Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/115

97 thoroughbred horses, saddled and bridled; and Seif mounted and rode through the streets and markets of the town. As he looked about him, his eyes fell on a young man, who was crying a tunic for sale at fifteen dinars: so he considered him and saw him to be like his brother Saïd; and indeed it was his very self, but he was pale and changed for long strangerhood and the hardships of travel, so that he knew him not. However, he said to his attendants, ‘Take yonder youth and carry him to the palace where I lodge, and keep him with you till my return, that I may question him.’ But they understood him to say, ‘Carry him to the prison,’ and said in themselves, ‘Doubtless this is some runaway slave of his.’ So they took him and carried him to the prison, where they laid him in irons and left him.

Presently Seif returned to the palace, but he forgot his brother Saïd, and none made mention of him to him. So he abode in prison, and when they brought out the prisoners, to labour upon the public works, they took Saïd with them, and he wrought with the rest. In this plight he abode a month’s space, in squalor and misery, pondering his case and saying in himself, ‘What is the cause of my imprisonment?’ Meanwhile, Seif el Mulouk’s mind was diverted from him by rejoicing and other things; but one day, as he sat, he bethought him of Saïd and said to his attendants, ‘Where is the young man I gave into your charge on such a day?’ ‘Didst thou not bid us carry him to the prison?’ said they. ‘Nay,’ answered he; ‘I bade you carry him to my palace.’ Then he sent his chamberlains for Saïd and they fetched him in irons, and loosing him from his fetters, set him before the prince, who said to him, ‘O young man, what countryman art thou?’ Quoth he, ‘I am from Egypt and my name is Saïd, son of the Vizier Faris.’

VOL. VII.