atify his
curiosity, for the eunuch pressing him to return to his
grandfather's tent, took him away as soon as he had done eating.
Buddir ad Deen Houssun, not contented with looking after him,
shut up his shop immediately, and followed him.

Buddir ad Deen Houssun ran after Agib and the eunuch, and
overtook them before they had reached the gate of the city. The
eunuch perceiving he followed them, was extremely surprised: "You
impertinent fellow," said he, with an angry tone, "what do you
want?" "My dear friend," replied Buddir ad Deen, "do not trouble
yourself; I have a little business out of town, and I must needs
go and look after it." This answer, however, did not at all
satisfy the eunuch, who turning to Agib, said, "This is all owing
to you; I foresaw I should repent of my complaisance; you would
needs go into the man's shop; it was not wisely done in me to
give you leave." "Perhaps," replied Agib, "he has real business
out of town, and the road is free to every body." While this
passed they kept walking together, without looking behind them,
till they came near the vizier's tents, upon which they turned
about to see if Buddir ad Deen followed them. Agib, perceiving he
was within two paces of him, reddened and whitened alternately,
according to the different emotions that affected him. He was
afraid the grand vizier his grandfather should come to know he
had been in the pastry shop, and had eaten there. In this dread,
he took up a large stone that lay at his foot and throwing it at
Buddir ad Deen, hit him in the forehead, and wounded him so that
his face was covered with blood. The eunuch gave Buddir ad Deen
to understand, he had no reason to complain of a mischance that
he had merited and brought upon himself.

Buddir ad Deen turned towards the city staunching the blood of
the wound with his apron, which he had not put off. "I was a
fool," said he within himself, "for leaving my house, to take so
much pains about this brat; for doubtless he would never have
used me after this manner, if he had not thought I had some ill
design against him." When he got home, he had his wound dressed,
and softened the sense of his mischance by the reflection that
there was an infinite number of people upon the earth, who were
yet more unfortunate than he.

Buddir ad Deen kept on the pastry-trade at Damascus, and his
uncle Shumse ad Deen Mahummud went from thence three days after
his arrival. He went by way of Emaus, Hanah, an