Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/166

140 that God hath been merciful to us, for the Sultan is nigh upon death for leprosy, and the books tell us that his life is in thy hands.’ Then he took him and carried him through the seven vestibules of the palace, till they came to the King’s chamber.

Now the name of this King was Kerezdan, King of Persia and of the Seven Countries, and under his sway were a hundred sovereign princes, sitting on chairs of red gold, and ten thousand captains, under each one’s hand a hundred deputies and as many sword-bearers and axe-men. They found the King lying on a bed, with his head wrapped in a napkin, and groaning for excess of pain. When Hasib saw this ordinance, his wit was dazed for awe of the King; so he kissed the earth before him and invoked blessings on him. Then the Grand Vizier, whose name was Shemhour, rose (whilst all present rose also to do him honour) and welcoming Hasib, seated him on a high chair at the King’s right hand; after which he called for food and the tables were laid.

When they had eaten and drunken and washed their hands, Shemhour turned to Hasib and said to him, ‘We are all thy servants and will give thee whatsoever thou seekest, even to the half of the kingdom, so thou wilt but cure the King.’ So saying, he led him to the royal couch, and Hasib, uncovering the King’s face, saw that he was at the last extremity: so he said to the Vizier, ‘It is true that I am the son of the prophet Daniel, but I know nothing of his art: for they put me thirty days in the school of medicine and I learnt nothing of the craft. I would well I knew somewhat thereof and might heal the King.’ When the Grand Vizier heard this, he bent over Hasib’s hand and kissed it, saying, ‘Do not multiply words upon us; for, though we should gather together to us physicians from the East and from the West, none could heal the King but thou.’ ‘How can I heal him,’