Alaeddin’s palace, he beheld nothing but a place swept [and level], like as it was aforetime, and saw neither palace nor inhabitants; [FN#572] whereat amazement clad him and his wit was bewildered and he fell to rubbing his eyes, so haply they were bleared or dimmed.  Then he proceeded to look closely till at last he was certified that there was neither trace nor sign left of the palace and knew not what was come of it; whereupon he redoubled in perplexity and smote hand upon hand and his tears ran down upon his beard, for that he knew not what had befallen his daughter.  So he sent forthright to fetch the Vizier, who came in to him and seeing him in that woeful state, said to him, “Pardon, O King of the Age (God keep thee from harm!) why art thou woeful?” Quoth the Sultan, “Meseemeth thou knowest not of my affair.”  And the Vizier said to him, “By Allah, O my lord, I have no knowledge of aught whatsoever.”  “Then,” rejoined the Sultan, “thou hast not looked towards Alaeddin’s palace.”  “Nay, O my lord,” replied the Vizier, “it is yet shut.”  And the Sultan said to him, “Since thou hast no news of aught, rise and look at it from the window and see where it is, this palace of Alaeddin’s, whereof thou sayest that it is yet shut.”  The Vizier arose and looked from the window towards Alaeddin’s palace, but could see nothing, neither palace nor aught else; so his wit was bewildered and he was amazed and returned to the Sultan, who said to him, “Now knowest thou the cause of my distress and seest Alaeddin his palace, whereof thou saddest that it was shut.”  “O King of the Age,” rejoined the Vizier, “I told Thy Grace aforetime that this palace and these affairs were all of them [the work of] enchantment.”

At this the Sultan was fired with wrath and said to him, “Where is Alaeddin?” And he answered, “He is at the chase.”  Whereupon the Sultan bade sundry of his eunuchs and officers go straightway fetch him bound and shackled.  So they went till they came to Alaeddin and said to him, “O our lord Alaeddin, blame us not, for that the Sultan hath bidden us carry thee to him, bound and shackled; wherefore we beseech thee of excusement, for that we are under a royal commandment and may not gainsay it.”  When Alaeddin heard their speech, wonderment took him and his tongue was tied, for that he knew not the cause; then he turned to the eunuchs and officers and said, “Prithee, sirs, [FN#573] have you no knowledge of the cause of this commandment of the Sultan?  I know myself guiltless, forasmuch as I have done no sin against the Sultan nor against his realm.”  And they said to him, “O our lord, we have no manner of knowledge thereof.”  So Alaeddin lighted down from his stallion and said to them, “Do with me that which the Sultan biddeth you, for that his commandment is upon the head and eyes.”  Accordingly [FN#574] the officers shackled him and pinioning him, haled him along in irons and entered the city with him.