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Perchance for our so doing Allah may reunite me with my father."

When the Eunuch heard these words he cried, "A fine thing this,

by Allah! Shall the sons of Wazirs be seen eating in a common

cook-shop? Indeed I keep off the folk from thee with this

quarter-staff lest they even look upon thee; and I dare not

suffer thee to enter this shop at all." When Hasan of Bassorah

heard his speech he marvelled and turned to the Eunuch with the

tears pouring down his cheeks; and Ajib said, "Verily my heart

loves him!" But he answered, "Leave this talk, thou shalt not go

in." Thereupon the father turned to the Eunuch and said, "O

worthy sir, why wilt thou not gladden my soul by entering my

shop? O thou who art like a chestnut, dark without but white of

heart within! O thou of the like of whom a certain poet said * *

*" The Eunuch burst out a-laughing and asked-"Said what? Speak

out by Allah and be quick about it." So Hasan the Bassorite began

reciting these couplets:-