' At this the prince rejoiced, and they fared
forward till they drew near the city, to the exceeding joy of Taj
el Mulouk, whose grief and anxiety ceased from him. They entered,
in the guise of merchants, the King's son being habited as a
merchant of importance, and repaired to a great khan, known as
the Merchants' Lodging. Quoth Taj el Mulouk to Aziz, 'Is this the
resort of the merchants?' 'Yes,' replied he; 'it is the khan in
which I lodged when I was here before.' So they alighted there
and making their beasts kneel down, unloaded them and laid up
their goods in the warehouses. They abode four days, resting; at
the end of which time, the Vizier proposed that they should hire
a large house. To this they assented and hired a spacious house,
fitted up for festivities, where they took up their abode, and
the Vizier and Aziz studied to devise some plan of conduct
for Taj el Mulouk, whilst the latter remained in a state of
perplexity, knowing not what to do. The Vizier could think
of nothing but that he should set up as a merchant in the
stuff-market; so he turned to the prince and Aziz and said to
them, 'If we tarry thus, we shall not compass our desire nor
attain our aim; but I have bethought me of somewhat, in which, if
it please God, we shall find our advantage.' 'Do what seemeth
good to thee,' replied Taj el Mulouk; 'indeed there is a blessing
on the aged, more by token that thou art versed in the conduct
of affairs: so tell me what is in thy mind.
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