The Arabian Nights, Volume I of IV

by Unknown

OF NOUREDDIN ALI, AND BEDREDDIN HASSAN.

Commander of the Faithful, there was formerly a sultan in Egypt, who was a great observer of justice; he was merciful, beneficent, and liberal, and his valour made him the terror of the neighbouring states. He provided for the poor, and protected men of learning, whom he raised to the first employment in his state. The vizier of this sultan was a prudent, wise, and penetrating man, skilled in literature and all the sciences. This minister had two sons, handsome in person, and resembling their father in talents. The eldest was named Schemseddin [12] Mohammed, and the youngest Noureddin Ali. This last, in particular, possessed as much merit as can fall to the lot of any individual. The vizier, their father, dying, the sultan sent for them, and having put on each the dress of a common vizier, “I regret your father’s death,” said he, “and feel sincerely for your loss; and as I wish to prove it to you, I invest each of you with the same dignity, for I know you live together, and are perfectly united. Go, and imitate your father.”

The two new viziers thanked the sultan for the favour he had conferred on them: and returned home to order their father’s funeral. When a month was expired, they made their appearance in public; and went for the first time to the council of the sultan, after which they continued to attend regularly every day, that it assembled. Whenever the sultan had a hunting-party, one of the brothers accompanied him; and they partook of this honour alternately. One evening, on the morrow of which the eldest brother was to be of the sultan’s hunting-party, they were talking after supper on different subjects, when Schemseddin Mohammed said to Noureddin, “Brother, as we are not yet married, and live in such harmony, a thought has occurred to me. Let us both marry on the same day, and to two sisters, whom we will choose out of some family, whose rank is equal to our own. What think you of this proposal?”—“I think, brother,” replied Noureddin Ali, “that it is worthy of the friendship that unites us. You could not have arranged a better plan, and I am ready to do whatever you wish in it.”—“Oh,” resumed the eldest, “this is not all; my imagination goes much farther. Suppose, that our wives become pregnant on the first night of our marriage, and that they afterwards produce on the same day, your wife a son, and mine a daughter, whom we will unite, when they are of a proper age.”—“Ah!” exclaimed his brother, “this is indeed an admirable project. This marriage will complete our union, and I readily give my consent. But, brother,” added he, “if it happens that this marriage takes place, should you expect my son to settle a fortune on your daughter?”—“In that there is no difficulty,” replied the other, “and I am persuaded, that besides the usual agreements in a marriage contract, you would not object to give in her name at least three thousand sequins, three good estates, and three slaves.” “That I cannot agree to,” returned Noureddin. “Are not we brothers and colleagues, each invested with the same dignity and title? Besides, do not we both know what is just? The male being more noble than the female, ought not you to bestow a large portion on your daughter? I perceive you are a man who wishes to enrich himself at other people’s expense.”

Although Noureddin Ali had said these words in joke; yet his brother, who was not of a good temper, was highly offended. “Misery attend your son!” said he, angrily, “since you dare to prefer him to my daughter. I am surprised that you should have the impertinence only to suppose him worthy of her. You must have lost your senses to make yourself my equal, by saying that we are colleagues; know, that after such insolence, I would not marry my daughter to your son, even if you were to give her more riches than you are possessed of.” This curious quarrel between the brothers about the marriage of their children, who were not yet born, did not cease here. Schemseddin Mohammed went so far as to use menaces; “If I were not obliged,” said he, “to accompany the sultan to-morrow, I would treat you as you deserve; but on my return I will show you, if it becomes the youngest brother to speak to the eldest in the insolent manner you have treated me.” At these words he retired to his apartment, and his brother did the same.

Schemseddin Mohammed arose very early the next morning, and repaired to the palace; from whence he went out with the sultan, who bent his course above Cairo, towards the pyramids. As for Noureddin Ali, he passed the night in great distress; and having well considered, that it was not possible for him to remain any longer with a brother, who treated him with such contempt, he formed the resolution of quitting the house; he prepared a good mule, furnished himself with money, precious stones, and some eatables; and having told his people that he was going a journey of three or four days, in which he wished to be alone, he departed.

When he was out of Cairo, he went over the desert towards Arabia; but his mule becoming lame on the road, he was obliged to continue his journey on foot. He had the good fortune to be overtaken by a courier who was going to Balsora, and who took him up behind him. When they were arrived at Balsora, Noureddin Ali alighted, and thanked the courier for the favour he had done him. As he walked along the streets seeking for a lodging, he saw a person of great quality and distinction coming, accompanied by a numerous train, to whom all the inhabitants paid great respect, by waiting to let him pass; and Noureddin Ali stopped like the rest. It was the grand vizier of the sultan of Balsora, who was parading the city to preserve peace and good order by his presence.

This minister having by chance cast his eyes on the young man, was struck with his engaging countenance: he looked on him pleasantly, and as he passed near him, perceiving that he was in the dress of a traveller, he stopped to ask him, who he was and from whence he came. “My lord,” replied Noureddin Ali, “I am from Egypt, and born at Cairo. I have quitted my country on account of a quarrel with one of my relations, and I have resolved to travel over the whole world, and to die rather than return.” The grand vizier, who was a venerable old man, having heard these words, replied, “My son, do not put in execution the project you have formed. In this world there is nothing but misery, and you little think what pains you will have to endure. Rather come with me, and perhaps I can make you forget the subject which has obliged you to abandon your country.”

Noureddin Ali followed the grand vizier of Balsora, who soon becoming acquainted with his good qualities conceiving a great affection for him; so that one day, when they were alone together, he thus addressed him: “My son, I am, as you see, so far advanced in years, that there is no prospect of my living much longer. Heaven has given me an only daughter, who is as handsome as yourself, and now of a marriageable age. Many of the most powerful lords of this court have already asked her for their sons, yet I never could bring myself to part with her. But I love you, and think you so worthy of being allied to my family, that I am willing to accept you as my son-in-law, in preference to all who have applied. If you receive this offer with pleasure, I will acquaint the sultan, my master, that I have adopted you by this marriage, and I will entreat him to grant me the reversion of my appointment as grand vizier of Balsora; at the same time, as I wish for a little rest from business in my old age, I will not only resign to you the disposal of all my possessions, but also the administration of the affairs of state.”

The grand vizier had no sooner finished these words, which so strongly evinced his goodness of heart and generosity, than Noureddin Ali threw himself at his feet, and declared, in terms which proclaimed the joy and gratitude that flowed from his heart, that he was ready to do any thing that he would dictate. The grand vizier then called the principal officers of his household, and ordered them to prepare the great saloon in his house for a grand entertainment: he then sent invitations to all the grandees of the court as well as of the city to favour him with their company. When they were all assembled, as Noureddin Ali had made him acquainted with his rank, he thus addressed them: “My lords, I am happy to inform you of a circumstance, which I have hitherto kept secret. I have a brother, who is grand vizier of the sultan of Egypt, as I have the honour to be grand vizier to the sultan of these dominions. This brother of mine has an only son, whom he would not marry at the court of Egypt, and he has sent him here to be united to my daughter, that the two branches might be thus joined together. This son, whom I recognised as my nephew on his arrival, and whom I am going to make my son-in-law, is this young nobleman, whom I have the pleasure of introducing to you. I flatter myself you will do him the honour of being present at the nuptials, which I intend shall be solemnized this day.” The grand vizier talked to them in this style, thinking, that no one could be offended at his preferring his nephew to all those who had offered their alliance; and in fact they replied, that he did right to conclude this marriage, that they would willingly be present at the ceremony, and that they hoped God would bless them many years with the fruits of this happy union. They had no sooner expressed their approbation of the marriage of the vizier’s daughter with Noureddin Ali, than they sat down to table, where they remained a considerable time. Towards the end of the repast the confectionary was served, and each one, as is the custom, having taken as much as he wished to carry away, the cadis entered with the marriage contract in their hands. The principal grandees signed it, after which the whole company retired.

When no one remained but the people belonging to the house, the grand vizier desired those who had the care of the bath, to conduct Noureddin Ali thither. He found it provided with new linen of a beautiful fineness and whiteness, as well as with every other necessary. When the bridegroom had been well washed and rubbed, he was going to put on the same dress he had pulled off, but another of the greatest magnificence was presented to him in its place. Thus adorned and perfumed with the most exquisite odours, he returned to the grand vizier, his father-in-law, who was charmed with his appearance; and placing him by his side, “My son,” said he, “you have disclosed to me who you are, and the rank you held at the Egyptian court; you have also told me, that you had a quarrel with your brother, for which reason you left your country; I entreat you to relate to me the subject of your difference, for you must now place an entire confidence in, and conceal nothing from, me.

Noureddin Ali recounted all the circumstances relative to his dispute with his brother, at which the grand vizier could not refrain from laughing very heartily. “This is indeed,” said he, “the strangest thing I ever heard of! Is it possible, that your quarrel was carried to such a height merely for an imaginary wedding? I am sorry that you quarrelled with your elder brother for such a trifle; however, I perceive that he was in the wrong to be offended with what you said merely in joke, and I ought to be thankful to Heaven, that this difference between you has been the means of procuring me a son-in-law such as you. But,” continued the old man, “the night is advancing, and it is time for you to retire. Go, my daughter is expecting your arrival. To-morrow I will present you to the sultan, and I flatter myself he will receive you in a way to satisfy us both.”

Noureddin Ali left his father-in-law, to repair to the chamber of his bride. What is very remarkable (continued the grand vizier Giafar,) is, that on the same day that these nuptials were celebrated at Balsora, Schemseddin Mohammed was married at Cairo, in the manner I am going to relate.

After Noureddin Ali had left Cairo with the intention of never revisiting it, Schemseddin Mohammed, his elder brother, who was gone with the sultan on the hunting-party, returning at the end of a month (for the sultan being passionately fond of hunting had been absent thus Long,) ran into the apartment of Noureddin Ali; but what was his surprise on being informed that he had left Cairo under pretence of making a journey of four or five days, that he set off on a mule on the very day of the hunting-party of the sultan, and that since that time he had never been seen or heard of. Schemseddin was the more chagrined at this intelligence, as he accused himself of having been the cause of his brother’s absenting himself by the harsh words which had passed between them. He dispatched a courier, who passed through Damascus, and went on to Aleppo; but Noureddin Ali was at that time at Balsora. When the courier returned without bringing any tidings of him, Schemseddin Mohammed determined to send in other parts to seek for him, but in the meantime he formed the design of marrying. He made choice of the daughter of one of the most powerful grandees of Cairo, and was united to her on the same day that his brother married the daughter of the grand vizier of Balsora.

But this is not all (continued Giafar;) I will now tell you, Commander of the Faithful, what happened afterwards. At the expiration of nine months the wife of Schemseddin Mohammed was delivered of a daughter at Cairo, and on the same day the wife of Noureddin Ali at Balsora brought into the world a boy, who was named Bedreddin Hassan. The grand vizier of Balsora testified his joy by great presents and public rejoicings, which he ordered on the birth of his grandson. He afterwards, to prove his affection for Noureddin Ali, went to the palace to entreat the sultan to grant him the reversion of his office, that he might have the satisfaction, before he died, of seeing his son-in-law in his place.

