How furious the king was when , at the next morning 's durbar , Nur Mahomed appeared before him fresh , alert and smiling as usual . He was determined , however , to try once more , and bidding the young man come into his presence that evening , gave orders that he was to carry a secret despatch to the governor of a distant province . ` Make your preparations at once , ' added he , ` and be ready to start in the morning . I myself will deliver you the papers at the last moment . ' Now this province was four or five days ' journey from the palace , and the governor of it was the most faithful servant the king had . He could be silent as the grave , and prided himself on his obedience . Whilst he was an old and tried servant of the king 's , his wife had been almost a mother to the young princess ever since the queen had died some years before . It happened that , a little before this time , the princess had been sent away for her health to another remote province ; and whilst she was there her old friend , the governor 's wife , had begged her to come and stay with them as soon as she could . The princess accepted gladly , and was actually staying in the governor 's house at the very time when the king made up his mind to send Nur Mahomed there with the mysterious despatch . According to orders Nur Mahomed presented himself early the next morning at the king 's private apartments . His best horse was saddled , food placed in is saddle-bag , and with some money tied up in his waist-band , he was ready to start . The king handed over to him a sealed packet , desiring him to give it himself only into the hands of the governor , and to no one else . Nur Mahomed hid it carefully in his turban , swung himself into the saddle , and five minutes later rode out of the city gates , and set out on his long journey . The weather was very hot ; but Nur Mahomed thought that the sooner his precious letter was delivered the better ; so that , by dint of riding most of each night and resting only in the hottest part of the day , he found himself , by noon on the third day , approaching the town which was his final destination . Not a soul was to be seen anywhere ; and Nur Mahomed , stiff , dry , thirsty , and tired , looked longingly over the wall into the gardens , and marked the fountains , the green grass , the shady apricot orchards , and giant mulberry trees , and wished he were there . At length he reached the castle gates , and was at once admitted , as he was in the uniform of the king 's bodyguard . The governor was resting , the soldier said , and could not see him until the evening . So Nur Mahomed handed over his horse to an attendant , and wandered down into the lovely gardens he had seen from the road , and sat down in the shade to rest himself . 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 XXXXX a soothing sound , and in a few minutes Nur Mahomed was fast asleep .
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