Having cast his eyes upon Agib, Buddir ad Deen found himself moved, he knew not how, nor for what reason.  He was not struck like the people with the brilliant beauty of the boy; another cause unknown to him gave rise to the uneasiness and emotion he felt.  It was the force of blood that wrought in this tender father; who, laying aside his business, made up to Agib, and with an engaging air, said to him:  “My little lord, who hast won my soul, be so kind as to come into my shop, and eat a bit of such fare as I have; that I may have the pleasure of admiring you at my ease.”  These words he pronounced with such tenderness, that tears trickled from his eyes.  Little Agib was moved when he saw his emotion; and turning to the eunuch, said, “This honest man speaks in such an affectionate manner, that I cannot avoid complying with his request; let us step into his house, and taste his pastry.”  “It would be a fine thing truly,” replied the slave, “to see the son of a vizier go into a pastry-cook’s shop to eat; do not imagine that I will suffer any such thing.”  “Alas! my lord,” cried Buddir ad Deen, “it is cruelty to trust the conduct of you in the hands of a person who treats you so harshly.”  Then applying himself to the eunuch, “My good friend,” continued he, “pray do not hinder this young lord from granting me the favour I ask; do not put such mortification upon me:  rather do me the honour to walk in along with him, and by so doing, you will let the world know, that, though your outside is brown like a chestnut, your inside is as white.  Do you know,” continued he, “that I am master of the secret to make you white, instead of being black as you are?” This set the eunuch a laughing, and then he asked what that secret was.  “I will tell you,” replied Buddir ad Deen, who repeated some verses in praise of black eunuchs, implying, that it was by their ministry that the honour of princes and of all great men was secured.  The eunuch was so charmed with these verses, that, without further hesitation, he suffered Agib to go into the shop, and went in with him himself.

Buddir ad Deen Houssun was overjoyed at having obtained what he had so passionately desired, and, falling again to the work he had discontinued “I was making,” said he, “cream-tarts; and you must, with submission, eat of them.  I am persuaded you will find them good; for my own mother, who made them incomparably well, taught me, and the people send to buy them of me from all quarters of the town.”  This said, he took a cream-tart out of the oven, and after strewing upon it some pomegranate kernels and sugar, set it before Agib, who found it very delicious.

Another was served up to the eunuch, and he gave the same judgment.

While they were both eating, Buddir ad Deen viewed Agib very attentively; and after looking upon him again and again, it came into his mind that possibly he might have such a son by his charming wife, from whom he had been so soon and so cruelly separated; and the very thought drew tears from his eyes.  He intended to have put some questions to little Agib about his journey to Damascus; but the child had no time to gratify his curiosity, for the eunuch pressing him to return to his grandfather’s tent, took him away as soon as he had done eating.  Buddir ad Deen Houssun, not contented with looking after him, shut up his shop immediately, and followed him.