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.
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