When King Shah Bekht heard his vizier's speech, he was confounded
before him and abashed and marvelled at the gravity of his
understanding and his patience. So he sprang up to him and
embraced him and the vizier kissed his feet. Then the king called
for a sumptuous dress of honour and cast it over Er Rehwan and
entreated him with the utmost honour and showed him special
favour and restored him to his rank and vizierate. Moreover he
imprisoned those who had sought his destruction with leasing and
committed unto himself to pass judgment upon the interpreter who
had expounded to him the dream. So the vizier abode in the
governance of the realm till there came to them the Destroyer of
Delights; and this (added Shehrzad) is all, O king of the age,
that hath come down to us of King Shah Bekht and his vizier.





SHEHRZAD AND SHEHRIYAR.



As for King Shehriyar, he marvelled at Shehrzad with the utmost
wonder and drew her near to his heart, of his much love for her;
and she was magnified in his eyes and he said in himself, "By
Allah, the like of this woman is not deserving of slaughter, for
indeed the time affordeth not her like. By Allah, I have been
heedless of mine affair, and had not God overcome me with His
mercy and put this woman at my service, so she might adduce to me