the Princess of China — we 134

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happiest father in» the world! But where shall I find her, and
how seek for her?:. How could she get in here without my con-
sent? Why did she come? These things, I must confess, are past
my finding out’ So saying, and taking the prince by the hand,
‘Come then, my son,’ he said, ‘let us go and be miserable together.’
' The king then led his son out of the tower, and conveyed
him to the palace, where he no sooner arrived than in despair
- he fell ill, and took to his bed; the king shut himself up with
him, and spent many a day in reeping, without attending to the
affairs of his kingdom.

The prime minister, who was the only person that had nlewance
to him, came one day and told him that the whole court, and even
the people, began to murmur at not seeing him, and that he did not
administer justice every day as he was wont to do. ‘I humbly beg
your majesty, therefore, ‘proceeded he, ‘to pay them some attention ;
Iam aware your majesty’s company is a great comfort to the prince,
but then you must not run the risk of letting all be lost. Permit
me to propose to: your majesty to remove with the prince to the
castle in a little island near the port, where you may give audience
to your subjects twice a week only ; during these absences the prince |
will be so agreeably diverted with the beauty, prospect, and good. air
of the place, that he will bear them with the less uneasiness.’

‘The king approved this proposal; and after the castle, where
he had not resided for some time, had been furnished, he removed
thither with the prince; and, excepting the times that he gave
audience, as aforesaid, he never left him, but passed all his time by
his son’s pillow, endeavouring to comfort him in sharing his grief.

“Whilst matters passed thus, the two genies, Danhasch and Casch-
casch, had carried the Princess of China back to the palace where
the king her father had. shut her up. .

‘When she awoke the next morning, and found by ‘looking to
the right and left that. Prince‘Camaralzaman was not. by, she cried

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