to his apartment.  When she found the coast clear, she came to the chamber where I was, and made many apologies for the alarms she had given me.  My uneasiness, said she, was no less than yours; you cannot well doubt of that, since I have run the same risk from love to you; perhaps another would not have had the presence of mind to manage matters so dexterously upon so tender an occasion; nothing less than the love I had for you could have inspired me with courage to do it.  But come, take heart, now the danger is over.  After some tender discourse between us, she told me it was time to go to bed, and that she would not fail to introduce me to Zobeide, her mistress, to-morrow, some hour of the day; for the caliph never sees her, added she, but at nights.  Heartened by these words, I slept very well; or at least, whatever interruptions happened were agreeable disquietings, caused by the hopes of enjoying a lady blessed with such sparkling wit and beauty.

The next day, before I was introduced to Zobeide, her favourite instructed me how to behave, naming nearly the same questions as she put to me, and dictating the answers I was to give.  This done, she carried me into a very magnificent and richly furnished hall:  I had no sooner entered, than twenty female slaves, in rich and uniform habits, came out of Zobeide’s apartment, and placed themselves very modestly before the throne in two equal rows:  they were followed by twenty other ladies who looked younger, and were clothed after the same manner, though their habits appeared somewhat gayer.  In the middle of these appeared Zobeide, with a majestic air, and so loaded with jewels, that she could scarcely walk.  Zobeide then went and sat down on the throne, and the favourite lady, who had accompanied her, just by her, on her right hand; the other ladies being placed at some distance on each side of the throne.

The caliph’s lady having sat down, the slaves who came in first made a sign for me to approach:  I advanced between the rows they had formed, and prostrated myself upon the tapestry under the princess’s feet.  She ordered me to rise, and did me the honour to ask my name, my family, and the condition of my fortune; to all which I gave her satisfactory answers, as I perceived not only by her countenance, but by her words.  I am very glad, said she, that my daughter (so she used to call the favourite lady, looking upon her as such, after the care she had taken of her education) has made a choice that pleases me; I approve of it, and give consent to your marriage:  I shall give orders myself for what is to be done in solemnizing it, but I wish her to stay ten davs with me before the solemnity; and in that time I will speak to the caliph, and obtain his consent; mean while do you stay here, you shall be taken care of.  Accordingly I staid ten days in the ladies’ apartments, and during that time was deprived of the pleasure of seeing the favourite lady; but was so well used, by her orders, that I had no reason to be dissatisfied.