with the Sultan to day; but to-morrow, an it please God the Most High, I will bespeak him.  To-day there were many other folk, like myself, unable to get speech of the Sultan; but be easy, O my son; to-morrow I will without fail bespeak him on thy behalf, and what happened not shall happen.”  When Alaeddin heard his mother’s words, he rejoiced with an exceeding joy, albeit, of the excess of his love and longing for the Lady Bedrulbudour, he had looked for the matter to be accomplished then and there; nevertheless, he used patience.

They slept that night and on the morrow Alaeddin’s mother arose and went with the dish to the Sultan’s Divan, but found it closed; so she asked the folk and they said to her, “The Sultan holdeth a Divan but thrice a week;” wherefore she was compelled [FN#352] to return home.  Then she proceeded to go every day, and whenas she found the Divan open, she would stand before the door, [FN#353] till it broke up, when she would return home; and whiles she went and found the Divan closed. [FN#354] On this wise she abode a week’s space [FN#355] and the Sultan saw her at each Divan; so, when she went on the last day [of the week] and stood, according to her wont, before the Divan, till it was ended, but could not muster courage to enter [FN#356] or say aught, the Sultan arose and entering the harem, turned to his chief Vizier, who was with him, and said to him, " O Vizier, these six or seven days [FN#357] past I have seen yonder old woman come hither at every Divan and I note that she still carrieth somewhat under her veil. [FN#358] Hast thou any knowledge of her, O Vizier, and knowest thou what is her want?” “O our lord the Sultan,” replied the Vizier, “verily women are little of wit; and most like this woman cometh to complain to thee of her husband or one of her folk,” The Sultan was not content with the Vizier’s reply, but bade him, an she came again to the Divan, bring her before him forthright; [FN#359] whereupon the Vizier laid his hand on his head and answered, “Hearkening and obedience, O our lord the Sultan.”

Meanwhile, [FN#360] Alaeddin’s mother, albeit she was grown exceeding weary and dejected, yet made light of all weariness, for her son’s sake, and continued, as of her wont, to go every court-day and stand in the Divan before the Sultan. [FN#361] Accordingly, one day of the days, she went to the Divan, as of her wont, and stood before the Sultan; and when he saw her, he called his Vizier and said to him, “Yonder is the woman of whom I bespoke thee yesterday; bring her now before me, so I may see what her suit is and accomplish unto her her occasion.”  So the Vizier arose forthright and let bring Alaeddin’s mother in before the Sultan.  When she came into the latter’s presence, she made her obeisance to him and did him reverence, wishing him glory and continuance and eternity of prosperity and kissing the ground before him.  Then said he to her, “O woman, I see thee come every day to the Divan and