The Arabian Nights Entertainments, vol 3 | Page 3

the three days' end, the fair slave, magnificently dressed, was alone
in her chamber, sitting on a sofa, and leaning against one of the
windows that faced the sea, when the king, being informed that he
might visit her, came in. The slave, hearing somebody walk in the room
with an air quite different from that of the female slaves, who had
hitherto attended her, immediately turned her head about to see who it
was. She knew him to be the king, but without discovering the least
surprise, or so much as rising from her seat to salute or receive him, as
if he had been the most indifferent person in the world, she put herself
in the same posture again.
The king of Persia was extremely surprised to see a slave of so

beauteous a form so ignorant of the world. He attributed this to the
narrowness of her education, and the little care that had been taken to
instruct her in the first rules of civility. He went to her at the window,
where, notwithstanding the coldness and indifference with which she
had received him, she suffered herself to be admired, caressed, and
embraced, as much as he pleased.
In the midst of these amorous embraces and tender endearments, the
king paused awhile, to gaze upon, or rather to devour her with his eyes.
"My lovely fair one! my charmer!" exclaimed he; "whence came you,
and where do those happy parents live who brought into the world so
surprising a masterpiece of nature? How do I love thee, and shall
always continue to do. Never did I feel for a woman what I now feel for
you; and though I have seen, and every day behold a vast number of
beauties, yet never did my eyes contemplate so many charms in one
person--charms which have so transported me, that I shall entirely
devote myself to you. My dearest life," continued he, "you neither
answer, nor by any visible token give me the least reason to believe that
you are sensible of the demonstrations I have given you of the ardour of
my passion; neither will you turn your eyes on me, to afford mine the
pleasure of meeting them, and to convince you that it is impossible to
love in a higher degree than I do you. Why will you still preserve this
obstinate silence, which chills me, and whence proceeds the seriousness,
or rather sorrow, that torments me to the soul? Do you mourn for your
country, your friends or your relations? Alas! Is not the king of Persia,
who loves and adores you, capable of comforting you, and making you
amends for every loss?"
Notwithstanding all the protestations of love the king of Persia made
the fair slave, and all he could say to induce her to speak to him, she
remained unaltered; and keeping her eyes still fixed upon the ground,
would neither look at him, nor utter a word.
The king of Persia, delighted with the purchase he had made of a slave
that pleased him so well, pressed her no farther, in hopes that by
treating her kindly he might prevail upon her to change her behaviour.
He clapped his hands; and the women who waited in an outward room
entered: he commanded them to bring in supper. When it was arranged,
"My love," said he to the slave, "come hither and sup with me." She
rose from her seat; and being seated opposite the king, his majesty

helped her, before he began eating himself; and did so of every dish
during supper. The slave ate as well as the king, but still with downcast
eyes, and without speaking a word; though he often asked her how she
liked the entertainment, and whether it was dressed according to her
taste.
The king, willing to change the conversation, asked her what her name
was, how she liked the clothes and the jewels she had on, what she
thought of her apartment and the rich furniture, and whether the
prospect of the sea was not very agreeable? But to all these questions
she made no reply; so that the king was at a loss what to think of her
silence. He imagined at first, that she might perhaps be dumb: "But
then," said he to himself, "can it be possible that heaven should forge a
creature so beautiful, so perfect, and so accomplished, and at the same
time with so great an imperfection? Were it however so, I could not
love her with less passion than I do." When the king of Persia rose, he
washed his hands on one side, while the fair slave washed hers on the
other. He took that opportunity to ask the woman who held the basin
and napkin, if ever they