replied the princess. "O my lady，" said the old woman， "thou hast no present need of these eunuchs； send them away， for thou wilt not be able to divert thyself at thine ease， whilst they are with us." "Thou art right，" rejoined the princess. So she dismissed the eunuchs and began to walk about， whilst Taj el Mulouk fed his eyes on her beauty and grace， without her knowledge， and fainted every time he looked at her， by reason of her surpassing loveliness. The old woman held her in converse and drew her on till they reached the pavilion， which the Vizier had caused to be decorated afresh， when the princess entered and looking round，perceived the picture of the fowler and the birds； whereupon she exclaimed， "Glory be to God！ This is the very presentment of what I saw in my dream." She continued to gaze at the painting， full of admiration， and presently she said， "O my nurse， I have been wont to blame and dislike men， by reason of my having seen in my dream the female pigeon abandoned by her mate； but now see how the male pigeon was minded to return and set her free； but the hawk met him and tore him in pieces." The old woman， however，feigned ignorance and ceased not to hold her in converse， till they drew near the place where the prince lay hidden， whereupon she signed to him to come out and walk under the windows of the pavilion. He did so： and presently the princess， chancing to look out， saw him and noting his beauty and symmetry， said to the old woman， "O my nurse， whence comes yonder handsome youth？" "I know nothing of him，" replied the old woman， "except that I think he must be some great king"s son， for he attains the utmost extreme of beauty and grace." The princess fell passionately in love with him； the spells that bound her were dissolved and her reason was overcome by his beauty and elegance. So she said to the old woman， "O my nurse this is indeed a handsome youth." "Thou art in the right O my lady！" replied the nurse and signed to Taj el Mulouk to go home. So he went away， not daring to cross her though desire flamed in him and he was distraught for love and longing， and taking leave of the gardener， returned to his lodging， where he told the Vizier and Aziz all that had passed.
They exhorted him to patience， saying， "Did not the old woman know that there was an object to be gained by thy departure， she had not signed to thee to return home."
Meanwhile， desire and passion redoubled upon the princess， and she was overcome with love-longing and said to the old woman， "I know not how I shall foregather with this youth， but through thee." "God be my refuge from Satan the Accursed！" exclaimed the old woman. "Thou that art averse from men！ How comes it that thou art thus afflicted with love of this young man？ Though， by Allah，none is worthy of thy youth but he！" "O my nurse，" said the princess， "help me to foregather with him， and thou shalt have of me a thousand dinars and a dress worth as much more： but if thou aid me not to come at him， I shall assuredly die." "Go to thy palace，" replied the nurse， "and leave me to devise means for bringing you together. I will risk my life to content you both."
So the princess returned to her palace， and the old woman betook herself to Taj el Mulouk， who rose to receive her and entreated her with respect and honour， making her sit by his side. Then said she， "The device hath succeeded，" and told him all that had passed between the princess and herself. "When is our meeting to be？" asked he. "To-morrow，" replied the old woman. So he gave her a thousand dinars and a dress of equal value， and she took them and returned to the princess， who said to her， as soon as she saw her， "O my nurse， what news of my beloved？" "I have discovered where he lives，" replied she， "and will bring him to thee to-morrow." At this the princess was glad and gave her a thousand dinars and a dress worth as much more， with which she returned to her own house， where she passed the night. Next morning， she went to Taj el Mulouk and dressing him in women"s clothes， said to him， "Follow me and sway from side to side， as thou goest， and do not hasten in thy walk nor take heed of any that speaks to thee."
Then she went out and walked on， followed by the prince， whom she continued to lesson and hearten by the way， that he might not be afraid， till they came to the palace gate. She entered and the prince after her， and she led him through doors and vestibules，till they had passed six doors. As they approached the seventh door， she said to him， "Take courage and when I call out to thee and say， "Pass， O damsel！" do not hesitate， but hasten on. When thou art in the vestibule， thou wilt see on thy left a gallery，with doors along it： count five doors and enter the sixth， for therein is thy desire." "And whither wilt thou go？" asked the prince. "Nowhere，" answered she； "except that I may drop behind thee and the chief eunuch may detain me， whilst I talk with him."
Then they went up to the door， where the chief eunuch was stationed， and he， seeing Taj el Mulouk with her， dressed as a slave-girl， said to the old woman， "What girl is this with thee？" Quoth she， "This is a slave-girl of whom the Princess Dunya has heard that she is skilled in different arts， and she hath a mind to buy her." "I know no slave-girl，" rejoined the eunuch， "nor any one else； and none shall enter here without being searched by me， according to the King"s orders." At this the old woman feigned to be angry and said， "I thought thee a man of sense and good breeding： but， if thou be changed， I will let the princess know of it and how thou hinderest her slave-girl."
Then she cried out to Taj el Mulouk， saying， "Pass on， O damsel！"
