"That I will not remain here?" I replied. "What do you mean?"
"Why, Your Excellency has not expressed his will to any of them."
"My will! What will, then, could I express to them?"
"Considering that they belong to your lordship," he continued.
"They belong to me? Who?"
"Why, Kondjé-Gul, Zouhra, Hadidjé, Nazli."
"They belong to me?" replied I, overcome with stupefaction.
"Certainly," said Mahommed, looking as astonished as I did. "His Excellency, Barbassou-Pasha, your uncle, whose eunuch I had the honour of being, commanded me to purchase four maidens for his harem. Since he is dead, and your lordship takes his place as master—I had supposed—"
"Ah!!!"
I won't attempt to render for you the full force of the exclamation to which I gave vent. You may guess the feelings conveyed in it. In very truth I thought I should go out of my senses this time. The dream of "The Thousand and One Nights" was being realised in my waking hours! This extraordinary and sumptuous palace was a harem, and this harem was mine! These four Schéhérazades, whose glorious youthfulness and fascinating charms had scorched me like fire, they were my slaves, and only awaited a sign or token of my desire!