But I am now Queen of all the Ebony Islands and they are under my rule，nor shall I ever again meet my Kamar al
Zaman save in this place；for there is no way for him to his native land but through the Ebony Islands. Verily，I know not what to do in my present case，but I commit my care to Allah who directeth all for the best，for I am no man that I should arise and open this virgin girl.'Then quoth Queen Budur to Hayat al Nufus，'O my beloved，that I have neglected thee and abstained from thee is in my own despite.'And she told her her whole story from beginning to end and showed her person to her，saying，'I
conjure thee by Allah to keep my counsel，for I have concealed my case only that Allah may reunite me with my beloved Kamar al Zaman and then come what may.'And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the Two Hundred and Eleventh Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that when the Lady Budur acquainted Hayat alNufus with her history and bade her keep it secret，the Princess heard her with extreme wonderment and was moved to pity and prayed Allah to reunite her with her beloved，saying，'Fear nothing，O my sister；but have patience till Allah bring to pass that which must come to pass：'
and she began repeating，'None but the men of worth a secret keep；
With worthy men a secret's hidden deep；
As in a room，so secrets lie with me，Whose door is sealed，lock shot and lost the key.'[320]
And when Hayat alNufus had ended her verses，she said，'O my sister，verily the breasts of the noble and brave are of secrets the grave；and I will not discover shine.'Then they toyed and embraced and kissed and slept till near the Mu'ezzin's call to dawn prayer，when Hayat alNufus arose and took a pigeonpoult，[321] and cut its throat over her smock and besmeared herself with its blood. Then she pulled off her petticoattrousers and cried aloud，whereupon her people hastened to her and raised the usual lullilooing and outcries of joy and gladness. Presently her mother came in to her and asked her how she did and busied herself about her and abode with her till evening；whilst the Lady Budur arose with the dawn，and repaired to the bath and，after washing herself pure，proceeded to the hall of audience，where she sat down on her throne and dispensed justice among the folk. Now when King Armanus heard the loud cries of joy，he asked what was the matter and was informed of the consummation of his daughter's marriage；whereat he rejoiced and his breast swelled with gladness and he made a great marriagefeast whereof the merrymaking lasted a long time. Such was their case： but as regards King Shahriman it was on this wise. After his son had fared forth to the chase accompanied by Marzawan，as before related，he tarried patiently awaiting their return at nightfall；but when his son did not appear he passed a sleepless night and the dark hours were longsome upon him；his restlessness was excessive，his excitement grew upon him and he thought the morning would never dawn. Anc when day broke he sat expecting his son and waited till noon，but he came not；whereat his heart forebode separation and was fired with fears for Kamar alZaman；and he cried，'Alas！ my son！'and he wept till his clothes were drenched with tears，and repeated with a beating heart，'Love's votaries I ceased not to oppose，
Till doomed to taste Love's bitter and Love's sweet：
I drained his rigourcup to very dregs，
Self humbled at its slaves' and freemen's feet：
Fortune had sworn to part the loves of us；
She kept her word how truly，well I weet！'
And when he ended his verse，he wiped away his tears and bade his troops make ready for a march and prepare for a long expedition.
So they all mounted and set forth，headed by the Sultan，whose heart burnt with grief and was fired with anxiety for his son Kamar alZaman；and they advanced by forced marches. Now the King divided his host into six divisions，a right wing and a left wing，a vanguard and a rear guard；[322] and bade them rendezvous for the morrow at the crossroads. Accordingly they separated and scoured the country all the rest of that day till night，and they marched through the night and at noon of the ensuing day they joined company at the place where four roads met. But they knew not which the Prince followed，till they saw the sign of torn clothes and sighted shreds of flesh and beheld blood still sprinkled by the way and they noted every piece of the clothes and fragment of mangled flesh scattered on all sides.
Now when King Shahriman saw this，he cried from his heartcore a loud cry，saying，'Alas，my son！'；and buffeted his face and plucks his beard and rent his raiment，doubting not but his son was dead. Then he gave himself up to excessive weeping and wailing，and the troops also wept for his weeping，all being assured that Prince Kamar alZaman had perished. They threw dust on their heads，and the night surprised them shedding tears and lamenting till they were like to die. Then the King with a heart on fire and with burning sighs spake these couplets，'Chide not the mourner for bemourning woe；Enough is yearning every Ill to show：
He weeps for stress of sorrow and of pain，
And these to thee best evidence his lowe：
Happy！[323] of whom Love sickness swore that ne'er
Should cease his eye lids loving tears to flow：
He mourns the loss of fairest，fullest Moon，
Shining o'er all his peers in glorious glow：
But death made drink a brimming cup，what day
He fared from natal country fain to go：
His home left he and went from us to grief；
Nor to his brethren could he say adieu：
Yea，his loss wounded me with parting pangs，
And separation cost me many a throe：
He fared farewelling，as he fared，our eyes；
Whenas his Lord vouchsafed him Paradise.'
And when King Shahriman had ended his verses，he returned with the troops to his capital，And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
