The disconsolate Bedreddin did not cease to pour forth his lamentations; and when the stake was brought, and the nails to nail him to it, he cried out bitterly at the horrid sight.  Heaven! said he, canst thou suffer me to die an ignominious and painful death?  And for what crime?  Not for robbery or murder, or renouncing my religion, but for not putting pepper in a cream-tart!

Night being pretty far advanced, the vizier ordered Bedreddin to be put up again in his cage, saying to him, Stay here till to-morrow; the day shall not be spent before I give orders for your death.  The chest or cage was then carried away, and laid upon the camel that had brought it from Damascus; at the same time all the other camels were loaded again, and the vizier, mounting his horse, ordered the camel that carried his nephew to march before him, thus entering the city, with all his equipage following.  After passing through several streets, where nobody appeared, every one being in bed, he arrived at his house, where he ordered the chest to be taken down, but not to be opened till further orders.  While his retinue were unloading the other camels, the vizier took Bedreddin’s mother and his daughter aside; and, addressing himself to the latter, said, God be praised, my child, for this happy occasion of meeting your cousin and your husband.  You surely remember in what order your chamber was on your wedding night; put every thing in the very same situation; and, in the mean time, if your memory do not serve you, I can supply you by a written account which I caused to be taken upon that occasion; and leave the rest to me.

The beautiful lady went joyfully about the orders of her father, who at the same time began to put things in the hall in the same order they were in when Bedreddin was there with the sultan of Egypt’s hunch-backed groom.  As he went over his manuscript, his domestics placed every moveable accordingly.  The throne was not forgotten, nor the lighted wax-candles.  When every thing was put to rights in the hall, the vizier went into his daughter’s chamber, and put Bedreddin’s clothes, with the purse of sequins, in their proper place.  This done, he said to the beautiful lady, Undress yourself, my child, and go to bed.  As soon as Bedreddin enters the room, complain of his being from you so long, and tell him, that when you awaked, you were astonished you did not find him by you.  Press him to come to bed again; and to-morrow morning you will divert your mother-in-law and me by telling us what has passed between you and him.  The vizier went from his daughter’s apartment, and left her to undress and go to bed.