till their ears deceived them, and they rejoiced in the velocity of the
soundless tune of Bootlbac the drum-beater, and were stirred by it,
excited to a forgetfulness of their fasting. Such was the force of the
inspiration of Bootlbac the drum-beater, caused by the burning of the
Identical.

Now, the four Kings, when they had mastered their wits, gazed in silence
on Shagpat, and sighed and shook their heads, and were as they that have
swallowed a potent draught and ponder sagely over the gulp. Surely, the
visages of the Kings of Shiraz and of Gaf and of Oolb betokened dread of
Shagpat and amazement at him; but the King of the City exulted, and the
shining of content was on his countenance, and he cried, 'Wondrous!' and
again, 'Wullahy, wondrous!' and 'Oh, glory!' And he laughed and clucked
and chuckled, and the triumph of Shagpat was to him as a new jewel in his
crown outshining all others, and he was for awhile as the cock smitten
with the pride of his comb, the peacock magnified by admiration of his
tail. Then he cried, 'For this, praise we Allah and the Prophet.
Wullahy, 'twas wondrous!' and he went off again into a roll of cluckings
and chucklings and exclamations of delight, crying, 'Need they further
proof of the power in Shagpat now? Has he not manifested it? So true is
that saying--

"The friend that flattereth weakeneth at length;
It is the foe that calleth forth our strength."

Wondrous! and never knew earth a thing to equal it in the range of
marvels!'

Now, ere the last word was spoken by the King, there passed through the
sky a mighty flash. Those in the Hall saw it, and the horsemen of the