Your history is one of the most surprising (said the pastry-cook); but, if you follow my advice, you will let no man know the matters yon have revealed to me, but patiently expect till Heaven think fit to put an end to your misfortunes: You are free to stay with me till then; and as I have no children, I will own you for my son, if you consent to it; and when you are so adopted, you may freely walk up and down the city, without being further exposed to the insults of the rabble. Though this adoption was below the son of a grand vizier, Bedreddin was glad to accept of the pastry-cook's proposal, judging it the best thing he could do in his then circumstances. The cook clothed him, called witnesses, and sent for a notary, before whom he acknowledged him as his son. After this, Bedreddin staid with him by the name of Hassan, and learned the pastry trade. Whilst these things passed at Damascus, Schemseddin Mohammed's daughter awaked, and, finding Bedreddin out of bed, supposed he had risen softly from a fear of disturbing her, but that he would soon return. As she was in expectation of him, her father the vizier, who was mightily vexed at the affront put upon him by the sultan, came and knocked at her chamber-door, with a resolution to bewail her sad destiny. He called her by her name, and she, knowing him by his voice, immediately got up and opened the door; she kissed his hand, and received him with so much satisfaction in her countenance as surprised the vizier, who expected to find her drowned in tears, and as much grieved, as himself. Unhappy wretch! said he in a passion, do you appear before me thus? after the hideous sacrifice you have just consummated, can you see me with so much satisfaction? The new bride, seeing her father angry at her pleasant countenance, said to him, For God's sake, sir, do not reproach me wrongfully: It is not the hump-back fellow, whom I abhor more than death, it is not that monster I have married; every body laughed him so to scorn, and put him so out of countenance, that he was forced to run away and hide himself, to make room for a charming young gentleman who is my real husband. What fable do you tell me? said Schemseddin roughly? What! did not Crook-back lie with you last night? No, sir, said she, it was that young gentleman who has large eyes and black eye-brows. At these words the vizier lost all patience, and fell into a terrible passion. Ah, wicked woman, says he, you will make me distracted! It is you, father, said she, that puts me out of my senses by your incredulity. So it is not true, replies the vizier, that Hump-back—Let us talk no more of Hump-back, said she; a curse upon Hump-back, must I always have him cast in my dish? Father, said she, I tell you once more that I did not bed with him, but with my dear spouse, who, I believe, is not very far off. Schemseddin immediately went out to seek him; but, instead of seeing him, was mightily surprised to find Hump-back with his head on the ground, and his heels uppermost, as the genius had placed him. What is the meaning of this? said he; who placed you thus? Crook-back, knowing it to be the vizier, answered, Alas! alas! it is you then that would marry me to the mistress of a buffalo, the sweetheart of an ugly genius; I will not be your fool, you shall not put a trick upon me. Schemseddin, on hearing Hump-back speak thus, thought he was raving, and bade him move, and stand upon his legs. I will take care how I do that, said Hump-back, unless the sun be risen. Know, sir, that when I came thither last night, on a sudden a black cat appeared to me, and in an instant grew as big as a buffalo: I have not forgotten what he said to me; therefore you may go about your business, and leave me here. The vizier, instead of going away, took Hump-back by the heels, and made him get up, after which he ran as fast as he could, without looking behind him, and, coming to the palace, presented himself to the sultan, who laughed heartily when he told him how the genius had served him.
Schemseddin returned to his daughter's chamber more astonished than before. Well then, my abused daughter, said he, can you give me no further light into this matter? Sir, said she, I can give you no other account than what I have done already. Here are my husband's clothes, which he left upon the chair; perhaps you may find somewhat that may solve your doubt. She then showed him Bedreddin's turban, which he took and examined carefully on all sides. I should take this to be a vizier's turban, if it were not made after the Moussol[Footnote: The town of Moussol is in Mesopotamia, and built opposite to old Nineveh.] fashion; but, perceiving somewhat to be sewed between the stuff and the lining, he called for scissars, and, having unripped it, found the paper which Noureddin Ali gave Bedreddin his son as he was dying, and he had put it in his turban for more security. Schemseddin, having opened the paper, knew his brother Noureddin's hand, and found this superscription, 'For my son Bedreddin Hassan.' Before he could make any reflections, his daughter delivered him the bag that lay under his clothes, which he likewise opened, and found full of sequins; for, as before mentioned, notwithstanding all the liberality of Bedreddin, it was still kept full by the genius and fairy. He read these words upon a note in the bag, 'A thousand sequins belonging to Isaac the Jew;' and these lines underneath, which the Jew wrote before he departed from Bedreddin: ' Delivered to Bedreddin Hassan, for the cargo of the first of those ships that formerly belonged to Noureddin Ali, his father, of worthy memory, sold unto me upon its arrival in this place.' He had scarcely read these words, when he gave a shout, and fainted. Being recovered, however, by the help of his daughter, and the woman whom she called to her assistance, Daughter, said he, do not frighten yourself at this accident, the reason of which is such as you can scarcely believe: Your bridegoom is your cousin, the son of Noureddin Ali; the thousand sequins put me in mind of a quarrel I had with my dear brother; it is without doubt the dowry he gives you. God be praised for all things, and particularly for this, miraculous adventure, which demonstrates his almighty power. Then looking again upon his brother's writing, he kissed it several times, shedding abundance of tears. Having looked over the book from one end to the other, he found the date of his brother's arrival at Balsora, his marriage, and the birth of Bedreddin Hasaan; and when he compared the same with the day of his own marriage, and the birth of his daughter at Cairo, he wondered how every thing so exactly agreed. This happy discovery put him into such a transport of joy, that he took up the book, with the ticket of the bag, and showed it to the sultan, who pardoned what was past, and was so much pleased with the relation of the adventure, that he caused it, with all its circumstances, to be put in writing for the use of posterity.
