nd me, and began to tell them fairy-tales, for I spoke
their language tolerably well.

They listened very attentively, and trembled, wringing their hands in
agony. Poor little things, they were not thinking any longer of the
reason why they were sent to me.

When I had finished my story, I called Latchman, my confidential
servant, and made him bring sweetmeats and cakes, of which they ate
enough to make themselves ill; then, as I began to find the adventure
rather funny, I organized games to amuse my wives.

One of these diversions had an enormous success. I made a bridge of my
legs, and the six children ran underneath, the smallest beginning and
the tallest always knocking against them a little, because she did not
stoop enough. It made them shout with laughter, and these young voices
sounding beneath the low vaults of my sumptuous palace, seemed to wake
it up and to people it with childlike gaiety, filling it with life.

Next I took great interest in seeing to the sleeping apartments of my
innocent concubines, and in the end I saw them safely locked up under
the surveillance of four female servants, whom the prince had sent me at
the same time in order to take care of my sultanas.

For a week I took the greatest pleasure in acting the papa towards
these living dolls. We had capital games of _hide-and-seek_,
_puss-in-the-corner_, &c., which gave them the greatest pleasure, for
every day I taught them a new game, to their intense delight.

My house now seemed to be one large class, and my little friends,
dressed in beautiful silk stuffs, and in materials embroidered with gold
and silver, ran up and down the long galleries and the quiet rooms like
little human animals.

At last, one evening, without my knowing exactly how it happened, the
oldest of them, the one called Chali, and who looked so like an ivory
statue, became my wife.

She was an adorable little creature, timid and gentle, who soon got to
love me ardently, with some degree of shame, with hesitation as if
afraid of European justice, with reserve and scruples, and yet with
passionate tenderness. I cherished her as if I had been her father.

I beg your pardon, ladies; I am going rather too far.

The others continued to play in the palace, like a lot of happy kittens,
and Chali never left me except when I went to the prince.

We passed delicious hours together in the ruins of the old castle, among
the monkeys, who had become our friends.

She used