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The Eunuch turned and asked him, "What ails the?"; and Badr

al-Din answered, "When ye went from me, meseemed my soul had gone

with you; and, as I had business without the city-gate, I

purposed to bear you company till my matter was ordered and so

return." The Eunuch was angered and said to Ajib, "This is just

what I feared! we ate that unlucky mouthful (which we are bound

to respect), and here is the fellow following us from place to

place; for the vulgar are ever the vulgar." Ajib, turning and

seeing the Cook just behind him, was wroth and his face reddened

with rage and he said to the servant; "Let him walk the highway

of the Moslems; but, when we turn off it to our tents, and find

that he still follows us, we will send him about his business

with a flea in his ear." Then he bowed his head and walked on,

the Eunuch walking behind him.