Meanwhile Schemseddin could not comprehend why his nephew did not appear; he expected him every moment, and was impatient to have him in his arms. After he had expected him seven days in vain, he searched for him through all Cairo, but could hear no news of him, which perplexed him very much. This is the strangest adventure, said he, that ever man met with. Not knowing what alteration might happen, he thought fit to draw up in writing, with his own hand, after what manner the wedding had been solemnized; how the hall and his daughter's bed-chamber were furnished, and other circumstances. He likewise made the turban, the bag, and the rest of Bedreddin's things, into a bundle, and locked them up. After some weeks, the vizier's daughter perceived herself with child, and was delivered of a son at the end of nine months. A nurse was provided, besides women and slaves; and his grandfather called him Agib[Footnote: This word, in Arabic, signifies wonderful.]. When young Agib had attained the age of seven, the vizier, instead of teaching him to read at home, sent him to a master who was in great esteem; and two slaves were ordered to wait upon him. Agib used to play with his school-fellows, and as they were all inferior to him in quality, they showed him great respect, according to the example of their master, who often would excuse faults in him that he would not pass by in the rest. This complaisance spoiled Agib so, that he became proud and insolent, would have his play-fellows bear all from him, and would bear nothing from them, but be master every where; and if any one took the liberty to thwart him, he would call them a thousand names, and many times beat them. In short, all the scholars were weary of his company, and complained of him to the master, who answered, that they must have patience. But when he saw that Agib still grew more and more insolent, and occasioned him a great deal of trouble, Children, said he to his scholars, I find that Agib is a little insolent gentleman; I will show you a way how to mortify him, so that he will never torment you more; nay, I believe it will make him leave the school: When he comes again to-morrow, and if you have a mind to play together, set yourselves round him, and do one of you call out, Come let us play, but upon condition, that he who desires to play shall tell his own name, and the names of his father and mother; and they who refuse it shall be esteemed bastards, and not suffered to play in our company. Next day, accordingly, when they were gathered together, they failed not to follow their master's instructions: they placed themselves round Agib, and one of them called out, Let us begin a play, but on condition, that he who cannot tell his own name, with that of his father and mother, shall not play at all. They all cried out, and so did Agib, We consent to it. Then he that spoke first asked every one the question, and all fulfilled the condition except Agib, who answered, My name is Agib, my mother is called the lady of beauty, and my father Schemseddih Mohammed, vizier to the sultan.
At these words the children cried out, Agib, What do you say? That is not the name of your father, but of your grandfather. A curse on you, said he in a passion: What! dare you say that the vizier Schemseddin is not my father? No, no, cried they, with great laughter, he is but your grandfather, and you shall not play with us; nay, we will take care how we come into your company. Having spoken thus, they left him, scoffing and laughing among themselves, which mortified Agib so much that he wept. The schoolmaster, who was near, and heard all that passed, came just at the nick of time, and speaking to Agib, says, Agib, do not you know that the vizier Schemseddin is not your father, but your grandfather, and the father of your mother, the lady of beauty? We know not the name of your father any more than you do; but only know that the sultan was going to marry your mother to one of his grooms, a hump-back fellow, but a genius lay with her. This is hard upon you, and ought to teach you to treat your school-fellows with less haughtiness than you have done hitherto. Little Agib, being nettled at this, ran hastily out of the school, and went home crying. He came straight to his mother's chamber, who, being alarmed to see him thus grieved, asked him the reason. He could not answer for tears, and it was but now and then he could speak plain enough to repeat what had been the occasion of his sorrow. Having come to himself, Mother, said he, for the love of God, be pleased to tell me who is my father. My son, said she, Schemseddin Mohammed, that every day makes so much of you, is your father. You do not tell me truth, said he; he is your father, not mine; but whose son am I? At this question, the lady of beauty, calling to mind her wedding-night, which had been succeeded by a long widowhood, began to shed tears, repining bitterly at the loss of so lovely a husband as Bedreddin. Whilst she and Agib were weeping, the vizier entered, and demanded the reason of their sorrow. The lady told him the shame Agib had undergone at school, which did so much afflict the vizier, that he joined his tears with theirs; and judging that the misfortune that had happened to his daughter was the common discourse of the town, he was quite out of patience. In this state he went to the sultan's palace, and, falling at his feet, humbly prayed him to give him leave to make a journey into the provinces of the Levant, and particularly to Balsora, in search of his nephew Bedreddin, as he could not bear that the people of the city should believe a genius had got his daughter with child. The sultan was much concerned at the vizier's affliction, commended his resolution, gave him leave to go, and caused a passport also to be written for him, praying, in the most obliging terms, all kings and princes, in whose dominions the said Bedreddin might sojourn, to grant that the vizier might bring him along with him.
