पृष्ठ 678 / 1116

O King of the age, I came to this thy country with merchandise

and Destiny stayed me here with you: but my place of birth was

Cairo, in Egypt, where I also was brought up, for I am one of the

Copts and my father was a broker before me. When I came to man's

estate he departed this life and I succeeded to his business.

One day, as I was sitting in my shop, behold, there came up to me

a youth as handsome as could be, wearing sumptuous raiment and

riding a fine ass.[FN#511] When he saw me he saluted me, and I

stood up to do him honour: then he took out a kerchief containing

a sample of sesame and asked, "How much is this worth per

Ardabb?";[FN#512] whereto I answered, "An hundred dirhams." Quoth

he, "Take porters and gaugers and metesmen and come tomorrow to

the Khan al-Jawali,[FN#513] by the Gate of Victory quarter where

thou wilt find me." Then he fared forth leaving with me the

sample of sesame in his kerchief; and I went the round of my

customers and ascertained that every Ardabb would fetch an

hundred and twenty dirhams. Next day I took four metesmen and

walked with them to the Khan, where I found him awaiting me. As

soon as he saw me he rose and opened his magazine, when we

measured the grain till the store was empty; and we found the

contents fifty Ardabbs, making five thousand pieces of silver.