While I was abandoning myself to these afflicting thoughts, the tailor entered my apartment, and said, that an old man, whom he did not know, had brought my hatchet and cord, which he had found on his way. “He has been informed by your companions,” added the tailor, “who went to cut wood with you, that you live here. Come and speak to him, as he wishes to deliver them into your own hands.” At this speech, I changed colour, and trembled from head to foot. The tailor inquired the cause, when suddenly the floor of my chamber opened. The old man, who had not the patience to wait, appeared, and presented himself to us with the hatchet and cord. This was in fact the Genius, who had ravished the beautiful princess of the Isle of Ebony, and who had thus come in disguise, after having treated her with the greatest barbarity. “I am a Genius,” he said to us, “a son of the daughter of Eblis, prince of the Genii. Is not this thy hatchet?” added he, addressing me, “and is not this thy cord?” The Genius gave me no time to answer these questions; nor indeed should I have been able to do so, as his dreadful presence made me entirely forget myself. He took me by the middle of my body, and dragging me out of the chamber, sprang into the air, and carried me up towards heaven with so much force and celerity, that I was sensible of the great height to which I had ascended, before I was aware of the distance I had travelled in so short a space of time. He then descended towards the earth; and having caused it to open, by striking his foot against it, he sunk into it, and I instantly found myself in the enchanted palace, and in the presence of the beautiful princess of the Isle of Ebony. But alas! what a sight! It pierced my very inmost heart. This princess was naked and covered with blood, and lying along the ground more dead than alive, with her face bathed in tears. “Perfidious wretch,” said the Genius, showing me to her, “is not this thy lover?” She cast her languid eyes upon me, and in a sorrowful tone, answered, “I know him not, nor have I ever seen him till this instant.”--“What,” cried the Genius, “dare you affirm you do not know him, although he is the cause of your being treated, and justly, in the manner you have been?”--“If I am ignorant of him,” replied she, “do you wish I should utter a falsehood, which would prove his destruction?”--“Well then,” exclaimed the Genius, drawing his scimitar, and presenting it to the princess, “if you have never seen him, take this scimitar and cut off his head.” “How, alas!” she answered, “can I execute what you require of me? My strength is so exhausted, that I cannot lift up my arm; and even were I able, do you think I could put to death an innocent person, whom I do not know?”--“This refusal, then,” added the Genius, “completely proves to me your crime.” And then turning to me, he said, “Are you too unacquainted with her?”