fair slave, and all he could say to induce her to speak
to him, she remained unaltered; and keeping her eyes still fixed
upon the ground, would neither look at him, nor utter a word.

The king of Persia, delighted with the purchase he had made of a
slave that pleased him so well, pressed her no farther, in hopes
that by treating her kindly he might prevail upon her to change
her behaviour. He clapped his hands; and the women who waited in
an outward room entered: he commanded them to bring in supper.
When it was arranged, "My love," said he to the slave, "come
hither and sup with me." She rose from her seat; and being seated
opposite the king, his majesty helped her, before he began eating
himself; and did so of every dish during supper. The slave ate as
well as the king, but still with downcast eyes, and without
speaking a word; though he often asked her how she liked the
entertainment, and whether it was dressed according to her taste.

The king, willing to change the conversation, asked her what her
name was, how she liked the clothes and the jewels she had on,
what she thought of her apartment and the rich furniture, and
whether the prospect of the sea was not very agreeable? But to
all these questions she made no reply; so that the king was at a
loss what to think of her silence. He imagined at first, that she
might perhaps be dumb: "But then," said he to himself, "can it be
possible that heaven should forge a creature so beautiful, so
perfect, and so accomplished, and at the same time with so great
an imperfection? Were it however so, I could not love her with
less passion than I do." When the king of Persia rose, he washed
his hands on one side, while the fair slave washed hers on the
other. He took that opportunity to ask the woman who held the
basin and napkin, if ever they had heard her speak. One of them
replied, "Sire, we have neither seen her open her lips, nor heard
her speak any more than your majesty has; we have rendered her
our services in the bath; we have dressed her head, put on her
clothes, and waited upon her in her chamber; but she has never
opened her lips, so much as to say, that is well, or I like this.
We have often asked her, "Madam, do you want anything? Is there
anything you wish for? Do but ask, and command us," but we have
never been able to draw a word from her. We cannot tell whether
her sorrow proceeds from pride, sorrow, stupidity, or dumbness."

The king was more astonished at h