m thy duty."

The youth hastened towards the royal palace, which he entered
unperceived, and proceeded into the haram, where he seated
himself near the daughter of the sultan. For some time he
contented himself with gazing on her beauty, but at length
extending his hands, touched her softly on the neck. As soon as
she felt his touch, the princess, alarmed, shrieked out
violently, and exclaimed, "I seek refuge with Allah, from Satan
the accursed." Her mother and the ladies present, affrighted at
her outcries, eagerly inquired the cause; when she said, "Eblees,
or some other evil spirit, hath this instant touched me on the
neck."

Upon this, the mother was alarmed and sent for her nurse, who,
when informed of what had happened, declared, "That nothing was
so specific to drive away evil spirits as the smoke of camel's
hair;" a quantity of which was instantly brought, and being set
fire to, the smoke of it filled the whole apartment, and so
affected the eyes of the young man, that they watered
exceedingly, when he unthinkingly wiped them with his
handkerchief, so that with his tears the ointment was soon washed
off.

The ointment was no sooner wiped away from his eyes than the
young man became visible, and the princess, her mother, and the
ladies, all at once uttered a general cry of astonishment and
alarm; upon which the eunuchs rushed into the apartment. Seeing
the youth, they surrounded him, beat him unmercifully, then bound
him with cords, and dragged him before the sultan, whom they
informed of his having been found in the royal haram. The sultan,
enraged, sent for an executioner, and commanded him to seize the
culprit, to clothe him in a black habit patched over with flame
colour, to mount him upon a camel, and after parading with him
through the streets of the city, to put him to death.

The executioner took the young man, dressed him as he had been
directed, placed him upon the camel, and led him through the
city, preceded by guards and a crier, who bawled out, "Behold the
merited punishment of him who has dared to violate the sanctuary
of the royal haram." The procession was followed by an
incalculable crowd of people, who were astonished at the beauty
of the young man, and the little concern he seemed to feel at his
own situation.

At length the procession arrived in the square before the great
mosque, when the sage, disturbed by the noise and concourse of
the people, looked from the window of his cell,