130 ome Prince Camaralzaman and

~>—i-

 

The king was surprised at this answer of the prince, so remote,
as he thought, from the good sense he had shown before. ‘My
son, said he to him, ‘you fill me with the greatest astonishment
imaginable by what you now say to me; I declare to you by
my crown, that is to devolve upon you after me, I know not
one word of the lady. you mention; and if any such has come
to you, it was altogether without my knowledge. But how could
she get into this tower without my consent? For whatever my
grand vizier told you, it was only to appease you: it must there-
fore be a mere dream; and I beg of you not to believe otherwise,
but to recover your senses.’

‘Sir? replied the prince, ‘I should be for ever unworthy of
your majesty’s favour, if I did not give entire credit to what you
are pleased to say; but I humbly beseech you at the same. time to
give a patient hearing to what I shall say to you, and then.to judge
whether what I have the honour to tell you be a. dream or not.’

Then Prince Camaralzaman related to the king his father after
what manner he had been awakened; and the pains he took to
awaken the lady without effect, and how he had made the |
exchange of his ring with that of the lady: showing the king
the ring, he added, ‘Sir, your majesty must needs know my ring
very well, you have seen it so often. After this, I hope you will
be convinced that I have not lost my senses, as yo have ‘been
almost made to believe.’-

The king was so perfectly convinced’ of the truth of what
his son had been telling him, that he had not a word : to say;
remaining astonished for some time, and not being able to utter
a syllable. :

‘Son,’ at length replied the king, ‘after what I have jak ‘heard,
and what I see by the ring on your finger, I.cannot doubt but
that you have seen this lady. Would I knew who she was, and
I would make you happy from this moment, and I should be- the