no one shall know of thee, and I will say that thou art Ja’afar the Barmeky the Caliph’s Wazir.  I will go to the Kady and the Wali and the Naib and I will inform them of thee (as Ja’afar); so will they come out to meet and salute thee.  Then thou wilt salute them and tell them that thou hast come on business of the Caliph.  Thou must also say thou hast heard that Damascus is a very fine city and a hospitable, and add, I will go in to visit it and if it prove favourable to me I will remain and marry to establish between myself and its inhabitants relationship and friendship, and I would like you to seek for me a man of high position and noble origin who hath a beautiful cousin that I may marry.  Attaf then said to Ja’afar, O my lord, we know one who hath a daughter of noble origin, that man is such-and-such an one, ask her of him for betrothal and say to him, Here is her dowry, which is all that thou hast in the chests.  Then produce a purse of a thousand dinars and distribute them among those present, and display the characteristic of the Barmekys, and take out a piece of silken stuff and order them to draw up the marriage contract immediately.  If they sign it, declare to them that thou wilt not enter the city because thou art pressed and thy bride will come to thee.  Should thou do thus, thou wilt accomplish what thou desirest, God willing, then leave instantly and order that the tents be struck, the camels loaded, and set out for thine own country in peace.  Know that all I shall do for you is little for the rights of friendship and devotedness.  Ja’afar sprang up to kiss the hand of Attaf, but was prevented, then he thanked him and praised him and passed the night with him.  The next morning at break of day he arose, made his ablutions, and having recited his morning prayer, accompanied his host to the outside of the city.  Attaf ordered a great tent to be pitched and that everything necessary should be carried to it; of horses, camels, mules, slaves, mamelukes, chests containing all kinds of articles for distribution, and boxes holding purses of gold and silver.  He dressed his guest in a robe worthy of a Wazir, and set up for him a throne and sent some slaves to the Naib of Damascus to announce the arrival of Ja’afar on business of the Caliph.  As soon as the Naib of Damascus was informed of that, he went out accompanied by the notables of the city and of his government and met the Wazir Ja’afar, and kissing the ground between his hands, said to him, O my lord, why didst thou not inform me sooner in order that we might be prepared for thine arrival.  Ja’afar said, That was not necessary, may God augment thy wealth, I have not come but with the intention to visit this city; I desire to stay in it for some time and I would also marry in it.  I have learned that the Amir ’Amr has a daughter of noble descent, I wish thou wouldst cause her to be brought before thee and that thou betroth her to me.  The Naib of Damascus said, Hearing is obeying.  Her husband