il against me
while I journey toward Mecca, for such is the faith of all true
believers: though they may oppress and fatigue me, yet in the end
shall I triumph. Besides, Horam, there remains no other course for
me."

"True, my Sultan," answered the Vizier: "without Allah, vain is the
counsel of man; but is not Allah everywhere present to aid and defend
the sons of the Faithful?"

"Though Allah be all-powerful," answered Misnar, "yet is not the slave
of His hand to direct the Lord of all things. If we would gain the
help and assistance of Allah, we must obey His commands; and well are
we assured in the law of our Prophet, that at Mecca shall the prayer
of the Faithful be heard. Wherefore, O Horam, no longer my slave, but
my friend, lead forth my armies with confidence and trust, and doubt
not that He, who daily refresheth the sun with light, will shortly
restore Misnar to the throne of his forefathers."

As he spake thus the Sultan broke from his Vizier, Horam, who had
fallen at his feet weeping at his fixed resolves, and penetrated into
the gloomy recesses of the forest.

All was silence and darkness, save where, through broken fragments of
fleeting clouds, the moon sometimes threw a feeble light on the gloom
of the forest.

"This gloomy recess," said Misnar, as he passed on, "which hides me
from the world, makes me better known to myself. In the Court of my
forefathers I am called the 'light of the world,' the 'glory of the
East,' and the 'eye of day;' but in the wild forest of Tarapajan I am
a poor helpless creature. What, then, is the pride of man but deceit,
and the glories of the earth but shadows? Surely more had I to fear
from enchantment on the throne of Dabulcombar than in the bosom of
this forest. Here the wild beast will not flatter me, nor will the
lordly lion acknowledge me the Sultan of his wild domains."

With such thoughts Misnar passed on for many days; till one night, at
a distance, he perceived the skies looked red with light from various
fires, and, by the noise, found that some Indians were carousing in
the woods before him.

The disguised Sultan endeavoured to avoid them, striking into a path
which led round their fires; but some of the Indians observing him,
called to their brother peasant, and desired him to partake of their
mirth.

Misnar thought it would be vain to refuse the request, as they all
seemed disposed to insist on their demands, and therefore hastened to
the scene of thei