sentence of
death against him.

"To-morrow," said the Sultan, "must the ill-fated Horam be numbered
with the dead."

Horam heard the sentence without emotion. "My life," said he, "is in
the hand of my lord, and he is welcome to the blood of his slave."

The Vizier was then ordered into the custody of a hundred men, and a
captain was appointed to guard him until morning.

The unfortunate Sultan then retired to rest in an obscure tent, or
rather not to rest, but to an irksome contemplation.

"My kingdom," said he, "is passed from me, and, worse than my kingdom,
my friend, my dearly beloved Horam, has proved a traitor to his
master."

As the Sultan was filled with these meditations, his guards gave him
notice that the captain who was set over the Vizier had brought Horam
to communicate an affair of moment to him.

"Is there deceit in Horam," said the Sultan, "that he cometh like a
thief in the night? If Horam is false, farewell my life. Let him that
destroyed my kingdom complete his ingratitude by finishing my fate."

The captain then entered the tent of his Sultan with Horam in chains.

"Life of my life, and master of my thoughts," said the Vizier, "ere I
die, I am constrained to show thee among these mountains far greater
riches than are in thy palace at Delhi, or in the tents of thine
enemies--riches that will restore thy affairs, and turn thy tears into
showers of joy."

"Are you not satisfied," said Misnar, "O ill-fated Horam, that you
come to deceive me with new illusions? Where is my kingdom? where my
royalty? where my army? By thy fatal counsels destroyed, overwhelmed,
confounded! Now, then, lead the way, and let me see these curious
treasures which are to recompense the loss of all my hopes."

The captain then led Horam out of the tent, and the Sultan followed.

The Vizier, being in chains, moved but slowly, and the captain of the
guard, dismissing his men, drew his sabre, and held it naked over the
head of the Vizier. The darkness of the night prevented the Sultan
from seeing whither he was carried by his Vizier.

They passed over various rocks, and were obliged to wade through some
small brooks or rivulets which fell from the tops of the mountains,
till at length they arrived at a spacious cavern, which was formed by
two pendent rocks.

Here the Vizier entered, and, lifting up his chains, knocked against a
small door at the extremity of the cavern. In a moment it opened, and
four slaves came f