grand vizier, with an order to strangle her; which was
accordingly executed by that minister, without inquiring into her
crime. The enraged prince did not stop here; he cut off the heads
of all the sultaness's ladies with his own hand. After this
rigorous punishment, being persuaded that no woman was chaste, he
resolved, in order to prevent the disloyalty of such as he should
afterwards marry, to wed one every night, and have her strangled
next morning. Having imposed this cruel law upon himself, he
swore that he would observe it immediately after the departure of
the king of Tartary, who speedily took leave of him, and, being
loaded with magnificent presents, set forward on his journey.

Schahzenan being gone, Schahriar ordered his grand vizier to
bring him the daughter of one of his generals. The vizier obeyed;
the sultan lay with her, and, putting her next morning into his
hands in order to be strangled, commanded him to get another next
night. Whatever reluctance the vizier had to put such orders in
execution, as he owed blind obedience to the sultan his master,
he was forced to submit. He brought him then the daughter of a
subaltern, whom he also cut off the next day. After her, he
brought a citizen's daughter; and, in a word, there was every day
a maid married, and a wife murdered.

The rumour of this unparalleled barbarity occasioned a general
consternation in the city, where there was nothing but crying and
lamentation. Here a father in tears, and inconsolable for the
loss of his daughter; and there tender mothers, dreading lest
theirs should have the same fate, making the air to resound
beforehand with their groans; so that, instead of the
commendations and blessings which the sultan had hitherto