‘“Oh! indeed no,” said Calé-Cairi; “that will never do again. I am well rewarded for my curiosity.”

‘The slaves then began to surround and jest with me. “This page,” said one, “is rather hasty; he is born for fine adventures.” “If ever,” said another, “I walk alone at night, I hope I may not meet a more foolish one.”

‘Although a page, I was very disconcerted by all their pleasantries, which they accompanied by outbursts of laughter. Had they rallied me for being too timid, I should not have been more ashamed.

‘They also joked me about the hour for retiring, which I had let pass; they said it was a pity I should perish, and I deserved to have my life saved, since I was so devoted to the service of the ladies. Then she whom I had heard called Calé-Cairi, addressing another, said: “It is for you, princess, to decide his fate; do you wish him to be abandoned or to be succoured?’

‘“He must be saved from the danger he is in,” replied the princess. “I consent to his living. So that he may ever remember this adventure, it must be made still more agreeable for him. Let us bring him into my apartment, which no man till now can boast of having seen.”

‘Two slaves went immediately to fetch a woman’s dress and brought it to me. I put it on, and, mingling among the persons of the princess’s suite, I accompanied her to her apartment, which was illumined by a large number of perfumed candles. It seemed to me as rich as that of the king: gold and silver glittered everywhere.

‘On entering the chamber of Zelica-Beghume— it was thus the Princess of Persia was named—I remarked that there were in the middle, on the carpet, fifteen or twenty large squares of brocade ranged around. All the ladies threw themselves down on them, and they obliged me to seat myself there too: then Zelica asked for refreshments. Six aged slaves, less richly dressed than those who were seated, instantly appeared; they distributed napkins amongst us, and served shortly afterwards, in a large basin of green porcelain, a salad com­posed of scalded milk, lemon juice, and slices of cucumber. They brought a spoon made of the beak of a bird to the princess, who first took a spoonful of salad, ate it, and immediately gave the spoon to the first slave who was seated at her right; this slave did the same thing as her mistress, so that the whole company used the same spoon all round till there was nothing left in the basin. Then the three aged slaves presented fresh water to us in crystal cups.

‘After this repast the conversation became as animated as if we had drunk wine or date-brandy. Calé-Cairi, who by chance or otherwise was placed opposite to me, sometimes looked at me and smiled, and seemed to wish me to understand by her glances that she pardoned me the impetu­osity I had displayed in the garden. I, on my side, cast my eyes on her from time to time, but I lowered them as soon as I saw she had hers on me. I looked very embarrassed, try as I would to appear self-possessed. The princess and her women, who perceived it, tried to inspire me with boldness. Zelica asked me my name, and how long I had been a page. As soon as I had satisfied her curiosity, she said to me: “Well, Hassan, look less embarrassed; forget that you are in an apart­ment the entrance to which is forbidden to men; forget that I am Zelica; speak to us as if you were with the young town girls of Shiraz. Look at all these young persons, examine them with attention, and say frankly which is the one amongst us who pleases you most.”

‘The Princess of Persia, instead of reassuring me by this speech, as she imagined, only augmented my confusion. “I see, Hassan,” she said to me, “that I ask of you something that pains you; you are doubtless afraid that in declaring yourself in favour of one you will displease all the others. But do not let this fear stop you; let nothing restrain you; my women are so united that you could not make them disagree. Look at us, there- fore, and tell us which you would choose as a mistress if it were permitted to you to choose.”

‘Although the slaves of Zelica were perfectly beautiful, and the princess herself had reason to flatter herself she would have the preference, my heart immediately decided for Calé-Cairi; but, hiding feelings which seemed insulting to Zelica, I told the princess she ought not to enter into the competition, nor dispute a heart with her slaves, since her beauty was such that, wherever she appeared, it was impossible to have eyes but for her. Saying these words, I could not help looking at Calé-Cairi in a manner for her to judge that flattery alone had dictated them. Zelica perceived it also. “Hassan,” she said to me, “you are too flattering. I wish for more sincerity. I am per­suaded you do not say what you think. Give me the satisfaction I ask of you; reveal your innermost soul to us; all my women beg it of you; you can­not give us greater pleasure.” All the slaves pressed me; Calé-Cairi especially showed herself the most ardent in wishing me to speak, as though she had guessed she was most concerned.

‘I yielded at last to their entreaties. I banished my timidity, and, addressing Zelica, “My princess,” I said, “I am going to satisfy you. It would be difficult to decide who is the most beautiful lady, but the amiable Calé-Cairi is the one for whom I feel most inclination.”

‘I had hardly said these words than the slaves began to laugh loudly, without the least annoyance appearing on their faces. “Are these women?” I said to myself. Zelica, instead of showing that my frankness had offended her, said to me:

‘“I am very glad, Hassan, that you have given the preference to Calé-Cairi: she is my favourite, and that shows you have not bad taste. You do not know the entire worth of the person you have chosen; such as you see us, we are all ready to admit that we are not her equal.”

‘The princess and the slaves, with much wit, then bantered Calé-Cairi on the triumph her charms had won.

‘After that Zelica had a lute brought and, putting it in Calé-Cairi’s hands, “Show your lover,” she said, “what you can do.”

‘The slave tuned the lute, and played in a way that charmed me. She accompanied it with her voice, and sang a song whose burden was that, having chosen a lovable object, it should be loved through life. In singing she turned her eyes towards me so tenderly from time to time, that, for­getting in whose presence I was, I threw myself at her feet in a transport of love and pleasure. My actions gave rise to renewed laughter, which lasted until an aged slave came to say that day was about to break, and that if they wished to get me out of the women’s apartment there was no time to lose.

‘Then Zelica, as well as her women, thinking only of resting, bade me follow the old slave, who led me through several galleries, and by many windings brought me to a door of which she had the key. She opened it and I went out, and as soon as it was daylight I perceived that I was beyond the precincts of the palace.

‘It was in this manner that I left the apartment of the Princess Zelica-Beghume and escaped from the new danger in which I had placed myself. I rejoined my comrades some hours after. The master of the pages at once asked me why I had slept out of the palace. I replied that one of my friends, a merchant of Shiraz, who had just left for Bassora with all his family, had kept me with him, and that we had passed the night in drinking. He believed me, and I got off with a reprimand. I was too delighted with my adventure to forget it. I perpetually recalled its smallest details, particu­larly those which most flattered my vanity, that is to say, those which led me to believe that I had attracted the attention of the favourite slave of the princess.

‘A week after, a eunuch came to the door of the king’s chamber and said he wished to speak to me. I went to ask him what he wanted. “Are you not named Hassan?” he said. I replied in the affir­mative. He then put a note in my hand and disappeared immediately. It was intimated to me that if I were inclined to remain the following night in the seraglio gardens, after the time for retiring, in the same place where I had been encountered, I should see a person who was very sensible to the preference I had shown her over all the other women of the princess.

‘Although I had suspected Calé-Cairi of being well inclined towards me, I did not at all expect to receive this letter.

‘Enchanted at my good fortune, I asked the Master’s permission to go and see a dervish of my native land recently arrived at Meccha; this being granted me, I ran—I flew to the seraglio gardens as soon as night fell.

‘If on the first occasion I had let myself be over­taken by the time, now it seemed to me very long to wait for the pleasures I promised myself. I thought the hour for retiring would never come. It came, nevertheless. I perceived a short time afterwards a lady whom I recognised by her figure and her bearing to be Calé-Cairi.