The procession arrived at the palace, and the pearl beyond all price was
now his bride, and the heart of Youantee was oppressed with love. Upon
a jewelled throne they sat, side by side; but what was the blaze of the
diamonds, compared to one glance from her lightning eye? What were the
bright red rubies, compared to her parted coral lips--or the whiteness
of the pearls when she smiled, and displayed her teeth? Her arched
eyebrows were more beautifully pencilled than the rainbow; the blush
upon her cheek turned pale with envy every rose in the celestial
gardens; and in compassion to the court, many of whom were already
blind, by rashly lifting up their eyes to behold her charms, an edict
had been promulgated, by which it was permitted to the mandarins and
princes attending the court, to wear green spectacles to save their
eyes. The magnificent Youantee was consumed with love as with a raging
fever, and the physicians of the emperor were alarmed for his celestial
health; by their advice Chaoukeun consented only to receive him in a
darkened chamber. All was joy. The empire rang with the praises of the
pearl beyond all price. The gaols were ordered to be levelled to the
ground--criminals to be pardoned--the sword of justice to remain in its
scabbard--the bastinado to be discontinued. Even the odious lantern-tax
was taken off, in honour of the peerless Chaoukeun, whose praises were
celebrated by all the poets of the country, until they were too hoarse
to sing, and the people too tired to listen to them.
Ti-tum, tilly-lilly, ti-tum, tilly-lilly, ti-tum, ti.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
"I'm sure I don't wonder at their being tired," observed the pacha,
yawning, "if they were like you."
"God is great," replied Mustapha, with another yawn. "Shall he
proceed?"
"Yes, let him go on; wake me when the story is ended," replied the
pacha, laying down his pipe.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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