n the burning coals. The
instant they were consumed, terrific cries were heard, but no one could
tell from whom they proceeded. Only the dervish guessed that they were
uttered by Maimoum the son of Dimdim, who felt the princess escaping
him.

All this time she had seemed unconscious of what she was doing, but now
she raised her hand to her veil and uncovered her face. "Where am I?"
she said in a bewildered manner; "and how did I get here?"

The Sultan was so delighted to hear these words that he not only
embraced his daughter, but kissed the hand of the dervish. Then,
turning to his attendants who stood round, he said to them, "What
reward shall I give to the man who has restored me my daughter?"

They all replied with one accord that he deserved the hand of the
princess.

"That is my own opinion," said he, "and from this moment I declare him
to be my son-in-law."

Shortly after these events, the grand-vizir died, and his post was
given to the dervish. But he did not hold it for long, for the Sultan
fell a victim to an attack of illness, and as he had no sons, the
soldiers and priests declared the dervish heir to the throne, to the
great joy of all the people.

One day, when the dervish, who had now become Sultan, was making a
royal progress with his court, he perceived the envious man standing in
the crowd. He made a sign to one of his vizirs, and whispered in his
ear, "Fetch me that man who is standing out there, but take great care
not to frighten him." The vizir obeyed, and when the envious man was
brought before the Sultan, the monarch said to him, "My friend, I am
delighted to see you again." Then turning to an officer, he added,
"Give him a thousand pieces of gold out of my treasury, and twenty
waggon-loads of merchandise out of my private stores, and let an escort
of soldiers accompany him home." He then took leave of the envious
man, and went on his way.

Now when I had ended my story, I proceeded to show the genius how to
apply it to himself. "O genius," I said, "you see that this Sultan was
not content with merely forgiving the envious man for the attempt on
his life; he heaped rewards and riches upon him."

But the genius had made up his mind, and could not be softened. "Do
not imagine that you are going to escape so easily," he said. "All I
can do is to give you bare life; you will have to learn what happens to
people who interfere with me."

As he spoke he seized me violently by the