When Taj el Mulouk saw
the figures and the beauty of their fashion, he exclaimed, 'Glory
be to God who teacheth man that which he knoweth not!' And his
heart was filled with longing to hear the merchant's story; so he
said to him, 'Tell me thy story with her who gave thee these
gazelles.' 'Know, O my lord,' replied the young man, 'that
Story of Aziz and Azizeh.
My father was one of the chief merchants (of my native town) and
God had vouchsafed him no other child than myself; but I had a
cousin, the daughter of my father's brother, who was brought up
with me in our house; for her father was dead and before his
death, he had agreed with my father that I should marry her. So
when I reached man's estate and she became a woman, they did not
separate us, and we ceased not to sleep on the same couch,
knowing no evil, albeit she was more thoughtful, more intelligent
and quicker-witted than I, till at last, my father spoke to my
mother and said, "This very year we will draw up the contract of
marriage between Aziz and Azizeh." So they agreed upon this, and
he betook himself to preparing victual for the marriage
festivities. When he had made an end of his preparations and
there remained nought but to draw up the contract and consummate
the marriage, he appointed the wedding for a certain Friday,
after the congregational prayers, and going round to his friends
among the merchants and others, acquainted them with this, whilst
my mother invited her female friends and kindred.
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