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And then said he to them, "Heal my broken heart and eat of my

sweetmeats; for, by Allah, I cannot look at thee but my heart

flutters. Indeed I should not have followed thee the other day,

but that I was beside myself." "By Allah," answered Ajib, "thou

dost indeed love us! We ate in thy house a mouthful when we were

here before and thou madest us repent of it, for that thou

followedst us and wouldst have disgraced us; so now we will not

eat aught with thee save on condition that thou make oath not to

go out after us nor dog us. Otherwise we will not visit thee

again during our present stay; for we shall halt a week here,

whilst my grandfather buys certain presents for the King." Quoth

Hasan of Bassorah, "I promise you this." So Ajib and the Eunuch

entered the shop, and his father set before them a saucer-full of

conserve of pomegranate-grains.