192
him that all they found in his treasury they had brought and it sufficed not; whereupon he bade open the Great Treasury and give them what they needed and that, if it sufficed not, they should take that which Alaeddin had given him. So they took all the jewels assigned them by the Sultan and wrought with them, but found that these also sufficed them not, nor might they complete withal the half of that which lacked of the lattice-work of the oriel;[1] whereupon the Sultan bade take all the jewels which should be found with the Viziers and chiefs of the state; and accordingly they took them all and wrought therewith; but this also sufficed not.
When it was morning, Alaeddin went up to view the jewelers’ work and saw that they had not completed half the lacking lattice-work; whereupon he bade them incontinent undo all that they had wrought and restore the jewels to their owners. Accordingly, they undid it all and sent to the Sultan that which was his and to the Viziers [and others] that which was theirs. Then they went to the Sultan and told him that Alaeddin had commanded them of this; whereupon he asked them, “What said he to you and why would he not have the lattice-work finished and why undid he that which you
- ↑ Sheriyyetu ’l kushk.
