Accordingly he sent to bring back the twain and imprisoned them
till night-fall: then he went in to his Harem and caused his
daughter's person to be examined, and when they inspected her she
proved to be a pure maid. This made the King marvel, for he
supposed that the Youth must have undone her maidenhead;[FN#188]
so he sent for him to the presence, and when he came he
considered him and found him fairer even than his daughter; nay,
far exceeding her in beauty and loveliness. So he cried, "By
Allah this be a wondrous business! Verily my daughter hath excuse
for loving this Youth nor to my judgment doth she even him in
charms: not the less this affair is a shame to us, and the
foulest of stains and needs must the twain be done to death
to-morrow morning!" Herewith he commanded the jailer to take the
Youth and to keep him beside him and he shut up the girl with her
nurse. The jailer forthwith led his charge to the jail; but it so
happened that its portal was low; and, when the Youth was ordered
to pass through it, he bent his brow down-wards for easier
entrance, when his turband struck against the lintel and fell
from his head. The jailer turned to look at him, and behold, his
hair was braided and the plaits being loosed gleamed like an
ingot of gold. He felt assured that the youth was a maiden so he
returned to the King in all haste and hurry and cried, "Pardon, O
our lord the Sultan!" "Allah pardon us and thee;" replied the
King, and the man rejoined, "O King of the Age, yonder Youth is
no boy; nay, he be a virgin girl." Quoth the Sultan, "What sayest
thou?" and quoth the other, "By the truth of Him who made thee
ruler of the necks of His worshippers, O King of the Age, verily
this is a maiden." So he bade the prison-keeper bring her and set
her in his presence and he returned with her right soon, but now
she paced daintily as the gazelle and veiled her face, because