She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Calamity Ahmad cried, O Ala al-Din, what is this deed thou hast done? The mercy of Allah be on him who said: Whoso trusteth thee betray him not, een if thou be a traitor. Now the Caliph set thee in high place about him and styled thee Trusty and Faithful; how then couldst thou deal thus with him and steal his goods? By the Most Great Name, O my father and chief, replied Ala al-Din, I had no hand in this, nor did I such deed, nor know I who did it. Quoth Ahmad, Of a surety none did this but a manifest enemy and whoso doth aught shall be requited for his deed; but, O Ala al-Din, thou canst sojourn no longer in Baghdad, for Kings, O my son, may not pass from one thing to another, and when they go in quest of a man, ah! longsome is his travail. Whither shall I go, O my chief? asked Ala al-Din; and he answered, O my son, I will bring thee to Alexandria, for it is a blessed place; its threshold is green and its sojourn is agreeable. And Ala al-Din rejoined, I hear and I obey, O my chief. So Ahmad said to Hasan Shuuman, Be mindful and, when the Caliph asketh for me, say: He is gone touring about the provinces. Then, taking Ala al-Din, he went forth of Baghdad and stayed not going till they came to the outlying vineyards and gardens, where they met two Jews of the Caliphs tax-gatherers, riding on mules. Quoth Ahmad Al-Danaf to these, Give me the black-mail;104 and quoth they, Why should we pay thee black-mail? whereto he replied, Because I am the watchman of this valley. So they gave him each an hundred gold pieces, after which he slew them and took their mules, one of which he mounted, whilst Ala al-Din bestrode the other. Then they rode on till they came to the city of Ayás105 and put up their beasts for the night at the Khan. And when morning dawned, Ala al-Din sold his own mule and committed that of Ahmad to the charge of the doorkeeper of the caravanserai, after which they took ship from Ayas port and sailed to Alexandria. Here they landed and walked up to the bazar and behold, there was a broker crying a shop and a chamber behind it for nine hundred and fifty dinars. Upon this Ala al-Din bid a thousand which the broker accepted, for the premises belonged to the Treasury; and the seller handed over to him the keys and the buyer opened the shop and found the inner parlour furnished with carpets and cushions. Moreover, he found there a store-room full of sails and masts, cordage and seamens chests, bags of beads and cowrie106-shells, stirrups, battle-axes, maces, knives, scissors and such matters, for the last owner of the shop had been a dealer in second-hand goods.107 So he took his seat in the shop and Ahmad al-Danaf said to him, O my son, the shop and the room and that which is therein are become thine; so tarry thou here and buy and sell; and repine not at thy lot for Almighty Allah blesseth trade. After this he abode with him three days and on the fourth he took leave of him, saying, Abide here till I go back and bring thee the Caliphs pardon and learn who hath played thee this trick. Then he shipped for Ayas, where he took the mule from the inn and, returning to Baghdad met Pestilence Hasan and his followers, to whom said he, Hath the Caliph asked after me?; and he replied, No, nor hast thou come to his thought. So he resumed his service about the Caliphs person and set himself to sniff about for news of Ala al-Dins case, till one day he heard the Caliph say to the Wazir, See, O Jaafar, how Ala al-Din dealt with me! Replied the Minister, O Commander of the Faithful, thou hast requited him with hanging and hath he not met with his reward? Quoth he, O Wazir, I have a mind to go down and see him hanging; and the Wazir answered, Do what thou wilt, O Commander of the Faithful. So the Caliph, accompanied by Jaafar, went down to the place of execution and, raising his eyes, saw the hanged man to be other than Ala al-Din Abu al-Shamat, surnamed the Trusty, and said, O Wazir, this is not Ala al-Din! How knowest thou that it is not he? asked the Minister, and the Caliph answered, Ala al-Din was short and this one is tall. Quoth Jaafar, Hanging stretcheth. Quoth the Caliph, Ala al-Din was fair and this ones face is black. Said Jaafar, Knowest