took him from my side, nor where they set him.”  When [FN#409] the Sultan heard his daughter’s story, he was sore concerned and his eyes brimmed with tears; then, sheathing the sword and coming up to her, he kissed her and said to her, “O my daughter, why didst thou not tell me yesterday, so I might have warded off from thee the torment and affright which have befallen thee this night?  But no matter; arise and put away from thee this thought, and to-night I will set over thee those who shall guard thee, so there shall not again befall thee that which befell yesternight.”  Then he returned to his pavilion and sent at once for the Vizier, who came and stood before him, awaiting his commands; and the Sultan said to him, “O Vizier, how deemest thou of this affair?  Most like thy son hath told thee what happened to him and to my daughter.”  “O King of the Age,” answered the Vizier, “I have not seen my son or yesterday or to-day.”  Whereupon the Sultan acquainted him with all that his daughter the Lady Bedrulbudour had told him and said to him, “It is now my will that thou enquire of thy son the truth of the case, for it may be my daughter knoweth not for fright what happened to her, though methinketh her tale is all true.”  So the Vizier arose and sending for his son, asked him of all that the Sultan had told him, if it were true or not.  Whereupon, “O my father the Vizier,” replied the youth, “[God] preserve the Lady Bedrulbudour from leasing! [FN#410] Indeed, all she saith is true and these two nights past have been for us the sorriest of nights, instead of being nights of pleasance and delight.  Marry, that which befell me was yet worse, for that, instead of sleeping with my bride in bed, I lay in the draught-house, a place dark and frightful, noisome of smell and accursed, and my ribs were straitened [FN#411] with cold.”  Brief, he told the Vizier all that had befallen him and ultimately said to him; “Dear [FN#412] my father, I beseech thee speak with the Sultan that he release me from this marriage.  True, it is great honour for me to be the Sultan’s son-in-law, more by token that the love of the Lady Bedrulbudour hath gotten possession of my vitals, but I cannot avail to endure one more night like the two that are past.”

When [FN#413] the Vizier heard his son’s words, he grieved and was exceeding chagrined, for that he had thought to greaten his son and advance him by making him the King’s son-in-law; so he bethought himself and was perplexed anent the matter and what was to do therein; [FN#414] and indeed it irked him sore that the marriage should be dissolved, for that he had long besought [FN#415] the Ten [FN#416] that he might compass the like of that affair; [FN#417] so he said to his son, “Have patience, O my son, so we may see [how it will be] to-night, and we will set over you guards to guard you; but do not thou let slip this great honour, for that it hath fallen to none other than thyself.”  Therewith he left him and returning to the Sultan, told him that