Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 3.djvu/150

130 light in his face became darkness and he said, ‘Expound to me the nature of my son’s madness.’ ‘O my lord,’ answered the Vizier, ‘I hear and obey.’ Then he told him all that had passed and the King said to him, ‘O most ill-omened of Viziers and filthiest of Amirs, know that the reward I will give thee in return for this thy news of my son’s madness shall be the cutting off of thy head and the forfeiture of thy goods; for thou hast caused my son’s disorder by the wicked and sinister counsel thou hast given me first and last. By Allah, if aught of mischief or madness have befallen him, I will nail thee upon the dome [of the palace] and make thee taste the bitterness of death!’ Then rising, he betook himself with the Vizier to the tower, and when Kemerezzeman saw him, he came down to him in haste from the couch on which he sat and kissing his hands, drew back and stood before him awhile, with his eyes cast down and his hands clasped behind him. Then he raised his head and repeated the following verses, whilst the tears streamed down his cheeks:

When the King heard this, he embraced his son and kissing him between the eyes, made him sit by his side on the couch; then turned to the Vizier and looking on him with angry eyes, said to him, ‘O dog of a Vizier, why didst thou tell me that my son was mad and make my heart quake for him?’ Then he turned to the prince and said to him, ‘O my son, what is to-day called?’ ‘O my father,’ answered he, ‘to-day is Saturday and to-morrow Sunday: then come Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.’ ‘O my son, O Kemerezzeman,’ exclaimed the King, ‘praised be God for the preservation of thy reason! What is this present month called in Arabic?’