Schemseddin, not knowing how to express his thankfulness to the sultan for this favour, thought it his duty to fall down before him a second time, and the floods of tears he shed gave sufficient testimony of his gratitude. At last, having wished the sultan all manner of prosperity, he took leave, and went home to his house, where he disposed every thing for his journey, the preparations for which were carried on with so much diligence, that in four days he left the city, accompanied by his daughter and his grandson Agib.
They travelled nineteen days without stopping; but on the twentieth, arriving in a very pleasant meadow at a small distance from Damascus, they stopped, and pitched their tents on the banks of a river that runs through the town, and affords a very agreeable prospect to its neighbourhood. Schemseddin Mohammed declared that he would stay in that pleasant place two days, and pursue his journey on the third. In the mean time he granted permission to his retinue to go to Damascus; and almost all of them made use of it—some influenced by curiosity to see a city of which they had heard much, and others by the opportunity of vending in it such Egyptian goods as they had brought with them, or of buying the stuffs and rarities of the country. The beautiful lady, desirous that her son Agib might share in the satisfaction of viewing that celebrated city, ordered the black eunuch, who acted in the quality of his governor, to conduct him hither, and to take care that he came to no harm. Accordingly Agib, arrayed in magnificent apparel, went along with the eunuch, who held a large cane in his hand. They had no sooner entered the city than Agib, fair and glorious as the day, attracted the eyes of the people. Some left their houses in order to gain a nearer view of him, others looked out at their windows, and those who passed along the streets were not satisfied with stopping to view him, but kept pace with him to prolong the pleasure of such an agreeable sight: in fine, every one admired him, and implored a thousand benedictions on the father and mother who had given being to so fine a child. By chance the eunuch and he passed by the shop where Bedreddin Hassan was, and there the crowd was so great, that they were forced to halt.
The pastry-cook who had adopted Bedreddin, had died some years before, leaving him his shop and all his estate; and he now managed the pastry trade so dexterously, that he gained great reputation in Damascus. Bedreddin, seeing so great a crowd gazing attentively upon Agib and the black eunuch, stepped out to view them himself. Having cast his eyes particularly on Agib, he presently found himself involuntarily moved. He was not struck like the crowd, with the shining beauty of the boy; a very different cause, unknown to him, gave rise to his commotion. It was the force of the blood that worked in this tender father, who, laying aside all business, made up to Agib, and, with an engaging air, said to him, My little lord, who hast won my soul, be so kind as to come into my shop, and eat a bit of such fare as I have, that I may have the pleasure of admiring you at my ease. These words he pronounced with such tenderness, that tears trickled from his eyes. Little Agib himself was greatly moved; and, turning to the eunuch, said, This honest man's face pleases me much; he speaks in such an affectionate manner, that I cannot avoid complying with his desire; let us step into his house, and taste his pastry. Ah, by my troth! replied the slave, it would be a fine thing to see the son of a vizier go into a pastry shop to eat; do not you imagine that I will suffer any such thing. Alas, my little lord, cried Bedreddin, it is an injustice to trust your conduct in the hands of a person who treats you so harshly. Then applying himself to the eunuch, My good friend, continued he, pray do not himder this young lord to grant me the favour I ask; do not put that piece of mortification on me; rather do me the honour to walk in along with him; and, by so doing, you will give the world to know, that, though your outside is brown like a chesnut, your inside is as white as his. Do you know, continued he, that I am master of the secret to make you white, instead of being black as you are? This set the eunuch a laughing, and then he asked Bedreddin what that secret was. I will tell you, replied Bedreddin, repeating some verses in praise of black eunuchs, implying, that by their ministry the honour of princes, and of all great men, was insured. The eunuch was so charmed with the verses, that, without further hesitation, he suffered Agib to go into the shop, and also went in himself. Bedreddin was overjoyed at having obtained what he had so passionately desired; and falling about the work he had discontinued, I was making, said he, cream-tarts, and you must, with submission, eat of them, I am persuaded you will find them very good; for my own mother, who makes them incomparably well, taught me; and people send to buy them of me from all quarters of the town. This said, he took a cream-tart out of the oven, and, after strewing on it some pomegranate kernels and sugar, set it before Agib, who pronounced it very delicious. Another was served up to the eunuch, who gave the same