318 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS.

the royal treasure.” “No, madam,” replied Zeyn ; “1 shall here-
after live in a manner that will not displease you.”

The queen requested her son to conduct her to this vault,
which her departed husband had caused to be made so very
secretly that she had never heard of it. Zeyn accompanied her
to the cabinet, and led her to the apartment which contained
the urns. She observed in a corner of the room a small urn
which the prince had not seen. He then took it in his hand,
and having opened it, found within a small golden key. “My
son,” said the queen to him, “this is without doubt the key of
some new treasure. Let us, if possible, discover the use for which
it is intended.”

They examined the room with the greatest attention, and at
length discovered, in the middle of one of the panels, a lock to
which the key seemingly belonged. The king did not delay to
make trial of it, when the door opened in an instant, and
another apartment presented itself to their view, in the middle
of which were nine pedestals of massive gold, eight of which
supported each a statue made of a single diamond, the splen-
dour of which was so great as completely to illuminate the
room. The ninth pedestal increased his astonishment; for
above it was placed a piece of white satin, on which were written
these words: “ My dear son, to acquire these eight statues has
been a work of great labour ; but beautiful as they may appear,
‘know that there is in the world a ninth statue, which greatly
excels them; it is in itself of a thousand times greater value
than all you behold. If you wish to make yourself master of it,
repair to the city of Cairo, in Egypt, where resides one of my
old slaves called Mobarec ; you will have no trouble in finding
him: the first person you meet will inform you of his abode.
Go to him and tell him what has happened. He will know you
to be my son, and will conduct you to the place where this
marvellous statue is to be found, and instruct you how to obtain
it with safety.”

The king having arranged with his mother to attend to the
affairs of the kingdom in his absence, ordered his equipage to
be got in readiness, and set off with only a few slaves, not
choosing to be encumbered with a numerous retinue.

He pursued his journey without any disagreeable accident,
and in due time arrived at Cairo, where he inquired after Mo-