Misnar endeavoured to comfort the afflicted stranger, and asked her whether she thought it possible for any man to enter the palace of Ulin undiscovered.
"O Sultan," said she, "let me prevail upon you to follow me, and I will ensure your success."
Misnar besought her to walk before, and show him the path which led to the palace.
"We will reach it by night," said the stranger, "when the darkness shall protect thee."
The beautiful stranger then went forward, and Misnar followed after. Ere they had proceeded twenty paces, Misnar said,
"It will be proper, O fair stranger, to draw my scimitar, lest we be set upon suddenly by the robbers."
"You are right," answered the fair stranger, "and your precaution is just."
The Sultan Misnar, having drawn his sabre, followed close behind the beautiful stranger, and suddenly with a blow smote her on the shoulders, and felled her to the ground.
She had no sooner fallen, than her countenance changed, and discovered to Misnar the features of the malicious enchantress Ulin, who, though nearly spent and exhausted by the blow, yet lived to utter the following imprecations:
"May the curse of our sex light upon thee, thou traitor to manhood! since neither the charms nor the afflictions of the fair have been able to soften thine heart. Thou hast, indeed, avoided my snares, by doing violence to the noblest of passions, and by trampling on the most sacred laws of humanity and hospitality. Idiot that I was to trust myself to thee, though guarded by the strongest appearances of innocence and distress! The injured and the helpless can find no protection in thy government, though thou boastest thyself the delegate of Allah and the friend of the oppressed; and I, trusting to thy specious virtues, have fallen a sacrifice to thy deceitful heart."