Itseems，however，thatthispoliticdamselwhohadbeenreadingMachiavelli，beyonddoubt，hadaveryingeniouslittleplotinhermind。Onthenightofthewedding，shecontrived，uponIforgetwhatspeciouspretence，tohavehersisteroccupyacouchsufficientlynearthatoftheroyalpairtoadmitofeasyconversationfrombedtobed；and，alittlebeforecock-crowing，shetookcaretoawakenthegoodmonarch，herhusbandwhoborehernonetheworsewillbecauseheintendedtowringherneckonthemorrow，shemanagedtoawakenhim，Isay，althoughonaccountofacapitalconscienceandaneasydigestion，hesleptwellbytheprofoundinterestofastoryaboutaratandablackcat，Ithinkwhichshewasnarratingallinanundertone，ofcoursetohersister。Whenthedaybroke，itsohappenedthatthishistorywasnotaltogetherfinished，andthatScheherazade，inthenatureofthingscouldnotfinishitjustthen，sinceitwashightimeforhertogetupandbebowstrungathingverylittlemorepleasantthanhanging，onlyatriflemoregenteel。
　　Theking’scuriosity，however，prevailing，Iamsorrytosay，evenoverhissoundreligiousprinciples，inducedhimforthisoncetopostponethefulfilmentofhisvowuntilnextmorning，forthepurposeandwiththehopeofhearingthatnighthowitfaredintheendwiththeblackcatablackcat，Ithinkitwasandtherat。
　　Thenighthavingarrived，however，theladyScheherazadenotonlyputthefinishingstroketotheblackcatandtherattheratwasblue
　　butbeforeshewellknewwhatshewasabout，foundherselfdeepintheintricaciesofanarration，havingreferenceifIamnotaltogethermistakentoapinkhorsewithgreenwingsthatwent，inaviolentmanner，byclockwork，andwaswoundupwithanindigokey。
　　Withthishistorythekingwasevenmoreprofoundlyinterestedthanwiththeotherand，asthedaybrokebeforeitsconclusionnotwithstandingallthequeen’sendeavorstogetthroughwithitintimeforthebowstringing，therewasagainnoresourcebuttopostponethatceremonyasbefore，fortwenty-fourhours。Thenextnighttherehappenedasimilaraccidentwithasimilarresult；andthenthenextandthenagainthenext；sothat，intheend，thegoodmonarch，havingbeenunavoidablydeprivedofallopportunitytokeephisvowduringaperiodofnolessthanonethousandandonenights，eitherforgetsitaltogetherbytheexpirationofthistime，orgetshimselfabsolvedofitintheregularway，orwhatismoreprobablebreaksitoutright，aswellastheheadofhisfatherconfessor。Atallevents，Scheherazade，who，beinglineallydescendedfromEve，fellheir，perhaps，tothewholesevenbasketsoftalk，whichthelatterlady，weallknow，pickedupfromunderthetreesinthegardenofEden-Scheherazade，Isay，finallytriumphed，andthetariffuponbeautywasrepealed。
　　Now，thisconclusionwhichisthatofthestoryaswehaveituponrecordis，nodoubt，excessivelyproperandpleasantbutalas！
　　likeagreatmanypleasantthings，ismorepleasantthantrue，andI
　　amindebtedaltogethertothe“Isitsoornot“forthemeansofcorrectingtheerror。“Lemieux。”saysaFrenchproverb，“estl’ennemidubien。”and，inmentioningthatScheherazadehadinheritedthesevenbasketsoftalk，Ishouldhaveaddedthatsheputthemoutatcompoundinterestuntiltheyamountedtoseventy-seven。
　　“Mydearsister。”saidshe，onthethousand-and-secondnight，I
　　quotethelanguageofthe“Isitsoornot“atthispoint，verbatim“mydearsister。”saidshe，“nowthatallthislittledifficultyaboutthebowstringhasblownover，andthatthisodioustaxissohappilyrepealed，IfeelthatIhavebeenguiltyofgreatindiscretioninwithholdingfromyouandthekingwhoIamsorrytosay，snoresathingnogentlemanwoulddothefullconclusionofSinbadthesailor。ThispersonwentthroughnumerousotherandmoreinterestingadventuresthanthosewhichIrelated；butthetruthis，Ifeltsleepyontheparticularnightoftheirnarration，andsowasseducedintocuttingthemshortagrievouspieceofmisconduct，forwhichIonlytrustthatAllahwillforgiveme。ButevenyetitisnottoolatetoremedymygreatneglectandassoonasIhavegiventhekingapinchortwoinordertowakehimupsofarthathemaystopmakingthathorriblenoise，Iwillforthwithentertainyouandhimifhepleaseswiththesequelofthisveryremarkablestory。
