Mubarak," retorted the Prince, "become warden over her nor allow
me ever to look upon her."--And Shahrazad was surprised by the
dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Five Hundred and Eleventh Night,

Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy,
tell us one of thy fair tales, so therewith we may cut short the
waking hours of this our night," and quoth Shahrazad:--It hath
reached me, O King of the Age, that Mubarak, after warning Zayn
al-Asnam to protect the virgin-bride against himself, fell also
to defending her as his deputy: also he prevented the Prince from
even looking upon her. They then travelled along the road unto
the Island of the Jann, after[FN#59] they had passed by the line
leading unto Misr.[FN#60] But when the bride saw that the wayfare
had waxed longsome nor had beheld her bridegroom for all that
time since the wedding-night, she turned to Mubarak and said,
"Allah upon thee; inform me, O Mubarak, by the life of thy lord
the Emir, have we fared this far distance by commandment of my
bridegroom Prince Zayn al-Asnam?" Said he, "Ah, O my lady, sore
indeed is thy case to me, yet must I disclose to thee the secret
thereof which be this. Thou imaginest that Zayn al-Asnam, the
King of Bassorah, is thy bridegroom; but, alas! 'tis not so. He
is no husband of thine; nay, the deed he drew up was a mere
pretext in the presence of thy parents and thy people; and now
thou art going as a bride to the King of the Jann who required
thee of the Prince." When the young lady heard these words, she
fell to shedding tears and Zayn al-Asnam wept for her, weeping
bitter tears from the excess of his love and affection. Then
quoth the young lady, "Ye have nor pity in you nor feeling for