Cascheasch looked on the prince and princess with great attention, admiration, and surprise; and after he had considered them a good while, without being able to determine which was the handsomest, he turned to Maimoune, and said, Madam, I must needs confess I should deceive you, and betray myself, if I pretended to say one was a whit handsomer than the other:  the more I examine them, the more it seems to me each possesses, in a sovereign degree, the beauty which is betwixt them; and if one has not the least defect, how can the other have any advantage?  But if either has any thing amiss, it will be better discovered when they are awake, than now they are asleep.  Let them then be awaked one after another; and that person who shall express most love for the other by ardour, eagerness, and passion, shall be deemed to have least beauty.

This proposal of Cascheasch’s pleased equally both Maimoune and Danhasch.  Maimoune then changed herself into a flea, and leaped on the prince’s neck, where she stung him so smartly, that he awoke, and put up his hand to the place; but Maimoune skipped away as soon as she had done, and resumed her pristine form; which, like those of the two genii, was invisible, the better to observe what he would do.

In drawing back his hand, the prince chanced to let it fall on that of the princess of China.  He opened his eyes, and was exceedingly surprised to find a lady lying by him; nay, a lady of the greatest beauty.  He raised his head, and leaned on his elbow, the better to consider her.  Her blooming youth, and incomparable beauty, fired him in a moment; of which flame he had never yet been sensible, and from which he had even hitherto guarded himself with the greatest application.

Love seized on his heart in the most lively manner, insomuch that he could not help crying out, What beauty is this! what charms!  O my heart!  O my soul!  In saying which, he kissed her forehead, both her cheeks, and her mouth, with so little caution, that she had certainly been awaked by it, had not she slept sounder than usual through the enchantment of Danhasch.

How, my pretty lady! said the prince, do you not awake at these testimonies of love given you by prince Camaralzaman?  Whosoever you are, I would have you to know he is not unworthy of your affection.  He was going to awake her at that instant, but refrained himself all of a sudden.  Is not this she, said he, whom the sultan my father would have had me marry?  He was in the wrong not to let me see her sooner.  Had he done so, I should not have offended him by my disobedience, nor would he have had occasion to use me as he has done.

The prince began to repent sincerely of the fault he had committed, and was once more upon the point of awaking the princess of China.  It may be, said he within himself, the sultan my father has a mind to surprise me, and has sent this young lady to try if I had really that aversion to marriage which I pretended.  Who knows but, having thus laid her in my way, he is hid behind the hangings, to take an opportunity to appear, and make me ashamed of my dissimulation?  This second crime would be yet much greater than the first.  Upon the whole matter, I will content myself with this ring, which will at any time create in me a remembrance of this dear lady.