hast spoken;” then arising without stay or delay they snared a gazelle and slaughtered it and filled with its blood four flasks; after which they broiled some of the flesh over the embers and gave it to my mother that we might satisfy our hunger.  Presently they farewelled us saying, “We give you in charge of Him who never disappointed those committed to His care;” and, lastly, they went their ways leaving us alone in the wild and the word.  So we fell to eating the desertgrasses and drinking of the remnants of the rain, and we walked awhile and rested awhile without finding any city or inhabited region; and we waxed tired, O King of the Age, when suddenly we came upon a spot on a hill-flank abounding in vari-coloured herbs and fair fountains.  Here we abode ten days and behold, a caravan drew near us and encamped hard by us, but they did not sight us for that we hid ourselves from their view until night fell.  Then I went to them and asked of sundry eunuchs and ascertained that there was a city at the distance of two days’ march from us; so I returned and informed my mother who rejoiced at the good tidings.  As soon as it was morn the caravan marched off, so we four arose and walked all that day through at a leisurely pace, and a second day and so forth; until, on the afternoon of the fifth, a city rose before our sight fulfilling all our desires[FN#154] and we exclaimed, “Alhamdolillah, laud be to the Lord who hath empowered us to reach it.”  We ceased not faring till sunset when we entered it and we found it a potent capital.  Such was our case and that of our mother;[FN#155] but as regards our sire the Sultan, as he drew near his home after the return-journey from the Hajj, the Lords of the land and the Chiefs of the city flocked out to meet him, and the town-folk followed one another like men riding on pillions[FN#156] to salute him, and the poor and the mesquin congratulated him on his safety and at last the Wazir made his appearance.  The Sultan desired to be private with the Minister—­And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say.  Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was

The Three Hundred and Sixty-eighth Night,

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 desired to be private with the Minister and when they were left alone he said, “O Wazir, how was it between thee and that Harim of mine?” Said the other, “O