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+Project Gutenberg's Eastern Tales by Many Story Tellers, by Various
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Eastern Tales by Many Story Tellers
+
+Author: Various
+
+Release Date: August 19, 2008 [EBook #26358]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EASTERN TALES ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Delphine Lettau, and the
+Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+                      _THE "CHANDOS CLASSICS."_
+
+
+
+                            EASTERN TALES
+
+
+
+                                  BY
+
+                          MANY STORY TELLERS
+
+
+
+        COMPILED AND EDITED FROM ANCIENT AND MODERN AUTHORS BY
+
+                            MRS. VALENTINE
+
+       _Author of "Sea Fights and Land Battles," &c., &c., &c._
+
+
+
+                     WITH  NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+
+
+
+
+
+                                LONDON
+
+                        FREDERICK WARNE & CO.
+
+                        BEDFORD STREET, STRAND
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+PREFACE.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+In compiling this volume of Eastern Tales, the Editor has been careful
+to select only those best suited to youthful readers. They have been
+gathered from both ancient and modern, French, Italian, and English
+sources, and therefore offer great variety of style and subject.
+
+In the stories taken from the Tales of the Genii, an omission of a few
+words has been made, to fit them for their place in this volume.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+[Illustration]
+
+                                                          PAGE
+
+JALALADDEEN OF BAGDAD                                      1
+
+THE STORY OF HASCHEM                                      40
+
+THE PANTOFLES                                             73
+
+STORY OF THE PRINCE AND THE LIONS                         78
+
+THE CITY OF THE DEMONS                                    95
+
+JUSSUF, THE MERCHANT OF BALSORA                          104
+
+THE SEVEN SLEEPERS                                       169
+
+THE ENCHANTERS; OR, MISNAR, THE SULTAN OF INDIA          200
+
+SADIK BEG                                                306
+
+HALECHALBE AND THE UNKNOWN LADY                          309
+
+THE FOUR TALISMANS                                       341
+
+THE STORY OF BOHETZAD; OR, THE LOST CHILD                366
+
+URAD; OR, THE FAIR WANDERER                              499
+
+ALISCHAR AND SMARAGDINE                                  524
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+EASTERN TALES.
+
+Jalaladdeen of Bagdad.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived in the city of Bagdad a young man called
+Jalaladdeen. It was not his native place; but, in his early days, his
+father had taken up his abode there. He was, however, little
+acquainted with the town, in which he had grown up a sturdy youth; for
+his father inhabited a small house in one of the suburbs, and lived a
+very retired and frugal life. They managed their household affairs,
+and cultivated their small garden, without the aid of any domestics.
+
+One day the father, feeling his end approaching, called for his son
+once more to his bed-side before his death, and said to him,
+"Jalaladdeen, my dearest son, thou seest that I have arrived at the
+bourne of my earthly career: now I should joyously quit this life,
+were it not for the thought that I must leave thee here alone. After
+my death, thou wilt find that thou are not so poor as thou mayest have
+conceived, and that too with good reason, from our hitherto contracted
+habits of life. Nevertheless, guard against the impression that thou
+art in possession of inexhaustible riches. Reflect that a year has
+three hundred and sixty-five days, and that the smallest expenditure,
+when it occurs daily, will in the end amount to no inconsiderable sum.
+Pay careful heed, therefore, to these my instructions, and be
+contented with the necessaries of life. Provide that which is
+indispensable to thy subsistence; but beware of purchasing
+superfluities. Man's wants increase daily, if he do not accustom
+himself in his early days to practise self-denial. But shouldest thou
+ever be so unhappy as to neglect these my sincere cautions, and
+consequently fall into poverty, I have only this piece of advice left
+for thee:--Take this rope, fasten it to the nail in yonder wall, and
+pull stoutly three times."
+
+After these words, with his latest strength he drew a new rope from
+under the head of his bed, and presented it to Jalaladdeen: the next
+moment he expired.
+
+So remarkable was the last lesson of the dying father to Jalaladdeen,
+that he carefully preserved the rope. The care of the funeral of the
+deceased, and the grief for the loss of his parent, and his own
+abandonment in the world, occupied Jalaladdeen's mind for the first
+week; but soon the household matters demanded his attention, and he
+speedily found his father's words verified. One day he discovered in a
+chamber which his father had always kept locked, and which he himself
+had never before entered, a great quantity of gold and jewels. He
+still, however, persevered in his accustomed solitary and frugal life
+in the same manner as before the death of his father. He fetched his
+daily provisions for himself, worked in his garden, and dressed his
+own food. One day it happened that as he went to fetch a piece of meat
+from his butcher, he passed a house adjacent to his own, from an inner
+room of which there sounded joyous voices, jokes, songs, and laughter.
+He felt a desire to open the door a little and to peep in; and a
+tastefully furnished chamber, hung with light blue silk draperies
+ornamented with golden lace, presented itself to his view. Beneath a
+canopy reclined five richly dressed young men at a table covered with
+a costly cloth, on which stood dishes and plates. On a side-board
+stood drinking-vessels and jugs; and five slaves were busily employed
+in serving the company with viands and liquors. At sight of this
+cheerful and joyous assemblage, Jalaladdeen felt discontented with his
+lot.
+
+"How happy are they!" said he to himself: "here they repose together,
+and take their refreshments in common, savoured by sprightly
+conversation and jokes. Alas! I, poor Jalaladdeen, must sit at home
+alone, and take my solitary meal!"
+
+While he was indulging in these reflections, one of the young men
+observed him; and, as Jalaladdeen was withdrawing, he stepped forward
+hastily and invited him in a most friendly manner to remain with them
+during the day, and to pass it in a cheerful and convivial spirit.
+Jalaladdeen endeavoured to excuse himself by pointing to his mean
+garb, intimating his inability to mix in such society; but his
+objections were of no avail. He was conducted to the table in a most
+courteous manner, and seated with them. The slaves waited on him, and
+placed before him viands with which he was at once pleased and
+astonished.
+
+As one of the slaves handed him a full goblet, he held it doubtfully
+in his hand for some time, without tasting it. Upon this, one of the
+young men, who appeared to be the host, said, "Why do you not drink?"
+
+"I do not know," replied he, "what the liquor is: I am fearful it may
+be wine, which our great Prophet has forbidden us."
+
+Hereupon all the company raised a hearty laugh at him.
+
+"Do you know," said one, "why the Prophet forbade his disciples to
+drink wine?"
+
+As Jalaladdeen replied in the negative, the other proceeded thus: "The
+Prophet observed many of his disciples, when they had partaken freely
+of the vine, brawling and quarrelsome; and therefore he forbade it.
+The beverage, however, was very different in its effects: some of them
+it rendered lazy and inactive; others, too, would defy the whole
+world, when heated by its influence. But why should he order us to
+shun it? He in fact allows us to use it, so long as we do not abuse
+it; and as we are all good companions, and avoid brawls in every
+possible way, there is no danger of neglecting the Prophet's command."
+
+In consequence of this explanation, Jalaladdeen lifted the flagon to
+his mouth, and emptied it with the greatest pleasure. "Sorry company
+spoils good liquor." This maxim was readily adopted. In consequence of
+his father's precepts, Jalaladdeen had always been in the habit of
+treating all religious tenets with the greatest respect. But fearful
+that, by remaining long with his new acquaintance, he should neglect
+his father's words, he contrived at first to drink very sparingly. The
+beverage, which he had hitherto never tasted, proved very agreeable to
+his palate; and when the host called upon him to drain his cup, "Ah,"
+thought he, "I have made one false step; I have erred from the right
+path! Whether I drink little, or empty the goblet, is of no great
+consequence; for I have broken the commandment of the Prophet."
+
+He quaffed again and again, and had his cup filled so frequently, that
+he gradually forgot all his good intentions, and felt a degree of
+excitement which seemed to run through his veins in a manner he had
+never before experienced. He had by this time lost all self-command;
+and as he could neither call sense nor recollection to his aid, by
+degrees he fashioned himself to the habits of his friends, and pleased
+them more and more.
+
+"Here, friend," said one of them at last, "your company is very
+pleasant. I wish to have you always with us, that we may revel and
+enjoy ourselves together."
+
+The others also approved of the plan, and pressed him to become one of
+them.
+
+"I would willingly do so," said Jalaladdeen; "but I must first know
+what your society is, and whether it would be proper for me to conform
+to its customs. Some associations are dangerous."
+
+"Have no fear on that account," said one: "our brotherhood is
+perfectly harmless, and its aim innocent. See, we are five
+unencumbered young men, each having some independent property. We have
+linked ourselves together, and formed a confederacy to meet at one
+another's residences, and to enjoy ourselves day after day in comfort
+and pleasure. He to whose lot it has fallen to become host to-day
+provides meat and drink, and if it should cost him something more than
+usual, he makes up the loss by becoming on the next occasions the
+guest of others. In this manner we pass a life devoid of care, and
+feast, joke, and laugh with one another the livelong day."
+
+The condition into which the wine and the luxuries of the table had
+brought Jalaladdeen disposed him to be well pleased with the offer,
+and he was easily induced to identify his lot with theirs. When
+evening drew on, and he rose to take his departure, they showed him
+the house of meeting for the morrow, and he returned to his own home
+delighted with the events of the day, and, retiring to rest, was soon
+locked in profound sleep, and lulled by happy dreams.
+
+When he awoke the next morning, he reflected on the transactions of
+the previous day, lamenting that he had so entirely disregarded his
+father's last words, and had totally neglected the observance of the
+Prophet's command. These thoughts, coupled with the admonition of his
+dying father, occasioned great anguish to his heart; and the
+recollection of the vast expense incurred by the feasting of the
+former day, and the calculation of the sum he should require to
+entertain his friends with similar hospitality, made him feel an
+inclination to withdraw from the connection; but, as he had pledged
+his word, he was reluctant to quit them at so early a stage.
+
+He then calculated what he should require, and proceeded to the
+chamber where his riches lay. But the sight of the treasures banished
+all cares from his breast; "for," thought he to himself, "if I should
+expend a sum similar to that of yesterday, I shall want but very
+little of this gold." He then took a bag of gold with him, and went
+out to purchase the necessaries for the banquet.
+
+On arriving at the city he took a porter with him, and bought various
+articles for the feast: a table for six, with a costly cover and
+carpet. From thence he proceeded to a silversmith, and purchased jugs,
+and flagons, and drinking-vessels, and other utensils for the table,
+superior to those of his friends. Then he visited a china-shop, and
+selected some of the handsomest porcelain china and Japan ware that
+was to be found, and provided himself with elegant services of plates
+and dishes. He continued in this manner furnishing himself with every
+useful and ornamental article for one of his largest rooms.
+
+While he was thus employed in collecting and dispatching to his house
+these various utensils, the time for assembling at his friend's house
+drew near. He accordingly bent his steps thither, and was most gladly
+welcomed. They sat down to table, and when the first course was
+served, "You should have brought a slave with you," said the host, "as
+we do: that is one of our customs."
+
+Jalaladdeen explained that he had not yet purchased a slave, but
+undertook to procure one by the following morning.
+
+The day passed, like the former one, in great glee and festivity. The
+second supply of wine was ordered, and Jalaladdeen took his first
+goblet with great hesitation; but this was soon dissipated by his
+friends, and his cup was filled again and again, till he became
+exactly in the same condition as on the previous occasion.
+
+After three or four days, he was altogether accustomed to his new mode
+of living; and he was at a loss to comprehend how he could have
+remained so long in his old quiet habits, blaming his father in his
+mind for keeping him in retirement so many years, and for depriving
+him of the happiness of a convivial life.
+
+He looked back with joy to the day upon which he had formed an
+acquaintance with his new friends, and congratulated himself on the
+prospect of a closer intimacy with them. He soon provided himself with
+two slaves: to one he confided the duties of the kitchen; the office
+of the other was to wait upon him and his friends.
+
+When the young men met for the first time at his house, they were
+astonished at its meanness and the want of accommodation, owing to the
+small size of the rooms. Jalaladdeen apologized to them, saying it had
+been his father's house, and that in consequence he did not wish to
+part with it. Though his companions approved of this motive, still
+they considered that he ought to provide a spacious dining-room for
+their comfort, or to build an open pavilion in the garden, where they
+might assemble more conveniently.
+
+"In this small chamber," said one, "it is impossible to enjoy oneself
+at ease: the room is so contracted and inconvenient."
+
+"Yes, brother," said another; "you must do something: a pavilion must
+be erected in the garden; and while you are about it, let it be both
+handsome and commodious."
+
+Then they suggested all kinds of plans for the building, each one
+pointing out some novel feature or other which he particularly begged
+might not be forgotten in its construction.
+
+Jalaladdeen was soon thoroughly convinced of the necessity of
+providing a large room for their comfort; and pledging himself now, as
+he knew what was required, to follow the suggestion of his friends, he
+promised to use his best endeavours to render the building conformable
+to their several tastes.
+
+He accordingly the next day sent for an architect, who well knew how
+to enlarge upon what was necessary for the solidity of the pavilion,
+what was requisite for its proper appearance, and what the cost of the
+building would be, and desired him to erect it. Jalaladdeen yielded to
+his opinion on every point, hoping to gain the praise and approbation
+of his friends; and in order to carry this out more fully, he would
+not suffer any one to enter the garden during the progress of the
+work.
+
+At length the pavilion was completed, and the friends were assembled
+together there for the banquet. Everything was deemed praiseworthy,
+and highly approved.
+
+At last, however, one exclaimed, "It is much to be regretted, friend
+Jalaladdeen, that your garden is so small. What a miserable prospect
+you have! On this side nothing but poor vegetable-gardens; on the
+other side that ugly old building obstructs the view. If I were in
+your place, I would buy up the land around, pull down the barracks and
+the little buildings adjacent, and thus make one vast pleasure-garden,
+befitting such a splendid pavilion."
+
+As the rest of the guests concurred, Jalaladdeen began to think
+himself that to erect a large handsome pavilion on such small grounds
+was indeed a mistake. He immediately, therefore, bought up all the
+small gardens, for which he was obliged to pay a very heavy
+price--firstly, because the owners did not wish to part with them; and
+secondly, as the produce of the ground was necessary for their
+subsistence.
+
+As he had now got the requisite space on all sides, he employed a
+skilful gardener to lay out the grounds tastefully; and in order to
+cultivate this new garden, and keep it constantly in proper order, he
+was compelled to enlarge his establishment by a head gardener and
+several assistants. His house was too small to accommodate them. He
+therefore built a dwelling-house for them on a suitable spot of the
+garden. Thus one foolish expenditure always renders another outlay
+necessary.
+
+Soon, by degrees, their manner of living became more and more
+expensive, as each endeavoured to excel the others in the splendour of
+his hospitality, and to procure for the next meeting at his house
+scarcer viands and more costly wines. In this manner they vied with
+each other, increasing their expenses with savoury spices and the most
+delicious perfumes.
+
+This daily intercourse, however, was soon discontinued; and they
+assembled every day at Jalaladdeen's pavilion. He took a delight in
+being continual host, on account of the praise they lavished upon him,
+and the assurance they gave him that his table produced the best fare,
+and that the taste of his saloon was of the most superior order. By
+this means, in a short time his treasures of gold were expended; still
+he comforted himself with his precious stones, of which he possessed
+an immense quantity. At last these gems were squandered away; and he
+offered one costly article after another to a jeweller for sale, who
+on each occasion named a less price than before. Soon his only
+remaining valuable ring was sold for a small sum; and Jalaladdeen
+entertained his friends for the last time.
+
+In the course of the banquet, he took the opportunity of explaining
+the state of his affairs, and begged some one of them to undertake the
+office of host, as they had been in the habit of doing. But his
+friends on this occasion received his announcement with great
+surprise.
+
+"Is it thus with you?" said one, in astonishment.
+
+"Are you obliged to have recourse to such means?" said another. "You
+have invited us here, and furnished your table most sumptuously; and
+are matters thus with you? If it be so, you are rightly served. Your
+profligate habits have led us into great expenses. 'T is good; you
+have given us a proof of what such things lead to."
+
+"What!" said a third, "do you wish us to take up the office of host in
+order to come to the same end at which you have arrived?"
+
+"I will give you some sound advice," said a fourth: "whenever you meet
+with a fool who is inclined to lay out his money in the purchase of
+such a poor tasteless garden as you have made, dispose of it to him,
+and with the proceeds take a little shop, and support yourself by
+trade."
+
+"Look to yourself," said the fifth: "I am very sorry for you; but I
+cannot help you."
+
+They then left him, some upbraiding him, others shrugging their
+Shoulders with pity.
+
+"These are friends indeed!" said Jalaladdeen, bitterly, as they
+deserted him. "Oh, why did I neglect my father's injunctions? Even on
+the first day of our acquaintance, I should have taken warning by
+their carelessness in disregarding the Prophet's commandment
+concerning the abuse of wine. Ah me! I am justly punished."
+
+He immediately began to retrench his household expenditure, and
+shortly his handsome tapestries and costly goods were all sold off,
+and he was reduced to the necessity of economizing most rigidly. But
+deeply as he felt the loss of those comforts which he had so lately
+enjoyed, his reflections bore still heavier upon him.
+
+In his contemplations one day on his unhappy lot, he laid himself
+down in the same chamber in which he had received his dying father's
+commands. Here he experienced the most bitter anguish for the
+past--looked forward with sorrow and amazement to the future, as he
+had no one to advise and counsel him. Here his eye lighted upon the
+nail in the wall; and the last words of his father rung again in his
+ears--"Take this rope; you will see a nail in the wall; fasten it, and
+pull three times."
+
+Jalaladdeen immediately opened a drawer where the rope lay, fetched a
+stool to the spot, made fast the end of the rope to the nail, and
+pulled with all his might. At the third pull he found he had torn the
+nail out of the wall, which had brought with it a square piece of
+board, thus leaving a large opening: he observed, too, that this was
+not the effect of chance, but of design. How great, then, was his
+astonishment when, on fetching a ladder, and looking into the opening,
+he discovered a much larger bag of gold, pearls, and other precious
+stones, than that one he found on a previous occasion, and which he
+had so thoughtlessly squandered. He now perceived that his father had
+prevented his touching this treasure until he should have learnt by
+misfortune how easily vast riches are dissipated, and should have been
+convinced by experience of the truth of his fatherly instructions and
+warning.
+
+In order to avoid falling again into the hands of his profligate
+friends, should they hear of his improved circumstances, and to rid
+himself of their company for ever, he sold his house, and bought
+another, moderately large, pleasantly situated in an open plain in the
+neighbourhood of a mosque. He fitted it up conveniently; for his
+wealth, though not limited, was still not superfluously large.
+
+When he took possession of his new house, the person who had sold it
+to him said, "I must leave something of my own here with you, as I
+have not been able to remove it, though with the best intention." He
+then conducted him into one of the apartments in which was standing a
+large copper vessel of elaborate workmanship. The cover of the vessel
+was sealed, and on the seal Jalaladdeen perceived the letters of a
+strange language.
+
+"Sir," said the former owner, "this chest has stood in this room from
+time immemorial. My father forbade me to break the seal, and declared
+that he who should lay his hand on it for such a purpose would suffer
+severely for his foolhardiness. I have, I confess, in former times
+felt a strong inclination to loosen the seal, but fear has hitherto
+deterred me; but to-day as I had all my furniture removed from this
+house, I had this chest also conveyed to my new dwelling; but scarcely
+had the porter placed it down, when it disappeared. However, I found
+it shortly afterwards in this room again, and ordered its removal a
+second time; but it was soon standing here again in its old place.
+Perhaps a tutelary genius, invisible to us, inhabits the house.
+However, as it will not suffer itself to be removed, you may keep it
+here in the name of the Prophet. But forget not my warning--leave the
+seal unbroken."
+
+Jalaladdeen felt half inclined to doubt these words; but nodding his
+head, he said to the man, "Well, well, leave the chest here; and if at
+any time I find it inconvenient, you will not, of course, object to
+remove it."
+
+Scarcely had the man quitted the house, when Jalaladdeen called a
+slave, and desired him to place the vessel in a corner of the house.
+
+"'T is an old chest," said he: "remove it; its old appearance does not
+correspond with the decorations of this room, which I intend to use as
+my sleeping-chamber. Now," said he to himself, "I shall see if the man
+has told the truth."
+
+The slave removed the chest without ceremony, and Jalaladdeen
+contemplated, for some time, with great earnestness, the spot where it
+had lately stood; and as it did not appear again, he fancied that he
+had rid himself of it for ever. All at once, however, it was standing
+on the same spot once more, without his having observed by what agency
+it had been done. He had it then removed again and again, and on each
+occasion it returned to the same chamber. Seeing at last all his
+efforts fruitless, he permitted it to remain. The adventure, however,
+was too remarkable to make no impression on his mind. He threw himself
+down in his clothes on his couch; but sleep was denied to him. A train
+of thought on the subject of the wondrous chest, and his fear on
+account of the warning he had received, disturbed his mind, and
+prevented him from taking any rest. There he lay awake till midnight,
+and saw the chest glittering in the light of the moon, which fell
+upon it as it streamed through the window.
+
+Curiosity at once overcame his fear: he started up and procured an
+iron tool with which he could break the seal of the cover, and took a
+hammer and chisel with him. With the aid of these instruments he broke
+through the leaden seal; but scarcely had it given way, when the lid
+opened, and a blue curling smoke arose from it, and from the midst of
+it issued a hideous old woman in a strange dress. She carried a crutch
+under her left arm, and held another in her right hand. She limped
+over the side of the vessel, and hobbling towards the astonished
+Jalaladdeen, said,
+
+"Fool, fool that thou art! is it befitting for thee, so young as thou
+art, to stand there like an old idler? Go forth into the world, and
+fetch the wonder-stone from Mount Massis, otherwise thou canst never
+be my husband."
+
+After these words she hobbled back on her crutch to the copper vessel,
+gathered herself together, as it were, into a ball, tumbled hastily
+in, and closed the cover on herself.
+
+Overcome with fear and astonishment, Jalaladdeen threw himself upon
+his couch; but the dawn of morning found him still awake. He
+endeavoured to beguile the day in the arrangement of his house; but,
+nevertheless, he could not chase from his memory the wonderful
+spectacle which he had witnessed, and the portentous words that
+attended it. He felt an uneasiness which he endeavoured in vain to
+subdue, nor could he rest satisfied until he had investigated the
+cause of his anxiety.
+
+At length he was so exhausted by the business of the day, fatigue, and
+want of rest, that he laid himself down early in the evenings and fell
+asleep; but at the hour of midnight he awoke again. He saw the vessel
+open, and the blue smoke arising from it, and from the midst of it the
+ugly old woman hobbled towards him, and cried out, as she swung her
+crutch to and fro in the air,
+
+"Fool, fool, young idle fool! think of the stone of Mount Massis,
+otherwise thou canst not be my husband."
+
+After these words she limped back again, gathered herself up as
+before, and the lid of the urn closed once more of itself.
+
+This occurred every night; but after that Jalaladdeen had recovered
+from the agitation caused by her first appearance, he slept as soundly
+as ever: still the old woman woke him night after night by thrusts in
+the ribs with her crutch, and on every occasion repeated the same or
+similar words.
+
+But she generally awoke him in the midst of a dream, in which he
+always saw a very beautiful young lady, who rose from a kingly throne
+near him, and touched him with her golden sceptre. To this succeeded
+the reality of the hideous old woman; and instead of the sceptre, the
+crutch was wielded against him.
+
+He often endeavoured by day to get the vessel removed; and sometimes
+even it was thrown into the river which flows by Bagdad; but still it
+always found its way back to his chamber at night. He then caused his
+couch to be removed to another room, but this was to no purpose, as
+the vessel always followed it. Thus matters went on, till the nightly
+disturbances, and still more the disturbed state of his mind, affected
+him to such a degree, that his health was very much impaired. He
+sought the advice of physicians, who prescribed all kinds of
+stimulants and restoratives; but their combined skill could not
+restore him to his lost rest. At length one of the physicians said to
+him,
+
+"My skill has done all it can, my medicines avail nothing: if your
+illness were really that of the body, you would have been restored to
+health long since; but if your indisposition has its source in the
+mind, my prescriptions cannot aid you. Seek a magician--that is my
+advice: he by his occult science may be enabled to discover the cause
+of your bad health, and to effect a cure."
+
+Jalaladdeen felt the truth of these words.
+
+"It cannot be denied," said he, "that the cause of my illness is
+seated in my mind, and till that be removed, my health cannot be
+restored."
+
+He then sought out one of the most skilful magicians of the day, and
+disclosed to him the circumstances of his nightly disturbance,
+assuring him, that before the first night on which the old woman had
+made her odious appearance out of the vessel, his rest had never been
+impaired. He ended by begging and entreating of him that he would use
+all his skill to make the vision cease, and to rid his house of the
+fatal urn.
+
+The magician consulted for some time with himself, and then addressed
+him thus:
+
+"You tell me that this vessel was fastened down by a leaden seal; if
+it be loose, let me see it."
+
+Jalaladdeen immediately conducted the magician to his house, and
+showed him the vessel, to which the seal was still attached. The
+magician studied with great attention the inscription on the seal, and
+then turning to Jalaladdeen, spoke thus:
+
+"All my skill put together could not accomplish your wishes: know that
+this is the seal of the great Solomon; and it is inevitable, that he
+who breaks it must become an inmate of the vessel. To counteract this
+fate is not in the power of the most mighty magician. You are in the
+hands of this old woman, and no human power or wisdom can extricate
+you from it."
+
+This speech involved Jalaladdeen in the greatest perplexity; he threw
+himself upon the ground, beat his breast, and sobbed and wept
+violently.
+
+"Whence," exclaimed he, "is the power of this hideous old woman? Shall
+I, to the end of my days, remain in her trammels? Shall she, even when
+I have recovered from my illness, and lie wrapped in sweet dreams,
+approach my couch, and rouse me with her crutch to listen to her
+croaking voice? Whither can I fly for comfort? I would rather die than
+drag on a miserable existence in such trouble and anxiety. Take this
+dagger, I pray you, and stab me, and thus put an end to my illness."
+
+With this he handed a dagger to the magician, and prayed him with many
+tears, as he bared his breast, to plunge it in, and rid him of his
+sufferings.
+
+"Heaven forbid that I should commit such an act," replied the
+magician. "You are, without doubt, destined for great deeds, which
+will be worthy of you, one of which is, that you should break the seal
+of the great Solomon. You tell me that the old woman has desired you
+to fetch the wonder-stone from Mount Massis; follow her advice,
+journey to the mountain, and work out your good fortune. Perhaps your
+fate may take another and a more prosperous turn."
+
+He lengthened out his speech in the same tone and spirit, and spoke
+seriously for some time, till at length he succeeded in quieting
+Jalaladdeen; so that he embraced the hope of being restored one day to
+perfect health.
+
+"But," said he to the magician, "whither shall I bend my course? where
+is Mount Massis? and even if I succeed in reaching it, how shall I
+discover the wonder-stone?"
+
+Hereupon the magician promised to consider all these points, and to
+give him the necessary instructions on the morrow.
+
+On the following night the ugly old woman appeared again out of the
+vessel; but did not, as on former occasions, rouse him with her
+crutch; but it seemed as though he woke of his own accord, and found
+her standing by his bed-side.
+
+"Now," said she to him, "will you at last be wise, and give up this
+idleness? it will prove advantageous both to you and me."
+
+She then addressed him in the most friendly terms, and left him in her
+usual manner.
+
+The next morning the magician made his appearance again, and gave him
+the necessary information as to the course to be pursued. He told him
+that the wonder-stone lay concealed in a stone castle about midway up
+Mount Massis; but that the enterprise required great patience,
+perseverance, and skill. With such words as these he brought his
+speech to a close, and left Jalaladdeen to his own reflections.
+
+"The mountain is difficult of ascent, and is guarded by vigilant
+genii: he who cannot comply with their singular demands must certainly
+sink under the dangers to be encountered, or at least withdraw from
+the attempt without bringing it to completion."
+
+Jalaladdeen assured the magician that he had sufficient patience to
+carry him through any trial, and that he was ready and willing to
+submit to any labour, if by that means he could rid himself of the
+illness from which he was at that time suffering.
+
+"Then," said he, "where is Mount Massis? which I have never before
+heard of."
+
+"You will know it, perhaps, by another name; it is also called Mount
+Ararat. There was, at some time or other, a great flood upon the
+earth, which destroyed every creature, man and beast, save one, who,
+with his wife and family, was warned by Allah; and placed in a large
+vessel, which floated upon the waters; then, as soon as the flood
+subsided, the ship remained fixed on one of the two ridges of the
+mountain; from this time the mount has been considered holy, and the
+spot most devoutly worshipped."
+
+"I have heard of it," replied Jalaladdeen; "but in which direction am
+I to journey, in order to discover this wonder-stone?"
+
+"You must follow the course of the Tigris," said he, "and then you
+will be at no great distance from the place."
+
+Jalaladdeen immediately set his house in order, hired some armed
+attendants, took from his chest some gold and valuable jewels, and set
+off on his journey, following the windings of the river. The road
+appeared pleasant to him, and no danger or misfortune occurred to
+annoy him; the weather was fine, and he feasted his eyes upon the
+various features of the country, which were most beautiful and
+enchanting, travelling cheerfully onward. He began to forget his old
+sorrows and grievances, and to enjoy an unusual degree of happiness,
+as he left behind him the vision of the ugly old woman; for she never
+visited him again from the time he quitted his home.
+
+At length he arrived with his suite on a high eminence, from which he
+beheld a most beautiful expanse of country, and in the distance the
+most charming scenery, from morning till night. In a corner of the
+valley a single hill towered up to the sky; farther on rose a chain of
+mountains; but the little hill was formed at the summit into two
+peaks. A cloud floated over their tops, one of which shot up more
+lofty than the other, and the sun cast a brilliant light upon them.
+But it was remarkable, that the nearer one approached the hill, the
+higher it appeared, and more majestic. At its base lay a very fruitful
+plain, and on the other side stood at little city.
+
+Jalaladdeen inquired the name of the city, and was told that it was
+Semænum.
+
+"What!" said he, "Semænum? How did it acquire this extraordinary
+name?"
+
+The people laughed at his simplicity, and inquired whether or not he
+had heard of the great flood from which only one man and his wife, and
+three sons with their wives also, escaped.
+
+"These eight persons," added they, "on their descent from the
+mountain, took up their abode here, and laid the foundation of the
+city."
+
+After this Jalaladdeen heard that the castle in which the wonder-stone
+was concealed lay on the other side of the hill; but still no one knew
+anything of the stone, nor had the inhabitants a satisfactory idea of
+the castle. But he was informed that so many extraordinary and
+gigantic masses of stone were standing in the various clefts of the
+mount, that their appearance was certainly that of a castle, and that
+the lofty crowning point in the distance resembled a tower.
+
+"However," added the relaters, "yonder spot is not accessible, nor has
+it ever been heard of, within the memory of man, that any one ever
+dreamt of attempting its ascent. Everybody dreads the road on that
+side of the hill, as it has been said that mighty genii carry on their
+orgies there; and there is also a tradition, that a traveller once
+undertook to attain the summit, but that he had never been known to
+return."
+
+As soon as Jalaladdeen had clearly ascertained from the inhabitants on
+which side of the hill the so-called castle was situated, he felt a
+strong inclination to journey on towards it at that minute, regardless
+of the warnings of the neighbouring people and the entreaties of his
+guide. He accordingly took some of his gold and jewels with him, and
+set off on his journey, ordering his guide to remain behind. He gave
+these last instructions to his servants:
+
+"If I return not in three months, you may regard my property here as
+your own; then go back each one to his home, or wherever his
+inclination may lead him."
+
+He soon lost his road, and arrived at unknown and intricate paths,
+with which the foot of the mountain was surrounded. Gradually the
+trees and all traces of vegetation disappeared, save here and there a
+tuft of close underwood, which sprang up in the clefts of the rocks.
+Round about him were piled blocks of stone of monstrous size, and his
+farther progress was soon altogether stopped. There rose before him a
+massive stone wall like a tower, which was so steep and smooth, that
+it was impossible to pass it. He therefore made a wide circuit round,
+and at last found himself in a broad chasm of the rock, which seemed
+to extend far into the mountain.
+
+Wild and unfrequented as this appeared, nevertheless he ventured to
+descend. The way was very laborious; he was often obliged to mount
+sharp-pointed masses of rock, often to wind along between crags and
+briars, often again to descend into deep abysses, down which rapid
+streams rushed violently, and then again to clamber up on the other
+side. At times he hung suspended from one side, searching out in vain
+a resting-place for his foot, to furnish him a support in his
+progress.
+
+At length, after long and incessant labour through a dangerous
+pathway, he arrived at the steep summit, from which he discovered
+massive walls and lofty towers, that appeared to be constructed of
+rough unhewn stone. With the last exertion of his exhausted strength,
+he ascended these heights, and found himself before an opening. He
+knew not whether this was merely a cleft in the rock resembling a
+doorway, or a doorway hewn in the rough rock like a natural chasm. It
+was formed of upright blocks of stone, on which was cast another of
+wonderful size; but there was no door. He laboured now more
+assiduously than ever through the thorns and pointed stones, which lay
+here and there over the little level space that extended in front of
+the opening, till he stood before the dark entrance. The gloom
+concealed the nature of the interior of the cavity from his view, and
+he stood for a short time on the threshold, thinking on his past
+trials and collecting his scattered senses. As he was about to enter,
+a man stepped up to him, armed with a bow and bearing on his back a
+quiver of arrows.
+
+"Take the bow," said he to Jalaladdeen, "choose yourself an arrow, and
+go do your duty."
+
+So surprised and astonished was he, that he seized the bow, drew an
+arrow from the quiver, and asked,
+
+"What is my duty? What shall I do?"
+
+"There," answered the man, pointing in the distance, "far beyond you
+must go; there is a great sea, which you must compass to its southern
+side, and then proceed through a wide expanse of plain until you
+arrive at a large inland lake, called the Eagles' Lake. There, every
+morning immediately after sunrise, you will see a swarm of black
+eagles on the shore, and among them a single white one. This kill,
+and, in proof of what you have done, bring back here the left wing."
+
+This announcement came like a thunderbolt upon the miserable
+Jalaladdeen, who had fancied that he had arrived very near the end of
+his journey. But now he was ordered to proceed still farther through
+an unknown tract of land. On looking back he saw that the sun had
+already sunk in the heavens, and that dusky and humid clouds were
+gathering over the sky; so, turning to the man, he said,
+
+"The night is fast drawing on, and I am very weary; and if I were to
+be exposed for so many hours in the abyss of this rocky ravine, I
+should certainly perish. May I not be permitted to pass the night
+here?"
+
+The man nodded assent, and ordered Jalaladdeen to follow him. They
+passed into a dark hall from the entrance, with a vaulted roof formed
+of rough blocks of stone, from which hung a single iron lamp, that
+spread a feeble and dim light around. His conductor left him here
+alone, and two domestics soon appeared. They brought him an ottoman,
+and made him understand by signs that he was to sit down. They then
+placed a table before him with meat and drink, and stationed
+themselves at a respectful distance from him, waiting to serve him. He
+ate and drank and refreshed himself after the labours of the day,
+while the attendants handed everything to him with the greatest
+attention.
+
+As soon as he had satisfied the craving of his appetite, they removed
+the table with its appendages, and beckoned to him to follow them.
+They conducted him through a side passage to a door, and when they had
+drawn back the curtain which hung before it, Jalaladdeen stood mute
+with astonishment.
+
+The chamber was precisely like his sleeping-room at Bagdad: every
+article of furniture was of the same size and colour as his, and
+occupied exactly the same position.
+
+"You are surprised at this chamber," said one of the attendants: "our
+master wished to make it as comfortable for you as possible after your
+long journey, and he thinks that a man never experiences more comforts
+than in his own house."
+
+With this they saluted him, and retired; but Jalaladdeen was too much
+astonished to sink to rest immediately; he accordingly walked round
+the room and inspected everything. It was his own chamber, with his
+own cushions, tapestries, and carpet; the curtains which he had
+purchased on entering his new house were there, and even the most
+minute article of furniture was the same; and that nothing might be
+wanting, there stood, on the precise spot, the fatal vessel which he
+had not been able to remove from his room by any means. Disagreeable
+as this last was, still he was so taken with surprise at the strange
+resemblance to his own chamber, that it made no impression on his
+mind; and at last he laid himself down on the couch, and Nature soon
+asserting her rights, he slumbered. He slept soundly throughout the
+night, and experienced the same happy dream which had so often visited
+him when at home. He saw a beautiful young maiden in princely garb,
+adorned with the most costly jewels, and at the moment that she raised
+herself from her queenly throne, and bent towards him her golden
+sceptre, he awoke, and the hideous old woman hobbled up to him.
+
+"Commit no rash act of folly," said she, in a hoarse croaking voice;
+"do not go without a dog: they _must_ give you one."
+
+She then turned herself about, shook her crutch at him in a menacing
+manner, and disappeared all at once into the vessel, as on every
+former occasion.
+
+"A dog!" said Jalaladdeen to himself: "what shall I do with such an
+unclean animal? However, she seems to know of the journey in store for
+me."
+
+And revolving the matter in his mind, it appeared to him better to
+follow her advice. In the midst of his thoughts he again fell fast
+asleep; and when he awoke, he found, to his no small surprise, that
+he had been slumbering in a chasm of the rock upon a bed of dried
+mountain grass.
+
+The sun shone in upon him, and before him stood the man who had given
+him the bow and arrow, and who immediately reminded him of his
+journey, and urged him to prepare speedily to do his duty. He arose at
+once, and declared himself ready.
+
+"But," said he, calling to mind the old woman's words, "could I not
+have a dog to accompany me on the way?"
+
+"Certainly," replied the man; and at his call a large dog with broad
+paws made its appearance, and began to run round him in a friendly
+manner, barking for joy. He then tore off a small piece of the hem of
+his garment, and having shewn it to the dog, gave it to Jalaladdeen,
+and said,
+
+"So long as you bear this with you, the dog will follow you wherever
+you go; be therefore careful of it. Now proceed, turn not back to the
+town, but go straight on to the east."
+
+The dog immediately bounded forward, and, on issuing from the hollow
+of the rock, turned toward the east. Jalaladdeen followed, and found,
+to his astonishment, a winding path, not altogether level, but still
+not very inconvenient. Whenever a dangerous spot showed itself at
+times, the dog discovered another path by which the danger might be
+avoided. Jalaladdeen therefore allowed him to run on before, and
+followed his steps.
+
+They soon reached the plain, and arrived at a hilly district, where
+the mountains rose higher and higher behind them in the distance. The
+land on the other side declined gently; and, afar off, they beheld the
+sea. Many days, however, passed before he was able to make the wide
+circuit which led to the southern side. He then found himself in a
+flat country, and, after a journey of fourteen days, arrived at the
+shores of the Eagle Lake. Jalaladdeen threw himself down, in the
+evening, upon a dry spot of the shore; for in the course of his long
+journey he had habituated himself to rest on the earth under the broad
+canopy of heaven.
+
+In the morning, his dog awoke him by a low barking and lively
+indications of restlessness. He had hardly risen from the ground, when
+the dog sprang joyously up to him, looking to one side, as though to
+direct his attention. On turning his eyes towards the spot, he
+discovered a great multitude of black birds hovering over the trees,
+and felt satisfied that they were the eagles. He then looked anxiously
+for the white one, which he was to kill; but in vain. Whilst he was
+engaged in the search, the dog made a circuit, and crept close to them
+beneath some bushes; then, by a sudden loud bark, he dislodged them
+from the spot, and they flew in the direction of Jalaladdeen, across
+the lake. He, on a sudden, discovered the snow-white eagle among the
+others, and bent his bow, and, although the bird was now at so great a
+distance that no ordinary shot could have reached it, still the arrow
+flew straight to its mark, and he saw the object of his aim fall far
+from the shore into the blue waters of the lake.
+
+"What avails my fortunate shot?" said he, looking with vexation on the
+waves which bore it farther from the shore.
+
+Immediately the dog plunged hastily into the water, and swimming with
+extraordinary rapidity, seized the eagle in his mouth, and brought it
+safely to his master. Jalaladdeen quickly drew out the arrow, which
+had pierced it through the middle of the body, and cutting off the
+left wing, secured it to his person. During this operation, he had
+smeared his fingers with blood; and, as he was wiping it off on the
+inside of his girdle, the little piece of the man's garment, which he
+had hitherto kept safely, fell to the ground without his noticing it.
+Hereupon the dog caught up the body of the eagle, which Jalaladdeen
+had thrown away, and ran off with it at full speed.
+
+Jalaladdeen called repeatedly to the dog, and coaxed him to return,
+but in vain; so he proceeded home on his way alone. He certainly met
+with nothing of material import to molest him in his journey;
+nevertheless he had to encounter a thousand little obstacles, which
+very much impeded his progress. He could not discover the path by
+which he had originally come, but frequently arrived at places where
+there was no road, or at thick forests, through which he was obliged
+to hew a path with his sabre, and to pass the night upon the naked
+earth beneath the open sky.
+
+After a much longer journey than before, and many different detours,
+he arrived at a spot from which he could see the two-pointed head of
+Mount Massis. When, after some days, he came to the foot of the mount,
+he was in hopes of finding the path by which he had descended in
+company with the dog; but he looked for it in vain, and was obliged to
+climb up by one of the dreadful rocky ravines, at the risk of his
+life, as on a former occasion.
+
+At length, weary and exhausted, he arrived at the opening, and was
+about to enter, with the eagle's wing in his hand, when the man who
+had given him the bow and arrow presented himself before him, and
+said,
+
+"Hast thou done thy duty?"
+
+Jalaladdeen immediately placed the wing in his hands.
+
+"Good," replied the other; "I will see if it be the right one."
+
+He then called the dog by name, who immediately appeared from the
+castle, carrying the eagle's body in his mouth.
+
+As soon as the man had applied the wing to the place from which it had
+been cut, and compared it with the other, he said to him, nodding
+approvingly, "'T is well: I have that which I wanted. But stay here a
+moment; my brother will come to you, and inform you what you must do
+for him, if you wish to have your desire fulfilled." With these words,
+he entered the hollow again, and the dog accompanied him.
+
+Jalaladdeen followed him with his eyes; and then, sighing deeply,
+said, "Another labour still! I fancied I had already discovered the
+wonder-stone of Mount Massis, and now I must journey out into the
+world again on anew adventure. God knows whither the brother will send
+me."
+
+His soliloquy was interrupted by the appearance of a man, who stepped
+forward from the opening, and presented to him a lance with a
+glittering steel head.
+
+"Take it," said he, "and with it do thy duty."
+
+Jalaladdeen took it, and intimated his readiness to undertake the
+mission, at the same time asking, "What is my duty?"
+
+The man answered, "On the way hence to Mount Lebanon, on the other
+side of the Tigris and Euphrates, the traveller comes, after a journey
+of some days, to a vast desert. There, in the middle of a large
+barren and sandy plain, lies a fruitful oasis, watered by a little
+stream, on whose brink grow tall palms, refreshing the wanderer with
+their shade and fruit. But the neighbourhood of the palms is
+frequented by a monstrous lion of a dark colour,--the only one that
+has wandered into the district,--and his ferocity renders it dangerous
+to rest beneath their shade. This you must kill--not only for the
+safety of future travellers, but in order to accomplish your own
+wishes. Then bring here to me the lion's tail; you will hereafter need
+it."
+
+Again it was evening; and Jalaladdeen begged permission to recruit his
+strength and refresh himself by a night's rest. The man assented, and
+made a sign that he should follow him. In the hall he was again
+provided with meat and drink by the two attendants; and after his
+repast, they conducted him to the same door, drew back the curtain
+from before it, and he again, to his utter amazement, found himself in
+his own sleeping-chamber at Bagdad. Once more he recognized every
+article of furniture as his own, or exactly similar to his own, and
+the copper vessel standing precisely on the same spot. He then threw
+himself on his couch, and was soon locked in deep slumber. But at the
+hour of midnight he was again roused from his dream by the hideous old
+woman, who stood by his bed-side, flourishing her crutch in a
+threatening attitude, and calling upon him in a hoarse, croaking
+voice,
+
+"See thou commit no rash act of folly," she cried. "Go not on foot to
+the desert, otherwise the floating clouds of sand will bury thee for
+ever before thou arrivest at the palms; or if thou shouldest attain
+the spot, the lion will tear thee in pieces if he find no other booty.
+They must give thee a camel: see that thou demand it." At these words
+she shook her crutch at him, and disappeared into the vessel.
+
+"A camel!" said Jalaladdeen to himself: "can they possibly have camels
+in this unfrequented place? And even if they had, how could I descend
+to the plain with such a beast, through the clefts in the rocks, from
+this height?"
+
+His weariness was so great that, amid a chain of thoughts that
+attended the vision, he fell fast asleep again. The next morning he
+was awoke by the man who gave him the lance, and he discovered himself
+at the opening of the rock, as on a former occasion. The sun again
+shone through the hollow, and the man said to him,
+
+"'T is time that you should make ready to do your duty: take the bow
+and arrow, together with my lance, and journey on to the desert."
+
+At the moment he called to mind the injunction of the old woman, and
+answered, "For my passage through the desert I shall require a camel."
+
+"Then thou shalt have one," replied the man; and, on emerging a second
+time from the opening, there stood a camel, ready furnished with many
+necessaries for his comfort and convenience during the journey.
+
+To his astonishment, after he had mounted the animal, it proceeded by
+an easy pathway down the side of the mountain; and, although he could
+see nothing but impassable spots, huge blocks of stone, and deep
+abysses both before and behind, still the camel travelled on by a
+level and gently declining track.
+
+On this occasion, too, his journey was more prosperous and far more
+speedy than at the first. He arrived at the desert without any mishap,
+and in the evening reached the fruitful strip of land where the palms
+stood. The camel immediately refreshed itself with water, while
+Jalaladdeen's repast consisted of dates from the neighbouring trees.
+He then allowed the camel to browse upon the brink of the stream,
+while he resigned himself, without care, to rest beneath the shade. He
+was soon, however, terrified by the roar of a lion, which sounded
+close to him; accordingly he sprang up hastily, seized his arms, and
+took up a position behind some large palms, which concealed him from
+the sight of his approaching enemy. Soon the lion drew on with rapid
+strides, and was about to rush upon the browsing camel, when
+Jalaladdeen shot an arrow, which took effect in his right eye.
+Scarcely had the dart reached the lion, when he sprang vengefully
+forward on his foe, whom he had but that moment discovered.
+Jalaladdeen, nothing daunted, stepped boldly forwards, and thrust at
+him with the point of his lance; but the lion bounded on with such
+force, that he could not withstand the attack: he fell, and the whole
+bulk of the lion rolled over him. Jalaladdeen gave himself up for
+lost: he lay senseless some time, and when he had recovered
+sufficiently to comprehend his dreadful situation, the moon was high
+in the heavens. He was very weak, and bruised all over the body, and
+he felt some great weight upon him. By means of considerable exertion,
+he released himself, and remarked for the first time that his clothes
+were saturated with blood. He immediately fancied that he had been
+wounded by the teeth or claws of the lion, and accordingly rolled over
+to the water and washed himself; but, after a very careful examination
+of his person, he could not discover a wound. The coolness of the
+water refreshed his limbs, and eased the pain of the bruises in the
+various parts of his body. After this he was soon enabled to stand up,
+and he found that the weight which had been pressing upon him was the
+lion, dead and stiff, and soaked in his blood. In its bound forward it
+had pierced itself with the lance, and had fallen to the ground, in
+consequence of the furious attack it was designing. The body of the
+dead lion proved a soft pillow, and its bulk was so immense that
+Jalaladdeen could recline at full length upon its back with great
+ease. In this manner he slept on, and did not rise till broad
+daylight, when he felt himself fully refreshed and well. He then cut
+off the lion's tail, and remounted the camel, which had strayed to a
+short distance from the spot.
+
+The return to the castle on the mount was prosperous, and not marked
+by any particular adventure. He soon left the desert behind, and found
+himself at the foot of Mount Massis. But as evening was approaching,
+he considered whether it would be better to rest till morning, and
+then ascend the acclivity; the camel, however, perseveringly trotted
+on with that zeal which animals generally show when approaching their
+accustomed dwelling.
+
+The last gleam of day had not disappeared in the western sky when he
+found himself in the little chamber before the well-known entrance of
+the castle. Although the distance from the foot of the hill thus far
+up to the castle, notwithstanding the rapid steps of the beast, had
+occupied the greater part of a whole day, yet it appeared that it
+could now be accomplished in the short space of a single hour.
+Jalaladdeen could not comprehend how he had reached it so rapidly; but
+it occurred to him for the first time that he had never seen so
+extraordinary a pathway, or one accompanied with so much difficulty
+and danger. He contemplated with surprise the rapidity with which he
+had completed this journey, and made a sign to the camel to kneel, to
+give his rider an opportunity of descending and unloading him. He took
+his arms and the lion's tail, and entered the gate of the castle.
+
+On his entry he was met by a man, who took his lance from him and
+said, "Hast thou done thy duty?"
+
+And as Jalaladdeen presented to him the lion's tail, he said that he
+had failed in nothing.
+
+"Good," said he; "but still I will put it to the test, to prove
+whether you are right."
+
+He then called out aloud four names, upon which immediately appeared
+four large dogs out of the chasm in the rock, dragging after them the
+dead body of the dark lion. The man now applied the tail to the lion's
+body, and on finding that it corresponded, "Good," said he; "I have
+now what I desire. Wait, however, a short time, and my brother will
+come and tell you what he requires you to do for him, if you are
+inclined to see your wishes fulfilled." With these words he retired
+into the castle, and the four dogs dragged in the lion after him.
+
+"Alas!" said Jalaladdeen, "I have not yet accomplished my labours! Who
+knows how many brothers may be dwelling here together? And if I
+receive only a slight demand from each of them, a year may elapse ere
+I obtain the wonder-stone."
+
+He had scarcely uttered these words when the third brother advanced,
+and handing to him a basket made of rushes, accompanied it with the
+words, "Go and do thy duty."
+
+He inquired what was his duty, and received this answer: "Go and fetch
+water."
+
+"What!" said he; "fetch water in a basket! It will run out between the
+rushes!"
+
+The man shrugged up his shoulders, and said, "That is for you to look
+to: water you must bring in this basket, and without the aid of any
+other vessel; for you will stand in need of the water."
+
+"That is impossible," replied Jalaladdeen. "Set me to any other kind
+of work--send me into a distant country on the other side of the
+Caucasus, let me herd with wild beasts, and I will, without making any
+objection, obey your injunctions, even at the risk of my life; but do
+not require impossibilities of me."
+
+"'T is not impossible," answered the man. "Reflect: I dare not say
+anything more to you. You have till morning to consider what you will
+do. Come in here and refresh yourself with food and rest."
+
+Jalaladdeen followed him, and was conducted into a chamber, where he
+was abundantly supplied with viands and liquors. The bed-room
+appropriated to him was that in which he had formerly rested and known
+as his own; and he laid himself down, exhausted and overcome with
+grief on account of the new demand made upon him. He awoke again at
+midnight, and the little old woman stood once more before him with her
+uplifted crutch.
+
+"Commit no rash act of folly," said she. "Seek not water out of the
+deep: carry _that_ not in thy basket; the water which thou must bring
+in it will not escape through it. Step out; above thou wilt find the
+water I speak of; thence thou must fetch it. Dost thou hear? Be not
+foolish: hast thou lost thine understanding?"
+
+After she had disappeared, as on previous occasions, Jalaladdeen
+rolled about for some time on his couch, sleepless and perplexed with
+care. It appeared to him like an unsolvable riddle.
+
+"What! shall I not fetch water from the depth, whence commonly springs
+and streams flow? and yet shall I go upwards? and am I to carry it in
+a simple wicker basket?"
+
+At last, however, he fell asleep again, and was awoke in the morning,
+with positive orders to make ready to do his duty. As he was
+preparing, he said, "The way up the rock and the oft-frequented path
+is dangerous; could I not get a travelling-staff to help me?"
+
+"Here is one ready," answered the man, handing him a long pole, made
+of a light tough wood, with a strong iron spike fixed to it. He then
+shook him heartily by the hand, and let him out of the opening.
+
+When he gained the exterior, he looked all around him. He hoped to
+discover some track which would indicate in what direction he should
+set out; but stones and ruins, the effects of a great convulsion of
+nature, surrounded, in a wild and unnatural confusion, the small and
+even spot before the entrance of the castle. But what most astonished
+him was, that the road which had appeared formerly to be impassable
+for his camel should now present an even and unencumbered path. At
+last, after various attempts, by great good fortune, he found a part
+where, by help of his travelling-staff, he was able to climb up the
+projecting mass of rock. On the other side he found a spot by which he
+could, without much danger, descend into a large plain. It seemed to
+him like the same piece of rock on which he, in the first instance,
+had got in proceeding from the castle. He was nearly, from this
+circumstance, led to descend there; but he thought of the warning
+given to him by the old woman in good time, who had advised him not to
+fetch water from the bottom, but from the summit, and he accordingly
+bent his steps upwards. But here the road lay through enormous
+fragments of rock, choked up at intervals with briars and thorns. At
+length, after frequently-repeated efforts, he succeeded in journeying
+on a short distance by the help of his travelling-staff, when a spot
+presented itself where there was a chasm in the rock, which it was
+impossible for him to surmount. He was accordingly obliged to turn
+sideways till he had passed it, in order to follow up his prescribed
+route. He toiled on with intense exertion, endeavouring to reach the
+summit of the rock, for more than an hour; but, from various
+obstacles, had not made any great progress. At last, worn out with
+fatigue, he sat himself down beneath the shade of an overhanging crag,
+to recruit his strength, in order to renew the attempt with increased
+vigour.
+
+Up to this time, through all his wanderings, he had not found a stream
+from whose source he was able to draw water. He had certainly seen in
+deep hollows small rivulets issuing from the rock, which by their
+fall covered the neighbouring plain with white flakes of foam. Still,
+although he persevered assiduously, he could not discover one spot
+which he could approach sufficiently near.
+
+He was by this time suffering intensely from thirst; for,
+notwithstanding the height at which he had arrived, where the cold was
+more severe than in the hollows beneath, still his anxiety, and his
+journey upwards beneath the midday sun, had parched his lips, and he
+had not yet been able to reach a stream at which to moisten them.
+
+"Fool, fool that I am!" exclaimed Jalaladdeen, bitterly; "why should I
+thus exhaust my strength? If I attain the summit of the hill, I shall
+meet with no water; or even if I were to find a spring at the top of
+it, still I should not be able to carry its waters in a rush basket."
+
+He then reasoned with himself whether or not it were better to return;
+but then the thought flashed across his mind that the words of the old
+woman had on two previous occasions been fully verified. He therefore
+determined to follow her advice once more.
+
+"Did she not assure me," said he, "that I should find water enough
+above me? 'T is passing strange: the streams certainly flow thence, or
+remain still in their channels."
+
+With this he set forward again on his ascent, and it now appeared that
+he had advanced much farther than he had been aware of, and in a
+shorter space of time. He had not proceeded far when he arrived at a
+spot hollowed out, and sheltered from behind by a large mass of rock.
+In this cavity was a quantity of snow and ice, which the air at that
+height could not melt, and to which the rays of the sun could not
+penetrate through the surrounding masses.
+
+Jalaladdeen laid himself down to rest at the edge of the snow, and
+refreshed himself with its grateful coolness by taking a small
+quantity in his hands, and by applying it to his lips. He first of all
+moistened the exterior of his mouth, and then swallowed a little with
+great pleasure. This at once solved the mystery of the problem.
+
+"Here," said he, "is a large expanse of snow: the tops of the
+mountains are covered with it. What is snow but water? and such water
+I can easily carry in my rush basket; and even if some should melt in
+the journey, it cannot all dissolve and escape."
+
+He then began immediately to fill the basket with clean snow from the
+middle of a heap, and to render it more firm, he pressed it together
+with his hands. As soon as he had filled his basket, he set off
+joyously on his return; but it seemed as though he must again have
+taken a different route, as he did not meet in the course of his way
+one of the thousand obstacles that had impeded his progress on his
+journey in search of this water.
+
+The last traces of sunlight were fast disappearing in the west when he
+found himself at the entrance of the castle. Immediately the three
+brothers advanced to meet him.
+
+"See," said the third, who had imposed this last mission on him, "see,
+thou hast brought us water in a rush basket."
+
+With these words they ushered him into the interior, and gave him the
+joyful intelligence that he had now accomplished everything that was
+necessary to put him in possession of the wonder-stone.
+
+"You must know," said they, "that the wonder-stone is concealed in an
+iron chest; but the bolt, by lapse of time, is so thoroughly rusted
+that no power has yet been discovered sufficient to force it back and
+to disclose the contents. There is, however, a tradition that he who
+shall be deemed worthy to possess this treasure, and who shall have
+successfully performed all our commands, shall be endued with power to
+draw back the bolt--a feat which has been deemed impossible for many
+hundred years. But, as destiny often depends on circumstances which
+mortals consider trivial and insignificant, so in this case a
+combination of materials is requisite, by whose agency alone a sure
+and happy success can crown our hitherto prosperous attempts. It
+would, doubtless, be imagined that a rusty bolt might be moved by the
+application of a little oil or grease, of whatever nature it might be;
+but in this case nothing save that portion of marrow which is
+contained in the lion's tail will be efficient, and this, too, must be
+boiled in water fetched in a rush basket. Nor is this all: the marrow
+must be applied with three feathers plucked from the left wing of a
+white eagle, the king of eagles in Eagle Land."
+
+After these words they conducted him into a chamber; in the middle of
+it stood a large iron chest, whose cover was fastened down by seven
+strong iron bolts.
+
+"Behold the chest in which the wonder-stone is hid," said they. "Let
+us proceed to work immediately."
+
+Hereupon they brought in a cauldron, and filled it with snow from the
+rush basket, and placed it on a fire in the kitchen. The lion's tail
+was then cut into pieces and thrown into the water; the fat was soon
+extracted, and floated at the top. Then the first of the three
+brothers brought in the eagle's wing, and Jalaladdeen was ordered to
+pluck out the three outside feathers, and with them to anoint the
+bolts. While he was thus occupied, a drop of the fat fell upon his
+hands, which he rubbed over them.
+
+"Right, right!" said another brother, who had observed it with great
+satisfaction; "it is very strengthening to the limbs."
+
+And he accordingly rubbed both his hands and feet, and immediately
+experienced a pleasurable sensation of new vigour.
+
+Jalaladdeen had been exceedingly fatigued by the toils of the day;
+nevertheless by this application he felt as recruited as he had on
+other occasions in consequence of a prolonged and peaceful slumber.
+
+"The marrow has done its work," said the second brother; "it has
+already unclosed the bolt. Approach, then, and open the chest."
+
+Jalaladdeen bowed, and with great apparent ease withdrew the bolts. As
+soon as he had lifted up the lid he beheld a beautiful gem, which
+appeared to be a rare specimen of the onyx. In the middle of it was a
+golden hook, to which a chain was attached, by which it might be
+suspended from the neck. Upon the stone was an engraving of an altar,
+upon which a sacrificial fire was burning, and before it a suppliant
+family bowed the knee; over this was thrown a white vestment archwise
+in the form of a rainbow.
+
+"Is this really the wonder-stone?" said Jalaladdeen, gazing on it with
+rapture.
+
+"It is," replied the brothers; and continuing, "Hail, thou happy
+youth!" they exclaimed; "hail, prince! thou wilt shortly be seated on
+the throne of thy fathers."
+
+"A Prince!" cried Jalaladdeen, in astonishment; "a Prince! My father
+died at Bagdad, a quiet, retired man, and never in the whole course of
+my life did I hear him say that he had ever been a King."
+
+"He was a King," exclaimed one of the brothers; "but his subjects made
+war against him, and drove him into exile; they then elected another
+Sultan, who sat upon the throne there many years. He is since dead,
+and the people are not unanimous in raising his daughter to the
+queenly station. They are divided into two factions, opposed to one
+another with the most dreadful hatred and animosity. Go thither, and
+give thy people peace."
+
+"Whither shall I go?" asked Jalaladdeen, anxiously. "How shall I
+procure myself to be recognized as their lawful monarch?"
+
+"That will be easily accomplished," answered one of the brothers, "by
+the agency of this wonder-stone. Place the chain round thy neck, and
+support the gem on thy breast. Now come," said they, as soon as he had
+complied with this direction; "thou hast no time to spare: refresh
+thyself, as though for a long journey, with meat and drink, and then
+set out."
+
+They then conducted him into an adjoining room, and waited upon him
+themselves; after his repast they handed to him a crystal goblet
+filled with a liquor most agreeable to his palate, superior to any
+drink he had formerly tasted.
+
+"Now proceed onward," said they: "this is the first step towards your
+happiness."
+
+One of them then traced a small cross with his forefinger upon the
+wall, and immediately there opened a small vaulted chamber.
+
+"What!" said Jalaladdeen, "am I to enter that gloomy hole?" shuddering
+and involuntarily drawing back, in consequence of the cold damp vapour
+that issued from it.
+
+"Hand him another goblet to refresh himself," said one of the
+brothers, and at the same time filling one for him.
+
+Then the third brother presented to him the eagle's wing and the tip
+of the lion's tail, which had been reserved from the cauldron, and the
+arrow and lance, too, with which he had killed them.
+
+"Forward! On, in the name of the Prophet!" was the next command.
+
+"I obey," answered Jalaladdeen; "but suffer me before my departure to
+ask, Who are ye?"
+
+"We are three genii," said they, "sent here by the King of Spirits, as
+keepers of the mysteries of the holy Mount Massis. But proceed, in
+order that thou mayest arrive in due time at thy destination." They
+led him to the opening, and as he was stooping down to enter it,
+"See," said they, "if thou shouldst return by this way, throw upon the
+ground this wing of the eagle and the tail of the lion, and call out
+in a loud voice our names, Arjeh, Neschar, and Mana-Guma. We shall
+then know what thou requirest."
+
+With these words the passage closed upon him, and he found himself in
+such dense darkness that there was not a single glimmer of light
+through the whole space. The ground as he advanced was even, and for
+the first few steps he could walk upright, so that it did not seem
+inconvenient. Suddenly, however, he came to a gradual declivity, and
+after a few steps he felt the bottom sinking beneath his feet. He
+could no longer remain upright, but sank upon his knees, and
+eventually sat himself down; for it gave way more and more, and the
+more he struggled the lower he sank. At last he bent forward with his
+head laid upon his knee, as he was completely exhausted, in
+consequence of the rapid though gradual fall of earth. How long he
+might have been descending he could not tell, as his self-possession
+had entirely deserted him; and when he recovered himself, he seemed to
+be just awakening out of a sound sleep. This commotion was suspended
+for a moment, and he felt the spot on which he was seated rising up
+again; but it soon descended, and continued to ascend and descend with
+unceasing force and rapidity. But at times he lost all consciousness,
+and recovered his recollection again as the motion changed and
+proceeded downwards. In this manner was he driven from sleeping to
+waking, overcome with exhaustion and perplexed with the darksomeness
+of his journey. How long he was in this gloomy passage he knew not: at
+one time he thought that the journey had been one of several days; but
+then this could not be so, as he had not even once experienced the
+cravings of hunger or thirst: as he had not suffered in this
+particular, he felt convinced that the time that had elapsed was much
+less, and that it must have appeared so from his total abstinence.
+
+At length he perceived a small gleam of light at the farther end of
+this way, and by it he observed that he was in a narrow part of a
+subterranean chamber, which seemed scarcely large enough to admit his
+body. His movements, however, were so quick that he brought himself
+nearer and nearer to the light at every step, till at last he
+succeeded in extricating himself. He found himself standing upon a
+mount on a spot hitherto unknown to him, which was illumined by the
+sun from the opposite horizon. Here he remained, gazing joyously
+around, and breathing now for the first time the pure fresh air.
+
+On a sudden he heard a loud warlike sound at the foot of the hill;
+and, on a closer inspection, he discovered several companies, ranged
+in battle order half-way up the hill, and preparing for the attack.
+Without allowing himself time for reflection, he threw the lion's tail
+and eagle's wing to the ground, exclaiming at the same time in a loud
+voice the names of the three genii of Mount Massis, "Arjeh, Neschar,
+Mana-Guma!"
+
+Scarcely had he uttered the last word, when he found himself mounted
+upon a noble white steed with a black tail, the arrow in his left
+hand, and the spear in his right; and without his taking hold of the
+reins, which were ornamented with gold and precious stones, the
+tractable steed flew along the hill rapidly, and bore him safely
+between the two contending factions.
+
+"What are you doing?" exclaimed Jalaladdeen in a tone of anger to both
+parties, who immediately ceased their hostile contentions, through
+their amazement at the sudden appearance of the stranger horseman.
+"What is the cause of this deadly feud?"
+
+At these words a joyous train of voices proceeded from the band upon
+his right hand; and the combatants immediately threw down their
+weapons, exclaiming,
+
+"This, this is he who shall bring peace to our people! This is the
+appointed Sultan! Lo! it was prophesied that he should appear upon a
+white horse with a black tail, upon the longest day of the year. Hail,
+Sultan! all hail!"
+
+Upon this the commander of the company approached Jalaladdeen with
+submission, bending before him with his arms crossed upon his breast;
+and the troops threw themselves upon the earth, each one bowing low
+with his forehead to the dust.
+
+Hereupon the leader of the opposite faction sprang forward, crying
+out, "Down with them! down with them!"
+
+But Jalaladdeen's horse turned towards him instinctively, and bore him
+to the band.
+
+"Why would you prolong the strife and contest?" cried he. "What is
+your complaint?"
+
+"They carry arms for Gulnaschare," was the answer. "Dost thou not know
+that a young maiden dares to rule over a people of warlike
+customs--that she arrogates to herself a right to the throne, alleging
+that thus it hath been decreed she should reign until the son of the
+late banished Sultan shall appear, who is the appointed one to share
+the sovereignty? Canst thou be such a stranger in the country as to be
+ignorant of the prediction of the prophet and the astrologers? and how
+she has led her subjects into grievous error, to the effect that the
+Prince Jalaladdeen would appear in a wonderful manner in the country
+on the longest day of the year, and fall upon his enemies with the
+strength of a lion and the swiftness of an eagle?"
+
+Upon this Jalaladdeen cried out aloud, "The people have not been led
+into error, nor have they been deceived; they have heard the truth.
+Behold, I am Jalaladdeen; and if ye do not all, to a man, cease from
+your hostilities, ye shall be made to feel the strength of the lion
+and the swiftness of the eagle."
+
+But the leader of the party said, "What! hast thou suffered thyself to
+be deceived, and to be made an advocate of the imposition? Now our
+arms must decide it."
+
+At these words they pressed upon him and drew near, when Jalaladdeen
+wielded his lance with the swiftness of lightning, and with
+extraordinary strength and courage beat them off, one after the
+other. His steed gave a joyous neigh, and bounded forward among the
+crowd; while the troops of Gulnaschare followed after him, seeing his
+perilous position.
+
+When the enemy saw their leader weltering in his blood, and the
+courageous youth heading their antagonists, they fled in disorder;
+some even threw their arms from them, and surrendered at discretion.
+
+Jalaladdeen and his troops pursued the fugitives; but so fleet was his
+steed, that he found himself alone in the midst of the flying, while
+his band had not yet come up. As soon as the enemy perceived this,
+they surrounded him and enclosed him in a large circle. In this
+emergency the swiftness of the eagle and the strength of the lion
+proved necessary to him; and his steed, as though endued with reason,
+turned itself about continually, shooting quick glances like lightning
+from its eyeballs, so that Jalaladdeen could perceive every man in the
+circle who stood near him. In this manner he struck them to the
+ground, or shot them through before they had determined upon their
+method of attack, or could see through his manoeuvres. But, to his
+astonishment, he found that he had a fresh arrow in his hand after
+every shot from his bow. In a short time there was a large circle of
+killed and wounded round him. At length his own army arrived; and the
+enemy again took to flight. Jalaladdeen pursued after them again, to a
+narrow pass, whence there was no escape. Here they threw themselves
+upon their faces, and humbly sought for mercy. Jalaladdeen then
+proceeded to the capital of the country, followed by his warriors, and
+accompanied by a train of many thousand prisoners and captured foes.
+
+The news of his appearance upon the hill, and the account of the
+victory which he had subsequently gained, had already reached the
+city; and the elders poured out to the gate to meet him. The prophets
+and astrologers also flocked together to welcome him as the appointed
+Sultan, and to escort him to the royal palace. The streets through
+which they passed were magnificently decorated; and the joy of the
+populace was such as greets an ancient and once loved lord on his
+entry into his capital.
+
+In the palace yard the upper officers of the household, the servants
+of the Court, and the slaves, were drawn up to welcome him with
+becoming respect. Here he dismounted from his horse, passed up the
+steps, and proceeded through the colonnades and antechambers which led
+to the throne-room, where Gulnaschare was seated, surrounded by a
+splendid retinue.
+
+The royal maiden rose from her throne at his entrance; but how amazed
+and confused was Jalaladdeen! She was not altogether unknown to him;
+for he now saw before him in reality the young maid who had been so
+often present to him in his dreams, out of which he had been so
+repeatedly roused by the old woman belabouring him with her crutch.
+She gazed upon him with an affectionate smile; and as he drew near,
+she descended the steps of her throne, extended to him the golden
+sceptre, and touched him with the point of it.
+
+"Hast thou the wonder-stone from Mount Massis?" said she.
+
+Jalaladdeen was too confused to reply to her; but the gem suspended
+from his neck assured her as to his identity.
+
+"That is it," said she, in continuation. "The possession of that stone
+proves thee destined to become my husband, and to reign over the vast
+empire of the Moguls, from which thou, with thy father, wast banished
+in thine early days."
+
+She then took him by the hand, led him up the steps, and seated him
+upon the throne, bent before him, and delivered the sceptre into his
+hand.
+
+"Behold," said she to the surrounding multitude, "behold your rightful
+sovereign! It was written in the book of fate that Janghiz his father
+should, in consequence of his covetousness, be driven into exile by my
+father Khamar; then that the innocent son, after many severe proofs
+and labours imposed by the King of Spirits, if deemed worthy, should
+share the throne with me."
+
+"He has been tried, and is found worthy!" exclaimed all the prophets
+and astrologers.
+
+"Hail to him! hail, Sultan!" immediately burst from the lips of all
+present in the palace; and the multitudes in the streets and
+approaches reiterated the shout.
+
+Then Jalaladdeen, advancing from the throne, addressed the throng:
+
+"Heartily do I thank Allah and the Prophet that my fate has taken so
+wondrous and happy a turn; but, above all, I prize my good fortune in
+becoming the husband of this amiable Princess."
+
+Jalaladdeen thus concluded his address; and Gulnaschare said to him,
+
+"Didst thou so often wish for me when I, in the guise of an old woman,
+roused thee night after night from thy peaceful slumbers and happy
+dreams with my crutch?"
+
+"How!" exclaimed Jalaladdeen; "wast thou that hideous old woman?
+impossible!"
+
+"Passing strange, perchance, it may seem; but nevertheless it is so:
+all things are possible to the King of Spirits, which mortal mind can
+barely comprehend."
+
+The marriage ceremony was now ordered to take place; and one festivity
+followed another; happiness, and joy, and peace, reigned together.
+
+Jalaladdeen ruled for many years over the kingdom of the Moguls, and
+enlarged it by many prosperous conquests; he brought it to a state of
+peace and tranquillity which it had never experienced in former years,
+and which, after his death, it did not long enjoy.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+The Story of Haschem.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+THE LOST SON.
+
+
+More than a thousand years ago, there lived in the famous city of
+Bagdad a man called Naima, who, although he was now grey with age, had
+still the lusty strength of earlier days. The opening of his life was
+devoted to trade; and in pursuit of it he made many journeys, by which
+he not only gained great intellectual treasures and experiences, but
+also acquired property, which afforded him, not certainly the means
+for extravagant expenditure, but still sufficient to live in comfort.
+He had the good sense and wisdom to be satisfied with such moderate
+possessions, and to enjoy them in peaceful quiet--labouring meanwhile
+for the improvement of his only son. Many of his acquaintance,
+however, sought to amass greater wealth, forgetting, as it would seem,
+that by such constant efforts, life itself, after its meridian, would
+be but lost without some new and higher enjoyment. The city of Mossul
+was his home in early days; but he quitted it, and took up his abode
+in Bagdad, partly owing to the suggestions of a friend with whom he
+had been on the most intimate and confidential terms from his
+youth--partly, too, for the sake of the education of his son, as he
+expected that a residence in that city would produce worthy and
+lasting impressions on the mind of the young man.
+
+Bagdad was, at this time, under the rule of the famed Caliph Haroun al
+Raschid, and was the resort of strangers from all parts of the globe,
+where artists and sages of that country mingled among those of the
+neighbouring lands. Nor had Naima conceived a vain expectation. His
+son Haschem was a young man gifted with good natural abilities, and
+endowed with a pure unsullied heart. He used every opportunity which
+chance threw in his way to extend his knowledge, cultivate his mind,
+or to improve his disposition; nor was he deficient in bodily
+exercises and warlike accomplishments; so that through good discipline
+he became powerful in body and strong in mind. He was, therefore, as
+was natural enough, not only the joy and pride of his father, but was
+loved and esteemed by all who knew him, and was often pointed out by
+the elders, to others of his own age, as an example worthy of
+imitation. As the father saw his greatest treasure in the person of
+his only son, so he, with all the fervour of a well-directed mind,
+clung to his father.
+
+Some years passed over them in this mutual love, heightened still more
+by the companionship of their friend Saad, and their happiness was
+full and uninterrupted. It chanced one day that Naima and Saad were
+taking their accustomed walk in the princely gardens adjoining the
+city in front of the gate. The heat of the summer's day had been
+diminished by a gentle rain, and the two strolled on in happy
+conversation, and extended their walk beyond its ordinary length. The
+last gardens were already left behind them, and they wandered on over
+green meadow-land; behind a little wood, at the entrance of which
+stood high palms, whose shadows invited to repose. A fresh spring
+gushed from a neighbouring rock, and meandered sparkling among the
+verdant herbage and variegated flowers.
+
+The two friends lay down in the shade, and conversed on the dangers to
+which the most virtuous men are subject, and how easily one may,
+through passion, be led into a false step, if he allow himself to
+confide in his own firmness of purpose.
+
+"I have known men," continued Saad, "who, although among the best and
+noblest whom I have ever known in the course of my life, were led
+unawares, by too great self-confidence, to an action which they might
+easily have avoided by a little caution, but which has been the
+beginning of a long chain of transgressions and vices, ending in their
+complete ruin."
+
+Naima maintained that a heart accustomed from early youth to virtue
+would, on the contrary, not be easily led to commit a serious fault;
+and even if it should happen so, that it would readily find its way
+back from a slight error to the right road.
+
+They talked still longer on these subjects, each endeavouring to
+confirm his assertions by examples. Haschem, stretched beside them,
+listened with attention to their instructive conversation; but
+suddenly he sprang to his feet, and ran quickly up the woody hill, at
+the foot of which they were reposing. Saad and his father looked after
+him with astonishment, as they could not comprehend what had
+occasioned his sudden departure. Then they saw that a little bird, as
+white as snow, was flying before him, which he was trying to catch. He
+was soon lost to their view among the bushes; they cried to him, and
+begged him to come back--but in vain. They waited for a quarter of an
+hour, and still Haschem did not return. Uneasy as to what had become
+of him, they advanced in the direction in which he had disappeared;
+but they could discover nothing. They called his name: the wood echoed
+it. At last the sun set; then said Saad,
+
+"Let us return home: your son is a robust and strong young man; he
+will easily find his way back into the city. Perhaps he has gone home
+some other way."
+
+After long opposition, the father was at last persuaded to return
+without his son; but he was still full of anxiety, which no arguments
+could overcome. When they arrived at the city, his friend accompanied
+him to his house. They entered hastily, and inquired for Haschem; but
+he had not returned. Saad's hopes were of no more avail; Naima would
+no longer listen to him, but weeping, threw himself on his couch. Saad
+rebuked him for this weakness, and represented to him that it might
+easily have happened that the young man had lost his way in the
+pursuit of the bird, and could not recover the track.
+
+"He has certainly found a shelter where he will remain till morning,"
+continued he; "he will return here early to-morrow, and will laugh
+heartily at your unmanly spirit and desponding grief."
+
+When Saad was gone Naima gave free scope to his feelings. He wept
+aloud, tore his beard, and threw himself upon the ground, like a
+madman. The servants and slaves of the house stood around in
+motionless astonishment, as they were not accustomed to see their
+master exhibiting such passionate emotion; others sought to console
+him, but fruitlessly; so they cried and bewailed with him for his dear
+son, who was beloved by them all. After a sleepless night, the
+afflicted father was not at all quieted. He wished early in the
+morning to send messengers in all directions; but Saad, who had come
+to hear if the lost one had returned home, explained to him how
+foolish this step would be.
+
+"Remember," said he, "that your Haschem has most probably found a
+night's lodging, and slept better than you. If he had set out on his
+way at daybreak, he could not be here now; and if you send these
+messengers after him, he may perhaps come home by a shorter path,
+while they will be searching for him in vain. Wait, at least, till
+noon."
+
+Naima yielded: he appointed the messengers to be ready at noon, and in
+the meanwhile walked through the gardens and in the country round
+about the city, where they had been on the preceding day. His friend
+accompanied him, although he pointed out that Haschem might, in the
+interval, have reached home while they were walking, and that he was
+thus perhaps giving himself more grief than was necessary.
+
+"I have given up to you in the rest," replied Naima; "let me at least
+in this instance have my own will, that I may walk here."
+
+They went together to the fountain in the rock near the palms; they
+climbed the neighbouring heights; they called the name of the lost one
+in all directions; but no sound was heard in reply. At noon they went
+home, and asked all they met if they had not seen a young man, whom
+they accurately described. Nobody could give them any information
+about him. Naima now sent out his messengers in all directions; to
+each he promised a rich reward, but tenfold to that one who should
+lead the lost one back to his arms. They set out joyfully, each one
+hoping to gain the tenfold sum, and they all intended to return home
+in the evening; but these hopes were disappointed. Naima with earnest
+desire expected them in the evening; none came. At last a few returned
+on the third day. They had gone a day's journey in the appointed
+direction, had sought everywhere, had described the wanderer to all
+they had met, but none had seen him. The rest of the messengers also
+returned, one by one, and none had discovered the least trace of him.
+The hopes of the sorrowing father had almost disappeared: only one of
+the dispatched messengers was not yet come back. Although it was
+probable that this one might remain away without success, he still
+clung to the hope that he at least might discover a trace of his son,
+who had disappeared in so unaccountable a manner. But when this last
+messenger returned on the tenth day, and reported that all his
+researches had been without success, the parent's grief knew no
+bounds. His friend Saad stood by him comforting him, and inquired,
+together with all his friends, whether no tidings could be learned of
+Haschem. He could not have been killed, for then his corpse would have
+been found; he had no cause to conceal himself; he could not have been
+attacked by enemies, as he had none: might he, in the pursuit of the
+bird, have been led to the brink of the stream, and have thrown
+himself in, and been carried away by the waves? Scarcely did the
+possibility of this idea arise, when two messengers were dispatched to
+each side of the river to make fresh search, from its junction with
+the Euphrates above Balsora to the spot where it flows into the
+Arabian Sea, to ascertain if the corpse of Haschem had been washed
+ashore. But these messengers also returned to the anxious father, and
+had not found what they sought. Now the father and his friend gave up
+Haschem for lost; Naima's manly spirit was broken; grief for his lost
+son shortened his life; he soon became old: all joy had by this time
+fled from his mind; and his sorrow was only a little alleviated when
+his faithful friend Saad sat by him in the evening, talked with him of
+his son, relating the virtues by which he had been distinguished, and
+told him how it had been his darling wish that this excellent young
+man should marry his daughter Zoraine.
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+THE SYMPATHIZING RULER.
+
+
+In a few days the Caliph Haroun al Raschid went, as he was accustomed,
+in disguise, with his Grand Vizier Giafar, and Mesrour his
+Chamberlain, through the streets of Bagdad, to see with his own eyes
+and to hear with his own ears how justice and order were maintained by
+his servants, and whether his people were happy and prosperous. He
+had, as usual, chosen the last hour of the evening for this walk,
+because he thought that at this time he could look deeper into men's
+joys and pleasures, as they had then ended their daily toils, and were
+seeking comfort and repose in the bosom of their family. In his
+progress he came to a street distinguished by peculiar silence and
+quiet. As he approached a house, before the door of which two men were
+standing whispering, Haroun al Raschid addressed them with these
+words:
+
+"Why do you whisper, as if you were concerting a crime? is not this
+street lonely enough, that you cannot hold your discourse aloud? Can
+you tell me why this street is so quiet, as though every inhabitant
+were dead?"
+
+"I can easily tell you, my lord," answered one of the whisperers:
+"here, in the next house, lives the unfortunate Naima, and, as usual
+at this hour, his friend Saad sits with him to console him. Now, all
+the inhabitants of this street respect this man, and wish not to
+remind him, by any outburst of joy, that happier men than himself live
+in his neighbourhood."
+
+Before the Caliph could answer him, he turned away and went into the
+house, and the other followed him.
+
+"Have you ever heard of this unfortunate Naima before?" asked Haroun
+al Raschid of his Grand Vizier; and as he answered in the negative, he
+said, "Let us rap at the door of the next house, where this Naima
+dwells; perhaps we may discover the cause of his sorrow."
+
+They drew near, and saw the light from the inner court shining through
+a crevice. The Caliph placed his eye at this crevice, and after he had
+watched for some time, he beckoned his followers to him, and said,
+"Two grey-headed men are sitting in this court by a lamp, and one
+seems to be comforting the other; but this latter continues to weep
+more bitterly. Both seem of the same rank; and I am desirous to know
+what sorrow oppresses the unfortunate Naima. Order him to appear at my
+palace early to-morrow morning; perhaps it may be in my power to
+lighten his calamity."
+
+The next day the Grand Vizier executed his commission. Naima was
+frightened when his presence was required at the palace. He was led
+into the great hall where the divan usually assembled; but he was
+quite alone there when the servants had left him. He reviewed the
+whole of his past life, to see if he had sinned in any way so as to
+bring on him the displeasure of the righteous Caliph; for he knew that
+Haroun al Raschid often, in a mysterious manner, discovered the faults
+of his subjects, and punished them accordingly. But he could not call
+to mind any deed of which he, felt ashamed, nor any that deserved
+punishment. Whilst he was thus meditating, a curtain was drawn back,
+and the Caliph entered, followed by his Vizier and his Chamberlain.
+Naima rose from the ground, and bowed with his head even to the carpet
+on which the Caliph stood.
+
+"Naima," said the Caliph, "a heavy weight of grief oppress you; and by
+the anxiety which your neighbours manifest to show respect for the
+sorrows of your soul, I must consider you as a man of great worth. I
+wish to know the cause of your despondency: will you confess it before
+these two witnesses, or would you rather confide to me alone the
+reason of your tears?"
+
+"Ruler of the Faithful," answered Naima, "sorrow is great and deep in
+my soul; but still the cause of it is unworthy to distract for a
+moment the attention of the Caliph from the cares of his kingdom."
+
+But Haroun al Raschid answered, "That which fills the heart of the
+meanest of my subjects with such grief that it consumes his life is
+not unworthy of my care. When I am careful for my whole kingdom, this
+care extends to each individual; if, then, I am careful for one, this
+one is a member of the whole, and thus my care is not lost. But speak,
+what is the cause of your sorrow and your tears?"
+
+Then Naima recounted the mysterious disappearance of his son; how he
+had sought for him everywhere, and how all trouble had been useless,
+so that all his messengers had returned home without the least trace
+of him. "I must therefore weep for him as one that is dead"--thus he
+ended his relation; "and tears, perhaps, might appease my sorrow, if
+at the same time a ray of hope did not dart through my heart that
+possibly he is still alive; but where does he live, if indeed he be
+still alive? This ray of hope keeps the wound in the father's heart
+always open."
+
+"You have real cause for grief," answered the Caliph, "and I
+comprehend that the uncertainty of your son's fate must be as terrible
+to bear as would be the mournful certainty of his death. You did wrong
+in not applying to me before: my power extends not only over
+believers, but also in foreign lands. Other kings and rulers I have as
+my servants, whose eyes see for me, whose ears hear for me, and whose
+hands perform what is necessary for my pleasure. That which was not
+possible to yourself, your friends, and your servants to accomplish,
+might perhaps have been easy to me. Now go home, and believe that you
+shall obtain news of your son, if he lives on the earth, in any land
+where my power can reach."
+
+With these words he dismissed him, after he had first inquired the
+marks by which his lost son might be recognized.
+
+When Naima again sat with his friend Saad in the evening, he related
+to him the gracious and comforting words of the Caliph. Saad perceived
+that hope was again revived in his friend's heart, and that he
+confidently trusted to find his son. He thought it therefore his duty
+to damp this hope, and said,
+
+"Beloved friend, I have once heard a speech, which by its truth sank
+deeply in my memory: it is, 'Trust not in princes; they are but men.'
+The moral of which is, that the mightiest on earth are subject to
+fate. If the Caliph have influence in distant lands, it must be in a
+confined and narrow limit. That which is but a span distant is under
+the control of all-governing fate, even from the meanest slave to the
+Ruler of the Faithful."
+
+But if the power of Haroun al Raschid were bounded by the immensity of
+fate, yet he did all he could to fulfil the hope he had raised in
+Naima's heart. He gave a commission to all his servants in his
+kingdom, high and low, and to his ambassadors in the neighbouring
+kingdoms, and even sent into distant lands, with the princes of which
+he was friendly, and on the same day dispatched messengers with the
+charge to search for Haschem with all diligence, and gave them a
+description how they might recognize him if they found him. But week
+after week passed away, month after month, and even a whole year
+elapsed, without intelligence being received either of the life or
+death of the lost one. So all hope of finding him now deserted the
+father for ever.
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+THE CAPTIVE.
+
+
+Haschem was not dead; he still lived, but in such retirement that it
+was impossible to discover his abode. He followed the snow-white bird
+till evening, without clearly knowing why: he was induced to think he
+could catch the curious creature, particularly as it flew at such a
+moderate height from the ground, and so slowly that he hoped quickly
+to reach it. The tardiness of its flight made him conjecture that it
+must have a defect in its wing: he often stretched out his hand to it,
+and drew near it, but the bird again raised its wings, and flew a
+little in advance. Haschem now felt himself tired, and would have
+given up the pursuit, but the bird also seemed fatigued; he approached
+it, but again the bird flew a little farther off. In this chase he
+reached a hill, which he climbed; he was now in a narrow
+meadow-valley, which he ran along; twilight came, but the snow-white
+colour of the bird still lighted him on. At last the pursued bird
+perched in a thicket; he hastened to it, but when he closed his hand
+to take his prisoner, it flew away, leaving only one feather of its
+tail behind, which he had tightly grasped; still he saw it through the
+twilight flying before him, and he hastened after it. The bird seemed
+now to quicken its pace; and as he followed and had once nearly caught
+it, he continued the pursuit with more eagerness: he ran through the
+high grass, and with his strained sight fixed on this glimmering white
+object, he saw nothing else. Thus he came unexpectedly to a little dam
+which lay across his path; he jumped in and tried to climb the other
+side, but it was so steep that he fell in with some of the crumbling
+earth: while the water rushed over his head he lost all consciousness.
+When he came to himself, he lay on the turf, and a tall, grey-headed
+man, of strange appearance, stood before him, clothed in a long black
+robe, which reached to his ankles, and was fastened by a glittering
+girdle of a fiery colour. Instead of a turban, he wore a high pointed
+cap on his head, at the end of which was a tassel of the same hue as
+the girdle.
+
+"Has your life returned to you?" he asked: "you deserved to be
+suffocated in the mud. Come, we must go farther before daylight quite
+leaves us."
+
+With these words he raised him from the ground, passed his left arm
+round his body, and flew with him through the air as quickly as an
+arrow. Haschem again momentarily lost recollection: it is not known
+how long he remained in this condition. He awoke at last as from a
+deep sleep; and as he looked around, the first thing he recognized was
+a cage of gold wire, which hung from the ceiling by a long golden
+chain, and within was the snow-white bird he had so long followed. He
+found himself alone with this bird in a hall, the roof of which was
+supported on pillars of white marble, and the walls were built of
+smooth pale-green stones. The openings to the windows were skilfully
+contrived with so many windings and narrow gratings, that even the
+white bird could have found no space to pass through, even if it had
+escaped from the cage. Beside one wall stood a crystal urn; and from
+this fell a stream of clear water, which, passing over the curved brim
+of the urn, dripped into a white basin beneath, from which it
+disappeared unseen.
+
+Whilst he observed this, and wondered what had happened to him, and
+how he came there, he suddenly heard the old man in the black robe
+enter from behind a curtain. He carried a small golden box in his
+hand, and approached him with these words:
+
+"You have now caught the white bird; you now have it in a cage: in
+this box is food for it, and there is water; take diligent care of it,
+and mind that it does not escape."
+
+As he said this he disappeared. Haschem now arose and walked round the
+hall: he looked through the windows, and ascertained that he must be
+in a foreign land, as the forms of the mountains and trees were quite
+different to any he had before seen. The hall seemed high, as if it
+were the upper storey of a lofty tower. No other edifice was to be
+seen, and from the windows he could not distinguish the trees and
+plants which bloomed beneath. He drew the curtain aside, and
+discovered an outlet; but there was a thick metal door which he could
+not open. He was now very much embarrassed, for he began to feel
+hungry, and could find nothing that would serve him for food. He
+examined the walls, to see if he could discover any concealed outlet.
+He tried to open the windows, that he might put his head out to see if
+there was anybody in the building beneath, to whom he might cry out.
+There was no door: he could not open the windows; and as far as he
+could stretch his sight in every direction, he could see nobody. He
+threw himself in despair on the pillow on which he recovered his
+consciousness, and wrung his hands, and wept, and cried,
+
+"I am, then, imprisoned--imprisoned in a dungeon where splendour and
+riches are lavished around! Of what avail is it that these walls are
+built of precious stones? that this lattice is of fine gold? that this
+cage is of gold, and hangs on a golden chain? I am as much a prisoner
+behind golden lattices as I should be behind iron."
+
+As hunger pinched him still more, he cried out, "How much rather would
+I be in the vilest prison, with the coarsest food, than be confined in
+this splendid hall, where I must die of hunger!"
+
+Then he again called out of the lattices, in hopes that his voice
+might be heard, and aid brought; but nobody appeared, and no one
+answered him. When he again threw himself, weeping, on his couch,
+after such useless attempts, he observed that the white bird fluttered
+restlessly in its prison, and pecked on the golden dish, where food
+was placed, without finding any.
+
+"Poor brother in misfortune!" said Haschem, "you shall not suffer
+want; I will take care of you: come, I will bring you assistance."
+
+He took the pans from the cage, and filled one with water from the
+urn, the other with grain from the gold box which the old man had
+given him. Scarcely had he hung the last on the cage, when, on turning
+round, he saw a table behind him covered with costly viands. He was
+astonished, and could not understand how all this had happened; but
+still it was not long before he attacked the meats with the zest of a
+young man who has fasted for several days. Although these viands were
+altogether different from those he had been accustomed to taste in his
+father's house, still they all appeared excellent. He ate till he was
+fully satisfied, and then took a golden cup from the table, with which
+he quenched his thirst with pure water from the urn. Afterwards he
+threw himself on a couch and fell asleep.
+
+When he awoke, he felt strong and well. He arose and walked round the
+hall, and he then observed that the table with the meats had
+disappeared. This did not please him, as he had thought to make a good
+supper of the remainder. He did not allow this, however, to trouble
+him much, as he was now sure that he was not to die of hunger. He had
+now leisure enough to examine his prison more closely. He searched
+all anew pillars, walls, and floor; but he could nowhere find a
+crevice or a fissure: all was fast and whole. His view from the
+windows did not allow him to make any discovery: he only saw that he
+was very far from the earth, and in a spacious valley. Mountains were
+to be seen in the distance, with curiously pointed summits: the
+nearest offered no change of prospect, and the farthest was too
+distant to raise his spirits by its contemplation: it was a high,
+wearisome abode. As soon as he had completed this examination, and
+found there was nothing to occupy him, he turned his attention to the
+white bird in the cage. Here was still life; and if the cage was
+narrow, yet the prisoner could hop about on the different perches.
+Soon it remained still, and looked at him with its bright eyes; and it
+seemed as if sense and speech lay in these eyes, only the
+interpretation was wanting. Night put an end to these reflections.
+
+On the next morning he observed that the bird again wanted food. He
+filled its seed-box with grain from the golden box, and gave it fresh
+water from the urn. Scarcely had he done this, when the table, covered
+with meats, again stood in the same place as the day before. This day
+passed like the former, and the following in the same manner. Haschem
+wept and mourned, took care of the little bird, fed it, and was every
+time rewarded in the same manner with the table covered with dishes,
+as soon as he had filled the bird's seed-box. He could not perceive
+who brought the table, nor how it disappeared. It always came when he
+stood beside the cage with his back turned, and without any noise.
+
+On the ninth day the old man suddenly appeared to him, and said,
+"To-day is a day of repose for you: you have performed your duty
+during the preceding days in giving the bird its food; now you may
+amuse yourself in the garden till evening."
+
+He led him through a door into a narrow passage, at the end of which
+they descended twenty steps. Then he opened a small metal trap-door,
+and Haschem again descended twenty steps more. They came to a similar
+door; and after descending twenty more steps to another, and so on,
+till after passing the ninth door, they found themselves in the open
+air.
+
+"Remain here till you are called," said the old man, who went back
+into the building through the same doors, which he shut after him.
+
+Haschem was very curious to examine more closely the building in which
+he had been imprisoned: he therefore went round it, and narrowly
+observed it. It was a tower of nine storeys, each about fifteen feet
+in height. The tower had nine angles and nine flat walls; in each
+storey were three windows, so contrived that for every two walls
+without a window, the third had one. These windows were not directly
+over one another in the storeys, but alternate; so that only three
+appeared in each wall. This distribution of regularity and order
+reigned throughout the whole building. The walls were made of large
+pieces of gold, quite as smooth as glass, like large stones; and these
+were so skilfully put together that, even when closely looked at, the
+joints could not be discovered. The lattices of the windows were all
+of gold, like those in the upper hall, and the lower doors through
+which he had passed were of a yellow metal, inclining to green.
+
+All these considerations were not calculated to lessen his conviction
+that no man could possibly find him out in such a prison. Suddenly a
+new hope awoke in him.
+
+"I am no longer shut up in the tower," said he to himself; "here I am
+in the open air, in a garden: I can clamber and jump like a monkey. I
+may possibly find some outlet from this garden, by which I can
+escape."
+
+He immediately turned from the tower, and hastened through the
+gardens, seeking freedom; but he soon discovered that this hope was
+vain. With a few steps he reached the end of the garden, and stood
+before a gate of lattice-work of strong smooth iron bars, so close
+together that he could scarcely pass his arm through. He tried to
+climb it by holding by the upper bars with his hands; but his feet
+slipped on the smooth iron, and he hurt his knee so much that, in
+consequence of not being able to bear the pain, he fell backwards on
+the earth. He now examined the lattice closely to see if there were no
+means of escape; but all was in vain--everywhere the bars were high,
+thick, and like polished glass. Mournfully he wandered round the
+garden: the sun's rays darting down scorched up the grass, and he
+sought some shade where he might screen himself from their influence.
+He lay down on a neighbouring mossy bank, and meditated anew on his
+fate. Besides his own grief at his imprisonment, the thought of his
+father's sorrow at his loss pained him. The exhaustion consequent on
+his tears and loud lamentations, joined with the noontide heat, at
+last caused him to fall into a deep sleep. When he awoke, the table
+covered with meats was again before him: he ate, and wandered anew
+mournfully through the garden, meditating whether he could not make a
+ladder from the trees around him, to aid him in his escape over the
+lattice. But there was something wanting for this work: he had not
+even a dagger or a pocket-knife. During these thoughts the old man
+appeared, and said,
+
+"Evening is drawing on. Follow me in."
+
+He led him again to the upper room of the tower, and locked the metal
+door upon him.
+
+There was no change observable in his prison--only the bird seemed
+harassed and mournful: it sat quiet and still on the lowest perch; its
+plumage was rough, and its eyes dull.
+
+"Poor creature," said Haschem, "what is the matter? Are you ill?"
+
+It seemed as if the bird was affected by these sympathizing questions;
+but it soon sank again into its former dejection. He mused long upon
+this.
+
+The next day and the following ones passed like the former; but on the
+ninth the old man again appeared, led him into the garden, and at
+night conducted him back into the hall. He took care of the bird; and
+as soon as he had given it food and water, he always found the table
+covered with meats behind him. In the intervals he stood at the
+lattice of one of the three windows looking on the plain below,
+earnestly hoping to catch sight of some person to free him from his
+captivity.
+
+In such monotonous employment many months passed away. Every ninth day
+the old man appeared, and gave him leave to walk in the garden; but he
+did not derive much amusement from his strolls in this narrow
+enclosure. In the meantime he asked the old man many times the reason
+of his imprisonment, and how long it was to last. No answer was
+vouchsafed but these words: "Every man has his own fate. This is
+thine."
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+THE DELIVERANCE.
+
+
+One day the old man appeared and led him into the garden; but he had
+not been there more than a quarter of an hour, when he returned,
+called him in, and then quickly retired with marks of disquietude.
+Haschem also remarked that the white bird, which he loved more every
+day, sat at the bottom of its cage, more mournful than usual after his
+visit. He drew near, and observed a little door, which he had never
+before seen. He examined it closely, and found a fine bolt which
+passed into a ring of gold wire. These were made so skilfully, like
+concealed ornaments, that nobody could have discovered them if his
+attention had not been drawn to them by accident. Haschem pushed back
+the bolt and opened the door; the bird moved as if some sudden joy had
+seized it, hopped out, and as soon as it touched the floor, it was
+transformed, and in its stead a young maiden stood before Haschem,
+clothed in a white silk robe; beautiful dark locks streamed over her
+neck and shoulders, and a thin fragrant veil fell over them, fastened
+to a forehead-band set with precious stones; her finely-formed
+countenance was as white as ivory, relieved by the softest shade of a
+rose.
+
+Surprised and astonished, Haschem started back and said, "By the beard
+of the Prophet, I conjure you to tell me whether you are of human
+race, or whether you belong to the genii?"
+
+"I am a weak maiden," said she, "and implore you to deliver me from
+the hands of this cruel magician. I will reward you handsomely for it.
+Know, I am the only daughter of Kadga Singa, King of Selandia; and
+this wicked enchanter has cunningly carried me off from my father's
+palace, and shut me up in this cage. He has one son, as ugly as night,
+whom he wishes me to take for my husband. Every ninth day he comes,
+brings him with him, and praises his excellent qualities--presses me
+for my consent, and threatens me with cruel tortures if I give it not
+at the next new moon. On that day he will have kept me a year in
+imprisonment, and longer than a year he says he will not wait, and
+still give good words: then will the time of my punishment begin. I
+conjure you, therefore, to help me!"
+
+At these words she burst into a flood of tears.
+
+"Noble royal maiden," answered Haschem, "how willingly would I help
+you! but, alas, I am only a weak man, and cannot free myself. But tell
+me--how is it possible? You say the enchanter brings his hateful son
+with him: why, then, have I never seen him?"
+
+"He always sends you away when he comes," answered the Princess.
+
+"Well," pursued Haschem, "the son could not conceal himself from me on
+the steps, or in the narrow passage."
+
+"Well, well," she answered, "he carries him in his pocket."
+
+Then Haschem cried out in his astonishment, "In his pocket! How can
+that be?"
+
+The Princess related to him that the young man was every time a white
+bird, like herself; that the enchanter put him into the cage with her,
+and that she felt such a dislike to him that she always fluttered
+about the cage to avoid getting near him; but that he, with his
+contrary friendly feeling, would follow her and settle confidingly
+near her.
+
+"Oh," she continued, "you must have remarked how tired and mournful I
+always was when you returned on the ninth day."
+
+Haschem, astonished at this explanation, assured her of his
+willingness to help her, but bewailed his helplessness. But the
+Princess would not give up hopes of their safety.
+
+"It seems to me," said she, "a good omen that the enchanter has to-day
+received a message which caused him to leave so early and in such
+haste that he did not securely close the cage, and that you returned
+so early to-day from the garden. This day is my birthday, the only day
+that I can be delivered from the magician's power. On any other day I
+should still have remained a dumb bird if you had freed me from my
+cage; only on this day has my touching the floor restored me to my
+natural form: the enchantment lies in the cage."
+
+Haschem then seized the cage, and said, "If it be so, we will break
+the enchantment." He threw the cage to the ground, stamped on it with
+his feet till it was quite flat and its shape no longer
+distinguishable, then he rolled it together, and threw it into a
+corner of the hall.
+
+At this moment a frightful noise resounded through the air like
+violent thunder, a gale of wind seemed to shake the hall, and suddenly
+the doors opened, the curtains were drawn aside, and the magician
+stood before them with a countenance full of anger.
+
+"Ah!" cried he, "weak worms, what have you presumed to do? How did you
+learn to break my charm in this manner? Who bid you destroy the cage?"
+
+Haschem, terrified, could answer nothing. Then the enchanter turned to
+the Maiden, and cried,
+
+"And you, you thought this miserable worm could defend you against my
+power: I will show you how useless it is to oppose me."
+
+He felt in the pocket of his black robe, and pulled out a thin box.
+This he opened, and a white bird flew out and perched on the table.
+Then he took a small box from his girdle and opened it: it was filled
+with grains of millet. From these he took one, laid it before the
+bird, who had scarcely eaten it before such a distorted man stood in
+its place, that both Haschem and the Princess screamed aloud. His head
+was large and thick, his eyes red and dark, his nose small and pressed
+quite flat, his lips thick and bluish-red, his chin broad and
+projecting, and on his head grew a few stiff white hairs; a hump grew
+out of his breast, and a similar one from his back, and his shoulders
+were quite drawn up: his head was so jammed between them that his ears
+could not be seen. His head and upper part of his body were so
+unshapely, and his legs so weak and thin, that it was wonderful how
+they supported him: he tottered about incessantly, balancing himself
+first on one leg, then on the other.
+
+"Go in, my son," said the enchanter to this misformed creature:
+"behold! there is your bride. She does not wish to wait till the new
+moon, which I fixed upon for your betrothal: to-day she has effected
+her change by the help of this friend. Go, my son, give your bride a
+kiss, and then thank this young man."
+
+The deformed creature approached the Princess with a horrible fiendish
+laugh. She averted her face with disgust, and stretched out her arms,
+motioning him away. And now courage returned to Haschem. Resolved to
+venture all, he stepped before the Princess, and gave the deformity
+such a blow that he reeled. He instantly assumed the form of a
+terrible dragon; but Haschem, drawing a scimitar which he still wore,
+cut him down. He fell with such violence on the corner of the pedestal
+of one of the marble pillars that it was broken to pieces: a stream of
+blood flowed from the wound, and, resuming his former shape, the
+monster gave a hollow groan. Now Haschem thought of the father's rage
+and revenge, and gave up his life for lost. But the enchanter stood
+quite confounded as he observed his son's mortal wound; then, threw
+himself down beside him, and examined it, and wrung his hands,
+forgetting his revenge in his sorrow. Haschem quickly seized the hand
+of the Princess, and led her through the door and down the steps. All
+the doors were open, and they fortunately came into the garden. Soon
+they stood before the lattice of the iron wicket, which was closed to
+them.
+
+"Of what use is our flight?" said Haschem; "we are still in the power
+of the enchanter; and even if we were on the other side of the wicket,
+and concealed ourselves in the deepest cavern, he would discover us by
+his knowledge, and wreak his vengeance on us."
+
+"I am of a different opinion," said the Princess. "I know there are
+things of which men think little, but on which the superior power of
+the magician depends. It appears to me that if we could get out of
+this place, we should be safe."
+
+They went farther, and came to a spot where many trees had been
+uprooted by a hurricane. One of these lay overturned, with its crown
+resting on the lattice, and its boughs and branches hanging far over
+the other side. At this sight the young man rejoiced: he climbed
+quickly up the trunk, pulled the Princess after him, and led her with
+great care and tenderness into the crown of the tree. They then
+clambered over the spiked top of the wicket, and let themselves down
+on the other side by the overhanging branches. They did not quite
+reach to the ground, but near enough for them to leap down: when they
+let go their hands, they fell softly to the earth. They quickly jumped
+up, and proceeded as rapidly as the strength of the Princess and the
+unknown way would allow them through the thickets, underwood, and
+plains studded with prickly plants, towards the distant mountains.
+
+After the two fugitives had continued their flight for several
+successive hours without looking back on the scene of their
+imprisonment, the Princess felt her strength exhausted, and could go
+no farther; she begged her companion to repose for a short time.
+Haschem sought a place free from bushes, and clad with moss and long
+grass. They seated themselves there, and Haschem entreated her to
+relate her history. She was soon ready, and commenced thus:
+
+"My early history is very simple and unimportant. I am called Handa,
+the only daughter of the Sultan of the island Selandia. My mother was
+brought from beyond Arabia and Mount Caucasus over the wide-stretching
+sea, and was sold to him as a slave. Soon attracted by her excessive
+beauty and pleasing manners, he raised her to the dignity of his
+principal wife. My earliest youth was spent in pleasing sports under
+my mother's eyes. She died before I had passed the age of childhood,
+as the change from the mild climate of her land to the heat of my
+father's shortened her days. After the loss of my mother, which did
+not much affect me, as I was too young to feel it, I enjoyed many
+happy days. My father loved me as his greatest treasure, and was wise
+enough to confide me to a careful nurse. Every evening I passed
+several hours with him, as soon as he was released from the cares of
+government, and one whole day in each week he devoted to conversation
+with me. We then went together in a light bark to a neighbouring
+promontory, where he had a beautiful palace and gardens. The air
+there blew cooler and more refreshing, the trees and shrubs were
+clothed with fresher green than in the shut-up garden in the capital,
+and we passed the whole day in the open air. In the meantime I had
+outgrown childhood, and was beloved by a Prince, the son of a
+neighbouring King, to whom I was betrothed, and who was to succeed my
+father in his kingdom. This Prince, whose name was Mundian Oppu, also
+often took part in these visits to the castle on the promontory.
+
+"It happened one day, as we were sitting on a terrace by the sea, a
+foreign ship anchored just below us. A foreigner caused himself to be
+landed in a little boat, and asked us permission to appear before us,
+as he had many costly wares to offer for sale. I was desirous to see
+the stranger's wares, and begged my father to grant the desired
+petition. The man laid many costly trinkets of gold and precious
+stones before us, and my father bought some, with which I was much
+pleased. I remarked that the merchant watched me closely, but he did
+this with such evident pleasure that my vanity ascribed it to his
+opinion of my pleasing expression, and found no harm in it. Whilst he
+shewed his wares, he let fall some words which intimated that he had
+left his most precious articles behind in the ship. He had there many
+curious birds, particularly a snow-white bird, which was the most
+beautiful of all creatures of this kind. He managed thus to raise my
+desires so much that I begged my father to allow me to go with the
+stranger to his ship to see these silken stuffs: my father was weak
+enough to comply with this unreasonable wish. A suitable train should
+have accompanied me, but the stranger prevented this. He said his boat
+had only room in it for three people, and that he should not like to
+show his wares if many people came into his ship. 'They are only
+things for the royal Princess,' he said, 'and I dare not expose her to
+danger. I can never forget that a powerful King has entrusted his only
+daughter to my care; therefore your betrothed Prince Mundian Oppu may
+accompany you as a watchful protector.' We went with the merchant to
+the ship. There we found an immense number of extraordinary things and
+unknown animals. In the place where in other ships the rowers sat
+were great apes; on high on the mast sat an eagle; in the inner rooms
+were many large and small cages of smooth ebony with thick gold bars,
+behind which moved a confused multitude of animals.
+
+"My desire was now directed to the snow-white bird, about which I made
+inquiry. He showed it me high up in a box, and as I could not see it
+distinctly, he took it out and put it on my hand. 'It is quite
+singular,' said he, 'when the bird is here, it can only remain a few
+days alive, but I have found the corn of life, which I give it each
+week, and it is then refreshed for nine days.' We asked for the corn
+of life, of which we had never heard, and he opened a little box and
+took out three grains. He gave me one to give the bird, the other I
+was to try, and the third Prince Mundian Oppu. When I offered the
+grain to the bird, it refused to peck it; and when I pressed my hand
+closer, the bird drew back, lost its balance, and fell down with
+outspread wings. I hastened to it, picked it up perhaps somewhat
+roughly, and as it tried to escape, I held some of its tail-feathers
+fast, so that it lay fluttering in my hand. I was very much
+frightened, and the merchant seemed so also. He soon laughed with
+malicious joy, and said that I should swallow the corn, because it
+would prevent the flight of the frightened prisoner. He said the same
+to the Prince, and we swallowed the grains in the same moment. I felt
+a wonderful transformation pass over me, and found that I was changed
+into a snow-white bird; and when I looked towards the Prince, in his
+stead I saw a black bird. Now the stranger, who was no other than the
+enchanter, seized me, and shut me up in the golden cage which you have
+trodden to pieces. The apes began to ply the oars, and the ship moved
+with unusual swiftness over the sea. I still saw my father sitting on
+the terrace, and the wonder of the servants as they saw the ship
+depart: I believed that I heard their voices calling us back. But what
+could I do in my cage? The black bird flew to the promontory; and from
+that moment I have neither heard nor seen anything of Prince Mundian
+Oppu.
+
+"When my home was far in the distance, and even the summit of the
+mountain could no longer be distinguished, the enchanter rose with my
+cage high in the air, leaving his ship behind, and bore me into the
+hall of the tower. How he brought the other white bird, I don't know:
+I only know that he took it out of his pocket and put it into the
+cage. 'Now you have a companion,' said he. As I took him for a real
+bird, I considered myself, though unfortunate, superior to him, and
+drew myself back into a corner. But the bird came nearer, and followed
+me. At last I lost patience, and pecked his eyes. When the enchanter
+saw this, he took out a little box, and took from it a grain, which he
+laid before the bird, who picked it immediately. It was then changed
+into a man, as ugly as you saw him in the tower. He desired me, as I
+have already told you, to take that deformity for my husband, and
+promised me that, on my consent, I should be immediately restored to
+my proper form, and assured me that otherwise I should always remain
+as a bird, except on my birthday. I have now no other wish than to
+return to my father in Selandia, because I know he is living in great
+affliction, if, indeed, sorrow at my loss have not already brought him
+to the grave."
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+THE FAITHFUL CONDUCTOR HOME.
+
+
+At the conclusion of this relation, Haschem thought with compassion of
+his father, and had his mournful countenance and bowed-down form
+before his mind. He knew, from the great love he had always shown him,
+that he must have pined for his loss.
+
+"Princess," said he, "your desire cannot be greater than mine. Still,
+I swear to you that I will not return to my father till I have safely
+conducted you to your native land, or have given you over to safe
+guides to bring you to your father; if I do not, may Heaven not grant
+my father life to receive this joy!"
+
+They journeyed on with renewed vigour. But evening was drawing near,
+and they must find a resting-place for the night. Fortune was
+favourable: they soon found a spot, shadowed, by a high bush.
+
+Haschem broke away the boughs so as to form a hedge, which quite
+concealed the Princess, and to which he only left a narrow entrance,
+before which he lay down to watch. Night passed without danger.
+However anxiously Haschem strove against sleep, to watch over his
+companion, it at last weighed down his eyelids, and they both awoke
+with the first rays of the sun. Their good star soon led them to a
+spot where they found refreshing wood-berries, the names of which were
+unknown to them, and they were anxious to discover if they were
+poisonous; but hunger made them venture. They wandered the whole day,
+resting alternately. At every step the journey became more hazardous.
+The thickets became thicker and higher; they were often obliged to
+creep between the boughs, and their clothes hung in rags. On the
+fourth day they reached the foot of the mountain. There they found
+cultivated land and human habitations. Haschem inquired where they
+were, and asked for the sea. The people told them the name of the
+country, which was unknown to Haschem and the Princess Handa. On the
+other side of the high mountain lay a large flat land, whose coast was
+washed by the sea. They received this information with great joy. They
+descended the mountain, came to the flat land, and at last, after a
+wearisome journey, during which they had seen the sun rise and set
+seven times, they arrived at the sea-coast. A ship lay ready at
+anchor, and when they inquired its destination, the steersman
+answered, "We are going to Selandia to fetch a cargo of cinnamon." To
+Haschem's question where they came from, and what this land where they
+were was called, he received for answer, "that the ship belonged to a
+merchant of Balsora, and that it had been cast on these unknown shores
+by a violent storm."
+
+When the Princess perceived that the ship was going towards her native
+land, she was very much rejoiced. She took one of the precious stones
+out of her forehead-band, and gave it as a reward for her and her
+companion. The following morning they weighed anchor, and, after a
+prosperous voyage, they reached the same place where the enchanter's
+ship had formerly lain at anchor when he carried off the Princess.
+
+They were landed in a small boat, and Handa led her deliverer into
+the beautiful leafy walks of the imperial gardens. In this way they
+came to a terrace, from which they could see the ship. Instead of
+pressing quickly forwards, they concealed themselves behind a bush. A
+very melancholy old man sat on this terrace, looking over the sea; and
+while a flood of tears ran down his face,
+
+"Ah!" cried he, "it was just so on the day that my sorrows began!
+There lay the ship of the robber, there landed the boat which carried
+away my beloved daughter and her betrothed. It was even at the same
+hour of the day. I have sent messengers into all the neighbouring
+lands; I have caused the opposite sea-coasts to be searched; but all
+has been in vain! I must die, and never see my child again."
+
+He pronounced these words aloud, and covered his face as he bowed
+himself forward on his hands.
+
+Princess Handa wished to hasten to him, but Haschem held her back, and
+said, "Let me first prepare him for your arrival, else joy may kill
+him." And he sprang forward, and bowed before the sorrowing old man,
+making his forehead touch the ground.
+
+The King then said, "Who are you? Are you a beggar, and do you need
+any gift? It shall be given you: go to my palace."
+
+Haschem stood up and answered, "In such circumstances you might well
+take me for a beggar, O great King Kadga Singa. But know that under
+these ragged clothes is concealed a magician, who is come to change
+your tears into smiles, your sobs into transports of joy."
+
+"Can any man on earth do this?" asked Kadga Singa.
+
+"I have only to speak three words," he answered, "and it will happen.
+Are you strong enough to support the highest joy that your heart can
+conceive and feel?"
+
+At these questions a ray of hope in the soul of the mourning father
+beamed through his tearful eyes. "What is it? Who are you who can
+promise this?" asked he.
+
+And Haschem repeated his question, "Do you feel strong enough?"
+
+"I think so," answered the King, regarding him with hopeful looks.
+
+"Draw near, Princess Handa, your father is prepared," cried the youth;
+and she sprang forwards into her father's open arms.
+
+Then was Haschem's word fulfilled: his tears were changed into smiles,
+his sobs into transports of joy. Their embrace continued long. At last
+Kadga Singa raised himself, beckoned Haschem to approach, and said,
+"You are a magician; such an one I have never before seen. By your
+magic words you have changed the mournful course of my life into the
+brightest sunshine. I will not now ask you who you are, and what I
+have to thank you for; I will not now inquire what chance brought you
+to my daughter; I shall only give myself up to joy at her return."
+
+They went back to the capital in a kingly boat, and soon the joyful
+news of the unexpected reappearance of the Princess spread everywhere.
+Numbers assembled at the palace to ascertain if the news were true;
+and Princess Handa went out to the gate and down the steps. Then arose
+a shout of joy of a thousand voices, and loud wishes for her health
+and happiness.
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+REWARD.
+
+
+The next day, after the King had heard the history of her imprisonment
+related by his daughter, and with what devotion Haschem had watched
+over her, and when Haschem had narrated his history, Kadga Singa was
+very thoughtful, and caused his council to assemble to deliberate how
+they should reward him.
+
+"If he were not so young," said some of them, "he might be made Grand
+Vizier, the next in dignity to the King, or be appointed Governor of a
+province. But his youth prevents his being raised over the people next
+to the King."
+
+After longer consultation, the eldest of the councillors rose, and
+said, "Kadga Singa, my King and lord. The youth has certainly
+performed a great service to you and the Princess Handa; therefore it
+seems to me that his reward ought to come from you. It seems to me
+that the King, having received from him good in his family, must
+reward him from his family. Were I in such a case, I would appoint him
+as Mundiana, and give him for a wife the daughter whom he has
+restored."
+
+The whole assembly were of the same opinion, and the King gave them to
+understand that this was also his wish.
+
+"I am old," he said, "and can easily perceive that the cares of this
+land will soon need other hands to support them. I shall be much
+pleased to see my daughter with a noble husband. Prince Mundian Oppu
+has disappeared, whom I had before chosen; and this youth, although of
+meaner origin, is of noble soul, and will soon, under my guidance,
+acquire the necessary circumspection to promote justice and order in
+my kingdom."
+
+He did not delay, but immediately caused Haschem to be called. A
+costly band of gold and silver was fastened round his forehead, and
+the King then said, "I herewith appoint you Mundiana."
+
+And the assembled councillors cried out, "We congratulate you, hail,
+Mundiana!"
+
+But Haschem laughed, and said, "Forgive my ignorance: what is
+Mundiana?"
+
+The eldest councillor stepped forward, and said, "This name points out
+the highest step of honour which the King can bestow. You are found
+worthy of this honour; and no other lives who bears this title,
+because Prince Mundian Oppu has disappeared."
+
+An elephant covered with costly trappings was now brought in by its
+keeper, and upon it was a richly ornamented seat. On this the new
+Mundiana was placed, and led through the streets. Heralds went before
+him, and cried aloud, "Listen to what Kadga Singa makes known to all
+people. This youth has restored to him his dearest jewel which he had
+lost. In gratitude, the King has nominated him Mundiana, and has
+appointed his daughter Handa for his wife. To-morrow will the
+betrothal be celebrated; and everybody is requested to come into the
+court of the palace to partake of the joy of the festival."
+
+Haschem knew not how all this had come about. He received clothes and
+rich arms as a present from the King; and the King so highly favoured
+him that he was not only to be husband of the Princess Handa, but was
+to succeed Kadga Singa on the throne, and to reign over that beautiful
+and rich land. In this happiness he forgot his early life, his
+father's sorrow, and even Zoraine his playfellow in youth, his
+father's faithful friend Saad, and thought no more of his home or his
+fatherland. The next day his betrothal with the Princess was
+celebrated with great pomp.
+
+The Princess had willingly yielded to her father's wish, without
+manifesting any particular joy, or showing any affection for her
+future husband; although she felt very friendly towards him, and
+treated him with great respect and attention, as her grateful heart
+did not forget in prosperity how much she had owed to him in
+misfortune.
+
+The first days and weeks passed in the delights of joy: then he was
+introduced by the King into the council, and taught the business of
+the State. The King and councillors had often reason to wonder at his
+acuteness in judgment in difficult cases, and, above all, at his
+perception of right and wrong. Soon no sentence was pronounced without
+his opinion being first consulted; and it often happened that it was
+contrary to that of the rest of the council; but the reasons for his
+decision always prevailed. In all lands the justice and wisdom of the
+King's future son-in-law were praised, and it was hoped that fortune
+would permit him to rule over the land.
+
+A whole year had now elapsed, and the day was fast approaching when he
+was to marry the Princess and ascend the throne. One day, as usual, he
+sought his betrothed, the Princess Handa, in her apartments. As he was
+announced by a servant, he went in quickly, and saw the Princess
+hastily wiping her eyes; and as he drew nearer, he found the traces of
+her tears. Sympathizing with her, he asked the cause of her grief, and
+she tried to avoid answering him; but as he continued to urge her, she
+at last said, "I dare tell you why these tears flow, because you are
+good and compassionate, and will not consider it a crime that I have a
+feeling and sympathizing heart. You know that I was formerly beloved
+by Prince Mundian Oppu, the son of the neighbouring King. I related
+to you that this Prince was changed into a blackbird by the enchanter,
+and flew from the ship to the promontory of the island where our
+country seat was situated. Now, I must tell you that I grieve so much
+the more about this Prince's fate, as from my own change I can
+compassionate his mournful condition. I could not repress this desire,
+and I have obtained certain news of his life and present condition by
+the secret knowledge of a clever Tirinaxian. And in this manner I have
+learned that he still lives in his new form, and that he has flown,
+from fear of the snares of the hunter, whom we call Dodda Waddas, out
+of the land into distant regions; and that it is ordained by fate that
+he shall never regain his human form if I give my hand to another
+husband. Sorrow at this mournful destiny has drawn these tears from my
+eyes, the traces of which you observed."
+
+This narrative made a deep impression on Haschem: he discovered also
+that Handa had acceded to her father's wish only from gratitude and
+filial obedience, whilst her affection was fixed on the absent Prince.
+He saw that he must purchase the good fortune to be husband of the
+noble Princess, and son-in-law of the great King Kadga Singa, and
+after him to be King of Selandia, only by the misfortunes of Prince
+Mundian Oppu. He asked himself if this were right, and was obliged to
+confess that his reason and knowledge of justice and honour were
+opposed to it. He saw that the intoxication of good fortune had
+hitherto blinded him. Then the remembrance of his father came before
+him, and he imagined him pining away at the uncertainty of his son's
+fate. He bitterly reproached himself for his long forgetfulness, and
+for not having sent an embassy to announce his safe arrival in
+Selandia.
+
+Scarcely had these thoughts and feelings arisen in his breast, than he
+made up his mind. He took Handa's hand, and promised her that he would
+do all he could to find her former lover, and restore him to her. Then
+he went to the King, told him all, and begged him to let him go to
+fulfil a son's duty to a father whom he had too long neglected. Kadga
+Singa sighed deeply at these disclosures of his future son-in-law: he
+proposed to send a ship to bring his father, so that he might end his
+life in sharing his son's good fortune and companionship. But Haschem
+declared to him, with determination, that he could never be his
+son-in-law or successor to the throne.
+
+"I cannot purchase such good fortune at another's expense," said he.
+"It was otherwise before I knew the decision of fate; but now that I
+know the Prince Mundian Oppu must, through my happiness, always remain
+in his present condition, if I thus take away the possibility of his
+ever returning to human form, I should be in the highest degree
+culpable. Therefore I voluntarily give up my good fortune."
+
+All the persuasions and urgings of Kadga Singa were useless. The
+councillors also, and the Grand Vizier and the Governors of the
+provinces, begged him to continue in the land, and to take still more
+share in the government. He remained firm in his resolution. He
+promised the Princess, who was astonished at his honourable spirit,
+that as soon as he had seen and comforted his father, he would demand
+information of Prince Mundian Oppu from all the sages and magicians of
+his native land, and that he would try all means to restore him to his
+former condition. As he was determined to set out, the King gave him
+costly presents, besides many precious stones from his treasury, and
+provided him with a ship, and all necessaries for the voyage. He took
+leave, and the good wishes of all who knew him accompanied him.
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+THE RETURN TO HIS FATHER.
+
+
+The heavens seemed to favour the resolution of the returning son: the
+warmest weather and most favourable winds seconded his journey, and
+the ship anchored in the harbour without accident. He took some
+servants; bought some camels, which he loaded with the King's
+presents, and so went through Balsora along the river to Bagdad.
+
+One beautiful evening he came near the city to the place where he had
+lain at the feet of his father and Saad, and listened to their
+discourses: their last discourse there returned to his memory.
+
+"Well," said he to himself, "it is true that it is easy for a man to
+be seduced from virtue into one false step, if he is not watchful, but
+relies on his own power: so it happened to me. I thought that my heart
+was always right, and neglected to try if what I did was just. In this
+manner have I so much forgotten my love for my father, and had nearly
+committed a great wrong; whilst I, in the intoxication of good
+fortune, was about to sacrifice to my vanity the happiness of the
+Princess and her betrothed. And you, my dearest father, were also
+right when you maintained that a heart accustomed to virtue from early
+years would only for a short time wander from the right road. I have
+myself experienced the truth of these words, and I therefore thank you
+with tears that you always accustomed me to what was good."
+
+Whilst he spoke, he lifted up his eyes, and saw a single hut where the
+palm-trees used to stand. A venerable old man, much marked by sorrow,
+appeared at the door: he stood still before the threshold, and watched
+the youth with astonishment. The young man gazed earnestly at him. He
+suddenly recognized the features of the old man, and threw himself on
+his knees before him, seized his hand, and bowing his head on it,
+bedewed it with his tears, and covered it with kisses.
+
+"My father!" cried he: "is it so indeed? Have you so much altered in
+the course of so few years?--that is my fault. Father, forgive your
+easily offending son, who forgot you in the height of prosperity."
+
+Naima stretched his other hand to him, blessed him, and said, "Rise
+up, my son, rise: he who feels repentance is forgiven."
+
+He rose and threw himself into his father's arms.
+
+When he looked up, he saw a man approach, leading a maiden whose
+features he recognized. It was Saad and his daughter Zoraine,
+Haschem's playfellow. After welcoming him, they sat down, and Haschem
+related to them all that had happened to him since that evening. He
+related, truly and candidly, how he had forgotten his father, and
+nearly fallen into greater crimes, because he had been blinded by
+fortune, by empty greatness, and honour. Whilst they were sitting,
+they observed three birds, who came from a distance, and seemed to
+pursue one another. They soon perceived a black bird, which flew
+anxiously, and seemed followed by a bird of prey. He would soon have
+reached his prey, had he not been pursued by a larger bird; and to
+avoid this, he was often compelled to go from side to side: at last
+they came to close conflict. The pursued black bird flew into
+Haschem's lap; the bird of prey, struck by his pursuer, fell to the
+ground at their feet, and was, by his strong hooked bill and sharp
+claws, soon killed and torn to pieces. Scarcely had the last
+occurrence taken place, when the conqueror changed into a
+venerable-looking sage. He turned to Haschem, who was quite
+astonished, and said,
+
+"Dip quickly your forefinger in the blood of this slain one, and
+anoint with it the beak of the black bird."
+
+Haschem obeyed immediately; and scarcely had he touched the black
+bird's beak with the blood, than it changed, and a handsome youth in
+kingly dress stood before them.
+
+"Guess who this is," said the genius.
+
+"Mundian Oppu?" asked Haschem.
+
+And the genius answered, "It is he!" And as he stood looking at the
+young man with astonishment, he said, "You do not perceive how and why
+all this has happened. I could explain to you all these mysteries; but
+to what purpose? It is not necessary for weak men to know the threads
+by which their fates are linked together: suffice it to know that it
+was necessary that you should perform all this, that you might be
+tried. You are found worthy, and Heaven rewards you with Zoraine, the
+early companion of your youth, now to be your wife."
+
+Then Haschem turned towards Zoraine, and looked inquiringly at Saad,
+her father. This latter said,
+
+"With joy I listen to the will of fate: the highest wish of my heart
+will now be fulfilled."
+
+"Know," continued the genius, "that the slain bird was the enchanter
+who had changed the Princess Handa and the Prince Mundian Oppu. They
+were also to pass through trials: thus it was decreed by fate.
+Because the enchanter only fulfilled the will of fate from selfish
+motives, and carried his revenge beyond it, and contrary to it, the
+King of the Genii commanded me to slay him."
+
+With these words he disappeared from their sight. They returned now in
+happy union to the city; and Naima, who had built his hut at the edge
+of the wood, to be always near the place of his sorrow, dwelt again
+with his children. Prince Mundian Oppu went back to Selandia in the
+same ship that had brought Haschem. He was received there with
+immeasurable joy, and was soon married to his early love. But
+Haschem's name lived long in their memory, and in that of all the
+inhabitants of that island.
+
+When the Caliph Haroun al Raschid heard of Haschem's return, he had
+him called before him, and made him relate his history. The Caliph was
+so pleased with him, that he took him into his palace, and gave him an
+important post in his Court. His history he caused to be inscribed in
+the records of his kingdom. As Giafar, his old Vizier, wished to end
+his life in quietness, the Caliph raised Haschem to be Grand Vizier;
+and he continued long in this office, to the pleasure of his relatives
+and the happiness of the people, by whom he was greatly beloved.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+The Pantofles.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+In Bagdad lived an old merchant, of the name of Abon Casem, who was
+famous for his riches, but still more for his avarice. His coffers
+were small to look at--if you could get a sight of them--and very
+dirty; but they were crammed with jewels. His clothes were as scanty
+as need be; but then, even in his clothes, there was _multum in
+parvo_: to wit, much dirt, in little space. All the embroidery he wore
+was of that kind which is of necessity attendant upon a ragged state
+of drapery. It meandered over his bony form in all the beauty of
+ill-sewn patches. His turban was of the finest kind of linen for
+lasting: a kind of canvas, and so mixed with elementary substances
+that its original colour, if it still existed, was invisible. But, of
+all his habiliments, his slippers were most deserving the study of the
+curious. They were the extreme cases, both of his body and his dirt.
+The soles consisted chiefly of huge nails, and the upper leathers of
+almost everything. The ship of the Argonauts was not a greater
+miscellany. During the ten years of their performance in the character
+of shoes, the most skilful cobblers had exercised their science and
+ingenuity in keeping them together. The accumulation of materials had
+been so great, and their weight was so heavy in proportion, that they
+were promoted to honours of proverbialism; and Abon Casem's slippers
+became a favourite comparison when a superfluity of weight was the
+subject of discourse.
+
+It happened one day, as this precious merchant was walking in the
+market, that he had a great quantity of fine glass bottles offered him
+for sale; and, as the proposed bargain was greatly on his side, and he
+made it still more so, he bought them. The vendor informed him,
+furthermore, that a perfumer having lately become bankrupt, had no
+resource left but to sell, at a very low price, a large quantity of
+rose-water; and Casem, greatly rejoicing at this news, and, hastening
+to the poor man's shop, bought up all the rose-water at half its
+value. He then carried it home, and comfortably put it in his bottles.
+Delighted with these good bargains, and buoyant in his spirits, our
+hero, instead of making a feast, according to the custom of his
+fellows, thought it more advisable to go to the bath, where he had not
+been for some time.
+
+While employed in the intricate business of undressing, one of his
+friends, or one whom he believed such--for your misers seldom have
+any--observed that his pantofles had made him quite the bye-word of
+the city, and that it was high time to buy a new pair.
+
+"To say the truth," said Casem, "I have long thought of doing so; but
+they are not yet so worn as to be unable to serve me a little longer."
+And, having undressed himself, he went into the stove.
+
+During the luxury he was there enjoying, the Cadi of Bagdad came in,
+and, having undressed himself, he went into the stove likewise. Casem
+soon after came out, and, having dressed himself, looked about for his
+pantofles; but nowhere could he find them. In the place of his own, he
+found a pair sufficiently different to be not only new, but splendid.
+And, feeling convinced that they were a gift from his friend--not the
+less so, perhaps, because he wished it--he triumphantly thrust his
+toes in them, and issued forth into the air, radiant with joy and a
+skin nearly clean.
+
+On the other hand, when the Cadi had performed the necessary
+purifications, and was dressed, his slaves looked for his lordship's
+slippers in vain. Nowhere could they be found. Instead of the
+embroidered pantofles of the Judge, they detected, in a corner, only
+the phenomena left by Casem, which were too well known to leave a
+doubt how their master's had disappeared. The slaves went immediately
+for Casem, and brought him back to the indignant magistrate, who, deaf
+to his attempts at defence, sent him to prison. Now, in the East, the
+claws of justice open just as wide, and no wider than the purse of the
+culprit; and it may be supposed that Abon Casem, who was known to be
+as rich as he was miserly, did not get his freedom at the same rate as
+his rose-water.
+
+The miserable Casem returned home, tearing his beard--for beard is not
+a dear stuff--and, being mightily enraged with the pantofles, he
+seized upon them, and threw them out of his window into the Tigris.
+
+It happened a few days after that some fishermen drew their nets under
+the window, and the weight being greater than usual, they were
+exulting in their success, when out came the pantofles. Furious
+against Casem (for who did not know Casem's pantofles?), they threw
+them in at the window, at the same time reviling him for the accident.
+Unhappy Casem! The pantofles flew into his room, fell among his
+bottles, which were ranged with great care along the shelf, and,
+overthrowing them, covered the room with glass and rose-water.
+Imagine, if you can, the miser's agony! With a loud voice, and tearing
+his beard, according to custom, he roared out, "Accursed pantofles,
+will you never cease persecuting the wretched Casem?"
+
+So saying, he took a spade, and went into his garden to bury them.
+
+It so happened that one of his neighbours was looking out of window at
+the time, and seeing Casem poking about the earth in his garden, he
+ran to the Cadi, and told him that his old friend had discovered a
+treasure. Nothing more was requisite to excite the cupidity of the
+Judge. He allowed the miser to aver, as loudly as he pleased, that he
+was burying his slippers, and had found no treasure, but at the same
+time demanded the treasure he had found. Casem talked to no purpose.
+Wearied out at last with his own asseverations, he paid the money, and
+departed, cursing the very souls of the pantofles.
+
+Determined to get rid of these unhappy moveables, our hero walked to
+some distance from the city, and threw them into a reservoir, hoping
+he had now fairly seen the last of them; but the evil genii, not yet
+tired of tormenting him, guided the pantofles precisely to the mouth
+of the conduit. From this point they were carried along into the city,
+and, sticking at the mouth of the aqueduct, they stopped it up, and
+prevented the water from flowing into the basin. The overseers of the
+city fountains, seeing that the water had stopped, immediately set
+about repairing the damage, and at length dragged into the face of day
+the old reprobate slippers, which they immediately took to the Cadi,
+complaining loudly of the damage they had caused.
+
+The unfortunate proprietor was now condemned to pay a fine still
+heavier than before; but far was he from having the luck of seeing his
+chattels detained. The Cadi, having delivered the sentence, said, like
+a conscientious magistrate, that he had no power of retaining other
+peoples' property, upon which the slippers, with much solemnity, were
+faithfully returned to their distracted master. He carried them home
+with him, meditating as he went--and as well as he was able to
+meditate--how he should destroy them; at length he determined upon
+committing them to the flames. He accordingly tried to do so, but
+they were too wet; so he put them on a terrace to dry. But the evil
+genii, as aforesaid, had reserved a still more cruel accident than any
+before; for a dog, whose master lived hard by, seeing these strange
+wild fowl of a pair of shoes, jumped from one terrace to the other,
+till he came to the miser's, and began to play with one of them: in
+his sport he dropped it over the balustrade, and it fell, heavy with
+hobnails and the accumulated dirt of years, on the tender head of an
+infant, and killed him on the spot. The parents went straight to the
+Cadi, and complained that they had found their child dead, and Casem's
+pantofle lying by it, upon which the Judge condemned him to pay a very
+heavy fine.
+
+Casem returned home, and taking the pantofles, went back to the Cadi,
+crying out with an enthusiasm that convulsed everybody, "Behold!
+behold! See here the fatal cause of all the sufferings of Casem! these
+pantofles, which have at length brought ruin upon his head. My Lord
+Cadi, be so merciful, I pray you, as to give an edict that may free me
+from all imputation of accident which these slippers henceforth may
+occasion, as they certainly will to anybody who ventures into their
+accursed leather!"
+
+The Cadi could not refuse this request, and the miser learned to his
+cost the ill effects of not buying a new pair of shoes.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+Story of the Prince and the Lions.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+In a great city of the East lived Prince Azgid, who grew up to manhood
+beloved by every one, for he was virtuous, intelligent, and
+accomplished, though somewhat of a timorous disposition, and this was
+indeed his chief fault. His father had died, and he had reached now
+the proper age to mount the throne, a time having been already fixed
+for the ceremony, to which the young man was looking forward with
+great interest.
+
+A few days previous to the event the old Vizier called upon the
+Prince, and telling him he wished to take a walk with him, led him out
+of the town to a mountain, on one side of which was a wide staircase
+of white marble, with a handsome balustrade on each side. It had three
+broad landings, and on these the Vizier and Prince rested as they
+ascended the stairs, for it was of great height, and they were both
+sorely tired before they reached the top. There was a small house on
+the summit, out of which came a black slave, who made a profound
+obeisance to the visitors, and, leading the way, took them a short
+distance to a kind of arena dug in the ground, and faced also with
+white marble. He then took out a key and opened a brazen door,
+whereupon the Prince drew near, and, looking down, saw a red lion of
+fierce aspect and tremendous size. He wondered what it all meant, and
+gazed with a look of inquiry into the face of the Vizier, who, having
+ordered the servant to retire, thus spoke:
+
+"My son," said he, "the day is now very near on which you are to
+ascend the throne; but before you can do so you must fulfil a custom
+which has been established for many ages, and which your father and
+all your ancestors submitted to; in short, you must descend into this
+den with a dagger, and fight yonder lion. This will test your courage
+and fortitude, and show whether you are really worthy of governing a
+kingdom."
+
+When the young man heard this, he turned pale, and almost fell to the
+ground.
+
+"This is a severe task," said he; "is there no alternative, nor any
+method by which I may evade it?"
+
+"None, whatever," answered the Vizier.
+
+"Can I not have a few days granted me to think over the matter, and
+prepare for the sore trial?" asked the youth.
+
+"Oh, yes!" returned the other, "that you can have, of course."
+Whereupon he beckoned to the slave to lock the door, and the visitors
+descended the stairs and returned to the palace.
+
+The joy of Azgid's life seemed now to have fled, and he was suddenly
+immersed in deep despair. The horrid combat he was to engage in was
+continually before him. He could neither eat nor drink, but wandered
+about the palace like one distracted, or sat moping for hours, with
+his head buried in his hands, speaking to no one. He was glad when
+night came, that he might hide himself from observation, and retired
+to his chamber in tears. But he found no comfort there. Sleep fled
+from him, and he lay tossing upon his bed, anxiously awaiting the
+return of day. During the tedious hours of darkness he had meditated
+what course he had best pursue, and at length came to the resolution
+that he would extricate himself from the dilemma he was in by bidding
+farewell to his home, and seeking peace and safety in some far-distant
+land.
+
+Accordingly, as soon as it was daylight, he hastily dressed himself,
+and going to the stables, mounted a fleet horse and rode off. Glad was
+he when he got outside the town, and turning round to take a last
+look, he thus exclaimed:
+
+"Oh, cursed city! cursed home! what misery lies within you! May each
+hour carry me farther from you! and may these eyes never behold you
+again!"
+
+With these words he put spurs to his horse, and was soon out of sight
+of the detested spot. He journeyed forward with a light heart, and on
+the third day came to a pleasant country overgrown with forest trees,
+intermingled with lawns and romantic vales.
+
+Proceeding a little farther on, he heard the sound of delicious music,
+and soon overtook a handsome youth of ruddy countenance, somewhat
+younger than himself, playing on a flute, and leading a few sheep.
+
+The shepherd, on seeing the stranger, stopped playing, and saluted him
+very courteously; but Azgid begged him to go on, telling him what an
+admirer of music he was, and that he had never in his life heard such
+enchanting strains.
+
+The young man smiled at this compliment, and commenced playing some
+fresh tunes; and, when he had finished, he informed the Prince that he
+was slave to a rich shepherd named Oaxus, who lived near, and who
+would be rejoiced to see him, and show him some hospitality.
+
+In a few moments they reached the abode of Oaxus.
+
+It was a low stone building of considerable size, with a porch
+surrounding it, overgrown with vines and flowers. Around it was a
+large yard, encircled with a high wall, in which were some flocks of
+sheep, with a number of men tending them.
+
+On entering, the old shepherd came forward and gave the stranger a
+hearty welcome, leading him into a neat apartment, and setting before
+him a handsome repast. After Azgid had finished eating, he thought it
+his duty to give his kind host some information as to who he was, and
+thus spoke:
+
+"My friend," said he, "you no doubt wonder at seeing a stranger of my
+appearance thus suddenly visiting you, and will naturally wish to
+inquire who I am. This wish I can only in part gratify. Suffice it to
+say that I am a Prince whom troubles at home have driven abroad; but
+my name I cannot tell. That is a secret lodged in my own breast, to be
+imparted to no one. If no inconvenience to you, it would please me
+much to remain in this delightful spot. I have ample means at my
+disposal, and will remunerate you for whatever trouble I may put you
+to."
+
+Oaxus replied to this speech in the kindest manner, begging the young
+man to say nothing about remuneration, for that the company of one so
+exalted and accomplished would more than repay him for any trouble he
+might be put to in entertaining him, and that nothing would give him
+more happiness than to have him remain there to the end of his days.
+
+"But come, Asdril," said he, addressing the musician, "take the Prince
+and show him what is most worthy to be seen in this neighbourhood.
+Lead him to the waterfalls, the fountains, the rocks and vales, for I
+perceive our guest is one able to appreciate nature's beauties."
+
+The young shepherd did as requested, and, taking up his flute, led the
+youth to all the pleasantest and most interesting spots.
+
+They wandered about the sloping hills and deep valleys, and over
+beautiful lawns, sprinkled with trees of immense size. At one time
+they stood by the side of some gently murmuring stream, and now they
+were startled with a romantic cascade, whose flashing waters tumbled
+from mossy cliffs and echoed far and wide. They now entered a shady
+vale, and, seating themselves on a rock, the shepherd commenced
+playing his flute. The Prince listened with delight, for, as we said
+before, he was passionately fond of music, and had never in his life
+heard any one who pleased him so much. Indeed, he made up his mind
+that, if ever he left the place, he would endeavour to purchase from
+Oaxus the accomplished slave, and have him as his constant companion
+as long as he lived.
+
+Thus did Azgid enjoy himself amid these delicious scenes,
+congratulating himself that he had escaped from all his troubles, and
+had at last reached a spot where he might live in peace and
+tranquillity for ever.
+
+But his joy was not to last long; for young Asdril on a sudden rose
+up, and, taking his companion by the hand, told him it was time for
+them to be gone.
+
+"Why so?" asked the Prince. "Why should we so soon leave these
+enchanting scenes?"
+
+"Alas!" answered the shepherd, "this place is infested with lions.
+They come out at a certain hour every day, and we all have to retire
+within the walls of our abode and close the gates. See here,"
+continued he, rolling up his sleeve, and showing a great scar on his
+arm, "this is what I received in an encounter with these fierce
+beasts. I once lagged behind, and was with great difficulty saved from
+destruction. So, let us lose no time, but make the best of our way
+home."
+
+On hearing these words, the Prince turned pale; but he said nothing,
+and they silently returned to the house.
+
+On reaching the gate, Azgid called for his horse, and, having mounted,
+told his host that he was about to leave, and thanked him for his
+kindness. "Farewell, Oaxus!" said he. "Farewell, young Asdril! I
+thought I should have remained here forever; but fate decrees
+otherwise. I must seek another abode, another home." And, so saying,
+he put spurs to his horse and galloped away.
+
+He journeyed on and on, and soon left the groves and green valleys.
+The country became more barren, trees began to disappear, and, not
+long after, scarcely any verdure was visible. He was soon in the midst
+of the desert. Far as the eye could reach, the vast plain spread
+before him. Not a shrub or blade of grass could be seen, and nothing
+met the view but, now and then, some low sand-hills, piled up by the
+wind like drifts of snow, among which, with much fatigue to his horse,
+he pursued his way. The sun blazed on him with great power; and it
+was with much satisfaction, on the third day, that he perceived in the
+distance a number of black tents, which he knew to be an encampment of
+Arabs.
+
+As he drew near, a band of warriors, mounted on fine horses and
+brandishing their spears, came forth to meet him. This was their usual
+mode of welcoming a stranger.
+
+They seemed struck with the appearance of Azgid, and showed him much
+respect, forming a sort of guard around him, and leading him to the
+tent of their chief.
+
+The latter was a person of dignified aspect, somewhat past the prime
+of life. His name was Sheik Hajaar. He sat smoking in front of his
+tent; and, when the youth approached, he rose up and cordially saluted
+him. He then took him inside the tent, and set before him a repast, of
+which, when the young man had eaten, he thought it his duty to inform
+his kind host who he was.
+
+"My friend," said he, "you are no doubt surprised at seeing a stranger
+of my appearance thus suddenly visiting you, and will naturally wish
+to inquire who I am. This wish I can only in part gratify: suffice it,
+then, to say that I am a Prince whom troubles at home have driven
+abroad, but my name I cannot tell; that is a secret lodged within my
+own breast, to be imparted to no one. If no inconvenience to you, it
+would please me much to remain here. I have ample means at my command,
+and will remunerate you for whatever trouble I may put you to."
+
+The Sheik replied that the company of one so exalted and accomplished
+was remuneration enough, and that he would be rejoiced to have him as
+his guest for ever. He then introduced him to a number of his friends,
+and leading him out, presented him with a beautiful horse of great
+value. Azgid thought he had never in his life seen so fine an animal;
+and when he mounted him he found him so gentle and docile as scarcely
+to require any management, for the intelligent creature seemed to
+anticipate all his wishes.
+
+"But, come," said the Sheik, "it is time for us to be off: to-day we
+hunt the antelope; you, Prince, will of course accompany us."
+
+Azgid, with a smile, replied in the affirmative, and they started off
+in pursuit of the game. They soon overtook a herd, and commenced
+chasing them--spears flew, and the air resounded with cries. The
+Prince was exhilarated with the sport, and enjoyed himself
+exceedingly. "Ah!" thought he, "this is a happy life, and these
+children of the desert are happy people: I am resolved never to quit
+them." The hunt lasted nearly the whole day, and about sunset the
+company returned with the spoil, which consisted of more than a dozen
+antelopes. These sports were kept up nearly every day, and Azgid's
+time passed most agreeably.
+
+A week had now elapsed, and the youth had one night retired to rest,
+congratulating himself on the happy life he led, when the Sheik Hajaar
+quietly approached his couch, and thus spake:
+
+"My son," said he, "I have come to tell you how much my people are
+pleased with you, and especially with the spirit you evince in the
+sports of the chase. But these sports do not comprise all our life: we
+have frequent wars with hostile tribes, where great valour is
+necessary. My men are all approved warriors, and, before they can have
+perfect confidence in you as a trusty comrade, desire to see some
+specimen of your prowess. Two leagues south of this is a range of
+hills infested with lions; rise, then, early on the morrow, mount your
+horse, take your sword and spear, and slay and bring us the skin of
+one of these savage beasts: then will we be assured of your courage,
+and have confidence in you in the day of battle."
+
+Having thus spoke, the Sheik bid him good night, and retired. His
+words disturbed Azgid extremely. "Ah!" thought he, "here are the lions
+again! wherever I go I meet them. I thought I had found at last a
+quiet home, but I am mistaken; this is not the place for me." He then
+got out of bed, and, lifting up the covering of the tent, slipped out,
+and went first to see the horse the Sheik had given him. He found him
+tethered among the others, and, going up to him, threw his arms around
+him and kissed him. "Farewell, kind creature," said he, "I grieve to
+leave you!" The animal leaned his head on his shoulders, and seemed to
+return his good feelings. The youth then sought his own steed, and,
+having mounted him, started off.
+
+He rode over the trackless sands, with the bright stars glittering
+above him, a homeless wanderer, not knowing whither he was going. At
+length morning began to appear, and soon the sun rose and beat upon
+his head with its fierce rays; by the middle of the day he was
+rejoiced to perceive that he was leaving the desert; and late in the
+afternoon he reached a charming region of hill and dale, streams and
+meadows.
+
+He soon after came to one of the most beautiful palaces he had ever
+seen. It was built of porphyry, and stood in the midst of an immense
+garden, where every plant and flower grew that could delight the sight
+or regale the senses. Trees loaded with all kinds of delicious fruits,
+some trimmed and cut into the most curious shapes, were seen on all
+sides. Statues of exquisite forms stood among them. From many of these
+fountains spouted upwards to a vast height, whose waters fell
+murmuring into large basins, where gold-fish, swans and other
+water-fowl were seen swimming about. Peacocks and other gorgeous birds
+strutted and flew around in every direction; and so many objects met
+the young man's eye, as he slowly rode up the broad avenue, that he
+stopped almost every moment to gaze and admire. At last lie reached
+the portico, which was raised twenty steps, and adorned with twelve
+columns of clear jasper.
+
+The owner of the palace, who was an Emir of great wealth, was seated
+on the portico, in company with his daughter, the golden-haired
+Perizide.
+
+On seeing a stranger of such dignified mien approaching, he rose up
+and went to welcome him. He led him up the steps, and introduced him
+to the young lady, who became at once interested with the looks and
+demeanour of the handsome youth. The Emir then took his guest inside
+the palace.
+
+Azgid looked round with wonder. If the exterior of the building
+delighted him, how much more was he pleased with its interior? The
+hall was of vast size, with a noble staircase in the middle; the
+apartments were spacious, and shone with gold; the walls and ceilings
+were covered with the most exquisite paintings in fresco; and vases of
+precious stones, statues, and all kinds of rare curiosities were
+ranged around; the windows were of something that resembled pearl, and
+were stained with different colours, so that, as the sun shone through
+them, the tesselated floor received the rays, and glittered with all
+the tints of the rainbow. Azgid gazed with astonishment. The Emir now
+set before him a collation composed of the most delicate viands,
+delicious fruits, and wines.
+
+After he had finished eating, the Prince thought it his duty to inform
+his kind host who he was.
+
+"Sir," said he, "you no doubt wonder at one of my appearance thus
+suddenly visiting you, and will naturally wish to inquire who I am.
+This wish I can only in part gratify. Suffice it, then, to say that I
+am a Prince whom troubles at home have driven abroad, but my name I
+cannot tell: that is a secret lodged in my own breast, to be imparted
+to no one. If no inconvenience to you, it would delight me much to
+remain with you; and at some future day, if fortune should again smile
+upon me, I will be happy to return the favour, and reciprocate your
+hospitality."
+
+The Emir replied to this speech in the kindest manner, telling the
+youth that he did him a great honour in making him a visit, and that
+he hoped he would remain to the end of his days. He further informed
+him that he expected that night a number of his friends to favour him
+with their company, and, wishing to look after the preparations for
+the banquet, he begged his guest to excuse him for a short time.
+
+When the Emir retired, Azgid was left alone with the fair Perizide,
+and was struck more than ever with her ravishing beauty. In fact, he
+fell deeply in love with her. She, on her part, seemed not insensible
+to his merits, and exerted herself to amuse and entertain him. She led
+him into the garden, showing him all the rare sights, and bidding him
+observe the consummate art with which the shrubbery and trees were
+arranged, and the charming green alleys and vistas which opened before
+them as they walked along.
+
+They explored the beauties of this fairy scene, seating themselves by
+the side of the glittering fountains, and sometimes beneath the dark
+shadows of the flowery arbours, through which the rays of a bright
+full moon began now to penetrate.
+
+They then returned to the palace, and, approaching, heard the strains
+of festive music, and perceived the building illuminated from top to
+bottom. They passed through the throngs on the portico, and entered
+the house, which was lit up with hundreds of dazzling lustres, and
+crowded with guests, all habited in splendid dresses. Perizide led the
+youth into the grand saloon, and seated him on one of the purple
+divans.
+
+The attendants now served up a splendid supper, brought in on gold and
+silver trays, and which consisted of every delicacy that could be
+procured. It was made up of many courses, and lasted a considerable
+time, and at its conclusion the room was partially cleared, and a
+number of dancing girls, of elegant form and richly clad, entered the
+apartment, and amused the guests with their graceful movements. Azgid,
+observing a lute lying near him, took it up, and, telling the lady how
+fond he was of music, begged her to favour him with an air. Perizide
+complied with his request very graciously, and commenced playing. The
+Prince listened with delight, and was drinking in the soft strains
+with rapt attention, when he suddenly heard a loud and very unusual
+sound.
+
+"What noise is that?" asked the youth.
+
+"I heard nothing," replied his companion; "nor do I think there was
+any. It is your imagination only that fancies it."
+
+Whereupon she went on playing; but she had only proceeded a few
+minutes, when the Prince started a second time.
+
+"There it is again!" said he. "Did you not hear it?"
+
+"I heard nothing," answered Perizide, "but the sound of music and the
+merry voices of hundreds of happy guests. It must be your imagination,
+Prince, as I said before, and nothing else."
+
+"Perhaps it is," returned the youth, striking his forehead. "You must
+pardon me, fair lady: I have lately passed through many trying scenes,
+and I fear my nerves are none of the strongest."
+
+Perizide thereupon resumed her lute, but she had not proceeded very
+long, when her guest again cried out,
+
+"Oh!" said he, "tell me not that this is imagination! I heard it most
+distinctly. Explain to me I pray, what it means."
+
+"Oh," replied the young lady, laughing, "that is Boulak, our black
+porter. He is a great pet and a privileged character; he gets drowsy
+sometimes, and often yawns, and that was the sound you just heard."
+
+"Good Heavens!" said Azgid, "what lungs he must have, to make such a
+yawn as that!"
+
+Perizide made no reply except a smile, but went on playing the lute,
+when, having finished, the Prince complimented her highly for her
+performance. It was by this time pretty late, and the guests gradually
+retired; Perizide also went to her chamber, and the Prince and the
+Emir were left alone.
+
+They passed nearly an hour smoking and conversing very pleasantly,
+till at length the host rose up, and telling his guest it was
+bed-time, took him by the hand to lead him to his chamber. They
+proceeded to the hall, and soon reached the great staircase, which was
+of white marble, with a handsome balustrade on each side. When they
+came to the foot of it, Azgid gazed for a moment admiring its beauty;
+but what was his horror, when, on looking up, he spied a black lion of
+immense size lying stretched on the topmost landing. He trembled and
+turned pale.
+
+"What is that?" said he, pointing with his finger.
+
+"Oh," returned the Emir, "that is Boulak, our black porter. He is
+tame, and will not hurt you if you are not afraid of him; but he can
+tell when any one fears him, and then he becomes ferocious."
+
+"I fear him," whispered the Prince, "and fear him greatly."
+
+"You must cast aside your fear, my son," replied the other, "and then
+there is not the slightest danger."
+
+"That is easier said than done," answered the youth. "I try to cast it
+aside, but do not succeed. No, I believe I will not go to my chamber,
+but will sleep somewhere else, where there is no need of approaching
+this terrible beast."
+
+"Just as you like," replied the Emir. "You can return to the saloon,
+and repose on one of those divans."
+
+The Prince accordingly took up his lodgings in the saloon, and having
+bid his friend "Good night," he carefully locked the door and windows,
+making everything as secure as possible. He then lay down on the
+cushions, listening eagerly if he might perchance hear any sound. But
+all was silent; for every soul had retired, and the vast mansion
+presented a striking contrast to the noisy merriment which a little
+while before had reigned everywhere.
+
+The young man now composed himself to rest, thinking that the lion was
+most probably fast asleep and would not disturb him--but he was
+mistaken; for in the course of an hour he heard most evidently a soft,
+heavy tread coming down the stairs. The beast, on reaching the hall,
+seemed for a moment to pause; then his steps were heard moving along
+the vast corridor, till it could be no longer distinguished.
+
+Azgid now breathed more freely, and was in hopes that his tormentor
+had retired to some secluded part of the building, and had gone to
+sleep; but he was doomed to be disappointed, for in a short time he
+heard the faint steps approaching nearer and nearer, and perceived
+that the beast stopped every now and then, snuffing with his nose, as
+if in search of some one. At last he came to the door, putting his
+nose at the lower part, and snuffing louder than ever; then he sprang
+with his fore feet against it, giving it such a push as almost to
+burst it open, and at the same time uttering a tremendous roar, which
+echoed through the palace.
+
+Azgid jumped from his couch in dismay, and retreated to the farthest
+corner of the room; his hair stood on end, and the cold perspiration
+rolled from his body. He believed for a certainty that the door would
+fly open, and then the lion would rush in and devour him; but nothing
+of the kind occurred, for in a few moments the beast again went
+upstairs, and nothing more was heard of him.
+
+The Prince then lay down on his couch--but not to sleep: he revolved
+in his mind all that had happened to him since his departure from his
+own city, and thinking that Providence would not afflict him in such a
+manner for nought, but that there must be some design in it, he came
+to the determination that he would instantly return home, and fulfil
+the law and custom of his country by fighting the lion.
+
+Early on the morrow, the Emir came to wake his guest, and bid him
+"Good morning." He found the young man in tears, and putting his arm
+round him, thus spoke:
+
+"My son," said he, "your behaviour last night, when about to retire,
+surprised me greatly, and my amazement is increased now at seeing you
+in this unhappy state. What ails you, my son? Tell me all, and hide
+nothing from me; and first let me know frankly who you are?"
+
+"I am one," replied the youth, "who has fled from duty. I am Azgid,
+son of the renowned King Almamoun. I fled from a work Providence
+assigned to me to perform--but my sin followed me. I searched far and
+wide for comfort, but in vain--trouble and disaster pursued me
+wherever I went. But I have repented, and am now going back to
+retrieve my error, and meet the trial from which I once endeavoured to
+escape."
+
+"I am rejoiced to hear you thus speak," said the Emir. "I was well
+acquainted with your father, and think I know now from what duty it
+was you tried to escape. Go back, then, to your home, my son, and may
+Heaven grant you strength to perform your excellent resolution."
+
+He then ordered his guest's horse to be brought, which when the youth
+hath mounted, he asked his host to remember him to the beautiful
+Perizide, and beg her to excuse him for leaving her in so strange and
+abrupt a manner.
+
+"I will do as you desire," replied the other, "and when my daughter
+learns the cause of your departure, she will think more of you than
+ever."
+
+Thus with mutual good wishes the two friends separated, and Azgid rode
+away. He pursued the same route he had travelled before, and on the
+second day reached the desert and the encampment of the Arabs. He
+found the Sheik Hajaar, sitting in his tent door, calmly smoking his
+pipe: the Sheik was surprised at seeing him, and begged him to
+dismount and refresh himself; but this the Prince refused to do,
+saying that he had only come to explain his past strange behaviour in
+leaving his hospitable abode so abruptly.
+
+"I am Azgid," continued he, "son of the renowned King Almamoun. I was
+sorely troubled in mind when I visited you, for I had fled from duty;
+but I am now going back to retrieve my error and begin a new life. But
+tell me, I pray, how is that beautiful animal I used to ride with so
+much pleasure?"
+
+"He is well," answered the other, "and it would please me much if you
+could remain and ride him again; but I feel that it would be wrong to
+interrupt you in such a pious journey as you now undertake. Go on,
+then, my son: may Heaven prosper you in your good resolutions, and
+peace be with you."
+
+So saying, he bade the Prince farewell, and the latter, having
+returned his salutation, rode off.
+
+He pursued his course rapidly, and in a day or two arrived at the
+abode of Oaxus, whom he found in the courtyard, busily engaged in
+tending his sheep and goats. The old man was delighted to see him, and
+begged him to dismount; but the Prince declined doing so, and went on
+to explain who he was in the same words he had used to the Sheik
+Hajaar. Oaxus was much astonished when he heard the account, and
+congratulated the young man on the happy change that had come over
+him.
+
+"Go on, my friend," continued he: "may Heaven prosper you, and give
+you strength to carry out your wise designs."
+
+"Farewell," replied Azgid, "and tell young Asdril that if fortune
+favours me, I hope one day to be back, and listen to his sweet music
+again in spite of the lions."
+
+With these words he rode away, and travelling on, in due time reached
+his own city. He proceeded at once to the palace, and sought out the
+old Vizier, to whom he related all that had happened to him, and all
+that he intended to do, without concealing anything.
+
+"And now," said he, "lead me at once to the lion, and let me fight him
+and fulfil the law, as all my ancestors have done before me."
+
+The old man heard this speech with great pleasure, and almost wept for
+joy: he tenderly embraced his young friend, and, smiling, told him not
+to run into extremes nor to be in too great a hurry; for that his
+trial with the lion had better be put off for a week at least, and
+that in the meantime he needed rest and refreshment. To this
+suggestion Azgid acceded, and waited till the day his friend had fixed
+upon.
+
+It at length arrived, and very early in the morning the Prince arose
+and prepared for the combat. He clad himself in a light garment, tying
+a sash around it, in which he stuck a sharp dagger, took a spear in
+his hand, and, accompanied by the Vizier, left the palace and
+proceeded to the mountain. They climbed up the high steps and reached
+the top, whereupon the slave met them, and, going before, unlocked the
+gate. The young man looked down and saw the lion, sitting on his
+haunches, at one end of the arena; he then shook hands with his
+companions, and committing himself to the care of Heaven, sprang in.
+The beast gave a loud roar when he saw him, and crouching down, drew
+himself slowly toward his opponent, glaring fiercely on him all the
+while. The Prince quailed not, but gazed steadily on the animal, and
+advanced on him spear in hand; the lion now gave another loud roar,
+and bounding forward, sprang over the youth's head. He then returned,
+and commenced licking his hands and rubbing himself against his body.
+
+The Vizier now called out joyfully to his young friend, telling him he
+had conquered, and begging him to approach; and, with the assistance
+of the slave, he lifted him out of the den, the lion following like a
+dog.
+
+"Yes, Azgid," continued the old man, embracing the Prince, "the beast
+is tame and will injure no one; but, ignorant of this, you encountered
+him, and the proof of your valour is complete. Come, then, and ascend
+your throne, for you are worthy of it."
+
+They then began to descend the stairs, and Azgid, observing a couple
+of figures on the landing, asked the Vizier who they were.
+
+"I know not," replied he; "I can see them, but the height is too great
+for me to distinguish who they are."
+
+In a little while they reached the platform, when the new-comers
+proved to be Oaxus and Asdril.
+
+"Azgid," said the old shepherd, "I have come to congratulate you on
+your good fortune and happy deliverance; and here, too, is young
+Asdril, whose music you so much admired, and whom I now present to you
+as your own."
+
+"Oaxus," replied the Prince, "I heartily thank you; and as for you,
+Asdril, you are no longer a slave: from this moment you are free. You
+shall be the companion of my leisure hours, and entertain me with your
+delightful strains."
+
+They now began to descend again; and Azgid, observing a group on the
+second landing, asked the Vizier who they were.
+
+"I know not," replied he; "I can see them, but the height is too great
+for me to distinguish who they are."
+
+In a little while they reached the platform, when the new-comers
+proved to be the Sheik Hajaar, with a group of Arabs, leading the
+beautiful horse with which the Prince had been so much pleased.
+
+"Azgid," said the Sheik, "I have come to congratulate you on your good
+fortune and happy deliverance. I have brought you as a present the
+horse you used to ride when you honoured me with a visit: will your
+Highness deign to accept of it as a slight testimonial of my loyal
+regard?"
+
+"Valiant Sheik," answered the young man, "I am rejoiced to see you
+again, and receive with gratitude your noble gift; you could not have
+given me anything more acceptable."
+
+He then embraced the Sheik, and kissed the beautiful animal, who
+seemed to recognize him.
+
+They then began to descend; and the Prince, observing at the bottom of
+the stairs quite a concourse of people, inquired of the Vizier who
+they were.
+
+"I know not," replied he; "I can see them, but the height is too great
+for me to distinguish who they are."
+
+In a little while they reached the end of the staircase, when the
+new-comers proved to be the Emir, with a large retinue of his guards,
+with music and banners.
+
+"Azgid," said the Emir, "I am come to congratulate you on your good
+fortune and happy deliverance. I have brought no present; that I
+considered needless, since myself and all that I have are yours."
+
+"Noble Emir," cried the youth, "I am rejoiced to see you--tell me, how
+is Perizide? as soon as I have been crowned I intend to visit her with
+the speed of lightning."
+
+"There is no need of that," returned the other: "come with me;" and,
+so saying, he led the young man to a splendid white steed, on which
+sat a lady, covered with a long veil. The Emir lifted the veil, and
+Azgid beheld the beautiful face of his beloved mistress.
+
+Their meeting, as may be imagined, was most tender and affectionate;
+and the Vizier, having ordered the music to strike up, the whole
+procession moved toward the palace.
+
+"How strange it seems!" said the Prince: "when I fled from my duty
+everything went wrong with me; but now, after fulfilling it, good luck
+meets me at every step."
+
+Azgid was crowned the same day, and in the evening his nuptials with
+the fair Perizide were celebrated; they lived long and happily; and
+the Prince ordered the story of his life to be written in the annals
+of the kingdom, and an inscription in gold letters to be placed over
+the door of the palace, with these words: "_Never run from the
+lion._"
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+The City of the Demons
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+In days of yore there lived in the flourishing city of Cairo a Hebrew
+Rabbi, by name Jochonan, who was the most learned of his nation. His
+fame went over the East, and the most distant people sent their young
+men to imbibe wisdom from his lips. He was deeply skilled in the
+traditions of the fathers, and his word on a disputed point was
+decisive. He was pious, just, temperate, and strict; but he had one
+vice: a love of gold had seized upon his heart, and he opened not his
+hand to the poor. Yet he was wealthy above most: his wisdom being to
+him the source of riches. The Hebrews of the city were grieved at
+this blemish on the wisest of their people; but, though the elders of
+the tribes continued to reverence him for his fame, the women and
+children of Cairo called him by no other name than that of Rabbi
+Jochonan the Miser.
+
+None knew so well as he the ceremonies necessary for initiation into
+the religion of Moses, and, consequently, the exercise of those solemn
+offices was to him another source of gain. One day, as he walked in
+the fields about Cairo, conversing with a youth on the interpretation
+of the law, it so happened that the Angel of Death smote the young man
+suddenly, and he fell dead before the feet of the Rabbi, even while he
+was yet speaking. When the Rabbi found that the youth was dead, he
+rent his garments, and glorified the Lord. But his heart was touched,
+and the thoughts of death troubled him in the visions of the night. He
+felt uneasy when he reflected on his hardness to the poor; and he
+said,
+
+"Blessed be the name of the Lord! The first good thing that I am asked
+to do in that holy name will I perform." But he sighed, for he feared
+that some one might ask of him a portion of his gold.
+
+While yet he thought upon these things, there came a loud cry at his
+gate.
+
+"Awake, thou sleeper!" said the voice, "awake! A child is in danger of
+death, and the mother hath sent me for thee, that thou mayest do thine
+office."
+
+"The night is dark and gloomy," said the Rabbi, coming to his
+casement, "and mine age is great: are there not younger men than I in
+Cairo?"
+
+"For thee only, Rabbi Jochonan, whom some call the Wise, but whom
+others call Rabbi Jochonan the Miser, was I sent. Here is gold," said
+he, taking out a purse of sequins; "I want not thy labour for nothing.
+I adjure thee to come, in the name of the living God."
+
+So the Rabbi thought upon the vow he had just made, and he groaned in
+spirit, for the purse sounded heavy.
+
+"As thou hast adjured me by that name, I go with thee," said he to the
+man; "but I hope the distance is not far. Put up thy gold."
+
+"The place is at hand," said the stranger, who was a gallant youth, in
+magnificent attire. "Be speedy, for time presses."
+
+Jochonan arose, dressed himself, and accompanied the stranger, after
+having carefully locked up all the doors of his house, and deposited
+his keys in a secret place--at which the stranger smiled.
+
+"I never remember," said the Rabbi, "so dark a night. Be thou to me as
+a guide, for I can hardly see the way."
+
+"I know it well," replied the stranger with a sigh. "It is a way much
+frequented, and travelled hourly by many. Lean upon mine arm, and fear
+not."
+
+They journeyed on, and, though the darkness was great, yet the Rabbi
+could see, when it occasionally brightened, that he was in a place
+strange to him.
+
+"I thought," said he, "I knew all the country for leagues about Cairo,
+yet I know not where I am. I hope, young man," said he to his
+companion, "that thou hast not missed the way." And his heart misgave
+him.
+
+"Fear not," returned the stranger; "your journey is even now done."
+And, as he spoke, the feet of the Rabbi slipped from under him, and he
+rolled down a great height. When he recovered, he found that his
+companion had fallen also, and stood by his side.
+
+"Nay, young man," said the Rabbi, "if thus thou sportest with the grey
+hairs of age, thy days are numbered. Woe unto him who insults the
+hoary head!"
+
+The stranger made an excuse, and they journeyed on some little farther
+in silence. The darkness grew less, and the astonished Rabbi, lifting
+up his eyes, found that they had come to the gates of a city which he
+had never before seen. Yet he knew all the cities of the land of
+Egypt, and he had walked but half an hour from his dwelling in Cairo.
+So he knew not what to think, but followed the man with trembling.
+
+They soon entered the gates of the city, which was lighted up as if
+there were a festival in every house. The streets were full of
+revellers, and nothing but a sound of joy could be heard. But when
+Jochonan looked upon their faces, they were the faces of men pained
+within; and he saw, by the marks they bore, that they were
+Mazikin.[1] He was terrified in his soul, and, by the light of the
+torches, he looked also upon the face of his companion, and, behold!
+he saw upon him too the mark that showed him to be a Demon. The Rabbi
+feared excessively--almost to fainting; but he thought it better to be
+silent, and sadly he followed his guide, who brought him to a splendid
+house in the most magnificent quarter of the city.
+
+[Footnote 1: Demons]
+
+"Enter here," said the Demon to Jochonan, "for this house is mine. The
+lady and the child are in the upper chamber." And accordingly the
+sorrowful Rabbi ascended the stairs to find them.
+
+The lady, whose dazzling beauty was shrouded by melancholy beyond
+hope, lay in bed; the child, in rich raiment, slumbered on the lap of
+the nurse, by her side.
+
+"I have brought to thee, light of my eyes!" said the Demon, "Rebecca,
+beloved of my soul! I have brought unto thee Rabbi Jochonan the Wise,
+for whom thou didst desire. Let him, then, speedily begin his office;
+I shall fetch all things necessary, for he is in haste to depart." He
+smiled bitterly as he said these words, looking at the Rabbi, and left
+the room, followed by the nurse.
+
+When Jochonan and the lady were alone, she turned in the bed towards
+him, and said,
+
+"Unhappy man that thou art! knowest thou where thou hast been
+brought?"
+
+"I do," said he, with a heavy groan. "I know that I am in a city of
+the Mazikin."
+
+"Know then, further," said she, and the tears gushed from eyes
+brighter than the diamond, "know then, further, that up one is ever
+brought here unless he hath sinned before the Lord. What my sin hath
+been imports not to thee--and I seek not to know thine. But here thou
+remainest for ever--lost, even as I am lost." And she wept again.
+
+The Rabbi dashed his turban on the ground, and, tearing his hair,
+exclaimed, "Woe is me! Who art thou, woman, that speakest to me thus?"
+
+"I am a Hebrew woman," said she, "the daughter of a Doctor of the
+Laws, in the city of Bagdad; and being brought hither--it matters not
+how--I am married to a Prince among the Mazikin, even him who was sent
+for thee. And that child whom thou sawest is our first-born, and I
+could not bear the thought that the soul of our innocent babe should
+perish. I therefore besought my husband to try and bring hither a
+priest, that the law of Moses (blessed be his memory!) should be done;
+and thy fame, which has spread to Bagdad, and lands farther towards
+the rising of the sun, made me think of thee. Now, my husband, though
+great among the Mazikin, is more just than the other Demons; and he
+loves me, whom he hath ruined, with a love of despair. So he said that
+the name of Jochonan the Wise was familiar unto him, and that he knew
+thou wouldst not be able to refuse. What thou hast done to give him
+power over thee is known to thyself."
+
+"I swear, before Heaven," said the Rabbi, "that I have ever diligently
+kept the law, and walked steadfastly according to the traditions of
+our fathers from the days of my youth upward. I have wronged no man in
+word or deed, and I have daily worshipped the Lord, minutely
+performing all the ceremonies thereto needful."
+
+"Nay," said the lady, "all this thou mightest have done, and more, and
+yet be in the power of the Demons. But time passes, for I hear the
+foot of my husband mounting the stair. There is one chance of thine
+escape."
+
+"What is that, O lady of beauty?" said the agonized Rabbi.
+
+"Eat not, drink not, nor take fee or reward while here, and as long as
+thou canst do thus, the Mazikin have no power over thee, dead or
+alive. Have courage and persevere."
+
+As she ceased from speaking, her husband entered the room, followed by
+the nurse, who bore all things requisite for the ministration of the
+Rabbi. With a heavy heart he performed his duty, and the child was
+numbered among the Faithful. But when, as usual, at the conclusion of
+the ceremony, the wine was handed round to be tasted by the child, the
+mother, and the Rabbi, he refused it when it came to him, saying,
+
+"Spare me, my lord, for I have made a vow that I fast this day, and I
+will eat not, neither will I drink."
+
+"Be it as thou pleasest," said the Demon; "I will not that thou
+shouldst break thy vow." And he laughed aloud.
+
+So the poor Rabbi was taken into a chamber looking into a garden,
+where he passed the remainder of the night and the day, weeping and
+praying to the Lord that He would deliver him from the city of Demons.
+But when the twelfth hour came, and the sun was set, the Prince of the
+Mazikin came again unto him, and said,
+
+"Eat now, I pray thee, for the day of thy vow is past." And he set
+meat before him.
+
+"Pardon again thy servant, my lord," said Jochonan, "in this thing. I
+have another vow for this day also. I pray thee be not angry with thy
+servant."
+
+"I am not angry," said the Demon; "be it as thou pleasest: I respect
+thy vow." And he laughed louder than before.
+
+So the Rabbi sat another day in his chamber by the garden, weeping and
+praying; and when the sun had gone behind the hills, the Prince of the
+Mazikin again stood before him, and said,
+
+"Eat now, for thou must be an hungered. It was a sore vow of thine."
+And he offered him daintier meats.
+
+And Jochonan felt a strong desire to eat, but he prayed inwardly to
+the Lord, and the temptation passed, and he answered, "Excuse thy
+servant yet a third time, my lord, that I eat not. I have renewed my
+vow."
+
+"Be it so, then," said the other: "arise, and follow me."
+
+The Demon took a torch in his hand, and led the Rabbi, through winding
+passages of his palace, to the door of a lofty chamber, which he
+opened with a key that he took from a niche in the wall. On entering
+the room, Jochonan saw that it was of solid silver--floor, ceiling,
+walls, even to the threshold and the door-posts; and the curiously
+carved roof and borders of the ceiling shone in the torchlight as if
+they were the fanciful work of frost. In the midst were heaps of
+silver money, piled up in immense urns of the same metal, even over
+the brim.
+
+"Thou hast done me a serviceable act, Rabbi," said the Demon: "take of
+these what thou pleasest; ay, were it the whole."
+
+"I cannot, my lord," said Jochonan. "I was adjured by thee to come
+hither in the name of God, and in that name I came, not for fee or for
+reward."
+
+"Follow me," said the Prince of the Mazikin; and Jochonan did so into
+an inner chamber.
+
+It was of gold, as the other was of silver. Its golden roof was
+supported by pillars and pilasters of gold, resting upon a golden
+floor. The treasures of the kings of the earth would not purchase one
+of the four and twenty vessels of golden coins, which were disposed in
+six rows along the room. No wonder! for they were filled by the
+constant labours of the Demons of the Mine. The heart of Jochonan was
+moved by avarice when he saw them shining in yellow light, like the
+autumnal sun, as they reflected the beams of the torch. But God
+enabled him to persevere.
+
+"These are thine," said the Demon: "one of the vessels which thou
+beholdest would make thee richest of the sons of men, and I give thee
+them all."
+
+But Jochonan refused again, and the Prince of the Mazikin opened the
+door of a third chamber, which was called the Hall of Diamonds. When
+the Rabbi entered, he screamed aloud, and put his hands over his eyes,
+for the lustre of the jewels dazzled him, as if he had looked upon the
+noonday sun. In vases of agate were heaped diamonds beyond numeration,
+the smallest of which was larger than a pigeon's egg. On alabaster
+tables lay amethysts, topazes, rubies, beryls, and all other precious
+stones, wrought by the hands of skilful artists, beyond power of
+computation. The room was lighted by a carbuncle, which, from the end
+of the hall, poured its ever-living light, brighter than the rays of
+noontide, but cooler than the gentle radiance of the dewy moon. This
+was a sore trial to the Rabbi; but he was strengthened from above, and
+he refused again.
+
+"Thou knowest me, then, I perceive, O Jochonan, son of Ben-David,"
+said the Prince of the Mazikin. "I am a Demon who would tempt thee to
+destruction. As thou hast withstood so far, I tempt thee no more.
+Thou hast done a service which, though I value it not, is acceptable
+in the sight of her whose love is dearer to me than the light of life.
+Sad has been that love to thee, my Rebecca! Why should I do that which
+would make thy cureless grief more grievous?--You have yet another
+chamber to see," said he to Jochonan, who had closed his eyes, and was
+praying fervently to the Lord, beating his breast.
+
+Far different from the other chambers, the one into which the Rabbi
+was next introduced was a mean and paltry apartment without furniture.
+On its filthy walls hung innumerable bunches of rusty keys of all
+sizes, disposed without order. Among them, to the astonishment of
+Jochonan, hung the keys of his own house--those which he had put to
+hide when he came on this miserable journey--and he gazed upon them
+intently.
+
+"What dost thou see," said the Demon, "that makes thee look so
+eagerly? Can he who has refused silver and gold and diamonds be moved
+by a paltry bunch of rusty iron?"
+
+"They are mine own, my lord," said the Rabbi. "Them will I take, if
+they be offered me."
+
+"Take them, then," said the Demon, putting them into his hand: "thou
+mayst depart. But, Rabbi, open not thy house only when thou returnest
+to Cairo, but thy heart also. That thou didst not open it before was
+that which gave me power over thee. It was well that thou didst one
+act of charity in coming with me without reward, for it has been thy
+salvation. Be no more Rabbi Jochonan the Miser."
+
+The Rabbi bowed to the ground, and blessed the Lord for his escape.
+"But how," said he, "am I to return, for I know not the way?"
+
+"Close thine eyes," said the Demon.
+
+He did so, and, in the space of a moment, heard the voice of the
+Prince of the Mazikin ordering him to open them again. And behold,
+when he opened them, he stood in the centre of his own chamber, in his
+house at Cairo, with the keys in his hand.
+
+When he recovered from his surprise, and had offered thanksgivings to
+God, he opened his house, and his heart also. He gave alms to the
+poor, he cheered the heart of the widow, and lightened the destitution
+of the orphan. His hospitable board was open to the stranger, and his
+purse was at the service of all who needed to share it. His life was a
+perpetual act of benevolence, and the blessings showered upon him by
+all were returned bountifully upon him by the hand of God.
+
+But people wondered, and said, "Is not this the man who was called
+Rabbi Jochonan the Miser? What hath made the change?"
+
+And it became a saying in Cairo. When it came to the ears of the
+Rabbi, he called his friends together, and he avowed his former love
+of gold, and the danger to which it had exposed him, relating all
+which has been above told, in the hall of the new palace that he built
+by the side of the river, on the left hand, as thou goest down the
+course of the great stream. And wise men, who were scribes, wrote it
+down from his mouth for the benefit of mankind, that they might profit
+thereby. And a venerable man, with a beard of snow, who had read it in
+these books, and at whose feet I sat that I might learn the wisdom of
+the old time, told it to me. And I write it in the tongue of England,
+the merry and the free, on the tenth day of the month Nisan, in the
+year, according to the lesser computation, five hundred ninety and
+seven, that thou mayest learn good thereof. If not, the fault be upon
+thee.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+Jussuf, the Merchant of Balsora.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+Many hundred years ago, when the renowned Caliph Haroun al Raschid
+ruled in Bagdad, there lived in the town of Balsora a merchant of good
+repute, who was called Jussuf. He had received a considerable property
+by inheritance from his father; and his paternal house, which was
+esteemed as the most splendid palace of the town, was situated on one
+of the finest spots. He was obliged to keep a great number both of
+male and female slaves, as well for the management of his household
+affairs, as also to assist him in his commercial pursuits, for his
+business was very extensive. The largest warehouse in the bazaar of
+the city belonged to him, and it was always filled with the most
+precious goods, which he caused to be collected from the remotest
+parts of the globe--either in ships or on the backs of his camels.
+There you might see all the rarest and choicest gifts of nature,
+together with the finest and richest productions of art; the most
+costly tissues and stuffs, the most valuable vessels and implements of
+silver and gold; elegant jewellery and trinkets, adorned skilfully
+with sparkling stones of considerable value, heaped up one on another.
+But the agreeable manner and contrast in which all these were exposed
+for sale gratified the eye more than even the costly articles
+themselves. It was not, therefore, to be wondered at that the crowd in
+his warehouse, in so great and rich a city, was very numerous.
+
+It had already become a custom for people to apply to Jussuf if they
+wished to buy anything which had come in fashion with the wealthy
+citizen, either on account of its intrinsic value or of its skilful
+workmanship. Could they find the required goods as fine or as
+beautiful at another magazine, still they always preferred to go to
+Jussuf, even if they paid him more dearly for them. They felt
+confident that they should find everything more genuine, more
+handsome, and more tasteful there than at any other merchant's. This,
+however, may have been only a favourable prepossession; but it is
+nevertheless certain, that in no other warehouse were so many objects,
+alike useful and ornamental, collected together, as in that of Jussuf.
+
+And as his business flourished more and more, so his riches increased
+from day to day. At the same time his cares and exertions in watching
+after the number of men whom he employed, his zeal in the equipment of
+his ships, and in the forwarding and dispatching of his caravans,
+increased in equal measure.
+
+He had continued his business in this way for several years, and had
+altogether neglected his health through his perseverance and
+unflinching attention, when he felt at once that his usual strength
+was declining, and that he should soon become exhausted unless he
+permitted himself at times to take some recreation. He therefore very
+willingly took the opportunity which offered itself accidentally about
+this time of buying a fine estate. It was situated only a few miles
+from the town, by the side of a stream, in a country as pleasant as it
+was fruitful, combining means for hunting and for fishing; and the
+price was so moderate that he resolved on the purchase without much
+consideration. He purposed to detach himself for a few weeks from his
+business, and to devote himself to pleasure and repose in the quiet
+and calm of his country residence. He caused a new and elegant country
+house to be built by a skilful architect on an eminence, instead of
+the old one, surrounded by a large pleasant artificial garden. As all
+was settled and prepared, he shut up his warehouse at the end of every
+week early enough for him to ride over. There he would repose from the
+troubles of the preceding days, and recreate himself with hunting and
+fishing, and collect new strength in the peaceful serenity of his
+country estate.
+
+But custom is often stronger than our inclinations: he had become so
+accustomed to an active life, that his thoughts always returned to his
+wares in his warehouse, or to his ships that were transporting his
+goods over distant seas. Hence it happened that he soon entertained a
+hope of drawing large profits, as well as the restoration of his
+health, from this country residence. He employed himself very
+successfully in the chase and in fishing, or in raising choice flowers
+in the beds before his house, or else with the care of rare foreign
+birds, which he fed and kept in a large aviary. But these only charmed
+him for a time: the chase of wild beasts appeared to him too soon to
+be but a cruel sport; fishing was tedious; the cultivation of his
+flowers, too, was monotonous; and, if he contemplated the imprisoned
+foreign birds, he heartily pitied them because they were deprived of
+freedom. One day he had tried everything to divert himself, but
+without success; at last he seated himself, half discontented, in the
+open colonnade which extended along the side of his country house,
+and his eye glanced over the flower-beds before him into the extreme
+distance: there his gaze could follow over a small tract the course of
+the river Schat al Arab, which, rising at the mouths of the Euphrates
+and Tigris, flows between shores clothed with verdure. Some large
+merchant ships were sailing by; several fishing-boats were visible.
+
+"Ah, thou magnificent stream!" exclaimed Jussuf, who had given himself
+to reflection after he had viewed it for some time; "what a pity that
+thou must fall into the sea so soon below the kingly town of Balsora!
+There thou art, wasted and forgotten; the navigator on the great sea
+never thinks that the streams of his native country flow mingled with
+the waves through which the keel of his ship cuts. Now, then,"
+continued he, after a short reflection, "it is all the better for me:
+now I am still active in business; my ships set out at morning, noon,
+and evening; my camels march to India through the deserts of Arabia,
+and the plains of Tartary and Persia; thousands and thousands of men
+call me still the rich and great merchant Jussuf, and praise me as the
+most lucky of mortals; yet a little while, and my existence will be
+lost as thine, in the sea of eternity."
+
+Among such earnest considerations and soliloquies, he had hardly
+observed that a large variegated butterfly, hovering over the
+neighbouring flower-bed, moved slowly to and fro, just as if it were
+undecided in choosing on which flower it would alight. He was very
+attentive to its broad wings, which glittered with the most splendid
+colours, while the insect, brilliantly variegated, settled on a
+scarlet poppy, as though it wished to eclipse the magnificence of the
+flower with the variety of its different hues.
+
+"What splendid colours! What beautifully delineated wings!" exclaimed
+Jussuf. "Oh that I might possess the rare insect! The dyers who stain
+my silk stuffs, and the weavers, might take the liveliness of the
+colours, the design, and the well-wrought combination of colours, for
+a pattern."
+
+When the butterfly settled itself quietly on the poppy, Jussuf
+approached it carefully to catch it; but, as he had no other
+convenient thing at his hand, he took off his turban, and covered the
+butterfly and the flower. The butterfly had not flown away, therefore
+it must be under the turban. Already he rejoiced at his lucky capture,
+and was proceeding to raise the turban slowly a little on one side, in
+order to seize the imprisoned insect securely, when he remarked that
+the turban was raising itself, and that under it a human form was
+growing up higher and higher out of the flower. Full of astonishment,
+he drew back a step. As he kept his eyes fixed on the object, a maiden
+of astonishing beauty appeared before him, such as he had never before
+seen. Her face was veiled, and his turban was on her head: smilingly
+she removed it, and extended it to him, saying, with a mischievous
+look,
+
+"There, friend Jussuf, take it again: this turban is accustomed to
+ornament a brain in which rule very earnest and high thoughts; it
+would, perhaps, feel very badly honoured were it to serve as a
+covering for my frivolous caprices."
+
+"Thou jestest, high daughter of a genius," exclaimed Jussuf, sinking
+on his knees: "thy incomparable beauty testifies that thou art no
+ordinary mortal, if even the wonderful manner in which thou hast
+appeared had not fixed it beyond all doubt."
+
+"It may be," replied the maiden, "that thou hast rightly guessed. But
+that is no matter; I am come here to-day to help to banish your idle
+thoughts: come, run a race with me."
+
+Immediately she threw the poppy which he had covered with his turban
+roughly in his face, and ran away. Jussuf remained irresolute, and
+looked after her; then she stopped her pace, and called back to him,
+
+"Art thou transformed into a statue? canst thou not run? run, and
+catch me, if you can."
+
+Her mischievous manner gave her an irresistible grace, which urged him
+to begin the race, even although he did not wish to join in it. She
+flew on, allowing him sometimes to approach her, and then turned
+suddenly aside out of the way, and ran over the turf to avoid him: she
+did not even spare the flower-beds; and when she wanted to escape from
+him, she passed over them without caring for the finest plants. The
+more she provoked him in different ways, the more he exerted all his
+strength to catch her. At last she appeared exhausted, and threw
+herself, breathing heavily, on a bank of turf. "Here is an asylum,"
+exclaimed she.
+
+Tired and breathless with the unusual exertion of running, he followed
+her example, and sat down near her on the bank. While they were
+resting, she plucked some flowers and branches of a flourishing shrub,
+which had spread itself from the bank into a green roof over their
+heads, and skilfully wove a garland.
+
+"Come," said she to Jussuf, when the wreath was ready, "come, let us
+throw up the garland."
+
+She arose at these words and led him to the nearest open space; she
+leaped around, dancing in a circle and holding the garland on high in
+her right hand, and then threw it up high into the air. The garland of
+flowers rose while she sang these words:
+
+    "Rise, thou garland fresh and fair,
+    Blend thy hues in liquid air:
+    Downward sinking, may'st thou be
+    A fairy coronal for me."
+
+High above the shoots of the surrounding trees it seemed to remain
+hovering in the sunshine which lighted the colours of the flowers,
+inducing a very peculiar splendour. Then it sank down gradually in
+soft vibrations, and settled on her head, as if she had placed it
+there herself as a crown. She took it from her locks and handed it to
+Jussuf.
+
+"Now it is thy turn," said she; "throw it up, and see whether it will
+fall on thy head."
+
+Jussuf took it and threw it as high as he could; but it did not from
+his hand attain the sunny height, and the garland fell quickly, and at
+a great distance, to the ground before him. By the time he had
+altogether recollected himself, she was at the spot, and had already
+raised the garland, and was laughing heartily at his awkwardness. She
+threw it up, dancing in the former manner, and sang the spell. This
+time also the garland ascended high above the tops of the trees into
+the sunshine, and sank down on her head as at first. Jussuf must needs
+try again, but he succeeded no better than before. Thereupon she again
+threw it up, and caught it once more. After she had thus shown him
+several times, she cried out, laughing mischievously,
+
+"Well, hast thou not yet observed why thou failest? Why dost thou not
+sing my little song when thou throwest up the garland? Try once more,
+and sing the spell; then it will succeed better."
+
+Jussuf did so. He threw the garland and sang the verse; and, behold,
+the garland hovered in the sunshine, and descended in soft vibrations
+on his head, crowning his turban.
+
+"Dost thou see?" said the maiden, laughingly: "the spell is of very
+great avail." She threw up the wreath again several times, and then
+she took it, and exclaimed, "Now it is enough; but the game will be
+tedious." She threw it up high, and sang:
+
+    "Flower-garland, raise thee high,
+    Float in sunshine brilliantly;
+    Lend thy varied hues, to shed
+    Light on the darksome forest-head."
+
+The garland floated far out over the open space towards the edge of
+the park; there it melted suddenly in the air, and the blossoms rained
+down as it were on a dark cypress, and clung to it, so that it was
+adorned at once with a number of splendid flowers. Jussuf saw this
+with astonishment.
+
+"Well," exclaimed he, "thou conjurest. How is it possible that a
+cypress-tree should bear such beautiful blossoms?"
+
+But she answered, "What is there to be wondered at? Who would make
+such a commotion about a merry game? Come," continued she, "let us
+play at ball." And jumping up, she picked a ripe pomegranate from a
+neighbouring tree, placed herself at a tolerable distance from him at
+a shrub, and threw him the apple for a ball. Jussuf had been very fond
+of playing at ball in his younger days, and still possessed some
+skill, so that he caught it.
+
+"Well, indeed, well done," exclaimed she, as she caught it from
+Jussuf, who had not thrown it quite straight, with the same ease as if
+it had fallen from the hand of the ablest thrower.
+
+They threw it in this way several times to each other, till at last
+Jussuf let it fall.
+
+"Oh!" cried she, "well done! whoever lets it fall, to him the
+punishment is due." And when she had caught the pomegranate again, she
+winked at him, and exclaimed, "Now come back, I will give you a blow
+on the face." But Jussuf remained where he was, watching for the
+throw, that he might avoid it. "Come back," she said still; but he
+remained stationary.
+
+Then she breathed low some words over the pomegranate, and threw it
+suddenly at Jussuf. He wished to avoid the blow, by bending down
+quickly; but before he could succeed, he felt it on his forehead. The
+pomegranate was so violently thrown that it burst in pieces. The
+numerous grains lay scattered on the ground; but hardly had they
+touched the earth than they changed into so many wasps, which flew
+into the air and swarmed round his head. In the anguish of their
+stings, he held his hands before his eyes and ran on; but the swarm of
+wasps followed him, buzzing around him.
+
+"Throw now thy turban on the ground," called the maiden at last to
+him, who was standing in the distance, loudly laughing at his anguish.
+
+He listened, and obeyed her call without thinking of it, and quickly
+all the wasps crept under the turban. He stood in astonishment, and
+looked at the turban. Then the maiden approached him with ceaseless
+laughter, and said,
+
+"What has happened to thee, friend Jussuf? Why dost thou gaze upon thy
+turban with such anxious attention? It is a pity they are not bees,
+the honey might be collected there. Take it up and put it on thy
+head."
+
+He stooped down and raised it with cautious slowness; but, to his
+astonishment, all the wasps had disappeared; only a green lizard ran
+to and fro, and was lost among the grass and the leaves near the
+pathway.
+
+"Where did that go?" asked Jussuf, reflectingly. "That was a
+pomegranate and became wasps, and where are they now gone?"
+
+"What!" rejoined the maiden; "where did it go? Who would ask such a
+thing? How are wasps and pomegranates generally produced in this
+world? Or can you tell me how it is that grass comes up and grows out
+of a grain of seed? or how is it that a fig-tree can spring up from
+each little seed of the fig? The case is just so; and if people would
+ask questions about everything, there would be no end to such
+inquiries. But man must not inquire too closely. Come," continued she,
+quickly changing to a quieter and more mischievous manner, "Dost thou
+see those figs hanging on the branch over the way? let us see if you
+can jump high enough to reach and pick them."
+
+He saw the figs, and sprang, but did not nearly reach the height at
+which they hung. She encouraged him to jump again and again, and at
+every awkward spring she laughed at his fruitless exertions. She then
+took a short run with little steps, and, floating as easily in the air
+as if she were borne on wings, plucked the figs, and then was wafted
+down as softly on the other side.
+
+"See," said she to him, holding out the figs, "here they are; now we
+will eat them together. We have earned them with one spring."
+
+Jussuf declined them. "They all belong to thee," said he; "for thou
+alone didst pick them. I could not reach."
+
+"Do you wish to make me angry?" said she. "Hast thou not tired thyself
+more than I?--there, take and eat." She forced him, by her friendly
+manner, to eat half the figs; while she pressed the other to her lips,
+sucked a little of its juice, and then threw it away. "I did that,"
+said she, clapping her hands, "that thou mightest not soon forget me:
+now thou must think of me for some time."
+
+Immediately she began a new game with him, and after a short time
+another, and so on, continually changing the sport. The serious Jussuf
+jumped, and hopped, and danced just as she wished, and tried to
+perform all the tricks she invented, as if he were a boy. At last they
+came to a fish-pond which was in the garden. She jumped into the boat,
+which was standing all ready, and rowed with ease into the middle of
+the little lake. Then she stopped and called to him,
+
+"Come here, my true playfellow, come to me."
+
+Jussuf stood on the bank, and would have willingly walked to her
+through the water; but he knew that it was too deep, and he could not
+swim.
+
+"Art thou not coming?" said she; "art thou afraid of the water?"
+
+"I cannot swim," answered he.
+
+"Well, that is no consequence," she called out; "do as I do." And at
+these words she sprang lightly out of the boat, and walked over the
+surface of the waves as if on dry land; the water did not even moisten
+the sole of her sandal.
+
+"Oh that I could!" exclaimed Jussuf. "But I am too heavy; I should
+sink at once."
+
+The maiden had in the meantime sprung back into the boat, and called
+out, "If thou wilt not come to me, I will never come again to thee;
+nor will I now stay any longer with thee. Evening is drawing near. For
+the future, then, thou mayest sit alone and grow ill tempered; and if
+thou ever wishest to see thy playmate again, thou mayest seek her in
+the native country of the variegated butterfly, which thou believedst
+thou hadst caught to-day, but which has flown away. Recollect, and
+come before I have counted three. One--two--three." As she said the
+last number she disappeared.
+
+Jussuf now saw the variegated butterfly flutter over the lake, and
+lose itself among the flowers of the garden; the boat moved back
+towards the bank where it had before been placed. The abandoned Jussuf
+stood for some time, as if in a dream; but when the evening twilight
+veiled the distant hills, he awoke to consciousness. Then the
+occurrences of the day appeared like a wonderful vision to his soul.
+In the silence of his chamber he soon threw himself on his bed, and
+here everything recurred to his memory; and he now wondered less at
+the wonderful appearance of the maiden than at himself--that he, a
+serious man, who till now had lived in the activity and cares of
+business, should have amused himself for several hours with childish
+games, at which he had not before played since his earliest boyish
+days. Gradually his thoughts passed into dreams.
+
+He awoke late the next morning. The sun was already high in the
+heavens, and his slaves had long been waiting at the threshold of the
+door which led to his room, to receive his commands. He remembered
+that he wished to return early in the morning to the town, because it
+was his custom regularly to keep open his warehouse on this day of the
+week. It proved, therefore, very agreeable to him, when he went out,
+to find his horse was standing ready saddled before the house.
+
+After he had dressed quickly, and taken his breakfast, he mounted his
+splendid Arab steed, and rode towards Balsora, followed by several
+slaves. When he arrived at the bazaar to open his warehouse, a number
+of customers were already assembled, and the crowd increased at every
+moment, so that he could hardly satisfy all--he had not hands enough.
+When all was produced that was wished for, time was wanting to give
+the inquirers the needful information about the worth and quality of
+the goods; and if a purchaser wished to pay for his articles, he had
+no time to count over the money, but he placed it uncounted in his
+money-box, trusting to the honour of his customers. This press of
+business so fully occupied his attention, that he soon forgot his last
+night's adventure, though at first the form of his fair playmate was
+present to his soul. So many days passed away in the bustle of his
+vast employment.
+
+One day, about the end of the week, when he was busy in his warehouse,
+the public crier went by, offering for sale some small foreign insects
+and butterflies; and holding the case in which they were in the air,
+"Who will buy," he exclaimed--"who will buy fine bright silken
+creatures, very cheap, very cheap?" Jussuf raised his eyes by chance,
+while conversing with a customer about a necklace of jewels, and
+perceived in the case the beautiful butterfly which he wanted to catch
+himself a few days before, and out of which his comical playmate had
+raised herself from the poppy.
+
+Then his words died on his lips. He looked at the crier, dumb for a
+minute, and then called him back quickly. "Let me see," said he; and
+when he had convinced himself that he was not mistaken, he offered the
+man at once a thousand sequins, without allowing him to ask anything.
+
+The crier gave him the case quickly, as if he feared that Jussuf would
+repent of his purchase, and smilingly received the purse of gold.
+
+"I thank thee," said he. "It is well that I know thee to be an amateur
+in such things. If I get any more, I will certainly bring them to thee
+first. People say, indeed, that thou dost not sell cheaply. I have
+convinced myself thou also payest well for what thou purchasest."
+Overjoyed, and praising his good fortune, he went away.
+
+Jussuf had scarcely received the case of insects, when he carefully
+examined it in a division of his warehouse, whilst a red blush mantled
+over his face, and his looks betokened the greatest pleasure. The
+bystanders could not believe that he was such a lover of insects, and
+such a connoisseur; and they conjectured that his eyes must have
+discovered some extraordinary value in the purchased case. But from
+this moment Jussuf paid little more attention to his business. This
+absence of mind increased every moment, and often caused him to ask
+quite a trifling sum for very precious goods, and an unconscionably
+high one for those equally insignificant. He could scarcely conceal
+his chagrin whenever new customers made their appearance; and all saw
+with wonder, how--contrary to his usual custom--he hailed with joy the
+time for closing his warehouse, and how joyously he departed with his
+case of insects!
+
+Immediately he wrapped the case in a cloth, and had it carried by some
+slaves who accompanied him to his house. Till now he did not know why
+he had so much value for the butterfly; he was only led to purchase it
+by some impulse, and had not as yet given himself any reasons for it.
+For the first time, as he lay quietly in bed, he asked himself this
+question: "What shall I do with thee?" Then--"The other butterfly flew
+away over the flowers of my garden some days ago; this is dry and
+pierced, as if it had been dead for many years. What connection can it
+have with my bright and waggish playmate, who is only fit to be a
+daughter of the genii?"
+
+He recalled to himself everything in the remarkable occurrence--even
+the most trifling events that happened in their different games, from
+the appearance of the maiden to her disappearance out of the boat,
+returned to his mind. Then he thought over her last words. "What did
+she say?" said he to himself. "Did she not say, 'If thou shouldst wish
+to see me, thou must seek me in the fatherland of the variegated
+butterflies?'"
+
+Now a thought shot through his mind which made all perfectly clear to
+him. He confessed to himself that he had been more happy with her fun
+and play than he had been before since his boyhood, and that he had
+then quite forgotten all the cares and troubles of business. He
+earnestly longed to have always about him so merry a playfellow, to
+afford him diversion with her childish mirth.
+
+"This playmate of thine," continued he, speaking to himself, "if she
+has entirely disappeared, and no track leads to her, has not a chance
+fallen into thy hands by this butterfly? Still thou canst seek for her
+in her native land. But what naturalist could name it from this
+imperfect description, without having seen the butterfly?"
+
+He then recalled to his memory many tales which he had heard in his
+childhood, in which were instances of daughters of genii, who,
+becoming the wives of mortals, blessed them in a wonderful manner,
+and, after the death of their husbands, returned to the kingdom of the
+genii.
+
+Amid such thoughts as these he sank into slumber, and awoke the next
+morning with the firm resolution of seeking the daughter of the genii,
+and of choosing her for his wife. The first thing, then, was for him
+to discover the native country of the butterflies; for it was there
+that he was to find her. He took, therefore, the butterfly out of the
+case from among the other insects, and set out for one of the suburbs
+of Balsora.
+
+There lived in one of the last houses a man who he was aware knew not
+only the name of every beast, stone, and plant, but also the hidden
+strength of nature and her mysterious operations. This man had once
+been his master, and to his instruction Jussuf owed his intimate
+knowledge of the manifold productions of nature out of which the
+various goods were manufactured in different lands, and which afforded
+him the means of always purchasing the best and most superior
+articles, whereby he obtained such a crowd of customers. In order to
+show his gratitude to his master for this instruction, he had given
+him, out of the inheritance of his father, this large house, with the
+surrounding vast garden, that he might live undisturbed in his secret
+studies.
+
+With this man he now took refuge, hoping certainly to receive from him
+some information about the native land of his silken butterfly. Upon
+his knocking at the door, an old servant, the only one in the house,
+opened it, and led him into a chamber in which his old master was
+sitting upon a cushion, before a large table covered with a black
+cloth. Rolls of parchment with unknown characters, compasses, a
+sextant, a triangle, and other instruments, lay scattered round in
+disorder. He received Jussuf with friendly nods, without rising from
+his cushion, motioning him to sit down opposite, and then said,
+
+"Ah, ah! my Jussuf; this is a rare visit. Hast thou at last been able
+to spare an hour from thy business to pay a visit to the old Modibjah?
+I hear that thou art become the most popular merchant in all Balsora,
+and that thou hast immense connections. I am glad of it; then all is
+right and prosperous. What one has once chosen for his calling, for
+that one must entirely live. What we do must be done well; and may
+that one live who devotes his life to a useful activity!"
+
+Jussuf was prevented by a certain shyness from mentioning his wish at
+once to his grave master. He said how he had longed to see him once
+more, to hear how he was; and reproached him tenderly for not coming
+to see him. He added that he had certainly a great many curious things
+in his warehouses, and that he had promised himself the pleasure of
+showing them all to his wise master. Perhaps he might find among them
+something that might be useful to him, and it would be a pleasure to
+him to give it to him.
+
+At these words Modibjah laughed, and answered, "I want none of thy
+goods. What I wanted thou hast given me: while thou continuest to me
+this house and garden as my property, I am contented, so that I remain
+undisturbed. Here I can devote myself to my reflections and my
+pursuits undistracted and unobserved by the curiosity of mankind. Then
+I should have erred in visiting thee; for thy time is equally taken up
+with the cares and business of thy profession; and I should but have
+disturbed thee with my visits. But now speak," said he, ending his
+discourse: "I see from thy looks that a particular request brings thee
+to me."
+
+Jussuf blushed that his master should have so seen through him, and
+then related to him how the numerous cares and exertions of his
+business had produced a prejudicial effect on his health, and how he
+had been obliged to seek diversion; that he had then renewed a
+partiality which he had in his boyish years, and had again begun to
+collect butterflies and other insects. "But," continued he, "the
+necessary knowledge is wanting to me. Some days ago I bought by chance
+a collection of butterflies, of whose names and native country I know
+nothing." He drew out the box at these words, and held it open before
+the old man.
+
+But hardly had he glanced at it when he shook his head silently; and,
+considering, at last he said, "Poor Jussuf! Still thou wishest to
+inquire about it as of secondary import, as if I did not know that
+thou only comest to me for this reason. Art thou gone so far as to
+play the hypocrite with thy old master?"
+
+"Well, then, I am curious to learn the name and the country of this
+butterfly," answered Jussuf, with a trembling voice.
+
+Then the grey haired old man raised himself from his cushion, and
+looked at Jussuf with such a searching and piercing glance, that he
+was constrained through his shame to cast down his eyes.
+
+"Still, I should do thee injustice were I to blame thee," continued
+he: "I know that thou art still innocent. I can only lament that thou
+shouldst have fallen into the snares of my implacable enemy. In order
+to obtain the victory over me, she will seek to ruin thee." He laid
+his hand on his forehead, and sank into profound reflection.
+
+At last Jussuf broke silence, and said, "I do not understand thee.
+What enemy dost thou mean? See, it is my fault for not having told
+thee the whole openly. Now shalt thou know all." He then related to
+him, without any reserve, the transactions of the previous days.
+
+When he had finished, the old man answered, "Now thou hast been candid
+with me, and hast a claim to equal sincerity on my side. But I know
+that thou art not now capable of hearing the truth--that it is a
+useless trouble to attempt to cure thee of thy delusion. If I were to
+conceal the native land of the butterflies from thee, I know that thou
+wouldst find ways and means of learning what thou now desirest to
+discover. Thou wouldst fain find her who is thy enemy, although thou
+deemest her to be thine innocent friend. I will show thee the way to
+her. But I will think of ways and means to guard thee against her
+wickedness. For that purpose I must know thy exact age. If thou hast
+not quite forgotten thy former love for thy true master, tell me now
+the day and hour of thy birth."
+
+Jussuf willingly told him the day and the hour, for he was very glad
+that Modibjah promised to tell him the native country of the
+butterfly. What he said about the wickedness of an enemy he took for
+the whims of an old man, and therefore it did not weigh at all with
+him. In the meanwhile, Modibjah had gone into a side-chamber, and now
+brought out a large, deep box, whilst he cleared away the parchments
+and instruments spread about on the table. On the cover a great number
+of cross lines were drawn through one another, and among them were
+worked innumerable gold and silver stars. After he had carefully
+traced all these, he produced a small box of ebony, skilfully inlaid
+with streaks of mother-of-pearl.
+
+"I have reckoned thine age," said he: "thou art now just thirty years,
+nine months, and seven days, and eight hours old. All these years,
+months, days, and hours form the figure of fifty-four. God be praised
+and His great Prophet, it is not yet of the worst."
+
+During this speech he sat down, and at a nod from him Jussuf seated
+himself opposite. Then he pressed a hidden spring in the little black
+box, the lid sprang up, and he shook the contents before Jussuf on the
+table. They were a number of half-moons, little stars, triangles, and
+other figures of ivory.
+
+"Count out fifty-four of them," said he. And Jussuf did it.
+
+After the old man had quickly collected the remainder together, and
+placed them again in the box, he called to him to throw the figures
+that he had counted out in the air in such a manner that they should
+fall down on the table-cloth. Jussuf did as he was desired, and the
+figures spread themselves in their fall over the whole table. The old
+man considered them attentively for some time, and began to murmur,
+half-singing, a form of words in a foreign language, and touched with
+his finger quickly, as if he were counting one or other of them, now
+and then taking away one and placing it with the others in the box. He
+repeated his words twice, and counted and pointed with his finger,
+taking away from the figures as at first, till at last there only
+remained nine. Now he began another speech, which appeared to Jussuf
+to be in a different language, and sang it three times, while he took
+away more of the ivory figures, and pointed to some of the gold and
+silver worked stars. At last he had collected all the three nearest
+constellations.
+
+"It is good," said the old man, with a joyful and tranquil
+countenance. "I now know what I wanted; now I can tell you what you so
+earnestly wish to know. If thou wishest to find thy vain, trifling
+playmate, go towards the rising of the sun till thou comest to a town
+of Persia, in the neighbourhood of which are situated the ruins of an
+old royal city, now destroyed. There stay till the third day after the
+new moon. Then go to the ruins in the evening. On the eastern edge, at
+some distance from the heap of relics, thou wilt find a large
+well-formed stone, which once served as the head; seat thyself on this
+stone, and at the moment when the narrow illumined streak of the moon,
+like a fiery ship, seems to swim over the mountains on the horizon,
+call out the word 'Haschanascha,' and a sign-post will soon appear.
+But then thou art still distant from the object of thy journey. But
+may the exertions and vicissitudes of thy long travel so lessen thy
+foolishly-ardent desire that thou mayest listen to the voice of a
+prudent friend, who will certainly be near thee when thou hast need of
+him."
+
+Hardly had Jussuf heard where he was to go when he sprang out of his
+seat, in order to take leave at once of Modibjah, and to commence his
+journey. The wish which Modibjah had expressed was hardly heard by
+him.
+
+"Wait, wait," said the former; "who knows whether we shall ever see
+each other again? This journey leads thee far away, and I am old.
+Thou art also a mortal, who mayest be overwhelmed by the dangers thou
+hast to encounter. Here, take this as a token of remembrance." At
+these words he reached him a small leathern pouch.
+
+"What is this?" asked Jussuf, after he had opened it, and saw in it a
+rather opaque milk-white stone, at the bottom of which a red spark
+seemed to shine. "That is certainly a talisman."
+
+"It is a talisman," answered Modibjah: "esteem it for my sake. Use it
+when thy strength and intellect are not sufficient for thee. As long
+as thou perceivest the spark, thou wilt proceed in the right way, and
+wilt not encounter any danger; but the contrary will happen when the
+spark appears to be quite extinguished. Then breathe over it the name
+'Haschanascha.' Do not allow it to be taken away from thee, either by
+force or by stratagem; nor give it willingly as a present to any
+stranger's hand. If thou shouldst wish to make an experiment, throw it
+behind thee over thy head."
+
+Jussuf thanked his master for the present, and hid the talisman in his
+bosom; he then took leave of his master in an absent spirit and
+hastened home. He immediately gave his slaves the necessary charges,
+committed the care of his house to an old faithful servant, locked up
+his warehouse in the bazaar, and proceeded in the evening of the same
+day, with a train of twenty armed and well-mounted followers, and with
+forty camels loaded with gold and precious things of all kinds, and
+with all necessaries, out at the eastern gate of the city of Balsora.
+Whoever perceived or heard, that Jussuf had set out on a distant
+journey believed that he had gone to fetch some rare goods which he
+could not entrust to his servants; and people were generally in
+curious expectation to see what could be the interest in any jewels
+that should induce the so greatly-altered merchant, who till now let
+everything be managed by his servants, to go himself on the journey,
+and with so small an escort.
+
+Jussuf kept exactly to the rule of his old master, and proceeded
+straight towards the rising of the sun. He reached, with his little
+caravan, without any particular adventures, the plains which extend
+between the mountains and the Persian Sea. But here the summer heat
+was so oppressive that he turned more to the left towards the north,
+that he might find in the neighbourhood of the mountains some shade
+from the trees and, above all, springs of water, which, murmuring down
+from the mountains, might serve for coolness and refreshment to them,
+after they had wandered far in the plains through dry sand. He
+proceeded for some days towards his destination without the occurrence
+of anything unusual or remarkable. After some days, he reached a spot
+where a small rivulet flowed between two mountains.
+
+The opposite side of this mountain extended out a long way towards the
+sea-coast, so that there was only a very narrow slip of the plain.
+Uncertain whether he should go straight towards the sea, or turn off
+to the left along the valley through which the rivulet wound, he
+ordered his slaves to stop. He looked round to see if he could not
+perceive in the surrounding country some track to indicate the
+proximity of men, of whose advice he might avail himself; but there
+was not a hut, nor a tent, nor a flock to be seen far or near.
+Although fertile, the country appeared quite desolate. Some of his
+slaves advised the direction along the sea-shore, because there were
+imprinted the footsteps of camels and horses of earlier travellers;
+others suggested, on the contrary, to advance along the river. But
+Jussuf shook his head at these counsels.
+
+"Why should we," said he, "enter in uncertainty on either of those
+roads? If we proceed to the right by the sea-coast, it will lead us
+too far south; if we follow the valley of the river, it will conduct
+us straight to its entrance towards the north; but farther up it may
+take another direction, whereby we might be enabled to continue our
+route, even if it be a very winding way; or we may ascend the
+mountains, which will probably be higher and steeper near the source
+of the river. Our camels already throw a long shadow on the earth, and
+in two hours we must select a place for repose. It is therefore more
+prudent to stay here. Two roads evidently unite at this point, and
+therefore it cannot be long before some one arrives from one side or
+the other, who can give us the desired information. So make
+preparations to pass the night here."
+
+As he commanded, so they did. The slaves unpacked from the camels what
+was necessary, and quickly erected a tent for their master of
+variegated painted poles and thick silk stuffs. Then they kindled a
+fire on a neighbouring spot, and made preparations for the meals of
+all.
+
+In the meantime, Jussuf wandered to the foremost height of the
+mountains, towards the valley of the river, and rejoiced at the richly
+blossoming flowers which seemed heaped on all the shrubs, and at the
+magnificent country, and the refreshing air which floated up to him
+out of the valley. As he walked carelessly along, his foot struck
+against a ripe melon, which still hung fast to a withered branch.
+"Well," thought he to himself, "a juicy melon is a refreshing fruit in
+the heat of the day." He picked it and took it home to the encampment.
+There he delivered it to a slave, and charged him to take care that it
+was freed of its seeds, and brought up to his meal with the other
+dishes. He then entered his tent, which had meanwhile been erected,
+and stretched himself on his soft cushion, covered with costly cloths,
+that he might rest awhile. He soon sank into slumber, exhausted with
+the fatigue of the day; but he was shortly roused from his dream. Two
+of his slaves stood at his couch, and exclaimed,
+
+"Master! master! come out and see the wonder!"
+
+"What is the matter?" said he, raising himself up.
+
+"O master, the melon!" they called out at once.
+
+"Well, what of the melon? Perhaps it is beginning to decay, or is it
+not good for anything? if so, throw it away. Was it worth while to
+wake me up about that?"
+
+"Oh, no, master, do not be angry; but that is not it," said the
+slaves.
+
+"Perhaps one of you has eaten it, not knowing that I picked it for
+myself?"
+
+"No, master! no, master!" cried the slaves, as it were with one mouth.
+"Who would do that? Come and see yourself."
+
+"I see I must come myself if I wish to learn what has happened," said
+Jussuf, half unwillingly; and rising from his couch, he followed them
+out of the tent. They led him to the place where they had made
+preparations for the meal. There he saw a melon, in form like the one
+which he had found, but of such a gigantic size, that he had never
+before seen one like it. "Whence, then, comes this monster of a
+melon?" said he to the slaves, who were standing at a distance with
+signs of astonishment and fear.
+
+"Yes, master, that is the same melon that you brought here yourself,"
+answered several voices at once.
+
+"But that was so small, that I could conveniently span it with my
+fingers, and carry it in my hand," returned he; "but three men could
+scarcely surround this with their arms." They assured him that it was
+the same melon which he had bought. "Then," continued he, "things
+cannot go right if a ripe and gathered melon can grow to such a
+monstrous size."
+
+At these words, the slave to whom he had given the melon came to him
+and said, "It may well be that things do not go right." He then
+related to him that he had laid the melon down where the large one now
+lay; that when he had come near it, at a later period, a great wasp
+had settled on the melon and pierced it with its sting. Hardly had it
+flown away, when a bee came buzzing, and lodged on it: after stinging
+it, this one also flew away. From this moment the melon grew larger
+and larger; and they should have called him to see the wonder long
+ago, had not they all been fixed with curiosity and astonishment to
+see what would happen.
+
+Since the rising of the moon, which was how beaming above the horizon
+in full splendour, had the melon ceased increasing. They asked Jussuf
+what should now happen, and imagined that he would not ask them to cut
+up and pare the melon.
+
+"That we cannot do," said they, finishing their speech, "for it is
+evident that magic is at play here. An ordinary melon cannot grow any
+more after it is ripe and picked off the tree; and even if that were
+possible, it could not in any case grow to such an immense size as
+never has been seen before in the world. Who knows what is hidden in
+it?"
+
+"Oh, you silly cowards!" exclaimed Jussuf, provoked at the terror of
+his servants,--"shame on you! You are in a foreign land, and do not
+consider that everything here is not exactly as it is at home. What
+can be concealed in it? Outside is the peel; under the peel is the
+pulp; and in the middle is the texture of cells, with the seeds. Look
+here," said he to those who stood next to him, as he took off his
+short broad scimitar: "I will cut off a piece, that you may see that
+it is as I say."
+
+While he spoke, he made two vigorous cuts--one along and the other
+across the melon, so as to loosen a four-angled piece of the peel. Now
+he commanded one of his slaves to lift up the piece.
+
+As the slave anxiously approached the melon, in order to obey the
+command of his master, the piece sprang out of it with wonderful
+strength over his head, so that he tumbled backwards on the ground
+from terror.
+
+"Mahomet, great Prophet, stand by us!" exclaimed the slaves, when they
+saw this. But soon their astonishment changed to terror, and they all
+ran away, when suddenly a human figure rose out of the aperture in the
+melon, and, with one spring, stood before Jussuf. The latter drew
+back, startled as much at the sudden and unexpected appearance of the
+man as at his unusual figure. The top of his perfectly flat face was
+disfigured by two monstrous eyes, and by long black eyebrows, which
+extended over the greatest part of his face. On his short upper lip he
+had a narrow but long, hairy, stiff substance, the ends of which
+reached to the crown of his head, and there intermixed with his hair
+in two tufts, which stood sideways in the air like antennæ. His dress
+was marked with bright shining stripes of a black and brimstone
+colour; and behind him a transparent head-covering hung in two
+gauze-like wings nearly down to the ground. His clothes fitted tight
+everywhere. He also wore a girdle round his body, which rendered his
+leanness still more striking. Besides this, the nail of his middle
+finger was very long, and bent over like a hoe. His whole figure had
+the appearance of an immense wasp.
+
+The man had hardly observed that Jussuf shrank before him, when he
+seized the wings of his head-dress with both his hard hands, and gave
+a leap, as if he were trying to fly.
+
+Jussuf was too frightened to ask him who he was, and what he wanted.
+But the man immediately uttered a guttural, grumbling sound, which was
+probably intended for a song; and Jussuf heard these words:
+
+    "I come, a slave at one's behest,
+      Who knoweth more than thou canst tell;
+    She warned thee, whiles of friends the best,
+      Of bees that lurk in honied bell.
+    Guide well thy course; nor seek, proud man,
+      Whate'er thou deem'st a better way;
+    She can each hidden secret scan--
+      So follow thou without delay."
+
+When his song was nearly ended, another voice hummed on the side where
+the melon lay. On looking there, Jussuf saw a second human form, as
+wonderful as the first, rise out of the aperture. This one had a dark
+dress, inclining to olive-green, and his form was rather less slim
+than that of the former; but he had the appearance of a bee in human
+form. Leaping also nearer to Jussuf, it sang in a higher but equally
+buzzing tone:
+
+    "Mark me well: oh, what can be
+    Direful wasps but plagues to thee?
+    Thine is every vain desire;
+    Yet the bees that never tire,
+    They can serve and tend thee well--
+    The busy storers of the cell.
+    Keep me, then; thy path shall prove
+    A path of hope that leads to love."
+
+But the first one grumbled again, so that Jussuf could not understand
+any more.
+
+However terrified Jussuf might have been at this appearance, he yet
+collected himself, and said, "Her dear servants seem to mean very
+well, but----"
+
+Before he had finished his speech, both of them were grumbling and
+buzzing at him.
+
+He understood still so much, that each of them wished to lessen the
+reputation of his fellow, and to make him suspected in his eyes. Both
+turned against each other again, and hummed and buzzed at one another
+with unheard-of obstinacy. Their struggle became constantly more
+vehement, and at last they seized each other in mad rage, and whirled
+round, struggling and burring in a circle. Jussuf saw a kind of lance
+and a long dagger shine, and both of them fell down pierced through
+at his feet. In their dying moments they begged him to bury them in
+their cradle. He nodded assuringly, and they lay dead in the moment.
+Immediately Jussuf called his slaves to him, who were standing in the
+distance in earnest expectation, and ordered them to carry the dead
+bodies to the melon. But they refused, certainly with humble excuses,
+but still with steadfast decision.
+
+"In the name of all natural things," said they, "we will prove to thee
+our certain obedience; but do not ask us to make ourselves unclean, or
+to meddle with such unnatural appearances."
+
+He represented to them quietly that he could not place both the dead
+bodies in the hollow melon, and that one of them must help him--that
+what he ventured they might also venture; but they denied
+perseveringly, and no one appeared ready to lend a helping hand. Angry
+at their obstinacy, Jussuf was on the point of chastising them with
+the flat part of his sabre-blade, when one of the slaves called out,
+
+"Hold, hold, dear master! the dead bodies are no longer there!"
+
+They had certainly vanished; and when he looked on the ground where
+they had lain, he discovered in the dust a dead wasp and a dead bee.
+
+"See, see!" said he, in perfect astonishment; "would not any one
+believe that all those things were only a delusion of the mind? If the
+great melon did not lie there now, I should be inclined to think that
+I had, in a mad fancy, taken the bees and wasps for large figures of
+men."
+
+At these words, he turned to the side where the melon had been, and,
+lo! that had also disappeared. Approaching nearer, he found in its
+place the little melon again, just as he had picked it during his
+walk. In its side he discovered a small four-angled opening. Then he
+went quickly back, fetched the two dead insects, and put them through
+the aperture into the melon.
+
+"It may now be as it may," said he to himself. "I promised them to
+bury their dead bodies in the melon, and I fulfil this promise."
+
+"Now, you will not wish to eat any of this enchanted melon?" inquired
+one of the slaves; and as Jussuf shook his head in the negative, and
+at once entered his tent, the slave gave the melon a kick with his
+foot, so that it rolled all the way down the hill, and fell below into
+the river that flowed there. The waves swept over it.
+
+The night passed tranquilly. At first, Jussuf could not get any sleep,
+for the events of wonder had so stirred up his soul. At last fatigue
+conquered, and he slumbered till near morning.
+
+In the commencement of his journey he had made an arrangement that
+four of his slaves should watch every night alternately. In the
+morning he asked with uncommon curiosity whether nothing had happened
+in the night, or whether no traveller had passed by from whom they
+might learn the direction. But no one had gone by.
+
+Low-spirited at not having any sure direction for his journey, he
+struck his bosom, and said, "So are we borne away and removed from
+good fortune." He had with the blow hit the pouch containing the
+talisman which he had received from his master Modibjah, and which
+till now he had quite forgotten. He pulled it out, opened the pouch,
+and said, "Thou hast disclosed thyself in a good hour. Come, tell me
+whether I shall do well if I proceed through the valley along the
+river-side."
+
+After he had considered it, he exclaimed joyfully, "Yes, yes; the
+resolution is good; the fiery spark still shines living in the stone."
+He immediately gave orders for departure, and the procession, rode out
+into the valley. His slaves wondered that he who had been so uncertain
+about the direction should now be so secure, and take so confident a
+resolution. The journey was much more pleasant in the valley than it
+had before been. The air from the stream was cooled, for a mild breeze
+was always breathing through the valley; and they soon reached an
+inhabited place, and learned that they were in the direct road to a
+small town, in whose neighbourhood were situated the ruins of the old
+royal city. Pleased as Jussuf was at this news, still it was rather
+disagreeable, to him: he remembered that on the evening of his
+adventure with the melon the moon was in full splendour, and he could
+now calculate that he would arrive several days too early for the
+first object of his journey. And what should he set about in that
+small town till, on the third day after the new moon, he should find
+his sign-post? However, he continued on his way by small day journeys.
+At last he came to the little town in whose neighbourhood the ruins
+were situated, and stopped at a caravanserai. Whilst his people
+unloaded the camels and settled everything, he wandered idly through
+the town to see something of it. In the course of his walk a young man
+presented himself to him, who was willing to show him in passing the
+few curiosities of the place. While they were conversing together they
+made themselves known to each other; and Jussuf learned that the young
+man's name was Hassan Assad, a man of whom his people had often spoken
+to him in terms of commendation, and who had been very useful to him
+several times in commissions for goods in Persia. He heartily thanked
+him, therefore, and assured him of his pleasure at being able to form
+his personal acquaintance. Hassan also seemed very much pleased to
+have seen the far-famed merchant from Balsora face to face, and
+offered to be his guide and companion as long as he remained in those
+parts.
+
+"To-morrow," said he, "I have some necessary business to do in Shiraz,
+which I cannot put off. But without doubt thou also art going there,
+for thou wilt certainly have to give large orders to the ablest silver
+and gold workers, and to the most skilful silk-weavers; and because
+personal acquaintance with our correspondents is very useful, I will
+join thee in thy journey. In this way it will not be necessary for us
+to separate again on the first day of our acquaintance; nor can it be
+disagreeable to thee to go with me, who am already known there, and
+can lead thee to the dwellings of all those with whom I am connected
+in commerce."
+
+Jussuf's mind had been but little turned on trade, and now he could
+not recollect the names of all the people with whom he transacted
+business in Shiraz: besides, he had a certain aversion to disclose the
+true reasons for his journey; so he let his friendly companion
+entertain the idea that he had come to Persia for the purpose of
+purchasing and giving commissions. And, because he must still wait
+several days for the new moon, he willingly accepted Hassan's
+proposal, and promised to accompany him the next morning to the great
+and celebrated town of Shiraz, and to spend some days with him there.
+The distance to Shiraz was not far, and Jussuf reached it with his new
+friend the next day before the noonday heat. Hassan conducted him in
+the afternoon to the house of a rich merchant, with whom he had long
+had considerable dealings.
+
+"Here," said he, "I bring you the far-famed merchant Jussuf from
+Balsora, whose name cannot be strange to you, since you have long done
+business with him. He has taken this journey to make new purchases,
+and also to become personally acquainted with those who have hitherto
+served him so satisfactorily."
+
+The dealer was very glad to become acquainted with the renowned
+Jussuf, and, as what Hassan had said appeared very natural to him, he
+continued, "If I do not mistake, I furnished thee lately with a
+considerable quantity of oil of roses. Thou wert, then, pleased with
+it?"
+
+Jussuf assured him of his perfect satisfaction with the supply.
+
+"Ah," continued the dealer, "thou must now again give me a commission;
+for I have at present a much better supply, and I can let thee have it
+at a very moderate price, although it is of a superior quality."
+
+Jussuf was ashamed to confess that he had entirely neglected his
+magazine and warehouse, and could not think of his business. He
+therefore left him in his error, and gave him a considerable order for
+oil of roses. But, as he thought of travelling farther, and the time
+of his return was not decided, he ordered him to wait for further
+instructions for sending the oil. Still, he paid the amount
+beforehand. In this manner he went to all his friends in trade in
+Shiraz. Hassan conducted him, announcing that his appearance in Persia
+was to give orders; and so he was seduced into fresh commissions and
+fresh purchases. At the silk-weavers' he ordered many hundred pieces
+of silk stuffs; at others, a quantity of gold and silver stuffs; at
+the jewellers' costly trinkets, and gold and silver vessels, and
+implements. His companion not only led him to such dealers and
+workers as he was already acquainted with in business, but introduced
+him to many others. They induced him, partly by the beauty of their
+goods, partly by their moderate prices, to make extensive purchases,
+and to take himself large orders for goods which he promised to send
+them from Balsora. It could not fail that a merchant of such fame as
+Jussuf, who gave so many orders in the same town, should attract
+attention. They sought after him with a friendly spirit in every
+place; they asked him to all the feasts which were given in those days
+in the families where he was known. Now he was to appear at a banquet
+in the town; then at a rural feast in one of the largest and most
+splendid gardens in the suburbs. People exerted themselves on all
+sides to show him honour and to give him pleasure.
+
+The new moon had arrived in the meantime, and Jussuf had still so many
+invitations that he would have been obliged to remain till after the
+full moon to fulfil them all. But the third evening after the new moon
+had been named to him as the decisive moment, and he would not neglect
+it. Hassan persuaded him strongly to stay a few more days, and those
+who had invited him pressed him very much; but he continued steadfast
+against longer delay, and he set out early on the third day after the
+new moon for the little town where he had left his slaves and camels.
+
+On arriving there, he found everything in order. He rested till
+evening, and then went out, without any companions, to the ruins of
+the destroyed town. Before sunset he was on the eastern side of them,
+and had soon also found, at some distance, the marked-out stone. He
+seated himself on it; and the sun had hardly gone down when he
+observed the moon riding like a golden ship through the blue of the
+obscure sky. He waited with palpitating heart and anxious impatience
+for the moment when it should seem to stand on the mountain-ridges on
+the western horizon. Then he called out quickly and loudly,
+"Haschanascha!" He expected that at this call a guide would
+immediately appear to him; but nothing appeared. The moon was, in the
+meantime, sunk behind the mountains; but the bright and sparkling
+stars still lighted the dark blue sky. He stood by the stone on which
+he had hitherto sat, and was going to return to his people in the
+town, discouraged at his deluded expectations, when he heard his name
+called by a well-known voice. He turned towards the place from whence
+it came, and soon recognized, in the light of the stars, his friend
+Hassan, whom he thought he had left that morning in Shiraz.
+
+"Well, well," said he, as he drew nearer to Jussuf, "it seemed to me
+that thou stopped behind the mountains. Whenever I wished to speak
+with thee of thy journey, thou always soughtest to evade me, and
+turned the conversation some other way. Now all is clear to me: with
+me thou needest not have made any mystery of it; since I find thee
+here to-day, the third day after the new moon, I already know
+everything. I regret very much that I must serve thee in this case,
+for I have already conducted many on this road, and none of them have
+ever come back."
+
+"How, Hassan Assad, thou the guide that I was to find here?" exclaimed
+Jussuf. "Thou wilt lead me to the object of my desires?"
+
+"No," answered Hassan, "I cannot myself conduct thee: I can only bring
+thee on the right road; but come, now, and follow me."
+
+He led him back near the extensive ruins of the destroyed city: they
+soon found tolerably passable roads, the few unobstructed tracks of
+the former principal streets of the large royal city; but they were
+often obliged to scramble over the rubbish of overthrown buildings,
+across pillars, and the remains of mighty columns. His guide turned
+now right, now left, to seek the easiest road; then backwards, then
+forwards. They might, perhaps, have spent an hour scrambling about in
+this manner, when at last Hassan arrived at a passage, closed with a
+small iron door, which was not covered with ruins: here he took a
+little silver hammer, and knocked nine times on the head of a great
+nail which was in the door: at each knock he stopped for some seconds,
+and Jussuf heard the sound in singular tones inside the door, as if it
+reached to a great distance. At the last stroke the door flew open,
+and showed a row of steps leading down to a cellar-like vault.
+
+"Here we must descend," said Hassan; "here thou wilt see many
+wonderful things, and thou wilt have rich presents; but take care not
+to refuse any presents, or to speak a word: only when thou art asked
+if thou hast enough, always answer no, till they abuse thee as an
+unreasonable person, and ask thee what thou still desirest, then say
+the word 'Ketlafgat,'--it is the name of a talisman, without which
+thou canst never attain the end of thy wishes."
+
+Jussuf observed the word, and promised to obey his instructor. They
+now descended the steps together; and the door closed behind them with
+a great noise. As they proceeded in profound darkness, Jussuf thought
+of the talisman which he had received from Modibjah: he wished to see
+if he were walking in the right road, and drew it out of the pouch:
+although it was very dark, he still discerned the bright red spark in
+the stone. He now descended after his guide with more courage. They
+might have left about fifty steps behind when they arrived at a large
+room: over this was raised a vast round vault from the ground, in the
+form of a regular hemisphere. From the middle of the vault hung a
+great lamp, on which, out of twelve branches, burned twelve long
+dazzling white flames. The whole vault played with thousands of lights
+of this flame, as if it were faced with an innumerable number of small
+mirrors. As Jussuf moved to one side, curious to see the cause of this
+reflection, he perceived that the vault was covered with eight large
+oriental pearls of the greatest clearness, and that the space between
+four of them was filled up with a smaller. He tried to detach one of
+the large pearls from the wall; but it was so fast cemented that it
+was impossible to remove it. In the meantime his guide had reached a
+concealed door, and had knocked three times with his little hammer on
+one spot. The door sprang open, and they entered a spacious
+four-cornered room, on the walls of which were very large friezes,
+supported too by pillars of solid gold. But each of the panels of the
+flat part of the wall stood on a transparent gay green smooth-polished
+stone, which Jussuf could only consider to be most valuable
+emeralds--however improbable it seemed. Hassan allowed him no time to
+look about him: he had already opened a third room with the strokes of
+his silver hammer. The form of this was octagonal: the pillars and
+sockets were of silver; but the panels rested on a precious stone of a
+bright blue colour.
+
+In the same manner they reached a more splendid and larger room. They
+had already passed through twelve without having found any living
+creature. Thus, with all this splendour, there was an unpleasant air
+of desertion, which oppressed Jussuf so much that he would willingly
+have imparted his feeling to his companion; but he strode on with such
+seriousness and caution, in his passage through the opened doors and
+rooms, that he had not courage to say a word aloud. After they had
+passed through the twelfth chamber, Hassan knocked three times with
+his hammer on the ground, which consisted of clear large and small
+quadrangles of the most magnificent polished stripes of jasper.
+Immediately one of these quadrangles opened and fell back, as if it
+were a trap-door: here were disclosed many steps of beautiful crystal,
+which led down still deeper. They descended, and the trap-door shut
+down behind them. Jussuf saw no lamp by which the long descent of
+steps was lighted, nor any window through which the light of day could
+enter; but still it was not dark around them, for at each footstep
+shone a clear blue light. He observed that this proceeded from a small
+ball which rolled down before him from step to step, and, every time
+that it alighted on a step, a clear blue ray of light streamed out,
+which spread out its rays till the ball had rolled to another. At last
+the steps ceased, and before him extended a long passage, the opposite
+end of which was lighted by a clear point: they approached it, and
+soon discovered a folding-door with glass windows, through which shone
+the bright daylight. They passed through it, and found themselves in a
+splendid garden, full of rare flowers and shrubs, such as Jussuf had
+never before seen. At the entrance, two slaves approached him, who
+bowed to him respectfully, but silently, and beckoned to him to follow
+them. They led him into a large summer-house: there sat some men whom
+Jussuf took for dervishes; they stood up and greeted him.
+
+"Thou comest to fetch the treasure of the poor," said one of them:
+"thy desires shall be fulfilled." He immediately made a sign to the
+others, and they all moved off through another door. "Men," continued
+he, "certainly are complete fools; they fix their hearts on such
+useless things; and the more they have the more insatiable they are."
+
+He shook his head contemptuously. Before he had said anything more,
+the remaining dervishes came back, one bringing a number of purses
+filled with sequins; two others bringing precious boxes filled with
+pearls; the third, two boxes with great diamonds of the finest fire; a
+fourth, two boxes full of the finest emeralds; and so each one another
+precious thing.
+
+Jussuf took all the things, and hid the boxes and the purses about his
+person.
+
+"Are you satisfied?" asked the dervish who had first spoken.
+
+And Jussuf answered, "No."
+
+"I said so," grumbled the dervish. And, at a sign from him, the others
+again went and brought, as at the first time, purses of gold and boxes
+of jewels.
+
+"Hast thou enough now?" asked the dervish.
+
+And Jussuf, who could hardly dispose of all about him, answered, "No."
+
+With still greater signs of displeasure, the dervish caused a fresh
+burden of similar presents to be brought. And, as Jussuf could not
+carry any more, he asked again, "Now hast thou not enough, at last?"
+
+Remembering Hassan's instructions, he again answered, "No."
+
+Then the dervish got up, and turned round on one foot angrily, and
+exclaimed, "Thou shameful man, art thou insatiable? Thou canst not
+take all with thee that thou hast already received, and thou must load
+thy companion also with the trifles in order to convey them hence, and
+yet thou hast not enough, thou glutton!"
+
+Immediately the other dervishes surrounded him, and screamed out, as
+from a cave, "Glutton! impudent creature! avaricious man!"
+
+"And what dost thou want now?" asked the dervish.
+
+Then Jussuf said the word that Hassan had taught him for this
+occasion, "Ketlafgat."
+
+He had hardly spoken it, when the other dervishes sat down, and he who
+had asked the question went out of the summer-house. He soon came back
+with a small box, which he gave to Jussuf: it was made of mean wood,
+and without any ornament.
+
+"Here is what thou desirest," said he. And, while he reached to him a
+small golden key, he added, "Henceforward thou no longer needest a
+guide. Go where thy inclination leads thee: thou wilt always be in the
+right road if thou do not open this box with the key; but, if thou art
+once in despair, and all hope has vanished of reaching the end of thy
+journey, thou mayest then open it."
+
+He made a sign with his hand, and immediately the two slaves were
+ready to conduct him away. Hassan took the boxes and the purses, which
+Jussuf could not carry, in his pockets, and bowed to go away.
+
+Then the dervish called after him, "Many persons have already fetched
+the Ketlafgat from us, and it has always come back to us: it will
+return from thee also."
+
+The slaves led them another way out of the garden into the entrance of
+a cave in the rock, shut the door behind them, and left them in a dark
+passage. They groped about with their hands, and soon felt a door.
+Hassan knocked again nine times with his hammer, and, behold, the door
+opened at the last blow, and they issued out at another end of the
+ruins of the destroyed town into the open air.
+
+"Now we dare speak again," said Hassan. "What dost thou think of
+doing? morning is not very distant. Wilt thou not return to the town,
+and unload thyself of thy treasures?"
+
+But Jussuf shook his head thoughtfully, and said, "What shall I do?
+What shall I say? I have lately witnessed such wonders that I am
+almost unable to think. I am no longer the man that I was, who had a
+decided will of his own. I appear to myself like a play-ball to beings
+of a superhuman nature. Every man, however, plays this part to a
+certain extent."
+
+"Well, bethink thee. See, I have packed up the treasures for thee, and
+would willingly be released soon from thee, for I must return to
+Shiraz in good time to-day, as thou probably knowest. Let us hasten,
+then, back to the little town: there thou canst consider with thy
+people what thou shalt do."
+
+Jussuf followed him in deep thought, and, soon arriving at the town,
+they entered the caravanserai. The slaves received their master with
+joy, for they had become suspicious at his going out without
+attendants, and, not coming back at night, they feared lest some
+misfortune should have happened to him.
+
+After he had laid down the purses and the boxes with the jewels, he
+turned to Hassan, and said, "Thou hast already performed so many
+services for me, that I must trespass and require still further from
+thee. I see that this train will be more troublesome than serviceable
+to me in my long journey; but I cannot leave it behind. Do me the
+pleasure of taking these slaves, camels, and all the treasures which
+are contained in each bale of goods, and travel with them as if they
+were thine own property. If I return happily, and thou art willing,
+should I be in need, to let me have part back again, I will accept it
+from thee as a free-will present; should I not return, I shall have no
+more need of them."
+
+After a short conversation, Hassan consented, and immediately ordered
+his camels to be laden to return to Shiraz. Jussuf took some of the
+boxes of precious stones, a good number of purses with sequins, and,
+above all, the box with the talisman Ketlafgat, loaded his horse with
+them, took leave of Hassan with heartfelt thankfulness, commanded his
+slaves to obey their new master, mounted his horse, and rode at the
+dawn of morning towards the rising of the sun.
+
+Jussuf had proceeded ten days in this direction without anything
+remarkable happening to him. On the evening of the eleventh day he
+arrived at a high hill, which appeared fruitless, not a tree or a bush
+to be seen. There was not a village, a hut, or a tent within his sight
+all round. He was obliged to resolve to pass the night under the open
+sky, and looked about to see to what he could fasten his horse; for,
+although it was a tame, trusty animal, yet he was afraid that it might
+run away in the night. At last, finding nothing, he unbuckled the
+pack-saddle, and let his steed pasture on the half-withered grass,
+which was the only thing there. Then he lay down on the ground, and
+soon fell asleep; but he suddenly awoke again, and, looking for his
+horse, found it had vanished; he looked towards the place where the
+saddle was laid--that was not there either. It was clear to him that a
+robber had taken his horse. He peered round in the deceptive
+moonlight, but could perceive nothing. He was much grieved, and said
+to himself, "It is quite just: I had a company of true servants, and
+have sent them away in a frivolous manner; I had immense riches, and
+have given them into the hands of a stranger without surety, who may
+live happily in their possession whilst I must starve." But he soon
+continued, with collected courage, "Yet of what use are all the goods
+of the earth to me? What help would a whole army of the most faithful
+and the boldest companions be to me? I seek a gift with which I shall
+ever be on the right road, as the dervish said, and I always carry the
+box and the golden key with me. Everything may go if the talisman
+Ketlafgat remains to me, which will preserve me if despair should
+seize me in the attainment of my wishes."
+
+As he spoke thus to himself, he saw a number of riders appear in the
+distance, and he soon perceived that they were riding straight to him.
+He looked round for some place of shelter; but there was no place on
+the level high plains where he could hide himself. The riders
+approached nearer: he saw them divide and form a cross, and so they
+advanced till they came quite near. Some of them alighted and went
+with drawn sabres to him. He found that all defence was vain, and,
+throwing away his sabre, he knelt down, bowing himself to the ground
+like a humble slave.
+
+"Seize him!" called out the leader of the horsemen, "and seat him on a
+spare horse, and bring him with us; but, by your lives, stand by me,
+and see that he does not escape."
+
+Both the horsemen to whom he had spoken these words inclined full of
+reverence to him, then seized Jussuf, bound his hands, and seated him
+on a horse, and, taking him between them, rode, alternately seizing
+the bridle of his horse, at a fast trot over the high plains. The
+remaining riders followed at a little distance. With short
+interruptions, which were necessary for the forage of the horses and
+the rest of the men and animals, they continued riding for several
+days. About the tenth day they reached a wide valley through which
+flowed a great river. Jussuf saw cultivated fields, gardens, and men's
+dwellings. They made him alight from his horse, and led him into the
+little room of a house. There they gave him everything necessary to
+make himself clean after so long a journey. For a man who had before
+lived in the greatest affluence, he had felt very heavily in these
+last days of his imprisonment his want of cleanliness: it seemed to
+him, therefore, a most wonderful favour of fate that they now brought
+him water with which to bathe himself, a comb, and some ointment for
+his beard, and signified to him that he was to take a bath and anoint
+himself. After he had bathed, combed his beard, and anointed himself,
+he was conducted to the garden of the house; and here the owner of it
+advanced towards him. After he had observed him with searching looks,
+he said to his companions,
+
+"Good! the man is quite right; keep him carefully and examine him for
+nine days, then we will take him to his place, and sacrifice him to
+the fire." He winked with his eye, and his servants took him back to
+his chamber, which they carefully watched.
+
+In his solitude Jussuf thought over his fate. He lamented again his
+thoughtlessness in exposing himself alone to the dangers of a journey
+in an unknown country; he bewailed his fate in falling into the hands
+of fire-worshippers, and tried several times to open the box with the
+golden key. Then said he to himself, "What hope can I now have of
+attaining the end of my wishes? I am a captive, and well watched; and
+if I am delivered from captivity, it will be to sacrifice me to the
+flames." Often hope woke again. He still possessed the treasures that
+he carried about his body, and they were not inconsiderable: he
+concealed them carefully, for he hoped that they might be a means of
+bribery to his companions on the road to sacrifice, and that he might
+thus purchase his freedom. He received daily clean and good food, and
+would have had nothing of which to complain, if he had not wanted
+freedom, and had not the fear of death before his eyes.
+
+On the morning of the ninth day he had a farther and faster passage
+from the house where he was imprisoned. Eighty black slaves rode
+forward on white horses. Then came as many white slaves on black
+horses. After these came a number of riders, whom Jussuf could easily
+discern to be those who had taken him prisoner. Behind these, and
+surrounded by them, rode the master of the country, who had destined
+him to be sacrificed. Then came twenty venerable grey-headed men, in
+red and gold striped garments, each of whom bore a broad glittering
+blade, and a bundle of dry bamboo-sticks. Behind them followed ten
+youths, with coal-dishes full of glowing coals. And now Jussuf was
+brought forth, and, with his hands fastened, and his feet chained to
+the horse, he rode between his former companions. Behind him followed
+a number of armed men, and then a crowd of people. In this order the
+procession wound along the valley. Towards evening they chose a place
+for encampment, and struck some tents. Jussuf was watched in a
+distinct tent. As he observed that stillness reigned in the camp, he
+approached the entrance of his tent, and called out, half aloud,
+
+"I am very thirsty. Is no one here who could bring me a refreshing
+drink?"
+
+The watchman who guarded his tent answered him, "When my hour is up, I
+will fetch you some water from the river. Till then remain quiet."
+
+"Alas!" sighed Jussuf, "my lips thirst not for water; my soul thirsts
+after liberty. I will prove myself very grateful if you will let me
+escape."
+
+The watchman answered, "I dare not; for my life is at stake."
+
+This conversation continued for some time. Jussuf offered him six
+purses of sequins, and a large diamond, which was worth ten times
+their value. He had still a box of the finest and most costly
+diamonds, which he had taken from Hassan. But the guard always urged
+other objections. He did not deny that he would willingly win the
+prize; but he dreaded the consequences. Jussuf proposed that he should
+flee with him, and seek another home; but he would not listen to it.
+
+"I cannot separate from my wife and children; I must return home. What
+good would all the possessions of earth be to me if I were obliged to
+live a fugitive in a strange country, and consume my life longing
+after my kindred?"
+
+Then a thought flashed through Jussuf's mind. "Let me stop your
+mouth--let me bind and tie you, that they may perceive that you were
+overcome. When they find you so, you can exculpate yourself, saying
+that I was too strong for you--that I stopped your mouth, so that you
+could not cry for help. I will give you what I have said, and you can
+bury it in the sand, and dig it up at some fit season."
+
+The bargain was soon struck. Jussuf gave him what he had promised. The
+guard buried the purses in the sand, hid the diamond in a fold of his
+garment, and then allowed Jussuf to tie his hands and feet, and to
+stop his mouth. Then Jussuf passed as quietly through the camp as he
+could, mounted one of the horses which stood ready saddled, and set
+off at a full gallop.
+
+Thus he escaped fortunately. He rode the whole night, and thereby won
+a lengthened start. But still he feared that they might perceive the
+track of the horse's hoofs, and follow him, and fetch him back; so he
+killed his horse (whose strength was relaxing) with his dagger, and
+fled into a neighbouring wood, where he hoped, by its thickness, to be
+screened from the pursuit of riders. Here he refreshed himself by
+drinking at a spring of water, and with fruits and berries, which grew
+there in abundance. He then went on farther and farther. He observed,
+in his flight, the traces of wild beasts, and was therefore afraid to
+lie down on the ground. In the evening he climbed a high tree, bound
+himself fast to a branch, and composed himself for the night. His seat
+was very uncomfortable, and he always feared danger. Still his
+resolution overcame his fear, and he slept quietly for some hours,
+and, strengthened with new courage, he descended, and continued his
+wanderings through the wood. He lived also this day on berries and
+wild fruits, and again ascended a high tree in the evening, in which
+he spent the night.
+
+Thus he passed several days. At last he remarked that here the land
+rose considerably. The wood soon became broken in parts with rocks;
+the growth of the trees was not so considerable; the shrubs gradually
+disappeared altogether; great masses of rock covered the ground.
+Between them grew luxuriantly small bushes. At last only grass and
+moss were to be seen. He went farther, and soon saw a bare high rock,
+from which extended, far and wide, only great wooded mountains. In
+the distance arose still higher cliffs over the woods, whose summits
+shone white in the sunlight; and from some of them there arose a thick
+smoke, as though there were a huge furnace underneath, the chimney
+being the top of the mountain. The air blew here cold and cutting.
+Jussuf thought he could not spend the night among the bare rocks, so
+he wandered on with activity. Before night came on he had reached a
+place where high trees were growing, and where he again found a safe,
+but uncomfortable, sleeping-place. He wandered about for many days on
+the wooded mountains, and again reached a high ridge, over which he
+passed, until he arrived at a valley through which a brook ran, in a
+serpentine direction, among verdant meadows. He traced the brook
+through the valley, and reached a spot where it flowed into a river.
+He now followed the course of the river, and as night came on before
+he perceived any human habitations, he lay down on the bank among the
+high grass, and resolved to sleep there, since he had not seen any
+track of wild beasts in his passage through the valley. The hope of at
+last reaching some inhabited spot, after so long and lonely a
+wandering among deserted woods, had urged him on this day to a longer
+journey, and he was thereby much exhausted. He had also only slept for
+many days in a sitting and tiresome posture; he therefore found the
+high grass very agreeable, and slept till dawn of morning. He would
+probably have not even then awoke had he not been forced to do so.
+
+When he came to himself, he saw some men on the ground, who were busy
+fastening his hands and feet with fine but very strong string. He
+wrestled with them, and threw them down. But all was in vain: he was
+bound, and they laid him on a litter of bamboo-sticks, and carried him
+off with rapid strides. They soon reached a place where the river
+became deeper, and broader, so that it was navigable for boats. Here
+lay a vessel on the bank, into which they carried him, and conveyed
+him up the stream. After a journey of several hours, they reached a
+great city. They passed by several gardens and country houses, and at
+last arrived at the middle of the city, which was divided by the
+river, but connected by several high bridges. They lay off the shore,
+and carried Jussuf out of the ship into the court of a great palace,
+where everybody collected at once from the neighbourhood, even the
+casual passers-by. They observed him with curious looks, handled his
+clothes, which were all cut and torn about by his wanderings in the
+thicknesses of the woods, and laughed at him. At last the owner of the
+palace appeared at the principal gate with a large retinue of
+distinguished servants. From the respect of those around him, and the
+awe with which all present withdrew to a distance, Jussuf concluded
+that he must be the Sultan, or the Prince of the country. He looked at
+the poor captive, and spoke to his servants in a language which Jussuf
+did not understand. They immediately brought a large cage of strong
+bamboo-poles. Jussuf was unbound, pushed in, and locked up. They then
+brought out a tame elephant, put the cage on it, and so led him
+through the streets of the town, whilst the crier called out some
+taunting thing in every street, and pointed at him with his stick. The
+boys threw stones at him, and even persons of more mature age derided
+him in every possible manner. If he showed himself in pain from any of
+the stones hitting him, and crouched up, or if he evaded any of the
+stones by the bars of his prison, every one burst out into an
+immoderate fit of laughter. Tired of their ill treatment, he cowered
+on the ground, turning his face downwards, and putting his hands over
+his head, to guard it against the blows of the stones. As soon as the
+crier remarked this, he pushed him with his long stick, and gave him
+such pokes in the ribs, that he was obliged to sit up. Jussuf was
+enraged and in despair. He turned round as quickly as possible in his
+narrow cage, seized a bar of the lattice-work, and, shaking it,
+screamed out,
+
+"Is there any man among you who understands my language? Do you take
+me, then, for a strange outlandish animal, that you lead me about in a
+cage as a sight?"
+
+And, as no one answered him, he despaired anew, and upbraided his
+tormentors. New laughter followed this. At last they accomplished the
+circuit of the town. At the palace the cage was again taken down from
+the elephant's back and placed on four posts, of the height of a
+man's stature, which stood in the court before the entrance of the
+garden of the palace. They brought him some food, consisting of
+parboiled rice, which, in his displeasure, he allowed to remain
+untouched. At first, several curious people had collected from among
+the servants around him; but they soon dispersed, and left him alone
+to despair and bitter reflection.
+
+He thought on his situation, and how he was in a distant land where
+nobody understood his language, nor could aid in delivering him from
+his mournful imprisonment. At this moment death would have been
+welcome. He seized his dagger, which he had carefully concealed in a
+fold of his robe, intending to put an end to his life by its means. As
+he drew it from the sheath, a ray of the sun fell on the blade, and
+reflected back the fiery glance so as to dazzle his eyes like a glow
+of fire. A spark lighted his talisman, and immediately he remembered
+the words of his old preceptor Modibjah. He put the dagger back, and
+took from his bosom the pouch containing the talisman; but, as he
+looked at the stone, the spark disappeared. It was a milk-white stone,
+like an ordinary fragment of white porcelain: then he breathed on it
+with a deep sigh, and with his lips said, "Haschanascha!"
+
+Scarcely had he pronounced this name, than a slave appeared, passed
+before the cage, and said, "Oh, you poor knave, how I pity you!"
+
+As Jussuf heard these words, he cried out joyfully, "That is my native
+language! Oh, pity an unfortunate, and tell me why I am so
+maltreated!"
+
+"I dare not now," answered the slave: "wait till midnight, then I will
+come and speak to you. I pity you exceedingly: at the first glance I
+recognized you as a countryman, and wished extremely to lighten your
+fate." With these words he disappeared through another door in the
+palace.
+
+The thought that he had found a man with whom he could converse on his
+misfortune, and who felt a sympathy for him, consoled Jussuf: all idea
+of killing himself was quite forgotten; on the contrary, he saw
+himself again free to pursue his journey. In this disposition he felt
+with renewed vigour the necessity of supporting life, and partook of
+the meal spread before him. The strengthening of his body refreshed
+his spirits. In gaining tranquillity of mind and body, his sorrows
+passed away, and he fell asleep in his cage. He awoke at midnight: the
+slave had come to speak to him.
+
+"If you will promise with a holy oath," said he to Jussuf, "that you
+will not place me in danger by your conduct, but will talk with me
+quietly, for the time of our conversation, I will let you out of the
+cage."
+
+"By the beard of the Prophet!" swore Jussuf, "I will be very quiet,
+and will not put you in any danger."
+
+At this oath, the slave climbed up a small ladder and opened the cage,
+which was fastened very cunningly without a lock, but so that nobody
+could open it unless he knew the secret. He helped Jussuf down, and
+went with him into the garden, the door of which stood open. There
+they seated themselves, and Jussuf asked,
+
+"Why am I imprisoned? What is the reason that I am held up in this
+scandalous manner as a show, and shut up in a cage like a wild beast?"
+
+To these questions the slave replied, "The King and the inhabitants of
+this city are worshippers of a snake; their idol is a great serpent,
+to whom they have erected a large and magnificent temple, where he is
+attended by a great number of priests: the priests mislead the people,
+and what they wish takes place. Now, the King has one Princess--the
+daughter of his wife by a former marriage--she is black like a
+negress; but she has learned from her mother to know and to venerate
+the Prophet. The King loves this black Princess dearly as an only
+daughter; but the priests have misled him, and persuaded him to send
+her away from the Court and city, and to keep her confined in a palace
+built under a stream; for they have a prophecy, according to which, at
+the time when the white summit of that mountain, which lies to the
+north-east from the tower of the palace and from the cupola of the
+temple, can be seen to smoke, a man shall come to the kingdom who
+shall marry the King's daughter, and put all the worshippers of the
+serpent to fire and sword. Now," he continued, "the mountain has begun
+to smoke: the King has therefore, by the advice of his priests, given
+commandment to his servants to seize all the foreigners they meet,
+that they may be sacrificed to their idol. So you were found, and are
+now destined to be a victim. The priests know of your imprisonment,
+and are making preparations for a very grand sacrifice, which is to
+last seven days."
+
+"What!" cried Jussuf, "shall I be offered to a snake--to a stupid,
+superstitious fancy?" He wept, and begged and prayed the slave to let
+him escape.
+
+"How will you escape?" asked the slave. "It is not possible through
+the palace--guards are at every entrance; and you would also fall into
+the hands of the watchmen in the city. You cannot fly over the garden
+wall, for on the other side is a deep ditch, full of mud and water. If
+you jumped over, you would be embedded in the mud."
+
+Jussuf exhausted himself in prayers and entreaties to persuade the
+slave to help him in his flight.
+
+"Only one means is possible," he replied. "To-morrow is the day on
+which a messenger is usually sent to the Princess's palace, to
+inquire, in the King's name, after her health and wishes. I have many
+times had this commission, and will offer again. If I go, I am sure
+she will have me brought before her, as she knows I belong to the
+Faithful, and speak many languages which she learned from her mother.
+I will relate to her your imprisonment, and ask her assistance or
+counsel. She is as clever as good and innocent, and can give excellent
+advice."
+
+Although Jussuf placed little reliance on this plan, still there was
+some hope of success, and the only hope that he could find. He
+therefore agreed to it, and returned to his cage, in which the slave
+fastened him, having told him that if he did not return at noon, he
+was to take it as a sign that he was sent on the embassy to the
+Princess.
+
+On the morrow a slave brought him some food, and curious people came
+with the King's servants to see him; but the day passed without Jussuf
+being able to observe his countryman among the remaining slaves in the
+court below. Full of hope, he watched the approach of night, when he
+hoped to receive counsel and help. The slave came at midnight and
+called him by his name.
+
+"Now," said Jussuf, "what news do you bring?"
+
+"Alas! my lord," answered the slave, "I know not what to think.
+Although the Princess is a faithful follower of the Prophet, she was
+very quiet when I related your history: I expected she would have
+concerned herself about your being offered to a snake; but she heard
+me tranquilly."
+
+Jussuf asked if she had not sent him any counsel.
+
+"No; she said no other word," answered the slave, "than, 'Tell your
+countryman that everybody must be obedient, and resigned to the will
+of Heaven. Heathenish prophecies are often the consequence of godly
+truth and wisdom.'"
+
+"What can I conclude from that?" said Jussuf. "In Allah's name, I must
+give myself up as a sacrifice to a snake, because it is the will of
+Heaven!"
+
+He then broke out in desperate tears and cries.
+
+"Listen," said the slave: "do not abandon all hope; I will give you
+good counsel. She has charged me to tell the King that to-morrow she
+wishes once more to visit her father in his palace. This is the first
+time since she has dwelt in her own palace. The King has sent her
+permission, as he thinks the prophecy cannot be now fulfilled, seeing
+that he has you in his power. She will certainly go into the garden,
+and pass through that farther door. When she passes, call her, and
+relate your case, and beg her to deliver you. She understands your
+language, and will certainly feel pity when she hears and sees you."
+He now turned away as a glimmer of light fell on him from one of the
+palace windows. "Farewell, I must away," whispered he; "it must not be
+betrayed that I have given you advice. Do not forget to call to her:
+only from her can you hope for anything. Call her Haschanascha: that
+is her name." With these words he left the palace quickly.
+
+"Haschanascha is her name! How? Is not that the name of her whom I was
+to call in the ruins of the destroyed capital? Shall I not call her if
+the spark in Modibjah's talisman no longer shines? Is not Haschanascha
+the magic word which has led me here alone, away from all men who
+understand my language and share my anxieties?"
+
+So he spoke to himself, and determined to follow the counsel given him
+by the slave.
+
+After he had passed the night, partly in unquiet wakefulness, partly
+in dozing, he observed in the early part of the morning a great
+disturbance and unusual business in the courtyard. It was quiet in the
+inner court, when the Princess at last came. At this moment all
+pressed into the square before the palace. When Jussuf saw this, he
+pulled the talisman out of his pocket, and thought, "I must see if the
+stone preserves its spark. It seems a good sign of deliverance." And,
+behold, as he drew it forth, the red spot shone more fiery than ever.
+At noon he suddenly heard a trampling, as if the procession of slaves
+of the Princess were going into the garden. He attentively watched the
+appointed door, and he soon saw her pass, and her father, followed by
+a long train.
+
+At this moment Jussuf cried out, "Haschanascha! Haschanascha! pity an
+unfortunate!"
+
+On hearing the cry she looked up at Jussuf, and the King also gazed at
+him full of astonishment. Meantime the Princess drew near, and he
+followed her close. When he had said some words to her, she asked
+Jussuf,
+
+"My King and foster-father asks who taught you the name Haschanascha?"
+
+Jussuf knew that he ought not to betray the faithful slave, and yet he
+wished to confess the truth. He said, therefore,
+
+"Before I knew that it was the name of a human being, my old teacher,
+Modibjah, taught me, whatever difficulties and dangers befell me, to
+pronounce the word Haschanascha. It has always been a defence to me
+whenever I have pronounced it. May it this time also procure me
+assistance!"
+
+"You have named to me a very dear name," answered the Princess; "and
+it is a sign that you are he whom I must release from being
+sacrificed. But there is only one way--you must be my husband. This is
+the command of a higher being whom you must obey. Examine, if you
+will not thus purchase life and liberty at too dear a price. Without
+the fulfilling of this condition, I cannot deliver you. I give you
+time for consideration. When I return from the garden, let me know
+your determination."
+
+She pronounced these words in a loud, earnest tone, and then turned
+with her father into the garden. The train of slaves accompanied them.
+Jussuf gave himself up to deep thought.
+
+"I had selected a different one for my future bride; I would not take
+many wives, according to our customs, but only one companion for life,
+who was my playfellow, whom I have sought for, and for whose sake I
+have encountered these dangers. If I take this black Princess for my
+wife, it will only be from love of life, that I may be freed from
+prison. Then I must leave my old playfellow."
+
+He thus meditated for some time, and at last resolved of the two evils
+to choose the lesser. When the Princess returned from the garden, he
+called her by name, and she approached with her father, and asked him,
+with an earnest mien and firm tone, what resolution he had adopted.
+
+"How could I remain a moment in doubt?" answered he. "You, dearest
+Princess, will condescend to a poor unknown, and become my wife. You
+are the sun of my life. Without you life is worth nothing."
+
+At these words she broke out into a hearty laugh. When she had
+finished laughing, she said, "Ah! I see you are like all men--a
+hypocrite and a jester. Much truth is in your jesting words. I am the
+sun of your life! Without me life would be worth nothing! Indeed,
+without me, you would be sacrificed to a snake!" She seated herself,
+and said, "Be not afraid: swear to me by the Prophet that you will
+take me for your wife, and you shall to-day be delivered from your
+prison."
+
+Jussuf swore; and now she turned to her father, and spoke earnestly
+with him in his language. But the faithful slave approached the cage,
+and interpreted all that was said.
+
+"It is not prudent to keep this man imprisoned without knowing whether
+he is the right one to offer to the snake. You have seized the best,
+and in the meanwhile justice is forgotten. Have the priests to the
+snake called, that they may see him, and that I may speak with them."
+
+The King answered that this would be easy, as two priests had arrived
+from the snake's temple, before they had gone into the garden, to
+demand an audience.
+
+They were called, and there soon appeared the priests in long white
+garments, with particoloured girdles.
+
+"Is this the man pointed out by your god?" asked she, as they
+approached Jussuf's cage.
+
+"It is, it is!" they cried in the same voice, and bowed humbly before
+the Princess.
+
+"What have you for a sign?" she again asked.
+
+"We have no sign," they answered; "but he it is."
+
+"You have no sign! How, then, do you know he is the right one?" asked
+she.
+
+To which they answered, "The divine snake has discovered it."
+
+Then she replied, with contempt, "Be silent to me about your snake!"
+And she turned to the King, and said, "My King and father, will you
+suffer yourself any longer to be deceived by these stupid and
+obstinate men? They give out that they have divine knowledge, and yet
+they are as ignorant as a maiden of sixteen! I beg you, have their
+god, the snake, brought here, and I will prove that I speak truth; but
+they, only deceit and falsehood."
+
+At these words, the priests doubled their fists, and struck their
+foreheads and breasts, and bowed themselves to the ground, and jumped
+about as if seized by convulsions.
+
+Then the King looked at the Princess with a frightened countenance,
+and said, "Child, take heed what you do; revile not the gods."
+
+All the servants who stood around were astonished, not rightly
+comprehending what was passing. But the Princess earnestly coaxed the
+King to cause the priests to bring the divine serpent there, that they
+might test the truth of what she had spoken. The King gave the
+command, and the priests left; at the Princess's request the King
+remained. All stood around in anxious expectation.
+
+They had not to wait long before a numerous train of priests appeared,
+eight of whom bore, on four golden staves, a costly chest adorned with
+gold, ebony, and precious stones, and placed it in the middle of the
+court. Then they bowed before the King, and the high priest stepped
+forward and said,
+
+"The King has given us an unusual command, and we fear that a great
+misfortune is about to happen. What is the reason that we are summoned
+from the recesses of the temple, and must even bring the divine snake
+in its chest with us?"
+
+Then the Princess said, "I will explain all. It is doubted that you
+really take charge of a divine snake; therefore let the chest be
+opened, and show it to the people."
+
+Then the priests answered, "Do the people doubt of our god? Let the
+doubters approach and be convinced."
+
+He opened the lid, and every one saw a great snake in the chest It lay
+stupefied, as snakes usually do after a heavy repast.
+
+The Princess approached the chest, and cried, "Behold, doubters! is
+not this a snake?" Then she turned to the high priest, and asked, "Has
+your god shown you no sign by which you may know the man that ought to
+be sacrificed?" The high priest mused, but did not reply. Then she
+said, "Now I will show you the truth. Man does not properly understand
+heavenly things. I honour your prudence; but answer me another
+question. Would your god know its enemies if there were any such here?
+And would he revenge himself on them if they attempted his life?"
+
+"Certainly, certainly!" vociferated the priest. "Fire would fall from
+heaven and destroy them."
+
+"Very well," she said; "I am the enemy, and your god dies by my hand."
+And quickly, even before she had quite uttered these words, she drew
+her poniard and with it pierced the head of the snake, so that the
+weapon ran into its chest and transfixed it.
+
+The priests gave a common cry, and the King seized the Princess by
+both arms, and pulled her back.
+
+"My child, my child!" he cried, "what have you done?"
+
+"What you, my father, ought long since to have done," she replied.
+"Will you all believe," she called aloud to the spectators, "that I
+have done right in killing this snake, if I tell you what you will
+find within it?"
+
+After a short pause, the King answered, "Yes, certainly." And the
+people cried, "Then is the snake rightly slain--it was no god."
+
+The priests said to the King, "She shall tell us; but we will accuse
+her of its death if she does not speak truth."
+
+The Princess cried with a firm voice, "Let it be so; I promise them."
+
+The King bowed consent.
+
+Then she said, "There is a man among us whose wife sits at home
+weeping and bewailing, for she had a beautiful little boy, eighteen
+months old, who often ran about the streets. This child did not return
+home yesterday: it was taken to the snake's temple, and the priests
+know where it is. Let the man step forward and seek his child in the
+snake's belly."
+
+While she was speaking, a deep silence reigned around; but now a man
+broke forth from the crowd, and said, "It is true; I am the man. My
+beautiful boy, my Hamed, has not returned, and my wife sits at home
+and weeps. I left her, for I could not bear to hear her lament."
+
+Then arose a common shout of astonishment and compassion from all, and
+he waited long for silence.
+
+Then the Princess said to the man, "Draw your sword, cut open the
+snake, and you will find your child. I do not know if life still
+remain in him--the snake has only swallowed it an hour."
+
+The man approached the chest, drew his sword with a trembling hand,
+and opened the snake with an anxious face. When, behold, he pulled out
+his child! He immediately ran with him from the palace, as he thought
+he discovered some slight traces of life in him. Then the priests fell
+on their knees before the King, and begged for pardon.
+
+But the people, who were assembled in great crowds, cried, "Down with
+them! down with them!" and laid hands on them, as the King commanded
+them to be imprisoned.
+
+The Princess now turned to the King, and said, "Let us release this
+unfortunate man: he has come as a stranger into our land, to whom you
+ought to have shown hospitality; instead of which you have imprisoned
+him as a criminal; you have mocked and jeered him, whilst, by your
+oath, you should have allowed him to quit your city free. Let what you
+have said in mockery of him be now reversed to his honour; for a
+King's word must not be blown away by the wind. This and no other
+shall be my husband."
+
+The King commanded, and the prisoner was immediately freed. He bowed
+thankfully to the King and Princess. The King raised him, embraced
+him, called him his son, and led him to the Princess, saying,
+
+"Let him be your husband: the solemnities of marriage shall be
+immediately prepared."
+
+He caused his servants to proclaim through the city that the marriage
+of Princess Haschanascha was to be celebrated the next day, and all
+people were invited to assemble before the palace and to feast there.
+In his palace he pointed out to Jussuf a wing, in the apartments of
+which he for the future should dwell with his wife.
+
+But the Princess said, "I will inhabit the apartments which I formerly
+dwelt in in this palace; for I only consider myself as his betrothed,
+till an imam of the religion which we both profess has pronounced over
+us the marriage blessing."
+
+The King did not oppose her, but said, "You may command all as it
+pleases you. Since yesterday, I have discovered that you possess more
+knowledge and wisdom than the rest of mankind."
+
+The betrothal was celebrated with great splendour. The King, according
+to his former oath, showed Jussuf all honour, carried him to his
+different country seats, pointed out to him his gardens and lands,
+prepared many feasts, and did all to make his residence in his Court
+agreeable. The Princess accompanied them everywhere, and helped not a
+little to render these short journeys pleasing and satisfactory. She
+watched with great care for the convenience of her future husband, and
+sought to fulfil even his smallest wish before he had spoken it; so
+that Jussuf was often astonished, and said to himself, "She must read
+my thoughts before they arise." He felt that he was happy in
+everything except in her having a black complexion. One day they all
+went together to a beautiful neighbouring hunting-seat, in the
+environs of which a grand hunt was held. The Princess Haschanascha
+took part in it. She rode on a tame elephant, over whose back was
+thrown a cloth embroidered with gold. On the middle of its back a
+couch was skilfully fastened, and over this a canopy was raised on
+four slender pillars of gold. Jussuf remained generally near her
+during the hunt. He rode on a beautiful horse of the most noble race,
+which the King had sent him from his stable. Whenever he saw a curious
+bird or a wild beast, he aimed so well that the animal always fell
+pierced by his arrow. In the evening when they returned to the palace
+from the wood, Jussuf wished to remain there some days away from the
+bustle of the Court, and the King granted this wish. He left behind
+some servants to wait on him, and returned with his daughter to the
+capital.
+
+At parting, Haschanascha appeared very sad, and Jussuf perceived tears
+in her eyes.
+
+"I know," said she, "this stay will be unfortunate for me; you will
+forget me: even the talisman of your teacher Modibjah will fall into
+other hands, and on it depends my life. Might it be that this
+body--this hateful black veil of Haschanascha--should fall to pieces
+if it might conduce to your happiness. You will soon awake from a
+bright dream to longer and more bitter sorrows."
+
+Jussuf consoled her, and represented that she troubled herself with
+useless fears. He took an affectionate farewell of her, and saw the
+procession depart not without emotion: he would willingly have
+accompanied her, but an irresistible feeling held him back. He went,
+as he was now quite alone, into the garden, which was adorned with
+curious flowers.
+
+"Why was it," said he anxiously to himself, "that Haschanascha was
+to-day so mournful at parting? She is so prudent, and with her clear
+eyes foresees the events of life. Why can she fear that I should ever
+allow Modibjah's talisman to get into a stranger's hands when I always
+wear it?" With these words he pulled the little bag out, and said,
+"No, I will never separate from you unless you are taken by force. But
+can robbers be sheltered in this land?"
+
+Whilst he asked himself these questions, he thought that it would be
+better not to carry it in his bosom, where it might easily be found if
+he were searched. He therefore wrapped it up carefully in the folds of
+his turban, and believed it to be quite safe.
+
+Night had spread its veil over the garden, and he returned to the
+palace. Wonderful dreams disturbed his sleep, and their impressions
+accompanied him when he went into the garden the next morning. He had
+dreamt a great deal about red poppy-flowers, and now he saw them
+before him in the garden-beds. He found some alone in a bed, and while
+he watched them he again saw in fancy the same butterfly that he had
+before seen in his own garden upon similar flowers, and the memory of
+the circumstances Of the last time were deeply graven in his soul.
+Then he again dwelt upon the maiden to seek whom he had made this
+journey. Thus, amid these reflections, he took hold of the wooden box
+which he had received from the dervish in the subterraneous chambers
+in the ruined city near Shiraz.
+
+"Without thee," said he, "could I never have obtained the object of my
+desires? And of what use have you been to me till to-day? You ought to
+lead me straight to my mark, and I should always be in the right way
+as long as I did not open the box with the golden key. You indeed have
+led me through dangers and misery, and at the end to a betrothal with
+a maiden as different from the one I sought as day from night. And
+shall I open you only when I have lost all hope to attain my desire?
+Well, let us see what it contains."
+
+With these words he pulled out the golden key and unlocked the box;
+but he let it fall to the earth with a joyous cry, for scarcely had he
+opened it when the curious butterfly flew out, hovered in the sunshine
+over the flowers, and soon settled on one of the poppies. He quickly
+snatched off his turban, and covered with it the butterfly and the
+flowers. When he raised it, a figure was underneath, and before him
+stood his pleasant playfellow.
+
+"Are you truly she? Do I really see you at last?" he cried,
+astonished.
+
+"I am truly she," she answered. "Have you quite forgotten me, that you
+have allowed so long a time to elapse without asking after me? But
+what have you done with your turban? Let us see."
+
+She took it from his head, sought in the folds, and pulled out the
+little bag with the talisman.
+
+"Oh, oh!" cried she, returning his turban, "do you carry such things
+about with you? You will not want it any more: I will keep it." And
+she sprang forward.
+
+He ran after her and caught her, begging her to return his pouch,
+explaining that it contained a talisman which had hitherto preserved
+him from every danger.
+
+"Well," said she, when he paused, "and the only error is, that you
+have met with me again to-day."
+
+She assured him that she would never return the talisman, and began
+many games with him as they had done in the garden at Balsora. At
+dinner-time he asked her to go into the palace to take some
+refreshment. She looked at him with a scornful laugh, and said, "I? Go
+under a roof--sit to table with you to partake of meats prepared from
+the flesh of animals and the flour of wheat? What can you mean? Do you
+not recollect the fig that we ate together? It still nourishes me; but
+I know that you need more."
+
+She went to a neighbouring bush, plucked a white blossom, and offered
+it to him. "There, drink honey," said she.
+
+When he took the flower, it changed into a silver-gilt goblet filled
+with delicious drink. He drank, and felt himself quite refreshed,
+strengthened, and satisfied. They again played many childish games
+together, and the maiden always invented new pastimes. The day passed
+by, and Jussuf did not perceive how the hours flew away: the sun was
+just sinking; then his playfellow sprang over a neighbouring bush, and
+cried, "Good night."
+
+As she passed over the flowers of the bush, she disappeared from
+Jussuf's eyes, and he saw only the butterfly flying. When he returned
+to the palace, his servants were much rejoiced. They had waited for
+him since noon, and had searched for him in the gardens, as an embassy
+had been sent from the capital to bring him news that the Princess had
+suddenly fallen ill. He caused the messengers to be brought before
+him, to learn from them all the attendant circumstances. He
+discovered from them that she had retired to rest early the preceding
+evening, and had risen quite well in the morning after a peaceful
+slumber; but hardly had the sun shone half an hour, when she fell, and
+was obliged to be carried to her apartments. She soon came to herself,
+but felt very weak, and informed her sorrowing father that she must
+die. Jussuf was very thoughtful, for he remembered her warning about
+the talisman, and also recollected that it was exactly the same hour
+in which the maiden had taken it from the folds of his turban. He
+resolved early the next morning to desire the talisman from her
+earnestly, and then to hasten to the city; and commanded the embassy
+to return at sunrise the next day, to announce his arrival in the
+evening. In the loneliness of night he felt angry with himself. But
+the loss of the talisman, which exceedingly disquieted him, was not
+the only reason: it was a mortifying feeling to him that he had passed
+the whole day in childish sports, according to the caprice of his
+playfellow. He thought over all the words they had spoken, and found
+nothing in them but excessive frivolity.
+
+He arose the next morning by daybreak, and at sunrise he again stood
+in the garden. Scarcely had the sun's rays dried the dew, when the
+beautiful butterfly hovered over the beds. Once more it settled on a
+poppy. Jussuf covered it with his turban--the change was again
+completed--the maiden once more stood before him. He immediately
+demanded of her the little bag with the talisman.
+
+She mocked him with a mischievous laugh, and said, "You shall not have
+it to-day: perhaps to-morrow, if you are polite."
+
+Then they again began their sports, and Jussuf soon forgot in their
+amusements everything else, and played and sported with her. She gave
+him, in the same manner as yesterday, honey to drink from a flower,
+after she had sipped a little herself, and knew how to draw him round
+the gardens in her sports, so that nobody met them. On this day also
+his servants sought him in the garden, and could not find him; another
+messenger had arrived from the city, wishing to speak to him in great
+haste.
+
+He did not return to the palace till she had flown away as a
+butterfly. The messenger informed him that the Princess still
+remained very unwell, and that her weakness had materially increased
+when he did not arrive as he had promised. She had not said anything
+about this delay; but the King was very unhappy, and requested that he
+would come to the city the next day. He promised it, ordered the
+messenger to return at daybreak, and went into his sleeping-apartment.
+There he again reproached himself as on the previous day, and resolved
+to set out on the morrow, as soon as his playmate should return the
+talisman. When he met her the next day in the garden, he immediately
+asked for it.
+
+"How now, Jussuf?" said she. "What a tone! Is this the way to greet
+your frolicking playmate? Is it worth while to make such a fuss about
+a miserable fragment of stone?" She bowed to him, laughing, and ran
+off.
+
+Jussuf followed, and when he got near her, cried, "It concerns the
+life of the Princess."
+
+Then she stopped, and asked, "Is this the reason of your earnestness?
+The Princess? The black negress? What binds you to her? Do you
+consider her as a creature like yourself? And, even if it were so,
+what can such a tiresome serious person be to you? Have you ever
+played with her an hour so merrily as we have played the whole day?
+And, believe me, my stock is not yet nearly exhausted. I have
+novelties every day."
+
+She again began a game, and, before Jussuf could recollect himself, he
+had deeply entered into it; and he had soon forgotten the messenger,
+his intentions, and his resolutions. He played with her till evening,
+and returned to the palace when she had disappeared as usual. He had
+been sought for as on the former days, but in vain. A fresh messenger
+had brought still worse tidings of Haschanascha's health, and he made
+the bitterest reproaches to himself for his neglect. He ordered his
+horse to be saddled, and, as it was a moonlight night, he returned to
+the city with the messenger. At his arrival, he saw the windows of the
+apartment inhabited by his betrothed still illuminated. He immediately
+went in and inquired after her health: people shrugged their
+shoulders, and he hastened to go in to her. She lay, breathing
+faintly, on her pillow, and beckoned to him to draw near: she then
+motioned to the servants, who left the apartment. He threw himself on
+his knees by the couch and wept, mourned her affliction, and regretted
+that he had not paid more attention to her warnings.
+
+"I know how it has happened," she said; "still, the worst has not
+happened. You have been forced to leave the talisman in her hands:
+take care that she does not keep it with your consent. I am now weak
+and ill: I shall become still weaker; but so long as you possess the
+earnest wish to recover the talisman, my life will be preserved.
+Return, now, whence you came, and let not the King see you. He is
+angry with you because he is sure you are the cause of my illness."
+
+He obeyed her will, and returned to the hunting-seat by daybreak. He
+would not lose the vivid recollection of Haschanascha's mournful
+condition by going to sleep; but went immediately into the garden, and
+when the sun had sufficient influence to dry the dew on the flowers,
+he again saw the butterfly settle on a poppy. This time he kept his
+turban on his head, and tried to catch the butterfly with his hand;
+but it eluded him, and a wasp within the same flower stung his hand,
+so that it swelled very much. The butterfly flew away, and did not
+return to the garden. The hours passed very slowly, and would have
+seemed longer if his mind had not been agitated by various plans to
+recover the talisman. To do this, he must find its present possessor,
+and he reproached himself with having allowed the butterfly to escape
+by his awkwardness. At noon he returned to the palace, to the great
+astonishment of his servants, who were now accustomed not to see him
+all day. When he had eaten, he reposed a few hours on his couch, and,
+on his awaking, a messenger had come from the city with the news that
+the Princess was better since the morning. Thus the day concluded with
+more inward peace than heretofore: only one fear made him sad, that
+perhaps the butterfly had disappeared for ever from the garden, and
+then he could never recover his talisman.
+
+But the next morning, when he went into the garden, he found the
+butterfly perched on a poppy in the sunshine. He threw his turban over
+it, and again the maiden stood before him. He asked her why she had
+not come the previous day, and she answered,
+
+"Oh, there was a clumsy peasant in the garden who tried to catch me in
+his hand, like an ugly fly! He would have rubbed the beautiful dust
+off my wings; and then, what would have become of my beauty? I could
+not allow it, for my clothing is beautiful." She laughed so
+maliciously, that he well knew who she meant by the clumsy peasant.
+
+Before he could reply, she had engaged him in a new game, and then in
+another, and so on, that he could find no opportunity to demand the
+talisman. Even so passed the next and some following days. Messengers
+arrived daily from the city to bring news of the Princess's health.
+But these news were not comforting: the invalid grew worse from day to
+day, and the whole company of physicians knew no name for the disease,
+nor could they apply a remedy. If the priests were to be believed,
+this long and extraordinary sickness was a consequence of killing the
+sacred snake, and a punishment from heaven. Scarcely had this
+conclusion reached the King's ear, than it found credence in his weak
+mind. He caused the still imprisoned high priest to be called before
+him, and he advised that the priests should be immediately set at
+liberty, and reinstated in their former rank. It was proclaimed
+through the city that sacrifices and gifts should be offered, and that
+all the people were to return to the worship of the snake. The priests
+gave it out that they had found a similar snake, and Jussuf was again
+destined for the principal sacrifice, as the Princess lay so near
+death that she scarcely breathed or gave any sign of life. Jussuf had,
+in the meanwhile, passed many days in play; and, although he daily
+received tidings of the Princess, he was ignorant of everything else
+that passed in the capital. On one of the last days, he proposed to
+his playfellow that she should be his wife, and go home with him.
+
+But she laughed, and said, "Are you not already betrothed to
+Haschanascha? Did you think I did not know it? I also know that you
+have dared this with many women. You have turned your house into a
+seraglio, as birds are kept in a cage. How hateful must such a life
+be! Shall I allow myself to be bound for life by the speaking of a
+hoary imam? Heaven forbid it!" She began to jump and dance before
+Jussuf, while she sang:
+
+[Illustration]
+
+    "A happy life, a roving wing,
+    A sprightly dance, a voice to sing,
+    To sport 'mid flowers and crowns of spring,
+    Such, such be the life for me.
+    No care to-day, no toil the morrow,
+    Ever sunshine, never sorrow:
+    I sip and quaff the honied wine
+    With my rosy lips divine.
+    Fearless I stray, whate'er my will,
+    Seeking pleasure, pleasure still.
+    Such, such be the life for me:
+    Who aims at more, a fool is he."
+
+When she had finished her song, she bowed before Jussuf in a mocking
+mood, and said,
+
+"How does that please you, Jussuf? Why, you are making a face as if
+you had drunk poison. What thoughts are now passing through your
+head?"
+
+"I am thinking of the talisman," answered Jussuf. "Give it me to-day.
+Haschanascha lies at the point of death."
+
+"What of that?" asked she, jestingly: "if there be one such black
+creature more or less in the world, what consequence is it to you?
+Come, will you give me your talisman? It has served you well. Be
+polite for once, and say that you give it me."
+
+She approached him, patted his cheek with her left hand, and holding
+out the talisman with her right, said smiling,
+
+"Does it belong to me? Is it not true that you have given it me?"
+
+Jussuf's first impulse was to say Yes; but when he looked into her
+eyes, and, instead of human eyes, saw a great number of butterflies'
+eyes, horror came over him. He snatched away the talisman, and threw
+it quickly over his head, calling on Haschanascha's name.
+
+At this moment Haschanascha's elephant appeared exactly as he had seen
+it at the hunt. A brown slave, with a head-dress of beautiful feathers
+and variegated jewels, acted as leader, with a short staff in his
+hand. A maiden holding a drawn bow knelt on the elephant, and before
+Jussuf perceived it, the arrow flew from the bow, and his playfellow
+lay in his arms, pierced through with the arrow. Fright and
+astonishment took possession of him. Before he recovered himself, the
+elephant, with its guide, had disappeared, and also the deadly-struck
+maiden lay no longer in his arms. He looked on the ground to find
+traces of her blood, which he had seen gush out. There lay the
+beautiful butterfly, transfixed with a needle shaped like an arrow, as
+men keep such insects in a collection. He took it from the ground, and
+perceived again the wooden box and golden key which he had formerly
+opened and dropped. In doubt whether he were awake or asleep, he shut
+the butterfly fast up in the box, and was going thoughtfully away.
+Then the faithful slave came running to him, quite breathless, and
+cried,
+
+"Flee quickly through the garden! The servants of the priests have
+already arrived in the palace-yard, and ask for you: you are again
+destined for a sacrifice."
+
+He asked after the Princess.
+
+"She must be dead," answered the slave, and pressed him, half with
+prayers and entreaties, and half with force, to take flight.
+
+Jussuf hastened through the garden into the wood which joined it, and
+ran like a startled roe urged forward by terror and dread of its
+pursuers. The wood covered his flight. He came to the river below the
+capital, and found a ship about to go down the stream. The man who
+guided it yielded to his earnest request, took him in, and immediately
+set sail. At the approach of night, Jussuf thought they would have
+landed; but the man informed him, to his great joy, that the moon
+would shine clearly, and favour their voyage. They let the ship float
+down, and only guided it with a rudder now and then, when they saw a
+rock or a dangerous place stand out of the water.
+
+At midnight Jussuf made the man understand that he would guide the
+rudder. He gave it up readily, and lay down to sleep. He sat alone in
+the stillness of night at the helm, and thought over the events of the
+last few days. All passed distinctly before his mind. He remembered
+Haschanascha's sorrow at his resolution to remain alone at the
+hunting-seat; her warning about the talisman; her illness when he no
+longer possessed it; her life withering away, and her death. Then he
+thought of the sorrow of her foster-father the King, and how he had
+again fallen under the dominion of the crafty and deceitful
+snake-priests. Also the image of his playful companion rose before
+him, and the merry childish sports in which they had both joined, and
+in which he had always forgotten all the care and sorrow of
+Haschanascha.
+
+He saw her, again, pierced by the arrow, sinking in his arms. He also
+remembered Haschanascha's appearance as she knelt on the elephant, and
+shot the deadly arrow at his companion. Could this only have been a
+shade of the dead one? or was it she herself? No; she herself was
+dead: the faithful slave had assured him so. All these reflections
+brought no peace to his soul. Involuntarily Haschanascha's superiority
+to his playfellow rose before him, and he felt with surprise that at
+these thoughts his cheeks were wet with tears.
+
+On the morrow they came near a city: he wished to recompense the
+seaman, who had now reached his destination. Whilst he sought for a
+piece of gold out of his purse, he remembered that he had left the box
+of diamonds with the rest of his goods in the palace in his hasty
+flight. The seaman would take nothing, but assured him that by having
+taken charge of the vessel during the night he had quite earned his
+passage-money.
+
+Jussuf parted from him with many thanks. In the city he sold his
+costly clothes, which he had bought new in the city of the
+snake-worshippers, clothed himself in the mean dress of a dervish,
+had his eyebrows scraped off, and set off on foot along the course of
+the river. After a tedious wandering of some weeks, he happily reached
+the place where, in his former journey, he had observed the river flow
+by a city into the sea. He met there many who spoke his language, and
+from them he learned that a ship lay in the harbour, which was to sail
+the next day to Balsora. He immediately resolved to embark in it, and
+return home.
+
+The captain was very ready to take him, and when he asked about the
+passage-money, he answered, "What! you want to pay passage-money? What
+would my master say if I took anything from a poor devil like you? No,
+no, the rich merchant Jussuf of Balsora, who has twenty such ships on
+the sea, takes no passage-money from a poor dervish."
+
+"How!" asked Jussuf, "does the merchant Jussuf still live?"
+
+Then the captain laughed heartily, and said, "Indeed he lives. He is
+now, certainly, on a distant journey, but his business still prospers.
+Look at this proof. This box of diamonds is a treasure than which no
+Sultan has any more precious in his treasury, and this has been given
+me to-day by one of his servants to convey to Balsora."
+
+Jussuf saw with astonishment the box which he had left behind in his
+flight from the hunting-seat. He did not wish to be recognized in his
+poor condition, and feared to be taken for an impostor if he claimed
+the treasure. But he could not understand how the box could come into
+the captain's hands. He therefore turned to him, and said,
+
+"Forgive me, sir, my curiosity, and tell me if you knew Jussuf's
+servant who brought the box?"
+
+But the captain answered angrily, "Listen. I have certainly mistaken
+you, as I thought you were a dervish; therefore I am displeased that
+you speak so disrespectfully of the mighty merchant Jussuf, talking of
+him as if he were your equal. When you next pronounce his name, give
+him the honour due to him, and forget not the 'lord.' But as you asked
+if I knew the servant, know that I had never seen him before; but I
+did not doubt, when he gave it me in my lord's name. If he had given
+me only the ten thousandth part in worth in his lord's name, there
+would have been cause to doubt."
+
+The next day a favourable south wind blew; they weighed anchor, and
+the ship, under press of sail, left the harbour for the open sea.
+
+The voyage was prosperous. No cloud overcast the heavens, the wind
+continued favourable, and, in the shortest possible time, they landed
+in the Port of Balsora. There lay many new ships at anchor, ready
+prepared, and laden with various wares.
+
+"See," said the active captain to Jussuf, in saying farewell; "these
+new ships belong also to the same Lord Jussuf. Do not forget when you
+go into the city to see his palace, and also his warehouse in the
+bazaar."
+
+Jussuf promised not to forget it; and, on his entrance into the city,
+went straight to the bazaar. He passed through the row where his
+warehouse used to stand, and was astonished to see a much larger one
+in its place, adorned on the outside with precious metals and costly
+stones; but in the interior was contained riches and a great heap of
+jewels, such as he had seen in the subterranean chambers of the ruins
+near Shiraz.
+
+He pushed through the crowd, and saw that six young men were
+unceasingly occupied in selling. He pressed forward, and stood
+immediately before one of the traders.
+
+"To whom does this warehouse belong?" asked he, when no buyer seemed
+ready to occupy him.
+
+"You must only have arrived here to-day, if you do not know that there
+is only one merchant in Balsora who can display such riches. You must
+have heard the name of the merchant Jussuf, the king of merchants!"
+
+"Oh, yes! I have certainly heard that name," answered Jussuf; "but I
+thought that he had shut up his warehouse, and gone on a far journey."
+
+"That is very true," replied the young man; "but a few weeks ago he
+sent his brother, Hassan Assad, who carries on the commerce, and has
+taken account of the treasures which he sends here from his journeys.
+This business is much increased; it is well seen that my Lord Jussuf
+does not leave his affairs in strange hands without good reason."
+
+"You named his brother, and I have heard that your lord had no
+brother. What do you, then, mean?" asked Jussuf.
+
+"Hassan Assad is not his brother, but his wife's brother," was the
+answer.
+
+"His wife?" asked Jussuf, with unfeigned astonishment.
+
+"I know not how it seems to you," said the young man. "What is there
+so much to be wondered at, and to stand with open mouth? Why should
+not my Lord Jussuf have a wife? for he might have them by the dozen.
+If all this interests you so much, go to his palace: there are idle
+people enough there that can satisfy your curiosity. I have no time:
+some buyers are waiting whom I have neglected by my conversation with
+you."
+
+He turned to the customers, apologized for his inattention, and
+demanded their wishes.
+
+Jussuf resolved to follow his advice and go to the palace. He no
+longer recognized it: two small palaces which stood on each side had
+been thrown down, and, in their places, two wings had been added to
+his own. The principal door of the middle palace stood open, and many
+male and female servants went in and out. He asked one of the porters
+to whom the palace belonged, and received the same answer as at the
+bazaar.
+
+"But will your lord ever come again?" he asked. "He has been gone a
+long while; no man knows where he is, and he has sent no messengers
+back."
+
+"What! sent no messenger?" cried both porters in a breath; "he has
+sent his wife here a long time since, and has himself arrived to-day.
+His brother Hassan Assad has always had sure news of him, and so he
+knew of his arrival to-day, and has prepared everything for his
+reception. His old teacher, who had not before been seen for years,
+has come forth to-day from his solitude, and arrived here."
+
+"What! Modibjah also here?" he asked.
+
+"See, see!" answered both, "you know his name better than we. Yes,
+yes, his name is Modibjah: I could not recollect."
+
+"Let me go in, good people," said he, "that I may speak to him."
+
+"No, no," said one of them, obstructing the way; "what business have
+you in? The marriage ceremony is about to be performed in the hall,
+after the manner of our religion; the imam is just now gone in;
+therefore no strangers can be admitted."
+
+"What!" cried Jussuf, "your lord already arrived? Where is the
+impostor? Let me in, that I may confront him."
+
+Both porters opposed him, because he tried to force his way in.
+
+"Do you not know your lord," asked Jussuf, full of indignation, "that
+you thus oppose him?"
+
+They assured him that they had not been long in Assad's service, and
+did not know Jussuf; but they had been told that he was arrived.
+
+"Yes," cried Jussuf, "he is arrived, but not yet in his palace; he
+will soon be in."
+
+With these words he pushed the nearest on one side, threw him to the
+ground, and then the other also. He pressed forward quickly into the
+splendid hall, unopposed by the numerous servants, to whom he seemed
+to come from the passage into the hall. He placed himself in the
+midst, and cried with great earnestness,
+
+"Who dares here to usurp Jussuf's place? Who dares here to pass for
+Jussuf's wife? I am Jussuf, who was thought lost! Where is the
+impostor? Let him come here, that he may receive the just reward of
+his treachery."
+
+Whilst he spoke a richly-dressed man, but unknown to him, approached,
+and said,
+
+"You speak of deceit! Nobody here passes for Jussuf but yourself. We
+expected him, because we have sure knowledge that he has landed
+to-day. You may be the expected one. Now for the proof: what word will
+your lips breathe on this talisman?" He held to him Modibjah's
+talisman. Jussuf looked astonished and surprised, for the spark had
+disappeared.
+
+"Haschanascha!" he cried, with a sigh. The spark shone out clear, and
+a veiled lady walked forth from the circle of numerous assembled
+guests, and asked, as she threw her veil back, "Do you remember
+Haschanascha, your betrothed?" But he looked at her with marks of
+astonished joy. There were indeed the beautiful features of her face,
+the mild look of her soft eyes, the happy seriousness that reigned in
+Haschanascha's forehead; but her dark complexion had disappeared, and
+in its place played a soft blush, like the first breath of dawn, on
+her cheeks.
+
+"Haschanascha!" cried he, at last awaking from his astonishment, "are
+you indeed she? I can no longer trust my senses, since I have been
+lost in so many adventures and dreams, that I cannot distinguish
+between reality and dreaming. Is it possible that you live? You were
+dead through my guilt."
+
+"Ask not after what is past," said Modibjah's voice. "The King of the
+Genii has selected you to be his favourite on earth. Two daughters of
+genii were destined to try to lead you different ways; human nature
+nearly conquered, but you came out at last victorious from the fight.
+You have chosen the nobler. May she adorn your life with greater joy,
+as she helped you to conquer your selfishness, which bound you in
+weakness to the form you carried in the box! This is Haschanascha, the
+sister of your friend Hassan Assad, who has carried on your business
+since you separated from him near Shiraz. I am uncle to both; and that
+your wife may not enter your house as a beggar, here are the presents
+destined for the wedding present, which you saw under the ruins of the
+destroyed capital."
+
+With these words he embraced Jussuf, who was again lost in
+astonishment. The young man who had offered him the talisman stepped
+forward, and Jussuf recognized in him his friend Hassan, and saluting
+him with heartfelt joy, called him his dear brother. In the same hour
+the imam pronounced over Jussuf and Haschanascha the blessing, and
+performed the usual prayers and ceremonies. Then were splendid feasts
+prepared that lasted many days, and such as never at any other time
+were celebrated in Balsora; so that in after years people spoke of the
+splendour with which the rich merchant Jussuf's wedding had been
+consummated. He attained with Haschanascha a great and very happy old
+age, and his latest descendants revere his memory.
+
+
+
+
+The Seven Sleepers.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+[The "Seven Sleepers" is a Mahommedan as well as Christian legend. It
+is alluded to in the Koran: and many of the circumstances of the
+following Tale are related in the notes to Sale's translation of it.]
+
+Historians relate that there was in ancient Persia a shepherd named
+Dakianos, who for thirty years had attended his sheep without having
+ever neglected the holy custom of making his daily prayers. All those
+who knew him did justice to his probity; and nature had endowed him
+with an eloquence capable of raising him to the highest employments,
+had he lived in the great world.
+
+One day, as he was at his usual prayers, his flock took fright and
+were dispersed. Dakianos ran every way to reassemble them, and
+perceiving that one of his sheep had got half of its body into the
+hole of a rock, where it could not get out, he ran to it and delivered
+it; but he was struck with a dazzling light which immediately shone
+out of the opening. He examined what it was that produced it, and soon
+found that it proceeded from a tablet or plate of gold, of no very
+large extent: he opened the hole still farther, and found himself in
+a vault, which was not above seven feet high, and about four or five
+broad. He considered this tablet of gold with much attention, but
+could not read it, neither could he comprehend what the four lines
+signified which he saw written thereon. To inform himself, therefore,
+of this mystery, he took it away with him, and, as soon as it was
+night, he put it under his vest and repaired to the city. His first
+care was to show it to those who, as he was informed, were the most
+learned men; but, however versed they might be in the sciences, there
+was not one of them who could explain this inscription.
+
+However, one of the doctors said to him, "No person here can translate
+these characters. Go into Egypt: you will find there a venerable man,
+of three hundred years of age, who can read the most ancient writings,
+and who knows all the sciences; he alone can satisfy your curiosity."
+
+Dakianos delivered his flock to the person to whom it belonged, and
+departed immediately for Egypt.
+
+As soon as he arrived there, he inquired after the old man, who was so
+celebrated that everybody was ready to show him his house. He went to
+him there, told him the occasion of his journey, and presented to him
+the tablet of gold. The old man received it with affability, and was
+struck with astonishment at the sight of this wonder. He read the
+characters with the greatest ease; but, after having reflected some
+time, he cast his eyes upon Dakianos, and said to him,
+
+"How did this tablet fall into your hands?"
+
+Dakianos gave him an account of his adventure.
+
+"These characters," resumed the old man, "promise to the person who
+shall find them, events which it is not likely can happen to you. You
+have," continued he, "a happy countenance, and this inscription speaks
+of an infidel, whose end must be fatal and tragical. But since fortune
+has given you this tablet, that which is written upon it doubtless
+regards you."
+
+Dakianos, surprised with this discourse, answered, "How can it be as
+you say? I have said my prayers every day these thirty years. I have
+never been an infidel; how can I then be a reprobate?"
+
+"If it had been three hundred years," replied the old man, "you will
+be no less the victim of darkness."
+
+These last words pierced the heart of Dakianos. He groaned, he sighed,
+he even wept, and he cried out, "Would that I had never found this
+golden tablet! That I had never shown it you and that I had never
+heard so terrible a sentence!"
+
+"What use would it have been to you not to have brought it to me?"
+said this learned man. "The predestination of Allah is from all
+eternity; what is written in the Book of Life cannot be effaced. But I
+may be mistaken: the knowledge of men is often doubtful, Allah alone
+is infallible. I can, however, inform you that this golden tablet
+indicates a most considerable treasure, and that an those riches
+belong to him who shall be the possessor of the tablet."
+
+This word _riches_ consoled Dakianos, and in the transport of his soul
+he said to the old man, "Delay not a moment; let us go to seek the
+treasure. We will share it like two brothers."
+
+But the old man said to him, sighing, "You will no sooner be the
+master of all these riches than you will abuse them. It is not an easy
+talent to know how to be rich; and I shall perhaps be the first to
+repent having done you this service."
+
+"What a discourse you hold to me!" cried Dakianos. "What shall I owe
+the obligation to you of procuring me such treasures, shall you make
+my fortune, and do you think I shall be failing in my return? An
+infidel would not be guilty of such ingratitude, and I cannot so much
+as harbour a thought of it. I swear, then, to look upon you as my
+father, and to share equally all the riches with you; or, rather, you
+shall give me what share you please, and I shall always be content."
+
+These protestations would not much have reassured the old man, but
+avarice--the only passion which is felt at a certain age--overcame his
+reflections, and he consented to their departure. They arrived at the
+place where Dakianos had found the tablet of gold. The old man
+commanded him to dig the ground about twenty feet round. They soon
+discovered a gate of steel, and the old man told Dakianos to open it.
+Dakianos obeyed with such eager haste that he broke the door open with
+his foot, though the key was in the lock. They both of them entered
+into a vault, without being discouraged by the great obscurity which
+reigned there. After having gone some steps, a faint light enabled
+them to distinguish objects. The farther they advanced, the more the
+light increased. They found themselves at last before a large and
+magnificent palace, the seven gates of which were closed, but the keys
+were fastened by them. Dakianos took that of the first gate, and
+opened it.
+
+The first apartment enclosed ornaments and habits of the greatest
+magnificence, and above all, girdles of solid gold, adorned with
+jewels. They opened the second, which they found filled with sabres,
+the hilts and sheaths of which were covered with the most precious
+stones. The third was adorned with an infinite number of cuirasses,
+coats of mail, and helmets of gold of different fashions, and all the
+arms were enriched with the most magnificent jewels. The fourth
+enclosed the most superb horse furniture, answerable to the
+magnificence of the arms. The fifth offered to their sight piles of
+gold and silver ingots. The sixth was full of gold coin; and it was
+scarcely possible to enter into the seventh, it was so heaped with
+sapphires, with amethysts, and diamonds.
+
+These immense treasures dazzled Dakianos. From that moment he was
+sorry that he had a witness of his good fortune.
+
+"Do you consider," said he to the old man, "of what consequence
+secrecy will be upon this occasion?"
+
+"Doubtless," replied he.
+
+"But," resumed Dakianos, "if the King has the least knowledge of this
+treasure, his first act will be to confiscate it. Are you sure of
+yourself? Do you fear nothing from your own indiscretion?"
+
+"The desire of possessing the half of those riches," replied the old
+man, "ought to be a pledge that will satisfy you."
+
+"The half of these riches!" interrupted Dakianos, with an alteration
+visible in his countenance, "but that half surpasses the treasures of
+the greatest kings."
+
+The old man perceived this alteration, and said to him, "If you think
+the half too much for me, you may give me only a quarter of it."
+
+"Most willingly," returned Dakianos. "But what precaution will you
+take to remove them with safety? You will cause us to be discovered,
+and be the occasion of our ruin."
+
+"Well, then," replied the old man, "though you have promised me much
+more, give me only one of the apartments--I shall be fully satisfied.
+You do not answer my question."
+
+"We will examine at leisure what you have proposed to me," returned
+Dakianos. "I am glad, however, that you are more reasonable, and that
+you begin to understand yourself."
+
+Dakianos again examined these riches with more avidity, and his eyes
+were still further dazzled by them. After having thoroughly considered
+the magnificent apartment of the diamonds, in which they then were,
+"You are sensible," said he to the old man, "that this is, without
+contradiction, the most valuable, and that it is not natural I should
+yield up to you the lawful right I have over it?"
+
+"You have reason for what you say," returned the old man, "and I do
+not demand it of you."
+
+They passed afterwards into the apartment which was filled with gold
+coin.
+
+"This treasure," said Dakianos, after having looked upon it for some
+time, "is certainly what would cause the least trouble, and be the
+most easily disposed of; it may be useful also towards preserving all
+the rest, either by establishing a guard or raising walls; therefore I
+believe you too reasonable," continued he, "not to agree to the
+necessity that obliges me to keep it."
+
+"I agree to it," replied the old man; "let us pass on to another.
+These piles of ingots of silver and gold are not all necessary to
+you," said he, as he viewed the fifth apartment.
+
+"No," returned Dakianos, "I might possibly do without some of these;
+but I have too great obligations to you, to expose you, by giving them
+to you: how could you convey them away? What a trouble it would be to
+you to dispose of them!"
+
+"That will be my business," replied the old man.
+
+"No, no," added Dakianos, "I love you too well to consent to it;
+besides, it would be the means to have me discovered; you would be
+arrested, and you could not prevent yourself from accusing me. Let us
+see the others."
+
+They opened the fourth apartment. "This horse-furniture is absolutely
+unsuitable to you; your age is an obstacle to the use of it."
+
+He made use of the same difficulty to refuse him the cuirasses and the
+armour which filled the third. When he had locked that up with the
+same care as the rest, they found themselves in that which contained
+the sabres; and the old man said to him, "These arms are easy to
+carry, I will go and offer them to the Kings of the Indies; I will
+sell them separately, and you will run no risk."
+
+"You are right," returned Dakianos, "I may give you some of these."
+
+As he said these words he examined them, both the weight of the gold
+and the value of the diamonds. At length he drew one of them out of
+the scabbard; then he compared all the riches of which he might be the
+sole possessor, with the head of one man; and, unable to conceive how
+he could have hesitated so long, "I distrust thee!" said he, springing
+upon the old man.
+
+The old man embraced his knees. "Be moved," said he to him, "with my
+old age! The treasures no longer make any impression upon me, and I
+pretend not to them."
+
+"Truly I believe not," resumed Dakianos: "they are mine, the tablet of
+gold gives them to me."
+
+The old man recalled his promises to his memory. "But I will cancel
+them," pursued he: "in return for the obligation you have to me I only
+demand my life."
+
+"I have offended thee too far," replied Dakianos: "thy life would be
+my death, it would give me too much inquietude."
+
+Then at one blow striking off the head of the old man, "Now," cried
+he, "my secret is my own!"
