صفحة 636 من 1116

Yet it is to Almighty Allah alone that we look for bringing about

this meeting." Then he rose without stay or delay and, going to

his suite said to them, "Be off, some fifty of you with sticks

and staves to the Cook's shop and demolish it; then pinion his

arms behind him with his own turband, saying, 'It was thou madest

that foul mess of pomegranate-grains!' and drag him here perforce

but without doing him a harm." And they replied, "It is well."

Then the Wazir rode off without losing an instant to the Palace

and, foregathering with the Viceroy of Damascus, showed him the

Sultan's orders. After careful perusal he kissed the letter, and

placing it upon his head said to his visitor, "Who is this

offender of thine?" Quoth the Wazir, "A man who is a cook." So

the Viceroy at once sent his apparitors to the shop; which they

found demolished and everything in it broken to pieces; for

whilst the Wazir was riding to the palace his men had done his

bidding.