When it was the fourth day, the fourth vizier, whose name was
Zoushad, made his appearance and prostrating himself to the king,
said to him, "O king, suffer not the talk of yonder youth to
delude thee, for that he is not a truth-teller. So long as he
abideth on life, the folk will not give over talking nor will thy
heart cease to be occupied with him." "By Allah," cried the king,
"thou sayst sooth and I will cause fetch him this day and slay
him before me." Then he commanded to bring the youth; so they
brought him in shackles and he said to him, "Out on thee!
Thinkest thou to appease my heart with thy prate, whereby the
days are spent in talk? I mean to slay thee this day and be quit
of thee." "O king," answered the youth, "it is in thy power to
slay me whensoever thou wilt, but haste is of the fashion of the
base and patience of that of the noble. If thou put me to death,
thou wilt repent, and if thou desire to bring me back to life,
thou wilt not be able thereunto. Indeed, whoso acteth hastily in
an affair, there befalleth him what befell Bihzad, son of the
king." Quoth the king, "And what is his story?" "O king," replied
the young treasurer,