Faithful, AI-Mu'tazid bi 'llah grandson of Al-Mutawakkil alа 'llah.'[FN#352] Whereupon he rose and kissed the ground before the Caliph, trembling for fear of him, and said, 'O Prince of True Believers, I conjure thee, by the virtue of thy pious forbears, an thou have seen in me any shortcomings or lack of good manners in thy presence, do thou forgive me!' Replied the Caliph, 'As for that which thou hast done with us of honouring and hospitality nothing could have exceeded it; and as for that wherewith I have to reproach thee here, an thou tell me the truth respecting it and it commend itself to my sense, thou shalt be saved from me; but, an thou tell me not the truth, I will take thee with manifest proof and punish thee with such punishment as never yet punished any.' Quoth the man, 'Allah forbid that I tell thee a lie! But what is it that thou reproachest to me, O Commander of the Faithful?' Quoth the Caliph, 'Since I entered thy mansion and looked upon its grandeur, I have noted the furniture and vessels therein, nay, even to thy clothes, and behold, on all of them is the name of my grandfather Al-Mutawakkil ala 'llah.'[FN#353] Answered Abu al-Hasan, 'Yes, O Commander of the Faithful (the Almighty protect thee), truth is thine inner garb and sincerity is thine outer garment and none may speak otherwise than truly in thy presence.' The Caliph bade him be seated and said, 'Tell us.'" So he began, "Know, O Commander of the Faithful, that my father belonged to the markets of the money-changers and druggists and linendrapers and had in each bazar a shop and an agent and all kinds of goods. Moreover, behind the money-changer's shop he had an apartment, where he might be private, appointing the shop for buying and selling. His wealth was beyond count and to his riches there was none amount; but he had no child other than myself, and he loved me and was tenderly fain of me. When his last hour was at hand, he called me to him and commended my mother to my care and charged me to fear Almighty Allah. Then he died, may Allah have mercy upon him and continue the Prince of True Believers on life! And I gave myself up to pleasure and eating and drinking and took to myself comrades and intimates. My mother used to forbid me from this and to blame me for it, but I would not hear a word from her, till my money was all gone, when I sold my lands and houses and naught was left me save the mansion wherein I now dwell, and it was a goodly stead, O Commander of the Faithful. So I said to my mother, 'I wish to sell the house;' but she said, 'O my son, an thou sell it, thou wilt be dishonoured and wilt have no place wherein to take shelter.' Quoth I, ''Tis worth five thousand dinars, and with one thousand of its price I will buy me another house and trade with the rest.' Quoth she, 'Wilt thou sell it to me at that price?'; and I replied, 'Yes.' Whereupon she went to a coffer and opening it, took out a porcelain vessel, wherein were five thousand dinars.