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Moreover, Amjed, in his turn, related to Asaad all that had passed between the lady and himself and how he had escaped hanging and become Vizier; and they made moan, each to the other, of the anguish they had suffered for separation.
If thou leave me, I shall imagine a thousand things and suffer tortures of anxiety on thine account, for I cannot brook thine absence from me. 'Go then, rejoined Amjed, 'and do not tarry. So Asaad took money and leaving his brother awaiting him, descended the mountain and fared on, till he entered the city.
When they revived, Kemerezzeman acquainted his father with all his adventures, and the other Kings saluted Shehriman. Then they married Merjaneh to Asaad and sent her back to her kingdom, charging her not to leave them without news of her. Moreover, Amjed took Bustan, Behram's daughter, to wife, and they all set out for the City of Ebony.
The princes wondered mightily at Behram's story and said, 'By Allah, this is indeed a rare story! They passed the night thus, and next morning, Amjed and Asaad mounted and riding to the palace, sought an audience of the King, who received them with honour.
But now there is nothing for it but to rid us of her forthright, before the day break. So saying, he wrapped the body in a mantle and laying it in a basket, said to Amjed, 'Thou art a stranger here and knowest no one: so sit thou here and await my return.
When Amjed saw all this, he was confounded and said in himself, 'I am a lost man!
When Amjed heard his brother's weeping, he wept also and pressed him to his bosom, repeating the following verses: O Thou, whose bounties unto me are more than one, I trow, Whose favours lavished on my head are countless as the sand, No blow of all the blows of fate has ever fall'n on me, But I have found Thee ready still to take me by the hand.
When they drew near it, they thanked God the Most High and Amjed said to Asaad, 'O my brother, sit here, whilst I go to yonder city and see what and whose it is and where we are in God's wide world, that we may know through what lands we have passed in crossing this mountain, whose skirts if we had followed, we had not reached this city in a whole year: so praised be God for safety! 'By Allah, replied Asaad, 'none shall go but myself, and may I be thy ransom!
So she bestowed a dress of honour upon Amjed, and he returned to the King and told him what had passed, at which they all rejoiced and the King and the two princes went forth to meet Queen Merjaneh. They were admitted to her presence and sat down to converse with her, but as they were thus engaged, behold, a cloud of dust arose and grew, till it covered the landscape.
Amjed kissed the ground before him; but lo, the King was a queen, who wore a chin-band over her face, and she said to Amjed, 'Know that I have no design on your city and am only come hither in quest of a beardless slave of mine, whom if I find with you, I will do you no hurt; but if I find him not, then shall there befall sore battle between you and me. 'O Queen, asked Amjed, 'what is thy slave's name and what like is he? Said she, 'His name is Asaad and he is of such and such a favour.
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