“Waste not a word in enterprise!
Against—or for—the minute flies.”
'Tis then for thee, O Feshnavat, to speed to the presence of the King in his majesty, and thou wilt find means of coming to him by a disguise. Once in the Hall of Council, challenge the tongue of contradiction to affirm Shagpat other than a bald-pate bewigged. This is for thee to do.'
Quoth Feshnavat plaintively, after thought, 'And what becometh of me, O thou Master of the Event?'
Shibli Bagarag said, 'The clutch of the executioner will be upon thee, O Feshnavat, and a clamouring multitude around; short breathing-time given thee, O father of Noorna, ere the time of breathing is commanded to cease. Now, in that respite the thing that will occur, 'tis for thee to see and mark; sure, never will reverse of things be more complete, and the other side of the picture more rapidly exhibited, if all go as I conceive and plot, and the trap be not premature nor too perfect for the trappers; as the poet has declared:
“Ye that intrigue, to thy slaves proper portions adapt;
Perfectest plots burst too often, for all are not apt.”
And I witness likewise to the excellence of his saying:
“To master an Event,
Study men!
The minutes are well spent
Only then.”
Also 'tis he that says:
“The man of men who knoweth men, the Man of men is he!
His army is the human race, and every foe must flee.”
So have I apportioned to thee thy work, to Baba Mustapha his; reserving to myself the work that is mine!'