interval the queen, mother to Queen Gulnare, and King Saleh,
together with the princesses their relations, arrived at the
Persian court, and shared their affliction, before they offered any
consolation.

When the month was expired, the king could not refuse admittance to
the grand vizier and the other lords of his court, who besought him
to lay aside his mourning, to show himself to his subjects, and
take upon him the administration of affairs as before.

He showed such great reluctance at their request, that the grand
vizier was forced to take upon himself to say to him; 'Sir, neither
our tears nor yours are capable of restoring life to the good king
your father, though we should lament him all our days. He has
undergone the common law of all men, which subjects them to pay the
indispensable tribute of death. Yet we cannot say absolutely that
he is dead, since we see him in your sacred person. He did not
himself doubt, when he was dying, but that he should revive in you,
and to your majesty it belongs to show that he was not deceived.'

King Beder could no longer oppose such pressing entreaties: he laid
aside his mourning; and after he had resumed the royal habit and
ornaments, he began to provide for the necessities of his kingdom
and subjects with the same care as before his father's death. He
acquitted himself with universal approbation: and as he was exact
in maintaining the ordinances of his predecessor, the people did
not feel they had changed their sovereign.

King Saleh, who had returned to his dominions in the sea with the
queen his mother and the princesses, no sooner saw that King Beder