+
+The first care of Dakianos was immediately to make a grave and to
+inter this unfortunate victim of his avarice. He feared not remorse,
+though he dreaded a witness; his heart was wholly occupied with the
+treasure that he possessed, and his mind with the methods of
+preserving it. But after devouring it with his eyes, and enjoying that
+cruel satisfaction, in what trouble did he not find himself when he
+was obliged to leave it in order to seek for provision? How often did
+he reproach himself with not having carried it with him? And if he
+ever remembered the old man, it was only to accuse his memory, and to
+persuade himself that he must have had some bad design, since he had
+not advertised him of a thing which he might have foreseen without
+being so learned as he really was. Not to die with hunger in this
+subterranean vault, he was obliged to quit it. What succours could he
+find in so barren a desert as that with which it was surrounded? He
+was obliged, therefore, to go to a place at some distance; but how
+could he resolve upon that, especially at a time when the ground
+lately removed might attract the curiosity of a traveller? Dakianos
+almost determined to let himself die rather than lose sight of his
+treasure. All that he could do to calm his inquietudes was not to
+depart till night, when he took some handfuls of the gold coin and
+repaired to the city, where he bought a horse, which he loaded with
+biscuit and with a small barrel of water, and returned before daybreak
+to seek his treasure, which he found in the same condition he had left
+it, with as much pleasure as he had felt chagrin at leaving it.
+
+His first care was, with incredible fatigue, to make a very deep ditch
+round the cavern. He contrived a passage to it underground, the
+opening of which he covered with his clothes, that in a few days he
+laid upon them, and afterwards raised a hut of earth to preserve
+himself from the weather. All that he suffered during these immense
+labours is not to be conceived, and no one could have imagined, who
+had seen him thus wasted with labour and fatigue, that he was the
+richest inhabitant of the earth.
+
+When he had conducted his work so far as to be able to leave it
+without fear, he repaired again to the city, but with the same
+precaution--that is to say, he went only in the night. He employed it
+wholly in purchasing some slaves, with whose assistance by degrees he
+brought thither everything that was necessary for his safety and
+convenience. Soon after, he gathered workmen, with whose aid he built
+more solidly the works which he had begun. He surrounded the place
+with three walls of stone, and lay always between the first and the
+second. He took great care to spread abroad a report after this that
+he carried on a large foreign commerce, and spoke much of the fortune
+he had made in Egypt. Upon this pretext--for there must be one for
+becoming so suddenly rich--he built a magnificent palace: that of the
+thousand columns erected by Melik Jouna, the ancient King of the
+Indies, was nothing in comparison to it. Such great magnificence soon
+made him considered and respected by the world, and the pains he had
+given himself to preserve his riches not only flattered his self-love,
+but easily persuaded him that he had acquired them, and might enjoy
+them without remorse, the old man being totally forgotten.
+
+It was easy for him to bring out the treasures from his vault, the
+secret of which was not trusted to any person. He sent caravans to all
+parts of the Indies to authorize the expenses he bestowed in slaves,
+in building, in women, and in horses, and fortune also favoured a
+commerce which was of little consequence to him. His heart, fully
+satisfied as to riches, was not long insensible to ambition. The Court
+has strong attractions for the rich; they are received so graciously,
+they are praised in so delicate and so insinuating a manner, that they
+are generally seduced by it. And Dakianos, who now joined to his
+opulence an immeasurable ambition, neglected nothing to introduce
+himself at the Court of the King of Persia; but made presents to the
+viziers to obtain their protection, and, by gaining it, rendered
+himself their slave. His magnificence and his generosity, as he
+foresaw and wished, soon reached the ears of the King, who desired to
+see him.
+
+Dakianos had an audience as soon as he appeared at Court, and to give
+a favourable impression of himself, and to deserve the favour of the
+King, he brought him presents which the greatest Kings upon earth
+could not, perhaps, have collected together. It is generally by nines
+that Eastern presents are given, when their magnificence is extended
+to the last degree. He therefore caused himself to be preceded by nine
+superb camels. The first was loaded with nine suits and ornaments of
+gold, adorned with the most beautiful jewels, of which the girdles
+were of the greatest lustre. The second bore nine sabres, the hilts
+and scabbards of which were of gold adorned with diamonds. Upon the
+third were seen nine suits of armour of equal magnificence. The fourth
+had for its load nine suits of horse furniture, suitable to the other
+presents. Nine cases full of sapphires were upon the fifth. Nine other
+cases heaped with rubies loaded the sixth. The same weight of emeralds
+was upon the seventh. The amethysts, in an equal number of cases, was
+the load of the eighth. At last, there appeared upon the ninth camel
+nine cases of diamonds. Nine young women of the greatest beauty, and
+magnificently adorned, followed this caravan; and eight young slaves
+immediately preceded Dakianos.
+
+In the midst of the surprise which these presents gave to the King and
+the whole Court, some of those who composed it, and who, according to
+the customs of that place, endeavoured to criticise upon it, and who
+wished to contradict those who applauded it, or to show the justness
+of their own remarks, demanded where was the ninth slave. Dakianos,
+who expected the question, pointed to himself. The King, pleased with
+the turn of delicacy, which he joined to such magnificent presents,
+received him with extreme distinction; and, his natural eloquence
+increasing his favour, it was impossible for the Prince to be without
+him. He seated Dakianos by himself, gave him the pleasure of his
+music, sent him every day dishes from the royal table, and very often
+the most exquisite wines; during which, on the other side, Dakianos
+returned all this bounty by presents, the quantity of which was as
+surprising as their magnificence. At length his continued liberality
+and his eloquence procured him so great a power over the heart of the
+King, that he created him his Vizier, that they might never part; yet
+the confidence and the friendship he testified to him gave him still
+more power than the charge with which he was provided.
+
+Dakianos governed Persia with an absolute sway: he ought to have
+enjoyed a happiness which might satisfy his vanity. But can ambition
+ever be satisfied? The mountain of Kaf may set bounds to the world,
+but never to the ideas and wishes of the ambitious. The King being
+informed of the arrival of an ambassador from Greece, gave him
+audience immediately. The ambassador, after having kissed the foot of
+the throne, delivered him a letter, which he caused his secretary to
+read aloud, it was conceived in these terms:
+
+"I, Emperor and Sultan of seven climates, to you, King of Persia. As
+soon as my royal letter shall be delivered to you, fail not to send to
+me the tribute of seven years. If you make any difficulty to satisfy
+me, know that I have an army in readiness to march against you."
+
+This letter caused so much astonishment in the King, that he knew not
+what answer to make to it. Dakianos, to deliver the King from the
+perplexity he was in, rose from his place, touched the ground with his
+head, and endeavoured to restore his spirits.
+
+"The letter of the Emperor of Greece," said he, "ought not to afflict
+you: it is easy to answer it, and to make him repent his menaces and
+his insolence. Order your most faithful subjects to join with me, who
+am the humblest of your slaves; I shall inform them what they have to
+do."
+
+These words consoled the King: he gave his orders in pursuance of
+them, and Dakianos raised above a hundred thousand men for the King,
+whilst on his side he assembled ten thousand more, whom he equipped at
+his own expense. The King joined to this chosen troop two thousand of
+the most valiant soldiers, whom he had always had near his own person,
+and of whom he formed the guard of Dakianos, and declared him general
+of this army of one hundred and twelve thousand men. The new general
+took leave of the King, and put himself at the head of his troops,
+which served as an escort to all his riches, which he took care to
+convey along with him, and which ten thousand camels could scarce
+carry. The King of Persia, who parted from his Vizier with regret,
+accompanied him for three days, and quitted him with tears in his
+eyes, giving him a thousand benedictions, and repeating to him a
+thousand times that he was his strength, his support, and, what was
+much more, the only friend of his heart. Dakianos chose out the most
+warlike men in all the cities through which he passed, equipped them
+at his own expense, and gave them whatever pay they demanded. The
+report which was spread abroad of this magnificence drew together men
+from all parts of the world, and his army was in a short time
+increased to three hundred thousand soldiers.
+
+The Emperor of Greece, upon the news he had of the Persian army,
+immediately assembled his troops, and advanced to meet Dakianos with
+seven hundred thousand men. As soon as he perceived the enemy, he
+divided his army into two bodies, and gave the signal for battle. The
+troops of Dakianos acted with so much valour, and their first onset
+was so terrible, that the army of the Grecians had not time to recover
+themselves, and they were almost as soon defeated as attacked.
+Dakianos ordered the Grecian Emperor, whom he had taken prisoner, to
+be beheaded, and without the least difficulty made himself master of
+all his dominions, of which he caused himself to be acknowledged
+sovereign. The first business of this new monarch was to write the
+following letter to the King of Persia:
+
+"I have defeated and overcome Cæsar,[2] I have conquered his
+dominions, I have mounted his throne, and have been acknowledged the
+sovereign of his whole empire. As soon as this letter is delivered to
+you, defer not a moment to send me the tribute due for seven years: if
+you make the least difficulty to pay it me, you must submit to the
+same fate as Cæsar."
+
+[Footnote 2: In the East they always give that name to the Emperors of
+Greece.]
+
+This letter, with great reason, provoked the King of Persia beyond all
+the bounds of moderation. Without loss of time he assembled his
+troops; but before he put himself at their head to march towards the
+confines of Greece, he returned this answer to Dakianos:
+
+"Can a man so despicable as thou art have possibly conquered Greece?
+Thou hast betrayed me--I, who am thy King, and who am seated upon the
+golden throne of my ancestors. Thou hast attacked me, notwithstanding
+the gratitude and fidelity thou owest to me. I am upon my departure to
+cause even the very memory of thee to perish, to restore Greece to her
+former situation, and to deliver her to her lawful sovereign!"
+
+This daring answer of the King of Persia threw Dakianos into the most
+dreadful rage: he immediately formed a detachment of two hundred
+thousand men from his army to advance and give battle to the King of
+Persia. Those troops were not long without meeting him. The combat was
+bloody and obstinate; but at length the King of Persia was defeated,
+taken prisoner, and conducted to Dakianos.
+
+When that Prince was in his presence, "Wretch!" said he to him, "how
+canst thou bear my sight, thou most ungrateful of mankind?"
+
+"I ungrateful?" replied Dakianos. "I have levied troops at my own
+expense; I have spent the greater part of my immense treasures; I
+have, therefore, bought this conquest. I have done more: I have
+fought; I have revenged thy quarrel. What canst thou reproach me
+with?"
+
+"I have loved thee," returned the King.
+
+It is hard for those in power to bear a well-founded reproach. The
+only answer of Dakianos was to command his head to be struck off, and
+immediately to send troops to seize on his dominions. He chose Ephesus
+to fix his residence in; but, not thinking that city magnificent
+enough, he caused it to be rebuilt with the utmost elegance, and gave
+all his care to the erecting of a palace, which was unparalleled for
+its solidity, its extent, and its magnificence. He erected in the
+centre of it a kiosk, the walls of which were six hundred feet long,
+and the cement and all the jointings of it were of silver. This kiosk
+contained a thousand chambers, each of which enclosed a throne of
+gold: he caused three hundred and sixty-five gates of crystal to be
+made, which he placed in such a manner that every day throughout the
+year the rising sun shone upon one of them. His palace had seven
+hundred porters; sixty viziers were occupied in his affairs. There
+were always in the hall of audience sixty thrones, on which were
+seated those who had signalized themselves in war. He had seven
+thousand astrologers, who assembled every day, and continually
+declared to him the different influences of the stars. He was always
+surrounded by ten thousand ichoglans, who wore girdles and crowns of
+solid gold, and were most magnificently clad: they had no other
+employment but that of being always ready to receive his orders. He
+appointed sixty pashas, each of whom had under his command two
+thousand well-made and valiant young men, who each in particular
+commanded two thousand soldiers.
+
+One day, when Dakianos was in the height of his splendour, an old man
+arose from beneath the throne upon which he was seated. The King,
+amazed, asked him who he was. He was an unbelieving genie, but, far
+from confessing it,
+
+"I am," he answered, "a prophet of God: I obey His orders by coming to
+you. Know, therefore, that He has made me the god of the heavens, and
+that He ordains that you should be the god of the earth."
+
+Dakianos answered him, "Who will believe that I am so?"
+
+And the genie immediately disappeared.
+
+Some time after, Dakianos had again the same apparition, and the genie
+repeated to him the same things; but he answered him,
+
+"You deceive me. How can I be the god of the earth?"
+
+"Your power, your great actions, and the care that Allah has taken of
+you, ought to persuade you; but if you will not believe me," pursued
+the old man, "do what I shall tell you, and you will soon be
+convinced."
+
+Dakianos, whose pride this flattered, and who had nothing more to
+desire of human greatness, promised him to consent to everything.
+
+"Let your throne be placed upon the shore of the sea," pursued the old
+man.
+
+What he desired was executed. And when Dakianos was placed there,
+"Prince," said the genie to him, "there is at the bottom of the sea a
+fish, the bigness of which is known only to Allah, and which every day
+comes to land. It remains there till noon to adore the Almighty. No
+person interrupts its prayers: when they are finished, it plunges
+again to the bottom of the sea."
+
+The fish appeared as usual, and the genie said to Dakianos, "Though
+the fish will not believe your power, it has, however, declared to all
+the fishes of the sea that you are the god of the earth. It fears
+nothing, and comes now to inform itself. You will know the truth of
+what I have declared to you," continued he, "if you will only
+condescend to say to him, 'I am the god of the earth.' Your voice
+will freeze him with terror--he cannot hear it without surprise, and
+will certainly take flight."
+
+This proposition pleased Dakianos, and he called the fish, and said to
+it, "'I am the god of the earth.'"
+
+These words of infidelity made the fish immediately plunge to the
+bottom of the sea, in the fear he was under lest the Almighty Power
+should dart His thunder to punish that impostor. Dakianos easily
+persuaded himself that the fish was an infidel, and that his presence
+had made him take flight. From that moment he believed all the
+deluding words of the genie, and soon had no doubt left of his
+divinity. Not only his subjects adored him, but people came from all
+corners of the world to give him those marks of adoration which he
+exacted; for he caused all those to be thrown into a burning furnace
+who refused to adore him.
+
+In the number of the ten thousand slaves who stood always before him
+with their hands crossed upon their breasts, there were six Greeks who
+possessed his confidence, and who approached the nearest to his
+person. They were named Jemlikha, Mekchilinia, Mechlima, Merlima,
+Debermouch, and Charnouch. They were generally placed in an equal
+number upon his right and left hand. Jemlikha was one whom he most
+favoured, nature having endowed him with all her charms: his words
+were sweeter than the honey of Arabia, and his wit sparkling and
+agreeable; in a word, this young man united in himself all
+perfections. Their employments engaged both him and his companions to
+pay that homage to Dakianos which was due to God alone.
+
+One day, as Dakianos was at table, Jemlikha held a fan to drive away
+the flies that might incommode him: there came one which settled
+itself with so much obstinacy upon the dish he was eating that he was
+obliged to give it up. Jemlikha, struck with this slight event,
+thought it ridiculous that a man who could not drive away even a fly
+that troubled him, should pretend to divinity. "Surely," continued he,
+"I ought to have no regard for such a god."
+
+Some time after, Dakianos entered into one of his apartments to repose
+himself for some hours; and Jemlikha still waited by him with the
+fan. Allah once more sent the same fly, and at this time it placed
+itself upon the face of the monarch. Jemlikha would have driven it
+away lest it should interrupt his lord's sleep; but his pains were in
+vain: it awakened Dakianos, and threw him into the greatest
+impatience. Jemlikha, already touched by his first reflections, said
+within himself, "This man certainly is no more a god than I am: there
+can be but one God, and it is He who has created the sun that gives us
+light."
+
+From that time Jemlikha used the custom of saying every night when he
+lay down, "The true God is He who created the heavens, and fixed them
+in the air without a pillar."
+
+It is difficult to make a serious reflection and not to communicate it
+to a friend. Jemlikha declared all his doubts to his companions. "A
+man," says he, "who cannot disengage himself from a fly, can he have
+power over the works of nature?" Then he related the adventure of the
+fly.
+
+"But if our King is not a god," said they to him, "whom then are we to
+adore?"
+
+Jemlikha told them what he thought, and they were so far persuaded of
+it, that from that day they joined with him every night in prayer.
+Their assembling themselves together in private places soon became the
+subject of conversation. Dakianos being informed of it, sent for them
+into his presence, and said to them,
+
+"Do you adore another God beside me?"
+
+They contented themselves with answering him, "We adore the Sovereign
+Master of the world."
+
+The King, who took that answer to mean himself, loaded them with
+caresses, and bestowed upon each of them a robe of honour. They
+retired, covered with the favours of their master, and their first
+care was to adore and thank the High God for His bounty to them.
+Jemlikha afterwards said to them,
+
+"If there should be again such an information given to the King as has
+now put us into such imminent danger, we can hope for no further mercy
+from him. I imagine, therefore, the only resolution we can take is to
+quit our country, and to seek another, where we may adore God without
+constraint."
+
+"But how can we take our flight?" replied his companions. "We know no
+other country but this."
+
+"Let us put our trust in God," resumed Jemlikha, "and make use of any
+favourable circumstance. We are not to follow Dakianos when he goes on
+his magnificent chase for six days at the head of his army: what
+hinders us taking that time for our departure? We will demand
+permission of the officers of the palace that guard us to play at
+feheukian;[3] we will go out of the square, throw the ball to a great
+distance, and take our flight upon those swift horses which are
+usually given us for that exercise."
+
+[Footnote 3: An exercise performed on horseback.]
+
+They approved this project, and waited with impatience for the time of
+its execution. At length Dakianos departed with his numerous army.
+
+The day after the King's departure they put in execution what they had
+projected. The eunuchs pursued them, and would have forced them to
+return back to the palace; but they answered them,
+
+"We are tired of our King: he endeavours to pass for the God of the
+earth, and we adore Him alone who has created all that we behold."
+
+The young men had already drawn their sabres, and in a moment they put
+the eunuchs out of a condition of following them. Then Jemlikha said
+to them, "My friends, we are ruined if we do not use all possible
+expedition."
+
+They immediately put their horses at full speed, which so much
+fatigued them that their strength was soon exhausted. They were then
+obliged to continue their journey on foot, but being tired, and faint
+with thirst and hunger, they stopped on the side of the road, and,
+with entire confidence in God, prayed to Him to relieve them. Some
+faithful genii heard them, and, touched with their situation, they
+inspired into Jemlikha the thought of ascending a mountain, at the
+foot of which they were. It was not without pain that he arrived at
+the summit; but at length he perceived a spring, the pure and clear
+water of which was to him the water of life, and a shepherd sitting by
+it, who sang whilst his flock was feeding.
+
+Jemlikha called to his companions: the few words he could make them
+hear augmented their strength, and gave them courage sufficient to
+ascend the mountain.
+
+The shepherd, whose name was Keschetiouch, gave them some provisions,
+and they drank of the water of this delightful fountain. This
+refreshment re-established their strength, and their first care was to
+return their thanks to Heaven for it. Then Keschetiouch said to them,
+
+"How have you found the way to a place where I never yet saw any
+mortal? If I am not mistaken, you are fugitives. Trust me with your
+misfortunes: I may perhaps be of some service to you."
+
+Jemlikha related to him all that had happened to them, and his
+discourse struck the light of faith into the heart of this shepherd,
+God so enlightening his mind, that he soon learned and repeated with
+them their prayers. Afterwards he told them he would never quit them.
+
+"Ephesus," says he, "is so near to this place, that you will still be
+in some danger. Doubt not but Dakianos will use his utmost efforts to
+have you seized. I know a cavern not far from hence, which perhaps in
+a forty years' search could not be found: I will conduct you there."
+
+Immediately without delay they arose and followed him.
+
+The shepherd had a little dog, which he called Catnier, that followed
+them. They did not care to take him with them; and using all their
+skill to drive him away, they at last threw a stone at him, which
+broke his leg; but he still followed them limping. They threw a second
+at him, which did not turn him back, though it broke his other fore
+leg, so that he walked only upon his two hind feet, continuing his
+march. The third stone having broke one more, he was no longer in a
+condition to stand. But Allah gave the gift of speech to this little
+dog, who said to them,
+
+"Alas! you go to seek after Allah, and you have prevented me from all
+hope of going with you! Am not I also the creature of Allah? Are you
+alone obliged to acknowledge Him?"
+
+They were so astonished at this wonderful miracle, and moved with the
+condition to which they had reduced the dog, that they carried him in
+turn, and went on begging the protection of Heaven. They were not long
+before they arrived at the cavern to which the shepherd conducted
+them, and finding themselves fatigued with their journey, they lay
+down to sleep; but by the particular mission of Heaven, they slept
+with their eyes open, in such a manner that no one could suspect they
+tasted any real repose. The cavern was so gloomy, the heat of the sun
+could not incommode them; a gentle, pleasing wind incessantly
+refreshed them, and a long narrow opening gave an entrance to the rays
+of the sun at his rising.
+
+In the meantime those eunuchs who had escaped from the sabres of the
+young slaves came directly to give an account of what had passed to
+Dakianos. He was in despair at their flight, and as he was
+recollecting in his mind the favours he had shown them, and accusing
+them of the highest ingratitude, the same unfaithful genie who had so
+often appeared to him presented himself before him, and said to him,
+
+"Your slaves have quitted you only that they might worship another
+God, in whom they place all their trust."
+
+This discourse so heightened the anger of Dakianos that he conjured
+the genie to let him know the place of their retreat.
+
+"I alone can bring you to it," returned the genie. "All mankind would
+search for it in vain, but I will conduct you to it at the head of
+your army."
+
+They immediately departed, and were not long before they arrived at
+the mouth of the cavern. The genie then said to Dakianos,
+
+"It is here they are retired."
+
+Dakianos, who was wholly possessed with the spirit of revenge,
+immediately would have entered it; but that moment there burst out
+from the cave a dreadful vapour, which was followed by a furious wind,
+and a darkness that spread over all that part of the world. The army
+gave back with horror; but anger redoubling the courage of Dakianos,
+he advanced to the entrance of the cavern, but it was with incredible
+difficulty, and, in spite of all his efforts, it was absolutely
+impossible for him to enter it, the air being so impenetrable. He
+perceived Catnier, who slept with his head resting upon his paw, and
+distinguished plainly the six young Greeks and the shepherd, who were
+all in a profound sleep, though he was far from suspecting it, as
+their eyes were open. Dakianos was not rash enough to renew his
+efforts--a secret horror restrained him. The sight of this cavern and
+all the prodigies of Heaven spread so great a terror in his mind that
+he returned to his army, and said that he had discovered his slaves,
+who had prostrated themselves before him without having the courage to
+speak to him, and that he had left them prisoners in the cavern till
+he fixed his resolution respecting their punishment. In effect, he
+consulted his sixty viziers, and demanded of them what remarkable
+vengeance he could exercise upon these young slaves; but no advice of
+theirs could give him satisfaction. He had recourse, therefore, to his
+genie, who advised him to command the architects, who always marched
+along with him, to raise a very thick wall, which should entirely
+close up the entrance of the cavern, and take away all hope of succour
+from those who were enclosed in it.
+
+"You must take care for your own glory to cause to be engraved upon
+this wall the time, the year, and the reasons that obliged you to
+erect it; that will be the means," said he, "of informing posterity
+that you revenged yourself with a greatness of spirit."
+
+Dakianos approved this counsel, and caused a wall to be erected as
+thick and solid as those of Alexandria; but he had the precaution to
+reserve one passage, of which he alone knew the entrance, in hopes of
+being one day able to seize upon his slaves, and with a view of
+examining the events at the cavern, which, in spite of himself,
+continually took up his thoughts. He added to all these precautions
+that of placing a guard of twenty thousand men, who encamped before
+the wall. All his armies had orders to relieve this body of troops
+every month, who were commanded to put to death all those who
+endeavoured to approach a place which enclosed those whose revolt and
+flight were the first misfortunes of his life; for till that moment
+everything had succeeded happily to him. A desire of revenge joined
+itself to the insult he had received from them, which appeared greater
+to him, as nothing had ever before dared to resist him. To a man
+intoxicated with his power, of which he had been himself the sole
+cause, so positive an opposition to his will was a cruel situation.
+Nothing could prevent him from repairing every day to the cavern in
+order to make new efforts to enter it, or at least to feed his eyes
+with the objects of his vengeance.
+
+The calm which was enjoyed by those whom he still looked upon as his
+slaves redoubled his fury. Their eyes, which were, as he imagined,
+fixed upon him--their silence to all the reproaches and invectives
+with which he loaded them--even their attitude--all were marks of the
+greatest contempt of him. One day, when he had joined to his usual
+speeches the blackest imprecations against Heaven, Allah permitted
+Catnier, without any motion, to answer him:
+
+"Wretch! darest thou blaspheme a God who has let thee live,
+notwithstanding the crimes that thou hast been guilty of? Believest
+thou that He has forgot to punish the fate of the learned Egyptian,
+whom thy avarice put to death, contrary to the most sacred oaths?"
+
+Dakianos, whose wrath was impotent there, went out, distracted and
+provoked with the insulting reproaches that he received from the dog
+of his slaves. What a subject of humility! But far from having
+recourse to prayer, and imploring Allah's clemency, his pride
+revolted, and by a sentiment natural to the wicked, who generally
+render those who are subject to them answerable for everything that
+wounds their vanity, at his return he caused to be executed, in the
+public square, above two thousand men, who had refused to adore him.
+These examples of severity spread abroad the fire of a rebellion,
+which was lighted in all parts of his dominions; and, notwithstanding
+the anxiety that these troubles gave him to stop the progress of them,
+an inward emotion, which he could not resist, led him continually
+towards the cavern.
+
+"What is it I go there to seek?" said he within himself. "The
+reproaches and contempt of one of the vilest animals, whilst I am
+everywhere adored--whilst every word that comes from my sacred mouth
+is revered. Yet, notwithstanding this, what am I in the eyes of an
+animal whom God protects? A shadow of power--an object of impotence!
+Ah! Dakianos, what shame! what confusion But, however, I have
+concealed it, notwithstanding this God, who will torment me, and His
+efforts will be in vain against my regulations. How happy I am to have
+concealed from my subjects the knowledge of such a misfortune! How
+prudent was I in erecting a wall which forbids all entrance to the
+cavern, and in hindering all mankind from approaching it by the troops
+which I have disposed before it! But in what manner can my slaves have
+subsisted whilst I have kept them enclosed there? Doubtless they have
+some communication into the country, and that communication is unknown
+to me. To remedy this inconvenience, I must surround the mountain with
+my troops." Accordingly he gave orders to six hundred thousand men to
+form an encampment round it, and to let no person approach a place
+that was so odious to him.
+
+When he had taken these new precautions, he returned to the entrance
+of the cavern, and said, with a fierce and haughty voice,
+
+"Now you will be obliged to deliver yourselves up to my power!"
+
+Catnier answered him again, "We fear thee not: God is our protector.
+But believe me, and return to Ephesus: thy presence is become
+necessary there."
+
+Dakianos perceiving that he would give no further answer, returned to
+the city, and found that several of the chief of the eunuchs of his
+seraglio were murdered. Dakianos, distracted at this affront, could
+not forbear returning to the cavern, and saying to Catnier (because he
+was the only creature that answered him),
+
+"If thy God could restore me the honour that has been taken from me, I
+would endeavour----"
+
+Catnier answered him, "Go, return to Ephesus; other misfortunes attend
+thee there."
+
+These words threw Dakianos into the utmost confusion. He returned
+immediately, and found that the demon of hatred had seized upon his
+three sons, that they had drawn their sabres against each other, and
+that the angel of death was come to fetch them hence, which he did
+before his eyes. What an affliction to a father! What a disappointment
+to an ambitious mind, who depended upon giving each of them an empire
+in different parts of the world!
+
+In the midst of the sorrow with which he was surrounded, he could not
+prevent himself from returning once more to the cavern. "Wretches!"
+said he to them, "what torments ought I not to make you suffer when
+you shall fall into my hands? However, restore me my children, and I
+will forgive all that you have done against me."
+
+Catnier, who always spoke, answered him thus:
+
+"God will restore no children whom He has banished from the world to
+punish the crimes of their father. Go, return to Ephesus. Thou
+deservest to find new misfortunes there."
+
+"It is too much," cried Dakianos, retiring; and immediately, with rage
+and despair in his heart, he commanded all his troops, and all the
+inhabitants of Ephesus, to bring each of them a faggot, and see his
+orders executed. Then he caused this enormous quantity of wood to be
+piled before the cavern, in hopes of stifling those whom it enclosed;
+but the wind beat back the flames of this amazing fire against the
+army (who took to flight), and against the city. No private house,
+notwithstanding, was in the least incommoded by it; but the fire
+seized upon the palace of Dakianos, which was wholly reduced to ashes,
+and all the treasure which he had amassed with so much care vanished
+in a moment, whilst the cavern did not undergo the least alteration.
+This last prodigy engaged him to have recourse to the seven sleepers,
+and to Catnier himself, begging them to intercede for him. The little
+dog answered him thus:
+
+"It is fear, and not piety, that seems to soften the hardness of thy
+heart. Begone: thou canst not deceive Allah."
+
+Dakianos retired, confounded with this last reproach, but still more
+distracted at having humbled himself so far.
+
+In the midst of all these misfortunes which succeeded each other to
+oppress this enemy of God, the revolt, which was considerably
+augmented, demanded an example to be made, and the heart of Dakianos
+engaged him to render it of the greatest severity. To that effect he
+caused to be erected in the public square, upon the ashes of his
+palace, a throne of iron; he commanded all his Court and all his
+troops to be clothed in red,[4] and to be covered with black turbans.
+He took care to put on the same habit, with a design of murdering in
+one moment five or six hundred thousand souls, whom he resolved to
+sacrifice to the safety of his throne, to the manes of his children,
+to his lost honour, and to what affected him still more, the incessant
+remorse and horror that gnawed his heart. But before he performed this
+cruel execution, he resolved once more to visit the cavern, in hopes
+that his weapons, the usual confidence of the wicked, might intimidate
+those whom by prayers or by menaces he could obtain nothing from. When
+he arrived there, he redoubled his usual blasphemies.
+
+[Footnote 4: This colour in the East is a mark of the vengeance of
+princes.]
+
+"Tremble, thou wretch!" said Catnier then to him, without any emotion
+or so much as raising his head, which lay upon his paws.
+
+"Shall I tremble?" returned Dakianos: "Allah Himself cannot make me
+tremble."
+
+"But He can punish thee," pursued Catnier; "thou drawest near thy last
+moment."
+
+Dakianos, at that word, listening only to his resentment, took his
+arrows and his bow.
+
+"We shall see," said he, "whether I am not redoubtable--to thee at
+least."
+
+He then shot an arrow at him with the utmost strength of his arm; but
+a supernatural power made it fall at the feet of him who shot it, and
+at the same instant there sprang out of the cavern a serpent, which
+was above twenty feet in length, and whose dreadful and inflamed look
+made him tremble. Dakianos would have taken his flight; but the
+serpent soon overtook him, grasped him round the body, and dragged him
+through the whole city, that all his subjects might be witnesses of
+his terror and of his punishment. He then conveyed him to the iron
+throne which he had prepared for the scene of his vengeance. It was
+there that, being devoured by degrees, Dakianos by his dreadful
+sufferings gave a terrible example of the punishment due to
+ingratitude and impiety. The serpent afterwards returned to his cavern
+without having done the least hurt to any person, and all the
+inhabitants of Ephesus loaded it with benedictions at its departure.
+
+Several Kings succeeded Dakianos, and filled his throne during the
+time of one hundred and forty years; after which it fell into the
+power of the ancient Greeks, who enjoyed it for the space of one
+hundred and sixty-nine years longer. When the time of the repose of
+the Seven Sleepers was accomplished, that which was written happened
+unto them. One of the seven awakened at that instant; and the dawn
+beginning to appear, he raised himself up, and said within himself, "I
+seem to have slept at least twenty-four hours;" and by degrees the
+others awakened, struck with the same idea.
+
+Jemlikha, always more lively than the rest, leapt up immediately, and
+was extremely surprised to find, at the opening of the cavern, a wall
+erected of large square stones, which entirely enclosed it. He
+returned to his companions and told them the occasion of his
+astonishment. Notwithstanding this inconvenience, they agreed that
+they must absolutely send one of their number to the city to buy
+provisions; and casting their eyes upon the shepherd, Jemlikha gave
+him money, telling him that he ran no hazard by going. The shepherd
+rising to do them that service, at that moment Catnier[5] awakened,
+perfectly cured of his broken legs, and ran to caress them. The
+shepherd strove in vain to get out of the cavern, for the passage that
+Dakianos had reserved to himself was fallen down; and examining the
+wall carefully, he remarked the enormous bigness of the stones that
+composed it; and through the chinks that time had made between them,
+he saw with astonishment that part of the trees were dead, others were
+fallen, and that the water of the springs was differently placed; in
+one word, he was so confounded at the uncommon change that he
+perceived, that he returned into the cavern to inform his companions
+of this surprising event. They immediately arose and went to the
+entrance to judge of it themselves; but every fresh object redoubled
+their amazement.
+
+[Footnote 5: There are ten animals which, according to Mahommedans,
+must enter into Paradise: the whale that swallowed Jonas; the ant of
+Solomon; the ram of Ismael; the cuckoo of Belkis; the camel of the
+Prophet of God; the ass of Aazis, Queen of Saba; the calf of Abraham;
+the camel of the Prophet Saleb; the ox of Moses; and the dog that
+accompanied the Seven Sleepers.]
+
+Jemlikha then said to the shepherd, "Give me thy habit; I will go
+myself to the city and fetch what is necessary for us, and endeavour
+to find out what we cannot now comprehend."
+
+The shepherd gave him his habit, and took his in return. Jemlikha,
+with much labour, made himself a passage through the ruins of this
+thick wall, followed the road to the city, and remarked over the gate
+a standard, upon which was written, "There is no other god but the
+true God."
+
+He was astonished to find that one night had produced so great a
+change. "Is not this a vision?" said he. "Do I awake, or do I feel the
+illusions of a dream?"
+
+Whilst he made these embarrassing reflections, he saw a man come out
+of the castle, whom he approached, and asked him if this city was not
+called Ephesus. He told him that was its name.
+
+"What is the name of him who governs it?" resumed Jemlikha
+immediately.
+
+"It belongs to Encouch: he is the King of it, and has his residence in
+it," replied the man.
+
+Jemlikha, still more astonished, pursued his questions.
+
+"What do these words signify," cried he, "which are upon the
+standard?"
+
+He satisfied his curiosity by telling him that they represented the
+holy name of God.
+
+"But I apprehend," interrupted Jemlikha, with eagerness, "that
+Dakianos is the King of this city, and that he makes himself be
+worshipped here as a god."
+
+"I have never heard of any King so named," returned the inhabitant of
+the city.
+
+"What an uncommon sleep I am in!" cried Jemlikha. "Awaken me, I
+conjure you," said he to him.
+
+The man, surprised in his turn, could not forbear saying to him,
+"What! you have asked me reasonable and sensible questions, you have
+understood my answers, and can you imagine that you are asleep?"
+
+Jemlikha, ashamed of speaking to him so inadvertently, quitted him,
+saying within himself, "Most high Allah, have you deprived me of
+reason?"
+
+With this confusion of ideas, he entered into the city, which he could
+not in the least recollect: the houses, the temples, the seraglios,
+appeared under a new form to him. At length he stopped before the door
+of a baker, where he chose out several loaves, and presented his money
+for them: the baker examined it, and looking upon Jemlikha with much
+attention, he was alarmed at it, and said to him,
+
+"Why dost thou look upon me? Give me thy bread, take my money, and
+concern thyself no further."
+
+The baker answered him with the most eager curiosity, "Where hast thou
+found this money?"
+
+"What is that to thee?" resumed Jemlikha.
+
+"I don't know this money," replied the baker, "it is not the coin of
+the King that now reigns. Let me share the treasure which thou hast
+doubtless been so happy as to find, and I promise thee to be secret."
+
+Jemlikha, almost out of patience, said to him, "This money is struck
+with the image of Dakianos, the absolute lord of this country. What
+can I tell thee more?"
+
+But the baker, still prepossessed with the same idea, pursued thus:
+"Thou comest from the country: believe me, thy occupation of a
+shepherd has not rendered thee cunning enough to deceive me, nor to
+impose upon me. God has favoured thee with the discovery of a
+treasure: if thou dost not consent to share it with me, I will go this
+moment and declare it to the King; he will soon have thee arrested,
+thy riches will be seized upon, and perhaps thou mayest be put to
+death for not having declared them."
+
+Jemlikha, impatient at this discourse of the baker's, would have taken
+his bread and left him; but the baker detained him, and, their dispute
+growing hot, a mob gathered round them to listen to it. Jemlikha said
+to the baker,
+
+"I went out of the city but yesterday, I return to it this day. What
+can make thee imagine that I have found a treasure?"
+
+"Nothing is more true," returned the baker, "and I am resolved to have
+a share of it."
+
+A man belonging to the King running in at the noise, and in the
+incertitude he was in of the event, went and fetched the guards, who
+seized upon Jemlikha, and conducted him before the King, whom they
+informed of the occasion of this dispute.
+
+And the Prince said to him, "Where hast thou found those ancient coins
+they speak of?"
+
+"Sire," replied Jemlikha, "I carried them yesterday from this city;
+but in one night Ephesus has taken so different a form that I no
+longer know it: all whom I have met, all whom I see, are unknown to
+me, and yet I was born in this city, and I cannot express the
+confusion of my mind."
+
+The King said to him, "Thou seemest to have sense; thy countenance is
+agreeable, and thy manner composed: how can thy speech be so
+unreasonable? Is it to abuse me that thou feignest this distraction? I
+will absolutely know where thou hast concealed the treasure which thy
+good fortune has made thee possessor of. The fifth part by law belongs
+to me, and I consent to leave thee the remainder."
+
+"Sire," replied Jemlikha, "I have not found a treasure, but certainly
+I have lost my senses."
+
+Jemlikha durst not speak too plainly, he still fearing lest this King,
+who was unknown to him, should be one of the viziers of Dakianos, who
+might order him to be conveyed to that Prince, who perhaps was absent.
+
+Happily for him, Encouch had a Vizier of a penetrating genius, and who
+had an extensive knowledge of the precepts of the law, and of ancient
+history: that of Dakianos was not unknown to him, and by consequence
+he had some knowledge of the Seven Sleepers, who were imagined to be
+in a neighbouring cavern. The discourse of Jemlikha gave him
+suspicions; and to enlighten them, he said in a whisper to the King,
+"I am much deceived, or this young man attended upon Dakianos. God
+enlightened his mind, he quitted him, and retired into a cavern with
+five of his companions, a shepherd, and a little dog. Those seven
+persons were to appear out of this cavern after having slept three
+hundred and nine years: their awakening was to confirm the people in
+their duty, and everything induces me to believe that this young man
+is the former slave of Dakianos."
+
+Encouch, with reason, reposed much confidence in his Vizier;
+therefore, addressing himself to Jemlikha, "Relate thy adventure to us
+without disguise," said he, "or I will have thee seized this moment."
+
+Jemlikha, who knew the necessity his friends were under of his return,
+obeyed him, notwithstanding the fear he was under of seeing Dakianos,
+and finished his recital, which proved conformable to all that the
+Vizier had read in history; but what still further convinced the King
+was, that he added, "Your Majesty may be pleased to know that I have a
+house, a son, and several relations in this city, that can bear
+witness to the truth of what I have said."
+
+"Consider," said the prudent Vizier to him, "that all thou hast
+related to the King happened three hundred and nine years since."
+
+"Thou must, then, give us some other proof," resumed the King.
+
+"I make no answer out of respect," returned Jemlikha, "to all the
+difficulties that are made; but to persuade you of what I have
+advanced, there is a considerable treasure, concealed by me in the
+house that belongs to me, which none but myself has the knowledge of."
+
+The King and all his Court immediately rose to repair to this house.
+But Jemlikha, who went first, in order to conduct them, looked all
+round, and knew neither the street nor his own house.
+
+He was in this confusion, when God permitted an Angel, under the form
+of a young man, to come to his assistance, who said to him, "Servant
+of the true God, you seem to be much astonished."
+
+"How can I but be surprised?" replied Jemlikha; "this city is so
+changed in one night, that I cannot find my house, nor even the street
+in which it is situated."
+
+"Follow me," said the Angel of God; "I will conduct you thither."
+
+Jemlikha, still accompanied by the King, the Beys, and the Viziers,
+followed the Angel of God, who after some time stopped before a door
+and disappeared, saying to him, "Behold your house."
+
+Jemlikha, through his confidence in God, entered into it, and saw an
+old man, unknown to him, and who was surrounded by several young
+people. He saluted them all very politely, and said very affably to
+the old man, "This house, I believe, belongs to me; why do I find you
+here? and what business have you to do in it?"
+
+"I believe you are mistaken," replied the old man, with the same
+affability. "This house has long been in our family. My grandfather
+left it to my father, who is not yet dead, but who indeed has but one
+breath of life left."
+
+The young men would have answered, and were enraged at Jemlikha; but
+the old man said to them, "Be not angry, my children; passion is never
+necessary. He has perhaps some good reason to give us: let us hearken
+to him."
+
+He afterwards turned himself towards Jemlikha, and said to him, "How
+can this house belong to you? By what right do you pretend to it? Who
+are you?"
+
+"Ah! venerable old man," returned Jemlikha, "how can I tell you of my
+adventure? None of those to whom I have related it will give credit to
+it; I cannot myself comprehend it: judge of the situation I am in!"
+
+The old man, touched with his affliction, said to him, "Take courage,
+my child: I interest myself in your fate; my heart was moved at the
+sight of you."
+
+Jemlikha, reassured by this discourse, related to the old man all that
+had happened to him; and he had no sooner heard his story than he went
+and brought out a picture to compare it with Jemlikha. When he had
+examined him for some time, he sighed, and his trouble and concern
+increased. He kissed the picture several times, and threw himself at
+the feet of Jemlikha, prostrating his wrinkled countenance, and his
+beard, whitened by age, upon the ground. At length he cried out,
+
+"Oh, my dearest ancestor!"
+
+The torrent of tears which ran from his eyes prevented him from
+saying more. The King and his Viziers, whom this scene had rendered
+very attentive to the conversation, said then to the old man,
+
+"What! do you acknowledge him for your ancestor?"
+
+"Yes, sire," replied he: "he is the great-great-father of my father."
+
+He could not finish these words without bursting again into tears. He
+afterwards took him by the hand, and conducted him through the house.
+Jemlikha, perceiving a beam of cypress, said,
+
+"It was I who caused that beam to be placed. Under the end of it will
+be found a large stone of granite; it covers ten vases, equal to those
+that are in the King's treasury. They are filled with gold pieces of
+the coin of Dakianos, and each of those pieces weighs a hundred
+drachmas."
+
+Whilst they laboured to raise up the cypress beam, the old man
+approached Jemlikha with the greatest respect, and said to him, "My
+father is still alive, but he has very little strength left. It is he
+who has formerly related to me some of the things that you have told
+me. Come," continued he, "come and see my father, and your
+descendant."
+
+Jemlikha followed him into another apartment, and saw a very old man. They
+made him swallow a drop of milk; he opened his eyes, and could not forbear
+shedding a torrent of tears when he heard who Jemlikha was, and Jemlikha
+could not restrain his. What an astonishment to all those who saw a young
+man whose grandson's son was in that excess of decrepitude--an old man
+oppressed with years, and the children of that old man resembling by their
+tone and countenance their great-grandfather! The people at the sight of
+this miracle could not forbear admiring the greatness of the power of God.
+They examined the annals, and found that the three hundred and nine years
+were accomplished that day.
+
+When the beam of cypress was taken up, they found all that Jemlikha
+had declared. He made a present of one part of the treasure to the
+King, and gave the other to the children of his great-grandson.
+
+The King after this said to Jemlikha, "We are now convinced of the
+truth of thy history: let us go to thy companions in the cavern, and
+give them assistance."
+
+"It is the only wish I have to form," replied Jemlikha.
+
+The Prince then, caused a great quantity of provisions to be carried
+with him, and departed, accompanied with his army and all the people,
+to repair to the cavern. It appeared so dreadful that no one had
+courage to enter it. It is said, however, that the King resolved to do
+it--that he saw the companions of Jemlikha--but that it was at the
+very moment of his entering it that Jemlikha gave up the ghost, with
+the six others and the little dog. He even heard them repeat their
+acts of adoration to the Sovereign Master of the universe, and die as
+they pronounced them. Encouch caused everything to be brought that was
+necessary to pay them the last duty, and had them interred in the same
+cavern where they had slept so long. When all the people were gone out
+of it, by a particular permission of God, the entrance of the cavern
+was closed, and since that time it has been impossible for any man to
+enter it. The King commanded a column to be erected some paces from
+it, upon which he caused to be engraved the history of the Seven
+Sleepers, to make known the power of God, to inspire a horror for
+ingratitude, and to show by this example the efficacy of prayer.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+The Enchanters.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+At the death of the mighty Dabulcombar, the Lord of the East, Misnar,
+the first-born of the Sultan, ascended the throne of India; but,
+though he had scarcely arrived at the age of manhood, yet neither the
+splendour of his Court nor the flatteries of the East could steal from
+the youthful Sultan the knowledge of himself.
+
+His first royal command was to assemble together the wise men
+throughout his extensive dominions, from Cabul and Attok in the west
+to Kehoa and Thoanoa in the east. The learned and devout accordingly
+came from every part of his dominions. On an appointed day the Sultan
+ordered the illustrious assembly to meet in the divan, where, being
+placed on the throne of his forefathers, he thus opened unto them the
+desires of his heart:
+
+"O ye sources of light and fountains of knowledge!" said Misnar,
+"more precious are your counsels to me than the mines of Raalconda:
+wisdom is the true support of honour, and the Sultan is established by
+the counsel of his sages. Say, then, what course shall Misnar pursue
+that may secure him on the throne of the mighty Dabulcombar?"
+
+The sages in the divan were struck with astonishment at the
+condescension of their young Sultan, and one and all fell prostrate
+before his throne. "May wisdom," said they, "guide the footsteps of
+the illustrious Misnar! may the mind of our Sultan be as the eye of
+day!"
+
+Then arose the prophet Zeuramaund, and said, "I perceive, O mighty
+Sultan, the dark clouds of evil are gathering to disturb the hours of
+futurity; the spirits of the wicked are preparing the storm and the
+tempest against thee!"
+
+The venerable sages looked aghast as Zeuramaund uttered these ominous
+predictions; the whole council were dismayed at his words, and all
+fell again prostrate on the earth.
+
+Misnar alone appeared to be unconcerned at his predicted fate. "O my
+friends," said the youthful Sultan, "the rose cannot blossom without
+the thorn, nor life be unchequered by the frowns of fate. Grieve not,
+then, that trials await me, since the spirit of prudence and virtue
+blossoms fairest in a rugged soil."
+
+The sages arose as their royal master spake, and beheld with wonder
+the youthful countenance of their prudent Sultan.
+
+Silence and amazement for a time prevailed, till one of the sages,
+advancing before the rest, thus counselled the intrepid Prince:
+
+"O light of the earth!" said the trembling sage, "whose virtue and
+innocence have not been vexed by frauds, and deceit, whose pure mind
+seeth not the foul devices of man's heart, trust not to the fickle
+interpositions of chance, where thine own arm can work security, and
+establish a permanent foundation to thy father's throne. Thou hast a
+brother, O my Sultan, whose veins are filled with royal blood, and
+whose heart is by descent above control. Ahubal, therefore, ere his
+youth unfolds in the fulness of manhood, should be cut off."
+
+"What!" said the young Sultan Misnar, "what do thy base suspicious
+fears advise? Is there no way to build up the seat of justice and
+mercy but in murder and fratricide? Never let him who was born to
+execute judgment secure his honours by cruelty and oppression. The
+righteous Allah planted me not here to spread a poisonous shade over
+the offspring of His Prophet Mahomet: though fear and submission be a
+subject's tribute, yet is mercy the attribute of Allah, and the most
+pleasing endowment of the vicegerents of earth. But as thou, weak man,
+hast dared to advise the extirpation of one of the race of the mighty
+Dabulcombar, the vengeance of my injured brother's blood fasten upon
+thy life!"
+
+The guards of the divan, hearing the sentence of the Sultan,
+approached with their drawn sabres towards the decrepit sage; but
+Misnar, rising, cried out,
+
+"Who of my subjects shall dare to violate with blood the sanctity of
+this refuge for the oppressed? Let the divan of justice be sacred:
+nevertheless, lead that author of malice from my sight, and let his
+own blood make satisfaction for the cruelty of his desires."
+
+As he spake thus, the guards attempted to seize the sage; but when
+they advanced towards him, flames of fire burst from his mouth, and
+his whole form appeared as that of a fiery dragon. The rest of the
+sages fled from the dreadful monster; but Misnar, with an intrepid
+countenance, stood before his throne, with his drawn sabre pointing
+towards the dragon, when through the flames he perceived a hoary
+magician on the back of the monster.
+
+"Vain, O silly child of Mahomet!" said the enchanter, "were thy sabre
+against the power of my art, did not a superior force uphold thee; but
+tremble at thy doom: twice four of my race are determined against
+thee, and the throne of Dabulcombar noddeth over thy head; fear hath
+now preserved thee, and the weakness of thy heart, which the credulous
+believers of Mahomet will call prudence and moderation; but the fiend
+of darkness is let loose, and the powers of enchantment shall
+prevail." As the old magician spake thus, his fiery dragon, with
+tremendous hissings, arose, and, cleaving the dome of the divan,
+disappeared from their sight.
+
+"Thus," said the illustrious Misnar, "let the enemies of Mahomet be
+dismayed! But inform me, O ye sages, under the semblance of which of
+your brethren did that foul enchanter gain admittance here?"
+
+"As I travelled on the mountains from Queda," answered Bahilu, the
+hermit of the Faithful from Queda, "and saw neither the footsteps of
+beasts nor the flights of birds, behold, I chanced to pass through a
+cavern, in whose hollow sides I found this accursed sage, to whom I
+unfolded the invitation of the Sultan of India, and we journeyed
+together towards the divan; but ere we entered he said unto me, 'Put
+thy hand forth, and pull me toward thee into the divan, calling on the
+name of Mahomet; for the evil spirits are on me and vex me.'"
+
+After the hermit Bahilu had spoken, Mangelo arose.
+
+"May the power of the Sultan of the East be multiplied!" said he; "but
+know, O Sultan, that neither evil genius nor enchanter can enter this
+seat of justice unless he be invited in the name of Mahomet."
+
+"If it be so," answered the Sultan Misnar, "then neither can they be
+masked against the voice of justice; for Thou, O righteous Allah, wilt
+uphold the tribunal which Thou has founded upon earth, and make the
+visions of fraud to depart from him who seeketh truth. Therefore,"
+continued the Sultan, "lest this assembly be still tainted with malice
+and infidelity, I command the evil spirits to stand confessed before
+me."
+
+At his word, sulphurous smokes arose, and from the thronged assembly
+seven hideous forms broke forth.
+
+First, on a vulture's pinions, the fell enchanter Tasnar soared aloft,
+whose skin was as the parched Indian's when he writhes impaled upon
+the bloody stake.
+
+Next, on the back of an enormous scorpion, whose tail dropped deadly
+poison, Ahaback appeared, and with his eyes darted malignant flashes
+on the youthful Sultan.
+
+Happuck, a subtle magician, followed him, seated on the shoulders of a
+tiger, whose mane was shagged with snakes, and whose tail was covered
+with twining adders.
+
+Hapacuson also, that decrepit hag, who personated the righteous
+Sallasalsor, from Nechal, now stripped of the garments of hypocrisy,
+filled the eyes of the sages with terror and amazement. Her lean
+bones, wrapped round with yellow skin, appeared like the superstitious
+mummies of western Egypt. She was mounted on a dreadful monster. Its
+form was like the deadly spider, but in bulk like the elephant of the
+woods; hairs, like cobwebs, covered its long bony legs, and from
+behind, a bag of venom, of a whitish hue, spurted forth its malignant
+influence.
+
+She was followed by her malicious sister Ulin, squatting on the back
+of a hideous toad.
+
+Then, with a loud hiss, started forth, in many a fold, a black
+serpent, in length and bulk like the cedars of the forest, bearing the
+powerful enchantress Desra, whose wide-extended ears covered a head of
+iniquity.
+
+Last, with majestic horrors, the giant Kifri swelled into his full
+proportion: the long alligator that bore him groaned with his load,
+and opening all his mouths (for every scale appeared a mouth), vomited
+forth streams of blood. In his hand the giant brandished a tall pine,
+and, shaking it at the dauntless Misnar, said,
+
+"Tremble, vile reptile, at a giant's wrath! tremble at the magic
+powers of all my brethren, for thy doom is fixed!"
+
+At these words, the infernal crew joined with Kifri, and all at once
+pronounced in harsh discordant sounds, "Tremble, vile reptile, for thy
+doom is fixed!"
+
+The enchanters were then involved in a thick cloud of smoke, from
+which issued flashes of lightning, which, ascending to the roof of the
+divan, disappeared in a moment.
+
+"There is neither wisdom nor prudence," said Misnar, as he prostrated
+himself on the ground, after the enchantments were at an end, "but
+what is derived from Allah. If Thou dost vouchsafe to direct my steps,
+O Protector of Mussulmen, the fear of evil shall not come upon me."
+
+"Happy," said Candusa, the imam of Lahor, "happy is the Prince whose
+trust is in Allah, and whose wisdom cometh from the Heavens."
+
+"Happy," said all the sages, humbling themselves before the Sultan
+Misnar, "happy is our Sultan, the favourite of Allah!"
+
+"That, O sages," replied Misnar, "is too much for even the Sultan of
+the East to hear. But, may the all-righteous Allah approve of my
+thoughts and actions; so shall the infernal powers destroy the
+wretches that employ them, and the dark poisoned arrow recoil upon him
+that blew it forth. But, O sages, though your numbers are reduced,
+your integrity is more tried and approved; therefore let your Sultan
+partake of the sweetness of your counsels, and learn from aged
+experience the wisdom of the sons of earth. Say, then, what doth the
+peace and security of my throne require from me concerning my brother
+Ahubal, the issue of the mighty Dabulcombar?"
+
+"Far be it from me," said the sage Carnakan, "to presume to utter my
+words as oracles before the Prince; but may not the security of the
+East require that the Prince thy brother be not enlarged, as my Sultan
+is, to do whatsoever seemeth good in his heart? Should not the younger
+be as servant to the first-born of his father, and are not all the
+Princes the vassals of the Sultans of the East? Let, therefore, the
+Prince Ahubal enjoy the pleasure of life; but let him be removed from
+giving pain and uneasiness to my royal Sultan Misnar. At the sources
+of the springs of Ava, on the craggy rocks of Aboulfaken, is a royal
+castle built by the sage Illfakircki, to which there is no passage but
+through a narrow vale, which may be ever guarded by the slaves of
+Misnar. Hither let the Prince be sent; and let him live there, and
+enjoy life, without having any power to molest the glories of thy
+reign."
+
+The counsel of Carnakan was agreeable to the Sultan and his sages; and
+Misnar gave immediate orders, that the mutes of his seraglio should
+attend the Prince to the royal castle at Aboulfaken; and then
+dismissing, for the present, the assembled sages, he commanded them to
+attend the divan every week.
+
+In a few days, the mutes and guards who were sent with the Prince
+Ahubal being admitted into the presence of their Sultan, fell on their
+faces, and cried out,
+
+"Oh, let not the displeasure of the Sultan visit his slaves, who, in
+obedience to thy royal word, journeyed toward the castle of
+Aboulfaken, and, as they passed along through the deserts, a party of
+five thousand horse appeared, who, setting upon us, ordered us either
+to deliver up the Prince Ahubal, or defend him with our lives. Thy
+slaves would willingly have chosen the latter fate. Yet, alas! what
+were four hundred guards and twenty mutes to the army that opposed us?
+But our consultation was vain; for while we debated how to defend
+ourselves, the Prince drew his sabre, and, killing three of our
+number, cut his way through the guards to his friends. The horsemen
+then would have set upon us and hewed us in pieces; but their chief
+forbade them, saying, 'No, let them live, and be the messengers of the
+Prince's escape. Go,' continued he, 'dastard slaves! and let your
+Sultan know, that Ahubal has friends who will shortly punish him for
+his designs on the Prince.'"
+
+At these words of the guards Misnar gave a deep sigh, and said, "Human
+prudence alone is far too weak to fight against the wiles of the
+deceitful; but Allah is more powerful than man. I will therefore send
+for the prophets, and inquire of them where I may seek for the
+assistance of Mahomet."
+
+The Sultan then commanded Zeuramaund and his tribe, and Mangelo the
+prophet, from the hollow rocks of Caxol, to be brought before him; and
+when they were come into his presence, he demanded of them, where he
+might seek for the assistance of Mahomet, and the countenance of
+Allah.
+
+Then Zeuramaund answered the Sultan in these words:
+
+"In the tomb of the Prophet of Mecca is the signet of Mahomet, which
+no human power may remove; but if the Prophet will hear the prayer of
+the Sultan, it may easily be taken thence."
+
+"Yes," replied Mangelo, "the seal of Mahomet will indeed preserve the
+Prince from enchantment; but it is also necessary that he put on the
+girdle of Opakka, which is worn by the giant Kifri, the sworn enemy of
+the Eastern throne. For although the signet of Mahomet will preserve
+the Sultan from evil, yet will the girdle of Opakka only save him from
+deceit."
+
+The Sultan Misnar was moved at the discourse of his prophets, and
+spent the night in thought and perplexity. He had little hope that the
+signet of Mahomet, which had for ages remained immovable, should
+yield to him; or that, with all his numerous armies, he should be able
+to force the girdle of Opakka from the loins of an enchanter, who
+could in a moment overwhelm his troops by the power of his art.
+However, he determined the next morning to go with his Court on a
+public pilgrimage to Mecca, and to offer up the most solemn petitions
+to the Prophet of his faith.
+
+Early in the morning the Sultan arose from his seraglio, and commanded
+his courtiers to prepare the procession, as he intended immediately to
+make a public pilgrimage to Mecca.
+
+But as Misnar was making known his intentions, a messenger arrived in
+haste at the entrance of the seraglio, who brought advice that one of
+the southern kingdoms had revolted, and was led on by a skilful
+heroine, who declared her intentions of placing Ahubal, the brother of
+the Sultan, on the throne of India.
+
+Misnar was conscious that this revolt was brought about through the
+contrivances of the enchanters, and therefore despaired of conquering
+them by means of his armies; but lest the other kingdoms, seeing no
+troops were sent to repel the rebels, should also join the adverse
+party, the Sultan commanded the signal of war to sound; and sending
+for his Grand Vizier Horam in private, he ordered him to lead out the
+armies of Delhi against the rebels, and to dispatch daily messengers
+to the capital, to bring advice of his success.
+
+The Vizier Horam received the Sultan's commission with reverence, and
+said, "Let not my Sultan be angry at his slave. If my lord should
+require ten thousand messengers, his slave Horam would dispatch them.
+But if my lord will accept of this tablet, he shall know in a moment
+the success of his servant, though numberless leagues distant."
+
+"What!" said Misnar, taking the tablet from his Vizier. "By what means
+is this tablet endued with these rare virtues?"
+
+"My lord," answered Horam, "when my father, through the malice of his
+enemies, was banished from the presence of the mighty Dabulcombar--whom
+the houris of Paradise do serve--he called me to him, and said, 'O Horam,
+the evil-minded have prevailed, and thy father has fallen a sacrifice to
+the enemies of truth! No more, my son, shall I behold the children of my
+strength, nor the splendour of my Sultan's Court. Whither I go, I know
+not. But take this tablet, my son; and whatever befalleth thy parent shall
+at times be made known to thee in the leaves of this book; and to
+whomsoever thou givest it, that friend shall, after my death, read therein
+whatever Horam my son shall wish to make known unto him.'"
+
+"Faithful Horam," answered the Sultan, "your present is of such
+exquisite value, that I shall, in confidence, honour you with the
+first place in my esteem. Know, then, my faithful Vizier, that the
+powers of enchantment are let loose against my throne, and the
+prophets have said, 'Thou shalt not prevail but with the signet of
+Mahomet and the girdle of Opakka;' therefore it is expedient that I
+first go to Mecca to obtain this valuable gift of the Prophet. My
+purpose this morning was to go surrounded by the nobles of my Court;
+but while rebellion stalketh abroad, pageants are idle, and the parade
+of a Sultan's pilgrimage will give my enemies time to increase in
+their numbers and strength. No, Horam; I myself will in secret
+approach the tomb of my Prophet, for Allah requireth the service of
+the heart, and searcheth out the purity of his servants' intentions: I
+shall go with greater humility as a peasant than as a prince. In the
+meantime my royal tent shall be pitched, and Horam only shall be
+suffered to approach it. So shall my slaves imagine their Sultan goeth
+forth with them to the field, and their hearts shall be strengthened."
+
+"Be the desires of the Sultan fulfilled," said Horam, with reverence;
+"but will not my lord take with him a guard in his pilgrimage?--for
+the dangers of the journey are great over the mountains and deserts,
+and the voyage by the seas is perilous."
+
+"No," answered the Sultan; "those who are my slaves _here_, may at a
+distance become my masters, and sell me to my foes: where the trust is
+great, great is the danger also. Shall I set guards over my person in
+the heart of my kingdom amidst my faithful subjects, and trust my life
+in a slave's hand where I am neither known nor respected?"
+
+The Vizier Horam was struck with the prudence of his youthful Sultan,
+and bowed in assent to his words.
+
+In a few days the armies of India assembled; the royal tent was
+pitched, and the Vizier was declared the leader of his Sultan's
+forces. Misnar entered his tent in great state, and Horam alone
+followed the Sultan into the retirements of the movable pavilion.
+
+The Vizier had, according to the Sultan's instructions, prepared a
+disguise for his master; and at midnight led him, like a peasant,
+through the encampment into a wood, where, falling at his feet, he
+besought him to consider well the dangers he was about to encounter.
+
+"Horam," answered the Sultan, "I well know the goodness of thy heart,
+and that thy fears arise from thy love. Sensible am I that the dangers
+of my pilgrimage are great; but what resource have I left? More than
+man is risen up against me, and more than man must assist me, or I
+perish. To whom, then, can I fly, but to the Prophet of the Faithful?
+For I am well assured that no enchantment shall prevail against me
+while I journey toward Mecca, for such is the faith of all true
+believers: though they may oppress and fatigue me, yet in the end
+shall I triumph. Besides, Horam, there remains no other course for
+me."
+
+"True, my Sultan," answered the Vizier: "without Allah, vain is the
+counsel of man; but is not Allah everywhere present to aid and defend
+the sons of the Faithful?"
+
+"Though Allah be all-powerful," answered Misnar, "yet is not the slave
+of His hand to direct the Lord of all things. If we would gain the
+help and assistance of Allah, we must obey His commands; and well are
+we assured in the law of our Prophet, that at Mecca shall the prayer
+of the Faithful be heard. Wherefore, O Horam, no longer my slave, but
+my friend, lead forth my armies with confidence and trust, and doubt
+not that He, who daily refresheth the sun with light, will shortly
+restore Misnar to the throne of his forefathers."
+
+As he spake thus the Sultan broke from his Vizier, Horam, who had
+fallen at his feet weeping at his fixed resolves, and penetrated into
+the gloomy recesses of the forest.
+
+All was silence and darkness, save where, through broken fragments of
+fleeting clouds, the moon sometimes threw a feeble light on the gloom
+of the forest.
+
+"This gloomy recess," said Misnar, as he passed on, "which hides me
+from the world, makes me better known to myself. In the Court of my
+forefathers I am called the 'light of the world,' the 'glory of the
+East,' and the 'eye of day;' but in the wild forest of Tarapajan I am
+a poor helpless creature. What, then, is the pride of man but deceit,
+and the glories of the earth but shadows? Surely more had I to fear
+from enchantment on the throne of Dabulcombar than in the bosom of
+this forest. Here the wild beast will not flatter me, nor will the
+lordly lion acknowledge me the Sultan of his wild domains."
+
+With such thoughts Misnar passed on for many days; till one night, at
+a distance, he perceived the skies looked red with light from various
+fires, and, by the noise, found that some Indians were carousing in
+the woods before him.
+
+The disguised Sultan endeavoured to avoid them, striking into a path
+which led round their fires; but some of the Indians observing him,
+called to their brother peasant, and desired him to partake of their
+mirth.
+
+Misnar thought it would be vain to refuse the request, as they all
+seemed disposed to insist on their demands, and therefore hastened to
+the scene of their festivity.
+
+Here he found ten or twelve fires, with a number of males and females,
+some sitting, and some dancing around them to the sound of rustic
+music.
+
+Misnar inquired the cause of their mirth.
+
+"What!" said an ancient female, "though you are a stranger in
+Tarapajan, and know not that the Feast of Tigers is celebrated by
+these nightly fires, yet must you now learn that no stranger comes but
+to partake of our joy, nor departs till, the fires are extinct."
+
+"And how long," said Misnar, "doth this feast last?"
+
+"This," answered the old woman, "is the third night, and these fires
+must blaze yet eleven nights and days more, during which time the axe
+is not seen in the hand of the forester, nor doth the bow twang in the
+woods of Tarapajan; neither may he which seeth these rites depart till
+they be fulfilled."
+
+Misnar was thunderstruck at this relation. And ere he could answer,
+the crowd gathered round him.
+
+"Come," said he that appeared to be the chief, "let us initiate this
+stranger into our rites: bring hither the skin of the tiger, and the
+paw of the lion, and the lance, and the bow that twangs not in the
+woods of Tarapajan during these nightly festivals."
+
+Then one brought the skin of a tiger, and threw it over the shoulders
+of Misnar; another came with the paw of a lion, and hung it before
+him; a third brought a lance, and put it in Misnar's right hand; and a
+fourth slung a bow on his breast. Then all the crowd made a loud
+howling, and danced round the astonished Sultan.
+
+"Now," said the chief, when the dance was finished, "sound the hollow
+instruments of brass, which give notice to the moon and to the stars
+that this stranger is about to swear not to reveal our rites. Lay
+thine hand on thy head," said the chief to the disguised Sultan, "and
+put thy fingers on thy mouth, and say, 'As the starless night is dark,
+as the cave of death is dark, so shall my thoughts and words continue
+in darkness concerning the festival of tigers.'"
+
+"And wherefore," said Misnar, "is this silence imposed? And what shall
+befall him that sweareth not unto you? Is not the mind of man free?
+And who shall offend him who seeketh not to offend others?"
+
+"Whosoever," answered the chief, "travelleth, should become obedient
+to the customs of those people among whom he tarrieth."
+
+"Right," continued Misnar; "and I am willing, on two conditions, to
+fulfil your will: first, you shall all swear that I be at liberty to
+pursue my journey on the eleventh day; and, next, that I shall not be
+bound to perform aught contrary to the law of Mahomet."
+
+"Stranger," replied the chief, "when we are at liberty to depart, thou
+shalt depart likewise; but during this festival, which is held in
+honour of our noble ancestor, who remained fourteen days in this
+forest till he had subdued a ravenous race of tigers, no man that has
+entered here may stir hence till the fires be extinguished: for by
+the fire did our ancestor drive away and destroy the tigers and beasts
+of the forest, and by fire do we commemorate his mighty deeds.
+Neither," continued the chief, "may we reveal these rites to any one
+but those who by accident espy them; for such as are present with us
+we are bound to receive into our society; wherefore we compel those
+who come among us to keep in silence the knowledge of our rites."
+
+"If such is your custom," answered Misnar, "I shall willingly comply,
+and swear to you, that 'As the starless night is dark, as the cave of
+death is dark, so shall my words and thoughts continue in darkness
+concerning the festival of tigers.'"
+
+As he uttered these words, the whole assembly again danced around him,
+till the hollow brazen instruments were ordered to sound, and all the
+inhabitants of the forest were commanded to receive the disguised
+Sultan as their brother.
+
+Then the men, one by one, passed by Misnar, each as he passed laying
+the hand of the Sultan on his breast. After they were passed by, came
+the females also, who embraced their new brother. These Misnar
+suffered to pass on without much reflection, till, among the youngest,
+who last approached, he beheld a beautiful virgin, with downcast
+looks, drawing near him, and who seemed ashamed of that freedom the
+custom of the place obliged her to use.
+
+At sight of this lovely figure, Misnar at once forgot his purpose and
+his crown, and was impatient till the ceremony brought her near to
+him. The other females perceived his emotion; and the chief of the
+festival approaching her, asked the lovely Noradin "whether she would
+at length fix her choice? for in this place," continued the chief,
+addressing himself to Misnar, "every sex hath freedom, and none are
+compelled to take the hand they do not love. Noradin hath for these
+three days been courted by all our tribe, but she has refused every
+advance: if she refuse not you, our joy will be complete, and then
+none of our company will be without his companion."
+
+Misnar, forgetting the great designs of his heart, waited for the fair
+one's answer, and felt more fear at her silence than at this dreadful
+enchantments of his monstrous enemies. At length Noradin answered,
+"May the joy of my comrades be complete!" Misnar, in raptures at the
+fair Noradin's preference, took her by the hand, and led up the dance,
+while the instruments of brass a third time sounded, to proclaim the
+choice of Noradin.
+
+At the appearance of day, each repaired to the cottages around, and
+Misnar and Noradin were led by the chief to a spot, where shortly the
+whole assembly built them a cottage of bamboo and the leaves of the
+plantain.
+
+As soon as they retired, Noradin, taking Misnar by the hand, asked him
+whether she deserved his constant love for the choice she had made.
+Misnar reflected upon the words of his fair companion, and his heart
+recoiled at them.
+
+"What!" said the Sultan to himself, "shall I, for the gratification of
+my passion, give up the glories of my father's kingdom, and the
+viceregency of Mahomet? Or shall I basely betray that love which is
+proffered me, and embitter fair Noradin's future cup of life? No,"
+said he aloud, turning to his amiable companion, "never let the man of
+integrity deceive the heart that means to make him happy. Forgive me,
+all-beauteous Noradin! but the volumes of my fate are open, and the
+Prophet of the Faithful will not permit me to indulge here my secret
+affections: though the soul of thy slave will be torn and divided, yet
+must he depart with the expiring fires of your festival."
+
+"Base, cold, and senseless wretch!" said the false Noradin (as the
+beauteous vision vanished from the eyes of the Sultan, and he beheld
+the enchantress Ulin before him), "call not thy frozen purpose virtue,
+but the green fruits of unripened manhood. Though thou art escaped,
+puny animal as thou art! from the power of my enchantments, yet shall
+the southern kingdoms of India feel my scourge. Proceed, then,
+superstitious reptile! on thy tame pilgrimage to Mecca, while Horam
+feels the vengeance of my army in the sultry deserts of Ahajah."
+
+As she spake thus, she stretched out her wand, and the fires and the
+foresters, and the enchantress Ulin, disappeared from the sight of the
+astonished Sultan.
+
+The Sultan immediately prostrated himself on the ground, and gave
+glory to God for his wonderful escape; and, pursuing his journey,
+continued his course for two moons through the wide-extended forest of
+Tarapajan.
+
+During this time he daily examined the tablets which the Vizier Horam
+had given him; but was very uneasy at finding the leaves always fair.
+"Alas!" said he to himself, "I have trusted to a base man, who perhaps
+has taken this advantage of my credulity, and intends to set the crown
+of India on my brother's head! There needed not the powers of
+enchantment to overthrow me, since I have betrayed at once my folly
+and my cause."
+
+Misnar, therefore, resolved to travel back to Delhi, and learn the
+cause of Horam's silence; but as he neglected not to look on the
+tablets every day, he at length found the following inscription
+therein:
+
+"Horam, the faithful slave of the Sultan of the East, to Misnar, the
+lord of his heart.
+
+"Some time after I left my royal Sultan in the forest, while my heart
+was sad within me, came a hasty messenger from the outskirts of the
+rebel army, and declared their approach, and that the southern
+provinces had revolted, and were added to the opposers of the Sultan
+of the East. When thy slave was certain of this intelligence from the
+mouths of many, who hastened to the camp with these bad tidings, I
+commanded the armies of India to be increased, and a more exact
+discipline to be observed in my master's camp; and, perceiving that
+the enemy hastened to meet the forces, I shortened the march of my
+slaves, that the fatigues of the deserts might not prevail more
+against them than the face and the sword of their enemies. Moreover, I
+led thy troops through the most cultivated countries, that the
+necessaries of life might with the greater ease be procured for the
+multitudes that followed thy tent. But, alas! the presence of my lord
+is not with his people, and the army murmur that they are led by a
+Sultan who cheers not their labours by the light of his person; so
+that the hearts of thy people are withdrawn from Horam thy slave, and
+the captains of thousands demand admittance to thy tent, and accuse
+thy Vizier of evil devices against thee, my lord the Sultan."
+
+As the Sultan read this intelligence in the tablet of Horam, his heart
+failed within him, and the sight of his eyes was as a mist before him.
+
+"O Misnar! Misnar!" said he, falling to the ground, "the fiend of
+darkness is let loose upon thee! and the powers of enchantment still
+prevail!"
+
+"Yes," said Ulin the enchantress, who immediately appeared, "the
+powers of enchantment shall prevail! Misnar, the faithful servant of
+Mahomet, hath at length yielded to my power, and Allah hath given to
+my vengeance the wretch that doubts His protection. Crawl, therefore,"
+continued she, "vile reptile, on the earth, and become a toad."
+
+At the powerful voice of her enchantment, the Sultan shrank from his
+natural form and became a reptile on the earth. His change of form did
+not take from Misnar his memory or recollection: he was sensible of
+his disgrace, and of the justness of his sentence; and though he could
+not fly from himself, yet he hastened into the thicket, that he might
+hide from the light of heaven. But the calls of nature soon drove him
+from his recess, to seek his proper food in the desert. He crawled
+forth, and was led on by a scent that pleased him: his spirits seemed
+enlivened by the sweet odour, and his cold feeble limbs were endued
+with brisker motion.
+
+"Surely," said he, in his heart, "the bounteous Allah hath not left
+the meanest of His creatures without comfort and joy. The smell is as
+the smell of roses, and life and vigour are in these attractive
+paths."
+
+With these thoughts he crawled forwards into the thickest covert; and
+though his body was drawn with a secret impulse, yet his mind was
+filled with horror when he came in sight of a mangled and corrupted
+body, which lay hid among the bushes. One of his own deformed kind sat
+squatting beside it, and, like himself, seemed to desire and yet
+detest the loathsome feast.
+
+Misnar, at sight of one of his hideous kind, was filled with scorn and
+rage; and, forgetting his transformation, was about to drive him from
+the mangled body, when the reptile, opening his mouth, addressed him
+in the language of Delhi.
+
+"Whether thou art really what thy form bespeaks thee," said the
+reptile, "or, like me, the victim of enchantment, answer."
+
+The Sultan, surprised at this address, and perceiving that misery was
+not his portion alone, desired to know by what means his
+fellow-creature suffered such a wretched change.
+
+"Since I perceive by your speech," said the reptile, "that one event
+has happened to us both, I shall not be adverse to declare to you the
+cause of my transformation; but I shall expect that my confidence will
+not be misplaced, and that, after I have made you acquainted with my
+history, you will not refuse to reveal your own."
+
+"A similitude in our fates," replied Misnar, "has already made us
+brethren, and I should be unreasonable to ask a favour I meant not to
+return."
+
+"Well, then," said he, "we will depart from this wretched sight into a
+different thicket, where we may unmolested bewail our uncommon fates;
+for although the enchantress Ulin, to disgrace our former natures, and
+to make us the more sensible of our present deformity, obliges us to
+meet daily before this horrid spectacle, yet our food is of the fruits
+of the earth; for the wicked enchantress has not the power to make us,
+even in this deformed habit, do that which is contrary to our human
+nature."
+
+While he was speaking another toad came up.
+
+"Here," continued the first, "is another of our brethren, and another
+will soon be here: we were three before you came among us.--Where, O
+Princess, is the last victim of Ulin's rage?" said he to the second.
+
+"He was basking," answered the second, "in the sand; but I aroused
+him, and he is now on his way."
+
+In a few minutes the third arrived. As soon as he had beheld the
+mangled body, and, the attraction ceased, the first leading the way,
+they departed into another thicket.
+
+"Here," said the first, "O stranger, we may rest securely, and the
+serpent cannot annoy us, for we are seated under the shade of the
+fragrant cinnamon."
+
+"We are obliged to you for your care of us," said Misnar; "but I am
+eager to hear the cause of your transformation."
+
+
+THE HISTORY OF MAHOUD.
+
+
+I am (replied the toad) the son of a jeweller in Delhi, and my name is
+Mahoud. My father, after a life of industry and parsimony, finding
+himself declining, sent for me, and on his death-bed said, "O Mahoud,
+my days have been the days of care, but success hath attended them. I
+have toiled, that thou mayest reap; sown, that thou mayest gather; and
+laboured, that my son may enjoy the fruits of my industry. My peace
+and comfort have been sacrificed to thine; and now I die, assured that
+my beloved Mahoud will not be pinched by poverty or oppressed by
+penury and want."
+
+Thus said my aged father, and expired, and my tears accompanied his
+departing spirit; but these soon gave place to that ardent curiosity
+which drove me to explore the riches he had left me.
+
+I opened box after box with silent rapture, and was pleased to find
+wealth sufficient to satisfy even the appetite of youth. Many diamonds
+were among my father's wealth, besides large quantities of gold and
+silver; so that, in my youthful judgment, there appeared no end to my
+riches.
+
+It was not wonderful that, being so suddenly put in possession of
+these riches, I should seek every pleasure and diversion which wealth
+could purchase. All who were the companions of my childhood, all who
+would court an inexperienced heart, were admitted to my table; and the
+strict laws of Mahomet were less regarded at my house than the rich
+wines which sparkled at my feasts. Nor were the charms of the fair
+forgotten; and while our goblets were filled with wine, we envied not
+the deceased their rivers of milk.
+
+Thus passed I my life among those who jest with religion, and make
+their mock at the rules of prudence and sobriety. But the time soon
+came when my hours of revelry were to be changed for those of sorrow,
+and when I was first to learn that a father's prudence will not secure
+a wicked son from the shafts of bitterness and grief.
+
+My possessions, though ample, were nearly exhausted by ignorance and
+extortion; my jewels were gone; unacquainted with their value, I had
+flung them away rather than sold them; my silver and gold were become
+the property of my friends, who, when I applied to them in return,
+were much more assiduous, if possible, in keeping it from me than I
+had been in squandering it on them. So that, in a little while, even
+the merchants, who had been such gainers by me, came to demand some
+trifling sums that I had borrowed from them, which being unable to
+pay, they seized my furniture and stripped me of my clothes to satisfy
+their demands.
+
+In this situation I was turned out of my own doors by those whom I had
+received a thousand times in my arms, and spurned at like a dog by
+those whom I had pressed to my bosom.
+
+Stung by reflecting on my former follies, and ignorant where to fly
+for shelter, I covered myself with some few rags that had been cast to
+me, and sat down before the house of a rich young man, who, like
+myself, seemed to be squandering his wealth on the scum of the earth.
+
+Bennaskar--for that was his name--soon came forth, with his minstrels
+and singers at his heels, and, seeing a miserable figure before his
+door, he asked what I wanted. I told him that once, like himself, I
+gave life to the dance and mirth to my friends; but that want of
+caution had been the cause of my ruin, and too much confidence in
+those who least deserved my favour.
+
+Several of his friends, hearing this, would have driven me from his
+presence, saying it was unfit such a wretch should even enjoy the
+blessings of the air; but Bennaskar would not suffer it, and asked me,
+"Whether the insincerity of my friends had taught me to be sincere to
+others?"
+
+I answered that I had ever been sincere, even to those who were
+undeserving, and that I would rather die than betray my friend.
+
+"If what you say is true," said Bennaskar, "I will try you. Go in, and
+my servants shall clothe you, and you shall live with me. I only ask
+in return, that you never disclose to any one what you hear or see
+transacted in my house."
+
+"Sir," answered I, "your offer is gracious, and bespeaks your generous
+intentions; but I do not choose to live on another's bounty unless I
+can make myself useful."
+
+"That," answered Bennaskar, "you may do if I find I can trust you. I
+have long been in search of one I could trust. I want such an one, but
+cannot find him."
+
+The friends of Bennaskar then surrounded their lord, and each
+confusedly offered their services to him.
+
+"No," said the young man, "though I appear unthoughtful in your eyes,
+O, servile race of flatterers! yet know, to your confusion, that I
+have tried you all, and find you trifling and insincere. This man
+alone refuses my proffered love unless he can return it, and this man
+alone is worthy of my esteem."
+
+The friends of Bennaskar were thunderstruck at his words, and renewed
+their protestations; but he commanded his servants to drive them from
+his house, and, taking me by the hand, he led me into an inner but
+sumptuous apartment.
+
+As soon as we entered, I prostrated myself at his feet, and said, "Let
+not my lord be angry with his servant, but thou hast not told me what
+service thou wilt expect from me."
+
+"All that I require," answered Bennaskar, "is that you disclose not to
+any one what you hear or see transacted in my house."
+
+"My lord," answered I, "of what service can I be to you by such a
+compliance? If I am silent thy slaves may speak, and I shall be blamed
+for their insincerity. I pray thee, let me return to my rags, and set
+me not in a place where thy vassals will be tempted to ruin me in thy
+favour."
+
+"Your answer," said Bennaskar, "is the answer of a prudent man. But
+fear not: I cannot do without you, and I hope you will not refuse my
+proffered love. What you will see, none will see besides you;
+therefore none but yourself will be unfaithful to me."
+
+On this assurance, I accepted the offer of Bennaskar. After which the
+slaves led me to the bath, where I washed, and was perfumed, and
+arrayed in a vestment of my lord's.
+
+Bennaskar was impatient to see me; and, as I was led into his
+presence, the young man hastened to meet me, and, folding me in his
+arms, he said, "May I at length meet a friend I call trust?"
+
+And I answered, "May Mahoud be the friend of thy bosom?"
+
+Bennaskar then led me into another apartment, and meats were set
+before us, and he ordered the females that danced to come and
+entertain us.
+
+Thus I spent my time with the agreeable Bennaskar: every day we varied
+our enjoyments, and were mutually satisfied with each other.
+
+I had now been with my friend eighteen days, and nothing had occurred
+to interrupt our friendship, when, on the nineteenth morning,
+Bennaskar appeared with a clouded visage.
+
+"What," said I, "my lord, is the cause of your grief? Shall not Mahoud
+share alike with you the smiles and the frowns of Allah?"
+
+"Is it not," asked Bennaskar, "O Mahoud, the full of the moon?"
+
+"It is," replied I, with a smile; "but doth Bennaskar intend to change
+with that fluctuating planet?"
+
+"O Mahoud," said Bennaskar, "the fate of thy friend is dependent on
+the caprice of the stars. To-night must I put thy utmost friendship to
+the trial. If Mahoud prove insincere, then is Bennaskar cursed among
+men. If thy heart is not firm, now, while there is time, depart. But
+why should I doubt thee? surely Mahoud is of the sons of the Faithful.
+What must I say? Leave me, Mahoud, leave me; nay, if thou departest,
+where shall I find thy fellow? and the presence of a friend is
+necessary to my quiet."
+
+"Then," answered I, "fear not, Bennaskar: Mahoud may be unhappy, but
+he cannot be unjust. But what is this dreadful trial that obliges
+Bennaskar to suspect his friend?"
+
+"True," said Bennaskar, "Mahoud is undeserving of suspicion. Let us
+wait till the sun sink from the skies, and the stars return with their
+glimmering light."
+
+Bennaskar then proceeded to the bath, and arrayed himself in a costly
+robe, and desired me to do the same. I obeyed my friend, and we met in
+the saloon together.
+
+"Alas!" said Bennaskar, as we met, "how can I request my friend to
+wear the image of deformity?"
+
+"What image of deformity," said I, "must Mahoud wear? All appearances
+are to Mahoud alike; and the severer the trial, the more shall I
+commend thy friendship."
+
+"Then," said Bennaskar, pulling out a pot of black ointment, "thou
+must suffer me to disguise thy face with this ointment: to-night thou
+must personate a black slave."
+
+"Is such a trifle," said I, "the test of friendship? Give me the
+ointment, and furnish me with the habit of a slave."
+
+"The habit," answered Bennaskar, "is ready, and all is ready; but you
+must not as yet disguise yourself, lest my slaves observe us. Come,
+let us for the present enjoy ourselves, and, when night approaches,
+Bennaskar will rely on the friendship of Mahoud."
+
+The slaves then brought us the costly viands of Delhi; but Bennaskar
+remained pensive, and seemed not to relish the dainties before him.
+
+I endeavoured all I could to divert his melancholy; I smiled, I sang
+before him; the dancers were introduced with music to dissipate his
+gloom; but Bennaskar still remained mute. The music continued till
+night, when Bennaskar commanded the slaves to withdraw, and, taking a
+lamp in his hand, led me through several apartments.
+
+"Mahoud," said he, as we went along, "has never yet seen the wonders
+of my palace."
+
+"I am happy, my lord," answered I, "to see your wealth; but I am not
+inquisitive to explore, unbidden, the secrets of another."
+
+We had now arrived at a small vaulted room, from the centre of which
+hung a lamp, which Bennaskar trimmed, putting out the one he held in
+his hand.
+
+"Now," said he, "Mahoud, enter that closet which is opposite to us,
+and put on the slave's dress which you will find there, and anoint thy
+face and hands with this black ointment."
+
+I immediately obeyed, and in a short time came forth arrayed as a
+slave.
+
+"Kind Mahoud," said Bennaskar, "thou art excellently disguised; now
+obey with silence, and stand as a mute before his lord."
+
+I folded my arms and nodded assent, at which he smiled.
+
+"Take hold, Mahoud," said he, "of that iron ring which is fastened to
+the middle of the floor, and pull."
+
+I obeyed, and a little trap-door opened. On looking down, I perceived
+a woman in rich vestments, half buried in the earth. I shuddered at
+the sight, and was falling backward, when Bennaskar struck me with a
+chabouc,[6] which he drew from his bosom, and said, "Villain, if thou
+fail me, I shall use thee as my slave."
+
+[Footnote 6: A large whip.]
+
+Although enraged at the blow, yet I remembered my promise, and
+returned to the trap-door.
+
+"Slave," said Bennaskar, "dig that female out of the ground: the spade
+and the mattock are hidden under the floor."
+
+I immediately jumped down, found the tools, and began to work; but
+neither my fear nor my labour could prevent me from fixing my eyes on
+the lovely female, who seemed as one dead.
+
+As soon as I had removed the earth from her, which I did with great
+care, Bennaskar commanded me to lift the body into the apartment, gave
+me a phial of clear blue liquor, and ordered me to pour it into her
+mouth, while he retired to the closet.
+
+I willingly obeyed, and hastened to administer the liquid, while
+Bennaskar retired.
+
+The liquor was no sooner swallowed than the lovely female began to
+move, and in a short time opening her eyes, she cast them upon me, and
+shrieked out, clapping her hands together and crying, "O Allah, defend
+me!"
+
+Bennaskar at the same time spoke to her from the closet where he was
+concealed.
+
+"Hemjunah," said he, "are you as yet disposed to yield yourself to the
+will of Bennaskar, or must we still experience the evils of opposite
+enchantment?"
+
+"Wretch!" answered the fair stranger, "I fear not the powers of your
+accursed magic, for Macoma has assured me that you shall not be able
+to harm me except with my own consent; and Mahomet, though for a time
+he permits this enchantment, will at length assuredly deliver me."
+
+"Then," answered Bennaskar, "must the lash be inflicted. Here,"
+continued he, "slave Mahoud, inflict fifty lashes on that obdurate
+female."
+
+I took the chabouc from Bennaskar, and began, with trembling, my cruel
+office, lamenting my own blind compliance in promising to obey a
+monster whom I had mistaken for a friend.
+
+As the lash touched the beautiful Hemjunah, she made the vaulted roof
+re-echo with her cries; nor did my heart feel less sensibly the
+strokes which I gave than her own. The tears trickled down my cheeks,
+and I prayed inwardly to be delivered from the hateful task.
+
+"What," said Bennaskar from the closet, "what doth Hemjunah now say to
+my desires?"
+
+"The hard-hearted and the cruel," said Hemjunah, faintly, "are the
+last to win the soft affections of a female heart: rather let me die
+than be the property of the vile Bennaskar."
+
+"If so," said he, coming from the closet, "die: for the present I
+resign my power. Let Macoma hide thee again in the dust of the earth."
+
+Bennaskar no sooner appeared than the beautiful Hemjunah again seemed
+to die away, and immediately a hissing noise was heard, and an ugly
+dwarf arose from the trap-door, and took the body of Hemjunah and
+replaced it in the earth, and the trap-door was closed with a roaring
+noise.
+
+Bennaskar then beckoned me to follow him, and leading me to the bath,
+bade me wash and return to the saloon in my proper vestments.
+
+I was so surprised at these horrors that I hardly knew what I did.
+However, in the bath I had time to recollect myself; but recollection
+was of little service, for reflection rather increased than cleared my
+confusion. One moment I resolved to apply to the Cadi, and declare
+every circumstance of the terrible adventure. The next I was awed by
+the thoughts of my rash and imprudent vows of secrecy.
+
+"Bennaskar," said I, "has for a month appeared as an angel before me;
+but one base action has deformed all his former purity. How can I
+reconcile these inconsistencies? Can he, who is the tenderest, the
+best of friends, be also the vilest and most cruel of mankind? I have
+been accessory to the torture of a most beautiful female--one, too,
+who called on the perfect Allah to deliver her. I have been the
+instrument of a mean revenge on a helpless woman, and now I yet delay
+to inform the Cadi of the villanies of this house of enchantment."
+
+I resolved immediately to repair to the Cadi, and give him full
+information of the sorceries of Bennaskar. I hastened out of the bath,
+threw my vestments over me, and advanced to the door.
+
+"But," said I, as I went along, "what am I about to do? I shall
+forfeit my faith without serving the distressed. Bennaskar expects me
+in the saloon, and when he finds that I am gone forth, he will, by the
+power of his art, secrete the beautiful female from the eyes of the
+Cadi. I have been the guest of Bennaskar a month, and never, till this
+day, did I perceive the rooms through which I was led to that
+detestable act of cruelty: nay, Bennaskar himself was obliged to wait:
+he was impatient till the full of the moon, and oppressed with sorrow
+and care when it arose. I will, therefore, for the present, return to
+Bennaskar, and will put on the face of cheerfulness, and make my
+countenance to shine before him."
+
+Bennaskar met me on my return. "Whence cometh Mahoud?" said he.
+
+"I am," answered I, "just risen from the bath, and I come to meet my
+friend Bennaskar."
+
+"Mahoud," answered Bennaskar, "art thou faithful, and wilt thou ever
+remain faithful to thy friend?"
+
+These words embarrassed me, and, not daring to answer otherwise, I
+said, "Why doth my lord doubt the sincerity of my heart?"
+
+"Mahoud, then," returned he, "is faithful?"
+
+"He is," answered I, but with an unwilling heart.
+
+"I doubt not," continued Bennaskar, "that my friend is amazed at the
+scene he lately beheld. But ask no explanations: let thy mouth be ever
+closed to seek or reveal."
+
+"Then," answered I, "you doubt the faithfulness of Mahoud; else why
+may not I know the meaning of the wonders I have seen?"
+
+"The age of thy friendship," said Bennaskar, "is a month, and wouldst
+thou be admitted in so short a time to all the secrets of my heart?
+Forbear, rash youth. A well-tried friend is Bennaskar's joy; but woes
+and death are in the paths of his enemies."
+
+As he said this, he frowned and left me, and I retired to my
+apartment, irresolute in mind. As I entered my chamber, I perceived a
+small book open on a desk before the burning lamps. I went up to it,
+and found it was the Koran of our holy law. Being little desirous of
+sleep, I sat down; and as I read, methought I saw the name of Mahoud
+in the book.
+
+Startled at the vision, I looked again, and read distinctly these
+words:
+
+"Mahoud! Mahoud! Mahoud! there is much good in the world, but there is
+more evil; the good is the gift of Allah, but the evil is the choice
+of His creatures. Because of man's sin, and because of the darkness of
+his heart, do the evil genii and the enchantments of wickedness
+prevail. Even now is Mahoud in the house of a magician, to whom he is
+imprudently bound by the ties of honour: to draw back is meanness; but
+to persist is sin. When men act wrong, they subject themselves to the
+power of a wicked race; and we who are the guardians of mortality
+cannot interpose but in proportion to their remorse. Taken by the
+crafty dissimulation of Bennaskar, thy easy soul gave in to his
+snares, and thy prudence was decoyed by the voice of his mouth. Thou
+hast promised, at all events, not to reveal the secrets of his house,
+and thou hast, unknowingly, joined thyself in the fellowship of the
+wicked. But can man, who is bound to the service of Allah by an
+unalterable law, dispose of himself against the will of his Maker? or
+can the worm of the earth, the property of Heaven, set up itself
+against the hand that formed it? Had Mahoud engaged to conceal
+everything but what the law of Mahomet obliged him to reveal, he had
+behaved wisely; but he who walketh in darkness will undoubtedly fall
+into the pit. Past errors cannot be recalled; and Mahoud must learn
+the wisdom of experience. Under the resemblance of the Koran, behold,
+the genius Macoma instructs thine heart. I perceive evil will attend
+thee, if thou dost attempt the enlargement of the Princess of
+Cassimir; and yet, without it, thou must still continue the servant of
+cruelty and oppression. Choose, therefore, for yourself: if injured
+innocence can move thee, boldly suffer in the cause of truth, and take
+this book in thy bosom, which shall at all times admit thee to a sight
+of the Princess; if not, be still the slave of the enemy of thy
+Prophet."
+
+After this, I looked again on the book, but found I could read no
+more; however, I hesitated not to engage in the service of the
+Princess; and therefore, taking the book in my bosom, and the lamp in
+my hand, I went toward the saloon, supposing that Bennaskar was
+asleep. I searched for the rooms through which I had passed before,
+and soon perceived the vaulted apartment at the end of them.
+
+I hastened to take up the trap-door, and touching the Princess
+Hemjunah with the book, essayed to deliver her from her miserable
+confinement. The Princess awoke at the touch of the book; but, at the
+sight of me, shrieked aloud, and I feared her cries would awaken
+Bennaskar. I assured her that I was sent by the genius Macoma to
+effect her deliverance, and that I abhorred every kind of cruelty
+which I had practised upon her.
+
+"Alas!" said she, still shrieking at intervals, "your story betrays
+your wickedness. I never before saw you, unless you are, as I suspect,
+the magician Bennaskar under some feigned appearance; but rest
+assured, vile man! that no deceit or cruelty shall ever make me the
+creature of Bennaskar. I will ever persist in my hatred of you; and I
+am assured that you cannot injure or destroy me."
+
+"Most gracious Princess Hemjunah!" said I, prostrating myself before
+her, "let me beseech you to hear me: I am not Bennaskar, nor a
+creature of Bennaskar's, but the servant of the genius Macoma, who has
+instructed me, by means of this holy book (which I then pulled out),
+to attempt your rescue, and I am willing to lay down my life for your
+safety. You have not indeed seen me in my present character, but this
+very night was I brought hither by Bennaskar, under the similitude of
+a slave, and forced, through a most accursed oath, to inflict the
+severest tortures on the most delicate of her sex."
+
+"Wretch!" said the Princess, "I am now convinced of thy perfidy,
+allowing thine own account to be true; for what promise could bind
+thee to a cruel action? and why not rather be thyself a sufferer than
+make an innocent virgin the subject of thy cruelties? But if thou art
+truly the servant of Macoma, and ashamed of thy late inhuman deeds,
+quit the house of the vile Bennaskar, and inform the Cadi of his
+cruelties and sorceries."
+
+"Rather," said I, "let me dig around you, and release you from this
+miserable confinement."
+
+"That," said the Princess, "you cannot do, unless you are indeed, as I
+suspect, the wretch Bennaskar; for by his command alone can I be
+released. Oh, fool that I was," continued she, with tears, "to listen
+for a moment to the falsehood of man!"
+
+"If my information," said I, "O lovely Hemjunah, will avail, this
+moment will I fly to the Cadi, and acquaint him with your distress."
+
+I then hastened to go; but oh, imagine my terror and amazement when I
+saw Bennaskar moving through the apartments which led to the vaulted
+chamber!
+
+As he advanced, Hemjunah shrieked, and I was ready to sink: though my
+intentions were just and good, yet was I terrified by his appearance,
+so much was I sunk by the rash promise which I had made; and I every
+moment expected the dreadful effects of his powerful malice.
+
+As Bennaskar entered the vaulted chamber, I shrank back with fear, and
+dared not lift up my eyes; but my terror was soon quieted, when I saw
+him fall prostrate at my feet. I then no longer doubted that the
+genius Macoma supported me, and attributed his behaviour to her
+supernatural power.
+
+"O Mahoud," said Bennaskar, "the friend of my bosom, the partner of my
+secrets; although the power of love has not the rule in thine heart,
+yet pity those who are the slaves of its dominion; if the lovely
+Princess of Cassimir did but know the purity of my heart, the----"
+
+"Hear not the villain," said Hemjunah, "O servant of Macoma, unless he
+release me from this detested place: me he hath already deceived; and
+you will be subjected likewise to his power, unless the prudent spirit
+of Macoma direct thee."
+
+"Then," said Bennaskar, rising up, and laying bare his bosom, "here,
+Mahoud, strike, and end my miseries, and the miseries of Hemjunah; but
+never will Bennaskar consent to lose the treasure of his heart."
+
+"I will not," answered I, "lift up my private arm against thy life,
+but I shall deliver thee to the power of the Cadi, who is the deputy
+of the great Allah's vicegerent."
+
+"Give me, then," said the Princess of Cassimir, "the book of the
+genius Macoma, that I may be defended from the insults and
+contrivances of the base Bennaskar."
+
+The request of the Princess appeared to be so reasonable, that I
+obeyed her, and put the book into her hands.
+
+Bennaskar, when I was leaving the vaulted chamber, besought me not to
+destroy the friend who had supported me; but I told him that Allah was
+to be obeyed rather than man.
+
+I hastened to the Cadi; but as it was night, his officers told me I
+could not be heard, till I informed them that I had in my power a
+wicked magician, who, by sorceries, had stolen the Princess of
+Cassimir. When they heard this, they acquainted the Cadi; and that
+vigilant magistrate arose, and followed me to the house of Bennaskar
+with his guard.
+
+As I entered the house, I was amazed to see him standing in the
+entrance with a lamp in his hand; but my astonishment increased when I
+saw him fall down before the Cadi, and confess his guilt.
+
+The Cadi commanded the guards to seize him, and then ordered him to
+lead us to the place where he had concealed the Princess of Cassimir.
+Bennaskar obeyed; but as he went through the apartments, he said to
+me, "Mahoud, you are sensible that the Princess Hemjunah's body is
+half buried in the earth, and uncovered; therefore prevail upon the
+Cadi that he suffer us to go before and release her: for my part, my
+sins oppress me, and I wish to restore to her dignity a much-injured
+Princess."
+
+"If," said I, "you will promise to release the Princess, I will
+endeavour to prevail on the Cadi to permit what you propose; but,
+otherwise, let the whole world be a witness of your wicked malice."
+
+"O my friend," said Bennaskar, "accuse me not, my own heart persecutes
+me sufficiently. Yes, Mahoud," continued he, "I will, as you require
+me, release the Princess, and trust to the mercy of the Cadi; for the
+service of the evil genii will neither bring me profit nor peace."
+
+I was pleased at this repentance of Bennaskar, and besought the Cadi
+that he would suffer us to enter the vaulted chamber first, and
+recover the Princess from her enchantment. The Cadi acquiesced in my
+proposal, but ordered the guards to surround the entrance, while
+Bennaskar and myself entered the chamber.
+
+As soon as we entered, Bennaskar seized me suddenly by the throat,
+and, before I could speak or recollect myself, he dragged me into the
+closet and shut the door after us.
+
+"Now," said he, "villain! receive the just rewards of a perjured
+heart." Saying this, he spat in my face, and threw me on the ground,
+and then flew out of the closet, shutting the door forcibly after him.
+
+I remained for some moments stupefied by my fall; but after a time
+arose, and opening the closet, I was surprised to see neither the
+Princess of Cassimir nor the magician Bennaskar.
+
+While I was in this confusion, the Cadi and his guards, being
+impatient at our stay, entered the chamber, and the Cadi commanded his
+guards to seize me, saying, "Villain! where is the Princess of
+Cassimir, and the man who revealed thy unrighteous actions?"
+
+At this I began to answer, when I perceived that my voice was as the
+voice of Bennaskar. I immediately looked on my clothes, and found them
+changed. In short, I doubted not that my malicious foe had transformed
+me into his own appearance.
+
+I fell at the feet of the Cadi, and besought him for one moment to
+hear me. I acquainted him with every circumstance of my adventures,
+from my entrance into the house of Bennaskar to the present moment.
+But he and his guards laughed at my tale, and commanded me to deliver
+up my friend and the Princess of Cassimir. In vain did I call Allah to
+witness the truth of my story; the Cadi was enraged at my persisting
+in the tale, and ordered his guards to give me a hundred strokes with
+the chabouc.
+
+To add to my misfortune, Bennaskar appeared at one end of the room;
+and when I cried out and pointed to him, the Cadi, who saw him not,
+thinking that I meant to mock him, ordered me another hundred lashes
+with the chabouc.
+
+Vexed with myself, and subdued by the pain, I fell on the ground, and
+my guards were ordered to carry me to the prison, where I was loaded
+with chains, and thrown into a deep dungeon.
+
+The next morning I was brought out again before the Cadi, and carried
+into the hall of justice. The Cadi there passed sentence upon me, that
+I should be burnt alive the next day unless I delivered up Mahoud and
+the Princess of Cassimir.
+
+Finding it vain to repeat my declarations that I was the real Mahoud,
+and that I suffered through the vile enchantments of Bennaskar, I
+remained silent; but this was construed into surliness, and I was
+ordered five hundred bastinadoes to make me speak.
+
+The Cadi then commanded me to be carried back to the dungeon, and
+ordered a large pile of wood to be raised in the market-place, whereon
+I was to be burnt the next morning, before all the people.
+
+I spent the night in the utmost horror, and earnestly wished that the
+sun might never more behold my sorrows. But the darkness passed away
+as usual, and I beheld the dreadful morning dawn. A tumultuous crowd
+had collected before the door of the dungeon to see me pass to
+execution, and as I was dragged along, the common people nearly
+overwhelmed me with stones.
+
+As I advanced to the pile, I perceived the Cadi and his officers were
+seated before it. He commanded me to be brought again before him ere I
+was bound to the pile.
+
+"Art thou," said he, "wretched magician, willing to bring forth the
+Princess, or thy friend, who are concealed by thy wicked arts, or must
+the sentence of our law be executed upon thee?"
+
+"O judge," said I, "since my tale will not gain credit with thee, at
+least let me know by whose accusation it is that I am brought before
+thee, and who it is that accuses me of magic or sorcery. Am not I
+Bennaskar, the wealthy merchant of Delhi? and where are my accusers?
+Who dare say aught against my fame? You came into my house by night,
+you seized my person, you inflicted on me the punishment of a slave;
+you cast me into a dungeon, and condemned me to the flames; and all
+this without the appearance of a single witness against me: wherefore,
+O Cadi, I appeal unto the righteous Sultan of the East, and I hope my
+fellow-citizens will not suffer me to be executed while no proofs of
+guilt are brought against me."
+
+"Young man," answered the Cadi, "your appeal is unnecessary, for I am
+not desirous of destroying my fellow-creatures without a cause. Your
+plea were just and proper, did not your own confession contradict your
+present assertion. Yesterday you declared that you were not Bennaskar,
+and to-day you say you are; wherefore out of your own lips I have
+convicted you of falsehood; whereas, had you really been Bennaskar the
+merchant, and not a magician, there had been no need of two different
+accounts of yourself."
+
+The people, hearing this distinction of the Cadi, applauded their
+judge; and one and all cried out that I was a magician, and deserved
+the flames.
+
+The guards were then ordered to bind me on the pile, and I was led up
+and fixed to a post by the chains which had been fastened on my body
+the day before; and now, amidst the acclamations of the mob, was the
+pile kindled, and the smoke and the flame surrounded the unfortunate
+Mahoud.
+
+In a moment the crowd and the heavens disappeared from my sight, and I
+found myself in the body of a toad, at the bottom of the pile. I
+hopped forward out of the flames, and with difficulty hid myself
+beneath a stone in the street.
+
+The crowd, having waited till the pile was consumed, carried the ashes
+out of the city, and scattered them in the air. I remained till night
+beneath the stone.
+
+It was my intention, as soon as it was dark, to creep out of the city
+into the woods; but sleep overtook me at the time when animals retire
+to their rest, and when I awoke in the morning I found myself in this
+forest, where I remained during the space of a moon alone, till I met
+with these two miserable companions of my solitude.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"Your adventures, O Mahoud," said the Sultan of India, "are wonderful,
+and an excellent lesson of caution and prudence to us who are joined
+in one common fate; and since I perceive both your misfortunes and my
+own have been brought about by our want of trust and prudence, I
+shall, with the utmost resignation, acknowledge that the all-perfect
+Allah is ever willing to assist those who are not wanting to
+themselves.
+
+"But, O Mahoud, suffer me, ere I declare my own grief, to ask what has
+become of the lovely Hemjunah, the Princess of Cassimir? and wonder
+not at my solicitude, for the mention of her name brings to my memory
+ideas of the past. How was it possible that lovely being should be
+betrayed into the powers of those wicked enchanters? But why should I
+be surprised at her weakness, who am myself the object of their
+malice? Surely," continued the Sultan, "this our companion, whom you
+called Princess, cannot be the daughter of Zebenezer, the Sultan of
+Cassimir?"
+
+"You are right, indeed, in your conjectures," answered Mahoud; "the
+Princess of Cassimir is a fellow-sufferer with us, and he who is on my
+right hand is Horam, the favourite of Misnar, the Lord of Delhi."
+
+"What!" said Misnar, transported, and yet at the same time recoiling
+with surprise, "is my faithful Horam also the unfortunate partner of
+my griefs?"
+
+Misnar then, turning to the Princess of Cassimir, said, "O Princess,
+whom a severe enchantment has deprived of the most exquisite of
+forms, to load thee with the most wretched, permit me to request an
+account of your unfortunate labours since you left the Court of your
+father Zebenezer; that at least I may indulge my wishes for your
+recovery, though my arm is too weak to work either my own or your
+deliverance."
+
+"Most illustrious Sultan," answered the Princess, "I shall obey your
+commands, although the remembrance of my misfortune is grievous, and
+the confession of my indiscretion must fill me with shame."
+
+"It is enough, O Princess," said the Sultan, "to confess our faults to
+Heaven; and he is the weakest of the sons of earth who takes a
+pleasure in hearing of the failings of others."
+
+"O Sultan," replied Hemjunah, "your politeness cannot extenuate,
+though it may gloss over, my imprudence; and by delaying to unfold my
+little history to you, my crime may seem more black while hidden than
+when it shall be revealed."
+
+As the Princess uttered these words, a dervish, worn with age and
+bowed down by infirmity, appeared among the thickets of the forest.
+
+Horam immediately recollected the features of the good old saint, and
+said, "My royal master, yonder is Shemshelnar, the most pious
+worshipper of Allah among all the sons of Asia."
+
+"I do not remember his features," answered Misnar: "came he not to the
+council of our divan?"
+
+"No, my royal lord," said Horam, "the infirmities of age were upon
+him."
+
+By this time Shemshelnar had reached the place where the transformed
+company were seated; and, falling prostrate before Misnar, he said,
+"Wonder not, O Prince of India, that Shemshelnar, thy slave, doth thus
+acknowledge his Prince, though deformed by the enchantments of the
+wicked. I knew the evils that surrounded thee; and although I was
+unable to attend thy council, yet I prayed in secret to Him who
+bestoweth at the noonday, that He would avert from my royal master the
+misfortunes which threatened to overpower him. Allah heard my prayer
+as I lay prostrate in my cell; and the genius Bahoudi appearing,
+commanded me to seek thee in the forest of Tarapajan, whither thy
+wayward fortune should lead thee. 'O genius,' replied I, 'how shall
+age and infirmity comply with thy commands?'
+
+"'Go,' said Bahoudi, touching me with his finger, 'for strength is
+given thee from above. The enchantress Ulin hath transformed thy
+Prince into the most hideous reptile of the earth. But wonder not at
+the deformity of his appearance, nor at the malice of her who has
+overpowered him; for such is the fate of those who are most exalted in
+their virtues, that their enemies, whenever an opportunity is afforded
+to them, will strive to render them most odious. Thy Prince, before
+thou canst arrive in the forest, will be surrounded by three others in
+equal affliction: it is permitted thee to rescue the Sultan of India;
+but the rest must wear the chains of the enchantress till Ulin is no
+more.'
+
+"But ere I restore thee, O Sultan of my heart," continued Shemshelnar,
+"such are the words which the genius hath commanded me to utter before
+thee:
+
+"Religion, O Misnar, is the first and the greatest duty of life, and
+the service of Allah the sweetest offering of a grateful heart. But He
+who appointed the ceremonies and services of piety and devotion hath
+also given to all their respective stations in the warfare of life.
+How, then, shall we pay honour to Allah, if we neglect and desert the
+peculiar duties of that post wherein Allah hath placed us? The signet
+of Mahomet, O Prince, of which Mangelo the prophet did prophesy, is it
+not that seal which the Faithful bear on their frontlets, when they
+obey the voice of reason and religion? and the girdle of Opakka, with
+which Kifri, the enchanter, is endued, what is it but foresight and
+prudence, the best allies of the Sultans of the earth? To save his
+people my Prince has deserted them, and given away what he sought to
+keep. When Allah placed thee on the throne of India, He thence
+expected to hear thy petitions; but, as faults which proceed from
+goodness, though uninstructed, are beheld with Heaven's piteous eye,
+therefore arise, O Sultan," said Shemshelnar, and touched him, "rise
+from the filth of the earth, and again assume the glories with which
+Allah hath endued thee. And know, that such is His care over thee,
+that He hath curbed the hands of thine enemies, and bids thee go
+forth against them, assured of this, that they shall not be able by
+their enchantments to foresee thy designs, nor to overpower thee by
+the help of their magical deceits, unless thou yield to their snares.
+Be prudent and vigilant, and fear them not. Only this is permitted
+against thee,--if thou canst not overpower and destroy them unawares,
+they may use their art to conceal their escape, and avoid thy arm;
+therefore be bold and quick, and yet cautious and discerning, lest,
+when force avails not, they employ fraud to destroy thee."
+
+As Shemshelnar finished these words, Misnar arose in his natural form;
+but, ere he spake to the holy dervish who had released him, he fell
+prostrate, and adored the goodness of Allah, who had thus rescued him
+from the power of Ulin. Then, rising, he took Shemshelnar by the hand,
+and thanked him for his release and advice.
+
+"Thou hast done right, O Misnar," said the dervish, "to give the
+greatest honour to Allah, for to Him alone belongs all honour."
+
+"And may I not hope," continued the Sultan, "that it will please Him
+to release these my fellow-sufferers also?"
+
+"Misnar alone can release them," answered the dervish. "Let Ulin
+perish, and these unfortunate persons shall be restored to thee and
+themselves; but in the meantime they must learn to bear their
+misfortunes with patience, and offer their prayers for thy safety. The
+road to Delhi is through this desert forest, and to the left is
+situated the palace of Ulin. She is already aware of thy
+re-transformation, and is studying to deceive thee a second time; but
+beware, O Misnar! for if she prevail, death and destruction await
+thee."
+
+Misnar, having received the instructions of the dervish, took leave of
+his companions, assuring them he was desirous of meeting the crafty
+Ulin as soon as possible, that he might either give up all pretensions
+to his kingdom, or deliver his subjects and his friends from the hands
+of the enchantress.
+
+The Sultan of the Indies, having left the dervish and his friends,
+advanced into the forest, chewing some leaves which Shemshelnar had
+given him to support him till he should arrive at his palace. He had
+not advanced more than two days' journey in the forest before he heard
+the violent shrieks of a distressed woman, and at a distance saw four
+ruffians stripping a lady, and beating her inhumanly.
+
+Misnar was enraged at what he saw, and, flying to the lady's
+assistance, he bade the ruffians defend themselves. They chose not to
+encounter the arm of Misnar, but, leaving the lady, fled; and the
+Prince, stepping up to her, desired to know by what accident she had
+fallen thus alone into the hands of the robbers.
+
+"O noble sir!" said the lady in tears--"for I perceive by your mien I
+speak to no common friend--it was my fate to be beloved by the
+handsomest of the sons of the Faithful. I lived in Delhi, the daughter
+of an Emir; and Hazar, the captain of a thousand in the army of
+Misnar, the Sultan of the East, was my admirer; but, alas! his love
+has proved my destruction. The second son of the great Dabulcombar,
+assisted by Ulin the enchantress, aspired to his brother's throne; and
+the soldiers, who loved the hazardous chance of war, deserted
+frequently from Misnar our Sultan: among the rest Hazar, in spite of
+my utmost endeavours, revolted with his thousand men."
+
+"'There is no preferment,' said he, 'in the peaceful reign of Misnar;
+I will follow the fortunes of his brother, whose throne must be gained
+and supported by arms.' In vain I remonstrated, and urged both love
+and duty. 'My love,' said Hazar, 'is still unalterable: thou wilt soon
+see me return the favourite of the new monarch, and it will then be in
+my power to raise thee to higher dignities than those which thy father
+now possesses.'
+
+"Hazar then left me by night, and soon I heard that he had joined the
+rebel army; but, O generous stranger! what was my grief when I
+understood that Ulin, the detestable enchantress, was stricken with
+his appearance, and had deceived him! I set out without delay for the
+camp, and, studying to avoid the army of Misnar, travelled through
+this wood with four slaves.
+
+"Being now arrived at the farther side, I struck into the thickest
+part of the forest, and, losing sight of my attendants, I wandered
+about for some time till morning, when on a sudden I heard several
+voices among the trees. In an instant four ruffians surrounded me,
+and, had not your powerful arm interposed, I should have suffered the
+vilest of deaths."
+
+Misnar endeavoured to comfort the afflicted stranger, and asked her
+whether she thought it possible for any man to enter the palace of
+Ulin undiscovered.
+
+"O Sultan," said she, "let me prevail upon you to follow me, and I
+will ensure your success."
+
+Misnar besought her to walk before, and show him the path which led to
+the palace.
+
+"We will reach it by night," said the stranger, "when the darkness
+shall protect thee."
+
+The beautiful stranger then went forward, and Misnar followed after.
+Ere they had proceeded twenty paces, Misnar said,
+
+"It will be proper, O fair stranger, to draw my scimitar, lest we be
+set upon suddenly by the robbers."
+
+"You are right," answered the fair stranger, "and your precaution is
+just."
+
+The Sultan Misnar, having drawn his sabre, followed close behind the
+beautiful stranger, and suddenly with a blow smote her on the
+shoulders, and felled her to the ground.
+
+She had no sooner fallen, than her countenance changed, and discovered
+to Misnar the features of the malicious enchantress Ulin, who, though
+nearly spent and exhausted by the blow, yet lived to utter the
+following imprecations:
+
+"May the curse of our sex light upon thee, thou traitor to manhood!
+since neither the charms nor the afflictions of the fair have been
+able to soften thine heart. Thou hast, indeed, avoided my snares, by
+doing violence to the noblest of passions, and by trampling on the
+most sacred laws of humanity and hospitality. Idiot that I was to
+trust myself to thee, though guarded by the strongest appearances of
+innocence and distress! The injured and the helpless can find no
+protection in thy government, though thou boastest thyself the
+delegate of Allah and the friend of the oppressed; and I, trusting to
+thy specious virtues, have fallen a sacrifice to thy deceitful
+heart."
+
+Her iniquitous spirit then fled from the body of Ulin, and the Sultan
+left her mangled and deformed corpse a prey to the beasts of the
+forest.
+
+He travelled for several days backward, hoping to find the former
+companions of his misery, and at last came to the place which he had
+left, but could see no signs of them; wherefore, concluding that their
+enchantment was broken by the death of Ulin, the Sultan returned
+towards Delhi, subsisting on the leaves which the dervish had given
+him, and on the fruits of the earth, and in twelve days' time arrived
+at a small town in his own dominions. Here he lodged at a poor
+cottage, where he found an old woman and her son, and inquired whether
+she could procure him any horses or mules to carry him the next
+morning to Delhi.
+
+"Alas!" answered the old woman, "we have no cattle with us; the army
+has stripped us of all."
+
+"What!" answered Misnar, "has the rebel army been foraging so near
+Delhi?"
+
+"Alack!" said the old woman, "I think all armies are rebels, for my
+part. Indeed, the soldiers told us that they were the Sultan's army,
+and that they were sent to guard us from the rebels; but in the
+meantime they took our cattle and provision, and paid us nothing for
+them; and still, every time they came, they called themselves our
+guardians and friends. If this is all the friendship great men can
+show us, we poor people should be best pleased to live as far from
+them as we can."
+
+Although Misnar smiled at the poor woman's speech, yet, lifting up his
+eyes and hands secretly to heaven, as she went out for sticks to
+kindle a fire to dress his provisions, he said, "O just and merciful
+Allah, preserve me from the avarice of ambition! that, while the rich
+and the proud advise me to delight in blood, I may ever remember the
+severities which the poor must suffer; and that I may rather rejoice
+to relieve one oppressed slave, than to enrich ten thousand flattering
+Emirs of my Court!"
+
+As soon as the old woman entered again into her house, the disguised
+Sultan advised her and her neighbours to join in a petition, and
+present it to the Sultan in his divan.
+
+"A petition!" answered the old woman, "and for what?"
+
+"To relieve your distresses," said Misnar.
+
+"Alas! who is to relieve our distresses but Allah?" said the woman.
+
+"Your Sultan, the servant of Allah, will relieve them," replied
+Misnar.
+
+"What!" answered the old woman; "can he restore to these arms my
+dutiful first-born, who has been so long the joy of my aged heart, but
+was lately torn from me to fill up the armies of the Sultan? Can he
+call back the brave men he has caused to be destroyed, and give life
+and spirits and joy again to the widows and orphans of India? If he
+can, oh! let him hasten to relieve the afflicted hearts of his
+subjects, and become as a god upon earth!"
+
+The Sultan was astonished at the words and the gestures of the poor
+old woman, and deeply stricken by her observations.
+
+"How seldom," said he to himself, "do the rich feel the distresses of
+the poor! and in the midst of conquest and acclamation, who regardeth
+the tears and afflictions of those who have lost their friends in the
+public service?"
+
+The Sultan Misnar rested that night in the cottage of the old woman;
+and the next morning he arose, and was conducted by her younger son to
+a town half a day's journey farther. Here he supplied himself with
+mules, and in one day more reached the city of Delhi.
+
+The Sultan entered a caravanserai, where he found several merchants.
+He asked them how they dared venture to trade, when the armies of the
+rebels were spread over the face of India.
+
+"As to that," answered the first merchant, "we have lived here some
+time, in expectation that one party or the other would prevail. It
+little matters to us which, provided trade be encouraged. As to the
+Sultan's party, there was not, till within these few days, any hope of
+their success. The young man himself had retired from his throne,
+being fearful of encountering his enemies; and the captains of the
+army had destroyed the Prime Vizier Horam."
+
+"And what," interrupted Misnar, "is the cause of this change in favour
+of the Sultan?"
+
+"Ten days since," answered the merchant, "contrary to every one's
+belief, as we all thought him dead, the Vizier Horam appeared at the
+head of the army, and assured the officers that his lord Misnar was
+living, and had destroyed the enchantress Ulin, who espoused the cause
+of his brother Ahubal; that, in consequence of Ulin's death, Ahubal
+had fled, and his army had been dispersed; and that he expected his
+royal master would shortly appear among them."
+
+The Sultan rejoiced at this news, and without delay hastened to the
+palace of his Vizier.
+
+The slaves of Horam, seeing the disguised Sultan, asked him his
+business.
+
+"I come," replied Misnar, "to communicate to thy lord tidings of our
+Sultan."
+
+At this word, the slaves of Horam conducted Misnar to their master's
+presence; and Horam no sooner saw his master in the disguise with
+which he had furnished him, than he fell at the Sultan's feet, and
+congratulated him on his safe return.
+
+"My faithful Horam," said Misnar, "arise. The day is not yet so far
+spent but that my Court may be assembled. Give orders, Horam, that the
+army be drawn up, and let thy slaves proceed to the palace, and bring
+the imperial robes. My people require my presence, and Misnar yearns
+to see the supporters of his throne."
+
+Horam arose, and the Sultan, embracing him, said, "Horam, I am
+desirous of hearing the particulars of thy fate; but public advantage
+must not yield to private friendship."
+
+The faithful Horam then hastened to call together the Princes and the
+Viziers of the Court of Delhi, and gave orders that the army should be
+drawn up in the royal square before the divan.
+
+The Sultan Misnar, being arrayed in his imperial robes, delayed not to
+show himself to his people; and no sooner did he appear, than his
+subjects cried out, "Long live the Sultan of our hearts, who alone was
+able to conquer the powers of enchantment!"
+
+The Sultan was overjoyed to find that his people received him with
+gladness, and commanded money to be thrown among the populace, and
+double subsistence to be dealt out to his army. The viziers and
+officers of justice being assembled in the divan, waited the arrival
+of their Sultan; and Misnar, having ascended the throne, commanded
+Horam to deliver to him a faithful account of his enemies.
+
+Horam the Vizier then arose from his seat, and assured his Sultan that
+the rebel army was dispersed, and that Ahubal had fled with a few
+friends to the shores of the Indian Ocean.
+
+The Sultan, on this report, commanded his army to be stationed at
+suitable intervals, about a day's journey round the city of Delhi,
+that their numbers should be reduced, and that peace should be
+proclaimed the next day in the city.
+
+No sooner were the Viziers dismissed from the divan, than Misnar,
+retiring into his palace, sent for his faithful Vizier Horam, and
+desired him to give him a true relation of what had happened to him
+since his departure from the army.
+
+"Royal sir," answered Horam, "you were no sooner departed than I began
+to inspect the order and discipline of your troops; to look into the
+methods of providing for the army; and to appoint proper officers, who
+should take care that the soldiers had sufficient and wholesome
+provision--that their tents were good--that the situations of the
+different battalions were in healthy places, near springs and rivers,
+but on dry soils, and as far as possible removed from swampy fens or
+the stagnated air of the forests.
+
+"During this time little occurred of which I could inform my lord, as
+I meant not to trouble you with my own concerns, lest it should seem
+that I was proud of the trifling dispositions which I had made in
+favour of the army.
+
+"The rebels in the meantime were quiet, and their distance only
+prevented me from destroying them; but, on a sudden, a messenger
+arrived with tidings that all the southern provinces had revolted;
+that the enchantress Ulin was with them, and conducted their forces;
+that Ahubal was declared Sultan of India by her; and that she was
+determined to support his cause. Upon this I took such precautions as,
+doubtless, my Sultan must have read in the tablets; but my precautions
+seemed vain, for the next night we were on a sudden terrified with a
+second alarm, that the rebels were within half a day's march of our
+camp, which I thought, considering their former distance, must be the
+effect of enchantment.
+
+"This threw our officers into the greatest consternation, who,
+collecting themselves in a body, came rushing towards the royal tent,
+and demanded a sight of the Sultan, and declared their resolution of
+revolting to the enemy unless you headed the troops.
+
+"I was writing despatches in the royal tent when I heard their tumult,
+and my heart fled as they approached; but as they stopped for some
+time to fix upon one for their speaker, I had just time to slip on a
+slave's habit, and cut my way through the hinder part of the tent.
+
+"I ran as swiftly as my feet could carry me out of the encampment; and
+being stopped by several sentinels, I told them I was dispatched by
+the Vizier, and showed them my own signet.
+
+"But I was no sooner clear of the army than I repented of my folly.
+'What have I done?' said I to myself. 'I have deserted my post, and
+ruined the interests of my lord: better had I died at the head of my
+Sultan's troops, or fallen a sacrifice to their rage, than thus
+ingloriously to perish! Besides, I may have been terrified without
+just cause: the rebel army may not be so near. I ought to have stayed
+in the tent, and endeavoured to pacify the officers of the army.'
+
+"And now I was in doubt whether to return, or, as I had penetrated
+thus far, whether it would not be most prudent to take a near survey
+of the rebel army. I resolved upon the last, and cautiously travelled
+towards the place where the spies said they were encamped.
+
+"I arrived at the spot described, but saw neither sentinels nor
+encampment. Amazed at this, I proceeded onwards during that and the
+next day, but no army was to be seen, nor anything indicating their
+approach.
+
+"'Alas!' said I to myself, 'how little worthy wert thou of the
+confidence of thy lord! And yet, better is this mistake than the
+certainty of the rebels' approach, which could not have been effected
+without the power of enchantment.'
+
+"Ere it was too late, I resolved to return, hoping that I should
+pacify the troops by assuring them that I had in person been a witness
+to the untruth of the last alarm.
+
+"But, alas! when I essayed to return, I found my feet fixed to the
+ground: in a moment the earth trembled, and Ulin the enchantress arose
+on the back of an enormous reptile.
+
+"'Wise and gracious Vizier,' said she, in an insulting tone, 'I admire
+your prudence and discretion! and although Mahomet and his faithful
+crew of genii may not permit us to overpower you or your prudent
+master while you resist our temptation, yet there is little to be
+feared from their interposition while you become such easy dupes to
+our artifices. The army which I led against thy wretched Sultan is not
+less than forty days' march hence, and is embarrassed by the mountains
+and the forests; and yet the credulous Vizier abandoned his charge on
+the most improbable alarm, and fled into the arms of one who well
+knows how to reward his prudence and address. Become, therefore, O
+silly Vizier, a loathsome toad; and I shall in a moment transport thee
+into the forest of Tarapajan, whither several of thy wise brethren are
+gone before thee.'
+
+"As she spake thus, the enchantress breathed on me with her
+pestiferous breath, and, falling to the ground, I crawled like a toad
+before her. Ulin then waved her hand, and sleep overpowered me. When I
+awoke I found myself between the merchant of Delhi and the Princess of
+Cassimir, who, like me, had felt the vengeance of Ulin the
+enchantress.
+
+"It was some consolation to us that our speech was not taken from us,
+but that we were able to communicate to each other our misfortunes.
+
+"Mahoud first inquired of me the adventures of my life, and I had just
+finished them the day before you, O Sultan! appeared among us. While
+Mahoud was relating his history, your voice struck my ears, and I
+feared to ask whether my lord was in equal affliction with his slave."
+
+"Did you not, then," said Misnar, "hear the adventures of Hemjunah,
+the Princess of Cassimir?"
+
+"I did not, my Sultan," answered Horam. "Hemjunah was about to relate
+her adventures when you appeared; and after Shemshelnar, the dervish,
+had released you, she desired to reserve them till such time as we
+should meet hereafter in our natural forms.
+
+"Two days after you left us with Shemshelnar, who endeavoured to
+alleviate our afflictions, on a sudden we perceived a vivid flash of
+lightning, which was succeeded by a violent clap of thunder, and while
+we were all looking at each other, the wood instantly vanished, and I
+found myself in my palace at Delhi. What became of Mahoud, or the
+Princess of Cassimir, I know not; but I was sensible that my Prince
+had conquered the enchantress, who had laid such hateful chains upon
+us.
+
+"I hastened to the divan of Viziers and Emirs, who were astonished at
+my presence. They were met in order to appoint a Sultan, having just
+heard from the army that both their Sultan and his Vizier had fled
+from the encampments. A friend of Ahubal's had proposed that Prince to
+succeed my royal master, and orders were given to proclaim him when I
+arrived in the divan.
+
+"Being acquainted with the resolutions of the Viziers and Emirs, I
+proclaimed aloud that my royal master Misnar was alive, and that he
+had destroyed the enchantress Ulin, who had espoused the cause of
+Ahubal.
+
+"At this declaration, the Viziers and Emirs prostrated themselves, and
+gave thanks to Allah; and the trumpets and the cornets went through
+the streets of Delhi, and proclaimed my arrival and the victory of
+Misnar their Sultan over the enchantress Ulin.
+
+"I dispatched orders, before the divan broke up, to the army, with
+advice of your success, and commanded a part to march for the city of
+Delhi, leaving only a sufficient number of troops to observe the
+motions of the enemy if they should again unite; for I knew that
+Ulin's destruction would cause a dispersion of their army.
+
+"Having settled the affairs of my master, to complete my joy, tidings
+were brought me of his approach, and Horam is again blessed with the
+sight of his Sultan."
+
+The Vizier Horam, having finished his relation, bowed himself before
+the Sultan, and said, "Shall thy slave give orders that an ambassador
+be sent to the Sultan of Cassimir to inquire after the fate of the
+Princess Hemjunah?"
+
+"Horam," answered the Sultan, "while war stalks thus boldly through
+our dominions, it were vain to assume a state that we may in a moment
+be deprived of. No, Horam, let us wait for more prosperous times."
+
+Early in the morning several messengers arrived with the news of the
+death of Ulin and the revolt of ten provinces from Ahubal, and soon
+after the provinces sent deputies to excuse their rebellion, and to
+beseech the Sultan to pardon their offences. Misnar yielded to their
+prayers, but ordered some of the most faithful of his troops to march
+into their borders and encamp among them.
+
+The Sultan then redressed the grievances which his soldiers had
+committed as far as he was able, and, by a just and equal law, obliged
+every division to furnish such a number of troops; for, although no
+clouds were then seen to interrupt his reign, yet Misnar was assured
+that, through the wiles of his enemies the enchanters, he should
+shortly be called upon to exercise his prudence.
+
+Nor were his fears unjust. Ahubal, though deserted by the provinces,
+was yet espoused by the magician Happuck, who, hearing of the defeat
+of his sister Ulin, was resolved to revenge the cause of that detested
+race.
+
+It was not long before the Sultan heard that the magician Happuck was
+encouraging the provinces who had followed Ulin to revolt again from
+their Sultan; but the fear of Misnar's troops overawed them; so that
+whatever might be their real inclinations, they refused the offers and
+entreaties of Happuck.
+
+The Sultan, more effectually to secure their obedience, increased the
+number of his forces in the provinces, and preserved the chain of
+communication from them quite through his extensive dominions.
+
+The magician, finding the Sultan's forces so well disposed, and that
+no encouragement could prevail on the southern provinces to revolt,
+abandoned his design of succeeding by the force of arms, and flew to
+the weapons of craft and dissimulation.
+
+Though Happuck had now been employed nearly a year in raising
+commotions among the subjects of India, two provinces only owned the
+government of Ahubal: the rest continued firm in their loyalty to the
+Sultan Misnar.
+
+These provinces had raised a light army of about forty thousand men,
+who, by forced marches, harassed the neighbouring provinces around
+them.
+
+Of these, three thousand horsemen parted suddenly from the rest, and,
+by following unfrequented tracks over the mountains and through the
+forests, arrived at length within two days' march of Delhi.
+
+Here, pitching their tents, they sent several of their chief officers
+to Delhi, to assure the Sultan that they were greatly afflicted at
+their crimes, and were desirous of laying down their rebellious arms
+at his feet.
+
+Horam the Vizier received these suppliants, and representing their
+contrition to the Sultan, he commanded them to join the main army; at
+the same time sending dispatches to his general to dismount them from
+their horses, and to encamp them in such a situation that they might
+not be able either to escape or to annoy his army if they should be
+disposed to revolt again.
+
+The magician Happuck, who was among the officers that appeared at
+Delhi, and who had contrived the revolt in order to get into the
+presence of the Sultan, was greatly chagrined to find that the Vizier
+Horam received him, and that he was not to be admitted into Misnar's
+presence; but, concealing his disappointment, he, with the rest,
+joined the three thousand horsemen, and marched to the grand army of
+Misnar.
+
+Once a year the whole army was reviewed by the Sultan in person, and
+it happened that the disguised magician and his troops of horsemen
+arrived at the army three days before this general review. The
+magician rejoiced at this fortunate event.
+
+"Ibrac," said he to the officer who commanded his troop, "fortune has
+now given me an opportunity of revenging the death of my sister Ulin.
+This disguise of an officer is not sufficient: I will descend to the
+lowest station, where I shall be less suspected, and as the Sultan
+Misnar passes between the ranks where I am situated, I will draw my
+bow, and pierce him to the heart. Having done this, I shall render
+myself invisible, and do you, in the general consternation, proclaim
+Ahubal the Sultan of India."
+
+"Most powerful magician," answered Ibrac, "what need is there of this
+deceit? Since you are able to render yourself invisible, why cannot
+you enter the Sultan's palace unseen, and stab him to the heart?"
+
+"Faithful Ibrac," answered the magician, "you know not the powers
+which support this boy-like urchin. The genius Bahoudi, at whose name
+our race trembles, is his guardian, and prevents my approach; and it
+is written in the volumes of fate that no enchantment shall prevail
+against Misnar unless he first allow our crafty race to deceive him.
+Otherwise, Ibrac, dost thou suppose that so many of my brethren,
+before whom the mountains tremble and the ocean boils, should need to
+league against a boy? No, Ibrac; Misnar were beneath our vengeance or
+our art, did not Mahomet espouse him, and his mean vassals, the good
+genii of mankind! The conquest of this boy, while thus supported,
+would add strength to our cause."
+
+Ibrac then furnished the magician with the clothing of one of the
+common soldiers; and he was mustered with the rest of the troops.
+
+Early in the morning on which Misnar was to review his men, the Sultan
+arose, and bade his slaves, who waited in the pavilion, call his
+Vizier Horam to him.
+
+"Horam," said the Sultan, "I suspect the crafty magician Happuck: he
+is doubtless here disguised in our camp, and if I expose myself
+to-day, it may be in his power to destroy me, and set the crown of
+India on my brother's head."
+
+"Let my Sultan, then," said Horam, "proclaim a reward to him who
+discovers the magician, even to the holding of the second place in
+your empire."
+
+"That contrivance would have little effect," said the Sultan. "Happuck
+would elude our search, and, transforming himself into some reptile,
+escape our vengeance, and then meditate some new device to deceive
+us. No, Horam," continued Misnar, "if he be really with us, it were
+folly to let him escape."
+
+"But how will my lord discover him amidst three hundred thousand
+troops?" answered the Vizier. "There is no officer in your army who
+knows the fiftieth part of your soldiers; and where recruits are daily
+coming in, to search for a particular person, without giving the alarm
+so that Happuck might escape, would be impossible."
+
+"In how many ranks," said the Sultan, "is the army to be disposed?"
+
+"The plain," answered the Vizier, "on which they are to be reviewed
+will contain three thousand in a row."
+
+"Bring me, then, two hundred of the most expert archers in my army,"
+said the Sultan, "and take them from those troops who are the farthest
+from the deserters who lately joined the army."
+
+The Vizier did as the Sultan commanded, and brought the archers before
+the royal pavilion.
+
+"Go now, Horam," said the Sultan, "and order all the troops to be
+drawn out on the plain."
+
+"They are almost assembled already," said Horam.
+
+"Then," replied the Sultan, "take these archers, and place one at each
+extremity of the ranks, an archer on the right of each rank; but,
+before you station them thus, give them the following orders: 'Be
+ready with your bows drawn, and your arrows fixed to the bow-string,
+and, whenever the word of command is given for all the army to fall
+prostrate, let your arrows fly at the man who is last to obey the word
+of command.'"
+
+The troops being all drawn forth in their ranks, and the archers
+disposed according to the Sultan's orders, Misnar came forth, attended
+by his eunuchs, Viziers, Emirs, and guards. The loud clarion sounded,
+the notes of the trumpets were heard, and the brazen cymbals shook the
+air.
+
+The magician, who was impatient to perpetrate the malicious purposes
+of his heart, was elated at the warlike sound, and beheld the Sultan's
+retinue at a distance with such joy as the eagle views the flocks of
+sheep on the plains of Homah.
+
+The Sultan, having arrived at the front of his army, which he knew was
+composed of his most faithful troops, commanded silence throughout the
+plain.
+
+"My brave soldiers," said he, "although neither care nor resolution
+has been wanting on your parts to extirpate the rebellion of my
+provinces, yet to Allah only belong the glory and the honour of your
+arms; wherefore let immediate orders be issued forth among my troops,
+that all do together fall prostrate on the ground before the
+all-seeing Allah, the Governor of the world and the Disposer of
+kingdoms and crowns."
+
+As this order went forth through the ranks, the soldiers at once fell
+prostrate before Allah, all but the magician Happuck, who was
+surprised and astonished at the order, and irresolute what to do. But
+little time was given him to think; for no sooner were his
+fellow-soldiers fallen prostrate on each side of him, than the arrows
+of the archers pierced his heart.
+
+The magician, finding himself overpowered, and that the messengers of
+death had seized him, raised his voice aloud, and, with what little
+strength was left, cursed both Allah and His Prophet; but the stream
+of life flowed swiftly from him, and his curses grew fainter and
+fainter, till they were lost in death.
+
+Those who were acquainted with the designs of Happuck, perceiving that
+the magician was dead and their plot discovered, began to fly; and
+first Ibrac essayed to head his discarded troops; but they, not being
+used to march on foot, soon fell into confusion, and, the forces of
+the Sultan surrounding them, they were quickly destroyed.
+
+The Sultan Misnar saw, by the confusion of his army in the centre,
+that the discovery was made, and sent Horam, with some chosen troops,
+to inquire into the cause of their disorder.
+
+The Vizier had no sooner arrived than he perceived several soldiers
+bringing along the body of the magician Happuck, which appeared
+undisguised after death.
+
+"Bid the two archers," said the Vizier, "who destroyed the monster
+come forward."
+
+When the archers came, Horam applauded their skill and their
+obedience, and advised them to take the body between them, and carry
+it before the Sultan.
+
+The archers obeyed, and, the ranks opening as they passed, they soon
+arrived at the feet of Misnar.
+
+The Sultan, seeing his enemy thus destroyed, ordered the two archers
+ten purses, containing each one hundred pieces of gold; and to every
+other archer one purse containing one hundred pieces of gold. To him
+who brought the head of Ibrac also he gave five purses of like value;
+and then again issued his commands that the whole army should fall
+prostrate and adore the mercy of Allah, who had so soon delivered into
+their hands the chief of their enemies.
+
+In the meantime, two only of the troops of Ibrac and Happuck escaped;
+and, returning to Ahubal, they acquainted him with their defeat.
+
+Ahubal fled at the news, and hid himself in the mountains; for he
+feared lest his soldiers should betray him, and deliver him up to his
+brother.
+
+But Ollomand, the enchanter, who first counselled the Sultan of India
+to secure his throne by spilling the innocent blood of his brother,
+now resolved to revenge the common cause. He therefore directed the
+steps of Ahubal toward a cave in the mountains, where, fatigued with
+flight and fearful of pursuit, the royal rebel arrived in the heat of
+the day.
+
+The cave was, for the most part, surrounded by steep mountains, at a
+great distance from any track or path, and was situated at the
+entrance of a long valley which led among the mountains.
+
+Ahubal, having slept and refreshed himself in the cave, pursued his
+journey through the valley, till he found his path stopped by
+inaccessible rocks, on the top of which he perceived a magnificent
+castle, whose walls reflected the rays of the sun like burnished gold.
+
+The brother of Misnar fixed his eye for some time on that part of the
+castle which was shaded by the rest, for the front was too dazzling to
+behold, and, in a few moments, he perceived a small wicket open, and a
+dwarf come forth.
+
+Ahubal soon lost sight of the dwarf behind the rocks; but he resolved
+to wait there to see whether he could find any passage into the
+valley.
+
+The dwarf, after being hid for some time, appeared again about the
+middle of the rocks, and by his course appeared to descend in a spiral
+path around the mountain.
+
+When the dwarf had reached the bottom he advanced to Ahubal, and,
+presenting him with a clue, he told him that, if he threw it before
+him, and followed it, the clue would unravel itself, and discover to
+him the path which led up the rocks to the castle of Ollomand, his
+master.
+
+Ahubal, having heard from Ulin and Happuck that Ollomand was his
+friend, took the clue out of the hand of the dwarf, and threw it
+before him.
+
+As the clue rolled onward until it touched the rocks, Ahubal
+discovered a regular ascent, which, winding round, brought him by
+degrees to the castle on the summit of the mountain.
+
+The enchanter Ollomand received Ahubal at the entrance of the castle,
+which was guarded by four dragons, and led him through a large court
+into a spacious hall, the walls of which were lined with human bones
+that had been whitened in the sun.
+
+"Favourite of the race of the powerful," said Ollomand, "see here the
+bones of those who have lifted up their arms against thee; and I will
+add to their number till this castle be filled."
+
+"Alas," answered Ahubal, "Ulin is no more, and the vultures are
+preying on the vitals of Happuck! Ten provinces have deserted my
+cause, and the coffers of my army are exhausted!"
+
+"Happuck," answered Ollomand, "despised the assistance of riches and
+trusted to deceit, and therefore failed. The provinces dared not
+revolt while the armies of Misnar overawed them; but I will replenish
+thy coffers, and Ollomand will tempt the leaders of the Sultan's
+troops to join the cause of Ahubal. In this castle are riches and arms
+sufficient to equip all the inhabitants of Asia; and when these are
+exhausted, we will apply to Pharesanen, Hapacuson, and all the
+chieftains of our race: and fear not, Ahubal; for, by my art, I read
+that Misnar the Sultan shall fly before the face of his enemies."
+
+Ahubal was encouraged by the words of Ollomand; and the enchanter,
+having opened his design to the Prince, invited him to behold the
+riches of his castle.
+
+Passing through the hall of bones, they descended into a square court,
+much more spacious than the former, in the middle of which appeared a
+deep and dark pit. This court contained four hundred massive gates of
+brass, and each gate was supported by nine enormous hinges of the same
+metal.
+
+As Ollomand the enchanter entered this court, with the Prince Ahubal
+in his hand, he lifted up his voice, which echoed like thunder amidst
+the lofty turrets of the castle, and commanded his slaves to expose to
+the sight of Ahubal the treasures of their master.
+
+The Prince Ahubal, who had seen no creature but the dwarf and the
+enchanter in the castle, wondered whence the slaves would come; but
+his wonder was shortly turned into fear when he beheld a gigantic
+black, with a club of ebony forty feet in length, arise out of the pit
+which was in the centre of the court.
+
+But his horrors were increased when he perceived a succession of the
+same gigantic monsters following one another out of the pit, and
+advancing to the four hundred brazen gates, till every gate had a
+slave standing before it.
+
+When Ollomand saw his slaves were all prepared before the gates, he
+bade them strike with their clubs of ebony against them.
+
+The black slaves, in obedience to the enchanter's orders, lifted up
+their ponderous clubs of ebony, and struck against the four hundred
+gates, which jarred so much with the blows of the slaves that Ahubal
+was forced to stop his ears, and was ready to sink into the earth with
+astonishment and dread.
+
+As soon as the black slaves of Ollomand had struck the four hundred
+gates of brass, the gates began to move, and the harsh creaking of the
+hinges sent forth a noise which alone had chilled the hearts of all
+the armies of Misnar, could they have heard them.
+
+Ahubal then, lifting up his head, looked around the court, and saw the
+four hundred gates were opened. In those to the right were millions of
+wedges of gold and silver, piled beneath craggy arches of huge
+unchiselled stone. Opposite to these he beheld a hundred vaulted
+roofs, under which were sacks and bags of the gold and silver coin of
+many nations.
+
+Before him another hundred gates exposed to his view the arms and
+warlike accoutrements of ten thousand nations, and all the instruments
+of death which the inventive malice of man had ever devised.
+
+Ahubal, who understood but little of these instruments, was amazed at
+their construction, and asked for what purposes they were formed.
+
+"These," said Ollomand, "are the arms of Europe, a part of the earth
+filled with industrious robbers, whose minds are hourly on the stretch
+to invent new plagues to torment each other. Of these mortals many are
+settled on the sea-coasts of our southern provinces, whom I shall
+persuade through the instigation of that god whom they worship, to
+join the forces of Ahubal."
+
+"Hast thou, then, mighty enchanter," answered the Prince Ahubal, "the
+gods of Europe in thy power?"
+
+"The Europeans," said Ollomand, "acknowledge one God, who, they
+pretend, doth inhabit the heavens, but whom _we_ find buried in the
+entrails of the earth: gold, O Prince, is their god, for whose sake
+they will undertake the most daring enterprises, and forsake the best
+of friends. To these shalt thou send presents, and future promises of
+wealth; and, by their machinations, fear not but Misnar shall yield to
+thy superior address."
+
+"What need of the arms or the persons of Europeans," answered the
+Prince Ahubal, "while my friend has an army of such gigantic slaves,
+ten of whom are more than sufficient to destroy the puny armies of my
+brother the Sultan?"
+
+"Alas!" said Ollomand, "the slaves of enchantment cannot fight against
+the sons of the Faithful. Though we deny Mahomet, and will not adore
+him, yet we cannot control a power that must overrule us. As Misnar's
+troops are in possession of the country, we will transport ourselves
+to Orixa in the disguise of merchants, and there endeavour to forward
+the destruction of Misnar, the tame Sultan of the East."
+
+As Ollomand spake these words he stamped with his feet, and a
+chariot, drawn by four dragons, arose from the pit in the centre of
+the court, which Ahubal and the enchanter ascended, and were conveyed
+in a dark cloud to the woods behind the city of Orixa.
+
+When Ollomand's chariot alighted on the ground, he touched the dragons
+with his wand, and they became four camels laden with merchandise, and
+the chariot was converted into an elephant. Ahubal became like a
+merchant, and the enchanter appeared as a black slave.
+
+They entered the town in the evening, and the next morning exposed
+their goods in the market-place.
+
+The bales of Ahubal, the sham merchant, being opened, were found to
+contain chiefly materials for clothing the officers of the army.
+
+The troops of Misnar, hearing this, were his chief customers; and as
+Ahubal sold his wares very cheap, he soon got acquainted with all the
+officers at Orixa.
+
+In all his conversations with them, the enchanter had directed Ahubal
+to lament the small salaries which the army were allowed: this was a
+subject all agreed in, and soon led to more lucrative offers, if they
+would embrace the cause of Ahubal. The officers, who were, for the
+most part, soldiers for the sake of pay and plunder, rather than duty
+and honour, soon came into the sham merchant's proposal; and in ten
+days Ahubal found himself in a condition to recover the province of
+Orixa.
+
+The young Prince, fired with his success, was about to discover
+himself; but the enchanter checked his ardour, and besought him to
+consider how many more provinces must be gained before he could make
+head against his brother. The advice of Ollomand prevailed with the
+Prince; and they sent some of those officers who were strongest in
+their interest into the different provinces of the south to corrupt
+the minds of the commanders.
+
+As there was no want of money and bribery, so an easier conquest was
+made over the loyalty of the troops than could have been made over
+their prowess by the sword.
+
+In a few moons all the southern provinces were ripe for a revolt, and
+the troops who were sent to overawe them were most desirous of
+opening the campaign against their Sultan. Two hundred French
+engineers were also invited, by large rewards, to join the armies of
+Ahubal; and the troops were supplied by the vigilance of the enchanter
+Ollomand.
+
+On a fixed day all the armies of the provinces were in motion, and all
+unfurled the standard of Ahubal; the provinces were invited to rebel,
+and thousands were daily added to the troops of the Prince. Tidings of
+these alterations were sent to Delhi by the few friends of the Sultan
+who remained in those parts, and Horam the Vizier laid before his
+master the dreadful news of a general revolt both of his troops and
+provinces in the south.
+
+"The enemies of Misnar," said the Sultan, as the Vizier Horam ended
+his report, "are many, and one only is his friend!"
+
+Horam bowed low at his master's words.
+
+"Faithful Horam," said the Sultan, "I honour and esteem thee; but
+think not I prefer my Vizier to my God: no, Horam, Allah alone is the
+friend of Misnar; a friend more mighty than the armies of Ahubal, or
+the sorceries of the enchanters."
+
+Misnar then assembled his troops; and putting himself at their head,
+he marched by easy stages towards the southern frontiers of his
+dominions.
+
+The armies of Ahubal continued to increase, and Cambaya acknowledged
+him for its Sultan. In a short time he arrived with his forces at
+Narvar, and encamped within seven leagues of the army of Misnar the
+Sultan.
+
+Ollomand the enchanter, notwithstanding Ahubal had thrown off the
+disguise of a merchant, still attended him as a black slave, being
+always about his person, till the freedom which the Prince allowed him
+was resented by the officers of his army. This the enchanter
+perceived; and therefore he desired Ahubal would grant him five
+thousand of his troops, and the European engineers, that he might
+advance before the main army, and signalize himself by a blow which he
+meditated to give the enemy.
+
+The counsel of Ollomand was never opposed by Ahubal; the Prince
+commanded the troops to attend Ollomand, and be subject unto him.
+
+The enchanter then marched with his selected troops into a thick wood,
+which the army of Misnar must pass through ere they could oppose their
+enemies; and in this wood the engines of European war were placed, to
+command every avenue which had been hewn out by the troops of the
+Sultan.
+
+Ollomand, marching by night, surprised all the advanced guards of the
+Sultan, and possessed himself of the wood, where he placed the
+European engineers, before the sun could penetrate through the
+branches of the forest of Narvar.
+
+This enterprise would have ruined all the hopes of the Sultan, who
+proposed to march his army through the next day, if the Europeans had
+continued faithful to Ahubal and his party; but one, favoured by the
+darkness of the night, escaped, and betrayed the whole design to the
+Sultan.
+
+Misnar was no sooner apprised of the enchanter's contrivance than he
+ordered certain of his troops to climb over the mountains to the right
+of the wood, and if possible gain the opposite side, and there, in
+several parts, set the wood on fire. This was so successfully executed
+by the soldiers, that, as soon as Ollomand was possessed of the wood,
+he perceived it was on fire, and had made a separation between him and
+the army of Ahubal.
+
+In this distress, the enchanter resolved to dispose of his troops and
+engineers in the most advantageous manner, proposing in his mind to
+secure his own retreat by the power of enchantment. But while the
+subtle enchanter was directing his engineers in the rear to bring up
+the fell engines of war, one of the cannon which was left in the wood
+(the flames having obliged those who belonged to it to retreat), being
+made hot by the raging fires among the trees, discharged its contents,
+and a ball striking the enchanter, carried with it the head of
+Ollomand toward the camp of the Sultan.
+
+This occurrence threw the troops in the wood into the utmost
+confusion, and many fled to the Sultan's camp, declaring the loss of
+their leader, and the rest resolved rather to submit than perish by
+fire or sword.
+
+The flames of the wood, which rose between the armies of Misnar and
+Ahubal, soon disturbed the peace of the rebel Prince. At first,
+indeed, he hoped Ollomand had enclosed his brother's troops, and was
+consuming them by his fires. But no dispatch arriving from his friend,
+Ahubal was filled with just fears, which were greatly increased, as,
+in a few days, the fire decreasing, and having opened a passage
+through the wood, he was informed by his spies that the armies of
+Misnar were approaching.
+
+The Prince Ahubal, having lost his friend the enchanter, was fearful
+of the event, and wished to fly; but his generals, being rebels, and
+fearing their fate if they should be taken, resolved to conquer or
+die; so that Ahubal was constrained against his will to put his army
+in a state of defence.
+
+The Sultan, supposing his brother's army would be disheartened at the
+loss of the enchanter, was desirous of giving them battle before they
+had recovered from their consternation, and therefore led on his
+troops with great impetuosity toward the front of the rebel army,
+while the Vizier Horam, covered by the main body of Misnar's forces,
+used his utmost endeavours to gain the right flank of the enemy.
+
+And now the adverse elephants made the sandy plains shake as they
+advanced, and from the turrets on their backs ten thousand hostile
+arrows were discharged. The loud hollow cymbals sounded the alarm. The
+troops of the Sultan advanced with confidence, and the rebellious
+supporters of Ahubal rushed forward with resolute despair. Innumerable
+scimitars blazed fearfully over the heads of the warlike. The feet of
+the elephants were stained with the blood of the slain. But the troops
+of Misnar were flushed with hope, and fear and dismay were in the
+paths of Ahubal. The Prince himself, in confusion, sounded the
+retreat; and the backs of his troops were already exposed to the darts
+of the Sultan, when the swarthy enchanter Tasnar appeared aloft,
+seated on a rapacious vulture.
+
+"Base cowards!" exclaimed he, as he hovered in the air, "turn again,
+and fear not while Tasnar is your friend. The troops of the Sultan are
+exhausted and fatigued, and you are flying from those who are destined
+for your prey. Are, then, the riches of Delhi to be so easily
+resigned, and your tedious marches over the deserts to be foiled by a
+moment's fear? Even now is India offered as the reward of your toils,
+and you prefer shame and ignominy to glory and honour!"
+
+The troops of Ahubal hearing these words, and being encouraged by a
+sight so wonderful, for a time stood still, irresolute what to do;
+till Tasnar, alighting on the ground, and seizing a javelin, bade the
+brave support and defend the avenger of their wrongs.
+
+The Sultan's army, finding their enemies retreat, had followed them in
+a tumultuous manner, and were therefore less able to resist the
+enchanter Tasnar and those who supported him. And they would have
+experienced the truth of the enchanter's assertion, had not the Vizier
+Horam, perceiving their resistance, hastened with a few chosen troops
+to the rescue of his friends.
+
+The battle, though not so general as before, was yet much fiercer; and
+Tasnar and Horam met face to face. The Vizier aimed in vain his
+scimitar at the head of the enchanter, and Tasnar found a superior arm
+withhold him when he attempted to demolish the faithful Vizier. But
+this prevented not the general slaughter that ensued; till night,
+which recruits the wasted strength of man, divided the armies of
+Misnar and Ahubal.
+
+After the retreat of the two contending armies, the Vizier Horam
+attended the Sultan in the royal pavilion, and informed him of the
+descent of the enchanter Tasnar, and his prowess in the field.
+
+"Alas!" answered Misnar, "it is in vain, O Horam, that the sword is
+uplifted against the power of enchantment, so long as these magicians
+are prepared against our attacks: we must surprise them, or we cannot
+prevail. Tasnar is joined to my faithless brother Ahubal; but there is
+in my camp, doubtless, some trusty slave, who will penetrate into the
+camp of Ahubal, and destroy this enchanter while he sleeps in
+security; and Horam my Vizier must find that slave."
+
+Horam bowed, and went out from the presence of the Sultan in great
+distress of heart. "Where," said he to himself, "can the mighty find a
+trusty friend? or what slave will be faithful to that master who has
+robbed him of his liberty? Better had I perished by the hand of
+Tasnar, than be betrayed through the wickedness of my servants!"
+
+The Vizier, doubtful where to apply or whom to trust, returned to his
+tent; where he found an old female slave, who waited to deliver a
+message from his seraglio, which was kept in a tent adjoining to his
+own.
+
+Horam, not regarding her presence, threw himself on his sofa, and
+there bemoaned his fate in being commanded to find a trusty slave.
+
+The female slave, who saw her master's tears, cast herself at his
+feet, and called Allah to witness that she had always served him
+faithfully, and was ready to sacrifice her life for his pleasure.
+
+Horam was rather more distressed than alleviated by her protestations.
+"What art thou?" said he to her, sternly--"a poor decrepit woman! and
+canst thou go forth and combat the enchantments of Tasnar, the enemy
+of thy master's peace?"
+
+"The locust and the worm," said the female slave, "are the instruments
+of Allah's vengeance on the mighty ones of the earth; and Mahomet can
+make even my weakness subservient to the cause of my lord."
+
+"And how wilt thou prevail against Ahubal the Prince and Tasnar the
+magician?" said Horam, careless of what he spoke.
+
+"I will go," answered she, "into the camp of Ahubal, and engage to
+poison my master the Vizier, and Misnar the lord of our lives, as I
+stand before them to minister unto them the pleasing draught. And
+while Tasnar is intently hearing my proposals, the steel of death
+shall suddenly search out the vile enchanter's heart."
+
+"But knowest thou not," said Horam, "that death will be the
+consequence of this rash deed?"
+
+"My lord," answered the slave, "I was, when young, bred up in the
+caves of Denraddin, and was taught by a sage to know what should
+happen to me in future times; and the sage read in the stars of
+heaven, that by my means should the Sultan of India be delivered from
+the enemy that oppressed him."
+
+The Vizier rejoiced at the assurances of his female slave, and bade
+her immediately prepare herself to appear before the Sultan.
+
+The slave, having put on her veil, followed the Vizier Horam, and was
+introduced to the tent of Misnar.
+
+"What!" said the Sultan, as he saw his Vizier enter with the female
+slave, "what new kind of warrior has Horam brought me?"
+
+"Light of mine eyes!" answered the Vizier, "behold a woman who is
+desirous of executing thy commands. This slave assures me that the
+sages of the caves of Denraddin have read in the stars of heaven that
+by her means the Sultan of India should be delivered from the enemy
+that oppressed him."
+
+"Then," said the Sultan, "let her go; and may the Prophet of the
+Faithful guide her footsteps in safety and security! I am assured that
+Horam would not consent to an enterprise that was foolish and weak;
+and to his direction I leave the fate of this trusty female."
+
+The slave then fell prostrate, and besought the Sultan to give her
+some of his writings and mandates, that she might pretend she had
+stolen them from his tent, with a design to carry and lay them at the
+feet of Tasnar and Ahubal.
+
+The Sultan approved of her scheme, and ordered several mandates to be
+written and signed relative to the motions of his army the next day,
+which were quite contrary to the real disposition he intended to give
+out.
+
+The female slave being furnished with these, and being conducted by
+the Vizier to the outskirts of the Sultan's army, walked forward till
+she was challenged by the sentinels of Ahubal, who seized upon and
+carried her to their commander.
+
+The commander, fearful of deceit, first satisfied himself that she was
+really a female slave, and then asked her what brought her alone out
+of the camp of the Sultan.
+
+"Bring me," said she, "before your Prince; for I have things to
+deliver up to him that will be of service to his army."
+
+The commander then sent her with the guard to the pavilion of Ahubal,
+where that Prince and the enchanter Tasnar were consulting in private
+together.
+
+As soon as the female slave had gained admittance, she fell prostrate
+at the feet of Ahubal, which Tasnar observing, commanded the guards to
+seize her.
+
+"Let us see," said the enchanter, "what service this slave can do us,
+before she is trusted so near our persons."
+
+The female slave, being secured by the guards, was doubtful how to
+behave.
+
+"Have you, base slave," said the enchanter, "aught to reveal to us? or
+are you sent as a spy to betray the counsels of the brave?"
+
+"I have," said the female slave (somewhat recovered from her
+surprise), "papers and mandates of great consequence, which I have
+stolen from the tent of the Sultan; and I bring them to the Prince
+Ahubal, the lord of all the hearts of the Indian empire."
+
+She then produced her mandates, and the guards laid them at the feet
+of Ahubal.
+
+The Prince Ahubal, having read the papers, gave them to Tasnar,
+saying, "These are indeed valuable acquisitions, and the female slave
+that brought them is worthy of high honour and reward."
+
+The slave, hearing this encomium, bowed down her head; for the guards
+who held her prevented her falling prostrate.
+
+"Mighty son of Dabulcombar," said the enchanter, "let the guards carry
+her forth, till we consult what reward she shall receive."
+
+As soon as the female slave was carried out, "My Prince," said Tasnar,
+"it is indeed politic to give rewards to those who serve us; and
+therefore it is sometimes necessary to do it, that the silly birds may
+be the more surely entangled in the snares of State; but when we can
+better serve our ends by their destruction than by their safety, it is
+but just that we should do so. This slave has already risked her life
+for our service, and therefore she will no doubt be ready to lay it
+down if we require it."
+
+As the enchanter said this, he called one of the guards, and commanded
+him to bring in the female slave and the bow-string.
+
+The slave approached, still held by the guards.
+
+"Kind slave," said the enchanter, "you have already served us much;
+there is one thing more that we require: let the slaves fit the
+bow-string to thy neck, and let thy last breath be sent forth in
+praise of thy lord Ahubal."
+
+The slaves of Ahubal then put upon the wretched female the deadly
+bow-string, and strangled her instantly; after which they retired,
+leaving her dead body on the floor of the tent.
+
+"What hast thou done, O Tasnar?" said Ahubal, astonished at the deed.
+
+"I suspect," said the enchanter, "that this female was sent on a vile
+errand; and see, here," continued he, searching her garments, "is the
+weapon of death!"
+
+So saying, he drew a dagger from her bosom, which she had concealed
+with a design of stabbing the enchanter.
+
+"Prudent Tasnar," said the Prince, "I admire thy foresight; but of
+what use is this murdered slave now to us?"
+
+"The disguise of this slave," answered the enchanter, "will introduce
+me into the camp of the Sultan, and, I hope, will give me an
+opportunity of reaching his heart with that steel which he designed
+for mine. But no time must be lost: the morning will, ere long,
+disclose its grey light in the east."
+
+Thus it is that deceit often leads into danger, and recoils upon
+itself.
+
+The enchanter then put on the garments of the murdered female slave,
+and stroking his face, it became like hers, so that Ahubal could
+scarcely believe but the slave was revived. He also cut off the head
+of the female slave, and, anointing it with a white ointment, it
+resembled his own. Thus equipped, the commander of the advanced guard
+conducted him to the foremost sentinels of the rebel army. The
+disguised enchanter soon reached the camp of the Sultan; and the
+sentinels, imagining it was the same female slave whom Horam had led
+through their ranks in the former part of the night, suffered him to
+pass unexamined.
+
+In a short time he reached the royal pavilion, and demanded
+admittance. The Vizier Horam, who was there in waiting, heard, as he
+supposed, the voice of his female slave, and went out to bring her
+before the Sultan.
+
+"My slave," said Horam, as he saw the disguised enchanter, "hast thou
+succeeded? and is Tasnar, the foe of the Faithful, dead?"
+
+"Bring me before the Sultan," said the pretended slave, "that my lord
+may first behold the head of his foe."
+
+The Vizier then led the disguised enchanter into the pavilion, where
+the Sultan Misnar, being warned of her coming, was seated on his
+throne.
+
+As the enchanter approached, he held a dagger in one hand, which was
+covered by a long sleeve, and in the other he bore the fictitious
+head. And now the pretended female was about to ascend the steps of
+the throne, when the Vizier commanded her first to fall prostrate
+before the Sultan.
+
+The sham slave did as she was ordered; and the Vizier, seeing her
+prostrate, fell upon her, and slew her with his sabre.
+
+"What hast thou done, wretched Vizier?" said the Sultan. "Has envy
+thus rashly stirred thee up against my faithful slave, that----"
+
+The Sultan would probably have continued his invective against his
+Vizier much longer, had he not beheld the corpse of the dead enchanter
+change its appearance, and found that Horam, by the sudden destruction
+of Tasnar, had but just preserved his own life.
+
+At the sight of this transformation, Misnar descended from his throne,
+and closely embraced his Vizier Horam.
+
+"O Horam, forgive my impetuous temper!" said the Sultan: "how have I
+blamed my friend for doing that which alone could have saved my life!
+But by what means did my faithful Vizier become acquainted with the
+disguise of this wicked enchanter, or how did he discover himself to
+thy watchful eye?"
+
+"Lord of my heart," answered Horam, "when I carried my poor female
+slave through the camp (whose death we have unhappily caused by our
+fraud), I bade her, when she returned and saw me, first repeat these
+words in my ear: 'Allah is Lord of heaven, Mahomet is His Prophet, and
+Misnar is His vicegerent upon earth.' And this precaution I took,
+fearful less Tasnar, discovering our design, should invent this method
+of revenge. Wherefore, when the pretended slave was brought before me,
+and she repeated not the words that I had taught her, I was assured
+that it was the enchanter in disguise, and waited till, by prostrating
+himself before my lord, he gave me an opportunity of destroying the
+life of the chief of thine enemies."
+
+The Sultan of India again embraced his faithful Vizier; and as soon as
+the eye of morn was opened in the east, the armies of Ahubal beheld
+the enchanter Tasnar's head fixed on a pole in the front of the
+Sultan's army.
+
+The Prince Ahubal, rising with the earliest dawn of the morning, went
+forward to the front of his troops, and there, at a small distance,
+saw the hideous features of the enchanter Tasnar already blackening in
+the sun. Fear immediately took possession of his soul; and he ran,
+with tears in his eyes, and hid himself, till the sun went down, in
+his pavilion.
+
+The Vizier Horam, perceiving the approach of the sun, would have led
+on the Sultan's troops to a second attack; but Misnar commanded him to
+forbear, that his army might rest one day after their fatigues.
+
+The great distress of the enchanters, and their unexpected deaths,
+alarmed the rest of that wicked race; and Ahaback and Desra, seeing
+that no one enchanter had succeeded against the Sultan, resolved to
+join their forces; and while one led a powerful army to Ahubal's
+assistance from the east, the other raised the storms of war and
+rebellion on the western confines of the Sultan's empire.
+
+In the meantime, the two armies of the Sultan and Ahubal continued
+inactive, till an express arrived that Ahaback was leading the
+strength of nine thousand squadrons against their Sultan, and that
+Desra was travelling over the plains of Embracan, with three thousand
+elephants and a hundred thousand troops from the western provinces.
+
+The Sultan instantly resolved to attack Ahubal before these succours
+could arrive; but the Vizier Horam fell at his feet, and besought him
+not to hazard his army, but rather to recruit and strengthen it.
+
+This advice, though quite contrary to the opinion of Misnar, was yet
+so strongly urged by the Vizier, that the Sultan gave up his better
+judgment to the opinion of Horam; and, when every one expected to be
+called forth to action, the Vizier gave orders in the camp for
+recruits to be sought after, and went himself to the north of Delhi to
+raise a second army for his master's service.
+
+The troops of Ahubal, finding themselves free from the attacks of the
+Sultan's army, endeavoured to comfort their Prince, who was grieved
+and dejected at the loss of his friends; and the provinces of the
+south, to dissipate his gloom, besought him to permit them to raise a
+pavilion worthy of his dignity, as heretofore he contented himself
+with such as his generals made use of.
+
+The Prince Ahubal, who by nature was not formed for war or contest,
+but only stirred up by the enchanters to be their tool against the
+Sultan his brother, was easily persuaded to accept of the offers of
+his troops, and a hundred curious artisans were set to work to
+contrive and erect a sumptuous pavilion for the use of the Prince.
+
+To these workmen, all the provinces who acknowledged the authority of
+Ahubal sent diamonds and jewels, and rich silks, and all the costly
+materials of the world, to finish the splendid pavilion which they
+purposed to raise for their Prince.
+
+While the sumptuous tent was raising, the squadrons of Ahaback drew
+nearer and nearer, and the elephants of Desra were within thirty days
+of the camp of Ahubal.
+
+The Vizier Horam, having returned with his reinforcements, waited on
+the Sultan, and besought him to trust the management of his army to
+him for forty days.
+
+"Horam," said the Sultan, "I have such confidence in thy sense and
+loyalty, that I grant thy request."
+
+The Vizier, having obtained his end, sent a messenger to Ahubal, and
+desired a forty-days' truce between the armies, to which the Prince
+readily agreed. In a few hours the truce was proclaimed in the
+Sultan's camp; and when Misnar hoped that his Vizier would have
+attacked the rebel army with a force more than double their number, he
+heard the trumpets sound a truce in the tents.
+
+Such a behaviour, so contrary to reason, alarmed the Sultan, and he
+sent for the Vizier Horam, and demanded his reasons for making a truce
+with his enemies.
+
+"My lord," answered Horam, "I have heard that the southern provinces
+are erecting a pavilion for your rebel brother Ahubal, which in
+splendour and magnificence is to surpass all the glories of thy palace
+at Delhi; and being convinced that thy subjects are led more by show
+and appearance than by duty and honour, I feared that Ahubal's
+glorious pavilion might draw the neighbouring cities into his
+encampment, and thereby strengthen his army, and weaken the resources
+of my Prince. For this reason I besought my lord to give me the
+command of his army for forty days, in which time I propose to build
+thee such a pavilion as shall far outshine in splendour every glory
+upon earth."
+
+"Horam," answered the Sultan, "I have put all things into thine hands;
+but let me beseech thee to be careful of thy master."
+
+The Vizier Horam, leaving the Sultan, sent to Delhi for workmen and
+artificers; and, ordering a large spot to be enclosed, that none might
+behold his pavilion till it was completed, he proceeded with the work
+with great care and assiduity.
+
+While these works of peace, rather than of war, were carrying on in
+the two armies of Misnar and Ahubal, the reinforcements of Ahaback and
+Desra arrived; and the captains in the Sultan's army, hearing of the
+great addition which was made to the rebel army, while the Vizier was
+spending his time with his curious workmen, petitioned the Sultan that
+one might be put over them who loved war rather than the amusements of
+females and children.
+
+The Sultan, who thought, with his captains, that Horam was rather
+betraying than forwarding his cause, commanded the Vizier to be
+brought before him, and, in the presence of the captains, asked him
+why he delayed to lead his troops against the rebel army.
+
+The Vizier Horam made no answer to the Sultan's question, but desired
+his lord to bring the captains towards the pavilion which he had
+erected.
+
+As soon as the Sultan appeared before the enclosure, several slaves
+behind were employed to remove it, so that in an instant Misnar and
+his captains beheld the most magnificent spectacle that art could
+achieve.
+
+The sight of the pavilion was highly acceptable to the army of the
+Sultan; but the captains justly condemned a performance which had,
+without cause, wasted the greatest part of the coffers of India.
+
+The pavilion was situated at one extremity of the Sultan's army, at a
+small distance from a rocky mountain, and surrounded by a grove of
+palm-trees, part of which had been cut down by the Vizier's order, to
+admit the air and light among the rest. It was composed of crimson
+velvet, embroidered round with flowers and festoons of silver and
+gold; and in the body was worked, in golden tissue, the deaths of the
+enchanters Ulin, Happuck, Ollomand, and Tasnar.
+
+The pavilion stood upon a carpet or cloth of gold, and within was
+supported by four massive pillars of burnished gold; the ceiling of
+the canopy within was studded with jewels and diamonds, and under it
+were placed two sofas of the richest workmanship.
+
+The Sultan, though much averse to such pageantry, was yet persuaded by
+his Vizier to sleep in his new pavilion; and the glorious appearance
+which it made brought thousands to view the magnificent abode of their
+Sultan.
+
+The account of this splendid tent soon reached Ahubal's army, and
+every one extolled the glorious pavilion: so that Ahubal's tent seemed
+as nothing in comparison with the Sultan's.
+
+Ahaback and Desra, who were in the Prince's pavilion, hearing the
+account, resolved to go invisibly and examine it; and leaving the
+Prince, and putting each a ring on his fingers, they passed the
+sentinels and watches of both armies.
+
+But if the sight of the pavilion filled them with malice and envy, the
+histories of their brethren's deaths increased that malice, and urged
+them to revenge. They returned hastily to Ahubal's pavilion, and
+related to him what they had seen.
+
+Ahubal's heart rankled at their account, and his visage fell, to hear
+how much his brother had outdone him in magnificence.
+
+"Get me a tent more splendid than the Sultan's," said he to the
+enchanters, "or disband your armies, and leave me to my fate."
+
+"My Prince," answered Ahaback, "let not such a trifle discompose you.
+It is true, we could in a moment erect a pavilion more magnificent
+than the Sultan's; but it will be more glorious to dispossess him of
+that which he has built, and to set my Prince upon the throne of his
+father: for which purpose let the trumpet sound on the morrow,--the
+truce is at an end, and if it were not, we mean not to keep faith with
+an usurper,--and ere the Sultan be prepared, let us fall upon him. Who
+knows but we may sleep to-morrow night in this pavilion which now
+causes uneasiness?"
+
+The counsel of Ahaback pleased both Desra and Ahubal; and they gave
+orders for the troops to march in the morning, and attack the army of
+the Sultan.
+
+The forces of Misnar were sleeping in their tents when the alarm was
+spread that the enemy was upon them. The Vizier Horam arose in haste,
+and put himself at the head of the army; but, instead of leading them
+towards their enemies, he fled off to the right with the choicest of
+the troops, and taking possession of a pass in the mountains behind
+the pavilion, sent a messenger to inform the Sultan that he had
+secured him a retreat, in case the armies of Ahubal should conquer.
+
+The Sultan, being at the extremity of his army, knew not of the
+confused attack till it was too late to redeem his lost opportunity.
+He collected his scattered troops, and led them towards the enemy, at
+the same time sending a message to Horam to leave the mountains and
+support him.
+
+The captains and officers that followed Misnar behaved with great
+resolution and intrepidity, and the Sultan exposed himself frequently
+to the darts and missile weapons of his enemies, till, overpowered by
+numbers, and his own troops on all sides giving way, through the
+confusion which prevailed, he was forced to make to the mountains,
+where his Vizier still continued, though he had received the Sultan's
+commands to the contrary.
+
+The troops of Ahubal pursued the Sultan's scattered forces to the
+mountains, where the Vizier's troops opened to receive their friends,
+and then opposed the rebels, who were faint with the fatigues of the
+day.
+
+After a great slaughter, the rebels were forced to give over, and,
+returning to the encampment of the Sultan, they loaded themselves with
+the spoils of their enemies.
+
+Ahaback and Desra were greatly elated at their success, and Ahubal in
+one day found himself master of India, his brother defeated, and his
+gaudy pavilion wrested from him.
+
+Ahubal beheld with surprise the magnificence of the pavilion, and
+seeing the invidious workmanship on the outside, where the deaths of
+his former friends were displayed, "Ahaback and Desra," said the
+Prince, "it is but just that you should revenge yourselves on my proud
+brother. For my part, I never can inhabit a pavilion which was meant
+as a triumph over my friends; but you may justly take up your abode
+here, that the nations may at once learn, when they see you in this
+pavilion, the former misfortunes of your brethren, and your present
+well-deserved success: wherefore, to-night, my friends, take up your
+residence here, as this place is most worthy to hold you, and
+to-morrow I will order my workmen to remove the pavilion next my own."
+
+The enchanters were pleased at the speech of Ahubal, and the banquet
+was prepared for the conquerors in the gay pavilion of the unfortunate
+Sultan, while he remained among the mountains, wanting even the
+necessaries of life for himself and his army.
+
+But the Sultan's misfortunes did not make him forget the cause of
+them. He called a council of his captains, and commanded the Vizier
+Horam to be brought before them. The Vizier was condemned by every
+voice, and Misnar, with tears in his eyes, pronounced the sentence of
+death against him.
+
+"To-morrow," said the Sultan, "must the ill-fated Horam be numbered
+with the dead."
+
+Horam heard the sentence without emotion. "My life," said he, "is in
+the hand of my lord, and he is welcome to the blood of his slave."
+
+The Vizier was then ordered into the custody of a hundred men, and a
+captain was appointed to guard him until morning.
+
+The unfortunate Sultan then retired to rest in an obscure tent, or
+rather not to rest, but to an irksome contemplation.
+
+"My kingdom," said he, "is passed from me, and, worse than my kingdom,
+my friend, my dearly beloved Horam, has proved a traitor to his
+master."
+
+As the Sultan was filled with these meditations, his guards gave him
+notice that the captain who was set over the Vizier had brought Horam
+to communicate an affair of moment to him.
+
+"Is there deceit in Horam," said the Sultan, "that he cometh like a
+thief in the night? If Horam is false, farewell my life. Let him that
+destroyed my kingdom complete his ingratitude by finishing my fate."
+
+The captain then entered the tent of his Sultan with Horam in chains.
+
+"Life of my life, and master of my thoughts," said the Vizier, "ere I
+die, I am constrained to show thee among these mountains far greater
+riches than are in thy palace at Delhi, or in the tents of thine
+enemies--riches that will restore thy affairs, and turn thy tears into
+showers of joy."
+
+"Are you not satisfied," said Misnar, "O ill-fated Horam, that you
+come to deceive me with new illusions? Where is my kingdom? where my
+royalty? where my army? By thy fatal counsels destroyed, overwhelmed,
+confounded! Now, then, lead the way, and let me see these curious
+treasures which are to recompense the loss of all my hopes."
+
+The captain then led Horam out of the tent, and the Sultan followed.
+
+The Vizier, being in chains, moved but slowly, and the captain of the
+guard, dismissing his men, drew his sabre, and held it naked over the
+head of the Vizier. The darkness of the night prevented the Sultan
+from seeing whither he was carried by his Vizier.
+
+They passed over various rocks, and were obliged to wade through some
+small brooks or rivulets which fell from the tops of the mountains,
+till at length they arrived at a spacious cavern, which was formed by
+two pendent rocks.
+
+Here the Vizier entered, and, lifting up his chains, knocked against a
+small door at the extremity of the cavern. In a moment it opened, and
+four slaves came forward with flambeaux in their hands.
+
+The slaves, seeing their master and the Sultan, fell prostrate: and
+Horam inquired whether all was safe.
+
+"Yes, my lord," answered the slaves. "We have not been disturbed since
+my lord first brought us to this gloomy cavern."
+
+"Where is Camul?" said the Vizier.
+
+"He watches," replied the slaves, "with the axe in his hand."
+
+"What hour of the night is it?" said Horam to his slaves.
+
+"The third watch of the night is past," answered the slaves.
+
+"Then enter, my Sultan," said Horam, "and see thine enemies perish
+from before thee."
+
+"What enemies? and what mysterious place is this?" said the Sultan.
+"Who is Camul? and what axe doth he bear in his hand? Lead me, Horam,
+not into danger, and remember that the sabre of my captain hangeth
+over thy head."
+
+The Sultan then entered in at the little door, and followed the Vizier
+and his guard, and the four slaves with flambeaux in their hands.
+
+In this manner Misnar passed through a long passage hewn out of the
+solid rock, till he beheld, at a distance, a man seated on a stone
+with an axe in his hand, and nine lamps burning before him.
+
+As they drew near, the man fell prostrate before them; and the Vizier,
+also falling prostrate, desired Misnar to take the axe out of the hand
+of Camul his slave.
+
+"What wonderful axe is this," said the Sultan, "that is thus preserved
+in the bowels of the earth?"
+
+The Sultan took the axe, and Camul the slave removing the stone on
+which he sat, there appeared a strong rope underneath, one end of
+which passed through the rocks, and the other was fastened to an
+enormous ring of iron.
+
+"Strike, royal master," said Horam, "and sever that rope from the ring
+of iron."
+
+The Sultan did as Horam desired, and struck the rope with his axe, and
+divided it from the ring.
+
+The rope, being released, flew with great swiftness through the hole
+in the rock, and Misnar waited some time to see what might be the
+consequence of cutting it asunder; but nothing appearing, he said to
+his Vizier,
+
+"Where are the riches, Horam, which I left my bed to view? Is this
+like the rest of your promises? and am I brought here to be again
+deceived?"
+
+"Royal master," answered Horam, "let me die the death of a rebel. I
+have nothing more to discover: pardon my follies, and avenge thine own
+losses by the sword of justice."
+
+"What!" said the Sultan, enraged, "hast thou brought me through the
+dangerous passes of the mountains by night only to cut a rope asunder?
+And was I called forth to see only a passage made in the rocks, and
+the slaves of Horam as ill employed as their master lately has been?
+Lead me, villain!" continued he, "back to my tent, and expect with the
+rising of the sun the fate you have so amply merited."
+
+Thus saying, the Sultan returned, and the captain of the guard led
+Horam back in chains to his place of confinement.
+
+In the morning, the army of the Sultan Misnar, which had escaped to
+the mountains, were all drawn out, the cymbals sounded, and a gibbet
+forty feet high was erected in their front, to which the captain of
+the guard led the unfortunate Vizier Horam.
+
+At the sound of the cymbals the Sultan came from his tent, and gave
+orders that Horam should be conducted to his fate.
+
+The Vizier, unmoved at his doom, surrendered himself to the officer
+who was to execute the Sultan's sentence; and the ignominious rope was
+put about his neck, when a messenger, attended by several sentinels,
+came running into the camp.
+
+The messenger hastened to the Sultan, and thus delivered his message:
+"Ahaback and Desra, the wicked enchanters who have upholden thy
+rebellious brother, are dead; the army of Ahubal is in the utmost
+consternation; and the friends of the Sultan wish to see thee hunting
+thine enemies, as the lion hunts the wild asses in the forest."
+
+This messenger was succeeded by several of the Sultan's spies, who
+confirmed the account.
+
+Misnar then put himself at the head of his troops, ordered Horam back
+to his former confinement, and hastened to fall upon the forces of the
+rebels.
+
+Early the same morning, Ahubal was awakened by his guards, who, with
+countenances of woe, declared to him the death of his friends Ahaback
+and Desra.
+
+"Are my friends dead?" said Ahubal, trembling: "by what misfortune am
+I bereaved of them? What new device has Misnar practised against them?
+Are not these wise and sage magicians, then, a match for a boy's
+prudence? Alas! what can _I_ effect against them, when these fall away
+before his victorious arm?"
+
+"Prince," answered the guards, "we have too late discovered the wiles
+of our enemies. Over the magnificent pavilion of the Sultan, which
+Horam built for his master, the artful Vizier had concealed a
+ponderous stone, which covered the whole pavilion. This, by some
+secret means, he contrived in the night to release from its
+confinement, while Ahaback and Desra were sleeping on the sofas
+beneath it; and ere day began to rise, their guards were surprised by
+the fall, and ran to release their masters from the stone; but, alas!
+their bodies were crushed to atoms, and still remain buried under the
+pavilion, as fifty of the strongest of thy troops were unable to
+remove the stone from the ground."
+
+At these words the countenance and the heart of Ahubal sank; and ere
+he could recover, word was brought him that the Sultan's troops were
+in the midst of his army, and that none dared stand against them
+unless he approached to encourage them.
+
+Ahubal was so overwhelmed with fear and grief, that, instead of
+leading his troops, he prepared himself for flight; and Misnar,
+pursuing his good fortune, was in a few hours in possession, not only
+of his own tents, but also of those of the enemy.
+
+Having gained a complete victory, and sent part of his troops after
+those that were fled, the Sultan commanded his Vizier to be brought
+before him, and, in the sight of his army, asked him what merit he
+could challenge in the success of that day.
+
+"The contrivances of thy slave had been useless," Horam replied, "if a
+less than my Sultan had afterwards led his troops to the battle.
+Therefore thine only be the glory and the honour of the day; but my
+lord must know, that some time since we were informed that the
+enchanters Ahaback and Desra were preparing to uphold thy rebellious
+brother; and well I knew that prudence, and not force, must prevail
+against them. I therefore besought my lord to grant me the chief
+command for forty days, and neglected to take such advantages over
+Ahubal's troops as the captains of thy armies advised.
+
+"This I did, knowing that any victory would be vain and fruitless, if
+the enchanters were not involved in the ruin; and that, while they
+were safe, a second army would spring up as soon as the first was
+destroyed. For these reasons, I endeavoured to strengthen my Sultan's
+army, that when the reinforcements of Ahaback and Desra should arrive,
+their numbers might not prevail against us.
+
+"In the meantime, the sumptuous pavilion which was built for Ahubal
+inspired me with a device, which I hoped would put the enchanters in
+my power.
+
+"Studious that no one might interrupt or betray my designs, I enclosed
+a place near the mountains, surrounded with trees, where I began to
+build a pavilion, which I gave out was erected in honour of my lord
+the Sultan: within this pavilion I concealed a massy stone, which was
+sawn out of the solid rock, and which, by the help of several engines,
+was hung upon four pillars of gold, and covered the whole pavilion.
+The rope which upheld this massy stone passed through one of the
+golden pillars into the earth beneath, and, by a secret channel cut in
+the rock, was carried onward through the side of the mountain, and was
+fastened to a ring of iron in a cave hollowed out of the rock on the
+opposite side.
+
+"By the time the enchanters were arrived in the camp of Ahubal, the
+pavilion was finished; and although I had secret advice that my
+Sultan's troops were to be attacked on the morrow, yet I chose to
+conceal that knowledge, and so to dispose of the army that the chief
+part might fly with me behind the mountains which hung over the
+pavilion, and that the rest, having no conductor, might be put to
+flight with as little slaughter as possible. This I did, expecting
+that Ahaback and Desra, puffed up with their good fortune, would take
+possession of my Sultan's pavilion."
+
+"Rise, faithful Horam," said the Sultan Misnar; "your plot is
+sufficiently unravelled; but why did you hide your intentions from
+your lord?"
+
+"Lord of my life," answered the Vizier, "because I was resolved, in
+case my plot did not succeed, to bear the burden myself, that my
+Sultan's honour might not be lessened in the eyes of his troops."
+
+This noble confession of the Vizier pleased the whole army, and they
+waited with the utmost impatience to hear his pardon pronounced.
+
+The Sultan then embraced his Vizier, and the shouts of the army
+were,--"Long live Misnar the lord of our hearts, and Horam the first
+and the most faithful of his slaves!"
+
+The army of Ahubal still continued to fly after their Prince, whose
+fear did not suffer him to direct those who came up to him.
+
+And now, in a few days, the army would have been totally dispersed,
+had not the giant Kifri, enraged at the death of his brethren, and
+travelling in his fury, appeared before the eyes of the terrified
+Prince and his troops, in a narrow pass among the rocks.
+
+The presence of Kifri was not less terrifying than the noise of the
+pursuers; and Ahubal, at the sight of the monster, fell with his face
+to the ground.
+
+"Who art thou," said Kifri, with the voice of thunder, "that fliest
+like the roebuck, and tremblest like the heart-stricken antelope?"
+
+"Prince of earth," said Ahubal, "I am the friend of Ulin, of Happuck,
+of Ollomand, of Tasnar, of Ahaback, and of Desra. I am he who, through
+the power of the enchanters, have contended for the throne of India."
+
+"Wretched, then, are they that league with thee," answered the giant
+Kifri, "thou son of fear, thou wretch unworthy of such support! Was it
+for thee, base coward, that Ollomand poured forth his unnumbered
+stores? that the plains of India were dyed with the blood of Desra,
+the mistress of our race?"
+
+As Kifri spake thus, his broad eyeballs glowed like the red orb of day
+when covered with dark fleeting clouds, and from his nostrils issued
+forth the tempest and the flame.
+
+In an instant he seized on the fear-shaken Ahubal, as the eagle shuts
+within her bloody talons the body of the affrighted trembling hare;
+and, lifting him high in the air, he dashed the wretched Prince
+against the rugged face of the mountains. The blood of Ahubal ran
+down from the mountain's side, and his mangled limbs, crushed by the
+fall, hung quivering on the pointed rocks.
+
+The death of Ahubal lessened not the fury of Kifri; but all that
+followed the unhappy Prince experienced his rage, till, glutted with
+blood, and tired of his revenge, the monstrous giant sank to rest, and
+stretched out his limbs upon the tops of the mountains.
+
+But the sleep of Kifri was cumbrous as his body. In the visions of the
+night came Ulin before him, and the ghost of the murdered Happuck was
+in the eye of his fancy.
+
+"Enemy of our race," said they, "where is he who was to redeem our
+glory and to revenge our blood? Where is Ahubal, of whom the dark
+saying went forth, that none but our race could overpower him? The
+dark saying is now interpreted by thy shameful deed, and the powers of
+enchantment are at an end!"
+
+The giant, disturbed at his visions, started up: the moon rode high
+above the mountains, and the trees of the forest looked broad with the
+shades of night. He cast his black eyes to the south, and saw the
+storm rolling forth in clouds: the tempest gathered around him, and
+poured its fury against him.
+
+The giant bent his body towards a huge rock, whereon he had slept, and
+straining his tough sinews, tore up the mighty fragment from the
+ground. The earth felt the shock, and its dark entrails trembled; but
+Kifri, undismayed, threw the wild ruin to the clouds. The labouring
+mountain returned quickly on the rebellious head of the giant,
+crushing him beneath its ponderous mass, and finished, by its descent,
+the life and the presumption of Kifri.
+
+The intelligence of Kifri's death was brought to the Sultan by one of
+the followers of Ahubal, who, at the first approach of the giant, had
+run from his presence, and hid himself in a cave in the rocks.
+
+"Horam," said the Sultan, "our enemies are no more; seven are
+destroyed, and one weak woman alone remains. But since Kifri, the
+terror of Asia, has fallen a sacrifice to the cause of Ahubal, and
+since the rebel is himself destroyed, what has Misnar more to fear?
+However, let our army be yet increased: let trusty nabobs be sent into
+every province, and nothing omitted which may preserve the peace of
+my empire: it is the part of prudence to watch most where there is the
+least appearance of danger."
+
+The Vizier Horam obeyed his master's command; and Misnar, having
+regulated his army, returned in triumph to Delhi.
+
+The Sultan, having restored peace to his kingdoms, began to administer
+impartial justice to his subjects: and, although the faith of Horam
+had often been tried, yet Misnar chose not to rely altogether on any
+but himself.
+
+"Vizier," said the Sultan, as Horam was standing before him, "are my
+people happy?--it is for them I rule, and not for myself; and though I
+delay not to punish the licentious and rebellious, yet shall I ever
+study to gain the hearts of my obedient subjects. A father's frown may
+restrain his children, but his smile can only bless them. Dost not
+thou remember, Horam, the story of Mahoud, the son of the jeweller?
+And how am I sure but even now private malice may be wreaking as great
+cruelty upon some innocent person, as the Princess Hemjunah suffered
+from the enchanter Bennaskar?"
+
+"My Prince," answered the Vizier, "the toils and the dangers of the
+war have never for a moment driven from my mind the memory of that
+Princess, who, with Mahoud, underwent the most odious transformation
+through the power of Ulin."
+
+"Nor have I," answered the Sultan, "forgot their distress; but the
+cares of my empire have hitherto prevented my search after them. As to
+the Princess, she is possibly with her father in Cassimir; but Mahoud
+is doubtless an inhabitant of Delhi, where he lived before his
+transformation; therefore, O Vizier, give immediate orders that the
+respective Cadis of each division of the city, who have the numbers
+and the names of every inhabitant within their district, be questioned
+concerning this jeweller's son; and let him to-morrow be brought
+before me."
+
+The Vizier Horam did as he was commanded, and sent for all the Cadis
+of the city, and examined them concerning Mahoud; but no one could
+give any account of him.
+
+The next morning Horam attended the divan, and acquainted the Sultan
+with his fruitless search.
+
+The Sultan was much dissatisfied at the Vizier's report; and after he
+had answered the petitioners and dismissed them, he sent again for his
+favourite Vizier.
+
+"Horam," said the Sultan, "my Cadis are remiss in their duty: Mahoud
+is certainly hid in my city: all is not right, Horam; the poor son of
+the jeweller would be proud to own that he was formerly the companion
+of the Sultan of the Indies, though in his distress; he had long ere
+this been at the foot of my throne, did not somewhat prevent him."
+
+"Prince of my life," answered the Vizier, "if Mahoud is in this city,
+he is doubtless disguised, and has reasons for concealing himself; and
+how shall thy officers of justice discover, among many millions, one
+obscure person, who is studious to hide himself?"
+
+"In a well-regulated city," answered the Sultan, "every one is known,
+and sound policy has always invented such distinctions as may prevent
+the disguise of designing and wicked men. But, till my capital is
+better regulated, I mean to take advantage myself of the confusion of
+my city, and examine, in disguise, those private outrages which are
+screened from the public eye of justice. Wherefore, Horam, procure two
+disguises for yourself and me; and let the Emir Matserak be sent
+ambassador to the Sultan of Cassimir, to inquire after the welfare of
+the Princess Hemjunah."
+
+The Vizier, in obedience to the Sultan's orders, sent the habits of
+two fakeers into the palace; and at evening the Sultan, accompanied by
+his Vizier, went forth in his disguise.
+
+As they passed through the second street from the royal palace, one
+habited like a fakeer, with his horn, saluted them, and asked them to
+partake of the alms he had received.
+
+The Sultan readily accepted his offer, lest the brother of his order
+should be offended.
+
+They immediately retired into a remote place, and, the strange fakeer
+pulling out the provision he had received, they began their repast.
+
+"Brother," said the fakeer to the disguised Sultan, "you are, I
+perceive, but a novice in your profession; you have seen but little of
+life, and you would be puzzled were you to encounter such wonders as
+I experienced but last night in my approach to this city."
+
+"What," answered the Sultan hastily, "were they? Perhaps, brother, you
+mistake me: possibly, though not so communicative as yourself, I may
+nevertheless be as brave and resolute."
+
+"Alas!" answered the fakeer, "I begin to suspect that you are no true
+brother: you know we are communicative among ourselves, but secret to
+the world about us. By the faith which I profess, I will no longer
+converse with you unless you give me some convincing proofs of the
+genuineness of your profession!"
+
+Here the Vizier, perceiving that the Sultan was hard pressed,
+interrupted the fakeer, and said, "O holy fakeer, but stranger to our
+tribe, whence comest thou that thou knowest not Elezren, the prince of
+devotees in the city of Delhi, to whom the Emirs bow, and before whom
+the populace lie prostrate as he passes? thou art indeed but newly
+come to Delhi, since the fame of Elezren hath not been sounded in
+thine ears."
+
+"Brother," answered the fakeer, "the fame of Elezren is not confined
+to Delhi alone, since all Asia receives him; but where are the silver
+marks of wisdom on his cheeks, and the furrows of affliction, which
+are deep-wrought in the aged front of Elezren?"
+
+At these words the fakeer sprang from the ground, and, running into
+the streets, he made the air echo with his complaints.
+
+The mob, hearing that two young men had personated the appearance of
+the caste, crowded to the place where the Sultan and his Vizier sat
+trembling at their own temerity, and were just about to tear them to
+pieces when the Vizier, stepping forward to meet them, cried aloud,
+
+"Slaves, presume not to approach your Sultan! for know that Misnar,
+the idol of his people, sits here disguised as a fakeer."
+
+Luckily for the Prince, several of the foremost were well acquainted
+with his features, or it is probable the mob would have looked upon
+the Vizier's speech as only a device to prevent their fury. But when
+the fakeer saw the foremost of the crowd acknowledge Misnar as their
+Sultan, and fall down before him, he tried to escape.
+
+"My friends," said the Sultan, "secure that wretch, and suffer him not
+to escape. And, Horam," said he, turning to his Vizier, "let him be
+confined in a dungeon this night, and to-morrow brought before me in
+the divan of justice."
+
+"The words of my lord," answered Horam, "are a law which cannot be
+changed. But let me beseech my Prince to retire from the crowd."
+
+Misnar willingly did as Horam advised; and the people made way for him
+to the palace, crying out, "Long live Misnar, the pride of his
+slaves!"
+
+The Sultan being returned to his palace with his Vizier, "Horam," said
+he, "each man has his part in life allotted to him; and the folly of
+those who, leaving the right and regular path, strike into the mazes
+of their own fancy, is sufficiently seen from our adventure this day:
+wherefore I would have every man endeavour to fill his real character
+and to shine in that, and not attempt what belongs to another, in
+which he can gain no credit, and runs a great hazard of disgrace."
+
+The Vizier went forth, and brought the fakeer bound in chains before
+the Sultan.
+
+The fakeer advanced to the presence of the Sultan, full of shame and
+fear; and falling at his footstool, cried out, "I call Mahomet to
+witness, I slew not the man in my wrath, but in mine own defence."
+
+"What man?" said the Sultan, astonished at his words; "whom hast thou
+slain, O wicked fakeer, that thine own fears should turn evidence
+against thee?"
+
+"Alas!" answered the fakeer, "hear me, most injured lord, for the
+blood of my brother presseth me sore.
+
+"As I journeyed yesterday, and was arrived within a league of the city
+of Delhi, I turned me towards a place walled round, which I supposed
+was a repository for the dead; and finding the gate open, I entered
+into it, intending to shelter myself for a few minutes against the
+scorching sun.
+
+"As I entered I perceived at one end a stone sepulchre, whose mouth
+was opened, and the stone rolled from it. Surprised at the sight, I
+walked forward to the vault, and heard within the voices of several
+persons. At this I was in doubt whether to proceed or retire,
+supposing that some robbers had taken up their residence there.
+
+"In the midst of my confusion, a young man with a turban hanging over
+his face came out, and seeing me, drew his sabre and made toward me to
+kill me. Whereupon I took up a large fragment of the wall which lay at
+my feet, and as he came forward I threw it and felled him to the
+ground; then running up, I snatched the sabre from his hand, and would
+have destroyed him, but he cried out, saying, 'Take care what thou
+doest, rash man; for it is not one but two lives that thou takest away
+when thou destroyest me!'
+
+"Amazed and wondering how it was possible for me to destroy two lives
+by avenging myself on one wretch, who, without offence, had meditated
+my death, I stayed my hand; which the young man seeing, he aimed to
+pull the sabre out of my hand, whereupon I lifted up the sabre above
+his head, and at one blow severed it from his body. Immediately,
+seeing the blood start from his veins, I ran out of the enclosure,
+fearing lest any one of his company should overtake me, and flew till
+I reached the city of Delhi, where I subsisted that night and this day
+on the alms of the Faithful, till I met my Sultan and his Vizier in
+the habit of two fakeers."
+
+"And what," said the Sultan, "has made thee thine own accuser, since
+the life you took was in your own defence? If thy tale is true, his
+blood rests on his own head, who was the aggressor; but the story is
+so singular, that I shall detain thee till my Vizier and a party of
+soldiers be sent to search the enclosure you have mentioned."
+
+The Vizier then gave orders for the guard to mount their horses, and
+the Sultan resolved to accompany the Vizier, the fakeer being carried
+between two of the guards to point out the scene of the encounter.
+
+The party having arrived at the iron gate of the enclosure, Horam,
+with ten of the guards, went in on foot, and marched with the fakeer
+to the tomb where he heard the voices, and whence the young man had
+issued forth.
+
+As they approached the tomb they beheld the body of the young man on
+the ground, and his head at a distance.
+
+The guards, entering the tomb, found no one within, but at the upper
+end they saw a stone case supported by two blocks of black marble. The
+stone case was covered with a flat marble, which the guards could not
+remove from its place.
+
+The Vizier, being acquainted with these particulars, returned to the
+Sultan, and related to him what the guards had discovered. But Misnar,
+recollecting the many devices which the enchanters had prepared to
+ensnare him, was very doubtful what course to take.
+
+On a sudden the moon, which shone exceeding bright, was overcast, and
+the clouds appeared of a glowing red, like the fiery heat of a burning
+furnace; hollow murmurs were heard at a distance, and a putrid and
+suffocating smell arose; when, in the midst of the fiery clouds, the
+black form of a haggard and hideously distorted female became visible,
+furiously riding on an unwieldy monster with many legs.
+
+In an instant the clouds to the east disappeared, and the heavens from
+that quarter shone like the meridian sun, and discovered a lovely
+graceful nymph, the brightness of whose features expressed the
+liveliest marks of meekness, grace, and love.
+
+"Hapacuson," said the fair one, addressing herself to the hag, "why
+wilt thou vainly brandish thy rebellious arms against the powers of
+Heaven? If the Sultan, though he be the favourite of Allah, do wrong,
+the Mighty One, who delighteth in justice, will make thee the
+instrument of His vengeance on the offending Prince. But know the
+extent of thy power, vain woman! and presume not to war against the
+will of Heaven, lest the battle of the faithful genii be set in array
+against thee, and thou be joined to the number of those who are
+already fallen."
+
+"Proud vassal of light," answered the enchantress Hapacuson, "I fear
+not thy threats, nor the bright pageants that surround thee: war,
+tumult, chaos, and darkness, fear and dismay, are to me more welcome
+than the idle splendours of thy Master."
+
+"Abandoned wretch!" answered the bright being, "defile not thy
+Maker's creations by thy blasphemous tongue; but learn at least to
+fear that Mighty One thou art not worthy to honour."
+
+Thus saying, she blew from her mouth a vivid flame, like a sharp two
+edged-sword, which, entering into the clouds that surrounded
+Hapacuson, the hag gave a horrible shriek, and the thick clouds
+rolling around her, she flew away into the darkness.
+
+The fair one then descending towards the Sultan, the brightness
+disappeared, and Misnar, the Vizier, and the guards, fell prostrate
+before her.
+
+"Arise, Misnar," said she, "Heaven's favourite! and fear not to enter
+the tomb, where the enchantments of Hapacuson are now at an end."
+
+The Sultan was about to answer, but the fair one led the way to the
+tomb, and commanded him to enter with her, and uncover the stone case
+which stood at the upper end.
+
+As the lid was removing, a sigh issued from its case, and a lovely
+female arose as from a deep sleep.
+
+"Inform me," said the Sultan, "whom it is my happy fate to release
+from this wretched confinement?"
+
+"Alas!" answered the beautiful maiden, "art thou the vile Bennaskar,
+or the still more vile Mahoud? Oh, let me sleep till death, and never
+more behold the wretchedness of life!"
+
+"What!" said the Sultan, starting from his knees, "do I behold the
+unfortunate Princess of Cassimir?"
+
+"Illustrious Hemjunah," said the Vizier Horam, as the Princess stared
+wildly about her, "Misnar, the Sultan of India, is before thee."
+
+"Yes," interrupted the fair spirit, "doubt not, Hemjunah, the truth of
+the Vizier Horam; for behold! Macoma, thy guardian genius, assures
+thee of the reality of what thou beholdest."
+
+"Helper of the afflicted," answered the Princess of Cassimir, "doubt
+vanishes when you are present; but wonder not at my incredulity, since
+my whole life has been a false illusion. O Allah, wherefore hast Thou
+made the weakest the most subject to deceit?"
+
+"To call in question the wisdom of Allah," answered the genius Macoma,
+"is to act like the child of folly: go, then, thou mirror of justice
+and understanding, and span with thy mighty arms the numberless
+heavens of the Faithful; weigh in thy just balance the wisdom of thy
+Maker, and the fitness of His creation; and, joined with the evil race
+from whom I have preserved thee, rail at that goodness thou canst not
+comprehend."
+
+"Spare me, just genius," answered the Princess of Cassimir; "spare the
+weakness of my disordered head. I confess my folly; but weak is the
+offspring of weakness."
+
+"True," replied the genius; "but although you are weak, ought you
+therefore to be presumptuous? Knowest thou not that the Sultan Misnar
+suffered with you because he despaired? And now would Hapacuson return
+thee to thy former slumbers, did not Allah, who has beheld thy former
+sufferings, in pity forgive the vain thoughts of mortality."
+
+"Blessed is His goodness," answered the Princess, "and blessed are His
+servants, who delight in succouring and instructing the weak and
+distressed."
+
+"To be sorry for our errors," said the genius, "is to bring down the
+pardon of Heaven; and Hemjunah, though so long overpowered by the
+malicious, is nevertheless one of the loveliest of her sex.
+
+"Sultan of India," continued Macoma, turning to Misnar, "I leave the
+Princess of Cassimir to your care, in full assurance that the delicacy
+of her sentiments will not be offended by your royal and noble
+treatment of her. But let an ambassador be immediately dispatched from
+your Court to inform her aged and pious father of the safety of his
+daughter."
+
+"The dictates of Macoma," answered the Sultan, bowing before her, "are
+the dictates of virtue and humanity, and her will shall be religiously
+obeyed."
+
+At these words the genius vanished, and the Sultan bade part of his
+guards return to Delhi to the chief of his eunuchs, and order him to
+prepare a palanquin and proper attendants to convey the Princess of
+Cassimir to the royal palace.
+
+While these preparations were making, the Sultan and his Vizier
+endeavoured to soothe and entertain the Princess of Cassimir; and
+though Horam was desirous of hearing her adventures, yet the Sultan
+would not suffer him to request Hemjunah's relation, till she was
+carried to the palace, and refreshed after her fatigues.
+
+The chief of the eunuchs arrived in a short time, and the Princess was
+conveyed, ere morning, to the palace of Misnar, where the female
+apartments were prepared for her reception, and a number of the first
+ladies of Delhi appointed to attend her.
+
+The Sultan, in the meantime, having ordered the fakeer to be released
+and sent out of the city, entered the divan with his Vizier, and,
+having dispatched the complainants, retired to rest.
+
+In the evening of the same day, the Princess, being recovered from her
+fatigue, sent the chief of the eunuchs to the Sultan, and desired
+leave to throw herself at his feet in gratitude for her escape.
+
+The Sultan received the message with joy, and ordering Horam his
+Vizier to be called, they both went into the apartments of the
+females, where the Princess of Cassimir was seated on a throne of
+ivory, and surrounded by the slaves of the seraglio.
+
+The Princess descended from her throne at the approach of the Sultan,
+and fell at his feet; but Misnar, taking her by the hand, said, "Rise,
+Princess, and injure not your honour by thus abasing yourself before
+your slave. The lovely Hemjunah has promised to relate her wonderful
+adventures; and Horam, the faithful friend of my bosom, and our former
+fellow-sufferer, is come to participate with me in the charming
+relation."
+
+"Prince," said Hemjunah, "I shall not conceal what you are so desirous
+of knowing."
+
+The Sultan then waved his hand, and the slaves withdrew.
+
+
+THE HISTORY OF THE PRINCESS OF CASSIMIR.
+
+
+Before I had attained my thirteenth year, my father proposed to marry
+me to the Prince of Georgia. It was in vain that, when my mother
+disclosed the fatal news to me, I urged my youth, and my entire
+ignorance of the Prince or his qualities.
+
+"My child," said Chederazade, "to make ourselves happy, we must be
+useful to the world. The Prince of Georgia has done your father great
+service in the wars, and you are destined to reward his toils: all
+the subjects of Cassimir will look upon your choice as a compliment to
+them, and they will rejoice to see their benefactor blessed with the
+hand of their Princess."
+
+"But, madam," answered I, "does the happiness of my father's subjects
+require such a sacrifice in me? Must I live in a country to whose
+language and manners I am a stranger? must I be for ever banished?"
+
+"I have given sufficient reasons," replied my mother, "to engage your
+compliance with your father's desire, and these will influence you, if
+prudence and wisdom are the motives of your choice; and if you want
+prudence, it is fit that those who are able to instruct you should
+also guide and direct your actions."
+
+At these words, Chederazade left me bathed in tears and trembling at
+my fate.
+
+My nurse Eloubrou was witness to the hard command my mother had
+imposed upon me, and endeavoured to comfort me in my affliction; but
+her words were as the wind on the surface of the rock; and to add to
+my griefs, in a few minutes after, the chief of the eunuchs entered,
+and bade me prepare to receive the Sultan my father.
+
+The Sultan of Cassimir entering my apartment, I fell at his feet.
+
+"Hemjunah," said he, "the Prince of Georgia is my friend, and I intend
+to give my daughter to his arms."
+
+Shocked at these successive declarations of my fate, which I had no
+reason to suspect the day before, I fainted away, and when I
+recovered, found myself on a sofa, with Eloubrou at my feet.
+
+"My lovely Princess," said Eloubrou, "how little am I able to see you
+thus! and yet I fear the news I have to impart to you may reduce you
+to your former condition."
+
+"Alas," said I, "nurse, what new evil has befallen me? What worse can
+happen than my marriage with a stranger?"
+
+"Princess," replied Eloubrou, "the Prince is to see you this night:
+nay, the ceremonies are preparing, the changes of vestment, the
+dessert, and the choral bands."
+
+"Ah," said I, "cruel Eloubrou! what hast thou said? Am I to be
+sacrificed this night to my father's policy? Am I to be given as a
+fee to the plunderer of cities?--for such they are whose profession is
+arms."
+
+"No, Princess," said a young female slave who attended on Eloubrou;
+"trust but to me, and the Prince of Georgia shall in vain seek the
+honour of your alliance."
+
+The faithful Eloubrou shrieked at the words of the female slave, and
+endeavoured to clap her hands and bring the chief of the eunuchs to
+her assistance; but the female slave waved her left hand, and Eloubrou
+and the rest of the slaves stood motionless before her.
+
+"Most lovely Princess," said she, "I am the friend of the distressed,
+and love to prevent the severe and ill-natured authority of parents:
+give me your hand, and I will deliver you from that monster, the
+Prince of Georgia."
+
+"What!" answered I, "shall I trust to a stranger, whom I know not, and
+fly from my father's Court? No!"
+
+"Well, then," said she, "I hear the cymbals playing before the Prince,
+and the trumpets, and the kettledrums. Farewell, sweet mistress of the
+fierce and unconquerable Prince of Georgia."
+
+As she spoke, the warlike music sounded in my ears; and, not doubting
+but that the Prince and my father were coming, I held out my hand to
+the female slave, and said,
+
+"Save me, oh, save me from my father's frown!"
+
+The slave eagerly snatched my hand, and, blowing forth a small vapour
+from her mouth, it filled the room, and we arose in a cloud.
+
+The manner of my flight from my father's palace I know not, as I
+immediately fainted; but when I recovered, I found myself in a
+magnificent apartment, and a youth standing before me.
+
+"Charming Hemjunah," said he, falling at my feet, "may I hope that the
+service I have performed, in delivering you from the Prince of
+Georgia, will merit your love?"
+
+"Alas!" said I, "what service hast thou performed? Who art thou, bold
+man, that durst stand before the Princess of Cassimir? Eloubrou,"
+shouted I, "faithful Eloubrou! where art thou? Where is Picksag, the
+chief of my eunuchs? Where are my slaves? Where are the guards of the
+seraglio?"
+
+"Princess," answered the young man, "fatigue not yourself with calling
+after them, since they are in the kingdom of Cassimir, and you are in
+the house of Bennaskar, the merchant of Delhi; but, not to keep you in
+suspense, O Princess! know that I have for several years traded from
+Cassimir to Delhi, and, although I never saw you till lately, yet the
+fame of your opening beauties was so great that it fired the hearts of
+all the young men in your father's kingdom. Every time I arrived at
+Cassimir, the subject of all conversation was the adorable Princess
+Hemjunah. Impelled by these encomiums, I resolved to see you or die."
+
+He then recounted how he had obtained access to me through the art of
+Ulin.
+
+The wicked Bennaskar would have made me the victim of his passions,
+when, in a gentle cloud, a venerable and majestic personage descended
+into the apartment.
+
+"Unhappy Princess of Cassimir!" said she, "how has thy imprudence
+weakened my power, and destroyed thine own safety! If thou hadst not
+yielded to the false female slave, the sorceress Ulin had not
+triumphed over thee and me; but now she has given thee into the power
+and possession of Bennaskar, and I am not permitted to rescue thee
+from the clutches of this detested merchant."
+
+"Then," said Bennaskar, who before was awed by the presence of the
+genius Macoma, "Hemjunah is my own, and my faithful Ulin has not
+deceived me."
+
+At these words, exerting all his strength, the villain seized me; but
+his triumph was short, for the genius, advancing, immediately touched
+him with her wand, and said,
+
+"Wretched slave of iniquity! though I am not permitted to rescue the
+Princess, yet I have power over thee, base tool of sin! therefore I
+ordain, that whenever you look upon the Princess, you shall deprive
+her of sensation."
+
+"Then," said Bennaskar, rising and turning from me, "I will at present
+disappoint thy power till I receive my commands from the mouth of
+Ulin, the mistress of my fate."
+
+"Ah!" cried the enchantress Ulin, who that moment entered the vaulted
+chamber from the closet, which, my Prince, you have heard described by
+Mahoud, "what hast thou done, thou enemy of our race? Accursed and
+fatal neglect, that I had not at first secured Bennaskar from thy
+power! But since the inexorable word is gone forth, I will add to thy
+sentence. Here," continued she, stamping with her foot, and an ugly
+dwarf arose through a trap-door in the chamber, "Nego, be it thy
+business to attend my servant Bennaskar, and whenever thou seest that
+female deprived of sensation, do you bury her in the earth beneath
+this chamber. And, Bennaskar," continued the enchantress, "do you take
+this phial, and whenever you want to converse with this stubborn
+female, let one of your slaves, whom you can trust, pour part of the
+liquor into her mouth, and she shall recover: only retire yourself
+into the closet, that you be not seen of her, at least till she
+consent to your will, for then the enchantments of Macoma shall no
+longer prevail against you."
+
+"The enchantments," said Macoma, "O wretched Ulin, are not yet
+complete! there is yet a moment left, and both our power over Hemjunah
+and Bennaskar will be at an end. Therefore thus shall it be: although
+Bennaskar is possessed of the Princess, yet shall these apartments be
+hidden from the sight of all men, except on that day when thy evil
+race prevails. On the full of the moon only shall Bennaskar be able to
+explore these rooms. And fear not, amiable Hemjunah," said the genius,
+addressing herself to me, "for neither force nor enchantment shall
+work your ruin without your own consent; and although Mahomet,
+displeased at your late imprudence, for a time permits this
+enchantment, yet at length, if you continue faithful and virtuous, he
+will assuredly deliver you."
+
+At these words, Bennaskar turned towards me, with anger and
+disappointment in his eye, and immediately I was seized with a deep
+sleep, and what passed afterwards I know not.
+
+One day I found myself awakened by the pouring of some liquor into my
+mouth, and saw a black slave standing before me. At the same time the
+voice of Bennaskar issued from the closet.
+
+"Ill-fated Princess! thy tyrant genius hath now hidden thee a month
+from my sight, while thy friends, Ulin and Bennaskar, seek to restore
+thee to light and to life: say but, therefore, thou wilt be mine, and
+the enchantments of Macoma will be destroyed."
+
+"Wretched Bennaskar!" answered I, "I knew not that my sleep had
+continued a month; but, if it be so long since I saw the genius Macoma
+in this chamber, I thank Mahomet that he hath so long hidden me from
+the persecutions of Bennaskar."
+
+"Haughty Princess!" answered the vile Bennaskar from the closet, "my
+slave shall inspire you with humbler words." Whereupon he ordered the
+black slave to give me fifty lashes with the chabouc.
+
+But it is needless, O Prince, to repeat the various designs of that
+wretch. For three months was I thus confined, and Bennaskar having
+exercised, through the hands of his slave, the cruelties of his heart,
+used at length, when he found me persist in my resolution, to come
+forth, and by his presence deprive me of sensation. The adventures of
+the third month you have heard from the mouth of Mahoud; I shall
+therefore only continue my narrative from the time that he left me
+with the book in my hand.
+
+Bennaskar, seeing his friend Mahoud had left him, went out, and soon
+returned again with him, and taking him into the closet, in a moment
+came forth, and, touching me, he said, "Come, fair Princess, the
+enchantments of Macoma are now at an end, and thou art given up
+entirely to Bennaskar."
+
+I shrieked at his words, hoping the Cadi would hear me, but in vain.
+Bennaskar ran with me through the vaulted passage, and found myself
+with him in an extended plain.
+
+"Wretch!" said the genius Macoma, who that moment appeared, "hast thou
+dared to disobey my commands, and remove the Princess from the vaulted
+chamber, where even thy mistress yielded to my power? But I thank
+thee: what the imprudent Mahoud could not accomplish against thee thou
+hast effected thyself."
+
+As she spake, the form of Bennaskar perished from the face of the
+plain, and his body crumbled to atoms and mixed with the dust of the
+earth; but from his ashes the enchantress Ulin arose, and with an
+enraged visage turned towards me and said, "Thou art still the victim
+of my power; and since Bennaskar is no more, go, sweet Princess, and
+join thy delicate form to the form of thy preserver Mahoud, whom I
+designed for the flames; but, my will being opposed, he is rescued
+thence, and now defiles the air of Tarapajan with his pestiferous
+breath."
+
+Such, Sultan of India, were the consequences of my imprudence; and
+thus are our sex, by the smallest deviations, often led through
+perpetual scenes of misery and distress.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"Lovely Princess of Cassimir," said the Sultan Misnar, "I have felt
+more anxiety during this short interval in which you have related your
+adventures than in all the campaigns I have made. But suffer us, O
+Princess, to add a further trouble to you by a second request; for I
+am as anxious to hear by what misfortune you were enclosed in the tomb
+of death as I was to know in what manner you were subjected to the
+villanous cruelties of the wretched Bennaskar."
+
+"The tale, O Prince," said the fair Hemjunah, "is wonderful; but,
+alas! new indiscretions drew upon me the severities I have
+experienced."
+
+
+THE HISTORY OF THE PRINCESS CONTINUED.
+
+
+As soon as, by our restoration to our pristine forms, we were apprised
+of your victory over the enchantress Ulin, I found myself in the
+seraglio of my father's palace. In the apartment from which I was
+taken by the wicked enchantress, I beheld my nurse Eloubrou: she was
+prostrate on the ground, and the palace was filled with her cries.
+
+"Faithful Eloubrou," said I, "arise and look upon thy beloved
+Hemjunah. Where is my royal father Zebenezer, and the fond
+Chederazade, the mother of my heart?"
+
+Eloubrou, at my voice, started up like one awakened from a trance.
+"What is it?" said she in emotion, "what is it I behold? Art thou the
+departed shade of my once-loved Hemjunah?"
+
+"No shade, beloved Eloubrou," said I, running to her, "but the true
+Princess of Cassimir, whom Misnar the Sultan of India hath rescued
+from the enchantments of the wicked Ulin."
+
+"Oh that thy royal mother," said Eloubrou, "were, like me, blessed
+with the sight of thy return!"
+
+"What," said I "Eloubrou, what dost thou say? Where, then, is the
+much-honoured Chederazade? where the dear parent of my life?"
+
+"Alas!" said Eloubrou, "who shall tell the dismal tale to thy tender
+heart?"
+
+"Ah!" said I, "is my beloved mother no more? Is she gone to seek her
+disobedient daughter over the burning lake?"
+
+At these words my spirit failed, and I sank motionless to the ground.
+But my lord must forgive me if I hasten over the dreadful scene that
+followed. The report of Eloubrou was too true: Chederazade, the
+dearest Chederazade, had been ten days dead when I was restored to my
+father's palace; and Zebenezer, distracted at the double loss of his
+consort and his child, had shut himself up in the tomb of my mother.
+
+Eloubrou hastened to the tomb wherein my father poured forth his
+tears, and acquainted the guards who watched without that I was
+returned.
+
+The sorrowful Zebenezer, although he was rejoiced at the news,
+resolved not to come forth out of his consort's tomb till the month
+was expired, according to his oath; and gave orders, that during that
+interval I should be obeyed by his subjects.
+
+My mourning was not less poignant than my royal father's. I shut
+myself up in my apartments, and would suffer none but Eloubrou to see
+me.
+
+Nine days passed in silence; our loss affected both, and Eloubrou was
+as little disposed as myself to forget the cause of her griefs. On the
+tenth morning, Eloubrou was called out by the Grand Vizier, who then
+had the command of my father's kingdom.
+
+She returned in haste. "Princess of Cassimir," said she, "one who
+calleth himself Mahoud inquires for thee; and the Grand Vizier,
+understanding that he was instrumental in your release, waits without
+to know your will."
+
+At the name of Mahoud I started from my reverie. "Mahoud," said I, "O
+Eloubrou! deserves my notice; and the son of the jeweller of Delhi
+shall be rewarded for his services to your mistress."
+
+"Alas!" answered Eloubrou, "my lovely mistress is distracted with
+sorrows, and supposes the Prince Mahoud to be the offspring of a
+slave!"
+
+"If he be a Prince," answered I, "he has hitherto concealed his
+circumstances and birth from me, or he is not that Mahoud whom I
+remember in the deserts of Tarapajan."
+
+"That," answered Eloubrou, "you will soon discover when you see him.
+But," continued she, "he desires a private audience."
+
+"Well, then," replied I, "introduce him, Eloubrou; but let my slaves
+be ready to enter at my call."
+
+Eloubrou obeyed, and brought the merchant Mahoud into my presence, and
+then retired.
+
+Mahoud fell at my feet, and said, "Forgive my presumption in
+approaching the throne of Cassimir, and that I have added hypocrisy to
+my boldness, by assuming the title of a Prince."
+
+"What, then," answered I, sternly, "has induced you to deceive my
+Court?"
+
+"Let death," said Mahoud, falling again before me, "let death atone
+for my crime; but first permit me to explain the motives of my
+presumption."
+
+"Proceed," said I.
+
+He then informed me that, after assuming his natural form, he visited
+Delhi, where he was spurned by Misnar and Horam, and had been
+compelled to beg his way to my dominions. A merchant of the city had
+furnished him with the robes in which he appeared. Then clapping my
+hands, Eloubrou appeared, and I said, "Eloubrou, let the Prince Mahoud
+be lodged in my father's palace, and let a proper number of slaves
+attend him; and do you acquaint the Vizier with his quality."
+
+Eloubrou did as I commanded; and Mahoud, full of joy, fell down at my
+feet, and kissed the hem of my garment.
+
+"Prince," said I, "arise; and Eloubrou shall conduct you to my
+father's palace."
+
+A few days' experience made me repent my folly in giving credit to
+the falsehoods of Mahoud, for the insolent merchant got proud of his
+newly-assumed honours. He came daily, and was introduced to me, and
+every time assumed greater state; till at last he dared to declare his
+passion for me, and talked of asking my father's consent as soon as
+the days of his sorrow should be accomplished. Astonished at his
+insolence, I bade him depart from my presence, which he did
+reluctantly, muttering revenge as he went.
+
+As soon as he was gone, I acquainted Eloubrou with Mahoud's story, his
+ridiculous and insolent behaviour, and that he had even dared to
+threaten me with revenge.
+
+"The threats of Mahoud," said Eloubrou, "are of little consequence,
+though prudence should never esteem the least enemy unworthy of its
+notice; care shall, therefore, be taken of this insolent merchant."
+
+While Eloubrou was giving the necessary instructions, one of the
+slaves entered the apartment, and gave me notice that Zebenezer, my
+father, expected me in the tomb immediately. I put on the solemn veil,
+and followed the guard to the tomb of Chederazade. I entered the
+lonely mansions of the dead with fear and trembling, and, at the upper
+end of the vaulted tomb, saw my father kneeling before the embalmed
+corpse of my mother.
+
+"Unhappy Hemjunah," said the aged man, "come hither, and behold the
+sad remains of my dearest Chederazade."
+
+Although my heart sank with grief, and my limbs tottered, yet I went
+to reach the place where Chederazade lay embalmed, and fell at the
+feet of my father Zebenezer.
+
+"Rise," said he, "O daughter!" and caught me suddenly in his arms;
+when, oh fearful sight! I perceived his visage alter, and that the
+villanous Mahoud held me in his embrace.
+
+Struck with horror and despair, I endeavoured to cry out, but in
+vain--my voice was gone, and the power of speech was taken from me.
+
+"No," said he, with a fierce air, "your struggles and resistance, O
+prudent Princess, are all vain; for she who would join to deceive
+others must expect to be deceived when there is none to help her;
+therefore speech, if you resist, is taken from you."
+
+"What," said I, "cruel Mahoud! is this the return my friendship
+deserves, when, to save you from infamy and slavery, I gave way to
+your entreaties, and represented you otherwise than you really were?"
+
+"Friendship, O Princess," said he, "is built on virtue, which Mahoud
+has disclaimed since he entered into the service of the sage
+Hapacuson; and by her advice it was that he told you a false tale to
+deceive you to your own destruction. Had you not yielded to that tale,
+I could have had no power over you or your father; but it is our
+triumph to circumvent the prudence of Mahomet's children; wherefore,
+seeing you would not yield openly to my wishes, I had no sooner left
+you with Eloubrou, than, by Hapacuson's assistance, I entered this
+tomb invisibly, and, by my enchantments, overpowered your father
+Zebenezer, and then, assuming his person, I sent for my Princess, and
+she came obedient to my call. But, now," continued the false Mahoud,
+"your cries will profit you but little; for Hapacuson, who is ever
+hovering over Delhi, to watch the motions of the Sultan Misnar, has by
+this time placed us in a repository of the dead, where we shall have
+none to overhear or disturb us."
+
+"Mahoud then showed me my father Zebenezer, whom, by his enchantment,
+he had deprived of all sensation: he lay in a coffin of black marble,
+in an inner apartment, and after that he vowed that he would desist
+from force; but, till I consented to love him, I must be content to
+live in the tomb.
+
+"He, by his enchantments, obliged me to sleep in the place whence you
+delivered me, and what time has elapsed during my confinement I know
+not."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"Princess," said the Sultan, "we rejoice at your escape; but as it is
+probable, by your account, that your royal sire Zebenezer still sleeps
+in the tomb, we will pray for his deliverance from the chains of
+enchantment."
+
+The Sultan then sent officers to search in the tomb for the body of
+Zebenezer, and also called together those who were skilled in magic,
+and desired them to use incantations to invoke the genius Macoma to
+their assistance. But the arts of the magicians were vain, and Macoma
+remained deaf to the entreaties of the Sultan and his sages.
+
+In the meantime, while the Sultan and his Vizier Horam endeavoured to
+comfort the afflicted Hemjunah, the ambassadors returned from
+Cassimir, bringing advice that the grand Vizier Hobaddan had assumed
+the title of Sultan, and that the whole kingdom of Cassimir
+acknowledged his authority.
+
+At this report, Hemjunah sank on the earth, and the Sultan Misnar ran
+to comfort her, declaring that he would march his whole army to
+recover her dominions from the rebel Hobaddan.
+
+"Horam," said the Sultan, "let us be prudent as well as just:
+therefore, while you march to the assistance of the injured subjects
+of Cassimir, and to restore that kingdom to its lawful Prince, I will
+keep strict discipline and order in the provinces of my empire; and I
+trust, in a short time, I shall see you return with the head of the
+rebel Hobaddan."
+
+The Vizier Horam set out in a few days from Delhi with three hundred
+thousand troops of the flower of the Sultan's army, and by forced
+marches reached the confines of Cassimir ere the pretended Sultan
+Hobaddan had notice of his arrival.
+
+The Vizier Horam's intention to restore the Princess Hemjunah to the
+throne of her ancestors being proclaimed, numbers of the subjects of
+Cassimir flocked to the standard of Horam; and the army, now increased
+to five hundred thousand troops, marched forthwith toward the capital
+of Cassimir.
+
+Hobaddan, having notice of the increase and progress of his enemies,
+and finding that to engage them upon equal terms was vain, sent an
+embassy to the Vizier Horam, assuring him that he and his whole army
+would surrender themselves up to the mercy and clemency of his
+master's troops. Horam rejoiced at the success of his march; and
+desirous of regaining the kingdom of Cassimir without bloodshed, sent
+an assurance to Hobaddan in answer, that, if he fulfilled his promise,
+his own life should be saved.
+
+The next morning Hobaddan appeared in front of his troops, with their
+heads dejected and their arms inverted toward the ground; and in this
+manner they came forward to the Vizier Horam's army.
+
+Horam, to encourage the submission of Hobaddan, had placed the forces,
+which he had raised in the kingdom of Cassimir, in the van of his
+army; and also to secure them from retreating, by the support which
+his own troops were to give them in the rear.
+
+When Hobaddan was within hearing, instead of throwing his arms on the
+ground, he unsheathed his scimitar, and thus spake to the troops
+before him:
+
+"Brethren and countrymen, suffer me to speak what my affection to you
+all, and my love for my country, requires me to say. Against whom, O
+my brethren, is this array of battle? and whose blood seek ye to spill
+on the plains which our forefathers have cultivated? Is it our own
+blood that must be poured forth over these lands to enrich them for a
+stranger's benefit? Is it not under pretence of fighting for the
+Princess of Cassimir, who has been long since dead, that the Sultan of
+India's troops are now ravaging, not on our borders only, but
+penetrating even into the heart of our nation? But suppose ye that the
+conquerors will give up the treasures they hope to earn by their
+blood? Will they not rather, invited by the fruitfulness of our vales,
+and by the rich produce of our mountains, fix here the standard of
+their arms, and make slaves of us, who are become thus easily the
+dupes of their ambitious pretences? Then, farewell content! farewell
+pleasure! farewell the well-earned fruits of industry and frugality!
+Our lands shall be the property of others, and we still tied down by
+slavish chains to cultivate and improve them. Our houses, our
+substance, shall be the reward of foreign robbers; our wives and our
+virgins shall bow down before conquerors; and we, like the beasts of
+the field, shall be drawn in the scorching midday to the furrow or the
+mine."
+
+As Hobaddan began to utter these words, Horam, astonished at his
+malice and presumption, ordered the archers who attended him to draw
+forth their arrows, and pierce him to the heart; but the weapons of
+war were as straws on the armour of Hobaddan, and he stood dauntless
+and unhurt amidst ten thousand arrows.
+
+"Friends and brethren!" continued Hobaddan, "you see the powers above
+are on our side; the arrows of Horam are as chaff on the plain, and as
+the dust which penetrates not the garments of the traveller. Halt not,
+therefore, but join your arms to the defender and supporter of your
+liberties and your possessions."
+
+At these words the recruits of Horam filed off in a body and joined
+the party of Hobaddan; while the pretended Sultan, elated at his
+success, pushed forward to the Vizier Horam's troops, and charged them
+with the utmost impetuosity.
+
+The weapons of the brave were foiled by the armour of Hobaddan; for
+the enchantress Hapacuson, studious of diverting the attention of the
+Sultan Misnar, had assisted Hobaddan with her counsel and with
+invulnerable arms; wherefore, seeing their labour vain and fruitless
+against the pretended and unconquerable Sultan, the hearts of Horam's
+warriors melted within them, and they fell away from the field of
+battle; and Hobaddan, sensible of his advantage, hastened after the
+troops of Horam all the day and night; and the Vizier himself barely
+escaped with his life, having none left behind him to send to Delhi
+with the unhappy report of his defeat.
+
+But malicious Fame, ever indefatigable in representing the horrors of
+affliction and distress, soon spread her voice throughout the regions
+of Delhi; and Misnar heard from every quarter, that his faithful Horam
+and all his chosen troops were defeated or cut off by the victorious
+arm of Hobaddan. The Princess Hemjunah gave up herself to sighs and
+tears, and refused the consolation of the Court of Delhi; and the
+Sultan Misnar, enraged at his loss, resolved to assemble the greatest
+part of his troops, and march to the assistance of Horam.
+
+But first he gave orders that recruits should be raised, and that the
+number of his troops should be increased; and then, mixing his young
+raised soldiers with the veterans of his army, he left one half of his
+troops to guard his own provinces, and with the other he marched
+towards the confines of Cassimir.
+
+The Vizier Horam had concealed himself in the hut of a faithful
+peasant, and hearing that his master had arrived with a numerous army
+in the kingdom of Cassimir, he went forward to meet him, and, falling
+down at his feet, besought his forgiveness.
+
+"Horam," said the Sultan, "arise. I forgive thee, although thou hast
+lost so many of my troops; but I little suspected Hobaddan had been
+too artful for the experience and sagacity of my Vizier. However,
+Horam, he must not expect to deceive us again: we are more in number,
+and we are aware of his deceit. You, Horam, forced your marches and
+weakened your troops, but I will bring them on slowly and surely. Have
+we prevailed against Ulin, and Happuck, and Ollomand, and Tasnar--have
+we crushed Ahaback and Desra by our prudent arts--and shall we fear
+the contrivance of a poor Vizier, who leads a few rebels among the
+rocks of the province of Cassimir? Let us but use prudence with
+resolution, and these enemies must soon fade away like the shadow that
+flieth from the noontide sun."
+
+The two armies of the Sultan of India and the pretended Sultan of
+Cassimir approached each other; and the troops of Misnar were pleased
+to hear that their number was treble the number of their enemies. But,
+however great their superiority might be, the Sultan Misnar and his
+Vizier kept the strictest discipline among them, and acted as if they
+were about to engage a superior force.
+
+For some time the armies continued within sight of each other, neither
+choosing to engage without some superiority of circumstances, and both
+watchful to prevent that superiority. At length the Sultan observing a
+weakness in the left wing of Hobaddan's army, caused by sickness, as
+they were encamped near a morass, gave orders for a furious attack
+upon the front, but directed the main effort to be made against that
+wing.
+
+But the Sultan's intentions were defeated; for Hobaddan, commanding
+not in the centre, as was expected, but in the left wing (with a
+chosen troop he had conveyed there the very morning of the
+engagement), totally defeated those who were sent to oppose him. The
+troops to the right of the Sultan's army, giving way, put all in
+confusion; and the unwieldy number of Misnar's forces, instead of
+regularly supporting them, poured toward the right in such tumult as
+destroyed the whole disposition of the army.
+
+During this confusion, Hobaddan hewed down on all sides those who
+dared oppose his arms; and his chosen troop followed him over heaps of
+the slain, every one flying through fear at his presence.
+
+The Sultan and his Vizier Horam, finding it in vain to rally their
+troops or oppose the conquerors, sounded a retreat, and, amidst the
+general confusion, fled toward the sandy deserts which divide the
+realms of Cassimir from the province of Delhi.
+
+But the prudent Sultan, in his flight, endeavoured to restore to his
+troops their rank and order; and while Horam reduced the foot under
+their proper banners, Misnar regulated the confusion of the horse, and
+placed them as a covering to the rest of his forces.
+
+In this manner they marched before the face of their enemies into the
+desert, without any provision or forage but what they carried with
+their accoutrements; and although the Sultan and his Vizier used every
+argument to persuade their troops (who still exceeded the number of
+their enemies) to turn and pursue the army of Hobaddan, yet so great
+was their dread of the victorious rebel and his forces, that they
+threatened to throw down their arms rather than return to the battle.
+
+Seeing all his endeavours to inspire his men with courage ineffectual,
+the Sultan travelled onward with them into the desert, as one given up
+to certain destruction.
+
+After two days' march, they halted beside several small pools; and
+such was the excessive drought of Misnar's army, that many perished
+before they could be prevailed upon to quit the refreshing waters of
+the desert. These, indeed, thought of little more than present relief;
+but Misnar, their lord, was overwhelmed with the severest pangs of
+distress.
+
+To increase their grief, scouts brought word that the troops of
+Hobaddan, being refreshed after their fatigues, were marching towards
+them, intending to destroy them while they were faint from want of
+provision. The army of the Sultan, terrified by the report, and seeing
+no hope of escape, fell upon the wretched Sultan and his faithful
+Vizier, and bringing them into the centre of the troops, demanded
+their blood as an atonement for the losses they were about to suffer
+in their cause.
+
+The ringleader of this general mutiny was Ourodi, the ancient enemy of
+the faithful Horam, who, standing foremost in the ranks, commanded the
+archers to bind their Sultan and Vizier to a stake.
+
+The Sultan, seeing all his hopes defeated, and the rage of the
+multitude, knelt down and commended his cause to the all-powerful
+Allah.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+And now the archers were about to bend their bows and fit the deadly
+shafts to their bow-strings, when a luminous appearance was discovered
+to the eastward, and the outskirts of the army saw a female in robes
+of light travelling over the sands of the desert. In a moment she
+passed through the ranks of the army, and stood in the circle who were
+gathered around to see the execution of the Sultan and his Vizier.
+
+"Misnar," said she, "arise, and fear not those sons of clay, nor the
+malice of enchantment: I am the genius Macoma, sent by Mahomet to save
+and deliver thee when human assistance was vain and impossible.
+Therefore assume thy just command over these thy subjects, and let
+them all fall prostrate on the ground to Allah, and wait to see the
+fate of those who fight against the Prophet of the Faithful. But first
+learn, from thine own experience, the folly of trusting even to the
+greatest human power or prudence, without an affiance in the Lord of
+Heaven. The world, O Misnar, is Allah's, and the kingdom of heaven is
+the work of His hands; let not, therefore, the proudest boast, nor the
+most humble despair; for, although the towering mountains appear most
+glorious to the sight, the lowly valleys enjoy the fatness of the
+skies. But Allah is able to clothe the summit of the rocks with
+verdure, and dry up even the rivers of the vale. Wherefore, although
+thou wert suffered to destroy the greatest part of thine enemies, yet
+one was left to overpower thee, that thou mightest know that thou wert
+but a weak instrument in the hands of strength."
+
+"I know," answered the Sultan Misnar, "that Allah is able to dissolve
+this frame of earth, and every vision of the eye; and therefore not
+the proudest nor the most powerful can stand against Him."
+
+As the Sultan spake thus; the army of Hobaddan appeared on the face of
+the sandy desert.
+
+"Although His power be infinite," said the genius, "yet can He effect
+these changes by the most unexpected means. But I will not waste that
+time in words which I am commanded to employ in action, to convince
+both you and your army of the sovereignty of Allah. Therefore suffer
+no man to rise from the earth or to quit his place; but lift up your
+heads only, and behold those enemies destroyed before whom you fled."
+
+So saying, the genius Macoma waved her wand, and instantly the air was
+darkened, and a confused noise was heard above the armies of Misnar
+and Hobaddan.
+
+For some hours the Sultan's troops knew not the cause of the darkness
+that overshadowed them; but in a little time the light returned by
+degrees, and they looked toward the army of Hobaddan, and saw them
+overwhelmed with innumerable locusts.
+
+"Thine enemies," said Macoma, "O Sultan, are no more, save the
+enchantress Hapacuson, who personates the rebel Ourodi."
+
+"The glory of extirpating her infernal race," said the Vizier Horam,
+bowing before the genius Macoma, "belongs to my Sultan; otherwise
+Horam would esteem himself the happiest of mankind in her
+destruction."
+
+"The glory you speak of," answered the genius Macoma, "is given to
+another: a fly has gone forth, the winged messenger of Allah's wrath,
+and at this moment bereaves the vile Hapacuson of her breath and of
+her life."
+
+The Vizier Horam held down his head at the just reproof of the genius;
+but the words of her reproof were the words of truth; for an account
+was brought that the rebel Ourodi was suddenly dead, being strangled
+by some impediment in his throat, and that, at his death, his figure
+was changed into the appearance of a deformed enchantress.
+
+"Although your enemies, O Misnar, are no more," said the genius, "yet
+the assistance of Allah is as necessary for your support as for their
+defeat; wherefore He hath given life to the springs of the pools of
+the desert, and your troops will find such refreshment from them, that
+you may safely march over the sandy plains; and, to add to your
+happiness, the old Sultan Zebenezer, being released from the
+enchantments of Hapacuson, waits, with his daughter Hemjunah, your
+safe arrival, and knows not as yet those wonders which I leave your
+prudence to reveal to him."
+
+The Sultan Misnar well understood the mysterious speech of the genius
+Macoma; but before he or his troops tasted of the pools or pursued
+their march, he commanded them to fall down before Allah, the only
+Lord of the world.
+
+The soldiers, having done reverence to Allah, were desirous of
+repeating it before Misnar, to ask his forgiveness; but the Sultan
+would not permit them. "Let us make," said he, "Allah and His Prophet
+our guide and defence, and then neither presumption nor rebellion
+shall lead us into error."
+
+The unexpected change reached not the Court of Delhi till the troops
+were within a few day's march of the city; and Zebenezer and Hemjunah
+were but just prepared to meet the Sultan Misnar when he entered the
+gates of the palace.
+
+As Misnar advanced toward the aged Zebenezer, the good old man started
+with surprise, and cried out, "Oh! is it possible that the Sultan of
+India and the Prince of Georgia should be one and the same?"
+
+The Princess Hemjunah was confounded at her father's speech, and she
+fell on his bosom and hid her face.
+
+"What you suspect, my royal friend," said Misnar, "is true: I am
+indeed the man who once passed in Cassimir for the Prince of Georgia.
+I beseech thee, O Zebenezer, forgive my deception."
+
+"You have no forgiveness," said the aged Zebenezer, "O Sultan, to ask
+from me."
+
+"Indeed," answered the Sultan, "my title was just: my royal father,
+Dabulcombar, being treacherously advised by those who wished to place
+his younger son Ahubal on the throne, commanded me to travel, and gain
+renown and experience in arms; and, to conceal my importance, gave me
+the title of Prince of Georgia. In this disguise I came to the royal
+Court of Cassimir, and engaged in your service, O venerable Sultan,
+and Allah sent His blessing on us: your enemies were put to flight,
+and your subjects, who favoured me, gave the credit of the defeat to
+my arms.
+
+"Hearing that you intended me the honour of an alliance with your
+illustrious family, I resolved first to see the Princess Hemjunah,
+whom I heard you had confined, being warned, from an ancient prophecy,
+that a stranger should deprive you of her. I saw the Princess by means
+of one of her slaves, and Hemjunah from that moment took possession of
+my heart. I was earnest, therefore, with you to propose the nuptials,
+and was to have been introduced to the Princess, when I received
+advice that my father was drawing near his end. In expectation of
+demanding your daughter as the Sultan of India, and not as an obscure
+Prince, I journeyed to Delhi, and arrived time enough to see my royal
+sire ere he departed.
+
+"'Son,' said he, 'evil threatens your reign: extricate, therefore,
+yourself from danger, and do not involve others in your ruin.'
+
+"Mindful of my father's words, I resolved to quell the commotions of
+the empire before I made myself known to the Sultan of Cassimir; but
+Allah has so wound the string of our fates together, that it is
+needless to repeat the rest of my adventures. Only the Princess must
+forgive me this, that, hearing she had been taken away from her
+father's Court, I was resolved to conceal my interest in her affairs
+till I was sensible that the Prince of Georgia, though not blessed
+with her smiles, had yet no rival in her affections."
+
+"Most noble Sultan," said the Princess Hemjunah, "it is vain to
+dissemble: suffer me, therefore, freely to declare that the Sultan of
+India has totally extirpated the Prince of Georgia from my heart; but,
+whatever my own sentiments may be, assure yourself that I shall not,
+at my father's commands, refuse the Prince of Georgia my hand."
+
+The Sultan of India and Zebenezer were both delighted with the
+Princess Hemjunah's answer; and the faithful Vizier Horam rejoiced to
+find that his master and the Princess Hemjunah were to be united. The
+whole Court expected the nuptials with impatience; and the good old
+Sultan Zebenezer stayed to see his daughter the Sultaness of India,
+and Misnar the happiest and the most thankful of the children of
+Allah.
+
+"The children of Allah," said the sage Horam, "have indeed a freedom
+of action; but that freedom is best exercised when it leads them to
+trust and depend on the Lord of all things: not that He who seeth even
+beyond the confines of light is pleased with idleness, or giveth
+encouragement to the sons of sloth; the spirit which He has infused
+into mankind He expects to find active and industrious; and, when
+prudence is joined with religion, Allah either gives success to its
+dictates, or, by counteracting its motions, draws forth the brighter
+virtues of patience and resignation. Learn, therefore, ye pupils of
+the race of immortals, not to forget your dependence on Allah while ye
+follow the prudent maxims of wisdom and experience; for he only is
+truly prudent who adds faith to his practice, and he truly religious
+whose actions are the result of his faith."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+Sadik Beg.
+
+
+Sadik Beg was of good family, handsome in person, and possessed of
+both sense and courage; but he was poor, having no property but his
+sword and his horse, with which he served as a gentleman retainer of a
+Pasha. The latter, satisfied with the purity of Sadik's descent, and
+entertaining a respect for his character, determined to make him the
+husband of his daughter Hooseinee, who, though beautiful as her name
+implied, was remarkable for her haughty manner and ungovernable
+temper.
+
+Giving a husband of the condition of Sadik Beg to a lady of
+Hooseinee's rank was, according to usage in such unequal matches, like
+giving her a slave; and as she heard a good report of his personal
+qualities, she offered no objections to the marriage, which was
+celebrated soon after it was proposed, and apartments were assigned to
+the happy couple in the Pasha's palace.
+
+Some of Sadik Beg's friends rejoiced in his good fortune, as they saw,
+in the connection he had formed, a sure prospect of his advancement.
+Others mourned the fate of so fine and promising a young man, now
+condemned to bear through life all the humours of a proud and
+capricious woman; but one of his friends, a little man called Merdek,
+who was completely henpecked, was particularly rejoiced, and quite
+chuckled at the thought of seeing another in the same condition with
+himself.
+
+About a month after the nuptials, Merdek met his friend, and, with
+malicious pleasure, wished him joy of his marriage.
+
+"Most sincerely do I congratulate you, Sadik," said he, "on this happy
+event."
+
+"Thank you, my good fellow, I am very happy indeed, and rendered more
+so by the joy I perceive it gives my friends."
+
+"Do you really mean to say you are happy?" said Merdek, with a smile.
+
+"I really am so," replied Sadik.
+
+"Nonsense!" said his friend; "do we not all know to what a termagant
+you are united? and her temper and high rank combined must no doubt
+make her a sweet companion." Here he burst into a loud laugh, and the
+little man actually strutted with a feeling of superiority over the
+bridegroom.
+
+Sadik, who knew his situation and feelings, was amused instead of
+being angry. "My friend," said he, "I quite understand the grounds of
+your apprehension for my happiness. Before I was married, I had heard
+the same reports as you have done of my beloved bride's disposition;
+but I am happy to say, I have found it quite otherwise: she is a most
+docile and obedient wife."
+
+"But how has this miraculous change been wrought?"
+
+"Why," said Sadik, "I believe I have some merit in effecting it; but
+you shall hear. After the ceremonies of our nuptials were over, I went
+in my military dress, and with my sword by my side, to the apartment
+of Hooseinee. She was sitting in a most dignified posture to receive
+me, and her looks were anything but inviting. As I entered the room, a
+beautiful cat, evidently a great favourite, came purring up to me. I
+deliberately drew my sword, struck its head off, and taking that in
+one hand and the body in the other, threw them out of the window. I
+then very unconcernedly turned to the lady, who appeared in some
+alarm; she, however, made no observations, but was in every way kind
+and submissive, and has continued so ever since."
+
+"Thank you, my dear fellow," said little Merdek, with a significant
+shake of the head: "a word to the wise." And away he capered,
+obviously quite rejoiced.
+
+It was near evening when this conversation took place; soon after,
+when the dark cloak of night had enveloped the bright radiance of day,
+Merdek entered the chamber of his spouse, with something of a martial
+swagger, armed with a scimitar. The unsuspecting cat came forward as
+usual, to welcome the husband of her mistress, but in an instant her
+head was divided from her body by a blow from the hand which had so
+often caressed her. Merdek, having proceeded so far courageously,
+stooped to take up the dissevered members of the cat, but before he
+could effect this, a blow upon the side of the head, from his incensed
+lady, laid him sprawling on the floor.
+
+The tattle and scandal of the day spreads from zenaneh to zenaneh with
+surprising rapidity, and the wife of Merdek saw in a moment whose
+example it was that he had imitated.
+
+"Take that!" said she, as she gave him another cuff, "take that, you
+paltry wretch! You should," she added, laughing him to scorn, "have
+killed the cat on the wedding day."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+Halechalbe and the Unknown Lady.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+The Caliph Haroun al Raschid sent for Giafar, his Grand Vizier, and
+Mesrour, his Chief Eunuch.
+
+"I intend," said he, "to go down to Bagdad in disguise, that I may
+visit my hospitals, and examine whether the administration of them is
+wise and regular, and whether the patients there receive the
+assistance and relief of which they stand in need. I will assume the
+disguise of a dervish: do you, who are to accompany me, choose a dress
+by which you will be completely concealed."
+
+The orders of the Caliph were obeyed, and he set out with his
+attendants on his expedition. He was in the centre of the
+establishments which he had proposed to visit, and everything appeared
+in the order which he wished for, until he arrived at the gate of a
+very large court, where he heard a noise.
+
+"Whence comes this noise?" said he to Giafar.
+
+"This," answered the Vizier, "is the place where mad people are
+confined. Those whose madness is not dangerous are allowed to walk in
+the great court, and they have their cells or small apartments all
+around."
+
+"Let us go in," said the Caliph: "this object is also interesting. Let
+us first ascertain if they are all confined for proper reasons. There
+are many people left at liberty who deserve to be confined; perhaps
+there are some here whom it would be for the interest, both of society
+and themselves, to restore to freedom. Let each of us examine apart
+one of the inhabitants of this place; let us determine by lot which of
+the three shall begin the examination, and we will immediately set to
+work."
+
+The lot decided that Mesrour should begin.
+
+All three having entered the court, the Chief Eunuch went straight to
+the first cell. He found there a man of about forty years of age,
+smoking a pipe with a serious air, and leaning his elbow on a table,
+upon which there were some papers. He saluted the smoker, who made him
+a due return.
+
+"I suppose," said Mesrour to him, "that you are entrusted with
+overseeing those who make a noise in the court?"
+
+"Overseeing," answered the smoker, "is a trouble from which I am free;
+I am entrusted with watching over myself, and that is quite enough."
+
+"But surely," said Mesrour, "you are not kept here in confinement
+among the number of mad people?"
+
+"And why should I not be kept in that character? Do you think me wiser
+than others? They have done me that justice, which they ought to do to
+all the inhabitants of Bagdad. I cannot complain: I was condemned by
+my equals, and they are so attentive as to come here every day to
+visit me."
+
+"I understand you," said Mesrour: "we have all a small grain of
+madness. However, when it does not pass certain bounds, we are very
+properly allowed to enjoy our liberty. It is only extraordinary
+madness----"
+
+"Ah, you are right," interrupted the smoker: "men excuse all their
+ordinary follies, however ridiculous; but when any one raises himself,
+by his ideas, knowledge, and observation, above others, he is a kind
+of reproach to them for the debasement into which they allow
+themselves to fall, and they endeavour to remove him from their sight.
+This is my history: I knew more than the vulgar, and therefore was
+separated from them."
+
+"In what branch did you excel?" inquired Mesrour.
+
+"In that science which is the chief of all others--astrology."
+
+"And were you in possession of that science?"
+
+"I endeavoured after it, but my progress was interrupted."
+
+"You were in correspondence with the stars, then?"
+
+"Yes, indeed."
+
+"And by whom were you chiefly favoured?"
+
+"By the moon."
+
+"Are you no longer in favour with her?"
+
+"Since I have lost my liberty, she uses me as she pleases. She
+formerly owed me great obligations, but now she has forgotten them.
+She had an enormous wart upon her nose, of which I cured her. Thus it
+is to me she owes that beautiful appearance which you sometimes see
+her assume. Besides, by causing her to go on her side, I saved her
+from an eclipse which was expected by all the astronomers. At first
+she showed me some gratitude; but since I have been confined, if I
+address her in her increase, she is yet too weak to act in my favour;
+if I address her when she is full, she is surrounded with clouds and
+mist; but if in her wane, all her malignant influences are at my
+service. Defluxions, rheumatisms, catarrhs are showered down upon me.
+I endeavour actually to deliver myself from this last mark of her
+beneficence. Ah! if I could get hold of her some day, she would find
+that she has not obliged an ungrateful person."
+
+"And what will you do to get hold of her?" inquired Mesrour.
+
+"Nothing can be more easy," said the smoker: "if a man like you would
+assist me; she will come this evening at nine o'clock to admire
+herself, and to bathe in that well which you see in the middle of the
+court. I will give you my table, and you will lie in wait. She will
+not suspect you; and while she is amusing herself with making her
+beams play upon the water, you will suddenly shut the well: then we
+shall get hold of her. It will make both our fortunes, and we will see
+how she will be put to it to justify her conduct."
+
+"She will speak, then?" said Mesrour. "Shall we hear her?"
+
+"I don't say that you will hear it very distinctly," answered the
+smoker; "but I, whose ear is by practice become so perfect as to be
+able to mark the cadence of the celestial harmony, shall not lose a
+single word. With respect to you, we must know how your ear is
+formed."
+
+So saying, the smoker laid down his pipe, examined narrowly Mesrour's
+ear, and, taking hold of it very roughly, suddenly pulled it with all
+his force, crying out, "Your ear is too short!"
+
+Mesrour uttered a dreadful cry. One of the keepers ran up, and caused
+the astrologer to quit his hold. The eunuch, holding his ear with both
+his hands, rejoined the Caliph, and related to him his lamentable
+adventure.
+
+"I have long been persuaded," said Haroun, smiling, "that those madmen
+who have an air of wisdom are most to be distrusted. Come, Giafar,"
+said he to his Grand Vizier, "you are warned beforehand not to allow
+your ear to be pulled. Proceed to your examination: Mesrour and I will
+not go far from the cell which you enter, that we may be at hand to
+assist you if there is occasion."
+
+The Grand Vizier had already cast his eye upon a door, by the side of
+which sat an old man, with a venerable beard and an engaging air. He
+began with giving him alms, and then saluted him. He appeared more
+attentive to the civility of the salutation than to the alms he had
+received. He returned the salute, and made a sign to Giafar to sit
+down on a seat a few paces distant from him.
+
+"You are undoubtedly come here to be instructed, young man," said he
+to him. "You ought to thank Heaven for having been so well directed.
+Of what chapter in my book do you wish to understand the text or the
+explanation?"
+
+The book, of which this man seemed to speak, was a small square plank
+of cedar, on which there were no characters. Giafar asked what book it
+was.
+
+"What! do you not distinguish in these characters the finger of God,
+and the inspiration of the angel Gabriel? A Mussulman not know the
+divine Koran, nor discover in him who presents it, according as he was
+inspired, the great prophet Mahomet!"
+
+Upon this exclamation, the Vizier rose up and withdrew.
+
+Having joined the Caliph, "Commander of the Faithful," said he, "I
+have been forced to abandon my project. The man whom I have left makes
+me tremble at his blasphemy: he says he is the Great Prophet."
+
+"It is not certain that he blasphemes," replied the Caliph: "every man
+may call himself a prophet, provided he proves his mission by
+miracles. Go and ask him concerning this point."
+
+Giafar obeyed, and returned to his place.
+
+"If you are Mahomet," said he to the old madman, "who has put you in a
+place like this?"
+
+"My ungrateful people," replied the pretended prophet. "They would not
+believe in me, and this has vexed rather than surprised me, for they
+scarcely believe in Allah."
+
+"But a prophet proves his mission by miracles. Why have you wrought
+none?"
+
+"My people should first have demanded them from me; but they were
+afraid of being convinced: they seek to believe nothing."
+
+"You could work miracles, then?"
+
+"Do you doubt the power of Mahomet?"
+
+"Work them immediately."
+
+"Your request shall not be refused. Ascend to the top of this spire by
+this outer stair, and throw yourself down from it without hesitation.
+When you are at the earth, though you were in a thousand pieces, with
+one word I will set you upon your feet, straighter and with a better
+carriage than you now have."
+
+"I would rather," said Giafar as he was going away, "believe you a
+prophet than oblige you to prove yourself one."
+
+He came and gave the Caliph an account of the proposal which had been
+made to him.
+
+"You can learn very little," said Haroun to him, "for you will make no
+trial."
+
+"If any one wishes to be instructed in this matter," replied Giafar,
+"the man and the tower are there, he may try the adventure--I will not
+be jealous of his success."
+
+The conversation of the Prince and his ministers was a little
+interrupted by some persons who accosted them. One of them was Caliph,
+and came to propose Haroun's quitting his habit of dervish, and
+accepting the place of Vizier. He intended to clothe him in a
+magnificent robe: it was an old piece of stuff, full of holes, dirty,
+and devoured by vermin. Another, with a basket full of nut-shells,
+came to sell him confections.
+
+These short and public scenes did not answer the design of Haroun, nor
+the purpose of the agreement into which he had entered with his
+ministers. It was his turn to go into a cell, where, like his two
+companions in adventure, he might have a private conversation. He
+passed near one, which appeared larger and better furnished than the
+rest. A young man, of a soft and engaging figure, was sitting upon a
+sofa, and appeared to be in deep melancholy: he held in his hand the
+Koran. The Caliph accosted and saluted him, addressing him in that
+kind and familiar tone which the robe of a dervish authorized him to
+assume.
+
+"Young man," said he, "why is a man so rational as you appear to be,
+to be found among mad people?"
+
+At this question, the young man shut his book, modestly opened his
+eyes, looked at the dervish, and answered him: "All the actions of my
+life have not been rational; I have given reason for the abuse which
+is now made of power in keeping me here."
+
+"And could not I," said the dervish, "learn from you your history,
+when you appear to be so well qualified for giving it?"
+
+"Pious dervish," answered the young man, "were you the Caliph, I would
+persuade you to sit down by me, and I would open to you my heart.
+Every day do I beseech God to send me this equitable Prince; but it
+would serve no purpose to have any other confidant. You see here a
+victim of his Grand Vizier Giafar, by whose orders I was brought
+hither, for a reason which appeared well founded; but I can declare
+that there is no reason why I should be still detained; and without
+the support of religion, I should sink under the weight of my
+misfortune and the horror of my situation."
+
+The Caliph was greatly astonished to hear so reasonable and connected
+a discourse. He called Giafar and Mesrour, and repeated what he had
+heard. The Grand Vizier attentively considered the young man, and
+assured the Caliph that the prisoner and his history were totally
+unknown to him. Haroun's curiosity grew stronger, and made him anxious
+to hear his history. He entered the cell with that freedom which
+dervishes generally use, and sat down beside the supposed victim of
+Giafar's orders.
+
+"Unfortunate young man," said he to him, "you know that people of my
+character have many privileges, and especially that of approaching the
+great, and of speaking to them the truth. The Commander of the
+Faithful is to us of all men the easiest of access: depend upon my
+zeal; it may be possible for me to serve you; you will entrust your
+misfortunes to a prudent ear, and to a soul truly charitable."
+
+The young man again sighed, mused a short time, shed some tears, and
+thus began his history:
+
+"My name is Halechalbe, and my father is syndic of the trade of
+Bagdad. One evening he invited to supper the principal merchants in
+the city, each of whom brought with him his eldest son. After the
+repast, which was plentiful and gay, the guests began to converse
+concerning the disposal of their children.
+
+"One had sent his son to a foreign counting-house; another had
+entrusted to his a vessel full of merchandise; a third had given up a
+certain branch of his trade; in short, it appeared from what I heard,
+that all my contemporaries were either advantageously placed or
+settled in life. After fully discoursing of these different
+arrangements, the company retired.
+
+"Remaining behind with my father, I observed to him, that though the
+son of the first in our profession, I alone was unemployed. He allowed
+the force of the observation, and proposed that I should open a
+warehouse of whatever goods I chose, in one of the quarters of Bagdad.
+
+"This proposal was agreeable to my inclination for trade and
+independence. I accepted it; and next day was put into possession of a
+large assortment of the most beautiful Persian and Indian stuffs. I
+had slaves who were skilled in trade, and who relieved me of the
+troublesome part of the business.
+
+"Being surrounded during the day with all the nobility of Bagdad, with
+whom I had an opportunity of getting acquainted, I returned in the
+evening to my father's house. In the management of my business I led a
+very active and busy life--a life, in short, agreeable to my own
+taste. My father often visited me in my shop, and was pleased to see
+the concourse of virtuosi and customers of both sexes. He never
+received anything uncommon from abroad but he was happy to send it to
+me; the manager of his own trade had orders to that purpose.
+
+"I was one day surrounded with a great many people in my
+counting-house, when two women of a fine external appearance came in.
+Civility made the other customers give place; and one of the two women
+put aside her veil sufficiently to discover charms which dazzled the
+sight.
+
+"They sat down upon a sofa, asked for the richest stuffs, bargained
+with me, and bought them for three thousand crowns. By this bargain,
+from calculation, I was a gainer of five hundred crowns. The goods
+were folded up, and, by the orders of one of the women who appeared
+mistress, were carried away by slaves. I was preparing to hold out my
+hand for payment, when the young lady began to speak.
+
+"'Halechalbe,' said she to me, 'I have brought no money with me; but
+be not uneasy about what is owing to you: I will return in a few days
+and bring it with me, at which time I intend to make very considerable
+purchases from you.'
+
+"'The other woman then spoke.
+
+"'Madam,' said she, 'do you speak to a son of the chief of trade, a
+man of acknowledged opulence, and whose worth is known to the Caliph
+himself, as if you supposed that he would not reckon it an honour to
+give so trifling a credit to a lady like you?'
+
+"The discourse of this woman, the impression made upon me by the
+beautiful eyes of her mistress, in consequence of the derangement of
+her veil, and my natural timidity, prevented me not only from
+venturing to ask payment, but even from insisting to know the name of
+the lady to whom I gave credit. She left me, after saluting me in a
+very graceful manner; and I remained at my door, fixed like a post,
+without taking the precaution to cause a slave to follow her, and
+observe the place of her abode.
+
+"When I was alone, the imprudence of which I had been guilty presented
+itself to my mind in the strongest colours. To whom had I given my
+goods? Could I forget, after the lessons I had received from my
+father, that Bagdad swarmed with adventurers, who could appear in any
+form and assume any tone? Everything, even the beautiful eyes which
+she had allowed me to see, then became suspicious. I believed myself
+cheated out of my goods, and returned to my father's house, trembling
+for the reproaches which I thought I had brought upon myself.
+
+"My mother soon perceived my distress. She well knew how to draw from
+me a confession of the cause, and endeavoured, as much as she could,
+to calm my apprehensions.
+
+"'The merchant who knows not how to lose,' said she, 'deserves not to
+gain. If you are embarrassed in your accounts with your father, my
+purse will supply the defect.'
+
+"I returned next day to my shop, hurt at being duped and at the loss
+which I had sustained. I had some hopes, however, that the lady would
+return; but the evening came, and she had not made her appearance.
+This unhappy day was followed by two others of the same kind, and my
+mother saw my distress increase, without being able to give it any
+relief.
+
+"In vain did she tell me that she would supply this loss out of her
+own purse, and that I should consider what had happened to me as a
+useful misfortune, for it was only by experience that man could learn
+wisdom.
+
+"All her discourses were in vain: nothing could console me for having
+allowed myself to be cheated by a pair of fine eyes, by mere
+compliment and show; my vanity, which was hurt, tormented my soul.
+
+"On the fourth day the unknown lady at last came to my shop, and threw
+a large purse upon my counter.
+
+"'Fair young man,' said she, 'I bring you your money; see if the
+account is right.'
+
+"At this desirable and unexpected sight my fears and anxieties
+vanished, and I felt myself suddenly recover new life.
+
+"The unknown lady caused other stuffs to be brought to her. She chose
+some of them, and carried from my shop goods to the value of three
+hundred pieces of gold. In my enthusiasm I would have given her credit
+for two thousand. As soon as she was gone I returned to my mother, and
+now showed as much joy as formerly I had shown sorrow and dejection. I
+related to her the lucky adventure of the day, and perceived the full
+force of the reasoning which till that time she had made use of in
+vain, to persuade me that in trade _he who never ventures can never
+gain_.
+
+"In short, respectable dervish, I continued to deal in the same manner
+with the unknown lady, who always carried from my shop stuffs worth
+more money than she left in it, till she was owing me about ten
+thousand crowns, equal to all the profit which I had been able to make
+in my different bargains with her.
+
+"One day, after opening my shop, I was scarcely seated on my sofa when
+an aged woman came and accosted me. I thought she wanted some robes or
+stuffs, and proposed to show them to her.
+
+"'No, my son,' answered she, 'I am entrusted with a commission of much
+greater importance: I come from the young lady who owes you ten
+thousand crowns. I do not bring you payment, but I am charged by her
+to tell you that you became her merchant in preference to every other
+of the same profession at Bagdad, only because her heart granted you a
+preference of another kind. In short, she is beautiful, young, and
+rich, and offers you her hand in marriage. If you find it agreeable
+to enter into this engagement after you have seen and conversed with
+her, no other dowry is required than the ten thousand crowns in which
+she stands indebted to you; if you do not agree to it, the money shall
+instantly be paid down. But you must resolve to follow me, that you
+may have it in your power to know whether the affair is agreeable to
+your wishes.'
+
+"During this discourse of the old woman, a flame, to which I was till
+then quite a stranger, penetrated through my veins, and the hope which
+was now suggested having increased its violence, I soon felt the fire
+of love burning in my heart. The beautiful eyes of the lady, from the
+first moment I beheld them, had so dazzled and blinded me concerning
+my real interest, that I allowed her to carry off my goods without
+knowing how I should receive payment for them. Though, in the visits
+which she afterwards made me, her veil had wholly concealed the
+features of her countenance, yet the fulness of her dress could not
+conceal the elegance of her stature, the gracefulness of her motions,
+the exquisite form of her foot, and the extraordinary beauty of her
+hands. Besides, she disputed with me about the price with so much
+courtesy, and with such an angelic voice, that she never left my shop
+without carrying away something more than my goods; but I did not well
+know what it was. Scarcely had she left my shop, when I felt myself
+extremely uneasy; said to myself, This is a charming lady! and then
+fell into a long state of profound thoughtfulness.
+
+"When the old woman had informed me that the unknown lady was in love
+with me, my passion increased to a desperate height. I ordered my
+slaves to shut up my shop; and, having desired them to tell my father
+and mother that I was going to enjoy myself with some of my friends,
+in a garden at some distance from the city, before I returned home, I
+put myself under the direction of the old woman.
+
+"'You will never repent,' said she, as we went along, 'of having put
+confidence in me; but you must still give me another proof of it. If
+the lady is not agreeable to you, if you do not accept the proposals
+which she is to make, and consequently a separation takes place, it is
+proper that she should remain always unknown. Her delicacy requires
+this; and I was ordered to put a covering over your eyes, that you may
+not be able to discover the house to which you are going.'
+
+"I readily agreed to this condition; and we withdrew under a portico,
+where, being concealed by two advanced pillars, she covered my eyes
+with a very thick silk handkerchief. She made me turn three or four
+times round on my heel; then took me by the hand, and caused me to
+walk by her side for a full quarter of an hour. We suddenly stopped. I
+heard her knock at a door, which opened, and, as soon as we had
+entered, immediately shut.
+
+"I was in a short time restored to the use of my eyes, and committed
+to the care of two female slaves of remarkable beauty and richness of
+dress. They conducted me through seven doors, at the end of which I
+was received by fourteen other slaves, whose figures were so striking,
+and whose dress so magnificent, that I was dazzled with beholding
+them. I was now in a superb apartment, where everything was marble,
+jasper, or rich gilding. My adventure had so much the appearance of a
+dream, that, though my eyes were open, I could scarcely be convinced
+that I was really awake. The old woman, who had still followed me,
+went out for an instant, and soon returned, accompanied by a slave,
+who brought breakfast upon a large golden plate. I sat down to refresh
+myself.
+
+"While I was satisfying my hunger, the old woman counted down upon a
+table the ten thousand crowns which were owing to me. 'There is your
+whole sum,' said she. 'Be not uneasy that my mistress does not yet
+appear. The law commands, and decency requires, that you should not
+see one another before the contract is made.'
+
+"Before she had done speaking, a Cadi appeared, with ten persons in
+his train. I arose to salute him, when the old woman, addressing the
+lawyer, said to him,
+
+"'The young lady who is to be married to this merchant has chosen you
+for her guardian: do you agree to accept the office?'
+
+"The Cadi replied, 'that he reckoned himself highly honoured by the
+choice which had been made of him.'
+
+"He immediately drew up the contract, and got it signed by the
+witnesses whom he had brought with him. After partaking of an ample
+collation, which was served up to him and his attendants, and having
+been presented with a magnificent dress and three hundred sequins, he
+retired, charging the old woman to beg her mistress to accept his
+thanks.
+
+"I was so astonished at what I saw, that when the Cadi went away, I
+made a motion to follow him, without perceiving that I left my money
+behind. I was prevented by the old woman, who made me sit down again.
+
+"'Are you mad?' said she. 'Need I inform you that the marriage follows
+the contract? Come, be wiser, and remain quiet till night, when
+everything will be ready for the completion of the ceremony.'
+
+"I continued in the hall, where a great number of slaves were
+attentive to every motion and ready to anticipate every wish. I was in
+a very extraordinary state of mind. The power of that feeling which
+had made me run so fast with my eyes blindfolded was no longer felt,
+and love remained fixed at the bottom of my heart, astonished at the
+luxury with which I was surrounded, and the ceremony of this
+extraordinary marriage.
+
+"Towards the evening, a magnificent repast was served up, accompanied
+with all kinds of confections, and exquisite wines, which I used very
+sparingly. As soon as I made a signal for them to remove the dishes,
+the old woman took me by the hand, and conducted me to the bath. I was
+there received by eight slaves, dressed in silk, who wrapped me in
+stuffs of the same material, entered into the water with me, and
+served me with all that respect and attention which could have been
+paid to the Caliph himself.
+
+"Imagine, O respectable dervish, my astonishment: it almost deprived
+me of my senses! I was soon drawn from it, however, by the appearance
+of twenty female slaves, beautiful and well dressed. Some held
+flambeaux, and other pots full of exquisite perfumes, the sweet odour
+of which, mingled with that of the wood of aloes, which served to warm
+the bath, embalmed the air, and raised an agreeable vapour to the very
+roof of the apartment.
+
+"From these delights I was carried to the enjoyment of others. Twenty
+slaves went before me, and conducted me into a magnificent apartment;
+I sat down on a sofa covered with cloth of gold. I was there attended
+by the most melodious music, which was at the same time so cheerful
+and lively, and so fitted to inspire delight, that I could not help
+feeling a little reanimated. The slaves at length proposed to conduct
+me into the apartment destined for the celebration of the nuptials.
+
+"I arose. A great door opened; and I beheld the person approach who
+had marked me out for her husband, preceded by twenty other slaves,
+whom she alone could surpass in beauty. At the sight of her I remained
+almost senseless; but this first impression instantly gave place to
+love; and my passion at length assumed over me that power, which even
+at this day makes me, every moment of my life, endure torments worse
+than death.
+
+"The beautiful stranger, preceded by her twenty slaves, and I attended
+by the same number, went into the grand apartment prepared for our
+nuptials, and there sat down together on the same sofa. The old woman
+then appeared at the head of four slaves, and brought us, on golden
+plates, different refreshments, exquisite confections, and fruit of
+all kinds, which we mutually presented to one another. After this, the
+service disappeared, and we remained alone.
+
+"I was almost trembling, when the lovely unknown lady took me by the
+hand to encourage me.
+
+"'Halechalbe,' said she, 'since the day when curiosity first led me
+into your shop I have loved you; and the same sentiment has frequently
+carried me back, under pretence of cheapening and purchasing goods.
+The little intercourse we have had together has given me an
+opportunity of knowing you; and my liking for you has so much
+increased as to make me ambitious of being united to you for life. Can
+you think of sacrificing your liberty?'
+
+"'Madam,' answered I, 'from the first moment you appeared in my sight,
+your charms failed not to produce their effect. I never saw you
+without feeling an unaccountable disorder, mixed, however, with the
+sweetest pleasure. You never left me without occasioning the most
+lively regret: I expected you every day, and my thoughts were
+incessantly occupied about your image. I dared not avow my passion to
+myself; but since you have confessed your regard for me, I swear to
+you, that nothing can equal the strength of my love, and that the
+sacrifice of liberty is nothing to one who would give his life for
+your sake.'
+
+"'Halechalbe,' said she, 'truth seems to flow from your lips: spare
+your life; it is essential to my happiness; but if we are to be united
+for life, attend to the conditions upon which I will yield my heart.
+My name and rank must remain unknown to you until the steps I am now
+taking shall have enabled me publicly to acknowledge you for my
+husband. You shall make no inquiry within this place for the purpose
+of getting information, and the door of the house shall be opened only
+once a year.'
+
+"'O madam,' said I, 'I will keep silence; I will remain ignorant; I
+will never leave the house----
+
+"'Stop,' said she, 'I have a still more severe condition to impose
+upon you: as I give myself wholly to you, it is reasonable that you
+should be wholly mine. My slaves are become yours, and will obey you
+in everything; but you must not speak to them, except to require their
+services. If you condescend to use the smallest familiarity with any
+one of them, further than mere expressions of kindness, if----I must
+discover to you a part of my character. I am inclined to be jealous;
+and if you make me the subject of this fatal passion, I know not how
+far my resentment may carry me against you.'
+
+"'Take courage,' said I, 'my adorable spouse: the strength of my
+passion secures you from every indiscretion on my part. I should die
+with vexation were I capable of displeasing you; but I am not afraid
+that I will ever be so unlucky as to give you offence.'
+
+"The unknown lady burst into tears when she saw the frankness and air
+of sincerity with which my protestations were accompanied.
+'Halechalbe,' said she, 'we will now be united; but had you hesitated
+about accepting them, I would have sacrificed my happiness to my
+delicacy, and we would have separated for ever.'
+
+"I tenderly embraced her, and she fainted away in my arms. A slave
+was called, and she, the idol of my heart, after a time opened her
+beautiful eyes, and with rapture I beheld them turned towards me.
+
+"I pass over the remaining events of my marriage, because they cannot
+be interesting to you, and the remembrance of them is still the
+torment of my life.
+
+"I was so enchanted by my passion, that I spent a fortnight in total
+forgetfulness of the whole world besides; and I will confess, to my
+shame, that I even omitted the most essential of all duties, for I
+never once thought of the uneasiness of my father and mother on my
+account. At last, by little and little, nature resumed her rights, and
+I began to think seriously of the grief which I must have occasioned
+to my affectionate parents. I uttered some sighs, which proceeded from
+the bottom of my heart; and the distress of my mind appeared in my
+countenance. My wife, who possessed great discernment, soon perceived
+the change which I underwent, got from me the secret, took an interest
+in my pain, and pointed out the method of being delivered from its
+attacks.
+
+"'Dear Halechalbe,' said she, 'I commend you for your attachment to
+your father and mother: they are dear to me on your account. We have
+given ourselves laws; but, as we are the judges, we must not allow
+them to do injury to nature. You will go to see your parents, spend a
+week with them, and also resume your business. There are many reasons
+for so doing. First of all, it will serve as a cloak to hide our
+marriage, and will furnish you with an opportunity of being present or
+absent at pleasure, without occasioning any suspicion of our marriage.
+It will likewise enable you to acquire, by your civil, frank, and
+generous dealings, the public esteem, which will one day be of great
+advantage to us; for we live under the government of a Caliph who has
+ears everywhere, and who likewise makes very good use of his own. Go,
+then, and my heart will accompany you wherever you are: if it could be
+rendered visible, you would see it continually fluttering around you.
+Besides, you will be under my hand: we have our trusty old woman, by
+whose means you will have the satisfaction of hearing me spoken of,
+and I shall have that of being informed of your welfare, and
+communicating to you my wishes. Above all,' added she, 'as our
+marriage cannot be concealed from your parents, charge them to keep it
+a profound secret.'
+
+"Night was beginning to come on when this discourse was ended; and my
+wife ordered the old woman to blindfold me, and conduct me out of the
+gates of the palace till I was under the portico where I had first
+submitted to this operation. As soon as my guide had restored to me
+the use of my eyes, I flew with all speed to my father's house. A
+neighbouring lady was just entering it. She discovered me by the light
+of a shop before which I passed.
+
+"'Halechalbe!' exclaimed she, 'what! is it you? Do not show yourself
+so unexpectedly to your mother. Retire for a few minutes into my
+house, and in the meantime my husband will go and inform her of your
+return. She is in the utmost distress and despair at your loss; and
+the joy occasioned by your sudden and unexpected return might be
+productive of fatal consequences.
+
+"'Whence come you, wicked young man?' said she, as soon as she had sat
+down. 'How could you let your worthy parents continue ignorant of what
+had become of you?'
+
+"Not having a story ready made for the first inquisitive person I
+should meet, and it being necessary to conceal my marriage from
+everybody, I was very much at a loss what answer to give. But I made
+it up by presence of mind, and was obliged to have recourse to a lie.
+
+"'I am astonished, madam,' answered I, 'to hear you talk of the
+vexation which I have occasioned to my parents. Having met with an
+opportunity of going to Balsora, where I had a very urgent and
+important examination to take against one of my most considerable
+debtors, and, not having a moment to lose, I set out without being
+able to inform my father of my departure. I dispatched an express as
+soon as it was in my power; but some accident must have befallen him,
+as no news have been received of me.'
+
+"The lady was satisfied with the excuse.
+
+"'All Bagdad, however,' said she, 'supposed you dead, and, moreover,
+magnificently buried; for a superb funeral was given you yesterday. I
+will relate the whole affair to you, when once my husband has prepared
+our neighbours for again seeing in good health the son whom they
+believed dead.'
+
+"The husband having with great pleasure undertaken the commission, the
+woman returned to her recital.
+
+"'Your slave informed your father and mother that you were to spend
+the remainder of the day and the night in a garden with your friends.
+This prevented them from being uneasy during that evening and next
+day; but on the following days all the merchants of Bagdad were in
+search of you. Messengers were sent to all the gardens in the
+neighbourhood of the city, to the woods, and to a great distance in
+the country. As you were nowhere to be found, and nobody had observed
+you, it was conjectured that you had fallen into one of those snares
+which are too common at Bagdad, where young people without knowledge
+and experience find death in the very cup of pleasure.
+
+"'Your father and mother tore their hair through grief; your family
+and friends went into mourning. Some kind of consolation was supposed
+to be derived from the pretended funeral, which all the mourners in
+Bagdad were hired to attend, but where many real tears were shed.
+Every person was affected with the distress of your parents.'
+
+"This recital, O virtuous dervish! made me very uneasy. I perceived
+the dreadful consequences of forgetting myself and my duty; and I
+always considered my misfortunes, and the distraction of mind which
+was the consequence thereof, as a punishment from Heaven, because, in
+the arms of love, I was unmindful of the sacred obligations of nature.
+
+"After our neighbour had related that part of my history which it was
+necessary I should know, she rose up.
+
+"'It is now time,' said she, 'to appear: my husband must already have
+announced you; go, and confirm the account which he has given of your
+return.'
+
+"I then entered my father's house, and it is impossible to describe
+his joy, much less that of my mother, who fainted away in my arms.
+
+"'What!' said my father, 'you are returned from Balsora? Poor child!
+the loss you might have sustained was not nearly equal in my
+estimation to the danger which you have run and the fatigues you have
+undergone.'
+
+"'Father,' said I, still keeping up before the neighbours the story
+which I had thought it convenient to adopt, 'I know not whether our
+correspondent is to fail, but I will deliver to you securities
+sufficient to remove every fear. There is a diamond to put in your
+turban; here is one for the hilt of your poniard; another for the
+handle of your scimitar, and a bracelet for my mother. I believe that
+this is a full equivalent for the sum which we may lose by him.'
+
+"They again embraced me, without asking any further explanation; the
+weeds of mourning soon disappeared, and every one was dressed in his
+festival robes. The house was filled with music; a thousand tapers
+shed their light, and the friends of my father and mother assembled to
+enjoy a splendid entertainment. The evening and night were spent by
+the company in amusement and joy.
+
+"Next morning I thought it my duty to eradicate from the mind of my
+parents those opinions which, in order to deceive the public, prudence
+had made me establish the evening before. I related to them the
+circumstances of my marriage, and besought them to keep it secret, as
+my happiness depended on its being concealed. Everything increased
+their astonishment, and the rich jewels which I had brought them from
+my wife were speaking proofs.
+
+"'He must have married the daughter of a genie,' said my mother.
+
+"'Such nuptials,' said my father, 'are celebrated without a Cadi.'
+
+"They knew not what to think; but they saw me happy, and they were
+satisfied.
+
+"I proposed to my parents to resume my trade. They were delighted to
+find that fortune had not deprived me of economy and diligence, and
+next day I again appeared in my shop. The quarter in which I lived
+expressed their happiness at seeing me again. As I was no longer
+directed by the hope of gain, I was perfectly easy and disinterested
+in my dealings, and brought to my shop all the people of Bagdad. In
+the evening I returned as usual to my father's house.
+
+"On the evening preceding the seventh day, I informed my father that I
+was again to disappear. He endeavoured to get my place filled up by an
+intelligent clerk, who was bound to conduct himself according to my
+principles. It was easy to account for my being a second time absent,
+by pretending that I had some business abroad.
+
+"On the seventh day, towards evening, the old woman came and informed
+me that my wife was waiting impatiently for my arrival. As I was
+equally impatient to rejoin her, I needed no entreaties to persuade me
+to follow my guide. The same mystery as before was still observed in
+conducting me to the palace, where my presence was expected, and I was
+received at the first door by my charming wife, who loosened the
+bandage with her own hands.
+
+"I passed another fortnight, still happier than the former, in those
+enjoyments which mutual love bestows, and amid those delights,
+pleasures, and amusements which the eager wishes and riches of my
+spouse could bring together. At the conclusion of this period, which
+seemed very short, I returned to my father's house, and afterwards to
+my business. My parents received me with the greatest affection; but
+scarcely did I enjoy it before I sighed for the return of the seventh
+day, when the old woman would come to blindfold me, and conduct me to
+an abode which I now considered as a celestial Paradise.
+
+"My wife appeared to feel with equal force the pangs of separation.
+During my absence from the palace, the only method which she pursued
+to divert her attention was to play upon a musical instrument, or to
+sing in concert with her slaves.
+
+"One day, during my absence, while my mistress and her slaves were
+singing my praises and our loves, Zaliza, one of the slaves, hearing a
+couplet in praise of my fidelity, affected to drop her lute, as if
+through impatience, and did not take it up again.
+
+"'Why,' said my spouse, 'do you leave your lute lying upon the
+ground?'
+
+"'I cannot sing the fidelity of men,' answered Zaliza, 'for I do not
+believe it. Halechalbe,' continued she, 'is very amiable; he
+undoubtedly loves you, and who would not? But I do not believe that
+his affection is equal to yours, or that he is more faithful than
+another: of this I can give proofs whenever they are required.'
+
+"These base and perfidious words infused the most fatal jealousy into
+the heart of my spouse: she gave me no opportunity, however, of
+perceiving that she entertained any suspicions. At the time fixed
+between us, I returned to my father's house and my ordinary business,
+and when I went back to the lady I was received as kindly and
+affectionately as before.
+
+"One day I was in my shop, when, about two hours before the usual time
+of the old woman's arrival to conduct me to my spouse, the public
+crier proclaimed in the street a golden censer set with diamonds, to
+be sold for two thousand sequins. I ordered a slave to call the crier.
+
+"'Who is the proprietor of that censer?' said I to him.
+
+"'It belongs,' answered he, 'to a young lady, whom you behold there;'
+at the same time he pointed out a handsome and well-dressed woman, and
+I desired him to bid her speak with me.
+
+"The woman took the censer from the crier, gave him a reward, and
+advanced towards me.
+
+"'Madam,' said I, 'since this censer belongs to you, I know where to
+place it; will you allow me to have it?'
+
+"'Since it pleases you, Halechalbe,' said the lady, 'it is yours, and
+I demand nothing in return.'
+
+"'I am not accustomed,' answered I, 'to make such bargains.'
+
+"'Nor I,' said the lady, 'to enjoy the happiness of making a present
+to the most amiable and best-beloved of his sex. I have,' continued
+she, 'for a long time past frequented your shop, unobserved, alas! by
+you; but your figure and your manners enchanted me, and still enchant
+me more and more. Since the censer pleases you, I reckon myself very
+fortunate in having it in my power to present you with it.'
+
+"'I will receive your present, madam,' said I, 'if you will accept
+from me its value.'
+
+"'Silver and gold,' said she, 'are of no account in my estimation.
+The love which I bear you has deprived me of repose: do not treat me
+with cruel disdain. A liking for me would do you no dishonour, for,
+thank God! I may be proud of my descent. But if, despised by you, I
+cannot aspire to the highest marks of your affection, let me have a
+single kiss, and the censer shall be yours.'
+
+"'I cannot agree,' replied I, 'that you should make so bad a bargain.
+Take your money, or keep your censer. A kiss is no trading price.'
+
+"'It is beyond price,' answered the lady, 'to one who dies of love. I
+brought not this censer here to sell, but to give it to you; accept it
+at the price mentioned, and you will save my life.'
+
+"Venerable dervish, I will confess my weakness, and declare that I was
+gained over by these flattering praises and this language of love. I
+had no suspicions, and was unable to discover the features of the lady
+through her veil. Overcome by self-love more than by her entreaties, I
+retired into a dark part of the shop, and presented my cheek; but
+instead of kissing it, she bit it with such force as made me cry out;
+and I was left alone with the censer in my hand, my cheek bathed in
+blood, and my countenance totally disfigured. The blood was at length
+stopped, but I was unable to allay the swelling or remove the marks of
+her cruel teeth.
+
+"At this moment the old woman came for me, and appeared surprised at
+the situation in which she beheld me. I intended to tell her that I
+had fallen upon a piece of broken glass, and I was ready to give the
+same account to my spouse. But the treacherous Zaliza had previously
+informed her of the whole matter. It was she who had played me that
+base trick, and she had no doubt reported it to my spouse in such a
+manner as to make me appear much more guilty than I really was. When I
+arrived at the palace, instead of being received as formerly by an
+eager and affectionate wife, I fell into the power of an enraged and
+implacable judge.
+
+"'What has hurt your cheek?' was the first question proposed by my
+wife as soon as I was before her. I was about to tell her of the
+pieces of glass, but she interrupted me with asking, 'whence I got the
+censer which I held in my hand?'
+
+"'It cost me two thousand sequins,' said I, stammering.
+
+"'Liar!' replied my spouse, her eyes inflamed with rage, 'it cost you
+much more: the account of it is on your cheek. Vile and base man! you
+have made a trade of your love, but you shall pay dear for your
+infamous conduct. Morigen,' said she, addressing her first eunuch,
+'let him be beheaded.'
+
+"Morigen had already seized me, when the old woman, our confidante,
+threw herself at the feet of her mistress.
+
+"'Oh, madam!' said she, 'do not commit such a crime; do not expose
+yourself to remorse which you will be unable to support.'
+
+"The behaviour of the old slave brought my wife to reflection. She
+appeared to meditate a little; and then, changing her opinion, ordered
+me to receive the bastinado. While Morigen was executing her rigorous
+orders, which I endeavoured to bear without complaining, she seized a
+musical instrument, and made the chords resound with an air which
+expressed a mixture of jealous rage and malignant satisfaction.
+
+"The pain I suffered totally deprived me of feeling; and I did not
+recover till I was in my father's house, placed upon a bed, surrounded
+by the whole family, and attended by physicians, who were employed in
+procuring me relief. I had been carried away after the fatal execution
+of my wife's orders, and left on the threshold of my father's door.
+
+"It was six weeks before I recovered from the consequences of the
+severe treatment I had undergone. At the end of this time, when I was
+again able to be out of bed, my father tried to gain my confidence,
+and I concealed not the smallest circumstance of my last adventure.
+
+"'O Heaven!' said he, 'you are united, my son, to a monster of cruelty
+and injustice.'
+
+"'Do not say so, father!' exclaimed I: 'my wife, I must confess, was
+cruel, but she thought she had reason to complain, and I was wanting
+in my duty to her, even when she loaded me with kindness and
+affection. I find that I still adore her, and that my love is
+increased by the consciousness of my fault, and by the fear of a
+final separation. Ah! would that I were admitted to be the lowest of
+her slaves!'
+
+"'You have not the feelings of a man,' said my father: 'know the
+dignity of your sex. I cannot determine to what kind of a being you
+have been united by the ceremony of a contract. I should suppose it
+entirely whimsical, if so strong proofs, and particularly the last,
+had not been given us of its reality. Be ashamed, that a man like you,
+who are well descended, and who might have aspired to a connection
+with the best families in Bagdad, has been hurried away by a foolish
+passion to so extraordinary and unequal a connection as that which you
+have now formed. Forget your disgraceful passion.'
+
+"Every word which my father uttered, by way of invective against my
+marriage and my wife, was a dagger to my heart.
+
+"'I shall one day discover this abominable creature,' added he. 'I
+will bring an information against her before the Caliph, who will put
+it out of her power to make further victims.'
+
+"Instead of seconding my father's resentment, my heart revolted
+against his plans of revenge, and placed itself betwixt him and my
+cruel but charming spouse.
+
+"This disposition of mind, in spite of the assistance of medicine,
+soon injured my health, and deranged my understanding. I became
+thoughtful and melancholy, refused every means of consolation, grieved
+my too affectionate parents, and was a torment to all the domestics.
+Nothing could be prepared to my taste, and I constantly blamed the
+unskilfulness of the cooks.
+
+"One of them came one day to justify his conduct.
+
+"'See,' said I, overturning the table, and treading the dishes under
+my feet, 'there is the estimation in which I hold your skill and
+diligence!'
+
+"As he wanted to make a reply, I threw myself upon him to give him a
+hearty beating. His cries and screams soon brought my mother, who
+wished to tear from me the person at whom I was offended. She even
+ventured to add blows to her reproofs; and, in the blindness of my
+fury, I unfortunately struck her. When my father arrived, he was not
+more prudent, and I was at length put in chains. I recollect that,
+having put my hand across my mouth, it was covered with foam. In
+short, I lost my recollection, and only recovered it to behold myself
+an inhabitant of this mournful abode. I then learned that I was kept
+here by order of Giafar, the Grand Vizier.
+
+"Many months have now elapsed since I groaned a miserable captive in
+this place. I have now recovered soundness of mind, in consequence of
+the solitude, but more especially the opportunity of indulging my
+unfortunate passion, which I here enjoy without hearing the person
+whom I will ever love loaded with imprecations.
+
+"Here, O respectable dervish! I am swayed by sadness, and not by
+passion, and can discover in myself nothing for which I ought to be
+detained in this hospital. My friends, it would appear, have forgotten
+me; but it is the duty of the Grand Vizier, whose orders are here
+followed, to inspect this place, and endeavour to bring back to me my
+parents, since I only offended by one fit of madness, and have now
+sufficiently recovered my reason to regulate my conduct. This,
+venerable dervish, is the whole of my history. All my consolation is
+the Koran, and the hope that some time or other the Commander of the
+Faithful, who wishes to see everything himself, will direct his steps
+towards this mournful abode. I ask this from Allah a hundred times a
+day; but, alas! my supplications have never reached his throne."
+
+"Cease not to pray, my dear son," replied the Caliph: "you will soon
+know the efficacy thereof, and your request will be heard."
+
+After these words of consolation, Haroun returned with Giafar and
+Mesrour to the palace.
+
+"What think you," said the Prince to the companions of his adventures,
+"of the story which has now been related? You were at hand, and must
+have heard everything which was spoken."
+
+"I think," said Giafar, "that this young man, of whom I never heard
+before, though he accuses me of being the cause of his misfortunes,
+has been employing his invention to relate to you a collection of
+dreams or falsehoods."
+
+"It is impossible that everything can be false in his relation,"
+replied the Caliph; "and I command you to think on the means of
+ascertaining the truth. To-morrow I expect to hear from you."
+
+Next day the Grand Vizier gave an account of the plan which he had
+devised for discovering what trust was to be placed in the history and
+complaints of Halechalbe.
+
+"Those people," said the minister, "who are deranged in their mind,
+are never consistent in their accounts. Let your Highness therefore
+order the young man to be brought before you; and if he repeats his
+long story in the same connection he did yesterday, and without
+varying its circumstances, it will then be proper to make the
+necessary inquiries for ascertaining the truth of the facts."
+
+The Vizier's opinion was highly approved of, and orders were instantly
+given to go for Halechalbe.
+
+When the young man was at the foot of the throne, the Caliph thus
+addressed him: "Halechalbe, I have been informed that you have been
+confined in a madhouse, by a series of the most extraordinary
+adventures: recover your spirits, and be assured that I am anxious to
+do justice to all my subjects. But in the relation I demand from you,
+omit no circumstance, and consider the respect which is due to truth
+and to my presence."
+
+Halechalbe, seeing the prediction of the dervish fulfilled, being
+inspired with confidence and affected with his subject, again began
+his history, and made not the smallest variations, even in the
+expressions.
+
+Giafar was obliged to own that the recital which he had twice heard
+bore very striking marks of veracity. His sole object now was to
+discover Halechalbe's beloved but cruel enemy, in order to procure
+justice from her towards her injured husband; and his sagacity soon
+suggested the steps which were proper to be taken.
+
+By calling together all the Cadis in Bagdad, in order to learn by whom
+the contract had been drawn up, the affair would be in danger of being
+divulged, without resolving the difficulty. For, if any of them had,
+contrary to law, drawn up a contract of so extraordinary a nature, he
+would not readily confess it; and besides, a man might have been
+suborned to act the part.
+
+If Halechalbe's father was reconciled to him, and persuaded again to
+entrust his son with the management of his trade, it was probable that
+the old woman would be going about him, were it only from curiosity;
+and spies, properly placed, might apprehend her, and force her to
+disclose the name of her mistress.
+
+The Caliph approved the scheme, and the syndic was immediately sent
+for. This unfortunate father, still supposing that his son was totally
+deranged in his mind, was greatly astonished to find himself in his
+company at the foot of the Caliph's throne, and still more to see
+Halechalbe treated by Haroun with the kindest attention.
+
+Upon the first proposal of a reconciliation made by the Grand Vizier,
+the father stretched out his arms to receive his son. Measures were
+then agreed upon for unravelling the adventure, and Halechalbe's
+father promised to execute with fidelity the orders which he received.
+The father and son returned to their house, after having received two
+rich robes from the munificent Caliph; and next day Halechalbe was
+re-established in his shop, which was as richly furnished as before.
+
+The young man endeavoured, by submission, kindness, and attention, to
+make his parents forget the cause of complaint which he had given
+them. Though still inflamed by love, he strove to conceal from them
+its effects, and to get the better of his melancholy. He yielded to it
+only when free from every other business, and when left to himself in
+solitude and retirement.
+
+Halechalbe's wife did not long enjoy the satisfaction of her revenge.
+Having come to serious reflection on her conduct, she blamed herself
+for the excess of her cruelty, and at length became uneasy about the
+fate of the husband whom she had treated with too much severity,
+though she still supposed him criminal and ungrateful. Love soon
+regained the empire of her heart; and though she struggled for some
+days against a feeling which she durst not avow, silence at length
+became burdensome to her, and she ordered the old woman, as if solely
+through compassion, to make inquiry about the situation of her
+unfortunate husband.
+
+"Alas, madam!" answered she, "my pity for him led me to his father's
+house, and I there learned from the inhabitants of that quarter, that
+the poor young man's life was in danger."
+
+"His life in danger!" replied the lady. "Ah! unfortunate that I am! I
+have killed the only man in the world I ever loved, or can love! Can I
+not inform him that my life depends upon his? but everything prevents
+me from doing so. Go, however, and speedily get information concerning
+him, as far as you can, consistently with the safety of my honour."
+
+The old woman received the order with great pleasure, and for some
+time was able to give her mistress good hopes of the recovery of her
+husband's health. But her inquiries soon became fruitless, for the
+neighbours were altogether silent concerning Halechalbe, from the
+moment when he was privately taken to a madhouse in a state of
+insanity.
+
+Her mistress now yielded to despair, and shut herself up with her
+confidante, that she might indulge her sorrow and shed her tears
+without restraint. The musical instrument, which had formerly been
+employed to insult over the misfortune of Halechalbe, now served to
+express her own complaints. The lady, quite inconsolable, could no
+longer make verses, as she was wont to do when inspired by love or
+revenge, but only uttered a few broken words, intermingled with sighs
+and tears.
+
+The good old woman was one day traversing the city, little thinking
+that she would have any agreeable news to carry to her mistress, when,
+as she passed through the quarter where Halechalbe's shop was, she
+observed it open. Stopping to look at it, she discovered the master
+himself, seated on a sofa and lost in deep thought, and she determined
+to enter. As soon as she saw him she wished to throw herself into his
+arms, and Halechalbe was running to meet her when he perceived her
+approaching; but the Grand Vizier's spies, who had not lost sight of
+the slave, interposed, carried off the woman, and conducted her to
+Giafar.
+
+Great was the astonishment of Giafar to find that the woman now
+brought before him was Nemana, the old governess of his beloved
+daughter Zeraïde.
+
+"Is it possible," said he, "that you whom my daughter loads with her
+kindness should be engaged in the intrigue of Halechalbe's marriage?
+Who is the woman you have given him for a wife?"
+
+"O my Prince and master," answered Nemana, in great astonishment,
+"whom could I serve but your daughter, the Princess Zeraïde?"
+
+Giafar was thunderstruck when he learned that his daughter had married
+without his knowledge and consent; but knowing that the Caliph was
+very anxious to get this affair unravelled, instead of returning to
+his own palace to get an explanation from Zeraïde, he instantly
+repaired to the Commander of the Faithful, followed by Nemana and the
+spies whom he had sent in pursuit of her.
+
+"Wise Prince," said he "the old woman who was concerned in
+Halechalbe's marriage has been found: she is at the door, and I have
+put some questions to her. Halechalbe's wife," continued the Vizier,
+"has only availed herself of the law delivered in the Koran, by
+chastising her husband, who was surprised in a fault worthy of
+punishment. The duties of husband and wife are reciprocal, and
+Halechalbe had received the caresses of a strange woman."
+
+"I think," said Haroun, "you strain the expressions of the law: you
+make it too sanguinary, and you would expose a great many in Bagdad to
+danger if the right of doing themselves justice was granted to all who
+really are, or think themselves, injured in this respect."
+
+"Marriages of every kind," replied the Vizier, "will not admit of the
+rigorous application of the law; but when the lady who is married,
+while she subjects herself to the law in all its rigour, has it
+likewise in her power to demand the same subjection from the man whom
+she is to marry, and this condition is freely accepted, the injured
+person in avenging herself only makes use of her legal right."
+
+"Notwithstanding all your fine arguments," said Haroun, "I am still
+inclined to favour the unfortunate Halechalbe: it yet remains that I
+be informed of the name of the woman in whose cause you are so
+eloquent."
+
+"She is my daughter," answered the Vizier in great confusion.
+
+"You have now," replied the Caliph, "let me into the secret. I see
+that the multiplicity of my affairs makes you neglect your own, and
+renders you perfectly ignorant of what passes in your own house.
+Marriages are contracted, and men's lives disposed of, without your
+knowing anything of the matter. Imagine the consequences which would
+result from allowing an arm directed by passion to execute a rigorous
+law. I know the rights which are assumed by women in cases of unequal
+marriages. If conveniency and prudence, those powerful directors of
+human conduct, sometimes oblige them to give their hand to one of an
+inferior station, then they may avail themselves of these rights to a
+certain extent: they are a sort of compensation for the sacrifice
+which they make. But this is not the case with your daughter, who has
+made no sacrifice but to her own taste, and the son of the chief of
+trade is in every respect become her equal. He loves and adores her,
+notwithstanding all the cruelty which she has exercised against him,
+and she would certainly be too happy in having him again for her
+husband. You well know that with one word I can make my meanest
+subject a Prince. I will raise Halechalbe's father to that dignity,
+from a principle of justice, and I will take care of the son, from
+regard to himself and to you. Find out the name of the Cadi who drew
+up the contract, and why he ventured to do so without your consent,
+since without that the deed would be void; take care that nothing be
+wanting in the form." After this discourse with his Vizier, the Caliph
+ordered Halechalbe to approach.
+
+"Young man," said he, "your wife shall be restored to you, and you
+shall have it in your power either to pardon or punish her. She is my
+Grand Vizier's daughter; but nothing ought to have any influence in
+preventing you from following the inclinations of your heart and the
+dictates of your mind."
+
+"O Commander of the Faithful!" exclaimed the young Halechalbe, "can I
+retain any resentment against the person who is dearer to me than
+life? I aspire after nothing but the happiness of seeing her again,
+and if I can once more gain her heart, and the consent of her father,
+I vow to an affection which will terminate only with my existence."
+
+"Giafar," replied the Caliph, "I recommend the interests of your
+daughter and son-in-law to your care. Henceforth consider him as a man
+connected with my service, and for whom I mean to provide."
+
+The Grand Vizier returned to his palace, holding Halechalbe by the
+hand, and followed by the old woman, who perceiving herself at
+liberty, soon made her escape to go and inform her mistress of the
+visit which she might expect to receive. The Vizier, whom she had
+outrun, at length arrived at his house. Zeraïde arose to meet him, and
+to give the usual marks of her attachment and respect; but a signal
+with his hand, and a look of severity, forced her to desist.
+
+"Suppress these demonstrations of attachment," said Giafar: "there can
+be no love without confidence, and no respect without obedience. You
+first married without my consent, and then, in a fit of delirium,
+abusing the authority which I gave you over my servants, you went to
+the most criminal excess against your husband, and committed a crime
+which exposed us to the wrath of the Caliph. When you gave your hand
+to the son of the chief of trade at Bagdad--a man esteemed and
+respected by everybody, and valued even by the Caliph himself--did you
+think that you were entering into a connection with the meanest slave?
+And if the life even of these is to be spared, how could you imagine
+that you might dispose of your husband's according to your pleasure
+and caprice? I have brought him to you; he is your master, and in his
+turn has your life in his power. Fall at his feet, and be assured that
+you can never regain my esteem unless you obliterate from his mind, by
+submission and obedience, the undeserved and cruel treatment which he
+has received."
+
+While the Vizier was speaking, the trembling Zeraïde would have fallen
+dead at his feet if she had not perceived in the eyes of Halechalbe
+something more than compassion for the confusion to which she was
+reduced. With pleasure did she throw herself at his feet, and kissed
+them with transport. The young husband, happy beyond expression,
+having raised Zeraïde, embraced her, and for some moments their tears
+were mingled together. This affecting scene made an impression on
+Giafar, who was passionately fond of his daughter: the father and the
+minister were at once disarmed. But the Cadi must be called to correct
+the irregularity in the contract of marriage. He learned that his name
+was Yaleddin, and ordered him to be instantly sent for.
+
+Yaleddin arrived, and did not allow Giafar time to ask why he agreed
+to marry Zeraïde in private, and without the concurrence of any one
+but the young lady.
+
+"Your daughter," said the judge, "sent for me, and discovered the
+excess of her passion. I thought it my duty to fulfil her wishes, that
+I might prevent, though by an irregular proceeding on my part, a
+conduct still more irregular in her. She proposed that I should be her
+guardian; and having undertaken this character, and not condemning her
+choice, I believed I was doing an important service to this fond
+couple, and I plainly foresaw that one day it would not meet your
+disapprobation."
+
+Giafar, instead of showing dissatisfaction, generously expressed his
+gratitude to the Cadi; but ordered the slave Zaliza to be delivered to
+him, that she might be punished, after a confession should be extorted
+from her of the odious stratagem which she had employed for separating
+her mistress and her husband.
+
+The happy pair were then left to themselves, after the Vizier had
+assured Halechalbe that he would be as dear to him as his own son.
+Magnificent feasts were afterwards given, that all possible splendour
+might accompany an union authorized and approved by the Caliph, and
+which diffused joy among all the inhabitants of Bagdad.
+
+Thus did Halechalbe pass almost unexpectedly from a madhouse to that
+honourable elevation to which he was raised by the Caliph Haroun, and
+from the most mournful of all situations to the highest degree of
+happiness.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+The Four Talismans.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+Abouali Nabul,[7] Emperor of the Moguls, reflecting upon his great
+age, felt convinced that he could not long enjoy the light of the sun;
+he therefore sent for his well-beloved and only son Nourgehan, and
+spoke to him thus:
+
+[Footnote 7: Great father.]
+
+"Nourgehan, I leave my throne to thee. You will soon fill my place:
+forget not to do justice equally to the poor as to the rich. Be
+satisfied with possessing a flourishing kingdom. Envy not the
+dominions of any other Prince: leave every one in possession of that
+which they have inherited from their fathers. In one word, always
+remember that clemency and justice are the noblest titles of a
+Sovereign."
+
+After having said these words, the Emperor descended from his throne,
+made his son ascend it, and retired into a delightful apartment (where
+he had passed his happiest days), where he remained till he died,
+which was shortly afterwards.
+
+Nourgehan, after having paid all the honours that nature and gratitude
+required for so good a father, was wholly occupied in fulfilling the
+last counsels that he had received from him. His heart was naturally
+good, and his judgment just; but if every man stands in need of
+experience to form his mind, much more is it necessary for those who
+are destined to fill a throne. Nourgehan, persuaded of this important
+truth, was far from the presumption too common to Princes. One day, as
+he conversed with his courtiers upon the subject of government, he
+applauded those Kings who had shown the greatest love of justice.
+Solomon was quoted as having been the most just.
+
+"This example is not a just one," replied Nourgehan. "Solomon was a
+prophet, and could easily prevent the evils which he foresaw; but a
+common mortal can only use his best endeavours to repair the faults of
+his weakness: therefore I command you all, not only to inform me of
+all my duties without flattery, but also to prevent or repair my
+faults by your counsels. When a King testifies a love for virtue, all
+his subjects become virtuous."
+
+As soon as Nourgehan had ceased speaking, Abourazier rose up and said,
+"Great Prince, if you wish to have justice truly exercised in your
+dominions, you must make choice of a disinterested Vizier, who has
+only your glory and the good of the State in view. The satisfaction of
+having done right must be the only recompense he desires."
+
+"You say well, Abourazier," returned Nourgehan; "but the difficulty is
+to find such a man."
+
+"You have, my lord," replied the courtier, "one of your subjects whose
+moderation and wisdom made him renounce all public employments under
+the reign of your illustrious father: your Majesty, perhaps, is
+ignorant of what happened to him in the city of Shiras."
+
+The King having commanded him to inform him of it, Abourazier pursued
+his discourse thus:
+
+"Imadil Deule,[8] in the last war which we sustained against Persia,
+led our victorious army as far as Shiras, which he took, and, by a
+sentiment of humanity, preserved from being plundered. His soldiers,
+however, demanded a recompense that might make them amends for the
+booty they expected to have obtained, and spoke to him so strongly,
+that he was obliged to promise one to them, though he knew not where
+he could procure it."
+
+[Footnote 8: The support and assistance of felicity.]
+
+"One day as he was in his palace, thinking of this demand, he
+perceived a serpent creep out of a hole in the wall and return into it
+again. He called the officers of his harem, and said to them, 'Break
+open that hole, and take out the serpent that I saw enter it this
+moment.'
+
+"The courtiers obeyed him, and found a vault full of presses ranged
+along the walls, with chests piled upon each other. They were opened,
+and found to be filled with sequins, while the presses were heaped up
+with the most magnificent stuffs. Imadil Deule returned thanks to God
+for this discovery, and distributed the treasure to his soldiers. He
+afterwards commanded a tailor to be sent for to make habits of these
+stuffs, with which he designed to recompense the merits of those
+officers who had served under his command. The most experienced tailor
+of the city was presented to him, who had always wrought for the late
+Governor. Imadil Deule said to him, 'Not only thou shalt be well paid
+if these habits are carefully made, but I will procure thee a further
+recompense, and some bowls of cassonnade.'"[9]
+
+[Footnote 9: A kind of sherbet mixed with honey.]
