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.'