The sultan, who had seen Noureddin Ali immediately after his marriage, and had heard him spoken of favourably since that time, readily granted the favour which was requested of him; and he ordered him to be robed in his presence in the dress of grand vizier.

The happiness of the father-in-law was complete, when he saw Noureddin Ali preside at the council in his place, and perform all the functions of grand vizier. Noureddin Ali acquitted himself so well, that he appeared to have exercised that office all his life. He continued to assist at the council, whenever the infirmities of age would not allow his father-in-law to be present. This good old man died four years after this marriage, with the satisfaction of seeing a branch of his family, who promised to sustain the honour and credit of it.

Noureddin Ali performed the last duties to his father-in-law, with the greatest kindness and gratitude, and as soon as Bedreddin Hassan, his son, had reached the age of seven years, he placed him under the tuition of an excellent master, who began his education in a way suitable to his birth. He found in his pupil a quick and penetrating understanding, capable of profiting from the instructions it received.

In the course of two years after Bedreddin Hassan had been with his tutor, he had learnt to read, and was also acquainted with the koran by heart. Noureddin Ali, his father, then procured him other masters, by which he made such a rapid progress in his studies, that at the age of twelve years he was no longer in need of their assistance. By that time, as the features of his countenance were fully formed, he became the admiration of all who saw him.

Till then Noureddin Ali had only sought to make him study, and had not brought him out into the world. He now took him to the palace, in order to have the honour of introducing him to the sultan, who received him very favourably. The people in the streets, who saw him as he went along, were so struck with his beauty, that they uttered a thousand benedictions and exclamations of surprise.

As his father wished to make him capable of being equal, one day, to fill the situation he himself held, he spared nothing to qualify him for it, and by making him enter into affairs of the most difficult nature, he prepared him early for that kind of employment. In short, he neglected nothing that could tend to the advancement of a son whom he tenderly loved; and he began to enjoy the fruits of his trouble, when he was suddenly attacked by a disease so violent, that he was sensible his end was approaching. He, therefore, did not flatter himself with hopes of recovery, but prepared to die like a good mussulman. In these precious moments, he did not forget his beloved son Bedreddin; he ordered him to be called to his bedside, and thus addressed him: “My son, you see that this world is perishable: that only, to which I am shortly going, is eternal. You must, from this moment, begin to adopt the sentiments I now feel, and prepare to take this journey without regret; your conscience acquitting you of having neglected any of the duties of a mussulman, or of an honest man. With regard to your religion, you have been sufficiently instructed in that by the masters you have had, as well as by what you have read. As to what relates to an honest man, I will now give you some advice, from which I hope you will endeavour to profit. As it is in the first place necessary to know yourself, and you cannot possibly have that knowledge without knowing who I am, I will now inform you.

“I was born in Egypt,” continued he; “my father was prime minister to the sultan of those dominions. I too had the honour of being one of the viziers of the same sultan, jointly with my brother, your uncle, who, I believe, is still alive, and is called Schemseddin Mohammed. I was under the necessity of separating from him, and I came into this country, where I reached the rank which I have till now enjoyed. But you will be made acquainted with a fuller detail of these circumstances by a packet, which I shall give you.”

Noureddin Ali then took out the packet, which he had written with his own hand, and which he always carried about him, and giving it to Bedreddin Hassan, “Take it,” said he, “you will read it at your leisure; you will find in it, among other things, the day of my marriage, and that of your birth. These are circumstances, which may be useful to you in the end, and you must, therefore, carefully preserve it.” Bedreddin Hassan, truly afflicted at seeing his father in such a state, and sensibly touched by this discourse, received the packet with tears in his eyes, promising never to let it go out of his possession.

At this instant Noureddin Ali was seized with a fainting fit, which, it was feared, would terminate his existence: he recovered, however, and continuing to address his son, “The first maxim I wish to impress on your mind,” said he, “is, not to hold intercourse with all kinds of persons. The way to live in safety is to be reserved, and not be too communicative.

“The second is, not to commit violence on any one; for were you to do so, all the world would revolt against you, and you must regard the world as a creditor, to whom you owe moderation, compassion, and toleration.

“The third, never to reply when you are spoken to in anger. ‘He is out of danger,’ says the proverb, ‘who remains silent.’ On such occasions, in particular, you should attend to this. You know also what one of our poets has written on this subject; ‘silence is the ornament and safeguard of life; we should not by speaking resemble the stormy rain, which spoils every thing.’ We never repent of having been silent, but often regret having spoken.

“The fourth is, not to drink wine, for it is the source of all vice.

“The fifth, to manage your fortune with economy; if you do not spend it extravagantly, you will have what is necessary to assist you in case of need. You must not, however, save too much, and become a miser. If you have only a little, and yet spend that with propriety, you will gain many friends; but if, on the contrary, you possess great riches, and do not make a good use of them, every one will despise and abandon you.”

Noureddin Ali continued giving this kind of advice to his son, till the last moments of his life; and when he died, he was interred with all the honours due to his rank and dignity. Bedreddin Hassan, of Balsora, for thus he was named, from his being born in that town, was inconsolable at the death of his father. Instead of one month, as is the custom, he passed two in his retreat, to give way to his sorrow; during which time, he would not see any one, nor even go out to pay his respects to the sultan, who being displeased with this neglect, which he considered as a mark of contempt towards him and his court, suffered his anger to rise to a great height. He summoned the new grand vizier, whom he had elected to supply the place of Noureddin Ali, and ordered him to go to the house of the deceased, and to confiscate it, together with all his other houses, grounds, and effects, without leaving any thing for Bedreddin Hassan, whose person also he desired to be seized.

The grand vizier, accompanied by a number of the officers of the palace, immediately set out to execute his commission. One of the slaves of Bedreddin Hassan, who had by chance joined the crowd, no sooner learnt the intention of the grand vizier, than he hastened to warn his master of the danger. He found him seated in the vestibule of his house, in as deep affliction as if his father was but just dead. He threw himself at his feet quite out of breath, and after having kissed the bottom of his robe, “Fly, my lord,” cried he, “fly quickly!”—“What is the matter?” inquired Bedreddin, raising his head, “what news hast thou?”—“My lord,” replied the slave, “you have not a moment to lose. The sultan is enraged against you, and they are now coming, by his order, to confiscate all your possessions, and even to seize your person.”

This intelligence of his faithful and affectionate slave occasioned Bedreddin some perplexity. “But,” said he, “cannot I return and take at least some money and jewels?”—“My dear lord,” replied the slave, “the grand vizier will be here in a moment. Depart instantly, and make your escape.” Bedreddin Hassan immediately got up from the sofa on which he was sitting, and put on his slippers; then covering his head with one corner of his robe, to conceal his face, he fled without knowing where to turn his steps, to avoid the danger which threatened him. The first thought that occurred, was to reach the nearest gate of the city. He ran without stopping, till he came to the public cemetery, and, as night was approaching, determined to pass it near his father’s tomb. This was a large edifice of a magnificent appearance, built in the shape of a dome, which Noureddin Ali had erected during his lifetime; but Bedreddin in his way met with a Jew, who was very rich, and a banker and merchant by profession. He was returning to the city from a place where he had been on business.

This Jew, who was called Isaac, knowing Bedreddin Hassan, stopped, and saluted him very respectfully: after having kissed his hand, he said, “My lord, may I take the liberty of asking you, where you are going at this hour, alone, and in appearance so agitated? is there any thing that afflicts you?”—“Yes,” replied Bedreddin, “I fell asleep just now, and my father appeared to me in a dream. He had a dreadful countenance, as if he had been very angry with me. I awoke much terrified, and I set off immediately to come and pray at his tomb.”—“My lord,” replied the Jew, who did not know the real cause of Bedreddin’s quitting the city, “as the late grand vizier your father, and my lord of happy memory, had several vessels laden with merchandize, which are still at sea, and now belong to you, I entreat you to grant me the preference over any other merchant. I am in a situation to purchase for ready money the cargoes of all your vessels, and as a proof of what I say, if you approve of it, I will give you a thousand sequins for the first which arrives in port. I have them here in a purse, and am ready to advance them.” Saying this, he drew out from under his robe, a large purse, sealed with his seal, which he showed him.

Bedreddin Hassan, situated as he was, forced to fly from his home, and robbed of every thing he possessed, looked upon this proposition of the Jew as a favour from Heaven; and accepted the offer with great joy. “My lord,” said the Jew, “you grant me then the cargo of the first of your vessels that arrives, for one thousand sequins?”—“Yes,” replied Bedreddin, “I do, the bargain is made.” The Jew then put the purse of sequins into his hands, at the same time offering to count them, but Bedreddin spared him the trouble, by saying he trusted in his honour. “Well, then, my lord,” resumed the Jew, “will you have the goodness to write a little agreement of the bargain we have made? He then pulled out from his girdle an ink-horn, and having taken a cane prepared for writing, he presented it to him with a bit of paper, which he found in his pocket-book, and while he held the ink, Bedreddin wrote these words:

“This writing is to witness, that Bedreddin Hassan, of Balsora, has sold the cargo of the first of his ships, which make this port, to the Jew Isaac, for the sum of one thousand sequins, received.

Bedreddin Hassan, of Balsora.”

Having written this, he gave it to the Jew, who put it in his pocket-book, and they separated; Isaac pursuing his way to the city, and Bedreddin Hassan that which led to the tomb of his father, Noureddin Ali. When he had reached it, he prostrated himself with his face towards the earth; and, bathed in tears, began to lament his miserable fate. “Alas!” said he, “unfortunate Bedreddin, what will become of thee? Where will thou go to seek an asylum from the unjust prince who persecutes thee? Was it not affliction enough to lose a father so dear? Why would fortune add another grief to those thou hast already suffered?” He remained a considerable time in this state; but at length he arose, and leaning his head on his father’s sepulchre, he renewed his lamentations, and continued to weep and sigh, until overtaken by sleep, he laid himself down on the pavement, where he fell into a gentle slumber.

He scarcely tasted the sweets of repose, when a Genius, who had chosen this cemetery as his retreat during the day, preparing to begin his nightly excursions, perceived this young man in the tomb of Noureddin Ali. He entered, and as Bedreddin lay on his back he was struck with admiration of his beauty, and having examined him attentively for some time, he said to himself, “To judge of this creature by his countenance, it can only be an angel sent by God from the terrestrial paradise, to inflame the world with his beauty.” After he had considered him again, he rose into the air, where by chance he met a fairy. They saluted each other, after which he said, “I entreat you to descend with me to the cemetery where I live, and I will show you a prodigy in beauty, who is no less worthy of your admiration than of mine.” The fairy consented, and they both instantly descended: when they were in the tomb, the Genius, showing her Bedreddin, “Well,” said he, “did you ever see so handsome a youth as this?”

