Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 6.djvu/364

334 creatures four things, disposition and life and fortune and death, nor is it in man’s power to avert that which is decreed. Verily, I was beside myself and could not govern my anger; but I repent, O my nurse, of what I did.’ With this, the nurse’s anger ceased from her and she rose and kissed the ground before the princess, who called for a splendid dress of honour and threw it over her, whereat she rejoiced with an exceeding joy. Things being thus happily accorded, in the presence of the princess’s slaves and women, Heyat en Nufous said to the old woman, ‘O my nurse, how go the fruits of our garden?’ ‘O my lady,’ replied she, ‘I see excellent fruits in the town; but I will enquire of the matter and return thee an answer this very day.’

Then she withdrew, attended with all honour and consideration, and betook herself to Ardeshir, who received her with open arms and rejoiced in her coming, for that he had long expected her. She told him all that had passed between herself and the princess and how the latter was minded to go down into the garden on such a day and said to him, ‘Hast thou done as I bade thee with the keeper of the garden and made him taste of thy bounties?’ ‘Yes,’ answered the prince; ‘and he is become my good friend: my way is his way and he would well I had need of him.’ Then he told her all that had happened and of the paintings that the Vizier had caused to be done in the pavilion: whereat she rejoiced greatly and said, ‘God upon thee, do thou set thy Vizier midmost thy heart, for this that he hath done points to the keenness of his wit and he hath helped thee to the attaining thy desire. So rise forthright, O my son, and take a bath and don thy richest clothes; then go to the gardener and make shift to pass the night in the garden, for none may win to enter it, [whilst the princess is there], though he should give the earth full of gold. When thou hast entered, hide thyself where none