much grieved as
himself. "Unhappy wretch!" said he in a passion, "do you appear
before me thus? after the hideous sacrifice you have just
consummated, can you see me with so much satisfaction?"

The new bride seeing her father angry at her pleasant
countenance, said to him, "For God's sake, sir, do not reproach
me wrongfully; it is not the hump-back fellow, whom I abhor more
than death, it is not that monster I have married. Every body
laughed him to scorn, and put him so out of countenance, that he
was forced to run away and hide himself, to make room for a noble
youth, who is my real husband." "What fable do you tell me?" said
Shumse ad Deen, roughly. "What! Did not crook-back lie with you
tonight?" "No, sir," said she, "it was the youth I mentioned, who
has large eyes and black eyebrows." At these words the vizier,
lost all patience, and exclaimed in anger, "Ah, wicked woman! you
will make me distracted!" "It is you, father," said she, "that
put me out of my senses by your incredulity." "So, it is not
true," replied the vizier, "that hump-back----" "Let us talk no
more of hump-back," said she, "a curse upon hump-back. Father, I
assure you once more, that I did not bed with him, but with my
dear spouse, who, I believe, is not far off."

Shumse ad Deen went out to seek him, but, instead of seeing
Buddir ad Deen, was surprised to find hump-back with his head on
the ground, and his heels uppermost, as the genie had set him
against the wall. "What is the meaning of this?" said he; "who
placed you thus?" Crookback, knowing it to be the vizier
answered, "Alas! alas! it is you then that would marry me to the
mistress of a genie in the form of a buffalo."

Shumse ad Deen Mahummud, when he heard hump-back speak thus,
thought he was raving, bade him move, and stand upon his legs. "I
will take care how I stir," said hump-back, "unless the sun be
risen. Know, sir, that when I came last night to your palace,
suddenly a black cat appeared to me, and in an instant grew as
big as a buffalo. I have not forgotten what he enjoined me,
therefore you may depart, and leave me here." The vizier instead
of going away, took him by the heels, and made him stand up, when
hump-back ran off, without looking behind him; and coming to the
palace presented himself to the sultan, who laughed heartily when
informed how the genie had served him.

Shumse ad Deen returned to his daughter's chamber, more
astonished than before. "My abused daughter