fter his return, the old
king his father fell so dangerously ill, that he knew at once he
should never recover. He waited for his last moment with great
tranquillity, and his only care was to recommend to the ministers
and other lords of his son's court, to persevere in the fidelity
they had sworn to him: and there was not one but willingly
renewed his oath as freely as at first. He died at length, to the
great grief of King Beder and Queen Gulnare, who caused his
corpse to be borne to a stately mausoleum, worthy of his rank and
dignity.

The funeral obsequies ended, King Beder found no difficulty to
comply with that ancient custom in Persia to mourn for the dead a
whole month and not to be seen by anybody during that time. He
had mourned the death of his father his whole life, had he
yielded to his excessive affliction, and had it been right for a
great prince thus to abandon himself to sorrow. During this
interval the Queen Gulnare's mother, and King Saleh, together
with the princesses their relations, arrived at the Persian court
to condole with their relations.

When the month was expired, the king could not refuse admittance
to the grand vizier and the other lords of his court, who
besought him to lay aside his mourning, to shew himself to his
subjects, and take upon him the administration of affairs as
before.

He shewed so much reluctance to comply with their request, that
the grand vizier was forced to take upon himself to say; "Sir, it
were needless to represent to your majesty, that it belongs only
to women to persist in perpetual mourning. We doubt not but you
are fully convinced of this, and that it is not your intention to
follow their example. Neither our tears nor yours are capable of
restoring life to the good king your father, though we should
lament him all our days. He has submitted to the common law of
all men, which subjects them to pay the indispensable tribute of
death. Yet we cannot say absolutely that he is dead, since we see
in him your sacred person. He did not himself doubt, when he was
dying, but he should revive in you, and to your majesty it
belongs to show that he was not deceived."

King Beder could no longer oppose such pressing instances; he
laid aside his mourning; and after he had resumed the royal habit
and ornaments, began to provide for the necessities of his
kingdom and subjects with the same assiduity as before his
father's death. He acquitted himself with universal appr