+
+"The tailor, who was deaf of one ear, understood that he was to have
+the bastinado, and fell a-weeping. Imagining that it was intended to
+exact an account of the late Governor's clothes which he had in his
+possession, he declared he had only twelve chests full, and those who
+accused him of having more had not said the truth.
+
+"Imadil Deule could not forbear smiling at the effect which fear had
+produced in the poor tailor: he caused the habits to be brought, which
+were found to be magnificent and entirely new. The only use he made of
+them, as well as of the rich stuffs he found in the presses, was to
+clothe and adorn the officers of his army. I believe, therefore, that
+so disinterested a man deserves the confidence of your Majesty."
+
+Abourazier having ceased speaking, Nourgehan said to him, "Imadil
+Deule shall not be my Vizier. I believe him an honest man, but he
+wants prudence, and I do not think him capable of supporting my
+authority. He had the seals of the empire, and yet knew not how to
+order everything necessary for his expedition; in a word, his treasure
+failed him, and his soldiers presumed to give him laws. Without the
+accident of the serpent, of which any other man would have made the
+same use, what would have become of him? The story of the tailor is of
+no consequence."
+
+Nourgehan was continually occupied with the love of justice and the
+desire of reigning well. He left his palace at all hours to inform
+himself of the truth by his own knowledge. There was an old potter of
+earthen vessels who dwelt near his palace. Nourgehan, moved by seeing
+him every day pray to God with the most ardent and zealous fervour,
+stopped one day before the little hut in which he dwelt, and said to
+him, "Ask of me whatever thou desirest, and I promise to grant it
+thee."
+
+"Command all your officers," said the potter, "to take each of them
+one of my pots, and pay for it that which I ask. I will not abuse this
+permission."
+
+Nourgehan granted him his request, and gave orders to his guard to
+watch over the sale of the pots, and, above all, to do whatever the
+potter ordered him. He made a very modest use of the favour that he
+had obtained, and, satisfied with the sale of his work, he exacted no
+more than the value of it, thinking himself happy in being able to
+live by his industry, and wishing that he might give a proof of his
+gratitude to his Sovereign. The Vizier of Nourgehan was avaricious;
+but for fear of displeasing his master, he concealed that vice with
+the utmost care. He went one morning to the Emperor's audience, when
+the potter demanded a sequin for a pot which he presented to him. The
+Vizier refused it, and said it was a jest to ask such a sum for a
+thing that the least coin would sufficiently pay for.
+
+The potter, seeing that he added menaces to his refusal, answered him,
+"that since he took it in that strain, he demanded a thousand sequins
+for his pot," and added, "that he should not enter into the Emperor's
+presence until he had hung the pot round his neck, and carried him
+upon his back to have an audience of the Emperor, that he might make
+his complaints of the refusal and menaces he had given him."
+
+The Vizier made many difficulties and great entreaties to avoid these
+vexatious and mortifying conditions; but the hour approaching which
+the Emperor had appointed for an audience, and the guards refusing to
+let him enter till he had satisfied the desires of the potter, he was
+obliged to submit to them; to promise the thousand sequins, to hang
+the pot about his neck, and to carry the potter on his back, a
+condition from which he would not recede. The Emperor, surprised at
+seeing his Vizier arrive in a manner so ridiculous and so unsuitable
+to his dignity, commanded him to explain what it all meant. When he
+was told, he obliged the Vizier to pay the thousand sequins
+immediately; and comprehending of how great an injury it might be to a
+Prince to have an avaricious minister, he deposed him, and was pleased
+with the potter for having made known to him a fact that he never
+would have suspected otherwise.
+
+Nourgehan formed a counsel of the most worthy men of the empire,
+ordained wise and prudent laws, and departed to visit his provinces,
+with a resolution of releasing his people from any possible abuse of
+an authority which is always dangerous, when those who exercise it are
+at too great a distance from the Sovereign. This Prince, endowed with
+every virtue, had no other wish than that of deserving after his death
+the noble epitaph of that Persian monarch who has graved upon his
+tomb, "Weep! for Shah Chuja is dead!"
+
+Nourgehan, visiting all the provinces of his kingdom, had already gone
+through the greatest part of them, and remedied numberless disorders,
+when his curiosity engaged him in a journey into Tartary, his
+neighbouring kingdom. Finding himself so near their country, he had a
+desire also to see and know the manners of these Tartars, who were
+more civilized than others, for they had cities and fixed habitations:
+their women also are not shut up like those of the other Asiatics. The
+Tartars came to meet the Emperor of the Moguls. Some of them
+performed courses on their swiftest horses to do him honour, others,
+accompanied with their women, formed a kind of dance which, though a
+little savage, was not destitute of grace. In the number of the Tartar
+women who presented themselves before him, Nourgehan was struck with
+the beauty of a young person of eighteen, named Damake.[10] She
+possessed great beauty; an inexpressible sense and modesty was visible
+in her countenance. Nourgehan did homage to so many charms, and caused
+a place in his harem to be proposed to her, but she refused it. Love
+but too often causes the greatest change in the worthiest characters.
+The Prince, so wise, and till then so moderate, led away by his
+passion, joined menaces to his entreaties; he even went so far as to
+threaten that he would bring a formidable army thither to obtain a
+beauty whose refusals did not permit him to hope to win her otherwise.
+He made this rash speech to Damake alone; for if the Tartars, who are
+a people most jealous of their liberty, had had the least knowledge of
+it, war would have been that moment declared. But Damake answered him
+with the utmost sweetness, without showing the least fear, and without
+losing that respect which she owed to a Sovereign; and it was with the
+gentle and yet resolved tone that courage and truth always inspire,
+that she related this little history to him:
+
+[Footnote 10: Joy of the heart.]
+
+"One of the great Lamas," said she, "of whose supreme authority in
+this country you are not ignorant, fell in love, in this very place,
+with a maiden of my tribe. She not only refused all that he offered to
+her, but she would not accept the proposal he made to marry her. The
+love she felt for a musician was the sole cause of her refusal, which
+she confessed to the Lama, with a hope of appearing unworthy of his
+attachment. But that Prince--for they are looked upon as
+such--distracted with anger and sorrow, caused his unworthy rival to
+be put to death, and under the pretext of her being agreeable to the
+Grand Lama, it was not difficult to have her carried off. For you are
+sensible, my lord, that in this country every one trembles at the very
+name of him, whom we look upon as a god. But the Lama enjoyed not
+much satisfaction from his cruelty and injustice; for after she had
+promised to marry him, in order to obtain a greater liberty, she
+precipitated herself from the top of a rock, which can be perceived
+from hence, and which is always shown in the country as a proof of the
+constancy and resolution of which the Tartar virgins are capable. It
+is not," continued Damake, "love for another that makes me refuse the
+offers of your Majesty. My heart to this hour is free; but, my lord,
+learn to know it thoroughly. It is noble, and perhaps worthy of the
+favour you condescend to honour me with. My weak charms have seduced
+you; but a woman who has no other merit than beauty, in my opinion, is
+of little value."
+
+"Perhaps," returned Nourgehan, "the difference of our religions is an
+obstacle to my happiness?"
+
+"No, my lord, I am a Mussulman," resumed Damake. "Can you imagine I
+could submit to the ideas that are given us of the Grand Lama? Can we
+believe that a man is immortal? The artifice that is made use of to
+persuade us of it is too gross. In one word, my eyes are too much
+enlightened for me to hesitate between the ideas inculcated by these
+priests, and those by which the divinity of God is preached by his
+most sacred Prophet. No, my lord," continued she, "I am sensible of
+the risk I shall run by your goodness to me. Time causes the
+nightingale to perish and the rose to fade. The moon shines during the
+night; but its lustre fades when the day approaches. Can I expect,
+therefore, that time should spare me? Yet, notwithstanding these
+reflections, I confess, my lord, I should be flattered with the
+thought of pleasing a man whose virtues I esteem above his greatness.
+But I should wish to please him by other qualities: I should wish to
+have rendered myself worthy of him by services so considerable, that
+even a marriage thus unsuitable, far from exposing him to reproaches,
+should only serve to make his choice more applauded."
+
+Nourgehan, charmed at finding such uncommon sense and such delicate
+sentiments in an object whose figure alone would have rendered her
+amiable, admired her virtue, gave her his royal promise never to
+constrain her inclinations, and resolved never to depart from her. He
+sent a numerous train of slaves and camels to the beauteous Damake,
+who followed him with all her family. She would never have consented
+to this step if she had been obliged to abandon her family, to whom
+she was fondly attached. The King saw her every day, and could not
+exist a moment without wishing to see her, or without admiring her
+when he did see her. In the meantime the discourses of the Court and
+of the populace reached the ears of Damake. She knew the evil opinion
+they had of her. To repair this wrong she conjured Nourgehan to
+assemble all the learned men of his kingdom, that she might answer
+their questions, and afterwards propose some to them. Nourgehan, who
+dreaded lest a person so young as Damake should expose herself too
+hastily, and return with confusion from such a dispute, used his
+utmost efforts to dissuade her from her request; for the fear and
+concern that is felt for those whom we love is most certainly far
+stronger than that which interests us for ourselves. His remonstrances
+were in vain.
+
+Learned men were assembled to the number of twelve; and in the
+audience that was given them, the King was placed upon an elevated
+throne, in his habits of ceremony. Damake was seated lower, opposite
+to him, leaning upon a sofa, dressed with the greatest plainness, but
+shining with every charm of youth and every gift of nature, surrounded
+by the twelve sages, venerable by their extreme age and their flowing
+beards, leaning upon a large table, round which they and she were
+seated. The sages, who knew not with what design Nourgehan had
+assembled them, were extremely astonished when he made known to them
+the project of Damake. They looked upon the adversary who was
+presented to them, and kept silence, not doubting that the King did it
+with the design of showing them contempt. Nourgehan said to them,
+
+"I perceive your thoughts, but I have given my royal promise, and it
+is your duty to acquit me of it. Propose boldly the hardest questions
+to this lady, who has engaged to resolve all the difficulties that
+your great learning gives you the opportunity of proposing to her."
+
+The first sage demanded, "What is that which takes the colour of
+those who look upon it, which men cannot do without, and which of
+itself has neither form nor colour?"
+
+"It is the water," replied Damake.
+
+The second said to her, "Can you, O miracle of sense and beauty, tell
+me what is the thing which has neither door nor foundation, and which
+is within filled with yellow and white?"
+
+"It is an egg," said the beauteous maiden.
+
+The third sage, after having considered a little, in hopes of
+surpassing his brethren (for the learned men in the Mogul have a share
+of self-love), said to her, "There is in a certain garden a tree; this
+tree bears twelve branches, upon each branch there are thirty leaves,
+and upon each leaf there are five fruits, of which three are in the
+shade and two in the sun. What is this tree? and where is it to be
+found?"
+
+"This tree," returned Damake, "represents the year: the twelve
+branches are the months, the thirty leaves the days, the five fruits
+the five prayers, of which two are made by day and three by night."
+
+The sage was amazed, and the courtiers, whose minds vary like the air,
+and whose sentiments are changed by that which is less than nothing,
+began to be inwardly persuaded of the value of that which they had at
+first only pretended to admire.
+
+The other sages, who had not yet spoken, would have excused
+themselves, and had their silence passed over in favour of the
+applauses they gave to the uncommon sense of her who had confounded
+those who preceded them. But Nourgehan, at the entreaty of Damake,
+having commanded them to continue the conference, one of them
+demanded, "What is heavier than a mountain?" the other, "What is more
+cutting than a sabre?" and the third, "What is swifter than an arrow?"
+Damake answered that the first "was the tongue of a man that complains
+of oppression;" the second, "Calumny," and the third, "A glance."
+
+There were four sages remaining who had not yet proposed their
+difficulties. Nourgehan trembled, lest at length the mind of Damake
+should be exhausted, and she should lose the honour of so great a
+number of judicious answers. Yet this beautiful maiden appeared
+neither fatigued nor exalted with that which would have raised the
+vanity of the greatest part of mankind. But the very property of love
+being to submit to the will of that which it loves, Nourgehan, whom
+the preceding examples had not yet reassured, full of alarms and
+inquietudes, commanded them to speak by a sign of his head, which they
+durst not refuse. The first demanded of her, "What that animal was
+which avoided everybody, was composed of seven different animals, and
+inhabited desolate places." The second desired to know who that was
+whose habit was armed with darts, who wore a black vest, a yellow
+shirt, whose mother lived above a hundred years, and who was liked by
+the whole world. The third desired her to name that which had but one
+foot, which had a hole in its head, a leathern girdle, and which
+raised up its head when its hairs were torn off and its face was spit
+upon.
+
+Damake answered to the first that it was a grasshopper, which is
+composed of seven animals; for it has the head of a horse, the neck of
+an ox, the wings of an eagle, the feet of a camel, the tail of a
+serpent, the horns of a stag, and the body of a scorpion.
+
+The lady found it more difficult to answer the question of the second:
+for a moment the whole assembly thought her vanquished. This idea,
+which she perceived in the eyes of all who looked upon her, made her
+blush. She appeared only still more beautiful from her modesty; and
+Nourgehan was charmed when he saw the sage who had proposed the
+question agree that she had answered with her usual justness, when she
+said that it was a Chestnut. She answered the third without
+hesitation, that it was a Distaff.
+
+So much knowledge, so much presence of mind, joined to such uncommon
+personal charms, threw all minds into so pleasing a confusion that,
+notwithstanding the awe that the presence of Nourgehan inspired, they
+all loudly expressed the joy, admiration, and pleasure they felt at
+being witnesses of so uncommon a scene. Damake then made a sign that
+she wished now to speak. Silence was commanded, and she desired the
+sages to inform her what was sweeter than honey.
+
+Some of them answered that it was the satisfaction of having our
+wishes fulfilled, some that of gratitude, and others it was the
+pleasure of conferring obligations.
+
+When Damake had let them speak, she applauded all their reasonable and
+just thoughts, but finished her discourse by asking them with
+gentleness if she was mistaken when she imagined the sweetest thing
+upon earth to be the love of a mother for her child.
+
+An answer so suitable to her sex, who ought always to be attached to
+their maternal duty, and proposed with so much modesty, entirely
+finished the conquest of their hearts. But Damake, who had no other
+design upon this occasion than to conciliate their esteem and
+authorize the favours with which Nourgehan honoured her, was resolved
+to finish a scene which she did not design to repeat, resolving for
+the future to be occupied with schemes and ideas of a higher kind.
+Damake then caused instruments to be brought, and sang and played in
+all the different modes of music, finishing by singing the famous
+strain of Zeaghioule.
+
+Nourgehan, in those transports of joy which are given by the repeated
+successes of those one loves, dismissed the assembly, but not without
+making some large presents to the sages; and when they had all
+retired, he threw himself at the knees of Damake, saying, "Thou art
+the life of my soul: haste thee to make me happy!"
+
+The beauty answered that she was not yet worthy of him.
+
+"What can you require further?" cried the passionate Prince. "You have
+charmed my whole Court; you have confounded the learning of the men
+most celebrated for their wisdom; the justness of your answers, the
+moderation of your questions, and the modesty with which you bore the
+advantage of so great a triumph, have dazzled them. Not satisfied with
+having proved your sense, what talents did not you show when you
+touched the musical instruments! What taste did you not express in
+your song! Whoever, like Damake, joined such merit to so much beauty?
+But I perceive you love me not," added this passionate Prince, with
+the utmost tenderness, "since you refuse to attach your destiny to
+mine. Doubtless you have an aversion for my person."
+
+"I am very far from deserving this reproach, my lord," said Damake;
+"you yourself shall be the judge. The greatest pleasure and the
+highest satisfaction I have felt on this day, which your prejudice in
+my favour has made you think so glorious, was the being able to
+express before the whole Court, in a proper manner, the sentiments
+with which you have filled my heart."
+
+"What can you wait for further to render me the happiest man upon
+earth?" cried Nourgehan with eagerness. "You love me, and I adore you.
+What wants there more? My wishes for you are become an ocean unbounded
+by any shore."
+
+"I resolve to deserve you, my lord," replied she, "by talents of more
+value than those of music; by a justness of sense more valuable than
+that which your sages set such a price upon, and which is only a mere
+subtlety of mind. I wish to establish myself in your heart upon
+foundations more solid than beauty, or those superficial talents that
+you have had the goodness to applaud. In short, I wish that love may
+in you only be a passage to that esteem and friendship which I aspire
+to deserve. Submit your impatience to grant me this favour--it perhaps
+gives me more pain to ask it than your Majesty to grant: let me live
+some time under the shadow of your felicity."
+
+"I am capable of nothing now," replied Nourgehan, "but of loving and
+adoring you; but at least permit me to give a full proof of the
+justice I do your merit. Assist in the divan, preside in all affairs,
+and give me your counsels: I can follow none that are more prudent or
+better judged."
+
+"The diamond boasted," replied Damake, smiling, "that there was no
+stone which equalled it in strength and hardness. Allah, who loves not
+pride, changed its nature in favour of lead, the vilest of metals, to
+which He gave the power to cut it. Independently of the pride I must
+render myself guilty of if I accepted your offers,--Allah forbid that
+I should do that wrong to my Sovereign Lord!--to authorize by my
+behaviour the reproaches that would be thrown upon him. There would be
+a foundation to say that he was governed by a woman. I allow," added
+she, "that your Majesty ought to have a Vizier: you cannot see to
+everything with your own eyes, and I believe I am able to show you one
+worthy of Nourgehan."
+
+"Name him to me," replied he, "and I will give him the charge this
+moment."
+
+"Your Majesty," replied the beauteous Damake, "must know him before
+you accept him. I hope you will find in him whom I propose those
+virtues and talents necessary in a man dignified with so great an
+employment. He lives in the city of Balk, and is named Diafer. The
+post of Vizier to one of the most powerful Kings of the Indies has
+been in his family above a thousand years. Judge then, my lord, what a
+collection of admirable precepts he must have upon all parts of
+government, and yet a Prince, blinded by the pernicious counsels of
+his favourites, has deposed him, and he passes his days at Balk--days
+which might be happy if he had not lived in the habit of labour and a
+hurry of great affairs, which seldom leave the mind at liberty to be
+satisfied with anything less tumultuous."
+
+Nourgehan immediately replied, "Diafer is my Vizier: Damake can never
+be mistaken."
+
+Upon the spot he wrote to the Governor of Balk, and sent him a note
+for a hundred thousand sequins, to be delivered to Diafer, to defray
+the expenses of his journey; and he charged the same courier with a
+letter for Diafer, in which he conjured him to accept the post that he
+had destined him for.
+
+Diafer began his journey. He was received with magnificence in every
+city, and the Emperor sent all the noblemen of his Court to meet him,
+and conduct him to the palace which he had destined for him in the
+kingdom of Visiapour, where he then resided. He was treated there with
+incredible magnificence during three days, after which he was
+conducted to an audience of the Prince. He appeared at the height of
+joy for possessing a man whom Damake esteemed so highly; but that joy
+was of no long duration, for the Prince, who was so gracious and so
+prejudiced in his favour, flew into the most dreadful anger the moment
+Diafer appeared in his presence.
+
+"Go," said he to him, "depart this moment, and never see me again!"
+
+Diafer obeyed, and retired in all the confusion, the sorrow, and the
+surprise that such a reception must needs give him. He returned to his
+apartment without being able to imagine the cause of the King's sudden
+anger, who, in the meantime, held a council, and examined the affairs
+of his kingdom, without taking any notice of what had passed with him
+whom he had destined to be his Vizier.
+
+He afterwards repaired to the apartment of Damake, who, already
+informed of an event which employed the thoughts of the whole Court,
+doubted not that there was an alteration in the mind of him to whom
+she was so perfectly attached. The sorrow which this reflection had
+given her had plunged her into a state so languishing as scarce left
+her the use of speech. Yet making an effort to conquer herself, she
+said to him, after some moments' silence,
+
+"How is it possible, my lord, that after all the expenses you have
+been at, and all the cares you took for the arrival of Diafer at your
+Court--after all the honours you have ordered to be paid him, and
+those that you have loaded him with, you should receive him so ill?"
+
+"Ah! Damake," cried Nourgehan, "I should have had no regard to all
+that I have done for him, to his illustrious family, nor to the
+fatigues that he has suffered in coming so far, if any one but you had
+recommended him to me. I would have had his head struck off the moment
+he presented himself before me, and it was wholly in regard to you
+that I satisfied myself with banishing him from my presence for ever."
+
+"But how did he incur your indignation?" pursued Damake.
+
+"Know, then," resumed Nourgehan, "that when he came up to me he had
+the most subtle of poisons about him."
+
+"May I ask you, my lord," returned Damake, "what certainty you have of
+such a fact, and if you may not doubt of the fidelity of him who made
+you the report?"
+
+Nourgehan replied, "I knew it myself. I permit you to inquire into it,
+and you will find whether I was mistaken or not."
+
+When Nourgehan had left Damake more reassured as to the heart of the
+Emperor, though alarmed at the impressions he was capable of taking so
+lightly, she sent for Diafer, who appeared sunk in the most violent
+chagrin. She conversed with him for some time, and perceiving how
+deeply the ill-treatment he had received from the King had plunged the
+poniard of sorrow into his heart, she said to him that he ought not to
+afflict himself so much, that the wrath of Nourgehan would be of no
+long duration, and that he would soon repair the affront that he had
+publicly given him. She added that Princes had their hasty moments,
+that ought to be passed by and excused. When she had a little calmed
+his chagrin, she finished her discourse by saying to him,
+
+"If I have deserved your confidence, if you believe that I shall
+endeavour to repair the affront you have suffered--since I, by doing
+justice to your talents, was the innocent cause of that which has
+happened to you--if I deserve any return from you, vouchsafe to inform
+me why you had poison about you when you were presented to Nourgehan?"
+
+Diafer, surprised at this question, after having reflected some
+moments, replied, "True, I had poison with me; but my heart, though I
+bore it about me, was as pure as the dew of the morning. I even have
+it now that I speak to you." Saying this, he drew a ring from his
+finger and presented it to her. "The setting of this ring," said he,
+"encloses a most subtle poison. It is a treasure that has been
+preserved in our family from father to son these thousand years. My
+ancestors have always worn it, to preserve themselves from the anger
+of those Princes they served, in case they should have had the
+misfortune to displease them in the exercise of their post of Vizier.
+You may believe," continued he, "that when the King sent for me, who
+was wholly unknown to him, to exercise that charge, and conscious of
+the many enemies a stranger generally meets with, I would not forget
+to bring this treasure. The sorrow that the cruel behaviour of
+Nourgehan has given me, and the shame that he has covered me with,
+render it still more precious to me: it will not be long before I make
+use of it."
+
+Damake obtained from him that he should delay, at least for some days,
+this fatal design, and conjured him to wait in his palace till he
+heard from her.
+
+She immediately repaired to give an account to Nourgehan of what she
+had learned. That Prince, perceiving by her relation that Diafer had
+no ill design, and that the cruelty of Princes in general authorized
+but too justly such a precaution, repented that he had received him so
+unworthily, and promised Damake the next day to make amends for the
+pain he had given him. She approved this design; but before she
+quitted him she conjured him to satisfy her curiosity by informing her
+how he could perceive the poison which Diafer had with him. Nourgehan
+replied,
+
+"Never will I have anything concealed from the sovereign of my heart.
+I always wear a bracelet, which my father left me, and which has long
+been in our family, though I am ignorant of the name of the sage who
+composed it, or how it fell into the hands of my ancestors. It is of a
+substance that nearly resembles coral, and it has the property of
+discovering poison, even at a very great distance. It is moved and
+agitated whenever poison approaches; and when Diafer came near me, the
+bracelet was very nigh breaking, the poison which he bore had so much
+strength and violence. Had he not been recommended by you, his head
+should have been struck off that moment. I was the more certain that
+Diafer bore that dangerous poison, as my bracelet remained immovable
+immediately after his leaving the hall where I gave audience."
+
+Nourgehan loosed it from his arm, and gave it to Damake. She examined
+it with great attention, and said to him, "This talisman, my lord, is
+doubtless very wonderful; yet this adventure ought to prove to you how
+much those who have the sovereign power are obliged to be upon their
+guard against appearances, and of what consequence it is for them not
+to give judgment rashly."
+
+Damake retired, and Nourgehan commanded the greatest pomp and the most
+splendid train to conduct Diafer the next day to an audience. This
+order was executed. Nourgehan received him with the utmost affability,
+and testified the greatest regret for what had passed. Then there was
+presented to him, by the Sultan's command, a standish of gold, a pen
+and paper. Immediately he wrote in the most beautiful characters
+sublime sentences upon the manner in which a Vizier ought to fulfil
+the duties of his important post. Nourgehan admired his talents, made
+him clothe himself in the robe of a Vizier, and, to crown his
+goodness, confided to him the secret of his bracelet. Diafer
+strenuously advised that Prince never to part with it; and in his
+admiration, and the pleasure he felt at possessing so great a
+treasure, he asked his new Vizier if he believed that through the
+whole world there could be found anything so curious.
+
+"Great Prince," replied Diafer to him, "I have seen in the city of
+Dioul another miracle of nature, less useful, indeed, but which for
+the strength of art and learning with which a sage has composed it,
+may be compared to this."
+
+"What is it?" returned Nourgehan. "I should be glad to be informed of
+it."
+
+Then Diafer spoke thus:
+
+"When I had received your Majesty's command to repair to your
+presence, I departed at once, but was obliged to make some stay at
+Dioul, through which I passed in my way to Visiapour, where I knew I
+might join your Majesty. Notwithstanding my impatience, I was obliged
+to collect several things which were necessary for my journey, and
+made use of that time to view the beauties of the city. The Governor,
+whose riches and opulence astonished me, came to meet me on the day of
+my arrival, and conducted me to his palace. He loaded me with honours,
+and, during my residence there, showed me the utmost respect and
+favour; yet it was accompanied with a constraint that rendered his
+fidelity suspected by me. Among the amusements that he procured for
+me, was a party upon the river: I consented to join it, and we
+embarked the next day in a small frigate which he had provided. The
+weather was fair, and the conversation most agreeable. The Governor of
+Dioul was seated on the upper deck, and I was placed close to him. A
+young boy, beautiful as the sun, lay at his feet; the most exquisite
+wines were served upon a table which stood before us: their coldness,
+and that of the ice with which all the fruits were surrounded,
+contributed to the most seducing voluptuousness. The slaves sang and
+played upon different instruments. Our pleasure was thus accompanied
+with everything that could render it delicious; and as I was thinking
+upon something to say that might be agreeable to the Governor, I
+perceived upon his finger so magnificent a ruby, that I could not
+forbear giving it the praises it deserved. The Governor immediately
+drew it off, and presented it to me. I examined it with attention, and
+returned it to him again, but had great trouble to make him take it.
+Seeing that I absolutely refused to keep it, he was so concerned that
+he threw it into the river. I repented then that I had not accepted so
+perfect a work of nature, and testified my sorrow to the Governor, who
+answered, that it was my own fault.
+
+"'Yet,' continued he, 'if you will promise me to accept it, it will
+not be difficult for me to find the ring again, which is really
+deserving of your acceptance.'
+
+"I imagined that, having another not unlike it, he designed to offer
+me that; but, without saying any more to me, he immediately commanded
+they should steer the vessel to the land. When he was arrived there,
+he sent his slave to his treasurer to demand a small casket which he
+described to him, and cast anchor to wait the return of the slave, who
+was expeditious in executing the orders he had received. The Governor,
+having then taken out of his pocket a small gold key, opened the
+casket, out of which he took a small fish of the same metal and of
+admirable workmanship, and threw it into the river. Immediately it
+plunged to the bottom, and soon after appeared upon the surface of the
+water holding the ring in its mouth. The rowers who were in the boat
+took it in their hands and brought it to the Governor, to whom it
+delivered the ring with a motion of its head: no other person could
+have forced it from its teeth. The Governor again presenting the ring
+to me, I could not refuse it, especially as he redoubled his
+entreaties. The fish was replaced in the little casket and sent back
+to the treasury."
+
+Diafer, after having related this history, drew the ring from his
+finger and presented it to Nourgehan, who, finding it to be extremely
+magnificent, said to him,
+
+"Never part from this ring, which is still more precious from the
+virtue of the talisman which rendered you the possessor of it. But,"
+continued he, "you ought to have informed yourself at what time, how,
+and by whom that wonderful masterpiece of art was composed."
+
+"I used my utmost efforts to be informed," replied Diafer, "but they
+were in vain. Struck with so singular an event, I thought no more of
+the pleasures of the day. The Governor, perceiving that I fell into a
+deep reverie, said to me, 'Life is short: make use of every moment and
+enjoy every pleasure. The soul is a bird imprisoned in the cage of the
+body, which it must soon quit: rejoice while it is in your power, you
+know not who shall exist to-morrow.' I confessed to him that curiosity
+had penetrated my heart. He replied, 'I am in despair that I cannot
+satisfy you,' and pronounced these words with a tone that expressed
+his design of not giving a more particular answer. 'Let us think only
+of amusing ourselves agreeably,' continued he. I followed his counsels
+as much as it was in my power, and departed from Dioul without being
+able to obtain any information upon the subject, but fully persuaded
+that this talisman was the source of all the treasures which he
+possesses."
+
+Nourgehan terminated the audience of Diafer by assuring him of his
+favour if he used his utmost care in the administration of justice. He
+afterwards gave an account to Damake of the conversation he had held
+with his Vizier, and told her the history of the fish.
+
+"I have a love for these talismans," said that Prince, "and this
+little fish rouses my curiosity. I wish at least I knew the maker of
+it."
+
+Damake promised him to use her utmost efforts to inform him. In
+effect, the next day, she told him, that of all the talismans which
+the great Seidel-Beckir had made, there existed only four--his
+bracelet, the little fish of which Diafer had spoken to him, and which
+she presented to him from the Governor of Dioul, adding, that he had
+just sent it as a present to his Majesty in order to obtain a life
+which he had deserved to lose, his faithful subjects having taken him
+in arms against the Sultan. The third, a poniard, very meanly adorned,
+which she begged him to accept.
+
+"The others," continued she, "are either worn out (for you know, my
+lord they only last for a certain time), or have been destroyed by
+different accidents."
+
+"Why did the Governor of Dioul," resumed Nourgehan, "conceal from
+Diafer that Seidel-Beckir was the maker of that which he possessed?"
+
+"He was ignorant of it, my lord," interrupted Damake; "and perhaps,
+ashamed of not knowing it, he feigned it to be a secret. It is the
+habit of men to cover their ignorance by an affectation of mystery."
+
+"But what is the virtue of this talisman that you offer me?" said
+Nourgehan, as he accepted the poniard.
+
+"I will inform you of it, my lord," said Damake, "at the same time
+that I give you an account of what I have been able to learn
+concerning the fish. It may be about three thousand years since there
+appeared, in the part of Asia which we inhabit, a man named Houna, who
+was so great that he was surnamed Seidel-Beckir. He was a sage who
+possessed in perfection all those talents which acquire a general
+veneration. The science of talismans he possessed in so eminent a
+degree, that by their means he commanded the stars and the
+constellations. Unhappily, his writings are lost, and therefore no
+talismans like his can now be made. Antinmour, King of Hindostan,
+having found means to form a friendship with him, Seidel-Beckir, in
+return for his kindness and some small services that he had done him,
+made him a present of that little fish of which your Vizier gave you
+an account. It always remained in the treasury of Antinmour as long as
+his family existed. One of the ancestors of the Governor of Dioul
+finding himself the Vizier of the last of that race, when the family
+was extinct by those revolutions which the history of the Indies
+relates at length, and which are universally known, seized upon this
+curiosity, and his successors have kept it with the utmost care till
+this time. Not only does this talisman bring back whatever is fallen
+into a river, or the sea, to the person to whom it belongs, but if you
+indicate to it anything to be brought out of that element, it goes in
+search of it with the greatest readiness, and brings it wherever it is
+commanded."
+
+"I am fully satisfied," replied Nourgehan, "as to the two talismans,
+and never Prince was possessor of such treasures. I may now truly
+style myself the sovereign of the sea. What do I owe to thee, the
+ruler of my soul! But of what use is this one which the beauteous
+Damake has presented to me?"
+
+"My lord," replied she, "when I tell you for what reason it was
+composed, you will know its virtue."
+
+"We read in the revolutions of Hindostan, that Antinmour would have
+unjustly exacted a tribute from Keiramour, who was too weak to resist
+the forces of his enemy; and not knowing to whom to have recourse, he
+resolved to address himself to the sage Seidel-Beckir, and sent his
+Vizier to him with magnificent presents. The sage refused them; but he
+was so touched by the situation to which the King, his friend, had
+been reduced, that he declared Antinmour should not succeed in his
+designs. Immediately he composed this very poniard, which I have now
+presented to my Sovereign, and gave it to the Vizier. 'Tell your
+master from me,' said he, 'to choose out twenty of the bravest
+soldiers of his kingdom, and deliver the poniard into the hands of him
+who commands them; for this poniard has the virtue (when it is drawn)
+to render invisible not only the person who bears it, but all those
+whom he designs should participate in the virtue of the talisman. His
+will alone decides the effect of it. Keiramour shall send these twenty
+persons to Antinmour with a letter, in which he shall refuse to pay
+the tribute that is demanded of him. Antinmour, in the excess of his
+anger, will order the ambassadors to be seized. Then the law of
+nations being violated, he who bears the poniard shall render himself
+invisible by drawing it with one hand, and his sabre with the other;
+and his troop following his example, and doing the same, he shall
+obey, without hesitation, the dictates of his courage.'
+
+"The Vizier returned to Keiramour, and all that Seidel-Beckir had
+commanded was executed. The son of the King was charged with the
+command and execution of this great enterprise. Antinmour was enraged
+on reading the letter that was presented to him.
+
+"'Let this insolent ambassador be seized,' cried he, 'this moment.'
+
+"Then the Prince, hastily drawing out his poniard and sabre, struck
+off the head of Antinmour. His train did the same to all those who
+composed the divan; and running directly into the city, an infinity of
+heads were flying off without knowing who caused this disorder. After
+this great execution, the ambassador and his train made themselves
+visible, and declared to the people in the public square that there
+was no other method of avoiding certain death but to submit to the
+government of Keiramour, which they did without reluctance. This
+poniard," continued Damake, "has been long kept in the treasury of the
+Princes of that country. By little and little, however, its value was
+forgotten, and the remembrance of its uncommon property totally lost;
+and when your Majesty desired an explanation of the talismans, I found
+that this was at Balsora in the possession of a poor Jew, a broker,
+who sells upon the bridge of that city all the old iron and useless
+weapons that are cast away. It was not difficult to procure the
+possession of it, therefore it was no merit in me to give my Sovereign
+Lord a talisman which would be absolutely useless to me, whilst the
+destiny of monarchs may unfortunately render such precautions
+necessary to them."
+
+Nourgehan made a thousand exclamations upon the boundless ocean of her
+liberality, and said to her,
+
+"Sovereign of my heart, reflect upon what you have said to me:
+consider that if these talismans, valuable in themselves, but mean in
+comparison with you, have excited my wish to possess them, how much
+greater must my desire be to wed the giver! All the sages,
+Seidel-Beckir himself, never composed a talisman so wonderful as you
+are. Yesterday you knew not a single word of the history of the
+talisman, to-day you are perfectly instructed in it. This poniard was
+not four and twenty hours since at Balsora, yet notwithstanding the
+great distance we are from that city, you have presented it to me this
+moment. Are you the daughter of Seidel-Beckir, or are you an
+enchantress yourself?"
+
+Damake blushed at this discourse, and Nourgehan again pressing her to
+speak, she replied,
+
+"Nothing is impossible when one desires to please him whom one loves.
+But I will explain at once all that puzzles my Sultan. Not long after
+my birth, my mother was seated at the foot of a palm-tree, enjoying
+with me the coolness of the morning, without any other thought than
+that of returning by her tender kisses my innocent caresses, when in a
+moment she perceived herself surrounded by a numerous Court who
+attended a Queen, beautiful, majestic, magnificently dressed, and who
+had herself also an infant in her arms. Notwithstanding the pomp of
+her train, and all the grandeur of royalty, she caressed me, young as
+I was, and after some moments' stay said to my mother,
+
+"'This child whom you see in my arms, and who is mine, is by fate
+obliged to taste the milk of a mortal, it being a command laid upon us
+by Allah; and I cannot find one more modest, more wise, nor whose milk
+is purer than thine. Do me the pleasure, therefore, of nursing my
+infant for a few moments.'
+
+"My mother consented with pleasure; and the Queen, in return for her
+complaisance, said to her,
+
+"'Whenever you have any sorrow or any desire, come to the foot of a
+palm-tree, cut a leaf off it, burn it, and call for me--I am named the
+Peri Malikatada--and I will haste immediately to your assistance. I
+grant the same power to your little girl when she attains the age of
+reason.'
+
+"My mother never importuned the Peri except for the care of my
+education; and I, my lord, before I knew you, had never addressed
+myself to her, for I knew no desire, nor had my heart formed any wish.
+From that time I fear I have fatigued her, so many troubles and
+inquietudes have seized upon my soul. It was she, as you will judge,
+who made Diafer known to me, who dictated to me the answers I gave the
+sages, who informed me of the talismans, and delivered this one to me.
+It was she, likewise, who caused the Governor of Dioul to be arrested,
+and who demands his life of you in return for the golden fish which I
+have given you from him; she also would have given me----" she paused.
+
+"Go on, beauteous Damake," said Nourgehan, with tenderness; "if you
+love me, can you conceal anything from me?"
+
+"She would have given me," resumed Damake, "a talisman of her
+composition that should force you always to love me, but I have
+refused it. Can there be any happy talisman in love but the heart?"
+
+Nourgehan, struck with so many virtues, and such proofs of her
+attachment to him, would no longer defer his happiness. He immediately
+caused his whole Court, and all the grandees of his kingdom, to be
+assembled.
+
+"I may boast with reason," said he to them, "that I am the happiest
+Prince upon earth: I possess a bracelet which preserves me from all
+fear of poison; all the treasures of the sea are mine by the means of
+a fish, which at my command will fetch them from the bottom of the
+waves; Damake has given me this poniard, which renders whoever I
+please invisible. The proof that I can make before your eyes of this
+magnificent talisman will convince you of their virtues better than
+the golden fish, which it would be more tedious and difficult to
+exhibit."
+
+He drew his poniard as he spoke, and disappeared from their sight. The
+astonishment of the spectators was not yet dissipated, when he
+disappeared with all his military officers, and said to his
+magistrates, "Do you see such a general, such an officer that has
+served so long in my army?" To every question they answered No. He
+ceased then to be visible to the eyes of his warriors, and disappeared
+with his Viziers and all the Doctors of the Law, designing by that
+means to convince them fully, and leave no room for jealousy and
+suspicion. "Return thanks, then, with me," added he, "to Allah and His
+holy Prophet, for having made me the most powerful Prince upon earth."
+
+He performed his action of thanks with a fervour worthy of the bounty
+which Heaven had shown him, and all his courtiers followed his
+example. When he had fulfilled that important duty, he said to them,
+
+"The greatest vice of the human heart is ingratitude: it is to Damake
+that I owe these powerful treasures; her beauty alone, her merit and
+her virtue, would deserve the gratitude I shall my whole life preserve
+for her; but gratitude ought to be accompanied with more than words: I
+will this day unite her to me for ever."
+
+All the Court and the grandees applauded his choice; and Nourgehan,
+having commanded Damake to be brought, she appeared with all those
+modest graces that nature had adorned her. When the Prince had given
+her his hand in presence of the Great Imam, Damake, who had prostrated
+herself before him, said with an audible voice,
+
+"When I gave an account of the talismans of the great Seidel-Beckir, I
+informed you, my lord, that there were four still subsisting in the
+world: you have yet but three."
+
+"Have I not riches enough in possessing thee?" returned Nourgehan.
+"Thou art reckoned, perhaps, for the fourth; but they are not all of
+half thy value."
+
+"No, my lord," resumed Damake, casting her eyes upon the ground, and
+presenting him with a ring, "this was wanting. This ring of steel
+gives you a power of penetrating into the secrets of every heart.
+Others, in my place, might look upon this talisman as a danger, but I
+shall look upon it as a blessing if you still condescend to interest
+yourself in the sentiments that you have for ever graved in mine; and
+if I have the misfortune not to deserve that interesting curiosity, it
+will at least make known to you, without any doubts, the characters
+and the fidelity of your subjects."
+
+At that instant the Peri Malikatada appeared with her whole Court, and
+desired the King to pass into a garden, which by her power, and that
+of the genii, she had adorned with exquisite taste and magnificence.
+Here she honoured the nuptials with her presence, and Nourgehan lived
+happily ever afterwards, more happy in the love and counsels of Damake
+than in all the talismans upon earth, if he could have joined them to
+those which he already possessed.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+The Story of Bohetzad;
+
+OR,
+
+The Lost Child.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+The kingdom of Dineroux comprehended all Syria and the isles of India
+lying at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. This powerful State was
+formerly subject to King Bohetzad, who resided in the city of
+Issessara. Nothing could equal the power of this monarch. His troops
+were without number, his treasures inexhaustible, and the population
+of his dominions was equal to their fertility. His whole kingdom,
+divided into ten great departments, was entrusted to the
+administration of ten Viziers, of whom his divan was composed. This
+Prince used often to repair to the chase as a recreation after the
+cares of government.
+
+One day, while he entered with his usual keenness into this exercise,
+he allowed himself to be carried so far in pursuit of a stag which had
+darted into the forest, and left his attendants at so great a
+distance, that, upon coming out of the wood, he could perceive none of
+his people; he had also lost sight of his prey. And while he
+endeavoured to find out the east of the place he was in, he perceived
+at a distance a pretty large troop of men. He approached them, and as
+he drew near he could distinguish a body of forty knights,[11]
+surrounding a splendid litter, the brightness of which was heightened
+by the rays of the sun. This carriage was made of rock crystal, the
+mouldings and hinges were of carved gold, and the roof, in form of a
+crown, was made of wood of aloes, having cornices of silver. This
+litter resembled in shape a small antique temple, but so brilliant
+that the eye was quite dazzled with it. A prodigy of this kind in the
+midst of a desert, astonished the King, and at the same time excited
+his curiosity. He came up and saluted the convoy, and, addressing his
+discourse to the knight who held the reins of the mules,
+
+"Friends," said he, "be so kind as to tell me the meaning of all this
+equipage, and the name of the person to whom it belongs."
+
+[Footnote 11: Knights. The very ancient knighthood of India existed at
+this time. Those who devoted themselves to this manner of life came,
+armed from head to foot, to offer their services to the different
+Princes. See the "Memoirs of Hyder Ali Khan."]
+
+Notwithstanding the civil and polite manner in which the monarch spoke
+this, yet, as the hunting dress did not express the dignity of the
+wearer, they answered, "What matters it to you?"
+
+Bohetzad was not discouraged with so dry an answer, but still insisted
+with politeness, and even earnestness, for a more satisfactory reply.
+He who appeared to be the leader of the troop then presented to him
+the point of his spear, and said,
+
+"Go on your way, audacious fellow! otherwise, if your curiosity
+becomes more impertinent, be assured it will cost you your life."
+
+This insolent behaviour excited the indignation of the King. He went
+up to the knight who thus threatened him, with that air of confidence
+and that commanding tone, the habit of which he had acquired in the
+exercise of absolute power.
+
+"Slave of my throne!" said he to him, "dost thou not know Bohetzad?
+But, had I been only a common man, after speaking to you in so modest
+and friendly a manner, ought you to have threatened me with death?"
+
+At the very name of Bohetzad, the knights alighted and prostrated
+themselves on the earth.
+
+"Sire," said one of the oldest of them, "pardon an answer which we
+could not think addressed to the greatest monarch of the earth; for it
+was very possible not to recognize your Majesty in a hunting dress,
+and without attendants."
+
+"Rise," said the King, "and gratify my curiosity. Who is the person in
+that litter, and whither are you conducting it?"
+
+"Sire," answered the knight, "it is the daughter of Asphand, your
+Grand Vizier: we are conducting her to the Prince of Babylon, to whom
+she is going to be married."
+
+During this, the daughter of the Vizier, uneasy on account of the
+delay, presented her head at the curtain of the litter, in order to
+get information, and was perceived by Bohetzad. Whatever pains she had
+taken to prevent herself from being seen, her extraordinary beauty
+struck the Sovereign. His heart received a fatal wound: his passion,
+arrived at its height, aspired after gratification from the very
+moment of its existence; and Bohetzad, determined to make sure of the
+object of it, made use of his absolute authority, and spoke thus to
+the conductor of the litter:
+
+"I command you to take the road to Issessara, and to conduct the
+daughter of my Grand Vizier to my palace."
+
+The commander of the troop thought it necessary to make some reply to
+his Majesty.
+
+"Sire," said he, "your Vizier is your slave as well as we; and
+therefore, if we return his daughter to his own palace, she will
+continue there in equal subjection to your will."
+
+"But my Vizier has disposed of his daughter without my consent, and I
+do not owe him the attention which you propose I should pay him."
+
+"Sire," replied the knight, "your Grand Vizier Asphand has always been
+held in the highest estimation, and has had the honour to enjoy the
+confidence of your Majesty. One instance of violence exercised against
+him may affect his reputation, and cause him to lose, in the opinion
+of the public, that credit which it is your interest that he should
+enjoy."
+
+"All his credit depends on me, and I do not detract from it by doing
+him the honour to marry his daughter."
+
+The oldest, and likewise the best informed of the knights, still
+ventured to speak.
+
+"Sire," said he, "precipitation is dangerous; it often draws
+repentance after it: your slaves beseech your Majesty to reflect
+maturely on this."
+
+"I have reflected already, audacious old man!" replied the Prince in
+anger; "what caution should I observe with my slave? Obey."
+
+Being able to restrain his impatience no longer, he himself seized the
+bridle of the mules, and directed their steps towards that part of the
+forest where he presumed his people would be assembled at the
+appointed rendezvous. He soon found himself at the tent which they had
+set up, and he ordered all his suite to accompany the Princess in the
+litter to his palace. When the retinue was arrived, the King ordered
+the chief of his eunuchs to bring the Cadi, who instantly appeared,
+and drew up a contract of marriage between Bohetzad and the Princess
+Baherjoa, daughter of Asphand the Vizier.
+
+While the King was taken up with the ceremonies of the marriage, the
+forty knights returned to the palace of the Grand Vizier, being forced
+to abandon the litter, and the Princess whom they were conducting to
+Babylon. The minister was confounded at so speedy a return. Having set
+out from the city of Issessara, how could they come back so soon from
+Babylon? He feared that some extraordinary accident had befallen them.
+One of the knights came and told what had happened: he exaggerated the
+violence and despotic manner of Bohetzad, and filled the mind of the
+minister with fear and resentment, although he assured him that the
+monarch was that very night to marry his daughter.
+
+"Thus to oppose himself to my disposal of my own family! to carry off
+my daughter! to marry her against my will!--in this manner to repay my
+services!" said the enraged minister.
+
+Full of a desire of vengeance, he immediately ordered expresses to be
+sent to all his friends, the Princes and grandees of his family, to
+assemble them at his house. When they were come, he represented to
+them the outrage which the King had committed against his daughter,
+the Prince of Babylon, and himself. Shame and resentment entered into
+every breast. Asphand perceived, from the effect of the relation which
+he had made them, that it would be easy to associate them with him in
+his schemes of revenge.
+
+"Princes and lords!" said he to them, "the King, occupied with his
+pleasures, is not delicate about the means of gratification; and, as a
+recompense for my labours, he hesitates not to expose me to the
+disgrace of an irreparable insult. I am nothing but a vile slave in
+his eyes. Thinks he that my daughter is obliged to share his unsteady
+attachment? You yourselves will not be safe from this dishonour; your
+wives and daughters will not be spared. His torrent of iniquity will
+discharge itself on you, if we endeavour not to stop its course."
+
+The relations and friends of the Vizier entered into his interests,
+and a deliberation was held concerning the measures which were to be
+taken. One of them, deeply skilled in politics, thus gave his opinion:
+
+"Vizier, write to the King, and express to him how sensible you are of
+the unexpected honour which he has done you, to which you could never
+have had the smallest pretensions. Along with this letter send another
+to your daughter, in which you must seem delighted with her good
+fortune. Supplicate Heaven with her, to pour down happiness upon a
+monarch so beloved by his people. Accompany these despatches with
+magnificent presents, and Bohetzad, blinded by his passion, will
+readily believe everything which can flatter it. You will take
+advantage of this security to leave him at the first opportunity,
+under pretence of attending to his business; and, having secured
+yourself against any sudden attack from him, transmit to all the
+Princes, the Governors, and people entrusted with the management of
+the finances, alarming accounts of the situation of the kingdom.
+Represent to them the danger of the State, while the government, is in
+the hands of a young Prince, addicted to the gratification of his
+passions, and incapable of rewarding the services done him, which he
+only repays with violence and disgrace, being guided by no law but the
+dictates of a will as depraved as it is absolute."
+
+The Grand Vizier and the rest of the assembly adopted this plan. They
+all agreed to embrace every opportunity which might present itself of
+preparing the minds of the people, without exposing themselves to
+danger, and to continue at Issessara when Asphand had left it, for the
+purpose of giving him information and directing his conduct. These
+resolutions being entered into, the assembly quickly broke up, that
+they might give no room for suspicion; and Asphand wrote to the King
+in the following terms:
+
+"Mighty King, monarch of two seas! your slave, already elevated by you
+to the place of Grand Vizier, and honoured with the title of Prince,
+did not expect the distinguished honour of becoming your relation.
+Infinitely obliged by this new favour, I offer up to the God of heaven
+the most ardent wishes that He would continually heap on your Majesty
+new marks of His kindness; that He would prolong your days, and grant
+you all the blessings of a kingdom which shall not be shaken to the
+latest posterity. My duty hitherto has been to labour for maintaining
+both external and internal peace in your dominions, by the wise
+administration of justice, and by defending your frontiers from the
+enemy. I filled the station of your First Vizier; the duties thereof
+are now become more sacred to me; the honour of a connection with you
+gives me a personal interest in their success; and my daughter and I
+will only be slaves more faithfully attached to your person and
+interests."
+
+The letter to Baherjoa contained congratulations on her good fortune,
+and was as artfully expressed as the one addressed to her spouse.
+Asphand caused the first officer of his household to deliver these
+letters, and accompanied them with a magnificent present. The young
+son of the Vizier joined the envoy; they went together to the King's
+palace, and prostrated themselves before him.
+
+Bohetzad, intoxicated with the good fortune which he enjoyed, did not
+in the least suspect the false declarations of the Vizier. He ordered
+his son to be clothed with the richest robe, and a thousand pieces of
+gold to be given to the officer who was entrusted with the message.
+Scarcely were they gone out, when the oldest of the Viziers came to
+pay his court to the King. The monarch received him with his usual
+goodness, made him sit down, and communicated to him the happiness
+which he expected to enjoy in the possession of his lovely spouse;
+for, though he had gained her by an act of violence, he imagined that
+his happiness could be obscured by no cloud.
+
+"The attachment shown me by Asphand," said he, "removes my fears
+concerning the resentment which I might suppose him to possess: here
+are his letters; read them, and you will see how well he is pleased
+with this alliance. Besides, the magnificence of his presents exceeds
+even the force of his expressions."
+
+The old minister, after reading the letters, continued thoughtful, and
+with downcast eyes.
+
+"Are you not satisfied with what you have read?" said the King.
+
+"A dangerous reptile," replied the minister, "when it means to
+introduce itself anywhere, does not try to frighten by its odious
+hissings: it creeps in artfully under the folds of its flexible and
+thin body; its scales are glittering and smooth; its looks are soft
+and fawning, and it takes care to conceal its treacherous and venomous
+sting. The letters of Asphand are studied: doubt not that you have
+offended; and the pretended softness of his expressions only conceals
+a scheme of revenge, the consequences of which you ought to guard
+against and prevent."
+
+Bohetzad, entirely occupied with his love, and supposing that the
+minister who thus spoke to him was influenced by motives of jealousy,
+paid no regard to the advice, which proceeded from attachment, zeal,
+and prudence, but allowed himself to be blinded concerning the conduct
+of Asphand. The latter, in prosecution of his plan, and under pretence
+of appeasing some rumours in certain parts of the kingdom, left the
+capital, in a few months after, with his whole retinue. As soon as he
+saw himself out of the reach of power, he communicated to the
+governors of the provinces the affront which he had received; he
+excited them to revolt, by inspiring them with a fear that they would
+all meet with a treatment similar to that which he had received; and
+to determine them, he calumniated, in every instance, the person and
+government of Bohetzad.
+
+On receiving the messengers of the Grand Vizier, the grandees of the
+kingdom, enraged against a Prince whose administration was held forth
+in such odious colours, concerted together, from one province to
+another, and assured Asphand that, upon the first signal given by him,
+they would take the field with the troops under their command. The
+Vizier at the same time warned the Princes who remained at Issessara
+to hold themselves in readiness against the day on which he should
+come to complete his revenge, and to free the State from a tyrant who
+was sunk in effeminacy.
+
+The plot was executed before Bohetzad had the smallest suspicion of
+it. The city of Issessara was completely invested by the army of
+Asphand. On receiving this news, the King armed in haste; he ordered
+the troops who were about his person to follow him; but they had been
+gained over, and were devoted to his enemy. He saw no safety for
+himself but in flight. He saddled, with his own hands, one of his
+finest coursers; and, taking Baherjoa behind him, endeavoured to gain
+the desert. He made a passage for himself through the midst of his
+mutinous subjects, whom he trod under his feet. The young hero, whose
+courage seemed only to be increased by love, burst like a torrent
+through a troop of those who wished to interrupt his passage; his
+invincible spear spared none of the rebels; and his horse, as vigorous
+as swift, soon carried him out of sight of his enemies.
+
+He was now in the midst of the desert; and, night obliging him to
+allow some repose to his wife, fatigued with so violent an expedition,
+he stopped at the foot of a frightful mountain. On this spot the
+Queen, exhausted with weariness, gave birth to her first-born child,
+and the Prince received in his arms a young boy, no less beautiful
+than his mother.
+
+The tender pair loaded him with caresses, and soon forgot, in their
+new joy, the fatigue, uneasiness, and horror of their situation. The
+child was wrapped in a part of the Queen's robes; and, in this
+solitude, they enjoyed a profound sleep. The returning day invited
+them, however, to pursue their journey. The affectionate mother nursed
+her infant tenderly, but it pined away, and the mother herself was in
+danger. Bohetzad then saw himself under the cruel necessity of
+sacrificing nature to duty. He perceived a limpid fountain, on the
+borders of which there was a green bank, defended from the rays of the
+sun by the neighbouring willows. Here the unhappy parents abandoned to
+the care of Providence the object of their affection, having first
+watered it with their tears.
+
+"Great Allah!" said the afflicted mother, "Thou who formerly watched
+over the young Ishmael, take care of this innocent creature. Send the
+preserving angel to him. We have no hope but in Thy succour."
+
+Sighs prevented her from saying more. They both tore themselves away
+from this dreadful sacrifice, and committed this sacred deposit into
+the hands of its Creator.
+
+The noise they had made in coming thither had frightened away from the
+brink a hind, who, along with her fawns, was refreshing herself at
+this exuberant fountain. As soon as they were gone, she returned, and
+approached the languishing creature, which seemed about to lose for
+ever the little strength which remained. A powerful instinct led this
+animal to give the child that nourishment which was reserved only for
+her young ones. She fed quietly around her nursling, and left the
+place no more. The wild beasts of the forest, it appeared, had
+abandoned to her the enjoyment of this happy spot, although so
+necessary to the supply of their wants, amid the burning sands and
+parched deserts with which they were surrounded. Nevertheless, men
+came to disturb their repose.
+
+It was a band of robbers, whom thirst had brought into these places.
+They saw a child wrapped in rich swaddling-clothes, but still more
+remarkable for the beauty of its features. The leader of the banditti
+approached it, took it up, and sent it straightway to his wife, that
+she might pay it the necessary attentions, and educate it as if it had
+been their own son. When the wife saw it she was moved with its
+innocent beauty, entered into the benevolent views of her husband, and
+immediately procured for their adopted son the best nurse in the
+horde.
+
+Having seen the son of Bohetzad in safe hands, let us now follow the
+steps of those illustrious travellers.
+
+Full of grief for the sacrifice which they had been forced to make,
+the King and Queen continued their journey in sadness till they
+reached the capital of Persia, where Kassera then reigned.
+
+This powerful monarch received the fugitive Prince and his charming
+spouse with the respect which was due from a crowned head to a great
+Sovereign, his ally, whose rebellious subjects had revolted under the
+standard of a criminal usurper. To Bohetzad he allotted an apartment
+in his palace as magnificent as his own, and to Baherjoa one equal to
+that of his favourite Sultana. Such were the riches and magnificence
+of the palace in which the King of Dineroux and his wife now were,
+that, besides the magnificent apartments in which they were lodged
+themselves, there were twenty-four others occupied by as many ladies
+belonging to the Sultan, each of whom was served by fifty slaves of
+their own sex, in the bloom of youth and of the most exquisite beauty.
+
+The treasures of the East seemed to have been exhausted in beautifying
+these stately dwellings. The gardens were full of the rarest and the
+most gaudy flowers; the waters, whose courses were distributed with
+great art, presented a magnificent scene to the eye; the trees gave at
+once, by the beauty of their fruit and the thickness of their foliage,
+the idea of plenty and the delight of repose; the birds, with the
+variety of their plumage and their song, enchanted the inhabitants of
+these happy regions. Everything, in short, concurred to display the
+riches of the great monarch of Persia, whose immense power was further
+displayed by an army of two hundred thousand men which constituted his
+life guard. A Prince so powerful and magnificent need spare nothing in
+treating, in a manner suitable to their rank, the illustrious guests
+whom he had received into his palace.
+
+At the same time that he ordered a powerful army to be assembled on
+the frontiers, with the necessary stores and military engines, he
+endeavoured to dispel the melancholy of the husband and wife by
+feasts, which displayed the greatest splendour and variety. But
+generosity and greatness of soul were not the only cause of his
+attentions; a less noble but more powerful feeling had taken
+possession of his heart. He was enamoured of Baherjoa, whose beauty
+was superior to that of all the wives in his seraglio. His passion for
+her was disguised under the veil of friendship; but, from the
+profusion which he displayed on every occasion, the delicacy of his
+attentions, and the care which he took to anticipate her wishes, it
+was easy to discover the love by which he was actuated. The sad
+Baherjoa, whose attention was occupied solely by the loss of her son
+and the misfortunes of her husband, was far from ascribing any of the
+attentions which she met with to this motive; her soul, weighed down
+with grief, was incapable of enjoying any of the pleasures which were
+presented to her; her heart, sincerely affected, was inaccessible to
+every impression but that with which it was already occupied. Her son
+abandoned in the desert to the care of Providence, and her husband
+reduced by her father to the necessity of asking succour from a
+foreign King, were the only objects which engrossed her thoughts.
+
+In the meantime, the army which Bohetzad was to command was assembled.
+He took leave of Kassera to put himself at the head of this formidable
+body, and soon penetrated into the heart of Syria. Asphand, the
+usurper, being informed of the danger which threatened him,
+communicated it to his associates, assembled them as quickly as
+possible, and met his enemy at the head of two hundred thousand men.
+
+The armies were now in sight of one another. The centre of Bohetzad's
+army was commanded by an experienced Vizier of the Persian King.
+Bohetzad himself, at the head of a chosen body of knights, was
+everywhere to give orders. He suddenly began the combat on the right
+by attacking the opposite wing of the enemy with such fury that they
+were obliged to fall back upon the centre, and were thrown into
+confusion and disorder. The King of Dineroux lost not a moment: he
+advanced his main body towards that of the enemy as if he meant to
+attack it; but, frugal of the blood of his subjects, whose lives he
+wished to spare, he made them halt, and ordered his left wing to
+attack the right wing of the enemy: they gave way and fell back in
+disorder, so that three-fourths of Asphand's army remained surrounded.
+The usurper endeavoured in vain to rally his troops, whom an attack
+equally prudent and vigorous had thrown into disorder. Fear, and above
+all remorse, disarmed them. A pardon being offered, they accepted it;
+and, that they might appear less unworthy of it, they unanimously
+delivered up the ringleaders of the revolt. Asphand, his family, and
+his principal associates, were put to death on the field of battle.
+
+This victory decided anew the fate of the kingdom of Dineroux, which
+again submitted to the laws of its rightful Sovereign. The monarch
+returned to his capital, re-established order throughout his empire,
+and contrived proper means for testifying his gratitude to the
+Sovereign who had given him such powerful assistance.
+
+He determined that the most intelligent of his Viziers should go into
+Persia, at the head of twelve thousand men. Twenty elephants, loaded
+with magnificent presents, were to follow in his train. At the same
+time, he was charged with a more delicate commission. He was to pass
+through the desert in which the son of Baherjoa had been abandoned,
+and endeavour to find out the place near the fountain which had served
+him for a cradle. He was to make inquiry of every living soul he might
+meet on the road, in order to get information concerning the fate of
+this precious deposit; and having found him, to carry him to the arms
+of his tender mother, whom he was to bring with him also to Issessara.
+But many obstacles stood in the way of these things. The prudent envoy
+caused the whole desert to be searched, but to no purpose: he did not
+succeed so well in finding the child as in bringing back the mother.
+
+Kassera, desperately in love with this Princess, could not think of
+parting with her. On the arrival of the ambassador, with presents from
+the King of Dineroux, and a commission to bring away the Queen, he
+felt some struggles in his heart; but love triumphed over them. This
+imperious passion magnified, in his eyes, the good offices he had
+done, and made the giving up of a woman seem but a poor return for
+them. In a word, he renounced the glorious title of a generous
+protector for that of a base ravisher of the wife of his ally.
+
+Nevertheless, he appeared to receive with gratitude the embassy of
+Bohetzad, and the presents with which it was accompanied. Meanwhile,
+he was informed that the auxiliary troops, which he had furnished this
+monarch, had returned into Persia. The officers who commanded them
+extolled to the skies the bravery, the abilities, and the magnificence
+of Bohetzad. They returned from his dominions, delighted with himself,
+loaded with kindness, and astonished at the power with which he was
+surrounded, and the resources of the country over which he reigned.
+These universal reports raised an unusual conflict in the soul of
+Kassera. He was not accustomed to victory over himself, for, till that
+moment, he had yielded to every inclination. But he must now either
+give up a violent passion, or the title of the benefactor of a
+Sovereign equal to himself in dignity and in power, and that, too, at
+the hazard of drawing upon Persia the scourge of a cruel war, and of
+seeing all Asia in dreadful confusion.
+
+"Be ashamed, Kassera," said he to himself, "of the guilty designs you
+have formed. Return thanks to fortune for the favour it has done you,
+in opening your eyes to the folly of your conduct. May the King of
+Dineroux for ever remain ignorant that, forgetting what you owe both
+to yourself and him, you have dared to covet a blessing which he holds
+so dear. Remember the benefit you have derived from encountering
+difficulties which have recalled you to your duty. Oh! absolute power!
+how much art thou to be dreaded by the man who knows not how to
+command himself! Allowing myself to be carried away by my desires, I
+was about to become criminal, and to show myself unworthy to reign.
+But I know how to check my passions and change my projects."
+
+The King of Persia, having taken this resolution, sent immediately for
+his principal treasurer, and gave orders that a litter, ornamented
+with precious stones, and more splendid than had ever been seen,
+should be prepared to carry Baherjoa into her husband's dominions. A
+considerable embassy was ordered to follow it, with magnificent
+presents. In this manner did Baherjoa begin her journey to Syria,
+after being well assured of respect and attachment by the Sovereign
+who had now determined to part with her. Bohetzad met his spouse
+before she entered Issessara. It is impossible to describe the
+transports of this interview. Yet the tender uneasiness of the mother,
+respecting the fate of her son, soon disturbed the happiness with
+which the pair were intoxicated. Baherjoa offered the greatest reward
+to obtain news of her son, and Bohetzad gave orders that the most
+minute inquiry should be made. It was by no means probable that he had
+been devoured by wild beasts, otherwise some remnants would have been
+found, at the first search, of the clothes wherein he was wrapped. A
+thousand knights were again dispatched to the desert, and ordered to
+spread themselves all around the fountain; but their search was in
+vain. Bohetzad concealed their want of success from his inconsolable
+spouse, and endeavoured to soften her pain and vexation.
+
+"There is as yet no room for despair," said he to her: "the favour of
+Heaven, which did not abandon us amidst the dangers to which we have
+been exposed, and which has restored to us the throne whereon we are
+now seated, will have preserved the son so dear to our heart. It only
+withholds him in order to deliver him to us when we shall have merited
+this favour by our submission to its will. To be deprived of him is
+grievous, but we are still of an age to expect consolation. Dry up
+your tears, my dear Baherjoa; they are the torment of my life."
+
+The Queen appeared somewhat more tranquil, but the wound which her
+heart had received could not be so easily closed.
+
+In the meantime, the tender object of their uneasiness, snatched from
+the arms of death by the chief of the robbers, and educated by his
+wife with all the care of the most tender mother, grew in strength and
+beauty. The leisure of his early youth was filled up by reading and
+study. He was soon able to engage in those exercises which strengthen
+the body; he outstripped all the children of the horde by abilities,
+address, strength, and intrepidity, very surprising at his years. He
+was also distinguished by an application to study, from which he
+derived the greatest advantages, and by punctuality in those duties
+which were required of him by a society little suited to him, but of
+which chance had made him a member. The chief of these vagabonds,
+seeing him so expert in the use of arms and in riding, soon associated
+him with himself in his expeditions against the travellers whom
+business led into the countries infested by their depredations; and
+the young Aladin (for this was his name) showed himself as brave as he
+was expert.
+
+One day the troop attacked a caravan returning from India, and which,
+as it was loaded with goods of the most valuable kind, a formidable
+guard defended from danger. The desire of booty prevented the
+vagabonds from thinking of the danger to which they were exposing
+themselves. They attacked this convoy with an unusual degree of
+boldness, but were soon repulsed. Two-thirds of the troop remained on
+the field of battle, and the rest fled. Aladin, as yet young and
+inexperienced, drawn on by his valour, was soon surrounded and made
+prisoner.
+
+When a robber is taken with arms in his hand he ought to be beheaded.
+But the engaging air, the elegance, and beauty of this young Prince,
+interested the whole caravan in his favour, and saved him from the
+common fate. They did not believe the ingenuous replies which he made.
+When questioned about his birth and profession, he declared himself
+the son of the chief of the robbers. They could not imagine how this
+youth should unite so many natural advantages with an air so
+remarkable. He was carried along with the caravan, which soon arrived
+at Issessara, where his father Bohetzad held his Court.
+
+The arrival of the caravan afforded a new opportunity of diverting the
+attention of the Queen, as yet afflicted with the loss of a son, whom
+she could not banish from her memory. The Sovereign sent the chief of
+the eunuchs to make choice of such stuffs and valuable articles as
+might be most agreeable to Baherjoa. The merchants were eager to
+display them before him; but the figure of Aladin, who was there as a
+slave, appeared to him so ravishingly beautiful that he attracted his
+particular attention. He wished to conduct him to the palace, hoping
+that his service might be agreeable to the monarch; so that, after
+having purchased what was proper, he returned, together with Aladin,
+to the palace, where the King appeared satisfied with his bargains.
+
+"Sire," said the eunuch, "your Majesty seems pleased with what I have
+purchased; but the most beautiful article in the _kan_[12] was a young
+man of such complete beauty that I thought him the perfect image of
+him who is mentioned in the Alcoran, before whom the eleven stars
+prostrated themselves, as before the sun and the moon."
+
+[Footnote 12: The _kan_ is a place allotted for the shops of foreign
+merchants, where they expose their merchandise for sale.]
+
+The King, curious to see this slave, ordered him to be brought with
+his master, and they both quickly appeared before the King.
+
+The appearance of the young stranger did not belie the favourable
+character which the chief of the eunuchs had given of him. The King
+could not believe that so beautiful a slave could owe his birth to a
+class of men so vulgar as that which composed the caravan. He made
+inquiry concerning him of their chief, to whom he communicated his
+doubts on that point.
+
+"Sire," replied the merchant, "this young man does not in reality
+belong to any of us, and we know neither his family nor origin. We
+were attacked in the desert by a band of robbers; we defended
+ourselves with bravery. Part of them remained on the field of battle,
+the rest fled, and left in our hands the young man who now engages
+your curiosity. Custom condemned him to death, but we could not think
+of inflicting it. We asked him concerning his station and family, and
+he told us that he was the son of the chief of these vagabonds. We
+know no more of him, and can say nothing more to your Majesty with any
+degree of certainty."
+
+"Let him be left here," said the King; "I want him to enter into my
+service."
+
+"Your Majesty," replied the chief, "may dispose as you please of all
+that belongs to the slaves of your throne."
+
+At that instant Aladin fell at the feet of the monarch, with his face
+on the ground, and kissed his robe. The King ordered the chief of the
+eunuchs to admit him into the class of slaves which were most
+frequently about his person.
+
+Nature spoke in the monarch's heart in favour of his new page. He
+never saw him without feeling emotions which he could by no means
+account for. He always wished to have him with him; and that which at
+first appeared no more than a rising inclination, soon became a very
+warm attachment. An interest which he felt very strongly made him
+regard with pleasure the progress both of the young Aladin's mind and
+body. He admired his application, prudence, discretion, and fidelity,
+and already considered his rare virtues as the fruit of his cares.
+
+After long experience of his abilities and activity, he went so far as
+to trust him with the superintendence of his finances, and deprived
+his Viziers of an administration in which he suspected them. In short,
+he decided every affair of importance, by submitting it to the
+sagacity of the young Aladin. The confidence of the Sovereign was not
+misplaced. The more he trusted the reason and wisdom of his favourite,
+the more the happiness of his people, the prosperity of the realm, and
+his revenues were increased. His confidence in a short time knew no
+bounds. Aladin became as dear to his father as if he had known himself
+to be so in reality, and the influence of the Viziers was lost in that
+of the young minister.
+
+Jealous of a power which they had lost, the ten Viziers assembled in
+secret for the purpose of contriving the means of gratifying their
+ambition and their avarice. They determined, at any rate, to hasten
+the ruin of their hated rival; and, unfortunately, he himself seemed
+to furnish a favourable opportunity for this purpose.
+
+A grand entertainment was given in the palace. Aladin was naturally
+sober; but, while he sought only to participate in the pleasure of the
+guests, he indulged himself in drink, with so much the greater
+security that he was not accustomed to it, and was ignorant of its
+effects. At the end of the repast he wanted to retire to his own
+apartment. He staggered, his eyes grew dim, and he lost the use of his
+senses. The first apartment which came in his way seemed to be made
+ready for him. It was a very rich one, and lighted by a great number
+of wax candles set in lustres. But Aladin saw nothing; he only sought
+repose, and having found a sofa, he threw himself upon it and fell
+asleep.
+
+There were no slaves there to inform him of his mistake. They were
+enjoying the feast, and only returned to the apartment, which they had
+left open, to fill the pots with perfumes, and prepare, according to
+the custom of the East, a collation of different sherbets and dried
+sweetmeats. The hangings concealed the sofa on which Aladin lay.
+
+All these preparations being finished, the King and Queen retired to
+their apartment. Bohetzad approached the sofa, opened the curtains,
+and beheld his minister stretched upon it and asleep. He was instantly
+seized with frantic indignation.
+
+"What dreadful behaviour is this of yours?" said he to Baherjoa. "This
+slave could not have got into your apartment and placed himself there
+without your knowledge."
+
+"Sire," replied the Queen, in astonishment, but without confusion, "in
+the name of the great Prophet I swear that I have never spoken to this
+young man. This is the first time I ever saw him, and in nothing have
+I encouraged his audacity."
+
+At the noise which was made around the sofa Aladin awoke, surprised
+and astonished at his situation. He hastily arose.
+
+"Traitor!" said the frantic King to him, "ingrate! is this thy
+gratitude for my favour? Darest thou enter into my womens' apartment,
+wretch that thou art? Speedily shalt thou receive the chastisement of
+thy boldness."
+
+Having said this, Bohetzad, inflamed with rage, ordered the chief of
+his eunuchs to shut up the minister in prison. The monarch, agitated
+with the most violent and opposite passions, spent the night without
+closing his eyes. At daybreak he called to him the first of his
+Viziers, who had not, for a long time, been admitted into his
+presence. He told him of the insult which he supposed he had received.
+
+At this recital the Vizier concealed his secret joy. Envy, hatred, and
+revenge were about to triumph. It was no feeble victim which was
+offered: it was a most powerful rival whom he had to crush. The old
+courtier recollected himself. He endeavoured still further to
+exasperate his Sovereign, and determine him to take distinguished
+vengeance; and with a humble air he spoke as follows:
+
+"Sire, your faithful subjects were astonished when they saw your
+confidence bestowed upon an avowed son of a chief of the robbers. It
+would have been too great an instance of your Majesty's goodness to
+have admitted the branch of so corrupt a stock near your sacred
+person. You could expect nothing from him but treachery and crimes."
+
+At this speech of the Vizier, the eyes of the monarch sparkled with
+rage. Immediately he ordered the young man to be brought before him,
+loaded with chains.
+
+"Wretch!" said he, as soon as he saw him, "recollect the excess of my
+favours, and of your ingratitude! Let the recollection of these, and
+your remorse, be to you the preludes of the punishment that awaits
+you! Your head is soon to fall upon the scaffold."
+
+The fury and threatening of the King could not change the countenance
+of the innocent and unfortunate Aladin. No trouble altered the beauty
+of his features: he preserved that sweet, modest, and firm air which
+had hitherto gained him the goodwill of the monarch. He began to
+speak, and ingenuous candour flowed from his lips.
+
+"Sire, my fault was an involuntary one. If an indiscretion on my part
+reduced me to a situation in which, during some time, I was deprived
+of the use of reason, so that it was no longer my guide, and allowed
+me to fall into a very gross mistake, the rest was the work of the
+cruelty of fate. My heart, overcome by your favours, and entirely
+devoted to your Majesty, has hitherto felt no pleasure but in the
+happiness of serving you. But, alas! what avail the best intentions,
+and all the exertions of zeal, if a superior law, ruling our destiny,
+can put a different appearance on the purity of the motives by which
+we are influenced?--if a single action of our life, and that, too,
+done from the momentary disorder of our senses, can expose us to the
+apparent guilt of a crime, although all our inclinations are virtuous?
+Hurried from the summit of happiness into the horrors of disgrace, I
+must submit to the decree which inflicts the blow, like the merchant,
+whose memorable story is known even in your Majesty's palace."
+
+"What merchant do you mean?" said the King. "What connection has his
+story with thy crime? I allow you to relate it."
+
+
+THE HISTORY OF KASKAS, OR THE UNLUCKY MAN.
+
+
+Sire, there lived at Bagdad a very wealthy merchant, whose manners and
+knowledge rendered him worthy of public confidence. His name was
+Kaskas. Fortune had hitherto seconded his labours so well, that he
+could boast of success in all his enterprises; but fate soon declared
+against him. He could now no longer send a commission, or receive a
+return, without being obliged to make considerable sacrifices. He
+determined at length to change the nature of his commerce. He sold his
+stock, and laid out one-half of the money in buying grain, in hopes
+that this article would rise in its price during the winter.
+Circumstances, however, were against his speculation, for grain fell
+in its value. To avoid this loss, he locked up his granaries,
+determined to wait for a more favourable opportunity. In the meantime,
+one of his friends having come on a visit to him, wished to persuade
+him to give up this new kind of commerce in which he was engaged; but
+he did not listen to this advice, and was obstinately determined to
+keep his grain a third year. Soon after there happened so violent a
+storm that the streets and houses of Bagdad suffered by an inundation.
+When the waters were abated, Kaskas went to see if his corn had
+received any damage; he found it all springing, and beginning to rot.
+In order to escape the penalty, it cost him five hundred pieces to get
+thrown into the river that which he had heaped up in his granaries at
+a great expense.
+
+His friend returned to him.
+
+"You have neglected," said he, "the advice which I gave you. Distrust
+fortune, she seems to have sworn against you, and engage in no
+enterprise without the advice of a skilful astrologer."
+
+There was no scarcity of these in Bagdad; and Kaskas, taught by his
+ill success, thought the advice of his friend deserved attention. The
+soothsayer drew out his horoscope, and assured him that his star was
+so malignant, that he must of necessity lose whatever stock he should
+hazard in commerce. Kaskas, shocked with a prophecy so contrary to his
+own inclination, attempted to prove the prediction false. He laid out
+all the money he had remaining in loading a vessel, and embarked in it
+with all his wealth.
+
+At the end of four days, during which he had an agreeable voyage, a
+terrible tempest arose, which broke in pieces the masts and sails,
+carried away the rudder, and at last sunk the ship, with the whole
+crew. Kaskas alone, after seeing the remainder of his fortune perish,
+was saved from shipwreck by a fragment of the vessel, which carried
+him towards a sandy country, where he landed at length, after much
+difficulty and fatigue. Tired and naked, he landed in the
+neighbourhood of a village which was situated on the sea-shore. He
+hastened thither to implore relief, and return thanks to Heaven for
+having preserved him from death, while his unfortunate companions had
+perished.
+
+As he entered this little colony, he met an old man whose features and
+dress inspired respect and confidence. This man, affected with the
+situation of Kaskas, covered him with his cloak, and led him to his
+house, where, after having given such relief as his exhausted strength
+required, he clothed him in a suitable dress.
+
+It was natural for Kaskas to gratify his landlord's curiosity by the
+relation of his adventures, and he recounted them with such an air of
+candour as to leave no doubt of their truth. As this old man had just
+lost his steward, he judged Kaskas worthy to succeed him, and offered
+him this new office, with an appointment of two pieces of gold a day.
+It was a laborious office: he had to sow a considerable quantity of
+ground, to direct the work and workmen, to gather in immense harvests,
+to look after the flocks, and to give in accurate and faithful
+accounts of the whole at the end of the year. The poor Kaskas returned
+thanks to Providence for thus putting it in his power to earn a
+subsistence by his labour, since every other resource in the world had
+failed him; and he immediately entered on the duties of his new
+place.
+
+These he fulfilled with assiduity, zeal, and knowledge, till the very
+moment when he was to treasure up the different crops. As his master
+had never yet given him any part of his wages, he suspected that he
+would not fulfil his engagements, and, to make sure of his salary, he
+set apart as much of the grain as would amount to the sum, and shut up
+all the rest, giving an account of it to his master. The latter
+received this account, full of confidence in his steward, and paid him
+all the wages which he owed him, assuring him of the same punctuality
+in that respect every year. Kaskas was much ashamed of the precautions
+which he had taken, and of the suspicions which he had allowed himself
+to entertain.
+
+He immediately returned to the little magazine he had made, in order
+to repair his injustice, if happily it were still in his power. But
+what was his surprise when he did not find in it the grain he had set
+apart! He thought he saw in this theft the punishment of Heaven, and
+determined to confess the fault of which he had been guilty. With a
+heart full of grief he returned to his master.
+
+"You appear vexed," said the old man. "What can be the cause of it?"
+
+Then Kaskas, flattering himself that he would obtain by his sincerity
+the pardon of his fault, made a humble confession of the motive, and
+all the circumstances of it, even to the carrying off the grain which
+he had set apart, and of which he had not been able to discover the
+thieves.
+
+The old man, discovering the marked influence of his steward's
+malignant star, thought it would be imprudent to keep him any longer
+in his service, and determined to give him his dismissal immediately.
+
+"We do not suit one another," said he to him; "let us part. But, as it
+is not just that I should bear the loss of that which you improperly
+set apart, restore me the money which I gave you, and seek the reward
+of your labour in the sale of the grain which you took from me. I
+abandon you."
+
+The unfortunate Kaskas acknowledged the justice of this order: he
+submitted to it without murmuring, and left the house of his
+benefactor somewhat less naked than he entered it, but without a
+single piece of money, and plunged into a deep melancholy.
+
+This sorrowful sport of fortune was thoughtfully walking along the
+sea-shore, when he perceived a tent, which he approached. He found in
+it four persons, who, discovering in his countenance, which was
+otherwise engaging, the traces of deep sorrow, eagerly asked him the
+cause of it. He gratified their curiosity by the recital of his
+misfortunes. As he spoke he drew a very marked attention from one of
+the four, who seemed to have a kind of authority over the other three.
+This man soon recognized him as one of his correspondents at Bagdad,
+with whom he had formerly had important and lucrative concerns. The
+merchant was moved with compassion. At that time he was engaged in an
+adventure of pearl-fishing, and was the chief of the three divers who
+were with him.
+
+"Throw yourselves into the sea," said he to them, "and the first take
+of pearls which you have shall be for this unfortunate traveller."
+
+The three divers, affected as well as their master with the misfortune
+of Kaskas, threw themselves into the sea, and brought up, in shells
+which they carried with them, ten pearls of an inestimable value for
+their size and beauty. The merchant was delighted with the little
+fortune he had been able to procure for his former correspondent.
+
+"Take these pearls," said he to him; "sell two of them when you arrive
+in the capital, and their price will be sufficient for any adventure
+in which you may be inclined to engage; but take particular care of
+the other eight, that they may serve you in the time of need, and sell
+them where you can do it to the greatest advantage."
+
+Kaskas, after thanking his benefactor, departed, and took the road
+which he was directed to follow in his way to the capital. He had been
+three days on his journey, when he perceived at a distance some people
+on horseback. Afraid lest they should be robbers, he hid eight of the
+pearls betwixt the two cloths of his vest, and put into his mouth the
+two others which he proposed to sell. He was not wrong in his
+conjecture concerning the persons he had seen--they were in reality
+robbers. They came up to him, surrounded him, and stripped him; and in
+this situation they left him on the road, with nothing but a single
+pair of drawers.
+
+The unfortunate traveller recognized in this new feature of fortune
+the effect of the evil destiny which pursued him. Meanwhile, he
+congratulated himself on having been able to save from the hands of
+the rascals the two most beautiful pearls, which were sufficient to
+re-establish his affairs and assist him in some lucrative adventure.
+The capital was not far distant. He arrived there, and entrusted to
+the Dellal[13] the two pearls which remained, to expose them for sale.
+The Dellal proclaimed the jewels with a loud voice in the market, and
+invited the curious to bid for them. Unfortunately, some days before
+there had been some pearls stolen from one of the richest jewellers in
+the city. He thought he recognized some of his own in those which were
+set up to sell, and demanded that the pretended owner of the jewels
+should appear. When he saw him so ill dressed he was convinced he had
+found the thief.
+
+[Footnote 13: The Dellal is a public crier.]
+
+"There are two pearls," said he to him, "but you ought to have ten:
+what have you done with the other eight?"
+
+Kaskas, thinking the jeweller had been informed of the present that
+the fisher had made him, ingenuously replied, "I had ten of them, it
+is true; but some robbers whom I met on the road have carried off the
+other eight in the lining of my waistcoat, where I had concealed
+them."
+
+On this confession, which appeared to the jeweller an acknowledgment
+of guilt, he took Kaskas by the hand and carried him before the civil
+magistrate, accusing him of having stolen his pearls. This judge, led
+away by appearances, and on the declaration of the rich citizen,
+condemned the poor Kaskas to the bastinado, and to imprisonment as
+long as his accuser should be pleased to detain him in custody. This
+unhappy creature, the sport of fortune and of men's injustice,
+underwent the punishment, and was forced, during a whole year, to
+groan under the rigour of a severe confinement, till at length chance
+brought a man of his acquaintance into the same prison. This was one
+of the three divers in the Persian Gulf, whose labour appeared to have
+been so profitable to him.
+
+The diver, surprised to see him in this situation, asked the cause of
+it. Kaskas related to him all that had happened since they parted.
+This new confidant immediately addressed a petition to the King, in
+which he implored the favour of being admitted into his presence, that
+he might communicate to him a secret of the utmost importance. The
+King caused the diver to be brought before him. He prostrated himself;
+and the King, after having made him rise up, ordered him to
+communicate the secret which he was to reveal.
+
+"Great King," said the diver, "the greatness of your Majesty's soul,
+and your love of justice, are known to all your subjects. I venture,
+this day, to call upon these sublime virtues, in favour of an unhappy
+innocent stranger, who has suffered an unjust punishment for a crime
+which he did not commit, and who is still confined in the same dungeon
+in which I have been shut up for a trifling fault. You love, sire, to
+punish the wicked; but it is with the spirit of equity, and for the
+maintenance of good order. Your Majesty would wish that the wolf and
+the lamb should walk together securely; and it is the duty of your
+slave to co-operate with your benevolent intentions, by putting it in
+your power to repair an injustice committed against a man, persecuted
+by his evil destiny, and worthy of your compassion."
+
+He then entered into a minute detail of the adventure of Kaskas with
+regard to the pearls. He showed him the circumstance which had led the
+jeweller into a mistake, and occasioned the ignorance of the judge; in
+fine, he added, "If your Majesty still suspects the truth of my
+recital, you may cause the chief of the fishery, and my companions the
+divers, to be interrogated concerning it."
+
+The diver, having no interest in a matter that concerned only an
+unfortunate and helpless man, spoke with that boldness and openness
+which truth inspires. In the end, the monarch was convinced of the
+innocence of the unfortunate Kaskas, and ordered the chief of the
+eunuchs to set him at liberty, conduct him to the bath, and, after
+having clothed him decently, to bring him into his presence.
+
+The eunuch obeyed. Kaskas was led to the feet of the Sovereign, where
+he confirmed the report of the diver. He told the fruitless efforts he
+had made to undeceive the jeweller and remove the prejudice of the
+judge. In a word, by the detail of all his adventures, he interested
+the King so much, that he obtained from him, that instant, a lodging
+in the palace, and a place of trust near his person, with great
+appointments.
+
+As to the jeweller, after being obliged to restore the pearls, he was
+sentenced to receive two hundred strokes of the bastinado: the judge
+received double that number, and was deposed from his office. Kaskas,
+loaded with favours, thought fate reconciled to him for ever. He took
+pleasure in hardening himself against his bad fortune, and was already
+arranging the plans of that success which he promised himself in the
+new office which he filled, when his curiosity laid a new snare for
+him.
+
+He discovered one day in the apartment which was allotted to him a
+door covered up with a thin coat of plaster, which, from age, fell to
+dust at the smallest touch. It required no effort to force this
+passage--the door opened of itself. He entered, without reflecting,
+into a rich apartment, to which he was an entire stranger, and found
+himself, without knowing it, in the middle of the palace.
+
+Scarcely had he made one step when the chief of the eunuchs observed
+him, and without delay informed the King of it. The monarch instantly
+came. The fragments of the plaster, which were still upon the ground,
+appeared a proof that the door had been forced, and the astonishment
+of Kaskas carried a complete conviction of his guilt.
+
+"Unhappy man!" said the King to him, "is it thus you acknowledge my
+favours and your obligations? My justice saved you when I believed you
+innocent: guilty now, it condemns you to lose your sight."
+
+The imprudent man, without daring to attempt any justification, was
+instantly delivered over to the executioner, asking no other favour
+than that they would put into his hands the eyes which were to be torn
+out.
+
+He carried them in his hand as he walked groping through the streets
+of the capital.
+
+"Behold," said he, "O ye who hear me, that which the unfortunate
+Kaskas hath gained by hardening himself against the decrees of his
+evil destiny, and despising the advice of his friends! Behold the lot
+of the obstinate!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Aladin having thus finished the history of the merchant, addressed
+himself directly to Bohetzad.
+
+"Sire, you have seen the effect of fortune's influence on the man
+whose adventures I have now related. So long as his star was
+propitious, he succeeded in everything; but whenever it changed, his
+efforts to correct its malignity were fruitless. The transient
+instances of success which seemed to arrest the current of his
+misfortunes soon plunged him into greater evils than those which he
+had escaped. Circumstances that were unforeseen, and steps that were
+innocent, gave him the appearance of ingratitude and guilt, even when
+everything assured him of the purity of his conduct. My lot, alas! is
+but too like that of his."
+
+The young man had related the adventures of the unfortunate merchant
+of Bagdad so naturally and with so much grace, and had made so happy
+an application of them, that Bohetzad, still disposed to favour a
+criminal whom he had loved so well, and moved by the instance of rash
+judgment which he had just heard, put off the execution which he had
+ordered till the day following, under pretence of its being too late
+for it then.
+
+"Return to thy prison," said he to him. "I grant thee thy life till
+to-morrow: I put off till that time the punishment that is justly due
+to thee."
+
+In the meantime the First Vizier expected with impatience the account
+of Aladin's execution, and when he heard that it was delayed, he
+assembled his associates, and thus addressed the Second Vizier:
+
+"The favourite has found means to suspend the execution of his
+sentence. I have done my duty in determining the King to an act of
+justice. It now belongs to you to do yours by representing to him the
+wrong which he does in forgetting the duties of the throne, and in
+withholding so long the punishment of a crime that has been proved.
+Make your remonstrances to his Majesty, and give them that force which
+both his personal safety and ours requires."
+
+The next morning, as soon as access could be had to Bohetzad, Baharon
+(for that was the name of the Second Vizier) was introduced to the
+King.
+
+"Sire," said this minister to him, "I heard in the retirement of my
+closet, and amid the important business with which I am entrusted, of
+the insult your Majesty has received. Excuse the zeal by which I am
+animated if I offer your Majesty all the service which can arise from
+my experience and attachment to you to stop the progress of this
+evil."
+
+The King thought Baharon might really be ignorant of the event which
+had happened within the palace, and told him the crime of which Aladin
+was guilty.
+
+The Vizier seemed to shake as he listened to this report.
+
+"Sire," said he to the King, as soon as he had done speaking, "if the
+son of a chief of villains, brought up and nourished amidst guilt,
+could have been capable of virtuous sentiments, this phenomenon would
+have contradicted experience, and even proved it deceitful. I will
+here venture to recall to your Majesty a fable of our ancestors which
+tradition has preserved to us:
+
+"In ancient times a young wolf was put to school, to endeavour, by
+instruction, to correct his natural propensity to voracity. His
+master, in order to teach him to read, transcribed, in large
+characters, some letters of the alphabet, and attempted to make him
+understand these signs. But instead of reading K L S, as it was
+written, the savage animal read fluently Kid, Lamb, Sheep. He was
+governed by instinct, and his nature was incorrigible. The son of a
+robber is in the very same situation: vice is coeval with his
+existence. From the beginning he is an infected mass, which it is
+impossible to purify. But what astonishes me most, sire, is that such
+a criminal should have survived one moment the insult he has offered
+to the Crown."
+
+These remonstrances of the Second Vizier having enraged the mind of
+the monarch still more, he ordered the prisoner to be brought in
+chains into his presence. He was obeyed.
+
+Aladin appeared. The King, doing violence to the sentiments which
+moved him in his favour, addressed him with the greatest severity.
+
+"Traitor!" said he to him, "nothing can hereafter delay your
+punishment; and the world shall be informed of your crime and my
+vengeance!"
+
+At the same time he gave the executioner the signal of death.
+
+"Sire," interrupted Aladin, whose steady and modest countenance was
+the genuine proof of courage and innocence, "my life is in the hands
+of your Majesty; but I conjure you still not to hasten my death. He
+who thinks only of the present, without reference to the future,
+exposes himself to as bitter a repentance as that which the merchant
+felt, whose history I have heard. He, on the contrary, who looks into
+futurity, has a right one day to congratulate himself on his prudence,
+as it happened to the son of this merchant."
+
+Bohetzad, in spite of himself, felt his curiosity excited anew, and
+was desirous to hear the story which Aladin wanted to relate to him.
+
+"I will consent," said the monarch, "to hear the adventures of this
+merchant; but it is the last instance of complaisance I shall show
+you."
+
+"May it please your beneficent Majesty," returned Aladin, "order this
+man, who holds the sabre above my head, to be gone. I think I see the
+angel of death."
+
+The executioner, having withdrawn by the King's order, Aladin
+fulfilled the engagement he had come under in the following terms:
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+THE HISTORY OF ILLAGE MAHOMET AND HIS SONS.
+
+
+There was, in the city of Naka in Tartary, a merchant, whose name was
+Illage Mahomet, who, wishing to extend his commerce to the most remote
+boundaries of the world, constructed a vessel in such a manner as to
+be able to endure the longest voyage and carry a considerable burden.
+When this ship was ready to go to sea, he filled it with merchandise;
+and observing that the wind was favourable, he took leave of his wife,
+embraced his three children, went on board, and sailed with a fair
+wind for the Indies.
+
+A fortunate voyage having, in a short time, brought him to the port of
+the capital of India, he took lodgings, and placed his merchandise in
+the _kan_. Quite at ease respecting the fate of his effects, he then
+visited the different quarters of the city, accompanied by four
+slaves, and soon entered into friendship with the most celebrated
+merchants of the place. As his attendants had orders to publish the
+nature of his merchandise, and to distribute patterns of them, a crowd
+of purchasers resorted to his magazines.
+
+The King of India was accustomed to come out of his palace in order to
+walk through the town, and inform himself of what was going on there,
+under a disguise which rendered it impossible he should be known.
+Chance having directed his steps to the neighbourhood of the _kan_, he
+was anxious to know what drew everybody there. He saw this foreign
+merchant, whom a happy and engaging physiognomy, with a gracious
+address, announced in a very favourable manner. He heard him answer,
+with good breeding and perspicuity, the questions that were put to
+him, and saw him conduct his affairs with an openness which gained the
+confidence of all. He was desirous of having some conversation with
+him; but the fear of being discovered made him renounce his design for
+the present. He returned to his palace as quickly as he could, resumed
+the dress which became his dignity, and sent for this honourable
+merchant. The merchant quickly obeyed the will of the monarch. He was
+admitted into his presence, and the King expressed his desire to be
+acquainted with him.
+
+"Sire," replied the merchant, "I was born and established in Naka,
+near Mount Caucasus. Commerce is my profession. The favour and liberty
+which your Majesty grants it have directed my speculations to your
+dominions, and Heaven hath favoured my voyage."
+
+The King, satisfied with the simple and noble reply of this stranger,
+wished to find out more particularly the amount of his knowledge, by
+showing, by turns, curiosity on some subjects and embarrassment on
+others; but he was equally pleased with all his answers. Convinced, by
+all that he had heard, that the stranger's abilities were far beyond
+those necessary for trade, he determined to attach him to his own
+service by raising him to the highest office. It was not the design of
+the Sovereign to try the stranger by the allurements of honour; but,
+knowing that distinguished merit may become useless in an inferior
+station, and is frequently only the object of envy, he gave him the
+office of Grand Vizier, in order that it might afford him an
+opportunity of displaying to greater advantage his knowledge and
+ability. Illage received this favour with expressions of respect and
+gratitude.
+
+"I should have considered myself as too much honoured, sire, in being
+admitted into the number of the slaves who surround your throne. The
+dignity of the honourable office to which you have called me far
+surpasses my merit and pretensions; but the high idea which I have
+conceived of your Majesty inspires me with an unbounded zeal for your
+service, and a confidence that I shall be wholly devoted to it."
+
+The monarch, still more pleased with his new minister, ordered him a
+magnificent robe, assigned him for lodgings a palace in the
+neighbourhood of his own, and caused him to be installed in his new
+dignity. The Prince had no reason to repent of his choice, which might
+appear rash. The new minister sat in the divan on the right hand of
+his master. He was never embarrassed in the discussion of affairs,
+however intricate. He had great sagacity in understanding every report
+concerning them. Justice and equity were summed up in his decisions,
+so that the people and the monarch enjoyed, under the administration
+of this enlightened minister, all the blessings of a wise government.
+
+Two years passed in labour and great employments; but at last nature
+resumed her rights. The Vizier, separated so long from a family which
+he tenderly loved, felt a desire to see them. The first request which
+he made on this subject alarmed the Sovereign. But he had a soul of
+sensibility; he could not long resist the voice of nature, and
+permitted his minister to undertake a voyage which he limited to a
+certain period, assuring him that if he brought his whole family along
+with him he should never be exposed to any uneasiness in his service.
+With this permission, the Vizier embarked for Naka in a vessel of war,
+of which he had the command.
+
+The family of this merchant of Tartary, being entirely ignorant of his
+fate since the time of his departure, were abandoned to the most cruel
+uneasiness. Fortunately, a merchant of the country, returning from
+India, had given them news of him, and restored tranquillity to the
+family, who were raised to the summit of joy on hearing of the
+elevation and success of him on whose account they were alarmed. The
+wife of Illage determined that moment to repair to her husband, less
+to share his glory than his love. She set her affairs in order, and,
+after having taken every necessary step, she embarked with the same
+merchant who had given her the consolatory news.
+
+After some days' sailing, the vessel which carried them cast anchor
+near an island where they were to land and exchange merchandise.
+Contrary winds had obliged Illage to land at the same place. He had
+hired a lodging pretty near the harbour, and, being fatigued with the
+bad weather which he had met with, had thrown himself upon a bed in
+order to take repose. His spouse, who lived in an opposite quarter of
+the city, soon learned that a vessel had arrived on its way from
+India, and that it had sailed from the capital. She sent her children
+to ask the news concerning the Grand Vizier, thinking it impossible
+but that they should be able to receive some.
+
+The young people went from the inn where their mother was, running,
+the one after the other, till they had come under the windows of the
+apartment where the Vizier was at rest. They took possession of a
+little eminence on which a number of bales of goods were collected to
+keep them dry. The thoughtless youths went to play on the bales,
+trying which of the two could push down his brother. These playful
+lads, disputing with address and roguery, announced their victory or
+their defeat by such piercing shouts that they awoke the Vizier.
+
+He lost his patience: he went to the window to check the noise, and,
+leaning over it, three diamonds, which the King had given him, fell
+from his fingers. The agitation of the sea had already stirred up the
+minister's choler; the habit of command rendered him incapable of
+forbearance; and, the island on which he was being within the
+jurisdiction of his government, he ordered these troublesome children
+to be taken into custody. He came down himself to search for his
+diamonds; but, amidst such confusion, this search was fruitless.
+Driven by degrees to indignation and fury, he accused the children,
+not only of being the cause of the loss of his diamonds, but even of
+having stolen them. Their innocence could not defend them against
+prejudice. He punished them with the bastinado, and then caused each
+of them to be tied to a board and cast into the sea. The innocent
+victims, expecting a cruel death, became the sport of the waves and
+billows.
+
+Meanwhile night approached, and the spouse of Illage, not seeing her
+children return, uneasy, and bathed in tears, went out to seek them.
+The neighbours could tell her nothing of them. She ran from street to
+street, without meeting any person who could satisfy her well-founded
+impatience. This tender mother came at last to the harbour. There,
+from the description she gave of the three persons who were the object
+of her search and the cause of her uneasiness, a sailor replied to
+her,
+
+"Madam, the young people whom you inquire after are the same whom a
+powerful man, lately arrived from India, hath punished by his slaves
+for a theft which he imputed to them. They gave them the bastinado,
+tied them to a plank, and, by his order, threw them into the sea."
+
+At these words, the unhappy mother filled the air with her shrieks and
+groans: she rent her clothes and tore her hair. "O my children," said
+she, "where is the Vizier your father, to revenge me on the man who
+hath murdered my children?"
+
+Her despair struck the ear of her husband, who was not far distant. He
+seemed to know the voice, and learned that it was that of the
+inconsolable mother whose children he had condemned to death. The cry
+of nature resounded in his heart, and he no longer doubted that the
+children he had punished were his own. He hastened to the unfortunate
+woman whose misery he had occasioned, and immediately knew her.
+
+"Ah, barbarian that I am, I have been the murderer of our children!
+Fatal power with which I am invested! blinded by thee, I had not time
+allowed me to be just! I am the executioner of my own children!"
+
+As he spoke these words, all the signs of the most violent despair
+were painted in his countenance, and manifested themselves by every
+sort of extravagance. His wife sank at his feet under the weight of
+her grief.
+
+"Do not pardon me," added he: "I am a monster; and so much the more
+criminal as I am at this moment placed beyond the reach of the law. I
+must for ever be torn by my own remorse and loaded with your
+reproaches. I thought myself injured, and I hastened to revenge
+myself, without taking time to reflect. I saw a crime where there was
+none, and let fall the stroke upon innocence without thinking it would
+rebound upon myself."
+
+"You see, sire," continued Aladin, "what cause this Vizier had to
+repent his believing these children guilty upon a deceitful
+appearance, and his having hurried on a severe punishment without
+reflecting on whom it was to fall. He forgot that a regard to futurity
+ought to regulate the present."
+
+The unfortunate minister, disgusted with glory and opulence, renounced
+the search for his diamonds, abandoned the vessel and its lading, and
+supporting the tottering steps of a weeping mother, they both walked
+along the shore of the sea mournfully demanding of it the treasures
+which the Vizier had cruelly committed to the inconstancy of its
+waves.
+
+"Your Majesty," continued Aladin, "will pardon me, if, for a short
+time, I make you lose sight of this disconsolate pair, while I fix
+your attention on their unhappy children."
+
+The billows, to whose caprice they had been abandoned, were so
+agitated that, although they were frequently thrown against one
+another, they were immediately separated again. One of them, after
+having struggled for two days against the billows, and after having
+escaped the danger of being dashed to pieces on the rocks against
+which he was continually driven, found himself, all at once, ashore on
+the coast of a neighbouring kingdom. The chains which fixed him to the
+plank were much worn by the sea, and notwithstanding his fatigue and
+hunger, he had still strength enough to disengage himself from them,
+and reach the land. He there found an officer who was going to refresh
+his horse at the stream of a neighbouring fountain. This man, affected
+with the sight of the unfortunate child, gave him part of his clothes,
+set him behind him, and carried him to his own house. There
+nourishing food and repose completely recovered the shipwrecked youth.
+
+After decently dressing him, his benefactor presented him to the King,
+already informed of the event.
+
+The happy physiognomy of the young man made an impression on the King,
+and his answers soon completed the very favourable opinion he had of
+him. He became a distinguished officer in the palace, where his
+conduct gained the complete esteem and confidence of his Sovereign.
+This Prince, to whom Heaven had not granted children, thought he could
+not do his people a greater service than by adopting the youth, whom
+fortune had thrown into his arms. His choice was applauded by the
+whole Court, and confirmed by the divan. The people were happy, and
+the abilities of the young Prince soon placed him in the number of the
+most valiant Kings of Asia. Age and infirmities rendered the King
+unable to support the weight of the government, and he abdicated the
+sceptre in favour of his adopted son. He saw him married, and thus
+terminating his career of glory, calmly resigned his life into the
+hands of his Creator.
+
+The young Sovereign, bewailing the loss of his benefactor, gave
+himself up to the justest sorrow. He wished to fulfil the duties of
+gratitude and piety, and summoned his divan, that he might honour the
+ashes of his predecessor by prayers and solemn ceremonies. The people
+repaired to the mosques. The Imam, the Nabib, the dervishes, and all
+those who serve at them, paid to his memory the homage which was due
+to it. He caused many alms to be distributed among the poor and
+through all the hospitals of the kingdom. These religious duties early
+announced the wisdom of his government, and they were not proved false
+by the event. He was always a just and active King, and governed his
+people with the affection of a father.
+
+In this manner did fortune snatch from the fury of the waves one of
+the Vizier's children, to raise him to the summit of greatness. But
+this unhappy father continued to grieve for the loss of his two sons,
+until, in one of the islands where he had his residence, he heard the
+Dellal proclaim, with a loud voice, that there was a young slave to
+be sold, and that the curious were invited to come and examine him.
+Illage stopped, looked at the young man, and, constrained by a feeling
+of which he knew not the cause, he determined to purchase him.
+
+The figure of this stranger had attractions which he could not resist.
+His age corresponded to that of one of his own children; and if the
+beauty of his features was a true indication of the virtues of his
+mind, he hoped he would supply the place of one of those whom he had
+lost. He returned home with his new purchase.
+
+His wife, who perceived them at a distance, recognized the youth, and
+was about to throw herself into his arms, but sank under this
+unexpected surprise. But although her joy deprived her of the use of
+her senses, she was still able to utter the name of her son. The
+attention of her husband, and that of the young man, who bathed her
+with his tears, recalled her to life. The father, affected with what
+he saw, recognized the cry of nature, and returning thanks to Heaven
+for the unexpected favour he had received, mingled together his tears
+and caresses at this moving picture, and partook of the happiness of
+an unlooked-for discovery. Nevertheless, he was tormented by a new
+uneasiness: the presence of his son recalled to him his brother--"What
+is become of him?"
+
+"Alas!" replied the young man, "the waves soon separated the planks on
+which we were carried, and I can tell you nothing of his fate."
+
+This answer redoubled the affliction of the husband and wife; but they
+seemed to be comforted with the hope of another blessing similar to
+that which they had just received; and in this pleasing expectation
+their tenderness centred on the beloved son whom Heaven had at length
+restored to their arms.
+
+Several years had elapsed. Achib, the son of Illage, grew stronger
+every day. He acquired knowledge, and became capable of following
+commerce, in which his father had instructed him. Seeing him fit even
+to undertake a profitable voyage, his father purchased a ship, loaded
+it with merchandise, and destined it for the capital of the islands in
+which they were settled, entrusting him with the management of it.
+Upon his arrival in the capital, Achib hired a storehouse in the
+_kan_, deposited his goods there, and passed some days in arranging
+them to advantage.
+
+The Feast of the Ramezan came. The young man, a faithful Mussulman,
+possessed the art of singing so perfectly, that he was able to fulfil
+with dignity the functions of the Imam.[14] He dressed himself in his
+_faragi_, and went to the principal mosque. There the King, with all
+his Court and the grandees of the kingdom, were present at the noonday
+service. The young man took his place near the King, and when the
+Athib[15] mounted the pulpit and began to chaunt the _Falhea_,[16]
+Achib repeated three times, _Alla Akbar_.
+
+[Footnote 14: Imam is a priest who reads and explains the Koran.]
+
+[Footnote 15: Athib is a reader who chaunts over the prayers in plain
+song.]
+
+[Footnote 16: Falhea, the Mahommedan Confession of Faith.]
+
+The assembly, and the King himself, were astonished at this young
+stranger seating himself so near his Majesty; but the pleasure of his
+melodious and affecting voice excited so agreeable a surprise, that
+they soon forgot his assurance. All agreed that they had never heard
+anything so exquisite and perfect. The Athib was jealous of him: he
+had never supposed that there was a voice in the world superior to his
+own, and the despair which he felt deprived him of the use of it--he
+felt it die upon his lips. Achib did not give him time to recover it:
+he continued the prayer with a force and ease which the efforts of the
+Athib, supposing him to have had the courage to attempt it, could not
+have surpassed.
+
+When the King had ended his prayer, as he came out of the mosque he
+ordered his officers to wait for the new singer, to have a horse ready
+for him, and to conduct him to the palace, where his Majesty desired
+to see him. Achib received this invitation with respect, and obeyed
+the orders of his Sovereign.
+
+The monarch gave him a most gracious reception, bestowing the highest
+praise upon his talents, and soon felt himself prejudiced in favour of
+this stranger by a sympathy of which he could not discover the
+springs; but it seemed to be of the most interesting nature. Achib was
+only in his seventeenth year, and was endowed with every personal
+grace. Everything seemed to unite in strengthening the liking which
+the King showed for this stranger. Thus, whether on this pretence or
+to do a beneficent action, he made him lodge in his palace, and gave
+him a distinguished preference over the pages and those who composed
+his household.
+
+The officers soon conspired the destruction of their rival. In the
+meantime the virtuous Achib, after a long residence at Court, became
+desirous of seeing his parents and giving them an account of the goods
+with which he had been entrusted. Afraid lest he should not obtain the
+monarch's permission to return to them, he wrote to them and informed
+them of the favour he enjoyed. This motive, and the desire he
+expressed of seeing them again, determined the family to go to him
+immediately.
+
+Illage and his wife bore in their hearts the letter which they had
+just received; and both being flattered with having a son who at so
+early an age had been able to gain the good graces of a King, they
+instantly determined to hasten their departure, and informed their son
+of this resolution. As soon as Achib received this information, he
+purchased a house and suitable furniture, and in a short time embraced
+in it the authors of his existence, to whom the King sent presents of
+such magnificence as showed that they were intended for the family of
+his favourite.
+
+The fineness of the season having invited the King to one of his
+country houses, he removed thither, and gave entertainments for the
+amusement of his Court. One evening, contrary to his usual custom, he
+gave himself up to the pleasures of the table, and drank of a strange
+liquor of which he knew not the strength. In a short time after he was
+suddenly seized with such a stupidity that he was obliged to throw
+himself on a sofa, where he soon fell asleep. Pleasure had removed
+from him all his servants. Achib alone, following from affection every
+step of his master and benefactor, entered into the apartment and
+found him asleep. Then placing himself within the door, he drew his
+sabre, and stood there as a guard.
+
+One of the pages having returned, was surprised to find him in this
+situation, and asked him the cause of it.
+
+"I am watching," said Achib, "for the safety of my King: my attachment
+and my duty fix me here."
+
+The page ran and told his companions what he had seen. They thought
+they might easily avail themselves of this event to destroy him, and
+went in a body to the monarch. The witness swore that he had found
+Achib with a naked sabre in his hand in his Majesty's chamber while he
+was asleep. He ascribed the most criminal intentions to this faithful
+guard, and pretended that nothing but some sudden alarm had prevented
+the intended blow.
+
+"If your Majesty, sire," added he, "suspects the truth of my report,
+you need only to-day feign giving yourself up to sleep without any
+precaution, and we do not doubt that this rash man, pursuing his
+detestable purpose, will come to renew his attempt."
+
+Though moved by this accusation, the King was unwilling to trust
+entirely to the declaration of his pages, and thought it his duty to
+clear up his doubts himself.
+
+In the meantime the pages had gone to find the young favourite.
+
+"The King," said they to him, "is highly pleased with the zeal you
+have shown for the safety of his person. 'Achib,' hath he said, 'is to
+me as a shield; under his protection I can sleep without fear.'"
+
+Night came, and the King, after a repast, during which he affected
+much gaiety and cheerfulness, suddenly retired, and threw himself upon
+a sofa, apparently in the same state in which he had been the night
+before. Achib, who never lost sight of him, supposing he was asleep,
+entered the apartment to place himself on guard, with his sabre
+uplifted and naked.
+
+As soon as the King saw the gleam of the sabre he was seized with
+terror, and a cry which he uttered brought to him all the officers of
+his guard. Achib was arrested by his order, loaded with chains, and
+led away to prison.
+
+The next morning, after the first prayer, the King assembled his
+divan, ascended his throne, and caused the man to be brought before
+him whom slanderous and false reports and deceitful appearances had
+exposed to the presumption of so much guilt.
+
+"Ungrateful that you are!" said he to him. "Is it by putting me to
+death that you would show your gratitude and repay my favours? I will
+not delay to take signal vengeance on your detestable baseness."
+
+Achib, having made no reply to these reproaches, was sent back to
+prison.
+
+Scarcely was he gone out, when two of the courtiers who were most
+eager for his destruction approached the King.
+
+"Sire," said they to him, "everybody is surprised to see the execution
+of the criminal delayed. There is no crime equal to that which he
+intended to commit; and you ought to give such a speedy example of
+justice as your personal safety and the tranquillity of your people
+require."
+
+"Let us not be rash," replied the King, "in a judgment of this nature.
+The criminal is in chains, and cannot make his escape. And as to
+public vengeance, it will never be too late to gratify it. It is easy
+to take away a man's life, but it is impossible to restore it. Life is
+a blessing of Heaven which we ought to respect, and it becomes not us
+to deprive our fellow-creatures of it without the most mature
+deliberation. The evil, once done, can never be repaired. I have it
+now in my power to reflect on what I ought to do, and wish not that
+the future should have to reproach me with the improper conduct of the
+present."
+
+Having said this, the King dismissed the divan, ordered his hunting
+equipage to be got ready, and gave himself up for some days to the
+amusements of the chase.
+
+On his return, he was again set upon by the enemies of Achib. The
+longer, according to them, that this criminal's punishment was
+delayed, the more the people were discontented. Clemency and
+moderation ceased to be virtues when they spared such crimes as his.
+These new remarks embarrassed the Sovereign, who had now nothing to
+oppose to them, since the delay which he had granted had brought
+nothing to light. He determined to inflict that severe punishment
+which justice seemed to require, and ordered the criminal to be
+brought before him, accompanied by the officers of justice and the
+executioner.
+
+Achib stood blindfolded at the foot of the throne. The executioner,
+with the sword in his hand, waited the King's command. At that instant
+a confused noise was heard; a stranger pierced through the crowd, and
+hastened to the feet of the King. It was the unfortunate Illage.
+
+"Mercy, sire! mercy!" exclaimed he: "pardon the only child that Heaven
+has restored to me! My son could not intend an attack upon your life:
+he was incapable of designing so unnatural a murder; your life is
+dearer to him than his own. I have letters of his which made me fly to
+your Majesty, that I might admire more nearly those virtues which I
+adored. But, O monarch, whose illustrious virtues are renowned through
+the most distant corners of the world, justify the public admiration
+by a new display of wisdom, in overcoming a resentment with which
+false appearances have inspired you! Consider with horror the
+melancholy consequences of a too rash judgment! Behold in me a
+dreadful example of the consequence of being led away by passion, and
+of yielding, without reflection, to its imprudent follies. Heaven
+blessed me with children; but having been separated from them from
+their earliest infancy, the day at length came when we were to be
+reunited. Not knowing them, and being blinded by passion, I abused the
+power with which I was invested. I had them bound upon planks and
+thrown into the sea. The man whom you threaten with death alone
+escaped from perishing in the waves, and must I this day be the
+witness of his death? Behold the reward of my guilty rashness! My
+heart is filled with bitterness, and tears will flow from mine eyes
+till they are closed in death."
+
+During this discourse, the King stood motionless through astonishment.
+It was his own history he had just heard. The man who spoke was his
+father, and the supposed criminal his brother!
+
+Having happily acquired, in the exercise of power, the habit of
+self-command, he knew how to shun the dangers of too sudden a
+discovery. Nature, however, yielded at length to his eagerness, and he
+affectionately embraced the author of his life. He ordered his brother
+to be set free from those shameful chains with which envy had bound
+him. He made himself known to him; and after mutual consolation.
+
+"Behold," said he to his divan, "to what a dreadful evil I should have
+exposed myself, had I lightly credited the detractions of slander,
+and, upon your artful reports, had hastened the punishment which you
+so eagerly urged! Go, and be ashamed! Was there one among you all who
+supported innocence?"
+
+After these few words, the King retired into his apartments with his
+father and brother. He admitted them to a share in all the joys of his
+Court, and sent twenty slaves, magnificently dressed, in quest of his
+mother. This family, so happily reunited, lived in the blessings of
+the most affectionate unity, grateful to the Almighty, and faithful to
+the law written by His great Prophet, till the moment when they were
+called, by the decree of fate, from this world to a better.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Aladin, having thus finished the history of "Illage Mahomet, or the
+Imprudent," added some reflections fitted to make an impression on the
+mind of the King, whose attention he had been so fortunate as to
+engage.
+
+"Sire!" said he to him, "if the son, when he became a King, had
+conducted himself as rashly as the father when he was a minister,
+innocence would have been sacrificed to jealousy and ambition, and a
+whole family devoted for life to misery and remorse. There is always
+something gained by delay. Appearances are equally against me, and
+envy hath availed itself of them to make me appear guilty; but I have
+Heaven and your wisdom on my side."
+
+When the young man had done speaking, Bohetzad turned towards his
+ministers.
+
+"I do not mean," said he, "that crimes should remain unpunished. But
+truth, even when it comes from the mouth of an enemy, ought to be
+esteemed precious. This criminal hath well remarked, that there can be
+nothing lost by taking time to reflect. Let him be carried back to
+prison."
+
+The Viziers were enraged. Delay might discover the truth, through the
+cloud under which they had concealed it. As they jointly endeavoured
+to conceal the stratagems they had devised in secret, the third among
+them went early the next day to the palace.
+
+The King inquired if the interval that had elapsed had produced no new
+light.
+
+"Sire," replied this minister, "the police which, under your Majesty's
+orders, we exercise, maintains the peace of your capital, and all
+would be perfectly quiet if the throne were avenged of the outrage of
+this son of a villain, whose punishment your Majesty still delays. The
+people are murmuring at it, and I should have thought myself wanting
+in my duty had I concealed from you their uneasiness, the consequences
+of which may be dangerous. It is never too soon to prevent a
+rebellion, and that which is now forming would be extremely fatal."
+
+Constrained by these observations, the King commanded the criminal to
+be brought before him.
+
+"Unhappy man!" said he to him, "thou shalt never summon me to the
+tribunal of Heaven for having hastened thy punishment. I have listened
+to all the weak shifts by which thou hast defended thyself. I have
+weighed their value. But reserve and circumspection have an end. My
+people murmur. Their patience and mine is exhausted. Heaven and earth
+look to me for justice, and thou hast reached thy last moment."
+
+"Sire," replied the modest Aladin, "do the people look for an example
+of your justice? Impatience is the fault of the people. But patience
+ought always to sit upon the throne, amidst the virtues which form its
+basis and safety. This virtue, necessary to all, and which calls upon
+us for that resignation which we owe to the eternal decrees, raised
+the patient Abosaber from the bottom of a well even to the throne."
+
+"Who is this Abosaber?" asked the King. "Give me a short account of
+his history."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+THE HISTORY OF ABOSABER THE PATIENT.
+
+
+Sire (said Aladin), Abosaber, surnamed the Patient, was a wealthy and
+generous man, who lived in a village which he rendered happy by his
+charities. He was hospitable and beneficent to the poor, and every one
+that applied to him. His granaries were full, his ploughs were
+continually at work, his flocks covered the plains, and he maintained
+plenty in the country. He had a wife and two children, and the
+happiness of this way of life was disturbed by nothing but the
+devastations of a monstrous lion, which ravaged the stables and folds
+belonging to the peaceful cultivators of these happy regions,
+according to its necessities and those of its young.
+
+The wife of Abosaber wanted her husband, at the head of his people, to
+hunt this animal, by whose devastation they, on account of their
+riches, were more particularly affected.
+
+"Wife," said Abosaber to her, "let us have patience! I have not any
+skill in lion hunting; leave it to others."
+
+The King of the country heard of the ravages of this lion, and ordered
+a general chase. The people immediately took arms: the lion was sought
+for, and soon surrounded on every side. A shower of arrows was
+discharged upon him. He became furious: his bristles stood on end, his
+eyes flashed, he beat his sides with his terrible tail, and, setting
+up tremendous roarings, darted with fury upon the nearest of the
+hunters. This was a young man of nineteen years of age, mounted upon a
+vigorous horse.
+
+At the cries of the lion the courser was seized with terror, and his
+strength instantly failed him. He fell, and died as if he had been
+struck with a thunderbolt. The valiant knight soon got upon his feet,
+and, invoking the name of the great Prophet, he plunged his spear into
+the enormous jaws which were opened to devour him. This exploit of
+courage and intrepidity gained him, together with the applauses of his
+Sovereign, the office of commander-in-chief of all his troops.
+
+Abosaber, hearing of the lion's death, said to his wife, "See of what
+advantage patience hath been to us! Had I followed your advice, and
+exposed myself to the danger of attacking an animal against which it
+was necessary to draw out so much strength, I should have lost my
+life, with all my people, to no purpose."
+
+The dangerous lion did not alone disturb the peaceful retreat of
+Abosaber; the inhabitants of the village did not all enjoy the same
+good character. One of them committed a considerable robbery in the
+capital, and made his escape, after having murdered the master of the
+house he had plundered. The King, informed of this double crime, sent
+in search of the relations and slaves of the man who had been so
+inhumanly murdered. No one could give him any information, but by
+throwing out suspicions against the inhabitants of the village where
+Abosaber dwelt. These had the character of being very bad people, and
+were known to have frequented the house in which the murder and theft
+had been committed, the perpetrators of which they were endeavouring
+to discover. Upon this declaration alone, and without having recourse
+to any other proof, the enraged monarch commanded an officer at the
+head of a detachment to lay waste the village, and bring away its
+inhabitants loaded with chains.
+
+Those who are employed in the execution of severe commands frequently
+go beyond the orders they have received. Troops very ill disciplined
+spread their devastation over all the neighbouring country. They
+spared only the dwelling of Abosaber and six persons of his household;
+but they pillaged his granaries and his standing corn, with those of
+all the inhabitants.
+
+The wife of Abosaber bewailed this disaster.
+
+"We are ruined," said she to her husband; "you see our flocks carried
+off with those of the guilty, notwithstanding the orders they have to
+spare whatever belongs to us. See with what injustice we are treated.
+Speak to the officers of the King."
+
+"I have spoken," said Abosaber, "but they have not time to hear me.
+Let us have patience: the evil will recoil on those who commit it.
+Unhappy the man who gives orders at once rigorous and urgent! unhappy
+the man who acts without reflection! I fear that the evils which the
+King has brought upon us will soon return upon himself."
+
+An enemy of Abosaber had heard this discourse, and reported it to the
+King.
+
+"Thus," said he, "speaks the man whom the goodness of your Majesty had
+spared!"
+
+The monarch instantly gave orders that Abosaber, his wife, and his two
+children, should be driven from the village and banished from his
+dominions.
+
+The wife of the wise and resigned Mussulman made loud complaints: she
+reproached the authors of her calamity, and carried her resentment to
+excess.
+
+"Have patience, wife," said he to her: "this virtue is the sovereign
+balm against adversity; it gives salutary counsel, and carries with it
+hope and consolation. Let us go to the desert, since they persecute us
+here."
+
+The good Abosaber lifted up his eyes and blessed the Almighty as he
+pursued his journey with his family. But they had scarcely entered
+the desert when they were attacked by a band of robbers. They were
+plundered, their children were carried off, and, deprived of every
+resource or human aid, they were left to the care of Providence.
+
+The wife, having lost by this new stroke of fate what was most dear to
+her, gave free course to her grief, and set up mournful cries.
+
+"Indolent man!" said she to her husband, "lay aside your listlessness.
+Let us pursue the robbers: if they have any feeling of humanity left,
+they will restore us our children."
+
+"Let us have patience," replied Abosaber; "it is the only remedy for
+evils which appear desperate. These robbers are well mounted; naked
+and fatigued as we are, there is no probability of our overtaking
+them. And suppose we should succeed in that, perhaps these barbarous
+men, harassed with our lamentations, might put us to death."
+
+The wife grew calm, for the decay of her strength made her unable to
+complain; and they both arrived on the bank of a river, from whence
+they discovered a village.
+
+"Sit down here," said Abosaber to his wife; "I will go to seek a
+lodging and some clothes to cover us."
+
+Saying this, he went away, taking the road to the village, from which
+they were not far distant.
+
+Scarcely was Abosaber out of sight when a gentleman passing near her
+stopped in astonishment at seeing a most beautiful woman plundered and
+abandoned thus in a solitary road. He put several questions to her,
+which this singular adventure might seem to authorize, and she
+answered them with sufficient spirit. These replies increased the
+fancy of the young man.
+
+"Madam," said he to her, "you seem formed to enjoy a happier lot, and
+if you will accept of that which I will prepare for you, follow me,
+and, together with my heart and hand, I offer you a situation that
+deserves to be envied."
+
+"I have a husband," replied the lady, "to whom, unfortunate as he is,
+I am bound for life."
+
+"I have no time," replied the gentleman, "to convince you of the
+folly of a refusal in your situation. I love you. Mount my horse
+without reply, or with one stroke of my scimitar I will terminate both
+your misfortunes and your life."
+
+The wife of Abosaber, forced to yield, before she departed wrote these
+words upon the sand: "Abosaber, your patience hath cost you your
+fortune, your children, and your wife, who is carried off from you.
+Heaven grant that it may not prove still more fatal to you!"
+
+While she traced these words, the gentleman quitted his horse's
+bridle, and when everything was ready, he seized his prey and
+disappeared.
+
+Abosaber, on his return, sought for his spouse, and called upon her in
+vain. He demanded her of all nature, but nature was silent. He cast
+his eyes upon the ground, and there learned his misfortune. He could
+not restrain the first accents of grief: he tore his hair, rent his
+breast, and bruised himself with strokes. But soon becoming quiet,
+after all this agitation,
+
+"Have patience, Abosaber!" said he to himself; "thou lovest thy wife,
+and art beloved by her. Allah hath undoubtedly suffered her to fall
+into the situation in which she is in order to snatch her from more
+dreadful evils. Does it become thee to search into the secrets of
+Providence? It is thy part to submit, and also to cease from fatiguing
+and offending Heaven by thy cries and thy complaints."
+
+These reflections completely restored his tranquillity, and abandoning
+the design he had of returning to the village from which he came, he
+took the road to a city whose distant spires had attracted his
+attention.
+
+As he approached it, he perceived a number of workmen engaged in
+constructing a palace for the King. The overseer of this work took
+hold of him by the arm, and obliged him to labour with his workmen,
+under pain of being sent to prison. Abosaber was forced to have
+patience, while he exerted himself to the utmost, receiving no wages
+but a little bread and water.
+
+He had been a month in this laborious and unprofitable situation, when
+a workman, falling from a ladder, broke his leg. This poor unhappy
+man set up dreadful cries, interrupted by complaints and imprecations.
+Abosaber approached him.
+
+"Companion," said he to him, "you increase your misfortunes instead of
+relieving them. Have patience! The fruits of this virtue are always
+salutary: it supports us under calamity, and such is its power that it
+can raise a man to the throne, even though he were cast into the
+bottom of a well."
+
+The monarch of the country was at this moment at one of the windows of
+his palace, to which the cries of the unfortunate workman had drawn
+him. He had heard Abosaber's discourse, and was offended at it.
+
+"Let this man be arrested," said he to one of his officers, "and
+brought before me."
+
+The officer obeyed. Abosaber was in the presence of the tyrant whose
+pride he had unintentionally shocked.
+
+"Insolent fellow!" said this barbarous King to him, "can patience then
+bring a man from the bottom of a well to a throne? Thou art going to
+put the truth of thy own maxim to the trial."
+
+At the same time he ordered him to be let down to the bottom of a dry
+and deep well which was within the palace. There he visited him
+regularly every day, carrying him two morsels of bread.
+
+"Abosaber," would he say to him, "you appear to me to be still at the
+bottom of the well: when is your patience to raise you to the throne?"
+
+The more this unfeeling monarch insulted his prisoner, he became the
+more resigned.
+
+"Let us have patience," would he say to himself; "let us not repel
+contempt with reproach; we are not suffered to avenge ourselves in any
+shape whatever. Let us allow the crime to come to its full height:
+Heaven sees, and is our judge. Let us have patience."
+
+The King had a brother, whom he had always concealed from every eye in
+a secret part of the palace. But suspicion and uneasiness made him
+afraid lest he should one day be carried off and placed upon the
+throne. Some time ago he had secretly let him down into the bottom of
+this well we have spoken of. This unhappy victim soon sank under so
+many difficulties. He died, but this event was not known, although the
+other parts of the secret had transpired.
+
+The grandees of the realm and the whole nation, shocked at the
+capricious cruelty, which exposed them all to the same danger, rose
+with one accord against the tyrant, and assassinated him. The
+adventure of Abosaber had been long since forgotten. One of the
+officers of the palace reported that the King went every day to carry
+bread to a man who was in the well, and to converse with him. This
+idea led their thoughts to the brother who had been so cruelly used by
+the tyrant. They ran to the well, went down into it, and found there
+the patient Abosaber, whom they took for the presumptive heir to the
+crown. Without giving him time to speak, or to make himself known,
+they conducted him to a bath, and he was soon clothed in the royal
+purple and placed upon the throne.
+
+The new King, always steady to his principles, left Heaven to operate
+in his favour, and was patient. His deportment, his reserve, and his
+coolness disposed men to prophecy well of his reign, and the wisdom of
+his conduct justified these happy presages. Not contented to weigh
+with indefatigable patience the decisions of his own judgment, he was
+present as often as possible at all the business of the State.
+"Viziers, Cadis, ministers of justice," said he to them, "before
+deciding hastily, take patience and inquire."
+
+They admired his wisdom, and yielded themselves to its direction. Such
+was the disposition of their minds with respect to him, when a train
+of events produced a great change in it.
+
+A neighbouring monarch, driven from his dominions by a powerful enemy,
+vanquished, and followed by a small retinue, took refuge with
+Abosaber, and implored on his knees the hospitality, assistance, and
+good offices of a King renowned for his virtues, and especially for
+his patience.
+
+Abosaber dismissed his divan to converse with this exiled Prince, and,
+as soon as they were alone, he said to him, "Behold in me Abosaber,
+your former subject, unjustly spoiled by you of all his fortune, and
+banished from your kingdom. Observe the just difference in the
+conduct of Heaven towards us. I departed from my village, reduced by
+you to the last point of wretchedness. I submitted, however, to my
+lot, was patient, and Providence hath conducted me to the throne,
+while your passionate, cruel, and rash conduct hath brought you down
+from one. It appears to me that, in seeing you thus at my discretion,
+I am commissioned to execute on you the decrees of Heaven, as a
+warning to the wicked."
+
+After this reproof, and without waiting a reply, Abosaber commanded
+his officers to drive the exiled King and all his followers from the
+city. These orders were instantly put in execution, but they
+occasioned some murmurs. Should an unfortunate and suppliant King be
+treated with so much rigour? This seemed contrary to all the laws of
+equity, of humanity, and of policy.
+
+Some time after this Abosaber, having been informed that a band of
+robbers infested a part of his dominions, sent troops in pursuit of
+them. They were surprised, surrounded, and brought before him. The
+King recognized them to be those who had carried off his children, and
+privately interrogated their chief.
+
+"In such a situation," said he to him, "and in such a desert, you
+found a man, a woman, and two children. You plundered the father and
+mother, and carried away their children. What have you done with them?
+What is become of them?"
+
+"Sire," replied the chief of the robbers, "these children are among
+us, and we will give them to your Majesty to dispose of them as you
+please. We are ready, moreover, to deliver into your hands all that we
+have heaped up in our profession. Grant us life and pardon; receive us
+into the number of your subjects; we will return from our evil
+courses, and no soldiers in your Majesty's service shall be more
+devoted to you than we."
+
+The King sent for the children, seized the riches of the robbers, and
+caused their heads to be instantly struck off, without regarding their
+repentance or entreaties.
+
+The subjects of Abosaber, seeing this hasty conduct, and recollecting
+the treatment of the exiled Monarch, in a short time did not know what
+might be their own. "What precipitation!" said they. "Is this the
+compassionate King, who, when the Cadi was about to inflict any
+punishment, continually repeated to him, '_Wait, examine, do nothing
+rashly; have patience_'?" They were extremely surprised, but a new
+event rendered them still more astonished.
+
+A gentleman came with complaints against his wife. Abosaber, before
+hearing them, said to him, "Bring your wife with you: if it be just
+for me to listen to your arguments, it cannot be less so to hear
+hers."
+
+The gentleman went out, and in a few moments after returned with his
+wife. The King had scarcely looked at her, when he ordered her to be
+conducted into the palace, and the man's head to be cut off, who had
+come to complain of her. The order was obeyed. The Viziers, the
+officers, and the whole divan murmured aloud, that Abosaber might hear
+them.
+
+"Never was there seen such an act of violence," said they among
+themselves. "The King who was beheaded was never guilty of so shocking
+an action, and this brother, coming out of a well, and promising at
+first wisdom and prudence, is carried in cold blood to an excess which
+borders on madness."
+
+Abosaber listened and remained patient, till at length a wave of his
+hand having imposed silence, he spoke as follows:
+
+"Viziers, Cadis, ministers of justice, and all ye vassals of the Crown
+who hear me, I have always advised you against precipitation in your
+judgments; you owe me the same attention, and I pray you hear me.
+
+"Arrived at a point of good fortune to which I had never even dared to
+aspire, the circumstances which were necessary for my success being so
+difficult to be united; indifferent as to the crown which I wear, and
+to which I had no right by my birth; it only remains for me to gain
+your esteem by justifying the motives of my conduct, and making myself
+known to you.
+
+"I am not brother to the King whom you judged unworthy to reign; I am
+a man of mean birth. Persecuted, undone, and driven from my country, I
+took refuge in this kingdom, after having seen my two children and my
+wife torn from me in the way. I devoutly submitted to the strokes
+which fate had laid on me, when, at the entrance of this city, I was
+seized by force, and constrained to labour at the building of the
+palace. Convinced in my mind that patience is the most necessary
+virtue to man, I exhorted one of my fellow-labourers to bear with
+resignation a dreadful evil he had met with in breaking his leg.
+_Patience_, said I to him, _is so great a virtue, that it could raise
+a man to the throne, although he were cast into the bottom of a well_.
+
+"The King, my predecessor, heard me. This maxim shocked him, and that
+instant he caused me be let down into the well, from which you took me
+to set me on the throne.
+
+"When a neighbouring monarch, driven by an usurper from his dominions,
+came to implore my assistance, I recognized in him my own Sovereign,
+who had unjustly stripped me of my possessions and sent me into
+banishment. I was not the only object of his capricious cruelties: I
+saw all his subjects groaning under them.
+
+"The robbers, whom I punished, had carried off my children and reduced
+me to the last point of wretchedness.
+
+"In fine, the gentleman whom I caused to be beheaded is he who
+violently took away my wife.
+
+"In all these judgments, I have not had the revenge of my own
+particular offences in view. King of these dominions by your choice,
+the instrument of God upon earth, I did not think myself at liberty to
+yield to an arbitrary clemency, which would have weakened your power.
+It was my duty to execute the decrees of Providence upon such as were
+clearly convicted of guilt, and to cut off from society mortals too
+dangerous for it.
+
+"A tyrannical King who respects not the laws, and is only directed by
+his passions and caprice, is the scourge of his people. If it is not
+lawful to make any attempt upon his life, it is still less so to grant
+him such assistance as would authorize him in the perpetual exercise
+of revenge, and in the indulgence of the injustice and atrocity of his
+disposition. It is even wise to deprive him of the means of it.
+
+"Villains whose sole occupation is to attack caravans, plunder
+travellers, and who are accustomed to nothing but disorder, can never
+become useful and valuable citizens. They deserve still less to be
+admitted to the honour of defending their country. Banishment to them
+is only a return to their former life. By increasing their number, the
+evils of the world are rendered perpetual.
+
+"The ravisher of a wife is a monster in society from which it ought to
+be freed. The man who indulges himself in this crime is capable of
+every other.
+
+"Such are the motives of my conduct: severity costs me more than any
+one else. But I should have been unworthy of the confidence of my
+people, and wanting in the duties of the throne, had I not exercised
+it in this situation.
+
+"If I have exceeded the limits of my authority, I am ready to resign
+it into your hands. Reunited to my wife and my children, and thus
+loaded with the most precious blessings of the Almighty, I should have
+nothing left but to wish you happy days under a government wiser than
+mine."
+
+When Abosaber had finished this justification of his conduct,
+admiration and respect held the whole assembly in silence. Soon,
+however, a shout followed by a thousand others resounded through the
+divan.
+
+"Long live Abosaber! long live our King! long live the patient
+monarch! may he live for ever! and may his reign endure to eternity!"
+
+The King having returned into his apartment, sent for his wife and his
+children, and after yielding to the sweet impulses of nature,
+"Behold," said he to his spouse, "the fruits of patience, and the
+consequences of rashness. Give up at last your prejudices, and engrave
+on the hearts of our children these important truths. Good and evil
+happen under the inspection of Providence, and divine wisdom
+infallibly bestows the punishment or the reward. The patient man who
+submits to his lot is sooner or later crowned with honour."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+After having ended his story Aladin kept a respectful silence.
+Bohetzad seemed lost in thought.
+
+"How is it possible," said he, "that the maxims of wisdom should flow
+from the lips of a man whose heart must be corrupted, and whose soul
+must be guilty? Young man!" added he, addressing himself to the
+supposed criminal, "I will still defer your punishment till to-morrow.
+You are to be carried back to prison. The counsels which you have
+given me shall have their proper effect. A professed robber ought to
+be cut off from the class of citizens, from that of the defenders of
+the kingdom, and from the whole world. But as you have at the same
+time guarded me against precipitation in judgment, I consent that you
+may live during the remainder of this day and the following night."
+
+At these words the King dismissed the assembly.
+
+The Viziers took counsel together respecting the step they should take
+to secure the destruction of the favourite. Perceiving the punishment
+so often delayed, it was their business to alarm the King respecting
+the dangerous effects of his clemency, and his weakness in allowing
+himself to be led away by these discourses, prepared on purpose to
+suspend an act of justice which was absolutely necessary. He ought to
+banish from the people every suspicion of weakness on the part of the
+government, and show them that equity was its foundation.
+
+The artful detail of this reasoning was entrusted to the Fourth
+Vizier; and this minister came next morning to Bohetzad to perform his
+part.
+
+The poison of flattery was artfully mingled with remonstrances, which
+appeared to be dictated by a disinterested zeal, and made a deep
+impression on the King. He ordered the Superintendent to be brought
+before him, as formerly, with all the apparatus of punishment.
+"Unhappy man!" said he to him, "I have reflected enough to punish you
+for your crime. May your death, if it be possible, make me forget you
+for ever!"
+
+"Sire," replied Aladin, with respect and firmness, "I receive with
+submission the sentence of my crime. It is dictated by circumstances;
+and were it not, I feel that the misery of having fallen under your
+disgrace would be worse to me. The sacrifice once made, I can repent
+of it no more. But the day will come, when your Majesty, regretting
+your unjust precipitation, will repent that you did not sufficiently
+consult the rules of prudence, as it happened to Bhazad, the son of
+Cyrus, founder of the Syrian empire."
+
+
+HISTORY OF BHAZAD THE IMPATIENT.
+
+
+Bhazad was a Prince possessed of every external accomplishment. His
+beauty, celebrated by the poets, was become proverbial among all
+nations. He was the delight of every company, and scarcely anything
+was noticed in it but himself. One day, while he was unperceived, his
+beauty became the subject of conversation. After it had been much
+praised, one who was present, and had till then been silent, added,
+
+"Prince Bhazad is doubtless one of the most beautiful men in the
+world; but I know a woman who in this respect is much more superior to
+her own sex than he is to his."
+
+This discourse roused the curiosity of Bhazad more than his pride;
+and, addressing himself in private to the man who spoke thus:
+
+"Might one know from you," said he to him, "the name of this beauty,
+in whose praise you have just now spoken?"
+
+"Prince," replied this man, "she is the daughter of one of the most
+illustrious vassals of the Syrian throne; and if she enchants every
+eye by her external charms, the virtues of her heart and of her mind
+contribute still more to make her perfect."
+
+Those few words made a lively impression upon the heart of Bhazad. He
+could think of nothing but of the object whose praises he had heard,
+and he endeavoured to make a conquest of her. The love which consumed
+him injured his health, rendered him thoughtful and solitary; and the
+King his father, being surprised at this change, upon inquiring of
+him, was informed of its cause.
+
+Bhazad, after having made a confession of his passion to Cyrus,
+suffered from him some reproaches for his reserve.
+
+"Why have you concealed from me the state of your heart?" said he to
+him. "Are you ignorant that I have all power over the Prince whose
+daughter you are desirous to marry? Are you afraid that he will not
+accept the honour of our alliance?"
+
+Upon this Cyrus sent in quest of the father of the young beauty, and
+demanded her for his son. The dowry, which was to be three hundred
+thousand pieces of gold, was agreed upon at once. But the future
+father-in-law required that the celebration of the nuptials should be
+delayed for nine months.
+
+"Nine months without seeing her!" said the impatient Bhazad to
+himself. "Nine months without her! It is insupportable."
+
+He quickly formed the design of going to her. He mounted the best
+courser in his stables, and immediately departed, having provided
+himself with some necessary articles, such as a bow, a lance, and a
+scimitar. He was not far from the capital of Syria when he was
+attacked by a band of robbers. His undaunted countenance and his
+martial air made an impression upon them; and far from endeavouring,
+according to their usual custom, to murder him after they had robbed
+him, they proposed to him a very different plan, and promised him his
+life on condition that he would associate with them. Bhazad thought it
+necessary to discover to these vagabonds his rank, his projects, and
+the fatal delay of nine months, which his impatience had been unable
+to endure. Upon this declaration, the chief of the robbers replied to
+him,
+
+"We will shorten this delay. We know the castle in which the object of
+your love dwells, and the strength that defends it. March at our head;
+we will attack it, and no object shall be able to resist us. All we
+ask of you for this important service is a share in the dowry, your
+future protection, and a delay of some days to prepare ourselves for
+the enterprise."
+
+Bhazad, in his impatience, thought himself already on the very point
+of happiness. Every method seemed just to him which could serve his
+passion, and he was by no means delicate in the choice of them. Thus
+he deliberated no more, but continued his journey at the head of the
+robbers.
+
+They soon met a numerous caravan, and the robbers, constrained by
+their natural propensity, attacked it in disorder. They were repulsed,
+however, with the loss of several men and a considerable number of
+prisoners, among whom Bhazad was included. He was conducted to the
+capital of the country to which the caravan was travelling. The
+commander of it, after relating his adventure, presented Bhazad to the
+King.
+
+"Here, sire, is a young man who, in our opinion, deserves to be
+distinguished from the rest, and we beseech your Majesty to dispose of
+him according to your pleasure."
+
+The countenance of the captive attracted the particular attention of
+the King.
+
+"Who are you, young man?" inquired the Prince. "You seem not to have
+been born for the criminal profession you follow. How did you fall
+into the hands of the caravan?"
+
+Bhazad, lest he should dishonour his respectable name, was unwilling
+to make himself known.
+
+"Sire," replied he, "my appearance ought not to impose upon your
+Majesty: I am, and always have been, a professed robber."
+
+"Your answer," said the King, "is your sentence of death. Yet," said
+he to himself, "I ought to be rash in nothing. Regard must be had to
+his youth and external qualities, which seem to distinguish him from
+people of his profession. If this young man is in reality a robber, he
+deserves punishment; but if he is an unfortunate sport of destiny, who
+hath sought for death as a deliverance from the sorrows of life, one
+may become an accomplice in his crime by not preventing his death."
+
+The prudent Sovereign, having made this soliloquy, ordered Bhazad to
+be shut up in close confinement, expecting some great discovery
+respecting his rank.
+
+In the meantime the King of Syria, having in quest of his son searched
+his dominions in vain, addressed circular letters to all the
+Sovereigns of Asia. One of them came to the King in whose dominion
+Bhazad was in custody. From the description which it gave of him, he
+had no doubt that the young adventurer whom he kept in prison was the
+well-beloved son of the powerful monarch of Syria. What reason had he
+to applaud himself for not having hurried his judgment!
+
+He sent immediately for the handsome prisoner, and asked his name.
+
+"My name is Bhazad," replied the young man.
+
+"You are the son, then, of King Cyrus. But what motives determined you
+to conceal your birth? Had I not been slow in the execution of
+punishment, it would have cost you your life, and me the remorse of
+having treated you as a vile assassin."
+
+"Sire," replied Bhazad, after having revealed to him the secret of his
+escape, "finding myself seized among robbers, in whose crimes I had
+involuntarily shared, I preferred death to shame, and was unwilling to
+dishonour a name so illustrious."
+
+"Son," replied the sage monarch, "there has been a great deal of
+imprudence in your behaviour. You were in love, and assured of wedding
+in a few months the object of your affection. See to what rashness and
+impatience have brought you. Instead of waiting patiently till you
+should become the son-in-law of one of your father's noble vassals,
+after having quitted the Court of Syria without permission, and after
+having incautiously exposed yourself to be murdered by the robbers who
+infest these deserts, you joined yourself to these vagabonds to carry
+off by force the woman who was voluntarily to be given you in
+marriage. See into what a train of crimes you have drawn yourself.
+Check this passion and calm your impatience. I will procure you the
+means of uniting yourself soon to the Princess whose hand you are
+anxious to obtain. But as everything ought to be done in a manner
+suitable to her condition and your rank, we will hurry nothing."
+
+After this, the King, having caused Bhazad to be magnificently
+dressed, appointed him lodgings in his palace, and admitted him to his
+table. He wrote to Cyrus to set him at ease respecting the fate of his
+son, whose equipage was getting ready that he might appear with more
+splendour at the Court of the Prince whose daughter he was about to
+espouse.
+
+The impatient Bhazad saw these preparations with uneasiness. The
+attention which was paid to them retarded his happiness. At length,
+however, the order for his departure was given, and he might begin his
+journey. A small army escorted him, but every halt which it made
+appeared an age to this impatient Prince.
+
+Messengers had been dispatched to the father of the Princess, to
+inform him of the arrival of his son-in-law. He came, with his
+daughter covered with a veil, to receive him at the gate of his
+castle, and allotted him a magnificent apartment next to that of his
+future spouse. All the arrangements had been previously fixed by the
+two fathers. The term of nine months would have elapsed in three days,
+and all the preparations suitable to this so much wished-for union
+were finished.
+
+Bhazad was only separated from the object of his affection by the
+breadth of a thin wall. In three days he might see her. But this wall
+was like Mount Ararat to him, and these three days seemed an eternity.
+As he constantly inquired what she was doing, he learnt that she was
+at her toilet, assisted by her female slaves, and without her veil.
+This was the time for him to surprise her and behold her at his
+pleasure. He presently examined all the openings of his apartment, to
+find some way of gratifying his impatience and curiosity. He
+discovered, to his misfortune, a small grated window, to which he
+applied his eye. But an eunuch, placed there on guard, perceived the
+inquisitive man, and, without knowing him, struck him with the point
+of his scimitar, which at once ran through both his eyes, and drew
+from him a piercing cry, which soon collected around him all those
+engaged in his service.
+
+They stood around the wounded, inquiring the cause which could have
+reduced him to the unhappy situation he was in. His misfortune
+discovered to him his crime.
+
+"It was my impatience," replied he, with sorrow. "I have too soon
+forgotten the sage counsels of the King my benefactor. In three days I
+would have seen her who was to crown my happiness; but I was unable to
+bear this delay with patience. I wished to enjoy beforehand the
+pleasure of seeing her, and for this I am punished with the loss of my
+sight."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"In this manner," added Aladin, "did the impatient Bhazad, on the very
+point of becoming happy, lose that hope for ever, and was condemned to
+the most cruel loss in being deprived of the sense of sight. He ought
+to have recollected the dangers to which his former imprudence had
+exposed him; with what maturity of deliberation, with what wise delay,
+the monarch to whom he was indebted for his fortune and life had
+conducted himself with respect to him, and he ought to have yielded
+entirely to his advice. But it is not from acting without reflection
+that experience is acquired, and the wise alone can profit by that of
+others."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The young Superintendent, having made an end of speaking, Bohetzad,
+drowned in thought, dismissed the assembly, and remanded the criminal
+to prison.
+
+The ten Viziers, afraid lest their victim should escape, assembled
+again next day, and sent three of their number in a deputation to the
+King to strike the last blow against the young Aladin. They assured
+Bohetzad that the dangerous consequences of his clemency were already
+felt.
+
+"Every day," said they, "ordinary justice is engaged in checking the
+audacious crimes of your subjects against the sanctity of the harem.
+Prevaricating criminals have the boldness to defend themselves by the
+example that is before their eyes; and the delays which arise from
+your Majesty in this affair are so many pretences which they allege in
+their justification. We conjure you, sire, to put an end to this
+disorder, which your ministers will soon be unable to restrain."
+
+Bohetzad, ashamed of his too great indulgence, caused the
+Superintendent to be brought before him.
+
+"Thou appearest at length," said he to him, "for the last time, on the
+scaffold, which thou art about to stain with thy blood. The crime
+which thou hast committed allows me no rest. The too long suspension
+of the sword of the law draws along with it an example fatal to my
+subjects. Every voice is united against thee, and not one justifies
+thee."
+
+"Men pursue me," interrupted the undaunted Aladin. "I am the object of
+hatred and slander; but, if the Eternal and His Prophet are for me, I
+have nothing in this world to fear. Heaven protects my innocence, and
+the sword cannot deprive me of it. It will always shine upon my
+forehead, even when it shall be separated from my body. My confidence
+is in God. I expect everything from Him, as King Bazmant at length did
+after the reverses he experienced."
+
+
+HISTORY OF BAZMANT, OR THE CONFIDENT.
+
+
+This Sovereign, too much addicted to the pleasures of the table, was
+giving himself up one day to the immoderate enjoyment of a sumptuous
+feast, when his Vizier came to inform him that the enemy was coming to
+besiege his capital.
+
+"Have not I," replied he, "excellent generals and good troops? Let
+them take care of everything, and beware of disturbing my pleasures."
+
+"I will obey, sire," replied the Vizier; "but remember that the
+Almighty disposes of thrones, and that if you invoke not His aid, your
+riches and power will not support you or yours."
+
+Disregarding this wise counsel, Bazmant fell asleep in the arms of
+sensuality; and when he awoke was obliged to take to flight:
+notwithstanding the bravery of his soldiers, the enemy had become
+masters of the city.
+
+The fugitive King withdrew to one of his allies, his father-in-law and
+friend, who granted him a powerful army, with which he hoped in a
+short time to re-enter his dominions and take vengeance on his enemy.
+Full of confidence in this assistance, he marched at the head of his
+troops, and advanced towards the capital which he had lost. But
+victory again declared in favour of the usurper. His army was routed,
+and he himself owed his safety to the swiftness and vigour of his
+horse, which, pursued by the enemy, crossed an arm of the sea which
+lay in his way, and soon landed him on the opposite shore.
+
+Not far from the shore was situated a fortified city called Kerassin,
+at that time under the dominion of King Abadid. Bazmant went to it,
+and demanded an asylum in the hospital destined for the reception of
+poor strangers. He learned that King Abadid resided in Medinet-Ilahid,
+the capital of the kingdom. He took the road to it, arrived there, and
+demanded an audience of the Sovereign, which was immediately granted.
+His external appearance prejudiced the monarch in his favour, and he
+asked him concerning his rank, his country, and the motives which had
+brought him to Medinet-Ilahid.
+
+"I was," replied he, "a distinguished officer in the Court of King
+Bazmant, to whom I was much attached. This unfortunate Prince has been
+driven from his kingdom, and as it became necessary for me to choose a
+master, I am come to make a voluntary offer of my person and services
+to your Majesty."
+
+Abadid, full of prudence and penetration, conceived a favourable
+opinion of the stranger. He loaded him with presents, and assigned him
+a distinguished rank among his officers. Bazmant might have been proud
+of his new situation could he have banished from his memory the
+fortune he had once enjoyed, and had he not been still wholly occupied
+with the loss of his kingdom.
+
+A neighbouring power at that time threatened Abadid with an invasion
+of his dominions. The Sovereign put himself in a posture of defence,
+and took every necessary precaution to repel his enemy. He himself
+took arms, and left his capital at the head of a formidable army.
+Bazmant had the chief command of the van.
+
+The battle was soon begun, during which Abadid and Bazmant conducted
+themselves like experienced chiefs, and were distinguished by
+remarkable feats of courage and intrepidity. The enemy was entirely
+defeated and repulsed. Bazmant extolled to the skies the mighty deeds
+and wise plans of Abadid.
+
+"Sire," said he to him, "with an army so well disciplined and so much
+good conduct you might easily humble the most formidable nations."
+
+"You are mistaken," replied the wise monarch; "without the assistance
+of Allah I could not resist the most feeble atoms in the creation. It
+is by trusting in Him alone that we have the power of posting our
+troops to advantage, of directing our plans with wisdom, and of
+preserving that presence of mind which is the guide of all our
+operations. If I had not had recourse to Him, the greatest force would
+have vanished in my hands."
+
+"I am convinced of it," replied Bazmant, "and the misfortunes which I
+have experienced are a proof of it. A false prudence induced me to
+conceal my name and my misfortunes. But your virtues forcibly draw the
+secret from me. You see before you the unhappy Bazmant, whom too much
+confidence in his own troops could not preserve upon the throne."
+
+Upon this confession, Abadid, seized with astonishment, wished to make
+an apology to Bazmant for the reception he had given him.
+
+"How could you know me," replied the dethroned Prince, "since shame
+and confusion obliged me to be silent? Could you read upon my forehead
+a character which the justice of Heaven had effaced? Great King,"
+added he, embracing him, "I owe to your generosity a full account of
+my faults: lend me your attention."
+
+At these words Bazmant related his history.
+
+"My dear brother," said Abadid to him, after having heard it, "cease
+to humble yourself before a man brought up in your very principles,
+and corrected at last by a series of misfortunes similar to yours. I
+have not been wiser than you. It appears that we must be instructed by
+misery! Formerly I put my confidence in my troops and my own
+abilities, and at the head of a numerous army I was conquered by an
+enemy who had nothing to oppose me but a handful of men. Forced to
+take to flight, I retired to the mountains, with fifty men who would
+not abandon me. Providence caused me to fall in with a dervish in his
+hermitage, where he was wholly devoted to the exercise and duties of
+religion. He showed me the cause of my misfortunes, and told me that
+the enemy had put his trust in Allah alone, and was thus enabled to
+strike me with unerring blows; while I, depending upon the effort of
+my spear and the thickness of my battalions, and full of audacious
+pride, neglected my duty, and gave no order which did not lead to an
+error. 'Put,' said he to me, 'your confidence in Him who directs
+everything here below, and if His arm is engaged in your behalf, fifty
+men will be sufficient to regain your kingdom.' These discourses of
+the sage made a strong impression upon me. I raised my eyes on high,
+and, full of a salutary confidence, I returned to my capital.
+Prosperity had blinded my enemy. He had forgotten in the lap of
+pleasure the wise maxims to which he was indebted for his victory.
+Everything seemed quiet in his dominions. He believed himself secure
+in the possession of them, and neglected the maintenance of an army. I
+arrived unawares at the beginning of the night. I hastened to the
+palace with my small party, which curiosity, however, increased. It
+became a formidable army within the palace: dismay and terror marched
+in its train. The usurper had only just time to make his escape and
+avoid the danger which surrounded him. And the next day beheld me
+re-established on my throne, and in the undisturbed possession of my
+kingdom."
+
+The recital of Abadid's adventures completely changed the opinions of
+Bazmant.
+
+"You have," said the Prince to him, "inspired me with a confidence
+equal to that which animated you, and henceforward I will place it
+nowhere else. God alone and His great Prophet are able to restore me
+my crown; and in order to regain it, I will follow the same method
+that you did."
+
+At these words he took leave of Abadid, and hastened into a desert,
+through which he was obliged to pass in order to reach his dominions.
+Guided by the confidence which he had placed in the Sovereign Ruler of
+men, and imploring His support by prayer, he gained the summit of a
+mountain. He was oppressed with fatigue, and, having fallen asleep, he
+saw a vision in a dream.
+
+He thought he heard a voice say to him, "Bazmant, Allah has heard thy
+prayers: He accepts thy penitence, and thou mayest march without fear
+whither thou intendest."
+
+The Prince believed he had heard his guardian angel, and hastened his
+journey towards the capital of his kingdom. Scarcely had he reached
+the frontiers, when he met a party of those who had been most faithful
+to him. They lived under a tent, ready to seek another asylum on the
+least instance of tyranny in the usurper. Without making himself
+known, he entered into conversation, and told them that he was
+travelling to the capital. They endeavoured to divert him from his
+design. They described the avenues to the city as extremely dangerous.
+They told him that suspicion and fear were upon the throne; that
+strangers who approached it were believed to be emissaries of Bazmant,
+and were, without distinction, beheaded by order of the tyrant.
+
+"He causes the former King to be regretted, then?" inquired the
+Prince, certain that they could not know him.
+
+"Alas!" replied they, "would indeed that our worthy monarch were here!
+He would find a safe asylum in the hearts of all his subjects, and a
+hundred thousand arms to avenge him. The monster who has dethroned
+him, confiding in his forces, sacrifices everything to his unbridled
+desires, and frees himself by the sword of his slightest alarms."
+
+"He is in the wrong," replied Bazmant, "to trust wholly in his army:
+the true support of Kings is the favour of Heaven. As for me, who have
+come here with no other intention than to acquire knowledge by
+travelling, knowing that no one can injure me while I have the divine
+protection, I will, without fear, approach the place which the vain
+precautions of your master have caused to be looked upon as so
+dangerous."
+
+"We conjure you not to do this," replied these worthy people, in a
+feeling tone: "do not give us another misfortune to bewail. Since you
+are a good Mussulman, wait patiently till the divine justice shall
+have struck this tyrant: the time is not far distant, for the measure
+of his iniquity is full. And should the arm of man delay to strike,
+the pillars of his palace will fall upon him."
+
+At these words, Bazmant felt his hopes revive. He laid aside all
+disguise, and declared that he was the monarch whom they wished to
+return. At that instant his faithful subjects, exiled on his account,
+fell at his feet. They kissed his hands and moistened them with their
+tears. A part of the knights who were there devoted themselves as his
+life-guard. The rest spread all around to announce his happy return,
+and appoint a place of rendezvous. A formidable army was soon in a
+condition to advance to the capital, the tyrant was overthrown, and
+Bazmant resumed the reins of government and power amidst the
+acclamations of all his people.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+At the end of this history, Aladin ventured to add some reflections of
+his own.
+
+"You see," said he to Bohetzad, "how Bazmant reascended his throne,
+without any other assistance than that of Heaven. My true throne,
+sire, is my innocence; and, as if inspired from above, I have a fixed
+belief that I will yet be re-established on it, and triumph over mine
+enemies."
+
+As the young minister mingled sage truths with the recital of his
+stories, the Sovereign, who had listened to him, felt his anger
+relent.
+
+He again ordered the punishment to be deferred, and the criminal was
+carried back to prison.
+
+The Viziers again resolved to diffuse in the mind of the King the
+poison of those perfidious insinuations which had hitherto been so
+unsuccessful.
+
+One of them accordingly arrived well prepared. He brought with him
+seditious libels and a list of disorders which, he said, the violation
+of a law that was refused to be put in execution had occasioned, in
+leaving unpunished a crime which appeared in so obvious a manner.
+
+These reports, which seemed to be dictated by disinterestedness and
+fidelity, again inflamed Bohetzad. He resumed his first resolutions,
+and sent for the criminal to his presence.
+
+"I have hesitated too long," said he. "Thy death is essential to the
+safety of my kingdom, and thou canst no more hope either for delay or
+mercy."
+
+"Sire," said Aladin, "every fault deserves pardon. I have committed
+one in indulging myself in a drink which I did not know, and which
+deprived me, for a moment, of reason. But I have a right to obtain
+your Majesty's pardon. I am incapable of the crime of which I am
+accused. Sovereigns, sire, have a noble right which they derive from
+Heaven: it is that of exercising mercy when it is proper. Let us
+suppose that, after a little delay and deliberate examination, you had
+snatched an innocent person from punishment, would not your Majesty
+have done an action something like that of raising him from the dead?
+An action may often appear agreeable to strict justice, while in
+reality it is only the effect of lawless tyranny. And what glory is
+there not, even in pardoning an offence? He who is capable of mercy
+will, like Baharkan, sooner or later receive his reward."
+
+Aladin, perceiving Bohetzad inclined to listen to him, proceeded thus
+in the explanation of what he had advanced:
+
+
+HISTORY OF BAHARKAN.
+
+
+Baharkan was an intemperate Prince. He sacrificed everything to his
+passions, and, in order to gratify them, he boldly plunged into the
+greatest excess of tyranny. He never pardoned even the appearance of a
+crime: so that involuntary faults were punished no less than avowed
+transgressions.
+
+Being one day at the chase, one of his officers inadvertently
+discharged from his bow an arrow which he was holding prepared. It
+struck the ear of the King, and unfortunately carried it off.
+Baharkan, in his fury, ordered the offender to be brought before him,
+and his head to be struck off. As soon as the unhappy young man was in
+his presence, having heard the sentence of death pronounced by the
+monarch, he spoke to him thus:
+
+"Sire, the fault I have committed was unpremeditated on my part; it
+was the effect of the fatality of the stars. I throw myself on your
+clemency. I implore your pardon. It will be meritorious in the sight
+of God and approved of by men. In the name of the heavenly Power which
+hath put the sceptre into your hands, I entreat for pardon, and your
+Majesty will one day receive your reward."
+
+This prayer softened the unrelenting heart of the King, and, contrary
+to the general expectation, the young officer obtained his pardon.
+
+His name was Tirkan. He was a Prince who had fled from his father's
+Court in order to escape the punishment of a fault which he had
+committed. After having wandered unknown from kingdom to kingdom, he
+at length settled at the Court of Baharkan, where he obtained
+employment. He remained there for some time after the accident which
+had befallen him; but his father, having discovered the place of his
+retreat, sent him his pardon, and advised him to return to him. He
+did this in such affectionate and paternal terms that Tirkan, trusting
+in his father's goodness, immediately departed. His hopes were not
+deceived, and he was re-established in all his rights.
+
+King Baharkan, desiring one day to amuse himself with pearl-fishing,
+embarked in a vessel with a design to coast along the shores of his
+kingdom in search of pearls. An unexpected storm drove the ship into
+the open sea. It became the sport of the winds and the waves, and,
+stripped of all its rigging, ran aground on an unknown shore, and was
+dashed to pieces against the rocks which surrounded it. The whole crew
+perished. Baharkan alone was saved from shipwreck by a plank which he
+had had the good fortune to seize. Fortunately, he landed on the
+dominions of the monarch whose son had shot away his ear, and whom he
+had pardoned.
+
+Night began to descend when Baharkan landed. He wanted neither courage
+nor vigour, and therefore took the first road that presented itself,
+which led to a large fortified city. But, as the gates had just been
+shut, he was forced to wait without till next day, and to pass the
+night in a neighbouring churchyard.
+
+Day began to appear, and the gates were opened. The first persons who
+came from the city found, at the gate of the churchyard, a man who had
+been murdered. Baharkan was coming out of it at the same time. The
+efforts he had made in the evening to reach the coast with his plank
+had given him some slight wounds, from which the blood was still
+trickling. This proof appeared sufficient in the eyes of the
+bystanders: he was taken for the murderer, and carried to prison.
+
+There this unfortunate Prince, left to his own reflections, thus
+communed with himself: "Heaven chastises thee, Baharkan. Thou wast
+cruel, vindictive, and inexorable. With thee humanity had no value.
+Thou sacrificedst thy brethren on the slightest suspicion. Behold
+thyself now on a level with the vilest of mortals. Thou hast met with
+no more than thy desert."
+
+As he rendered this terrible justice to himself, he perceived in the
+air a vulture, which hovered above the prison in the court of which
+he was walking. He instinctively took a flint, and threw it with great
+force at the bird, which avoided the stroke; but, in falling, the
+stone accidentally struck the same Prince Tirkan who formerly had
+carried off his ear by the stroke of an arrow. It wounded him exactly
+on the ear, but not so severely as Baharkan had been. Pain forced a
+cry from the young Prince, which brought all his courtiers around him.
+Surgeons were sent for, who soon cured this slight wound.
+
+The King ordered a search to be made, in order to discover the person
+who had thrown the stone. Baharkan was accused by his fellow-prisoners
+of picking up and throwing it. He was brought before the monarch, who
+condemned him to lose his head, since, besides this, he believed him
+to be the murderer of the man who had been assassinated near the
+churchyard. The executioner of justice had already taken off the
+turban which covered him, and was drawing the sword from its scabbard,
+when the King, examining attentively the head which had just been
+uncovered, perceived that it wanted an ear.
+
+"It appears," said he to the criminal, "that this is not your first
+offence. For what crime have you been already condemned to lose an
+ear?"
+
+Baharkan, having assumed a manly spirit since his misfortunes,
+replied, with boldness, "Sire, if I have committed crimes, I owe no
+account of them but to Heaven; and till it should have determined to
+punish me, human justice had no right to inflict it. I have been, in
+one word, your equal--I was a King. The ear which I want was
+unfortunately carried off by an arrow, which escaped from the bow of
+one of my officers, whose name was Tirkan. Impelled by the first
+emotion of anger, I condemned him to death. He besought my pardon, and
+obtained it. My name is Baharkan."
+
+Tirkan, without giving him time to finish, had already thrown himself
+into his arms. He recognized at once his ancient master and his
+deliverer. Baharkan, far from being punished, was treated as a King,
+and an unfortunate one. He related the adventure which had landed him
+in the dominions of Tirkan's father. The latter communicated to him
+his own, and especially the unfortunate accident which had wounded
+Baharkan.
+
+"Recollect, sire," added he, "that in soliciting a pardon, I ventured
+to promise you, from Heaven, the same favour which I expected from
+you. Here you have received it, under the very same circumstances,
+through the instrumentality of my father."
+
+After these discoveries, the two Sovereigns embraced each other, with
+marks of esteem and kindness. A short time after, Baharkan returned to
+his kingdom in a fleet well equipped, and at the head of an army of
+fifty thousand fighting men, commanded by Prince Tirkan.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"In this manner," added Aladin, "Baharkan was rewarded for suffering
+himself to be softened when he was personally offended. Heaven did not
+confine its blessings to his receiving the same treatment in a similar
+situation and restoring him to his subjects, it moreover granted to
+him every virtue requisite in a good King; and in governing his
+subjects, it enabled him always to govern himself."
+
+Bohetzad, shaken in his resolution by this discourse, ordered the
+instruments of death to be again removed, and the minister to be
+conducted back to prison. He even pronounced these last words so
+hesitatingly, that the Viziers, who observed it, were alarmed.
+
+The whole conspiracy formed against Aladin awoke with still greater
+force, and it was determined that the ten Viziers should go in a body
+to the King. Their danger would become so great, if Aladin should
+succeed in justifying himself, that every step should be taken to
+destroy him.
+
+The next day they all repaired to the palace, and he who was possessed
+of the warmest eloquence spoke. If the monarch would believe it, the
+wicked story-teller, whose talents were so specious, was indebted for
+his success to the art of magic, in which he was well skilled. But he
+ought to distrust an illusion which exposes at once the laws,
+religion, morals, the honour of the throne, and the public welfare;
+and unless he punished this crime, it would be impossible to check
+disorder. All the other Viziers supported this insidious harangue.
+Each of them alleged his own disinterestedness, his zeal, and his
+fidelity.
+
+"Unbridled audacity is in him united with matchless cunning," they
+said. "Everything is in danger if this offence remains unpunished."
+
+Bohetzad could not resist the unanimous voice of so many counsellors.
+His anger re-awoke, and he ordered the criminal to be brought forth.
+
+Aladin appeared in chains, and the King, perceiving him, exclaimed,
+
+"Let the head of this unhappy man be struck off."
+
+The ten Viziers hastened to seize the sword of the executioner, in
+order to dispute with him the execution of his office. This motion
+gave Aladin time to speak.
+
+"Behold, sire, the eagerness of your Viziers to bathe themselves in
+the blood of innocence. Justice pursues the crime, but does not rush
+upon the criminal. Zeal, like every other virtue, should be moderated.
+Stop, eager and wicked men! I am here under the justice of the King,
+not under yours. You have no power over my life. It is sacred with
+respect to you, who are neither judges nor executioners. Speak! Show
+yourselves openly as you really are. I have offended you by checking
+your rapine. You are my enemies and base slanderers."
+
+"You recriminate upon my Viziers," interrupted the King; "truth which
+flows from their mouths confounds you."
+
+"Nothing from them can confound me," replied Aladin; "not even the
+blackness of their calumny. It is coeval with their existence. But for
+these, who have reduced me to the necessity of this defence, I must
+question them in my turn. They are all here, and let them answer. Does
+not the law require that every accuser or deponent should have been a
+witness of the crime? Their evidence is therefore objectionable in
+this case; the law rejects it. It is only the effect of envy and
+jealous rage by which they are devoured. Look at them, sire, and at
+me. The sword is above my head, yet I dare raise it up, while their
+eyes shun both yours and mine. Heaven supports me and condemns them;
+our sentence is written on our countenance. O great King! deserving of
+better ministers, beware of being drawn into the guilty plot they have
+contrived for you. One may, but without passion, bear testimony
+against the accused. If he is convicted, justice condemns him. But the
+judge, in describing the crime and pronouncing sentence, never forgets
+the duty due to the creature of God on whom the punishment is about to
+fall. Here I see nothing but fury and jealous rage. They are devoured
+by their thirst for blood, and equity is not the basis of their
+judgments. All the injurious imputations which have been levelled
+against me vanish. An invisible hand imprints on my forehead the
+serenity of innocence. An inward sentiment tells me that, having lived
+free from crimes, I shall not be confounded with the guilty. Unhappy
+is the man whose conscience gives a contrary testimony. He endeavours
+in vain to shun the stroke that threatens him. The history of the
+Sultan Hebraim and of his son is a proof of this."
+
+Bohetzad, struck with astonishment at the intrepid firmness of Aladin
+and the united rage of his ministers, wished to hear the adventures of
+Hebraim; and the Superintendent, having obtained permission to relate
+them, thus began:
+
+
+HISTORY OF THE SULTAN HEBRAIM AND HIS SONS, OR THE PREDESTINATED.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+The Sultan Hebraim, called by his birth to the government of extensive
+dominions, had enlarged them considerably by the success of his arms.
+But the want of an heir disturbed the enjoyment of his glory. At
+length, however, a son was born, whose birth was celebrated by public
+rejoicings and feasts, which, during forty days, announced to the
+people the happiness of the Sovereign.
+
+This time was employed in a very different manner by the astrologers
+who were employed to cast the infant's nativity. They could not
+conceal from the Sultan that an evil star had presided at the birth of
+his son. The orbit of his planet, black and stained with blood,
+announced misfortunes, which it would be difficult to resist. They
+unanimously declared that before he was seven years old, the infant
+would be exposed to the devouring jaws of a tiger; and that if he
+could escape the fury of that animal during this determinate space of
+time, his hand would become fatal to the author of his existence; and
+that there was no other way by which he could escape the evils that
+threatened him but by becoming, from the effects of education, an
+enlightened, wise, and virtuous Prince.
+
+The annunciation of so mournful a prediction dissipated the joy of
+Hebraim, and the days of public happiness were spent by him in tears
+and in grief. Nevertheless, as hope never forsakes the unfortunate, he
+flattered himself, and was happy to think, that it was possible to
+screen the heir of his power from the decrees of fate. It did not
+appear to him impossible to protect his son from the attacks of the
+tiger during the appointed term of seven years; and after having
+snatched him from the first decree of destiny, he might, by carefully
+watching over his education, beget in him sentiments of wisdom and the
+love of virtue, and thus disprove the prediction of the astrologers.
+
+After these reflections, the Sultan prepared a retreat on the summit
+of a mountain, in which he hoped that his son would be safe from the
+attacks of the tiger for the seven years determined by fate. A number
+of workmen were employed in forming in the rock a cavity of a hundred
+feet in depth, about a hundred and fifty in length, and thirty in
+breadth. They let down into this every material necessary to make a
+commodious lodging; a spring of water was found there, and they
+contrived a passage for it, as well as for the rain-water which might
+be collected in this cavity. They carried earth to it, and put plants
+there, which were soon in a thriving condition.
+
+After having furnished this little palace in a proper manner, they let
+down into it the Prince and his nurse by the help of a pulley,
+together with every necessary article for a month. At the end of every
+moon Hebraim came regularly to visit his son. The nurse laid the
+child in a basket made of bulrushes, which was lifted up to the very
+brim of the entrance; and while the father yielded to the sweetest
+emotions of nature in caressing his son, a numerous guard, by the
+thundering sound of their instruments, kept the wild beasts at a
+distance. When the visit was over the provisions were renewed, and the
+cord, rolling upon the pulley, gently returned to the bottom of the
+cave the basket and the infant.
+
+The young Prince grew and prospered in this solitary habitation, which
+a very strong vegetation had adorned with trees and shrubs of every
+kind. The fatal term marked out by the astrologers had almost elapsed.
+Only twenty days were wanting to fulfil the seven years, when a troop
+of unknown hunters, in vigorous pursuit of an enormous tiger which
+they had already wounded, came to the summit of the mountain in full
+view of their prey. The furious animal, terrified by their shouts, and
+struck by arrows which were shot at it from every quarter, found this
+cavity in its course, and either blinded by terror or being now in
+despair, immediately sprang down it. It fell upon a tree, which,
+bending under its weight, considerably broke the force of a fall which
+would have dashed it to pieces on the bottom of this pit.
+
+The terrified nurse endeavoured to conceal herself, and the monster
+found the child, which it grievously wounded on the shoulder. On
+hearing the cries of the infant, however, the nurse, forgetting her
+own danger, flew to his assistance. The tiger darted at her, and
+having torn her in pieces, was about to devour her, when the huntsmen,
+coming suddenly up to the brink of the precipice, discharged at once a
+shower of arrows upon the voracious animal. His body was full of them,
+the blood gushed from every part of it, and an enormous stone thrown
+at his head killed him on the spot.
+
+After this exploit the huntsmen, anxious to discover the child whose
+cries resounded in this frightful habitation, eagerly descended into
+it. But what was their astonishment when they found there at the side
+of a dead woman a beautiful infant, richly dressed, and swimming in
+the blood of the wounds it had received! Their first care was to
+assist the innocent creature, which still breathed. They bathed its
+wounds, and wrapped them up with healing herbs. As soon as the infant
+appeared more calm, they buried the nurse and examined this strange
+retreat. The furniture of this small habitation appeared extremely
+rich, and a quantity of provisions was found there, which seemed to
+have come down from heaven. The huntsmen took possession of everything
+by the right of conquest, and sought how they might take out of this
+dungeon everything it concealed.
+
+The basket of bulrushes was first employed in drawing up the young
+child out of this habitation, and next all the effects, the furniture,
+and the provisions, were raised by means of the pulley which was fixed
+at the top of the cave. When everything was out a division was made.
+The chief of the troop took possession of the infant, in whose
+preservation he felt himself strongly interested, and carried it with
+him to his own house.
+
+The only son of the Sultan Hebraim had fallen into good hands. His
+benefactor was a man of distinction, wealthy, and without a fault but
+that of an unlimited passion for the chase. Struck with the beauty and
+the sweetness of his young charge, he paid the greatest attention to
+him. And when he found him capable of answering his questions, he
+endeavoured to learn from him who he was, and for what reason he had
+been made to dwell in so extraordinary a habitation.
+
+"I know not," replied the child. "I lived with the woman whom you
+found dead; she gave me everything I wanted. From time to time a man,
+much bigger than you, came and stood at the top of the dwelling where
+you found me. I was put into a basket and drawn up to him. He caressed
+me very much, and called me his dear child. I called the woman Nurse,
+and she likewise said I was her dear child. I know nothing more."
+
+The benefactor could not conclude, from this simple declaration,
+anything else than that this child owed its birth to parents of an
+illustrious rank, but he could not discover the very extraordinary
+reason which had forced them to conceal its existence by a method
+still more extraordinary. Expecting that time would unravel this
+mystery, he paid every attention to the boy's education, had him
+instructed in the sciences, and trained up in exercises suitable to
+the most illustrious descent.
+
+The young disciple early answered the hopes of his friend. He excelled
+particularly in the art of horsemanship, handled every sort of weapon
+with dexterity, and in general acquired all the knowledge necessary
+for the most resolute warrior or hunter.
+
+One day, as they were both hotly engaged in the pursuit of some
+tigers, they were suddenly surrounded by a band of robbers. Abaquir
+(for that was the young man's name) displayed, as well as his master,
+prodigious feats of valour. But, overpowered by numbers, they were
+both plundered. The protector of Abaquir lost his life, and he himself
+received some slight wounds; but the faintness which succeeded was
+more the effect of fatigue than of blows. As soon as the robbers had
+disappeared he came to himself, and being naturally courageous, he
+attempted, though deprived of every aid, to cross the desert, in order
+to reach some inhabited place, having nothing for his defence but a
+hunter's javelin, which had been left on the field of battle.
+
+He had travelled but a few hours when he perceived in the plain a man
+in the habit of a dervish. He made haste to join him, to address and
+salute him. The dervish prevented him by beginning the conversation
+himself.
+
+"Beautiful young man," said he to him, "you are naked and wounded. Who
+hath reduced you to the distressed situation in which I see you?"
+Abaquir did not hesitate to relate his adventure to this man, whom he
+took for some holy person, and confidently asked from him some food
+and clothing.
+
+"One ought," replied the dervish, "to know what it is to strip himself
+in order to clothe his brother, and to share with him his food in
+order to preserve him."
+
+At the same time he covered the young man with his cloak, made him sit
+down, and drew from a sort of wallet some dates, bread baked with the
+milk of a camel, and a bottle of the skin of a goat, containing five
+or six pints of water.
+
+"Hold," said he, "you shall have the repast of a penitent. I carry
+these with me to supply my own wants and those of others; but we will
+go to my cave, and there you will find both repose and plenty."
+
+Abaquir, before he began to eat, returned thanks to the holy Prophet
+for so seasonable a relief. When the first calls of hunger were
+satisfied, the dervish prevailed upon him to go with him to his cell,
+which was at no great distance.
+
+Abaquir was received therewith every mark of benevolent charity. His
+wounds were washed and dressed, and the most nourishing food was set
+before him. In this wild habitation the tables and chairs were nothing
+but stones rudely thrown together, and the beds were made of heaps of
+moss; but it was very well for Abaquir, who had been reduced to the
+want of everything. Besides, the attention of his landlord supplied
+the want of conveniences in this retreat. The young man conceived the
+highest idea of the profession of a dervish, from its inspiring
+sentiments so humane.
+
+"My dear child," said the disguised person to him, "I take pleasure in
+bestowing care on you; do not place all to the account of religion.
+You inspire me with a strong interest, and if you wish to go away from
+me, you must at least tarry till you are perfectly recovered of your
+wounds, for the passage from this desert is extremely difficult."
+
+Although the young man could not but show himself grateful for so much
+attention, yet it did not appear uncommon to him. Accustomed to the
+tender caresses of his nurse, to those of his father, and of his
+generous benefactor who had since directed his education, the
+attentions of the pretended dervish seemed to him affectionate and
+natural. The latter, by degrees, came to know all the adventures of
+Abaquir, and appeared to take in him an interest always more marked.
+
+"Either I am much deceived, child," said the recluse, "or I perceive
+that you are reserved for very high fates, and I devote myself to
+become your conductor in this fortunate career. I will restore to you
+this father who took so much pleasure in lavishing his caresses upon
+you."
+
+"Ah! if you can," replied Abaquir, "conduct me to him immediately."
+
+"In your present condition? No, my child, you are unacquainted with
+mankind. Nature speaks not with the great in favour of a stranger
+covered with the old cloak of a dervish. Before you could obtain a
+hearing, you would experience the treatment reserved for an impostor,
+and there would be a number of interested people ready to forbid you
+all access. But at present you are with a man who loves you, and whose
+resources are inexhaustible. A disgust at the riches and vanities of
+the world made me form the resolution of retiring from it. But
+to-morrow, if I choose, I can have more of them in my possession than
+would satisfy the ambition of the most wealthy potentates on earth. I
+can show you part of them. The earth conceals treasures which I can
+force her to give up. Not far from this there is great abundance of
+them, and I will conduct you thither. You shall take what may be
+necessary to carry you to your father's Court, preceded by a hundred
+camels, loaded with the richest stuffs of the East, and each of them
+led by a slave. You shall be surrounded by a guard, which will secure
+you respect wherever you pass."
+
+Abaquir was lost in admiration. He could not imagine that these
+magnificent promises were real when he looked upon the coarse cloak
+with which he was covered, the furniture, and the fantastic utensils
+of his landlord. The latter, after having been some moments lost in
+reflection, thus resumed his speech:
+
+"O my child, never let appearances deceive you! The more you advance
+in years, the more you will learn to distrust its illusions. I am a
+dervish by inclination, but all the garments I wear are not mean. Here
+is one which becomes none but brave and powerful men." At the same
+time the pretended dervish opened his cassock, and discovered a girdle
+of red, yellow, and green silk.
+
+"Take courage, young man," continued he: "to-morrow I will show you
+great things. Our attention shall be engaged about your fortune. I
+shall be able, without being obliged to go far, to find out this
+singular cave in which you were brought up. I shall know the
+architect; and in a month, after having finished all our preparations,
+we will depart for your father's Court, with a train of attendants
+that will force everybody to welcome us."
+
+The discovery of this girdle under rags had struck Abaquir with
+astonishment. He depended upon the promises of his new protector, and
+accepted his offers.
+
+"But," continued this extraordinary man, "as soon as you shall be at
+your father's house, and, notwithstanding the pain which our
+separation will cost you, I shall require your permission to return to
+my solitary manner of life."
+
+"Willingly," replied Abaquir; "but you will not prevent me from
+conducting you thither."
+
+On the morning of the next day the dervish made the young man take a
+basket with provisions for breakfast, and a parcel of ropes, and they
+went together to the bottom of a steep mountain. When they had arrived
+there, the companion of Abaquir encouraged him to exert new strength.
+
+"You may," said he, "suffer a little fatigue, but reflecting that you
+are to reap the fruit of it, you must redouble your courage. Be not
+astonished at what you are about to see. This mountain contains in its
+bosom a treasure which cannot be estimated. These riches are abandoned
+to magi, like me; but we despise using them for ourselves. Do not
+spend your time in gathering gold, which you will find here in great
+quantity: take nothing but precious stones. This is the best method of
+enriching yourself speedily."
+
+After this advice, the dervish threw off his cloak, and appeared as a
+magician. He was covered only with his large particoloured girdle
+which adorned his breast. He took from a purse which hung from his
+girdle an instrument for striking fire, and, having lighted a taper,
+he burnt perfumes, and running over a book, he pronounced with a loud
+voice a magical charm. Scarcely had he finished when the earth shook
+under his feet, opened before him, and discovered a square stone of
+marble, upon the middle of which the magician immediately scattered
+perfumes. When he thought the air sufficiently purified and refreshed
+with them, he girded Abaquir with a rope under his arms, put a taper
+in his hand, and let him down into the opening.
+
+As soon as Abaquir had got into it, his eyes were dazzled by the
+splendour of the riches with which he was surrounded. But, faithful
+to the advice of the magician, he picked up only precious stones, with
+which he filled the basket which his guide had let down to him by a
+cord. When it was full and lifted out of the pit, the magician took
+it; and at that moment a dreadful noise was heard, the fatal trap was
+shut, and the young Abaquir found himself swallowed up in the bowels
+of the earth, without any hope of ever getting out.
+
+He believed he was betrayed by the magician, and, without great vigour
+of mind, would have abandoned himself to despair. But, after having
+shed some tears, he retraced in his memory the events of his former
+life. Threatened in his early infancy with becoming the prey of a
+tiger, Providence had protected him from danger. Attacked afterwards
+by robbers, the same protection had saved him. "The arm which hath
+defended me," said he, "will not cease to do so still. I am innocent
+and betrayed." In this confidence he prostrated himself before Him who
+has the keys of the deep, and rested with confidence in His
+assistance.
+
+By the light of the candle, which was still burning, he examined the
+immense cave which served him as a prison. He thought he perceived at
+the bottom a passage, the path of which could not be followed without
+stooping. He approached it with his light, but there came from it so
+strong a wind that it was instantly extinguished. Far from lessening
+his hopes, this accident increased them. So violent a wind announced
+to him a passage outward. He entered it with great difficulty, and
+almost creeping in the darkness. As he advanced he heard a hollow
+noise, the murmur of which presaged to him some singular event. He
+soon perceived that he dipped his hands and his knees in a spring of
+running water. He raised his head, and finding that he could take some
+rest, he sat down upon a stone which he had met with, amid the murmurs
+of many other streams which flowed from these deep caves. He filled
+the hollow of his hand with the water, which was fresh and delicious.
+He drank of it, and after having recruited his strength, he continued
+this fatiguing journey. But these little streams, which thus far had
+only run upon the ground, had here hollowed out a bed for themselves.
+He was obliged to enter it, and the farther he advanced the more the
+danger increased, till at last he began to swim. The darkness around
+him at length began to be dissipated. The cavern grew wider and
+higher, and admitted a feeble ray of light, which seemed to announce
+that the outlet was near. The strength of the swimmer increased with
+his hopes; and he soon found himself under the vault of heaven, at the
+moment when the sun was ceasing to adorn it, and the goddess of the
+night was succeeding to her task.
+
+Abaquir might now repose without fear, and his strength was exhausted.
+He laid himself upon the ground, and, overcome with fatigue, soon fell
+asleep. He had but few of the wet clothes which he had received from
+the magician to put off, for the rubbing of the flints had carried
+away part of them, and the remainder were but shreds.
+
+The singing of birds announced the return of morning, and the first
+rays of the sun awakened Abaquir. The young Prince, on opening his
+eyes, recollected the dangers from which he had just escaped. He
+retraced the most trifling circumstances of them in his memory. He
+thought he remembered to have seen, in the frightful cavern he had
+traversed, the carcasses of many who had fallen victims to the avarice
+of the wicked magician. This remembrance filled his soul with terror
+and dismay; but, at the same time, he felt the value of the blessings
+of the Almighty hand, which had miraculously rescued him from this
+tomb. His eyes, raised to heaven and swimming in tears, expressed his
+gratitude, while his lips celebrated the praises of the Almighty and
+of His Prophet.
+
+These first duties being fulfilled, it became necessary to appease the
+hunger which preyed upon him. In running round the borders of a small
+lake where he was, he perceived some reeds, of which he sucked the
+stalks, and chewed the roots with his teeth. He dug up the earth all
+around, which furnished him such supplies as his urgent need required.
+By the help of care and patience he at last regained strength, and
+with it, courage. He then took up some shreds of his clothes, already
+dried by the sun, and fixed them to a girdle made of the leaves of
+reeds; and by searching carefully he found a stick, which served him
+at once for support and defence. He arrived, after much fatigue, upon
+a little plain, from whence he discovered a neighbouring city, to
+which he directed his steps by the first road that presented itself.
+
+As soon as he was perceived by the inhabitants, one of them ran to
+meet him, and appeared eager to lavish upon him the assistance of
+which his external appearance showed he had need. He obliged him to
+take an asylum in his house, where he was received with kindness; the
+recital of his adventures was listened to with feeling, and he found
+friends in his misfortunes.
+
+And now, without feeling a moment's uneasiness concerning the fate of
+this young Prince, let us return to the Sultan Hebraim, his father,
+much more afflicted than he by the accomplishment of the mournful
+prediction.
+
+The second day after the defeat of the tiger was the term assigned by
+the astrologers. The Sultan, thinking to reap at length the fruit of
+his cares and prudence, appeared at the top of the opening, and
+announced his arrival as usual by the sound of a horn. But nobody
+having answered his first signal, Hebraim, uneasy at this silence,
+made some of his officers go down into the pit, who, after much
+diligent but fruitless search, found nothing in it but the dead body
+of a tiger. The unhappy father doubted no longer the death of his son:
+he returned in haste to his palace, and sent for the same astrologers
+whom he had formerly consulted respecting the fate of his heir.
+
+"Unhappy that I am!" said he to them, "your fatal prediction is
+verified: my son has been devoured by a tiger before the expiration of
+the seven years; for in the retreat which I prepared for him I have
+found nothing but the body of an enormous tiger."
+
+"Invincible Sultan!" replied the astrologers, "since the event forces
+from you an acknowledgment of the truth of our presage, we must
+congratulate you now on being beyond the reach of an inevitable death,
+which he whose loss you deplore would have brought upon you. Your son,
+falling under his destiny, has died in innocence and you are
+preserved."
+
+This reflection brought some relief to the natural sorrow of the
+Sultan, and time completely effaced the remembrance of it.
+
+In the meantime, Abaquir, of whom we must not lose sight, grew weary
+of his idleness in this little village where he had been so well
+received. His landlord had a numerous family, and but very small
+resources for their maintenance. The young Prince being unwilling to
+be a burden on him, went frequently to hunt in the country. One day as
+he had killed a deer, and was preparing to lay it on his shoulders, he
+was suddenly surrounded by a troop of horsemen, and doubted not that
+he was in the middle of a band of robbers.
+
+"Companion!" said the chief to him, "you hunt on foot, and carry
+nothing but a bow. There are, however, in these deserts many lions and
+tigers, and you may some day be worsted. Come and hunt along with us,
+and we will give you an excellent horse."
+
+Abaquir, already eager for the chase, thought he had found an
+excellent opportunity of following his inclination, and of relieving
+his landlord of the burden of his entertainment. He briskly replied to
+this offer by saying that he accepted the favour they intended him of
+admitting him into their number. The chief of the band perceived by
+this reply that the young man, who was as yet a novice, had not
+understood his proposal in its true sense, and thus resumed his
+speech:
+
+"Since you are willing to join us, we will breakfast together to
+confirm our acquaintance."
+
+Upon this the rest of the band dismounted, opened their knapsacks, and
+began each to satisfy his appetite.
+
+"Since you are one of us," said the chief, "I must inform you of the
+laws by which we are governed. We love and assist one another as
+brethren, we make an equal division of our booty, and we swear to be
+faithful in life or in death."
+
+"I have already lived among hunters," replied Abaquir; "I love that
+way of life, and you must know that if I do not owe my birth to them,
+I am at least indebted to them for my life. Your laws appear to me
+extremely equitable."
+
+"Since it is so," said the chief, "I have nothing more to do but
+instruct you in our rules. Although I am only your equal, every one
+here submits to me as their chief. And as it is necessary that I
+should be feared and respected, I treat with extreme rigour all those
+who disobey my orders."
+
+"The moment you associate in a band," said Abaquir, "subordination is
+essentially necessary."
+
+"Swear, then, upon the Koran, and by the name of the holy Prophet,"
+replied the chief, "to submit to all our laws without limitation."
+
+As soon as Abaquir heard the divine book mentioned, he believed he had
+got among saints, and without hesitating took the Koran, put it thrice
+upon his heart, his head, and his lips, and promised more than was
+required of him. Thus was he enrolled without knowing it in the number
+of the greatest miscreants of the desert. All his new companions
+embraced him with joy. He mounted a fine horse, was covered with a
+cloak, and armed with a bow, a sabre, and a spear. Abaquir was
+delighted, and perceived not till next day the rashness of the
+engagements he had made.
+
+In a short time these vagabonds spread themselves over the desert, and
+robbed and plundered travellers and caravans. Their number was every
+day increased by the success of their fatal expeditions. At length
+their ravages became so considerable that the Sovereign of these
+countries put himself at the head of some troops to pursue them. This
+was the Sultan Hebraim. The robbers were surrounded on every side; and
+Abaquir, being at the head of the band, was particularly aimed at by
+the Sultan. But the young man, warding off the danger which threatened
+him, wounded his adversary with an arrow; while, in another quarter,
+the subjects of the Prince had made themselves masters of the robbers.
+Every one that did not fall by the sword was taken prisoner, and the
+deserts were at last cleared of this wandering and destructive band.
+
+The Sultan, however, was very grievously wounded. On his return to the
+capital, and after having received some medicines for his hurt, he
+sent for the astrologers.
+
+"Impostors!" said he to them. "Did you foretell that I was to die by
+the hand of a robber?--you who threatened me only with dying by that
+of my son?"
+
+"Sultan," replied they, "everything which we have foretold is
+unhappily but too true. First let your Highness examine the criminal;
+inform yourself from what hand the fatal arrow came, and then form
+your opinion of us."
+
+Hebraim ordered all the prisoners to be brought into his presence, and
+promised them their lives and their liberty if they would discover the
+person that wounded him.
+
+"It was I," said Abaquir, with firmness; "I have been so unfortunate
+as to attack the life of my Sovereign, whom I did not know, and I
+deserve death."
+
+"Take courage, young man," said the astonished Sultan. "Tell me only
+who you are, and who is your father."
+
+Upon this demand, Abaquir gave a full detail of his history, so far as
+was consistent with his knowledge, up to that part of it where the
+tiger wounded him and devoured his nurse. The relation was interrupted
+by the visible change which was observed on the countenance of the
+Sultan. But somewhat recovered from this first emotion, Hebraim warmly
+solicited the account of his adventures. The young Prince continued
+his history, and ended by describing the dread he had felt when
+fighting against the Sultan.
+
+"Stop!" said Hebraim, with tears in his eyes. "Approach, and show me
+the bite of the tiger."
+
+Abaquir obeyed.
+
+"I have found the truth," exclaimed the Sultan, as he examined the
+scar. "Hesitate no more, my dear son; come into my arms! Let me have
+at least the consolation, before going down to the grave, of having
+found my only son.--Astrologers!" said he, turning towards them, "you
+have told me truth as far as it was possible for you, but I was in the
+wrong to consult you about my destiny: we ought to submit in silence
+to the decree pronounced upon us; in seeking to shun it, we only
+increase its weight."
+
+Then addressing the whole Court:
+
+"Viziers, and grandees of the realm!" said he to them, "acknowledge as
+your rightful Sovereign Ben-Hebraim, my only son and assist him in
+fulfilling with dignity the difficult duties of the throne."
+
+Abaquir having been immediately crowned, under the name of
+Abaquir-Ben-Hebraim, his father died; for he caused the arrow which
+had entered his body to be pulled out, and his life escaped with the
+blood which issued from the large wound, while he reverenced the
+decree whose execution he had drawn upon himself, and blessed God for
+granting him an heir worthy of his crown.
+
+Ben-Hebraim, early called to the government of a kingdom, but
+instructed by adversity, brought up amid labour, and virtuous from
+principle, showed himself worthy of the public confidence. The
+adventure of the magician and the robbers put him on his guard against
+appearances. He pardoned the latter, but ardently wished that Heaven
+would bring the former under his power, that he might make him an
+example of justice.
+
+One day, as the young Sultan was passing through the market-places of
+the city in disguise, he perceived a stranger surrounded by a crowd,
+whom curiosity had attracted. They were admiring some diamonds and
+jewels of the most exquisite beauty.
+
+Ben-Hebraim observed this stranger attentively, and, under the rich
+dress of an Armenian, he recollected his wicked dervish. The tone of
+his voice and his striking air marked him so strongly, that it was
+impossible to mistake him.
+
+The Sultan speedily returned to his palace, and sent secretly for the
+youngest of the robbers, whom he had kept on account of the happy
+dispositions he had discovered in him, and of the aversion he had
+shown for a manner of life which he had formerly been compelled to
+embrace.
+
+"Margam," said he to him, "I have need of your assistance in
+delivering the world from a most dangerous man."
+
+And at the same time he pointed out to him the part he was to act in
+the plan which they concerted together.
+
+Two days after, Ben-Hebraim sent his chief eunuch, attended by four
+officers of the palace and a train of slaves, to invite the Armenian
+jeweller Daboul to come to the palace. And for this purpose one of the
+finest horses in the stables was led to him.
+
+The pretended Armenian was astonished at so much honour; and not
+supposing that this invitation had any other motive than curiosity, he
+collected his most precious effects, and intended to dazzle every eye
+by the magnificence of the present he was to carry to the Sultan. He
+entrusted two of his own slaves with it, and allowed himself to be
+conducted by the eunuch.
+
+As soon as he arrived at the gates of the palace, a deputation from
+the Sultan, with an officer at their head, came to present him with a
+richly-ornamented box filled with betel-nuts. All the halls of the
+palace which he crossed were perfumed with aloes and sandal-wood; he
+passed thus even to the most retired closet of the Sultan's
+apartments.
+
+Margam, in the robes of a Sultan, seated upon an elevated sofa, well
+instructed in what he was to do and say, was waiting for the stranger.
+Ben-Hebraim had acquired some knowledge in the magical art, the effect
+of which will soon be perceived.
+
+At the sight of Daboul, Margam descended from the sofa, and came to
+meet the pretended Armenian, without allowing him time to kneel, as
+was usual, and made him sit down on the sofa, giving him the
+right-hand place.
+
+"Permit this homage," added he: "it is that of a young magician
+towards his master." The astonished Daboul was silent. "Here are my
+proofs," pursued Margam, and, uncovering his deliman, he showed him
+the red, yellow, and green-coloured girdle which adorned his breast.
+"I earnestly wished," continued the false Sultan, "again to bring near
+me the man for whom wonderful circumstances have inspired me with as
+much respect as curiosity. The moment is now come, and I congratulate
+myself upon it."
+
+"Sultan," replied Daboul, "when science is united with power,
+everything must bend before them. And you see me in admiration at
+being within the reach of kissing the feet of another Solomon."
+
+"Let us leave to ordinary men," said Margam, "the desire of external
+respect. I seek not for empty homage, but am desirous to obtain new
+knowledge. Besides, what is an earthly sovereignty, subjected to so
+much labour and exposed to so many dangers, compared to that which you
+enjoy? What a happiness to be able to acquire immense riches, and to
+diffuse the blessings thereof, without being burdensome to any!"
+
+"I cannot, O wise Sultan," replied Daboul, "but approve of this noble
+ambition and these virtuous sentiments. We can make ourselves masters
+of many things with great facility, and without delivering a whole
+people to misery and the horrors of war: we sacrifice but one man."
+
+"That is precisely," interrupted Margam, "what I wanted to avoid. I
+would wish to be able to save a man, and it is on this very subject I
+was desirous to consult you."
+
+"To save him?" said Daboul. "When he is predestined to it, one could
+not preserve him even by putting oneself in his place."
+
+"In this case, he must be abandoned; but I would wish, at least, that
+he might only be a slave."
+
+"Sultan, you would obtain nothing. He must be a victim of consequence,
+and of a distinguished rank."
+
+"But it appears to me," said Margam, "that in a choice like this one
+is exposed to dangerous resentments."
+
+"There is a method of consulting beforehand," replied the magician,
+"such as I made use of in my last search, and I received for answer,
+'_In order that you may run some danger, it would be necessary that
+you should meet with your victim on earth_.' Now, having put him two
+hundred feet below ground, I could not fear the danger of his return."
+
+After appearing to muse, Margam added, "It will be necessary, then,
+that I overcome my scruples. I have only one thing to desire of you.
+We can work together during your residence here. I am going to show
+you the book which I have upon my breast, and wish you to give me
+yours."
+
+Daboul could not refuse; he was in a place where everything was
+subject to the power of the Sultan. Margam took the book, carelessly
+approached a burning pan, and threw it in. The magician wished to pull
+it out; but at that instant the real Sultan, coming from behind a
+curtain, stopped him.
+
+"Wretch," said he, "thy hour is come! Thou art in presence of Abaquir,
+thy victim, and at the same time of Ben-Hebraim, Sovereign of these
+dominions."
+
+Then, addressing his page, "Margam," said he to him, "lay aside your
+royal dress, and make my eunuchs approach. Infamous magician!"
+continued he, speaking to Daboul, "see how the deceitful illusions of
+thy art have hurried thee under the sword which must strike thee.
+Whither shall guilt flee when Heaven pursues it?--when the Divine
+vengeance arises from the earth to strike?"
+
+At these words the magician remained horror-stricken. But in a short
+time the terrible remorse which gnawed his conscience appeared to have
+the same effect upon him that the hot fire had upon his detestable
+book.
+
+"I burn!" exclaimed he at short intervals, and setting up dismal
+shrieks.
+
+"Let him be conducted from the palace," said the Sultan, "and let his
+head be cut off in presence of his slaves and of the people who are
+there assembled."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Aladin thus finished the history of the Sultan Hebraim and of his son;
+and, after a moment's silence, he again addressed himself to Bohetzad.
+
+"Sire, I might here apply to my own adventures the reflections which
+naturally arise from the history you have just heard. But if the
+decree of Heaven hath not determined my deliverance, there is no means
+whatever which could save me from the danger in which I am involved.
+The characters imprinted upon my forehead decide concerning my safety,
+and the success or the shame of my enemies. But at all events I shall
+remain rich in my innocence, and sooner or later it will triumph."
+
+Bohetzad, more irresolute than ever, gave notice by a signal that the
+minister was to be conducted back to prison.
+
+The seventh day had just appeared since the condemnation of the young
+Aladin had been so often deferred. It was the time of a festival. The
+grandees, the courtiers, and the nobility of the kingdom were
+assembled around the throne, a duty they were obliged to fulfil. The
+ten Viziers had all their creatures there. Some of these, authorized
+by the duties of their station, undertook to speak to the King
+against the Superintendent, by repeating all the strongest and most
+deceitful things that had been said, in order to bring the Sovereign
+to the resolution of exercising against this convicted criminal all
+the severity of justice. They finished by insinuating that, being
+descended from robbers, nothing was to be expected from him but
+crimes. Every one appeared to support these assertions by looks and
+gestures.
+
+The unanimity of these advices, in appearance so disinterested, shook
+the monarch once more. He thought himself obliged to acknowledge these
+marks of zeal by thanks, and to justify the irresolution of his
+conduct. "I do not mean," he said, "that the wicked should remain
+unpunished, but I would wish that the criminal himself, convinced that
+he has merited death, should be forced to acknowledge the equity of
+the judgment by which he is condemned."
+
+After this observation he ordered the criminal, who was still loaded
+with irons, to be brought before him.
+
+"Audacious young man!" said he to him, "you see around me the
+representatives of my nation, to whom the continuance of your life is
+a grievance. It is only by your death that the murmurings of my people
+can be appeased."
+
+"Sire," replied Aladin, with respect and dignity, "as to the crime
+with which so many voices seem to accuse me, and with whose vengeance
+I am pursued, I throw it always far from me, even to the shadow of
+suspicion. If the nation were here worthily represented, its voice
+would be the voice of God, and would be lifted up in favour of my
+innocence. This voice, to whose sound every one is deaf at this
+moment, yet resounds at the bottom of your Majesty's heart. The fowler
+has less power to smother with his hands the bird which he holds in
+them, than you have to take away my life. Your clemency alone would
+not have led you to have deliberated so long, if the finger of Allah
+did not weigh in your heart the atrocity of the imputations with which
+I am charged, and if the power of the star which rules my fortune were
+not opposed to my fall. I find, among the adventures of the family of
+Selimansha, innumerable circumstances that have a resemblance to
+mine. Balavan, his son, found, in attempting the death of one of his
+nephews, that no human power can hasten the moment of death marked out
+by Providence."
+
+"I should wish to know," said Bohetzad, "if you can show us in the
+history of this family an example of ingratitude like yours."
+
+
+HISTORY OF SELIMANSHA AND HIS FAMILY.
+
+
+Sire (replied the young Superintendent immediately) history has
+preserved to us the memory of a King of Persia, named Selimansha, who
+possessed all the virtues of a great Sovereign. His family consisted
+of two sons, but was increased by an only daughter of Kalisla, his
+brother, whom the latter, when dying, had entrusted to his care.
+Sensible of his preference, Selimansha forgot nothing in order to
+return his confidence. His love for his brother, joined to the purest
+virtues, engaged him to bestow the greatest care on the education of
+this Princess, whom he looked upon as his own daughter. Favours so
+delicate met in this young disciple the happiest dispositions, and
+soon brought her to a great degree of perfection.
+
+From the age of twelve the charms of her person and the graces of her
+mind caused her to be remarked by persons of her own sex as the star
+of morning in the bosom of the firmament. Her well-stored memory
+always enabled her to display the soundness of her judgment. She was
+so well acquainted with the Koran as to repeat chapters of it at
+pleasure, and she explained its meaning with a precision that
+delighted every hearer.
+
+Selimansha, seeing his amiable niece fit for marriage, thought he
+could not dispose of her hand better than by bestowing it on one of
+his sons. He proposed this to the Princess, leaving her, however,
+absolute mistress of her choice.
+
+"It is only your happiness that I seek, daughter; pronounce, and my
+will shall follow your decision."
+
+"On whose judgment could I better rely than on yours?" replied
+Chamsada. "I commit myself entirely to the tenderness of which I have
+every day the most affecting proofs, and I submit with pleasure to
+everything which your wisdom shall determine concerning me."
+
+"Your confidence flatters me," replied the good monarch, "and would
+redouble my affection for you were it capable of being increased.
+Since you leave to me the disposal of your lot, I will join it to that
+of my second son. The happy similarity which I have observed in your
+dispositions seems to me to promise the most agreeable union. I
+discern in him virtues which, now unfolding themselves, will soon
+become the rivals of your own. You are born to govern kingdoms, and I
+think he possesses virtues worthy of a throne. In giving him your
+hand, and in allotting him my crown, I promote your happiness, his,
+and that of my people."
+
+The amiable Princess cast down her eyes, while she thanked her uncle
+for his goodness. Selimansha immediately ordered the preparations
+necessary for the celebration of the nuptials.
+
+Public rejoicings followed it, and manifested the general
+satisfaction. They lasted sixty days. At the end of this term
+Selimansha, desirous of repose, abdicated the crown in favour of the
+son to whose fortunes he had just united the lovely Chamsada.
+
+Balavan, the eldest of Selimansha's sons, expected to ascend the
+throne at the death of his father. Smitten with the charms of his
+beautiful relation, he was reckoning upon offering her his hand, and
+associating her with his fortune. Indignation and jealousy took
+possession of his heart when he saw the rank and happiness to which he
+thought himself called by the right of age pass into the hands of his
+brother. Even if his merit had not been a reason for this preference,
+he knew that the Sovereigns of this part of the East have the power of
+choosing their successors in their family without regard to the
+prerogatives of age. But the impetuous Balavan thought they should
+have departed from this usage in his behalf, and followed that of
+other nations.
+
+The birth of a son to his brother increased his rage, and was another
+obstacle to his pretensions. He found means to introduce himself
+secretly into the apartment of the King his brother, and with a
+furious hand plunged his poniard into his breast. He entered with the
+same precautions and the same design into that where the infant was
+asleep; but lifting the veil which concealed this young Prince, more
+beautiful than the day, a supernatural feeling seemed to withhold his
+hand.
+
+"Thou shouldst have been my son," said he, "if injustice had not torn
+from me the heart and the hand of Chamsada."
+
+And recognizing at the same time in this innocent victim the features
+of her whose charms he adored, an involuntary emotion made him strike
+a feeble blow; the poniard wavered in his trembling hand, and the
+wound of the stroke was not mortal.
+
+Balavan was only induced to spare his sister-in-law from the hopes he
+entertained of one day obtaining her hand. This hope, however,
+restrained his murdering arm. As for Selimansha, he escaped this
+monster by the vigilance of his guards. At the moment when he
+approached the apartment of his father, in the dreadful design of
+completing his crimes by embruing his hands in his parent's blood, he
+was perceived by a slave, who, assisted by the eunuchs of the guard,
+deprived the murderer of every hope of success in the crime he was
+about to commit. Convinced then that he could not escape suspicion, he
+fled and concealed himself on the frontiers of the kingdom, in a
+castle fortified both by nature and by art.
+
+Day, which began to appear, was soon to discover the horrors of this
+bloody night. With the first rays of morning the nurse went to feed
+her tender care, whose blood deluged the cradle. Lost in astonishment,
+she ran to the apartment of the King and Queen to announce this fatal
+news. Her despair and shrieks went before her, and awakened Chamsada.
+The unhappy Queen opened her eyes, and found her husband breathing his
+last at her side. The cries of the nurse made her dread misfortunes
+still more terrible. A widowed spouse and a weeping mother, she ran to
+the cradle of her son and took him in her arms. He still breathed, and
+she conceived the hope of saving his life. The whole palace was in
+motion. Selimansha arrived with his eunuchs, and surgeons were called,
+whose skill and attention restored the life of this innocent creature.
+But they were employed to no purpose on the body of the young monarch,
+whose death the unfortunate Chamsada deplored. Aromatic and medicinal
+herbs and the balms of the East produced their effect on the wound of
+the child, and rekindled the hopes of his mother. He was again placed
+in the bosom of his nurse, and the presumptive heir of Selimansha was
+at length out of danger.
+
+In the meantime the aged monarch endeavoured to discover the murderer
+of his children. The hasty flight of Balavan, his poniard stained with
+blood, which was found in the apartment, soon confirmed the suspicions
+to which his vicious disposition had at first given rise. The
+unfortunate old man with difficulty restrained the excess of his
+grief.
+
+"Heaven," exclaimed he, "keep far from me the angel of death, since it
+is your will that I should still be useful on earth."
+
+After this he assembled the grandees and the Viziers, and announced to
+them his intention of resuming the reins of government.
+
+His first care was to comfort the disconsolate Chamsada, and they
+agreed in directing their attention to the lovely infant whom
+Providence had preserved. While they strengthened his constitution,
+they also formed his understanding and his heart. The mother explained
+to him passages of the law which ought to guide his manners and his
+conduct, and the old man instructed him in the important knowledge of
+the world and of men.
+
+At the age of eight, the young Prince was so robust that he was able
+to handle arms and endure the fatigue of riding; and in a few years
+more, his moral virtues were unfolded, and promised one day to eclipse
+those which had shone so conspicuous in the King his father.
+
+Selimansha, now judging that his grandson, with the assistance of good
+counsel, was capable of wearing the crown, resigned the reins of
+empire into his hands amidst the assembled divan, and caused him to be
+proclaimed King, under the name of Shaseliman, amidst the acclamations
+of the kingdom. The people, not yet recovered from astonishment at the
+dreadful stroke which had deprived them of a Sovereign they adored,
+promised his heir the same attachment, and expected from him the same
+love.
+
+The new King, directed by wise counsels, did not belie the happy
+anticipation of his subjects in his favour. The Cadis and Viziers,
+fulfilling with propriety the duties of their office, made the laws
+beloved, the wise and speedy execution of which confirmed the
+happiness of all. Equally punctual in the duties of religion as in
+those of the throne, Shaseliman was regular in his ablutions, attended
+prayers in the mosques, held three divans in the week, was every day
+busied with his ministers, and was found in every place where his
+presence was necessary to restore tranquillity and good order. The
+people, happy under his government, enjoyed their felicity in peace,
+when new crimes came to disturb it, and tear from them the hope of a
+durable happiness.
+
+The accursed Balavan, pursued by remorse at the crime which he had
+committed, and not thinking himself safe among a people by whom he was
+hated, left the fortified place where he had taken refuge, and
+attempted to retire into Egypt, in order to implore the protection of
+the Sovereign of that vast empire. There, concealing his crimes, he
+presented himself as an unfortunate Prince, the victim of a woman, and
+sacrificed by a father whom age had rendered weak. The King of Egypt
+received him with kindness, and was preparing to give him assistance,
+when an envoy of Selimansha arrived and demanded audience.
+
+This old monarch, informed by his spies of the road which Balavan had
+taken, had sent deputies to all the Courts at which this wretch might
+beg a retreat or support. A very full description was given of the
+fugitive, and all his crimes were mentioned.
+
+The Sultan, in communicating to the criminal the despatches he had
+received, gave immediate orders that he should be shut up in close
+confinement, waiting the sentence which an enraged father should pass
+against him. Such was the order intimated to Balavan, and such was the
+import of the answer which was given to the King Selimansha. But this
+father, too weak and affectionate, committed at once two capital
+blunders.
+
+In order to excite against his son all the anger of the Egyptian King,
+he had concealed from him that the young Shaseliman had escaped the
+mortal blow which was aimed at him. He did not correct this opinion
+in his second letter, and advised the King of Egypt to set the
+criminal at liberty.
+
+"Already too unhappy," said he, "I do not wish to stain my hand by
+tracing the order for my son's death. Let him wander from place to
+place, destitute of resources and assistance, having no companion but
+remorse, and no society but the tigers of the desert, less inhuman
+than himself. Assailed by want, tormented by grief, and detested by
+others, may he himself become the instrument of my vengeance, which I
+leave to the King of Kings."
+
+Upon this resolution, the Sultan set Balavan at liberty, and banished
+him for ever from his kingdom. Of this he gave an account to
+Selimansha, with whom he entered upon a much more agreeable
+negotiation.
+
+The fame of the beauty and valuable qualities of Chamsada had reached
+even to Egypt. Bensirak, the Sultan just mentioned, perceiving that it
+was possible to obtain her hand, made the proposal to Selimansha in
+the most urgent and respectful terms, beseeching him to gain the
+consent of her whom both nature and blood had made subject to him as
+his niece and daughter-in-law.
+
+The aged monarch of Persia, pleased with a demand which offered to his
+amiable niece so advantageous an establishment, instantly laid the
+proposal before her. The feeling Chamsada could not hear it without
+tears. Her heart still belonged wholly to the husband whom she had
+lost, and she must tear herself from the arms of her uncle and her
+child to be able to open her soul to the impressions of a new
+affection!
+
+"Alas! dear uncle," said she, "what sentiments will ever replace those
+whose sweetness I here experience? Where could I find duties so
+pleasant to fulfil?"
+
+"My dear daughter," replied Selimansha, "you are asked in marriage by
+one of the most powerful monarchs in the world. His virtues are highly
+praised, and his person favourably spoken of. Your son, whom I have
+placed upon my throne, stands in need of a protection more vigorous
+and lasting than mine. You will be able by your address to bring about
+a strict alliance betwixt the two monarchs. But forget not that, in
+order to procure the expulsion of Balavan, I have charged him with
+the double crime of having assassinated his brother and his nephew.
+Shaseliman reigns in Persia as a descendant of my house, and his
+mother must be concealed from Bensirak. You will become dearer to him
+when he can hope for your undivided affections, and that they will
+only be extended to the children who shall be born of this marriage.
+My experience hath taught me the weakness of the human heart. A
+powerful man always distrusts discourses in which personal interest is
+concerned. You can render your son upon the Persian throne the most
+essential services as a distant relation without being suspected of
+sacrificing the interests of your husband and children; but were you
+to speak in behalf of a son, you would be looked on as a mother
+blinded by an excess of love. Besides, it is very fortunate for us
+that Bensirak expects from our favour that which he might force from
+us by his power. Let us not by a refusal draw the scourge of war upon
+our people, and let us sacrifice to their repose and our own interests
+the pleasure we should have in living together."
+
+Chamsada made no opposition to these arguments, more specious than
+solid; and Selimansha in a short time returned, in answer to the
+Sultan, that his niece found herself extremely honoured by the choice
+of the powerful Sovereign of Egypt, and that she was ready to be
+united to him. On hearing this, the Sultan, intoxicated with joy, sent
+an ambassador with a superb retinue to bring his spouse. Selimansha,
+informed of the arrival of the Egyptian minister in his kingdom, went
+twenty leagues from his capital to meet him, received him in a
+magnificent camp, and after having feasted him for two days, delivered
+to him his niece. The ceremonies were shortened, as well to gratify
+the impatience of the Sultan as to conceal from the ambassador the
+secret of the existence of Chamsada's son. The aged monarch at that
+time assumed the dignity of envoy from the King of Persia, to fulfil
+the conditions of the treaty.
+
+No sooner had Chamsada arrived in the capital of Egypt, than the
+Sultan sent for the Mufti and the Cadi for the contract and ceremony
+of marriage. Their obedience was immediately rewarded by a present of
+robes and five thousand pieces of gold. The Princess entered the
+apartment allotted for the nuptials. A crowd of most beautiful slaves,
+and magnificently dressed, conducted her to the bath, carrying pots in
+which the most precious spices were burning. At her coming out of the
+bath she was dressed by her attendants with the greatest care. They
+fanned her with peacocks' feathers while her long and lovely hair was
+dressed, and spared no pains to attire her in the most costly
+garments, till her splendour outshone the lights of the apartment, and
+her beauty eclipsed that of everything around her. Thus attired, she
+was conducted to the Sultan.
+
+The monarch received her with demonstrations of the most tender
+affection, and seated her by his side. A supper was served up to them,
+of which the delicacy exceeded the profusion of the dishes; and he
+presented his future spouse with several boxes stored with the rarest
+jewels.
+
+In the meantime Chamsada, far from partaking of the public felicity
+and of the happiness of her husband, pined in secret. Separated from
+her son, she was occupied about him alone, to whom her heart was truly
+attached. Seconding the political and foolish views of her uncle, she
+would hazard nothing with the Sultan which might lessen the character
+of this respectable old man, and she durst not speak of her son. What
+evils, however, might she not have prevented by a proper confidence!
+And what might she not have expected from the love of Bensirak, which
+grew stronger every day!
+
+The event was soon to justify the tender uneasiness of the Queen
+respecting her son. Balavan, informed of the marriage of his
+sister-in-law with the Sultan of Egypt, and having learned that
+Selimansha reigned in Persia, felt his projects of vengeance awaken in
+his heart. He beheld himself deprived of the fruit of his crimes, of
+the throne of Persia, the object of his ambition, and of the beauty he
+was anxious to conquer. The wretch, delivered over to his
+inclinations, infested by every sort of crime the kingdom, which he
+hoped to seize after the death of his father. He lived by rapine and
+robbery.
+
+At length Selimansha, sinking under the weight of years, resigned his
+soul into the hands of his Creator. No sooner was Balavan informed of
+this event than he placed himself at the head of the banditti of whom
+he was the chief, stirring them up to revolt, drawing together new
+forces--gaining some by magnificent promises, and seducing others by
+the allurement of the gold which his crimes had amassed. They
+concerted their measures together. He dethroned his nephew, threw him
+into a dungeon, and was proclaimed in his stead.
+
+This cruel usurper, not content with his success, determined to put to
+death the innocent victim, who had formerly had such a miraculous
+escape from his murdering arm. But compassion, which could find no
+avenue to his soul, had entered the heart of his wretched accomplices.
+
+"We cannot consent to the death of a young man that hath done no
+evil," said they to Balavan: "keep him in close confinement if you are
+afraid of his interest, but spare his life."
+
+He was forced to comply with their demand, and shut up his nephew in a
+cave.
+
+Chamsada, having heard this afflicting news, was unable to restrain
+her excessive grief. But she could not inform her husband of the
+misfortunes of her son without exposing the memory of her uncle
+Selimansha, without representing him as an impostor, since he had
+written that the young Shaseliman had been assassinated. In the
+meantime the detestable Balavan completed the conquest of Persia. All
+the grandees of the kingdom came to pay him homage. The young
+Shaseliman remained shut up four years, scarcely receiving as much
+food as was necessary for his subsistence. Loaded with misfortune, his
+beauty no longer recalled the image of his mother, of whom he was the
+perfect resemblance. At length it pleased Providence, that watched
+over him, to relieve him for a time from so many evils.
+
+Balavan, seated in his divan and surrounded by a brilliant Court,
+seemed to enjoy in peace an authority which appeared immovable. In
+midst of grandees whose confidence he thought he possessed, and of
+courtiers whose flattery he received, a voice was heard. This voice,
+sacred to truth, and still devoted to the memory of Selimansha, spake
+as follows:
+
+"Sire, Heaven has crowned you with prosperity: in giving you, with
+this empire, the hearts of your people, your throne appears to rest
+upon an immovable foundation; show yourself more and more worthy of
+the favours of the Most High. Cast a look of compassion upon a feeble
+young man, whose innocence is his only support; who never opens his
+eyes to the light but to shed tears; every moment of whose existence
+has been marked by sufferings and misfortune. The unfortunate
+Shaseliman never could offend you: restore him his liberty."
+
+"I would agree to your request," replied Balavan, "had I not some
+reasons to fear that he would form a party against me, and become the
+leader of the malcontents whom a King never fails to make in spite of
+his best intentions."
+
+"Alas! sire," replied the Prince who had spoken, "who would follow a
+young man in whom nature is partly wasted by suffering, and whose soul
+has no longer any vigour? Your subjects are devoted to your interest,
+and where would he find any who would be foolish enough to cherish
+ambitious designs against you?"
+
+Balavan yielded to these arguments, and affecting clemency in the
+presence of his Court, he set the young Shaseliman at liberty, dressed
+him in a rich robe, and gave him the command of a distant province.
+But this was not so much with a view to procure him prosperity as to
+get rid of him altogether, by sending him to the defence of a country
+which was continually exposed to the attacks of Infidels. He presumed,
+with some reason, that he would sacrifice his life there, since none
+of his predecessors had ever escaped the dangers with which that part
+of Persia was threatened.
+
+The young Prince departed with a small party. Scarcely had they
+arrived at the place of their destination when the conjectures of his
+uncle Balavan were partly verified. The Infidels made an irruption.
+Shaseliman, having nothing to oppose to them but a handful of men, was
+forced to yield to numbers, and fell himself into the hands of the
+enemy. But they, on account of his age and beauty (departing from the
+cruel usage they practised on such occasions), instead of putting him
+to death, were satisfied with letting him down into a well, where
+several Mussulmans were already shut up prisoners. This unhappy
+Prince, the victim of destiny, saw a whole year elapse in this
+dreadful captivity.
+
+These Infidels had a custom every year, on a certain day, of carrying
+such as they had made prisoners to be thrown from the top of a very
+high tower.
+
+Shaseliman was drawn up from the well, conducted to the top of the
+tower, and thrown down with others. But Providence, who watched over
+his life, made him fall upon the body of one of his companions in
+misfortune. This body partly bearing him up, and the air supporting
+his clothes, preserved him from a mortal fall. He was stunned by the
+rapidity of the motion, but he neither met with a fracture nor a
+contusion, and except a long swoon, he experienced no other accident.
+
+He was at length recalled to life amidst the unfortunate people who
+had lost it. His first step was to raise his soul to God, and to
+testify his gratitude to Him, through the intercession of His great
+Prophet. He discovered that he was in the middle of an immense forest,
+and that the corpses which surrounded him must necessarily attract the
+wild beasts; he therefore removed from this dangerous spot. He walked
+all night, and as soon as he thought himself beyond the reach of men
+and animals, he ascended a tree, endeavouring to conceal himself in
+its foliage from the notice of travellers, and supporting himself by
+wild fruits. This way of life he constantly pursued till he reached
+the dominions of Balavan his uncle.
+
+He was near entering the first city of Persia when he perceived five
+or six men conversing together. Perceiving them to be Mussulmans, he
+accosted them, and gave them an account of the treatment he had
+received from the Infidels, and of the miraculous way in which he had
+been saved. The simplicity of his relation leaving no room to suspect
+its truth, they were affected with compassion in his favour, and
+conducted him to their house, where he enjoyed all the rites of
+hospitality. After some days' rest he took leave of his benefactors,
+in order to continue his journey towards the capital where Balavan
+reigned. His hosts, after furnishing him with whatever he had need of,
+showed him the way, without suspecting that the young man whom they
+had entertained in so obliging a manner was the nephew of their
+Sovereign.
+
+The young Prince walked night and day. Fatigued, tired, his legs and
+feet torn by the brambles and flints, he at length arrived under the
+walls of Ispahan, and sat down near a basin which served as a
+reservoir to a neighbouring fountain. Scarcely had he time to recover
+his breath, when he saw several gentlemen on horseback approaching.
+They were officers of the King who were returning from the chase, and
+were going to give their horses drink. Looking about them, they
+perceived the young Shaseliman; and notwithstanding the disorder of
+his dress, and the change which sufferings and dejection had made upon
+the natural charms of his countenance, they easily distinguished its
+sweetness and beauty, and were not able to look at him without feeling
+an emotion of the most tender interest.
+
+"What are you doing here, young man?" asked one of the officers.
+
+"Brother!" replied the wise Shaseliman, "you know the proverb: 'Ask
+not a stranger who is naked where are his clothes.' Let that answer
+for me. I am hungry and thirsty, I am weak and deprived of every
+resource."
+
+At this reply one of the officers ran to their beasts of burden, and
+taking some venison and bread, brought it to him. As soon as he had
+profited by this food, and seemed to have sufficient strength to
+continue the conversation,
+
+"Brother!" said one of the officers of the company to him, "we are
+interested in your fortune. Would it be indiscreet in us, should we
+beg of you to give us some account of your history?"
+
+"Before satisfying you," replied the unfortunate Prince, "answer, if
+you please, one question of the greatest consequence to me. Is King
+Balavan, your Sovereign, still alive?"
+
+"Do you know the King?"
+
+"Yes. You see before you Shaseliman, his nephew."
+
+"How can you be Shaseliman," replied the officer, "since we know that
+his uncle, after delivering him from a dungeon in which he had been
+for four years shut up, gave him the command of a province, where it
+was impossible but he must have died by the hands of the Infidels?
+Besides, we have heard that he was thrown down from the summit of a
+high tower by them with many other Mussulmans."
+
+Then the young Prince, in order completely to convince them, entered
+into the detail of all his adventures, and of the wonderful manner in
+which Providence had preserved his life. At this relation the officers
+were struck with astonishment: they prostrated themselves at his feet
+and watered his hand with their tears.
+
+"You are King, sire," said they to him, "the son of our rightful
+Sovereign, and in all respects worthy of a better fate. But, alas!
+what do you come to seek at a Court where you can find nothing but
+death? Recollect the cruelties of which you have been the victim--the
+treatment you have experienced, and the dangerous snare by which,
+under the shadow of power, you were devoted to certain death in the
+office to which you were appointed. Fly! Seek the country where the
+beautiful Chamsada reigns Queen over the heart of the Sultan of Egypt.
+It is there you will find happiness."
+
+"Alas! how can I direct my steps to Egypt? Selimansha, my grandfather,
+deceived the Sovereign of that empire by assuring him that I was dead:
+my mother and I would be considered as impostors should I hazard an
+appearance there."
+
+"You are right," replied he to him; "but should you be reduced to the
+necessity of living concealed in Egypt, you will at least be beyond
+the reach of your uncle's attempts, whose cruelties you will not
+escape if he learns that you are alive."
+
+To these advices the oldest of the officers likewise added his
+entreaties.
+
+"O my master and my King!" said he to the Prince, throwing himself on
+his knees, "the only and true descendant of Selimansha! Alas! must the
+slave who for thirty years was subject to his orders, who was the
+witness of his virtues and the object of his kindness, see you reduced
+to this depth of misfortune? Does fate, then, pursue this monarch even
+beyond the grave? Fly, dear Prince and wait not till you are attacked
+by greater misfortunes!"
+
+Each of them was eager to supply the most urgent necessities of
+Shaseliman. One stripped himself of part of his garments in order to
+clothe him; another divided with him his little provision; and all
+together made up a small sum of money, which might enable him to
+continue his journey. The unfortunate Prince, availing himself of
+their beneficence and counsel, took his leave. They did not separate
+from him without giving proofs of their attachment; and Shaseliman
+began his journey, recommending himself to God, and Mahomet His great
+Prophet.
+
+After a long and fatiguing journey, he at length arrived in Egypt,
+where Chamsada, his mother, reigned. When he drew near to Grand Cairo,
+he was unwilling to enter that great city, lest he should expose
+himself to discovery. He therefore stopped at a village at a little
+distance from the road, with the intention of entering into the
+service of some of its inhabitants. He offered himself to a farmer of
+the place to tend his flocks. He did not demand high wages, and lived
+in this obscure and miserable situation, subsisting with difficulty on
+the crumbs which fell from his master's table.
+
+But while the presumptive heir of the Persian throne was reduced to
+such a strange situation, how was Queen Chamsada employed? Every day
+this disconsolate mother felt her uneasiness increase. In the struggle
+betwixt her affection for her son and the secret which she must keep
+from the monarch, for the sake of her uncle's honour, her situation
+was as distressing as that of Shaseliman. There was at the Court of
+Bensirak an old slave of Selimansha, who had accompanied the Queen
+into Egypt, and who since that time had remained in her service. He
+had all her confidence, and was frequently the depository of the
+uneasiness of this tender mother. One day she perceived him alone, and
+made him a signal to approach her.
+
+"Well," said she to him, "you know my attachment for my son; you know
+my fears on his account, and you have taken no step in order to know
+what has become of him."
+
+"Queen!" replied the slave, "that which you wish to know is extremely
+difficult, and I know no means by which I could get information of it.
+You know that you have yourself confirmed the report of his death,
+which was attested by Selimansha; and although by chance your son
+should appear here, how could you destroy the public opinion? How
+could you make him known?"
+
+"Ah! would to God that my son were here, although I should even be
+deprived of the pleasure of seeing him. To know that he was still
+alive would be sufficient to confirm my repose and happiness."
+
+"Queen," replied the slave, "I am willing to sacrifice my life for
+you: what do you require of me?"
+
+"Take from my treasures," said the Queen, "the sum which you judge
+necessary for your journey: go to Persia and bring my son."
+
+"Money alone is less necessary here than prudence. Some plausible
+reason must be given for the journey which your Majesty proposes to
+me. You know that the Sultan honours me with his bounty, and that,
+engaged in his service, I cannot remove from his Court without his
+express permission. You yourself must ask and obtain it under some
+specious pretence, which may prevent him from entertaining any
+suspicion, and at the same time secure the success of your
+application. Tell him that during the disturbances which preceded the
+death of your husband you concealed, in a place known only to me, a
+casket of precious jewels, which you were anxious to put beyond the
+reach of accident. Beseech his Majesty to grant you permission to send
+me into Persia in search of this treasure. The care of the rest
+belongs to me."
+
+The Queen, convinced of her slave's attachment, and approving his
+counsels, flew instantly to put them in execution, and found no
+difficulty in obtaining her desire.
+
+The faithful emissary speedily departed, disguised as a merchant, that
+he might not be recognized in Persia. After much fatigue, he arrived
+at Ispahan, and having privately made inquiry concerning the fate of
+Shaseliman, received at first the most distressing accounts of him.
+
+Some days after, as he was walking in the environs of the palace, he
+found by chance one of the officers who had assisted the young Prince
+when he was sitting near the fountain which we have already mentioned.
+Having served together under the reign of Selimansha, they
+recollected one another, and entered into conversation.
+
+"You come from Egypt," said the officer: "did you meet Prince
+Shaseliman?"
+
+"Shaseliman!" replied the slave. "Ah! can he be alive after the
+dreadful news that are spread here concerning him?"
+
+"Yes, he is alive, and I will tell you, in confidence, how we learned
+this."
+
+He then related everything which had befallen him, as well as the
+other officers, when they had met the Prince, and how, upon their
+advice, the latter had taken the road to Egypt.
+
+The pretended merchant, transported with joy, wished, in his turn, to
+return the confidence of his former companion, and revealed to him the
+whole mystery of his mission into Persia; after this he took his leave
+of him to return into Egypt. In every place through which he passed he
+made diligent inquiry after the young Prince, describing his
+appearance as the officer had represented it to him. Being arrived at
+the village where he expected to meet him, he was very much surprised
+that no person could give any information concerning him. As he was
+preparing to continue his journey, he found, at his going out of the
+city, a young man asleep under a tree, near which some sheep were
+feeding quietly.
+
+He cast a look of compassion upon this poor creature, whose tattered
+garments announced his misery.
+
+"Alas!" said he, "it is impossible that this can be the man whom I
+seek. This is doubtless the child of some unhappy shepherd. My trouble
+will be lost; yet what do I risk by awaking this young man, and
+inquiring concerning the person of whom I am in search? Let me not
+neglect even this hopeless expedient."
+
+Having soon awakened him, he put the same questions to him which he
+had been accustomed to propose to every one.
+
+"I am a stranger in these places," replied Shaseliman, who was afraid
+to make himself known, being ignorant of the motives of this
+curiosity; "but, if I am not greatly mistaken, from the description
+which you have given, the person whom you are in search of is
+Shaseliman, the young King of Persia, and grandson to Selimansha. His
+father was killed by his barbarous brother Balavan, who usurped his
+throne; the son was wounded in his cradle, yet Allah preserved the
+life of that unfortunate infant."
+
+"O Heaven!" exclaimed the slave, "am I so happy as to hear Shaseliman
+mentioned? How, young man, have you guessed the cause which made me
+travel from Egypt into Persia? Who could inform you of it? Do you
+know, then, what has become of this unfortunate Prince? Shall I reap
+at length the fruit of my anxiety and labours? Where could I find
+him?"
+
+When Shaseliman was convinced that he who thus spoke to him was a
+messenger from his mother, he thought he might make himself known.
+
+"In vain would you run over the whole world," said he to him, "in
+order to find Shaseliman, since it is he who now speaks to you."
+
+At these words, the slave fell at the feet of his Sovereign, and
+covered his hands with tears and kisses.
+
+"Ah," exclaimed he, "how overjoyed will Chamsada be! What happy news
+shall I bring to her! Remain here, my Prince: I am going to find
+everything that is necessary for your going with me."
+
+He ran quickly to the village, and brought from it a saddled horse and
+more suitable clothes for Shaseliman, and they both took the road to
+Grand Cairo.
+
+An unforeseen event interrupted their journey. As they were crossing a
+desert, they were surrounded by robbers, seized, plundered, and let
+down into a well. Shut up in this frightful place, the slave abandoned
+himself to grief.
+
+"How! are you disconsolate?" said the young Prince. "Is it the
+prospect of death which terrifies you?"
+
+"Death hath nothing dreadful to me," replied he; "but can I remain
+insensible to the hardships of your lot? Can I think calmly upon the
+loss which the sorrowful Chamsada will suffer?"
+
+"Take courage," said Shaseliman. "I must fulfill the decrees of the
+Almighty. All that has happened to me was written in the Book of Life;
+and, if I must end my days in this dreadful abode, no human power can
+rescue me from it, and it becomes me to be submissive and resigned."
+
+In these sentiments and in this dreadful situation did this virtuous
+Prince and his slave pass two days and two nights.
+
+In the meantime, the eye of Providence continually watched over
+Shaseliman. It brought the King of Egypt, in pursuit of a roebuck, to
+the place where this Prince was shut up. The animal, struck by a
+deadly arrow, came to lie down and die on the brink of the well.
+
+A hunter, outstripping the King's retinue, came first to seize the
+prey. As he approached it, he heard a plaintive voice from the bottom
+of the well. Having listened to ascertain whether it was so, he ran to
+report this to the King, who was speedily advancing with his train,
+and ordered some of them to descend into the well. Shaseliman and the
+slave were immediately drawn out of it. The cords which tied them were
+cut, cordials recalled them to life; and no sooner had they opened
+their eyes than the King recognized in one of them his own officer.
+
+"Are not you," said he to him, "the confidant of Chamsada?"
+
+"Yes, sire, I am."
+
+"Well, what has brought you into this situation?"
+
+"I was returning," said the slave, "loaded with the treasure the Queen
+had ordered me to search for in Persia; I was attacked by robbers,
+plundered, and thrown alive into this sepulchre."
+
+"And who is this young man?"
+
+"He is son to the nurse of your Majesty's august spouse. I was
+bringing him to your Court, with the view of procuring him a place."
+
+After these two unfortunate men had received proper food, the King
+returned to his palace. He flew instantly to Chamsada, to give her an
+account of what he had seen, of the return of her slave with a young
+man, and of the loss of her treasure. When the Queen learned that they
+had been thrown into a well, grief took possession of her soul. She
+tried to hide her disorder, which was, however, betrayed by the
+visible alteration of her countenance under the mask of apparent
+tranquillity. The King, who was looking at her, and perceived the
+efforts she employed to restrain herself, wished to penetrate into the
+cause of her trouble.
+
+"What is the matter with you, Chamsada?" said he. "Are you afflicted
+at the loss of your treasure? Is not mine at your disposal?"
+
+"I swear by your life, O glorious Sultan," replied she, "that I am
+less sorry for the loss of my treasures, than for the sufferings of
+the poor slave, of which I have been the cause. I have a feeling
+heart, and you know how much I am affected by the misfortunes of
+others."
+
+However, as the King continued to relate the adventure of the well,
+and as she learned that the slave and the young man had been drawn up
+from it, she recovered her tranquillity, and at the end of her
+husband's relation her feelings were entirely calm.
+
+"Be comforted, my dear Chamsada," said he to her. "If all that I
+possess is not sufficient to make up for the loss of your treasure,
+think that you have one that is inexhaustible in the affection of a
+heart which is yours for life."
+
+Having said this, he retired.
+
+As soon as Chamsada was alone she called for her slave. He gave her an
+account of the manner in which he had got information of the Prince's
+adventures; of the means which Providence had employed in saving him
+from the cruelties and snares of his uncle; of the barbarity of the
+Infidels; and even of his too great confidence, when, having escaped
+being dashed to pieces by the fall, from which no Mussulman before him
+was ever saved, he was about again to deliver himself into the power
+of the barbarous Balavan. He continued his recital even to the moment
+when, drawn up from the well, the young Prince had been seen by the
+Egyptian monarch, whose curiosity he had excited.
+
+The Queen then interrupted him.
+
+"Ah!" said she to him, "what answer did you make to the King when he
+asked you who this young man was?"
+
+"Alas!" replied the slave, "I told a lie, and I beseech you to pardon
+it. I told him that he was the son of your nurse, and that he was
+intended for his Majesty's service."
+
+"Wise and faithful friend!" exclaimed Chamsada, her eyes bathed in
+tears, and still moved with what she had heard, "what gratitude will
+ever repay the service you have rendered to the most tender mother?
+Watch over my son. I trust him to your zeal and prudence. Never shall
+I forget the obligation I am under for what you have already done for
+him, and for what your attachment may still be able to do."
+
+"Queen! the recommendation is unnecessary. I know what I owe to the
+posterity of my Sovereigns, and there is no sacrifice I am not ready
+to make for your Majesty."
+
+These were not empty promises; the slave was no courtier. Considering
+what care and precaution would be necessary to repair the health and
+constitution of the young Prince, wasted by sufferings and fatigue, he
+made this his only study. A salutary and light diet, the use of the
+bath, and moderate exercise, gradually succeeded in renewing his
+strength. Nature resumed her empire; his body and mind regained their
+energy and every external charm, restored at length to the fairest of
+Queens the most beautiful Prince in the world.
+
+A happy similarity of disposition gained him the monarch's heart, who
+distinguished this page above all the rest. He soon became so
+necessary to his service, that he alone was admitted into his private
+apartment. The monarch boasted continually of his virtues, and praised
+this new favourite to the grandees of his Court, endeavouring to
+render him as dear to them as he was to himself.
+
+Amidst these flattering praises, which resounded in the ears of
+Chamsada, what conflicts of tenderness did not this feeling mother
+experience in the loss of her own son! She often perceived him, but
+durst not cast upon him one affectionate look. She was forced to
+restrain the affection of her heart, and give no visible tokens of her
+regard. Every day she observed his steps, and secretly longed for the
+moment when she might pour out her soul in his embraces. As he passed
+one day before the door of her apartment, and when she presumed no one
+would perceive her, she suddenly yielded to a mother's transports,
+threw herself on his neck, and in that happy moment forgot many years
+of sorrow.
+
+While this fond mother was indulging the sweetest feelings of nature,
+danger surrounded her. One of the King's ministers, coming
+accidentally out of the neighbouring apartment, was the unintentional
+witness of this scene. He was uncertain what to think of it. As
+Chamsada was veiled he might have mistaken her. But having asked of
+the eunuchs the name of the lady who inhabited the apartment before
+which he had passed, he came trembling to his Majesty, eager to
+discover the mystery of which chance had made him a witness. The
+charming page had already gone before him to the throne.
+
+"August Majesty," said the minister, "you see me still in horror at
+the crime which has just now been committed, and of which I have been
+a witness. Pardon me, sire, if I am under the necessity of discovering
+to you the conduct of a spouse whom you have loved too dearly, but as
+I passed before her apartment, I saw her embracing the vile slave who
+is at your side."
+
+He knows not the power of the passions who cannot figure to himself
+the sudden revolution which this report occasioned in the soul of the
+enamoured Sultan. The confusion of Shaseliman seemed still to increase
+it, and to remove every doubt concerning the truth of the fact. The
+Sultan instantly ordered the young man and the slave who had brought
+him from Persia to be thrown into a dungeon.
+
+"What abominable treachery!" exclaimed he. "What! was this pretended
+treasure nothing but a slave?" And running hastily into Chamsada's
+apartment, "What has she become," said he, addressing himself to
+Chamsada, "whose prudence, wisdom, and love were the glory of my Court
+and the pattern of wives? How has this mirror of perfection been
+tarnished in a moment! How has she become my shame after having been
+my true honour, and a subject of reproach to the world after having
+been its admiration! How, alas! have appearances deceived me!
+Henceforward, every woman shall be dishonoured in my eyes, from past
+and present to all future generations."
+
+Having said this, the King went out, his soul struggling betwixt love
+and jealousy, fury and grief.
+
+Chamsada was astonished at the reproaches she had just heard, and
+tormented by the false suspicions to which her husband, whom she
+loved, was abandoned. But how could she remove them? She had always
+confirmed to the Sultan the false report of her son's death
+intentionally spread by her father Selimansha, and she could not
+venture to discover him at present without exposing him to the utmost
+danger. Alas! when one has so long wandered from truth, is it possible
+to return? Could one regain confidence who has not known how to
+deserve it by a sincere and timely confession?
+
+"No, no," would she say, "it was my inclination, and, without doubt,
+my duty, to spare the reputation of my uncle, and to-day I would in
+vain attempt to sully it. O Sovereign Wisdom! Divine Goodness! only
+resource of the innocent, to Thee I lift my hands and my heart. By
+invisible means you formerly snatched my unfortunate son from the
+snares of death with which he was on all sides surrounded. He falls
+into them still, notwithstanding his innocence. The fatality of his
+star draws along with him my faithful slave and myself, and even the
+Sultan my husband, who is weighed down by the too well-founded
+presumption of our crime. Deliver us, O Allah, from the horrors of
+suspicion! And thou, great Prophet! if thou bearest in thy heart thy
+faithful followers--if all thy prayers in their behalf are heard--make
+mine ascend before the God of Justice! And since all the wisdom of the
+world could not untie the fatal knot in which we are bound, be pleased
+to employ in this work thy omnipotent power."
+
+After this invocation, she placed her confidence in Allah, and waited
+the event with resignation.
+
+In the meantime the irresolute soul of the Sultan was abandoned to the
+greatest uncertainty. His passion for Chamsada seemed to acquire new
+strength in proportion as he attempted to destroy it. He knew not what
+step to take. How should he take vengeance on the guilty? How could he
+discern if they were both equally so? How could he know which of the
+two he ought to spare? How could he strike two objects who were so
+dear to him? Harassed by these painful and afflicting considerations,
+he lost his repose and his health, and his nurse, who still remained
+in the seraglio, was alarmed at this change. This woman, whom age and
+experience had rendered prudent, having deserved the confidence of her
+masters, had acquired the right of approaching them whenever she
+thought proper, and accordingly she went to the Sultan.
+
+"What is the matter with you, my son?" said she to him. "You are not
+as you used to be. You shun the amusements which, till now, appeared
+agreeable to your inclinations. Riding, walking, and hunting, please
+you no more. You do not now assemble your Court, nor give feasts and
+entertainments. I well know that you scarcely take food. What secret
+grief consumes you? Open to me your heart, my son. You know my tender
+attachment, and you ought to fear nothing from my indiscretion. We
+often allow ourselves to be prepossessed by phantoms, and perhaps I
+may be able to dissipate, in a moment, those which disturb your
+imagination. Trust me with your affliction, my son, and I hope to
+soothe it."
+
+Whatever confidence this Prince had in his good nurse, and
+notwithstanding the great estimation in which he held her excellent
+qualities, he did not think it proper to disclose his grief to her. He
+must speak against Chamsada, and this remembrance would make the wound
+bleed afresh which she had made in his heart. The sage old woman was
+not discouraged by the ill success of her first attempt: she watched
+every opportunity of being seen by her master; and the tender looks
+which she cast upon him seemed to say, "O my dear son! speak to me,
+unfold your heart to your good nurse." But all her cares were
+fruitless.
+
+Finding that she could not succeed by this method, and presuming that
+Chamsada must have been informed of the Sultan's grief, and
+conjecturing, moreover, that a woman would more easily reveal the
+secret which she wished to know, she flew to the Queen, whom she found
+plunged in sorrow apparently as deep as that which consumed the
+Sultan. She employed every method which address and experience could
+furnish her, in order to deserve the confidence of Chamsada.
+
+"But why this cruel reserve with me?" said the good nurse. "Look, my
+daughter, upon my grey hairs! If age and time have furrowed my brow
+with wrinkles, they have also given me experience. I am no more the
+sport of passion, and my counsels will be dictated by prudence."
+
+Chamsada, shaken but not convinced by these arguments, replied to her,
+
+"My secret is very weighty, my dear nurse; it weighs down my heart;
+but it is impossible it should ever come out of it. In trusting you
+with it, I must be well assured that it will remain for ever shut up
+in your breast."
+
+"Your wishes shall be fulfilled," said the old woman. "I am discreet,
+and never shall my lips divulge your secret; but let it be no more one
+with her who takes so lively an interest in your happiness."
+
+At length Chamsada could resist her no longer: she related to her all
+her adventures, and informed her that the young man of whom the Sultan
+was become jealous was her son Shaseliman, who had been supposed to
+have been dead.
+
+"O great Prophet, I thank you!" exclaimed the nurse. "Praised be
+Mahomet! we have nothing to struggle with but chimeras! Be comforted,
+my daughter: every cloud will disappear: I behold the rising of a
+bright day."
+
+"O my good mother, we shall never, never reach it. Never will this
+young man be believed to be my son. We shall be accused of falsehood,
+and I would prefer the loss of his life, and of my own, rather than be
+suspected of this infamy."
+
+"I approve of your delicacy," said the nurse; "but my precautions
+shall prevent everything that might hurt it."
+
+Upon this she went out, and immediately entered the Sultan's
+apartment, whom she found in the same state of dejection and sorrow in
+which she had left him; she embraced him and took him by the hand.
+
+"My son," said she to him, "you are too much afflicted. If you are a
+true Mussulman, I conjure you by the name of the great Prophet to
+reveal to me the true cause of the grief which afflicts you."
+
+Unable any longer to withstand the force of this intercession, the
+Sultan was forced to reveal all his distress.
+
+"I loved Chamsada with my whole heart," said the Sultan. "Her graces,
+her wisdom, her virtues, all the charms, in a word, with which she was
+adorned, appeared to me a delicious garden, where my thoughts wandered
+with delight. All is now changed into a frightful desert, where I see
+nothing but hideous monsters and dreadful precipices. Chamsada is
+faithless. The false Chamsada whom I adored, and whom I love still,
+has betrayed me. She has given her heart to a vile slave. I am fallen
+from the height of an imaginary happiness into a hell where every evil
+torments me. The two criminals must perish: nothing remains for me but
+to proportion the punishment to the crime, and endeavour to
+distinguish on which of the two my severest justice ought to fall.
+But, alas! what will it cost me to execute this fatal sentence! The
+same weapon which pierces the heart of my adorable Chamsada, will
+wound my own with a deadly stroke."
+
+"My son! do nothing rashly," said the nurse. "You may expose yourself
+to eternal repentance. Those whom you think guilty are in your hands:
+you will always have time to punish them: allow yourself time to
+examine them. 'Time,' says the proverb, 'is the wisest of all
+counsellors: many things are brought to light by time and patience.'"
+
+"Ah! my good nurse, what explanation can I expect? Is there any that
+could destroy an attested fact? Chamsada loves this young man; and
+pretending that she had a treasure in Persia, she abused my confidence
+and affection to obtain from me an order to go in search of him."
+
+"My dear son, be calm," said the old woman. "I have a method of laying
+open to you the soul of Chamsada. Cause your hunters to bring me an
+egret.[17] I will tear out the heart of this bird, which I will give
+to you, and as soon as Chamsada shall be asleep, you must bring it
+near hers, and it will be impossible for her to conceal from you the
+smallest secret."
+
+[Footnote 17: Egret. A bird with a tuft upon its head.]
+
+The King, delighted with having it in his power to discover so easily
+the mystery which kept him in such perplexity, instantly ordered his
+officers to go and catch an egret in his gardens. One was brought to
+him, which he immediately gave to the old nurse. She tore its breast,
+accompanying this action, extremely simple in itself, with a magical
+charm, and the Sultan was put in possession of its reeking heart.
+
+While the Prince was reflecting on the surprising virtues of this
+method, the nurse had gone secretly to the apartment of Chamsada.
+
+"Everything goes well," said she to her. "Let your heart be filled
+with hope, and let your mouth be prepared to disclose the truth,
+without any reserve. Expect this night to receive a mysterious visit.
+It will be from the Sultan himself, with the heart of an egret in his
+hand. As soon as you perceive that he brings it near yours, feign to
+be asleep, but answer with precision all the questions which he may
+put to you, and let truth flow from your mouth, unsullied by the
+slightest scruple."
+
+Chamsada tenderly thanked the nurse, and prepared herself to second
+this innocent stratagem, beseeching the favour of the holy Prophet to
+carry conviction to his heart who was endeavouring to discover the
+truth.
+
+As soon as night had spread her shades, Chamsada, contrary to her
+custom, signified that she had need of rest. She sent away her slaves,
+and threw herself upon a sofa. Scarcely had she been there two hours
+when the Sultan, impatient to prove the nurse's secret, presented
+himself at the apartment of his favourite: he found there the chief of
+the eunuchs.
+
+"How is Chamsada employed?" demanded he.
+
+"She had need of rest," replied the eunuch, "and I believe she is upon
+her sofa."
+
+The Sultan entered without making the least noise, and found her
+asleep. He approached very near her, in order the better to judge of
+the soundness of her sleep, and, thinking it profound, he judged it
+proper to try his experiment, and gently applied the heart of the bird
+to that of Chamsada, saying to her, "Chamsada, who is that young man
+whom you were caressing when one of my ministers surprised you?"
+
+"He is Shaseliman," replied she, without awaking, "the only child of
+my first marriage with the son of Selimansha my uncle."
+
+"This child was stabbed in his cradle; I am assured of this by letters
+from your uncle himself."
+
+"He was indeed wounded, but the stroke was not mortal; skilful
+surgeons restored him to life; and this was kept a secret from the
+murderer of my husband."
+
+"Why have you concealed it from me, who loved you so dearly?"
+
+"Because my uncle, whose memory I cherished, and wished to be
+respected, had for a political reason imposed upon you respecting this
+fact. If what I have told you does not appear possible, interrogate
+the young man, and his mouth will confirm the truth of this
+declaration."
+
+Having got this ray of light, the Sultan gave over his inquiries,
+withdrew from his spouse, whom he supposed still asleep, left her
+apartment, and gave orders that the young man and the slave should be
+brought out of the dungeons in which they were shut up. This order was
+immediately executed.
+
+The unfortunate Shaseliman, who was languishing in his prison,
+suddenly hearing the vaults resound with the noise of the bolts and
+keys, believed that his last hour was come, and that the ignominy of
+punishment was about to terminate his existence.
+
+"O Allah!" said he, raising his innocent hands to heaven, "my life is
+in Thy hands; to Thee I resign it; but watch over the life of my
+mother!"
+
+Shaseliman and the slave were brought before the Sultan. The Prince
+did not leave to others the care of proving a fact so important to his
+honour and repose. He ran to the young man, and searched in his bosom
+for the scar of Balavan's poniard; he found it, and, transported with
+joy, he exclaimed, "O Allah! for ever be Thou blessed for having
+preserved me from the dreadful crime I was about to commit! and thou
+His great Prophet, a signal mark of whose protection the virtues of
+Chamsada have drawn down upon me, to so many favours still add that of
+enabling me to efface, by my services, the dreadful sorrows I have
+occasioned, and the idea of the injustice I was about to commit!"
+
+Then throwing himself into the arms of Shaseliman, "Come, dear and
+unfortunate Prince, come to my heart! Let your image be joined there
+with that of my beloved Chamsada, that my most tender affections may
+henceforth be centred on one object alone! But deign to satisfy my
+curiosity, and inform me by what chain of events you have been
+conducted hither, unknown to all the world. How have you existed?
+Speak, Prince. I am impatient to know more particularly the person who
+restores me to happiness."
+
+Shaseliman, encouraged by the demonstration of such affecting
+kindness, then gave a faithful detail of his adventures, from the very
+moment in which he had been hurled from the throne into prison, even
+to that in which, reduced to the humble condition of a shepherd, he
+had been found by the messenger of his mother, surrounded by robbers,
+drawn up out of the well into which they had been let down, and
+conducted to the Court of the Sultan.
+
+While this recital engaged the attention of Bensirak, Chamsada, his
+spouse, although less troubled than on the preceding days, was not
+altogether in a tranquil state. The events had become too important
+for her. She endeavoured to find out with what design the Sultan,
+after having questioned her, had departed so abruptly. She had not
+been able to learn what he had done, nor what was become of him, since
+the confession which she had made to him. She was indulging these
+reflections, and continued sunk in the sleep in which the Sultan
+seemed to surprise her. All at once twenty slaves, carrying flambeaux,
+came to illuminate her apartment; they walked before the Sultan, who
+conducted by the hand and looked with kindness on the beloved son of
+the most virtuous of mothers. He had caused Shaseliman to be dressed
+in the most magnificent garments; he was adorned with beautiful
+diamonds, in which Bensirak had delighted to be decked on the days of
+triumph.
+
+"Soothe your sorrows, adorable Chamsada," cried he, throwing himself
+into her arms. "The favour of Heaven restores to you a husband and a
+son, whose feelings and affection secure your felicity for ever."
+
+Shaseliman, on his knees, kissed the hands of his mother; and tears of
+consolation expressed the sentiments of the son and of the delighted
+pair.
+
+As soon as day had succeeded this happy night, the Sultan assembled
+the best of his troops, and put himself at their head, accompanied by
+Shaseliman. He took the road for Persia, causing heralds go before
+him, and announce to the people of that kingdom that he was about to
+re-establish on the throne their rightful King, assassinated,
+persecuted, and dethroned by the usurper Balavan. Scarcely had they
+reached the frontiers of Persia, when a party of the faithful subjects
+of the old King Selimansha, always attached to the blood of this
+august family, came to range themselves under the banners of the
+Sultan of Egypt and of Shaseliman. The perfidious Balavan heard this
+intelligence, and endeavoured to assemble his forces, in order to
+dispute the ground with a powerful enemy who came to overwhelm him;
+but no one would repair to his colours, and he was obliged to shut
+himself up in his capital with his usual guard and the few subjects on
+whose fidelity he thought he could depend.
+
+But if virtue, pursued by a superior force, is so often deserted,
+where are the resources of guilt?
+
+Ispahan is invested, and Balavan, betrayed by his ministers, is
+delivered up to the Sultan Bensirak, who, turning his eyes from a
+monster who had dishonoured the throne by the most dreadful crimes,
+and directing himself to Shaseliman,
+
+"My son," said he, "to you I commit the scourge of your subjects and
+your father's murderer; dispose of his lot, and give orders for his
+punishment."
+
+"O my benefactor! O my father! it belongs not to me to dispose of
+him," replied Shaseliman; "vengeance must come down from above. Let
+him go to the frontiers to guard that dangerous post with which I was
+entrusted. If he is innocent, he will be preserved as I have been; but
+if he is guilty, his decree is pronounced, and nothing can suspend its
+execution."
+
+The Sultan approved of the decision of Shaseliman, and Balavan set out
+to make head against the infidels. But divine justice was now
+prepared to inflict its stroke. He was taken, chained, and thrown into
+the fatal well, where gnawing remorse and dreadful despair continued
+to torment him till the moment of his death.
+
+Meanwhile the presumptive heir of the Persian crown, the happy
+Shaseliman, seated on the throne of his ancestors, received the oaths
+of his people. He commenced a reign of which the wisdom and piety
+recalled to the Persians the sublime virtues of the Grand Caliph
+Moavie. The Sultan of Egypt, after having seen this young Sovereign
+shine in the splendour of the most distinguished virtues, and having
+tenderly embraced him, returned to his dominions, and by his presence
+completed the joy of Chamsada. Nothing afterwards disturbed the repose
+of this happy pair, and having reached at last the term allotted to
+human greatness, they fell asleep in that peace which is the portion
+of faithful Mussulmans.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"Sire," said Aladin to King Bohetzad, after having finished his
+recital, "see by what secret and wonderful ways Providence delivered
+Shaseliman from the hands of persecution! See how it led Balavan into
+the very gulf he had dug for another! No, Allah will never suffer
+guilt to triumph and innocence to be punished. His vigilance and
+justice nothing can escape, and sooner or later He will tear asunder
+the veil with which the wicked are covered. As for me, sire,
+encouraged by my conscience and convinced that man cannot alter the
+decrees of my destiny, I am always firm and hopeful. I only fear that
+your justice will light on your Viziers, my accusers."
+
+At this discourse, equally firm, wise, and modest, the King was left
+still more irresolute than ever.
+
+"Let the execution of the sentence be suspended," said he; "let this
+young man be conducted back to prison. The silence of the night, and
+the reflections which his recital will occasion, may enlighten my
+judgment, and to-morrow I shall more easily take my resolution."
+
+As soon as Aladin had been led back to his dungeon, one of the Viziers
+began:
+
+"Sire, your Majesty suffers yourself to be overcome by the magic of
+this young impostor's discourses. The great Prophet preserve you from
+yielding to sentiments of mercy in his behalf! When guilt remains
+unpunished, the splendour of the throne is obscured. You are seated
+there for no other purpose but to administer justice: the crime of
+this villain is evident, and his punishment ought to be signal; the
+most awful should be fixed upon, that it may serve as an example to
+such."
+
+"Let orders be immediately given," interrupted Bohetzad eagerly, "to
+erect a scaffold without the walls of the city, on the most elevated
+situation. Let the dread of death terrify those who might attempt to
+follow his footsteps. Such is my final resolution, and let it be
+announced to the people by the public criers."
+
+The ten Viziers were well pleased to hear this resolution. They hoped
+at length, by their secret plots, to make the object of their envy
+fall beneath the sword of justice, and were eager to order the
+apparatus of punishment.
+
+On the morning of the following day, which was the eleventh since the
+confinement of Aladin, the ten Viziers went to the King.
+
+"Sire," said they, "your orders are obeyed; your pleasure is known,
+and the people assembled round the spot wait only for him who is to
+die there."
+
+Bohetzad gave orders that the criminal should be brought to him. As
+soon as he appeared the ten Viziers lifted up their voices against
+him.
+
+"Wretch! offspring of villains!" said they to him, "the scythe of
+death is raised over thy head; thy stratagems are exhausted, and thou
+art about to receive the reward of thy crimes and rashness."
+
+"Audacious ministers," said Aladin, looking at them with a confident
+but modest air, "it belongs not to you to mark my forehead with the
+seal of death! If the decree which strikes me comes not from Heaven,
+what could all your attempts avail? Guilt alone can be afraid of them.
+But since I have nothing wherewith to reproach myself, had I even my
+head under the fatal sword, I should be preserved from the stroke,
+like the slave who was accused although innocent."
+
+"Sire," interrupted all the Viziers at once, "impose silence on this
+audacious fellow; he wishes still to deceive your Majesty by a new
+tale."
+
+"I wish not to impose upon the King," said Aladin; "it is you who
+cherish falsehood and imposture."
+
+"Stop!" said Bohetzad to him; "I will yet put my patience to a last
+effort, and agree to hear the history of your slave and of his
+deliverance."
+
+"Oh, the clemency of my King!" replied Aladin. "May truth at length
+reach your heart, which is so difficult of access! I wish not by a
+false relation to deceive your Majesty; the story I am going to relate
+is well known throughout all Chaldea."
+
+
+HISTORY OF THE KING OF HARAM, AND OF THE SLAVE.
+
+
+The King of Haram, uneasy at the manner in which his Viziers and Cadis
+administered justice in the provinces of his empire, went one night
+from his palace disguised, and only escorted by two eunuchs. By chance
+he passed near a dungeon, from whence he heard a plaintive and
+lamentable voice. He learned that this place served as a prison, in
+which criminals condemned to death were shut up; and approaching
+nearer it in order to hear distinctly the doleful accents, which
+appeared to come from the bowels of the earth, he heard these words:
+
+"O powerful Allah! Thou who watchest constantly over the unfortunate,
+stooping under the burden of his misery, wilt Thou suffer innocence,
+falsely accused, to sink under presumptions which a fatal destiny hath
+heaped upon it? Infinite mercy! none of Thy creatures are
+insignificant in Thy eyes; Thou hearest the cries of a worm; listen to
+that of Thy slave; and if my death is not determined by Thy
+providence, arrest the stroke with which I am threatened."
+
+A silence, interrupted only by sighs, succeeded this prayer. The King
+of Haram returned to his palace with a heart moved by these
+lamentations, and a spirit troubled with this adventure. In vain did
+he seek repose: the idea of the death of an innocent person agitated
+him, and he only waited the return of day to clear up this mystery.
+
+As soon as the sun had enlightened the earth, he called together his
+ministers, and described to them the place from which the cries came
+that had excited his pity. They informed him that the unfortunate
+person confined in this dungeon was destined to die that very day upon
+the scaffold. They gave him an account of his trial, from which the
+crime appeared clear, and two witnesses certified that the slave, whom
+his Majesty had heard, was the perpetrator of it. The King of Haram
+could not resist what human justice reckons evidence, and immediately
+confirmed the order for his execution.
+
+The slave, convicted of the crime, was taken from the dungeon: he
+walked to punishment with a firm and modest countenance; his hands
+bound, and his eyes lifted up to Heaven, which was now his only hope.
+He was at the foot of the scaffold; the executioners were preparing to
+strip him of his clothes, when an unexpected noise entirely changed
+the aspect of this scene of death. A hostile party, having formed the
+design of making themselves masters of the city, waited until the
+people, attracted by curiosity to see the execution, should have gone
+out of it. They hastily quitted the ambuscade in which they were
+concealed, fell upon the guard, and dispersed it. All those who
+endeavoured to defend it either fell by the sword or were made
+prisoners; not one escaped except the unhappy slave who was about to
+suffer an ignominious death.
+
+The enemy, dreading the approach of the King, then withdrew to a
+distance in order to increase their forces, carrying with them the
+booty they had got, and deferred to another time the consummation of
+their enterprise.
+
+Meanwhile, the slave, delivered from his chains by the hands of the
+enemy, and still fearing lest people should be dispatched to pursue
+him, gained the country, and walked day and night without stopping. At
+length, overcome with fatigue, he stopped under the shade of a laurel,
+which, from its size and height, appeared coeval with the world, and
+sat down. Opposite to this tree, and very near it, was the entrance of
+a dark cave; two torches threw a dreadful light around it, without
+altogether dispelling its darkness. His attention was fixed with
+astonishment on these objects, which inspired him with terror, when he
+thought he observed these two lights move and advance towards him.
+These bright fires were nothing but the glaring eyes of a monstrous
+lion, which came out of the cave and slowly approached the unhappy
+slave, who had nothing with which he could defend himself. The animal
+seized him, and, without hurting him, carried him into the cave. He
+instantly went out of it again, tore down the enormous laurel under
+which the man had been formerly seated, and, having placed it at the
+mouth of the cave in order to shut up its passage, ran into the desert
+in search of its mate, whom the need of food for their whelps had
+carried far from their common haunt.
+
+The mouth of this cave, shut up by the trunk of the tree, was
+inaccessible to all human power. However, there was still sufficient
+light left for the slave to view the inside of this dreadful
+habitation, to distinguish its inhabitants, and to see there the
+fragments of bones and food with which the ground was covered. He saw
+likewise two young lions couching on a heap of moss, who were not
+frightened by his presence. In an opposite corner he perceived a heap
+of human bones, the sad remains of the unfortunate whom the same
+destiny that had brought him there had drawn toward this frightful
+abode. Nevertheless, amid these objects, fear did not damp his
+courage: he turned towards the south, and, like a faithful Mussulman,
+addressed his prayer to the great Prophet with as much zeal and
+fervour as if he had been in the most splendid mosque and in the most
+secure asylum.
+
+Full of confidence in the Sovereign Arbiter of Destiny, he then cast
+his eyes into the dark cavities of this den. There were many clothes
+in it: he put his hand into the pockets of one garment, and found
+there a stone and a piece of steel for striking fire; the earth was
+covered with a dry moss, which served as litter to the savage
+inhabitants of this dwelling. The possibility of getting out revived
+his courage; and scarcely was the enterprise conceived when it was put
+in execution. He set fire to the moss which he had collected at the
+mouth of the cave; the flames penetrated the moist bark of the
+laurel's roots, and the fire speedily increasing, the tree lost its
+support and fell upon its side with a crash, so as to leave the mouth
+of the cave quite open. In examining this cave he had seen a bow,
+sabres, and poniards, which might serve for his defence. He had also
+discovered, by the light, a pan with coined gold, and pieces of this
+metal, with precious jewels of different kinds. Provided in this
+manner, with everything which could assist his escape, he armed
+himself with what was necessary, cut away with his sabre the burning
+branches which opposed his passage, and, blessing Heaven, at length
+recovered his liberty.
+
+Scarcely had the slave got out of this dangerous cave, when he
+perceived the lion at the distance of four bowshots, and the lioness
+somewhat farther off in the plain. He put upon his bow a deadly arrow;
+and the lion, thinking to dart upon his prey, ran with great rapidity
+against the arrow, which was discharged at him. The steel reached his
+heart, and he fell lifeless.
+
+The slave, freed from this enemy, soon had the other also to contend
+with. He darted another arrow, but it made only a slight wound. The
+animal, rendered still more furious, rushed forwards to throw him on
+the ground. The slave opposed her with his poniard, and plunged it
+into her side. The lioness, roaring aloud, made a new effort; but with
+his scimitar he struck off one of her fore-paws, and disabled her for
+further combat. She rolled along the earth, making the echoes resound
+with her roaring: the young lions from the cave answered her with
+hideous cries, which would have filled the most warlike soul with
+terror. In the meantime the conqueror secured his victory by piercing
+the animal in the vital parts, till at length she sank under the
+vigour of his arm. He ran immediately to kill the whelps, and drew
+them out of the cave. After this feat of valour, he looked in the
+plain for a tree, the fruit of which might afford him nourishment, and
+a stream in which he might quench his thirst; and still aided by
+Providence, everything seemed subject to his desires and offered
+itself to his hand.
+
+Having at length recruited his strength, exhausted by so much fatigue,
+he re-entered the cave whose inhabitants he had destroyed, made
+himself master of the treasures it contained, shut up its entrance
+with the branches of a tree, and, armed to as much advantage as
+possible, and furnished with gold and silver to satisfy his wants, he
+took the road to his native country. He arrived there at the end of
+some days, and gave an account of his history to his relations. Camels
+and slaves were dispatched to bring away the precious effects which
+were left in the lions' den. Possessed of so much riches, the
+beneficent slave shared them with the indigent. Not far from his
+habitation he built an asylum for caravans, pilgrims, and travellers
+who might be obliged to take that road; and from the spoils of a
+lions' den he erected a temple of charity.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"Sire," added Aladin, after having finished his relation, "you see how
+this slave, condemned to perish upon the scaffold, on the false
+evidence of his enemies, and in danger of being devoured by lions, was
+miraculously delivered from these dangers; while his accusers and
+enemies, eager to feast their eyes with the sight of his tortures,
+were massacred and punished. The King of Haram, deprived of part of
+his subjects, suffered the punishment of his negligence in not
+examining the proceedings himself, and not listening sufficiently to
+complaints which, although they moved his pity, had not armed his
+justice."
+
+Bohetzad felt an unusual struggle betwixt his own power, the relations
+and reflections of Aladin, and the solicitations of his ministers. A
+voice within him pleaded powerfully against the judgment he had
+pronounced; yet the orders which he had given publicly, the scaffold
+already prepared without the walls of the city, the crowd of people
+impatient to enjoy this execution, so long delayed, all seemed to
+increase the embarrassment of the King. His Viziers, seeing him
+hesitate again, were eager to fix his resolution by the strongest
+remonstrances; and going over all the arguments they had already
+alleged, they ended by alarming the King respecting the duration of
+his power.
+
+"I feel in spite of you," said the King, "that my heart revolts at
+what I am doing; nevertheless, as the safety of my kingdom depends
+upon this decree, I yield to your reasons. Let the criminal be
+conducted to punishment."
+
+That very instant the guard seized Aladin. He was bound with cords,
+loaded with chains, and led without the city to the place where he was
+to terminate his existence. The King himself, mounted upon an
+elephant, and followed by his whole Court, repaired to the place of
+punishment: he was seated upon a throne from which he would behold the
+execution. The unfortunate Aladin was already on the scaffold, when
+suddenly a stranger, rushing through the crowd, and removing the
+guards and every obstacle that opposed his passage, threw himself into
+the arms of Aladin.
+
+"Oh, my son! my dear son!" exclaimed he, the tears flowing in a
+torrent from his eyes. He could say no more, for grief stopped his
+utterance.
+
+This unexpected event threw the people into commotion, and the King
+gave orders that the stranger should be brought before him.
+
+"Sovereign monarch," said he to him, embracing his knees, "save the
+life of the unfortunate young man whom you have condemned to death. If
+a criminal must die, give orders for my punishment: I await it at your
+feet."
+
+"Who are you?" said the King. "What interest have you in this
+criminal?"
+
+"Sire, I am the chief of a band of robbers. Searching one day in the
+desert for a fountain to allay the thirst of my company, I found upon
+the grass, on the brink of a fountain, and at the feet of five
+palm-trees, which covered it with their shadow, a piece of cloth
+interwoven with gold, and some swaddling-clothes, on which an infant
+lay. Moved with compassion for this innocent creature, I carried him
+to my house, where my wife became his nurse. This child was not ours,
+sire; but he was to us a gift from Heaven, and became dearer to us
+than our own. He was endowed with such excellent qualities and so many
+virtues, that we regretted our having abandoned those which the
+exercise of our profession had made us forget; for in short--to my
+shame I avow it, sire--we were robbers. He followed us in our
+expeditions, and distinguished himself on every occasion by deeds of
+valour and humanity. We lost him in a conflict with your troops."
+
+No other circumstance was necessary to inform the King that he who was
+about to die by his command was his only son! He rushed from his
+throne, flew to Aladin, with his own poniard struck the cords off him,
+and clasped him in his arms, with marks of the most tender affection.
+
+"Ah! my son," exclaimed he, "I have been on the point of plunging in
+my heart the dagger of endless repentance. My heart must have been
+torn at the sight of a cruel punishment, and it has been mercifully
+converted into a spectacle of triumph and joy, whose ravishing
+splendour my soul can with difficulty support!"
+
+He again embraced Aladin, set him upon his elephant, and returned to
+the palace, amid the din of trumpets and the acclamations of the
+people.
+
+Baherjoa had been already informed of his unexpected happiness in
+finding a son for whose fate she had been so often alarmed. In a short
+time the King himself presented to her this dear child, dressed in
+such splendid garments that it was not easy to discover the alteration
+which a tedious confinement had produced upon him. The joy of this
+event soon spread through all ranks in the kingdom. Courtiers,
+merchants, and artists partook of it; the mosques were opened, and the
+people crowded thither to render thanks to Allah and His Prophet;
+public rejoicings testified the general happiness; the city of Ispahan
+was on this day transformed into a scene of pleasure; and everything,
+even the birds of heaven, sang the glory of the monarch and the
+deliverance of Aladin.
+
+The ten Viziers alone, far from participating in the public happiness,
+were thrown into a dark dungeon, where the remorse of their
+consciences anticipated the punishment which, at the end of the thirty
+days that had been appointed for feasting, they were doomed to suffer.
+At length, by the orders of the Sovereign, they were brought to the
+foot of the throne, which was now become so formidable to them. Aladin
+was seated at his father's right hand. They turned away their guilty
+eyes, and after a silence that imposed respect and terror, Bohetzad
+thus addressed them:
+
+"Pretended supports of my throne!" said he to them, "ministers so
+jealous of my glory! behold this criminal whom, with so much cruel
+obstinacy and such distinguished eagerness, you pursued. I ought to
+have sent him to punishment without hearing him! by listening to his
+stories, I exposed my glory, my safety, and the peace of my subjects!
+Justify yourselves if you can: you have liberty to speak."
+
+In vain did the King endeavour to make these guilty ministers open
+their mouths. They were seized with a mortal coldness; their eyes,
+fixed on the ground, could not be drawn from it; their lips quivered;
+their feeble limbs bent under their knees and seemed ready to fail
+them.
+
+"Speak," said Aladin to them in his turn: "where now is that
+attachment to the rules of justice which rendered you so eloquent
+against the son of a chief of the robbers, whose mere mistake was in
+your eyes a crime which ought to be expiated by the most infamous
+punishment? Are your courage and your zeal for the glory of the
+kingdom annihilated? Guilt weighs you down, remorse preys upon you,
+and you are confounded with shame."
+
+"Your sentence, already written in heaven," resumed Bohetzad, "is
+about to be executed on earth. On the scaffold where my son was to
+suffer let these ten wretches finish their days, and let the public
+criers announce this decree to the people."
+
+The order was instantly executed.
+
+Bohetzad then leading back his son to the palace, continually renewed
+the tender proofs of his affection.
+
+"Ah, dear son!" would he say, "how were you so little intimidated by
+the death which threatened you as to recollect all the circumstances
+you related? Whence have you drawn those numerous maxims and judicious
+reflections which can only be the fruit of experience and study?"
+
+"Sire," replied Aladin, "it was not I who spoke, but Heaven which
+inspired me. In my infancy I had not been neglected; and since the
+happy moment in which I had the good fortune to be placed near your
+Majesty, I have been perfected in wisdom. The woman, whom I took for
+my mother, early directed my attention to the divine Koran, by whose
+sacred precepts, she told me, I ought to regulate my conduct. And that
+which will appear most extraordinary to you, sire, is, that her
+husband, led away by the force of habit, brought up in guilt almost
+from his infancy, and not hesitating in the least to plunder caravans,
+should yet be afraid of breaking his word. He was a faithful husband,
+a kind master to his slaves, to me more than an affectionate father,
+and of all men the least greedy of plunder. He cherished me; and as at
+that time I was not so well informed as I am at present, I honoured
+him as a benefactor and loved him as a parent."
+
+"Enough respecting him, my son," replied the King. "Returning from the
+awful scene they have just beheld, and warned by the signal which the
+Muezzins have sounded from the tops of the mosques, the people are
+about to fill them. Order my treasurer to follow you; let plentiful
+alms and charity everywhere accompany your steps, and announce, in a
+suitable manner, the heir, whom, for the prosperity of my empire,
+Heaven has restored to my arms."
+
+As soon as the religious ceremonies were finished, the King ordered
+the chief of the robbers, who was known to have remained at Issessara,
+to be conducted to the bath, to be decently dressed, and brought to
+the palace, that he might enjoy the triumph of his adopted son. Far
+from reproaching him with his former manner of life, but presuming on
+the natural principles of this man, whom example had not corrupted,
+whom opportunities had not seduced, and whom want had not provoked, he
+appointed him to the command of a frontier province, where he must
+necessarily command respect by his activity and military talents.
+
+Bohetzad, Baherjoa, and Aladin, reunited by the ties of blood, of
+love, and of friendship, passed many years in unalterable affection,
+continually finding means to draw closer the knots which bound them
+together. At length, the monarch, feeling from his age and strength
+that it was time to resign the sceptre into more steady hands,
+assembled his divan, his ministers, Viziers, Cadis, lawyers, princes,
+lords, and all the grandees of the realm.
+
+"Nature," said he to them, "hath called my son to succeed me; but, in
+his miraculous preservation, Heaven has given a clear indication of
+its will. In putting the crown upon his head this day, I only obey its
+decrees, and give you a master more worthy than I to command."
+
+
+
+
+The Adventures of Urad; or, The Fair Wanderer.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+On the banks of the river Tigris, far above where it washes the lofty
+city of the Faithful, lived Nouri, in poverty and widowhood, whose
+employment it was to tend the worm who clothes the richest and the
+fairest with its beautiful web. Her husband, who was a guard to the
+caravans of the merchants, lost his life in an engagement with the
+wild Arabs, and left the poor woman no other means of supporting
+herself, or her infant daughter Urad, but by her labours among the
+silk-worms, which were little more than sufficient to support nature,
+although her labours began ere the sunbeams played on the waters of
+the Tigris, and ended not till the stars were reflected from its
+surface. Such was the business of the disconsolate Nouri, when the
+voluptuous Almurah was proclaimed Sultan throughout his extensive
+dominions; nor was it long before his subjects felt the power of their
+Sultan; for, Almurah resolving to inclose a large tract of land for
+hunting and sporting, commanded the inhabitants of fourteen hundred
+villages to be expelled from the limits of his intended inclosure.
+
+A piteous train of helpless and ruined families were in one day driven
+from their country and livelihood, and obliged to seek for shelter
+amidst the forests, the caves, and deserts, which surround the more
+uncultivated banks of the Tigris.
+
+Many passed by the cottage of Nouri the widow, among whom she
+distributed what little remains of provision she had saved from the
+earnings of her labours the day before; and, her little stock being
+exhausted, she had nothing but wishes and prayers left for the rest.
+
+It happened, among the numerous throngs that travelled by her cottage,
+that a young man came with wearied steps, bearing on his shoulders an
+old and feeble woman; setting her down on the ground before the door
+of Nouri, he besought her to give him a drop of water, to wash the
+sand and the dust from his parched mouth.
+
+Nouri, having already distributed the contents of her pitcher,
+hastened to the river to fill it for the wearied young man; and, as
+she went, she begged a morsel of provisions from a neighbour, whose
+cottage stood on a rock which overlooked the flood.
+
+With this, and her pitcher filled with water, the good Nouri returned,
+and found the feeble old woman on the ground, but the young man was
+not with her.
+
+"Where," said Nouri, "O afflicted stranger, is the pious young man
+that dutifully bore the burden of age on his shoulders?"
+
+"Alas!" answered the stranger, "my son has brought me hither from the
+tyranny of Almurah, and leaves me to perish in the deserts of Tigris.
+No sooner were you gone for the water, than a crowd of young damsels
+came this way, and led my cruel son from his perishing mother. But,
+courteous stranger," said she to Nouri, "give me of that water to
+drink, that my life fail not within me, for thirst, and hunger, and
+trouble are hastening to put an end to the unhappy Houadir."
+
+The tender and benevolent Nouri invited Houadir into the cottage, and
+there placed her on a straw bed, and gave her the provisions, and a
+cup of water to drink.
+
+Houadir, being somewhat refreshed by the care of Nouri, acquainted her
+with the cruel decree of Almurah, who had turned her son out of his
+little patrimony, where, by the labour of his hands, he had for many
+years supported her, and that till that day she had ever found him a
+most dutiful and obedient son, and concluded with a wish that he would
+shortly return to his poor helpless parent.
+
+Nouri did all she could to comfort the wretched Houadir, and, having
+persuaded her to rest awhile on the bed, returned to the labours of
+the day.
+
+When her work was finished, Nouri, with the wages of the day,
+purchased some provisions, and brought them home to feed herself and
+the little Urad, whose portion of food, as well as her own, had been
+distributed to the unhappy wanderers.
+
+As Nouri was giving a small morsel to Urad, Houadir awaked, and begged
+that Nouri would be so kind as to spare her a bit of her provisions.
+
+Immediately, before Nouri could rise, the little Urad ran nimbly to
+the bed and offered her supper to the afflicted Houadir, who received
+it with great pleasure from her hands, being assured her mother would
+not let Urad be a loser by her benevolence.
+
+Houadir continued several days with the widow Nouri, expecting the
+return of her son; till, giving over all hopes of seeing him, and
+observing that she was burdensome to the charitable widow, she one
+evening, after the labours of the day, thus addressed her hospitable
+friend:
+
+"I perceive, benevolent Nouri, that my son has forsaken me, and that I
+do but rob you and your poor infant of the scanty provision which you,
+by your hourly toil, are earning: wherefore, listen to my proposal,
+and judge whether I offer you a suitable return. There are many parts
+of your business that, old as I am, I can help you in, as the winding
+your silk and feeding your worms. Employ me, therefore, in such
+business in the day as you think me capable of performing; and at
+night, while your necessary cares busy you about the house, give me
+leave (as I see your labour allows you no spare time) to instruct the
+innocent Urad how to behave herself, when your death shall leave her
+unsheltered from the storms and deceits of a troublesome world."
+
+Nouri listened with pleasure to the words of Houadir.
+
+"Yes," said she, "benevolent stranger, you well advise me how to
+portion my poor infant, Urad, whom I could neither provide for by my
+industry nor instruct without losing the daily bread I earn for her. I
+perceive a little is sufficient for your support; nay, I know not how,
+I seem to have greater plenty since you have been with me than before;
+whether it be owing to the blessing of Heaven on you I know not."
+
+"Far be it from me," said Houadir, "to see my generous benefactress
+deceived; but the thinness of inhabitants, occasioned by the tyranny
+of Almurah, is the cause that your provisions are more plentiful; but
+yet I insist upon bearing my part in the burden of the day, and Urad
+shall share my evening's labour."
+
+From this time Houadir became a useful member of the family of Nouri,
+and Urad was daily instructed by the good old stranger in the
+pleasures and benefits of a virtuous, and the horrors and curses of an
+evil, life.
+
+Little Urad was greatly rejoiced at the lessons of Houadir, and was
+never better pleased than when she was listening to the mild and
+pleasing instructions of her affable mistress.
+
+It was the custom of Houadir, whenever she taught Urad any new rule or
+caution, to give her a peppercorn; requiring of her, as often as she
+looked at them, to remember the lessons which she learnt at the time
+she received them.
+
+In this manner Urad continued to be instructed; greatly improving, as
+well in virtue and religion, as in comeliness and beauty, till she was
+near woman's estate; so that Nouri could scarcely believe she was the
+mother of a daughter so amiable and graceful in person and manners.
+Neither was Urad unskilled in the labours of the family, or the
+silk-worm; for, Nouri growing old and sickly, she almost constantly,
+by her industry, supported the whole cottage.
+
+One evening, as Houadir was lecturing her attentive pupil, Nouri, who
+lay sick on the straw bed, called Urad to her.
+
+"My dear daughter," said Nouri, "I feel, alas! more for you than
+myself: while Houadir lives, you will have indeed a better instructor
+than your poor mother was capable of being unto you; but what will my
+innocent lamb, my lovely Urad do, when she is left alone, the helpless
+prey of craft or power? Consider, my dear child, that Allah would not
+send you into the world to be necessarily and unavoidably wicked;
+therefore always depend upon the assistance of our holy Prophet when
+you do right, and let no circumstance of life, nor any persuasion,
+ever bias you to live otherwise than according to the chaste and
+virtuous precepts of the religious Houadir. May Allah and the Prophet
+of the Faithful ever bless and preserve the innocence and chastity of
+my dutiful and affectionate Urad!"
+
+The widow Nouri spoke not again; her breath for ever fled from its
+confinement, and her body was delivered to the waters of the Tigris.
+
+The inconsolable Urad had now her most difficult lesson to learn from
+the patient Houadir; and scarcely did she think it dutiful to moderate
+the violence of her grief.
+
+"Sorrows," said Houadir, "O duteous Urad, which arise from sin or evil
+actions, cannot be assuaged without contrition or amendment of life;
+there the soul is deservedly afflicted, and must feel before it can be
+cured: such sorrows may my amiable pupil never experience! But the
+afflictions of mortality are alike the portions of piety or iniquity:
+it is necessary that we should be taught to part with the desirable
+things of this life by degrees, and that by the frequency of such
+losses our affections should be loosened from their earthly
+attachments. While you continue good be not dejected, my obedient
+Urad; and remember, it is one part of virtue to bear with patience and
+resignation the unalterable decrees of Heaven; not but that I esteem
+your sorrow, which arises from gratitude, duty, and affection. I do
+not teach my pupil to part with her dearest friends without
+reluctance, or wish her to be unconcerned at the loss of those who, by
+a marvellous love, have sheltered her from all those storms which
+must have overwhelmed helpless innocence. Only remember that your
+tears be the tears of resignation, and that your sighs confess a heart
+humbly yielding to His will who ordereth all things according to His
+infinite knowledge and goodness."
+
+"O pious Houadir," replied Urad, "just are thy precepts: it was Allah
+that created my best of parents, and Allah is pleased to take her from
+me; far be it from me, though an infinite sufferer, to dispute His
+will; the loss indeed wounds me sorely, yet will I endeavour to bear
+the blow with patience and resignation."
+
+Houadir still continued her kind lessons and instructions, and Urad,
+with a decent solemnity, attended both her labours and her teacher,
+who was so pleased with the fruits which she saw spring forth from the
+seeds of virtue that she had sown in the breast of her pupil, that she
+now began to leave her more to herself, and exhorted her to set apart
+some portion of each day to pray to her Prophet, and frequent
+meditation and recollection of the rules she had given her, that so
+her mind might never be suffered to grow forgetful of the truths she
+had treasured up. "For," said the provident Houadir, "when it shall
+please the Prophet to snatch me also from you, my dear Urad will then
+have only the peppercorns to assist her."
+
+"And how, my kind governess," said Urad, "will those corns assist me?"
+
+"They will," answered Houadir, "each of them (if you remember the
+precepts I gave you with them, but not otherwise), be serviceable in
+the times of your necessities."
+
+Urad, with great reluctance, from that time was obliged to go without
+her evening lectures; which loss affected her much, for she knew no
+greater pleasure in life than hanging over Houadir's persuasive
+tongue, and hearing, with fixed attention, the sweet doctrines of
+prudence, chastity, and virtue.
+
+As Urad, according to her usual custom (after having spent some few
+early hours at her employment), advanced toward the bed to call her
+kind instructress, whose infirmities would not admit her to rise
+betimes, she perceived that Houadir was risen from her bed.
+
+The young virgin was amazed at the novelty of her instructress's
+behaviour, especially as she seldom moved without assistance, and
+hastened into a little inclosure to look after her; but not finding
+Houadir there, she went to the neighbouring cottages, none of the
+inhabitants of which could give any account of the good old matron;
+nevertheless the anxious Urad continued her search, looking all around
+the woods and forest, and often peeping over the rocks of the Tigris,
+as fearful that some accident might have befallen her. In this
+fruitless labour the poor virgin fatigued herself, till the sun, as
+tired of her toils, refused any longer to assist her search; when,
+returning to her lonely cot, she spent the night in tears and
+lamentations.
+
+The helpless Urad now gave herself up entirely to grief; and the
+remembrance of her affectionate mother added a double portion of
+sorrows to her heart: she neglected to open her lonely cottage, and
+went not forth to the labours of the silk-worm; but, day after day,
+with little or no nourishment, she continued weeping the loss of
+Houadir, her mild instructress, and Nouri, her affectionate mother.
+
+The neighbouring cottagers, observing that Urad came no longer to the
+silk-worms, and that her dwelling was daily shut up, after some time
+knocked at her cottage, and demanded if Urad the daughter of Nouri was
+living. Urad, seeing the concourse of people, came weeping and
+trembling toward the door, and asked them the cause of their coming.
+
+"O Urad," said her neighbours, "we saw you, not long ago, seeking your
+friend Houadir, and we feared you also were missing, as you have
+neither appeared among us, nor attended your daily labours among the
+worms, who feed and provide for us by their subtle spinning."
+
+"O my friends," answered Urad, "suffer a wretched maid to deplore the
+loss of her dearest friends. Nouri, from whose breasts I sucked my
+natural life, is now a prey to the vulture on the banks of the Tigris;
+and Houadir, from whom I derive my better life, is passed away from me
+like a vision in the night."
+
+Her rustic acquaintance laughed at these sorrows of the virgin Urad.
+"Alas!" said one, "Urad grieves that now she has to work for one,
+instead of three." "Nay," cried another, "I wish my old folks were as
+well bestowed." "And I," said a third, "were our house rid of the
+old-fashioned lumber that fills it at present (my superannuated father
+and mother), would soon bring a healthy young swain to supply their
+places with love and affection." "Ay, true," answered two or three
+more, "we must look out a clever young fellow for Urad; whom shall she
+have?" "Oh, if that be all," said a crooked old maid, who was famous
+for match-making, "I will send Darandu to comfort her, before night;
+and, if I mistake not, he very well knows his business." "Well, pretty
+Urad," cried they all, "Darandu will soon be here: he is fishing on
+the Tigris; and it is but just that the river which has robbed you of
+one comfort, should give you a better." At this speech, the rest
+laughed very heartily, and they all ran away, crying out, "Oh, she
+will do very well when Darandu approaches."
+
+Urad, though she could despise the trifling of her country neighbours,
+yet felt an oppression on her heart at the name of Darandu, who was a
+youth of incomparable beauty, and added to the charms of his person an
+engaging air, which was far above the reach of the rest of the country
+swains, who lived on those remote banks of the Tigris. "But, O
+Houadir, O Nouri!" said the afflicted virgin to herself, "never shall
+Urad seek, in the arms of a lover, to forget the bounties and precepts
+of so kind a mistress and so indulgent a parent."
+
+These reflections hurried the wretched Urad into her usual sorrowful
+train of thoughts, and she spent the rest of the day in tears and
+weeping, calling for ever on Nouri and Houadir, and wishing that the
+Prophet would permit her to follow them out of a world where she
+foresaw neither comfort nor peace.
+
+In the midst of these melancholy meditations, she was disturbed by a
+knocking at the door. Urad arose with trembling, and asked who was
+there.
+
+"It is one," answered a voice in the softest tone, "who seeketh
+comfort and cannot find it; who desires peace, and it is far from
+him."
+
+"Alas!" answered Urad, "few are the comforts of this cottage, and
+peace is a stranger to this mournful roof: depart, O traveller,
+whosoever thou art, and suffer the disconsolate Urad to indulge in
+sorrows greater than those from which you wish to be relieved."
+
+"Alas!" answered the voice without, "the griefs of the beautiful Urad
+are my griefs; and the sorrows which afflict her, rend the soul of the
+wretched Darandu!"
+
+"Whatever may be the motive for this charitable visit, Darandu,"
+answered Urad, "let me beseech you to depart; for ill does it become a
+forlorn virgin to admit the conversation of the youths that surround
+her: leave me, therefore, O swain, ere want of decency make you appear
+odious in the sight of the virgins who inhabit the rocky banks of the
+rapid Tigris."
+
+"To convince the lovely Urad," answered Darandu, "that I came to
+soothe her cares and condole with her in her losses (which I heard but
+this evening), I now will quit this dear spot, which contains the
+treasure of my heart, as, however terrible the parting is to me, I
+rest satisfied that it pleases the fair conqueror of my heart, whose
+peace to Darandu is more precious than the pomegranate in the sultry
+noon, or the silver scales of ten thousand fishes enclosed in the nets
+of my skilful comrades."
+
+Darandu then left the door of the cottage, and Urad reclined on the
+bed, till sleep finished her toils, and for a time released her from
+the severe afflictions of her unguarded situation.
+
+Early in the morning the fair Urad arose, and directed her steps to
+the rocks of the Tigris, either invited thither by the melancholy
+reflections which her departed mother occasioned, or willing to take a
+nearer and more unobserved view of the gentle Darandu.
+
+Darandu, who was just about to launch his vessel into the river,
+perceived the beauteous mourner on the rocks; but he was too well
+versed in love affairs to take any notice of her: he rather turned
+from Urad, and endeavoured by his behaviour to persuade her that he
+had not observed her, for it was enough for him to know that he was
+not indifferent to her.
+
+Urad, though she hardly knew the cause of her morning walk, yet
+continued on the rocks till Darandu had taken in his nets, and, with
+his companions, was steering up the stream in quest of the fishes of
+the Tigris. She then returned to her cottage, more irresolute in her
+thoughts, but less than ever inclined to the labours of her
+profession.
+
+At the return of the evening she was anxious lest Darandu should renew
+his visit--an anxiety which, though it arose from fear, was yet near
+allied to hope; nor was she less solicitous about provisions, as all
+her little stock was entirely exhausted, and she had no other prospect
+before her than to return to her labours, which her sorrows had
+rendered irksome and disagreeable to her.
+
+While she was meditating on these things, she heard a knocking at the
+door, which fluttered her little less than the fears of hunger or the
+sorrows of her lonely life.
+
+For some time she had not courage to answer, till, the knocking being
+repeated, she faintly asked who was at the door.
+
+"It is Lahnar," answered a female: "Lahnar, your neighbour, seeks to
+give Urad comfort, and to condole with the distressed mourner of a
+mother and a friend."
+
+"Lahnar," answered Urad, "is then a friend to the afflicted, and
+kindly seeks to alleviate the sorrows of the wretched Urad."
+
+She then opened the door, and Lahnar entered with a basket on her
+head.
+
+"Kind Lahnar," said the fair mourner, "leave your burden at the door,
+and enter this cottage of affliction. Alas! alas! there once sat
+Nouri, my ever-affectionate mother, and there Houadir, my kind
+counsellor and director; but now are their seats vacant, and sorrow
+and grief are the only companions of the miserable Urad!"
+
+"Your losses are certainly great," answered Lahnar; "but you must
+endeavour to bear them with patience, especially as they are the
+common changes and alterations of life. Your good mother Nouri lived
+to a great age, and Houadir, though a kind friend, may yet be
+succeeded by one as amiable; but what I am most alarmed at, O Urad! is
+your manner of life. We no longer see you busied among the leaves of
+the mulberries, or gathering the bags of silk, or preparing them for
+the wheels. You purchase no provision among us; you seek no comfort in
+society; you live like the mole buried under the earth, which neither
+sees nor is seen."
+
+"My sorrows indeed hitherto," replied Urad, "have prevented my labour;
+but to-morrow I shall again rise to my wonted employment."
+
+"But even to-night," said Lahnar, "let my friend take some little
+nourishment, that she may rise refreshed; for fasting will deject you
+as well as grief; and suffer me to partake with you. And see, in this
+basket I have brought my provisions, some boiled rice, and a few fish,
+which my kind brother Darandu brought me this evening from the river
+Tigris."
+
+"Excuse me, kind Lahnar," answered Urad, "but I must refuse your
+offer. Grief has driven away appetite to aught but itself far from me,
+and I am not solicitous to take provisions which I cannot use."
+
+"At least," replied Lahnar, "permit me to sit beside you, and eat of
+what is here before us."
+
+Upon which, without other excuses, Lahnar emptied her basket, and set
+a bowl of rice and fish before Urad, and began to feed heartily on
+that which she had brought for herself.
+
+Urad was tempted by hunger and the example of Lahnar to begin, but she
+was doubtful about tasting the fish of Darandu; wherefore she first
+attempted the boiled rice, though her appetite was most inclined to
+the fish, of which she at last ate very heartily, when she recollected
+that as she had partaken with Lahnar, it was the same whatever part
+she accepted.
+
+Lahnar having finished her meal, and advised Urad to think of some
+methods of social life, took her leave, and left the unsettled virgin
+to meditate on her strange visitor.
+
+Urad, though confused, could not help expressing some pleasure at this
+visit; for such is the blessing of society, that it will always give
+comfort to those who have been disused to its sweet effects.
+
+But Urad, though pleased with the friendship of Lahnar, yet was
+confounded when, some few minutes after, she perceived her again
+returning.
+
+"What," said Urad, "brings back Lahnar to the sorrows of this
+cottage?"
+
+"Urad," said Lahnar, "I will rest with my friend to-night, for the
+shades of night cast horrors around, and I dare not disturb my
+father's cottage by my late approach."
+
+But as soon as she had admitted Lahnar, she perceived that it was
+Darandu disguised in Lahnar's clothes. Urad, greatly terrified,
+recollecting her lost friend Houadir, felt for a peppercorn, and let
+it fall to the ground.
+
+A violent rapping was in a moment heard at the cottage, at which Urad
+uttered a loud cry, and Darandu, with shame and confusion, looked
+trembling toward the door.
+
+Urad ran forward and opened it, when the son of Houadir entered, and
+asked Urad the reason of her cries.
+
+"O thou blessed angel!" said Urad; "this wicked wretch is disguised in
+his sister's clothes."
+
+But Darandu was fled, as guilt is ever fearful, mean, and base.
+
+"Now, Urad," said the son of Houadir, "before you close your doors
+upon another man, let me resume my former features."
+
+Upon which Urad looked, and beheld her old friend Houadir. At the
+sight of Houadir, Urad was equally astonished and abashed.
+
+"Why blushes, Urad?" said Houadir.
+
+"How, O genius," said Urad, "for such I perceive thou art--how is Urad
+guilty? I invited not Darandu hither: I wished not for him."
+
+"Take care," answered Houadir, "what you say. If you wished not for
+him, you hardly wished him away, and, but for your imprudence, he had
+not entered your home. Consider how have your days been employed since
+I left you? Have you continued to watch the labours of the silk-worm?
+Have you repeated the lessons I gave you? or has the time of Urad been
+consumed in idleness and disobedience? Has she shaken off her
+dependence on Mahomet, and indulged the unavailing sorrows of her
+heart?"
+
+"Alas!" answered the fair Urad, "repeat no more, my ever-honoured
+Houadir: I have indeed been guilty, under the mask of love and
+affection; and I now plainly see the force of your first rule, that
+idleness is the beginning of all evil and vice. Yes, my dearest
+Houadir, had I attended to your instructions I had given no handle to
+Darandu's insolence; but yet methinks some sorrows were allowable for
+the loss of such a mother and such a friend."
+
+"Sorrows," answered Houadir, "proceed from the heart, and, totally
+indulged, soon require a change and vicissitude in our minds;
+wherefore, in the midst of your griefs, your feet involuntarily
+wandered after Darandu, and your soul, softened by idle sighs, was the
+more easily impressed by the deceits of his tongue.
+
+"But this remember, O Urad--for I must, I find, repeat an old
+instruction to you--that of all things in the world, nothing should so
+much engage a woman's attention as the avenues which lead to her
+heart. Such are the wiles and deceits of men, that they are rarely to
+be trusted with the most advanced post; give them but footing, though
+that footing be innocent, and they will work night and day till their
+wishes are accomplished. Trust not, therefore, to yourself alone, nor
+suffer your heart to plead in their favour, lest it become as much
+your enemy as the tempter, man. Place your security in flight, and
+avoid every evil, lest it lead you into danger, for hard it is to turn
+the head and look backward when a beautiful or agreeable object is
+before you. Remember my instructions, O Urad! make a prudent use of
+your peppercorns, and leave this place, which holds a man sensible of
+your folly and resolute in his own dark and subtle intentions."
+
+Urad was about to thank Houadir, but the genius was fled, and the
+eyelids of the morning were opening in the east.
+
+Urad, in a little wallet, packed up her small stock of necessaries,
+and, full of terror and full of uncertainty, struck into the forest,
+and without reflection took the widest path that offered. And first,
+it was her care to repeat over deliberately the lessons of Houadir.
+She then travelled slowly forward, often looking, and fearing to
+behold the wicked Darandu at her heels.
+
+After walking through the forest for the greater part of the day, she
+came to a steep descent, on each side overshadowed with lofty trees;
+this she walked down, and came to a small spot of ground surrounded by
+hills, woods, and rocks. Here she found a spring of water, and sat
+down on the grass to refresh herself after the travels of the day.
+
+As Urad's meal was almost at an end she heard various voices issuing
+from the woods on the hills opposite to that which she came down. Her
+little heart beat quick at this alarm; and recollecting the advice of
+Houadir, she began to repeat the lessons of her instructress, and ere
+long she perceived through the trees several men coming down the hill,
+who, at sight of her, gave a loud halloo, and ran forward, each being
+eager who should first seize the prize.
+
+Urad, trembling and sighing at her danger, forgot not to drop one of
+her peppercorns, and immediately she found herself changed into a
+pismire, and with great pleasure she looked for a hole in the ground,
+and crept into it.
+
+The robbers, coming down to the bottom of the vale, were surprised to
+find their prize eloped; but they divided into separate bodies,
+resolved to hunt till night, and then appointed that little vale as
+the place of rendezvous.
+
+Urad, perceiving that they were gone, wished herself into her original
+form, but alas! her wish was not granted, and the once beautiful Urad
+still continued an ugly pismire.
+
+Late at night the robbers returned, and the moon shining bright,
+reflected a gloomy horror upon their despairing faces. Urad shuddered
+at the sight of them, though so well concealed, and dared hardly peep
+out of her hole--so difficult is it to forget our former fears. The
+gang resolved to spend the rest of the night in that place, and
+therefore unloaded their wallets, and spread their wine and provisions
+on the banks of the spring, grumbling and cursing each other all the
+time for their unfortunate search.
+
+Urad heard them lamenting their ill fortune with the utmost horror and
+indignation, and praised continually the gracious Allah who had
+rescued her from such inhuman wretches; while they with singing and
+drinking spent the greatest part of the night, and wishing that their
+comrades in the other part of the forest had been with them; at length
+falling into drunkenness and sleep, they left the world to silence and
+peace.
+
+Urad, finding them fast asleep, crawled out of her hole, and going to
+the first, she stung him in each eye, and thus she went round to them
+all.
+
+The poison of the little pismire working in their eyes, in a short
+time occasioned them to awake in the utmost tortures; and perceiving
+they were blind, and feeling the pain, they each supposed his
+neighbour had blinded him in order to get away with the booty. This so
+enraged them that, feeling about, they fell upon one another, and in a
+short time almost the whole gang was demolished.
+
+Urad beheld with astonishment the effect of her stings, and at a wish
+resumed her pristine form, saying at the same time to herself, "I now
+perceive that Providence is able by the most insignificant means to
+work the greatest purposes."
+
+Continuing her journey through the forest, she was terribly afraid of
+meeting with the second band of robbers, and therefore she directed
+her steps with the greatest caution and circumspection.
+
+As she walked forward, and cast her eyes all around, and stopped at
+every motion of the wind, she saw the son of Houadir coming to meet
+her in the path in which she was travelling.
+
+At this sight Urad ran toward him, and with joy begged her old
+governess would unmask herself, and entertain her with instruction and
+persuasion.
+
+"No, my dear child," answered the son of Houadir, "that I cannot do at
+present; the time is not as yet come. I will first, as you have been
+tried, lead you to the palace of the Genii of the Forest, and present
+your unspotted innocence before them; for, O my sweet Urad, my
+heavenly pupil!" said he, kissing and taking her in his arms, "your
+virtue is tried; I have found you worthy of the lessons which I gave
+you. I foresaw evils might befall you, and therefore I took pity on
+your innocence, and lived with Nouri your mother, that I might train
+up my beloved Urad in the paths of virtue; and now your trial is past,
+Urad shall enjoy the happiness of a genius."
+
+Urad, though somewhat confounded at Houadir's embrace under the
+appearance of a man, yet with great humility thanked her benefactor;
+and the son of Houadir, turning to the left, led Urad into a little
+by-path, so concealed that few, if any, might ever find its beginning.
+After a long walk through various turnings and intricate windings,
+they came to a small mean cottage, where, the son of Houadir leading
+the way, Urad followed.
+
+The son of Houadir striking fire with his stick, a bright flame arose
+from the centre of the floor, into which he cast divers herbs, and
+repeating some enchantments, the back part of the cottage opened and
+presented to the view of Urad a beautiful dome, where she saw sitting
+round a table a numerous assembly of gay persons of both sexes.
+
+The son of Houadir, leading in Urad, said, "This, my dear pupil, is
+the assembly of the Genii of the Forest." And, presenting her to the
+company, "Behold," said he, "the beautiful and well-tried Urad. But
+here you may cast off your reserve, fair maid, and indulge in the
+innocent pleasures of the Genii of the Forest."
+
+The son of Houadir then led her to the table, and seated her on the
+same sofa with himself. The remainder of the day was spent in mirth
+and pleasure.
+
+Urad, having never beheld anything splendid or magnificent, was
+greatly delighted at the gay company and beautiful saloon, nor did she
+receive the caresses of the son of Houadir reluctantly.
+
+At night, Urad was shown a glorious apartment to rest in, and the son
+of Houadir attended her.
+
+"My dear Houadir," said Urad, "when shall I behold your proper shape?
+When shall I see you as my tutelary genius?"
+
+"That," answered the son of Houadir, "I shall be in every shape; but
+call neither one nor the other my _proper_ shape; for to a genius all
+shapes are assumed: neither is this my proper shape, nor the wrinkles
+of an old woman. But, to confess the truth, O beautiful Urad, from the
+first moment of your birth I resolved to make you my bride, and
+therefore did I so patiently watch your growing years, and instruct
+you in the fear of vice and the love of virtue."
+
+Urad, astonished at the words of the son of Houadir, knew not what
+answer to make; but the natural timidity of her sex, and the
+strangeness of the proposal, filled her with strange apprehensions.
+However, she begged at least that the genius would, for a time, leave
+her to herself.
+
+"No, my lovely Urad," answered the son of Houadir, "never, never, will
+thy faithful genius leave thee!"
+
+"Why," said Urad, "didst thou bestow so many peppercorns upon me, as
+they now will become useless?"
+
+"Not useless," said the son of Houadir: "they are indeed little
+preservatives against danger; but I have the seeds of some melons
+which will not only rescue you, but always preserve you from harm.
+Here, faithful Urad," continued he, "take these seeds, and, whenever
+you are fearful, swallow one of these, and no dangers shall surround
+you."
+
+Urad thankfully received the seeds.
+
+"And what," said she, "must I do with the peppercorns?"
+
+"Give them," said the son of Houadir, "to me, and I will endue them
+with stronger virtues, and thou shalt by them have power also over
+others, as well as to defend thyself."
+
+Urad pulled the peppercorns out of her bag, and presented them to the
+son of Houadir, whose eyes flashed with joy at the sight, and he
+immediately thrust them into the folds of his garments.
+
+"O son of Houadir, what hast thou done?" said Urad.
+
+"I have," answered the false son of Houadir, "gained the full
+possession of my lovely Urad, and now may address her in my proper
+shape." So saying, he resumed his natural figure, and became like a
+satyr of the wood.
+
+"I am," said he, "O beautiful Urad, the enchanter Repah, who range in
+the solitude of the forest of the Tigris. You I saw surrounded by the
+influence of the genius Houadir, and therefore was obliged to use
+artifice to gain you as my wife."
+
+The poor deluded victim, with tears in her eyes, implored his mercy
+and forbearance; but he laughed at her tears, and told her her eyes
+glittered the brighter for them.
+
+Urad, in her despair, again put her hands into the bag whence she had
+fatally resigned the peppercorns, and felt about in agony for her lost
+treasure. And now finding none, and perceiving that the genius Houadir
+attended not to her cries, she was drawing out her hand when, in a
+corner of the bag, she felt one peppercorn, which had before escaped
+her search.
