ment
has lost one of his eyes." He could say no more, for his tears,
sighs, and sobs, deprived him of the power of utterance.

Suddenly the princess exclaimed, "I burn! I burn!" She found that
the fire had at last seized upon her vital parts, which made her
still cry "I burn!" until death had put an end to her intolerable
pains. The effect of that fire was so extraordinary, that in a
few moments she was wholly reduced to ashes, as the genie had
been.

I cannot tell you, madam, how much I was grieved at so dismal a
spectacle; I had rather all my life have continued an ape or a
dog, than to have seen my benefactress thus miserably perish. The
sultan being afflicted all that can be imagined, cried piteously,
and beat himself on his head and breast, until being quite
overcome with grief, he fainted away, which made me fear for his
life. In the mean time, the eunuchs and officers came running at
the sultan's lamentations, and with much difficulty brought him
to himself. It was not necessary that the prince or myself should
relate the circumstances of the adventure, to convince them of
the affliction it had occasioned us. The two heaps of ashes, to
which the princess and the genie had been reduced, were a
sufficient demonstration. The sultan was hardly able to stand,
but was under the necessity of being supported to his apartment.

When the knowledge of this tragical event had spread through the
palace and the city, all the people bewailed the misfortune of
the princess, the Lady of Beauty, and commiserated the sultan's
affliction. Public mourning was observed for seven days, and many
ceremonies were performed. The ashes of the genie were thrown
into the air, but those of the princess were collected into a
precious urn, to be preserved, and the urn was deposited in a
superb mausoleum, constructed for that purpose on the spot where
the princess had been consumed.

The grief of the sultan for the loss of his daughter confined him
to his chamber for a whole month. Before he had fully recovered
his strength he sent for me: "Prince," said he, "attend to the
commands I now give you; your life must answer if you do not
carry them into execution." I assured him of exalt obedience;
upon which he went on thus: "I have constantly lived in perfect
felicity, but by your arrival all the happiness I possessed has
vanished; my daughter is dead, her governor is no more, and it is
only through a miracle that I am myself yet alive You ar