"Ibrac," said he to the officer who commanded his troop, "fortune has now given me an opportunity of revenging the death of my sister Ulin. This disguise of an officer is not sufficient: I will descend to the lowest station, where I shall be less suspected, and as the Sultan Misnar passes between the ranks where I am situated, I will draw my bow, and pierce him to the heart. Having done this, I shall render myself invisible, and do you, in the general consternation, proclaim Ahubal the Sultan of India."
"Most powerful magician," answered Ibrac, "what need is there of this deceit? Since you are able to render yourself invisible, why cannot you enter the Sultan's palace unseen, and stab him to the heart?"
"Faithful Ibrac," answered the magician, "you know not the powers which support this boy-like urchin. The genius Bahoudi, at whose name our race trembles, is his guardian, and prevents my approach; and it is written in the volumes of fate that no enchantment shall prevail against Misnar unless he first allow our crafty race to deceive him. Otherwise, Ibrac, dost thou suppose that so many of my brethren, before whom the mountains tremble and the ocean boils, should need to league against a boy? No, Ibrac; Misnar were beneath our vengeance or our art, did not Mahomet espouse him, and his mean vassals, the good genii of mankind! The conquest of this boy, while thus supported, would add strength to our cause."
Ibrac then furnished the magician with the clothing of one of the common soldiers; and he was mustered with the rest of the troops.
Early in the morning on which Misnar was to review his men, the Sultan arose, and bade his slaves, who waited in the pavilion, call his Vizier Horam to him.
"Horam," said the Sultan, "I suspect the crafty magician Happuck: he is doubtless here disguised in our camp, and if I expose myself to-day, it may be in his power to destroy me, and set the crown of India on my brother's head."
"Let my Sultan, then," said Horam, "proclaim a reward to him who discovers the magician, even to the holding of the second place in your empire."
"That contrivance would have little effect," said the Sultan. "Happuck would elude our search, and, transforming himself into some reptile, escape our vengeance, and then meditate some new device to deceive us. No, Horam," continued Misnar, "if he be really with us, it were folly to let him escape."
"But how will my lord discover him amidst three hundred thousand troops?" answered the Vizier. "There is no officer in your army who knows the fiftieth part of your soldiers; and where recruits are daily coming in, to search for a particular person, without giving the alarm so that Happuck might escape, would be impossible."
"In how many ranks," said the Sultan, "is the army to be disposed?"