the Shah,[FN#368] he freely giveth you leave to go to-day:  consult your sister and meet the Shadow of Allah[FN#369] to-morrow at this hunting-ground, and tell him what she saith and if she content to let to twain and wait upon the Shah at meat.”  So the Princes farewelled and prayed for him; then rode back home; but they both forgot to tell their sister how they had fallen in with the King; and of all that passed between them they remembered not one word.[FN#370] Next day again they went ahunting and on returning from the chase the Shah enquired of them, “Have ye consulted with your sister if ye may serve the King, and what saith she thereto?  Have ye obtained permission from her?” On hearing these words the Princes waxed aghast with fear; the colour of their faces changed, and each began to look into the other’s eyes.  Then Bahman said, “Pardon, O Refuge of the World, this our transgression.  We both forgot the command and remembered not to tell her sister.”  Replied the King, “It mattereth not! ask her to-day and bring me word tomorrow.”  But it so happened that on that day also they forgot the message yet the King was not annoyed at their shortness of memory, but taking from his pocket three little balls of gold, and tying them in a kerchief of sillk he handed them to Prince Bahman saying, “Put these balls in thy waist shawl, so shalt thou not forget to ask thy sister; and if perchance the matter escape thy memory, when thou shalt go to bed and take off thy girdle, haply the sound of them falling to the ground will remind thee of thy promise.”  Despite this strict injunction of the Shadow of Allah the Princes on that day also clean forgot the order and the promise they had made to the King.  When, however, night came on, and Prince Bahman went to his bed-chamber for sleep, he loosed his girdle and down fell the golden balls and at the sound the message of the Shah flashed across his thought.  So he and his brother Parwez at once hastened to Perizadah’s bower, where she was about retiring to rest; and, with many excuses for troubling her at so unseasonable an hour, reported to her all that happened.  She lamented their thoughtlessness which for three successive days had caused them to forget the royal behest and ended with saying, “Fortune hath favoured you, O my brothers, and brought you suddenly to the notice of the Asylum of the Universe, a chance which often hath led to the height of good.  It grieveth me sore that on your over regard for our fraternal love and union ye did not take service with the King when he deigned command you.  Moreover ye have far greater cause for regret and repentance than I in that ye failed to plead a sufficient excuse and that which ye offered must have sounded rude and churlish.  A right dangerous thing it is to thwart Kingly wishes.  In his extreme condescension the Shah commandeth you to take service with him and ye, in rebelling against his exalted orders have done foolishly and ye have caused me much trouble of mind.  Howbeit I will