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given ear unto thy suit.” So she told him all that had passed and how the Sultan had received her and had marvelled, both he and his Vizier, at the size and beauty of the jewels, and how he had promised her that [quoth she] “his daughter shall be in thy name. But, O my son, ere he promised me, the Vizier whispered[1] him somewhat, whereupon he appointed me for three months hence; and I am fearful lest the Vizier be a man of evil disposition,[2] who will change the King’s mind.”
When[3] Alaeddin heard his mother’s words and how the Sultan had appointed her for[4] three months [thence], his heart was lightened and he rejoiced with an exceeding
- ↑ Lit. “Except that, O my son, the Vizier bespoke him a privy word (kelam sirriyy) ere he promised me; then, after the Vizier bespoke him a word privily (sirran), he promised me to (ila) three months.”
- ↑ Lit. an ill presence (mehhdser sau). This expression has occurred before in the Nights, where I have, in deference to the authority of the late M. Dozy (the greatest Arabic scholar since Silvestre de Sacy), translated it “a compend of ill,” reading the second word as pointed with dsemmeh (i.e. sou, evil, sub.) instead of with fetheh (i.e. sau, evil, adj.), although in such a case the strict rules of Arabic grammar require sou to be preceded by the definite article (i.e. mehhdseru ’s sou). However, the context and the construction of the phrase, in which the present example of the expression occurs, seem to show that it is not here used in this sense.
- ↑ Night DXLIX.
- ↑ Lit. (as before) “promised her to” (ila).
