, in your presence; for in spite of all, I
made the genie know that I understood more than he; I have conquered,
and reduced him to ashes, but I cannot escape death, which is
approaching."

Suddenly the princess exclaimed, "I burn, I burn!" She found that the
fire had at last seized upon her vital parts, which made her still
cry, "I burn!" until death had put an end to her intolerable pain. The
effect of that fire was so extraordinary, that in a few moments she
was wholly reduced to ashes, as the genie had been.

I cannot tell you, madam, how much I was grieved at so dismal a
spectacle; I had rather all my life have continued an ape or a dog,
than to have seen my benefactress thus miserably perish. The sultan
cried piteously, and beat himself on his head and breast, until, being
quite overcome with grief, he fainted away. In the meantime, the
attendants and officers came running at the sultan's lamentations, and
with much difficulty brought him to himself.

When the knowledge of the death of the princess had spread through the
palace and the city, all the people greatly bewailed. Public mourning
was observed for seven days, and many ceremonies were performed. The
ashes of the genie were thrown into the air; but those of the princess
were collected into a precious urn, to be preserved; and the urn was
deposited in a superb mausoleum[22] constructed for that purpose on
the spot where the princess had been consumed.

The grief of the sultan for the loss of his daughter confined him to
his chamber for a whole month. Before he had fully recovered his
strength, he sent for me and said, "You are the cause of all these
misfortunes; depart hence therefore in peace, without further delay,
and take care never again to appear in my dominions on penalty of thy
life."

I was obliged to quit the palace, again cast down to a low estate, and
an outcast from the world. Before I left the city I went into a
bagnio, where I caused my beard and eyebrows to be shaved, and put on
a calender's robe. I passed through many countries without making
myself known; at last I resolved to visit Bagdad, in hopes of meeting
with the Commander of the Faithful, to move his compassion by relating
to him my unfortunate adventures. I arrived this evening; and the
first man I met was this calender, our brother, who spoke before me.

[Footnote 22: The erection of these tombs over the supposed effigy, or
the real remains, of the deceased, is often mention