The king of Persia’s capital was situated in an island; and his palace, which was very magnificent, was built on the shore:  his apartment looked on the water; the fair slave’s, which was near it, had also the same prospect, and was the more agreeable, on account of the sea’s beating almost against the walls.

At the three days’ end, the fair slave, magnificently dressed, was alone in her chamber, sitting on a sofa, and leaning against one of the windows that faced the sea, when the king, being informed that he might visit her, came in.  The slave, hearing somebody walk in the room with an air quite different from that of the female slaves, who had hitherto attended her, immediately turned her head about to see who it was.  She knew him to be the king, but without discovering the least surprise, or so much as rising from her seat to salute or receive him, as if he had been the most indifferent person in the world, she put herself in the same posture again.

The king of Persia was extremely surprised to see a slave of so beauteous a form so ignorant of the world.  He attributed this to the narrowness of her education, and the little care that had been taken to instruct her in the first rules of civility.  He went to her at the window, where, notwithstanding the coldness and indifference with which she had received him, she suffered herself to be admired, caressed, and embraced, as much as he pleased.

In the midst of these amorous embraces and tender endearments, the king paused awhile, to gaze upon, or rather to devour her with his eyes.  “My lovely fair one! my charmer!” exclaimed he; “whence came you, and where do those happy parents live who brought into the world so surprising a masterpiece of nature?  How do I love thee, and shall always continue to do.  Never did I feel for a woman what I now feel for you; and though I have seen, and every day behold a vast number of beauties, yet never did my eyes contemplate so many charms in one person—­charms which have so transported me, that I shall entirely devote myself to you.  My dearest life,” continued he, “you neither answer, nor by any visible token give me the least reason to believe that you are sensible of the demonstrations I have given you of the ardour of my passion; neither will you turn your eyes on me, to afford mine the pleasure of meeting them, and to convince you that it is impossible to love in a higher degree than I do you.  Why will you still preserve this obstinate silence, which chills me, and whence proceeds the seriousness, or rather sorrow, that torments me to the soul?  Do you mourn for your country, your friends or your relations?  Alas!  Is not the king of Persia, who loves and adores you, capable of comforting you, and making you amends for every loss?”

Notwithstanding all the protestations of love the king of Persia made the fair slave, and all he could say to induce her to speak to him, she remained unaltered; and keeping her eyes still fixed upon the ground, would neither look at him, nor utter a word.