He governed in his father's
name with royal state and splendor, and with despotic sway. Being a
stranger in the country, and a Moor by birth, he sought to
strengthen himself by drawing round him popular persons of the Arab
race; and to this effect made Ahmed, who was then in the zenith of his
fame and popularity, his vizier. Ahmed would have declined the post,
but the Wali was peremptory. Its duties were irksome to him, and he
spurned at its restraint. On a hawking party, with some of his gay
companions, he gave way to his poetic vein, exulting in his breaking
away from the thraldom of a despotic master like a hawk from the
jesses of the falconer, to follow the soaring impulses of his soul.
His words were repeated to Sidi Abu Said. "Ahmed," said the
informant, "spurns at restraint and scoffs at thy authority." The poet
was instantly dismissed from office. The loss of an irksome post was
no grievance to one of his joyous temperament; but he soon
discovered the real cause of his removal. The Wali was his rival. He
had seen and become enamored of Hafsah. What was worse, Hafsah was
dazzled with the conquest she had made.
For a time Ahmed treated the matter with ridicule, and appealed to
the prejudice existing between the Arab and Moorish races. Sidi Abu
Said was of a dark olive complexion. "How canst thou endure that black
man?" said he, scornfully. "By Allah, for twenty dinars I can buy thee
a better than he in the slave market.
Pages:
421
422
423
424
425
426
427
428
429
430
431
432
433
434
435
436
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445