95
The prince put the question to the captain, who was wroth with him and said, ‘Thou sayst, “I am a stranger and never in my life came hither.” Who then told thee the name of the lord of the city?’ When Dauleh Khatoun heard this, she rejoiced and knew him for one of her father’s captains, Muïneddin by name. Now he had come out in search of her, after her disappearance, and finding her not, had continued his cruise till he came to her uncle’s city. Then she bade Seif say to him, ‘O Captain Muïneddin, come and speak with thy mistress!’ So he called out to him as she bade, whereat he was exceeding angry and answered, saying, ‘O dog, who art thou and how knowest thou me?’ Then he said to one of the sailors, ‘Give me an ash-stick, that I may go to yonder pestilent fellow and break his head.’
So he took the stick and made for Seif el Mulouk, but, when he came to the raft, he saw Dauleh Khatoun sitting there, as she were a piece of the moon; whereat he was confounded and said to the prince, ‘Who is that with thee?’ ‘A damsel by name Dauleh Khatoun,’ replied Seif. When the captain heard the princess’s name and knew that she was his mistress and the daughter of his king, he fell down in a swoon, and when he came to himself, he left the raft and those that were thereon and going up to the palace, craved an audience of the king; whereupon the chamberlain went in to the latter and said, ‘Captain Muïneddin is come to bring thee good news.’ The king bade admit him: so he entered and kissing the earth, said to him, ‘O king, thou owest me a gift for glad tidings; for thy brother’s daughter Dauleh Khatoun hath arrived here, safe and sound, and is now on a raft in the harbour, in company with a young man like the moon on the night of its full.’
When the king heard this, he rejoiced and conferred a sumptuous dress of honour on the captain. Then he