The fairy examined Bedreddin attentively, then turning towards the Genius, “I confess,” replied she, “that he is very well made, but I have just seen at Cairo, an object still more wonderful; and will tell you something concerning it, if you will attend to me.”—“That I will with pleasure,” replied the genius.—“You must know then,” resumed the fairy, “for I shall begin from an early date, that the sultan of Egypt has a vizier, named Schemseddin Mohammed, and he has a daughter about twenty years of age. She is the most beautiful and perfect creature that was ever beheld. The sultan hearing from every one of the extraordinary beauty of this young lady, sent for the vizier, her father, a few days since, and said to him. ‘I understand you have a daughter, who is marriageable; and I wish to make her my wife; will not you give your consent?’ The vizier, who did not at all expect such a proposal, was rather disconcerted; but he was not dazzled by the prospect of such a match for his daughter; and instead of accepting the offer with joy, as many in his place would have done, he replied to the sultan, ‘Sire, I am not worthy of the honour your majesty would confer on me, and I humbly entreat you not to be displeased, that I should oppose your design. You know that I had a brother, called Noureddin Ali, who, as well as myself, had the honour of being one of your viziers. We had a quarrel together, which was the cause of his suddenly disappearing, and I have never heard of him since that time, till within these four days; when I learnt, that he is lately dead at Balsora, where he enjoyed the dignity of grand vizier to the sultan of that kingdom. He has left one son, and as we formerly agreed to marry our children, if ever we had any, to each other, I am persuaded that when he died, he continued in the same design. For this reason I wish, on my part, to perform my promise; and I supplicate your majesty to permit me to do so. There are many nobles in this court who have daughters as well as myself, and whom you can honour with your alliance.’

“The sultan of Egypt was extremely irritated by the refusal of Schemseddin Mohammed, and said to him, in a transport of anger, which he could not suppress, ‘Is it thus you return the goodness with which I condescended to propose my alliance with your family; I shall know how to revenge myself for the preference you have the assurance to show to another; and I swear to you, that your daughter shall have no other husband than the lowest and most ill-looking of my slaves.’ In saying this he dismissed the vizier, who returned home, full of confusion, and much mortified.

“To-day the sultan ordered one of his grooms to be brought to him, who is very much deformed, and so ugly it is impossible to look at him without terror; and after having commanded Schemseddin Mohammed to give his consent to the marriage of his daughter with this horrible slave, he had the contract drawn up, and signed by witnesses in his presence. The preparations for these curious nuptials are now completed, and at this moment all the slaves of the grandees of the Egyptian court are at the door of a bath, each with a torch in his hand; they are waiting for hunchback, the groom, who is in the bath, to come out, that they may lead him to his bride, who is already dressed for his reception. At the time I left Cairo the ladies were assembled to conduct her in her nuptial ornaments to the hall, where she is to receive her deformed bridegroom, and where she is now expecting him. I saw her; and assure you, that it is impossible to view her without admiration.”

When the fairy had ceased speaking, the genius replied, that he could not believe it possible for the beauty of this damsel to surpass that of the youth before them. “I will not dispute with you,” said the fairy; “I will only say, that he deserves to marry the charming lady, who is destined for the groom; and I think we should perform an action worthy of ourselves, were we to oppose the injustice of the sultan, and to substitute this young man for the slave.”—“You reason justly,” resumed the genius, “and you cannot conceive how much I admire you for this idea; I consent; let us counteract the vengeance of the sultan, console an afflicted father, and make his daughter as happy as she now conceives herself to be miserable. I will omit nothing to make this project succeed, and I am persuaded, that on your part you will not be sparing in your exertions; I take upon me to carry this youth to Cairo, without waking him, and I leave to you the care of the disposal of him after we have executed our enterprise.”

After the genius and the fairy had concerted together what they should do, the former gently raised Bedreddin, and transported him through the air with an inconceivable swiftness, and placed him at the door of a public apartment adjoining the bath from whence the groom was to come, accompanied by the slaves who were waiting for him.

Bedreddin Hassan, awaking at this instant, was much astonished to find himself in a city he was not acquainted with: and was going to inquire where he was, when the genius gave him a gentle tap on the shoulder, and warned him not to speak a word; then putting a torch in his hand, “Go;” said he to him, “and mix with the people whom you see at the door of that bath, and walk with them till you come to a hall, where a wedding is going to be celebrated. You will easily distinguish the bridegroom, by his being deformed. Place yourself on his right hand, when you enter; and open now and then the purse of sequins, which you have in your bosom, and distribute them among the musicians and dancers as you go along. When you have reached the hall, do not fail to give some also to the female slaves, whom you will see about the bride, when they approach you. But remember, whenever you put your hand in your purse, draw it out full of sequins, and beware of sparing them. Do exactly as I have told you, with confidence, and be not surprised at any thing; fear no one, and trust for the consequence in the superior power of one who will dispose of every thing as he thinks best for you.”

The young Bedreddin, well instructed in what he was to do, advanced towards the door of the bath. The first thing he did was to light his torch by that of a slave; then, mixing with the rest, as if he had belonged to a grandee of Cairo, he walked with them, and accompanied the groom, who came out of the bath, and mounted one of the horses from the sultan’s stable.

Bedreddin, finding himself near the musicians and dancers, who preceded the hunchback, frequently drew from his purse handfuls of sequins, which he distributed amongst them. As he conferred these bounties with admirable grace, and the most obliging air, all those who received them cast their eyes on him; and no sooner had they seen him than they were rivetted on him, so great was his beauty and the symmetry of his person.

They at length arrived at the gates of Schemseddin Mohammed’s palace, who little thought his nephew was so near him. Some of the officers, to prevent confusion, stopped all the slaves who carried torches, and would not suffer them to enter. They also wanted to exclude Bedreddin Hassan, but the musicians and dancers, for whom the doors were open, declared they would not proceed, if he were not allowed to accompany them. “He is not one of the slaves,” said they, “you have only to look at him to be fully convinced of that. He must be some young stranger, who wishes from curiosity to see the ceremonies observed at weddings in this city.” Saying this, they placed him in the midst of them, and made him go in, notwithstanding the officers. They took from him his torch; and after having introduced him into the hall, they placed him on the right hand of the groom, who was seated on a magnificent throne, next to the daughter of the vizier.

She was dressed in her richest ornaments, but her countenance displayed a langour, or rather a desponding sorrow, of which it was no difficult matter to divine the cause, on seeing by her side so deformed a husband, and one so little deserving her love. The throne of this ill-matched pair was erected in the middle of a large sofa; the wives of the emirs, viziers, and officers of the sultan’s chamber, together with many other ladies of the court, as well as of the city, were seated a little below on each side, according to their rank; and all were so brilliantly and richly dressed, that the whole formed a beautiful spectacle. They each held a lighted flambeau.

When they saw Bedreddin Hassan enter, they all fixed their eyes on him, and could not cease looking at him, so much were they struck with the beauty of his figure and countenance. When he was seated, each lady quitted her place to have an opportunity of observing him closely, and not one returned to it again, who did not feel a tender emotion arise in her bosom.

The difference which existed between Bedreddin Hassan and the crooked groom, whose person excited disgust and horror, gave rise to some murmurs in the assembly. “This handsome youth,” exclaimed the ladies, “ought to possess our bride, and not this deformed wretch.” They did not rest here, for they even ventured to utter imprecations against the sultan, who, abusing his absolute power, had united deformity to beauty. They also vented execrations on the groom, and put him quite out of countenance, much to the diversion of the spectators, who by their hootings, for some time interrupted the symphony which was playing. At length the musicians again began the concert, and the women, who had dressed the bride, approached her.

Each time, continued the vizier Giafar, (for your majesty will recollect it was he that was still addressing himself to the caliph Haroun Alraschid,) each time the bride changed her dress, which it was her custom to do seven different times, [13] she arose, and followed by her women, passed before the groom, without deigning to look at him, and went to present herself to Bedreddin Hassan, to show herself to him in her new ornaments. Bedreddin then, according to the instructions he had received from the Genius, put his hand into the purse, and drew it out full of sequins, which he distributed to the women who attended the bride. He did not forget the musicians and dancers, and gave them some also. It was a pleasure to see them all pushing and scrambling for the sequins: they testified their gratitude, and told him by signs, that they wished him to marry the bride, instead of the hunchback groom. The women who were about her, said the same thing to her, not caring whether the hunchback heard them; for they played him all kinds of tricks, to the great amusement of the spectators.

When the ceremony of changing the dresses so many times was completed, the musicians ceased to play, and retired, making signs to Bedreddin to remain. The ladies did the same thing, and took their leave, together with all those who did not belong to the house. The bride went into a closet, where her women followed to undress her, and there remained no one in the hall except the hunchback groom, Bedreddin Hassan, and some servants. The hunchback, who was furiously enraged with Bedreddin, gave him a scowling look out of the corner of his eyes, “What art thou waiting for?” he called out, “Why dost thou not depart with the rest? walk off.” As Bedreddin had no pretext for remaining there, he retired, rather embarrassed; but he was scarcely out of the vestibule, when the Genius and the fairy presented themselves before him, and stopped him. “Where art thou going?” said the Genius, “return, for the hunchback has left the hall; you have nothing to do, but to go in and make your way to the chamber of the bride. When you are alone with her, tell her confidently, that you are her husband; that the sultan only intended to divert himself with the hunchback, and that to appease this pretended husband you have ordered him a large dish of cream in his stable. Then tell her all you can think of, to persuade her of the truth of this. With such a person as yours, you will not find much difficulty in it, and she will be delighted with so agreeable an exchange. We are now going to regulate matters so, that the hunchback shall not return to prevent you from passing the night with your bride; for she is yours, not his.”

While the Genius was thus encouraging Bedreddin, and instructing him in what he was to do, the hunchback had really quitted the hall. The Genius went to the place he had retired to, and assuming the figure of a large black cat, began to mew in a terrific manner; the hunchback clapped his hands, and made a noise to frighten it away, but the cat, instead of retreating, made a high back, and fixed its eyes, almost darting fire, fiercely on him, mewing still louder than before. It then increased in size so much, that it shortly appeared larger than an ass. The hunchback at this sight was going to call for assistance, but he was so terrified, that he could not utter a sound, and remained with his mouth open, unable to speak. To increase his terror, the Genius suddenly changed into a large buffalo, and under this shape cried with a loud voice “Base hunchback.” At these words the frightened groom fell on the floor, and covering his head with his robe to avoid seeing this horrible beast, he replied, trembling: “Sovereign prince of the buffaloes, what do you require of me?”—“Ill befal thee!” replied the Genius, “thou hast the temerity to dare to marry my mistress?”—“Ah, sir,” cried the hunchback, “I entreat you to pardon me; if I am criminal, it is through ignorance alone. I did not know that the lady had a buffalo for her lover; command me in whatever you please, I swear I am ready to obey.”—“By death!” resumed the Genius, “if thou quittest this spot, or break silence before the sun rises; nay, if thou utterest but a syllable, I will crush thy head to atoms. By that time I permit thee to leave this house, but I command thee to fly quickly, and not to look back; and if thou hast ever the audacity to return, it shall cost thee thy life.” Thus saying, the Genius transformed himself into a man, and took the hunchback by the heels; then, after holding him against the wall, his head downwards, he added, “If thou darest to stir before the sun rises, I will, as I have said, take thee by the feet and dash thy head into a thousand pieces against this wall.”

