presented to my brother by the sultan, and had afterwards been made over
to Abdallah. When she heard that I was about to depart for my own
country, loaded with presents, her rage was without bounds. Already had
her beauty and talents made great impression upon Abdallah, and she soon
won him over to a plot which would be advantageous to him, at the same
time that it would throw me, whom he distrusted, into her power. She
proposed to Abdallah that, after having escorted me to the frontiers,
and received from me the acknowledgment required by the sultan, he
should follow my small escort of slaves, cut them to pieces, take
possession of me and all my treasure, and return with it to
Constantinople, where I might be immured in his harem. The avarice of
Abdallah was not able to withstand the temptation; and, aware that there
was no chance of the nefarious transaction being discovered by the
sultan, he agreed to the proposal. On the second night after we had
parted with Abdallah, a body of horsemen galloped down upon us, and all
my attendants, male and female, were massacred. I was seized, put into
a sack, and thrown across a horse; and as soon as the treasure could be
collected, they set off at a rapid pace. I was nearly dead when they
halted, and when I was removed from my painful situation I fainted away.

Abdallah had never seen my face; the soldiers reported me dead, and he
was glad when he heard of it, for it was only to please his wife that he
had promised to bring me back. He walked up to where I lay, and was,
even in my miserable situation, enamoured with my beauty. His heart
acknowledged that I was the most valuable of all his plunder. Every
care and attention was bestowed upon me; and after several hours' halt,
to allow me to refresh myself, I was placed in a small litter, and our
journey recommenced. He was studious to obtain my favour: at first I
spurned him, but when he told me that the Georgian slave had instigated
him to the deed, and had insisted that he should bring me back, I well
knew for what purpose, and thought only of revenge. I feigned to be
less averse to him, and before our journey was over, had used all my
powers of fascination with triumphant success. At last our wearied
horses arrived at Stamboul, and after waiting in the suburbs till the
evening closed in, that the cavalcade might not attract attention, it
proceeded to the house of Abdallah, and I was once more in the precincts
of a ha