their houses, for that the Lady Bedrulbudour, daughter of the
Sultan, purposeth to go to the bath, and whoso transgresseth the
commandment, his punishment shall be death and his blood be on
his own head." [FN#319] When Alaeddin heard this proclamation, he
longed to look upon the Sultan's daughter and said in himself,
"All the folk talk of her grace and goodliness, and the uttermost
of my desire is to see her." So [FN#320] he cast about for a
device how he might contrive to see the Lady Bedrulbudour and
him-seemed he were best stand behind the door of the bath, that
he might see her face, as she entered. Accordingly he betook
himself to the bath, awhile in advance, and posted himself behind
the door, whereas none of the folk might see him.

Presently, the Sultan's daughter came forth and went round about
the city and its thoroughfares and diverted herself by viewing
it; then she repaired to the bath and when she came thither, she
lifted her face-veil, as she entered; whereupon her face shone
out, as it were the resplendent sun or a precious pearl, and she
was as saith of her one of her describers:

Who sprinkled the kohl of enchantment upon her eyes
And gathered the bloom of the rose from her cheeks,
fruit-wise?
And who was it let down the curtained night of her hair
And eke through its glooms made the light of her forehead
rise?

When she raised the veil from her face and Alaeddin saw her, he
said, "Verily, her fashion glorifieth the Great Creator and
extolled be the perfection of Him who made her and graced her