and ended by adding, “Alhamdolillah,—­laud to the Lord!—­O my child, that I found courage enough and secured for myself standing place in the levee this day; and, albe I dreaded to bespeak the King yet (Inshallah!) on the morrow I will address him.  Even to-day were many who, like myself, could not get audience of the Sultan.  But be of good cheer, O my son, and to-morrow needs must I bespeak him for thy sake; and what happened not may happen.”  When Alaeddin heard his parent’s words, he joyed with excessive joy; and, although he expected the matter to be managed hour by hour, for excess of his love and longing to the Lady Badr al-Budur, yet he possessed his soul in patience.  They slept well that night and betimes next morning the mother of Alaeddin arose and went with her bowl to the King’s court which she found closed.  So she asked the people and they told her that the Sultan did not hold a levee every day but only thrice in the se’nnight; wherefor she determined to return home; and, after this, whenever she saw the court open she would stand before the King until the reception ended and when it was shut she would go to make sure thereof; and this was the case for the whole month.  The Sultan was wont to remark her presence at every levee, but, on the last day when she took her station, as was her wont, before the Council, she allowed it to close and lacked boldness to come forwards and speak even a syllable.  Now as the King having risen was making for his Harem accompanied by the Grand Wazir, he turned to him and said, “O Wazir, during the last six or seven levee days I see yonder old woman present herself at every reception and I also note that she always carrieth a something under her mantilla.  Say me, hast thou, O Wazir, any knowledge of her and her intention?” “O my lord the Sultan, said the other, “verily women be weakly of wits, and haply this goodwife cometh hither to complain before thee[FN#134] against her goodman or some of her people.”  But this reply was far from satisfying the Sultan; nay, be bade the Wazir, in case she should come again, set her before him; and forthright the Minister placed hand on head and exclaimed, “To hear is to obey, O our lord the Sultan!”—­And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

     When it was the Five Hundred and Forty-seventh Night,

Quoth Dunyazad, “O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy do tell us some of thy pleasant tales,” whereupon Shahrazad replied, “With love and good will.”—­It hath reached me, O King of the Age, that the mother of Alaeddin, as she made a practice of repairing to the Divan every day and passing into the room and standing opposite the King, albeit she was sorrowful and sore aweary, withal for her son’s sake she endeavored to make easy all her difficulties.  Now one day of the days, when she did according to her custom, the Sultan cast his eyes upon her as she stood before him, and said to his Grand Wazir, “This be the very woman