For some days following I continued my journey, without meeting with any place where I could rest; but at the end of about a month I arrived at a very large city, well inhabited, and most delightfully and advantageously situated; as several rivers flowed round it and caused a perpetual spring. The number of agreeable objects which presented themselves to my eyes, excited so great a joy that it suspended for a moment the poignant regret I felt at finding myself in such a miserable situation. My whole face as well as my hands and feet were of a brown tawny colour, for the sun had quite burnt me: and my slippers were so completely worn out by walking, that I was obliged to travel bare-foot; besides this, my clothes were all in rags.
I entered the town in order to learn the language spoken, and thence to find out where I was. I addressed myself to a tailor, who was at work in his shop. On account of my youth, and a certain manner about me, which intimated I was something better than I appeared, he made me sit down near him. He asked me who I was, where I came from, and what had brought me to that place. I concealed nothing from him, but informed him of every circumstance that had happened to me, and did not even hesitate at discovering even my name. The tailor listened to me very attentively, but when I had finished my narration, instead of giving me any consolation, he augmented my troubles. “Take care,” said he to me, “that you do not place the same confidence in any one else that you have in me, for the prince who reigns in this kingdom is the greatest enemy of the king, your father; and if he should be informed of your arrival in this city, I doubt not but he will inflict some evil upon you.” I readily believed the sincerity of the tailor, when he told me the name of the prince; but as the enmity between my father and him has no connection with my adventures, I shall not, madam, enter into any detail of it.
I thanked the tailor for the advice he had given me; and told him that I placed implicit faith in his good counsel, and should never forget the favour I received from him. As he supposed I was not deficient in appetite, he brought me something to eat, and offered me even an apartment at his house, which I accepted.