er; but the
prince of Persia did not return her an answer according to her
expectation.

"Princess," he replied, "the preference which you give the king
of Bengal's palace to your own is enough to induce me to believe
it much exceeds it: and as to the proposal of my going and paying
my respects to the king your father, I should not only do myself
a pleasure, but an honour. But judge, princess, yourself, would
you advise me to present myself before so great a monarch, like
an adventurer, without attendants, and a train suitable to my
rank?"

"Prince," replied the princess, "let not that give you any pain;
if you will but go, you shall want no money to have what train
and attendants you please: I will furnish you; and we have
traders here of all nations in great numbers, and you may make
choice of as many as you please to form your household."

Prince Firoze Shaw penetrated the princess of Bengal's intention,
and this sensible mark of her love still augmented his passion,
which, notwithstanding its violence, made him not forget his
duty. Without any hesitation he replied, "Princess, I should most
willingly accept of the obliging offer you make me, for which I
cannot sufficiently shew my gratitude, if the uneasiness my
father must feel on account of my absence did not prevent me. I
should be unworthy of the tenderness he has always had for me, if
I should not return as soon as possible to calm his fears. I know
him so well, that while I have the happiness of enjoying the
conversation of so lovely a princess, I am persuaded he is
plunged into the deepest grief, and has lost all hopes of seeing
me again. I trust you will do me the justice to believe, that I
cannot, without ingratitude, and being guilty of a crime,
dispense with going to restore to him that life, which a too long
deferred return may have endangered already.

"After this, princess," continued the prince of Persia, "if you
will permit me, and think me worthy to aspire to the happiness of
becoming your husband, as my father has always declared that he
never would constrain me in my choice, I should find it no
difficult matter to get leave to return, not as a stranger, but
as a prince, to contract an alliance with your father by our
marriage; and I am persuaded that the emperor will be overjoyed
when I tell him with what generosity you received me, though a
stranger in distress."

The princess of Bengal was too reasonable, after what the prince
of Persi