Hereat he was astonished and perplexed, knowing not what had occurred.
But when he returned to the presence, the King asked him: "What is
it thou hast seen? Where is thy pavilion, and where is my daughter,
the core of my heart, my only child, than whom I have none other?"
Aladdin answered, "O King of the Age, I wot naught thereof nor aught
of what hath befallen," and the Sultan rejoined: "Thou must know, O
Aladdin, I have pardoned thee only that thou go forth and look into
this affair and inquire for me concerning my daughter. Nor do thou
ever show thyself in my presence except she be with thee, and if
thou bring her not, by the life of my head I will cut off the head
of thee." The other replied: "To hear is to obey. Only vouchsafe me
a delay and respite of some forty days, after which, an I produce
her not, strike off my head and do with me whatso thou wishest." The
Sultan said to Aladdin: "Verily, I have granted thee thy request, a
delay of forty days. But think not thou canst fly from my hand, for
I would bring thee back even if thou wert above the clouds instead
of being only upon earth's surface.
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