trive measures, and act in concert in a common cause:
communicate to me what you think the likeliest way to mortify
her, while I, on my side, will inform you what my desire of
revenge shall suggest to me."

After this wicked agreement, the two sisters saw each other
frequently, and consulted how they might disturb and interrupt
the happiness of the queen. They proposed a great many ways, but
in deliberating about the manner of executing them, found so many
difficulties, that they durst not attempt them. In the mean time,
they often went together to make her visits with a detestable
dissimulation, and every time shewed her all the marks of
affection they could devise, to persuade her how overjoyed they
were to have a sister raised to so high a fortune. The queen, on
her part, constantly received them with all the demonstrations of
esteem they could expect: from a sister who was not puffed up
with her high dignity, and loved them as cordially as before.

Some months after her marriage, the queen found herself to be
with child. The emperor expressed great joy, which was
communicated to all the court, and spread throughout the empire
of Persia. Upon this news the two sisters came to pay their
compliments, and proffered their service to deliver her, desiring
her, if not provided with a midwife, to accept of them.

The queen said to them most obligingly, "Sisters, I should desire
nothing more, if it was absolutely in my power to make the
choice. I am however obliged to you for your good-will, but must
submit to what the emperor shall order on this occasion. Let your
husbands employ their friends to make interest, and get some
courtier to ask this favour of his majesty; and if he speaks to
me about it, be assured that I shall not only express the
pleasure he does me, but thank him for making choice of you."

The two husbands applied themselves to some courtiers their
patrons, and begged of them to use their interest to procure
their wives the honour they aspired to. Those patrons exerted
themselves so much in their behalf, that the emperor promised
them to consider of the matter, and was as good as his word; for
in conversation with the queen, he told her, that he thought her
sisters were the most proper persons to assist her in her labour;
but would not name them before he had asked her consent. The
queen, sensible of the deference the emperor so obligingly paid
her, said to him, "Sir, I was prepared to do as your majes