this is a good sign： so comfort thyself and be of good cheer， for thou shalt surely compass thy desire." And Aziz also came to him and exhorted him to patience and applied himself to divert him，talking with him and telling him stories. So they pressed on，night and day， other two months， till， one day， at sunrise， there appeared to them some white thing in the distance and Taj el Mulouk said to Aziz， "What is yonder whiteness？" "O my lord，"
answered he， "that is the Fortress of Crystal and the city that thou seekest." At this the prince rejoiced， and they fared forward till they drew near the city， to the exceeding joy of Taj el Mulouk， whose grief and anxiety ceased from him. They entered，in the guise of merchants， the King"s son being habited as a merchant of importance， and repaired to a great khan， known as the Merchants" Lodging. Quoth Taj el Mulouk to Aziz， "Is this the resort of the merchants？" "Yes，" replied he； "it is the khan in which I lodged when I was here before." So they alighted there and making their beasts kneel down， unloaded them and laid up their goods in the warehouses. They abode four days， resting； at the end of which time， the Vizier proposed that they should hire a large house. To this they assented and hired a spacious house，fitted up for festivities， where they took up their abode， and the Vizier and Aziz studied to devise some plan of conduct for Taj el Mulouk， whilst the latter remained in a state of perplexity， knowing not what to do. The Vizier could think of nothing but that he should set up as a merchant in the stuff-market； so he turned to the prince and Aziz and said to them， "If we tarry thus， we shall not compass our desire nor attain our aim； but I have bethought me of somewhat， in which， if it please God， we shall find our advantage." "Do what seemeth good to thee，" replied Taj el Mulouk； "indeed there is a blessing on the aged， more by token that thou art versed in the conduct of affairs： so tell me what is in thy mind." "It is my counsel，"
rejoined the Vizier， "that we hire thee a shop in the stuff-bazaar， where thou mayst sit to sell and buy. Every one， great and small， hath need of silken and other stuffs； so if thou be patient and abide in thy shop， thine affairs will prosper， if it please God， especially as thou art comely of aspect. Moreover，I would have thee make Aziz thy factor and set him within the shop， to hand thee the pieces of stuffs and silks." When Taj el Mulouk heard this， he said， "This is a good counsel." So he took out a handsome suit of merchant"s clothes， and putting it on， set out for the bazaar， followed by his servants， to one of whom he had given a thousand dinars， wherewith to fit up the shop. When they came to the stuff-market and the merchants saw Taj el Mulouk"s beauty and grace， they were confounded and some said，"Sure Rizwan hath opened the gates of Paradise and left them unguarded， so that this passing lovely youth hath come out." And others， "Belike this is one of the angels." They asked for the shop of the overseer of the market， and the merchants directed them to it. So they repaired thither and saluted him， and he and those who were with him rose to them and seated them and made much of them because of the Vizier， whom they saw to be a man of age and reverend aspect； and seeing Aziz and Taj el Mulouk in his company， they said to one another， "Doubtlessthis old man is the father of these two youths." Then said the Vizier， "Which of you is the overseer of the market？" "This is he，" answered they；
whereupon he came forward and the Vizier， observing him， saw him to be an old man of grave and dignified carriage， with slaves and servants， white and black. He greeted them in the friendliest manner and was lavish in his attentions to them： then he made them sit by his side and said to them， "Have you any business which we may have the pleasure of transacting？" "Yes，" answered the Vizier. "I am an old man， stricken in years， and have with me these two youths， with whom I have travelled through many towns and countries， tarrying a whole year in every city （of importance） on our way， that they might take their pleasure in viewing it and come to know its people. Now I have chosen to make a stay in this your town； so I would fain have thee allot me a handsome shop in the best situation， wherein I may establish them， that they may traffic and learn to buy and sell and give and take， whilst they divert themselves with the sight of the place and acquire the uses of its people." "Good，" said the overseer， and looking at the two youths， rejoiced in them and conceived a great affection for them. Now he was a great lover of bewitching glances， preferring the commerce of boys to that of girls and inclining to their love. So he said in himself， "These be fine purchase； glory to Him who created and fashioned them out of vile water！"[FN#141] and rising， stood before them like a servant， to do them honour. Then he went out and made ready for them a shop in the midst of the market， than which there was no larger nor better in the bazaar， for it was spacious and handsomely decorated and fitted with shelves of ebony and ivory；
after which he delivered the keys to the Vizier， who was dressed as an old merchant， saying， "Take them， O my lord， and may God make it a blessed abiding-place to thy sons！" The Vizier took the keys， and they returned to the khan and caused their servants to transport to the shop all their goods and stuffs and valuables，of which they had great plenty， worth treasures of money. Next morning， the Vizier carried the two young men to the bath， where they washed and put on rich clothes and perfumed themselves to the utmost therein. Now each of them was passing fair to look upon， and the bath enhanced their charms to the utmost， even as says the poet：
Good luck to him who in the bath doth serve him as his squire，Handling a body "gotten sure "twixt water and the fire！
With skilful hands he showeth forth the marvels of his craft， In that he gathers very musk[FN#142] from what is like camphire.
