humbled themselves before Him who is ever near, Him who ever answereth prayer, supplicating that He would cause the false Devotee who denied Allah's testimony to fall into their hands. Then they laid Sharrkan out and buried him in the mountain aforesaid and mourned over his far-famed virtues.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. When it was the One Hundred and Fifth Night, She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that they laid Sharrkan out and buried him in the mountain aforesaid and mourned over his far-famed virtues. Then they looked for the opening of the city-gate; but it opened not and no sign of men appeared to them on the walls; whereat they wondered with exceeding wonder. But King Zau al-Makan said, "By Allah, I will not turn back from them, though I sit here for years and years, till I take blood-revenge for my brother Sharrkan and waste Constantinople and kill the King of the Nazarenes, even if death overcome me and I be at rest from this woeful world!" Then he bade be brought out the treasure taken from the Monastery of Matruhina; and mustered the troops and divided the monies among them, and he left not one of them but he gave him gifts which contented him. Moreover, he assembled in the presence three hundred horse of every division and said to them, "Do ye send supplies to your households, for I am resolved to abide by this city, year after year, till I have taken man-bote for my brother Sharrkan, even if I die in this stead." And when the army heard these words and had received his gifts of money they replied, "To hear is to obey!" Thereupon he summoned couriers and gave them letters and charged them to deliver the same, together with the monies, to the soldiers' families and inform them that all were safe and satisfied, and acquaint them saying, "We are encamped before Constantinople and we will either destroy it or die; and, albeit we be obliged to abide here months and years, we will not depart hence till we take it." Moreover, he bade the Wazir Dandan write to his sister, Nuzhat al-Zaman, and said to him, "Acquaint her with what hath befallen us, and what be our situation and commend my child to her care since that, when I went out to war, my wife was near her delivery and by this time she must needs have been brought to bed; and if she hath given birth to a boy, as I have heard say, hasten your return and bring me the acceptable news." Then he gave them somewhat of money, which they pouched and set out at once; and all the people flocked forth to take leave of them; and entrust them with the monies and the messages. After they had departed, Zau al-Makan turned to the Wazir Dandan and commanded him to advance with the army against the city walls. So the troops pushed forward, but found none on the ramparts, whereat they marvelled, while Zau al-Makan was troubled at the case, for he deeply mourned the severance from his brother Sharrkan and he was sore