which made her come
home so soon; the precautions she had taken lest she should have
displeased the sultan, by making the proposal of marriage between
him and the princess Buddir al Buddoor, and the condescending
answer she had received from the sultan's own mouth; and that as
far as she could judge, the present had wrought a powerful
effect. "But when I least expected it," said she, "and he was
going to give me an answer, and I fancied a favourable one, the
grand vizier whispered him in the ear, and I was afraid might be
some obstacle to his good intentions towards us, and so it
happened, for the sultan desired me to come to audience again
this day three months."

Alla ad Deen thought himself the most happy of all men at hearing
this news, and thanked his mother for the pains she had taken in
the affair, the good success of which was of so great importance
to his peace. Though from his impatience to obtain the object of
his passion, three months seemed an age, yet he disposed himself
to wait with patience, relying on the sultan's word, which he
looked upon to be irrevocable. But all that time he not only
counted the hours, days, and weeks, but every moment. When two of
the three months were past, his mother one evening going to light
the lamp, and finding no oil in the house, went out to buy some,
and when she came into the city, found a general rejoicing. The
shops, instead of being shut up, were open, dressed with foliage,
silks, and carpeting, every one striving to show their zeal in
the most distinguished manner according to his ability. The
streets were crowded with officers in habits of ceremony, mounted
on horses richly caparisoned, each attended by a great many
footmen. Alla ad Deen's mother asked the oil-merchant what was
the meaning of all this preparation of public festivity. "Whence
came you, good woman," said he, "that you don't know that the
grand vizier's son is to marry the princess Buddir al Buddoor,
the sultan's daughter, to-night? She will presently return from
the baths; and these officers whom you see are to assist at the
cavalcade to the palace, where the ceremony is to be solemnized."

This was news enough for Alla ad Deen's mother. She ran till she
was quite out of breath home to her son, who little suspected any
such event. "Child," cried she, "you are undone! You depend upon
the sultan's fine promises, but they will come to nothing." Alla
ad Deen was alarmed at these words. "Mother," repl