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in his thought. Then he fell to going round about the pavilion and viewing these things that ravished the sight, till presently he espied the casement[1] which Alaeddin had purposely left wanting and unfinished. When the Sultan examined it and saw that it was unfinished, he said, “Woe is me for thee, O casement, that thou art not perfect!” Then, turning to the Vizier, he said to him, “Knowest thou the reason of the lack of completion of this casement and its lattices?” “O[2] my lord,” answered the Vizier, “methinketh it is because Thy Grace hastened upon Alaeddin with the wedding and he had no time to complete it.” Now Alaeddin had meanwhile gone in to his bride, the Lady Bedrulbudour, to acquaint her with the coming of her father the Sultan; and when he returned, the Sultan said to him, “O my son Alaeddin, what is the reason that the lattice[-work] of yonder oriel[3] is not completed?” “O King of the Age,” replied Alaeddin, “by reason of the haste made with the bridal, the craftsmen might not avail to[4] finish it.” Quoth the Sultan to him, “It is my wish to finish it myself.” And
- ↑ Shubbak.
- ↑ Night DLXX.
- ↑ Lit. “kiosk” (kushk); see ante, p. 175, note 4.
- ↑ Ma lehiket el muallimin (objective for nom. muallimoun, as usual in this text) an.
