In the meanwhile, Shaw-zummaun prepared for his journey, gave orders about his most important affairs, appointed a council to govern in his absence, and named a minister, of whose wisdom he had sufficient experience, and in whom he had entire confidence, to be their president.  At the end of ten days, his equipage being ready, he took leave of the queen his wife, and went out of town in the evening with his retinue.  He pitched his royal pavilion near the vizier’s tent, and conversed with him till midnight.  Wishing once more to see the queen, whom he ardently loved, he returned alone to his palace, and went directly to her majesty’s apartments.  But she, not expecting his return, had taken one of the meanest officers of her household to her bed.

The king entered without noise, and pleased himself to think how he should surprise his wife who he thought loved him with reciprocal tenderness.  But how great was his astonishment, when, by the light of the flambeau, he beheld a man in her arms!  He stood immovable for some time, not knowing how to believe his own eyes.  But finding there was no room for doubt, “How!” said he to himself, “I am scarcely out of my palace, and but just under the walls of Samarcand, and dare they put such an outrage upon me?  Perfidious wretches! your crime shall not go unpunished.  As a king, I am bound to punish wickedness committed in my dominions; and as an enraged husband, I must sacrifice you to my just resentment.”  The unfortunate prince, giving way to his rage, then drew his cimeter, and approaching the bed killed them both with one blow, their sleep into death; and afterwards taking them up, he threw them out of a window into the ditch that surrounded the palace.

Having thus avenged himself, he returned to his pavilion without saying one word of what had happened, gave orders that the tents should be struck, and everything made ready for his journey.  All was speedily prepared, and before day he began his march, with kettle-drums and other instruments of music, that filled everyone with joy, excepting the king; he was so much afflicted by the disloyalty of his wife, that he was seized with extreme melancholy, which preyed upon his spirits during the whole of his journey.

When he drew near the capital of the Indies, the sultan Shier-ear and all his court came out to meet him.  The princes were overjoyed to see one another, and having alighted, after mutual embraces and other marks of affection and respect, remounted, and entered the city, amidst the acclamations of the people.  The sultan conducted his brother to the palace provided for him, which had a communication with his own by a garden.  It was so much the more magnificent as it was set apart as a banqueting-house for public entertainments, and other diversions of the court, and its splendour had been lately augmented by new furniture.