to him justice and equity.  And he farewelled him that night and died and his son reigned in his stead.[FN#228] “On like wise, O king” (continued the young treasurer), “’tis with thee.  If Allah have written aught on my forehead, needs must it befal me and my speech to the king shall not avail me; no, nor my illustrating it to him with instances, against the doom of Allah.  And so it is with these Wazirs, for all their eagerness and endeavour for my destruction, this shall not profit them; because, if Allah determine to save me, He will give me the victory over them.”  When the king heard these words he became perplexed and said, “Return him to the prison till the morrow, so we may look into his affair, for the day draweth to an end and I mean to do him dead in foulest sort, and to-morrow we will visit him with that which he meriteth.”

The Tenth Day.

Of the Appointed Term,[FN#229] Which, if it be Advanced, may not be Deferred, and if it be Deferred, may not be Advanced.

When it was the tenth day (now this day was called Al-Mihrjan[FN#230] and it was the day of the coming in of the folk, gentle and simple, to the king, so they might give him joy and salute him and go forth), the council of the Wazirs agreed that they should speak with a company of the city notables.  So they said to them, “When ye go in today to the king and salute him, do ye say to him, ’O king (to the Lord be the laud!), thou art praiseworthy of policy and procedure and just to all thy subjects; but respecting this youth whom thou hast favoured and who nevertheless hath reverted to his base origin and done this foul deed, what is thy purpose in his continuance?  Indeed, thou hast prisoned him in thy palace, and every day thou hearest his palaver and thou knowest not what the folk say.’” And they answered, “Hearing is obeying.”  Accordingly, when they entered with the folk and had prostrated themselves before the king and congratulated his majesty, he raised their several degrees.  Now it was the custom of the folk to salute and go forth; but they took seat, and the king knew that they had a word they would fain address to him:  so he turned to them (the Wazirs being also present) and said, “Ask your need.”  Therefore they repeated to him all that the Ministers had taught them and the Wazirs also spoke with them; and Azadbakht said to them, “O folk, I would have it known to you that there is no doubt with me concerning this your speech proceeding from love and loyal counsel to me, and ye ken that, were I inclined to kill half these folk, I could do them die and this would not be hard to me; so how shall I not slay this youth and he in my power and in the hending of my hand?  Indeed, his crime is manifest and he hath incurred death penalty; and I have deferred it only by reason of the greatness of the offence; for, an I do this with him and my proof against him be strengthened, my heart is healed and the heart of my whole folk; and if I slay him