elf in readiness to march in three days; whilst Carathis retired
alone to a tent, where the Giaour solaced her with encouraging visions;
but at length waking, she found at her feet Nerkes and Cafour, who
informed her by their signs that, having led Alboufaki to the borders of
a lake, to browse on some moss that looked tolerably venomous, they had
discovered certain blue fishes of the same kind with those in the
reservoir on the top of the tower.

"Ah! ha!" said she, "I will go thither to them; these fish are past doubt
of a species that, by a small operation, I can render oracular; they may
tell me where this little Gulchenrouz is, whom I am bent upon
sacrificing." Having thus spoken, she immediately set out with her
swarthy retinue.

It being but seldom that time is lost in the accomplishment of a wicked
enterprise, Carathis and her negresses soon arrived at the lake, where,
after burning the magical drugs with which they were always provided,
they, stripping themselves naked, waded to their chins, Nerkes and Cafour
waving torches around them, and Carathis pronouncing her barbarous
incantations. The fishes with one accord thrust forth their heads from
the water, which was violently rippled by the flutter of their fins, and,
at length finding themselves constrained by the potency of the charm,
they opened their piteous mouths, and said: "From gills to tail we are
yours; what seek ye to know?"

"Fishes," answered she, "I conjure you, by your glittering scales, tell
me where now is Gulchenrouz?"

"Beyond the rock," replied the shoal in full chorus; "will this content
you? for we do not delight in expanding our mouths."

"It will," returned the princess; "I am not to learn that you like not
long conversations; I will leave you therefore to repose, though I had
other questions to propound." The instant she had spoken the water
became smooth, and the fishes at once disappeared.

Carathis, inflated with the venom of her projects, strode hastily over
the rock, and found the amiable Gulchenrouz asleep in an arbour, whilst
the two dwarfs were watching at his side, and ruminating their accustomed
prayers. These diminutive personages possessed the gift of divining
whenever an enemy to good Mussulmans approached; thus they anticipated
the arrival of Carathis, who, stopping short, said to herself: "How
placidly doth he recline his lovely little head! how pale and languishing
are his looks! it is just the very child of my w