nees of the elder victim could not be forced away. The
sultan was astonished, and ordering the execution for the present
to be delayed, went and informed the mother of the child of his
wonderful behaviour.

The sultana, on hearing it, was no less surprised than the
sultan, and felt a curiosity to hear from the dervish himself on
what account he had enticed away her son. She said, "It is truly
extraordinary that the boy should express such affection for a
strange dervish. Send for him to your closet, and order him to
relate his adventures, to which I will listen from behind a
curtain."

The sultan sent for the supposed dervish, and commanding all his
attendants to retire, withdrew with him into his closet, and
desired him to be seated; after which he said, "Wicked dervish,
what could have induced thee to entice away my son, or to visit
my kingdom?" He replied, "Heaven knows, O sultan, I did not
entice him. The boy followed me to my lodging, when I said, 'My
son, return to thy father,' but he would not; and I remained in
continual dread till what was decreed occurred." The sultan was
softened, spoke kindly to him, and begged him to relate his
adventures, when the pretended dervish wept, and said, "My
history is a wonderful one. I had a friend whom I left as my
agent and guardian to my family, while I was performing a
pilgrimage to Mecca; but had scarcely left my house ten days,
when accidently seeing my wife he endeavoured to debauch her, and
sent an old woman with a rich present to declare his adulterous
love. My wife was enraged, and put the infamous messenger to
death. He sent a second, and a third, whom she also killed."

These last words were scarcely spoken, when the sultana bursting
from her concealment ran up to the dervish, fell upon his neck,
and embraced him: upon which, the sultan her husband was enraged,
put his hand to his cimeter, and exclaimed, "What means this
shameless behaviour?" The sultana, at once laughing and crying
with rapture, informed him that the supposed dervish was her
father: upon which the sultan also fell at his feet and welcomed
him. He then ordered the other dervish his vizier to be released,
commanded royal robes to be brought for his father-in-law, and a
suite of apartments in the palace to be prepared for his
reception, with an attendance befitting his dignity.

When the old sultan had spent some time with his youngest
daughter thus happily recovered, he became anxious to searc