty and shone in the eclat of its magnificience.

Ja’afar said, When I sat down the youth came to me and asked, From what country art thou?  I replied, From Basora, soldier by profession, commandant over a company of men and I used to pay a quit-rent to the Caliph.  I became afraid of him for my life and I came away fleeing with downcast face for dread of him, and I never ceased wandering about the country and in the deserts until Destiny has brought me to thee.  The youth said, A blessed arrival, and what may be thy name?  I replied, My name is like thine own.  On hearing my words he smiled, and said, laughing, O my lord, Abu ’l-Hasan, carry no trouble in your heart nor contraction of your breast; then he ordered a service and they set for us a table with all kinds of delicacies and we ate until satisfied.  After this they took away the table and brought again the ewer and basin and we washed our hands and then went to the drinking room where there was a pleasaunce filled with fruits and flowers in perfection.  Then he spoke to the damsel for music and she sang, enchanting both Ja’afar and the youth with delight at her performances, and the place itself was agitated, and Ja’afar in the excess of his joy took off his robes and tore them.  Then the youth said to him, Wallahy, may the tearing be the effect of the pleasure and not of sorrow and waywardness, and may God disperse far from you the bitterness of your enemies.  Then he went to a chest (continued Ja’afar) and took out from it a complete dress, worth a hundred dinars and putting it upon me said to the damsel, Change the tune of thy lute.  She did so, and sang the following verses:—­

My jealous regard is attached to him and if he regard another I am impatient:  I terminate my demand and my song, crying, Thy friendship will last until death in my heart.

The Rawi said:  When she had finished her poetry Ja’afar threw off the last dress and cried out, and the youth said, May God ameliorate your life and make its beginning the end.  Then he went to the chest and took out a dress better than the first and put it upon Ja’afar and the damsel was silent for an hour during the conversation.  The youth said, Listen, O my lord Abu ’l-Hasan, to what people of merit have said of this valley formerly called the Valley of Rabwat in which we now are and spoken of in the poem, saying:—­