Page:The Harvard Classics Vol. 16.djvu/398

 were amazed at this sight, the like of which they had never witnessed in all their born days, above all, such damsels, every one of whom would turn the head of an anchorite. And although the chamberlain and officers of the Sultan's troops were all sons of grandees and nobles, yet they were astonished beyond measure at the costly dresses which the damsels wore, and the bowls upon their heads, which they could not gaze full upon by reason of their excessive flashing and dazzle.

Then the guard went in and informed the Sultan, and he at once ordered that they should be brought before him in the Hall of Audience. So 'Ala-ed-Din's mother came in with them; and when they appeared before the Sultan, they all saluted him with due reverence and worship, and they invoked blessings on his glory and good-fortune. Then they took the bowls from their heads and set them before him, and removed their coverings, and then stood respectfully. The Sultan marvelled with great admiration, and was bewildered at the splendour of the jewels and their loveliness, which transcended praise; and his wits were turned when he looked at the golden bowls full of precious stones, which captivated the sight; and he was confounded at this marvel till he became as the dumb, and could not say a word from excess of wonder. And his mind was the more perplexed how all this could have come about in the space of an hour. Then he gave commandment that the damsels with the bowls should enter the palace of the Lady Bedr-el-Budur; so they took up their loads and went in.

After that, the mother of 'Ala-ed-Din came and said to the Sultan: "O my lord, this is not a great thing wherewith to do honour to the Lady Bedr-el-Budur, for she merits the double of this [dower]." Then the Sultan turned to the Wezir and said: "What sayest thou, O Wezir? He who can procure such riches as these in so short a time, is he not worthy to be the Sultan's son-in-law and the daughter of the Sultan his bride?" But the Wezir, although he marvelled at the vastness of these riches, more even than the Sultan, yet, being devoured by envy, which grew stronger and stronger when he saw how content the Sultan was with the dower and riches, and though he could not disguise the truth, answered: "It is not worthy of her." And he was devising a plan for the Sultan, that he might not give