rth, in quest of the fountain of my life, my dear Smaragdine, whom I
have lost."

The King sent for the tablet _Romla_ and the steel pen. "You have said
the truth," says the King; "and I perceive that Heaven designs ere
long to restore to you your lost love."

With this she commanded them to lead Alischar to the bath, to clothe
him in a robe of honour, and treat him in her palace with all respect
and consideration.

Smaragdine could scarcely wait until night came, so great was her
impatience. When it was dark, she commanded that Alischar should be
brought before her, and invited him to partake of the royal supper.
The young man, who was naturally modest, was confounded with this
condescension, but constrained himself, and acquitted himself as well
as he could. It appeared that his behaviour gave no displeasure to the
King; for, supper being ended, the chief of the black eunuchs came
into the apartment, and Alischar heard him receive his Sovereign's
orders to place him in one of the palace sleeping-chambers.

Presently a whisper was heard close to his pillow, and ere he could
make any answer, his visitant revealed herself.

It was Smaragdine: she was out of herself with joy; she burst out into
loud laughter, such as could proceed from no lips but hers, and made
herself known to the enraptured Alischar.

Next morning the King called together the nobles of the city, and
requested them to choose some one to act as Viceroy for a season,
announcing the necessity of undertaking a journey to his own country
in company with the stranger.

They immediately complied with this request, and escorted the Prince
from their gates with all the splendour of royal attendance. But
Smaragdine had no intention ever to reclaim their homage: she had
found her Alischar, and preferred a life of love and peace in her
native place, to a disagreeable disguise and the troublesome
magnificence of sovereign estate.

FINIS.

* * * * *

End of Project Gutenberg's Eastern Tales by Many Story Tellers, by Various

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EASTERN TALES ***

***** This file should be named 26358.txt or 26358.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
http://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/3/5/26358/

Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Delphine Lettau, and the
Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net

Updated editions will replace the p