emperor was making preparations to go and bring her
to his palace; as soon as he got out of the presence, he
bethought himself of being revenged upon the emperor and the
prince. Without losing any time, he went directly to the palace,
and addressing himself to the keeper, told him, he came from the
prince of Persia for the princess of Bengal, and to conduct her
behind him through the air to the emperor, who waited in the
great square of his palace to gratify the whole court and city of
Sheerauz with that wonderful sight.

The palace-keeper, who knew the Hindoo, and that the emperor had
imprisoned him, gave the more credit to what he said, because he
saw that he was at liberty. He presented him to the princess of
Bengal; who no sooner understood that he came from the prince of
Persia than she consented to what the prince, as she thought, had
desired of her.

The Hindoo, overjoyed at his success, and the ease with which he
had accomplished his villany, mounted his horse, took the
princess behind him, with the assistance of the keeper, turned
the peg, and instantly the horse mounted into the air.

At the same time the emperor of Persia, attended by his court,
was on the road to the palace where the princess of Bengal had
been left, and the prince of Persia was advanced before, to
prepare the princess to receive his father; when the Hindoo, to
brave them both, and revenge himself for the ill-treatment he had
received, appeared over their heads with his prize.

When the emperor of Persia saw the ravisher, he stopped. His
surprise and affliction were the more sensible, because it was
not in his power to punish so high an affront. He loaded him with
a thousand imprecations, as did also all the courtiers, who were
witnesses of so signal a piece of insolence and unparalleled
artifice and treachery.

The Hindoo, little moved with their curses, which just reached
his ears, continued his way, while the emperor, extremely
mortified at so great an insult, but more so that he could not
punish the author, returned to his palace in rage and vexation.

But what was prince Firoze Shaw's grief at beholding the Hindoo
hurrying away the princess of Bengal, whom he loved so
passionately that he could not live without her! At a spectacle
so little expected he was confounded, and before he could
deliberate with himself what measures to pursue, the horse was
out of sight. He could not resolve how to act, whether he should
return to hi