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.