He hopes, madam, that you long as much to see him as he is
impatient to see you.
Upon this discourse of Mesrour, the favourite Schemselnihar
prostrated herself to the ground, as a mark of the submission
with which she received the caliph's order. When she rose again,
she said, Pray tell the commander of the faithful, that I shall
always esteem it my glory to execute his majesty's commands, and
that his slave will do her utmost to receive him with all the
respect that is due to him. At the same time she ordered the
slave, her confident, to tell the black women appointed for that
service to get the palace ready to receive the caliph; and
dismissing the chief of the eunuchs, said to him, You see it
requires some time to get all things ready, therefore I pray you
to take care that his majesty may have a little patience, that,
when he arrives, he may not find things out of order.
The chief of the eunuchs and his retinue being gone,
Schemselnihar returned to the saloon, extremely concerned at the
necessity she was under of sending back the prince of Persia
sooner than she thought to have done. She came up to him again
with tears in her eyes, which heightened Ebn Thaher's fear, who
thought it no good omen. Madam, said the prince to her, I
perceive you are come to tell me that we must part; provided
there be nothing more to dread, I hope Heaven will give me the
patience which is necessary to support your absence.
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