At last the year expired, and go he must. He put his burial clothes in his portmanteau; but never was there such grief seen as when he came to bid his wife and children adieu. They could not think of parting, but resolved to go and die with him; but finding that he must be forced to part with those dear objects, he spoke to them thus: My dear wife and children, says he, I obey the order of Heaven in quitting you; follow my example, submit courageously to this necessity, and consider that it is the destiny of man to die. Having said these words, he went out of the hearing of the cries of his family; and taking his journey, arrived at the place where he promised to meet the genie on the day appointed. He alighted, and setting himself down by the fountain, waited the coming of the genie with all the sorrow imaginable. Whilst he languished in this cruel expectation, a good old man, leading a hind, appeared, and drew near him. They saluted one another; after which the old man says to him, Brother, may I ask you why you are come into this desert place, where there is nothing but evil spirits, and by consequence you cannot be safe? To look upon these fine trees, indeed, one would think the place inhabited; but it is a true wilderness, where it is not safe to stay long. The merchant satisfied his curiosity, and told him the adventure which obliged him to be there. The old man listened to him with astonishment, and when he had done, cried out, This is the most surprising thing in the world; and you are bound with the most inviolable oath; however, I will be witness of your interview with the genie. And sitting down by the merchant, they talked together. But I see day, says Scheherazade, and must leave off; yet the best of the story is to come. The sultan, resolving to hear the end of it, suffered her to live that day also. THIRD NIGHT. Next morning, Dinarzade made the same request to her sister as formerly: My dear sister, says she, if you be not asleep, tell me one of those pleasant stories that you have read. But the sultan, willing to understand what followed between the merchant and the genie, bid her go on with that, which she did, as follows: Sir, while the merchant, and the old man who led the hind, were talking, they saw another old man coming to them, followed by two black dogs. After they had saluted one another, he asked them what they did in that place. The old man with the hind, told him the adventure of the merchant and genie, with all that had passed between them, particularly the merchant’s oath. He added, that it was the day agreed on, and that he was resolved to stay and see the issue.