He came and presented himself before the sultan Schahzaman, with a countenance that sufficiently showed he had been ill used. Well, said the king, in what condition did you find my son? Sir, answered the vizier, what the slave reported to your majesty is but too true. He then related the interview he had had with Camaralzaman; how he was in a passion upon his endeavouring to persuade him it was impossible that any lady should get in to him; how he had used him very scurvily, and by what means he made his escape.
Schahzaman was the more concerned, because he loved the prince with an exceeding tenderness, and resolved to find out the truth of this matter; he therefore proposed to go and see his son in the tower himself, accompanied by the grand vizier.
Prince Camaralzaman received the king his father in the tower with great respect. The king sat down, and made the prince his son seat himself by him, putting several questions to him, which he answered with a great deal of good sense. As they were talking, the king every now and then cast his eyes on the grand vizier, thereby intimating to him, that he did not find his son had lost his senses, but rather thought he had lost his.
The king at length spoke of the lady to his son. Son, said he, I desire you to tell me what lady that was who lay with you last night, as I have been told?
Sir, answered Camaralzaman, I beg your majesty not to give me any more disturbance on that head, but rather to oblige me so far as to let me have her in marriage: whatever aversion I may formerly have discovered for women, this young lady has charmed me to that degree, that I cannot help betraying my weakness. I am ready to receive her at your majesty's hands, with all the acknowledgments imaginable.
King Schahzaman was surprised at this answer of the prince's, so remote, as he thought, from the good sense he had found in him before; he therefore said to him, Son, you put me under the greatest consternation imaginable, by what you now say to me: I swear to you, by my crown, which is to devolve upon you after me, that I know not one word of what you mention about the lady; and if there has any such come to you, it was altogether without my knowledge or privity. But how could she get into this tower without my consent? For whatever my grand vizier told you, it was only to appease you that he said it: it must therefore be nothing but a dream; and I beg of you not to believe any thing to the contrary.
Sir, replied the prince, I should be for ever unworthy of the good-will of your majesty, if I did not give entire credit to what you are pleased to say; but I humbly beseech you, at the same time, give ear 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 awaked, exaggerating the beauty and charms of the lady he found by his side, the love he had for her at first sight, and the pains he took to awake her with- out effect. He did not conceal what had obliged him to awake, arid fall asleep again, after he 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, and you see I have it not on my finger, but another of a woman's in- stead of it. From this proof, therefore, I hope you will be pleased to be convinced that I have not lost my senses, as you have been almost made to believe.
King Schahzaman 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.
The prince took advantage of this opportunity, and said further, May it please your majesty, the passion I have conceived for this charming lady, whose precious image I bear continually on my mind, is so strong, that I cannot live unless your majesty procures me the happiness of enjoying her; which I know you can well do, as not being ignorant who she is.
Son, replied the king, after what I have just heard, and what I see by the ring on your finger, I cannot doubt but your passion is real for this lady; and would to God I knew who she was, I would make you happy from this moment. But what means have I to come at the knowledge of her? Where shall I find her, and how seek for her? How could she get in here, and by what conveyance, without my consent? Why did she come to sleep only, inflame you with her beauty, and then leave you while you was in a slumber? These things, I must confess, are past my finding out; and if Heaven is not so favourable as to give some light into them, we, I fear, must both go down to the grave together. Come, then, my son, continued he, let us go and afflict ourselves in conjunction; you for the hopes you have lost, and I for seeing you grieve, and not being in a capacity to remedy your affliction.