Page:The Perfumed Garden - Burton - 1886.djvu/59

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The King was now silent, for he knew what to do. He waited a short time till the woman was asleep; then he dressed himself in her clothes, and concealed his sword under them; his face he hid under a veil of red silk. Thus dressed he looked like other women. He then opened the door, stole softly out, and placed himself behind the curtains of the saloon entrance. He saw only some people sitting there; the remainder were asleep.

The King made the following silent prayer, "O my soul, let me follow the right way, and let all those people among whom I find myself be stunned with drunkenness, so that they cannot know the King from his subjects, and God give me strength."

He then entered the saloon saying: "In the name of God!" and he tottered towards the bed of the negro as if drunk. The negroes and the women took him to be the woman whose attire he had taken.

Dorerame had a great desire to have his pleasure with that woman, and when he saw her sit down by the bed he thought that she had broken her sleep to come to him, perhaps for love games. So he said, "Oh, you, so-and-so, undress and get into my bed, I shall soon be back."

The King said to himself, "There is no might and strength but in the High God, the Benevolent!" Then he searched for the keys in the clothes and pockets of the negro, but found nothing. He said, "God's will be done!" Then raising his eyes, he saw a high window; he reached up with his arm, and found gold embroidered garments there; he slipped his hands into the pockets, and, oh, surprised! he found the keys there. He examined them and counted seven, corresponding to the number of the doors of the house, and in his joy, he