judgment. While they were both eating, Bedreddin regarded Agib very attentively; and, after looking on him again and again, it occurred to him that, for any thing he knew, he might have such a son by his charming wife, from whom he had been so soon and so cruelly separated; and the very thoughts drew tears from his eyes. He also intended to put some questions to little Agib about his journey to Damascus; but the child had no time to gratify his curiosity; for the eunuch, pressing him to return to his grandfather's tent, took him away as soon as he had done eating. Bedreddin, however, not contented with looking after him, shut up his shop immediately, and followed him. The eunuch, perceiving that he followed them, was extremely surprised: You impertinent fellow, said he, with an angry tone, what do you want? My dear friend, replied Bedreddin, do not trouble yourself; I have a little business out of town that is just come into my head, and I must needs go and look after it. This answer, however, did not at all appease the eunuch, who, turning to Agib, said, This is all owing to you; I foresaw that I should repent of my complaisance; you would needs go into the man's shop; it was not wise in me to give you leave. Perhaps, replied Agib, he has real business out of town, and the road is free to every body.
While this conversation passed, they kept walking together, without looking behind them, till they came near the vizier's tents, when they turned about to see if Bedreddin followed them. Agib, perceiving he was within two paces of him, grew red and white alternately, according to his different emotions; he was afraid that the grand vizier his grandfather should come to know that he had been in the pastry-shop, and had eaten there. In this dread he took up a pretty large stone that lay at his foot, and throwing it at Bedreddin, hit him on the forehead, which gave him such a wound, that his face was covered with blood; he then took to his heels, and ran under the eunuch's tent. The eunuch gave Bedreddin to understand that he had no reason to complain of a mischance which he had merited and brought upon himself. Bedreddin turned towards the city, staunching the blood with his apron, which he had not put off. I was a fool, said he within himself, for leaving my house, to take so much pains about this brat; for doubtless he would never have used me after this manner, if he had not thought I had some fatal design against him; When he got home, he had his wound dressed, and softened the sense of his mischance by the reflection that there was an infinite number of people yet more unfortunate than himself.
Bedreddin kept on the pastry trade at Damascus, whence his uncle Sehemseddin departed three days after his arrival; he went by the way of Emaus, Hanah, and Halep; then crossed the Euphrates; and, after passing through Mardin, Moussoul, Singier, Diarbeker, and several other towns, arrived at last at Balsora; and, immediately after his arrival, desired audience of the sultan, who was no sooner informed of Schemseddin's quality, than he received him very favourably, and asked him the occasion of his journey to Balsora. Sir, replied the vizier Schemseddin, I come to know what is become of the son of Noureddin Ali, my brother, who has had the honour to serve your majesty. Noureddin, said the sultan, has been dead a long while: as to his son, all I can tell you of him is, that he disappeared very suddenly about two months after his father's death, and nobody has seen him since, notwithstanding all the inquiry I ordered to be made; but his mother, who is the daughter of one of my viziers, is still alive. Schemseddin desired leave of the sultan to see her, and carry her to Egypt; and having obtained his request, without tarrying till next day for the satisfaction of seeing her, inquired her place of abode, and that very hour went to her house, accompanied by his daughter and grandson.
The widow of Noureddin resided still in the same house where her husband had lived: it was a very magnificent structure, adorned with marble pillars; but Schemseddin did not stop to view it. At his entry, he kissed the gate, and the piece of marble upon which his brother's name was written in letters of gold. He desired to speak with his sister-in-law, and was told by the servants that she was then in a small edifice, in the form of a dome, which they showed him, in the middle of a very spacious court. This tender mother used to spend the greater part of the day, as well as the night, in that room, which she had built in order to represent the tomb of Bedreddin, whom she supposed to be dead after so long an absence. At this very instant she was shedding tears at the thoughts of her dear child; and Schemseddin entering, found her labouring under that affliction. He paid his compliments, and, after beseeching her to suspend her tears and groans, gave her to know that he had the honour to be her brother-in-law, and acquainted her with the occasion of his journey from Cairo to Balsora. Schemseddin, after relating all that had passed at Cairo on his daughter's wedding-night, and the surprise occasioned by the discovery of the paper sewed up in Bedreddin's turban, presented to her Agib and the beautiful lady.