near all stood to gaze upon her and consider her, saying in wonderment one to other, “How can this white slave (and he a mere lad) have slain this lion single-handed?  Wallahi, had that beast charged down upon us he had scattered us far and wide, and haply he had torn one of us to pieces.  By Allah, this matter is marvellous!” But the Mameluke looked mainly at the old King whom he knew to be his sire for his heart went forth to him.  Meanwhile the second dust-cloud approached until those beneath it met the others who had foregone them, and behold, under it was the husband of the disguised Princess and his many.  Now the cause of this King marching forth and coming thither was this.  When he entered the Palace intending for the Harem, he found not his Queen, and he fared forth to seek her and presently by the decree of the Decreer the two hosts met at the place where the lion had been killed.  The Sultan gazed upon the Mameluke and marveiled at his slaying the monster and said to himself, “Now were this white slave mine I would share with him my good and stablish him in my kingdom.”  Herewith the Mameluke came forward and flayed the lion of his fell and gutted him; then, lighting a fire he roasted somewhat of his flesh until it was sufficiently cooked all gazing upon him the while and marvelling at the heartiness of his heart.  And when the meat was ready, he carved it and setting it upon a Sufrah[FN#201] of leather said to all present, “Bismillah, eat, in the name of Allah, what Fate hath given to you!” Thereupon all came forward and fell to eating of the lion’s flesh except the Princess’s husband who was not pleased to join them and said, “By Allah, I will not eat of this food until I learn the case of this youth."[FN#202] Now the Princess had recognised her spouse from the moment of his coming, but she was concealed from him by her Mameluke’s clothing; and he disappeared time after time then returned to gaze upon the white slave, eyeing now his eyes now his sides and now the turn of his neck and saying privily in his mind, “Laud to the Lord who created and fashioned him!  By Allah this Mameluke is the counterpart of my wife in eyes and nose, and all his form and features are made likest-like unto hers.  So extolled be He who hath none similar and no equal!” He was drowned in this thought but all the rest ate till they had eaten enough; then they sat down to pass the rest of their day and their night in that stead.  When it was dawn each and every craved leave to depart upon his own business; but the Princess’s husband asked permission to wander in quest of her while the old King, the father of the damsels, determined to go forth with his two sons-in-law and find the third and last of his lost daughters.  Then the Mameluke said to them, “O my lords, sit we down, I and you, for the rest of the day in this place and to-morrow I will travel with you.”  Now the Princess for the length of her wanderings (which began too when she was a little one) had forgotten the semblance of her