Pagina 650 de 1116

And now I needs must see the son of thy brother, Hasan of

Bassorah, so bring him to the audience-hall to-morrow." Shams

al-Din replied, "Thy slave shall stand in thy presence to-morrow,

Inshallah, if it be God's will." Then he saluted him and,

returning to his own house, informed his nephew of the Sultan's

desire to see him, whereto replied Hasan, whilome the Bassorite,

"The slave is obedient to the orders of his lord." And the result

was that next day he accompanied his uncle, Shams al-Din, to the

Divan; and, after saluting the Sultan and doing him reverence in

most ceremonious obeisance and with most courtly obsequiousness,

he began improvising these verses:-

"The first in rank to kiss the ground shall deign * Before you,

and all ends and aims attain: You are Honour's fount; and all

that hope of you, * Shall gain more honour than Hope hoped to

gain."