+
+She instantly drew it out, and, throwing it on the ground, the
+enchanter stood motionless before her; the apartments vanished, and
+she found herself with him in a dark hut, with various kinds of
+necromantic instruments about her.
+
+Urad, though fearful, yet was so much overcome with fatigue and fright
+that she sank on the ground; and, happily for her, the enchanter was
+in no condition to persecute her.
+
+"Curse on my folly," said he, as he stood fixed to the ground, "that I
+neglected to ask for the bag itself which held the gifts of the genius
+Houadir! her pretty pupil had then been my slave, in spite of the many
+fine lessons she had been taught by that pitiful and enthusiastic
+genius; but now by chance, and not by the merit of thy virtues, or thy
+education, art thou delivered from my seraglio. But this grieves me
+not so much to lose a sickly girl as that I find a superior power
+condemns me to declare to you the causes of your error.
+
+"Know, then, Urad--I speak not from myself, but He speaks who, from
+casual evil, can work out certain good--He forces me to declare that
+no specious appearance, no false colours, should incline the virtuous
+heart to listen to the wiles of deceit; for evil then comes most
+terrible when it is cloaked under friendship. Why, then, had Urad so
+great an opinion of her own judgment as to confide in the false
+appearance of the son of Houadir when she might have consulted her
+faithful monitors? The falling of a peppercorn would have taught her
+to trust to no appearances, nor would she have parted with her
+peppercorns, which were to refresh in her memory the sentiments of
+virtue, chastity, and honour--no, not to Houadir herself. No adviser
+can be good who would destroy what he himself has first inculcated;
+and no appearance ought to bias us to receive as truths those things
+which are contrary to virtue and religion. How, then, did Urad keep to
+the instructions of Houadir?"
+
+Thus spoke the enchanter, and no more; his mouth closed up, and he
+stood fixed and motionless. And Urad, finding her spirits somewhat
+recovered, hastened out of the hut, and perceived that it was morning.
+
+She had now no more peppercorns to depend upon; wherefore she cried
+to Houadir to succour her; but the genius was deaf to her entreaties.
+
+"Poor miserable wretch!" said Urad to herself, "what will become of
+thee, inclosed in a forest through which thou knowest no path? But,"
+continued she, "why should I not examine the enchanter, who perhaps is
+yet immovable in the cottage? I saw him fold them in the plaits of his
+garments, and they may yet become mine."
+
+So saying, she returned to the hut, where entering, the very sight of
+the dumb enchanter affrighted her so much, that it was a long time
+before she could venture near him. At length she put out her hand, and
+pulled forth her beloved peppercorns, the enchanter still standing
+motionless.
+
+Away flew Urad like lightning from the hut, and ran till she had again
+reached the road from which she had been decoyed.
+
+She continued her journeying for seven days, feeding on the fruits of
+the forest, and sleeping in the densest thickets.
+
+The eighth day, as she was endeavouring to pass a ford where a small
+rivulet had been swelled by the rains, she perceived a large body of
+horsemen riding through the woods, and doubted not that it was the
+remainder of the gang of robbers whom she had before met with.
+
+Urad was now in some measure reconciled to danger; and therefore,
+without much fear, dropped a peppercorn, and expected relief.
+
+The peppercorn had been dropped some time, the horsemen advanced, and
+no one appeared to her succour.
+
+"Alas!" said Urad, "why has Houadir deceived me? Neither her advice,
+nor her magical peppercorns, can save me from these cruel robbers. O
+genius, genius! why hast thou forsaken me in my severest trials!"
+
+By this time the robbers were come up, and were highly rejoiced to
+find such a beautiful prize.
+
+Their captain leaped from his horse to seize her, and the trembling
+Urad gave a loud shriek, which was answered from the woods by the
+roaring of a hundred lions.
+
+"O Allah," said the chief, "the lions are upon us!"
+
+"That may be," said he who was dismounted; "but were the whole world
+set against me, I would secure my prize." So saying, he took Urad in
+his arms to place her on his horse.
+
+The roaring of the lions continued, and many of them came howling out
+of the woods: the robbers fled in dismay, all but the ruffian who had
+seized on the fair Urad, who was striving in vain to fix her on his
+horse. A lion furiously made at him, and tore him limb from limb,
+while Urad expected the same fate from several others who came roaring
+around.
+
+"But," said she, "better is death than infamy, and the paw of the
+hungry lion, than slavery to a robber."
+
+The noble beast, having devoured his prey, came fawning at the feet of
+Urad, who was surprised at his behaviour and gentleness; but much more
+was her astonishment increased when she heard him speak.
+
+"O virgin (for none other can experience the assistance of our race,
+or stand unhurt before us), I am the King and Sovereign of these
+mighty forests, and am sent by the genius Houadir to thy protection.
+But why did the distrustful Urad despair, or why did she accuse
+Providence of deserting her? should not the relieved wait with
+patience on the hand that supports him, and not cry out with
+impatience, and charge its benefactor with neglect?"
+
+"True, O royal lion," answered the fair Urad; "but fear is
+irresistible, and the children of men are but weakness and
+ingratitude. But blessed be Allah, who, though justly provoked at my
+discontent, yet sent to my assistance the guardian of the fair. Yet
+how cometh it to pass, O royal protector, that you, who are so bold
+and so fierce in your nature, should yet behave with such tenderness
+and kindness to a helpless virgin, whom you might with pleasure to
+yourself in a moment devour?"
+
+"The truly great and noble spirit," answered the lion, "takes a pride
+in protecting innocence, neither can he wish to oppress it. Hence
+learn, fair virgin, that of all mankind he only is noble, generous,
+and truly virtuous, who is ready to defend helpless womanhood. What,
+then, must you think of those mean wretches who cajole you under the
+appearance of affection, and yet tell you that it was only to try you?
+He that is suspicious is mean: he that is mean is unworthy of the
+chaste affections of the virtuous maid. Wherefore, O Urad, shun him,
+however honoured by mankind, or covered by the specious characters of
+virtue, whoever attempts the honour of your chastity, for he cannot be
+just: to deceive you he must himself swear falsely, and therefore
+cannot be good; or if he tell the truth, he must be weak and
+ungenerous, and unworthy of you."
+
+In such conversation they passed along the forest, till, after a few
+days, they were alarmed at the noise of the hunters and the music of
+the chase.
+
+"Alas!" said the beautiful Urad, "what is this that I hear?"
+
+"It is," answered the royal beast, "the noise of the hunters; and thou
+shalt escape, but me will they in sport destroy. The lion you call
+cruel, who kills to devour. What, then, is he who wantons in the death
+of those who advantage him not? But man is lord of all: let him look
+to it how he governs!"
+
+"Nay, but," answered Urad, "leave me, gentle protector, and provide
+for your safety; nor fear but Houadir will prevent the storms that
+hover over from breaking upon me."
+
+"No," answered the royal beast, "she has commanded me to follow you
+till I see her presence; and where can I better sacrifice my life than
+in the service of chastity and virtue?"
+
+The hunters were now in sight, but advanced not towards the lion; they
+turned their coursers aside, and only one of superior mien, with
+several attendants, rode towards Urad.
+
+The lion erecting his mane, his eyes glowing with vivid lightnings,
+drew up the wide sinews of his broad back, and with wrathful front
+leaped towards him who seemed to have the command.
+
+The horseman, perceiving his intention, poised his spear in his right
+hand, and spurred his courser to meet him.
+
+Ere the royal beast had reached the horseman, the rider threw his
+spear, which, entering between the fore-paws of the lion, nailed him
+to the ground. The enraged animal tore his paw from the ground; but
+the spear still remained in his foot, and the anguish of the wound
+made him shake the whole forest with his lordly roarings.
+
+The stranger then rode up to the fair Urad, whom viewing, he cried
+out, "By Allah! thou art worthy of the seraglio of the Vizier
+Mussapulta: take her, my eunuchs, behind you, and bear her through the
+forest of Bagdad, to the home of my ancestors."
+
+The eunuchs obeyed, and bore her away, though Urad dropped her corn
+upon the ground; but still she trusted in the help of Houadir.
+
+The Vizier Mussapulta then ordered that one of his slaves should stay
+behind, and destroy and bury the lion; which he commanded to be done
+with the utmost caution, as Almurah had made a decree that if any
+subjects should wound, maim, or destroy any lion in his forests, the
+same should be put to death.
+
+The eunuchs bore away Urad to the seraglio, taking her through by-ways
+to the palace of the Vizier, lest her shrieks should be heard.
+Mussapulta followed at a distance, and the slave was left with the
+tortured and faithful lion.
+
+In a few hours they reached the palace, and Urad, being conducted to
+the seraglio, was ordered to be dressed, as the Vizier intended
+visiting her.
+
+Urad was thunderstruck at the news, and now began to fear Houadir had
+forgotten her, and resolved, as soon as the eunuchs had left her, to
+drop a second peppercorn. But poor Urad had forgotten to take her bag
+from her old garments, which the women who dressed her had carried
+away. She dissolved in fresh tears at this piece of carelessness.
+
+"Well," said she, "surely Houadir will neglect me, if I so easily
+neglect myself."
+
+She waited that night with fear and trembling; but no Vizier appeared.
+
+This eased her greatly, and the next day, when the eunuchs came, they
+informed her that Mussapulta had that evening been sent by the Sultan
+to quell an insurrection, and that they did not expect him home under
+twenty days.
+
+During this time no pains were spared with Urad to teach her the
+accomplishments of the country, all which, in spite of her
+unwillingness to learn in such a detestable place, she nevertheless
+acquired with the utmost ease and facility.
+
+The insurrection being quelled, the Vizier returned, and, not
+unmindful of his fair captive, ordered that she might be prepared for
+his reception in the evening.
+
+Accordingly Urad was sumptuously adorned with jewels and brocades, and
+looked more beautiful than the fairest Circassian; and the dignity of
+her virtue added such a grace to her charms, that even her keepers,
+the eunuchs, dared not look upon her. In the evening the chief eunuch
+led her into the presence of Mussapulta. She shrank from him with
+horror.
+
+"What!" said he, "cannot a fortnight's pleasure in this palace efface
+the remembrance of your sorrows? But be gay and cheerful, for know
+that the Vizier Mussapulta esteems you beyond any of his wives."
+
+"The esteem of a robber, the esteem of a lawless ranger," answered
+Urad, "charms not the ears of virtue."
+
+"What," said Mussapulta, sternly, "dost thou refuse my proffered love?
+Then shalt thou die! Slay this proud maiden in my sight. Cut off her
+head at once."
+
+The eunuch hesitated.
+
+"Why," said the proud Vizier, "do you delay to obey me?"
+
+As he said this an eunuch came running in haste, crying, "The Sultan,
+the Sultan Almurah, approaches!"
+
+All was instant confusion. Mussapulta turned pale and trembled. He
+ordered the eunuch to release the fair Urad, and at that moment the
+faithful lion entered with the Sultan Almurah.
+
+The lion instantly seized on the Vizier Mussapulta, and tore him limb
+from limb. Yet the generous animal would not defile himself with the
+carcass, but with great wrath tossed the bloody remains among the
+females of the seraglio.
+
+Almurah commanded Urad to advance, and at the sight of her,
+
+"O royal beast," said he to the lion, "I wonder not that thou wert
+unable to describe the beauties of this lovely maid, since they are
+almost too dazzling to behold. O virtuous maid," continued Almurah,
+"whose excellencies I have heard from this faithful animal, if thou
+canst deign to accept of the heart of Almurah, thy Sultan will be the
+happiest of mankind; but I swear, by my unalterable will, that no
+power on earth shall force or distress you."
+
+"Oh," sighed Urad, "royal Sultan, you honour your poor slave too much;
+yet happy should I be were Houadir here!"
+
+As she spoke, the genius Houadir entered the room: the face of the
+sage instructress still remained, but a glowing splendour surrounded
+her, and her walk was majestic and commanding. Almurah bowed to the
+ground, Urad made obeisance, and the rest fell prostrate before her.
+
+"My advice," said Houadir, "is necessary now, O Urad, nor ought young
+virgins to enter into such engagements without counsel and the
+approbation of those above them, how splendid and lucrative soever the
+union may appear. I, who know the heart of Almurah, the servant of
+Mahomet, know him to be virtuous: some excesses he has been guilty of,
+but they were chiefly owing to his villanous Vizier, Mussapulta."
+(Here the lion gave a dreadful roar.) "Against your command, Almurah,
+did he wound this animal, which I endowed with speech for the service
+of Urad, to teach her that strength and nobleness of soul would always
+support the innocent.
+
+"Mussapulta having wounded him, commanded his slave to put the royal
+beast to death; but I gave the slave bowels of mercy, and he carried
+him home to his cottage till the wound was healed, when the lion,
+faithful to his trust, came towards you as you were hunting, and being
+endowed with speech, declared the iniquity of Mussapulta--but he is no
+more.
+
+"Now, Urad, if thy mind incline to Almurah, receive his vows, but give
+not thine hand where thy heart is estranged, for no splendour can
+compensate the want of affection."
+
+"If Almurah, my gracious lord," answered Urad, "will swear in three
+things to do my desire, his handmaid will be happy to serve him."
+
+"I swear," answered the fond Almurah. "Hadst thou three thousand
+desires, Almurah would satisfy them or die."
+
+"What strange things," said Houadir, "has Urad to ask of the Sultan
+Almurah?"
+
+"Whatever they are, gracious genius," said Almurah, "Urad, the lovely
+Urad, may command me."
+
+"Then," said Urad, "first I require that the poor inhabitants of the
+forest be restored to their native lands, whence thou hast driven
+them."
+
+"By the great Allah, and Mahomet the Prophet of the just," answered
+Almurah, "the deed was proposed and executed by the villain
+Mussapulta! Yes, my lovely Urad shall be obeyed. But now, Urad,"
+continued the Sultan, "ere you proceed in your requests, let me make
+one sacrifice to chastity and justice, by vowing, in the presence of
+the good genius Houadir, to dismiss my seraglio, and take thee only
+for my wife."
+
+"So noble a sacrifice," answered Urad, "demands my utmost returns;
+wherefore, beneficent Sultan, I release thee from any further
+compliance with my requests."
+
+"Lovely Urad," said Almurah, "permit me, then, to dive into your
+thoughts:--yes, by your kind glances on that noble beast, I perceive
+you meditated to ask some bounty for your deliverer. He shall, fair
+virgin, be honoured as Urad's guardian, and the friend of Almurah; he
+shall live in my royal palace, with slaves to attend him; and, that
+his rest may not be inglorious or his life useless, once every year
+shall those who have injured the innocent be delivered up to his
+honest rage."
+
+The lovely Urad fell at the feet of her Sultan, and blessed him for
+his favours; and the sage Houadir approved of Urad's request and the
+promises of Almurah. The lion came and licked the feet of his
+benefactors; and the genius Houadir, at parting, poured her blessings
+on the royal pair.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+Alischar and Smaragdine.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+There lived once on a time, in the province of Khorassan, a rich
+merchant, to whom, in his sixtieth year, a son was born, and he called
+his name Alischar. Fifteen years afterwards the father died, but not
+without giving his son, in the hour of death, many excellent advices
+and moral instructions as to his conduct through life. Alischar buried
+his father, and not long afterwards his mother also, and began to
+exercise diligently the trade which his parents had bequeathed to him.
+In this way a whole year was spent, without the least departure from
+the wise course of behaviour which his father had prescribed for him
+in his last moments. But, unfortunately, ere many weeks more were
+gone, he fell into the company of certain vicious people, who seduced
+him into a life of such luxury and extravagance, that in a short time
+the money the old man had left him was entirely spent. Proceeding in
+the same follies, he by-and-bye was obliged to part with the shop
+itself,--the household furniture followed,--and, in a word, Alischar
+was left without anything he could call his own, except the bare roof
+over his head and the clothes upon his back.
+
+Having nothing wherewithal to still the cravings of hunger, the youth
+might now be seen daily roaming about the streets, idle and listless.
+One day in this sad condition he was loitering about in the great
+square of the city, when his attention was attracted by a crowd of
+people, who seemed to be gathered around one who sold some merchandise
+by auction. He drew near, and, mixing among the assemblage, saw that
+the business was the selling of a beautiful young slave, who stood in
+the midst with a form of the most fascinating elegance, cheeks that
+outshone the rose, and beauty more dazzling than the reflection of the
+full moon in a fountain of dissolved pearls. Scarcely had he looked
+upon her ere love seized him and mastered him; he knew not what to do
+or to say, but remained like a stone in the midst of the crowd,
+gazing. The bystanders, who were ignorant that Alischar had so soon
+dissipated his patrimony, never doubted that he had come in order to
+be a bidder for the beautiful slave. The crier moved his situation so
+as to stand right opposite to him, with the girl in his hand, and
+began to call out the usual words more loudly than before, "Ye rich
+merchants, ye honourable wholesale dealers, gentlemen all of worth and
+condition, what say ye for this brunette slave, who is the mistress of
+the moon of heaven, whose name is called Smaragdine, and whose fame is
+purer than the pearl in the depths of the Red Sea? Say your bidding,
+great and small."
+
+At first five hundred and twenty-five ducats were offered; but
+immediately there came forward an old man, by name Beschadeddin,
+shapeless in his form and shuffling in his gait,--the aversion of
+every eye that rested on him. This old man came forward across the
+market-place, and offered without hesitation a thousand ducats.
+
+The crier cast his eyes around, but the former bidders remained
+silent, and then asked the master of the slave if he was satisfied
+with this offer.
+
+"I am," said the merchant, "but upon condition that the girl herself
+is so also; for I have sworn to her, that she shall be sold to no one
+for whose service she does not herself feel an inclination."
+
+Upon this the crier turned to the girl, and asked her what she had to
+say to the matter. She cast her bright eyes upon the hateful old man,
+and replied, "Know ye not the verse of the old poet, how he says:
+
+    "'Grey hairs were never formed to give me delight;
+    Sooner would I twist my fingers amidst the dead leaves
+    That are about to fall from the tree, when the wind of winter
+        is blowing?'"
+
+"You are right," said the auctioneer, laughing (and the master of the
+slave re-echoed his laugh and his answer); "let us see whether we
+cannot light upon a younger bidder."
+
+With that there drew near a man whose years were not few, but he had
+dyed his beard and moved trippingly. He also offered a thousand
+ducats; but at that moment Smaragdine began to recite as from the book
+of some poet, but the verses were in truth her own:
+
+    "'Say to him that dyes his beard, that I love not the false.
+    Deception is in him that conceals the works of God and Time.
+    He that disguises his countenance, how shall one put faith in his
+        words?'"
+
+A third now came forward, but unfortunately he was one-eyed. The slave
+regarded him, and quoted, or seemed to quote, without hesitation,
+
+    "'Avoid the one-eyed lover, maiden;
+    How shall he be thy safe guardian, fair woman?
+    Will he love thee better than the apple of his eye?'"
+
+"Look round you," said the crier; "is there none here that pleases you
+better?" And with this he pointed to a short stout man whose beard was
+of unusual dimensions.
+
+"Fie!" said the slave, "this is he whom the poet had in his eye when
+he sang,
+
+    "'Providence has given my adorer too great an allowance of beard.
+    This bush resembles the night of winter--long, black, and cold.'"
+
+"Choose for yourself, girl," said the auctioneer, laughing more
+heartily than before; "I pray you look round upon all the circle of
+the bystanders."
+
+The slave cast her eyes slowly around the company, and at last rested
+them upon Alischar, whose appearance had charmed her from the first
+moment.
+
+"Mr. Crier," said she, "I will belong to no one but this handsome
+young man. It is of him that the poet was thinking when he wrote those
+verses:
+
+    "'Sorrow and pain fly from the loveliness of his countenance,
+    And pierce the hearts of the maidens every one.
+    Why are they not veiled deeply over the eyes?
+    Why court they destruction in gazing upon his beauty?
+
+    The breath of his lip is like the odour of myrrh and camphor.
+    Men slander him; but the moon rises in heaven, and who will then
+        believe that there is darkness?'"
+
+When she ceased from her recitation, her master drew near to Alischar,
+and said, "Friend, you see what a wonder of beauty, education, and
+eloquence this slave is; and, if you got such a treasure for a
+thousand ducats, be assured you were a most fortunate man. I swear to
+you that she can read the Koran in seven different methods--that she
+excels equally in seven different styles of penmanship--that she
+embroiders to admiration in silk, in silver, and in gold--and that you
+will soon get your money out of her, if it were but by the sale of her
+works in the market-place."
+
+The crier also put in his word. "O sir," quoth he to Alischar, "it is
+obvious that Providence has an especial kindness for you: she is a
+pearl and a jewel. You are about to be the happiest of men."
+
+Alischar could not help smiling when he heard all this.
+
+"How!" said he to himself, "last night I went supperless to bed, and
+yet these people all fancy I am in a condition to pay a thousand
+ducats for a dark-eyed slave!"
+
+He shook his head, for he would fain escape the pain of saying openly
+that he was too poor to think of such a purchase.
+
+"Quick," said the beautiful slave, "let me speak to the young man
+myself: I must talk to him a little in private, for I am determined
+that he, and he only, shall buy me."
+
+The crier took her by the hand, and, leading her to Alischar, retired
+a few paces to allow them opportunity of conversation.
+
+"Amiable young man!" whispered she to the youth, "will you not buy
+me?"
+
+Alischar shook his head sorrowfully.
+
+"Aha!" said she, "I have it. Perhaps you think I am too dear? Will you
+give nine hundred ducats for me?"
+
+"No."
+
+"Eight hundred?"
+
+"No."
+
+"Seven hundred?"
+
+"No, no."
+
+And in this way she came down to one hundred ducats, receiving always
+the same melancholy monosyllable in reply.
+
+"I have not a hundred ducats in the world," said Alischar, and a deep
+sigh came from his breast.
+
+"Perhaps you could give ninety--eighty--seventy?"
+
+At last he could not help himself, and whispered in her ear,--"Angel
+of light!" said he, "I have neither gold nor silver, not to talk of
+ducats; I have not a penny in the world: you must find another
+purchaser."
+
+"Do what I bid you," answers she. "Take hold of my hand, and kiss me
+on the side of the cheek, for that is the signal of the bargain being
+completed."
+
+Alischar, scarcely conscious of his proceedings, obeyed the girl. The
+instant afterwards she drew a purse from her bosom, and said, "Take
+that, my love; you will find a thousand ducats in it: pay nine hundred
+to my master for me, and lead your new slave home with all speed."
+
+When they came to the house there was neither bed, sofa, table, nor
+dish in it. The slave instantly sent Alischar to the market to get a
+few necessary moveables and provisions. He did what she bade him.
+Smaragdine forthwith put the house in the nicest order, and set about
+dressing a little supper with the most exquisite skill. In short, the
+next day Alischar married the beautiful slave. Then Smaragdine set
+herself busily to work in embroidering a carpet. She represented on it
+all sorts of quadrupeds so skilfully that one expected to see them
+move; and birds, so that it was a wonder one did not hear them
+singing. In the whole of this work she occupied only eight days, and
+when these were over she sent her man to the market to sell the
+carpet, cautioning him, however, with great strictness, to avoid
+falling into any adventure that might terminate in their separation.
+Alischar followed scrupulously the instructions of his wife, and in
+this manner, supported by Smaragdine's needlework, they spent a whole
+year of undisturbed felicity.
+
+One day, as Alischar was going to market with one of Smaragdine's
+coverlets, as usual, to sell, he happened to meet with a certain
+Infidel who at once offered him sixty ducats for it. He had a secret
+disinclination to have any dealings with a Giaour, and asked first
+sixty-five, and then seventy ducats, and so up at last to a hundred.
+The man, to his astonishment, said, "Well, there is your money;" and
+not having the face to play the extortioner further, Alischar pursed
+the gold, and returned homewards. He was close to the door of his
+house ere he observed that the Giaour had been following him, and was
+just behind him.
+
+"I see you are now at home," said the Infidel, "and I beg you will
+have the kindness to give me a cup of water, for I have been broiling
+in the streets all day, and am ready to expire with thirst."
+
+Alischar, who would never have forgiven himself for refusing so
+trivial a civility, went immediately into the house for a jug of
+water.
+
+"Where have you been lingering so long to-day?" said Smaragdine. "I
+know not how or why, but a certain painful anticipation of some
+misfortune has been hanging over my mind ever since you went out. It
+rejoices my very heart to see you come home sound and well again; but
+what is it you want with the water-jug?"
+
+"Only to refresh a person who seems about to die of thirst," answered
+Alischar; "but I shall be back again in a moment, my dear Smaragdine."
+With this he ran downstairs, and was surprised to find the Infidel,
+whom he had left without on the street, seated within the porch.
+
+"Dog of a Giaour!" says he, "what do you here?"
+
+"Pardon me, good sir," replies the Giaour; "I was so wearied that my
+legs refused to support me any longer, and it was a matter of mere
+necessity that I should sit down somewhere."
+
+Alischar gave him a cup of water, and waited to see him arise and take
+his departure; but, behold, nothing was less in the man's mind.
+
+"Out with you," at last cries Alischar; "out this moment, I say."
+
+"Blessed," says the Giaour, "be they that refuse not a drink of water
+to him who standeth athirst before the door, and who grudge not a bit
+of bread to him that is a-hungered. Now my thirst is quenched, but my
+hunger is even greater than that was. Give me a bit of bread and a
+couple of onions, and for more I will not trouble you."
+
+"Pack off!" said Alischar; "there is nothing in the house."
+
+"With your leave, sir," says the other, producing his purse, "here are
+one hundred ducats: have the kindness to seek some bread and onions
+here in your neighbourhood, and I shall feel myself eternally obliged
+by your condescension."
+
+"The man is mad," thinks Alischar to himself; "but that is no reason
+why I should suffer a hundred ducats to go a-begging for quarters."
+
+"Haste, sir, haste!" continued the Giaour. "I am near to death, so
+great is my hunger, and no one knows what sort of a misery that is
+until he has experienced it himself. If it be but a crust, a crumb--a
+morsel of dry meal even; but something I must have, else I want
+strength to move myself from this seat."
+
+"Wait a moment, then," said Alischar. And with that he went out,
+taking care to lock the door behind him. He soon returned with roast
+meat, pastry, honey, a water-melon, and some bread, upon a tray.
+
+"Oh!" cried the Giaour, when he saw him returning so, "this is too
+much. Ten men might dine on this, and here am I alone before it all,
+unless you would do me the honour to sit with me."
+
+"Eat alone," said Alischar harshly.
+
+But by-and-bye the guest takes the water-melon, and divides it very
+neatly into two parts, contriving by dexterous management of the knife
+to besmear the one of these with a strong tincture of _nepenthe_ of
+Crete and opium, enough to have put an elephant to sleep.
+
+"Pray," said the Infidel, holding the medicated half towards Alischar,
+"accept this beautiful slice of melon at the hands of your servant."
+
+Alischar could not be so rude as to refuse this: he ate the fruit, and
+in a moment the fatal effects of it were apparent, for he sank into
+utter oblivion, losing all his senses at once.
+
+The Giaour rises softly the moment he perceives this, locks the door,
+and putting the key of the house in his pocket, runs with all speed to
+inform his brother of the success of his treachery. This was the old
+Beschadeddin, our acquaintance, who, though he pretended to be a
+Mussulman, had always remained an Infidel. It was he who had excited
+his brother to all this knavery, in order that he himself might if
+possible gain possession of Smaragdine. He now took his people with
+him, provided himself with gold, mounted his mule, and repaired
+directly to Alischar's habitation. His slaves seized Smaragdine by
+force, threatening her with instant death if she dared to utter a
+single cry, and so conveyed her in safety to the house of their
+master.
+
+"Ah, wretch!" says the old reprobate, "have I got you at last into my
+hands? I swear to you, that if you do not consent to renounce Mahomet
+I will make minced meat of you forthwith."
+
+"Hack me and hew me into a thousand shreds, if such be your pleasure,"
+answers she; "but know, wretch of wretches! that a Moslem I am, and a
+Moslem I will die. Allah chastises those He best loves with
+difficulties and dangers, and upon Him alone I set all my trust."
+
+Upon this the wretched ancient gave orders to his female slaves to
+prick Smaragdine's flesh with pins, and then to tie her up in the
+corner of the kitchen, but on no account to give her a morsel to eat.
+But even this last blow had no effect on Smaragdine, who merely
+exclaimed as she had been doing before,
+
+"God is God, and Mahomet is His Prophet!"
+
+When poor Alischar, on his part, awoke from his sleep, and found
+himself alone in his bed, fear unutterable came into his mind, and he
+began to cry out for his Smaragdine like one possessed. But his cries
+were as useless as his searches: he could find his love nowhere, and
+concluded that the vile Giaour had deceived him for the sake of
+abstracting her. At first he sat in a corner shedding hot tears, hour
+after hour, by himself; but perceiving that his tears were of no
+avail, he tore his garments, took a stone in each hand, and walked
+through the town beating his breast alternately with these stones, and
+crying out all the time in a loud voice of distress, "O Smaragdine!
+Smaragdine!"
+
+The children collected about him, and first one and then another of
+them entreated him to tell his story. He did so, and whoever heard him
+pitied him. After he had in this way gone through the whole town, he
+happened to see an old woman of his acquaintance sitting at her door,
+and saluted her respectfully. The old lady, being knowing in such
+matters, perceived at once the symptoms of a desolate lover, and asked
+him the reason of his distress. He told her all, and she said to him,
+
+"I am very much grieved for your case, my son; but take courage. I
+certainly think my assistance will be of much advantage to you. Go
+hence immediately, buy one of the bread-baskets in which the hawkers
+carry their loaves about, and put a few articles of female attire in
+it. I undertake to go about with the wares, and I flatter myself you
+will ere long hear some tidings of Smaragdine."
+
+Alischar was out of himself with joy even at this small glimpse of
+hope; he covered the hand of the old dame with tears and kisses, and
+forthwith fetched her what she had asked for. She made herself ready
+without delay to commence her operations, and in the course of her
+wanderings came, after no long space of time, to the very house of
+Beschadeddin.
+
+She happened to enter at a moment when the female slaves of the house
+were misusing poor Smaragdine.
+
+"And what," says she, "has the poor child done to you that you should
+treat her so roughly?"
+
+"In truth," they answered, "we do what we do against our own
+inclination, but we must obey our master's orders."
+
+"Not when he is from home, surely," says the old woman again; "do have
+a little pity. Oblige me so far as to unbind this unfortunate, and
+refresh her a little with some food."
+
+The slave-girls, whose hearts were by no means destitute of
+sensibility, loosed her bands, and left her for a moment alone with
+the old woman. She made good use of the happy occasion, told her in
+whose name she had come, and said that if she would take care to be at
+the window exactly at midnight, Alischar would be there at that
+moment, when she might easily drop upon his shoulders and regain her
+freedom. With this she hies away to Alischar to make him acquainted
+with her success. She assured him that Beschadeddin being from home,
+the slaves had promised to leave Smaragdine unbound for that one
+night, and he needed not many words to make him undertake the
+adventure.
+
+He was at the appointed spot the moment darkness closed, determined to
+stand there and wait patiently for the time when his love should
+appear. But alas! his sorrow had cost him many slumberless nights, and
+now that he thought himself secure of his happiness again, long-absent
+sleep came, and overpowered him suddenly where he stood on the street.
+
+It happened that just about this time a thief was passing down the
+same street. Perceiving that Alischar was fast asleep, this fellow
+eased him of his turban, and setting that on his head, was about to
+proceed on his way. Smaragdine, at this moment standing in the window,
+saw the gleam of her lover's turban, and never doubting that it was
+worn by Alischar himself, opened the lattice, and said to the thief in
+an audible whisper,
+
+"Come, come, love, I am ready to come down."
+
+"Here is a fine adventure," quoth the thief to himself; "let us make
+the best of it."
+
+With this he placed himself below Smaragdine's window, received her on
+his shoulders, and darted off with her like lightning.
+
+"Oh," says she to him, "you are so strong, you trot as nimbly as if
+you were a horse under me; and the good old woman had persuaded me
+that grief had weakened you so that you could scarcely drag your own
+limbs along."
+
+The gentleman, on his part, made no answer to these observations, and
+Smaragdine at last began to feel his face, which being very rough and
+half covered with hair, her error was apparent, and she began to cry
+out with all her might,
+
+"Who art thou? who art thou?"
+
+"Silence!" answered the thief: "I am Hirvan the Kurd, and I belong to
+the band of Ahmed-ed-deyf. We are forty of us, all jolly brothers of
+the trade, and a happy life shall you lead with us."
+
+Smaragdine perceived into what horrors her error had plunged her: she
+committed her soul to God and her body to the Prophet, and allowed
+Hirvan to proceed with her in silence.
+
+He conveyed her straight to a cavern without the city, which was the
+hiding-place of the band. At that moment there was no one in it but
+the mother of the captain, who had been left to arrange the plunder of
+the preceding night, and in particular the wardrobe of a young
+cavalier whom they had murdered, and whose horse and portmanteau were
+observed just within the entrance of the cavern. The young robber
+handed over Smaragdine to the old lady's protection, and went out
+again in quest of more adventures; and no sooner were they alone than
+the old one began to praise Smaragdine's beauty, and to felicitate her
+upon the prospect of being bride to her own son, the captain, whose
+manifold accomplishments she most vigorously extolled. Smaragdine,
+after a little while, began to dry her tears, and by degrees affected
+to be quite comforted. She even went so far as to say that she
+regretted one thing more than all the rest, and this was that she
+could not take a bath, and be ready to give the captain a reception
+more worthy of his rank and character.
+
+"Ah, the bath! the bath!" cries the old woman, "you are quite in the
+right; there is no comfort in this world like the bath; but it is a
+luxury I never enjoy, for I have nobody about me to shampoo me."
+
+"Here am I," says Smaragdine; "allow me to attend on you the first,
+and then you will do the like good office to me."
+
+The bargain was soon struck. The bath was got into order, and the old
+woman, the first time for many years, entered it. Smaragdine kept the
+water very hot, and rubbed and scrubbed the old dame so, that she was
+quite in transports, and at length fell fast asleep under the pleasing
+influence. While she slept Smaragdine took possession of the clothes
+and arms of the murdered cavalier, mounted his horse, and galloped
+from the cavern, without having the least notion whither.
+
+When morning broke she found herself in an uncultivated country,
+destitute of any marks of human habitation. She ate some roots and
+fruits, allowed her horse to graze under the trees, and so proceeded
+all the day.
+
+On the eleventh morning she descried, in the valley before her, a
+noble and beautifully situated town; and behold, as she drew nearer to
+the gates, there came from thence a multitude of horsemen, who
+surrounded her upon the highway, threw themselves on the ground before
+the hoofs of her horse, kissed her garment, and hailed her as the
+Sultan sent to them by the especial care of Heaven. Each man clapped
+his hands, and exclaimed, _Allah jausur es Sultaun_![18] that is to
+say, God give victory to the Sultan, King of the world--blessed be thy
+coming!
+
+[Footnote 18: This is a cry which still survives in Egypt--the very
+cry with which the inhabitants of that country welcomed successively,
+in 1800-1, the Generals of the French, the Turkish, and the English
+armies.]
+
+What may all this mean? thinks the bewildered girl to herself. She
+asked the question aloud, and the Lord High Chamberlain hastened to
+answer it. "Know, sire," said he, "that when the Sovereign of this
+city dies without children, all the inhabitants are, according to the
+constitution, assembled together in the great street, there ready to
+come out and salute as their Prince the first traveller who happens to
+emerge from the wilderness; and in this manner it is impossible for us
+not to acknowledge the finger of Providence, who gives the crown to
+the person He judges most fit to wear it. Heaven be praised for having
+sent us, on this occasion, a King such as you seem to be; for had it
+been never such a ragamuffin, or even scoundrel, it must have been
+equally our duty to welcome him as our lord."
+
+"Believe not," answered Smaragdine, recollecting herself, "believe not
+that in me you hail any low-born Prince. No, my lords, I am the son of
+a noble house, who happened to take into my head the fancy of riding
+through the world in quest of adventures; and here, as you perceive,
+gentlemen, here is one that appears to be by no means of a despicable
+description to begin with."
+
+Without delay Smaragdine held her triumphant entry into the city,
+opened the treasury chambers of the dead King, and distributed a large
+proportion of the gold that was found there to propitiate the goodwill
+of the inhabitants, above all of the army. In this way all hearts were
+won, and every class of the people remained full of affection and
+devotion to the sovereign authority. The Sultan alone was unhappy. Her
+thoughts rested afar off upon her Alischar. In the harem she
+constrained herself so far as to appear well pleased with the songs,
+dances, and banquets prepared for her; but when night approached, she
+retired to a solitary chamber, and spent the silent hours in fasting
+and praying and melancholy reflection.
+
+After a full twelve months had been passed in this manner, without any
+tidings of the lost Alischar, she assembled on the feast of the New
+Year the Viziers and lords of the chamber, and gave command that a
+vast amphitheatre should be erected in the centre of the city. In the
+midst a lofty dome was placed, below which seats were arranged for the
+nobles of the realm. Here, when all was finished, Smaragdine
+entertained them with a stately feast; and her heralds made
+proclamation, that henceforth, on the first day of every new moon, a
+season naturally devoted to festivities, the Sultan would give a
+banquet to all his subjects in the amphitheatre: on that day, under
+pain of death, no shop should be opened, nor merchandise cared for. On
+the day of the first new moon, accordingly, the whole of the people
+were assembled in the presence of their Prince. Each ate, drank, and
+enjoyed himself as much as he could, well satisfied that in so doing
+he fulfilled the decree of his Sovereign.
+
+Glad at heart was Smaragdine, for she flattered herself that this
+assembling of the people might one day or other furnish the means of
+getting some intelligence concerning her dear Alischar. Just while
+this thought passed through her mind, behold, a man rose up, and
+stretching out his hand, drew to himself from some distance a dish of
+milk, in which rice, sugar, and cinnamon were mingled, and there arose
+a cry of "Shame! shame! shame on the glutton, who is unsatisfied with
+that which the King's bounty had placed before his own seat."
+
+"The reason," said the man, "is only this, that they have placed a
+fricassee before me, and I eat no fricassees."
+
+"I am convinced," cries another, "that this is some dog of an Infidel,
+and that this happens to be one of their fast-days."
+
+Smaragdine, whom this disturbance had not escaped, gave orders
+forthwith that the man should be brought before her throne. The people
+ceased from eating and drinking, and every eye and ear were fixed upon
+the footstool of the Sultan.
+
+"What is your name?" said Smaragdine, "and for what purpose have you
+come into my states?"
+
+The wretch, who had clothed himself in a white turban, which of right
+belongs only to the Moslems, made answer, "My name is Ali; I am a
+weaver by trade, and I have come hither in the hope to gain my bread
+honestly by the labour of my hands."
+
+"Well, well," says Smaragdine, "bring quickly hither my necromantic
+tablet _Romla_, and the steel pen that belongs to it, and soon shall
+the truth be made manifest."
+
+With that she began, apparently, her calculation, cast her eyes
+upwards, and after a pause of some moments, said, "Dog, thou liest!
+Thou art a Giaour, and thou hast come hither with some wicked
+intention. Confess the truth, or thy head flies from thy shoulders
+upon the spot!"
+
+"Pardon! pardon!" cried the stranger, altogether astonished; for he
+never doubted that the secret virtue of the _Romla_ had detected him:
+"pardon, great King! It is true I am a Giaour."
+
+Smaragdine gave orders that he should instantly be hung, his carcass
+thrown into the court of offal, and his head fixed before the gate of
+the palace. The people witnessed the execution, and applauded equally
+the astrological skill and the stern justice of their Sovereign.
+
+On the first day of the second month the same festival was repeated.
+It was again proclaimed that every one should eat, drink, and rejoice,
+but that none should on any account touch anything but what happened
+to be set before himself. The nobles assembled; the troops stood in
+order of parade; the people had taken their places in the
+amphitheatre. The King was on his throne, and surveyed the scene
+around with attentive eyes. At this moment a foreigner came, all
+hastily and dusty from his journey, to the door of the amphitheatre,
+and his loud inquiries as to the meaning of the splendid scene before
+him were heard distinctly even where the King sat. An old woman, near
+the entrance, explained to him the meaning of the feast, but forgot to
+inform him of the regulations as to meddling with dishes at a distance
+from one's own place. The man took his place, and shortly afterwards
+stretched out his hand to seize something a little way off. "Hold!"
+cried at once a thousand voices; "hold, or you will be hanged."
+
+The man, who had no very pure conscience to sustain his nerves, took
+it for granted his fate was sealed; and, without a moment's delay,
+began leaping over the benches, in the hopes to make his escape. The
+King nodded; he was arrested and placed before the throne. "Who art
+thou?" said Smaragdine, "and wherefore hast thou come into our
+states?".
+
+"My name," answered he, "is Osman. I am by profession a gardener, and
+have come hither to seek for certain rare trees and flowers."
+
+"Holla, there!" cries the King, "bring hither quickly my tablet
+_Romla_ and the steel pen, and speedily will the truth see daylight."
+
+With this, Smaragdine began to study the tablet attentively: she kept
+her eyes for some moments fixed upon the sky, and then said, "Hateful
+churl, thou liest! Thy name is Hirvan the Kurd, and by profession thou
+art a thief. Confess the truth, wretch!"
+
+The man's colour changed; his tongue refused its office; at length he
+confessed the truth. The King ordered him to be hung immediately, his
+carcass and head to be treated as had been done with those of the
+Giaour. The people returned with quickened appetites to their dinner,
+and admired more than ever the wisdom and rectitude of their Prince.
+
+The first day of the third moon brought with it the usual
+proclamation, the usual feast, and the usual consequences. A stranger
+appears, who, not knowing the law of the festival, transgresses it
+grossly, is accused, and finally conducted into the immediate presence
+of Smaragdine, who puts to him the usual questions.
+
+"My name," replies the stranger, "is Resim, and I am a poor dervish."
+
+"Bring my _Romla_ tablet and my steel pen," cries the King.
+
+They do as they are bid: Smaragdine casts her eyes upwards, preserves
+for a moment the usual silence, and exclaims, "Thou liest, dog! thy
+name is Beschadeddin; outwardly thou art a Moslem, but in heart an
+unbeliever: confess the verity, or thou diest."
+
+It was no one but Beschadeddin. Like the robber, he had, after the
+loss of the beautiful slave, set out upon his travels in the hope of
+finding her again, and his ill fortune had conducted him to the same
+city. Full of dismay, he was constrained to confess the truth, and his
+head figured forthwith beside those of his brother adventurers. The
+feast proceeded with redoubled jollity, and louder than ever were the
+sagacity and justice of the Sultan extolled. Smaragdine alone took no
+part in the general merriment.
+
+It was the first morning of the fourth moon, as the people were
+congregated together for the usual festival, when there appeared, at
+one of the doors of the amphitheatre, a young man, beautiful as the
+day, but having the lustre of his complexion dimmed by the cloud of
+long afflictions. It was Alischar, and Smaragdine had nigh swooned
+away with the joy of beholding him.
+
+After he awoke in the street without his turban, and learnt from the
+old woman what had happened, and that his dear Smaragdine had indeed
+vanished, though not in his company, his spirit was yielded up as a
+prey to the bitterest anguish. A sore illness fell upon him, and for a
+whole year he had lain helpless, nursed carefully by the good old
+woman. But as soon as he began to recover a little strength, he set
+out a-wandering though the world, if perchance he might yet once again
+find his wife. It happened that he came on the morning of this
+feast-day to the city where she was King, and, being unacquainted with
+the regulations of the amphitheatre, he fell into a mistake similar to
+that which had already proved fatal to so many travellers. He was,
+like them, accused and summoned to the Prince's footstool. He knelt
+down reverently, and kissed the dust before her; and being asked what
+was his name and his business, made answer, without hesitation,
+
+"My name is Alischar, and I am come hither, wandering over the whole
+earth, in quest of the fountain of my life, my dear Smaragdine, whom I
+have lost."
+
+The King sent for the tablet _Romla_ and the steel pen. "You have said
+the truth," says the King; "and I perceive that Heaven designs ere
+long to restore to you your lost love."
+
+With this she commanded them to lead Alischar to the bath, to clothe
+him in a robe of honour, and treat him in her palace with all respect
+and consideration.
+
+Smaragdine could scarcely wait until night came, so great was her
+impatience. When it was dark, she commanded that Alischar should be
+brought before her, and invited him to partake of the royal supper.
+The young man, who was naturally modest, was confounded with this
+condescension, but constrained himself, and acquitted himself as well
+as he could. It appeared that his behaviour gave no displeasure to the
+King; for, supper being ended, the chief of the black eunuchs came
+into the apartment, and Alischar heard him receive his Sovereign's
+orders to place him in one of the palace sleeping-chambers.
+
+Presently a whisper was heard close to his pillow, and ere he could
+make any answer, his visitant revealed herself.
+
+It was Smaragdine: she was out of herself with joy; she burst out into
+loud laughter, such as could proceed from no lips but hers, and made
+herself known to the enraptured Alischar.
+
+Next morning the King called together the nobles of the city, and
+requested them to choose some one to act as Viceroy for a season,
+announcing the necessity of undertaking a journey to his own country
+in company with the stranger.
+
+They immediately complied with this request, and escorted the Prince
+from their gates with all the splendour of royal attendance. But
+Smaragdine had no intention ever to reclaim their homage: she had
+found her Alischar, and preferred a life of love and peace in her
+native place, to a disagreeable disguise and the troublesome
+magnificence of sovereign estate.
+
+FINIS.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Eastern Tales by Many Story Tellers, by Various
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+
+Project Gutenberg's Eastern Tales by Many Story Tellers, by Various
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Eastern Tales by Many Story Tellers
+
+Author: Various
+
+Release Date: August 19, 2008 [EBook #26358]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EASTERN TALES ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Delphine Lettau, and the
+Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+</pre>
+
+
+<div class="figcenter"><img class="img1" src="images/title_page.jpg" width="400" height="618" alt="Decorative Image"  /></div>
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<h3><i>THE "CHANDOS CLASSICS."</i></h3>
+<hr style="width: 25%;" />
+
+<h1><span class="smcap">Eastern Tales</span></h1>
+
+<h3>BY</h3>
+
+<h2>MANY STORY TELLERS</h2>
+
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<h4>COMPILED AND EDITED FROM ANCIENT AND MODERN AUTHORS BY</h4>
+
+<h3>MRS. VALENTINE</h3>
+
+<h4><i>Author of "Sea Fights and Land Battles," &amp;c., &amp;c., &amp;c.</i></h4>
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+
+<h3>WITH  NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS</h3>
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 150px;">
+<img src="images/image_001.jpg" width="150" height="152" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<h3>LONDON</h3>
+
+<h2>FREDERICK WARNE &amp; CO.</h2>
+
+<h4>BEDFORD STREET, STRAND</h4>
+
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;">
+<img src="images/image_003.jpg" width="400" height="143" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+<h2>PREFACE.</h2>
+<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_i.jpg" width="74" height="75" alt="I" /></div>
+<p>n compiling this volume of Eastern Tales, the Editor has been careful
+to select only those best suited to youthful readers. They have been
+gathered from both ancient and modern, French, Italian, and English
+sources, and therefore offer great variety of style and subject.</p>
+
+<p>In the stories taken from the Tales of the Genii, an omission of a few
+words has been made, to fit them for their place in this volume.</p>
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;">
+<img src="images/image_003_1.jpg" width="200" height="104" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 400px;">
+<img src="images/image_004.jpg" width="400" height="88" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+<h2>CONTENTS</h2>
+<table summary="Contents">
+<tr><td></td><td class="tocpg f1">PAGE</td>
+</tr>
+<tr><td><a href="#Jalaladdeen_of_Bagdad">JALALADDEEN OF BAGDAD</a></td><td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr><td><a href="#The_Story_of_Haschem">THE STORY OF HASCHEM</a></td><td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_40">40</a></td>
+</tr>
+<tr><td><a href="#The_Pantofles">THE PANTOFLES</a></td>
+<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_73">73</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td><a href="#Story_of_the_Prince_and_the_Lions">STORY OF THE PRINCE AND THE LIONS</a></td>
+<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_78">78</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td><a href="#The_City_of_the_Demons">THE CITY OF THE DEMONS</a></td>
+<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_95">95</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td><a href="#Jussuf_the_Merchant_of_Balsora">JUSSUF, THE MERCHANT OF BALSORA</a></td>
+<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_104">104</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td><a href="#The_Seven_Sleepers">THE SEVEN SLEEPERS</a></td>
+<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_169">169</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td><a href="#The_Enchanters">THE ENCHANTERS; OR, MISNAR, THE SULTAN OF INDIA</a></td>
+<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_200">200</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td><a href="#Sadik_Beg">SADIK BEG</a></td>
+<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_306">306</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td><a href="#Halechalbe_and_the_Unknown_Lady">HALECHALBE AND THE UNKNOWN LADY</a></td>
+<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_309">309</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td><a href="#The_Four_Talismans">THE FOUR TALISMANS</a></td>
+<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_341">341</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td><a href="#The_Story_of_Bohetzad">THE STORY OF BOHETZAD; OR, THE LOST CHILD</a></td>
+<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_366">366</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td><a href="#The_Adventures_of_Urad_or_The_Fair_Wanderer">URAD; OR, THE FAIR WANDERER</a></td>
+<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_499">499</a></td></tr>
+<tr><td><a href="#Alischar_and_Smaragdine">ALISCHAR AND SMARAGDINE</a></td>
+<td class="tocpg"><a href="#Page_524">524</a></td></tr>
+</table>
+
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;">
+<img src="images/image_004_1.jpg" width="200" height="62" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p>
+<h2>EASTERN TALES.</h2>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2><a name="Jalaladdeen_of_Bagdad" id="Jalaladdeen_of_Bagdad"></a>Jalaladdeen of Bagdad.</h2>
+
+<div>
+<img src="images/image_005_01.jpg" width="600" height="559" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+<img class="figleft1" src="images/image_005_02.jpg" width="218" height="201" alt="Decorative Image" /></div>
+
+
+<p>nce upon a time there lived in the city of Bagdad a young man called
+Jalaladdeen. It was not his native place; but, in his early days, his
+father had taken up his abode there. He was, however, little
+acquainted with the town, in which he had grown up a sturdy youth; for
+his father inhabited a small house in one of the suburbs, and lived a
+very retired and frugal life. They managed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span> their household affairs,
+and cultivated their small garden, without the aid of any domestics.</p>
+
+<p>One day the father, feeling his end approaching, called for his son
+once more to his bed-side before his death, and said to him,
+"Jalaladdeen, my dearest son, thou seest that I have arrived at the
+bourne of my earthly career: now I should joyously quit this life,
+were it not for the thought that I must leave thee here alone. After
+my death, thou wilt find that thou are not so poor as thou mayest have
+conceived, and that too with good reason, from our hitherto contracted
+habits of life. Nevertheless, guard against the impression that thou
+art in possession of inexhaustible riches. Reflect that a year has
+three hundred and sixty-five days, and that the smallest expenditure,
+when it occurs daily, will in the end amount to no inconsiderable sum.
+Pay careful heed, therefore, to these my instructions, and be
+contented with the necessaries of life. Provide that which is
+indispensable to thy subsistence; but beware of purchasing
+superfluities. Man's wants increase daily, if he do not accustom
+himself in his early days to practise self-denial. But shouldest thou
+ever be so unhappy as to neglect these my sincere cautions, and
+consequently fall into poverty, I have only this piece of advice left
+for thee:&mdash;Take this rope, fasten it to the nail in yonder wall, and
+pull stoutly three times."</p>
+
+<p>After these words, with his latest strength he drew a new rope from
+under the head of his bed, and presented it to Jalaladdeen: the next
+moment he expired.</p>
+
+<p>So remarkable was the last lesson of the dying father to Jalaladdeen,
+that he carefully preserved the rope. The care of the funeral of the
+deceased, and the grief for the loss of his parent, and his own
+abandonment in the world, occupied Jalaladdeen's mind for the first
+week; but soon the household matters demanded his attention, and he
+speedily found his father's words verified. One day he discovered in a
+chamber which his father had always kept locked, and which he himself
+had never before entered, a great quantity of gold and jewels. He
+still, however, persevered in his accustomed solitary and frugal life
+in the same manner as before the death of his father. He fetched his
+daily provisions for himself,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span> worked in his garden, and dressed his
+own food. One day it happened that as he went to fetch a piece of meat
+from his butcher, he passed a house adjacent to his own, from an inner
+room of which there sounded joyous voices, jokes, songs, and laughter.
+He felt a desire to open the door a little and to peep in; and a
+tastefully furnished chamber, hung with light blue silk draperies
+ornamented with golden lace, presented itself to his view. Beneath a
+canopy reclined five richly dressed young men at a table covered with
+a costly cloth, on which stood dishes and plates. On a side-board
+stood drinking-vessels and jugs; and five slaves were busily employed
+in serving the company with viands and liquors. At sight of this
+cheerful and joyous assemblage, Jalaladdeen felt discontented with his
+lot.</p>
+
+<p>"How happy are they!" said he to himself: "here they repose together,
+and take their refreshments in common, savoured by sprightly
+conversation and jokes. Alas! I, poor Jalaladdeen, must sit at home
+alone, and take my solitary meal!"</p>
+
+<p>While he was indulging in these reflections, one of the young men
+observed him; and, as Jalaladdeen was withdrawing, he stepped forward
+hastily and invited him in a most friendly manner to remain with them
+during the day, and to pass it in a cheerful and convivial spirit.
+Jalaladdeen endeavoured to excuse himself by pointing to his mean
+garb, intimating his inability to mix in such society; but his
+objections were of no avail. He was conducted to the table in a most
+courteous manner, and seated with them. The slaves waited on him, and
+placed before him viands with which he was at once pleased and
+astonished.</p>
+
+<p>As one of the slaves handed him a full goblet, he held it doubtfully
+in his hand for some time, without tasting it. Upon this, one of the
+young men, who appeared to be the host, said, "Why do you not drink?"</p>
+
+<p>"I do not know," replied he, "what the liquor is: I am fearful it may
+be wine, which our great Prophet has forbidden us."</p>
+
+<p>Hereupon all the company raised a hearty laugh at him.</p>
+
+<p>"Do you know," said one, "why the Prophet forbade his disciples to
+drink wine?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>As Jalaladdeen replied in the negative, the other proceeded thus: "The
+Prophet observed many of his disciples, when they had partaken freely
+of the vine, brawling and quarrelsome; and therefore he forbade it.
+The beverage, however, was very different in its effects: some of them
+it rendered lazy and inactive; others, too, would defy the whole
+world, when heated by its influence. But why should he order us to
+shun it? He in fact allows us to use it, so long as we do not abuse
+it; and as we are all good companions, and avoid brawls in every
+possible way, there is no danger of neglecting the Prophet's command."</p>
+
+<p>In consequence of this explanation, Jalaladdeen lifted the flagon to
+his mouth, and emptied it with the greatest pleasure. "Sorry company
+spoils good liquor." This maxim was readily adopted. In consequence of
+his father's precepts, Jalaladdeen had always been in the habit of
+treating all religious tenets with the greatest respect. But fearful
+that, by remaining long with his new acquaintance, he should neglect
+his father's words, he contrived at first to drink very sparingly. The
+beverage, which he had hitherto never tasted, proved very agreeable to
+his palate; and when the host called upon him to drain his cup, "Ah,"
+thought he, "I have made one false step; I have erred from the right
+path! Whether I drink little, or empty the goblet, is of no great
+consequence; for I have broken the commandment of the Prophet."</p>
+
+<p>He quaffed again and again, and had his cup filled so frequently, that
+he gradually forgot all his good intentions, and felt a degree of
+excitement which seemed to run through his veins in a manner he had
+never before experienced. He had by this time lost all self-command;
+and as he could neither call sense nor recollection to his aid, by
+degrees he fashioned himself to the habits of his friends, and pleased
+them more and more.</p>
+
+<p>"Here, friend," said one of them at last, "your company is very
+pleasant. I wish to have you always with us, that we may revel and
+enjoy ourselves together."</p>
+
+<p>The others also approved of the plan, and pressed him to become one of
+them.</p>
+
+<p>"I would willingly do so," said Jalaladdeen; "but I must first<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> know
+what your society is, and whether it would be proper for me to conform
+to its customs. Some associations are dangerous."</p>
+
+<p>"Have no fear on that account," said one: "our brotherhood is
+perfectly harmless, and its aim innocent. See, we are five
+unencumbered young men, each having some independent property. We have
+linked ourselves together, and formed a confederacy to meet at one
+another's residences, and to enjoy ourselves day after day in comfort
+and pleasure. He to whose lot it has fallen to become host to-day
+provides meat and drink, and if it should cost him something more than
+usual, he makes up the loss by becoming on the next occasions the
+guest of others. In this manner we pass a life devoid of care, and
+feast, joke, and laugh with one another the livelong day."</p>
+
+<p>The condition into which the wine and the luxuries of the table had
+brought Jalaladdeen disposed him to be well pleased with the offer,
+and he was easily induced to identify his lot with theirs. When
+evening drew on, and he rose to take his departure, they showed him
+the house of meeting for the morrow, and he returned to his own home
+delighted with the events of the day, and, retiring to rest, was soon
+locked in profound sleep, and lulled by happy dreams.</p>
+
+<p>When he awoke the next morning, he reflected on the transactions of
+the previous day, lamenting that he had so entirely disregarded his
+father's last words, and had totally neglected the observance of the
+Prophet's command. These thoughts, coupled with the admonition of his
+dying father, occasioned great anguish to his heart; and the
+recollection of the vast expense incurred by the feasting of the
+former day, and the calculation of the sum he should require to
+entertain his friends with similar hospitality, made him feel an
+inclination to withdraw from the connection; but, as he had pledged
+his word, he was reluctant to quit them at so early a stage.</p>
+
+<p>He then calculated what he should require, and proceeded to the
+chamber where his riches lay. But the sight of the treasures banished
+all cares from his breast; "for," thought he to himself, "if I should
+expend a sum similar to that of yesterday, I shall want<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span> but very
+little of this gold." He then took a bag of gold with him, and went
+out to purchase the necessaries for the banquet.</p>
+
+<p>On arriving at the city he took a porter with him, and bought various
+articles for the feast: a table for six, with a costly cover and
+carpet. From thence he proceeded to a silversmith, and purchased jugs,
+and flagons, and drinking-vessels, and other utensils for the table,
+superior to those of his friends. Then he visited a china-shop, and
+selected some of the handsomest porcelain china and Japan ware that
+was to be found, and provided himself with elegant services of plates
+and dishes. He continued in this manner furnishing himself with every
+useful and ornamental article for one of his largest rooms.</p>
+
+<p>While he was thus employed in collecting and dispatching to his house
+these various utensils, the time for assembling at his friend's house
+drew near. He accordingly bent his steps thither, and was most gladly
+welcomed. They sat down to table, and when the first course was
+served, "You should have brought a slave with you," said the host, "as
+we do: that is one of our customs."</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen explained that he had not yet purchased a slave, but
+undertook to procure one by the following morning.</p>
+
+<p>The day passed, like the former one, in great glee and festivity. The
+second supply of wine was ordered, and Jalaladdeen took his first
+goblet with great hesitation; but this was soon dissipated by his
+friends, and his cup was filled again and again, till he became
+exactly in the same condition as on the previous occasion.</p>
+
+<p>After three or four days, he was altogether accustomed to his new mode
+of living; and he was at a loss to comprehend how he could have
+remained so long in his old quiet habits, blaming his father in his
+mind for keeping him in retirement so many years, and for depriving
+him of the happiness of a convivial life.</p>
+
+<p>He looked back with joy to the day upon which he had formed an
+acquaintance with his new friends, and congratulated himself on the
+prospect of a closer intimacy with them. He soon provided himself with
+two slaves: to one he confided the duties of the kitchen; the office
+of the other was to wait upon him and his friends.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>When the young men met for the first time at his house, they were
+astonished at its meanness and the want of accommodation, owing to the
+small size of the rooms. Jalaladdeen apologized to them, saying it had
+been his father's house, and that in consequence he did not wish to
+part with it. Though his companions approved of this motive, still
+they considered that he ought to provide a spacious dining-room for
+their comfort, or to build an open pavilion in the garden, where they
+might assemble more conveniently.</p>
+
+<p>"In this small chamber," said one, "it is impossible to enjoy oneself
+at ease: the room is so contracted and inconvenient."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, brother," said another; "you must do something: a pavilion must
+be erected in the garden; and while you are about it, let it be both
+handsome and commodious."</p>
+
+<p>Then they suggested all kinds of plans for the building, each one
+pointing out some novel feature or other which he particularly begged
+might not be forgotten in its construction.</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen was soon thoroughly convinced of the necessity of
+providing a large room for their comfort; and pledging himself now, as
+he knew what was required, to follow the suggestion of his friends, he
+promised to use his best endeavours to render the building conformable
+to their several tastes.</p>
+
+<p>He accordingly the next day sent for an architect, who well knew how
+to enlarge upon what was necessary for the solidity of the pavilion,
+what was requisite for its proper appearance, and what the cost of the
+building would be, and desired him to erect it. Jalaladdeen yielded to
+his opinion on every point, hoping to gain the praise and approbation
+of his friends; and in order to carry this out more fully, he would
+not suffer any one to enter the garden during the progress of the
+work.</p>
+
+<p>At length the pavilion was completed, and the friends were assembled
+together there for the banquet. Everything was deemed praiseworthy,
+and highly approved.</p>
+
+<p>At last, however, one exclaimed, "It is much to be regretted, friend
+Jalaladdeen, that your garden is so small. What a miserable prospect
+you have! On this side nothing but poor vegetable-<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span>gardens; on the
+other side that ugly old building obstructs the view. If I were in
+your place, I would buy up the land around, pull down the barracks and
+the little buildings adjacent, and thus make one vast pleasure-garden,
+befitting such a splendid pavilion."</p>
+
+<p>As the rest of the guests concurred, Jalaladdeen began to think
+himself that to erect a large handsome pavilion on such small grounds
+was indeed a mistake. He immediately, therefore, bought up all the
+small gardens, for which he was obliged to pay a very heavy
+price&mdash;firstly, because the owners did not wish to part with them; and
+secondly, as the produce of the ground was necessary for their
+subsistence.</p>
+
+<p>As he had now got the requisite space on all sides, he employed a
+skilful gardener to lay out the grounds tastefully; and in order to
+cultivate this new garden, and keep it constantly in proper order, he
+was compelled to enlarge his establishment by a head gardener and
+several assistants. His house was too small to accommodate them. He
+therefore built a dwelling-house for them on a suitable spot of the
+garden. Thus one foolish expenditure always renders another outlay
+necessary.</p>
+
+<p>Soon, by degrees, their manner of living became more and more
+expensive, as each endeavoured to excel the others in the splendour of
+his hospitality, and to procure for the next meeting at his house
+scarcer viands and more costly wines. In this manner they vied with
+each other, increasing their expenses with savoury spices and the most
+delicious perfumes.</p>
+
+<p>This daily intercourse, however, was soon discontinued; and they
+assembled every day at Jalaladdeen's pavilion. He took a delight in
+being continual host, on account of the praise they lavished upon him,
+and the assurance they gave him that his table produced the best fare,
+and that the taste of his saloon was of the most superior order. By
+this means, in a short time his treasures of gold were expended; still
+he comforted himself with his precious stones, of which he possessed
+an immense quantity. At last these gems were squandered away; and he
+offered one costly article after another to a jeweller for sale, who
+on each occasion named a less price than before. Soon his only
+remaining valuable ring was sold<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span> for a small sum; and Jalaladdeen
+entertained his friends for the last time.</p>
+
+<p>In the course of the banquet, he took the opportunity of explaining
+the state of his affairs, and begged some one of them to undertake the
+office of host, as they had been in the habit of doing. But his
+friends on this occasion received his announcement with great
+surprise.</p>
+
+<p>"Is it thus with you?" said one, in astonishment.</p>
+
+<p>"Are you obliged to have recourse to such means?" said another. "You
+have invited us here, and furnished your table most sumptuously; and
+are matters thus with you? If it be so, you are rightly served. Your
+profligate habits have led us into great expenses. 'T is good; you
+have given us a proof of what such things lead to."</p>
+
+<p>"What!" said a third, "do you wish us to take up the office of host in
+order to come to the same end at which you have arrived?"</p>
+
+<p>"I will give you some sound advice," said a fourth: "whenever you meet
+with a fool who is inclined to lay out his money in the purchase of
+such a poor tasteless garden as you have made, dispose of it to him,
+and with the proceeds take a little shop, and support yourself by
+trade."</p>
+
+<p>"Look to yourself," said the fifth: "I am very sorry for you; but I
+cannot help you."</p>
+
+<p>They then left him, some upbraiding him, others shrugging their
+Shoulders with pity.</p>
+
+<p>"These are friends indeed!" said Jalaladdeen, bitterly, as they
+deserted him. "Oh, why did I neglect my father's injunctions? Even on
+the first day of our acquaintance, I should have taken warning by
+their carelessness in disregarding the Prophet's commandment
+concerning the abuse of wine. Ah me! I am justly punished."</p>
+
+<p>He immediately began to retrench his household expenditure, and
+shortly his handsome tapestries and costly goods were all sold off,
+and he was reduced to the necessity of economizing most rigidly. But
+deeply as he felt the loss of those comforts which he had so lately
+enjoyed, his reflections bore still heavier upon him.</p>
+
+<p>In his contemplations one day on his unhappy lot, he laid himself<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span>
+down in the same chamber in which he had received his dying father's
+commands. Here he experienced the most bitter anguish for the
+past&mdash;looked forward with sorrow and amazement to the future, as he
+had no one to advise and counsel him. Here his eye lighted upon the
+nail in the wall; and the last words of his father rung again in his
+ears&mdash;"Take this rope; you will see a nail in the wall; fasten it, and
+pull three times."</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen immediately opened a drawer where the rope lay, fetched a
+stool to the spot, made fast the end of the rope to the nail, and
+pulled with all his might. At the third pull he found he had torn the
+nail out of the wall, which had brought with it a square piece of
+board, thus leaving a large opening: he observed, too, that this was
+not the effect of chance, but of design. How great, then, was his
+astonishment when, on fetching a ladder, and looking into the opening,
+he discovered a much larger bag of gold, pearls, and other precious
+stones, than that one he found on a previous occasion, and which he
+had so thoughtlessly squandered. He now perceived that his father had
+prevented his touching this treasure until he should have learnt by
+misfortune how easily vast riches are dissipated, and should have been
+convinced by experience of the truth of his fatherly instructions and
+warning.</p>
+
+<p>In order to avoid falling again into the hands of his profligate
+friends, should they hear of his improved circumstances, and to rid
+himself of their company for ever, he sold his house, and bought
+another, moderately large, pleasantly situated in an open plain in the
+neighbourhood of a mosque. He fitted it up conveniently; for his
+wealth, though not limited, was still not superfluously large.</p>
+
+<p>When he took possession of his new house, the person who had sold it
+to him said, "I must leave something of my own here with you, as I
+have not been able to remove it, though with the best intention." He
+then conducted him into one of the apartments in which was standing a
+large copper vessel of elaborate workmanship. The cover of the vessel
+was sealed, and on the seal Jalaladdeen perceived the letters of a
+strange language.</p>
+
+<p>"Sir," said the former owner, "this chest has stood in this room from
+time immemorial. My father forbade me to break the seal,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> and declared
+that he who should lay his hand on it for such a purpose would suffer
+severely for his foolhardiness. I have, I confess, in former times
+felt a strong inclination to loosen the seal, but fear has hitherto
+deterred me; but to-day as I had all my furniture removed from this
+house, I had this chest also conveyed to my new dwelling; but scarcely
+had the porter placed it down, when it disappeared. However, I found
+it shortly afterwards in this room again, and ordered its removal a
+second time; but it was soon standing here again in its old place.
+Perhaps a tutelary genius, invisible to us, inhabits the house.
+However, as it will not suffer itself to be removed, you may keep it
+here in the name of the Prophet. But forget not my warning&mdash;leave the
+seal unbroken."</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen felt half inclined to doubt these words; but nodding his
+head, he said to the man, "Well, well, leave the chest here; and if at
+any time I find it inconvenient, you will not, of course, object to
+remove it."</p>
+
+<p>Scarcely had the man quitted the house, when Jalaladdeen called a
+slave, and desired him to place the vessel in a corner of the house.</p>
+
+<p>"'T is an old chest," said he: "remove it; its old appearance does not
+correspond with the decorations of this room, which I intend to use as
+my sleeping-chamber. Now," said he to himself, "I shall see if the man
+has told the truth."</p>
+
+<p>The slave removed the chest without ceremony, and Jalaladdeen
+contemplated, for some time, with great earnestness, the spot where it
+had lately stood; and as it did not appear again, he fancied that he
+had rid himself of it for ever. All at once, however, it was standing
+on the same spot once more, without his having observed by what agency
+it had been done. He had it then removed again and again, and on each
+occasion it returned to the same chamber. Seeing at last all his
+efforts fruitless, he permitted it to remain. The adventure, however,
+was too remarkable to make no impression on his mind. He threw himself
+down in his clothes on his couch; but sleep was denied to him. A train
+of thought on the subject of the wondrous chest, and his fear on
+account of the warning he had received, disturbed his mind, and
+prevented him from taking any rest. There he lay awake till midnight,
+and saw<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> the chest glittering in the light of the moon, which fell
+upon it as it streamed through the window.</p>
+
+<p>Curiosity at once overcame his fear: he started up and procured an
+iron tool with which he could break the seal of the cover, and took a
+hammer and chisel with him. With the aid of these instruments he broke
+through the leaden seal; but scarcely had it given way, when the lid
+opened, and a blue curling smoke arose from it, and from the midst of
+it issued a hideous old woman in a strange dress. She carried a crutch
+under her left arm, and held another in her right hand. She limped
+over the side of the vessel, and hobbling towards the astonished
+Jalaladdeen, said,</p>
+
+<p>"Fool, fool that thou art! is it befitting for thee, so young as thou
+art, to stand there like an old idler? Go forth into the world, and
+fetch the wonder-stone from Mount Massis, otherwise thou canst never
+be my husband."</p>
+
+<p>After these words she hobbled back on her crutch to the copper vessel,
+gathered herself together, as it were, into a ball, tumbled hastily
+in, and closed the cover on herself.</p>
+
+<p>Overcome with fear and astonishment, Jalaladdeen threw himself upon
+his couch; but the dawn of morning found him still awake. He
+endeavoured to beguile the day in the arrangement of his house; but,
+nevertheless, he could not chase from his memory the wonderful
+spectacle which he had witnessed, and the portentous words that
+attended it. He felt an uneasiness which he endeavoured in vain to
+subdue, nor could he rest satisfied until he had investigated the
+cause of his anxiety.</p>
+
+<p>At length he was so exhausted by the business of the day, fatigue, and
+want of rest, that he laid himself down early in the evenings and fell
+asleep; but at the hour of midnight he awoke again. He saw the vessel
+open, and the blue smoke arising from it, and from the midst of it the
+ugly old woman hobbled towards him, and cried out, as she swung her
+crutch to and fro in the air,</p>
+
+<p>"Fool, fool, young idle fool! think of the stone of Mount Massis,
+otherwise thou canst not be my husband."</p>
+
+<p>After these words she limped back again, gathered herself up as
+before, and the lid of the urn closed once more of itself.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>This occurred every night; but after that Jalaladdeen had recovered
+from the agitation caused by her first appearance, he slept as soundly
+as ever: still the old woman woke him night after night by thrusts in
+the ribs with her crutch, and on every occasion repeated the same or
+similar words.</p>
+
+<p>But she generally awoke him in the midst of a dream, in which he
+always saw a very beautiful young lady, who rose from a kingly throne
+near him, and touched him with her golden sceptre. To this succeeded
+the reality of the hideous old woman; and instead of the sceptre, the
+crutch was wielded against him.</p>
+
+<p>He often endeavoured by day to get the vessel removed; and sometimes
+even it was thrown into the river which flows by Bagdad; but still it
+always found its way back to his chamber at night. He then caused his
+couch to be removed to another room, but this was to no purpose, as
+the vessel always followed it. Thus matters went on, till the nightly
+disturbances, and still more the disturbed state of his mind, affected
+him to such a degree, that his health was very much impaired. He
+sought the advice of physicians, who prescribed all kinds of
+stimulants and restoratives; but their combined skill could not
+restore him to his lost rest. At length one of the physicians said to
+him,</p>
+
+<p>"My skill has done all it can, my medicines avail nothing: if your
+illness were really that of the body, you would have been restored to
+health long since; but if your indisposition has its source in the
+mind, my prescriptions cannot aid you. Seek a magician&mdash;that is my
+advice: he by his occult science may be enabled to discover the cause
+of your bad health, and to effect a cure."</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen felt the truth of these words.</p>
+
+<p>"It cannot be denied," said he, "that the cause of my illness is
+seated in my mind, and till that be removed, my health cannot be
+restored."</p>
+
+<p>He then sought out one of the most skilful magicians of the day, and
+disclosed to him the circumstances of his nightly disturbance,
+assuring him, that before the first night on which the old woman had
+made her odious appearance out of the vessel, his rest had never been
+impaired. He ended by begging and entreating of him<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> that he would use
+all his skill to make the vision cease, and to rid his house of the
+fatal urn.</p>
+
+<p>The magician consulted for some time with himself, and then addressed
+him thus:</p>
+
+<p>"You tell me that this vessel was fastened down by a leaden seal; if
+it be loose, let me see it."</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen immediately conducted the magician to his house, and
+showed him the vessel, to which the seal was still attached. The
+magician studied with great attention the inscription on the seal, and
+then turning to Jalaladdeen, spoke thus:</p>
+
+<p>"All my skill put together could not accomplish your wishes: know that
+this is the seal of the great Solomon; and it is inevitable, that he
+who breaks it must become an inmate of the vessel. To counteract this
+fate is not in the power of the most mighty magician. You are in the
+hands of this old woman, and no human power or wisdom can extricate
+you from it."</p>
+
+<p>This speech involved Jalaladdeen in the greatest perplexity; he threw
+himself upon the ground, beat his breast, and sobbed and wept
+violently.</p>
+
+<p>"Whence," exclaimed he, "is the power of this hideous old woman? Shall
+I, to the end of my days, remain in her trammels? Shall she, even when
+I have recovered from my illness, and lie wrapped in sweet dreams,
+approach my couch, and rouse me with her crutch to listen to her
+croaking voice? Whither can I fly for comfort? I would rather die than
+drag on a miserable existence in such trouble and anxiety. Take this
+dagger, I pray you, and stab me, and thus put an end to my illness."</p>
+
+<p>With this he handed a dagger to the magician, and prayed him with many
+tears, as he bared his breast, to plunge it in, and rid him of his
+sufferings.</p>
+
+<p>"Heaven forbid that I should commit such an act," replied the
+magician. "You are, without doubt, destined for great deeds, which
+will be worthy of you, one of which is, that you should break the seal
+of the great Solomon. You tell me that the old woman has desired you
+to fetch the wonder-stone from Mount Massis; follow her advice,
+journey to the mountain, and work out your<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> good fortune. Perhaps your
+fate may take another and a more prosperous turn."</p>
+
+<p>He lengthened out his speech in the same tone and spirit, and spoke
+seriously for some time, till at length he succeeded in quieting
+Jalaladdeen; so that he embraced the hope of being restored one day to
+perfect health.</p>
+
+<p>"But," said he to the magician, "whither shall I bend my course? where
+is Mount Massis? and even if I succeed in reaching it, how shall I
+discover the wonder-stone?"</p>
+
+<p>Hereupon the magician promised to consider all these points, and to
+give him the necessary instructions on the morrow.</p>
+
+<p>On the following night the ugly old woman appeared again out of the
+vessel; but did not, as on former occasions, rouse him with her
+crutch; but it seemed as though he woke of his own accord, and found
+her standing by his bed-side.</p>
+
+<p>"Now," said she to him, "will you at last be wise, and give up this
+idleness? it will prove advantageous both to you and me."</p>
+
+<p>She then addressed him in the most friendly terms, and left him in her
+usual manner.</p>
+
+<p>The next morning the magician made his appearance again, and gave him
+the necessary information as to the course to be pursued. He told him
+that the wonder-stone lay concealed in a stone castle about midway up
+Mount Massis; but that the enterprise required great patience,
+perseverance, and skill. With such words as these he brought his
+speech to a close, and left Jalaladdeen to his own reflections.</p>
+
+<p>"The mountain is difficult of ascent, and is guarded by vigilant
+genii: he who cannot comply with their singular demands must certainly
+sink under the dangers to be encountered, or at least withdraw from
+the attempt without bringing it to completion."</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen assured the magician that he had sufficient patience to
+carry him through any trial, and that he was ready and willing to
+submit to any labour, if by that means he could rid himself of the
+illness from which he was at that time suffering.</p>
+
+<p>"Then," said he, "where is Mount Massis? which I have never before
+heard of."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"You will know it, perhaps, by another name; it is also called Mount
+Ararat. There was, at some time or other, a great flood upon the
+earth, which destroyed every creature, man and beast, save one, who,
+with his wife and family, was warned by Allah; and placed in a large
+vessel, which floated upon the waters; then, as soon as the flood
+subsided, the ship remained fixed on one of the two ridges of the
+mountain; from this time the mount has been considered holy, and the
+spot most devoutly worshipped."</p>
+
+<p>"I have heard of it," replied Jalaladdeen; "but in which direction am
+I to journey, in order to discover this wonder-stone?"</p>
+
+<p>"You must follow the course of the Tigris," said he, "and then you
+will be at no great distance from the place."</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen immediately set his house in order, hired some armed
+attendants, took from his chest some gold and valuable jewels, and set
+off on his journey, following the windings of the river. The road
+appeared pleasant to him, and no danger or misfortune occurred to
+annoy him; the weather was fine, and he feasted his eyes upon the
+various features of the country, which were most beautiful and
+enchanting, travelling cheerfully onward. He began to forget his old
+sorrows and grievances, and to enjoy an unusual degree of happiness,
+as he left behind him the vision of the ugly old woman; for she never
+visited him again from the time he quitted his home.</p>
+
+<p>At length he arrived with his suite on a high eminence, from which he
+beheld a most beautiful expanse of country, and in the distance the
+most charming scenery, from morning till night. In a corner of the
+valley a single hill towered up to the sky; farther on rose a chain of
+mountains; but the little hill was formed at the summit into two
+peaks. A cloud floated over their tops, one of which shot up more
+lofty than the other, and the sun cast a brilliant light upon them.
+But it was remarkable, that the nearer one approached the hill, the
+higher it appeared, and more majestic. At its base lay a very fruitful
+plain, and on the other side stood at little city.</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen inquired the name of the city, and was told that it was
+Sem&aelig;num.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"What!" said he, "Sem&aelig;num? How did it acquire this extraordinary
+name?"</p>
+
+<p>The people laughed at his simplicity, and inquired whether or not he
+had heard of the great flood from which only one man and his wife, and
+three sons with their wives also, escaped.</p>
+
+<p>"These eight persons," added they, "on their descent from the
+mountain, took up their abode here, and laid the foundation of the
+city."</p>
+
+<p>After this Jalaladdeen heard that the castle in which the wonder-stone
+was concealed lay on the other side of the hill; but still no one knew
+anything of the stone, nor had the inhabitants a satisfactory idea of
+the castle. But he was informed that so many extraordinary and
+gigantic masses of stone were standing in the various clefts of the
+mount, that their appearance was certainly that of a castle, and that
+the lofty crowning point in the distance resembled a tower.</p>
+
+<p>"However," added the relaters, "yonder spot is not accessible, nor has
+it ever been heard of, within the memory of man, that any one ever
+dreamt of attempting its ascent. Everybody dreads the road on that
+side of the hill, as it has been said that mighty genii carry on their
+orgies there; and there is also a tradition, that a traveller once
+undertook to attain the summit, but that he had never been known to
+return."</p>
+
+<p>As soon as Jalaladdeen had clearly ascertained from the inhabitants on
+which side of the hill the so-called castle was situated, he felt a
+strong inclination to journey on towards it at that minute, regardless
+of the warnings of the neighbouring people and the entreaties of his
+guide. He accordingly took some of his gold and jewels with him, and
+set off on his journey, ordering his guide to remain behind. He gave
+these last instructions to his servants:</p>
+
+<p>"If I return not in three months, you may regard my property here as
+your own; then go back each one to his home, or wherever his
+inclination may lead him."</p>
+
+<p>He soon lost his road, and arrived at unknown and intricate paths,
+with which the foot of the mountain was surrounded. Gradually the
+trees and all traces of vegetation disappeared, save here<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> and there a
+tuft of close underwood, which sprang up in the clefts of the rocks.
+Round about him were piled blocks of stone of monstrous size, and his
+farther progress was soon altogether stopped. There rose before him a
+massive stone wall like a tower, which was so steep and smooth, that
+it was impossible to pass it. He therefore made a wide circuit round,
+and at last found himself in a broad chasm of the rock, which seemed
+to extend far into the mountain.</p>
+
+<p>Wild and unfrequented as this appeared, nevertheless he ventured to
+descend. The way was very laborious; he was often obliged to mount
+sharp-pointed masses of rock, often to wind along between crags and
+briars, often again to descend into deep abysses, down which rapid
+streams rushed violently, and then again to clamber up on the other
+side. At times he hung suspended from one side, searching out in vain
+a resting-place for his foot, to furnish him a support in his
+progress.</p>
+
+<p>At length, after long and incessant labour through a dangerous
+pathway, he arrived at the steep summit, from which he discovered
+massive walls and lofty towers, that appeared to be constructed of
+rough unhewn stone. With the last exertion of his exhausted strength,
+he ascended these heights, and found himself before an opening. He
+knew not whether this was merely a cleft in the rock resembling a
+doorway, or a doorway hewn in the rough rock like a natural chasm. It
+was formed of upright blocks of stone, on which was cast another of
+wonderful size; but there was no door. He laboured now more
+assiduously than ever through the thorns and pointed stones, which lay
+here and there over the little level space that extended in front of
+the opening, till he stood before the dark entrance. The gloom
+concealed the nature of the interior of the cavity from his view, and
+he stood for a short time on the threshold, thinking on his past
+trials and collecting his scattered senses. As he was about to enter,
+a man stepped up to him, armed with a bow and bearing on his back a
+quiver of arrows.</p>
+
+<p>"Take the bow," said he to Jalaladdeen, "choose yourself an arrow, and
+go do your duty."</p>
+
+<p>So surprised and astonished was he, that he seized the bow, drew an
+arrow from the quiver, and asked,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"What is my duty? What shall I do?"</p>
+
+<p>"There," answered the man, pointing in the distance, "far beyond you
+must go; there is a great sea, which you must compass to its southern
+side, and then proceed through a wide expanse of plain until you
+arrive at a large inland lake, called the Eagles' Lake. There, every
+morning immediately after sunrise, you will see a swarm of black
+eagles on the shore, and among them a single white one. This kill,
+and, in proof of what you have done, bring back here the left wing."</p>
+
+<p>This announcement came like a thunderbolt upon the miserable
+Jalaladdeen, who had fancied that he had arrived very near the end of
+his journey. But now he was ordered to proceed still farther through
+an unknown tract of land. On looking back he saw that the sun had
+already sunk in the heavens, and that dusky and humid clouds were
+gathering over the sky; so, turning to the man, he said,</p>
+
+<p>"The night is fast drawing on, and I am very weary; and if I were to
+be exposed for so many hours in the abyss of this rocky ravine, I
+should certainly perish. May I not be permitted to pass the night
+here?"</p>
+
+<p>The man nodded assent, and ordered Jalaladdeen to follow him. They
+passed into a dark hall from the entrance, with a vaulted roof formed
+of rough blocks of stone, from which hung a single iron lamp, that
+spread a feeble and dim light around. His conductor left him here
+alone, and two domestics soon appeared. They brought him an ottoman,
+and made him understand by signs that he was to sit down. They then
+placed a table before him with meat and drink, and stationed
+themselves at a respectful distance from him, waiting to serve him. He
+ate and drank and refreshed himself after the labours of the day,
+while the attendants handed everything to him with the greatest
+attention.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as he had satisfied the craving of his appetite, they removed
+the table with its appendages, and beckoned to him to follow them.
+They conducted him through a side passage to a door, and when they had
+drawn back the curtain which hung before it, Jalaladdeen stood mute
+with astonishment.</p>
+
+<p>The chamber was precisely like his sleeping-room at Bagdad:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> every
+article of furniture was of the same size and colour as his, and
+occupied exactly the same position.</p>
+
+<p>"You are surprised at this chamber," said one of the attendants: "our
+master wished to make it as comfortable for you as possible after your
+long journey, and he thinks that a man never experiences more comforts
+than in his own house."</p>
+
+<p>With this they saluted him, and retired; but Jalaladdeen was too much
+astonished to sink to rest immediately; he accordingly walked round
+the room and inspected everything. It was his own chamber, with his
+own cushions, tapestries, and carpet; the curtains which he had
+purchased on entering his new house were there, and even the most
+minute article of furniture was the same; and that nothing might be
+wanting, there stood, on the precise spot, the fatal vessel which he
+had not been able to remove from his room by any means. Disagreeable
+as this last was, still he was so taken with surprise at the strange
+resemblance to his own chamber, that it made no impression on his
+mind; and at last he laid himself down on the couch, and Nature soon
+asserting her rights, he slumbered. He slept soundly throughout the
+night, and experienced the same happy dream which had so often visited
+him when at home. He saw a beautiful young maiden in princely garb,
+adorned with the most costly jewels, and at the moment that she raised
+herself from her queenly throne, and bent towards him her golden
+sceptre, he awoke, and the hideous old woman hobbled up to him.</p>
+
+<p>"Commit no rash act of folly," said she, in a hoarse croaking voice;
+"do not go without a dog: they <i>must</i> give you one."</p>
+
+<p>She then turned herself about, shook her crutch at him in a menacing
+manner, and disappeared all at once into the vessel, as on every
+former occasion.</p>
+
+<p>"A dog!" said Jalaladdeen to himself: "what shall I do with such an
+unclean animal? However, she seems to know of the journey in store for
+me."</p>
+
+<p>And revolving the matter in his mind, it appeared to him better to
+follow her advice. In the midst of his thoughts he again fell fast
+asleep; and when he awoke, he found, to his no small surprise,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> that
+he had been slumbering in a chasm of the rock upon a bed of dried
+mountain grass.</p>
+
+<p>The sun shone in upon him, and before him stood the man who had given
+him the bow and arrow, and who immediately reminded him of his
+journey, and urged him to prepare speedily to do his duty. He arose at
+once, and declared himself ready.</p>
+
+<p>"But," said he, calling to mind the old woman's words, "could I not
+have a dog to accompany me on the way?"</p>
+
+<p>"Certainly," replied the man; and at his call a large dog with broad
+paws made its appearance, and began to run round him in a friendly
+manner, barking for joy. He then tore off a small piece of the hem of
+his garment, and having shewn it to the dog, gave it to Jalaladdeen,
+and said,</p>
+
+<p>"So long as you bear this with you, the dog will follow you wherever
+you go; be therefore careful of it. Now proceed, turn not back to the
+town, but go straight on to the east."</p>
+
+<p>The dog immediately bounded forward, and, on issuing from the hollow
+of the rock, turned toward the east. Jalaladdeen followed, and found,
+to his astonishment, a winding path, not altogether level, but still
+not very inconvenient. Whenever a dangerous spot showed itself at
+times, the dog discovered another path by which the danger might be
+avoided. Jalaladdeen therefore allowed him to run on before, and
+followed his steps.</p>
+
+<p>They soon reached the plain, and arrived at a hilly district, where
+the mountains rose higher and higher behind them in the distance. The
+land on the other side declined gently; and, afar off, they beheld the
+sea. Many days, however, passed before he was able to make the wide
+circuit which led to the southern side. He then found himself in a
+flat country, and, after a journey of fourteen days, arrived at the
+shores of the Eagle Lake. Jalaladdeen threw himself down, in the
+evening, upon a dry spot of the shore; for in the course of his long
+journey he had habituated himself to rest on the earth under the broad
+canopy of heaven.</p>
+
+<p>In the morning, his dog awoke him by a low barking and lively
+indications of restlessness. He had hardly risen from the ground, when
+the dog sprang joyously up to him, looking to one side, as<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> though to
+direct his attention. On turning his eyes towards the spot, he
+discovered a great multitude of black birds hovering over the trees,
+and felt satisfied that they were the eagles. He then looked anxiously
+for the white one, which he was to kill; but in vain. Whilst he was
+engaged in the search, the dog made a circuit, and crept close to them
+beneath some bushes; then, by a sudden loud bark, he dislodged them
+from the spot, and they flew in the direction of Jalaladdeen, across
+the lake. He, on a sudden, discovered the snow-white eagle among the
+others, and bent his bow, and, although the bird was now at so great a
+distance that no ordinary shot could have reached it, still the arrow
+flew straight to its mark, and he saw the object of his aim fall far
+from the shore into the blue waters of the lake.</p>
+
+<p>"What avails my fortunate shot?" said he, looking with vexation on the
+waves which bore it farther from the shore.</p>
+
+<p>Immediately the dog plunged hastily into the water, and swimming with
+extraordinary rapidity, seized the eagle in his mouth, and brought it
+safely to his master. Jalaladdeen quickly drew out the arrow, which
+had pierced it through the middle of the body, and cutting off the
+left wing, secured it to his person. During this operation, he had
+smeared his fingers with blood; and, as he was wiping it off on the
+inside of his girdle, the little piece of the man's garment, which he
+had hitherto kept safely, fell to the ground without his noticing it.
+Hereupon the dog caught up the body of the eagle, which Jalaladdeen
+had thrown away, and ran off with it at full speed.</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen called repeatedly to the dog, and coaxed him to return,
+but in vain; so he proceeded home on his way alone. He certainly met
+with nothing of material import to molest him in his journey;
+nevertheless he had to encounter a thousand little obstacles, which
+very much impeded his progress. He could not discover the path by
+which he had originally come, but frequently arrived at places where
+there was no road, or at thick forests, through which he was obliged
+to hew a path with his sabre, and to pass the night upon the naked
+earth beneath the open sky.</p>
+
+<p>After a much longer journey than before, and many different<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> detours,
+he arrived at a spot from which he could see the two-pointed head of
+Mount Massis. When, after some days, he came to the foot of the mount,
+he was in hopes of finding the path by which he had descended in
+company with the dog; but he looked for it in vain, and was obliged to
+climb up by one of the dreadful rocky ravines, at the risk of his
+life, as on a former occasion.</p>
+
+<p>At length, weary and exhausted, he arrived at the opening, and was
+about to enter, with the eagle's wing in his hand, when the man who
+had given him the bow and arrow presented himself before him, and
+said,</p>
+
+<p>"Hast thou done thy duty?"</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen immediately placed the wing in his hands.</p>
+
+<p>"Good," replied the other; "I will see if it be the right one."</p>
+
+<p>He then called the dog by name, who immediately appeared from the
+castle, carrying the eagle's body in his mouth.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the man had applied the wing to the place from which it had
+been cut, and compared it with the other, he said to him, nodding
+approvingly, "'T is well: I have that which I wanted. But stay here a
+moment; my brother will come to you, and inform you what you must do
+for him, if you wish to have your desire fulfilled." With these words,
+he entered the hollow again, and the dog accompanied him.</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen followed him with his eyes; and then, sighing deeply,
+said, "Another labour still! I fancied I had already discovered the
+wonder-stone of Mount Massis, and now I must journey out into the
+world again on anew adventure. God knows whither the brother will send
+me."</p>
+
+<p>His soliloquy was interrupted by the appearance of a man, who stepped
+forward from the opening, and presented to him a lance with a
+glittering steel head.</p>
+
+<p>"Take it," said he, "and with it do thy duty."</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen took it, and intimated his readiness to undertake the
+mission, at the same time asking, "What is my duty?"</p>
+
+<p>The man answered, "On the way hence to Mount Lebanon, on the other
+side of the Tigris and Euphrates, the traveller comes, after a journey
+of some days, to a vast desert. There, in the middle<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> of a large
+barren and sandy plain, lies a fruitful oasis, watered by a little
+stream, on whose brink grow tall palms, refreshing the wanderer with
+their shade and fruit. But the neighbourhood of the palms is
+frequented by a monstrous lion of a dark colour,&mdash;the only one that
+has wandered into the district,&mdash;and his ferocity renders it dangerous
+to rest beneath their shade. This you must kill&mdash;not only for the
+safety of future travellers, but in order to accomplish your own
+wishes. Then bring here to me the lion's tail; you will hereafter need
+it."</p>
+
+<p>Again it was evening; and Jalaladdeen begged permission to recruit his
+strength and refresh himself by a night's rest. The man assented, and
+made a sign that he should follow him. In the hall he was again
+provided with meat and drink by the two attendants; and after his
+repast, they conducted him to the same door, drew back the curtain
+from before it, and he again, to his utter amazement, found himself in
+his own sleeping-chamber at Bagdad. Once more he recognized every
+article of furniture as his own, or exactly similar to his own, and
+the copper vessel standing precisely on the same spot. He then threw
+himself on his couch, and was soon locked in deep slumber. But at the
+hour of midnight he was again roused from his dream by the hideous old
+woman, who stood by his bed-side, flourishing her crutch in a
+threatening attitude, and calling upon him in a hoarse, croaking
+voice,</p>
+
+<p>"See thou commit no rash act of folly," she cried. "Go not on foot to
+the desert, otherwise the floating clouds of sand will bury thee for
+ever before thou arrivest at the palms; or if thou shouldest attain
+the spot, the lion will tear thee in pieces if he find no other booty.
+They must give thee a camel: see that thou demand it." At these words
+she shook her crutch at him, and disappeared into the vessel.</p>
+
+<p>"A camel!" said Jalaladdeen to himself: "can they possibly have camels
+in this unfrequented place? And even if they had, how could I descend
+to the plain with such a beast, through the clefts in the rocks, from
+this height?"</p>
+
+<p>His weariness was so great that, amid a chain of thoughts that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span>
+attended the vision, he fell fast asleep again. The next morning he
+was awoke by the man who gave him the lance, and he discovered himself
+at the opening of the rock, as on a former occasion. The sun again
+shone through the hollow, and the man said to him,</p>
+
+<p>"'T is time that you should make ready to do your duty: take the bow
+and arrow, together with my lance, and journey on to the desert."</p>
+
+<p>At the moment he called to mind the injunction of the old woman, and
+answered, "For my passage through the desert I shall require a camel."</p>
+
+<p>"Then thou shalt have one," replied the man; and, on emerging a second
+time from the opening, there stood a camel, ready furnished with many
+necessaries for his comfort and convenience during the journey.</p>
+
+<p>To his astonishment, after he had mounted the animal, it proceeded by
+an easy pathway down the side of the mountain; and, although he could
+see nothing but impassable spots, huge blocks of stone, and deep
+abysses both before and behind, still the camel travelled on by a
+level and gently declining track.</p>
+
+<p>On this occasion, too, his journey was more prosperous and far more
+speedy than at the first. He arrived at the desert without any mishap,
+and in the evening reached the fruitful strip of land where the palms
+stood. The camel immediately refreshed itself with water, while
+Jalaladdeen's repast consisted of dates from the neighbouring trees.
+He then allowed the camel to browse upon the brink of the stream,
+while he resigned himself, without care, to rest beneath the shade. He
+was soon, however, terrified by the roar of a lion, which sounded
+close to him; accordingly he sprang up hastily, seized his arms, and
+took up a position behind some large palms, which concealed him from
+the sight of his approaching enemy. Soon the lion drew on with rapid
+strides, and was about to rush upon the browsing camel, when
+Jalaladdeen shot an arrow, which took effect in his right eye.
+Scarcely had the dart reached the lion, when he sprang vengefully
+forward on his foe, whom he had but that moment discovered.
+Jalaladdeen, nothing daunted, stepped boldly forwards, and thrust at
+him with the point of his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span> lance; but the lion bounded on with such
+force, that he could not withstand the attack: he fell, and the whole
+bulk of the lion rolled over him. Jalaladdeen gave himself up for
+lost: he lay senseless some time, and when he had recovered
+sufficiently to comprehend his dreadful situation, the moon was high
+in the heavens. He was very weak, and bruised all over the body, and
+he felt some great weight upon him. By means of considerable exertion,
+he released himself, and remarked for the first time that his clothes
+were saturated with blood. He immediately fancied that he had been
+wounded by the teeth or claws of the lion, and accordingly rolled over
+to the water and washed himself; but, after a very careful examination
+of his person, he could not discover a wound. The coolness of the
+water refreshed his limbs, and eased the pain of the bruises in the
+various parts of his body. After this he was soon enabled to stand up,
+and he found that the weight which had been pressing upon him was the
+lion, dead and stiff, and soaked in his blood. In its bound forward it
+had pierced itself with the lance, and had fallen to the ground, in
+consequence of the furious attack it was designing. The body of the
+dead lion proved a soft pillow, and its bulk was so immense that
+Jalaladdeen could recline at full length upon its back with great
+ease. In this manner he slept on, and did not rise till broad
+daylight, when he felt himself fully refreshed and well. He then cut
+off the lion's tail, and remounted the camel, which had strayed to a
+short distance from the spot.</p>
+
+<p>The return to the castle on the mount was prosperous, and not marked
+by any particular adventure. He soon left the desert behind, and found
+himself at the foot of Mount Massis. But as evening was approaching,
+he considered whether it would be better to rest till morning, and
+then ascend the acclivity; the camel, however, perseveringly trotted
+on with that zeal which animals generally show when approaching their
+accustomed dwelling.</p>
+
+<p>The last gleam of day had not disappeared in the western sky when he
+found himself in the little chamber before the well-known entrance of
+the castle. Although the distance from the foot of the hill thus far
+up to the castle, notwithstanding the rapid steps of the beast, had
+occupied the greater part of a whole day, yet it appeared<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> that it
+could now be accomplished in the short space of a single hour.
+Jalaladdeen could not comprehend how he had reached it so rapidly; but
+it occurred to him for the first time that he had never seen so
+extraordinary a pathway, or one accompanied with so much difficulty
+and danger. He contemplated with surprise the rapidity with which he
+had completed this journey, and made a sign to the camel to kneel, to
+give his rider an opportunity of descending and unloading him. He took
+his arms and the lion's tail, and entered the gate of the castle.</p>
+
+<p>On his entry he was met by a man, who took his lance from him and
+said, "Hast thou done thy duty?"</p>
+
+<p>And as Jalaladdeen presented to him the lion's tail, he said that he
+had failed in nothing.</p>
+
+<p>"Good," said he; "but still I will put it to the test, to prove
+whether you are right."</p>
+
+<p>He then called out aloud four names, upon which immediately appeared
+four large dogs out of the chasm in the rock, dragging after them the
+dead body of the dark lion. The man now applied the tail to the lion's
+body, and on finding that it corresponded, "Good," said he; "I have
+now what I desire. Wait, however, a short time, and my brother will
+come and tell you what he requires you to do for him, if you are
+inclined to see your wishes fulfilled." With these words he retired
+into the castle, and the four dogs dragged in the lion after him.</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" said Jalaladdeen, "I have not yet accomplished my labours! Who
+knows how many brothers may be dwelling here together? And if I
+receive only a slight demand from each of them, a year may elapse ere
+I obtain the wonder-stone."</p>
+
+<p>He had scarcely uttered these words when the third brother advanced,
+and handing to him a basket made of rushes, accompanied it with the
+words, "Go and do thy duty."</p>
+
+<p>He inquired what was his duty, and received this answer: "Go and fetch
+water."</p>
+
+<p>"What!" said he; "fetch water in a basket! It will run out between the
+rushes!"</p>
+
+<p>The man shrugged up his shoulders, and said, "That is for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> you to look
+to: water you must bring in this basket, and without the aid of any
+other vessel; for you will stand in need of the water."</p>
+
+<p>"That is impossible," replied Jalaladdeen. "Set me to any other kind
+of work&mdash;send me into a distant country on the other side of the
+Caucasus, let me herd with wild beasts, and I will, without making any
+objection, obey your injunctions, even at the risk of my life; but do
+not require impossibilities of me."</p>
+
+<p>"'T is not impossible," answered the man. "Reflect: I dare not say
+anything more to you. You have till morning to consider what you will
+do. Come in here and refresh yourself with food and rest."</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen followed him, and was conducted into a chamber, where he
+was abundantly supplied with viands and liquors. The bed-room
+appropriated to him was that in which he had formerly rested and known
+as his own; and he laid himself down, exhausted and overcome with
+grief on account of the new demand made upon him. He awoke again at
+midnight, and the little old woman stood once more before him with her
+uplifted crutch.</p>
+
+<p>"Commit no rash act of folly," said she. "Seek not water out of the
+deep: carry <i>that</i> not in thy basket; the water which thou must bring
+in it will not escape through it. Step out; above thou wilt find the
+water I speak of; thence thou must fetch it. Dost thou hear? Be not
+foolish: hast thou lost thine understanding?"</p>
+
+<p>After she had disappeared, as on previous occasions, Jalaladdeen
+rolled about for some time on his couch, sleepless and perplexed with
+care. It appeared to him like an unsolvable riddle.</p>
+
+<p>"What! shall I not fetch water from the depth, whence commonly springs
+and streams flow? and yet shall I go upwards? and am I to carry it in
+a simple wicker basket?"</p>
+
+<p>At last, however, he fell asleep again, and was awoke in the morning,
+with positive orders to make ready to do his duty. As he was
+preparing, he said, "The way up the rock and the oft-frequented path
+is dangerous; could I not get a travelling-staff to help me?"</p>
+
+<p>"Here is one ready," answered the man, handing him a long<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span> pole, made
+of a light tough wood, with a strong iron spike fixed to it. He then
+shook him heartily by the hand, and let him out of the opening.</p>
+
+<p>When he gained the exterior, he looked all around him. He hoped to
+discover some track which would indicate in what direction he should
+set out; but stones and ruins, the effects of a great convulsion of
+nature, surrounded, in a wild and unnatural confusion, the small and
+even spot before the entrance of the castle. But what most astonished
+him was, that the road which had appeared formerly to be impassable
+for his camel should now present an even and unencumbered path. At
+last, after various attempts, by great good fortune, he found a part
+where, by help of his travelling-staff, he was able to climb up the
+projecting mass of rock. On the other side he found a spot by which he
+could, without much danger, descend into a large plain. It seemed to
+him like the same piece of rock on which he, in the first instance,
+had got in proceeding from the castle. He was nearly, from this
+circumstance, led to descend there; but he thought of the warning
+given to him by the old woman in good time, who had advised him not to
+fetch water from the bottom, but from the summit, and he accordingly
+bent his steps upwards. But here the road lay through enormous
+fragments of rock, choked up at intervals with briars and thorns. At
+length, after frequently-repeated efforts, he succeeded in journeying
+on a short distance by the help of his travelling-staff, when a spot
+presented itself where there was a chasm in the rock, which it was
+impossible for him to surmount. He was accordingly obliged to turn
+sideways till he had passed it, in order to follow up his prescribed
+route. He toiled on with intense exertion, endeavouring to reach the
+summit of the rock, for more than an hour; but, from various
+obstacles, had not made any great progress. At last, worn out with
+fatigue, he sat himself down beneath the shade of an overhanging crag,
+to recruit his strength, in order to renew the attempt with increased
+vigour.</p>
+
+<p>Up to this time, through all his wanderings, he had not found a stream
+from whose source he was able to draw water. He had certainly seen in
+deep hollows small rivulets issuing from the rock,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> which by their
+fall covered the neighbouring plain with white flakes of foam. Still,
+although he persevered assiduously, he could not discover one spot
+which he could approach sufficiently near.</p>
+
+<p>He was by this time suffering intensely from thirst; for,
+notwithstanding the height at which he had arrived, where the cold was
+more severe than in the hollows beneath, still his anxiety, and his
+journey upwards beneath the midday sun, had parched his lips, and he
+had not yet been able to reach a stream at which to moisten them.</p>
+
+<p>"Fool, fool that I am!" exclaimed Jalaladdeen, bitterly; "why should I
+thus exhaust my strength? If I attain the summit of the hill, I shall
+meet with no water; or even if I were to find a spring at the top of
+it, still I should not be able to carry its waters in a rush basket."</p>
+
+<p>He then reasoned with himself whether or not it were better to return;
+but then the thought flashed across his mind that the words of the old
+woman had on two previous occasions been fully verified. He therefore
+determined to follow her advice once more.</p>
+
+<p>"Did she not assure me," said he, "that I should find water enough
+above me? 'T is passing strange: the streams certainly flow thence, or
+remain still in their channels."</p>
+
+<p>With this he set forward again on his ascent, and it now appeared that
+he had advanced much farther than he had been aware of, and in a
+shorter space of time. He had not proceeded far when he arrived at a
+spot hollowed out, and sheltered from behind by a large mass of rock.
+In this cavity was a quantity of snow and ice, which the air at that
+height could not melt, and to which the rays of the sun could not
+penetrate through the surrounding masses.</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen laid himself down to rest at the edge of the snow, and
+refreshed himself with its grateful coolness by taking a small
+quantity in his hands, and by applying it to his lips. He first of all
+moistened the exterior of his mouth, and then swallowed a little with
+great pleasure. This at once solved the mystery of the problem.</p>
+
+<p>"Here," said he, "is a large expanse of snow: the tops of the
+mountains are covered with it. What is snow but water? and such<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> water
+I can easily carry in my rush basket; and even if some should melt in
+the journey, it cannot all dissolve and escape."</p>
+
+<p>He then began immediately to fill the basket with clean snow from the
+middle of a heap, and to render it more firm, he pressed it together
+with his hands. As soon as he had filled his basket, he set off
+joyously on his return; but it seemed as though he must again have
+taken a different route, as he did not meet in the course of his way
+one of the thousand obstacles that had impeded his progress on his
+journey in search of this water.</p>
+
+<p>The last traces of sunlight were fast disappearing in the west when he
+found himself at the entrance of the castle. Immediately the three
+brothers advanced to meet him.</p>
+
+<p>"See," said the third, who had imposed this last mission on him, "see,
+thou hast brought us water in a rush basket."</p>
+
+<p>With these words they ushered him into the interior, and gave him the
+joyful intelligence that he had now accomplished everything that was
+necessary to put him in possession of the wonder-stone.</p>
+
+<p>"You must know," said they, "that the wonder-stone is concealed in an
+iron chest; but the bolt, by lapse of time, is so thoroughly rusted
+that no power has yet been discovered sufficient to force it back and
+to disclose the contents. There is, however, a tradition that he who
+shall be deemed worthy to possess this treasure, and who shall have
+successfully performed all our commands, shall be endued with power to
+draw back the bolt&mdash;a feat which has been deemed impossible for many
+hundred years. But, as destiny often depends on circumstances which
+mortals consider trivial and insignificant, so in this case a
+combination of materials is requisite, by whose agency alone a sure
+and happy success can crown our hitherto prosperous attempts. It
+would, doubtless, be imagined that a rusty bolt might be moved by the
+application of a little oil or grease, of whatever nature it might be;
+but in this case nothing save that portion of marrow which is
+contained in the lion's tail will be efficient, and this, too, must be
+boiled in water fetched in a rush basket. Nor is this all: the marrow
+must be applied with three feathers plucked from the left wing of a
+white eagle, the king of eagles in Eagle Land."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>After these words they conducted him into a chamber; in the middle of
+it stood a large iron chest, whose cover was fastened down by seven
+strong iron bolts.</p>
+
+<p>"Behold the chest in which the wonder-stone is hid," said they. "Let
+us proceed to work immediately."</p>
+
+<p>Hereupon they brought in a cauldron, and filled it with snow from the
+rush basket, and placed it on a fire in the kitchen. The lion's tail
+was then cut into pieces and thrown into the water; the fat was soon
+extracted, and floated at the top. Then the first of the three
+brothers brought in the eagle's wing, and Jalaladdeen was ordered to
+pluck out the three outside feathers, and with them to anoint the
+bolts. While he was thus occupied, a drop of the fat fell upon his
+hands, which he rubbed over them.</p>
+
+<p>"Right, right!" said another brother, who had observed it with great
+satisfaction; "it is very strengthening to the limbs."</p>
+
+<p>And he accordingly rubbed both his hands and feet, and immediately
+experienced a pleasurable sensation of new vigour.</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen had been exceedingly fatigued by the toils of the day;
+nevertheless by this application he felt as recruited as he had on
+other occasions in consequence of a prolonged and peaceful slumber.</p>
+
+<p>"The marrow has done its work," said the second brother; "it has
+already unclosed the bolt. Approach, then, and open the chest."</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen bowed, and with great apparent ease withdrew the bolts. As
+soon as he had lifted up the lid he beheld a beautiful gem, which
+appeared to be a rare specimen of the onyx. In the middle of it was a
+golden hook, to which a chain was attached, by which it might be
+suspended from the neck. Upon the stone was an engraving of an altar,
+upon which a sacrificial fire was burning, and before it a suppliant
+family bowed the knee; over this was thrown a white vestment archwise
+in the form of a rainbow.</p>
+
+<p>"Is this really the wonder-stone?" said Jalaladdeen, gazing on it with
+rapture.</p>
+
+<p>"It is," replied the brothers; and continuing, "Hail, thou happy
+youth!" they exclaimed; "hail, prince! thou wilt shortly be seated on
+the throne of thy fathers."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"A Prince!" cried Jalaladdeen, in astonishment; "a Prince! My father
+died at Bagdad, a quiet, retired man, and never in the whole course of
+my life did I hear him say that he had ever been a King."</p>
+
+<p>"He was a King," exclaimed one of the brothers; "but his subjects made
+war against him, and drove him into exile; they then elected another
+Sultan, who sat upon the throne there many years. He is since dead,
+and the people are not unanimous in raising his daughter to the
+queenly station. They are divided into two factions, opposed to one
+another with the most dreadful hatred and animosity. Go thither, and
+give thy people peace."</p>
+
+<p>"Whither shall I go?" asked Jalaladdeen, anxiously. "How shall I
+procure myself to be recognized as their lawful monarch?"</p>
+
+<p>"That will be easily accomplished," answered one of the brothers, "by
+the agency of this wonder-stone. Place the chain round thy neck, and
+support the gem on thy breast. Now come," said they, as soon as he had
+complied with this direction; "thou hast no time to spare: refresh
+thyself, as though for a long journey, with meat and drink, and then
+set out."</p>
+
+<p>They then conducted him into an adjoining room, and waited upon him
+themselves; after his repast they handed to him a crystal goblet
+filled with a liquor most agreeable to his palate, superior to any
+drink he had formerly tasted.</p>
+
+<p>"Now proceed onward," said they: "this is the first step towards your
+happiness."</p>
+
+<p>One of them then traced a small cross with his forefinger upon the
+wall, and immediately there opened a small vaulted chamber.</p>
+
+<p>"What!" said Jalaladdeen, "am I to enter that gloomy hole?" shuddering
+and involuntarily drawing back, in consequence of the cold damp vapour
+that issued from it.</p>
+
+<p>"Hand him another goblet to refresh himself," said one of the
+brothers, and at the same time filling one for him.</p>
+
+<p>Then the third brother presented to him the eagle's wing and the tip
+of the lion's tail, which had been reserved from the cauldron, and the
+arrow and lance, too, with which he had killed them.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Forward! On, in the name of the Prophet!" was the next command.</p>
+
+<p>"I obey," answered Jalaladdeen; "but suffer me before my departure to
+ask, Who are ye?"</p>
+
+<p>"We are three genii," said they, "sent here by the King of Spirits, as
+keepers of the mysteries of the holy Mount Massis. But proceed, in
+order that thou mayest arrive in due time at thy destination." They
+led him to the opening, and as he was stooping down to enter it,
+"See," said they, "if thou shouldst return by this way, throw upon the
+ground this wing of the eagle and the tail of the lion, and call out
+in a loud voice our names, Arjeh, Neschar, and Mana-Guma. We shall
+then know what thou requirest."</p>
+
+<p>With these words the passage closed upon him, and he found himself in
+such dense darkness that there was not a single glimmer of light
+through the whole space. The ground as he advanced was even, and for
+the first few steps he could walk upright, so that it did not seem
+inconvenient. Suddenly, however, he came to a gradual declivity, and
+after a few steps he felt the bottom sinking beneath his feet. He
+could no longer remain upright, but sank upon his knees, and
+eventually sat himself down; for it gave way more and more, and the
+more he struggled the lower he sank. At last he bent forward with his
+head laid upon his knee, as he was completely exhausted, in
+consequence of the rapid though gradual fall of earth. How long he
+might have been descending he could not tell, as his self-possession
+had entirely deserted him; and when he recovered himself, he seemed to
+be just awakening out of a sound sleep. This commotion was suspended
+for a moment, and he felt the spot on which he was seated rising up
+again; but it soon descended, and continued to ascend and descend with
+unceasing force and rapidity. But at times he lost all consciousness,
+and recovered his recollection again as the motion changed and
+proceeded downwards. In this manner was he driven from sleeping to
+waking, overcome with exhaustion and perplexed with the darksomeness
+of his journey. How long he was in this gloomy passage he knew not: at
+one time he thought that the journey had been one of several days; but
+then this could not be so, as he had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> not even once experienced the
+cravings of hunger or thirst: as he had not suffered in this
+particular, he felt convinced that the time that had elapsed was much
+less, and that it must have appeared so from his total abstinence.</p>
+
+<p>At length he perceived a small gleam of light at the farther end of
+this way, and by it he observed that he was in a narrow part of a
+subterranean chamber, which seemed scarcely large enough to admit his
+body. His movements, however, were so quick that he brought himself
+nearer and nearer to the light at every step, till at last he
+succeeded in extricating himself. He found himself standing upon a
+mount on a spot hitherto unknown to him, which was illumined by the
+sun from the opposite horizon. Here he remained, gazing joyously
+around, and breathing now for the first time the pure fresh air.</p>
+
+<p>On a sudden he heard a loud warlike sound at the foot of the hill;
+and, on a closer inspection, he discovered several companies, ranged
+in battle order half-way up the hill, and preparing for the attack.
+Without allowing himself time for reflection, he threw the lion's tail
+and eagle's wing to the ground, exclaiming at the same time in a loud
+voice the names of the three genii of Mount Massis, "Arjeh, Neschar,
+Mana-Guma!"</p>
+
+<p>Scarcely had he uttered the last word, when he found himself mounted
+upon a noble white steed with a black tail, the arrow in his left
+hand, and the spear in his right; and without his taking hold of the
+reins, which were ornamented with gold and precious stones, the
+tractable steed flew along the hill rapidly, and bore him safely
+between the two contending factions.</p>
+
+<p>"What are you doing?" exclaimed Jalaladdeen in a tone of anger to both
+parties, who immediately ceased their hostile contentions, through
+their amazement at the sudden appearance of the stranger horseman.
+"What is the cause of this deadly feud?"</p>
+
+<p>At these words a joyous train of voices proceeded from the band upon
+his right hand; and the combatants immediately threw down their
+weapons, exclaiming,</p>
+
+<p>"This, this is he who shall bring peace to our people! This is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> the
+appointed Sultan! Lo! it was prophesied that he should appear upon a
+white horse with a black tail, upon the longest day of the year. Hail,
+Sultan! all hail!"</p>
+
+<p>Upon this the commander of the company approached Jalaladdeen with
+submission, bending before him with his arms crossed upon his breast;
+and the troops threw themselves upon the earth, each one bowing low
+with his forehead to the dust.</p>
+
+<p>Hereupon the leader of the opposite faction sprang forward, crying
+out, "Down with them! down with them!"</p>
+
+<p>But Jalaladdeen's horse turned towards him instinctively, and bore him
+to the band.</p>
+
+<p>"Why would you prolong the strife and contest?" cried he. "What is
+your complaint?"</p>
+
+<p>"They carry arms for Gulnaschare," was the answer. "Dost thou not know
+that a young maiden dares to rule over a people of warlike
+customs&mdash;that she arrogates to herself a right to the throne, alleging
+that thus it hath been decreed she should reign until the son of the
+late banished Sultan shall appear, who is the appointed one to share
+the sovereignty? Canst thou be such a stranger in the country as to be
+ignorant of the prediction of the prophet and the astrologers? and how
+she has led her subjects into grievous error, to the effect that the
+Prince Jalaladdeen would appear in a wonderful manner in the country
+on the longest day of the year, and fall upon his enemies with the
+strength of a lion and the swiftness of an eagle?"</p>
+
+<p>Upon this Jalaladdeen cried out aloud, "The people have not been led
+into error, nor have they been deceived; they have heard the truth.
+Behold, I am Jalaladdeen; and if ye do not all, to a man, cease from
+your hostilities, ye shall be made to feel the strength of the lion
+and the swiftness of the eagle."</p>
+
+<p>But the leader of the party said, "What! hast thou suffered thyself to
+be deceived, and to be made an advocate of the imposition? Now our
+arms must decide it."</p>
+
+<p>At these words they pressed upon him and drew near, when Jalaladdeen
+wielded his lance with the swiftness of lightning, and with
+extraordinary strength and courage beat them off, one after<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> the
+other. His steed gave a joyous neigh, and bounded forward among the
+crowd; while the troops of Gulnaschare followed after him, seeing his
+perilous position.</p>
+
+<p>When the enemy saw their leader weltering in his blood, and the
+courageous youth heading their antagonists, they fled in disorder;
+some even threw their arms from them, and surrendered at discretion.</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen and his troops pursued the fugitives; but so fleet was his
+steed, that he found himself alone in the midst of the flying, while
+his band had not yet come up. As soon as the enemy perceived this,
+they surrounded him and enclosed him in a large circle. In this
+emergency the swiftness of the eagle and the strength of the lion
+proved necessary to him; and his steed, as though endued with reason,
+turned itself about continually, shooting quick glances like lightning
+from its eyeballs, so that Jalaladdeen could perceive every man in the
+circle who stood near him. In this manner he struck them to the
+ground, or shot them through before they had determined upon their
+method of attack, or could see through his man&oelig;uvres. But, to his
+astonishment, he found that he had a fresh arrow in his hand after
+every shot from his bow. In a short time there was a large circle of
+killed and wounded round him. At length his own army arrived; and the
+enemy again took to flight. Jalaladdeen pursued after them again, to a
+narrow pass, whence there was no escape. Here they threw themselves
+upon their faces, and humbly sought for mercy. Jalaladdeen then
+proceeded to the capital of the country, followed by his warriors, and
+accompanied by a train of many thousand prisoners and captured foes.</p>
+
+<p>The news of his appearance upon the hill, and the account of the
+victory which he had subsequently gained, had already reached the
+city; and the elders poured out to the gate to meet him. The prophets
+and astrologers also flocked together to welcome him as the appointed
+Sultan, and to escort him to the royal palace. The streets through
+which they passed were magnificently decorated; and the joy of the
+populace was such as greets an ancient and once loved lord on his
+entry into his capital.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>In the palace yard the upper officers of the household, the servants
+of the Court, and the slaves, were drawn up to welcome him with
+becoming respect. Here he dismounted from his horse, passed up the
+steps, and proceeded through the colonnades and antechambers which led
+to the throne-room, where Gulnaschare was seated, surrounded by a
+splendid retinue.</p>
+
+<p>The royal maiden rose from her throne at his entrance; but how amazed
+and confused was Jalaladdeen! She was not altogether unknown to him;
+for he now saw before him in reality the young maid who had been so
+often present to him in his dreams, out of which he had been so
+repeatedly roused by the old woman belabouring him with her crutch.
+She gazed upon him with an affectionate smile; and as he drew near,
+she descended the steps of her throne, extended to him the golden
+sceptre, and touched him with the point of it.</p>
+
+<p>"Hast thou the wonder-stone from Mount Massis?" said she.</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen was too confused to reply to her; but the gem suspended
+from his neck assured her as to his identity.</p>
+
+<p>"That is it," said she, in continuation. "The possession of that stone
+proves thee destined to become my husband, and to reign over the vast
+empire of the Moguls, from which thou, with thy father, wast banished
+in thine early days."</p>
+
+<p>She then took him by the hand, led him up the steps, and seated him
+upon the throne, bent before him, and delivered the sceptre into his
+hand.</p>
+
+<p>"Behold," said she to the surrounding multitude, "behold your rightful
+sovereign! It was written in the book of fate that Janghiz his father
+should, in consequence of his covetousness, be driven into exile by my
+father Khamar; then that the innocent son, after many severe proofs
+and labours imposed by the King of Spirits, if deemed worthy, should
+share the throne with me."</p>
+
+<p>"He has been tried, and is found worthy!" exclaimed all the prophets
+and astrologers.</p>
+
+<p>"Hail to him! hail, Sultan!" immediately burst from the lips of all
+present in the palace; and the multitudes in the streets and
+approaches reiterated the shout.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Then Jalaladdeen, advancing from the throne, addressed the throng:</p>
+
+<p>"Heartily do I thank Allah and the Prophet that my fate has taken so
+wondrous and happy a turn; but, above all, I prize my good fortune in
+becoming the husband of this amiable Princess."</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen thus concluded his address; and Gulnaschare said to him,</p>
+
+<p>"Didst thou so often wish for me when I, in the guise of an old woman,
+roused thee night after night from thy peaceful slumbers and happy
+dreams with my crutch?"</p>
+
+<p>"How!" exclaimed Jalaladdeen; "wast thou that hideous old woman?
+impossible!"</p>
+
+<p>"Passing strange, perchance, it may seem; but nevertheless it is so:
+all things are possible to the King of Spirits, which mortal mind can
+barely comprehend."</p>
+
+<p>The marriage ceremony was now ordered to take place; and one festivity
+followed another; happiness, and joy, and peace, reigned together.</p>
+
+<p>Jalaladdeen ruled for many years over the kingdom of the Moguls, and
+enlarged it by many prosperous conquests; he brought it to a state of
+peace and tranquillity which it had never experienced in former years,
+and which, after his death, it did not long enjoy.</p>
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 250px;">
+<img src="images/image_039.jpg" width="250" height="56" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span><a name="The_Story_of_Haschem" id="The_Story_of_Haschem"></a></p>
+
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;">
+<img src="images/image_040.jpg" width="600" height="610" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+<h2>The Story of Haschem.</h2>
+<h2>CHAPTER I.</h2>
+<h3>THE LOST SON.</h3>
+<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_m.jpg" width="74" height="75" alt="M" /></div>
+<p>ore than a thousand years ago, there lived in the famous city of
+Bagdad a man called Naima, who, although he was now grey with age, had
+still the lusty strength of earlier days. The opening of his life was
+devoted to trade; and in pursuit of it he made many journeys, by which
+he not only gained great intellectual treasures and experiences, but
+also acquired property, which afforded him, not certainly the means
+for extravagant expenditure, but still sufficient to live in comfort.
+He had the good sense and wisdom to be satisfied with such moderate
+possessions, and to enjoy them in peaceful quiet&mdash;labouring meanwhile
+for the improvement<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> of his only son. Many of his acquaintance,
+however, sought to amass greater wealth, forgetting, as it would seem,
+that by such constant efforts, life itself, after its meridian, would
+be but lost without some new and higher enjoyment. The city of Mossul
+was his home in early days; but he quitted it, and took up his abode
+in Bagdad, partly owing to the suggestions of a friend with whom he
+had been on the most intimate and confidential terms from his
+youth&mdash;partly, too, for the sake of the education of his son, as he
+expected that a residence in that city would produce worthy and
+lasting impressions on the mind of the young man.</p>
+
+<p>Bagdad was, at this time, under the rule of the famed Caliph Haroun al
+Raschid, and was the resort of strangers from all parts of the globe,
+where artists and sages of that country mingled among those of the
+neighbouring lands. Nor had Naima conceived a vain expectation. His
+son Haschem was a young man gifted with good natural abilities, and
+endowed with a pure unsullied heart. He used every opportunity which
+chance threw in his way to extend his knowledge, cultivate his mind,
+or to improve his disposition; nor was he deficient in bodily
+exercises and warlike accomplishments; so that through good discipline
+he became powerful in body and strong in mind. He was, therefore, as
+was natural enough, not only the joy and pride of his father, but was
+loved and esteemed by all who knew him, and was often pointed out by
+the elders, to others of his own age, as an example worthy of
+imitation. As the father saw his greatest treasure in the person of
+his only son, so he, with all the fervour of a well-directed mind,
+clung to his father.</p>
+
+<p>Some years passed over them in this mutual love, heightened still more
+by the companionship of their friend Saad, and their happiness was
+full and uninterrupted. It chanced one day that Naima and Saad were
+taking their accustomed walk in the princely gardens adjoining the
+city in front of the gate. The heat of the summer's day had been
+diminished by a gentle rain, and the two strolled on in happy
+conversation, and extended their walk beyond its ordinary length. The
+last gardens were already left behind them, and they wandered on over
+green meadow-land; behind a little wood, at the entrance of which
+stood high palms, whose<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> shadows invited to repose. A fresh spring
+gushed from a neighbouring rock, and meandered sparkling among the
+verdant herbage and variegated flowers.</p>
+
+<p>The two friends lay down in the shade, and conversed on the dangers to
+which the most virtuous men are subject, and how easily one may,
+through passion, be led into a false step, if he allow himself to
+confide in his own firmness of purpose.</p>
+
+<p>"I have known men," continued Saad, "who, although among the best and
+noblest whom I have ever known in the course of my life, were led
+unawares, by too great self-confidence, to an action which they might
+easily have avoided by a little caution, but which has been the
+beginning of a long chain of transgressions and vices, ending in their
+complete ruin."</p>
+
+<p>Naima maintained that a heart accustomed from early youth to virtue
+would, on the contrary, not be easily led to commit a serious fault;
+and even if it should happen so, that it would readily find its way
+back from a slight error to the right road.</p>
+
+<p>They talked still longer on these subjects, each endeavouring to
+confirm his assertions by examples. Haschem, stretched beside them,
+listened with attention to their instructive conversation; but
+suddenly he sprang to his feet, and ran quickly up the woody hill, at
+the foot of which they were reposing. Saad and his father looked after
+him with astonishment, as they could not comprehend what had
+occasioned his sudden departure. Then they saw that a little bird, as
+white as snow, was flying before him, which he was trying to catch. He
+was soon lost to their view among the bushes; they cried to him, and
+begged him to come back&mdash;but in vain. They waited for a quarter of an
+hour, and still Haschem did not return. Uneasy as to what had become
+of him, they advanced in the direction in which he had disappeared;
+but they could discover nothing. They called his name: the wood echoed
+it. At last the sun set; then said Saad,</p>
+
+<p>"Let us return home: your son is a robust and strong young man; he
+will easily find his way back into the city. Perhaps he has gone home
+some other way."</p>
+
+<p>After long opposition, the father was at last persuaded to return<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span>
+without his son; but he was still full of anxiety, which no arguments
+could overcome. When they arrived at the city, his friend accompanied
+him to his house. They entered hastily, and inquired for Haschem; but
+he had not returned. Saad's hopes were of no more avail; Naima would
+no longer listen to him, but weeping, threw himself on his couch. Saad
+rebuked him for this weakness, and represented to him that it might
+easily have happened that the young man had lost his way in the
+pursuit of the bird, and could not recover the track.</p>
+
+<p>"He has certainly found a shelter where he will remain till morning,"
+continued he; "he will return here early to-morrow, and will laugh
+heartily at your unmanly spirit and desponding grief."</p>
+
+<p>When Saad was gone Naima gave free scope to his feelings. He wept
+aloud, tore his beard, and threw himself upon the ground, like a
+madman. The servants and slaves of the house stood around in
+motionless astonishment, as they were not accustomed to see their
+master exhibiting such passionate emotion; others sought to console
+him, but fruitlessly; so they cried and bewailed with him for his dear
+son, who was beloved by them all. After a sleepless night, the
+afflicted father was not at all quieted. He wished early in the
+morning to send messengers in all directions; but Saad, who had come
+to hear if the lost one had returned home, explained to him how
+foolish this step would be.</p>
+
+<p>"Remember," said he, "that your Haschem has most probably found a
+night's lodging, and slept better than you. If he had set out on his
+way at daybreak, he could not be here now; and if you send these
+messengers after him, he may perhaps come home by a shorter path,
+while they will be searching for him in vain. Wait, at least, till
+noon."</p>
+
+<p>Naima yielded: he appointed the messengers to be ready at noon, and in
+the meanwhile walked through the gardens and in the country round
+about the city, where they had been on the preceding day. His friend
+accompanied him, although he pointed out that Haschem might, in the
+interval, have reached home while they were walking, and that he was
+thus perhaps giving himself more grief than was necessary.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I have given up to you in the rest," replied Naima; "let me at least
+in this instance have my own will, that I may walk here."</p>
+
+<p>They went together to the fountain in the rock near the palms; they
+climbed the neighbouring heights; they called the name of the lost one
+in all directions; but no sound was heard in reply. At noon they went
+home, and asked all they met if they had not seen a young man, whom
+they accurately described. Nobody could give them any information
+about him. Naima now sent out his messengers in all directions; to
+each he promised a rich reward, but tenfold to that one who should
+lead the lost one back to his arms. They set out joyfully, each one
+hoping to gain the tenfold sum, and they all intended to return home
+in the evening; but these hopes were disappointed. Naima with earnest
+desire expected them in the evening; none came. At last a few returned
+on the third day. They had gone a day's journey in the appointed
+direction, had sought everywhere, had described the wanderer to all
+they had met, but none had seen him. The rest of the messengers also
+returned, one by one, and none had discovered the least trace of him.
+The hopes of the sorrowing father had almost disappeared: only one of
+the dispatched messengers was not yet come back. Although it was
+probable that this one might remain away without success, he still
+clung to the hope that he at least might discover a trace of his son,
+who had disappeared in so unaccountable a manner. But when this last
+messenger returned on the tenth day, and reported that all his
+researches had been without success, the parent's grief knew no
+bounds. His friend Saad stood by him comforting him, and inquired,
+together with all his friends, whether no tidings could be learned of
+Haschem. He could not have been killed, for then his corpse would have
+been found; he had no cause to conceal himself; he could not have been
+attacked by enemies, as he had none: might he, in the pursuit of the
+bird, have been led to the brink of the stream, and have thrown
+himself in, and been carried away by the waves? Scarcely did the
+possibility of this idea arise, when two messengers were dispatched to
+each side of the river to make fresh search, from its junction with
+the Euphrates above Balsora to the spot where it flows into the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span>
+Arabian Sea, to ascertain if the corpse of Haschem had been washed
+ashore. But these messengers also returned to the anxious father, and
+had not found what they sought. Now the father and his friend gave up
+Haschem for lost; Naima's manly spirit was broken; grief for his lost
+son shortened his life; he soon became old: all joy had by this time
+fled from his mind; and his sorrow was only a little alleviated when
+his faithful friend Saad sat by him in the evening, talked with him of
+his son, relating the virtues by which he had been distinguished, and
+told him how it had been his darling wish that this excellent young
+man should marry his daughter Zoraine.</p>
+
+
+<h2>CHAPTER II.</h2>
+<h3>THE SYMPATHIZING RULER.</h3>
+<p><span class="f2">I</span>n a few days the Caliph Haroun al Raschid went, as he was accustomed,
+in disguise, with his Grand Vizier Giafar, and Mesrour his
+Chamberlain, through the streets of Bagdad, to see with his own eyes
+and to hear with his own ears how justice and order were maintained by
+his servants, and whether his people were happy and prosperous. He
+had, as usual, chosen the last hour of the evening for this walk,
+because he thought that at this time he could look deeper into men's
+joys and pleasures, as they had then ended their daily toils, and were
+seeking comfort and repose in the bosom of their family. In his
+progress he came to a street distinguished by peculiar silence and
+quiet. As he approached a house, before the door of which two men were
+standing whispering, Haroun al Raschid addressed them with these
+words:</p>
+
+<p>"Why do you whisper, as if you were concerting a crime? is not this
+street lonely enough, that you cannot hold your discourse aloud? Can
+you tell me why this street is so quiet, as though every inhabitant
+were dead?"</p>
+
+<p>"I can easily tell you, my lord," answered one of the whisperers:
+"here, in the next house, lives the unfortunate Naima, and, as usual
+at this hour, his friend Saad sits with him to console him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> Now, all
+the inhabitants of this street respect this man, and wish not to
+remind him, by any outburst of joy, that happier men than himself live
+in his neighbourhood."</p>
+
+<p>Before the Caliph could answer him, he turned away and went into the
+house, and the other followed him.</p>
+
+<p>"Have you ever heard of this unfortunate Naima before?" asked Haroun
+al Raschid of his Grand Vizier; and as he answered in the negative, he
+said, "Let us rap at the door of the next house, where this Naima
+dwells; perhaps we may discover the cause of his sorrow."</p>
+
+<p>They drew near, and saw the light from the inner court shining through
+a crevice. The Caliph placed his eye at this crevice, and after he had
+watched for some time, he beckoned his followers to him, and said,
+"Two grey-headed men are sitting in this court by a lamp, and one
+seems to be comforting the other; but this latter continues to weep
+more bitterly. Both seem of the same rank; and I am desirous to know
+what sorrow oppresses the unfortunate Naima. Order him to appear at my
+palace early to-morrow morning; perhaps it may be in my power to
+lighten his calamity."</p>
+
+<p>The next day the Grand Vizier executed his commission. Naima was
+frightened when his presence was required at the palace. He was led
+into the great hall where the divan usually assembled; but he was
+quite alone there when the servants had left him. He reviewed the
+whole of his past life, to see if he had sinned in any way so as to
+bring on him the displeasure of the righteous Caliph; for he knew that
+Haroun al Raschid often, in a mysterious manner, discovered the faults
+of his subjects, and punished them accordingly. But he could not call
+to mind any deed of which he, felt ashamed, nor any that deserved
+punishment. Whilst he was thus meditating, a curtain was drawn back,
+and the Caliph entered, followed by his Vizier and his Chamberlain.
+Naima rose from the ground, and bowed with his head even to the carpet
+on which the Caliph stood.</p>
+
+<p>"Naima," said the Caliph, "a heavy weight of grief oppress you; and by
+the anxiety which your neighbours manifest to show respect for the
+sorrows of your soul, I must consider you as a man of great<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> worth. I
+wish to know the cause of your despondency: will you confess it before
+these two witnesses, or would you rather confide to me alone the
+reason of your tears?"</p>
+
+<p>"Ruler of the Faithful," answered Naima, "sorrow is great and deep in
+my soul; but still the cause of it is unworthy to distract for a
+moment the attention of the Caliph from the cares of his kingdom."</p>
+
+<p>But Haroun al Raschid answered, "That which fills the heart of the
+meanest of my subjects with such grief that it consumes his life is
+not unworthy of my care. When I am careful for my whole kingdom, this
+care extends to each individual; if, then, I am careful for one, this
+one is a member of the whole, and thus my care is not lost. But speak,
+what is the cause of your sorrow and your tears?"</p>
+
+<p>Then Naima recounted the mysterious disappearance of his son; how he
+had sought for him everywhere, and how all trouble had been useless,
+so that all his messengers had returned home without the least trace
+of him. "I must therefore weep for him as one that is dead"&mdash;thus he
+ended his relation; "and tears, perhaps, might appease my sorrow, if
+at the same time a ray of hope did not dart through my heart that
+possibly he is still alive; but where does he live, if indeed he be
+still alive? This ray of hope keeps the wound in the father's heart
+always open."</p>
+
+<p>"You have real cause for grief," answered the Caliph, "and I
+comprehend that the uncertainty of your son's fate must be as terrible
+to bear as would be the mournful certainty of his death. You did wrong
+in not applying to me before: my power extends not only over
+believers, but also in foreign lands. Other kings and rulers I have as
+my servants, whose eyes see for me, whose ears hear for me, and whose
+hands perform what is necessary for my pleasure. That which was not
+possible to yourself, your friends, and your servants to accomplish,
+might perhaps have been easy to me. Now go home, and believe that you
+shall obtain news of your son, if he lives on the earth, in any land
+where my power can reach."</p>
+
+<p>With these words he dismissed him, after he had first inquired the
+marks by which his lost son might be recognized.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>When Naima again sat with his friend Saad in the evening, he related
+to him the gracious and comforting words of the Caliph. Saad perceived
+that hope was again revived in his friend's heart, and that he
+confidently trusted to find his son. He thought it therefore his duty
+to damp this hope, and said,</p>
+
+<p>"Beloved friend, I have once heard a speech, which by its truth sank
+deeply in my memory: it is, 'Trust not in princes; they are but men.'
+The moral of which is, that the mightiest on earth are subject to
+fate. If the Caliph have influence in distant lands, it must be in a
+confined and narrow limit. That which is but a span distant is under
+the control of all-governing fate, even from the meanest slave to the
+Ruler of the Faithful."</p>
+
+<p>But if the power of Haroun al Raschid were bounded by the immensity of
+fate, yet he did all he could to fulfil the hope he had raised in
+Naima's heart. He gave a commission to all his servants in his
+kingdom, high and low, and to his ambassadors in the neighbouring
+kingdoms, and even sent into distant lands, with the princes of which
+he was friendly, and on the same day dispatched messengers with the
+charge to search for Haschem with all diligence, and gave them a
+description how they might recognize him if they found him. But week
+after week passed away, month after month, and even a whole year
+elapsed, without intelligence being received either of the life or
+death of the lost one. So all hope of finding him now deserted the
+father for ever.</p>
+
+
+<h2>CHAPTER III.</h2>
+<h3>THE CAPTIVE.</h3>
+<p><span class="f2">H</span>aschem was not dead; he still lived, but in such retirement that it
+was impossible to discover his abode. He followed the snow-white bird
+till evening, without clearly knowing why: he was induced to think he
+could catch the curious creature, particularly as it flew at such a
+moderate height from the ground, and so slowly that he hoped quickly
+to reach it. The tardiness of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> its flight made him conjecture that it
+must have a defect in its wing: he often stretched out his hand to it,
+and drew near it, but the bird again raised its wings, and flew a
+little in advance. Haschem now felt himself tired, and would have
+given up the pursuit, but the bird also seemed fatigued; he approached
+it, but again the bird flew a little farther off. In this chase he
+reached a hill, which he climbed; he was now in a narrow
+meadow-valley, which he ran along; twilight came, but the snow-white
+colour of the bird still lighted him on. At last the pursued bird
+perched in a thicket; he hastened to it, but when he closed his hand
+to take his prisoner, it flew away, leaving only one feather of its
+tail behind, which he had tightly grasped; still he saw it through the
+twilight flying before him, and he hastened after it. The bird seemed
+now to quicken its pace; and as he followed and had once nearly caught
+it, he continued the pursuit with more eagerness: he ran through the
+high grass, and with his strained sight fixed on this glimmering white
+object, he saw nothing else. Thus he came unexpectedly to a little dam
+which lay across his path; he jumped in and tried to climb the other
+side, but it was so steep that he fell in with some of the crumbling
+earth: while the water rushed over his head he lost all consciousness.
+When he came to himself, he lay on the turf, and a tall, grey-headed
+man, of strange appearance, stood before him, clothed in a long black
+robe, which reached to his ankles, and was fastened by a glittering
+girdle of a fiery colour. Instead of a turban, he wore a high pointed
+cap on his head, at the end of which was a tassel of the same hue as
+the girdle.</p>
+
+<p>"Has your life returned to you?" he asked: "you deserved to be
+suffocated in the mud. Come, we must go farther before daylight quite
+leaves us."</p>
+
+<p>With these words he raised him from the ground, passed his left arm
+round his body, and flew with him through the air as quickly as an
+arrow. Haschem again momentarily lost recollection: it is not known
+how long he remained in this condition. He awoke at last as from a
+deep sleep; and as he looked around, the first thing he recognized was
+a cage of gold wire, which hung from the ceiling by a long golden
+chain, and within was the snow-white bird he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> had so long followed. He
+found himself alone with this bird in a hall, the roof of which was
+supported on pillars of white marble, and the walls were built of
+smooth pale-green stones. The openings to the windows were skilfully
+contrived with so many windings and narrow gratings, that even the
+white bird could have found no space to pass through, even if it had
+escaped from the cage. Beside one wall stood a crystal urn; and from
+this fell a stream of clear water, which, passing over the curved brim
+of the urn, dripped into a white basin beneath, from which it
+disappeared unseen.</p>
+
+<p>Whilst he observed this, and wondered what had happened to him, and
+how he came there, he suddenly heard the old man in the black robe
+enter from behind a curtain. He carried a small golden box in his
+hand, and approached him with these words:</p>
+
+<p>"You have now caught the white bird; you now have it in a cage: in
+this box is food for it, and there is water; take diligent care of it,
+and mind that it does not escape."</p>
+
+<p>As he said this he disappeared. Haschem now arose and walked round the
+hall: he looked through the windows, and ascertained that he must be
+in a foreign land, as the forms of the mountains and trees were quite
+different to any he had before seen. The hall seemed high, as if it
+were the upper storey of a lofty tower. No other edifice was to be
+seen, and from the windows he could not distinguish the trees and
+plants which bloomed beneath. He drew the curtain aside, and
+discovered an outlet; but there was a thick metal door which he could
+not open. He was now very much embarrassed, for he began to feel
+hungry, and could find nothing that would serve him for food. He
+examined the walls, to see if he could discover any concealed outlet.
+He tried to open the windows, that he might put his head out to see if
+there was anybody in the building beneath, to whom he might cry out.
+There was no door: he could not open the windows; and as far as he
+could stretch his sight in every direction, he could see nobody. He
+threw himself in despair on the pillow on which he recovered his
+consciousness, and wrung his hands, and wept, and cried,</p>
+
+<p>"I am, then, imprisoned&mdash;imprisoned in a dungeon where splendour<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> and
+riches are lavished around! Of what avail is it that these walls are
+built of precious stones? that this lattice is of fine gold? that this
+cage is of gold, and hangs on a golden chain? I am as much a prisoner
+behind golden lattices as I should be behind iron."</p>
+
+<p>As hunger pinched him still more, he cried out, "How much rather would
+I be in the vilest prison, with the coarsest food, than be confined in
+this splendid hall, where I must die of hunger!"</p>
+
+<p>Then he again called out of the lattices, in hopes that his voice
+might be heard, and aid brought; but nobody appeared, and no one
+answered him. When he again threw himself, weeping, on his couch,
+after such useless attempts, he observed that the white bird fluttered
+restlessly in its prison, and pecked on the golden dish, where food
+was placed, without finding any.</p>
+
+<p>"Poor brother in misfortune!" said Haschem, "you shall not suffer
+want; I will take care of you: come, I will bring you assistance."</p>
+
+<p>He took the pans from the cage, and filled one with water from the
+urn, the other with grain from the gold box which the old man had
+given him. Scarcely had he hung the last on the cage, when, on turning
+round, he saw a table behind him covered with costly viands. He was
+astonished, and could not understand how all this had happened; but
+still it was not long before he attacked the meats with the zest of a
+young man who has fasted for several days. Although these viands were
+altogether different from those he had been accustomed to taste in his
+father's house, still they all appeared excellent. He ate till he was
+fully satisfied, and then took a golden cup from the table, with which
+he quenched his thirst with pure water from the urn. Afterwards he
+threw himself on a couch and fell asleep.</p>
+
+<p>When he awoke, he felt strong and well. He arose and walked round the
+hall, and he then observed that the table with the meats had
+disappeared. This did not please him, as he had thought to make a good
+supper of the remainder. He did not allow this, however, to trouble
+him much, as he was now sure that he was not to die of hunger. He had
+now leisure enough to examine his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> prison more closely. He searched
+all anew pillars, walls, and floor; but he could nowhere find a
+crevice or a fissure: all was fast and whole. His view from the
+windows did not allow him to make any discovery: he only saw that he
+was very far from the earth, and in a spacious valley. Mountains were
+to be seen in the distance, with curiously pointed summits: the
+nearest offered no change of prospect, and the farthest was too
+distant to raise his spirits by its contemplation: it was a high,
+wearisome abode. As soon as he had completed this examination, and
+found there was nothing to occupy him, he turned his attention to the
+white bird in the cage. Here was still life; and if the cage was
+narrow, yet the prisoner could hop about on the different perches.
+Soon it remained still, and looked at him with its bright eyes; and it
+seemed as if sense and speech lay in these eyes, only the
+interpretation was wanting. Night put an end to these reflections.</p>
+
+<p>On the next morning he observed that the bird again wanted food. He
+filled its seed-box with grain from the golden box, and gave it fresh
+water from the urn. Scarcely had he done this, when the table, covered
+with meats, again stood in the same place as the day before. This day
+passed like the former, and the following in the same manner. Haschem
+wept and mourned, took care of the little bird, fed it, and was every
+time rewarded in the same manner with the table covered with dishes,
+as soon as he had filled the bird's seed-box. He could not perceive
+who brought the table, nor how it disappeared. It always came when he
+stood beside the cage with his back turned, and without any noise.</p>
+
+<p>On the ninth day the old man suddenly appeared to him, and said,
+"To-day is a day of repose for you: you have performed your duty
+during the preceding days in giving the bird its food; now you may
+amuse yourself in the garden till evening."</p>
+
+<p>He led him through a door into a narrow passage, at the end of which
+they descended twenty steps. Then he opened a small metal trap-door,
+and Haschem again descended twenty steps more. They came to a similar
+door; and after descending twenty more steps to another, and so on,
+till after passing the ninth door, they found themselves in the open
+air.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Remain here till you are called," said the old man, who went back
+into the building through the same doors, which he shut after him.</p>
+
+<p>Haschem was very curious to examine more closely the building in which
+he had been imprisoned: he therefore went round it, and narrowly
+observed it. It was a tower of nine storeys, each about fifteen feet
+in height. The tower had nine angles and nine flat walls; in each
+storey were three windows, so contrived that for every two walls
+without a window, the third had one. These windows were not directly
+over one another in the storeys, but alternate; so that only three
+appeared in each wall. This distribution of regularity and order
+reigned throughout the whole building. The walls were made of large
+pieces of gold, quite as smooth as glass, like large stones; and these
+were so skilfully put together that, even when closely looked at, the
+joints could not be discovered. The lattices of the windows were all
+of gold, like those in the upper hall, and the lower doors through
+which he had passed were of a yellow metal, inclining to green.</p>
+
+<p>All these considerations were not calculated to lessen his conviction
+that no man could possibly find him out in such a prison. Suddenly a
+new hope awoke in him.</p>
+
+<p>"I am no longer shut up in the tower," said he to himself; "here I am
+in the open air, in a garden: I can clamber and jump like a monkey. I
+may possibly find some outlet from this garden, by which I can
+escape."</p>
+
+<p>He immediately turned from the tower, and hastened through the
+gardens, seeking freedom; but he soon discovered that this hope was
+vain. With a few steps he reached the end of the garden, and stood
+before a gate of lattice-work of strong smooth iron bars, so close
+together that he could scarcely pass his arm through. He tried to
+climb it by holding by the upper bars with his hands; but his feet
+slipped on the smooth iron, and he hurt his knee so much that, in
+consequence of not being able to bear the pain, he fell backwards on
+the earth. He now examined the lattice closely to see if there were no
+means of escape; but all was in vain&mdash;everywhere the bars were high,
+thick, and like polished glass. Mournfully<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> he wandered round the
+garden: the sun's rays darting down scorched up the grass, and he
+sought some shade where he might screen himself from their influence.
+He lay down on a neighbouring mossy bank, and meditated anew on his
+fate. Besides his own grief at his imprisonment, the thought of his
+father's sorrow at his loss pained him. The exhaustion consequent on
+his tears and loud lamentations, joined with the noontide heat, at
+last caused him to fall into a deep sleep. When he awoke, the table
+covered with meats was again before him: he ate, and wandered anew
+mournfully through the garden, meditating whether he could not make a
+ladder from the trees around him, to aid him in his escape over the
+lattice. But there was something wanting for this work: he had not
+even a dagger or a pocket-knife. During these thoughts the old man
+appeared, and said,</p>
+
+<p>"Evening is drawing on. Follow me in."</p>
+
+<p>He led him again to the upper room of the tower, and locked the metal
+door upon him.</p>
+
+<p>There was no change observable in his prison&mdash;only the bird seemed
+harassed and mournful: it sat quiet and still on the lowest perch; its
+plumage was rough, and its eyes dull.</p>
+
+<p>"Poor creature," said Haschem, "what is the matter? Are you ill?"</p>
+
+<p>It seemed as if the bird was affected by these sympathizing questions;
+but it soon sank again into its former dejection. He mused long upon
+this.</p>
+
+<p>The next day and the following ones passed like the former; but on the
+ninth the old man again appeared, led him into the garden, and at
+night conducted him back into the hall. He took care of the bird; and
+as soon as he had given it food and water, he always found the table
+covered with meats behind him. In the intervals he stood at the
+lattice of one of the three windows looking on the plain below,
+earnestly hoping to catch sight of some person to free him from his
+captivity.</p>
+
+<p>In such monotonous employment many months passed away. Every ninth day
+the old man appeared, and gave him leave to walk in the garden; but he
+did not derive much amusement from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> his strolls in this narrow
+enclosure. In the meantime he asked the old man many times the reason
+of his imprisonment, and how long it was to last. No answer was
+vouchsafed but these words: "Every man has his own fate. This is
+thine."</p>
+
+
+<h2>CHAPTER IV.</h2>
+<h3>THE DELIVERANCE.</h3>
+<p><span class="f2">O</span>ne day the old man appeared and led him into the garden; but he had
+not been there more than a quarter of an hour, when he returned,
+called him in, and then quickly retired with marks of disquietude.
+Haschem also remarked that the white bird, which he loved more every
+day, sat at the bottom of its cage, more mournful than usual after his
+visit. He drew near, and observed a little door, which he had never
+before seen. He examined it closely, and found a fine bolt which
+passed into a ring of gold wire. These were made so skilfully, like
+concealed ornaments, that nobody could have discovered them if his
+attention had not been drawn to them by accident. Haschem pushed back
+the bolt and opened the door; the bird moved as if some sudden joy had
+seized it, hopped out, and as soon as it touched the floor, it was
+transformed, and in its stead a young maiden stood before Haschem,
+clothed in a white silk robe; beautiful dark locks streamed over her
+neck and shoulders, and a thin fragrant veil fell over them, fastened
+to a forehead-band set with precious stones; her finely-formed
+countenance was as white as ivory, relieved by the softest shade of a
+rose.</p>
+
+<p>Surprised and astonished, Haschem started back and said, "By the beard
+of the Prophet, I conjure you to tell me whether you are of human
+race, or whether you belong to the genii?"</p>
+
+<p>"I am a weak maiden," said she, "and implore you to deliver me from
+the hands of this cruel magician. I will reward you handsomely for it.
+Know, I am the only daughter of Kadga Singa, King of Selandia; and
+this wicked enchanter has cunningly carried<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span> me off from my father's
+palace, and shut me up in this cage. He has one son, as ugly as night,
+whom he wishes me to take for my husband. Every ninth day he comes,
+brings him with him, and praises his excellent qualities&mdash;presses me
+for my consent, and threatens me with cruel tortures if I give it not
+at the next new moon. On that day he will have kept me a year in
+imprisonment, and longer than a year he says he will not wait, and
+still give good words: then will the time of my punishment begin. I
+conjure you, therefore, to help me!"</p>
+
+<p>At these words she burst into a flood of tears.</p>
+
+<p>"Noble royal maiden," answered Haschem, "how willingly would I help
+you! but, alas, I am only a weak man, and cannot free myself. But tell
+me&mdash;how is it possible? You say the enchanter brings his hateful son
+with him: why, then, have I never seen him?"</p>
+
+<p>"He always sends you away when he comes," answered the Princess.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," pursued Haschem, "the son could not conceal himself from me on
+the steps, or in the narrow passage."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, well," she answered, "he carries him in his pocket."</p>
+
+<p>Then Haschem cried out in his astonishment, "In his pocket! How can
+that be?"</p>
+
+<p>The Princess related to him that the young man was every time a white
+bird, like herself; that the enchanter put him into the cage with her,
+and that she felt such a dislike to him that she always fluttered
+about the cage to avoid getting near him; but that he, with his
+contrary friendly feeling, would follow her and settle confidingly
+near her.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh," she continued, "you must have remarked how tired and mournful I
+always was when you returned on the ninth day."</p>
+
+<p>Haschem, astonished at this explanation, assured her of his
+willingness to help her, but bewailed his helplessness. But the
+Princess would not give up hopes of their safety.</p>
+
+<p>"It seems to me," said she, "a good omen that the enchanter has to-day
+received a message which caused him to leave so early and in such
+haste that he did not securely close the cage, and that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> you returned
+so early to-day from the garden. This day is my birthday, the only day
+that I can be delivered from the magician's power. On any other day I
+should still have remained a dumb bird if you had freed me from my
+cage; only on this day has my touching the floor restored me to my
+natural form: the enchantment lies in the cage."</p>
+
+<p>Haschem then seized the cage, and said, "If it be so, we will break
+the enchantment." He threw the cage to the ground, stamped on it with
+his feet till it was quite flat and its shape no longer
+distinguishable, then he rolled it together, and threw it into a
+corner of the hall.</p>
+
+<p>At this moment a frightful noise resounded through the air like
+violent thunder, a gale of wind seemed to shake the hall, and suddenly
+the doors opened, the curtains were drawn aside, and the magician
+stood before them with a countenance full of anger.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah!" cried he, "weak worms, what have you presumed to do? How did you
+learn to break my charm in this manner? Who bid you destroy the cage?"</p>
+
+<p>Haschem, terrified, could answer nothing. Then the enchanter turned to
+the Maiden, and cried,</p>
+
+<p>"And you, you thought this miserable worm could defend you against my
+power: I will show you how useless it is to oppose me."</p>
+
+<p>He felt in the pocket of his black robe, and pulled out a thin box.
+This he opened, and a white bird flew out and perched on the table.
+Then he took a small box from his girdle and opened it: it was filled
+with grains of millet. From these he took one, laid it before the
+bird, who had scarcely eaten it before such a distorted man stood in
+its place, that both Haschem and the Princess screamed aloud. His head
+was large and thick, his eyes red and dark, his nose small and pressed
+quite flat, his lips thick and bluish-red, his chin broad and
+projecting, and on his head grew a few stiff white hairs; a hump grew
+out of his breast, and a similar one from his back, and his shoulders
+were quite drawn up: his head was so jammed between them that his ears
+could not be seen. His head and upper part of his body were so
+unshapely, and his legs so weak and thin, that it was wonderful how
+they supported him: he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> tottered about incessantly, balancing himself
+first on one leg, then on the other.</p>
+
+<p>"Go in, my son," said the enchanter to this misformed creature:
+"behold! there is your bride. She does not wish to wait till the new
+moon, which I fixed upon for your betrothal: to-day she has effected
+her change by the help of this friend. Go, my son, give your bride a
+kiss, and then thank this young man."</p>
+
+<p>The deformed creature approached the Princess with a horrible fiendish
+laugh. She averted her face with disgust, and stretched out her arms,
+motioning him away. And now courage returned to Haschem. Resolved to
+venture all, he stepped before the Princess, and gave the deformity
+such a blow that he reeled. He instantly assumed the form of a
+terrible dragon; but Haschem, drawing a scimitar which he still wore,
+cut him down. He fell with such violence on the corner of the pedestal
+of one of the marble pillars that it was broken to pieces: a stream of
+blood flowed from the wound, and, resuming his former shape, the
+monster gave a hollow groan. Now Haschem thought of the father's rage
+and revenge, and gave up his life for lost. But the enchanter stood
+quite confounded as he observed his son's mortal wound; then, threw
+himself down beside him, and examined it, and wrung his hands,
+forgetting his revenge in his sorrow. Haschem quickly seized the hand
+of the Princess, and led her through the door and down the steps. All
+the doors were open, and they fortunately came into the garden. Soon
+they stood before the lattice of the iron wicket, which was closed to
+them.</p>
+
+<p>"Of what use is our flight?" said Haschem; "we are still in the power
+of the enchanter; and even if we were on the other side of the wicket,
+and concealed ourselves in the deepest cavern, he would discover us by
+his knowledge, and wreak his vengeance on us."</p>
+
+<p>"I am of a different opinion," said the Princess. "I know there are
+things of which men think little, but on which the superior power of
+the magician depends. It appears to me that if we could get out of
+this place, we should be safe."</p>
+
+<p>They went farther, and came to a spot where many trees had been
+uprooted by a hurricane. One of these lay overturned, with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> its crown
+resting on the lattice, and its boughs and branches hanging far over
+the other side. At this sight the young man rejoiced: he climbed
+quickly up the trunk, pulled the Princess after him, and led her with
+great care and tenderness into the crown of the tree. They then
+clambered over the spiked top of the wicket, and let themselves down
+on the other side by the overhanging branches. They did not quite
+reach to the ground, but near enough for them to leap down: when they
+let go their hands, they fell softly to the earth. They quickly jumped
+up, and proceeded as rapidly as the strength of the Princess and the
+unknown way would allow them through the thickets, underwood, and
+plains studded with prickly plants, towards the distant mountains.</p>
+
+<p>After the two fugitives had continued their flight for several
+successive hours without looking back on the scene of their
+imprisonment, the Princess felt her strength exhausted, and could go
+no farther; she begged her companion to repose for a short time.
+Haschem sought a place free from bushes, and clad with moss and long
+grass. They seated themselves there, and Haschem entreated her to
+relate her history. She was soon ready, and commenced thus:</p>
+
+<p>"My early history is very simple and unimportant. I am called Handa,
+the only daughter of the Sultan of the island Selandia. My mother was
+brought from beyond Arabia and Mount Caucasus over the wide-stretching
+sea, and was sold to him as a slave. Soon attracted by her excessive
+beauty and pleasing manners, he raised her to the dignity of his
+principal wife. My earliest youth was spent in pleasing sports under
+my mother's eyes. She died before I had passed the age of childhood,
+as the change from the mild climate of her land to the heat of my
+father's shortened her days. After the loss of my mother, which did
+not much affect me, as I was too young to feel it, I enjoyed many
+happy days. My father loved me as his greatest treasure, and was wise
+enough to confide me to a careful nurse. Every evening I passed
+several hours with him, as soon as he was released from the cares of
+government, and one whole day in each week he devoted to conversation
+with me. We then went together in a light bark to a neighbouring
+promontory,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> where he had a beautiful palace and gardens. The air
+there blew cooler and more refreshing, the trees and shrubs were
+clothed with fresher green than in the shut-up garden in the capital,
+and we passed the whole day in the open air. In the meantime I had
+outgrown childhood, and was beloved by a Prince, the son of a
+neighbouring King, to whom I was betrothed, and who was to succeed my
+father in his kingdom. This Prince, whose name was Mundian Oppu, also
+often took part in these visits to the castle on the promontory.</p>
+
+<p>"It happened one day, as we were sitting on a terrace by the sea, a
+foreign ship anchored just below us. A foreigner caused himself to be
+landed in a little boat, and asked us permission to appear before us,
+as he had many costly wares to offer for sale. I was desirous to see
+the stranger's wares, and begged my father to grant the desired
+petition. The man laid many costly trinkets of gold and precious
+stones before us, and my father bought some, with which I was much
+pleased. I remarked that the merchant watched me closely, but he did
+this with such evident pleasure that my vanity ascribed it to his
+opinion of my pleasing expression, and found no harm in it. Whilst he
+shewed his wares, he let fall some words which intimated that he had
+left his most precious articles behind in the ship. He had there many
+curious birds, particularly a snow-white bird, which was the most
+beautiful of all creatures of this kind. He managed thus to raise my
+desires so much that I begged my father to allow me to go with the
+stranger to his ship to see these silken stuffs: my father was weak
+enough to comply with this unreasonable wish. A suitable train should
+have accompanied me, but the stranger prevented this. He said his boat
+had only room in it for three people, and that he should not like to
+show his wares if many people came into his ship. 'They are only
+things for the royal Princess,' he said, 'and I dare not expose her to
+danger. I can never forget that a powerful King has entrusted his only
+daughter to my care; therefore your betrothed Prince Mundian Oppu may
+accompany you as a watchful protector.' We went with the merchant to
+the ship. There we found an immense number of extraordinary things and
+unknown<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> animals. In the place where in other ships the rowers sat
+were great apes; on high on the mast sat an eagle; in the inner rooms
+were many large and small cages of smooth ebony with thick gold bars,
+behind which moved a confused multitude of animals.</p>
+
+<p>"My desire was now directed to the snow-white bird, about which I made
+inquiry. He showed it me high up in a box, and as I could not see it
+distinctly, he took it out and put it on my hand. 'It is quite
+singular,' said he, 'when the bird is here, it can only remain a few
+days alive, but I have found the corn of life, which I give it each
+week, and it is then refreshed for nine days.' We asked for the corn
+of life, of which we had never heard, and he opened a little box and
+took out three grains. He gave me one to give the bird, the other I
+was to try, and the third Prince Mundian Oppu. When I offered the
+grain to the bird, it refused to peck it; and when I pressed my hand
+closer, the bird drew back, lost its balance, and fell down with
+outspread wings. I hastened to it, picked it up perhaps somewhat
+roughly, and as it tried to escape, I held some of its tail-feathers
+fast, so that it lay fluttering in my hand. I was very much
+frightened, and the merchant seemed so also. He soon laughed with
+malicious joy, and said that I should swallow the corn, because it
+would prevent the flight of the frightened prisoner. He said the same
+to the Prince, and we swallowed the grains in the same moment. I felt
+a wonderful transformation pass over me, and found that I was changed
+into a snow-white bird; and when I looked towards the Prince, in his
+stead I saw a black bird. Now the stranger, who was no other than the
+enchanter, seized me, and shut me up in the golden cage which you have
+trodden to pieces. The apes began to ply the oars, and the ship moved
+with unusual swiftness over the sea. I still saw my father sitting on
+the terrace, and the wonder of the servants as they saw the ship
+depart: I believed that I heard their voices calling us back. But what
+could I do in my cage? The black bird flew to the promontory; and from
+that moment I have neither heard nor seen anything of Prince Mundian
+Oppu.</p>
+
+<p>"When my home was far in the distance, and even the summit of the
+mountain could no longer be distinguished, the enchanter<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> rose with my
+cage high in the air, leaving his ship behind, and bore me into the
+hall of the tower. How he brought the other white bird, I don't know:
+I only know that he took it out of his pocket and put it into the
+cage. 'Now you have a companion,' said he. As I took him for a real
+bird, I considered myself, though unfortunate, superior to him, and
+drew myself back into a corner. But the bird came nearer, and followed
+me. At last I lost patience, and pecked his eyes. When the enchanter
+saw this, he took out a little box, and took from it a grain, which he
+laid before the bird, who picked it immediately. It was then changed
+into a man, as ugly as you saw him in the tower. He desired me, as I
+have already told you, to take that deformity for my husband, and
+promised me that, on my consent, I should be immediately restored to
+my proper form, and assured me that otherwise I should always remain
+as a bird, except on my birthday. I have now no other wish than to
+return to my father in Selandia, because I know he is living in great
+affliction, if, indeed, sorrow at my loss have not already brought him
+to the grave."</p>
+
+
+<h2>CHAPTER V.</h2>
+<h3>THE FAITHFUL CONDUCTOR HOME.</h3>
+<p><span class="f2">A</span>t the conclusion of this relation, Haschem thought with compassion of
+his father, and had his mournful countenance and bowed-down form
+before his mind. He knew, from the great love he had always shown him,
+that he must have pined for his loss.</p>
+
+<p>"Princess," said he, "your desire cannot be greater than mine. Still,
+I swear to you that I will not return to my father till I have safely
+conducted you to your native land, or have given you over to safe
+guides to bring you to your father; if I do not, may Heaven not grant
+my father life to receive this joy!"</p>
+
+<p>They journeyed on with renewed vigour. But evening was drawing near,
+and they must find a resting-place for the night. Fortune was
+favourable: they soon found a spot, shadowed, by a high bush.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Haschem broke away the boughs so as to form a hedge, which quite
+concealed the Princess, and to which he only left a narrow entrance,
+before which he lay down to watch. Night passed without danger.
+However anxiously Haschem strove against sleep, to watch over his
+companion, it at last weighed down his eyelids, and they both awoke
+with the first rays of the sun. Their good star soon led them to a
+spot where they found refreshing wood-berries, the names of which were
+unknown to them, and they were anxious to discover if they were
+poisonous; but hunger made them venture. They wandered the whole day,
+resting alternately. At every step the journey became more hazardous.
+The thickets became thicker and higher; they were often obliged to
+creep between the boughs, and their clothes hung in rags. On the
+fourth day they reached the foot of the mountain. There they found
+cultivated land and human habitations. Haschem inquired where they
+were, and asked for the sea. The people told them the name of the
+country, which was unknown to Haschem and the Princess Handa. On the
+other side of the high mountain lay a large flat land, whose coast was
+washed by the sea. They received this information with great joy. They
+descended the mountain, came to the flat land, and at last, after a
+wearisome journey, during which they had seen the sun rise and set
+seven times, they arrived at the sea-coast. A ship lay ready at
+anchor, and when they inquired its destination, the steersman
+answered, "We are going to Selandia to fetch a cargo of cinnamon." To
+Haschem's question where they came from, and what this land where they
+were was called, he received for answer, "that the ship belonged to a
+merchant of Balsora, and that it had been cast on these unknown shores
+by a violent storm."</p>
+
+<p>When the Princess perceived that the ship was going towards her native
+land, she was very much rejoiced. She took one of the precious stones
+out of her forehead-band, and gave it as a reward for her and her
+companion. The following morning they weighed anchor, and, after a
+prosperous voyage, they reached the same place where the enchanter's
+ship had formerly lain at anchor when he carried off the Princess.</p>
+
+<p>They were landed in a small boat, and Handa led her deliverer<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> into
+the beautiful leafy walks of the imperial gardens. In this way they
+came to a terrace, from which they could see the ship. Instead of
+pressing quickly forwards, they concealed themselves behind a bush. A
+very melancholy old man sat on this terrace, looking over the sea; and
+while a flood of tears ran down his face,</p>
+
+<p>"Ah!" cried he, "it was just so on the day that my sorrows began!
+There lay the ship of the robber, there landed the boat which carried
+away my beloved daughter and her betrothed. It was even at the same
+hour of the day. I have sent messengers into all the neighbouring
+lands; I have caused the opposite sea-coasts to be searched; but all
+has been in vain! I must die, and never see my child again."</p>
+
+<p>He pronounced these words aloud, and covered his face as he bowed
+himself forward on his hands.</p>
+
+<p>Princess Handa wished to hasten to him, but Haschem held her back, and
+said, "Let me first prepare him for your arrival, else joy may kill
+him." And he sprang forward, and bowed before the sorrowing old man,
+making his forehead touch the ground.</p>
+
+<p>The King then said, "Who are you? Are you a beggar, and do you need
+any gift? It shall be given you: go to my palace."</p>
+
+<p>Haschem stood up and answered, "In such circumstances you might well
+take me for a beggar, O great King Kadga Singa. But know that under
+these ragged clothes is concealed a magician, who is come to change
+your tears into smiles, your sobs into transports of joy."</p>
+
+<p>"Can any man on earth do this?" asked Kadga Singa.</p>
+
+<p>"I have only to speak three words," he answered, "and it will happen.
+Are you strong enough to support the highest joy that your heart can
+conceive and feel?"</p>
+
+<p>At these questions a ray of hope in the soul of the mourning father
+beamed through his tearful eyes. "What is it? Who are you who can
+promise this?" asked he.</p>
+
+<p>And Haschem repeated his question, "Do you feel strong enough?"</p>
+
+<p>"I think so," answered the King, regarding him with hopeful looks.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Draw near, Princess Handa, your father is prepared," cried the youth;
+and she sprang forwards into her father's open arms.</p>
+
+<p>Then was Haschem's word fulfilled: his tears were changed into smiles,
+his sobs into transports of joy. Their embrace continued long. At last
+Kadga Singa raised himself, beckoned Haschem to approach, and said,
+"You are a magician; such an one I have never before seen. By your
+magic words you have changed the mournful course of my life into the
+brightest sunshine. I will not now ask you who you are, and what I
+have to thank you for; I will not now inquire what chance brought you
+to my daughter; I shall only give myself up to joy at her return."</p>
+
+<p>They went back to the capital in a kingly boat, and soon the joyful
+news of the unexpected reappearance of the Princess spread everywhere.
+Numbers assembled at the palace to ascertain if the news were true;
+and Princess Handa went out to the gate and down the steps. Then arose
+a shout of joy of a thousand voices, and loud wishes for her health
+and happiness.</p>
+
+
+<h2>CHAPTER VI.</h2>
+<h3>REWARD.</h3>
+<p><span class="f2">T</span>he next day, after the King had heard the history of her imprisonment
+related by his daughter, and with what devotion Haschem had watched
+over her, and when Haschem had narrated his history, Kadga Singa was
+very thoughtful, and caused his council to assemble to deliberate how
+they should reward him.</p>
+
+<p>"If he were not so young," said some of them, "he might be made Grand
+Vizier, the next in dignity to the King, or be appointed Governor of a
+province. But his youth prevents his being raised over the people next
+to the King."</p>
+
+<p>After longer consultation, the eldest of the councillors rose, and
+said, "Kadga Singa, my King and lord. The youth has certainly
+performed a great service to you and the Princess Handa; therefore it
+seems to me that his reward ought to come from you. It<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> seems to me
+that the King, having received from him good in his family, must
+reward him from his family. Were I in such a case, I would appoint him
+as Mundiana, and give him for a wife the daughter whom he has
+restored."</p>
+
+<p>The whole assembly were of the same opinion, and the King gave them to
+understand that this was also his wish.</p>
+
+<p>"I am old," he said, "and can easily perceive that the cares of this
+land will soon need other hands to support them. I shall be much
+pleased to see my daughter with a noble husband. Prince Mundian Oppu
+has disappeared, whom I had before chosen; and this youth, although of
+meaner origin, is of noble soul, and will soon, under my guidance,
+acquire the necessary circumspection to promote justice and order in
+my kingdom."</p>
+
+<p>He did not delay, but immediately caused Haschem to be called. A
+costly band of gold and silver was fastened round his forehead, and
+the King then said, "I herewith appoint you Mundiana."</p>
+
+<p>And the assembled councillors cried out, "We congratulate you, hail,
+Mundiana!"</p>
+
+<p>But Haschem laughed, and said, "Forgive my ignorance: what is
+Mundiana?"</p>
+
+<p>The eldest councillor stepped forward, and said, "This name points out
+the highest step of honour which the King can bestow. You are found
+worthy of this honour; and no other lives who bears this title,
+because Prince Mundian Oppu has disappeared."</p>
+
+<p>An elephant covered with costly trappings was now brought in by its
+keeper, and upon it was a richly ornamented seat. On this the new
+Mundiana was placed, and led through the streets. Heralds went before
+him, and cried aloud, "Listen to what Kadga Singa makes known to all
+people. This youth has restored to him his dearest jewel which he had
+lost. In gratitude, the King has nominated him Mundiana, and has
+appointed his daughter Handa for his wife. To-morrow will the
+betrothal be celebrated; and everybody is requested to come into the
+court of the palace to partake of the joy of the festival."</p>
+
+<p>Haschem knew not how all this had come about. He received clothes and
+rich arms as a present from the King; and the King<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> so highly favoured
+him that he was not only to be husband of the Princess Handa, but was
+to succeed Kadga Singa on the throne, and to reign over that beautiful
+and rich land. In this happiness he forgot his early life, his
+father's sorrow, and even Zoraine his playfellow in youth, his
+father's faithful friend Saad, and thought no more of his home or his
+fatherland. The next day his betrothal with the Princess was
+celebrated with great pomp.</p>
+
+<p>The Princess had willingly yielded to her father's wish, without
+manifesting any particular joy, or showing any affection for her
+future husband; although she felt very friendly towards him, and
+treated him with great respect and attention, as her grateful heart
+did not forget in prosperity how much she had owed to him in
+misfortune.</p>
+
+<p>The first days and weeks passed in the delights of joy: then he was
+introduced by the King into the council, and taught the business of
+the State. The King and councillors had often reason to wonder at his
+acuteness in judgment in difficult cases, and, above all, at his
+perception of right and wrong. Soon no sentence was pronounced without
+his opinion being first consulted; and it often happened that it was
+contrary to that of the rest of the council; but the reasons for his
+decision always prevailed. In all lands the justice and wisdom of the
+King's future son-in-law were praised, and it was hoped that fortune
+would permit him to rule over the land.</p>
+
+<p>A whole year had now elapsed, and the day was fast approaching when he
+was to marry the Princess and ascend the throne. One day, as usual, he
+sought his betrothed, the Princess Handa, in her apartments. As he was
+announced by a servant, he went in quickly, and saw the Princess
+hastily wiping her eyes; and as he drew nearer, he found the traces of
+her tears. Sympathizing with her, he asked the cause of her grief, and
+she tried to avoid answering him; but as he continued to urge her, she
+at last said, "I dare tell you why these tears flow, because you are
+good and compassionate, and will not consider it a crime that I have a
+feeling and sympathizing heart. You know that I was formerly beloved
+by Prince Mundian Oppu, the son of the neighbouring<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> King. I related
+to you that this Prince was changed into a blackbird by the enchanter,
+and flew from the ship to the promontory of the island where our
+country seat was situated. Now, I must tell you that I grieve so much
+the more about this Prince's fate, as from my own change I can
+compassionate his mournful condition. I could not repress this desire,
+and I have obtained certain news of his life and present condition by
+the secret knowledge of a clever Tirinaxian. And in this manner I have
+learned that he still lives in his new form, and that he has flown,
+from fear of the snares of the hunter, whom we call Dodda Waddas, out
+of the land into distant regions; and that it is ordained by fate that
+he shall never regain his human form if I give my hand to another
+husband. Sorrow at this mournful destiny has drawn these tears from my
+eyes, the traces of which you observed."</p>
+
+<p>This narrative made a deep impression on Haschem: he discovered also
+that Handa had acceded to her father's wish only from gratitude and
+filial obedience, whilst her affection was fixed on the absent Prince.
+He saw that he must purchase the good fortune to be husband of the
+noble Princess, and son-in-law of the great King Kadga Singa, and
+after him to be King of Selandia, only by the misfortunes of Prince
+Mundian Oppu. He asked himself if this were right, and was obliged to
+confess that his reason and knowledge of justice and honour were
+opposed to it. He saw that the intoxication of good fortune had
+hitherto blinded him. Then the remembrance of his father came before
+him, and he imagined him pining away at the uncertainty of his son's
+fate. He bitterly reproached himself for his long forgetfulness, and
+for not having sent an embassy to announce his safe arrival in
+Selandia.</p>
+
+<p>Scarcely had these thoughts and feelings arisen in his breast, than he
+made up his mind. He took Handa's hand, and promised her that he would
+do all he could to find her former lover, and restore him to her. Then
+he went to the King, told him all, and begged him to let him go to
+fulfil a son's duty to a father whom he had too long neglected. Kadga
+Singa sighed deeply at these disclosures of his future son-in-law: he
+proposed to send a ship to bring his father, so that he might end his
+life in sharing his son's<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> good fortune and companionship. But Haschem
+declared to him, with determination, that he could never be his
+son-in-law or successor to the throne.</p>
+
+<p>"I cannot purchase such good fortune at another's expense," said he.
+"It was otherwise before I knew the decision of fate; but now that I
+know the Prince Mundian Oppu must, through my happiness, always remain
+in his present condition, if I thus take away the possibility of his
+ever returning to human form, I should be in the highest degree
+culpable. Therefore I voluntarily give up my good fortune."</p>
+
+<p>All the persuasions and urgings of Kadga Singa were useless. The
+councillors also, and the Grand Vizier and the Governors of the
+provinces, begged him to continue in the land, and to take still more
+share in the government. He remained firm in his resolution. He
+promised the Princess, who was astonished at his honourable spirit,
+that as soon as he had seen and comforted his father, he would demand
+information of Prince Mundian Oppu from all the sages and magicians of
+his native land, and that he would try all means to restore him to his
+former condition. As he was determined to set out, the King gave him
+costly presents, besides many precious stones from his treasury, and
+provided him with a ship, and all necessaries for the voyage. He took
+leave, and the good wishes of all who knew him accompanied him.</p>
+
+
+<h2>CHAPTER VII.</h2>
+<h3>THE RETURN TO HIS FATHER.</h3>
+<p><span class="f2">T</span>he heavens seemed to favour the resolution of the returning son: the
+warmest weather and most favourable winds seconded his journey, and
+the ship anchored in the harbour without accident. He took some
+servants; bought some camels, which he loaded with the King's
+presents, and so went through Balsora along the river to Bagdad.</p>
+
+<p>One beautiful evening he came near the city to the place where<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> he had
+lain at the feet of his father and Saad, and listened to their
+discourses: their last discourse there returned to his memory.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," said he to himself, "it is true that it is easy for a man to
+be seduced from virtue into one false step, if he is not watchful, but
+relies on his own power: so it happened to me. I thought that my heart
+was always right, and neglected to try if what I did was just. In this
+manner have I so much forgotten my love for my father, and had nearly
+committed a great wrong; whilst I, in the intoxication of good
+fortune, was about to sacrifice to my vanity the happiness of the
+Princess and her betrothed. And you, my dearest father, were also
+right when you maintained that a heart accustomed to virtue from early
+years would only for a short time wander from the right road. I have
+myself experienced the truth of these words, and I therefore thank you
+with tears that you always accustomed me to what was good."</p>
+
+<p>Whilst he spoke, he lifted up his eyes, and saw a single hut where the
+palm-trees used to stand. A venerable old man, much marked by sorrow,
+appeared at the door: he stood still before the threshold, and watched
+the youth with astonishment. The young man gazed earnestly at him. He
+suddenly recognized the features of the old man, and threw himself on
+his knees before him, seized his hand, and bowing his head on it,
+bedewed it with his tears, and covered it with kisses.</p>
+
+<p>"My father!" cried he: "is it so indeed? Have you so much altered in
+the course of so few years?&mdash;that is my fault. Father, forgive your
+easily offending son, who forgot you in the height of prosperity."</p>
+
+<p>Naima stretched his other hand to him, blessed him, and said, "Rise
+up, my son, rise: he who feels repentance is forgiven."</p>
+
+<p>He rose and threw himself into his father's arms.</p>
+
+<p>When he looked up, he saw a man approach, leading a maiden whose
+features he recognized. It was Saad and his daughter Zoraine,
+Haschem's playfellow. After welcoming him, they sat down, and Haschem
+related to them all that had happened to him since that evening. He
+related, truly and candidly, how he had forgotten his father, and
+nearly fallen into greater crimes, because<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> he had been blinded by
+fortune, by empty greatness, and honour. Whilst they were sitting,
+they observed three birds, who came from a distance, and seemed to
+pursue one another. They soon perceived a black bird, which flew
+anxiously, and seemed followed by a bird of prey. He would soon have
+reached his prey, had he not been pursued by a larger bird; and to
+avoid this, he was often compelled to go from side to side: at last
+they came to close conflict. The pursued black bird flew into
+Haschem's lap; the bird of prey, struck by his pursuer, fell to the
+ground at their feet, and was, by his strong hooked bill and sharp
+claws, soon killed and torn to pieces. Scarcely had the last
+occurrence taken place, when the conqueror changed into a
+venerable-looking sage. He turned to Haschem, who was quite
+astonished, and said,</p>
+
+<p>"Dip quickly your forefinger in the blood of this slain one, and
+anoint with it the beak of the black bird."</p>
+
+<p>Haschem obeyed immediately; and scarcely had he touched the black
+bird's beak with the blood, than it changed, and a handsome youth in
+kingly dress stood before them.</p>
+
+<p>"Guess who this is," said the genius.</p>
+
+<p>"Mundian Oppu?" asked Haschem.</p>
+
+<p>And the genius answered, "It is he!" And as he stood looking at the
+young man with astonishment, he said, "You do not perceive how and why
+all this has happened. I could explain to you all these mysteries; but
+to what purpose? It is not necessary for weak men to know the threads
+by which their fates are linked together: suffice it to know that it
+was necessary that you should perform all this, that you might be
+tried. You are found worthy, and Heaven rewards you with Zoraine, the
+early companion of your youth, now to be your wife."</p>
+
+<p>Then Haschem turned towards Zoraine, and looked inquiringly at Saad,
+her father. This latter said,</p>
+
+<p>"With joy I listen to the will of fate: the highest wish of my heart
+will now be fulfilled."</p>
+
+<p>"Know," continued the genius, "that the slain bird was the enchanter
+who had changed the Princess Handa and the Prince Mundian Oppu. They
+were also to pass through trials: thus it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> was decreed by fate.
+Because the enchanter only fulfilled the will of fate from selfish
+motives, and carried his revenge beyond it, and contrary to it, the
+King of the Genii commanded me to slay him."</p>
+
+<p>With these words he disappeared from their sight. They returned now in
+happy union to the city; and Naima, who had built his hut at the edge
+of the wood, to be always near the place of his sorrow, dwelt again
+with his children. Prince Mundian Oppu went back to Selandia in the
+same ship that had brought Haschem. He was received there with
+immeasurable joy, and was soon married to his early love. But
+Haschem's name lived long in their memory, and in that of all the
+inhabitants of that island.</p>
+
+<p>When the Caliph Haroun al Raschid heard of Haschem's return, he had
+him called before him, and made him relate his history. The Caliph was
+so pleased with him, that he took him into his palace, and gave him an
+important post in his Court. His history he caused to be inscribed in
+the records of his kingdom. As Giafar, his old Vizier, wished to end
+his life in quietness, the Caliph raised Haschem to be Grand Vizier;
+and he continued long in this office, to the pleasure of his relatives
+and the happiness of the people, by whom he was greatly beloved.</p>
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;">
+<img src="images/image_72.jpg" width="200" height="46" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span><a name="The_Pantofles" id="The_Pantofles"></a></p>
+
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;">
+<img src="images/image_073.jpg" width="500" height="735" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+<h2>The Pantofles.</h2>
+<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_i.jpg" width="74" height="75" alt="I" /></div>
+<p>n Bagdad lived an old merchant, of the name of Abon Casem, who was
+famous for his riches, but still more for his avarice. His coffers
+were small to look at&mdash;if you could get a sight of them&mdash;and very
+dirty; but they were crammed with jewels. His clothes were as scanty
+as need be; but then, even in his clothes, there was <i>multum in
+parvo</i>: to wit, much dirt, in little space. All the embroidery he wore
+was of that kind which is of necessity attendant upon a ragged state
+of drapery. It meandered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> over his bony form in all the beauty of
+ill-sewn patches. His turban was of the finest kind of linen for
+lasting: a kind of canvas, and so mixed with elementary substances
+that its original colour, if it still existed, was invisible. But, of
+all his habiliments, his slippers were most deserving the study of the
+curious. They were the extreme cases, both of his body and his dirt.
+The soles consisted chiefly of huge nails, and the upper leathers of
+almost everything. The ship of the Argonauts was not a greater
+miscellany. During the ten years of their performance in the character
+of shoes, the most skilful cobblers had exercised their science and
+ingenuity in keeping them together. The accumulation of materials had
+been so great, and their weight was so heavy in proportion, that they
+were promoted to honours of proverbialism; and Abon Casem's slippers
+became a favourite comparison when a superfluity of weight was the
+subject of discourse.</p>
+
+<p>It happened one day, as this precious merchant was walking in the
+market, that he had a great quantity of fine glass bottles offered him
+for sale; and, as the proposed bargain was greatly on his side, and he
+made it still more so, he bought them. The vendor informed him,
+furthermore, that a perfumer having lately become bankrupt, had no
+resource left but to sell, at a very low price, a large quantity of
+rose-water; and Casem, greatly rejoicing at this news, and, hastening
+to the poor man's shop, bought up all the rose-water at half its
+value. He then carried it home, and comfortably put it in his bottles.
+Delighted with these good bargains, and buoyant in his spirits, our
+hero, instead of making a feast, according to the custom of his
+fellows, thought it more advisable to go to the bath, where he had not
+been for some time.</p>
+
+<p>While employed in the intricate business of undressing, one of his
+friends, or one whom he believed such&mdash;for your misers seldom have
+any&mdash;observed that his pantofles had made him quite the bye-word of
+the city, and that it was high time to buy a new pair.</p>
+
+<p>"To say the truth," said Casem, "I have long thought of doing so; but
+they are not yet so worn as to be unable to serve me a little longer."
+And, having undressed himself, he went into the stove.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>During the luxury he was there enjoying, the Cadi of Bagdad came in,
+and, having undressed himself, he went into the stove likewise. Casem
+soon after came out, and, having dressed himself, looked about for his
+pantofles; but nowhere could he find them. In the place of his own, he
+found a pair sufficiently different to be not only new, but splendid.
+And, feeling convinced that they were a gift from his friend&mdash;not the
+less so, perhaps, because he wished it&mdash;he triumphantly thrust his
+toes in them, and issued forth into the air, radiant with joy and a
+skin nearly clean.</p>
+
+<p>On the other hand, when the Cadi had performed the necessary
+purifications, and was dressed, his slaves looked for his lordship's
+slippers in vain. Nowhere could they be found. Instead of the
+embroidered pantofles of the Judge, they detected, in a corner, only
+the phenomena left by Casem, which were too well known to leave a
+doubt how their master's had disappeared. The slaves went immediately
+for Casem, and brought him back to the indignant magistrate, who, deaf
+to his attempts at defence, sent him to prison. Now, in the East, the
+claws of justice open just as wide, and no wider than the purse of the
+culprit; and it may be supposed that Abon Casem, who was known to be
+as rich as he was miserly, did not get his freedom at the same rate as
+his rose-water.</p>
+
+<p>The miserable Casem returned home, tearing his beard&mdash;for beard is not
+a dear stuff&mdash;and, being mightily enraged with the pantofles, he
+seized upon them, and threw them out of his window into the Tigris.</p>
+
+<p>It happened a few days after that some fishermen drew their nets under
+the window, and the weight being greater than usual, they were
+exulting in their success, when out came the pantofles. Furious
+against Casem (for who did not know Casem's pantofles?), they threw
+them in at the window, at the same time reviling him for the accident.
+Unhappy Casem! The pantofles flew into his room, fell among his
+bottles, which were ranged with great care along the shelf, and,
+overthrowing them, covered the room with glass and rose-water.
+Imagine, if you can, the miser's agony! With a loud voice, and tearing
+his beard, according to custom,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> he roared out, "Accursed pantofles,
+will you never cease persecuting the wretched Casem?"</p>
+
+<p>So saying, he took a spade, and went into his garden to bury them.</p>
+
+<p>It so happened that one of his neighbours was looking out of window at
+the time, and seeing Casem poking about the earth in his garden, he
+ran to the Cadi, and told him that his old friend had discovered a
+treasure. Nothing more was requisite to excite the cupidity of the
+Judge. He allowed the miser to aver, as loudly as he pleased, that he
+was burying his slippers, and had found no treasure, but at the same
+time demanded the treasure he had found. Casem talked to no purpose.
+Wearied out at last with his own asseverations, he paid the money, and
+departed, cursing the very souls of the pantofles.</p>
+
+<p>Determined to get rid of these unhappy moveables, our hero walked to
+some distance from the city, and threw them into a reservoir, hoping
+he had now fairly seen the last of them; but the evil genii, not yet
+tired of tormenting him, guided the pantofles precisely to the mouth
+of the conduit. From this point they were carried along into the city,
+and, sticking at the mouth of the aqueduct, they stopped it up, and
+prevented the water from flowing into the basin. The overseers of the
+city fountains, seeing that the water had stopped, immediately set
+about repairing the damage, and at length dragged into the face of day
+the old reprobate slippers, which they immediately took to the Cadi,
+complaining loudly of the damage they had caused.</p>
+
+<p>The unfortunate proprietor was now condemned to pay a fine still
+heavier than before; but far was he from having the luck of seeing his
+chattels detained. The Cadi, having delivered the sentence, said, like
+a conscientious magistrate, that he had no power of retaining other
+peoples' property, upon which the slippers, with much solemnity, were
+faithfully returned to their distracted master. He carried them home
+with him, meditating as he went&mdash;and as well as he was able to
+meditate&mdash;how he should destroy them; at length he determined upon
+committing them to the flames. He accordingly tried to do so, but
+they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> were too wet; so he put them on a terrace to dry. But the evil
+genii, as aforesaid, had reserved a still more cruel accident than any
+before; for a dog, whose master lived hard by, seeing these strange
+wild fowl of a pair of shoes, jumped from one terrace to the other,
+till he came to the miser's, and began to play with one of them: in
+his sport he dropped it over the balustrade, and it fell, heavy with
+hobnails and the accumulated dirt of years, on the tender head of an
+infant, and killed him on the spot. The parents went straight to the
+Cadi, and complained that they had found their child dead, and Casem's
+pantofle lying by it, upon which the Judge condemned him to pay a very
+heavy fine.</p>
+
+<p>Casem returned home, and taking the pantofles, went back to the Cadi,
+crying out with an enthusiasm that convulsed everybody, "Behold!
+behold! See here the fatal cause of all the sufferings of Casem! these
+pantofles, which have at length brought ruin upon his head. My Lord
+Cadi, be so merciful, I pray you, as to give an edict that may free me
+from all imputation of accident which these slippers henceforth may
+occasion, as they certainly will to anybody who ventures into their
+accursed leather!"</p>
+
+<p>The Cadi could not refuse this request, and the miser learned to his
+cost the ill effects of not buying a new pair of shoes.</p>
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;">
+<img src="images/image_077.jpg" width="300" height="61" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span><a name="Story_of_the_Prince_and_the_Lions" id="Story_of_the_Prince_and_the_Lions"></a></p>
+
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;">
+<img src="images/image_078.jpg" width="600" height="598" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+<h2>Story of the Prince and the Lions.</h2>
+<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_i.jpg" width="74" height="75" alt="I" /></div>
+<p>n a great city of the East lived Prince Azgid, who grew up to manhood
+beloved by every one, for he was virtuous, intelligent, and
+accomplished, though somewhat of a timorous disposition, and this was
+indeed his chief fault. His father had died, and he had reached now
+the proper age to mount the throne, a time having been already fixed
+for the ceremony, to which the young man was looking forward with
+great interest.</p>
+
+<p>A few days previous to the event the old Vizier called upon the
+Prince, and telling him he wished to take a walk with him, led him out
+of the town to a mountain, on one side of which was a wide staircase
+of white marble, with a handsome balustrade on each side. It had three
+broad landings, and on these the Vizier and Prince<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> rested as they
+ascended the stairs, for it was of great height, and they were both
+sorely tired before they reached the top. There was a small house on
+the summit, out of which came a black slave, who made a profound
+obeisance to the visitors, and, leading the way, took them a short
+distance to a kind of arena dug in the ground, and faced also with
+white marble. He then took out a key and opened a brazen door,
+whereupon the Prince drew near, and, looking down, saw a red lion of
+fierce aspect and tremendous size. He wondered what it all meant, and
+gazed with a look of inquiry into the face of the Vizier, who, having
+ordered the servant to retire, thus spoke:</p>
+
+<p>"My son," said he, "the day is now very near on which you are to
+ascend the throne; but before you can do so you must fulfil a custom
+which has been established for many ages, and which your father and
+all your ancestors submitted to; in short, you must descend into this
+den with a dagger, and fight yonder lion. This will test your courage
+and fortitude, and show whether you are really worthy of governing a
+kingdom."</p>
+
+<p>When the young man heard this, he turned pale, and almost fell to the
+ground.</p>
+
+<p>"This is a severe task," said he; "is there no alternative, nor any
+method by which I may evade it?"</p>
+
+<p>"None, whatever," answered the Vizier.</p>
+
+<p>"Can I not have a few days granted me to think over the matter, and
+prepare for the sore trial?" asked the youth.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, yes!" returned the other, "that you can have, of course."
+Whereupon he beckoned to the slave to lock the door, and the visitors
+descended the stairs and returned to the palace.</p>
+
+<p>The joy of Azgid's life seemed now to have fled, and he was suddenly
+immersed in deep despair. The horrid combat he was to engage in was
+continually before him. He could neither eat nor drink, but wandered
+about the palace like one distracted, or sat moping for hours, with
+his head buried in his hands, speaking to no one. He was glad when
+night came, that he might hide himself from observation, and retired
+to his chamber in tears. But he found no comfort there. Sleep fled
+from him, and he lay tossing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> upon his bed, anxiously awaiting the
+return of day. During the tedious hours of darkness he had meditated
+what course he had best pursue, and at length came to the resolution
+that he would extricate himself from the dilemma he was in by bidding
+farewell to his home, and seeking peace and safety in some far-distant
+land.</p>
+
+<p>Accordingly, as soon as it was daylight, he hastily dressed himself,
+and going to the stables, mounted a fleet horse and rode off. Glad was
+he when he got outside the town, and turning round to take a last
+look, he thus exclaimed:</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, cursed city! cursed home! what misery lies within you! May each
+hour carry me farther from you! and may these eyes never behold you
+again!"</p>
+
+<p>With these words he put spurs to his horse, and was soon out of sight
+of the detested spot. He journeyed forward with a light heart, and on
+the third day came to a pleasant country overgrown with forest trees,
+intermingled with lawns and romantic vales.</p>
+
+<p>Proceeding a little farther on, he heard the sound of delicious music,
+and soon overtook a handsome youth of ruddy countenance, somewhat
+younger than himself, playing on a flute, and leading a few sheep.</p>
+
+<p>The shepherd, on seeing the stranger, stopped playing, and saluted him
+very courteously; but Azgid begged him to go on, telling him what an
+admirer of music he was, and that he had never in his life heard such
+enchanting strains.</p>
+
+<p>The young man smiled at this compliment, and commenced playing some
+fresh tunes; and, when he had finished, he informed the Prince that he
+was slave to a rich shepherd named Oaxus, who lived near, and who
+would be rejoiced to see him, and show him some hospitality.</p>
+
+<p>In a few moments they reached the abode of Oaxus.</p>
+
+<p>It was a low stone building of considerable size, with a porch
+surrounding it, overgrown with vines and flowers. Around it was a
+large yard, encircled with a high wall, in which were some flocks of
+sheep, with a number of men tending them.</p>
+
+<p>On entering, the old shepherd came forward and gave the stranger<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> a
+hearty welcome, leading him into a neat apartment, and setting before
+him a handsome repast. After Azgid had finished eating, he thought it
+his duty to give his kind host some information as to who he was, and
+thus spoke:</p>
+
+<p>"My friend," said he, "you no doubt wonder at seeing a stranger of my
+appearance thus suddenly visiting you, and will naturally wish to
+inquire who I am. This wish I can only in part gratify. Suffice it to
+say that I am a Prince whom troubles at home have driven abroad; but
+my name I cannot tell. That is a secret lodged in my own breast, to be
+imparted to no one. If no inconvenience to you, it would please me
+much to remain in this delightful spot. I have ample means at my
+disposal, and will remunerate you for whatever trouble I may put you
+to."</p>
+
+<p>Oaxus replied to this speech in the kindest manner, begging the young
+man to say nothing about remuneration, for that the company of one so
+exalted and accomplished would more than repay him for any trouble he
+might be put to in entertaining him, and that nothing would give him
+more happiness than to have him remain there to the end of his days.</p>
+
+<p>"But come, Asdril," said he, addressing the musician, "take the Prince
+and show him what is most worthy to be seen in this neighbourhood.
+Lead him to the waterfalls, the fountains, the rocks and vales, for I
+perceive our guest is one able to appreciate nature's beauties."</p>
+
+<p>The young shepherd did as requested, and, taking up his flute, led the
+youth to all the pleasantest and most interesting spots.</p>
+
+<p>They wandered about the sloping hills and deep valleys, and over
+beautiful lawns, sprinkled with trees of immense size. At one time
+they stood by the side of some gently murmuring stream, and now they
+were startled with a romantic cascade, whose flashing waters tumbled
+from mossy cliffs and echoed far and wide. They now entered a shady
+vale, and, seating themselves on a rock, the shepherd commenced
+playing his flute. The Prince listened with delight, for, as we said
+before, he was passionately fond of music, and had never in his life
+heard any one who pleased him so much. Indeed, he made up his mind
+that, if ever he left the place, he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> would endeavour to purchase from
+Oaxus the accomplished slave, and have him as his constant companion
+as long as he lived.</p>
+
+<p>Thus did Azgid enjoy himself amid these delicious scenes,
+congratulating himself that he had escaped from all his troubles, and
+had at last reached a spot where he might live in peace and
+tranquillity for ever.</p>
+
+<p>But his joy was not to last long; for young Asdril on a sudden rose
+up, and, taking his companion by the hand, told him it was time for
+them to be gone.</p>
+
+<p>"Why so?" asked the Prince. "Why should we so soon leave these
+enchanting scenes?"</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" answered the shepherd, "this place is infested with lions.
+They come out at a certain hour every day, and we all have to retire
+within the walls of our abode and close the gates. See here,"
+continued he, rolling up his sleeve, and showing a great scar on his
+arm, "this is what I received in an encounter with these fierce
+beasts. I once lagged behind, and was with great difficulty saved from
+destruction. So, let us lose no time, but make the best of our way
+home."</p>
+
+<p>On hearing these words, the Prince turned pale; but he said nothing,
+and they silently returned to the house.</p>
+
+<p>On reaching the gate, Azgid called for his horse, and, having mounted,
+told his host that he was about to leave, and thanked him for his
+kindness. "Farewell, Oaxus!" said he. "Farewell, young Asdril! I
+thought I should have remained here forever; but fate decrees
+otherwise. I must seek another abode, another home." And, so saying,
+he put spurs to his horse and galloped away.</p>
+
+<p>He journeyed on and on, and soon left the groves and green valleys.
+The country became more barren, trees began to disappear, and, not
+long after, scarcely any verdure was visible. He was soon in the midst
+of the desert. Far as the eye could reach, the vast plain spread
+before him. Not a shrub or blade of grass could be seen, and nothing
+met the view but, now and then, some low sand-hills, piled up by the
+wind like drifts of snow, among which, with much fatigue to his horse,
+he pursued his way. The<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> sun blazed on him with great power; and it
+was with much satisfaction, on the third day, that he perceived in the
+distance a number of black tents, which he knew to be an encampment of
+Arabs.</p>
+
+<p>As he drew near, a band of warriors, mounted on fine horses and
+brandishing their spears, came forth to meet him. This was their usual
+mode of welcoming a stranger.</p>
+
+<p>They seemed struck with the appearance of Azgid, and showed him much
+respect, forming a sort of guard around him, and leading him to the
+tent of their chief.</p>
+
+<p>The latter was a person of dignified aspect, somewhat past the prime
+of life. His name was Sheik Hajaar. He sat smoking in front of his
+tent; and, when the youth approached, he rose up and cordially saluted
+him. He then took him inside the tent, and set before him a repast, of
+which, when the young man had eaten, he thought it his duty to inform
+his kind host who he was.</p>
+
+<p>"My friend," said he, "you are no doubt surprised at seeing a stranger
+of my appearance thus suddenly visiting you, and will naturally wish
+to inquire who I am. This wish I can only in part gratify: suffice it,
+then, to say that I am a Prince whom troubles at home have driven
+abroad, but my name I cannot tell; that is a secret lodged within my
+own breast, to be imparted to no one. If no inconvenience to you, it
+would please me much to remain here. I have ample means at my command,
+and will remunerate you for whatever trouble I may put you to."</p>
+
+<p>The Sheik replied that the company of one so exalted and accomplished
+was remuneration enough, and that he would be rejoiced to have him as
+his guest for ever. He then introduced him to a number of his friends,
+and leading him out, presented him with a beautiful horse of great
+value. Azgid thought he had never in his life seen so fine an animal;
+and when he mounted him he found him so gentle and docile as scarcely
+to require any management, for the intelligent creature seemed to
+anticipate all his wishes.</p>
+
+<p>"But, come," said the Sheik, "it is time for us to be off: to-day we
+hunt the antelope; you, Prince, will of course accompany us."</p>
+
+<p>Azgid, with a smile, replied in the affirmative, and they started<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> off
+in pursuit of the game. They soon overtook a herd, and commenced
+chasing them&mdash;spears flew, and the air resounded with cries. The
+Prince was exhilarated with the sport, and enjoyed himself
+exceedingly. "Ah!" thought he, "this is a happy life, and these
+children of the desert are happy people: I am resolved never to quit
+them." The hunt lasted nearly the whole day, and about sunset the
+company returned with the spoil, which consisted of more than a dozen
+antelopes. These sports were kept up nearly every day, and Azgid's
+time passed most agreeably.</p>
+
+<p>A week had now elapsed, and the youth had one night retired to rest,
+congratulating himself on the happy life he led, when the Sheik Hajaar
+quietly approached his couch, and thus spake:</p>
+
+<p>"My son," said he, "I have come to tell you how much my people are
+pleased with you, and especially with the spirit you evince in the
+sports of the chase. But these sports do not comprise all our life: we
+have frequent wars with hostile tribes, where great valour is
+necessary. My men are all approved warriors, and, before they can have
+perfect confidence in you as a trusty comrade, desire to see some
+specimen of your prowess. Two leagues south of this is a range of
+hills infested with lions; rise, then, early on the morrow, mount your
+horse, take your sword and spear, and slay and bring us the skin of
+one of these savage beasts: then will we be assured of your courage,
+and have confidence in you in the day of battle."</p>
+
+<p>Having thus spoke, the Sheik bid him good night, and retired. His
+words disturbed Azgid extremely. "Ah!" thought he, "here are the lions
+again! wherever I go I meet them. I thought I had found at last a
+quiet home, but I am mistaken; this is not the place for me." He then
+got out of bed, and, lifting up the covering of the tent, slipped out,
+and went first to see the horse the Sheik had given him. He found him
+tethered among the others, and, going up to him, threw his arms around
+him and kissed him. "Farewell, kind creature," said he, "I grieve to
+leave you!" The animal leaned his head on his shoulders, and seemed to
+return his good feelings. The youth then sought his own steed, and,
+having mounted him, started off.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>He rode over the trackless sands, with the bright stars glittering
+above him, a homeless wanderer, not knowing whither he was going. At
+length morning began to appear, and soon the sun rose and beat upon
+his head with its fierce rays; by the middle of the day he was
+rejoiced to perceive that he was leaving the desert; and late in the
+afternoon he reached a charming region of hill and dale, streams and
+meadows.</p>
+
+<p>He soon after came to one of the most beautiful palaces he had ever
+seen. It was built of porphyry, and stood in the midst of an immense
+garden, where every plant and flower grew that could delight the sight
+or regale the senses. Trees loaded with all kinds of delicious fruits,
+some trimmed and cut into the most curious shapes, were seen on all
+sides. Statues of exquisite forms stood among them. From many of these
+fountains spouted upwards to a vast height, whose waters fell
+murmuring into large basins, where gold-fish, swans and other
+water-fowl were seen swimming about. Peacocks and other gorgeous birds
+strutted and flew around in every direction; and so many objects met
+the young man's eye, as he slowly rode up the broad avenue, that he
+stopped almost every moment to gaze and admire. At last lie reached
+the portico, which was raised twenty steps, and adorned with twelve
+columns of clear jasper.</p>
+
+<p>The owner of the palace, who was an Emir of great wealth, was seated
+on the portico, in company with his daughter, the golden-haired
+Perizide.</p>
+
+<p>On seeing a stranger of such dignified mien approaching, he rose up
+and went to welcome him. He led him up the steps, and introduced him
+to the young lady, who became at once interested with the looks and
+demeanour of the handsome youth. The Emir then took his guest inside
+the palace.</p>
+
+<p>Azgid looked round with wonder. If the exterior of the building
+delighted him, how much more was he pleased with its interior? The
+hall was of vast size, with a noble staircase in the middle; the
+apartments were spacious, and shone with gold; the walls and ceilings
+were covered with the most exquisite paintings in fresco; and vases of
+precious stones, statues, and all kinds of rare curiosities<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> were
+ranged around; the windows were of something that resembled pearl, and
+were stained with different colours, so that, as the sun shone through
+them, the tesselated floor received the rays, and glittered with all
+the tints of the rainbow. Azgid gazed with astonishment. The Emir now
+set before him a collation composed of the most delicate viands,
+delicious fruits, and wines.</p>
+
+<p>After he had finished eating, the Prince thought it his duty to inform
+his kind host who he was.</p>
+
+<p>"Sir," said he, "you no doubt wonder at one of my appearance thus
+suddenly visiting you, and will naturally wish to inquire who I am.
+This wish I can only in part gratify. Suffice it, then, to say that I
+am a Prince whom troubles at home have driven abroad, but my name I
+cannot tell: that is a secret lodged in my own breast, to be imparted
+to no one. If no inconvenience to you, it would delight me much to
+remain with you; and at some future day, if fortune should again smile
+upon me, I will be happy to return the favour, and reciprocate your
+hospitality."</p>
+
+<p>The Emir replied to this speech in the kindest manner, telling the
+youth that he did him a great honour in making him a visit, and that
+he hoped he would remain to the end of his days. He further informed
+him that he expected that night a number of his friends to favour him
+with their company, and, wishing to look after the preparations for
+the banquet, he begged his guest to excuse him for a short time.</p>
+
+<p>When the Emir retired, Azgid was left alone with the fair Perizide,
+and was struck more than ever with her ravishing beauty. In fact, he
+fell deeply in love with her. She, on her part, seemed not insensible
+to his merits, and exerted herself to amuse and entertain him. She led
+him into the garden, showing him all the rare sights, and bidding him
+observe the consummate art with which the shrubbery and trees were
+arranged, and the charming green alleys and vistas which opened before
+them as they walked along.</p>
+
+<p>They explored the beauties of this fairy scene, seating themselves by
+the side of the glittering fountains, and sometimes beneath the dark
+shadows of the flowery arbours, through which the rays of a bright
+full moon began now to penetrate.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>They then returned to the palace, and, approaching, heard the strains
+of festive music, and perceived the building illuminated from top to
+bottom. They passed through the throngs on the portico, and entered
+the house, which was lit up with hundreds of dazzling lustres, and
+crowded with guests, all habited in splendid dresses. Perizide led the
+youth into the grand saloon, and seated him on one of the purple
+divans.</p>
+
+<p>The attendants now served up a splendid supper, brought in on gold and
+silver trays, and which consisted of every delicacy that could be
+procured. It was made up of many courses, and lasted a considerable
+time, and at its conclusion the room was partially cleared, and a
+number of dancing girls, of elegant form and richly clad, entered the
+apartment, and amused the guests with their graceful movements. Azgid,
+observing a lute lying near him, took it up, and, telling the lady how
+fond he was of music, begged her to favour him with an air. Perizide
+complied with his request very graciously, and commenced playing. The
+Prince listened with delight, and was drinking in the soft strains
+with rapt attention, when he suddenly heard a loud and very unusual
+sound.</p>
+
+<p>"What noise is that?" asked the youth.</p>
+
+<p>"I heard nothing," replied his companion; "nor do I think there was
+any. It is your imagination only that fancies it."</p>
+
+<p>Whereupon she went on playing; but she had only proceeded a few
+minutes, when the Prince started a second time.</p>
+
+<p>"There it is again!" said he. "Did you not hear it?"</p>
+
+<p>"I heard nothing," answered Perizide, "but the sound of music and the
+merry voices of hundreds of happy guests. It must be your imagination,
+Prince, as I said before, and nothing else."</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps it is," returned the youth, striking his forehead. "You must
+pardon me, fair lady: I have lately passed through many trying scenes,
+and I fear my nerves are none of the strongest."</p>
+
+<p>Perizide thereupon resumed her lute, but she had not proceeded very
+long, when her guest again cried out,</p>
+
+<p>"Oh!" said he, "tell me not that this is imagination! I heard it most
+distinctly. Explain to me I pray, what it means."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh," replied the young lady, laughing, "that is Boulak, our<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> black
+porter. He is a great pet and a privileged character; he gets drowsy
+sometimes, and often yawns, and that was the sound you just heard."</p>
+
+<p>"Good Heavens!" said Azgid, "what lungs he must have, to make such a
+yawn as that!"</p>
+
+<p>Perizide made no reply except a smile, but went on playing the lute,
+when, having finished, the Prince complimented her highly for her
+performance. It was by this time pretty late, and the guests gradually
+retired; Perizide also went to her chamber, and the Prince and the
+Emir were left alone.</p>
+
+<p>They passed nearly an hour smoking and conversing very pleasantly,
+till at length the host rose up, and telling his guest it was
+bed-time, took him by the hand to lead him to his chamber. They
+proceeded to the hall, and soon reached the great staircase, which was
+of white marble, with a handsome balustrade on each side. When they
+came to the foot of it, Azgid gazed for a moment admiring its beauty;
+but what was his horror, when, on looking up, he spied a black lion of
+immense size lying stretched on the topmost landing. He trembled and
+turned pale.</p>
+
+<p>"What is that?" said he, pointing with his finger.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh," returned the Emir, "that is Boulak, our black porter. He is
+tame, and will not hurt you if you are not afraid of him; but he can
+tell when any one fears him, and then he becomes ferocious."</p>
+
+<p>"I fear him," whispered the Prince, "and fear him greatly."</p>
+
+<p>"You must cast aside your fear, my son," replied the other, "and then
+there is not the slightest danger."</p>
+
+<p>"That is easier said than done," answered the youth. "I try to cast it
+aside, but do not succeed. No, I believe I will not go to my chamber,
+but will sleep somewhere else, where there is no need of approaching
+this terrible beast."</p>
+
+<p>"Just as you like," replied the Emir. "You can return to the saloon,
+and repose on one of those divans."</p>
+
+<p>The Prince accordingly took up his lodgings in the saloon, and having
+bid his friend "Good night," he carefully locked the door and windows,
+making everything as secure as possible. He then<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> lay down on the
+cushions, listening eagerly if he might perchance hear any sound. But
+all was silent; for every soul had retired, and the vast mansion
+presented a striking contrast to the noisy merriment which a little
+while before had reigned everywhere.</p>
+
+<p>The young man now composed himself to rest, thinking that the lion was
+most probably fast asleep and would not disturb him&mdash;but he was
+mistaken; for in the course of an hour he heard most evidently a soft,
+heavy tread coming down the stairs. The beast, on reaching the hall,
+seemed for a moment to pause; then his steps were heard moving along
+the vast corridor, till it could be no longer distinguished.</p>
+
+<p>Azgid now breathed more freely, and was in hopes that his tormentor
+had retired to some secluded part of the building, and had gone to
+sleep; but he was doomed to be disappointed, for in a short time he
+heard the faint steps approaching nearer and nearer, and perceived
+that the beast stopped every now and then, snuffing with his nose, as
+if in search of some one. At last he came to the door, putting his
+nose at the lower part, and snuffing louder than ever; then he sprang
+with his fore feet against it, giving it such a push as almost to
+burst it open, and at the same time uttering a tremendous roar, which
+echoed through the palace.</p>
+
+<p>Azgid jumped from his couch in dismay, and retreated to the farthest
+corner of the room; his hair stood on end, and the cold perspiration
+rolled from his body. He believed for a certainty that the door would
+fly open, and then the lion would rush in and devour him; but nothing
+of the kind occurred, for in a few moments the beast again went
+upstairs, and nothing more was heard of him.</p>
+
+<p>The Prince then lay down on his couch&mdash;but not to sleep: he revolved
+in his mind all that had happened to him since his departure from his
+own city, and thinking that Providence would not afflict him in such a
+manner for nought, but that there must be some design in it, he came
+to the determination that he would instantly return home, and fulfil
+the law and custom of his country by fighting the lion.</p>
+
+<p>Early on the morrow, the Emir came to wake his guest, and bid<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> him
+"Good morning." He found the young man in tears, and putting his arm
+round him, thus spoke:</p>
+
+<p>"My son," said he, "your behaviour last night, when about to retire,
+surprised me greatly, and my amazement is increased now at seeing you
+in this unhappy state. What ails you, my son? Tell me all, and hide
+nothing from me; and first let me know frankly who you are?"</p>
+
+<p>"I am one," replied the youth, "who has fled from duty. I am Azgid,
+son of the renowned King Almamoun. I fled from a work Providence
+assigned to me to perform&mdash;but my sin followed me. I searched far and
+wide for comfort, but in vain&mdash;trouble and disaster pursued me
+wherever I went. But I have repented, and am now going back to
+retrieve my error, and meet the trial from which I once endeavoured to
+escape."</p>
+
+<p>"I am rejoiced to hear you thus speak," said the Emir. "I was well
+acquainted with your father, and think I know now from what duty it
+was you tried to escape. Go back, then, to your home, my son, and may
+Heaven grant you strength to perform your excellent resolution."</p>
+
+<p>He then ordered his guest's horse to be brought, which when the youth
+hath mounted, he asked his host to remember him to the beautiful
+Perizide, and beg her to excuse him for leaving her in so strange and
+abrupt a manner.</p>
+
+<p>"I will do as you desire," replied the other, "and when my daughter
+learns the cause of your departure, she will think more of you than
+ever."</p>
+
+<p>Thus with mutual good wishes the two friends separated, and Azgid rode
+away. He pursued the same route he had travelled before, and on the
+second day reached the desert and the encampment of the Arabs. He
+found the Sheik Hajaar, sitting in his tent door, calmly smoking his
+pipe: the Sheik was surprised at seeing him, and begged him to
+dismount and refresh himself; but this the Prince refused to do,
+saying that he had only come to explain his past strange behaviour in
+leaving his hospitable abode so abruptly.</p>
+
+<p>"I am Azgid," continued he, "son of the renowned King<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span> Almamoun. I was
+sorely troubled in mind when I visited you, for I had fled from duty;
+but I am now going back to retrieve my error and begin a new life. But
+tell me, I pray, how is that beautiful animal I used to ride with so
+much pleasure?"</p>
+
+<p>"He is well," answered the other, "and it would please me much if you
+could remain and ride him again; but I feel that it would be wrong to
+interrupt you in such a pious journey as you now undertake. Go on,
+then, my son: may Heaven prosper you in your good resolutions, and
+peace be with you."</p>
+
+<p>So saying, he bade the Prince farewell, and the latter, having
+returned his salutation, rode off.</p>
+
+<p>He pursued his course rapidly, and in a day or two arrived at the
+abode of Oaxus, whom he found in the courtyard, busily engaged in
+tending his sheep and goats. The old man was delighted to see him, and
+begged him to dismount; but the Prince declined doing so, and went on
+to explain who he was in the same words he had used to the Sheik
+Hajaar. Oaxus was much astonished when he heard the account, and
+congratulated the young man on the happy change that had come over
+him.</p>
+
+<p>"Go on, my friend," continued he: "may Heaven prosper you, and give
+you strength to carry out your wise designs."</p>
+
+<p>"Farewell," replied Azgid, "and tell young Asdril that if fortune
+favours me, I hope one day to be back, and listen to his sweet music
+again in spite of the lions."</p>
+
+<p>With these words he rode away, and travelling on, in due time reached
+his own city. He proceeded at once to the palace, and sought out the
+old Vizier, to whom he related all that had happened to him, and all
+that he intended to do, without concealing anything.</p>
+
+<p>"And now," said he, "lead me at once to the lion, and let me fight him
+and fulfil the law, as all my ancestors have done before me."</p>
+
+<p>The old man heard this speech with great pleasure, and almost wept for
+joy: he tenderly embraced his young friend, and, smiling, told him not
+to run into extremes nor to be in too great a hurry; for that his
+trial with the lion had better be put off for a week at least, and
+that in the meantime he needed rest and refreshment.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> To this
+suggestion Azgid acceded, and waited till the day his friend had fixed
+upon.</p>
+
+<p>It at length arrived, and very early in the morning the Prince arose
+and prepared for the combat. He clad himself in a light garment, tying
+a sash around it, in which he stuck a sharp dagger, took a spear in
+his hand, and, accompanied by the Vizier, left the palace and
+proceeded to the mountain. They climbed up the high steps and reached
+the top, whereupon the slave met them, and, going before, unlocked the
+gate. The young man looked down and saw the lion, sitting on his
+haunches, at one end of the arena; he then shook hands with his
+companions, and committing himself to the care of Heaven, sprang in.
+The beast gave a loud roar when he saw him, and crouching down, drew
+himself slowly toward his opponent, glaring fiercely on him all the
+while. The Prince quailed not, but gazed steadily on the animal, and
+advanced on him spear in hand; the lion now gave another loud roar,
+and bounding forward, sprang over the youth's head. He then returned,
+and commenced licking his hands and rubbing himself against his body.</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier now called out joyfully to his young friend, telling him he
+had conquered, and begging him to approach; and, with the assistance
+of the slave, he lifted him out of the den, the lion following like a
+dog.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, Azgid," continued the old man, embracing the Prince, "the beast
+is tame and will injure no one; but, ignorant of this, you encountered
+him, and the proof of your valour is complete. Come, then, and ascend
+your throne, for you are worthy of it."</p>
+
+<p>They then began to descend the stairs, and Azgid, observing a couple
+of figures on the landing, asked the Vizier who they were.</p>
+
+<p>"I know not," replied he; "I can see them, but the height is too great
+for me to distinguish who they are."</p>
+
+<p>In a little while they reached the platform, when the new-comers
+proved to be Oaxus and Asdril.</p>
+
+<p>"Azgid," said the old shepherd, "I have come to congratulate you on
+your good fortune and happy deliverance; and here, too, is young
+Asdril, whose music you so much admired, and whom I now present to you
+as your own."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Oaxus," replied the Prince, "I heartily thank you; and as for you,
+Asdril, you are no longer a slave: from this moment you are free. You
+shall be the companion of my leisure hours, and entertain me with your
+delightful strains."</p>
+
+<p>They now began to descend again; and Azgid, observing a group on the
+second landing, asked the Vizier who they were.</p>
+
+<p>"I know not," replied he; "I can see them, but the height is too great
+for me to distinguish who they are."</p>
+
+<p>In a little while they reached the platform, when the new-comers
+proved to be the Sheik Hajaar, with a group of Arabs, leading the
+beautiful horse with which the Prince had been so much pleased.</p>
+
+<p>"Azgid," said the Sheik, "I have come to congratulate you on your good
+fortune and happy deliverance. I have brought you as a present the
+horse you used to ride when you honoured me with a visit: will your
+Highness deign to accept of it as a slight testimonial of my loyal
+regard?"</p>
+
+<p>"Valiant Sheik," answered the young man, "I am rejoiced to see you
+again, and receive with gratitude your noble gift; you could not have
+given me anything more acceptable."</p>
+
+<p>He then embraced the Sheik, and kissed the beautiful animal, who
+seemed to recognize him.</p>
+
+<p>They then began to descend; and the Prince, observing at the bottom of
+the stairs quite a concourse of people, inquired of the Vizier who
+they were.</p>
+
+<p>"I know not," replied he; "I can see them, but the height is too great
+for me to distinguish who they are."</p>
+
+<p>In a little while they reached the end of the staircase, when the
+new-comers proved to be the Emir, with a large retinue of his guards,
+with music and banners.</p>
+
+<p>"Azgid," said the Emir, "I am come to congratulate you on your good
+fortune and happy deliverance. I have brought no present; that I
+considered needless, since myself and all that I have are yours."</p>
+
+<p>"Noble Emir," cried the youth, "I am rejoiced to see you&mdash;tell me, how
+is Perizide? as soon as I have been crowned I intend to visit her with
+the speed of lightning."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"There is no need of that," returned the other: "come with me;" and,
+so saying, he led the young man to a splendid white steed, on which
+sat a lady, covered with a long veil. The Emir lifted the veil, and
+Azgid beheld the beautiful face of his beloved mistress.</p>
+
+<p>Their meeting, as may be imagined, was most tender and affectionate;
+and the Vizier, having ordered the music to strike up, the whole
+procession moved toward the palace.</p>
+
+<p>"How strange it seems!" said the Prince: "when I fled from my duty
+everything went wrong with me; but now, after fulfilling it, good luck
+meets me at every step."</p>
+
+<p>Azgid was crowned the same day, and in the evening his nuptials with
+the fair Perizide were celebrated; they lived long and happily; and
+the Prince ordered the story of his life to be written in the annals
+of the kingdom, and an inscription in gold letters to be placed over
+the door of the palace, with these words: "<i>Never run from the
+lion.</i>"</p>
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 250px;">
+<img src="images/image_094.jpg" width="250" height="51" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span><a name="The_City_of_the_Demons" id="The_City_of_the_Demons"></a></p>
+
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;">
+<img src="images/image_095.jpg" width="500" height="528" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+<h2>The<br />
+ City of the Demons</h2>
+<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_i.jpg" width="74" height="75" alt="I" /></div>
+<p>n days of yore there lived in the flourishing city of Cairo a Hebrew
+Rabbi, by name Jochonan, who was the most learned of his nation. His
+fame went over the East, and the most distant people sent their young
+men to imbibe wisdom from his lips. He was deeply skilled in the
+traditions of the fathers, and his word on a disputed point was
+decisive. He was pious, just, temperate, and strict; but he had one
+vice: a love of gold had seized upon his heart, and he opened not his
+hand to the poor. Yet he was wealthy above most: his wisdom being to
+him the source of riches. The Hebrews of the city were grieved<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> at
+this blemish on the wisest of their people; but, though the elders of
+the tribes continued to reverence him for his fame, the women and
+children of Cairo called him by no other name than that of Rabbi
+Jochonan the Miser.</p>
+
+<p>None knew so well as he the ceremonies necessary for initiation into
+the religion of Moses, and, consequently, the exercise of those solemn
+offices was to him another source of gain. One day, as he walked in
+the fields about Cairo, conversing with a youth on the interpretation
+of the law, it so happened that the Angel of Death smote the young man
+suddenly, and he fell dead before the feet of the Rabbi, even while he
+was yet speaking. When the Rabbi found that the youth was dead, he
+rent his garments, and glorified the Lord. But his heart was touched,
+and the thoughts of death troubled him in the visions of the night. He
+felt uneasy when he reflected on his hardness to the poor; and he
+said,</p>
+
+<p>"Blessed be the name of the Lord! The first good thing that I am asked
+to do in that holy name will I perform." But he sighed, for he feared
+that some one might ask of him a portion of his gold.</p>
+
+<p>While yet he thought upon these things, there came a loud cry at his
+gate.</p>
+
+<p>"Awake, thou sleeper!" said the voice, "awake! A child is in danger of
+death, and the mother hath sent me for thee, that thou mayest do thine
+office."</p>
+
+<p>"The night is dark and gloomy," said the Rabbi, coming to his
+casement, "and mine age is great: are there not younger men than I in
+Cairo?"</p>
+
+<p>"For thee only, Rabbi Jochonan, whom some call the Wise, but whom
+others call Rabbi Jochonan the Miser, was I sent. Here is gold," said
+he, taking out a purse of sequins; "I want not thy labour for nothing.
+I adjure thee to come, in the name of the living God."</p>
+
+<p>So the Rabbi thought upon the vow he had just made, and he groaned in
+spirit, for the purse sounded heavy.</p>
+
+<p>"As thou hast adjured me by that name, I go with thee," said he to the
+man; "but I hope the distance is not far. Put up thy gold."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"The place is at hand," said the stranger, who was a gallant youth, in
+magnificent attire. "Be speedy, for time presses."</p>
+
+<p>Jochonan arose, dressed himself, and accompanied the stranger, after
+having carefully locked up all the doors of his house, and deposited
+his keys in a secret place&mdash;at which the stranger smiled.</p>
+
+<p>"I never remember," said the Rabbi, "so dark a night. Be thou to me as
+a guide, for I can hardly see the way."</p>
+
+<p>"I know it well," replied the stranger with a sigh. "It is a way much
+frequented, and travelled hourly by many. Lean upon mine arm, and fear
+not."</p>
+
+<p>They journeyed on, and, though the darkness was great, yet the Rabbi
+could see, when it occasionally brightened, that he was in a place
+strange to him.</p>
+
+<p>"I thought," said he, "I knew all the country for leagues about Cairo,
+yet I know not where I am. I hope, young man," said he to his
+companion, "that thou hast not missed the way." And his heart misgave
+him.</p>
+
+<p>"Fear not," returned the stranger; "your journey is even now done."
+And, as he spoke, the feet of the Rabbi slipped from under him, and he
+rolled down a great height. When he recovered, he found that his
+companion had fallen also, and stood by his side.</p>
+
+<p>"Nay, young man," said the Rabbi, "if thus thou sportest with the grey
+hairs of age, thy days are numbered. Woe unto him who insults the
+hoary head!"</p>
+
+<p>The stranger made an excuse, and they journeyed on some little farther
+in silence. The darkness grew less, and the astonished Rabbi, lifting
+up his eyes, found that they had come to the gates of a city which he
+had never before seen. Yet he knew all the cities of the land of
+Egypt, and he had walked but half an hour from his dwelling in Cairo.
+So he knew not what to think, but followed the man with trembling.</p>
+
+<p>They soon entered the gates of the city, which was lighted up as if
+there were a festival in every house. The streets were full of
+revellers, and nothing but a sound of joy could be heard. But when
+Jochonan looked upon their faces, they were the faces of men pained
+within; and he saw, by the marks they bore, that they were<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span>
+Mazikin.<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> He was terrified in his soul, and, by the light of the
+torches, he looked also upon the face of his companion, and, behold!
+he saw upon him too the mark that showed him to be a Demon. The Rabbi
+feared excessively&mdash;almost to fainting; but he thought it better to be
+silent, and sadly he followed his guide, who brought him to a splendid
+house in the most magnificent quarter of the city.</p>
+
+<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Demons</p></div>
+
+<p>"Enter here," said the Demon to Jochonan, "for this house is mine. The
+lady and the child are in the upper chamber." And accordingly the
+sorrowful Rabbi ascended the stairs to find them.</p>
+
+<p>The lady, whose dazzling beauty was shrouded by melancholy beyond
+hope, lay in bed; the child, in rich raiment, slumbered on the lap of
+the nurse, by her side.</p>
+
+<p>"I have brought to thee, light of my eyes!" said the Demon, "Rebecca,
+beloved of my soul! I have brought unto thee Rabbi Jochonan the Wise,
+for whom thou didst desire. Let him, then, speedily begin his office;
+I shall fetch all things necessary, for he is in haste to depart." He
+smiled bitterly as he said these words, looking at the Rabbi, and left
+the room, followed by the nurse.</p>
+
+<p>When Jochonan and the lady were alone, she turned in the bed towards
+him, and said,</p>
+
+<p>"Unhappy man that thou art! knowest thou where thou hast been
+brought?"</p>
+
+<p>"I do," said he, with a heavy groan. "I know that I am in a city of
+the Mazikin."</p>
+
+<p>"Know then, further," said she, and the tears gushed from eyes
+brighter than the diamond, "know then, further, that up one is ever
+brought here unless he hath sinned before the Lord. What my sin hath
+been imports not to thee&mdash;and I seek not to know thine. But here thou
+remainest for ever&mdash;lost, even as I am lost." And she wept again.</p>
+
+<p>The Rabbi dashed his turban on the ground, and, tearing his hair,
+exclaimed, "Woe is me! Who art thou, woman, that speakest to me thus?"</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span></p><p>"I am a Hebrew woman," said she, "the daughter of a Doctor of the
+Laws, in the city of Bagdad; and being brought hither&mdash;it matters not
+how&mdash;I am married to a Prince among the Mazikin, even him who was sent
+for thee. And that child whom thou sawest is our first-born, and I
+could not bear the thought that the soul of our innocent babe should
+perish. I therefore besought my husband to try and bring hither a
+priest, that the law of Moses (blessed be his memory!) should be done;
+and thy fame, which has spread to Bagdad, and lands farther towards
+the rising of the sun, made me think of thee. Now, my husband, though
+great among the Mazikin, is more just than the other Demons; and he
+loves me, whom he hath ruined, with a love of despair. So he said that
+the name of Jochonan the Wise was familiar unto him, and that he knew
+thou wouldst not be able to refuse. What thou hast done to give him
+power over thee is known to thyself."</p>
+
+<p>"I swear, before Heaven," said the Rabbi, "that I have ever diligently
+kept the law, and walked steadfastly according to the traditions of
+our fathers from the days of my youth upward. I have wronged no man in
+word or deed, and I have daily worshipped the Lord, minutely
+performing all the ceremonies thereto needful."</p>
+
+<p>"Nay," said the lady, "all this thou mightest have done, and more, and
+yet be in the power of the Demons. But time passes, for I hear the
+foot of my husband mounting the stair. There is one chance of thine
+escape."</p>
+
+<p>"What is that, O lady of beauty?" said the agonized Rabbi.</p>
+
+<p>"Eat not, drink not, nor take fee or reward while here, and as long as
+thou canst do thus, the Mazikin have no power over thee, dead or
+alive. Have courage and persevere."</p>
+
+<p>As she ceased from speaking, her husband entered the room, followed by
+the nurse, who bore all things requisite for the ministration of the
+Rabbi. With a heavy heart he performed his duty, and the child was
+numbered among the Faithful. But when, as usual, at the conclusion of
+the ceremony, the wine was handed round to be tasted by the child, the
+mother, and the Rabbi, he refused it when it came to him, saying,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Spare me, my lord, for I have made a vow that I fast this day, and I
+will eat not, neither will I drink."</p>
+
+<p>"Be it as thou pleasest," said the Demon; "I will not that thou
+shouldst break thy vow." And he laughed aloud.</p>
+
+<p>So the poor Rabbi was taken into a chamber looking into a garden,
+where he passed the remainder of the night and the day, weeping and
+praying to the Lord that He would deliver him from the city of Demons.
+But when the twelfth hour came, and the sun was set, the Prince of the
+Mazikin came again unto him, and said,</p>
+
+<p>"Eat now, I pray thee, for the day of thy vow is past." And he set
+meat before him.</p>
+
+<p>"Pardon again thy servant, my lord," said Jochonan, "in this thing. I
+have another vow for this day also. I pray thee be not angry with thy
+servant."</p>
+
+<p>"I am not angry," said the Demon; "be it as thou pleasest: I respect
+thy vow." And he laughed louder than before.</p>
+
+<p>So the Rabbi sat another day in his chamber by the garden, weeping and
+praying; and when the sun had gone behind the hills, the Prince of the
+Mazikin again stood before him, and said,</p>
+
+<p>"Eat now, for thou must be an hungered. It was a sore vow of thine."
+And he offered him daintier meats.</p>
+
+<p>And Jochonan felt a strong desire to eat, but he prayed inwardly to
+the Lord, and the temptation passed, and he answered, "Excuse thy
+servant yet a third time, my lord, that I eat not. I have renewed my
+vow."</p>
+
+<p>"Be it so, then," said the other: "arise, and follow me."</p>
+
+<p>The Demon took a torch in his hand, and led the Rabbi, through winding
+passages of his palace, to the door of a lofty chamber, which he
+opened with a key that he took from a niche in the wall. On entering
+the room, Jochonan saw that it was of solid silver&mdash;floor, ceiling,
+walls, even to the threshold and the door-posts; and the curiously
+carved roof and borders of the ceiling shone in the torchlight as if
+they were the fanciful work of frost. In the midst were heaps of
+silver money, piled up in immense urns of the same metal, even over
+the brim.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Thou hast done me a serviceable act, Rabbi," said the Demon: "take of
+these what thou pleasest; ay, were it the whole."</p>
+
+<p>"I cannot, my lord," said Jochonan. "I was adjured by thee to come
+hither in the name of God, and in that name I came, not for fee or for
+reward."</p>
+
+<p>"Follow me," said the Prince of the Mazikin; and Jochonan did so into
+an inner chamber.</p>
+
+<p>It was of gold, as the other was of silver. Its golden roof was
+supported by pillars and pilasters of gold, resting upon a golden
+floor. The treasures of the kings of the earth would not purchase one
+of the four and twenty vessels of golden coins, which were disposed in
+six rows along the room. No wonder! for they were filled by the
+constant labours of the Demons of the Mine. The heart of Jochonan was
+moved by avarice when he saw them shining in yellow light, like the
+autumnal sun, as they reflected the beams of the torch. But God
+enabled him to persevere.</p>
+
+<p>"These are thine," said the Demon: "one of the vessels which thou
+beholdest would make thee richest of the sons of men, and I give thee
+them all."</p>
+
+<p>But Jochonan refused again, and the Prince of the Mazikin opened the
+door of a third chamber, which was called the Hall of Diamonds. When
+the Rabbi entered, he screamed aloud, and put his hands over his eyes,
+for the lustre of the jewels dazzled him, as if he had looked upon the
+noonday sun. In vases of agate were heaped diamonds beyond numeration,
+the smallest of which was larger than a pigeon's egg. On alabaster
+tables lay amethysts, topazes, rubies, beryls, and all other precious
+stones, wrought by the hands of skilful artists, beyond power of
+computation. The room was lighted by a carbuncle, which, from the end
+of the hall, poured its ever-living light, brighter than the rays of
+noontide, but cooler than the gentle radiance of the dewy moon. This
+was a sore trial to the Rabbi; but he was strengthened from above, and
+he refused again.</p>
+
+<p>"Thou knowest me, then, I perceive, O Jochonan, son of Ben-David,"
+said the Prince of the Mazikin. "I am a Demon who would tempt thee to
+destruction. As thou hast withstood so far,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> I tempt thee no more.
+Thou hast done a service which, though I value it not, is acceptable
+in the sight of her whose love is dearer to me than the light of life.
+Sad has been that love to thee, my Rebecca! Why should I do that which
+would make thy cureless grief more grievous?&mdash;You have yet another
+chamber to see," said he to Jochonan, who had closed his eyes, and was
+praying fervently to the Lord, beating his breast.</p>
+
+<p>Far different from the other chambers, the one into which the Rabbi
+was next introduced was a mean and paltry apartment without furniture.
+On its filthy walls hung innumerable bunches of rusty keys of all
+sizes, disposed without order. Among them, to the astonishment of
+Jochonan, hung the keys of his own house&mdash;those which he had put to
+hide when he came on this miserable journey&mdash;and he gazed upon them
+intently.</p>
+
+<p>"What dost thou see," said the Demon, "that makes thee look so
+eagerly? Can he who has refused silver and gold and diamonds be moved
+by a paltry bunch of rusty iron?"</p>
+
+<p>"They are mine own, my lord," said the Rabbi. "Them will I take, if
+they be offered me."</p>
+
+<p>"Take them, then," said the Demon, putting them into his hand: "thou
+mayst depart. But, Rabbi, open not thy house only when thou returnest
+to Cairo, but thy heart also. That thou didst not open it before was
+that which gave me power over thee. It was well that thou didst one
+act of charity in coming with me without reward, for it has been thy
+salvation. Be no more Rabbi Jochonan the Miser."</p>
+
+<p>The Rabbi bowed to the ground, and blessed the Lord for his escape.
+"But how," said he, "am I to return, for I know not the way?"</p>
+
+<p>"Close thine eyes," said the Demon.</p>
+
+<p>He did so, and, in the space of a moment, heard the voice of the
+Prince of the Mazikin ordering him to open them again. And behold,
+when he opened them, he stood in the centre of his own chamber, in his
+house at Cairo, with the keys in his hand.</p>
+
+<p>When he recovered from his surprise, and had offered thanksgivings to
+God, he opened his house, and his heart also. He gave<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> alms to the
+poor, he cheered the heart of the widow, and lightened the destitution
+of the orphan. His hospitable board was open to the stranger, and his
+purse was at the service of all who needed to share it. His life was a
+perpetual act of benevolence, and the blessings showered upon him by
+all were returned bountifully upon him by the hand of God.</p>
+
+<p>But people wondered, and said, "Is not this the man who was called
+Rabbi Jochonan the Miser? What hath made the change?"</p>
+
+<p>And it became a saying in Cairo. When it came to the ears of the
+Rabbi, he called his friends together, and he avowed his former love
+of gold, and the danger to which it had exposed him, relating all
+which has been above told, in the hall of the new palace that he built
+by the side of the river, on the left hand, as thou goest down the
+course of the great stream. And wise men, who were scribes, wrote it
+down from his mouth for the benefit of mankind, that they might profit
+thereby. And a venerable man, with a beard of snow, who had read it in
+these books, and at whose feet I sat that I might learn the wisdom of
+the old time, told it to me. And I write it in the tongue of England,
+the merry and the free, on the tenth day of the month Nisan, in the
+year, according to the lesser computation, five hundred ninety and
+seven, that thou mayest learn good thereof. If not, the fault be upon
+thee.</p>
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 250px;">
+<img src="images/image_103.jpg" width="250" height="50" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span><a name="Jussuf_the_Merchant_of_Balsora" id="Jussuf_the_Merchant_of_Balsora"></a></p>
+
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;">
+<img src="images/image_104.jpg" width="500" height="690" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+<h2>Jussuf, the Merchant of Balsora.</h2>
+<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_m.jpg" width="74" height="75" alt="M" /></div>
+<p>any hundred years ago, when the renowned Caliph Haroun al Raschid
+ruled in Bagdad, there lived in the town of Balsora a merchant of good
+repute, who was called Jussuf. He had received a considerable property
+by inheritance from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> his father; and his paternal house, which was
+esteemed as the most splendid palace of the town, was situated on one
+of the finest spots. He was obliged to keep a great number both of
+male and female slaves, as well for the management of his household
+affairs, as also to assist him in his commercial pursuits, for his
+business was very extensive. The largest warehouse in the bazaar of
+the city belonged to him, and it was always filled with the most
+precious goods, which he caused to be collected from the remotest
+parts of the globe&mdash;either in ships or on the backs of his camels.
+There you might see all the rarest and choicest gifts of nature,
+together with the finest and richest productions of art; the most
+costly tissues and stuffs, the most valuable vessels and implements of
+silver and gold; elegant jewellery and trinkets, adorned skilfully
+with sparkling stones of considerable value, heaped up one on another.
+But the agreeable manner and contrast in which all these were exposed
+for sale gratified the eye more than even the costly articles
+themselves. It was not, therefore, to be wondered at that the crowd in
+his warehouse, in so great and rich a city, was very numerous.</p>
+
+<p>It had already become a custom for people to apply to Jussuf if they
+wished to buy anything which had come in fashion with the wealthy
+citizen, either on account of its intrinsic value or of its skilful
+workmanship. Could they find the required goods as fine or as
+beautiful at another magazine, still they always preferred to go to
+Jussuf, even if they paid him more dearly for them. They felt
+confident that they should find everything more genuine, more
+handsome, and more tasteful there than at any other merchant's. This,
+however, may have been only a favourable prepossession; but it is
+nevertheless certain, that in no other warehouse were so many objects,
+alike useful and ornamental, collected together, as in that of Jussuf.</p>
+
+<p>And as his business flourished more and more, so his riches increased
+from day to day. At the same time his cares and exertions in watching
+after the number of men whom he employed, his zeal in the equipment of
+his ships, and in the forwarding and dispatching of his caravans,
+increased in equal measure.</p>
+
+<p>He had continued his business in this way for several years, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> had
+altogether neglected his health through his perseverance and
+unflinching attention, when he felt at once that his usual strength
+was declining, and that he should soon become exhausted unless he
+permitted himself at times to take some recreation. He therefore very
+willingly took the opportunity which offered itself accidentally about
+this time of buying a fine estate. It was situated only a few miles
+from the town, by the side of a stream, in a country as pleasant as it
+was fruitful, combining means for hunting and for fishing; and the
+price was so moderate that he resolved on the purchase without much
+consideration. He purposed to detach himself for a few weeks from his
+business, and to devote himself to pleasure and repose in the quiet
+and calm of his country residence. He caused a new and elegant country
+house to be built by a skilful architect on an eminence, instead of
+the old one, surrounded by a large pleasant artificial garden. As all
+was settled and prepared, he shut up his warehouse at the end of every
+week early enough for him to ride over. There he would repose from the
+troubles of the preceding days, and recreate himself with hunting and
+fishing, and collect new strength in the peaceful serenity of his
+country estate.</p>
+
+<p>But custom is often stronger than our inclinations: he had become so
+accustomed to an active life, that his thoughts always returned to his
+wares in his warehouse, or to his ships that were transporting his
+goods over distant seas. Hence it happened that he soon entertained a
+hope of drawing large profits, as well as the restoration of his
+health, from this country residence. He employed himself very
+successfully in the chase and in fishing, or in raising choice flowers
+in the beds before his house, or else with the care of rare foreign
+birds, which he fed and kept in a large aviary. But these only charmed
+him for a time: the chase of wild beasts appeared to him too soon to
+be but a cruel sport; fishing was tedious; the cultivation of his
+flowers, too, was monotonous; and, if he contemplated the imprisoned
+foreign birds, he heartily pitied them because they were deprived of
+freedom. One day he had tried everything to divert himself, but
+without success; at last he seated himself, half discontented, in the
+open colonnade which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> extended along the side of his country house,
+and his eye glanced over the flower-beds before him into the extreme
+distance: there his gaze could follow over a small tract the course of
+the river Schat al Arab, which, rising at the mouths of the Euphrates
+and Tigris, flows between shores clothed with verdure. Some large
+merchant ships were sailing by; several fishing-boats were visible.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah, thou magnificent stream!" exclaimed Jussuf, who had given himself
+to reflection after he had viewed it for some time; "what a pity that
+thou must fall into the sea so soon below the kingly town of Balsora!
+There thou art, wasted and forgotten; the navigator on the great sea
+never thinks that the streams of his native country flow mingled with
+the waves through which the keel of his ship cuts. Now, then,"
+continued he, after a short reflection, "it is all the better for me:
+now I am still active in business; my ships set out at morning, noon,
+and evening; my camels march to India through the deserts of Arabia,
+and the plains of Tartary and Persia; thousands and thousands of men
+call me still the rich and great merchant Jussuf, and praise me as the
+most lucky of mortals; yet a little while, and my existence will be
+lost as thine, in the sea of eternity."</p>
+
+<p>Among such earnest considerations and soliloquies, he had hardly
+observed that a large variegated butterfly, hovering over the
+neighbouring flower-bed, moved slowly to and fro, just as if it were
+undecided in choosing on which flower it would alight. He was very
+attentive to its broad wings, which glittered with the most splendid
+colours, while the insect, brilliantly variegated, settled on a
+scarlet poppy, as though it wished to eclipse the magnificence of the
+flower with the variety of its different hues.</p>
+
+<p>"What splendid colours! What beautifully delineated wings!" exclaimed
+Jussuf. "Oh that I might possess the rare insect! The dyers who stain
+my silk stuffs, and the weavers, might take the liveliness of the
+colours, the design, and the well-wrought combination of colours, for
+a pattern."</p>
+
+<p>When the butterfly settled itself quietly on the poppy, Jussuf
+approached it carefully to catch it; but, as he had no other
+convenient thing at his hand, he took off his turban, and covered the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span>
+butterfly and the flower. The butterfly had not flown away, therefore
+it must be under the turban. Already he rejoiced at his lucky capture,
+and was proceeding to raise the turban slowly a little on one side, in
+order to seize the imprisoned insect securely, when he remarked that
+the turban was raising itself, and that under it a human form was
+growing up higher and higher out of the flower. Full of astonishment,
+he drew back a step. As he kept his eyes fixed on the object, a maiden
+of astonishing beauty appeared before him, such as he had never before
+seen. Her face was veiled, and his turban was on her head: smilingly
+she removed it, and extended it to him, saying, with a mischievous
+look,</p>
+
+<p>"There, friend Jussuf, take it again: this turban is accustomed to
+ornament a brain in which rule very earnest and high thoughts; it
+would, perhaps, feel very badly honoured were it to serve as a
+covering for my frivolous caprices."</p>
+
+<p>"Thou jestest, high daughter of a genius," exclaimed Jussuf, sinking
+on his knees: "thy incomparable beauty testifies that thou art no
+ordinary mortal, if even the wonderful manner in which thou hast
+appeared had not fixed it beyond all doubt."</p>
+
+<p>"It may be," replied the maiden, "that thou hast rightly guessed. But
+that is no matter; I am come here to-day to help to banish your idle
+thoughts: come, run a race with me."</p>
+
+<p>Immediately she threw the poppy which he had covered with his turban
+roughly in his face, and ran away. Jussuf remained irresolute, and
+looked after her; then she stopped her pace, and called back to him,</p>
+
+<p>"Art thou transformed into a statue? canst thou not run? run, and
+catch me, if you can."</p>
+
+<p>Her mischievous manner gave her an irresistible grace, which urged him
+to begin the race, even although he did not wish to join in it. She
+flew on, allowing him sometimes to approach her, and then turned
+suddenly aside out of the way, and ran over the turf to avoid him: she
+did not even spare the flower-beds; and when she wanted to escape from
+him, she passed over them without caring for the finest plants. The
+more she provoked him in different ways, the more he exerted all his
+strength to catch her.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> At last she appeared exhausted, and threw
+herself, breathing heavily, on a bank of turf. "Here is an asylum,"
+exclaimed she.</p>
+
+<p>Tired and breathless with the unusual exertion of running, he followed
+her example, and sat down near her on the bank. While they were
+resting, she plucked some flowers and branches of a flourishing shrub,
+which had spread itself from the bank into a green roof over their
+heads, and skilfully wove a garland.</p>
+
+<p>"Come," said she to Jussuf, when the wreath was ready, "come, let us
+throw up the garland."</p>
+
+<p>She arose at these words and led him to the nearest open space; she
+leaped around, dancing in a circle and holding the garland on high in
+her right hand, and then threw it up high into the air. The garland of
+flowers rose while she sang these words:</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"Rise, thou garland fresh and fair,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Blend thy hues in liquid air:<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Downward sinking, may'st thou be<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">A fairy coronal for me."<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>High above the shoots of the surrounding trees it seemed to remain
+hovering in the sunshine which lighted the colours of the flowers,
+inducing a very peculiar splendour. Then it sank down gradually in
+soft vibrations, and settled on her head, as if she had placed it
+there herself as a crown. She took it from her locks and handed it to
+Jussuf.</p>
+
+<p>"Now it is thy turn," said she; "throw it up, and see whether it will
+fall on thy head."</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf took it and threw it as high as he could; but it did not from
+his hand attain the sunny height, and the garland fell quickly, and at
+a great distance, to the ground before him. By the time he had
+altogether recollected himself, she was at the spot, and had already
+raised the garland, and was laughing heartily at his awkwardness. She
+threw it up, dancing in the former manner, and sang the spell. This
+time also the garland ascended high above the tops of the trees into
+the sunshine, and sank down on her head as at first. Jussuf must needs
+try again, but he succeeded no better than before. Thereupon she again
+threw it up, and caught<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> it once more. After she had thus shown him
+several times, she cried out, laughing mischievously,</p>
+
+<p>"Well, hast thou not yet observed why thou failest? Why dost thou not
+sing my little song when thou throwest up the garland? Try once more,
+and sing the spell; then it will succeed better."</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf did so. He threw the garland and sang the verse; and, behold,
+the garland hovered in the sunshine, and descended in soft vibrations
+on his head, crowning his turban.</p>
+
+<p>"Dost thou see?" said the maiden, laughingly: "the spell is of very
+great avail." She threw up the wreath again several times, and then
+she took it, and exclaimed, "Now it is enough; but the game will be
+tedious." She threw it up high, and sang:</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"Flower-garland, raise thee high,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Float in sunshine brilliantly;<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Lend thy varied hues, to shed<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Light on the darksome forest-head."<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>The garland floated far out over the open space towards the edge of
+the park; there it melted suddenly in the air, and the blossoms rained
+down as it were on a dark cypress, and clung to it, so that it was
+adorned at once with a number of splendid flowers. Jussuf saw this
+with astonishment.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," exclaimed he, "thou conjurest. How is it possible that a
+cypress-tree should bear such beautiful blossoms?"</p>
+
+<p>But she answered, "What is there to be wondered at? Who would make
+such a commotion about a merry game? Come," continued she, "let us
+play at ball." And jumping up, she picked a ripe pomegranate from a
+neighbouring tree, placed herself at a tolerable distance from him at
+a shrub, and threw him the apple for a ball. Jussuf had been very fond
+of playing at ball in his younger days, and still possessed some
+skill, so that he caught it.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, indeed, well done," exclaimed she, as she caught it from
+Jussuf, who had not thrown it quite straight, with the same ease as if
+it had fallen from the hand of the ablest thrower.</p>
+
+<p>They threw it in this way several times to each other, till at last
+Jussuf let it fall.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh!" cried she, "well done! whoever lets it fall, to him the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span>
+punishment is due." And when she had caught the pomegranate again, she
+winked at him, and exclaimed, "Now come back, I will give you a blow
+on the face." But Jussuf remained where he was, watching for the
+throw, that he might avoid it. "Come back," she said still; but he
+remained stationary.</p>
+
+<p>Then she breathed low some words over the pomegranate, and threw it
+suddenly at Jussuf. He wished to avoid the blow, by bending down
+quickly; but before he could succeed, he felt it on his forehead. The
+pomegranate was so violently thrown that it burst in pieces. The
+numerous grains lay scattered on the ground; but hardly had they
+touched the earth than they changed into so many wasps, which flew
+into the air and swarmed round his head. In the anguish of their
+stings, he held his hands before his eyes and ran on; but the swarm of
+wasps followed him, buzzing around him.</p>
+
+<p>"Throw now thy turban on the ground," called the maiden at last to
+him, who was standing in the distance, loudly laughing at his anguish.</p>
+
+<p>He listened, and obeyed her call without thinking of it, and quickly
+all the wasps crept under the turban. He stood in astonishment, and
+looked at the turban. Then the maiden approached him with ceaseless
+laughter, and said,</p>
+
+<p>"What has happened to thee, friend Jussuf? Why dost thou gaze upon thy
+turban with such anxious attention? It is a pity they are not bees,
+the honey might be collected there. Take it up and put it on thy
+head."</p>
+
+<p>He stooped down and raised it with cautious slowness; but, to his
+astonishment, all the wasps had disappeared; only a green lizard ran
+to and fro, and was lost among the grass and the leaves near the
+pathway.</p>
+
+<p>"Where did that go?" asked Jussuf, reflectingly. "That was a
+pomegranate and became wasps, and where are they now gone?"</p>
+
+<p>"What!" rejoined the maiden; "where did it go? Who would ask such a
+thing? How are wasps and pomegranates generally produced in this
+world? Or can you tell me how it is that grass comes up and grows out
+of a grain of seed? or how is it that a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> fig-tree can spring up from
+each little seed of the fig? The case is just so; and if people would
+ask questions about everything, there would be no end to such
+inquiries. But man must not inquire too closely. Come," continued she,
+quickly changing to a quieter and more mischievous manner, "Dost thou
+see those figs hanging on the branch over the way? let us see if you
+can jump high enough to reach and pick them."</p>
+
+<p>He saw the figs, and sprang, but did not nearly reach the height at
+which they hung. She encouraged him to jump again and again, and at
+every awkward spring she laughed at his fruitless exertions. She then
+took a short run with little steps, and, floating as easily in the air
+as if she were borne on wings, plucked the figs, and then was wafted
+down as softly on the other side.</p>
+
+<p>"See," said she to him, holding out the figs, "here they are; now we
+will eat them together. We have earned them with one spring."</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf declined them. "They all belong to thee," said he; "for thou
+alone didst pick them. I could not reach."</p>
+
+<p>"Do you wish to make me angry?" said she. "Hast thou not tired thyself
+more than I?&mdash;there, take and eat." She forced him, by her friendly
+manner, to eat half the figs; while she pressed the other to her lips,
+sucked a little of its juice, and then threw it away. "I did that,"
+said she, clapping her hands, "that thou mightest not soon forget me:
+now thou must think of me for some time."</p>
+
+<p>Immediately she began a new game with him, and after a short time
+another, and so on, continually changing the sport. The serious Jussuf
+jumped, and hopped, and danced just as she wished, and tried to
+perform all the tricks she invented, as if he were a boy. At last they
+came to a fish-pond which was in the garden. She jumped into the boat,
+which was standing all ready, and rowed with ease into the middle of
+the little lake. Then she stopped and called to him,</p>
+
+<p>"Come here, my true playfellow, come to me."</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf stood on the bank, and would have willingly walked to her
+through the water; but he knew that it was too deep, and he could not
+swim.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Art thou not coming?" said she; "art thou afraid of the water?"</p>
+
+<p>"I cannot swim," answered he.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, that is no consequence," she called out; "do as I do." And at
+these words she sprang lightly out of the boat, and walked over the
+surface of the waves as if on dry land; the water did not even moisten
+the sole of her sandal.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh that I could!" exclaimed Jussuf. "But I am too heavy; I should
+sink at once."</p>
+
+<p>The maiden had in the meantime sprung back into the boat, and called
+out, "If thou wilt not come to me, I will never come again to thee;
+nor will I now stay any longer with thee. Evening is drawing near. For
+the future, then, thou mayest sit alone and grow ill tempered; and if
+thou ever wishest to see thy playmate again, thou mayest seek her in
+the native country of the variegated butterfly, which thou believedst
+thou hadst caught to-day, but which has flown away. Recollect, and
+come before I have counted three. One&mdash;two&mdash;three." As she said the
+last number she disappeared.</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf now saw the variegated butterfly flutter over the lake, and
+lose itself among the flowers of the garden; the boat moved back
+towards the bank where it had before been placed. The abandoned Jussuf
+stood for some time, as if in a dream; but when the evening twilight
+veiled the distant hills, he awoke to consciousness. Then the
+occurrences of the day appeared like a wonderful vision to his soul.
+In the silence of his chamber he soon threw himself on his bed, and
+here everything recurred to his memory; and he now wondered less at
+the wonderful appearance of the maiden than at himself&mdash;that he, a
+serious man, who till now had lived in the activity and cares of
+business, should have amused himself for several hours with childish
+games, at which he had not before played since his earliest boyish
+days. Gradually his thoughts passed into dreams.</p>
+
+<p>He awoke late the next morning. The sun was already high in the
+heavens, and his slaves had long been waiting at the threshold of the
+door which led to his room, to receive his commands. He remembered
+that he wished to return early in the morning to the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> town, because it
+was his custom regularly to keep open his warehouse on this day of the
+week. It proved, therefore, very agreeable to him, when he went out,
+to find his horse was standing ready saddled before the house.</p>
+
+<p>After he had dressed quickly, and taken his breakfast, he mounted his
+splendid Arab steed, and rode towards Balsora, followed by several
+slaves. When he arrived at the bazaar to open his warehouse, a number
+of customers were already assembled, and the crowd increased at every
+moment, so that he could hardly satisfy all&mdash;he had not hands enough.
+When all was produced that was wished for, time was wanting to give
+the inquirers the needful information about the worth and quality of
+the goods; and if a purchaser wished to pay for his articles, he had
+no time to count over the money, but he placed it uncounted in his
+money-box, trusting to the honour of his customers. This press of
+business so fully occupied his attention, that he soon forgot his last
+night's adventure, though at first the form of his fair playmate was
+present to his soul. So many days passed away in the bustle of his
+vast employment.</p>
+
+<p>One day, about the end of the week, when he was busy in his warehouse,
+the public crier went by, offering for sale some small foreign insects
+and butterflies; and holding the case in which they were in the air,
+"Who will buy," he exclaimed&mdash;"who will buy fine bright silken
+creatures, very cheap, very cheap?" Jussuf raised his eyes by chance,
+while conversing with a customer about a necklace of jewels, and
+perceived in the case the beautiful butterfly which he wanted to catch
+himself a few days before, and out of which his comical playmate had
+raised herself from the poppy.</p>
+
+<p>Then his words died on his lips. He looked at the crier, dumb for a
+minute, and then called him back quickly. "Let me see," said he; and
+when he had convinced himself that he was not mistaken, he offered the
+man at once a thousand sequins, without allowing him to ask anything.</p>
+
+<p>The crier gave him the case quickly, as if he feared that Jussuf would
+repent of his purchase, and smilingly received the purse of gold.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I thank thee," said he. "It is well that I know thee to be an amateur
+in such things. If I get any more, I will certainly bring them to thee
+first. People say, indeed, that thou dost not sell cheaply. I have
+convinced myself thou also payest well for what thou purchasest."
+Overjoyed, and praising his good fortune, he went away.</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf had scarcely received the case of insects, when he carefully
+examined it in a division of his warehouse, whilst a red blush mantled
+over his face, and his looks betokened the greatest pleasure. The
+bystanders could not believe that he was such a lover of insects, and
+such a connoisseur; and they conjectured that his eyes must have
+discovered some extraordinary value in the purchased case. But from
+this moment Jussuf paid little more attention to his business. This
+absence of mind increased every moment, and often caused him to ask
+quite a trifling sum for very precious goods, and an unconscionably
+high one for those equally insignificant. He could scarcely conceal
+his chagrin whenever new customers made their appearance; and all saw
+with wonder, how&mdash;contrary to his usual custom&mdash;he hailed with joy the
+time for closing his warehouse, and how joyously he departed with his
+case of insects!</p>
+
+<p>Immediately he wrapped the case in a cloth, and had it carried by some
+slaves who accompanied him to his house. Till now he did not know why
+he had so much value for the butterfly; he was only led to purchase it
+by some impulse, and had not as yet given himself any reasons for it.
+For the first time, as he lay quietly in bed, he asked himself this
+question: "What shall I do with thee?" Then&mdash;"The other butterfly flew
+away over the flowers of my garden some days ago; this is dry and
+pierced, as if it had been dead for many years. What connection can it
+have with my bright and waggish playmate, who is only fit to be a
+daughter of the genii?"</p>
+
+<p>He recalled to himself everything in the remarkable occurrence&mdash;even
+the most trifling events that happened in their different games, from
+the appearance of the maiden to her disappearance out of the boat,
+returned to his mind. Then he thought over her<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span> last words. "What did
+she say?" said he to himself. "Did she not say, 'If thou shouldst wish
+to see me, thou must seek me in the fatherland of the variegated
+butterflies?'"</p>
+
+<p>Now a thought shot through his mind which made all perfectly clear to
+him. He confessed to himself that he had been more happy with her fun
+and play than he had been before since his boyhood, and that he had
+then quite forgotten all the cares and troubles of business. He
+earnestly longed to have always about him so merry a playfellow, to
+afford him diversion with her childish mirth.</p>
+
+<p>"This playmate of thine," continued he, speaking to himself, "if she
+has entirely disappeared, and no track leads to her, has not a chance
+fallen into thy hands by this butterfly? Still thou canst seek for her
+in her native land. But what naturalist could name it from this
+imperfect description, without having seen the butterfly?"</p>
+
+<p>He then recalled to his memory many tales which he had heard in his
+childhood, in which were instances of daughters of genii, who,
+becoming the wives of mortals, blessed them in a wonderful manner,
+and, after the death of their husbands, returned to the kingdom of the
+genii.</p>
+
+<p>Amid such thoughts as these he sank into slumber, and awoke the next
+morning with the firm resolution of seeking the daughter of the genii,
+and of choosing her for his wife. The first thing, then, was for him
+to discover the native country of the butterflies; for it was there
+that he was to find her. He took, therefore, the butterfly out of the
+case from among the other insects, and set out for one of the suburbs
+of Balsora.</p>
+
+<p>There lived in one of the last houses a man who he was aware knew not
+only the name of every beast, stone, and plant, but also the hidden
+strength of nature and her mysterious operations. This man had once
+been his master, and to his instruction Jussuf owed his intimate
+knowledge of the manifold productions of nature out of which the
+various goods were manufactured in different lands, and which afforded
+him the means of always purchasing the best and most superior
+articles, whereby he obtained such a crowd of customers. In order to
+show his gratitude to his master for this<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> instruction, he had given
+him, out of the inheritance of his father, this large house, with the
+surrounding vast garden, that he might live undisturbed in his secret
+studies.</p>
+
+<p>With this man he now took refuge, hoping certainly to receive from him
+some information about the native land of his silken butterfly. Upon
+his knocking at the door, an old servant, the only one in the house,
+opened it, and led him into a chamber in which his old master was
+sitting upon a cushion, before a large table covered with a black
+cloth. Rolls of parchment with unknown characters, compasses, a
+sextant, a triangle, and other instruments, lay scattered round in
+disorder. He received Jussuf with friendly nods, without rising from
+his cushion, motioning him to sit down opposite, and then said,</p>
+
+<p>"Ah, ah! my Jussuf; this is a rare visit. Hast thou at last been able
+to spare an hour from thy business to pay a visit to the old Modibjah?
+I hear that thou art become the most popular merchant in all Balsora,
+and that thou hast immense connections. I am glad of it; then all is
+right and prosperous. What one has once chosen for his calling, for
+that one must entirely live. What we do must be done well; and may
+that one live who devotes his life to a useful activity!"</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf was prevented by a certain shyness from mentioning his wish at
+once to his grave master. He said how he had longed to see him once
+more, to hear how he was; and reproached him tenderly for not coming
+to see him. He added that he had certainly a great many curious things
+in his warehouses, and that he had promised himself the pleasure of
+showing them all to his wise master. Perhaps he might find among them
+something that might be useful to him, and it would be a pleasure to
+him to give it to him.</p>
+
+<p>At these words Modibjah laughed, and answered, "I want none of thy
+goods. What I wanted thou hast given me: while thou continuest to me
+this house and garden as my property, I am contented, so that I remain
+undisturbed. Here I can devote myself to my reflections and my
+pursuits undistracted and unobserved by the curiosity of mankind. Then
+I should have erred in visiting thee; for thy time is equally taken up
+with the cares and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> business of thy profession; and I should but have
+disturbed thee with my visits. But now speak," said he, ending his
+discourse: "I see from thy looks that a particular request brings thee
+to me."</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf blushed that his master should have so seen through him, and
+then related to him how the numerous cares and exertions of his
+business had produced a prejudicial effect on his health, and how he
+had been obliged to seek diversion; that he had then renewed a
+partiality which he had in his boyish years, and had again begun to
+collect butterflies and other insects. "But," continued he, "the
+necessary knowledge is wanting to me. Some days ago I bought by chance
+a collection of butterflies, of whose names and native country I know
+nothing." He drew out the box at these words, and held it open before
+the old man.</p>
+
+<p>But hardly had he glanced at it when he shook his head silently; and,
+considering, at last he said, "Poor Jussuf! Still thou wishest to
+inquire about it as of secondary import, as if I did not know that
+thou only comest to me for this reason. Art thou gone so far as to
+play the hypocrite with thy old master?"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, then, I am curious to learn the name and the country of this
+butterfly," answered Jussuf, with a trembling voice.</p>
+
+<p>Then the grey haired old man raised himself from his cushion, and
+looked at Jussuf with such a searching and piercing glance, that he
+was constrained through his shame to cast down his eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"Still, I should do thee injustice were I to blame thee," continued
+he: "I know that thou art still innocent. I can only lament that thou
+shouldst have fallen into the snares of my implacable enemy. In order
+to obtain the victory over me, she will seek to ruin thee." He laid
+his hand on his forehead, and sank into profound reflection.</p>
+
+<p>At last Jussuf broke silence, and said, "I do not understand thee.
+What enemy dost thou mean? See, it is my fault for not having told
+thee the whole openly. Now shalt thou know all." He then related to
+him, without any reserve, the transactions of the previous days.</p>
+
+<p>When he had finished, the old man answered, "Now thou hast been candid
+with me, and hast a claim to equal sincerity on my<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span> side. But I know
+that thou art not now capable of hearing the truth&mdash;that it is a
+useless trouble to attempt to cure thee of thy delusion. If I were to
+conceal the native land of the butterflies from thee, I know that thou
+wouldst find ways and means of learning what thou now desirest to
+discover. Thou wouldst fain find her who is thy enemy, although thou
+deemest her to be thine innocent friend. I will show thee the way to
+her. But I will think of ways and means to guard thee against her
+wickedness. For that purpose I must know thy exact age. If thou hast
+not quite forgotten thy former love for thy true master, tell me now
+the day and hour of thy birth."</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf willingly told him the day and the hour, for he was very glad
+that Modibjah promised to tell him the native country of the
+butterfly. What he said about the wickedness of an enemy he took for
+the whims of an old man, and therefore it did not weigh at all with
+him. In the meanwhile, Modibjah had gone into a side-chamber, and now
+brought out a large, deep box, whilst he cleared away the parchments
+and instruments spread about on the table. On the cover a great number
+of cross lines were drawn through one another, and among them were
+worked innumerable gold and silver stars. After he had carefully
+traced all these, he produced a small box of ebony, skilfully inlaid
+with streaks of mother-of-pearl.</p>
+
+<p>"I have reckoned thine age," said he: "thou art now just thirty years,
+nine months, and seven days, and eight hours old. All these years,
+months, days, and hours form the figure of fifty-four. God be praised
+and His great Prophet, it is not yet of the worst."</p>
+
+<p>During this speech he sat down, and at a nod from him Jussuf seated
+himself opposite. Then he pressed a hidden spring in the little black
+box, the lid sprang up, and he shook the contents before Jussuf on the
+table. They were a number of half-moons, little stars, triangles, and
+other figures of ivory.</p>
+
+<p>"Count out fifty-four of them," said he. And Jussuf did it.</p>
+
+<p>After the old man had quickly collected the remainder together, and
+placed them again in the box, he called to him to throw the figures
+that he had counted out in the air in such a manner that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> they should
+fall down on the table-cloth. Jussuf did as he was desired, and the
+figures spread themselves in their fall over the whole table. The old
+man considered them attentively for some time, and began to murmur,
+half-singing, a form of words in a foreign language, and touched with
+his finger quickly, as if he were counting one or other of them, now
+and then taking away one and placing it with the others in the box. He
+repeated his words twice, and counted and pointed with his finger,
+taking away from the figures as at first, till at last there only
+remained nine. Now he began another speech, which appeared to Jussuf
+to be in a different language, and sang it three times, while he took
+away more of the ivory figures, and pointed to some of the gold and
+silver worked stars. At last he had collected all the three nearest
+constellations.</p>
+
+<p>"It is good," said the old man, with a joyful and tranquil
+countenance. "I now know what I wanted; now I can tell you what you so
+earnestly wish to know. If thou wishest to find thy vain, trifling
+playmate, go towards the rising of the sun till thou comest to a town
+of Persia, in the neighbourhood of which are situated the ruins of an
+old royal city, now destroyed. There stay till the third day after the
+new moon. Then go to the ruins in the evening. On the eastern edge, at
+some distance from the heap of relics, thou wilt find a large
+well-formed stone, which once served as the head; seat thyself on this
+stone, and at the moment when the narrow illumined streak of the moon,
+like a fiery ship, seems to swim over the mountains on the horizon,
+call out the word 'Haschanascha,' and a sign-post will soon appear.
+But then thou art still distant from the object of thy journey. But
+may the exertions and vicissitudes of thy long travel so lessen thy
+foolishly-ardent desire that thou mayest listen to the voice of a
+prudent friend, who will certainly be near thee when thou hast need of
+him."</p>
+
+<p>Hardly had Jussuf heard where he was to go when he sprang out of his
+seat, in order to take leave at once of Modibjah, and to commence his
+journey. The wish which Modibjah had expressed was hardly heard by
+him.</p>
+
+<p>"Wait, wait," said the former; "who knows whether we shall ever see
+each other again? This journey leads thee far away, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> I am old.
+Thou art also a mortal, who mayest be overwhelmed by the dangers thou
+hast to encounter. Here, take this as a token of remembrance." At
+these words he reached him a small leathern pouch.</p>
+
+<p>"What is this?" asked Jussuf, after he had opened it, and saw in it a
+rather opaque milk-white stone, at the bottom of which a red spark
+seemed to shine. "That is certainly a talisman."</p>
+
+<p>"It is a talisman," answered Modibjah: "esteem it for my sake. Use it
+when thy strength and intellect are not sufficient for thee. As long
+as thou perceivest the spark, thou wilt proceed in the right way, and
+wilt not encounter any danger; but the contrary will happen when the
+spark appears to be quite extinguished. Then breathe over it the name
+'Haschanascha.' Do not allow it to be taken away from thee, either by
+force or by stratagem; nor give it willingly as a present to any
+stranger's hand. If thou shouldst wish to make an experiment, throw it
+behind thee over thy head."</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf thanked his master for the present, and hid the talisman in his
+bosom; he then took leave of his master in an absent spirit and
+hastened home. He immediately gave his slaves the necessary charges,
+committed the care of his house to an old faithful servant, locked up
+his warehouse in the bazaar, and proceeded in the evening of the same
+day, with a train of twenty armed and well-mounted followers, and with
+forty camels loaded with gold and precious things of all kinds, and
+with all necessaries, out at the eastern gate of the city of Balsora.
+Whoever perceived or heard, that Jussuf had set out on a distant
+journey believed that he had gone to fetch some rare goods which he
+could not entrust to his servants; and people were generally in
+curious expectation to see what could be the interest in any jewels
+that should induce the so greatly-altered merchant, who till now let
+everything be managed by his servants, to go himself on the journey,
+and with so small an escort.</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf kept exactly to the rule of his old master, and proceeded
+straight towards the rising of the sun. He reached, with his little
+caravan, without any particular adventures, the plains which extend
+between the mountains and the Persian Sea. But here the summer heat
+was so oppressive that he turned more to the left towards the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span> north,
+that he might find in the neighbourhood of the mountains some shade
+from the trees and, above all, springs of water, which, murmuring down
+from the mountains, might serve for coolness and refreshment to them,
+after they had wandered far in the plains through dry sand. He
+proceeded for some days towards his destination without the occurrence
+of anything unusual or remarkable. After some days, he reached a spot
+where a small rivulet flowed between two mountains.</p>
+
+<p>The opposite side of this mountain extended out a long way towards the
+sea-coast, so that there was only a very narrow slip of the plain.
+Uncertain whether he should go straight towards the sea, or turn off
+to the left along the valley through which the rivulet wound, he
+ordered his slaves to stop. He looked round to see if he could not
+perceive in the surrounding country some track to indicate the
+proximity of men, of whose advice he might avail himself; but there
+was not a hut, nor a tent, nor a flock to be seen far or near.
+Although fertile, the country appeared quite desolate. Some of his
+slaves advised the direction along the sea-shore, because there were
+imprinted the footsteps of camels and horses of earlier travellers;
+others suggested, on the contrary, to advance along the river. But
+Jussuf shook his head at these counsels.</p>
+
+<p>"Why should we," said he, "enter in uncertainty on either of those
+roads? If we proceed to the right by the sea-coast, it will lead us
+too far south; if we follow the valley of the river, it will conduct
+us straight to its entrance towards the north; but farther up it may
+take another direction, whereby we might be enabled to continue our
+route, even if it be a very winding way; or we may ascend the
+mountains, which will probably be higher and steeper near the source
+of the river. Our camels already throw a long shadow on the earth, and
+in two hours we must select a place for repose. It is therefore more
+prudent to stay here. Two roads evidently unite at this point, and
+therefore it cannot be long before some one arrives from one side or
+the other, who can give us the desired information. So make
+preparations to pass the night here."</p>
+
+<p>As he commanded, so they did. The slaves unpacked from the camels what
+was necessary, and quickly erected a tent for their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> master of
+variegated painted poles and thick silk stuffs. Then they kindled a
+fire on a neighbouring spot, and made preparations for the meals of
+all.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime, Jussuf wandered to the foremost height of the
+mountains, towards the valley of the river, and rejoiced at the richly
+blossoming flowers which seemed heaped on all the shrubs, and at the
+magnificent country, and the refreshing air which floated up to him
+out of the valley. As he walked carelessly along, his foot struck
+against a ripe melon, which still hung fast to a withered branch.
+"Well," thought he to himself, "a juicy melon is a refreshing fruit in
+the heat of the day." He picked it and took it home to the encampment.
+There he delivered it to a slave, and charged him to take care that it
+was freed of its seeds, and brought up to his meal with the other
+dishes. He then entered his tent, which had meanwhile been erected,
+and stretched himself on his soft cushion, covered with costly cloths,
+that he might rest awhile. He soon sank into slumber, exhausted with
+the fatigue of the day; but he was shortly roused from his dream. Two
+of his slaves stood at his couch, and exclaimed,</p>
+
+<p>"Master! master! come out and see the wonder!"</p>
+
+<p>"What is the matter?" said he, raising himself up.</p>
+
+<p>"O master, the melon!" they called out at once.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, what of the melon? Perhaps it is beginning to decay, or is it
+not good for anything? if so, throw it away. Was it worth while to
+wake me up about that?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, no, master, do not be angry; but that is not it," said the
+slaves.</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps one of you has eaten it, not knowing that I picked it for
+myself?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, master! no, master!" cried the slaves, as it were with one mouth.
+"Who would do that? Come and see yourself."</p>
+
+<p>"I see I must come myself if I wish to learn what has happened," said
+Jussuf, half unwillingly; and rising from his couch, he followed them
+out of the tent. They led him to the place where they had made
+preparations for the meal. There he saw a melon, in form like the one
+which he had found, but of such a gigantic size, that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> he had never
+before seen one like it. "Whence, then, comes this monster of a
+melon?" said he to the slaves, who were standing at a distance with
+signs of astonishment and fear.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, master, that is the same melon that you brought here yourself,"
+answered several voices at once.</p>
+
+<p>"But that was so small, that I could conveniently span it with my
+fingers, and carry it in my hand," returned he; "but three men could
+scarcely surround this with their arms." They assured him that it was
+the same melon which he had bought. "Then," continued he, "things
+cannot go right if a ripe and gathered melon can grow to such a
+monstrous size."</p>
+
+<p>At these words, the slave to whom he had given the melon came to him
+and said, "It may well be that things do not go right." He then
+related to him that he had laid the melon down where the large one now
+lay; that when he had come near it, at a later period, a great wasp
+had settled on the melon and pierced it with its sting. Hardly had it
+flown away, when a bee came buzzing, and lodged on it: after stinging
+it, this one also flew away. From this moment the melon grew larger
+and larger; and they should have called him to see the wonder long
+ago, had not they all been fixed with curiosity and astonishment to
+see what would happen.</p>
+
+<p>Since the rising of the moon, which was how beaming above the horizon
+in full splendour, had the melon ceased increasing. They asked Jussuf
+what should now happen, and imagined that he would not ask them to cut
+up and pare the melon.</p>
+
+<p>"That we cannot do," said they, finishing their speech, "for it is
+evident that magic is at play here. An ordinary melon cannot grow any
+more after it is ripe and picked off the tree; and even if that were
+possible, it could not in any case grow to such an immense size as
+never has been seen before in the world. Who knows what is hidden in
+it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, you silly cowards!" exclaimed Jussuf, provoked at the terror of
+his servants,&mdash;"shame on you! You are in a foreign land, and do not
+consider that everything here is not exactly as it is at home. What
+can be concealed in it? Outside is the peel; under the peel is the
+pulp; and in the middle is the texture of cells, with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> the seeds. Look
+here," said he to those who stood next to him, as he took off his
+short broad scimitar: "I will cut off a piece, that you may see that
+it is as I say."</p>
+
+<p>While he spoke, he made two vigorous cuts&mdash;one along and the other
+across the melon, so as to loosen a four-angled piece of the peel. Now
+he commanded one of his slaves to lift up the piece.</p>
+
+<p>As the slave anxiously approached the melon, in order to obey the
+command of his master, the piece sprang out of it with wonderful
+strength over his head, so that he tumbled backwards on the ground
+from terror.</p>
+
+<p>"Mahomet, great Prophet, stand by us!" exclaimed the slaves, when they
+saw this. But soon their astonishment changed to terror, and they all
+ran away, when suddenly a human figure rose out of the aperture in the
+melon, and, with one spring, stood before Jussuf. The latter drew
+back, startled as much at the sudden and unexpected appearance of the
+man as at his unusual figure. The top of his perfectly flat face was
+disfigured by two monstrous eyes, and by long black eyebrows, which
+extended over the greatest part of his face. On his short upper lip he
+had a narrow but long, hairy, stiff substance, the ends of which
+reached to the crown of his head, and there intermixed with his hair
+in two tufts, which stood sideways in the air like antenn&aelig;. His dress
+was marked with bright shining stripes of a black and brimstone
+colour; and behind him a transparent head-covering hung in two
+gauze-like wings nearly down to the ground. His clothes fitted tight
+everywhere. He also wore a girdle round his body, which rendered his
+leanness still more striking. Besides this, the nail of his middle
+finger was very long, and bent over like a hoe. His whole figure had
+the appearance of an immense wasp.</p>
+
+<p>The man had hardly observed that Jussuf shrank before him, when he
+seized the wings of his head-dress with both his hard hands, and gave
+a leap, as if he were trying to fly.</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf was too frightened to ask him who he was, and what he wanted.
+But the man immediately uttered a guttural, grumbling sound, which was
+probably intended for a song; and Jussuf heard these words:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span></p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"I come, a slave at one's behest,<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">Who knoweth more than thou canst tell;<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">She warned thee, whiles of friends the best,<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">Of bees that lurk in honied bell.<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Guide well thy course; nor seek, proud man,<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">Whate'er thou deem'st a better way;<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">She can each hidden secret scan&mdash;<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">So follow thou without delay."<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>When his song was nearly ended, another voice hummed on the side where
+the melon lay. On looking there, Jussuf saw a second human form, as
+wonderful as the first, rise out of the aperture. This one had a dark
+dress, inclining to olive-green, and his form was rather less slim
+than that of the former; but he had the appearance of a bee in human
+form. Leaping also nearer to Jussuf, it sang in a higher but equally
+buzzing tone:</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"Mark me well: oh, what can be<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Direful wasps but plagues to thee?<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Thine is every vain desire;<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Yet the bees that never tire,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">They can serve and tend thee well&mdash;<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">The busy storers of the cell.<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Keep me, then; thy path shall prove<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">A path of hope that leads to love."<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>But the first one grumbled again, so that Jussuf could not understand
+any more.</p>
+
+<p>However terrified Jussuf might have been at this appearance, he yet
+collected himself, and said, "Her dear servants seem to mean very
+well, but&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Before he had finished his speech, both of them were grumbling and
+buzzing at him.</p>
+
+<p>He understood still so much, that each of them wished to lessen the
+reputation of his fellow, and to make him suspected in his eyes. Both
+turned against each other again, and hummed and buzzed at one another
+with unheard-of obstinacy. Their struggle became constantly more
+vehement, and at last they seized each other in mad rage, and whirled
+round, struggling and burring in a circle. Jussuf saw a kind of lance
+and a long dagger shine, and both of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> them fell down pierced through
+at his feet. In their dying moments they begged him to bury them in
+their cradle. He nodded assuringly, and they lay dead in the moment.
+Immediately Jussuf called his slaves to him, who were standing in the
+distance in earnest expectation, and ordered them to carry the dead
+bodies to the melon. But they refused, certainly with humble excuses,
+but still with steadfast decision.</p>
+
+<p>"In the name of all natural things," said they, "we will prove to thee
+our certain obedience; but do not ask us to make ourselves unclean, or
+to meddle with such unnatural appearances."</p>
+
+<p>He represented to them quietly that he could not place both the dead
+bodies in the hollow melon, and that one of them must help him&mdash;that
+what he ventured they might also venture; but they denied
+perseveringly, and no one appeared ready to lend a helping hand. Angry
+at their obstinacy, Jussuf was on the point of chastising them with
+the flat part of his sabre-blade, when one of the slaves called out,</p>
+
+<p>"Hold, hold, dear master! the dead bodies are no longer there!"</p>
+
+<p>They had certainly vanished; and when he looked on the ground where
+they had lain, he discovered in the dust a dead wasp and a dead bee.</p>
+
+<p>"See, see!" said he, in perfect astonishment; "would not any one
+believe that all those things were only a delusion of the mind? If the
+great melon did not lie there now, I should be inclined to think that
+I had, in a mad fancy, taken the bees and wasps for large figures of
+men."</p>
+
+<p>At these words, he turned to the side where the melon had been, and,
+lo! that had also disappeared. Approaching nearer, he found in its
+place the little melon again, just as he had picked it during his
+walk. In its side he discovered a small four-angled opening. Then he
+went quickly back, fetched the two dead insects, and put them through
+the aperture into the melon.</p>
+
+<p>"It may now be as it may," said he to himself. "I promised them to
+bury their dead bodies in the melon, and I fulfil this promise."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Now, you will not wish to eat any of this enchanted melon?" inquired
+one of the slaves; and as Jussuf shook his head in the negative, and
+at once entered his tent, the slave gave the melon a kick with his
+foot, so that it rolled all the way down the hill, and fell below into
+the river that flowed there. The waves swept over it.</p>
+
+<p>The night passed tranquilly. At first, Jussuf could not get any sleep,
+for the events of wonder had so stirred up his soul. At last fatigue
+conquered, and he slumbered till near morning.</p>
+
+<p>In the commencement of his journey he had made an arrangement that
+four of his slaves should watch every night alternately. In the
+morning he asked with uncommon curiosity whether nothing had happened
+in the night, or whether no traveller had passed by from whom they
+might learn the direction. But no one had gone by.</p>
+
+<p>Low-spirited at not having any sure direction for his journey, he
+struck his bosom, and said, "So are we borne away and removed from
+good fortune." He had with the blow hit the pouch containing the
+talisman which he had received from his master Modibjah, and which
+till now he had quite forgotten. He pulled it out, opened the pouch,
+and said, "Thou hast disclosed thyself in a good hour. Come, tell me
+whether I shall do well if I proceed through the valley along the
+river-side."</p>
+
+<p>After he had considered it, he exclaimed joyfully, "Yes, yes; the
+resolution is good; the fiery spark still shines living in the stone."
+He immediately gave orders for departure, and the procession, rode out
+into the valley. His slaves wondered that he who had been so uncertain
+about the direction should now be so secure, and take so confident a
+resolution. The journey was much more pleasant in the valley than it
+had before been. The air from the stream was cooled, for a mild breeze
+was always breathing through the valley; and they soon reached an
+inhabited place, and learned that they were in the direct road to a
+small town, in whose neighbourhood were situated the ruins of the old
+royal city. Pleased as Jussuf was at this news, still it was rather
+disagreeable, to him: he remembered that on the evening of his
+adventure with the melon the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> moon was in full splendour, and he could
+now calculate that he would arrive several days too early for the
+first object of his journey. And what should he set about in that
+small town till, on the third day after the new moon, he should find
+his sign-post? However, he continued on his way by small day journeys.
+At last he came to the little town in whose neighbourhood the ruins
+were situated, and stopped at a caravanserai. Whilst his people
+unloaded the camels and settled everything, he wandered idly through
+the town to see something of it. In the course of his walk a young man
+presented himself to him, who was willing to show him in passing the
+few curiosities of the place. While they were conversing together they
+made themselves known to each other; and Jussuf learned that the young
+man's name was Hassan Assad, a man of whom his people had often spoken
+to him in terms of commendation, and who had been very useful to him
+several times in commissions for goods in Persia. He heartily thanked
+him, therefore, and assured him of his pleasure at being able to form
+his personal acquaintance. Hassan also seemed very much pleased to
+have seen the far-famed merchant from Balsora face to face, and
+offered to be his guide and companion as long as he remained in those
+parts.</p>
+
+<p>"To-morrow," said he, "I have some necessary business to do in Shiraz,
+which I cannot put off. But without doubt thou also art going there,
+for thou wilt certainly have to give large orders to the ablest silver
+and gold workers, and to the most skilful silk-weavers; and because
+personal acquaintance with our correspondents is very useful, I will
+join thee in thy journey. In this way it will not be necessary for us
+to separate again on the first day of our acquaintance; nor can it be
+disagreeable to thee to go with me, who am already known there, and
+can lead thee to the dwellings of all those with whom I am connected
+in commerce."</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf's mind had been but little turned on trade, and now he could
+not recollect the names of all the people with whom he transacted
+business in Shiraz: besides, he had a certain aversion to disclose the
+true reasons for his journey; so he let his friendly companion
+entertain the idea that he had come to Persia for the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> purpose of
+purchasing and giving commissions. And, because he must still wait
+several days for the new moon, he willingly accepted Hassan's
+proposal, and promised to accompany him the next morning to the great
+and celebrated town of Shiraz, and to spend some days with him there.
+The distance to Shiraz was not far, and Jussuf reached it with his new
+friend the next day before the noonday heat. Hassan conducted him in
+the afternoon to the house of a rich merchant, with whom he had long
+had considerable dealings.</p>
+
+<p>"Here," said he, "I bring you the far-famed merchant Jussuf from
+Balsora, whose name cannot be strange to you, since you have long done
+business with him. He has taken this journey to make new purchases,
+and also to become personally acquainted with those who have hitherto
+served him so satisfactorily."</p>
+
+<p>The dealer was very glad to become acquainted with the renowned
+Jussuf, and, as what Hassan had said appeared very natural to him, he
+continued, "If I do not mistake, I furnished thee lately with a
+considerable quantity of oil of roses. Thou wert, then, pleased with
+it?"</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf assured him of his perfect satisfaction with the supply.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah," continued the dealer, "thou must now again give me a commission;
+for I have at present a much better supply, and I can let thee have it
+at a very moderate price, although it is of a superior quality."</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf was ashamed to confess that he had entirely neglected his
+magazine and warehouse, and could not think of his business. He
+therefore left him in his error, and gave him a considerable order for
+oil of roses. But, as he thought of travelling farther, and the time
+of his return was not decided, he ordered him to wait for further
+instructions for sending the oil. Still, he paid the amount
+beforehand. In this manner he went to all his friends in trade in
+Shiraz. Hassan conducted him, announcing that his appearance in Persia
+was to give orders; and so he was seduced into fresh commissions and
+fresh purchases. At the silk-weavers' he ordered many hundred pieces
+of silk stuffs; at others, a quantity of gold and silver stuffs; at
+the jewellers' costly trinkets, and gold and silver vessels, and
+implements. His companion not only led him<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span> to such dealers and
+workers as he was already acquainted with in business, but introduced
+him to many others. They induced him, partly by the beauty of their
+goods, partly by their moderate prices, to make extensive purchases,
+and to take himself large orders for goods which he promised to send
+them from Balsora. It could not fail that a merchant of such fame as
+Jussuf, who gave so many orders in the same town, should attract
+attention. They sought after him with a friendly spirit in every
+place; they asked him to all the feasts which were given in those days
+in the families where he was known. Now he was to appear at a banquet
+in the town; then at a rural feast in one of the largest and most
+splendid gardens in the suburbs. People exerted themselves on all
+sides to show him honour and to give him pleasure.</p>
+
+<p>The new moon had arrived in the meantime, and Jussuf had still so many
+invitations that he would have been obliged to remain till after the
+full moon to fulfil them all. But the third evening after the new moon
+had been named to him as the decisive moment, and he would not neglect
+it. Hassan persuaded him strongly to stay a few more days, and those
+who had invited him pressed him very much; but he continued steadfast
+against longer delay, and he set out early on the third day after the
+new moon for the little town where he had left his slaves and camels.</p>
+
+<p>On arriving there, he found everything in order. He rested till
+evening, and then went out, without any companions, to the ruins of
+the destroyed town. Before sunset he was on the eastern side of them,
+and had soon also found, at some distance, the marked-out stone. He
+seated himself on it; and the sun had hardly gone down when he
+observed the moon riding like a golden ship through the blue of the
+obscure sky. He waited with palpitating heart and anxious impatience
+for the moment when it should seem to stand on the mountain-ridges on
+the western horizon. Then he called out quickly and loudly,
+"Haschanascha!" He expected that at this call a guide would
+immediately appear to him; but nothing appeared. The moon was, in the
+meantime, sunk behind the mountains; but the bright and sparkling
+stars still lighted the dark blue sky. He stood by the stone on which
+he had hitherto sat, and was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> going to return to his people in the
+town, discouraged at his deluded expectations, when he heard his name
+called by a well-known voice. He turned towards the place from whence
+it came, and soon recognized, in the light of the stars, his friend
+Hassan, whom he thought he had left that morning in Shiraz.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, well," said he, as he drew nearer to Jussuf, "it seemed to me
+that thou stopped behind the mountains. Whenever I wished to speak
+with thee of thy journey, thou always soughtest to evade me, and
+turned the conversation some other way. Now all is clear to me: with
+me thou needest not have made any mystery of it; since I find thee
+here to-day, the third day after the new moon, I already know
+everything. I regret very much that I must serve thee in this case,
+for I have already conducted many on this road, and none of them have
+ever come back."</p>
+
+<p>"How, Hassan Assad, thou the guide that I was to find here?" exclaimed
+Jussuf. "Thou wilt lead me to the object of my desires?"</p>
+
+<p>"No," answered Hassan, "I cannot myself conduct thee: I can only bring
+thee on the right road; but come, now, and follow me."</p>
+
+<p>He led him back near the extensive ruins of the destroyed city: they
+soon found tolerably passable roads, the few unobstructed tracks of
+the former principal streets of the large royal city; but they were
+often obliged to scramble over the rubbish of overthrown buildings,
+across pillars, and the remains of mighty columns. His guide turned
+now right, now left, to seek the easiest road; then backwards, then
+forwards. They might, perhaps, have spent an hour scrambling about in
+this manner, when at last Hassan arrived at a passage, closed with a
+small iron door, which was not covered with ruins: here he took a
+little silver hammer, and knocked nine times on the head of a great
+nail which was in the door: at each knock he stopped for some seconds,
+and Jussuf heard the sound in singular tones inside the door, as if it
+reached to a great distance. At the last stroke the door flew open,
+and showed a row of steps leading down to a cellar-like vault.</p>
+
+<p>"Here we must descend," said Hassan; "here thou wilt see many
+wonderful things, and thou wilt have rich presents; but take care not
+to refuse any presents, or to speak a word: only when thou<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> art asked
+if thou hast enough, always answer no, till they abuse thee as an
+unreasonable person, and ask thee what thou still desirest, then say
+the word 'Ketlafgat,'&mdash;it is the name of a talisman, without which
+thou canst never attain the end of thy wishes."</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf observed the word, and promised to obey his instructor. They
+now descended the steps together; and the door closed behind them with
+a great noise. As they proceeded in profound darkness, Jussuf thought
+of the talisman which he had received from Modibjah: he wished to see
+if he were walking in the right road, and drew it out of the pouch:
+although it was very dark, he still discerned the bright red spark in
+the stone. He now descended after his guide with more courage. They
+might have left about fifty steps behind when they arrived at a large
+room: over this was raised a vast round vault from the ground, in the
+form of a regular hemisphere. From the middle of the vault hung a
+great lamp, on which, out of twelve branches, burned twelve long
+dazzling white flames. The whole vault played with thousands of lights
+of this flame, as if it were faced with an innumerable number of small
+mirrors. As Jussuf moved to one side, curious to see the cause of this
+reflection, he perceived that the vault was covered with eight large
+oriental pearls of the greatest clearness, and that the space between
+four of them was filled up with a smaller. He tried to detach one of
+the large pearls from the wall; but it was so fast cemented that it
+was impossible to remove it. In the meantime his guide had reached a
+concealed door, and had knocked three times with his little hammer on
+one spot. The door sprang open, and they entered a spacious
+four-cornered room, on the walls of which were very large friezes,
+supported too by pillars of solid gold. But each of the panels of the
+flat part of the wall stood on a transparent gay green smooth-polished
+stone, which Jussuf could only consider to be most valuable
+emeralds&mdash;however improbable it seemed. Hassan allowed him no time to
+look about him: he had already opened a third room with the strokes of
+his silver hammer. The form of this was octagonal: the pillars and
+sockets were of silver; but the panels rested on a precious stone of a
+bright blue colour.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>In the same manner they reached a more splendid and larger room. They
+had already passed through twelve without having found any living
+creature. Thus, with all this splendour, there was an unpleasant air
+of desertion, which oppressed Jussuf so much that he would willingly
+have imparted his feeling to his companion; but he strode on with such
+seriousness and caution, in his passage through the opened doors and
+rooms, that he had not courage to say a word aloud. After they had
+passed through the twelfth chamber, Hassan knocked three times with
+his hammer on the ground, which consisted of clear large and small
+quadrangles of the most magnificent polished stripes of jasper.
+Immediately one of these quadrangles opened and fell back, as if it
+were a trap-door: here were disclosed many steps of beautiful crystal,
+which led down still deeper. They descended, and the trap-door shut
+down behind them. Jussuf saw no lamp by which the long descent of
+steps was lighted, nor any window through which the light of day could
+enter; but still it was not dark around them, for at each footstep
+shone a clear blue light. He observed that this proceeded from a small
+ball which rolled down before him from step to step, and, every time
+that it alighted on a step, a clear blue ray of light streamed out,
+which spread out its rays till the ball had rolled to another. At last
+the steps ceased, and before him extended a long passage, the opposite
+end of which was lighted by a clear point: they approached it, and
+soon discovered a folding-door with glass windows, through which shone
+the bright daylight. They passed through it, and found themselves in a
+splendid garden, full of rare flowers and shrubs, such as Jussuf had
+never before seen. At the entrance, two slaves approached him, who
+bowed to him respectfully, but silently, and beckoned to him to follow
+them. They led him into a large summer-house: there sat some men whom
+Jussuf took for dervishes; they stood up and greeted him.</p>
+
+<p>"Thou comest to fetch the treasure of the poor," said one of them:
+"thy desires shall be fulfilled." He immediately made a sign to the
+others, and they all moved off through another door. "Men," continued
+he, "certainly are complete fools; they fix their hearts on such
+useless things; and the more they have the more insatiable they are."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>He shook his head contemptuously. Before he had said anything more,
+the remaining dervishes came back, one bringing a number of purses
+filled with sequins; two others bringing precious boxes filled with
+pearls; the third, two boxes with great diamonds of the finest fire; a
+fourth, two boxes full of the finest emeralds; and so each one another
+precious thing.</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf took all the things, and hid the boxes and the purses about his
+person.</p>
+
+<p>"Are you satisfied?" asked the dervish who had first spoken.</p>
+
+<p>And Jussuf answered, "No."</p>
+
+<p>"I said so," grumbled the dervish. And, at a sign from him, the others
+again went and brought, as at the first time, purses of gold and boxes
+of jewels.</p>
+
+<p>"Hast thou enough now?" asked the dervish.</p>
+
+<p>And Jussuf, who could hardly dispose of all about him, answered, "No."</p>
+
+<p>With still greater signs of displeasure, the dervish caused a fresh
+burden of similar presents to be brought. And, as Jussuf could not
+carry any more, he asked again, "Now hast thou not enough, at last?"</p>
+
+<p>Remembering Hassan's instructions, he again answered, "No."</p>
+
+<p>Then the dervish got up, and turned round on one foot angrily, and
+exclaimed, "Thou shameful man, art thou insatiable? Thou canst not
+take all with thee that thou hast already received, and thou must load
+thy companion also with the trifles in order to convey them hence, and
+yet thou hast not enough, thou glutton!"</p>
+
+<p>Immediately the other dervishes surrounded him, and screamed out, as
+from a cave, "Glutton! impudent creature! avaricious man!"</p>
+
+<p>"And what dost thou want now?" asked the dervish.</p>
+
+<p>Then Jussuf said the word that Hassan had taught him for this
+occasion, "Ketlafgat."</p>
+
+<p>He had hardly spoken it, when the other dervishes sat down, and he who
+had asked the question went out of the summer-house. He soon came back
+with a small box, which he gave to Jussuf: it was made of mean wood,
+and without any ornament.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Here is what thou desirest," said he. And, while he reached to him a
+small golden key, he added, "Henceforward thou no longer needest a
+guide. Go where thy inclination leads thee: thou wilt always be in the
+right road if thou do not open this box with the key; but, if thou art
+once in despair, and all hope has vanished of reaching the end of thy
+journey, thou mayest then open it."</p>
+
+<p>He made a sign with his hand, and immediately the two slaves were
+ready to conduct him away. Hassan took the boxes and the purses, which
+Jussuf could not carry, in his pockets, and bowed to go away.</p>
+
+<p>Then the dervish called after him, "Many persons have already fetched
+the Ketlafgat from us, and it has always come back to us: it will
+return from thee also."</p>
+
+<p>The slaves led them another way out of the garden into the entrance of
+a cave in the rock, shut the door behind them, and left them in a dark
+passage. They groped about with their hands, and soon felt a door.
+Hassan knocked again nine times with his hammer, and, behold, the door
+opened at the last blow, and they issued out at another end of the
+ruins of the destroyed town into the open air.</p>
+
+<p>"Now we dare speak again," said Hassan. "What dost thou think of
+doing? morning is not very distant. Wilt thou not return to the town,
+and unload thyself of thy treasures?"</p>
+
+<p>But Jussuf shook his head thoughtfully, and said, "What shall I do?
+What shall I say? I have lately witnessed such wonders that I am
+almost unable to think. I am no longer the man that I was, who had a
+decided will of his own. I appear to myself like a play-ball to beings
+of a superhuman nature. Every man, however, plays this part to a
+certain extent."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, bethink thee. See, I have packed up the treasures for thee, and
+would willingly be released soon from thee, for I must return to
+Shiraz in good time to-day, as thou probably knowest. Let us hasten,
+then, back to the little town: there thou canst consider with thy
+people what thou shalt do."</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf followed him in deep thought, and, soon arriving at the town,
+they entered the caravanserai. The slaves received their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> master with
+joy, for they had become suspicious at his going out without
+attendants, and, not coming back at night, they feared lest some
+misfortune should have happened to him.</p>
+
+<p>After he had laid down the purses and the boxes with the jewels, he
+turned to Hassan, and said, "Thou hast already performed so many
+services for me, that I must trespass and require still further from
+thee. I see that this train will be more troublesome than serviceable
+to me in my long journey; but I cannot leave it behind. Do me the
+pleasure of taking these slaves, camels, and all the treasures which
+are contained in each bale of goods, and travel with them as if they
+were thine own property. If I return happily, and thou art willing,
+should I be in need, to let me have part back again, I will accept it
+from thee as a free-will present; should I not return, I shall have no
+more need of them."</p>
+
+<p>After a short conversation, Hassan consented, and immediately ordered
+his camels to be laden to return to Shiraz. Jussuf took some of the
+boxes of precious stones, a good number of purses with sequins, and,
+above all, the box with the talisman Ketlafgat, loaded his horse with
+them, took leave of Hassan with heartfelt thankfulness, commanded his
+slaves to obey their new master, mounted his horse, and rode at the
+dawn of morning towards the rising of the sun.</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf had proceeded ten days in this direction without anything
+remarkable happening to him. On the evening of the eleventh day he
+arrived at a high hill, which appeared fruitless, not a tree or a bush
+to be seen. There was not a village, a hut, or a tent within his sight
+all round. He was obliged to resolve to pass the night under the open
+sky, and looked about to see to what he could fasten his horse; for,
+although it was a tame, trusty animal, yet he was afraid that it might
+run away in the night. At last, finding nothing, he unbuckled the
+pack-saddle, and let his steed pasture on the half-withered grass,
+which was the only thing there. Then he lay down on the ground, and
+soon fell asleep; but he suddenly awoke again, and, looking for his
+horse, found it had vanished; he looked towards the place where the
+saddle was laid&mdash;that was not there either. It was clear to him that a
+robber had taken his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> horse. He peered round in the deceptive
+moonlight, but could perceive nothing. He was much grieved, and said
+to himself, "It is quite just: I had a company of true servants, and
+have sent them away in a frivolous manner; I had immense riches, and
+have given them into the hands of a stranger without surety, who may
+live happily in their possession whilst I must starve." But he soon
+continued, with collected courage, "Yet of what use are all the goods
+of the earth to me? What help would a whole army of the most faithful
+and the boldest companions be to me? I seek a gift with which I shall
+ever be on the right road, as the dervish said, and I always carry the
+box and the golden key with me. Everything may go if the talisman
+Ketlafgat remains to me, which will preserve me if despair should
+seize me in the attainment of my wishes."</p>
+
+<p>As he spoke thus to himself, he saw a number of riders appear in the
+distance, and he soon perceived that they were riding straight to him.
+He looked round for some place of shelter; but there was no place on
+the level high plains where he could hide himself. The riders
+approached nearer: he saw them divide and form a cross, and so they
+advanced till they came quite near. Some of them alighted and went
+with drawn sabres to him. He found that all defence was vain, and,
+throwing away his sabre, he knelt down, bowing himself to the ground
+like a humble slave.</p>
+
+<p>"Seize him!" called out the leader of the horsemen, "and seat him on a
+spare horse, and bring him with us; but, by your lives, stand by me,
+and see that he does not escape."</p>
+
+<p>Both the horsemen to whom he had spoken these words inclined full of
+reverence to him, then seized Jussuf, bound his hands, and seated him
+on a horse, and, taking him between them, rode, alternately seizing
+the bridle of his horse, at a fast trot over the high plains. The
+remaining riders followed at a little distance. With short
+interruptions, which were necessary for the forage of the horses and
+the rest of the men and animals, they continued riding for several
+days. About the tenth day they reached a wide valley through which
+flowed a great river. Jussuf saw cultivated fields, gardens, and men's
+dwellings. They made him alight from his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> horse, and led him into the
+little room of a house. There they gave him everything necessary to
+make himself clean after so long a journey. For a man who had before
+lived in the greatest affluence, he had felt very heavily in these
+last days of his imprisonment his want of cleanliness: it seemed to
+him, therefore, a most wonderful favour of fate that they now brought
+him water with which to bathe himself, a comb, and some ointment for
+his beard, and signified to him that he was to take a bath and anoint
+himself. After he had bathed, combed his beard, and anointed himself,
+he was conducted to the garden of the house; and here the owner of it
+advanced towards him. After he had observed him with searching looks,
+he said to his companions,</p>
+
+<p>"Good! the man is quite right; keep him carefully and examine him for
+nine days, then we will take him to his place, and sacrifice him to
+the fire." He winked with his eye, and his servants took him back to
+his chamber, which they carefully watched.</p>
+
+<p>In his solitude Jussuf thought over his fate. He lamented again his
+thoughtlessness in exposing himself alone to the dangers of a journey
+in an unknown country; he bewailed his fate in falling into the hands
+of fire-worshippers, and tried several times to open the box with the
+golden key. Then said he to himself, "What hope can I now have of
+attaining the end of my wishes? I am a captive, and well watched; and
+if I am delivered from captivity, it will be to sacrifice me to the
+flames." Often hope woke again. He still possessed the treasures that
+he carried about his body, and they were not inconsiderable: he
+concealed them carefully, for he hoped that they might be a means of
+bribery to his companions on the road to sacrifice, and that he might
+thus purchase his freedom. He received daily clean and good food, and
+would have had nothing of which to complain, if he had not wanted
+freedom, and had not the fear of death before his eyes.</p>
+
+<p>On the morning of the ninth day he had a farther and faster passage
+from the house where he was imprisoned. Eighty black slaves rode
+forward on white horses. Then came as many white slaves on black
+horses. After these came a number of riders, whom Jussuf could easily
+discern to be those who had taken him prisoner.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> Behind these, and
+surrounded by them, rode the master of the country, who had destined
+him to be sacrificed. Then came twenty venerable grey-headed men, in
+red and gold striped garments, each of whom bore a broad glittering
+blade, and a bundle of dry bamboo-sticks. Behind them followed ten
+youths, with coal-dishes full of glowing coals. And now Jussuf was
+brought forth, and, with his hands fastened, and his feet chained to
+the horse, he rode between his former companions. Behind him followed
+a number of armed men, and then a crowd of people. In this order the
+procession wound along the valley. Towards evening they chose a place
+for encampment, and struck some tents. Jussuf was watched in a
+distinct tent. As he observed that stillness reigned in the camp, he
+approached the entrance of his tent, and called out, half aloud,</p>
+
+<p>"I am very thirsty. Is no one here who could bring me a refreshing
+drink?"</p>
+
+<p>The watchman who guarded his tent answered him, "When my hour is up, I
+will fetch you some water from the river. Till then remain quiet."</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" sighed Jussuf, "my lips thirst not for water; my soul thirsts
+after liberty. I will prove myself very grateful if you will let me
+escape."</p>
+
+<p>The watchman answered, "I dare not; for my life is at stake."</p>
+
+<p>This conversation continued for some time. Jussuf offered him six
+purses of sequins, and a large diamond, which was worth ten times
+their value. He had still a box of the finest and most costly
+diamonds, which he had taken from Hassan. But the guard always urged
+other objections. He did not deny that he would willingly win the
+prize; but he dreaded the consequences. Jussuf proposed that he should
+flee with him, and seek another home; but he would not listen to it.</p>
+
+<p>"I cannot separate from my wife and children; I must return home. What
+good would all the possessions of earth be to me if I were obliged to
+live a fugitive in a strange country, and consume my life longing
+after my kindred?"</p>
+
+<p>Then a thought flashed through Jussuf's mind. "Let me stop your
+mouth&mdash;let me bind and tie you, that they may perceive that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> you were
+overcome. When they find you so, you can exculpate yourself, saying
+that I was too strong for you&mdash;that I stopped your mouth, so that you
+could not cry for help. I will give you what I have said, and you can
+bury it in the sand, and dig it up at some fit season."</p>
+
+<p>The bargain was soon struck. Jussuf gave him what he had promised. The
+guard buried the purses in the sand, hid the diamond in a fold of his
+garment, and then allowed Jussuf to tie his hands and feet, and to
+stop his mouth. Then Jussuf passed as quietly through the camp as he
+could, mounted one of the horses which stood ready saddled, and set
+off at a full gallop.</p>
+
+<p>Thus he escaped fortunately. He rode the whole night, and thereby won
+a lengthened start. But still he feared that they might perceive the
+track of the horse's hoofs, and follow him, and fetch him back; so he
+killed his horse (whose strength was relaxing) with his dagger, and
+fled into a neighbouring wood, where he hoped, by its thickness, to be
+screened from the pursuit of riders. Here he refreshed himself by
+drinking at a spring of water, and with fruits and berries, which grew
+there in abundance. He then went on farther and farther. He observed,
+in his flight, the traces of wild beasts, and was therefore afraid to
+lie down on the ground. In the evening he climbed a high tree, bound
+himself fast to a branch, and composed himself for the night. His seat
+was very uncomfortable, and he always feared danger. Still his
+resolution overcame his fear, and he slept quietly for some hours,
+and, strengthened with new courage, he descended, and continued his
+wanderings through the wood. He lived also this day on berries and
+wild fruits, and again ascended a high tree in the evening, in which
+he spent the night.</p>
+
+<p>Thus he passed several days. At last he remarked that here the land
+rose considerably. The wood soon became broken in parts with rocks;
+the growth of the trees was not so considerable; the shrubs gradually
+disappeared altogether; great masses of rock covered the ground.
