ll not
accept the honour of our alliance?"

Upon this Cyrus sent in quest of the father of the young beauty, and
demanded her for his son. The dowry, which was to be three hundred
thousand pieces of gold, was agreed upon at once. But the future
father-in-law required that the celebration of the nuptials should be
delayed for nine months.

"Nine months without seeing her!" said the impatient Bhazad to
himself. "Nine months without her! It is insupportable."

He quickly formed the design of going to her. He mounted the best
courser in his stables, and immediately departed, having provided
himself with some necessary articles, such as a bow, a lance, and a
scimitar. He was not far from the capital of Syria when he was
attacked by a band of robbers. His undaunted countenance and his
martial air made an impression upon them; and far from endeavouring,
according to their usual custom, to murder him after they had robbed
him, they proposed to him a very different plan, and promised him his
life on condition that he would associate with them. Bhazad thought it
necessary to discover to these vagabonds his rank, his projects, and
the fatal delay of nine months, which his impatience had been unable
to endure. Upon this declaration, the chief of the robbers replied to
him,

"We will shorten this delay. We know the castle in which the object of
your love dwells, and the strength that defends it. March at our head;
we will attack it, and no object shall be able to resist us. All we
ask of you for this important service is a share in the dowry, your
future protection, and a delay of some days to prepare ourselves for
the enterprise."

Bhazad, in his impatience, thought himself already on the very point
of happiness. Every method seemed just to him which could serve his
passion, and he was by no means delicate in the choice of them. Thus
he deliberated no more, but continued his journey at the head of the
robbers.

They soon met a numerous caravan, and the robbers, constrained by
their natural propensity, attacked it in disorder. They were repulsed,
however, with the loss of several men and a considerable number of
prisoners, among whom Bhazad was included. He was conducted to the
capital of the country to which the caravan was travelling. The
commander of it, after relating his adventure, presented Bhazad to the
King.

"Here, sire, is a young man who, in our opinion, deserves to be
distinguished from the rest, and we beseec