apartments and presently he paid her the first visit.  Now his mother was with the bride and, when the bridegroom came up and did off her veil, the ancient dame fell to considering the beauty of the Princess and her loveliness; and she looked around at the pavilion which was all litten up by gold and gems besides the manifold candelabra of precious metals encrusted with emeralds and jacinths; so she said in her mind, “Once upon a time I thought the Sultan’s palace mighty fine, but this pavilion is a thing apart; nor do I deem that any of the greatest Kings of Chosroes attained in his day to aught like thereof; also am I certified that all the world could not build anything evening it.”  Nor less did the lady Badr al-Budur fall to gazing at the pavilion and marvelling for its magnificence.  Then the tables were spread and they all ate and drank and were gladdened; after which fourscore damsels came before them each holding in hand an instrument of mirth and merriment; then they deftly moved their finger tips and touched the strings smiting them into song, most musical, most melancholy, till they rent the hearts of the hearers.  Hereat the Princess increased in marvel and Quoth she to herself, “In all my life ne’er heard I songs like these,’’[FN#180] till she forsook food, the better to listen.  And at last Alaeddin poured out for her wine and passed it to her with his own hand; so great joy and jubilee went round amongst them and it was a notable night, such an one as Iskander, Lord of the Two Horns,[FN#181] had never spent in his time.  When they had finished eating and drinking and the tables were removed from before them, Alaeddin arose and went in to his bride.[FN#182] As soon as morning morrowed he left his bed and the treasurer brought him a costly suit and a mighty fine, of the most sumptuous robes worn by the kings.  Then, after drinking coffee devoured with ambergris, he ordered the horses be saddled and, mounting with his Mamelukes before and behind him, rode to the Sultan’s palace and on his entering its court the eunuchs went in and reported his coming to their lord.—­And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

       When it was the Five Hundred and Sixty-ninth Night,

Quoth Dunyazad, “O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do tell us some of thy pleasant tales,” whereupon Shahrazad replied, ’With love and good will.”—–­It hath reached me, O King of the Age, that when the Sultan heard of Alaeddin’s approach, he rose up forthright to receive him and embraced and kissed him as though he were his own son:  then, seating him on his right, he blessed and prayed for him, as did the Wazirs and Emirs, the Lords of the land and the Grandees of the realm.  Presently, the King commanded bring the morning-meal which the attendants served up and all broke their fast together, and when they had eaten and drunken their sufficiency and the tables were removed by the eunuchs, Alaeddin turned to the Sultan