86 
THE ORIENTAL ANNUAL. 
elate with his prospect of revenge and aggrandise- 
ment, proceeded to the governors palace and deli- 
vered the khalif s letter. Immediately upon perusal 
of that death-warrant, the governor ordered the 
vizier to be bound with his head touching his 
heels, and in that posture to be suspended over 
the gate of the fort until he died ; an inscription 
being written over him, warning all beholders that 
such would be the inevitable fate of all who should be 
guilty of perfidy or disrespect to a gracious sovereign. 
It happened that, in the interim, the khalif also 
had been indisposed and unable to attend his court ; 
but, on his recovery, he despatched a messenger to 
the house of the vizier, to inquire if any tidings had 
been received concerning the kalundur, or the object 
of his mission. The reply which he received was, 
that the kalundur was then in attendance upon his 
majesty’s pleasure, with news of importance; but 
that the vizier had been some days departed upon 
his majesty’s commission to the governor of a certain 
distant fortress. On hearing these things, the khalif 
was filled with admiration, for with the eagle eye 
of wisdom he in a moment detected the operation 
of Divine justice. The kalundur was immediately 
admitted to the presence, and a few words of expla- 
nation sufficed to establish the truth of the reflection 
which the kalundur had addressed to the vizier : 
“ The arrow of fate is always discharged from the 
bow of Providence ; our lives are a mere target.” 
