Page:Princess Badoura, a tale from the Arabian nights.djvu/87

65 Camaralzaman and Marzavan went in the direction they had chosen, setting their faces for the open country and the seaport lying beyond. And when it was night they ate and drank, fed their beasts, and rested for a while; then they remounted and journeyed on. At daybreak they came to a spacious tract of forest; there Marzavan took one of the led horses and killed it, stripping the flesh from its bones; next he took the garments which Camaralzaman had worn on the previous day, and after tearing them this way and that daubed them with blood.

Camaralzaman inquired why he did this: and Marzavan answered, 'When we return not great search will be made for thee, and I doubt not, if it went far enough, we should be overtaken. But when the searchers come upon this they will suppose that a wild beast has fallen upon thee and devoured thee; and that I, fearing the King's wrath, have fled away. Doubtless the news will