So much for Alaeddin and the Lady Bedrulbudour; and as for the Sultan,
after he had released Alaeddin, he ceased not to mourn for the loss of
his daughter and to sit and weep for her, like a woman, at every time
and tide; for that she was his only one and he had none other than her.
And every day, whenas he arose from his sleep in the morning, he would
go hastily to the window and opening it, look towards the place where
Alaeddin's palace was erst and weep till his eyes were dried up and
their lids ulcered. He arose that day at dawn, according to his wont,
and opening the window, looked out and saw before him a building; so he
fell to rubbing his eyes and looking closelier, was certified that it
was Alaeddin's palace; whereupon he immediately called for the horses.
Accordingly, they saddled them and he went down and mounting, rode to
Alaeddin's palace. When the latter saw him coming, he went down and
meeting him half-way, took him by the hand and carried him up to the
pavilion of the Lady Bedrulbudour, his daughter. Now she also longed
sore for her father; so she came down and met him at the stair-foot
door, over against the lower hall; whereupon he embraced her and fell
to kissing her and weeping and on this wise did she also. Then Alaeddin
brought them up to the upper pavilion, [621] where they sat down and the
Sultan proceeded to question the princess of her case and of that which
had befallen her, whilst [622] she acquainted him with all that had
happened to her and said to him, "O my father, I breathed not till
yesterday, when I saw my husband, and he it is who delivered me from the
bondage of a Maugrabin, an accursed sorcerer, methinketh there is not
a filthier than he on the face of the earth; and but for my beloved
Alaeddin, I had not won free of him and thou hadst not seen me all thy
life. Indeed, O my father, there possessed me grief and sore chagrin,
not only for my severance from thee, but also for the loss of my
husband, to whom I shall be beholden all the days of my life, seeing he
delivered me from that accursed enchanter."