Seaman thus resumed his tale:--I found that the Shaykh had taken
to pieces my raft which lay on the beach and the broker was
crying the sandal-wood for sale. Then the merchants came and
opened the gate of bidding for the wood and bid against one
another till its price reached a thousand dinars, when they left
bidding and my host said to me, "Hear, O my son, this is the
current price of thy goods in hard times like these: wilt thou
sell them for this or shall I lay them up for thee in my
storehouses, till such time as prices rise?" "O my lord,"
answered I, "the business is in thy hands: do as thou wilt." Then
asked he, "Wilt thou sell the wood to me, O my son, for an
hundred gold pieces over and above what the merchants have bidden
for it?" and I answered, "Yes, I have sold it to thee for monies
received."[FN#92] So, he bade his servants transport the wood to
his storehouses and, carrying me back to his house, seated me and
counted out to me the purchase money; after which he laid it in
bags and setting them in a privy place, locked them up with an
iron padlock and gave me its key. Some days after this, the
Shaykh said to me, "O my son, I have somewhat to propose to thee,
wherein I trust thou wilt do my bidding." Quoth I, "What is it?"
Quoth he, "I am a very old man and have no son; but I have a
daughter who is young in years and fair of favour and endowed
with abounding wealth and beauty. Now I have a mind to marry her
to thee, that thou mayst abide with her in this our country, and
I will make thee master of all I have in hand for I am an old man
and thou shalt stand in my stead." I was silent for shame and
made him no answer, whereupon he continued, "Do my desire in
this, O my son, for I wish but thy weal; and if thou wilt but do
as I say, thou shalt have her at once and be as my son; and all
that is under my hand or that cometh to me shall be thine. If