its
conveniences.

The vizier declared he would stay in that pleasant place two
days, and pursue his journey on the third. In the mean time he
gave his retinue leave to go to Damascus; and almost all of them
made use of it: some influenced by curiosity to see a city they
had heard so much of, and others by the opportunity of vending
the Egyptian goods they had brought with them, or buying stuffs,
and the rarities of the country. The beautiful lady desiring her
son Agib might share in the satisfaction of viewing that
celebrated city, ordered the black eunuch, who acted in quality
of his governor, to conduct him thither.

Agib, in magnificent apparel, went with the eunuch, who had a
large cane in his hand. They had no sooner entered the city, than
Agib, fair and glorious as the day, attracted the eyes of the
people. Some got out of their houses to gain a nearer and
narrower view of him; others put their heads out of the windows,
and those who passed along the street were not satisfied in
stopping to look upon him, but kept pace with him, to prolong the
pleasure of the agreeable sight: in fine, there was not a person
that did not admire him, and bestow a thousand benedictions on
the father and mother that had given being to so fine a child. By
chance the eunuch and he passed by the shop of Buddir ad Deen
Houssun, and there the crowd was so great, that they were forced
to halt.

The pastry-cook who had adopted Buddir ad Deen Houssun had died
some years before, and left him his shop and all his property,
and he conducted the pastry trade so dexterously, that he had
gained great reputation in Damascus. Buddir ad Deen seeing so
great a crowd before his door, who were gazing so attentively
upon Agib and the black eunuch, stepped out to see them himself.

Having cast his eyes upon Agib, Buddir ad Deen found himself
moved, he knew not how, nor for what reason. He was not struck
like the people with the brilliant beauty of the boy; another
cause unknown to him gave rise to the uneasiness and emotion he
felt. It was the force of blood that wrought in this tender
father; who, laying aside his business, made up to Agib, and with
an engaging air, said to him: "My little lord, who hast won my
soul, be so kind as to come into my shop, and eat a bit of such
fare as I have; that I may have the pleasure of admiring you at
my ease." These words he pronounced with such tenderness, that
tears trickled from his eyes. Little Agib was mo