thou not, O Commander of the Faithful, that death is followed by blackness? Then the Caliph bade take down the body from the gallows-tree and they found the names of the two Shaykhs, Abu Bakr and Omar, written on its heels;108 whereupon cried the Caliph, O Wazir, Ala al-Din was a Sunnite, and this fellow is a Rejecter, a Shiah. He answered, Glory be to Allah who knoweth the hidden things, while we know not whether this was Ala al-Din or other than he. Then the Caliph bade bury the body and they buried it; and Ala al-Din was forgotten as though he never had been. Such was his case; but as regards Habzalam Bazazah, the Emir Khalids son, he ceased not to languish for love and longing till he died and they joined him to the dust. And as for the young wife Jessamine, she accomplished the months of her pregnancy and, being taken with labour-pains, gave birth to a boy-child like unto the moon. And when her fellow slave-girls said to her, What wilt thou name him? she answered, Were his father well he had named him; but now I will name him Aslán.109 She gave him suck for two successive years, then weaned him, and he crawled and walked. Now it so came to pass that one day, whilst his mother was busied with the service of the kitchen, the boy went out and, seeing the stairs, mounted to the guest-chamber.110 And the Emir Khalid who was sitting there took him upon his lap and glorified his Lord for that which he had created and fashioned; then closely eyeing his face, the Governor saw that he was the likest of all creatures to Ala al-Din Abu al-Shamat. Presently, his mother Jessamine sought for him and finding him not, mounted to the guest-chamber, where she saw the Emir seated, with the child playing in his lap, for Allah had inclined his heart to the boy. And when the child espied his mother, he would have thrown himself upon her; but the Emir held him tight to his bosom and said to Jessamine, Come hither, O damsel. So she came to him, when he said to her, Whose son is this?; and she replied, He is my son and the fruit of my vitals. And who is his father? asked the Emir; and she answered, His father was Ala al-Din Abu al-Shamat, but now he is become thy son. Quoth Khalid, In very sooth Ala al-Din was a traitor. Quoth she, Allah deliver him from treason! the Heavens forfend and forbid that the Trusty should be a traitor! Then said he, When this boy shall grow up and reach mans estate and say to thee: Who is my father? say to him: Thou art the son of the Emir Khalid, Governor and Chief of Police. And she answered, I hear and I obey. Then he circumcised the boy and reared him with the goodliest rearing, and engaged for him a professor of law and religious science, and an expert pensman who taught him to read and write; so he read the Koran twice and learnt it by heart and he grew up, saying to the Emir, O my father! Moreover, the Governor used to go down with him to the tilting-ground and assemble horsemen and teach the lad the fashion of fight and fray, and the place to plant lance-thrust and sabre-stroke; so that by the time he was fourteen years old, he became a valiant wight and accomplished knight and gained the rank of Emir. Now it chanced one day that Aslan fell in with Ahmad Kamakim, the arch-thief, and accompanied him as cup-companion to the tavern111 and behold, Ahmad took out the jewelled lanthorn he had stolen from the Caliph and, setting it before him, pledged the wine cup to its light, till he became drunken. So Aslan said to him, O Captain, give me this lanthorn; but he replied, I cannot give it to thee. Asked Aslan, Why not?; and Ahmad answered, Because lives have been lost for it. Whose life? enquired Aslan; and Ahmad rejoined, There came hither a man who was made Chief of the Sixty; he was named Ala al-Din Abu al-Shamat and he lost his life through this lanthorn. Quoth Aslan, And what was that story, and what brought about his death? Quoth Ahmad Kamakim, Thou hadst an elder brother by name Habzalam Bazazah, and when he reached the age of sixteen and was ripe for marriage, thy father would have bought him a slave-girl named Jessamine. And he went on to tell him the whole story from first to last of Habzalam Bazazahs illness and what befel Ala al-Din in his innocence. When