120 9 . Prince Camaralzaman. and

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reasons as before, and at last lost all the respect due to the king her
father: ‘Sir,” said she, in anger, “talk to me no more of this or
any other match, unless you would have me plunge this poniard in
my bosom, to deliver myself from your importunities.”

‘The king, greatly enraged, said “ Daughter, you are fs and I
must treat you as such.” In a word, he had her shut up in a single
apartment of one of his palaces, and allowed her only ten old women
to wait upon her and keep her company, the chief of whom had
been her nurse. And in order that the kings his neighbours, who
had sent embassies to him on this account, might not think any more
of her, he despatched envoys to them severally, to let them know
how averse his daughter was to marriage; and as he did not doubt
that she was really mad, he charged them to make known in every
court that if there were any physician that would undertake to come
and cure her, he should, if he succeeded, marry her for his pains.

‘Fair Maimoune, continued Danhasch, ‘all that I have told you ©
is true; and I have not-failed to go every day regularly to con-
template this incomparable beauty, to whom I would be very sorry
to do the least harm, notwithstanding my natural inclination to
mischief, Come and see her, I conjure you; it would be well worth ©
your while; I am ready to wait on you asa guide, and you have
only tocommand me. I doubt not that you would think yourself
obliged to me for the sight of a princess unequalled for beauty.’

Instead of answering Danhasch, Maimoune burst out into violent
laughter, which lasted for some time; and Danhasch, not knowing
what might be the occasion of it, was astonished beyond measure.
When she had laughed till she could laugh no more, she cried,
‘Good, good, very good! you would have me believe all you
have told me: I thought you intended to tell me something sur-:
prising and extraordinary, and you have been talking all this while
of a mad woman. What would you say, cursed genie, if you had
seen the beautiful prince that I have just come from seeing? I.am