+Between them grew luxuriantly small bushes. At last only grass and
+moss were to be seen. He went farther, and soon saw a bare high rock,
+from which extended, far and wide,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> only great wooded mountains. In
+the distance arose still higher cliffs over the woods, whose summits
+shone white in the sunlight; and from some of them there arose a thick
+smoke, as though there were a huge furnace underneath, the chimney
+being the top of the mountain. The air blew here cold and cutting.
+Jussuf thought he could not spend the night among the bare rocks, so
+he wandered on with activity. Before night came on he had reached a
+place where high trees were growing, and where he again found a safe,
+but uncomfortable, sleeping-place. He wandered about for many days on
+the wooded mountains, and again reached a high ridge, over which he
+passed, until he arrived at a valley through which a brook ran, in a
+serpentine direction, among verdant meadows. He traced the brook
+through the valley, and reached a spot where it flowed into a river.
+He now followed the course of the river, and as night came on before
+he perceived any human habitations, he lay down on the bank among the
+high grass, and resolved to sleep there, since he had not seen any
+track of wild beasts in his passage through the valley. The hope of at
+last reaching some inhabited spot, after so long and lonely a
+wandering among deserted woods, had urged him on this day to a longer
+journey, and he was thereby much exhausted. He had also only slept for
+many days in a sitting and tiresome posture; he therefore found the
+high grass very agreeable, and slept till dawn of morning. He would
+probably have not even then awoke had he not been forced to do so.</p>
+
+<p>When he came to himself, he saw some men on the ground, who were busy
+fastening his hands and feet with fine but very strong string. He
+wrestled with them, and threw them down. But all was in vain: he was
+bound, and they laid him on a litter of bamboo-sticks, and carried him
+off with rapid strides. They soon reached a place where the river
+became deeper, and broader, so that it was navigable for boats. Here
+lay a vessel on the bank, into which they carried him, and conveyed
+him up the stream. After a journey of several hours, they reached a
+great city. They passed by several gardens and country houses, and at
+last arrived at the middle of the city, which was divided by the
+river, but connected by several<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span> high bridges. They lay off the shore,
+and carried Jussuf out of the ship into the court of a great palace,
+where everybody collected at once from the neighbourhood, even the
+casual passers-by. They observed him with curious looks, handled his
+clothes, which were all cut and torn about by his wanderings in the
+thicknesses of the woods, and laughed at him. At last the owner of the
+palace appeared at the principal gate with a large retinue of
+distinguished servants. From the respect of those around him, and the
+awe with which all present withdrew to a distance, Jussuf concluded
+that he must be the Sultan, or the Prince of the country. He looked at
+the poor captive, and spoke to his servants in a language which Jussuf
+did not understand. They immediately brought a large cage of strong
+bamboo-poles. Jussuf was unbound, pushed in, and locked up. They then
+brought out a tame elephant, put the cage on it, and so led him
+through the streets of the town, whilst the crier called out some
+taunting thing in every street, and pointed at him with his stick. The
+boys threw stones at him, and even persons of more mature age derided
+him in every possible manner. If he showed himself in pain from any of
+the stones hitting him, and crouched up, or if he evaded any of the
+stones by the bars of his prison, every one burst out into an
+immoderate fit of laughter. Tired of their ill treatment, he cowered
+on the ground, turning his face downwards, and putting his hands over
+his head, to guard it against the blows of the stones. As soon as the
+crier remarked this, he pushed him with his long stick, and gave him
+such pokes in the ribs, that he was obliged to sit up. Jussuf was
+enraged and in despair. He turned round as quickly as possible in his
+narrow cage, seized a bar of the lattice-work, and, shaking it,
+screamed out,</p>
+
+<p>"Is there any man among you who understands my language? Do you take
+me, then, for a strange outlandish animal, that you lead me about in a
+cage as a sight?"</p>
+
+<p>And, as no one answered him, he despaired anew, and upbraided his
+tormentors. New laughter followed this. At last they accomplished the
+circuit of the town. At the palace the cage was again taken down from
+the elephant's back and placed on four posts, of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> the height of a
+man's stature, which stood in the court before the entrance of the
+garden of the palace. They brought him some food, consisting of
+parboiled rice, which, in his displeasure, he allowed to remain
+untouched. At first, several curious people had collected from among
+the servants around him; but they soon dispersed, and left him alone
+to despair and bitter reflection.</p>
+
+<p>He thought on his situation, and how he was in a distant land where
+nobody understood his language, nor could aid in delivering him from
+his mournful imprisonment. At this moment death would have been
+welcome. He seized his dagger, which he had carefully concealed in a
+fold of his robe, intending to put an end to his life by its means. As
+he drew it from the sheath, a ray of the sun fell on the blade, and
+reflected back the fiery glance so as to dazzle his eyes like a glow
+of fire. A spark lighted his talisman, and immediately he remembered
+the words of his old preceptor Modibjah. He put the dagger back, and
+took from his bosom the pouch containing the talisman; but, as he
+looked at the stone, the spark disappeared. It was a milk-white stone,
+like an ordinary fragment of white porcelain: then he breathed on it
+with a deep sigh, and with his lips said, "Haschanascha!"</p>
+
+<p>Scarcely had he pronounced this name, than a slave appeared, passed
+before the cage, and said, "Oh, you poor knave, how I pity you!"</p>
+
+<p>As Jussuf heard these words, he cried out joyfully, "That is my native
+language! Oh, pity an unfortunate, and tell me why I am so
+maltreated!"</p>
+
+<p>"I dare not now," answered the slave: "wait till midnight, then I will
+come and speak to you. I pity you exceedingly: at the first glance I
+recognized you as a countryman, and wished extremely to lighten your
+fate." With these words he disappeared through another door in the
+palace.</p>
+
+<p>The thought that he had found a man with whom he could converse on his
+misfortune, and who felt a sympathy for him, consoled Jussuf: all idea
+of killing himself was quite forgotten; on the contrary, he saw
+himself again free to pursue his journey. In this disposition he felt
+with renewed vigour the necessity of supporting<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> life, and partook of
+the meal spread before him. The strengthening of his body refreshed
+his spirits. In gaining tranquillity of mind and body, his sorrows
+passed away, and he fell asleep in his cage. He awoke at midnight: the
+slave had come to speak to him.</p>
+
+<p>"If you will promise with a holy oath," said he to Jussuf, "that you
+will not place me in danger by your conduct, but will talk with me
+quietly, for the time of our conversation, I will let you out of the
+cage."</p>
+
+<p>"By the beard of the Prophet!" swore Jussuf, "I will be very quiet,
+and will not put you in any danger."</p>
+
+<p>At this oath, the slave climbed up a small ladder and opened the cage,
+which was fastened very cunningly without a lock, but so that nobody
+could open it unless he knew the secret. He helped Jussuf down, and
+went with him into the garden, the door of which stood open. There
+they seated themselves, and Jussuf asked,</p>
+
+<p>"Why am I imprisoned? What is the reason that I am held up in this
+scandalous manner as a show, and shut up in a cage like a wild beast?"</p>
+
+<p>To these questions the slave replied, "The King and the inhabitants of
+this city are worshippers of a snake; their idol is a great serpent,
+to whom they have erected a large and magnificent temple, where he is
+attended by a great number of priests: the priests mislead the people,
+and what they wish takes place. Now, the King has one Princess&mdash;the
+daughter of his wife by a former marriage&mdash;she is black like a
+negress; but she has learned from her mother to know and to venerate
+the Prophet. The King loves this black Princess dearly as an only
+daughter; but the priests have misled him, and persuaded him to send
+her away from the Court and city, and to keep her confined in a palace
+built under a stream; for they have a prophecy, according to which, at
+the time when the white summit of that mountain, which lies to the
+north-east from the tower of the palace and from the cupola of the
+temple, can be seen to smoke, a man shall come to the kingdom who
+shall marry the King's daughter, and put all the worshippers of the
+serpent to fire and sword. Now," he continued, "the mountain has begun
+to smoke: the King has therefore, by the advice of his priests, given<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span>
+commandment to his servants to seize all the foreigners they meet,
+that they may be sacrificed to their idol. So you were found, and are
+now destined to be a victim. The priests know of your imprisonment,
+and are making preparations for a very grand sacrifice, which is to
+last seven days."</p>
+
+<p>"What!" cried Jussuf, "shall I be offered to a snake&mdash;to a stupid,
+superstitious fancy?" He wept, and begged and prayed the slave to let
+him escape.</p>
+
+<p>"How will you escape?" asked the slave. "It is not possible through
+the palace&mdash;guards are at every entrance; and you would also fall into
+the hands of the watchmen in the city. You cannot fly over the garden
+wall, for on the other side is a deep ditch, full of mud and water. If
+you jumped over, you would be embedded in the mud."</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf exhausted himself in prayers and entreaties to persuade the
+slave to help him in his flight.</p>
+
+<p>"Only one means is possible," he replied. "To-morrow is the day on
+which a messenger is usually sent to the Princess's palace, to
+inquire, in the King's name, after her health and wishes. I have many
+times had this commission, and will offer again. If I go, I am sure
+she will have me brought before her, as she knows I belong to the
+Faithful, and speak many languages which she learned from her mother.
+I will relate to her your imprisonment, and ask her assistance or
+counsel. She is as clever as good and innocent, and can give excellent
+advice."</p>
+
+<p>Although Jussuf placed little reliance on this plan, still there was
+some hope of success, and the only hope that he could find. He
+therefore agreed to it, and returned to his cage, in which the slave
+fastened him, having told him that if he did not return at noon, he
+was to take it as a sign that he was sent on the embassy to the
+Princess.</p>
+
+<p>On the morrow a slave brought him some food, and curious people came
+with the King's servants to see him; but the day passed without Jussuf
+being able to observe his countryman among the remaining slaves in the
+court below. Full of hope, he watched<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span> the approach of night, when he
+hoped to receive counsel and help. The slave came at midnight and
+called him by his name.</p>
+
+<p>"Now," said Jussuf, "what news do you bring?"</p>
+
+<p>"Alas! my lord," answered the slave, "I know not what to think.
+Although the Princess is a faithful follower of the Prophet, she was
+very quiet when I related your history: I expected she would have
+concerned herself about your being offered to a snake; but she heard
+me tranquilly."</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf asked if she had not sent him any counsel.</p>
+
+<p>"No; she said no other word," answered the slave, "than, 'Tell your
+countryman that everybody must be obedient, and resigned to the will
+of Heaven. Heathenish prophecies are often the consequence of godly
+truth and wisdom.'"</p>
+
+<p>"What can I conclude from that?" said Jussuf. "In Allah's name, I must
+give myself up as a sacrifice to a snake, because it is the will of
+Heaven!"</p>
+
+<p>He then broke out in desperate tears and cries.</p>
+
+<p>"Listen," said the slave: "do not abandon all hope; I will give you
+good counsel. She has charged me to tell the King that to-morrow she
+wishes once more to visit her father in his palace. This is the first
+time since she has dwelt in her own palace. The King has sent her
+permission, as he thinks the prophecy cannot be now fulfilled, seeing
+that he has you in his power. She will certainly go into the garden,
+and pass through that farther door. When she passes, call her, and
+relate your case, and beg her to deliver you. She understands your
+language, and will certainly feel pity when she hears and sees you."
+He now turned away as a glimmer of light fell on him from one of the
+palace windows. "Farewell, I must away," whispered he; "it must not be
+betrayed that I have given you advice. Do not forget to call to her:
+only from her can you hope for anything. Call her Haschanascha: that
+is her name." With these words he left the palace quickly.</p>
+
+<p>"Haschanascha is her name! How? Is not that the name of her whom I was
+to call in the ruins of the destroyed capital? Shall I not call her if
+the spark in Modibjah's talisman no longer shines? Is not Haschanascha
+the magic word which has led me<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span> here alone, away from all men who
+understand my language and share my anxieties?"</p>
+
+<p>So he spoke to himself, and determined to follow the counsel given him
+by the slave.</p>
+
+<p>After he had passed the night, partly in unquiet wakefulness, partly
+in dozing, he observed in the early part of the morning a great
+disturbance and unusual business in the courtyard. It was quiet in the
+inner court, when the Princess at last came. At this moment all
+pressed into the square before the palace. When Jussuf saw this, he
+pulled the talisman out of his pocket, and thought, "I must see if the
+stone preserves its spark. It seems a good sign of deliverance." And,
+behold, as he drew it forth, the red spot shone more fiery than ever.
+At noon he suddenly heard a trampling, as if the procession of slaves
+of the Princess were going into the garden. He attentively watched the
+appointed door, and he soon saw her pass, and her father, followed by
+a long train.</p>
+
+<p>At this moment Jussuf cried out, "Haschanascha! Haschanascha! pity an
+unfortunate!"</p>
+
+<p>On hearing the cry she looked up at Jussuf, and the King also gazed at
+him full of astonishment. Meantime the Princess drew near, and he
+followed her close. When he had said some words to her, she asked
+Jussuf,</p>
+
+<p>"My King and foster-father asks who taught you the name Haschanascha?"</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf knew that he ought not to betray the faithful slave, and yet he
+wished to confess the truth. He said, therefore,</p>
+
+<p>"Before I knew that it was the name of a human being, my old teacher,
+Modibjah, taught me, whatever difficulties and dangers befell me, to
+pronounce the word Haschanascha. It has always been a defence to me
+whenever I have pronounced it. May it this time also procure me
+assistance!"</p>
+
+<p>"You have named to me a very dear name," answered the Princess; "and
+it is a sign that you are he whom I must release from being
+sacrificed. But there is only one way&mdash;you must be my husband. This is
+the command of a higher being whom you<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span> must obey. Examine, if you
+will not thus purchase life and liberty at too dear a price. Without
+the fulfilling of this condition, I cannot deliver you. I give you
+time for consideration. When I return from the garden, let me know
+your determination."</p>
+
+<p>She pronounced these words in a loud, earnest tone, and then turned
+with her father into the garden. The train of slaves accompanied them.
+Jussuf gave himself up to deep thought.</p>
+
+<p>"I had selected a different one for my future bride; I would not take
+many wives, according to our customs, but only one companion for life,
+who was my playfellow, whom I have sought for, and for whose sake I
+have encountered these dangers. If I take this black Princess for my
+wife, it will only be from love of life, that I may be freed from
+prison. Then I must leave my old playfellow."</p>
+
+<p>He thus meditated for some time, and at last resolved of the two evils
+to choose the lesser. When the Princess returned from the garden, he
+called her by name, and she approached with her father, and asked him,
+with an earnest mien and firm tone, what resolution he had adopted.</p>
+
+<p>"How could I remain a moment in doubt?" answered he. "You, dearest
+Princess, will condescend to a poor unknown, and become my wife. You
+are the sun of my life. Without you life is worth nothing."</p>
+
+<p>At these words she broke out into a hearty laugh. When she had
+finished laughing, she said, "Ah! I see you are like all men&mdash;a
+hypocrite and a jester. Much truth is in your jesting words. I am the
+sun of your life! Without me life would be worth nothing! Indeed,
+without me, you would be sacrificed to a snake!" She seated herself,
+and said, "Be not afraid: swear to me by the Prophet that you will
+take me for your wife, and you shall to-day be delivered from your
+prison."</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf swore; and now she turned to her father, and spoke earnestly
+with him in his language. But the faithful slave approached the cage,
+and interpreted all that was said.</p>
+
+<p>"It is not prudent to keep this man imprisoned without knowing whether
+he is the right one to offer to the snake. You have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> seized the best,
+and in the meanwhile justice is forgotten. Have the priests to the
+snake called, that they may see him, and that I may speak with them."</p>
+
+<p>The King answered that this would be easy, as two priests had arrived
+from the snake's temple, before they had gone into the garden, to
+demand an audience.</p>
+
+<p>They were called, and there soon appeared the priests in long white
+garments, with particoloured girdles.</p>
+
+<p>"Is this the man pointed out by your god?" asked she, as they
+approached Jussuf's cage.</p>
+
+<p>"It is, it is!" they cried in the same voice, and bowed humbly before
+the Princess.</p>
+
+<p>"What have you for a sign?" she again asked.</p>
+
+<p>"We have no sign," they answered; "but he it is."</p>
+
+<p>"You have no sign! How, then, do you know he is the right one?" asked
+she.</p>
+
+<p>To which they answered, "The divine snake has discovered it."</p>
+
+<p>Then she replied, with contempt, "Be silent to me about your snake!"
+And she turned to the King, and said, "My King and father, will you
+suffer yourself any longer to be deceived by these stupid and
+obstinate men? They give out that they have divine knowledge, and yet
+they are as ignorant as a maiden of sixteen! I beg you, have their
+god, the snake, brought here, and I will prove that I speak truth; but
+they, only deceit and falsehood."</p>
+
+<p>At these words, the priests doubled their fists, and struck their
+foreheads and breasts, and bowed themselves to the ground, and jumped
+about as if seized by convulsions.</p>
+
+<p>Then the King looked at the Princess with a frightened countenance,
+and said, "Child, take heed what you do; revile not the gods."</p>
+
+<p>All the servants who stood around were astonished, not rightly
+comprehending what was passing. But the Princess earnestly coaxed the
+King to cause the priests to bring the divine serpent there, that they
+might test the truth of what she had spoken. The King gave the
+command, and the priests left; at the Princess's request the King
+remained. All stood around in anxious expectation.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>They had not to wait long before a numerous train of priests appeared,
+eight of whom bore, on four golden staves, a costly chest adorned with
+gold, ebony, and precious stones, and placed it in the middle of the
+court. Then they bowed before the King, and the high priest stepped
+forward and said,</p>
+
+<p>"The King has given us an unusual command, and we fear that a great
+misfortune is about to happen. What is the reason that we are summoned
+from the recesses of the temple, and must even bring the divine snake
+in its chest with us?"</p>
+
+<p>Then the Princess said, "I will explain all. It is doubted that you
+really take charge of a divine snake; therefore let the chest be
+opened, and show it to the people."</p>
+
+<p>Then the priests answered, "Do the people doubt of our god? Let the
+doubters approach and be convinced."</p>
+
+<p>He opened the lid, and every one saw a great snake in the chest It lay
+stupefied, as snakes usually do after a heavy repast.</p>
+
+<p>The Princess approached the chest, and cried, "Behold, doubters! is
+not this a snake?" Then she turned to the high priest, and asked, "Has
+your god shown you no sign by which you may know the man that ought to
+be sacrificed?" The high priest mused, but did not reply. Then she
+said, "Now I will show you the truth. Man does not properly understand
+heavenly things. I honour your prudence; but answer me another
+question. Would your god know its enemies if there were any such here?
+And would he revenge himself on them if they attempted his life?"</p>
+
+<p>"Certainly, certainly!" vociferated the priest. "Fire would fall from
+heaven and destroy them."</p>
+
+<p>"Very well," she said; "I am the enemy, and your god dies by my hand."
+And quickly, even before she had quite uttered these words, she drew
+her poniard and with it pierced the head of the snake, so that the
+weapon ran into its chest and transfixed it.</p>
+
+<p>The priests gave a common cry, and the King seized the Princess by
+both arms, and pulled her back.</p>
+
+<p>"My child, my child!" he cried, "what have you done?"</p>
+
+<p>"What you, my father, ought long since to have done," she replied.
+"Will you all believe," she called aloud to the spectators,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> "that I
+have done right in killing this snake, if I tell you what you will
+find within it?"</p>
+
+<p>After a short pause, the King answered, "Yes, certainly." And the
+people cried, "Then is the snake rightly slain&mdash;it was no god."</p>
+
+<p>The priests said to the King, "She shall tell us; but we will accuse
+her of its death if she does not speak truth."</p>
+
+<p>The Princess cried with a firm voice, "Let it be so; I promise them."</p>
+
+<p>The King bowed consent.</p>
+
+<p>Then she said, "There is a man among us whose wife sits at home
+weeping and bewailing, for she had a beautiful little boy, eighteen
+months old, who often ran about the streets. This child did not return
+home yesterday: it was taken to the snake's temple, and the priests
+know where it is. Let the man step forward and seek his child in the
+snake's belly."</p>
+
+<p>While she was speaking, a deep silence reigned around; but now a man
+broke forth from the crowd, and said, "It is true; I am the man. My
+beautiful boy, my Hamed, has not returned, and my wife sits at home
+and weeps. I left her, for I could not bear to hear her lament."</p>
+
+<p>Then arose a common shout of astonishment and compassion from all, and
+he waited long for silence.</p>
+
+<p>Then the Princess said to the man, "Draw your sword, cut open the
+snake, and you will find your child. I do not know if life still
+remain in him&mdash;the snake has only swallowed it an hour."</p>
+
+<p>The man approached the chest, drew his sword with a trembling hand,
+and opened the snake with an anxious face. When, behold, he pulled out
+his child! He immediately ran with him from the palace, as he thought
+he discovered some slight traces of life in him. Then the priests fell
+on their knees before the King, and begged for pardon.</p>
+
+<p>But the people, who were assembled in great crowds, cried, "Down with
+them! down with them!" and laid hands on them, as the King commanded
+them to be imprisoned.</p>
+
+<p>The Princess now turned to the King, and said, "Let us release this
+unfortunate man: he has come as a stranger into our land, to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> whom you
+ought to have shown hospitality; instead of which you have imprisoned
+him as a criminal; you have mocked and jeered him, whilst, by your
+oath, you should have allowed him to quit your city free. Let what you
+have said in mockery of him be now reversed to his honour; for a
+King's word must not be blown away by the wind. This and no other
+shall be my husband."</p>
+
+<p>The King commanded, and the prisoner was immediately freed. He bowed
+thankfully to the King and Princess. The King raised him, embraced
+him, called him his son, and led him to the Princess, saying,</p>
+
+<p>"Let him be your husband: the solemnities of marriage shall be
+immediately prepared."</p>
+
+<p>He caused his servants to proclaim through the city that the marriage
+of Princess Haschanascha was to be celebrated the next day, and all
+people were invited to assemble before the palace and to feast there.
+In his palace he pointed out to Jussuf a wing, in the apartments of
+which he for the future should dwell with his wife.</p>
+
+<p>But the Princess said, "I will inhabit the apartments which I formerly
+dwelt in in this palace; for I only consider myself as his betrothed,
+till an imam of the religion which we both profess has pronounced over
+us the marriage blessing."</p>
+
+<p>The King did not oppose her, but said, "You may command all as it
+pleases you. Since yesterday, I have discovered that you possess more
+knowledge and wisdom than the rest of mankind."</p>
+
+<p>The betrothal was celebrated with great splendour. The King, according
+to his former oath, showed Jussuf all honour, carried him to his
+different country seats, pointed out to him his gardens and lands,
+prepared many feasts, and did all to make his residence in his Court
+agreeable. The Princess accompanied them everywhere, and helped not a
+little to render these short journeys pleasing and satisfactory. She
+watched with great care for the convenience of her future husband, and
+sought to fulfil even his smallest wish before he had spoken it; so
+that Jussuf was often astonished, and said to himself, "She must read
+my thoughts before they arise." He felt that he was happy in
+everything except in her having a black complexion. One day they all
+went together<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> to a beautiful neighbouring hunting-seat, in the
+environs of which a grand hunt was held. The Princess Haschanascha
+took part in it. She rode on a tame elephant, over whose back was
+thrown a cloth embroidered with gold. On the middle of its back a
+couch was skilfully fastened, and over this a canopy was raised on
+four slender pillars of gold. Jussuf remained generally near her
+during the hunt. He rode on a beautiful horse of the most noble race,
+which the King had sent him from his stable. Whenever he saw a curious
+bird or a wild beast, he aimed so well that the animal always fell
+pierced by his arrow. In the evening when they returned to the palace
+from the wood, Jussuf wished to remain there some days away from the
+bustle of the Court, and the King granted this wish. He left behind
+some servants to wait on him, and returned with his daughter to the
+capital.</p>
+
+<p>At parting, Haschanascha appeared very sad, and Jussuf perceived tears
+in her eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"I know," said she, "this stay will be unfortunate for me; you will
+forget me: even the talisman of your teacher Modibjah will fall into
+other hands, and on it depends my life. Might it be that this
+body&mdash;this hateful black veil of Haschanascha&mdash;should fall to pieces
+if it might conduce to your happiness. You will soon awake from a
+bright dream to longer and more bitter sorrows."</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf consoled her, and represented that she troubled herself with
+useless fears. He took an affectionate farewell of her, and saw the
+procession depart not without emotion: he would willingly have
+accompanied her, but an irresistible feeling held him back. He went,
+as he was now quite alone, into the garden, which was adorned with
+curious flowers.</p>
+
+<p>"Why was it," said he anxiously to himself, "that Haschanascha was
+to-day so mournful at parting? She is so prudent, and with her clear
+eyes foresees the events of life. Why can she fear that I should ever
+allow Modibjah's talisman to get into a stranger's hands when I always
+wear it?" With these words he pulled the little bag out, and said,
+"No, I will never separate from you unless you are taken by force. But
+can robbers be sheltered in this land?"</p>
+
+<p>Whilst he asked himself these questions, he thought that it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> would be
+better not to carry it in his bosom, where it might easily be found if
+he were searched. He therefore wrapped it up carefully in the folds of
+his turban, and believed it to be quite safe.</p>
+
+<p>Night had spread its veil over the garden, and he returned to the
+palace. Wonderful dreams disturbed his sleep, and their impressions
+accompanied him when he went into the garden the next morning. He had
+dreamt a great deal about red poppy-flowers, and now he saw them
+before him in the garden-beds. He found some alone in a bed, and while
+he watched them he again saw in fancy the same butterfly that he had
+before seen in his own garden upon similar flowers, and the memory of
+the circumstances Of the last time were deeply graven in his soul.
+Then he again dwelt upon the maiden to seek whom he had made this
+journey. Thus, amid these reflections, he took hold of the wooden box
+which he had received from the dervish in the subterraneous chambers
+in the ruined city near Shiraz.</p>
+
+<p>"Without thee," said he, "could I never have obtained the object of my
+desires? And of what use have you been to me till to-day? You ought to
+lead me straight to my mark, and I should always be in the right way
+as long as I did not open the box with the golden key. You indeed have
+led me through dangers and misery, and at the end to a betrothal with
+a maiden as different from the one I sought as day from night. And
+shall I open you only when I have lost all hope to attain my desire?
+Well, let us see what it contains."</p>
+
+<p>With these words he pulled out the golden key and unlocked the box;
+but he let it fall to the earth with a joyous cry, for scarcely had he
+opened it when the curious butterfly flew out, hovered in the sunshine
+over the flowers, and soon settled on one of the poppies. He quickly
+snatched off his turban, and covered with it the butterfly and the
+flowers. When he raised it, a figure was underneath, and before him
+stood his pleasant playfellow.</p>
+
+<p>"Are you truly she? Do I really see you at last?" he cried,
+astonished.</p>
+
+<p>"I am truly she," she answered. "Have you quite forgotten me, that you
+have allowed so long a time to elapse without asking<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> after me? But
+what have you done with your turban? Let us see."</p>
+
+<p>She took it from his head, sought in the folds, and pulled out the
+little bag with the talisman.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, oh!" cried she, returning his turban, "do you carry such things
+about with you? You will not want it any more: I will keep it." And
+she sprang forward.</p>
+
+<p>He ran after her and caught her, begging her to return his pouch,
+explaining that it contained a talisman which had hitherto preserved
+him from every danger.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," said she, when he paused, "and the only error is, that you
+have met with me again to-day."</p>
+
+<p>She assured him that she would never return the talisman, and began
+many games with him as they had done in the garden at Balsora. At
+dinner-time he asked her to go into the palace to take some
+refreshment. She looked at him with a scornful laugh, and said, "I? Go
+under a roof&mdash;sit to table with you to partake of meats prepared from
+the flesh of animals and the flour of wheat? What can you mean? Do you
+not recollect the fig that we ate together? It still nourishes me; but
+I know that you need more."</p>
+
+<p>She went to a neighbouring bush, plucked a white blossom, and offered
+it to him. "There, drink honey," said she.</p>
+
+<p>When he took the flower, it changed into a silver-gilt goblet filled
+with delicious drink. He drank, and felt himself quite refreshed,
+strengthened, and satisfied. They again played many childish games
+together, and the maiden always invented new pastimes. The day passed
+by, and Jussuf did not perceive how the hours flew away: the sun was
+just sinking; then his playfellow sprang over a neighbouring bush, and
+cried, "Good night."</p>
+
+<p>As she passed over the flowers of the bush, she disappeared from
+Jussuf's eyes, and he saw only the butterfly flying. When he returned
+to the palace, his servants were much rejoiced. They had waited for
+him since noon, and had searched for him in the gardens, as an embassy
+had been sent from the capital to bring him news that the Princess had
+suddenly fallen ill. He caused the messengers to be brought before
+him, to learn from them all the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> attendant circumstances. He
+discovered from them that she had retired to rest early the preceding
+evening, and had risen quite well in the morning after a peaceful
+slumber; but hardly had the sun shone half an hour, when she fell, and
+was obliged to be carried to her apartments. She soon came to herself,
+but felt very weak, and informed her sorrowing father that she must
+die. Jussuf was very thoughtful, for he remembered her warning about
+the talisman, and also recollected that it was exactly the same hour
+in which the maiden had taken it from the folds of his turban. He
+resolved early the next morning to desire the talisman from her
+earnestly, and then to hasten to the city; and commanded the embassy
+to return at sunrise the next day, to announce his arrival in the
+evening. In the loneliness of night he felt angry with himself. But
+the loss of the talisman, which exceedingly disquieted him, was not
+the only reason: it was a mortifying feeling to him that he had passed
+the whole day in childish sports, according to the caprice of his
+playfellow. He thought over all the words they had spoken, and found
+nothing in them but excessive frivolity.</p>
+
+<p>He arose the next morning by daybreak, and at sunrise he again stood
+in the garden. Scarcely had the sun's rays dried the dew, when the
+beautiful butterfly hovered over the beds. Once more it settled on a
+poppy. Jussuf covered it with his turban&mdash;the change was again
+completed&mdash;the maiden once more stood before him. He immediately
+demanded of her the little bag with the talisman.</p>
+
+<p>She mocked him with a mischievous laugh, and said, "You shall not have
+it to-day: perhaps to-morrow, if you are polite."</p>
+
+<p>Then they again began their sports, and Jussuf soon forgot in their
+amusements everything else, and played and sported with her. She gave
+him, in the same manner as yesterday, honey to drink from a flower,
+after she had sipped a little herself, and knew how to draw him round
+the gardens in her sports, so that nobody met them. On this day also
+his servants sought him in the garden, and could not find him; another
+messenger had arrived from the city, wishing to speak to him in great
+haste.</p>
+
+<p>He did not return to the palace till she had flown away as a
+butterfly. The messenger informed him that the Princess still
+remained<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> very unwell, and that her weakness had materially increased
+when he did not arrive as he had promised. She had not said anything
+about this delay; but the King was very unhappy, and requested that he
+would come to the city the next day. He promised it, ordered the
+messenger to return at daybreak, and went into his sleeping-apartment.
+There he again reproached himself as on the previous day, and resolved
+to set out on the morrow, as soon as his playmate should return the
+talisman. When he met her the next day in the garden, he immediately
+asked for it.</p>
+
+<p>"How now, Jussuf?" said she. "What a tone! Is this the way to greet
+your frolicking playmate? Is it worth while to make such a fuss about
+a miserable fragment of stone?" She bowed to him, laughing, and ran
+off.</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf followed, and when he got near her, cried, "It concerns the
+life of the Princess."</p>
+
+<p>Then she stopped, and asked, "Is this the reason of your earnestness?
+The Princess? The black negress? What binds you to her? Do you
+consider her as a creature like yourself? And, even if it were so,
+what can such a tiresome serious person be to you? Have you ever
+played with her an hour so merrily as we have played the whole day?
+And, believe me, my stock is not yet nearly exhausted. I have
+novelties every day."</p>
+
+<p>She again began a game, and, before Jussuf could recollect himself, he
+had deeply entered into it; and he had soon forgotten the messenger,
+his intentions, and his resolutions. He played with her till evening,
+and returned to the palace when she had disappeared as usual. He had
+been sought for as on the former days, but in vain. A fresh messenger
+had brought still worse tidings of Haschanascha's health, and he made
+the bitterest reproaches to himself for his neglect. He ordered his
+horse to be saddled, and, as it was a moonlight night, he returned to
+the city with the messenger. At his arrival, he saw the windows of the
+apartment inhabited by his betrothed still illuminated. He immediately
+went in and inquired after her health: people shrugged their
+shoulders, and he hastened to go in to her. She lay, breathing
+faintly, on her pillow, and beckoned to him to draw near: she then
+motioned to the servants,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> who left the apartment. He threw himself on
+his knees by the couch and wept, mourned her affliction, and regretted
+that he had not paid more attention to her warnings.</p>
+
+<p>"I know how it has happened," she said; "still, the worst has not
+happened. You have been forced to leave the talisman in her hands:
+take care that she does not keep it with your consent. I am now weak
+and ill: I shall become still weaker; but so long as you possess the
+earnest wish to recover the talisman, my life will be preserved.
+Return, now, whence you came, and let not the King see you. He is
+angry with you because he is sure you are the cause of my illness."</p>
+
+<p>He obeyed her will, and returned to the hunting-seat by daybreak. He
+would not lose the vivid recollection of Haschanascha's mournful
+condition by going to sleep; but went immediately into the garden, and
+when the sun had sufficient influence to dry the dew on the flowers,
+he again saw the butterfly settle on a poppy. This time he kept his
+turban on his head, and tried to catch the butterfly with his hand;
+but it eluded him, and a wasp within the same flower stung his hand,
+so that it swelled very much. The butterfly flew away, and did not
+return to the garden. The hours passed very slowly, and would have
+seemed longer if his mind had not been agitated by various plans to
+recover the talisman. To do this, he must find its present possessor,
+and he reproached himself with having allowed the butterfly to escape
+by his awkwardness. At noon he returned to the palace, to the great
+astonishment of his servants, who were now accustomed not to see him
+all day. When he had eaten, he reposed a few hours on his couch, and,
+on his awaking, a messenger had come from the city with the news that
+the Princess was better since the morning. Thus the day concluded with
+more inward peace than heretofore: only one fear made him sad, that
+perhaps the butterfly had disappeared for ever from the garden, and
+then he could never recover his talisman.</p>
+
+<p>But the next morning, when he went into the garden, he found the
+butterfly perched on a poppy in the sunshine. He threw his turban over
+it, and again the maiden stood before him. He asked her why she had
+not come the previous day, and she answered,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Oh, there was a clumsy peasant in the garden who tried to catch me in
+his hand, like an ugly fly! He would have rubbed the beautiful dust
+off my wings; and then, what would have become of my beauty? I could
+not allow it, for my clothing is beautiful." She laughed so
+maliciously, that he well knew who she meant by the clumsy peasant.</p>
+
+<p>Before he could reply, she had engaged him in a new game, and then in
+another, and so on, that he could find no opportunity to demand the
+talisman. Even so passed the next and some following days. Messengers
+arrived daily from the city to bring news of the Princess's health.
+But these news were not comforting: the invalid grew worse from day to
+day, and the whole company of physicians knew no name for the disease,
+nor could they apply a remedy. If the priests were to be believed,
+this long and extraordinary sickness was a consequence of killing the
+sacred snake, and a punishment from heaven. Scarcely had this
+conclusion reached the King's ear, than it found credence in his weak
+mind. He caused the still imprisoned high priest to be called before
+him, and he advised that the priests should be immediately set at
+liberty, and reinstated in their former rank. It was proclaimed
+through the city that sacrifices and gifts should be offered, and that
+all the people were to return to the worship of the snake. The priests
+gave it out that they had found a similar snake, and Jussuf was again
+destined for the principal sacrifice, as the Princess lay so near
+death that she scarcely breathed or gave any sign of life. Jussuf had,
+in the meanwhile, passed many days in play; and, although he daily
+received tidings of the Princess, he was ignorant of everything else
+that passed in the capital. On one of the last days, he proposed to
+his playfellow that she should be his wife, and go home with him.</p>
+
+<p>But she laughed, and said, "Are you not already betrothed to
+Haschanascha? Did you think I did not know it? I also know that you
+have dared this with many women. You have turned your house into a
+seraglio, as birds are kept in a cage. How hateful must such a life
+be! Shall I allow myself to be bound for life by the speaking of a
+hoary imam? Heaven forbid it!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> She began to jump and dance before
+Jussuf, while she sang:</p>
+
+<div>
+<img src="images/image_161_01.jpg" width="272" height="183" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+<img class="figleft2" src="images/image_161_03.jpg" width="202" height="151" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+<img class="figleft2" src="images/image_161_05.jpg" width="400" height="294" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"A happy life, a roving wing,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">A sprightly dance, a voice to sing,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">To sport 'mid flowers and crowns of spring,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Such, such be the life for me.<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">No care to-day, no toil the morrow,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Ever sunshine, never sorrow:<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">I sip and quaff the honied wine<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">With my rosy lips divine.<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Fearless I stray, whate'er my will,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Seeking pleasure, pleasure still.<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Such, such be the life for me:<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Who aims at more, a fool is he."<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>When she had finished her song, she bowed before Jussuf in a mocking
+mood, and said,</p>
+
+<p>"How does that please you, Jussuf? Why, you are making a face as if
+you had drunk poison. What thoughts are now passing through your
+head?"</p>
+
+<p>"I am thinking of the talisman," answered Jussuf. "Give it me to-day.
+Haschanascha lies at the point of death."</p>
+
+<p>"What of that?" asked she, jestingly: "if there be one such black
+creature more or less in the world, what consequence is it to you?
+Come, will you give me your talisman? It has served you well. Be
+polite for once, and say that you give it me."</p>
+
+<p>She approached him, patted his cheek with her left hand, and holding
+out the talisman with her right, said smiling,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Does it belong to me? Is it not true that you have given it me?"</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf's first impulse was to say Yes; but when he looked into her
+eyes, and, instead of human eyes, saw a great number of butterflies'
+eyes, horror came over him. He snatched away the talisman, and threw
+it quickly over his head, calling on Haschanascha's name.</p>
+
+<p>At this moment Haschanascha's elephant appeared exactly as he had seen
+it at the hunt. A brown slave, with a head-dress of beautiful feathers
+and variegated jewels, acted as leader, with a short staff in his
+hand. A maiden holding a drawn bow knelt on the elephant, and before
+Jussuf perceived it, the arrow flew from the bow, and his playfellow
+lay in his arms, pierced through with the arrow. Fright and
+astonishment took possession of him. Before he recovered himself, the
+elephant, with its guide, had disappeared, and also the deadly-struck
+maiden lay no longer in his arms. He looked on the ground to find
+traces of her blood, which he had seen gush out. There lay the
+beautiful butterfly, transfixed with a needle shaped like an arrow, as
+men keep such insects in a collection. He took it from the ground, and
+perceived again the wooden box and golden key which he had formerly
+opened and dropped. In doubt whether he were awake or asleep, he shut
+the butterfly fast up in the box, and was going thoughtfully away.
+Then the faithful slave came running to him, quite breathless, and
+cried,</p>
+
+<p>"Flee quickly through the garden! The servants of the priests have
+already arrived in the palace-yard, and ask for you: you are again
+destined for a sacrifice."</p>
+
+<p>He asked after the Princess.</p>
+
+<p>"She must be dead," answered the slave, and pressed him, half with
+prayers and entreaties, and half with force, to take flight.</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf hastened through the garden into the wood which joined it, and
+ran like a startled roe urged forward by terror and dread of its
+pursuers. The wood covered his flight. He came to the river below the
+capital, and found a ship about to go down the stream. The man who
+guided it yielded to his earnest request, took him in, and immediately
+set sail. At the approach of night, Jussuf thought they would have
+landed; but the man informed him, to his great<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> joy, that the moon
+would shine clearly, and favour their voyage. They let the ship float
+down, and only guided it with a rudder now and then, when they saw a
+rock or a dangerous place stand out of the water.</p>
+
+<p>At midnight Jussuf made the man understand that he would guide the
+rudder. He gave it up readily, and lay down to sleep. He sat alone in
+the stillness of night at the helm, and thought over the events of the
+last few days. All passed distinctly before his mind. He remembered
+Haschanascha's sorrow at his resolution to remain alone at the
+hunting-seat; her warning about the talisman; her illness when he no
+longer possessed it; her life withering away, and her death. Then he
+thought of the sorrow of her foster-father the King, and how he had
+again fallen under the dominion of the crafty and deceitful
+snake-priests. Also the image of his playful companion rose before
+him, and the merry childish sports in which they had both joined, and
+in which he had always forgotten all the care and sorrow of
+Haschanascha.</p>
+
+<p>He saw her, again, pierced by the arrow, sinking in his arms. He also
+remembered Haschanascha's appearance as she knelt on the elephant, and
+shot the deadly arrow at his companion. Could this only have been a
+shade of the dead one? or was it she herself? No; she herself was
+dead: the faithful slave had assured him so. All these reflections
+brought no peace to his soul. Involuntarily Haschanascha's superiority
+to his playfellow rose before him, and he felt with surprise that at
+these thoughts his cheeks were wet with tears.</p>
+
+<p>On the morrow they came near a city: he wished to recompense the
+seaman, who had now reached his destination. Whilst he sought for a
+piece of gold out of his purse, he remembered that he had left the box
+of diamonds with the rest of his goods in the palace in his hasty
+flight. The seaman would take nothing, but assured him that by having
+taken charge of the vessel during the night he had quite earned his
+passage-money.</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf parted from him with many thanks. In the city he sold his
+costly clothes, which he had bought new in the city of the
+snake-worshippers, clothed himself in the mean dress of a dervish,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span>
+had his eyebrows scraped off, and set off on foot along the course of
+the river. After a tedious wandering of some weeks, he happily reached
+the place where, in his former journey, he had observed the river flow
+by a city into the sea. He met there many who spoke his language, and
+from them he learned that a ship lay in the harbour, which was to sail
+the next day to Balsora. He immediately resolved to embark in it, and
+return home.</p>
+
+<p>The captain was very ready to take him, and when he asked about the
+passage-money, he answered, "What! you want to pay passage-money? What
+would my master say if I took anything from a poor devil like you? No,
+no, the rich merchant Jussuf of Balsora, who has twenty such ships on
+the sea, takes no passage-money from a poor dervish."</p>
+
+<p>"How!" asked Jussuf, "does the merchant Jussuf still live?"</p>
+
+<p>Then the captain laughed heartily, and said, "Indeed he lives. He is
+now, certainly, on a distant journey, but his business still prospers.
+Look at this proof. This box of diamonds is a treasure than which no
+Sultan has any more precious in his treasury, and this has been given
+me to-day by one of his servants to convey to Balsora."</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf saw with astonishment the box which he had left behind in his
+flight from the hunting-seat. He did not wish to be recognized in his
+poor condition, and feared to be taken for an impostor if he claimed
+the treasure. But he could not understand how the box could come into
+the captain's hands. He therefore turned to him, and said,</p>
+
+<p>"Forgive me, sir, my curiosity, and tell me if you knew Jussuf's
+servant who brought the box?"</p>
+
+<p>But the captain answered angrily, "Listen. I have certainly mistaken
+you, as I thought you were a dervish; therefore I am displeased that
+you speak so disrespectfully of the mighty merchant Jussuf, talking of
+him as if he were your equal. When you next pronounce his name, give
+him the honour due to him, and forget not the 'lord.' But as you asked
+if I knew the servant, know that I had never seen him before; but I
+did not doubt, when he gave it me in my lord's name. If he had given
+me only the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> ten thousandth part in worth in his lord's name, there
+would have been cause to doubt."</p>
+
+<p>The next day a favourable south wind blew; they weighed anchor, and
+the ship, under press of sail, left the harbour for the open sea.</p>
+
+<p>The voyage was prosperous. No cloud overcast the heavens, the wind
+continued favourable, and, in the shortest possible time, they landed
+in the Port of Balsora. There lay many new ships at anchor, ready
+prepared, and laden with various wares.</p>
+
+<p>"See," said the active captain to Jussuf, in saying farewell; "these
+new ships belong also to the same Lord Jussuf. Do not forget when you
+go into the city to see his palace, and also his warehouse in the
+bazaar."</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf promised not to forget it; and, on his entrance into the city,
+went straight to the bazaar. He passed through the row where his
+warehouse used to stand, and was astonished to see a much larger one
+in its place, adorned on the outside with precious metals and costly
+stones; but in the interior was contained riches and a great heap of
+jewels, such as he had seen in the subterranean chambers of the ruins
+near Shiraz.</p>
+
+<p>He pushed through the crowd, and saw that six young men were
+unceasingly occupied in selling. He pressed forward, and stood
+immediately before one of the traders.</p>
+
+<p>"To whom does this warehouse belong?" asked he, when no buyer seemed
+ready to occupy him.</p>
+
+<p>"You must only have arrived here to-day, if you do not know that there
+is only one merchant in Balsora who can display such riches. You must
+have heard the name of the merchant Jussuf, the king of merchants!"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, yes! I have certainly heard that name," answered Jussuf; "but I
+thought that he had shut up his warehouse, and gone on a far journey."</p>
+
+<p>"That is very true," replied the young man; "but a few weeks ago he
+sent his brother, Hassan Assad, who carries on the commerce, and has
+taken account of the treasures which he sends here from his journeys.
+This business is much increased; it is well seen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> that my Lord Jussuf
+does not leave his affairs in strange hands without good reason."</p>
+
+<p>"You named his brother, and I have heard that your lord had no
+brother. What do you, then, mean?" asked Jussuf.</p>
+
+<p>"Hassan Assad is not his brother, but his wife's brother," was the
+answer.</p>
+
+<p>"His wife?" asked Jussuf, with unfeigned astonishment.</p>
+
+<p>"I know not how it seems to you," said the young man. "What is there
+so much to be wondered at, and to stand with open mouth? Why should
+not my Lord Jussuf have a wife? for he might have them by the dozen.
+If all this interests you so much, go to his palace: there are idle
+people enough there that can satisfy your curiosity. I have no time:
+some buyers are waiting whom I have neglected by my conversation with
+you."</p>
+
+<p>He turned to the customers, apologized for his inattention, and
+demanded their wishes.</p>
+
+<p>Jussuf resolved to follow his advice and go to the palace. He no
+longer recognized it: two small palaces which stood on each side had
+been thrown down, and, in their places, two wings had been added to
+his own. The principal door of the middle palace stood open, and many
+male and female servants went in and out. He asked one of the porters
+to whom the palace belonged, and received the same answer as at the
+bazaar.</p>
+
+<p>"But will your lord ever come again?" he asked. "He has been gone a
+long while; no man knows where he is, and he has sent no messengers
+back."</p>
+
+<p>"What! sent no messenger?" cried both porters in a breath; "he has
+sent his wife here a long time since, and has himself arrived to-day.
+His brother Hassan Assad has always had sure news of him, and so he
+knew of his arrival to-day, and has prepared everything for his
+reception. His old teacher, who had not before been seen for years,
+has come forth to-day from his solitude, and arrived here."</p>
+
+<p>"What! Modibjah also here?" he asked.</p>
+
+<p>"See, see!" answered both, "you know his name better than we. Yes,
+yes, his name is Modibjah: I could not recollect."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Let me go in, good people," said he, "that I may speak to him."</p>
+
+<p>"No, no," said one of them, obstructing the way; "what business have
+you in? The marriage ceremony is about to be performed in the hall,
+after the manner of our religion; the imam is just now gone in;
+therefore no strangers can be admitted."</p>
+
+<p>"What!" cried Jussuf, "your lord already arrived? Where is the
+impostor? Let me in, that I may confront him."</p>
+
+<p>Both porters opposed him, because he tried to force his way in.</p>
+
+<p>"Do you not know your lord," asked Jussuf, full of indignation, "that
+you thus oppose him?"</p>
+
+<p>They assured him that they had not been long in Assad's service, and
+did not know Jussuf; but they had been told that he was arrived.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," cried Jussuf, "he is arrived, but not yet in his palace; he
+will soon be in."</p>
+
+<p>With these words he pushed the nearest on one side, threw him to the
+ground, and then the other also. He pressed forward quickly into the
+splendid hall, unopposed by the numerous servants, to whom he seemed
+to come from the passage into the hall. He placed himself in the
+midst, and cried with great earnestness,</p>
+
+<p>"Who dares here to usurp Jussuf's place? Who dares here to pass for
+Jussuf's wife? I am Jussuf, who was thought lost! Where is the
+impostor? Let him come here, that he may receive the just reward of
+his treachery."</p>
+
+<p>Whilst he spoke a richly-dressed man, but unknown to him, approached,
+and said,</p>
+
+<p>"You speak of deceit! Nobody here passes for Jussuf but yourself. We
+expected him, because we have sure knowledge that he has landed
+to-day. You may be the expected one. Now for the proof: what word will
+your lips breathe on this talisman?" He held to him Modibjah's
+talisman. Jussuf looked astonished and surprised, for the spark had
+disappeared.</p>
+
+<p>"Haschanascha!" he cried, with a sigh. The spark shone out clear, and
+a veiled lady walked forth from the circle of numerous assembled
+guests, and asked, as she threw her veil back, "Do you<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> remember
+Haschanascha, your betrothed?" But he looked at her with marks of
+astonished joy. There were indeed the beautiful features of her face,
+the mild look of her soft eyes, the happy seriousness that reigned in
+Haschanascha's forehead; but her dark complexion had disappeared, and
+in its place played a soft blush, like the first breath of dawn, on
+her cheeks.</p>
+
+<p>"Haschanascha!" cried he, at last awaking from his astonishment, "are
+you indeed she? I can no longer trust my senses, since I have been
+lost in so many adventures and dreams, that I cannot distinguish
+between reality and dreaming. Is it possible that you live? You were
+dead through my guilt."</p>
+
+<p>"Ask not after what is past," said Modibjah's voice. "The King of the
+Genii has selected you to be his favourite on earth. Two daughters of
+genii were destined to try to lead you different ways; human nature
+nearly conquered, but you came out at last victorious from the fight.
+You have chosen the nobler. May she adorn your life with greater joy,
+as she helped you to conquer your selfishness, which bound you in
+weakness to the form you carried in the box! This is Haschanascha, the
+sister of your friend Hassan Assad, who has carried on your business
+since you separated from him near Shiraz. I am uncle to both; and that
+your wife may not enter your house as a beggar, here are the presents
+destined for the wedding present, which you saw under the ruins of the
+destroyed capital."</p>
+
+<p>With these words he embraced Jussuf, who was again lost in
+astonishment. The young man who had offered him the talisman stepped
+forward, and Jussuf recognized in him his friend Hassan, and saluting
+him with heartfelt joy, called him his dear brother. In the same hour
+the imam pronounced over Jussuf and Haschanascha the blessing, and
+performed the usual prayers and ceremonies. Then were splendid feasts
+prepared that lasted many days, and such as never at any other time
+were celebrated in Balsora; so that in after years people spoke of the
+splendour with which the rich merchant Jussuf's wedding had been
+consummated. He attained with Haschanascha a great and very happy old
+age, and his latest descendants revere his memory.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span><a name="The_Seven_Sleepers" id="The_Seven_Sleepers"></a></p>
+
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;">
+<img src="images/image_169.jpg" width="600" height="431" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+<h2>The Seven Sleepers.</h2>
+
+<p>[The "Seven Sleepers" is a Mahommedan as well as Christian legend. It
+is alluded to in the Koran: and many of the circumstances of the
+following Tale are related in the notes to Sale's translation of it.]</p>
+<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_h.jpg" width="76" height="75" alt="H" /></div>
+<p>istorians relate that there was in ancient Persia a shepherd named
+Dakianos, who for thirty years had attended his sheep without having
+ever neglected the holy custom of making his daily prayers. All those
+who knew him did justice to his probity; and nature had endowed him
+with an eloquence capable of raising him to the highest employments,
+had he lived in the great world.</p>
+
+<p>One day, as he was at his usual prayers, his flock took fright and
+were dispersed. Dakianos ran every way to reassemble them, and
+perceiving that one of his sheep had got half of its body into the
+hole of a rock, where it could not get out, he ran to it and delivered
+it; but he was struck with a dazzling light which immediately shone
+out of the opening. He examined what it was that produced it, and soon
+found that it proceeded from a tablet or plate of gold, of no very
+large extent: he opened the hole still farther, and found<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> himself in
+a vault, which was not above seven feet high, and about four or five
+broad. He considered this tablet of gold with much attention, but
+could not read it, neither could he comprehend what the four lines
+signified which he saw written thereon. To inform himself, therefore,
+of this mystery, he took it away with him, and, as soon as it was
+night, he put it under his vest and repaired to the city. His first
+care was to show it to those who, as he was informed, were the most
+learned men; but, however versed they might be in the sciences, there
+was not one of them who could explain this inscription.</p>
+
+<p>However, one of the doctors said to him, "No person here can translate
+these characters. Go into Egypt: you will find there a venerable man,
+of three hundred years of age, who can read the most ancient writings,
+and who knows all the sciences; he alone can satisfy your curiosity."</p>
+
+<p>Dakianos delivered his flock to the person to whom it belonged, and
+departed immediately for Egypt.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as he arrived there, he inquired after the old man, who was so
+celebrated that everybody was ready to show him his house. He went to
+him there, told him the occasion of his journey, and presented to him
+the tablet of gold. The old man received it with affability, and was
+struck with astonishment at the sight of this wonder. He read the
+characters with the greatest ease; but, after having reflected some
+time, he cast his eyes upon Dakianos, and said to him,</p>
+
+<p>"How did this tablet fall into your hands?"</p>
+
+<p>Dakianos gave him an account of his adventure.</p>
+
+<p>"These characters," resumed the old man, "promise to the person who
+shall find them, events which it is not likely can happen to you. You
+have," continued he, "a happy countenance, and this inscription speaks
+of an infidel, whose end must be fatal and tragical. But since fortune
+has given you this tablet, that which is written upon it doubtless
+regards you."</p>
+
+<p>Dakianos, surprised with this discourse, answered, "How can it be as
+you say? I have said my prayers every day these thirty years. I have
+never been an infidel; how can I then be a reprobate?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"If it had been three hundred years," replied the old man, "you will
+be no less the victim of darkness."</p>
+
+<p>These last words pierced the heart of Dakianos. He groaned, he sighed,
+he even wept, and he cried out, "Would that I had never found this
+golden tablet! That I had never shown it you and that I had never
+heard so terrible a sentence!"</p>
+
+<p>"What use would it have been to you not to have brought it to me?"
+said this learned man. "The predestination of Allah is from all
+eternity; what is written in the Book of Life cannot be effaced. But I
+may be mistaken: the knowledge of men is often doubtful, Allah alone
+is infallible. I can, however, inform you that this golden tablet
+indicates a most considerable treasure, and that an those riches
+belong to him who shall be the possessor of the tablet."</p>
+
+<p>This word <i>riches</i> consoled Dakianos, and in the transport of his soul
+he said to the old man, "Delay not a moment; let us go to seek the
+treasure. We will share it like two brothers."</p>
+
+<p>But the old man said to him, sighing, "You will no sooner be the
+master of all these riches than you will abuse them. It is not an easy
+talent to know how to be rich; and I shall perhaps be the first to
+repent having done you this service."</p>
+
+<p>"What a discourse you hold to me!" cried Dakianos. "What shall I owe
+the obligation to you of procuring me such treasures, shall you make
+my fortune, and do you think I shall be failing in my return? An
+infidel would not be guilty of such ingratitude, and I cannot so much
+as harbour a thought of it. I swear, then, to look upon you as my
+father, and to share equally all the riches with you; or, rather, you
+shall give me what share you please, and I shall always be content."</p>
+
+<p>These protestations would not much have reassured the old man, but
+avarice&mdash;the only passion which is felt at a certain age&mdash;overcame his
+reflections, and he consented to their departure. They arrived at the
+place where Dakianos had found the tablet of gold. The old man
+commanded him to dig the ground about twenty feet round. They soon
+discovered a gate of steel, and the old man told Dakianos to open it.
+Dakianos obeyed with such eager haste that he broke the door open with
+his foot, though the key was in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> lock. They both of them entered
+into a vault, without being discouraged by the great obscurity which
+reigned there. After having gone some steps, a faint light enabled
+them to distinguish objects. The farther they advanced, the more the
+light increased. They found themselves at last before a large and
+magnificent palace, the seven gates of which were closed, but the keys
+were fastened by them. Dakianos took that of the first gate, and
+opened it.</p>
+
+<p>The first apartment enclosed ornaments and habits of the greatest
+magnificence, and above all, girdles of solid gold, adorned with
+jewels. They opened the second, which they found filled with sabres,
+the hilts and sheaths of which were covered with the most precious
+stones. The third was adorned with an infinite number of cuirasses,
+coats of mail, and helmets of gold of different fashions, and all the
+arms were enriched with the most magnificent jewels. The fourth
+enclosed the most superb horse furniture, answerable to the
+magnificence of the arms. The fifth offered to their sight piles of
+gold and silver ingots. The sixth was full of gold coin; and it was
+scarcely possible to enter into the seventh, it was so heaped with
+sapphires, with amethysts, and diamonds.</p>
+
+<p>These immense treasures dazzled Dakianos. From that moment he was
+sorry that he had a witness of his good fortune.</p>
+
+<p>"Do you consider," said he to the old man, "of what consequence
+secrecy will be upon this occasion?"</p>
+
+<p>"Doubtless," replied he.</p>
+
+<p>"But," resumed Dakianos, "if the King has the least knowledge of this
+treasure, his first act will be to confiscate it. Are you sure of
+yourself? Do you fear nothing from your own indiscretion?"</p>
+
+<p>"The desire of possessing the half of those riches," replied the old
+man, "ought to be a pledge that will satisfy you."</p>
+
+<p>"The half of these riches!" interrupted Dakianos, with an alteration
+visible in his countenance, "but that half surpasses the treasures of
+the greatest kings."</p>
+
+<p>The old man perceived this alteration, and said to him, "If you think
+the half too much for me, you may give me only a quarter of it."</p>
+
+<p>"Most willingly," returned Dakianos. "But what precaution<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> will you
+take to remove them with safety? You will cause us to be discovered,
+and be the occasion of our ruin."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, then," replied the old man, "though you have promised me much
+more, give me only one of the apartments&mdash;I shall be fully satisfied.
+You do not answer my question."</p>
+
+<p>"We will examine at leisure what you have proposed to me," returned
+Dakianos. "I am glad, however, that you are more reasonable, and that
+you begin to understand yourself."</p>
+
+<p>Dakianos again examined these riches with more avidity, and his eyes
+were still further dazzled by them. After having thoroughly considered
+the magnificent apartment of the diamonds, in which they then were,
+"You are sensible," said he to the old man, "that this is, without
+contradiction, the most valuable, and that it is not natural I should
+yield up to you the lawful right I have over it?"</p>
+
+<p>"You have reason for what you say," returned the old man, "and I do
+not demand it of you."</p>
+
+<p>They passed afterwards into the apartment which was filled with gold
+coin.</p>
+
+<p>"This treasure," said Dakianos, after having looked upon it for some
+time, "is certainly what would cause the least trouble, and be the
+most easily disposed of; it may be useful also towards preserving all
+the rest, either by establishing a guard or raising walls; therefore I
+believe you too reasonable," continued he, "not to agree to the
+necessity that obliges me to keep it."</p>
+
+<p>"I agree to it," replied the old man; "let us pass on to another.
+These piles of ingots of silver and gold are not all necessary to
+you," said he, as he viewed the fifth apartment.</p>
+
+<p>"No," returned Dakianos, "I might possibly do without some of these;
+but I have too great obligations to you, to expose you, by giving them
+to you: how could you convey them away? What a trouble it would be to
+you to dispose of them!"</p>
+
+<p>"That will be my business," replied the old man.</p>
+
+<p>"No, no," added Dakianos, "I love you too well to consent to it;
+besides, it would be the means to have me discovered; you would be
+arrested, and you could not prevent yourself from accusing me. Let us
+see the others."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>They opened the fourth apartment. "This horse-furniture is absolutely
+unsuitable to you; your age is an obstacle to the use of it."</p>
+
+<p>He made use of the same difficulty to refuse him the cuirasses and the
+armour which filled the third. When he had locked that up with the
+same care as the rest, they found themselves in that which contained
+the sabres; and the old man said to him, "These arms are easy to
+carry, I will go and offer them to the Kings of the Indies; I will
+sell them separately, and you will run no risk."</p>
+
+<p>"You are right," returned Dakianos, "I may give you some of these."</p>
+
+<p>As he said these words he examined them, both the weight of the gold
+and the value of the diamonds. At length he drew one of them out of
+the scabbard; then he compared all the riches of which he might be the
+sole possessor, with the head of one man; and, unable to conceive how
+he could have hesitated so long, "I distrust thee!" said he, springing
+upon the old man.</p>
+
+<p>The old man embraced his knees. "Be moved," said he to him, "with my
+old age! The treasures no longer make any impression upon me, and I
+pretend not to them."</p>
+
+<p>"Truly I believe not," resumed Dakianos: "they are mine, the tablet of
+gold gives them to me."</p>
+
+<p>The old man recalled his promises to his memory. "But I will cancel
+them," pursued he: "in return for the obligation you have to me I only
+demand my life."</p>
+
+<p>"I have offended thee too far," replied Dakianos: "thy life would be
+my death, it would give me too much inquietude."</p>
+
+<p>Then at one blow striking off the head of the old man, "Now," cried
+he, "my secret is my own!"</p>
+
+<p>The first care of Dakianos was immediately to make a grave and to
+inter this unfortunate victim of his avarice. He feared not remorse,
+though he dreaded a witness; his heart was wholly occupied with the
+treasure that he possessed, and his mind with the methods of
+preserving it. But after devouring it with his eyes, and enjoying that
+cruel satisfaction, in what trouble did he not find himself when he
+was obliged to leave it in order to seek for provision?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> How often did
+he reproach himself with not having carried it with him? And if he
+ever remembered the old man, it was only to accuse his memory, and to
+persuade himself that he must have had some bad design, since he had
+not advertised him of a thing which he might have foreseen without
+being so learned as he really was. Not to die with hunger in this
+subterranean vault, he was obliged to quit it. What succours could he
+find in so barren a desert as that with which it was surrounded? He
+was obliged, therefore, to go to a place at some distance; but how
+could he resolve upon that, especially at a time when the ground
+lately removed might attract the curiosity of a traveller? Dakianos
+almost determined to let himself die rather than lose sight of his
+treasure. All that he could do to calm his inquietudes was not to
+depart till night, when he took some handfuls of the gold coin and
+repaired to the city, where he bought a horse, which he loaded with
+biscuit and with a small barrel of water, and returned before daybreak
+to seek his treasure, which he found in the same condition he had left
+it, with as much pleasure as he had felt chagrin at leaving it.</p>
+
+<p>His first care was, with incredible fatigue, to make a very deep ditch
+round the cavern. He contrived a passage to it underground, the
+opening of which he covered with his clothes, that in a few days he
+laid upon them, and afterwards raised a hut of earth to preserve
+himself from the weather. All that he suffered during these immense
+labours is not to be conceived, and no one could have imagined, who
+had seen him thus wasted with labour and fatigue, that he was the
+richest inhabitant of the earth.</p>
+
+<p>When he had conducted his work so far as to be able to leave it
+without fear, he repaired again to the city, but with the same
+precaution&mdash;that is to say, he went only in the night. He employed it
+wholly in purchasing some slaves, with whose assistance by degrees he
+brought thither everything that was necessary for his safety and
+convenience. Soon after, he gathered workmen, with whose aid he built
+more solidly the works which he had begun. He surrounded the place
+with three walls of stone, and lay always between the first and the
+second. He took great care to spread abroad a report after this that
+he carried on a large foreign commerce,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> and spoke much of the fortune
+he had made in Egypt. Upon this pretext&mdash;for there must be one for
+becoming so suddenly rich&mdash;he built a magnificent palace: that of the
+thousand columns erected by Melik Jouna, the ancient King of the
+Indies, was nothing in comparison to it. Such great magnificence soon
+made him considered and respected by the world, and the pains he had
+given himself to preserve his riches not only flattered his self-love,
+but easily persuaded him that he had acquired them, and might enjoy
+them without remorse, the old man being totally forgotten.</p>
+
+<p>It was easy for him to bring out the treasures from his vault, the
+secret of which was not trusted to any person. He sent caravans to all
+parts of the Indies to authorize the expenses he bestowed in slaves,
+in building, in women, and in horses, and fortune also favoured a
+commerce which was of little consequence to him. His heart, fully
+satisfied as to riches, was not long insensible to ambition. The Court
+has strong attractions for the rich; they are received so graciously,
+they are praised in so delicate and so insinuating a manner, that they
+are generally seduced by it. And Dakianos, who now joined to his
+opulence an immeasurable ambition, neglected nothing to introduce
+himself at the Court of the King of Persia; but made presents to the
+viziers to obtain their protection, and, by gaining it, rendered
+himself their slave. His magnificence and his generosity, as he
+foresaw and wished, soon reached the ears of the King, who desired to
+see him.</p>
+
+<p>Dakianos had an audience as soon as he appeared at Court, and to give
+a favourable impression of himself, and to deserve the favour of the
+King, he brought him presents which the greatest Kings upon earth
+could not, perhaps, have collected together. It is generally by nines
+that Eastern presents are given, when their magnificence is extended
+to the last degree. He therefore caused himself to be preceded by nine
+superb camels. The first was loaded with nine suits and ornaments of
+gold, adorned with the most beautiful jewels, of which the girdles
+were of the greatest lustre. The second bore nine sabres, the hilts
+and scabbards of which were of gold adorned with diamonds. Upon the
+third were seen nine suits of armour of equal magnificence. The fourth
+had for its load nine<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span> suits of horse furniture, suitable to the other
+presents. Nine cases full of sapphires were upon the fifth. Nine other
+cases heaped with rubies loaded the sixth. The same weight of emeralds
+was upon the seventh. The amethysts, in an equal number of cases, was
+the load of the eighth. At last, there appeared upon the ninth camel
+nine cases of diamonds. Nine young women of the greatest beauty, and
+magnificently adorned, followed this caravan; and eight young slaves
+immediately preceded Dakianos.</p>
+
+<p>In the midst of the surprise which these presents gave to the King and
+the whole Court, some of those who composed it, and who, according to
+the customs of that place, endeavoured to criticise upon it, and who
+wished to contradict those who applauded it, or to show the justness
+of their own remarks, demanded where was the ninth slave. Dakianos,
+who expected the question, pointed to himself. The King, pleased with
+the turn of delicacy, which he joined to such magnificent presents,
+received him with extreme distinction; and, his natural eloquence
+increasing his favour, it was impossible for the Prince to be without
+him. He seated Dakianos by himself, gave him the pleasure of his
+music, sent him every day dishes from the royal table, and very often
+the most exquisite wines; during which, on the other side, Dakianos
+returned all this bounty by presents, the quantity of which was as
+surprising as their magnificence. At length his continued liberality
+and his eloquence procured him so great a power over the heart of the
+King, that he created him his Vizier, that they might never part; yet
+the confidence and the friendship he testified to him gave him still
+more power than the charge with which he was provided.</p>
+
+<p>Dakianos governed Persia with an absolute sway: he ought to have
+enjoyed a happiness which might satisfy his vanity. But can ambition
+ever be satisfied? The mountain of Kaf may set bounds to the world,
+but never to the ideas and wishes of the ambitious. The King being
+informed of the arrival of an ambassador from Greece, gave him
+audience immediately. The ambassador, after having kissed the foot of
+the throne, delivered him a letter, which he caused his secretary to
+read aloud, it was conceived in these terms:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I, Emperor and Sultan of seven climates, to you, King of Persia. As
+soon as my royal letter shall be delivered to you, fail not to send to
+me the tribute of seven years. If you make any difficulty to satisfy
+me, know that I have an army in readiness to march against you."</p>
+
+<p>This letter caused so much astonishment in the King, that he knew not
+what answer to make to it. Dakianos, to deliver the King from the
+perplexity he was in, rose from his place, touched the ground with his
+head, and endeavoured to restore his spirits.</p>
+
+<p>"The letter of the Emperor of Greece," said he, "ought not to afflict
+you: it is easy to answer it, and to make him repent his menaces and
+his insolence. Order your most faithful subjects to join with me, who
+am the humblest of your slaves; I shall inform them what they have to
+do."</p>
+
+<p>These words consoled the King: he gave his orders in pursuance of
+them, and Dakianos raised above a hundred thousand men for the King,
+whilst on his side he assembled ten thousand more, whom he equipped at
+his own expense. The King joined to this chosen troop two thousand of
+the most valiant soldiers, whom he had always had near his own person,
+and of whom he formed the guard of Dakianos, and declared him general
+of this army of one hundred and twelve thousand men. The new general
+took leave of the King, and put himself at the head of his troops,
+which served as an escort to all his riches, which he took care to
+convey along with him, and which ten thousand camels could scarce
+carry. The King of Persia, who parted from his Vizier with regret,
+accompanied him for three days, and quitted him with tears in his
+eyes, giving him a thousand benedictions, and repeating to him a
+thousand times that he was his strength, his support, and, what was
+much more, the only friend of his heart. Dakianos chose out the most
+warlike men in all the cities through which he passed, equipped them
+at his own expense, and gave them whatever pay they demanded. The
+report which was spread abroad of this magnificence drew together men
+from all parts of the world, and his army was in a short time
+increased to three hundred thousand soldiers.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The Emperor of Greece, upon the news he had of the Persian army,
+immediately assembled his troops, and advanced to meet Dakianos with
+seven hundred thousand men. As soon as he perceived the enemy, he
+divided his army into two bodies, and gave the signal for battle. The
+troops of Dakianos acted with so much valour, and their first onset
+was so terrible, that the army of the Grecians had not time to recover
+themselves, and they were almost as soon defeated as attacked.
+Dakianos ordered the Grecian Emperor, whom he had taken prisoner, to
+be beheaded, and without the least difficulty made himself master of
+all his dominions, of which he caused himself to be acknowledged
+sovereign. The first business of this new monarch was to write the
+following letter to the King of Persia:</p>
+
+<p>"I have defeated and overcome C&aelig;sar,<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> I have conquered his
+dominions, I have mounted his throne, and have been acknowledged the
+sovereign of his whole empire. As soon as this letter is delivered to
+you, defer not a moment to send me the tribute due for seven years: if
+you make the least difficulty to pay it me, you must submit to the
+same fate as C&aelig;sar."</p>
+
+<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> In the East they always give that name to the Emperors of
+Greece.</p></div>
+
+<p>This letter, with great reason, provoked the King of Persia beyond all
+the bounds of moderation. Without loss of time he assembled his
+troops; but before he put himself at their head to march towards the
+confines of Greece, he returned this answer to Dakianos:</p>
+
+<p>"Can a man so despicable as thou art have possibly conquered Greece?
+Thou hast betrayed me&mdash;I, who am thy King, and who am seated upon the
+golden throne of my ancestors. Thou hast attacked me, notwithstanding
+the gratitude and fidelity thou owest to me. I am upon my departure to
+cause even the very memory of thee to perish, to restore Greece to her
+former situation, and to deliver her to her lawful sovereign!"</p>
+
+<p>This daring answer of the King of Persia threw Dakianos into the most
+dreadful rage: he immediately formed a detachment of two hundred
+thousand men from his army to advance and give <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span>battle to the King of
+Persia. Those troops were not long without meeting him. The combat was
+bloody and obstinate; but at length the King of Persia was defeated,
+taken prisoner, and conducted to Dakianos.</p>
+
+<p>When that Prince was in his presence, "Wretch!" said he to him, "how
+canst thou bear my sight, thou most ungrateful of mankind?"</p>
+
+<p>"I ungrateful?" replied Dakianos. "I have levied troops at my own
+expense; I have spent the greater part of my immense treasures; I
+have, therefore, bought this conquest. I have done more: I have
+fought; I have revenged thy quarrel. What canst thou reproach me
+with?"</p>
+
+<p>"I have loved thee," returned the King.</p>
+
+<p>It is hard for those in power to bear a well-founded reproach. The
+only answer of Dakianos was to command his head to be struck off, and
+immediately to send troops to seize on his dominions. He chose Ephesus
+to fix his residence in; but, not thinking that city magnificent
+enough, he caused it to be rebuilt with the utmost elegance, and gave
+all his care to the erecting of a palace, which was unparalleled for
+its solidity, its extent, and its magnificence. He erected in the
+centre of it a kiosk, the walls of which were six hundred feet long,
+and the cement and all the jointings of it were of silver. This kiosk
+contained a thousand chambers, each of which enclosed a throne of
+gold: he caused three hundred and sixty-five gates of crystal to be
+made, which he placed in such a manner that every day throughout the
+year the rising sun shone upon one of them. His palace had seven
+hundred porters; sixty viziers were occupied in his affairs. There
+were always in the hall of audience sixty thrones, on which were
+seated those who had signalized themselves in war. He had seven
+thousand astrologers, who assembled every day, and continually
+declared to him the different influences of the stars. He was always
+surrounded by ten thousand ichoglans, who wore girdles and crowns of
+solid gold, and were most magnificently clad: they had no other
+employment but that of being always ready to receive his orders. He
+appointed sixty pashas, each of whom had under his command two
+thousand well-made and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span> valiant young men, who each in particular
+commanded two thousand soldiers.</p>
+
+<p>One day, when Dakianos was in the height of his splendour, an old man
+arose from beneath the throne upon which he was seated. The King,
+amazed, asked him who he was. He was an unbelieving genie, but, far
+from confessing it,</p>
+
+<p>"I am," he answered, "a prophet of God: I obey His orders by coming to
+you. Know, therefore, that He has made me the god of the heavens, and
+that He ordains that you should be the god of the earth."</p>
+
+<p>Dakianos answered him, "Who will believe that I am so?"</p>
+
+<p>And the genie immediately disappeared.</p>
+
+<p>Some time after, Dakianos had again the same apparition, and the genie
+repeated to him the same things; but he answered him,</p>
+
+<p>"You deceive me. How can I be the god of the earth?"</p>
+
+<p>"Your power, your great actions, and the care that Allah has taken of
+you, ought to persuade you; but if you will not believe me," pursued
+the old man, "do what I shall tell you, and you will soon be
+convinced."</p>
+
+<p>Dakianos, whose pride this flattered, and who had nothing more to
+desire of human greatness, promised him to consent to everything.</p>
+
+<p>"Let your throne be placed upon the shore of the sea," pursued the old
+man.</p>
+
+<p>What he desired was executed. And when Dakianos was placed there,
+"Prince," said the genie to him, "there is at the bottom of the sea a
+fish, the bigness of which is known only to Allah, and which every day
+comes to land. It remains there till noon to adore the Almighty. No
+person interrupts its prayers: when they are finished, it plunges
+again to the bottom of the sea."</p>
+
+<p>The fish appeared as usual, and the genie said to Dakianos, "Though
+the fish will not believe your power, it has, however, declared to all
+the fishes of the sea that you are the god of the earth. It fears
+nothing, and comes now to inform itself. You will know the truth of
+what I have declared to you," continued he, "if you will only
+condescend to say to him, 'I am the god of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span> earth.' Your voice
+will freeze him with terror&mdash;he cannot hear it without surprise, and
+will certainly take flight."</p>
+
+<p>This proposition pleased Dakianos, and he called the fish, and said to
+it, "'I am the god of the earth.'"</p>
+
+<p>These words of infidelity made the fish immediately plunge to the
+bottom of the sea, in the fear he was under lest the Almighty Power
+should dart His thunder to punish that impostor. Dakianos easily
+persuaded himself that the fish was an infidel, and that his presence
+had made him take flight. From that moment he believed all the
+deluding words of the genie, and soon had no doubt left of his
+divinity. Not only his subjects adored him, but people came from all
+corners of the world to give him those marks of adoration which he
+exacted; for he caused all those to be thrown into a burning furnace
+who refused to adore him.</p>
+
+<p>In the number of the ten thousand slaves who stood always before him
+with their hands crossed upon their breasts, there were six Greeks who
+possessed his confidence, and who approached the nearest to his
+person. They were named Jemlikha, Mekchilinia, Mechlima, Merlima,
+Debermouch, and Charnouch. They were generally placed in an equal
+number upon his right and left hand. Jemlikha was one whom he most
+favoured, nature having endowed him with all her charms: his words
+were sweeter than the honey of Arabia, and his wit sparkling and
+agreeable; in a word, this young man united in himself all
+perfections. Their employments engaged both him and his companions to
+pay that homage to Dakianos which was due to God alone.</p>
+
+<p>One day, as Dakianos was at table, Jemlikha held a fan to drive away
+the flies that might incommode him: there came one which settled
+itself with so much obstinacy upon the dish he was eating that he was
+obliged to give it up. Jemlikha, struck with this slight event,
+thought it ridiculous that a man who could not drive away even a fly
+that troubled him, should pretend to divinity. "Surely," continued he,
+"I ought to have no regard for such a god."</p>
+
+<p>Some time after, Dakianos entered into one of his apartments to repose
+himself for some hours; and Jemlikha still waited by<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span> him with the
+fan. Allah once more sent the same fly, and at this time it placed
+itself upon the face of the monarch. Jemlikha would have driven it
+away lest it should interrupt his lord's sleep; but his pains were in
+vain: it awakened Dakianos, and threw him into the greatest
+impatience. Jemlikha, already touched by his first reflections, said
+within himself, "This man certainly is no more a god than I am: there
+can be but one God, and it is He who has created the sun that gives us
+light."</p>
+
+<p>From that time Jemlikha used the custom of saying every night when he
+lay down, "The true God is He who created the heavens, and fixed them
+in the air without a pillar."</p>
+
+<p>It is difficult to make a serious reflection and not to communicate it
+to a friend. Jemlikha declared all his doubts to his companions. "A
+man," says he, "who cannot disengage himself from a fly, can he have
+power over the works of nature?" Then he related the adventure of the
+fly.</p>
+
+<p>"But if our King is not a god," said they to him, "whom then are we to
+adore?"</p>
+
+<p>Jemlikha told them what he thought, and they were so far persuaded of
+it, that from that day they joined with him every night in prayer.
+Their assembling themselves together in private places soon became the
+subject of conversation. Dakianos being informed of it, sent for them
+into his presence, and said to them,</p>
+
+<p>"Do you adore another God beside me?"</p>
+
+<p>They contented themselves with answering him, "We adore the Sovereign
+Master of the world."</p>
+
+<p>The King, who took that answer to mean himself, loaded them with
+caresses, and bestowed upon each of them a robe of honour. They
+retired, covered with the favours of their master, and their first
+care was to adore and thank the High God for His bounty to them.
+Jemlikha afterwards said to them,</p>
+
+<p>"If there should be again such an information given to the King as has
+now put us into such imminent danger, we can hope for no further mercy
+from him. I imagine, therefore, the only resolution we can take is to
+quit our country, and to seek another, where we may adore God without
+constraint."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"But how can we take our flight?" replied his companions. "We know no
+other country but this."</p>
+
+<p>"Let us put our trust in God," resumed Jemlikha, "and make use of any
+favourable circumstance. We are not to follow Dakianos when he goes on
+his magnificent chase for six days at the head of his army: what
+hinders us taking that time for our departure? We will demand
+permission of the officers of the palace that guard us to play at
+feheukian;<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> we will go out of the square, throw the ball to a great
+distance, and take our flight upon those swift horses which are
+usually given us for that exercise."</p>
+
+<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> An exercise performed on horseback.</p></div>
+
+<p>They approved this project, and waited with impatience for the time of
+its execution. At length Dakianos departed with his numerous army.</p>
+
+<p>The day after the King's departure they put in execution what they had
+projected. The eunuchs pursued them, and would have forced them to
+return back to the palace; but they answered them,</p>
+
+<p>"We are tired of our King: he endeavours to pass for the God of the
+earth, and we adore Him alone who has created all that we behold."</p>
+
+<p>The young men had already drawn their sabres, and in a moment they put
+the eunuchs out of a condition of following them. Then Jemlikha said
+to them, "My friends, we are ruined if we do not use all possible
+expedition."</p>
+
+<p>They immediately put their horses at full speed, which so much
+fatigued them that their strength was soon exhausted. They were then
+obliged to continue their journey on foot, but being tired, and faint
+with thirst and hunger, they stopped on the side of the road, and,
+with entire confidence in God, prayed to Him to relieve them. Some
+faithful genii heard them, and, touched with their situation, they
+inspired into Jemlikha the thought of ascending a mountain, at the
+foot of which they were. It was not without pain that he arrived at
+the summit; but at length he perceived a spring, the pure and clear
+water of which was to him the water of life, and a shepherd sitting by
+it, who sang whilst his flock was feeding.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span></p><p>Jemlikha called to his companions: the few words he could make them
+hear augmented their strength, and gave them courage sufficient to
+ascend the mountain.</p>
+
+<p>The shepherd, whose name was Keschetiouch, gave them some provisions,
+and they drank of the water of this delightful fountain. This
+refreshment re-established their strength, and their first care was to
+return their thanks to Heaven for it. Then Keschetiouch said to them,</p>
+
+<p>"How have you found the way to a place where I never yet saw any
+mortal? If I am not mistaken, you are fugitives. Trust me with your
+misfortunes: I may perhaps be of some service to you."</p>
+
+<p>Jemlikha related to him all that had happened to them, and his
+discourse struck the light of faith into the heart of this shepherd,
+God so enlightening his mind, that he soon learned and repeated with
+them their prayers. Afterwards he told them he would never quit them.</p>
+
+<p>"Ephesus," says he, "is so near to this place, that you will still be
+in some danger. Doubt not but Dakianos will use his utmost efforts to
+have you seized. I know a cavern not far from hence, which perhaps in
+a forty years' search could not be found: I will conduct you there."</p>
+
+<p>Immediately without delay they arose and followed him.</p>
+
+<p>The shepherd had a little dog, which he called Catnier, that followed
+them. They did not care to take him with them; and using all their
+skill to drive him away, they at last threw a stone at him, which
+broke his leg; but he still followed them limping. They threw a second
+at him, which did not turn him back, though it broke his other fore
+leg, so that he walked only upon his two hind feet, continuing his
+march. The third stone having broke one more, he was no longer in a
+condition to stand. But Allah gave the gift of speech to this little
+dog, who said to them,</p>
+
+<p>"Alas! you go to seek after Allah, and you have prevented me from all
+hope of going with you! Am not I also the creature of Allah? Are you
+alone obliged to acknowledge Him?"</p>
+
+<p>They were so astonished at this wonderful miracle, and moved with the
+condition to which they had reduced the dog, that they<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> carried him in
+turn, and went on begging the protection of Heaven. They were not long
+before they arrived at the cavern to which the shepherd conducted
+them, and finding themselves fatigued with their journey, they lay
+down to sleep; but by the particular mission of Heaven, they slept
+with their eyes open, in such a manner that no one could suspect they
+tasted any real repose. The cavern was so gloomy, the heat of the sun
+could not incommode them; a gentle, pleasing wind incessantly
+refreshed them, and a long narrow opening gave an entrance to the rays
+of the sun at his rising.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime those eunuchs who had escaped from the sabres of the
+young slaves came directly to give an account of what had passed to
+Dakianos. He was in despair at their flight, and as he was
+recollecting in his mind the favours he had shown them, and accusing
+them of the highest ingratitude, the same unfaithful genie who had so
+often appeared to him presented himself before him, and said to him,</p>
+
+<p>"Your slaves have quitted you only that they might worship another
+God, in whom they place all their trust."</p>
+
+<p>This discourse so heightened the anger of Dakianos that he conjured
+the genie to let him know the place of their retreat.</p>
+
+<p>"I alone can bring you to it," returned the genie. "All mankind would
+search for it in vain, but I will conduct you to it at the head of
+your army."</p>
+
+<p>They immediately departed, and were not long before they arrived at
+the mouth of the cavern. The genie then said to Dakianos,</p>
+
+<p>"It is here they are retired."</p>
+
+<p>Dakianos, who was wholly possessed with the spirit of revenge,
+immediately would have entered it; but that moment there burst out
+from the cave a dreadful vapour, which was followed by a furious wind,
+and a darkness that spread over all that part of the world. The army
+gave back with horror; but anger redoubling the courage of Dakianos,
+he advanced to the entrance of the cavern, but it was with incredible
+difficulty, and, in spite of all his efforts, it was absolutely
+impossible for him to enter it, the air being so impenetrable. He
+perceived Catnier, who slept with his head resting upon his paw, and
+distinguished plainly the six young Greeks<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> and the shepherd, who were
+all in a profound sleep, though he was far from suspecting it, as
+their eyes were open. Dakianos was not rash enough to renew his
+efforts&mdash;a secret horror restrained him. The sight of this cavern and
+all the prodigies of Heaven spread so great a terror in his mind that
+he returned to his army, and said that he had discovered his slaves,
+who had prostrated themselves before him without having the courage to
+speak to him, and that he had left them prisoners in the cavern till
+he fixed his resolution respecting their punishment. In effect, he
+consulted his sixty viziers, and demanded of them what remarkable
+vengeance he could exercise upon these young slaves; but no advice of
+theirs could give him satisfaction. He had recourse, therefore, to his
+genie, who advised him to command the architects, who always marched
+along with him, to raise a very thick wall, which should entirely
+close up the entrance of the cavern, and take away all hope of succour
+from those who were enclosed in it.</p>
+
+<p>"You must take care for your own glory to cause to be engraved upon
+this wall the time, the year, and the reasons that obliged you to
+erect it; that will be the means," said he, "of informing posterity
+that you revenged yourself with a greatness of spirit."</p>
+
+<p>Dakianos approved this counsel, and caused a wall to be erected as
+thick and solid as those of Alexandria; but he had the precaution to
+reserve one passage, of which he alone knew the entrance, in hopes of
+being one day able to seize upon his slaves, and with a view of
+examining the events at the cavern, which, in spite of himself,
+continually took up his thoughts. He added to all these precautions
+that of placing a guard of twenty thousand men, who encamped before
+the wall. All his armies had orders to relieve this body of troops
+every month, who were commanded to put to death all those who
+endeavoured to approach a place which enclosed those whose revolt and
+flight were the first misfortunes of his life; for till that moment
+everything had succeeded happily to him. A desire of revenge joined
+itself to the insult he had received from them, which appeared greater
+to him, as nothing had ever before dared to resist him. To a man
+intoxicated with his power, of which he had been himself the sole
+cause, so positive an opposition<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> to his will was a cruel situation.
+Nothing could prevent him from repairing every day to the cavern in
+order to make new efforts to enter it, or at least to feed his eyes
+with the objects of his vengeance.</p>
+
+<p>The calm which was enjoyed by those whom he still looked upon as his
+slaves redoubled his fury. Their eyes, which were, as he imagined,
+fixed upon him&mdash;their silence to all the reproaches and invectives
+with which he loaded them&mdash;even their attitude&mdash;all were marks of the
+greatest contempt of him. One day, when he had joined to his usual
+speeches the blackest imprecations against Heaven, Allah permitted
+Catnier, without any motion, to answer him:</p>
+
+<p>"Wretch! darest thou blaspheme a God who has let thee live,
+notwithstanding the crimes that thou hast been guilty of? Believest
+thou that He has forgot to punish the fate of the learned Egyptian,
+whom thy avarice put to death, contrary to the most sacred oaths?"</p>
+
+<p>Dakianos, whose wrath was impotent there, went out, distracted and
+provoked with the insulting reproaches that he received from the dog
+of his slaves. What a subject of humility! But far from having
+recourse to prayer, and imploring Allah's clemency, his pride
+revolted, and by a sentiment natural to the wicked, who generally
+render those who are subject to them answerable for everything that
+wounds their vanity, at his return he caused to be executed, in the
+public square, above two thousand men, who had refused to adore him.
+These examples of severity spread abroad the fire of a rebellion,
+which was lighted in all parts of his dominions; and, notwithstanding
+the anxiety that these troubles gave him to stop the progress of them,
+an inward emotion, which he could not resist, led him continually
+towards the cavern.</p>
+
+<p>"What is it I go there to seek?" said he within himself. "The
+reproaches and contempt of one of the vilest animals, whilst I am
+everywhere adored&mdash;whilst every word that comes from my sacred mouth
+is revered. Yet, notwithstanding this, what am I in the eyes of an
+animal whom God protects? A shadow of power&mdash;an object of impotence!
+Ah! Dakianos, what shame! what confusion But, however, I have
+concealed it, notwithstanding this<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> God, who will torment me, and His
+efforts will be in vain against my regulations. How happy I am to have
+concealed from my subjects the knowledge of such a misfortune! How
+prudent was I in erecting a wall which forbids all entrance to the
+cavern, and in hindering all mankind from approaching it by the troops
+which I have disposed before it! But in what manner can my slaves have
+subsisted whilst I have kept them enclosed there? Doubtless they have
+some communication into the country, and that communication is unknown
+to me. To remedy this inconvenience, I must surround the mountain with
+my troops." Accordingly he gave orders to six hundred thousand men to
+form an encampment round it, and to let no person approach a place
+that was so odious to him.</p>
+
+<p>When he had taken these new precautions, he returned to the entrance
+of the cavern, and said, with a fierce and haughty voice,</p>
+
+<p>"Now you will be obliged to deliver yourselves up to my power!"</p>
+
+<p>Catnier answered him again, "We fear thee not: God is our protector.
+But believe me, and return to Ephesus: thy presence is become
+necessary there."</p>
+
+<p>Dakianos perceiving that he would give no further answer, returned to
+the city, and found that several of the chief of the eunuchs of his
+seraglio were murdered. Dakianos, distracted at this affront, could
+not forbear returning to the cavern, and saying to Catnier (because he
+was the only creature that answered him),</p>
+
+<p>"If thy God could restore me the honour that has been taken from me, I
+would endeavour&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Catnier answered him, "Go, return to Ephesus; other misfortunes attend
+thee there."</p>
+
+<p>These words threw Dakianos into the utmost confusion. He returned
+immediately, and found that the demon of hatred had seized upon his
+three sons, that they had drawn their sabres against each other, and
+that the angel of death was come to fetch them hence, which he did
+before his eyes. What an affliction to a father! What a disappointment
+to an ambitious mind, who depended upon giving each of them an empire
+in different parts of the world!<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>In the midst of the sorrow with which he was surrounded, he could not
+prevent himself from returning once more to the cavern. "Wretches!"
+said he to them, "what torments ought I not to make you suffer when
+you shall fall into my hands? However, restore me my children, and I
+will forgive all that you have done against me."</p>
+
+<p>Catnier, who always spoke, answered him thus:</p>
+
+<p>"God will restore no children whom He has banished from the world to
+punish the crimes of their father. Go, return to Ephesus. Thou
+deservest to find new misfortunes there."</p>
+
+<p>"It is too much," cried Dakianos, retiring; and immediately, with rage
+and despair in his heart, he commanded all his troops, and all the
+inhabitants of Ephesus, to bring each of them a faggot, and see his
+orders executed. Then he caused this enormous quantity of wood to be
+piled before the cavern, in hopes of stifling those whom it enclosed;
+but the wind beat back the flames of this amazing fire against the
+army (who took to flight), and against the city. No private house,
+notwithstanding, was in the least incommoded by it; but the fire
+seized upon the palace of Dakianos, which was wholly reduced to ashes,
+and all the treasure which he had amassed with so much care vanished
+in a moment, whilst the cavern did not undergo the least alteration.
+This last prodigy engaged him to have recourse to the seven sleepers,
+and to Catnier himself, begging them to intercede for him. The little
+dog answered him thus:</p>
+
+<p>"It is fear, and not piety, that seems to soften the hardness of thy
+heart. Begone: thou canst not deceive Allah."</p>
+
+<p>Dakianos retired, confounded with this last reproach, but still more
+distracted at having humbled himself so far.</p>
+
+<p>In the midst of all these misfortunes which succeeded each other to
+oppress this enemy of God, the revolt, which was considerably
+augmented, demanded an example to be made, and the heart of Dakianos
+engaged him to render it of the greatest severity. To that effect he
+caused to be erected in the public square, upon the ashes of his
+palace, a throne of iron; he commanded all his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> Court and all his
+troops to be clothed in red,<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> and to be covered with black turbans.
+He took care to put on the same habit, with a design of murdering in
+one moment five or six hundred thousand souls, whom he resolved to
+sacrifice to the safety of his throne, to the manes of his children,
+to his lost honour, and to what affected him still more, the incessant
+remorse and horror that gnawed his heart. But before he performed this
+cruel execution, he resolved once more to visit the cavern, in hopes
+that his weapons, the usual confidence of the wicked, might intimidate
+those whom by prayers or by menaces he could obtain nothing from. When
+he arrived there, he redoubled his usual blasphemies.</p>
+
+<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> This colour in the East is a mark of the vengeance of
+princes.</p></div>
+
+<p>"Tremble, thou wretch!" said Catnier then to him, without any emotion
+or so much as raising his head, which lay upon his paws.</p>
+
+<p>"Shall I tremble?" returned Dakianos: "Allah Himself cannot make me
+tremble."</p>
+
+<p>"But He can punish thee," pursued Catnier; "thou drawest near thy last
+moment."</p>
+
+<p>Dakianos, at that word, listening only to his resentment, took his
+arrows and his bow.</p>
+
+<p>"We shall see," said he, "whether I am not redoubtable&mdash;to thee at
+least."</p>
+
+<p>He then shot an arrow at him with the utmost strength of his arm; but
+a supernatural power made it fall at the feet of him who shot it, and
+at the same instant there sprang out of the cavern a serpent, which
+was above twenty feet in length, and whose dreadful and inflamed look
+made him tremble. Dakianos would have taken his flight; but the
+serpent soon overtook him, grasped him round the body, and dragged him
+through the whole city, that all his subjects might be witnesses of
+his terror and of his punishment. He then conveyed him to the iron
+throne which he had prepared for the scene of his vengeance. It was
+there that, being devoured by degrees, Dakianos by his dreadful
+sufferings gave a terrible example of the punishment due to
+ingratitude and impiety. The serpent afterwards returned to his cavern
+without having done the <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span>least hurt to any person, and all the
+inhabitants of Ephesus loaded it with benedictions at its departure.</p>
+
+<p>Several Kings succeeded Dakianos, and filled his throne during the
+time of one hundred and forty years; after which it fell into the
+power of the ancient Greeks, who enjoyed it for the space of one
+hundred and sixty-nine years longer. When the time of the repose of
+the Seven Sleepers was accomplished, that which was written happened
+unto them. One of the seven awakened at that instant; and the dawn
+beginning to appear, he raised himself up, and said within himself, "I
+seem to have slept at least twenty-four hours;" and by degrees the
+others awakened, struck with the same idea.</p>
+
+<p>Jemlikha, always more lively than the rest, leapt up immediately, and
+was extremely surprised to find, at the opening of the cavern, a wall
+erected of large square stones, which entirely enclosed it. He
+returned to his companions and told them the occasion of his
+astonishment. Notwithstanding this inconvenience, they agreed that
+they must absolutely send one of their number to the city to buy
+provisions; and casting their eyes upon the shepherd, Jemlikha gave
+him money, telling him that he ran no hazard by going. The shepherd
+rising to do them that service, at that moment Catnier<a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a> awakened,
+perfectly cured of his broken legs, and ran to caress them. The
+shepherd strove in vain to get out of the cavern, for the passage that
+Dakianos had reserved to himself was fallen down; and examining the
+wall carefully, he remarked the enormous bigness of the stones that
+composed it; and through the chinks that time had made between them,
+he saw with astonishment that part of the trees were dead, others were
+fallen, and that the water of the springs was differently placed; in
+one word, he was so confounded at the uncommon change that he
+perceived, that he returned into the cavern to inform his companions
+of this surprising event. They <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span>immediately arose and went to the
+entrance to judge of it themselves; but every fresh object redoubled
+their amazement.</p>
+
+<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> There are ten animals which, according to Mahommedans,
+must enter into Paradise: the whale that swallowed Jonas; the ant of
+Solomon; the ram of Ismael; the cuckoo of Belkis; the camel of the
+Prophet of God; the ass of Aazis, Queen of Saba; the calf of Abraham;
+the camel of the Prophet Saleb; the ox of Moses; and the dog that
+accompanied the Seven Sleepers.</p></div>
+
+<p>Jemlikha then said to the shepherd, "Give me thy habit; I will go
+myself to the city and fetch what is necessary for us, and endeavour
+to find out what we cannot now comprehend."</p>
+
+<p>The shepherd gave him his habit, and took his in return. Jemlikha,
+with much labour, made himself a passage through the ruins of this
+thick wall, followed the road to the city, and remarked over the gate
+a standard, upon which was written, "There is no other god but the
+true God."</p>
+
+<p>He was astonished to find that one night had produced so great a
+change. "Is not this a vision?" said he. "Do I awake, or do I feel the
+illusions of a dream?"</p>
+
+<p>Whilst he made these embarrassing reflections, he saw a man come out
+of the castle, whom he approached, and asked him if this city was not
+called Ephesus. He told him that was its name.</p>
+
+<p>"What is the name of him who governs it?" resumed Jemlikha
+immediately.</p>
+
+<p>"It belongs to Encouch: he is the King of it, and has his residence in
+it," replied the man.</p>
+
+<p>Jemlikha, still more astonished, pursued his questions.</p>
+
+<p>"What do these words signify," cried he, "which are upon the
+standard?"</p>
+
+<p>He satisfied his curiosity by telling him that they represented the
+holy name of God.</p>
+
+<p>"But I apprehend," interrupted Jemlikha, with eagerness, "that
+Dakianos is the King of this city, and that he makes himself be
+worshipped here as a god."</p>
+
+<p>"I have never heard of any King so named," returned the inhabitant of
+the city.</p>
+
+<p>"What an uncommon sleep I am in!" cried Jemlikha. "Awaken me, I
+conjure you," said he to him.</p>
+
+<p>The man, surprised in his turn, could not forbear saying to him,
+"What! you have asked me reasonable and sensible questions, you have
+understood my answers, and can you imagine that you are asleep?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Jemlikha, ashamed of speaking to him so inadvertently, quitted him,
+saying within himself, "Most high Allah, have you deprived me of
+reason?"</p>
+
+<p>With this confusion of ideas, he entered into the city, which he could
+not in the least recollect: the houses, the temples, the seraglios,
+appeared under a new form to him. At length he stopped before the door
+of a baker, where he chose out several loaves, and presented his money
+for them: the baker examined it, and looking upon Jemlikha with much
+attention, he was alarmed at it, and said to him,</p>
+
+<p>"Why dost thou look upon me? Give me thy bread, take my money, and
+concern thyself no further."</p>
+
+<p>The baker answered him with the most eager curiosity, "Where hast thou
+found this money?"</p>
+
+<p>"What is that to thee?" resumed Jemlikha.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know this money," replied the baker, "it is not the coin of
+the King that now reigns. Let me share the treasure which thou hast
+doubtless been so happy as to find, and I promise thee to be secret."</p>
+
+<p>Jemlikha, almost out of patience, said to him, "This money is struck
+with the image of Dakianos, the absolute lord of this country. What
+can I tell thee more?"</p>
+
+<p>But the baker, still prepossessed with the same idea, pursued thus:
+"Thou comest from the country: believe me, thy occupation of a
+shepherd has not rendered thee cunning enough to deceive me, nor to
+impose upon me. God has favoured thee with the discovery of a
+treasure: if thou dost not consent to share it with me, I will go this
+moment and declare it to the King; he will soon have thee arrested,
+thy riches will be seized upon, and perhaps thou mayest be put to
+death for not having declared them."</p>
+
+<p>Jemlikha, impatient at this discourse of the baker's, would have taken
+his bread and left him; but the baker detained him, and, their dispute
+growing hot, a mob gathered round them to listen to it. Jemlikha said
+to the baker,</p>
+
+<p>"I went out of the city but yesterday, I return to it this day. What
+can make thee imagine that I have found a treasure?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Nothing is more true," returned the baker, "and I am resolved to have
+a share of it."</p>
+
+<p>A man belonging to the King running in at the noise, and in the
+incertitude he was in of the event, went and fetched the guards, who
+seized upon Jemlikha, and conducted him before the King, whom they
+informed of the occasion of this dispute.</p>
+
+<p>And the Prince said to him, "Where hast thou found those ancient coins
+they speak of?"</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," replied Jemlikha, "I carried them yesterday from this city;
+but in one night Ephesus has taken so different a form that I no
+longer know it: all whom I have met, all whom I see, are unknown to
+me, and yet I was born in this city, and I cannot express the
+confusion of my mind."</p>
+
+<p>The King said to him, "Thou seemest to have sense; thy countenance is
+agreeable, and thy manner composed: how can thy speech be so
+unreasonable? Is it to abuse me that thou feignest this distraction? I
+will absolutely know where thou hast concealed the treasure which thy
+good fortune has made thee possessor of. The fifth part by law belongs
+to me, and I consent to leave thee the remainder."</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," replied Jemlikha, "I have not found a treasure, but certainly
+I have lost my senses."</p>
+
+<p>Jemlikha durst not speak too plainly, he still fearing lest this King,
+who was unknown to him, should be one of the viziers of Dakianos, who
+might order him to be conveyed to that Prince, who perhaps was absent.</p>
+
+<p>Happily for him, Encouch had a Vizier of a penetrating genius, and who
+had an extensive knowledge of the precepts of the law, and of ancient
+history: that of Dakianos was not unknown to him, and by consequence
+he had some knowledge of the Seven Sleepers, who were imagined to be
+in a neighbouring cavern. The discourse of Jemlikha gave him
+suspicions; and to enlighten them, he said in a whisper to the King,
+"I am much deceived, or this young man attended upon Dakianos. God
+enlightened his mind, he quitted him, and retired into a cavern with
+five of his companions, a shepherd, and a little dog. Those seven
+persons were to appear out<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> of this cavern after having slept three
+hundred and nine years: their awakening was to confirm the people in
+their duty, and everything induces me to believe that this young man
+is the former slave of Dakianos."</p>
+
+<p>Encouch, with reason, reposed much confidence in his Vizier;
+therefore, addressing himself to Jemlikha, "Relate thy adventure to us
+without disguise," said he, "or I will have thee seized this moment."</p>
+
+<p>Jemlikha, who knew the necessity his friends were under of his return,
+obeyed him, notwithstanding the fear he was under of seeing Dakianos,
+and finished his recital, which proved conformable to all that the
+Vizier had read in history; but what still further convinced the King
+was, that he added, "Your Majesty may be pleased to know that I have a
+house, a son, and several relations in this city, that can bear
+witness to the truth of what I have said."</p>
+
+<p>"Consider," said the prudent Vizier to him, "that all thou hast
+related to the King happened three hundred and nine years since."</p>
+
+<p>"Thou must, then, give us some other proof," resumed the King.</p>
+
+<p>"I make no answer out of respect," returned Jemlikha, "to all the
+difficulties that are made; but to persuade you of what I have
+advanced, there is a considerable treasure, concealed by me in the
+house that belongs to me, which none but myself has the knowledge of."</p>
+
+<p>The King and all his Court immediately rose to repair to this house.
+But Jemlikha, who went first, in order to conduct them, looked all
+round, and knew neither the street nor his own house.</p>
+
+<p>He was in this confusion, when God permitted an Angel, under the form
+of a young man, to come to his assistance, who said to him, "Servant
+of the true God, you seem to be much astonished."</p>
+
+<p>"How can I but be surprised?" replied Jemlikha; "this city is so
+changed in one night, that I cannot find my house, nor even the street
+in which it is situated."</p>
+
+<p>"Follow me," said the Angel of God; "I will conduct you thither."</p>
+
+<p>Jemlikha, still accompanied by the King, the Beys, and the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span> Viziers,
+followed the Angel of God, who after some time stopped before a door
+and disappeared, saying to him, "Behold your house."</p>
+
+<p>Jemlikha, through his confidence in God, entered into it, and saw an
+old man, unknown to him, and who was surrounded by several young
+people. He saluted them all very politely, and said very affably to
+the old man, "This house, I believe, belongs to me; why do I find you
+here? and what business have you to do in it?"</p>
+
+<p>"I believe you are mistaken," replied the old man, with the same
+affability. "This house has long been in our family. My grandfather
+left it to my father, who is not yet dead, but who indeed has but one
+breath of life left."</p>
+
+<p>The young men would have answered, and were enraged at Jemlikha; but
+the old man said to them, "Be not angry, my children; passion is never
+necessary. He has perhaps some good reason to give us: let us hearken
+to him."</p>
+
+<p>He afterwards turned himself towards Jemlikha, and said to him, "How
+can this house belong to you? By what right do you pretend to it? Who
+are you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Ah! venerable old man," returned Jemlikha, "how can I tell you of my
+adventure? None of those to whom I have related it will give credit to
+it; I cannot myself comprehend it: judge of the situation I am in!"</p>
+
+<p>The old man, touched with his affliction, said to him, "Take courage,
+my child: I interest myself in your fate; my heart was moved at the
+sight of you."</p>
+
+<p>Jemlikha, reassured by this discourse, related to the old man all that
+had happened to him; and he had no sooner heard his story than he went
+and brought out a picture to compare it with Jemlikha. When he had
+examined him for some time, he sighed, and his trouble and concern
+increased. He kissed the picture several times, and threw himself at
+the feet of Jemlikha, prostrating his wrinkled countenance, and his
+beard, whitened by age, upon the ground. At length he cried out,</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, my dearest ancestor!"</p>
+
+<p>The torrent of tears which ran from his eyes prevented him from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span>
+saying more. The King and his Viziers, whom this scene had rendered
+very attentive to the conversation, said then to the old man,</p>
+
+<p>"What! do you acknowledge him for your ancestor?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sire," replied he: "he is the great-great-father of my father."</p>
+
+<p>He could not finish these words without bursting again into tears. He
+afterwards took him by the hand, and conducted him through the house.
+Jemlikha, perceiving a beam of cypress, said,</p>
+
+<p>"It was I who caused that beam to be placed. Under the end of it will
+be found a large stone of granite; it covers ten vases, equal to those
+that are in the King's treasury. They are filled with gold pieces of
+the coin of Dakianos, and each of those pieces weighs a hundred
+drachmas."</p>
+
+<p>Whilst they laboured to raise up the cypress beam, the old man
+approached Jemlikha with the greatest respect, and said to him, "My
+father is still alive, but he has very little strength left. It is he
+who has formerly related to me some of the things that you have told
+me. Come," continued he, "come and see my father, and your
+descendant."</p>
+
+<p>Jemlikha followed him into another apartment, and saw a very old man. They
+made him swallow a drop of milk; he opened his eyes, and could not forbear
+shedding a torrent of tears when he heard who Jemlikha was, and Jemlikha
+could not restrain his. What an astonishment to all those who saw a young
+man whose grandson's son was in that excess of decrepitude&mdash;an old man
+oppressed with years, and the children of that old man resembling by their
+tone and countenance their great-grandfather! The people at the sight of
+this miracle could not forbear admiring the greatness of the power of God.
+They examined the annals, and found that the three hundred and nine years
+were accomplished that day.</p>
+
+<p>When the beam of cypress was taken up, they found all that Jemlikha
+had declared. He made a present of one part of the treasure to the
+King, and gave the other to the children of his great-grandson.</p>
+
+<p>The King after this said to Jemlikha, "We are now convinced<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span> of the
+truth of thy history: let us go to thy companions in the cavern, and
+give them assistance."</p>
+
+<p>"It is the only wish I have to form," replied Jemlikha.</p>
+
+<p>The Prince then, caused a great quantity of provisions to be carried
+with him, and departed, accompanied with his army and all the people,
+to repair to the cavern. It appeared so dreadful that no one had
+courage to enter it. It is said, however, that the King resolved to do
+it&mdash;that he saw the companions of Jemlikha&mdash;but that it was at the
+very moment of his entering it that Jemlikha gave up the ghost, with
+the six others and the little dog. He even heard them repeat their
+acts of adoration to the Sovereign Master of the universe, and die as
+they pronounced them. Encouch caused everything to be brought that was
+necessary to pay them the last duty, and had them interred in the same
+cavern where they had slept so long. When all the people were gone out
+of it, by a particular permission of God, the entrance of the cavern
+was closed, and since that time it has been impossible for any man to
+enter it. The King commanded a column to be erected some paces from
+it, upon which he caused to be engraved the history of the Seven
+Sleepers, to make known the power of God, to inspire a horror for
+ingratitude, and to show by this example the efficacy of prayer.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 250px;">
+<img src="images/image_199.jpg" width="250" height="53" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span><a name="The_Enchanters" id="The_Enchanters"></a></p>
+<h2>The Enchanters.</h2>
+
+<div>
+<img src="images/image_200_01.jpg" width="600" height="512" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+<img class="figleft1" src="images/image_200_02.jpg" width="152" height="234" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+
+
+<p>t the death of the mighty Dabulcombar, the Lord of the East, Misnar,
+the first-born of the Sultan, ascended the throne of India; but,
+though he had scarcely arrived at the age of manhood, yet neither the
+splendour of his Court nor the flatteries of the East could steal from
+the youthful Sultan the knowledge of himself.</p>
+
+<p>His first royal command was to assemble together the wise men
+throughout his extensive dominions, from Cabul and Attok in the west
+to Kehoa and Thoanoa in the east. The learned and devout accordingly
+came from every part of his dominions. On an appointed day the Sultan
+ordered the illustrious assembly to meet in the divan, where, being
+placed on the throne of his forefathers, he thus opened unto them the
+desires of his heart:</p>
+
+<p>"O ye sources of light and fountains of knowledge!" said<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> Misnar,
+"more precious are your counsels to me than the mines of Raalconda:
+wisdom is the true support of honour, and the Sultan is established by
+the counsel of his sages. Say, then, what course shall Misnar pursue
+that may secure him on the throne of the mighty Dabulcombar?"</p>
+
+<p>The sages in the divan were struck with astonishment at the
+condescension of their young Sultan, and one and all fell prostrate
+before his throne. "May wisdom," said they, "guide the footsteps of
+the illustrious Misnar! may the mind of our Sultan be as the eye of
+day!"</p>
+
+<p>Then arose the prophet Zeuramaund, and said, "I perceive, O mighty
+Sultan, the dark clouds of evil are gathering to disturb the hours of
+futurity; the spirits of the wicked are preparing the storm and the
+tempest against thee!"</p>
+
+<p>The venerable sages looked aghast as Zeuramaund uttered these ominous
+predictions; the whole council were dismayed at his words, and all
+fell again prostrate on the earth.</p>
+
+<p>Misnar alone appeared to be unconcerned at his predicted fate. "O my
+friends," said the youthful Sultan, "the rose cannot blossom without
+the thorn, nor life be unchequered by the frowns of fate. Grieve not,
+then, that trials await me, since the spirit of prudence and virtue
+blossoms fairest in a rugged soil."</p>
+
+<p>The sages arose as their royal master spake, and beheld with wonder
+the youthful countenance of their prudent Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>Silence and amazement for a time prevailed, till one of the sages,
+advancing before the rest, thus counselled the intrepid Prince:</p>
+
+<p>"O light of the earth!" said the trembling sage, "whose virtue and
+innocence have not been vexed by frauds, and deceit, whose pure mind
+seeth not the foul devices of man's heart, trust not to the fickle
+interpositions of chance, where thine own arm can work security, and
+establish a permanent foundation to thy father's throne. Thou hast a
+brother, O my Sultan, whose veins are filled with royal blood, and
+whose heart is by descent above control. Ahubal, therefore, ere his
+youth unfolds in the fulness of manhood, should be cut off."</p>
+
+<p>"What!" said the young Sultan Misnar, "what do thy base suspicious<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span>
+fears advise? Is there no way to build up the seat of justice and
+mercy but in murder and fratricide? Never let him who was born to
+execute judgment secure his honours by cruelty and oppression. The
+righteous Allah planted me not here to spread a poisonous shade over
+the offspring of His Prophet Mahomet: though fear and submission be a
+subject's tribute, yet is mercy the attribute of Allah, and the most
+pleasing endowment of the vicegerents of earth. But as thou, weak man,
+hast dared to advise the extirpation of one of the race of the mighty
+Dabulcombar, the vengeance of my injured brother's blood fasten upon
+thy life!"</p>
+
+<p>The guards of the divan, hearing the sentence of the Sultan,
+approached with their drawn sabres towards the decrepit sage; but
+Misnar, rising, cried out,</p>
+
+<p>"Who of my subjects shall dare to violate with blood the sanctity of
+this refuge for the oppressed? Let the divan of justice be sacred:
+nevertheless, lead that author of malice from my sight, and let his
+own blood make satisfaction for the cruelty of his desires."</p>
+
+<p>As he spake thus, the guards attempted to seize the sage; but when
+they advanced towards him, flames of fire burst from his mouth, and
+his whole form appeared as that of a fiery dragon. The rest of the
+sages fled from the dreadful monster; but Misnar, with an intrepid
+countenance, stood before his throne, with his drawn sabre pointing
+towards the dragon, when through the flames he perceived a hoary
+magician on the back of the monster.</p>
+
+<p>"Vain, O silly child of Mahomet!" said the enchanter, "were thy sabre
+against the power of my art, did not a superior force uphold thee; but
+tremble at thy doom: twice four of my race are determined against
+thee, and the throne of Dabulcombar noddeth over thy head; fear hath
+now preserved thee, and the weakness of thy heart, which the credulous
+believers of Mahomet will call prudence and moderation; but the fiend
+of darkness is let loose, and the powers of enchantment shall
+prevail." As the old magician spake thus, his fiery dragon, with
+tremendous hissings, arose, and, cleaving the dome of the divan,
+disappeared from their sight.</p>
+
+<p>"Thus," said the illustrious Misnar, "let the enemies of Mahomet be
+dismayed! But inform me, O ye sages, under the semblance of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> which of
+your brethren did that foul enchanter gain admittance here?"</p>
+
+<p>"As I travelled on the mountains from Queda," answered Bahilu, the
+hermit of the Faithful from Queda, "and saw neither the footsteps of
+beasts nor the flights of birds, behold, I chanced to pass through a
+cavern, in whose hollow sides I found this accursed sage, to whom I
+unfolded the invitation of the Sultan of India, and we journeyed
+together towards the divan; but ere we entered he said unto me, 'Put
+thy hand forth, and pull me toward thee into the divan, calling on the
+name of Mahomet; for the evil spirits are on me and vex me.'"</p>
+
+<p>After the hermit Bahilu had spoken, Mangelo arose.</p>
+
+<p>"May the power of the Sultan of the East be multiplied!" said he; "but
+know, O Sultan, that neither evil genius nor enchanter can enter this
+seat of justice unless he be invited in the name of Mahomet."</p>
+
+<p>"If it be so," answered the Sultan Misnar, "then neither can they be
+masked against the voice of justice; for Thou, O righteous Allah, wilt
+uphold the tribunal which Thou has founded upon earth, and make the
+visions of fraud to depart from him who seeketh truth. Therefore,"
+continued the Sultan, "lest this assembly be still tainted with malice
+and infidelity, I command the evil spirits to stand confessed before
+me."</p>
+
+<p>At his word, sulphurous smokes arose, and from the thronged assembly
+seven hideous forms broke forth.</p>
+
+<p>First, on a vulture's pinions, the fell enchanter Tasnar soared aloft,
+whose skin was as the parched Indian's when he writhes impaled upon
+the bloody stake.</p>
+
+<p>Next, on the back of an enormous scorpion, whose tail dropped deadly
+poison, Ahaback appeared, and with his eyes darted malignant flashes
+on the youthful Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>Happuck, a subtle magician, followed him, seated on the shoulders of a
+tiger, whose mane was shagged with snakes, and whose tail was covered
+with twining adders.</p>
+
+<p>Hapacuson also, that decrepit hag, who personated the righteous
+Sallasalsor, from Nechal, now stripped of the garments of hypocrisy,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span>
+filled the eyes of the sages with terror and amazement. Her lean
+bones, wrapped round with yellow skin, appeared like the superstitious
+mummies of western Egypt. She was mounted on a dreadful monster. Its
+form was like the deadly spider, but in bulk like the elephant of the
+woods; hairs, like cobwebs, covered its long bony legs, and from
+behind, a bag of venom, of a whitish hue, spurted forth its malignant
+influence.</p>
+
+<p>She was followed by her malicious sister Ulin, squatting on the back
+of a hideous toad.</p>
+
+<p>Then, with a loud hiss, started forth, in many a fold, a black
+serpent, in length and bulk like the cedars of the forest, bearing the
+powerful enchantress Desra, whose wide-extended ears covered a head of
+iniquity.</p>
+
+<p>Last, with majestic horrors, the giant Kifri swelled into his full
+proportion: the long alligator that bore him groaned with his load,
+and opening all his mouths (for every scale appeared a mouth), vomited
+forth streams of blood. In his hand the giant brandished a tall pine,
+and, shaking it at the dauntless Misnar, said,</p>
+
+<p>"Tremble, vile reptile, at a giant's wrath! tremble at the magic
+powers of all my brethren, for thy doom is fixed!"</p>
+
+<p>At these words, the infernal crew joined with Kifri, and all at once
+pronounced in harsh discordant sounds, "Tremble, vile reptile, for thy
+doom is fixed!"</p>
+
+<p>The enchanters were then involved in a thick cloud of smoke, from
+which issued flashes of lightning, which, ascending to the roof of the
+divan, disappeared in a moment.</p>
+
+<p>"There is neither wisdom nor prudence," said Misnar, as he prostrated
+himself on the ground, after the enchantments were at an end, "but
+what is derived from Allah. If Thou dost vouchsafe to direct my steps,
+O Protector of Mussulmen, the fear of evil shall not come upon me."</p>
+
+<p>"Happy," said Candusa, the imam of Lahor, "happy is the Prince whose
+trust is in Allah, and whose wisdom cometh from the Heavens."</p>
+
+<p>"Happy," said all the sages, humbling themselves before the Sultan
+Misnar, "happy is our Sultan, the favourite of Allah!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"That, O sages," replied Misnar, "is too much for even the Sultan of
+the East to hear. But, may the all-righteous Allah approve of my
+thoughts and actions; so shall the infernal powers destroy the
+wretches that employ them, and the dark poisoned arrow recoil upon him
+that blew it forth. But, O sages, though your numbers are reduced,
+your integrity is more tried and approved; therefore let your Sultan
+partake of the sweetness of your counsels, and learn from aged
+experience the wisdom of the sons of earth. Say, then, what doth the
+peace and security of my throne require from me concerning my brother
+Ahubal, the issue of the mighty Dabulcombar?"</p>
+
+<p>"Far be it from me," said the sage Carnakan, "to presume to utter my
+words as oracles before the Prince; but may not the security of the
+East require that the Prince thy brother be not enlarged, as my Sultan
+is, to do whatsoever seemeth good in his heart? Should not the younger
+be as servant to the first-born of his father, and are not all the
+Princes the vassals of the Sultans of the East? Let, therefore, the
+Prince Ahubal enjoy the pleasure of life; but let him be removed from
+giving pain and uneasiness to my royal Sultan Misnar. At the sources
+of the springs of Ava, on the craggy rocks of Aboulfaken, is a royal
+castle built by the sage Illfakircki, to which there is no passage but
+through a narrow vale, which may be ever guarded by the slaves of
+Misnar. Hither let the Prince be sent; and let him live there, and
+enjoy life, without having any power to molest the glories of thy
+reign."</p>
+
+<p>The counsel of Carnakan was agreeable to the Sultan and his sages; and
+Misnar gave immediate orders, that the mutes of his seraglio should
+attend the Prince to the royal castle at Aboulfaken; and then
+dismissing, for the present, the assembled sages, he commanded them to
+attend the divan every week.</p>
+
+<p>In a few days, the mutes and guards who were sent with the Prince
+Ahubal being admitted into the presence of their Sultan, fell on their
+faces, and cried out,</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, let not the displeasure of the Sultan visit his slaves, who, in
+obedience to thy royal word, journeyed toward the castle of
+Aboulfaken, and, as they passed along through the deserts, a party<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> of
+five thousand horse appeared, who, setting upon us, ordered us either
+to deliver up the Prince Ahubal, or defend him with our lives. Thy
+slaves would willingly have chosen the latter fate. Yet, alas! what
+were four hundred guards and twenty mutes to the army that opposed us?
+But our consultation was vain; for while we debated how to defend
+ourselves, the Prince drew his sabre, and, killing three of our
+number, cut his way through the guards to his friends. The horsemen
+then would have set upon us and hewed us in pieces; but their chief
+forbade them, saying, 'No, let them live, and be the messengers of the
+Prince's escape. Go,' continued he, 'dastard slaves! and let your
+Sultan know, that Ahubal has friends who will shortly punish him for
+his designs on the Prince.'"</p>
+
+<p>At these words of the guards Misnar gave a deep sigh, and said, "Human
+prudence alone is far too weak to fight against the wiles of the
+deceitful; but Allah is more powerful than man. I will therefore send
+for the prophets, and inquire of them where I may seek for the
+assistance of Mahomet."</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan then commanded Zeuramaund and his tribe, and Mangelo the
+prophet, from the hollow rocks of Caxol, to be brought before him; and
+when they were come into his presence, he demanded of them, where he
+might seek for the assistance of Mahomet, and the countenance of
+Allah.</p>
+
+<p>Then Zeuramaund answered the Sultan in these words:</p>
+
+<p>"In the tomb of the Prophet of Mecca is the signet of Mahomet, which
+no human power may remove; but if the Prophet will hear the prayer of
+the Sultan, it may easily be taken thence."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," replied Mangelo, "the seal of Mahomet will indeed preserve the
+Prince from enchantment; but it is also necessary that he put on the
+girdle of Opakka, which is worn by the giant Kifri, the sworn enemy of
+the Eastern throne. For although the signet of Mahomet will preserve
+the Sultan from evil, yet will the girdle of Opakka only save him from
+deceit."</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan Misnar was moved at the discourse of his prophets, and
+spent the night in thought and perplexity. He had little hope that the
+signet of Mahomet, which had for ages remained immovable,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span> should
+yield to him; or that, with all his numerous armies, he should be able
+to force the girdle of Opakka from the loins of an enchanter, who
+could in a moment overwhelm his troops by the power of his art.
+However, he determined the next morning to go with his Court on a
+public pilgrimage to Mecca, and to offer up the most solemn petitions
+to the Prophet of his faith.</p>
+
+<p>Early in the morning the Sultan arose from his seraglio, and commanded
+his courtiers to prepare the procession, as he intended immediately to
+make a public pilgrimage to Mecca.</p>
+
+<p>But as Misnar was making known his intentions, a messenger arrived in
+haste at the entrance of the seraglio, who brought advice that one of
+the southern kingdoms had revolted, and was led on by a skilful
+heroine, who declared her intentions of placing Ahubal, the brother of
+the Sultan, on the throne of India.</p>
+
+<p>Misnar was conscious that this revolt was brought about through the
+contrivances of the enchanters, and therefore despaired of conquering
+them by means of his armies; but lest the other kingdoms, seeing no
+troops were sent to repel the rebels, should also join the adverse
+party, the Sultan commanded the signal of war to sound; and sending
+for his Grand Vizier Horam in private, he ordered him to lead out the
+armies of Delhi against the rebels, and to dispatch daily messengers
+to the capital, to bring advice of his success.</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier Horam received the Sultan's commission with reverence, and
+said, "Let not my Sultan be angry at his slave. If my lord should
+require ten thousand messengers, his slave Horam would dispatch them.
+But if my lord will accept of this tablet, he shall know in a moment
+the success of his servant, though numberless leagues distant."</p>
+
+<p>"What!" said Misnar, taking the tablet from his Vizier. "By what means
+is this tablet endued with these rare virtues?"</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," answered Horam, "when my father, through the malice of his
+enemies, was banished from the presence of the mighty Dabulcombar&mdash;whom
+the houris of Paradise do serve&mdash;he called me to him, and said, 'O Horam,
+the evil-minded have prevailed, and thy father has fallen a sacrifice to
+the enemies of truth! No more, my son, shall I behold the children of my
+strength, nor<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> the splendour of my Sultan's Court. Whither I go, I know
+not. But take this tablet, my son; and whatever befalleth thy parent shall
+at times be made known to thee in the leaves of this book; and to
+whomsoever thou givest it, that friend shall, after my death, read therein
+whatever Horam my son shall wish to make known unto him.'"</p>
+
+<p>"Faithful Horam," answered the Sultan, "your present is of such
+exquisite value, that I shall, in confidence, honour you with the
+first place in my esteem. Know, then, my faithful Vizier, that the
+powers of enchantment are let loose against my throne, and the
+prophets have said, 'Thou shalt not prevail but with the signet of
+Mahomet and the girdle of Opakka;' therefore it is expedient that I
+first go to Mecca to obtain this valuable gift of the Prophet. My
+purpose this morning was to go surrounded by the nobles of my Court;
+but while rebellion stalketh abroad, pageants are idle, and the parade
+of a Sultan's pilgrimage will give my enemies time to increase in
+their numbers and strength. No, Horam; I myself will in secret
+approach the tomb of my Prophet, for Allah requireth the service of
+the heart, and searcheth out the purity of his servants' intentions: I
+shall go with greater humility as a peasant than as a prince. In the
+meantime my royal tent shall be pitched, and Horam only shall be
+suffered to approach it. So shall my slaves imagine their Sultan goeth
+forth with them to the field, and their hearts shall be strengthened."</p>
+
+<p>"Be the desires of the Sultan fulfilled," said Horam, with reverence;
+"but will not my lord take with him a guard in his pilgrimage?&mdash;for
+the dangers of the journey are great over the mountains and deserts,
+and the voyage by the seas is perilous."</p>
+
+<p>"No," answered the Sultan; "those who are my slaves <i>here</i>, may at a
+distance become my masters, and sell me to my foes: where the trust is
+great, great is the danger also. Shall I set guards over my person in
+the heart of my kingdom amidst my faithful subjects, and trust my life
+in a slave's hand where I am neither known nor respected?"</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier Horam was struck with the prudence of his youthful Sultan,
+and bowed in assent to his words.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>In a few days the armies of India assembled; the royal tent was
+pitched, and the Vizier was declared the leader of his Sultan's
+forces. Misnar entered his tent in great state, and Horam alone
+followed the Sultan into the retirements of the movable pavilion.</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier had, according to the Sultan's instructions, prepared a
+disguise for his master; and at midnight led him, like a peasant,
+through the encampment into a wood, where, falling at his feet, he
+besought him to consider well the dangers he was about to encounter.</p>
+
+<p>"Horam," answered the Sultan, "I well know the goodness of thy heart,
+and that thy fears arise from thy love. Sensible am I that the dangers
+of my pilgrimage are great; but what resource have I left? More than
+man is risen up against me, and more than man must assist me, or I
+perish. To whom, then, can I fly, but to the Prophet of the Faithful?
+For I am well assured that no enchantment shall prevail against me
+while I journey toward Mecca, for such is the faith of all true
+believers: though they may oppress and fatigue me, yet in the end
+shall I triumph. Besides, Horam, there remains no other course for
+me."</p>
+
+<p>"True, my Sultan," answered the Vizier: "without Allah, vain is the
+counsel of man; but is not Allah everywhere present to aid and defend
+the sons of the Faithful?"</p>
+
+<p>"Though Allah be all-powerful," answered Misnar, "yet is not the slave
+of His hand to direct the Lord of all things. If we would gain the
+help and assistance of Allah, we must obey His commands; and well are
+we assured in the law of our Prophet, that at Mecca shall the prayer
+of the Faithful be heard. Wherefore, O Horam, no longer my slave, but
+my friend, lead forth my armies with confidence and trust, and doubt
+not that He, who daily refresheth the sun with light, will shortly
+restore Misnar to the throne of his forefathers."</p>
+
+<p>As he spake thus the Sultan broke from his Vizier, Horam, who had
+fallen at his feet weeping at his fixed resolves, and penetrated into
+the gloomy recesses of the forest.</p>
+
+<p>All was silence and darkness, save where, through broken fragments of
+fleeting clouds, the moon sometimes threw a feeble light on the gloom
+of the forest.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"This gloomy recess," said Misnar, as he passed on, "which hides me
+from the world, makes me better known to myself. In the Court of my
+forefathers I am called the 'light of the world,' the 'glory of the
+East,' and the 'eye of day;' but in the wild forest of Tarapajan I am
+a poor helpless creature. What, then, is the pride of man but deceit,
+and the glories of the earth but shadows? Surely more had I to fear
+from enchantment on the throne of Dabulcombar than in the bosom of
+this forest. Here the wild beast will not flatter me, nor will the
+lordly lion acknowledge me the Sultan of his wild domains."</p>
+
+<p>With such thoughts Misnar passed on for many days; till one night, at
+a distance, he perceived the skies looked red with light from various
+fires, and, by the noise, found that some Indians were carousing in
+the woods before him.</p>
+
+<p>The disguised Sultan endeavoured to avoid them, striking into a path
+which led round their fires; but some of the Indians observing him,
+called to their brother peasant, and desired him to partake of their
+mirth.</p>
+
+<p>Misnar thought it would be vain to refuse the request, as they all
+seemed disposed to insist on their demands, and therefore hastened to
+the scene of their festivity.</p>
+
+<p>Here he found ten or twelve fires, with a number of males and females,
+some sitting, and some dancing around them to the sound of rustic
+music.</p>
+
+<p>Misnar inquired the cause of their mirth.</p>
+
+<p>"What!" said an ancient female, "though you are a stranger in
+Tarapajan, and know not that the Feast of Tigers is celebrated by
+these nightly fires, yet must you now learn that no stranger comes but
+to partake of our joy, nor departs till, the fires are extinct."</p>
+
+<p>"And how long," said Misnar, "doth this feast last?"</p>
+
+<p>"This," answered the old woman, "is the third night, and these fires
+must blaze yet eleven nights and days more, during which time the axe
+is not seen in the hand of the forester, nor doth the bow twang in the
+woods of Tarapajan; neither may he which seeth these rites depart till
+they be fulfilled."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Misnar was thunderstruck at this relation. And ere he could answer,
+the crowd gathered round him.</p>
+
+<p>"Come," said he that appeared to be the chief, "let us initiate this
+stranger into our rites: bring hither the skin of the tiger, and the
+paw of the lion, and the lance, and the bow that twangs not in the
+woods of Tarapajan during these nightly festivals."</p>
+
+<p>Then one brought the skin of a tiger, and threw it over the shoulders
+of Misnar; another came with the paw of a lion, and hung it before
+him; a third brought a lance, and put it in Misnar's right hand; and a
+fourth slung a bow on his breast. Then all the crowd made a loud
+howling, and danced round the astonished Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>"Now," said the chief, when the dance was finished, "sound the hollow
+instruments of brass, which give notice to the moon and to the stars
+that this stranger is about to swear not to reveal our rites. Lay
+thine hand on thy head," said the chief to the disguised Sultan, "and
+put thy fingers on thy mouth, and say, 'As the starless night is dark,
+as the cave of death is dark, so shall my thoughts and words continue
+in darkness concerning the festival of tigers.'"</p>
+
+<p>"And wherefore," said Misnar, "is this silence imposed? And what shall
+befall him that sweareth not unto you? Is not the mind of man free?
+And who shall offend him who seeketh not to offend others?"</p>
+
+<p>"Whosoever," answered the chief, "travelleth, should become obedient
+to the customs of those people among whom he tarrieth."</p>
+
+<p>"Right," continued Misnar; "and I am willing, on two conditions, to
+fulfil your will: first, you shall all swear that I be at liberty to
+pursue my journey on the eleventh day; and, next, that I shall not be
+bound to perform aught contrary to the law of Mahomet."</p>
+
+<p>"Stranger," replied the chief, "when we are at liberty to depart, thou
+shalt depart likewise; but during this festival, which is held in
+honour of our noble ancestor, who remained fourteen days in this
+forest till he had subdued a ravenous race of tigers, no man that has
+entered here may stir hence till the fires be extinguished:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> for by
+the fire did our ancestor drive away and destroy the tigers and beasts
+of the forest, and by fire do we commemorate his mighty deeds.
+Neither," continued the chief, "may we reveal these rites to any one
+but those who by accident espy them; for such as are present with us
+we are bound to receive into our society; wherefore we compel those
+who come among us to keep in silence the knowledge of our rites."</p>
+
+<p>"If such is your custom," answered Misnar, "I shall willingly comply,
+and swear to you, that 'As the starless night is dark, as the cave of
+death is dark, so shall my words and thoughts continue in darkness
+concerning the festival of tigers.'"</p>
+
+<p>As he uttered these words, the whole assembly again danced around him,
+till the hollow brazen instruments were ordered to sound, and all the
+inhabitants of the forest were commanded to receive the disguised
+Sultan as their brother.</p>
+
+<p>Then the men, one by one, passed by Misnar, each as he passed laying
+the hand of the Sultan on his breast. After they were passed by, came
+the females also, who embraced their new brother. These Misnar
+suffered to pass on without much reflection, till, among the youngest,
+who last approached, he beheld a beautiful virgin, with downcast
+looks, drawing near him, and who seemed ashamed of that freedom the
+custom of the place obliged her to use.</p>
+
+<p>At sight of this lovely figure, Misnar at once forgot his purpose and
+his crown, and was impatient till the ceremony brought her near to
+him. The other females perceived his emotion; and the chief of the
+festival approaching her, asked the lovely Noradin "whether she would
+at length fix her choice? for in this place," continued the chief,
+addressing himself to Misnar, "every sex hath freedom, and none are
+compelled to take the hand they do not love. Noradin hath for these
+three days been courted by all our tribe, but she has refused every
+advance: if she refuse not you, our joy will be complete, and then
+none of our company will be without his companion."</p>
+
+<p>Misnar, forgetting the great designs of his heart, waited for the fair
+one's answer, and felt more fear at her silence than at this dreadful
+enchantments of his monstrous enemies. At length<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> Noradin answered,
+"May the joy of my comrades be complete!" Misnar, in raptures at the
+fair Noradin's preference, took her by the hand, and led up the dance,
+while the instruments of brass a third time sounded, to proclaim the
+choice of Noradin.</p>
+
+<p>At the appearance of day, each repaired to the cottages around, and
+Misnar and Noradin were led by the chief to a spot, where shortly the
+whole assembly built them a cottage of bamboo and the leaves of the
+plantain.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as they retired, Noradin, taking Misnar by the hand, asked him
+whether she deserved his constant love for the choice she had made.
+Misnar reflected upon the words of his fair companion, and his heart
+recoiled at them.</p>
+
+<p>"What!" said the Sultan to himself, "shall I, for the gratification of
+my passion, give up the glories of my father's kingdom, and the
+viceregency of Mahomet? Or shall I basely betray that love which is
+proffered me, and embitter fair Noradin's future cup of life? No,"
+said he aloud, turning to his amiable companion, "never let the man of
+integrity deceive the heart that means to make him happy. Forgive me,
+all-beauteous Noradin! but the volumes of my fate are open, and the
+Prophet of the Faithful will not permit me to indulge here my secret
+affections: though the soul of thy slave will be torn and divided, yet
+must he depart with the expiring fires of your festival."</p>
+
+<p>"Base, cold, and senseless wretch!" said the false Noradin (as the
+beauteous vision vanished from the eyes of the Sultan, and he beheld
+the enchantress Ulin before him), "call not thy frozen purpose virtue,
+but the green fruits of unripened manhood. Though thou art escaped,
+puny animal as thou art! from the power of my enchantments, yet shall
+the southern kingdoms of India feel my scourge. Proceed, then,
+superstitious reptile! on thy tame pilgrimage to Mecca, while Horam
+feels the vengeance of my army in the sultry deserts of Ahajah."</p>
+
+<p>As she spake thus, she stretched out her wand, and the fires and the
+foresters, and the enchantress Ulin, disappeared from the sight of the
+astonished Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan immediately prostrated himself on the ground, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span> gave
+glory to God for his wonderful escape; and, pursuing his journey,
+continued his course for two moons through the wide-extended forest of
+Tarapajan.</p>
+
+<p>During this time he daily examined the tablets which the Vizier Horam
+had given him; but was very uneasy at finding the leaves always fair.
+"Alas!" said he to himself, "I have trusted to a base man, who perhaps
+has taken this advantage of my credulity, and intends to set the crown
+of India on my brother's head! There needed not the powers of
+enchantment to overthrow me, since I have betrayed at once my folly
+and my cause."</p>
+
+<p>Misnar, therefore, resolved to travel back to Delhi, and learn the
+cause of Horam's silence; but as he neglected not to look on the
+tablets every day, he at length found the following inscription
+therein:</p>
+
+<p>"Horam, the faithful slave of the Sultan of the East, to Misnar, the
+lord of his heart.</p>
+
+<p>"Some time after I left my royal Sultan in the forest, while my heart
+was sad within me, came a hasty messenger from the outskirts of the
+rebel army, and declared their approach, and that the southern
+provinces had revolted, and were added to the opposers of the Sultan
+of the East. When thy slave was certain of this intelligence from the
+mouths of many, who hastened to the camp with these bad tidings, I
+commanded the armies of India to be increased, and a more exact
+discipline to be observed in my master's camp; and, perceiving that
+the enemy hastened to meet the forces, I shortened the march of my
+slaves, that the fatigues of the deserts might not prevail more
+against them than the face and the sword of their enemies. Moreover, I
+led thy troops through the most cultivated countries, that the
+necessaries of life might with the greater ease be procured for the
+multitudes that followed thy tent. But, alas! the presence of my lord
+is not with his people, and the army murmur that they are led by a
+Sultan who cheers not their labours by the light of his person; so
+that the hearts of thy people are withdrawn from Horam thy slave, and
+the captains of thousands demand admittance to thy tent, and accuse
+thy Vizier of evil devices against thee, my lord the Sultan."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>As the Sultan read this intelligence in the tablet of Horam, his heart
+failed within him, and the sight of his eyes was as a mist before him.</p>
+
+<p>"O Misnar! Misnar!" said he, falling to the ground, "the fiend of
+darkness is let loose upon thee! and the powers of enchantment still
+prevail!"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," said Ulin the enchantress, who immediately appeared, "the
+powers of enchantment shall prevail! Misnar, the faithful servant of
+Mahomet, hath at length yielded to my power, and Allah hath given to
+my vengeance the wretch that doubts His protection. Crawl, therefore,"
+continued she, "vile reptile, on the earth, and become a toad."</p>
+
+<p>At the powerful voice of her enchantment, the Sultan shrank from his
+natural form and became a reptile on the earth. His change of form did
+not take from Misnar his memory or recollection: he was sensible of
+his disgrace, and of the justness of his sentence; and though he could
+not fly from himself, yet he hastened into the thicket, that he might
+hide from the light of heaven. But the calls of nature soon drove him
+from his recess, to seek his proper food in the desert. He crawled
+forth, and was led on by a scent that pleased him: his spirits seemed
+enlivened by the sweet odour, and his cold feeble limbs were endued
+with brisker motion.</p>
+
+<p>"Surely," said he, in his heart, "the bounteous Allah hath not left
+the meanest of His creatures without comfort and joy. The smell is as
+the smell of roses, and life and vigour are in these attractive
+paths."</p>
+
+<p>With these thoughts he crawled forwards into the thickest covert; and
+though his body was drawn with a secret impulse, yet his mind was
+filled with horror when he came in sight of a mangled and corrupted
+body, which lay hid among the bushes. One of his own deformed kind sat
+squatting beside it, and, like himself, seemed to desire and yet
+detest the loathsome feast.</p>
+
+<p>Misnar, at sight of one of his hideous kind, was filled with scorn and
+rage; and, forgetting his transformation, was about to drive him from
+the mangled body, when the reptile, opening his mouth, addressed him
+in the language of Delhi.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Whether thou art really what thy form bespeaks thee," said the
+reptile, "or, like me, the victim of enchantment, answer."</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan, surprised at this address, and perceiving that misery was
+not his portion alone, desired to know by what means his
+fellow-creature suffered such a wretched change.</p>
+
+<p>"Since I perceive by your speech," said the reptile, "that one event
+has happened to us both, I shall not be adverse to declare to you the
+cause of my transformation; but I shall expect that my confidence will
+not be misplaced, and that, after I have made you acquainted with my
+history, you will not refuse to reveal your own."</p>
+
+<p>"A similitude in our fates," replied Misnar, "has already made us
+brethren, and I should be unreasonable to ask a favour I meant not to
+return."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, then," said he, "we will depart from this wretched sight into a
+different thicket, where we may unmolested bewail our uncommon fates;
+for although the enchantress Ulin, to disgrace our former natures, and
+to make us the more sensible of our present deformity, obliges us to
+meet daily before this horrid spectacle, yet our food is of the fruits
+of the earth; for the wicked enchantress has not the power to make us,
+even in this deformed habit, do that which is contrary to our human
+nature."</p>
+
+<p>While he was speaking another toad came up.</p>
+
+<p>"Here," continued the first, "is another of our brethren, and another
+will soon be here: we were three before you came among us.&mdash;Where, O
+Princess, is the last victim of Ulin's rage?" said he to the second.</p>
+
+<p>"He was basking," answered the second, "in the sand; but I aroused
+him, and he is now on his way."</p>
+
+<p>In a few minutes the third arrived. As soon as he had beheld the
+mangled body, and, the attraction ceased, the first leading the way,
+they departed into another thicket.</p>
+
+<p>"Here," said the first, "O stranger, we may rest securely, and the
+serpent cannot annoy us, for we are seated under the shade of the
+fragrant cinnamon."</p>
+
+<p>"We are obliged to you for your care of us," said Misnar; "but I am
+eager to hear the cause of your transformation."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h2>THE HISTORY OF MAHOUD.</h2>
+<p>I am (replied the toad) the son of a jeweller in Delhi, and my name is
+Mahoud. My father, after a life of industry and parsimony, finding
+himself declining, sent for me, and on his death-bed said, "O Mahoud,
+my days have been the days of care, but success hath attended them. I
+have toiled, that thou mayest reap; sown, that thou mayest gather; and
+laboured, that my son may enjoy the fruits of my industry. My peace
+and comfort have been sacrificed to thine; and now I die, assured that
+my beloved Mahoud will not be pinched by poverty or oppressed by
+penury and want."</p>
+
+<p>Thus said my aged father, and expired, and my tears accompanied his
+departing spirit; but these soon gave place to that ardent curiosity
+which drove me to explore the riches he had left me.</p>
+
+<p>I opened box after box with silent rapture, and was pleased to find
+wealth sufficient to satisfy even the appetite of youth. Many diamonds
+were among my father's wealth, besides large quantities of gold and
+silver; so that, in my youthful judgment, there appeared no end to my
+riches.</p>
+
+<p>It was not wonderful that, being so suddenly put in possession of
+these riches, I should seek every pleasure and diversion which wealth
+could purchase. All who were the companions of my childhood, all who
+would court an inexperienced heart, were admitted to my table; and the
+strict laws of Mahomet were less regarded at my house than the rich
+wines which sparkled at my feasts. Nor were the charms of the fair
+forgotten; and while our goblets were filled with wine, we envied not
+the deceased their rivers of milk.</p>
+
+<p>Thus passed I my life among those who jest with religion, and make
+their mock at the rules of prudence and sobriety. But the time soon
+came when my hours of revelry were to be changed for those of sorrow,
+and when I was first to learn that a father's prudence will not secure
+a wicked son from the shafts of bitterness and grief.</p>
+
+<p>My possessions, though ample, were nearly exhausted by ignorance and
+extortion; my jewels were gone; unacquainted with their value, I had
+flung them away rather than sold them; my<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> silver and gold were become
+the property of my friends, who, when I applied to them in return,
+were much more assiduous, if possible, in keeping it from me than I
+had been in squandering it on them. So that, in a little while, even
+the merchants, who had been such gainers by me, came to demand some
+trifling sums that I had borrowed from them, which being unable to
+pay, they seized my furniture and stripped me of my clothes to satisfy
+their demands.</p>
+
+<p>In this situation I was turned out of my own doors by those whom I had
+received a thousand times in my arms, and spurned at like a dog by
+those whom I had pressed to my bosom.</p>
+
+<p>Stung by reflecting on my former follies, and ignorant where to fly
+for shelter, I covered myself with some few rags that had been cast to
+me, and sat down before the house of a rich young man, who, like
+myself, seemed to be squandering his wealth on the scum of the earth.</p>
+
+<p>Bennaskar&mdash;for that was his name&mdash;soon came forth, with his minstrels
+and singers at his heels, and, seeing a miserable figure before his
+door, he asked what I wanted. I told him that once, like himself, I
+gave life to the dance and mirth to my friends; but that want of
+caution had been the cause of my ruin, and too much confidence in
+those who least deserved my favour.</p>
+
+<p>Several of his friends, hearing this, would have driven me from his
+presence, saying it was unfit such a wretch should even enjoy the
+blessings of the air; but Bennaskar would not suffer it, and asked me,
+"Whether the insincerity of my friends had taught me to be sincere to
+others?"</p>
+
+<p>I answered that I had ever been sincere, even to those who were
+undeserving, and that I would rather die than betray my friend.</p>
+
+<p>"If what you say is true," said Bennaskar, "I will try you. Go in, and
+my servants shall clothe you, and you shall live with me. I only ask
+in return, that you never disclose to any one what you hear or see
+transacted in my house."</p>
+
+<p>"Sir," answered I, "your offer is gracious, and bespeaks your generous
+intentions; but I do not choose to live on another's bounty unless I
+can make myself useful."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"That," answered Bennaskar, "you may do if I find I can trust you. I
+have long been in search of one I could trust. I want such an one, but
+cannot find him."</p>
+
+<p>The friends of Bennaskar then surrounded their lord, and each
+confusedly offered their services to him.</p>
+
+<p>"No," said the young man, "though I appear unthoughtful in your eyes,
+O, servile race of flatterers! yet know, to your confusion, that I
+have tried you all, and find you trifling and insincere. This man
+alone refuses my proffered love unless he can return it, and this man
+alone is worthy of my esteem."</p>
+
+<p>The friends of Bennaskar were thunderstruck at his words, and renewed
+their protestations; but he commanded his servants to drive them from
+his house, and, taking me by the hand, he led me into an inner but
+sumptuous apartment.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as we entered, I prostrated myself at his feet, and said, "Let
+not my lord be angry with his servant, but thou hast not told me what
+service thou wilt expect from me."</p>
+
+<p>"All that I require," answered Bennaskar, "is that you disclose not to
+any one what you hear or see transacted in my house."</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," answered I, "of what service can I be to you by such a
+compliance? If I am silent thy slaves may speak, and I shall be blamed
+for their insincerity. I pray thee, let me return to my rags, and set
+me not in a place where thy vassals will be tempted to ruin me in thy
+favour."</p>
+
+<p>"Your answer," said Bennaskar, "is the answer of a prudent man. But
+fear not: I cannot do without you, and I hope you will not refuse my
+proffered love. What you will see, none will see besides you;
+therefore none but yourself will be unfaithful to me."</p>
+
+<p>On this assurance, I accepted the offer of Bennaskar. After which the
+slaves led me to the bath, where I washed, and was perfumed, and
+arrayed in a vestment of my lord's.</p>
+
+<p>Bennaskar was impatient to see me; and, as I was led into his
+presence, the young man hastened to meet me, and, folding me in his
+arms, he said, "May I at length meet a friend I call trust?"</p>
+
+<p>And I answered, "May Mahoud be the friend of thy bosom?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Bennaskar then led me into another apartment, and meats were set
+before us, and he ordered the females that danced to come and
+entertain us.</p>
+
+<p>Thus I spent my time with the agreeable Bennaskar: every day we varied
+our enjoyments, and were mutually satisfied with each other.</p>
+
+<p>I had now been with my friend eighteen days, and nothing had occurred
+to interrupt our friendship, when, on the nineteenth morning,
+Bennaskar appeared with a clouded visage.</p>
+
+<p>"What," said I, "my lord, is the cause of your grief? Shall not Mahoud
+share alike with you the smiles and the frowns of Allah?"</p>
+
+<p>"Is it not," asked Bennaskar, "O Mahoud, the full of the moon?"</p>
+
+<p>"It is," replied I, with a smile; "but doth Bennaskar intend to change
+with that fluctuating planet?"</p>
+
+<p>"O Mahoud," said Bennaskar, "the fate of thy friend is dependent on
+the caprice of the stars. To-night must I put thy utmost friendship to
+the trial. If Mahoud prove insincere, then is Bennaskar cursed among
+men. If thy heart is not firm, now, while there is time, depart. But
+why should I doubt thee? surely Mahoud is of the sons of the Faithful.
+What must I say? Leave me, Mahoud, leave me; nay, if thou departest,
+where shall I find thy fellow? and the presence of a friend is
+necessary to my quiet."</p>
+
+<p>"Then," answered I, "fear not, Bennaskar: Mahoud may be unhappy, but
+he cannot be unjust. But what is this dreadful trial that obliges
+Bennaskar to suspect his friend?"</p>
+
+<p>"True," said Bennaskar, "Mahoud is undeserving of suspicion. Let us
+wait till the sun sink from the skies, and the stars return with their
+glimmering light."</p>
+
+<p>Bennaskar then proceeded to the bath, and arrayed himself in a costly
+robe, and desired me to do the same. I obeyed my friend, and we met in
+the saloon together.</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" said Bennaskar, as we met, "how can I request my friend to
+wear the image of deformity?"</p>
+
+<p>"What image of deformity," said I, "must Mahoud wear? All<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> appearances
+are to Mahoud alike; and the severer the trial, the more shall I
+commend thy friendship."</p>
+
+<p>"Then," said Bennaskar, pulling out a pot of black ointment, "thou
+must suffer me to disguise thy face with this ointment: to-night thou
+must personate a black slave."</p>
+
+<p>"Is such a trifle," said I, "the test of friendship? Give me the
+ointment, and furnish me with the habit of a slave."</p>
+
+<p>"The habit," answered Bennaskar, "is ready, and all is ready; but you
+must not as yet disguise yourself, lest my slaves observe us. Come,
+let us for the present enjoy ourselves, and, when night approaches,
+Bennaskar will rely on the friendship of Mahoud."</p>
+
+<p>The slaves then brought us the costly viands of Delhi; but Bennaskar
+remained pensive, and seemed not to relish the dainties before him.</p>
+
+<p>I endeavoured all I could to divert his melancholy; I smiled, I sang
+before him; the dancers were introduced with music to dissipate his
+gloom; but Bennaskar still remained mute. The music continued till
+night, when Bennaskar commanded the slaves to withdraw, and, taking a
+lamp in his hand, led me through several apartments.</p>
+
+<p>"Mahoud," said he, as we went along, "has never yet seen the wonders
+of my palace."</p>
+
+<p>"I am happy, my lord," answered I, "to see your wealth; but I am not
+inquisitive to explore, unbidden, the secrets of another."</p>
+
+<p>We had now arrived at a small vaulted room, from the centre of which
+hung a lamp, which Bennaskar trimmed, putting out the one he held in
+his hand.</p>
+
+<p>"Now," said he, "Mahoud, enter that closet which is opposite to us,
+and put on the slave's dress which you will find there, and anoint thy
+face and hands with this black ointment."</p>
+
+<p>I immediately obeyed, and in a short time came forth arrayed as a
+slave.</p>
+
+<p>"Kind Mahoud," said Bennaskar, "thou art excellently disguised; now
+obey with silence, and stand as a mute before his lord."</p>
+
+<p>I folded my arms and nodded assent, at which he smiled.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Take hold, Mahoud," said he, "of that iron ring which is fastened to
+the middle of the floor, and pull."</p>
+
+<p>I obeyed, and a little trap-door opened. On looking down, I perceived
+a woman in rich vestments, half buried in the earth. I shuddered at
+the sight, and was falling backward, when Bennaskar struck me with a
+chabouc,<a name="FNanchor_6_6" id="FNanchor_6_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a> which he drew from his bosom, and said, "Villain, if thou
+fail me, I shall use thee as my slave."</p>
+
+<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_6_6" id="Footnote_6_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6_6"><span class="label">[6]</span></a> A large whip.</p></div>
+
+<p>Although enraged at the blow, yet I remembered my promise, and
+returned to the trap-door.</p>
+
+<p>"Slave," said Bennaskar, "dig that female out of the ground: the spade
+and the mattock are hidden under the floor."</p>
+
+<p>I immediately jumped down, found the tools, and began to work; but
+neither my fear nor my labour could prevent me from fixing my eyes on
+the lovely female, who seemed as one dead.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as I had removed the earth from her, which I did with great
+care, Bennaskar commanded me to lift the body into the apartment, gave
+me a phial of clear blue liquor, and ordered me to pour it into her
+mouth, while he retired to the closet.</p>
+
+<p>I willingly obeyed, and hastened to administer the liquid, while
+Bennaskar retired.</p>
+
+<p>The liquor was no sooner swallowed than the lovely female began to
+move, and in a short time opening her eyes, she cast them upon me, and
+shrieked out, clapping her hands together and crying, "O Allah, defend
+me!"</p>
+
+<p>Bennaskar at the same time spoke to her from the closet where he was
+concealed.</p>
+
+<p>"Hemjunah," said he, "are you as yet disposed to yield yourself to the
+will of Bennaskar, or must we still experience the evils of opposite
+enchantment?"</p>
+
+<p>"Wretch!" answered the fair stranger, "I fear not the powers of your
+accursed magic, for Macoma has assured me that you shall not be able
+to harm me except with my own consent; and Mahomet, though for a time
+he permits this enchantment, will at length assuredly deliver me."</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span></p><p>"Then," answered Bennaskar, "must the lash be inflicted. Here,"
+continued he, "slave Mahoud, inflict fifty lashes on that obdurate
+female."</p>
+
+<p>I took the chabouc from Bennaskar, and began, with trembling, my cruel
+office, lamenting my own blind compliance in promising to obey a
+monster whom I had mistaken for a friend.</p>
+
+<p>As the lash touched the beautiful Hemjunah, she made the vaulted roof
+re-echo with her cries; nor did my heart feel less sensibly the
+strokes which I gave than her own. The tears trickled down my cheeks,
+and I prayed inwardly to be delivered from the hateful task.</p>
+
+<p>"What," said Bennaskar from the closet, "what doth Hemjunah now say to
+my desires?"</p>
+
+<p>"The hard-hearted and the cruel," said Hemjunah, faintly, "are the
+last to win the soft affections of a female heart: rather let me die
+than be the property of the vile Bennaskar."</p>
+
+<p>"If so," said he, coming from the closet, "die: for the present I
+resign my power. Let Macoma hide thee again in the dust of the earth."</p>
+
+<p>Bennaskar no sooner appeared than the beautiful Hemjunah again seemed
+to die away, and immediately a hissing noise was heard, and an ugly
+dwarf arose from the trap-door, and took the body of Hemjunah and
+replaced it in the earth, and the trap-door was closed with a roaring
+noise.</p>
+
+<p>Bennaskar then beckoned me to follow him, and leading me to the bath,
+bade me wash and return to the saloon in my proper vestments.</p>
+
+<p>I was so surprised at these horrors that I hardly knew what I did.
+However, in the bath I had time to recollect myself; but recollection
+was of little service, for reflection rather increased than cleared my
+confusion. One moment I resolved to apply to the Cadi, and declare
+every circumstance of the terrible adventure. The next I was awed by
+the thoughts of my rash and imprudent vows of secrecy.</p>
+
+<p>"Bennaskar," said I, "has for a month appeared as an angel before me;
+but one base action has deformed all his former purity.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> How can I
+reconcile these inconsistencies? Can he, who is the tenderest, the
+best of friends, be also the vilest and most cruel of mankind? I have
+been accessory to the torture of a most beautiful female&mdash;one, too,
+who called on the perfect Allah to deliver her. I have been the
+instrument of a mean revenge on a helpless woman, and now I yet delay
+to inform the Cadi of the villanies of this house of enchantment."</p>
+
+<p>I resolved immediately to repair to the Cadi, and give him full
+information of the sorceries of Bennaskar. I hastened out of the bath,
+threw my vestments over me, and advanced to the door.</p>
+
+<p>"But," said I, as I went along, "what am I about to do? I shall
+forfeit my faith without serving the distressed. Bennaskar expects me
+in the saloon, and when he finds that I am gone forth, he will, by the
+power of his art, secrete the beautiful female from the eyes of the
+Cadi. I have been the guest of Bennaskar a month, and never, till this
+day, did I perceive the rooms through which I was led to that
+detestable act of cruelty: nay, Bennaskar himself was obliged to wait:
+he was impatient till the full of the moon, and oppressed with sorrow
+and care when it arose. I will, therefore, for the present, return to
+Bennaskar, and will put on the face of cheerfulness, and make my
+countenance to shine before him."</p>
+
+<p>Bennaskar met me on my return. "Whence cometh Mahoud?" said he.</p>
+
+<p>"I am," answered I, "just risen from the bath, and I come to meet my
+friend Bennaskar."</p>
+
+<p>"Mahoud," answered Bennaskar, "art thou faithful, and wilt thou ever
+remain faithful to thy friend?"</p>
+
+<p>These words embarrassed me, and, not daring to answer otherwise, I
+said, "Why doth my lord doubt the sincerity of my heart?"</p>
+
+<p>"Mahoud, then," returned he, "is faithful?"</p>
+
+<p>"He is," answered I, but with an unwilling heart.</p>
+
+<p>"I doubt not," continued Bennaskar, "that my friend is amazed at the
+scene he lately beheld. But ask no explanations: let thy mouth be ever
+closed to seek or reveal."</p>
+
+<p>"Then," answered I, "you doubt the faithfulness of Mahoud;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span> else why
+may not I know the meaning of the wonders I have seen?"</p>
+
+<p>"The age of thy friendship," said Bennaskar, "is a month, and wouldst
+thou be admitted in so short a time to all the secrets of my heart?
+Forbear, rash youth. A well-tried friend is Bennaskar's joy; but woes
+and death are in the paths of his enemies."</p>
+
+<p>As he said this, he frowned and left me, and I retired to my
+apartment, irresolute in mind. As I entered my chamber, I perceived a
+small book open on a desk before the burning lamps. I went up to it,
+and found it was the Koran of our holy law. Being little desirous of
+sleep, I sat down; and as I read, methought I saw the name of Mahoud
+in the book.</p>
+
+<p>Startled at the vision, I looked again, and read distinctly these
+words:</p>
+
+<p>"Mahoud! Mahoud! Mahoud! there is much good in the world, but there is
+more evil; the good is the gift of Allah, but the evil is the choice
+of His creatures. Because of man's sin, and because of the darkness of
+his heart, do the evil genii and the enchantments of wickedness
+prevail. Even now is Mahoud in the house of a magician, to whom he is
+imprudently bound by the ties of honour: to draw back is meanness; but
+to persist is sin. When men act wrong, they subject themselves to the
+power of a wicked race; and we who are the guardians of mortality
+cannot interpose but in proportion to their remorse. Taken by the
+crafty dissimulation of Bennaskar, thy easy soul gave in to his
+snares, and thy prudence was decoyed by the voice of his mouth. Thou
+hast promised, at all events, not to reveal the secrets of his house,
+and thou hast, unknowingly, joined thyself in the fellowship of the
+wicked. But can man, who is bound to the service of Allah by an
+unalterable law, dispose of himself against the will of his Maker? or
+can the worm of the earth, the property of Heaven, set up itself
+against the hand that formed it? Had Mahoud engaged to conceal
+everything but what the law of Mahomet obliged him to reveal, he had
+behaved wisely; but he who walketh in darkness will undoubtedly fall
+into the pit. Past errors cannot be recalled; and Mahoud must learn
+the wisdom of experience.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> Under the resemblance of the Koran, behold,
+the genius Macoma instructs thine heart. I perceive evil will attend
+thee, if thou dost attempt the enlargement of the Princess of
+Cassimir; and yet, without it, thou must still continue the servant of
+cruelty and oppression. Choose, therefore, for yourself: if injured
+innocence can move thee, boldly suffer in the cause of truth, and take
+this book in thy bosom, which shall at all times admit thee to a sight
+of the Princess; if not, be still the slave of the enemy of thy
+Prophet."</p>
+
+<p>After this, I looked again on the book, but found I could read no
+more; however, I hesitated not to engage in the service of the
+Princess; and therefore, taking the book in my bosom, and the lamp in
+my hand, I went toward the saloon, supposing that Bennaskar was
+asleep. I searched for the rooms through which I had passed before,
+and soon perceived the vaulted apartment at the end of them.</p>
+
+<p>I hastened to take up the trap-door, and touching the Princess
+Hemjunah with the book, essayed to deliver her from her miserable
+confinement. The Princess awoke at the touch of the book; but, at the
+sight of me, shrieked aloud, and I feared her cries would awaken
+Bennaskar. I assured her that I was sent by the genius Macoma to
+effect her deliverance, and that I abhorred every kind of cruelty
+which I had practised upon her.</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" said she, still shrieking at intervals, "your story betrays
+your wickedness. I never before saw you, unless you are, as I suspect,
+the magician Bennaskar under some feigned appearance; but rest
+assured, vile man! that no deceit or cruelty shall ever make me the
+creature of Bennaskar. I will ever persist in my hatred of you; and I
+am assured that you cannot injure or destroy me."</p>
+
+<p>"Most gracious Princess Hemjunah!" said I, prostrating myself before
+her, "let me beseech you to hear me: I am not Bennaskar, nor a
+creature of Bennaskar's, but the servant of the genius Macoma, who has
+instructed me, by means of this holy book (which I then pulled out),
+to attempt your rescue, and I am willing to lay down my life for your
+safety. You have not indeed seen<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span> me in my present character, but this
+very night was I brought hither by Bennaskar, under the similitude of
+a slave, and forced, through a most accursed oath, to inflict the
+severest tortures on the most delicate of her sex."</p>
+
+<p>"Wretch!" said the Princess, "I am now convinced of thy perfidy,
+allowing thine own account to be true; for what promise could bind
+thee to a cruel action? and why not rather be thyself a sufferer than
+make an innocent virgin the subject of thy cruelties? But if thou art
+truly the servant of Macoma, and ashamed of thy late inhuman deeds,
+quit the house of the vile Bennaskar, and inform the Cadi of his
+cruelties and sorceries."</p>
+
+<p>"Rather," said I, "let me dig around you, and release you from this
+miserable confinement."</p>
+
+<p>"That," said the Princess, "you cannot do, unless you are indeed, as I
+suspect, the wretch Bennaskar; for by his command alone can I be
+released. Oh, fool that I was," continued she, with tears, "to listen
+for a moment to the falsehood of man!"</p>
+
+<p>"If my information," said I, "O lovely Hemjunah, will avail, this
+moment will I fly to the Cadi, and acquaint him with your distress."</p>
+
+<p>I then hastened to go; but oh, imagine my terror and amazement when I
+saw Bennaskar moving through the apartments which led to the vaulted
+chamber!</p>
+
+<p>As he advanced, Hemjunah shrieked, and I was ready to sink: though my
+intentions were just and good, yet was I terrified by his appearance,
+so much was I sunk by the rash promise which I had made; and I every
+moment expected the dreadful effects of his powerful malice.</p>
+
+<p>As Bennaskar entered the vaulted chamber, I shrank back with fear, and
+dared not lift up my eyes; but my terror was soon quieted, when I saw
+him fall prostrate at my feet. I then no longer doubted that the
+genius Macoma supported me, and attributed his behaviour to her
+supernatural power.</p>
+
+<p>"O Mahoud," said Bennaskar, "the friend of my bosom, the partner of my
+secrets; although the power of love has not the rule in thine heart,
+yet pity those who are the slaves of its dominion;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> if the lovely
+Princess of Cassimir did but know the purity of my heart, the&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Hear not the villain," said Hemjunah, "O servant of Macoma, unless he
+release me from this detested place: me he hath already deceived; and
+you will be subjected likewise to his power, unless the prudent spirit
+of Macoma direct thee."</p>
+
+<p>"Then," said Bennaskar, rising up, and laying bare his bosom, "here,
+Mahoud, strike, and end my miseries, and the miseries of Hemjunah; but
+never will Bennaskar consent to lose the treasure of his heart."</p>
+
+<p>"I will not," answered I, "lift up my private arm against thy life,
+but I shall deliver thee to the power of the Cadi, who is the deputy
+of the great Allah's vicegerent."</p>
+
+<p>"Give me, then," said the Princess of Cassimir, "the book of the
+genius Macoma, that I may be defended from the insults and
+contrivances of the base Bennaskar."</p>
+
+<p>The request of the Princess appeared to be so reasonable, that I
+obeyed her, and put the book into her hands.</p>
+
+<p>Bennaskar, when I was leaving the vaulted chamber, besought me not to
+destroy the friend who had supported me; but I told him that Allah was
+to be obeyed rather than man.</p>
+
+<p>I hastened to the Cadi; but as it was night, his officers told me I
+could not be heard, till I informed them that I had in my power a
+wicked magician, who, by sorceries, had stolen the Princess of
+Cassimir. When they heard this, they acquainted the Cadi; and that
+vigilant magistrate arose, and followed me to the house of Bennaskar
+with his guard.</p>
+
+<p>As I entered the house, I was amazed to see him standing in the
+entrance with a lamp in his hand; but my astonishment increased when I
+saw him fall down before the Cadi, and confess his guilt.</p>
+
+<p>The Cadi commanded the guards to seize him, and then ordered him to
+lead us to the place where he had concealed the Princess of Cassimir.
+Bennaskar obeyed; but as he went through the apartments, he said to
+me, "Mahoud, you are sensible that the Princess Hemjunah's body is
+half buried in the earth, and uncovered;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span> therefore prevail upon the
+Cadi that he suffer us to go before and release her: for my part, my
+sins oppress me, and I wish to restore to her dignity a much-injured
+Princess."</p>
+
+<p>"If," said I, "you will promise to release the Princess, I will
+endeavour to prevail on the Cadi to permit what you propose; but,
+otherwise, let the whole world be a witness of your wicked malice."</p>
+
+<p>"O my friend," said Bennaskar, "accuse me not, my own heart persecutes
+me sufficiently. Yes, Mahoud," continued he, "I will, as you require
+me, release the Princess, and trust to the mercy of the Cadi; for the
+service of the evil genii will neither bring me profit nor peace."</p>
+
+<p>I was pleased at this repentance of Bennaskar, and besought the Cadi
+that he would suffer us to enter the vaulted chamber first, and
+recover the Princess from her enchantment. The Cadi acquiesced in my
+proposal, but ordered the guards to surround the entrance, while
+Bennaskar and myself entered the chamber.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as we entered, Bennaskar seized me suddenly by the throat,
+and, before I could speak or recollect myself, he dragged me into the
+closet and shut the door after us.</p>
+
+<p>"Now," said he, "villain! receive the just rewards of a perjured
+heart." Saying this, he spat in my face, and threw me on the ground,
+and then flew out of the closet, shutting the door forcibly after him.</p>
+
+<p>I remained for some moments stupefied by my fall; but after a time
+arose, and opening the closet, I was surprised to see neither the
+Princess of Cassimir nor the magician Bennaskar.</p>
+
+<p>While I was in this confusion, the Cadi and his guards, being
+impatient at our stay, entered the chamber, and the Cadi commanded his
+guards to seize me, saying, "Villain! where is the Princess of
+Cassimir, and the man who revealed thy unrighteous actions?"</p>
+
+<p>At this I began to answer, when I perceived that my voice was as the
+voice of Bennaskar. I immediately looked on my clothes, and found them
+changed. In short, I doubted not that my malicious foe had transformed
+me into his own appearance.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>I fell at the feet of the Cadi, and besought him for one moment to
+hear me. I acquainted him with every circumstance of my adventures,
+from my entrance into the house of Bennaskar to the present moment.
+But he and his guards laughed at my tale, and commanded me to deliver
+up my friend and the Princess of Cassimir. In vain did I call Allah to
+witness the truth of my story; the Cadi was enraged at my persisting
+in the tale, and ordered his guards to give me a hundred strokes with
+the chabouc.</p>
+
+<p>To add to my misfortune, Bennaskar appeared at one end of the room;
+and when I cried out and pointed to him, the Cadi, who saw him not,
+thinking that I meant to mock him, ordered me another hundred lashes
+with the chabouc.</p>
+
+<p>Vexed with myself, and subdued by the pain, I fell on the ground, and
+my guards were ordered to carry me to the prison, where I was loaded
+with chains, and thrown into a deep dungeon.</p>
+
+<p>The next morning I was brought out again before the Cadi, and carried
+into the hall of justice. The Cadi there passed sentence upon me, that
+I should be burnt alive the next day unless I delivered up Mahoud and
+the Princess of Cassimir.</p>
+
+<p>Finding it vain to repeat my declarations that I was the real Mahoud,
+and that I suffered through the vile enchantments of Bennaskar, I
+remained silent; but this was construed into surliness, and I was
+ordered five hundred bastinadoes to make me speak.</p>
+
+<p>The Cadi then commanded me to be carried back to the dungeon, and
+ordered a large pile of wood to be raised in the market-place, whereon
+I was to be burnt the next morning, before all the people.</p>
+
+<p>I spent the night in the utmost horror, and earnestly wished that the
+sun might never more behold my sorrows. But the darkness passed away
+as usual, and I beheld the dreadful morning dawn. A tumultuous crowd
+had collected before the door of the dungeon to see me pass to
+execution, and as I was dragged along, the common people nearly
+overwhelmed me with stones.</p>
+
+<p>As I advanced to the pile, I perceived the Cadi and his officers were
+seated before it. He commanded me to be brought again before him ere I
+was bound to the pile.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Art thou," said he, "wretched magician, willing to bring forth the
+Princess, or thy friend, who are concealed by thy wicked arts, or must
+the sentence of our law be executed upon thee?"</p>
+
+<p>"O judge," said I, "since my tale will not gain credit with thee, at
+least let me know by whose accusation it is that I am brought before
+thee, and who it is that accuses me of magic or sorcery. Am not I
+Bennaskar, the wealthy merchant of Delhi? and where are my accusers?
+Who dare say aught against my fame? You came into my house by night,
+you seized my person, you inflicted on me the punishment of a slave;
+you cast me into a dungeon, and condemned me to the flames; and all
+this without the appearance of a single witness against me: wherefore,
+O Cadi, I appeal unto the righteous Sultan of the East, and I hope my
+fellow-citizens will not suffer me to be executed while no proofs of
+guilt are brought against me."</p>
+
+<p>"Young man," answered the Cadi, "your appeal is unnecessary, for I am
+not desirous of destroying my fellow-creatures without a cause. Your
+plea were just and proper, did not your own confession contradict your
+present assertion. Yesterday you declared that you were not Bennaskar,
+and to-day you say you are; wherefore out of your own lips I have
+convicted you of falsehood; whereas, had you really been Bennaskar the
+merchant, and not a magician, there had been no need of two different
+accounts of yourself."</p>
+
+<p>The people, hearing this distinction of the Cadi, applauded their
+judge; and one and all cried out that I was a magician, and deserved
+the flames.</p>
+
+<p>The guards were then ordered to bind me on the pile, and I was led up
+and fixed to a post by the chains which had been fastened on my body
+the day before; and now, amidst the acclamations of the mob, was the
+pile kindled, and the smoke and the flame surrounded the unfortunate
+Mahoud.</p>
+
+<p>In a moment the crowd and the heavens disappeared from my sight, and I
+found myself in the body of a toad, at the bottom of the pile. I
+hopped forward out of the flames, and with difficulty hid myself
+beneath a stone in the street.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The crowd, having waited till the pile was consumed, carried the ashes
+out of the city, and scattered them in the air. I remained till night
+beneath the stone.</p>
+
+<p>It was my intention, as soon as it was dark, to creep out of the city
+into the woods; but sleep overtook me at the time when animals retire
+to their rest, and when I awoke in the morning I found myself in this
+forest, where I remained during the space of a moon alone, till I met
+with these two miserable companions of my solitude.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>"Your adventures, O Mahoud," said the Sultan of India, "are wonderful,
+and an excellent lesson of caution and prudence to us who are joined
+in one common fate; and since I perceive both your misfortunes and my
+own have been brought about by our want of trust and prudence, I
+shall, with the utmost resignation, acknowledge that the all-perfect
+Allah is ever willing to assist those who are not wanting to
+themselves.</p>
+
+<p>"But, O Mahoud, suffer me, ere I declare my own grief, to ask what has
+become of the lovely Hemjunah, the Princess of Cassimir? and wonder
+not at my solicitude, for the mention of her name brings to my memory
+ideas of the past. How was it possible that lovely being should be
+betrayed into the powers of those wicked enchanters? But why should I
+be surprised at her weakness, who am myself the object of their
+malice? Surely," continued the Sultan, "this our companion, whom you
+called Princess, cannot be the daughter of Zebenezer, the Sultan of
+Cassimir?"</p>
+
+<p>"You are right, indeed, in your conjectures," answered Mahoud; "the
+Princess of Cassimir is a fellow-sufferer with us, and he who is on my
+right hand is Horam, the favourite of Misnar, the Lord of Delhi."</p>
+
+<p>"What!" said Misnar, transported, and yet at the same time recoiling
+with surprise, "is my faithful Horam also the unfortunate partner of
+my griefs?"</p>
+
+<p>Misnar then, turning to the Princess of Cassimir, said, "O Princess,
+whom a severe enchantment has deprived of the most exquisite<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> of
+forms, to load thee with the most wretched, permit me to request an
+account of your unfortunate labours since you left the Court of your
+father Zebenezer; that at least I may indulge my wishes for your
+recovery, though my arm is too weak to work either my own or your
+deliverance."</p>
+
+<p>"Most illustrious Sultan," answered the Princess, "I shall obey your
+commands, although the remembrance of my misfortune is grievous, and
+the confession of my indiscretion must fill me with shame."</p>
+
+<p>"It is enough, O Princess," said the Sultan, "to confess our faults to
+Heaven; and he is the weakest of the sons of earth who takes a
+pleasure in hearing of the failings of others."</p>
+
+<p>"O Sultan," replied Hemjunah, "your politeness cannot extenuate,
+though it may gloss over, my imprudence; and by delaying to unfold my
+little history to you, my crime may seem more black while hidden than
+when it shall be revealed."</p>
+
+<p>As the Princess uttered these words, a dervish, worn with age and
+bowed down by infirmity, appeared among the thickets of the forest.</p>
+
+<p>Horam immediately recollected the features of the good old saint, and
+said, "My royal master, yonder is Shemshelnar, the most pious
+worshipper of Allah among all the sons of Asia."</p>
+
+<p>"I do not remember his features," answered Misnar: "came he not to the
+council of our divan?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, my royal lord," said Horam, "the infirmities of age were upon
+him."</p>
+
+<p>By this time Shemshelnar had reached the place where the transformed
+company were seated; and, falling prostrate before Misnar, he said,
+"Wonder not, O Prince of India, that Shemshelnar, thy slave, doth thus
+acknowledge his Prince, though deformed by the enchantments of the
+wicked. I knew the evils that surrounded thee; and although I was
+unable to attend thy council, yet I prayed in secret to Him who
+bestoweth at the noonday, that He would avert from my royal master the
+misfortunes which threatened to overpower him. Allah heard my prayer
+as I lay prostrate in my cell; and the genius Bahoudi appearing,
+commanded me to seek<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span> thee in the forest of Tarapajan, whither thy
+wayward fortune should lead thee. 'O genius,' replied I, 'how shall
+age and infirmity comply with thy commands?'</p>
+
+<p>"'Go,' said Bahoudi, touching me with his finger, 'for strength is
+given thee from above. The enchantress Ulin hath transformed thy
+Prince into the most hideous reptile of the earth. But wonder not at
+the deformity of his appearance, nor at the malice of her who has
+overpowered him; for such is the fate of those who are most exalted in
+their virtues, that their enemies, whenever an opportunity is afforded
+to them, will strive to render them most odious. Thy Prince, before
+thou canst arrive in the forest, will be surrounded by three others in
+equal affliction: it is permitted thee to rescue the Sultan of India;
+but the rest must wear the chains of the enchantress till Ulin is no
+more.'</p>
+
+<p>"But ere I restore thee, O Sultan of my heart," continued Shemshelnar,
+"such are the words which the genius hath commanded me to utter before
+thee:</p>
+
+<p>"Religion, O Misnar, is the first and the greatest duty of life, and
+the service of Allah the sweetest offering of a grateful heart. But He
+who appointed the ceremonies and services of piety and devotion hath
+also given to all their respective stations in the warfare of life.
+How, then, shall we pay honour to Allah, if we neglect and desert the
+peculiar duties of that post wherein Allah hath placed us? The signet
+of Mahomet, O Prince, of which Mangelo the prophet did prophesy, is it
+not that seal which the Faithful bear on their frontlets, when they
+obey the voice of reason and religion? and the girdle of Opakka, with
+which Kifri, the enchanter, is endued, what is it but foresight and
+prudence, the best allies of the Sultans of the earth? To save his
+people my Prince has deserted them, and given away what he sought to
+keep. When Allah placed thee on the throne of India, He thence
+expected to hear thy petitions; but, as faults which proceed from
+goodness, though uninstructed, are beheld with Heaven's piteous eye,
+therefore arise, O Sultan," said Shemshelnar, and touched him, "rise
+from the filth of the earth, and again assume the glories with which
+Allah hath endued thee. And know, that such is His care over thee,
+that He<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span> hath curbed the hands of thine enemies, and bids thee go
+forth against them, assured of this, that they shall not be able by
+their enchantments to foresee thy designs, nor to overpower thee by
+the help of their magical deceits, unless thou yield to their snares.
+Be prudent and vigilant, and fear them not. Only this is permitted
+against thee,&mdash;if thou canst not overpower and destroy them unawares,
+they may use their art to conceal their escape, and avoid thy arm;
+therefore be bold and quick, and yet cautious and discerning, lest,
+when force avails not, they employ fraud to destroy thee."</p>
+
+<p>As Shemshelnar finished these words, Misnar arose in his natural form;
+but, ere he spake to the holy dervish who had released him, he fell
+prostrate, and adored the goodness of Allah, who had thus rescued him
+from the power of Ulin. Then, rising, he took Shemshelnar by the hand,
+and thanked him for his release and advice.</p>
+
+<p>"Thou hast done right, O Misnar," said the dervish, "to give the
+greatest honour to Allah, for to Him alone belongs all honour."</p>
+
+<p>"And may I not hope," continued the Sultan, "that it will please Him
+to release these my fellow-sufferers also?"</p>
+
+<p>"Misnar alone can release them," answered the dervish. "Let Ulin
+perish, and these unfortunate persons shall be restored to thee and
+themselves; but in the meantime they must learn to bear their
+misfortunes with patience, and offer their prayers for thy safety. The
+road to Delhi is through this desert forest, and to the left is
+situated the palace of Ulin. She is already aware of thy
+re-transformation, and is studying to deceive thee a second time; but
+beware, O Misnar! for if she prevail, death and destruction await
+thee."</p>
+
+<p>Misnar, having received the instructions of the dervish, took leave of
+his companions, assuring them he was desirous of meeting the crafty
+Ulin as soon as possible, that he might either give up all pretensions
+to his kingdom, or deliver his subjects and his friends from the hands
+of the enchantress.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan of the Indies, having left the dervish and his friends,
+advanced into the forest, chewing some leaves which Shemshelnar had
+given him to support him till he should arrive at his palace.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span> He had
+not advanced more than two days' journey in the forest before he heard
+the violent shrieks of a distressed woman, and at a distance saw four
+ruffians stripping a lady, and beating her inhumanly.</p>
+
+<p>Misnar was enraged at what he saw, and, flying to the lady's
+assistance, he bade the ruffians defend themselves. They chose not to
+encounter the arm of Misnar, but, leaving the lady, fled; and the
+Prince, stepping up to her, desired to know by what accident she had
+fallen thus alone into the hands of the robbers.</p>
+
+<p>"O noble sir!" said the lady in tears&mdash;"for I perceive by your mien I
+speak to no common friend&mdash;it was my fate to be beloved by the
+handsomest of the sons of the Faithful. I lived in Delhi, the daughter
+of an Emir; and Hazar, the captain of a thousand in the army of
+Misnar, the Sultan of the East, was my admirer; but, alas! his love
+has proved my destruction. The second son of the great Dabulcombar,
+assisted by Ulin the enchantress, aspired to his brother's throne; and
+the soldiers, who loved the hazardous chance of war, deserted
+frequently from Misnar our Sultan: among the rest Hazar, in spite of
+my utmost endeavours, revolted with his thousand men."</p>
+
+<p>"'There is no preferment,' said he, 'in the peaceful reign of Misnar;
+I will follow the fortunes of his brother, whose throne must be gained
+and supported by arms.' In vain I remonstrated, and urged both love
+and duty. 'My love,' said Hazar, 'is still unalterable: thou wilt soon
+see me return the favourite of the new monarch, and it will then be in
+my power to raise thee to higher dignities than those which thy father
+now possesses.'</p>
+
+<p>"Hazar then left me by night, and soon I heard that he had joined the
+rebel army; but, O generous stranger! what was my grief when I
+understood that Ulin, the detestable enchantress, was stricken with
+his appearance, and had deceived him! I set out without delay for the
+camp, and, studying to avoid the army of Misnar, travelled through
+this wood with four slaves.</p>
+
+<p>"Being now arrived at the farther side, I struck into the thickest
+part of the forest, and, losing sight of my attendants, I wandered
+about for some time till morning, when on a sudden I heard several<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[237]</a></span>
+voices among the trees. In an instant four ruffians surrounded me,
+and, had not your powerful arm interposed, I should have suffered the
+vilest of deaths."</p>
+
+<p>Misnar endeavoured to comfort the afflicted stranger, and asked her
+whether she thought it possible for any man to enter the palace of
+Ulin undiscovered.</p>
+
+<p>"O Sultan," said she, "let me prevail upon you to follow me, and I
+will ensure your success."</p>
+
+<p>Misnar besought her to walk before, and show him the path which led to
+the palace.</p>
+
+<p>"We will reach it by night," said the stranger, "when the darkness
+shall protect thee."</p>
+
+<p>The beautiful stranger then went forward, and Misnar followed after.
+Ere they had proceeded twenty paces, Misnar said,</p>
+
+<p>"It will be proper, O fair stranger, to draw my scimitar, lest we be
+set upon suddenly by the robbers."</p>
+
+<p>"You are right," answered the fair stranger, "and your precaution is
+just."</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan Misnar, having drawn his sabre, followed close behind the
+beautiful stranger, and suddenly with a blow smote her on the
+shoulders, and felled her to the ground.</p>
+
+<p>She had no sooner fallen, than her countenance changed, and discovered
+to Misnar the features of the malicious enchantress Ulin, who, though
+nearly spent and exhausted by the blow, yet lived to utter the
+following imprecations:</p>
+
+<p>"May the curse of our sex light upon thee, thou traitor to manhood!
+since neither the charms nor the afflictions of the fair have been
+able to soften thine heart. Thou hast, indeed, avoided my snares, by
+doing violence to the noblest of passions, and by trampling on the
+most sacred laws of humanity and hospitality. Idiot that I was to
+trust myself to thee, though guarded by the strongest appearances of
+innocence and distress! The injured and the helpless can find no
+protection in thy government, though thou boastest thyself the
+delegate of Allah and the friend of the oppressed; and I, trusting to
+thy specious virtues, have fallen a sacrifice to thy deceitful
+heart."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[238]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Her iniquitous spirit then fled from the body of Ulin, and the Sultan
+left her mangled and deformed corpse a prey to the beasts of the
+forest.</p>
+
+<p>He travelled for several days backward, hoping to find the former
+companions of his misery, and at last came to the place which he had
+left, but could see no signs of them; wherefore, concluding that their
+enchantment was broken by the death of Ulin, the Sultan returned
+towards Delhi, subsisting on the leaves which the dervish had given
+him, and on the fruits of the earth, and in twelve days' time arrived
+at a small town in his own dominions. Here he lodged at a poor
+cottage, where he found an old woman and her son, and inquired whether
+she could procure him any horses or mules to carry him the next
+morning to Delhi.</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" answered the old woman, "we have no cattle with us; the army
+has stripped us of all."</p>
+
+<p>"What!" answered Misnar, "has the rebel army been foraging so near
+Delhi?"</p>
+
+<p>"Alack!" said the old woman, "I think all armies are rebels, for my
+part. Indeed, the soldiers told us that they were the Sultan's army,
+and that they were sent to guard us from the rebels; but in the
+meantime they took our cattle and provision, and paid us nothing for
+them; and still, every time they came, they called themselves our
+guardians and friends. If this is all the friendship great men can
+show us, we poor people should be best pleased to live as far from
+them as we can."</p>
+
+<p>Although Misnar smiled at the poor woman's speech, yet, lifting up his
+eyes and hands secretly to heaven, as she went out for sticks to
+kindle a fire to dress his provisions, he said, "O just and merciful
+Allah, preserve me from the avarice of ambition! that, while the rich
+and the proud advise me to delight in blood, I may ever remember the
+severities which the poor must suffer; and that I may rather rejoice
+to relieve one oppressed slave, than to enrich ten thousand flattering
+Emirs of my Court!"</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the old woman entered again into her house, the disguised
+Sultan advised her and her neighbours to join in a petition, and
+present it to the Sultan in his divan.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[239]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"A petition!" answered the old woman, "and for what?"</p>
+
+<p>"To relieve your distresses," said Misnar.</p>
+
+<p>"Alas! who is to relieve our distresses but Allah?" said the woman.</p>
+
+<p>"Your Sultan, the servant of Allah, will relieve them," replied
+Misnar.</p>
+
+<p>"What!" answered the old woman; "can he restore to these arms my
+dutiful first-born, who has been so long the joy of my aged heart, but
+was lately torn from me to fill up the armies of the Sultan? Can he
+call back the brave men he has caused to be destroyed, and give life
+and spirits and joy again to the widows and orphans of India? If he
+can, oh! let him hasten to relieve the afflicted hearts of his
+subjects, and become as a god upon earth!"</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan was astonished at the words and the gestures of the poor
+old woman, and deeply stricken by her observations.</p>
+
+<p>"How seldom," said he to himself, "do the rich feel the distresses of
+the poor! and in the midst of conquest and acclamation, who regardeth
+the tears and afflictions of those who have lost their friends in the
+public service?"</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan Misnar rested that night in the cottage of the old woman;
+and the next morning he arose, and was conducted by her younger son to
+a town half a day's journey farther. Here he supplied himself with
+mules, and in one day more reached the city of Delhi.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan entered a caravanserai, where he found several merchants.
+He asked them how they dared venture to trade, when the armies of the
+rebels were spread over the face of India.</p>
+
+<p>"As to that," answered the first merchant, "we have lived here some
+time, in expectation that one party or the other would prevail. It
+little matters to us which, provided trade be encouraged. As to the
+Sultan's party, there was not, till within these few days, any hope of
+their success. The young man himself had retired from his throne,
+being fearful of encountering his enemies; and the captains of the
+army had destroyed the Prime Vizier Horam."</p>
+
+<p>"And what," interrupted Misnar, "is the cause of this change in favour
+of the Sultan?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[240]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Ten days since," answered the merchant, "contrary to every one's
+belief, as we all thought him dead, the Vizier Horam appeared at the
+head of the army, and assured the officers that his lord Misnar was
+living, and had destroyed the enchantress Ulin, who espoused the cause
+of his brother Ahubal; that, in consequence of Ulin's death, Ahubal
+had fled, and his army had been dispersed; and that he expected his
+royal master would shortly appear among them."</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan rejoiced at this news, and without delay hastened to the
+palace of his Vizier.</p>
+
+<p>The slaves of Horam, seeing the disguised Sultan, asked him his
+business.</p>
+
+<p>"I come," replied Misnar, "to communicate to thy lord tidings of our
+Sultan."</p>
+
+<p>At this word, the slaves of Horam conducted Misnar to their master's
+presence; and Horam no sooner saw his master in the disguise with
+which he had furnished him, than he fell at the Sultan's feet, and
+congratulated him on his safe return.</p>
+
+<p>"My faithful Horam," said Misnar, "arise. The day is not yet so far
+spent but that my Court may be assembled. Give orders, Horam, that the
+army be drawn up, and let thy slaves proceed to the palace, and bring
+the imperial robes. My people require my presence, and Misnar yearns
+to see the supporters of his throne."</p>
+
+<p>Horam arose, and the Sultan, embracing him, said, "Horam, I am
+desirous of hearing the particulars of thy fate; but public advantage
+must not yield to private friendship."</p>
+
+<p>The faithful Horam then hastened to call together the Princes and the
+Viziers of the Court of Delhi, and gave orders that the army should be
+drawn up in the royal square before the divan.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan Misnar, being arrayed in his imperial robes, delayed not to
+show himself to his people; and no sooner did he appear, than his
+subjects cried out, "Long live the Sultan of our hearts, who alone was
+able to conquer the powers of enchantment!"</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan was overjoyed to find that his people received him with
+gladness, and commanded money to be thrown among the populace, and
+double subsistence to be dealt out to his army.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[241]</a></span> The viziers and
+officers of justice being assembled in the divan, waited the arrival
+of their Sultan; and Misnar, having ascended the throne, commanded
+Horam to deliver to him a faithful account of his enemies.</p>
+
+<p>Horam the Vizier then arose from his seat, and assured his Sultan that
+the rebel army was dispersed, and that Ahubal had fled with a few
+friends to the shores of the Indian Ocean.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan, on this report, commanded his army to be stationed at
+suitable intervals, about a day's journey round the city of Delhi,
+that their numbers should be reduced, and that peace should be
+proclaimed the next day in the city.</p>
+
+<p>No sooner were the Viziers dismissed from the divan, than Misnar,
+retiring into his palace, sent for his faithful Vizier Horam, and
+desired him to give him a true relation of what had happened to him
+since his departure from the army.</p>
+
+<p>"Royal sir," answered Horam, "you were no sooner departed than I began
+to inspect the order and discipline of your troops; to look into the
+methods of providing for the army; and to appoint proper officers, who
+should take care that the soldiers had sufficient and wholesome
+provision&mdash;that their tents were good&mdash;that the situations of the
+different battalions were in healthy places, near springs and rivers,
+but on dry soils, and as far as possible removed from swampy fens or
+the stagnated air of the forests.</p>
+
+<p>"During this time little occurred of which I could inform my lord, as
+I meant not to trouble you with my own concerns, lest it should seem
+that I was proud of the trifling dispositions which I had made in
+favour of the army.</p>
+
+<p>"The rebels in the meantime were quiet, and their distance only
+prevented me from destroying them; but, on a sudden, a messenger
+arrived with tidings that all the southern provinces had revolted;
+that the enchantress Ulin was with them, and conducted their forces;
+that Ahubal was declared Sultan of India by her; and that she was
+determined to support his cause. Upon this I took such precautions as,
+doubtless, my Sultan must have read in the tablets; but my precautions
+seemed vain, for the next night we were on a sudden terrified with a
+second alarm, that the rebels<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[242]</a></span> were within half a day's march of our
+camp, which I thought, considering their former distance, must be the
+effect of enchantment.</p>
+
+<p>"This threw our officers into the greatest consternation, who,
+collecting themselves in a body, came rushing towards the royal tent,
+and demanded a sight of the Sultan, and declared their resolution of
+revolting to the enemy unless you headed the troops.</p>
+
+<p>"I was writing despatches in the royal tent when I heard their tumult,
+and my heart fled as they approached; but as they stopped for some
+time to fix upon one for their speaker, I had just time to slip on a
+slave's habit, and cut my way through the hinder part of the tent.</p>
+
+<p>"I ran as swiftly as my feet could carry me out of the encampment; and
+being stopped by several sentinels, I told them I was dispatched by
+the Vizier, and showed them my own signet.</p>
+
+<p>"But I was no sooner clear of the army than I repented of my folly.
+'What have I done?' said I to myself. 'I have deserted my post, and
+ruined the interests of my lord: better had I died at the head of my
+Sultan's troops, or fallen a sacrifice to their rage, than thus
+ingloriously to perish! Besides, I may have been terrified without
+just cause: the rebel army may not be so near. I ought to have stayed
+in the tent, and endeavoured to pacify the officers of the army.'</p>
+
+<p>"And now I was in doubt whether to return, or, as I had penetrated
+thus far, whether it would not be most prudent to take a near survey
+of the rebel army. I resolved upon the last, and cautiously travelled
+towards the place where the spies said they were encamped.</p>
+
+<p>"I arrived at the spot described, but saw neither sentinels nor
+encampment. Amazed at this, I proceeded onwards during that and the
+next day, but no army was to be seen, nor anything indicating their
+approach.</p>
+
+<p>"'Alas!' said I to myself, 'how little worthy wert thou of the
+confidence of thy lord! And yet, better is this mistake than the
+certainty of the rebels' approach, which could not have been effected
+without the power of enchantment.'</p>
+
+<p>"Ere it was too late, I resolved to return, hoping that I should<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[243]</a></span>
+pacify the troops by assuring them that I had in person been a witness
+to the untruth of the last alarm.</p>
+
+<p>"But, alas! when I essayed to return, I found my feet fixed to the
+ground: in a moment the earth trembled, and Ulin the enchantress arose
+on the back of an enormous reptile.</p>
+
+<p>"'Wise and gracious Vizier,' said she, in an insulting tone, 'I admire
+your prudence and discretion! and although Mahomet and his faithful
+crew of genii may not permit us to overpower you or your prudent
+master while you resist our temptation, yet there is little to be
+feared from their interposition while you become such easy dupes to
+our artifices. The army which I led against thy wretched Sultan is not
+less than forty days' march hence, and is embarrassed by the mountains
+and the forests; and yet the credulous Vizier abandoned his charge on
+the most improbable alarm, and fled into the arms of one who well
+knows how to reward his prudence and address. Become, therefore, O
+silly Vizier, a loathsome toad; and I shall in a moment transport thee
+into the forest of Tarapajan, whither several of thy wise brethren are
+gone before thee.'</p>
+
+<p>"As she spake thus, the enchantress breathed on me with her
+pestiferous breath, and, falling to the ground, I crawled like a toad
+before her. Ulin then waved her hand, and sleep overpowered me. When I
+awoke I found myself between the merchant of Delhi and the Princess of
+Cassimir, who, like me, had felt the vengeance of Ulin the
+enchantress.</p>
+
+<p>"It was some consolation to us that our speech was not taken from us,
+but that we were able to communicate to each other our misfortunes.</p>
+
+<p>"Mahoud first inquired of me the adventures of my life, and I had just
+finished them the day before you, O Sultan! appeared among us. While
+Mahoud was relating his history, your voice struck my ears, and I
+feared to ask whether my lord was in equal affliction with his slave."</p>
+
+<p>"Did you not, then," said Misnar, "hear the adventures of Hemjunah,
+the Princess of Cassimir?"</p>
+
+<p>"I did not, my Sultan," answered Horam. "Hemjunah was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[244]</a></span> about to relate
+her adventures when you appeared; and after Shemshelnar, the dervish,
+had released you, she desired to reserve them till such time as we
+should meet hereafter in our natural forms.</p>
+
+<p>"Two days after you left us with Shemshelnar, who endeavoured to
+alleviate our afflictions, on a sudden we perceived a vivid flash of
+lightning, which was succeeded by a violent clap of thunder, and while
+we were all looking at each other, the wood instantly vanished, and I
+found myself in my palace at Delhi. What became of Mahoud, or the
+Princess of Cassimir, I know not; but I was sensible that my Prince
+had conquered the enchantress, who had laid such hateful chains upon
+us.</p>
+
+<p>"I hastened to the divan of Viziers and Emirs, who were astonished at
+my presence. They were met in order to appoint a Sultan, having just
+heard from the army that both their Sultan and his Vizier had fled
+from the encampments. A friend of Ahubal's had proposed that Prince to
+succeed my royal master, and orders were given to proclaim him when I
+arrived in the divan.</p>
+
+<p>"Being acquainted with the resolutions of the Viziers and Emirs, I
+proclaimed aloud that my royal master Misnar was alive, and that he
+had destroyed the enchantress Ulin, who had espoused the cause of
+Ahubal.</p>
+
+<p>"At this declaration, the Viziers and Emirs prostrated themselves, and
+gave thanks to Allah; and the trumpets and the cornets went through
+the streets of Delhi, and proclaimed my arrival and the victory of
+Misnar their Sultan over the enchantress Ulin.</p>
+
+<p>"I dispatched orders, before the divan broke up, to the army, with
+advice of your success, and commanded a part to march for the city of
+Delhi, leaving only a sufficient number of troops to observe the
+motions of the enemy if they should again unite; for I knew that
+Ulin's destruction would cause a dispersion of their army.</p>
+
+<p>"Having settled the affairs of my master, to complete my joy, tidings
+were brought me of his approach, and Horam is again blessed with the
+sight of his Sultan."</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier Horam, having finished his relation, bowed himself before
+the Sultan, and said, "Shall thy slave give orders that an<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[245]</a></span> ambassador
+be sent to the Sultan of Cassimir to inquire after the fate of the
+Princess Hemjunah?"</p>
+
+<p>"Horam," answered the Sultan, "while war stalks thus boldly through
+our dominions, it were vain to assume a state that we may in a moment
+be deprived of. No, Horam, let us wait for more prosperous times."</p>
+
+<p>Early in the morning several messengers arrived with the news of the
+death of Ulin and the revolt of ten provinces from Ahubal, and soon
+after the provinces sent deputies to excuse their rebellion, and to
+beseech the Sultan to pardon their offences. Misnar yielded to their
+prayers, but ordered some of the most faithful of his troops to march
+into their borders and encamp among them.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan then redressed the grievances which his soldiers had
+committed as far as he was able, and, by a just and equal law, obliged
+every division to furnish such a number of troops; for, although no
+clouds were then seen to interrupt his reign, yet Misnar was assured
+that, through the wiles of his enemies the enchanters, he should
+shortly be called upon to exercise his prudence.</p>
+
+<p>Nor were his fears unjust. Ahubal, though deserted by the provinces,
+was yet espoused by the magician Happuck, who, hearing of the defeat
+of his sister Ulin, was resolved to revenge the cause of that detested
+race.</p>
+
+<p>It was not long before the Sultan heard that the magician Happuck was
+encouraging the provinces who had followed Ulin to revolt again from
+their Sultan; but the fear of Misnar's troops overawed them; so that
+whatever might be their real inclinations, they refused the offers and
+entreaties of Happuck.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan, more effectually to secure their obedience, increased the
+number of his forces in the provinces, and preserved the chain of
+communication from them quite through his extensive dominions.</p>
+
+<p>The magician, finding the Sultan's forces so well disposed, and that
+no encouragement could prevail on the southern provinces to revolt,
+abandoned his design of succeeding by the force of arms, and flew to
+the weapons of craft and dissimulation.</p>
+
+<p>Though Happuck had now been employed nearly a year in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[246]</a></span> raising
+commotions among the subjects of India, two provinces only owned the
+government of Ahubal: the rest continued firm in their loyalty to the
+Sultan Misnar.</p>
+
+<p>These provinces had raised a light army of about forty thousand men,
+who, by forced marches, harassed the neighbouring provinces around
+them.</p>
+
+<p>Of these, three thousand horsemen parted suddenly from the rest, and,
+by following unfrequented tracks over the mountains and through the
+forests, arrived at length within two days' march of Delhi.</p>
+
+<p>Here, pitching their tents, they sent several of their chief officers
+to Delhi, to assure the Sultan that they were greatly afflicted at
+their crimes, and were desirous of laying down their rebellious arms
+at his feet.</p>
+
+<p>Horam the Vizier received these suppliants, and representing their
+contrition to the Sultan, he commanded them to join the main army; at
+the same time sending dispatches to his general to dismount them from
+their horses, and to encamp them in such a situation that they might
+not be able either to escape or to annoy his army if they should be
+disposed to revolt again.</p>
+
+<p>The magician Happuck, who was among the officers that appeared at
+Delhi, and who had contrived the revolt in order to get into the
+presence of the Sultan, was greatly chagrined to find that the Vizier
+Horam received him, and that he was not to be admitted into Misnar's
+presence; but, concealing his disappointment, he, with the rest,
+joined the three thousand horsemen, and marched to the grand army of
+Misnar.</p>
+
+<p>Once a year the whole army was reviewed by the Sultan in person, and
+it happened that the disguised magician and his troops of horsemen
+arrived at the army three days before this general review. The
+magician rejoiced at this fortunate event.</p>
+
+<p>"Ibrac," said he to the officer who commanded his troop, "fortune has
+now given me an opportunity of revenging the death of my sister Ulin.
+This disguise of an officer is not sufficient: I will descend to the
+lowest station, where I shall be less suspected, and as the Sultan
+Misnar passes between the ranks where I am situated,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[247]</a></span> I will draw my
+bow, and pierce him to the heart. Having done this, I shall render
+myself invisible, and do you, in the general consternation, proclaim
+Ahubal the Sultan of India."</p>
+
+<p>"Most powerful magician," answered Ibrac, "what need is there of this
+deceit? Since you are able to render yourself invisible, why cannot
+you enter the Sultan's palace unseen, and stab him to the heart?"</p>
+
+<p>"Faithful Ibrac," answered the magician, "you know not the powers
+which support this boy-like urchin. The genius Bahoudi, at whose name
+our race trembles, is his guardian, and prevents my approach; and it
+is written in the volumes of fate that no enchantment shall prevail
+against Misnar unless he first allow our crafty race to deceive him.
+Otherwise, Ibrac, dost thou suppose that so many of my brethren,
+before whom the mountains tremble and the ocean boils, should need to
+league against a boy? No, Ibrac; Misnar were beneath our vengeance or
+our art, did not Mahomet espouse him, and his mean vassals, the good
+genii of mankind! The conquest of this boy, while thus supported,
+would add strength to our cause."</p>
+
+<p>Ibrac then furnished the magician with the clothing of one of the
+common soldiers; and he was mustered with the rest of the troops.</p>
+
+<p>Early in the morning on which Misnar was to review his men, the Sultan
+arose, and bade his slaves, who waited in the pavilion, call his
+Vizier Horam to him.</p>
+
+<p>"Horam," said the Sultan, "I suspect the crafty magician Happuck: he
+is doubtless here disguised in our camp, and if I expose myself
+to-day, it may be in his power to destroy me, and set the crown of
+India on my brother's head."</p>
+
+<p>"Let my Sultan, then," said Horam, "proclaim a reward to him who
+discovers the magician, even to the holding of the second place in
+your empire."</p>
+
+<p>"That contrivance would have little effect," said the Sultan. "Happuck
+would elude our search, and, transforming himself into some reptile,
+escape our vengeance, and then meditate some new<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[248]</a></span> device to deceive
+us. No, Horam," continued Misnar, "if he be really with us, it were
+folly to let him escape."</p>
+
+<p>"But how will my lord discover him amidst three hundred thousand
+troops?" answered the Vizier. "There is no officer in your army who
+knows the fiftieth part of your soldiers; and where recruits are daily
+coming in, to search for a particular person, without giving the alarm
+so that Happuck might escape, would be impossible."</p>
+
+<p>"In how many ranks," said the Sultan, "is the army to be disposed?"</p>
+
+<p>"The plain," answered the Vizier, "on which they are to be reviewed
+will contain three thousand in a row."</p>
+
+<p>"Bring me, then, two hundred of the most expert archers in my army,"
+said the Sultan, "and take them from those troops who are the farthest
+from the deserters who lately joined the army."</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier did as the Sultan commanded, and brought the archers before
+the royal pavilion.</p>
+
+<p>"Go now, Horam," said the Sultan, "and order all the troops to be
+drawn out on the plain."</p>
+
+<p>"They are almost assembled already," said Horam.</p>
+
+<p>"Then," replied the Sultan, "take these archers, and place one at each
+extremity of the ranks, an archer on the right of each rank; but,
+before you station them thus, give them the following orders: 'Be
+ready with your bows drawn, and your arrows fixed to the bow-string,
+and, whenever the word of command is given for all the army to fall
+prostrate, let your arrows fly at the man who is last to obey the word
+of command.'"</p>
+
+<p>The troops being all drawn forth in their ranks, and the archers
+disposed according to the Sultan's orders, Misnar came forth, attended
+by his eunuchs, Viziers, Emirs, and guards. The loud clarion sounded,
+the notes of the trumpets were heard, and the brazen cymbals shook the
+air.</p>
+
+<p>The magician, who was impatient to perpetrate the malicious purposes
+of his heart, was elated at the warlike sound, and beheld the Sultan's
+retinue at a distance with such joy as the eagle views the flocks of
+sheep on the plains of Homah.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[249]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The Sultan, having arrived at the front of his army, which he knew was
+composed of his most faithful troops, commanded silence throughout the
+plain.</p>
+
+<p>"My brave soldiers," said he, "although neither care nor resolution
+has been wanting on your parts to extirpate the rebellion of my
+provinces, yet to Allah only belong the glory and the honour of your
+arms; wherefore let immediate orders be issued forth among my troops,
+that all do together fall prostrate on the ground before the
+all-seeing Allah, the Governor of the world and the Disposer of
+kingdoms and crowns."</p>
+
+<p>As this order went forth through the ranks, the soldiers at once fell
+prostrate before Allah, all but the magician Happuck, who was
+surprised and astonished at the order, and irresolute what to do. But
+little time was given him to think; for no sooner were his
+fellow-soldiers fallen prostrate on each side of him, than the arrows
+of the archers pierced his heart.</p>
+
+<p>The magician, finding himself overpowered, and that the messengers of
+death had seized him, raised his voice aloud, and, with what little
+strength was left, cursed both Allah and His Prophet; but the stream
+of life flowed swiftly from him, and his curses grew fainter and
+fainter, till they were lost in death.</p>
+
+<p>Those who were acquainted with the designs of Happuck, perceiving that
+the magician was dead and their plot discovered, began to fly; and
+first Ibrac essayed to head his discarded troops; but they, not being
+used to march on foot, soon fell into confusion, and, the forces of
+the Sultan surrounding them, they were quickly destroyed.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan Misnar saw, by the confusion of his army in the centre,
+that the discovery was made, and sent Horam, with some chosen troops,
+to inquire into the cause of their disorder.</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier had no sooner arrived than he perceived several soldiers
+bringing along the body of the magician Happuck, which appeared
+undisguised after death.</p>
+
+<p>"Bid the two archers," said the Vizier, "who destroyed the monster
+come forward."</p>
+
+<p>When the archers came, Horam applauded their skill and their<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[250]</a></span>
+obedience, and advised them to take the body between them, and carry
+it before the Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>The archers obeyed, and, the ranks opening as they passed, they soon
+arrived at the feet of Misnar.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan, seeing his enemy thus destroyed, ordered the two archers
+ten purses, containing each one hundred pieces of gold; and to every
+other archer one purse containing one hundred pieces of gold. To him
+who brought the head of Ibrac also he gave five purses of like value;
+and then again issued his commands that the whole army should fall
+prostrate and adore the mercy of Allah, who had so soon delivered into
+their hands the chief of their enemies.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime, two only of the troops of Ibrac and Happuck escaped;
+and, returning to Ahubal, they acquainted him with their defeat.</p>
+
+<p>Ahubal fled at the news, and hid himself in the mountains; for he
+feared lest his soldiers should betray him, and deliver him up to his
+brother.</p>
+
+<p>But Ollomand, the enchanter, who first counselled the Sultan of India
+to secure his throne by spilling the innocent blood of his brother,
+now resolved to revenge the common cause. He therefore directed the
+steps of Ahubal toward a cave in the mountains, where, fatigued with
+flight and fearful of pursuit, the royal rebel arrived in the heat of
+the day.</p>
+
+<p>The cave was, for the most part, surrounded by steep mountains, at a
+great distance from any track or path, and was situated at the
+entrance of a long valley which led among the mountains.</p>
+
+<p>Ahubal, having slept and refreshed himself in the cave, pursued his
+journey through the valley, till he found his path stopped by
+inaccessible rocks, on the top of which he perceived a magnificent
+castle, whose walls reflected the rays of the sun like burnished gold.</p>
+
+<p>The brother of Misnar fixed his eye for some time on that part of the
+castle which was shaded by the rest, for the front was too dazzling to
+behold, and, in a few moments, he perceived a small wicket open, and a
+dwarf come forth.</p>
+
+<p>Ahubal soon lost sight of the dwarf behind the rocks; but he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[251]</a></span> resolved
+to wait there to see whether he could find any passage into the
+valley.</p>
+
+<p>The dwarf, after being hid for some time, appeared again about the
+middle of the rocks, and by his course appeared to descend in a spiral
+path around the mountain.</p>
+
+<p>When the dwarf had reached the bottom he advanced to Ahubal, and,
+presenting him with a clue, he told him that, if he threw it before
+him, and followed it, the clue would unravel itself, and discover to
+him the path which led up the rocks to the castle of Ollomand, his
+master.</p>
+
+<p>Ahubal, having heard from Ulin and Happuck that Ollomand was his
+friend, took the clue out of the hand of the dwarf, and threw it
+before him.</p>
+
+<p>As the clue rolled onward until it touched the rocks, Ahubal
+discovered a regular ascent, which, winding round, brought him by
+degrees to the castle on the summit of the mountain.</p>
+
+<p>The enchanter Ollomand received Ahubal at the entrance of the castle,
+which was guarded by four dragons, and led him through a large court
+into a spacious hall, the walls of which were lined with human bones
+that had been whitened in the sun.</p>
+
+<p>"Favourite of the race of the powerful," said Ollomand, "see here the
+bones of those who have lifted up their arms against thee; and I will
+add to their number till this castle be filled."</p>
+
+<p>"Alas," answered Ahubal, "Ulin is no more, and the vultures are
+preying on the vitals of Happuck! Ten provinces have deserted my
+cause, and the coffers of my army are exhausted!"</p>
+
+<p>"Happuck," answered Ollomand, "despised the assistance of riches and
+trusted to deceit, and therefore failed. The provinces dared not
+revolt while the armies of Misnar overawed them; but I will replenish
+thy coffers, and Ollomand will tempt the leaders of the Sultan's
+troops to join the cause of Ahubal. In this castle are riches and arms
+sufficient to equip all the inhabitants of Asia; and when these are
+exhausted, we will apply to Pharesanen, Hapacuson, and all the
+chieftains of our race: and fear not, Ahubal; for, by my art, I read
+that Misnar the Sultan shall fly before the face of his enemies."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[252]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Ahubal was encouraged by the words of Ollomand; and the enchanter,
+having opened his design to the Prince, invited him to behold the
+riches of his castle.</p>
+
+<p>Passing through the hall of bones, they descended into a square court,
+much more spacious than the former, in the middle of which appeared a
+deep and dark pit. This court contained four hundred massive gates of
+brass, and each gate was supported by nine enormous hinges of the same
+metal.</p>
+
+<p>As Ollomand the enchanter entered this court, with the Prince Ahubal
+in his hand, he lifted up his voice, which echoed like thunder amidst
+the lofty turrets of the castle, and commanded his slaves to expose to
+the sight of Ahubal the treasures of their master.</p>
+
+<p>The Prince Ahubal, who had seen no creature but the dwarf and the
+enchanter in the castle, wondered whence the slaves would come; but
+his wonder was shortly turned into fear when he beheld a gigantic
+black, with a club of ebony forty feet in length, arise out of the pit
+which was in the centre of the court.</p>
+
+<p>But his horrors were increased when he perceived a succession of the
+same gigantic monsters following one another out of the pit, and
+advancing to the four hundred brazen gates, till every gate had a
+slave standing before it.</p>
+
+<p>When Ollomand saw his slaves were all prepared before the gates, he
+bade them strike with their clubs of ebony against them.</p>
+
+<p>The black slaves, in obedience to the enchanter's orders, lifted up
+their ponderous clubs of ebony, and struck against the four hundred
+gates, which jarred so much with the blows of the slaves that Ahubal
+was forced to stop his ears, and was ready to sink into the earth with
+astonishment and dread.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the black slaves of Ollomand had struck the four hundred
+gates of brass, the gates began to move, and the harsh creaking of the
+hinges sent forth a noise which alone had chilled the hearts of all
+the armies of Misnar, could they have heard them.</p>
+
+<p>Ahubal then, lifting up his head, looked around the court, and saw the
+four hundred gates were opened. In those to the right were millions of
+wedges of gold and silver, piled beneath craggy arches of huge
+unchiselled stone. Opposite to these he beheld a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[253]</a></span> hundred vaulted
+roofs, under which were sacks and bags of the gold and silver coin of
+many nations.</p>
+
+<p>Before him another hundred gates exposed to his view the arms and
+warlike accoutrements of ten thousand nations, and all the instruments
+of death which the inventive malice of man had ever devised.</p>
+
+<p>Ahubal, who understood but little of these instruments, was amazed at
+their construction, and asked for what purposes they were formed.</p>
+
+<p>"These," said Ollomand, "are the arms of Europe, a part of the earth
+filled with industrious robbers, whose minds are hourly on the stretch
+to invent new plagues to torment each other. Of these mortals many are
+settled on the sea-coasts of our southern provinces, whom I shall
+persuade through the instigation of that god whom they worship, to
+join the forces of Ahubal."</p>
+
+<p>"Hast thou, then, mighty enchanter," answered the Prince Ahubal, "the
+gods of Europe in thy power?"</p>
+
+<p>"The Europeans," said Ollomand, "acknowledge one God, who, they
+pretend, doth inhabit the heavens, but whom <i>we</i> find buried in the
+entrails of the earth: gold, O Prince, is their god, for whose sake
+they will undertake the most daring enterprises, and forsake the best
+of friends. To these shalt thou send presents, and future promises of
+wealth; and, by their machinations, fear not but Misnar shall yield to
+thy superior address."</p>
+
+<p>"What need of the arms or the persons of Europeans," answered the
+Prince Ahubal, "while my friend has an army of such gigantic slaves,
+ten of whom are more than sufficient to destroy the puny armies of my
+brother the Sultan?"</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" said Ollomand, "the slaves of enchantment cannot fight against
+the sons of the Faithful. Though we deny Mahomet, and will not adore
+him, yet we cannot control a power that must overrule us. As Misnar's
+troops are in possession of the country, we will transport ourselves
+to Orixa in the disguise of merchants, and there endeavour to forward
+the destruction of Misnar, the tame Sultan of the East."</p>
+
+<p>As Ollomand spake these words he stamped with his feet, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[254]</a></span> a
+chariot, drawn by four dragons, arose from the pit in the centre of
+the court, which Ahubal and the enchanter ascended, and were conveyed
+in a dark cloud to the woods behind the city of Orixa.</p>
+
+<p>When Ollomand's chariot alighted on the ground, he touched the dragons
+with his wand, and they became four camels laden with merchandise, and
+the chariot was converted into an elephant. Ahubal became like a
+merchant, and the enchanter appeared as a black slave.</p>
+
+<p>They entered the town in the evening, and the next morning exposed
+their goods in the market-place.</p>
+
+<p>The bales of Ahubal, the sham merchant, being opened, were found to
+contain chiefly materials for clothing the officers of the army.</p>
+
+<p>The troops of Misnar, hearing this, were his chief customers; and as
+Ahubal sold his wares very cheap, he soon got acquainted with all the
+officers at Orixa.</p>
+
+<p>In all his conversations with them, the enchanter had directed Ahubal
+to lament the small salaries which the army were allowed: this was a
+subject all agreed in, and soon led to more lucrative offers, if they
+would embrace the cause of Ahubal. The officers, who were, for the
+most part, soldiers for the sake of pay and plunder, rather than duty
+and honour, soon came into the sham merchant's proposal; and in ten
+days Ahubal found himself in a condition to recover the province of
+Orixa.</p>
+
+<p>The young Prince, fired with his success, was about to discover
+himself; but the enchanter checked his ardour, and besought him to
+consider how many more provinces must be gained before he could make
+head against his brother. The advice of Ollomand prevailed with the
+Prince; and they sent some of those officers who were strongest in
+their interest into the different provinces of the south to corrupt
+the minds of the commanders.</p>
+
+<p>As there was no want of money and bribery, so an easier conquest was
+made over the loyalty of the troops than could have been made over
+their prowess by the sword.</p>
+
+<p>In a few moons all the southern provinces were ripe for a revolt, and
+the troops who were sent to overawe them were most desirous<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[255]</a></span> of
+opening the campaign against their Sultan. Two hundred French
+engineers were also invited, by large rewards, to join the armies of
+Ahubal; and the troops were supplied by the vigilance of the enchanter
+Ollomand.</p>
+
+<p>On a fixed day all the armies of the provinces were in motion, and all
+unfurled the standard of Ahubal; the provinces were invited to rebel,
+and thousands were daily added to the troops of the Prince. Tidings of
+these alterations were sent to Delhi by the few friends of the Sultan
+who remained in those parts, and Horam the Vizier laid before his
+master the dreadful news of a general revolt both of his troops and
+provinces in the south.</p>
+
+<p>"The enemies of Misnar," said the Sultan, as the Vizier Horam ended
+his report, "are many, and one only is his friend!"</p>
+
+<p>Horam bowed low at his master's words.</p>
+
+<p>"Faithful Horam," said the Sultan, "I honour and esteem thee; but
+think not I prefer my Vizier to my God: no, Horam, Allah alone is the
+friend of Misnar; a friend more mighty than the armies of Ahubal, or
+the sorceries of the enchanters."</p>
+
+<p>Misnar then assembled his troops; and putting himself at their head,
+he marched by easy stages towards the southern frontiers of his
+dominions.</p>
+
+<p>The armies of Ahubal continued to increase, and Cambaya acknowledged
+him for its Sultan. In a short time he arrived with his forces at
+Narvar, and encamped within seven leagues of the army of Misnar the
+Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>Ollomand the enchanter, notwithstanding Ahubal had thrown off the
+disguise of a merchant, still attended him as a black slave, being
+always about his person, till the freedom which the Prince allowed him
+was resented by the officers of his army. This the enchanter
+perceived; and therefore he desired Ahubal would grant him five
+thousand of his troops, and the European engineers, that he might
+advance before the main army, and signalize himself by a blow which he
+meditated to give the enemy.</p>
+
+<p>The counsel of Ollomand was never opposed by Ahubal; the Prince
+commanded the troops to attend Ollomand, and be subject unto him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[256]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The enchanter then marched with his selected troops into a thick wood,
+which the army of Misnar must pass through ere they could oppose their
+enemies; and in this wood the engines of European war were placed, to
+command every avenue which had been hewn out by the troops of the
+Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>Ollomand, marching by night, surprised all the advanced guards of the
+Sultan, and possessed himself of the wood, where he placed the
+European engineers, before the sun could penetrate through the
+branches of the forest of Narvar.</p>
+
+<p>This enterprise would have ruined all the hopes of the Sultan, who
+proposed to march his army through the next day, if the Europeans had
+continued faithful to Ahubal and his party; but one, favoured by the
+darkness of the night, escaped, and betrayed the whole design to the
+Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>Misnar was no sooner apprised of the enchanter's contrivance than he
+ordered certain of his troops to climb over the mountains to the right
+of the wood, and if possible gain the opposite side, and there, in
+several parts, set the wood on fire. This was so successfully executed
+by the soldiers, that, as soon as Ollomand was possessed of the wood,
+he perceived it was on fire, and had made a separation between him and
+the army of Ahubal.</p>
+
+<p>In this distress, the enchanter resolved to dispose of his troops and
+engineers in the most advantageous manner, proposing in his mind to
+secure his own retreat by the power of enchantment. But while the
+subtle enchanter was directing his engineers in the rear to bring up
+the fell engines of war, one of the cannon which was left in the wood
+(the flames having obliged those who belonged to it to retreat), being
+made hot by the raging fires among the trees, discharged its contents,
+and a ball striking the enchanter, carried with it the head of
+Ollomand toward the camp of the Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>This occurrence threw the troops in the wood into the utmost
+confusion, and many fled to the Sultan's camp, declaring the loss of
+their leader, and the rest resolved rather to submit than perish by
+fire or sword.</p>
+
+<p>The flames of the wood, which rose between the armies of Misnar and
+Ahubal, soon disturbed the peace of the rebel Prince. At first,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[257]</a></span>
+indeed, he hoped Ollomand had enclosed his brother's troops, and was
+consuming them by his fires. But no dispatch arriving from his friend,
+Ahubal was filled with just fears, which were greatly increased, as,
+in a few days, the fire decreasing, and having opened a passage
+through the wood, he was informed by his spies that the armies of
+Misnar were approaching.</p>
+
+<p>The Prince Ahubal, having lost his friend the enchanter, was fearful
+of the event, and wished to fly; but his generals, being rebels, and
+fearing their fate if they should be taken, resolved to conquer or
+die; so that Ahubal was constrained against his will to put his army
+in a state of defence.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan, supposing his brother's army would be disheartened at the
+loss of the enchanter, was desirous of giving them battle before they
+had recovered from their consternation, and therefore led on his
+troops with great impetuosity toward the front of the rebel army,
+while the Vizier Horam, covered by the main body of Misnar's forces,
+used his utmost endeavours to gain the right flank of the enemy.</p>
+
+<p>And now the adverse elephants made the sandy plains shake as they
+advanced, and from the turrets on their backs ten thousand hostile
+arrows were discharged. The loud hollow cymbals sounded the alarm. The
+troops of the Sultan advanced with confidence, and the rebellious
+supporters of Ahubal rushed forward with resolute despair. Innumerable
+scimitars blazed fearfully over the heads of the warlike. The feet of
+the elephants were stained with the blood of the slain. But the troops
+of Misnar were flushed with hope, and fear and dismay were in the
+paths of Ahubal. The Prince himself, in confusion, sounded the
+retreat; and the backs of his troops were already exposed to the darts
+of the Sultan, when the swarthy enchanter Tasnar appeared aloft,
+seated on a rapacious vulture.</p>
+
+<p>"Base cowards!" exclaimed he, as he hovered in the air, "turn again,
+and fear not while Tasnar is your friend. The troops of the Sultan are
+exhausted and fatigued, and you are flying from those who are destined
+for your prey. Are, then, the riches of Delhi to be so easily
+resigned, and your tedious marches over the deserts<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[258]</a></span> to be foiled by a
+moment's fear? Even now is India offered as the reward of your toils,
+and you prefer shame and ignominy to glory and honour!"</p>
+
+<p>The troops of Ahubal hearing these words, and being encouraged by a
+sight so wonderful, for a time stood still, irresolute what to do;
+till Tasnar, alighting on the ground, and seizing a javelin, bade the
+brave support and defend the avenger of their wrongs.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan's army, finding their enemies retreat, had followed them in
+a tumultuous manner, and were therefore less able to resist the
+enchanter Tasnar and those who supported him. And they would have
+experienced the truth of the enchanter's assertion, had not the Vizier
+Horam, perceiving their resistance, hastened with a few chosen troops
+to the rescue of his friends.</p>
+
+<p>The battle, though not so general as before, was yet much fiercer; and
+Tasnar and Horam met face to face. The Vizier aimed in vain his
+scimitar at the head of the enchanter, and Tasnar found a superior arm
+withhold him when he attempted to demolish the faithful Vizier. But
+this prevented not the general slaughter that ensued; till night,
+which recruits the wasted strength of man, divided the armies of
+Misnar and Ahubal.</p>
+
+<p>After the retreat of the two contending armies, the Vizier Horam
+attended the Sultan in the royal pavilion, and informed him of the
+descent of the enchanter Tasnar, and his prowess in the field.</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" answered Misnar, "it is in vain, O Horam, that the sword is
+uplifted against the power of enchantment, so long as these magicians
+are prepared against our attacks: we must surprise them, or we cannot
+prevail. Tasnar is joined to my faithless brother Ahubal; but there is
+in my camp, doubtless, some trusty slave, who will penetrate into the
+camp of Ahubal, and destroy this enchanter while he sleeps in
+security; and Horam my Vizier must find that slave."</p>
+
+<p>Horam bowed, and went out from the presence of the Sultan in great
+distress of heart. "Where," said he to himself, "can the mighty find a
+trusty friend? or what slave will be faithful to that master who has
+robbed him of his liberty? Better had I perished by the hand of
+Tasnar, than be betrayed through the wickedness of my servants!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[259]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The Vizier, doubtful where to apply or whom to trust, returned to his
+tent; where he found an old female slave, who waited to deliver a
+message from his seraglio, which was kept in a tent adjoining to his
+own.</p>
+
+<p>Horam, not regarding her presence, threw himself on his sofa, and
+there bemoaned his fate in being commanded to find a trusty slave.</p>
+
+<p>The female slave, who saw her master's tears, cast herself at his
+feet, and called Allah to witness that she had always served him
+faithfully, and was ready to sacrifice her life for his pleasure.</p>
+
+<p>Horam was rather more distressed than alleviated by her protestations.
+"What art thou?" said he to her, sternly&mdash;"a poor decrepit woman! and
+canst thou go forth and combat the enchantments of Tasnar, the enemy
+of thy master's peace?"</p>
+
+<p>"The locust and the worm," said the female slave, "are the instruments
+of Allah's vengeance on the mighty ones of the earth; and Mahomet can
+make even my weakness subservient to the cause of my lord."</p>
+
+<p>"And how wilt thou prevail against Ahubal the Prince and Tasnar the
+magician?" said Horam, careless of what he spoke.</p>
+
+<p>"I will go," answered she, "into the camp of Ahubal, and engage to
+poison my master the Vizier, and Misnar the lord of our lives, as I
+stand before them to minister unto them the pleasing draught. And
+while Tasnar is intently hearing my proposals, the steel of death
+shall suddenly search out the vile enchanter's heart."</p>
+
+<p>"But knowest thou not," said Horam, "that death will be the
+consequence of this rash deed?"</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," answered the slave, "I was, when young, bred up in the
+caves of Denraddin, and was taught by a sage to know what should
+happen to me in future times; and the sage read in the stars of
+heaven, that by my means should the Sultan of India be delivered from
+the enemy that oppressed him."</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier rejoiced at the assurances of his female slave, and bade
+her immediately prepare herself to appear before the Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>The slave, having put on her veil, followed the Vizier Horam, and was
+introduced to the tent of Misnar.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[260]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"What!" said the Sultan, as he saw his Vizier enter with the female
+slave, "what new kind of warrior has Horam brought me?"</p>
+
+<p>"Light of mine eyes!" answered the Vizier, "behold a woman who is
+desirous of executing thy commands. This slave assures me that the
+sages of the caves of Denraddin have read in the stars of heaven that
+by her means the Sultan of India should be delivered from the enemy
+that oppressed him."</p>
+
+<p>"Then," said the Sultan, "let her go; and may the Prophet of the
+Faithful guide her footsteps in safety and security! I am assured that
+Horam would not consent to an enterprise that was foolish and weak;
+and to his direction I leave the fate of this trusty female."</p>
+
+<p>The slave then fell prostrate, and besought the Sultan to give her
+some of his writings and mandates, that she might pretend she had
+stolen them from his tent, with a design to carry and lay them at the
+feet of Tasnar and Ahubal.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan approved of her scheme, and ordered several mandates to be
+written and signed relative to the motions of his army the next day,
+which were quite contrary to the real disposition he intended to give
+out.</p>
+
+<p>The female slave being furnished with these, and being conducted by
+the Vizier to the outskirts of the Sultan's army, walked forward till
+she was challenged by the sentinels of Ahubal, who seized upon and
+carried her to their commander.</p>
+
+<p>The commander, fearful of deceit, first satisfied himself that she was
+really a female slave, and then asked her what brought her alone out
+of the camp of the Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>"Bring me," said she, "before your Prince; for I have things to
+deliver up to him that will be of service to his army."</p>
+
+<p>The commander then sent her with the guard to the pavilion of Ahubal,
+where that Prince and the enchanter Tasnar were consulting in private
+together.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the female slave had gained admittance, she fell prostrate
+at the feet of Ahubal, which Tasnar observing, commanded the guards to
+seize her.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[261]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Let us see," said the enchanter, "what service this slave can do us,
+before she is trusted so near our persons."</p>
+
+<p>The female slave, being secured by the guards, was doubtful how to
+behave.</p>
+
+<p>"Have you, base slave," said the enchanter, "aught to reveal to us? or
+are you sent as a spy to betray the counsels of the brave?"</p>
+
+<p>"I have," said the female slave (somewhat recovered from her
+surprise), "papers and mandates of great consequence, which I have
+stolen from the tent of the Sultan; and I bring them to the Prince
+Ahubal, the lord of all the hearts of the Indian empire."</p>
+
+<p>She then produced her mandates, and the guards laid them at the feet
+of Ahubal.</p>
+
+<p>The Prince Ahubal, having read the papers, gave them to Tasnar,
+saying, "These are indeed valuable acquisitions, and the female slave
+that brought them is worthy of high honour and reward."</p>
+
+<p>The slave, hearing this encomium, bowed down her head; for the guards
+who held her prevented her falling prostrate.</p>
+
+<p>"Mighty son of Dabulcombar," said the enchanter, "let the guards carry
+her forth, till we consult what reward she shall receive."</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the female slave was carried out, "My Prince," said Tasnar,
+"it is indeed politic to give rewards to those who serve us; and
+therefore it is sometimes necessary to do it, that the silly birds may
+be the more surely entangled in the snares of State; but when we can
+better serve our ends by their destruction than by their safety, it is
+but just that we should do so. This slave has already risked her life
+for our service, and therefore she will no doubt be ready to lay it
+down if we require it."</p>
+
+<p>As the enchanter said this, he called one of the guards, and commanded
+him to bring in the female slave and the bow-string.</p>
+
+<p>The slave approached, still held by the guards.</p>
+
+<p>"Kind slave," said the enchanter, "you have already served us much;
+there is one thing more that we require: let the slaves fit the
+bow-string to thy neck, and let thy last breath be sent forth in
+praise of thy lord Ahubal."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[262]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The slaves of Ahubal then put upon the wretched female the deadly
+bow-string, and strangled her instantly; after which they retired,
+leaving her dead body on the floor of the tent.</p>
+
+<p>"What hast thou done, O Tasnar?" said Ahubal, astonished at the deed.</p>
+
+<p>"I suspect," said the enchanter, "that this female was sent on a vile
+errand; and see, here," continued he, searching her garments, "is the
+weapon of death!"</p>
+
+<p>So saying, he drew a dagger from her bosom, which she had concealed
+with a design of stabbing the enchanter.</p>
+
+<p>"Prudent Tasnar," said the Prince, "I admire thy foresight; but of
+what use is this murdered slave now to us?"</p>
+
+<p>"The disguise of this slave," answered the enchanter, "will introduce
+me into the camp of the Sultan, and, I hope, will give me an
+opportunity of reaching his heart with that steel which he designed
+for mine. But no time must be lost: the morning will, ere long,
+disclose its grey light in the east."</p>
+
+<p>Thus it is that deceit often leads into danger, and recoils upon
+itself.</p>
+
+<p>The enchanter then put on the garments of the murdered female slave,
+and stroking his face, it became like hers, so that Ahubal could
+scarcely believe but the slave was revived. He also cut off the head
+of the female slave, and, anointing it with a white ointment, it
+resembled his own. Thus equipped, the commander of the advanced guard
+conducted him to the foremost sentinels of the rebel army. The
+disguised enchanter soon reached the camp of the Sultan; and the
+sentinels, imagining it was the same female slave whom Horam had led
+through their ranks in the former part of the night, suffered him to
+pass unexamined.</p>
+
+<p>In a short time he reached the royal pavilion, and demanded
+admittance. The Vizier Horam, who was there in waiting, heard, as he
+supposed, the voice of his female slave, and went out to bring her
+before the Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>"My slave," said Horam, as he saw the disguised enchanter, "hast thou
+succeeded? and is Tasnar, the foe of the Faithful, dead?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[263]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Bring me before the Sultan," said the pretended slave, "that my lord
+may first behold the head of his foe."</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier then led the disguised enchanter into the pavilion, where
+the Sultan Misnar, being warned of her coming, was seated on his
+throne.</p>
+
+<p>As the enchanter approached, he held a dagger in one hand, which was
+covered by a long sleeve, and in the other he bore the fictitious
+head. And now the pretended female was about to ascend the steps of
+the throne, when the Vizier commanded her first to fall prostrate
+before the Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>The sham slave did as she was ordered; and the Vizier, seeing her
+prostrate, fell upon her, and slew her with his sabre.</p>
+
+<p>"What hast thou done, wretched Vizier?" said the Sultan. "Has envy
+thus rashly stirred thee up against my faithful slave, that&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan would probably have continued his invective against his
+Vizier much longer, had he not beheld the corpse of the dead enchanter
+change its appearance, and found that Horam, by the sudden destruction
+of Tasnar, had but just preserved his own life.</p>
+
+<p>At the sight of this transformation, Misnar descended from his throne,
+and closely embraced his Vizier Horam.</p>
+
+<p>"O Horam, forgive my impetuous temper!" said the Sultan: "how have I
+blamed my friend for doing that which alone could have saved my life!
+But by what means did my faithful Vizier become acquainted with the
+disguise of this wicked enchanter, or how did he discover himself to
+thy watchful eye?"</p>
+
+<p>"Lord of my heart," answered Horam, "when I carried my poor female
+slave through the camp (whose death we have unhappily caused by our
+fraud), I bade her, when she returned and saw me, first repeat these
+words in my ear: 'Allah is Lord of heaven, Mahomet is His Prophet, and
+Misnar is His vicegerent upon earth.' And this precaution I took,
+fearful less Tasnar, discovering our design, should invent this method
+of revenge. Wherefore, when the pretended slave was brought before me,
+and she repeated not the words that I had taught her, I was assured
+that it was the enchanter in disguise, and waited till, by prostrating
+himself before my lord,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[264]</a></span> he gave me an opportunity of destroying the
+life of the chief of thine enemies."</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan of India again embraced his faithful Vizier; and as soon as
+the eye of morn was opened in the east, the armies of Ahubal beheld
+the enchanter Tasnar's head fixed on a pole in the front of the
+Sultan's army.</p>
+
+<p>The Prince Ahubal, rising with the earliest dawn of the morning, went
+forward to the front of his troops, and there, at a small distance,
+saw the hideous features of the enchanter Tasnar already blackening in
+the sun. Fear immediately took possession of his soul; and he ran,
+with tears in his eyes, and hid himself, till the sun went down, in
+his pavilion.</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier Horam, perceiving the approach of the sun, would have led
+on the Sultan's troops to a second attack; but Misnar commanded him to
+forbear, that his army might rest one day after their fatigues.</p>
+
+<p>The great distress of the enchanters, and their unexpected deaths,
+alarmed the rest of that wicked race; and Ahaback and Desra, seeing
+that no one enchanter had succeeded against the Sultan, resolved to
+join their forces; and while one led a powerful army to Ahubal's
+assistance from the east, the other raised the storms of war and
+rebellion on the western confines of the Sultan's empire.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime, the two armies of the Sultan and Ahubal continued
+inactive, till an express arrived that Ahaback was leading the
+strength of nine thousand squadrons against their Sultan, and that
+Desra was travelling over the plains of Embracan, with three thousand
+elephants and a hundred thousand troops from the western provinces.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan instantly resolved to attack Ahubal before these succours
+could arrive; but the Vizier Horam fell at his feet, and besought him
+not to hazard his army, but rather to recruit and strengthen it.</p>
+
+<p>This advice, though quite contrary to the opinion of Misnar, was yet
+so strongly urged by the Vizier, that the Sultan gave up his better
+judgment to the opinion of Horam; and, when every one expected to be
+called forth to action, the Vizier gave orders in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[265]</a></span> camp for
+recruits to be sought after, and went himself to the north of Delhi to
+raise a second army for his master's service.</p>
+
+<p>The troops of Ahubal, finding themselves free from the attacks of the
+Sultan's army, endeavoured to comfort their Prince, who was grieved
+and dejected at the loss of his friends; and the provinces of the
+south, to dissipate his gloom, besought him to permit them to raise a
+pavilion worthy of his dignity, as heretofore he contented himself
+with such as his generals made use of.</p>
+
+<p>The Prince Ahubal, who by nature was not formed for war or contest,
+but only stirred up by the enchanters to be their tool against the
+Sultan his brother, was easily persuaded to accept of the offers of
+his troops, and a hundred curious artisans were set to work to
+contrive and erect a sumptuous pavilion for the use of the Prince.</p>
+
+<p>To these workmen, all the provinces who acknowledged the authority of
+Ahubal sent diamonds and jewels, and rich silks, and all the costly
+materials of the world, to finish the splendid pavilion which they
+purposed to raise for their Prince.</p>
+
+<p>While the sumptuous tent was raising, the squadrons of Ahaback drew
+nearer and nearer, and the elephants of Desra were within thirty days
+of the camp of Ahubal.</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier Horam, having returned with his reinforcements, waited on
+the Sultan, and besought him to trust the management of his army to
+him for forty days.</p>
+
+<p>"Horam," said the Sultan, "I have such confidence in thy sense and
+loyalty, that I grant thy request."</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier, having obtained his end, sent a messenger to Ahubal, and
+desired a forty-days' truce between the armies, to which the Prince
+readily agreed. In a few hours the truce was proclaimed in the
+Sultan's camp; and when Misnar hoped that his Vizier would have
+attacked the rebel army with a force more than double their number, he
+heard the trumpets sound a truce in the tents.</p>
+
+<p>Such a behaviour, so contrary to reason, alarmed the Sultan, and he
+sent for the Vizier Horam, and demanded his reasons for making a truce
+with his enemies.</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," answered Horam, "I have heard that the southern<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[266]</a></span> provinces
+are erecting a pavilion for your rebel brother Ahubal, which in
+splendour and magnificence is to surpass all the glories of thy palace
+at Delhi; and being convinced that thy subjects are led more by show
+and appearance than by duty and honour, I feared that Ahubal's
+glorious pavilion might draw the neighbouring cities into his
+encampment, and thereby strengthen his army, and weaken the resources
+of my Prince. For this reason I besought my lord to give me the
+command of his army for forty days, in which time I propose to build
+thee such a pavilion as shall far outshine in splendour every glory
+upon earth."</p>
+
+<p>"Horam," answered the Sultan, "I have put all things into thine hands;
+but let me beseech thee to be careful of thy master."</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier Horam, leaving the Sultan, sent to Delhi for workmen and
+artificers; and, ordering a large spot to be enclosed, that none might
+behold his pavilion till it was completed, he proceeded with the work
+with great care and assiduity.</p>
+
+<p>While these works of peace, rather than of war, were carrying on in
+the two armies of Misnar and Ahubal, the reinforcements of Ahaback and
+Desra arrived; and the captains in the Sultan's army, hearing of the
+great addition which was made to the rebel army, while the Vizier was
+spending his time with his curious workmen, petitioned the Sultan that
+one might be put over them who loved war rather than the amusements of
+females and children.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan, who thought, with his captains, that Horam was rather
+betraying than forwarding his cause, commanded the Vizier to be
+brought before him, and, in the presence of the captains, asked him
+why he delayed to lead his troops against the rebel army.</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier Horam made no answer to the Sultan's question, but desired
+his lord to bring the captains towards the pavilion which he had
+erected.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the Sultan appeared before the enclosure, several slaves
+behind were employed to remove it, so that in an instant Misnar and
+his captains beheld the most magnificent spectacle that art could
+achieve.</p>
+
+<p>The sight of the pavilion was highly acceptable to the army of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[267]</a></span> the
+Sultan; but the captains justly condemned a performance which had,
+without cause, wasted the greatest part of the coffers of India.</p>
+
+<p>The pavilion was situated at one extremity of the Sultan's army, at a
+small distance from a rocky mountain, and surrounded by a grove of
+palm-trees, part of which had been cut down by the Vizier's order, to
+admit the air and light among the rest. It was composed of crimson
+velvet, embroidered round with flowers and festoons of silver and
+gold; and in the body was worked, in golden tissue, the deaths of the
+enchanters Ulin, Happuck, Ollomand, and Tasnar.</p>
+
+<p>The pavilion stood upon a carpet or cloth of gold, and within was
+supported by four massive pillars of burnished gold; the ceiling of
+the canopy within was studded with jewels and diamonds, and under it
+were placed two sofas of the richest workmanship.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan, though much averse to such pageantry, was yet persuaded by
+his Vizier to sleep in his new pavilion; and the glorious appearance
+which it made brought thousands to view the magnificent abode of their
+Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>The account of this splendid tent soon reached Ahubal's army, and
+every one extolled the glorious pavilion: so that Ahubal's tent seemed
+as nothing in comparison with the Sultan's.</p>
+
+<p>Ahaback and Desra, who were in the Prince's pavilion, hearing the
+account, resolved to go invisibly and examine it; and leaving the
+Prince, and putting each a ring on his fingers, they passed the
+sentinels and watches of both armies.</p>
+
+<p>But if the sight of the pavilion filled them with malice and envy, the
+histories of their brethren's deaths increased that malice, and urged
+them to revenge. They returned hastily to Ahubal's pavilion, and
+related to him what they had seen.</p>
+
+<p>Ahubal's heart rankled at their account, and his visage fell, to hear
+how much his brother had outdone him in magnificence.</p>
+
+<p>"Get me a tent more splendid than the Sultan's," said he to the
+enchanters, "or disband your armies, and leave me to my fate."</p>
+
+<p>"My Prince," answered Ahaback, "let not such a trifle discompose you.
+It is true, we could in a moment erect a pavilion more magnificent
+than the Sultan's; but it will be more glorious to dispossess him of
+that which he has built, and to set my Prince upon<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[268]</a></span> the throne of his
+father: for which purpose let the trumpet sound on the morrow,&mdash;the
+truce is at an end, and if it were not, we mean not to keep faith with
+an usurper,&mdash;and ere the Sultan be prepared, let us fall upon him. Who
+knows but we may sleep to-morrow night in this pavilion which now
+causes uneasiness?"</p>
+
+<p>The counsel of Ahaback pleased both Desra and Ahubal; and they gave
+orders for the troops to march in the morning, and attack the army of
+the Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>The forces of Misnar were sleeping in their tents when the alarm was
+spread that the enemy was upon them. The Vizier Horam arose in haste,
+and put himself at the head of the army; but, instead of leading them
+towards their enemies, he fled off to the right with the choicest of
+the troops, and taking possession of a pass in the mountains behind
+the pavilion, sent a messenger to inform the Sultan that he had
+secured him a retreat, in case the armies of Ahubal should conquer.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan, being at the extremity of his army, knew not of the
+confused attack till it was too late to redeem his lost opportunity.
+He collected his scattered troops, and led them towards the enemy, at
+the same time sending a message to Horam to leave the mountains and
+support him.</p>
+
+<p>The captains and officers that followed Misnar behaved with great
+resolution and intrepidity, and the Sultan exposed himself frequently
+to the darts and missile weapons of his enemies, till, overpowered by
+numbers, and his own troops on all sides giving way, through the
+confusion which prevailed, he was forced to make to the mountains,
+where his Vizier still continued, though he had received the Sultan's
+commands to the contrary.</p>
+
+<p>The troops of Ahubal pursued the Sultan's scattered forces to the
+mountains, where the Vizier's troops opened to receive their friends,
+and then opposed the rebels, who were faint with the fatigues of the
+day.</p>
+
+<p>After a great slaughter, the rebels were forced to give over, and,
+returning to the encampment of the Sultan, they loaded themselves with
+the spoils of their enemies.</p>
+
+<p>Ahaback and Desra were greatly elated at their success, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[269]</a></span> Ahubal in
+one day found himself master of India, his brother defeated, and his
+gaudy pavilion wrested from him.</p>
+
+<p>Ahubal beheld with surprise the magnificence of the pavilion, and
+seeing the invidious workmanship on the outside, where the deaths of
+his former friends were displayed, "Ahaback and Desra," said the
+Prince, "it is but just that you should revenge yourselves on my proud
+brother. For my part, I never can inhabit a pavilion which was meant
+as a triumph over my friends; but you may justly take up your abode
+here, that the nations may at once learn, when they see you in this
+pavilion, the former misfortunes of your brethren, and your present
+well-deserved success: wherefore, to-night, my friends, take up your
+residence here, as this place is most worthy to hold you, and
+to-morrow I will order my workmen to remove the pavilion next my own."</p>
+
+<p>The enchanters were pleased at the speech of Ahubal, and the banquet
+was prepared for the conquerors in the gay pavilion of the unfortunate
+Sultan, while he remained among the mountains, wanting even the
+necessaries of life for himself and his army.</p>
+
+<p>But the Sultan's misfortunes did not make him forget the cause of
+them. He called a council of his captains, and commanded the Vizier
+Horam to be brought before them. The Vizier was condemned by every
+voice, and Misnar, with tears in his eyes, pronounced the sentence of
+death against him.</p>
+
+<p>"To-morrow," said the Sultan, "must the ill-fated Horam be numbered
+with the dead."</p>
+
+<p>Horam heard the sentence without emotion. "My life," said he, "is in
+the hand of my lord, and he is welcome to the blood of his slave."</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier was then ordered into the custody of a hundred men, and a
+captain was appointed to guard him until morning.</p>
+
+<p>The unfortunate Sultan then retired to rest in an obscure tent, or
+rather not to rest, but to an irksome contemplation.</p>
+
+<p>"My kingdom," said he, "is passed from me, and, worse than my kingdom,
+my friend, my dearly beloved Horam, has proved a traitor to his
+master."</p>
+
+<p>As the Sultan was filled with these meditations, his guards gave<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[270]</a></span> him
+notice that the captain who was set over the Vizier had brought Horam
+to communicate an affair of moment to him.</p>
+
+<p>"Is there deceit in Horam," said the Sultan, "that he cometh like a
+thief in the night? If Horam is false, farewell my life. Let him that
+destroyed my kingdom complete his ingratitude by finishing my fate."</p>
+
+<p>The captain then entered the tent of his Sultan with Horam in chains.</p>
+
+<p>"Life of my life, and master of my thoughts," said the Vizier, "ere I
+die, I am constrained to show thee among these mountains far greater
+riches than are in thy palace at Delhi, or in the tents of thine
+enemies&mdash;riches that will restore thy affairs, and turn thy tears into
+showers of joy."</p>
+
+<p>"Are you not satisfied," said Misnar, "O ill-fated Horam, that you
+come to deceive me with new illusions? Where is my kingdom? where my
+royalty? where my army? By thy fatal counsels destroyed, overwhelmed,
+confounded! Now, then, lead the way, and let me see these curious
+treasures which are to recompense the loss of all my hopes."</p>
+
+<p>The captain then led Horam out of the tent, and the Sultan followed.</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier, being in chains, moved but slowly, and the captain of the
+guard, dismissing his men, drew his sabre, and held it naked over the
+head of the Vizier. The darkness of the night prevented the Sultan
+from seeing whither he was carried by his Vizier.</p>
+
+<p>They passed over various rocks, and were obliged to wade through some
+small brooks or rivulets which fell from the tops of the mountains,
+till at length they arrived at a spacious cavern, which was formed by
+two pendent rocks.</p>
+
+<p>Here the Vizier entered, and, lifting up his chains, knocked against a
+small door at the extremity of the cavern. In a moment it opened, and
+four slaves came forward with flambeaux in their hands.</p>
+
+<p>The slaves, seeing their master and the Sultan, fell prostrate: and
+Horam inquired whether all was safe.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, my lord," answered the slaves. "We have not been disturbed since
+my lord first brought us to this gloomy cavern."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[271]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Where is Camul?" said the Vizier.</p>
+
+<p>"He watches," replied the slaves, "with the axe in his hand."</p>
+
+<p>"What hour of the night is it?" said Horam to his slaves.</p>
+
+<p>"The third watch of the night is past," answered the slaves.</p>
+
+<p>"Then enter, my Sultan," said Horam, "and see thine enemies perish
+from before thee."</p>
+
+<p>"What enemies? and what mysterious place is this?" said the Sultan.
+"Who is Camul? and what axe doth he bear in his hand? Lead me, Horam,
+not into danger, and remember that the sabre of my captain hangeth
+over thy head."</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan then entered in at the little door, and followed the Vizier
+and his guard, and the four slaves with flambeaux in their hands.</p>
+
+<p>In this manner Misnar passed through a long passage hewn out of the
+solid rock, till he beheld, at a distance, a man seated on a stone
+with an axe in his hand, and nine lamps burning before him.</p>
+
+<p>As they drew near, the man fell prostrate before them; and the Vizier,
+also falling prostrate, desired Misnar to take the axe out of the hand
+of Camul his slave.</p>
+
+<p>"What wonderful axe is this," said the Sultan, "that is thus preserved
+in the bowels of the earth?"</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan took the axe, and Camul the slave removing the stone on
+which he sat, there appeared a strong rope underneath, one end of
+which passed through the rocks, and the other was fastened to an
+enormous ring of iron.</p>
+
+<p>"Strike, royal master," said Horam, "and sever that rope from the ring
+of iron."</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan did as Horam desired, and struck the rope with his axe, and
+divided it from the ring.</p>
+
+<p>The rope, being released, flew with great swiftness through the hole
+in the rock, and Misnar waited some time to see what might be the
+consequence of cutting it asunder; but nothing appearing, he said to
+his Vizier,</p>
+
+<p>"Where are the riches, Horam, which I left my bed to view? Is this
+like the rest of your promises? and am I brought here to be again
+deceived?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[272]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Royal master," answered Horam, "let me die the death of a rebel. I
+have nothing more to discover: pardon my follies, and avenge thine own
+losses by the sword of justice."</p>
+
+<p>"What!" said the Sultan, enraged, "hast thou brought me through the
+dangerous passes of the mountains by night only to cut a rope asunder?
+And was I called forth to see only a passage made in the rocks, and
+the slaves of Horam as ill employed as their master lately has been?
+Lead me, villain!" continued he, "back to my tent, and expect with the
+rising of the sun the fate you have so amply merited."</p>
+
+<p>Thus saying, the Sultan returned, and the captain of the guard led
+Horam back in chains to his place of confinement.</p>
+
+<p>In the morning, the army of the Sultan Misnar, which had escaped to
+the mountains, were all drawn out, the cymbals sounded, and a gibbet
+forty feet high was erected in their front, to which the captain of
+the guard led the unfortunate Vizier Horam.</p>
+
+<p>At the sound of the cymbals the Sultan came from his tent, and gave
+orders that Horam should be conducted to his fate.</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier, unmoved at his doom, surrendered himself to the officer
+who was to execute the Sultan's sentence; and the ignominious rope was
+put about his neck, when a messenger, attended by several sentinels,
+came running into the camp.</p>
+
+<p>The messenger hastened to the Sultan, and thus delivered his message:
+"Ahaback and Desra, the wicked enchanters who have upholden thy
+rebellious brother, are dead; the army of Ahubal is in the utmost
+consternation; and the friends of the Sultan wish to see thee hunting
+thine enemies, as the lion hunts the wild asses in the forest."</p>
+
+<p>This messenger was succeeded by several of the Sultan's spies, who
+confirmed the account.</p>
+
+<p>Misnar then put himself at the head of his troops, ordered Horam back
+to his former confinement, and hastened to fall upon the forces of the
+rebels.</p>
+
+<p>Early the same morning, Ahubal was awakened by his guards, who, with
+countenances of woe, declared to him the death of his friends Ahaback
+and Desra.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[273]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Are my friends dead?" said Ahubal, trembling: "by what misfortune am
+I bereaved of them? What new device has Misnar practised against them?
+Are not these wise and sage magicians, then, a match for a boy's
+prudence? Alas! what can <i>I</i> effect against them, when these fall away
+before his victorious arm?"</p>
+
+<p>"Prince," answered the guards, "we have too late discovered the wiles
+of our enemies. Over the magnificent pavilion of the Sultan, which
+Horam built for his master, the artful Vizier had concealed a
+ponderous stone, which covered the whole pavilion. This, by some
+secret means, he contrived in the night to release from its
+confinement, while Ahaback and Desra were sleeping on the sofas
+beneath it; and ere day began to rise, their guards were surprised by
+the fall, and ran to release their masters from the stone; but, alas!
+their bodies were crushed to atoms, and still remain buried under the
+pavilion, as fifty of the strongest of thy troops were unable to
+remove the stone from the ground."</p>
+
+<p>At these words the countenance and the heart of Ahubal sank; and ere
+he could recover, word was brought him that the Sultan's troops were
+in the midst of his army, and that none dared stand against them
+unless he approached to encourage them.</p>
+
+<p>Ahubal was so overwhelmed with fear and grief, that, instead of
+leading his troops, he prepared himself for flight; and Misnar,
+pursuing his good fortune, was in a few hours in possession, not only
+of his own tents, but also of those of the enemy.</p>
+
+<p>Having gained a complete victory, and sent part of his troops after
+those that were fled, the Sultan commanded his Vizier to be brought
+before him, and, in the sight of his army, asked him what merit he
+could challenge in the success of that day.</p>
+
+<p>"The contrivances of thy slave had been useless," Horam replied, "if a
+less than my Sultan had afterwards led his troops to the battle.
+Therefore thine only be the glory and the honour of the day; but my
+lord must know, that some time since we were informed that the
+enchanters Ahaback and Desra were preparing to uphold thy rebellious
+brother; and well I knew that prudence, and not force, must prevail
+against them. I therefore besought my lord to grant me the chief
+command for forty days, and neglected to take such<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[274]</a></span> advantages over
+Ahubal's troops as the captains of thy armies advised.</p>
+
+<p>"This I did, knowing that any victory would be vain and fruitless, if
+the enchanters were not involved in the ruin; and that, while they
+were safe, a second army would spring up as soon as the first was
+destroyed. For these reasons, I endeavoured to strengthen my Sultan's
+army, that when the reinforcements of Ahaback and Desra should arrive,
+their numbers might not prevail against us.</p>
+
+<p>"In the meantime, the sumptuous pavilion which was built for Ahubal
+inspired me with a device, which I hoped would put the enchanters in
+my power.</p>
+
+<p>"Studious that no one might interrupt or betray my designs, I enclosed
+a place near the mountains, surrounded with trees, where I began to
+build a pavilion, which I gave out was erected in honour of my lord
+the Sultan: within this pavilion I concealed a massy stone, which was
+sawn out of the solid rock, and which, by the help of several engines,
+was hung upon four pillars of gold, and covered the whole pavilion.
+The rope which upheld this massy stone passed through one of the
+golden pillars into the earth beneath, and, by a secret channel cut in
+the rock, was carried onward through the side of the mountain, and was
+fastened to a ring of iron in a cave hollowed out of the rock on the
+opposite side.</p>
+
+<p>"By the time the enchanters were arrived in the camp of Ahubal, the
+pavilion was finished; and although I had secret advice that my
+Sultan's troops were to be attacked on the morrow, yet I chose to
+conceal that knowledge, and so to dispose of the army that the chief
+part might fly with me behind the mountains which hung over the
+pavilion, and that the rest, having no conductor, might be put to
+flight with as little slaughter as possible. This I did, expecting
+that Ahaback and Desra, puffed up with their good fortune, would take
+possession of my Sultan's pavilion."</p>
+
+<p>"Rise, faithful Horam," said the Sultan Misnar; "your plot is
+sufficiently unravelled; but why did you hide your intentions from
+your lord?"</p>
+
+<p>"Lord of my life," answered the Vizier, "because I was resolved,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[275]</a></span> in
+case my plot did not succeed, to bear the burden myself, that my
+Sultan's honour might not be lessened in the eyes of his troops."</p>
+
+<p>This noble confession of the Vizier pleased the whole army, and they
+waited with the utmost impatience to hear his pardon pronounced.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan then embraced his Vizier, and the shouts of the army
+were,&mdash;"Long live Misnar the lord of our hearts, and Horam the first
+and the most faithful of his slaves!"</p>
+
+<p>The army of Ahubal still continued to fly after their Prince, whose
+fear did not suffer him to direct those who came up to him.</p>
+
+<p>And now, in a few days, the army would have been totally dispersed,
+had not the giant Kifri, enraged at the death of his brethren, and
+travelling in his fury, appeared before the eyes of the terrified
+Prince and his troops, in a narrow pass among the rocks.</p>
+
+<p>The presence of Kifri was not less terrifying than the noise of the
+pursuers; and Ahubal, at the sight of the monster, fell with his face
+to the ground.</p>
+
+<p>"Who art thou," said Kifri, with the voice of thunder, "that fliest
+like the roebuck, and tremblest like the heart-stricken antelope?"</p>
+
+<p>"Prince of earth," said Ahubal, "I am the friend of Ulin, of Happuck,
+of Ollomand, of Tasnar, of Ahaback, and of Desra. I am he who, through
+the power of the enchanters, have contended for the throne of India."</p>
+
+<p>"Wretched, then, are they that league with thee," answered the giant
+Kifri, "thou son of fear, thou wretch unworthy of such support! Was it
+for thee, base coward, that Ollomand poured forth his unnumbered
+stores? that the plains of India were dyed with the blood of Desra,
+the mistress of our race?"</p>
+
+<p>As Kifri spake thus, his broad eyeballs glowed like the red orb of day
+when covered with dark fleeting clouds, and from his nostrils issued
+forth the tempest and the flame.</p>
+
+<p>In an instant he seized on the fear-shaken Ahubal, as the eagle shuts
+within her bloody talons the body of the affrighted trembling hare;
+and, lifting him high in the air, he dashed the wretched Prince
+against the rugged face of the mountains. The blood of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[276]</a></span> Ahubal ran
+down from the mountain's side, and his mangled limbs, crushed by the
+fall, hung quivering on the pointed rocks.</p>
+
+<p>The death of Ahubal lessened not the fury of Kifri; but all that
+followed the unhappy Prince experienced his rage, till, glutted with
+blood, and tired of his revenge, the monstrous giant sank to rest, and
+stretched out his limbs upon the tops of the mountains.</p>
+
+<p>But the sleep of Kifri was cumbrous as his body. In the visions of the
+night came Ulin before him, and the ghost of the murdered Happuck was
+in the eye of his fancy.</p>
+
+<p>"Enemy of our race," said they, "where is he who was to redeem our
+glory and to revenge our blood? Where is Ahubal, of whom the dark
+saying went forth, that none but our race could overpower him? The
+dark saying is now interpreted by thy shameful deed, and the powers of
+enchantment are at an end!"</p>
+
+<p>The giant, disturbed at his visions, started up: the moon rode high
+above the mountains, and the trees of the forest looked broad with the
+shades of night. He cast his black eyes to the south, and saw the
+storm rolling forth in clouds: the tempest gathered around him, and
+poured its fury against him.</p>
+
+<p>The giant bent his body towards a huge rock, whereon he had slept, and
+straining his tough sinews, tore up the mighty fragment from the
+ground. The earth felt the shock, and its dark entrails trembled; but
+Kifri, undismayed, threw the wild ruin to the clouds. The labouring
+mountain returned quickly on the rebellious head of the giant,
+crushing him beneath its ponderous mass, and finished, by its descent,
+the life and the presumption of Kifri.</p>
+
+<p>The intelligence of Kifri's death was brought to the Sultan by one of
+the followers of Ahubal, who, at the first approach of the giant, had
+run from his presence, and hid himself in a cave in the rocks.</p>
+
+<p>"Horam," said the Sultan, "our enemies are no more; seven are
+destroyed, and one weak woman alone remains. But since Kifri, the
+terror of Asia, has fallen a sacrifice to the cause of Ahubal, and
+since the rebel is himself destroyed, what has Misnar more to fear?
+However, let our army be yet increased: let trusty nabobs be sent into
+every province, and nothing omitted which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[277]</a></span> may preserve the peace of
+my empire: it is the part of prudence to watch most where there is the
+least appearance of danger."</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier Horam obeyed his master's command; and Misnar, having
+regulated his army, returned in triumph to Delhi.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan, having restored peace to his kingdoms, began to administer
+impartial justice to his subjects: and, although the faith of Horam
+had often been tried, yet Misnar chose not to rely altogether on any
+but himself.</p>
+
+<p>"Vizier," said the Sultan, as Horam was standing before him, "are my
+people happy?&mdash;it is for them I rule, and not for myself; and though I
+delay not to punish the licentious and rebellious, yet shall I ever
+study to gain the hearts of my obedient subjects. A father's frown may
+restrain his children, but his smile can only bless them. Dost not
+thou remember, Horam, the story of Mahoud, the son of the jeweller?
+And how am I sure but even now private malice may be wreaking as great
+cruelty upon some innocent person, as the Princess Hemjunah suffered
+from the enchanter Bennaskar?"</p>
+
+<p>"My Prince," answered the Vizier, "the toils and the dangers of the
+war have never for a moment driven from my mind the memory of that
+Princess, who, with Mahoud, underwent the most odious transformation
+through the power of Ulin."</p>
+
+<p>"Nor have I," answered the Sultan, "forgot their distress; but the
+cares of my empire have hitherto prevented my search after them. As to
+the Princess, she is possibly with her father in Cassimir; but Mahoud
+is doubtless an inhabitant of Delhi, where he lived before his
+transformation; therefore, O Vizier, give immediate orders that the
+respective Cadis of each division of the city, who have the numbers
+and the names of every inhabitant within their district, be questioned
+concerning this jeweller's son; and let him to-morrow be brought
+before me."</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier Horam did as he was commanded, and sent for all the Cadis
+of the city, and examined them concerning Mahoud; but no one could
+give any account of him.</p>
+
+<p>The next morning Horam attended the divan, and acquainted the Sultan
+with his fruitless search.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[278]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The Sultan was much dissatisfied at the Vizier's report; and after he
+had answered the petitioners and dismissed them, he sent again for his
+favourite Vizier.</p>
+
+<p>"Horam," said the Sultan, "my Cadis are remiss in their duty: Mahoud
+is certainly hid in my city: all is not right, Horam; the poor son of
+the jeweller would be proud to own that he was formerly the companion
+of the Sultan of the Indies, though in his distress; he had long ere
+this been at the foot of my throne, did not somewhat prevent him."</p>
+
+<p>"Prince of my life," answered the Vizier, "if Mahoud is in this city,
+he is doubtless disguised, and has reasons for concealing himself; and
+how shall thy officers of justice discover, among many millions, one
+obscure person, who is studious to hide himself?"</p>
+
+<p>"In a well-regulated city," answered the Sultan, "every one is known,
+and sound policy has always invented such distinctions as may prevent
+the disguise of designing and wicked men. But, till my capital is
+better regulated, I mean to take advantage myself of the confusion of
+my city, and examine, in disguise, those private outrages which are
+screened from the public eye of justice. Wherefore, Horam, procure two
+disguises for yourself and me; and let the Emir Matserak be sent
+ambassador to the Sultan of Cassimir, to inquire after the welfare of
+the Princess Hemjunah."</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier, in obedience to the Sultan's orders, sent the habits of
+two fakeers into the palace; and at evening the Sultan, accompanied by
+his Vizier, went forth in his disguise.</p>
+
+<p>As they passed through the second street from the royal palace, one
+habited like a fakeer, with his horn, saluted them, and asked them to
+partake of the alms he had received.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan readily accepted his offer, lest the brother of his order
+should be offended.</p>
+
+<p>They immediately retired into a remote place, and, the strange fakeer
+pulling out the provision he had received, they began their repast.</p>
+
+<p>"Brother," said the fakeer to the disguised Sultan, "you are, I
+perceive, but a novice in your profession; you have seen but little of
+life, and you would be puzzled were you to encounter such<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[279]</a></span> wonders as
+I experienced but last night in my approach to this city."</p>
+
+<p>"What," answered the Sultan hastily, "were they? Perhaps, brother, you
+mistake me: possibly, though not so communicative as yourself, I may
+nevertheless be as brave and resolute."</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" answered the fakeer, "I begin to suspect that you are no true
+brother: you know we are communicative among ourselves, but secret to
+the world about us. By the faith which I profess, I will no longer
+converse with you unless you give me some convincing proofs of the
+genuineness of your profession!"</p>
+
+<p>Here the Vizier, perceiving that the Sultan was hard pressed,
+interrupted the fakeer, and said, "O holy fakeer, but stranger to our
+tribe, whence comest thou that thou knowest not Elezren, the prince of
+devotees in the city of Delhi, to whom the Emirs bow, and before whom
+the populace lie prostrate as he passes? thou art indeed but newly
+come to Delhi, since the fame of Elezren hath not been sounded in
+thine ears."</p>
+
+<p>"Brother," answered the fakeer, "the fame of Elezren is not confined
+to Delhi alone, since all Asia receives him; but where are the silver
+marks of wisdom on his cheeks, and the furrows of affliction, which
+are deep-wrought in the aged front of Elezren?"</p>
+
+<p>At these words the fakeer sprang from the ground, and, running into
+the streets, he made the air echo with his complaints.</p>
+
+<p>The mob, hearing that two young men had personated the appearance of
+the caste, crowded to the place where the Sultan and his Vizier sat
+trembling at their own temerity, and were just about to tear them to
+pieces when the Vizier, stepping forward to meet them, cried aloud,</p>
+
+<p>"Slaves, presume not to approach your Sultan! for know that Misnar,
+the idol of his people, sits here disguised as a fakeer."</p>
+
+<p>Luckily for the Prince, several of the foremost were well acquainted
+with his features, or it is probable the mob would have looked upon
+the Vizier's speech as only a device to prevent their fury. But when
+the fakeer saw the foremost of the crowd acknowledge Misnar as their
+Sultan, and fall down before him, he tried to escape.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[280]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"My friends," said the Sultan, "secure that wretch, and suffer him not
+to escape. And, Horam," said he, turning to his Vizier, "let him be
+confined in a dungeon this night, and to-morrow brought before me in
+the divan of justice."</p>
+
+<p>"The words of my lord," answered Horam, "are a law which cannot be
+changed. But let me beseech my Prince to retire from the crowd."</p>
+
+<p>Misnar willingly did as Horam advised; and the people made way for him
+to the palace, crying out, "Long live Misnar, the pride of his
+slaves!"</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan being returned to his palace with his Vizier, "Horam," said
+he, "each man has his part in life allotted to him; and the folly of
+those who, leaving the right and regular path, strike into the mazes
+of their own fancy, is sufficiently seen from our adventure this day:
+wherefore I would have every man endeavour to fill his real character
+and to shine in that, and not attempt what belongs to another, in
+which he can gain no credit, and runs a great hazard of disgrace."</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier went forth, and brought the fakeer bound in chains before
+the Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>The fakeer advanced to the presence of the Sultan, full of shame and
+fear; and falling at his footstool, cried out, "I call Mahomet to
+witness, I slew not the man in my wrath, but in mine own defence."</p>
+
+<p>"What man?" said the Sultan, astonished at his words; "whom hast thou
+slain, O wicked fakeer, that thine own fears should turn evidence
+against thee?"</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" answered the fakeer, "hear me, most injured lord, for the
+blood of my brother presseth me sore.</p>
+
+<p>"As I journeyed yesterday, and was arrived within a league of the city
+of Delhi, I turned me towards a place walled round, which I supposed
+was a repository for the dead; and finding the gate open, I entered
+into it, intending to shelter myself for a few minutes against the
+scorching sun.</p>
+
+<p>"As I entered I perceived at one end a stone sepulchre, whose mouth
+was opened, and the stone rolled from it. Surprised at the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[281]</a></span> sight, I
+walked forward to the vault, and heard within the voices of several
+persons. At this I was in doubt whether to proceed or retire,
+supposing that some robbers had taken up their residence there.</p>
+
+<p>"In the midst of my confusion, a young man with a turban hanging over
+his face came out, and seeing me, drew his sabre and made toward me to
+kill me. Whereupon I took up a large fragment of the wall which lay at
+my feet, and as he came forward I threw it and felled him to the
+ground; then running up, I snatched the sabre from his hand, and would
+have destroyed him, but he cried out, saying, 'Take care what thou
+doest, rash man; for it is not one but two lives that thou takest away
+when thou destroyest me!'</p>
+
+<p>"Amazed and wondering how it was possible for me to destroy two lives
+by avenging myself on one wretch, who, without offence, had meditated
+my death, I stayed my hand; which the young man seeing, he aimed to
+pull the sabre out of my hand, whereupon I lifted up the sabre above
+his head, and at one blow severed it from his body. Immediately,
+seeing the blood start from his veins, I ran out of the enclosure,
+fearing lest any one of his company should overtake me, and flew till
+I reached the city of Delhi, where I subsisted that night and this day
+on the alms of the Faithful, till I met my Sultan and his Vizier in
+the habit of two fakeers."</p>
+
+<p>"And what," said the Sultan, "has made thee thine own accuser, since
+the life you took was in your own defence? If thy tale is true, his
+blood rests on his own head, who was the aggressor; but the story is
+so singular, that I shall detain thee till my Vizier and a party of
+soldiers be sent to search the enclosure you have mentioned."</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier then gave orders for the guard to mount their horses, and
+the Sultan resolved to accompany the Vizier, the fakeer being carried
+between two of the guards to point out the scene of the encounter.</p>
+
+<p>The party having arrived at the iron gate of the enclosure, Horam,
+with ten of the guards, went in on foot, and marched with the fakeer
+to the tomb where he heard the voices, and whence the young man had
+issued forth.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[282]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>As they approached the tomb they beheld the body of the young man on
+the ground, and his head at a distance.</p>
+
+<p>The guards, entering the tomb, found no one within, but at the upper
+end they saw a stone case supported by two blocks of black marble. The
+stone case was covered with a flat marble, which the guards could not
+remove from its place.</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier, being acquainted with these particulars, returned to the
+Sultan, and related to him what the guards had discovered. But Misnar,
+recollecting the many devices which the enchanters had prepared to
+ensnare him, was very doubtful what course to take.</p>
+
+<p>On a sudden the moon, which shone exceeding bright, was overcast, and
+the clouds appeared of a glowing red, like the fiery heat of a burning
+furnace; hollow murmurs were heard at a distance, and a putrid and
+suffocating smell arose; when, in the midst of the fiery clouds, the
+black form of a haggard and hideously distorted female became visible,
+furiously riding on an unwieldy monster with many legs.</p>
+
+<p>In an instant the clouds to the east disappeared, and the heavens from
+that quarter shone like the meridian sun, and discovered a lovely
+graceful nymph, the brightness of whose features expressed the
+liveliest marks of meekness, grace, and love.</p>
+
+<p>"Hapacuson," said the fair one, addressing herself to the hag, "why
+wilt thou vainly brandish thy rebellious arms against the powers of
+Heaven? If the Sultan, though he be the favourite of Allah, do wrong,
+the Mighty One, who delighteth in justice, will make thee the
+instrument of His vengeance on the offending Prince. But know the
+extent of thy power, vain woman! and presume not to war against the
+will of Heaven, lest the battle of the faithful genii be set in array
+against thee, and thou be joined to the number of those who are
+already fallen."</p>
+
+<p>"Proud vassal of light," answered the enchantress Hapacuson, "I fear
+not thy threats, nor the bright pageants that surround thee: war,
+tumult, chaos, and darkness, fear and dismay, are to me more welcome
+than the idle splendours of thy Master."</p>
+
+<p>"Abandoned wretch!" answered the bright being, "defile not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[283]</a></span> thy
+Maker's creations by thy blasphemous tongue; but learn at least to
+fear that Mighty One thou art not worthy to honour."</p>
+
+<p>Thus saying, she blew from her mouth a vivid flame, like a sharp two
+edged-sword, which, entering into the clouds that surrounded
+Hapacuson, the hag gave a horrible shriek, and the thick clouds
+rolling around her, she flew away into the darkness.</p>
+
+<p>The fair one then descending towards the Sultan, the brightness
+disappeared, and Misnar, the Vizier, and the guards, fell prostrate
+before her.</p>
+
+<p>"Arise, Misnar," said she, "Heaven's favourite! and fear not to enter
+the tomb, where the enchantments of Hapacuson are now at an end."</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan was about to answer, but the fair one led the way to the
+tomb, and commanded him to enter with her, and uncover the stone case
+which stood at the upper end.</p>
+
+<p>As the lid was removing, a sigh issued from its case, and a lovely
+female arose as from a deep sleep.</p>
+
+<p>"Inform me," said the Sultan, "whom it is my happy fate to release
+from this wretched confinement?"</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" answered the beautiful maiden, "art thou the vile Bennaskar,
+or the still more vile Mahoud? Oh, let me sleep till death, and never
+more behold the wretchedness of life!"</p>
+
+<p>"What!" said the Sultan, starting from his knees, "do I behold the
+unfortunate Princess of Cassimir?"</p>
+
+<p>"Illustrious Hemjunah," said the Vizier Horam, as the Princess stared
+wildly about her, "Misnar, the Sultan of India, is before thee."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," interrupted the fair spirit, "doubt not, Hemjunah, the truth of
+the Vizier Horam; for behold! Macoma, thy guardian genius, assures
+thee of the reality of what thou beholdest."</p>
+
+<p>"Helper of the afflicted," answered the Princess of Cassimir, "doubt
+vanishes when you are present; but wonder not at my incredulity, since
+my whole life has been a false illusion. O Allah, wherefore hast Thou
+made the weakest the most subject to deceit?"</p>
+
+<p>"To call in question the wisdom of Allah," answered the genius Macoma,
+"is to act like the child of folly: go, then, thou mirror<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[284]</a></span> of justice
+and understanding, and span with thy mighty arms the numberless
+heavens of the Faithful; weigh in thy just balance the wisdom of thy
+Maker, and the fitness of His creation; and, joined with the evil race
+from whom I have preserved thee, rail at that goodness thou canst not
+comprehend."</p>
+
+<p>"Spare me, just genius," answered the Princess of Cassimir; "spare the
+weakness of my disordered head. I confess my folly; but weak is the
+offspring of weakness."</p>
+
+<p>"True," replied the genius; "but although you are weak, ought you
+therefore to be presumptuous? Knowest thou not that the Sultan Misnar
+suffered with you because he despaired? And now would Hapacuson return
+thee to thy former slumbers, did not Allah, who has beheld thy former
+sufferings, in pity forgive the vain thoughts of mortality."</p>
+
+<p>"Blessed is His goodness," answered the Princess, "and blessed are His
+servants, who delight in succouring and instructing the weak and
+distressed."</p>
+
+<p>"To be sorry for our errors," said the genius, "is to bring down the
+pardon of Heaven; and Hemjunah, though so long overpowered by the
+malicious, is nevertheless one of the loveliest of her sex.</p>
+
+<p>"Sultan of India," continued Macoma, turning to Misnar, "I leave the
+Princess of Cassimir to your care, in full assurance that the delicacy
+of her sentiments will not be offended by your royal and noble
+treatment of her. But let an ambassador be immediately dispatched from
+your Court to inform her aged and pious father of the safety of his
+daughter."</p>
+
+<p>"The dictates of Macoma," answered the Sultan, bowing before her, "are
+the dictates of virtue and humanity, and her will shall be religiously
+obeyed."</p>
+
+<p>At these words the genius vanished, and the Sultan bade part of his
+guards return to Delhi to the chief of his eunuchs, and order him to
+prepare a palanquin and proper attendants to convey the Princess of
+Cassimir to the royal palace.</p>
+
+<p>While these preparations were making, the Sultan and his Vizier
+endeavoured to soothe and entertain the Princess of Cassimir;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[285]</a></span> and
+though Horam was desirous of hearing her adventures, yet the Sultan
+would not suffer him to request Hemjunah's relation, till she was
+carried to the palace, and refreshed after her fatigues.</p>
+
+<p>The chief of the eunuchs arrived in a short time, and the Princess was
+conveyed, ere morning, to the palace of Misnar, where the female
+apartments were prepared for her reception, and a number of the first
+ladies of Delhi appointed to attend her.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan, in the meantime, having ordered the fakeer to be released
+and sent out of the city, entered the divan with his Vizier, and,
+having dispatched the complainants, retired to rest.</p>
+
+<p>In the evening of the same day, the Princess, being recovered from her
+fatigue, sent the chief of the eunuchs to the Sultan, and desired
+leave to throw herself at his feet in gratitude for her escape.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan received the message with joy, and ordering Horam his
+Vizier to be called, they both went into the apartments of the
+females, where the Princess of Cassimir was seated on a throne of
+ivory, and surrounded by the slaves of the seraglio.</p>
+
+<p>The Princess descended from her throne at the approach of the Sultan,
+and fell at his feet; but Misnar, taking her by the hand, said, "Rise,
+Princess, and injure not your honour by thus abasing yourself before
+your slave. The lovely Hemjunah has promised to relate her wonderful
+adventures; and Horam, the faithful friend of my bosom, and our former
+fellow-sufferer, is come to participate with me in the charming
+relation."</p>
+
+<p>"Prince," said Hemjunah, "I shall not conceal what you are so desirous
+of knowing."</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan then waved his hand, and the slaves withdrew.</p>
+
+
+<h2>THE HISTORY OF THE PRINCESS OF CASSIMIR.</h2>
+<p>Before I had attained my thirteenth year, my father proposed to marry
+me to the Prince of Georgia. It was in vain that, when my mother
+disclosed the fatal news to me, I urged my youth, and my entire
+ignorance of the Prince or his qualities.</p>
+
+<p>"My child," said Chederazade, "to make ourselves happy, we must be
+useful to the world. The Prince of Georgia has done your father great
+service in the wars, and you are destined to reward his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[286]</a></span> toils: all
+the subjects of Cassimir will look upon your choice as a compliment to
+them, and they will rejoice to see their benefactor blessed with the
+hand of their Princess."</p>
+
+<p>"But, madam," answered I, "does the happiness of my father's subjects
+require such a sacrifice in me? Must I live in a country to whose
+language and manners I am a stranger? must I be for ever banished?"</p>
+
+<p>"I have given sufficient reasons," replied my mother, "to engage your
+compliance with your father's desire, and these will influence you, if
+prudence and wisdom are the motives of your choice; and if you want
+prudence, it is fit that those who are able to instruct you should
+also guide and direct your actions."</p>
+
+<p>At these words, Chederazade left me bathed in tears and trembling at
+my fate.</p>
+
+<p>My nurse Eloubrou was witness to the hard command my mother had
+imposed upon me, and endeavoured to comfort me in my affliction; but
+her words were as the wind on the surface of the rock; and to add to
+my griefs, in a few minutes after, the chief of the eunuchs entered,
+and bade me prepare to receive the Sultan my father.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan of Cassimir entering my apartment, I fell at his feet.</p>
+
+<p>"Hemjunah," said he, "the Prince of Georgia is my friend, and I intend
+to give my daughter to his arms."</p>
+
+<p>Shocked at these successive declarations of my fate, which I had no
+reason to suspect the day before, I fainted away, and when I
+recovered, found myself on a sofa, with Eloubrou at my feet.</p>
+
+<p>"My lovely Princess," said Eloubrou, "how little am I able to see you
+thus! and yet I fear the news I have to impart to you may reduce you
+to your former condition."</p>
+
+<p>"Alas," said I, "nurse, what new evil has befallen me? What worse can
+happen than my marriage with a stranger?"</p>
+
+<p>"Princess," replied Eloubrou, "the Prince is to see you this night:
+nay, the ceremonies are preparing, the changes of vestment, the
+dessert, and the choral bands."</p>
+
+<p>"Ah," said I, "cruel Eloubrou! what hast thou said? Am I to be
+sacrificed this night to my father's policy? Am I to be given<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[287]</a></span> as a
+fee to the plunderer of cities?&mdash;for such they are whose profession is
+arms."</p>
+
+<p>"No, Princess," said a young female slave who attended on Eloubrou;
+"trust but to me, and the Prince of Georgia shall in vain seek the
+honour of your alliance."</p>
+
+<p>The faithful Eloubrou shrieked at the words of the female slave, and
+endeavoured to clap her hands and bring the chief of the eunuchs to
+her assistance; but the female slave waved her left hand, and Eloubrou
+and the rest of the slaves stood motionless before her.</p>
+
+<p>"Most lovely Princess," said she, "I am the friend of the distressed,
+and love to prevent the severe and ill-natured authority of parents:
+give me your hand, and I will deliver you from that monster, the
+Prince of Georgia."</p>
+
+<p>"What!" answered I, "shall I trust to a stranger, whom I know not, and
+fly from my father's Court? No!"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, then," said she, "I hear the cymbals playing before the Prince,
+and the trumpets, and the kettledrums. Farewell, sweet mistress of the
+fierce and unconquerable Prince of Georgia."</p>
+
+<p>As she spoke, the warlike music sounded in my ears; and, not doubting
+but that the Prince and my father were coming, I held out my hand to
+the female slave, and said,</p>
+
+<p>"Save me, oh, save me from my father's frown!"</p>
+
+<p>The slave eagerly snatched my hand, and, blowing forth a small vapour
+from her mouth, it filled the room, and we arose in a cloud.</p>
+
+<p>The manner of my flight from my father's palace I know not, as I
+immediately fainted; but when I recovered, I found myself in a
+magnificent apartment, and a youth standing before me.</p>
+
+<p>"Charming Hemjunah," said he, falling at my feet, "may I hope that the
+service I have performed, in delivering you from the Prince of
+Georgia, will merit your love?"</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" said I, "what service hast thou performed? Who art thou, bold
+man, that durst stand before the Princess of Cassimir? Eloubrou,"
+shouted I, "faithful Eloubrou! where art thou? Where is Picksag, the
+chief of my eunuchs? Where are my slaves? Where are the guards of the
+seraglio?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[288]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Princess," answered the young man, "fatigue not yourself with calling
+after them, since they are in the kingdom of Cassimir, and you are in
+the house of Bennaskar, the merchant of Delhi; but, not to keep you in
+suspense, O Princess! know that I have for several years traded from
+Cassimir to Delhi, and, although I never saw you till lately, yet the
+fame of your opening beauties was so great that it fired the hearts of
+all the young men in your father's kingdom. Every time I arrived at
+Cassimir, the subject of all conversation was the adorable Princess
+Hemjunah. Impelled by these encomiums, I resolved to see you or die."</p>
+
+<p>He then recounted how he had obtained access to me through the art of
+Ulin.</p>
+
+<p>The wicked Bennaskar would have made me the victim of his passions,
+when, in a gentle cloud, a venerable and majestic personage descended
+into the apartment.</p>
+
+<p>"Unhappy Princess of Cassimir!" said she, "how has thy imprudence
+weakened my power, and destroyed thine own safety! If thou hadst not
+yielded to the false female slave, the sorceress Ulin had not
+triumphed over thee and me; but now she has given thee into the power
+and possession of Bennaskar, and I am not permitted to rescue thee
+from the clutches of this detested merchant."</p>
+
+<p>"Then," said Bennaskar, who before was awed by the presence of the
+genius Macoma, "Hemjunah is my own, and my faithful Ulin has not
+deceived me."</p>
+
+<p>At these words, exerting all his strength, the villain seized me; but
+his triumph was short, for the genius, advancing, immediately touched
+him with her wand, and said,</p>
+
+<p>"Wretched slave of iniquity! though I am not permitted to rescue the
+Princess, yet I have power over thee, base tool of sin! therefore I
+ordain, that whenever you look upon the Princess, you shall deprive
+her of sensation."</p>
+
+<p>"Then," said Bennaskar, rising and turning from me, "I will at present
+disappoint thy power till I receive my commands from the mouth of
+Ulin, the mistress of my fate."</p>
+
+<p>"Ah!" cried the enchantress Ulin, who that moment entered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[289]</a></span> the vaulted
+chamber from the closet, which, my Prince, you have heard described by
+Mahoud, "what hast thou done, thou enemy of our race? Accursed and
+fatal neglect, that I had not at first secured Bennaskar from thy
+power! But since the inexorable word is gone forth, I will add to thy
+sentence. Here," continued she, stamping with her foot, and an ugly
+dwarf arose through a trap-door in the chamber, "Nego, be it thy
+business to attend my servant Bennaskar, and whenever thou seest that
+female deprived of sensation, do you bury her in the earth beneath
+this chamber. And, Bennaskar," continued the enchantress, "do you take
+this phial, and whenever you want to converse with this stubborn
+female, let one of your slaves, whom you can trust, pour part of the
+liquor into her mouth, and she shall recover: only retire yourself
+into the closet, that you be not seen of her, at least till she
+consent to your will, for then the enchantments of Macoma shall no
+longer prevail against you."</p>
+
+<p>"The enchantments," said Macoma, "O wretched Ulin, are not yet
+complete! there is yet a moment left, and both our power over Hemjunah
+and Bennaskar will be at an end. Therefore thus shall it be: although
+Bennaskar is possessed of the Princess, yet shall these apartments be
+hidden from the sight of all men, except on that day when thy evil
+race prevails. On the full of the moon only shall Bennaskar be able to
+explore these rooms. And fear not, amiable Hemjunah," said the genius,
+addressing herself to me, "for neither force nor enchantment shall
+work your ruin without your own consent; and although Mahomet,
+displeased at your late imprudence, for a time permits this
+enchantment, yet at length, if you continue faithful and virtuous, he
+will assuredly deliver you."</p>
+
+<p>At these words, Bennaskar turned towards me, with anger and
+disappointment in his eye, and immediately I was seized with a deep
+sleep, and what passed afterwards I know not.</p>
+
+<p>One day I found myself awakened by the pouring of some liquor into my
+mouth, and saw a black slave standing before me. At the same time the
+voice of Bennaskar issued from the closet.</p>
+
+<p>"Ill-fated Princess! thy tyrant genius hath now hidden thee a month
+from my sight, while thy friends, Ulin and Bennaskar, seek<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[290]</a></span> to restore
+thee to light and to life: say but, therefore, thou wilt be mine, and
+the enchantments of Macoma will be destroyed."</p>
+
+<p>"Wretched Bennaskar!" answered I, "I knew not that my sleep had
+continued a month; but, if it be so long since I saw the genius Macoma
+in this chamber, I thank Mahomet that he hath so long hidden me from
+the persecutions of Bennaskar."</p>
+
+<p>"Haughty Princess!" answered the vile Bennaskar from the closet, "my
+slave shall inspire you with humbler words." Whereupon he ordered the
+black slave to give me fifty lashes with the chabouc.</p>
+
+<p>But it is needless, O Prince, to repeat the various designs of that
+wretch. For three months was I thus confined, and Bennaskar having
+exercised, through the hands of his slave, the cruelties of his heart,
+used at length, when he found me persist in my resolution, to come
+forth, and by his presence deprive me of sensation. The adventures of
+the third month you have heard from the mouth of Mahoud; I shall
+therefore only continue my narrative from the time that he left me
+with the book in my hand.</p>
+
+<p>Bennaskar, seeing his friend Mahoud had left him, went out, and soon
+returned again with him, and taking him into the closet, in a moment
+came forth, and, touching me, he said, "Come, fair Princess, the
+enchantments of Macoma are now at an end, and thou art given up
+entirely to Bennaskar."</p>
+
+<p>I shrieked at his words, hoping the Cadi would hear me, but in vain.
+Bennaskar ran with me through the vaulted passage, and found myself
+with him in an extended plain.</p>
+
+<p>"Wretch!" said the genius Macoma, who that moment appeared, "hast thou
+dared to disobey my commands, and remove the Princess from the vaulted
+chamber, where even thy mistress yielded to my power? But I thank
+thee: what the imprudent Mahoud could not accomplish against thee thou
+hast effected thyself."</p>
+
+<p>As she spake, the form of Bennaskar perished from the face of the
+plain, and his body crumbled to atoms and mixed with the dust of the
+earth; but from his ashes the enchantress Ulin arose, and with an
+enraged visage turned towards me and said, "Thou art still the victim
+of my power; and since Bennaskar is no more,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[291]</a></span> go, sweet Princess, and
+join thy delicate form to the form of thy preserver Mahoud, whom I
+designed for the flames; but, my will being opposed, he is rescued
+thence, and now defiles the air of Tarapajan with his pestiferous
+breath."</p>
+
+<p>Such, Sultan of India, were the consequences of my imprudence; and
+thus are our sex, by the smallest deviations, often led through
+perpetual scenes of misery and distress.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>"Lovely Princess of Cassimir," said the Sultan Misnar, "I have felt
+more anxiety during this short interval in which you have related your
+adventures than in all the campaigns I have made. But suffer us, O
+Princess, to add a further trouble to you by a second request; for I
+am as anxious to hear by what misfortune you were enclosed in the tomb
+of death as I was to know in what manner you were subjected to the
+villanous cruelties of the wretched Bennaskar."</p>
+
+<p>"The tale, O Prince," said the fair Hemjunah, "is wonderful; but,
+alas! new indiscretions drew upon me the severities I have
+experienced."</p>
+
+
+<h2>THE HISTORY OF THE PRINCESS CONTINUED.</h2>
+<p>As soon as, by our restoration to our pristine forms, we were apprised
+of your victory over the enchantress Ulin, I found myself in the
+seraglio of my father's palace. In the apartment from which I was
+taken by the wicked enchantress, I beheld my nurse Eloubrou: she was
+prostrate on the ground, and the palace was filled with her cries.</p>
+
+<p>"Faithful Eloubrou," said I, "arise and look upon thy beloved
+Hemjunah. Where is my royal father Zebenezer, and the fond
+Chederazade, the mother of my heart?"</p>
+
+<p>Eloubrou, at my voice, started up like one awakened from a trance.
+"What is it?" said she in emotion, "what is it I behold? Art thou the
+departed shade of my once-loved Hemjunah?"</p>
+
+<p>"No shade, beloved Eloubrou," said I, running to her, "but the true
+Princess of Cassimir, whom Misnar the Sultan of India hath rescued
+from the enchantments of the wicked Ulin."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[292]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Oh that thy royal mother," said Eloubrou, "were, like me, blessed
+with the sight of thy return!"</p>
+
+<p>"What," said I "Eloubrou, what dost thou say? Where, then, is the
+much-honoured Chederazade? where the dear parent of my life?"</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" said Eloubrou, "who shall tell the dismal tale to thy tender
+heart?"</p>
+
+<p>"Ah!" said I, "is my beloved mother no more? Is she gone to seek her
+disobedient daughter over the burning lake?"</p>
+
+<p>At these words my spirit failed, and I sank motionless to the ground.
+But my lord must forgive me if I hasten over the dreadful scene that
+followed. The report of Eloubrou was too true: Chederazade, the
+dearest Chederazade, had been ten days dead when I was restored to my
+father's palace; and Zebenezer, distracted at the double loss of his
+consort and his child, had shut himself up in the tomb of my mother.</p>
+
+<p>Eloubrou hastened to the tomb wherein my father poured forth his
+tears, and acquainted the guards who watched without that I was
+returned.</p>
+
+<p>The sorrowful Zebenezer, although he was rejoiced at the news,
+resolved not to come forth out of his consort's tomb till the month
+was expired, according to his oath; and gave orders, that during that
+interval I should be obeyed by his subjects.</p>
+
+<p>My mourning was not less poignant than my royal father's. I shut
+myself up in my apartments, and would suffer none but Eloubrou to see
+me.</p>
+
+<p>Nine days passed in silence; our loss affected both, and Eloubrou was
+as little disposed as myself to forget the cause of her griefs. On the
+tenth morning, Eloubrou was called out by the Grand Vizier, who then
+had the command of my father's kingdom.</p>
+
+<p>She returned in haste. "Princess of Cassimir," said she, "one who
+calleth himself Mahoud inquires for thee; and the Grand Vizier,
+understanding that he was instrumental in your release, waits without
+to know your will."</p>
+
+<p>At the name of Mahoud I started from my reverie. "Mahoud," said I, "O
+Eloubrou! deserves my notice; and the son of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[293]</a></span> jeweller of Delhi
+shall be rewarded for his services to your mistress."</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" answered Eloubrou, "my lovely mistress is distracted with
+sorrows, and supposes the Prince Mahoud to be the offspring of a
+slave!"</p>
+
+<p>"If he be a Prince," answered I, "he has hitherto concealed his
+circumstances and birth from me, or he is not that Mahoud whom I
+remember in the deserts of Tarapajan."</p>
+
+<p>"That," answered Eloubrou, "you will soon discover when you see him.
+But," continued she, "he desires a private audience."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, then," replied I, "introduce him, Eloubrou; but let my slaves
+be ready to enter at my call."</p>
+
+<p>Eloubrou obeyed, and brought the merchant Mahoud into my presence, and
+then retired.</p>
+
+<p>Mahoud fell at my feet, and said, "Forgive my presumption in
+approaching the throne of Cassimir, and that I have added hypocrisy to
+my boldness, by assuming the title of a Prince."</p>
+
+<p>"What, then," answered I, sternly, "has induced you to deceive my
+Court?"</p>
+
+<p>"Let death," said Mahoud, falling again before me, "let death atone
+for my crime; but first permit me to explain the motives of my
+presumption."</p>
+
+<p>"Proceed," said I.</p>
+
+<p>He then informed me that, after assuming his natural form, he visited
+Delhi, where he was spurned by Misnar and Horam, and had been
+compelled to beg his way to my dominions. A merchant of the city had
+furnished him with the robes in which he appeared. Then clapping my
+hands, Eloubrou appeared, and I said, "Eloubrou, let the Prince Mahoud
+be lodged in my father's palace, and let a proper number of slaves
+attend him; and do you acquaint the Vizier with his quality."</p>
+
+<p>Eloubrou did as I commanded; and Mahoud, full of joy, fell down at my
+feet, and kissed the hem of my garment.</p>
+
+<p>"Prince," said I, "arise; and Eloubrou shall conduct you to my
+father's palace."</p>
+
+<p>A few days' experience made me repent my folly in giving credit<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[294]</a></span> to
+the falsehoods of Mahoud, for the insolent merchant got proud of his
+newly-assumed honours. He came daily, and was introduced to me, and
+every time assumed greater state; till at last he dared to declare his
+passion for me, and talked of asking my father's consent as soon as
+the days of his sorrow should be accomplished. Astonished at his
+insolence, I bade him depart from my presence, which he did
+reluctantly, muttering revenge as he went.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as he was gone, I acquainted Eloubrou with Mahoud's story, his
+ridiculous and insolent behaviour, and that he had even dared to
+threaten me with revenge.</p>
+
+<p>"The threats of Mahoud," said Eloubrou, "are of little consequence,
+though prudence should never esteem the least enemy unworthy of its
+notice; care shall, therefore, be taken of this insolent merchant."</p>
+
+<p>While Eloubrou was giving the necessary instructions, one of the
+slaves entered the apartment, and gave me notice that Zebenezer, my
+father, expected me in the tomb immediately. I put on the solemn veil,
+and followed the guard to the tomb of Chederazade. I entered the
+lonely mansions of the dead with fear and trembling, and, at the upper
+end of the vaulted tomb, saw my father kneeling before the embalmed
+corpse of my mother.</p>
+
+<p>"Unhappy Hemjunah," said the aged man, "come hither, and behold the
+sad remains of my dearest Chederazade."</p>
+
+<p>Although my heart sank with grief, and my limbs tottered, yet I went
+to reach the place where Chederazade lay embalmed, and fell at the
+feet of my father Zebenezer.</p>
+
+<p>"Rise," said he, "O daughter!" and caught me suddenly in his arms;
+when, oh fearful sight! I perceived his visage alter, and that the
+villanous Mahoud held me in his embrace.</p>
+
+<p>Struck with horror and despair, I endeavoured to cry out, but in
+vain&mdash;my voice was gone, and the power of speech was taken from me.</p>
+
+<p>"No," said he, with a fierce air, "your struggles and resistance, O
+prudent Princess, are all vain; for she who would join to deceive
+others must expect to be deceived when there is none to help her;
+therefore speech, if you resist, is taken from you."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[295]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"What," said I, "cruel Mahoud! is this the return my friendship
+deserves, when, to save you from infamy and slavery, I gave way to
+your entreaties, and represented you otherwise than you really were?"</p>
+
+<p>"Friendship, O Princess," said he, "is built on virtue, which Mahoud
+has disclaimed since he entered into the service of the sage
+Hapacuson; and by her advice it was that he told you a false tale to
+deceive you to your own destruction. Had you not yielded to that tale,
+I could have had no power over you or your father; but it is our
+triumph to circumvent the prudence of Mahomet's children; wherefore,
+seeing you would not yield openly to my wishes, I had no sooner left
+you with Eloubrou, than, by Hapacuson's assistance, I entered this
+tomb invisibly, and, by my enchantments, overpowered your father
+Zebenezer, and then, assuming his person, I sent for my Princess, and
+she came obedient to my call. But, now," continued the false Mahoud,
+"your cries will profit you but little; for Hapacuson, who is ever
+hovering over Delhi, to watch the motions of the Sultan Misnar, has by
+this time placed us in a repository of the dead, where we shall have
+none to overhear or disturb us."</p>
+
+<p>"Mahoud then showed me my father Zebenezer, whom, by his enchantment,
+he had deprived of all sensation: he lay in a coffin of black marble,
+in an inner apartment, and after that he vowed that he would desist
+from force; but, till I consented to love him, I must be content to
+live in the tomb.</p>
+
+<p>"He, by his enchantments, obliged me to sleep in the place whence you
+delivered me, and what time has elapsed during my confinement I know
+not."</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>"Princess," said the Sultan, "we rejoice at your escape; but as it is
+probable, by your account, that your royal sire Zebenezer still sleeps
+in the tomb, we will pray for his deliverance from the chains of
+enchantment."</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan then sent officers to search in the tomb for the body of
+Zebenezer, and also called together those who were skilled in magic,
+and desired them to use incantations to invoke the genius<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[296]</a></span> Macoma to
+their assistance. But the arts of the magicians were vain, and Macoma
+remained deaf to the entreaties of the Sultan and his sages.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime, while the Sultan and his Vizier Horam endeavoured to
+comfort the afflicted Hemjunah, the ambassadors returned from
+Cassimir, bringing advice that the grand Vizier Hobaddan had assumed
+the title of Sultan, and that the whole kingdom of Cassimir
+acknowledged his authority.</p>
+
+<p>At this report, Hemjunah sank on the earth, and the Sultan Misnar ran
+to comfort her, declaring that he would march his whole army to
+recover her dominions from the rebel Hobaddan.</p>
+
+<p>"Horam," said the Sultan, "let us be prudent as well as just:
+therefore, while you march to the assistance of the injured subjects
+of Cassimir, and to restore that kingdom to its lawful Prince, I will
+keep strict discipline and order in the provinces of my empire; and I
+trust, in a short time, I shall see you return with the head of the
+rebel Hobaddan."</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier Horam set out in a few days from Delhi with three hundred
+thousand troops of the flower of the Sultan's army, and by forced
+marches reached the confines of Cassimir ere the pretended Sultan
+Hobaddan had notice of his arrival.</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier Horam's intention to restore the Princess Hemjunah to the
+throne of her ancestors being proclaimed, numbers of the subjects of
+Cassimir flocked to the standard of Horam; and the army, now increased
+to five hundred thousand troops, marched forthwith toward the capital
+of Cassimir.</p>
+
+<p>Hobaddan, having notice of the increase and progress of his enemies,
+and finding that to engage them upon equal terms was vain, sent an
+embassy to the Vizier Horam, assuring him that he and his whole army
+would surrender themselves up to the mercy and clemency of his
+master's troops. Horam rejoiced at the success of his march; and
+desirous of regaining the kingdom of Cassimir without bloodshed, sent
+an assurance to Hobaddan in answer, that, if he fulfilled his promise,
+his own life should be saved.</p>
+
+<p>The next morning Hobaddan appeared in front of his troops,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[297]</a></span> with their
+heads dejected and their arms inverted toward the ground; and in this
+manner they came forward to the Vizier Horam's army.</p>
+
+<p>Horam, to encourage the submission of Hobaddan, had placed the forces,
+which he had raised in the kingdom of Cassimir, in the van of his
+army; and also to secure them from retreating, by the support which
+his own troops were to give them in the rear.</p>
+
+<p>When Hobaddan was within hearing, instead of throwing his arms on the
+ground, he unsheathed his scimitar, and thus spake to the troops
+before him:</p>
+
+<p>"Brethren and countrymen, suffer me to speak what my affection to you
+all, and my love for my country, requires me to say. Against whom, O
+my brethren, is this array of battle? and whose blood seek ye to spill
+on the plains which our forefathers have cultivated? Is it our own
+blood that must be poured forth over these lands to enrich them for a
+stranger's benefit? Is it not under pretence of fighting for the
+Princess of Cassimir, who has been long since dead, that the Sultan of
+India's troops are now ravaging, not on our borders only, but
+penetrating even into the heart of our nation? But suppose ye that the
+conquerors will give up the treasures they hope to earn by their
+blood? Will they not rather, invited by the fruitfulness of our vales,
+and by the rich produce of our mountains, fix here the standard of
+their arms, and make slaves of us, who are become thus easily the
+dupes of their ambitious pretences? Then, farewell content! farewell
+pleasure! farewell the well-earned fruits of industry and frugality!
+Our lands shall be the property of others, and we still tied down by
+slavish chains to cultivate and improve them. Our houses, our
+substance, shall be the reward of foreign robbers; our wives and our
+virgins shall bow down before conquerors; and we, like the beasts of
+the field, shall be drawn in the scorching midday to the furrow or the
+mine."</p>
+
+<p>As Hobaddan began to utter these words, Horam, astonished at his
+malice and presumption, ordered the archers who attended him to draw
+forth their arrows, and pierce him to the heart; but the weapons of
+war were as straws on the armour of Hobaddan, and he stood dauntless
+and unhurt amidst ten thousand arrows.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[298]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Friends and brethren!" continued Hobaddan, "you see the powers above
+are on our side; the arrows of Horam are as chaff on the plain, and as
+the dust which penetrates not the garments of the traveller. Halt not,
+therefore, but join your arms to the defender and supporter of your
+liberties and your possessions."</p>
+
+<p>At these words the recruits of Horam filed off in a body and joined
+the party of Hobaddan; while the pretended Sultan, elated at his
+success, pushed forward to the Vizier Horam's troops, and charged them
+with the utmost impetuosity.</p>
+
+<p>The weapons of the brave were foiled by the armour of Hobaddan; for
+the enchantress Hapacuson, studious of diverting the attention of the
+Sultan Misnar, had assisted Hobaddan with her counsel and with
+invulnerable arms; wherefore, seeing their labour vain and fruitless
+against the pretended and unconquerable Sultan, the hearts of Horam's
+warriors melted within them, and they fell away from the field of
+battle; and Hobaddan, sensible of his advantage, hastened after the
+troops of Horam all the day and night; and the Vizier himself barely
+escaped with his life, having none left behind him to send to Delhi
+with the unhappy report of his defeat.</p>
+
+<p>But malicious Fame, ever indefatigable in representing the horrors of
+affliction and distress, soon spread her voice throughout the regions
+of Delhi; and Misnar heard from every quarter, that his faithful Horam
+and all his chosen troops were defeated or cut off by the victorious
+arm of Hobaddan. The Princess Hemjunah gave up herself to sighs and
+tears, and refused the consolation of the Court of Delhi; and the
+Sultan Misnar, enraged at his loss, resolved to assemble the greatest
+part of his troops, and march to the assistance of Horam.</p>
+
+<p>But first he gave orders that recruits should be raised, and that the
+number of his troops should be increased; and then, mixing his young
+raised soldiers with the veterans of his army, he left one half of his
+troops to guard his own provinces, and with the other he marched
+towards the confines of Cassimir.</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier Horam had concealed himself in the hut of a faithful
+peasant, and hearing that his master had arrived with a numerous<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[299]</a></span> army
+in the kingdom of Cassimir, he went forward to meet him, and, falling
+down at his feet, besought his forgiveness.</p>
+
+<p>"Horam," said the Sultan, "arise. I forgive thee, although thou hast
+lost so many of my troops; but I little suspected Hobaddan had been
+too artful for the experience and sagacity of my Vizier. However,
+Horam, he must not expect to deceive us again: we are more in number,
+and we are aware of his deceit. You, Horam, forced your marches and
+weakened your troops, but I will bring them on slowly and surely. Have
+we prevailed against Ulin, and Happuck, and Ollomand, and Tasnar&mdash;have
+we crushed Ahaback and Desra by our prudent arts&mdash;and shall we fear
+the contrivance of a poor Vizier, who leads a few rebels among the
+rocks of the province of Cassimir? Let us but use prudence with
+resolution, and these enemies must soon fade away like the shadow that
+flieth from the noontide sun."</p>
+
+<p>The two armies of the Sultan of India and the pretended Sultan of
+Cassimir approached each other; and the troops of Misnar were pleased
+to hear that their number was treble the number of their enemies. But,
+however great their superiority might be, the Sultan Misnar and his
+Vizier kept the strictest discipline among them, and acted as if they
+were about to engage a superior force.</p>
+
+<p>For some time the armies continued within sight of each other, neither
+choosing to engage without some superiority of circumstances, and both
+watchful to prevent that superiority. At length the Sultan observing a
+weakness in the left wing of Hobaddan's army, caused by sickness, as
+they were encamped near a morass, gave orders for a furious attack
+upon the front, but directed the main effort to be made against that
+wing.</p>
+
+<p>But the Sultan's intentions were defeated; for Hobaddan, commanding
+not in the centre, as was expected, but in the left wing (with a
+chosen troop he had conveyed there the very morning of the
+engagement), totally defeated those who were sent to oppose him. The
+troops to the right of the Sultan's army, giving way, put all in
+confusion; and the unwieldy number of Misnar's forces, instead of
+regularly supporting them, poured toward the right in such tumult as
+destroyed the whole disposition of the army.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[300]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>During this confusion, Hobaddan hewed down on all sides those who
+dared oppose his arms; and his chosen troop followed him over heaps of
+the slain, every one flying through fear at his presence.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan and his Vizier Horam, finding it in vain to rally their
+troops or oppose the conquerors, sounded a retreat, and, amidst the
+general confusion, fled toward the sandy deserts which divide the
+realms of Cassimir from the province of Delhi.</p>
+
+<p>But the prudent Sultan, in his flight, endeavoured to restore to his
+troops their rank and order; and while Horam reduced the foot under
+their proper banners, Misnar regulated the confusion of the horse, and
+placed them as a covering to the rest of his forces.</p>
+
+<p>In this manner they marched before the face of their enemies into the
+desert, without any provision or forage but what they carried with
+their accoutrements; and although the Sultan and his Vizier used every
+argument to persuade their troops (who still exceeded the number of
+their enemies) to turn and pursue the army of Hobaddan, yet so great
+was their dread of the victorious rebel and his forces, that they
+threatened to throw down their arms rather than return to the battle.</p>
+
+<p>Seeing all his endeavours to inspire his men with courage ineffectual,
+the Sultan travelled onward with them into the desert, as one given up
+to certain destruction.</p>
+
+<p>After two days' march, they halted beside several small pools; and
+such was the excessive drought of Misnar's army, that many perished
+before they could be prevailed upon to quit the refreshing waters of
+the desert. These, indeed, thought of little more than present relief;
+but Misnar, their lord, was overwhelmed with the severest pangs of
+distress.</p>
+
+<p>To increase their grief, scouts brought word that the troops of
+Hobaddan, being refreshed after their fatigues, were marching towards
+them, intending to destroy them while they were faint from want of
+provision. The army of the Sultan, terrified by the report, and seeing
+no hope of escape, fell upon the wretched Sultan and his faithful
+Vizier, and bringing them into the centre of the troops, demanded
+their blood as an atonement for the losses they were about to suffer
+in their cause.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[301]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The ringleader of this general mutiny was Ourodi, the ancient enemy of
+the faithful Horam, who, standing foremost in the ranks, commanded the
+archers to bind their Sultan and Vizier to a stake.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan, seeing all his hopes defeated, and the rage of the
+multitude, knelt down and commended his cause to the all-powerful
+Allah.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 450px;">
+<img src="images/image_301.jpg" width="450" height="440" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+
+<p>And now the archers were about to bend their bows and fit the deadly
+shafts to their bow-strings, when a luminous appearance was discovered
+to the eastward, and the outskirts of the army saw a female in robes
+of light travelling over the sands of the desert. In a moment she
+passed through the ranks of the army, and stood in the circle who were
+gathered around to see the execution of the Sultan and his Vizier.</p>
+
+<p>"Misnar," said she, "arise, and fear not those sons of clay, nor the
+malice of enchantment: I am the genius Macoma, sent by Mahomet to save
+and deliver thee when human assistance was vain and impossible.
