saying these words: Dread Law, if thou
hadst taken half the pains to teach me to
discern thy ward that thou hast taken to avenge
him, thou hadst been spared the great account
to which I summon thee!

Taxedtaurus the Sultan of Persia listened
attentively to this recital on the part of his
Grand Vizier, and when it was concluded
said, with a threatening brow, Expound to
me, O, nephew of a dog! the points of
resemblance between the Tiger and the Nightingale,
and what thy ignorant man of the
accursed kingdom of the Tartars has to do
with the false Howsa Kummauns and the
glib Vizier Parmarstoon? While speaking
he again raised his glittering scimetar. Let
not my master sully the sole of his foot by
crushing an insect, returned the Vizier, kissing
the ground seven times, I meant but to
offer up a petition from the dust, that the
Light of the eyes of the Faithful would, before
striking, deign to hear my daughter. What
of thy daughter? said the Sultan impatiently,
and why should I hear thy daughter any
more than the daughter of the dirtiest of the
dustmen? Sire, returned the Vizier, I am
dirtier than the dirtiest of the dustmen in
your Majesty's sight, but my daughter is
deeply read in the history of every Howsa
Kummauns who has aspired to your Majesty's
favour during many years, and if your
Majesty would condescend to hear some of
the Legends she has to relate, they might—
What dost thou call thy daughter? demanded
the Sultan, interrupting. Hansardadade,
replied the Vizier. Go, said the Sultan, bring her
hither. I spare thy life until thou shalt return.

The Grand Vizier Parmarstoon, on receiving
the injunction to bring his daughter
Hansardadade into the royal presence, lost no
time in repairing to his palace which was but
across the Sultan's gardens, and going straight
to the women's apartments, found Hansardadade
surrounded by a number of old women
who were all consulting her at once. In truth,
this affable Princess was perpetually being
referred to, by all manner of old women.
Hastily causing her attendants, when she
heard her father's errand, to attire her in her
finest dress which outsparkled the sun; and
bidding her young sister, Brothartoon (or
Chamber Candlestick), to make similar
preparations and accompany her; the daughter of
the Grand Vizier soon covered herself with a
rich veil, and said to her father, with a low
obeisance, Sir, I am ready to attend you, to my
Lord, the Commander of the Faithful.

The Grand Vizier, and his daughter
Hansardadade, and her young sister Brothartoon,
preceded by Mistaspeeka, a black mute, the
Chief of the officers of the royal Seraglio,
went across the Sultan's gardens by the way
the Vizier had come, and arriving at the
Sultan's palace, found that monarch on his
throne surrounded by his principal counsellors
and officers of state. They all four prostrated
themselves at a distance, and waited the
Sultan's pleasure. That gracious prince was
troubled in his mind when he commanded
the fair Hansardadade (who, on the whole,
was very fair indeed), to approach, for he
had sworn an oath in the Vizier's absence
from which he could not depart.
Nevertheless, as it must be kept, he proceeded
to announce it before the assembly. Vizier,
said he, thou hast brought thy daughter
here, as possessing a large stock of Howsa
Kummauns experience, in the hope of her
relating something that may soften me under
my accumulated wrongs. Know that I have
solemnly sworn that if her stories fail—as
I believe they will—to mitigate my wrath,
I will have her burned and her ashes cast to
the winds! Also, I will strangle thee and the
present Howsa Kummauns, and will take a
new one every day and strangle her as soon as
taken, until I find a good and true one.
Parmarstoon replied, To hear is to obey.

Hansardadade then took a one-stringed lute,
and sang a lengthened song in prose. Its
purport was, I am the recorder of brilliant
eloquence, I am the chronicler of patriotism, I am
the pride of sages, and the joy of nations. The
continued salvation of the country is owing to
what I preserve, and without it there would be
no business done. Sweet are the voices of the
crow and chough, and Persia never never
never can have words enough. At the
conclusion of this delightful strain, the Sultan
and the whole divan were so faint with
rapture that they remained in a comatose state
for seven hours.

Would your Majesty, said Hansardadade,
when all were at length recovered, prefer
first to hear the story of the Wonderful
Camp, or the story of the Talkative Barber,
or the story of Searli Tapa and the Forty
Thieves? I would have thee commence,
replied the Sultan, with the story of the Forty
Thieves.

Hansardadade began, Sire, there was once a
poor relation—when Brothartoon interposed.
Dear sister, cried Brothartoon, it is now past
midnight, it will be shortly daybreak, and if
you are not asleep, you ought to be. I pray you,
dear sister, by all means to hold your tongue
to-night, and if my Lord the Sultan will suffer
you to live another day, you can talk
tomorrow. The Sultan arose with a clouded
face, but went out without giving any orders
for the execution.

SISTER ROSE.

IN SEVEN CHAPTERS. __ CHAPTER IV.

THE head-gaoler of St. Lazare stood in
the outer hall of the prison, two days after
the arrest at Trudaine's lodgings, smoking
his morning pipe. Looking towards the
court-yard gate, he saw the wicket opened,
and a privileged man let in, whom he soon
recognised as the chief-agent of the second
section of Secret Police. "Why friend
Lomaque," cried the gaoler, advancing towards