s were well founded, the doctor's heart might be softened, and
he might screen her from the Shah's observation, by giving some evasive
reason for her non-appearance. Then, after all, as if braving my
feelings, I repeated to myself the lines of one of our poets, who, like
me, had lost his mistress.

'Is there but one pair of stag eyes, or one cypress waist, or one
full-moon face in the world, that I should so mourn the loss of my cruel
one?

'Why should I burn, why should I cut myself, and sigh out my griefs
under the windows of the deaf-eared charmer?

'No, let me love where love is cheap; for I am a miser of my feelings.'

Thus I endeavoured to make light of the subject, and to show myself a
true Mussulman by my contempt for womankind. But still, turn where I
would, go where I would, the image of Zeenab, a torn and mangled corpse,
was ever before my eyes, and haunted my imagination at all seasons and
at all hours.

At length the fortunate hour for the Shah's entry was announced, and he
entered Tehran amidst the whole of its population, who had been turned
out to greet his arrival. My most pressing want was to see the hakim,
as if by chance, in order that no suspicion might fall upon me, in case
poor Zeenab was found guilty. On the very evening of our arrival, my
wishes (alas! how fatally!) were accomplished. As I was taken up in
giving some orders to a nasakchi, I saw him come out of the Shah's
private apartment, looking full of care, with one hand stuck in his
girdle, the other in his side, his back more bent than usual, and with
his eyes fixed on the ground. I placed myself in his way, and gave him
the salutation of peace, which caused him to look up.

When he had recognized me, he stopped, saying, 'You are the very man
I was seeking. Come hither;' and he took me on one side: 'Here is a
strange story afloat,' said he; 'this Curd has brought all sorts of
ashes on my head. _Wallah!_ by Heaven, the Shah has run clean mad.
He talks of making a general massacre of all that is male, within and
without his harem, beginning with his viziers, and finishing by the
eunuchs. He swears by his own head, that he will make me the first
example if I do not find out the culprit.'

'What culprit? who? what?' said I, 'what has happened?'

'Why, Zeenab,' answered he, 'Zeenab.'

'Oh! I understand,' said I; 'Aye! she you used to love so much.'

'I?' answered the Hakim, as if afraid of being himself suspected, 'I?
_Astaferallah!