Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/74

56 assembly, saying, ‘Go to your houses and rest till the king recover from that which aileth him.’ So they went away, leaving none in the presence save the vizier, who, as soon as the king came to himself, kissed the earth before him and said, ‘O king of the age, what meaneth this weeping? Tell me who hath transgressed against thee or thwarted thee of the kings or castellans or amirs or grandees, that we may all fall on him and tear his soul from his body.’ But he spoke not neither raised his head; whereupon the vizier kissed the earth before him a second time and said to him, ‘O king of the age, I am even as thy son and thy slave, and indeed I have reared thee on my shoulders; yet know I not the cause of thy grief and chagrin and distress and of this thy case; and who should know but I or who should stand in my stead before thee? Tell me therefore the cause of this thy weeping and affliction.’ Nevertheless, the king spoke not neither opened his mouth nor raised his head, but ceased not to weep and cry aloud and lament with an exceeding lamentation and say, ‘Alas!’

The vizier took patience with him awhile, after which he said to him, ‘Except thou tell me the cause of this thine affliction, I will slay myself before thine eyes, rather than see thee thus distressed.’ Then King Aasim raised his head and wiping away his tears, said, ‘O vizier of good counsel, leave me to my grief and my affliction, for that which is in my heart of sorrow sufficeth me.’ But Faris said, ‘O king, tell me the cause of thy weeping. It may be God will appoint thee relief at thy hands.’ ‘O vizier,’ replied the king, ‘I weep not for treasure nor horses nor aught else, but that I am become an old man, nigh upon a hundred and fourscore years of age, and have not been blessed with a child, male or female: so, when I die, they will bury me and my trace will be blotted out and my name cut off and strangers will take my throne and kingship and none will have me in remembrance.’