s
In India's garden, on thy breast
Must meet its death--by breathing sweets
Where it were ecstasy to rest.

"A blossom from a nettle ta'en,
Is in thy beauteous bosom bound,
Born amid stings, it gives no pain,
'Tis sweetness among venom found."

Acota was silent. The beauteous princess, as the minstrel finished, rose
slowly and tremulously from her cushions, and taking the blossom of a
nettle from her bosom, placed it in the hands of the happy Acota,
saying, with a great deal of piety, "It is the will of Heaven."

"But how was it possible for Acota to find out that the princess had a
nettle blossom in her bosom?" interrupted the pacha. "No man could ever
have guessed it. I can't make that out. Can you, Mustapha?"

"Your sublime highness is right; no man ever could have guessed such a
thing," replied Mustapha. "There is but one way to account for it, which
is, that the princess must have told him her intentions when they were
alone in the royal garden."

"Very true, Mustapha--well, thank Allah, the princess is married at
last."

"I beg pardon of your sublime highness, but the beauteous princess is
not yet married," said Menouni; "the story is not yet finished."

"Wallah el nebi!" exclaimed the pacha. "By God and his prophet, is she
never to be married?"

"Yes, your sublime highness, but not just yet. Shall I proceed?"

"Yes, Menouni, and the faster you get on the better."

* * * * *

"Amidst the cries of 'Long live Acota, Souffraria's legitimate king.'"

* * * * *

"Legitimate. Pray, good Menouni, what may that word mean?"

"Legitimate, your sublime highness, implies that a king and his
descendants are chosen by Allah to reign over a people."

"Well, but I don't see that Allah had much to do with the choice of
Acota."

"Nor with the choice of any other king, I suspect, your sublime
highness; but still the people were made to believe so, and that is all
that is sufficient. Allah does not interfere in the choice of any but
those who reign over true believers. The Sultan is the Holy Prophet's
vicegerent on earth--and he, guided by the prophet, invests virtue and
wisdom with the Kalaats of dignity, in the persons of his pachas."

"Very true," said the pacha, "the Sultan is guided by Allah, and,"
continued he in a low tone to Mustapha, "a few hundred purses to boot.
Menouni, you may proceed."

* * * *