But to return to Bedreddin Hassan, who, encouraged by the Genius and by the fairy, who was present, had re-entered the hall, and had gone privately into the nuptial chamber, where he seated himself, waiting, with anxious expectation, the success of his adventure. At the expiration of some time the bride arrived, conducted by an old woman, who stopped at the door to wish the bridegroom happiness, without looking if it was the hunchback or another; she then shut it, and retired.

The young bride was extremely surprised at seeing, instead of the hunchback, Bedreddin Hassan, who presented himself to her with the utmost grace imaginable, “Ha! my friend,” exclaimed she, “how came you here at this hour? I suppose you are one of my husband’s comrades.”—“No, madam,” replied Bedreddin, “I am in a different situation from that disgusting hunchback.”—“But,” replied she, “you do not seem to be aware, that you are abusing my husband.”—“He your husband, madam!” returned Bedreddin, “can you remain so long in this opinion? Be undeceived: such beauty will not be sacrificed to the most despicable of men. I, madam, am the happy mortal for whom it is reserved. The sultan chose to amuse himself with imposing this little deceit on the vizier, your father, and has fixed on me for your true husband. You must have observed, that the ladies, the musicians, the dancers, your women, in short every one belonging to your house, were diverted with this comedy. We have dismissed the poor hunchback to his stable, where he is now regaling himself with a dish of cream; and you may rest assured, that he will never more appear before your beautiful eyes.”

At this discourse the daughter of the vizier, who had entered the nuptial chamber more dead than alive, changed countenance, and assumed an air of gaiety, which added so much to her beauty, that Bedreddin was quite charmed with her. “I did not expect,” said she, “so agreeable a surprise, I considered myself as condemned to pass the rest of my days in misery, but my happiness is so much greater, as I am going to be united to a man so worthy of my affection.” She then undressed herself and went to bed. Bedreddin Hassan, on his part, was delighted to find himself in possession of so many charms, and quickly undressed. He put his clothes on a chair, together with the purse, which the Jew had given him, and which was still full, notwithstanding all he had taken from it. He took off his turban to put on one for the night, which had been prepared for the hunchback, and he laid down in his shirt and drawers. [14] The drawers were of blue satin, and tied with a golden cord.

When the two lovers were asleep, the Genius, who had rejoined the fairy, told her it was now time to complete what they had so well begun, and so happily conducted thus far. “Let us not be surprised,” said he, “by day-light, which will now soon appear; go and take away the young man without waking him.”

The fairy repaired to the chamber of the lovers, who were both in a profound sleep, and stole away Bedreddin Hassan, drest as he was in his shirt and drawers: then flying with wonderful swiftness to the gates of Damascus, in Syria, whither she was accompanied by the Genius, they arrived precisely at the time, when the minister, appointed for that purpose, was calling the people to prayers at break of day. [15] The fairy gently placed Bedreddin on the ground, near the gate, and then retired with the Genius.

The gates were opened: and the people, who had assembled in great numbers to go out, were extremely surprised at seeing Bedreddin Hassan extended on the ground in only his shirt and drawers. One said, “He was obliged to decamp from his mistress in such haste, he had not time to dress himself.”—“See,” said another, “to what accidents one is exposed; he has passed the night in drinking with his friends, and being inebriated, went out for some purpose, and instead of returning he has wandered here, not knowing what he did, and has been overtaken by sleep.” Others formed different opinions, but no one could guess by what chance he got there. A slight breeze, which was beginning to rise, blew aside his shirt, and exposed a bosom whiter than snow. They were all so surprised with the whiteness of his skin, that they exclaimed with admiration so loud as to awaken the young man. His astonishment was not less than theirs on finding himself at the gate of a city where he had never been, and surrounded by a crowd of people, who were examining him attentively. “Gentlemen,” said he, “I entreat you to inform me where I am, and what you want of me.” One of them replied, “Young man, the gates of this city are but just opened, and when we came out, we found you lying here, just as you now are; and we stopped to look at you. Have you passed the night here, and do you know, that you are at one of the gates of Damascus?”—“At one of the gates of Damascus!” exclaimed Bedreddin, “you are joking with me; when I went to bed last night I was at Cairo.” At these words some of the people, moved with compassion, said it was a pity, that so handsome a youth should have lost his senses, and then passed on.

“My son,” said a good old man to him, “you must be mistaken; for how could you be last night at Cairo, and this morning at Damascus? That cannot be.”—“It is very true notwithstanding,” replied Bedreddin, “and I protest to you also, that I passed the whole of yesterday at Balsora.” He had scarcely pronounced these words, when they all burst into a laugh, and cried, “he is mad, he is mad.” Some however pitied him, on account of his extreme youth; and a man, who was present, said, “My son, you have lost your reason: you know not what you say. How is it possible that a man should be in the day at Balsora, in the night at Cairo, and in the morning at Damascus? You surely cannot be awake: collect your thoughts a little.”—“What I tell you,” rejoined Bedreddin, “is so true, that I was last night married in the city of Cairo.” All those who had laughed before, now redoubled their laughter at hearing this. “Take care,” resumed the person who addressed him before, “you must have dreamt all this, and the illusion still remains impressed on your mind.”—“I know what I say,” replied the youth, “tell me then how I should have dreamt I was at Cairo, where I am persuaded I was in reality; where my bride was conducted seven times before me, each time in a different dress; and where I saw a frightful hunchback, to whom they were going to marry her? Tell me too, what is become of my robe, my turban, and the purse of sequins I had at Cairo.”

Although he assured them that all this was true, yet the people, who listened to him, only laughed at what he said, which so confused him, that he did not know himself what to think of all that had happened. At length he arose, and walked into the city, and the crowd followed him, crying out, “A madman! a madman!” On hearing this, some ran to the windows, others came out at their doors, and some joining those who had surrounded Bedreddin, cried out also in the same manner, “A madman!” without knowing why. Being much embarrassed by this occurrence, he came to the house of a pastry-cook, who was opening his shop, and entered it, to escape from the hooting of the mob, who followed him.

This pastry-cook had formerly been the chief of a troop of wandering Arabs, who attacked caravans, and although he was established at Damascus, where no one had any reason to complain of his conduct, yet was he feared by all, who had any knowledge of him. The first look, therefore, which he cast on the populace that followed Bedreddin, dispersed them. The pastry-cook, seeing the coast clear, began to question the young man, inquiring who he was, and what had led him to Damascus. Bedreddin did not conceal either his birth, or the death of the grand vizier, his father; and then proceeded to relate how he had left Balsora, and in what manner, after falling asleep on the tomb of his father, he had, on waking, found himself at Cairo, where he had married a lady. Lastly, he expressed his surprise at seeing himself in Damascus, without being able to comprehend any of these miracles.

“Your history is very astonishing,” said the pastry-cook, “but if you will follow my advice, you will not disclose to any one the circumstance you have related to me; and you will wait patiently, until Heaven shall be pleased to put a period to the misfortunes with which it thinks proper to afflict you. You may remain with me till such a change takes place, and as I have no children, I will acknowledge you as my son, if you consent. After I have adopted you, you may go freely about the city, and will no longer be exposed to the insults of the populace.”

Although this adoption conferred no great honour on the son of a grand vizier, Bedreddin nevertheless accepted the proposal of the pastry-cook; judging very properly, that it was the only step he could take in his present situation. The pastry-cook procured him a dress, and taking witnesses with him, went before a cadi, to declare, that he acknowledged him as his son; after which Bedreddin resided with him, taking only the simple name of Hassan, and learned the art of making pastry.

Whilst this was passing at Damascus, the daughter of Schemseddin Mohammed awoke; and not finding Bedreddin by her side, concluded, that he had risen softly, not to interrupt her slumbers, and that he would soon come back again. She was waiting his return, when the vizier Schemseddin Mohammed, her father, much affected by the affront he conceived had been put upon him by the sultan of Egypt, came and knocked at the door of her apartment, that he might bewail with her the unhappy destiny she had been forced to submit to. He called her by her name, and she no sooner heard his voice than she got up to open the door to him. She kissed his hand, and received him with an air of so much satisfaction, that the vizier, who expected to find her bathed in tears, and as much afflicted as he felt himself, was extremely surprised. “Unhappy girl,” cried he, in an angry tone, “is it thus you appear before me? After the horrid sacrifice you have just completed, can you present yourself to me with a countenance which bespeaks content?” When the bride perceived her father’s displeasure at the joy which brightened her features, she replied, “My lord, I entreat you not to reproach me so unjustly. It is not that monster, the hunchback, who is more detestable in my eyes, than death itself, to whom I have been married; all the company treated him with such derision and contempt, that he was obliged to go away and hide himself, and make room for a charming young man who is my true husband.”—“What story are you relating,” interrupted the grand vizier, “has not the hunchback slept with you to-night?”—“No, my lord,” returned she, “I have slept only with the young man I was speaking of, who has large eyes, and fine black eyebrows.” At these words Schemseddin lost all patience, and put himself in a violent rage with his daughter. “Ah, foolish girl,” said he, “will you make me lose my senses, by relating such falsehoods?”—“It is you, father,” replied she, “who almost drive me out of my senses by your incredulity.”—“Is it not true then,” continued the vizier, “that the hunchback,—”—“Ah, let us talk no more of the hunchback,” interrupted she, “evil attend the hunchback! must I for ever hear nothing but the hunchback’s name repeated in my ears? I again tell you,” added she, “that he has not passed the night in my chamber; but my dear husband, whom I have mentioned to you, was the person, and indeed he cannot now be at any great distance from hence.”

Schemseddin Mohammed went out immediately to look for him; but instead of finding him, he was in the greatest astonishment at seeing the hunchback fellow standing on his head with his feet in the air, and in the very situation in which the Genius had left him. “What is the meaning of all this?” he asked him, “who placed you in that situation?” The hunchback, who instantly recognised the vizier, answered directly, “Ah, ha, you wish to give me in marriage to the mistress of a buffalo, do you; to one who is in love with a villainous Genius? but I won’t be your dupe, I promise you; so do not think of tricking me in that manner.”

Schemseddin Mohammed thought the hunchback was out of his senses, when he heard him talk in this manner. “Get away from hence,” he cried, “and stand upon your legs.”—“I will take good care how I do that,” answered he, “unless, indeed, the sun be risen. You must know, that as I was coming here yesterday evening, a large black cat suddenly appeared to me, and it kept increasing in size, till it was as large as a buffalo. I shall never forget what it said to me: mind therefore your own concerns, and leave me here.” Instead, however, of going, the vizier took hold of the hunchback by the legs, and obliged him to get up. He was no sooner on his legs than he ran away as fast as ever he could, without stopping once to look behind him. He went directly to the palace, and presented himself before the sultan of Egypt, who was highly diverted at the account he gave of the manner in which the Genius had treated him.

