who no sooner saw her boy as he were one of the merchants[FN#80]
than her wits took flight and she waxed sad for very gladness.
Then she fell to thanking her false connection, the Moorman, for
all his benefits and said to him, "O my brother-in-law, I can
never say enough though I expressed my gratitude to thee during
the rest of thy days and praised thee for the good deeds thou
hast done by this my child." Thereupon Quoth the Maroccan, "O
wife of my brother, deem this not mere kindness of me, for that
the lad is mine own son and 'tis incumbent on me to stand in the
stead of my brother, his sire. So be thou fully satisfied!" And
Quoth she, "I pray Allah by the honour of the Hallows, the
ancients and the moderns, that He preserve thee and cause thee to
continue, O my brother-in-law and prolong for me thy life; so
shalt thou be a wing over-shadowing this orphan lad; and he shall
ever be obedient to thine orders nor shall he do aught save
whatso thou biddest him thereunto." The Maghrabi replied, "O wife
of my brother, Alaeddin is now a man of sense and the son of
goodly folk, and I hope to Allah that he will follow in the
footsteps of his sire and cool thine eyes. But I regret that, to-
morrow being Friday, I shall not be able to open his shop, as
'tis meeting day when all the merchants, after congregational
prayer, go forth to the gardens and pleasances. On the
Sabbath,[FN#81] however, Inshallah!--an it please the Creator--we
will do our business. Meanwhile to-morrow I will come to thee
betimes and take Alaeddin for a pleasant stroll to the gardens
and pleasances without the city which haply he may hitherto not
have beheld. There also he shall see the merchants and notables
who go forth to amuse themselves, so shall he become acquainted
with them and they with him."--And Shahrazad was surprised by the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.