they set the nets, and enlarged their circle, and there collected within them an abundance and a variety of wild beasts and gazelles, in such numbers that the wild beasts cried out in fear of them, and threw themselves in the faces of the horses in their attempts to escape. So he urged the dogs and the lynxes[12] and the hawks at them; and they shot the wild beasts with arrows, striking them in mortal places, and they arrived not at the further extremity of the circle without having taken, of the wild beasts, a great number; the rest having fled away. Táj-el-Mulook then alighted at some water, and, having caused the game to be brought before him, divided it: he appropriated to his father, Suleymán Sháh, the best of the beasts, and despatched the portion to him; and some he distributed among the officers of his court.
They passed the night at that place; and in the morning there approached them a great caravan, comprising black slaves and servants and merchants. The caravan halted at the water and the verdant tract; and when Táj-el-Mulook beheld them, he said to one of his companions, Bring me an account of these people, and ask them wherefore they have halted in this place. And when the messenger went to them, he said to them, Inform us who ye are, and return an answer quickly. So they replied, We are merchants, and have halted here for the sake of rest, for the next station is distant from us; and we have halted in this place because we here enjoy tranquillity under the protection of the King Suleymán Sháh and his son; for we know that every one who alighteth in his dominions is in safety and peace; and we have some precious stuffs which we have brought on account of his son Táj-el-Mulook. The messenger, therefore, returned to the King's son, and acquainted him with the truth of the matter, informing him of what he had heard from the merchants; and the King's son said, If they have anything which they have brought on my account, I will not enter the city nor remove from this place until I cause it to be displayed before me. He then mounted his horse, and proceeded, his memlooks following him, until he drew near to the caravan; and the merchants rose to him, and greeted him with prayers for the divine aid and favour, and the continuance of his glory and his excellencies. A tent of red satin embroidered with pearls and jewels was pitched for him, and they spread for him, over a carpet of silk, a royal carpet, the upper end of which was adorned with emeralds: and Táj-el-Mulook seated himself, and the memlooks stood waiting upon him; and he sent to the merchants, commanding them to bring everything that they had with them. So they approached him with their merchandise, and he caused all of it to be displayed before him, and took of it what suited him, and gave them the price.
After this, he mounted, and was about to depart; when, casting a glance at the caravan, he saw a young man, a comely youth, attired in clean clothes, of elegant person, with shining forehead and brilliant countenance; but the charms of this youth had suffered a change, and paleness had overspread him, in consequence of his separation from the objects of his affection; great was his groaning and lamentation, and, with tears flowing from his eyes, he recited these verses:—
Our separation is protracted, and anxiety and fear are prolonged; and tears from my eye, O my friend, are flowing. I bade farewell to my heart on the day of parting, and now I am alone, without heart, and without hope. O my friend, pause with me while I bid her farewell by whose voice diseases and infirmities would be cured.
Having thus said, he wept a while, and fell down in a swoon, while Táj-el-Mulook looked at him, wondering at his case; and when he recovered, he stared with a bold look, and again recited some verses, commencing thus:—
Beware of her eye; for it is enchanting, and none escapeth upon whom it is cast.
He then uttered a loud sigh, and a second time swooned; and when Táj-el-Mulook beheld him in this state, he was perplexed at his case, and walked towards him; and as soon as he recovered from his fit, he saw the King's son standing at his head; whereupon he rose upon his feet, and kissed the ground before him; and Táj-el-Mulook said to him, Wherefore hast thou not displayed thy merchandise to us?—O my lord, he answered, my merchandise compriseth nothing suitable to thy highness. But the King's son said, Thou must positively shew me what thou hast, and acquaint me with thy circumstances; for I see thee with weeping eye and mourning heart; and if thou be oppressed, we will put an end to the oppression that thou sufferest; and if thou be in debt, we will discharge thy debt; for my heart hath been tormented on thine account since I first beheld thee.
Then Táj-el-Mulook gave orders to place a chair; and they set for him a chair of ivory and ebony ornamented with reticulated work of gold and silk, and they spread for him a silken carpet; and Táj-el-Mulook seated himself upon the chair, and commanded the young man to sit upon the carpet, and said to him, Display to me thy merchandise. The young man replied, O my lord, mention it not unto me; for my merchandise is not suitable to thee. But Táj-el-Mulook said to him, It must be done:—and ordered some of his pages to bring it: so they brought it in spite of him; and when the young man beheld it, his tears flowed, and he wept and sighed and lamented, and groans rose from his throat. After again repeating some verses, he opened his merchandise, and displayed it before Táj-el-Mulook, portion by portion and piece by piece, and took forth from among it a garment of satin interwoven with gold, worth two thousand pieces of gold; and when he opened this, there fell from the midst of it a piece of linen, and the young man, snatching it hastily, put it beneath him, his reason wandering, and thus exclaimed.—