Now at this moment，the captain knocked at the gardengate，and Kamar alZaman opened and went out to him，whereupon the crew seized him and went down with him on board the ship and set sail forthright；and they ceased not voyaging days and nights，whilst Kamar alZaman knew not why they dealt thus with him；but when he questioned them they replied，'Thou hast offended against the Lord of the Ebony Islands，the soninlaw of King Armanus，and thou hast stolen his monies，miserable that thou art！'Said he，'By Allah！ I never entered that country nor do I know where it is！'However，they fared on with him，till they made the Ebony Islands and landing，carried him up to the Lady Budur，who knew him at sight and said，'Leave him with the eunuchs，that they may take him to the bath.'Then she relieved the merchants of the embargo and gave the captain a robe of honour worth ten thousand pieces of gold；and，after returning to the palace，she went in that night to the Princess Hayat alNufus and told her what had passed，saying，'Keep thou my counsel，till I accomplish my purpose，and do a deed which shall be recorded and shall be read by Kings and commoners after we be dead and gone.'And when she gave orders that they bear Kamar alZaman to the bath，they did so and clad him in a royal habit so that，when he came forth，he resembled a willowbough or a star which shamed the greater and lesser light[335] and its glow，and his life and soul returned to his frame. Then he repaired to the palace and went in to the Princess Budur；and when she saw him she schooled her heart to patience，till she should have accomplished her purpose；and she bestowed on him Mamelukes and eunuchs，camels and mules.
Moreover，she gave him a treasury of money and she ceased not advancing him from dignity to dignity，till she made him Lord High Treasurer and committed to his charge all the treasures of the state；and she admitted him to familiar favour and acquainted the Emirs with his rank and dignity. And all loved him，for Queen Budur did not cease day by day to increase his allowances. As for Kamar alZaman，he was at a loss anent the reason of her thus honouring him；and he gave gifts and largesse out of the abundance of the wealth；and he devoted himself to the service of King Armanus；so that the King and all the Emirs and people，great and small，adored him and were wont to swear by his life.
Nevertheless，he ever marvelled at the honour and favour shown him by Queen Budur and said to himself，'By Allah，there needs must be a reason for this affection！ Peradventure，this King favoureth me not with these immoderate favours save for some ill purpose and，therefore，there is no help but that I crave leave of him to depart his realm.'So he went in to Queen Budur and said to her，'O King，thou hast overwhelmed me with favours，but it will fulfil the measure of thy bounties if thou take from me all thou hast been pleased to bestow upon me，and permit me to depart.'She smiled and asked，'What maketh thee seek to depart and plunge into new perils，whenas thou art in the enjoyment of the highest favour and greatest prosperity？'Answered Kamar al Zaman，'O King，verily this favour，if there be no reason for it，is indeed a wonder of wonders，more by token that thou hast advanced me to dignities such as befit men of age and experience，albeit I am as it were a young child.'And Queen Budur rejoined，'The reason is that I love thee for shine exceeding loveliness and thy surpassing beauty；and if thou wilt but grant me my desire of thy body，I will advance thee yet farther in honour and favour and largesse；and I will make thee Wazir，for all thy tender age even as the folk made me Sultan over them and I no older than thou；so that nowadays there is nothing strange when children take the head and by Allah，he was a gifted man who said，'It seems as though of Lot's tribe were our days，And crave with love to advance the young in years.'[336]
When Kamar alZaman heard these words，he was abashed and his cheeks flushed till they seemed aflame；and he said，'I need not these favours which lead to the commission of sin；I will live poor in wealth but wealthy in virtue and honour.'Quoth she，'I am not to be duped by thy scruples，arising from prudery and coquettish ways；and Allah bless him who saith，'To him I spake of coupling，but he said to me，How long this noyous long persistency？'
But when gold piece I showed him，he cried，
'Who from the Almighty Sovereign e'er shall flee？'
Now when Kamar alZaman，heard these words and understood her verses and their import，he said，'O King，I have not the habit of these doings，nor have I strength to bear these heavy burthens for which elder than I have proved unable；then how will it be with my tender age？'But she smiled at his speech and retorted，'Indeed，it is a matter right marvellous how error springeth from the disorder of man's intendiment！！ Since thou art a boy，why standest thou in fear of sin or the doing of things forbidden，seeing that thou art not yet come to years of canonical responsibility；and the offences of a child incur neither punishment nor reproof？ Verily，thou hast committed thyself to a quibble for the sake of contention，and it is thy duty to bow before a proposal of fruition，so henceforward cease from denial and coyness，for the commandment of Allah is a decree foreordained：[337] indeed，I have more reason than thou to fear falling and by sin to be misled；and well inspired was he who said，'My prickle is big and the little one said，'Thrust boldly in vitals with lionlike stroke！
Then I，' 'Tis a sin！；and he，'No sin to me！
So I had him at once with a counterfeit poke.'[338]
