Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!” She replied, “With love and good will!” It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan’s mother said, “O my son, everything hath its time and season; and whoso hurrieth a matter before opportunity befit shall be punished with the loss of it.”  But he replied, “By Allah, O my mother, thy suspicion be misplaced:  I acted thus only on my gratitude to her, for assuredly she is the Knight who came to my aidance and who saved me from death.”  And his mother excused him.  They passed that night in converse and next day at noontide the King sought the Divan in order to issue his commandments; but when the assembly filled the room and became as a garden of bloom the Lords of the land said to him, “O King of the Age, ’twere not suitable that thou become Sultan except thou take to thee a wife; and Alhamdolillah—­laud to the Lord who hath set thee on the necks of His servants and who hath restored the realm to thee as successor of thy sire.  There is no help but that thou marry.”  Quoth he, “To hear is to consent;” then he arose without stay or delay and went in to his mother and related to her what had happened.  Quoth she, “O my son, do what becometh thee and Allah prosper thy affairs!” He said to her, “O my mother, retire thou with the maiden and persuade her to marriage for I want none other and I love not aught save herself,” and said she, “With joy and gladness.”  So he went from her and she arose and was private with the damsel when she addressed her, “O my lady, the King desireth to wed thee and he wanteth none other and he seeketh not aught save thee.”  But the Princess hearing this exclaimed, “How shall I marry, I who have lost my kith and kin and my dear ones and am driven from my country and my birth-place?  This were a proceeding opposed to propriety!  But if it need must be and I have the fortune to forgather with my mother and sisters and father, then and then only it shall take place.”  The mother replied, “Why this delay, O my daughter?  The Lords of the land have stood up against the King in the matter of marriage, and in the absence of espousals we fear for his deposition.  Now maidens be many and their relations long to see each damsel wedded to my son and become a Queen in virtue of her husband’s degree:  but he wanteth none other and loveth naught save thyself.  Accordingly, an thou wouldst take compassion on him and protect him by thy consent from the insistence of the Grandees, deign accept him to mate.”  Nor did the Sultan’s mother cease to speak soothing words to the maiden and to gentle her with soft language until her mind was made up and she gave consent.[FN#177] Upon this they began to prepare for the ceremony forthright, and summoned