for that she was ashamed to say her sire, “Wed me to him.”  The King not understanding the hint she had hinted said to her, “All thou wishest I will largesse to him;” and she, “I have spoken to thee but thou hast not comprehended my words!  All who have looked upon my shame and proved unable to deliver me thou wast wont to slay and this man hath been my salvation after seeing me unveiled:  how then wilt thou gift him with money and means or condition with him when thou art unable to carry out thy compact?” Hereupon the King became ware of what was in his daughter’s mind and forthwith sending to summon the Kazi and witnesses he bade bind the marriage-bond between her and Shaykh Mohsin and in due time let them lead him to her in procession and suffer him go in unto her.  So he cohabited with the Princess a while of time, after which the life-term of the Sultan drew near, and he fell sick of a sickness whereof he died.  And when they had committed his remains to earth the Lords of the land and the Grandees of command forgathered and agreed in council that none should overrule them save the Shaykh Mohsin.  So they invested him with the signet-ring of Sovranty and seated him upon the throne of Kingship and he became Sovereign and Sultan.  Moreover Allah Almighty enlightened his heart in governance with justice and equity; and all the subjects with the Notables of the realm and the Rulers of high rank blessed him and prayed for him.  Now one day of the days Sultan Mohsin felt desirous of solacing himself in the gardens; so he rode forth, he and his suite, when he suddenly sighted his whilome comrade, the same who had plucked out one eye for half a scone and had gouged out the other eye for the other half.  He bade them bring the man to the presence and when they set him between his hands he asked him saying, “O Shaykh, what may be thy name?” and he answered, “I am hight Shaykh Mohammed.”  So he carried him with his suite to the gardens where they abode until day ended, after which the Sultan rode back and entering his palace, bade bring Shaykh Mohammed whom he despatched to the House of Hospitality.[FN#453] On the third day he bade summon his guest after supper-tide and taking him by the hand led him into a cabinet and said, “O Shaykh Mohammed, do thou tell us a tale.”—­And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say.  Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the King suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was

The Seven Hundred and Seventy-first Night