Oh! my brother, says the sultan, (in a tone which showed what an interest he took in the king of Tartary’s story,) what a horrible story do you tell me! How impatient was I till I heard it out! I commend you for punishing the traitors who offered you such an outrage. Nobody can blame you for that action: it was just; and, for my part, had the case been mine, I should scarce have been so moderate as you. I would not have satisfied myself with the life of one woman; I verily think I should have sacrificed a thousand to my fury. I cease now to wonder at your melancholy. The cause of it was too sensible and too mortifying, not to make you yield to it. O heaven! what a strange adventure! Nor do I believe the like ever befel any man but yourself. But, in short, I must bless God, who has comforted you; and since I doubt not but your consolation is well grounded, be so good as to let me know what it is, and conceal nothing from me. Schahzenan was not so easily prevailed upon in this point, as he had been in the other, because of his brother’s concern it; but being obliged to yield to his pressing instances, answered, I must obey you, then, since your command is absolute; yet I am afraid that my obedience will occasion your trouble to be greater than ever mine was. But you must blame yourself for it, since you force me to reveal a thing which I should otherwise have buried in eternal oblivion. What you say, answers Schahriar, serves only to increase my curiosity. Make haste to discover the secret, whatever it be. The king of Tartary being no longer able to refuse, gave him the particulars of all that he had seen of the blacks in disguise; of the ungoverned passion of the sultaness and her ladies; and he did not forget Masoud. After having been witness to those infamous actions, says he, I believed all women to be naturally inclined thereto, and that they could not resist their inclination. Being of this opinion, it seemed to me to be an unaccountable weakness in men to place any confidence in their fidelity. This reflection brought on many others; and, in short, I thought the best thing I could do was to make myself easy. It cost me some pains, indeed, but at last I effected it; and if you will take my advice, you will follow my example. THE LADY OF THE GLASS CASE.