Schemseddin Mohammed then went back to his daughter’s apartment, still more astonished than before, and quite uncertain how to think or act, “Well, dishonoured girl,” said he to his daughter, “can you give me no farther account of this adventure, which both confuses and distracts me?”—“Sir,” she replied, “I cannot tell you any thing more than I have already had the honor of informing you of. But look here,” she added, “here is some part of my husband’s dress, which he has left on this chair, and perhaps this may throw some light upon what you wish to discover.” In saying this, she presented the turban of Bedreddin to the vizier, who took and examined it in every part. “I should conjecture this to be a turban that belonged to a vizier, if it were not made in the fashion of those [16] of Moussoul.” As he was thus feeling it, he thought he perceived something sewn up in the inside of it between the folds. He asked therefore for some scissors, and having unripped it, he discovered a paper folded up. This was in fact the packet which Noureddin Ali had given to his son Bedreddin, on his death-bed, and who had concealed it in this place, as the best method of preserving it. Schemseddin Mohammed having opened the packet, instantly knew the hand-writing of his brother Noureddin Ali, and read the following direction, For my son, Bedreddin Hassan. Before he had time to reflect on those circumstances, his daughter put the purse into her father’s hands, which she had found in Bedreddin’s pocket. He immediately opened it, and saw it filled with sequins, as I have before mentioned; for through the care of the Genius and fairy it constantly remained full, in spite of all the sums that Bedreddin had bestowed on those around him. Upon a sort of ticket, attached to the purse, he read these words; a thousand sequins belonging to the Jew Isaac. And under them the following, which the Jew had written before he had left Bedreddin: Delivered to Bedreddin Hassan, in payment for the cargo which he has sold me of the first vessel that arrives in port belonging to him; and which did belong to Noureddin Ali, his father, of happy memory. He had scarcely finished reading these words, when he uttered a loud cry, and fainted away.

When the vizier Schemseddin Mohammed was recovered from his fainting, by the assistance of his daughter, and the women she had called, “My daughter,” said he, “be not surprised at the accident which has just happened to me; the cause of it is such, that you will hardly give credit to it. The husband, who has passed the night with you, is no other than your cousin, the son of Noureddin Ali. The thousand sequins that are in this purse, remind me of the quarrel I had with my dear brother. This, without doubt, is the wedding present he makes you. God be praised for all these things, and particularly for this wonderful adventure, which so manifestly proves his power.” He then looked at the writing of his brother, and kissed it several times, bathing it with his tears. “Why cannot I,” said he, “see Noureddin himself here, and be reconciled to him, as well as I see his hand, which causes me so much joy?”

He read the packet through, and found the dates of his brother’s arrival at Balsora, of his marriage, and of the birth of Bedreddin Hassan; then comparing these dates with those of his own marriage, and of his daughter’s birth at Cairo, he could not help wondering at the coincidence; and reflecting, that his nephew was his son-in-law, he gave himself up entirely to the emotions of pleasure which all these circumstances gave rise to. He took the packet, and the ticket off the purse, and showed them to the sultan, who forgave what had past; and was so pleased with the history, that he ordered it to be written, that it might descend to posterity.

Nevertheless Schemseddin Mohammed could not comprehend why his nephew had disappeared; he hoped, however, every moment, that he would arrive, and expected him with the greatest impatience, that he might embrace him. Having waited seven days without seeing him, he ordered him to be sought for in every part of Cairo, but he could hear no tidings of him, which caused him great uneasiness. “This is, indeed,” said he, “a singular adventure; surely such never befel mortal before.”

Uncertain what might happen in the course of time, he thought proper to write himself the account of what had taken place; the manner in which the nuptials were celebrated, and how the hall and the chamber of his daughter were furnished. He also made a parcel of the turban, the purse, and the rest of the dress of Bedreddin, and locked it up.

At the expiration of a few days, the daughter of Schemseddin Mohammed perceived herself to be pregnant, and in nine months she was delivered of a son. A nurse was provided for the child, with other women and slaves to attend upon him, and his grandfather named him Agib. [17]

When the young Agib had attained the age of seven years, the vizier Schemseddin Mohammed, instead of having him taught to read at home, sent him to school to a master, who had a great reputation for his learning, and two slaves had the care of conducting and bringing him back every day. Agib used to play with his comrades, and as they were all of much inferior condition to himself, they behaved towards him with great deference; and in this the master of the school set the example, by excusing many faults in Agib which he did not pass over in the other scholars. The blind submission with which Agib was treated, completely spoilt him; he became proud and insolent; he expected his companions to bear every thing from him, but would not in return comply with any of their wishes. He domineered every where; and if any one dared to oppose his desires, he vented his anger in abusive language, and often even in blows. At last he made himself so insupportable to all the scholars, that they complained of him to the master of the school. At first he exhorted them to have patience, but when he perceived, that by so doing he only increased the insolence of Agib, and being tired himself of the trouble he gave him, he said to them, “My boys, I see that Agib is an impertinent fellow; I will tell you how to mortify him; and in a way that will prevent his tormenting you any longer; indeed that may perhaps prevent his returning any more to school. To-morrow when he comes, and you are going to play together, place yourselves round him, and let one of you say aloud, ‘We are going to play, but on condition that they who play shall tell their name, and that of their father and mother. Those who refuse to do so, we shall consider as bastards, and will not admit them to our games.’” The master then explained to them the confusion that Agib would feel on this occasion, and they all went home with the greatest satisfaction.

The following day, when they were assembled, they did not fail to do as their master had instructed them. They surrounded Agib, and one of them said, “Let us play at some game, but on condition that he who cannot tell his name, and that of his father and mother, shall not play with us.” They all agreed, Agib as well as the rest, to these conditions. Then the boy, who had spoken first, interrogated them all, and each answered satisfactorily till he came to Agib, who replied, “I am called Agib, my mother is named the Queen of Beauty, and my father Schemseddin Mohammed, the vizier of the sultan.”

At these words all the children cried, “Agib, what are you saying? that is not the name of your father, but of your grandfather.”—“Heaven confound you!” replied he angrily, “what! do you dare say, that the vizier Schemseddin Mohammed is not my father?” The scholars then all laughed at him, saying, “No, no; he is only your grandfather, and you shall not play with us; we will take care not to come near you.” Then they left him, and continued to laugh amongst themselves. Agib was mortified at their joking him, and began to cry.

The master, who had been listening, and heard all that passed, now made his appearance, and addressing Agib, “Do not you yet know, Agib,” said he, “that the vizier Schemseddin Mohammed is not your father? He is your grandfather, and the father of your mother, the Queen of Beauty. We, as well as yourself, are ignorant of the name of your father; we only know, that the sultan wished to marry your mother to one of his grooms, who was deformed, but that a Genius slept with her. This is unpleasant for you, but it ought to teach you to treat your companions with less haughtiness than you have hitherto done.”

The little Agib, vexed at the joke of his school-fellows, immediately left the school, and returned home in tears. He went first to the apartment of his mother, who, alarmed at seeing him in so much affliction, anxiously inquired the cause. He could only answer by broken words, interrupted with sobs, so great was his grief; and it was not till after several attempts, that he could explain the mortifying subject of his sorrow. When he had finished, “In the name of God, mother,” added he, “do tell me who is my father?”—“My son,” replied she, “your father is the vizier Schemseddin Mohammed, who embraces you every day.”—“You do not tell me the truth,” resumed he, “he is not my father, but yours. But whose son am I?” At this question, the Queen of Beauty, recalling to her mind the night of her marriage, which had been followed by so long a widowhood, began to weep with the utmost regret, for the loss of a husband so amiable as Bedreddin.

At the moment when the Queen of Beauty, as well as her son Agib, was weeping, the vizier Schemseddin Mohammed entered, and desired to know the cause of their affliction. His daughter informed him, by relating the mortification her son had met with at school. This account very much affected the vizier, who joined his tears with theirs; and who supposing from this, that the world entertained opinions not very favourable to his daughter’s virtue, felt extremely mortified. Being very much disturbed by this cruel reflection, he went to the palace of the sultan, and after having prostrated himself at his feet, he humbly entreated him to grant him permission to take a journey into the provinces of the Levant, and more particularly to Balsora, to seek his nephew Bedreddin Hassan; for he could not bear, that the whole city should suppose that a Genius had slept with his daughter. The sultan felt for the grief of the vizier, approved his intention, and gave him leave to execute it; he even wrote a letter of recommendation, in the most obliging manner, to the princes and nobles in whose dominions Bedreddin might be, to give their consent that he should accompany the grand vizier.

Schemseddin Mohammed could not find words to express his gratitude to the sultan for all his goodness towards him. He could only prostrate himself a second time before this prince; but the tears which flowed from his eyes sufficiently proved his feelings. At length, he took his leave of the sultan, after wishing him every kind of prosperity. When he returned home, he immediately began to prepare for his departure, which was done with so much diligence, that at the end of four days he set off, accompanied by his daughter and by Agib, his grandson.

They took the road to Damascus, and travelled nineteen days without stopping: but on the twentieth, being arrived in a beautiful meadow, at a little distance from the gates of that city, they alighted; and had their tents pitched on the banks of a river, which runs through the city, and renders the surrounding country very agreeable.

The vizier Schemseddin Mohammed declared his intention of remaining two days in this beautiful spot, and that he intended on the third to continue his journey. He, however, allowed the persons in his suite to visit Damascus. They almost all availed themselves of this permission, some from curiosity to see a city they had heard so favourably spoken of; others to dispose of Egyptian merchandise, which they had brought with them, or to buy the silks and rarities it produced.

The Queen of Beauty, wishing that her son Agib should also have the gratification of walking about this celebrated city, ordered the black eunuch, who filled the office of governor to the child, to take him there; and be very careful, that he did not meet with any accident.

Agib, being magnificently dressed, set out with the eunuch, who carried a large cane in his hand. They had no sooner entered the city, than Agib, who was as beautiful as the morning, attracted the admiration of every one. Some ran out from their doors to see him nearer; others came to the windows; and those who were walking in the streets, not satisfied with stopping to look at him, accompanied him, in order to have the pleasure of contemplating his beauty for a longer time. In short, every one admired him, and poured benedictions on his father and mother, for having brought into the world so sweet a boy. The eunuch and he came by chance to the shop where Bedreddin Hassan was, and being surrounded by so great a crowd of people, they were obliged to stop at his door.

The pastry-cook, who had adopted Bedreddin as his son, had been dead some years, and left him, as his heir, his shop, and all his property. Bedreddin, therefore, was now master of the shop; and exercised the trade of pastry-cook so successfully, that he had acquired a great reputation in Damascus. Observing so many people assembled round his door to look at Agib and the black eunuch, he also began to examine them attentively.

