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door open, he straightway sprang out of bed, knowing that none might enter but the Sultan, and donned his clothes,[1] albeit this irked him sore, for that he would fain have warmed himself a little, having had no time [to do so] since he left the draught-house. The[2] Sultan came in to his daughter and kissing her between the eyes, gave her good-morrow and asked her of her bridegroom and if she was content with him; but she returned him no answer and looked at him with a dejected air.[3] He bespoke her several times, but she was silent and answered him not a word; so he went out from her and going in to the Queen, told her what had passed between himself and the Lady Bedrulbudour.
The Queen, so she might not leave the Sultan angry with the Lady Bedrulbudour, said to him, “O King of the Age, this is the wont of most brides, on their wedding-day, to be shamefast and show somewhat of coyness. So be not vexed with her and after a day or two she will
- ↑ Galland adds, “et passa dans une garde-robe où il s’étoit déshabillé le soir.” Something of the kind appears to have dropped out of the present MS.
- ↑ Night DLII.
- ↑ Lit. “with the eye of anger.” Ghedseb (anger) and its synonym ghaits are frequently used in the Nights in this sense; see especially Vol. II. of my translation, p. 234, “she smiled a sad smile,” lit. a “smile of anger,” (twice) and p. 258, “my anguish redoubled,” lit. “I redoubled in anger.”
