' She
took the letter and the money, calling down blessings on him, and
returned to the princess. When the latter saw her, she said to
her, 'O my nurse, what is it he asks, that we may fulfil his wish
to him?' 'O my lady,' replied the old woman, 'he sends thee this
letter by me, and I know not what is in it.' The princess took
the letter and reading it, exclaimed, 'Who and what is this
merchant that he should dare to write to me thus?' And she
buffeted her face, saying, 'What have we done that we should come
in converse with shopkeepers? Alas! Alas! By Allah, but that I
fear God the Most High, I would put him to death and crucify him
before his shop!' 'What is in the letter,' asked the old woman,
'to trouble thy heart and move thine anger thus? Doth it contain
a complaint of oppression or demand for the price of the stuff?'
'Out on thee!' answered the princess. 'There is none of this in
it, nought but words of love and gallantry. This is all through
thee: else how should this devil know me?' 'O my lady,' rejoined
the old woman, 'thou sittest in thy high palace and none may win
to thee, no, not even the birds of the air. God keep thee and
keep thy youth from blame and reproach! Thou art a princess, the
daughter of a king, and needest not reck of the barking of dogs.
Blame me not that I brought thee this letter, knowing not what
was in it; but it is my counsel that thou send him an answer,
threatening him with death and forbidding him from this idle
talk.
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