f it, that you may acquit yourself
of your promise when you may feel inclined."

"Madam," replied Ahmed, with equal animation, "as I know I am not
guilty of the forgetfulness you lay to my charge, I rather choose to
be thus reproached, however undeservedly, than expose myself to a
refusal, by manifesting a desire for what it might have given you pain
to grant." "Prince," said the fairy, "I would not have you in this
affair have so much consideration for me, since it is a month since
you have seen the sultan your father. I think you should not be longer
in renewing your visits. Pay him one to-morrow, and after that, go and
visit once a month, without speaking to me, or waiting for my
permission. I readily consent to such an arrangement."

Prince Ahmed went the next morning with the same attendants as
before, but much more magnificently mounted, equipped, and
dressed, and was received by the sultan with the same joy and
satisfaction. For several months he constantly paid him visits,
and always in a richer and more brilliant equipage.

At last the sultan's favourites, who judged of prince Ahmed's
power by the splendour of his appearance, abused the privilege
the sultan accorded them of speaking to him with freedom, to make
him jealous of his son. They represented that it was but common
prudence to discover where the prince had retired, and how he
could afford to live so magnificently, since he had no revenue
assigned for his expenses; that he seemed to come to court only
to insult him, by affecting to shew that he wanted nothing from
his father to enable him to live like a prince; and that it was
to be feared he might court the people's favour and dethrone him.

The sultan of the Indies was so far from thinking that prince
Ahmed could be capable of so wicked a design, that he said to
them in displeasure, "You are mistaken, my son loves me, and I am
the more assured of his tenderness and fidelity, as I have given
him no reason to be disgusted."

At these words, one of the favourites took an opportunity to say,
"Your majesty, in the opinion of the most sensible people, could
not have taken a better method than you did with the three
princes, respecting their marriage with the princess Nouronnihar;
but who knows whether prince Ahmed has submitted to his fate with
the same resignation as prince Houssain? May not he imagine that
he alone deserved her; and that your majesty, by leaving the
match to be decided by chance, h