Aslan heard this, he said in thought, Haply this slave-girl was my mother Jessamine, and my father was none other than Ala al-Din Abu al-Shamat. So the boy went out from him sorrowful, and met Calamity Ahmad, who at sight of him exclaimed, Glory be to Him unto whom none is like! Asked Hasan the Pestilence, Whereat dost thou marvel, O my chief? and Ahmad the Calamity replied, At the make of yonder boy Aslan, for he is the likest of human creatures to Ala al-Din Abu al Shamat. Then he called the lad and said to him, O Aslan what is thy mothers name?; to which he replied, She is called the damsel Jessamine; and the other said, Harkye, Aslan, be of good cheer and keep thine eyes cool and clear; for thy father was none other than Ala al-Din Abu al-Shamat: but, O my son, go thou in to thy mother and question her of thy father. He said, Hearkening and obedience, and, going in to his mother put the question; whereupon quoth she, Thy sire is the Emir Khalid! Not so, rejoined he, my father was none other than Ala al-Din Abu al-Shamat. At this the mother wept and said, Who acquainted thee with this, O my son? And he answered Ahmad Al-Danaf, Captain of the Guard. So she told him the whole story, saying, O my son, the True hath prevailed and the False hath failed:112 know that Ala al-Din Abu al-Shamat was indeed thy sire, but it was none save the Emir Khalid who reared thee and adopted thee as his son. And now, O my child, when thou seest Ahmad al-Danaf the captain, do thou say to him: I conjure thee, by Allah, O my chief, take my blood-revenge on the murderer of my father Ala al-Din Abu al-Shamat! So he went out from his mother And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that Aslan went out from his mother and, betaking himself to Calamity Ahmad, kissed his hand. Quoth the captain, What aileth thee, O Aslan? and quoth he, I know now for certain that my father was Ali al-Din Abu al-Shamat and I would have thee take my blood-revenge on his murderer. He asked, And who was thy fathers murderer? whereto Aslan answered, Ahmad Kamakim the Arch-thief. Who told thee this? enquired he, and Aslan rejoined, I saw in his hand the jewelled lanthorn which was lost with the rest of the Caliphs gear, and I said to him: Give me this lanthorn! but he refused, saying, Lives have been lost on account of this; and told me it was he who had broken into the palace and stolen the articles and deposited them in my fathers house. Then said Ahmad al-Danaf, When thou seest the Emir Khalid don his harness of war say to him: Equip me like thyself and take me with thee. Then do thou go forth and perform some feat of prowess before the Commander of the Faithful, and he will say to thee: Ask a boon of me, O Aslan! And do thou make answer, I ask of thee this boon, that thou take my blood-revenge on my fathers murderer. If he say, Thy father is yet alive and is the Emir Khalid, the Chief of the Police; answer thou: My father was Ala al-Din Abu al-Shamat, and the Emir Khalid hath a claim upon me only as the foster-father who adopted me. Then tell him all that passed between thee and Ahmad Kamakim and say: O Prince of True Believers, order him to be searched and I will bring the lanthorn forth from his bosom. Thereupon said Aslan to him, I hear and obey; and, returning to the Emir Khalid, found him making ready to repair to the Caliphs court and said to him, I would fain have thee arm and harness me like thyself and take me with thee to the Divan. So he equipped him and carried him thither. Then the Caliph sallied forth of Baghdad with his troops and they pitched tents and pavilions without the city; whereupon the host divided into two parties and forming ranks fell to playing Polo, one striking the ball with the mall, and another striking it back to him. Now there was among the troops a spy, who had been hired to slay the Caliph; so he took the ball and smiting it with the bat drove it straight at the Caliphs face, when behold, Aslan fended it off and catching it drove it back at him who smote it, so that it struck him between the shoulders and he fell to the ground. The Caliph exclaimed, Allah bless thee, O Aslan! and they all dismounted and sat on chairs. Then the Caliph bade them bring the smiter of the ball before