he porters formed themselves
into order, taking him for a prince from the richness and
magnificence of his habit, and were going to kiss the hem of his
garment; but the slave, who was instructed by the genie,
prevented them, and said, "We are only slaves, our master will
appear at a proper time."

The first slave, followed by the rest, advanced into the second
court, which was very spacious, and in which the sultan's
household was ranged during the sitting of the divan. The
magnificence of the officers, who stood at the head of their
troops, was considerably eclipsed by the slaves who bore Alla ad
Deen's present, of which they themselves made a part. Nothing was
ever seen so beautiful and brilliant in the sultan's palace; and
all the lustre of the lords of his court was not to be compared
to them.

As the sultan, who had been informed of their march, and approach
to the palace, had given orders for them to be admitted, they met
with no obstacle, but went into the divan in regular order, one
part filing to the right, and the other to the left. After they
were all entered, and had formed a semicircle before the sultan's
throne, the black slaves laid the golden trays on the carpet,
prostrated themselves, touching the carpet with their foreheads,
and at the same time the white slaves did the same. When they
rose, the black slaves uncovered the trays, and then all stood
with their arms crossed over their breasts.

In the meantime Alla ad Deen's mother advanced to the foot of the
throne, and having paid her respects, said to the sultan, "Sir,
my son is sensible this present, which he has sent your majesty,
is much below the princess Buddir al Buddoor's worth; but hopes,
nevertheless, that your majesty will accept of it, and make it
agreeable to the princess, and with the greater confidence since
he has endeavoured to conform to the conditions you were pleased
to impose."

The sultan was not able to give the least attention to this
compliment. The moment he cast his eyes on the forty trays, full
of the most precious, brilliant, and beautiful jewels he had ever
seen, and the fourscore slaves, who appeared by the elegance of
their persons, and the richness and magnificence of their dress,
like so many princes, he was so struck, that he could not recover
from his admiration. Instead of answering the compliment of Alla
ad Deen's mother, he addressed himself to the grand vizier, who
could not any more than the sultan compre