versation with the young prince, the sultan
told him who he was, and for what purpose he had entered the
castle; and afterwards informed him of a mode of revenge which he
had devised. They agreed upon the measures they were to take for
accomplishing their design, but deferred the execution of it till
the following day. In the mean time, the night being far spent,
the sultan took some rest; but the young prince passed the night
as usual, without sleep, having never slept since he was
enchanted, still indulging some hopes of being speedily delivered
from his misery.

Next morning the sultan arose with the dawn, and prepared to
execute his design, hiding his upper garment, which might
encumber him; he then proceeded to the Palace of Tears. He found
it lighted up with an infinite number of flambeaux of white wax,
and perfumed by a delicious scent issuing from several censers of
fine gold of admirable workmanship. As soon as he perceived the
bed where the black lay, he drew his cimeter, and without
resistance deprived him of his wretched life, dragged his corpse
into the court of the castle, and threw it into a well. After
this, he went and lay down in the black's bed, placed his cimeter
under the covering, and waited to complete his design.

The queen arrived shortly after. She first went into the chamber
of her husband, the king of the Black Islands, stripped him, and
with unexampled barbarity gave him a hundred stripes. The
unfortunate prince filled the palace with his lamentations, and
conjured her in the most affecting tone to take pity on him; but
the cruel wretch ceased not till she had given the usual number
of blows. "You had no compassion on my lover," said she, "and you
are to expect none from me."

After the enchantress had given the king, her husband, a hundred
blows with the whip, she put on again his covering of goat's
hair, and his brocade gown over all; she went afterwards to the
Palace of Tears, and as she entered renewed her tears and
lamentations: then approaching the bed, where she thought her
paramour lay, "What cruelty," cried she, "was it to disturb the
satisfaction so tender and passionate a lover as I am? O cruel
prince, who reproachest me that I am inhuman, when I make thee
feel the effects of my resentment! Does not thy barbarity surpass
my vengeance? Traitor! in attempting the life of the object which
I adore, hast thou not robbed me of mine? Alas!" said she,
addressing herself to the sulta