him and said, Who tempted thee to do this thing and art thou friend or foe? Quoth he, I am thy foe and it was my purpose to kill thee. Asked the Caliph, And wherefore? Art not a Moslem? Replied the spy; No! I am a Rejecter.113 So the Caliph bade them put him to death and said to Aslan, Ask a boon of me. Quoth he, I ask of thee this boon, that thou take my blood-revenge on my fathers murderer. He said, Thy father is alive and there he stands on his two feet. And who is he? asked Aslan; and the Caliph answered, He is the Emir Khalid, Chief of Police. Rejoined Aslan, O Commander of the Faithful, he is no father of mine, save by right of fosterage; my father was none other than Ala al-Din Abu al-Shamat. Then thy father was a traitor, cried the Caliph. Allah forbid, O Commander of the Faithful, rejoined Aslan, that the Trusty should be a traitor! But how did he betray thee? Quoth the Caliph, He stole my habit and what was therewith. Aslan retorted, O Commander of the Faithful, Allah forfend that my father should be a traitor! But, O my lord, when thy habit was lost and found didst thou likewise recover the lanthorn which was stolen from thee? Answered the Caliph, We never got it back; and Aslan said, I saw it in the hands of Ahmad Kamakim and begged it of him; but he refused to give it me, saying: Lives have been lost on account of this. Then he told me of the sickness of Habzalam Bazazah, son of the Emir Khalid, by reason of his passion for the damsel Jessamine, and how he himself was released from bonds and that it was he who stole the habit and the lamp: so do thou, O Commander of the Faithful, take my blood-revenge for my father on him who murdered him. At once the Caliph cried, Seize ye Ahmad Kamakim! and they seized him; whereupon he asked, Where be the Captain, Ahmad al-Danaf? And when he was summoned the Caliph bade him search Kamakim; so he put his hand into the thiefs bosom and pulled out the lanthorn. Said the Caliph, Come hither, thou traitor: whence hadst thou this lanthorn? and Kamakim replied, I bought it, O Commander of the Faithful! The Caliph rejoined, Where didst thou buy it? Then they beat him till he owned that he had stolen the lanthorn, the habit and the rest, and the Caliph said What moved thee to do this thing O traitor, and ruin Ala al-Din Abu al-Shamat, the Trusty and Faithful? Then he bade them lay hands on him and on the Chief of Police, but the Chief said, O Commander of the Faithful, indeed I am unjustly treated; thou badest me hang him, and I had no knowledge of this trick, for the plot was contrived between the old woman and Ahmad Kamakim and my wife. I crave thine intercession,114 O Aslan. So Aslan interceded for him with the Caliph, who said, What hath Allah done with this youngsters mother? Answered Khalid, She is with me, and the Caliph continued, I command that thou order thy wife to dress her in her own clothes and ornaments and restore her to her former degree, a lady of rank; and do thou remove the seals from Ala al-Dins house and give his son possession of his estate. I hear and obey, answered Khalid; and, going forth, gave the order to his wife who clad Jessamine in her own apparel; whilst he himself removed the seals from Ala al-Dins house and gave Aslan the keys. Then said the Caliph, Ask a boon of me, O Aslan; and he replied, I beg of thee the boon to unite me with my father. Whereat the Caliph wept and said, Most like thy sire was he that was hanged and is dead; but by the life of my forefathers, whoso bringeth me the glad news that he is yet in the bondage of this life, I will give him all he seeketh! Then came forward Ahmad al-Danaf and, kissing the ground between his hands, said, Grant me indemnity, O Commander of the Faithful! Thou hast it, answered the Caliph; and Calamity Ahmad said, I give thee the good news that Ala al-Din Abu al-Shamat, the Trusty, the Faithful, is alive and well. Quoth the Caliph What is this thou sayest? Quoth Al-Danaf, As thy head liveth I say sooth; for I ransomed him with another, of those who deserved death; and carried him to Alexandria, where I opened for him a shop and set him up as dealer in second-hand goods. Then said the Prince of True Believers And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.