As for the merchant, he bought him a sheep and slaughtering it, roasted it and dressed birds and [other] meats of various kinds and colours and bought dessert and sweetmeats and fresh fruits.  Then he repaired to El Abbas and conjured him to accept of his hospitality and enter his house and eat of his victual.  The prince consented to his wishes and went with him till they came to his house, when the merchant bade him enter.  So El Abbas entered and saw a goodly house, wherein was a handsome saloon, with a vaulted estrade.  When he entered the saloon, he found that the merchant had made ready food and dessert and perfumes, such as overpass description; and indeed he had adorned the table with sweet-scented flowers and sprinkled musk and rose-water upon the food.  Moreover, he had smeared the walls of the saloon with ambergris and set [the smoke of burning] aloes-wood abroach therein.

Presently, El Abbas looked out of the window of the saloon and saw thereby a house of goodly ordinance, lofty of building and abounding in chambers, with two upper stories; but therein was no sign of inhabitants.  So he said to the merchant, “Indeed, thou exceedest in doing us honour; but, by Allah, I will not eat of thy victual till thou tell me what is the reason of the emptiness of yonder house.”  “O my lord,” answered the other, “that was El Ghitrif’s house and he was admitted to the mercy of God[FN#79] and left none other heir than myself; so it became mine, and by Allah, if thou hast a mind to sojourn in Baghdad, do thou take up thine abode in this house, so thou mayst be in my neighbourhood; for that indeed my heart inclineth unto thee with love and I would have thee never absent from my sight, so I may still have my fill of thee and hearken to thy speech.”  El Abbas thanked him and said to him, “Indeed, thou art friendly in thy speech and exceedest [in courtesy] in thy discourse, and needs must I sojourn in Baghdad.  As for the house, if it like thee, I will abide therein; so take of me its price.”

So saying, he put his hand to his poke and bringing out therefrom three hundred dinars, gave them to the merchant, who said in himself, “Except I take the money, he will not abide in the house.”  So he pouched the money and sold him the house, taking the folk to witness against himself of the sale.  Then he arose and set food before El Abbas and they ate of the good things which he had provided; after which he brought him dessert and sweetmeats.  They ate thereof till they had enough, when the tables were removed and they washed their hands with rose-water and willow-flower-water.  Then the merchant brought El Abbas a napkin perfumed with the fragrant smoke of aloes-wood, on which he wiped his hand,[FN#80] and said to him, “O my lord, the house is become thy house; so bid thy servant transport thither the horses and arms and stuffs.”  El Abbas did this and the merchant rejoiced in his neighbourhood and left him not night nor day, so that the prince said to him, “By Allah, I distract thee from thy livelihood.”  “God on thee, O my lord,” replied the merchant, “name not to me aught of this, or thou wilt break my heart, for the best of traffic is thy company and thou art the best of livelihood.”  So there befell strait friendship between them and ceremony was laid aside from between them.