nah more than ever he did any of
his favourites. What shall I say to him at his return, when he
inquires of me after her?" Many contrivances occurred to her, but
none were satisfactory. Still she met with difficulties, and knew
not where to fix. There lived with her a lady advanced in years,
who had bred her up from her infancy. As soon as it was day, she
sent for her, and having entrusted her with the secret, said, "My
good mother, you have always assisted me with your advice; if
ever I stood in need of it, it is now, when the business before
you is to still my thoughts, distracted by a mortal anxiety, and
to show me some way to satisfy the caliph."

"My dear mistress," replied the old lady, "it had been much
better not to have run yourself into the difficulties you labour
under; but since the thing is done, the best consolation is to
think no more of it. All that must now be thought of, is how to
deceive the commander of the believers; and I am of opinion, that
you should immediately cause a wooden image resembling a dead
body to be carved. We will shroud it up in linen, and when shut
up in a coffin, it shall be buried in some part of the palace;
you shall then immediately cause a marble mausoleum to be built,
in the form of a dome, over the burial place, and erect a tomb,
which shall be covered with embroidered cloth, and set about with
great candlesticks and large wax tapers. There is another thing,"
added the old lady, "which ought not to be forgotten; you must
put on mourning, and cause the same to be done by your own and
Fetnah's women, your eunuchs, and all the officers of the palace.
When the caliph returns, and sees you all and the palace in
mourning, he will not fail to ask the occasion of it. You will
then have an opportunity of insinuating yourself into his favour,
by saying, it was out of respect to him that you paid the last
honours to Fetnah, snatched away by sudden death. You may tell
him, you have caused a mausoleum to be built, and, in short, that
you have paid all the last honours to his favourite, as he would
have done himself had he been present. His passion for her being
extraordinary, he will certainly go to shed tears upon her grave;
and perhaps," added the old woman, "he will not believe she is
really dead. He may, possibly, suspect you have turned her out of
the palace through jealousy, and look upon all the mourning as an
artifice to deceive him, and prevent his making inquiries after
her.