This being settled, Amina brought in supper, and lit up the hall with a
number of sweet smelling tapers. They then sat down again at the
table, and began with fresh appetites to eat, drink, sing, and recite
verses. In fact, they were all enjoying themselves mightily when they
heard a knock at the outer door, which Sadie rose to open. She soon
returned saying that three Calenders, all blind in the right eye, and
all with their heads, faces, and eyebrows clean shaved, begged for
admittance, as they were newly arrived in Bagdad, and night had already
fallen. "They seem to have pleasant manners," she added, "but you have
no idea how funny they look. I am sure we should find their company
diverting."
Zobeida and Amina made some difficulty about admitting the new comers,
and Sadie knew the reason of their hesitation. But she urged the
matter so strongly that Zobeida was at last forced to consent. "Bring
them in, then," said she, "but make them understand that they are not
to make remarks about what does not concern them, and be sure to make
them read the inscription over the door." For on the door was written
in letters of gold, "Whoso meddles in affairs that are no business of
his, will hear truths that will not please him."
The three Calenders bowed low on entering, and thanked the ladies for
their kindness and hospitality. The ladies replied with words of
welcome, and they were all about to seat themselves when the eyes of
the Calenders fell on the porter, whose dress was not so very unlike
their own, though he still wore all the hair that nature had given him.
"This," said one of them, "is apparently one of our Arab brothers, who
has rebelled against our ruler."