My lord, replied the vizier, I swear to your highness, that nothing of this has been acted which you seem to reproach me with!  And I vow, by the head of our great prophet, that neither your father nor myself have sent the lady you speak of, if I may believe my royal master’s protestations; and sure I am, I can answer for myself.  I am confident that neither of us had ever any such thought:  permit me, therefore, to certify your highness once more that this must needs have been a dream.

How! do you come thus to affront and contradict me, said the prince in a great rage, and to tell me to my face that what I have told you is a dream.  You are an unbelieving varlet! cried he; and at the same time took him by the beard, and loaded him with so many blows, that he was hardly able to stand under them.

The poor grand vizier endured patiently all the brunt of his lord’s indignation, and could not help saying within himself, Now am I even in as bad a condition as the slave, and shall think myself happy if I can, like him, escape from any further danger.  In the midst of the blows that were given him, he cried out but for a moment’s audience; which the prince, after he had nearly tired himself with beating him, consented to give.

I own, my lord, said the grand vizier, dissembling, that there is something in what your highness suspects; but you cannot be ignorant under what necessity a minister is to obey his royal master’s orders; yet if your highness will but be pleased to set me at liberty, will go and tell him any thing on your part that you shall think fit to command.  Go, then, said the prince, and tell him from me, that, if he pleases, I will marry the lady he sent me, or rather that was brought me, last night.  Do this quickly, and bring me a speedy answer.  The grand vizier made a profound reverence, and went away, not thinking himself altogether safe till he had got out of the tower, and shut the door upon the prince.

He came and presented himself before the sultan Schahzaman, with a countenance that sufficiently showed he had been ill used.  Well, said the king, in what condition did you find my son?  Sir, answered the vizier, what the slave reported to your majesty is but too true.  He then related the interview he had had with Camaralzaman; how he was in a passion upon his endeavouring to persuade him it was impossible that any lady should get in to him; how he had used him very scurvily, and by what means he made his escape.

Schahzaman was the more concerned, because he loved the prince with an exceeding tenderness, and resolved to find out the truth of this matter; he therefore proposed to go and see his son in the tower himself, accompanied by the grand vizier.

Prince Camaralzaman received the king his father in the tower with great respect.  The king sat down, and made the prince his son seat himself by him, putting several questions to him, which he answered with a great deal of good sense.  As they were talking, the king every now and then cast his eyes on the grand vizier, thereby intimating to him, that he did not find his son had lost his senses, but rather thought he had lost his.