being informed of her arrival, sent for her into his apartment, and perceiving a melancholy look on her countenance, he thought she had not succeeded, and said to her, 'By your looks I guess that you have not made the discovery I expected from you.'
'Sir,' replied the magician, 'your majesty must give me leave to represent that you ought not to judge by my looks whether or no I have acquitted myself well as regards the commands you were pleased to honour me with. The melancholy you observe proceeds from another cause than the want of success.'
Then the magician related to the Sultan of the Indies the whole story of all that happened from beginning to end.
When the magician had ended, she said, 'What does your majesty think of these unheard-of riches of the fairy? Perhaps you will say you rejoice at the good fortune of Prince Ahmed your son. For my part, sir, I beg of your majesty to forgive me if I take the liberty to say that I think otherwise, and that I shudder when I consider the misfortunes which may happen to you. And this is the cause of the melancholy which you perceived. I would believe that Prince Ahmed, by his own good disposition, is incapable of undertaking anything against your majesty; but who can say that the fairy, by the influence she already has over him, may not inspire him with a dangerous design of dethroning your majesty, and seizing the crown of the Indies? This is what your majesty ought to consider serious and of the utmost importance.'
Though the Sultan of the Indies was very sure that Prince Ahmed's natural disposition was good, yet he could not help being uneasy at the remarks of the old sorceress, and said, 'I thank you for the pains you have taken, and your wholesome caution. I am so aware of the great importance it is to me, that I shall take advice upon it.'
He had been consulting with his favourites, when he was told of the magician's arrival. He ordered her to follow him to them. He acquainted them with what he had learnt, and communicated to them also the reason he had to fear the fairy's influence over the prince, and asked them what measures they thought most proper to prevent so great a misfortune. One of the favourites, taking upon himself to speak for the rest, said, 'Your majesty knows
