man all
the time the prince was speaking, ordered two of her women to
take her from the men who supported her, conduct her into an
apartment of the palace, and take as much care of her as they
would of herself.

Whilst the two women were executing the fairy's commands, she
went up to prince Ahmed, and whispering him in the ear, said,
"Prince, I commend your compassion, which is worthy of you and
your birth. I take great pleasure in gratifying your good
intention; but permit me to tell you I am afraid it will be but
ill rewarded. This woman is not so sick as she pretends to be;
and I am much mistaken if she is not sent hither on purpose to
occasion you great trouble. But do not be concerned, let what
will be devised against you; be persuaded that I will deliver you
out of all the snares that shall be laid for you. Go and pursue
your journey."

This address of the fairy's did not in the least alarm prince
Ahmed. "My princess," said he, "as I do not remember I ever did,
or designed to do, any body injury, I cannot believe any one can
have a thought of injuring me; but if they have, I shall not
forbear doing good whenever I have an opportunity." So saying, he
took leave of the fairy, and set forward again for his father's
capital, where he soon arrived, and was received as usual by the
sultan, who constrained himself as much as possible, to disguise
the anxiety arising from the suspicions suggested by his
favourites.

In the mean time, the two women to whom Perie Banou had given her
orders conveyed the sorceress into an elegant apartment, richly
furnished. They first set her down upon a sofa, with her back
supported by a cushion of gold brocade, while they made a bed on
the same sofa, the quilt of which was finely embroidered with
silk, the sheets of the finest linen, and the coverlid cloth of
gold. When they had put her into bed (for the old sorceress
pretended that her fever was so violent she could not help
herself in the least), one of the women went out, and returned
soon with a china cup in her hand, full of a certain liquor,
which she presented to the sorceress, while the other helped her
to sit up. "Drink this," said the attendant, "it is the water of
the fountain of lions, and a sovereign remedy against fevers. You
will find the effect of it in less than an hour's time."

The sorceress, the better to dissemble, took it, after a great
deal of entreaty, as if she did it with reluctance. When she was
laid dow