They ate and drank and sported and made merry awhile of the day; and as they were thus engaged, up came the master of the house, with his friends, whom he had brought with him, that they might carouse together, as of wont.  He saw the door opened and knocked lightly, saying to his friends, ’Have patience with me, for some of my family are come to visit me; wherefore excuse belongeth [first] to God the Most High, and then to you.’[FN#263] So they took leave of him and went their ways, whilst he gave another light knock at the door.  When the young man heard this, he changed colour and the woman said to him, ’Methinks thy servant hath returned.’  ‘Yes,’ answered he; and she arose and opening the door to the master of the house, said to him, ’Where hast thou been?  Indeed, thy master is wroth with thee.’  ‘O my lady,’ answered he, ‘I have but been about his occasions.’

Then he girt his middle with a handkerchief and entering, saluted the young merchant, who said to him, ‘Where hast thou been?’ Quoth he, ‘I have done thine errands;’ and the youth said, ’Go and eat and come hither and drink.’  So he went away, as he bade him, and ate.  Then he washed and returning to the saloon, sat down on the carpet and fell to talking with them; whereupon the young merchant’s heart was comforted and his breast dilated and he addressed himself to joyance.  They abode in the most delightsome life and the most abounding pleasance till a third part of the night was past, when the master of the house arose and spreading them a bed, invited them to lie down.  So they lay down and the youth abode on wake, pondering their affair, till daybreak, when the woman awoke and said to her companion, ’I wish to go.’  So he bade her farewell and she departed; whereupon the master of the house followed her with a purse of money and gave it to her, saying, ‘Blame not my master,’ and made his excuse to her for the young merchant.

Then he returned to the youth and said to him, ’Arise and come to the bath.’  And he fell to shampooing his hands and feet, whilst the youth called down blessings on him and said, ’O my lord, who art thou?  Methinks there is not in the world the like of thee, no, nor a pleasanter than thy composition.’  Then each of them acquainted the other with his case and condition and they went to the bath; after which the master of the house conjured the young merchant to return with him and summoned his friends.  So they ate and drank and he related to them the story, wherefore they praised the master of the house and glorified him; and their friendship was complete, what while the young merchant abode in the town, till God vouchsafed him a commodity of travel, whereupon they took leave of him and he departed; and this is the end of his story.  Nor,” added the vizier, “O king of the age, is this more marvellous than the story of the rich man who lost his wealth and his wit.”

When the king heard the vizier’s story, it pleased him and he bade him go to his house.