The folk admired Aladdin's
liberality and exceeding generosity, and all were distraught seeing
his charms and elegance, his gravity and his good manners. They
glorified the Creator for this noble creation, they blessed him each
and every, and albeit they knew him for the son of Such-a-one, the
tailor, yet no man envied him- nay, all owned that he deserved his
great good fortune.
Now the Sultan had assembled the lords of the land and, informing
them of the promise he had passed to Aladdin touching the marriage
of his daughter, had bidden them await his approach and then go forth,
one and all, to meet him and greet him. Hereupon the emirs and wazirs,
the chamberlains, the nabobs and the army officers, took their
stations expecting him at the palace gate. Aladdin would fain have
dismounted at the outer entrance, but one of the nobles, whom the King
had deputed for such duty, approached him and said, "O my lord, 'tis
the royal command that thou enter riding thy steed, nor dismount
except at the Divan door." Then they all forewent him in a body and
conducted him to the appointed place, where they crowded about him,
these to hold his stirrup and those supporting him on either side
whilst others took him by the hands and helped him dismount.
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