stody of Ashfak-os Sultan. At night the King sent
for the minister, and, summoning Sadik Allee, bid him dress himself
exactly as he was dressed on the night he visited him, and prepare a
room in the palace exactly in the same manner as he had prepared his
own to receive his Majesty on that night. He chose a small room in
the palace, and under the ceiling he suspended a second ceiling, so
that no one could perceive how it was fixed on, and placed himself
between the two. When all was ready the King went to the apartment
with the minister, accompanied by Ruzee-od Dowlah, the head singer.
When the door of the apartment was closed, they first heard a
frightful voice, without being able to perceive whence it came.
Neither the minister nor the King could perceive the slightest
opening or fissure in the ceiling. They then came out and closed the
door, but immediately heard from within the peaceful salutation of
'salaam aleekom,' and the man appeared within as King of the Fairies,
and presented his Majesty with some jewels and other offerings. All
was here enacted precisely as it had been acted on the occasion of
the King's visit to Muftee Gunge. Turning an angry look upon Ruzee-od
Dowlah, the King said, 'All the evil that I have so often heard of
you, men of Rampoor, I have now with my own eyes seen realized;' and,
turning to the minister, he said, 'How often have these men spoken
evil of you before me!' Ruzee-od Dowlah then said, 'If your Majesty
thinks me guilty, I pray you to punish me as may seem to you proper;
but I entreat you not to make me over to the minister.' The King,
without deigning any reply, summoned Hajee Shureef, and told him to
place mounted sentries of his own corps of cavalry over the door of
Saadut Allee Khan's mausoleum, in which these singers resided, and
infantry sentries in the apartments with them, with strict orders
that no one should be permitted to go out without, being first
strictly searched. The sister of Ruzee-od Dowla could nowhere be
found, and was supposed to have made her escape."

The King had several interviews of this kind with his Majesty, the
King of the Fairies, who described the symptoms from which he
suffered, and prescribed the remedies, which consisted chiefly of
rich offerings to the Fairies, who were to relieve him. He frequently
received letters from the Fairy King to the same effect, written in
an imperious style, suited to the occasion. The farce was carried on
for several