Page 236 of 1116

And to morrow at an early hour she will be here." Quoth the King,

"By Allah, O youth, I will assuredly do thee a good deed which

the world shall not willingly let die, and an act of derring do

which shall be chronicled long after I am dead and gone by." Then

the King sat him by the side of the young Prince and talked till

nightfall, when he lay down and slept; but, as soon as the false

dawn[FN#133] showed, he arose and doffing his outer

garments[FN#134] bared his blade and hastened to the place

wherein lay the slave. Then was he ware of lighted candles and

lamps, and the perfume of incenses and unguents, and directed by

these, he made for the slave and struck him one stroke killing

him on the spot: after which he lifted him on his back and threw

him into a well that was in the palace. Presentry he returned

and, donning the slave's gear, lay down at length within the

mausoleum with the drawn sword laid close to and along his side.