and the Fairy ) . stg III

i—.

 

gates of the capital, the people no sooner saw Schaibar eae they
ran and hid themselves in their shops and houses, and shut their
doors; while others took to their heels, and communicated their
fear to all they met, who did not wait to look behind them, but
ran too; insomuch that Schaibar and Prince Ahmed, as they went
along, found all the streets and squares deserted, till they came
to the palace, where the porters, instead of preventing Schaibar
from entering, also ran away; so that the prince and he advanced
without any obstacle to the council-hall, where the sultan .was
seated on his throne giving audience. Here likewise the officers,
‘at the approach of Schaibar, abandoned their posts.

Schaibar, carrying his head ° erect, went fiercely up to the
throne, without waiting to be introduced by Prince Ahmed, and
accosted the Sultan’ of the Indies in these words:

‘You have asked for me, see, here I am: what do you

want with me?’

The sultan, instead of answering, clapt his hands before his
eyes, and turned away his head, to avoid the-sight of so terrible
an object. Schaibar was so much provoked, at this uncivil and
rude reception, after the Sultan had given him the trouble to come.
so far, that he instantly lifted up his iron bar, and saying, ‘Speak
then, let it fall on his head, and_ killed him ‘before Prince
Ahmed could intercede in his behalf. All that he could do was
to prevent his killing the grand vizier, who sat not far from
him on his right hand, representing to him that he had always

» given the sultan his father good advice.

‘These are they then, said Schaibar, ‘who gave him bad advice ;’
and as he pronounced these words, he killed all the other viziers
on the right and left, flatterers and ‘favourites of the sultan,
who were Prince. Ahmed’s- enemies. Every time he struck, he
killed some one or other, and none escaped but they who, not
rendered motionless by fear, saved themselves by flight.