beyond the art of Noorna to fix him to the present duties of the enterprise: he was as feathered seed before the breath of vanity.
Now, while the twain discoursed, she of the preparations for shaving Shagpat, he of his completion of the deed, and the honours due to him as Master of the Event, Feshnavat the Vizier returned to them from his entertainment of the Cadi; and he had bribed him to silence with a mighty bribe. So he called to them—
'Ho! be ye ready to commence the work? and have ye advised together as to the beginning? True is that triplet:
"Whatever enterprize man hath,
For waking love or curbing wrath,
'Tis the first step that makes a path."
And how have ye determined as to that first step?'
Noorna replied, 'O my father! we have not decided, and there hath been yet no deliberation between us as to that.'
Then he said, 'All this while have ye talked, and no deliberation as to that! Lo, I have drawn the Cadi to our plot, and bribed him with a mighty bribe; and I have prepared possible disguises for this nephew of the barber; and I have had the witnesses of thy betrothal despatched to foreign parts, far kingdoms in the land of Roum, to prevent tattling and gabbling; and ye that were left alone for debating as to the great deed, ye have not yet deliberated as to that! Is't known to ye, O gabblers, aught of the punishment inflicted by Shahpesh, the Persian, on Khipil, the Builder?—a punishment that, by Allah!'
Shibli Bagarag said, 'How of that punishment, O Vizier?'
And the Vizier narrated as followeth.
