The king, the more concerned as he loved the prince with excessive
tenderness, resolved to find out the truth of this matter, and
therefore proposed himself to go and see his son in the tower,
accompanied by the grand vizier.
Prince Camaralzaman received the king his father in the tower with
great respect. The king sat down, and, after he had made his son
the prince sit down by him, put several questions to him, which he
answered with great good sense. The king every now and then looked
at the grand vizier, as intimating that he did not find his son had
lost his wits, but rather thought he had lost his.
The king at length spoke of the lady to the prince. 'My son,' said
he, 'I desire you to tell me what lady it was that came here, as I
have been told.'
'Sir,' answered Camaralzaman, 'I beg of your majesty not to give me
more vexation on that head, but rather to oblige me by letting me
have her in marriage: this young lady has charmed me. I am ready to
receive her at your hands with the deepest gratitude.'
The king was surprised at this answer of the prince, so remote, as
he thought, from the good sense he had shown before. 'My son,' said
he to him, 'you fill me with the greatest astonishment imaginable
by what you now say to me; I declare to you by my crown, that is to
devolve upon you after me, I know not one word of the lady you
mention; and if any such has come to you, it was altogether without
my knowledge.
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