n, "of the danger you were in at the palace of the
king of Samandal, whilst I was giving orders to send you other
troops to avenge you, he disappeared. He must have been alarmed
at hearing of your being in such great danger, and did not think
himself in sufficient security with us."

This news exceedingly afflicted King Saleh, who now repented
being so easily wrought upon by King Beder as to carry him away
with him without his mother's consent. He sent everywhere to seek
for him, but could hear no tidings of him; and instead of the joy
he felt at having carried on so far the marriage, which he looked
upon as his own work, his grief for this accident was more
mortifying. Whilst he was under this suspense about his nephew,
he left his kingdom under the administration of his mother, and
went to govern that of the king of Samandal, whom he continued to
keep with great vigilance, though with all due respect to his
character.

The same day that King Saleh returned to the kingdom of Samandal,
Queen Gulnare arrived at the court of the queen her mother. The
princess was not at all surprised to find her son did not return
the same day he set out: it being not uncommon for him to go
farther than he proposed in the heat of the chase; but when she
saw he neither returned the next day, nor the day after, she
began to be alarmed, as may easily be imagined from her affection
for him. This alarm was augmented, when the officers, who had
accompanied the king, and were obliged to return after they had
for a long time sought in vain both for him and his uncle, came
and told her majesty they must of necessity have come to some
harm, or must be together in some place which they could not
guess; since, notwithstanding all the diligence they had used,
they could hear no tidings of them. Their horses indeed they had
found, but as for their persons, they knew not where to look for
them. The queen hearing this, had resolved to dissemble and
conceal her affliction, bidding the officers to search once more
with their utmost diligence; but in the meantime she plunged into
the sea, to satisfy herself as to the suspicion she had
entertained that king Saleh must have carried his nephew with
him.

This great queen would have been more affectionately received by
her mother, had she not, on first seeing her, guessed the
occasion of her coming. "Daughter," said she, "I plainly perceive
you are not come hither to visit me; you come to inquire after
t