The Vizier Dendan and Zoulmekan and the Chamberlain abode with Sherkan， till they had dressed his wound and anointed it； after which they gave him medicines and he began to recover his strength； whereat they were exceeding glad and told the troops，who rejoiced greatly， saying， "To-morrow he will ride with us and take part in the siege." Then said Sherkan to them， "You have fought all day and are weary， and it behoves that you return to your tents and sleep and not watch." So they went away all to their tents and there remained none with Sherkan but Dhat ed Dewahi and a few servants. He talked with her awhile， then lay down to rest， he and his servants， and soon sleep overcame them all and they were as dead men. But the old woman abode awake and looking at Sherkan， saw that he was drowned in sleep. So she sprang to her feet， as she were a bald she-bear or a speckled snake， and drew from her girdle a poisoned knife， that would have melted a rock if laid thereon； then going up to Sherkan， she drew the knife across his throat and cut off his head. After this， she went up to the sleeping servants and cut off their heads also，lest they should awake. Then she left the tent and made for the Sultan"s pavilion， but finding the guards awake， turned to that of the Vizier. He was reading the Koran and seeing her， said，"Welcome， O holy man！" When she heard this， her heart trembled and she said， "The reason of my coming hither at this time is that I heard the voice of a friend of God and am going to him."
Then she went away， but the Vizier said to himself， "By Allah， I will follow the holy man to-night！" So he rose and went after her： but the accursed old woman heard his footsteps and knew that he was following her： wherefore she feared discovery and said in herself， "Except I put him off with some trick， he will discover me." So she turned and said to him from afar， "Harkye， Vizier， I am going after this saint， that I may know who he is； and after I will ask his leave for thee to join him. Then I will come back and tell thee； for I fear to let thee accompany me， without his leave， lest he take umbrage at seeing thee with me." When the Vizier heard this， he was abashed and knew not what to answer； so he left her and returning to his tent， would have slept； but sleep was not favourable to him and the world was straitened upon him. So he rose and went out， saying in himself， "I will go talk with Sherkan till the morning." But when he came to Sherkan"s tent， he found the blood running like a rivulet and saw the servants lying dead. At this he gave a cry that aroused all who were asleep， and they hastened to him and seeing the blood streaming， set up a clamour of weeping and lamentation. The noise awoke the Sultan， who enquired what was the matter， and they said to him， "Sherkan and his servants are murdered." So he rose in haste and entering the tent， saw his brother"s headless trunk and the Vizier by it shrieking aloud. At this sight， he swooned away and all the troops stood round him， weeping and crying aloud，till he came to himself， when he looked at Sherkan and wept sore，whilst all who were present did the like. Then said Zoulmekan，"Know ye who did this， and how is it I see not the recluse， him who hath put away the things of the world？" Quoth the Vizier，"And who should have been the cause of this our affliction， save that devotee of Satan？ By Allah， my heart shrank from him from the first， because I know that all who profess to be absorbed in the things of the faith are corrupt and treacherous！" And he told the King how he would have followed the devotee， but he forbade him； whereupon the folk broke out into weeping and lamentation and besought Him who is ever near at hand， Him who answereth prayer， to cause the false recluse， who denied His evidences， to fall into their hands. Then they laid Sherkan out and buried him in the mountain aforesaid， mourning over his renowned virtues，after which they looked for the opening of the city-gate； but it opened not and none appeared to them on the walls； whereat they wondered exceedingly， and King Zoulmekan said， "By Allah， I will not turn back from them， though I tarry here years and years，till I take my wreak of my brother Sherkan and lay Constantinople in ruins and slay the King of the Nazarenes， even if death overcome me and I be at rest from this sorry world！" Then he brought out the treasure he had taken from the hermitage of Metrouhena and mustering the troops， divided it amongst them， nor was there one of them but he gave him what contented him.
Moreover， he called together three hundred horse of every division and said to them， "Do ye send succours to your family，for I am resolved to camp here， till I have taken my revenge for my brother Sherkan， even if I die in this place." Then he summoned couriers and gave them letters and charged them to do the soldiers" errands to their families and let them know that they were safe and in good heart， but that they were encamped before Constantinople， resolved either to destroy it or perish，and that， though they should abide there months and years， they would not depart thence till they had taken the city. Moreover，he bade Dendan write to his sister Nuzhet ez Zeman， acquainting her with what had befallen them and with their situation and commending his child to her care， since that， when he went out to war， his wife was near her delivery and must needs by that time have been brought to bed； and if she had given birth to a son， he charged the messengers to hasten their return and bring him the news. Then he gave them money and they set out at once， and all the people came out to take leave of them and entrust them with the money and the messages they wished to send to their families.
After they had departed， Zoulmekan turned to the Vizier and commanded him to push forward with the army against the city walls. So the troops advanced， but found none on the walls，whereat they marvelled and Zoulmekan was troubled.
