Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 7.djvu/124

106 good? Tell me then what thou hast to say and be not abashed at me and conceal nothing from me.’ ‘By Allah,’ answered Dauleh Khatoun, ‘all the calamities that have betided this poor fellow have been on thine account and because of thee!’ ‘How so, O my sister?’ asked Bediya; and the other said, ‘Know that he saw thy portrait wroughten on a tunic that thy father sent to Solomon son of David (on whom be peace!) and he opened it not neither looked at it, but despatched it, with other presents, to Aasim ben Sefwan, King of Egypt, who gave it, still unopened, to his son Seif el Mulouk. The latter unfolded the tunic, thinking to put it on, and seeing thy portrait, became enamoured thereof; wherefore he came forth, love-distraught, in quest of thee, and left his people and kingdom and suffered all these perils and hardships on thine account.’

When Bediya heard this, she blushed and was confounded at Dauleh Khatoun and said, ‘This may never be; for mankind accord not with the Jinn.’ Then Dauleh Khatoun went on to praise Seif el Mulouk and extol his beauty and fashion and prowess and qualities, saying, ‘For God’s sake and mine, O my sister, come and speak with him, though but one word!’ But Bediya el Jemal said, ‘This that thou sayest I will not hear, neither will I assent to thee therein;’ and it was as if she heard nought of what the other said and as if no love of Seif el Mulouk and his beauty and fashion and prowess had gotten hold upon her heart. Then said Dauleh Khatoun, ‘O Bediya el Jemal, by the milk we have sucked, I and thou, and by that which is graven on the seal of Solomon (on whom be peace!), hearken to these my words; for I pledged myself, in the Castle of Japhet, to show him thy face. So, God on thee, show thyself to him once, for the love of me, and look thyself on him!’ And she ceased not to weep and implore her and kiss her hands and feet, till