He flung himself on his back and watched the birds twittering and chattering in the trees above him . Through the branches he could see great patches of sky where the kites wheeled and circled incessantly , with shrill whistling cried . Bees buzzed over the flowers with a soothing sound , and in a few minutes Nur Mahomed was fast asleep . Every day , through the heat of the afternoon , the governor , and his wife also , used to lie down for two or three hours in their own rooms , and so , for the matter of that , did most people in the palace . But the princess , like many other girls , was restless , and preferred to wander about the garden , rather than rest on a pile of soft cushions . What a torment her stout old attendants and servants sometime thought her when she insisted on staying awake , and making them chatter or do something , when they could hardly keep their eyes open ! Sometimes , however , the princess would pretend to go to sleep , and then , after all her women had gladly followed her example , she would get up and go out by herself , her veil hanging loosely about her . If she was discovered her old hostess scolded her severely ; but the princess only laughed , and did the same thing next time . This very afternoon the princess had left all her women asleep , and , after trying in vain to amuse herself indoors , she had slipped out into the great garden , and rambled about in all her favourite nooks and corners , feeling quite safe as there was not a creature to be seen . Suddenly , on turning a corner , she stopped in surprise , for before her lay a man fast asleep ! In her hurry she had almost tripped over him . But there he was , a young man , tanned and dusty with travel , in the uniform of an officer of the king 's guard . One of the few faults of this lovely princess was a devouring curiosity , and she lived such an idle life that she had plenty of time to be curious . Out of one of the folds of this young man 's turban there peeped the corner of a letter ! She wondered what the letter was -- whom it was for ! She drew her veil a little closer , and stole across on tip-toe and caught hold of the corner of the letter . Then she pulled it a little , and just a little more ! A great big seal came into view , which she saw to be her father 's , and at the sight of it she paused for a minute half ashamed of what she was doing . But the pleasure of taking a letter which was not meant for her was more than she could resist , and in another moment it was in her hand . All at once she remembered that it would be death to this poor officer if he lost the letter , and that at all hazards she must put it back again .
But this was not so easy ; and , moreover , the letter XXXXX her hand burnt her with longing to read it , and see what was inside .
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