“I beg you to get us something to eat that we may make merry together.”  Being very avaricious, Scheih Ibrahim determined to spend only the tenth part of the money and to keep the rest to himself.  While he was gone Noureddin and the Persian wandered through the gardens and went up the white marble staircase of the pavilion as far as the locked door of the saloon.  On the return of Scheih Ibrahim they begged him to open it, and to allow them to enter and admire the magnificence within.  Consenting, he brought not only the key, but a light, and immediately unlocked the door.  Noureddin and the Persian entering, were dazzled with the magnificence they beheld.  The paintings and furniture were of astonishing beauty, and between each window was a silver arm holding a candle.

Scheih Ibrahim spread the table in front of a sofa, and all three ate together.  When they had finished eating Noureddin asked the old man to bring them a bottle of wine.

“Heaven forbid,” said Scheih Ibrahim, “that I should come in contact with wine!  I who have four times made the pilgrimage to Mecca, and have renounced wine for ever.”

“You would, however, do us a great service in procuring us some,” said Noureddin.  “You need not touch it yourself.  Take the ass which is tied to the gate, lead it to the nearest wine-shop, and ask some passer-by to order two jars of wine; have them put in the ass’s panniers, and drive him before you.  Here are two pieces of gold for the expenses.”

At sight of the gold, Scheih Ibrahim set off at once to execute the commission.  On his return, Noureddin said:  “We have still need of cups to drink from, and of fruit, if you can procure us some.”  Scheih Ibrahim disappeared again, and soon returned with a table spread with cups of gold and silver, and every sort of beautiful fruit.  Then he withdrew, in spite of repeated invitations to remain.

Noureddin and the beautiful Persian, finding the wine excellent, drank of it freely, and while drinking they sang.  Both had fine voices, and Scheih Ibrahim listened to them with great pleasure—­ first from a distance, then he drew nearer, and finally put his head in at the door.  Noureddin, seeing him, called to him to come in and keep them company.  At first the old man declined, but was persuaded to enter the room, to sit down on the edge of the sofa nearest the door, and at last to draw closer and to seat himself by the beautiful Persian, who urged him so persistently to drink her health that at length he yielded, and took the cup she offered.

Now the old man only made a pretence of renouncing wine; he frequented wine-shops like other people, and had taken none of the precautions Noureddin had proposed.  Having once yielded, he was easily persuaded to take a second cup, and a third, and so on till he no longer knew what he was doing.  Till near midnight they continued drinking, laughing, and singing together.

About that time the Persian, perceiving that the room was lit by only one miserable tallow candle, asked Scheih Ibrahim to light some of the beautiful candles in the silver arms.