So she and Taj al Muluk abode alone together and ceased not kissing and embracing and twining leg with leg till dawn.[46] When day drew near，she left him and，shutting the door upon him，passed into another chamber，where she sat down as was her wont，whilst her slave women came in to her，and she attended to their affairs and conversed with them.Then she said to them，'Go forth from me now，for I wish to amuse myself in privacy.'So they withdrew and she betook herself to Taj alMuluk，and the old woman brought them food，of which they ate and returned to amorous dalliance till dawn.Then the door was locked upon him as on the day before；and they ceased not to do thus for a whole month.This is how it fared with Taj alMuluk and the Lady Dunya；but as regards the Wazir and Aziz when they found that the Prince had gone to the Palace of the King's daughter and there delayed all the while，they concluded that he would never return from it and that he was lost for ever；and Aziz said to the Wazir，'O my father，what shall we do？'He replied，'O my son，this is a difficult matter，and except we return to his sire and tell him，he will blame us therefor.'So they made ready at once and forthright set out for the Green Land and the Country of the Two Columns，and sought Sulayman Shah's capital.And they traversed the valleys night and day till they went in to the King，and acquainted him with what had befallen his son and how from the time he entered the Princess's Palace they had heard no news of him.At this the King was as though the Day of Doom had dawned for him and regret was sore upon him，and he proclaimed a Holy War[47] throughout his realm.After which he sent forth his host without the town and pitched tents for them and took up his abode in his pavilion，whilst the levies came from all parts of the kingdom；for his subjects loved him by reason of his great justice and beneficence.Then he marched with an army walling the horizon，and departed in quest of his son.Thus far concerning them；but as regards Taj alMuluk and the Lady Dunya the two remained as they were half a year's time，whilst every day they redoubled in mutual affection；and love and longing and passion and desire so pressed upon Taj al Muluk，that at last he opened his mind and said to her，'Know，O beloved of my heart and vitals，that the longer I abide with thee，the more love and longing and passion and desire increase on me，for that I have not yet fulfilled the whole of my wish.'Asked she，'What then wouldst thou have，O light of my eyes and fruit of my vitals？If thou desire aught beside kissing and embracing and entwining of legs with legs，do what pleaseth thee；for，by Allah，no partner hath any part in us.'[48] But he answered'It is not that I wish： I would fain acquaint thee with my true story.Know，then，that I am no merchant，nay，I am a King the son of a King，and my father's name is the supreme King Sulayman Shah，who sent his Wazir ambassador to thy father，to demand thee in marriage for me，but when the news came to thee thou wouldst not consent.'
Then he told her his past from first to last，nor is there any avail in a twice told tale，and he added，'And now I wish to return to my father，that he may send an ambassador to thy sire，to demand thee in wedlock for me，so we may be at ease.'When she heard these words，she joyed with great joy because it suited with her own wishes，and they passed the night on this understanding.But it so befel by the decree of Destiny that sleep overcame them that night above all nights and they remained till the sun had risen.Now at this hour，King Shahriman was sitting on his cushion of estate，with his Emirs and Grandees before him，when the Syndic of the goldsmiths presented himself between his hands，carrying a large box.And he advanced and opening it in presence of the King，brought out therefrom a casket of fine work worth an hundred thousand diners，for that which was therein of precious stones，rubies and emeralds beyond the competence of any sovereign on earth to procure.When the King saw this，he marvelled at its beauty；and，turning to the Chief Eunuch （him with whom the old woman had had to do），said to him，'O Kafur，[49] take this casket and wend with it to the Princess Dunya.'The Castrato took the casket and repairing to the apartment of the King's daughter found the door shut and the old woman lying asleep on the threshold；whereupon said he，'What！ sleeping at this hour？'When the old woman heard the Eunuch's voice she started from sleep and was terrified and said to him，'Wait till I fetch the key.'Then she went forth and fled for her life.Such was her case；but as regards the Epicene he，seeing her alarm，lifted the door off its hinge pins，[50] and entering found the Lady Dunya with her arms round the neck of Taj alMuluk and both fast asleep.At this sight he was confounded and was preparing to return to the King，when the Princess awoke，and seeing him，was terrified and changed colour and waxed pale，and said to him，'O Kafur，veil thou what Allah hath veiled！'[51] But he replied，'I cannot conceal aught from the King'；and，locking the door on them，returned to Shahriman，who asked him，'Hast thou given the casket to the Princess？'Answered the Eunuch，'Take the casket，here it is for I cannot conceal aught from thee.Know that I found a handsome young man by the side of the Princess and they two asleep in one bed and in mutual embrace.'The King commanded them to be brought into the presence and said to them，'What manner of thing is this？'and，being violently enraged，seized a dagger and was about to strike Taj alMuluk with it，when the Lady Dunya threw herself upon him and said to her father，'Slay me before thou slayest him.'The King reviled her and commended her to be taken back to her chamber：
then he turned to Taj alMuluk and said to him，'Woe to thee！
