"
The first slave, followed by the rest, advanced into the second court,
which was very spacious, and in which the sultan's household was ranged
during the sitting of the divan. The magnificence of the officers, who
stood at the head of their troops, was considerably eclipsed by the
slaves who bore Aladdin's present, of which they themselves made a
part. Nothing was ever seen so beautiful and brilliant in the sultan's
palace; and all the luster of the lords of his court was not to be
compared to them.
As the sultan, who had been informed of their march and approach to the
palace, had given orders for them to be admitted, they met with no
obstacle, but went into the divan in regular order, one part filing to
the right, and the other to the left. After they entered, and had
formed a semicircle before the sultan's throne, the black slaves laid
the golden trays on the carpet, prostrated themselves, touching the
carpet with their foreheads, and at the same time the white slaves did
the same. When they rose, the black slaves uncovered the trays, and
then all stood with their arms crossed over their breasts.
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