This done, Queen Gulnare and King Saleh, who believed King Beder
asleep, agreed to awake him before they retired; and he
dissembled so well that he seemed to awake from a profound sleep.
He had heard every word, and the character they gave of the
princess had inflamed his heart with a new passion. He had
conceived such an idea of her beauty, that the desire of
possessing her made him pass the night very uneasy without
closing his eyes.

Next day King Saleh proposed taking leave of Gulnare and the king
his nephew. The young king, who knew his uncle would not have de-
parted so soon but to go and promote without loss of time his
happiness, changed colour when he heard him mention his
departure. His passion was become so violent, it would not suffer
him to wait so long for the sight of his mistress as would be
required to accomplish the marriage. He more than once resolved
to desire his uncle to bring her away with him: but as he did not
wish to let the queen his mother understand he knew anything of
what had passed, he desired him only to stay with him one day
more, that they might hunt together, intending to take that
opportunity to discover his mind to him.

The day for hunting was fixed, and King Beder had many
opportunities of being alone with his uncle; but he had not
courage to acquaint him with his design.

In the heat of the chase, when King Saleh was separated from him,
and not one of his officers or attendants was near him, he
alighted by a rivulet; and having tied his horse to a tree,
which, with several others growing along the banks, afforded a