e to return his passion. When he saw that
fair means would not prevail upon me, he attempted to use force:
but I soon made him repent of his insolence. He resolved to sell
me, which he did to the merchant who brought me hither, and sold
me to your majesty. He was a prudent, courteous, humane man; and
during the whole of the long journey, never gave me the least
reason to complain.

"As for your majesty," continued the princess Gulnare, "if you
had not shown me all the respect you have hitherto done (for
which I am extremely obliged to your goodness), and given me such
undeniable marks of your affection, that I can no longer doubt of
it; if you had not immediately sent away your women; I hesitate
not to tell you, that I should not have remained with you. I
would have thrown myself into the sea out of this window, where
you accosted me when you first came into this apartment; and have
gone in search of my mother, my brother, and the rest of my
relations. I should have persisted in that design, and would have
put it in execution, if after a certain time I had found myself
deceived in the hopes of being with child; but in the condition I
am in, all I could say to my mother or my brother would never
convince them that I have been a slave to a king like your
majesty. They would never believe it, but would for ever upbraid
me with the crime I have voluntarily committed against my honour.
However, sire, be it a prince or princess that I may bring into
the world, it will be a pledge to engage me never to be parted
from your majesty; and therefore I hope you will no longer regard
me as a slave, but as a princess worthy your alliance."

In this manner the Princess Gulnare discovered herself to the
king of Persia, and finished her story. "My charming, my adorable
princess," cried he, "what wonders have I heard! and what ample
matter for my curiosity, to ask a thousand questions concerning
those strange and unheard of things which you have related! But
first, I ought to thank you for your goodness and patience in
making trial of the truth and constancy of my passion. I thought
it impossible for me to love you more than I did; but since I
know you to be a princess, I love you a thousand times more.
Princess! did I say, madam? you are no longer so; but you are my
queen, the queen of Persia; and by that title you shall soon be
proclaimed throughout the whole kingdom. To-morrow the ceremony
shall be performed in my capital with a po