in commendation of thy good deed;" and they prompted him again to
do the like. Accordingly, when the next night came, the king
abode on wake, watching the youth; and as for the latter, he went
to the door of the pavilion and unsheathing his scymitar, stood
in the doorway. When the king saw him do thus, he was sore
disquieted and bade seize him and said to him, "Is this my reward
from thee? I showed thee favour more than any else and thou
wouldst do with me this abominable deed." Then arose two of the
king's pages and said to him, "O our lord, an thou order it, we
will smite his neck." But the king said, "Haste in killing is a
vile thing, for 'tis a grave[FN#162] matter; the quick we can
kill, but the killed we cannot quicken, and needs must we look to
the end of affairs. The slaying of this youth will not escape
us."[FN#163] Therewith he bade imprison him, whilst he himself
went back to the city and, his duties done, fared forth to the
chase. Then he returned to town and forgot the youth; so the
pages went in to him and said to him, "O king, an thou keep
silence concerning yonder youth, who designed to slaughter thee,
all thy servants will presume upon the king's majesty, and indeed
the folk talk of this matter." Hereat the king waxed wroth and
cried, "Fetch him hither;" and bade the headsman strike off his
head. So they brought the youth and bound his eyes; and the
sworder stood at his head and said to the king, "By thy leave, O
my lord, I will smite his neck." But the king cried, "Stay, till
I look into his affair. Needs must I put him to death and the
dispatching of him will not escape me." Then he restored him to
the prison and there he abode till it should be the king's will
to do him die. Presently, his parents heard of the matter;
whereupon his father arose and going up to the palace, wrote a
letter and presented it to the king, who read it, and behold,