El Abbas went in and passed from place to place and chamber to chamber, till he came to the chamber aforesaid and espied the portrait of Mariyeh, whereupon he fell down in a swoon and the workmen went to his father and said to him, “Thy son El Abbas hath swooned away.”  So the king came and finding the prince cast down, seated himself at his head and bathed his face with rose-water.  After awhile he revived and the king said to him, “God keep thee,[FN#60] O my son!  What hath befallen thee?” “O my father,” answered the prince, “I did but look on yonder picture and it bequeathed me a thousand regrets and there befell me that which thou seest.”  Therewithal the king bade fetch the [chief] painter, and when he stood before him, he said to him, “Tell me of yonder portrait and what girl is this of the daughters of the kings; else will I take thy head.”  “By Allah, O king,” answered the painter, “I limned it not, neither know I who she is; but there came to me a poor man and looked at me.  So I said to him, ‘Knowest thou the art of painting?’ And he replied, ‘Yes.’  Whereupon I gave him the gear and said to him, ’Make us a rare piece of work.’  So he wrought yonder portrait and went away and I know him not neither have I ever set eyes on him save that day.”

Therewithal the king bade all his officers go round about in the thoroughfares and colleges [of the town] and bring before him all strangers whom they found there.  So they went forth and brought him much people, amongst whom was the man who had painted the portrait.  When they came into the presence, the Sultan bade the crier make proclamation that whoso wrought the portrait should discover himself and have whatsoever he desired.  So the poor man came forward and kissing the earth before the king, said to him, “O king of the age, I am he who painted yonder portrait.”  Quoth El Aziz, “And knowest thou who she is?” “Yes,” answered the other; “this is the portrait of Mariyeh, daughter of the king of Baghdad.”  The king ordered him a dress of honour and a slave-girl [and he went his way].  Then said El Abbas, “O father mine, give me leave to go to her, so I may look upon her; else shall I depart the world, without fail.”  The king his father wept and answered, saying, “O my son, I builded thee a bath, that it might divert thee from leaving me, and behold it hath been the cause of thy going forth; but the commandment of God is a foreordained[FN#61] decree."[FN#62]

Then he wept again and El Abbas said to him, “Fear not for me, for thou knowest my prowess and my puissance in returning answers in the assemblies of the land and my good breeding[FN#63] and skill in rhetoric; and indeed he whose father thou art and whom thou hast reared and bred and in whom thou hast united praiseworthy qualities, the repute whereof hath traversed the East and the West, thou needest not fear for him, more by token that I purpose but to seek diversion[FN#64] and return to thee, if it be the will of God the Most High.”  Quoth the king, “Whom wilt thou take with thee of attendants and [what] of good?” “O father mine,” replied El Abbas, “I have no need of horses or camels or arms, for I purpose not battle, and I will have none go forth with me save my servant Aamir and no more.”