his turban and placed it in the
governor's hands according to orders. When he had read it the governor
was certainly a little astonished; but he was told in the letter to
'ask no questions,' and he knew how to obey orders. He sent for his
wife and told her to get the princess ready to be married at once.

'Nonsense!' said his wife, 'what in the world do you mean?'

'These are the king's commands,' he answered; 'go and do as I bid you.
The letter says "at once," and "ask no questions." The marriage,
therefore, must take place this evening.'

In vain did his wife urge every objection; the more she argued, the
more determined was her husband. 'I know how to obey orders,' he said,
'and these are as plain as the nose on my face!' So the princess was
summoned, and, somewhat to their surprise, she seemed to take the news
very calmly; next Nur Mahomed was informed, and he was greatly
startled, but of course he could but be delighted at the great and
unexpected honour which he thought the king had done him. Then all the
castle was turned upside down; and when the news spread in the town,
_that_ was turned upside down too. Everybody ran everywhere, and tried
to do everything at once; and, in the middle of it all, the old
governor went about with his hair standing on end, muttering something
about 'obeying orders.'

And so the marriage was celebrated, and there was a great feast in the
castle, and another in the soldiers' barracks, and illuminations all
over the town and in the beautiful gardens. And all the people
declared that such a wonderful sight had never been seen, and talked
about it to the ends of their lives.

The next day the governor despatched the princess and her bridegroom
to the king, with a troop of horsemen, splendidly dressed, and he sent
a mounted messenger on before them, with a letter giving the account
of the marriage to the king.

When the king got the governor's letter, he grew so red in the face
that everyone thought he was going to have apoplexy. They were all
very anxious to know what had happened, but he rushed off and locked
himself into a room, where he ramped and raved until he was tired.
Then, after awhile, he began to think he had better make the best of
it, especially as the old governor had been clever enough to send him
back his letter, and the king was pretty sure that this was in the
princess's handwriting. He was fond of his daughter, and though she
had behaved so badly, he did not w