d Halep; then
crossed the Euphrates, and after passing through Mardin,
Moussoul, Singier, Diarbeker, and several other towns, arrived at
last at Bussorah. Immediately after his arrival he desired
audience of the sultan, who was no sooner informed of his quality
than he admitted him to his presence, received him very
favourably, and inquired the occasion of his journey to Bussorah.
"Sire," replied the vizier "I come to know what is become of the
son of my brother, who has had the honour to serve your majesty."
"Noor ad Deen Ali," said the sultan, "has been long dead; as for
his son, all I can tell you of him is, that he disappeared
suddenly, about two months after his father's death, and nobody
has seen him since, notwithstanding all the inquiry I ordered to
be made. But his mother, who is the daughter of one of my
viziers, is still alive." Shumse ad Deen Mahummud desired leave
of the sultan to take her to Egypt; and having obtained
permission, without waiting till the next day, inquired after her
place of abode, and that very hour went to her house, accompanied
with his daughter and his grandson.

The widow of Noor ad Deen Ali resided still in the same place
where her husband had lived. It was a stately fabric, adorned
with marble pillars: but Shumse ad Deen did not stop to view it.
At his entry he kissed the gate, and the piece of marble upon
which his brother's name was written in letters of gold. He asked
to speak with his sister-in-law, and was told by her servants,
that she was in a small building covered by a dome, to which they
directed in the middle of a very spacious court. This tender
mother used to spend the greatest part of the day and night in
that room which she had built as a representation of the tomb of
her son Buddir ad Deen Houssun, whom she supposed to be dead
after so long an absence. She was pouring tears over his memorial
when Shumse ad Deen entering, found her buried in the deepest
affliction.

He made his compliment, and after beseeching her to suspend her
tears and sighs, informed her he had the honour to be her
brother-in-law, and acquainted her with the reason of his journey
from Cairo to Bussorah.

Shumse ad Deen Mahummud, after acquainting his sister-in-law with
all that had passed at Cairo on his daughter's wedding-night, and
informing her of the surprise occasioned by the discovery of the
paper sewed up in Buddir ad Deen's turban, presented to her Agib
and the beautiful lady.

Th