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after many hardships and fatigues,—which I suffered, till the Lord (to whom belong might and majesty) protected [me],—to this city. I entered it and as I went about its thoroughfares the day before yesterday, I saw my brother’s son Alaeddin playing with the boys; and by Allah the Great, O wife of my brother, when I saw him, my heart crave to him, for that blood yearneth unto blood, and my soul foreboded me he was my brother’s son. At his sight I forgot all my toils and troubles and was like to fly for joy; then, when he told me that my late brother had departed to the mercy of God the Most High, I swooned away for stress of grief and chagrin; and most like he hath told thee of that which overcame me.[1] But I comforted myself somewhat with Alaeddin, who standeth in stead of[2] the departed, for that whoso leaveth [a successor][3] dieth not.”
Then,[4] when he saw her weeping at this speech, he turned to Alaeddin, by way of making her forget the mention of her husband and feigning to comfort her,
