Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/138

120 marry him to her in all state, for he is a goodly youth and hath endured horrors for her sake.’ So she and her maidens set out with Seif el Mulouk for Serendib and foregathered with Dauleh Khatoun and Bediya el Jemal in the Queen of Hind’s garden. The old queen acquainted the two princesses with all that had passed between Seif el Mulouk and the Blue King; after which King Taj el Mulouk assembled the grandees of his realm and drew up the contract of marriage between Seif el Mulouk and Bediya el Jemal; and he conferred splendid robes of honour and gave banquets to the people.

Then Seif el Mulouk rose, and kissing the earth before the king, said to him, ‘Pardon, O king! I would fain ask somewhat of thee, but fear lest thou refuse it to me and disappoint my expectation.’ ‘By Allah,’ answered Taj el Mulouk, ‘though thou soughtest my soul of me, I would not refuse it to thee, after all the kindness thou hast done me!’ Quoth Seif, ‘I wish thee to marry the princess Dauleh Khatoun to my brother Saïd, and we will both be thy servants.’ ‘I hear and obey,’ answered Taj el Mulouk, and assembling his grandees a second time, let draw up the contract of marriage between his daughter and Saïd; after which they scattered gold and silver [among the people] and the king bade decorate the city. So they held high festival and Seif and Saïd went in to their brides on the same night.

As for Seif el Mulouk, he abode forty days with Bediya el Jemal, at the end of which time she said to him, ‘O king’s son, is there any regret for aught left in thy heart?’ ‘God forbid!’ answered he. ‘I have accomplished my quest and there abideth no regret in my heart: but I would fain visit my father and mother in Egypt and see if they continue well or not.’ So Bediya commanded a company of her people to convey them to Egypt, and they carried them to Cairo, where Seif and Saïd foregathered