Dinarzade awaked the sultaness next morning as usual. If you be not
asleep, sister, said she, pray tell us what passed after the death
of the young man. She went on as follows:
Madam, continued the third calender, addressing himself to Zobeide,
after this misfortune, I would have embraced death without any
reluctance, had it presented itself to me. But what we wish to
ourselves, whether good or bad, will not always happen.
Nevertheless, considering with myself that all my tears and sorrows
would not bring the young man to life again, and the forty days
being expired, I might be surprised by his father, I quitted the
subterranean dwelling, laid down the great stone upon the entry of
it, and covered it with earth.
I had scarce done, when casting my eyes upon the sea towards the
main land, I perceived the vessel coming to fetch home the young
man. I began then to consider what I had best do; I said to myself,
if I am seen by the old man, he will certainly lay hold of me, and
perhaps cause me to be massacred by his slaves when he has seen that
his son is killed: all that I can allege to justify myself will not
persuade him of my innocence. It is better for me then to withdraw,
since it is in my power, than to expose myself to his resentment.
There happened to be near that subterranean habitation a large tree
with thick leaves, which I thought fit to hide me in --I got up to
it, and was no sooner fixed in a place where I could not be seen,
than I saw the vessel come to the same place where she lay the first
time.
This old man and his slaves landed immediately, and advanced towards
the subterranean dwelling, with a countenance that showed some hope;
but when they saw the earth had been newly removed, they changed
colour, particularly the old man. They lifted up the stone, and went
down; they called the young man by his name, but he not answering,
their fears increased; they went down to seek him, and at length
found him lying upon the bed, with the knife in his heart, for I had
not power to take it out. At this sight they cried out lamentably,
which increased my sorrow: the old man fell down in a swoon. The
slaves, to give him air, brought him up in their arms, and laid him
at the foot of the tree where I was; but notwithstanding all the
pains they took to recover him, the unfortunate father continued a
long while in that condition, and made them oftener than once
despair of his life, but at last he came to himself. Then the slaves
brought up his son’s corpse, dressed in his best apparel, and when
they had made a grave, they put him into it. --The old man,
supported by two slaves, and his face covered with tears, threw the
first earth upon him, after which the slaves filled up the grave.
This being done, all the furniture was brought up from under ground,
and, with the remaining provisions, put on board the vessel. The old
man, overcome with sorrow, and not being able to stand, was laid
upon a sort of litter, and carried to the ship which stood out to
sea, and in a short time was out of sight. The daylight which began
to enter the sultan’s apartment, obliged Scheherazade to stop
here; Schahriar arose at the usual hour; and for the same reason as
before, he prolonged the sultaness’s life, and left her with
Dinarzade.