palace and viewed its building and ordinance
and saw its stones, which were of jade and agate, he was amazed
[505] and his wit was bewildered at that affluence and wealth and
magnificence; so he turned to the Vizier and said to him, "How sayst
thou, O Vizier? Hast thou in all thy days seen aught like this? Are
there found with the greatest of the kings of the world riches and gold
and jewels such as these we see in this palace?" "O my lord the King,"
answered the Vizier, "this is a thing beyond the competence of a king of
the sons of Adam, nor might all the people of the earth together avail
to build a palace like this; nay, there are no craftsmen living able
to do work like this, except it be, as I said to Thy Grace, by might of
magic." [506] The Sultan knew that the Vizier, in seeking to convince him that
this was not by might of men, but all of it enchantment, still spoke not
but of his envy of Alaeddin; so he said to him, "Enough, O Vizier; let
us have no more of thy talk. I know the cause which maketh thee speak on
this wise."

Then Alaeddin forewent the Sultan till he brought him to the high
pavilion [507] and he looked at the belvedere [508] and its oriols
[509] and lattices, [510] all wroughten of emeralds and rubies and other
precious stones, and was amazed and astonied; his wit was bewildered and
he abode perplexed in his thought. Then he fell to going round about
the pavilion and viewing these things that ravished the sight, till
presently he espied the casement [511] which Alaeddin had purposely left
wanting and unfinished. When the Sultan examined it and saw that it was
unfinished, he said, "Woe is me for thee, O casement, that thou art not
perfect!" Then, turning to the Vizier, he said to him, "Knowest thou the
reason of the lack of completion of this casement and its lattices?" "O
[512] my lord," answered the Vizier, "methinketh it is because Thy Grace
hastened upon Alaeddin with the wedding and he had no time to complete
it." Now Alaeddin had meanwhile gone in to his bride, the Lady
Bedrulbudour, to acquaint her with the coming of her father the Sultan;
and when he returned, the Sultan said to him, "O my son Alaeddin, what
is the reason that the lattice[-work] of yonder oriel [513] is not
completed?" "O King of the Age," replied Alaeddin, "by reason of the
haste made with the bridal, the craftsmen might not avail to [514]
finish it." Quoth the Sultan to him, "It is my wish to finish it
myself." And Alae