Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!” She replied, “With love and good will!” It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the King and the Councillor made ready to go to the dwelling of the damsels taking with them somewhat of gold pieces, the time being half an hour after set of sun; and presently they repaired to the house of the sisters whither they had been invited on the past night.  So they rapped at the door when the youngest maiden came to it and opened and let them in:  then she salam’d to them and greeted them and entreated them with increased respect saying, “Welcome to our lords the Darwayshes.”  But she eyed them with the eye of the physiognomist[FN#149] and said in herself, “Verily these two men are on no wise what they seem and, unless my caution and intelligence and power of knowledge have passed away from me, this must be the Sultan and that his Wazir, for grandeur and majesty are evident on them.”  Then she seated them and accosted them even more pleasantly and set before them supper, and when they had eaten enough, she brought basins and ewers for handwashing and served up coffee causing them to enjoy themselves and to give and take in talk till their pleasure was perfect.  At the time of night-orisons they arose and, after performing the Wuzu-ablution, prayed, and when their devotions were ended the Sultan hent in hand his purse and gave it to the youngest sister saying, “Expend ye this upon your livelihood.”  She took the bag which held two thousand dinars and kissed his right hand, feeling yet the more convinced that he must be the Sultan:  so she proved her respect by the fewness of her words as she stood between his hands to do him service.  Also she privily winked at her sisters and mother and said to them by signs, “Verily this be the Monarch and that his Minister.”  The others then arose and followed suit as the sister had done, when the Sultan turned to the Wazir and said, “The case is changed:  assuredly they have comprehended it and ascertained it;” presently adding to the girl, “O damsel, we be only Darwaysh folk and yet you all stand up in our service as if we were sovrans.  I beseech you do not on this wise.”  But the youngest sister again came forwards and kissed the ground before him and blessed him and recited this couplet: 

“Fair fate befal thee to thy foe’s despite:  * White be thy days
     and his be black as night.[FN#150]

By Allah, O King of the Age, thou art the Sultan and that is the Minister.”  The Sovran asked, “What cause hast thou for supposing this?” and she answered, “From your grand demeanour and your majestic mien; for such be the qualities of Kings which cannot be concealed.”  Quoth the Monarch, “Thou hast spoken sooth; but, tell me, how happeneth it that you wone here without men protectors?” and quoth she, “O my lord the King, our history is wondrous and were it graven with graver-needles upon the eye-corners it were a warning to whoso would be warned.”  He rejoined, “What is it?” and she began the