this bloody habit,
will conclude you are devoured by wild beasts, and that I have
escaped to avoid the king's anger. The king, concluding you are
dead, will stop further pursuit, and we may have leisure to
continue our journey without fear of being followed." "I must
confess," continued Marzavan, "it is a violent way of proceeding,
to alarm a fond father with the death of his son, but his joy
will be the greater when he shall hear you are alive and happy."
"Breve Marzavan," replied the prince, "I cannot but approve such
an ingenious stratagem, or sufficiently admire your conduct: you
place me under fresh obligations to you."

The prince and Marzavan being well provided for their expenses,
continued their journey both by land and sea, and found no other
obstacle but the length of the time which it necessarily took up.
They arrived at length at the capital of China, where Marzavan,
instead of going to his house, carried the prince to a public
inn. They remained there incognito three days, to rest themselves
after the fatigue of the voyage; during which time Marzavan
caused an astrologer's habit to be made for the prince. The three
days being expired, they went together to the bath, where the
prince put on his astrologer's dress: from thence Marzavan
conducted him to the neighbourhood of the king of China's palace,
where he left him, to go and inform his mother of his arrival.

Kummir al Zummaun, instructed by Marzavan what he was to do, came
next morning to the gate of the king's palace, and cried aloud,
"I am an astrologer, and am come to cure the illustrious princess
Badoura, daughter of the most high and mighty monarch Gaiour king
of China, on the conditions proposed by his majesty, to marry her
if I succeed, or else to lose my life for my fruitless and
presumptuous attempt."

Besides the guards and porters at the gate, this incident drew
together a great number of people about the prince. There had no
physician, astrologer, or magician appeared for a long time on
this account, being deterred by the many tragical examples of ill
success that appeared before; it was therefore thought there
remained no more of these professions in the world, or none so
mad as those that had already forfeited their lives.

The prince's appearance, his noble air, and blooming youth, made
every one who saw him pity him. "What mean you, sir," said some
that were nearest to him, "thus to expose a life of such
promising expectations to