+Therefore assume thy just command over<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[302]</a></span> these thy subjects, and let
+them all fall prostrate on the ground to Allah, and wait to see the
+fate of those who fight against the Prophet of the Faithful. But first
+learn, from thine own experience, the folly of trusting even to the
+greatest human power or prudence, without an affiance in the Lord of
+Heaven. The world, O Misnar, is Allah's, and the kingdom of heaven is
+the work of His hands; let not, therefore, the proudest boast, nor the
+most humble despair; for, although the towering mountains appear most
+glorious to the sight, the lowly valleys enjoy the fatness of the
+skies. But Allah is able to clothe the summit of the rocks with
+verdure, and dry up even the rivers of the vale. Wherefore, although
+thou wert suffered to destroy the greatest part of thine enemies, yet
+one was left to overpower thee, that thou mightest know that thou wert
+but a weak instrument in the hands of strength."</p>
+
+<p>"I know," answered the Sultan Misnar, "that Allah is able to dissolve
+this frame of earth, and every vision of the eye; and therefore not
+the proudest nor the most powerful can stand against Him."</p>
+
+<p>As the Sultan spake thus; the army of Hobaddan appeared on the face of
+the sandy desert.</p>
+
+<p>"Although His power be infinite," said the genius, "yet can He effect
+these changes by the most unexpected means. But I will not waste that
+time in words which I am commanded to employ in action, to convince
+both you and your army of the sovereignty of Allah. Therefore suffer
+no man to rise from the earth or to quit his place; but lift up your
+heads only, and behold those enemies destroyed before whom you fled."</p>
+
+<p>So saying, the genius Macoma waved her wand, and instantly the air was
+darkened, and a confused noise was heard above the armies of Misnar
+and Hobaddan.</p>
+
+<p>For some hours the Sultan's troops knew not the cause of the darkness
+that overshadowed them; but in a little time the light returned by
+degrees, and they looked toward the army of Hobaddan, and saw them
+overwhelmed with innumerable locusts.</p>
+
+<p>"Thine enemies," said Macoma, "O Sultan, are no more, save the
+enchantress Hapacuson, who personates the rebel Ourodi."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[303]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"The glory of extirpating her infernal race," said the Vizier Horam,
+bowing before the genius Macoma, "belongs to my Sultan; otherwise
+Horam would esteem himself the happiest of mankind in her
+destruction."</p>
+
+<p>"The glory you speak of," answered the genius Macoma, "is given to
+another: a fly has gone forth, the winged messenger of Allah's wrath,
+and at this moment bereaves the vile Hapacuson of her breath and of
+her life."</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier Horam held down his head at the just reproof of the genius;
+but the words of her reproof were the words of truth; for an account
+was brought that the rebel Ourodi was suddenly dead, being strangled
+by some impediment in his throat, and that, at his death, his figure
+was changed into the appearance of a deformed enchantress.</p>
+
+<p>"Although your enemies, O Misnar, are no more," said the genius, "yet
+the assistance of Allah is as necessary for your support as for their
+defeat; wherefore He hath given life to the springs of the pools of
+the desert, and your troops will find such refreshment from them, that
+you may safely march over the sandy plains; and, to add to your
+happiness, the old Sultan Zebenezer, being released from the
+enchantments of Hapacuson, waits, with his daughter Hemjunah, your
+safe arrival, and knows not as yet those wonders which I leave your
+prudence to reveal to him."</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan Misnar well understood the mysterious speech of the genius
+Macoma; but before he or his troops tasted of the pools or pursued
+their march, he commanded them to fall down before Allah, the only
+Lord of the world.</p>
+
+<p>The soldiers, having done reverence to Allah, were desirous of
+repeating it before Misnar, to ask his forgiveness; but the Sultan
+would not permit them. "Let us make," said he, "Allah and His Prophet
+our guide and defence, and then neither presumption nor rebellion
+shall lead us into error."</p>
+
+<p>The unexpected change reached not the Court of Delhi till the troops
+were within a few day's march of the city; and Zebenezer and Hemjunah
+were but just prepared to meet the Sultan Misnar when he entered the
+gates of the palace.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[304]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>As Misnar advanced toward the aged Zebenezer, the good old man started
+with surprise, and cried out, "Oh! is it possible that the Sultan of
+India and the Prince of Georgia should be one and the same?"</p>
+
+<p>The Princess Hemjunah was confounded at her father's speech, and she
+fell on his bosom and hid her face.</p>
+
+<p>"What you suspect, my royal friend," said Misnar, "is true: I am
+indeed the man who once passed in Cassimir for the Prince of Georgia.
+I beseech thee, O Zebenezer, forgive my deception."</p>
+
+<p>"You have no forgiveness," said the aged Zebenezer, "O Sultan, to ask
+from me."</p>
+
+<p>"Indeed," answered the Sultan, "my title was just: my royal father,
+Dabulcombar, being treacherously advised by those who wished to place
+his younger son Ahubal on the throne, commanded me to travel, and gain
+renown and experience in arms; and, to conceal my importance, gave me
+the title of Prince of Georgia. In this disguise I came to the royal
+Court of Cassimir, and engaged in your service, O venerable Sultan,
+and Allah sent His blessing on us: your enemies were put to flight,
+and your subjects, who favoured me, gave the credit of the defeat to
+my arms.</p>
+
+<p>"Hearing that you intended me the honour of an alliance with your
+illustrious family, I resolved first to see the Princess Hemjunah,
+whom I heard you had confined, being warned, from an ancient prophecy,
+that a stranger should deprive you of her. I saw the Princess by means
+of one of her slaves, and Hemjunah from that moment took possession of
+my heart. I was earnest, therefore, with you to propose the nuptials,
+and was to have been introduced to the Princess, when I received
+advice that my father was drawing near his end. In expectation of
+demanding your daughter as the Sultan of India, and not as an obscure
+Prince, I journeyed to Delhi, and arrived time enough to see my royal
+sire ere he departed.</p>
+
+<p>"'Son,' said he, 'evil threatens your reign: extricate, therefore,
+yourself from danger, and do not involve others in your ruin.'</p>
+
+<p>"Mindful of my father's words, I resolved to quell the commotions of
+the empire before I made myself known to the Sultan of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[305]</a></span> Cassimir; but
+Allah has so wound the string of our fates together, that it is
+needless to repeat the rest of my adventures. Only the Princess must
+forgive me this, that, hearing she had been taken away from her
+father's Court, I was resolved to conceal my interest in her affairs
+till I was sensible that the Prince of Georgia, though not blessed
+with her smiles, had yet no rival in her affections."</p>
+
+<p>"Most noble Sultan," said the Princess Hemjunah, "it is vain to
+dissemble: suffer me, therefore, freely to declare that the Sultan of
+India has totally extirpated the Prince of Georgia from my heart; but,
+whatever my own sentiments may be, assure yourself that I shall not,
+at my father's commands, refuse the Prince of Georgia my hand."</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan of India and Zebenezer were both delighted with the
+Princess Hemjunah's answer; and the faithful Vizier Horam rejoiced to
+find that his master and the Princess Hemjunah were to be united. The
+whole Court expected the nuptials with impatience; and the good old
+Sultan Zebenezer stayed to see his daughter the Sultaness of India,
+and Misnar the happiest and the most thankful of the children of
+Allah.</p>
+
+<p>"The children of Allah," said the sage Horam, "have indeed a freedom
+of action; but that freedom is best exercised when it leads them to
+trust and depend on the Lord of all things: not that He who seeth even
+beyond the confines of light is pleased with idleness, or giveth
+encouragement to the sons of sloth; the spirit which He has infused
+into mankind He expects to find active and industrious; and, when
+prudence is joined with religion, Allah either gives success to its
+dictates, or, by counteracting its motions, draws forth the brighter
+virtues of patience and resignation. Learn, therefore, ye pupils of
+the race of immortals, not to forget your dependence on Allah while ye
+follow the prudent maxims of wisdom and experience; for he only is
+truly prudent who adds faith to his practice, and he truly religious
+whose actions are the result of his faith."</p>
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;">
+<img src="images/image_305.jpg" width="200" height="66" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">[306]</a></span></p>
+<h2><a name="Sadik_Beg" id="Sadik_Beg"></a>Sadik Beg.</h2>
+
+<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_s.jpg" width="75" height="75" alt="S"  /></div>
+<p>adik Beg was of good family, handsome in person, and possessed of
+both sense and courage; but he was poor, having no property but his
+sword and his horse, with which he served as a gentleman retainer of a
+Pasha. The latter, satisfied with the purity of Sadik's descent, and
+entertaining a respect for his character, determined to make him the
+husband of his daughter Hooseinee, who, though beautiful as her name
+implied, was remarkable for her haughty manner and ungovernable
+temper.</p>
+
+<p>Giving a husband of the condition of Sadik Beg to a lady of
+Hooseinee's rank was, according to usage in such unequal matches, like
+giving her a slave; and as she heard a good report of his personal
+qualities, she offered no objections to the marriage, which was
+celebrated soon after it was proposed, and apartments were assigned to
+the happy couple in the Pasha's palace.</p>
+
+<p>Some of Sadik Beg's friends rejoiced in his good fortune, as they saw,
+in the connection he had formed, a sure prospect of his advancement.
+Others mourned the fate of so fine and promising a young man, now
+condemned to bear through life all the humours of a proud and
+capricious woman; but one of his friends, a little man called Merdek,
+who was completely henpecked, was particularly rejoiced, and quite
+chuckled at the thought of seeing another in the same condition with
+himself.</p>
+
+<p>About a month after the nuptials, Merdek met his friend, and, with
+malicious pleasure, wished him joy of his marriage.</p>
+
+<p>"Most sincerely do I congratulate you, Sadik," said he, "on this happy
+event."</p>
+
+<p>"Thank you, my good fellow, I am very happy indeed, and rendered more
+so by the joy I perceive it gives my friends."</p>
+
+<p>"Do you really mean to say you are happy?" said Merdek, with a smile.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">[307]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I really am so," replied Sadik.</p>
+
+<p>"Nonsense!" said his friend; "do we not all know to what a termagant
+you are united? and her temper and high rank combined must no doubt
+make her a sweet companion." Here he burst into a loud laugh, and the
+little man actually strutted with a feeling of superiority over the
+bridegroom.</p>
+
+<p>Sadik, who knew his situation and feelings, was amused instead of
+being angry. "My friend," said he, "I quite understand the grounds of
+your apprehension for my happiness. Before I was married, I had heard
+the same reports as you have done of my beloved bride's disposition;
+but I am happy to say, I have found it quite otherwise: she is a most
+docile and obedient wife."</p>
+
+<p>"But how has this miraculous change been wrought?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why," said Sadik, "I believe I have some merit in effecting it; but
+you shall hear. After the ceremonies of our nuptials were over, I went
+in my military dress, and with my sword by my side, to the apartment
+of Hooseinee. She was sitting in a most dignified posture to receive
+me, and her looks were anything but inviting. As I entered the room, a
+beautiful cat, evidently a great favourite, came purring up to me. I
+deliberately drew my sword, struck its head off, and taking that in
+one hand and the body in the other, threw them out of the window. I
+then very unconcernedly turned to the lady, who appeared in some
+alarm; she, however, made no observations, but was in every way kind
+and submissive, and has continued so ever since."</p>
+
+<p>"Thank you, my dear fellow," said little Merdek, with a significant
+shake of the head: "a word to the wise." And away he capered,
+obviously quite rejoiced.</p>
+
+<p>It was near evening when this conversation took place; soon after,
+when the dark cloak of night had enveloped the bright radiance of day,
+Merdek entered the chamber of his spouse, with something of a martial
+swagger, armed with a scimitar. The unsuspecting cat came forward as
+usual, to welcome the husband of her mistress, but in an instant her
+head was divided from her body by a blow from the hand which had so
+often caressed her. Merdek, having proceeded so far courageously,
+stooped to take up the dissevered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">[308]</a></span> members of the cat, but before he
+could effect this, a blow upon the side of the head, from his incensed
+lady, laid him sprawling on the floor.</p>
+
+<p>The tattle and scandal of the day spreads from zenaneh to zenaneh with
+surprising rapidity, and the wife of Merdek saw in a moment whose
+example it was that he had imitated.</p>
+
+<p>"Take that!" said she, as she gave him another cuff, "take that, you
+paltry wretch! You should," she added, laughing him to scorn, "have
+killed the cat on the wedding day."</p>
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 250px;">
+<img src="images/image_308.jpg" width="250" height="52" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">[309]</a></span><a name="Halechalbe_and_the_Unknown_Lady" id="Halechalbe_and_the_Unknown_Lady"></a></p>
+
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;">
+<img src="images/image_309.jpg" width="500" height="587" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+<h2>Halechalbe and the Unknown Lady.</h2>
+<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_t.jpg" width="76" height="75" alt="T" /></div>
+<p>he Caliph Haroun al Raschid sent for Giafar, his Grand Vizier, and
+Mesrour, his Chief Eunuch.</p>
+
+<p>"I intend," said he, "to go down to Bagdad in disguise, that I may
+visit my hospitals, and examine whether the administration of them is
+wise and regular, and whether the patients there receive the
+assistance and relief of which they stand in need. I will assume the
+disguise of a dervish: do you, who are to accompany me, choose a dress
+by which you will be completely concealed."</p>
+
+<p>The orders of the Caliph were obeyed, and he set out with his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">[310]</a></span>
+attendants on his expedition. He was in the centre of the
+establishments which he had proposed to visit, and everything appeared
+in the order which he wished for, until he arrived at the gate of a
+very large court, where he heard a noise.</p>
+
+<p>"Whence comes this noise?" said he to Giafar.</p>
+
+<p>"This," answered the Vizier, "is the place where mad people are
+confined. Those whose madness is not dangerous are allowed to walk in
+the great court, and they have their cells or small apartments all
+around."</p>
+
+<p>"Let us go in," said the Caliph: "this object is also interesting. Let
+us first ascertain if they are all confined for proper reasons. There
+are many people left at liberty who deserve to be confined; perhaps
+there are some here whom it would be for the interest, both of society
+and themselves, to restore to freedom. Let each of us examine apart
+one of the inhabitants of this place; let us determine by lot which of
+the three shall begin the examination, and we will immediately set to
+work."</p>
+
+<p>The lot decided that Mesrour should begin.</p>
+
+<p>All three having entered the court, the Chief Eunuch went straight to
+the first cell. He found there a man of about forty years of age,
+smoking a pipe with a serious air, and leaning his elbow on a table,
+upon which there were some papers. He saluted the smoker, who made him
+a due return.</p>
+
+<p>"I suppose," said Mesrour to him, "that you are entrusted with
+overseeing those who make a noise in the court?"</p>
+
+<p>"Overseeing," answered the smoker, "is a trouble from which I am free;
+I am entrusted with watching over myself, and that is quite enough."</p>
+
+<p>"But surely," said Mesrour, "you are not kept here in confinement
+among the number of mad people?"</p>
+
+<p>"And why should I not be kept in that character? Do you think me wiser
+than others? They have done me that justice, which they ought to do to
+all the inhabitants of Bagdad. I cannot complain: I was condemned by
+my equals, and they are so attentive as to come here every day to
+visit me."</p>
+
+<p>"I understand you," said Mesrour: "we have all a small grain<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">[311]</a></span> of
+madness. However, when it does not pass certain bounds, we are very
+properly allowed to enjoy our liberty. It is only extraordinary
+madness&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Ah, you are right," interrupted the smoker: "men excuse all their
+ordinary follies, however ridiculous; but when any one raises himself,
+by his ideas, knowledge, and observation, above others, he is a kind
+of reproach to them for the debasement into which they allow
+themselves to fall, and they endeavour to remove him from their sight.
+This is my history: I knew more than the vulgar, and therefore was
+separated from them."</p>
+
+<p>"In what branch did you excel?" inquired Mesrour.</p>
+
+<p>"In that science which is the chief of all others&mdash;astrology."</p>
+
+<p>"And were you in possession of that science?"</p>
+
+<p>"I endeavoured after it, but my progress was interrupted."</p>
+
+<p>"You were in correspondence with the stars, then?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, indeed."</p>
+
+<p>"And by whom were you chiefly favoured?"</p>
+
+<p>"By the moon."</p>
+
+<p>"Are you no longer in favour with her?"</p>
+
+<p>"Since I have lost my liberty, she uses me as she pleases. She
+formerly owed me great obligations, but now she has forgotten them.
+She had an enormous wart upon her nose, of which I cured her. Thus it
+is to me she owes that beautiful appearance which you sometimes see
+her assume. Besides, by causing her to go on her side, I saved her
+from an eclipse which was expected by all the astronomers. At first
+she showed me some gratitude; but since I have been confined, if I
+address her in her increase, she is yet too weak to act in my favour;
+if I address her when she is full, she is surrounded with clouds and
+mist; but if in her wane, all her malignant influences are at my
+service. Defluxions, rheumatisms, catarrhs are showered down upon me.
+I endeavour actually to deliver myself from this last mark of her
+beneficence. Ah! if I could get hold of her some day, she would find
+that she has not obliged an ungrateful person."</p>
+
+<p>"And what will you do to get hold of her?" inquired Mesrour.</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing can be more easy," said the smoker: "if a man like<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">[312]</a></span> you would
+assist me; she will come this evening at nine o'clock to admire
+herself, and to bathe in that well which you see in the middle of the
+court. I will give you my table, and you will lie in wait. She will
+not suspect you; and while she is amusing herself with making her
+beams play upon the water, you will suddenly shut the well: then we
+shall get hold of her. It will make both our fortunes, and we will see
+how she will be put to it to justify her conduct."</p>
+
+<p>"She will speak, then?" said Mesrour. "Shall we hear her?"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't say that you will hear it very distinctly," answered the
+smoker; "but I, whose ear is by practice become so perfect as to be
+able to mark the cadence of the celestial harmony, shall not lose a
+single word. With respect to you, we must know how your ear is
+formed."</p>
+
+<p>So saying, the smoker laid down his pipe, examined narrowly Mesrour's
+ear, and, taking hold of it very roughly, suddenly pulled it with all
+his force, crying out, "Your ear is too short!"</p>
+
+<p>Mesrour uttered a dreadful cry. One of the keepers ran up, and caused
+the astrologer to quit his hold. The eunuch, holding his ear with both
+his hands, rejoined the Caliph, and related to him his lamentable
+adventure.</p>
+
+<p>"I have long been persuaded," said Haroun, smiling, "that those madmen
+who have an air of wisdom are most to be distrusted. Come, Giafar,"
+said he to his Grand Vizier, "you are warned beforehand not to allow
+your ear to be pulled. Proceed to your examination: Mesrour and I will
+not go far from the cell which you enter, that we may be at hand to
+assist you if there is occasion."</p>
+
+<p>The Grand Vizier had already cast his eye upon a door, by the side of
+which sat an old man, with a venerable beard and an engaging air. He
+began with giving him alms, and then saluted him. He appeared more
+attentive to the civility of the salutation than to the alms he had
+received. He returned the salute, and made a sign to Giafar to sit
+down on a seat a few paces distant from him.</p>
+
+<p>"You are undoubtedly come here to be instructed, young man,"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">[313]</a></span> said he
+to him. "You ought to thank Heaven for having been so well directed.
+Of what chapter in my book do you wish to understand the text or the
+explanation?"</p>
+
+<p>The book, of which this man seemed to speak, was a small square plank
+of cedar, on which there were no characters. Giafar asked what book it
+was.</p>
+
+<p>"What! do you not distinguish in these characters the finger of God,
+and the inspiration of the angel Gabriel? A Mussulman not know the
+divine Koran, nor discover in him who presents it, according as he was
+inspired, the great prophet Mahomet!"</p>
+
+<p>Upon this exclamation, the Vizier rose up and withdrew.</p>
+
+<p>Having joined the Caliph, "Commander of the Faithful," said he, "I
+have been forced to abandon my project. The man whom I have left makes
+me tremble at his blasphemy: he says he is the Great Prophet."</p>
+
+<p>"It is not certain that he blasphemes," replied the Caliph: "every man
+may call himself a prophet, provided he proves his mission by
+miracles. Go and ask him concerning this point."</p>
+
+<p>Giafar obeyed, and returned to his place.</p>
+
+<p>"If you are Mahomet," said he to the old madman, "who has put you in a
+place like this?"</p>
+
+<p>"My ungrateful people," replied the pretended prophet. "They would not
+believe in me, and this has vexed rather than surprised me, for they
+scarcely believe in Allah."</p>
+
+<p>"But a prophet proves his mission by miracles. Why have you wrought
+none?"</p>
+
+<p>"My people should first have demanded them from me; but they were
+afraid of being convinced: they seek to believe nothing."</p>
+
+<p>"You could work miracles, then?"</p>
+
+<p>"Do you doubt the power of Mahomet?"</p>
+
+<p>"Work them immediately."</p>
+
+<p>"Your request shall not be refused. Ascend to the top of this spire by
+this outer stair, and throw yourself down from it without hesitation.
+When you are at the earth, though you were in a thousand pieces, with
+one word I will set you upon your feet, straighter and with a better
+carriage than you now have."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">[314]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I would rather," said Giafar as he was going away, "believe you a
+prophet than oblige you to prove yourself one."</p>
+
+<p>He came and gave the Caliph an account of the proposal which had been
+made to him.</p>
+
+<p>"You can learn very little," said Haroun to him, "for you will make no
+trial."</p>
+
+<p>"If any one wishes to be instructed in this matter," replied Giafar,
+"the man and the tower are there, he may try the adventure&mdash;I will not
+be jealous of his success."</p>
+
+<p>The conversation of the Prince and his ministers was a little
+interrupted by some persons who accosted them. One of them was Caliph,
+and came to propose Haroun's quitting his habit of dervish, and
+accepting the place of Vizier. He intended to clothe him in a
+magnificent robe: it was an old piece of stuff, full of holes, dirty,
+and devoured by vermin. Another, with a basket full of nut-shells,
+came to sell him confections.</p>
+
+<p>These short and public scenes did not answer the design of Haroun, nor
+the purpose of the agreement into which he had entered with his
+ministers. It was his turn to go into a cell, where, like his two
+companions in adventure, he might have a private conversation. He
+passed near one, which appeared larger and better furnished than the
+rest. A young man, of a soft and engaging figure, was sitting upon a
+sofa, and appeared to be in deep melancholy: he held in his hand the
+Koran. The Caliph accosted and saluted him, addressing him in that
+kind and familiar tone which the robe of a dervish authorized him to
+assume.</p>
+
+<p>"Young man," said he, "why is a man so rational as you appear to be,
+to be found among mad people?"</p>
+
+<p>At this question, the young man shut his book, modestly opened his
+eyes, looked at the dervish, and answered him: "All the actions of my
+life have not been rational; I have given reason for the abuse which
+is now made of power in keeping me here."</p>
+
+<p>"And could not I," said the dervish, "learn from you your history,
+when you appear to be so well qualified for giving it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Pious dervish," answered the young man, "were you the Caliph, I would
+persuade you to sit down by me, and I would<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">[315]</a></span> open to you my heart.
+Every day do I beseech God to send me this equitable Prince; but it
+would serve no purpose to have any other confidant. You see here a
+victim of his Grand Vizier Giafar, by whose orders I was brought
+hither, for a reason which appeared well founded; but I can declare
+that there is no reason why I should be still detained; and without
+the support of religion, I should sink under the weight of my
+misfortune and the horror of my situation."</p>
+
+<p>The Caliph was greatly astonished to hear so reasonable and connected
+a discourse. He called Giafar and Mesrour, and repeated what he had
+heard. The Grand Vizier attentively considered the young man, and
+assured the Caliph that the prisoner and his history were totally
+unknown to him. Haroun's curiosity grew stronger, and made him anxious
+to hear his history. He entered the cell with that freedom which
+dervishes generally use, and sat down beside the supposed victim of
+Giafar's orders.</p>
+
+<p>"Unfortunate young man," said he to him, "you know that people of my
+character have many privileges, and especially that of approaching the
+great, and of speaking to them the truth. The Commander of the
+Faithful is to us of all men the easiest of access: depend upon my
+zeal; it may be possible for me to serve you; you will entrust your
+misfortunes to a prudent ear, and to a soul truly charitable."</p>
+
+<p>The young man again sighed, mused a short time, shed some tears, and
+thus began his history:</p>
+
+<p>"My name is Halechalbe, and my father is syndic of the trade of
+Bagdad. One evening he invited to supper the principal merchants in
+the city, each of whom brought with him his eldest son. After the
+repast, which was plentiful and gay, the guests began to converse
+concerning the disposal of their children.</p>
+
+<p>"One had sent his son to a foreign counting-house; another had
+entrusted to his a vessel full of merchandise; a third had given up a
+certain branch of his trade; in short, it appeared from what I heard,
+that all my contemporaries were either advantageously placed or
+settled in life. After fully discoursing of these different
+arrangements, the company retired.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">[316]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Remaining behind with my father, I observed to him, that though the
+son of the first in our profession, I alone was unemployed. He allowed
+the force of the observation, and proposed that I should open a
+warehouse of whatever goods I chose, in one of the quarters of Bagdad.</p>
+
+<p>"This proposal was agreeable to my inclination for trade and
+independence. I accepted it; and next day was put into possession of a
+large assortment of the most beautiful Persian and Indian stuffs. I
+had slaves who were skilled in trade, and who relieved me of the
+troublesome part of the business.</p>
+
+<p>"Being surrounded during the day with all the nobility of Bagdad, with
+whom I had an opportunity of getting acquainted, I returned in the
+evening to my father's house. In the management of my business I led a
+very active and busy life&mdash;a life, in short, agreeable to my own
+taste. My father often visited me in my shop, and was pleased to see
+the concourse of virtuosi and customers of both sexes. He never
+received anything uncommon from abroad but he was happy to send it to
+me; the manager of his own trade had orders to that purpose.</p>
+
+<p>"I was one day surrounded with a great many people in my
+counting-house, when two women of a fine external appearance came in.
+Civility made the other customers give place; and one of the two women
+put aside her veil sufficiently to discover charms which dazzled the
+sight.</p>
+
+<p>"They sat down upon a sofa, asked for the richest stuffs, bargained
+with me, and bought them for three thousand crowns. By this bargain,
+from calculation, I was a gainer of five hundred crowns. The goods
+were folded up, and, by the orders of one of the women who appeared
+mistress, were carried away by slaves. I was preparing to hold out my
+hand for payment, when the young lady began to speak.</p>
+
+<p>"'Halechalbe,' said she to me, 'I have brought no money with me; but
+be not uneasy about what is owing to you: I will return in a few days
+and bring it with me, at which time I intend to make very considerable
+purchases from you.'<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">[317]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"'The other woman then spoke.</p>
+
+<p>"'Madam,' said she, 'do you speak to a son of the chief of trade, a
+man of acknowledged opulence, and whose worth is known to the Caliph
+himself, as if you supposed that he would not reckon it an honour to
+give so trifling a credit to a lady like you?'</p>
+
+<p>"The discourse of this woman, the impression made upon me by the
+beautiful eyes of her mistress, in consequence of the derangement of
+her veil, and my natural timidity, prevented me not only from
+venturing to ask payment, but even from insisting to know the name of
+the lady to whom I gave credit. She left me, after saluting me in a
+very graceful manner; and I remained at my door, fixed like a post,
+without taking the precaution to cause a slave to follow her, and
+observe the place of her abode.</p>
+
+<p>"When I was alone, the imprudence of which I had been guilty presented
+itself to my mind in the strongest colours. To whom had I given my
+goods? Could I forget, after the lessons I had received from my
+father, that Bagdad swarmed with adventurers, who could appear in any
+form and assume any tone? Everything, even the beautiful eyes which
+she had allowed me to see, then became suspicious. I believed myself
+cheated out of my goods, and returned to my father's house, trembling
+for the reproaches which I thought I had brought upon myself.</p>
+
+<p>"My mother soon perceived my distress. She well knew how to draw from
+me a confession of the cause, and endeavoured, as much as she could,
+to calm my apprehensions.</p>
+
+<p>"'The merchant who knows not how to lose,' said she, 'deserves not to
+gain. If you are embarrassed in your accounts with your father, my
+purse will supply the defect.'</p>
+
+<p>"I returned next day to my shop, hurt at being duped and at the loss
+which I had sustained. I had some hopes, however, that the lady would
+return; but the evening came, and she had not made her appearance.
+This unhappy day was followed by two others of the same kind, and my
+mother saw my distress increase, without being able to give it any
+relief.</p>
+
+<p>"In vain did she tell me that she would supply this loss out of her
+own purse, and that I should consider what had happened to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">[318]</a></span> me as a
+useful misfortune, for it was only by experience that man could learn
+wisdom.</p>
+
+<p>"All her discourses were in vain: nothing could console me for having
+allowed myself to be cheated by a pair of fine eyes, by mere
+compliment and show; my vanity, which was hurt, tormented my soul.</p>
+
+<p>"On the fourth day the unknown lady at last came to my shop, and threw
+a large purse upon my counter.</p>
+
+<p>"'Fair young man,' said she, 'I bring you your money; see if the
+account is right.'</p>
+
+<p>"At this desirable and unexpected sight my fears and anxieties
+vanished, and I felt myself suddenly recover new life.</p>
+
+<p>"The unknown lady caused other stuffs to be brought to her. She chose
+some of them, and carried from my shop goods to the value of three
+hundred pieces of gold. In my enthusiasm I would have given her credit
+for two thousand. As soon as she was gone I returned to my mother, and
+now showed as much joy as formerly I had shown sorrow and dejection. I
+related to her the lucky adventure of the day, and perceived the full
+force of the reasoning which till that time she had made use of in
+vain, to persuade me that in trade <i>he who never ventures can never
+gain</i>.</p>
+
+<p>"In short, respectable dervish, I continued to deal in the same manner
+with the unknown lady, who always carried from my shop stuffs worth
+more money than she left in it, till she was owing me about ten
+thousand crowns, equal to all the profit which I had been able to make
+in my different bargains with her.</p>
+
+<p>"One day, after opening my shop, I was scarcely seated on my sofa when
+an aged woman came and accosted me. I thought she wanted some robes or
+stuffs, and proposed to show them to her.</p>
+
+<p>"'No, my son,' answered she, 'I am entrusted with a commission of much
+greater importance: I come from the young lady who owes you ten
+thousand crowns. I do not bring you payment, but I am charged by her
+to tell you that you became her merchant in preference to every other
+of the same profession at Bagdad, only because her heart granted you a
+preference of another kind. In short, she is beautiful, young, and
+rich, and offers you her hand in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">[319]</a></span> marriage. If you find it agreeable
+to enter into this engagement after you have seen and conversed with
+her, no other dowry is required than the ten thousand crowns in which
+she stands indebted to you; if you do not agree to it, the money shall
+instantly be paid down. But you must resolve to follow me, that you
+may have it in your power to know whether the affair is agreeable to
+your wishes.'</p>
+
+<p>"During this discourse of the old woman, a flame, to which I was till
+then quite a stranger, penetrated through my veins, and the hope which
+was now suggested having increased its violence, I soon felt the fire
+of love burning in my heart. The beautiful eyes of the lady, from the
+first moment I beheld them, had so dazzled and blinded me concerning
+my real interest, that I allowed her to carry off my goods without
+knowing how I should receive payment for them. Though, in the visits
+which she afterwards made me, her veil had wholly concealed the
+features of her countenance, yet the fulness of her dress could not
+conceal the elegance of her stature, the gracefulness of her motions,
+the exquisite form of her foot, and the extraordinary beauty of her
+hands. Besides, she disputed with me about the price with so much
+courtesy, and with such an angelic voice, that she never left my shop
+without carrying away something more than my goods; but I did not well
+know what it was. Scarcely had she left my shop, when I felt myself
+extremely uneasy; said to myself, This is a charming lady! and then
+fell into a long state of profound thoughtfulness.</p>
+
+<p>"When the old woman had informed me that the unknown lady was in love
+with me, my passion increased to a desperate height. I ordered my
+slaves to shut up my shop; and, having desired them to tell my father
+and mother that I was going to enjoy myself with some of my friends,
+in a garden at some distance from the city, before I returned home, I
+put myself under the direction of the old woman.</p>
+
+<p>"'You will never repent,' said she, as we went along, 'of having put
+confidence in me; but you must still give me another proof of it. If
+the lady is not agreeable to you, if you do not accept the proposals
+which she is to make, and consequently a separation takes place, it is
+proper that she should remain always unknown.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">[320]</a></span> Her delicacy requires
+this; and I was ordered to put a covering over your eyes, that you may
+not be able to discover the house to which you are going.'</p>
+
+<p>"I readily agreed to this condition; and we withdrew under a portico,
+where, being concealed by two advanced pillars, she covered my eyes
+with a very thick silk handkerchief. She made me turn three or four
+times round on my heel; then took me by the hand, and caused me to
+walk by her side for a full quarter of an hour. We suddenly stopped. I
+heard her knock at a door, which opened, and, as soon as we had
+entered, immediately shut.</p>
+
+<p>"I was in a short time restored to the use of my eyes, and committed
+to the care of two female slaves of remarkable beauty and richness of
+dress. They conducted me through seven doors, at the end of which I
+was received by fourteen other slaves, whose figures were so striking,
+and whose dress so magnificent, that I was dazzled with beholding
+them. I was now in a superb apartment, where everything was marble,
+jasper, or rich gilding. My adventure had so much the appearance of a
+dream, that, though my eyes were open, I could scarcely be convinced
+that I was really awake. The old woman, who had still followed me,
+went out for an instant, and soon returned, accompanied by a slave,
+who brought breakfast upon a large golden plate. I sat down to refresh
+myself.</p>
+
+<p>"While I was satisfying my hunger, the old woman counted down upon a
+table the ten thousand crowns which were owing to me. 'There is your
+whole sum,' said she. 'Be not uneasy that my mistress does not yet
+appear. The law commands, and decency requires, that you should not
+see one another before the contract is made.'</p>
+
+<p>"Before she had done speaking, a Cadi appeared, with ten persons in
+his train. I arose to salute him, when the old woman, addressing the
+lawyer, said to him,</p>
+
+<p>"'The young lady who is to be married to this merchant has chosen you
+for her guardian: do you agree to accept the office?'</p>
+
+<p>"The Cadi replied, 'that he reckoned himself highly honoured by the
+choice which had been made of him.'<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">[321]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"He immediately drew up the contract, and got it signed by the
+witnesses whom he had brought with him. After partaking of an ample
+collation, which was served up to him and his attendants, and having
+been presented with a magnificent dress and three hundred sequins, he
+retired, charging the old woman to beg her mistress to accept his
+thanks.</p>
+
+<p>"I was so astonished at what I saw, that when the Cadi went away, I
+made a motion to follow him, without perceiving that I left my money
+behind. I was prevented by the old woman, who made me sit down again.</p>
+
+<p>"'Are you mad?' said she. 'Need I inform you that the marriage follows
+the contract? Come, be wiser, and remain quiet till night, when
+everything will be ready for the completion of the ceremony.'</p>
+
+<p>"I continued in the hall, where a great number of slaves were
+attentive to every motion and ready to anticipate every wish. I was in
+a very extraordinary state of mind. The power of that feeling which
+had made me run so fast with my eyes blindfolded was no longer felt,
+and love remained fixed at the bottom of my heart, astonished at the
+luxury with which I was surrounded, and the ceremony of this
+extraordinary marriage.</p>
+
+<p>"Towards the evening, a magnificent repast was served up, accompanied
+with all kinds of confections, and exquisite wines, which I used very
+sparingly. As soon as I made a signal for them to remove the dishes,
+the old woman took me by the hand, and conducted me to the bath. I was
+there received by eight slaves, dressed in silk, who wrapped me in
+stuffs of the same material, entered into the water with me, and
+served me with all that respect and attention which could have been
+paid to the Caliph himself.</p>
+
+<p>"Imagine, O respectable dervish, my astonishment: it almost deprived
+me of my senses! I was soon drawn from it, however, by the appearance
+of twenty female slaves, beautiful and well dressed. Some held
+flambeaux, and other pots full of exquisite perfumes, the sweet odour
+of which, mingled with that of the wood of aloes, which served to warm
+the bath, embalmed the air, and raised an agreeable vapour to the very
+roof of the apartment.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">[322]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"From these delights I was carried to the enjoyment of others. Twenty
+slaves went before me, and conducted me into a magnificent apartment;
+I sat down on a sofa covered with cloth of gold. I was there attended
+by the most melodious music, which was at the same time so cheerful
+and lively, and so fitted to inspire delight, that I could not help
+feeling a little reanimated. The slaves at length proposed to conduct
+me into the apartment destined for the celebration of the nuptials.</p>
+
+<p>"I arose. A great door opened; and I beheld the person approach who
+had marked me out for her husband, preceded by twenty other slaves,
+whom she alone could surpass in beauty. At the sight of her I remained
+almost senseless; but this first impression instantly gave place to
+love; and my passion at length assumed over me that power, which even
+at this day makes me, every moment of my life, endure torments worse
+than death.</p>
+
+<p>"The beautiful stranger, preceded by her twenty slaves, and I attended
+by the same number, went into the grand apartment prepared for our
+nuptials, and there sat down together on the same sofa. The old woman
+then appeared at the head of four slaves, and brought us, on golden
+plates, different refreshments, exquisite confections, and fruit of
+all kinds, which we mutually presented to one another. After this, the
+service disappeared, and we remained alone.</p>
+
+<p>"I was almost trembling, when the lovely unknown lady took me by the
+hand to encourage me.</p>
+
+<p>"'Halechalbe,' said she, 'since the day when curiosity first led me
+into your shop I have loved you; and the same sentiment has frequently
+carried me back, under pretence of cheapening and purchasing goods.
+The little intercourse we have had together has given me an
+opportunity of knowing you; and my liking for you has so much
+increased as to make me ambitious of being united to you for life. Can
+you think of sacrificing your liberty?'</p>
+
+<p>"'Madam,' answered I, 'from the first moment you appeared in my sight,
+your charms failed not to produce their effect. I never saw you
+without feeling an unaccountable disorder, mixed, however, with the
+sweetest pleasure. You never left me without occasioning<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">[323]</a></span> the most
+lively regret: I expected you every day, and my thoughts were
+incessantly occupied about your image. I dared not avow my passion to
+myself; but since you have confessed your regard for me, I swear to
+you, that nothing can equal the strength of my love, and that the
+sacrifice of liberty is nothing to one who would give his life for
+your sake.'</p>
+
+<p>"'Halechalbe,' said she, 'truth seems to flow from your lips: spare
+your life; it is essential to my happiness; but if we are to be united
+for life, attend to the conditions upon which I will yield my heart.
+My name and rank must remain unknown to you until the steps I am now
+taking shall have enabled me publicly to acknowledge you for my
+husband. You shall make no inquiry within this place for the purpose
+of getting information, and the door of the house shall be opened only
+once a year.'</p>
+
+<p>"'O madam,' said I, 'I will keep silence; I will remain ignorant; I
+will never leave the house&mdash;&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>"'Stop,' said she, 'I have a still more severe condition to impose
+upon you: as I give myself wholly to you, it is reasonable that you
+should be wholly mine. My slaves are become yours, and will obey you
+in everything; but you must not speak to them, except to require their
+services. If you condescend to use the smallest familiarity with any
+one of them, further than mere expressions of kindness, if&mdash;&mdash;I must
+discover to you a part of my character. I am inclined to be jealous;
+and if you make me the subject of this fatal passion, I know not how
+far my resentment may carry me against you.'</p>
+
+<p>"'Take courage,' said I, 'my adorable spouse: the strength of my
+passion secures you from every indiscretion on my part. I should die
+with vexation were I capable of displeasing you; but I am not afraid
+that I will ever be so unlucky as to give you offence.'</p>
+
+<p>"The unknown lady burst into tears when she saw the frankness and air
+of sincerity with which my protestations were accompanied.
+'Halechalbe,' said she, 'we will now be united; but had you hesitated
+about accepting them, I would have sacrificed my happiness to my
+delicacy, and we would have separated for ever.'</p>
+
+<p>"I tenderly embraced her, and she fainted away in my arms.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">[324]</a></span> A slave
+was called, and she, the idol of my heart, after a time opened her
+beautiful eyes, and with rapture I beheld them turned towards me.</p>
+
+<p>"I pass over the remaining events of my marriage, because they cannot
+be interesting to you, and the remembrance of them is still the
+torment of my life.</p>
+
+<p>"I was so enchanted by my passion, that I spent a fortnight in total
+forgetfulness of the whole world besides; and I will confess, to my
+shame, that I even omitted the most essential of all duties, for I
+never once thought of the uneasiness of my father and mother on my
+account. At last, by little and little, nature resumed her rights, and
+I began to think seriously of the grief which I must have occasioned
+to my affectionate parents. I uttered some sighs, which proceeded from
+the bottom of my heart; and the distress of my mind appeared in my
+countenance. My wife, who possessed great discernment, soon perceived
+the change which I underwent, got from me the secret, took an interest
+in my pain, and pointed out the method of being delivered from its
+attacks.</p>
+
+<p>"'Dear Halechalbe,' said she, 'I commend you for your attachment to
+your father and mother: they are dear to me on your account. We have
+given ourselves laws; but, as we are the judges, we must not allow
+them to do injury to nature. You will go to see your parents, spend a
+week with them, and also resume your business. There are many reasons
+for so doing. First of all, it will serve as a cloak to hide our
+marriage, and will furnish you with an opportunity of being present or
+absent at pleasure, without occasioning any suspicion of our marriage.
+It will likewise enable you to acquire, by your civil, frank, and
+generous dealings, the public esteem, which will one day be of great
+advantage to us; for we live under the government of a Caliph who has
+ears everywhere, and who likewise makes very good use of his own. Go,
+then, and my heart will accompany you wherever you are: if it could be
+rendered visible, you would see it continually fluttering around you.
+Besides, you will be under my hand: we have our trusty old woman, by
+whose means you will have the satisfaction of hearing me spoken of,
+and I shall have that of being informed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">[325]</a></span> of your welfare, and
+communicating to you my wishes. Above all,' added she, 'as our
+marriage cannot be concealed from your parents, charge them to keep it
+a profound secret.'</p>
+
+<p>"Night was beginning to come on when this discourse was ended; and my
+wife ordered the old woman to blindfold me, and conduct me out of the
+gates of the palace till I was under the portico where I had first
+submitted to this operation. As soon as my guide had restored to me
+the use of my eyes, I flew with all speed to my father's house. A
+neighbouring lady was just entering it. She discovered me by the light
+of a shop before which I passed.</p>
+
+<p>"'Halechalbe!' exclaimed she, 'what! is it you? Do not show yourself
+so unexpectedly to your mother. Retire for a few minutes into my
+house, and in the meantime my husband will go and inform her of your
+return. She is in the utmost distress and despair at your loss; and
+the joy occasioned by your sudden and unexpected return might be
+productive of fatal consequences.</p>
+
+<p>"'Whence come you, wicked young man?' said she, as soon as she had sat
+down. 'How could you let your worthy parents continue ignorant of what
+had become of you?'</p>
+
+<p>"Not having a story ready made for the first inquisitive person I
+should meet, and it being necessary to conceal my marriage from
+everybody, I was very much at a loss what answer to give. But I made
+it up by presence of mind, and was obliged to have recourse to a lie.</p>
+
+<p>"'I am astonished, madam,' answered I, 'to hear you talk of the
+vexation which I have occasioned to my parents. Having met with an
+opportunity of going to Balsora, where I had a very urgent and
+important examination to take against one of my most considerable
+debtors, and, not having a moment to lose, I set out without being
+able to inform my father of my departure. I dispatched an express as
+soon as it was in my power; but some accident must have befallen him,
+as no news have been received of me.'</p>
+
+<p>"The lady was satisfied with the excuse.</p>
+
+<p>"'All Bagdad, however,' said she, 'supposed you dead, and,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">[326]</a></span> moreover,
+magnificently buried; for a superb funeral was given you yesterday. I
+will relate the whole affair to you, when once my husband has prepared
+our neighbours for again seeing in good health the son whom they
+believed dead.'</p>
+
+<p>"The husband having with great pleasure undertaken the commission, the
+woman returned to her recital.</p>
+
+<p>"'Your slave informed your father and mother that you were to spend
+the remainder of the day and the night in a garden with your friends.
+This prevented them from being uneasy during that evening and next
+day; but on the following days all the merchants of Bagdad were in
+search of you. Messengers were sent to all the gardens in the
+neighbourhood of the city, to the woods, and to a great distance in
+the country. As you were nowhere to be found, and nobody had observed
+you, it was conjectured that you had fallen into one of those snares
+which are too common at Bagdad, where young people without knowledge
+and experience find death in the very cup of pleasure.</p>
+
+<p>"'Your father and mother tore their hair through grief; your family
+and friends went into mourning. Some kind of consolation was supposed
+to be derived from the pretended funeral, which all the mourners in
+Bagdad were hired to attend, but where many real tears were shed.
+Every person was affected with the distress of your parents.'</p>
+
+<p>"This recital, O virtuous dervish! made me very uneasy. I perceived
+the dreadful consequences of forgetting myself and my duty; and I
+always considered my misfortunes, and the distraction of mind which
+was the consequence thereof, as a punishment from Heaven, because, in
+the arms of love, I was unmindful of the sacred obligations of nature.</p>
+
+<p>"After our neighbour had related that part of my history which it was
+necessary I should know, she rose up.</p>
+
+<p>"'It is now time,' said she, 'to appear: my husband must already have
+announced you; go, and confirm the account which he has given of your
+return.'</p>
+
+<p>"I then entered my father's house, and it is impossible to describe
+his joy, much less that of my mother, who fainted away in my arms.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">[327]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"'What!' said my father, 'you are returned from Balsora? Poor child!
+the loss you might have sustained was not nearly equal in my
+estimation to the danger which you have run and the fatigues you have
+undergone.'</p>
+
+<p>"'Father,' said I, still keeping up before the neighbours the story
+which I had thought it convenient to adopt, 'I know not whether our
+correspondent is to fail, but I will deliver to you securities
+sufficient to remove every fear. There is a diamond to put in your
+turban; here is one for the hilt of your poniard; another for the
+handle of your scimitar, and a bracelet for my mother. I believe that
+this is a full equivalent for the sum which we may lose by him.'</p>
+
+<p>"They again embraced me, without asking any further explanation; the
+weeds of mourning soon disappeared, and every one was dressed in his
+festival robes. The house was filled with music; a thousand tapers
+shed their light, and the friends of my father and mother assembled to
+enjoy a splendid entertainment. The evening and night were spent by
+the company in amusement and joy.</p>
+
+<p>"Next morning I thought it my duty to eradicate from the mind of my
+parents those opinions which, in order to deceive the public, prudence
+had made me establish the evening before. I related to them the
+circumstances of my marriage, and besought them to keep it secret, as
+my happiness depended on its being concealed. Everything increased
+their astonishment, and the rich jewels which I had brought them from
+my wife were speaking proofs.</p>
+
+<p>"'He must have married the daughter of a genie,' said my mother.</p>
+
+<p>"'Such nuptials,' said my father, 'are celebrated without a Cadi.'</p>
+
+<p>"They knew not what to think; but they saw me happy, and they were
+satisfied.</p>
+
+<p>"I proposed to my parents to resume my trade. They were delighted to
+find that fortune had not deprived me of economy and diligence, and
+next day I again appeared in my shop. The quarter in which I lived
+expressed their happiness at seeing me again. As I was no longer
+directed by the hope of gain, I was perfectly easy and disinterested
+in my dealings, and brought to my<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">[328]</a></span> shop all the people of Bagdad. In
+the evening I returned as usual to my father's house.</p>
+
+<p>"On the evening preceding the seventh day, I informed my father that I
+was again to disappear. He endeavoured to get my place filled up by an
+intelligent clerk, who was bound to conduct himself according to my
+principles. It was easy to account for my being a second time absent,
+by pretending that I had some business abroad.</p>
+
+<p>"On the seventh day, towards evening, the old woman came and informed
+me that my wife was waiting impatiently for my arrival. As I was
+equally impatient to rejoin her, I needed no entreaties to persuade me
+to follow my guide. The same mystery as before was still observed in
+conducting me to the palace, where my presence was expected, and I was
+received at the first door by my charming wife, who loosened the
+bandage with her own hands.</p>
+
+<p>"I passed another fortnight, still happier than the former, in those
+enjoyments which mutual love bestows, and amid those delights,
+pleasures, and amusements which the eager wishes and riches of my
+spouse could bring together. At the conclusion of this period, which
+seemed very short, I returned to my father's house, and afterwards to
+my business. My parents received me with the greatest affection; but
+scarcely did I enjoy it before I sighed for the return of the seventh
+day, when the old woman would come to blindfold me, and conduct me to
+an abode which I now considered as a celestial Paradise.</p>
+
+<p>"My wife appeared to feel with equal force the pangs of separation.
+During my absence from the palace, the only method which she pursued
+to divert her attention was to play upon a musical instrument, or to
+sing in concert with her slaves.</p>
+
+<p>"One day, during my absence, while my mistress and her slaves were
+singing my praises and our loves, Zaliza, one of the slaves, hearing a
+couplet in praise of my fidelity, affected to drop her lute, as if
+through impatience, and did not take it up again.</p>
+
+<p>"'Why,' said my spouse, 'do you leave your lute lying upon the
+ground?'</p>
+
+<p>"'I cannot sing the fidelity of men,' answered Zaliza, 'for I do<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">[329]</a></span> not
+believe it. Halechalbe,' continued she, 'is very amiable; he
+undoubtedly loves you, and who would not? But I do not believe that
+his affection is equal to yours, or that he is more faithful than
+another: of this I can give proofs whenever they are required.'</p>
+
+<p>"These base and perfidious words infused the most fatal jealousy into
+the heart of my spouse: she gave me no opportunity, however, of
+perceiving that she entertained any suspicions. At the time fixed
+between us, I returned to my father's house and my ordinary business,
+and when I went back to the lady I was received as kindly and
+affectionately as before.</p>
+
+<p>"One day I was in my shop, when, about two hours before the usual time
+of the old woman's arrival to conduct me to my spouse, the public
+crier proclaimed in the street a golden censer set with diamonds, to
+be sold for two thousand sequins. I ordered a slave to call the crier.</p>
+
+<p>"'Who is the proprietor of that censer?' said I to him.</p>
+
+<p>"'It belongs,' answered he, 'to a young lady, whom you behold there;'
+at the same time he pointed out a handsome and well-dressed woman, and
+I desired him to bid her speak with me.</p>
+
+<p>"The woman took the censer from the crier, gave him a reward, and
+advanced towards me.</p>
+
+<p>"'Madam,' said I, 'since this censer belongs to you, I know where to
+place it; will you allow me to have it?'</p>
+
+<p>"'Since it pleases you, Halechalbe,' said the lady, 'it is yours, and
+I demand nothing in return.'</p>
+
+<p>"'I am not accustomed,' answered I, 'to make such bargains.'</p>
+
+<p>"'Nor I,' said the lady, 'to enjoy the happiness of making a present
+to the most amiable and best-beloved of his sex. I have,' continued
+she, 'for a long time past frequented your shop, unobserved, alas! by
+you; but your figure and your manners enchanted me, and still enchant
+me more and more. Since the censer pleases you, I reckon myself very
+fortunate in having it in my power to present you with it.'</p>
+
+<p>"'I will receive your present, madam,' said I, 'if you will accept
+from me its value.'</p>
+
+<p>"'Silver and gold,' said she, 'are of no account in my estimation.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">[330]</a></span>
+The love which I bear you has deprived me of repose: do not treat me
+with cruel disdain. A liking for me would do you no dishonour, for,
+thank God! I may be proud of my descent. But if, despised by you, I
+cannot aspire to the highest marks of your affection, let me have a
+single kiss, and the censer shall be yours.'</p>
+
+<p>"'I cannot agree,' replied I, 'that you should make so bad a bargain.
+Take your money, or keep your censer. A kiss is no trading price.'</p>
+
+<p>"'It is beyond price,' answered the lady, 'to one who dies of love. I
+brought not this censer here to sell, but to give it to you; accept it
+at the price mentioned, and you will save my life.'</p>
+
+<p>"Venerable dervish, I will confess my weakness, and declare that I was
+gained over by these flattering praises and this language of love. I
+had no suspicions, and was unable to discover the features of the lady
+through her veil. Overcome by self-love more than by her entreaties, I
+retired into a dark part of the shop, and presented my cheek; but
+instead of kissing it, she bit it with such force as made me cry out;
+and I was left alone with the censer in my hand, my cheek bathed in
+blood, and my countenance totally disfigured. The blood was at length
+stopped, but I was unable to allay the swelling or remove the marks of
+her cruel teeth.</p>
+
+<p>"At this moment the old woman came for me, and appeared surprised at
+the situation in which she beheld me. I intended to tell her that I
+had fallen upon a piece of broken glass, and I was ready to give the
+same account to my spouse. But the treacherous Zaliza had previously
+informed her of the whole matter. It was she who had played me that
+base trick, and she had no doubt reported it to my spouse in such a
+manner as to make me appear much more guilty than I really was. When I
+arrived at the palace, instead of being received as formerly by an
+eager and affectionate wife, I fell into the power of an enraged and
+implacable judge.</p>
+
+<p>"'What has hurt your cheek?' was the first question proposed by my
+wife as soon as I was before her. I was about to tell her of the
+pieces of glass, but she interrupted me with asking, 'whence I got the
+censer which I held in my hand?'<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">[331]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"'It cost me two thousand sequins,' said I, stammering.</p>
+
+<p>"'Liar!' replied my spouse, her eyes inflamed with rage, 'it cost you
+much more: the account of it is on your cheek. Vile and base man! you
+have made a trade of your love, but you shall pay dear for your
+infamous conduct. Morigen,' said she, addressing her first eunuch,
+'let him be beheaded.'</p>
+
+<p>"Morigen had already seized me, when the old woman, our confidante,
+threw herself at the feet of her mistress.</p>
+
+<p>"'Oh, madam!' said she, 'do not commit such a crime; do not expose
+yourself to remorse which you will be unable to support.'</p>
+
+<p>"The behaviour of the old slave brought my wife to reflection. She
+appeared to meditate a little; and then, changing her opinion, ordered
+me to receive the bastinado. While Morigen was executing her rigorous
+orders, which I endeavoured to bear without complaining, she seized a
+musical instrument, and made the chords resound with an air which
+expressed a mixture of jealous rage and malignant satisfaction.</p>
+
+<p>"The pain I suffered totally deprived me of feeling; and I did not
+recover till I was in my father's house, placed upon a bed, surrounded
+by the whole family, and attended by physicians, who were employed in
+procuring me relief. I had been carried away after the fatal execution
+of my wife's orders, and left on the threshold of my father's door.</p>
+
+<p>"It was six weeks before I recovered from the consequences of the
+severe treatment I had undergone. At the end of this time, when I was
+again able to be out of bed, my father tried to gain my confidence,
+and I concealed not the smallest circumstance of my last adventure.</p>
+
+<p>"'O Heaven!' said he, 'you are united, my son, to a monster of cruelty
+and injustice.'</p>
+
+<p>"'Do not say so, father!' exclaimed I: 'my wife, I must confess, was
+cruel, but she thought she had reason to complain, and I was wanting
+in my duty to her, even when she loaded me with kindness and
+affection. I find that I still adore her, and that my love is
+increased by the consciousness of my fault, and by the fear<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">[332]</a></span> of a
+final separation. Ah! would that I were admitted to be the lowest of
+her slaves!'</p>
+
+<p>"'You have not the feelings of a man,' said my father: 'know the
+dignity of your sex. I cannot determine to what kind of a being you
+have been united by the ceremony of a contract. I should suppose it
+entirely whimsical, if so strong proofs, and particularly the last,
+had not been given us of its reality. Be ashamed, that a man like you,
+who are well descended, and who might have aspired to a connection
+with the best families in Bagdad, has been hurried away by a foolish
+passion to so extraordinary and unequal a connection as that which you
+have now formed. Forget your disgraceful passion.'</p>
+
+<p>"Every word which my father uttered, by way of invective against my
+marriage and my wife, was a dagger to my heart.</p>
+
+<p>"'I shall one day discover this abominable creature,' added he. 'I
+will bring an information against her before the Caliph, who will put
+it out of her power to make further victims.'</p>
+
+<p>"Instead of seconding my father's resentment, my heart revolted
+against his plans of revenge, and placed itself betwixt him and my
+cruel but charming spouse.</p>
+
+<p>"This disposition of mind, in spite of the assistance of medicine,
+soon injured my health, and deranged my understanding. I became
+thoughtful and melancholy, refused every means of consolation, grieved
+my too affectionate parents, and was a torment to all the domestics.
+Nothing could be prepared to my taste, and I constantly blamed the
+unskilfulness of the cooks.</p>
+
+<p>"One of them came one day to justify his conduct.</p>
+
+<p>"'See,' said I, overturning the table, and treading the dishes under
+my feet, 'there is the estimation in which I hold your skill and
+diligence!'</p>
+
+<p>"As he wanted to make a reply, I threw myself upon him to give him a
+hearty beating. His cries and screams soon brought my mother, who
+wished to tear from me the person at whom I was offended. She even
+ventured to add blows to her reproofs; and, in the blindness of my
+fury, I unfortunately struck her. When my father arrived, he was not
+more prudent, and I was at length put in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">[333]</a></span> chains. I recollect that,
+having put my hand across my mouth, it was covered with foam. In
+short, I lost my recollection, and only recovered it to behold myself
+an inhabitant of this mournful abode. I then learned that I was kept
+here by order of Giafar, the Grand Vizier.</p>
+
+<p>"Many months have now elapsed since I groaned a miserable captive in
+this place. I have now recovered soundness of mind, in consequence of
+the solitude, but more especially the opportunity of indulging my
+unfortunate passion, which I here enjoy without hearing the person
+whom I will ever love loaded with imprecations.</p>
+
+<p>"Here, O respectable dervish! I am swayed by sadness, and not by
+passion, and can discover in myself nothing for which I ought to be
+detained in this hospital. My friends, it would appear, have forgotten
+me; but it is the duty of the Grand Vizier, whose orders are here
+followed, to inspect this place, and endeavour to bring back to me my
+parents, since I only offended by one fit of madness, and have now
+sufficiently recovered my reason to regulate my conduct. This,
+venerable dervish, is the whole of my history. All my consolation is
+the Koran, and the hope that some time or other the Commander of the
+Faithful, who wishes to see everything himself, will direct his steps
+towards this mournful abode. I ask this from Allah a hundred times a
+day; but, alas! my supplications have never reached his throne."</p>
+
+<p>"Cease not to pray, my dear son," replied the Caliph: "you will soon
+know the efficacy thereof, and your request will be heard."</p>
+
+<p>After these words of consolation, Haroun returned with Giafar and
+Mesrour to the palace.</p>
+
+<p>"What think you," said the Prince to the companions of his adventures,
+"of the story which has now been related? You were at hand, and must
+have heard everything which was spoken."</p>
+
+<p>"I think," said Giafar, "that this young man, of whom I never heard
+before, though he accuses me of being the cause of his misfortunes,
+has been employing his invention to relate to you a collection of
+dreams or falsehoods."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">[334]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"It is impossible that everything can be false in his relation,"
+replied the Caliph; "and I command you to think on the means of
+ascertaining the truth. To-morrow I expect to hear from you."</p>
+
+<p>Next day the Grand Vizier gave an account of the plan which he had
+devised for discovering what trust was to be placed in the history and
+complaints of Halechalbe.</p>
+
+<p>"Those people," said the minister, "who are deranged in their mind,
+are never consistent in their accounts. Let your Highness therefore
+order the young man to be brought before you; and if he repeats his
+long story in the same connection he did yesterday, and without
+varying its circumstances, it will then be proper to make the
+necessary inquiries for ascertaining the truth of the facts."</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier's opinion was highly approved of, and orders were instantly
+given to go for Halechalbe.</p>
+
+<p>When the young man was at the foot of the throne, the Caliph thus
+addressed him: "Halechalbe, I have been informed that you have been
+confined in a madhouse, by a series of the most extraordinary
+adventures: recover your spirits, and be assured that I am anxious to
+do justice to all my subjects. But in the relation I demand from you,
+omit no circumstance, and consider the respect which is due to truth
+and to my presence."</p>
+
+<p>Halechalbe, seeing the prediction of the dervish fulfilled, being
+inspired with confidence and affected with his subject, again began
+his history, and made not the smallest variations, even in the
+expressions.</p>
+
+<p>Giafar was obliged to own that the recital which he had twice heard
+bore very striking marks of veracity. His sole object now was to
+discover Halechalbe's beloved but cruel enemy, in order to procure
+justice from her towards her injured husband; and his sagacity soon
+suggested the steps which were proper to be taken.</p>
+
+<p>By calling together all the Cadis in Bagdad, in order to learn by whom
+the contract had been drawn up, the affair would be in danger of being
+divulged, without resolving the difficulty. For, if any of them had,
+contrary to law, drawn up a contract of so extraordinary a nature, he
+would not readily confess it; and besides, a man might have been
+suborned to act the part.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">[335]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>If Halechalbe's father was reconciled to him, and persuaded again to
+entrust his son with the management of his trade, it was probable that
+the old woman would be going about him, were it only from curiosity;
+and spies, properly placed, might apprehend her, and force her to
+disclose the name of her mistress.</p>
+
+<p>The Caliph approved the scheme, and the syndic was immediately sent
+for. This unfortunate father, still supposing that his son was totally
+deranged in his mind, was greatly astonished to find himself in his
+company at the foot of the Caliph's throne, and still more to see
+Halechalbe treated by Haroun with the kindest attention.</p>
+
+<p>Upon the first proposal of a reconciliation made by the Grand Vizier,
+the father stretched out his arms to receive his son. Measures were
+then agreed upon for unravelling the adventure, and Halechalbe's
+father promised to execute with fidelity the orders which he received.
+The father and son returned to their house, after having received two
+rich robes from the munificent Caliph; and next day Halechalbe was
+re-established in his shop, which was as richly furnished as before.</p>
+
+<p>The young man endeavoured, by submission, kindness, and attention, to
+make his parents forget the cause of complaint which he had given
+them. Though still inflamed by love, he strove to conceal from them
+its effects, and to get the better of his melancholy. He yielded to it
+only when free from every other business, and when left to himself in
+solitude and retirement.</p>
+
+<p>Halechalbe's wife did not long enjoy the satisfaction of her revenge.
+Having come to serious reflection on her conduct, she blamed herself
+for the excess of her cruelty, and at length became uneasy about the
+fate of the husband whom she had treated with too much severity,
+though she still supposed him criminal and ungrateful. Love soon
+regained the empire of her heart; and though she struggled for some
+days against a feeling which she durst not avow, silence at length
+became burdensome to her, and she ordered the old woman, as if solely
+through compassion, to make inquiry about the situation of her
+unfortunate husband.</p>
+
+<p>"Alas, madam!" answered she, "my pity for him led me to his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">[336]</a></span> father's
+house, and I there learned from the inhabitants of that quarter, that
+the poor young man's life was in danger."</p>
+
+<p>"His life in danger!" replied the lady. "Ah! unfortunate that I am! I
+have killed the only man in the world I ever loved, or can love! Can I
+not inform him that my life depends upon his? but everything prevents
+me from doing so. Go, however, and speedily get information concerning
+him, as far as you can, consistently with the safety of my honour."</p>
+
+<p>The old woman received the order with great pleasure, and for some
+time was able to give her mistress good hopes of the recovery of her
+husband's health. But her inquiries soon became fruitless, for the
+neighbours were altogether silent concerning Halechalbe, from the
+moment when he was privately taken to a madhouse in a state of
+insanity.</p>
+
+<p>Her mistress now yielded to despair, and shut herself up with her
+confidante, that she might indulge her sorrow and shed her tears
+without restraint. The musical instrument, which had formerly been
+employed to insult over the misfortune of Halechalbe, now served to
+express her own complaints. The lady, quite inconsolable, could no
+longer make verses, as she was wont to do when inspired by love or
+revenge, but only uttered a few broken words, intermingled with sighs
+and tears.</p>
+
+<p>The good old woman was one day traversing the city, little thinking
+that she would have any agreeable news to carry to her mistress, when,
+as she passed through the quarter where Halechalbe's shop was, she
+observed it open. Stopping to look at it, she discovered the master
+himself, seated on a sofa and lost in deep thought, and she determined
+to enter. As soon as she saw him she wished to throw herself into his
+arms, and Halechalbe was running to meet her when he perceived her
+approaching; but the Grand Vizier's spies, who had not lost sight of
+the slave, interposed, carried off the woman, and conducted her to
+Giafar.</p>
+
+<p>Great was the astonishment of Giafar to find that the woman now
+brought before him was Nemana, the old governess of his beloved
+daughter Zera&iuml;de.</p>
+
+<p>"Is it possible," said he, "that you whom my daughter loads<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_337" id="Page_337">[337]</a></span> with her
+kindness should be engaged in the intrigue of Halechalbe's marriage?
+Who is the woman you have given him for a wife?"</p>
+
+<p>"O my Prince and master," answered Nemana, in great astonishment,
+"whom could I serve but your daughter, the Princess Zera&iuml;de?"</p>
+
+<p>Giafar was thunderstruck when he learned that his daughter had married
+without his knowledge and consent; but knowing that the Caliph was
+very anxious to get this affair unravelled, instead of returning to
+his own palace to get an explanation from Zera&iuml;de, he instantly
+repaired to the Commander of the Faithful, followed by Nemana and the
+spies whom he had sent in pursuit of her.</p>
+
+<p>"Wise Prince," said he "the old woman who was concerned in
+Halechalbe's marriage has been found: she is at the door, and I have
+put some questions to her. Halechalbe's wife," continued the Vizier,
+"has only availed herself of the law delivered in the Koran, by
+chastising her husband, who was surprised in a fault worthy of
+punishment. The duties of husband and wife are reciprocal, and
+Halechalbe had received the caresses of a strange woman."</p>
+
+<p>"I think," said Haroun, "you strain the expressions of the law: you
+make it too sanguinary, and you would expose a great many in Bagdad to
+danger if the right of doing themselves justice was granted to all who
+really are, or think themselves, injured in this respect."</p>
+
+<p>"Marriages of every kind," replied the Vizier, "will not admit of the
+rigorous application of the law; but when the lady who is married,
+while she subjects herself to the law in all its rigour, has it
+likewise in her power to demand the same subjection from the man whom
+she is to marry, and this condition is freely accepted, the injured
+person in avenging herself only makes use of her legal right."</p>
+
+<p>"Notwithstanding all your fine arguments," said Haroun, "I am still
+inclined to favour the unfortunate Halechalbe: it yet remains that I
+be informed of the name of the woman in whose cause you are so
+eloquent."</p>
+
+<p>"She is my daughter," answered the Vizier in great confusion.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_338" id="Page_338">[338]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"You have now," replied the Caliph, "let me into the secret. I see
+that the multiplicity of my affairs makes you neglect your own, and
+renders you perfectly ignorant of what passes in your own house.
+Marriages are contracted, and men's lives disposed of, without your
+knowing anything of the matter. Imagine the consequences which would
+result from allowing an arm directed by passion to execute a rigorous
+law. I know the rights which are assumed by women in cases of unequal
+marriages. If conveniency and prudence, those powerful directors of
+human conduct, sometimes oblige them to give their hand to one of an
+inferior station, then they may avail themselves of these rights to a
+certain extent: they are a sort of compensation for the sacrifice
+which they make. But this is not the case with your daughter, who has
+made no sacrifice but to her own taste, and the son of the chief of
+trade is in every respect become her equal. He loves and adores her,
+notwithstanding all the cruelty which she has exercised against him,
+and she would certainly be too happy in having him again for her
+husband. You well know that with one word I can make my meanest
+subject a Prince. I will raise Halechalbe's father to that dignity,
+from a principle of justice, and I will take care of the son, from
+regard to himself and to you. Find out the name of the Cadi who drew
+up the contract, and why he ventured to do so without your consent,
+since without that the deed would be void; take care that nothing be
+wanting in the form." After this discourse with his Vizier, the Caliph
+ordered Halechalbe to approach.</p>
+
+<p>"Young man," said he, "your wife shall be restored to you, and you
+shall have it in your power either to pardon or punish her. She is my
+Grand Vizier's daughter; but nothing ought to have any influence in
+preventing you from following the inclinations of your heart and the
+dictates of your mind."</p>
+
+<p>"O Commander of the Faithful!" exclaimed the young Halechalbe, "can I
+retain any resentment against the person who is dearer to me than
+life? I aspire after nothing but the happiness of seeing her again,
+and if I can once more gain her heart, and the consent of her father,
+I vow to an affection which will terminate only with my existence."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339">[339]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Giafar," replied the Caliph, "I recommend the interests of your
+daughter and son-in-law to your care. Henceforth consider him as a man
+connected with my service, and for whom I mean to provide."</p>
+
+<p>The Grand Vizier returned to his palace, holding Halechalbe by the
+hand, and followed by the old woman, who perceiving herself at
+liberty, soon made her escape to go and inform her mistress of the
+visit which she might expect to receive. The Vizier, whom she had
+outrun, at length arrived at his house. Zera&iuml;de arose to meet him, and
+to give the usual marks of her attachment and respect; but a signal
+with his hand, and a look of severity, forced her to desist.</p>
+
+<p>"Suppress these demonstrations of attachment," said Giafar: "there can
+be no love without confidence, and no respect without obedience. You
+first married without my consent, and then, in a fit of delirium,
+abusing the authority which I gave you over my servants, you went to
+the most criminal excess against your husband, and committed a crime
+which exposed us to the wrath of the Caliph. When you gave your hand
+to the son of the chief of trade at Bagdad&mdash;a man esteemed and
+respected by everybody, and valued even by the Caliph himself&mdash;did you
+think that you were entering into a connection with the meanest slave?
+And if the life even of these is to be spared, how could you imagine
+that you might dispose of your husband's according to your pleasure
+and caprice? I have brought him to you; he is your master, and in his
+turn has your life in his power. Fall at his feet, and be assured that
+you can never regain my esteem unless you obliterate from his mind, by
+submission and obedience, the undeserved and cruel treatment which he
+has received."</p>
+
+<p>While the Vizier was speaking, the trembling Zera&iuml;de would have fallen
+dead at his feet if she had not perceived in the eyes of Halechalbe
+something more than compassion for the confusion to which she was
+reduced. With pleasure did she throw herself at his feet, and kissed
+them with transport. The young husband, happy beyond expression,
+having raised Zera&iuml;de, embraced her, and for some moments their tears
+were mingled together. This affecting<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_340" id="Page_340">[340]</a></span> scene made an impression on
+Giafar, who was passionately fond of his daughter: the father and the
+minister were at once disarmed. But the Cadi must be called to correct
+the irregularity in the contract of marriage. He learned that his name
+was Yaleddin, and ordered him to be instantly sent for.</p>
+
+<p>Yaleddin arrived, and did not allow Giafar time to ask why he agreed
+to marry Zera&iuml;de in private, and without the concurrence of any one
+but the young lady.</p>
+
+<p>"Your daughter," said the judge, "sent for me, and discovered the
+excess of her passion. I thought it my duty to fulfil her wishes, that
+I might prevent, though by an irregular proceeding on my part, a
+conduct still more irregular in her. She proposed that I should be her
+guardian; and having undertaken this character, and not condemning her
+choice, I believed I was doing an important service to this fond
+couple, and I plainly foresaw that one day it would not meet your
+disapprobation."</p>
+
+<p>Giafar, instead of showing dissatisfaction, generously expressed his
+gratitude to the Cadi; but ordered the slave Zaliza to be delivered to
+him, that she might be punished, after a confession should be extorted
+from her of the odious stratagem which she had employed for separating
+her mistress and her husband.</p>
+
+<p>The happy pair were then left to themselves, after the Vizier had
+assured Halechalbe that he would be as dear to him as his own son.
+Magnificent feasts were afterwards given, that all possible splendour
+might accompany an union authorized and approved by the Caliph, and
+which diffused joy among all the inhabitants of Bagdad.</p>
+
+<p>Thus did Halechalbe pass almost unexpectedly from a madhouse to that
+honourable elevation to which he was raised by the Caliph Haroun, and
+from the most mournful of all situations to the highest degree of
+happiness.</p>
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;">
+<img src="images/image_340.jpg" width="200" height="51" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_341" id="Page_341">[341]</a><a name="The_Four_Talismans" id="The_Four_Talismans"></a></span></p>
+
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;">
+<img src="images/image_341.jpg" width="600" height="396" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+
+<h2>The Four Talismans.</h2>
+<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_a.jpg" width="71" height="75" alt="A" /></div>
+<p>bouali Nabul,<a name="FNanchor_7_7" id="FNanchor_7_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a> Emperor of the Moguls, reflecting upon his great
+age, felt convinced that he could not long enjoy the light of the sun;
+he therefore sent for his well-beloved and only son Nourgehan, and
+spoke to him thus:</p>
+
+<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_7_7" id="Footnote_7_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_7_7"><span class="label">[7]</span></a> Great father.</p></div>
+
+<p>"Nourgehan, I leave my throne to thee. You will soon fill my place:
+forget not to do justice equally to the poor as to the rich. Be
+satisfied with possessing a flourishing kingdom. Envy not the
+dominions of any other Prince: leave every one in possession of that
+which they have inherited from their fathers. In one word, always
+remember that clemency and justice are the noblest titles of a
+Sovereign."</p>
+
+<p>After having said these words, the Emperor descended from his throne,
+made his son ascend it, and retired into a delightful apartment (where
+he had passed his happiest days), where he remained till he died,
+which was shortly afterwards.</p>
+
+<p>Nourgehan, after having paid all the honours that nature and gratitude
+required for so good a father, was wholly occupied in <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_342" id="Page_342">[342]</a></span>fulfilling the
+last counsels that he had received from him. His heart was naturally
+good, and his judgment just; but if every man stands in need of
+experience to form his mind, much more is it necessary for those who
+are destined to fill a throne. Nourgehan, persuaded of this important
+truth, was far from the presumption too common to Princes. One day, as
+he conversed with his courtiers upon the subject of government, he
+applauded those Kings who had shown the greatest love of justice.
+Solomon was quoted as having been the most just.</p>
+
+<p>"This example is not a just one," replied Nourgehan. "Solomon was a
+prophet, and could easily prevent the evils which he foresaw; but a
+common mortal can only use his best endeavours to repair the faults of
+his weakness: therefore I command you all, not only to inform me of
+all my duties without flattery, but also to prevent or repair my
+faults by your counsels. When a King testifies a love for virtue, all
+his subjects become virtuous."</p>
+
+<p>As soon as Nourgehan had ceased speaking, Abourazier rose up and said,
+"Great Prince, if you wish to have justice truly exercised in your
+dominions, you must make choice of a disinterested Vizier, who has
+only your glory and the good of the State in view. The satisfaction of
+having done right must be the only recompense he desires."</p>
+
+<p>"You say well, Abourazier," returned Nourgehan; "but the difficulty is
+to find such a man."</p>
+
+<p>"You have, my lord," replied the courtier, "one of your subjects whose
+moderation and wisdom made him renounce all public employments under
+the reign of your illustrious father: your Majesty, perhaps, is
+ignorant of what happened to him in the city of Shiras."</p>
+
+<p>The King having commanded him to inform him of it, Abourazier pursued
+his discourse thus:</p>
+
+<p>"Imadil Deule,<a name="FNanchor_8_8" id="FNanchor_8_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a> in the last war which we sustained against Persia,
+led our victorious army as far as Shiras, which he took, and, by a
+sentiment of humanity, preserved from being plundered. <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_343" id="Page_343">[343]</a></span>His soldiers,
+however, demanded a recompense that might make them amends for the
+booty they expected to have obtained, and spoke to him so strongly,
+that he was obliged to promise one to them, though he knew not where
+he could procure it."</p>
+
+<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_8_8" id="Footnote_8_8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_8_8"><span class="label">[8]</span></a> The support and assistance of felicity.</p></div>
+
+<p>"One day as he was in his palace, thinking of this demand, he
+perceived a serpent creep out of a hole in the wall and return into it
+again. He called the officers of his harem, and said to them, 'Break
+open that hole, and take out the serpent that I saw enter it this
+moment.'</p>
+
+<p>"The courtiers obeyed him, and found a vault full of presses ranged
+along the walls, with chests piled upon each other. They were opened,
+and found to be filled with sequins, while the presses were heaped up
+with the most magnificent stuffs. Imadil Deule returned thanks to God
+for this discovery, and distributed the treasure to his soldiers. He
+afterwards commanded a tailor to be sent for to make habits of these
+stuffs, with which he designed to recompense the merits of those
+officers who had served under his command. The most experienced tailor
+of the city was presented to him, who had always wrought for the late
+Governor. Imadil Deule said to him, 'Not only thou shalt be well paid
+if these habits are carefully made, but I will procure thee a further
+recompense, and some bowls of cassonnade.'"<a name="FNanchor_9_9" id="FNanchor_9_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a></p>
+
+<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_9_9" id="Footnote_9_9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_9_9"><span class="label">[9]</span></a> A kind of sherbet mixed with honey.</p></div>
+
+<p>"The tailor, who was deaf of one ear, understood that he was to have
+the bastinado, and fell a-weeping. Imagining that it was intended to
+exact an account of the late Governor's clothes which he had in his
+possession, he declared he had only twelve chests full, and those who
+accused him of having more had not said the truth.</p>
+
+<p>"Imadil Deule could not forbear smiling at the effect which fear had
+produced in the poor tailor: he caused the habits to be brought, which
+were found to be magnificent and entirely new. The only use he made of
+them, as well as of the rich stuffs he found in the presses, was to
+clothe and adorn the officers of his army. I believe, therefore, that
+so disinterested a man deserves the confidence of your Majesty."</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_344" id="Page_344">[344]</a></span></p><p>Abourazier having ceased speaking, Nourgehan said to him, "Imadil
+Deule shall not be my Vizier. I believe him an honest man, but he
+wants prudence, and I do not think him capable of supporting my
+authority. He had the seals of the empire, and yet knew not how to
+order everything necessary for his expedition; in a word, his treasure
+failed him, and his soldiers presumed to give him laws. Without the
+accident of the serpent, of which any other man would have made the
+same use, what would have become of him? The story of the tailor is of
+no consequence."</p>
+
+<p>Nourgehan was continually occupied with the love of justice and the
+desire of reigning well. He left his palace at all hours to inform
+himself of the truth by his own knowledge. There was an old potter of
+earthen vessels who dwelt near his palace. Nourgehan, moved by seeing
+him every day pray to God with the most ardent and zealous fervour,
+stopped one day before the little hut in which he dwelt, and said to
+him, "Ask of me whatever thou desirest, and I promise to grant it
+thee."</p>
+
+<p>"Command all your officers," said the potter, "to take each of them
+one of my pots, and pay for it that which I ask. I will not abuse this
+permission."</p>
+
+<p>Nourgehan granted him his request, and gave orders to his guard to
+watch over the sale of the pots, and, above all, to do whatever the
+potter ordered him. He made a very modest use of the favour that he
+had obtained, and, satisfied with the sale of his work, he exacted no
+more than the value of it, thinking himself happy in being able to
+live by his industry, and wishing that he might give a proof of his
+gratitude to his Sovereign. The Vizier of Nourgehan was avaricious;
+but for fear of displeasing his master, he concealed that vice with
+the utmost care. He went one morning to the Emperor's audience, when
+the potter demanded a sequin for a pot which he presented to him. The
+Vizier refused it, and said it was a jest to ask such a sum for a
+thing that the least coin would sufficiently pay for.</p>
+
+<p>The potter, seeing that he added menaces to his refusal, answered him,
+"that since he took it in that strain, he demanded a thousand sequins
+for his pot," and added, "that he should not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_345" id="Page_345">[345]</a></span> enter into the Emperor's
+presence until he had hung the pot round his neck, and carried him
+upon his back to have an audience of the Emperor, that he might make
+his complaints of the refusal and menaces he had given him."</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier made many difficulties and great entreaties to avoid these
+vexatious and mortifying conditions; but the hour approaching which
+the Emperor had appointed for an audience, and the guards refusing to
+let him enter till he had satisfied the desires of the potter, he was
+obliged to submit to them; to promise the thousand sequins, to hang
+the pot about his neck, and to carry the potter on his back, a
+condition from which he would not recede. The Emperor, surprised at
+seeing his Vizier arrive in a manner so ridiculous and so unsuitable
+to his dignity, commanded him to explain what it all meant. When he
+was told, he obliged the Vizier to pay the thousand sequins
+immediately; and comprehending of how great an injury it might be to a
+Prince to have an avaricious minister, he deposed him, and was pleased
+with the potter for having made known to him a fact that he never
+would have suspected otherwise.</p>
+
+<p>Nourgehan formed a counsel of the most worthy men of the empire,
+ordained wise and prudent laws, and departed to visit his provinces,
+with a resolution of releasing his people from any possible abuse of
+an authority which is always dangerous, when those who exercise it are
+at too great a distance from the Sovereign. This Prince, endowed with
+every virtue, had no other wish than that of deserving after his death
+the noble epitaph of that Persian monarch who has graved upon his
+tomb, "Weep! for Shah Chuja is dead!"</p>
+
+<p>Nourgehan, visiting all the provinces of his kingdom, had already gone
+through the greatest part of them, and remedied numberless disorders,
+when his curiosity engaged him in a journey into Tartary, his
+neighbouring kingdom. Finding himself so near their country, he had a
+desire also to see and know the manners of these Tartars, who were
+more civilized than others, for they had cities and fixed habitations:
+their women also are not shut up like those of the other Asiatics. The
+Tartars came to meet the Emperor of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_346" id="Page_346">[346]</a></span> the Moguls. Some of them
+performed courses on their swiftest horses to do him honour, others,
+accompanied with their women, formed a kind of dance which, though a
+little savage, was not destitute of grace. In the number of the Tartar
+women who presented themselves before him, Nourgehan was struck with
+the beauty of a young person of eighteen, named Damake.<a name="FNanchor_10_10" id="FNanchor_10_10"></a><a href="#Footnote_10_10" class="fnanchor">[10]</a> She
+possessed great beauty; an inexpressible sense and modesty was visible
+in her countenance. Nourgehan did homage to so many charms, and caused
+a place in his harem to be proposed to her, but she refused it. Love
+but too often causes the greatest change in the worthiest characters.
+The Prince, so wise, and till then so moderate, led away by his
+passion, joined menaces to his entreaties; he even went so far as to
+threaten that he would bring a formidable army thither to obtain a
+beauty whose refusals did not permit him to hope to win her otherwise.
+He made this rash speech to Damake alone; for if the Tartars, who are
+a people most jealous of their liberty, had had the least knowledge of
+it, war would have been that moment declared. But Damake answered him
+with the utmost sweetness, without showing the least fear, and without
+losing that respect which she owed to a Sovereign; and it was with the
+gentle and yet resolved tone that courage and truth always inspire,
+that she related this little history to him:</p>
+
+<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_10_10" id="Footnote_10_10"></a><a href="#FNanchor_10_10"><span class="label">[10]</span></a> Joy of the heart.</p></div>
+
+<p>"One of the great Lamas," said she, "of whose supreme authority in
+this country you are not ignorant, fell in love, in this very place,
+with a maiden of my tribe. She not only refused all that he offered to
+her, but she would not accept the proposal he made to marry her. The
+love she felt for a musician was the sole cause of her refusal, which
+she confessed to the Lama, with a hope of appearing unworthy of his
+attachment. But that Prince&mdash;for they are looked upon as
+such&mdash;distracted with anger and sorrow, caused his unworthy rival to
+be put to death, and under the pretext of her being agreeable to the
+Grand Lama, it was not difficult to have her carried off. For you are
+sensible, my lord, that in this country every one trembles at the very
+name of him, whom we look upon <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_347" id="Page_347">[347]</a></span>as a god. But the Lama enjoyed not
+much satisfaction from his cruelty and injustice; for after she had
+promised to marry him, in order to obtain a greater liberty, she
+precipitated herself from the top of a rock, which can be perceived
+from hence, and which is always shown in the country as a proof of the
+constancy and resolution of which the Tartar virgins are capable. It
+is not," continued Damake, "love for another that makes me refuse the
+offers of your Majesty. My heart to this hour is free; but, my lord,
+learn to know it thoroughly. It is noble, and perhaps worthy of the
+favour you condescend to honour me with. My weak charms have seduced
+you; but a woman who has no other merit than beauty, in my opinion, is
+of little value."</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps," returned Nourgehan, "the difference of our religions is an
+obstacle to my happiness?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, my lord, I am a Mussulman," resumed Damake. "Can you imagine I
+could submit to the ideas that are given us of the Grand Lama? Can we
+believe that a man is immortal? The artifice that is made use of to
+persuade us of it is too gross. In one word, my eyes are too much
+enlightened for me to hesitate between the ideas inculcated by these
+priests, and those by which the divinity of God is preached by his
+most sacred Prophet. No, my lord," continued she, "I am sensible of
+the risk I shall run by your goodness to me. Time causes the
+nightingale to perish and the rose to fade. The moon shines during the
+night; but its lustre fades when the day approaches. Can I expect,
+therefore, that time should spare me? Yet, notwithstanding these
+reflections, I confess, my lord, I should be flattered with the
+thought of pleasing a man whose virtues I esteem above his greatness.
+But I should wish to please him by other qualities: I should wish to
+have rendered myself worthy of him by services so considerable, that
+even a marriage thus unsuitable, far from exposing him to reproaches,
+should only serve to make his choice more applauded."</p>
+
+<p>Nourgehan, charmed at finding such uncommon sense and such delicate
+sentiments in an object whose figure alone would have rendered her
+amiable, admired her virtue, gave her his royal promise never to
+constrain her inclinations, and resolved never to depart<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_348" id="Page_348">[348]</a></span> from her. He
+sent a numerous train of slaves and camels to the beauteous Damake,
+who followed him with all her family. She would never have consented
+to this step if she had been obliged to abandon her family, to whom
+she was fondly attached. The King saw her every day, and could not
+exist a moment without wishing to see her, or without admiring her
+when he did see her. In the meantime the discourses of the Court and
+of the populace reached the ears of Damake. She knew the evil opinion
+they had of her. To repair this wrong she conjured Nourgehan to
+assemble all the learned men of his kingdom, that she might answer
+their questions, and afterwards propose some to them. Nourgehan, who
+dreaded lest a person so young as Damake should expose herself too
+hastily, and return with confusion from such a dispute, used his
+utmost efforts to dissuade her from her request; for the fear and
+concern that is felt for those whom we love is most certainly far
+stronger than that which interests us for ourselves. His remonstrances
+were in vain.</p>
+
+<p>Learned men were assembled to the number of twelve; and in the
+audience that was given them, the King was placed upon an elevated
+throne, in his habits of ceremony. Damake was seated lower, opposite
+to him, leaning upon a sofa, dressed with the greatest plainness, but
+shining with every charm of youth and every gift of nature, surrounded
+by the twelve sages, venerable by their extreme age and their flowing
+beards, leaning upon a large table, round which they and she were
+seated. The sages, who knew not with what design Nourgehan had
+assembled them, were extremely astonished when he made known to them
+the project of Damake. They looked upon the adversary who was
+presented to them, and kept silence, not doubting that the King did it
+with the design of showing them contempt. Nourgehan said to them,</p>
+
+<p>"I perceive your thoughts, but I have given my royal promise, and it
+is your duty to acquit me of it. Propose boldly the hardest questions
+to this lady, who has engaged to resolve all the difficulties that
+your great learning gives you the opportunity of proposing to her."</p>
+
+<p>The first sage demanded, "What is that which takes the colour<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_349" id="Page_349">[349]</a></span> of
+those who look upon it, which men cannot do without, and which of
+itself has neither form nor colour?"</p>
+
+<p>"It is the water," replied Damake.</p>
+
+<p>The second said to her, "Can you, O miracle of sense and beauty, tell
+me what is the thing which has neither door nor foundation, and which
+is within filled with yellow and white?"</p>
+
+<p>"It is an egg," said the beauteous maiden.</p>
+
+<p>The third sage, after having considered a little, in hopes of
+surpassing his brethren (for the learned men in the Mogul have a share
+of self-love), said to her, "There is in a certain garden a tree; this
+tree bears twelve branches, upon each branch there are thirty leaves,
+and upon each leaf there are five fruits, of which three are in the
+shade and two in the sun. What is this tree? and where is it to be
+found?"</p>
+
+<p>"This tree," returned Damake, "represents the year: the twelve
+branches are the months, the thirty leaves the days, the five fruits
+the five prayers, of which two are made by day and three by night."</p>
+
+<p>The sage was amazed, and the courtiers, whose minds vary like the air,
+and whose sentiments are changed by that which is less than nothing,
+began to be inwardly persuaded of the value of that which they had at
+first only pretended to admire.</p>
+
+<p>The other sages, who had not yet spoken, would have excused
+themselves, and had their silence passed over in favour of the
+applauses they gave to the uncommon sense of her who had confounded
+those who preceded them. But Nourgehan, at the entreaty of Damake,
+having commanded them to continue the conference, one of them
+demanded, "What is heavier than a mountain?" the other, "What is more
+cutting than a sabre?" and the third, "What is swifter than an arrow?"
+Damake answered that the first "was the tongue of a man that complains
+of oppression;" the second, "Calumny," and the third, "A glance."</p>
+
+<p>There were four sages remaining who had not yet proposed their
+difficulties. Nourgehan trembled, lest at length the mind of Damake
+should be exhausted, and she should lose the honour of so great a
+number of judicious answers. Yet this beautiful maiden appeared
+neither fatigued nor exalted with that which would have raised the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_350" id="Page_350">[350]</a></span>
+vanity of the greatest part of mankind. But the very property of love
+being to submit to the will of that which it loves, Nourgehan, whom
+the preceding examples had not yet reassured, full of alarms and
+inquietudes, commanded them to speak by a sign of his head, which they
+durst not refuse. The first demanded of her, "What that animal was
+which avoided everybody, was composed of seven different animals, and
+inhabited desolate places." The second desired to know who that was
+whose habit was armed with darts, who wore a black vest, a yellow
+shirt, whose mother lived above a hundred years, and who was liked by
+the whole world. The third desired her to name that which had but one
+foot, which had a hole in its head, a leathern girdle, and which
+raised up its head when its hairs were torn off and its face was spit
+upon.</p>
+
+<p>Damake answered to the first that it was a grasshopper, which is
+composed of seven animals; for it has the head of a horse, the neck of
+an ox, the wings of an eagle, the feet of a camel, the tail of a
+serpent, the horns of a stag, and the body of a scorpion.</p>
+
+<p>The lady found it more difficult to answer the question of the second:
+for a moment the whole assembly thought her vanquished. This idea,
+which she perceived in the eyes of all who looked upon her, made her
+blush. She appeared only still more beautiful from her modesty; and
+Nourgehan was charmed when he saw the sage who had proposed the
+question agree that she had answered with her usual justness, when she
+said that it was a Chestnut. She answered the third without
+hesitation, that it was a Distaff.</p>
+
+<p>So much knowledge, so much presence of mind, joined to such uncommon
+personal charms, threw all minds into so pleasing a confusion that,
+notwithstanding the awe that the presence of Nourgehan inspired, they
+all loudly expressed the joy, admiration, and pleasure they felt at
+being witnesses of so uncommon a scene. Damake then made a sign that
+she wished now to speak. Silence was commanded, and she desired the
+sages to inform her what was sweeter than honey.</p>
+
+<p>Some of them answered that it was the satisfaction of having our
+wishes fulfilled, some that of gratitude, and others it was the
+pleasure of conferring obligations.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_351" id="Page_351">[351]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>When Damake had let them speak, she applauded all their reasonable and
+just thoughts, but finished her discourse by asking them with
+gentleness if she was mistaken when she imagined the sweetest thing
+upon earth to be the love of a mother for her child.</p>
+
+<p>An answer so suitable to her sex, who ought always to be attached to
+their maternal duty, and proposed with so much modesty, entirely
+finished the conquest of their hearts. But Damake, who had no other
+design upon this occasion than to conciliate their esteem and
+authorize the favours with which Nourgehan honoured her, was resolved
+to finish a scene which she did not design to repeat, resolving for
+the future to be occupied with schemes and ideas of a higher kind.
+Damake then caused instruments to be brought, and sang and played in
+all the different modes of music, finishing by singing the famous
+strain of Zeaghioule.</p>
+
+<p>Nourgehan, in those transports of joy which are given by the repeated
+successes of those one loves, dismissed the assembly, but not without
+making some large presents to the sages; and when they had all
+retired, he threw himself at the knees of Damake, saying, "Thou art
+the life of my soul: haste thee to make me happy!"</p>
+
+<p>The beauty answered that she was not yet worthy of him.</p>
+
+<p>"What can you require further?" cried the passionate Prince. "You have
+charmed my whole Court; you have confounded the learning of the men
+most celebrated for their wisdom; the justness of your answers, the
+moderation of your questions, and the modesty with which you bore the
+advantage of so great a triumph, have dazzled them. Not satisfied with
+having proved your sense, what talents did not you show when you
+touched the musical instruments! What taste did you not express in
+your song! Whoever, like Damake, joined such merit to so much beauty?
+But I perceive you love me not," added this passionate Prince, with
+the utmost tenderness, "since you refuse to attach your destiny to
+mine. Doubtless you have an aversion for my person."</p>
+
+<p>"I am very far from deserving this reproach, my lord," said Damake;
+"you yourself shall be the judge. The greatest pleasure<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_352" id="Page_352">[352]</a></span> and the
+highest satisfaction I have felt on this day, which your prejudice in
+my favour has made you think so glorious, was the being able to
+express before the whole Court, in a proper manner, the sentiments
+with which you have filled my heart."</p>
+
+<p>"What can you wait for further to render me the happiest man upon
+earth?" cried Nourgehan with eagerness. "You love me, and I adore you.
+What wants there more? My wishes for you are become an ocean unbounded
+by any shore."</p>
+
+<p>"I resolve to deserve you, my lord," replied she, "by talents of more
+value than those of music; by a justness of sense more valuable than
+that which your sages set such a price upon, and which is only a mere
+subtlety of mind. I wish to establish myself in your heart upon
+foundations more solid than beauty, or those superficial talents that
+you have had the goodness to applaud. In short, I wish that love may
+in you only be a passage to that esteem and friendship which I aspire
+to deserve. Submit your impatience to grant me this favour&mdash;it perhaps
+gives me more pain to ask it than your Majesty to grant: let me live
+some time under the shadow of your felicity."</p>
+
+<p>"I am capable of nothing now," replied Nourgehan, "but of loving and
+adoring you; but at least permit me to give a full proof of the
+justice I do your merit. Assist in the divan, preside in all affairs,
+and give me your counsels: I can follow none that are more prudent or
+better judged."</p>
+
+<p>"The diamond boasted," replied Damake, smiling, "that there was no
+stone which equalled it in strength and hardness. Allah, who loves not
+pride, changed its nature in favour of lead, the vilest of metals, to
+which He gave the power to cut it. Independently of the pride I must
+render myself guilty of if I accepted your offers,&mdash;Allah forbid that
+I should do that wrong to my Sovereign Lord!&mdash;to authorize by my
+behaviour the reproaches that would be thrown upon him. There would be
+a foundation to say that he was governed by a woman. I allow," added
+she, "that your Majesty ought to have a Vizier: you cannot see to
+everything with your own eyes, and I believe I am able to show you one
+worthy of Nourgehan."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_353" id="Page_353">[353]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Name him to me," replied he, "and I will give him the charge this
+moment."</p>
+
+<p>"Your Majesty," replied the beauteous Damake, "must know him before
+you accept him. I hope you will find in him whom I propose those
+virtues and talents necessary in a man dignified with so great an
+employment. He lives in the city of Balk, and is named Diafer. The
+post of Vizier to one of the most powerful Kings of the Indies has
+been in his family above a thousand years. Judge then, my lord, what a
+collection of admirable precepts he must have upon all parts of
+government, and yet a Prince, blinded by the pernicious counsels of
+his favourites, has deposed him, and he passes his days at Balk&mdash;days
+which might be happy if he had not lived in the habit of labour and a
+hurry of great affairs, which seldom leave the mind at liberty to be
+satisfied with anything less tumultuous."</p>
+
+<p>Nourgehan immediately replied, "Diafer is my Vizier: Damake can never
+be mistaken."</p>
+
+<p>Upon the spot he wrote to the Governor of Balk, and sent him a note
+for a hundred thousand sequins, to be delivered to Diafer, to defray
+the expenses of his journey; and he charged the same courier with a
+letter for Diafer, in which he conjured him to accept the post that he
+had destined him for.</p>
+
+<p>Diafer began his journey. He was received with magnificence in every
+city, and the Emperor sent all the noblemen of his Court to meet him,
+and conduct him to the palace which he had destined for him in the
+kingdom of Visiapour, where he then resided. He was treated there with
+incredible magnificence during three days, after which he was
+conducted to an audience of the Prince. He appeared at the height of
+joy for possessing a man whom Damake esteemed so highly; but that joy
+was of no long duration, for the Prince, who was so gracious and so
+prejudiced in his favour, flew into the most dreadful anger the moment
+Diafer appeared in his presence.</p>
+
+<p>"Go," said he to him, "depart this moment, and never see me again!"</p>
+
+<p>Diafer obeyed, and retired in all the confusion, the sorrow, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_354" id="Page_354">[354]</a></span> the
+surprise that such a reception must needs give him. He returned to his
+apartment without being able to imagine the cause of the King's sudden
+anger, who, in the meantime, held a council, and examined the affairs
+of his kingdom, without taking any notice of what had passed with him
+whom he had destined to be his Vizier.</p>
+
+<p>He afterwards repaired to the apartment of Damake, who, already
+informed of an event which employed the thoughts of the whole Court,
+doubted not that there was an alteration in the mind of him to whom
+she was so perfectly attached. The sorrow which this reflection had
+given her had plunged her into a state so languishing as scarce left
+her the use of speech. Yet making an effort to conquer herself, she
+said to him, after some moments' silence,</p>
+
+<p>"How is it possible, my lord, that after all the expenses you have
+been at, and all the cares you took for the arrival of Diafer at your
+Court&mdash;after all the honours you have ordered to be paid him, and
+those that you have loaded him with, you should receive him so ill?"</p>
+
+<p>"Ah! Damake," cried Nourgehan, "I should have had no regard to all
+that I have done for him, to his illustrious family, nor to the
+fatigues that he has suffered in coming so far, if any one but you had
+recommended him to me. I would have had his head struck off the moment
+he presented himself before me, and it was wholly in regard to you
+that I satisfied myself with banishing him from my presence for ever."</p>
+
+<p>"But how did he incur your indignation?" pursued Damake.</p>
+
+<p>"Know, then," resumed Nourgehan, "that when he came up to me he had
+the most subtle of poisons about him."</p>
+
+<p>"May I ask you, my lord," returned Damake, "what certainty you have of
+such a fact, and if you may not doubt of the fidelity of him who made
+you the report?"</p>
+
+<p>Nourgehan replied, "I knew it myself. I permit you to inquire into it,
+and you will find whether I was mistaken or not."</p>
+
+<p>When Nourgehan had left Damake more reassured as to the heart of the
+Emperor, though alarmed at the impressions he was capable of taking so
+lightly, she sent for Diafer, who appeared sunk in the most violent
+chagrin. She conversed with him for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_355" id="Page_355">[355]</a></span> some time, and perceiving how
+deeply the ill-treatment he had received from the King had plunged the
+poniard of sorrow into his heart, she said to him that he ought not to
+afflict himself so much, that the wrath of Nourgehan would be of no
+long duration, and that he would soon repair the affront that he had
+publicly given him. She added that Princes had their hasty moments,
+that ought to be passed by and excused. When she had a little calmed
+his chagrin, she finished her discourse by saying to him,</p>
+
+<p>"If I have deserved your confidence, if you believe that I shall
+endeavour to repair the affront you have suffered&mdash;since I, by doing
+justice to your talents, was the innocent cause of that which has
+happened to you&mdash;if I deserve any return from you, vouchsafe to inform
+me why you had poison about you when you were presented to Nourgehan?"</p>
+
+<p>Diafer, surprised at this question, after having reflected some
+moments, replied, "True, I had poison with me; but my heart, though I
+bore it about me, was as pure as the dew of the morning. I even have
+it now that I speak to you." Saying this, he drew a ring from his
+finger and presented it to her. "The setting of this ring," said he,
+"encloses a most subtle poison. It is a treasure that has been
+preserved in our family from father to son these thousand years. My
+ancestors have always worn it, to preserve themselves from the anger
+of those Princes they served, in case they should have had the
+misfortune to displease them in the exercise of their post of Vizier.
+You may believe," continued he, "that when the King sent for me, who
+was wholly unknown to him, to exercise that charge, and conscious of
+the many enemies a stranger generally meets with, I would not forget
+to bring this treasure. The sorrow that the cruel behaviour of
+Nourgehan has given me, and the shame that he has covered me with,
+render it still more precious to me: it will not be long before I make
+use of it."</p>
+
+<p>Damake obtained from him that he should delay, at least for some days,
+this fatal design, and conjured him to wait in his palace till he
+heard from her.</p>
+
+<p>She immediately repaired to give an account to Nourgehan of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_356" id="Page_356">[356]</a></span> what she
+had learned. That Prince, perceiving by her relation that Diafer had
+no ill design, and that the cruelty of Princes in general authorized
+but too justly such a precaution, repented that he had received him so
+unworthily, and promised Damake the next day to make amends for the
+pain he had given him. She approved this design; but before she
+quitted him she conjured him to satisfy her curiosity by informing her
+how he could perceive the poison which Diafer had with him. Nourgehan
+replied,</p>
+
+<p>"Never will I have anything concealed from the sovereign of my heart.
+I always wear a bracelet, which my father left me, and which has long
+been in our family, though I am ignorant of the name of the sage who
+composed it, or how it fell into the hands of my ancestors. It is of a
+substance that nearly resembles coral, and it has the property of
+discovering poison, even at a very great distance. It is moved and
+agitated whenever poison approaches; and when Diafer came near me, the
+bracelet was very nigh breaking, the poison which he bore had so much
+strength and violence. Had he not been recommended by you, his head
+should have been struck off that moment. I was the more certain that
+Diafer bore that dangerous poison, as my bracelet remained immovable
+immediately after his leaving the hall where I gave audience."</p>
+
+<p>Nourgehan loosed it from his arm, and gave it to Damake. She examined
+it with great attention, and said to him, "This talisman, my lord, is
+doubtless very wonderful; yet this adventure ought to prove to you how
+much those who have the sovereign power are obliged to be upon their
+guard against appearances, and of what consequence it is for them not
+to give judgment rashly."</p>
+
+<p>Damake retired, and Nourgehan commanded the greatest pomp and the most
+splendid train to conduct Diafer the next day to an audience. This
+order was executed. Nourgehan received him with the utmost affability,
+and testified the greatest regret for what had passed. Then there was
+presented to him, by the Sultan's command, a standish of gold, a pen
+and paper. Immediately he wrote in the most beautiful characters
+sublime sentences upon the manner in which a Vizier ought to fulfil
+the duties of his important post. Nourgehan admired his talents, made
+him clothe himself in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_357" id="Page_357">[357]</a></span> robe of a Vizier, and, to crown his
+goodness, confided to him the secret of his bracelet. Diafer
+strenuously advised that Prince never to part with it; and in his
+admiration, and the pleasure he felt at possessing so great a
+treasure, he asked his new Vizier if he believed that through the
+whole world there could be found anything so curious.</p>
+
+<p>"Great Prince," replied Diafer to him, "I have seen in the city of
+Dioul another miracle of nature, less useful, indeed, but which for
+the strength of art and learning with which a sage has composed it,
+may be compared to this."</p>
+
+<p>"What is it?" returned Nourgehan. "I should be glad to be informed of
+it."</p>
+
+<p>Then Diafer spoke thus:</p>
+
+<p>"When I had received your Majesty's command to repair to your
+presence, I departed at once, but was obliged to make some stay at
+Dioul, through which I passed in my way to Visiapour, where I knew I
+might join your Majesty. Notwithstanding my impatience, I was obliged
+to collect several things which were necessary for my journey, and
+made use of that time to view the beauties of the city. The Governor,
+whose riches and opulence astonished me, came to meet me on the day of
+my arrival, and conducted me to his palace. He loaded me with honours,
+and, during my residence there, showed me the utmost respect and
+favour; yet it was accompanied with a constraint that rendered his
+fidelity suspected by me. Among the amusements that he procured for
+me, was a party upon the river: I consented to join it, and we
+embarked the next day in a small frigate which he had provided. The
+weather was fair, and the conversation most agreeable. The Governor of
+Dioul was seated on the upper deck, and I was placed close to him. A
+young boy, beautiful as the sun, lay at his feet; the most exquisite
+wines were served upon a table which stood before us: their coldness,
+and that of the ice with which all the fruits were surrounded,
+contributed to the most seducing voluptuousness. The slaves sang and
+played upon different instruments. Our pleasure was thus accompanied
+with everything that could render it delicious; and as I was thinking
+upon something<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_358" id="Page_358">[358]</a></span> to say that might be agreeable to the Governor, I
+perceived upon his finger so magnificent a ruby, that I could not
+forbear giving it the praises it deserved. The Governor immediately
+drew it off, and presented it to me. I examined it with attention, and
+returned it to him again, but had great trouble to make him take it.
+Seeing that I absolutely refused to keep it, he was so concerned that
+he threw it into the river. I repented then that I had not accepted so
+perfect a work of nature, and testified my sorrow to the Governor, who
+answered, that it was my own fault.</p>
+
+<p>"'Yet,' continued he, 'if you will promise me to accept it, it will
+not be difficult for me to find the ring again, which is really
+deserving of your acceptance.'</p>
+
+<p>"I imagined that, having another not unlike it, he designed to offer
+me that; but, without saying any more to me, he immediately commanded
+they should steer the vessel to the land. When he was arrived there,
+he sent his slave to his treasurer to demand a small casket which he
+described to him, and cast anchor to wait the return of the slave, who
+was expeditious in executing the orders he had received. The Governor,
+having then taken out of his pocket a small gold key, opened the
+casket, out of which he took a small fish of the same metal and of
+admirable workmanship, and threw it into the river. Immediately it
+plunged to the bottom, and soon after appeared upon the surface of the
+water holding the ring in its mouth. The rowers who were in the boat
+took it in their hands and brought it to the Governor, to whom it
+delivered the ring with a motion of its head: no other person could
+have forced it from its teeth. The Governor again presenting the ring
+to me, I could not refuse it, especially as he redoubled his
+entreaties. The fish was replaced in the little casket and sent back
+to the treasury."</p>
+
+<p>Diafer, after having related this history, drew the ring from his
+finger and presented it to Nourgehan, who, finding it to be extremely
+magnificent, said to him,</p>
+
+<p>"Never part from this ring, which is still more precious from the
+virtue of the talisman which rendered you the possessor of it. But,"
+continued he, "you ought to have informed yourself at what<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_359" id="Page_359">[359]</a></span> time, how,
+and by whom that wonderful masterpiece of art was composed."</p>
+
+<p>"I used my utmost efforts to be informed," replied Diafer, "but they
+were in vain. Struck with so singular an event, I thought no more of
+the pleasures of the day. The Governor, perceiving that I fell into a
+deep reverie, said to me, 'Life is short: make use of every moment and
+enjoy every pleasure. The soul is a bird imprisoned in the cage of the
+body, which it must soon quit: rejoice while it is in your power, you
+know not who shall exist to-morrow.' I confessed to him that curiosity
+had penetrated my heart. He replied, 'I am in despair that I cannot
+satisfy you,' and pronounced these words with a tone that expressed
+his design of not giving a more particular answer. 'Let us think only
+of amusing ourselves agreeably,' continued he. I followed his counsels
+as much as it was in my power, and departed from Dioul without being
+able to obtain any information upon the subject, but fully persuaded
+that this talisman was the source of all the treasures which he
+possesses."</p>
+
+<p>Nourgehan terminated the audience of Diafer by assuring him of his
+favour if he used his utmost care in the administration of justice. He
+afterwards gave an account to Damake of the conversation he had held
+with his Vizier, and told her the history of the fish.</p>
+
+<p>"I have a love for these talismans," said that Prince, "and this
+little fish rouses my curiosity. I wish at least I knew the maker of
+it."</p>
+
+<p>Damake promised him to use her utmost efforts to inform him. In
+effect, the next day, she told him, that of all the talismans which
+the great Seidel-Beckir had made, there existed only four&mdash;his
+bracelet, the little fish of which Diafer had spoken to him, and which
+she presented to him from the Governor of Dioul, adding, that he had
+just sent it as a present to his Majesty in order to obtain a life
+which he had deserved to lose, his faithful subjects having taken him
+in arms against the Sultan. The third, a poniard, very meanly adorned,
+which she begged him to accept.</p>
+
+<p>"The others," continued she, "are either worn out (for you know,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_360" id="Page_360">[360]</a></span> my
+lord they only last for a certain time), or have been destroyed by
+different accidents."</p>
+
+<p>"Why did the Governor of Dioul," resumed Nourgehan, "conceal from
+Diafer that Seidel-Beckir was the maker of that which he possessed?"</p>
+
+<p>"He was ignorant of it, my lord," interrupted Damake; "and perhaps,
+ashamed of not knowing it, he feigned it to be a secret. It is the
+habit of men to cover their ignorance by an affectation of mystery."</p>
+
+<p>"But what is the virtue of this talisman that you offer me?" said
+Nourgehan, as he accepted the poniard.</p>
+
+<p>"I will inform you of it, my lord," said Damake, "at the same time
+that I give you an account of what I have been able to learn
+concerning the fish. It may be about three thousand years since there
+appeared, in the part of Asia which we inhabit, a man named Houna, who
+was so great that he was surnamed Seidel-Beckir. He was a sage who
+possessed in perfection all those talents which acquire a general
+veneration. The science of talismans he possessed in so eminent a
+degree, that by their means he commanded the stars and the
+constellations. Unhappily, his writings are lost, and therefore no
+talismans like his can now be made. Antinmour, King of Hindostan,
+having found means to form a friendship with him, Seidel-Beckir, in
+return for his kindness and some small services that he had done him,
+made him a present of that little fish of which your Vizier gave you
+an account. It always remained in the treasury of Antinmour as long as
+his family existed. One of the ancestors of the Governor of Dioul
+finding himself the Vizier of the last of that race, when the family
+was extinct by those revolutions which the history of the Indies
+relates at length, and which are universally known, seized upon this
+curiosity, and his successors have kept it with the utmost care till
+this time. Not only does this talisman bring back whatever is fallen
+into a river, or the sea, to the person to whom it belongs, but if you
+indicate to it anything to be brought out of that element, it goes in
+search of it with the greatest readiness, and brings it wherever it is
+commanded."</p>
+
+<p>"I am fully satisfied," replied Nourgehan, "as to the two talismans,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_361" id="Page_361">[361]</a></span>
+and never Prince was possessor of such treasures. I may now truly
+style myself the sovereign of the sea. What do I owe to thee, the
+ruler of my soul! But of what use is this one which the beauteous
+Damake has presented to me?"</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," replied she, "when I tell you for what reason it was
+composed, you will know its virtue."</p>
+
+<p>"We read in the revolutions of Hindostan, that Antinmour would have
+unjustly exacted a tribute from Keiramour, who was too weak to resist
+the forces of his enemy; and not knowing to whom to have recourse, he
+resolved to address himself to the sage Seidel-Beckir, and sent his
+Vizier to him with magnificent presents. The sage refused them; but he
+was so touched by the situation to which the King, his friend, had
+been reduced, that he declared Antinmour should not succeed in his
+designs. Immediately he composed this very poniard, which I have now
+presented to my Sovereign, and gave it to the Vizier. 'Tell your
+master from me,' said he, 'to choose out twenty of the bravest
+soldiers of his kingdom, and deliver the poniard into the hands of him
+who commands them; for this poniard has the virtue (when it is drawn)
+to render invisible not only the person who bears it, but all those
+whom he designs should participate in the virtue of the talisman. His
+will alone decides the effect of it. Keiramour shall send these twenty
+persons to Antinmour with a letter, in which he shall refuse to pay
+the tribute that is demanded of him. Antinmour, in the excess of his
+anger, will order the ambassadors to be seized. Then the law of
+nations being violated, he who bears the poniard shall render himself
+invisible by drawing it with one hand, and his sabre with the other;
+and his troop following his example, and doing the same, he shall
+obey, without hesitation, the dictates of his courage.'</p>
+
+<p>"The Vizier returned to Keiramour, and all that Seidel-Beckir had
+commanded was executed. The son of the King was charged with the
+command and execution of this great enterprise. Antinmour was enraged
+on reading the letter that was presented to him.</p>
+
+<p>"'Let this insolent ambassador be seized,' cried he, 'this moment.'<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_362" id="Page_362">[362]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Then the Prince, hastily drawing out his poniard and sabre, struck
+off the head of Antinmour. His train did the same to all those who
+composed the divan; and running directly into the city, an infinity of
+heads were flying off without knowing who caused this disorder. After
+this great execution, the ambassador and his train made themselves
+visible, and declared to the people in the public square that there
+was no other method of avoiding certain death but to submit to the
+government of Keiramour, which they did without reluctance. This
+poniard," continued Damake, "has been long kept in the treasury of the
+Princes of that country. By little and little, however, its value was
+forgotten, and the remembrance of its uncommon property totally lost;
+and when your Majesty desired an explanation of the talismans, I found
+that this was at Balsora in the possession of a poor Jew, a broker,
+who sells upon the bridge of that city all the old iron and useless
+weapons that are cast away. It was not difficult to procure the
+possession of it, therefore it was no merit in me to give my Sovereign
+Lord a talisman which would be absolutely useless to me, whilst the
+destiny of monarchs may unfortunately render such precautions
+necessary to them."</p>
+
+<p>Nourgehan made a thousand exclamations upon the boundless ocean of her
+liberality, and said to her,</p>
+
+<p>"Sovereign of my heart, reflect upon what you have said to me:
+consider that if these talismans, valuable in themselves, but mean in
+comparison with you, have excited my wish to possess them, how much
+greater must my desire be to wed the giver! All the sages,
+Seidel-Beckir himself, never composed a talisman so wonderful as you
+are. Yesterday you knew not a single word of the history of the
+talisman, to-day you are perfectly instructed in it. This poniard was
+not four and twenty hours since at Balsora, yet notwithstanding the
+great distance we are from that city, you have presented it to me this
+moment. Are you the daughter of Seidel-Beckir, or are you an
+enchantress yourself?"</p>
+
+<p>Damake blushed at this discourse, and Nourgehan again pressing her to
+speak, she replied,</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing is impossible when one desires to please him whom<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_363" id="Page_363">[363]</a></span> one loves.
+But I will explain at once all that puzzles my Sultan. Not long after
+my birth, my mother was seated at the foot of a palm-tree, enjoying
+with me the coolness of the morning, without any other thought than
+that of returning by her tender kisses my innocent caresses, when in a
+moment she perceived herself surrounded by a numerous Court who
+attended a Queen, beautiful, majestic, magnificently dressed, and who
+had herself also an infant in her arms. Notwithstanding the pomp of
+her train, and all the grandeur of royalty, she caressed me, young as
+I was, and after some moments' stay said to my mother,</p>
+
+<p>"'This child whom you see in my arms, and who is mine, is by fate
+obliged to taste the milk of a mortal, it being a command laid upon us
+by Allah; and I cannot find one more modest, more wise, nor whose milk
+is purer than thine. Do me the pleasure, therefore, of nursing my
+infant for a few moments.'</p>
+
+<p>"My mother consented with pleasure; and the Queen, in return for her
+complaisance, said to her,</p>
+
+<p>"'Whenever you have any sorrow or any desire, come to the foot of a
+palm-tree, cut a leaf off it, burn it, and call for me&mdash;I am named the
+Peri Malikatada&mdash;and I will haste immediately to your assistance. I
+grant the same power to your little girl when she attains the age of
+reason.'</p>
+
+<p>"My mother never importuned the Peri except for the care of my
+education; and I, my lord, before I knew you, had never addressed
+myself to her, for I knew no desire, nor had my heart formed any wish.
+From that time I fear I have fatigued her, so many troubles and
+inquietudes have seized upon my soul. It was she, as you will judge,
+who made Diafer known to me, who dictated to me the answers I gave the
+sages, who informed me of the talismans, and delivered this one to me.
+It was she, likewise, who caused the Governor of Dioul to be arrested,
+and who demands his life of you in return for the golden fish which I
+have given you from him; she also would have given me&mdash;&mdash;" she paused.</p>
+
+<p>"Go on, beauteous Damake," said Nourgehan, with tenderness; "if you
+love me, can you conceal anything from me?"</p>
+
+<p>"She would have given me," resumed Damake, "a talisman of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_364" id="Page_364">[364]</a></span> her
+composition that should force you always to love me, but I have
+refused it. Can there be any happy talisman in love but the heart?"</p>
+
+<p>Nourgehan, struck with so many virtues, and such proofs of her
+attachment to him, would no longer defer his happiness. He immediately
+caused his whole Court, and all the grandees of his kingdom, to be
+assembled.</p>
+
+<p>"I may boast with reason," said he to them, "that I am the happiest
+Prince upon earth: I possess a bracelet which preserves me from all
+fear of poison; all the treasures of the sea are mine by the means of
+a fish, which at my command will fetch them from the bottom of the
+waves; Damake has given me this poniard, which renders whoever I
+please invisible. The proof that I can make before your eyes of this
+magnificent talisman will convince you of their virtues better than
+the golden fish, which it would be more tedious and difficult to
+exhibit."</p>
+
+<p>He drew his poniard as he spoke, and disappeared from their sight. The
+astonishment of the spectators was not yet dissipated, when he
+disappeared with all his military officers, and said to his
+magistrates, "Do you see such a general, such an officer that has
+served so long in my army?" To every question they answered No. He
+ceased then to be visible to the eyes of his warriors, and disappeared
+with his Viziers and all the Doctors of the Law, designing by that
+means to convince them fully, and leave no room for jealousy and
+suspicion. "Return thanks, then, with me," added he, "to Allah and His
+holy Prophet, for having made me the most powerful Prince upon earth."</p>
+
+<p>He performed his action of thanks with a fervour worthy of the bounty
+which Heaven had shown him, and all his courtiers followed his
+example. When he had fulfilled that important duty, he said to them,</p>
+
+<p>"The greatest vice of the human heart is ingratitude: it is to Damake
+that I owe these powerful treasures; her beauty alone, her merit and
+her virtue, would deserve the gratitude I shall my whole life preserve
+for her; but gratitude ought to be accompanied with more than words: I
+will this day unite her to me for ever."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_365" id="Page_365">[365]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>All the Court and the grandees applauded his choice; and Nourgehan,
+having commanded Damake to be brought, she appeared with all those
+modest graces that nature had adorned her. When the Prince had given
+her his hand in presence of the Great Imam, Damake, who had prostrated
+herself before him, said with an audible voice,</p>
+
+<p>"When I gave an account of the talismans of the great Seidel-Beckir, I
+informed you, my lord, that there were four still subsisting in the
+world: you have yet but three."</p>
+
+<p>"Have I not riches enough in possessing thee?" returned Nourgehan.
+"Thou art reckoned, perhaps, for the fourth; but they are not all of
+half thy value."</p>
+
+<p>"No, my lord," resumed Damake, casting her eyes upon the ground, and
+presenting him with a ring, "this was wanting. This ring of steel
+gives you a power of penetrating into the secrets of every heart.
+Others, in my place, might look upon this talisman as a danger, but I
+shall look upon it as a blessing if you still condescend to interest
+yourself in the sentiments that you have for ever graved in mine; and
+if I have the misfortune not to deserve that interesting curiosity, it
+will at least make known to you, without any doubts, the characters
+and the fidelity of your subjects."</p>
+
+<p>At that instant the Peri Malikatada appeared with her whole Court, and
+desired the King to pass into a garden, which by her power, and that
+of the genii, she had adorned with exquisite taste and magnificence.
+Here she honoured the nuptials with her presence, and Nourgehan lived
+happily ever afterwards, more happy in the love and counsels of Damake
+than in all the talismans upon earth, if he could have joined them to
+those which he already possessed.</p>
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 250px;">
+<img src="images/image_365.jpg" width="250" height="69" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_366" id="Page_366">[366]</a></span><a name="The_Story_of_Bohetzad" id="The_Story_of_Bohetzad"></a></p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;">
+<img src="images/image_366.jpg" width="600" height="709" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+
+<h2>The <br />
+Story of Bohetzad;</h2>
+
+<h4>OR,</h4>
+<h2>The Lost Child.</h2>
+
+<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_t.jpg" width="76" height="75" alt="T" /></div>
+<p>he kingdom of Dineroux comprehended all Syria and the isles of India
+lying at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. This powerful State was
+formerly subject to King Bohetzad, who resided in the city of
+Issessara. Nothing could equal the power of this monarch. His troops
+were without number, his treasures inexhaustible, and the population
+of his dominions was equal to their fertility. His whole kingdom,
+divided into ten great departments, was entrusted to the
+administration of ten Viziers, of whom his divan was composed. This
+Prince used often to repair to the chase as a recreation after the
+cares of government.</p>
+
+<p>One day, while he entered with his usual keenness into this<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_367" id="Page_367">[367]</a></span> exercise,
+he allowed himself to be carried so far in pursuit of a stag which had
+darted into the forest, and left his attendants at so great a
+distance, that, upon coming out of the wood, he could perceive none of
+his people; he had also lost sight of his prey. And while he
+endeavoured to find out the east of the place he was in, he perceived
+at a distance a pretty large troop of men. He approached them, and as
+he drew near he could distinguish a body of forty knights,<a name="FNanchor_11_11" id="FNanchor_11_11"></a><a href="#Footnote_11_11" class="fnanchor">[11]</a>
+surrounding a splendid litter, the brightness of which was heightened
+by the rays of the sun. This carriage was made of rock crystal, the
+mouldings and hinges were of carved gold, and the roof, in form of a
+crown, was made of wood of aloes, having cornices of silver. This
+litter resembled in shape a small antique temple, but so brilliant
+that the eye was quite dazzled with it. A prodigy of this kind in the
+midst of a desert, astonished the King, and at the same time excited
+his curiosity. He came up and saluted the convoy, and, addressing his
+discourse to the knight who held the reins of the mules,</p>
+
+<p>"Friends," said he, "be so kind as to tell me the meaning of all this
+equipage, and the name of the person to whom it belongs."</p>
+
+<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_11_11" id="Footnote_11_11"></a><a href="#FNanchor_11_11"><span class="label">[11]</span></a> Knights. The very ancient knighthood of India existed at
+this time. Those who devoted themselves to this manner of life came,
+armed from head to foot, to offer their services to the different
+Princes. See the "Memoirs of Hyder Ali Khan."</p></div>
+
+<p>Notwithstanding the civil and polite manner in which the monarch spoke
+this, yet, as the hunting dress did not express the dignity of the
+wearer, they answered, "What matters it to you?"</p>
+
+<p>Bohetzad was not discouraged with so dry an answer, but still insisted
+with politeness, and even earnestness, for a more satisfactory reply.
+He who appeared to be the leader of the troop then presented to him
+the point of his spear, and said,</p>
+
+<p>"Go on your way, audacious fellow! otherwise, if your curiosity
+becomes more impertinent, be assured it will cost you your life."</p>
+
+<p>This insolent behaviour excited the indignation of the King. He went
+up to the knight who thus threatened him, with that air of confidence
+and that commanding tone, the habit of which he had acquired in the
+exercise of absolute power.</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_368" id="Page_368">[368]</a></span></p><p>"Slave of my throne!" said he to him, "dost thou not know Bohetzad?
+But, had I been only a common man, after speaking to you in so modest
+and friendly a manner, ought you to have threatened me with death?"</p>
+
+<p>At the very name of Bohetzad, the knights alighted and prostrated
+themselves on the earth.</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," said one of the oldest of them, "pardon an answer which we
+could not think addressed to the greatest monarch of the earth; for it
+was very possible not to recognize your Majesty in a hunting dress,
+and without attendants."</p>
+
+<p>"Rise," said the King, "and gratify my curiosity. Who is the person in
+that litter, and whither are you conducting it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," answered the knight, "it is the daughter of Asphand, your
+Grand Vizier: we are conducting her to the Prince of Babylon, to whom
+she is going to be married."</p>
+
+<p>During this, the daughter of the Vizier, uneasy on account of the
+delay, presented her head at the curtain of the litter, in order to
+get information, and was perceived by Bohetzad. Whatever pains she had
+taken to prevent herself from being seen, her extraordinary beauty
+struck the Sovereign. His heart received a fatal wound: his passion,
+arrived at its height, aspired after gratification from the very
+moment of its existence; and Bohetzad, determined to make sure of the
+object of it, made use of his absolute authority, and spoke thus to
+the conductor of the litter:</p>
+
+<p>"I command you to take the road to Issessara, and to conduct the
+daughter of my Grand Vizier to my palace."</p>
+
+<p>The commander of the troop thought it necessary to make some reply to
+his Majesty.</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," said he, "your Vizier is your slave as well as we; and
+therefore, if we return his daughter to his own palace, she will
+continue there in equal subjection to your will."</p>
+
+<p>"But my Vizier has disposed of his daughter without my consent, and I
+do not owe him the attention which you propose I should pay him."</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," replied the knight, "your Grand Vizier Asphand has always been
+held in the highest estimation, and has had the honour<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_369" id="Page_369">[369]</a></span> to enjoy the
+confidence of your Majesty. One instance of violence exercised against
+him may affect his reputation, and cause him to lose, in the opinion
+of the public, that credit which it is your interest that he should
+enjoy."</p>
+
+<p>"All his credit depends on me, and I do not detract from it by doing
+him the honour to marry his daughter."</p>
+
+<p>The oldest, and likewise the best informed of the knights, still
+ventured to speak.</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," said he, "precipitation is dangerous; it often draws
+repentance after it: your slaves beseech your Majesty to reflect
+maturely on this."</p>
+
+<p>"I have reflected already, audacious old man!" replied the Prince in
+anger; "what caution should I observe with my slave? Obey."</p>
+
+<p>Being able to restrain his impatience no longer, he himself seized the
+bridle of the mules, and directed their steps towards that part of the
+forest where he presumed his people would be assembled at the
+appointed rendezvous. He soon found himself at the tent which they had
+set up, and he ordered all his suite to accompany the Princess in the
+litter to his palace. When the retinue was arrived, the King ordered
+the chief of his eunuchs to bring the Cadi, who instantly appeared,
+and drew up a contract of marriage between Bohetzad and the Princess
+Baherjoa, daughter of Asphand the Vizier.</p>
+
+<p>While the King was taken up with the ceremonies of the marriage, the
+forty knights returned to the palace of the Grand Vizier, being forced
+to abandon the litter, and the Princess whom they were conducting to
+Babylon. The minister was confounded at so speedy a return. Having set
+out from the city of Issessara, how could they come back so soon from
+Babylon? He feared that some extraordinary accident had befallen them.
+One of the knights came and told what had happened: he exaggerated the
+violence and despotic manner of Bohetzad, and filled the mind of the
+minister with fear and resentment, although he assured him that the
+monarch was that very night to marry his daughter.</p>
+
+<p>"Thus to oppose himself to my disposal of my own family! to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_370" id="Page_370">[370]</a></span> carry off
+my daughter! to marry her against my will!&mdash;in this manner to repay my
+services!" said the enraged minister.</p>
+
+<p>Full of a desire of vengeance, he immediately ordered expresses to be
+sent to all his friends, the Princes and grandees of his family, to
+assemble them at his house. When they were come, he represented to
+them the outrage which the King had committed against his daughter,
+the Prince of Babylon, and himself. Shame and resentment entered into
+every breast. Asphand perceived, from the effect of the relation which
+he had made them, that it would be easy to associate them with him in
+his schemes of revenge.</p>
+
+<p>"Princes and lords!" said he to them, "the King, occupied with his
+pleasures, is not delicate about the means of gratification; and, as a
+recompense for my labours, he hesitates not to expose me to the
+disgrace of an irreparable insult. I am nothing but a vile slave in
+his eyes. Thinks he that my daughter is obliged to share his unsteady
+attachment? You yourselves will not be safe from this dishonour; your
+wives and daughters will not be spared. His torrent of iniquity will
+discharge itself on you, if we endeavour not to stop its course."</p>
+
+<p>The relations and friends of the Vizier entered into his interests,
+and a deliberation was held concerning the measures which were to be
+taken. One of them, deeply skilled in politics, thus gave his opinion:</p>
+
+<p>"Vizier, write to the King, and express to him how sensible you are of
+the unexpected honour which he has done you, to which you could never
+have had the smallest pretensions. Along with this letter send another
+to your daughter, in which you must seem delighted with her good
+fortune. Supplicate Heaven with her, to pour down happiness upon a
+monarch so beloved by his people. Accompany these despatches with
+magnificent presents, and Bohetzad, blinded by his passion, will
+readily believe everything which can flatter it. You will take
+advantage of this security to leave him at the first opportunity,
+under pretence of attending to his business; and, having secured
+yourself against any sudden attack from him, transmit to all the
+Princes, the Governors, and people entrusted with the management of
+the finances, alarming<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_371" id="Page_371">[371]</a></span> accounts of the situation of the kingdom.
+Represent to them the danger of the State, while the government, is in
+the hands of a young Prince, addicted to the gratification of his
+passions, and incapable of rewarding the services done him, which he
+only repays with violence and disgrace, being guided by no law but the
+dictates of a will as depraved as it is absolute."</p>
+
+<p>The Grand Vizier and the rest of the assembly adopted this plan. They
+all agreed to embrace every opportunity which might present itself of
+preparing the minds of the people, without exposing themselves to
+danger, and to continue at Issessara when Asphand had left it, for the
+purpose of giving him information and directing his conduct. These
+resolutions being entered into, the assembly quickly broke up, that
+they might give no room for suspicion; and Asphand wrote to the King
+in the following terms:</p>
+
+<p>"Mighty King, monarch of two seas! your slave, already elevated by you
+to the place of Grand Vizier, and honoured with the title of Prince,
+did not expect the distinguished honour of becoming your relation.
+Infinitely obliged by this new favour, I offer up to the God of heaven
+the most ardent wishes that He would continually heap on your Majesty
+new marks of His kindness; that He would prolong your days, and grant
+you all the blessings of a kingdom which shall not be shaken to the
+latest posterity. My duty hitherto has been to labour for maintaining
+both external and internal peace in your dominions, by the wise
+administration of justice, and by defending your frontiers from the
+enemy. I filled the station of your First Vizier; the duties thereof
+are now become more sacred to me; the honour of a connection with you
+gives me a personal interest in their success; and my daughter and I
+will only be slaves more faithfully attached to your person and
+interests."</p>
+
+<p>The letter to Baherjoa contained congratulations on her good fortune,
+and was as artfully expressed as the one addressed to her spouse.
+Asphand caused the first officer of his household to deliver these
+letters, and accompanied them with a magnificent present. The young
+son of the Vizier joined the envoy; they went together to the King's
+palace, and prostrated themselves before him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_372" id="Page_372">[372]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Bohetzad, intoxicated with the good fortune which he enjoyed, did not
+in the least suspect the false declarations of the Vizier. He ordered
+his son to be clothed with the richest robe, and a thousand pieces of
+gold to be given to the officer who was entrusted with the message.
+Scarcely were they gone out, when the oldest of the Viziers came to
+pay his court to the King. The monarch received him with his usual
+goodness, made him sit down, and communicated to him the happiness
+which he expected to enjoy in the possession of his lovely spouse;
+for, though he had gained her by an act of violence, he imagined that
+his happiness could be obscured by no cloud.</p>
+
+<p>"The attachment shown me by Asphand," said he, "removes my fears
+concerning the resentment which I might suppose him to possess: here
+are his letters; read them, and you will see how well he is pleased
+with this alliance. Besides, the magnificence of his presents exceeds
+even the force of his expressions."</p>
+
+<p>The old minister, after reading the letters, continued thoughtful, and
+with downcast eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"Are you not satisfied with what you have read?" said the King.</p>
+
+<p>"A dangerous reptile," replied the minister, "when it means to
+introduce itself anywhere, does not try to frighten by its odious
+hissings: it creeps in artfully under the folds of its flexible and
+thin body; its scales are glittering and smooth; its looks are soft
+and fawning, and it takes care to conceal its treacherous and venomous
+sting. The letters of Asphand are studied: doubt not that you have
+offended; and the pretended softness of his expressions only conceals
+a scheme of revenge, the consequences of which you ought to guard
+against and prevent."</p>
+
+<p>Bohetzad, entirely occupied with his love, and supposing that the
+minister who thus spoke to him was influenced by motives of jealousy,
+paid no regard to the advice, which proceeded from attachment, zeal,
+and prudence, but allowed himself to be blinded concerning the conduct
+of Asphand. The latter, in prosecution of his plan, and under pretence
+of appeasing some rumours in certain parts of the kingdom, left the
+capital, in a few months after, with his whole retinue. As soon as he
+saw himself out of the reach<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_373" id="Page_373">[373]</a></span> of power, he communicated to the
+governors of the provinces the affront which he had received; he
+excited them to revolt, by inspiring them with a fear that they would
+all meet with a treatment similar to that which he had received; and
+to determine them, he calumniated, in every instance, the person and
+government of Bohetzad.</p>
+
+<p>On receiving the messengers of the Grand Vizier, the grandees of the
+kingdom, enraged against a Prince whose administration was held forth
+in such odious colours, concerted together, from one province to
+another, and assured Asphand that, upon the first signal given by him,
+they would take the field with the troops under their command. The
+Vizier at the same time warned the Princes who remained at Issessara
+to hold themselves in readiness against the day on which he should
+come to complete his revenge, and to free the State from a tyrant who
+was sunk in effeminacy.</p>
+
+<p>The plot was executed before Bohetzad had the smallest suspicion of
+it. The city of Issessara was completely invested by the army of
+Asphand. On receiving this news, the King armed in haste; he ordered
+the troops who were about his person to follow him; but they had been
+gained over, and were devoted to his enemy. He saw no safety for
+himself but in flight. He saddled, with his own hands, one of his
+finest coursers; and, taking Baherjoa behind him, endeavoured to gain
+the desert. He made a passage for himself through the midst of his
+mutinous subjects, whom he trod under his feet. The young hero, whose
+courage seemed only to be increased by love, burst like a torrent
+through a troop of those who wished to interrupt his passage; his
+invincible spear spared none of the rebels; and his horse, as vigorous
+as swift, soon carried him out of sight of his enemies.</p>
+
+<p>He was now in the midst of the desert; and, night obliging him to
+allow some repose to his wife, fatigued with so violent an expedition,
+he stopped at the foot of a frightful mountain. On this spot the
+Queen, exhausted with weariness, gave birth to her first-born child,
+and the Prince received in his arms a young boy, no less beautiful
+than his mother.</p>
+
+<p>The tender pair loaded him with caresses, and soon forgot, in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_374" id="Page_374">[374]</a></span> their
+new joy, the fatigue, uneasiness, and horror of their situation. The
+child was wrapped in a part of the Queen's robes; and, in this
+solitude, they enjoyed a profound sleep. The returning day invited
+them, however, to pursue their journey. The affectionate mother nursed
+her infant tenderly, but it pined away, and the mother herself was in
+danger. Bohetzad then saw himself under the cruel necessity of
+sacrificing nature to duty. He perceived a limpid fountain, on the
+borders of which there was a green bank, defended from the rays of the
+sun by the neighbouring willows. Here the unhappy parents abandoned to
+the care of Providence the object of their affection, having first
+watered it with their tears.</p>
+
+<p>"Great Allah!" said the afflicted mother, "Thou who formerly watched
+over the young Ishmael, take care of this innocent creature. Send the
+preserving angel to him. We have no hope but in Thy succour."</p>
+
+<p>Sighs prevented her from saying more. They both tore themselves away
+from this dreadful sacrifice, and committed this sacred deposit into
+the hands of its Creator.</p>
+
+<p>The noise they had made in coming thither had frightened away from the
+brink a hind, who, along with her fawns, was refreshing herself at
+this exuberant fountain. As soon as they were gone, she returned, and
+approached the languishing creature, which seemed about to lose for
+ever the little strength which remained. A powerful instinct led this
+animal to give the child that nourishment which was reserved only for
+her young ones. She fed quietly around her nursling, and left the
+place no more. The wild beasts of the forest, it appeared, had
+abandoned to her the enjoyment of this happy spot, although so
+necessary to the supply of their wants, amid the burning sands and
+parched deserts with which they were surrounded. Nevertheless, men
+came to disturb their repose.</p>
+
+<p>It was a band of robbers, whom thirst had brought into these places.
+They saw a child wrapped in rich swaddling-clothes, but still more
+remarkable for the beauty of its features. The leader of the banditti
+approached it, took it up, and sent it straightway to his wife, that
+she might pay it the necessary attentions, and educate it as if it had
+been their own son. When the wife saw it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_375" id="Page_375">[375]</a></span> she was moved with its
+innocent beauty, entered into the benevolent views of her husband, and
+immediately procured for their adopted son the best nurse in the
+horde.</p>
+
+<p>Having seen the son of Bohetzad in safe hands, let us now follow the
+steps of those illustrious travellers.</p>
+
+<p>Full of grief for the sacrifice which they had been forced to make,
+the King and Queen continued their journey in sadness till they
+reached the capital of Persia, where Kassera then reigned.</p>
+
+<p>This powerful monarch received the fugitive Prince and his charming
+spouse with the respect which was due from a crowned head to a great
+Sovereign, his ally, whose rebellious subjects had revolted under the
+standard of a criminal usurper. To Bohetzad he allotted an apartment
+in his palace as magnificent as his own, and to Baherjoa one equal to
+that of his favourite Sultana. Such were the riches and magnificence
+of the palace in which the King of Dineroux and his wife now were,
+that, besides the magnificent apartments in which they were lodged
+themselves, there were twenty-four others occupied by as many ladies
+belonging to the Sultan, each of whom was served by fifty slaves of
+their own sex, in the bloom of youth and of the most exquisite beauty.</p>
+
+<p>The treasures of the East seemed to have been exhausted in beautifying
+these stately dwellings. The gardens were full of the rarest and the
+most gaudy flowers; the waters, whose courses were distributed with
+great art, presented a magnificent scene to the eye; the trees gave at
+once, by the beauty of their fruit and the thickness of their foliage,
+the idea of plenty and the delight of repose; the birds, with the
+variety of their plumage and their song, enchanted the inhabitants of
+these happy regions. Everything, in short, concurred to display the
+riches of the great monarch of Persia, whose immense power was further
+displayed by an army of two hundred thousand men which constituted his
+life guard. A Prince so powerful and magnificent need spare nothing in
+treating, in a manner suitable to their rank, the illustrious guests
+whom he had received into his palace.</p>
+
+<p>At the same time that he ordered a powerful army to be assembled on
+the frontiers, with the necessary stores and military<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_376" id="Page_376">[376]</a></span> engines, he
+endeavoured to dispel the melancholy of the husband and wife by
+feasts, which displayed the greatest splendour and variety. But
+generosity and greatness of soul were not the only cause of his
+attentions; a less noble but more powerful feeling had taken
+possession of his heart. He was enamoured of Baherjoa, whose beauty
+was superior to that of all the wives in his seraglio. His passion for
+her was disguised under the veil of friendship; but, from the
+profusion which he displayed on every occasion, the delicacy of his
+attentions, and the care which he took to anticipate her wishes, it
+was easy to discover the love by which he was actuated. The sad
+Baherjoa, whose attention was occupied solely by the loss of her son
+and the misfortunes of her husband, was far from ascribing any of the
+attentions which she met with to this motive; her soul, weighed down
+with grief, was incapable of enjoying any of the pleasures which were
+presented to her; her heart, sincerely affected, was inaccessible to
+every impression but that with which it was already occupied. Her son
+abandoned in the desert to the care of Providence, and her husband
+reduced by her father to the necessity of asking succour from a
+foreign King, were the only objects which engrossed her thoughts.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime, the army which Bohetzad was to command was assembled.
+He took leave of Kassera to put himself at the head of this formidable
+body, and soon penetrated into the heart of Syria. Asphand, the
+usurper, being informed of the danger which threatened him,
+communicated it to his associates, assembled them as quickly as
+possible, and met his enemy at the head of two hundred thousand men.</p>
+
+<p>The armies were now in sight of one another. The centre of Bohetzad's
+army was commanded by an experienced Vizier of the Persian King.
+Bohetzad himself, at the head of a chosen body of knights, was
+everywhere to give orders. He suddenly began the combat on the right
+by attacking the opposite wing of the enemy with such fury that they
+were obliged to fall back upon the centre, and were thrown into
+confusion and disorder. The King of Dineroux lost not a moment: he
+advanced his main body towards that of the enemy as if he meant to
+attack it; but, frugal of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_377" id="Page_377">[377]</a></span> the blood of his subjects, whose lives he
+wished to spare, he made them halt, and ordered his left wing to
+attack the right wing of the enemy: they gave way and fell back in
+disorder, so that three-fourths of Asphand's army remained surrounded.
+The usurper endeavoured in vain to rally his troops, whom an attack
+equally prudent and vigorous had thrown into disorder. Fear, and above
+all remorse, disarmed them. A pardon being offered, they accepted it;
+and, that they might appear less unworthy of it, they unanimously
+delivered up the ringleaders of the revolt. Asphand, his family, and
+his principal associates, were put to death on the field of battle.</p>
+
+<p>This victory decided anew the fate of the kingdom of Dineroux, which
+again submitted to the laws of its rightful Sovereign. The monarch
+returned to his capital, re-established order throughout his empire,
+and contrived proper means for testifying his gratitude to the
+Sovereign who had given him such powerful assistance.</p>
+
+<p>He determined that the most intelligent of his Viziers should go into
+Persia, at the head of twelve thousand men. Twenty elephants, loaded
+with magnificent presents, were to follow in his train. At the same
+time, he was charged with a more delicate commission. He was to pass
+through the desert in which the son of Baherjoa had been abandoned,
+and endeavour to find out the place near the fountain which had served
+him for a cradle. He was to make inquiry of every living soul he might
+meet on the road, in order to get information concerning the fate of
+this precious deposit; and having found him, to carry him to the arms
+of his tender mother, whom he was to bring with him also to Issessara.
+But many obstacles stood in the way of these things. The prudent envoy
+caused the whole desert to be searched, but to no purpose: he did not
+succeed so well in finding the child as in bringing back the mother.</p>
+
+<p>Kassera, desperately in love with this Princess, could not think of
+parting with her. On the arrival of the ambassador, with presents from
+the King of Dineroux, and a commission to bring away the Queen, he
+felt some struggles in his heart; but love triumphed over them. This
+imperious passion magnified, in his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_378" id="Page_378">[378]</a></span> eyes, the good offices he had
+done, and made the giving up of a woman seem but a poor return for
+them. In a word, he renounced the glorious title of a generous
+protector for that of a base ravisher of the wife of his ally.</p>
+
+<p>Nevertheless, he appeared to receive with gratitude the embassy of
+Bohetzad, and the presents with which it was accompanied. Meanwhile,
+he was informed that the auxiliary troops, which he had furnished this
+monarch, had returned into Persia. The officers who commanded them
+extolled to the skies the bravery, the abilities, and the magnificence
+of Bohetzad. They returned from his dominions, delighted with himself,
+loaded with kindness, and astonished at the power with which he was
+surrounded, and the resources of the country over which he reigned.
+These universal reports raised an unusual conflict in the soul of
+Kassera. He was not accustomed to victory over himself, for, till that
+moment, he had yielded to every inclination. But he must now either
+give up a violent passion, or the title of the benefactor of a
+Sovereign equal to himself in dignity and in power, and that, too, at
+the hazard of drawing upon Persia the scourge of a cruel war, and of
+seeing all Asia in dreadful confusion.</p>
+
+<p>"Be ashamed, Kassera," said he to himself, "of the guilty designs you
+have formed. Return thanks to fortune for the favour it has done you,
+in opening your eyes to the folly of your conduct. May the King of
+Dineroux for ever remain ignorant that, forgetting what you owe both
+to yourself and him, you have dared to covet a blessing which he holds
+so dear. Remember the benefit you have derived from encountering
+difficulties which have recalled you to your duty. Oh! absolute power!
+how much art thou to be dreaded by the man who knows not how to
+command himself! Allowing myself to be carried away by my desires, I
+was about to become criminal, and to show myself unworthy to reign.
+But I know how to check my passions and change my projects."</p>
+
+<p>The King of Persia, having taken this resolution, sent immediately for
+his principal treasurer, and gave orders that a litter, ornamented
+with precious stones, and more splendid than had ever been seen,
+should be prepared to carry Baherjoa into her husband'<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_379" id="Page_379">[379]</a></span>s dominions. A
+considerable embassy was ordered to follow it, with magnificent
+presents. In this manner did Baherjoa begin her journey to Syria,
+after being well assured of respect and attachment by the Sovereign
+who had now determined to part with her. Bohetzad met his spouse
+before she entered Issessara. It is impossible to describe the
+transports of this interview. Yet the tender uneasiness of the mother,
+respecting the fate of her son, soon disturbed the happiness with
+which the pair were intoxicated. Baherjoa offered the greatest reward
+to obtain news of her son, and Bohetzad gave orders that the most
+minute inquiry should be made. It was by no means probable that he had
+been devoured by wild beasts, otherwise some remnants would have been
+found, at the first search, of the clothes wherein he was wrapped. A
+thousand knights were again dispatched to the desert, and ordered to
+spread themselves all around the fountain; but their search was in
+vain. Bohetzad concealed their want of success from his inconsolable
+spouse, and endeavoured to soften her pain and vexation.</p>
+
+<p>"There is as yet no room for despair," said he to her: "the favour of
+Heaven, which did not abandon us amidst the dangers to which we have
+been exposed, and which has restored to us the throne whereon we are
+now seated, will have preserved the son so dear to our heart. It only
+withholds him in order to deliver him to us when we shall have merited
+this favour by our submission to its will. To be deprived of him is
+grievous, but we are still of an age to expect consolation. Dry up
+your tears, my dear Baherjoa; they are the torment of my life."</p>
+
+<p>The Queen appeared somewhat more tranquil, but the wound which her
+heart had received could not be so easily closed.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime, the tender object of their uneasiness, snatched from
+the arms of death by the chief of the robbers, and educated by his
+wife with all the care of the most tender mother, grew in strength and
+beauty. The leisure of his early youth was filled up by reading and
+study. He was soon able to engage in those exercises which strengthen
+the body; he outstripped all the children of the horde by abilities,
+address, strength, and intrepidity, very<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_380" id="Page_380">[380]</a></span> surprising at his years. He
+was also distinguished by an application to study, from which he
+derived the greatest advantages, and by punctuality in those duties
+which were required of him by a society little suited to him, but of
+which chance had made him a member. The chief of these vagabonds,
+seeing him so expert in the use of arms and in riding, soon associated
+him with himself in his expeditions against the travellers whom
+business led into the countries infested by their depredations; and
+the young Aladin (for this was his name) showed himself as brave as he
+was expert.</p>
+
+<p>One day the troop attacked a caravan returning from India, and which,
+as it was loaded with goods of the most valuable kind, a formidable
+guard defended from danger. The desire of booty prevented the
+vagabonds from thinking of the danger to which they were exposing
+themselves. They attacked this convoy with an unusual degree of
+boldness, but were soon repulsed. Two-thirds of the troop remained on
+the field of battle, and the rest fled. Aladin, as yet young and
+inexperienced, drawn on by his valour, was soon surrounded and made
+prisoner.</p>
+
+<p>When a robber is taken with arms in his hand he ought to be beheaded.
+But the engaging air, the elegance, and beauty of this young Prince,
+interested the whole caravan in his favour, and saved him from the
+common fate. They did not believe the ingenuous replies which he made.
+When questioned about his birth and profession, he declared himself
+the son of the chief of the robbers. They could not imagine how this
+youth should unite so many natural advantages with an air so
+remarkable. He was carried along with the caravan, which soon arrived
+at Issessara, where his father Bohetzad held his Court.</p>
+
+<p>The arrival of the caravan afforded a new opportunity of diverting the
+attention of the Queen, as yet afflicted with the loss of a son, whom
+she could not banish from her memory. The Sovereign sent the chief of
+the eunuchs to make choice of such stuffs and valuable articles as
+might be most agreeable to Baherjoa. The merchants were eager to
+display them before him; but the figure of Aladin, who was there as a
+slave, appeared to him so ravishingly beautiful that he attracted his
+particular attention. He wished to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_381" id="Page_381">[381]</a></span> conduct him to the palace, hoping
+that his service might be agreeable to the monarch; so that, after
+having purchased what was proper, he returned, together with Aladin,
+to the palace, where the King appeared satisfied with his bargains.</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," said the eunuch, "your Majesty seems pleased with what I have
+purchased; but the most beautiful article in the <i>kan</i><a name="FNanchor_12_12" id="FNanchor_12_12"></a><a href="#Footnote_12_12" class="fnanchor">[12]</a> was a young
+man of such complete beauty that I thought him the perfect image of
+him who is mentioned in the Alcoran, before whom the eleven stars
+prostrated themselves, as before the sun and the moon."</p>
+
+<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_12_12" id="Footnote_12_12"></a><a href="#FNanchor_12_12"><span class="label">[12]</span></a> The <i>kan</i> is a place allotted for the shops of foreign
+merchants, where they expose their merchandise for sale.</p></div>
+
+<p>The King, curious to see this slave, ordered him to be brought with
+his master, and they both quickly appeared before the King.</p>
+
+<p>The appearance of the young stranger did not belie the favourable
+character which the chief of the eunuchs had given of him. The King
+could not believe that so beautiful a slave could owe his birth to a
+class of men so vulgar as that which composed the caravan. He made
+inquiry concerning him of their chief, to whom he communicated his
+doubts on that point.</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," replied the merchant, "this young man does not in reality
+belong to any of us, and we know neither his family nor origin. We
+were attacked in the desert by a band of robbers; we defended
+ourselves with bravery. Part of them remained on the field of battle,
+the rest fled, and left in our hands the young man who now engages
+your curiosity. Custom condemned him to death, but we could not think
+of inflicting it. We asked him concerning his station and family, and
+he told us that he was the son of the chief of these vagabonds. We
+know no more of him, and can say nothing more to your Majesty with any
+degree of certainty."</p>
+
+<p>"Let him be left here," said the King; "I want him to enter into my
+service."</p>
+
+<p>"Your Majesty," replied the chief, "may dispose as you please of all
+that belongs to the slaves of your throne."</p>
+
+<p>At that instant Aladin fell at the feet of the monarch, with his <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_382" id="Page_382">[382]</a></span>face
+on the ground, and kissed his robe. The King ordered the chief of the
+eunuchs to admit him into the class of slaves which were most
+frequently about his person.</p>
+
+<p>Nature spoke in the monarch's heart in favour of his new page. He
+never saw him without feeling emotions which he could by no means
+account for. He always wished to have him with him; and that which at
+first appeared no more than a rising inclination, soon became a very
+warm attachment. An interest which he felt very strongly made him
+regard with pleasure the progress both of the young Aladin's mind and
+body. He admired his application, prudence, discretion, and fidelity,
+and already considered his rare virtues as the fruit of his cares.</p>
+
+<p>After long experience of his abilities and activity, he went so far as
+to trust him with the superintendence of his finances, and deprived
+his Viziers of an administration in which he suspected them. In short,
+he decided every affair of importance, by submitting it to the
+sagacity of the young Aladin. The confidence of the Sovereign was not
+misplaced. The more he trusted the reason and wisdom of his favourite,
+the more the happiness of his people, the prosperity of the realm, and
+his revenues were increased. His confidence in a short time knew no
+bounds. Aladin became as dear to his father as if he had known himself
+to be so in reality, and the influence of the Viziers was lost in that
+of the young minister.</p>
+
+<p>Jealous of a power which they had lost, the ten Viziers assembled in
+secret for the purpose of contriving the means of gratifying their
+ambition and their avarice. They determined, at any rate, to hasten
+the ruin of their hated rival; and, unfortunately, he himself seemed
+to furnish a favourable opportunity for this purpose.</p>
+
+<p>A grand entertainment was given in the palace. Aladin was naturally
+sober; but, while he sought only to participate in the pleasure of the
+guests, he indulged himself in drink, with so much the greater
+security that he was not accustomed to it, and was ignorant of its
+effects. At the end of the repast he wanted to retire to his own
+apartment. He staggered, his eyes grew dim, and he lost the use of his
+senses. The first apartment which came in his way<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_383" id="Page_383">[383]</a></span> seemed to be made
+ready for him. It was a very rich one, and lighted by a great number
+of wax candles set in lustres. But Aladin saw nothing; he only sought
+repose, and having found a sofa, he threw himself upon it and fell
+asleep.</p>
+
+<p>There were no slaves there to inform him of his mistake. They were
+enjoying the feast, and only returned to the apartment, which they had
+left open, to fill the pots with perfumes, and prepare, according to
+the custom of the East, a collation of different sherbets and dried
+sweetmeats. The hangings concealed the sofa on which Aladin lay.</p>
+
+<p>All these preparations being finished, the King and Queen retired to
+their apartment. Bohetzad approached the sofa, opened the curtains,
+and beheld his minister stretched upon it and asleep. He was instantly
+seized with frantic indignation.</p>
+
+<p>"What dreadful behaviour is this of yours?" said he to Baherjoa. "This
+slave could not have got into your apartment and placed himself there
+without your knowledge."</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," replied the Queen, in astonishment, but without confusion, "in
+the name of the great Prophet I swear that I have never spoken to this
+young man. This is the first time I ever saw him, and in nothing have
+I encouraged his audacity."</p>
+
+<p>At the noise which was made around the sofa Aladin awoke, surprised
+and astonished at his situation. He hastily arose.</p>
+
+<p>"Traitor!" said the frantic King to him, "ingrate! is this thy
+gratitude for my favour? Darest thou enter into my womens' apartment,
+wretch that thou art? Speedily shalt thou receive the chastisement of
+thy boldness."</p>
+
+<p>Having said this, Bohetzad, inflamed with rage, ordered the chief of
+his eunuchs to shut up the minister in prison. The monarch, agitated
+with the most violent and opposite passions, spent the night without
+closing his eyes. At daybreak he called to him the first of his
+Viziers, who had not, for a long time, been admitted into his
+presence. He told him of the insult which he supposed he had received.</p>
+
+<p>At this recital the Vizier concealed his secret joy. Envy, hatred, and
+revenge were about to triumph. It was no feeble victim which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_384" id="Page_384">[384]</a></span> was
+offered: it was a most powerful rival whom he had to crush. The old
+courtier recollected himself. He endeavoured still further to
+exasperate his Sovereign, and determine him to take distinguished
+vengeance; and with a humble air he spoke as follows:</p>
+
+<p>"Sire, your faithful subjects were astonished when they saw your
+confidence bestowed upon an avowed son of a chief of the robbers. It
+would have been too great an instance of your Majesty's goodness to
+have admitted the branch of so corrupt a stock near your sacred
+person. You could expect nothing from him but treachery and crimes."</p>
+
+<p>At this speech of the Vizier, the eyes of the monarch sparkled with
+rage. Immediately he ordered the young man to be brought before him,
+loaded with chains.</p>
+
+<p>"Wretch!" said he, as soon as he saw him, "recollect the excess of my
+favours, and of your ingratitude! Let the recollection of these, and
+your remorse, be to you the preludes of the punishment that awaits
+you! Your head is soon to fall upon the scaffold."</p>
+
+<p>The fury and threatening of the King could not change the countenance
+of the innocent and unfortunate Aladin. No trouble altered the beauty
+of his features: he preserved that sweet, modest, and firm air which
+had hitherto gained him the goodwill of the monarch. He began to
+speak, and ingenuous candour flowed from his lips.</p>
+
+<p>"Sire, my fault was an involuntary one. If an indiscretion on my part
+reduced me to a situation in which, during some time, I was deprived
+of the use of reason, so that it was no longer my guide, and allowed
+me to fall into a very gross mistake, the rest was the work of the
+cruelty of fate. My heart, overcome by your favours, and entirely
+devoted to your Majesty, has hitherto felt no pleasure but in the
+happiness of serving you. But, alas! what avail the best intentions,
+and all the exertions of zeal, if a superior law, ruling our destiny,
+can put a different appearance on the purity of the motives by which
+we are influenced?&mdash;if a single action of our life, and that, too,
+done from the momentary disorder of our senses, can expose us to the
+apparent guilt of a crime, although all our inclinations are virtuous?
+Hurried from the summit of happiness<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_385" id="Page_385">[385]</a></span> into the horrors of disgrace, I
+must submit to the decree which inflicts the blow, like the merchant,
+whose memorable story is known even in your Majesty's palace."</p>
+
+<p>"What merchant do you mean?" said the King. "What connection has his
+story with thy crime? I allow you to relate it."</p>
+
+
+<h2>THE HISTORY OF KASKAS, OR THE UNLUCKY MAN.</h2>
+<p>Sire, there lived at Bagdad a very wealthy merchant, whose manners and
+knowledge rendered him worthy of public confidence. His name was
+Kaskas. Fortune had hitherto seconded his labours so well, that he
+could boast of success in all his enterprises; but fate soon declared
+against him. He could now no longer send a commission, or receive a
+return, without being obliged to make considerable sacrifices. He
+determined at length to change the nature of his commerce. He sold his
+stock, and laid out one-half of the money in buying grain, in hopes
+that this article would rise in its price during the winter.
+Circumstances, however, were against his speculation, for grain fell
+in its value. To avoid this loss, he locked up his granaries,
+determined to wait for a more favourable opportunity. In the meantime,
+one of his friends having come on a visit to him, wished to persuade
+him to give up this new kind of commerce in which he was engaged; but
+he did not listen to this advice, and was obstinately determined to
+keep his grain a third year. Soon after there happened so violent a
+storm that the streets and houses of Bagdad suffered by an inundation.
+When the waters were abated, Kaskas went to see if his corn had
+received any damage; he found it all springing, and beginning to rot.
+In order to escape the penalty, it cost him five hundred pieces to get
+thrown into the river that which he had heaped up in his granaries at
+a great expense.</p>
+
+<p>His friend returned to him.</p>
+
+<p>"You have neglected," said he, "the advice which I gave you. Distrust
+fortune, she seems to have sworn against you, and engage in no
+enterprise without the advice of a skilful astrologer."</p>
+
+<p>There was no scarcity of these in Bagdad; and Kaskas, taught<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_386" id="Page_386">[386]</a></span> by his
+ill success, thought the advice of his friend deserved attention. The
+soothsayer drew out his horoscope, and assured him that his star was
+so malignant, that he must of necessity lose whatever stock he should
+hazard in commerce. Kaskas, shocked with a prophecy so contrary to his
+own inclination, attempted to prove the prediction false. He laid out
+all the money he had remaining in loading a vessel, and embarked in it
+with all his wealth.</p>
+
+<p>At the end of four days, during which he had an agreeable voyage, a
+terrible tempest arose, which broke in pieces the masts and sails,
+carried away the rudder, and at last sunk the ship, with the whole
+crew. Kaskas alone, after seeing the remainder of his fortune perish,
+was saved from shipwreck by a fragment of the vessel, which carried
+him towards a sandy country, where he landed at length, after much
+difficulty and fatigue. Tired and naked, he landed in the
+neighbourhood of a village which was situated on the sea-shore. He
+hastened thither to implore relief, and return thanks to Heaven for
+having preserved him from death, while his unfortunate companions had
+perished.</p>
+
+<p>As he entered this little colony, he met an old man whose features and
+dress inspired respect and confidence. This man, affected with the
+situation of Kaskas, covered him with his cloak, and led him to his
+house, where, after having given such relief as his exhausted strength
+required, he clothed him in a suitable dress.</p>
+
+<p>It was natural for Kaskas to gratify his landlord's curiosity by the
+relation of his adventures, and he recounted them with such an air of
+candour as to leave no doubt of their truth. As this old man had just
+lost his steward, he judged Kaskas worthy to succeed him, and offered
+him this new office, with an appointment of two pieces of gold a day.
+It was a laborious office: he had to sow a considerable quantity of
+ground, to direct the work and workmen, to gather in immense harvests,
+to look after the flocks, and to give in accurate and faithful
+accounts of the whole at the end of the year. The poor Kaskas returned
+thanks to Providence for thus putting it in his power to earn a
+subsistence by his labour, since every other resource in the world had
+failed him; and he immediately entered on the duties of his new
+place.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_387" id="Page_387">[387]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>These he fulfilled with assiduity, zeal, and knowledge, till the very
+moment when he was to treasure up the different crops. As his master
+had never yet given him any part of his wages, he suspected that he
+would not fulfil his engagements, and, to make sure of his salary, he
+set apart as much of the grain as would amount to the sum, and shut up
+all the rest, giving an account of it to his master. The latter
+received this account, full of confidence in his steward, and paid him
+all the wages which he owed him, assuring him of the same punctuality
+in that respect every year. Kaskas was much ashamed of the precautions
+which he had taken, and of the suspicions which he had allowed himself
+to entertain.</p>
+
+<p>He immediately returned to the little magazine he had made, in order
+to repair his injustice, if happily it were still in his power. But
+what was his surprise when he did not find in it the grain he had set
+apart! He thought he saw in this theft the punishment of Heaven, and
+determined to confess the fault of which he had been guilty. With a
+heart full of grief he returned to his master.</p>
+
+<p>"You appear vexed," said the old man. "What can be the cause of it?"</p>
+
+<p>Then Kaskas, flattering himself that he would obtain by his sincerity
+the pardon of his fault, made a humble confession of the motive, and
+all the circumstances of it, even to the carrying off the grain which
+he had set apart, and of which he had not been able to discover the
+thieves.</p>
+
+<p>The old man, discovering the marked influence of his steward's
+malignant star, thought it would be imprudent to keep him any longer
+in his service, and determined to give him his dismissal immediately.</p>
+
+<p>"We do not suit one another," said he to him; "let us part. But, as it
+is not just that I should bear the loss of that which you improperly
+set apart, restore me the money which I gave you, and seek the reward
+of your labour in the sale of the grain which you took from me. I
+abandon you."</p>
+
+<p>The unfortunate Kaskas acknowledged the justice of this order: he
+submitted to it without murmuring, and left the house of his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_388" id="Page_388">[388]</a></span>
+benefactor somewhat less naked than he entered it, but without a
+single piece of money, and plunged into a deep melancholy.</p>
+
+<p>This sorrowful sport of fortune was thoughtfully walking along the
+sea-shore, when he perceived a tent, which he approached. He found in
+it four persons, who, discovering in his countenance, which was
+otherwise engaging, the traces of deep sorrow, eagerly asked him the
+cause of it. He gratified their curiosity by the recital of his
+misfortunes. As he spoke he drew a very marked attention from one of
+the four, who seemed to have a kind of authority over the other three.
+This man soon recognized him as one of his correspondents at Bagdad,
+with whom he had formerly had important and lucrative concerns. The
+merchant was moved with compassion. At that time he was engaged in an
+adventure of pearl-fishing, and was the chief of the three divers who
+were with him.</p>
+
+<p>"Throw yourselves into the sea," said he to them, "and the first take
+of pearls which you have shall be for this unfortunate traveller."</p>
+
+<p>The three divers, affected as well as their master with the misfortune
+of Kaskas, threw themselves into the sea, and brought up, in shells
+which they carried with them, ten pearls of an inestimable value for
+their size and beauty. The merchant was delighted with the little
+fortune he had been able to procure for his former correspondent.</p>
+
+<p>"Take these pearls," said he to him; "sell two of them when you arrive
+in the capital, and their price will be sufficient for any adventure
+in which you may be inclined to engage; but take particular care of
+the other eight, that they may serve you in the time of need, and sell
+them where you can do it to the greatest advantage."</p>
+
+<p>Kaskas, after thanking his benefactor, departed, and took the road
+which he was directed to follow in his way to the capital. He had been
+three days on his journey, when he perceived at a distance some people
+on horseback. Afraid lest they should be robbers, he hid eight of the
+pearls betwixt the two cloths of his vest, and put into his mouth the
+two others which he proposed to sell.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_389" id="Page_389">[389]</a></span> He was not wrong in his
+conjecture concerning the persons he had seen&mdash;they were in reality
+robbers. They came up to him, surrounded him, and stripped him; and in
+this situation they left him on the road, with nothing but a single
+pair of drawers.</p>
+
+<p>The unfortunate traveller recognized in this new feature of fortune
+the effect of the evil destiny which pursued him. Meanwhile, he
+congratulated himself on having been able to save from the hands of
+the rascals the two most beautiful pearls, which were sufficient to
+re-establish his affairs and assist him in some lucrative adventure.
+The capital was not far distant. He arrived there, and entrusted to
+the Dellal<a name="FNanchor_13_13" id="FNanchor_13_13"></a><a href="#Footnote_13_13" class="fnanchor">[13]</a> the two pearls which remained, to expose them for sale.
+The Dellal proclaimed the jewels with a loud voice in the market, and
+invited the curious to bid for them. Unfortunately, some days before
+there had been some pearls stolen from one of the richest jewellers in
+the city. He thought he recognized some of his own in those which were
+set up to sell, and demanded that the pretended owner of the jewels
+should appear. When he saw him so ill dressed he was convinced he had
+found the thief.</p>
+
+<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_13_13" id="Footnote_13_13"></a><a href="#FNanchor_13_13"><span class="label">[13]</span></a> The Dellal is a public crier.</p></div>
+
+<p>"There are two pearls," said he to him, "but you ought to have ten:
+what have you done with the other eight?"</p>
+
+<p>Kaskas, thinking the jeweller had been informed of the present that
+the fisher had made him, ingenuously replied, "I had ten of them, it
+is true; but some robbers whom I met on the road have carried off the
+other eight in the lining of my waistcoat, where I had concealed
+them."</p>
+
+<p>On this confession, which appeared to the jeweller an acknowledgment
+of guilt, he took Kaskas by the hand and carried him before the civil
+magistrate, accusing him of having stolen his pearls. This judge, led
+away by appearances, and on the declaration of the rich citizen,
+condemned the poor Kaskas to the bastinado, and to imprisonment as
+long as his accuser should be pleased to detain him in custody. This
+unhappy creature, the sport of fortune and of men's injustice,
+underwent the punishment, and was forced, <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_390" id="Page_390">[390]</a></span>during a whole year, to
+groan under the rigour of a severe confinement, till at length chance
+brought a man of his acquaintance into the same prison. This was one
+of the three divers in the Persian Gulf, whose labour appeared to have
+been so profitable to him.</p>
+
+<p>The diver, surprised to see him in this situation, asked the cause of
+it. Kaskas related to him all that had happened since they parted.
+This new confidant immediately addressed a petition to the King, in
+which he implored the favour of being admitted into his presence, that
+he might communicate to him a secret of the utmost importance. The
+King caused the diver to be brought before him. He prostrated himself;
+and the King, after having made him rise up, ordered him to
+communicate the secret which he was to reveal.</p>
+
+<p>"Great King," said the diver, "the greatness of your Majesty's soul,
+and your love of justice, are known to all your subjects. I venture,
+this day, to call upon these sublime virtues, in favour of an unhappy
+innocent stranger, who has suffered an unjust punishment for a crime
+which he did not commit, and who is still confined in the same dungeon
+in which I have been shut up for a trifling fault. You love, sire, to
+punish the wicked; but it is with the spirit of equity, and for the
+maintenance of good order. Your Majesty would wish that the wolf and
+the lamb should walk together securely; and it is the duty of your
+slave to co-operate with your benevolent intentions, by putting it in
+your power to repair an injustice committed against a man, persecuted
+by his evil destiny, and worthy of your compassion."</p>
+
+<p>He then entered into a minute detail of the adventure of Kaskas with
+regard to the pearls. He showed him the circumstance which had led the
+jeweller into a mistake, and occasioned the ignorance of the judge; in
+fine, he added, "If your Majesty still suspects the truth of my
+recital, you may cause the chief of the fishery, and my companions the
+divers, to be interrogated concerning it."</p>
+
+<p>The diver, having no interest in a matter that concerned only an
+unfortunate and helpless man, spoke with that boldness and openness
+which truth inspires. In the end, the monarch was convinced of the
+innocence of the unfortunate Kaskas, and ordered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_391" id="Page_391">[391]</a></span> the chief of the
+eunuchs to set him at liberty, conduct him to the bath, and, after
+having clothed him decently, to bring him into his presence.</p>
+
+<p>The eunuch obeyed. Kaskas was led to the feet of the Sovereign, where
+he confirmed the report of the diver. He told the fruitless efforts he
+had made to undeceive the jeweller and remove the prejudice of the
+judge. In a word, by the detail of all his adventures, he interested
+the King so much, that he obtained from him, that instant, a lodging
+in the palace, and a place of trust near his person, with great
+appointments.</p>
+
+<p>As to the jeweller, after being obliged to restore the pearls, he was
+sentenced to receive two hundred strokes of the bastinado: the judge
+received double that number, and was deposed from his office. Kaskas,
+loaded with favours, thought fate reconciled to him for ever. He took
+pleasure in hardening himself against his bad fortune, and was already
+arranging the plans of that success which he promised himself in the
+new office which he filled, when his curiosity laid a new snare for
+him.</p>
+
+<p>He discovered one day in the apartment which was allotted to him a
+door covered up with a thin coat of plaster, which, from age, fell to
+dust at the smallest touch. It required no effort to force this
+passage&mdash;the door opened of itself. He entered, without reflecting,
+into a rich apartment, to which he was an entire stranger, and found
+himself, without knowing it, in the middle of the palace.</p>
+
+<p>Scarcely had he made one step when the chief of the eunuchs observed
+him, and without delay informed the King of it. The monarch instantly
+came. The fragments of the plaster, which were still upon the ground,
+appeared a proof that the door had been forced, and the astonishment
+of Kaskas carried a complete conviction of his guilt.</p>
+
+<p>"Unhappy man!" said the King to him, "is it thus you acknowledge my
+favours and your obligations? My justice saved you when I believed you
+innocent: guilty now, it condemns you to lose your sight."</p>
+
+<p>The imprudent man, without daring to attempt any justification,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_392" id="Page_392">[392]</a></span> was
+instantly delivered over to the executioner, asking no other favour
+than that they would put into his hands the eyes which were to be torn
+out.</p>
+
+<p>He carried them in his hand as he walked groping through the streets
+of the capital.</p>
+
+<p>"Behold," said he, "O ye who hear me, that which the unfortunate
+Kaskas hath gained by hardening himself against the decrees of his
+evil destiny, and despising the advice of his friends! Behold the lot
+of the obstinate!"</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>Aladin having thus finished the history of the merchant, addressed
+himself directly to Bohetzad.</p>
+
+<p>"Sire, you have seen the effect of fortune's influence on the man
+whose adventures I have now related. So long as his star was
+propitious, he succeeded in everything; but whenever it changed, his
+efforts to correct its malignity were fruitless. The transient
+instances of success which seemed to arrest the current of his
+misfortunes soon plunged him into greater evils than those which he
+had escaped. Circumstances that were unforeseen, and steps that were
+innocent, gave him the appearance of ingratitude and guilt, even when
+everything assured him of the purity of his conduct. My lot, alas! is
+but too like that of his."</p>
+
+<p>The young man had related the adventures of the unfortunate merchant
+of Bagdad so naturally and with so much grace, and had made so happy
+an application of them, that Bohetzad, still disposed to favour a
+criminal whom he had loved so well, and moved by the instance of rash
+judgment which he had just heard, put off the execution which he had
+ordered till the day following, under pretence of its being too late
+for it then.</p>
+
+<p>"Return to thy prison," said he to him. "I grant thee thy life till
+to-morrow: I put off till that time the punishment that is justly due
+to thee."</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime the First Vizier expected with impatience the account
+of Aladin's execution, and when he heard that it was delayed, he
+assembled his associates, and thus addressed the Second Vizier:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_393" id="Page_393">[393]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"The favourite has found means to suspend the execution of his
+sentence. I have done my duty in determining the King to an act of
+justice. It now belongs to you to do yours by representing to him the
+wrong which he does in forgetting the duties of the throne, and in
+withholding so long the punishment of a crime that has been proved.
+Make your remonstrances to his Majesty, and give them that force which
+both his personal safety and ours requires."</p>
+
+<p>The next morning, as soon as access could be had to Bohetzad, Baharon
+(for that was the name of the Second Vizier) was introduced to the
+King.</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," said this minister to him, "I heard in the retirement of my
+closet, and amid the important business with which I am entrusted, of
+the insult your Majesty has received. Excuse the zeal by which I am
+animated if I offer your Majesty all the service which can arise from
+my experience and attachment to you to stop the progress of this
+evil."</p>
+
+<p>The King thought Baharon might really be ignorant of the event which
+had happened within the palace, and told him the crime of which Aladin
+was guilty.</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier seemed to shake as he listened to this report.</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," said he to the King, as soon as he had done speaking, "if the
+son of a chief of villains, brought up and nourished amidst guilt,
+could have been capable of virtuous sentiments, this phenomenon would
+have contradicted experience, and even proved it deceitful. I will
+here venture to recall to your Majesty a fable of our ancestors which
+tradition has preserved to us:</p>
+
+<p>"In ancient times a young wolf was put to school, to endeavour, by
+instruction, to correct his natural propensity to voracity. His
+master, in order to teach him to read, transcribed, in large
+characters, some letters of the alphabet, and attempted to make him
+understand these signs. But instead of reading K L S, as it was
+written, the savage animal read fluently Kid, Lamb, Sheep. He was
+governed by instinct, and his nature was incorrigible. The son of a
+robber is in the very same situation: vice is coeval with his
+existence. From the beginning he is an infected mass, which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_394" id="Page_394">[394]</a></span> it is
+impossible to purify. But what astonishes me most, sire, is that such
+a criminal should have survived one moment the insult he has offered
+to the Crown."</p>
+
+<p>These remonstrances of the Second Vizier having enraged the mind of
+the monarch still more, he ordered the prisoner to be brought in
+chains into his presence. He was obeyed.</p>
+
+<p>Aladin appeared. The King, doing violence to the sentiments which
+moved him in his favour, addressed him with the greatest severity.</p>
+
+<p>"Traitor!" said he to him, "nothing can hereafter delay your
+punishment; and the world shall be informed of your crime and my
+vengeance!"</p>
+
+<p>At the same time he gave the executioner the signal of death.</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," interrupted Aladin, whose steady and modest countenance was
+the genuine proof of courage and innocence, "my life is in the hands
+of your Majesty; but I conjure you still not to hasten my death. He
+who thinks only of the present, without reference to the future,
+exposes himself to as bitter a repentance as that which the merchant
+felt, whose history I have heard. He, on the contrary, who looks into
+futurity, has a right one day to congratulate himself on his prudence,
+as it happened to the son of this merchant."</p>
+
+<p>Bohetzad, in spite of himself, felt his curiosity excited anew, and
+was desirous to hear the story which Aladin wanted to relate to him.</p>
+
+<p>"I will consent," said the monarch, "to hear the adventures of this
+merchant; but it is the last instance of complaisance I shall show
+you."</p>
+
+<p>"May it please your beneficent Majesty," returned Aladin, "order this
+man, who holds the sabre above my head, to be gone. I think I see the
+angel of death."</p>
+
+<p>The executioner, having withdrawn by the King's order, Aladin
+fulfilled the engagement he had come under in the following terms:</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_395" id="Page_395">[395]</a></span></p>
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;">
+<img src="images/image_395.jpg" width="500" height="348" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+
+
+<h2>THE HISTORY OF ILLAGE MAHOMET AND HIS SONS.</h2>
+<p>There was, in the city of Naka in Tartary, a merchant, whose name was
+Illage Mahomet, who, wishing to extend his commerce to the most remote
+boundaries of the world, constructed a vessel in such a manner as to
+be able to endure the longest voyage and carry a considerable burden.
+When this ship was ready to go to sea, he filled it with merchandise;
+and observing that the wind was favourable, he took leave of his wife,
+embraced his three children, went on board, and sailed with a fair
+wind for the Indies.</p>
+
+<p>A fortunate voyage having, in a short time, brought him to the port of
+the capital of India, he took lodgings, and placed his merchandise in
+the <i>kan</i>. Quite at ease respecting the fate of his effects, he then
+visited the different quarters of the city, accompanied by four
+slaves, and soon entered into friendship with the most celebrated
+merchants of the place. As his attendants had orders to publish the
+nature of his merchandise, and to distribute patterns of them, a crowd
+of purchasers resorted to his magazines.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_396" id="Page_396">[396]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The King of India was accustomed to come out of his palace in order to
+walk through the town, and inform himself of what was going on there,
+under a disguise which rendered it impossible he should be known.
+Chance having directed his steps to the neighbourhood of the <i>kan</i>, he
+was anxious to know what drew everybody there. He saw this foreign
+merchant, whom a happy and engaging physiognomy, with a gracious
+address, announced in a very favourable manner. He heard him answer,
+with good breeding and perspicuity, the questions that were put to
+him, and saw him conduct his affairs with an openness which gained the
+confidence of all. He was desirous of having some conversation with
+him; but the fear of being discovered made him renounce his design for
+the present. He returned to his palace as quickly as he could, resumed
+the dress which became his dignity, and sent for this honourable
+merchant. The merchant quickly obeyed the will of the monarch. He was
+admitted into his presence, and the King expressed his desire to be
+acquainted with him.</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," replied the merchant, "I was born and established in Naka,
+near Mount Caucasus. Commerce is my profession. The favour and liberty
+which your Majesty grants it have directed my speculations to your
+dominions, and Heaven hath favoured my voyage."</p>
+
+<p>The King, satisfied with the simple and noble reply of this stranger,
+wished to find out more particularly the amount of his knowledge, by
+showing, by turns, curiosity on some subjects and embarrassment on
+others; but he was equally pleased with all his answers. Convinced, by
+all that he had heard, that the stranger's abilities were far beyond
+those necessary for trade, he determined to attach him to his own
+service by raising him to the highest office. It was not the design of
+the Sovereign to try the stranger by the allurements of honour; but,
+knowing that distinguished merit may become useless in an inferior
+station, and is frequently only the object of envy, he gave him the
+office of Grand Vizier, in order that it might afford him an
+opportunity of displaying to greater advantage his knowledge and
+ability. Illage received this favour with expressions of respect and
+gratitude.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_397" id="Page_397">[397]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I should have considered myself as too much honoured, sire, in being
+admitted into the number of the slaves who surround your throne. The
+dignity of the honourable office to which you have called me far
+surpasses my merit and pretensions; but the high idea which I have
+conceived of your Majesty inspires me with an unbounded zeal for your
+service, and a confidence that I shall be wholly devoted to it."</p>
+
+<p>The monarch, still more pleased with his new minister, ordered him a
+magnificent robe, assigned him for lodgings a palace in the
+neighbourhood of his own, and caused him to be installed in his new
+dignity. The Prince had no reason to repent of his choice, which might
+appear rash. The new minister sat in the divan on the right hand of
+his master. He was never embarrassed in the discussion of affairs,
+however intricate. He had great sagacity in understanding every report
+concerning them. Justice and equity were summed up in his decisions,
+so that the people and the monarch enjoyed, under the administration
+of this enlightened minister, all the blessings of a wise government.</p>
+
+<p>Two years passed in labour and great employments; but at last nature
+resumed her rights. The Vizier, separated so long from a family which
+he tenderly loved, felt a desire to see them. The first request which
+he made on this subject alarmed the Sovereign. But he had a soul of
+sensibility; he could not long resist the voice of nature, and
+permitted his minister to undertake a voyage which he limited to a
+certain period, assuring him that if he brought his whole family along
+with him he should never be exposed to any uneasiness in his service.
+With this permission, the Vizier embarked for Naka in a vessel of war,
+of which he had the command.</p>
+
+<p>The family of this merchant of Tartary, being entirely ignorant of his
+fate since the time of his departure, were abandoned to the most cruel
+uneasiness. Fortunately, a merchant of the country, returning from
+India, had given them news of him, and restored tranquillity to the
+family, who were raised to the summit of joy on hearing of the
+elevation and success of him on whose account they were alarmed. The
+wife of Illage determined that moment to repair to her husband, less
+to share his glory than his love. She set her<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_398" id="Page_398">[398]</a></span> affairs in order, and,
+after having taken every necessary step, she embarked with the same
+merchant who had given her the consolatory news.</p>
+
+<p>After some days' sailing, the vessel which carried them cast anchor
+near an island where they were to land and exchange merchandise.
+Contrary winds had obliged Illage to land at the same place. He had
+hired a lodging pretty near the harbour, and, being fatigued with the
+bad weather which he had met with, had thrown himself upon a bed in
+order to take repose. His spouse, who lived in an opposite quarter of
+the city, soon learned that a vessel had arrived on its way from
+India, and that it had sailed from the capital. She sent her children
+to ask the news concerning the Grand Vizier, thinking it impossible
+but that they should be able to receive some.</p>
+
+<p>The young people went from the inn where their mother was, running,
+the one after the other, till they had come under the windows of the
+apartment where the Vizier was at rest. They took possession of a
+little eminence on which a number of bales of goods were collected to
+keep them dry. The thoughtless youths went to play on the bales,
+trying which of the two could push down his brother. These playful
+lads, disputing with address and roguery, announced their victory or
+their defeat by such piercing shouts that they awoke the Vizier.</p>
+
+<p>He lost his patience: he went to the window to check the noise, and,
+leaning over it, three diamonds, which the King had given him, fell
+from his fingers. The agitation of the sea had already stirred up the
+minister's choler; the habit of command rendered him incapable of
+forbearance; and, the island on which he was being within the
+jurisdiction of his government, he ordered these troublesome children
+to be taken into custody. He came down himself to search for his
+diamonds; but, amidst such confusion, this search was fruitless.
+Driven by degrees to indignation and fury, he accused the children,
+not only of being the cause of the loss of his diamonds, but even of
+having stolen them. Their innocence could not defend them against
+prejudice. He punished them with the bastinado, and then caused each
+of them to be tied<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_399" id="Page_399">[399]</a></span> to a board and cast into the sea. The innocent
+victims, expecting a cruel death, became the sport of the waves and
+billows.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile night approached, and the spouse of Illage, not seeing her
+children return, uneasy, and bathed in tears, went out to seek them.
+The neighbours could tell her nothing of them. She ran from street to
+street, without meeting any person who could satisfy her well-founded
+impatience. This tender mother came at last to the harbour. There,
+from the description she gave of the three persons who were the object
+of her search and the cause of her uneasiness, a sailor replied to
+her,</p>
+
+<p>"Madam, the young people whom you inquire after are the same whom a
+powerful man, lately arrived from India, hath punished by his slaves
+for a theft which he imputed to them. They gave them the bastinado,
+tied them to a plank, and, by his order, threw them into the sea."</p>
+
+<p>At these words, the unhappy mother filled the air with her shrieks and
+groans: she rent her clothes and tore her hair. "O my children," said
+she, "where is the Vizier your father, to revenge me on the man who
+hath murdered my children?"</p>
+
+<p>Her despair struck the ear of her husband, who was not far distant. He
+seemed to know the voice, and learned that it was that of the
+inconsolable mother whose children he had condemned to death. The cry
+of nature resounded in his heart, and he no longer doubted that the
+children he had punished were his own. He hastened to the unfortunate
+woman whose misery he had occasioned, and immediately knew her.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah, barbarian that I am, I have been the murderer of our children!
+Fatal power with which I am invested! blinded by thee, I had not time
+allowed me to be just! I am the executioner of my own children!"</p>
+
+<p>As he spoke these words, all the signs of the most violent despair
+were painted in his countenance, and manifested themselves by every
+sort of extravagance. His wife sank at his feet under the weight of
+her grief.</p>
+
+<p>"Do not pardon me," added he: "I am a monster; and so much the more
+criminal as I am at this moment placed beyond the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_400" id="Page_400">[400]</a></span> reach of the law. I
+must for ever be torn by my own remorse and loaded with your
+reproaches. I thought myself injured, and I hastened to revenge
+myself, without taking time to reflect. I saw a crime where there was
+none, and let fall the stroke upon innocence without thinking it would
+rebound upon myself."</p>
+
+<p>"You see, sire," continued Aladin, "what cause this Vizier had to
+repent his believing these children guilty upon a deceitful
+appearance, and his having hurried on a severe punishment without
+reflecting on whom it was to fall. He forgot that a regard to futurity
+ought to regulate the present."</p>
+
+<p>The unfortunate minister, disgusted with glory and opulence, renounced
+the search for his diamonds, abandoned the vessel and its lading, and
+supporting the tottering steps of a weeping mother, they both walked
+along the shore of the sea mournfully demanding of it the treasures
+which the Vizier had cruelly committed to the inconstancy of its
+waves.</p>
+
+<p>"Your Majesty," continued Aladin, "will pardon me, if, for a short
+time, I make you lose sight of this disconsolate pair, while I fix
+your attention on their unhappy children."</p>
+
+<p>The billows, to whose caprice they had been abandoned, were so
+agitated that, although they were frequently thrown against one
+another, they were immediately separated again. One of them, after
+having struggled for two days against the billows, and after having
+escaped the danger of being dashed to pieces on the rocks against
+which he was continually driven, found himself, all at once, ashore on
+the coast of a neighbouring kingdom. The chains which fixed him to the
+plank were much worn by the sea, and notwithstanding his fatigue and
+hunger, he had still strength enough to disengage himself from them,
+and reach the land. He there found an officer who was going to refresh
+his horse at the stream of a neighbouring fountain. This man, affected
+with the sight of the unfortunate child, gave him part of his clothes,
+set him behind<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_401" id="Page_401">[401]</a></span> him, and carried him to his own house. There
+nourishing food and repose completely recovered the shipwrecked youth.</p>
+
+<p>After decently dressing him, his benefactor presented him to the King,
+already informed of the event.</p>
+
+<p>The happy physiognomy of the young man made an impression on the King,
+and his answers soon completed the very favourable opinion he had of
+him. He became a distinguished officer in the palace, where his
+conduct gained the complete esteem and confidence of his Sovereign.
+This Prince, to whom Heaven had not granted children, thought he could
+not do his people a greater service than by adopting the youth, whom
+fortune had thrown into his arms. His choice was applauded by the
+whole Court, and confirmed by the divan. The people were happy, and
+the abilities of the young Prince soon placed him in the number of the
+most valiant Kings of Asia. Age and infirmities rendered the King
+unable to support the weight of the government, and he abdicated the
+sceptre in favour of his adopted son. He saw him married, and thus
+terminating his career of glory, calmly resigned his life into the
+hands of his Creator.</p>
+
+<p>The young Sovereign, bewailing the loss of his benefactor, gave
+himself up to the justest sorrow. He wished to fulfil the duties of
+gratitude and piety, and summoned his divan, that he might honour the
+ashes of his predecessor by prayers and solemn ceremonies. The people
+repaired to the mosques. The Imam, the Nabib, the dervishes, and all
+those who serve at them, paid to his memory the homage which was due
+to it. He caused many alms to be distributed among the poor and
+through all the hospitals of the kingdom. These religious duties early
+announced the wisdom of his government, and they were not proved false
+by the event. He was always a just and active King, and governed his
+people with the affection of a father.</p>
+
+<p>In this manner did fortune snatch from the fury of the waves one of
+the Vizier's children, to raise him to the summit of greatness. But
+this unhappy father continued to grieve for the loss of his two sons,
+until, in one of the islands where he had his residence, he heard the
+Dellal proclaim, with a loud voice, that there was a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_402" id="Page_402">[402]</a></span> young slave to
+be sold, and that the curious were invited to come and examine him.
+Illage stopped, looked at the young man, and, constrained by a feeling
+of which he knew not the cause, he determined to purchase him.</p>
+
+<p>The figure of this stranger had attractions which he could not resist.
+His age corresponded to that of one of his own children; and if the
+beauty of his features was a true indication of the virtues of his
+mind, he hoped he would supply the place of one of those whom he had
+lost. He returned home with his new purchase.</p>
+
+<p>His wife, who perceived them at a distance, recognized the youth, and
+was about to throw herself into his arms, but sank under this
+unexpected surprise. But although her joy deprived her of the use of
+her senses, she was still able to utter the name of her son. The
+attention of her husband, and that of the young man, who bathed her
+with his tears, recalled her to life. The father, affected with what
+he saw, recognized the cry of nature, and returning thanks to Heaven
+for the unexpected favour he had received, mingled together his tears
+and caresses at this moving picture, and partook of the happiness of
+an unlooked-for discovery. Nevertheless, he was tormented by a new
+uneasiness: the presence of his son recalled to him his brother&mdash;"What
+is become of him?"</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" replied the young man, "the waves soon separated the planks on
+which we were carried, and I can tell you nothing of his fate."</p>
+
+<p>This answer redoubled the affliction of the husband and wife; but they
+seemed to be comforted with the hope of another blessing similar to
+that which they had just received; and in this pleasing expectation
+their tenderness centred on the beloved son whom Heaven had at length
+restored to their arms.</p>
+
+<p>Several years had elapsed. Achib, the son of Illage, grew stronger
+every day. He acquired knowledge, and became capable of following
+commerce, in which his father had instructed him. Seeing him fit even
+to undertake a profitable voyage, his father purchased a ship, loaded
+it with merchandise, and destined it for the capital of the islands in
+which they were settled, entrusting him with the management of it.
+Upon his arrival in the capital, Achib hired a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_403" id="Page_403">[403]</a></span> storehouse in the
+<i>kan</i>, deposited his goods there, and passed some days in arranging
+them to advantage.</p>
+
+<p>The Feast of the Ramezan came. The young man, a faithful Mussulman,
+possessed the art of singing so perfectly, that he was able to fulfil
+with dignity the functions of the Imam.<a name="FNanchor_14_14" id="FNanchor_14_14"></a><a href="#Footnote_14_14" class="fnanchor">[14]</a> He dressed himself in his
+<i>faragi</i>, and went to the principal mosque. There the King, with all
+his Court and the grandees of the kingdom, were present at the noonday
+service. The young man took his place near the King, and when the
+Athib<a name="FNanchor_15_15" id="FNanchor_15_15"></a><a href="#Footnote_15_15" class="fnanchor">[15]</a> mounted the pulpit and began to chaunt the <i>Falhea</i>,<a name="FNanchor_16_16" id="FNanchor_16_16"></a><a href="#Footnote_16_16" class="fnanchor">[16]</a>
+Achib repeated three times, <i>Alla Akbar</i>.</p>
+
+<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_14_14" id="Footnote_14_14"></a><a href="#FNanchor_14_14"><span class="label">[14]</span></a> Imam is a priest who reads and explains the Koran.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_15_15" id="Footnote_15_15"></a><a href="#FNanchor_15_15"><span class="label">[15]</span></a> Athib is a reader who chaunts over the prayers in plain
+song.</p></div>
+
+<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_16_16" id="Footnote_16_16"></a><a href="#FNanchor_16_16"><span class="label">[16]</span></a> Falhea, the Mahommedan Confession of Faith.</p></div>
+
+<p>The assembly, and the King himself, were astonished at this young
+stranger seating himself so near his Majesty; but the pleasure of his
+melodious and affecting voice excited so agreeable a surprise, that
+they soon forgot his assurance. All agreed that they had never heard
+anything so exquisite and perfect. The Athib was jealous of him: he
+had never supposed that there was a voice in the world superior to his
+own, and the despair which he felt deprived him of the use of it&mdash;he
+felt it die upon his lips. Achib did not give him time to recover it:
+he continued the prayer with a force and ease which the efforts of the
+Athib, supposing him to have had the courage to attempt it, could not
+have surpassed.</p>
+
+<p>When the King had ended his prayer, as he came out of the mosque he
+ordered his officers to wait for the new singer, to have a horse ready
+for him, and to conduct him to the palace, where his Majesty desired
+to see him. Achib received this invitation with respect, and obeyed
+the orders of his Sovereign.</p>
+
+<p>The monarch gave him a most gracious reception, bestowing the highest
+praise upon his talents, and soon felt himself prejudiced in favour of
+this stranger by a sympathy of which he could not discover the
+springs; but it seemed to be of the most interesting nature. Achib was
+only in his seventeenth year, and was endowed <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_404" id="Page_404">[404]</a></span>with every personal
+grace. Everything seemed to unite in strengthening the liking which
+the King showed for this stranger. Thus, whether on this pretence or
+to do a beneficent action, he made him lodge in his palace, and gave
+him a distinguished preference over the pages and those who composed
+his household.</p>
+
+<p>The officers soon conspired the destruction of their rival. In the
+meantime the virtuous Achib, after a long residence at Court, became
+desirous of seeing his parents and giving them an account of the goods
+with which he had been entrusted. Afraid lest he should not obtain the
+monarch's permission to return to them, he wrote to them and informed
+them of the favour he enjoyed. This motive, and the desire he
+expressed of seeing them again, determined the family to go to him
+immediately.</p>
+
+<p>Illage and his wife bore in their hearts the letter which they had
+just received; and both being flattered with having a son who at so
+early an age had been able to gain the good graces of a King, they
+instantly determined to hasten their departure, and informed their son
+of this resolution. As soon as Achib received this information, he
+purchased a house and suitable furniture, and in a short time embraced
+in it the authors of his existence, to whom the King sent presents of
+such magnificence as showed that they were intended for the family of
+his favourite.</p>
+
+<p>The fineness of the season having invited the King to one of his
+country houses, he removed thither, and gave entertainments for the
+amusement of his Court. One evening, contrary to his usual custom, he
+gave himself up to the pleasures of the table, and drank of a strange
+liquor of which he knew not the strength. In a short time after he was
+suddenly seized with such a stupidity that he was obliged to throw
+himself on a sofa, where he soon fell asleep. Pleasure had removed
+from him all his servants. Achib alone, following from affection every
+step of his master and benefactor, entered into the apartment and
+found him asleep. Then placing himself within the door, he drew his
+sabre, and stood there as a guard.</p>
+
+<p>One of the pages having returned, was surprised to find him in this
+situation, and asked him the cause of it.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_405" id="Page_405">[405]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I am watching," said Achib, "for the safety of my King: my attachment
+and my duty fix me here."</p>
+
+<p>The page ran and told his companions what he had seen. They thought
+they might easily avail themselves of this event to destroy him, and
+went in a body to the monarch. The witness swore that he had found
+Achib with a naked sabre in his hand in his Majesty's chamber while he
+was asleep. He ascribed the most criminal intentions to this faithful
+guard, and pretended that nothing but some sudden alarm had prevented
+the intended blow.</p>
+
+<p>"If your Majesty, sire," added he, "suspects the truth of my report,
+you need only to-day feign giving yourself up to sleep without any
+precaution, and we do not doubt that this rash man, pursuing his
+detestable purpose, will come to renew his attempt."</p>
+
+<p>Though moved by this accusation, the King was unwilling to trust
+entirely to the declaration of his pages, and thought it his duty to
+clear up his doubts himself.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime the pages had gone to find the young favourite.</p>
+
+<p>"The King," said they to him, "is highly pleased with the zeal you
+have shown for the safety of his person. 'Achib,' hath he said, 'is to
+me as a shield; under his protection I can sleep without fear.'"</p>
+
+<p>Night came, and the King, after a repast, during which he affected
+much gaiety and cheerfulness, suddenly retired, and threw himself upon
+a sofa, apparently in the same state in which he had been the night
+before. Achib, who never lost sight of him, supposing he was asleep,
+entered the apartment to place himself on guard, with his sabre
+uplifted and naked.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the King saw the gleam of the sabre he was seized with
+terror, and a cry which he uttered brought to him all the officers of
+his guard. Achib was arrested by his order, loaded with chains, and
+led away to prison.</p>
+
+<p>The next morning, after the first prayer, the King assembled his
+divan, ascended his throne, and caused the man to be brought before
+him whom slanderous and false reports and deceitful appearances had
+exposed to the presumption of so much guilt.</p>
+
+<p>"Ungrateful that you are!" said he to him. "Is it by putting<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_406" id="Page_406">[406]</a></span> me to
+death that you would show your gratitude and repay my favours? I will
+not delay to take signal vengeance on your detestable baseness."</p>
+
+<p>Achib, having made no reply to these reproaches, was sent back to
+prison.</p>
+
+<p>Scarcely was he gone out, when two of the courtiers who were most
+eager for his destruction approached the King.</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," said they to him, "everybody is surprised to see the execution
+of the criminal delayed. There is no crime equal to that which he
+intended to commit; and you ought to give such a speedy example of
+justice as your personal safety and the tranquillity of your people
+require."</p>
+
+<p>"Let us not be rash," replied the King, "in a judgment of this nature.
+The criminal is in chains, and cannot make his escape. And as to
+public vengeance, it will never be too late to gratify it. It is easy
+to take away a man's life, but it is impossible to restore it. Life is
+a blessing of Heaven which we ought to respect, and it becomes not us
+to deprive our fellow-creatures of it without the most mature
+deliberation. The evil, once done, can never be repaired. I have it
+now in my power to reflect on what I ought to do, and wish not that
+the future should have to reproach me with the improper conduct of the
+present."</p>
+
+<p>Having said this, the King dismissed the divan, ordered his hunting
+equipage to be got ready, and gave himself up for some days to the
+amusements of the chase.</p>
+
+<p>On his return, he was again set upon by the enemies of Achib. The
+longer, according to them, that this criminal's punishment was
+delayed, the more the people were discontented. Clemency and
+moderation ceased to be virtues when they spared such crimes as his.
+These new remarks embarrassed the Sovereign, who had now nothing to
+oppose to them, since the delay which he had granted had brought
+nothing to light. He determined to inflict that severe punishment
+which justice seemed to require, and ordered the criminal to be
+brought before him, accompanied by the officers of justice and the
+executioner.</p>
+
+<p>Achib stood blindfolded at the foot of the throne. The executioner,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_407" id="Page_407">[407]</a></span>
+with the sword in his hand, waited the King's command. At that instant
+a confused noise was heard; a stranger pierced through the crowd, and
+hastened to the feet of the King. It was the unfortunate Illage.</p>
+
+<p>"Mercy, sire! mercy!" exclaimed he: "pardon the only child that Heaven
+has restored to me! My son could not intend an attack upon your life:
+he was incapable of designing so unnatural a murder; your life is
+dearer to him than his own. I have letters of his which made me fly to
+your Majesty, that I might admire more nearly those virtues which I
+adored. But, O monarch, whose illustrious virtues are renowned through
+the most distant corners of the world, justify the public admiration
+by a new display of wisdom, in overcoming a resentment with which
+false appearances have inspired you! Consider with horror the
+melancholy consequences of a too rash judgment! Behold in me a
+dreadful example of the consequence of being led away by passion, and
+of yielding, without reflection, to its imprudent follies. Heaven
+blessed me with children; but having been separated from them from
+their earliest infancy, the day at length came when we were to be
+reunited. Not knowing them, and being blinded by passion, I abused the
+power with which I was invested. I had them bound upon planks and
+thrown into the sea. The man whom you threaten with death alone
+escaped from perishing in the waves, and must I this day be the
+witness of his death? Behold the reward of my guilty rashness! My
+heart is filled with bitterness, and tears will flow from mine eyes
+till they are closed in death."</p>
+
+<p>During this discourse, the King stood motionless through astonishment.
+It was his own history he had just heard. The man who spoke was his
+father, and the supposed criminal his brother!</p>
+
+<p>Having happily acquired, in the exercise of power, the habit of
+self-command, he knew how to shun the dangers of too sudden a
+discovery. Nature, however, yielded at length to his eagerness, and he
+affectionately embraced the author of his life. He ordered his brother
+to be set free from those shameful chains with which envy had bound
+him. He made himself known to him; and after mutual consolation.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_408" id="Page_408">[408]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Behold," said he to his divan, "to what a dreadful evil I should have
+exposed myself, had I lightly credited the detractions of slander,
+and, upon your artful reports, had hastened the punishment which you
+so eagerly urged! Go, and be ashamed! Was there one among you all who
+supported innocence?"</p>
+
+<p>After these few words, the King retired into his apartments with his
+father and brother. He admitted them to a share in all the joys of his
+Court, and sent twenty slaves, magnificently dressed, in quest of his
+mother. This family, so happily reunited, lived in the blessings of
+the most affectionate unity, grateful to the Almighty, and faithful to
+the law written by His great Prophet, till the moment when they were
+called, by the decree of fate, from this world to a better.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>Aladin, having thus finished the history of "Illage Mahomet, or the
+Imprudent," added some reflections fitted to make an impression on the
+mind of the King, whose attention he had been so fortunate as to
+engage.</p>
+
+<p>"Sire!" said he to him, "if the son, when he became a King, had
+conducted himself as rashly as the father when he was a minister,
+innocence would have been sacrificed to jealousy and ambition, and a
+whole family devoted for life to misery and remorse. There is always
+something gained by delay. Appearances are equally against me, and
+envy hath availed itself of them to make me appear guilty; but I have
+Heaven and your wisdom on my side."</p>
+
+<p>When the young man had done speaking, Bohetzad turned towards his
+ministers.</p>
+
+<p>"I do not mean," said he, "that crimes should remain unpunished. But
+truth, even when it comes from the mouth of an enemy, ought to be
+esteemed precious. This criminal hath well remarked, that there can be
+nothing lost by taking time to reflect. Let him be carried back to
+prison."</p>
+
+<p>The Viziers were enraged. Delay might discover the truth, through the
+cloud under which they had concealed it. As they jointly endeavoured
+to conceal the stratagems they had devised<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_409" id="Page_409">[409]</a></span> in secret, the third among
+them went early the next day to the palace.</p>
+
+<p>The King inquired if the interval that had elapsed had produced no new
+light.</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," replied this minister, "the police which, under your Majesty's
+orders, we exercise, maintains the peace of your capital, and all
+would be perfectly quiet if the throne were avenged of the outrage of
+this son of a villain, whose punishment your Majesty still delays. The
+people are murmuring at it, and I should have thought myself wanting
+in my duty had I concealed from you their uneasiness, the consequences
+of which may be dangerous. It is never too soon to prevent a
+rebellion, and that which is now forming would be extremely fatal."</p>
+
+<p>Constrained by these observations, the King commanded the criminal to
+be brought before him.</p>
+
+<p>"Unhappy man!" said he to him, "thou shalt never summon me to the
+tribunal of Heaven for having hastened thy punishment. I have listened
+to all the weak shifts by which thou hast defended thyself. I have
+weighed their value. But reserve and circumspection have an end. My
+people murmur. Their patience and mine is exhausted. Heaven and earth
+look to me for justice, and thou hast reached thy last moment."</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," replied the modest Aladin, "do the people look for an example
+of your justice? Impatience is the fault of the people. But patience
+ought always to sit upon the throne, amidst the virtues which form its
+basis and safety. This virtue, necessary to all, and which calls upon
+us for that resignation which we owe to the eternal decrees, raised
+the patient Abosaber from the bottom of a well even to the throne."</p>
+
+<p>"Who is this Abosaber?" asked the King. "Give me a short account of
+his history."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_410" id="Page_410">[410]</a></span></p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;">
+<img src="images/image_410.jpg" width="600" height="417" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+
+
+<h2>THE HISTORY OF ABOSABER THE PATIENT.</h2>
+<p>Sire (said Aladin), Abosaber, surnamed the Patient, was a wealthy and
+generous man, who lived in a village which he rendered happy by his
+charities. He was hospitable and beneficent to the poor, and every one
+that applied to him. His granaries were full, his ploughs were
+continually at work, his flocks covered the plains, and he maintained
+plenty in the country. He had a wife and two children, and the
+happiness of this way of life was disturbed by nothing but the
+devastations of a monstrous lion, which ravaged the stables and folds
+belonging to the peaceful cultivators of these happy regions,
+according to its necessities and those of its young.</p>
+
+<p>The wife of Abosaber wanted her husband, at the head of his people, to
+hunt this animal, by whose devastation they, on account of their
+riches, were more particularly affected.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_411" id="Page_411">[411]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Wife," said Abosaber to her, "let us have patience! I have not any
+skill in lion hunting; leave it to others."</p>
+
+<p>The King of the country heard of the ravages of this lion, and ordered
+a general chase. The people immediately took arms: the lion was sought
+for, and soon surrounded on every side. A shower of arrows was
+discharged upon him. He became furious: his bristles stood on end, his
+eyes flashed, he beat his sides with his terrible tail, and, setting
+up tremendous roarings, darted with fury upon the nearest of the
+hunters. This was a young man of nineteen years of age, mounted upon a
+vigorous horse.</p>
+
+<p>At the cries of the lion the courser was seized with terror, and his
+strength instantly failed him. He fell, and died as if he had been
+struck with a thunderbolt. The valiant knight soon got upon his feet,
+and, invoking the name of the great Prophet, he plunged his spear into
+the enormous jaws which were opened to devour him. This exploit of
+courage and intrepidity gained him, together with the applauses of his
+Sovereign, the office of commander-in-chief of all his troops.</p>
+
+<p>Abosaber, hearing of the lion's death, said to his wife, "See of what
+advantage patience hath been to us! Had I followed your advice, and
+exposed myself to the danger of attacking an animal against which it
+was necessary to draw out so much strength, I should have lost my
+life, with all my people, to no purpose."</p>
+
+<p>The dangerous lion did not alone disturb the peaceful retreat of
+Abosaber; the inhabitants of the village did not all enjoy the same
+good character. One of them committed a considerable robbery in the
+capital, and made his escape, after having murdered the master of the
+house he had plundered. The King, informed of this double crime, sent
+in search of the relations and slaves of the man who had been so
+inhumanly murdered. No one could give him any information, but by
+throwing out suspicions against the inhabitants of the village where
+Abosaber dwelt. These had the character of being very bad people, and
+were known to have frequented the house in which the murder and theft
+had been committed, the perpetrators of which they were endeavouring
+to discover. Upon this declaration alone, and without having recourse<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_412" id="Page_412">[412]</a></span>
+to any other proof, the enraged monarch commanded an officer at the
+head of a detachment to lay waste the village, and bring away its
+inhabitants loaded with chains.</p>
+
+<p>Those who are employed in the execution of severe commands frequently
+go beyond the orders they have received. Troops very ill disciplined
+spread their devastation over all the neighbouring country. They
+spared only the dwelling of Abosaber and six persons of his household;
+but they pillaged his granaries and his standing corn, with those of
+all the inhabitants.</p>
+
+<p>The wife of Abosaber bewailed this disaster.</p>
+
+<p>"We are ruined," said she to her husband; "you see our flocks carried
+off with those of the guilty, notwithstanding the orders they have to
+spare whatever belongs to us. See with what injustice we are treated.
+Speak to the officers of the King."</p>
+
+<p>"I have spoken," said Abosaber, "but they have not time to hear me.
+Let us have patience: the evil will recoil on those who commit it.
+Unhappy the man who gives orders at once rigorous and urgent! unhappy
+the man who acts without reflection! I fear that the evils which the
+King has brought upon us will soon return upon himself."</p>
+
+<p>An enemy of Abosaber had heard this discourse, and reported it to the
+King.</p>
+
+<p>"Thus," said he, "speaks the man whom the goodness of your Majesty had
+spared!"</p>
+
+<p>The monarch instantly gave orders that Abosaber, his wife, and his two
+children, should be driven from the village and banished from his
+dominions.</p>
+
+<p>The wife of the wise and resigned Mussulman made loud complaints: she
+reproached the authors of her calamity, and carried her resentment to
+excess.</p>
+
+<p>"Have patience, wife," said he to her: "this virtue is the sovereign
+balm against adversity; it gives salutary counsel, and carries with it
+hope and consolation. Let us go to the desert, since they persecute us
+here."</p>
+
+<p>The good Abosaber lifted up his eyes and blessed the Almighty as he
+pursued his journey with his family. But they had scarcely<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_413" id="Page_413">[413]</a></span> entered
+the desert when they were attacked by a band of robbers. They were
+plundered, their children were carried off, and, deprived of every
+resource or human aid, they were left to the care of Providence.</p>
+
+<p>The wife, having lost by this new stroke of fate what was most dear to
+her, gave free course to her grief, and set up mournful cries.</p>
+
+<p>"Indolent man!" said she to her husband, "lay aside your listlessness.
+Let us pursue the robbers: if they have any feeling of humanity left,
+they will restore us our children."</p>
+
+<p>"Let us have patience," replied Abosaber; "it is the only remedy for
+evils which appear desperate. These robbers are well mounted; naked
+and fatigued as we are, there is no probability of our overtaking
+them. And suppose we should succeed in that, perhaps these barbarous
+men, harassed with our lamentations, might put us to death."</p>
+
+<p>The wife grew calm, for the decay of her strength made her unable to
+complain; and they both arrived on the bank of a river, from whence
+they discovered a village.</p>
+
+<p>"Sit down here," said Abosaber to his wife; "I will go to seek a
+lodging and some clothes to cover us."</p>
+
+<p>Saying this, he went away, taking the road to the village, from which
+they were not far distant.</p>
+
+<p>Scarcely was Abosaber out of sight when a gentleman passing near her
+stopped in astonishment at seeing a most beautiful woman plundered and
+abandoned thus in a solitary road. He put several questions to her,
+which this singular adventure might seem to authorize, and she
+answered them with sufficient spirit. These replies increased the
+fancy of the young man.</p>
+
+<p>"Madam," said he to her, "you seem formed to enjoy a happier lot, and
+if you will accept of that which I will prepare for you, follow me,
+and, together with my heart and hand, I offer you a situation that
+deserves to be envied."</p>
+
+<p>"I have a husband," replied the lady, "to whom, unfortunate as he is,
+I am bound for life."</p>
+
+<p>"I have no time," replied the gentleman, "to convince you of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_414" id="Page_414">[414]</a></span> the
+folly of a refusal in your situation. I love you. Mount my horse
+without reply, or with one stroke of my scimitar I will terminate both
+your misfortunes and your life."</p>
+
+<p>The wife of Abosaber, forced to yield, before she departed wrote these
+words upon the sand: "Abosaber, your patience hath cost you your
+fortune, your children, and your wife, who is carried off from you.
+Heaven grant that it may not prove still more fatal to you!"</p>
+
+<p>While she traced these words, the gentleman quitted his horse's
+bridle, and when everything was ready, he seized his prey and
+disappeared.</p>
+
+<p>Abosaber, on his return, sought for his spouse, and called upon her in
+vain. He demanded her of all nature, but nature was silent. He cast
+his eyes upon the ground, and there learned his misfortune. He could
+not restrain the first accents of grief: he tore his hair, rent his
+breast, and bruised himself with strokes. But soon becoming quiet,
+after all this agitation,</p>
+
+<p>"Have patience, Abosaber!" said he to himself; "thou lovest thy wife,
+and art beloved by her. Allah hath undoubtedly suffered her to fall
+into the situation in which she is in order to snatch her from more
+dreadful evils. Does it become thee to search into the secrets of
+Providence? It is thy part to submit, and also to cease from fatiguing
+and offending Heaven by thy cries and thy complaints."</p>
+
+<p>These reflections completely restored his tranquillity, and abandoning
+the design he had of returning to the village from which he came, he
+took the road to a city whose distant spires had attracted his
+attention.</p>
+
+<p>As he approached it, he perceived a number of workmen engaged in
+constructing a palace for the King. The overseer of this work took
+hold of him by the arm, and obliged him to labour with his workmen,
+under pain of being sent to prison. Abosaber was forced to have
+patience, while he exerted himself to the utmost, receiving no wages
+but a little bread and water.</p>
+
+<p>He had been a month in this laborious and unprofitable situation, when
+a workman, falling from a ladder, broke his leg. This poor<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_415" id="Page_415">[415]</a></span> unhappy
+man set up dreadful cries, interrupted by complaints and imprecations.
+Abosaber approached him.</p>
+
+<p>"Companion," said he to him, "you increase your misfortunes instead of
+relieving them. Have patience! The fruits of this virtue are always
+salutary: it supports us under calamity, and such is its power that it
+can raise a man to the throne, even though he were cast into the
+bottom of a well."</p>
+
+<p>The monarch of the country was at this moment at one of the windows of
+his palace, to which the cries of the unfortunate workman had drawn
+him. He had heard Abosaber's discourse, and was offended at it.</p>
+
+<p>"Let this man be arrested," said he to one of his officers, "and
+brought before me."</p>
+
+<p>The officer obeyed. Abosaber was in the presence of the tyrant whose
+pride he had unintentionally shocked.</p>
+
+<p>"Insolent fellow!" said this barbarous King to him, "can patience then
+bring a man from the bottom of a well to a throne? Thou art going to
+put the truth of thy own maxim to the trial."</p>
+
+<p>At the same time he ordered him to be let down to the bottom of a dry
+and deep well which was within the palace. There he visited him
+regularly every day, carrying him two morsels of bread.</p>
+
+<p>"Abosaber," would he say to him, "you appear to me to be still at the
+bottom of the well: when is your patience to raise you to the throne?"</p>
+
+<p>The more this unfeeling monarch insulted his prisoner, he became the
+more resigned.</p>
+
+<p>"Let us have patience," would he say to himself; "let us not repel
+contempt with reproach; we are not suffered to avenge ourselves in any
+shape whatever. Let us allow the crime to come to its full height:
+Heaven sees, and is our judge. Let us have patience."</p>
+
+<p>The King had a brother, whom he had always concealed from every eye in
+a secret part of the palace. But suspicion and uneasiness made him
+afraid lest he should one day be carried off and placed upon the
+throne. Some time ago he had secretly let him down into the bottom of
+this well we have spoken of. This unhappy<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_416" id="Page_416">[416]</a></span> victim soon sank under so
+many difficulties. He died, but this event was not known, although the
+other parts of the secret had transpired.</p>
+
+<p>The grandees of the realm and the whole nation, shocked at the
+capricious cruelty, which exposed them all to the same danger, rose
+with one accord against the tyrant, and assassinated him. The
+adventure of Abosaber had been long since forgotten. One of the
+officers of the palace reported that the King went every day to carry
+bread to a man who was in the well, and to converse with him. This
+idea led their thoughts to the brother who had been so cruelly used by
+the tyrant. They ran to the well, went down into it, and found there
+the patient Abosaber, whom they took for the presumptive heir to the
+crown. Without giving him time to speak, or to make himself known,
+they conducted him to a bath, and he was soon clothed in the royal
+purple and placed upon the throne.</p>
+
+<p>The new King, always steady to his principles, left Heaven to operate
+in his favour, and was patient. His deportment, his reserve, and his
+coolness disposed men to prophecy well of his reign, and the wisdom of
+his conduct justified these happy presages. Not contented to weigh
+with indefatigable patience the decisions of his own judgment, he was
+present as often as possible at all the business of the State.
+"Viziers, Cadis, ministers of justice," said he to them, "before
+deciding hastily, take patience and inquire."</p>
+
+<p>They admired his wisdom, and yielded themselves to its direction. Such
+was the disposition of their minds with respect to him, when a train
+of events produced a great change in it.</p>
+
+<p>A neighbouring monarch, driven from his dominions by a powerful enemy,
+vanquished, and followed by a small retinue, took refuge with
+Abosaber, and implored on his knees the hospitality, assistance, and
+good offices of a King renowned for his virtues, and especially for
+his patience.</p>
+
+<p>Abosaber dismissed his divan to converse with this exiled Prince, and,
+as soon as they were alone, he said to him, "Behold in me Abosaber,
+your former subject, unjustly spoiled by you of all his fortune, and
+banished from your kingdom. Observe the just difference<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_417" id="Page_417">[417]</a></span> in the
+conduct of Heaven towards us. I departed from my village, reduced by
+you to the last point of wretchedness. I submitted, however, to my
+lot, was patient, and Providence hath conducted me to the throne,
+while your passionate, cruel, and rash conduct hath brought you down
+from one. It appears to me that, in seeing you thus at my discretion,
+I am commissioned to execute on you the decrees of Heaven, as a
+warning to the wicked."</p>
+
+<p>After this reproof, and without waiting a reply, Abosaber commanded
+his officers to drive the exiled King and all his followers from the
+city. These orders were instantly put in execution, but they
+occasioned some murmurs. Should an unfortunate and suppliant King be
+treated with so much rigour? This seemed contrary to all the laws of
+equity, of humanity, and of policy.</p>
+
+<p>Some time after this Abosaber, having been informed that a band of
+robbers infested a part of his dominions, sent troops in pursuit of
+them. They were surprised, surrounded, and brought before him. The
+King recognized them to be those who had carried off his children, and
+privately interrogated their chief.</p>
+
+<p>"In such a situation," said he to him, "and in such a desert, you
+found a man, a woman, and two children. You plundered the father and
+mother, and carried away their children. What have you done with them?
+What is become of them?"</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," replied the chief of the robbers, "these children are among
+us, and we will give them to your Majesty to dispose of them as you
+please. We are ready, moreover, to deliver into your hands all that we
+have heaped up in our profession. Grant us life and pardon; receive us
+into the number of your subjects; we will return from our evil
+courses, and no soldiers in your Majesty's service shall be more
+devoted to you than we."</p>
+
+<p>The King sent for the children, seized the riches of the robbers, and
+caused their heads to be instantly struck off, without regarding their
+repentance or entreaties.</p>
+
+<p>The subjects of Abosaber, seeing this hasty conduct, and recollecting
+the treatment of the exiled Monarch, in a short time did not know what
+might be their own. "What precipitation!" said they. "Is this the
+compassionate King, who, when the Cadi was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_418" id="Page_418">[418]</a></span> about to inflict any
+punishment, continually repeated to him, '<i>Wait, examine, do nothing
+rashly; have patience</i>'?" They were extremely surprised, but a new
+event rendered them still more astonished.</p>
+
+<p>A gentleman came with complaints against his wife. Abosaber, before
+hearing them, said to him, "Bring your wife with you: if it be just
+for me to listen to your arguments, it cannot be less so to hear
+hers."</p>
+
+<p>The gentleman went out, and in a few moments after returned with his
+wife. The King had scarcely looked at her, when he ordered her to be
+conducted into the palace, and the man's head to be cut off, who had
+come to complain of her. The order was obeyed. The Viziers, the
+officers, and the whole divan murmured aloud, that Abosaber might hear
+them.</p>
+
+<p>"Never was there seen such an act of violence," said they among
+themselves. "The King who was beheaded was never guilty of so shocking
+an action, and this brother, coming out of a well, and promising at
+first wisdom and prudence, is carried in cold blood to an excess which
+borders on madness."</p>
+
+<p>Abosaber listened and remained patient, till at length a wave of his
+hand having imposed silence, he spoke as follows:</p>
+
+<p>"Viziers, Cadis, ministers of justice, and all ye vassals of the Crown
+who hear me, I have always advised you against precipitation in your
+judgments; you owe me the same attention, and I pray you hear me.</p>
+
+<p>"Arrived at a point of good fortune to which I had never even dared to
+aspire, the circumstances which were necessary for my success being so
+difficult to be united; indifferent as to the crown which I wear, and
+to which I had no right by my birth; it only remains for me to gain
+your esteem by justifying the motives of my conduct, and making myself
+known to you.</p>
+
+<p>"I am not brother to the King whom you judged unworthy to reign; I am
+a man of mean birth. Persecuted, undone, and driven from my country, I
+took refuge in this kingdom, after having seen my two children and my
+wife torn from me in the way. I devoutly submitted to the strokes
+which fate had laid on me, when, at the entrance of this city, I was
+seized by force, and constrained to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_419" id="Page_419">[419]</a></span> labour at the building of the
+palace. Convinced in my mind that patience is the most necessary
+virtue to man, I exhorted one of my fellow-labourers to bear with
+resignation a dreadful evil he had met with in breaking his leg.
+<i>Patience</i>, said I to him, <i>is so great a virtue, that it could raise
+a man to the throne, although he were cast into the bottom of a well</i>.</p>
+
+<p>"The King, my predecessor, heard me. This maxim shocked him, and that
+instant he caused me be let down into the well, from which you took me
+to set me on the throne.</p>
+
+<p>"When a neighbouring monarch, driven by an usurper from his dominions,
+came to implore my assistance, I recognized in him my own Sovereign,
+who had unjustly stripped me of my possessions and sent me into
+banishment. I was not the only object of his capricious cruelties: I
+saw all his subjects groaning under them.</p>
+
+<p>"The robbers, whom I punished, had carried off my children and reduced
+me to the last point of wretchedness.</p>
+
+<p>"In fine, the gentleman whom I caused to be beheaded is he who
+violently took away my wife.</p>
+
+<p>"In all these judgments, I have not had the revenge of my own
+particular offences in view. King of these dominions by your choice,
+the instrument of God upon earth, I did not think myself at liberty to
+yield to an arbitrary clemency, which would have weakened your power.
+It was my duty to execute the decrees of Providence upon such as were
+clearly convicted of guilt, and to cut off from society mortals too
+dangerous for it.</p>
+
+<p>"A tyrannical King who respects not the laws, and is only directed by
+his passions and caprice, is the scourge of his people. If it is not
+lawful to make any attempt upon his life, it is still less so to grant
+him such assistance as would authorize him in the perpetual exercise
+of revenge, and in the indulgence of the injustice and atrocity of his
+disposition. It is even wise to deprive him of the means of it.</p>
+
+<p>"Villains whose sole occupation is to attack caravans, plunder
+travellers, and who are accustomed to nothing but disorder, can never
+become useful and valuable citizens. They deserve still less to be
+admitted to the honour of defending their country. Banishment<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_420" id="Page_420">[420]</a></span> to them
+is only a return to their former life. By increasing their number, the
+evils of the world are rendered perpetual.</p>
+
+<p>"The ravisher of a wife is a monster in society from which it ought to
+be freed. The man who indulges himself in this crime is capable of
+every other.</p>
+
+<p>"Such are the motives of my conduct: severity costs me more than any
+one else. But I should have been unworthy of the confidence of my
+people, and wanting in the duties of the throne, had I not exercised
+it in this situation.</p>
+
+<p>"If I have exceeded the limits of my authority, I am ready to resign
+it into your hands. Reunited to my wife and my children, and thus
+loaded with the most precious blessings of the Almighty, I should have
+nothing left but to wish you happy days under a government wiser than
+mine."</p>
+
+<p>When Abosaber had finished this justification of his conduct,
+admiration and respect held the whole assembly in silence. Soon,
+however, a shout followed by a thousand others resounded through the
+divan.</p>
+
+<p>"Long live Abosaber! long live our King! long live the patient
+monarch! may he live for ever! and may his reign endure to eternity!"</p>
+
+<p>The King having returned into his apartment, sent for his wife and his
+children, and after yielding to the sweet impulses of nature,
+"Behold," said he to his spouse, "the fruits of patience, and the
+consequences of rashness. Give up at last your prejudices, and engrave
+on the hearts of our children these important truths. Good and evil
+happen under the inspection of Providence, and divine wisdom
+infallibly bestows the punishment or the reward. The patient man who
+submits to his lot is sooner or later crowned with honour."</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>After having ended his story Aladin kept a respectful silence.
+Bohetzad seemed lost in thought.</p>
+
+<p>"How is it possible," said he, "that the maxims of wisdom should flow
+from the lips of a man whose heart must be corrupted, and whose soul
+must be guilty? Young man!" added he, addressing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_421" id="Page_421">[421]</a></span> himself to the
+supposed criminal, "I will still defer your punishment till to-morrow.
+You are to be carried back to prison. The counsels which you have
+given me shall have their proper effect. A professed robber ought to
+be cut off from the class of citizens, from that of the defenders of
+the kingdom, and from the whole world. But as you have at the same
+time guarded me against precipitation in judgment, I consent that you
+may live during the remainder of this day and the following night."</p>
+
+<p>At these words the King dismissed the assembly.</p>
+
+<p>The Viziers took counsel together respecting the step they should take
+to secure the destruction of the favourite. Perceiving the punishment
+so often delayed, it was their business to alarm the King respecting
+the dangerous effects of his clemency, and his weakness in allowing
+himself to be led away by these discourses, prepared on purpose to
+suspend an act of justice which was absolutely necessary. He ought to
+banish from the people every suspicion of weakness on the part of the
+government, and show them that equity was its foundation.</p>
+
+<p>The artful detail of this reasoning was entrusted to the Fourth
+Vizier; and this minister came next morning to Bohetzad to perform his
+part.</p>
+
+<p>The poison of flattery was artfully mingled with remonstrances, which
+appeared to be dictated by a disinterested zeal, and made a deep
+impression on the King. He ordered the Superintendent to be brought
+before him, as formerly, with all the apparatus of punishment.
+"Unhappy man!" said he to him, "I have reflected enough to punish you
+for your crime. May your death, if it be possible, make me forget you
+for ever!"</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," replied Aladin, with respect and firmness, "I receive with
+submission the sentence of my crime. It is dictated by circumstances;
+and were it not, I feel that the misery of having fallen under your
+disgrace would be worse to me. The sacrifice once made, I can repent
+of it no more. But the day will come, when your Majesty, regretting
+your unjust precipitation, will repent that you did not sufficiently
+consult the rules of prudence, as it happened to Bhazad, the son of
+Cyrus, founder of the Syrian empire."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_422" id="Page_422">[422]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h2>HISTORY OF BHAZAD THE IMPATIENT.</h2>
+<p>Bhazad was a Prince possessed of every external accomplishment. His
+beauty, celebrated by the poets, was become proverbial among all
+nations. He was the delight of every company, and scarcely anything
+was noticed in it but himself. One day, while he was unperceived, his
+beauty became the subject of conversation. After it had been much
+praised, one who was present, and had till then been silent, added,</p>
+
+<p>"Prince Bhazad is doubtless one of the most beautiful men in the
+world; but I know a woman who in this respect is much more superior to
+her own sex than he is to his."</p>
+
+<p>This discourse roused the curiosity of Bhazad more than his pride;
+and, addressing himself in private to the man who spoke thus:</p>
+
+<p>"Might one know from you," said he to him, "the name of this beauty,
+in whose praise you have just now spoken?"</p>
+
+<p>"Prince," replied this man, "she is the daughter of one of the most
+illustrious vassals of the Syrian throne; and if she enchants every
+eye by her external charms, the virtues of her heart and of her mind
+contribute still more to make her perfect."</p>
+
+<p>Those few words made a lively impression upon the heart of Bhazad. He
+could think of nothing but of the object whose praises he had heard,
+and he endeavoured to make a conquest of her. The love which consumed
+him injured his health, rendered him thoughtful and solitary; and the
+King his father, being surprised at this change, upon inquiring of
+him, was informed of its cause.</p>
+
+<p>Bhazad, after having made a confession of his passion to Cyrus,
+suffered from him some reproaches for his reserve.</p>
+
+<p>"Why have you concealed from me the state of your heart?" said he to
+him. "Are you ignorant that I have all power over the Prince whose
+daughter you are desirous to marry? Are you afraid that he will not
+accept the honour of our alliance?"</p>
+
+<p>Upon this Cyrus sent in quest of the father of the young beauty, and
+demanded her for his son. The dowry, which was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_423" id="Page_423">[423]</a></span> to be three hundred
+thousand pieces of gold, was agreed upon at once. But the future
+father-in-law required that the celebration of the nuptials should be
+delayed for nine months.</p>
+
+<p>"Nine months without seeing her!" said the impatient Bhazad to
+himself. "Nine months without her! It is insupportable."</p>
+
+<p>He quickly formed the design of going to her. He mounted the best
+courser in his stables, and immediately departed, having provided
+himself with some necessary articles, such as a bow, a lance, and a
+scimitar. He was not far from the capital of Syria when he was
+attacked by a band of robbers. His undaunted countenance and his
+martial air made an impression upon them; and far from endeavouring,
+according to their usual custom, to murder him after they had robbed
+him, they proposed to him a very different plan, and promised him his
+life on condition that he would associate with them. Bhazad thought it
+necessary to discover to these vagabonds his rank, his projects, and
+the fatal delay of nine months, which his impatience had been unable
+to endure. Upon this declaration, the chief of the robbers replied to
+him,</p>
+
+<p>"We will shorten this delay. We know the castle in which the object of
+your love dwells, and the strength that defends it. March at our head;
+we will attack it, and no object shall be able to resist us. All we
+ask of you for this important service is a share in the dowry, your
+future protection, and a delay of some days to prepare ourselves for
+the enterprise."</p>
+
+<p>Bhazad, in his impatience, thought himself already on the very point
+of happiness. Every method seemed just to him which could serve his
+passion, and he was by no means delicate in the choice of them. Thus
+he deliberated no more, but continued his journey at the head of the
+robbers.</p>
+
+<p>They soon met a numerous caravan, and the robbers, constrained by
+their natural propensity, attacked it in disorder. They were repulsed,
+however, with the loss of several men and a considerable number of
+prisoners, among whom Bhazad was included. He was conducted to the
+capital of the country to which the caravan was travelling. The
+commander of it, after relating his adventure, presented Bhazad to the
+King.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_424" id="Page_424">[424]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Here, sire, is a young man who, in our opinion, deserves to be
+distinguished from the rest, and we beseech your Majesty to dispose of
+him according to your pleasure."</p>
+
+<p>The countenance of the captive attracted the particular attention of
+the King.</p>
+
+<p>"Who are you, young man?" inquired the Prince. "You seem not to have
+been born for the criminal profession you follow. How did you fall
+into the hands of the caravan?"</p>
+
+<p>Bhazad, lest he should dishonour his respectable name, was unwilling
+to make himself known.</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," replied he, "my appearance ought not to impose upon your
+Majesty: I am, and always have been, a professed robber."</p>
+
+<p>"Your answer," said the King, "is your sentence of death. Yet," said
+he to himself, "I ought to be rash in nothing. Regard must be had to
+his youth and external qualities, which seem to distinguish him from
+people of his profession. If this young man is in reality a robber, he
+deserves punishment; but if he is an unfortunate sport of destiny, who
+hath sought for death as a deliverance from the sorrows of life, one
+may become an accomplice in his crime by not preventing his death."</p>
+
+<p>The prudent Sovereign, having made this soliloquy, ordered Bhazad to
+be shut up in close confinement, expecting some great discovery
+respecting his rank.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime the King of Syria, having in quest of his son searched
+his dominions in vain, addressed circular letters to all the
+Sovereigns of Asia. One of them came to the King in whose dominion
+Bhazad was in custody. From the description which it gave of him, he
+had no doubt that the young adventurer whom he kept in prison was the
+well-beloved son of the powerful monarch of Syria. What reason had he
+to applaud himself for not having hurried his judgment!</p>
+
+<p>He sent immediately for the handsome prisoner, and asked his name.</p>
+
+<p>"My name is Bhazad," replied the young man.</p>
+
+<p>"You are the son, then, of King Cyrus. But what motives determined you
+to conceal your birth? Had I not been slow in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_425" id="Page_425">[425]</a></span> execution of
+punishment, it would have cost you your life, and me the remorse of
+having treated you as a vile assassin."</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," replied Bhazad, after having revealed to him the secret of his
+escape, "finding myself seized among robbers, in whose crimes I had
+involuntarily shared, I preferred death to shame, and was unwilling to
+dishonour a name so illustrious."</p>
+
+<p>"Son," replied the sage monarch, "there has been a great deal of
+imprudence in your behaviour. You were in love, and assured of wedding
+in a few months the object of your affection. See to what rashness and
+impatience have brought you. Instead of waiting patiently till you
+should become the son-in-law of one of your father's noble vassals,
+after having quitted the Court of Syria without permission, and after
+having incautiously exposed yourself to be murdered by the robbers who
+infest these deserts, you joined yourself to these vagabonds to carry
+off by force the woman who was voluntarily to be given you in
+marriage. See into what a train of crimes you have drawn yourself.
+Check this passion and calm your impatience. I will procure you the
+means of uniting yourself soon to the Princess whose hand you are
+anxious to obtain. But as everything ought to be done in a manner
+suitable to her condition and your rank, we will hurry nothing."</p>
+
+<p>After this, the King, having caused Bhazad to be magnificently
+dressed, appointed him lodgings in his palace, and admitted him to his
+table. He wrote to Cyrus to set him at ease respecting the fate of his
+son, whose equipage was getting ready that he might appear with more
+splendour at the Court of the Prince whose daughter he was about to
+espouse.</p>
+
+<p>The impatient Bhazad saw these preparations with uneasiness. The
+attention which was paid to them retarded his happiness. At length,
+however, the order for his departure was given, and he might begin his
+journey. A small army escorted him, but every halt which it made
+appeared an age to this impatient Prince.</p>
+
+<p>Messengers had been dispatched to the father of the Princess, to
+inform him of the arrival of his son-in-law. He came, with his
+daughter covered with a veil, to receive him at the gate of his
+castle, and allotted him a magnificent apartment next to that of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_426" id="Page_426">[426]</a></span> his
+future spouse. All the arrangements had been previously fixed by the
+two fathers. The term of nine months would have elapsed in three days,
+and all the preparations suitable to this so much wished-for union
+were finished.</p>
+
+<p>Bhazad was only separated from the object of his affection by the
+breadth of a thin wall. In three days he might see her. But this wall
+was like Mount Ararat to him, and these three days seemed an eternity.
+As he constantly inquired what she was doing, he learnt that she was
+at her toilet, assisted by her female slaves, and without her veil.
+This was the time for him to surprise her and behold her at his
+pleasure. He presently examined all the openings of his apartment, to
+find some way of gratifying his impatience and curiosity. He
+discovered, to his misfortune, a small grated window, to which he
+applied his eye. But an eunuch, placed there on guard, perceived the
+inquisitive man, and, without knowing him, struck him with the point
+of his scimitar, which at once ran through both his eyes, and drew
+from him a piercing cry, which soon collected around him all those
+engaged in his service.</p>
+
+<p>They stood around the wounded, inquiring the cause which could have
+reduced him to the unhappy situation he was in. His misfortune
+discovered to him his crime.</p>
+
+<p>"It was my impatience," replied he, with sorrow. "I have too soon
+forgotten the sage counsels of the King my benefactor. In three days I
+would have seen her who was to crown my happiness; but I was unable to
+bear this delay with patience. I wished to enjoy beforehand the
+pleasure of seeing her, and for this I am punished with the loss of my
+sight."</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>"In this manner," added Aladin, "did the impatient Bhazad, on the very
+point of becoming happy, lose that hope for ever, and was condemned to
+the most cruel loss in being deprived of the sense of sight. He ought
+to have recollected the dangers to which his former imprudence had
+exposed him; with what maturity of deliberation, with what wise delay,
+the monarch to whom he was indebted for his fortune and life had
+conducted himself with respect to him, and he ought to have yielded
+entirely to his advice. But<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_427" id="Page_427">[427]</a></span> it is not from acting without reflection
+that experience is acquired, and the wise alone can profit by that of
+others."</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>The young Superintendent, having made an end of speaking, Bohetzad,
+drowned in thought, dismissed the assembly, and remanded the criminal
+to prison.</p>
+
+<p>The ten Viziers, afraid lest their victim should escape, assembled
+again next day, and sent three of their number in a deputation to the
+King to strike the last blow against the young Aladin. They assured
+Bohetzad that the dangerous consequences of his clemency were already
+felt.</p>
+
+<p>"Every day," said they, "ordinary justice is engaged in checking the
+audacious crimes of your subjects against the sanctity of the harem.
+Prevaricating criminals have the boldness to defend themselves by the
+example that is before their eyes; and the delays which arise from
+your Majesty in this affair are so many pretences which they allege in
+their justification. We conjure you, sire, to put an end to this
+disorder, which your ministers will soon be unable to restrain."</p>
+
+<p>Bohetzad, ashamed of his too great indulgence, caused the
+Superintendent to be brought before him.</p>
+
+<p>"Thou appearest at length," said he to him, "for the last time, on the
+scaffold, which thou art about to stain with thy blood. The crime
+which thou hast committed allows me no rest. The too long suspension
+of the sword of the law draws along with it an example fatal to my
+subjects. Every voice is united against thee, and not one justifies
+thee."</p>
+
+<p>"Men pursue me," interrupted the undaunted Aladin. "I am the object of
+hatred and slander; but, if the Eternal and His Prophet are for me, I
+have nothing in this world to fear. Heaven protects my innocence, and
+the sword cannot deprive me of it. It will always shine upon my
+forehead, even when it shall be separated from my body. My confidence
+is in God. I expect everything from Him, as King Bazmant at length did
+after the reverses he experienced."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_428" id="Page_428">[428]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h2>HISTORY OF BAZMANT, OR THE CONFIDENT.</h2>
+<p>This Sovereign, too much addicted to the pleasures of the table, was
+giving himself up one day to the immoderate enjoyment of a sumptuous
+feast, when his Vizier came to inform him that the enemy was coming to
+besiege his capital.</p>
+
+<p>"Have not I," replied he, "excellent generals and good troops? Let
+them take care of everything, and beware of disturbing my pleasures."</p>
+
+<p>"I will obey, sire," replied the Vizier; "but remember that the
+Almighty disposes of thrones, and that if you invoke not His aid, your
+riches and power will not support you or yours."</p>
+
+<p>Disregarding this wise counsel, Bazmant fell asleep in the arms of
+sensuality; and when he awoke was obliged to take to flight:
+notwithstanding the bravery of his soldiers, the enemy had become
+masters of the city.</p>
+
+<p>The fugitive King withdrew to one of his allies, his father-in-law and
+friend, who granted him a powerful army, with which he hoped in a
+short time to re-enter his dominions and take vengeance on his enemy.
+Full of confidence in this assistance, he marched at the head of his
+troops, and advanced towards the capital which he had lost. But
+victory again declared in favour of the usurper. His army was routed,
+and he himself owed his safety to the swiftness and vigour of his
+horse, which, pursued by the enemy, crossed an arm of the sea which
+lay in his way, and soon landed him on the opposite shore.</p>
+
+<p>Not far from the shore was situated a fortified city called Kerassin,
+at that time under the dominion of King Abadid. Bazmant went to it,
+and demanded an asylum in the hospital destined for the reception of
+poor strangers. He learned that King Abadid resided in Medinet-Ilahid,
+the capital of the kingdom. He took the road to it, arrived there, and
+demanded an audience of the Sovereign, which was immediately granted.
+His external appearance prejudiced the monarch in his favour, and he
+asked him concerning his rank, his country, and the motives which had
+brought him to Medinet-Ilahid.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_429" id="Page_429">[429]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I was," replied he, "a distinguished officer in the Court of King
+Bazmant, to whom I was much attached. This unfortunate Prince has been
+driven from his kingdom, and as it became necessary for me to choose a
+master, I am come to make a voluntary offer of my person and services
+to your Majesty."</p>
+
+<p>Abadid, full of prudence and penetration, conceived a favourable
+opinion of the stranger. He loaded him with presents, and assigned him
+a distinguished rank among his officers. Bazmant might have been proud
+of his new situation could he have banished from his memory the
+fortune he had once enjoyed, and had he not been still wholly occupied
+with the loss of his kingdom.</p>
+
+<p>A neighbouring power at that time threatened Abadid with an invasion
+of his dominions. The Sovereign put himself in a posture of defence,
+and took every necessary precaution to repel his enemy. He himself
+took arms, and left his capital at the head of a formidable army.
+Bazmant had the chief command of the van.</p>
+
+<p>The battle was soon begun, during which Abadid and Bazmant conducted
+themselves like experienced chiefs, and were distinguished by
+remarkable feats of courage and intrepidity. The enemy was entirely
+defeated and repulsed. Bazmant extolled to the skies the mighty deeds
+and wise plans of Abadid.</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," said he to him, "with an army so well disciplined and so much
+good conduct you might easily humble the most formidable nations."</p>
+
+<p>"You are mistaken," replied the wise monarch; "without the assistance
+of Allah I could not resist the most feeble atoms in the creation. It
+is by trusting in Him alone that we have the power of posting our
+troops to advantage, of directing our plans with wisdom, and of
+preserving that presence of mind which is the guide of all our
+operations. If I had not had recourse to Him, the greatest force would
+have vanished in my hands."</p>
+
+<p>"I am convinced of it," replied Bazmant, "and the misfortunes which I
+have experienced are a proof of it. A false prudence induced me to
+conceal my name and my misfortunes. But your virtues forcibly draw the
+secret from me. You see before you the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_430" id="Page_430">[430]</a></span> unhappy Bazmant, whom too much
+confidence in his own troops could not preserve upon the throne."</p>
+
+<p>Upon this confession, Abadid, seized with astonishment, wished to make
+an apology to Bazmant for the reception he had given him.</p>
+
+<p>"How could you know me," replied the dethroned Prince, "since shame
+and confusion obliged me to be silent? Could you read upon my forehead
+a character which the justice of Heaven had effaced? Great King,"
+added he, embracing him, "I owe to your generosity a full account of
+my faults: lend me your attention."</p>
+
+<p>At these words Bazmant related his history.</p>
+
+<p>"My dear brother," said Abadid to him, after having heard it, "cease
+to humble yourself before a man brought up in your very principles,
+and corrected at last by a series of misfortunes similar to yours. I
+have not been wiser than you. It appears that we must be instructed by
+misery! Formerly I put my confidence in my troops and my own
+abilities, and at the head of a numerous army I was conquered by an
+enemy who had nothing to oppose me but a handful of men. Forced to
+take to flight, I retired to the mountains, with fifty men who would
+not abandon me. Providence caused me to fall in with a dervish in his
+hermitage, where he was wholly devoted to the exercise and duties of
+religion. He showed me the cause of my misfortunes, and told me that
+the enemy had put his trust in Allah alone, and was thus enabled to
+strike me with unerring blows; while I, depending upon the effort of
+my spear and the thickness of my battalions, and full of audacious
+pride, neglected my duty, and gave no order which did not lead to an
+error. 'Put,' said he to me, 'your confidence in Him who directs
+everything here below, and if His arm is engaged in your behalf, fifty
+men will be sufficient to regain your kingdom.' These discourses of
+the sage made a strong impression upon me. I raised my eyes on high,
+and, full of a salutary confidence, I returned to my capital.
+Prosperity had blinded my enemy. He had forgotten in the lap of
+pleasure the wise maxims to which he was indebted for his victory.
+Everything seemed quiet in his dominions. He believed himself secure
+in the possession of them, and neglected the maintenance of an army. I
+arrived unawares at the beginning<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_431" id="Page_431">[431]</a></span> of the night. I hastened to the
+palace with my small party, which curiosity, however, increased. It
+became a formidable army within the palace: dismay and terror marched
+in its train. The usurper had only just time to make his escape and
+avoid the danger which surrounded him. And the next day beheld me
+re-established on my throne, and in the undisturbed possession of my
+kingdom."</p>
+
+<p>The recital of Abadid's adventures completely changed the opinions of
+Bazmant.</p>
+
+<p>"You have," said the Prince to him, "inspired me with a confidence
+equal to that which animated you, and henceforward I will place it
+nowhere else. God alone and His great Prophet are able to restore me
+my crown; and in order to regain it, I will follow the same method
+that you did."</p>
+
+<p>At these words he took leave of Abadid, and hastened into a desert,
+through which he was obliged to pass in order to reach his dominions.
+Guided by the confidence which he had placed in the Sovereign Ruler of
+men, and imploring His support by prayer, he gained the summit of a
+mountain. He was oppressed with fatigue, and, having fallen asleep, he
+saw a vision in a dream.</p>
+
+<p>He thought he heard a voice say to him, "Bazmant, Allah has heard thy
+prayers: He accepts thy penitence, and thou mayest march without fear
+whither thou intendest."</p>
+
+<p>The Prince believed he had heard his guardian angel, and hastened his
+journey towards the capital of his kingdom. Scarcely had he reached
+the frontiers, when he met a party of those who had been most faithful
+to him. They lived under a tent, ready to seek another asylum on the
+least instance of tyranny in the usurper. Without making himself
+known, he entered into conversation, and told them that he was
+travelling to the capital. They endeavoured to divert him from his
+design. They described the avenues to the city as extremely dangerous.
+They told him that suspicion and fear were upon the throne; that
+strangers who approached it were believed to be emissaries of Bazmant,
+and were, without distinction, beheaded by order of the tyrant.</p>
+
+<p>"He causes the former King to be regretted, then?" inquired the
+Prince, certain that they could not know him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_432" id="Page_432">[432]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" replied they, "would indeed that our worthy monarch were here!
+He would find a safe asylum in the hearts of all his subjects, and a
+hundred thousand arms to avenge him. The monster who has dethroned
+him, confiding in his forces, sacrifices everything to his unbridled
+desires, and frees himself by the sword of his slightest alarms."</p>
+
+<p>"He is in the wrong," replied Bazmant, "to trust wholly in his army:
+the true support of Kings is the favour of Heaven. As for me, who have
+come here with no other intention than to acquire knowledge by
+travelling, knowing that no one can injure me while I have the divine
+protection, I will, without fear, approach the place which the vain
+precautions of your master have caused to be looked upon as so
+dangerous."</p>
+
+<p>"We conjure you not to do this," replied these worthy people, in a
+feeling tone: "do not give us another misfortune to bewail. Since you
+are a good Mussulman, wait patiently till the divine justice shall
+have struck this tyrant: the time is not far distant, for the measure
+of his iniquity is full. And should the arm of man delay to strike,
+the pillars of his palace will fall upon him."</p>
+
+<p>At these words, Bazmant felt his hopes revive. He laid aside all
+disguise, and declared that he was the monarch whom they wished to
+return. At that instant his faithful subjects, exiled on his account,
+fell at his feet. They kissed his hands and moistened them with their
+tears. A part of the knights who were there devoted themselves as his
+life-guard. The rest spread all around to announce his happy return,
+and appoint a place of rendezvous. A formidable army was soon in a
+condition to advance to the capital, the tyrant was overthrown, and
+Bazmant resumed the reins of government and power amidst the
+acclamations of all his people.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>At the end of this history, Aladin ventured to add some reflections of
+his own.</p>
+
+<p>"You see," said he to Bohetzad, "how Bazmant reascended his throne,
+without any other assistance than that of Heaven. My true throne,
+sire, is my innocence; and, as if inspired from above, I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_433" id="Page_433">[433]</a></span> have a fixed
+belief that I will yet be re-established on it, and triumph over mine
+enemies."</p>
+
+<p>As the young minister mingled sage truths with the recital of his
+stories, the Sovereign, who had listened to him, felt his anger
+relent.</p>
+
+<p>He again ordered the punishment to be deferred, and the criminal was
+carried back to prison.</p>
+
+<p>The Viziers again resolved to diffuse in the mind of the King the
+poison of those perfidious insinuations which had hitherto been so
+unsuccessful.</p>
+
+<p>One of them accordingly arrived well prepared. He brought with him
+seditious libels and a list of disorders which, he said, the violation
+of a law that was refused to be put in execution had occasioned, in
+leaving unpunished a crime which appeared in so obvious a manner.</p>
+
+<p>These reports, which seemed to be dictated by disinterestedness and
+fidelity, again inflamed Bohetzad. He resumed his first resolutions,
+and sent for the criminal to his presence.</p>
+
+<p>"I have hesitated too long," said he. "Thy death is essential to the
+safety of my kingdom, and thou canst no more hope either for delay or
+mercy."</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," said Aladin, "every fault deserves pardon. I have committed
+one in indulging myself in a drink which I did not know, and which
+deprived me, for a moment, of reason. But I have a right to obtain
+your Majesty's pardon. I am incapable of the crime of which I am
+accused. Sovereigns, sire, have a noble right which they derive from
+Heaven: it is that of exercising mercy when it is proper. Let us
+suppose that, after a little delay and deliberate examination, you had
+snatched an innocent person from punishment, would not your Majesty
+have done an action something like that of raising him from the dead?
+An action may often appear agreeable to strict justice, while in
+reality it is only the effect of lawless tyranny. And what glory is
+there not, even in pardoning an offence? He who is capable of mercy
+will, like Baharkan, sooner or later receive his reward."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_434" id="Page_434">[434]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Aladin, perceiving Bohetzad inclined to listen to him, proceeded thus
+in the explanation of what he had advanced:</p>
+
+
+<h2>HISTORY OF BAHARKAN.</h2>
+<p>Baharkan was an intemperate Prince. He sacrificed everything to his
+passions, and, in order to gratify them, he boldly plunged into the
+greatest excess of tyranny. He never pardoned even the appearance of a
+crime: so that involuntary faults were punished no less than avowed
+transgressions.</p>
+
+<p>Being one day at the chase, one of his officers inadvertently
+discharged from his bow an arrow which he was holding prepared. It
+struck the ear of the King, and unfortunately carried it off.
+Baharkan, in his fury, ordered the offender to be brought before him,
+and his head to be struck off. As soon as the unhappy young man was in
+his presence, having heard the sentence of death pronounced by the
+monarch, he spoke to him thus:</p>
+
+<p>"Sire, the fault I have committed was unpremeditated on my part; it
+was the effect of the fatality of the stars. I throw myself on your
+clemency. I implore your pardon. It will be meritorious in the sight
+of God and approved of by men. In the name of the heavenly Power which
+hath put the sceptre into your hands, I entreat for pardon, and your
+Majesty will one day receive your reward."</p>
+
+<p>This prayer softened the unrelenting heart of the King, and, contrary
+to the general expectation, the young officer obtained his pardon.</p>
+
+<p>His name was Tirkan. He was a Prince who had fled from his father's
+Court in order to escape the punishment of a fault which he had
+committed. After having wandered unknown from kingdom to kingdom, he
+at length settled at the Court of Baharkan, where he obtained
+employment. He remained there for some time after the accident which
+had befallen him; but his father, having discovered the place of his
+retreat, sent him his pardon, and advised<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_435" id="Page_435">[435]</a></span> him to return to him. He
+did this in such affectionate and paternal terms that Tirkan, trusting
+in his father's goodness, immediately departed. His hopes were not
+deceived, and he was re-established in all his rights.</p>
+
+<p>King Baharkan, desiring one day to amuse himself with pearl-fishing,
+embarked in a vessel with a design to coast along the shores of his
+kingdom in search of pearls. An unexpected storm drove the ship into
+the open sea. It became the sport of the winds and the waves, and,
+stripped of all its rigging, ran aground on an unknown shore, and was
+dashed to pieces against the rocks which surrounded it. The whole crew
+perished. Baharkan alone was saved from shipwreck by a plank which he
+had had the good fortune to seize. Fortunately, he landed on the
+dominions of the monarch whose son had shot away his ear, and whom he
+had pardoned.</p>
+
+<p>Night began to descend when Baharkan landed. He wanted neither courage
+nor vigour, and therefore took the first road that presented itself,
+which led to a large fortified city. But, as the gates had just been
+shut, he was forced to wait without till next day, and to pass the
+night in a neighbouring churchyard.</p>
+
+<p>Day began to appear, and the gates were opened. The first persons who
+came from the city found, at the gate of the churchyard, a man who had
+been murdered. Baharkan was coming out of it at the same time. The
+efforts he had made in the evening to reach the coast with his plank
+had given him some slight wounds, from which the blood was still
+trickling. This proof appeared sufficient in the eyes of the
+bystanders: he was taken for the murderer, and carried to prison.</p>
+
+<p>There this unfortunate Prince, left to his own reflections, thus
+communed with himself: "Heaven chastises thee, Baharkan. Thou wast
+cruel, vindictive, and inexorable. With thee humanity had no value.
+Thou sacrificedst thy brethren on the slightest suspicion. Behold
+thyself now on a level with the vilest of mortals. Thou hast met with
+no more than thy desert."</p>
+
+<p>As he rendered this terrible justice to himself, he perceived in the
+air a vulture, which hovered above the prison in the court of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_436" id="Page_436">[436]</a></span> which
+he was walking. He instinctively took a flint, and threw it with great
+force at the bird, which avoided the stroke; but, in falling, the
+stone accidentally struck the same Prince Tirkan who formerly had
+carried off his ear by the stroke of an arrow. It wounded him exactly
+on the ear, but not so severely as Baharkan had been. Pain forced a
+cry from the young Prince, which brought all his courtiers around him.
+Surgeons were sent for, who soon cured this slight wound.</p>
+
+<p>The King ordered a search to be made, in order to discover the person
+who had thrown the stone. Baharkan was accused by his fellow-prisoners
+of picking up and throwing it. He was brought before the monarch, who
+condemned him to lose his head, since, besides this, he believed him
+to be the murderer of the man who had been assassinated near the
+churchyard. The executioner of justice had already taken off the
+turban which covered him, and was drawing the sword from its scabbard,
+when the King, examining attentively the head which had just been
+uncovered, perceived that it wanted an ear.</p>
+
+<p>"It appears," said he to the criminal, "that this is not your first
+offence. For what crime have you been already condemned to lose an
+ear?"</p>
+
+<p>Baharkan, having assumed a manly spirit since his misfortunes,
+replied, with boldness, "Sire, if I have committed crimes, I owe no
+account of them but to Heaven; and till it should have determined to
+punish me, human justice had no right to inflict it. I have been, in
+one word, your equal&mdash;I was a King. The ear which I want was
+unfortunately carried off by an arrow, which escaped from the bow of
+one of my officers, whose name was Tirkan. Impelled by the first
+emotion of anger, I condemned him to death. He besought my pardon, and
+obtained it. My name is Baharkan."</p>
+
+<p>Tirkan, without giving him time to finish, had already thrown himself
+into his arms. He recognized at once his ancient master and his
+deliverer. Baharkan, far from being punished, was treated as a King,
+and an unfortunate one. He related the adventure which had landed him
+in the dominions of Tirkan's father. The<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_437" id="Page_437">[437]</a></span> latter communicated to him
+his own, and especially the unfortunate accident which had wounded
+Baharkan.</p>
+
+<p>"Recollect, sire," added he, "that in soliciting a pardon, I ventured
+to promise you, from Heaven, the same favour which I expected from
+you. Here you have received it, under the very same circumstances,
+through the instrumentality of my father."</p>
+
+<p>After these discoveries, the two Sovereigns embraced each other, with
+marks of esteem and kindness. A short time after, Baharkan returned to
+his kingdom in a fleet well equipped, and at the head of an army of
+fifty thousand fighting men, commanded by Prince Tirkan.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>"In this manner," added Aladin, "Baharkan was rewarded for suffering
+himself to be softened when he was personally offended. Heaven did not
+confine its blessings to his receiving the same treatment in a similar
+situation and restoring him to his subjects, it moreover granted to
+him every virtue requisite in a good King; and in governing his
+subjects, it enabled him always to govern himself."</p>
+
+<p>Bohetzad, shaken in his resolution by this discourse, ordered the
+instruments of death to be again removed, and the minister to be
+conducted back to prison. He even pronounced these last words so
+hesitatingly, that the Viziers, who observed it, were alarmed.</p>
+
+<p>The whole conspiracy formed against Aladin awoke with still greater
+force, and it was determined that the ten Viziers should go in a body
+to the King. Their danger would become so great, if Aladin should
+succeed in justifying himself, that every step should be taken to
+destroy him.</p>
+
+<p>The next day they all repaired to the palace, and he who was possessed
+of the warmest eloquence spoke. If the monarch would believe it, the
+wicked story-teller, whose talents were so specious, was indebted for
+his success to the art of magic, in which he was well skilled. But he
+ought to distrust an illusion which exposes at once the laws,
+religion, morals, the honour of the throne, and the public welfare;
+and unless he punished this crime, it would be<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_438" id="Page_438">[438]</a></span> impossible to check
+disorder. All the other Viziers supported this insidious harangue.
+Each of them alleged his own disinterestedness, his zeal, and his
+fidelity.</p>
+
+<p>"Unbridled audacity is in him united with matchless cunning," they
+said. "Everything is in danger if this offence remains unpunished."</p>
+
+<p>Bohetzad could not resist the unanimous voice of so many counsellors.
+His anger re-awoke, and he ordered the criminal to be brought forth.</p>
+
+<p>Aladin appeared in chains, and the King, perceiving him, exclaimed,</p>
+
+<p>"Let the head of this unhappy man be struck off."</p>
+
+<p>The ten Viziers hastened to seize the sword of the executioner, in
+order to dispute with him the execution of his office. This motion
+gave Aladin time to speak.</p>
+
+<p>"Behold, sire, the eagerness of your Viziers to bathe themselves in
+the blood of innocence. Justice pursues the crime, but does not rush
+upon the criminal. Zeal, like every other virtue, should be moderated.
+Stop, eager and wicked men! I am here under the justice of the King,
+not under yours. You have no power over my life. It is sacred with
+respect to you, who are neither judges nor executioners. Speak! Show
+yourselves openly as you really are. I have offended you by checking
+your rapine. You are my enemies and base slanderers."</p>
+
+<p>"You recriminate upon my Viziers," interrupted the King; "truth which
+flows from their mouths confounds you."</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing from them can confound me," replied Aladin; "not even the
+blackness of their calumny. It is coeval with their existence. But for
+these, who have reduced me to the necessity of this defence, I must
+question them in my turn. They are all here, and let them answer. Does
+not the law require that every accuser or deponent should have been a
+witness of the crime? Their evidence is therefore objectionable in
+this case; the law rejects it. It is only the effect of envy and
+jealous rage by which they are devoured. Look at them, sire, and at
+me. The sword is above my head, yet I dare raise it up, while their
+eyes shun both yours and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_439" id="Page_439">[439]</a></span> mine. Heaven supports me and condemns them;
+our sentence is written on our countenance. O great King! deserving of
+better ministers, beware of being drawn into the guilty plot they have
+contrived for you. One may, but without passion, bear testimony
+against the accused. If he is convicted, justice condemns him. But the
+judge, in describing the crime and pronouncing sentence, never forgets
+the duty due to the creature of God on whom the punishment is about to
+fall. Here I see nothing but fury and jealous rage. They are devoured
+by their thirst for blood, and equity is not the basis of their
+judgments. All the injurious imputations which have been levelled
+against me vanish. An invisible hand imprints on my forehead the
+serenity of innocence. An inward sentiment tells me that, having lived
+free from crimes, I shall not be confounded with the guilty. Unhappy
+is the man whose conscience gives a contrary testimony. He endeavours
+in vain to shun the stroke that threatens him. The history of the
+Sultan Hebraim and of his son is a proof of this."</p>
+
+<p>Bohetzad, struck with astonishment at the intrepid firmness of Aladin
+and the united rage of his ministers, wished to hear the adventures of
+Hebraim; and the Superintendent, having obtained permission to relate
+them, thus began:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_440" id="Page_440">[440]</a></span></p>
+
+
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;">
+<img src="images/image_440.jpg" width="600" height="733" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+<h2>HISTORY OF<br />
+ THE SULTAN HEBRAIM AND HIS SONS,<br />
+ OR THE PREDESTINATED.</h2>
+
+<p>The Sultan Hebraim, called by his birth to the government of extensive
+dominions, had enlarged them considerably by the success of his arms.
+But the want of an heir disturbed the enjoyment of his glory. At
+length, however, a son was born, whose birth was celebrated by public
+rejoicings and feasts, which, during forty days, announced to the
+people the happiness of the Sovereign.</p>
+
+<p>This time was employed in a very different manner by the astrologers
+who were employed to cast the infant's nativity. They<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_441" id="Page_441">[441]</a></span> could not
+conceal from the Sultan that an evil star had presided at the birth of
+his son. The orbit of his planet, black and stained with blood,
+announced misfortunes, which it would be difficult to resist. They
+unanimously declared that before he was seven years old, the infant
+would be exposed to the devouring jaws of a tiger; and that if he
+could escape the fury of that animal during this determinate space of
+time, his hand would become fatal to the author of his existence; and
+that there was no other way by which he could escape the evils that
+threatened him but by becoming, from the effects of education, an
+enlightened, wise, and virtuous Prince.</p>
+
+<p>The annunciation of so mournful a prediction dissipated the joy of
+Hebraim, and the days of public happiness were spent by him in tears
+and in grief. Nevertheless, as hope never forsakes the unfortunate, he
+flattered himself, and was happy to think, that it was possible to
+screen the heir of his power from the decrees of fate. It did not
+appear to him impossible to protect his son from the attacks of the
+tiger during the appointed term of seven years; and after having
+snatched him from the first decree of destiny, he might, by carefully
+watching over his education, beget in him sentiments of wisdom and the
+love of virtue, and thus disprove the prediction of the astrologers.</p>
+
+<p>After these reflections, the Sultan prepared a retreat on the summit
+of a mountain, in which he hoped that his son would be safe from the
+attacks of the tiger for the seven years determined by fate. A number
+of workmen were employed in forming in the rock a cavity of a hundred
+feet in depth, about a hundred and fifty in length, and thirty in
+breadth. They let down into this every material necessary to make a
+commodious lodging; a spring of water was found there, and they
+contrived a passage for it, as well as for the rain-water which might
+be collected in this cavity. They carried earth to it, and put plants
+there, which were soon in a thriving condition.</p>
+
+<p>After having furnished this little palace in a proper manner, they let
+down into it the Prince and his nurse by the help of a pulley,
+together with every necessary article for a month. At the end of every
+moon Hebraim came regularly to visit his son. The nurse<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_442" id="Page_442">[442]</a></span> laid the
+child in a basket made of bulrushes, which was lifted up to the very
+brim of the entrance; and while the father yielded to the sweetest
+emotions of nature in caressing his son, a numerous guard, by the
+thundering sound of their instruments, kept the wild beasts at a
+distance. When the visit was over the provisions were renewed, and the
+cord, rolling upon the pulley, gently returned to the bottom of the
+cave the basket and the infant.</p>
+
+<p>The young Prince grew and prospered in this solitary habitation, which
+a very strong vegetation had adorned with trees and shrubs of every
+kind. The fatal term marked out by the astrologers had almost elapsed.
+Only twenty days were wanting to fulfil the seven years, when a troop
+of unknown hunters, in vigorous pursuit of an enormous tiger which
+they had already wounded, came to the summit of the mountain in full
+view of their prey. The furious animal, terrified by their shouts, and
+struck by arrows which were shot at it from every quarter, found this
+cavity in its course, and either blinded by terror or being now in
+despair, immediately sprang down it. It fell upon a tree, which,
+bending under its weight, considerably broke the force of a fall which
+would have dashed it to pieces on the bottom of this pit.</p>
+
+<p>The terrified nurse endeavoured to conceal herself, and the monster
+found the child, which it grievously wounded on the shoulder. On
+hearing the cries of the infant, however, the nurse, forgetting her
+own danger, flew to his assistance. The tiger darted at her, and
+having torn her in pieces, was about to devour her, when the huntsmen,
+coming suddenly up to the brink of the precipice, discharged at once a
+shower of arrows upon the voracious animal. His body was full of them,
+the blood gushed from every part of it, and an enormous stone thrown
+at his head killed him on the spot.</p>
+
+<p>After this exploit the huntsmen, anxious to discover the child whose
+cries resounded in this frightful habitation, eagerly descended into
+it. But what was their astonishment when they found there at the side
+of a dead woman a beautiful infant, richly dressed, and swimming in
+the blood of the wounds it had received! Their first care was to
+assist the innocent creature, which still breathed. They<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_443" id="Page_443">[443]</a></span> bathed its
+wounds, and wrapped them up with healing herbs. As soon as the infant
+appeared more calm, they buried the nurse and examined this strange
+retreat. The furniture of this small habitation appeared extremely
+rich, and a quantity of provisions was found there, which seemed to
+have come down from heaven. The huntsmen took possession of everything
+by the right of conquest, and sought how they might take out of this
+dungeon everything it concealed.</p>
+
+<p>The basket of bulrushes was first employed in drawing up the young
+child out of this habitation, and next all the effects, the furniture,
+and the provisions, were raised by means of the pulley which was fixed
+at the top of the cave. When everything was out a division was made.
+The chief of the troop took possession of the infant, in whose
+preservation he felt himself strongly interested, and carried it with
+him to his own house.</p>
+
+<p>The only son of the Sultan Hebraim had fallen into good hands. His
+benefactor was a man of distinction, wealthy, and without a fault but
+that of an unlimited passion for the chase. Struck with the beauty and
+the sweetness of his young charge, he paid the greatest attention to
+him. And when he found him capable of answering his questions, he
+endeavoured to learn from him who he was, and for what reason he had
+been made to dwell in so extraordinary a habitation.</p>
+
+<p>"I know not," replied the child. "I lived with the woman whom you
+found dead; she gave me everything I wanted. From time to time a man,
+much bigger than you, came and stood at the top of the dwelling where
+you found me. I was put into a basket and drawn up to him. He caressed
+me very much, and called me his dear child. I called the woman Nurse,
+and she likewise said I was her dear child. I know nothing more."</p>
+
+<p>The benefactor could not conclude, from this simple declaration,
+anything else than that this child owed its birth to parents of an
+illustrious rank, but he could not discover the very extraordinary
+reason which had forced them to conceal its existence by a method
+still more extraordinary. Expecting that time would unravel this
+mystery, he paid every attention to the boy's education, had him<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_444" id="Page_444">[444]</a></span>
+instructed in the sciences, and trained up in exercises suitable to
+the most illustrious descent.</p>
+
+<p>The young disciple early answered the hopes of his friend. He excelled
+particularly in the art of horsemanship, handled every sort of weapon
+with dexterity, and in general acquired all the knowledge necessary
+for the most resolute warrior or hunter.</p>
+
+<p>One day, as they were both hotly engaged in the pursuit of some
+tigers, they were suddenly surrounded by a band of robbers. Abaquir
+(for that was the young man's name) displayed, as well as his master,
+prodigious feats of valour. But, overpowered by numbers, they were
+both plundered. The protector of Abaquir lost his life, and he himself
+received some slight wounds; but the faintness which succeeded was
+more the effect of fatigue than of blows. As soon as the robbers had
+disappeared he came to himself, and being naturally courageous, he
+attempted, though deprived of every aid, to cross the desert, in order
+to reach some inhabited place, having nothing for his defence but a
+hunter's javelin, which had been left on the field of battle.</p>
+
+<p>He had travelled but a few hours when he perceived in the plain a man
+in the habit of a dervish. He made haste to join him, to address and
+salute him. The dervish prevented him by beginning the conversation
+himself.</p>
+
+<p>"Beautiful young man," said he to him, "you are naked and wounded. Who
+hath reduced you to the distressed situation in which I see you?"
+Abaquir did not hesitate to relate his adventure to this man, whom he
+took for some holy person, and confidently asked from him some food
+and clothing.</p>
+
+<p>"One ought," replied the dervish, "to know what it is to strip himself
+in order to clothe his brother, and to share with him his food in
+order to preserve him."</p>
+
+<p>At the same time he covered the young man with his cloak, made him sit
+down, and drew from a sort of wallet some dates, bread baked with the
+milk of a camel, and a bottle of the skin of a goat, containing five
+or six pints of water.</p>
+
+<p>"Hold," said he, "you shall have the repast of a penitent. I carry
+these with me to supply my own wants and those of others;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_445" id="Page_445">[445]</a></span> but we will
+go to my cave, and there you will find both repose and plenty."</p>
+
+<p>Abaquir, before he began to eat, returned thanks to the holy Prophet
+for so seasonable a relief. When the first calls of hunger were
+satisfied, the dervish prevailed upon him to go with him to his cell,
+which was at no great distance.</p>
+
+<p>Abaquir was received therewith every mark of benevolent charity. His
+wounds were washed and dressed, and the most nourishing food was set
+before him. In this wild habitation the tables and chairs were nothing
+but stones rudely thrown together, and the beds were made of heaps of
+moss; but it was very well for Abaquir, who had been reduced to the
+want of everything. Besides, the attention of his landlord supplied
+the want of conveniences in this retreat. The young man conceived the
+highest idea of the profession of a dervish, from its inspiring
+sentiments so humane.</p>
+
+<p>"My dear child," said the disguised person to him, "I take pleasure in
+bestowing care on you; do not place all to the account of religion.
+You inspire me with a strong interest, and if you wish to go away from
+me, you must at least tarry till you are perfectly recovered of your
+wounds, for the passage from this desert is extremely difficult."</p>
+
+<p>Although the young man could not but show himself grateful for so much
+attention, yet it did not appear uncommon to him. Accustomed to the
+tender caresses of his nurse, to those of his father, and of his
+generous benefactor who had since directed his education, the
+attentions of the pretended dervish seemed to him affectionate and
+natural. The latter, by degrees, came to know all the adventures of
+Abaquir, and appeared to take in him an interest always more marked.</p>
+
+<p>"Either I am much deceived, child," said the recluse, "or I perceive
+that you are reserved for very high fates, and I devote myself to
+become your conductor in this fortunate career. I will restore to you
+this father who took so much pleasure in lavishing his caresses upon
+you."</p>
+
+<p>"Ah! if you can," replied Abaquir, "conduct me to him immediately."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_446" id="Page_446">[446]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"In your present condition? No, my child, you are unacquainted with
+mankind. Nature speaks not with the great in favour of a stranger
+covered with the old cloak of a dervish. Before you could obtain a
+hearing, you would experience the treatment reserved for an impostor,
+and there would be a number of interested people ready to forbid you
+all access. But at present you are with a man who loves you, and whose
+resources are inexhaustible. A disgust at the riches and vanities of
+the world made me form the resolution of retiring from it. But
+to-morrow, if I choose, I can have more of them in my possession than
+would satisfy the ambition of the most wealthy potentates on earth. I
+can show you part of them. The earth conceals treasures which I can
+force her to give up. Not far from this there is great abundance of
+them, and I will conduct you thither. You shall take what may be
+necessary to carry you to your father's Court, preceded by a hundred
+camels, loaded with the richest stuffs of the East, and each of them
+led by a slave. You shall be surrounded by a guard, which will secure
+you respect wherever you pass."</p>
+
+<p>Abaquir was lost in admiration. He could not imagine that these
+magnificent promises were real when he looked upon the coarse cloak
+with which he was covered, the furniture, and the fantastic utensils
+of his landlord. The latter, after having been some moments lost in
+reflection, thus resumed his speech:</p>
+
+<p>"O my child, never let appearances deceive you! The more you advance
+in years, the more you will learn to distrust its illusions. I am a
+dervish by inclination, but all the garments I wear are not mean. Here
+is one which becomes none but brave and powerful men." At the same
+time the pretended dervish opened his cassock, and discovered a girdle
+of red, yellow, and green silk.</p>
+
+<p>"Take courage, young man," continued he: "to-morrow I will show you
+great things. Our attention shall be engaged about your fortune. I
+shall be able, without being obliged to go far, to find out this
+singular cave in which you were brought up. I shall know the
+architect; and in a month, after having finished all our preparations,
+we will depart for your father's Court, with a train of attendants
+that will force everybody to welcome us."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_447" id="Page_447">[447]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The discovery of this girdle under rags had struck Abaquir with
+astonishment. He depended upon the promises of his new protector, and
+accepted his offers.</p>
+
+<p>"But," continued this extraordinary man, "as soon as you shall be at
+your father's house, and, notwithstanding the pain which our
+separation will cost you, I shall require your permission to return to
+my solitary manner of life."</p>
+
+<p>"Willingly," replied Abaquir; "but you will not prevent me from
+conducting you thither."</p>
+
+<p>On the morning of the next day the dervish made the young man take a
+basket with provisions for breakfast, and a parcel of ropes, and they
+went together to the bottom of a steep mountain. When they had arrived
+there, the companion of Abaquir encouraged him to exert new strength.</p>
+
+<p>"You may," said he, "suffer a little fatigue, but reflecting that you
+are to reap the fruit of it, you must redouble your courage. Be not
+astonished at what you are about to see. This mountain contains in its
+bosom a treasure which cannot be estimated. These riches are abandoned
+to magi, like me; but we despise using them for ourselves. Do not
+spend your time in gathering gold, which you will find here in great
+quantity: take nothing but precious stones. This is the best method of
+enriching yourself speedily."</p>
+
+<p>After this advice, the dervish threw off his cloak, and appeared as a
+magician. He was covered only with his large particoloured girdle
+which adorned his breast. He took from a purse which hung from his
+girdle an instrument for striking fire, and, having lighted a taper,
+he burnt perfumes, and running over a book, he pronounced with a loud
+voice a magical charm. Scarcely had he finished when the earth shook
+under his feet, opened before him, and discovered a square stone of
+marble, upon the middle of which the magician immediately scattered
+perfumes. When he thought the air sufficiently purified and refreshed
+with them, he girded Abaquir with a rope under his arms, put a taper
+in his hand, and let him down into the opening.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as Abaquir had got into it, his eyes were dazzled by the
+splendour of the riches with which he was surrounded. But,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_448" id="Page_448">[448]</a></span> faithful
+to the advice of the magician, he picked up only precious stones, with
+which he filled the basket which his guide had let down to him by a
+cord. When it was full and lifted out of the pit, the magician took
+it; and at that moment a dreadful noise was heard, the fatal trap was
+shut, and the young Abaquir found himself swallowed up in the bowels
+of the earth, without any hope of ever getting out.</p>
+
+<p>He believed he was betrayed by the magician, and, without great vigour
+of mind, would have abandoned himself to despair. But, after having
+shed some tears, he retraced in his memory the events of his former
+life. Threatened in his early infancy with becoming the prey of a
+tiger, Providence had protected him from danger. Attacked afterwards
+by robbers, the same protection had saved him. "The arm which hath
+defended me," said he, "will not cease to do so still. I am innocent
+and betrayed." In this confidence he prostrated himself before Him who
+has the keys of the deep, and rested with confidence in His
+assistance.</p>
+
+<p>By the light of the candle, which was still burning, he examined the
+immense cave which served him as a prison. He thought he perceived at
+the bottom a passage, the path of which could not be followed without
+stooping. He approached it with his light, but there came from it so
+strong a wind that it was instantly extinguished. Far from lessening
+his hopes, this accident increased them. So violent a wind announced
+to him a passage outward. He entered it with great difficulty, and
+almost creeping in the darkness. As he advanced he heard a hollow
+noise, the murmur of which presaged to him some singular event. He
+soon perceived that he dipped his hands and his knees in a spring of
+running water. He raised his head, and finding that he could take some
+rest, he sat down upon a stone which he had met with, amid the murmurs
+of many other streams which flowed from these deep caves. He filled
+the hollow of his hand with the water, which was fresh and delicious.
+He drank of it, and after having recruited his strength, he continued
+this fatiguing journey. But these little streams, which thus far had
+only run upon the ground, had here hollowed out a bed for themselves.
+He was obliged to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_449" id="Page_449">[449]</a></span> enter it, and the farther he advanced the more the
+danger increased, till at last he began to swim. The darkness around
+him at length began to be dissipated. The cavern grew wider and
+higher, and admitted a feeble ray of light, which seemed to announce
+that the outlet was near. The strength of the swimmer increased with
+his hopes; and he soon found himself under the vault of heaven, at the
+moment when the sun was ceasing to adorn it, and the goddess of the
+night was succeeding to her task.</p>
+
+<p>Abaquir might now repose without fear, and his strength was exhausted.
+He laid himself upon the ground, and, overcome with fatigue, soon fell
+asleep. He had but few of the wet clothes which he had received from
+the magician to put off, for the rubbing of the flints had carried
+away part of them, and the remainder were but shreds.</p>
+
+<p>The singing of birds announced the return of morning, and the first
+rays of the sun awakened Abaquir. The young Prince, on opening his
+eyes, recollected the dangers from which he had just escaped. He
+retraced the most trifling circumstances of them in his memory. He
+thought he remembered to have seen, in the frightful cavern he had
+traversed, the carcasses of many who had fallen victims to the avarice
+of the wicked magician. This remembrance filled his soul with terror
+and dismay; but, at the same time, he felt the value of the blessings
+of the Almighty hand, which had miraculously rescued him from this
+tomb. His eyes, raised to heaven and swimming in tears, expressed his
+gratitude, while his lips celebrated the praises of the Almighty and
+of His Prophet.</p>
+
+<p>These first duties being fulfilled, it became necessary to appease the
+hunger which preyed upon him. In running round the borders of a small
+lake where he was, he perceived some reeds, of which he sucked the
+stalks, and chewed the roots with his teeth. He dug up the earth all
+around, which furnished him such supplies as his urgent need required.
+By the help of care and patience he at last regained strength, and
+with it, courage. He then took up some shreds of his clothes, already
+dried by the sun, and fixed them to a girdle made of the leaves of
+reeds; and by searching carefully he found a stick, which served him
+at once for support<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_450" id="Page_450">[450]</a></span> and defence. He arrived, after much fatigue, upon
+a little plain, from whence he discovered a neighbouring city, to
+which he directed his steps by the first road that presented itself.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as he was perceived by the inhabitants, one of them ran to
+meet him, and appeared eager to lavish upon him the assistance of
+which his external appearance showed he had need. He obliged him to
+take an asylum in his house, where he was received with kindness; the
+recital of his adventures was listened to with feeling, and he found
+friends in his misfortunes.</p>
+
+<p>And now, without feeling a moment's uneasiness concerning the fate of
+this young Prince, let us return to the Sultan Hebraim, his father,
+much more afflicted than he by the accomplishment of the mournful
+prediction.</p>
+
+<p>The second day after the defeat of the tiger was the term assigned by
+the astrologers. The Sultan, thinking to reap at length the fruit of
+his cares and prudence, appeared at the top of the opening, and
+announced his arrival as usual by the sound of a horn. But nobody
+having answered his first signal, Hebraim, uneasy at this silence,
+made some of his officers go down into the pit, who, after much
+diligent but fruitless search, found nothing in it but the dead body
+of a tiger. The unhappy father doubted no longer the death of his son:
+he returned in haste to his palace, and sent for the same astrologers
+whom he had formerly consulted respecting the fate of his heir.</p>
+
+<p>"Unhappy that I am!" said he to them, "your fatal prediction is
+verified: my son has been devoured by a tiger before the expiration of
+the seven years; for in the retreat which I prepared for him I have
+found nothing but the body of an enormous tiger."</p>
+
+<p>"Invincible Sultan!" replied the astrologers, "since the event forces
+from you an acknowledgment of the truth of our presage, we must
+congratulate you now on being beyond the reach of an inevitable death,
+which he whose loss you deplore would have brought upon you. Your son,
+falling under his destiny, has died in innocence and you are
+preserved."</p>
+
+<p>This reflection brought some relief to the natural sorrow of the
+Sultan, and time completely effaced the remembrance of it.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_451" id="Page_451">[451]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>In the meantime, Abaquir, of whom we must not lose sight, grew weary
+of his idleness in this little village where he had been so well
+received. His landlord had a numerous family, and but very small
+resources for their maintenance. The young Prince being unwilling to
+be a burden on him, went frequently to hunt in the country. One day as
+he had killed a deer, and was preparing to lay it on his shoulders, he
+was suddenly surrounded by a troop of horsemen, and doubted not that
+he was in the middle of a band of robbers.</p>
+
+<p>"Companion!" said the chief to him, "you hunt on foot, and carry
+nothing but a bow. There are, however, in these deserts many lions and
+tigers, and you may some day be worsted. Come and hunt along with us,
+and we will give you an excellent horse."</p>
+
+<p>Abaquir, already eager for the chase, thought he had found an
+excellent opportunity of following his inclination, and of relieving
+his landlord of the burden of his entertainment. He briskly replied to
+this offer by saying that he accepted the favour they intended him of
+admitting him into their number. The chief of the band perceived by
+this reply that the young man, who was as yet a novice, had not
+understood his proposal in its true sense, and thus resumed his
+speech:</p>
+
+<p>"Since you are willing to join us, we will breakfast together to
+confirm our acquaintance."</p>
+
+<p>Upon this the rest of the band dismounted, opened their knapsacks, and
+began each to satisfy his appetite.</p>
+
+<p>"Since you are one of us," said the chief, "I must inform you of the
+laws by which we are governed. We love and assist one another as
+brethren, we make an equal division of our booty, and we swear to be
+faithful in life or in death."</p>
+
+<p>"I have already lived among hunters," replied Abaquir; "I love that
+way of life, and you must know that if I do not owe my birth to them,
+I am at least indebted to them for my life. Your laws appear to me
+extremely equitable."</p>
+
+<p>"Since it is so," said the chief, "I have nothing more to do but
+instruct you in our rules. Although I am only your equal, every one
+here submits to me as their chief. And as it is necessary that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_452" id="Page_452">[452]</a></span> I
+should be feared and respected, I treat with extreme rigour all those
+who disobey my orders."</p>
+
+<p>"The moment you associate in a band," said Abaquir, "subordination is
+essentially necessary."</p>
+
+<p>"Swear, then, upon the Koran, and by the name of the holy Prophet,"
+replied the chief, "to submit to all our laws without limitation."</p>
+
+<p>As soon as Abaquir heard the divine book mentioned, he believed he had
+got among saints, and without hesitating took the Koran, put it thrice
+upon his heart, his head, and his lips, and promised more than was
+required of him. Thus was he enrolled without knowing it in the number
+of the greatest miscreants of the desert. All his new companions
+embraced him with joy. He mounted a fine horse, was covered with a
+cloak, and armed with a bow, a sabre, and a spear. Abaquir was
+delighted, and perceived not till next day the rashness of the
+engagements he had made.</p>
+
+<p>In a short time these vagabonds spread themselves over the desert, and
+robbed and plundered travellers and caravans. Their number was every
+day increased by the success of their fatal expeditions. At length
+their ravages became so considerable that the Sovereign of these
+countries put himself at the head of some troops to pursue them. This
+was the Sultan Hebraim. The robbers were surrounded on every side; and
+Abaquir, being at the head of the band, was particularly aimed at by
+the Sultan. But the young man, warding off the danger which threatened
+him, wounded his adversary with an arrow; while, in another quarter,
+the subjects of the Prince had made themselves masters of the robbers.
+Every one that did not fall by the sword was taken prisoner, and the
+deserts were at last cleared of this wandering and destructive band.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan, however, was very grievously wounded. On his return to the
+capital, and after having received some medicines for his hurt, he
+sent for the astrologers.</p>
+
+<p>"Impostors!" said he to them. "Did you foretell that I was to die by
+the hand of a robber?&mdash;you who threatened me only with dying by that
+of my son?"</p>
+
+<p>"Sultan," replied they, "everything which we have foretold is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_453" id="Page_453">[453]</a></span>
+unhappily but too true. First let your Highness examine the criminal;
+inform yourself from what hand the fatal arrow came, and then form
+your opinion of us."</p>
+
+<p>Hebraim ordered all the prisoners to be brought into his presence, and
+promised them their lives and their liberty if they would discover the
+person that wounded him.</p>
+
+<p>"It was I," said Abaquir, with firmness; "I have been so unfortunate
+as to attack the life of my Sovereign, whom I did not know, and I
+deserve death."</p>
+
+<p>"Take courage, young man," said the astonished Sultan. "Tell me only
+who you are, and who is your father."</p>
+
+<p>Upon this demand, Abaquir gave a full detail of his history, so far as
+was consistent with his knowledge, up to that part of it where the
+tiger wounded him and devoured his nurse. The relation was interrupted
+by the visible change which was observed on the countenance of the
+Sultan. But somewhat recovered from this first emotion, Hebraim warmly
+solicited the account of his adventures. The young Prince continued
+his history, and ended by describing the dread he had felt when
+fighting against the Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>"Stop!" said Hebraim, with tears in his eyes. "Approach, and show me
+the bite of the tiger."</p>
+
+<p>Abaquir obeyed.</p>
+
+<p>"I have found the truth," exclaimed the Sultan, as he examined the
+scar. "Hesitate no more, my dear son; come into my arms! Let me have
+at least the consolation, before going down to the grave, of having
+found my only son.&mdash;Astrologers!" said he, turning towards them, "you
+have told me truth as far as it was possible for you, but I was in the
+wrong to consult you about my destiny: we ought to submit in silence
+to the decree pronounced upon us; in seeking to shun it, we only
+increase its weight."</p>
+
+<p>Then addressing the whole Court:</p>
+
+<p>"Viziers, and grandees of the realm!" said he to them, "acknowledge as
+your rightful Sovereign Ben-Hebraim, my only son and assist him in
+fulfilling with dignity the difficult duties of the throne."</p>
+
+<p>Abaquir having been immediately crowned, under the name of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_454" id="Page_454">[454]</a></span>
+Abaquir-Ben-Hebraim, his father died; for he caused the arrow which
+had entered his body to be pulled out, and his life escaped with the
+blood which issued from the large wound, while he reverenced the
+decree whose execution he had drawn upon himself, and blessed God for
+granting him an heir worthy of his crown.</p>
+
+<p>Ben-Hebraim, early called to the government of a kingdom, but
+instructed by adversity, brought up amid labour, and virtuous from
+principle, showed himself worthy of the public confidence. The
+adventure of the magician and the robbers put him on his guard against
+appearances. He pardoned the latter, but ardently wished that Heaven
+would bring the former under his power, that he might make him an
+example of justice.</p>
+
+<p>One day, as the young Sultan was passing through the market-places of
+the city in disguise, he perceived a stranger surrounded by a crowd,
+whom curiosity had attracted. They were admiring some diamonds and
+jewels of the most exquisite beauty.</p>
+
+<p>Ben-Hebraim observed this stranger attentively, and, under the rich
+dress of an Armenian, he recollected his wicked dervish. The tone of
+his voice and his striking air marked him so strongly, that it was
+impossible to mistake him.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan speedily returned to his palace, and sent secretly for the
+youngest of the robbers, whom he had kept on account of the happy
+dispositions he had discovered in him, and of the aversion he had
+shown for a manner of life which he had formerly been compelled to
+embrace.</p>
+
+<p>"Margam," said he to him, "I have need of your assistance in
+delivering the world from a most dangerous man."</p>
+
+<p>And at the same time he pointed out to him the part he was to act in
+the plan which they concerted together.</p>
+
+<p>Two days after, Ben-Hebraim sent his chief eunuch, attended by four
+officers of the palace and a train of slaves, to invite the Armenian
+jeweller Daboul to come to the palace. And for this purpose one of the
+finest horses in the stables was led to him.</p>
+
+<p>The pretended Armenian was astonished at so much honour; and not
+supposing that this invitation had any other motive than curiosity, he
+collected his most precious effects, and intended to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_455" id="Page_455">[455]</a></span> dazzle every eye
+by the magnificence of the present he was to carry to the Sultan. He
+entrusted two of his own slaves with it, and allowed himself to be
+conducted by the eunuch.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as he arrived at the gates of the palace, a deputation from
+the Sultan, with an officer at their head, came to present him with a
+richly-ornamented box filled with betel-nuts. All the halls of the
+palace which he crossed were perfumed with aloes and sandal-wood; he
+passed thus even to the most retired closet of the Sultan's
+apartments.</p>
+
+<p>Margam, in the robes of a Sultan, seated upon an elevated sofa, well
+instructed in what he was to do and say, was waiting for the stranger.
+Ben-Hebraim had acquired some knowledge in the magical art, the effect
+of which will soon be perceived.</p>
+
+<p>At the sight of Daboul, Margam descended from the sofa, and came to
+meet the pretended Armenian, without allowing him time to kneel, as
+was usual, and made him sit down on the sofa, giving him the
+right-hand place.</p>
+
+<p>"Permit this homage," added he: "it is that of a young magician
+towards his master." The astonished Daboul was silent. "Here are my
+proofs," pursued Margam, and, uncovering his deliman, he showed him
+the red, yellow, and green-coloured girdle which adorned his breast.
+"I earnestly wished," continued the false Sultan, "again to bring near
+me the man for whom wonderful circumstances have inspired me with as
+much respect as curiosity. The moment is now come, and I congratulate
+myself upon it."</p>
+
+<p>"Sultan," replied Daboul, "when science is united with power,
+everything must bend before them. And you see me in admiration at
+being within the reach of kissing the feet of another Solomon."</p>
+
+<p>"Let us leave to ordinary men," said Margam, "the desire of external
+respect. I seek not for empty homage, but am desirous to obtain new
+knowledge. Besides, what is an earthly sovereignty, subjected to so
+much labour and exposed to so many dangers, compared to that which you
+enjoy? What a happiness to be able to acquire immense riches, and to
+diffuse the blessings thereof, without being burdensome to any!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_456" id="Page_456">[456]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I cannot, O wise Sultan," replied Daboul, "but approve of this noble
+ambition and these virtuous sentiments. We can make ourselves masters
+of many things with great facility, and without delivering a whole
+people to misery and the horrors of war: we sacrifice but one man."</p>
+
+<p>"That is precisely," interrupted Margam, "what I wanted to avoid. I
+would wish to be able to save a man, and it is on this very subject I
+was desirous to consult you."</p>
+
+<p>"To save him?" said Daboul. "When he is predestined to it, one could
+not preserve him even by putting oneself in his place."</p>
+
+<p>"In this case, he must be abandoned; but I would wish, at least, that
+he might only be a slave."</p>
+
+<p>"Sultan, you would obtain nothing. He must be a victim of consequence,
+and of a distinguished rank."</p>
+
+<p>"But it appears to me," said Margam, "that in a choice like this one
+is exposed to dangerous resentments."</p>
+
+<p>"There is a method of consulting beforehand," replied the magician,
+"such as I made use of in my last search, and I received for answer,
+'<i>In order that you may run some danger, it would be necessary that
+you should meet with your victim on earth</i>.' Now, having put him two
+hundred feet below ground, I could not fear the danger of his return."</p>
+
+<p>After appearing to muse, Margam added, "It will be necessary, then,
+that I overcome my scruples. I have only one thing to desire of you.
+We can work together during your residence here. I am going to show
+you the book which I have upon my breast, and wish you to give me
+yours."</p>
+
+<p>Daboul could not refuse; he was in a place where everything was
+subject to the power of the Sultan. Margam took the book, carelessly
+approached a burning pan, and threw it in. The magician wished to pull
+it out; but at that instant the real Sultan, coming from behind a
+curtain, stopped him.</p>
+
+<p>"Wretch," said he, "thy hour is come! Thou art in presence of Abaquir,
+thy victim, and at the same time of Ben-Hebraim, Sovereign of these
+dominions."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_457" id="Page_457">[457]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Then, addressing his page, "Margam," said he to him, "lay aside your
+royal dress, and make my eunuchs approach. Infamous magician!"
+continued he, speaking to Daboul, "see how the deceitful illusions of
+thy art have hurried thee under the sword which must strike thee.
+Whither shall guilt flee when Heaven pursues it?&mdash;when the Divine
+vengeance arises from the earth to strike?"</p>
+
+<p>At these words the magician remained horror-stricken. But in a short
+time the terrible remorse which gnawed his conscience appeared to have
+the same effect upon him that the hot fire had upon his detestable
+book.</p>
+
+<p>"I burn!" exclaimed he at short intervals, and setting up dismal
+shrieks.</p>
+
+<p>"Let him be conducted from the palace," said the Sultan, "and let his
+head be cut off in presence of his slaves and of the people who are
+there assembled."</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>Aladin thus finished the history of the Sultan Hebraim and of his son;
+and, after a moment's silence, he again addressed himself to Bohetzad.</p>
+
+<p>"Sire, I might here apply to my own adventures the reflections which
+naturally arise from the history you have just heard. But if the
+decree of Heaven hath not determined my deliverance, there is no means
+whatever which could save me from the danger in which I am involved.
+The characters imprinted upon my forehead decide concerning my safety,
+and the success or the shame of my enemies. But at all events I shall
+remain rich in my innocence, and sooner or later it will triumph."</p>
+
+<p>Bohetzad, more irresolute than ever, gave notice by a signal that the
+minister was to be conducted back to prison.</p>
+
+<p>The seventh day had just appeared since the condemnation of the young
+Aladin had been so often deferred. It was the time of a festival. The
+grandees, the courtiers, and the nobility of the kingdom were
+assembled around the throne, a duty they were obliged to fulfil. The
+ten Viziers had all their creatures there. Some of these, authorized
+by the duties of their station, undertook<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_458" id="Page_458">[458]</a></span> to speak to the King
+against the Superintendent, by repeating all the strongest and most
+deceitful things that had been said, in order to bring the Sovereign
+to the resolution of exercising against this convicted criminal all
+the severity of justice. They finished by insinuating that, being
+descended from robbers, nothing was to be expected from him but
+crimes. Every one appeared to support these assertions by looks and
+gestures.</p>
+
+<p>The unanimity of these advices, in appearance so disinterested, shook
+the monarch once more. He thought himself obliged to acknowledge these
+marks of zeal by thanks, and to justify the irresolution of his
+conduct. "I do not mean," he said, "that the wicked should remain
+unpunished, but I would wish that the criminal himself, convinced that
+he has merited death, should be forced to acknowledge the equity of
+the judgment by which he is condemned."</p>
+
+<p>After this observation he ordered the criminal, who was still loaded
+with irons, to be brought before him.</p>
+
+<p>"Audacious young man!" said he to him, "you see around me the
+representatives of my nation, to whom the continuance of your life is
+a grievance. It is only by your death that the murmurings of my people
+can be appeased."</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," replied Aladin, with respect and dignity, "as to the crime
+with which so many voices seem to accuse me, and with whose vengeance
+I am pursued, I throw it always far from me, even to the shadow of
+suspicion. If the nation were here worthily represented, its voice
+would be the voice of God, and would be lifted up in favour of my
+innocence. This voice, to whose sound every one is deaf at this
+moment, yet resounds at the bottom of your Majesty's heart. The fowler
+has less power to smother with his hands the bird which he holds in
+them, than you have to take away my life. Your clemency alone would
+not have led you to have deliberated so long, if the finger of Allah
+did not weigh in your heart the atrocity of the imputations with which
+I am charged, and if the power of the star which rules my fortune were
+not opposed to my fall. I find, among the adventures of the family of
+Selimansha, innumerable circumstances that have a resemblance<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_459" id="Page_459">[459]</a></span> to
+mine. Balavan, his son, found, in attempting the death of one of his
+nephews, that no human power can hasten the moment of death marked out
+by Providence."</p>
+
+<p>"I should wish to know," said Bohetzad, "if you can show us in the
+history of this family an example of ingratitude like yours."</p>
+
+
+<h2>HISTORY OF SELIMANSHA AND HIS FAMILY.</h2>
+<p>Sire (replied the young Superintendent immediately) history has
+preserved to us the memory of a King of Persia, named Selimansha, who
+possessed all the virtues of a great Sovereign. His family consisted
+of two sons, but was increased by an only daughter of Kalisla, his
+brother, whom the latter, when dying, had entrusted to his care.
+Sensible of his preference, Selimansha forgot nothing in order to
+return his confidence. His love for his brother, joined to the purest
+virtues, engaged him to bestow the greatest care on the education of
+this Princess, whom he looked upon as his own daughter. Favours so
+delicate met in this young disciple the happiest dispositions, and
+soon brought her to a great degree of perfection.</p>
+
+<p>From the age of twelve the charms of her person and the graces of her
+mind caused her to be remarked by persons of her own sex as the star
+of morning in the bosom of the firmament. Her well-stored memory
+always enabled her to display the soundness of her judgment. She was
+so well acquainted with the Koran as to repeat chapters of it at
+pleasure, and she explained its meaning with a precision that
+delighted every hearer.</p>
+
+<p>Selimansha, seeing his amiable niece fit for marriage, thought he
+could not dispose of her hand better than by bestowing it on one of
+his sons. He proposed this to the Princess, leaving her, however,
+absolute mistress of her choice.</p>
+
+<p>"It is only your happiness that I seek, daughter; pronounce, and my
+will shall follow your decision."</p>
+
+<p>"On whose judgment could I better rely than on yours?" replied
+Chamsada. "I commit myself entirely to the tenderness of which I have
+every day the most affecting proofs, and I submit<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_460" id="Page_460">[460]</a></span> with pleasure to
+everything which your wisdom shall determine concerning me."</p>
+
+<p>"Your confidence flatters me," replied the good monarch, "and would
+redouble my affection for you were it capable of being increased.
+Since you leave to me the disposal of your lot, I will join it to that
+of my second son. The happy similarity which I have observed in your
+dispositions seems to me to promise the most agreeable union. I
+discern in him virtues which, now unfolding themselves, will soon
+become the rivals of your own. You are born to govern kingdoms, and I
+think he possesses virtues worthy of a throne. In giving him your
+hand, and in allotting him my crown, I promote your happiness, his,
+and that of my people."</p>
+
+<p>The amiable Princess cast down her eyes, while she thanked her uncle
+for his goodness. Selimansha immediately ordered the preparations
+necessary for the celebration of the nuptials.</p>
+
+<p>Public rejoicings followed it, and manifested the general
+satisfaction. They lasted sixty days. At the end of this term
+Selimansha, desirous of repose, abdicated the crown in favour of the
+son to whose fortunes he had just united the lovely Chamsada.</p>
+
+<p>Balavan, the eldest of Selimansha's sons, expected to ascend the
+throne at the death of his father. Smitten with the charms of his
+beautiful relation, he was reckoning upon offering her his hand, and
+associating her with his fortune. Indignation and jealousy took
+possession of his heart when he saw the rank and happiness to which he
+thought himself called by the right of age pass into the hands of his
+brother. Even if his merit had not been a reason for this preference,
+he knew that the Sovereigns of this part of the East have the power of
+choosing their successors in their family without regard to the
+prerogatives of age. But the impetuous Balavan thought they should
+have departed from this usage in his behalf, and followed that of
+other nations.</p>
+
+<p>The birth of a son to his brother increased his rage, and was another
+obstacle to his pretensions. He found means to introduce himself
+secretly into the apartment of the King his brother, and with a
+furious hand plunged his poniard into his breast. He entered with the
+same precautions and the same design into that where the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_461" id="Page_461">[461]</a></span> infant was
+asleep; but lifting the veil which concealed this young Prince, more
+beautiful than the day, a supernatural feeling seemed to withhold his
+hand.</p>
+
+<p>"Thou shouldst have been my son," said he, "if injustice had not torn
+from me the heart and the hand of Chamsada."</p>
+
+<p>And recognizing at the same time in this innocent victim the features
+of her whose charms he adored, an involuntary emotion made him strike
+a feeble blow; the poniard wavered in his trembling hand, and the
+wound of the stroke was not mortal.</p>
+
+<p>Balavan was only induced to spare his sister-in-law from the hopes he
+entertained of one day obtaining her hand. This hope, however,
+restrained his murdering arm. As for Selimansha, he escaped this
+monster by the vigilance of his guards. At the moment when he
+approached the apartment of his father, in the dreadful design of
+completing his crimes by embruing his hands in his parent's blood, he
+was perceived by a slave, who, assisted by the eunuchs of the guard,
+deprived the murderer of every hope of success in the crime he was
+about to commit. Convinced then that he could not escape suspicion, he
+fled and concealed himself on the frontiers of the kingdom, in a
+castle fortified both by nature and by art.</p>
+
+<p>Day, which began to appear, was soon to discover the horrors of this
+bloody night. With the first rays of morning the nurse went to feed
+her tender care, whose blood deluged the cradle. Lost in astonishment,
+she ran to the apartment of the King and Queen to announce this fatal
+news. Her despair and shrieks went before her, and awakened Chamsada.
+The unhappy Queen opened her eyes, and found her husband breathing his
+last at her side. The cries of the nurse made her dread misfortunes
+still more terrible. A widowed spouse and a weeping mother, she ran to
+the cradle of her son and took him in her arms. He still breathed, and
+she conceived the hope of saving his life. The whole palace was in
+motion. Selimansha arrived with his eunuchs, and surgeons were called,
+whose skill and attention restored the life of this innocent creature.
+But they were employed to no purpose on the body of the young monarch,
+whose death the unfortunate Chamsada deplored.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_462" id="Page_462">[462]</a></span> Aromatic and medicinal
+herbs and the balms of the East produced their effect on the wound of
+the child, and rekindled the hopes of his mother. He was again placed
+in the bosom of his nurse, and the presumptive heir of Selimansha was
+at length out of danger.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime the aged monarch endeavoured to discover the murderer
+of his children. The hasty flight of Balavan, his poniard stained with
+blood, which was found in the apartment, soon confirmed the suspicions
+to which his vicious disposition had at first given rise. The
+unfortunate old man with difficulty restrained the excess of his
+grief.</p>
+
+<p>"Heaven," exclaimed he, "keep far from me the angel of death, since it
+is your will that I should still be useful on earth."</p>
+
+<p>After this he assembled the grandees and the Viziers, and announced to
+them his intention of resuming the reins of government.</p>
+
+<p>His first care was to comfort the disconsolate Chamsada, and they
+agreed in directing their attention to the lovely infant whom
+Providence had preserved. While they strengthened his constitution,
+they also formed his understanding and his heart. The mother explained
+to him passages of the law which ought to guide his manners and his
+conduct, and the old man instructed him in the important knowledge of
+the world and of men.</p>
+
+<p>At the age of eight, the young Prince was so robust that he was able
+to handle arms and endure the fatigue of riding; and in a few years
+more, his moral virtues were unfolded, and promised one day to eclipse
+those which had shone so conspicuous in the King his father.</p>
+
+<p>Selimansha, now judging that his grandson, with the assistance of good
+counsel, was capable of wearing the crown, resigned the reins of
+empire into his hands amidst the assembled divan, and caused him to be
+proclaimed King, under the name of Shaseliman, amidst the acclamations
+of the kingdom. The people, not yet recovered from astonishment at the
+dreadful stroke which had deprived them of a Sovereign they adored,
+promised his heir the same attachment, and expected from him the same
+love.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_463" id="Page_463">[463]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The new King, directed by wise counsels, did not belie the happy
+anticipation of his subjects in his favour. The Cadis and Viziers,
+fulfilling with propriety the duties of their office, made the laws
+beloved, the wise and speedy execution of which confirmed the
+happiness of all. Equally punctual in the duties of religion as in
+those of the throne, Shaseliman was regular in his ablutions, attended
+prayers in the mosques, held three divans in the week, was every day
+busied with his ministers, and was found in every place where his
+presence was necessary to restore tranquillity and good order. The
+people, happy under his government, enjoyed their felicity in peace,
+when new crimes came to disturb it, and tear from them the hope of a
+durable happiness.</p>
+
+<p>The accursed Balavan, pursued by remorse at the crime which he had
+committed, and not thinking himself safe among a people by whom he was
+hated, left the fortified place where he had taken refuge, and
+attempted to retire into Egypt, in order to implore the protection of
+the Sovereign of that vast empire. There, concealing his crimes, he
+presented himself as an unfortunate Prince, the victim of a woman, and
+sacrificed by a father whom age had rendered weak. The King of Egypt
+received him with kindness, and was preparing to give him assistance,
+when an envoy of Selimansha arrived and demanded audience.</p>
+
+<p>This old monarch, informed by his spies of the road which Balavan had
+taken, had sent deputies to all the Courts at which this wretch might
+beg a retreat or support. A very full description was given of the
+fugitive, and all his crimes were mentioned.</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan, in communicating to the criminal the despatches he had
+received, gave immediate orders that he should be shut up in close
+confinement, waiting the sentence which an enraged father should pass
+against him. Such was the order intimated to Balavan, and such was the
+import of the answer which was given to the King Selimansha. But this
+father, too weak and affectionate, committed at once two capital
+blunders.</p>
+
+<p>In order to excite against his son all the anger of the Egyptian King,
+he had concealed from him that the young Shaseliman had escaped the
+mortal blow which was aimed at him. He did not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_464" id="Page_464">[464]</a></span> correct this opinion
+in his second letter, and advised the King of Egypt to set the
+criminal at liberty.</p>
+
+<p>"Already too unhappy," said he, "I do not wish to stain my hand by
+tracing the order for my son's death. Let him wander from place to
+place, destitute of resources and assistance, having no companion but
+remorse, and no society but the tigers of the desert, less inhuman
+than himself. Assailed by want, tormented by grief, and detested by
+others, may he himself become the instrument of my vengeance, which I
+leave to the King of Kings."</p>
+
+<p>Upon this resolution, the Sultan set Balavan at liberty, and banished
+him for ever from his kingdom. Of this he gave an account to
+Selimansha, with whom he entered upon a much more agreeable
+negotiation.</p>
+
+<p>The fame of the beauty and valuable qualities of Chamsada had reached
+even to Egypt. Bensirak, the Sultan just mentioned, perceiving that it
+was possible to obtain her hand, made the proposal to Selimansha in
+the most urgent and respectful terms, beseeching him to gain the
+consent of her whom both nature and blood had made subject to him as
+his niece and daughter-in-law.</p>
+
+<p>The aged monarch of Persia, pleased with a demand which offered to his
+amiable niece so advantageous an establishment, instantly laid the
+proposal before her. The feeling Chamsada could not hear it without
+tears. Her heart still belonged wholly to the husband whom she had
+lost, and she must tear herself from the arms of her uncle and her
+child to be able to open her soul to the impressions of a new
+affection!</p>
+
+<p>"Alas! dear uncle," said she, "what sentiments will ever replace those
+whose sweetness I here experience? Where could I find duties so
+pleasant to fulfil?"</p>
+
+<p>"My dear daughter," replied Selimansha, "you are asked in marriage by
+one of the most powerful monarchs in the world. His virtues are highly
+praised, and his person favourably spoken of. Your son, whom I have
+placed upon my throne, stands in need of a protection more vigorous
+and lasting than mine. You will be able by your address to bring about
+a strict alliance betwixt the two monarchs. But forget not that, in
+order to procure the expulsion<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_465" id="Page_465">[465]</a></span> of Balavan, I have charged him with
+the double crime of having assassinated his brother and his nephew.
