Meanwhile， King Omar betook himself to the lodging of the lady Sufiyeh， who rose to her feet， when she saw him， and stood till he was seated. Presently， his two children， Zoulmekan and Nuzbet ez Zeman， came to him， and he kissed them and hung a jewel round each one"s neck， at which they rejoiced and kissed his hands.
Then they went to their mother， who rejoiced in them and wished the King long life； and he said to her， "Why hast thou not told me， all this time， that thou art King Afridoun"s daughter， that I might have advanced thee and enlarged thee in dignity and used thee with increase of honour and consideration？" "O King，"
replied Sufiyeh， "what could I desire greater or more exalted than this my standing with thee， overwhelmed as I am with thy favours and thy goodness？ And God to boot hath blessed me by thee with two children， a son and a daughter." Her answer pleased the King and he set apart for her and her children a splendid palace.
Moreover， he appointed for their service eunuchs and attendants and doctors and sages and astrologers and physicians and surgeons and in every way redoubled in favour and munificence towards them. Nevertheless， he was greatly occupied with love of the princess Abrizeh and burnt with desire of her night and day； and every night， he would go in to her， and talk with her and pay his court to her， but she gave him no answer， saying only， "O King of the age， I have no desire for men at this present." When he saw that she repelled him， his passion and longing increased till， at last， when he was weary of this， he called his Vizier Dendan and opening his heart to him， told him how love for the princess Abrizeh was killing him and how she refused to yield to his wishes and he could get nothing of her. Quoth the Vizier， "As soon as it is dark night， do thou take a piece of henbane， the bigness of a diner， and go in to her and drink wine with her.
When the hour of leave-taking draws near， fill a last cup and dropping the henbane in it， give it to her to drink， and she will not reach her sleeping chamber， ere the drug take effect on her.
Then do thou go in to her and take thy will of her." "Thy counsel is good，" said the King， and going to his treasury， took thence a piece of concentrated henbane， which if an elephant smelt， he would sleep from year to year. He put it in his bosom and waited till some little of the night was past， when he betook himself to the palace of the princess， who rose to receive him； but he bade her sit down. So she sat down， and he by her， and he began to talk with her of drinking， whereupon she brought the table of wine and set it before him. Then she set on the drinking-vessels，and lighted the candles and called for fruits and confections and sweetmeats and all that pertains to drinking. So they fell to drinking and ceased not to carouse， till drunkenness crept into the princess"s head. When the King saw this， he took out the piece of henbane and holding it between his fingers， filled a cup and drank it off； then filled another cup， into which he dropped the henbane， unseen of Abrizeh， and saying， "Thy health！"
presented it to her. She took it and drank it off； then rose and went to her sleeping-chamber. He waited awhile， till he was assured that the drug had taken effect on her and gotten the mastery of her senses， when he went in to her and found her lying on her back， with a lighted candle at her head and another at her feet. She had put off her trousers， and the air raised the skirt of her shift and discovered what was between her thighs. When the King saw this， he took leave of his senses for desire and Satan tempted him and he could not master himself， but put off his trousers and fell upon her and did away her maidenhead. Then he went out and said to one of her women， by name Merjaneh， "Go in to thy mistress， for she calls for thee." So she went in to the princess and found her lying on her back， with the blood running down her thighs； whereupon she took a handkerchief and wiped away the blood and tended her mistress and lay by her that night. As soon as it was day， she washed the princess"s hands and feet and bathed her face and mouth with rose-water， whereupon she sneezed and yawned and cast up the henbane. Then she revived and washed her hands and mouth and said to Merjaneh， "Tell me what has befallen me." So she told her what had passed and how she had found her， lying on her back， with the blood running down her thighs， wherefore she knew that the King had played the traitor with her and had undone her and taken his will of her. At this she was afflicted and shut herself up， saying to her damsels，"Let no one come in to me and say to all that I am ill， till I see what God will do with me." The news of her illness came to the King， and he sent her cordials and sherbet of sugar and confections. Some months passed thus， during which time the King"s flame subsided and his desire for her cooled， so that he abstained from her. Now she had conceived by him， and in due time， her pregnancy appeared and her belly swelled， wherefore the world was straitened upon her and she said to her maid Merjaneh，"Know that it is not the folk who have wronged me， but I who sinned against myself in that I left my father and mother and country. Indeed， I abhor life， for my heart is broken and I have neither courage nor strength left. I used， when I mounted my horse， to have the mastery of him， but now I have no strength to ride. If I be brought to bed in this place， I shall be dishonoured among my women， and every one in the palace will know that he has taken my maidenhead in the way of shame； and if I return to my father， with what face shall I meet him or have recourse to him？ How well says the poet：
Wherewith shall I be comforted， that am of all bereft， To whom nor folk nor home nor friend nor dwelling-place is left？"
