believed to be his uncle, and praying him to lend a hand that he
might issue from the souterrain and return to earth's surface;
but, however loudly he cried, none was found to reply. At that
moment he comprehended the sleight which the Maroccan had played
upon him, and that the man was no uncle but a liar and a wizard.
Then the unhappy despaired of life, and learned to his sorrow
that there was no escape for him; so he fell to beweeping with
sore weeping the calamity had befallen him; and after a little
while he stood up and descended the stairs to see if Allah
Almighty had lightened his grief-load by leaving a door of issue.
So he turned him to the right and to the left but he saw naught
save darkness and four walls closed upon him, for that the
Magician had by his magic locked all the doors and had shut up
even the garden, wherethrough the lad erst had passed, lest it
offer him the means of issuing out upon earth's surface, and that
he might surely die. Then Alaeddin's weeping waxed sorer, and his
wailing louder whenas he found all the doors fast shut, for he
had thought to solace himself awhile in the garden. But when he
felt that all were locked, he fell to shedding tears and
lamenting like unto one who hath lost his every hope, and he
returned to sit upon the stairs of the flight whereby he had
entered the souterrain.--And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn
of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Five Hundred and Thirtieth Night,

Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that Alaeddin sat down upon the stair of the vault weeping