obsessing the charms of the strange damsel. The pale prince was charmed
with the looks of the girl. He coaxed and flattered. He begged and
implored her not to die away beneath his kisses and embraces. In vain.
The girl swooned at the very first touch, and he who touched her lips
might just as well have touched the lips of a corpse. The prince knelt
down beside her, and implored her with tears to come to herself again.
She heard not and she answered not. At last the fair Sultana Asseki
herself had compassion on his tears and lamentations which produced no
impression on the dead. Her heart bled for him. She bent over the pale
prince, embraced him tenderly, and comforted him with her caresses. And
the prince allowed himself to be comforted, and they rejoiced greatly
together; for of course there was nobody present to see them, for the
senseless damsel on the floor might have been a corpse so far as they
were concerned."

"Hum!" murmured the Berber-Bashi to himself, "this is a thing well worth
remembering."

"On the following day the pale prince made a present of Irene to the
Grand Vizier. The Grand Vizier also rejoiced greatly at the sight of the
damsel; took her into his cellar, showed her there three great vats full
of gold and precious stones, and told her that all these things should
be hers if only she would love him. Then he took and showed her the
multitude of precious ornaments that he had concealed beneath the
flooring of his palace, and promised these to her also. For every kiss
she should give him, he offered her one of his palaces on the shores of
the Sweet Waters, yes, for every kiss a palace."

"I would burn all these palaces to the ground!" cried Halil impetuously.