gleaming white through the purple mantle
of the night.

Everything was strange to him, and he did not know in what direction
to guide the horse, so he let it go where it would, and presently it
stopped on the roof of a great marble palace. There was a gallery
running round the roof, and at the end of the gallery there was a door
leading down some white marble steps.

The Prince began at once to descend the steps, and found himself in a
great hall where a row of black slaves were sleeping soundly, guarding
the entrance to a room beyond.

Very softly the Prince crept past the guards, and lifting the curtain
from the door, looked in.

And there he saw a splendid room lighted by a thousand lights and
filled with sleeping slaves, and in the middle, upon a sofa, was the
most beautiful Princess his eyes had ever gazed upon.

She was so lovely that the Prince held his breath with admiration as
he looked at her. Then he went softly to her side, and, kneeling by
the sofa, gently touched her hand. The Princess sighed and opened her
eyes, but before she could cry out, he begged her in a whisper to be
silent and fear nothing.

"I am a Prince," he said, "the son of the King of Persia. I am in
danger of my life here, and crave thy protection."

Now this Princess was no other than the daughter of the King of
Bengal, who happened to be staying alone in her summer palace outside
the city.

"I will protect thee," said the Princess kindly, giving him her hand.
Then she awoke her slaves and bade them give the stranger food and
prepare a sleeping-room for him.

"I long to hear thy adventures and how thou camest here," she said to
the Prince, "but first thou must rest and refresh thyself."

Never before had the Princess seen any one so gallant and handsome as
this strange young Prince. She dressed herself in her loveliest robes,
and twined her hair with her most precious jewels, that she might
appear as beautiful as possible in his eyes. And when the Prince saw
her again, he thought her the most charming Princess in all the world,
and he loved her with all his heart. But when he had told her all his
adventures she sighed to think that he must now leave her and return
to his father's court.

"Do not grieve," he said, "I will return in state as befits a Prince,
and demand thy hand in marriage from the King thy father."

"Stay but a few days ere thou goest," replied the Princess. "I cannot
part with thee so soon."

The Prince w