+Shaseliman reigns in Persia as a descendant of my house, and his
+mother must be concealed from Bensirak. You will become dearer to him
+when he can hope for your undivided affections, and that they will
+only be extended to the children who shall be born of this marriage.
+My experience hath taught me the weakness of the human heart. A
+powerful man always distrusts discourses in which personal interest is
+concerned. You can render your son upon the Persian throne the most
+essential services as a distant relation without being suspected of
+sacrificing the interests of your husband and children; but were you
+to speak in behalf of a son, you would be looked on as a mother
+blinded by an excess of love. Besides, it is very fortunate for us
+that Bensirak expects from our favour that which he might force from
+us by his power. Let us not by a refusal draw the scourge of war upon
+our people, and let us sacrifice to their repose and our own interests
+the pleasure we should have in living together."</p>
+
+<p>Chamsada made no opposition to these arguments, more specious than
+solid; and Selimansha in a short time returned, in answer to the
+Sultan, that his niece found herself extremely honoured by the choice
+of the powerful Sovereign of Egypt, and that she was ready to be
+united to him. On hearing this, the Sultan, intoxicated with joy, sent
+an ambassador with a superb retinue to bring his spouse. Selimansha,
+informed of the arrival of the Egyptian minister in his kingdom, went
+twenty leagues from his capital to meet him, received him in a
+magnificent camp, and after having feasted him for two days, delivered
+to him his niece. The ceremonies were shortened, as well to gratify
+the impatience of the Sultan as to conceal from the ambassador the
+secret of the existence of Chamsada's son. The aged monarch at that
+time assumed the dignity of envoy from the King of Persia, to fulfil
+the conditions of the treaty.</p>
+
+<p>No sooner had Chamsada arrived in the capital of Egypt, than the
+Sultan sent for the Mufti and the Cadi for the contract and ceremony
+of marriage. Their obedience was immediately rewarded by a present of
+robes and five thousand pieces of gold. The Princess<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_466" id="Page_466">[466]</a></span> entered the
+apartment allotted for the nuptials. A crowd of most beautiful slaves,
+and magnificently dressed, conducted her to the bath, carrying pots in
+which the most precious spices were burning. At her coming out of the
+bath she was dressed by her attendants with the greatest care. They
+fanned her with peacocks' feathers while her long and lovely hair was
+dressed, and spared no pains to attire her in the most costly
+garments, till her splendour outshone the lights of the apartment, and
+her beauty eclipsed that of everything around her. Thus attired, she
+was conducted to the Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>The monarch received her with demonstrations of the most tender
+affection, and seated her by his side. A supper was served up to them,
+of which the delicacy exceeded the profusion of the dishes; and he
+presented his future spouse with several boxes stored with the rarest
+jewels.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime Chamsada, far from partaking of the public felicity
+and of the happiness of her husband, pined in secret. Separated from
+her son, she was occupied about him alone, to whom her heart was truly
+attached. Seconding the political and foolish views of her uncle, she
+would hazard nothing with the Sultan which might lessen the character
+of this respectable old man, and she durst not speak of her son. What
+evils, however, might she not have prevented by a proper confidence!
+And what might she not have expected from the love of Bensirak, which
+grew stronger every day!</p>
+
+<p>The event was soon to justify the tender uneasiness of the Queen
+respecting her son. Balavan, informed of the marriage of his
+sister-in-law with the Sultan of Egypt, and having learned that
+Selimansha reigned in Persia, felt his projects of vengeance awaken in
+his heart. He beheld himself deprived of the fruit of his crimes, of
+the throne of Persia, the object of his ambition, and of the beauty he
+was anxious to conquer. The wretch, delivered over to his
+inclinations, infested by every sort of crime the kingdom, which he
+hoped to seize after the death of his father. He lived by rapine and
+robbery.</p>
+
+<p>At length Selimansha, sinking under the weight of years, resigned his
+soul into the hands of his Creator. No sooner was Balavan<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_467" id="Page_467">[467]</a></span> informed of
+this event than he placed himself at the head of the banditti of whom
+he was the chief, stirring them up to revolt, drawing together new
+forces&mdash;gaining some by magnificent promises, and seducing others by
+the allurement of the gold which his crimes had amassed. They
+concerted their measures together. He dethroned his nephew, threw him
+into a dungeon, and was proclaimed in his stead.</p>
+
+<p>This cruel usurper, not content with his success, determined to put to
+death the innocent victim, who had formerly had such a miraculous
+escape from his murdering arm. But compassion, which could find no
+avenue to his soul, had entered the heart of his wretched accomplices.</p>
+
+<p>"We cannot consent to the death of a young man that hath done no
+evil," said they to Balavan: "keep him in close confinement if you are
+afraid of his interest, but spare his life."</p>
+
+<p>He was forced to comply with their demand, and shut up his nephew in a
+cave.</p>
+
+<p>Chamsada, having heard this afflicting news, was unable to restrain
+her excessive grief. But she could not inform her husband of the
+misfortunes of her son without exposing the memory of her uncle
+Selimansha, without representing him as an impostor, since he had
+written that the young Shaseliman had been assassinated. In the
+meantime the detestable Balavan completed the conquest of Persia. All
+the grandees of the kingdom came to pay him homage. The young
+Shaseliman remained shut up four years, scarcely receiving as much
+food as was necessary for his subsistence. Loaded with misfortune, his
+beauty no longer recalled the image of his mother, of whom he was the
+perfect resemblance. At length it pleased Providence, that watched
+over him, to relieve him for a time from so many evils.</p>
+
+<p>Balavan, seated in his divan and surrounded by a brilliant Court,
+seemed to enjoy in peace an authority which appeared immovable. In
+midst of grandees whose confidence he thought he possessed, and of
+courtiers whose flattery he received, a voice was heard. This voice,
+sacred to truth, and still devoted to the memory of Selimansha, spake
+as follows:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_468" id="Page_468">[468]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Sire, Heaven has crowned you with prosperity: in giving you, with
+this empire, the hearts of your people, your throne appears to rest
+upon an immovable foundation; show yourself more and more worthy of
+the favours of the Most High. Cast a look of compassion upon a feeble
+young man, whose innocence is his only support; who never opens his
+eyes to the light but to shed tears; every moment of whose existence
+has been marked by sufferings and misfortune. The unfortunate
+Shaseliman never could offend you: restore him his liberty."</p>
+
+<p>"I would agree to your request," replied Balavan, "had I not some
+reasons to fear that he would form a party against me, and become the
+leader of the malcontents whom a King never fails to make in spite of
+his best intentions."</p>
+
+<p>"Alas! sire," replied the Prince who had spoken, "who would follow a
+young man in whom nature is partly wasted by suffering, and whose soul
+has no longer any vigour? Your subjects are devoted to your interest,
+and where would he find any who would be foolish enough to cherish
+ambitious designs against you?"</p>
+
+<p>Balavan yielded to these arguments, and affecting clemency in the
+presence of his Court, he set the young Shaseliman at liberty, dressed
+him in a rich robe, and gave him the command of a distant province.
+But this was not so much with a view to procure him prosperity as to
+get rid of him altogether, by sending him to the defence of a country
+which was continually exposed to the attacks of Infidels. He presumed,
+with some reason, that he would sacrifice his life there, since none
+of his predecessors had ever escaped the dangers with which that part
+of Persia was threatened.</p>
+
+<p>The young Prince departed with a small party. Scarcely had they
+arrived at the place of their destination when the conjectures of his
+uncle Balavan were partly verified. The Infidels made an irruption.
+Shaseliman, having nothing to oppose to them but a handful of men, was
+forced to yield to numbers, and fell himself into the hands of the
+enemy. But they, on account of his age and beauty (departing from the
+cruel usage they practised on such occasions), instead of putting him
+to death, were satisfied with letting him down into a well, where
+several Mussulmans were already<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_469" id="Page_469">[469]</a></span> shut up prisoners. This unhappy
+Prince, the victim of destiny, saw a whole year elapse in this
+dreadful captivity.</p>
+
+<p>These Infidels had a custom every year, on a certain day, of carrying
+such as they had made prisoners to be thrown from the top of a very
+high tower.</p>
+
+<p>Shaseliman was drawn up from the well, conducted to the top of the
+tower, and thrown down with others. But Providence, who watched over
+his life, made him fall upon the body of one of his companions in
+misfortune. This body partly bearing him up, and the air supporting
+his clothes, preserved him from a mortal fall. He was stunned by the
+rapidity of the motion, but he neither met with a fracture nor a
+contusion, and except a long swoon, he experienced no other accident.</p>
+
+<p>He was at length recalled to life amidst the unfortunate people who
+had lost it. His first step was to raise his soul to God, and to
+testify his gratitude to Him, through the intercession of His great
+Prophet. He discovered that he was in the middle of an immense forest,
+and that the corpses which surrounded him must necessarily attract the
+wild beasts; he therefore removed from this dangerous spot. He walked
+all night, and as soon as he thought himself beyond the reach of men
+and animals, he ascended a tree, endeavouring to conceal himself in
+its foliage from the notice of travellers, and supporting himself by
+wild fruits. This way of life he constantly pursued till he reached
+the dominions of Balavan his uncle.</p>
+
+<p>He was near entering the first city of Persia when he perceived five
+or six men conversing together. Perceiving them to be Mussulmans, he
+accosted them, and gave them an account of the treatment he had
+received from the Infidels, and of the miraculous way in which he had
+been saved. The simplicity of his relation leaving no room to suspect
+its truth, they were affected with compassion in his favour, and
+conducted him to their house, where he enjoyed all the rites of
+hospitality. After some days' rest he took leave of his benefactors,
+in order to continue his journey towards the capital where Balavan
+reigned. His hosts, after furnishing him with whatever he had need of,
+showed him the way, without<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_470" id="Page_470">[470]</a></span> suspecting that the young man whom they
+had entertained in so obliging a manner was the nephew of their
+Sovereign.</p>
+
+<p>The young Prince walked night and day. Fatigued, tired, his legs and
+feet torn by the brambles and flints, he at length arrived under the
+walls of Ispahan, and sat down near a basin which served as a
+reservoir to a neighbouring fountain. Scarcely had he time to recover
+his breath, when he saw several gentlemen on horseback approaching.
+They were officers of the King who were returning from the chase, and
+were going to give their horses drink. Looking about them, they
+perceived the young Shaseliman; and notwithstanding the disorder of
+his dress, and the change which sufferings and dejection had made upon
+the natural charms of his countenance, they easily distinguished its
+sweetness and beauty, and were not able to look at him without feeling
+an emotion of the most tender interest.</p>
+
+<p>"What are you doing here, young man?" asked one of the officers.</p>
+
+<p>"Brother!" replied the wise Shaseliman, "you know the proverb: 'Ask
+not a stranger who is naked where are his clothes.' Let that answer
+for me. I am hungry and thirsty, I am weak and deprived of every
+resource."</p>
+
+<p>At this reply one of the officers ran to their beasts of burden, and
+taking some venison and bread, brought it to him. As soon as he had
+profited by this food, and seemed to have sufficient strength to
+continue the conversation,</p>
+
+<p>"Brother!" said one of the officers of the company to him, "we are
+interested in your fortune. Would it be indiscreet in us, should we
+beg of you to give us some account of your history?"</p>
+
+<p>"Before satisfying you," replied the unfortunate Prince, "answer, if
+you please, one question of the greatest consequence to me. Is King
+Balavan, your Sovereign, still alive?"</p>
+
+<p>"Do you know the King?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes. You see before you Shaseliman, his nephew."</p>
+
+<p>"How can you be Shaseliman," replied the officer, "since we know that
+his uncle, after delivering him from a dungeon in which he had been
+for four years shut up, gave him the command of a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_471" id="Page_471">[471]</a></span> province, where it
+was impossible but he must have died by the hands of the Infidels?
+Besides, we have heard that he was thrown down from the summit of a
+high tower by them with many other Mussulmans."</p>
+
+<p>Then the young Prince, in order completely to convince them, entered
+into the detail of all his adventures, and of the wonderful manner in
+which Providence had preserved his life. At this relation the officers
+were struck with astonishment: they prostrated themselves at his feet
+and watered his hand with their tears.</p>
+
+<p>"You are King, sire," said they to him, "the son of our rightful
+Sovereign, and in all respects worthy of a better fate. But, alas!
+what do you come to seek at a Court where you can find nothing but
+death? Recollect the cruelties of which you have been the victim&mdash;the
+treatment you have experienced, and the dangerous snare by which,
+under the shadow of power, you were devoted to certain death in the
+office to which you were appointed. Fly! Seek the country where the
+beautiful Chamsada reigns Queen over the heart of the Sultan of Egypt.
+It is there you will find happiness."</p>
+
+<p>"Alas! how can I direct my steps to Egypt? Selimansha, my grandfather,
+deceived the Sovereign of that empire by assuring him that I was dead:
+my mother and I would be considered as impostors should I hazard an
+appearance there."</p>
+
+<p>"You are right," replied he to him; "but should you be reduced to the
+necessity of living concealed in Egypt, you will at least be beyond
+the reach of your uncle's attempts, whose cruelties you will not
+escape if he learns that you are alive."</p>
+
+<p>To these advices the oldest of the officers likewise added his
+entreaties.</p>
+
+<p>"O my master and my King!" said he to the Prince, throwing himself on
+his knees, "the only and true descendant of Selimansha! Alas! must the
+slave who for thirty years was subject to his orders, who was the
+witness of his virtues and the object of his kindness, see you reduced
+to this depth of misfortune? Does fate, then, pursue this monarch even
+beyond the grave? Fly, dear Prince and wait not till you are attacked
+by greater misfortunes!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_472" id="Page_472">[472]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Each of them was eager to supply the most urgent necessities of
+Shaseliman. One stripped himself of part of his garments in order to
+clothe him; another divided with him his little provision; and all
+together made up a small sum of money, which might enable him to
+continue his journey. The unfortunate Prince, availing himself of
+their beneficence and counsel, took his leave. They did not separate
+from him without giving proofs of their attachment; and Shaseliman
+began his journey, recommending himself to God, and Mahomet His great
+Prophet.</p>
+
+<p>After a long and fatiguing journey, he at length arrived in Egypt,
+where Chamsada, his mother, reigned. When he drew near to Grand Cairo,
+he was unwilling to enter that great city, lest he should expose
+himself to discovery. He therefore stopped at a village at a little
+distance from the road, with the intention of entering into the
+service of some of its inhabitants. He offered himself to a farmer of
+the place to tend his flocks. He did not demand high wages, and lived
+in this obscure and miserable situation, subsisting with difficulty on
+the crumbs which fell from his master's table.</p>
+
+<p>But while the presumptive heir of the Persian throne was reduced to
+such a strange situation, how was Queen Chamsada employed? Every day
+this disconsolate mother felt her uneasiness increase. In the struggle
+betwixt her affection for her son and the secret which she must keep
+from the monarch, for the sake of her uncle's honour, her situation
+was as distressing as that of Shaseliman. There was at the Court of
+Bensirak an old slave of Selimansha, who had accompanied the Queen
+into Egypt, and who since that time had remained in her service. He
+had all her confidence, and was frequently the depository of the
+uneasiness of this tender mother. One day she perceived him alone, and
+made him a signal to approach her.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," said she to him, "you know my attachment for my son; you know
+my fears on his account, and you have taken no step in order to know
+what has become of him."</p>
+
+<p>"Queen!" replied the slave, "that which you wish to know is extremely
+difficult, and I know no means by which I could get information of it.
+You know that you have yourself confirmed the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_473" id="Page_473">[473]</a></span> report of his death,
+which was attested by Selimansha; and although by chance your son
+should appear here, how could you destroy the public opinion? How
+could you make him known?"</p>
+
+<p>"Ah! would to God that my son were here, although I should even be
+deprived of the pleasure of seeing him. To know that he was still
+alive would be sufficient to confirm my repose and happiness."</p>
+
+<p>"Queen," replied the slave, "I am willing to sacrifice my life for
+you: what do you require of me?"</p>
+
+<p>"Take from my treasures," said the Queen, "the sum which you judge
+necessary for your journey: go to Persia and bring my son."</p>
+
+<p>"Money alone is less necessary here than prudence. Some plausible
+reason must be given for the journey which your Majesty proposes to
+me. You know that the Sultan honours me with his bounty, and that,
+engaged in his service, I cannot remove from his Court without his
+express permission. You yourself must ask and obtain it under some
+specious pretence, which may prevent him from entertaining any
+suspicion, and at the same time secure the success of your
+application. Tell him that during the disturbances which preceded the
+death of your husband you concealed, in a place known only to me, a
+casket of precious jewels, which you were anxious to put beyond the
+reach of accident. Beseech his Majesty to grant you permission to send
+me into Persia in search of this treasure. The care of the rest
+belongs to me."</p>
+
+<p>The Queen, convinced of her slave's attachment, and approving his
+counsels, flew instantly to put them in execution, and found no
+difficulty in obtaining her desire.</p>
+
+<p>The faithful emissary speedily departed, disguised as a merchant, that
+he might not be recognized in Persia. After much fatigue, he arrived
+at Ispahan, and having privately made inquiry concerning the fate of
+Shaseliman, received at first the most distressing accounts of him.</p>
+
+<p>Some days after, as he was walking in the environs of the palace, he
+found by chance one of the officers who had assisted the young Prince
+when he was sitting near the fountain which we have already mentioned.
+Having served together under the reign of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_474" id="Page_474">[474]</a></span> Selimansha, they
+recollected one another, and entered into conversation.</p>
+
+<p>"You come from Egypt," said the officer: "did you meet Prince
+Shaseliman?"</p>
+
+<p>"Shaseliman!" replied the slave. "Ah! can he be alive after the
+dreadful news that are spread here concerning him?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, he is alive, and I will tell you, in confidence, how we learned
+this."</p>
+
+<p>He then related everything which had befallen him, as well as the
+other officers, when they had met the Prince, and how, upon their
+advice, the latter had taken the road to Egypt.</p>
+
+<p>The pretended merchant, transported with joy, wished, in his turn, to
+return the confidence of his former companion, and revealed to him the
+whole mystery of his mission into Persia; after this he took his leave
+of him to return into Egypt. In every place through which he passed he
+made diligent inquiry after the young Prince, describing his
+appearance as the officer had represented it to him. Being arrived at
+the village where he expected to meet him, he was very much surprised
+that no person could give any information concerning him. As he was
+preparing to continue his journey, he found, at his going out of the
+city, a young man asleep under a tree, near which some sheep were
+feeding quietly.</p>
+
+<p>He cast a look of compassion upon this poor creature, whose tattered
+garments announced his misery.</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" said he, "it is impossible that this can be the man whom I
+seek. This is doubtless the child of some unhappy shepherd. My trouble
+will be lost; yet what do I risk by awaking this young man, and
+inquiring concerning the person of whom I am in search? Let me not
+neglect even this hopeless expedient."</p>
+
+<p>Having soon awakened him, he put the same questions to him which he
+had been accustomed to propose to every one.</p>
+
+<p>"I am a stranger in these places," replied Shaseliman, who was afraid
+to make himself known, being ignorant of the motives of this
+curiosity; "but, if I am not greatly mistaken, from the description
+which you have given, the person whom you are in search of is
+Shaseliman, the young King of Persia, and grandson to Selimansha.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_475" id="Page_475">[475]</a></span> His
+father was killed by his barbarous brother Balavan, who usurped his
+throne; the son was wounded in his cradle, yet Allah preserved the
+life of that unfortunate infant."</p>
+
+<p>"O Heaven!" exclaimed the slave, "am I so happy as to hear Shaseliman
+mentioned? How, young man, have you guessed the cause which made me
+travel from Egypt into Persia? Who could inform you of it? Do you
+know, then, what has become of this unfortunate Prince? Shall I reap
+at length the fruit of my anxiety and labours? Where could I find
+him?"</p>
+
+<p>When Shaseliman was convinced that he who thus spoke to him was a
+messenger from his mother, he thought he might make himself known.</p>
+
+<p>"In vain would you run over the whole world," said he to him, "in
+order to find Shaseliman, since it is he who now speaks to you."</p>
+
+<p>At these words, the slave fell at the feet of his Sovereign, and
+covered his hands with tears and kisses.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah," exclaimed he, "how overjoyed will Chamsada be! What happy news
+shall I bring to her! Remain here, my Prince: I am going to find
+everything that is necessary for your going with me."</p>
+
+<p>He ran quickly to the village, and brought from it a saddled horse and
+more suitable clothes for Shaseliman, and they both took the road to
+Grand Cairo.</p>
+
+<p>An unforeseen event interrupted their journey. As they were crossing a
+desert, they were surrounded by robbers, seized, plundered, and let
+down into a well. Shut up in this frightful place, the slave abandoned
+himself to grief.</p>
+
+<p>"How! are you disconsolate?" said the young Prince. "Is it the
+prospect of death which terrifies you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Death hath nothing dreadful to me," replied he; "but can I remain
+insensible to the hardships of your lot? Can I think calmly upon the
+loss which the sorrowful Chamsada will suffer?"</p>
+
+<p>"Take courage," said Shaseliman. "I must fulfill the decrees of the
+Almighty. All that has happened to me was written in the Book of Life;
+and, if I must end my days in this dreadful abode,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_476" id="Page_476">[476]</a></span> no human power can
+rescue me from it, and it becomes me to be submissive and resigned."</p>
+
+<p>In these sentiments and in this dreadful situation did this virtuous
+Prince and his slave pass two days and two nights.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime, the eye of Providence continually watched over
+Shaseliman. It brought the King of Egypt, in pursuit of a roebuck, to
+the place where this Prince was shut up. The animal, struck by a
+deadly arrow, came to lie down and die on the brink of the well.</p>
+
+<p>A hunter, outstripping the King's retinue, came first to seize the
+prey. As he approached it, he heard a plaintive voice from the bottom
+of the well. Having listened to ascertain whether it was so, he ran to
+report this to the King, who was speedily advancing with his train,
+and ordered some of them to descend into the well. Shaseliman and the
+slave were immediately drawn out of it. The cords which tied them were
+cut, cordials recalled them to life; and no sooner had they opened
+their eyes than the King recognized in one of them his own officer.</p>
+
+<p>"Are not you," said he to him, "the confidant of Chamsada?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sire, I am."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, what has brought you into this situation?"</p>
+
+<p>"I was returning," said the slave, "loaded with the treasure the Queen
+had ordered me to search for in Persia; I was attacked by robbers,
+plundered, and thrown alive into this sepulchre."</p>
+
+<p>"And who is this young man?"</p>
+
+<p>"He is son to the nurse of your Majesty's august spouse. I was
+bringing him to your Court, with the view of procuring him a place."</p>
+
+<p>After these two unfortunate men had received proper food, the King
+returned to his palace. He flew instantly to Chamsada, to give her an
+account of what he had seen, of the return of her slave with a young
+man, and of the loss of her treasure. When the Queen learned that they
+had been thrown into a well, grief took possession of her soul. She
+tried to hide her disorder, which was, however, betrayed by the
+visible alteration of her countenance under the mask of apparent
+tranquillity. The King, who was looking<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_477" id="Page_477">[477]</a></span> at her, and perceived the
+efforts she employed to restrain herself, wished to penetrate into the
+cause of her trouble.</p>
+
+<p>"What is the matter with you, Chamsada?" said he. "Are you afflicted
+at the loss of your treasure? Is not mine at your disposal?"</p>
+
+<p>"I swear by your life, O glorious Sultan," replied she, "that I am
+less sorry for the loss of my treasures, than for the sufferings of
+the poor slave, of which I have been the cause. I have a feeling
+heart, and you know how much I am affected by the misfortunes of
+others."</p>
+
+<p>However, as the King continued to relate the adventure of the well,
+and as she learned that the slave and the young man had been drawn up
+from it, she recovered her tranquillity, and at the end of her
+husband's relation her feelings were entirely calm.</p>
+
+<p>"Be comforted, my dear Chamsada," said he to her. "If all that I
+possess is not sufficient to make up for the loss of your treasure,
+think that you have one that is inexhaustible in the affection of a
+heart which is yours for life."</p>
+
+<p>Having said this, he retired.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as Chamsada was alone she called for her slave. He gave her an
+account of the manner in which he had got information of the Prince's
+adventures; of the means which Providence had employed in saving him
+from the cruelties and snares of his uncle; of the barbarity of the
+Infidels; and even of his too great confidence, when, having escaped
+being dashed to pieces by the fall, from which no Mussulman before him
+was ever saved, he was about again to deliver himself into the power
+of the barbarous Balavan. He continued his recital even to the moment
+when, drawn up from the well, the young Prince had been seen by the
+Egyptian monarch, whose curiosity he had excited.</p>
+
+<p>The Queen then interrupted him.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah!" said she to him, "what answer did you make to the King when he
+asked you who this young man was?"</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" replied the slave, "I told a lie, and I beseech you to pardon
+it. I told him that he was the son of your nurse, and that he was
+intended for his Majesty's service."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_478" id="Page_478">[478]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Wise and faithful friend!" exclaimed Chamsada, her eyes bathed in
+tears, and still moved with what she had heard, "what gratitude will
+ever repay the service you have rendered to the most tender mother?
+Watch over my son. I trust him to your zeal and prudence. Never shall
+I forget the obligation I am under for what you have already done for
+him, and for what your attachment may still be able to do."</p>
+
+<p>"Queen! the recommendation is unnecessary. I know what I owe to the
+posterity of my Sovereigns, and there is no sacrifice I am not ready
+to make for your Majesty."</p>
+
+<p>These were not empty promises; the slave was no courtier. Considering
+what care and precaution would be necessary to repair the health and
+constitution of the young Prince, wasted by sufferings and fatigue, he
+made this his only study. A salutary and light diet, the use of the
+bath, and moderate exercise, gradually succeeded in renewing his
+strength. Nature resumed her empire; his body and mind regained their
+energy and every external charm, restored at length to the fairest of
+Queens the most beautiful Prince in the world.</p>
+
+<p>A happy similarity of disposition gained him the monarch's heart, who
+distinguished this page above all the rest. He soon became so
+necessary to his service, that he alone was admitted into his private
+apartment. The monarch boasted continually of his virtues, and praised
+this new favourite to the grandees of his Court, endeavouring to
+render him as dear to them as he was to himself.</p>
+
+<p>Amidst these flattering praises, which resounded in the ears of
+Chamsada, what conflicts of tenderness did not this feeling mother
+experience in the loss of her own son! She often perceived him, but
+durst not cast upon him one affectionate look. She was forced to
+restrain the affection of her heart, and give no visible tokens of her
+regard. Every day she observed his steps, and secretly longed for the
+moment when she might pour out her soul in his embraces. As he passed
+one day before the door of her apartment, and when she presumed no one
+would perceive her, she suddenly yielded to a mother's transports,
+threw herself on his neck, and in that happy moment forgot many years
+of sorrow.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_479" id="Page_479">[479]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>While this fond mother was indulging the sweetest feelings of nature,
+danger surrounded her. One of the King's ministers, coming
+accidentally out of the neighbouring apartment, was the unintentional
+witness of this scene. He was uncertain what to think of it. As
+Chamsada was veiled he might have mistaken her. But having asked of
+the eunuchs the name of the lady who inhabited the apartment before
+which he had passed, he came trembling to his Majesty, eager to
+discover the mystery of which chance had made him a witness. The
+charming page had already gone before him to the throne.</p>
+
+<p>"August Majesty," said the minister, "you see me still in horror at
+the crime which has just now been committed, and of which I have been
+a witness. Pardon me, sire, if I am under the necessity of discovering
+to you the conduct of a spouse whom you have loved too dearly, but as
+I passed before her apartment, I saw her embracing the vile slave who
+is at your side."</p>
+
+<p>He knows not the power of the passions who cannot figure to himself
+the sudden revolution which this report occasioned in the soul of the
+enamoured Sultan. The confusion of Shaseliman seemed still to increase
+it, and to remove every doubt concerning the truth of the fact. The
+Sultan instantly ordered the young man and the slave who had brought
+him from Persia to be thrown into a dungeon.</p>
+
+<p>"What abominable treachery!" exclaimed he. "What! was this pretended
+treasure nothing but a slave?" And running hastily into Chamsada's
+apartment, "What has she become," said he, addressing himself to
+Chamsada, "whose prudence, wisdom, and love were the glory of my Court
+and the pattern of wives? How has this mirror of perfection been
+tarnished in a moment! How has she become my shame after having been
+my true honour, and a subject of reproach to the world after having
+been its admiration! How, alas! have appearances deceived me!
+Henceforward, every woman shall be dishonoured in my eyes, from past
+and present to all future generations."</p>
+
+<p>Having said this, the King went out, his soul struggling betwixt love
+and jealousy, fury and grief.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_480" id="Page_480">[480]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Chamsada was astonished at the reproaches she had just heard, and
+tormented by the false suspicions to which her husband, whom she
+loved, was abandoned. But how could she remove them? She had always
+confirmed to the Sultan the false report of her son's death
+intentionally spread by her father Selimansha, and she could not
+venture to discover him at present without exposing him to the utmost
+danger. Alas! when one has so long wandered from truth, is it possible
+to return? Could one regain confidence who has not known how to
+deserve it by a sincere and timely confession?</p>
+
+<p>"No, no," would she say, "it was my inclination, and, without doubt,
+my duty, to spare the reputation of my uncle, and to-day I would in
+vain attempt to sully it. O Sovereign Wisdom! Divine Goodness! only
+resource of the innocent, to Thee I lift my hands and my heart. By
+invisible means you formerly snatched my unfortunate son from the
+snares of death with which he was on all sides surrounded. He falls
+into them still, notwithstanding his innocence. The fatality of his
+star draws along with him my faithful slave and myself, and even the
+Sultan my husband, who is weighed down by the too well-founded
+presumption of our crime. Deliver us, O Allah, from the horrors of
+suspicion! And thou, great Prophet! if thou bearest in thy heart thy
+faithful followers&mdash;if all thy prayers in their behalf are heard&mdash;make
+mine ascend before the God of Justice! And since all the wisdom of the
+world could not untie the fatal knot in which we are bound, be pleased
+to employ in this work thy omnipotent power."</p>
+
+<p>After this invocation, she placed her confidence in Allah, and waited
+the event with resignation.</p>
+
+<p>In the meantime the irresolute soul of the Sultan was abandoned to the
+greatest uncertainty. His passion for Chamsada seemed to acquire new
+strength in proportion as he attempted to destroy it. He knew not what
+step to take. How should he take vengeance on the guilty? How could he
+discern if they were both equally so? How could he know which of the
+two he ought to spare? How could he strike two objects who were so
+dear to him? Harassed by these painful and afflicting considerations,
+he lost his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_481" id="Page_481">[481]</a></span> repose and his health, and his nurse, who still remained
+in the seraglio, was alarmed at this change. This woman, whom age and
+experience had rendered prudent, having deserved the confidence of her
+masters, had acquired the right of approaching them whenever she
+thought proper, and accordingly she went to the Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>"What is the matter with you, my son?" said she to him. "You are not
+as you used to be. You shun the amusements which, till now, appeared
+agreeable to your inclinations. Riding, walking, and hunting, please
+you no more. You do not now assemble your Court, nor give feasts and
+entertainments. I well know that you scarcely take food. What secret
+grief consumes you? Open to me your heart, my son. You know my tender
+attachment, and you ought to fear nothing from my indiscretion. We
+often allow ourselves to be prepossessed by phantoms, and perhaps I
+may be able to dissipate, in a moment, those which disturb your
+imagination. Trust me with your affliction, my son, and I hope to
+soothe it."</p>
+
+<p>Whatever confidence this Prince had in his good nurse, and
+notwithstanding the great estimation in which he held her excellent
+qualities, he did not think it proper to disclose his grief to her. He
+must speak against Chamsada, and this remembrance would make the wound
+bleed afresh which she had made in his heart. The sage old woman was
+not discouraged by the ill success of her first attempt: she watched
+every opportunity of being seen by her master; and the tender looks
+which she cast upon him seemed to say, "O my dear son! speak to me,
+unfold your heart to your good nurse." But all her cares were
+fruitless.</p>
+
+<p>Finding that she could not succeed by this method, and presuming that
+Chamsada must have been informed of the Sultan's grief, and
+conjecturing, moreover, that a woman would more easily reveal the
+secret which she wished to know, she flew to the Queen, whom she found
+plunged in sorrow apparently as deep as that which consumed the
+Sultan. She employed every method which address and experience could
+furnish her, in order to deserve the confidence of Chamsada.</p>
+
+<p>"But why this cruel reserve with me?" said the good nurse.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_482" id="Page_482">[482]</a></span> "Look, my
+daughter, upon my grey hairs! If age and time have furrowed my brow
+with wrinkles, they have also given me experience. I am no more the
+sport of passion, and my counsels will be dictated by prudence."</p>
+
+<p>Chamsada, shaken but not convinced by these arguments, replied to her,</p>
+
+<p>"My secret is very weighty, my dear nurse; it weighs down my heart;
+but it is impossible it should ever come out of it. In trusting you
+with it, I must be well assured that it will remain for ever shut up
+in your breast."</p>
+
+<p>"Your wishes shall be fulfilled," said the old woman. "I am discreet,
+and never shall my lips divulge your secret; but let it be no more one
+with her who takes so lively an interest in your happiness."</p>
+
+<p>At length Chamsada could resist her no longer: she related to her all
+her adventures, and informed her that the young man of whom the Sultan
+was become jealous was her son Shaseliman, who had been supposed to
+have been dead.</p>
+
+<p>"O great Prophet, I thank you!" exclaimed the nurse. "Praised be
+Mahomet! we have nothing to struggle with but chimeras! Be comforted,
+my daughter: every cloud will disappear: I behold the rising of a
+bright day."</p>
+
+<p>"O my good mother, we shall never, never reach it. Never will this
+young man be believed to be my son. We shall be accused of falsehood,
+and I would prefer the loss of his life, and of my own, rather than be
+suspected of this infamy."</p>
+
+<p>"I approve of your delicacy," said the nurse; "but my precautions
+shall prevent everything that might hurt it."</p>
+
+<p>Upon this she went out, and immediately entered the Sultan's
+apartment, whom she found in the same state of dejection and sorrow in
+which she had left him; she embraced him and took him by the hand.</p>
+
+<p>"My son," said she to him, "you are too much afflicted. If you are a
+true Mussulman, I conjure you by the name of the great Prophet to
+reveal to me the true cause of the grief which afflicts you."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_483" id="Page_483">[483]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Unable any longer to withstand the force of this intercession, the
+Sultan was forced to reveal all his distress.</p>
+
+<p>"I loved Chamsada with my whole heart," said the Sultan. "Her graces,
+her wisdom, her virtues, all the charms, in a word, with which she was
+adorned, appeared to me a delicious garden, where my thoughts wandered
+with delight. All is now changed into a frightful desert, where I see
+nothing but hideous monsters and dreadful precipices. Chamsada is
+faithless. The false Chamsada whom I adored, and whom I love still,
+has betrayed me. She has given her heart to a vile slave. I am fallen
+from the height of an imaginary happiness into a hell where every evil
+torments me. The two criminals must perish: nothing remains for me but
+to proportion the punishment to the crime, and endeavour to
+distinguish on which of the two my severest justice ought to fall.
+But, alas! what will it cost me to execute this fatal sentence! The
+same weapon which pierces the heart of my adorable Chamsada, will
+wound my own with a deadly stroke."</p>
+
+<p>"My son! do nothing rashly," said the nurse. "You may expose yourself
+to eternal repentance. Those whom you think guilty are in your hands:
+you will always have time to punish them: allow yourself time to
+examine them. 'Time,' says the proverb, 'is the wisest of all
+counsellors: many things are brought to light by time and patience.'"</p>
+
+<p>"Ah! my good nurse, what explanation can I expect? Is there any that
+could destroy an attested fact? Chamsada loves this young man; and
+pretending that she had a treasure in Persia, she abused my confidence
+and affection to obtain from me an order to go in search of him."</p>
+
+<p>"My dear son, be calm," said the old woman. "I have a method of laying
+open to you the soul of Chamsada. Cause your hunters to bring me an
+egret.<a name="FNanchor_17_17" id="FNanchor_17_17"></a><a href="#Footnote_17_17" class="fnanchor">[17]</a> I will tear out the heart of this bird, which I will give
+to you, and as soon as Chamsada shall be asleep, you must bring it
+near hers, and it will be impossible for her to conceal from you the
+smallest secret."</p>
+
+<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_17_17" id="Footnote_17_17"></a><a href="#FNanchor_17_17"><span class="label">[17]</span></a> Egret. A bird with a tuft upon its head.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_484" id="Page_484">[484]</a></span></p></div>
+
+<p>The King, delighted with having it in his power to discover so easily
+the mystery which kept him in such perplexity, instantly ordered his
+officers to go and catch an egret in his gardens. One was brought to
+him, which he immediately gave to the old nurse. She tore its breast,
+accompanying this action, extremely simple in itself, with a magical
+charm, and the Sultan was put in possession of its reeking heart.</p>
+
+<p>While the Prince was reflecting on the surprising virtues of this
+method, the nurse had gone secretly to the apartment of Chamsada.</p>
+
+<p>"Everything goes well," said she to her. "Let your heart be filled
+with hope, and let your mouth be prepared to disclose the truth,
+without any reserve. Expect this night to receive a mysterious visit.
+It will be from the Sultan himself, with the heart of an egret in his
+hand. As soon as you perceive that he brings it near yours, feign to
+be asleep, but answer with precision all the questions which he may
+put to you, and let truth flow from your mouth, unsullied by the
+slightest scruple."</p>
+
+<p>Chamsada tenderly thanked the nurse, and prepared herself to second
+this innocent stratagem, beseeching the favour of the holy Prophet to
+carry conviction to his heart who was endeavouring to discover the
+truth.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as night had spread her shades, Chamsada, contrary to her
+custom, signified that she had need of rest. She sent away her slaves,
+and threw herself upon a sofa. Scarcely had she been there two hours
+when the Sultan, impatient to prove the nurse's secret, presented
+himself at the apartment of his favourite: he found there the chief of
+the eunuchs.</p>
+
+<p>"How is Chamsada employed?" demanded he.</p>
+
+<p>"She had need of rest," replied the eunuch, "and I believe she is upon
+her sofa."</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan entered without making the least noise, and found her
+asleep. He approached very near her, in order the better to judge of
+the soundness of her sleep, and, thinking it profound, he judged it
+proper to try his experiment, and gently applied the heart of the bird
+to that of Chamsada, saying to her, "Chamsada,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_485" id="Page_485">[485]</a></span> who is that young man
+whom you were caressing when one of my ministers surprised you?"</p>
+
+<p>"He is Shaseliman," replied she, without awaking, "the only child of
+my first marriage with the son of Selimansha my uncle."</p>
+
+<p>"This child was stabbed in his cradle; I am assured of this by letters
+from your uncle himself."</p>
+
+<p>"He was indeed wounded, but the stroke was not mortal; skilful
+surgeons restored him to life; and this was kept a secret from the
+murderer of my husband."</p>
+
+<p>"Why have you concealed it from me, who loved you so dearly?"</p>
+
+<p>"Because my uncle, whose memory I cherished, and wished to be
+respected, had for a political reason imposed upon you respecting this
+fact. If what I have told you does not appear possible, interrogate
+the young man, and his mouth will confirm the truth of this
+declaration."</p>
+
+<p>Having got this ray of light, the Sultan gave over his inquiries,
+withdrew from his spouse, whom he supposed still asleep, left her
+apartment, and gave orders that the young man and the slave should be
+brought out of the dungeons in which they were shut up. This order was
+immediately executed.</p>
+
+<p>The unfortunate Shaseliman, who was languishing in his prison,
+suddenly hearing the vaults resound with the noise of the bolts and
+keys, believed that his last hour was come, and that the ignominy of
+punishment was about to terminate his existence.</p>
+
+<p>"O Allah!" said he, raising his innocent hands to heaven, "my life is
+in Thy hands; to Thee I resign it; but watch over the life of my
+mother!"</p>
+
+<p>Shaseliman and the slave were brought before the Sultan. The Prince
+did not leave to others the care of proving a fact so important to his
+honour and repose. He ran to the young man, and searched in his bosom
+for the scar of Balavan's poniard; he found it, and, transported with
+joy, he exclaimed, "O Allah! for ever be Thou blessed for having
+preserved me from the dreadful crime I was about to commit! and thou
+His great Prophet, a signal mark of whose protection the virtues of
+Chamsada have drawn down upon me, to so many favours still add that of
+enabling me to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_486" id="Page_486">[486]</a></span> efface, by my services, the dreadful sorrows I have
+occasioned, and the idea of the injustice I was about to commit!"</p>
+
+<p>Then throwing himself into the arms of Shaseliman, "Come, dear and
+unfortunate Prince, come to my heart! Let your image be joined there
+with that of my beloved Chamsada, that my most tender affections may
+henceforth be centred on one object alone! But deign to satisfy my
+curiosity, and inform me by what chain of events you have been
+conducted hither, unknown to all the world. How have you existed?
+Speak, Prince. I am impatient to know more particularly the person who
+restores me to happiness."</p>
+
+<p>Shaseliman, encouraged by the demonstration of such affecting
+kindness, then gave a faithful detail of his adventures, from the very
+moment in which he had been hurled from the throne into prison, even
+to that in which, reduced to the humble condition of a shepherd, he
+had been found by the messenger of his mother, surrounded by robbers,
+drawn up out of the well into which they had been let down, and
+conducted to the Court of the Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>While this recital engaged the attention of Bensirak, Chamsada, his
+spouse, although less troubled than on the preceding days, was not
+altogether in a tranquil state. The events had become too important
+for her. She endeavoured to find out with what design the Sultan,
+after having questioned her, had departed so abruptly. She had not
+been able to learn what he had done, nor what was become of him, since
+the confession which she had made to him. She was indulging these
+reflections, and continued sunk in the sleep in which the Sultan
+seemed to surprise her. All at once twenty slaves, carrying flambeaux,
+came to illuminate her apartment; they walked before the Sultan, who
+conducted by the hand and looked with kindness on the beloved son of
+the most virtuous of mothers. He had caused Shaseliman to be dressed
+in the most magnificent garments; he was adorned with beautiful
+diamonds, in which Bensirak had delighted to be decked on the days of
+triumph.</p>
+
+<p>"Soothe your sorrows, adorable Chamsada," cried he, throwing himself
+into her arms. "The favour of Heaven restores to you a husband and a
+son, whose feelings and affection secure your felicity for ever."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_487" id="Page_487">[487]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Shaseliman, on his knees, kissed the hands of his mother; and tears of
+consolation expressed the sentiments of the son and of the delighted
+pair.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as day had succeeded this happy night, the Sultan assembled
+the best of his troops, and put himself at their head, accompanied by
+Shaseliman. He took the road for Persia, causing heralds go before
+him, and announce to the people of that kingdom that he was about to
+re-establish on the throne their rightful King, assassinated,
+persecuted, and dethroned by the usurper Balavan. Scarcely had they
+reached the frontiers of Persia, when a party of the faithful subjects
+of the old King Selimansha, always attached to the blood of this
+august family, came to range themselves under the banners of the
+Sultan of Egypt and of Shaseliman. The perfidious Balavan heard this
+intelligence, and endeavoured to assemble his forces, in order to
+dispute the ground with a powerful enemy who came to overwhelm him;
+but no one would repair to his colours, and he was obliged to shut
+himself up in his capital with his usual guard and the few subjects on
+whose fidelity he thought he could depend.</p>
+
+<p>But if virtue, pursued by a superior force, is so often deserted,
+where are the resources of guilt?</p>
+
+<p>Ispahan is invested, and Balavan, betrayed by his ministers, is
+delivered up to the Sultan Bensirak, who, turning his eyes from a
+monster who had dishonoured the throne by the most dreadful crimes,
+and directing himself to Shaseliman,</p>
+
+<p>"My son," said he, "to you I commit the scourge of your subjects and
+your father's murderer; dispose of his lot, and give orders for his
+punishment."</p>
+
+<p>"O my benefactor! O my father! it belongs not to me to dispose of
+him," replied Shaseliman; "vengeance must come down from above. Let
+him go to the frontiers to guard that dangerous post with which I was
+entrusted. If he is innocent, he will be preserved as I have been; but
+if he is guilty, his decree is pronounced, and nothing can suspend its
+execution."</p>
+
+<p>The Sultan approved of the decision of Shaseliman, and Balavan set out
+to make head against the infidels. But divine justice was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_488" id="Page_488">[488]</a></span> now
+prepared to inflict its stroke. He was taken, chained, and thrown into
+the fatal well, where gnawing remorse and dreadful despair continued
+to torment him till the moment of his death.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the presumptive heir of the Persian crown, the happy
+Shaseliman, seated on the throne of his ancestors, received the oaths
+of his people. He commenced a reign of which the wisdom and piety
+recalled to the Persians the sublime virtues of the Grand Caliph
+Moavie. The Sultan of Egypt, after having seen this young Sovereign
+shine in the splendour of the most distinguished virtues, and having
+tenderly embraced him, returned to his dominions, and by his presence
+completed the joy of Chamsada. Nothing afterwards disturbed the repose
+of this happy pair, and having reached at last the term allotted to
+human greatness, they fell asleep in that peace which is the portion
+of faithful Mussulmans.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>"Sire," said Aladin to King Bohetzad, after having finished his
+recital, "see by what secret and wonderful ways Providence delivered
+Shaseliman from the hands of persecution! See how it led Balavan into
+the very gulf he had dug for another! No, Allah will never suffer
+guilt to triumph and innocence to be punished. His vigilance and
+justice nothing can escape, and sooner or later He will tear asunder
+the veil with which the wicked are covered. As for me, sire,
+encouraged by my conscience and convinced that man cannot alter the
+decrees of my destiny, I am always firm and hopeful. I only fear that
+your justice will light on your Viziers, my accusers."</p>
+
+<p>At this discourse, equally firm, wise, and modest, the King was left
+still more irresolute than ever.</p>
+
+<p>"Let the execution of the sentence be suspended," said he; "let this
+young man be conducted back to prison. The silence of the night, and
+the reflections which his recital will occasion, may enlighten my
+judgment, and to-morrow I shall more easily take my resolution."</p>
+
+<p>As soon as Aladin had been led back to his dungeon, one of the Viziers
+began:</p>
+
+<p>"Sire, your Majesty suffers yourself to be overcome by the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_489" id="Page_489">[489]</a></span> magic of
+this young impostor's discourses. The great Prophet preserve you from
+yielding to sentiments of mercy in his behalf! When guilt remains
+unpunished, the splendour of the throne is obscured. You are seated
+there for no other purpose but to administer justice: the crime of
+this villain is evident, and his punishment ought to be signal; the
+most awful should be fixed upon, that it may serve as an example to
+such."</p>
+
+<p>"Let orders be immediately given," interrupted Bohetzad eagerly, "to
+erect a scaffold without the walls of the city, on the most elevated
+situation. Let the dread of death terrify those who might attempt to
+follow his footsteps. Such is my final resolution, and let it be
+announced to the people by the public criers."</p>
+
+<p>The ten Viziers were well pleased to hear this resolution. They hoped
+at length, by their secret plots, to make the object of their envy
+fall beneath the sword of justice, and were eager to order the
+apparatus of punishment.</p>
+
+<p>On the morning of the following day, which was the eleventh since the
+confinement of Aladin, the ten Viziers went to the King.</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," said they, "your orders are obeyed; your pleasure is known,
+and the people assembled round the spot wait only for him who is to
+die there."</p>
+
+<p>Bohetzad gave orders that the criminal should be brought to him. As
+soon as he appeared the ten Viziers lifted up their voices against
+him.</p>
+
+<p>"Wretch! offspring of villains!" said they to him, "the scythe of
+death is raised over thy head; thy stratagems are exhausted, and thou
+art about to receive the reward of thy crimes and rashness."</p>
+
+<p>"Audacious ministers," said Aladin, looking at them with a confident
+but modest air, "it belongs not to you to mark my forehead with the
+seal of death! If the decree which strikes me comes not from Heaven,
+what could all your attempts avail? Guilt alone can be afraid of them.
+But since I have nothing wherewith to reproach myself, had I even my
+head under the fatal sword, I should be preserved from the stroke,
+like the slave who was accused although innocent."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_490" id="Page_490">[490]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Sire," interrupted all the Viziers at once, "impose silence on this
+audacious fellow; he wishes still to deceive your Majesty by a new
+tale."</p>
+
+<p>"I wish not to impose upon the King," said Aladin; "it is you who
+cherish falsehood and imposture."</p>
+
+<p>"Stop!" said Bohetzad to him; "I will yet put my patience to a last
+effort, and agree to hear the history of your slave and of his
+deliverance."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, the clemency of my King!" replied Aladin. "May truth at length
+reach your heart, which is so difficult of access! I wish not by a
+false relation to deceive your Majesty; the story I am going to relate
+is well known throughout all Chaldea."</p>
+
+
+<h2>HISTORY OF THE KING OF HARAM, AND OF THE SLAVE.</h2>
+<p>The King of Haram, uneasy at the manner in which his Viziers and Cadis
+administered justice in the provinces of his empire, went one night
+from his palace disguised, and only escorted by two eunuchs. By chance
+he passed near a dungeon, from whence he heard a plaintive and
+lamentable voice. He learned that this place served as a prison, in
+which criminals condemned to death were shut up; and approaching
+nearer it in order to hear distinctly the doleful accents, which
+appeared to come from the bowels of the earth, he heard these words:</p>
+
+<p>"O powerful Allah! Thou who watchest constantly over the unfortunate,
+stooping under the burden of his misery, wilt Thou suffer innocence,
+falsely accused, to sink under presumptions which a fatal destiny hath
+heaped upon it? Infinite mercy! none of Thy creatures are
+insignificant in Thy eyes; Thou hearest the cries of a worm; listen to
+that of Thy slave; and if my death is not determined by Thy
+providence, arrest the stroke with which I am threatened."</p>
+
+<p>A silence, interrupted only by sighs, succeeded this prayer. The King
+of Haram returned to his palace with a heart moved by these
+lamentations, and a spirit troubled with this adventure. In vain did
+he seek repose: the idea of the death of an innocent person<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_491" id="Page_491">[491]</a></span> agitated
+him, and he only waited the return of day to clear up this mystery.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the sun had enlightened the earth, he called together his
+ministers, and described to them the place from which the cries came
+that had excited his pity. They informed him that the unfortunate
+person confined in this dungeon was destined to die that very day upon
+the scaffold. They gave him an account of his trial, from which the
+crime appeared clear, and two witnesses certified that the slave, whom
+his Majesty had heard, was the perpetrator of it. The King of Haram
+could not resist what human justice reckons evidence, and immediately
+confirmed the order for his execution.</p>
+
+<p>The slave, convicted of the crime, was taken from the dungeon: he
+walked to punishment with a firm and modest countenance; his hands
+bound, and his eyes lifted up to Heaven, which was now his only hope.
+He was at the foot of the scaffold; the executioners were preparing to
+strip him of his clothes, when an unexpected noise entirely changed
+the aspect of this scene of death. A hostile party, having formed the
+design of making themselves masters of the city, waited until the
+people, attracted by curiosity to see the execution, should have gone
+out of it. They hastily quitted the ambuscade in which they were
+concealed, fell upon the guard, and dispersed it. All those who
+endeavoured to defend it either fell by the sword or were made
+prisoners; not one escaped except the unhappy slave who was about to
+suffer an ignominious death.</p>
+
+<p>The enemy, dreading the approach of the King, then withdrew to a
+distance in order to increase their forces, carrying with them the
+booty they had got, and deferred to another time the consummation of
+their enterprise.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile, the slave, delivered from his chains by the hands of the
+enemy, and still fearing lest people should be dispatched to pursue
+him, gained the country, and walked day and night without stopping. At
+length, overcome with fatigue, he stopped under the shade of a laurel,
+which, from its size and height, appeared coeval with the world, and
+sat down. Opposite to this tree, and very near it, was the entrance of
+a dark cave; two torches threw a dreadful<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_492" id="Page_492">[492]</a></span> light around it, without
+altogether dispelling its darkness. His attention was fixed with
+astonishment on these objects, which inspired him with terror, when he
+thought he observed these two lights move and advance towards him.
+These bright fires were nothing but the glaring eyes of a monstrous
+lion, which came out of the cave and slowly approached the unhappy
+slave, who had nothing with which he could defend himself. The animal
+seized him, and, without hurting him, carried him into the cave. He
+instantly went out of it again, tore down the enormous laurel under
+which the man had been formerly seated, and, having placed it at the
+mouth of the cave in order to shut up its passage, ran into the desert
+in search of its mate, whom the need of food for their whelps had
+carried far from their common haunt.</p>
+
+<p>The mouth of this cave, shut up by the trunk of the tree, was
+inaccessible to all human power. However, there was still sufficient
+light left for the slave to view the inside of this dreadful
+habitation, to distinguish its inhabitants, and to see there the
+fragments of bones and food with which the ground was covered. He saw
+likewise two young lions couching on a heap of moss, who were not
+frightened by his presence. In an opposite corner he perceived a heap
+of human bones, the sad remains of the unfortunate whom the same
+destiny that had brought him there had drawn toward this frightful
+abode. Nevertheless, amid these objects, fear did not damp his
+courage: he turned towards the south, and, like a faithful Mussulman,
+addressed his prayer to the great Prophet with as much zeal and
+fervour as if he had been in the most splendid mosque and in the most
+secure asylum.</p>
+
+<p>Full of confidence in the Sovereign Arbiter of Destiny, he then cast
+his eyes into the dark cavities of this den. There were many clothes
+in it: he put his hand into the pockets of one garment, and found
+there a stone and a piece of steel for striking fire; the earth was
+covered with a dry moss, which served as litter to the savage
+inhabitants of this dwelling. The possibility of getting out revived
+his courage; and scarcely was the enterprise conceived when it was put
+in execution. He set fire to the moss which he had collected at the
+mouth of the cave; the flames penetrated the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_493" id="Page_493">[493]</a></span> moist bark of the
+laurel's roots, and the fire speedily increasing, the tree lost its
+support and fell upon its side with a crash, so as to leave the mouth
+of the cave quite open. In examining this cave he had seen a bow,
+sabres, and poniards, which might serve for his defence. He had also
+discovered, by the light, a pan with coined gold, and pieces of this
+metal, with precious jewels of different kinds. Provided in this
+manner, with everything which could assist his escape, he armed
+himself with what was necessary, cut away with his sabre the burning
+branches which opposed his passage, and, blessing Heaven, at length
+recovered his liberty.</p>
+
+<p>Scarcely had the slave got out of this dangerous cave, when he
+perceived the lion at the distance of four bowshots, and the lioness
+somewhat farther off in the plain. He put upon his bow a deadly arrow;
+and the lion, thinking to dart upon his prey, ran with great rapidity
+against the arrow, which was discharged at him. The steel reached his
+heart, and he fell lifeless.</p>
+
+<p>The slave, freed from this enemy, soon had the other also to contend
+with. He darted another arrow, but it made only a slight wound. The
+animal, rendered still more furious, rushed forwards to throw him on
+the ground. The slave opposed her with his poniard, and plunged it
+into her side. The lioness, roaring aloud, made a new effort; but with
+his scimitar he struck off one of her fore-paws, and disabled her for
+further combat. She rolled along the earth, making the echoes resound
+with her roaring: the young lions from the cave answered her with
+hideous cries, which would have filled the most warlike soul with
+terror. In the meantime the conqueror secured his victory by piercing
+the animal in the vital parts, till at length she sank under the
+vigour of his arm. He ran immediately to kill the whelps, and drew
+them out of the cave. After this feat of valour, he looked in the
+plain for a tree, the fruit of which might afford him nourishment, and
+a stream in which he might quench his thirst; and still aided by
+Providence, everything seemed subject to his desires and offered
+itself to his hand.</p>
+
+<p>Having at length recruited his strength, exhausted by so much fatigue,
+he re-entered the cave whose inhabitants he had destroyed, made
+himself master of the treasures it contained, shut up its entrance<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_494" id="Page_494">[494]</a></span>
+with the branches of a tree, and, armed to as much advantage as
+possible, and furnished with gold and silver to satisfy his wants, he
+took the road to his native country. He arrived there at the end of
+some days, and gave an account of his history to his relations. Camels
+and slaves were dispatched to bring away the precious effects which
+were left in the lions' den. Possessed of so much riches, the
+beneficent slave shared them with the indigent. Not far from his
+habitation he built an asylum for caravans, pilgrims, and travellers
+who might be obliged to take that road; and from the spoils of a
+lions' den he erected a temple of charity.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>"Sire," added Aladin, after having finished his relation, "you see how
+this slave, condemned to perish upon the scaffold, on the false
+evidence of his enemies, and in danger of being devoured by lions, was
+miraculously delivered from these dangers; while his accusers and
+enemies, eager to feast their eyes with the sight of his tortures,
+were massacred and punished. The King of Haram, deprived of part of
+his subjects, suffered the punishment of his negligence in not
+examining the proceedings himself, and not listening sufficiently to
+complaints which, although they moved his pity, had not armed his
+justice."</p>
+
+<p>Bohetzad felt an unusual struggle betwixt his own power, the relations
+and reflections of Aladin, and the solicitations of his ministers. A
+voice within him pleaded powerfully against the judgment he had
+pronounced; yet the orders which he had given publicly, the scaffold
+already prepared without the walls of the city, the crowd of people
+impatient to enjoy this execution, so long delayed, all seemed to
+increase the embarrassment of the King. His Viziers, seeing him
+hesitate again, were eager to fix his resolution by the strongest
+remonstrances; and going over all the arguments they had already
+alleged, they ended by alarming the King respecting the duration of
+his power.</p>
+
+<p>"I feel in spite of you," said the King, "that my heart revolts at
+what I am doing; nevertheless, as the safety of my kingdom depends
+upon this decree, I yield to your reasons. Let the criminal be
+conducted to punishment."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_495" id="Page_495">[495]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>That very instant the guard seized Aladin. He was bound with cords,
+loaded with chains, and led without the city to the place where he was
+to terminate his existence. The King himself, mounted upon an
+elephant, and followed by his whole Court, repaired to the place of
+punishment: he was seated upon a throne from which he would behold the
+execution. The unfortunate Aladin was already on the scaffold, when
+suddenly a stranger, rushing through the crowd, and removing the
+guards and every obstacle that opposed his passage, threw himself into
+the arms of Aladin.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, my son! my dear son!" exclaimed he, the tears flowing in a
+torrent from his eyes. He could say no more, for grief stopped his
+utterance.</p>
+
+<p>This unexpected event threw the people into commotion, and the King
+gave orders that the stranger should be brought before him.</p>
+
+<p>"Sovereign monarch," said he to him, embracing his knees, "save the
+life of the unfortunate young man whom you have condemned to death. If
+a criminal must die, give orders for my punishment: I await it at your
+feet."</p>
+
+<p>"Who are you?" said the King. "What interest have you in this
+criminal?"</p>
+
+<p>"Sire, I am the chief of a band of robbers. Searching one day in the
+desert for a fountain to allay the thirst of my company, I found upon
+the grass, on the brink of a fountain, and at the feet of five
+palm-trees, which covered it with their shadow, a piece of cloth
+interwoven with gold, and some swaddling-clothes, on which an infant
+lay. Moved with compassion for this innocent creature, I carried him
+to my house, where my wife became his nurse. This child was not ours,
+sire; but he was to us a gift from Heaven, and became dearer to us
+than our own. He was endowed with such excellent qualities and so many
+virtues, that we regretted our having abandoned those which the
+exercise of our profession had made us forget; for in short&mdash;to my
+shame I avow it, sire&mdash;we were robbers. He followed us in our
+expeditions, and distinguished himself on every occasion by deeds of
+valour and humanity. We lost him in a conflict with your troops."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_496" id="Page_496">[496]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>No other circumstance was necessary to inform the King that he who was
+about to die by his command was his only son! He rushed from his
+throne, flew to Aladin, with his own poniard struck the cords off him,
+and clasped him in his arms, with marks of the most tender affection.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah! my son," exclaimed he, "I have been on the point of plunging in
+my heart the dagger of endless repentance. My heart must have been
+torn at the sight of a cruel punishment, and it has been mercifully
+converted into a spectacle of triumph and joy, whose ravishing
+splendour my soul can with difficulty support!"</p>
+
+<p>He again embraced Aladin, set him upon his elephant, and returned to
+the palace, amid the din of trumpets and the acclamations of the
+people.</p>
+
+<p>Baherjoa had been already informed of his unexpected happiness in
+finding a son for whose fate she had been so often alarmed. In a short
+time the King himself presented to her this dear child, dressed in
+such splendid garments that it was not easy to discover the alteration
+which a tedious confinement had produced upon him. The joy of this
+event soon spread through all ranks in the kingdom. Courtiers,
+merchants, and artists partook of it; the mosques were opened, and the
+people crowded thither to render thanks to Allah and His Prophet;
+public rejoicings testified the general happiness; the city of Ispahan
+was on this day transformed into a scene of pleasure; and everything,
+even the birds of heaven, sang the glory of the monarch and the
+deliverance of Aladin.</p>
+
+<p>The ten Viziers alone, far from participating in the public happiness,
+were thrown into a dark dungeon, where the remorse of their
+consciences anticipated the punishment which, at the end of the thirty
+days that had been appointed for feasting, they were doomed to suffer.
+At length, by the orders of the Sovereign, they were brought to the
+foot of the throne, which was now become so formidable to them. Aladin
+was seated at his father's right hand. They turned away their guilty
+eyes, and after a silence that imposed respect and terror, Bohetzad
+thus addressed them:</p>
+
+<p>"Pretended supports of my throne!" said he to them, "ministers so
+jealous of my glory! behold this criminal whom, with so<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_497" id="Page_497">[497]</a></span> much cruel
+obstinacy and such distinguished eagerness, you pursued. I ought to
+have sent him to punishment without hearing him! by listening to his
+stories, I exposed my glory, my safety, and the peace of my subjects!
+Justify yourselves if you can: you have liberty to speak."</p>
+
+<p>In vain did the King endeavour to make these guilty ministers open
+their mouths. They were seized with a mortal coldness; their eyes,
+fixed on the ground, could not be drawn from it; their lips quivered;
+their feeble limbs bent under their knees and seemed ready to fail
+them.</p>
+
+<p>"Speak," said Aladin to them in his turn: "where now is that
+attachment to the rules of justice which rendered you so eloquent
+against the son of a chief of the robbers, whose mere mistake was in
+your eyes a crime which ought to be expiated by the most infamous
+punishment? Are your courage and your zeal for the glory of the
+kingdom annihilated? Guilt weighs you down, remorse preys upon you,
+and you are confounded with shame."</p>
+
+<p>"Your sentence, already written in heaven," resumed Bohetzad, "is
+about to be executed on earth. On the scaffold where my son was to
+suffer let these ten wretches finish their days, and let the public
+criers announce this decree to the people."</p>
+
+<p>The order was instantly executed.</p>
+
+<p>Bohetzad then leading back his son to the palace, continually renewed
+the tender proofs of his affection.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah, dear son!" would he say, "how were you so little intimidated by
+the death which threatened you as to recollect all the circumstances
+you related? Whence have you drawn those numerous maxims and judicious
+reflections which can only be the fruit of experience and study?"</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," replied Aladin, "it was not I who spoke, but Heaven which
+inspired me. In my infancy I had not been neglected; and since the
+happy moment in which I had the good fortune to be placed near your
+Majesty, I have been perfected in wisdom. The woman, whom I took for
+my mother, early directed my attention to the divine Koran, by whose
+sacred precepts, she told me, I ought to regulate my conduct. And that
+which will appear most<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_498" id="Page_498">[498]</a></span> extraordinary to you, sire, is, that her
+husband, led away by the force of habit, brought up in guilt almost
+from his infancy, and not hesitating in the least to plunder caravans,
+should yet be afraid of breaking his word. He was a faithful husband,
+a kind master to his slaves, to me more than an affectionate father,
+and of all men the least greedy of plunder. He cherished me; and as at
+that time I was not so well informed as I am at present, I honoured
+him as a benefactor and loved him as a parent."</p>
+
+<p>"Enough respecting him, my son," replied the King. "Returning from the
+awful scene they have just beheld, and warned by the signal which the
+Muezzins have sounded from the tops of the mosques, the people are
+about to fill them. Order my treasurer to follow you; let plentiful
+alms and charity everywhere accompany your steps, and announce, in a
+suitable manner, the heir, whom, for the prosperity of my empire,
+Heaven has restored to my arms."</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the religious ceremonies were finished, the King ordered
+the chief of the robbers, who was known to have remained at Issessara,
+to be conducted to the bath, to be decently dressed, and brought to
+the palace, that he might enjoy the triumph of his adopted son. Far
+from reproaching him with his former manner of life, but presuming on
+the natural principles of this man, whom example had not corrupted,
+whom opportunities had not seduced, and whom want had not provoked, he
+appointed him to the command of a frontier province, where he must
+necessarily command respect by his activity and military talents.</p>
+
+<p>Bohetzad, Baherjoa, and Aladin, reunited by the ties of blood, of
+love, and of friendship, passed many years in unalterable affection,
+continually finding means to draw closer the knots which bound them
+together. At length, the monarch, feeling from his age and strength
+that it was time to resign the sceptre into more steady hands,
+assembled his divan, his ministers, Viziers, Cadis, lawyers, princes,
+lords, and all the grandees of the realm.</p>
+
+<p>"Nature," said he to them, "hath called my son to succeed me; but, in
+his miraculous preservation, Heaven has given a clear indication of
+its will. In putting the crown upon his head this day, I only obey its
+decrees, and give you a master more worthy than I to command."</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_499" id="Page_499">[499]</a></span><a name="The_Adventures_of_Urad_or_The_Fair_Wanderer" id="The_Adventures_of_Urad_or_The_Fair_Wanderer"></a></p>
+
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;">
+<img src="images/image_499.jpg" width="600" height="568" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+<h2>The Adventures of Urad; or, The Fair Wanderer.</h2>
+<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_o.jpg" width="74" height="75" alt="O" /></div>
+<p>n the banks of the river Tigris, far above where it washes the lofty
+city of the Faithful, lived Nouri, in poverty and widowhood, whose
+employment it was to tend the worm who clothes the richest and the
+fairest with its beautiful web. Her husband, who was a guard to the
+caravans of the merchants, lost his life in an engagement with the
+wild Arabs, and left the poor woman no other means of supporting
+herself, or her infant daughter Urad, but by her labours among the
+silk-worms, which were little more than sufficient to support nature,
+although her labours began ere the sunbeams played on the waters of
+the Tigris, and ended not till the stars were reflected from its
+surface. Such was the business of the disconsolate Nouri, when the
+voluptuous Almurah was proclaimed Sultan throughout his extensive
+dominions; nor was it long before his subjects felt the power of their
+Sultan; for,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_500" id="Page_500">[500]</a></span> Almurah resolving to inclose a large tract of land for
+hunting and sporting, commanded the inhabitants of fourteen hundred
+villages to be expelled from the limits of his intended inclosure.</p>
+
+<p>A piteous train of helpless and ruined families were in one day driven
+from their country and livelihood, and obliged to seek for shelter
+amidst the forests, the caves, and deserts, which surround the more
+uncultivated banks of the Tigris.</p>
+
+<p>Many passed by the cottage of Nouri the widow, among whom she
+distributed what little remains of provision she had saved from the
+earnings of her labours the day before; and, her little stock being
+exhausted, she had nothing but wishes and prayers left for the rest.</p>
+
+<p>It happened, among the numerous throngs that travelled by her cottage,
+that a young man came with wearied steps, bearing on his shoulders an
+old and feeble woman; setting her down on the ground before the door
+of Nouri, he besought her to give him a drop of water, to wash the
+sand and the dust from his parched mouth.</p>
+
+<p>Nouri, having already distributed the contents of her pitcher,
+hastened to the river to fill it for the wearied young man; and, as
+she went, she begged a morsel of provisions from a neighbour, whose
+cottage stood on a rock which overlooked the flood.</p>
+
+<p>With this, and her pitcher filled with water, the good Nouri returned,
+and found the feeble old woman on the ground, but the young man was
+not with her.</p>
+
+<p>"Where," said Nouri, "O afflicted stranger, is the pious young man
+that dutifully bore the burden of age on his shoulders?"</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" answered the stranger, "my son has brought me hither from the
+tyranny of Almurah, and leaves me to perish in the deserts of Tigris.
+No sooner were you gone for the water, than a crowd of young damsels
+came this way, and led my cruel son from his perishing mother. But,
+courteous stranger," said she to Nouri, "give me of that water to
+drink, that my life fail not within me, for thirst, and hunger, and
+trouble are hastening to put an end to the unhappy Houadir."</p>
+
+<p>The tender and benevolent Nouri invited Houadir into the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_501" id="Page_501">[501]</a></span> cottage, and
+there placed her on a straw bed, and gave her the provisions, and a
+cup of water to drink.</p>
+
+<p>Houadir, being somewhat refreshed by the care of Nouri, acquainted her
+with the cruel decree of Almurah, who had turned her son out of his
+little patrimony, where, by the labour of his hands, he had for many
+years supported her, and that till that day she had ever found him a
+most dutiful and obedient son, and concluded with a wish that he would
+shortly return to his poor helpless parent.</p>
+
+<p>Nouri did all she could to comfort the wretched Houadir, and, having
+persuaded her to rest awhile on the bed, returned to the labours of
+the day.</p>
+
+<p>When her work was finished, Nouri, with the wages of the day,
+purchased some provisions, and brought them home to feed herself and
+the little Urad, whose portion of food, as well as her own, had been
+distributed to the unhappy wanderers.</p>
+
+<p>As Nouri was giving a small morsel to Urad, Houadir awaked, and begged
+that Nouri would be so kind as to spare her a bit of her provisions.</p>
+
+<p>Immediately, before Nouri could rise, the little Urad ran nimbly to
+the bed and offered her supper to the afflicted Houadir, who received
+it with great pleasure from her hands, being assured her mother would
+not let Urad be a loser by her benevolence.</p>
+
+<p>Houadir continued several days with the widow Nouri, expecting the
+return of her son; till, giving over all hopes of seeing him, and
+observing that she was burdensome to the charitable widow, she one
+evening, after the labours of the day, thus addressed her hospitable
+friend:</p>
+
+<p>"I perceive, benevolent Nouri, that my son has forsaken me, and that I
+do but rob you and your poor infant of the scanty provision which you,
+by your hourly toil, are earning: wherefore, listen to my proposal,
+and judge whether I offer you a suitable return. There are many parts
+of your business that, old as I am, I can help you in, as the winding
+your silk and feeding your worms. Employ me, therefore, in such
+business in the day as you think me capable of performing; and at
+night, while your necessary cares<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_502" id="Page_502">[502]</a></span> busy you about the house, give me
+leave (as I see your labour allows you no spare time) to instruct the
+innocent Urad how to behave herself, when your death shall leave her
+unsheltered from the storms and deceits of a troublesome world."</p>
+
+<p>Nouri listened with pleasure to the words of Houadir.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," said she, "benevolent stranger, you well advise me how to
+portion my poor infant, Urad, whom I could neither provide for by my
+industry nor instruct without losing the daily bread I earn for her. I
+perceive a little is sufficient for your support; nay, I know not how,
+I seem to have greater plenty since you have been with me than before;
+whether it be owing to the blessing of Heaven on you I know not."</p>
+
+<p>"Far be it from me," said Houadir, "to see my generous benefactress
+deceived; but the thinness of inhabitants, occasioned by the tyranny
+of Almurah, is the cause that your provisions are more plentiful; but
+yet I insist upon bearing my part in the burden of the day, and Urad
+shall share my evening's labour."</p>
+
+<p>From this time Houadir became a useful member of the family of Nouri,
+and Urad was daily instructed by the good old stranger in the
+pleasures and benefits of a virtuous, and the horrors and curses of an
+evil, life.</p>
+
+<p>Little Urad was greatly rejoiced at the lessons of Houadir, and was
+never better pleased than when she was listening to the mild and
+pleasing instructions of her affable mistress.</p>
+
+<p>It was the custom of Houadir, whenever she taught Urad any new rule or
+caution, to give her a peppercorn; requiring of her, as often as she
+looked at them, to remember the lessons which she learnt at the time
+she received them.</p>
+
+<p>In this manner Urad continued to be instructed; greatly improving, as
+well in virtue and religion, as in comeliness and beauty, till she was
+near woman's estate; so that Nouri could scarcely believe she was the
+mother of a daughter so amiable and graceful in person and manners.
+Neither was Urad unskilled in the labours of the family, or the
+silk-worm; for, Nouri growing old and sickly, she almost constantly,
+by her industry, supported the whole cottage.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_503" id="Page_503">[503]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>One evening, as Houadir was lecturing her attentive pupil, Nouri, who
+lay sick on the straw bed, called Urad to her.</p>
+
+<p>"My dear daughter," said Nouri, "I feel, alas! more for you than
+myself: while Houadir lives, you will have indeed a better instructor
+than your poor mother was capable of being unto you; but what will my
+innocent lamb, my lovely Urad do, when she is left alone, the helpless
+prey of craft or power? Consider, my dear child, that Allah would not
+send you into the world to be necessarily and unavoidably wicked;
+therefore always depend upon the assistance of our holy Prophet when
+you do right, and let no circumstance of life, nor any persuasion,
+ever bias you to live otherwise than according to the chaste and
+virtuous precepts of the religious Houadir. May Allah and the Prophet
+of the Faithful ever bless and preserve the innocence and chastity of
+my dutiful and affectionate Urad!"</p>
+
+<p>The widow Nouri spoke not again; her breath for ever fled from its
+confinement, and her body was delivered to the waters of the Tigris.</p>
+
+<p>The inconsolable Urad had now her most difficult lesson to learn from
+the patient Houadir; and scarcely did she think it dutiful to moderate
+the violence of her grief.</p>
+
+<p>"Sorrows," said Houadir, "O duteous Urad, which arise from sin or evil
+actions, cannot be assuaged without contrition or amendment of life;
+there the soul is deservedly afflicted, and must feel before it can be
+cured: such sorrows may my amiable pupil never experience! But the
+afflictions of mortality are alike the portions of piety or iniquity:
+it is necessary that we should be taught to part with the desirable
+things of this life by degrees, and that by the frequency of such
+losses our affections should be loosened from their earthly
+attachments. While you continue good be not dejected, my obedient
+Urad; and remember, it is one part of virtue to bear with patience and
+resignation the unalterable decrees of Heaven; not but that I esteem
+your sorrow, which arises from gratitude, duty, and affection. I do
+not teach my pupil to part with her dearest friends without
+reluctance, or wish her to be unconcerned at the loss of those who, by
+a marvellous love, have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_504" id="Page_504">[504]</a></span> sheltered her from all those storms which
+must have overwhelmed helpless innocence. Only remember that your
+tears be the tears of resignation, and that your sighs confess a heart
+humbly yielding to His will who ordereth all things according to His
+infinite knowledge and goodness."</p>
+
+<p>"O pious Houadir," replied Urad, "just are thy precepts: it was Allah
+that created my best of parents, and Allah is pleased to take her from
+me; far be it from me, though an infinite sufferer, to dispute His
+will; the loss indeed wounds me sorely, yet will I endeavour to bear
+the blow with patience and resignation."</p>
+
+<p>Houadir still continued her kind lessons and instructions, and Urad,
+with a decent solemnity, attended both her labours and her teacher,
+who was so pleased with the fruits which she saw spring forth from the
+seeds of virtue that she had sown in the breast of her pupil, that she
+now began to leave her more to herself, and exhorted her to set apart
+some portion of each day to pray to her Prophet, and frequent
+meditation and recollection of the rules she had given her, that so
+her mind might never be suffered to grow forgetful of the truths she
+had treasured up. "For," said the provident Houadir, "when it shall
+please the Prophet to snatch me also from you, my dear Urad will then
+have only the peppercorns to assist her."</p>
+
+<p>"And how, my kind governess," said Urad, "will those corns assist me?"</p>
+
+<p>"They will," answered Houadir, "each of them (if you remember the
+precepts I gave you with them, but not otherwise), be serviceable in
+the times of your necessities."</p>
+
+<p>Urad, with great reluctance, from that time was obliged to go without
+her evening lectures; which loss affected her much, for she knew no
+greater pleasure in life than hanging over Houadir's persuasive
+tongue, and hearing, with fixed attention, the sweet doctrines of
+prudence, chastity, and virtue.</p>
+
+<p>As Urad, according to her usual custom (after having spent some few
+early hours at her employment), advanced toward the bed to call her
+kind instructress, whose infirmities would not admit her to rise
+betimes, she perceived that Houadir was risen from her bed.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_505" id="Page_505">[505]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The young virgin was amazed at the novelty of her instructress's
+behaviour, especially as she seldom moved without assistance, and
+hastened into a little inclosure to look after her; but not finding
+Houadir there, she went to the neighbouring cottages, none of the
+inhabitants of which could give any account of the good old matron;
+nevertheless the anxious Urad continued her search, looking all around
+the woods and forest, and often peeping over the rocks of the Tigris,
+as fearful that some accident might have befallen her. In this
+fruitless labour the poor virgin fatigued herself, till the sun, as
+tired of her toils, refused any longer to assist her search; when,
+returning to her lonely cot, she spent the night in tears and
+lamentations.</p>
+
+<p>The helpless Urad now gave herself up entirely to grief; and the
+remembrance of her affectionate mother added a double portion of
+sorrows to her heart: she neglected to open her lonely cottage, and
+went not forth to the labours of the silk-worm; but, day after day,
+with little or no nourishment, she continued weeping the loss of
+Houadir, her mild instructress, and Nouri, her affectionate mother.</p>
+
+<p>The neighbouring cottagers, observing that Urad came no longer to the
+silk-worms, and that her dwelling was daily shut up, after some time
+knocked at her cottage, and demanded if Urad the daughter of Nouri was
+living. Urad, seeing the concourse of people, came weeping and
+trembling toward the door, and asked them the cause of their coming.</p>
+
+<p>"O Urad," said her neighbours, "we saw you, not long ago, seeking your
+friend Houadir, and we feared you also were missing, as you have
+neither appeared among us, nor attended your daily labours among the
+worms, who feed and provide for us by their subtle spinning."</p>
+
+<p>"O my friends," answered Urad, "suffer a wretched maid to deplore the
+loss of her dearest friends. Nouri, from whose breasts I sucked my
+natural life, is now a prey to the vulture on the banks of the Tigris;
+and Houadir, from whom I derive my better life, is passed away from me
+like a vision in the night."</p>
+
+<p>Her rustic acquaintance laughed at these sorrows of the virgin Urad.
+"Alas!" said one, "Urad grieves that now she has to work<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_506" id="Page_506">[506]</a></span> for one,
+instead of three." "Nay," cried another, "I wish my old folks were as
+well bestowed." "And I," said a third, "were our house rid of the
+old-fashioned lumber that fills it at present (my superannuated father
+and mother), would soon bring a healthy young swain to supply their
+places with love and affection." "Ay, true," answered two or three
+more, "we must look out a clever young fellow for Urad; whom shall she
+have?" "Oh, if that be all," said a crooked old maid, who was famous
+for match-making, "I will send Darandu to comfort her, before night;
+and, if I mistake not, he very well knows his business." "Well, pretty
+Urad," cried they all, "Darandu will soon be here: he is fishing on
+the Tigris; and it is but just that the river which has robbed you of
+one comfort, should give you a better." At this speech, the rest
+laughed very heartily, and they all ran away, crying out, "Oh, she
+will do very well when Darandu approaches."</p>
+
+<p>Urad, though she could despise the trifling of her country neighbours,
+yet felt an oppression on her heart at the name of Darandu, who was a
+youth of incomparable beauty, and added to the charms of his person an
+engaging air, which was far above the reach of the rest of the country
+swains, who lived on those remote banks of the Tigris. "But, O
+Houadir, O Nouri!" said the afflicted virgin to herself, "never shall
+Urad seek, in the arms of a lover, to forget the bounties and precepts
+of so kind a mistress and so indulgent a parent."</p>
+
+<p>These reflections hurried the wretched Urad into her usual sorrowful
+train of thoughts, and she spent the rest of the day in tears and
+weeping, calling for ever on Nouri and Houadir, and wishing that the
+Prophet would permit her to follow them out of a world where she
+foresaw neither comfort nor peace.</p>
+
+<p>In the midst of these melancholy meditations, she was disturbed by a
+knocking at the door. Urad arose with trembling, and asked who was
+there.</p>
+
+<p>"It is one," answered a voice in the softest tone, "who seeketh
+comfort and cannot find it; who desires peace, and it is far from
+him."</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" answered Urad, "few are the comforts of this cottage,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_507" id="Page_507">[507]</a></span> and
+peace is a stranger to this mournful roof: depart, O traveller,
+whosoever thou art, and suffer the disconsolate Urad to indulge in
+sorrows greater than those from which you wish to be relieved."</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" answered the voice without, "the griefs of the beautiful Urad
+are my griefs; and the sorrows which afflict her, rend the soul of the
+wretched Darandu!"</p>
+
+<p>"Whatever may be the motive for this charitable visit, Darandu,"
+answered Urad, "let me beseech you to depart; for ill does it become a
+forlorn virgin to admit the conversation of the youths that surround
+her: leave me, therefore, O swain, ere want of decency make you appear
+odious in the sight of the virgins who inhabit the rocky banks of the
+rapid Tigris."</p>
+
+<p>"To convince the lovely Urad," answered Darandu, "that I came to
+soothe her cares and condole with her in her losses (which I heard but
+this evening), I now will quit this dear spot, which contains the
+treasure of my heart, as, however terrible the parting is to me, I
+rest satisfied that it pleases the fair conqueror of my heart, whose
+peace to Darandu is more precious than the pomegranate in the sultry
+noon, or the silver scales of ten thousand fishes enclosed in the nets
+of my skilful comrades."</p>
+
+<p>Darandu then left the door of the cottage, and Urad reclined on the
+bed, till sleep finished her toils, and for a time released her from
+the severe afflictions of her unguarded situation.</p>
+
+<p>Early in the morning the fair Urad arose, and directed her steps to
+the rocks of the Tigris, either invited thither by the melancholy
+reflections which her departed mother occasioned, or willing to take a
+nearer and more unobserved view of the gentle Darandu.</p>
+
+<p>Darandu, who was just about to launch his vessel into the river,
+perceived the beauteous mourner on the rocks; but he was too well
+versed in love affairs to take any notice of her: he rather turned
+from Urad, and endeavoured by his behaviour to persuade her that he
+had not observed her, for it was enough for him to know that he was
+not indifferent to her.</p>
+
+<p>Urad, though she hardly knew the cause of her morning walk, yet
+continued on the rocks till Darandu had taken in his nets, and, with
+his companions, was steering up the stream in quest of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_508" id="Page_508">[508]</a></span> fishes of
+the Tigris. She then returned to her cottage, more irresolute in her
+thoughts, but less than ever inclined to the labours of her
+profession.</p>
+
+<p>At the return of the evening she was anxious lest Darandu should renew
+his visit&mdash;an anxiety which, though it arose from fear, was yet near
+allied to hope; nor was she less solicitous about provisions, as all
+her little stock was entirely exhausted, and she had no other prospect
+before her than to return to her labours, which her sorrows had
+rendered irksome and disagreeable to her.</p>
+
+<p>While she was meditating on these things, she heard a knocking at the
+door, which fluttered her little less than the fears of hunger or the
+sorrows of her lonely life.</p>
+
+<p>For some time she had not courage to answer, till, the knocking being
+repeated, she faintly asked who was at the door.</p>
+
+<p>"It is Lahnar," answered a female: "Lahnar, your neighbour, seeks to
+give Urad comfort, and to condole with the distressed mourner of a
+mother and a friend."</p>
+
+<p>"Lahnar," answered Urad, "is then a friend to the afflicted, and
+kindly seeks to alleviate the sorrows of the wretched Urad."</p>
+
+<p>She then opened the door, and Lahnar entered with a basket on her
+head.</p>
+
+<p>"Kind Lahnar," said the fair mourner, "leave your burden at the door,
+and enter this cottage of affliction. Alas! alas! there once sat
+Nouri, my ever-affectionate mother, and there Houadir, my kind
+counsellor and director; but now are their seats vacant, and sorrow
+and grief are the only companions of the miserable Urad!"</p>
+
+<p>"Your losses are certainly great," answered Lahnar; "but you must
+endeavour to bear them with patience, especially as they are the
+common changes and alterations of life. Your good mother Nouri lived
+to a great age, and Houadir, though a kind friend, may yet be
+succeeded by one as amiable; but what I am most alarmed at, O Urad! is
+your manner of life. We no longer see you busied among the leaves of
+the mulberries, or gathering the bags of silk, or preparing them for
+the wheels. You purchase no provision among us; you seek no comfort in
+society; you live like the mole buried under the earth, which neither
+sees nor is seen."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_509" id="Page_509">[509]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"My sorrows indeed hitherto," replied Urad, "have prevented my labour;
+but to-morrow I shall again rise to my wonted employment."</p>
+
+<p>"But even to-night," said Lahnar, "let my friend take some little
+nourishment, that she may rise refreshed; for fasting will deject you
+as well as grief; and suffer me to partake with you. And see, in this
+basket I have brought my provisions, some boiled rice, and a few fish,
+which my kind brother Darandu brought me this evening from the river
+Tigris."</p>
+
+<p>"Excuse me, kind Lahnar," answered Urad, "but I must refuse your
+offer. Grief has driven away appetite to aught but itself far from me,
+and I am not solicitous to take provisions which I cannot use."</p>
+
+<p>"At least," replied Lahnar, "permit me to sit beside you, and eat of
+what is here before us."</p>
+
+<p>Upon which, without other excuses, Lahnar emptied her basket, and set
+a bowl of rice and fish before Urad, and began to feed heartily on
+that which she had brought for herself.</p>
+
+<p>Urad was tempted by hunger and the example of Lahnar to begin, but she
+was doubtful about tasting the fish of Darandu; wherefore she first
+attempted the boiled rice, though her appetite was most inclined to
+the fish, of which she at last ate very heartily, when she recollected
+that as she had partaken with Lahnar, it was the same whatever part
+she accepted.</p>
+
+<p>Lahnar having finished her meal, and advised Urad to think of some
+methods of social life, took her leave, and left the unsettled virgin
+to meditate on her strange visitor.</p>
+
+<p>Urad, though confused, could not help expressing some pleasure at this
+visit; for such is the blessing of society, that it will always give
+comfort to those who have been disused to its sweet effects.</p>
+
+<p>But Urad, though pleased with the friendship of Lahnar, yet was
+confounded when, some few minutes after, she perceived her again
+returning.</p>
+
+<p>"What," said Urad, "brings back Lahnar to the sorrows of this
+cottage?"</p>
+
+<p>"Urad," said Lahnar, "I will rest with my friend to-night, for<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_510" id="Page_510">[510]</a></span> the
+shades of night cast horrors around, and I dare not disturb my
+father's cottage by my late approach."</p>
+
+<p>But as soon as she had admitted Lahnar, she perceived that it was
+Darandu disguised in Lahnar's clothes. Urad, greatly terrified,
+recollecting her lost friend Houadir, felt for a peppercorn, and let
+it fall to the ground.</p>
+
+<p>A violent rapping was in a moment heard at the cottage, at which Urad
+uttered a loud cry, and Darandu, with shame and confusion, looked
+trembling toward the door.</p>
+
+<p>Urad ran forward and opened it, when the son of Houadir entered, and
+asked Urad the reason of her cries.</p>
+
+<p>"O thou blessed angel!" said Urad; "this wicked wretch is disguised in
+his sister's clothes."</p>
+
+<p>But Darandu was fled, as guilt is ever fearful, mean, and base.</p>
+
+<p>"Now, Urad," said the son of Houadir, "before you close your doors
+upon another man, let me resume my former features."</p>
+
+<p>Upon which Urad looked, and beheld her old friend Houadir. At the
+sight of Houadir, Urad was equally astonished and abashed.</p>
+
+<p>"Why blushes, Urad?" said Houadir.</p>
+
+<p>"How, O genius," said Urad, "for such I perceive thou art&mdash;how is Urad
+guilty? I invited not Darandu hither: I wished not for him."</p>
+
+<p>"Take care," answered Houadir, "what you say. If you wished not for
+him, you hardly wished him away, and, but for your imprudence, he had
+not entered your home. Consider how have your days been employed since
+I left you? Have you continued to watch the labours of the silk-worm?
+Have you repeated the lessons I gave you? or has the time of Urad been
+consumed in idleness and disobedience? Has she shaken off her
+dependence on Mahomet, and indulged the unavailing sorrows of her
+heart?"</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" answered the fair Urad, "repeat no more, my ever-honoured
+Houadir: I have indeed been guilty, under the mask of love and
+affection; and I now plainly see the force of your first rule, that
+idleness is the beginning of all evil and vice. Yes, my dearest
+Houadir, had I attended to your instructions I had given no handle to
+Darandu's insolence; but yet methinks some sorrows were allowable for
+the loss of such a mother and such a friend."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_511" id="Page_511">[511]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Sorrows," answered Houadir, "proceed from the heart, and, totally
+indulged, soon require a change and vicissitude in our minds;
+wherefore, in the midst of your griefs, your feet involuntarily
+wandered after Darandu, and your soul, softened by idle sighs, was the
+more easily impressed by the deceits of his tongue.</p>
+
+<p>"But this remember, O Urad&mdash;for I must, I find, repeat an old
+instruction to you&mdash;that of all things in the world, nothing should so
+much engage a woman's attention as the avenues which lead to her
+heart. Such are the wiles and deceits of men, that they are rarely to
+be trusted with the most advanced post; give them but footing, though
+that footing be innocent, and they will work night and day till their
+wishes are accomplished. Trust not, therefore, to yourself alone, nor
+suffer your heart to plead in their favour, lest it become as much
+your enemy as the tempter, man. Place your security in flight, and
+avoid every evil, lest it lead you into danger, for hard it is to turn
+the head and look backward when a beautiful or agreeable object is
+before you. Remember my instructions, O Urad! make a prudent use of
+your peppercorns, and leave this place, which holds a man sensible of
+your folly and resolute in his own dark and subtle intentions."</p>
+
+<p>Urad was about to thank Houadir, but the genius was fled, and the
+eyelids of the morning were opening in the east.</p>
+
+<p>Urad, in a little wallet, packed up her small stock of necessaries,
+and, full of terror and full of uncertainty, struck into the forest,
+and without reflection took the widest path that offered. And first,
+it was her care to repeat over deliberately the lessons of Houadir.
+She then travelled slowly forward, often looking, and fearing to
+behold the wicked Darandu at her heels.</p>
+
+<p>After walking through the forest for the greater part of the day, she
+came to a steep descent, on each side overshadowed with lofty trees;
+this she walked down, and came to a small spot of ground surrounded by
+hills, woods, and rocks. Here she found a spring of water, and sat
+down on the grass to refresh herself after the travels of the day.</p>
+
+<p>As Urad's meal was almost at an end she heard various voices issuing
+from the woods on the hills opposite to that which she<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_512" id="Page_512">[512]</a></span> came down. Her
+little heart beat quick at this alarm; and recollecting the advice of
+Houadir, she began to repeat the lessons of her instructress, and ere
+long she perceived through the trees several men coming down the hill,
+who, at sight of her, gave a loud halloo, and ran forward, each being
+eager who should first seize the prize.</p>
+
+<p>Urad, trembling and sighing at her danger, forgot not to drop one of
+her peppercorns, and immediately she found herself changed into a
+pismire, and with great pleasure she looked for a hole in the ground,
+and crept into it.</p>
+
+<p>The robbers, coming down to the bottom of the vale, were surprised to
+find their prize eloped; but they divided into separate bodies,
+resolved to hunt till night, and then appointed that little vale as
+the place of rendezvous.</p>
+
+<p>Urad, perceiving that they were gone, wished herself into her original
+form, but alas! her wish was not granted, and the once beautiful Urad
+still continued an ugly pismire.</p>
+
+<p>Late at night the robbers returned, and the moon shining bright,
+reflected a gloomy horror upon their despairing faces. Urad shuddered
+at the sight of them, though so well concealed, and dared hardly peep
+out of her hole&mdash;so difficult is it to forget our former fears. The
+gang resolved to spend the rest of the night in that place, and
+therefore unloaded their wallets, and spread their wine and provisions
+on the banks of the spring, grumbling and cursing each other all the
+time for their unfortunate search.</p>
+
+<p>Urad heard them lamenting their ill fortune with the utmost horror and
+indignation, and praised continually the gracious Allah who had
+rescued her from such inhuman wretches; while they with singing and
+drinking spent the greatest part of the night, and wishing that their
+comrades in the other part of the forest had been with them; at length
+falling into drunkenness and sleep, they left the world to silence and
+peace.</p>
+
+<p>Urad, finding them fast asleep, crawled out of her hole, and going to
+the first, she stung him in each eye, and thus she went round to them
+all.</p>
+
+<p>The poison of the little pismire working in their eyes, in a short<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_513" id="Page_513">[513]</a></span>
+time occasioned them to awake in the utmost tortures; and perceiving
+they were blind, and feeling the pain, they each supposed his
+neighbour had blinded him in order to get away with the booty. This so
+enraged them that, feeling about, they fell upon one another, and in a
+short time almost the whole gang was demolished.</p>
+
+<p>Urad beheld with astonishment the effect of her stings, and at a wish
+resumed her pristine form, saying at the same time to herself, "I now
+perceive that Providence is able by the most insignificant means to
+work the greatest purposes."</p>
+
+<p>Continuing her journey through the forest, she was terribly afraid of
+meeting with the second band of robbers, and therefore she directed
+her steps with the greatest caution and circumspection.</p>
+
+<p>As she walked forward, and cast her eyes all around, and stopped at
+every motion of the wind, she saw the son of Houadir coming to meet
+her in the path in which she was travelling.</p>
+
+<p>At this sight Urad ran toward him, and with joy begged her old
+governess would unmask herself, and entertain her with instruction and
+persuasion.</p>
+
+<p>"No, my dear child," answered the son of Houadir, "that I cannot do at
+present; the time is not as yet come. I will first, as you have been
+tried, lead you to the palace of the Genii of the Forest, and present
+your unspotted innocence before them; for, O my sweet Urad, my
+heavenly pupil!" said he, kissing and taking her in his arms, "your
+virtue is tried; I have found you worthy of the lessons which I gave
+you. I foresaw evils might befall you, and therefore I took pity on
+your innocence, and lived with Nouri your mother, that I might train
+up my beloved Urad in the paths of virtue; and now your trial is past,
+Urad shall enjoy the happiness of a genius."</p>
+
+<p>Urad, though somewhat confounded at Houadir's embrace under the
+appearance of a man, yet with great humility thanked her benefactor;
+and the son of Houadir, turning to the left, led Urad into a little
+by-path, so concealed that few, if any, might ever find its beginning.
+After a long walk through various turnings and intricate windings,
+they came to a small mean cottage, where, the son of Houadir leading
+the way, Urad followed.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_514" id="Page_514">[514]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The son of Houadir striking fire with his stick, a bright flame arose
+from the centre of the floor, into which he cast divers herbs, and
+repeating some enchantments, the back part of the cottage opened and
+presented to the view of Urad a beautiful dome, where she saw sitting
+round a table a numerous assembly of gay persons of both sexes.</p>
+
+<p>The son of Houadir, leading in Urad, said, "This, my dear pupil, is
+the assembly of the Genii of the Forest." And, presenting her to the
+company, "Behold," said he, "the beautiful and well-tried Urad. But
+here you may cast off your reserve, fair maid, and indulge in the
+innocent pleasures of the Genii of the Forest."</p>
+
+<p>The son of Houadir then led her to the table, and seated her on the
+same sofa with himself. The remainder of the day was spent in mirth
+and pleasure.</p>
+
+<p>Urad, having never beheld anything splendid or magnificent, was
+greatly delighted at the gay company and beautiful saloon, nor did she
+receive the caresses of the son of Houadir reluctantly.</p>
+
+<p>At night, Urad was shown a glorious apartment to rest in, and the son
+of Houadir attended her.</p>
+
+<p>"My dear Houadir," said Urad, "when shall I behold your proper shape?
+When shall I see you as my tutelary genius?"</p>
+
+<p>"That," answered the son of Houadir, "I shall be in every shape; but
+call neither one nor the other my <i>proper</i> shape; for to a genius all
+shapes are assumed: neither is this my proper shape, nor the wrinkles
+of an old woman. But, to confess the truth, O beautiful Urad, from the
+first moment of your birth I resolved to make you my bride, and
+therefore did I so patiently watch your growing years, and instruct
+you in the fear of vice and the love of virtue."</p>
+
+<p>Urad, astonished at the words of the son of Houadir, knew not what
+answer to make; but the natural timidity of her sex, and the
+strangeness of the proposal, filled her with strange apprehensions.
+However, she begged at least that the genius would, for a time, leave
+her to herself.</p>
+
+<p>"No, my lovely Urad," answered the son of Houadir, "never, never, will
+thy faithful genius leave thee!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_515" id="Page_515">[515]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Why," said Urad, "didst thou bestow so many peppercorns upon me, as
+they now will become useless?"</p>
+
+<p>"Not useless," said the son of Houadir: "they are indeed little
+preservatives against danger; but I have the seeds of some melons
+which will not only rescue you, but always preserve you from harm.
+Here, faithful Urad," continued he, "take these seeds, and, whenever
+you are fearful, swallow one of these, and no dangers shall surround
+you."</p>
+
+<p>Urad thankfully received the seeds.</p>
+
+<p>"And what," said she, "must I do with the peppercorns?"</p>
+
+<p>"Give them," said the son of Houadir, "to me, and I will endue them
+with stronger virtues, and thou shalt by them have power also over
+others, as well as to defend thyself."</p>
+
+<p>Urad pulled the peppercorns out of her bag, and presented them to the
+son of Houadir, whose eyes flashed with joy at the sight, and he
+immediately thrust them into the folds of his garments.</p>
+
+<p>"O son of Houadir, what hast thou done?" said Urad.</p>
+
+<p>"I have," answered the false son of Houadir, "gained the full
+possession of my lovely Urad, and now may address her in my proper
+shape." So saying, he resumed his natural figure, and became like a
+satyr of the wood.</p>
+
+<p>"I am," said he, "O beautiful Urad, the enchanter Repah, who range in
+the solitude of the forest of the Tigris. You I saw surrounded by the
+influence of the genius Houadir, and therefore was obliged to use
+artifice to gain you as my wife."</p>
+
+<p>The poor deluded victim, with tears in her eyes, implored his mercy
+and forbearance; but he laughed at her tears, and told her her eyes
+glittered the brighter for them.</p>
+
+<p>Urad, in her despair, again put her hands into the bag whence she had
+fatally resigned the peppercorns, and felt about in agony for her lost
+treasure. And now finding none, and perceiving that the genius Houadir
+attended not to her cries, she was drawing out her hand when, in a
+corner of the bag, she felt one peppercorn, which had before escaped
+her search.</p>
+
+<p>She instantly drew it out, and, throwing it on the ground, the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_516" id="Page_516">[516]</a></span>
+enchanter stood motionless before her; the apartments vanished, and
+she found herself with him in a dark hut, with various kinds of
+necromantic instruments about her.</p>
+
+<p>Urad, though fearful, yet was so much overcome with fatigue and fright
+that she sank on the ground; and, happily for her, the enchanter was
+in no condition to persecute her.</p>
+
+<p>"Curse on my folly," said he, as he stood fixed to the ground, "that I
+neglected to ask for the bag itself which held the gifts of the genius
+Houadir! her pretty pupil had then been my slave, in spite of the many
+fine lessons she had been taught by that pitiful and enthusiastic
+genius; but now by chance, and not by the merit of thy virtues, or thy
+education, art thou delivered from my seraglio. But this grieves me
+not so much to lose a sickly girl as that I find a superior power
+condemns me to declare to you the causes of your error.</p>
+
+<p>"Know, then, Urad&mdash;I speak not from myself, but He speaks who, from
+casual evil, can work out certain good&mdash;He forces me to declare that
+no specious appearance, no false colours, should incline the virtuous
+heart to listen to the wiles of deceit; for evil then comes most
+terrible when it is cloaked under friendship. Why, then, had Urad so
+great an opinion of her own judgment as to confide in the false
+appearance of the son of Houadir when she might have consulted her
+faithful monitors? The falling of a peppercorn would have taught her
+to trust to no appearances, nor would she have parted with her
+peppercorns, which were to refresh in her memory the sentiments of
+virtue, chastity, and honour&mdash;no, not to Houadir herself. No adviser
+can be good who would destroy what he himself has first inculcated;
+and no appearance ought to bias us to receive as truths those things
+which are contrary to virtue and religion. How, then, did Urad keep to
+the instructions of Houadir?"</p>
+
+<p>Thus spoke the enchanter, and no more; his mouth closed up, and he
+stood fixed and motionless. And Urad, finding her spirits somewhat
+recovered, hastened out of the hut, and perceived that it was morning.</p>
+
+<p>She had now no more peppercorns to depend upon; wherefore<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_517" id="Page_517">[517]</a></span> she cried
+to Houadir to succour her; but the genius was deaf to her entreaties.</p>
+
+<p>"Poor miserable wretch!" said Urad to herself, "what will become of
+thee, inclosed in a forest through which thou knowest no path? But,"
+continued she, "why should I not examine the enchanter, who perhaps is
+yet immovable in the cottage? I saw him fold them in the plaits of his
+garments, and they may yet become mine."</p>
+
+<p>So saying, she returned to the hut, where entering, the very sight of
+the dumb enchanter affrighted her so much, that it was a long time
+before she could venture near him. At length she put out her hand, and
+pulled forth her beloved peppercorns, the enchanter still standing
+motionless.</p>
+
+<p>Away flew Urad like lightning from the hut, and ran till she had again
+reached the road from which she had been decoyed.</p>
+
+<p>She continued her journeying for seven days, feeding on the fruits of
+the forest, and sleeping in the densest thickets.</p>
+
+<p>The eighth day, as she was endeavouring to pass a ford where a small
+rivulet had been swelled by the rains, she perceived a large body of
+horsemen riding through the woods, and doubted not that it was the
+remainder of the gang of robbers whom she had before met with.</p>
+
+<p>Urad was now in some measure reconciled to danger; and therefore,
+without much fear, dropped a peppercorn, and expected relief.</p>
+
+<p>The peppercorn had been dropped some time, the horsemen advanced, and
+no one appeared to her succour.</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" said Urad, "why has Houadir deceived me? Neither her advice,
+nor her magical peppercorns, can save me from these cruel robbers. O
+genius, genius! why hast thou forsaken me in my severest trials!"</p>
+
+<p>By this time the robbers were come up, and were highly rejoiced to
+find such a beautiful prize.</p>
+
+<p>Their captain leaped from his horse to seize her, and the trembling
+Urad gave a loud shriek, which was answered from the woods by the
+roaring of a hundred lions.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_518" id="Page_518">[518]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"O Allah," said the chief, "the lions are upon us!"</p>
+
+<p>"That may be," said he who was dismounted; "but were the whole world
+set against me, I would secure my prize." So saying, he took Urad in
+his arms to place her on his horse.</p>
+
+<p>The roaring of the lions continued, and many of them came howling out
+of the woods: the robbers fled in dismay, all but the ruffian who had
+seized on the fair Urad, who was striving in vain to fix her on his
+horse. A lion furiously made at him, and tore him limb from limb,
+while Urad expected the same fate from several others who came roaring
+around.</p>
+
+<p>"But," said she, "better is death than infamy, and the paw of the
+hungry lion, than slavery to a robber."</p>
+
+<p>The noble beast, having devoured his prey, came fawning at the feet of
+Urad, who was surprised at his behaviour and gentleness; but much more
+was her astonishment increased when she heard him speak.</p>
+
+<p>"O virgin (for none other can experience the assistance of our race,
+or stand unhurt before us), I am the King and Sovereign of these
+mighty forests, and am sent by the genius Houadir to thy protection.
+But why did the distrustful Urad despair, or why did she accuse
+Providence of deserting her? should not the relieved wait with
+patience on the hand that supports him, and not cry out with
+impatience, and charge its benefactor with neglect?"</p>
+
+<p>"True, O royal lion," answered the fair Urad; "but fear is
+irresistible, and the children of men are but weakness and
+ingratitude. But blessed be Allah, who, though justly provoked at my
+discontent, yet sent to my assistance the guardian of the fair. Yet
+how cometh it to pass, O royal protector, that you, who are so bold
+and so fierce in your nature, should yet behave with such tenderness
+and kindness to a helpless virgin, whom you might with pleasure to
+yourself in a moment devour?"</p>
+
+<p>"The truly great and noble spirit," answered the lion, "takes a pride
+in protecting innocence, neither can he wish to oppress it. Hence
+learn, fair virgin, that of all mankind he only is noble, generous,
+and truly virtuous, who is ready to defend helpless womanhood. What,
+then, must you think of those mean wretches<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_519" id="Page_519">[519]</a></span> who cajole you under the
+appearance of affection, and yet tell you that it was only to try you?
+He that is suspicious is mean: he that is mean is unworthy of the
+chaste affections of the virtuous maid. Wherefore, O Urad, shun him,
+however honoured by mankind, or covered by the specious characters of
+virtue, whoever attempts the honour of your chastity, for he cannot be
+just: to deceive you he must himself swear falsely, and therefore
+cannot be good; or if he tell the truth, he must be weak and
+ungenerous, and unworthy of you."</p>
+
+<p>In such conversation they passed along the forest, till, after a few
+days, they were alarmed at the noise of the hunters and the music of
+the chase.</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" said the beautiful Urad, "what is this that I hear?"</p>
+
+<p>"It is," answered the royal beast, "the noise of the hunters; and thou
+shalt escape, but me will they in sport destroy. The lion you call
+cruel, who kills to devour. What, then, is he who wantons in the death
+of those who advantage him not? But man is lord of all: let him look
+to it how he governs!"</p>
+
+<p>"Nay, but," answered Urad, "leave me, gentle protector, and provide
+for your safety; nor fear but Houadir will prevent the storms that
+hover over from breaking upon me."</p>
+
+<p>"No," answered the royal beast, "she has commanded me to follow you
+till I see her presence; and where can I better sacrifice my life than
+in the service of chastity and virtue?"</p>
+
+<p>The hunters were now in sight, but advanced not towards the lion; they
+turned their coursers aside, and only one of superior mien, with
+several attendants, rode towards Urad.</p>
+
+<p>The lion erecting his mane, his eyes glowing with vivid lightnings,
+drew up the wide sinews of his broad back, and with wrathful front
+leaped towards him who seemed to have the command.</p>
+
+<p>The horseman, perceiving his intention, poised his spear in his right
+hand, and spurred his courser to meet him.</p>
+
+<p>Ere the royal beast had reached the horseman, the rider threw his
+spear, which, entering between the fore-paws of the lion, nailed him
+to the ground. The enraged animal tore his paw from the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_520" id="Page_520">[520]</a></span> ground; but
+the spear still remained in his foot, and the anguish of the wound
+made him shake the whole forest with his lordly roarings.</p>
+
+<p>The stranger then rode up to the fair Urad, whom viewing, he cried
+out, "By Allah! thou art worthy of the seraglio of the Vizier
+Mussapulta: take her, my eunuchs, behind you, and bear her through the
+forest of Bagdad, to the home of my ancestors."</p>
+
+<p>The eunuchs obeyed, and bore her away, though Urad dropped her corn
+upon the ground; but still she trusted in the help of Houadir.</p>
+
+<p>The Vizier Mussapulta then ordered that one of his slaves should stay
+behind, and destroy and bury the lion; which he commanded to be done
+with the utmost caution, as Almurah had made a decree that if any
+subjects should wound, maim, or destroy any lion in his forests, the
+same should be put to death.</p>
+
+<p>The eunuchs bore away Urad to the seraglio, taking her through by-ways
+to the palace of the Vizier, lest her shrieks should be heard.
+Mussapulta followed at a distance, and the slave was left with the
+tortured and faithful lion.</p>
+
+<p>In a few hours they reached the palace, and Urad, being conducted to
+the seraglio, was ordered to be dressed, as the Vizier intended
+visiting her.</p>
+
+<p>Urad was thunderstruck at the news, and now began to fear Houadir had
+forgotten her, and resolved, as soon as the eunuchs had left her, to
+drop a second peppercorn. But poor Urad had forgotten to take her bag
+from her old garments, which the women who dressed her had carried
+away. She dissolved in fresh tears at this piece of carelessness.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," said she, "surely Houadir will neglect me, if I so easily
+neglect myself."</p>
+
+<p>She waited that night with fear and trembling; but no Vizier appeared.</p>
+
+<p>This eased her greatly, and the next day, when the eunuchs came, they
+informed her that Mussapulta had that evening been sent by the Sultan
+to quell an insurrection, and that they did not expect him home under
+twenty days.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_521" id="Page_521">[521]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>During this time no pains were spared with Urad to teach her the
+accomplishments of the country, all which, in spite of her
+unwillingness to learn in such a detestable place, she nevertheless
+acquired with the utmost ease and facility.</p>
+
+<p>The insurrection being quelled, the Vizier returned, and, not
+unmindful of his fair captive, ordered that she might be prepared for
+his reception in the evening.</p>
+
+<p>Accordingly Urad was sumptuously adorned with jewels and brocades, and
+looked more beautiful than the fairest Circassian; and the dignity of
+her virtue added such a grace to her charms, that even her keepers,
+the eunuchs, dared not look upon her. In the evening the chief eunuch
+led her into the presence of Mussapulta. She shrank from him with
+horror.</p>
+
+<p>"What!" said he, "cannot a fortnight's pleasure in this palace efface
+the remembrance of your sorrows? But be gay and cheerful, for know
+that the Vizier Mussapulta esteems you beyond any of his wives."</p>
+
+<p>"The esteem of a robber, the esteem of a lawless ranger," answered
+Urad, "charms not the ears of virtue."</p>
+
+<p>"What," said Mussapulta, sternly, "dost thou refuse my proffered love?
+Then shalt thou die! Slay this proud maiden in my sight. Cut off her
+head at once."</p>
+
+<p>The eunuch hesitated.</p>
+
+<p>"Why," said the proud Vizier, "do you delay to obey me?"</p>
+
+<p>As he said this an eunuch came running in haste, crying, "The Sultan,
+the Sultan Almurah, approaches!"</p>
+
+<p>All was instant confusion. Mussapulta turned pale and trembled. He
+ordered the eunuch to release the fair Urad, and at that moment the
+faithful lion entered with the Sultan Almurah.</p>
+
+<p>The lion instantly seized on the Vizier Mussapulta, and tore him limb
+from limb. Yet the generous animal would not defile himself with the
+carcass, but with great wrath tossed the bloody remains among the
+females of the seraglio.</p>
+
+<p>Almurah commanded Urad to advance, and at the sight of her,</p>
+
+<p>"O royal beast," said he to the lion, "I wonder not that thou<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_522" id="Page_522">[522]</a></span> wert
+unable to describe the beauties of this lovely maid, since they are
+almost too dazzling to behold. O virtuous maid," continued Almurah,
+"whose excellencies I have heard from this faithful animal, if thou
+canst deign to accept of the heart of Almurah, thy Sultan will be the
+happiest of mankind; but I swear, by my unalterable will, that no
+power on earth shall force or distress you."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh," sighed Urad, "royal Sultan, you honour your poor slave too much;
+yet happy should I be were Houadir here!"</p>
+
+<p>As she spoke, the genius Houadir entered the room: the face of the
+sage instructress still remained, but a glowing splendour surrounded
+her, and her walk was majestic and commanding. Almurah bowed to the
+ground, Urad made obeisance, and the rest fell prostrate before her.</p>
+
+<p>"My advice," said Houadir, "is necessary now, O Urad, nor ought young
+virgins to enter into such engagements without counsel and the
+approbation of those above them, how splendid and lucrative soever the
+union may appear. I, who know the heart of Almurah, the servant of
+Mahomet, know him to be virtuous: some excesses he has been guilty of,
+but they were chiefly owing to his villanous Vizier, Mussapulta."
+(Here the lion gave a dreadful roar.) "Against your command, Almurah,
+did he wound this animal, which I endowed with speech for the service
+of Urad, to teach her that strength and nobleness of soul would always
+support the innocent.</p>
+
+<p>"Mussapulta having wounded him, commanded his slave to put the royal
+beast to death; but I gave the slave bowels of mercy, and he carried
+him home to his cottage till the wound was healed, when the lion,
+faithful to his trust, came towards you as you were hunting, and being
+endowed with speech, declared the iniquity of Mussapulta&mdash;but he is no
+more.</p>
+
+<p>"Now, Urad, if thy mind incline to Almurah, receive his vows, but give
+not thine hand where thy heart is estranged, for no splendour can
+compensate the want of affection."</p>
+
+<p>"If Almurah, my gracious lord," answered Urad, "will swear in three
+things to do my desire, his handmaid will be happy to serve him."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_523" id="Page_523">[523]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I swear," answered the fond Almurah. "Hadst thou three thousand
+desires, Almurah would satisfy them or die."</p>
+
+<p>"What strange things," said Houadir, "has Urad to ask of the Sultan
+Almurah?"</p>
+
+<p>"Whatever they are, gracious genius," said Almurah, "Urad, the lovely
+Urad, may command me."</p>
+
+<p>"Then," said Urad, "first I require that the poor inhabitants of the
+forest be restored to their native lands, whence thou hast driven
+them."</p>
+
+<p>"By the great Allah, and Mahomet the Prophet of the just," answered
+Almurah, "the deed was proposed and executed by the villain
+Mussapulta! Yes, my lovely Urad shall be obeyed. But now, Urad,"
+continued the Sultan, "ere you proceed in your requests, let me make
+one sacrifice to chastity and justice, by vowing, in the presence of
+the good genius Houadir, to dismiss my seraglio, and take thee only
+for my wife."</p>
+
+<p>"So noble a sacrifice," answered Urad, "demands my utmost returns;
+wherefore, beneficent Sultan, I release thee from any further
+compliance with my requests."</p>
+
+<p>"Lovely Urad," said Almurah, "permit me, then, to dive into your
+thoughts:&mdash;yes, by your kind glances on that noble beast, I perceive
+you meditated to ask some bounty for your deliverer. He shall, fair
+virgin, be honoured as Urad's guardian, and the friend of Almurah; he
+shall live in my royal palace, with slaves to attend him; and, that
+his rest may not be inglorious or his life useless, once every year
+shall those who have injured the innocent be delivered up to his
+honest rage."</p>
+
+<p>The lovely Urad fell at the feet of her Sultan, and blessed him for
+his favours; and the sage Houadir approved of Urad's request and the
+promises of Almurah. The lion came and licked the feet of his
+benefactors; and the genius Houadir, at parting, poured her blessings
+on the royal pair.</p>
+<p>&nbsp;</p>
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 200px;">
+<img src="images/image_523.jpg" width="200" height="66" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_524" id="Page_524">[524]</a></span><a name="Alischar_and_Smaragdine" id="Alischar_and_Smaragdine"></a></p>
+
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;">
+<img src="images/image_524.jpg" width="600" height="399" alt="Decorative Image"  />
+</div>
+<h2>Alischar and Smaragdine.</h2>
+<div class="figleft"><img src="images/image_t.jpg" width="76" height="75" alt="T" /></div>
+<p>here lived once on a time, in the province of Khorassan, a rich
+merchant, to whom, in his sixtieth year, a son was born, and he called
+his name Alischar. Fifteen years afterwards the father died, but not
+without giving his son, in the hour of death, many excellent advices
+and moral instructions as to his conduct through life. Alischar buried
+his father, and not long afterwards his mother also, and began to
+exercise diligently the trade which his parents had bequeathed to him.
+In this way a whole year was spent, without the least departure from
+the wise course of behaviour which his father had prescribed for him
+in his last moments. But, unfortunately, ere many weeks more were
+gone, he fell into the company of certain vicious people, who seduced
+him into a life of such luxury and extravagance, that in a short time
+the money the old man had left him was entirely spent. Proceeding in
+the same follies, he by-and-bye was obliged to part with the shop
+itself,&mdash;the household furniture followed,&mdash;and, in a word, Alischar
+was left without anything he could call his own, except the bare roof
+over his head and the clothes upon his back.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_525" id="Page_525">[525]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Having nothing wherewithal to still the cravings of hunger, the youth
+might now be seen daily roaming about the streets, idle and listless.
+One day in this sad condition he was loitering about in the great
+square of the city, when his attention was attracted by a crowd of
+people, who seemed to be gathered around one who sold some merchandise
+by auction. He drew near, and, mixing among the assemblage, saw that
+the business was the selling of a beautiful young slave, who stood in
+the midst with a form of the most fascinating elegance, cheeks that
+outshone the rose, and beauty more dazzling than the reflection of the
+full moon in a fountain of dissolved pearls. Scarcely had he looked
+upon her ere love seized him and mastered him; he knew not what to do
+or to say, but remained like a stone in the midst of the crowd,
+gazing. The bystanders, who were ignorant that Alischar had so soon
+dissipated his patrimony, never doubted that he had come in order to
+be a bidder for the beautiful slave. The crier moved his situation so
+as to stand right opposite to him, with the girl in his hand, and
+began to call out the usual words more loudly than before, "Ye rich
+merchants, ye honourable wholesale dealers, gentlemen all of worth and
+condition, what say ye for this brunette slave, who is the mistress of
+the moon of heaven, whose name is called Smaragdine, and whose fame is
+purer than the pearl in the depths of the Red Sea? Say your bidding,
+great and small."</p>
+
+<p>At first five hundred and twenty-five ducats were offered; but
+immediately there came forward an old man, by name Beschadeddin,
+shapeless in his form and shuffling in his gait,&mdash;the aversion of
+every eye that rested on him. This old man came forward across the
+market-place, and offered without hesitation a thousand ducats.</p>
+
+<p>The crier cast his eyes around, but the former bidders remained
+silent, and then asked the master of the slave if he was satisfied
+with this offer.</p>
+
+<p>"I am," said the merchant, "but upon condition that the girl herself
+is so also; for I have sworn to her, that she shall be sold to no one
+for whose service she does not herself feel an inclination."</p>
+
+<p>Upon this the crier turned to the girl, and asked her what she had to
+say to the matter. She cast her bright eyes upon the hateful<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_526" id="Page_526">[526]</a></span> old man,
+and replied, "Know ye not the verse of the old poet, how he says:</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"'Grey hairs were never formed to give me delight;<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Sooner would I twist my fingers amidst the dead leaves<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">That are about to fall from the tree, when the wind of winter is blowing?'"<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>"You are right," said the auctioneer, laughing (and the master of the
+slave re-echoed his laugh and his answer); "let us see whether we
+cannot light upon a younger bidder."</p>
+
+<p>With that there drew near a man whose years were not few, but he had
+dyed his beard and moved trippingly. He also offered a thousand
+ducats; but at that moment Smaragdine began to recite as from the book
+of some poet, but the verses were in truth her own:</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"'Say to him that dyes his beard, that I love not the false.<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Deception is in him that conceals the works of God and Time.<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">He that disguises his countenance, how shall one put faith in his words?'"<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>A third now came forward, but unfortunately he was one-eyed. The slave
+regarded him, and quoted, or seemed to quote, without hesitation,</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"'Avoid the one-eyed lover, maiden;<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">How shall he be thy safe guardian, fair woman?<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Will he love thee better than the apple of his eye?'"<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>"Look round you," said the crier; "is there none here that pleases you
+better?" And with this he pointed to a short stout man whose beard was
+of unusual dimensions.</p>
+
+<p>"Fie!" said the slave, "this is he whom the poet had in his eye when
+he sang,</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"'Providence has given my adorer too great an allowance of beard.<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">This bush resembles the night of winter&mdash;long, black, and cold.'"<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>"Choose for yourself, girl," said the auctioneer, laughing more
+heartily than before; "I pray you look round upon all the circle of
+the bystanders."</p>
+
+<p>The slave cast her eyes slowly around the company, and at last rested
+them upon Alischar, whose appearance had charmed her from the first
+moment.</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. Crier," said she, "I will belong to no one but this handsome<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_527" id="Page_527">[527]</a></span>
+young man. It is of him that the poet was thinking when he wrote those
+verses:</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"'Sorrow and pain fly from the loveliness of his countenance,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">And pierce the hearts of the maidens every one.<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Why are they not veiled deeply over the eyes?<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Why court they destruction in gazing upon his beauty?<br /></span>
+</div><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">The breath of his lip is like the odour of myrrh and camphor.<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Men slander him; but the moon rises in heaven, and who will then believe that there is darkness?'"<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>When she ceased from her recitation, her master drew near to Alischar,
+and said, "Friend, you see what a wonder of beauty, education, and
+eloquence this slave is; and, if you got such a treasure for a
+thousand ducats, be assured you were a most fortunate man. I swear to
+you that she can read the Koran in seven different methods&mdash;that she
+excels equally in seven different styles of penmanship&mdash;that she
+embroiders to admiration in silk, in silver, and in gold&mdash;and that you
+will soon get your money out of her, if it were but by the sale of her
+works in the market-place."</p>
+
+<p>The crier also put in his word. "O sir," quoth he to Alischar, "it is
+obvious that Providence has an especial kindness for you: she is a
+pearl and a jewel. You are about to be the happiest of men."</p>
+
+<p>Alischar could not help smiling when he heard all this.</p>
+
+<p>"How!" said he to himself, "last night I went supperless to bed, and
+yet these people all fancy I am in a condition to pay a thousand
+ducats for a dark-eyed slave!"</p>
+
+<p>He shook his head, for he would fain escape the pain of saying openly
+that he was too poor to think of such a purchase.</p>
+
+<p>"Quick," said the beautiful slave, "let me speak to the young man
+myself: I must talk to him a little in private, for I am determined
+that he, and he only, shall buy me."</p>
+
+<p>The crier took her by the hand, and, leading her to Alischar, retired
+a few paces to allow them opportunity of conversation.</p>
+
+<p>"Amiable young man!" whispered she to the youth, "will you not buy
+me?"</p>
+
+<p>Alischar shook his head sorrowfully.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_528" id="Page_528">[528]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Aha!" said she, "I have it. Perhaps you think I am too dear? Will you
+give nine hundred ducats for me?"</p>
+
+<p>"No."</p>
+
+<p>"Eight hundred?"</p>
+
+<p>"No."</p>
+
+<p>"Seven hundred?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, no."</p>
+
+<p>And in this way she came down to one hundred ducats, receiving always
+the same melancholy monosyllable in reply.</p>
+
+<p>"I have not a hundred ducats in the world," said Alischar, and a deep
+sigh came from his breast.</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps you could give ninety&mdash;eighty&mdash;seventy?"</p>
+
+<p>At last he could not help himself, and whispered in her ear,&mdash;"Angel
+of light!" said he, "I have neither gold nor silver, not to talk of
+ducats; I have not a penny in the world: you must find another
+purchaser."</p>
+
+<p>"Do what I bid you," answers she. "Take hold of my hand, and kiss me
+on the side of the cheek, for that is the signal of the bargain being
+completed."</p>
+
+<p>Alischar, scarcely conscious of his proceedings, obeyed the girl. The
+instant afterwards she drew a purse from her bosom, and said, "Take
+that, my love; you will find a thousand ducats in it: pay nine hundred
+to my master for me, and lead your new slave home with all speed."</p>
+
+<p>When they came to the house there was neither bed, sofa, table, nor
+dish in it. The slave instantly sent Alischar to the market to get a
+few necessary moveables and provisions. He did what she bade him.
+Smaragdine forthwith put the house in the nicest order, and set about
+dressing a little supper with the most exquisite skill. In short, the
+next day Alischar married the beautiful slave. Then Smaragdine set
+herself busily to work in embroidering a carpet. She represented on it
+all sorts of quadrupeds so skilfully that one expected to see them
+move; and birds, so that it was a wonder one did not hear them
+singing. In the whole of this work she occupied only eight days, and
+when these were over she sent her man to the market to sell the
+carpet, cautioning him, however, with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_529" id="Page_529">[529]</a></span> great strictness, to avoid
+falling into any adventure that might terminate in their separation.
+Alischar followed scrupulously the instructions of his wife, and in
+this manner, supported by Smaragdine's needlework, they spent a whole
+year of undisturbed felicity.</p>
+
+<p>One day, as Alischar was going to market with one of Smaragdine's
+coverlets, as usual, to sell, he happened to meet with a certain
+Infidel who at once offered him sixty ducats for it. He had a secret
+disinclination to have any dealings with a Giaour, and asked first
+sixty-five, and then seventy ducats, and so up at last to a hundred.
+The man, to his astonishment, said, "Well, there is your money;" and
+not having the face to play the extortioner further, Alischar pursed
+the gold, and returned homewards. He was close to the door of his
+house ere he observed that the Giaour had been following him, and was
+just behind him.</p>
+
+<p>"I see you are now at home," said the Infidel, "and I beg you will
+have the kindness to give me a cup of water, for I have been broiling
+in the streets all day, and am ready to expire with thirst."</p>
+
+<p>Alischar, who would never have forgiven himself for refusing so
+trivial a civility, went immediately into the house for a jug of
+water.</p>
+
+<p>"Where have you been lingering so long to-day?" said Smaragdine. "I
+know not how or why, but a certain painful anticipation of some
+misfortune has been hanging over my mind ever since you went out. It
+rejoices my very heart to see you come home sound and well again; but
+what is it you want with the water-jug?"</p>
+
+<p>"Only to refresh a person who seems about to die of thirst," answered
+Alischar; "but I shall be back again in a moment, my dear Smaragdine."
+With this he ran downstairs, and was surprised to find the Infidel,
+whom he had left without on the street, seated within the porch.</p>
+
+<p>"Dog of a Giaour!" says he, "what do you here?"</p>
+
+<p>"Pardon me, good sir," replies the Giaour; "I was so wearied that my
+legs refused to support me any longer, and it was a matter of mere
+necessity that I should sit down somewhere."</p>
+
+<p>Alischar gave him a cup of water, and waited to see him arise and take
+his departure; but, behold, nothing was less in the man's mind.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_530" id="Page_530">[530]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Out with you," at last cries Alischar; "out this moment, I say."</p>
+
+<p>"Blessed," says the Giaour, "be they that refuse not a drink of water
+to him who standeth athirst before the door, and who grudge not a bit
+of bread to him that is a-hungered. Now my thirst is quenched, but my
+hunger is even greater than that was. Give me a bit of bread and a
+couple of onions, and for more I will not trouble you."</p>
+
+<p>"Pack off!" said Alischar; "there is nothing in the house."</p>
+
+<p>"With your leave, sir," says the other, producing his purse, "here are
+one hundred ducats: have the kindness to seek some bread and onions
+here in your neighbourhood, and I shall feel myself eternally obliged
+by your condescension."</p>
+
+<p>"The man is mad," thinks Alischar to himself; "but that is no reason
+why I should suffer a hundred ducats to go a-begging for quarters."</p>
+
+<p>"Haste, sir, haste!" continued the Giaour. "I am near to death, so
+great is my hunger, and no one knows what sort of a misery that is
+until he has experienced it himself. If it be but a crust, a crumb&mdash;a
+morsel of dry meal even; but something I must have, else I want
+strength to move myself from this seat."</p>
+
+<p>"Wait a moment, then," said Alischar. And with that he went out,
+taking care to lock the door behind him. He soon returned with roast
+meat, pastry, honey, a water-melon, and some bread, upon a tray.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh!" cried the Giaour, when he saw him returning so, "this is too
+much. Ten men might dine on this, and here am I alone before it all,
+unless you would do me the honour to sit with me."</p>
+
+<p>"Eat alone," said Alischar harshly.</p>
+
+<p>But by-and-bye the guest takes the water-melon, and divides it very
+neatly into two parts, contriving by dexterous management of the knife
+to besmear the one of these with a strong tincture of <i>nepenthe</i> of
+Crete and opium, enough to have put an elephant to sleep.</p>
+
+<p>"Pray," said the Infidel, holding the medicated half towards Alischar,
+"accept this beautiful slice of melon at the hands of your servant."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_531" id="Page_531">[531]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Alischar could not be so rude as to refuse this: he ate the fruit, and
+in a moment the fatal effects of it were apparent, for he sank into
+utter oblivion, losing all his senses at once.</p>
+
+<p>The Giaour rises softly the moment he perceives this, locks the door,
+and putting the key of the house in his pocket, runs with all speed to
+inform his brother of the success of his treachery. This was the old
+Beschadeddin, our acquaintance, who, though he pretended to be a
+Mussulman, had always remained an Infidel. It was he who had excited
+his brother to all this knavery, in order that he himself might if
+possible gain possession of Smaragdine. He now took his people with
+him, provided himself with gold, mounted his mule, and repaired
+directly to Alischar's habitation. His slaves seized Smaragdine by
+force, threatening her with instant death if she dared to utter a
+single cry, and so conveyed her in safety to the house of their
+master.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah, wretch!" says the old reprobate, "have I got you at last into my
+hands? I swear to you, that if you do not consent to renounce Mahomet
+I will make minced meat of you forthwith."</p>
+
+<p>"Hack me and hew me into a thousand shreds, if such be your pleasure,"
+answers she; "but know, wretch of wretches! that a Moslem I am, and a
+Moslem I will die. Allah chastises those He best loves with
+difficulties and dangers, and upon Him alone I set all my trust."</p>
+
+<p>Upon this the wretched ancient gave orders to his female slaves to
+prick Smaragdine's flesh with pins, and then to tie her up in the
+corner of the kitchen, but on no account to give her a morsel to eat.
+But even this last blow had no effect on Smaragdine, who merely
+exclaimed as she had been doing before,</p>
+
+<p>"God is God, and Mahomet is His Prophet!"</p>
+
+<p>When poor Alischar, on his part, awoke from his sleep, and found
+himself alone in his bed, fear unutterable came into his mind, and he
+began to cry out for his Smaragdine like one possessed. But his cries
+were as useless as his searches: he could find his love nowhere, and
+concluded that the vile Giaour had deceived him for the sake of
+abstracting her. At first he sat in a corner shedding hot tears, hour
+after hour, by himself; but perceiving<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_532" id="Page_532">[532]</a></span> that his tears were of no
+avail, he tore his garments, took a stone in each hand, and walked
+through the town beating his breast alternately with these stones, and
+crying out all the time in a loud voice of distress, "O Smaragdine!
+Smaragdine!"</p>
+
+<p>The children collected about him, and first one and then another of
+them entreated him to tell his story. He did so, and whoever heard him
+pitied him. After he had in this way gone through the whole town, he
+happened to see an old woman of his acquaintance sitting at her door,
+and saluted her respectfully. The old lady, being knowing in such
+matters, perceived at once the symptoms of a desolate lover, and asked
+him the reason of his distress. He told her all, and she said to him,</p>
+
+<p>"I am very much grieved for your case, my son; but take courage. I
+certainly think my assistance will be of much advantage to you. Go
+hence immediately, buy one of the bread-baskets in which the hawkers
+carry their loaves about, and put a few articles of female attire in
+it. I undertake to go about with the wares, and I flatter myself you
+will ere long hear some tidings of Smaragdine."</p>
+
+<p>Alischar was out of himself with joy even at this small glimpse of
+hope; he covered the hand of the old dame with tears and kisses, and
+forthwith fetched her what she had asked for. She made herself ready
+without delay to commence her operations, and in the course of her
+wanderings came, after no long space of time, to the very house of
+Beschadeddin.</p>
+
+<p>She happened to enter at a moment when the female slaves of the house
+were misusing poor Smaragdine.</p>
+
+<p>"And what," says she, "has the poor child done to you that you should
+treat her so roughly?"</p>
+
+<p>"In truth," they answered, "we do what we do against our own
+inclination, but we must obey our master's orders."</p>
+
+<p>"Not when he is from home, surely," says the old woman again; "do have
+a little pity. Oblige me so far as to unbind this unfortunate, and
+refresh her a little with some food."</p>
+
+<p>The slave-girls, whose hearts were by no means destitute of
+sensibility, loosed her bands, and left her for a moment alone with
+the old woman. She made good use of the happy occasion, told her<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_533" id="Page_533">[533]</a></span> in
+whose name she had come, and said that if she would take care to be at
+the window exactly at midnight, Alischar would be there at that
+moment, when she might easily drop upon his shoulders and regain her
+freedom. With this she hies away to Alischar to make him acquainted
+with her success. She assured him that Beschadeddin being from home,
+the slaves had promised to leave Smaragdine unbound for that one
+night, and he needed not many words to make him undertake the
+adventure.</p>
+
+<p>He was at the appointed spot the moment darkness closed, determined to
+stand there and wait patiently for the time when his love should
+appear. But alas! his sorrow had cost him many slumberless nights, and
+now that he thought himself secure of his happiness again, long-absent
+sleep came, and overpowered him suddenly where he stood on the street.</p>
+
+<p>It happened that just about this time a thief was passing down the
+same street. Perceiving that Alischar was fast asleep, this fellow
+eased him of his turban, and setting that on his head, was about to
+proceed on his way. Smaragdine, at this moment standing in the window,
+saw the gleam of her lover's turban, and never doubting that it was
+worn by Alischar himself, opened the lattice, and said to the thief in
+an audible whisper,</p>
+
+<p>"Come, come, love, I am ready to come down."</p>
+
+<p>"Here is a fine adventure," quoth the thief to himself; "let us make
+the best of it."</p>
+
+<p>With this he placed himself below Smaragdine's window, received her on
+his shoulders, and darted off with her like lightning.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh," says she to him, "you are so strong, you trot as nimbly as if
+you were a horse under me; and the good old woman had persuaded me
+that grief had weakened you so that you could scarcely drag your own
+limbs along."</p>
+
+<p>The gentleman, on his part, made no answer to these observations, and
+Smaragdine at last began to feel his face, which being very rough and
+half covered with hair, her error was apparent, and she began to cry
+out with all her might,</p>
+
+<p>"Who art thou? who art thou?"</p>
+
+<p>"Silence!" answered the thief: "I am Hirvan the Kurd, and I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_534" id="Page_534">[534]</a></span> belong to
+the band of Ahmed-ed-deyf. We are forty of us, all jolly brothers of
+the trade, and a happy life shall you lead with us."</p>
+
+<p>Smaragdine perceived into what horrors her error had plunged her: she
+committed her soul to God and her body to the Prophet, and allowed
+Hirvan to proceed with her in silence.</p>
+
+<p>He conveyed her straight to a cavern without the city, which was the
+hiding-place of the band. At that moment there was no one in it but
+the mother of the captain, who had been left to arrange the plunder of
+the preceding night, and in particular the wardrobe of a young
+cavalier whom they had murdered, and whose horse and portmanteau were
+observed just within the entrance of the cavern. The young robber
+handed over Smaragdine to the old lady's protection, and went out
+again in quest of more adventures; and no sooner were they alone than
+the old one began to praise Smaragdine's beauty, and to felicitate her
+upon the prospect of being bride to her own son, the captain, whose
+manifold accomplishments she most vigorously extolled. Smaragdine,
+after a little while, began to dry her tears, and by degrees affected
+to be quite comforted. She even went so far as to say that she
+regretted one thing more than all the rest, and this was that she
+could not take a bath, and be ready to give the captain a reception
+more worthy of his rank and character.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah, the bath! the bath!" cries the old woman, "you are quite in the
+right; there is no comfort in this world like the bath; but it is a
+luxury I never enjoy, for I have nobody about me to shampoo me."</p>
+
+<p>"Here am I," says Smaragdine; "allow me to attend on you the first,
+and then you will do the like good office to me."</p>
+
+<p>The bargain was soon struck. The bath was got into order, and the old
+woman, the first time for many years, entered it. Smaragdine kept the
+water very hot, and rubbed and scrubbed the old dame so, that she was
+quite in transports, and at length fell fast asleep under the pleasing
+influence. While she slept Smaragdine took possession of the clothes
+and arms of the murdered cavalier, mounted his horse, and galloped
+from the cavern, without having the least notion whither.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_535" id="Page_535">[535]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>When morning broke she found herself in an uncultivated country,
+destitute of any marks of human habitation. She ate some roots and
+fruits, allowed her horse to graze under the trees, and so proceeded
+all the day.</p>
+
+<p>On the eleventh morning she descried, in the valley before her, a
+noble and beautifully situated town; and behold, as she drew nearer to
+the gates, there came from thence a multitude of horsemen, who
+surrounded her upon the highway, threw themselves on the ground before
+the hoofs of her horse, kissed her garment, and hailed her as the
+Sultan sent to them by the especial care of Heaven. Each man clapped
+his hands, and exclaimed, <i>Allah jausur es Sultaun</i>!<a name="FNanchor_18_18" id="FNanchor_18_18"></a><a href="#Footnote_18_18" class="fnanchor">[18]</a> that is to
+say, God give victory to the Sultan, King of the world&mdash;blessed be thy
+coming!</p>
+
+<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_18_18" id="Footnote_18_18"></a><a href="#FNanchor_18_18"><span class="label">[18]</span></a> This is a cry which still survives in Egypt&mdash;the very
+cry with which the inhabitants of that country welcomed successively,
+in 1800-1, the Generals of the French, the Turkish, and the English
+armies.</p></div>
+
+<p>What may all this mean? thinks the bewildered girl to herself. She
+asked the question aloud, and the Lord High Chamberlain hastened to
+answer it. "Know, sire," said he, "that when the Sovereign of this
+city dies without children, all the inhabitants are, according to the
+constitution, assembled together in the great street, there ready to
+come out and salute as their Prince the first traveller who happens to
+emerge from the wilderness; and in this manner it is impossible for us
+not to acknowledge the finger of Providence, who gives the crown to
+the person He judges most fit to wear it. Heaven be praised for having
+sent us, on this occasion, a King such as you seem to be; for had it
+been never such a ragamuffin, or even scoundrel, it must have been
+equally our duty to welcome him as our lord."</p>
+
+<p>"Believe not," answered Smaragdine, recollecting herself, "believe not
+that in me you hail any low-born Prince. No, my lords, I am the son of
+a noble house, who happened to take into my head the fancy of riding
+through the world in quest of adventures; and here, as you perceive,
+gentlemen, here is one that appears to be by no means of a despicable
+description to begin with."</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_536" id="Page_536">[536]</a></span></p><p>Without delay Smaragdine held her triumphant entry into the city,
+opened the treasury chambers of the dead King, and distributed a large
+proportion of the gold that was found there to propitiate the goodwill
+of the inhabitants, above all of the army. In this way all hearts were
+won, and every class of the people remained full of affection and
+devotion to the sovereign authority. The Sultan alone was unhappy. Her
+thoughts rested afar off upon her Alischar. In the harem she
+constrained herself so far as to appear well pleased with the songs,
+dances, and banquets prepared for her; but when night approached, she
+retired to a solitary chamber, and spent the silent hours in fasting
+and praying and melancholy reflection.</p>
+
+<p>After a full twelve months had been passed in this manner, without any
+tidings of the lost Alischar, she assembled on the feast of the New
+Year the Viziers and lords of the chamber, and gave command that a
+vast amphitheatre should be erected in the centre of the city. In the
+midst a lofty dome was placed, below which seats were arranged for the
+nobles of the realm. Here, when all was finished, Smaragdine
+entertained them with a stately feast; and her heralds made
+proclamation, that henceforth, on the first day of every new moon, a
+season naturally devoted to festivities, the Sultan would give a
+banquet to all his subjects in the amphitheatre: on that day, under
+pain of death, no shop should be opened, nor merchandise cared for. On
+the day of the first new moon, accordingly, the whole of the people
+were assembled in the presence of their Prince. Each ate, drank, and
+enjoyed himself as much as he could, well satisfied that in so doing
+he fulfilled the decree of his Sovereign.</p>
+
+<p>Glad at heart was Smaragdine, for she flattered herself that this
+assembling of the people might one day or other furnish the means of
+getting some intelligence concerning her dear Alischar. Just while
+this thought passed through her mind, behold, a man rose up, and
+stretching out his hand, drew to himself from some distance a dish of
+milk, in which rice, sugar, and cinnamon were mingled, and there arose
+a cry of "Shame! shame! shame on the glutton, who is unsatisfied with
+that which the King's bounty had placed before his own seat."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_537" id="Page_537">[537]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"The reason," said the man, "is only this, that they have placed a
+fricassee before me, and I eat no fricassees."</p>
+
+<p>"I am convinced," cries another, "that this is some dog of an Infidel,
+and that this happens to be one of their fast-days."</p>
+
+<p>Smaragdine, whom this disturbance had not escaped, gave orders
+forthwith that the man should be brought before her throne. The people
+ceased from eating and drinking, and every eye and ear were fixed upon
+the footstool of the Sultan.</p>
+
+<p>"What is your name?" said Smaragdine, "and for what purpose have you
+come into my states?"</p>
+
+<p>The wretch, who had clothed himself in a white turban, which of right
+belongs only to the Moslems, made answer, "My name is Ali; I am a
+weaver by trade, and I have come hither in the hope to gain my bread
+honestly by the labour of my hands."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, well," says Smaragdine, "bring quickly hither my necromantic
+tablet <i>Romla</i>, and the steel pen that belongs to it, and soon shall
+the truth be made manifest."</p>
+
+<p>With that she began, apparently, her calculation, cast her eyes
+upwards, and after a pause of some moments, said, "Dog, thou liest!
+Thou art a Giaour, and thou hast come hither with some wicked
+intention. Confess the truth, or thy head flies from thy shoulders
+upon the spot!"</p>
+
+<p>"Pardon! pardon!" cried the stranger, altogether astonished; for he
+never doubted that the secret virtue of the <i>Romla</i> had detected him:
+"pardon, great King! It is true I am a Giaour."</p>
+
+<p>Smaragdine gave orders that he should instantly be hung, his carcass
+thrown into the court of offal, and his head fixed before the gate of
+the palace. The people witnessed the execution, and applauded equally
+the astrological skill and the stern justice of their Sovereign.</p>
+
+<p>On the first day of the second month the same festival was repeated.
+It was again proclaimed that every one should eat, drink, and rejoice,
+but that none should on any account touch anything but what happened
+to be set before himself. The nobles assembled; the troops stood in
+order of parade; the people had taken their places in the
+amphitheatre. The King was on his throne, and surveyed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_538" id="Page_538">[538]</a></span> the scene
+around with attentive eyes. At this moment a foreigner came, all
+hastily and dusty from his journey, to the door of the amphitheatre,
+and his loud inquiries as to the meaning of the splendid scene before
+him were heard distinctly even where the King sat. An old woman, near
+the entrance, explained to him the meaning of the feast, but forgot to
+inform him of the regulations as to meddling with dishes at a distance
+from one's own place. The man took his place, and shortly afterwards
+stretched out his hand to seize something a little way off. "Hold!"
+cried at once a thousand voices; "hold, or you will be hanged."</p>
+
+<p>The man, who had no very pure conscience to sustain his nerves, took
+it for granted his fate was sealed; and, without a moment's delay,
+began leaping over the benches, in the hopes to make his escape. The
+King nodded; he was arrested and placed before the throne. "Who art
+thou?" said Smaragdine, "and wherefore hast thou come into our
+states?".</p>
+
+<p>"My name," answered he, "is Osman. I am by profession a gardener, and
+have come hither to seek for certain rare trees and flowers."</p>
+
+<p>"Holla, there!" cries the King, "bring hither quickly my tablet
+<i>Romla</i> and the steel pen, and speedily will the truth see daylight."</p>
+
+<p>With this, Smaragdine began to study the tablet attentively: she kept
+her eyes for some moments fixed upon the sky, and then said, "Hateful
+churl, thou liest! Thy name is Hirvan the Kurd, and by profession thou
+art a thief. Confess the truth, wretch!"</p>
+
+<p>The man's colour changed; his tongue refused its office; at length he
+confessed the truth. The King ordered him to be hung immediately, his
+carcass and head to be treated as had been done with those of the
+Giaour. The people returned with quickened appetites to their dinner,
+and admired more than ever the wisdom and rectitude of their Prince.</p>
+
+<p>The first day of the third moon brought with it the usual
+proclamation, the usual feast, and the usual consequences. A stranger
+appears, who, not knowing the law of the festival, transgresses it
+grossly, is accused, and finally conducted into the immediate presence
+of Smaragdine, who puts to him the usual questions.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_539" id="Page_539">[539]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"My name," replies the stranger, "is Resim, and I am a poor dervish."</p>
+
+<p>"Bring my <i>Romla</i> tablet and my steel pen," cries the King.</p>
+
+<p>They do as they are bid: Smaragdine casts her eyes upwards, preserves
+for a moment the usual silence, and exclaims, "Thou liest, dog! thy
+name is Beschadeddin; outwardly thou art a Moslem, but in heart an
+unbeliever: confess the verity, or thou diest."</p>
+
+<p>It was no one but Beschadeddin. Like the robber, he had, after the
+loss of the beautiful slave, set out upon his travels in the hope of
+finding her again, and his ill fortune had conducted him to the same
+city. Full of dismay, he was constrained to confess the truth, and his
+head figured forthwith beside those of his brother adventurers. The
+feast proceeded with redoubled jollity, and louder than ever were the
+sagacity and justice of the Sultan extolled. Smaragdine alone took no
+part in the general merriment.</p>
+
+<p>It was the first morning of the fourth moon, as the people were
+congregated together for the usual festival, when there appeared, at
+one of the doors of the amphitheatre, a young man, beautiful as the
+day, but having the lustre of his complexion dimmed by the cloud of
+long afflictions. It was Alischar, and Smaragdine had nigh swooned
+away with the joy of beholding him.</p>
+
+<p>After he awoke in the street without his turban, and learnt from the
+old woman what had happened, and that his dear Smaragdine had indeed
+vanished, though not in his company, his spirit was yielded up as a
+prey to the bitterest anguish. A sore illness fell upon him, and for a
+whole year he had lain helpless, nursed carefully by the good old
+woman. But as soon as he began to recover a little strength, he set
+out a-wandering though the world, if perchance he might yet once again
+find his wife. It happened that he came on the morning of this
+feast-day to the city where she was King, and, being unacquainted with
+the regulations of the amphitheatre, he fell into a mistake similar to
+that which had already proved fatal to so many travellers. He was,
+like them, accused and summoned to the Prince's footstool. He knelt
+down reverently, and kissed the dust before her; and being asked what
+was his name and his business, made answer, without hesitation,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_540" id="Page_540">[540]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"My name is Alischar, and I am come hither, wandering over the whole
+earth, in quest of the fountain of my life, my dear Smaragdine, whom I
+have lost."</p>
+
+<p>The King sent for the tablet <i>Romla</i> and the steel pen. "You have said
+the truth," says the King; "and I perceive that Heaven designs ere
+long to restore to you your lost love."</p>
+
+<p>With this she commanded them to lead Alischar to the bath, to clothe
+him in a robe of honour, and treat him in her palace with all respect
+and consideration.</p>
+
+<p>Smaragdine could scarcely wait until night came, so great was her
+impatience. When it was dark, she commanded that Alischar should be
+brought before her, and invited him to partake of the royal supper.
+The young man, who was naturally modest, was confounded with this
+condescension, but constrained himself, and acquitted himself as well
+as he could. It appeared that his behaviour gave no displeasure to the
+King; for, supper being ended, the chief of the black eunuchs came
+into the apartment, and Alischar heard him receive his Sovereign's
+orders to place him in one of the palace sleeping-chambers.</p>
+
+<p>Presently a whisper was heard close to his pillow, and ere he could
+make any answer, his visitant revealed herself.</p>
+
+<p>It was Smaragdine: she was out of herself with joy; she burst out into
+loud laughter, such as could proceed from no lips but hers, and made
+herself known to the enraptured Alischar.</p>
+
+<p>Next morning the King called together the nobles of the city, and
+requested them to choose some one to act as Viceroy for a season,
+announcing the necessity of undertaking a journey to his own country
+in company with the stranger.</p>
+
+<p>They immediately complied with this request, and escorted the Prince
+from their gates with all the splendour of royal attendance. But
+Smaragdine had no intention ever to reclaim their homage: she had
+found her Alischar, and preferred a life of love and peace in her
+native place, to a disagreeable disguise and the troublesome
+magnificence of sovereign estate.</p>
+
+<h3>FINIS.</h3>
+
+<hr style='width: 65%;' />
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Eastern Tales by Many Story Tellers, by Various
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+</body>
+</html>
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+Project Gutenberg's Eastern Tales by Many Story Tellers, by Various
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+Title: Eastern Tales by Many Story Tellers
+
+Author: Various
+
+Release Date: August 19, 2008 [EBook #26358]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK EASTERN TALES ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Sankar Viswanathan, Delphine Lettau, and the
+Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+                      _THE "CHANDOS CLASSICS."_
+
+
+
+                            EASTERN TALES
+
+
+
+                                  BY
+
+                          MANY STORY TELLERS
+
+
+
+        COMPILED AND EDITED FROM ANCIENT AND MODERN AUTHORS BY
+
+                            MRS. VALENTINE
+
+       _Author of "Sea Fights and Land Battles," &c., &c., &c._
+
+
+
+                     WITH  NUMEROUS ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+
+
+
+
+
+                                LONDON
+
+                        FREDERICK WARNE & CO.
+
+                        BEDFORD STREET, STRAND
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+PREFACE.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+In compiling this volume of Eastern Tales, the Editor has been careful
+to select only those best suited to youthful readers. They have been
+gathered from both ancient and modern, French, Italian, and English
+sources, and therefore offer great variety of style and subject.
+
+In the stories taken from the Tales of the Genii, an omission of a few
+words has been made, to fit them for their place in this volume.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+[Illustration]
+
+                                                          PAGE
+
+JALALADDEEN OF BAGDAD                                      1
+
+THE STORY OF HASCHEM                                      40
+
+THE PANTOFLES                                             73
+
+STORY OF THE PRINCE AND THE LIONS                         78
+
+THE CITY OF THE DEMONS                                    95
+
+JUSSUF, THE MERCHANT OF BALSORA                          104
+
+THE SEVEN SLEEPERS                                       169
+
+THE ENCHANTERS; OR, MISNAR, THE SULTAN OF INDIA          200
+
+SADIK BEG                                                306
+
+HALECHALBE AND THE UNKNOWN LADY                          309
+
+THE FOUR TALISMANS                                       341
+
+THE STORY OF BOHETZAD; OR, THE LOST CHILD                366
+
+URAD; OR, THE FAIR WANDERER                              499
+
+ALISCHAR AND SMARAGDINE                                  524
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+EASTERN TALES.
+
+Jalaladdeen of Bagdad.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+Once upon a time there lived in the city of Bagdad a young man called
+Jalaladdeen. It was not his native place; but, in his early days, his
+father had taken up his abode there. He was, however, little
+acquainted with the town, in which he had grown up a sturdy youth; for
+his father inhabited a small house in one of the suburbs, and lived a
+very retired and frugal life. They managed their household affairs,
+and cultivated their small garden, without the aid of any domestics.
+
+One day the father, feeling his end approaching, called for his son
+once more to his bed-side before his death, and said to him,
+"Jalaladdeen, my dearest son, thou seest that I have arrived at the
+bourne of my earthly career: now I should joyously quit this life,
+were it not for the thought that I must leave thee here alone. After
+my death, thou wilt find that thou are not so poor as thou mayest have
+conceived, and that too with good reason, from our hitherto contracted
+habits of life. Nevertheless, guard against the impression that thou
+art in possession of inexhaustible riches. Reflect that a year has
+three hundred and sixty-five days, and that the smallest expenditure,
+when it occurs daily, will in the end amount to no inconsiderable sum.
+Pay careful heed, therefore, to these my instructions, and be
+contented with the necessaries of life. Provide that which is
+indispensable to thy subsistence; but beware of purchasing
+superfluities. Man's wants increase daily, if he do not accustom
+himself in his early days to practise self-denial. But shouldest thou
+ever be so unhappy as to neglect these my sincere cautions, and
+consequently fall into poverty, I have only this piece of advice left
+for thee:--Take this rope, fasten it to the nail in yonder wall, and
+pull stoutly three times."
+
+After these words, with his latest strength he drew a new rope from
+under the head of his bed, and presented it to Jalaladdeen: the next
+moment he expired.
+
+So remarkable was the last lesson of the dying father to Jalaladdeen,
+that he carefully preserved the rope. The care of the funeral of the
+deceased, and the grief for the loss of his parent, and his own
+abandonment in the world, occupied Jalaladdeen's mind for the first
+week; but soon the household matters demanded his attention, and he
+speedily found his father's words verified. One day he discovered in a
+chamber which his father had always kept locked, and which he himself
+had never before entered, a great quantity of gold and jewels. He
+still, however, persevered in his accustomed solitary and frugal life
+in the same manner as before the death of his father. He fetched his
+daily provisions for himself, worked in his garden, and dressed his
+own food. One day it happened that as he went to fetch a piece of meat
+from his butcher, he passed a house adjacent to his own, from an inner
+room of which there sounded joyous voices, jokes, songs, and laughter.
+He felt a desire to open the door a little and to peep in; and a
+tastefully furnished chamber, hung with light blue silk draperies
+ornamented with golden lace, presented itself to his view. Beneath a
+canopy reclined five richly dressed young men at a table covered with
+a costly cloth, on which stood dishes and plates. On a side-board
+stood drinking-vessels and jugs; and five slaves were busily employed
+in serving the company with viands and liquors. At sight of this
+cheerful and joyous assemblage, Jalaladdeen felt discontented with his
+lot.
+
+"How happy are they!" said he to himself: "here they repose together,
+and take their refreshments in common, savoured by sprightly
+conversation and jokes. Alas! I, poor Jalaladdeen, must sit at home
+alone, and take my solitary meal!"
+
+While he was indulging in these reflections, one of the young men
+observed him; and, as Jalaladdeen was withdrawing, he stepped forward
+hastily and invited him in a most friendly manner to remain with them
+during the day, and to pass it in a cheerful and convivial spirit.
+Jalaladdeen endeavoured to excuse himself by pointing to his mean
+garb, intimating his inability to mix in such society; but his
+objections were of no avail. He was conducted to the table in a most
+courteous manner, and seated with them. The slaves waited on him, and
+placed before him viands with which he was at once pleased and
+astonished.
+
+As one of the slaves handed him a full goblet, he held it doubtfully
+in his hand for some time, without tasting it. Upon this, one of the
+young men, who appeared to be the host, said, "Why do you not drink?"
+
+"I do not know," replied he, "what the liquor is: I am fearful it may
+be wine, which our great Prophet has forbidden us."
+
+Hereupon all the company raised a hearty laugh at him.
+
+"Do you know," said one, "why the Prophet forbade his disciples to
+drink wine?"
+
+As Jalaladdeen replied in the negative, the other proceeded thus: "The
+Prophet observed many of his disciples, when they had partaken freely
+of the vine, brawling and quarrelsome; and therefore he forbade it.
+The beverage, however, was very different in its effects: some of them
+it rendered lazy and inactive; others, too, would defy the whole
+world, when heated by its influence. But why should he order us to
+shun it? He in fact allows us to use it, so long as we do not abuse
+it; and as we are all good companions, and avoid brawls in every
+possible way, there is no danger of neglecting the Prophet's command."
+
+In consequence of this explanation, Jalaladdeen lifted the flagon to
+his mouth, and emptied it with the greatest pleasure. "Sorry company
+spoils good liquor." This maxim was readily adopted. In consequence of
+his father's precepts, Jalaladdeen had always been in the habit of
+treating all religious tenets with the greatest respect. But fearful
+that, by remaining long with his new acquaintance, he should neglect
+his father's words, he contrived at first to drink very sparingly. The
+beverage, which he had hitherto never tasted, proved very agreeable to
+his palate; and when the host called upon him to drain his cup, "Ah,"
+thought he, "I have made one false step; I have erred from the right
+path! Whether I drink little, or empty the goblet, is of no great
+consequence; for I have broken the commandment of the Prophet."
+
+He quaffed again and again, and had his cup filled so frequently, that
+he gradually forgot all his good intentions, and felt a degree of
+excitement which seemed to run through his veins in a manner he had
+never before experienced. He had by this time lost all self-command;
+and as he could neither call sense nor recollection to his aid, by
+degrees he fashioned himself to the habits of his friends, and pleased
+them more and more.
+
+"Here, friend," said one of them at last, "your company is very
+pleasant. I wish to have you always with us, that we may revel and
+enjoy ourselves together."
+
+The others also approved of the plan, and pressed him to become one of
+them.
+
+"I would willingly do so," said Jalaladdeen; "but I must first know
+what your society is, and whether it would be proper for me to conform
+to its customs. Some associations are dangerous."
+
+"Have no fear on that account," said one: "our brotherhood is
+perfectly harmless, and its aim innocent. See, we are five
+unencumbered young men, each having some independent property. We have
+linked ourselves together, and formed a confederacy to meet at one
+another's residences, and to enjoy ourselves day after day in comfort
+and pleasure. He to whose lot it has fallen to become host to-day
+provides meat and drink, and if it should cost him something more than
+usual, he makes up the loss by becoming on the next occasions the
+guest of others. In this manner we pass a life devoid of care, and
+feast, joke, and laugh with one another the livelong day."
+
+The condition into which the wine and the luxuries of the table had
+brought Jalaladdeen disposed him to be well pleased with the offer,
+and he was easily induced to identify his lot with theirs. When
+evening drew on, and he rose to take his departure, they showed him
+the house of meeting for the morrow, and he returned to his own home
+delighted with the events of the day, and, retiring to rest, was soon
+locked in profound sleep, and lulled by happy dreams.
+
+When he awoke the next morning, he reflected on the transactions of
+the previous day, lamenting that he had so entirely disregarded his
+father's last words, and had totally neglected the observance of the
+Prophet's command. These thoughts, coupled with the admonition of his
+dying father, occasioned great anguish to his heart; and the
+recollection of the vast expense incurred by the feasting of the
+former day, and the calculation of the sum he should require to
+entertain his friends with similar hospitality, made him feel an
+inclination to withdraw from the connection; but, as he had pledged
+his word, he was reluctant to quit them at so early a stage.
+
+He then calculated what he should require, and proceeded to the
+chamber where his riches lay. But the sight of the treasures banished
+all cares from his breast; "for," thought he to himself, "if I should
+expend a sum similar to that of yesterday, I shall want but very
+little of this gold." He then took a bag of gold with him, and went
+out to purchase the necessaries for the banquet.
+
+On arriving at the city he took a porter with him, and bought various
+articles for the feast: a table for six, with a costly cover and
+carpet. From thence he proceeded to a silversmith, and purchased jugs,
+and flagons, and drinking-vessels, and other utensils for the table,
+superior to those of his friends. Then he visited a china-shop, and
+selected some of the handsomest porcelain china and Japan ware that
+was to be found, and provided himself with elegant services of plates
+and dishes. He continued in this manner furnishing himself with every
+useful and ornamental article for one of his largest rooms.
+
+While he was thus employed in collecting and dispatching to his house
+these various utensils, the time for assembling at his friend's house
+drew near. He accordingly bent his steps thither, and was most gladly
+welcomed. They sat down to table, and when the first course was
+served, "You should have brought a slave with you," said the host, "as
+we do: that is one of our customs."
+
+Jalaladdeen explained that he had not yet purchased a slave, but
+undertook to procure one by the following morning.
+
+The day passed, like the former one, in great glee and festivity. The
+second supply of wine was ordered, and Jalaladdeen took his first
+goblet with great hesitation; but this was soon dissipated by his
+friends, and his cup was filled again and again, till he became
+exactly in the same condition as on the previous occasion.
+
+After three or four days, he was altogether accustomed to his new mode
+of living; and he was at a loss to comprehend how he could have
+remained so long in his old quiet habits, blaming his father in his
+mind for keeping him in retirement so many years, and for depriving
+him of the happiness of a convivial life.
+
+He looked back with joy to the day upon which he had formed an
+acquaintance with his new friends, and congratulated himself on the
+prospect of a closer intimacy with them. He soon provided himself with
+two slaves: to one he confided the duties of the kitchen; the office
+of the other was to wait upon him and his friends.
+
+When the young men met for the first time at his house, they were
+astonished at its meanness and the want of accommodation, owing to the
+small size of the rooms. Jalaladdeen apologized to them, saying it had
+been his father's house, and that in consequence he did not wish to
+part with it. Though his companions approved of this motive, still
+they considered that he ought to provide a spacious dining-room for
+their comfort, or to build an open pavilion in the garden, where they
+might assemble more conveniently.
+
+"In this small chamber," said one, "it is impossible to enjoy oneself
+at ease: the room is so contracted and inconvenient."
+
+"Yes, brother," said another; "you must do something: a pavilion must
+be erected in the garden; and while you are about it, let it be both
+handsome and commodious."
+
+Then they suggested all kinds of plans for the building, each one
+pointing out some novel feature or other which he particularly begged
+might not be forgotten in its construction.
+
+Jalaladdeen was soon thoroughly convinced of the necessity of
+providing a large room for their comfort; and pledging himself now, as
+he knew what was required, to follow the suggestion of his friends, he
+promised to use his best endeavours to render the building conformable
+to their several tastes.
+
+He accordingly the next day sent for an architect, who well knew how
+to enlarge upon what was necessary for the solidity of the pavilion,
+what was requisite for its proper appearance, and what the cost of the
+building would be, and desired him to erect it. Jalaladdeen yielded to
+his opinion on every point, hoping to gain the praise and approbation
+of his friends; and in order to carry this out more fully, he would
+not suffer any one to enter the garden during the progress of the
+work.
+
+At length the pavilion was completed, and the friends were assembled
+together there for the banquet. Everything was deemed praiseworthy,
+and highly approved.
+
+At last, however, one exclaimed, "It is much to be regretted, friend
+Jalaladdeen, that your garden is so small. What a miserable prospect
+you have! On this side nothing but poor vegetable-gardens; on the
+other side that ugly old building obstructs the view. If I were in
+your place, I would buy up the land around, pull down the barracks and
+the little buildings adjacent, and thus make one vast pleasure-garden,
+befitting such a splendid pavilion."
+
+As the rest of the guests concurred, Jalaladdeen began to think
+himself that to erect a large handsome pavilion on such small grounds
+was indeed a mistake. He immediately, therefore, bought up all the
+small gardens, for which he was obliged to pay a very heavy
+price--firstly, because the owners did not wish to part with them; and
+secondly, as the produce of the ground was necessary for their
+subsistence.
+
+As he had now got the requisite space on all sides, he employed a
+skilful gardener to lay out the grounds tastefully; and in order to
+cultivate this new garden, and keep it constantly in proper order, he
+was compelled to enlarge his establishment by a head gardener and
+several assistants. His house was too small to accommodate them. He
+therefore built a dwelling-house for them on a suitable spot of the
+garden. Thus one foolish expenditure always renders another outlay
+necessary.
+
+Soon, by degrees, their manner of living became more and more
+expensive, as each endeavoured to excel the others in the splendour of
+his hospitality, and to procure for the next meeting at his house
+scarcer viands and more costly wines. In this manner they vied with
+each other, increasing their expenses with savoury spices and the most
+delicious perfumes.
+
+This daily intercourse, however, was soon discontinued; and they
+assembled every day at Jalaladdeen's pavilion. He took a delight in
+being continual host, on account of the praise they lavished upon him,
+and the assurance they gave him that his table produced the best fare,
+and that the taste of his saloon was of the most superior order. By
+this means, in a short time his treasures of gold were expended; still
+he comforted himself with his precious stones, of which he possessed
+an immense quantity. At last these gems were squandered away; and he
+offered one costly article after another to a jeweller for sale, who
+on each occasion named a less price than before. Soon his only
+remaining valuable ring was sold for a small sum; and Jalaladdeen
+entertained his friends for the last time.
+
+In the course of the banquet, he took the opportunity of explaining
+the state of his affairs, and begged some one of them to undertake the
+office of host, as they had been in the habit of doing. But his
+friends on this occasion received his announcement with great
+surprise.
+
+"Is it thus with you?" said one, in astonishment.
+
+"Are you obliged to have recourse to such means?" said another. "You
+have invited us here, and furnished your table most sumptuously; and
+are matters thus with you? If it be so, you are rightly served. Your
+profligate habits have led us into great expenses. 'T is good; you
+have given us a proof of what such things lead to."
+
+"What!" said a third, "do you wish us to take up the office of host in
+order to come to the same end at which you have arrived?"
+
+"I will give you some sound advice," said a fourth: "whenever you meet
+with a fool who is inclined to lay out his money in the purchase of
+such a poor tasteless garden as you have made, dispose of it to him,
+and with the proceeds take a little shop, and support yourself by
+trade."
+
+"Look to yourself," said the fifth: "I am very sorry for you; but I
+cannot help you."
+
+They then left him, some upbraiding him, others shrugging their
+Shoulders with pity.
+
+"These are friends indeed!" said Jalaladdeen, bitterly, as they
+deserted him. "Oh, why did I neglect my father's injunctions? Even on
+the first day of our acquaintance, I should have taken warning by
+their carelessness in disregarding the Prophet's commandment
+concerning the abuse of wine. Ah me! I am justly punished."
+
+He immediately began to retrench his household expenditure, and
+shortly his handsome tapestries and costly goods were all sold off,
+and he was reduced to the necessity of economizing most rigidly. But
+deeply as he felt the loss of those comforts which he had so lately
+enjoyed, his reflections bore still heavier upon him.
+
+In his contemplations one day on his unhappy lot, he laid himself
+down in the same chamber in which he had received his dying father's
+commands. Here he experienced the most bitter anguish for the
+past--looked forward with sorrow and amazement to the future, as he
+had no one to advise and counsel him. Here his eye lighted upon the
+nail in the wall; and the last words of his father rung again in his
+ears--"Take this rope; you will see a nail in the wall; fasten it, and
+pull three times."
+
+Jalaladdeen immediately opened a drawer where the rope lay, fetched a
+stool to the spot, made fast the end of the rope to the nail, and
+pulled with all his might. At the third pull he found he had torn the
+nail out of the wall, which had brought with it a square piece of
+board, thus leaving a large opening: he observed, too, that this was
+not the effect of chance, but of design. How great, then, was his
+astonishment when, on fetching a ladder, and looking into the opening,
+he discovered a much larger bag of gold, pearls, and other precious
+stones, than that one he found on a previous occasion, and which he
+had so thoughtlessly squandered. He now perceived that his father had
+prevented his touching this treasure until he should have learnt by
+misfortune how easily vast riches are dissipated, and should have been
+convinced by experience of the truth of his fatherly instructions and
+warning.
+
+In order to avoid falling again into the hands of his profligate
+friends, should they hear of his improved circumstances, and to rid
+himself of their company for ever, he sold his house, and bought
+another, moderately large, pleasantly situated in an open plain in the
+neighbourhood of a mosque. He fitted it up conveniently; for his
+wealth, though not limited, was still not superfluously large.
+
+When he took possession of his new house, the person who had sold it
+to him said, "I must leave something of my own here with you, as I
+have not been able to remove it, though with the best intention." He
+then conducted him into one of the apartments in which was standing a
+large copper vessel of elaborate workmanship. The cover of the vessel
+was sealed, and on the seal Jalaladdeen perceived the letters of a
+strange language.
+
+"Sir," said the former owner, "this chest has stood in this room from
+time immemorial. My father forbade me to break the seal, and declared
+that he who should lay his hand on it for such a purpose would suffer
+severely for his foolhardiness. I have, I confess, in former times
+felt a strong inclination to loosen the seal, but fear has hitherto
+deterred me; but to-day as I had all my furniture removed from this
+house, I had this chest also conveyed to my new dwelling; but scarcely
+had the porter placed it down, when it disappeared. However, I found
+it shortly afterwards in this room again, and ordered its removal a
+second time; but it was soon standing here again in its old place.
+Perhaps a tutelary genius, invisible to us, inhabits the house.
+However, as it will not suffer itself to be removed, you may keep it
+here in the name of the Prophet. But forget not my warning--leave the
+seal unbroken."
+
+Jalaladdeen felt half inclined to doubt these words; but nodding his
+head, he said to the man, "Well, well, leave the chest here; and if at
+any time I find it inconvenient, you will not, of course, object to
+remove it."
+
+Scarcely had the man quitted the house, when Jalaladdeen called a
+slave, and desired him to place the vessel in a corner of the house.
+
+"'T is an old chest," said he: "remove it; its old appearance does not
+correspond with the decorations of this room, which I intend to use as
+my sleeping-chamber. Now," said he to himself, "I shall see if the man
+has told the truth."
+
+The slave removed the chest without ceremony, and Jalaladdeen
+contemplated, for some time, with great earnestness, the spot where it
+had lately stood; and as it did not appear again, he fancied that he
+had rid himself of it for ever. All at once, however, it was standing
+on the same spot once more, without his having observed by what agency
+it had been done. He had it then removed again and again, and on each
+occasion it returned to the same chamber. Seeing at last all his
+efforts fruitless, he permitted it to remain. The adventure, however,
+was too remarkable to make no impression on his mind. He threw himself
+down in his clothes on his couch; but sleep was denied to him. A train
+of thought on the subject of the wondrous chest, and his fear on
+account of the warning he had received, disturbed his mind, and
+prevented him from taking any rest. There he lay awake till midnight,
+and saw the chest glittering in the light of the moon, which fell
+upon it as it streamed through the window.
+
+Curiosity at once overcame his fear: he started up and procured an
+iron tool with which he could break the seal of the cover, and took a
+hammer and chisel with him. With the aid of these instruments he broke
+through the leaden seal; but scarcely had it given way, when the lid
+opened, and a blue curling smoke arose from it, and from the midst of
+it issued a hideous old woman in a strange dress. She carried a crutch
+under her left arm, and held another in her right hand. She limped
+over the side of the vessel, and hobbling towards the astonished
+Jalaladdeen, said,
+
+"Fool, fool that thou art! is it befitting for thee, so young as thou
+art, to stand there like an old idler? Go forth into the world, and
+fetch the wonder-stone from Mount Massis, otherwise thou canst never
+be my husband."
+
+After these words she hobbled back on her crutch to the copper vessel,
+gathered herself together, as it were, into a ball, tumbled hastily
+in, and closed the cover on herself.
+
+Overcome with fear and astonishment, Jalaladdeen threw himself upon
+his couch; but the dawn of morning found him still awake. He
+endeavoured to beguile the day in the arrangement of his house; but,
+nevertheless, he could not chase from his memory the wonderful
+spectacle which he had witnessed, and the portentous words that
+attended it. He felt an uneasiness which he endeavoured in vain to
+subdue, nor could he rest satisfied until he had investigated the
+cause of his anxiety.
+
+At length he was so exhausted by the business of the day, fatigue, and
+want of rest, that he laid himself down early in the evenings and fell
+asleep; but at the hour of midnight he awoke again. He saw the vessel
+open, and the blue smoke arising from it, and from the midst of it the
+ugly old woman hobbled towards him, and cried out, as she swung her
+crutch to and fro in the air,
+
+"Fool, fool, young idle fool! think of the stone of Mount Massis,
+otherwise thou canst not be my husband."
+
+After these words she limped back again, gathered herself up as
+before, and the lid of the urn closed once more of itself.
+
+This occurred every night; but after that Jalaladdeen had recovered
+from the agitation caused by her first appearance, he slept as soundly
+as ever: still the old woman woke him night after night by thrusts in
+the ribs with her crutch, and on every occasion repeated the same or
+similar words.
+
+But she generally awoke him in the midst of a dream, in which he
+always saw a very beautiful young lady, who rose from a kingly throne
+near him, and touched him with her golden sceptre. To this succeeded
+the reality of the hideous old woman; and instead of the sceptre, the
+crutch was wielded against him.
+
+He often endeavoured by day to get the vessel removed; and sometimes
+even it was thrown into the river which flows by Bagdad; but still it
+always found its way back to his chamber at night. He then caused his
+couch to be removed to another room, but this was to no purpose, as
+the vessel always followed it. Thus matters went on, till the nightly
+disturbances, and still more the disturbed state of his mind, affected
+him to such a degree, that his health was very much impaired. He
+sought the advice of physicians, who prescribed all kinds of
+stimulants and restoratives; but their combined skill could not
+restore him to his lost rest. At length one of the physicians said to
+him,
+
+"My skill has done all it can, my medicines avail nothing: if your
+illness were really that of the body, you would have been restored to
+health long since; but if your indisposition has its source in the
+mind, my prescriptions cannot aid you. Seek a magician--that is my
+advice: he by his occult science may be enabled to discover the cause
+of your bad health, and to effect a cure."
+
+Jalaladdeen felt the truth of these words.
+
+"It cannot be denied," said he, "that the cause of my illness is
+seated in my mind, and till that be removed, my health cannot be
+restored."
+
+He then sought out one of the most skilful magicians of the day, and
+disclosed to him the circumstances of his nightly disturbance,
+assuring him, that before the first night on which the old woman had
+made her odious appearance out of the vessel, his rest had never been
+impaired. He ended by begging and entreating of him that he would use
+all his skill to make the vision cease, and to rid his house of the
+fatal urn.
+
+The magician consulted for some time with himself, and then addressed
+him thus:
+
+"You tell me that this vessel was fastened down by a leaden seal; if
+it be loose, let me see it."
+
+Jalaladdeen immediately conducted the magician to his house, and
+showed him the vessel, to which the seal was still attached. The
+magician studied with great attention the inscription on the seal, and
+then turning to Jalaladdeen, spoke thus:
+
+"All my skill put together could not accomplish your wishes: know that
+this is the seal of the great Solomon; and it is inevitable, that he
+who breaks it must become an inmate of the vessel. To counteract this
+fate is not in the power of the most mighty magician. You are in the
+hands of this old woman, and no human power or wisdom can extricate
+you from it."
+
+This speech involved Jalaladdeen in the greatest perplexity; he threw
+himself upon the ground, beat his breast, and sobbed and wept
+violently.
+
+"Whence," exclaimed he, "is the power of this hideous old woman? Shall
+I, to the end of my days, remain in her trammels? Shall she, even when
+I have recovered from my illness, and lie wrapped in sweet dreams,
+approach my couch, and rouse me with her crutch to listen to her
+croaking voice? Whither can I fly for comfort? I would rather die than
+drag on a miserable existence in such trouble and anxiety. Take this
+dagger, I pray you, and stab me, and thus put an end to my illness."
+
+With this he handed a dagger to the magician, and prayed him with many
+tears, as he bared his breast, to plunge it in, and rid him of his
+sufferings.
+
+"Heaven forbid that I should commit such an act," replied the
+magician. "You are, without doubt, destined for great deeds, which
+will be worthy of you, one of which is, that you should break the seal
+of the great Solomon. You tell me that the old woman has desired you
+to fetch the wonder-stone from Mount Massis; follow her advice,
+journey to the mountain, and work out your good fortune. Perhaps your
+fate may take another and a more prosperous turn."
+
+He lengthened out his speech in the same tone and spirit, and spoke
+seriously for some time, till at length he succeeded in quieting
+Jalaladdeen; so that he embraced the hope of being restored one day to
+perfect health.
+
+"But," said he to the magician, "whither shall I bend my course? where
+is Mount Massis? and even if I succeed in reaching it, how shall I
+discover the wonder-stone?"
+
+Hereupon the magician promised to consider all these points, and to
+give him the necessary instructions on the morrow.
+
+On the following night the ugly old woman appeared again out of the
+vessel; but did not, as on former occasions, rouse him with her
+crutch; but it seemed as though he woke of his own accord, and found
+her standing by his bed-side.
+
+"Now," said she to him, "will you at last be wise, and give up this
+idleness? it will prove advantageous both to you and me."
+
+She then addressed him in the most friendly terms, and left him in her
+usual manner.
+
+The next morning the magician made his appearance again, and gave him
+the necessary information as to the course to be pursued. He told him
+that the wonder-stone lay concealed in a stone castle about midway up
+Mount Massis; but that the enterprise required great patience,
+perseverance, and skill. With such words as these he brought his
+speech to a close, and left Jalaladdeen to his own reflections.
+
+"The mountain is difficult of ascent, and is guarded by vigilant
+genii: he who cannot comply with their singular demands must certainly
+sink under the dangers to be encountered, or at least withdraw from
+the attempt without bringing it to completion."
+
+Jalaladdeen assured the magician that he had sufficient patience to
+carry him through any trial, and that he was ready and willing to
+submit to any labour, if by that means he could rid himself of the
+illness from which he was at that time suffering.
+
+"Then," said he, "where is Mount Massis? which I have never before
+heard of."
+
+"You will know it, perhaps, by another name; it is also called Mount
+Ararat. There was, at some time or other, a great flood upon the
+earth, which destroyed every creature, man and beast, save one, who,
+with his wife and family, was warned by Allah; and placed in a large
+vessel, which floated upon the waters; then, as soon as the flood
+subsided, the ship remained fixed on one of the two ridges of the
+mountain; from this time the mount has been considered holy, and the
+spot most devoutly worshipped."
+
+"I have heard of it," replied Jalaladdeen; "but in which direction am
+I to journey, in order to discover this wonder-stone?"
+
+"You must follow the course of the Tigris," said he, "and then you
+will be at no great distance from the place."
+
+Jalaladdeen immediately set his house in order, hired some armed
+attendants, took from his chest some gold and valuable jewels, and set
+off on his journey, following the windings of the river. The road
+appeared pleasant to him, and no danger or misfortune occurred to
+annoy him; the weather was fine, and he feasted his eyes upon the
+various features of the country, which were most beautiful and
+enchanting, travelling cheerfully onward. He began to forget his old
+sorrows and grievances, and to enjoy an unusual degree of happiness,
+as he left behind him the vision of the ugly old woman; for she never
+visited him again from the time he quitted his home.
+
+At length he arrived with his suite on a high eminence, from which he
+beheld a most beautiful expanse of country, and in the distance the
+most charming scenery, from morning till night. In a corner of the
+valley a single hill towered up to the sky; farther on rose a chain of
+mountains; but the little hill was formed at the summit into two
+peaks. A cloud floated over their tops, one of which shot up more
+lofty than the other, and the sun cast a brilliant light upon them.
+But it was remarkable, that the nearer one approached the hill, the
+higher it appeared, and more majestic. At its base lay a very fruitful
+plain, and on the other side stood at little city.
+
+Jalaladdeen inquired the name of the city, and was told that it was
+Semaenum.
+
+"What!" said he, "Semaenum? How did it acquire this extraordinary
+name?"
+
+The people laughed at his simplicity, and inquired whether or not he
+had heard of the great flood from which only one man and his wife, and
+three sons with their wives also, escaped.
+
+"These eight persons," added they, "on their descent from the
+mountain, took up their abode here, and laid the foundation of the
+city."
+
+After this Jalaladdeen heard that the castle in which the wonder-stone
+was concealed lay on the other side of the hill; but still no one knew
+anything of the stone, nor had the inhabitants a satisfactory idea of
+the castle. But he was informed that so many extraordinary and
+gigantic masses of stone were standing in the various clefts of the
+mount, that their appearance was certainly that of a castle, and that
+the lofty crowning point in the distance resembled a tower.
+
+"However," added the relaters, "yonder spot is not accessible, nor has
+it ever been heard of, within the memory of man, that any one ever
+dreamt of attempting its ascent. Everybody dreads the road on that
+side of the hill, as it has been said that mighty genii carry on their
+orgies there; and there is also a tradition, that a traveller once
+undertook to attain the summit, but that he had never been known to
+return."
+
+As soon as Jalaladdeen had clearly ascertained from the inhabitants on
+which side of the hill the so-called castle was situated, he felt a
+strong inclination to journey on towards it at that minute, regardless
+of the warnings of the neighbouring people and the entreaties of his
+guide. He accordingly took some of his gold and jewels with him, and
+set off on his journey, ordering his guide to remain behind. He gave
+these last instructions to his servants:
+
+"If I return not in three months, you may regard my property here as
+your own; then go back each one to his home, or wherever his
+inclination may lead him."
+
+He soon lost his road, and arrived at unknown and intricate paths,
+with which the foot of the mountain was surrounded. Gradually the
+trees and all traces of vegetation disappeared, save here and there a
+tuft of close underwood, which sprang up in the clefts of the rocks.
+Round about him were piled blocks of stone of monstrous size, and his
+farther progress was soon altogether stopped. There rose before him a
+massive stone wall like a tower, which was so steep and smooth, that
+it was impossible to pass it. He therefore made a wide circuit round,
+and at last found himself in a broad chasm of the rock, which seemed
+to extend far into the mountain.
+
+Wild and unfrequented as this appeared, nevertheless he ventured to
+descend. The way was very laborious; he was often obliged to mount
+sharp-pointed masses of rock, often to wind along between crags and
+briars, often again to descend into deep abysses, down which rapid
+streams rushed violently, and then again to clamber up on the other
+side. At times he hung suspended from one side, searching out in vain
+a resting-place for his foot, to furnish him a support in his
+progress.
+
+At length, after long and incessant labour through a dangerous
+pathway, he arrived at the steep summit, from which he discovered
+massive walls and lofty towers, that appeared to be constructed of
+rough unhewn stone. With the last exertion of his exhausted strength,
+he ascended these heights, and found himself before an opening. He
+knew not whether this was merely a cleft in the rock resembling a
+doorway, or a doorway hewn in the rough rock like a natural chasm. It
+was formed of upright blocks of stone, on which was cast another of
+wonderful size; but there was no door. He laboured now more
+assiduously than ever through the thorns and pointed stones, which lay
+here and there over the little level space that extended in front of
+the opening, till he stood before the dark entrance. The gloom
+concealed the nature of the interior of the cavity from his view, and
+he stood for a short time on the threshold, thinking on his past
+trials and collecting his scattered senses. As he was about to enter,
+a man stepped up to him, armed with a bow and bearing on his back a
+quiver of arrows.
+
+"Take the bow," said he to Jalaladdeen, "choose yourself an arrow, and
+go do your duty."
+
+So surprised and astonished was he, that he seized the bow, drew an
+arrow from the quiver, and asked,
+
+"What is my duty? What shall I do?"
+
+"There," answered the man, pointing in the distance, "far beyond you
+must go; there is a great sea, which you must compass to its southern
+side, and then proceed through a wide expanse of plain until you
+arrive at a large inland lake, called the Eagles' Lake. There, every
+morning immediately after sunrise, you will see a swarm of black
+eagles on the shore, and among them a single white one. This kill,
+and, in proof of what you have done, bring back here the left wing."
+
+This announcement came like a thunderbolt upon the miserable
+Jalaladdeen, who had fancied that he had arrived very near the end of
+his journey. But now he was ordered to proceed still farther through
+an unknown tract of land. On looking back he saw that the sun had
+already sunk in the heavens, and that dusky and humid clouds were
+gathering over the sky; so, turning to the man, he said,
+
+"The night is fast drawing on, and I am very weary; and if I were to
+be exposed for so many hours in the abyss of this rocky ravine, I
+should certainly perish. May I not be permitted to pass the night
+here?"
+
+The man nodded assent, and ordered Jalaladdeen to follow him. They
+passed into a dark hall from the entrance, with a vaulted roof formed
+of rough blocks of stone, from which hung a single iron lamp, that
+spread a feeble and dim light around. His conductor left him here
+alone, and two domestics soon appeared. They brought him an ottoman,
+and made him understand by signs that he was to sit down. They then
+placed a table before him with meat and drink, and stationed
+themselves at a respectful distance from him, waiting to serve him. He
+ate and drank and refreshed himself after the labours of the day,
+while the attendants handed everything to him with the greatest
+attention.
+
+As soon as he had satisfied the craving of his appetite, they removed
+the table with its appendages, and beckoned to him to follow them.
+They conducted him through a side passage to a door, and when they had
+drawn back the curtain which hung before it, Jalaladdeen stood mute
+with astonishment.
+
+The chamber was precisely like his sleeping-room at Bagdad: every
+article of furniture was of the same size and colour as his, and
+occupied exactly the same position.
+
+"You are surprised at this chamber," said one of the attendants: "our
+master wished to make it as comfortable for you as possible after your
+long journey, and he thinks that a man never experiences more comforts
+than in his own house."
+
+With this they saluted him, and retired; but Jalaladdeen was too much
+astonished to sink to rest immediately; he accordingly walked round
+the room and inspected everything. It was his own chamber, with his
+own cushions, tapestries, and carpet; the curtains which he had
+purchased on entering his new house were there, and even the most
+minute article of furniture was the same; and that nothing might be
+wanting, there stood, on the precise spot, the fatal vessel which he
+had not been able to remove from his room by any means. Disagreeable
+as this last was, still he was so taken with surprise at the strange
+resemblance to his own chamber, that it made no impression on his
+mind; and at last he laid himself down on the couch, and Nature soon
+asserting her rights, he slumbered. He slept soundly throughout the
+night, and experienced the same happy dream which had so often visited
+him when at home. He saw a beautiful young maiden in princely garb,
+adorned with the most costly jewels, and at the moment that she raised
+herself from her queenly throne, and bent towards him her golden
+sceptre, he awoke, and the hideous old woman hobbled up to him.
+
+"Commit no rash act of folly," said she, in a hoarse croaking voice;
+"do not go without a dog: they _must_ give you one."
+
+She then turned herself about, shook her crutch at him in a menacing
+manner, and disappeared all at once into the vessel, as on every
+former occasion.
+
+"A dog!" said Jalaladdeen to himself: "what shall I do with such an
+unclean animal? However, she seems to know of the journey in store for
+me."
+
+And revolving the matter in his mind, it appeared to him better to
+follow her advice. In the midst of his thoughts he again fell fast
+asleep; and when he awoke, he found, to his no small surprise, that
+he had been slumbering in a chasm of the rock upon a bed of dried
+mountain grass.
+
+The sun shone in upon him, and before him stood the man who had given
+him the bow and arrow, and who immediately reminded him of his
+journey, and urged him to prepare speedily to do his duty. He arose at
+once, and declared himself ready.
+
+"But," said he, calling to mind the old woman's words, "could I not
+have a dog to accompany me on the way?"
+
+"Certainly," replied the man; and at his call a large dog with broad
+paws made its appearance, and began to run round him in a friendly
+manner, barking for joy. He then tore off a small piece of the hem of
+his garment, and having shewn it to the dog, gave it to Jalaladdeen,
+and said,
+
+"So long as you bear this with you, the dog will follow you wherever
+you go; be therefore careful of it. Now proceed, turn not back to the
+town, but go straight on to the east."
+
+The dog immediately bounded forward, and, on issuing from the hollow
+of the rock, turned toward the east. Jalaladdeen followed, and found,
+to his astonishment, a winding path, not altogether level, but still
+not very inconvenient. Whenever a dangerous spot showed itself at
+times, the dog discovered another path by which the danger might be
+avoided. Jalaladdeen therefore allowed him to run on before, and
+followed his steps.
+
+They soon reached the plain, and arrived at a hilly district, where
+the mountains rose higher and higher behind them in the distance. The
+land on the other side declined gently; and, afar off, they beheld the
+sea. Many days, however, passed before he was able to make the wide
+circuit which led to the southern side. He then found himself in a
+flat country, and, after a journey of fourteen days, arrived at the
+shores of the Eagle Lake. Jalaladdeen threw himself down, in the
+evening, upon a dry spot of the shore; for in the course of his long
+journey he had habituated himself to rest on the earth under the broad
+canopy of heaven.
+
+In the morning, his dog awoke him by a low barking and lively
+indications of restlessness. He had hardly risen from the ground, when
+the dog sprang joyously up to him, looking to one side, as though to
+direct his attention. On turning his eyes towards the spot, he
+discovered a great multitude of black birds hovering over the trees,
+and felt satisfied that they were the eagles. He then looked anxiously
+for the white one, which he was to kill; but in vain. Whilst he was
+engaged in the search, the dog made a circuit, and crept close to them
+beneath some bushes; then, by a sudden loud bark, he dislodged them
+from the spot, and they flew in the direction of Jalaladdeen, across
+the lake. He, on a sudden, discovered the snow-white eagle among the
+others, and bent his bow, and, although the bird was now at so great a
+distance that no ordinary shot could have reached it, still the arrow
+flew straight to its mark, and he saw the object of his aim fall far
+from the shore into the blue waters of the lake.
+
+"What avails my fortunate shot?" said he, looking with vexation on the
+waves which bore it farther from the shore.
+
+Immediately the dog plunged hastily into the water, and swimming with
+extraordinary rapidity, seized the eagle in his mouth, and brought it
+safely to his master. Jalaladdeen quickly drew out the arrow, which
+had pierced it through the middle of the body, and cutting off the
+left wing, secured it to his person. During this operation, he had
+smeared his fingers with blood; and, as he was wiping it off on the
+inside of his girdle, the little piece of the man's garment, which he
+had hitherto kept safely, fell to the ground without his noticing it.
+Hereupon the dog caught up the body of the eagle, which Jalaladdeen
+had thrown away, and ran off with it at full speed.
+
+Jalaladdeen called repeatedly to the dog, and coaxed him to return,
+but in vain; so he proceeded home on his way alone. He certainly met
+with nothing of material import to molest him in his journey;
+nevertheless he had to encounter a thousand little obstacles, which
+very much impeded his progress. He could not discover the path by
+which he had originally come, but frequently arrived at places where
+there was no road, or at thick forests, through which he was obliged
+to hew a path with his sabre, and to pass the night upon the naked
+earth beneath the open sky.
+
+After a much longer journey than before, and many different detours,
+he arrived at a spot from which he could see the two-pointed head of
+Mount Massis. When, after some days, he came to the foot of the mount,
+he was in hopes of finding the path by which he had descended in
+company with the dog; but he looked for it in vain, and was obliged to
+climb up by one of the dreadful rocky ravines, at the risk of his
+life, as on a former occasion.
+
+At length, weary and exhausted, he arrived at the opening, and was
+about to enter, with the eagle's wing in his hand, when the man who
+had given him the bow and arrow presented himself before him, and
+said,
+
+"Hast thou done thy duty?"
+
+Jalaladdeen immediately placed the wing in his hands.
+
+"Good," replied the other; "I will see if it be the right one."
+
+He then called the dog by name, who immediately appeared from the
+castle, carrying the eagle's body in his mouth.
+
+As soon as the man had applied the wing to the place from which it had
+been cut, and compared it with the other, he said to him, nodding
+approvingly, "'T is well: I have that which I wanted. But stay here a
+moment; my brother will come to you, and inform you what you must do
+for him, if you wish to have your desire fulfilled." With these words,
+he entered the hollow again, and the dog accompanied him.
+
+Jalaladdeen followed him with his eyes; and then, sighing deeply,
+said, "Another labour still! I fancied I had already discovered the
+wonder-stone of Mount Massis, and now I must journey out into the
+world again on anew adventure. God knows whither the brother will send
+me."
+
+His soliloquy was interrupted by the appearance of a man, who stepped
+forward from the opening, and presented to him a lance with a
+glittering steel head.
+
+"Take it," said he, "and with it do thy duty."
+
+Jalaladdeen took it, and intimated his readiness to undertake the
+mission, at the same time asking, "What is my duty?"
+
+The man answered, "On the way hence to Mount Lebanon, on the other
+side of the Tigris and Euphrates, the traveller comes, after a journey
+of some days, to a vast desert. There, in the middle of a large
+barren and sandy plain, lies a fruitful oasis, watered by a little
+stream, on whose brink grow tall palms, refreshing the wanderer with
+their shade and fruit. But the neighbourhood of the palms is
+frequented by a monstrous lion of a dark colour,--the only one that
+has wandered into the district,--and his ferocity renders it dangerous
+to rest beneath their shade. This you must kill--not only for the
+safety of future travellers, but in order to accomplish your own
+wishes. Then bring here to me the lion's tail; you will hereafter need
+it."
+
+Again it was evening; and Jalaladdeen begged permission to recruit his
+strength and refresh himself by a night's rest. The man assented, and
+made a sign that he should follow him. In the hall he was again
+provided with meat and drink by the two attendants; and after his
+repast, they conducted him to the same door, drew back the curtain
+from before it, and he again, to his utter amazement, found himself in
+his own sleeping-chamber at Bagdad. Once more he recognized every
+article of furniture as his own, or exactly similar to his own, and
+the copper vessel standing precisely on the same spot. He then threw
+himself on his couch, and was soon locked in deep slumber. But at the
+hour of midnight he was again roused from his dream by the hideous old
+woman, who stood by his bed-side, flourishing her crutch in a
+threatening attitude, and calling upon him in a hoarse, croaking
+voice,
+
+"See thou commit no rash act of folly," she cried. "Go not on foot to
+the desert, otherwise the floating clouds of sand will bury thee for
+ever before thou arrivest at the palms; or if thou shouldest attain
+the spot, the lion will tear thee in pieces if he find no other booty.
+They must give thee a camel: see that thou demand it." At these words
+she shook her crutch at him, and disappeared into the vessel.
+
+"A camel!" said Jalaladdeen to himself: "can they possibly have camels
+in this unfrequented place? And even if they had, how could I descend
+to the plain with such a beast, through the clefts in the rocks, from
+this height?"
+
+His weariness was so great that, amid a chain of thoughts that
+attended the vision, he fell fast asleep again. The next morning he
+was awoke by the man who gave him the lance, and he discovered himself
+at the opening of the rock, as on a former occasion. The sun again
+shone through the hollow, and the man said to him,
+
+"'T is time that you should make ready to do your duty: take the bow
+and arrow, together with my lance, and journey on to the desert."
+
+At the moment he called to mind the injunction of the old woman, and
+answered, "For my passage through the desert I shall require a camel."
+
+"Then thou shalt have one," replied the man; and, on emerging a second
+time from the opening, there stood a camel, ready furnished with many
+necessaries for his comfort and convenience during the journey.
+
+To his astonishment, after he had mounted the animal, it proceeded by
+an easy pathway down the side of the mountain; and, although he could
+see nothing but impassable spots, huge blocks of stone, and deep
+abysses both before and behind, still the camel travelled on by a
+level and gently declining track.
+
+On this occasion, too, his journey was more prosperous and far more
+speedy than at the first. He arrived at the desert without any mishap,
+and in the evening reached the fruitful strip of land where the palms
+stood. The camel immediately refreshed itself with water, while
+Jalaladdeen's repast consisted of dates from the neighbouring trees.
+He then allowed the camel to browse upon the brink of the stream,
+while he resigned himself, without care, to rest beneath the shade. He
+was soon, however, terrified by the roar of a lion, which sounded
+close to him; accordingly he sprang up hastily, seized his arms, and
+took up a position behind some large palms, which concealed him from
+the sight of his approaching enemy. Soon the lion drew on with rapid
+strides, and was about to rush upon the browsing camel, when
+Jalaladdeen shot an arrow, which took effect in his right eye.
+Scarcely had the dart reached the lion, when he sprang vengefully
+forward on his foe, whom he had but that moment discovered.
+Jalaladdeen, nothing daunted, stepped boldly forwards, and thrust at
+him with the point of his lance; but the lion bounded on with such
+force, that he could not withstand the attack: he fell, and the whole
+bulk of the lion rolled over him. Jalaladdeen gave himself up for
+lost: he lay senseless some time, and when he had recovered
+sufficiently to comprehend his dreadful situation, the moon was high
+in the heavens. He was very weak, and bruised all over the body, and
+he felt some great weight upon him. By means of considerable exertion,
+he released himself, and remarked for the first time that his clothes
+were saturated with blood. He immediately fancied that he had been
+wounded by the teeth or claws of the lion, and accordingly rolled over
+to the water and washed himself; but, after a very careful examination
+of his person, he could not discover a wound. The coolness of the
+water refreshed his limbs, and eased the pain of the bruises in the
+various parts of his body. After this he was soon enabled to stand up,
+and he found that the weight which had been pressing upon him was the
+lion, dead and stiff, and soaked in his blood. In its bound forward it
+had pierced itself with the lance, and had fallen to the ground, in
+consequence of the furious attack it was designing. The body of the
+dead lion proved a soft pillow, and its bulk was so immense that
+Jalaladdeen could recline at full length upon its back with great
+ease. In this manner he slept on, and did not rise till broad
+daylight, when he felt himself fully refreshed and well. He then cut
+off the lion's tail, and remounted the camel, which had strayed to a
+short distance from the spot.
+
+The return to the castle on the mount was prosperous, and not marked
+by any particular adventure. He soon left the desert behind, and found
+himself at the foot of Mount Massis. But as evening was approaching,
+he considered whether it would be better to rest till morning, and
+then ascend the acclivity; the camel, however, perseveringly trotted
+on with that zeal which animals generally show when approaching their
+accustomed dwelling.
+
+The last gleam of day had not disappeared in the western sky when he
+found himself in the little chamber before the well-known entrance of
+the castle. Although the distance from the foot of the hill thus far
+up to the castle, notwithstanding the rapid steps of the beast, had
+occupied the greater part of a whole day, yet it appeared that it
+could now be accomplished in the short space of a single hour.
+Jalaladdeen could not comprehend how he had reached it so rapidly; but
+it occurred to him for the first time that he had never seen so
+extraordinary a pathway, or one accompanied with so much difficulty
+and danger. He contemplated with surprise the rapidity with which he
+had completed this journey, and made a sign to the camel to kneel, to
+give his rider an opportunity of descending and unloading him. He took
+his arms and the lion's tail, and entered the gate of the castle.
+
+On his entry he was met by a man, who took his lance from him and
+said, "Hast thou done thy duty?"
+
+And as Jalaladdeen presented to him the lion's tail, he said that he
+had failed in nothing.
+
+"Good," said he; "but still I will put it to the test, to prove
+whether you are right."
+
+He then called out aloud four names, upon which immediately appeared
+four large dogs out of the chasm in the rock, dragging after them the
+dead body of the dark lion. The man now applied the tail to the lion's
+body, and on finding that it corresponded, "Good," said he; "I have
+now what I desire. Wait, however, a short time, and my brother will
+come and tell you what he requires you to do for him, if you are
+inclined to see your wishes fulfilled." With these words he retired
+into the castle, and the four dogs dragged in the lion after him.
+
+"Alas!" said Jalaladdeen, "I have not yet accomplished my labours! Who
+knows how many brothers may be dwelling here together? And if I
+receive only a slight demand from each of them, a year may elapse ere
+I obtain the wonder-stone."
+
+He had scarcely uttered these words when the third brother advanced,
+and handing to him a basket made of rushes, accompanied it with the
+words, "Go and do thy duty."
+
+He inquired what was his duty, and received this answer: "Go and fetch
+water."
+
+"What!" said he; "fetch water in a basket! It will run out between the
+rushes!"
+
+The man shrugged up his shoulders, and said, "That is for you to look
+to: water you must bring in this basket, and without the aid of any
+other vessel; for you will stand in need of the water."
+
+"That is impossible," replied Jalaladdeen. "Set me to any other kind
+of work--send me into a distant country on the other side of the
+Caucasus, let me herd with wild beasts, and I will, without making any
+objection, obey your injunctions, even at the risk of my life; but do
+not require impossibilities of me."
+
+"'T is not impossible," answered the man. "Reflect: I dare not say
+anything more to you. You have till morning to consider what you will
+do. Come in here and refresh yourself with food and rest."
+
+Jalaladdeen followed him, and was conducted into a chamber, where he
+was abundantly supplied with viands and liquors. The bed-room
+appropriated to him was that in which he had formerly rested and known
+as his own; and he laid himself down, exhausted and overcome with
+grief on account of the new demand made upon him. He awoke again at
+midnight, and the little old woman stood once more before him with her
+uplifted crutch.
+
+"Commit no rash act of folly," said she. "Seek not water out of the
+deep: carry _that_ not in thy basket; the water which thou must bring
+in it will not escape through it. Step out; above thou wilt find the
+water I speak of; thence thou must fetch it. Dost thou hear? Be not
+foolish: hast thou lost thine understanding?"
+
+After she had disappeared, as on previous occasions, Jalaladdeen
+rolled about for some time on his couch, sleepless and perplexed with
+care. It appeared to him like an unsolvable riddle.
+
+"What! shall I not fetch water from the depth, whence commonly springs
+and streams flow? and yet shall I go upwards? and am I to carry it in
+a simple wicker basket?"
+
+At last, however, he fell asleep again, and was awoke in the morning,
+with positive orders to make ready to do his duty. As he was
+preparing, he said, "The way up the rock and the oft-frequented path
+is dangerous; could I not get a travelling-staff to help me?"
+
+"Here is one ready," answered the man, handing him a long pole, made
+of a light tough wood, with a strong iron spike fixed to it. He then
+shook him heartily by the hand, and let him out of the opening.
+
+When he gained the exterior, he looked all around him. He hoped to
+discover some track which would indicate in what direction he should
+set out; but stones and ruins, the effects of a great convulsion of
+nature, surrounded, in a wild and unnatural confusion, the small and
+even spot before the entrance of the castle. But what most astonished
+him was, that the road which had appeared formerly to be impassable
+for his camel should now present an even and unencumbered path. At
+last, after various attempts, by great good fortune, he found a part
+where, by help of his travelling-staff, he was able to climb up the
+projecting mass of rock. On the other side he found a spot by which he
+could, without much danger, descend into a large plain. It seemed to
+him like the same piece of rock on which he, in the first instance,
+had got in proceeding from the castle. He was nearly, from this
+circumstance, led to descend there; but he thought of the warning
+given to him by the old woman in good time, who had advised him not to
+fetch water from the bottom, but from the summit, and he accordingly
+bent his steps upwards. But here the road lay through enormous
+fragments of rock, choked up at intervals with briars and thorns. At
+length, after frequently-repeated efforts, he succeeded in journeying
+on a short distance by the help of his travelling-staff, when a spot
+presented itself where there was a chasm in the rock, which it was
+impossible for him to surmount. He was accordingly obliged to turn
+sideways till he had passed it, in order to follow up his prescribed
+route. He toiled on with intense exertion, endeavouring to reach the
+summit of the rock, for more than an hour; but, from various
+obstacles, had not made any great progress. At last, worn out with
+fatigue, he sat himself down beneath the shade of an overhanging crag,
+to recruit his strength, in order to renew the attempt with increased
+vigour.
+
+Up to this time, through all his wanderings, he had not found a stream
+from whose source he was able to draw water. He had certainly seen in
+deep hollows small rivulets issuing from the rock, which by their
+fall covered the neighbouring plain with white flakes of foam. Still,
+although he persevered assiduously, he could not discover one spot
+which he could approach sufficiently near.
+
+He was by this time suffering intensely from thirst; for,
+notwithstanding the height at which he had arrived, where the cold was
+more severe than in the hollows beneath, still his anxiety, and his
+journey upwards beneath the midday sun, had parched his lips, and he
+had not yet been able to reach a stream at which to moisten them.
+
+"Fool, fool that I am!" exclaimed Jalaladdeen, bitterly; "why should I
+thus exhaust my strength? If I attain the summit of the hill, I shall
+meet with no water; or even if I were to find a spring at the top of
+it, still I should not be able to carry its waters in a rush basket."
+
+He then reasoned with himself whether or not it were better to return;
+but then the thought flashed across his mind that the words of the old
+woman had on two previous occasions been fully verified. He therefore
+determined to follow her advice once more.
+
+"Did she not assure me," said he, "that I should find water enough
+above me? 'T is passing strange: the streams certainly flow thence, or
+remain still in their channels."
+
+With this he set forward again on his ascent, and it now appeared that
+he had advanced much farther than he had been aware of, and in a
+shorter space of time. He had not proceeded far when he arrived at a
+spot hollowed out, and sheltered from behind by a large mass of rock.
+In this cavity was a quantity of snow and ice, which the air at that
+height could not melt, and to which the rays of the sun could not
+penetrate through the surrounding masses.
+
+Jalaladdeen laid himself down to rest at the edge of the snow, and
+refreshed himself with its grateful coolness by taking a small
+quantity in his hands, and by applying it to his lips. He first of all
+moistened the exterior of his mouth, and then swallowed a little with
+great pleasure. This at once solved the mystery of the problem.
+
+"Here," said he, "is a large expanse of snow: the tops of the
+mountains are covered with it. What is snow but water? and such water
+I can easily carry in my rush basket; and even if some should melt in
+the journey, it cannot all dissolve and escape."
+
+He then began immediately to fill the basket with clean snow from the
+middle of a heap, and to render it more firm, he pressed it together
+with his hands. As soon as he had filled his basket, he set off
+joyously on his return; but it seemed as though he must again have
+taken a different route, as he did not meet in the course of his way
+one of the thousand obstacles that had impeded his progress on his
+journey in search of this water.
+
+The last traces of sunlight were fast disappearing in the west when he
+found himself at the entrance of the castle. Immediately the three
+brothers advanced to meet him.
+
+"See," said the third, who had imposed this last mission on him, "see,
+thou hast brought us water in a rush basket."
+
+With these words they ushered him into the interior, and gave him the
+joyful intelligence that he had now accomplished everything that was
+necessary to put him in possession of the wonder-stone.
+
+"You must know," said they, "that the wonder-stone is concealed in an
+iron chest; but the bolt, by lapse of time, is so thoroughly rusted
+that no power has yet been discovered sufficient to force it back and
+to disclose the contents. There is, however, a tradition that he who
+shall be deemed worthy to possess this treasure, and who shall have
+successfully performed all our commands, shall be endued with power to
+draw back the bolt--a feat which has been deemed impossible for many
+hundred years. But, as destiny often depends on circumstances which
+mortals consider trivial and insignificant, so in this case a
+combination of materials is requisite, by whose agency alone a sure
+and happy success can crown our hitherto prosperous attempts. It
+would, doubtless, be imagined that a rusty bolt might be moved by the
+application of a little oil or grease, of whatever nature it might be;
+but in this case nothing save that portion of marrow which is
+contained in the lion's tail will be efficient, and this, too, must be
+boiled in water fetched in a rush basket. Nor is this all: the marrow
+must be applied with three feathers plucked from the left wing of a
+white eagle, the king of eagles in Eagle Land."
+
+After these words they conducted him into a chamber; in the middle of
+it stood a large iron chest, whose cover was fastened down by seven
+strong iron bolts.
+
+"Behold the chest in which the wonder-stone is hid," said they. "Let
+us proceed to work immediately."
+
+Hereupon they brought in a cauldron, and filled it with snow from the
+rush basket, and placed it on a fire in the kitchen. The lion's tail
+was then cut into pieces and thrown into the water; the fat was soon
+extracted, and floated at the top. Then the first of the three
+brothers brought in the eagle's wing, and Jalaladdeen was ordered to
+pluck out the three outside feathers, and with them to anoint the
+bolts. While he was thus occupied, a drop of the fat fell upon his
+hands, which he rubbed over them.
+
+"Right, right!" said another brother, who had observed it with great
+satisfaction; "it is very strengthening to the limbs."
+
+And he accordingly rubbed both his hands and feet, and immediately
+experienced a pleasurable sensation of new vigour.
+
+Jalaladdeen had been exceedingly fatigued by the toils of the day;
+nevertheless by this application he felt as recruited as he had on
+other occasions in consequence of a prolonged and peaceful slumber.
+
+"The marrow has done its work," said the second brother; "it has
+already unclosed the bolt. Approach, then, and open the chest."
+
+Jalaladdeen bowed, and with great apparent ease withdrew the bolts. As
+soon as he had lifted up the lid he beheld a beautiful gem, which
+appeared to be a rare specimen of the onyx. In the middle of it was a
+golden hook, to which a chain was attached, by which it might be
+suspended from the neck. Upon the stone was an engraving of an altar,
+upon which a sacrificial fire was burning, and before it a suppliant
+family bowed the knee; over this was thrown a white vestment archwise
+in the form of a rainbow.
+
+"Is this really the wonder-stone?" said Jalaladdeen, gazing on it with
+rapture.
+
+"It is," replied the brothers; and continuing, "Hail, thou happy
+youth!" they exclaimed; "hail, prince! thou wilt shortly be seated on
+the throne of thy fathers."
+
+"A Prince!" cried Jalaladdeen, in astonishment; "a Prince! My father
+died at Bagdad, a quiet, retired man, and never in the whole course of
+my life did I hear him say that he had ever been a King."
+
+"He was a King," exclaimed one of the brothers; "but his subjects made
+war against him, and drove him into exile; they then elected another
+Sultan, who sat upon the throne there many years. He is since dead,
+and the people are not unanimous in raising his daughter to the
+queenly station. They are divided into two factions, opposed to one
+another with the most dreadful hatred and animosity. Go thither, and
+give thy people peace."
+
+"Whither shall I go?" asked Jalaladdeen, anxiously. "How shall I
+procure myself to be recognized as their lawful monarch?"
+
+"That will be easily accomplished," answered one of the brothers, "by
+the agency of this wonder-stone. Place the chain round thy neck, and
+support the gem on thy breast. Now come," said they, as soon as he had
+complied with this direction; "thou hast no time to spare: refresh
+thyself, as though for a long journey, with meat and drink, and then
+set out."
+
+They then conducted him into an adjoining room, and waited upon him
+themselves; after his repast they handed to him a crystal goblet
+filled with a liquor most agreeable to his palate, superior to any
+drink he had formerly tasted.
+
+"Now proceed onward," said they: "this is the first step towards your
+happiness."
+
+One of them then traced a small cross with his forefinger upon the
+wall, and immediately there opened a small vaulted chamber.
+
+"What!" said Jalaladdeen, "am I to enter that gloomy hole?" shuddering
+and involuntarily drawing back, in consequence of the cold damp vapour
+that issued from it.
+
+"Hand him another goblet to refresh himself," said one of the
+brothers, and at the same time filling one for him.
+
+Then the third brother presented to him the eagle's wing and the tip
+of the lion's tail, which had been reserved from the cauldron, and the
+arrow and lance, too, with which he had killed them.
+
+"Forward! On, in the name of the Prophet!" was the next command.
+
+"I obey," answered Jalaladdeen; "but suffer me before my departure to
+ask, Who are ye?"
+
+"We are three genii," said they, "sent here by the King of Spirits, as
+keepers of the mysteries of the holy Mount Massis. But proceed, in
+order that thou mayest arrive in due time at thy destination." They
+led him to the opening, and as he was stooping down to enter it,
+"See," said they, "if thou shouldst return by this way, throw upon the
+ground this wing of the eagle and the tail of the lion, and call out
+in a loud voice our names, Arjeh, Neschar, and Mana-Guma. We shall
+then know what thou requirest."
+
+With these words the passage closed upon him, and he found himself in
+such dense darkness that there was not a single glimmer of light
+through the whole space. The ground as he advanced was even, and for
+the first few steps he could walk upright, so that it did not seem
+inconvenient. Suddenly, however, he came to a gradual declivity, and
+after a few steps he felt the bottom sinking beneath his feet. He
+could no longer remain upright, but sank upon his knees, and
+eventually sat himself down; for it gave way more and more, and the
+more he struggled the lower he sank. At last he bent forward with his
+head laid upon his knee, as he was completely exhausted, in
+consequence of the rapid though gradual fall of earth. How long he
+might have been descending he could not tell, as his self-possession
+had entirely deserted him; and when he recovered himself, he seemed to
+be just awakening out of a sound sleep. This commotion was suspended
+for a moment, and he felt the spot on which he was seated rising up
+again; but it soon descended, and continued to ascend and descend with
+unceasing force and rapidity. But at times he lost all consciousness,
+and recovered his recollection again as the motion changed and
+proceeded downwards. In this manner was he driven from sleeping to
+waking, overcome with exhaustion and perplexed with the darksomeness
+of his journey. How long he was in this gloomy passage he knew not: at
+one time he thought that the journey had been one of several days; but
+then this could not be so, as he had not even once experienced the
+cravings of hunger or thirst: as he had not suffered in this
+particular, he felt convinced that the time that had elapsed was much
+less, and that it must have appeared so from his total abstinence.
+
+At length he perceived a small gleam of light at the farther end of
+this way, and by it he observed that he was in a narrow part of a
+subterranean chamber, which seemed scarcely large enough to admit his
+body. His movements, however, were so quick that he brought himself
+nearer and nearer to the light at every step, till at last he
+succeeded in extricating himself. He found himself standing upon a
+mount on a spot hitherto unknown to him, which was illumined by the
+sun from the opposite horizon. Here he remained, gazing joyously
+around, and breathing now for the first time the pure fresh air.
+
+On a sudden he heard a loud warlike sound at the foot of the hill;
+and, on a closer inspection, he discovered several companies, ranged
+in battle order half-way up the hill, and preparing for the attack.
+Without allowing himself time for reflection, he threw the lion's tail
+and eagle's wing to the ground, exclaiming at the same time in a loud
+voice the names of the three genii of Mount Massis, "Arjeh, Neschar,
+Mana-Guma!"
+
+Scarcely had he uttered the last word, when he found himself mounted
+upon a noble white steed with a black tail, the arrow in his left
+hand, and the spear in his right; and without his taking hold of the
+reins, which were ornamented with gold and precious stones, the
+tractable steed flew along the hill rapidly, and bore him safely
+between the two contending factions.
+
+"What are you doing?" exclaimed Jalaladdeen in a tone of anger to both
+parties, who immediately ceased their hostile contentions, through
+their amazement at the sudden appearance of the stranger horseman.
+"What is the cause of this deadly feud?"
+
+At these words a joyous train of voices proceeded from the band upon
+his right hand; and the combatants immediately threw down their
+weapons, exclaiming,
+
+"This, this is he who shall bring peace to our people! This is the
+appointed Sultan! Lo! it was prophesied that he should appear upon a
+white horse with a black tail, upon the longest day of the year. Hail,
+Sultan! all hail!"
+
+Upon this the commander of the company approached Jalaladdeen with
+submission, bending before him with his arms crossed upon his breast;
+and the troops threw themselves upon the earth, each one bowing low
+with his forehead to the dust.
+
+Hereupon the leader of the opposite faction sprang forward, crying
+out, "Down with them! down with them!"
+
+But Jalaladdeen's horse turned towards him instinctively, and bore him
+to the band.
+
+"Why would you prolong the strife and contest?" cried he. "What is
+your complaint?"
+
+"They carry arms for Gulnaschare," was the answer. "Dost thou not know
+that a young maiden dares to rule over a people of warlike
+customs--that she arrogates to herself a right to the throne, alleging
+that thus it hath been decreed she should reign until the son of the
+late banished Sultan shall appear, who is the appointed one to share
+the sovereignty? Canst thou be such a stranger in the country as to be
+ignorant of the prediction of the prophet and the astrologers? and how
+she has led her subjects into grievous error, to the effect that the
+Prince Jalaladdeen would appear in a wonderful manner in the country
+on the longest day of the year, and fall upon his enemies with the
+strength of a lion and the swiftness of an eagle?"
+
+Upon this Jalaladdeen cried out aloud, "The people have not been led
+into error, nor have they been deceived; they have heard the truth.
+Behold, I am Jalaladdeen; and if ye do not all, to a man, cease from
+your hostilities, ye shall be made to feel the strength of the lion
+and the swiftness of the eagle."
+
+But the leader of the party said, "What! hast thou suffered thyself to
+be deceived, and to be made an advocate of the imposition? Now our
+arms must decide it."
+
+At these words they pressed upon him and drew near, when Jalaladdeen
+wielded his lance with the swiftness of lightning, and with
+extraordinary strength and courage beat them off, one after the
+other. His steed gave a joyous neigh, and bounded forward among the
+crowd; while the troops of Gulnaschare followed after him, seeing his
+perilous position.
+
+When the enemy saw their leader weltering in his blood, and the
+courageous youth heading their antagonists, they fled in disorder;
+some even threw their arms from them, and surrendered at discretion.
+
+Jalaladdeen and his troops pursued the fugitives; but so fleet was his
+steed, that he found himself alone in the midst of the flying, while
+his band had not yet come up. As soon as the enemy perceived this,
+they surrounded him and enclosed him in a large circle. In this
+emergency the swiftness of the eagle and the strength of the lion
+proved necessary to him; and his steed, as though endued with reason,
+turned itself about continually, shooting quick glances like lightning
+from its eyeballs, so that Jalaladdeen could perceive every man in the
+circle who stood near him. In this manner he struck them to the
+ground, or shot them through before they had determined upon their
+method of attack, or could see through his manoeuvres. But, to his
+astonishment, he found that he had a fresh arrow in his hand after
+every shot from his bow. In a short time there was a large circle of
+killed and wounded round him. At length his own army arrived; and the
+enemy again took to flight. Jalaladdeen pursued after them again, to a
+narrow pass, whence there was no escape. Here they threw themselves
+upon their faces, and humbly sought for mercy. Jalaladdeen then
+proceeded to the capital of the country, followed by his warriors, and
+accompanied by a train of many thousand prisoners and captured foes.
+
+The news of his appearance upon the hill, and the account of the
+victory which he had subsequently gained, had already reached the
+city; and the elders poured out to the gate to meet him. The prophets
+and astrologers also flocked together to welcome him as the appointed
+Sultan, and to escort him to the royal palace. The streets through
+which they passed were magnificently decorated; and the joy of the
+populace was such as greets an ancient and once loved lord on his
+entry into his capital.
+
+In the palace yard the upper officers of the household, the servants
+of the Court, and the slaves, were drawn up to welcome him with
+becoming respect. Here he dismounted from his horse, passed up the
+steps, and proceeded through the colonnades and antechambers which led
+to the throne-room, where Gulnaschare was seated, surrounded by a
+splendid retinue.
+
+The royal maiden rose from her throne at his entrance; but how amazed
+and confused was Jalaladdeen! She was not altogether unknown to him;
+for he now saw before him in reality the young maid who had been so
+often present to him in his dreams, out of which he had been so
+repeatedly roused by the old woman belabouring him with her crutch.
+She gazed upon him with an affectionate smile; and as he drew near,
+she descended the steps of her throne, extended to him the golden
+sceptre, and touched him with the point of it.
+
+"Hast thou the wonder-stone from Mount Massis?" said she.
+
+Jalaladdeen was too confused to reply to her; but the gem suspended
+from his neck assured her as to his identity.
+
+"That is it," said she, in continuation. "The possession of that stone
+proves thee destined to become my husband, and to reign over the vast
+empire of the Moguls, from which thou, with thy father, wast banished
+in thine early days."
+
+She then took him by the hand, led him up the steps, and seated him
+upon the throne, bent before him, and delivered the sceptre into his
+hand.
+
+"Behold," said she to the surrounding multitude, "behold your rightful
+sovereign! It was written in the book of fate that Janghiz his father
+should, in consequence of his covetousness, be driven into exile by my
+father Khamar; then that the innocent son, after many severe proofs
+and labours imposed by the King of Spirits, if deemed worthy, should
+share the throne with me."
+
+"He has been tried, and is found worthy!" exclaimed all the prophets
+and astrologers.
+
+"Hail to him! hail, Sultan!" immediately burst from the lips of all
+present in the palace; and the multitudes in the streets and
+approaches reiterated the shout.
+
+Then Jalaladdeen, advancing from the throne, addressed the throng:
+
+"Heartily do I thank Allah and the Prophet that my fate has taken so
+wondrous and happy a turn; but, above all, I prize my good fortune in
+becoming the husband of this amiable Princess."
+
+Jalaladdeen thus concluded his address; and Gulnaschare said to him,
+
+"Didst thou so often wish for me when I, in the guise of an old woman,
+roused thee night after night from thy peaceful slumbers and happy
+dreams with my crutch?"
+
+"How!" exclaimed Jalaladdeen; "wast thou that hideous old woman?
+impossible!"
+
+"Passing strange, perchance, it may seem; but nevertheless it is so:
+all things are possible to the King of Spirits, which mortal mind can
+barely comprehend."
+
+The marriage ceremony was now ordered to take place; and one festivity
+followed another; happiness, and joy, and peace, reigned together.
+
+Jalaladdeen ruled for many years over the kingdom of the Moguls, and
+enlarged it by many prosperous conquests; he brought it to a state of
+peace and tranquillity which it had never experienced in former years,
+and which, after his death, it did not long enjoy.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+The Story of Haschem.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+CHAPTER I.
+
+THE LOST SON.
+
+
+More than a thousand years ago, there lived in the famous city of
+Bagdad a man called Naima, who, although he was now grey with age, had
+still the lusty strength of earlier days. The opening of his life was
+devoted to trade; and in pursuit of it he made many journeys, by which
+he not only gained great intellectual treasures and experiences, but
+also acquired property, which afforded him, not certainly the means
+for extravagant expenditure, but still sufficient to live in comfort.
+He had the good sense and wisdom to be satisfied with such moderate
+possessions, and to enjoy them in peaceful quiet--labouring meanwhile
+for the improvement of his only son. Many of his acquaintance,
+however, sought to amass greater wealth, forgetting, as it would seem,
+that by such constant efforts, life itself, after its meridian, would
+be but lost without some new and higher enjoyment. The city of Mossul
+was his home in early days; but he quitted it, and took up his abode
+in Bagdad, partly owing to the suggestions of a friend with whom he
+had been on the most intimate and confidential terms from his
+youth--partly, too, for the sake of the education of his son, as he
+expected that a residence in that city would produce worthy and
+lasting impressions on the mind of the young man.
+
+Bagdad was, at this time, under the rule of the famed Caliph Haroun al
+Raschid, and was the resort of strangers from all parts of the globe,
+where artists and sages of that country mingled among those of the
+neighbouring lands. Nor had Naima conceived a vain expectation. His
+son Haschem was a young man gifted with good natural abilities, and
+endowed with a pure unsullied heart. He used every opportunity which
+chance threw in his way to extend his knowledge, cultivate his mind,
+or to improve his disposition; nor was he deficient in bodily
+exercises and warlike accomplishments; so that through good discipline
+he became powerful in body and strong in mind. He was, therefore, as
+was natural enough, not only the joy and pride of his father, but was
+loved and esteemed by all who knew him, and was often pointed out by
+the elders, to others of his own age, as an example worthy of
+imitation. As the father saw his greatest treasure in the person of
+his only son, so he, with all the fervour of a well-directed mind,
+clung to his father.
+
+Some years passed over them in this mutual love, heightened still more
+by the companionship of their friend Saad, and their happiness was
+full and uninterrupted. It chanced one day that Naima and Saad were
+taking their accustomed walk in the princely gardens adjoining the
+city in front of the gate. The heat of the summer's day had been
+diminished by a gentle rain, and the two strolled on in happy
+conversation, and extended their walk beyond its ordinary length. The
+last gardens were already left behind them, and they wandered on over
+green meadow-land; behind a little wood, at the entrance of which
+stood high palms, whose shadows invited to repose. A fresh spring
+gushed from a neighbouring rock, and meandered sparkling among the
+verdant herbage and variegated flowers.
+
+The two friends lay down in the shade, and conversed on the dangers to
+which the most virtuous men are subject, and how easily one may,
+through passion, be led into a false step, if he allow himself to
+confide in his own firmness of purpose.
+
+"I have known men," continued Saad, "who, although among the best and
+noblest whom I have ever known in the course of my life, were led
+unawares, by too great self-confidence, to an action which they might
+easily have avoided by a little caution, but which has been the
+beginning of a long chain of transgressions and vices, ending in their
+complete ruin."
+
+Naima maintained that a heart accustomed from early youth to virtue
+would, on the contrary, not be easily led to commit a serious fault;
+and even if it should happen so, that it would readily find its way
+back from a slight error to the right road.
+
+They talked still longer on these subjects, each endeavouring to
+confirm his assertions by examples. Haschem, stretched beside them,
+listened with attention to their instructive conversation; but
+suddenly he sprang to his feet, and ran quickly up the woody hill, at
+the foot of which they were reposing. Saad and his father looked after
+him with astonishment, as they could not comprehend what had
+occasioned his sudden departure. Then they saw that a little bird, as
+white as snow, was flying before him, which he was trying to catch. He
+was soon lost to their view among the bushes; they cried to him, and
+begged him to come back--but in vain. They waited for a quarter of an
+hour, and still Haschem did not return. Uneasy as to what had become
+of him, they advanced in the direction in which he had disappeared;
+but they could discover nothing. They called his name: the wood echoed
+it. At last the sun set; then said Saad,
+
+"Let us return home: your son is a robust and strong young man; he
+will easily find his way back into the city. Perhaps he has gone home
+some other way."
+
+After long opposition, the father was at last persuaded to return
+without his son; but he was still full of anxiety, which no arguments
+could overcome. When they arrived at the city, his friend accompanied
+him to his house. They entered hastily, and inquired for Haschem; but
+he had not returned. Saad's hopes were of no more avail; Naima would
+no longer listen to him, but weeping, threw himself on his couch. Saad
+rebuked him for this weakness, and represented to him that it might
+easily have happened that the young man had lost his way in the
+pursuit of the bird, and could not recover the track.
+
+"He has certainly found a shelter where he will remain till morning,"
+continued he; "he will return here early to-morrow, and will laugh
+heartily at your unmanly spirit and desponding grief."
+
+When Saad was gone Naima gave free scope to his feelings. He wept
+aloud, tore his beard, and threw himself upon the ground, like a
+madman. The servants and slaves of the house stood around in
+motionless astonishment, as they were not accustomed to see their
+master exhibiting such passionate emotion; others sought to console
+him, but fruitlessly; so they cried and bewailed with him for his dear
+son, who was beloved by them all. After a sleepless night, the
+afflicted father was not at all quieted. He wished early in the
+morning to send messengers in all directions; but Saad, who had come
+to hear if the lost one had returned home, explained to him how
+foolish this step would be.
+
+"Remember," said he, "that your Haschem has most probably found a
+night's lodging, and slept better than you. If he had set out on his
+way at daybreak, he could not be here now; and if you send these
+messengers after him, he may perhaps come home by a shorter path,
+while they will be searching for him in vain. Wait, at least, till
+noon."
+
+Naima yielded: he appointed the messengers to be ready at noon, and in
+the meanwhile walked through the gardens and in the country round
+about the city, where they had been on the preceding day. His friend
+accompanied him, although he pointed out that Haschem might, in the
+interval, have reached home while they were walking, and that he was
+thus perhaps giving himself more grief than was necessary.
+
+"I have given up to you in the rest," replied Naima; "let me at least
+in this instance have my own will, that I may walk here."
+
+They went together to the fountain in the rock near the palms; they
+climbed the neighbouring heights; they called the name of the lost one
+in all directions; but no sound was heard in reply. At noon they went
+home, and asked all they met if they had not seen a young man, whom
+they accurately described. Nobody could give them any information
+about him. Naima now sent out his messengers in all directions; to
+each he promised a rich reward, but tenfold to that one who should
+lead the lost one back to his arms. They set out joyfully, each one
+hoping to gain the tenfold sum, and they all intended to return home
+in the evening; but these hopes were disappointed. Naima with earnest
+desire expected them in the evening; none came. At last a few returned
+on the third day. They had gone a day's journey in the appointed
+direction, had sought everywhere, had described the wanderer to all
+they had met, but none had seen him. The rest of the messengers also
+returned, one by one, and none had discovered the least trace of him.
+The hopes of the sorrowing father had almost disappeared: only one of
+the dispatched messengers was not yet come back. Although it was
+probable that this one might remain away without success, he still
+clung to the hope that he at least might discover a trace of his son,
+who had disappeared in so unaccountable a manner. But when this last
+messenger returned on the tenth day, and reported that all his
+researches had been without success, the parent's grief knew no
+bounds. His friend Saad stood by him comforting him, and inquired,
+together with all his friends, whether no tidings could be learned of
+Haschem. He could not have been killed, for then his corpse would have
+been found; he had no cause to conceal himself; he could not have been
+attacked by enemies, as he had none: might he, in the pursuit of the
+bird, have been led to the brink of the stream, and have thrown
+himself in, and been carried away by the waves? Scarcely did the
+possibility of this idea arise, when two messengers were dispatched to
+each side of the river to make fresh search, from its junction with
+the Euphrates above Balsora to the spot where it flows into the
+Arabian Sea, to ascertain if the corpse of Haschem had been washed
+ashore. But these messengers also returned to the anxious father, and
+had not found what they sought. Now the father and his friend gave up
+Haschem for lost; Naima's manly spirit was broken; grief for his lost
+son shortened his life; he soon became old: all joy had by this time
+fled from his mind; and his sorrow was only a little alleviated when
+his faithful friend Saad sat by him in the evening, talked with him of
+his son, relating the virtues by which he had been distinguished, and
+told him how it had been his darling wish that this excellent young
+man should marry his daughter Zoraine.
+
+
+CHAPTER II.
+
+THE SYMPATHIZING RULER.
+
+
+In a few days the Caliph Haroun al Raschid went, as he was accustomed,
+in disguise, with his Grand Vizier Giafar, and Mesrour his
+Chamberlain, through the streets of Bagdad, to see with his own eyes
+and to hear with his own ears how justice and order were maintained by
+his servants, and whether his people were happy and prosperous. He
+had, as usual, chosen the last hour of the evening for this walk,
+because he thought that at this time he could look deeper into men's
+joys and pleasures, as they had then ended their daily toils, and were
+seeking comfort and repose in the bosom of their family. In his
+progress he came to a street distinguished by peculiar silence and
+quiet. As he approached a house, before the door of which two men were
+standing whispering, Haroun al Raschid addressed them with these
+words:
+
+"Why do you whisper, as if you were concerting a crime? is not this
+street lonely enough, that you cannot hold your discourse aloud? Can
+you tell me why this street is so quiet, as though every inhabitant
+were dead?"
+
+"I can easily tell you, my lord," answered one of the whisperers:
+"here, in the next house, lives the unfortunate Naima, and, as usual
+at this hour, his friend Saad sits with him to console him. Now, all
+the inhabitants of this street respect this man, and wish not to
+remind him, by any outburst of joy, that happier men than himself live
+in his neighbourhood."
+
+Before the Caliph could answer him, he turned away and went into the
+house, and the other followed him.
+
+"Have you ever heard of this unfortunate Naima before?" asked Haroun
+al Raschid of his Grand Vizier; and as he answered in the negative, he
+said, "Let us rap at the door of the next house, where this Naima
+dwells; perhaps we may discover the cause of his sorrow."
+
+They drew near, and saw the light from the inner court shining through
+a crevice. The Caliph placed his eye at this crevice, and after he had
+watched for some time, he beckoned his followers to him, and said,
+"Two grey-headed men are sitting in this court by a lamp, and one
+seems to be comforting the other; but this latter continues to weep
+more bitterly. Both seem of the same rank; and I am desirous to know
+what sorrow oppresses the unfortunate Naima. Order him to appear at my
+palace early to-morrow morning; perhaps it may be in my power to
+lighten his calamity."
+
+The next day the Grand Vizier executed his commission. Naima was
+frightened when his presence was required at the palace. He was led
+into the great hall where the divan usually assembled; but he was
+quite alone there when the servants had left him. He reviewed the
+whole of his past life, to see if he had sinned in any way so as to
+bring on him the displeasure of the righteous Caliph; for he knew that
+Haroun al Raschid often, in a mysterious manner, discovered the faults
+of his subjects, and punished them accordingly. But he could not call
+to mind any deed of which he, felt ashamed, nor any that deserved
+punishment. Whilst he was thus meditating, a curtain was drawn back,
+and the Caliph entered, followed by his Vizier and his Chamberlain.
+Naima rose from the ground, and bowed with his head even to the carpet
+on which the Caliph stood.
+
+"Naima," said the Caliph, "a heavy weight of grief oppress you; and by
+the anxiety which your neighbours manifest to show respect for the
+sorrows of your soul, I must consider you as a man of great worth. I
+wish to know the cause of your despondency: will you confess it before
+these two witnesses, or would you rather confide to me alone the
+reason of your tears?"
+
+"Ruler of the Faithful," answered Naima, "sorrow is great and deep in
+my soul; but still the cause of it is unworthy to distract for a
+moment the attention of the Caliph from the cares of his kingdom."
+
+But Haroun al Raschid answered, "That which fills the heart of the
+meanest of my subjects with such grief that it consumes his life is
+not unworthy of my care. When I am careful for my whole kingdom, this
+care extends to each individual; if, then, I am careful for one, this
+one is a member of the whole, and thus my care is not lost. But speak,
+what is the cause of your sorrow and your tears?"
+
+Then Naima recounted the mysterious disappearance of his son; how he
+had sought for him everywhere, and how all trouble had been useless,
+so that all his messengers had returned home without the least trace
+of him. "I must therefore weep for him as one that is dead"--thus he
+ended his relation; "and tears, perhaps, might appease my sorrow, if
+at the same time a ray of hope did not dart through my heart that
+possibly he is still alive; but where does he live, if indeed he be
+still alive? This ray of hope keeps the wound in the father's heart
+always open."
+
+"You have real cause for grief," answered the Caliph, "and I
+comprehend that the uncertainty of your son's fate must be as terrible
+to bear as would be the mournful certainty of his death. You did wrong
+in not applying to me before: my power extends not only over
+believers, but also in foreign lands. Other kings and rulers I have as
+my servants, whose eyes see for me, whose ears hear for me, and whose
+hands perform what is necessary for my pleasure. That which was not
+possible to yourself, your friends, and your servants to accomplish,
+might perhaps have been easy to me. Now go home, and believe that you
+shall obtain news of your son, if he lives on the earth, in any land
+where my power can reach."
+
+With these words he dismissed him, after he had first inquired the
+marks by which his lost son might be recognized.
+
+When Naima again sat with his friend Saad in the evening, he related
+to him the gracious and comforting words of the Caliph. Saad perceived
+that hope was again revived in his friend's heart, and that he
+confidently trusted to find his son. He thought it therefore his duty
+to damp this hope, and said,
+
+"Beloved friend, I have once heard a speech, which by its truth sank
+deeply in my memory: it is, 'Trust not in princes; they are but men.'
+The moral of which is, that the mightiest on earth are subject to
+fate. If the Caliph have influence in distant lands, it must be in a
+confined and narrow limit. That which is but a span distant is under
+the control of all-governing fate, even from the meanest slave to the
+Ruler of the Faithful."
+
+But if the power of Haroun al Raschid were bounded by the immensity of
+fate, yet he did all he could to fulfil the hope he had raised in
+Naima's heart. He gave a commission to all his servants in his
+kingdom, high and low, and to his ambassadors in the neighbouring
+kingdoms, and even sent into distant lands, with the princes of which
+he was friendly, and on the same day dispatched messengers with the
+charge to search for Haschem with all diligence, and gave them a
+description how they might recognize him if they found him. But week
+after week passed away, month after month, and even a whole year
+elapsed, without intelligence being received either of the life or
+death of the lost one. So all hope of finding him now deserted the
+father for ever.
+
+
+CHAPTER III.
+
+THE CAPTIVE.
+
+
+Haschem was not dead; he still lived, but in such retirement that it
+was impossible to discover his abode. He followed the snow-white bird
+till evening, without clearly knowing why: he was induced to think he
+could catch the curious creature, particularly as it flew at such a
+moderate height from the ground, and so slowly that he hoped quickly
+to reach it. The tardiness of its flight made him conjecture that it
+must have a defect in its wing: he often stretched out his hand to it,
+and drew near it, but the bird again raised its wings, and flew a
+little in advance. Haschem now felt himself tired, and would have
+given up the pursuit, but the bird also seemed fatigued; he approached
+it, but again the bird flew a little farther off. In this chase he
+reached a hill, which he climbed; he was now in a narrow
+meadow-valley, which he ran along; twilight came, but the snow-white
+colour of the bird still lighted him on. At last the pursued bird
+perched in a thicket; he hastened to it, but when he closed his hand
+to take his prisoner, it flew away, leaving only one feather of its
+tail behind, which he had tightly grasped; still he saw it through the
+twilight flying before him, and he hastened after it. The bird seemed
+now to quicken its pace; and as he followed and had once nearly caught
+it, he continued the pursuit with more eagerness: he ran through the
+high grass, and with his strained sight fixed on this glimmering white
+object, he saw nothing else. Thus he came unexpectedly to a little dam
+which lay across his path; he jumped in and tried to climb the other
+side, but it was so steep that he fell in with some of the crumbling
+earth: while the water rushed over his head he lost all consciousness.
+When he came to himself, he lay on the turf, and a tall, grey-headed
+man, of strange appearance, stood before him, clothed in a long black
+robe, which reached to his ankles, and was fastened by a glittering
+girdle of a fiery colour. Instead of a turban, he wore a high pointed
+cap on his head, at the end of which was a tassel of the same hue as
+the girdle.
+
+"Has your life returned to you?" he asked: "you deserved to be
+suffocated in the mud. Come, we must go farther before daylight quite
+leaves us."
+
+With these words he raised him from the ground, passed his left arm
+round his body, and flew with him through the air as quickly as an
+arrow. Haschem again momentarily lost recollection: it is not known
+how long he remained in this condition. He awoke at last as from a
+deep sleep; and as he looked around, the first thing he recognized was
+a cage of gold wire, which hung from the ceiling by a long golden
+chain, and within was the snow-white bird he had so long followed. He
+found himself alone with this bird in a hall, the roof of which was
+supported on pillars of white marble, and the walls were built of
+smooth pale-green stones. The openings to the windows were skilfully
+contrived with so many windings and narrow gratings, that even the
+white bird could have found no space to pass through, even if it had
+escaped from the cage. Beside one wall stood a crystal urn; and from
+this fell a stream of clear water, which, passing over the curved brim
+of the urn, dripped into a white basin beneath, from which it
+disappeared unseen.
+
+Whilst he observed this, and wondered what had happened to him, and
+how he came there, he suddenly heard the old man in the black robe
+enter from behind a curtain. He carried a small golden box in his
+hand, and approached him with these words:
+
+"You have now caught the white bird; you now have it in a cage: in
+this box is food for it, and there is water; take diligent care of it,
+and mind that it does not escape."
+
+As he said this he disappeared. Haschem now arose and walked round the
+hall: he looked through the windows, and ascertained that he must be
+in a foreign land, as the forms of the mountains and trees were quite
+different to any he had before seen. The hall seemed high, as if it
+were the upper storey of a lofty tower. No other edifice was to be
+seen, and from the windows he could not distinguish the trees and
+plants which bloomed beneath. He drew the curtain aside, and
+discovered an outlet; but there was a thick metal door which he could
+not open. He was now very much embarrassed, for he began to feel
+hungry, and could find nothing that would serve him for food. He
+examined the walls, to see if he could discover any concealed outlet.
+He tried to open the windows, that he might put his head out to see if
+there was anybody in the building beneath, to whom he might cry out.
+There was no door: he could not open the windows; and as far as he
+could stretch his sight in every direction, he could see nobody. He
+threw himself in despair on the pillow on which he recovered his
+consciousness, and wrung his hands, and wept, and cried,
+
+"I am, then, imprisoned--imprisoned in a dungeon where splendour and
+riches are lavished around! Of what avail is it that these walls are
+built of precious stones? that this lattice is of fine gold? that this
+cage is of gold, and hangs on a golden chain? I am as much a prisoner
+behind golden lattices as I should be behind iron."
+
+As hunger pinched him still more, he cried out, "How much rather would
+I be in the vilest prison, with the coarsest food, than be confined in
+this splendid hall, where I must die of hunger!"
+
+Then he again called out of the lattices, in hopes that his voice
+might be heard, and aid brought; but nobody appeared, and no one
+answered him. When he again threw himself, weeping, on his couch,
+after such useless attempts, he observed that the white bird fluttered
+restlessly in its prison, and pecked on the golden dish, where food
+was placed, without finding any.
+
+"Poor brother in misfortune!" said Haschem, "you shall not suffer
+want; I will take care of you: come, I will bring you assistance."
+
+He took the pans from the cage, and filled one with water from the
+urn, the other with grain from the gold box which the old man had
+given him. Scarcely had he hung the last on the cage, when, on turning
+round, he saw a table behind him covered with costly viands. He was
+astonished, and could not understand how all this had happened; but
+still it was not long before he attacked the meats with the zest of a
+young man who has fasted for several days. Although these viands were
+altogether different from those he had been accustomed to taste in his
+father's house, still they all appeared excellent. He ate till he was
+fully satisfied, and then took a golden cup from the table, with which
+he quenched his thirst with pure water from the urn. Afterwards he
+threw himself on a couch and fell asleep.
+
+When he awoke, he felt strong and well. He arose and walked round the
+hall, and he then observed that the table with the meats had
+disappeared. This did not please him, as he had thought to make a good
+supper of the remainder. He did not allow this, however, to trouble
+him much, as he was now sure that he was not to die of hunger. He had
+now leisure enough to examine his prison more closely. He searched
+all anew pillars, walls, and floor; but he could nowhere find a
+crevice or a fissure: all was fast and whole. His view from the
+windows did not allow him to make any discovery: he only saw that he
+was very far from the earth, and in a spacious valley. Mountains were
+to be seen in the distance, with curiously pointed summits: the
+nearest offered no change of prospect, and the farthest was too
+distant to raise his spirits by its contemplation: it was a high,
+wearisome abode. As soon as he had completed this examination, and
+found there was nothing to occupy him, he turned his attention to the
+white bird in the cage. Here was still life; and if the cage was
+narrow, yet the prisoner could hop about on the different perches.
+Soon it remained still, and looked at him with its bright eyes; and it
+seemed as if sense and speech lay in these eyes, only the
+interpretation was wanting. Night put an end to these reflections.
+
+On the next morning he observed that the bird again wanted food. He
+filled its seed-box with grain from the golden box, and gave it fresh
+water from the urn. Scarcely had he done this, when the table, covered
+with meats, again stood in the same place as the day before. This day
+passed like the former, and the following in the same manner. Haschem
+wept and mourned, took care of the little bird, fed it, and was every
+time rewarded in the same manner with the table covered with dishes,
+as soon as he had filled the bird's seed-box. He could not perceive
+who brought the table, nor how it disappeared. It always came when he
+stood beside the cage with his back turned, and without any noise.
+
+On the ninth day the old man suddenly appeared to him, and said,
+"To-day is a day of repose for you: you have performed your duty
+during the preceding days in giving the bird its food; now you may
+amuse yourself in the garden till evening."
+
+He led him through a door into a narrow passage, at the end of which
+they descended twenty steps. Then he opened a small metal trap-door,
+and Haschem again descended twenty steps more. They came to a similar
+door; and after descending twenty more steps to another, and so on,
+till after passing the ninth door, they found themselves in the open
+air.
+
+"Remain here till you are called," said the old man, who went back
+into the building through the same doors, which he shut after him.
+
+Haschem was very curious to examine more closely the building in which
+he had been imprisoned: he therefore went round it, and narrowly
+observed it. It was a tower of nine storeys, each about fifteen feet
+in height. The tower had nine angles and nine flat walls; in each
+storey were three windows, so contrived that for every two walls
+without a window, the third had one. These windows were not directly
+over one another in the storeys, but alternate; so that only three
+appeared in each wall. This distribution of regularity and order
+reigned throughout the whole building. The walls were made of large
+pieces of gold, quite as smooth as glass, like large stones; and these
+were so skilfully put together that, even when closely looked at, the
+joints could not be discovered. The lattices of the windows were all
+of gold, like those in the upper hall, and the lower doors through
+which he had passed were of a yellow metal, inclining to green.
+
+All these considerations were not calculated to lessen his conviction
+that no man could possibly find him out in such a prison. Suddenly a
+new hope awoke in him.
+
+"I am no longer shut up in the tower," said he to himself; "here I am
+in the open air, in a garden: I can clamber and jump like a monkey. I
+may possibly find some outlet from this garden, by which I can
+escape."
+
+He immediately turned from the tower, and hastened through the
+gardens, seeking freedom; but he soon discovered that this hope was
+vain. With a few steps he reached the end of the garden, and stood
+before a gate of lattice-work of strong smooth iron bars, so close
+together that he could scarcely pass his arm through. He tried to
+climb it by holding by the upper bars with his hands; but his feet
+slipped on the smooth iron, and he hurt his knee so much that, in
+consequence of not being able to bear the pain, he fell backwards on
+the earth. He now examined the lattice closely to see if there were no
+means of escape; but all was in vain--everywhere the bars were high,
+thick, and like polished glass. Mournfully he wandered round the
+garden: the sun's rays darting down scorched up the grass, and he
+sought some shade where he might screen himself from their influence.
+He lay down on a neighbouring mossy bank, and meditated anew on his
+fate. Besides his own grief at his imprisonment, the thought of his
+father's sorrow at his loss pained him. The exhaustion consequent on
+his tears and loud lamentations, joined with the noontide heat, at
+last caused him to fall into a deep sleep. When he awoke, the table
+covered with meats was again before him: he ate, and wandered anew
+mournfully through the garden, meditating whether he could not make a
+ladder from the trees around him, to aid him in his escape over the
+lattice. But there was something wanting for this work: he had not
+even a dagger or a pocket-knife. During these thoughts the old man
+appeared, and said,
+
+"Evening is drawing on. Follow me in."
+
+He led him again to the upper room of the tower, and locked the metal
+door upon him.
+
+There was no change observable in his prison--only the bird seemed
+harassed and mournful: it sat quiet and still on the lowest perch; its
+plumage was rough, and its eyes dull.
+
+"Poor creature," said Haschem, "what is the matter? Are you ill?"
+
+It seemed as if the bird was affected by these sympathizing questions;
+but it soon sank again into its former dejection. He mused long upon
+this.
+
+The next day and the following ones passed like the former; but on the
+ninth the old man again appeared, led him into the garden, and at
+night conducted him back into the hall. He took care of the bird; and
+as soon as he had given it food and water, he always found the table
+covered with meats behind him. In the intervals he stood at the
+lattice of one of the three windows looking on the plain below,
+earnestly hoping to catch sight of some person to free him from his
+captivity.
+
+In such monotonous employment many months passed away. Every ninth day
+the old man appeared, and gave him leave to walk in the garden; but he
+did not derive much amusement from his strolls in this narrow
+enclosure. In the meantime he asked the old man many times the reason
+of his imprisonment, and how long it was to last. No answer was
+vouchsafed but these words: "Every man has his own fate. This is
+thine."
+
+
+CHAPTER IV.
+
+THE DELIVERANCE.
+
+
+One day the old man appeared and led him into the garden; but he had
+not been there more than a quarter of an hour, when he returned,
+called him in, and then quickly retired with marks of disquietude.
+Haschem also remarked that the white bird, which he loved more every
+day, sat at the bottom of its cage, more mournful than usual after his
+visit. He drew near, and observed a little door, which he had never
+before seen. He examined it closely, and found a fine bolt which
+passed into a ring of gold wire. These were made so skilfully, like
+concealed ornaments, that nobody could have discovered them if his
+attention had not been drawn to them by accident. Haschem pushed back
+the bolt and opened the door; the bird moved as if some sudden joy had
+seized it, hopped out, and as soon as it touched the floor, it was
+transformed, and in its stead a young maiden stood before Haschem,
+clothed in a white silk robe; beautiful dark locks streamed over her
+neck and shoulders, and a thin fragrant veil fell over them, fastened
+to a forehead-band set with precious stones; her finely-formed
+countenance was as white as ivory, relieved by the softest shade of a
+rose.
+
+Surprised and astonished, Haschem started back and said, "By the beard
+of the Prophet, I conjure you to tell me whether you are of human
+race, or whether you belong to the genii?"
+
+"I am a weak maiden," said she, "and implore you to deliver me from
+the hands of this cruel magician. I will reward you handsomely for it.
+Know, I am the only daughter of Kadga Singa, King of Selandia; and
+this wicked enchanter has cunningly carried me off from my father's
+palace, and shut me up in this cage. He has one son, as ugly as night,
+whom he wishes me to take for my husband. Every ninth day he comes,
+brings him with him, and praises his excellent qualities--presses me
+for my consent, and threatens me with cruel tortures if I give it not
+at the next new moon. On that day he will have kept me a year in
+imprisonment, and longer than a year he says he will not wait, and
+still give good words: then will the time of my punishment begin. I
+conjure you, therefore, to help me!"
+
+At these words she burst into a flood of tears.
+
+"Noble royal maiden," answered Haschem, "how willingly would I help
+you! but, alas, I am only a weak man, and cannot free myself. But tell
+me--how is it possible? You say the enchanter brings his hateful son
+with him: why, then, have I never seen him?"
+
+"He always sends you away when he comes," answered the Princess.
+
+"Well," pursued Haschem, "the son could not conceal himself from me on
+the steps, or in the narrow passage."
+
+"Well, well," she answered, "he carries him in his pocket."
+
+Then Haschem cried out in his astonishment, "In his pocket! How can
+that be?"
+
+The Princess related to him that the young man was every time a white
+bird, like herself; that the enchanter put him into the cage with her,
+and that she felt such a dislike to him that she always fluttered
+about the cage to avoid getting near him; but that he, with his
+contrary friendly feeling, would follow her and settle confidingly
+near her.
+
+"Oh," she continued, "you must have remarked how tired and mournful I
+always was when you returned on the ninth day."
+
+Haschem, astonished at this explanation, assured her of his
+willingness to help her, but bewailed his helplessness. But the
+Princess would not give up hopes of their safety.
+
+"It seems to me," said she, "a good omen that the enchanter has to-day
+received a message which caused him to leave so early and in such
+haste that he did not securely close the cage, and that you returned
+so early to-day from the garden. This day is my birthday, the only day
+that I can be delivered from the magician's power. On any other day I
+should still have remained a dumb bird if you had freed me from my
+cage; only on this day has my touching the floor restored me to my
+natural form: the enchantment lies in the cage."
+
+Haschem then seized the cage, and said, "If it be so, we will break
+the enchantment." He threw the cage to the ground, stamped on it with
+his feet till it was quite flat and its shape no longer
+distinguishable, then he rolled it together, and threw it into a
+corner of the hall.
+
+At this moment a frightful noise resounded through the air like
+violent thunder, a gale of wind seemed to shake the hall, and suddenly
+the doors opened, the curtains were drawn aside, and the magician
+stood before them with a countenance full of anger.
+
+"Ah!" cried he, "weak worms, what have you presumed to do? How did you
+learn to break my charm in this manner? Who bid you destroy the cage?"
+
+Haschem, terrified, could answer nothing. Then the enchanter turned to
+the Maiden, and cried,
+
+"And you, you thought this miserable worm could defend you against my
+power: I will show you how useless it is to oppose me."
+
+He felt in the pocket of his black robe, and pulled out a thin box.
+This he opened, and a white bird flew out and perched on the table.
+Then he took a small box from his girdle and opened it: it was filled
+with grains of millet. From these he took one, laid it before the
+bird, who had scarcely eaten it before such a distorted man stood in
+its place, that both Haschem and the Princess screamed aloud. His head
+was large and thick, his eyes red and dark, his nose small and pressed
+quite flat, his lips thick and bluish-red, his chin broad and
+projecting, and on his head grew a few stiff white hairs; a hump grew
+out of his breast, and a similar one from his back, and his shoulders
+were quite drawn up: his head was so jammed between them that his ears
+could not be seen. His head and upper part of his body were so
+unshapely, and his legs so weak and thin, that it was wonderful how
+they supported him: he tottered about incessantly, balancing himself
+first on one leg, then on the other.
+
+"Go in, my son," said the enchanter to this misformed creature:
+"behold! there is your bride. She does not wish to wait till the new
+moon, which I fixed upon for your betrothal: to-day she has effected
+her change by the help of this friend. Go, my son, give your bride a
+kiss, and then thank this young man."
+
+The deformed creature approached the Princess with a horrible fiendish
+laugh. She averted her face with disgust, and stretched out her arms,
+motioning him away. And now courage returned to Haschem. Resolved to
+venture all, he stepped before the Princess, and gave the deformity
+such a blow that he reeled. He instantly assumed the form of a
+terrible dragon; but Haschem, drawing a scimitar which he still wore,
+cut him down. He fell with such violence on the corner of the pedestal
+of one of the marble pillars that it was broken to pieces: a stream of
+blood flowed from the wound, and, resuming his former shape, the
+monster gave a hollow groan. Now Haschem thought of the father's rage
+and revenge, and gave up his life for lost. But the enchanter stood
+quite confounded as he observed his son's mortal wound; then, threw
+himself down beside him, and examined it, and wrung his hands,
+forgetting his revenge in his sorrow. Haschem quickly seized the hand
+of the Princess, and led her through the door and down the steps. All
+the doors were open, and they fortunately came into the garden. Soon
+they stood before the lattice of the iron wicket, which was closed to
+them.
+
+"Of what use is our flight?" said Haschem; "we are still in the power
+of the enchanter; and even if we were on the other side of the wicket,
+and concealed ourselves in the deepest cavern, he would discover us by
+his knowledge, and wreak his vengeance on us."
+
+"I am of a different opinion," said the Princess. "I know there are
+things of which men think little, but on which the superior power of
+the magician depends. It appears to me that if we could get out of
+this place, we should be safe."
+
+They went farther, and came to a spot where many trees had been
+uprooted by a hurricane. One of these lay overturned, with its crown
+resting on the lattice, and its boughs and branches hanging far over
+the other side. At this sight the young man rejoiced: he climbed
+quickly up the trunk, pulled the Princess after him, and led her with
+great care and tenderness into the crown of the tree. They then
+clambered over the spiked top of the wicket, and let themselves down
+on the other side by the overhanging branches. They did not quite
+reach to the ground, but near enough for them to leap down: when they
+let go their hands, they fell softly to the earth. They quickly jumped
+up, and proceeded as rapidly as the strength of the Princess and the
+unknown way would allow them through the thickets, underwood, and
+plains studded with prickly plants, towards the distant mountains.
+
+After the two fugitives had continued their flight for several
+successive hours without looking back on the scene of their
+imprisonment, the Princess felt her strength exhausted, and could go
+no farther; she begged her companion to repose for a short time.
+Haschem sought a place free from bushes, and clad with moss and long
+grass. They seated themselves there, and Haschem entreated her to
+relate her history. She was soon ready, and commenced thus:
+
+"My early history is very simple and unimportant. I am called Handa,
+the only daughter of the Sultan of the island Selandia. My mother was
+brought from beyond Arabia and Mount Caucasus over the wide-stretching
+sea, and was sold to him as a slave. Soon attracted by her excessive
+beauty and pleasing manners, he raised her to the dignity of his
+principal wife. My earliest youth was spent in pleasing sports under
+my mother's eyes. She died before I had passed the age of childhood,
+as the change from the mild climate of her land to the heat of my
+father's shortened her days. After the loss of my mother, which did
+not much affect me, as I was too young to feel it, I enjoyed many
+happy days. My father loved me as his greatest treasure, and was wise
+enough to confide me to a careful nurse. Every evening I passed
+several hours with him, as soon as he was released from the cares of
+government, and one whole day in each week he devoted to conversation
+with me. We then went together in a light bark to a neighbouring
+promontory, where he had a beautiful palace and gardens. The air
+there blew cooler and more refreshing, the trees and shrubs were
+clothed with fresher green than in the shut-up garden in the capital,
+and we passed the whole day in the open air. In the meantime I had
+outgrown childhood, and was beloved by a Prince, the son of a
+neighbouring King, to whom I was betrothed, and who was to succeed my
+father in his kingdom. This Prince, whose name was Mundian Oppu, also
+often took part in these visits to the castle on the promontory.
+
+"It happened one day, as we were sitting on a terrace by the sea, a
+foreign ship anchored just below us. A foreigner caused himself to be
+landed in a little boat, and asked us permission to appear before us,
+as he had many costly wares to offer for sale. I was desirous to see
+the stranger's wares, and begged my father to grant the desired
+petition. The man laid many costly trinkets of gold and precious
+stones before us, and my father bought some, with which I was much
+pleased. I remarked that the merchant watched me closely, but he did
+this with such evident pleasure that my vanity ascribed it to his
+opinion of my pleasing expression, and found no harm in it. Whilst he
+shewed his wares, he let fall some words which intimated that he had
+left his most precious articles behind in the ship. He had there many
+curious birds, particularly a snow-white bird, which was the most
+beautiful of all creatures of this kind. He managed thus to raise my
+desires so much that I begged my father to allow me to go with the
+stranger to his ship to see these silken stuffs: my father was weak
+enough to comply with this unreasonable wish. A suitable train should
+have accompanied me, but the stranger prevented this. He said his boat
+had only room in it for three people, and that he should not like to
+show his wares if many people came into his ship. 'They are only
+things for the royal Princess,' he said, 'and I dare not expose her to
+danger. I can never forget that a powerful King has entrusted his only
+daughter to my care; therefore your betrothed Prince Mundian Oppu may
+accompany you as a watchful protector.' We went with the merchant to
+the ship. There we found an immense number of extraordinary things and
+unknown animals. In the place where in other ships the rowers sat
+were great apes; on high on the mast sat an eagle; in the inner rooms
+were many large and small cages of smooth ebony with thick gold bars,
+behind which moved a confused multitude of animals.
+
+"My desire was now directed to the snow-white bird, about which I made
+inquiry. He showed it me high up in a box, and as I could not see it
+distinctly, he took it out and put it on my hand. 'It is quite
+singular,' said he, 'when the bird is here, it can only remain a few
+days alive, but I have found the corn of life, which I give it each
+week, and it is then refreshed for nine days.' We asked for the corn
+of life, of which we had never heard, and he opened a little box and
+took out three grains. He gave me one to give the bird, the other I
+was to try, and the third Prince Mundian Oppu. When I offered the
+grain to the bird, it refused to peck it; and when I pressed my hand
+closer, the bird drew back, lost its balance, and fell down with
+outspread wings. I hastened to it, picked it up perhaps somewhat
+roughly, and as it tried to escape, I held some of its tail-feathers
+fast, so that it lay fluttering in my hand. I was very much
+frightened, and the merchant seemed so also. He soon laughed with
+malicious joy, and said that I should swallow the corn, because it
+would prevent the flight of the frightened prisoner. He said the same
+to the Prince, and we swallowed the grains in the same moment. I felt
+a wonderful transformation pass over me, and found that I was changed
+into a snow-white bird; and when I looked towards the Prince, in his
+stead I saw a black bird. Now the stranger, who was no other than the
+enchanter, seized me, and shut me up in the golden cage which you have
+trodden to pieces. The apes began to ply the oars, and the ship moved
+with unusual swiftness over the sea. I still saw my father sitting on
+the terrace, and the wonder of the servants as they saw the ship
+depart: I believed that I heard their voices calling us back. But what
+could I do in my cage? The black bird flew to the promontory; and from
+that moment I have neither heard nor seen anything of Prince Mundian
+Oppu.
+
+"When my home was far in the distance, and even the summit of the
+mountain could no longer be distinguished, the enchanter rose with my
+cage high in the air, leaving his ship behind, and bore me into the
+hall of the tower. How he brought the other white bird, I don't know:
+I only know that he took it out of his pocket and put it into the
+cage. 'Now you have a companion,' said he. As I took him for a real
+bird, I considered myself, though unfortunate, superior to him, and
+drew myself back into a corner. But the bird came nearer, and followed
+me. At last I lost patience, and pecked his eyes. When the enchanter
+saw this, he took out a little box, and took from it a grain, which he
+laid before the bird, who picked it immediately. It was then changed
+into a man, as ugly as you saw him in the tower. He desired me, as I
+have already told you, to take that deformity for my husband, and
+promised me that, on my consent, I should be immediately restored to
+my proper form, and assured me that otherwise I should always remain
+as a bird, except on my birthday. I have now no other wish than to
+return to my father in Selandia, because I know he is living in great
+affliction, if, indeed, sorrow at my loss have not already brought him
+to the grave."
+
+
+CHAPTER V.
+
+THE FAITHFUL CONDUCTOR HOME.
+
+
+At the conclusion of this relation, Haschem thought with compassion of
+his father, and had his mournful countenance and bowed-down form
+before his mind. He knew, from the great love he had always shown him,
+that he must have pined for his loss.
+
+"Princess," said he, "your desire cannot be greater than mine. Still,
+I swear to you that I will not return to my father till I have safely
+conducted you to your native land, or have given you over to safe
+guides to bring you to your father; if I do not, may Heaven not grant
+my father life to receive this joy!"
+
+They journeyed on with renewed vigour. But evening was drawing near,
+and they must find a resting-place for the night. Fortune was
+favourable: they soon found a spot, shadowed, by a high bush.
+
+Haschem broke away the boughs so as to form a hedge, which quite
+concealed the Princess, and to which he only left a narrow entrance,
+before which he lay down to watch. Night passed without danger.
+However anxiously Haschem strove against sleep, to watch over his
+companion, it at last weighed down his eyelids, and they both awoke
+with the first rays of the sun. Their good star soon led them to a
+spot where they found refreshing wood-berries, the names of which were
+unknown to them, and they were anxious to discover if they were
+poisonous; but hunger made them venture. They wandered the whole day,
+resting alternately. At every step the journey became more hazardous.
+The thickets became thicker and higher; they were often obliged to
+creep between the boughs, and their clothes hung in rags. On the
+fourth day they reached the foot of the mountain. There they found
+cultivated land and human habitations. Haschem inquired where they
+were, and asked for the sea. The people told them the name of the
+country, which was unknown to Haschem and the Princess Handa. On the
+other side of the high mountain lay a large flat land, whose coast was
+washed by the sea. They received this information with great joy. They
+descended the mountain, came to the flat land, and at last, after a
+wearisome journey, during which they had seen the sun rise and set
+seven times, they arrived at the sea-coast. A ship lay ready at
+anchor, and when they inquired its destination, the steersman
+answered, "We are going to Selandia to fetch a cargo of cinnamon." To
+Haschem's question where they came from, and what this land where they
+were was called, he received for answer, "that the ship belonged to a
+merchant of Balsora, and that it had been cast on these unknown shores
+by a violent storm."
+
+When the Princess perceived that the ship was going towards her native
+land, she was very much rejoiced. She took one of the precious stones
+out of her forehead-band, and gave it as a reward for her and her
+companion. The following morning they weighed anchor, and, after a
+prosperous voyage, they reached the same place where the enchanter's
+ship had formerly lain at anchor when he carried off the Princess.
+
+They were landed in a small boat, and Handa led her deliverer into
+the beautiful leafy walks of the imperial gardens. In this way they
+came to a terrace, from which they could see the ship. Instead of
+pressing quickly forwards, they concealed themselves behind a bush. A
+very melancholy old man sat on this terrace, looking over the sea; and
+while a flood of tears ran down his face,
+
+"Ah!" cried he, "it was just so on the day that my sorrows began!
+There lay the ship of the robber, there landed the boat which carried
+away my beloved daughter and her betrothed. It was even at the same
+hour of the day. I have sent messengers into all the neighbouring
+lands; I have caused the opposite sea-coasts to be searched; but all
+has been in vain! I must die, and never see my child again."
+
+He pronounced these words aloud, and covered his face as he bowed
+himself forward on his hands.
+
+Princess Handa wished to hasten to him, but Haschem held her back, and
+said, "Let me first prepare him for your arrival, else joy may kill
+him." And he sprang forward, and bowed before the sorrowing old man,
+making his forehead touch the ground.
+
+The King then said, "Who are you? Are you a beggar, and do you need
+any gift? It shall be given you: go to my palace."
+
+Haschem stood up and answered, "In such circumstances you might well
+take me for a beggar, O great King Kadga Singa. But know that under
+these ragged clothes is concealed a magician, who is come to change
+your tears into smiles, your sobs into transports of joy."
+
+"Can any man on earth do this?" asked Kadga Singa.
+
+"I have only to speak three words," he answered, "and it will happen.
+Are you strong enough to support the highest joy that your heart can
+conceive and feel?"
+
+At these questions a ray of hope in the soul of the mourning father
+beamed through his tearful eyes. "What is it? Who are you who can
+promise this?" asked he.
+
+And Haschem repeated his question, "Do you feel strong enough?"
+
+"I think so," answered the King, regarding him with hopeful looks.
+
+"Draw near, Princess Handa, your father is prepared," cried the youth;
+and she sprang forwards into her father's open arms.
+
+Then was Haschem's word fulfilled: his tears were changed into smiles,
+his sobs into transports of joy. Their embrace continued long. At last
+Kadga Singa raised himself, beckoned Haschem to approach, and said,
+"You are a magician; such an one I have never before seen. By your
+magic words you have changed the mournful course of my life into the
+brightest sunshine. I will not now ask you who you are, and what I
+have to thank you for; I will not now inquire what chance brought you
+to my daughter; I shall only give myself up to joy at her return."
+
+They went back to the capital in a kingly boat, and soon the joyful
+news of the unexpected reappearance of the Princess spread everywhere.
+Numbers assembled at the palace to ascertain if the news were true;
+and Princess Handa went out to the gate and down the steps. Then arose
+a shout of joy of a thousand voices, and loud wishes for her health
+and happiness.
+
+
+CHAPTER VI.
+
+REWARD.
+
+
+The next day, after the King had heard the history of her imprisonment
+related by his daughter, and with what devotion Haschem had watched
+over her, and when Haschem had narrated his history, Kadga Singa was
+very thoughtful, and caused his council to assemble to deliberate how
+they should reward him.
+
+"If he were not so young," said some of them, "he might be made Grand
+Vizier, the next in dignity to the King, or be appointed Governor of a
+province. But his youth prevents his being raised over the people next
+to the King."
+
+After longer consultation, the eldest of the councillors rose, and
+said, "Kadga Singa, my King and lord. The youth has certainly
+performed a great service to you and the Princess Handa; therefore it
+seems to me that his reward ought to come from you. It seems to me
+that the King, having received from him good in his family, must
+reward him from his family. Were I in such a case, I would appoint him
+as Mundiana, and give him for a wife the daughter whom he has
+restored."
+
+The whole assembly were of the same opinion, and the King gave them to
+understand that this was also his wish.
+
+"I am old," he said, "and can easily perceive that the cares of this
+land will soon need other hands to support them. I shall be much
+pleased to see my daughter with a noble husband. Prince Mundian Oppu
+has disappeared, whom I had before chosen; and this youth, although of
+meaner origin, is of noble soul, and will soon, under my guidance,
+acquire the necessary circumspection to promote justice and order in
+my kingdom."
+
+He did not delay, but immediately caused Haschem to be called. A
+costly band of gold and silver was fastened round his forehead, and
+the King then said, "I herewith appoint you Mundiana."
+
+And the assembled councillors cried out, "We congratulate you, hail,
+Mundiana!"
+
+But Haschem laughed, and said, "Forgive my ignorance: what is
+Mundiana?"
+
+The eldest councillor stepped forward, and said, "This name points out
+the highest step of honour which the King can bestow. You are found
+worthy of this honour; and no other lives who bears this title,
+because Prince Mundian Oppu has disappeared."
+
+An elephant covered with costly trappings was now brought in by its
+keeper, and upon it was a richly ornamented seat. On this the new
+Mundiana was placed, and led through the streets. Heralds went before
+him, and cried aloud, "Listen to what Kadga Singa makes known to all
+people. This youth has restored to him his dearest jewel which he had
+lost. In gratitude, the King has nominated him Mundiana, and has
+appointed his daughter Handa for his wife. To-morrow will the
+betrothal be celebrated; and everybody is requested to come into the
+court of the palace to partake of the joy of the festival."
+
+Haschem knew not how all this had come about. He received clothes and
+rich arms as a present from the King; and the King so highly favoured
+him that he was not only to be husband of the Princess Handa, but was
+to succeed Kadga Singa on the throne, and to reign over that beautiful
+and rich land. In this happiness he forgot his early life, his
+father's sorrow, and even Zoraine his playfellow in youth, his
+father's faithful friend Saad, and thought no more of his home or his
+fatherland. The next day his betrothal with the Princess was
+celebrated with great pomp.
+
+The Princess had willingly yielded to her father's wish, without
+manifesting any particular joy, or showing any affection for her
+future husband; although she felt very friendly towards him, and
+treated him with great respect and attention, as her grateful heart
+did not forget in prosperity how much she had owed to him in
+misfortune.
+
+The first days and weeks passed in the delights of joy: then he was
+introduced by the King into the council, and taught the business of
+the State. The King and councillors had often reason to wonder at his
+acuteness in judgment in difficult cases, and, above all, at his
+perception of right and wrong. Soon no sentence was pronounced without
+his opinion being first consulted; and it often happened that it was
+contrary to that of the rest of the council; but the reasons for his
+decision always prevailed. In all lands the justice and wisdom of the
+King's future son-in-law were praised, and it was hoped that fortune
+would permit him to rule over the land.
+
+A whole year had now elapsed, and the day was fast approaching when he
+was to marry the Princess and ascend the throne. One day, as usual, he
+sought his betrothed, the Princess Handa, in her apartments. As he was
+announced by a servant, he went in quickly, and saw the Princess
+hastily wiping her eyes; and as he drew nearer, he found the traces of
+her tears. Sympathizing with her, he asked the cause of her grief, and
+she tried to avoid answering him; but as he continued to urge her, she
+at last said, "I dare tell you why these tears flow, because you are
+good and compassionate, and will not consider it a crime that I have a
+feeling and sympathizing heart. You know that I was formerly beloved
+by Prince Mundian Oppu, the son of the neighbouring King. I related
+to you that this Prince was changed into a blackbird by the enchanter,
+and flew from the ship to the promontory of the island where our
+country seat was situated. Now, I must tell you that I grieve so much
+the more about this Prince's fate, as from my own change I can
+compassionate his mournful condition. I could not repress this desire,
+and I have obtained certain news of his life and present condition by
+the secret knowledge of a clever Tirinaxian. And in this manner I have
+learned that he still lives in his new form, and that he has flown,
+from fear of the snares of the hunter, whom we call Dodda Waddas, out
+of the land into distant regions; and that it is ordained by fate that
+he shall never regain his human form if I give my hand to another
+husband. Sorrow at this mournful destiny has drawn these tears from my
+eyes, the traces of which you observed."
+
+This narrative made a deep impression on Haschem: he discovered also
+that Handa had acceded to her father's wish only from gratitude and
+filial obedience, whilst her affection was fixed on the absent Prince.
+He saw that he must purchase the good fortune to be husband of the
+noble Princess, and son-in-law of the great King Kadga Singa, and
+after him to be King of Selandia, only by the misfortunes of Prince
+Mundian Oppu. He asked himself if this were right, and was obliged to
+confess that his reason and knowledge of justice and honour were
+opposed to it. He saw that the intoxication of good fortune had
+hitherto blinded him. Then the remembrance of his father came before
+him, and he imagined him pining away at the uncertainty of his son's
+fate. He bitterly reproached himself for his long forgetfulness, and
+for not having sent an embassy to announce his safe arrival in
+Selandia.
+
+Scarcely had these thoughts and feelings arisen in his breast, than he
+made up his mind. He took Handa's hand, and promised her that he would
+do all he could to find her former lover, and restore him to her. Then
+he went to the King, told him all, and begged him to let him go to
+fulfil a son's duty to a father whom he had too long neglected. Kadga
+Singa sighed deeply at these disclosures of his future son-in-law: he
+proposed to send a ship to bring his father, so that he might end his
+life in sharing his son's good fortune and companionship. But Haschem
+declared to him, with determination, that he could never be his
+son-in-law or successor to the throne.
+
+"I cannot purchase such good fortune at another's expense," said he.
+"It was otherwise before I knew the decision of fate; but now that I
+know the Prince Mundian Oppu must, through my happiness, always remain
+in his present condition, if I thus take away the possibility of his
+ever returning to human form, I should be in the highest degree
+culpable. Therefore I voluntarily give up my good fortune."
+
+All the persuasions and urgings of Kadga Singa were useless. The
+councillors also, and the Grand Vizier and the Governors of the
+provinces, begged him to continue in the land, and to take still more
+share in the government. He remained firm in his resolution. He
+promised the Princess, who was astonished at his honourable spirit,
+that as soon as he had seen and comforted his father, he would demand
+information of Prince Mundian Oppu from all the sages and magicians of
+his native land, and that he would try all means to restore him to his
+former condition. As he was determined to set out, the King gave him
+costly presents, besides many precious stones from his treasury, and
+provided him with a ship, and all necessaries for the voyage. He took
+leave, and the good wishes of all who knew him accompanied him.
+
+
+CHAPTER VII.
+
+THE RETURN TO HIS FATHER.
+
+
+The heavens seemed to favour the resolution of the returning son: the
+warmest weather and most favourable winds seconded his journey, and
+the ship anchored in the harbour without accident. He took some
+servants; bought some camels, which he loaded with the King's
+presents, and so went through Balsora along the river to Bagdad.
+
+One beautiful evening he came near the city to the place where he had
+lain at the feet of his father and Saad, and listened to their
+discourses: their last discourse there returned to his memory.
+
+"Well," said he to himself, "it is true that it is easy for a man to
+be seduced from virtue into one false step, if he is not watchful, but
+relies on his own power: so it happened to me. I thought that my heart
+was always right, and neglected to try if what I did was just. In this
+manner have I so much forgotten my love for my father, and had nearly
+committed a great wrong; whilst I, in the intoxication of good
+fortune, was about to sacrifice to my vanity the happiness of the
+Princess and her betrothed. And you, my dearest father, were also
+right when you maintained that a heart accustomed to virtue from early
+years would only for a short time wander from the right road. I have
+myself experienced the truth of these words, and I therefore thank you
+with tears that you always accustomed me to what was good."
+
+Whilst he spoke, he lifted up his eyes, and saw a single hut where the
+palm-trees used to stand. A venerable old man, much marked by sorrow,
+appeared at the door: he stood still before the threshold, and watched
+the youth with astonishment. The young man gazed earnestly at him. He
+suddenly recognized the features of the old man, and threw himself on
+his knees before him, seized his hand, and bowing his head on it,
+bedewed it with his tears, and covered it with kisses.
+
+"My father!" cried he: "is it so indeed? Have you so much altered in
+the course of so few years?--that is my fault. Father, forgive your
+easily offending son, who forgot you in the height of prosperity."
+
+Naima stretched his other hand to him, blessed him, and said, "Rise
+up, my son, rise: he who feels repentance is forgiven."
+
+He rose and threw himself into his father's arms.
+
+When he looked up, he saw a man approach, leading a maiden whose
+features he recognized. It was Saad and his daughter Zoraine,
+Haschem's playfellow. After welcoming him, they sat down, and Haschem
+related to them all that had happened to him since that evening. He
+related, truly and candidly, how he had forgotten his father, and
+nearly fallen into greater crimes, because he had been blinded by
+fortune, by empty greatness, and honour. Whilst they were sitting,
+they observed three birds, who came from a distance, and seemed to
+pursue one another. They soon perceived a black bird, which flew
+anxiously, and seemed followed by a bird of prey. He would soon have
+reached his prey, had he not been pursued by a larger bird; and to
+avoid this, he was often compelled to go from side to side: at last
+they came to close conflict. The pursued black bird flew into
+Haschem's lap; the bird of prey, struck by his pursuer, fell to the
+ground at their feet, and was, by his strong hooked bill and sharp
+claws, soon killed and torn to pieces. Scarcely had the last
+occurrence taken place, when the conqueror changed into a
+venerable-looking sage. He turned to Haschem, who was quite
+astonished, and said,
+
+"Dip quickly your forefinger in the blood of this slain one, and
+anoint with it the beak of the black bird."
+
+Haschem obeyed immediately; and scarcely had he touched the black
+bird's beak with the blood, than it changed, and a handsome youth in
+kingly dress stood before them.
+
+"Guess who this is," said the genius.
+
+"Mundian Oppu?" asked Haschem.
+
+And the genius answered, "It is he!" And as he stood looking at the
+young man with astonishment, he said, "You do not perceive how and why
+all this has happened. I could explain to you all these mysteries; but
+to what purpose? It is not necessary for weak men to know the threads
+by which their fates are linked together: suffice it to know that it
+was necessary that you should perform all this, that you might be
+tried. You are found worthy, and Heaven rewards you with Zoraine, the
+early companion of your youth, now to be your wife."
+
+Then Haschem turned towards Zoraine, and looked inquiringly at Saad,
+her father. This latter said,
+
+"With joy I listen to the will of fate: the highest wish of my heart
+will now be fulfilled."
+
+"Know," continued the genius, "that the slain bird was the enchanter
+who had changed the Princess Handa and the Prince Mundian Oppu. They
+were also to pass through trials: thus it was decreed by fate.
+Because the enchanter only fulfilled the will of fate from selfish
+motives, and carried his revenge beyond it, and contrary to it, the
+King of the Genii commanded me to slay him."
+
+With these words he disappeared from their sight. They returned now in
+happy union to the city; and Naima, who had built his hut at the edge
+of the wood, to be always near the place of his sorrow, dwelt again
+with his children. Prince Mundian Oppu went back to Selandia in the
+same ship that had brought Haschem. He was received there with
+immeasurable joy, and was soon married to his early love. But
+Haschem's name lived long in their memory, and in that of all the
+inhabitants of that island.
+
+When the Caliph Haroun al Raschid heard of Haschem's return, he had
+him called before him, and made him relate his history. The Caliph was
+so pleased with him, that he took him into his palace, and gave him an
+important post in his Court. His history he caused to be inscribed in
+the records of his kingdom. As Giafar, his old Vizier, wished to end
+his life in quietness, the Caliph raised Haschem to be Grand Vizier;
+and he continued long in this office, to the pleasure of his relatives
+and the happiness of the people, by whom he was greatly beloved.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+The Pantofles.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+In Bagdad lived an old merchant, of the name of Abon Casem, who was
+famous for his riches, but still more for his avarice. His coffers
+were small to look at--if you could get a sight of them--and very
+dirty; but they were crammed with jewels. His clothes were as scanty
+as need be; but then, even in his clothes, there was _multum in
+parvo_: to wit, much dirt, in little space. All the embroidery he wore
+was of that kind which is of necessity attendant upon a ragged state
+of drapery. It meandered over his bony form in all the beauty of
+ill-sewn patches. His turban was of the finest kind of linen for
+lasting: a kind of canvas, and so mixed with elementary substances
+that its original colour, if it still existed, was invisible. But, of
+all his habiliments, his slippers were most deserving the study of the
+curious. They were the extreme cases, both of his body and his dirt.
+The soles consisted chiefly of huge nails, and the upper leathers of
+almost everything. The ship of the Argonauts was not a greater
+miscellany. During the ten years of their performance in the character
+of shoes, the most skilful cobblers had exercised their science and
+ingenuity in keeping them together. The accumulation of materials had
+been so great, and their weight was so heavy in proportion, that they
+were promoted to honours of proverbialism; and Abon Casem's slippers
+became a favourite comparison when a superfluity of weight was the
+subject of discourse.
+
+It happened one day, as this precious merchant was walking in the
+market, that he had a great quantity of fine glass bottles offered him
+for sale; and, as the proposed bargain was greatly on his side, and he
+made it still more so, he bought them. The vendor informed him,
+furthermore, that a perfumer having lately become bankrupt, had no
+resource left but to sell, at a very low price, a large quantity of
+rose-water; and Casem, greatly rejoicing at this news, and, hastening
+to the poor man's shop, bought up all the rose-water at half its
+value. He then carried it home, and comfortably put it in his bottles.
+Delighted with these good bargains, and buoyant in his spirits, our
+hero, instead of making a feast, according to the custom of his
+fellows, thought it more advisable to go to the bath, where he had not
+been for some time.
+
+While employed in the intricate business of undressing, one of his
+friends, or one whom he believed such--for your misers seldom have
+any--observed that his pantofles had made him quite the bye-word of
+the city, and that it was high time to buy a new pair.
+
+"To say the truth," said Casem, "I have long thought of doing so; but
+they are not yet so worn as to be unable to serve me a little longer."
+And, having undressed himself, he went into the stove.
+
+During the luxury he was there enjoying, the Cadi of Bagdad came in,
+and, having undressed himself, he went into the stove likewise. Casem
+soon after came out, and, having dressed himself, looked about for his
+pantofles; but nowhere could he find them. In the place of his own, he
+found a pair sufficiently different to be not only new, but splendid.
+And, feeling convinced that they were a gift from his friend--not the
+less so, perhaps, because he wished it--he triumphantly thrust his
+toes in them, and issued forth into the air, radiant with joy and a
+skin nearly clean.
+
+On the other hand, when the Cadi had performed the necessary
+purifications, and was dressed, his slaves looked for his lordship's
+slippers in vain. Nowhere could they be found. Instead of the
+embroidered pantofles of the Judge, they detected, in a corner, only
+the phenomena left by Casem, which were too well known to leave a
+doubt how their master's had disappeared. The slaves went immediately
+for Casem, and brought him back to the indignant magistrate, who, deaf
+to his attempts at defence, sent him to prison. Now, in the East, the
+claws of justice open just as wide, and no wider than the purse of the
+culprit; and it may be supposed that Abon Casem, who was known to be
+as rich as he was miserly, did not get his freedom at the same rate as
+his rose-water.
+
+The miserable Casem returned home, tearing his beard--for beard is not
+a dear stuff--and, being mightily enraged with the pantofles, he
+seized upon them, and threw them out of his window into the Tigris.
+
+It happened a few days after that some fishermen drew their nets under
+the window, and the weight being greater than usual, they were
+exulting in their success, when out came the pantofles. Furious
+against Casem (for who did not know Casem's pantofles?), they threw
+them in at the window, at the same time reviling him for the accident.
+Unhappy Casem! The pantofles flew into his room, fell among his
+bottles, which were ranged with great care along the shelf, and,
+overthrowing them, covered the room with glass and rose-water.
+Imagine, if you can, the miser's agony! With a loud voice, and tearing
+his beard, according to custom, he roared out, "Accursed pantofles,
+will you never cease persecuting the wretched Casem?"
+
+So saying, he took a spade, and went into his garden to bury them.
+
+It so happened that one of his neighbours was looking out of window at
+the time, and seeing Casem poking about the earth in his garden, he
+ran to the Cadi, and told him that his old friend had discovered a
+treasure. Nothing more was requisite to excite the cupidity of the
+Judge. He allowed the miser to aver, as loudly as he pleased, that he
+was burying his slippers, and had found no treasure, but at the same
+time demanded the treasure he had found. Casem talked to no purpose.
+Wearied out at last with his own asseverations, he paid the money, and
+departed, cursing the very souls of the pantofles.
+
+Determined to get rid of these unhappy moveables, our hero walked to
+some distance from the city, and threw them into a reservoir, hoping
+he had now fairly seen the last of them; but the evil genii, not yet
+tired of tormenting him, guided the pantofles precisely to the mouth
+of the conduit. From this point they were carried along into the city,
+and, sticking at the mouth of the aqueduct, they stopped it up, and
+prevented the water from flowing into the basin. The overseers of the
+city fountains, seeing that the water had stopped, immediately set
+about repairing the damage, and at length dragged into the face of day
+the old reprobate slippers, which they immediately took to the Cadi,
+complaining loudly of the damage they had caused.
+
+The unfortunate proprietor was now condemned to pay a fine still
+heavier than before; but far was he from having the luck of seeing his
+chattels detained. The Cadi, having delivered the sentence, said, like
+a conscientious magistrate, that he had no power of retaining other
+peoples' property, upon which the slippers, with much solemnity, were
+faithfully returned to their distracted master. He carried them home
+with him, meditating as he went--and as well as he was able to
+meditate--how he should destroy them; at length he determined upon
+committing them to the flames. He accordingly tried to do so, but
+they were too wet; so he put them on a terrace to dry. But the evil
+genii, as aforesaid, had reserved a still more cruel accident than any
+before; for a dog, whose master lived hard by, seeing these strange
+wild fowl of a pair of shoes, jumped from one terrace to the other,
+till he came to the miser's, and began to play with one of them: in
+his sport he dropped it over the balustrade, and it fell, heavy with
+hobnails and the accumulated dirt of years, on the tender head of an
+infant, and killed him on the spot. The parents went straight to the
+Cadi, and complained that they had found their child dead, and Casem's
+pantofle lying by it, upon which the Judge condemned him to pay a very
+heavy fine.
+
+Casem returned home, and taking the pantofles, went back to the Cadi,
+crying out with an enthusiasm that convulsed everybody, "Behold!
+behold! See here the fatal cause of all the sufferings of Casem! these
+pantofles, which have at length brought ruin upon his head. My Lord
+Cadi, be so merciful, I pray you, as to give an edict that may free me
+from all imputation of accident which these slippers henceforth may
+occasion, as they certainly will to anybody who ventures into their
+accursed leather!"
+
+The Cadi could not refuse this request, and the miser learned to his
+cost the ill effects of not buying a new pair of shoes.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+Story of the Prince and the Lions.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+In a great city of the East lived Prince Azgid, who grew up to manhood
+beloved by every one, for he was virtuous, intelligent, and
+accomplished, though somewhat of a timorous disposition, and this was
+indeed his chief fault. His father had died, and he had reached now
+the proper age to mount the throne, a time having been already fixed
+for the ceremony, to which the young man was looking forward with
+great interest.
+
+A few days previous to the event the old Vizier called upon the
+Prince, and telling him he wished to take a walk with him, led him out
+of the town to a mountain, on one side of which was a wide staircase
+of white marble, with a handsome balustrade on each side. It had three
+broad landings, and on these the Vizier and Prince rested as they
+ascended the stairs, for it was of great height, and they were both
+sorely tired before they reached the top. There was a small house on
+the summit, out of which came a black slave, who made a profound
+obeisance to the visitors, and, leading the way, took them a short
+distance to a kind of arena dug in the ground, and faced also with
+white marble. He then took out a key and opened a brazen door,
+whereupon the Prince drew near, and, looking down, saw a red lion of
+fierce aspect and tremendous size. He wondered what it all meant, and
+gazed with a look of inquiry into the face of the Vizier, who, having
+ordered the servant to retire, thus spoke:
+
+"My son," said he, "the day is now very near on which you are to
+ascend the throne; but before you can do so you must fulfil a custom
+which has been established for many ages, and which your father and
+all your ancestors submitted to; in short, you must descend into this
+den with a dagger, and fight yonder lion. This will test your courage
+and fortitude, and show whether you are really worthy of governing a
+kingdom."
+
+When the young man heard this, he turned pale, and almost fell to the
+ground.
+
+"This is a severe task," said he; "is there no alternative, nor any
+method by which I may evade it?"
+
+"None, whatever," answered the Vizier.
+
+"Can I not have a few days granted me to think over the matter, and
+prepare for the sore trial?" asked the youth.
+
+"Oh, yes!" returned the other, "that you can have, of course."
+Whereupon he beckoned to the slave to lock the door, and the visitors
+descended the stairs and returned to the palace.
+
+The joy of Azgid's life seemed now to have fled, and he was suddenly
+immersed in deep despair. The horrid combat he was to engage in was
+continually before him. He could neither eat nor drink, but wandered
+about the palace like one distracted, or sat moping for hours, with
+his head buried in his hands, speaking to no one. He was glad when
+night came, that he might hide himself from observation, and retired
+to his chamber in tears. But he found no comfort there. Sleep fled
+from him, and he lay tossing upon his bed, anxiously awaiting the
+return of day. During the tedious hours of darkness he had meditated
+what course he had best pursue, and at length came to the resolution
+that he would extricate himself from the dilemma he was in by bidding
+farewell to his home, and seeking peace and safety in some far-distant
+land.
+
+Accordingly, as soon as it was daylight, he hastily dressed himself,
+and going to the stables, mounted a fleet horse and rode off. Glad was
+he when he got outside the town, and turning round to take a last
+look, he thus exclaimed:
+
+"Oh, cursed city! cursed home! what misery lies within you! May each
+hour carry me farther from you! and may these eyes never behold you
+again!"
+
+With these words he put spurs to his horse, and was soon out of sight
+of the detested spot. He journeyed forward with a light heart, and on
+the third day came to a pleasant country overgrown with forest trees,
+intermingled with lawns and romantic vales.
+
+Proceeding a little farther on, he heard the sound of delicious music,
+and soon overtook a handsome youth of ruddy countenance, somewhat
+younger than himself, playing on a flute, and leading a few sheep.
+
+The shepherd, on seeing the stranger, stopped playing, and saluted him
+very courteously; but Azgid begged him to go on, telling him what an
+admirer of music he was, and that he had never in his life heard such
+enchanting strains.
+
+The young man smiled at this compliment, and commenced playing some
+fresh tunes; and, when he had finished, he informed the Prince that he
+was slave to a rich shepherd named Oaxus, who lived near, and who
+would be rejoiced to see him, and show him some hospitality.
+
+In a few moments they reached the abode of Oaxus.
+
+It was a low stone building of considerable size, with a porch
+surrounding it, overgrown with vines and flowers. Around it was a
+large yard, encircled with a high wall, in which were some flocks of
+sheep, with a number of men tending them.
+
+On entering, the old shepherd came forward and gave the stranger a
+hearty welcome, leading him into a neat apartment, and setting before
+him a handsome repast. After Azgid had finished eating, he thought it
+his duty to give his kind host some information as to who he was, and
+thus spoke:
+
+"My friend," said he, "you no doubt wonder at seeing a stranger of my
+appearance thus suddenly visiting you, and will naturally wish to
+inquire who I am. This wish I can only in part gratify. Suffice it to
+say that I am a Prince whom troubles at home have driven abroad; but
+my name I cannot tell. That is a secret lodged in my own breast, to be
+imparted to no one. If no inconvenience to you, it would please me
+much to remain in this delightful spot. I have ample means at my
+disposal, and will remunerate you for whatever trouble I may put you
+to."
+
+Oaxus replied to this speech in the kindest manner, begging the young
+man to say nothing about remuneration, for that the company of one so
+exalted and accomplished would more than repay him for any trouble he
+might be put to in entertaining him, and that nothing would give him
+more happiness than to have him remain there to the end of his days.
+
+"But come, Asdril," said he, addressing the musician, "take the Prince
+and show him what is most worthy to be seen in this neighbourhood.
+Lead him to the waterfalls, the fountains, the rocks and vales, for I
+perceive our guest is one able to appreciate nature's beauties."
+
+The young shepherd did as requested, and, taking up his flute, led the
+youth to all the pleasantest and most interesting spots.
+
+They wandered about the sloping hills and deep valleys, and over
+beautiful lawns, sprinkled with trees of immense size. At one time
+they stood by the side of some gently murmuring stream, and now they
+were startled with a romantic cascade, whose flashing waters tumbled
+from mossy cliffs and echoed far and wide. They now entered a shady
+vale, and, seating themselves on a rock, the shepherd commenced
+playing his flute. The Prince listened with delight, for, as we said
+before, he was passionately fond of music, and had never in his life
+heard any one who pleased him so much. Indeed, he made up his mind
+that, if ever he left the place, he would endeavour to purchase from
+Oaxus the accomplished slave, and have him as his constant companion
+as long as he lived.
+
+Thus did Azgid enjoy himself amid these delicious scenes,
+congratulating himself that he had escaped from all his troubles, and
+had at last reached a spot where he might live in peace and
+tranquillity for ever.
+
+But his joy was not to last long; for young Asdril on a sudden rose
+up, and, taking his companion by the hand, told him it was time for
+them to be gone.
+
+"Why so?" asked the Prince. "Why should we so soon leave these
+enchanting scenes?"
+
+"Alas!" answered the shepherd, "this place is infested with lions.
+They come out at a certain hour every day, and we all have to retire
+within the walls of our abode and close the gates. See here,"
+continued he, rolling up his sleeve, and showing a great scar on his
+arm, "this is what I received in an encounter with these fierce
+beasts. I once lagged behind, and was with great difficulty saved from
+destruction. So, let us lose no time, but make the best of our way
+home."
+
+On hearing these words, the Prince turned pale; but he said nothing,
+and they silently returned to the house.
+
+On reaching the gate, Azgid called for his horse, and, having mounted,
+told his host that he was about to leave, and thanked him for his
+kindness. "Farewell, Oaxus!" said he. "Farewell, young Asdril! I
+thought I should have remained here forever; but fate decrees
+otherwise. I must seek another abode, another home." And, so saying,
+he put spurs to his horse and galloped away.
+
+He journeyed on and on, and soon left the groves and green valleys.
+The country became more barren, trees began to disappear, and, not
+long after, scarcely any verdure was visible. He was soon in the midst
+of the desert. Far as the eye could reach, the vast plain spread
+before him. Not a shrub or blade of grass could be seen, and nothing
+met the view but, now and then, some low sand-hills, piled up by the
+wind like drifts of snow, among which, with much fatigue to his horse,
+he pursued his way. The sun blazed on him with great power; and it
+was with much satisfaction, on the third day, that he perceived in the
+distance a number of black tents, which he knew to be an encampment of
+Arabs.
+
+As he drew near, a band of warriors, mounted on fine horses and
+brandishing their spears, came forth to meet him. This was their usual
+mode of welcoming a stranger.
+
+They seemed struck with the appearance of Azgid, and showed him much
+respect, forming a sort of guard around him, and leading him to the
+tent of their chief.
+
+The latter was a person of dignified aspect, somewhat past the prime
+of life. His name was Sheik Hajaar. He sat smoking in front of his
+tent; and, when the youth approached, he rose up and cordially saluted
+him. He then took him inside the tent, and set before him a repast, of
+which, when the young man had eaten, he thought it his duty to inform
+his kind host who he was.
+
+"My friend," said he, "you are no doubt surprised at seeing a stranger
+of my appearance thus suddenly visiting you, and will naturally wish
+to inquire who I am. This wish I can only in part gratify: suffice it,
+then, to say that I am a Prince whom troubles at home have driven
+abroad, but my name I cannot tell; that is a secret lodged within my
+own breast, to be imparted to no one. If no inconvenience to you, it
+would please me much to remain here. I have ample means at my command,
+and will remunerate you for whatever trouble I may put you to."
+
+The Sheik replied that the company of one so exalted and accomplished
+was remuneration enough, and that he would be rejoiced to have him as
+his guest for ever. He then introduced him to a number of his friends,
+and leading him out, presented him with a beautiful horse of great
+value. Azgid thought he had never in his life seen so fine an animal;
+and when he mounted him he found him so gentle and docile as scarcely
+to require any management, for the intelligent creature seemed to
+anticipate all his wishes.
+
+"But, come," said the Sheik, "it is time for us to be off: to-day we
+hunt the antelope; you, Prince, will of course accompany us."
+
+Azgid, with a smile, replied in the affirmative, and they started off
+in pursuit of the game. They soon overtook a herd, and commenced
+chasing them--spears flew, and the air resounded with cries. The
+Prince was exhilarated with the sport, and enjoyed himself
+exceedingly. "Ah!" thought he, "this is a happy life, and these
+children of the desert are happy people: I am resolved never to quit
+them." The hunt lasted nearly the whole day, and about sunset the
+company returned with the spoil, which consisted of more than a dozen
+antelopes. These sports were kept up nearly every day, and Azgid's
+time passed most agreeably.
+
+A week had now elapsed, and the youth had one night retired to rest,
+congratulating himself on the happy life he led, when the Sheik Hajaar
+quietly approached his couch, and thus spake:
+
+"My son," said he, "I have come to tell you how much my people are
+pleased with you, and especially with the spirit you evince in the
+sports of the chase. But these sports do not comprise all our life: we
+have frequent wars with hostile tribes, where great valour is
+necessary. My men are all approved warriors, and, before they can have
+perfect confidence in you as a trusty comrade, desire to see some
+specimen of your prowess. Two leagues south of this is a range of
+hills infested with lions; rise, then, early on the morrow, mount your
+horse, take your sword and spear, and slay and bring us the skin of
+one of these savage beasts: then will we be assured of your courage,
+and have confidence in you in the day of battle."
+
+Having thus spoke, the Sheik bid him good night, and retired. His
+words disturbed Azgid extremely. "Ah!" thought he, "here are the lions
+again! wherever I go I meet them. I thought I had found at last a
+quiet home, but I am mistaken; this is not the place for me." He then
+got out of bed, and, lifting up the covering of the tent, slipped out,
+and went first to see the horse the Sheik had given him. He found him
+tethered among the others, and, going up to him, threw his arms around
+him and kissed him. "Farewell, kind creature," said he, "I grieve to
+leave you!" The animal leaned his head on his shoulders, and seemed to
+return his good feelings. The youth then sought his own steed, and,
+having mounted him, started off.
+
+He rode over the trackless sands, with the bright stars glittering
+above him, a homeless wanderer, not knowing whither he was going. At
+length morning began to appear, and soon the sun rose and beat upon
+his head with its fierce rays; by the middle of the day he was
+rejoiced to perceive that he was leaving the desert; and late in the
+afternoon he reached a charming region of hill and dale, streams and
+meadows.
+
+He soon after came to one of the most beautiful palaces he had ever
+seen. It was built of porphyry, and stood in the midst of an immense
+garden, where every plant and flower grew that could delight the sight
+or regale the senses. Trees loaded with all kinds of delicious fruits,
+some trimmed and cut into the most curious shapes, were seen on all
+sides. Statues of exquisite forms stood among them. From many of these
+fountains spouted upwards to a vast height, whose waters fell
+murmuring into large basins, where gold-fish, swans and other
+water-fowl were seen swimming about. Peacocks and other gorgeous birds
+strutted and flew around in every direction; and so many objects met
+the young man's eye, as he slowly rode up the broad avenue, that he
+stopped almost every moment to gaze and admire. At last lie reached
+the portico, which was raised twenty steps, and adorned with twelve
+columns of clear jasper.
+
+The owner of the palace, who was an Emir of great wealth, was seated
+on the portico, in company with his daughter, the golden-haired
+Perizide.
+
+On seeing a stranger of such dignified mien approaching, he rose up
+and went to welcome him. He led him up the steps, and introduced him
+to the young lady, who became at once interested with the looks and
+demeanour of the handsome youth. The Emir then took his guest inside
+the palace.
+
+Azgid looked round with wonder. If the exterior of the building
+delighted him, how much more was he pleased with its interior? The
+hall was of vast size, with a noble staircase in the middle; the
+apartments were spacious, and shone with gold; the walls and ceilings
+were covered with the most exquisite paintings in fresco; and vases of
+precious stones, statues, and all kinds of rare curiosities were
+ranged around; the windows were of something that resembled pearl, and
+were stained with different colours, so that, as the sun shone through
+them, the tesselated floor received the rays, and glittered with all
+the tints of the rainbow. Azgid gazed with astonishment. The Emir now
+set before him a collation composed of the most delicate viands,
+delicious fruits, and wines.
+
+After he had finished eating, the Prince thought it his duty to inform
+his kind host who he was.
+
+"Sir," said he, "you no doubt wonder at one of my appearance thus
+suddenly visiting you, and will naturally wish to inquire who I am.
+This wish I can only in part gratify. Suffice it, then, to say that I
+am a Prince whom troubles at home have driven abroad, but my name I
+cannot tell: that is a secret lodged in my own breast, to be imparted
+to no one. If no inconvenience to you, it would delight me much to
+remain with you; and at some future day, if fortune should again smile
+upon me, I will be happy to return the favour, and reciprocate your
+hospitality."
+
+The Emir replied to this speech in the kindest manner, telling the
+youth that he did him a great honour in making him a visit, and that
+he hoped he would remain to the end of his days. He further informed
+him that he expected that night a number of his friends to favour him
+with their company, and, wishing to look after the preparations for
+the banquet, he begged his guest to excuse him for a short time.
+
+When the Emir retired, Azgid was left alone with the fair Perizide,
+and was struck more than ever with her ravishing beauty. In fact, he
+fell deeply in love with her. She, on her part, seemed not insensible
+to his merits, and exerted herself to amuse and entertain him. She led
+him into the garden, showing him all the rare sights, and bidding him
+observe the consummate art with which the shrubbery and trees were
+arranged, and the charming green alleys and vistas which opened before
+them as they walked along.
+
+They explored the beauties of this fairy scene, seating themselves by
+the side of the glittering fountains, and sometimes beneath the dark
+shadows of the flowery arbours, through which the rays of a bright
+full moon began now to penetrate.
+
+They then returned to the palace, and, approaching, heard the strains
+of festive music, and perceived the building illuminated from top to
+bottom. They passed through the throngs on the portico, and entered
+the house, which was lit up with hundreds of dazzling lustres, and
+crowded with guests, all habited in splendid dresses. Perizide led the
+youth into the grand saloon, and seated him on one of the purple
+divans.
+
+The attendants now served up a splendid supper, brought in on gold and
+silver trays, and which consisted of every delicacy that could be
+procured. It was made up of many courses, and lasted a considerable
+time, and at its conclusion the room was partially cleared, and a
+number of dancing girls, of elegant form and richly clad, entered the
+apartment, and amused the guests with their graceful movements. Azgid,
+observing a lute lying near him, took it up, and, telling the lady how
+fond he was of music, begged her to favour him with an air. Perizide
+complied with his request very graciously, and commenced playing. The
+Prince listened with delight, and was drinking in the soft strains
+with rapt attention, when he suddenly heard a loud and very unusual
+sound.
+
+"What noise is that?" asked the youth.
+
+"I heard nothing," replied his companion; "nor do I think there was
+any. It is your imagination only that fancies it."
+
+Whereupon she went on playing; but she had only proceeded a few
+minutes, when the Prince started a second time.
+
+"There it is again!" said he. "Did you not hear it?"
+
+"I heard nothing," answered Perizide, "but the sound of music and the
+merry voices of hundreds of happy guests. It must be your imagination,
+Prince, as I said before, and nothing else."
+
+"Perhaps it is," returned the youth, striking his forehead. "You must
+pardon me, fair lady: I have lately passed through many trying scenes,
+and I fear my nerves are none of the strongest."
+
+Perizide thereupon resumed her lute, but she had not proceeded very
+long, when her guest again cried out,
+
+"Oh!" said he, "tell me not that this is imagination! I heard it most
+distinctly. Explain to me I pray, what it means."
+
+"Oh," replied the young lady, laughing, "that is Boulak, our black
+porter. He is a great pet and a privileged character; he gets drowsy
+sometimes, and often yawns, and that was the sound you just heard."
+
+"Good Heavens!" said Azgid, "what lungs he must have, to make such a
+yawn as that!"
+
+Perizide made no reply except a smile, but went on playing the lute,
+when, having finished, the Prince complimented her highly for her
+performance. It was by this time pretty late, and the guests gradually
+retired; Perizide also went to her chamber, and the Prince and the
+Emir were left alone.
+
+They passed nearly an hour smoking and conversing very pleasantly,
+till at length the host rose up, and telling his guest it was
+bed-time, took him by the hand to lead him to his chamber. They
+proceeded to the hall, and soon reached the great staircase, which was
+of white marble, with a handsome balustrade on each side. When they
+came to the foot of it, Azgid gazed for a moment admiring its beauty;
+but what was his horror, when, on looking up, he spied a black lion of
+immense size lying stretched on the topmost landing. He trembled and
+turned pale.
+
+"What is that?" said he, pointing with his finger.
+
+"Oh," returned the Emir, "that is Boulak, our black porter. He is
+tame, and will not hurt you if you are not afraid of him; but he can
+tell when any one fears him, and then he becomes ferocious."
+
+"I fear him," whispered the Prince, "and fear him greatly."
+
+"You must cast aside your fear, my son," replied the other, "and then
+there is not the slightest danger."
+
+"That is easier said than done," answered the youth. "I try to cast it
+aside, but do not succeed. No, I believe I will not go to my chamber,
+but will sleep somewhere else, where there is no need of approaching
+this terrible beast."
+
+"Just as you like," replied the Emir. "You can return to the saloon,
+and repose on one of those divans."
+
+The Prince accordingly took up his lodgings in the saloon, and having
+bid his friend "Good night," he carefully locked the door and windows,
+making everything as secure as possible. He then lay down on the
+cushions, listening eagerly if he might perchance hear any sound. But
+all was silent; for every soul had retired, and the vast mansion
+presented a striking contrast to the noisy merriment which a little
+while before had reigned everywhere.
+
+The young man now composed himself to rest, thinking that the lion was
+most probably fast asleep and would not disturb him--but he was
+mistaken; for in the course of an hour he heard most evidently a soft,
+heavy tread coming down the stairs. The beast, on reaching the hall,
+seemed for a moment to pause; then his steps were heard moving along
+the vast corridor, till it could be no longer distinguished.
