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Misnar endeavoured to comfort the afflicted stranger, and asked her whether she thought it possible for any man to enter the palace of Ulin undiscovered. "O Sultan," said she, "let me prevail upon you to follow me, and I will ensure your success." Misnar besought her to walk before, and show him the path which led to the palace.
By this time Shemshelnar had reached the place where the transformed company were seated; and, falling prostrate before Misnar, he said, "Wonder not, O Prince of India, that Shemshelnar, thy slave, doth thus acknowledge his Prince, though deformed by the enchantments of the wicked.
Horam immediately recollected the features of the good old saint, and said, "My royal master, yonder is Shemshelnar, the most pious worshipper of Allah among all the sons of Asia." "I do not remember his features," answered Misnar: "came he not to the council of our divan?" "No, my royal lord," said Horam, "the infirmities of age were upon him."
The enchanter then marched with his selected troops into a thick wood, which the army of Misnar must pass through ere they could oppose their enemies; and in this wood the engines of European war were placed, to command every avenue which had been hewn out by the troops of the Sultan.
Lay thine hand on thy head," said the chief to the disguised Sultan, "and put thy fingers on thy mouth, and say, 'As the starless night is dark, as the cave of death is dark, so shall my thoughts and words continue in darkness concerning the festival of tigers." "And wherefore," said Misnar, "is this silence imposed? And what shall befall him that sweareth not unto you?
He called a council of his captains, and commanded the Vizier Horam to be brought before them. The Vizier was condemned by every voice, and Misnar, with tears in his eyes, pronounced the sentence of death against him. "To-morrow," said the Sultan, "must the ill-fated Horam be numbered with the dead." Horam heard the sentence without emotion.
"That, O sages," replied Misnar, "is too much for even the Sultan of the East to hear. But, may the all-righteous Allah approve of my thoughts and actions; so shall the infernal powers destroy the wretches that employ them, and the dark poisoned arrow recoil upon him that blew it forth.
Such, Sultan of India, were the consequences of my imprudence; and thus are our sex, by the smallest deviations, often led through perpetual scenes of misery and distress. "Lovely Princess of Cassimir," said the Sultan Misnar, "I have felt more anxiety during this short interval in which you have related your adventures than in all the campaigns I have made.
Misnar, at sight of one of his hideous kind, was filled with scorn and rage; and, forgetting his transformation, was about to drive him from the mangled body, when the reptile, opening his mouth, addressed him in the language of Delhi. "Whether thou art really what thy form bespeaks thee," said the reptile, "or, like me, the victim of enchantment, answer."
"At this declaration, the Viziers and Emirs prostrated themselves, and gave thanks to Allah; and the trumpets and the cornets went through the streets of Delhi, and proclaimed my arrival and the victory of Misnar their Sultan over the enchantress Ulin.
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