atience have brought you. Instead of waiting patiently till you
should become the son-in-law of one of your father's noble vassals,
after having quitted the Court of Syria without permission, and after
having incautiously exposed yourself to be murdered by the robbers who
infest these deserts, you joined yourself to these vagabonds to carry
off by force the woman who was voluntarily to be given you in
marriage. See into what a train of crimes you have drawn yourself.
Check this passion and calm your impatience. I will procure you the
means of uniting yourself soon to the Princess whose hand you are
anxious to obtain. But as everything ought to be done in a manner
suitable to her condition and your rank, we will hurry nothing."

After this, the King, having caused Bhazad to be magnificently
dressed, appointed him lodgings in his palace, and admitted him to his
table. He wrote to Cyrus to set him at ease respecting the fate of his
son, whose equipage was getting ready that he might appear with more
splendour at the Court of the Prince whose daughter he was about to
espouse.

The impatient Bhazad saw these preparations with uneasiness. The
attention which was paid to them retarded his happiness. At length,
however, the order for his departure was given, and he might begin his
journey. A small army escorted him, but every halt which it made
appeared an age to this impatient Prince.

Messengers had been dispatched to the father of the Princess, to
inform him of the arrival of his son-in-law. He came, with his
daughter covered with a veil, to receive him at the gate of his
castle, and allotted him a magnificent apartment next to that of his
future spouse. All the arrangements had been previously fixed by the
two fathers. The term of nine months would have elapsed in three days,
and all the preparations suitable to this so much wished-for union
were finished.

Bhazad was only separated from the object of his affection by the
breadth of a thin wall. In three days he might see her. But this wall
was like Mount Ararat to him, and these three days seemed an eternity.
As he constantly inquired what she was doing, he learnt that she was
at her toilet, assisted by her female slaves, and without her veil.
This was the time for him to surprise her and behold her at his
pleasure. He presently examined all the openings of his apartment, to
find some way of gratifying his impatience and curiosity. He
discovered, to his misfortune, a