第63章 NOUREDDIN ALI OF CAIRO AND HIS SON BEDREDDIN HASSA

When the Vizier heard thishe rose at once and mounting his horserode to the khan and went in to Noureddinwhoseeing him making towards himselfrose and went to meet him and saluted him. The Vizier bade him welcome to Bassora and dismounting，embraced him and made him sit down by his side and said to him，'O my sonwhence comest thou and what dost thou seek？'O my lord.'answered Noureddin'I come from the city of Cairo；'and told him his story from beginning to endsaying'I am resolved not to return hometill I have seen all the towns and countries of the world.'When the Vizier heard thishe said to him'O my sonfollow not the promptings of thy soullest they bring thee into peril；for indeed the lands are waste and I fear the issues of Fortune for thee.'Then he let load the saddle-bags and the carpets on the mule and carried Noureddin to his own housewhere he lodged him in a pleasant place and made much of himfor he had conceived a great affection for him. After awhilehe said to him'O my sonI am an old man and have no male childbut God has given me a daughter who is thy match for beautyand I have refused many suitors for her hand. But love of thee has got hold upon my heart；so wilt thou accept of my daughter to thine handmaid and be her husband？ If thou consent to thisI will carry thee to the Sultan of Bassora and tell him that thou art my brother's son and bring thee to be appointed Vizier in my stead，that I may keep the houseforby AllahO my sonI am a very old man and I am weary.'When Noureddin heard the Vizier's proposalhe bowed his head awhilethen raised it and answered，'I hear and obey.'At this the Vizier rejoiced and bade his servants decorate the great hallin which they were wont to celebrate the marriages of nobles. Then he assembled his friends and the notables of the kingdom and the merchants of Bassora and said to them'I had a brother who was Vizier in Cairoand God vouchsafed him two sonswhilst to meas you knowHe has given a daughter. My brother proposed to me to marry my daughter to one of his sonsto which I consented；and when my daughter came at a marriageable agehe sent me one of his sonsthis young man now presentto whom I purpose now to marry herfor he is better than a strangerand that he shall go in to her in my house this night. Afterif he pleasehe shall abide with meor if he pleasehe shall return with his wife to his father.'The guests replied'It is well seen of thee.'And they looked at Noureddin and were pleased with him. So the Vizier sent for Cadis and witnessesand they drew up the marriage contractafter which the servants perfumed the guests with incense and sprinkled rose-water on themand they drank sherbet of sugar and went away. Then the Vizier bade his servants take Noureddin to the bath and sent him a suit of the best of his own clothesbesides cups and napkins and perfume-burners and all else that he required. So he went to the bathand when he came out and put on the suithe was like the moon on the night of her full. Then he mounted his mule and returning to the Vizier's palacewent in to the latter and kissed his hands. The Vizier welcomed him and said to him'Arisego in to thy wife this nightand tomorrow I will carry thee to the Sultan；and I pray God to bless thee with all manner of good！'So Noureddin left him and went in to his wife，the Vizier's daughter. To return to his brother Shemseddin. When he came back to Cairoafter having been absent awhile with the Sultanhe missed his brother and enquired of his servantswho said'On the day of thy departure with the Sultanthy brother mounted his mulecaparisoned as for statesaying'I am going towards El Kelyoubiyeh and shall be absent a day or twofor I am heavy of heart；and let none follow me.'Then he rode awayand from that time to this we have heard nothing of him.'Shemseddin was concerned at his brother's absence and became exceedingly uneasywhen he found that he did not returnand said to himself'This is because I spoke harshly to him that nightand he has taken it to heart and gone away；but I must send after him.'Then he went in to the King and acquainted him with what had happenedand he wrote letters and despatched couriers to his deputies in every province；but after awhile they returned without having been able to come at any news of Noureddinwho had by this time reached Bassora. So Shemseddin despaired of finding his brother and said'IndeedI went beyond all bounds in what I said to himwith reference to the marriage of our children. Would it had not been so！This all comes of my lack of sense and judgment.'Soon after this he sought in marriage the daughter of a merchant of Cairo and took her to wife and went in to her （as it happened by the will of God the Most Highthat so He might carry out what He had decreed to His creatures） on the very night on which Noureddin went in to the Vizier's daughter of Bassora. Moreoverit was as the two brothers had said；for their wives conceived by them and were brought to bed on the same day，the wife of Shemseddin of a daughternever was seen in Cairo a fairer than sheand the wife of Noureddin of a sonthan whom a handsomer was never seen in his time. They named the boy Bedreddin Hassanand his grandfatherthe Vizier of Bassora rejoiced in him and gave feasts and public entertainmentsas for the birth of a king's son. Then he took Noureddin and went up with him to the Sultan. When Noureddin came in presence of the Kinghe kissed the ground before him and repeated the following versesfor he was facile of speechfirm of soul and abounding in good parts and natural gifts：

May all delights of life attend theeO my lordAnd mayst thou live as long as night and morning be！

Lo！when meets tongues recall thy magnanimityThe age doth leap for Joy and Time claps hands for glee.

The Sultan rose to receive them and after thanking Noureddin for his complimentasked the Vizier who he was. The Vizier replied，'This is my brother's son.'And the Sultan said'How comes it that we have never heard of him？'O my lord the Sultan，'answered the Vizierknow that my brother was Vizier in Egypt and diedleaving two sonswhereof the elder became Vizier in his father's stead and the youngerwhom thou seestcame to me.