Having cast his eyes on Agib, he felt himself agitated, yet without knowing why. He was not struck, like the mob, with the extreme beauty of this boy; his emotion arose from another cause, which he could not comprehend. It was the force of blood, which agitated this tender father, who, leaving his occupations, approached Agib, and said to him, with an engaging air. “My little gentleman, you have won my heart; and I beg you will do me the favour to walk into my shop, and eat some of my pastry; that I may, during that time, have the pleasure of admiring you at my leisure.” He pronounced these words with so much tenderness, that the tears came into his eyes. The little Agib was affected by it, and turning towards the eunuch, said, “This good man has a countenance that pleases me; and he speaks to me in so affectionate a manner, that I cannot avoid doing what he requests; let us go in, and eat some of his pastry.”—“Oh no, indeed,” replied the eunuch, “it would be a pretty tale to tell, that the son of a vizier, as you are, went into a pastry-cook’s shop to eat; do not think that I shall suffer it.”—“Alas, my young gentleman,” cried Bedreddin “then they are very cruel to trust you with a man who treats you so harshly:” then addressing the eunuch, “My good friend,” said he, “do not prevent this young gentleman from doing me the favour I ask; do not mortify me so. Rather do me the honour of coming in with him, and by so doing, you will evince, that although you are without as brown as the chesnut, yet that you are equally white within. Do you know,” continued he, “that I have a secret, which will change your colour from black to white?” The eunuch began to laugh on hearing this, and asked Bedreddin what this secret was. “I will tell you,” replied he, and immediately he recited some verses in praise of black eunuchs, saying that it was owing to them, that the honour of sultans, of princes, and of all great men was in safety. The eunuch was delighted with these verses, and no longer resisting the entreaties of Bedreddin, he suffered Agib to go into his shop, whither he also accompanied him.

Bedreddin Hassan was extremely pleased at having obtained his request; and returning to his work which he had left, “I was making,” said he, “some cheesecakes; you must, if you please, eat some, for I am persuaded you will find them excellent; my mother, who makes them admirably, taught me how to make them also, and they come from all quarters of the town to buy them of me.” Saying this he drew a cheesecake out of the oven, and having strewed on it some grains of pomegranate and sugar, he served it to Agib, who found it delicious. The eunuch, to whom Bedreddin presented one likewise, was of the same opinion.

Whilst they were both eating, Bedreddin examined Agib with the greatest attention; and reflecting, that he perhaps had such a son by the charming wife, from whom he had been so soon and so cruelly separated, he could not suppress some tears. He was preparing to question the little Agib on the reason of his journey to Damascus, but had not time to satisfy his curiosity: for the eunuch, who wished to hasten his return to the tents of his grandfather, took him away as soon as he had done eating. Bedreddin Hassan was not satisfied with following him with his eyes only, but immediately shutting up his shop, he set off after them, and overtook them by the time they had reached the gate of the city.

The eunuch, perceiving that he followed them, was very much surprised, and said to him angrily, “How importunate you are, what do you want?”—“My good friend,” replied Bedreddin, “do not be displeased; I have a little business just out of the city, which I have thought of, and I must go and give orders concerning it.” This answer did not satisfy the eunuch, who turning to Agib, said, “See what you have brought on me; I foresaw, that I should repent of my compliance; you would go into this man’s shop, but indeed I was a fool to suffer it.”—“Perhaps,” said Agib, “he may really have business out of the city, and the road is free for every one.” They then continued walking, without looking behind them, till they were arrived at the tents of the grand vizier; they then looked back, and saw that Bedreddin followed close. Agib, perceiving that he was within a few paces of him, blushed and turned pale successively, according to the different emotions which arose. He feared that the vizier, his grandfather, would learn, that he had been in a pastry-cook’s shop to eat. With this apprehension he took up a large stone, that lay at his feet, threw it at Bedreddin, and striking him in the middle of his forehead, covered him with blood. He then ran away, as fast as he could, into the tent with the eunuch, who said to Bedreddin, that he must not complain of a misfortune, which he deserved, and had brought upon himself.

Bedreddin returned to the city, stopping the blood from his wound with his apron, which he had not taken off. “I was wrong,” said he to himself, “to leave my house, and occasion so much pain to this child; for he only treated me thus, because he no doubt supposed that I had some bad design against him.” Being returned home he had his wound dressed; and consoled himself with reflecting, that there were many people in this world more unfortunate than himself.

Bedreddin continued to exercise the business of pastry-cook at Damascus, and his uncle Schemseddin Mohammed left it three days after his arrival. He took the road to Emaus, from thence to Hamah, and thence to Aleppo, where he rested two days. From Aleppo he crossed the Euphrates, entered Mesopotamia, and after having traversed Mardin, Moussoul, Sengira, Diarbekir, and several other towns, he arrived at last at Balsora, where he directly requested an audience of the sultan, who was no sooner informed of the rank of Schemseddin Mohammed, than he granted it. He received him very favourably, and asked him the cause of his journey to Balsora. “Sire,” replied the vizier Schemseddin Mohammed, “I am come to learn tidings of the son of Noureddin Ali, my brother, who had the honour of serving your majesty.”—“It is a long time since Noureddin Ali died,” answered the sultan, “as for his son, all that I can inform you of is, that about two months after the death of his father, he suddenly disappeared; and no one has seen him since, notwithstanding the pains I have been at to discover him. But his mother, who was the daughter of one of my viziers, is still living.” Schemseddin Mohammed requested permission to see her, and to conduct her into Egypt, to which the sultan having consented, he would not defer till the morrow so great a gratification; he inquired for the abode of this lady, and went to her immediately, accompanied by his daughter and her son.

The widow of Noureddin Ali lived in the same house which had been occupied by her husband during his life. It was a handsome mansion, built in a superb style, and ornamented with columns of marble; but Schemseddin did not stop to admire it. On entering it he kissed the door, and a marble, on which was written, in letters of gold, the name of his brother. He desired to speak to his sister-in-law, whose servants informed him, that she was in a small edifice, built in the shape of a dome, which they showed him in the middle of a spacious court. This tender mother was accustomed to pass the greatest part of the day and night in this building, which she had erected to represent the tomb of Bedreddin Hassan, whom she supposed to be dead; having so long in vain expected his return. She was then occupied in weeping for the loss of this dear son, and Schemseddin Mohammed found her buried in the deepest affliction.

He paid his compliments to her on entering, and having entreated her to suspend her tears and lamentations, he acquainted her, that he had the honour of being her brother-in-law; and also told her the reason which had caused him to leave Cairo, and travel to Balsora. After having informed his sister-in-law of every thing that had happened at Cairo on the night of his daughter’s nuptials, and the surprize which the discovery of the packet, that was found sewn up in Bedreddin’s turban, had occasioned, he presented Agib and the Queen of Beauty to her.

When the widow of Noureddin Ali, who had hitherto remained seated, like one who took no interest in the affairs of this world, understood by the conversation of Schemseddin Mohammed, that the dear son she so much regretted might still be alive, she got up, and closely embraced the Queen of Beauty and the little Agib, in whom she recognised the features of Bedreddin. The tears that now fell from her eyes, were different from those she had long been in the habit of shedding. She could not kiss the youth enough, who, on his part, received her embraces with every demonstration of joy he was capable of. “It is time, madam,” said Schemseddin Mohammed, “to put an end to your sorrows, and to dry your tears: for you must now arrange your affairs, and go with us into Egypt. The sultan of Balsora has given me permission to take you with me; and, I trust, you will not refuse your consent. I hope we shall have the good fortune to meet with my nephew, your son; and, if that should happen, the history of him, of you, of my daughter, and myself, will be worthy of being written down, and transmitted to after-ages.”

The widow of Noureddin Ali listened to this proposal with great pleasure, and instantly began to make preparations for departure. During this, Schemseddin Mohammed requested another audience; and having taken leave of the sultan, who sent him back, laden with honours, and with a considerable present for the sultan of Egypt, he left Balsora, and again took the road to Damascus.

As soon as they had arrived in the vicinity of that city, Schemseddin ordered them to pitch their tents just without the gate, by which they were to enter; and told his people, he should remain there three days, for the purpose of resting; and also to purchase whatever was to be found most curious and worthy of being presented to the sultan of Egypt. While he himself was occupied in making choice of the most beautiful stuffs, which the principal merchants had brought to him, Agib entreated the black eunuch, his governor, to go and walk in the city with him; telling him, that he was desirous of seeing whatever he had not had time to see when he was there before; and that he was also very anxious to get some intelligence of the pastry-cook, at whom he had thrown the stone, and wounded. The eunuch agreed to it, and walked into the city with him; having first obtained leave of his mother, the Queen of Beauty.

They entered Damascus by the gate which led to the palace, and which was the one that was nearest to the tents of the vizier Schemseddin Mohammed. They walked through the great squares, saw the public buildings, and the covered market, or place where the richest merchandize was sold. They then came to the antient mosque of the Ommiades, [18] about the time they were assembling for prayers, [19] between noon and sun-set. They then passed by the shop of Bedreddin Hassan, whom they found still engaged in making cheesecakes. “Your servant,” said Agib to him, “look at me; don’t you remember to have seen me before.” At these words Bedreddin cast his eyes upon him, and instantly recognised him. At the very same moment, O surprising effect of paternal love! he felt the same emotion he had done the first time. He was much troubled; and instead of answering him, he remained some time without the power of speaking a single word. Having at length recollected himself, he said, “Do me the favor, my young lord, once more to come into my shop with your governor, and taste a cheesecake. I beg you will pardon me for the displeasure I caused you by following you out of the city: I was hardly myself, and knew not what I did. It was a sort of charm, which drew me after you, and which I could neither resist nor account for.”

Agib, surprised at this speech of Bedreddin, replied, “The friendship you profess towards me, is carried to an excess, and I will not come into your house, unless you promise faithfully not to follow me when I go away. If you pledge your word, and keep it, I will come again to-morrow, while the vizier, my grandfather, is engaged in making purchases for a present to the sultan of Egypt.”—“My little master,” answered Bedreddin Hassan, “I will do any thing you desire me.” Agib and the eunuch then entered into his shop.

Bedreddin immediately presented them with some cheesecakes, which were as delicate and good as those they had tasted the first time. “Come,” said Agib, “sit down next me, and eat with us.” Bedreddin, being seated, was going to embrace Agib, to express to him the joy he experienced at being near him, but Agib pushed him back, saying, “Be quiet, your friendship is too tender. Be content with looking at and conversing with me.” Bedreddin obeyed, and began to sing a song, which he composed at the moment in praise of Agib. He did not eat, and was only attentive to serve his guests. When they had done eating, he gave them water to wash in, [20] and a very white and delicate napkin to wipe their hands. He then took a vase of sherbet, and prepared a large china bowl full, in which he put some snow; [21] and presenting the bowl to the little Agib, “Take it,” said he, “it is some rose sherbet, the most delicious that this city can produce; you never tasted any so good.” Agib drank some with great pleasure; Bedreddin then took the bowl and presented it to the eunuch, who drank it up to the last drop.

