complaints?” And, she pointing to a wicket in a hidden corner of the court below, answered, saying, “O my lord, these sounds come therefrom.  Many wretches driven by Destiny have fallen into the clutches of the Abyssinian Ghul and are securely locked up in cells, and each day he was wont to roast and eat one of the captives.” “’Twill please me vastly,” quoth Khudadad, “to be the means of their deliverance:  come, O my lady, and show me where they are imprisoned.”  Thereupon the twain drew near to the place and the Prince forthright tried a key upon the lock of the dungeon but it did not fit; then he made essay of another wherewith they opened the wicket.  As they were so doing the report of the captives’ moaning and groaning increased yet more and more until Khudadad, touched and troubled at their impatience, asked the cause of it.  The lady replied, “O my lord, hearing our footsteps and the rattling of the key in the lock they deem that the cannibal, according to his custom, hath come to supply them with food and to secure one of them for his evening meal.  Each feareth lest his turn for roasting be come, so all are affrighted with sore affright and redouble their shouts and cries.”—­And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till

      The end of the Five Hundred and Ninety-fifth Night.

Then said she:—­I have heard, O auspicious King, that the sounds from that secret place seemed to issue from under ground or from the depths of a draw-well.  But when the Prince opened the dungeon door, he espied a steep staircase and descending thereby found himself in a deep pit, narrow and darksome, wherein were penned more than an hundred persons with elbows pinioned and members chained; nor saw he aught of light save through one bull’s-eye.  So he cried to them, “O ye unfortunates, fear ye no more!  I have slain the Abyssinian; and render ye praise to Allah Almighty who hath rid you of your wrong-doer:  also I come to strike off your fetters and return you to freedom.”  Hearing these glad tidings the prisoners were in raptures of delight and raised a general cry of joy and jubilee.  Hereupon Khudadad and the lady began to loose their hands and feet; and each, as he was released from his durance, helped to unchain his fellows:  brief, after a moment of time all were delivered from their bonds and bondage.  Then each and every kissed Khudadad’s feet and gave thanks and prayed for his welfare; and when those whilom prisoners entered the court-yard whereupon the sun was shining sheen, Khudadad recognised amongst them his brothers, in quest of whom he had so long wandered.  He was amazed with exceeding amazement and exclaimed, “Laud be to the Lord, that I have found you one and all safe and sound:  your father is sorely sad and sorrowful at your absence; and Heaven forfend that this devil hath devoured any from amongst you.”  He then counted their number, forty-and-nine, and set them apart from the rest; and all in excess of joy fell upon one another’s necks and ceased