Now the princess, of the excess of her grief for her separation from her husband and the Sultan her father and of her sore distress at that which had betided her with the accursed Maugrabin enchanter, used every day to arise, at the first peep of dawn, [FN#586] and sit weeping; nay, she slept not anights and forswore meat and drink.  Her handmaid used to go in to her at the time of the Salutation, [FN#587] so she might dress her, and that morning, by the decree of destiny, the damsel opened the window at that time, thinking to solace her mistress with the sight of the trees and streams.  So she looked out and seeing her lord Alaeddin sitting under the windows of the pavilion, said to the princess, “O my lady, my lady, here is my lord Alaeddin sitting under the pavilion!” Whereupon the Lady Bedrulbudour arose in haste and looking from the window, saw Alaeddin, and he raised his head and saw her; so she saluted him and he her and they were both like to fly for joy.  Then said she to him, “Arise and come in to me by the privy door, for that the accursed one [FN#588] is not now here;” and she bade her handmaid go down and open the door.  So the damsel went down and opened to Alaeddin, who arose and entered thereby.  His wife, [FN#589] the Lady Bedrulbudour, met him at the door and they embraced and kissed each other with all joyance, till they fell a-weeping of the excess of their gladness.

Then they sat down and Alaeddin said to her, “O Lady Bedrulbudour, there is somewhat whereof I would ask thee, before all things.  I used to lay an old copper lamp in such a place in my pavilion . . .”  When the princess heard this, she sighed and answered him, saying, “O my beloved, it was that which was the cause of our falling into this calamity.” [FN#590] Quoth he, “How came this about?” So she acquainted him with the whole matter from first to last, telling him how they had bartered the old lamp for a new one; “and next morning,” added she, “we found ourselves in this country and he who had cozened me and changed the lamp told me that he had wroughten these tricks upon us of the might of his magic, by means of the lamp and that he is a Maugrabin from Africa [FN#591] and that we are now in his native land.”  When [FN#592] she had made an end of her story, Alaeddin said to her, “Tell me, what does this accursed one purpose with thee; what saith he to thee and of what doth he bespeak thee and what is his will of thee?” “Every day,” answered the princess, “he cometh to me once and no more and seeketh to draw me to his love, willing me take him in thy stead and forget and renounce thee; nay, he told me that my father the Sultan had cut off thy head.  Moreover, he useth to say to me of thee that thou art the son of poor folk and that he was the cause of thine enrichment and seeketh to cajole me with talk, but never hath he seen of me aught but tears and weeping or heard from me one soft word.” [FN#593] Quoth Alaeddin, “Tell me where he layeth the lamp, an thou knowest.”  And she said, “He still carrieth it [about him] nor will part with it a moment; nay, when he acquainted me with that whereof I have told thee, he brought out the lamp from his sleeve and showed it to me”