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.