Pagina 211 de 1116

Do thou take thy seat at my tent door, and say to the Emirs and

Wazirs, the Nabobs and the Chamberlains, in fine to all who ask

thee:-The Sultan is ill at ease, and he hath ordered me to refuse

all admittance;[FN#109] and be careful thou let none know my

design." And the Wazir could not oppose him. Then the King

changed his dress and ornaments and, slinging his sword over his

shoulder, took a path which led up one of the mountains and

marched for the rest of the night till morning dawned; nor did he

cease wayfaring till the heat was too much for him. After his

long walk he rested for a while, and then resumed his march and

fared on through the second night till dawn, when suddenly there

appeared a black point in the far distance.