476 THE ARABIAN NIGHTS.

hope of being relieved. “My good woman,” said Prince
Ahmed, “you are not so far from assistance as you may sup-
pose. I am ready to convince you of it, and have you con-
veyed to a place very near this, where you will not only have
every attention paid you, but will very soon be cured. You
have therefore only to rise, and suffer one of my people to take
you behind him.”

At hearing this, the enchantress, who had feigned this illness
only for the purpose of discovering his abode, how he lived, and
what was his situation, did not refuse the kind offer he so gene-
rously made her; and in order to shew, rather by her actions
than her words, that she accepted of it, she made several efforts
to rise, pretending all the time that her illness prevented her.
On this, two of the attendants assisted her in getting up, and
placed her on horseback behind another. While they were re-
mounting, the prince turned back, and went first towards the
iron door, which was opened by one of the horsemen, who
advanced for that purpose. He went in, and when he was
arrived at the court of Pari-Banou’s palace, without dismount-
ing, he sent one of the attendants to say that he wished to speak
to her.

The fairy made the greater haste, as she could not conceive
the motive that induced the prince to return so suddenly. When
the latter, without giving her time to inquire the reason, said, “I
entreat you, my princess,’—pointing towards the enchantress,
whom two of the attendants had taken from the horse, and then
supported by holding her arms—“ to have the same compassion
on this poor woman that I have had. I found her in the state
you see, and have promised her all the assistance she may
require.”

Pari-Banou ordered two of her women to take the sick woman
from the other attendants, and carry her into an apartment of
the palace, and also to take as much care of her as they would
of her own person.

While the two female attendants were executing the orders
which the fairy had given then, Pari-Banou went up to Prince
Ahmed and said, in a low tone of voice, “I give you great
praise, prince, for your compassion; it is worthy of you and
your high birth, and I feel a great pleasure in aiding your kind
wishes ; I must, however, tell you, that I am very much afraid