The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 14 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 429 pages of information about The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 14.

The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 14 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 429 pages of information about The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 14.
and said, “O our lord the Sultan, verily the Youth hath vanished, and in lieu of him is this Shaykh well known to the whole city.”  Hearing these words the King was startled; sore fear entered his heart and he said to himself, “Whoso hath been able to do this deed can do e’en more:  he can depose me from my kingship or he can devise my death.”  So his affright increased and he was at a loss how to contrive for such case.  Presently he summoned his Minister and when he came into the presence said to him, “O Wazir, advise me how to act in the affair of this Youth and what measures should be taken.”  The Minister bowed his brow groundwards in thought for a while, then raising it he addressed the Sultan and said, “O King of the Age, this be a thing beyond experience, and the doer must be master of a might we comprehend not and haply he may work thee in the future some injury and we fear from him for thy daughter.  Wherefore the right way is that thou issue a royal autograph and bid the Crier go round about the city and cry saying, ’Let him who hath wrought this work appear before the King under promise of safety and again safety—­safety on the word of a Sultan which shall never be falsed.’  Should the Youth then surrender himself, O King of the Age, marry him to thy daughter when perhaps his mind may be reconciled to thee by love of her.  He hath already cast eyes upon her and he hath seen the inmates of thy Harem unrobed, so that naught can save their honour but his being united with the Princess.”  Hereupon the Sultan indited an autographic rescript and placed it in the Crier’s hands even as the Wazir had counselled:  and the man went about the streets proclaiming, “By Command of the just King! whoso hath done this deed let him discover himself and come to the Palace under promise of safety and again safety, the safety of sovereigns—­safety on the word of a Sultan which shall never be falsed.”  And the Crier ceased not crying till in fine he reached the square fronting the great Mosque.  The Youth who was standing there heard the proclamation and returning to his Shaykh said, “O my lord, the Crier hath a rescript from the Sultan and he crieth saying, ’Whoso hath done this deed let him discover himself and come to the Palace under promise of safety and again safety—­safety on the word of a Sultan which shall never be falsed.’  And, I must go to him perforce.”  Said the Sage, “O my son, why shouldst thou do on such wise?  Hast thou not already suffered thy sufficiency?” But the young man exclaimed, “Nothing shall prevent my going;” and at this the Shaykh replied, “Go then, O my son, and be thy safeguarding with the Living, the Eternal.”  Accordingly, the Youth repaired to the Hammam and having bathed attired himself in the richest attire he owned, after which he went forth and discovered himself to the Crier who led him to the Palace and set him before the Sovran.  He salamed to the Sultan and did him obeisance and prayed for his long life and prosperity in style the
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The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night — Volume 14 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.