She abode thus awhileordering and forbiddingand remitted taxes and released prisoners and redressed grievancesso that all the people came to hold her in exceeding reverence and to love herby reason of her generosity and continence；butas often as she bethought her of her lordshe wept and besought God to reunite them；and one nightas she was thinking of him and calling to mind the days she had passed with himher eyes ran over with tears and she repeated the following verses：
My longing'spite of timefor thee is ever new；My weeping wounds my lids and tears on tears ensue.
Whenas I weepI weep for anguish of desire；For grievous severance is a lover's heart unto.
Then she wiped away her tears and risingbetook herself to the haremwhere she appointed to the slave-girls and concubines separate lodgings and assigned them pensions and allowances，giving out that she was minded to live apart and devote herself to works of piety. So she betook herself to fasting and praying，till the Amirs said'Verilythis Sultan is exceeding devout.'
Nor would she suffer any attendants about hersave two little eunuchsto serve her.
She held the throne thus a whole yearduring which time she heard no news of Ali Sharand this was exceeding grievous to her；sowhen her distress became excessiveshe summoned her Viziers and chamberlains and bid them fetch architects and builders and make her a tilting grounda parasang long and the like broadin front of the palace. They hastened to do her biddingand when the place was competed to her likingshe went down into it and they pitched her there a great pavilionwherein the chairs of the Amirs were set in their order. Then she bade spread in the tilting-ground tables with all manner rich meats and ordered the grandees to eat. So they ate and she said to them'It is my will thaton the first day of each monthye do on this wise and proclaim in the city that none shall open his shopbut that all the people shall come and eat of the king's banquetand that whoso disobeyeth shall be hanged over his own door.'
They did as she bade themand when came the first day of the next monthZumurrud went down into the tilting-ground and the crier proclaimed aloudsaying'Hoall ye peoplegreat and smallwhoso openeth shop or house or magazine shall straightway be hanged over his own door；for it behoves you all to come and eat of the king's banquet.'Then they laid the tables and the people came in troops；so she bade them sit down at the tables and eat their fill of all the dishes. So they sat down and she sat on her chair of estatewatching themwhilst each thought she was looking at none but him. Then they fell to eating and the Amirs said to them'Eat and be not ashamed；for this is pleasing to the King.'So they ate their fill and went awayblessing the King and sayingone to the other'Never saw we a Sultan that loved the poor as doth this Sultan.'And they wished her length of lifewhilst Zumurrud returned to the palacerejoicing in her device and saying in herself'If it please God the Most HighI shall surely by this means happen on news of my lord Ali Shar.'
When the first day of the second month came roundshe made the banquet as before and the folk came and sat down at the tables，company by company and one by one. As she sat on her throneat the head of the tableswatching the people eather eye fell on Bersoumthe Nazarene who had bought the curtain of Ali Shar；and she knew him and said in herself'This is the first of my solace and of the accomplishment of my desire.'Bersoum came up to the table and sitting down with the rest to eatespied a dish of sweet ricesprinkled with sugar；but it was far from him. So he pushed up to it and putting out his hand to ittook it and set it before himself. His next neighbour said to him'Why dost thou not eat of what is before thee？ Art thou not ashamed to reach over for a dish that is distant from thee？'Quoth Bersoum'I will eat of none but this dish.'Eat then，'rejoined the other，'and small good may it do thee！'But another mana hashish-eatersaid'Let him eat of itthat I may eat with him.'O unluckiest of hashish-eaters，'replied the first speaker'this is no meat for thee；it is eating for Amirs. Let it bethat it may return to those for whom it is meant and they eat it.'
But Bersoum heeded him not and putting his hand to the ricetook a mouthful and put it in his mouth. He was about to take a second mouthfulwhen Zumurrudwho was watching himcried out to certain of her guardssaying'Bring me yonder man with the dish of sweet rice before him and let him not eat the mouthful he hath readybut throw it from his hand.'So four of the guards went up to Bersoum and throwing the mouthful of rice from his handhaled him forthright before Zumurrudwhilst all the people left eating and said to one another'By Allahhe did wrong in not eating of the food meant for the like of him.'For me，'quoth one'I was content with this frumenty that is before me.'And the hashish-eater said'Praised be God who hindered me from eating of the dish of sweet ricefor I looked for it to stand before him and was only waiting for him to have stayed his hunger of itto eat with himwhen there befell him what we see.'And they saidone to another'Wait till we see what befalls him.'
