the walks were of little pebbles of different
colours, of the same pattern as the carpet of the saloon; so
that, looking upon the carpet within and without it seemed as if
the dome and the garden with all its ornaments had been upon the
same carpet. The prospect was, at the end of the walks,
terminated by two canals of clear water, of the same circular
figure as the dome, one of which being higher than the other,
emptied its water into the lowermost, in form of a sheet; and
curious pots of gilt brass, with flowers and shrubs, were set
upon the banks of the canals at equal distances. Those walks lay
betwixt great plots of ground planted with straight and bushy
trees, where a thousand birds formed a melodious concert, and
diverted the eye by flying about, and playing together, or
fighting in the air.

The prince of Persia and Ebn Thaher were a long time engaged in
viewing the magnificence of the place, and expressed their
surprise at every thing thing saw, especially the prince, who had
never beheld any thing like it. Ebn Thaher, though he had been
several times in that delicious place, could not but observe many
new beauties, In a word they never grew weary in admiring so many
singularities, and were thus agreeably employed, when they
perceived a company of ladies richly appareled sitting without,
at some distance from the dome, each of them upon a seat of
Indian plane wood inlaid with silver filigree in compartments,
with instruments of music in their hands, waiting for orders to
play. They both went forward, and had a full view of the ladies,
and on the right they saw a great court with a stair up from the
garden, encompassed with beautiful apartments. The slave had left
them, and being alone, they conversed together; "For you, who are
a wise man," said the prince of Persia, "I doubt not but you look
with a great deal of satisfaction upon all these marks of
grandeur and power; for my part, I do not think there is any
thing in the world more surprising. But when I consider that this
is the glorious habitation of the lovely Schemselnihar, and that
the greatest monarch of the earth keeps her here, I confess to
you that I look upon myself to be the most unfortunate of all
mankind, and that no destiny can be more cruel than mine, to love
an object possessed by my rival, and that too in a place where he
is so potent, that I cannot think myself sure of my life one
moment."

Ebn Thaher, hearing the prince of Persia speak