NOUBJAHAD. 515

time he felt disgusted with everything around him ; but as time
passed away, his grief diminished, and he began to fel some
inclination to return to his former excesses. He had the pru-
dence to relate to Hasem the mystery of his destiny, to prevent
the likelihood of being buried alive, should another deep sleep
fall upon him.

Having taken this precaution, he selected from his seraglio a
beauty,.named Cadiga, and married her. And now he once
more delivered himself up to intemperance of every kind. He
forgot that there were wants and distresses among his fellow-
creatures. He lived only for himself, and his heart became as
hard as the coffers which held his misapplied treasures. The
poets and sages whom he entertained in his house began to grow
irksome to him, and at length thinking their company tedious,
he turned them out of his palace. One day the most extrava-
gant project came into his head that ever filled the imagination
of man: because his gardens were very beautiful, he fancied
they must resemble the gardens of Paradise, and he ordered the
women of his seraglio to personate the Houries, those angelic
beings, who are said to be the companions of the true believers
in the Mahometan Paradise. He called himself the Prophet
Mahomet, and gave orders to Hasem to prepare for the celestial
masquerade. Neither art nor expense were spared on this
extraordinary occasion. The fountains were ordered to run
with milk and wine instead of water: and fruits, blossoms and
flowers were gathered together to embellish this terrestrial
paradise. On the day the festivities were to commence, the
weather being extremely hot, Nourjahad, who had been view-
ing the preparations with childish impatience, lay down on 9
couch to take a short repose, leaving ordera to be awakened
before sunset.

Nourjahad, however, opened his eyes without any one's

Lua