Though Dinarzade was very curious to hear the rest of the story of
the Grecian king, she did not awake that night so soon as usual, so
that it was almost day before she called upon the sultaness; and
then she said, I pray you, sister, to continue the wonderful story
of the Grecian king; but make haste, I beseech you, for it will
speedily be day.
Scheherazade resumed the story where she left off the day before:
Sir, said she to the sultan, when the physician Douban, or rather
his head, saw that the poison had taken effect, and that the king
had but a few moments to live; Tyrant, it cried, now you see how
princes are treated, who, abusing their authority, cut off innocent
men: God punishes soon or late their injustice and cruelty. Scarcely
had the head spoken these words, when the king fell down dead, and
the head itself lost what life it had.
Sir, continued Scheherazade, such was the end of the Grecian king
and of the physician Douban. I must return now to the story of the
fisherman and the genie; but it is day. The sultan, who always
observed his hours regularly, got up; and wishing to hear the sequel
of the story of the genie and the fisherman, bid the sultaness
prepare to relate it to him the next night.