ordered that tomb to be built, and I can
guess pretty nearly the place; and with the idea you still have
of it, I fancy we shall find it: but since he ordered it to be
built privately, and you took your oath to keep his secret, I am
of opinion, that we ought to go in quest of it without other
attendants." But he had another reason for keeping the matter
secret, which he did not then tell me, and an important one it
was, as you will perceive by the sequel of my story.

We disguised ourselves and went out by a door of the garden which
opened into the fields, and soon found what we sought for. I knew
the tomb, and was the more rejoiced, because I had formerly
sought it a long time in vain. We entered, and found the iron
trap pulled down at the head of the staircase; we had great
difficulty in raising it, because the prince had fastened it
inside with the water and mortar formerly mentioned, but at last
we succeeded.

The sultan my uncle descended first, I followed, and we went down
about fifty steps. When we came to the foot of the stairs, we
found a sort of antechamber, full of thick smoke of an ill scent,
which obscured the lamp, that gave a very faint light.

From this antechamber we came into another, very large, supported
by columns, and lighted by several branched candlesticks. There
was a cistern in the middle, and provisions of several sorts
stood on one side of it; but we were much surprised not to see
any person. Before us there appeared a high estrade, which we
mounted by several steps, and upon this there was a large bed,
with curtains drawn. The sultan went up, and opening the
curtains, perceived the prince his son and the lady in bed
together, but burnt and changed to cinder, as if they had been
thrown into a fire, and taken out before they were consumed.

But what surprised me most was, that though this spectacle filled
me with horror, the sultan my uncle, instead of testifying his
sorrow to see the prince his son in such a condition, spat on his
face, and exclaimed, with a disdainful air, "This is the
punishment of this world, but that of the other will last to
eternity;" and not content with this, he pulled off his sandal,
and gave the corpse of his son a blow on the cheek.

I cannot adequately express how much I was astonished when I saw
the sultan my uncle abuse his son thus after he was dead. "Sir,"
said I, "whatever grief this dismal sight has impressed upon me,
I am forced to suspend it, to en