So,
shaking off his sleep, he sprang up and arrayed himself in his
raiment, and going to the apartment of the Princess, bade open the
door. Thereat the son of the Wazir arose forthright and came down from
his bed and began donning his dress whilst his ribs were wrung with
cold. For when the King entered the slave had but just brought him
back. The Sultan, raising the arras, drew near his daughter as she lay
abed and gave her good morning. Then, kissing her between the eyes, he
asked her of her case. But he saw her looking sour and sad, and she
answered him not at all only glowering at him as one in anger, and her
plight was pitiable. Hereat the Sultan waxed wroth with her for that
she would not reply, and he suspected that something evil had befallen
her, whereupon he bared his blade and cried to her, brand in hand,
saying: "What be this hath betided thee? Either acquaint me with
what happened or this very moment I will take thy life! Is such
conduct the token of honor and respect I expect of thee, that I
address thee and thou answerest me not a word?"
When the Lady Badr al-Budur saw her sire in high dudgeon and the
naked glaive in his grip, she was freed from her fear of the past,
so she raised her head and said to him: "O my beloved father, be not
wroth with me, nor be hasty in thy hot passion, for I am excusable
in what thou shalt see of my case.
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