he intended her, she fainted away, and
fell down as dead at his feet. Helim wept, and after having recovered
her out of the trance into which she was fallen, represented to the king
that so unexpected an honour was too great to have been communicated to
her all at once; but that, if he pleased, he would himself prepare her
for it. The king bid him take his own away and dismissed him.

13. Balsora was conveyed again to her father's house, where the thoughts
of Abdallah renewed her affliction every moment; insomuch that at length
she fell into a raging fever. The king was informed of her condition by
those who saw her. Helim finding no other means of extricating her from
the difficulties she was in, after having composed her mind, and made
her acquainted with his intentions, gave her a certain potion, which he
knew would lay her asleep for many hours; and afterwards in all the
seeming distress of a disconsolate father informed the king she was
dead.

14. The king, who never let any sentiments of humanity come too near his
heart, did not much trouble himself about the matter; however, for his
own reputation, he told the father, that since it was known through the
empire that Balsora died at a time when he designed her for his bride,
it was his intention that she should be honoured as such after her
death, that her body should be laid in the black palace, among those of
his deceased queens.

15. In the meantime Abdallah, who had heard of the king's design, was
not less afflicted than his beloved Balsora. As for the several
circumstances of his distress, as also how the king was informed of an
irrecoverable distemper into which he was fallen, they are to be found
at length in the history of Helim.

16. It shall suffice to acquaint the reader, that Helim, some days after
the supposed death of his daughter, gave the prince a potion of the same
nature with which he had laid asleep Balsora.

17. It is the custom among the Persians, to convey in a private manner
the bodies of all the royal family a little after their death, into the
black palace; which is the repository of all who are descended from the
Caliphs, or any way allied to them. The chief physician is always
governor of the black palace; it being his office to embalm and
preserve the holy family after they are dead, as well as to take care of
them while they are yet living.

18. The black palace is so called from the colour of the building, which
is all of the fi