but patting his purse comfortably; whence it appears
that he suffered from a conflict of feelings, his mind being ill at
ease, but his purse heavier. And when in the evening the Sultana came,
attended only by one tall, formidable, and inky-black attendant, Hassan
ushered her into the reception room of the harem, telling her that
Lallakalla, the first wife of his master, would attend her immediately.
Then he went out, and, having brought in the big black slave very
secretly, set him in the antechamber of the room where the Sultana was,
and hid him there, behind a high screen. And Hassan pierced a hole in
the screen, so that the big slave could see what passed in the
antechamber without being seen himself. Then Hassan, still shaking his
head, but also patting his purse, went to summon Lallakalla. But the
big black slave lay quiet behind the screen.

Presently Lallakalla passed through and entered the room where the
Sultana was. A few moments later Ashimullah came in, carrying over one
arm several robes of silk and in the other a large box or trunk.
Ashimullah looked round cautiously, but saw nobody; the big black slave
held his breath, but laid his hand on the scimitar that he wore.
Ashimullah waited. Then Lallakalla came out.

"Yes, of a truth this brown-haired one is most lovely," thought the big
slave. "It would seem impossible that the others can be so lovely.
Moreover, she looks amiable enough. Yet I must see the others. Which
will come next?" And he composed himself to wait for the next, not
caring whether she were the ruddy, the golden, or the black, so that
she came quickly.

But, to the amazement of the slave, Lallakalla tore off the silken robe
she wore and cried to her husband, "Give me the blue robe--yes, and the
golden hair." And, having put on the blue robe, she took from
Ashimullah's hand something that he had taken from the square box, and
put it on her head. Then Ashimullah gave her a smaller box, and,
taking out paints and brushes and a mirror, she made a complexion for
herself. And thus she was transformed into a golden-haired lady with
cheeks of rosy red, and in this guise she passed in to the Sultana's
presence.

"The dog!" thought the slave. "Then he took only two wives more!"

Presently Lallakalla came forth; and all happened as before, save that
she stained her face to an olive tint and put on a wig of coal-black
hair.

"By the Prophet!" thought the slave, "he took but one wife