rival, who played her part
to admiration, yielded to him that profound respect and abject
adulation, which, on my part, had been denied him, and which he
probably, as a novelty from a favourite, set a higher price upon. At
last, I was treated with such marked insult, that I lost my temper, and
I determined that the sultan should do the same. I handed him a small
apple. "Will my lord accept this apple from the hand of his slave? is
it not curious in shape? It reminds me of the wen under your majesty's
left arm."

The sultan coloured with rage.

"Yes," replied I laughing, "you have one of them, you know very well."

"Silence, Zara," cried the sultan, in a firm tone.

"And why should I be silent, my lord? Have not I spoken the truth?"

"False woman! deny what you have falsely uttered."

"Sultan, I will not deny the truth. I will, if you command me, hold my
tongue."

"Your slave has been honoured with my lord's attentions, and denies the
assertion as a calumny," observed my rival.

"Peace, wretch! thou hast proved thyself unworthy of the honour, by thy
lying tongue."

"I tell thee, Zara, silence! or you shall feel my indignation."

But I was now too angry, and I replied, "My lord, you well know that I
once held my tongue for eighteen months; I therefore can be silent when
I choose; but I can also speak when I choose, and now I do choose to
speak. I have said it, and I will not retract my words."

The sultan was white with rage; my life hung upon a thread; when the
Circassian maliciously observed, "The bastinado might induce her to
retract."

"And shall," exclaimed the sultan, clapping his hands.

The kislar aga appeared, in obedience to the sultan's orders; the
executioner of the harem, and two slaves, stretched me on the floor--I
made no resistance or complaint; my jewelled slippers were taken off,
and all was ready for the disgraceful punishment.

"Now, Zara, will you retract?" said the sultan, solemnly.

"No, my lord, I will not. I repeat, that you have a wen under your left
arm."

"Strike," cried the sultan, in a paroxysm of rage. The bamboos fell,
and I received a dozen blows. I bore them without a cry; I was too much
choked by my feelings.

"Now, Zara, will you retract?" exclaimed the sultan, in a subdued tone.

"Never, sultan; I will prove to you that a woman has more courage than
you may imagine; if I die under the punishment, my rival shall not have
even the pleasure of a groan. Y