So they gave him joy of his safe return
and invoked God's blessing upon him, after which they took the
oath of fealty to him, and kissing the earth before him,
withdrew. Then other ten entered and he received them in the same
manner; and they ceased not to enter, ten by ten, till none was
left but the Vizier Dendan. So he went in and kissed the earth
before Zoulmekan, who rose to meet him, saying, "Welcome, O noble
Vizier and father! Verily, thine acts are those of a precious
counsellor, and judgment and foresight are in the hands of the
Subtle, the All Wise." Then he commanded the Chamberlain to go
out and cause the tables to be spread at once and bid the troops
thereto. So they came and ate and drank. Moreover, he bade Dendan
call a ten days' halt of the army, that he might be private with
him and learn from him the manner of his father's death.
Accordingly, the Vizier went forth and transmitted the King's
wishes to the troops, who received his commands with submission
and wished him eternity of glory. Moreover, he gave them leave to
divert themselves and ordered that none of the lords in waiting
should go in to the King for his service for the space of three
days. Then Zoulmekan waited till nightfall, when he went in to
his sister Nuzhet ez Zeman and said to her, "Dost thou know the
fashion of my father's death or not?" "I have no knowledge of
it," replied she, and drew a silken curtain before herself,
whilst Zoulmekan seated himself without the curtain and sending
for the Vizier, bade him relate to him in detail the manner of
King Omar's death.
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