　　HereuponthesisterofScheherazade，asIhaveitfromthe“Isitsoornot。”expressednoveryparticularintensityofgratification；buttheking，havingbeensufficientlypinched，atlengthceasedsnoring，andfinallysaid，“hum！”andthen“hoo！”whenthequeen，understandingthesewordswhicharenodoubtArabictosignifythathewasallattention，andwoulddohisbestnottosnoreanymorethequeen，Isay，havingarrangedthesematterstohersatisfaction，re-enteredthus，atonce，intothehistoryofSinbadthesailor：
　　“’Atlength，inmyoldage，[thesearethewordsofSinbadhimself，asretailedbyScheherazade]’atlength，inmyoldage，andafterenjoyingmanyyearsoftranquillityathome，Ibecameoncemorepossessedofadesireofvisitingforeigncountries；andoneday，withoutacquaintinganyofmyfamilywithmydesign，Ipackedupsomebundlesofsuchmerchandiseaswasmostpreciousandleastbulky，and，engagedaportertocarrythem，wentwithhimdowntothesea-shore，toawaitthearrivalofanychancevesselthatmightconveymeoutofthekingdomintosomeregionwhichIhadnotasyetexplored。
　　“’Havingdepositedthepackagesuponthesands，wesatdownbeneathsometrees，andlookedoutintotheoceaninthehopeofperceivingaship，butduringseveralhourswesawnonewhatever。AtlengthI
　　fanciedthatIcouldhearasingularbuzzingorhummingsound；andtheporter，afterlisteningawhile，declaredthathealsocoulddistinguishit。Presentlyitgrewlouder，andthenstilllouder，sothatwecouldhavenodoubtthattheobjectwhichcauseditwasapproachingus。Atlength，ontheedgeofthehorizon，wediscoveredablackspeck，whichrapidlyincreasedinsizeuntilwemadeitouttobeavastmonster，swimmingwithagreatpartofitsbodyabovethesurfaceofthesea。Itcametowarduswithinconceivableswiftness，throwinguphugewavesoffoamarounditsbreast，andilluminatingallthatpartoftheseathroughwhichitpassed，withalonglineoffirethatextendedfaroffintothedistance。
　　“’Asthethingdrewnearwesawitverydistinctly。Itslengthwasequaltothatofthreeoftheloftiesttreesthatgrow，anditwasaswideasthegreathallofaudienceinyourpalace，OmostsublimeandmunificentoftheCaliphs。Itsbody，whichwasunlikethatofordinaryfishes，wasassolidasarock，andofajettyblacknessthroughoutallthatportionofitwhichfloatedabovethewater，withtheexceptionofanarrowblood-redstreakthatcompletelybegirdledit。Thebelly，whichfloatedbeneaththesurface，andofwhichwecouldgetonlyaglimpsenowandthenasthemonsterroseandfellwiththebillows，wasentirelycoveredwithmetallicscales，ofacolorlikethatofthemooninmistyweather。Thebackwasflatandnearlywhite，andfromitthereextendedupwardsofsixspines，abouthalfthelengthofthewholebody。
　　“’Thehorriblecreaturehadnomouththatwecouldperceive，but，asiftomakeupforthisdeficiency，itwasprovidedwithatleastfourscoreofeyes，thatprotrudedfromtheirsocketslikethoseofthegreendragon-fly，andwerearrangedallaroundthebodyintworows，oneabovetheother，andparalleltotheblood-redstreak，whichseemedtoanswerthepurposeofaneyebrow。Twoorthreeofthesedreadfuleyesweremuchlargerthantheothers，andhadtheappearanceofsolidgold。
　　“’Althoughthisbeastapproachedus，asIhavebeforesaid，withthegreatestrapidity，itmusthavebeenmovedaltogetherbynecromancy-
　　forithadneitherfinslikeafishnorweb-feetlikeaduck，norwingsliketheseashellwhichisblownalonginthemannerofavessel；noryetdiditwritheitselfforwardasdotheeels。Itsheadanditstailwereshapedpreciselyalike，only，notfarfromthelatter，weretwosmallholesthatservedfornostrils，andthroughwhichthemonsterpuffedoutitsthickbreathwithprodigiousviolence，andwithashrieking，disagreeablenoise。
　　“’Ourterroratbeholdingthishideousthingwasverygreat，butitwasevensurpassedbyourastonishment，whenupongettinganearerlook，weperceiveduponthecreature’sbackavastnumberofanimalsaboutthesizeandshapeofmen，andaltogethermuchresemblingthem，exceptthattheyworenogarmentsasmendo，beingsuppliedbynature，nodoubtwithanuglyuncomfortablecovering，agooddeallikecloth，butfittingsotighttotheskin，astorenderthepoorwretcheslaughablyawkward，andputthemapparentlytoseverepain。
