as
the only object of my desires, I could bear to be a witness of
Ali's happiness. If I had been capable of such unworthy apathy,
what would the court and city have thought of my love, or what
your majesty? Love is a passion we cannot suppress at our will;
while it lasts, it rules and governs us in spite of our boasted
reason. Your majesty knows, that when I shot my arrow, the most
extraordinary accident that ever befell mortal happened to me,
for surely it was such, that in so large and level a plain as
that where the horses are exercised, it should not be possible to
find my arrow. I lost your decision in my favour, which was as
much due to my love, as to that of the princes my brothers.
Though thus vanquished by the caprice of fate, I lost no time in
vain complaints; but to satisfy my perplexed mind, upon what I
could not comprehend, I left my attendants, and returned alone to
look for my arrow. I sought all about the place where Houssain's
and Ali's arrows were found, and where I imagined mine must have
fallen, but all my labour was in vain. I was not discouraged, but
continued my search in a direct line, and after this manner had
gone above a league, without being able to meet with any thing
like an arrow, when I reflected that it was not possible that
mine should have flown so far. I stopped, and asked myself
whether I was in my right senses, to flatter myself with having
had strength to shoot an arrow so much farther than any of the
strongest archers in the world were able to do. After I had
argued thus with myself, I was ready to abandon my enterprise;
but when on the point of putting my resolution in execution, I
found myself drawn forward against my will; and after having gone
four leagues, to that part of the plain where it is bounded by
rocks, I perceived an arrow. I ran, took it up, and knew it to be
the same which I had shot. Far from thinking your majesty had
done me any injustice in declaring for my brother Ali, I
interpreted what had happened to me quite otherwise, and never
doubted there was a mystery in it to my advantage; the discovery
of which I ought not to neglect, and which I found out without
going from the spot. But as to this mystery I beg your majesty
will not be offended if I remain silent, and that you will be
satisfied to know from my own mouth that I am happy, and content
with my fate.

"In the midst of my happiness, the only thing that troubled me,
or was capable of disturbing me, wa