pay their
respects to you; and I venture to say you will be pleased to see
them."

"Madam," replied the king of Persia, "you are mistress; do
whatever you please; I will endeavour to receive them with all
the honours they deserve. But I would fain know how you will
acquaint them with what you desire, and when they will arrive,
that I may give orders to make preparation for their reception,
and go myself in person to meet them." "Sire," replied the Queen
Gulnare, "there is no need of these ceremonies; they will be here
in a moment; and if your majesty will but step into the closet,
and look through the lattice, you shall see the manner of their
arrival."

As soon as the king of Persia was in the closet, Queen Gulnare
ordered one of her women to bring her a fire-pan with a little
fire. After that she bade her retire, and shut the door. When she
was alone, she took a piece of aloes-wood out of a box, and put
it into the fire-pan. As soon as she saw the smoke rise, she
repeated some words unknown to the king of Persia, who observed
with great attention all that she did. She had no sooner ended,
than the sea began to be disturbed. The closet the king was in
was so contrived, that looking through the lattice on the same
side with the windows that faced the sea, he could plainly
perceive it.

At length the sea opened at some distance; and presently there
arose out of it a tall, handsome young man, with whiskers of a
sea-green colour; a little behind him, a lady, advanced in years,
but of a majestic air, attended by five young ladies, nothing
inferior in beauty to the Queen Gulnare.

Queen Gulnare immediately came to one of the windows, and saw the
king her brother, the queen her mother, and the rest of her
relations, who at the same time perceived her also. The company
advanced, supported, as it were, upon the waves. When they came
to the edge, they nimbly, one after another, sprung in at the
window. King Saleh, the queen her mother, and the rest of her
relations, embraced her tenderly on their first entrance, with
tears in their eyes.

After Queen Gulnare had received them with all imaginable honour,
and made them sit down upon a sofa, the queen her mother
addressed herself to her: "Daughter," said she, "I am overjoyed
to see you again after so long an absence; and I am confident
that your brother and your relations are no less so. Your leaving
us without acquainting any one with your intention, involved us
in inex