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50 make the general recollect in how much danger he had involved himself, and how critical was his situation. Struck with this conviction, he turned to the right, and for the first time in his life went to pay a visit to Zulficar-khan. The vezir expressed his surprize, and wished to know what were his commands, and to what he owed the honour of so unexpected a visit. The general gave him a faithful account of what had happened. The vezir not only condoled with him, but applauded his conduct. As soon as he was gone, the minister wrote this short note to the emperor: "The honour of any one of the nobility belongs to them all, and that of your devoted slave is identified with Chin-khalich-khan." It was high time that such a note should arrive, for by this time Zahra had got within the precincts of the palace, but without advancing farther than the gate, when she threw ashes upon her head, and rolled in the dust. Lal-koor, who thought herself involved in the affair, worked upon the emperor's mind to induce him to commit some act of severity, and God knows what might have been the result, when the note was put into his hand.

This affair happened at the very time when Lal-koor's worthy brother, unable to restrain himself in his sudden elevation, was guilty of all sorts of excesses. This upstart, having chanced to see