such confidence; he left off insulting him, and said seriously, 'It is no matter whether you do it here or there, provided the business is done; cure her how you will, you will get immortal honour by it, not only in this court, but over all the world.'
The prince replied, 'It will be best then to cure her without seeing her, that you may be witness of my skill: notwithstanding my impatience to see a princess of her rank, who is to be my wife, yet, out of respect to you, will I deprive myself of that pleasure for a little while.' He was furnished with everything suitable for an astrologer to carry about him; and taking pen, ink, and paper out of his pocket, he wrote a letter to the princess.
When the prince had finished his letter, he folded it up, and enclosed in it the princess's ring, without letting the officer see what he did. When he had sealed it, he gave it to him: 'There, friend,' said he, 'carry it to your mistress; if it does not cure her as soon as she reads it, and sees what is enclosed in it, I give you leave to tell everybody that I am the most ignorant and impudent astrologer that ever was, is, or shall be.'
The officer, entering the Princess of China's chamber, gave her the packet he received from Prince Camaralzaman. 'Madam,' said he, 'the boldest astrologer that ever lived, if I am not mistaken, has arrived here, and pretends that on reading this letter and seeing what is in it you will be cured: I wish he may prove neither a liar nor an impostor.'
The Princess Badoura took the letter, and opened it with a great deal of indifference; but when she saw the ring, she had not patience to read it through: she rose hastily, broke the chain that held her, ran to the door and opened it. She knew the prince as soon as she saw him, and he knew her; they at once embraced each other tenderly, without being able to speak for excess of joy: they looked on one another a long time, wondering how they met again after their first interview. The princess's nurse, who ran to the door with her, made them come into her chamber, where the Princess Badoura gave the prince her ring, saying, 'Take it; I cannot keep it without restoring yours, which I will never part with; neither can it be in better hands.'
The officer immediately went to tell the King of China what
