It was late again before the princess Badoura came to queen Haiatalnefous:  she talked to her as she had done the night before, and in the same manner went to her devotions, desiring the queen to go to bed.  But Haiatalnefous would not be so served; she held her back, and obliged her to sit down again:  What, said she, do you think to deal by me this night as you have done the two last?  Pray tell me, what can you dislike in a princess of my youth and beauty, who not only loves but adores you, and thinks herself the happiest of all princesses in having so amiable a prince for her husband?  Any body but me would revenge the slight, or rather the unpardonable affront that you have put upon me, and abandon you to your evil destiny; however, though I did not love you as well as I do, yet, out of pure good nature and humanity, which make me pity the misfortunes of persons for whom:  I am no ways concerned, I could not forbear telling you that the king my father is enraged against you for your carriage towards me, and will to-morrow exert his fury in a manner I tremble to think of, if you still use me as you have hitherto done.  Do not therefore throw into a despair a princess, who, notwithstanding your ill usage, cannot help loving you.

This discourse embarrassed the princess Badoura more than any thing she had yet met with; she did not doubt the truth of what Haiatalnefous had said.  King Armanos’s coldness the day before had given her but too much reason to see that he was highly dissatisfied with her.  The only way to justify her conduct was to communicate her sex to the princess Haiatalnefous.  She had foreseen she should be under a necessity of discovering it to her, yet, now she was about to make such a declaration, was afraid how she would receive it:  but, considering that if Camaralzaman was alive, he must necessarily touch at the isle of Ebene in his way to King Schahzaman his father’s kingdom, that she ought to preserve herself for his sake; and as it was impossible to do it, if she did not let the princess Haiatalnefous know who and what she was, she resolved to venture, and try to get off that way.

The princess Badoura stood as one struck dumb; and Haiatalnefous, being impatient to hear what she could say, was about to speak to her again, when she stopped her by these words:  Lovely and too charming princess!  I own I have been in the wrong, and I condemn myself for it; but I hope you will pardon me, and keep the secret I am going to reveal to you for my justification.

She then opened her bosom, and, showing her naked breasts, proceeded thus:  See, princess, if a woman, and a princesss like yourself, does not deserve to be forgiven; I believe you will be so good at least, when you know my story, and the terrible affliction that forced me to act the part you see.

The princess Badoura, having discovered herself entirely to the princess of the isle of Ebene, again prayed her to keep the secret, and to accept her as a husband till prince Camaralzaman’s arrival, which she hoped would be in a little time.