She was dressed in her richest ornaments, but her countenance displayed a langour, or rather a desponding sorrow, of which it was no difficult matter to divine the cause, on seeing by her side so deformed a husband, and one so little deserving her love. The throne of this ill-matched pair was erected in the middle of a large sofa; the wives of the emirs, viziers, and officers of the sultan’s chamber, together with many other ladies of the court, as well as of the city, were seated a little below on each side, according to their rank; and all were so brilliantly and richly dressed, that the whole formed a beautiful spectacle. They each held a lighted flambeau. When they saw Bedreddin Hassan enter, they all fixed their eyes on him, and could not cease looking at him, so much were they struck with the beauty of his figure and countenance. When he was seated, each lady quitted her place to have an opportunity of observing him closely, and not one returned to it again, who did not feel a tender emotion arise in her bosom. The difference which existed between Bedreddin Hassan and the crooked groom, whose person excited disgust and horror, gave rise to some murmurs in the assembly. “This handsome youth,” exclaimed the ladies, “ought to possess our bride, and not this deformed wretch.” They did not rest here, for they even ventured to utter imprecations against the sultan, who, abusing his absolute power, had united deformity to beauty. They also vented execrations on the groom, and put him quite out of countenance, much to the diversion of the spectators, who by their hootings, for some time interrupted the symphony which was playing. At length the musicians again began the concert, and the women, who had dressed the bride, approached her. Each time, continued the vizier Giafar, (for your majesty will recollect it was he that was still addressing himself to the caliph Haroun Alraschid,) each time the bride changed her dress, which it was her custom to do seven different times, [13] she arose, and followed by her women, passed before the groom, without deigning to look at him, and went to present herself to Bedreddin Hassan, to show herself to him in her new ornaments. Bedreddin then, according to the instructions he had received from the Genius, put his hand into the purse, and drew it out full of sequins, which he distributed to the women who attended the bride. He did not forget the musicians and dancers, and gave them some also. It was a pleasure to see them all pushing and scrambling for the sequins: they testified their gratitude, and told him by signs, that they wished him to marry the bride, instead of the hunchback groom. The women who were about her, said the same thing to her, not caring whether the hunchback heard them; for they played him all kinds of tricks, to the great amusement of the spectators.