ran and
hid themselves in their shops and houses, shutting their doors,
while others taking to their heels, communicated their fear to
all they met, who stayed not to look behind them; insomuch, that
Schaibar and prince Ahmed, as they went along, found all the
streets and squares desolate, till they came to the palace, where
the porters, instead of preventing Schaibar from entering, ran
away too; so that the prince and he advanced without any obstacle
to the council-hall, where the sultan was seated on his throne
and giving audience. Here likewise the officers, at the approach
of Schaibar, abandoned their posts, and gave them free
admittance.

Schaibar, carrying his head erect, went fiercely up to the
throne, without waiting to be presented by prince Ahmed, and
accosted the sultan of the Indies in these words: "You have asked
for me," said he; "see, here I am, what would you have with me?"

The sultan, instead of answering, clapped his hands before his
eyes, and turned away his head, to avoid the sight of so terrible
an object. Schaibar was so much provoked at this uncivil and rude
reception, after he had given him the trouble to come so far,
that he instantly lifted up his iron bar, saying, "Speak, then;"
let it fall on his head, and killed him, before prince Ahmed
could intercede in his behalf. All that he could do was to
prevent his killing the grand vizier, who sat not far from him on
his right hand, representing to him that he had always given the
sultan his father good advice. "These are they then," said
Schaibar, "who gave him bad;" and as he pronounced these words,
he killed all the other viziers on the right and left, flatterers
and favourites of the sultan, who were prince Ahmed's enemies.
Every time he struck he crushed some one or other, and none
escaped but those who, not rendered motionless by fear, saved
themselves by flight.

When this terrible execution was over, Schaibar came out of the
council-hall into the court-yard with the iron bar upon his
shoulder, and looking at the grand vizier, who owed his life to
prince Ahmed, said, "I know there is here a certain sorceress,
who is a greater enemy of the prince my brother-in-law than all
those base favourites I have chastised; let her be brought to me
immediately." The grand vizier instantly sent for her, and as
soon as she was brought, Schaibar, knocking her down with his
iron bar, said, "Take the reward of thy pernicious counsel, and
learn to feig