ompanions, in order to continue a while their simulated flight
and pursuit. The fairy feet of the fugitive scarcely touched the ground,
and such charm and fascination were in her movements that the Caliph
several times raised his eyelids and gave a grunt of approval. At each
of these indications on the part of the despot, the anxiety of the poor
Persian seemed to increase till it bordered on despair, and so naturally
was this despair portrayed as to draw a loud bravo from the spectators:
only the Caliph appeared insensible to the refined play of these elegant
dancers. Once or twice, indeed, his dull eyes seemed to emit a ray of
animal delight, but this quickly faded away; and even the triumph of the
Persian, when his mistress finally fell panting and yielding into his
arms, was insufficient to rekindle it.

"Brr!" cried the Commander of the Faithful, in the same harsh grunting
voice as before; "and you call that pastime, that which we have seen a
thousand and one times? By the beard of the Prophet, vizier," he
continued in a louder tone, "if I have no sleep to-day, nor appetite
to-morrow, there is the bowstring for you, and the stake for your
Almas!"

At this terrible threat the vizier stood speechless with horror, while
the mouth of the alarmed emir gaped to an unnatural extent: the dancers
paused, as though suddenly turned to stone, in the very same posture in
which the menace of the Caliph had surprised them. One of the
_bayaderes_ remained with her leg in a horizontal position, the point of
her toe almost in her partner's open mouth; another, in the terror of
the moment, had entangled her foot in the ample robe of the emir, who
now began to run up and down in his extremity of consternation,
compelling her to dance after him on one leg; in short, all the actors
in this strange scene expressed so naturally, by dumb show, their
amazement and alarm, that the Caliph burst into a loud fit of laughter.

"Allah Akbar!" cried vizier and emir and dancers, with one voice, and
then all burst forth in loud praises of the goodness of Allah, who,
through the agency of his slaves, had done so great a wonder, and
extracted a refreshing laugh from his highness. This unanimous
demonstration of affection on the part of his loving subjects, seemed
pleasing to the potentate. He nodded, and the emir, encouraged by this
sign of approbation, ventured to draw nearer.

"With all submission"--he began.

"By the Prophet's beard!" interrupt