could not restrain his delight.

"What loveliness! What charms! Oh, my heart, my soul!" he exclaimed,
as he kissed her forehead, her eyes and mouth in a way which would
certainly have roused her had not the genie's enchantments kept her
asleep.

"How, fair lady!" he cried, "you do not wake at the signs of
Camaralzaman's love? Be you who you may, he is not unworthy of you."

It then suddenly occurred to him, that perhaps this was the bride his
father had destined for him, and that the King had probably had her
placed in this room in order to see how far Camaralzaman's aversion to
marriage would withstand her charms.

"At all events," he thought, "I will take this ring as a remembrance of
her."

So saying he drew off a fine ring which the princess wore on her
finger, and replaced it by one of his own. After which he lay down
again and was soon fast asleep.

Then Danhasch, in his turn, took the form of a gnat and bit the
princess on her lip.

She started up, and was not a little amazed at seeing a young man
beside her. From surprise she soon passed to admiration, and then to
delight on perceiving how handsome and fascinating he was.

"Why," cried she, "was it you my father wished me to marry? How
unlucky that I did not know sooner! I should not have made him so
angry. But wake up! wake up! for I know I shall love you with all my
heart."

So saying she shook Camaralzaman so violently that nothing but the
spells of Maimoune could have prevented his waking.

"Oh!" cried the princess. "Why are you so drowsy?" So saying she took
his hand and noticed her own ring on his finger, which made her wonder
still more. But as he still remained in a profound slumber she pressed
a kiss on his cheek and soon fell fast asleep too.

Then Maimoune turning to the genie said: "Well, are you satisfied that
my prince surpasses your princess? Another time pray believe me when I
assert anything."

Then turning to Caschcasch: "My thanks to you, and now do you and
Danhasch bear the princess back to her own home."

The two genii hastened to obey, and Maimoune returned to her well.

On waking next morning the first thing Prince Camaralzaman did was to
look round for the lovely lady he had seen at night, and the next to
question the slave who waited on him about her. But the slave
persisted so strongly that he knew nothing of any lady, and still less
of how she got into the tower, that the prince lost all patience, and