Schemselnihar, turning towards the prince of Persia, who sat by her, and looking upon him with some sort of confusion, after what had passed between them, said to him, Sir, I am very well assured you love me; and, however great your love may be to me, you need not doubt but mine is as great towards you; but let us not flatter ourselves; for, though we are both agreed, yet I see nothing for you and me but trouble, impatience, and tormenting grief.  There is no other remedy for our evils but to love one another constantly, to refer ourselves to the disposal of Heaven, and to wait till it shall determine our destiny.  Madam, replied the prince of Persia, you will do me the greatest injustice in the world if you doubt but one moment of the continuance of my love.  It is so united to my soul, that I can justly say it makes the best part of it, and that I shall persevere in it till death.  Pains, torments, obstacles, nothing shall be capable of hindering me to love you.  Speaking these words, he shed tears in abundance, and Schemselnihar was not able to restrain hers.

Ebn Thaher took this opportunity to speak to the favourite:  Madam, said he, allow me to represent to you, that, instead of breaking forth into tears, you ought to rejoice that you are together.  I understand not this grief.  What will it be when you are obliged to part?  But why do I talk of that?  We have been a long time here; and you know, madam, that it is time for us to be going.  Ah, how cruel you are! replied Schemselnihar.  You, who know the cause of my tears, have you no pity for my unfortunate condition?  Oh, sad fatality!  What have I done to be subject to the severe law of not being able to enjoy the person whom I love?

She being persuaded that Ebn Thaher spoke to her only out of friendship, did not take amiss what he said to her, but made a right use of it.  Then she made a sign to the slave, her confident, who immediately went out, and in a little time brought a collation of fruit upon a small silver table, which she set down between her mistress and the prince of Persia.  Schemselnihar presented some of the best to the prince, and prayed him to eat for her sake:  he did so, and put that part to his mouth which she had touched; and then he presented some to her, which she took, and ate in the same manner.  She did not forget to invite Ebn Thaher to eat with them; but he not thinking himself safe in that place, ate only from complaisance.  After the collation was taken away, they brought a silver basin with water in a vessel of gold, and washed together; they afterwards returned to their places, when three of the ten black women brought each of them a cup of rock crystal full of curious wines, upon a golden salver, which they set down before Schemselnihar, the prince of Persia, and Ebn Thaher.  That they might be more private, Schemselnihar kept with her only ten black women, with ten others who began to sing and play upon instruments; and, after she had sent away all the rest, she took