“’A voice issued from the idol, saying, “O respected youth, thou hast done well to enter into my service; rely on my mercy and favour.”  On hearing these words, all the people prostrated themselves, and began to roll on the ground, and exclaimed, “Long may you prosper! why should it not be!” When the evening came, the king and the wazir mounted, and went to the wazir’s house, and they made over to me the wazir’s daughter according to their rites and ceremonies; they gave a great dowry and presents with her, and expressed themselves highly obliged, saying, that according to the commands of the great idol, they had given her to me.  They settled us both in one house; when I saw that beauty, then [I perceived that] in truth her beauty was equal to that of a fairy, perfect from top to toe.  All the beauties we have heard of, as peculiar to Padmini [353] females, were centred in her.  I cohabited with her without ceremony, and experienced great delight.  In the morning, after having bathed, I waited on the king; he bestowed on me the khil’at of marriage, and ordered that I should always attend his levee; at last, after some days, I became one of his majesty’s counsellors.

“’The king used to be much pleased with my society, and often gave me presents and rich khil’ats, although I was rich in worldly treasures, for my wife possessed so much gold property and precious stones, that they exceeded all bounds and limits.  Two years passed in extreme delight and ease.  It happened that [my wife] the wazir’s daughter, became pregnant; when the seventh and eighth months had passed, and she entered her full time, the pains came on; the nurse and midwife came, and a dead child was brought forth; its poison infected the mother, and she also died.  I became frantic with grief, and exclaimed, what a dreadful calamity has burst upon me!  I was seated at the head of the bed, and weeping; all at once the noise of lamentations spread through the whole house, and women began to pour in [upon me] from all sides.  Each as she entered, struck one or two blows with her hands on my head, and stood before my face, and began to weep.  So many women were assembled [round me], that I was perfectly hidden among them, and nearly expiring.

“’In the mean time, some one from behind seized me by the collar, and dragged me along; I looked up, and saw it was the same man of Persia who had married me [to the wazir’s daughter].  He exclaimed, “O blockhead! for what art thou weeping?” I replied, “O cruel! what a question thou askest!  I have lost my empire, and the repose of my house is utterly gone, and thou demandest why I weep!” He said, with a smile, “Now weep on account of thy own death; I told thee at first, that perhaps thine evil fate had led thee here [to perish]; so it has turned out; now, except death, thou hast no release.”  At last, the people seized me, and led me to the pagoda; I saw that the king, the nobles, and thirty-six tribes of his subjects were assembled there; the wealth and property of my wife were all collected there; whatever article any one’s heart desired, he took; and put down its price in cash.