Then he carried him to his palace and said to him, 'Where didst
thou leave the Vizier?' 'I left him,' replied the messenger, 'at
the first of the day, on the banks of such a river, and he will
be with thee to-morrow, may God continue His favours to thee
and have mercy upon thy parents!' Whereupon the King commanded
one of his Viziers to take the better part of his nobles and
chamberlains and officers and grandees and go out to meet the
ambassador, in honour of King Suleiman Shah, for that his
dominion extended over the country.
Meanwhile, King Suleiman's Vizier abode in his stead, till the
night was half spent, when he set out for the city; but hardly
had the day appeared and the sun risen upon the hills and plains,
when he saw King Zehr Shah's Vizier approaching with his retinue
and the two parties joined company at some parasangs' distance
from the city. At this the Vizier made sure of the success of his
errand and saluted the new-comers, who escorted him to the King's
palace and forewent him to the seventh vestibule, where none
might enter on horseback, for it was near the presence chamber of
the King. So the Vizier alighted and walked on till he came to a
lofty hall, at the upper end whereof stood a couch of alabaster,
set with pearls end jewels and having four elephants' tusks for
feet. It was covered with a mattress of green satin, embroidered
with red gold, and surmounted by a canopy adorned with pearls and
jewels, and on it sat King Zehr Shah, whilst his officers of
state stood in attendance on him.
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