When Agib and his governor were satisfied, they thanked the pastry-cook for the good cheer they had received; and returned as quick as they could, it being rather late. They arrived at the tents of Schemseddin Mohammed, and went first to that which the ladies occupied. The grandmother of Agib was rejoiced to see him again, and as she had always her son Bedreddin in her mind, she could not refrain from tears on embracing Agib. “Ah, my child,” cried she, “my happiness would be complete, if I could have the pleasure of embracing your father, Bedreddin Hassan, as I do you.” She was just going to supper; she made him sit next her, and asked him many questions about his walk; then, saying that he must have a good appetite, she helped him to a piece of cheesecake, that she had made herself, and which was excellent; for, as we have already said, she could make them better than any pastry-cook. She gave some to the eunuch also, but they had both eaten so much with Bedreddin, that they could with difficulty taste it.

Agib had scarcely touched a bit of the cheesecake he had been helped to, when pretending that it did not suit his palate, he left it on his plate; and Schaban, [22] for this was the name of the eunuch, did the same. The widow of Noureddin Ali, vexed at seeing her grandson so indifferent about her cheesecake, said, “What, my son! do you scorn the work of my hands in this way? Let me tell you, that no one in the world can make such good cheesecakes, excepting your father, Bedreddin Hassan, to whom I myself taught the curious art of making them.”—“Ah, my good grandmother,” cried Agib, “allow me to say, that if you cannot make them better than this, there is a pastry-cook in this city who surpasses you in this great art: we have just been eating one in his shop, which is a great deal better than this of yours.”

At these words the grandmother, casting an angry look at the eunuch, “What, Schaban,” said she, “is my grandson intrusted to your care in order that you should take him to eat at a pastry-cook’s like a beggar’s child!”—“Madam,” replied the eunuch, “it is true that we have been talking to a pastry-cook, but we did not eat with him.”—“Pardon me,” interrupted Agib, “we went into his shop, and eat a cheesecake.” The lady, still more irritated against the eunuch, left the table abruptly, and ran to the tent of Schemseddin Mohammed, whom she acquainted with this misdemeanor of the eunuch, in terms more fitted to exasperate the vizier against the delinquent, than to incline him to forgive the fault.

Schemseddin Mohammed, who was naturally of a warm temper, did not omit so favourable an opportunity of putting himself in a passion. He immediately repaired to the tent of his sister-in-law, and said to the eunuch: “Wretch, hast thou the temerity to abuse the confidence I have placed in thee?” Schaban, although sufficiently convicted by the testimony of Agib, thought proper still to deny the fact. But the child maintained the contrary: “Grandfather,” said he to Schemseddin Mohammed, “I assure you that we have eaten so much, that we are not in want of any supper. The pastry-cook also regaled us with a large bowl of sherbet.”—“Well, wicked slave,” cried the vizier, turning to the eunuch, “after this wilt thou still deny, that you both went into a pastry-shop and eat there?” Schaban had the effrontery to swear, that it was not true. “Thou art a liar,” said the vizier, “I believe my grandson rather than thee. Nevertheless, if thou canst eat the whole of the cheesecake which was on this table, I shall be persuaded that thou speakest truth.”

Schaban, although full to the very throat, submitted to this trial, and took a bit of the cheesecake; but he was obliged to take it out of his mouth again, for his stomach turned against it. He, however, continued in his falsehood, and said, that he had eaten so much the preceding day, that his appetite was not yet returned. The vizier, irritated by the repeated falsities of the eunuch, and fully convinced that he was guilty, had him laid on the ground, and ordered him to receive the bastinado. The unhappy wretch uttered loud cries on suffering this punishment, and confessed the fact. “It is true,” cried he, “that we did eat a cheesecake at a pastry-shop, and it was an hundred times better than that which is on this table.”

The widow of Noureddin Ali thought, that it was through spite to her, and to mortify her, that Schaban praised the pastry-cook’s cheesecake; therefore, addressing herself to him, “I cannot believe,” said she, “that the cheesecakes of this pastry-cook are more excellent than mine. I will be satisfied on this point; thou knowest where he lives; go to him, and bring me back a cheesecake directly. She then ordered some money to be given to the eunuch to buy the cheesecake, and he set off. Being come to the shop of Bedreddin, “Here, my good pastry-cook,” said he, “here is some money for you; give me one of your cheesecakes; one of our ladies wishes to taste them.” There happened to be some hot, just out of the oven; Bedreddin chose the best, and giving it to the eunuch, said, “Take this, I warrant it to be excellent; and I can assure you, that no one in the world can make such, excepting my mother, who perhaps is still living.”

Schaban returned quickly to the tent with his cheesecake. He presented it to the widow of Noureddin Ali, who was impatiently expecting it. She broke off a piece to taste it, but it had scarcely touched her lips, when she uttered a loud cry, and fainted away. Schemseddin Mohammed, who was present, was very much surprised at this accident: he himself threw some water on his sister-in-law’s face, and did all in his power to relieve her. As soon as she was recovered from her fainting, “Oh God,” cried she, “it must have been my son, my dear son, Bedreddin, who made this cake.”

When the vizier, Schemseddin Mohammed, heard his sister-in-law say, that it was Bedreddin Hassan who had made the cheesecake brought by the eunuch, he felt inexpressible joy; but then reflecting that this joy was without foundation, and that according to all appearance, the conjecture of the widow of Noureddin Ali was false, he said to her, “But, madam, what makes you think this? Cannot there be a pastry-cook in the world who is able to make cheesecakes as well as your son?”—“I allow,” replied she, “that there may be pastry-cooks capable of making them as good; but as I make them in a very particular manner, and as no one except my son possesses this secret, it must absolutely have been he who made this. Let us rejoice, my dear brother,” added she, with transport, “we have at length found what we have been so long and so anxiously seeking.”—“Madam,” replied the vizier, “I entreat you to moderate your impatience, we shall soon know what to think of this circumstance. We have only to desire the pastry-cook to come here; if he be Bedreddin Hassan, you as well as my daughter will recollect him. But you must conceal yourselves, and see him without his seeing you: for I do not wish the discovery to take place at Damascus. I intend to postpone it till we return to Cairo; where I propose giving you a very agreeable entertainment.”

Saying this, he left the ladies in their tent, and retired to his own. He there made fifty of his people come before him, and said to them, “Take each of you a stick, and follow Schaban, who will conduct you to a pastry-cook in the city. When you arrive, break every thing you find in his shop; if he inquires why you commit such an outrage, only ask if it was not he who made the cheesecake that was bought of him; if he replies in the affirmative, seize his person; bind him well, and bring him to me; but take care that you do not strike or hurt him. Go, and lose no time.”

The vizier was quickly obeyed; his people, armed with sticks, and conducted by the black eunuch, repaired to the house of Bedreddin Hassan, where they broke in pieces the plates, the boilers, the saucepans, the tables, and all the other furniture and utensils they could meet with; and deluged his shop with sherbet, cream, and confectionary. At this sight Bedreddin Hassan, being much astonished, said to them, in a pitiful tone, “My good people, why do you treat me thus? What is the matter? What have I done?”—“Was it you,” replied they, “who made the cheesecake which you sold to the eunuch, who is with us?”—“Yes,” returned he, “I made it myself; what fault have you to find with it? I defy any one to make a better!” Instead of returning any answer, they continued to break every thing; and the oven itself was not spared.

The neighbours, being by this time attracted by the noise, and much surprised to see fifty armed men committing such depredations, inquired the cause of this violent usage. Bedreddin once more said to those who were engaged in it, “I entreat you to inform me what crime I have committed, that you should thus break and destroy every thing in my house.”—“Is it not you,” replied they, “who made the cheesecake that you sold to this eunuch?”—“Yes, yes, I am the person,” cried he, “and I will maintain that it is excellent, and that I do not deserve this unjust treatment.” They seized his person, without listening to him, and having torn off the linen of his turban, they made use of it to tie his hands behind him; then dragging him by force out of his shop, they led him along.

The populace, which had assembled, touched with compassion for Bedreddin, took his part, and was inclined to oppose the designs of the people of Schemseddin Mohammed; but, at this moment, some officers of the governor of the city arrived, and, dispersing the mob, favoured the carrying off of Bedreddin; for Schemseddin Mohammed had been to the governor of Damascus, to acquaint him with the order he had given, and to request his assistance and guard; and this governor, who commanded over Syria in the name of the sultan of Egypt, did not dare to refuse any thing to the vizier of his master. Bedreddin, therefore, was dragged on, notwithstanding his lamentations and tears.

He asked the people who surrounded him as he went along, what had been discovered in his cheesecake; but they did not return any answer. At length he arrived at the tents, where he was made to wait, till Schemseddin Mohammed returned from the governor of Damascus.

The vizier being arrived, inquired about the pastrycook. When he was brought before him, “My lord,” said Bedreddin, with tears in his eyes, “do me the favour to tell me in what I have offended you.”—“Ah, wretch,” exclaimed the vizier, “was it not thou who madest the cheesecake thou sentest me?”—“I confess that it was,” replied Bedreddin, “but what crime have I committed by doing so?”—“I will punish thee as thou deservest;” resumed Schemseddin Mohammed, “and it will cost thee thy life for having made so bad a cake.”—“Ah, good God,” cried Bedreddin, “what do I hear! is it a crime worthy of death to have made a bad cheesecake?”—“Yes,” replied the vizier, “and thou must not expect from me any other treatment.”

While they were thus engaged together, the ladies, who were concealed, observed Bedreddin attentively, and had not much difficulty in recollecting him, although so long a time had elapsed since they had seen him. The joy they experienced was such, that they both fainted away. When they had recovered they wanted to go and embrace Bedreddin, but the promise they had made the vizier not to show themselves, prevailed over the most tender emotions of nature and love.

As Schemseddin Mohammed had resolved to set off that same night, he ordered the tents to be struck, and the carriages to be prepared for the commencement of the journey. As for Bedreddin, he gave instructions that he might be put in a case well fastened, and carried on a camel. As soon as every thing was in readiness for their departure, the vizier and the people in his suite began their march. They travelled the whole of that night and the following day without resting; at the approach of night they stopped. They then took Bedreddin out of his case, to make him take some nourishment; but they were careful to keep him at a distance from his mother and his wife; and during the twenty days they were on their journey, they treated him in the same manner.

When they arrived at Cairo, they encamped without the city walls, by order of the vizier Schemseddin Mohammed, who desired Bedreddin to be brought to him. When he was come, he said to a carpenter, whom he had sent for on purpose, “Go and get some wood, and cut out a large stake immediately.” “Ah, my lord,” cried Bedreddin, “what are you going to do with this stake?”—“To fasten you to it,” replied the vizier “and then have you dragged through all the quarters of the city, that every one may behold in thee a vile pastry-cook, who makes cheesecakes without putting pepper in them.” At these words, Bedreddin Hassan exclaimed in so pleasant a manner, that Schemseddin Mohammed had difficulty to refrain from laughter: “Great God! is it then for not having put pepper in a cheesecake, that I am condemned to suffer a death as cruel as ignominious?”

