certain death? Cannot the heads you see
on all the gates of this city deter you from such an undertaking?
In the name of God consider what you do! abandon this rash
attempt, and depart."

The prince continued firm, notwithstanding all these
remonstrances; and as he saw no one coming to introduce him, he
repeated the same cry with a boldness that made every body
tremble. They all then exclaimed, "Let him alone, he is resolved
to die; God have mercy on his youth and his soul!" He then
proceeded to cry a third time in the same manner, when the grand
vizier came in person, and introduced him to the king of China.

As soon as the prince came into the presence, he bowed and kissed
the ground. The king, who, among all that had hitherto
presumptuously exposed their lives on this occasion, had not
before seen one worthy of his attention, felt real compassion for
Kummir al Zummaun, on account of the danger to which he exposed
himself. "Young man," said he, "I can hardly believe that at this
age you can have acquired experience enough to dare attempt the
cure of my daughter. I wish you may succeed, and would give her
to you in marriage with all my heart, and with the greatest joy,
more willingly than I should have done to others that have
offered themselves before you; but I must declare to you at the
same time, though with great concern, that if you fail,
notwithstanding your noble appearance and your youth, you must
lose your head."

"Sir," replied the prince, "I have infinite obligations to your
majesty for the honour you design me, and the great goodness you
shew to a stranger; but I desire your majesty to believe I would
not have come from so remote a country as I have done, the name
of which perhaps may be unknown in your dominions, if I had not
been certain of the cure I propose. What would not the world say
of my fickleness, if, after such great fatigues and so many
dangers as I have undergone in the pursuit, I should abandon this
generous enterprise? Even your majesty would lose that esteem you
have conceived for me. If I perish, I shall die with the
satisfaction of not having forfeited your good opinion. I beseech
your majesty therefore to keep me no longer from displaying the
certainty of my art, by the proof I am ready to afford."

The king now commanded the eunuch, who had the custody of the
princess, to introduce Kummir al Zummaun into her apartment: but
before he would let him go, reminded him once more that