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。