thine eyes, O Sultan and head of the Kings of the Jann! Then the
Jinni turned towards her and said, "Is this sooth?" And she
nodded her head and replied by signs, "Indeed, 'tis the truth:
for such is my tale and this is what hath be fallen me." Now when
the old man had ceased speaking the Jinni shook with pleasure and
gave him the third of the merchant's blood. And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
Then quoth Dunyazad, "O. my sister, how pleasant is thy tale, and
how tasteful; how sweet and how grateful!" She replied, "And what
is this compared with that I could tell thee, the night to come,
if I live and the King spare me?"[FN#59] Then thought the King,
"By Allah, I will not slay her until I hear the rest of her tale,
for truly it is wondrous." So they rested that night in mutual
embrace until the dawn. After this the King went forth to his
Hall of Estate, and the Wazir and the troops came in and the
court was crowded, and the King gave orders and judged and
appointed and deposed, bidding and forbidding during the rest of
the day. Then the Divan broke up, and King Shahryar entered his
palace.

When it was the Third Night,

And the King had had his will of the Wazir's daughter, Dunyazad,
her sister, said to her, "Finish for us that tale of thine;" and
she replied, "With joy and goodly gree! It hath reached me, O
auspicious King, that when the third old man told a tale to the
Jinni more wondrous than the two preceding, the Jinni marvelled
with exceeding marvel, and, shaking with delight, cried, Lo! I
have given thee the remainder of the merchant's punishment and
for thy sake have I released him." Thereupon the merchant