human
Behold! there she stands! he said to the Grand Vizier.
gpt
Bring her before me immediately.
human
What is thy suit? asked the Sultan of Aladdin's mother as soon as she stood before him. Then, when she had kissed the ground and prayed for the prolongation of his life, she answered:
gpt
O King of all the Earth, the three months thou didst proscribe are at an end and I have come to ask thee to redeem thy pledge in respect of thy daughter and my son Aladdin.
human
What is thy thought on this, O Vizier? he said.
gpt
My word is my word, and I regret that thou shouldst have explained it away; yet it seems to me that this woman is not of the kind that could mother-in-law my daughter. Hast thou a plan which is not a trick? If thou hast, whisper it in mine ear.
human
O King of the Age, he said,
gpt
By Allah! said the Sultan,
human
Then, turning to Aladdin's mother, he said:
gpt
O woman! know that when one asketh the daughter of the Sultan one must have standing, for so it is in royal circles; and, to prove that standing, the suitor must show that he is able to provide for the Sultan's daughter and keep her in that state to which she has been accustomed. Wherefore he must bring to me forty golden bowls filled with jewels such as thou didst bring, with forty beautiful female slaves to carry them and forty black slaves as a retinue. Coming like this, thy son may claim my daughter, for the Sultan's word is the Sultan's word.
human
Forty bowls of jewels, with forty maids and forty black slaves! How can my son do this? Better he had not entered on this affair! Then, with bitterness, she added,
gpt
The Sultan asketh far too little: forty _five_ bowls with forty _five_ maids and forty _five_ slaves and a palace to boot! Oh! what a thing it is to live up to such a demand as I have made. Thinking like this she found her son and spoke sorrowfully to him.
human
O my son, she exclaimed, weeping,
gpt
O my mother, he said;
human
What is thy wish, O my master?
gpt
Lo, O Slave of the Lamp, know that the Sultan hath promised me his daughter, but, repenting him of his promise, he hath required of me what he thinketh a dowry impossible for anyone to compass: forty golden bowls of rare and splendid jewels, carried by forty maids, with an escort of forty slaves. Therefore I desire all these things of thee.
human
I obey!
gpt
O my mother, behold, the dowry is ready according to the Sultan's requirement. It is for thee to take it to him, to shew him what is in my power, and also that no time hath been lost in complying with his request.