where no one can intrude upon us. Begin then, I entreat you,
without delay."

So the prince began at the beginning, and told all the story of the
festival of Nedrouz held yearly in Persia, and of the splendid
spectacles celebrated in its honour. But when he came to the enchanted
horse, the princess declared that she could never have imagined
anything half so surprising. "Well then," continued the prince, "you
can easily understand how the King my father, who has a passion for all
curious things, was seized with a violent desire to possess this horse,
and asked the Indian what sum he would take for it.

"The man's answer was absolutely absurd, as you will agree, when I tell
you that it was nothing less than the hand of the princess my sister;
but though all the bystanders laughed and mocked, and I was beside
myself with rage, I saw to my despair that my father could not make up
his mind to treat the insolent proposal as it deserved. I tried to
argue with him, but in vain. He only begged me to examine the horse
with a view (as I quite understood) of making me more sensible of its
value."

"To please my father, I mounted the horse, and, without waiting for any
instructions from the Indian, turned the peg as I had seen him do. In
an instant I was soaring upwards, much quicker than an arrow could fly,
and I felt as if I must be getting so near the sky that I should soon
hit my head against it! I could see nothing beneath me, and for some
time was so confused that I did not even know in what direction I was
travelling. At last, when it was growing dark, I found another screw,
and on turning it, the horse began slowly to sink towards the earth. I
was forced to trust to chance, and to see what fate had in store, and
it was already past midnight when I found myself on the roof of this
palace. I crept down the little staircase, and made directly for a
light which I perceived through an open door--I peeped cautiously in,
and saw, as you will guess, the eunuchs lying asleep on the floor. I
knew the risks I ran, but my need was so great that I paid no attention
to them, and stole safely past your guards, to the curtain which
concealed your doorway.

"The rest, Princess, you know; and it only remains for me to thank you
for the kindness you have shown me, and to assure you of my gratitude.
By the law of nations, I am already your slave, and I have only my
heart, that is my own, to offer you. But what am I saying? My