Pagina 608 de 1116

Then she wailed and shrieked aloud and her son did the like; and

behold, in came the Wazir whose heart burnt within him at the

sight of their lamentations, and he said, "What makes you weep?"

So the Lady of Beauty acquainted him with what had happened

between her son and the school boys; and he also wept, calling to

mind his brother and what had past between them and what had

betided his daughter and how he had failed to find out what

mystery there was in the matter. Then he rose at once and,

repairing to the audience-hall, went straight to the King and

told his tale and craved his permission [FN#451] to travel

eastward to the city of Bassorah and ask after his brother's son.

Furthermore, he besought the Sultan to write for him letters

patent, authorising him to seize upon Badr al-Din, his nephew and

son-in-law, wheresoever he might find him.