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Then he despatched his brother Bersoum in quest of her, and when he was weary of awaiting news of him, he went forth himself, to seek for him and for Zumurrud, and fate led him to the latter's city.
He was about to take a second mouthful, when Zumurrud, who was watching him, cried out to certain of her guards, saying, 'Bring me yonder man with the dish of sweet rice before him and let him not eat the mouthful he hath ready, but throw it from his hand. So four of the guards went up to Bersoum and throwing the mouthful of rice from his hand, haled him forthright before Zumurrud, whilst all the people left eating and said to one another, 'By Allah, he did wrong in not eating of the food meant for the like of him. 'For me, quoth one, 'I was content with this frumenty that is before me. And the hashish- eater said, 'Praised be God who hindered me from eating of the dish of sweet rice, for I looked for it to stand before him and was only waiting for him to have stayed his hunger of it, to eat with him, when there befell him what we see. And they said, one to another, 'Wait till we see what befalls him.
Let it be, that it may return to those for whom it is meant and they eat it. But Bersoum heeded him not and putting his hand to the rice, took a mouthful and put it in his mouth.
As she sat on her throne, at the head of the tables, watching the people eat, her eye fell on Bersoum, the Nazarene who had bought the curtain of Ali Shar; and she knew him and said in herself, 'This is the first of my solace and of the accomplishment of my desire. Bersoum came up to the table and sitting down with the rest to eat, espied a dish of sweet rice, sprinkled with sugar; but it was far from him.
Speak the truth, or, by the splendour of the Deity, I will strike off thy head? At this, Bersoum was confounded and the Amirs and bystanders said, 'Verily, the King understands geomancy: blessed be He who hath gifted him! Then Zumurrud cried out upon Bersoum and said, 'Tell me the truth, or I will make an end of thee! 'Pardon, O King of the age, replied Bersoum; 'the table hath told thee aright; thy slave is indeed a Nazarene. Whereupon all present wondered at the King's skill in geomancy, saying, 'Verily, the King is a diviner, whose like there is not in the world.
Art thou not ashamed to reach over for a dish that is distant from thee? Quoth Bersoum, 'I will eat of none but this dish. 'Eat then, rejoined the other, 'and small good may it do thee! But another man, a hashish- eater, said, 'Let him eat of it, that I may eat with him. 'O unluckiest of hashish-eaters, replied the first speaker, 'this is no meat for thee; it is eating for Amirs.
Then said Zumurrud to Bersoum, 'Out on thee, O blue eyes! She levelled the sand and taking the pen, drew a geomantic figure, in the likeness of an ape; then, raising her head, she considered Bersoum straitly and said to him, 'O dog, how darest thou lie to kings? Art thou not a Nazarene, Bersoum by name, and comest thou not hither in quest of somewhat?
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