I would not at first tell him my name and returned him evasive answers；but he conjured metill I told him who I waswhereupon he sprang to his feet and said'IndeedI wondered that such excellence should belong to any but the like of thee；and Fortune hath done me a service for which I cannot avail to thank her. Butbelikethis is a dream；for how could I hope that the family of the Khalifate should visit me in my own house and carouse with me this night？' I conjured him to be seated；so he sat down and began to question mein the most courteous termsas to the cause of my visit. So I told him the whole matterconcealing nothingand said to him'VerilyI have had my desire of the foodbut not of the hand and wrist.'
Quoth he'Thou shalt have thy desire of them alsoso God will.' Then said he to the slave-girl'Bid such an one come down.' And he called his slave-girls downone by one and showed them to me；but I saw not my mistress among themand he said'O my lordthere is none left save my mother and sister；butby AllahI must needs have them also down and show them to thee.'
I marvelled at his courtesy and large-heartedness and said，'May I be thy ransom！ Begin with thy sister.'Willingly，'replied he. So she came down and beholdit was she whose hand and wrist I had seen. 'May God make me thy ransom！' said I.
'This is the damsel whose hand and wrist I saw at the lattice.'
Then he sent at once for witnesses and bringing out two myriads of dinarssaid to the witnesses'This our lord Ibrahim ben el Mehdiuncle of the Commander of the Faithfulseeks the hand of my sister such an oneand I call you to witness that I marry her to him and that he has endowed her with a dowry of ten thousand dinars.' And he said to me'I give thee my sister in marriageat the dowry aforesaid.'I consent，' answered I.
Whereupon he gave one of the bags to her and the other to the witnessesand said to me'O my lordI desire to array a chamber for thee；where thou mayst lie with thy wife.' But I was abashed at his generosity and was ashamed to foregather with her in his house；so I said'Equip her and send her to my house.' And by thy lifeO Commander of the Faithfulhe sent me such an equipage with herthat my house was too strait to hold itfor all its greatness！ And I begot on her this boy that stands before thee.'