When the boats were come, he put Schemselnihar into one, and the
prince of Persia and the jeweller into the other, with two of his
people in each: they had orders to accompany them whithersoever
they were bound. Being abroad, the two boats took different
routes; but we shall at present speak only of that wherein were
the prince and the jeweller.
The prince, to save his guides trouble, bid them land the
jeweller with him, and named the place whither he would go. The
guides, mistaking his orders, stopped just before the caliph's
palace, which put both him and the jeweller into a fright, though
he durst discover nothing of the matter; for though they had
heard the commander's orders to his men, they could not help
imagining they were to be delivered up to the guard, and brought
before the caliph next morning.
This, nevertheless, was not the intention of the guides; for,
after they had landed them, they, by their master's command,
recommended them to an officer of the guard, who next morning
assigned them soldiers to conduct them by land to the prince's
chateau, which was at some distance from the river.
The prince being come home, what with the fatigue of his journey,
and the affliction he conceived at being never likely again to
see Schemselnihar, fell into a swoon on his sofa; and while the
greater part of his servants was endeavouring to recover him, the
other part gathered about the jeweller, and begged of him to tell
them what had happened to the prince their lord, whose absence
had occasioned inexpressible disquiet.
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