She took it and drank it off; then rose and
went to her sleeping-chamber. He waited awhile, till he was
assured that the drug had taken effect on her and gotten the
mastery of her senses, when he went in to her and found her lying
on her back, with a lighted candle at her head and another at her
feet. She had put off her trousers, and the air raised the skirt
of her shift and discovered what was between her thighs. When the
King saw this, he took leave of his senses for desire and Satan
tempted him and he could not master himself, but put off his
trousers and fell upon her and did away her maidenhead. Then he
went out and said to one of her women, by name Merjaneh, "Go in
to thy mistress, for she calls for thee." So she went in to the
princess and found her lying on her back, with the blood running
down her thighs; whereupon she took a handkerchief and wiped away
the blood and tended her mistress and lay by her that night. As
soon as it was day, she washed the princess's hands and feet and
bathed her face and mouth with rose-water, whereupon she sneezed
and yawned and cast up the henbane. Then she revived and washed
her hands and mouth and said to Merjaneh, "Tell me what has
befallen me." So she told her what had passed and how she had
found her, lying on her back, with the blood running down her
thighs, wherefore she knew that the King had played the traitor
with her and had undone her and taken his will of her.
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