　　Ontheverytipsoftheirheadswerecertainsquare-lookingboxes，which，atfirstsight，Ithoughtmighthavebeenintendedtoanswerasturbans，butIsoondiscoveredthattheywereexcessivelyheavyandsolid，andIthereforeconcludedtheywerecontrivancesdesigned，bytheirgreatweight，tokeeptheheadsoftheanimalssteadyandsafeupontheirshoulders。Aroundthenecksofthecreatureswerefastenedblackcollars，badgesofservitude，nodoubt，suchaswekeeponourdogs，onlymuchwiderandinfinitelystiffer，sothatitwasquiteimpossibleforthesepoorvictimstomovetheirheadsinanydirectionwithoutmovingthebodyatthesametime；andthustheyweredoomedtoperpetualcontemplationoftheirnosesaviewpuggishandsnubbyinawonderful，ifnotpositivelyinanawfuldegree。
　　“’Whenthemonsterhadnearlyreachedtheshorewherewestood，itsuddenlypushedoutoneofitseyestoagreatextent，andemittedfromitaterribleflashoffire，accompaniedbyadensecloudofsmoke，andanoisethatIcancomparetonothingbutthunder。Asthesmokeclearedaway，wesawoneoftheoddman-animalsstandingneartheheadofthelargebeastwithatrumpetinhishand，throughwhichputtingittohismouthhepresentlyaddressedusinloud，harsh，anddisagreeableaccents，that，perhaps，weshouldhavemistakenforlanguage，hadtheynotcomealtogetherthroughthenose。
　　“’Beingthusevidentlyspokento，Iwasatalosshowtoreply，asI
　　couldinnomannerunderstandwhatwassaid；andinthisdifficultyI
　　turnedtotheporter，whowasnearswooningthroughaffright，anddemandedofhimhisopinionastowhatspeciesofmonsteritwas，whatitwanted，andwhatkindofcreaturesthosewerethatsoswarmeduponitsback。Tothistheporterreplied，aswellashecouldfortrepidation，thathehadoncebeforeheardofthissea-beast；thatitwasacrueldemon，withbowelsofsulphurandbloodoffire，createdbyevilgeniiasthemeansofinflictingmiseryuponmankind；thatthethingsuponitsbackwerevermin，suchassometimesinfestcatsanddogs，onlyalittlelargerandmoresavage；andthattheseverminhadtheiruses，howeverevilfor，throughthetorturetheycausedthebeastbytheirnibblingandstingings，itwasgoadedintothatdegreeofwrathwhichwasrequisitetomakeitroarandcommitill，andsofulfilthevengefulandmaliciousdesignsofthewickedgenii。
　　“Thisaccountdeterminedmetotaketomyheels，and，withoutonceevenlookingbehindme，Iranatfullspeedupintothehills，whiletheporterranequallyfast，althoughnearlyinanoppositedirection，sothat，bythesemeans，hefinallymadehisescapewithmybundles，ofwhichIhavenodoubthetookexcellentcare
　　althoughthisisapointIcannotdetermine，asIdonotrememberthatIeverbeheldhimagain。
　　“’Formyself，Iwassohotlypursuedbyaswarmofthemen-verminwhohadcometotheshoreinboatsthatIwasverysoonovertaken，boundhandandfoot，andconveyedtothebeast，whichimmediatelyswamoutagainintothemiddleofthesea。
　　“’Inowbitterlyrepentedmyfollyinquittingacomfortablehometoperilmylifeinsuchadventuresasthis；butregretbeinguseless，I
　　madethebestofmycondition，andexertedmyselftosecurethegoodwilloftheman-animalthatownedthetrumpet，andwhoappearedtoexerciseauthorityoverhisfellows。Isucceededsowellinthisendeavorthat，inafewdays，thecreaturebestoweduponmevarioustokensofhisfavor，andintheendevenwenttothetroubleofteachingmetherudimentsofwhatitwasvainenoughtodenominateitslanguage；sothat，atlength，Iwasenabledtoconversewithitreadily，andcametomakeitcomprehendtheardentdesireIhadofseeingtheworld。
　　“’Washishsquashishsqueak，Sinbad，hey-diddlediddle，gruntuntgrumble，hiss，fiss，whiss，’saidhetome，onedayafterdinner-butIbegathousandpardons，IhadforgottenthatyourmajestyisnotconversantwiththedialectoftheCock-neighssotheman-animalswerecalled；Ipresumebecausetheirlanguageformedtheconnectinglinkbetweenthatofthehorseandthatoftherooster。Withyourpermission，Iwilltranslate。’Washishsquashish，’andsoforth：