eve the truth which you discover to
me. The inclination which drew me to them told me plainly they must be
my own kin. Come then, my sons, come, my daughter, let me embrace you,
and give you the first marks of a father's love and tenderness."

The emperor then rose, and after having embraced the two princes and
the princess, and mingled his tears with theirs, said, "It is not
enough, my children. You must embrace each other, not as the children
of the intendant of my gardens, to whom I have been so much obliged
for preserving your lives, but as my own children, of the royal blood
of the monarchs of Persia, whose glory, I am persuaded, you will
maintain."

After the two princes and the princess had embraced mutually with new
satisfaction, the emperor sat down again with them, and finished his
meal in haste; and when he had done, said, "My children, you see in me
your father; to-morrow I will bring the queen your mother. Therefore
prepare to receive her."

The emperor afterward mounted his horse, and returned with expedition
to his capital. The first thing he did, as soon as he had alighted and
entered his palace, was to command the grand vizier to seize the
queen's two sisters. They were taken from their houses separately,
convicted and condemned, and the fatal sentence was put in execution
within an hour.

In the meantime the Emperor Khoonoo-shah, followed by all the lords of
his court who were then present, went on foot to the door of the great
mosque; and after he had taken the queen out of the strict confinement
she had languished under for so many years, embracing her in the
miserable condition to which she was then reduced, he said to her,
with tears in his eyes:

"I come to entreat your pardon for the injustice I have done you, and
to make you the reparation I ought. I have punished your cruel sisters
who put the abominable cheat upon me; and I hope soon to present to
you two accomplished princes and a lovely princess, our children. Come
and resume your former rank, with all the honors which are your due."

All this was done and said before great crowds of people, who flocked
from all parts at the first news of what was passing, and immediately
spread the joyful intelligence through the city.

Next morning early the emperor and queen, whose mournful humiliating
dress was changed for magnificent robes, went with all their court to
the house built by the intendant of the gardens, where the emperor
presented