Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/355

321 this damsel to wife.” So he rose and coming up to her, trembling and staggering and leaning on a staff; kissed her and gave her the jewels and ornaments; whereat she rejoiced and they went away, laughing at him. Next day, they came again to the garden and finding him seated in the same place, with more jewels and ornaments than before, said to him, “O old man, what wilt thou do with these jewels?” And he answered, saying, “I wish to take one of you to wife with them, even as yesterday.” So the princess said, “I marry thee to this damsel;” and he came up to her and kissed her and gave her the jewels, and they went away.

But the princess said in herself; “I have more right to all these fine things than my waiting-women, and no harm can betide me.” So, on the morrow, she went down privily into the garden, in the habit of one of her damsels, and presenting herself before the prince, said to him, “O old man, the king’s daughter hath sent me to thee, that thou mayst marry me.” He looked at her and knew her; so he answered, “With all my heart,” and gave her jewels and ornaments of the costliest. Then he rose to kiss her, and she off her guard and fearing nothing; but, when he came up to her, he suddenly laid hold of her with a strong hand and throwing her down, did away her maidenhead. Then he pulled the beard from his face and said to her, “Dost thou not know me?” “Who art thou?” asked she, and he answered, “I am Behram, the king’s son of Persia, who have changed my favour and am become a stranger to my people and estate for thy sake and have lavished my treasures for thy love.”

So she rose from under him in silence and spoke not a word of reply to him, being dazed for what had befallen her and seeing nothing for it but to be silent, for fear of disgrace; and she bethought herself and said, “If I kill him, it will profit me nothing, and nought will serve me VOL. V.