The caliph, Haroun Alraschid, notwithstanding his gravity, could not avoid laughing, when the vizier Giafar said, that Schemseddin Mohammed threatened Bedreddin Hassan with death, for not having put pepper in the cheesecake he had sold to Schaban.

“What!” said Bedreddin, “was every thing in my house to be broken and destroyed, myself imprisoned in a box, and at last a stake prepared for my execution; was all this done only because I did not put pepper in a cheesecake? Great God, who ever heard of such a thing? Are these actions worthy of mussulmen, of persons who profess to practice justice, probity, and all kinds of good works?” Saying this he burst into tears, then beginning again his lamentations, “No,” continued he, “no one was ever treated so unjustly and so rigorously. Is it possible that they should deprive a man of life, for not having put pepper in a cheesecake? Cursed be all cheesecakes, as well as the hour in which I was born! would to God I had died at that instant!”

The unhappy Bedreddin did not cease his complaints, and when the stake was brought, and the nails to fasten him to it, he uttered dreadful cries at so horrid a spectacle: “Oh God!” said he, “canst thou permit me to suffer a death so infamous and excruciating? And for what crime too? It is not for having stolen, nor for having committed murder, neither for having denied my religion; it is for not having put pepper in a cheesecake!”

As the night was now far advanced, the vizier, Schemseddin Mohammed, ordered Bedreddin to be put again into his case, and said to him, “Remain there till to-morrow; the day shall not pass before I order thee to be put to death.” The case was taken away, and placed on the camel that had brought it from Damascus; all the other camels were reladen, and the vizier, mounting his horse, ordered that the camel, which carried his nephew, should go before him, and entered the city, followed by all his equipage. After passing through several streets, where no one appeared, as the inhabitants had retired to rest, he arrived at his house, where the case was conveyed with strict charge not to open it till he should think proper.

Whilst they were unlading the other camels, he took aside the mother of Bedreddin Hassan and his daughter, and addressing the latter, “God be praised,” said he, “my dear daughter, that we have so happily met with your cousin and husband. I dare say you recollect the state in which your chamber was on the night of your nuptials. Go, and have every thing placed as it was then. If by chance you do not remember it, I can supply the defect in your memory, by the description I wrote at the time. On my part, I will go and give orders for the rest.”

The Queen of Beauty went with joy to execute the commands of her father, who began to place all the things in the hall in the same way as they were when Bedreddin Hassan was there with the hunchback groom of the sultan of Egypt. As he read the writing, his servants put each piece of furniture in its place. The throne was not forgotten, nor the lighted flambeaux. When every thing was prepared in the hall, the vizier entered the chamber of his daughter, where he placed the dress of Bedreddin, together with the purse of sequins. This being done, he said to the Queen of Beauty, “Undress yourself, my daughter, and go to bed; and when Bedreddin comes into this chamber, begin to complain of his having been out too long a time, and tell him, that you were much surprised when you awoke, not to find him by your side. Press him to return to bed, and to-morrow morning you will entertain your mother-in-law and me with the account of what passed in the night.” At these words he went out of his daughter’s chamber, and left her to retire to bed.

Schemseddin commanded all the servants to go out of the hall, excepting only two or three whom he wished to remain, and gave directions for them to take Bedreddin out of the case, to put him on a shirt and drawers, and in that state to bring him into the hall, where they were to leave him alone, and shut the door. Bedreddin Hassan, although in so unhappy a condition, had fallen so sound asleep, that the servants of the vizier took him out of the case, and put on his shirt and drawers, without waking him; and then carried him so quickly into the hall, that they did not give him time to recollect himself. When he found himself alone in the hall, he looked around him, and the things he saw reminding him of his marriage, he perceived with astonishment, on a closer inspection, that this was the same hall in which he had seen the hunchback groom. His surprise increased, when drawing near to the door of a chamber, which he found open, he saw his clothes in the same spot where he remembered to have placed them on the night of his nuptials. “Great God,” said he, rubbing his eyes, “am I asleep or awake?”

The Queen of Beauty, who watched him, after entertaining herself with his astonishment, undrew the curtains of the bed, and advancing her head, said in a tender voice, “My lord, what are you doing at the door? Come, and lie down again. You have been out of the room a long time: I was much surprised, when I awoke, not to find you by my side.” Bedreddin’s countenance changed, when he perceived that the lady, who spoke to him, was the same charming person with whom he remembered to have slept. He went into the chamber, but instead of going to bed, as his mind was full of the thoughts of what had passed during the last ten years, and he could not persuade himself that so many events had taken place in only one night, he approached the chair, where his clothes and purse of sequins were, and having examined them with great attention, “By the great living God!” cried he, “these are things which I cannot comprehend.” The lady, who was diverted with his embarrassment, said to him, “Once more, my dear lord, let me beg you to come to bed; what engages your attention?” At these words, he advanced towards the Queen of Beauty, “I entreat you, madam,” said he, “to acquaint me, if it is long since I was with you.”—“The question surprises me,” replied she, “did you not just now rise from my side? Your mind must be strangely absent.”—“Madam,” resumed Bedreddin, “my spirits certainly are not very composed. I remember to have been with you, it is true; but I also remember to have lived ten years at Damascus. If I have really slept with you this night, I cannot have been absent so long.”—“Yes, my lord,” replied the Queen of Beauty, “you have no doubt dreamt that you were at Damascus.”—“Nothing can be so ridiculous,” cried Bedreddin, bursting into a laugh, “I assure you, madam, that this dream will appear to you very laughable. Imagine, if you please, that I found myself at the gates of Damascus in my shirt and drawers, just as I am at this moment; that I entered the city amidst the shouts and hisses of the populace, who followed to insult me; that I took refuge with a pastry-cook, who adopted me, taught me his business, and left me all his property when he died; that after his death, I kept his shop. In short, madam, an infinity of adventures befel me, which would be too tedious to relate; all I can say is, that I did well to awake, otherwise I should have been nailed to a stake.”—“And why, pray,” said the Queen of Beauty, pretending surprise, “were you to suffer so cruelly? You must have committed some heinous crime.”—“No, indeed,” replied Bedreddin, “it was for the most comical and ridiculous thing you can conceive. My only crime was the having sold a cheesecake in which I had not put any pepper.”—“I must confess,” said the lady, laughing heartily, “that you were treated very unjustly.”—“Oh, madam,” resumed he, “this was not all; on account of this cursed cheesecake, in which I was accused of not having put any pepper, they had broken and destroyed every thing in my shop; they had bound me with cords, and shut me up in a case, where I was so closely confined, that I feel still as if I were in it. At last, they had sent for a carpenter, and ordered him to prepare a stake to fasten me to. But God be praised, that all this is only an effect of sleep.”

Bedreddin did not pass the night very quietly; he awoke from time to time, and asked himself, whether he was dreaming or awake. He doubted his good fortune, and wishing to ascertain the truth, he undrew the curtains, and cast his eyes over the room. ”I am not deceived;” said he, ”this is the same chamber into which I came instead of the hunchback, and slept with the beautiful lady who was destined for him.” Day-light, which now began to appear, had not removed his uneasiness, when the vizier, Schemseddin Mohammed, his uncle, knocked at the door, and entered at the same moment to wish him good day. Bedreddin Hassan was extremely surprised to see a man he was so well acquainted with appear immediately after, but he no longer bore the appearance of the terrible judge, who had pronounced the decree of his death. “Ah!” cried he, “it is you who have treated me so cruelly, and condemned me to a death, the thoughts of which still fill me with horror, for having made a cheesecake without putting pepper in it.” The vizier began to laugh; and, to dispel his fears, related how, by the interference of a Genius, (for the account he had received from the hunchback made him suspect the truth) he had been conveyed to his house, and had married his daughter, instead of the groom belonging to the sultan. He then acquainted him, that it was by means of the packet, written by Noureddin Ali, that he had discovered him to be his nephew; and at last told him, that it was in consequence of this discovery, that he left Cairo, and had gone to Balsora in search of him. “My dear nephew,” added he, embracing him with the greatest tenderness, “I beg your pardon for all I have made you suffer since I have discovered you. I wished to reconduct you here before I acquainted you with your good fortune, which you must find so much the more pleasant as it has cost you more pain. Console yourself for all your afflictions, with the joy you must experience at being again with persons who are the most dear to you. Whilst you dress yourself, I will go and acquaint the lady, your mother, who is all impatience to embrace you; and I will bring you your son, whom you saw at Damascus, and towards whom you felt so much affection without knowing him.

No words are sufficiently expressive to give any idea of the joy of Bedreddin, when he saw his mother and his son Agib. These three persons did not cease embracing each other, and evincing all the transports which nature and the tenderest affection can inspire. The mother said the most affecting things to Bedreddin; she related to him the sorrow which so long an absence had created, and the tears she had shed on his account. The little Agib, instead of avoiding the embraces of his father, as he had done at Damascus, flew to receive them; and Bedreddin Hassan, divided between two objects so worthy of his love, thought he could not lavish on them sufficient proofs of his affection.

Whilst these things were passing in the house of Schemseddin Mohammed, the vizier himself was gone to the palace, to give the sultan an account of the happy success of his journey. The sultan was so delighted with the relation of this wonderful history, that he ordered it to be written and carefully preserved amongst the archives of his kingdom. As soon as Schemseddin Mohammed returned home, as he had prepared a superb entertainment, he sat down to table with all his family, and his whole household passed the day in great festivity and rejoicings.

The vizier Giafar having concluded the history of Bedreddin Hassan, said to the caliph, Haroun Alraschid, “Commander of the Faithful, this is what I had to relate to your majesty.” The caliph thought this history so surprising, that he did not hesitate to grant his pardon to the slave Rihan: and to console the young man for having so unhappily deprived himself of a wife he tenderly loved, this prince married him to one of his slaves, loaded him with gifts, and continued to bestow his favours upon him as long as he lived.

“But, Sire,” added Scheherazadè, “however entertaining the history I have related may have been, I know another, which is far more so: if your majesty wishes to hear it to-morrow night, I am sure you will think so too.” Schahriar arose without making any reply, and very uncertain what he should do.

“This good sultana,” said he to himself, “relates very long stories, and when she has once begun one, there is no possibility of refusing to hear the whole of it. I do not know, whether I ought not to order her death to-day; yet no; I will not do any thing precipitately; the story she promises me is, perhaps, the most diverting of any I have yet heard, and I must not deprive myself of the pleasure of hearing it; after she has finished it, I will give orders for her execution.”

Dinarzadè did not fail the following morning to wake the sultana of the Indies before day-break, according to her usual custom. And Scheherazadè, having requested permission of Schahriar to begin the history she had promised him, proceeded as follows: