human
Greeting to thee, O master of devils! cried Abu-l-Hasan, recognising him as soon as he saw him.
gpt
Hast thou then suffered at my hands? asked Er-Rashid.
human
Suffered! vilest of devil drivers! returned Abu-l-Hasan with bitter anger. Then, after recounting the many things he had endured, he asked,
gpt
Is this the way thou returnest my hospitality, to give thy devils control over me, to make sport of my sufferings? Begone! I wish to see thy face no more.
human
Nay, he said,
gpt
And so, with subtle words, Er-Rashid softened the anger of Abu-l-Hasan and drew from him the whole tale of his sufferings, advising him on this point and on that and showing a pitiful countenance at his wrongs. But not until Er-Rashid had sworn on oath that, neither by carelessness nor otherwise, would he let in the Devil upon him again, would Abu-l-Hasan comply with his earnest entreaty to be invited once more to his house that evening.
human
I swear by Allah, said Er-Rashid,
gpt
Mother! Mother! he called out, but the slave girls answered him,
human
O Prince of the Faithful! we are here to do thy bidding. At this he gazed about him and immediately threw up his hands and called on Allah to deliver him from the wicked enchantment which the Evil One had a second time imposed upon him. Then he turned to a memluk and bade him bite his ear so that he might know whether or no he was in the flesh, and awake. The memluk at first refused to bite the ear of the Prince of the Faithful, whereupon Abu-l-Hasan would have arisen and hewn off his head, had he not obeyed and bitten the ear till his teeth met. A loud shriek from Abu-l-Hasan brought Er-Rashid to his knees with suppressed laughter. Then Abu-l-Hasan rose in wrath and cursed those who stood around him, calling upon their Master by the most holy passages of the Koran to break the spell which held him in so vile a thrall. At this Er-Rashid, unable to endure it further, called out from his hiding-place,
gpt
O Abu-l-Hasan! this is more than I can bear.
human
Rise, Abu-l-Hasan, the Wag! commanded the Khalifeh then;