Quoth Dunyazad, "O sister mine an thou be other than sleepy, do
tell us some of thy pleasant tales," whereupon Shahrazad replied,
"With love and good will."--It hath reached me, O King of the
Age, that Alaeddin fell to contriving some means whereby he might
look upon the Princess Badr al-Budur and at last judged best to
take his station behind the Hammam door whence he might see her
face as she entered.[FN#126] Accordingly, without stay or delay
he repaired to the Baths before she was expected and stood a-rear
of the entrance, a place whereat none of the folk happened to be
looking. Now when the Sultan's daughter had gone the rounds of
the city and its main streets and had solaced herself by sight-
seeing, she finally reached the Hammam and whilst entering she
raised her veil, when her face rose before sight as it were a
pearl of price or a sheeny sun, and she was as one of whom the
describer sang,

"Magic Kohl enchanteth the glances so bright of her: * We pluck
roses in posies from cheeks rosy bright of her:
Of night's gloomiest hue is the gloom of the hair of her * And
her bright brow uplighteth the murks of the night of
her."[FN#127]

(Quoth the reciter) when the Princess raised from her face the
veil and Alaeddin saw her favour he said, "In very truth her
fashion magnifieth her Almighty Fashioner and glory be to Him who
created her and adorned her with this beauty and loveliness." His
strength was struck down from the moment he saw her and his
thoughts were distraught; his gaze was dazed, the love of her get
hold of the whole of his heart; and, when he returned home to his
mother, he was as one in ecstasy. His parent addressed him, but