Page:Alaeddin and the Enchanted Lamp.djvu/229

185 when he came up and did off her veil, she fell to gazing upon the bride’s beauty and grace and looked at the pavilion, the which was all wroughten of gold and jewels and therein were golden lustres, all embossed with emeralds and rubies; and she said in herself, “Methought the Sultan’s palace was magnificent; but, for this pavilion alone, I doubt me the greatest of the Chosroës and the kings never owned its match; nor, methinketh, might all mankind avail to make the like thereof.” And the Lady Bedrulbudour also fell to looking and marvelling at the palace and its magnificence. Then the table was laid and they ate and drank and made merry; and presently there appeared before them fourscore slave-girls, each with an instrument in her hand of the instruments of mirth and music. So they plied their finger-tips and touching their strings, struck up with plaintive airs, till they clove in sunder the hearts of the listeners, whilst the Lady Bedrulbudour redoubled in wonderment and said in herself, “Never in my life heard I the like of these songs;” so that she forgot to eat and fell to listening. As for Alaeddin, he proceeded to pour to her the wine and give her to drink with his own hand, and mirth and good cheer and delight went round among them and