Thus arrayed she went again
into the room where the Sultana was.
"By Allah, the dog took no other wife at all!" thought the slave,
and, looking through his spy-hole, he saw Ashimullah making off
in great haste, carrying the box and the robes with him. Then
Hassan came and led the slave back by the way they had come to
the place where he awaited the Sultana.
"This wife of Ashimullah is a wonderful woman," said the Sultan
to himself, as he lay awake that night. "Behold, she is in
herself a multitude!"
Early the next morning Ashimullah was summoned to the palace, and
at once ushered into the presence of the Sultan.
"O Ashimullah, I have reflected," said the Sultan, "and I desire
that you will send me that wife of yours who has ruddy hair. For
although the choice is difficult, yet I think that she must
be the fairest of them all."
Ashimullah, knowing not what to say, prostrated himself and
promised obedience; then, having withdrawn from the presence, he
ran back home as fast as he could lay his feet to the ground, and
sought out Lallakalla. With her he talked for some time; then he
returned to the palace, weeping and wringing his hands.
"What ails you, Ashimullah?" asked the Sultan.
"Alas! O Light of the World, a pestilence has fallen on my
house, and my wife with the ruddy hair lies dead."
"We must resign ourselves to the will of Heaven," said the
Sultan. "Yet I will not recall the favor I had destined for you.
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