had done at any time after his coming to Samarcande, and listened
with pleasure to the agreeable concert of vocal and instrumental
music that was appointed to entertain him while at table.

He continued after this to be of a very good humour; and when he
knew that the sultan was returning, he went to meet him, and paid
him his compliments with a great deal of gaiety. Schahriar at
first took no notice of this great alteration, but expostulated
with him modestly, why he would not bear him company at hunting
the stag; and, without giving him time to reply, entertained him
with the great number of deer and other game they had killed, and
what pleasure he had in the sport. Schahzenan heard him with
attention, gave answers to every thing, and being rid of that
melancholy which formerly over-clouded his wit, he said a
thousand agreeable and pleasant things to the sultan.

Schahriar, who expected to have found him in the same condition
as he left him, was overjoyed to see him so cheerful, and spoke
to him thus: Dear brother, I return thanks to Heaven for the
happy change it has made on you during my absence; I am extremely
rejoiced at it; but I have a request to make to you, and conjure
you not to deny me. I can refuse you nothing, replies the king of
Tartary; you may command Schahzenan as you please; pray speak, I
am impatient to know what you desire of me. Ever since you came
to my court, replies Schahriar, I found you swallowed up by a
deep melancholy, and I did in vain attempt to remove it by
diversions of all sorts. I imagined it might be occasioned by
reason of the distance from your dominions, or that love might
have a great share in it; and that the queen of Samarcande, who,
no doubt, is an accomplished beauty, might be the cause of it. I