ath."

The sultan at these words exclaimed in agony, "Have ye slain
them, or do they yet live?" "My lord," replied the attendants,
"We were so convinced of the innocence of the sultana, that we
could not put her to death. We caught some fawn antelopes, killed
them, and having dipped these garments belonging to the abused
mother and your children in their blood, dressed the flesh, and
gave it to our unfortunate mistress and thy daughters, after
which we said to them, 'We leave you in charge of a gracious God
who never deserts his trust; your innocence will protect you.' We
then left them in the midst of the desert, and returned to the
city."

The sultan turned in fury towards the vizier, and exclaimed,
"Wretched traitor! and is it thus thou hast estranged from me my
beloved wife and innocent children?" The self-convicted minister
uttered not a word, but trembled like one afflicted with the
palsy. The sultan commanded instantly an enormous pile of wood to
be kindled, and the vizier, being bound hand and foot, was forced
into an engine, and cast from it into the fire, which rapidly
consumed him to ashes. His house was then razed to the ground,
his effects left to the plunder of the populace, and the women of
his haram and his children sold for slaves.

We now return to the three princesses and their mother. When the
sultan had heard their adventures, he sympathized with their
misfortunes, and was astonished at the fortitude with which they
had borne their afflictions, saying to his vizier, "How sad has
been their lot! but blessed be Allah, who, as he separateth
friends, can, when he pleaseth, give them a joyful meeting." He
then caused the sultana and the princesses to be conveyed to his
palace, appointed them proper attendants and apartments suitable
to their rank, and despatched couriers to inform the sultan their
father of their safety. The messengers travelled with the
greatest expedition, and on their arrival at the capital, being
introduced, presented their despatches. The sultan opened them,
and began to read; but when he perceived the contents, was so
overcome with joy, that, uttering a loud exclamation of rapture,
he fell to the ground and fainted away. His attendants were
alarmed, lifted him up, and took means for his recovery. When he
was revived, he informed them of his sultana and daughters being
still alive, and ordered a vessel to be prepared to convey them
home.

The ship was soon ready, and being l