Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 4.djvu/350

320 over him.’ But Ali said, ‘I will consent to nothing but what is pleasing to my brethren; and they have all chosen and agreed upon thee. Wherefore gainsay thou not the King’s commandment and that of thy brethren.’ And Hassan hung his head in abashment before the King and his father. Then said the King to the Amirs, ‘Do ye all accept of him?’ ‘We do,’ answered they and recited thereupon seven Fatihehs. So the King said to the Cadi, ‘Draw up a legal act testifying of these Amirs that they are agreed to make my daughter’s husband Hassan king over them.’ So the Cadi wrote the act and made it executory, after they had all taken the oath of fealty to Hassan. Then the King invested him with the insignia of royalty and bade him take his seat on the throne; whereupon they all arose and kissed King Hassan’s hands and did homage to him.

The new king dispensed justice among the people that day, in right royal fashion, and invested the grandees of the realm in splendid robes of honour. When the Divan broke up, he went in to his father-and-lawfather-in-law [sic] and kissed his hands; and the old King said to him, ‘O my son, look thou govern the people in the fear of God.’ ‘O my father,’ replied Hassan, ‘through thy prayers for me, the grace of God will come to me.’ Then he entered his own palace and was met by his wife and her mother and their attendants, who kissed his hands and gave him joy of his advancement, saying, ‘This is a blessed day.’ Then he went in to his father and mother, who rejoiced with an exceeding joy in that which God had vouchsafed him of his advancement to the kingship, and his father exhorted him to the fear of God and to affectionate solicitude in his dealings with his subjects. He passed the night in joy and gladness, and on the morrow, having prayed the appointed