Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 3.djvu/69

to Dinner, which laſted a long while, and the latter Courſe was ſweat Meats, of which every one, according to Cuſtom, took what they thought fit. The Notaries came in with the Marriage Contract, the chief Lords ſigned it, and when the Company departed, the Grand Vizier order’d his Servants to prepare a Bagnio, and have every thing in readineſs for Noureddin Ali to bathe. He had fine new Linnen, and every thing elſe provided for him in the moſt curious Manner: When he had waſhed and dried himſelf, he was going to put on his former Apparel, but had an extraordinary rich Sute brought him. Being dreſs’d and perfum’d with the moſt odoriferous Eſſences, he went to ſee the Grand Vizier his Father-in-law, who was exceedingly well pleas’d with his genteel Mien, and having made him fit down, My Son, ſaid he, you have declared unto me who you are, and the Quality you had at the Court of Egypt. You have alſo told me of a Difference betwixt you and your Brother, which occaſion’d you to leave your Country. I deſire you to make me your entire Confident, and to acquaint me with the Cauſe of your Quarrel, for now you have no Reaſon either to doubt me, or to conceal any thing from me.

Noureddin Ali gave him an Account of every Circumſtance of the Quarrel, at which the Grand Vizier burſt out into a Fit of Laughter, and ſaid, This is one of the oddeſt Things that I ever heard; it is poſſible; my Son, that your Quarrel ſhould riſe ſo high, about an imaginary Marriage, I am ſorry you fell out with your Elder Brother upon ſuch a frivolous Matter; but I find he is in the wrong to be angry at what you only ſpoke in Jeſt, and I ought to thank Heaven for that Difference which has procur’d ſuch a Son in-law. But ſaid the old Genlleman, ’tis late, and time for you to retire, go to your Bride my Son, ſhe expects you, to Morrow I will preſent you to the Sultan, and hope he will receive you in fuch a manner as ſhall ſatisfy us both.

Noureddin Ali took leave of his Father-in-law, and went to his Spouſe’s Apartment. It is remarkable, continu’d Giaſar, that Schemſeddin Mohammed happen’d alſo to marry at Cairo the very ſame Day that this Marriage was ſolemniz’d at Balſora, the Particulars of which areas follows.