The perie having attentively observed Buddir ad Deen, replied, "I
must confess that he is a very handsome man, but I am just come
from seeing an objets at Cairo, more admirable than this; and if
you will hear me, I will relate her unhappy fate." "You will very
much oblige me," answered the genie. "You must know then," said
the perie, "that the sultan of Egypt has a vizier, Shumse ad Deen
Mahummud, who has a daughter most beautiful and accomplished. The
sultan having heard of this young lady's beauty, sent the other
day for her father, and said, 'I understand you have a daughter
to marry; I would have her for my bride: will not you consent?'
The vizier, who did not expect this proposal, was troubled, and
instead of accepting it joyfully, which another in his place
would certainly have done, he answered the sultan: 'May it please
your majesty, I am not worthy of the honour you would confer upon
me, and I most humbly beseech you to pardon me, if I do not
accede to your request. You know I had a brother, who had the
honour, as well as myself, to be one of your viziers: we had some
difference together, which was the cause of his leaving me
suddenly. Since that time I have had no account of him till
within these four days, that I heard he died at Bussorah, being
grand vizier to the sultan of that kingdom.
"'He has left a son, and there having been an agreement between
us to match our children together, I am persuaded he intended
that match when he died; and being desirous to fulfil the promise
on my part, I conjure your majesty to grant me permission.'
"The sultan of Egypt, provoked at this denial of his vizier said
to him in anger which he could not restrain: 'Is this the way in
which you requite my condescension in stooping so low as to
desire your alliance? I know how to revenge your presumption in
daring to prefer another to me, and I swear that your daughter
shall be married to the most contemptible and ugly of my slaves.'
Having thus spoken, he angrily commanded the vizier to quit his
presence. The vizier retired to his palace full of confusion, and
overwhelmed in despair.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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