listener, and, besides, he delighted in such things. Nothing made him so
happy as great festivals, and the surest way of gaining his good graces
was by devising some new pageant of splendour, excellence, and
originality unknown to his predecessors. Adsalis had won his favour by
inventing the Feast of Lamps and Tulips, which was renewed every year.
This Feast of Palms, moreover, was another new idea, and so also was the
idea of the sugar garden. So Achmed, in a transport of enthusiasm,
pressed the favourite Sultana to his bosom, and swore solemnly that her
dream should be fulfilled, and then sent her back into the harem.

And now the Kizlar-Aga admitted the two dignitaries who had been waiting
outside. The Chief Mufti entered first, and after him came the Grand
Vizier, Damad Ibrahim. Both of them had long, flowing, snow-white beards
and grave venerable faces.

They bowed low before the Sultan, kissed the hem of his garment, and lay
prostrate before him till he raised them up again.

"What brings you to the Seraglio, my worthy counsellors?" inquired the
Sultan.

As was meet and right, the Chief Mufti was the first to speak.

"Most gracious, most puissant master! Be merciful towards us if with our
words we disturb the tranquil joys of thy existence! For though slumber
is a blessing, wary wakefulness is better than slumber, and he who will
not recognise the coming of danger is like unto him who would rob his
own house. It will be known unto thee, most glorious Padishah, that a
few years ago it pleased Allah, in his inscrutable wisdom, to permit the
Persian rebel, Esref, to drive his lawful sovereign, Tamasip, from his