' The King, hearing these words from his
son, rejoiced exceedingly, though at the first he had been wroth
with Merzewan and thought in himself to have stricken off his
head: but when he heard Kemerezzeman speak, his anger left him
and he arose and drawing Merzewan to him, made him sit down by
his son and said to him, 'Praised be God for thy safety!' 'May
God bless thee,' answered Merzewan, 'and preserve thy son to
thee!' Then said the King, 'From what country comest thou?'
'From the Islands of the Inland Sea,' replied he, 'the kingdom of
King Gha?our, lord of the Islands and the seas and the Seven
Palaces.' Quoth the King, 'Maybe thy coming shall be blessed to
my son and God vouchsafe to heal him of his malady.' 'God
willing,' rejoined Merzewan, 'all shall yet be well.' Then
turning to Kemerezzeman, he said to him in his ear, unheard of
the King and his court, 'Be of good cheer, O my lord, and take
heart and courage. As for her for whose sake thou art thus, ask
not of her condition on thine account. Thou keptest thy secret
and fellest sick, but she discovered hers and they said she was
mad; and she is now in prison, with an iron chain about her neck,
in most piteous case; but, God willing, the healing of both of
you shall be at my hand.
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