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inacceptingitnow,hegivesallpartiesverydistinctlytounderstand,
that,grandvizierornograndvizier,hehasnottheslightestdesign
ofgivinguponeiotaofhisvoworofhisprivileges.When,therefore,
thefairScheherazadeinsisteduponmarryingtheking,anddidactually
marryhimdespiteherfather’sexcellentadvicenottodoanything
ofthekind—whenshewouldanddidmarryhim,Isay,willI,nill
I,itwaswithherbeautifulblackeyesasthoroughlyopenasthenature
ofthecasewouldallow.
Itseems,however,thatthispoliticdamsel(whohadbeenreading
Machiavelli,beyonddoubt),hadaveryingeniouslittleplotinher
mind.Onthenightofthewedding,shecontrived,uponIforgetwhat
speciouspretence,tohavehersisteroccupyacouchsufficientlynear
thatoftheroyalpairtoadmitofeasyconversationfrombedtobed;
and,alittlebeforecock-crowing,shetookcaretoawakenthegood
monarch,herhusband(whoborehernonetheworsewillbecause
heintendedtowringherneckonthemorrow),—shemanaged
toawakenhim,Isay,(althoughonaccountofacapitalconscienceand
aneasydigestion,hesleptwell)bytheprofoundinterestofastory
(aboutaratandablackcat,Ithink)whichshewasnarrating(all
inanundertone,ofcourse)tohersister.Whenthedaybroke,
itsohappenedthatthishistorywasnotaltogetherfinished,andthat
Scheherazade,inthenatureofthingscouldnotfinishitjustthen,since
itwashightimeforhertogetupandbebowstrung—athingverylittle
morepleasantthanhanging,onlyatriflemoregenteel!
Theking’scuriosity,however,prevailing,Iamsorrytosay,even
overhissoundreligiousprinciples,inducedhimforthisonce
topostponethefulfilmentofhisvowuntilnextmorning,forthe
purposeandwiththehopeofhearingthatnighthowitfaredintheend
withtheblackcat(ablackcat,Ithinkitwas)andtherat.
Thenighthavingarrived,however,theladyScheherazadenotonly
putthefinishingstroketotheblackcatandtherat(theratwasblue)
butbeforeshewellknewwhatshewasabout,foundherselfdeepinthe
intricaciesofanarration,havingreference(ifIamnotaltogether
mistaken)toapinkhorse(withgreenwings)thatwent,inaviolent
manner,byclockwork,andwaswoundupwithanindigokey.With
thishistorythekingwasevenmoreprofoundlyinterestedthanwiththe
other—and,asthedaybrokebeforeitsconclusion(notwithstandingall
thequeen’sendeavorstogetthroughwithitintimeforthe
