Then she wept and cried out and her son did the likewhen in came the Vizierwhose heart burned within him at the sight of their weepingand he said'Why do ye weep？'The Lady of Beauty told him what had happened to Agiband the Vizier also wept and called to mind his brother and all that had passed between them and what had befallen his daughterand knew not the secret of the matter. Then he rose at once and going to the Divanrelated the matter to the Sultan and begged his leave to travel eastward to the city of Bassora and enquire for his nephew. Moreover，he besought him for letters-patentauthorizing him to take Bedreddinwherever he should find him. And he wept before the Kingwho took pity on him and wrote him royal letters-patent to his deputies in all his provinces；whereat the Vizier rejoiced and called down blessings on him. Then taking leave of himhe returned to his housewhere he equipped himself and his daughter and grandson for the journeyand set out and travelled till he came to the city of Damascus and found it rich in trees and waterseven as says the poet：
I mind me a night and a day spent in Damascus town（Time swore'twould ne'er again their like to man outmete）.
We lay in its languorous gladeswhere the careless calm of the night And the mornwith its smiling eyes and its twy-coloured tressesmeet.
The dew to its branches clings like a glittering chain of pearl，Whose jewels the zephyr smites and scatters beneath his feet.
The birds on the branches chant from the open book of the lake；The breezes write on the scroll and the clouds mark the pointsas they fleet.
The Vizier alighted without the city and pitched his tents in an open space called the Plain of Pebblessaying to his servants，'We will rest here two days.'So they went down into the city upon their several occasionsthis to sellthat to buyanother to go to the bath and a fourth to visit the Mosque of the Ommiadeswhose like is not in the world. Agib also went into the city to look about himfollowed by an eunuchcarrying a knotted cudgel of almond-tree woodwherewith if one smote a camelit would not rise again. When the people of the city saw Agib's beauty and symmetry （for he was a marvel of loveliness and winning graceblander than the Northern zephyrsweeter than limpid water to the thirsty and more delightful than recovery to the sick）a great concourse of folk followed him，whilst others ran on before and sat down in the roadagainst he should come upthat they might gaze on himtillas Fate would have itthe eunuch stopped before the shop of Bedreddin Hassan.
Now the cook was dead and Bedreddinhaving been formally adopted by himhad succeeded to his shop and property；and in the course of the twelve years that had passed over himhis beard had grown and his understanding ripened. When his son and the eunuch stopped before himhe had just finished preparing a mess of pomegranate-seeddressed with sugar；and when he looked at Agib and saw how beautiful he washis heart throbbedblood drew to blood and his bowels yearned to him. So he called to him and said'O my lordO thou that hast gotten the mastery of my heart and my soulthou to whom my bowels yearnwilt thou not enter my shop and solace my heart by eating of my food？'And the tears welled upuncalledfrom his eyesand he bethought him of his former estate and compared it with his present condition. When Agib heard his words his heart yearned to himand he said to the eunuch'Indeedmy heart inclines to this cookand meseems he hath lost a childso let us enter and gladden his soul by partaking of his hospitality. Perhaps God may requite us our kindness to him by reuniting us with my father.'By Allah！'
replied the eunuch'it were a fine thing for a Vizier's son to eat in a cookshop！IndeedI keep off the folk with this stick，lest they look too closely on theeand I dare not let thee enter a shop.'When Bedreddin heard these wordshe wondered and turned to the eunuchwith the tears running down his cheeksand Agib said to the latter'Indeedmy heart yearns for him.'But he answered'Leave this talk；indeedthou shalt not go in.'Then Bedreddin turned to the eunuch and said'O noble sirwhy wilt thou not gladden my soul by entering my shop？ O thou who art as a chestnutblack withoutbut with a white heartthou of whom the poet says ...........'The eunuch laughed and said，'What？ Say onby Allahand be quick about it.'So Bedreddin repeated the following verses：
Were he not polished and discreet and worthy of all trustHe in kings'houses would not be advanced to high estate.
O what a guardian he is for a seraglio！The very angels of the skies delight on him to wait.
