The sultan agreed with his brother; and, continuing
their journey, they arrived in the camp the third night after
they left it.
The news of the sultan's return being spread, the courtiers came
betimes in the morning before his pavilion to wait on him. He
ordered them to enter, received them with a more pleasant air
than formerly, and gave each of them a gratification; after which
he told them he would go no further, ordered them to take horse,
and returned speedily to his palace.
As soon as he arrived, he ran to the sultaness's apartment,
commanded her to be bound before him, and delivered her to his
grand vizier, with an order to strangle her; which was
accordingly executed by that minister, without inquiring into her
crime. The enraged prince did not stop here; he cut off the heads
of all the sultaness's ladies with his own hand. After this
rigorous punishment, being persuaded that no woman was chaste, he
resolved, in order to prevent the disloyalty of such as he should
afterwards marry, to wed one every night, and have her strangled
next morning. Having imposed this cruel law upon himself, he
swore that he would observe it immediately after the departure of
the king of Tartary, who speedily took leave of him, and, being
loaded with magnificent presents, set forward on his journey.
Schahzenan being gone, Schahriar ordered his grand vizier to
bring him the daughter of one of his generals.
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