Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/360

326 her, “O my mother, I was in health and well-being, till thou madest mention to me of the belvedere; so I found the door and ascending to the top of the house, saw thence what took away my senses; and now methinks I am a lost man, and I know no physician for me but thyself.” When she heard this, she laughed and said, “No harm shall befall thee, so God please.” Whereupon he went into the house and coming back with a hundred dinars in his sleeve, said to her, “Take this, O my mother, and deal with me as lords with slaves and succour me quickly; for, if I die, my blood will be laid to thy charge at the Day of Resurrection.” “With all my heart,” answered she; “but, O my son, thou must lend me thine aid in some small matter, whereby hangs the accomplishment of thy desire.” Quoth he, “What would thou have me do, O my mother?” “Go to the silk-market,” said she, “and enquire for the shop of Aboul Feth ben Caidam. Sit down by him and salute him and say to him, ‘Give me the face-veil thou hast by thee, figured with gold:’ for he hath none handsomer in his shop. Then buy it of him at his own price and keep it till I come to thee to-morrow, God willing.” So saying, she went away and he passed the night [as] upon coals of tamarisk wood.

Next morning, he took a thousand dinars in his pocket and repairing to the silk-market, sought cut the shop of Aboul Feth, whom he found a man of dignified aspect, surrounded by servants and attendants; for he was a merchant of great wealth and consideration, and of the goods that God the Most High had bestowed upon him was the damsel who had ravished the young man’s heart. She was his wife and had not her match for beauty, nor was her like to be found with any of the sons of the kings. So he saluted him and Aboul Feth returned his salute and bade him be seated. Accordingly, he sat down by him and said to him, “O merchant, I wish to look at such a