id they proceed towards the bower,
where, as Mezrimbi had truly said, Acota was waiting for his beloved
princess. Fortunately, as they approached, a disturbed snake, hissing
in his anger, caused an exclamation from the old brahmin, which aroused
Acota from his delicious reverie. Through the foliage he perceived and
recognised Mezrimbi, his father, and the mutes. Convinced that they
meditated mischief towards himself, he secreted himself among the
rose-bushes, lying prostrate on the ground; but in his haste, he left
his cloak and mandolin. Mezrimbi entered the bower, and explained to
the mutes by signs what it was which he desired, showed them the cloak
and mandolin to make known the object of his wrath, and put into their
hands the bottle of corrosive acid. They satisfied him that they
comprehended his wishes, and the party then retired, the chief brahmin
quitting the grove for his own house, the mutes lying in wait under some
bushes for the arrival of Acota, and Mezrimbi walking away into the
recesses of the grove, anxious as to the issue of the plot. Acota,
perfectly aware of what was intended, laughed in his sleeve, and thanked
Allah for this fortunate discovery; he crawled away on his hands and
knees, so as not to be perceived, and hid himself, with his cloak and
mandolin, watching in turn the motions of the others--and thus did all
parties watch until the sun descended behind the blue hills which
divided the kingdom of Souffraria from that of the other kingdom, which
my treacherous memory has dared to forget in your highness's sublime
presence. Mezrimbi was the only one who was not motionless: he paced up
and down in all the anxiety of anticipation and doubt, and at last he
stopped, and, tired out with contending feelings, sat down at the foot
of a tree, close to where Acota was concealed. The nightingale was
pouring forth her sweet melody, and friendly to lovers, she continued it
until Mezrimbi, who had listened to it, and whose angry feelings had
been soothed with her dulcet strains, fell fast asleep. Acota perceived
it, and approaching him softly, laid his cloak over him, and taking up
his mandolin, struck a chord which he knew would not be lost upon the
quick-eared mutes, although not so loud as to awake Mezrimbi. Acota was
right; in a minute he perceived the dark beings crawling through the
underwood like the jackals who had scented out their prey, and Acota was
again concealed in the thick foliage. T