Upon the door were these words in letters as black as
ink, in the handwriting of the old man who had gone:
"Oh, fool! Fool! Beware what thou doest. Within here shalt thou
find death!"
There was a key of brass in the door. The King of the Demons
turned the key and opened the door. The young man entered after
him.
Aben Hassen the Fool found himself in a vast vaulted room, lit by
the light of a single carbuncle set in the centre of the dome
above. In the middle of the marble floor was a great basin twenty
paces broad, and filled to the brim with money such as he had
found in the brazen vessel in the garden.
The young man could not believe what he saw with his own eyes.
"Oh, marvel of marvels!" he cried; "little wonder you could give
me boundless wealth from such a storehouse as this."
Zadok laughed. "This," said he, "is nothing; come with me."
He led him from this room to another--like it vaulted, and like
it lit by a carbuncle set in the dome of the roof above. In the
middle of the floor was a basin such as Aben Hassen the Fool had
seen in the other room beyond; only this was filled with gold as
that had been filled with silver, and the gold was like that he
had found in the garden. When the young man saw this vast and
amazing wealth he stood speechless and breathless with wonder.
The Demon Zadok laughed. "This," said he," is great, but it is
little. Come and I will show thee a marvel indeed.
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