He refused, but Taj el Mulouk took him by one hand and Aziz by
the other and carried him into a cabinet, the impure old man
submitting to them, whilst his emotion increased on him. Then Taj
el Mulouk swore that none but he should wash him and Aziz that
none but he should pour water on him. He would have refused,
albeit this was what he desired; but the Vizier said to him,
'They are thy sons; let them wash thee and bathe thee.' 'God
preserve them to thee!' exclaimed the overseer. 'By Allah, thy
coming and theirs hath brought blessing and fortune upon our
city!' and he repeated the following verses:
Thou cam'st, and the mountains about us grew green And glittered,
with flowers for the bridegroom beseen;
Whilst earth and her creatures cried, 'Welcome to thee, Thrice
welcome, that comest in glory and sheen!'
They thanked him for this, and Taj el Mulouk proceeded to wash
him, whilst Aziz poured water over him and he thought himself in
Paradise. When they had made an end of his service, he called
down blessings on them and sat talking with the Vizier, gazing
the while on the youths. Presently, the servants brought them
towels, and they dried themselves and donned their clothes. Then
they went out, and the Vizier said to the overseer, 'O my lord,
verily the bath is the Paradise of this world.' 'May God
vouchsafe it[FN#143] to thee,' replied the overseer, 'and health
to thy sons and guard them from the evil eye! Do you remember
aught that the poets have said in praise of the bath?' 'Yes,'
said Taj el Mulouk and repeated the following verses:
The life of the bath is the pleasantest part of life, Except that
the time of our sojourn there is slight.
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