1116페이지 중 575페이지

Thereupon Quasimodo came up to Badr al-Din Hasan and said, "O my

lord, thou hast cheered us this night with thy good company and

overwhelmed us with thy kindness and courtesy; but now why not

get thee up and go?" "Bismallah," he answered, "In Allah's name

so be it!" and rising, he went forth by the door, where the Ifrit

met him and said, "Stay in thy stead, O Badr al-Din, and when the

Hunchback goes out to the closet of ease go in without losing

time and seat thyself in the alcove; and when the bride comes say

to her, "'Tis I am thy husband, for the King devised this trick

only fearing for thee the evil eye, and he whom thou sawest is

but a Syce, a groom, one of our stablemen.' Then walk boldly up

to her and unveil her face; for jealousy hath taken us of this

matter." While Hasan was still talking with the Ifrit behold, the

groom fared forth from the hall and entering the closet of ease

sat down on the stool.