Assad stood as one thunderstruck at these words, of which he could not comprehend the meaning.  When he recollected himself, he was so transported with rage, that he had like to have given very fatal demonstrations of his anger; but he contained himself, and withdrew without making any reply, fearing, if he staid, he might say something unworthy the greatness of his soul.  Amgrad had put the same constraint on himself; and, guessing by his mother’s carriage that she was altogether as criminal as queen Haiatalnefous, went to his brother, to chide him, for not communicating that hated secret to him, and to mingle his sorrow with Assad’s.

The two queens grew desperate when they found so much virtue in the two princes; and, instead of reforming themselves, renounced all sentiments of mothers and of nature, and conspired together to destroy them:  they made their women believe the two princes had attempted to ravish them:  they counterfeited the matter to the life by tears, cries, and curses, and lay in the same bed, as if the resistance they had made had wasted them so much, that they were almost at death’s door.

When Camaralzaman returned to the palace from hunting, he was very much surprised to find them in bed together in tears; and the part of desponding ladies was acted so well, that he was touched with compassion, and asked them, with earnestness, what had happened to them.

At this question, the dissembling queens wept and groaned more bitterly than before; and, after pressing them again and again to tell him, queen Badoura at last answered thus:  Sir, our grief is so extraordinary, and so just, that we ought not to see the light of the sun nor live a day, after the violence that has been offered us by the princes your sons.  Their brutality is such, that they entered into a horrid design in your absence, and had the boldness and insolence to make attempts upon our honour.  Your majesty will excuse us from saying more; you may guess the rest by our affliction.

The king sent for the two princes, and would have killed them both with his own hand, if old king Armanos, his father-in-law, who was present, had not held his arm.  Son, said he, what are you going to do?  Will you stain your hands and your palace with your own blood?  There are other ways of punishing, if they are really guilty.

He endeavoured thus to appease him, and desired him to examine the matter, and see whether they did indeed commit the crime of which they were accused.  It was now a hard thing for Camaralzaman to be so much master of himself as not to butcher his own children.  He ordered them to be put under arrest, and sent for an emir called Giendar, whom he commanded to carry them out of the city, and put them to death, as far off and in what place he pleased; but not to return unless he brought their clothes back, as a token of having executed his orders.

Giendar travelled with them all night, and early the next morning alighted, telling them, with tears in his eyes, the cruel commands he had received.  Believe me, princes, said he, it is next to death to obey your father, who chose me to execute what he ordered concerning you.  Would to Heaven I could avoid it!  The princes replied, Do your duty; we know well you are not the cause of our deaths, and pardon you freely.