The prince of Persia detained him, and said, Kind Ebn Thaher, since I have declared to you that it is not in my power to follow your wise counsels, I beg you will not charge it on me as a crime, nor forbear to give me the usual testimonies of your friendship; you cannot do me a greater favour than to inform me of the destiny of my dear Schemselnihar, when you hear any news of it.  The uncertainty I am in concerning her fate, and the apprehensions which her fainting occasioned me, keep me in this languishing condition you reproach me with.  My lord, answered Ebn Thaher, you have reason to hope that her fainting was not attended with any serious consequences; her confident, will soon come and inform me of the issue, and as soon as I know the particulars, I shall not fail to impart them.

Ebn Thaher left the prince in this hope, and returned home where he expected Schemselnihar’s confident all day, but in vain, nor did she come next day.  His uneasiness to know the state of the prince of Persia’s health would not suffer him to stay any longer without seeing him; he went to his lodgings to exhort him to patience, and found him lying in bed as sick as ever, surrounded by many of his friends, and several physicians, who used all their art to discover the cause of his distemper.  As soon as he saw Ebn Thaher, he looked upon him smiling, to signify that he had two things to tell him; the one, that he was glad to see him; the other, how much the physicians, who could not discover the cause of his distemper, were mistaken in their reasonings.

His friends and physicians retired one after another; so that Ebn Thaher, being alone with him, came near his bed, to ask how he did since he saw him.  I must tell you, answered the prince, that my passion, which continually gathers new strength, and the uncertainty of the lovely Schemselnihar’s destiny, augment my distemper every moment, and throw me into such a condition as afflicts my kindred and friends, and breaks the measures of my physicians, who do not understand it.  You cannot think, added he, how much I suffer to see so many importunate people about me, and whom I cannot in civility put away.  It is your company alone that is comfortable to me:  but, in a word, I conjure you not to dissemble with me; what news do you bring of Schemselnihar?  Have you seen her confident?  What said she to you?  Ebn Thaher answered, that he had not yet seen her; and no sooner had he told the prince of Persia this sad news, than tears came from his eyes, and his heart was so oppressed that he could not answer him one word.  Prince, added Ebn Thaher, suffer me to tell you, that you are very ingenious in tormenting yourself.  In the name of God, wipe away your tears:  If any of your people should come in just now, they would discover you by this, notwithstanding the care you ought to take to conceal your thoughts.  Whatever this judicious confident could say, it was impossible for the prince to refrain from weeping.  Wise