The caliph laying aside his first design, stole softly up to the hall-door, which standing half open, he could see all the company within, without being discovered himself.

But how was he surprised, when he saw a lady of incomparable beauty and a handsome young man sitting, with Scheich Ibrahim by them.  Scheich Ibraham held a cup in his hand.  “My fair lady,” said he to the fair Persian, “a true toper never drinks without singing a song first:  if you please to hear, I will give you one of my best songs.”

Scheich Ibrahim sung, and the caliph was the more surprised, because till that moment he never knew of his drinking wine, but always took him for a grave, solid man, as he seemed to be to outward appearance.  The caliph retired from the door with the same caution as he had made his approaches to it; and coming to the grand vizier, who was standing on the steps a little lower, “Come up,” said he to him, “and see if those within are the ministers of the mosque, as you would have made me believe.”

By the tone of voice in which the caliph spoke these last words, the vizier understood that things went ill on his side:  however, he went up the steps; but when he had peeped in at the door, and saw the three sitting in that condition, he trembled for his life.  He returned to the caliph, but in such confusion, that he knew not what to say.  “What riotous doings are here?” said the caliph to him:  “who are these people that have presumed to take the liberty of diverting themselves in my garden and pavilion? and how durst Scheich Ibrahim give them admittance, and partake of the diversion with them?  I must, however, confess, I never saw two persons more beautiful or better paired in my life; and therefore, before I discover my anger, I will inform myself better, and know who they are, and the reason of their being here.”  He went to the door again to observe them more narrowly; and the vizier, who followed, stood behind him, while he fixed his eyes upon them.  They both plainly heard every word that Scheich Ibrahim said to the fair Persian.  “Is there any thing, my charming lady, wanting to render the pleasure of the evening more complete?” “Nothing but a lute,” replied the fair Persian, “and methinks, if you could get me one, all would be well.”  “Can you play upon it?” said Scheich Ibrahim.  “Fetch me one,” replied the fair Persian, “and you shall hear whether I can or not.”

Scheich Ibrahim, without stirring very far from his place, took a lute out of a press, and presented it to the fair Persian, who begun to tune it.  The caliph, in the mean time, turning to the grand vizier, “Jaaffier,” said he, “the young lady is going to play upon the lute; and if she performs well, I will forgive her, and the young man for her sake; but as for thee, I will have thee impaled.”  “Commander of the true believers,” replied the grand vizier, “if that is your intention, I wish to God she may play ill.”  “Why so?” said the caliph.  “Because,” replied the grand vizier, “the longer we live in this world, the more reason we shall have to comfort ourselves with the hopes of dying in good sociable company.”  The caliph, who loved a repartee, began to laugh at this; and putting his ear to the opening of the door, listened to hear the fair Persian play.