ished gaze a countenance of the most surpassing beauty.

"After purchasing sundry articles from my friend the jeweller, and giving
them to her slaves to carry home for her, she left the shop, not without
bestowing upon me a parting glance, which penetrated my heart and filled
me with the most delicious and indescribable excitement.

"As soon as she was gone I inquired eagerly of my friend who this
dazzling young beauty was, and whereabouts she lived.

"'She is,' he said, 'the daughter of Mazoudi Khan, a very rich man, who
lives in a fine house not far from the palace of the Shah himself. I
should advise you,' he added, 'to forget as soon as possible that you
have ever seen her, for you know the proverb, "He who lifts his eyes too
high, is apt to fall and break his neck."'

"The advice was no doubt good, but as well might a man in a fever be
advised to keep cool. As well might a man parched with thirst be advised
to shun water and to think no more of it. I had seen her face, the face
of the first beautiful woman it had ever been my lot to behold. I was
twenty-one years of age, and my prudent acquaintance advised me to forget
her!

"My lord, you may guess how I lay awake all that night, and how I
returned as early next day as I decently could to the shop of my friend,
in the ardent, if rash, hope of again meeting the object that now
constantly engrossed me.

"The young lady, who was nowise disposed to avoid me or break my heart,
came to the shop still earlier than on the previous day, and, while
examining some jewels, she listened, without any sign of disapproval, to
the few but passionate words of admiration and love which I ventured to
address to her.

"'Sir,' she answered, 'if I should say that I feel displeased at what you
tell me, it would not be true; but, alas! it is useless for you thus to
address me. My father is about to marry me to a friend of his, who is
very rich and nearly as old as himself.'

"With that the lovely creature shed tears, and presently choosing some
jewels, she went away, leaving me full of grief and distracted with anger
and jealousy.

"After this I met her again several times in the same place, and, to my
utmost consternation, learned at length that her marriage with Mirza Aga,
her father's old friend, would take place in a fortnight.

"At first I implored her in my desperation to fly with me from Persia,
and accompany me to my home at Bagdad. But with much good sense she
po