+
+Azgid now breathed more freely, and was in hopes that his tormentor
+had retired to some secluded part of the building, and had gone to
+sleep; but he was doomed to be disappointed, for in a short time he
+heard the faint steps approaching nearer and nearer, and perceived
+that the beast stopped every now and then, snuffing with his nose, as
+if in search of some one. At last he came to the door, putting his
+nose at the lower part, and snuffing louder than ever; then he sprang
+with his fore feet against it, giving it such a push as almost to
+burst it open, and at the same time uttering a tremendous roar, which
+echoed through the palace.
+
+Azgid jumped from his couch in dismay, and retreated to the farthest
+corner of the room; his hair stood on end, and the cold perspiration
+rolled from his body. He believed for a certainty that the door would
+fly open, and then the lion would rush in and devour him; but nothing
+of the kind occurred, for in a few moments the beast again went
+upstairs, and nothing more was heard of him.
+
+The Prince then lay down on his couch--but not to sleep: he revolved
+in his mind all that had happened to him since his departure from his
+own city, and thinking that Providence would not afflict him in such a
+manner for nought, but that there must be some design in it, he came
+to the determination that he would instantly return home, and fulfil
+the law and custom of his country by fighting the lion.
+
+Early on the morrow, the Emir came to wake his guest, and bid him
+"Good morning." He found the young man in tears, and putting his arm
+round him, thus spoke:
+
+"My son," said he, "your behaviour last night, when about to retire,
+surprised me greatly, and my amazement is increased now at seeing you
+in this unhappy state. What ails you, my son? Tell me all, and hide
+nothing from me; and first let me know frankly who you are?"
+
+"I am one," replied the youth, "who has fled from duty. I am Azgid,
+son of the renowned King Almamoun. I fled from a work Providence
+assigned to me to perform--but my sin followed me. I searched far and
+wide for comfort, but in vain--trouble and disaster pursued me
+wherever I went. But I have repented, and am now going back to
+retrieve my error, and meet the trial from which I once endeavoured to
+escape."
+
+"I am rejoiced to hear you thus speak," said the Emir. "I was well
+acquainted with your father, and think I know now from what duty it
+was you tried to escape. Go back, then, to your home, my son, and may
+Heaven grant you strength to perform your excellent resolution."
+
+He then ordered his guest's horse to be brought, which when the youth
+hath mounted, he asked his host to remember him to the beautiful
+Perizide, and beg her to excuse him for leaving her in so strange and
+abrupt a manner.
+
+"I will do as you desire," replied the other, "and when my daughter
+learns the cause of your departure, she will think more of you than
+ever."
+
+Thus with mutual good wishes the two friends separated, and Azgid rode
+away. He pursued the same route he had travelled before, and on the
+second day reached the desert and the encampment of the Arabs. He
+found the Sheik Hajaar, sitting in his tent door, calmly smoking his
+pipe: the Sheik was surprised at seeing him, and begged him to
+dismount and refresh himself; but this the Prince refused to do,
+saying that he had only come to explain his past strange behaviour in
+leaving his hospitable abode so abruptly.
+
+"I am Azgid," continued he, "son of the renowned King Almamoun. I was
+sorely troubled in mind when I visited you, for I had fled from duty;
+but I am now going back to retrieve my error and begin a new life. But
+tell me, I pray, how is that beautiful animal I used to ride with so
+much pleasure?"
+
+"He is well," answered the other, "and it would please me much if you
+could remain and ride him again; but I feel that it would be wrong to
+interrupt you in such a pious journey as you now undertake. Go on,
+then, my son: may Heaven prosper you in your good resolutions, and
+peace be with you."
+
+So saying, he bade the Prince farewell, and the latter, having
+returned his salutation, rode off.
+
+He pursued his course rapidly, and in a day or two arrived at the
+abode of Oaxus, whom he found in the courtyard, busily engaged in
+tending his sheep and goats. The old man was delighted to see him, and
+begged him to dismount; but the Prince declined doing so, and went on
+to explain who he was in the same words he had used to the Sheik
+Hajaar. Oaxus was much astonished when he heard the account, and
+congratulated the young man on the happy change that had come over
+him.
+
+"Go on, my friend," continued he: "may Heaven prosper you, and give
+you strength to carry out your wise designs."
+
+"Farewell," replied Azgid, "and tell young Asdril that if fortune
+favours me, I hope one day to be back, and listen to his sweet music
+again in spite of the lions."
+
+With these words he rode away, and travelling on, in due time reached
+his own city. He proceeded at once to the palace, and sought out the
+old Vizier, to whom he related all that had happened to him, and all
+that he intended to do, without concealing anything.
+
+"And now," said he, "lead me at once to the lion, and let me fight him
+and fulfil the law, as all my ancestors have done before me."
+
+The old man heard this speech with great pleasure, and almost wept for
+joy: he tenderly embraced his young friend, and, smiling, told him not
+to run into extremes nor to be in too great a hurry; for that his
+trial with the lion had better be put off for a week at least, and
+that in the meantime he needed rest and refreshment. To this
+suggestion Azgid acceded, and waited till the day his friend had fixed
+upon.
+
+It at length arrived, and very early in the morning the Prince arose
+and prepared for the combat. He clad himself in a light garment, tying
+a sash around it, in which he stuck a sharp dagger, took a spear in
+his hand, and, accompanied by the Vizier, left the palace and
+proceeded to the mountain. They climbed up the high steps and reached
+the top, whereupon the slave met them, and, going before, unlocked the
+gate. The young man looked down and saw the lion, sitting on his
+haunches, at one end of the arena; he then shook hands with his
+companions, and committing himself to the care of Heaven, sprang in.
+The beast gave a loud roar when he saw him, and crouching down, drew
+himself slowly toward his opponent, glaring fiercely on him all the
+while. The Prince quailed not, but gazed steadily on the animal, and
+advanced on him spear in hand; the lion now gave another loud roar,
+and bounding forward, sprang over the youth's head. He then returned,
+and commenced licking his hands and rubbing himself against his body.
+
+The Vizier now called out joyfully to his young friend, telling him he
+had conquered, and begging him to approach; and, with the assistance
+of the slave, he lifted him out of the den, the lion following like a
+dog.
+
+"Yes, Azgid," continued the old man, embracing the Prince, "the beast
+is tame and will injure no one; but, ignorant of this, you encountered
+him, and the proof of your valour is complete. Come, then, and ascend
+your throne, for you are worthy of it."
+
+They then began to descend the stairs, and Azgid, observing a couple
+of figures on the landing, asked the Vizier who they were.
+
+"I know not," replied he; "I can see them, but the height is too great
+for me to distinguish who they are."
+
+In a little while they reached the platform, when the new-comers
+proved to be Oaxus and Asdril.
+
+"Azgid," said the old shepherd, "I have come to congratulate you on
+your good fortune and happy deliverance; and here, too, is young
+Asdril, whose music you so much admired, and whom I now present to you
+as your own."
+
+"Oaxus," replied the Prince, "I heartily thank you; and as for you,
+Asdril, you are no longer a slave: from this moment you are free. You
+shall be the companion of my leisure hours, and entertain me with your
+delightful strains."
+
+They now began to descend again; and Azgid, observing a group on the
+second landing, asked the Vizier who they were.
+
+"I know not," replied he; "I can see them, but the height is too great
+for me to distinguish who they are."
+
+In a little while they reached the platform, when the new-comers
+proved to be the Sheik Hajaar, with a group of Arabs, leading the
+beautiful horse with which the Prince had been so much pleased.
+
+"Azgid," said the Sheik, "I have come to congratulate you on your good
+fortune and happy deliverance. I have brought you as a present the
+horse you used to ride when you honoured me with a visit: will your
+Highness deign to accept of it as a slight testimonial of my loyal
+regard?"
+
+"Valiant Sheik," answered the young man, "I am rejoiced to see you
+again, and receive with gratitude your noble gift; you could not have
+given me anything more acceptable."
+
+He then embraced the Sheik, and kissed the beautiful animal, who
+seemed to recognize him.
+
+They then began to descend; and the Prince, observing at the bottom of
+the stairs quite a concourse of people, inquired of the Vizier who
+they were.
+
+"I know not," replied he; "I can see them, but the height is too great
+for me to distinguish who they are."
+
+In a little while they reached the end of the staircase, when the
+new-comers proved to be the Emir, with a large retinue of his guards,
+with music and banners.
+
+"Azgid," said the Emir, "I am come to congratulate you on your good
+fortune and happy deliverance. I have brought no present; that I
+considered needless, since myself and all that I have are yours."
+
+"Noble Emir," cried the youth, "I am rejoiced to see you--tell me, how
+is Perizide? as soon as I have been crowned I intend to visit her with
+the speed of lightning."
+
+"There is no need of that," returned the other: "come with me;" and,
+so saying, he led the young man to a splendid white steed, on which
+sat a lady, covered with a long veil. The Emir lifted the veil, and
+Azgid beheld the beautiful face of his beloved mistress.
+
+Their meeting, as may be imagined, was most tender and affectionate;
+and the Vizier, having ordered the music to strike up, the whole
+procession moved toward the palace.
+
+"How strange it seems!" said the Prince: "when I fled from my duty
+everything went wrong with me; but now, after fulfilling it, good luck
+meets me at every step."
+
+Azgid was crowned the same day, and in the evening his nuptials with
+the fair Perizide were celebrated; they lived long and happily; and
+the Prince ordered the story of his life to be written in the annals
+of the kingdom, and an inscription in gold letters to be placed over
+the door of the palace, with these words: "_Never run from the
+lion._"
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+The City of the Demons
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+In days of yore there lived in the flourishing city of Cairo a Hebrew
+Rabbi, by name Jochonan, who was the most learned of his nation. His
+fame went over the East, and the most distant people sent their young
+men to imbibe wisdom from his lips. He was deeply skilled in the
+traditions of the fathers, and his word on a disputed point was
+decisive. He was pious, just, temperate, and strict; but he had one
+vice: a love of gold had seized upon his heart, and he opened not his
+hand to the poor. Yet he was wealthy above most: his wisdom being to
+him the source of riches. The Hebrews of the city were grieved at
+this blemish on the wisest of their people; but, though the elders of
+the tribes continued to reverence him for his fame, the women and
+children of Cairo called him by no other name than that of Rabbi
+Jochonan the Miser.
+
+None knew so well as he the ceremonies necessary for initiation into
+the religion of Moses, and, consequently, the exercise of those solemn
+offices was to him another source of gain. One day, as he walked in
+the fields about Cairo, conversing with a youth on the interpretation
+of the law, it so happened that the Angel of Death smote the young man
+suddenly, and he fell dead before the feet of the Rabbi, even while he
+was yet speaking. When the Rabbi found that the youth was dead, he
+rent his garments, and glorified the Lord. But his heart was touched,
+and the thoughts of death troubled him in the visions of the night. He
+felt uneasy when he reflected on his hardness to the poor; and he
+said,
+
+"Blessed be the name of the Lord! The first good thing that I am asked
+to do in that holy name will I perform." But he sighed, for he feared
+that some one might ask of him a portion of his gold.
+
+While yet he thought upon these things, there came a loud cry at his
+gate.
+
+"Awake, thou sleeper!" said the voice, "awake! A child is in danger of
+death, and the mother hath sent me for thee, that thou mayest do thine
+office."
+
+"The night is dark and gloomy," said the Rabbi, coming to his
+casement, "and mine age is great: are there not younger men than I in
+Cairo?"
+
+"For thee only, Rabbi Jochonan, whom some call the Wise, but whom
+others call Rabbi Jochonan the Miser, was I sent. Here is gold," said
+he, taking out a purse of sequins; "I want not thy labour for nothing.
+I adjure thee to come, in the name of the living God."
+
+So the Rabbi thought upon the vow he had just made, and he groaned in
+spirit, for the purse sounded heavy.
+
+"As thou hast adjured me by that name, I go with thee," said he to the
+man; "but I hope the distance is not far. Put up thy gold."
+
+"The place is at hand," said the stranger, who was a gallant youth, in
+magnificent attire. "Be speedy, for time presses."
+
+Jochonan arose, dressed himself, and accompanied the stranger, after
+having carefully locked up all the doors of his house, and deposited
+his keys in a secret place--at which the stranger smiled.
+
+"I never remember," said the Rabbi, "so dark a night. Be thou to me as
+a guide, for I can hardly see the way."
+
+"I know it well," replied the stranger with a sigh. "It is a way much
+frequented, and travelled hourly by many. Lean upon mine arm, and fear
+not."
+
+They journeyed on, and, though the darkness was great, yet the Rabbi
+could see, when it occasionally brightened, that he was in a place
+strange to him.
+
+"I thought," said he, "I knew all the country for leagues about Cairo,
+yet I know not where I am. I hope, young man," said he to his
+companion, "that thou hast not missed the way." And his heart misgave
+him.
+
+"Fear not," returned the stranger; "your journey is even now done."
+And, as he spoke, the feet of the Rabbi slipped from under him, and he
+rolled down a great height. When he recovered, he found that his
+companion had fallen also, and stood by his side.
+
+"Nay, young man," said the Rabbi, "if thus thou sportest with the grey
+hairs of age, thy days are numbered. Woe unto him who insults the
+hoary head!"
+
+The stranger made an excuse, and they journeyed on some little farther
+in silence. The darkness grew less, and the astonished Rabbi, lifting
+up his eyes, found that they had come to the gates of a city which he
+had never before seen. Yet he knew all the cities of the land of
+Egypt, and he had walked but half an hour from his dwelling in Cairo.
+So he knew not what to think, but followed the man with trembling.
+
+They soon entered the gates of the city, which was lighted up as if
+there were a festival in every house. The streets were full of
+revellers, and nothing but a sound of joy could be heard. But when
+Jochonan looked upon their faces, they were the faces of men pained
+within; and he saw, by the marks they bore, that they were
+Mazikin.[1] He was terrified in his soul, and, by the light of the
+torches, he looked also upon the face of his companion, and, behold!
+he saw upon him too the mark that showed him to be a Demon. The Rabbi
+feared excessively--almost to fainting; but he thought it better to be
+silent, and sadly he followed his guide, who brought him to a splendid
+house in the most magnificent quarter of the city.
+
+[Footnote 1: Demons]
+
+"Enter here," said the Demon to Jochonan, "for this house is mine. The
+lady and the child are in the upper chamber." And accordingly the
+sorrowful Rabbi ascended the stairs to find them.
+
+The lady, whose dazzling beauty was shrouded by melancholy beyond
+hope, lay in bed; the child, in rich raiment, slumbered on the lap of
+the nurse, by her side.
+
+"I have brought to thee, light of my eyes!" said the Demon, "Rebecca,
+beloved of my soul! I have brought unto thee Rabbi Jochonan the Wise,
+for whom thou didst desire. Let him, then, speedily begin his office;
+I shall fetch all things necessary, for he is in haste to depart." He
+smiled bitterly as he said these words, looking at the Rabbi, and left
+the room, followed by the nurse.
+
+When Jochonan and the lady were alone, she turned in the bed towards
+him, and said,
+
+"Unhappy man that thou art! knowest thou where thou hast been
+brought?"
+
+"I do," said he, with a heavy groan. "I know that I am in a city of
+the Mazikin."
+
+"Know then, further," said she, and the tears gushed from eyes
+brighter than the diamond, "know then, further, that up one is ever
+brought here unless he hath sinned before the Lord. What my sin hath
+been imports not to thee--and I seek not to know thine. But here thou
+remainest for ever--lost, even as I am lost." And she wept again.
+
+The Rabbi dashed his turban on the ground, and, tearing his hair,
+exclaimed, "Woe is me! Who art thou, woman, that speakest to me thus?"
+
+"I am a Hebrew woman," said she, "the daughter of a Doctor of the
+Laws, in the city of Bagdad; and being brought hither--it matters not
+how--I am married to a Prince among the Mazikin, even him who was sent
+for thee. And that child whom thou sawest is our first-born, and I
+could not bear the thought that the soul of our innocent babe should
+perish. I therefore besought my husband to try and bring hither a
+priest, that the law of Moses (blessed be his memory!) should be done;
+and thy fame, which has spread to Bagdad, and lands farther towards
+the rising of the sun, made me think of thee. Now, my husband, though
+great among the Mazikin, is more just than the other Demons; and he
+loves me, whom he hath ruined, with a love of despair. So he said that
+the name of Jochonan the Wise was familiar unto him, and that he knew
+thou wouldst not be able to refuse. What thou hast done to give him
+power over thee is known to thyself."
+
+"I swear, before Heaven," said the Rabbi, "that I have ever diligently
+kept the law, and walked steadfastly according to the traditions of
+our fathers from the days of my youth upward. I have wronged no man in
+word or deed, and I have daily worshipped the Lord, minutely
+performing all the ceremonies thereto needful."
+
+"Nay," said the lady, "all this thou mightest have done, and more, and
+yet be in the power of the Demons. But time passes, for I hear the
+foot of my husband mounting the stair. There is one chance of thine
+escape."
+
+"What is that, O lady of beauty?" said the agonized Rabbi.
+
+"Eat not, drink not, nor take fee or reward while here, and as long as
+thou canst do thus, the Mazikin have no power over thee, dead or
+alive. Have courage and persevere."
+
+As she ceased from speaking, her husband entered the room, followed by
+the nurse, who bore all things requisite for the ministration of the
+Rabbi. With a heavy heart he performed his duty, and the child was
+numbered among the Faithful. But when, as usual, at the conclusion of
+the ceremony, the wine was handed round to be tasted by the child, the
+mother, and the Rabbi, he refused it when it came to him, saying,
+
+"Spare me, my lord, for I have made a vow that I fast this day, and I
+will eat not, neither will I drink."
+
+"Be it as thou pleasest," said the Demon; "I will not that thou
+shouldst break thy vow." And he laughed aloud.
+
+So the poor Rabbi was taken into a chamber looking into a garden,
+where he passed the remainder of the night and the day, weeping and
+praying to the Lord that He would deliver him from the city of Demons.
+But when the twelfth hour came, and the sun was set, the Prince of the
+Mazikin came again unto him, and said,
+
+"Eat now, I pray thee, for the day of thy vow is past." And he set
+meat before him.
+
+"Pardon again thy servant, my lord," said Jochonan, "in this thing. I
+have another vow for this day also. I pray thee be not angry with thy
+servant."
+
+"I am not angry," said the Demon; "be it as thou pleasest: I respect
+thy vow." And he laughed louder than before.
+
+So the Rabbi sat another day in his chamber by the garden, weeping and
+praying; and when the sun had gone behind the hills, the Prince of the
+Mazikin again stood before him, and said,
+
+"Eat now, for thou must be an hungered. It was a sore vow of thine."
+And he offered him daintier meats.
+
+And Jochonan felt a strong desire to eat, but he prayed inwardly to
+the Lord, and the temptation passed, and he answered, "Excuse thy
+servant yet a third time, my lord, that I eat not. I have renewed my
+vow."
+
+"Be it so, then," said the other: "arise, and follow me."
+
+The Demon took a torch in his hand, and led the Rabbi, through winding
+passages of his palace, to the door of a lofty chamber, which he
+opened with a key that he took from a niche in the wall. On entering
+the room, Jochonan saw that it was of solid silver--floor, ceiling,
+walls, even to the threshold and the door-posts; and the curiously
+carved roof and borders of the ceiling shone in the torchlight as if
+they were the fanciful work of frost. In the midst were heaps of
+silver money, piled up in immense urns of the same metal, even over
+the brim.
+
+"Thou hast done me a serviceable act, Rabbi," said the Demon: "take of
+these what thou pleasest; ay, were it the whole."
+
+"I cannot, my lord," said Jochonan. "I was adjured by thee to come
+hither in the name of God, and in that name I came, not for fee or for
+reward."
+
+"Follow me," said the Prince of the Mazikin; and Jochonan did so into
+an inner chamber.
+
+It was of gold, as the other was of silver. Its golden roof was
+supported by pillars and pilasters of gold, resting upon a golden
+floor. The treasures of the kings of the earth would not purchase one
+of the four and twenty vessels of golden coins, which were disposed in
+six rows along the room. No wonder! for they were filled by the
+constant labours of the Demons of the Mine. The heart of Jochonan was
+moved by avarice when he saw them shining in yellow light, like the
+autumnal sun, as they reflected the beams of the torch. But God
+enabled him to persevere.
+
+"These are thine," said the Demon: "one of the vessels which thou
+beholdest would make thee richest of the sons of men, and I give thee
+them all."
+
+But Jochonan refused again, and the Prince of the Mazikin opened the
+door of a third chamber, which was called the Hall of Diamonds. When
+the Rabbi entered, he screamed aloud, and put his hands over his eyes,
+for the lustre of the jewels dazzled him, as if he had looked upon the
+noonday sun. In vases of agate were heaped diamonds beyond numeration,
+the smallest of which was larger than a pigeon's egg. On alabaster
+tables lay amethysts, topazes, rubies, beryls, and all other precious
+stones, wrought by the hands of skilful artists, beyond power of
+computation. The room was lighted by a carbuncle, which, from the end
+of the hall, poured its ever-living light, brighter than the rays of
+noontide, but cooler than the gentle radiance of the dewy moon. This
+was a sore trial to the Rabbi; but he was strengthened from above, and
+he refused again.
+
+"Thou knowest me, then, I perceive, O Jochonan, son of Ben-David,"
+said the Prince of the Mazikin. "I am a Demon who would tempt thee to
+destruction. As thou hast withstood so far, I tempt thee no more.
+Thou hast done a service which, though I value it not, is acceptable
+in the sight of her whose love is dearer to me than the light of life.
+Sad has been that love to thee, my Rebecca! Why should I do that which
+would make thy cureless grief more grievous?--You have yet another
+chamber to see," said he to Jochonan, who had closed his eyes, and was
+praying fervently to the Lord, beating his breast.
+
+Far different from the other chambers, the one into which the Rabbi
+was next introduced was a mean and paltry apartment without furniture.
+On its filthy walls hung innumerable bunches of rusty keys of all
+sizes, disposed without order. Among them, to the astonishment of
+Jochonan, hung the keys of his own house--those which he had put to
+hide when he came on this miserable journey--and he gazed upon them
+intently.
+
+"What dost thou see," said the Demon, "that makes thee look so
+eagerly? Can he who has refused silver and gold and diamonds be moved
+by a paltry bunch of rusty iron?"
+
+"They are mine own, my lord," said the Rabbi. "Them will I take, if
+they be offered me."
+
+"Take them, then," said the Demon, putting them into his hand: "thou
+mayst depart. But, Rabbi, open not thy house only when thou returnest
+to Cairo, but thy heart also. That thou didst not open it before was
+that which gave me power over thee. It was well that thou didst one
+act of charity in coming with me without reward, for it has been thy
+salvation. Be no more Rabbi Jochonan the Miser."
+
+The Rabbi bowed to the ground, and blessed the Lord for his escape.
+"But how," said he, "am I to return, for I know not the way?"
+
+"Close thine eyes," said the Demon.
+
+He did so, and, in the space of a moment, heard the voice of the
+Prince of the Mazikin ordering him to open them again. And behold,
+when he opened them, he stood in the centre of his own chamber, in his
+house at Cairo, with the keys in his hand.
+
+When he recovered from his surprise, and had offered thanksgivings to
+God, he opened his house, and his heart also. He gave alms to the
+poor, he cheered the heart of the widow, and lightened the destitution
+of the orphan. His hospitable board was open to the stranger, and his
+purse was at the service of all who needed to share it. His life was a
+perpetual act of benevolence, and the blessings showered upon him by
+all were returned bountifully upon him by the hand of God.
+
+But people wondered, and said, "Is not this the man who was called
+Rabbi Jochonan the Miser? What hath made the change?"
+
+And it became a saying in Cairo. When it came to the ears of the
+Rabbi, he called his friends together, and he avowed his former love
+of gold, and the danger to which it had exposed him, relating all
+which has been above told, in the hall of the new palace that he built
+by the side of the river, on the left hand, as thou goest down the
+course of the great stream. And wise men, who were scribes, wrote it
+down from his mouth for the benefit of mankind, that they might profit
+thereby. And a venerable man, with a beard of snow, who had read it in
+these books, and at whose feet I sat that I might learn the wisdom of
+the old time, told it to me. And I write it in the tongue of England,
+the merry and the free, on the tenth day of the month Nisan, in the
+year, according to the lesser computation, five hundred ninety and
+seven, that thou mayest learn good thereof. If not, the fault be upon
+thee.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+Jussuf, the Merchant of Balsora.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+Many hundred years ago, when the renowned Caliph Haroun al Raschid
+ruled in Bagdad, there lived in the town of Balsora a merchant of good
+repute, who was called Jussuf. He had received a considerable property
+by inheritance from his father; and his paternal house, which was
+esteemed as the most splendid palace of the town, was situated on one
+of the finest spots. He was obliged to keep a great number both of
+male and female slaves, as well for the management of his household
+affairs, as also to assist him in his commercial pursuits, for his
+business was very extensive. The largest warehouse in the bazaar of
+the city belonged to him, and it was always filled with the most
+precious goods, which he caused to be collected from the remotest
+parts of the globe--either in ships or on the backs of his camels.
+There you might see all the rarest and choicest gifts of nature,
+together with the finest and richest productions of art; the most
+costly tissues and stuffs, the most valuable vessels and implements of
+silver and gold; elegant jewellery and trinkets, adorned skilfully
+with sparkling stones of considerable value, heaped up one on another.
+But the agreeable manner and contrast in which all these were exposed
+for sale gratified the eye more than even the costly articles
+themselves. It was not, therefore, to be wondered at that the crowd in
+his warehouse, in so great and rich a city, was very numerous.
+
+It had already become a custom for people to apply to Jussuf if they
+wished to buy anything which had come in fashion with the wealthy
+citizen, either on account of its intrinsic value or of its skilful
+workmanship. Could they find the required goods as fine or as
+beautiful at another magazine, still they always preferred to go to
+Jussuf, even if they paid him more dearly for them. They felt
+confident that they should find everything more genuine, more
+handsome, and more tasteful there than at any other merchant's. This,
+however, may have been only a favourable prepossession; but it is
+nevertheless certain, that in no other warehouse were so many objects,
+alike useful and ornamental, collected together, as in that of Jussuf.
+
+And as his business flourished more and more, so his riches increased
+from day to day. At the same time his cares and exertions in watching
+after the number of men whom he employed, his zeal in the equipment of
+his ships, and in the forwarding and dispatching of his caravans,
+increased in equal measure.
+
+He had continued his business in this way for several years, and had
+altogether neglected his health through his perseverance and
+unflinching attention, when he felt at once that his usual strength
+was declining, and that he should soon become exhausted unless he
+permitted himself at times to take some recreation. He therefore very
+willingly took the opportunity which offered itself accidentally about
+this time of buying a fine estate. It was situated only a few miles
+from the town, by the side of a stream, in a country as pleasant as it
+was fruitful, combining means for hunting and for fishing; and the
+price was so moderate that he resolved on the purchase without much
+consideration. He purposed to detach himself for a few weeks from his
+business, and to devote himself to pleasure and repose in the quiet
+and calm of his country residence. He caused a new and elegant country
+house to be built by a skilful architect on an eminence, instead of
+the old one, surrounded by a large pleasant artificial garden. As all
+was settled and prepared, he shut up his warehouse at the end of every
+week early enough for him to ride over. There he would repose from the
+troubles of the preceding days, and recreate himself with hunting and
+fishing, and collect new strength in the peaceful serenity of his
+country estate.
+
+But custom is often stronger than our inclinations: he had become so
+accustomed to an active life, that his thoughts always returned to his
+wares in his warehouse, or to his ships that were transporting his
+goods over distant seas. Hence it happened that he soon entertained a
+hope of drawing large profits, as well as the restoration of his
+health, from this country residence. He employed himself very
+successfully in the chase and in fishing, or in raising choice flowers
+in the beds before his house, or else with the care of rare foreign
+birds, which he fed and kept in a large aviary. But these only charmed
+him for a time: the chase of wild beasts appeared to him too soon to
+be but a cruel sport; fishing was tedious; the cultivation of his
+flowers, too, was monotonous; and, if he contemplated the imprisoned
+foreign birds, he heartily pitied them because they were deprived of
+freedom. One day he had tried everything to divert himself, but
+without success; at last he seated himself, half discontented, in the
+open colonnade which extended along the side of his country house,
+and his eye glanced over the flower-beds before him into the extreme
+distance: there his gaze could follow over a small tract the course of
+the river Schat al Arab, which, rising at the mouths of the Euphrates
+and Tigris, flows between shores clothed with verdure. Some large
+merchant ships were sailing by; several fishing-boats were visible.
+
+"Ah, thou magnificent stream!" exclaimed Jussuf, who had given himself
+to reflection after he had viewed it for some time; "what a pity that
+thou must fall into the sea so soon below the kingly town of Balsora!
+There thou art, wasted and forgotten; the navigator on the great sea
+never thinks that the streams of his native country flow mingled with
+the waves through which the keel of his ship cuts. Now, then,"
+continued he, after a short reflection, "it is all the better for me:
+now I am still active in business; my ships set out at morning, noon,
+and evening; my camels march to India through the deserts of Arabia,
+and the plains of Tartary and Persia; thousands and thousands of men
+call me still the rich and great merchant Jussuf, and praise me as the
+most lucky of mortals; yet a little while, and my existence will be
+lost as thine, in the sea of eternity."
+
+Among such earnest considerations and soliloquies, he had hardly
+observed that a large variegated butterfly, hovering over the
+neighbouring flower-bed, moved slowly to and fro, just as if it were
+undecided in choosing on which flower it would alight. He was very
+attentive to its broad wings, which glittered with the most splendid
+colours, while the insect, brilliantly variegated, settled on a
+scarlet poppy, as though it wished to eclipse the magnificence of the
+flower with the variety of its different hues.
+
+"What splendid colours! What beautifully delineated wings!" exclaimed
+Jussuf. "Oh that I might possess the rare insect! The dyers who stain
+my silk stuffs, and the weavers, might take the liveliness of the
+colours, the design, and the well-wrought combination of colours, for
+a pattern."
+
+When the butterfly settled itself quietly on the poppy, Jussuf
+approached it carefully to catch it; but, as he had no other
+convenient thing at his hand, he took off his turban, and covered the
+butterfly and the flower. The butterfly had not flown away, therefore
+it must be under the turban. Already he rejoiced at his lucky capture,
+and was proceeding to raise the turban slowly a little on one side, in
+order to seize the imprisoned insect securely, when he remarked that
+the turban was raising itself, and that under it a human form was
+growing up higher and higher out of the flower. Full of astonishment,
+he drew back a step. As he kept his eyes fixed on the object, a maiden
+of astonishing beauty appeared before him, such as he had never before
+seen. Her face was veiled, and his turban was on her head: smilingly
+she removed it, and extended it to him, saying, with a mischievous
+look,
+
+"There, friend Jussuf, take it again: this turban is accustomed to
+ornament a brain in which rule very earnest and high thoughts; it
+would, perhaps, feel very badly honoured were it to serve as a
+covering for my frivolous caprices."
+
+"Thou jestest, high daughter of a genius," exclaimed Jussuf, sinking
+on his knees: "thy incomparable beauty testifies that thou art no
+ordinary mortal, if even the wonderful manner in which thou hast
+appeared had not fixed it beyond all doubt."
+
+"It may be," replied the maiden, "that thou hast rightly guessed. But
+that is no matter; I am come here to-day to help to banish your idle
+thoughts: come, run a race with me."
+
+Immediately she threw the poppy which he had covered with his turban
+roughly in his face, and ran away. Jussuf remained irresolute, and
+looked after her; then she stopped her pace, and called back to him,
+
+"Art thou transformed into a statue? canst thou not run? run, and
+catch me, if you can."
+
+Her mischievous manner gave her an irresistible grace, which urged him
+to begin the race, even although he did not wish to join in it. She
+flew on, allowing him sometimes to approach her, and then turned
+suddenly aside out of the way, and ran over the turf to avoid him: she
+did not even spare the flower-beds; and when she wanted to escape from
+him, she passed over them without caring for the finest plants. The
+more she provoked him in different ways, the more he exerted all his
+strength to catch her. At last she appeared exhausted, and threw
+herself, breathing heavily, on a bank of turf. "Here is an asylum,"
+exclaimed she.
+
+Tired and breathless with the unusual exertion of running, he followed
+her example, and sat down near her on the bank. While they were
+resting, she plucked some flowers and branches of a flourishing shrub,
+which had spread itself from the bank into a green roof over their
+heads, and skilfully wove a garland.
+
+"Come," said she to Jussuf, when the wreath was ready, "come, let us
+throw up the garland."
+
+She arose at these words and led him to the nearest open space; she
+leaped around, dancing in a circle and holding the garland on high in
+her right hand, and then threw it up high into the air. The garland of
+flowers rose while she sang these words:
+
+    "Rise, thou garland fresh and fair,
+    Blend thy hues in liquid air:
+    Downward sinking, may'st thou be
+    A fairy coronal for me."
+
+High above the shoots of the surrounding trees it seemed to remain
+hovering in the sunshine which lighted the colours of the flowers,
+inducing a very peculiar splendour. Then it sank down gradually in
+soft vibrations, and settled on her head, as if she had placed it
+there herself as a crown. She took it from her locks and handed it to
+Jussuf.
+
+"Now it is thy turn," said she; "throw it up, and see whether it will
+fall on thy head."
+
+Jussuf took it and threw it as high as he could; but it did not from
+his hand attain the sunny height, and the garland fell quickly, and at
+a great distance, to the ground before him. By the time he had
+altogether recollected himself, she was at the spot, and had already
+raised the garland, and was laughing heartily at his awkwardness. She
+threw it up, dancing in the former manner, and sang the spell. This
+time also the garland ascended high above the tops of the trees into
+the sunshine, and sank down on her head as at first. Jussuf must needs
+try again, but he succeeded no better than before. Thereupon she again
+threw it up, and caught it once more. After she had thus shown him
+several times, she cried out, laughing mischievously,
+
+"Well, hast thou not yet observed why thou failest? Why dost thou not
+sing my little song when thou throwest up the garland? Try once more,
+and sing the spell; then it will succeed better."
+
+Jussuf did so. He threw the garland and sang the verse; and, behold,
+the garland hovered in the sunshine, and descended in soft vibrations
+on his head, crowning his turban.
+
+"Dost thou see?" said the maiden, laughingly: "the spell is of very
+great avail." She threw up the wreath again several times, and then
+she took it, and exclaimed, "Now it is enough; but the game will be
+tedious." She threw it up high, and sang:
+
+    "Flower-garland, raise thee high,
+    Float in sunshine brilliantly;
+    Lend thy varied hues, to shed
+    Light on the darksome forest-head."
+
+The garland floated far out over the open space towards the edge of
+the park; there it melted suddenly in the air, and the blossoms rained
+down as it were on a dark cypress, and clung to it, so that it was
+adorned at once with a number of splendid flowers. Jussuf saw this
+with astonishment.
+
+"Well," exclaimed he, "thou conjurest. How is it possible that a
+cypress-tree should bear such beautiful blossoms?"
+
+But she answered, "What is there to be wondered at? Who would make
+such a commotion about a merry game? Come," continued she, "let us
+play at ball." And jumping up, she picked a ripe pomegranate from a
+neighbouring tree, placed herself at a tolerable distance from him at
+a shrub, and threw him the apple for a ball. Jussuf had been very fond
+of playing at ball in his younger days, and still possessed some
+skill, so that he caught it.
+
+"Well, indeed, well done," exclaimed she, as she caught it from
+Jussuf, who had not thrown it quite straight, with the same ease as if
+it had fallen from the hand of the ablest thrower.
+
+They threw it in this way several times to each other, till at last
+Jussuf let it fall.
+
+"Oh!" cried she, "well done! whoever lets it fall, to him the
+punishment is due." And when she had caught the pomegranate again, she
+winked at him, and exclaimed, "Now come back, I will give you a blow
+on the face." But Jussuf remained where he was, watching for the
+throw, that he might avoid it. "Come back," she said still; but he
+remained stationary.
+
+Then she breathed low some words over the pomegranate, and threw it
+suddenly at Jussuf. He wished to avoid the blow, by bending down
+quickly; but before he could succeed, he felt it on his forehead. The
+pomegranate was so violently thrown that it burst in pieces. The
+numerous grains lay scattered on the ground; but hardly had they
+touched the earth than they changed into so many wasps, which flew
+into the air and swarmed round his head. In the anguish of their
+stings, he held his hands before his eyes and ran on; but the swarm of
+wasps followed him, buzzing around him.
+
+"Throw now thy turban on the ground," called the maiden at last to
+him, who was standing in the distance, loudly laughing at his anguish.
+
+He listened, and obeyed her call without thinking of it, and quickly
+all the wasps crept under the turban. He stood in astonishment, and
+looked at the turban. Then the maiden approached him with ceaseless
+laughter, and said,
+
+"What has happened to thee, friend Jussuf? Why dost thou gaze upon thy
+turban with such anxious attention? It is a pity they are not bees,
+the honey might be collected there. Take it up and put it on thy
+head."
+
+He stooped down and raised it with cautious slowness; but, to his
+astonishment, all the wasps had disappeared; only a green lizard ran
+to and fro, and was lost among the grass and the leaves near the
+pathway.
+
+"Where did that go?" asked Jussuf, reflectingly. "That was a
+pomegranate and became wasps, and where are they now gone?"
+
+"What!" rejoined the maiden; "where did it go? Who would ask such a
+thing? How are wasps and pomegranates generally produced in this
+world? Or can you tell me how it is that grass comes up and grows out
+of a grain of seed? or how is it that a fig-tree can spring up from
+each little seed of the fig? The case is just so; and if people would
+ask questions about everything, there would be no end to such
+inquiries. But man must not inquire too closely. Come," continued she,
+quickly changing to a quieter and more mischievous manner, "Dost thou
+see those figs hanging on the branch over the way? let us see if you
+can jump high enough to reach and pick them."
+
+He saw the figs, and sprang, but did not nearly reach the height at
+which they hung. She encouraged him to jump again and again, and at
+every awkward spring she laughed at his fruitless exertions. She then
+took a short run with little steps, and, floating as easily in the air
+as if she were borne on wings, plucked the figs, and then was wafted
+down as softly on the other side.
+
+"See," said she to him, holding out the figs, "here they are; now we
+will eat them together. We have earned them with one spring."
+
+Jussuf declined them. "They all belong to thee," said he; "for thou
+alone didst pick them. I could not reach."
+
+"Do you wish to make me angry?" said she. "Hast thou not tired thyself
+more than I?--there, take and eat." She forced him, by her friendly
+manner, to eat half the figs; while she pressed the other to her lips,
+sucked a little of its juice, and then threw it away. "I did that,"
+said she, clapping her hands, "that thou mightest not soon forget me:
+now thou must think of me for some time."
+
+Immediately she began a new game with him, and after a short time
+another, and so on, continually changing the sport. The serious Jussuf
+jumped, and hopped, and danced just as she wished, and tried to
+perform all the tricks she invented, as if he were a boy. At last they
+came to a fish-pond which was in the garden. She jumped into the boat,
+which was standing all ready, and rowed with ease into the middle of
+the little lake. Then she stopped and called to him,
+
+"Come here, my true playfellow, come to me."
+
+Jussuf stood on the bank, and would have willingly walked to her
+through the water; but he knew that it was too deep, and he could not
+swim.
+
+"Art thou not coming?" said she; "art thou afraid of the water?"
+
+"I cannot swim," answered he.
+
+"Well, that is no consequence," she called out; "do as I do." And at
+these words she sprang lightly out of the boat, and walked over the
+surface of the waves as if on dry land; the water did not even moisten
+the sole of her sandal.
+
+"Oh that I could!" exclaimed Jussuf. "But I am too heavy; I should
+sink at once."
+
+The maiden had in the meantime sprung back into the boat, and called
+out, "If thou wilt not come to me, I will never come again to thee;
+nor will I now stay any longer with thee. Evening is drawing near. For
+the future, then, thou mayest sit alone and grow ill tempered; and if
+thou ever wishest to see thy playmate again, thou mayest seek her in
+the native country of the variegated butterfly, which thou believedst
+thou hadst caught to-day, but which has flown away. Recollect, and
+come before I have counted three. One--two--three." As she said the
+last number she disappeared.
+
+Jussuf now saw the variegated butterfly flutter over the lake, and
+lose itself among the flowers of the garden; the boat moved back
+towards the bank where it had before been placed. The abandoned Jussuf
+stood for some time, as if in a dream; but when the evening twilight
+veiled the distant hills, he awoke to consciousness. Then the
+occurrences of the day appeared like a wonderful vision to his soul.
+In the silence of his chamber he soon threw himself on his bed, and
+here everything recurred to his memory; and he now wondered less at
+the wonderful appearance of the maiden than at himself--that he, a
+serious man, who till now had lived in the activity and cares of
+business, should have amused himself for several hours with childish
+games, at which he had not before played since his earliest boyish
+days. Gradually his thoughts passed into dreams.
+
+He awoke late the next morning. The sun was already high in the
+heavens, and his slaves had long been waiting at the threshold of the
+door which led to his room, to receive his commands. He remembered
+that he wished to return early in the morning to the town, because it
+was his custom regularly to keep open his warehouse on this day of the
+week. It proved, therefore, very agreeable to him, when he went out,
+to find his horse was standing ready saddled before the house.
+
+After he had dressed quickly, and taken his breakfast, he mounted his
+splendid Arab steed, and rode towards Balsora, followed by several
+slaves. When he arrived at the bazaar to open his warehouse, a number
+of customers were already assembled, and the crowd increased at every
+moment, so that he could hardly satisfy all--he had not hands enough.
+When all was produced that was wished for, time was wanting to give
+the inquirers the needful information about the worth and quality of
+the goods; and if a purchaser wished to pay for his articles, he had
+no time to count over the money, but he placed it uncounted in his
+money-box, trusting to the honour of his customers. This press of
+business so fully occupied his attention, that he soon forgot his last
+night's adventure, though at first the form of his fair playmate was
+present to his soul. So many days passed away in the bustle of his
+vast employment.
+
+One day, about the end of the week, when he was busy in his warehouse,
+the public crier went by, offering for sale some small foreign insects
+and butterflies; and holding the case in which they were in the air,
+"Who will buy," he exclaimed--"who will buy fine bright silken
+creatures, very cheap, very cheap?" Jussuf raised his eyes by chance,
+while conversing with a customer about a necklace of jewels, and
+perceived in the case the beautiful butterfly which he wanted to catch
+himself a few days before, and out of which his comical playmate had
+raised herself from the poppy.
+
+Then his words died on his lips. He looked at the crier, dumb for a
+minute, and then called him back quickly. "Let me see," said he; and
+when he had convinced himself that he was not mistaken, he offered the
+man at once a thousand sequins, without allowing him to ask anything.
+
+The crier gave him the case quickly, as if he feared that Jussuf would
+repent of his purchase, and smilingly received the purse of gold.
+
+"I thank thee," said he. "It is well that I know thee to be an amateur
+in such things. If I get any more, I will certainly bring them to thee
+first. People say, indeed, that thou dost not sell cheaply. I have
+convinced myself thou also payest well for what thou purchasest."
+Overjoyed, and praising his good fortune, he went away.
+
+Jussuf had scarcely received the case of insects, when he carefully
+examined it in a division of his warehouse, whilst a red blush mantled
+over his face, and his looks betokened the greatest pleasure. The
+bystanders could not believe that he was such a lover of insects, and
+such a connoisseur; and they conjectured that his eyes must have
+discovered some extraordinary value in the purchased case. But from
+this moment Jussuf paid little more attention to his business. This
+absence of mind increased every moment, and often caused him to ask
+quite a trifling sum for very precious goods, and an unconscionably
+high one for those equally insignificant. He could scarcely conceal
+his chagrin whenever new customers made their appearance; and all saw
+with wonder, how--contrary to his usual custom--he hailed with joy the
+time for closing his warehouse, and how joyously he departed with his
+case of insects!
+
+Immediately he wrapped the case in a cloth, and had it carried by some
+slaves who accompanied him to his house. Till now he did not know why
+he had so much value for the butterfly; he was only led to purchase it
+by some impulse, and had not as yet given himself any reasons for it.
+For the first time, as he lay quietly in bed, he asked himself this
+question: "What shall I do with thee?" Then--"The other butterfly flew
+away over the flowers of my garden some days ago; this is dry and
+pierced, as if it had been dead for many years. What connection can it
+have with my bright and waggish playmate, who is only fit to be a
+daughter of the genii?"
+
+He recalled to himself everything in the remarkable occurrence--even
+the most trifling events that happened in their different games, from
+the appearance of the maiden to her disappearance out of the boat,
+returned to his mind. Then he thought over her last words. "What did
+she say?" said he to himself. "Did she not say, 'If thou shouldst wish
+to see me, thou must seek me in the fatherland of the variegated
+butterflies?'"
+
+Now a thought shot through his mind which made all perfectly clear to
+him. He confessed to himself that he had been more happy with her fun
+and play than he had been before since his boyhood, and that he had
+then quite forgotten all the cares and troubles of business. He
+earnestly longed to have always about him so merry a playfellow, to
+afford him diversion with her childish mirth.
+
+"This playmate of thine," continued he, speaking to himself, "if she
+has entirely disappeared, and no track leads to her, has not a chance
+fallen into thy hands by this butterfly? Still thou canst seek for her
+in her native land. But what naturalist could name it from this
+imperfect description, without having seen the butterfly?"
+
+He then recalled to his memory many tales which he had heard in his
+childhood, in which were instances of daughters of genii, who,
+becoming the wives of mortals, blessed them in a wonderful manner,
+and, after the death of their husbands, returned to the kingdom of the
+genii.
+
+Amid such thoughts as these he sank into slumber, and awoke the next
+morning with the firm resolution of seeking the daughter of the genii,
+and of choosing her for his wife. The first thing, then, was for him
+to discover the native country of the butterflies; for it was there
+that he was to find her. He took, therefore, the butterfly out of the
+case from among the other insects, and set out for one of the suburbs
+of Balsora.
+
+There lived in one of the last houses a man who he was aware knew not
+only the name of every beast, stone, and plant, but also the hidden
+strength of nature and her mysterious operations. This man had once
+been his master, and to his instruction Jussuf owed his intimate
+knowledge of the manifold productions of nature out of which the
+various goods were manufactured in different lands, and which afforded
+him the means of always purchasing the best and most superior
+articles, whereby he obtained such a crowd of customers. In order to
+show his gratitude to his master for this instruction, he had given
+him, out of the inheritance of his father, this large house, with the
+surrounding vast garden, that he might live undisturbed in his secret
+studies.
+
+With this man he now took refuge, hoping certainly to receive from him
+some information about the native land of his silken butterfly. Upon
+his knocking at the door, an old servant, the only one in the house,
+opened it, and led him into a chamber in which his old master was
+sitting upon a cushion, before a large table covered with a black
+cloth. Rolls of parchment with unknown characters, compasses, a
+sextant, a triangle, and other instruments, lay scattered round in
+disorder. He received Jussuf with friendly nods, without rising from
+his cushion, motioning him to sit down opposite, and then said,
+
+"Ah, ah! my Jussuf; this is a rare visit. Hast thou at last been able
+to spare an hour from thy business to pay a visit to the old Modibjah?
+I hear that thou art become the most popular merchant in all Balsora,
+and that thou hast immense connections. I am glad of it; then all is
+right and prosperous. What one has once chosen for his calling, for
+that one must entirely live. What we do must be done well; and may
+that one live who devotes his life to a useful activity!"
+
+Jussuf was prevented by a certain shyness from mentioning his wish at
+once to his grave master. He said how he had longed to see him once
+more, to hear how he was; and reproached him tenderly for not coming
+to see him. He added that he had certainly a great many curious things
+in his warehouses, and that he had promised himself the pleasure of
+showing them all to his wise master. Perhaps he might find among them
+something that might be useful to him, and it would be a pleasure to
+him to give it to him.
+
+At these words Modibjah laughed, and answered, "I want none of thy
+goods. What I wanted thou hast given me: while thou continuest to me
+this house and garden as my property, I am contented, so that I remain
+undisturbed. Here I can devote myself to my reflections and my
+pursuits undistracted and unobserved by the curiosity of mankind. Then
+I should have erred in visiting thee; for thy time is equally taken up
+with the cares and business of thy profession; and I should but have
+disturbed thee with my visits. But now speak," said he, ending his
+discourse: "I see from thy looks that a particular request brings thee
+to me."
+
+Jussuf blushed that his master should have so seen through him, and
+then related to him how the numerous cares and exertions of his
+business had produced a prejudicial effect on his health, and how he
+had been obliged to seek diversion; that he had then renewed a
+partiality which he had in his boyish years, and had again begun to
+collect butterflies and other insects. "But," continued he, "the
+necessary knowledge is wanting to me. Some days ago I bought by chance
+a collection of butterflies, of whose names and native country I know
+nothing." He drew out the box at these words, and held it open before
+the old man.
+
+But hardly had he glanced at it when he shook his head silently; and,
+considering, at last he said, "Poor Jussuf! Still thou wishest to
+inquire about it as of secondary import, as if I did not know that
+thou only comest to me for this reason. Art thou gone so far as to
+play the hypocrite with thy old master?"
+
+"Well, then, I am curious to learn the name and the country of this
+butterfly," answered Jussuf, with a trembling voice.
+
+Then the grey haired old man raised himself from his cushion, and
+looked at Jussuf with such a searching and piercing glance, that he
+was constrained through his shame to cast down his eyes.
+
+"Still, I should do thee injustice were I to blame thee," continued
+he: "I know that thou art still innocent. I can only lament that thou
+shouldst have fallen into the snares of my implacable enemy. In order
+to obtain the victory over me, she will seek to ruin thee." He laid
+his hand on his forehead, and sank into profound reflection.
+
+At last Jussuf broke silence, and said, "I do not understand thee.
+What enemy dost thou mean? See, it is my fault for not having told
+thee the whole openly. Now shalt thou know all." He then related to
+him, without any reserve, the transactions of the previous days.
+
+When he had finished, the old man answered, "Now thou hast been candid
+with me, and hast a claim to equal sincerity on my side. But I know
+that thou art not now capable of hearing the truth--that it is a
+useless trouble to attempt to cure thee of thy delusion. If I were to
+conceal the native land of the butterflies from thee, I know that thou
+wouldst find ways and means of learning what thou now desirest to
+discover. Thou wouldst fain find her who is thy enemy, although thou
+deemest her to be thine innocent friend. I will show thee the way to
+her. But I will think of ways and means to guard thee against her
+wickedness. For that purpose I must know thy exact age. If thou hast
+not quite forgotten thy former love for thy true master, tell me now
+the day and hour of thy birth."
+
+Jussuf willingly told him the day and the hour, for he was very glad
+that Modibjah promised to tell him the native country of the
+butterfly. What he said about the wickedness of an enemy he took for
+the whims of an old man, and therefore it did not weigh at all with
+him. In the meanwhile, Modibjah had gone into a side-chamber, and now
+brought out a large, deep box, whilst he cleared away the parchments
+and instruments spread about on the table. On the cover a great number
+of cross lines were drawn through one another, and among them were
+worked innumerable gold and silver stars. After he had carefully
+traced all these, he produced a small box of ebony, skilfully inlaid
+with streaks of mother-of-pearl.
+
+"I have reckoned thine age," said he: "thou art now just thirty years,
+nine months, and seven days, and eight hours old. All these years,
+months, days, and hours form the figure of fifty-four. God be praised
+and His great Prophet, it is not yet of the worst."
+
+During this speech he sat down, and at a nod from him Jussuf seated
+himself opposite. Then he pressed a hidden spring in the little black
+box, the lid sprang up, and he shook the contents before Jussuf on the
+table. They were a number of half-moons, little stars, triangles, and
+other figures of ivory.
+
+"Count out fifty-four of them," said he. And Jussuf did it.
+
+After the old man had quickly collected the remainder together, and
+placed them again in the box, he called to him to throw the figures
+that he had counted out in the air in such a manner that they should
+fall down on the table-cloth. Jussuf did as he was desired, and the
+figures spread themselves in their fall over the whole table. The old
+man considered them attentively for some time, and began to murmur,
+half-singing, a form of words in a foreign language, and touched with
+his finger quickly, as if he were counting one or other of them, now
+and then taking away one and placing it with the others in the box. He
+repeated his words twice, and counted and pointed with his finger,
+taking away from the figures as at first, till at last there only
+remained nine. Now he began another speech, which appeared to Jussuf
+to be in a different language, and sang it three times, while he took
+away more of the ivory figures, and pointed to some of the gold and
+silver worked stars. At last he had collected all the three nearest
+constellations.
+
+"It is good," said the old man, with a joyful and tranquil
+countenance. "I now know what I wanted; now I can tell you what you so
+earnestly wish to know. If thou wishest to find thy vain, trifling
+playmate, go towards the rising of the sun till thou comest to a town
+of Persia, in the neighbourhood of which are situated the ruins of an
+old royal city, now destroyed. There stay till the third day after the
+new moon. Then go to the ruins in the evening. On the eastern edge, at
+some distance from the heap of relics, thou wilt find a large
+well-formed stone, which once served as the head; seat thyself on this
+stone, and at the moment when the narrow illumined streak of the moon,
+like a fiery ship, seems to swim over the mountains on the horizon,
+call out the word 'Haschanascha,' and a sign-post will soon appear.
+But then thou art still distant from the object of thy journey. But
+may the exertions and vicissitudes of thy long travel so lessen thy
+foolishly-ardent desire that thou mayest listen to the voice of a
+prudent friend, who will certainly be near thee when thou hast need of
+him."
+
+Hardly had Jussuf heard where he was to go when he sprang out of his
+seat, in order to take leave at once of Modibjah, and to commence his
+journey. The wish which Modibjah had expressed was hardly heard by
+him.
+
+"Wait, wait," said the former; "who knows whether we shall ever see
+each other again? This journey leads thee far away, and I am old.
+Thou art also a mortal, who mayest be overwhelmed by the dangers thou
+hast to encounter. Here, take this as a token of remembrance." At
+these words he reached him a small leathern pouch.
+
+"What is this?" asked Jussuf, after he had opened it, and saw in it a
+rather opaque milk-white stone, at the bottom of which a red spark
+seemed to shine. "That is certainly a talisman."
+
+"It is a talisman," answered Modibjah: "esteem it for my sake. Use it
+when thy strength and intellect are not sufficient for thee. As long
+as thou perceivest the spark, thou wilt proceed in the right way, and
+wilt not encounter any danger; but the contrary will happen when the
+spark appears to be quite extinguished. Then breathe over it the name
+'Haschanascha.' Do not allow it to be taken away from thee, either by
+force or by stratagem; nor give it willingly as a present to any
+stranger's hand. If thou shouldst wish to make an experiment, throw it
+behind thee over thy head."
+
+Jussuf thanked his master for the present, and hid the talisman in his
+bosom; he then took leave of his master in an absent spirit and
+hastened home. He immediately gave his slaves the necessary charges,
+committed the care of his house to an old faithful servant, locked up
+his warehouse in the bazaar, and proceeded in the evening of the same
+day, with a train of twenty armed and well-mounted followers, and with
+forty camels loaded with gold and precious things of all kinds, and
+with all necessaries, out at the eastern gate of the city of Balsora.
+Whoever perceived or heard, that Jussuf had set out on a distant
+journey believed that he had gone to fetch some rare goods which he
+could not entrust to his servants; and people were generally in
+curious expectation to see what could be the interest in any jewels
+that should induce the so greatly-altered merchant, who till now let
+everything be managed by his servants, to go himself on the journey,
+and with so small an escort.
+
+Jussuf kept exactly to the rule of his old master, and proceeded
+straight towards the rising of the sun. He reached, with his little
+caravan, without any particular adventures, the plains which extend
+between the mountains and the Persian Sea. But here the summer heat
+was so oppressive that he turned more to the left towards the north,
+that he might find in the neighbourhood of the mountains some shade
+from the trees and, above all, springs of water, which, murmuring down
+from the mountains, might serve for coolness and refreshment to them,
+after they had wandered far in the plains through dry sand. He
+proceeded for some days towards his destination without the occurrence
+of anything unusual or remarkable. After some days, he reached a spot
+where a small rivulet flowed between two mountains.
+
+The opposite side of this mountain extended out a long way towards the
+sea-coast, so that there was only a very narrow slip of the plain.
+Uncertain whether he should go straight towards the sea, or turn off
+to the left along the valley through which the rivulet wound, he
+ordered his slaves to stop. He looked round to see if he could not
+perceive in the surrounding country some track to indicate the
+proximity of men, of whose advice he might avail himself; but there
+was not a hut, nor a tent, nor a flock to be seen far or near.
+Although fertile, the country appeared quite desolate. Some of his
+slaves advised the direction along the sea-shore, because there were
+imprinted the footsteps of camels and horses of earlier travellers;
+others suggested, on the contrary, to advance along the river. But
+Jussuf shook his head at these counsels.
+
+"Why should we," said he, "enter in uncertainty on either of those
+roads? If we proceed to the right by the sea-coast, it will lead us
+too far south; if we follow the valley of the river, it will conduct
+us straight to its entrance towards the north; but farther up it may
+take another direction, whereby we might be enabled to continue our
+route, even if it be a very winding way; or we may ascend the
+mountains, which will probably be higher and steeper near the source
+of the river. Our camels already throw a long shadow on the earth, and
+in two hours we must select a place for repose. It is therefore more
+prudent to stay here. Two roads evidently unite at this point, and
+therefore it cannot be long before some one arrives from one side or
+the other, who can give us the desired information. So make
+preparations to pass the night here."
+
+As he commanded, so they did. The slaves unpacked from the camels what
+was necessary, and quickly erected a tent for their master of
+variegated painted poles and thick silk stuffs. Then they kindled a
+fire on a neighbouring spot, and made preparations for the meals of
+all.
+
+In the meantime, Jussuf wandered to the foremost height of the
+mountains, towards the valley of the river, and rejoiced at the richly
+blossoming flowers which seemed heaped on all the shrubs, and at the
+magnificent country, and the refreshing air which floated up to him
+out of the valley. As he walked carelessly along, his foot struck
+against a ripe melon, which still hung fast to a withered branch.
+"Well," thought he to himself, "a juicy melon is a refreshing fruit in
+the heat of the day." He picked it and took it home to the encampment.
+There he delivered it to a slave, and charged him to take care that it
+was freed of its seeds, and brought up to his meal with the other
+dishes. He then entered his tent, which had meanwhile been erected,
+and stretched himself on his soft cushion, covered with costly cloths,
+that he might rest awhile. He soon sank into slumber, exhausted with
+the fatigue of the day; but he was shortly roused from his dream. Two
+of his slaves stood at his couch, and exclaimed,
+
+"Master! master! come out and see the wonder!"
+
+"What is the matter?" said he, raising himself up.
+
+"O master, the melon!" they called out at once.
+
+"Well, what of the melon? Perhaps it is beginning to decay, or is it
+not good for anything? if so, throw it away. Was it worth while to
+wake me up about that?"
+
+"Oh, no, master, do not be angry; but that is not it," said the
+slaves.
+
+"Perhaps one of you has eaten it, not knowing that I picked it for
+myself?"
+
+"No, master! no, master!" cried the slaves, as it were with one mouth.
+"Who would do that? Come and see yourself."
+
+"I see I must come myself if I wish to learn what has happened," said
+Jussuf, half unwillingly; and rising from his couch, he followed them
+out of the tent. They led him to the place where they had made
+preparations for the meal. There he saw a melon, in form like the one
+which he had found, but of such a gigantic size, that he had never
+before seen one like it. "Whence, then, comes this monster of a
+melon?" said he to the slaves, who were standing at a distance with
+signs of astonishment and fear.
+
+"Yes, master, that is the same melon that you brought here yourself,"
+answered several voices at once.
+
+"But that was so small, that I could conveniently span it with my
+fingers, and carry it in my hand," returned he; "but three men could
+scarcely surround this with their arms." They assured him that it was
+the same melon which he had bought. "Then," continued he, "things
+cannot go right if a ripe and gathered melon can grow to such a
+monstrous size."
+
+At these words, the slave to whom he had given the melon came to him
+and said, "It may well be that things do not go right." He then
+related to him that he had laid the melon down where the large one now
+lay; that when he had come near it, at a later period, a great wasp
+had settled on the melon and pierced it with its sting. Hardly had it
+flown away, when a bee came buzzing, and lodged on it: after stinging
+it, this one also flew away. From this moment the melon grew larger
+and larger; and they should have called him to see the wonder long
+ago, had not they all been fixed with curiosity and astonishment to
+see what would happen.
+
+Since the rising of the moon, which was how beaming above the horizon
+in full splendour, had the melon ceased increasing. They asked Jussuf
+what should now happen, and imagined that he would not ask them to cut
+up and pare the melon.
+
+"That we cannot do," said they, finishing their speech, "for it is
+evident that magic is at play here. An ordinary melon cannot grow any
+more after it is ripe and picked off the tree; and even if that were
+possible, it could not in any case grow to such an immense size as
+never has been seen before in the world. Who knows what is hidden in
+it?"
+
+"Oh, you silly cowards!" exclaimed Jussuf, provoked at the terror of
+his servants,--"shame on you! You are in a foreign land, and do not
+consider that everything here is not exactly as it is at home. What
+can be concealed in it? Outside is the peel; under the peel is the
+pulp; and in the middle is the texture of cells, with the seeds. Look
+here," said he to those who stood next to him, as he took off his
+short broad scimitar: "I will cut off a piece, that you may see that
+it is as I say."
+
+While he spoke, he made two vigorous cuts--one along and the other
+across the melon, so as to loosen a four-angled piece of the peel. Now
+he commanded one of his slaves to lift up the piece.
+
+As the slave anxiously approached the melon, in order to obey the
+command of his master, the piece sprang out of it with wonderful
+strength over his head, so that he tumbled backwards on the ground
+from terror.
+
+"Mahomet, great Prophet, stand by us!" exclaimed the slaves, when they
+saw this. But soon their astonishment changed to terror, and they all
+ran away, when suddenly a human figure rose out of the aperture in the
+melon, and, with one spring, stood before Jussuf. The latter drew
+back, startled as much at the sudden and unexpected appearance of the
+man as at his unusual figure. The top of his perfectly flat face was
+disfigured by two monstrous eyes, and by long black eyebrows, which
+extended over the greatest part of his face. On his short upper lip he
+had a narrow but long, hairy, stiff substance, the ends of which
+reached to the crown of his head, and there intermixed with his hair
+in two tufts, which stood sideways in the air like antennae. His dress
+was marked with bright shining stripes of a black and brimstone
+colour; and behind him a transparent head-covering hung in two
+gauze-like wings nearly down to the ground. His clothes fitted tight
+everywhere. He also wore a girdle round his body, which rendered his
+leanness still more striking. Besides this, the nail of his middle
+finger was very long, and bent over like a hoe. His whole figure had
+the appearance of an immense wasp.
+
+The man had hardly observed that Jussuf shrank before him, when he
+seized the wings of his head-dress with both his hard hands, and gave
+a leap, as if he were trying to fly.
+
+Jussuf was too frightened to ask him who he was, and what he wanted.
+But the man immediately uttered a guttural, grumbling sound, which was
+probably intended for a song; and Jussuf heard these words:
+
+    "I come, a slave at one's behest,
+      Who knoweth more than thou canst tell;
+    She warned thee, whiles of friends the best,
+      Of bees that lurk in honied bell.
+    Guide well thy course; nor seek, proud man,
+      Whate'er thou deem'st a better way;
+    She can each hidden secret scan--
+      So follow thou without delay."
+
+When his song was nearly ended, another voice hummed on the side where
+the melon lay. On looking there, Jussuf saw a second human form, as
+wonderful as the first, rise out of the aperture. This one had a dark
+dress, inclining to olive-green, and his form was rather less slim
+than that of the former; but he had the appearance of a bee in human
+form. Leaping also nearer to Jussuf, it sang in a higher but equally
+buzzing tone:
+
+    "Mark me well: oh, what can be
+    Direful wasps but plagues to thee?
+    Thine is every vain desire;
+    Yet the bees that never tire,
+    They can serve and tend thee well--
+    The busy storers of the cell.
+    Keep me, then; thy path shall prove
+    A path of hope that leads to love."
+
+But the first one grumbled again, so that Jussuf could not understand
+any more.
+
+However terrified Jussuf might have been at this appearance, he yet
+collected himself, and said, "Her dear servants seem to mean very
+well, but----"
+
+Before he had finished his speech, both of them were grumbling and
+buzzing at him.
+
+He understood still so much, that each of them wished to lessen the
+reputation of his fellow, and to make him suspected in his eyes. Both
+turned against each other again, and hummed and buzzed at one another
+with unheard-of obstinacy. Their struggle became constantly more
+vehement, and at last they seized each other in mad rage, and whirled
+round, struggling and burring in a circle. Jussuf saw a kind of lance
+and a long dagger shine, and both of them fell down pierced through
+at his feet. In their dying moments they begged him to bury them in
+their cradle. He nodded assuringly, and they lay dead in the moment.
+Immediately Jussuf called his slaves to him, who were standing in the
+distance in earnest expectation, and ordered them to carry the dead
+bodies to the melon. But they refused, certainly with humble excuses,
+but still with steadfast decision.
+
+"In the name of all natural things," said they, "we will prove to thee
+our certain obedience; but do not ask us to make ourselves unclean, or
+to meddle with such unnatural appearances."
+
+He represented to them quietly that he could not place both the dead
+bodies in the hollow melon, and that one of them must help him--that
+what he ventured they might also venture; but they denied
+perseveringly, and no one appeared ready to lend a helping hand. Angry
+at their obstinacy, Jussuf was on the point of chastising them with
+the flat part of his sabre-blade, when one of the slaves called out,
+
+"Hold, hold, dear master! the dead bodies are no longer there!"
+
+They had certainly vanished; and when he looked on the ground where
+they had lain, he discovered in the dust a dead wasp and a dead bee.
+
+"See, see!" said he, in perfect astonishment; "would not any one
+believe that all those things were only a delusion of the mind? If the
+great melon did not lie there now, I should be inclined to think that
+I had, in a mad fancy, taken the bees and wasps for large figures of
+men."
+
+At these words, he turned to the side where the melon had been, and,
+lo! that had also disappeared. Approaching nearer, he found in its
+place the little melon again, just as he had picked it during his
+walk. In its side he discovered a small four-angled opening. Then he
+went quickly back, fetched the two dead insects, and put them through
+the aperture into the melon.
+
+"It may now be as it may," said he to himself. "I promised them to
+bury their dead bodies in the melon, and I fulfil this promise."
+
+"Now, you will not wish to eat any of this enchanted melon?" inquired
+one of the slaves; and as Jussuf shook his head in the negative, and
+at once entered his tent, the slave gave the melon a kick with his
+foot, so that it rolled all the way down the hill, and fell below into
+the river that flowed there. The waves swept over it.
+
+The night passed tranquilly. At first, Jussuf could not get any sleep,
+for the events of wonder had so stirred up his soul. At last fatigue
+conquered, and he slumbered till near morning.
+
+In the commencement of his journey he had made an arrangement that
+four of his slaves should watch every night alternately. In the
+morning he asked with uncommon curiosity whether nothing had happened
+in the night, or whether no traveller had passed by from whom they
+might learn the direction. But no one had gone by.
+
+Low-spirited at not having any sure direction for his journey, he
+struck his bosom, and said, "So are we borne away and removed from
+good fortune." He had with the blow hit the pouch containing the
+talisman which he had received from his master Modibjah, and which
+till now he had quite forgotten. He pulled it out, opened the pouch,
+and said, "Thou hast disclosed thyself in a good hour. Come, tell me
+whether I shall do well if I proceed through the valley along the
+river-side."
+
+After he had considered it, he exclaimed joyfully, "Yes, yes; the
+resolution is good; the fiery spark still shines living in the stone."
+He immediately gave orders for departure, and the procession, rode out
+into the valley. His slaves wondered that he who had been so uncertain
+about the direction should now be so secure, and take so confident a
+resolution. The journey was much more pleasant in the valley than it
+had before been. The air from the stream was cooled, for a mild breeze
+was always breathing through the valley; and they soon reached an
+inhabited place, and learned that they were in the direct road to a
+small town, in whose neighbourhood were situated the ruins of the old
+royal city. Pleased as Jussuf was at this news, still it was rather
+disagreeable, to him: he remembered that on the evening of his
+adventure with the melon the moon was in full splendour, and he could
+now calculate that he would arrive several days too early for the
+first object of his journey. And what should he set about in that
+small town till, on the third day after the new moon, he should find
+his sign-post? However, he continued on his way by small day journeys.
+At last he came to the little town in whose neighbourhood the ruins
+were situated, and stopped at a caravanserai. Whilst his people
+unloaded the camels and settled everything, he wandered idly through
+the town to see something of it. In the course of his walk a young man
+presented himself to him, who was willing to show him in passing the
+few curiosities of the place. While they were conversing together they
+made themselves known to each other; and Jussuf learned that the young
+man's name was Hassan Assad, a man of whom his people had often spoken
+to him in terms of commendation, and who had been very useful to him
+several times in commissions for goods in Persia. He heartily thanked
+him, therefore, and assured him of his pleasure at being able to form
+his personal acquaintance. Hassan also seemed very much pleased to
+have seen the far-famed merchant from Balsora face to face, and
+offered to be his guide and companion as long as he remained in those
+parts.
+
+"To-morrow," said he, "I have some necessary business to do in Shiraz,
+which I cannot put off. But without doubt thou also art going there,
+for thou wilt certainly have to give large orders to the ablest silver
+and gold workers, and to the most skilful silk-weavers; and because
+personal acquaintance with our correspondents is very useful, I will
+join thee in thy journey. In this way it will not be necessary for us
+to separate again on the first day of our acquaintance; nor can it be
+disagreeable to thee to go with me, who am already known there, and
+can lead thee to the dwellings of all those with whom I am connected
+in commerce."
+
+Jussuf's mind had been but little turned on trade, and now he could
+not recollect the names of all the people with whom he transacted
+business in Shiraz: besides, he had a certain aversion to disclose the
+true reasons for his journey; so he let his friendly companion
+entertain the idea that he had come to Persia for the purpose of
+purchasing and giving commissions. And, because he must still wait
+several days for the new moon, he willingly accepted Hassan's
+proposal, and promised to accompany him the next morning to the great
+and celebrated town of Shiraz, and to spend some days with him there.
+The distance to Shiraz was not far, and Jussuf reached it with his new
+friend the next day before the noonday heat. Hassan conducted him in
+the afternoon to the house of a rich merchant, with whom he had long
+had considerable dealings.
+
+"Here," said he, "I bring you the far-famed merchant Jussuf from
+Balsora, whose name cannot be strange to you, since you have long done
+business with him. He has taken this journey to make new purchases,
+and also to become personally acquainted with those who have hitherto
+served him so satisfactorily."
+
+The dealer was very glad to become acquainted with the renowned
+Jussuf, and, as what Hassan had said appeared very natural to him, he
+continued, "If I do not mistake, I furnished thee lately with a
+considerable quantity of oil of roses. Thou wert, then, pleased with
+it?"
+
+Jussuf assured him of his perfect satisfaction with the supply.
+
+"Ah," continued the dealer, "thou must now again give me a commission;
+for I have at present a much better supply, and I can let thee have it
+at a very moderate price, although it is of a superior quality."
+
+Jussuf was ashamed to confess that he had entirely neglected his
+magazine and warehouse, and could not think of his business. He
+therefore left him in his error, and gave him a considerable order for
+oil of roses. But, as he thought of travelling farther, and the time
+of his return was not decided, he ordered him to wait for further
+instructions for sending the oil. Still, he paid the amount
+beforehand. In this manner he went to all his friends in trade in
+Shiraz. Hassan conducted him, announcing that his appearance in Persia
+was to give orders; and so he was seduced into fresh commissions and
+fresh purchases. At the silk-weavers' he ordered many hundred pieces
+of silk stuffs; at others, a quantity of gold and silver stuffs; at
+the jewellers' costly trinkets, and gold and silver vessels, and
+implements. His companion not only led him to such dealers and
+workers as he was already acquainted with in business, but introduced
+him to many others. They induced him, partly by the beauty of their
+goods, partly by their moderate prices, to make extensive purchases,
+and to take himself large orders for goods which he promised to send
+them from Balsora. It could not fail that a merchant of such fame as
+Jussuf, who gave so many orders in the same town, should attract
+attention. They sought after him with a friendly spirit in every
+place; they asked him to all the feasts which were given in those days
+in the families where he was known. Now he was to appear at a banquet
+in the town; then at a rural feast in one of the largest and most
+splendid gardens in the suburbs. People exerted themselves on all
+sides to show him honour and to give him pleasure.
+
+The new moon had arrived in the meantime, and Jussuf had still so many
+invitations that he would have been obliged to remain till after the
+full moon to fulfil them all. But the third evening after the new moon
+had been named to him as the decisive moment, and he would not neglect
+it. Hassan persuaded him strongly to stay a few more days, and those
+who had invited him pressed him very much; but he continued steadfast
+against longer delay, and he set out early on the third day after the
+new moon for the little town where he had left his slaves and camels.
+
+On arriving there, he found everything in order. He rested till
+evening, and then went out, without any companions, to the ruins of
+the destroyed town. Before sunset he was on the eastern side of them,
+and had soon also found, at some distance, the marked-out stone. He
+seated himself on it; and the sun had hardly gone down when he
+observed the moon riding like a golden ship through the blue of the
+obscure sky. He waited with palpitating heart and anxious impatience
+for the moment when it should seem to stand on the mountain-ridges on
+the western horizon. Then he called out quickly and loudly,
+"Haschanascha!" He expected that at this call a guide would
+immediately appear to him; but nothing appeared. The moon was, in the
+meantime, sunk behind the mountains; but the bright and sparkling
+stars still lighted the dark blue sky. He stood by the stone on which
+he had hitherto sat, and was going to return to his people in the
+town, discouraged at his deluded expectations, when he heard his name
+called by a well-known voice. He turned towards the place from whence
+it came, and soon recognized, in the light of the stars, his friend
+Hassan, whom he thought he had left that morning in Shiraz.
+
+"Well, well," said he, as he drew nearer to Jussuf, "it seemed to me
+that thou stopped behind the mountains. Whenever I wished to speak
+with thee of thy journey, thou always soughtest to evade me, and
+turned the conversation some other way. Now all is clear to me: with
+me thou needest not have made any mystery of it; since I find thee
+here to-day, the third day after the new moon, I already know
+everything. I regret very much that I must serve thee in this case,
+for I have already conducted many on this road, and none of them have
+ever come back."
+
+"How, Hassan Assad, thou the guide that I was to find here?" exclaimed
+Jussuf. "Thou wilt lead me to the object of my desires?"
+
+"No," answered Hassan, "I cannot myself conduct thee: I can only bring
+thee on the right road; but come, now, and follow me."
+
+He led him back near the extensive ruins of the destroyed city: they
+soon found tolerably passable roads, the few unobstructed tracks of
+the former principal streets of the large royal city; but they were
+often obliged to scramble over the rubbish of overthrown buildings,
+across pillars, and the remains of mighty columns. His guide turned
+now right, now left, to seek the easiest road; then backwards, then
+forwards. They might, perhaps, have spent an hour scrambling about in
+this manner, when at last Hassan arrived at a passage, closed with a
+small iron door, which was not covered with ruins: here he took a
+little silver hammer, and knocked nine times on the head of a great
+nail which was in the door: at each knock he stopped for some seconds,
+and Jussuf heard the sound in singular tones inside the door, as if it
+reached to a great distance. At the last stroke the door flew open,
+and showed a row of steps leading down to a cellar-like vault.
+
+"Here we must descend," said Hassan; "here thou wilt see many
+wonderful things, and thou wilt have rich presents; but take care not
+to refuse any presents, or to speak a word: only when thou art asked
+if thou hast enough, always answer no, till they abuse thee as an
+unreasonable person, and ask thee what thou still desirest, then say
+the word 'Ketlafgat,'--it is the name of a talisman, without which
+thou canst never attain the end of thy wishes."
+
+Jussuf observed the word, and promised to obey his instructor. They
+now descended the steps together; and the door closed behind them with
+a great noise. As they proceeded in profound darkness, Jussuf thought
+of the talisman which he had received from Modibjah: he wished to see
+if he were walking in the right road, and drew it out of the pouch:
+although it was very dark, he still discerned the bright red spark in
+the stone. He now descended after his guide with more courage. They
+might have left about fifty steps behind when they arrived at a large
+room: over this was raised a vast round vault from the ground, in the
+form of a regular hemisphere. From the middle of the vault hung a
+great lamp, on which, out of twelve branches, burned twelve long
+dazzling white flames. The whole vault played with thousands of lights
+of this flame, as if it were faced with an innumerable number of small
+mirrors. As Jussuf moved to one side, curious to see the cause of this
+reflection, he perceived that the vault was covered with eight large
+oriental pearls of the greatest clearness, and that the space between
+four of them was filled up with a smaller. He tried to detach one of
+the large pearls from the wall; but it was so fast cemented that it
+was impossible to remove it. In the meantime his guide had reached a
+concealed door, and had knocked three times with his little hammer on
+one spot. The door sprang open, and they entered a spacious
+four-cornered room, on the walls of which were very large friezes,
+supported too by pillars of solid gold. But each of the panels of the
+flat part of the wall stood on a transparent gay green smooth-polished
+stone, which Jussuf could only consider to be most valuable
+emeralds--however improbable it seemed. Hassan allowed him no time to
+look about him: he had already opened a third room with the strokes of
+his silver hammer. The form of this was octagonal: the pillars and
+sockets were of silver; but the panels rested on a precious stone of a
+bright blue colour.
+
+In the same manner they reached a more splendid and larger room. They
+had already passed through twelve without having found any living
+creature. Thus, with all this splendour, there was an unpleasant air
+of desertion, which oppressed Jussuf so much that he would willingly
+have imparted his feeling to his companion; but he strode on with such
+seriousness and caution, in his passage through the opened doors and
+rooms, that he had not courage to say a word aloud. After they had
+passed through the twelfth chamber, Hassan knocked three times with
+his hammer on the ground, which consisted of clear large and small
+quadrangles of the most magnificent polished stripes of jasper.
+Immediately one of these quadrangles opened and fell back, as if it
+were a trap-door: here were disclosed many steps of beautiful crystal,
+which led down still deeper. They descended, and the trap-door shut
+down behind them. Jussuf saw no lamp by which the long descent of
+steps was lighted, nor any window through which the light of day could
+enter; but still it was not dark around them, for at each footstep
+shone a clear blue light. He observed that this proceeded from a small
+ball which rolled down before him from step to step, and, every time
+that it alighted on a step, a clear blue ray of light streamed out,
+which spread out its rays till the ball had rolled to another. At last
+the steps ceased, and before him extended a long passage, the opposite
+end of which was lighted by a clear point: they approached it, and
+soon discovered a folding-door with glass windows, through which shone
+the bright daylight. They passed through it, and found themselves in a
+splendid garden, full of rare flowers and shrubs, such as Jussuf had
+never before seen. At the entrance, two slaves approached him, who
+bowed to him respectfully, but silently, and beckoned to him to follow
+them. They led him into a large summer-house: there sat some men whom
+Jussuf took for dervishes; they stood up and greeted him.
+
+"Thou comest to fetch the treasure of the poor," said one of them:
+"thy desires shall be fulfilled." He immediately made a sign to the
+others, and they all moved off through another door. "Men," continued
+he, "certainly are complete fools; they fix their hearts on such
+useless things; and the more they have the more insatiable they are."
+
+He shook his head contemptuously. Before he had said anything more,
+the remaining dervishes came back, one bringing a number of purses
+filled with sequins; two others bringing precious boxes filled with
+pearls; the third, two boxes with great diamonds of the finest fire; a
+fourth, two boxes full of the finest emeralds; and so each one another
+precious thing.
+
+Jussuf took all the things, and hid the boxes and the purses about his
+person.
+
+"Are you satisfied?" asked the dervish who had first spoken.
+
+And Jussuf answered, "No."
+
+"I said so," grumbled the dervish. And, at a sign from him, the others
+again went and brought, as at the first time, purses of gold and boxes
+of jewels.
+
+"Hast thou enough now?" asked the dervish.
+
+And Jussuf, who could hardly dispose of all about him, answered, "No."
+
+With still greater signs of displeasure, the dervish caused a fresh
+burden of similar presents to be brought. And, as Jussuf could not
+carry any more, he asked again, "Now hast thou not enough, at last?"
+
+Remembering Hassan's instructions, he again answered, "No."
+
+Then the dervish got up, and turned round on one foot angrily, and
+exclaimed, "Thou shameful man, art thou insatiable? Thou canst not
+take all with thee that thou hast already received, and thou must load
+thy companion also with the trifles in order to convey them hence, and
+yet thou hast not enough, thou glutton!"
+
+Immediately the other dervishes surrounded him, and screamed out, as
+from a cave, "Glutton! impudent creature! avaricious man!"
+
+"And what dost thou want now?" asked the dervish.
+
+Then Jussuf said the word that Hassan had taught him for this
+occasion, "Ketlafgat."
+
+He had hardly spoken it, when the other dervishes sat down, and he who
+had asked the question went out of the summer-house. He soon came back
+with a small box, which he gave to Jussuf: it was made of mean wood,
+and without any ornament.
+
+"Here is what thou desirest," said he. And, while he reached to him a
+small golden key, he added, "Henceforward thou no longer needest a
+guide. Go where thy inclination leads thee: thou wilt always be in the
+right road if thou do not open this box with the key; but, if thou art
+once in despair, and all hope has vanished of reaching the end of thy
+journey, thou mayest then open it."
+
+He made a sign with his hand, and immediately the two slaves were
+ready to conduct him away. Hassan took the boxes and the purses, which
+Jussuf could not carry, in his pockets, and bowed to go away.
+
+Then the dervish called after him, "Many persons have already fetched
+the Ketlafgat from us, and it has always come back to us: it will
+return from thee also."
+
+The slaves led them another way out of the garden into the entrance of
+a cave in the rock, shut the door behind them, and left them in a dark
+passage. They groped about with their hands, and soon felt a door.
+Hassan knocked again nine times with his hammer, and, behold, the door
+opened at the last blow, and they issued out at another end of the
+ruins of the destroyed town into the open air.
+
+"Now we dare speak again," said Hassan. "What dost thou think of
+doing? morning is not very distant. Wilt thou not return to the town,
+and unload thyself of thy treasures?"
+
+But Jussuf shook his head thoughtfully, and said, "What shall I do?
+What shall I say? I have lately witnessed such wonders that I am
+almost unable to think. I am no longer the man that I was, who had a
+decided will of his own. I appear to myself like a play-ball to beings
+of a superhuman nature. Every man, however, plays this part to a
+certain extent."
+
+"Well, bethink thee. See, I have packed up the treasures for thee, and
+would willingly be released soon from thee, for I must return to
+Shiraz in good time to-day, as thou probably knowest. Let us hasten,
+then, back to the little town: there thou canst consider with thy
+people what thou shalt do."
+
+Jussuf followed him in deep thought, and, soon arriving at the town,
+they entered the caravanserai. The slaves received their master with
+joy, for they had become suspicious at his going out without
+attendants, and, not coming back at night, they feared lest some
+misfortune should have happened to him.
+
+After he had laid down the purses and the boxes with the jewels, he
+turned to Hassan, and said, "Thou hast already performed so many
+services for me, that I must trespass and require still further from
+thee. I see that this train will be more troublesome than serviceable
+to me in my long journey; but I cannot leave it behind. Do me the
+pleasure of taking these slaves, camels, and all the treasures which
+are contained in each bale of goods, and travel with them as if they
+were thine own property. If I return happily, and thou art willing,
+should I be in need, to let me have part back again, I will accept it
+from thee as a free-will present; should I not return, I shall have no
+more need of them."
+
+After a short conversation, Hassan consented, and immediately ordered
+his camels to be laden to return to Shiraz. Jussuf took some of the
+boxes of precious stones, a good number of purses with sequins, and,
+above all, the box with the talisman Ketlafgat, loaded his horse with
+them, took leave of Hassan with heartfelt thankfulness, commanded his
+slaves to obey their new master, mounted his horse, and rode at the
+dawn of morning towards the rising of the sun.
+
+Jussuf had proceeded ten days in this direction without anything
+remarkable happening to him. On the evening of the eleventh day he
+arrived at a high hill, which appeared fruitless, not a tree or a bush
+to be seen. There was not a village, a hut, or a tent within his sight
+all round. He was obliged to resolve to pass the night under the open
+sky, and looked about to see to what he could fasten his horse; for,
+although it was a tame, trusty animal, yet he was afraid that it might
+run away in the night. At last, finding nothing, he unbuckled the
+pack-saddle, and let his steed pasture on the half-withered grass,
+which was the only thing there. Then he lay down on the ground, and
+soon fell asleep; but he suddenly awoke again, and, looking for his
+horse, found it had vanished; he looked towards the place where the
+saddle was laid--that was not there either. It was clear to him that a
+robber had taken his horse. He peered round in the deceptive
+moonlight, but could perceive nothing. He was much grieved, and said
+to himself, "It is quite just: I had a company of true servants, and
+have sent them away in a frivolous manner; I had immense riches, and
+have given them into the hands of a stranger without surety, who may
+live happily in their possession whilst I must starve." But he soon
+continued, with collected courage, "Yet of what use are all the goods
+of the earth to me? What help would a whole army of the most faithful
+and the boldest companions be to me? I seek a gift with which I shall
+ever be on the right road, as the dervish said, and I always carry the
+box and the golden key with me. Everything may go if the talisman
+Ketlafgat remains to me, which will preserve me if despair should
+seize me in the attainment of my wishes."
+
+As he spoke thus to himself, he saw a number of riders appear in the
+distance, and he soon perceived that they were riding straight to him.
+He looked round for some place of shelter; but there was no place on
+the level high plains where he could hide himself. The riders
+approached nearer: he saw them divide and form a cross, and so they
+advanced till they came quite near. Some of them alighted and went
+with drawn sabres to him. He found that all defence was vain, and,
+throwing away his sabre, he knelt down, bowing himself to the ground
+like a humble slave.
+
+"Seize him!" called out the leader of the horsemen, "and seat him on a
+spare horse, and bring him with us; but, by your lives, stand by me,
+and see that he does not escape."
+
+Both the horsemen to whom he had spoken these words inclined full of
+reverence to him, then seized Jussuf, bound his hands, and seated him
+on a horse, and, taking him between them, rode, alternately seizing
+the bridle of his horse, at a fast trot over the high plains. The
+remaining riders followed at a little distance. With short
+interruptions, which were necessary for the forage of the horses and
+the rest of the men and animals, they continued riding for several
+days. About the tenth day they reached a wide valley through which
+flowed a great river. Jussuf saw cultivated fields, gardens, and men's
+dwellings. They made him alight from his horse, and led him into the
+little room of a house. There they gave him everything necessary to
+make himself clean after so long a journey. For a man who had before
+lived in the greatest affluence, he had felt very heavily in these
+last days of his imprisonment his want of cleanliness: it seemed to
+him, therefore, a most wonderful favour of fate that they now brought
+him water with which to bathe himself, a comb, and some ointment for
+his beard, and signified to him that he was to take a bath and anoint
+himself. After he had bathed, combed his beard, and anointed himself,
+he was conducted to the garden of the house; and here the owner of it
+advanced towards him. After he had observed him with searching looks,
+he said to his companions,
+
+"Good! the man is quite right; keep him carefully and examine him for
+nine days, then we will take him to his place, and sacrifice him to
+the fire." He winked with his eye, and his servants took him back to
+his chamber, which they carefully watched.
+
+In his solitude Jussuf thought over his fate. He lamented again his
+thoughtlessness in exposing himself alone to the dangers of a journey
+in an unknown country; he bewailed his fate in falling into the hands
+of fire-worshippers, and tried several times to open the box with the
+golden key. Then said he to himself, "What hope can I now have of
+attaining the end of my wishes? I am a captive, and well watched; and
+if I am delivered from captivity, it will be to sacrifice me to the
+flames." Often hope woke again. He still possessed the treasures that
+he carried about his body, and they were not inconsiderable: he
+concealed them carefully, for he hoped that they might be a means of
+bribery to his companions on the road to sacrifice, and that he might
+thus purchase his freedom. He received daily clean and good food, and
+would have had nothing of which to complain, if he had not wanted
+freedom, and had not the fear of death before his eyes.
+
+On the morning of the ninth day he had a farther and faster passage
+from the house where he was imprisoned. Eighty black slaves rode
+forward on white horses. Then came as many white slaves on black
+horses. After these came a number of riders, whom Jussuf could easily
+discern to be those who had taken him prisoner. Behind these, and
+surrounded by them, rode the master of the country, who had destined
+him to be sacrificed. Then came twenty venerable grey-headed men, in
+red and gold striped garments, each of whom bore a broad glittering
+blade, and a bundle of dry bamboo-sticks. Behind them followed ten
+youths, with coal-dishes full of glowing coals. And now Jussuf was
+brought forth, and, with his hands fastened, and his feet chained to
+the horse, he rode between his former companions. Behind him followed
+a number of armed men, and then a crowd of people. In this order the
+procession wound along the valley. Towards evening they chose a place
+for encampment, and struck some tents. Jussuf was watched in a
+distinct tent. As he observed that stillness reigned in the camp, he
+approached the entrance of his tent, and called out, half aloud,
+
+"I am very thirsty. Is no one here who could bring me a refreshing
+drink?"
+
+The watchman who guarded his tent answered him, "When my hour is up, I
+will fetch you some water from the river. Till then remain quiet."
+
+"Alas!" sighed Jussuf, "my lips thirst not for water; my soul thirsts
+after liberty. I will prove myself very grateful if you will let me
+escape."
+
+The watchman answered, "I dare not; for my life is at stake."
+
+This conversation continued for some time. Jussuf offered him six
+purses of sequins, and a large diamond, which was worth ten times
+their value. He had still a box of the finest and most costly
+diamonds, which he had taken from Hassan. But the guard always urged
+other objections. He did not deny that he would willingly win the
+prize; but he dreaded the consequences. Jussuf proposed that he should
+flee with him, and seek another home; but he would not listen to it.
+
+"I cannot separate from my wife and children; I must return home. What
+good would all the possessions of earth be to me if I were obliged to
+live a fugitive in a strange country, and consume my life longing
+after my kindred?"
+
+Then a thought flashed through Jussuf's mind. "Let me stop your
+mouth--let me bind and tie you, that they may perceive that you were
+overcome. When they find you so, you can exculpate yourself, saying
+that I was too strong for you--that I stopped your mouth, so that you
+could not cry for help. I will give you what I have said, and you can
+bury it in the sand, and dig it up at some fit season."
+
+The bargain was soon struck. Jussuf gave him what he had promised. The
+guard buried the purses in the sand, hid the diamond in a fold of his
+garment, and then allowed Jussuf to tie his hands and feet, and to
+stop his mouth. Then Jussuf passed as quietly through the camp as he
+could, mounted one of the horses which stood ready saddled, and set
+off at a full gallop.
+
+Thus he escaped fortunately. He rode the whole night, and thereby won
+a lengthened start. But still he feared that they might perceive the
+track of the horse's hoofs, and follow him, and fetch him back; so he
+killed his horse (whose strength was relaxing) with his dagger, and
+fled into a neighbouring wood, where he hoped, by its thickness, to be
+screened from the pursuit of riders. Here he refreshed himself by
+drinking at a spring of water, and with fruits and berries, which grew
+there in abundance. He then went on farther and farther. He observed,
+in his flight, the traces of wild beasts, and was therefore afraid to
+lie down on the ground. In the evening he climbed a high tree, bound
+himself fast to a branch, and composed himself for the night. His seat
+was very uncomfortable, and he always feared danger. Still his
+resolution overcame his fear, and he slept quietly for some hours,
+and, strengthened with new courage, he descended, and continued his
+wanderings through the wood. He lived also this day on berries and
+wild fruits, and again ascended a high tree in the evening, in which
+he spent the night.
+
+Thus he passed several days. At last he remarked that here the land
+rose considerably. The wood soon became broken in parts with rocks;
+the growth of the trees was not so considerable; the shrubs gradually
+disappeared altogether; great masses of rock covered the ground.
+Between them grew luxuriantly small bushes. At last only grass and
+moss were to be seen. He went farther, and soon saw a bare high rock,
+from which extended, far and wide, only great wooded mountains. In
+the distance arose still higher cliffs over the woods, whose summits
+shone white in the sunlight; and from some of them there arose a thick
+smoke, as though there were a huge furnace underneath, the chimney
+being the top of the mountain. The air blew here cold and cutting.
+Jussuf thought he could not spend the night among the bare rocks, so
+he wandered on with activity. Before night came on he had reached a
+place where high trees were growing, and where he again found a safe,
+but uncomfortable, sleeping-place. He wandered about for many days on
+the wooded mountains, and again reached a high ridge, over which he
+passed, until he arrived at a valley through which a brook ran, in a
+serpentine direction, among verdant meadows. He traced the brook
+through the valley, and reached a spot where it flowed into a river.
+He now followed the course of the river, and as night came on before
+he perceived any human habitations, he lay down on the bank among the
+high grass, and resolved to sleep there, since he had not seen any
+track of wild beasts in his passage through the valley. The hope of at
+last reaching some inhabited spot, after so long and lonely a
+wandering among deserted woods, had urged him on this day to a longer
+journey, and he was thereby much exhausted. He had also only slept for
+many days in a sitting and tiresome posture; he therefore found the
+high grass very agreeable, and slept till dawn of morning. He would
+probably have not even then awoke had he not been forced to do so.
+
+When he came to himself, he saw some men on the ground, who were busy
+fastening his hands and feet with fine but very strong string. He
+wrestled with them, and threw them down. But all was in vain: he was
+bound, and they laid him on a litter of bamboo-sticks, and carried him
+off with rapid strides. They soon reached a place where the river
+became deeper, and broader, so that it was navigable for boats. Here
+lay a vessel on the bank, into which they carried him, and conveyed
+him up the stream. After a journey of several hours, they reached a
+great city. They passed by several gardens and country houses, and at
+last arrived at the middle of the city, which was divided by the
+river, but connected by several high bridges. They lay off the shore,
+and carried Jussuf out of the ship into the court of a great palace,
+where everybody collected at once from the neighbourhood, even the
+casual passers-by. They observed him with curious looks, handled his
+clothes, which were all cut and torn about by his wanderings in the
+thicknesses of the woods, and laughed at him. At last the owner of the
+palace appeared at the principal gate with a large retinue of
+distinguished servants. From the respect of those around him, and the
+awe with which all present withdrew to a distance, Jussuf concluded
+that he must be the Sultan, or the Prince of the country. He looked at
+the poor captive, and spoke to his servants in a language which Jussuf
+did not understand. They immediately brought a large cage of strong
+bamboo-poles. Jussuf was unbound, pushed in, and locked up. They then
+brought out a tame elephant, put the cage on it, and so led him
+through the streets of the town, whilst the crier called out some
+taunting thing in every street, and pointed at him with his stick. The
+boys threw stones at him, and even persons of more mature age derided
+him in every possible manner. If he showed himself in pain from any of
+the stones hitting him, and crouched up, or if he evaded any of the
+stones by the bars of his prison, every one burst out into an
+immoderate fit of laughter. Tired of their ill treatment, he cowered
+on the ground, turning his face downwards, and putting his hands over
+his head, to guard it against the blows of the stones. As soon as the
+crier remarked this, he pushed him with his long stick, and gave him
+such pokes in the ribs, that he was obliged to sit up. Jussuf was
+enraged and in despair. He turned round as quickly as possible in his
+narrow cage, seized a bar of the lattice-work, and, shaking it,
+screamed out,
+
+"Is there any man among you who understands my language? Do you take
+me, then, for a strange outlandish animal, that you lead me about in a
+cage as a sight?"
+
+And, as no one answered him, he despaired anew, and upbraided his
+tormentors. New laughter followed this. At last they accomplished the
+circuit of the town. At the palace the cage was again taken down from
+the elephant's back and placed on four posts, of the height of a
+man's stature, which stood in the court before the entrance of the
+garden of the palace. They brought him some food, consisting of
+parboiled rice, which, in his displeasure, he allowed to remain
+untouched. At first, several curious people had collected from among
+the servants around him; but they soon dispersed, and left him alone
+to despair and bitter reflection.
+
+He thought on his situation, and how he was in a distant land where
+nobody understood his language, nor could aid in delivering him from
+his mournful imprisonment. At this moment death would have been
+welcome. He seized his dagger, which he had carefully concealed in a
+fold of his robe, intending to put an end to his life by its means. As
+he drew it from the sheath, a ray of the sun fell on the blade, and
+reflected back the fiery glance so as to dazzle his eyes like a glow
+of fire. A spark lighted his talisman, and immediately he remembered
+the words of his old preceptor Modibjah. He put the dagger back, and
+took from his bosom the pouch containing the talisman; but, as he
+looked at the stone, the spark disappeared. It was a milk-white stone,
+like an ordinary fragment of white porcelain: then he breathed on it
+with a deep sigh, and with his lips said, "Haschanascha!"
+
+Scarcely had he pronounced this name, than a slave appeared, passed
+before the cage, and said, "Oh, you poor knave, how I pity you!"
+
+As Jussuf heard these words, he cried out joyfully, "That is my native
+language! Oh, pity an unfortunate, and tell me why I am so
+maltreated!"
+
+"I dare not now," answered the slave: "wait till midnight, then I will
+come and speak to you. I pity you exceedingly: at the first glance I
+recognized you as a countryman, and wished extremely to lighten your
+fate." With these words he disappeared through another door in the
+palace.
+
+The thought that he had found a man with whom he could converse on his
+misfortune, and who felt a sympathy for him, consoled Jussuf: all idea
+of killing himself was quite forgotten; on the contrary, he saw
+himself again free to pursue his journey. In this disposition he felt
+with renewed vigour the necessity of supporting life, and partook of
+the meal spread before him. The strengthening of his body refreshed
+his spirits. In gaining tranquillity of mind and body, his sorrows
+passed away, and he fell asleep in his cage. He awoke at midnight: the
+slave had come to speak to him.
+
+"If you will promise with a holy oath," said he to Jussuf, "that you
+will not place me in danger by your conduct, but will talk with me
+quietly, for the time of our conversation, I will let you out of the
+cage."
+
+"By the beard of the Prophet!" swore Jussuf, "I will be very quiet,
+and will not put you in any danger."
+
+At this oath, the slave climbed up a small ladder and opened the cage,
+which was fastened very cunningly without a lock, but so that nobody
+could open it unless he knew the secret. He helped Jussuf down, and
+went with him into the garden, the door of which stood open. There
+they seated themselves, and Jussuf asked,
+
+"Why am I imprisoned? What is the reason that I am held up in this
+scandalous manner as a show, and shut up in a cage like a wild beast?"
+
+To these questions the slave replied, "The King and the inhabitants of
+this city are worshippers of a snake; their idol is a great serpent,
+to whom they have erected a large and magnificent temple, where he is
+attended by a great number of priests: the priests mislead the people,
+and what they wish takes place. Now, the King has one Princess--the
+daughter of his wife by a former marriage--she is black like a
+negress; but she has learned from her mother to know and to venerate
+the Prophet. The King loves this black Princess dearly as an only
+daughter; but the priests have misled him, and persuaded him to send
+her away from the Court and city, and to keep her confined in a palace
+built under a stream; for they have a prophecy, according to which, at
+the time when the white summit of that mountain, which lies to the
+north-east from the tower of the palace and from the cupola of the
+temple, can be seen to smoke, a man shall come to the kingdom who
+shall marry the King's daughter, and put all the worshippers of the
+serpent to fire and sword. Now," he continued, "the mountain has begun
+to smoke: the King has therefore, by the advice of his priests, given
+commandment to his servants to seize all the foreigners they meet,
+that they may be sacrificed to their idol. So you were found, and are
+now destined to be a victim. The priests know of your imprisonment,
+and are making preparations for a very grand sacrifice, which is to
+last seven days."
+
+"What!" cried Jussuf, "shall I be offered to a snake--to a stupid,
+superstitious fancy?" He wept, and begged and prayed the slave to let
+him escape.
+
+"How will you escape?" asked the slave. "It is not possible through
+the palace--guards are at every entrance; and you would also fall into
+the hands of the watchmen in the city. You cannot fly over the garden
+wall, for on the other side is a deep ditch, full of mud and water. If
+you jumped over, you would be embedded in the mud."
+
+Jussuf exhausted himself in prayers and entreaties to persuade the
+slave to help him in his flight.
+
+"Only one means is possible," he replied. "To-morrow is the day on
+which a messenger is usually sent to the Princess's palace, to
+inquire, in the King's name, after her health and wishes. I have many
+times had this commission, and will offer again. If I go, I am sure
+she will have me brought before her, as she knows I belong to the
+Faithful, and speak many languages which she learned from her mother.
+I will relate to her your imprisonment, and ask her assistance or
+counsel. She is as clever as good and innocent, and can give excellent
+advice."
+
+Although Jussuf placed little reliance on this plan, still there was
+some hope of success, and the only hope that he could find. He
+therefore agreed to it, and returned to his cage, in which the slave
+fastened him, having told him that if he did not return at noon, he
+was to take it as a sign that he was sent on the embassy to the
+Princess.
+
+On the morrow a slave brought him some food, and curious people came
+with the King's servants to see him; but the day passed without Jussuf
+being able to observe his countryman among the remaining slaves in the
+court below. Full of hope, he watched the approach of night, when he
+hoped to receive counsel and help. The slave came at midnight and
+called him by his name.
+
+"Now," said Jussuf, "what news do you bring?"
+
+"Alas! my lord," answered the slave, "I know not what to think.
+Although the Princess is a faithful follower of the Prophet, she was
+very quiet when I related your history: I expected she would have
+concerned herself about your being offered to a snake; but she heard
+me tranquilly."
+
+Jussuf asked if she had not sent him any counsel.
+
+"No; she said no other word," answered the slave, "than, 'Tell your
+countryman that everybody must be obedient, and resigned to the will
+of Heaven. Heathenish prophecies are often the consequence of godly
+truth and wisdom.'"
+
+"What can I conclude from that?" said Jussuf. "In Allah's name, I must
+give myself up as a sacrifice to a snake, because it is the will of
+Heaven!"
+
+He then broke out in desperate tears and cries.
+
+"Listen," said the slave: "do not abandon all hope; I will give you
+good counsel. She has charged me to tell the King that to-morrow she
+wishes once more to visit her father in his palace. This is the first
+time since she has dwelt in her own palace. The King has sent her
+permission, as he thinks the prophecy cannot be now fulfilled, seeing
+that he has you in his power. She will certainly go into the garden,
+and pass through that farther door. When she passes, call her, and
+relate your case, and beg her to deliver you. She understands your
+language, and will certainly feel pity when she hears and sees you."
+He now turned away as a glimmer of light fell on him from one of the
+palace windows. "Farewell, I must away," whispered he; "it must not be
+betrayed that I have given you advice. Do not forget to call to her:
+only from her can you hope for anything. Call her Haschanascha: that
+is her name." With these words he left the palace quickly.
+
+"Haschanascha is her name! How? Is not that the name of her whom I was
+to call in the ruins of the destroyed capital? Shall I not call her if
+the spark in Modibjah's talisman no longer shines? Is not Haschanascha
+the magic word which has led me here alone, away from all men who
+understand my language and share my anxieties?"
+
+So he spoke to himself, and determined to follow the counsel given him
+by the slave.
+
+After he had passed the night, partly in unquiet wakefulness, partly
+in dozing, he observed in the early part of the morning a great
+disturbance and unusual business in the courtyard. It was quiet in the
+inner court, when the Princess at last came. At this moment all
+pressed into the square before the palace. When Jussuf saw this, he
+pulled the talisman out of his pocket, and thought, "I must see if the
+stone preserves its spark. It seems a good sign of deliverance." And,
+behold, as he drew it forth, the red spot shone more fiery than ever.
+At noon he suddenly heard a trampling, as if the procession of slaves
+of the Princess were going into the garden. He attentively watched the
+appointed door, and he soon saw her pass, and her father, followed by
+a long train.
+
+At this moment Jussuf cried out, "Haschanascha! Haschanascha! pity an
+unfortunate!"
+
+On hearing the cry she looked up at Jussuf, and the King also gazed at
+him full of astonishment. Meantime the Princess drew near, and he
+followed her close. When he had said some words to her, she asked
+Jussuf,
+
+"My King and foster-father asks who taught you the name Haschanascha?"
+
+Jussuf knew that he ought not to betray the faithful slave, and yet he
+wished to confess the truth. He said, therefore,
+
+"Before I knew that it was the name of a human being, my old teacher,
+Modibjah, taught me, whatever difficulties and dangers befell me, to
+pronounce the word Haschanascha. It has always been a defence to me
+whenever I have pronounced it. May it this time also procure me
+assistance!"
+
+"You have named to me a very dear name," answered the Princess; "and
+it is a sign that you are he whom I must release from being
+sacrificed. But there is only one way--you must be my husband. This is
+the command of a higher being whom you must obey. Examine, if you
+will not thus purchase life and liberty at too dear a price. Without
+the fulfilling of this condition, I cannot deliver you. I give you
+time for consideration. When I return from the garden, let me know
+your determination."
+
+She pronounced these words in a loud, earnest tone, and then turned
+with her father into the garden. The train of slaves accompanied them.
+Jussuf gave himself up to deep thought.
+
+"I had selected a different one for my future bride; I would not take
+many wives, according to our customs, but only one companion for life,
+who was my playfellow, whom I have sought for, and for whose sake I
+have encountered these dangers. If I take this black Princess for my
+wife, it will only be from love of life, that I may be freed from
+prison. Then I must leave my old playfellow."
+
+He thus meditated for some time, and at last resolved of the two evils
+to choose the lesser. When the Princess returned from the garden, he
+called her by name, and she approached with her father, and asked him,
+with an earnest mien and firm tone, what resolution he had adopted.
+
+"How could I remain a moment in doubt?" answered he. "You, dearest
+Princess, will condescend to a poor unknown, and become my wife. You
+are the sun of my life. Without you life is worth nothing."
+
+At these words she broke out into a hearty laugh. When she had
+finished laughing, she said, "Ah! I see you are like all men--a
+hypocrite and a jester. Much truth is in your jesting words. I am the
+sun of your life! Without me life would be worth nothing! Indeed,
+without me, you would be sacrificed to a snake!" She seated herself,
+and said, "Be not afraid: swear to me by the Prophet that you will
+take me for your wife, and you shall to-day be delivered from your
+prison."
+
+Jussuf swore; and now she turned to her father, and spoke earnestly
+with him in his language. But the faithful slave approached the cage,
+and interpreted all that was said.
+
+"It is not prudent to keep this man imprisoned without knowing whether
+he is the right one to offer to the snake. You have seized the best,
+and in the meanwhile justice is forgotten. Have the priests to the
+snake called, that they may see him, and that I may speak with them."
+
+The King answered that this would be easy, as two priests had arrived
+from the snake's temple, before they had gone into the garden, to
+demand an audience.
+
+They were called, and there soon appeared the priests in long white
+garments, with particoloured girdles.
+
+"Is this the man pointed out by your god?" asked she, as they
+approached Jussuf's cage.
+
+"It is, it is!" they cried in the same voice, and bowed humbly before
+the Princess.
+
+"What have you for a sign?" she again asked.
+
+"We have no sign," they answered; "but he it is."
+
+"You have no sign! How, then, do you know he is the right one?" asked
+she.
+
+To which they answered, "The divine snake has discovered it."
+
+Then she replied, with contempt, "Be silent to me about your snake!"
+And she turned to the King, and said, "My King and father, will you
+suffer yourself any longer to be deceived by these stupid and
+obstinate men? They give out that they have divine knowledge, and yet
+they are as ignorant as a maiden of sixteen! I beg you, have their
+god, the snake, brought here, and I will prove that I speak truth; but
+they, only deceit and falsehood."
+
+At these words, the priests doubled their fists, and struck their
+foreheads and breasts, and bowed themselves to the ground, and jumped
+about as if seized by convulsions.
+
+Then the King looked at the Princess with a frightened countenance,
+and said, "Child, take heed what you do; revile not the gods."
+
+All the servants who stood around were astonished, not rightly
+comprehending what was passing. But the Princess earnestly coaxed the
+King to cause the priests to bring the divine serpent there, that they
+might test the truth of what she had spoken. The King gave the
+command, and the priests left; at the Princess's request the King
+remained. All stood around in anxious expectation.
+
+They had not to wait long before a numerous train of priests appeared,
+eight of whom bore, on four golden staves, a costly chest adorned with
+gold, ebony, and precious stones, and placed it in the middle of the
+court. Then they bowed before the King, and the high priest stepped
+forward and said,
+
+"The King has given us an unusual command, and we fear that a great
+misfortune is about to happen. What is the reason that we are summoned
+from the recesses of the temple, and must even bring the divine snake
+in its chest with us?"
+
+Then the Princess said, "I will explain all. It is doubted that you
+really take charge of a divine snake; therefore let the chest be
+opened, and show it to the people."
+
+Then the priests answered, "Do the people doubt of our god? Let the
+doubters approach and be convinced."
+
+He opened the lid, and every one saw a great snake in the chest It lay
+stupefied, as snakes usually do after a heavy repast.
+
+The Princess approached the chest, and cried, "Behold, doubters! is
+not this a snake?" Then she turned to the high priest, and asked, "Has
+your god shown you no sign by which you may know the man that ought to
+be sacrificed?" The high priest mused, but did not reply. Then she
+said, "Now I will show you the truth. Man does not properly understand
+heavenly things. I honour your prudence; but answer me another
+question. Would your god know its enemies if there were any such here?
+And would he revenge himself on them if they attempted his life?"
+
+"Certainly, certainly!" vociferated the priest. "Fire would fall from
+heaven and destroy them."
+
+"Very well," she said; "I am the enemy, and your god dies by my hand."
+And quickly, even before she had quite uttered these words, she drew
+her poniard and with it pierced the head of the snake, so that the
+weapon ran into its chest and transfixed it.
+
+The priests gave a common cry, and the King seized the Princess by
+both arms, and pulled her back.
+
+"My child, my child!" he cried, "what have you done?"
+
+"What you, my father, ought long since to have done," she replied.
+"Will you all believe," she called aloud to the spectators, "that I
+have done right in killing this snake, if I tell you what you will
+find within it?"
+
+After a short pause, the King answered, "Yes, certainly." And the
+people cried, "Then is the snake rightly slain--it was no god."
+
+The priests said to the King, "She shall tell us; but we will accuse
+her of its death if she does not speak truth."
+
+The Princess cried with a firm voice, "Let it be so; I promise them."
+
+The King bowed consent.
+
+Then she said, "There is a man among us whose wife sits at home
+weeping and bewailing, for she had a beautiful little boy, eighteen
+months old, who often ran about the streets. This child did not return
+home yesterday: it was taken to the snake's temple, and the priests
+know where it is. Let the man step forward and seek his child in the
+snake's belly."
+
+While she was speaking, a deep silence reigned around; but now a man
+broke forth from the crowd, and said, "It is true; I am the man. My
+beautiful boy, my Hamed, has not returned, and my wife sits at home
+and weeps. I left her, for I could not bear to hear her lament."
+
+Then arose a common shout of astonishment and compassion from all, and
+he waited long for silence.
+
+Then the Princess said to the man, "Draw your sword, cut open the
+snake, and you will find your child. I do not know if life still
+remain in him--the snake has only swallowed it an hour."
+
+The man approached the chest, drew his sword with a trembling hand,
+and opened the snake with an anxious face. When, behold, he pulled out
+his child! He immediately ran with him from the palace, as he thought
+he discovered some slight traces of life in him. Then the priests fell
+on their knees before the King, and begged for pardon.
+
+But the people, who were assembled in great crowds, cried, "Down with
+them! down with them!" and laid hands on them, as the King commanded
+them to be imprisoned.
+
+The Princess now turned to the King, and said, "Let us release this
+unfortunate man: he has come as a stranger into our land, to whom you
+ought to have shown hospitality; instead of which you have imprisoned
+him as a criminal; you have mocked and jeered him, whilst, by your
+oath, you should have allowed him to quit your city free. Let what you
+have said in mockery of him be now reversed to his honour; for a
+King's word must not be blown away by the wind. This and no other
+shall be my husband."
+
+The King commanded, and the prisoner was immediately freed. He bowed
+thankfully to the King and Princess. The King raised him, embraced
+him, called him his son, and led him to the Princess, saying,
+
+"Let him be your husband: the solemnities of marriage shall be
+immediately prepared."
+
+He caused his servants to proclaim through the city that the marriage
+of Princess Haschanascha was to be celebrated the next day, and all
+people were invited to assemble before the palace and to feast there.
+In his palace he pointed out to Jussuf a wing, in the apartments of
+which he for the future should dwell with his wife.
+
+But the Princess said, "I will inhabit the apartments which I formerly
+dwelt in in this palace; for I only consider myself as his betrothed,
+till an imam of the religion which we both profess has pronounced over
+us the marriage blessing."
+
+The King did not oppose her, but said, "You may command all as it
+pleases you. Since yesterday, I have discovered that you possess more
+knowledge and wisdom than the rest of mankind."
+
+The betrothal was celebrated with great splendour. The King, according
+to his former oath, showed Jussuf all honour, carried him to his
+different country seats, pointed out to him his gardens and lands,
+prepared many feasts, and did all to make his residence in his Court
+agreeable. The Princess accompanied them everywhere, and helped not a
+little to render these short journeys pleasing and satisfactory. She
+watched with great care for the convenience of her future husband, and
+sought to fulfil even his smallest wish before he had spoken it; so
+that Jussuf was often astonished, and said to himself, "She must read
+my thoughts before they arise." He felt that he was happy in
+everything except in her having a black complexion. One day they all
+went together to a beautiful neighbouring hunting-seat, in the
+environs of which a grand hunt was held. The Princess Haschanascha
+took part in it. She rode on a tame elephant, over whose back was
+thrown a cloth embroidered with gold. On the middle of its back a
+couch was skilfully fastened, and over this a canopy was raised on
+four slender pillars of gold. Jussuf remained generally near her
+during the hunt. He rode on a beautiful horse of the most noble race,
+which the King had sent him from his stable. Whenever he saw a curious
+bird or a wild beast, he aimed so well that the animal always fell
+pierced by his arrow. In the evening when they returned to the palace
+from the wood, Jussuf wished to remain there some days away from the
+bustle of the Court, and the King granted this wish. He left behind
+some servants to wait on him, and returned with his daughter to the
+capital.
+
+At parting, Haschanascha appeared very sad, and Jussuf perceived tears
+in her eyes.
+
+"I know," said she, "this stay will be unfortunate for me; you will
+forget me: even the talisman of your teacher Modibjah will fall into
+other hands, and on it depends my life. Might it be that this
+body--this hateful black veil of Haschanascha--should fall to pieces
+if it might conduce to your happiness. You will soon awake from a
+bright dream to longer and more bitter sorrows."
+
+Jussuf consoled her, and represented that she troubled herself with
+useless fears. He took an affectionate farewell of her, and saw the
+procession depart not without emotion: he would willingly have
+accompanied her, but an irresistible feeling held him back. He went,
+as he was now quite alone, into the garden, which was adorned with
+curious flowers.
+
+"Why was it," said he anxiously to himself, "that Haschanascha was
+to-day so mournful at parting? She is so prudent, and with her clear
+eyes foresees the events of life. Why can she fear that I should ever
+allow Modibjah's talisman to get into a stranger's hands when I always
+wear it?" With these words he pulled the little bag out, and said,
+"No, I will never separate from you unless you are taken by force. But
+can robbers be sheltered in this land?"
+
+Whilst he asked himself these questions, he thought that it would be
+better not to carry it in his bosom, where it might easily be found if
+he were searched. He therefore wrapped it up carefully in the folds of
+his turban, and believed it to be quite safe.
+
+Night had spread its veil over the garden, and he returned to the
+palace. Wonderful dreams disturbed his sleep, and their impressions
+accompanied him when he went into the garden the next morning. He had
+dreamt a great deal about red poppy-flowers, and now he saw them
+before him in the garden-beds. He found some alone in a bed, and while
+he watched them he again saw in fancy the same butterfly that he had
+before seen in his own garden upon similar flowers, and the memory of
+the circumstances Of the last time were deeply graven in his soul.
+Then he again dwelt upon the maiden to seek whom he had made this
+journey. Thus, amid these reflections, he took hold of the wooden box
+which he had received from the dervish in the subterraneous chambers
+in the ruined city near Shiraz.
+
+"Without thee," said he, "could I never have obtained the object of my
+desires? And of what use have you been to me till to-day? You ought to
+lead me straight to my mark, and I should always be in the right way
+as long as I did not open the box with the golden key. You indeed have
+led me through dangers and misery, and at the end to a betrothal with
+a maiden as different from the one I sought as day from night. And
+shall I open you only when I have lost all hope to attain my desire?
+Well, let us see what it contains."
+
+With these words he pulled out the golden key and unlocked the box;
+but he let it fall to the earth with a joyous cry, for scarcely had he
+opened it when the curious butterfly flew out, hovered in the sunshine
+over the flowers, and soon settled on one of the poppies. He quickly
+snatched off his turban, and covered with it the butterfly and the
+flowers. When he raised it, a figure was underneath, and before him
+stood his pleasant playfellow.
+
+"Are you truly she? Do I really see you at last?" he cried,
+astonished.
+
+"I am truly she," she answered. "Have you quite forgotten me, that you
+have allowed so long a time to elapse without asking after me? But
+what have you done with your turban? Let us see."
+
+She took it from his head, sought in the folds, and pulled out the
+little bag with the talisman.
+
+"Oh, oh!" cried she, returning his turban, "do you carry such things
+about with you? You will not want it any more: I will keep it." And
+she sprang forward.
+
+He ran after her and caught her, begging her to return his pouch,
+explaining that it contained a talisman which had hitherto preserved
+him from every danger.
+
+"Well," said she, when he paused, "and the only error is, that you
+have met with me again to-day."
+
+She assured him that she would never return the talisman, and began
+many games with him as they had done in the garden at Balsora. At
+dinner-time he asked her to go into the palace to take some
+refreshment. She looked at him with a scornful laugh, and said, "I? Go
+under a roof--sit to table with you to partake of meats prepared from
+the flesh of animals and the flour of wheat? What can you mean? Do you
+not recollect the fig that we ate together? It still nourishes me; but
+I know that you need more."
+
+She went to a neighbouring bush, plucked a white blossom, and offered
+it to him. "There, drink honey," said she.
+
+When he took the flower, it changed into a silver-gilt goblet filled
+with delicious drink. He drank, and felt himself quite refreshed,
+strengthened, and satisfied. They again played many childish games
+together, and the maiden always invented new pastimes. The day passed
+by, and Jussuf did not perceive how the hours flew away: the sun was
+just sinking; then his playfellow sprang over a neighbouring bush, and
+cried, "Good night."
+
+As she passed over the flowers of the bush, she disappeared from
+Jussuf's eyes, and he saw only the butterfly flying. When he returned
+to the palace, his servants were much rejoiced. They had waited for
+him since noon, and had searched for him in the gardens, as an embassy
+had been sent from the capital to bring him news that the Princess had
+suddenly fallen ill. He caused the messengers to be brought before
+him, to learn from them all the attendant circumstances. He
+discovered from them that she had retired to rest early the preceding
+evening, and had risen quite well in the morning after a peaceful
+slumber; but hardly had the sun shone half an hour, when she fell, and
+was obliged to be carried to her apartments. She soon came to herself,
+but felt very weak, and informed her sorrowing father that she must
+die. Jussuf was very thoughtful, for he remembered her warning about
+the talisman, and also recollected that it was exactly the same hour
+in which the maiden had taken it from the folds of his turban. He
+resolved early the next morning to desire the talisman from her
+earnestly, and then to hasten to the city; and commanded the embassy
+to return at sunrise the next day, to announce his arrival in the
+evening. In the loneliness of night he felt angry with himself. But
+the loss of the talisman, which exceedingly disquieted him, was not
+the only reason: it was a mortifying feeling to him that he had passed
+the whole day in childish sports, according to the caprice of his
+playfellow. He thought over all the words they had spoken, and found
+nothing in them but excessive frivolity.
+
+He arose the next morning by daybreak, and at sunrise he again stood
+in the garden. Scarcely had the sun's rays dried the dew, when the
+beautiful butterfly hovered over the beds. Once more it settled on a
+poppy. Jussuf covered it with his turban--the change was again
+completed--the maiden once more stood before him. He immediately
+demanded of her the little bag with the talisman.
+
+She mocked him with a mischievous laugh, and said, "You shall not have
+it to-day: perhaps to-morrow, if you are polite."
+
+Then they again began their sports, and Jussuf soon forgot in their
+amusements everything else, and played and sported with her. She gave
+him, in the same manner as yesterday, honey to drink from a flower,
+after she had sipped a little herself, and knew how to draw him round
+the gardens in her sports, so that nobody met them. On this day also
+his servants sought him in the garden, and could not find him; another
+messenger had arrived from the city, wishing to speak to him in great
+haste.
+
+He did not return to the palace till she had flown away as a
+butterfly. The messenger informed him that the Princess still
+remained very unwell, and that her weakness had materially increased
+when he did not arrive as he had promised. She had not said anything
+about this delay; but the King was very unhappy, and requested that he
+would come to the city the next day. He promised it, ordered the
+messenger to return at daybreak, and went into his sleeping-apartment.
+There he again reproached himself as on the previous day, and resolved
+to set out on the morrow, as soon as his playmate should return the
+talisman. When he met her the next day in the garden, he immediately
+asked for it.
+
+"How now, Jussuf?" said she. "What a tone! Is this the way to greet
+your frolicking playmate? Is it worth while to make such a fuss about
+a miserable fragment of stone?" She bowed to him, laughing, and ran
+off.
+
+Jussuf followed, and when he got near her, cried, "It concerns the
+life of the Princess."
+
+Then she stopped, and asked, "Is this the reason of your earnestness?
+The Princess? The black negress? What binds you to her? Do you
+consider her as a creature like yourself? And, even if it were so,
+what can such a tiresome serious person be to you? Have you ever
+played with her an hour so merrily as we have played the whole day?
+And, believe me, my stock is not yet nearly exhausted. I have
+novelties every day."
+
+She again began a game, and, before Jussuf could recollect himself, he
+had deeply entered into it; and he had soon forgotten the messenger,
+his intentions, and his resolutions. He played with her till evening,
+and returned to the palace when she had disappeared as usual. He had
+been sought for as on the former days, but in vain. A fresh messenger
+had brought still worse tidings of Haschanascha's health, and he made
+the bitterest reproaches to himself for his neglect. He ordered his
+horse to be saddled, and, as it was a moonlight night, he returned to
+the city with the messenger. At his arrival, he saw the windows of the
+apartment inhabited by his betrothed still illuminated. He immediately
+went in and inquired after her health: people shrugged their
+shoulders, and he hastened to go in to her. She lay, breathing
+faintly, on her pillow, and beckoned to him to draw near: she then
+motioned to the servants, who left the apartment. He threw himself on
+his knees by the couch and wept, mourned her affliction, and regretted
+that he had not paid more attention to her warnings.
+
+"I know how it has happened," she said; "still, the worst has not
+happened. You have been forced to leave the talisman in her hands:
+take care that she does not keep it with your consent. I am now weak
+and ill: I shall become still weaker; but so long as you possess the
+earnest wish to recover the talisman, my life will be preserved.
+Return, now, whence you came, and let not the King see you. He is
+angry with you because he is sure you are the cause of my illness."
+
+He obeyed her will, and returned to the hunting-seat by daybreak. He
+would not lose the vivid recollection of Haschanascha's mournful
+condition by going to sleep; but went immediately into the garden, and
+when the sun had sufficient influence to dry the dew on the flowers,
+he again saw the butterfly settle on a poppy. This time he kept his
+turban on his head, and tried to catch the butterfly with his hand;
+but it eluded him, and a wasp within the same flower stung his hand,
+so that it swelled very much. The butterfly flew away, and did not
+return to the garden. The hours passed very slowly, and would have
+seemed longer if his mind had not been agitated by various plans to
+recover the talisman. To do this, he must find its present possessor,
+and he reproached himself with having allowed the butterfly to escape
+by his awkwardness. At noon he returned to the palace, to the great
+astonishment of his servants, who were now accustomed not to see him
+all day. When he had eaten, he reposed a few hours on his couch, and,
+on his awaking, a messenger had come from the city with the news that
+the Princess was better since the morning. Thus the day concluded with
+more inward peace than heretofore: only one fear made him sad, that
+perhaps the butterfly had disappeared for ever from the garden, and
+then he could never recover his talisman.
+
+But the next morning, when he went into the garden, he found the
+butterfly perched on a poppy in the sunshine. He threw his turban over
+it, and again the maiden stood before him. He asked her why she had
+not come the previous day, and she answered,
+
+"Oh, there was a clumsy peasant in the garden who tried to catch me in
+his hand, like an ugly fly! He would have rubbed the beautiful dust
+off my wings; and then, what would have become of my beauty? I could
+not allow it, for my clothing is beautiful." She laughed so
+maliciously, that he well knew who she meant by the clumsy peasant.
+
+Before he could reply, she had engaged him in a new game, and then in
+another, and so on, that he could find no opportunity to demand the
+talisman. Even so passed the next and some following days. Messengers
+arrived daily from the city to bring news of the Princess's health.
+But these news were not comforting: the invalid grew worse from day to
+day, and the whole company of physicians knew no name for the disease,
+nor could they apply a remedy. If the priests were to be believed,
+this long and extraordinary sickness was a consequence of killing the
+sacred snake, and a punishment from heaven. Scarcely had this
+conclusion reached the King's ear, than it found credence in his weak
+mind. He caused the still imprisoned high priest to be called before
+him, and he advised that the priests should be immediately set at
+liberty, and reinstated in their former rank. It was proclaimed
+through the city that sacrifices and gifts should be offered, and that
+all the people were to return to the worship of the snake. The priests
+gave it out that they had found a similar snake, and Jussuf was again
+destined for the principal sacrifice, as the Princess lay so near
+death that she scarcely breathed or gave any sign of life. Jussuf had,
+in the meanwhile, passed many days in play; and, although he daily
+received tidings of the Princess, he was ignorant of everything else
+that passed in the capital. On one of the last days, he proposed to
+his playfellow that she should be his wife, and go home with him.
+
+But she laughed, and said, "Are you not already betrothed to
+Haschanascha? Did you think I did not know it? I also know that you
+have dared this with many women. You have turned your house into a
+seraglio, as birds are kept in a cage. How hateful must such a life
+be! Shall I allow myself to be bound for life by the speaking of a
+hoary imam? Heaven forbid it!" She began to jump and dance before
+Jussuf, while she sang:
+
+[Illustration]
+
+    "A happy life, a roving wing,
+    A sprightly dance, a voice to sing,
+    To sport 'mid flowers and crowns of spring,
+    Such, such be the life for me.
+    No care to-day, no toil the morrow,
+    Ever sunshine, never sorrow:
+    I sip and quaff the honied wine
+    With my rosy lips divine.
+    Fearless I stray, whate'er my will,
+    Seeking pleasure, pleasure still.
+    Such, such be the life for me:
+    Who aims at more, a fool is he."
+
+When she had finished her song, she bowed before Jussuf in a mocking
+mood, and said,
+
+"How does that please you, Jussuf? Why, you are making a face as if
+you had drunk poison. What thoughts are now passing through your
+head?"
+
+"I am thinking of the talisman," answered Jussuf. "Give it me to-day.
+Haschanascha lies at the point of death."
+
+"What of that?" asked she, jestingly: "if there be one such black
+creature more or less in the world, what consequence is it to you?
+Come, will you give me your talisman? It has served you well. Be
+polite for once, and say that you give it me."
+
+She approached him, patted his cheek with her left hand, and holding
+out the talisman with her right, said smiling,
+
+"Does it belong to me? Is it not true that you have given it me?"
+
+Jussuf's first impulse was to say Yes; but when he looked into her
+eyes, and, instead of human eyes, saw a great number of butterflies'
+eyes, horror came over him. He snatched away the talisman, and threw
+it quickly over his head, calling on Haschanascha's name.
+
+At this moment Haschanascha's elephant appeared exactly as he had seen
+it at the hunt. A brown slave, with a head-dress of beautiful feathers
+and variegated jewels, acted as leader, with a short staff in his
+hand. A maiden holding a drawn bow knelt on the elephant, and before
+Jussuf perceived it, the arrow flew from the bow, and his playfellow
+lay in his arms, pierced through with the arrow. Fright and
+astonishment took possession of him. Before he recovered himself, the
+elephant, with its guide, had disappeared, and also the deadly-struck
+maiden lay no longer in his arms. He looked on the ground to find
+traces of her blood, which he had seen gush out. There lay the
+beautiful butterfly, transfixed with a needle shaped like an arrow, as
+men keep such insects in a collection. He took it from the ground, and
+perceived again the wooden box and golden key which he had formerly
+opened and dropped. In doubt whether he were awake or asleep, he shut
+the butterfly fast up in the box, and was going thoughtfully away.
+Then the faithful slave came running to him, quite breathless, and
+cried,
+
+"Flee quickly through the garden! The servants of the priests have
+already arrived in the palace-yard, and ask for you: you are again
+destined for a sacrifice."
+
+He asked after the Princess.
+
+"She must be dead," answered the slave, and pressed him, half with
+prayers and entreaties, and half with force, to take flight.
+
+Jussuf hastened through the garden into the wood which joined it, and
+ran like a startled roe urged forward by terror and dread of its
+pursuers. The wood covered his flight. He came to the river below the
+capital, and found a ship about to go down the stream. The man who
+guided it yielded to his earnest request, took him in, and immediately
+set sail. At the approach of night, Jussuf thought they would have
+landed; but the man informed him, to his great joy, that the moon
+would shine clearly, and favour their voyage. They let the ship float
+down, and only guided it with a rudder now and then, when they saw a
+rock or a dangerous place stand out of the water.
+
+At midnight Jussuf made the man understand that he would guide the
+rudder. He gave it up readily, and lay down to sleep. He sat alone in
+the stillness of night at the helm, and thought over the events of the
+last few days. All passed distinctly before his mind. He remembered
+Haschanascha's sorrow at his resolution to remain alone at the
+hunting-seat; her warning about the talisman; her illness when he no
+longer possessed it; her life withering away, and her death. Then he
+thought of the sorrow of her foster-father the King, and how he had
+again fallen under the dominion of the crafty and deceitful
+snake-priests. Also the image of his playful companion rose before
+him, and the merry childish sports in which they had both joined, and
+in which he had always forgotten all the care and sorrow of
+Haschanascha.
+
+He saw her, again, pierced by the arrow, sinking in his arms. He also
+remembered Haschanascha's appearance as she knelt on the elephant, and
+shot the deadly arrow at his companion. Could this only have been a
+shade of the dead one? or was it she herself? No; she herself was
+dead: the faithful slave had assured him so. All these reflections
+brought no peace to his soul. Involuntarily Haschanascha's superiority
+to his playfellow rose before him, and he felt with surprise that at
+these thoughts his cheeks were wet with tears.
+
+On the morrow they came near a city: he wished to recompense the
+seaman, who had now reached his destination. Whilst he sought for a
+piece of gold out of his purse, he remembered that he had left the box
+of diamonds with the rest of his goods in the palace in his hasty
+flight. The seaman would take nothing, but assured him that by having
+taken charge of the vessel during the night he had quite earned his
+passage-money.
+
+Jussuf parted from him with many thanks. In the city he sold his
+costly clothes, which he had bought new in the city of the
+snake-worshippers, clothed himself in the mean dress of a dervish,
+had his eyebrows scraped off, and set off on foot along the course of
+the river. After a tedious wandering of some weeks, he happily reached
+the place where, in his former journey, he had observed the river flow
+by a city into the sea. He met there many who spoke his language, and
+from them he learned that a ship lay in the harbour, which was to sail
+the next day to Balsora. He immediately resolved to embark in it, and
+return home.
+
+The captain was very ready to take him, and when he asked about the
+passage-money, he answered, "What! you want to pay passage-money? What
+would my master say if I took anything from a poor devil like you? No,
+no, the rich merchant Jussuf of Balsora, who has twenty such ships on
+the sea, takes no passage-money from a poor dervish."
+
+"How!" asked Jussuf, "does the merchant Jussuf still live?"
+
+Then the captain laughed heartily, and said, "Indeed he lives. He is
+now, certainly, on a distant journey, but his business still prospers.
+Look at this proof. This box of diamonds is a treasure than which no
+Sultan has any more precious in his treasury, and this has been given
+me to-day by one of his servants to convey to Balsora."
+
+Jussuf saw with astonishment the box which he had left behind in his
+flight from the hunting-seat. He did not wish to be recognized in his
+poor condition, and feared to be taken for an impostor if he claimed
+the treasure. But he could not understand how the box could come into
+the captain's hands. He therefore turned to him, and said,
+
+"Forgive me, sir, my curiosity, and tell me if you knew Jussuf's
+servant who brought the box?"
+
+But the captain answered angrily, "Listen. I have certainly mistaken
+you, as I thought you were a dervish; therefore I am displeased that
+you speak so disrespectfully of the mighty merchant Jussuf, talking of
+him as if he were your equal. When you next pronounce his name, give
+him the honour due to him, and forget not the 'lord.' But as you asked
+if I knew the servant, know that I had never seen him before; but I
+did not doubt, when he gave it me in my lord's name. If he had given
+me only the ten thousandth part in worth in his lord's name, there
+would have been cause to doubt."
+
+The next day a favourable south wind blew; they weighed anchor, and
+the ship, under press of sail, left the harbour for the open sea.
+
+The voyage was prosperous. No cloud overcast the heavens, the wind
+continued favourable, and, in the shortest possible time, they landed
+in the Port of Balsora. There lay many new ships at anchor, ready
+prepared, and laden with various wares.
+
+"See," said the active captain to Jussuf, in saying farewell; "these
+new ships belong also to the same Lord Jussuf. Do not forget when you
+go into the city to see his palace, and also his warehouse in the
+bazaar."
+
+Jussuf promised not to forget it; and, on his entrance into the city,
+went straight to the bazaar. He passed through the row where his
+warehouse used to stand, and was astonished to see a much larger one
+in its place, adorned on the outside with precious metals and costly
+stones; but in the interior was contained riches and a great heap of
+jewels, such as he had seen in the subterranean chambers of the ruins
+near Shiraz.
+
+He pushed through the crowd, and saw that six young men were
+unceasingly occupied in selling. He pressed forward, and stood
+immediately before one of the traders.
+
+"To whom does this warehouse belong?" asked he, when no buyer seemed
+ready to occupy him.
+
+"You must only have arrived here to-day, if you do not know that there
+is only one merchant in Balsora who can display such riches. You must
+have heard the name of the merchant Jussuf, the king of merchants!"
+
+"Oh, yes! I have certainly heard that name," answered Jussuf; "but I
+thought that he had shut up his warehouse, and gone on a far journey."
+
+"That is very true," replied the young man; "but a few weeks ago he
+sent his brother, Hassan Assad, who carries on the commerce, and has
+taken account of the treasures which he sends here from his journeys.
+This business is much increased; it is well seen that my Lord Jussuf
+does not leave his affairs in strange hands without good reason."
+
+"You named his brother, and I have heard that your lord had no
+brother. What do you, then, mean?" asked Jussuf.
+
+"Hassan Assad is not his brother, but his wife's brother," was the
+answer.
+
+"His wife?" asked Jussuf, with unfeigned astonishment.
+
+"I know not how it seems to you," said the young man. "What is there
+so much to be wondered at, and to stand with open mouth? Why should
+not my Lord Jussuf have a wife? for he might have them by the dozen.
+If all this interests you so much, go to his palace: there are idle
+people enough there that can satisfy your curiosity. I have no time:
+some buyers are waiting whom I have neglected by my conversation with
+you."
+
+He turned to the customers, apologized for his inattention, and
+demanded their wishes.
+
+Jussuf resolved to follow his advice and go to the palace. He no
+longer recognized it: two small palaces which stood on each side had
+been thrown down, and, in their places, two wings had been added to
+his own. The principal door of the middle palace stood open, and many
+male and female servants went in and out. He asked one of the porters
+to whom the palace belonged, and received the same answer as at the
+bazaar.
+
+"But will your lord ever come again?" he asked. "He has been gone a
+long while; no man knows where he is, and he has sent no messengers
+back."
+
+"What! sent no messenger?" cried both porters in a breath; "he has
+sent his wife here a long time since, and has himself arrived to-day.
+His brother Hassan Assad has always had sure news of him, and so he
+knew of his arrival to-day, and has prepared everything for his
+reception. His old teacher, who had not before been seen for years,
+has come forth to-day from his solitude, and arrived here."
+
+"What! Modibjah also here?" he asked.
+
+"See, see!" answered both, "you know his name better than we. Yes,
+yes, his name is Modibjah: I could not recollect."
+
+"Let me go in, good people," said he, "that I may speak to him."
+
+"No, no," said one of them, obstructing the way; "what business have
+you in? The marriage ceremony is about to be performed in the hall,
+after the manner of our religion; the imam is just now gone in;
+therefore no strangers can be admitted."
+
+"What!" cried Jussuf, "your lord already arrived? Where is the
+impostor? Let me in, that I may confront him."
+
+Both porters opposed him, because he tried to force his way in.
+
+"Do you not know your lord," asked Jussuf, full of indignation, "that
+you thus oppose him?"
+
+They assured him that they had not been long in Assad's service, and
+did not know Jussuf; but they had been told that he was arrived.
+
+"Yes," cried Jussuf, "he is arrived, but not yet in his palace; he
+will soon be in."
+
+With these words he pushed the nearest on one side, threw him to the
+ground, and then the other also. He pressed forward quickly into the
+splendid hall, unopposed by the numerous servants, to whom he seemed
+to come from the passage into the hall. He placed himself in the
+midst, and cried with great earnestness,
+
+"Who dares here to usurp Jussuf's place? Who dares here to pass for
+Jussuf's wife? I am Jussuf, who was thought lost! Where is the
+impostor? Let him come here, that he may receive the just reward of
+his treachery."
+
+Whilst he spoke a richly-dressed man, but unknown to him, approached,
+and said,
+
+"You speak of deceit! Nobody here passes for Jussuf but yourself. We
+expected him, because we have sure knowledge that he has landed
+to-day. You may be the expected one. Now for the proof: what word will
+your lips breathe on this talisman?" He held to him Modibjah's
+talisman. Jussuf looked astonished and surprised, for the spark had
+disappeared.
+
+"Haschanascha!" he cried, with a sigh. The spark shone out clear, and
+a veiled lady walked forth from the circle of numerous assembled
+guests, and asked, as she threw her veil back, "Do you remember
+Haschanascha, your betrothed?" But he looked at her with marks of
+astonished joy. There were indeed the beautiful features of her face,
+the mild look of her soft eyes, the happy seriousness that reigned in
+Haschanascha's forehead; but her dark complexion had disappeared, and
+in its place played a soft blush, like the first breath of dawn, on
+her cheeks.
+
+"Haschanascha!" cried he, at last awaking from his astonishment, "are
+you indeed she? I can no longer trust my senses, since I have been
+lost in so many adventures and dreams, that I cannot distinguish
+between reality and dreaming. Is it possible that you live? You were
+dead through my guilt."
+
+"Ask not after what is past," said Modibjah's voice. "The King of the
+Genii has selected you to be his favourite on earth. Two daughters of
+genii were destined to try to lead you different ways; human nature
+nearly conquered, but you came out at last victorious from the fight.
+You have chosen the nobler. May she adorn your life with greater joy,
+as she helped you to conquer your selfishness, which bound you in
+weakness to the form you carried in the box! This is Haschanascha, the
+sister of your friend Hassan Assad, who has carried on your business
+since you separated from him near Shiraz. I am uncle to both; and that
+your wife may not enter your house as a beggar, here are the presents
+destined for the wedding present, which you saw under the ruins of the
+destroyed capital."
+
+With these words he embraced Jussuf, who was again lost in
+astonishment. The young man who had offered him the talisman stepped
+forward, and Jussuf recognized in him his friend Hassan, and saluting
+him with heartfelt joy, called him his dear brother. In the same hour
+the imam pronounced over Jussuf and Haschanascha the blessing, and
+performed the usual prayers and ceremonies. Then were splendid feasts
+prepared that lasted many days, and such as never at any other time
+were celebrated in Balsora; so that in after years people spoke of the
+splendour with which the rich merchant Jussuf's wedding had been
+consummated. He attained with Haschanascha a great and very happy old
+age, and his latest descendants revere his memory.
+
+
+
+
+The Seven Sleepers.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+[The "Seven Sleepers" is a Mahommedan as well as Christian legend. It
+is alluded to in the Koran: and many of the circumstances of the
+following Tale are related in the notes to Sale's translation of it.]
+
+Historians relate that there was in ancient Persia a shepherd named
+Dakianos, who for thirty years had attended his sheep without having
+ever neglected the holy custom of making his daily prayers. All those
+who knew him did justice to his probity; and nature had endowed him
+with an eloquence capable of raising him to the highest employments,
+had he lived in the great world.
+
+One day, as he was at his usual prayers, his flock took fright and
+were dispersed. Dakianos ran every way to reassemble them, and
+perceiving that one of his sheep had got half of its body into the
+hole of a rock, where it could not get out, he ran to it and delivered
+it; but he was struck with a dazzling light which immediately shone
+out of the opening. He examined what it was that produced it, and soon
+found that it proceeded from a tablet or plate of gold, of no very
+large extent: he opened the hole still farther, and found himself in
+a vault, which was not above seven feet high, and about four or five
+broad. He considered this tablet of gold with much attention, but
+could not read it, neither could he comprehend what the four lines
+signified which he saw written thereon. To inform himself, therefore,
+of this mystery, he took it away with him, and, as soon as it was
+night, he put it under his vest and repaired to the city. His first
+care was to show it to those who, as he was informed, were the most
+learned men; but, however versed they might be in the sciences, there
+was not one of them who could explain this inscription.
+
+However, one of the doctors said to him, "No person here can translate
+these characters. Go into Egypt: you will find there a venerable man,
+of three hundred years of age, who can read the most ancient writings,
+and who knows all the sciences; he alone can satisfy your curiosity."
+
+Dakianos delivered his flock to the person to whom it belonged, and
+departed immediately for Egypt.
+
+As soon as he arrived there, he inquired after the old man, who was so
+celebrated that everybody was ready to show him his house. He went to
+him there, told him the occasion of his journey, and presented to him
+the tablet of gold. The old man received it with affability, and was
+struck with astonishment at the sight of this wonder. He read the
+characters with the greatest ease; but, after having reflected some
+time, he cast his eyes upon Dakianos, and said to him,
+
+"How did this tablet fall into your hands?"
+
+Dakianos gave him an account of his adventure.
+
+"These characters," resumed the old man, "promise to the person who
+shall find them, events which it is not likely can happen to you. You
+have," continued he, "a happy countenance, and this inscription speaks
+of an infidel, whose end must be fatal and tragical. But since fortune
+has given you this tablet, that which is written upon it doubtless
+regards you."
+
+Dakianos, surprised with this discourse, answered, "How can it be as
+you say? I have said my prayers every day these thirty years. I have
+never been an infidel; how can I then be a reprobate?"
+
+"If it had been three hundred years," replied the old man, "you will
+be no less the victim of darkness."
+
+These last words pierced the heart of Dakianos. He groaned, he sighed,
+he even wept, and he cried out, "Would that I had never found this
+golden tablet! That I had never shown it you and that I had never
+heard so terrible a sentence!"
+
+"What use would it have been to you not to have brought it to me?"
+said this learned man. "The predestination of Allah is from all
+eternity; what is written in the Book of Life cannot be effaced. But I
+may be mistaken: the knowledge of men is often doubtful, Allah alone
+is infallible. I can, however, inform you that this golden tablet
+indicates a most considerable treasure, and that an those riches
+belong to him who shall be the possessor of the tablet."
+
+This word _riches_ consoled Dakianos, and in the transport of his soul
+he said to the old man, "Delay not a moment; let us go to seek the
+treasure. We will share it like two brothers."
+
+But the old man said to him, sighing, "You will no sooner be the
+master of all these riches than you will abuse them. It is not an easy
+talent to know how to be rich; and I shall perhaps be the first to
+repent having done you this service."
+
+"What a discourse you hold to me!" cried Dakianos. "What shall I owe
+the obligation to you of procuring me such treasures, shall you make
+my fortune, and do you think I shall be failing in my return? An
+infidel would not be guilty of such ingratitude, and I cannot so much
+as harbour a thought of it. I swear, then, to look upon you as my
+father, and to share equally all the riches with you; or, rather, you
+shall give me what share you please, and I shall always be content."
+
+These protestations would not much have reassured the old man, but
+avarice--the only passion which is felt at a certain age--overcame his
+reflections, and he consented to their departure. They arrived at the
+place where Dakianos had found the tablet of gold. The old man
+commanded him to dig the ground about twenty feet round. They soon
+discovered a gate of steel, and the old man told Dakianos to open it.
+Dakianos obeyed with such eager haste that he broke the door open with
+his foot, though the key was in the lock. They both of them entered
+into a vault, without being discouraged by the great obscurity which
+reigned there. After having gone some steps, a faint light enabled
+them to distinguish objects. The farther they advanced, the more the
+light increased. They found themselves at last before a large and
+magnificent palace, the seven gates of which were closed, but the keys
+were fastened by them. Dakianos took that of the first gate, and
+opened it.
+
+The first apartment enclosed ornaments and habits of the greatest
+magnificence, and above all, girdles of solid gold, adorned with
+jewels. They opened the second, which they found filled with sabres,
+the hilts and sheaths of which were covered with the most precious
+stones. The third was adorned with an infinite number of cuirasses,
+coats of mail, and helmets of gold of different fashions, and all the
+arms were enriched with the most magnificent jewels. The fourth
+enclosed the most superb horse furniture, answerable to the
+magnificence of the arms. The fifth offered to their sight piles of
+gold and silver ingots. The sixth was full of gold coin; and it was
+scarcely possible to enter into the seventh, it was so heaped with
+sapphires, with amethysts, and diamonds.
+
+These immense treasures dazzled Dakianos. From that moment he was
+sorry that he had a witness of his good fortune.
+
+"Do you consider," said he to the old man, "of what consequence
+secrecy will be upon this occasion?"
+
+"Doubtless," replied he.
+
+"But," resumed Dakianos, "if the King has the least knowledge of this
+treasure, his first act will be to confiscate it. Are you sure of
+yourself? Do you fear nothing from your own indiscretion?"
+
+"The desire of possessing the half of those riches," replied the old
+man, "ought to be a pledge that will satisfy you."
+
+"The half of these riches!" interrupted Dakianos, with an alteration
+visible in his countenance, "but that half surpasses the treasures of
+the greatest kings."
+
+The old man perceived this alteration, and said to him, "If you think
+the half too much for me, you may give me only a quarter of it."
+
+"Most willingly," returned Dakianos. "But what precaution will you
+take to remove them with safety? You will cause us to be discovered,
+and be the occasion of our ruin."
+
+"Well, then," replied the old man, "though you have promised me much
+more, give me only one of the apartments--I shall be fully satisfied.
+You do not answer my question."
+
+"We will examine at leisure what you have proposed to me," returned
+Dakianos. "I am glad, however, that you are more reasonable, and that
+you begin to understand yourself."
+
+Dakianos again examined these riches with more avidity, and his eyes
+were still further dazzled by them. After having thoroughly considered
+the magnificent apartment of the diamonds, in which they then were,
+"You are sensible," said he to the old man, "that this is, without
+contradiction, the most valuable, and that it is not natural I should
+yield up to you the lawful right I have over it?"
+
+"You have reason for what you say," returned the old man, "and I do
+not demand it of you."
+
+They passed afterwards into the apartment which was filled with gold
+coin.
+
+"This treasure," said Dakianos, after having looked upon it for some
+time, "is certainly what would cause the least trouble, and be the
+most easily disposed of; it may be useful also towards preserving all
+the rest, either by establishing a guard or raising walls; therefore I
+believe you too reasonable," continued he, "not to agree to the
+necessity that obliges me to keep it."
+
+"I agree to it," replied the old man; "let us pass on to another.
+These piles of ingots of silver and gold are not all necessary to
+you," said he, as he viewed the fifth apartment.
+
+"No," returned Dakianos, "I might possibly do without some of these;
+but I have too great obligations to you, to expose you, by giving them
+to you: how could you convey them away? What a trouble it would be to
+you to dispose of them!"
+
+"That will be my business," replied the old man.
+
+"No, no," added Dakianos, "I love you too well to consent to it;
+besides, it would be the means to have me discovered; you would be
+arrested, and you could not prevent yourself from accusing me. Let us
+see the others."
+
+They opened the fourth apartment. "This horse-furniture is absolutely
+unsuitable to you; your age is an obstacle to the use of it."
+
+He made use of the same difficulty to refuse him the cuirasses and the
+armour which filled the third. When he had locked that up with the
+same care as the rest, they found themselves in that which contained
+the sabres; and the old man said to him, "These arms are easy to
+carry, I will go and offer them to the Kings of the Indies; I will
+sell them separately, and you will run no risk."
+
+"You are right," returned Dakianos, "I may give you some of these."
+
+As he said these words he examined them, both the weight of the gold
+and the value of the diamonds. At length he drew one of them out of
+the scabbard; then he compared all the riches of which he might be the
+sole possessor, with the head of one man; and, unable to conceive how
+he could have hesitated so long, "I distrust thee!" said he, springing
+upon the old man.
+
+The old man embraced his knees. "Be moved," said he to him, "with my
+old age! The treasures no longer make any impression upon me, and I
+pretend not to them."
+
+"Truly I believe not," resumed Dakianos: "they are mine, the tablet of
+gold gives them to me."
+
+The old man recalled his promises to his memory. "But I will cancel
+them," pursued he: "in return for the obligation you have to me I only
+demand my life."
+
+"I have offended thee too far," replied Dakianos: "thy life would be
+my death, it would give me too much inquietude."
+
+Then at one blow striking off the head of the old man, "Now," cried
+he, "my secret is my own!"
+
+The first care of Dakianos was immediately to make a grave and to
+inter this unfortunate victim of his avarice. He feared not remorse,
+though he dreaded a witness; his heart was wholly occupied with the
+treasure that he possessed, and his mind with the methods of
+preserving it. But after devouring it with his eyes, and enjoying that
+cruel satisfaction, in what trouble did he not find himself when he
+was obliged to leave it in order to seek for provision? How often did
+he reproach himself with not having carried it with him? And if he
+ever remembered the old man, it was only to accuse his memory, and to
+persuade himself that he must have had some bad design, since he had
+not advertised him of a thing which he might have foreseen without
+being so learned as he really was. Not to die with hunger in this
+subterranean vault, he was obliged to quit it. What succours could he
+find in so barren a desert as that with which it was surrounded? He
+was obliged, therefore, to go to a place at some distance; but how
+could he resolve upon that, especially at a time when the ground
+lately removed might attract the curiosity of a traveller? Dakianos
+almost determined to let himself die rather than lose sight of his
+treasure. All that he could do to calm his inquietudes was not to
+depart till night, when he took some handfuls of the gold coin and
+repaired to the city, where he bought a horse, which he loaded with
+biscuit and with a small barrel of water, and returned before daybreak
+to seek his treasure, which he found in the same condition he had left
+it, with as much pleasure as he had felt chagrin at leaving it.
+
+His first care was, with incredible fatigue, to make a very deep ditch
+round the cavern. He contrived a passage to it underground, the
+opening of which he covered with his clothes, that in a few days he
+laid upon them, and afterwards raised a hut of earth to preserve
+himself from the weather. All that he suffered during these immense
+labours is not to be conceived, and no one could have imagined, who
+had seen him thus wasted with labour and fatigue, that he was the
+richest inhabitant of the earth.
+
+When he had conducted his work so far as to be able to leave it
+without fear, he repaired again to the city, but with the same
+precaution--that is to say, he went only in the night. He employed it
+wholly in purchasing some slaves, with whose assistance by degrees he
+brought thither everything that was necessary for his safety and
+convenience. Soon after, he gathered workmen, with whose aid he built
+more solidly the works which he had begun. He surrounded the place
+with three walls of stone, and lay always between the first and the
+second. He took great care to spread abroad a report after this that
+he carried on a large foreign commerce, and spoke much of the fortune
+he had made in Egypt. Upon this pretext--for there must be one for
+becoming so suddenly rich--he built a magnificent palace: that of the
+thousand columns erected by Melik Jouna, the ancient King of the
+Indies, was nothing in comparison to it. Such great magnificence soon
+made him considered and respected by the world, and the pains he had
+given himself to preserve his riches not only flattered his self-love,
+but easily persuaded him that he had acquired them, and might enjoy
+them without remorse, the old man being totally forgotten.
+
+It was easy for him to bring out the treasures from his vault, the
+secret of which was not trusted to any person. He sent caravans to all
+parts of the Indies to authorize the expenses he bestowed in slaves,
+in building, in women, and in horses, and fortune also favoured a
+commerce which was of little consequence to him. His heart, fully
+satisfied as to riches, was not long insensible to ambition. The Court
+has strong attractions for the rich; they are received so graciously,
+they are praised in so delicate and so insinuating a manner, that they
+are generally seduced by it. And Dakianos, who now joined to his
+opulence an immeasurable ambition, neglected nothing to introduce
+himself at the Court of the King of Persia; but made presents to the
+viziers to obtain their protection, and, by gaining it, rendered
+himself their slave. His magnificence and his generosity, as he
+foresaw and wished, soon reached the ears of the King, who desired to
+see him.
+
+Dakianos had an audience as soon as he appeared at Court, and to give
+a favourable impression of himself, and to deserve the favour of the
+King, he brought him presents which the greatest Kings upon earth
+could not, perhaps, have collected together. It is generally by nines
+that Eastern presents are given, when their magnificence is extended
+to the last degree. He therefore caused himself to be preceded by nine
+superb camels. The first was loaded with nine suits and ornaments of
+gold, adorned with the most beautiful jewels, of which the girdles
+were of the greatest lustre. The second bore nine sabres, the hilts
+and scabbards of which were of gold adorned with diamonds. Upon the
+third were seen nine suits of armour of equal magnificence. The fourth
+had for its load nine suits of horse furniture, suitable to the other
+presents. Nine cases full of sapphires were upon the fifth. Nine other
+cases heaped with rubies loaded the sixth. The same weight of emeralds
+was upon the seventh. The amethysts, in an equal number of cases, was
+the load of the eighth. At last, there appeared upon the ninth camel
+nine cases of diamonds. Nine young women of the greatest beauty, and
+magnificently adorned, followed this caravan; and eight young slaves
+immediately preceded Dakianos.
+
+In the midst of the surprise which these presents gave to the King and
+the whole Court, some of those who composed it, and who, according to
+the customs of that place, endeavoured to criticise upon it, and who
+wished to contradict those who applauded it, or to show the justness
+of their own remarks, demanded where was the ninth slave. Dakianos,
+who expected the question, pointed to himself. The King, pleased with
+the turn of delicacy, which he joined to such magnificent presents,
+received him with extreme distinction; and, his natural eloquence
+increasing his favour, it was impossible for the Prince to be without
+him. He seated Dakianos by himself, gave him the pleasure of his
+music, sent him every day dishes from the royal table, and very often
+the most exquisite wines; during which, on the other side, Dakianos
+returned all this bounty by presents, the quantity of which was as
+surprising as their magnificence. At length his continued liberality
+and his eloquence procured him so great a power over the heart of the
+King, that he created him his Vizier, that they might never part; yet
+the confidence and the friendship he testified to him gave him still
+more power than the charge with which he was provided.
+
+Dakianos governed Persia with an absolute sway: he ought to have
+enjoyed a happiness which might satisfy his vanity. But can ambition
+ever be satisfied? The mountain of Kaf may set bounds to the world,
+but never to the ideas and wishes of the ambitious. The King being
+informed of the arrival of an ambassador from Greece, gave him
+audience immediately. The ambassador, after having kissed the foot of
+the throne, delivered him a letter, which he caused his secretary to
+read aloud, it was conceived in these terms:
+
+"I, Emperor and Sultan of seven climates, to you, King of Persia. As
+soon as my royal letter shall be delivered to you, fail not to send to
+me the tribute of seven years. If you make any difficulty to satisfy
+me, know that I have an army in readiness to march against you."
+
+This letter caused so much astonishment in the King, that he knew not
+what answer to make to it. Dakianos, to deliver the King from the
+perplexity he was in, rose from his place, touched the ground with his
+head, and endeavoured to restore his spirits.
+
+"The letter of the Emperor of Greece," said he, "ought not to afflict
+you: it is easy to answer it, and to make him repent his menaces and
+his insolence. Order your most faithful subjects to join with me, who
+am the humblest of your slaves; I shall inform them what they have to
+do."
+
+These words consoled the King: he gave his orders in pursuance of
+them, and Dakianos raised above a hundred thousand men for the King,
+whilst on his side he assembled ten thousand more, whom he equipped at
+his own expense. The King joined to this chosen troop two thousand of
+the most valiant soldiers, whom he had always had near his own person,
+and of whom he formed the guard of Dakianos, and declared him general
+of this army of one hundred and twelve thousand men. The new general
+took leave of the King, and put himself at the head of his troops,
+which served as an escort to all his riches, which he took care to
+convey along with him, and which ten thousand camels could scarce
+carry. The King of Persia, who parted from his Vizier with regret,
+accompanied him for three days, and quitted him with tears in his
+eyes, giving him a thousand benedictions, and repeating to him a
+thousand times that he was his strength, his support, and, what was
+much more, the only friend of his heart. Dakianos chose out the most
+warlike men in all the cities through which he passed, equipped them
+at his own expense, and gave them whatever pay they demanded. The
+report which was spread abroad of this magnificence drew together men
+from all parts of the world, and his army was in a short time
+increased to three hundred thousand soldiers.
+
+The Emperor of Greece, upon the news he had of the Persian army,
+immediately assembled his troops, and advanced to meet Dakianos with
+seven hundred thousand men. As soon as he perceived the enemy, he
+divided his army into two bodies, and gave the signal for battle. The
+troops of Dakianos acted with so much valour, and their first onset
+was so terrible, that the army of the Grecians had not time to recover
+themselves, and they were almost as soon defeated as attacked.
+Dakianos ordered the Grecian Emperor, whom he had taken prisoner, to
+be beheaded, and without the least difficulty made himself master of
+all his dominions, of which he caused himself to be acknowledged
+sovereign. The first business of this new monarch was to write the
+following letter to the King of Persia:
+
+"I have defeated and overcome Caesar,[2] I have conquered his
+dominions, I have mounted his throne, and have been acknowledged the
+sovereign of his whole empire. As soon as this letter is delivered to
+you, defer not a moment to send me the tribute due for seven years: if
+you make the least difficulty to pay it me, you must submit to the
+same fate as Caesar."
+
+[Footnote 2: In the East they always give that name to the Emperors of
+Greece.]
+
+This letter, with great reason, provoked the King of Persia beyond all
+the bounds of moderation. Without loss of time he assembled his
+troops; but before he put himself at their head to march towards the
+confines of Greece, he returned this answer to Dakianos:
+
+"Can a man so despicable as thou art have possibly conquered Greece?
+Thou hast betrayed me--I, who am thy King, and who am seated upon the
+golden throne of my ancestors. Thou hast attacked me, notwithstanding
+the gratitude and fidelity thou owest to me. I am upon my departure to
+cause even the very memory of thee to perish, to restore Greece to her
+former situation, and to deliver her to her lawful sovereign!"
+
+This daring answer of the King of Persia threw Dakianos into the most
+dreadful rage: he immediately formed a detachment of two hundred
+thousand men from his army to advance and give battle to the King of
+Persia. Those troops were not long without meeting him. The combat was
+bloody and obstinate; but at length the King of Persia was defeated,
+taken prisoner, and conducted to Dakianos.
+
+When that Prince was in his presence, "Wretch!" said he to him, "how
+canst thou bear my sight, thou most ungrateful of mankind?"
+
+"I ungrateful?" replied Dakianos. "I have levied troops at my own
+expense; I have spent the greater part of my immense treasures; I
+have, therefore, bought this conquest. I have done more: I have
+fought; I have revenged thy quarrel. What canst thou reproach me
+with?"
+
+"I have loved thee," returned the King.
+
+It is hard for those in power to bear a well-founded reproach. The
+only answer of Dakianos was to command his head to be struck off, and
+immediately to send troops to seize on his dominions. He chose Ephesus
+to fix his residence in; but, not thinking that city magnificent
+enough, he caused it to be rebuilt with the utmost elegance, and gave
+all his care to the erecting of a palace, which was unparalleled for
+its solidity, its extent, and its magnificence. He erected in the
+centre of it a kiosk, the walls of which were six hundred feet long,
+and the cement and all the jointings of it were of silver. This kiosk
+contained a thousand chambers, each of which enclosed a throne of
+gold: he caused three hundred and sixty-five gates of crystal to be
+made, which he placed in such a manner that every day throughout the
+year the rising sun shone upon one of them. His palace had seven
+hundred porters; sixty viziers were occupied in his affairs. There
+were always in the hall of audience sixty thrones, on which were
+seated those who had signalized themselves in war. He had seven
+thousand astrologers, who assembled every day, and continually
+declared to him the different influences of the stars. He was always
+surrounded by ten thousand ichoglans, who wore girdles and crowns of
+solid gold, and were most magnificently clad: they had no other
+employment but that of being always ready to receive his orders. He
+appointed sixty pashas, each of whom had under his command two
+thousand well-made and valiant young men, who each in particular
+commanded two thousand soldiers.
+
+One day, when Dakianos was in the height of his splendour, an old man
+arose from beneath the throne upon which he was seated. The King,
+amazed, asked him who he was. He was an unbelieving genie, but, far
+from confessing it,
+
+"I am," he answered, "a prophet of God: I obey His orders by coming to
+you. Know, therefore, that He has made me the god of the heavens, and
+that He ordains that you should be the god of the earth."
+
+Dakianos answered him, "Who will believe that I am so?"
+
+And the genie immediately disappeared.
+
+Some time after, Dakianos had again the same apparition, and the genie
+repeated to him the same things; but he answered him,
+
+"You deceive me. How can I be the god of the earth?"
+
+"Your power, your great actions, and the care that Allah has taken of
+you, ought to persuade you; but if you will not believe me," pursued
+the old man, "do what I shall tell you, and you will soon be
+convinced."
+
+Dakianos, whose pride this flattered, and who had nothing more to
+desire of human greatness, promised him to consent to everything.
+
+"Let your throne be placed upon the shore of the sea," pursued the old
+man.
+
+What he desired was executed. And when Dakianos was placed there,
+"Prince," said the genie to him, "there is at the bottom of the sea a
+fish, the bigness of which is known only to Allah, and which every day
+comes to land. It remains there till noon to adore the Almighty. No
+person interrupts its prayers: when they are finished, it plunges
+again to the bottom of the sea."
+
+The fish appeared as usual, and the genie said to Dakianos, "Though
+the fish will not believe your power, it has, however, declared to all
+the fishes of the sea that you are the god of the earth. It fears
+nothing, and comes now to inform itself. You will know the truth of
+what I have declared to you," continued he, "if you will only
+condescend to say to him, 'I am the god of the earth.' Your voice
+will freeze him with terror--he cannot hear it without surprise, and
+will certainly take flight."
+
+This proposition pleased Dakianos, and he called the fish, and said to
+it, "'I am the god of the earth.'"
+
+These words of infidelity made the fish immediately plunge to the
+bottom of the sea, in the fear he was under lest the Almighty Power
+should dart His thunder to punish that impostor. Dakianos easily
+persuaded himself that the fish was an infidel, and that his presence
+had made him take flight. From that moment he believed all the
+deluding words of the genie, and soon had no doubt left of his
+divinity. Not only his subjects adored him, but people came from all
+corners of the world to give him those marks of adoration which he
+exacted; for he caused all those to be thrown into a burning furnace
+who refused to adore him.
+
+In the number of the ten thousand slaves who stood always before him
+with their hands crossed upon their breasts, there were six Greeks who
+possessed his confidence, and who approached the nearest to his
+person. They were named Jemlikha, Mekchilinia, Mechlima, Merlima,
+Debermouch, and Charnouch. They were generally placed in an equal
+number upon his right and left hand. Jemlikha was one whom he most
+favoured, nature having endowed him with all her charms: his words
+were sweeter than the honey of Arabia, and his wit sparkling and
+agreeable; in a word, this young man united in himself all
+perfections. Their employments engaged both him and his companions to
+pay that homage to Dakianos which was due to God alone.
+
+One day, as Dakianos was at table, Jemlikha held a fan to drive away
+the flies that might incommode him: there came one which settled
+itself with so much obstinacy upon the dish he was eating that he was
+obliged to give it up. Jemlikha, struck with this slight event,
+thought it ridiculous that a man who could not drive away even a fly
+that troubled him, should pretend to divinity. "Surely," continued he,
+"I ought to have no regard for such a god."
+
+Some time after, Dakianos entered into one of his apartments to repose
+himself for some hours; and Jemlikha still waited by him with the
+fan. Allah once more sent the same fly, and at this time it placed
+itself upon the face of the monarch. Jemlikha would have driven it
+away lest it should interrupt his lord's sleep; but his pains were in
+vain: it awakened Dakianos, and threw him into the greatest
+impatience. Jemlikha, already touched by his first reflections, said
+within himself, "This man certainly is no more a god than I am: there
+can be but one God, and it is He who has created the sun that gives us
+light."
+
+From that time Jemlikha used the custom of saying every night when he
+lay down, "The true God is He who created the heavens, and fixed them
+in the air without a pillar."
+
+It is difficult to make a serious reflection and not to communicate it
+to a friend. Jemlikha declared all his doubts to his companions. "A
+man," says he, "who cannot disengage himself from a fly, can he have
+power over the works of nature?" Then he related the adventure of the
+fly.
+
+"But if our King is not a god," said they to him, "whom then are we to
+adore?"
+
+Jemlikha told them what he thought, and they were so far persuaded of
+it, that from that day they joined with him every night in prayer.
+Their assembling themselves together in private places soon became the
+subject of conversation. Dakianos being informed of it, sent for them
+into his presence, and said to them,
+
+"Do you adore another God beside me?"
+
+They contented themselves with answering him, "We adore the Sovereign
+Master of the world."
+
+The King, who took that answer to mean himself, loaded them with
+caresses, and bestowed upon each of them a robe of honour. They
+retired, covered with the favours of their master, and their first
+care was to adore and thank the High God for His bounty to them.
+Jemlikha afterwards said to them,
+
+"If there should be again such an information given to the King as has
+now put us into such imminent danger, we can hope for no further mercy
+from him. I imagine, therefore, the only resolution we can take is to
+quit our country, and to seek another, where we may adore God without
+constraint."
+
+"But how can we take our flight?" replied his companions. "We know no
+other country but this."
+
+"Let us put our trust in God," resumed Jemlikha, "and make use of any
+favourable circumstance. We are not to follow Dakianos when he goes on
+his magnificent chase for six days at the head of his army: what
+hinders us taking that time for our departure? We will demand
+permission of the officers of the palace that guard us to play at
+feheukian;[3] we will go out of the square, throw the ball to a great
+distance, and take our flight upon those swift horses which are
+usually given us for that exercise."
+
+[Footnote 3: An exercise performed on horseback.]
+
+They approved this project, and waited with impatience for the time of
+its execution. At length Dakianos departed with his numerous army.
+
+The day after the King's departure they put in execution what they had
+projected. The eunuchs pursued them, and would have forced them to
+return back to the palace; but they answered them,
+
+"We are tired of our King: he endeavours to pass for the God of the
+earth, and we adore Him alone who has created all that we behold."
+
+The young men had already drawn their sabres, and in a moment they put
+the eunuchs out of a condition of following them. Then Jemlikha said
+to them, "My friends, we are ruined if we do not use all possible
+expedition."
+
+They immediately put their horses at full speed, which so much
+fatigued them that their strength was soon exhausted. They were then
+obliged to continue their journey on foot, but being tired, and faint
+with thirst and hunger, they stopped on the side of the road, and,
+with entire confidence in God, prayed to Him to relieve them. Some
+faithful genii heard them, and, touched with their situation, they
+inspired into Jemlikha the thought of ascending a mountain, at the
+foot of which they were. It was not without pain that he arrived at
+the summit; but at length he perceived a spring, the pure and clear
+water of which was to him the water of life, and a shepherd sitting by
+it, who sang whilst his flock was feeding.
+
+Jemlikha called to his companions: the few words he could make them
+hear augmented their strength, and gave them courage sufficient to
+ascend the mountain.
+
+The shepherd, whose name was Keschetiouch, gave them some provisions,
+and they drank of the water of this delightful fountain. This
+refreshment re-established their strength, and their first care was to
+return their thanks to Heaven for it. Then Keschetiouch said to them,
+
+"How have you found the way to a place where I never yet saw any
+mortal? If I am not mistaken, you are fugitives. Trust me with your
+misfortunes: I may perhaps be of some service to you."
+
+Jemlikha related to him all that had happened to them, and his
+discourse struck the light of faith into the heart of this shepherd,
+God so enlightening his mind, that he soon learned and repeated with
+them their prayers. Afterwards he told them he would never quit them.
+
+"Ephesus," says he, "is so near to this place, that you will still be
+in some danger. Doubt not but Dakianos will use his utmost efforts to
+have you seized. I know a cavern not far from hence, which perhaps in
+a forty years' search could not be found: I will conduct you there."
+
+Immediately without delay they arose and followed him.
+
+The shepherd had a little dog, which he called Catnier, that followed
+them. They did not care to take him with them; and using all their
+skill to drive him away, they at last threw a stone at him, which
+broke his leg; but he still followed them limping. They threw a second
+at him, which did not turn him back, though it broke his other fore
+leg, so that he walked only upon his two hind feet, continuing his
+march. The third stone having broke one more, he was no longer in a
+condition to stand. But Allah gave the gift of speech to this little
+dog, who said to them,
+
+"Alas! you go to seek after Allah, and you have prevented me from all
+hope of going with you! Am not I also the creature of Allah? Are you
+alone obliged to acknowledge Him?"
+
+They were so astonished at this wonderful miracle, and moved with the
+condition to which they had reduced the dog, that they carried him in
+turn, and went on begging the protection of Heaven. They were not long
+before they arrived at the cavern to which the shepherd conducted
+them, and finding themselves fatigued with their journey, they lay
+down to sleep; but by the particular mission of Heaven, they slept
+with their eyes open, in such a manner that no one could suspect they
+tasted any real repose. The cavern was so gloomy, the heat of the sun
+could not incommode them; a gentle, pleasing wind incessantly
+refreshed them, and a long narrow opening gave an entrance to the rays
+of the sun at his rising.
+
+In the meantime those eunuchs who had escaped from the sabres of the
+young slaves came directly to give an account of what had passed to
+Dakianos. He was in despair at their flight, and as he was
+recollecting in his mind the favours he had shown them, and accusing
+them of the highest ingratitude, the same unfaithful genie who had so
+often appeared to him presented himself before him, and said to him,
+
+"Your slaves have quitted you only that they might worship another
+God, in whom they place all their trust."
+
+This discourse so heightened the anger of Dakianos that he conjured
+the genie to let him know the place of their retreat.
+
+"I alone can bring you to it," returned the genie. "All mankind would
+search for it in vain, but I will conduct you to it at the head of
+your army."
+
+They immediately departed, and were not long before they arrived at
+the mouth of the cavern. The genie then said to Dakianos,
+
+"It is here they are retired."
+
+Dakianos, who was wholly possessed with the spirit of revenge,
+immediately would have entered it; but that moment there burst out
+from the cave a dreadful vapour, which was followed by a furious wind,
+and a darkness that spread over all that part of the world. The army
+gave back with horror; but anger redoubling the courage of Dakianos,
+he advanced to the entrance of the cavern, but it was with incredible
+difficulty, and, in spite of all his efforts, it was absolutely
+impossible for him to enter it, the air being so impenetrable. He
+perceived Catnier, who slept with his head resting upon his paw, and
+distinguished plainly the six young Greeks and the shepherd, who were
+all in a profound sleep, though he was far from suspecting it, as
+their eyes were open. Dakianos was not rash enough to renew his
+efforts--a secret horror restrained him. The sight of this cavern and
+all the prodigies of Heaven spread so great a terror in his mind that
+he returned to his army, and said that he had discovered his slaves,
+who had prostrated themselves before him without having the courage to
+speak to him, and that he had left them prisoners in the cavern till
+he fixed his resolution respecting their punishment. In effect, he
+consulted his sixty viziers, and demanded of them what remarkable
+vengeance he could exercise upon these young slaves; but no advice of
+theirs could give him satisfaction. He had recourse, therefore, to his
+genie, who advised him to command the architects, who always marched
+along with him, to raise a very thick wall, which should entirely
+close up the entrance of the cavern, and take away all hope of succour
+from those who were enclosed in it.
+
+"You must take care for your own glory to cause to be engraved upon
+this wall the time, the year, and the reasons that obliged you to
+erect it; that will be the means," said he, "of informing posterity
+that you revenged yourself with a greatness of spirit."
+
+Dakianos approved this counsel, and caused a wall to be erected as
+thick and solid as those of Alexandria; but he had the precaution to
+reserve one passage, of which he alone knew the entrance, in hopes of
+being one day able to seize upon his slaves, and with a view of
+examining the events at the cavern, which, in spite of himself,
+continually took up his thoughts. He added to all these precautions
+that of placing a guard of twenty thousand men, who encamped before
+the wall. All his armies had orders to relieve this body of troops
+every month, who were commanded to put to death all those who
+endeavoured to approach a place which enclosed those whose revolt and
+flight were the first misfortunes of his life; for till that moment
+everything had succeeded happily to him. A desire of revenge joined
+itself to the insult he had received from them, which appeared greater
+to him, as nothing had ever before dared to resist him. To a man
+intoxicated with his power, of which he had been himself the sole
+cause, so positive an opposition to his will was a cruel situation.
+Nothing could prevent him from repairing every day to the cavern in
+order to make new efforts to enter it, or at least to feed his eyes
+with the objects of his vengeance.
+
+The calm which was enjoyed by those whom he still looked upon as his
+slaves redoubled his fury. Their eyes, which were, as he imagined,
+fixed upon him--their silence to all the reproaches and invectives
+with which he loaded them--even their attitude--all were marks of the
+greatest contempt of him. One day, when he had joined to his usual
+speeches the blackest imprecations against Heaven, Allah permitted
+Catnier, without any motion, to answer him:
+
+"Wretch! darest thou blaspheme a God who has let thee live,
+notwithstanding the crimes that thou hast been guilty of? Believest
+thou that He has forgot to punish the fate of the learned Egyptian,
+whom thy avarice put to death, contrary to the most sacred oaths?"
+
+Dakianos, whose wrath was impotent there, went out, distracted and
+provoked with the insulting reproaches that he received from the dog
+of his slaves. What a subject of humility! But far from having
+recourse to prayer, and imploring Allah's clemency, his pride
+revolted, and by a sentiment natural to the wicked, who generally
+render those who are subject to them answerable for everything that
+wounds their vanity, at his return he caused to be executed, in the
+public square, above two thousand men, who had refused to adore him.
+These examples of severity spread abroad the fire of a rebellion,
+which was lighted in all parts of his dominions; and, notwithstanding
+the anxiety that these troubles gave him to stop the progress of them,
+an inward emotion, which he could not resist, led him continually
+towards the cavern.
+
+"What is it I go there to seek?" said he within himself. "The
+reproaches and contempt of one of the vilest animals, whilst I am
+everywhere adored--whilst every word that comes from my sacred mouth
+is revered. Yet, notwithstanding this, what am I in the eyes of an
+animal whom God protects? A shadow of power--an object of impotence!
+Ah! Dakianos, what shame! what confusion But, however, I have
+concealed it, notwithstanding this God, who will torment me, and His
+efforts will be in vain against my regulations. How happy I am to have
+concealed from my subjects the knowledge of such a misfortune! How
+prudent was I in erecting a wall which forbids all entrance to the
+cavern, and in hindering all mankind from approaching it by the troops
+which I have disposed before it! But in what manner can my slaves have
+subsisted whilst I have kept them enclosed there? Doubtless they have
+some communication into the country, and that communication is unknown
+to me. To remedy this inconvenience, I must surround the mountain with
+my troops." Accordingly he gave orders to six hundred thousand men to
+form an encampment round it, and to let no person approach a place
+that was so odious to him.
+
+When he had taken these new precautions, he returned to the entrance
+of the cavern, and said, with a fierce and haughty voice,
+
+"Now you will be obliged to deliver yourselves up to my power!"
+
+Catnier answered him again, "We fear thee not: God is our protector.
+But believe me, and return to Ephesus: thy presence is become
+necessary there."
+
+Dakianos perceiving that he would give no further answer, returned to
+the city, and found that several of the chief of the eunuchs of his
+seraglio were murdered. Dakianos, distracted at this affront, could
+not forbear returning to the cavern, and saying to Catnier (because he
+was the only creature that answered him),
+
+"If thy God could restore me the honour that has been taken from me, I
+would endeavour----"
+
+Catnier answered him, "Go, return to Ephesus; other misfortunes attend
+thee there."
+
+These words threw Dakianos into the utmost confusion. He returned
+immediately, and found that the demon of hatred had seized upon his
+three sons, that they had drawn their sabres against each other, and
+that the angel of death was come to fetch them hence, which he did
+before his eyes. What an affliction to a father! What a disappointment
+to an ambitious mind, who depended upon giving each of them an empire
+in different parts of the world!
+
+In the midst of the sorrow with which he was surrounded, he could not
+prevent himself from returning once more to the cavern. "Wretches!"
+said he to them, "what torments ought I not to make you suffer when
+you shall fall into my hands? However, restore me my children, and I
+will forgive all that you have done against me."
+
+Catnier, who always spoke, answered him thus:
+
+"God will restore no children whom He has banished from the world to
+punish the crimes of their father. Go, return to Ephesus. Thou
+deservest to find new misfortunes there."
+
+"It is too much," cried Dakianos, retiring; and immediately, with rage
+and despair in his heart, he commanded all his troops, and all the
+inhabitants of Ephesus, to bring each of them a faggot, and see his
+orders executed. Then he caused this enormous quantity of wood to be
+piled before the cavern, in hopes of stifling those whom it enclosed;
+but the wind beat back the flames of this amazing fire against the
+army (who took to flight), and against the city. No private house,
+notwithstanding, was in the least incommoded by it; but the fire
+seized upon the palace of Dakianos, which was wholly reduced to ashes,
+and all the treasure which he had amassed with so much care vanished
+in a moment, whilst the cavern did not undergo the least alteration.
+This last prodigy engaged him to have recourse to the seven sleepers,
+and to Catnier himself, begging them to intercede for him. The little
+dog answered him thus:
+
+"It is fear, and not piety, that seems to soften the hardness of thy
+heart. Begone: thou canst not deceive Allah."
+
+Dakianos retired, confounded with this last reproach, but still more
+distracted at having humbled himself so far.
+
+In the midst of all these misfortunes which succeeded each other to
+oppress this enemy of God, the revolt, which was considerably
+augmented, demanded an example to be made, and the heart of Dakianos
+engaged him to render it of the greatest severity. To that effect he
+caused to be erected in the public square, upon the ashes of his
+palace, a throne of iron; he commanded all his Court and all his
+troops to be clothed in red,[4] and to be covered with black turbans.
+He took care to put on the same habit, with a design of murdering in
+one moment five or six hundred thousand souls, whom he resolved to
+sacrifice to the safety of his throne, to the manes of his children,
+to his lost honour, and to what affected him still more, the incessant
+remorse and horror that gnawed his heart. But before he performed this
+cruel execution, he resolved once more to visit the cavern, in hopes
+that his weapons, the usual confidence of the wicked, might intimidate
+those whom by prayers or by menaces he could obtain nothing from. When
+he arrived there, he redoubled his usual blasphemies.
+
+[Footnote 4: This colour in the East is a mark of the vengeance of
+princes.]
+
+"Tremble, thou wretch!" said Catnier then to him, without any emotion
+or so much as raising his head, which lay upon his paws.
+
+"Shall I tremble?" returned Dakianos: "Allah Himself cannot make me
+tremble."
+
+"But He can punish thee," pursued Catnier; "thou drawest near thy last
+moment."
+
+Dakianos, at that word, listening only to his resentment, took his
+arrows and his bow.
+
+"We shall see," said he, "whether I am not redoubtable--to thee at
+least."
+
+He then shot an arrow at him with the utmost strength of his arm; but
+a supernatural power made it fall at the feet of him who shot it, and
+at the same instant there sprang out of the cavern a serpent, which
+was above twenty feet in length, and whose dreadful and inflamed look
+made him tremble. Dakianos would have taken his flight; but the
+serpent soon overtook him, grasped him round the body, and dragged him
+through the whole city, that all his subjects might be witnesses of
+his terror and of his punishment. He then conveyed him to the iron
+throne which he had prepared for the scene of his vengeance. It was
+there that, being devoured by degrees, Dakianos by his dreadful
+sufferings gave a terrible example of the punishment due to
+ingratitude and impiety. The serpent afterwards returned to his cavern
+without having done the least hurt to any person, and all the
+inhabitants of Ephesus loaded it with benedictions at its departure.
+
+Several Kings succeeded Dakianos, and filled his throne during the
+time of one hundred and forty years; after which it fell into the
+power of the ancient Greeks, who enjoyed it for the space of one
+hundred and sixty-nine years longer. When the time of the repose of
+the Seven Sleepers was accomplished, that which was written happened
+unto them. One of the seven awakened at that instant; and the dawn
+beginning to appear, he raised himself up, and said within himself, "I
+seem to have slept at least twenty-four hours;" and by degrees the
+others awakened, struck with the same idea.
+
+Jemlikha, always more lively than the rest, leapt up immediately, and
+was extremely surprised to find, at the opening of the cavern, a wall
+erected of large square stones, which entirely enclosed it. He
+returned to his companions and told them the occasion of his
+astonishment. Notwithstanding this inconvenience, they agreed that
+they must absolutely send one of their number to the city to buy
+provisions; and casting their eyes upon the shepherd, Jemlikha gave
+him money, telling him that he ran no hazard by going. The shepherd
+rising to do them that service, at that moment Catnier[5] awakened,
+perfectly cured of his broken legs, and ran to caress them. The
+shepherd strove in vain to get out of the cavern, for the passage that
+Dakianos had reserved to himself was fallen down; and examining the
+wall carefully, he remarked the enormous bigness of the stones that
+composed it; and through the chinks that time had made between them,
+he saw with astonishment that part of the trees were dead, others were
+fallen, and that the water of the springs was differently placed; in
+one word, he was so confounded at the uncommon change that he
+perceived, that he returned into the cavern to inform his companions
+of this surprising event. They immediately arose and went to the
+entrance to judge of it themselves; but every fresh object redoubled
+their amazement.
+
+[Footnote 5: There are ten animals which, according to Mahommedans,
+must enter into Paradise: the whale that swallowed Jonas; the ant of
+Solomon; the ram of Ismael; the cuckoo of Belkis; the camel of the
+Prophet of God; the ass of Aazis, Queen of Saba; the calf of Abraham;
+the camel of the Prophet Saleb; the ox of Moses; and the dog that
+accompanied the Seven Sleepers.]
+
+Jemlikha then said to the shepherd, "Give me thy habit; I will go
+myself to the city and fetch what is necessary for us, and endeavour
+to find out what we cannot now comprehend."
+
+The shepherd gave him his habit, and took his in return. Jemlikha,
+with much labour, made himself a passage through the ruins of this
+thick wall, followed the road to the city, and remarked over the gate
+a standard, upon which was written, "There is no other god but the
+true God."
+
+He was astonished to find that one night had produced so great a
+change. "Is not this a vision?" said he. "Do I awake, or do I feel the
+illusions of a dream?"
+
+Whilst he made these embarrassing reflections, he saw a man come out
+of the castle, whom he approached, and asked him if this city was not
+called Ephesus. He told him that was its name.
+
+"What is the name of him who governs it?" resumed Jemlikha
+immediately.
+
+"It belongs to Encouch: he is the King of it, and has his residence in
+it," replied the man.
+
+Jemlikha, still more astonished, pursued his questions.
+
+"What do these words signify," cried he, "which are upon the
+standard?"
+
+He satisfied his curiosity by telling him that they represented the
+holy name of God.
+
+"But I apprehend," interrupted Jemlikha, with eagerness, "that
+Dakianos is the King of this city, and that he makes himself be
+worshipped here as a god."
+
+"I have never heard of any King so named," returned the inhabitant of
+the city.
+
+"What an uncommon sleep I am in!" cried Jemlikha. "Awaken me, I
+conjure you," said he to him.
+
+The man, surprised in his turn, could not forbear saying to him,
+"What! you have asked me reasonable and sensible questions, you have
+understood my answers, and can you imagine that you are asleep?"
+
+Jemlikha, ashamed of speaking to him so inadvertently, quitted him,
+saying within himself, "Most high Allah, have you deprived me of
+reason?"
+
+With this confusion of ideas, he entered into the city, which he could
+not in the least recollect: the houses, the temples, the seraglios,
+appeared under a new form to him. At length he stopped before the door
+of a baker, where he chose out several loaves, and presented his money
+for them: the baker examined it, and looking upon Jemlikha with much
+attention, he was alarmed at it, and said to him,
+
+"Why dost thou look upon me? Give me thy bread, take my money, and
+concern thyself no further."
+
+The baker answered him with the most eager curiosity, "Where hast thou
+found this money?"
+
+"What is that to thee?" resumed Jemlikha.
+
+"I don't know this money," replied the baker, "it is not the coin of
+the King that now reigns. Let me share the treasure which thou hast
+doubtless been so happy as to find, and I promise thee to be secret."
+
+Jemlikha, almost out of patience, said to him, "This money is struck
+with the image of Dakianos, the absolute lord of this country. What
+can I tell thee more?"
+
+But the baker, still prepossessed with the same idea, pursued thus:
+"Thou comest from the country: believe me, thy occupation of a
+shepherd has not rendered thee cunning enough to deceive me, nor to
+impose upon me. God has favoured thee with the discovery of a
+treasure: if thou dost not consent to share it with me, I will go this
+moment and declare it to the King; he will soon have thee arrested,
+thy riches will be seized upon, and perhaps thou mayest be put to
+death for not having declared them."
+
+Jemlikha, impatient at this discourse of the baker's, would have taken
+his bread and left him; but the baker detained him, and, their dispute
+growing hot, a mob gathered round them to listen to it. Jemlikha said
+to the baker,
+
+"I went out of the city but yesterday, I return to it this day. What
+can make thee imagine that I have found a treasure?"
+
+"Nothing is more true," returned the baker, "and I am resolved to have
+a share of it."
+
+A man belonging to the King running in at the noise, and in the
+incertitude he was in of the event, went and fetched the guards, who
+seized upon Jemlikha, and conducted him before the King, whom they
+informed of the occasion of this dispute.
+
+And the Prince said to him, "Where hast thou found those ancient coins
+they speak of?"
+
+"Sire," replied Jemlikha, "I carried them yesterday from this city;
+but in one night Ephesus has taken so different a form that I no
+longer know it: all whom I have met, all whom I see, are unknown to
+me, and yet I was born in this city, and I cannot express the
+confusion of my mind."
+
+The King said to him, "Thou seemest to have sense; thy countenance is
+agreeable, and thy manner composed: how can thy speech be so
+unreasonable? Is it to abuse me that thou feignest this distraction? I
+will absolutely know where thou hast concealed the treasure which thy
+good fortune has made thee possessor of. The fifth part by law belongs
+to me, and I consent to leave thee the remainder."
+
+"Sire," replied Jemlikha, "I have not found a treasure, but certainly
+I have lost my senses."
+
+Jemlikha durst not speak too plainly, he still fearing lest this King,
+who was unknown to him, should be one of the viziers of Dakianos, who
+might order him to be conveyed to that Prince, who perhaps was absent.
+
+Happily for him, Encouch had a Vizier of a penetrating genius, and who
+had an extensive knowledge of the precepts of the law, and of ancient
+history: that of Dakianos was not unknown to him, and by consequence
+he had some knowledge of the Seven Sleepers, who were imagined to be
+in a neighbouring cavern. The discourse of Jemlikha gave him
+suspicions; and to enlighten them, he said in a whisper to the King,
+"I am much deceived, or this young man attended upon Dakianos. God
+enlightened his mind, he quitted him, and retired into a cavern with
+five of his companions, a shepherd, and a little dog. Those seven
+persons were to appear out of this cavern after having slept three
+hundred and nine years: their awakening was to confirm the people in
+their duty, and everything induces me to believe that this young man
+is the former slave of Dakianos."
+
+Encouch, with reason, reposed much confidence in his Vizier;
+therefore, addressing himself to Jemlikha, "Relate thy adventure to us
+without disguise," said he, "or I will have thee seized this moment."
+
+Jemlikha, who knew the necessity his friends were under of his return,
+obeyed him, notwithstanding the fear he was under of seeing Dakianos,
+and finished his recital, which proved conformable to all that the
+Vizier had read in history; but what still further convinced the King
+was, that he added, "Your Majesty may be pleased to know that I have a
+house, a son, and several relations in this city, that can bear
+witness to the truth of what I have said."
+
+"Consider," said the prudent Vizier to him, "that all thou hast
+related to the King happened three hundred and nine years since."
+
+"Thou must, then, give us some other proof," resumed the King.
+
+"I make no answer out of respect," returned Jemlikha, "to all the
+difficulties that are made; but to persuade you of what I have
+advanced, there is a considerable treasure, concealed by me in the
+house that belongs to me, which none but myself has the knowledge of."
+
+The King and all his Court immediately rose to repair to this house.
+But Jemlikha, who went first, in order to conduct them, looked all
+round, and knew neither the street nor his own house.
+
+He was in this confusion, when God permitted an Angel, under the form
+of a young man, to come to his assistance, who said to him, "Servant
+of the true God, you seem to be much astonished."
+
+"How can I but be surprised?" replied Jemlikha; "this city is so
+changed in one night, that I cannot find my house, nor even the street
+in which it is situated."
+
+"Follow me," said the Angel of God; "I will conduct you thither."
+
+Jemlikha, still accompanied by the King, the Beys, and the Viziers,
+followed the Angel of God, who after some time stopped before a door
+and disappeared, saying to him, "Behold your house."
+
+Jemlikha, through his confidence in God, entered into it, and saw an
+old man, unknown to him, and who was surrounded by several young
+people. He saluted them all very politely, and said very affably to
+the old man, "This house, I believe, belongs to me; why do I find you
+here? and what business have you to do in it?"
+
+"I believe you are mistaken," replied the old man, with the same
+affability. "This house has long been in our family. My grandfather
+left it to my father, who is not yet dead, but who indeed has but one
+breath of life left."
+
+The young men would have answered, and were enraged at Jemlikha; but
+the old man said to them, "Be not angry, my children; passion is never
+necessary. He has perhaps some good reason to give us: let us hearken
+to him."
+
+He afterwards turned himself towards Jemlikha, and said to him, "How
+can this house belong to you? By what right do you pretend to it? Who
+are you?"
+
+"Ah! venerable old man," returned Jemlikha, "how can I tell you of my
+adventure? None of those to whom I have related it will give credit to
+it; I cannot myself comprehend it: judge of the situation I am in!"
+
+The old man, touched with his affliction, said to him, "Take courage,
+my child: I interest myself in your fate; my heart was moved at the
+sight of you."
+
+Jemlikha, reassured by this discourse, related to the old man all that
+had happened to him; and he had no sooner heard his story than he went
+and brought out a picture to compare it with Jemlikha. When he had
+examined him for some time, he sighed, and his trouble and concern
+increased. He kissed the picture several times, and threw himself at
+the feet of Jemlikha, prostrating his wrinkled countenance, and his
+beard, whitened by age, upon the ground. At length he cried out,
+
+"Oh, my dearest ancestor!"
+
+The torrent of tears which ran from his eyes prevented him from
+saying more. The King and his Viziers, whom this scene had rendered
+very attentive to the conversation, said then to the old man,
+
+"What! do you acknowledge him for your ancestor?"
+
+"Yes, sire," replied he: "he is the great-great-father of my father."
+
+He could not finish these words without bursting again into tears. He
+afterwards took him by the hand, and conducted him through the house.
+Jemlikha, perceiving a beam of cypress, said,
+
+"It was I who caused that beam to be placed. Under the end of it will
+be found a large stone of granite; it covers ten vases, equal to those
+that are in the King's treasury. They are filled with gold pieces of
+the coin of Dakianos, and each of those pieces weighs a hundred
+drachmas."
+
+Whilst they laboured to raise up the cypress beam, the old man
+approached Jemlikha with the greatest respect, and said to him, "My
+father is still alive, but he has very little strength left. It is he
+who has formerly related to me some of the things that you have told
+me. Come," continued he, "come and see my father, and your
+descendant."
+
+Jemlikha followed him into another apartment, and saw a very old man. They
+made him swallow a drop of milk; he opened his eyes, and could not forbear
+shedding a torrent of tears when he heard who Jemlikha was, and Jemlikha
+could not restrain his. What an astonishment to all those who saw a young
+man whose grandson's son was in that excess of decrepitude--an old man
+oppressed with years, and the children of that old man resembling by their
+tone and countenance their great-grandfather! The people at the sight of
+this miracle could not forbear admiring the greatness of the power of God.
+They examined the annals, and found that the three hundred and nine years
+were accomplished that day.
+
+When the beam of cypress was taken up, they found all that Jemlikha
+had declared. He made a present of one part of the treasure to the
+King, and gave the other to the children of his great-grandson.
+
+The King after this said to Jemlikha, "We are now convinced of the
+truth of thy history: let us go to thy companions in the cavern, and
+give them assistance."
+
+"It is the only wish I have to form," replied Jemlikha.
+
+The Prince then, caused a great quantity of provisions to be carried
+with him, and departed, accompanied with his army and all the people,
+to repair to the cavern. It appeared so dreadful that no one had
+courage to enter it. It is said, however, that the King resolved to do
+it--that he saw the companions of Jemlikha--but that it was at the
+very moment of his entering it that Jemlikha gave up the ghost, with
+the six others and the little dog. He even heard them repeat their
+acts of adoration to the Sovereign Master of the universe, and die as
+they pronounced them. Encouch caused everything to be brought that was
+necessary to pay them the last duty, and had them interred in the same
+cavern where they had slept so long. When all the people were gone out
+of it, by a particular permission of God, the entrance of the cavern
+was closed, and since that time it has been impossible for any man to
+enter it. The King commanded a column to be erected some paces from
+it, upon which he caused to be engraved the history of the Seven
+Sleepers, to make known the power of God, to inspire a horror for
+ingratitude, and to show by this example the efficacy of prayer.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+The Enchanters.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+At the death of the mighty Dabulcombar, the Lord of the East, Misnar,
+the first-born of the Sultan, ascended the throne of India; but,
+though he had scarcely arrived at the age of manhood, yet neither the
+splendour of his Court nor the flatteries of the East could steal from
+the youthful Sultan the knowledge of himself.
+
+His first royal command was to assemble together the wise men
+throughout his extensive dominions, from Cabul and Attok in the west
+to Kehoa and Thoanoa in the east. The learned and devout accordingly
+came from every part of his dominions. On an appointed day the Sultan
+ordered the illustrious assembly to meet in the divan, where, being
+placed on the throne of his forefathers, he thus opened unto them the
+desires of his heart:
+
+"O ye sources of light and fountains of knowledge!" said Misnar,
+"more precious are your counsels to me than the mines of Raalconda:
+wisdom is the true support of honour, and the Sultan is established by
+the counsel of his sages. Say, then, what course shall Misnar pursue
+that may secure him on the throne of the mighty Dabulcombar?"
+
+The sages in the divan were struck with astonishment at the
+condescension of their young Sultan, and one and all fell prostrate
+before his throne. "May wisdom," said they, "guide the footsteps of
+the illustrious Misnar! may the mind of our Sultan be as the eye of
+day!"
+
+Then arose the prophet Zeuramaund, and said, "I perceive, O mighty
+Sultan, the dark clouds of evil are gathering to disturb the hours of
+futurity; the spirits of the wicked are preparing the storm and the
+tempest against thee!"
+
+The venerable sages looked aghast as Zeuramaund uttered these ominous
+predictions; the whole council were dismayed at his words, and all
+fell again prostrate on the earth.
+
+Misnar alone appeared to be unconcerned at his predicted fate. "O my
+friends," said the youthful Sultan, "the rose cannot blossom without
+the thorn, nor life be unchequered by the frowns of fate. Grieve not,
+then, that trials await me, since the spirit of prudence and virtue
+blossoms fairest in a rugged soil."
+
+The sages arose as their royal master spake, and beheld with wonder
+the youthful countenance of their prudent Sultan.
+
+Silence and amazement for a time prevailed, till one of the sages,
+advancing before the rest, thus counselled the intrepid Prince:
+
+"O light of the earth!" said the trembling sage, "whose virtue and
+innocence have not been vexed by frauds, and deceit, whose pure mind
+seeth not the foul devices of man's heart, trust not to the fickle
+interpositions of chance, where thine own arm can work security, and
+establish a permanent foundation to thy father's throne. Thou hast a
+brother, O my Sultan, whose veins are filled with royal blood, and
+whose heart is by descent above control. Ahubal, therefore, ere his
+youth unfolds in the fulness of manhood, should be cut off."
+
+"What!" said the young Sultan Misnar, "what do thy base suspicious
+fears advise? Is there no way to build up the seat of justice and
+mercy but in murder and fratricide? Never let him who was born to
+execute judgment secure his honours by cruelty and oppression. The
+righteous Allah planted me not here to spread a poisonous shade over
+the offspring of His Prophet Mahomet: though fear and submission be a
+subject's tribute, yet is mercy the attribute of Allah, and the most
+pleasing endowment of the vicegerents of earth. But as thou, weak man,
+hast dared to advise the extirpation of one of the race of the mighty
+Dabulcombar, the vengeance of my injured brother's blood fasten upon
+thy life!"
+
+The guards of the divan, hearing the sentence of the Sultan,
+approached with their drawn sabres towards the decrepit sage; but
+Misnar, rising, cried out,
+
+"Who of my subjects shall dare to violate with blood the sanctity of
+this refuge for the oppressed? Let the divan of justice be sacred:
+nevertheless, lead that author of malice from my sight, and let his
+own blood make satisfaction for the cruelty of his desires."
+
+As he spake thus, the guards attempted to seize the sage; but when
+they advanced towards him, flames of fire burst from his mouth, and
+his whole form appeared as that of a fiery dragon. The rest of the
+sages fled from the dreadful monster; but Misnar, with an intrepid
+countenance, stood before his throne, with his drawn sabre pointing
+towards the dragon, when through the flames he perceived a hoary
+magician on the back of the monster.
+
+"Vain, O silly child of Mahomet!" said the enchanter, "were thy sabre
+against the power of my art, did not a superior force uphold thee; but
+tremble at thy doom: twice four of my race are determined against
+thee, and the throne of Dabulcombar noddeth over thy head; fear hath
+now preserved thee, and the weakness of thy heart, which the credulous
+believers of Mahomet will call prudence and moderation; but the fiend
+of darkness is let loose, and the powers of enchantment shall
+prevail." As the old magician spake thus, his fiery dragon, with
+tremendous hissings, arose, and, cleaving the dome of the divan,
+disappeared from their sight.
+
+"Thus," said the illustrious Misnar, "let the enemies of Mahomet be
+dismayed! But inform me, O ye sages, under the semblance of which of
+your brethren did that foul enchanter gain admittance here?"
+
+"As I travelled on the mountains from Queda," answered Bahilu, the
+hermit of the Faithful from Queda, "and saw neither the footsteps of
+beasts nor the flights of birds, behold, I chanced to pass through a
+cavern, in whose hollow sides I found this accursed sage, to whom I
+unfolded the invitation of the Sultan of India, and we journeyed
+together towards the divan; but ere we entered he said unto me, 'Put
+thy hand forth, and pull me toward thee into the divan, calling on the
+name of Mahomet; for the evil spirits are on me and vex me.'"
+
+After the hermit Bahilu had spoken, Mangelo arose.
+
+"May the power of the Sultan of the East be multiplied!" said he; "but
+know, O Sultan, that neither evil genius nor enchanter can enter this
+seat of justice unless he be invited in the name of Mahomet."
+
+"If it be so," answered the Sultan Misnar, "then neither can they be
+masked against the voice of justice; for Thou, O righteous Allah, wilt
+uphold the tribunal which Thou has founded upon earth, and make the
+visions of fraud to depart from him who seeketh truth. Therefore,"
+continued the Sultan, "lest this assembly be still tainted with malice
+and infidelity, I command the evil spirits to stand confessed before
+me."
+
+At his word, sulphurous smokes arose, and from the thronged assembly
+seven hideous forms broke forth.
+
+First, on a vulture's pinions, the fell enchanter Tasnar soared aloft,
+whose skin was as the parched Indian's when he writhes impaled upon
+the bloody stake.
+
+Next, on the back of an enormous scorpion, whose tail dropped deadly
+poison, Ahaback appeared, and with his eyes darted malignant flashes
+on the youthful Sultan.
+
+Happuck, a subtle magician, followed him, seated on the shoulders of a
+tiger, whose mane was shagged with snakes, and whose tail was covered
+with twining adders.
+
+Hapacuson also, that decrepit hag, who personated the righteous
+Sallasalsor, from Nechal, now stripped of the garments of hypocrisy,
+filled the eyes of the sages with terror and amazement. Her lean
+bones, wrapped round with yellow skin, appeared like the superstitious
+mummies of western Egypt. She was mounted on a dreadful monster. Its
+form was like the deadly spider, but in bulk like the elephant of the
+woods; hairs, like cobwebs, covered its long bony legs, and from
+behind, a bag of venom, of a whitish hue, spurted forth its malignant
+influence.
+
+She was followed by her malicious sister Ulin, squatting on the back
+of a hideous toad.
+
+Then, with a loud hiss, started forth, in many a fold, a black
+serpent, in length and bulk like the cedars of the forest, bearing the
+powerful enchantress Desra, whose wide-extended ears covered a head of
+iniquity.
+
+Last, with majestic horrors, the giant Kifri swelled into his full
+proportion: the long alligator that bore him groaned with his load,
+and opening all his mouths (for every scale appeared a mouth), vomited
+forth streams of blood. In his hand the giant brandished a tall pine,
+and, shaking it at the dauntless Misnar, said,
+
+"Tremble, vile reptile, at a giant's wrath! tremble at the magic
+powers of all my brethren, for thy doom is fixed!"
+
+At these words, the infernal crew joined with Kifri, and all at once
+pronounced in harsh discordant sounds, "Tremble, vile reptile, for thy
+doom is fixed!"
+
+The enchanters were then involved in a thick cloud of smoke, from
+which issued flashes of lightning, which, ascending to the roof of the
+divan, disappeared in a moment.
+
+"There is neither wisdom nor prudence," said Misnar, as he prostrated
+himself on the ground, after the enchantments were at an end, "but
+what is derived from Allah. If Thou dost vouchsafe to direct my steps,
+O Protector of Mussulmen, the fear of evil shall not come upon me."
+
+"Happy," said Candusa, the imam of Lahor, "happy is the Prince whose
+trust is in Allah, and whose wisdom cometh from the Heavens."
+
+"Happy," said all the sages, humbling themselves before the Sultan
+Misnar, "happy is our Sultan, the favourite of Allah!"
+
+"That, O sages," replied Misnar, "is too much for even the Sultan of
+the East to hear. But, may the all-righteous Allah approve of my
+thoughts and actions; so shall the infernal powers destroy the
+wretches that employ them, and the dark poisoned arrow recoil upon him
+that blew it forth. But, O sages, though your numbers are reduced,
+your integrity is more tried and approved; therefore let your Sultan
+partake of the sweetness of your counsels, and learn from aged
+experience the wisdom of the sons of earth. Say, then, what doth the
+peace and security of my throne require from me concerning my brother
+Ahubal, the issue of the mighty Dabulcombar?"
+
+"Far be it from me," said the sage Carnakan, "to presume to utter my
+words as oracles before the Prince; but may not the security of the
+East require that the Prince thy brother be not enlarged, as my Sultan
+is, to do whatsoever seemeth good in his heart? Should not the younger
+be as servant to the first-born of his father, and are not all the
+Princes the vassals of the Sultans of the East? Let, therefore, the
+Prince Ahubal enjoy the pleasure of life; but let him be removed from
+giving pain and uneasiness to my royal Sultan Misnar. At the sources
+of the springs of Ava, on the craggy rocks of Aboulfaken, is a royal
+castle built by the sage Illfakircki, to which there is no passage but
+through a narrow vale, which may be ever guarded by the slaves of
+Misnar. Hither let the Prince be sent; and let him live there, and
+enjoy life, without having any power to molest the glories of thy
+reign."
+
+The counsel of Carnakan was agreeable to the Sultan and his sages; and
+Misnar gave immediate orders, that the mutes of his seraglio should
+attend the Prince to the royal castle at Aboulfaken; and then
+dismissing, for the present, the assembled sages, he commanded them to
+attend the divan every week.
+
+In a few days, the mutes and guards who were sent with the Prince
+Ahubal being admitted into the presence of their Sultan, fell on their
+faces, and cried out,
+
+"Oh, let not the displeasure of the Sultan visit his slaves, who, in
+obedience to thy royal word, journeyed toward the castle of
+Aboulfaken, and, as they passed along through the deserts, a party of
+five thousand horse appeared, who, setting upon us, ordered us either
+to deliver up the Prince Ahubal, or defend him with our lives. Thy
+slaves would willingly have chosen the latter fate. Yet, alas! what
+were four hundred guards and twenty mutes to the army that opposed us?
+But our consultation was vain; for while we debated how to defend
+ourselves, the Prince drew his sabre, and, killing three of our
+number, cut his way through the guards to his friends. The horsemen
+then would have set upon us and hewed us in pieces; but their chief
+forbade them, saying, 'No, let them live, and be the messengers of the
+Prince's escape. Go,' continued he, 'dastard slaves! and let your
+Sultan know, that Ahubal has friends who will shortly punish him for
+his designs on the Prince.'"
+
+At these words of the guards Misnar gave a deep sigh, and said, "Human
+prudence alone is far too weak to fight against the wiles of the
+deceitful; but Allah is more powerful than man. I will therefore send
+for the prophets, and inquire of them where I may seek for the
+assistance of Mahomet."
+
+The Sultan then commanded Zeuramaund and his tribe, and Mangelo the
+prophet, from the hollow rocks of Caxol, to be brought before him; and
+when they were come into his presence, he demanded of them, where he
+might seek for the assistance of Mahomet, and the countenance of
+Allah.
+
+Then Zeuramaund answered the Sultan in these words:
+
+"In the tomb of the Prophet of Mecca is the signet of Mahomet, which
+no human power may remove; but if the Prophet will hear the prayer of
+the Sultan, it may easily be taken thence."
+
+"Yes," replied Mangelo, "the seal of Mahomet will indeed preserve the
+Prince from enchantment; but it is also necessary that he put on the
+girdle of Opakka, which is worn by the giant Kifri, the sworn enemy of
+the Eastern throne. For although the signet of Mahomet will preserve
+the Sultan from evil, yet will the girdle of Opakka only save him from
+deceit."
+
+The Sultan Misnar was moved at the discourse of his prophets, and
+spent the night in thought and perplexity. He had little hope that the
+signet of Mahomet, which had for ages remained immovable, should
+yield to him; or that, with all his numerous armies, he should be able
+to force the girdle of Opakka from the loins of an enchanter, who
+could in a moment overwhelm his troops by the power of his art.
+However, he determined the next morning to go with his Court on a
+public pilgrimage to Mecca, and to offer up the most solemn petitions
+to the Prophet of his faith.
+
+Early in the morning the Sultan arose from his seraglio, and commanded
+his courtiers to prepare the procession, as he intended immediately to
+make a public pilgrimage to Mecca.
+
+But as Misnar was making known his intentions, a messenger arrived in
+haste at the entrance of the seraglio, who brought advice that one of
+the southern kingdoms had revolted, and was led on by a skilful
+heroine, who declared her intentions of placing Ahubal, the brother of
+the Sultan, on the throne of India.
+
+Misnar was conscious that this revolt was brought about through the
+contrivances of the enchanters, and therefore despaired of conquering
+them by means of his armies; but lest the other kingdoms, seeing no
+troops were sent to repel the rebels, should also join the adverse
+party, the Sultan commanded the signal of war to sound; and sending
+for his Grand Vizier Horam in private, he ordered him to lead out the
+armies of Delhi against the rebels, and to dispatch daily messengers
+to the capital, to bring advice of his success.
+
+The Vizier Horam received the Sultan's commission with reverence, and
+said, "Let not my Sultan be angry at his slave. If my lord should
+require ten thousand messengers, his slave Horam would dispatch them.
+But if my lord will accept of this tablet, he shall know in a moment
+the success of his servant, though numberless leagues distant."
+
+"What!" said Misnar, taking the tablet from his Vizier. "By what means
+is this tablet endued with these rare virtues?"
+
+"My lord," answered Horam, "when my father, through the malice of his
+enemies, was banished from the presence of the mighty Dabulcombar--whom
+the houris of Paradise do serve--he called me to him, and said, 'O Horam,
+the evil-minded have prevailed, and thy father has fallen a sacrifice to
+the enemies of truth! No more, my son, shall I behold the children of my
+strength, nor the splendour of my Sultan's Court. Whither I go, I know
+not. But take this tablet, my son; and whatever befalleth thy parent shall
+at times be made known to thee in the leaves of this book; and to
+whomsoever thou givest it, that friend shall, after my death, read therein
+whatever Horam my son shall wish to make known unto him.'"
+
+"Faithful Horam," answered the Sultan, "your present is of such
+exquisite value, that I shall, in confidence, honour you with the
+first place in my esteem. Know, then, my faithful Vizier, that the
+powers of enchantment are let loose against my throne, and the
+prophets have said, 'Thou shalt not prevail but with the signet of
+Mahomet and the girdle of Opakka;' therefore it is expedient that I
+first go to Mecca to obtain this valuable gift of the Prophet. My
+purpose this morning was to go surrounded by the nobles of my Court;
+but while rebellion stalketh abroad, pageants are idle, and the parade
+of a Sultan's pilgrimage will give my enemies time to increase in
+their numbers and strength. No, Horam; I myself will in secret
+approach the tomb of my Prophet, for Allah requireth the service of
+the heart, and searcheth out the purity of his servants' intentions: I
+shall go with greater humility as a peasant than as a prince. In the
+meantime my royal tent shall be pitched, and Horam only shall be
+suffered to approach it. So shall my slaves imagine their Sultan goeth
+forth with them to the field, and their hearts shall be strengthened."
+
+"Be the desires of the Sultan fulfilled," said Horam, with reverence;
+"but will not my lord take with him a guard in his pilgrimage?--for
+the dangers of the journey are great over the mountains and deserts,
+and the voyage by the seas is perilous."
+
+"No," answered the Sultan; "those who are my slaves _here_, may at a
+distance become my masters, and sell me to my foes: where the trust is
+great, great is the danger also. Shall I set guards over my person in
+the heart of my kingdom amidst my faithful subjects, and trust my life
+in a slave's hand where I am neither known nor respected?"
+
+The Vizier Horam was struck with the prudence of his youthful Sultan,
+and bowed in assent to his words.
+
+In a few days the armies of India assembled; the royal tent was
+pitched, and the Vizier was declared the leader of his Sultan's
+forces. Misnar entered his tent in great state, and Horam alone
+followed the Sultan into the retirements of the movable pavilion.
+
+The Vizier had, according to the Sultan's instructions, prepared a
+disguise for his master; and at midnight led him, like a peasant,
+through the encampment into a wood, where, falling at his feet, he
+besought him to consider well the dangers he was about to encounter.
+
+"Horam," answered the Sultan, "I well know the goodness of thy heart,
+and that thy fears arise from thy love. Sensible am I that the dangers
+of my pilgrimage are great; but what resource have I left? More than
+man is risen up against me, and more than man must assist me, or I
+perish. To whom, then, can I fly, but to the Prophet of the Faithful?
+For I am well assured that no enchantment shall prevail against me
+while I journey toward Mecca, for such is the faith of all true
+believers: though they may oppress and fatigue me, yet in the end
+shall I triumph. Besides, Horam, there remains no other course for
+me."
+
+"True, my Sultan," answered the Vizier: "without Allah, vain is the
+counsel of man; but is not Allah everywhere present to aid and defend
+the sons of the Faithful?"
+
+"Though Allah be all-powerful," answered Misnar, "yet is not the slave
+of His hand to direct the Lord of all things. If we would gain the
+help and assistance of Allah, we must obey His commands; and well are
+we assured in the law of our Prophet, that at Mecca shall the prayer
+of the Faithful be heard. Wherefore, O Horam, no longer my slave, but
+my friend, lead forth my armies with confidence and trust, and doubt
+not that He, who daily refresheth the sun with light, will shortly
+restore Misnar to the throne of his forefathers."
+
+As he spake thus the Sultan broke from his Vizier, Horam, who had
+fallen at his feet weeping at his fixed resolves, and penetrated into
+the gloomy recesses of the forest.
+
+All was silence and darkness, save where, through broken fragments of
+fleeting clouds, the moon sometimes threw a feeble light on the gloom
+of the forest.
+
+"This gloomy recess," said Misnar, as he passed on, "which hides me
+from the world, makes me better known to myself. In the Court of my
+forefathers I am called the 'light of the world,' the 'glory of the
+East,' and the 'eye of day;' but in the wild forest of Tarapajan I am
+a poor helpless creature. What, then, is the pride of man but deceit,
+and the glories of the earth but shadows? Surely more had I to fear
+from enchantment on the throne of Dabulcombar than in the bosom of
+this forest. Here the wild beast will not flatter me, nor will the
+lordly lion acknowledge me the Sultan of his wild domains."
+
+With such thoughts Misnar passed on for many days; till one night, at
+a distance, he perceived the skies looked red with light from various
+fires, and, by the noise, found that some Indians were carousing in
+the woods before him.
+
+The disguised Sultan endeavoured to avoid them, striking into a path
+which led round their fires; but some of the Indians observing him,
+called to their brother peasant, and desired him to partake of their
+mirth.
+
+Misnar thought it would be vain to refuse the request, as they all
+seemed disposed to insist on their demands, and therefore hastened to
+the scene of their festivity.
+
+Here he found ten or twelve fires, with a number of males and females,
+some sitting, and some dancing around them to the sound of rustic
+music.
+
+Misnar inquired the cause of their mirth.
+
+"What!" said an ancient female, "though you are a stranger in
+Tarapajan, and know not that the Feast of Tigers is celebrated by
+these nightly fires, yet must you now learn that no stranger comes but
+to partake of our joy, nor departs till, the fires are extinct."
+
+"And how long," said Misnar, "doth this feast last?"
+
+"This," answered the old woman, "is the third night, and these fires
+must blaze yet eleven nights and days more, during which time the axe
+is not seen in the hand of the forester, nor doth the bow twang in the
+woods of Tarapajan; neither may he which seeth these rites depart till
+they be fulfilled."
+
+Misnar was thunderstruck at this relation. And ere he could answer,
+the crowd gathered round him.
+
+"Come," said he that appeared to be the chief, "let us initiate this
+stranger into our rites: bring hither the skin of the tiger, and the
+paw of the lion, and the lance, and the bow that twangs not in the
+woods of Tarapajan during these nightly festivals."
+
+Then one brought the skin of a tiger, and threw it over the shoulders
+of Misnar; another came with the paw of a lion, and hung it before
+him; a third brought a lance, and put it in Misnar's right hand; and a
+fourth slung a bow on his breast. Then all the crowd made a loud
+howling, and danced round the astonished Sultan.
+
+"Now," said the chief, when the dance was finished, "sound the hollow
+instruments of brass, which give notice to the moon and to the stars
+that this stranger is about to swear not to reveal our rites. Lay
+thine hand on thy head," said the chief to the disguised Sultan, "and
+put thy fingers on thy mouth, and say, 'As the starless night is dark,
+as the cave of death is dark, so shall my thoughts and words continue
+in darkness concerning the festival of tigers.'"
+
+"And wherefore," said Misnar, "is this silence imposed? And what shall
+befall him that sweareth not unto you? Is not the mind of man free?
+And who shall offend him who seeketh not to offend others?"
+
+"Whosoever," answered the chief, "travelleth, should become obedient
+to the customs of those people among whom he tarrieth."
+
+"Right," continued Misnar; "and I am willing, on two conditions, to
+fulfil your will: first, you shall all swear that I be at liberty to
+pursue my journey on the eleventh day; and, next, that I shall not be
+bound to perform aught contrary to the law of Mahomet."
+
+"Stranger," replied the chief, "when we are at liberty to depart, thou
+shalt depart likewise; but during this festival, which is held in
+honour of our noble ancestor, who remained fourteen days in this
+forest till he had subdued a ravenous race of tigers, no man that has
+entered here may stir hence till the fires be extinguished: for by
+the fire did our ancestor drive away and destroy the tigers and beasts
+of the forest, and by fire do we commemorate his mighty deeds.
+Neither," continued the chief, "may we reveal these rites to any one
+but those who by accident espy them; for such as are present with us
+we are bound to receive into our society; wherefore we compel those
+who come among us to keep in silence the knowledge of our rites."
+
+"If such is your custom," answered Misnar, "I shall willingly comply,
+and swear to you, that 'As the starless night is dark, as the cave of
+death is dark, so shall my words and thoughts continue in darkness
+concerning the festival of tigers.'"
+
+As he uttered these words, the whole assembly again danced around him,
+till the hollow brazen instruments were ordered to sound, and all the
+inhabitants of the forest were commanded to receive the disguised
+Sultan as their brother.
+
+Then the men, one by one, passed by Misnar, each as he passed laying
+the hand of the Sultan on his breast. After they were passed by, came
+the females also, who embraced their new brother. These Misnar
+suffered to pass on without much reflection, till, among the youngest,
+who last approached, he beheld a beautiful virgin, with downcast
+looks, drawing near him, and who seemed ashamed of that freedom the
+custom of the place obliged her to use.
+
+At sight of this lovely figure, Misnar at once forgot his purpose and
+his crown, and was impatient till the ceremony brought her near to
+him. The other females perceived his emotion; and the chief of the
+festival approaching her, asked the lovely Noradin "whether she would
+at length fix her choice? for in this place," continued the chief,
+addressing himself to Misnar, "every sex hath freedom, and none are
+compelled to take the hand they do not love. Noradin hath for these
+three days been courted by all our tribe, but she has refused every
+advance: if she refuse not you, our joy will be complete, and then
+none of our company will be without his companion."
+
+Misnar, forgetting the great designs of his heart, waited for the fair
+one's answer, and felt more fear at her silence than at this dreadful
+enchantments of his monstrous enemies. At length Noradin answered,
+"May the joy of my comrades be complete!" Misnar, in raptures at the
+fair Noradin's preference, took her by the hand, and led up the dance,
+while the instruments of brass a third time sounded, to proclaim the
+choice of Noradin.
+
+At the appearance of day, each repaired to the cottages around, and
+Misnar and Noradin were led by the chief to a spot, where shortly the
+whole assembly built them a cottage of bamboo and the leaves of the
+plantain.
+
+As soon as they retired, Noradin, taking Misnar by the hand, asked him
+whether she deserved his constant love for the choice she had made.
+Misnar reflected upon the words of his fair companion, and his heart
+recoiled at them.
+
+"What!" said the Sultan to himself, "shall I, for the gratification of
+my passion, give up the glories of my father's kingdom, and the
+viceregency of Mahomet? Or shall I basely betray that love which is
+proffered me, and embitter fair Noradin's future cup of life? No,"
+said he aloud, turning to his amiable companion, "never let the man of
+integrity deceive the heart that means to make him happy. Forgive me,
+all-beauteous Noradin! but the volumes of my fate are open, and the
+Prophet of the Faithful will not permit me to indulge here my secret
+affections: though the soul of thy slave will be torn and divided, yet
+must he depart with the expiring fires of your festival."
+
+"Base, cold, and senseless wretch!" said the false Noradin (as the
+beauteous vision vanished from the eyes of the Sultan, and he beheld
+the enchantress Ulin before him), "call not thy frozen purpose virtue,
+but the green fruits of unripened manhood. Though thou art escaped,
+puny animal as thou art! from the power of my enchantments, yet shall
+the southern kingdoms of India feel my scourge. Proceed, then,
+superstitious reptile! on thy tame pilgrimage to Mecca, while Horam
+feels the vengeance of my army in the sultry deserts of Ahajah."
+
+As she spake thus, she stretched out her wand, and the fires and the
+foresters, and the enchantress Ulin, disappeared from the sight of the
+astonished Sultan.
+
+The Sultan immediately prostrated himself on the ground, and gave
+glory to God for his wonderful escape; and, pursuing his journey,
+continued his course for two moons through the wide-extended forest of
+Tarapajan.
+
+During this time he daily examined the tablets which the Vizier Horam
+had given him; but was very uneasy at finding the leaves always fair.
+"Alas!" said he to himself, "I have trusted to a base man, who perhaps
+has taken this advantage of my credulity, and intends to set the crown
+of India on my brother's head! There needed not the powers of
+enchantment to overthrow me, since I have betrayed at once my folly
+and my cause."
+
+Misnar, therefore, resolved to travel back to Delhi, and learn the
+cause of Horam's silence; but as he neglected not to look on the
+tablets every day, he at length found the following inscription
+therein:
+
+"Horam, the faithful slave of the Sultan of the East, to Misnar, the
+lord of his heart.
+
+"Some time after I left my royal Sultan in the forest, while my heart
+was sad within me, came a hasty messenger from the outskirts of the
+rebel army, and declared their approach, and that the southern
+provinces had revolted, and were added to the opposers of the Sultan
+of the East. When thy slave was certain of this intelligence from the
+mouths of many, who hastened to the camp with these bad tidings, I
+commanded the armies of India to be increased, and a more exact
+discipline to be observed in my master's camp; and, perceiving that
+the enemy hastened to meet the forces, I shortened the march of my
+slaves, that the fatigues of the deserts might not prevail more
+against them than the face and the sword of their enemies. Moreover, I
+led thy troops through the most cultivated countries, that the
+necessaries of life might with the greater ease be procured for the
+multitudes that followed thy tent. But, alas! the presence of my lord
+is not with his people, and the army murmur that they are led by a
+Sultan who cheers not their labours by the light of his person; so
+that the hearts of thy people are withdrawn from Horam thy slave, and
+the captains of thousands demand admittance to thy tent, and accuse
+thy Vizier of evil devices against thee, my lord the Sultan."
+
+As the Sultan read this intelligence in the tablet of Horam, his heart
+failed within him, and the sight of his eyes was as a mist before him.
+
+"O Misnar! Misnar!" said he, falling to the ground, "the fiend of
+darkness is let loose upon thee! and the powers of enchantment still
+prevail!"
+
+"Yes," said Ulin the enchantress, who immediately appeared, "the
+powers of enchantment shall prevail! Misnar, the faithful servant of
+Mahomet, hath at length yielded to my power, and Allah hath given to
+my vengeance the wretch that doubts His protection. Crawl, therefore,"
+continued she, "vile reptile, on the earth, and become a toad."
+
+At the powerful voice of her enchantment, the Sultan shrank from his
+natural form and became a reptile on the earth. His change of form did
+not take from Misnar his memory or recollection: he was sensible of
+his disgrace, and of the justness of his sentence; and though he could
+not fly from himself, yet he hastened into the thicket, that he might
+hide from the light of heaven. But the calls of nature soon drove him
+from his recess, to seek his proper food in the desert. He crawled
+forth, and was led on by a scent that pleased him: his spirits seemed
+enlivened by the sweet odour, and his cold feeble limbs were endued
+with brisker motion.
+
+"Surely," said he, in his heart, "the bounteous Allah hath not left
+the meanest of His creatures without comfort and joy. The smell is as
+the smell of roses, and life and vigour are in these attractive
+paths."
+
+With these thoughts he crawled forwards into the thickest covert; and
+though his body was drawn with a secret impulse, yet his mind was
+filled with horror when he came in sight of a mangled and corrupted
+body, which lay hid among the bushes. One of his own deformed kind sat
+squatting beside it, and, like himself, seemed to desire and yet
+detest the loathsome feast.
+
+Misnar, at sight of one of his hideous kind, was filled with scorn and
+rage; and, forgetting his transformation, was about to drive him from
+the mangled body, when the reptile, opening his mouth, addressed him
+in the language of Delhi.
+
+"Whether thou art really what thy form bespeaks thee," said the
+reptile, "or, like me, the victim of enchantment, answer."
+
+The Sultan, surprised at this address, and perceiving that misery was
+not his portion alone, desired to know by what means his
+fellow-creature suffered such a wretched change.
+
+"Since I perceive by your speech," said the reptile, "that one event
+has happened to us both, I shall not be adverse to declare to you the
+cause of my transformation; but I shall expect that my confidence will
+not be misplaced, and that, after I have made you acquainted with my
+history, you will not refuse to reveal your own."
+
+"A similitude in our fates," replied Misnar, "has already made us
+brethren, and I should be unreasonable to ask a favour I meant not to
+return."
+
+"Well, then," said he, "we will depart from this wretched sight into a
+different thicket, where we may unmolested bewail our uncommon fates;
+for although the enchantress Ulin, to disgrace our former natures, and
+to make us the more sensible of our present deformity, obliges us to
+meet daily before this horrid spectacle, yet our food is of the fruits
+of the earth; for the wicked enchantress has not the power to make us,
+even in this deformed habit, do that which is contrary to our human
+nature."
+
+While he was speaking another toad came up.
+
+"Here," continued the first, "is another of our brethren, and another
+will soon be here: we were three before you came among us.--Where, O
+Princess, is the last victim of Ulin's rage?" said he to the second.
+
+"He was basking," answered the second, "in the sand; but I aroused
+him, and he is now on his way."
+
+In a few minutes the third arrived. As soon as he had beheld the
+mangled body, and, the attraction ceased, the first leading the way,
+they departed into another thicket.
+
+"Here," said the first, "O stranger, we may rest securely, and the
+serpent cannot annoy us, for we are seated under the shade of the
+fragrant cinnamon."
+
+"We are obliged to you for your care of us," said Misnar; "but I am
+eager to hear the cause of your transformation."
+
+
+THE HISTORY OF MAHOUD.
+
+
+I am (replied the toad) the son of a jeweller in Delhi, and my name is
+Mahoud. My father, after a life of industry and parsimony, finding
+himself declining, sent for me, and on his death-bed said, "O Mahoud,
+my days have been the days of care, but success hath attended them. I
+have toiled, that thou mayest reap; sown, that thou mayest gather; and
+laboured, that my son may enjoy the fruits of my industry. My peace
+and comfort have been sacrificed to thine; and now I die, assured that
+my beloved Mahoud will not be pinched by poverty or oppressed by
+penury and want."
+
+Thus said my aged father, and expired, and my tears accompanied his
+departing spirit; but these soon gave place to that ardent curiosity
+which drove me to explore the riches he had left me.
+
+I opened box after box with silent rapture, and was pleased to find
+wealth sufficient to satisfy even the appetite of youth. Many diamonds
+were among my father's wealth, besides large quantities of gold and
+silver; so that, in my youthful judgment, there appeared no end to my
+riches.
+
+It was not wonderful that, being so suddenly put in possession of
+these riches, I should seek every pleasure and diversion which wealth
+could purchase. All who were the companions of my childhood, all who
+would court an inexperienced heart, were admitted to my table; and the
+strict laws of Mahomet were less regarded at my house than the rich
+wines which sparkled at my feasts. Nor were the charms of the fair
+forgotten; and while our goblets were filled with wine, we envied not
+the deceased their rivers of milk.
+
+Thus passed I my life among those who jest with religion, and make
+their mock at the rules of prudence and sobriety. But the time soon
+came when my hours of revelry were to be changed for those of sorrow,
+and when I was first to learn that a father's prudence will not secure
+a wicked son from the shafts of bitterness and grief.
+
+My possessions, though ample, were nearly exhausted by ignorance and
+extortion; my jewels were gone; unacquainted with their value, I had
+flung them away rather than sold them; my silver and gold were become
+the property of my friends, who, when I applied to them in return,
+were much more assiduous, if possible, in keeping it from me than I
+had been in squandering it on them. So that, in a little while, even
+the merchants, who had been such gainers by me, came to demand some
+trifling sums that I had borrowed from them, which being unable to
+pay, they seized my furniture and stripped me of my clothes to satisfy
+their demands.
+
+In this situation I was turned out of my own doors by those whom I had
+received a thousand times in my arms, and spurned at like a dog by
+those whom I had pressed to my bosom.
+
+Stung by reflecting on my former follies, and ignorant where to fly
+for shelter, I covered myself with some few rags that had been cast to
+me, and sat down before the house of a rich young man, who, like
+myself, seemed to be squandering his wealth on the scum of the earth.
+
+Bennaskar--for that was his name--soon came forth, with his minstrels
+and singers at his heels, and, seeing a miserable figure before his
+door, he asked what I wanted. I told him that once, like himself, I
+gave life to the dance and mirth to my friends; but that want of
+caution had been the cause of my ruin, and too much confidence in
+those who least deserved my favour.
+
+Several of his friends, hearing this, would have driven me from his
+presence, saying it was unfit such a wretch should even enjoy the
+blessings of the air; but Bennaskar would not suffer it, and asked me,
+"Whether the insincerity of my friends had taught me to be sincere to
+others?"
+
+I answered that I had ever been sincere, even to those who were
+undeserving, and that I would rather die than betray my friend.
+
+"If what you say is true," said Bennaskar, "I will try you. Go in, and
+my servants shall clothe you, and you shall live with me. I only ask
+in return, that you never disclose to any one what you hear or see
+transacted in my house."
+
+"Sir," answered I, "your offer is gracious, and bespeaks your generous
+intentions; but I do not choose to live on another's bounty unless I
+can make myself useful."
+
+"That," answered Bennaskar, "you may do if I find I can trust you. I
+have long been in search of one I could trust. I want such an one, but
+cannot find him."
+
+The friends of Bennaskar then surrounded their lord, and each
+confusedly offered their services to him.
+
+"No," said the young man, "though I appear unthoughtful in your eyes,
+O, servile race of flatterers! yet know, to your confusion, that I
+have tried you all, and find you trifling and insincere. This man
+alone refuses my proffered love unless he can return it, and this man
+alone is worthy of my esteem."
+
+The friends of Bennaskar were thunderstruck at his words, and renewed
+their protestations; but he commanded his servants to drive them from
+his house, and, taking me by the hand, he led me into an inner but
+sumptuous apartment.
+
+As soon as we entered, I prostrated myself at his feet, and said, "Let
+not my lord be angry with his servant, but thou hast not told me what
+service thou wilt expect from me."
+
+"All that I require," answered Bennaskar, "is that you disclose not to
+any one what you hear or see transacted in my house."
+
+"My lord," answered I, "of what service can I be to you by such a
+compliance? If I am silent thy slaves may speak, and I shall be blamed
+for their insincerity. I pray thee, let me return to my rags, and set
+me not in a place where thy vassals will be tempted to ruin me in thy
+favour."
+
+"Your answer," said Bennaskar, "is the answer of a prudent man. But
+fear not: I cannot do without you, and I hope you will not refuse my
+proffered love. What you will see, none will see besides you;
+therefore none but yourself will be unfaithful to me."
+
+On this assurance, I accepted the offer of Bennaskar. After which the
+slaves led me to the bath, where I washed, and was perfumed, and
+arrayed in a vestment of my lord's.
+
+Bennaskar was impatient to see me; and, as I was led into his
+presence, the young man hastened to meet me, and, folding me in his
+arms, he said, "May I at length meet a friend I call trust?"
+
+And I answered, "May Mahoud be the friend of thy bosom?"
+
+Bennaskar then led me into another apartment, and meats were set
+before us, and he ordered the females that danced to come and
+entertain us.
+
+Thus I spent my time with the agreeable Bennaskar: every day we varied
+our enjoyments, and were mutually satisfied with each other.
+
+I had now been with my friend eighteen days, and nothing had occurred
+to interrupt our friendship, when, on the nineteenth morning,
+Bennaskar appeared with a clouded visage.
+
+"What," said I, "my lord, is the cause of your grief? Shall not Mahoud
+share alike with you the smiles and the frowns of Allah?"
+
+"Is it not," asked Bennaskar, "O Mahoud, the full of the moon?"
+
+"It is," replied I, with a smile; "but doth Bennaskar intend to change
+with that fluctuating planet?"
+
+"O Mahoud," said Bennaskar, "the fate of thy friend is dependent on
+the caprice of the stars. To-night must I put thy utmost friendship to
+the trial. If Mahoud prove insincere, then is Bennaskar cursed among
+men. If thy heart is not firm, now, while there is time, depart. But
+why should I doubt thee? surely Mahoud is of the sons of the Faithful.
+What must I say? Leave me, Mahoud, leave me; nay, if thou departest,
+where shall I find thy fellow? and the presence of a friend is
+necessary to my quiet."
+
+"Then," answered I, "fear not, Bennaskar: Mahoud may be unhappy, but
+he cannot be unjust. But what is this dreadful trial that obliges
+Bennaskar to suspect his friend?"
+
+"True," said Bennaskar, "Mahoud is undeserving of suspicion. Let us
+wait till the sun sink from the skies, and the stars return with their
+glimmering light."
+
+Bennaskar then proceeded to the bath, and arrayed himself in a costly
+robe, and desired me to do the same. I obeyed my friend, and we met in
+the saloon together.
+
+"Alas!" said Bennaskar, as we met, "how can I request my friend to
+wear the image of deformity?"
+
+"What image of deformity," said I, "must Mahoud wear? All appearances
+are to Mahoud alike; and the severer the trial, the more shall I
+commend thy friendship."
+
+"Then," said Bennaskar, pulling out a pot of black ointment, "thou
+must suffer me to disguise thy face with this ointment: to-night thou
+must personate a black slave."
+
+"Is such a trifle," said I, "the test of friendship? Give me the
+ointment, and furnish me with the habit of a slave."
+
+"The habit," answered Bennaskar, "is ready, and all is ready; but you
+must not as yet disguise yourself, lest my slaves observe us. Come,
+let us for the present enjoy ourselves, and, when night approaches,
+Bennaskar will rely on the friendship of Mahoud."
+
+The slaves then brought us the costly viands of Delhi; but Bennaskar
+remained pensive, and seemed not to relish the dainties before him.
+
+I endeavoured all I could to divert his melancholy; I smiled, I sang
+before him; the dancers were introduced with music to dissipate his
+gloom; but Bennaskar still remained mute. The music continued till
+night, when Bennaskar commanded the slaves to withdraw, and, taking a
+lamp in his hand, led me through several apartments.
+
+"Mahoud," said he, as we went along, "has never yet seen the wonders
+of my palace."
+
+"I am happy, my lord," answered I, "to see your wealth; but I am not
+inquisitive to explore, unbidden, the secrets of another."
+
+We had now arrived at a small vaulted room, from the centre of which
+hung a lamp, which Bennaskar trimmed, putting out the one he held in
+his hand.
+
+"Now," said he, "Mahoud, enter that closet which is opposite to us,
+and put on the slave's dress which you will find there, and anoint thy
+face and hands with this black ointment."
+
+I immediately obeyed, and in a short time came forth arrayed as a
+slave.
+
+"Kind Mahoud," said Bennaskar, "thou art excellently disguised; now
+obey with silence, and stand as a mute before his lord."
+
+I folded my arms and nodded assent, at which he smiled.
+
+"Take hold, Mahoud," said he, "of that iron ring which is fastened to
+the middle of the floor, and pull."
+
+I obeyed, and a little trap-door opened. On looking down, I perceived
+a woman in rich vestments, half buried in the earth. I shuddered at
+the sight, and was falling backward, when Bennaskar struck me with a
+chabouc,[6] which he drew from his bosom, and said, "Villain, if thou
+fail me, I shall use thee as my slave."
+
+[Footnote 6: A large whip.]
+
+Although enraged at the blow, yet I remembered my promise, and
+returned to the trap-door.
+
+"Slave," said Bennaskar, "dig that female out of the ground: the spade
+and the mattock are hidden under the floor."
+
+I immediately jumped down, found the tools, and began to work; but
+neither my fear nor my labour could prevent me from fixing my eyes on
+the lovely female, who seemed as one dead.
+
+As soon as I had removed the earth from her, which I did with great
+care, Bennaskar commanded me to lift the body into the apartment, gave
+me a phial of clear blue liquor, and ordered me to pour it into her
+mouth, while he retired to the closet.
+
+I willingly obeyed, and hastened to administer the liquid, while
+Bennaskar retired.
+
+The liquor was no sooner swallowed than the lovely female began to
+move, and in a short time opening her eyes, she cast them upon me, and
+shrieked out, clapping her hands together and crying, "O Allah, defend
+me!"
+
+Bennaskar at the same time spoke to her from the closet where he was
+concealed.
+
+"Hemjunah," said he, "are you as yet disposed to yield yourself to the
+will of Bennaskar, or must we still experience the evils of opposite
+enchantment?"
+
+"Wretch!" answered the fair stranger, "I fear not the powers of your
+accursed magic, for Macoma has assured me that you shall not be able
+to harm me except with my own consent; and Mahomet, though for a time
+he permits this enchantment, will at length assuredly deliver me."
+
+"Then," answered Bennaskar, "must the lash be inflicted. Here,"
+continued he, "slave Mahoud, inflict fifty lashes on that obdurate
+female."
+
+I took the chabouc from Bennaskar, and began, with trembling, my cruel
+office, lamenting my own blind compliance in promising to obey a
+monster whom I had mistaken for a friend.
+
+As the lash touched the beautiful Hemjunah, she made the vaulted roof
+re-echo with her cries; nor did my heart feel less sensibly the
+strokes which I gave than her own. The tears trickled down my cheeks,
+and I prayed inwardly to be delivered from the hateful task.
+
+"What," said Bennaskar from the closet, "what doth Hemjunah now say to
+my desires?"
+
+"The hard-hearted and the cruel," said Hemjunah, faintly, "are the
+last to win the soft affections of a female heart: rather let me die
+than be the property of the vile Bennaskar."
+
+"If so," said he, coming from the closet, "die: for the present I
+resign my power. Let Macoma hide thee again in the dust of the earth."
+
+Bennaskar no sooner appeared than the beautiful Hemjunah again seemed
+to die away, and immediately a hissing noise was heard, and an ugly
+dwarf arose from the trap-door, and took the body of Hemjunah and
+replaced it in the earth, and the trap-door was closed with a roaring
+noise.
+
+Bennaskar then beckoned me to follow him, and leading me to the bath,
+bade me wash and return to the saloon in my proper vestments.
+
+I was so surprised at these horrors that I hardly knew what I did.
+However, in the bath I had time to recollect myself; but recollection
+was of little service, for reflection rather increased than cleared my
+confusion. One moment I resolved to apply to the Cadi, and declare
+every circumstance of the terrible adventure. The next I was awed by
+the thoughts of my rash and imprudent vows of secrecy.
+
+"Bennaskar," said I, "has for a month appeared as an angel before me;
+but one base action has deformed all his former purity. How can I
+reconcile these inconsistencies? Can he, who is the tenderest, the
+best of friends, be also the vilest and most cruel of mankind? I have
+been accessory to the torture of a most beautiful female--one, too,
+who called on the perfect Allah to deliver her. I have been the
+instrument of a mean revenge on a helpless woman, and now I yet delay
+to inform the Cadi of the villanies of this house of enchantment."
+
+I resolved immediately to repair to the Cadi, and give him full
+information of the sorceries of Bennaskar. I hastened out of the bath,
+threw my vestments over me, and advanced to the door.
+
+"But," said I, as I went along, "what am I about to do? I shall
+forfeit my faith without serving the distressed. Bennaskar expects me
+in the saloon, and when he finds that I am gone forth, he will, by the
+power of his art, secrete the beautiful female from the eyes of the
+Cadi. I have been the guest of Bennaskar a month, and never, till this
+day, did I perceive the rooms through which I was led to that
+detestable act of cruelty: nay, Bennaskar himself was obliged to wait:
+he was impatient till the full of the moon, and oppressed with sorrow
+and care when it arose. I will, therefore, for the present, return to
+Bennaskar, and will put on the face of cheerfulness, and make my
+countenance to shine before him."
+
+Bennaskar met me on my return. "Whence cometh Mahoud?" said he.
+
+"I am," answered I, "just risen from the bath, and I come to meet my
+friend Bennaskar."
+
+"Mahoud," answered Bennaskar, "art thou faithful, and wilt thou ever
+remain faithful to thy friend?"
+
+These words embarrassed me, and, not daring to answer otherwise, I
+said, "Why doth my lord doubt the sincerity of my heart?"
+
+"Mahoud, then," returned he, "is faithful?"
+
+"He is," answered I, but with an unwilling heart.
+
+"I doubt not," continued Bennaskar, "that my friend is amazed at the
+scene he lately beheld. But ask no explanations: let thy mouth be ever
+closed to seek or reveal."
+
+"Then," answered I, "you doubt the faithfulness of Mahoud; else why
+may not I know the meaning of the wonders I have seen?"
+
+"The age of thy friendship," said Bennaskar, "is a month, and wouldst
+thou be admitted in so short a time to all the secrets of my heart?
+Forbear, rash youth. A well-tried friend is Bennaskar's joy; but woes
+and death are in the paths of his enemies."
+
+As he said this, he frowned and left me, and I retired to my
+apartment, irresolute in mind. As I entered my chamber, I perceived a
+small book open on a desk before the burning lamps. I went up to it,
+and found it was the Koran of our holy law. Being little desirous of
+sleep, I sat down; and as I read, methought I saw the name of Mahoud
+in the book.
+
+Startled at the vision, I looked again, and read distinctly these
+words:
+
+"Mahoud! Mahoud! Mahoud! there is much good in the world, but there is
+more evil; the good is the gift of Allah, but the evil is the choice
+of His creatures. Because of man's sin, and because of the darkness of
+his heart, do the evil genii and the enchantments of wickedness
+prevail. Even now is Mahoud in the house of a magician, to whom he is
+imprudently bound by the ties of honour: to draw back is meanness; but
+to persist is sin. When men act wrong, they subject themselves to the
+power of a wicked race; and we who are the guardians of mortality
+cannot interpose but in proportion to their remorse. Taken by the
+crafty dissimulation of Bennaskar, thy easy soul gave in to his
+snares, and thy prudence was decoyed by the voice of his mouth. Thou
+hast promised, at all events, not to reveal the secrets of his house,
+and thou hast, unknowingly, joined thyself in the fellowship of the
+wicked. But can man, who is bound to the service of Allah by an
+unalterable law, dispose of himself against the will of his Maker? or
+can the worm of the earth, the property of Heaven, set up itself
+against the hand that formed it? Had Mahoud engaged to conceal
+everything but what the law of Mahomet obliged him to reveal, he had
+behaved wisely; but he who walketh in darkness will undoubtedly fall
+into the pit. Past errors cannot be recalled; and Mahoud must learn
+the wisdom of experience. Under the resemblance of the Koran, behold,
+the genius Macoma instructs thine heart. I perceive evil will attend
+thee, if thou dost attempt the enlargement of the Princess of
+Cassimir; and yet, without it, thou must still continue the servant of
+cruelty and oppression. Choose, therefore, for yourself: if injured
+innocence can move thee, boldly suffer in the cause of truth, and take
+this book in thy bosom, which shall at all times admit thee to a sight
+of the Princess; if not, be still the slave of the enemy of thy
+Prophet."
+
+After this, I looked again on the book, but found I could read no
+more; however, I hesitated not to engage in the service of the
+Princess; and therefore, taking the book in my bosom, and the lamp in
+my hand, I went toward the saloon, supposing that Bennaskar was
+asleep. I searched for the rooms through which I had passed before,
+and soon perceived the vaulted apartment at the end of them.
+
+I hastened to take up the trap-door, and touching the Princess
+Hemjunah with the book, essayed to deliver her from her miserable
+confinement. The Princess awoke at the touch of the book; but, at the
+sight of me, shrieked aloud, and I feared her cries would awaken
+Bennaskar. I assured her that I was sent by the genius Macoma to
+effect her deliverance, and that I abhorred every kind of cruelty
+which I had practised upon her.
+
+"Alas!" said she, still shrieking at intervals, "your story betrays
+your wickedness. I never before saw you, unless you are, as I suspect,
+the magician Bennaskar under some feigned appearance; but rest
+assured, vile man! that no deceit or cruelty shall ever make me the
+creature of Bennaskar. I will ever persist in my hatred of you; and I
+am assured that you cannot injure or destroy me."
+
+"Most gracious Princess Hemjunah!" said I, prostrating myself before
+her, "let me beseech you to hear me: I am not Bennaskar, nor a
+creature of Bennaskar's, but the servant of the genius Macoma, who has
+instructed me, by means of this holy book (which I then pulled out),
+to attempt your rescue, and I am willing to lay down my life for your
+safety. You have not indeed seen me in my present character, but this
+very night was I brought hither by Bennaskar, under the similitude of
+a slave, and forced, through a most accursed oath, to inflict the
+severest tortures on the most delicate of her sex."
+
+"Wretch!" said the Princess, "I am now convinced of thy perfidy,
+allowing thine own account to be true; for what promise could bind
+thee to a cruel action? and why not rather be thyself a sufferer than
+make an innocent virgin the subject of thy cruelties? But if thou art
+truly the servant of Macoma, and ashamed of thy late inhuman deeds,
+quit the house of the vile Bennaskar, and inform the Cadi of his
+cruelties and sorceries."
+
+"Rather," said I, "let me dig around you, and release you from this
+miserable confinement."
+
+"That," said the Princess, "you cannot do, unless you are indeed, as I
+suspect, the wretch Bennaskar; for by his command alone can I be
+released. Oh, fool that I was," continued she, with tears, "to listen
+for a moment to the falsehood of man!"
+
+"If my information," said I, "O lovely Hemjunah, will avail, this
+moment will I fly to the Cadi, and acquaint him with your distress."
+
+I then hastened to go; but oh, imagine my terror and amazement when I
+saw Bennaskar moving through the apartments which led to the vaulted
+chamber!
+
+As he advanced, Hemjunah shrieked, and I was ready to sink: though my
+intentions were just and good, yet was I terrified by his appearance,
+so much was I sunk by the rash promise which I had made; and I every
+moment expected the dreadful effects of his powerful malice.
+
+As Bennaskar entered the vaulted chamber, I shrank back with fear, and
+dared not lift up my eyes; but my terror was soon quieted, when I saw
+him fall prostrate at my feet. I then no longer doubted that the
+genius Macoma supported me, and attributed his behaviour to her
+supernatural power.
+
+"O Mahoud," said Bennaskar, "the friend of my bosom, the partner of my
+secrets; although the power of love has not the rule in thine heart,
+yet pity those who are the slaves of its dominion; if the lovely
+Princess of Cassimir did but know the purity of my heart, the----"
+
+"Hear not the villain," said Hemjunah, "O servant of Macoma, unless he
+release me from this detested place: me he hath already deceived; and
+you will be subjected likewise to his power, unless the prudent spirit
+of Macoma direct thee."
+
+"Then," said Bennaskar, rising up, and laying bare his bosom, "here,
+Mahoud, strike, and end my miseries, and the miseries of Hemjunah; but
+never will Bennaskar consent to lose the treasure of his heart."
+
+"I will not," answered I, "lift up my private arm against thy life,
+but I shall deliver thee to the power of the Cadi, who is the deputy
+of the great Allah's vicegerent."
+
+"Give me, then," said the Princess of Cassimir, "the book of the
+genius Macoma, that I may be defended from the insults and
+contrivances of the base Bennaskar."
+
+The request of the Princess appeared to be so reasonable, that I
+obeyed her, and put the book into her hands.
+
+Bennaskar, when I was leaving the vaulted chamber, besought me not to
+destroy the friend who had supported me; but I told him that Allah was
+to be obeyed rather than man.
+
+I hastened to the Cadi; but as it was night, his officers told me I
+could not be heard, till I informed them that I had in my power a
+wicked magician, who, by sorceries, had stolen the Princess of
+Cassimir. When they heard this, they acquainted the Cadi; and that
+vigilant magistrate arose, and followed me to the house of Bennaskar
+with his guard.
+
+As I entered the house, I was amazed to see him standing in the
+entrance with a lamp in his hand; but my astonishment increased when I
+saw him fall down before the Cadi, and confess his guilt.
+
+The Cadi commanded the guards to seize him, and then ordered him to
+lead us to the place where he had concealed the Princess of Cassimir.
+Bennaskar obeyed; but as he went through the apartments, he said to
+me, "Mahoud, you are sensible that the Princess Hemjunah's body is
+half buried in the earth, and uncovered; therefore prevail upon the
+Cadi that he suffer us to go before and release her: for my part, my
+sins oppress me, and I wish to restore to her dignity a much-injured
+Princess."
+
+"If," said I, "you will promise to release the Princess, I will
+endeavour to prevail on the Cadi to permit what you propose; but,
+otherwise, let the whole world be a witness of your wicked malice."
+
+"O my friend," said Bennaskar, "accuse me not, my own heart persecutes
+me sufficiently. Yes, Mahoud," continued he, "I will, as you require
+me, release the Princess, and trust to the mercy of the Cadi; for the
+service of the evil genii will neither bring me profit nor peace."
+
+I was pleased at this repentance of Bennaskar, and besought the Cadi
+that he would suffer us to enter the vaulted chamber first, and
+recover the Princess from her enchantment. The Cadi acquiesced in my
+proposal, but ordered the guards to surround the entrance, while
+Bennaskar and myself entered the chamber.
+
+As soon as we entered, Bennaskar seized me suddenly by the throat,
+and, before I could speak or recollect myself, he dragged me into the
+closet and shut the door after us.
+
+"Now," said he, "villain! receive the just rewards of a perjured
+heart." Saying this, he spat in my face, and threw me on the ground,
+and then flew out of the closet, shutting the door forcibly after him.
+
+I remained for some moments stupefied by my fall; but after a time
+arose, and opening the closet, I was surprised to see neither the
+Princess of Cassimir nor the magician Bennaskar.
+
+While I was in this confusion, the Cadi and his guards, being
+impatient at our stay, entered the chamber, and the Cadi commanded his
+guards to seize me, saying, "Villain! where is the Princess of
+Cassimir, and the man who revealed thy unrighteous actions?"
+
+At this I began to answer, when I perceived that my voice was as the
+voice of Bennaskar. I immediately looked on my clothes, and found them
+changed. In short, I doubted not that my malicious foe had transformed
+me into his own appearance.
+
+I fell at the feet of the Cadi, and besought him for one moment to
+hear me. I acquainted him with every circumstance of my adventures,
+from my entrance into the house of Bennaskar to the present moment.
+But he and his guards laughed at my tale, and commanded me to deliver
+up my friend and the Princess of Cassimir. In vain did I call Allah to
+witness the truth of my story; the Cadi was enraged at my persisting
+in the tale, and ordered his guards to give me a hundred strokes with
+the chabouc.
+
+To add to my misfortune, Bennaskar appeared at one end of the room;
+and when I cried out and pointed to him, the Cadi, who saw him not,
+thinking that I meant to mock him, ordered me another hundred lashes
+with the chabouc.
+
+Vexed with myself, and subdued by the pain, I fell on the ground, and
+my guards were ordered to carry me to the prison, where I was loaded
+with chains, and thrown into a deep dungeon.
+
+The next morning I was brought out again before the Cadi, and carried
+into the hall of justice. The Cadi there passed sentence upon me, that
+I should be burnt alive the next day unless I delivered up Mahoud and
+the Princess of Cassimir.
+
+Finding it vain to repeat my declarations that I was the real Mahoud,
+and that I suffered through the vile enchantments of Bennaskar, I
+remained silent; but this was construed into surliness, and I was
+ordered five hundred bastinadoes to make me speak.
+
+The Cadi then commanded me to be carried back to the dungeon, and
+ordered a large pile of wood to be raised in the market-place, whereon
+I was to be burnt the next morning, before all the people.
+
+I spent the night in the utmost horror, and earnestly wished that the
+sun might never more behold my sorrows. But the darkness passed away
+as usual, and I beheld the dreadful morning dawn. A tumultuous crowd
+had collected before the door of the dungeon to see me pass to
+execution, and as I was dragged along, the common people nearly
+overwhelmed me with stones.
+
+As I advanced to the pile, I perceived the Cadi and his officers were
+seated before it. He commanded me to be brought again before him ere I
+was bound to the pile.
+
+"Art thou," said he, "wretched magician, willing to bring forth the
+Princess, or thy friend, who are concealed by thy wicked arts, or must
+the sentence of our law be executed upon thee?"
+
+"O judge," said I, "since my tale will not gain credit with thee, at
+least let me know by whose accusation it is that I am brought before
+thee, and who it is that accuses me of magic or sorcery. Am not I
+Bennaskar, the wealthy merchant of Delhi? and where are my accusers?
+Who dare say aught against my fame? You came into my house by night,
+you seized my person, you inflicted on me the punishment of a slave;
+you cast me into a dungeon, and condemned me to the flames; and all
+this without the appearance of a single witness against me: wherefore,
+O Cadi, I appeal unto the righteous Sultan of the East, and I hope my
+fellow-citizens will not suffer me to be executed while no proofs of
+guilt are brought against me."
+
+"Young man," answered the Cadi, "your appeal is unnecessary, for I am
+not desirous of destroying my fellow-creatures without a cause. Your
+plea were just and proper, did not your own confession contradict your
+present assertion. Yesterday you declared that you were not Bennaskar,
+and to-day you say you are; wherefore out of your own lips I have
+convicted you of falsehood; whereas, had you really been Bennaskar the
+merchant, and not a magician, there had been no need of two different
+accounts of yourself."
+
+The people, hearing this distinction of the Cadi, applauded their
+judge; and one and all cried out that I was a magician, and deserved
+the flames.
+
+The guards were then ordered to bind me on the pile, and I was led up
+and fixed to a post by the chains which had been fastened on my body
+the day before; and now, amidst the acclamations of the mob, was the
+pile kindled, and the smoke and the flame surrounded the unfortunate
+Mahoud.
+
+In a moment the crowd and the heavens disappeared from my sight, and I
+found myself in the body of a toad, at the bottom of the pile. I
+hopped forward out of the flames, and with difficulty hid myself
+beneath a stone in the street.
+
+The crowd, having waited till the pile was consumed, carried the ashes
+out of the city, and scattered them in the air. I remained till night
+beneath the stone.
+
+It was my intention, as soon as it was dark, to creep out of the city
+into the woods; but sleep overtook me at the time when animals retire
+to their rest, and when I awoke in the morning I found myself in this
+forest, where I remained during the space of a moon alone, till I met
+with these two miserable companions of my solitude.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"Your adventures, O Mahoud," said the Sultan of India, "are wonderful,
+and an excellent lesson of caution and prudence to us who are joined
+in one common fate; and since I perceive both your misfortunes and my
+own have been brought about by our want of trust and prudence, I
+shall, with the utmost resignation, acknowledge that the all-perfect
+Allah is ever willing to assist those who are not wanting to
+themselves.
+
+"But, O Mahoud, suffer me, ere I declare my own grief, to ask what has
+become of the lovely Hemjunah, the Princess of Cassimir? and wonder
+not at my solicitude, for the mention of her name brings to my memory
+ideas of the past. How was it possible that lovely being should be
+betrayed into the powers of those wicked enchanters? But why should I
+be surprised at her weakness, who am myself the object of their
+malice? Surely," continued the Sultan, "this our companion, whom you
+called Princess, cannot be the daughter of Zebenezer, the Sultan of
+Cassimir?"
+
+"You are right, indeed, in your conjectures," answered Mahoud; "the
+Princess of Cassimir is a fellow-sufferer with us, and he who is on my
+right hand is Horam, the favourite of Misnar, the Lord of Delhi."
+
+"What!" said Misnar, transported, and yet at the same time recoiling
+with surprise, "is my faithful Horam also the unfortunate partner of
+my griefs?"
+
+Misnar then, turning to the Princess of Cassimir, said, "O Princess,
+whom a severe enchantment has deprived of the most exquisite of
+forms, to load thee with the most wretched, permit me to request an
+account of your unfortunate labours since you left the Court of your
+father Zebenezer; that at least I may indulge my wishes for your
+recovery, though my arm is too weak to work either my own or your
+deliverance."
+
+"Most illustrious Sultan," answered the Princess, "I shall obey your
+commands, although the remembrance of my misfortune is grievous, and
+the confession of my indiscretion must fill me with shame."
+
+"It is enough, O Princess," said the Sultan, "to confess our faults to
+Heaven; and he is the weakest of the sons of earth who takes a
+pleasure in hearing of the failings of others."
+
+"O Sultan," replied Hemjunah, "your politeness cannot extenuate,
+though it may gloss over, my imprudence; and by delaying to unfold my
+little history to you, my crime may seem more black while hidden than
+when it shall be revealed."
+
+As the Princess uttered these words, a dervish, worn with age and
+bowed down by infirmity, appeared among the thickets of the forest.
+
+Horam immediately recollected the features of the good old saint, and
+said, "My royal master, yonder is Shemshelnar, the most pious
+worshipper of Allah among all the sons of Asia."
+
+"I do not remember his features," answered Misnar: "came he not to the
+council of our divan?"
+
+"No, my royal lord," said Horam, "the infirmities of age were upon
+him."
+
+By this time Shemshelnar had reached the place where the transformed
+company were seated; and, falling prostrate before Misnar, he said,
+"Wonder not, O Prince of India, that Shemshelnar, thy slave, doth thus
+acknowledge his Prince, though deformed by the enchantments of the
+wicked. I knew the evils that surrounded thee; and although I was
+unable to attend thy council, yet I prayed in secret to Him who
+bestoweth at the noonday, that He would avert from my royal master the
+misfortunes which threatened to overpower him. Allah heard my prayer
+as I lay prostrate in my cell; and the genius Bahoudi appearing,
+commanded me to seek thee in the forest of Tarapajan, whither thy
+wayward fortune should lead thee. 'O genius,' replied I, 'how shall
+age and infirmity comply with thy commands?'
+
+"'Go,' said Bahoudi, touching me with his finger, 'for strength is
+given thee from above. The enchantress Ulin hath transformed thy
+Prince into the most hideous reptile of the earth. But wonder not at
+the deformity of his appearance, nor at the malice of her who has
+overpowered him; for such is the fate of those who are most exalted in
+their virtues, that their enemies, whenever an opportunity is afforded
+to them, will strive to render them most odious. Thy Prince, before
+thou canst arrive in the forest, will be surrounded by three others in
+equal affliction: it is permitted thee to rescue the Sultan of India;
+but the rest must wear the chains of the enchantress till Ulin is no
+more.'
+
+"But ere I restore thee, O Sultan of my heart," continued Shemshelnar,
+"such are the words which the genius hath commanded me to utter before
+thee:
+
+"Religion, O Misnar, is the first and the greatest duty of life, and
+the service of Allah the sweetest offering of a grateful heart. But He
+who appointed the ceremonies and services of piety and devotion hath
+also given to all their respective stations in the warfare of life.
+How, then, shall we pay honour to Allah, if we neglect and desert the
+peculiar duties of that post wherein Allah hath placed us? The signet
+of Mahomet, O Prince, of which Mangelo the prophet did prophesy, is it
+not that seal which the Faithful bear on their frontlets, when they
+obey the voice of reason and religion? and the girdle of Opakka, with
+which Kifri, the enchanter, is endued, what is it but foresight and
+prudence, the best allies of the Sultans of the earth? To save his
+people my Prince has deserted them, and given away what he sought to
+keep. When Allah placed thee on the throne of India, He thence
+expected to hear thy petitions; but, as faults which proceed from
+goodness, though uninstructed, are beheld with Heaven's piteous eye,
+therefore arise, O Sultan," said Shemshelnar, and touched him, "rise
+from the filth of the earth, and again assume the glories with which
+Allah hath endued thee. And know, that such is His care over thee,
+that He hath curbed the hands of thine enemies, and bids thee go
+forth against them, assured of this, that they shall not be able by
+their enchantments to foresee thy designs, nor to overpower thee by
+the help of their magical deceits, unless thou yield to their snares.
+Be prudent and vigilant, and fear them not. Only this is permitted
+against thee,--if thou canst not overpower and destroy them unawares,
+they may use their art to conceal their escape, and avoid thy arm;
+therefore be bold and quick, and yet cautious and discerning, lest,
+when force avails not, they employ fraud to destroy thee."
+
+As Shemshelnar finished these words, Misnar arose in his natural form;
+but, ere he spake to the holy dervish who had released him, he fell
+prostrate, and adored the goodness of Allah, who had thus rescued him
+from the power of Ulin. Then, rising, he took Shemshelnar by the hand,
+and thanked him for his release and advice.
+
+"Thou hast done right, O Misnar," said the dervish, "to give the
+greatest honour to Allah, for to Him alone belongs all honour."
+
+"And may I not hope," continued the Sultan, "that it will please Him
+to release these my fellow-sufferers also?"
+
+"Misnar alone can release them," answered the dervish. "Let Ulin
+perish, and these unfortunate persons shall be restored to thee and
+themselves; but in the meantime they must learn to bear their
+misfortunes with patience, and offer their prayers for thy safety. The
+road to Delhi is through this desert forest, and to the left is
+situated the palace of Ulin. She is already aware of thy
+re-transformation, and is studying to deceive thee a second time; but
+beware, O Misnar! for if she prevail, death and destruction await
+thee."
+
+Misnar, having received the instructions of the dervish, took leave of
+his companions, assuring them he was desirous of meeting the crafty
+Ulin as soon as possible, that he might either give up all pretensions
+to his kingdom, or deliver his subjects and his friends from the hands
+of the enchantress.
+
+The Sultan of the Indies, having left the dervish and his friends,
+advanced into the forest, chewing some leaves which Shemshelnar had
+given him to support him till he should arrive at his palace. He had
+not advanced more than two days' journey in the forest before he heard
+the violent shrieks of a distressed woman, and at a distance saw four
+ruffians stripping a lady, and beating her inhumanly.
+
+Misnar was enraged at what he saw, and, flying to the lady's
+assistance, he bade the ruffians defend themselves. They chose not to
+encounter the arm of Misnar, but, leaving the lady, fled; and the
+Prince, stepping up to her, desired to know by what accident she had
+fallen thus alone into the hands of the robbers.
+
+"O noble sir!" said the lady in tears--"for I perceive by your mien I
+speak to no common friend--it was my fate to be beloved by the
+handsomest of the sons of the Faithful. I lived in Delhi, the daughter
+of an Emir; and Hazar, the captain of a thousand in the army of
+Misnar, the Sultan of the East, was my admirer; but, alas! his love
+has proved my destruction. The second son of the great Dabulcombar,
+assisted by Ulin the enchantress, aspired to his brother's throne; and
+the soldiers, who loved the hazardous chance of war, deserted
+frequently from Misnar our Sultan: among the rest Hazar, in spite of
+my utmost endeavours, revolted with his thousand men."
+
+"'There is no preferment,' said he, 'in the peaceful reign of Misnar;
+I will follow the fortunes of his brother, whose throne must be gained
+and supported by arms.' In vain I remonstrated, and urged both love
+and duty. 'My love,' said Hazar, 'is still unalterable: thou wilt soon
+see me return the favourite of the new monarch, and it will then be in
+my power to raise thee to higher dignities than those which thy father
+now possesses.'
+
+"Hazar then left me by night, and soon I heard that he had joined the
+rebel army; but, O generous stranger! what was my grief when I
+understood that Ulin, the detestable enchantress, was stricken with
+his appearance, and had deceived him! I set out without delay for the
+camp, and, studying to avoid the army of Misnar, travelled through
+this wood with four slaves.
+
+"Being now arrived at the farther side, I struck into the thickest
+part of the forest, and, losing sight of my attendants, I wandered
+about for some time till morning, when on a sudden I heard several
+voices among the trees. In an instant four ruffians surrounded me,
+and, had not your powerful arm interposed, I should have suffered the
+vilest of deaths."
+
+Misnar endeavoured to comfort the afflicted stranger, and asked her
+whether she thought it possible for any man to enter the palace of
+Ulin undiscovered.
+
+"O Sultan," said she, "let me prevail upon you to follow me, and I
+will ensure your success."
+
+Misnar besought her to walk before, and show him the path which led to
+the palace.
+
+"We will reach it by night," said the stranger, "when the darkness
+shall protect thee."
+
+The beautiful stranger then went forward, and Misnar followed after.
+Ere they had proceeded twenty paces, Misnar said,
+
+"It will be proper, O fair stranger, to draw my scimitar, lest we be
+set upon suddenly by the robbers."
+
+"You are right," answered the fair stranger, "and your precaution is
+just."
+
+The Sultan Misnar, having drawn his sabre, followed close behind the
+beautiful stranger, and suddenly with a blow smote her on the
+shoulders, and felled her to the ground.
+
+She had no sooner fallen, than her countenance changed, and discovered
+to Misnar the features of the malicious enchantress Ulin, who, though
+nearly spent and exhausted by the blow, yet lived to utter the
+following imprecations:
+
+"May the curse of our sex light upon thee, thou traitor to manhood!
+since neither the charms nor the afflictions of the fair have been
+able to soften thine heart. Thou hast, indeed, avoided my snares, by
+doing violence to the noblest of passions, and by trampling on the
+most sacred laws of humanity and hospitality. Idiot that I was to
+trust myself to thee, though guarded by the strongest appearances of
+innocence and distress! The injured and the helpless can find no
+protection in thy government, though thou boastest thyself the
+delegate of Allah and the friend of the oppressed; and I, trusting to
+thy specious virtues, have fallen a sacrifice to thy deceitful
+heart."
+
+Her iniquitous spirit then fled from the body of Ulin, and the Sultan
+left her mangled and deformed corpse a prey to the beasts of the
+forest.
+
+He travelled for several days backward, hoping to find the former
+companions of his misery, and at last came to the place which he had
+left, but could see no signs of them; wherefore, concluding that their
+enchantment was broken by the death of Ulin, the Sultan returned
+towards Delhi, subsisting on the leaves which the dervish had given
+him, and on the fruits of the earth, and in twelve days' time arrived
+at a small town in his own dominions. Here he lodged at a poor
+cottage, where he found an old woman and her son, and inquired whether
+she could procure him any horses or mules to carry him the next
+morning to Delhi.
+
+"Alas!" answered the old woman, "we have no cattle with us; the army
+has stripped us of all."
+
+"What!" answered Misnar, "has the rebel army been foraging so near
+Delhi?"
+
+"Alack!" said the old woman, "I think all armies are rebels, for my
+part. Indeed, the soldiers told us that they were the Sultan's army,
+and that they were sent to guard us from the rebels; but in the
+meantime they took our cattle and provision, and paid us nothing for
+them; and still, every time they came, they called themselves our
+guardians and friends. If this is all the friendship great men can
+show us, we poor people should be best pleased to live as far from
+them as we can."
+
+Although Misnar smiled at the poor woman's speech, yet, lifting up his
+eyes and hands secretly to heaven, as she went out for sticks to
+kindle a fire to dress his provisions, he said, "O just and merciful
+Allah, preserve me from the avarice of ambition! that, while the rich
+and the proud advise me to delight in blood, I may ever remember the
+severities which the poor must suffer; and that I may rather rejoice
+to relieve one oppressed slave, than to enrich ten thousand flattering
+Emirs of my Court!"
+
+As soon as the old woman entered again into her house, the disguised
+Sultan advised her and her neighbours to join in a petition, and
+present it to the Sultan in his divan.
+
+"A petition!" answered the old woman, "and for what?"
+
+"To relieve your distresses," said Misnar.
+
+"Alas! who is to relieve our distresses but Allah?" said the woman.
+
+"Your Sultan, the servant of Allah, will relieve them," replied
+Misnar.
+
+"What!" answered the old woman; "can he restore to these arms my
+dutiful first-born, who has been so long the joy of my aged heart, but
+was lately torn from me to fill up the armies of the Sultan? Can he
+call back the brave men he has caused to be destroyed, and give life
+and spirits and joy again to the widows and orphans of India? If he
+can, oh! let him hasten to relieve the afflicted hearts of his
+subjects, and become as a god upon earth!"
+
+The Sultan was astonished at the words and the gestures of the poor
+old woman, and deeply stricken by her observations.
+
+"How seldom," said he to himself, "do the rich feel the distresses of
+the poor! and in the midst of conquest and acclamation, who regardeth
+the tears and afflictions of those who have lost their friends in the
+public service?"
+
+The Sultan Misnar rested that night in the cottage of the old woman;
+and the next morning he arose, and was conducted by her younger son to
+a town half a day's journey farther. Here he supplied himself with
+mules, and in one day more reached the city of Delhi.
+
+The Sultan entered a caravanserai, where he found several merchants.
+He asked them how they dared venture to trade, when the armies of the
+rebels were spread over the face of India.
+
+"As to that," answered the first merchant, "we have lived here some
+time, in expectation that one party or the other would prevail. It
+little matters to us which, provided trade be encouraged. As to the
+Sultan's party, there was not, till within these few days, any hope of
+their success. The young man himself had retired from his throne,
+being fearful of encountering his enemies; and the captains of the
+army had destroyed the Prime Vizier Horam."
+
+"And what," interrupted Misnar, "is the cause of this change in favour
+of the Sultan?"
+
+"Ten days since," answered the merchant, "contrary to every one's
+belief, as we all thought him dead, the Vizier Horam appeared at the
+head of the army, and assured the officers that his lord Misnar was
+living, and had destroyed the enchantress Ulin, who espoused the cause
+of his brother Ahubal; that, in consequence of Ulin's death, Ahubal
+had fled, and his army had been dispersed; and that he expected his
+royal master would shortly appear among them."
+
+The Sultan rejoiced at this news, and without delay hastened to the
+palace of his Vizier.
+
+The slaves of Horam, seeing the disguised Sultan, asked him his
+business.
+
+"I come," replied Misnar, "to communicate to thy lord tidings of our
+Sultan."
+
+At this word, the slaves of Horam conducted Misnar to their master's
+presence; and Horam no sooner saw his master in the disguise with
+which he had furnished him, than he fell at the Sultan's feet, and
+congratulated him on his safe return.
+
+"My faithful Horam," said Misnar, "arise. The day is not yet so far
+spent but that my Court may be assembled. Give orders, Horam, that the
+army be drawn up, and let thy slaves proceed to the palace, and bring
+the imperial robes. My people require my presence, and Misnar yearns
+to see the supporters of his throne."
+
+Horam arose, and the Sultan, embracing him, said, "Horam, I am
+desirous of hearing the particulars of thy fate; but public advantage
+must not yield to private friendship."
+
+The faithful Horam then hastened to call together the Princes and the
+Viziers of the Court of Delhi, and gave orders that the army should be
+drawn up in the royal square before the divan.
+
+The Sultan Misnar, being arrayed in his imperial robes, delayed not to
+show himself to his people; and no sooner did he appear, than his
+subjects cried out, "Long live the Sultan of our hearts, who alone was
+able to conquer the powers of enchantment!"
+
+The Sultan was overjoyed to find that his people received him with
+gladness, and commanded money to be thrown among the populace, and
+double subsistence to be dealt out to his army. The viziers and
+officers of justice being assembled in the divan, waited the arrival
+of their Sultan; and Misnar, having ascended the throne, commanded
+Horam to deliver to him a faithful account of his enemies.
+
+Horam the Vizier then arose from his seat, and assured his Sultan that
+the rebel army was dispersed, and that Ahubal had fled with a few
+friends to the shores of the Indian Ocean.
+
+The Sultan, on this report, commanded his army to be stationed at
+suitable intervals, about a day's journey round the city of Delhi,
+that their numbers should be reduced, and that peace should be
+proclaimed the next day in the city.
+
+No sooner were the Viziers dismissed from the divan, than Misnar,
+retiring into his palace, sent for his faithful Vizier Horam, and
+desired him to give him a true relation of what had happened to him
+since his departure from the army.
+
+"Royal sir," answered Horam, "you were no sooner departed than I began
+to inspect the order and discipline of your troops; to look into the
+methods of providing for the army; and to appoint proper officers, who
+should take care that the soldiers had sufficient and wholesome
+provision--that their tents were good--that the situations of the
+different battalions were in healthy places, near springs and rivers,
+but on dry soils, and as far as possible removed from swampy fens or
+the stagnated air of the forests.
+
+"During this time little occurred of which I could inform my lord, as
+I meant not to trouble you with my own concerns, lest it should seem
+that I was proud of the trifling dispositions which I had made in
+favour of the army.
+
+"The rebels in the meantime were quiet, and their distance only
+prevented me from destroying them; but, on a sudden, a messenger
+arrived with tidings that all the southern provinces had revolted;
+that the enchantress Ulin was with them, and conducted their forces;
+that Ahubal was declared Sultan of India by her; and that she was
+determined to support his cause. Upon this I took such precautions as,
+doubtless, my Sultan must have read in the tablets; but my precautions
+seemed vain, for the next night we were on a sudden terrified with a
+second alarm, that the rebels were within half a day's march of our
+camp, which I thought, considering their former distance, must be the
+effect of enchantment.
+
+"This threw our officers into the greatest consternation, who,
+collecting themselves in a body, came rushing towards the royal tent,
+and demanded a sight of the Sultan, and declared their resolution of
+revolting to the enemy unless you headed the troops.
+
+"I was writing despatches in the royal tent when I heard their tumult,
+and my heart fled as they approached; but as they stopped for some
+time to fix upon one for their speaker, I had just time to slip on a
+slave's habit, and cut my way through the hinder part of the tent.
+
+"I ran as swiftly as my feet could carry me out of the encampment; and
+being stopped by several sentinels, I told them I was dispatched by
+the Vizier, and showed them my own signet.
+
+"But I was no sooner clear of the army than I repented of my folly.
+'What have I done?' said I to myself. 'I have deserted my post, and
+ruined the interests of my lord: better had I died at the head of my
+Sultan's troops, or fallen a sacrifice to their rage, than thus
+ingloriously to perish! Besides, I may have been terrified without
+just cause: the rebel army may not be so near. I ought to have stayed
+in the tent, and endeavoured to pacify the officers of the army.'
+
+"And now I was in doubt whether to return, or, as I had penetrated
+thus far, whether it would not be most prudent to take a near survey
+of the rebel army. I resolved upon the last, and cautiously travelled
+towards the place where the spies said they were encamped.
+
+"I arrived at the spot described, but saw neither sentinels nor
+encampment. Amazed at this, I proceeded onwards during that and the
+next day, but no army was to be seen, nor anything indicating their
+approach.
+
+"'Alas!' said I to myself, 'how little worthy wert thou of the
+confidence of thy lord! And yet, better is this mistake than the
+certainty of the rebels' approach, which could not have been effected
+without the power of enchantment.'
+
+"Ere it was too late, I resolved to return, hoping that I should
+pacify the troops by assuring them that I had in person been a witness
+to the untruth of the last alarm.
+
+"But, alas! when I essayed to return, I found my feet fixed to the
+ground: in a moment the earth trembled, and Ulin the enchantress arose
+on the back of an enormous reptile.
+
+"'Wise and gracious Vizier,' said she, in an insulting tone, 'I admire
+your prudence and discretion! and although Mahomet and his faithful
+crew of genii may not permit us to overpower you or your prudent
+master while you resist our temptation, yet there is little to be
+feared from their interposition while you become such easy dupes to
+our artifices. The army which I led against thy wretched Sultan is not
+less than forty days' march hence, and is embarrassed by the mountains
+and the forests; and yet the credulous Vizier abandoned his charge on
+the most improbable alarm, and fled into the arms of one who well
+knows how to reward his prudence and address. Become, therefore, O
+silly Vizier, a loathsome toad; and I shall in a moment transport thee
+into the forest of Tarapajan, whither several of thy wise brethren are
+gone before thee.'
+
+"As she spake thus, the enchantress breathed on me with her
+pestiferous breath, and, falling to the ground, I crawled like a toad
+before her. Ulin then waved her hand, and sleep overpowered me. When I
+awoke I found myself between the merchant of Delhi and the Princess of
+Cassimir, who, like me, had felt the vengeance of Ulin the
+enchantress.
+
+"It was some consolation to us that our speech was not taken from us,
+but that we were able to communicate to each other our misfortunes.
+
+"Mahoud first inquired of me the adventures of my life, and I had just
+finished them the day before you, O Sultan! appeared among us. While
+Mahoud was relating his history, your voice struck my ears, and I
+feared to ask whether my lord was in equal affliction with his slave."
+
+"Did you not, then," said Misnar, "hear the adventures of Hemjunah,
+the Princess of Cassimir?"
+
+"I did not, my Sultan," answered Horam. "Hemjunah was about to relate
+her adventures when you appeared; and after Shemshelnar, the dervish,
+had released you, she desired to reserve them till such time as we
+should meet hereafter in our natural forms.
+
+"Two days after you left us with Shemshelnar, who endeavoured to
+alleviate our afflictions, on a sudden we perceived a vivid flash of
+lightning, which was succeeded by a violent clap of thunder, and while
+we were all looking at each other, the wood instantly vanished, and I
+found myself in my palace at Delhi. What became of Mahoud, or the
+Princess of Cassimir, I know not; but I was sensible that my Prince
+had conquered the enchantress, who had laid such hateful chains upon
+us.
+
+"I hastened to the divan of Viziers and Emirs, who were astonished at
+my presence. They were met in order to appoint a Sultan, having just
+heard from the army that both their Sultan and his Vizier had fled
+from the encampments. A friend of Ahubal's had proposed that Prince to
+succeed my royal master, and orders were given to proclaim him when I
+arrived in the divan.
+
+"Being acquainted with the resolutions of the Viziers and Emirs, I
+proclaimed aloud that my royal master Misnar was alive, and that he
+had destroyed the enchantress Ulin, who had espoused the cause of
+Ahubal.
+
+"At this declaration, the Viziers and Emirs prostrated themselves, and
+gave thanks to Allah; and the trumpets and the cornets went through
+the streets of Delhi, and proclaimed my arrival and the victory of
+Misnar their Sultan over the enchantress Ulin.
+
+"I dispatched orders, before the divan broke up, to the army, with
+advice of your success, and commanded a part to march for the city of
+Delhi, leaving only a sufficient number of troops to observe the
+motions of the enemy if they should again unite; for I knew that
+Ulin's destruction would cause a dispersion of their army.
+
+"Having settled the affairs of my master, to complete my joy, tidings
+were brought me of his approach, and Horam is again blessed with the
+sight of his Sultan."
+
+The Vizier Horam, having finished his relation, bowed himself before
+the Sultan, and said, "Shall thy slave give orders that an ambassador
+be sent to the Sultan of Cassimir to inquire after the fate of the
+Princess Hemjunah?"
+
+"Horam," answered the Sultan, "while war stalks thus boldly through
+our dominions, it were vain to assume a state that we may in a moment
+be deprived of. No, Horam, let us wait for more prosperous times."
+
+Early in the morning several messengers arrived with the news of the
+death of Ulin and the revolt of ten provinces from Ahubal, and soon
+after the provinces sent deputies to excuse their rebellion, and to
+beseech the Sultan to pardon their offences. Misnar yielded to their
+prayers, but ordered some of the most faithful of his troops to march
+into their borders and encamp among them.
+
+The Sultan then redressed the grievances which his soldiers had
+committed as far as he was able, and, by a just and equal law, obliged
+every division to furnish such a number of troops; for, although no
+clouds were then seen to interrupt his reign, yet Misnar was assured
+that, through the wiles of his enemies the enchanters, he should
+shortly be called upon to exercise his prudence.
+
+Nor were his fears unjust. Ahubal, though deserted by the provinces,
+was yet espoused by the magician Happuck, who, hearing of the defeat
+of his sister Ulin, was resolved to revenge the cause of that detested
+race.
+
+It was not long before the Sultan heard that the magician Happuck was
+encouraging the provinces who had followed Ulin to revolt again from
+their Sultan; but the fear of Misnar's troops overawed them; so that
+whatever might be their real inclinations, they refused the offers and
+entreaties of Happuck.
+
+The Sultan, more effectually to secure their obedience, increased the
+number of his forces in the provinces, and preserved the chain of
+communication from them quite through his extensive dominions.
+
+The magician, finding the Sultan's forces so well disposed, and that
+no encouragement could prevail on the southern provinces to revolt,
+abandoned his design of succeeding by the force of arms, and flew to
+the weapons of craft and dissimulation.
+
+Though Happuck had now been employed nearly a year in raising
+commotions among the subjects of India, two provinces only owned the
+government of Ahubal: the rest continued firm in their loyalty to the
+Sultan Misnar.
+
+These provinces had raised a light army of about forty thousand men,
+who, by forced marches, harassed the neighbouring provinces around
+them.
+
+Of these, three thousand horsemen parted suddenly from the rest, and,
+by following unfrequented tracks over the mountains and through the
+forests, arrived at length within two days' march of Delhi.
+
+Here, pitching their tents, they sent several of their chief officers
+to Delhi, to assure the Sultan that they were greatly afflicted at
+their crimes, and were desirous of laying down their rebellious arms
+at his feet.
+
+Horam the Vizier received these suppliants, and representing their
+contrition to the Sultan, he commanded them to join the main army; at
+the same time sending dispatches to his general to dismount them from
+their horses, and to encamp them in such a situation that they might
+not be able either to escape or to annoy his army if they should be
+disposed to revolt again.
+
+The magician Happuck, who was among the officers that appeared at
+Delhi, and who had contrived the revolt in order to get into the
+presence of the Sultan, was greatly chagrined to find that the Vizier
+Horam received him, and that he was not to be admitted into Misnar's
+presence; but, concealing his disappointment, he, with the rest,
+joined the three thousand horsemen, and marched to the grand army of
+Misnar.
+
+Once a year the whole army was reviewed by the Sultan in person, and
+it happened that the disguised magician and his troops of horsemen
+arrived at the army three days before this general review. The
+magician rejoiced at this fortunate event.
+
+"Ibrac," said he to the officer who commanded his troop, "fortune has
+now given me an opportunity of revenging the death of my sister Ulin.
+This disguise of an officer is not sufficient: I will descend to the
+lowest station, where I shall be less suspected, and as the Sultan
+Misnar passes between the ranks where I am situated, I will draw my
+bow, and pierce him to the heart. Having done this, I shall render
+myself invisible, and do you, in the general consternation, proclaim
+Ahubal the Sultan of India."
+
+"Most powerful magician," answered Ibrac, "what need is there of this
+deceit? Since you are able to render yourself invisible, why cannot
+you enter the Sultan's palace unseen, and stab him to the heart?"
+
+"Faithful Ibrac," answered the magician, "you know not the powers
+which support this boy-like urchin. The genius Bahoudi, at whose name
+our race trembles, is his guardian, and prevents my approach; and it
+is written in the volumes of fate that no enchantment shall prevail
+against Misnar unless he first allow our crafty race to deceive him.
+Otherwise, Ibrac, dost thou suppose that so many of my brethren,
+before whom the mountains tremble and the ocean boils, should need to
+league against a boy? No, Ibrac; Misnar were beneath our vengeance or
+our art, did not Mahomet espouse him, and his mean vassals, the good
+genii of mankind! The conquest of this boy, while thus supported,
+would add strength to our cause."
+
+Ibrac then furnished the magician with the clothing of one of the
+common soldiers; and he was mustered with the rest of the troops.
+
+Early in the morning on which Misnar was to review his men, the Sultan
+arose, and bade his slaves, who waited in the pavilion, call his
+Vizier Horam to him.
+
+"Horam," said the Sultan, "I suspect the crafty magician Happuck: he
+is doubtless here disguised in our camp, and if I expose myself
+to-day, it may be in his power to destroy me, and set the crown of
+India on my brother's head."
+
+"Let my Sultan, then," said Horam, "proclaim a reward to him who
+discovers the magician, even to the holding of the second place in
+your empire."
+
+"That contrivance would have little effect," said the Sultan. "Happuck
+would elude our search, and, transforming himself into some reptile,
+escape our vengeance, and then meditate some new device to deceive
+us. No, Horam," continued Misnar, "if he be really with us, it were
+folly to let him escape."
+
+"But how will my lord discover him amidst three hundred thousand
+troops?" answered the Vizier. "There is no officer in your army who
+knows the fiftieth part of your soldiers; and where recruits are daily
+coming in, to search for a particular person, without giving the alarm
+so that Happuck might escape, would be impossible."
+
+"In how many ranks," said the Sultan, "is the army to be disposed?"
+
+"The plain," answered the Vizier, "on which they are to be reviewed
+will contain three thousand in a row."
+
+"Bring me, then, two hundred of the most expert archers in my army,"
+said the Sultan, "and take them from those troops who are the farthest
+from the deserters who lately joined the army."
+
+The Vizier did as the Sultan commanded, and brought the archers before
+the royal pavilion.
+
+"Go now, Horam," said the Sultan, "and order all the troops to be
+drawn out on the plain."
+
+"They are almost assembled already," said Horam.
+
+"Then," replied the Sultan, "take these archers, and place one at each
+extremity of the ranks, an archer on the right of each rank; but,
+before you station them thus, give them the following orders: 'Be
+ready with your bows drawn, and your arrows fixed to the bow-string,
+and, whenever the word of command is given for all the army to fall
+prostrate, let your arrows fly at the man who is last to obey the word
+of command.'"
+
+The troops being all drawn forth in their ranks, and the archers
+disposed according to the Sultan's orders, Misnar came forth, attended
+by his eunuchs, Viziers, Emirs, and guards. The loud clarion sounded,
+the notes of the trumpets were heard, and the brazen cymbals shook the
+air.
+
+The magician, who was impatient to perpetrate the malicious purposes
+of his heart, was elated at the warlike sound, and beheld the Sultan's
+retinue at a distance with such joy as the eagle views the flocks of
+sheep on the plains of Homah.
+
+The Sultan, having arrived at the front of his army, which he knew was
+composed of his most faithful troops, commanded silence throughout the
+plain.
+
+"My brave soldiers," said he, "although neither care nor resolution
+has been wanting on your parts to extirpate the rebellion of my
+provinces, yet to Allah only belong the glory and the honour of your
+arms; wherefore let immediate orders be issued forth among my troops,
+that all do together fall prostrate on the ground before the
+all-seeing Allah, the Governor of the world and the Disposer of
+kingdoms and crowns."
+
+As this order went forth through the ranks, the soldiers at once fell
+prostrate before Allah, all but the magician Happuck, who was
+surprised and astonished at the order, and irresolute what to do. But
+little time was given him to think; for no sooner were his
+fellow-soldiers fallen prostrate on each side of him, than the arrows
+of the archers pierced his heart.
+
+The magician, finding himself overpowered, and that the messengers of
+death had seized him, raised his voice aloud, and, with what little
+strength was left, cursed both Allah and His Prophet; but the stream
+of life flowed swiftly from him, and his curses grew fainter and
+fainter, till they were lost in death.
+
+Those who were acquainted with the designs of Happuck, perceiving that
+the magician was dead and their plot discovered, began to fly; and
+first Ibrac essayed to head his discarded troops; but they, not being
+used to march on foot, soon fell into confusion, and, the forces of
+the Sultan surrounding them, they were quickly destroyed.
+
+The Sultan Misnar saw, by the confusion of his army in the centre,
+that the discovery was made, and sent Horam, with some chosen troops,
+to inquire into the cause of their disorder.
+
+The Vizier had no sooner arrived than he perceived several soldiers
+bringing along the body of the magician Happuck, which appeared
+undisguised after death.
+
+"Bid the two archers," said the Vizier, "who destroyed the monster
+come forward."
+
+When the archers came, Horam applauded their skill and their
+obedience, and advised them to take the body between them, and carry
+it before the Sultan.
+
+The archers obeyed, and, the ranks opening as they passed, they soon
+arrived at the feet of Misnar.
+
+The Sultan, seeing his enemy thus destroyed, ordered the two archers
+ten purses, containing each one hundred pieces of gold; and to every
+other archer one purse containing one hundred pieces of gold. To him
+who brought the head of Ibrac also he gave five purses of like value;
+and then again issued his commands that the whole army should fall
+prostrate and adore the mercy of Allah, who had so soon delivered into
+their hands the chief of their enemies.
+
+In the meantime, two only of the troops of Ibrac and Happuck escaped;
+and, returning to Ahubal, they acquainted him with their defeat.
+
+Ahubal fled at the news, and hid himself in the mountains; for he
+feared lest his soldiers should betray him, and deliver him up to his
+brother.
+
+But Ollomand, the enchanter, who first counselled the Sultan of India
+to secure his throne by spilling the innocent blood of his brother,
+now resolved to revenge the common cause. He therefore directed the
+steps of Ahubal toward a cave in the mountains, where, fatigued with
+flight and fearful of pursuit, the royal rebel arrived in the heat of
+the day.
+
+The cave was, for the most part, surrounded by steep mountains, at a
+great distance from any track or path, and was situated at the
+entrance of a long valley which led among the mountains.
+
+Ahubal, having slept and refreshed himself in the cave, pursued his
+journey through the valley, till he found his path stopped by
+inaccessible rocks, on the top of which he perceived a magnificent
+castle, whose walls reflected the rays of the sun like burnished gold.
+
+The brother of Misnar fixed his eye for some time on that part of the
+castle which was shaded by the rest, for the front was too dazzling to
+behold, and, in a few moments, he perceived a small wicket open, and a
+dwarf come forth.
+
+Ahubal soon lost sight of the dwarf behind the rocks; but he resolved
+to wait there to see whether he could find any passage into the
+valley.
+
+The dwarf, after being hid for some time, appeared again about the
+middle of the rocks, and by his course appeared to descend in a spiral
+path around the mountain.
+
+When the dwarf had reached the bottom he advanced to Ahubal, and,
+presenting him with a clue, he told him that, if he threw it before
+him, and followed it, the clue would unravel itself, and discover to
+him the path which led up the rocks to the castle of Ollomand, his
+master.
+
+Ahubal, having heard from Ulin and Happuck that Ollomand was his
+friend, took the clue out of the hand of the dwarf, and threw it
+before him.
+
+As the clue rolled onward until it touched the rocks, Ahubal
+discovered a regular ascent, which, winding round, brought him by
+degrees to the castle on the summit of the mountain.
+
+The enchanter Ollomand received Ahubal at the entrance of the castle,
+which was guarded by four dragons, and led him through a large court
+into a spacious hall, the walls of which were lined with human bones
+that had been whitened in the sun.
+
+"Favourite of the race of the powerful," said Ollomand, "see here the
+bones of those who have lifted up their arms against thee; and I will
+add to their number till this castle be filled."
+
+"Alas," answered Ahubal, "Ulin is no more, and the vultures are
+preying on the vitals of Happuck! Ten provinces have deserted my
+cause, and the coffers of my army are exhausted!"
+
+"Happuck," answered Ollomand, "despised the assistance of riches and
+trusted to deceit, and therefore failed. The provinces dared not
+revolt while the armies of Misnar overawed them; but I will replenish
+thy coffers, and Ollomand will tempt the leaders of the Sultan's
+troops to join the cause of Ahubal. In this castle are riches and arms
+sufficient to equip all the inhabitants of Asia; and when these are
+exhausted, we will apply to Pharesanen, Hapacuson, and all the
+chieftains of our race: and fear not, Ahubal; for, by my art, I read
+that Misnar the Sultan shall fly before the face of his enemies."
+
+Ahubal was encouraged by the words of Ollomand; and the enchanter,
+having opened his design to the Prince, invited him to behold the
+riches of his castle.
+
+Passing through the hall of bones, they descended into a square court,
+much more spacious than the former, in the middle of which appeared a
+deep and dark pit. This court contained four hundred massive gates of
+brass, and each gate was supported by nine enormous hinges of the same
+metal.
+
+As Ollomand the enchanter entered this court, with the Prince Ahubal
+in his hand, he lifted up his voice, which echoed like thunder amidst
+the lofty turrets of the castle, and commanded his slaves to expose to
+the sight of Ahubal the treasures of their master.
+
+The Prince Ahubal, who had seen no creature but the dwarf and the
+enchanter in the castle, wondered whence the slaves would come; but
+his wonder was shortly turned into fear when he beheld a gigantic
+black, with a club of ebony forty feet in length, arise out of the pit
+which was in the centre of the court.
+
+But his horrors were increased when he perceived a succession of the
+same gigantic monsters following one another out of the pit, and
+advancing to the four hundred brazen gates, till every gate had a
+slave standing before it.
+
+When Ollomand saw his slaves were all prepared before the gates, he
+bade them strike with their clubs of ebony against them.
+
+The black slaves, in obedience to the enchanter's orders, lifted up
+their ponderous clubs of ebony, and struck against the four hundred
+gates, which jarred so much with the blows of the slaves that Ahubal
+was forced to stop his ears, and was ready to sink into the earth with
+astonishment and dread.
+
+As soon as the black slaves of Ollomand had struck the four hundred
+gates of brass, the gates began to move, and the harsh creaking of the
+hinges sent forth a noise which alone had chilled the hearts of all
+the armies of Misnar, could they have heard them.
+
+Ahubal then, lifting up his head, looked around the court, and saw the
+four hundred gates were opened. In those to the right were millions of
+wedges of gold and silver, piled beneath craggy arches of huge
+unchiselled stone. Opposite to these he beheld a hundred vaulted
+roofs, under which were sacks and bags of the gold and silver coin of
+many nations.
+
+Before him another hundred gates exposed to his view the arms and
+warlike accoutrements of ten thousand nations, and all the instruments
+of death which the inventive malice of man had ever devised.
+
+Ahubal, who understood but little of these instruments, was amazed at
+their construction, and asked for what purposes they were formed.
+
+"These," said Ollomand, "are the arms of Europe, a part of the earth
+filled with industrious robbers, whose minds are hourly on the stretch
+to invent new plagues to torment each other. Of these mortals many are
+settled on the sea-coasts of our southern provinces, whom I shall
+persuade through the instigation of that god whom they worship, to
+join the forces of Ahubal."
+
+"Hast thou, then, mighty enchanter," answered the Prince Ahubal, "the
+gods of Europe in thy power?"
+
+"The Europeans," said Ollomand, "acknowledge one God, who, they
+pretend, doth inhabit the heavens, but whom _we_ find buried in the
+entrails of the earth: gold, O Prince, is their god, for whose sake
+they will undertake the most daring enterprises, and forsake the best
+of friends. To these shalt thou send presents, and future promises of
+wealth; and, by their machinations, fear not but Misnar shall yield to
+thy superior address."
+
+"What need of the arms or the persons of Europeans," answered the
+Prince Ahubal, "while my friend has an army of such gigantic slaves,
+ten of whom are more than sufficient to destroy the puny armies of my
+brother the Sultan?"
+
+"Alas!" said Ollomand, "the slaves of enchantment cannot fight against
+the sons of the Faithful. Though we deny Mahomet, and will not adore
+him, yet we cannot control a power that must overrule us. As Misnar's
+troops are in possession of the country, we will transport ourselves
+to Orixa in the disguise of merchants, and there endeavour to forward
+the destruction of Misnar, the tame Sultan of the East."
+
+As Ollomand spake these words he stamped with his feet, and a
+chariot, drawn by four dragons, arose from the pit in the centre of
+the court, which Ahubal and the enchanter ascended, and were conveyed
+in a dark cloud to the woods behind the city of Orixa.
+
+When Ollomand's chariot alighted on the ground, he touched the dragons
+with his wand, and they became four camels laden with merchandise, and
+the chariot was converted into an elephant. Ahubal became like a
+merchant, and the enchanter appeared as a black slave.
+
+They entered the town in the evening, and the next morning exposed
+their goods in the market-place.
+
+The bales of Ahubal, the sham merchant, being opened, were found to
+contain chiefly materials for clothing the officers of the army.
+
+The troops of Misnar, hearing this, were his chief customers; and as
+Ahubal sold his wares very cheap, he soon got acquainted with all the
+officers at Orixa.
+
+In all his conversations with them, the enchanter had directed Ahubal
+to lament the small salaries which the army were allowed: this was a
+subject all agreed in, and soon led to more lucrative offers, if they
+would embrace the cause of Ahubal. The officers, who were, for the
+most part, soldiers for the sake of pay and plunder, rather than duty
+and honour, soon came into the sham merchant's proposal; and in ten
+days Ahubal found himself in a condition to recover the province of
+Orixa.
+
+The young Prince, fired with his success, was about to discover
+himself; but the enchanter checked his ardour, and besought him to
+consider how many more provinces must be gained before he could make
+head against his brother. The advice of Ollomand prevailed with the
+Prince; and they sent some of those officers who were strongest in
+their interest into the different provinces of the south to corrupt
+the minds of the commanders.
+
+As there was no want of money and bribery, so an easier conquest was
+made over the loyalty of the troops than could have been made over
+their prowess by the sword.
+
+In a few moons all the southern provinces were ripe for a revolt, and
+the troops who were sent to overawe them were most desirous of
+opening the campaign against their Sultan. Two hundred French
+engineers were also invited, by large rewards, to join the armies of
+Ahubal; and the troops were supplied by the vigilance of the enchanter
+Ollomand.
+
+On a fixed day all the armies of the provinces were in motion, and all
+unfurled the standard of Ahubal; the provinces were invited to rebel,
+and thousands were daily added to the troops of the Prince. Tidings of
+these alterations were sent to Delhi by the few friends of the Sultan
+who remained in those parts, and Horam the Vizier laid before his
+master the dreadful news of a general revolt both of his troops and
+provinces in the south.
+
+"The enemies of Misnar," said the Sultan, as the Vizier Horam ended
+his report, "are many, and one only is his friend!"
+
+Horam bowed low at his master's words.
+
+"Faithful Horam," said the Sultan, "I honour and esteem thee; but
+think not I prefer my Vizier to my God: no, Horam, Allah alone is the
+friend of Misnar; a friend more mighty than the armies of Ahubal, or
+the sorceries of the enchanters."
+
+Misnar then assembled his troops; and putting himself at their head,
+he marched by easy stages towards the southern frontiers of his
+dominions.
+
+The armies of Ahubal continued to increase, and Cambaya acknowledged
+him for its Sultan. In a short time he arrived with his forces at
+Narvar, and encamped within seven leagues of the army of Misnar the
+Sultan.
+
+Ollomand the enchanter, notwithstanding Ahubal had thrown off the
+disguise of a merchant, still attended him as a black slave, being
+always about his person, till the freedom which the Prince allowed him
+was resented by the officers of his army. This the enchanter
+perceived; and therefore he desired Ahubal would grant him five
+thousand of his troops, and the European engineers, that he might
+advance before the main army, and signalize himself by a blow which he
+meditated to give the enemy.
+
+The counsel of Ollomand was never opposed by Ahubal; the Prince
+commanded the troops to attend Ollomand, and be subject unto him.
+
+The enchanter then marched with his selected troops into a thick wood,
+which the army of Misnar must pass through ere they could oppose their
+enemies; and in this wood the engines of European war were placed, to
+command every avenue which had been hewn out by the troops of the
+Sultan.
+
+Ollomand, marching by night, surprised all the advanced guards of the
+Sultan, and possessed himself of the wood, where he placed the
+European engineers, before the sun could penetrate through the
+branches of the forest of Narvar.
+
+This enterprise would have ruined all the hopes of the Sultan, who
+proposed to march his army through the next day, if the Europeans had
+continued faithful to Ahubal and his party; but one, favoured by the
+darkness of the night, escaped, and betrayed the whole design to the
+Sultan.
+
+Misnar was no sooner apprised of the enchanter's contrivance than he
+ordered certain of his troops to climb over the mountains to the right
+of the wood, and if possible gain the opposite side, and there, in
+several parts, set the wood on fire. This was so successfully executed
+by the soldiers, that, as soon as Ollomand was possessed of the wood,
+he perceived it was on fire, and had made a separation between him and
+the army of Ahubal.
+
+In this distress, the enchanter resolved to dispose of his troops and
+engineers in the most advantageous manner, proposing in his mind to
+secure his own retreat by the power of enchantment. But while the
+subtle enchanter was directing his engineers in the rear to bring up
+the fell engines of war, one of the cannon which was left in the wood
+(the flames having obliged those who belonged to it to retreat), being
+made hot by the raging fires among the trees, discharged its contents,
+and a ball striking the enchanter, carried with it the head of
+Ollomand toward the camp of the Sultan.
+
+This occurrence threw the troops in the wood into the utmost
+confusion, and many fled to the Sultan's camp, declaring the loss of
+their leader, and the rest resolved rather to submit than perish by
+fire or sword.
+
+The flames of the wood, which rose between the armies of Misnar and
+Ahubal, soon disturbed the peace of the rebel Prince. At first,
+indeed, he hoped Ollomand had enclosed his brother's troops, and was
+consuming them by his fires. But no dispatch arriving from his friend,
+Ahubal was filled with just fears, which were greatly increased, as,
+in a few days, the fire decreasing, and having opened a passage
+through the wood, he was informed by his spies that the armies of
+Misnar were approaching.
+
+The Prince Ahubal, having lost his friend the enchanter, was fearful
+of the event, and wished to fly; but his generals, being rebels, and
+fearing their fate if they should be taken, resolved to conquer or
+die; so that Ahubal was constrained against his will to put his army
+in a state of defence.
+
+The Sultan, supposing his brother's army would be disheartened at the
+loss of the enchanter, was desirous of giving them battle before they
+had recovered from their consternation, and therefore led on his
+troops with great impetuosity toward the front of the rebel army,
+while the Vizier Horam, covered by the main body of Misnar's forces,
+used his utmost endeavours to gain the right flank of the enemy.
+
+And now the adverse elephants made the sandy plains shake as they
+advanced, and from the turrets on their backs ten thousand hostile
+arrows were discharged. The loud hollow cymbals sounded the alarm. The
+troops of the Sultan advanced with confidence, and the rebellious
+supporters of Ahubal rushed forward with resolute despair. Innumerable
+scimitars blazed fearfully over the heads of the warlike. The feet of
+the elephants were stained with the blood of the slain. But the troops
+of Misnar were flushed with hope, and fear and dismay were in the
+paths of Ahubal. The Prince himself, in confusion, sounded the
+retreat; and the backs of his troops were already exposed to the darts
+of the Sultan, when the swarthy enchanter Tasnar appeared aloft,
+seated on a rapacious vulture.
+
+"Base cowards!" exclaimed he, as he hovered in the air, "turn again,
+and fear not while Tasnar is your friend. The troops of the Sultan are
+exhausted and fatigued, and you are flying from those who are destined
+for your prey. Are, then, the riches of Delhi to be so easily
+resigned, and your tedious marches over the deserts to be foiled by a
+moment's fear? Even now is India offered as the reward of your toils,
+and you prefer shame and ignominy to glory and honour!"
+
+The troops of Ahubal hearing these words, and being encouraged by a
+sight so wonderful, for a time stood still, irresolute what to do;
+till Tasnar, alighting on the ground, and seizing a javelin, bade the
+brave support and defend the avenger of their wrongs.
+
+The Sultan's army, finding their enemies retreat, had followed them in
+a tumultuous manner, and were therefore less able to resist the
+enchanter Tasnar and those who supported him. And they would have
+experienced the truth of the enchanter's assertion, had not the Vizier
+Horam, perceiving their resistance, hastened with a few chosen troops
+to the rescue of his friends.
+
+The battle, though not so general as before, was yet much fiercer; and
+Tasnar and Horam met face to face. The Vizier aimed in vain his
+scimitar at the head of the enchanter, and Tasnar found a superior arm
+withhold him when he attempted to demolish the faithful Vizier. But
+this prevented not the general slaughter that ensued; till night,
+which recruits the wasted strength of man, divided the armies of
+Misnar and Ahubal.
+
+After the retreat of the two contending armies, the Vizier Horam
+attended the Sultan in the royal pavilion, and informed him of the
+descent of the enchanter Tasnar, and his prowess in the field.
+
+"Alas!" answered Misnar, "it is in vain, O Horam, that the sword is
+uplifted against the power of enchantment, so long as these magicians
+are prepared against our attacks: we must surprise them, or we cannot
+prevail. Tasnar is joined to my faithless brother Ahubal; but there is
+in my camp, doubtless, some trusty slave, who will penetrate into the
+camp of Ahubal, and destroy this enchanter while he sleeps in
+security; and Horam my Vizier must find that slave."
+
+Horam bowed, and went out from the presence of the Sultan in great
+distress of heart. "Where," said he to himself, "can the mighty find a
+trusty friend? or what slave will be faithful to that master who has
+robbed him of his liberty? Better had I perished by the hand of
+Tasnar, than be betrayed through the wickedness of my servants!"
+
+The Vizier, doubtful where to apply or whom to trust, returned to his
+tent; where he found an old female slave, who waited to deliver a
+message from his seraglio, which was kept in a tent adjoining to his
+own.
+
+Horam, not regarding her presence, threw himself on his sofa, and
+there bemoaned his fate in being commanded to find a trusty slave.
+
+The female slave, who saw her master's tears, cast herself at his
+feet, and called Allah to witness that she had always served him
+faithfully, and was ready to sacrifice her life for his pleasure.
+
+Horam was rather more distressed than alleviated by her protestations.
+"What art thou?" said he to her, sternly--"a poor decrepit woman! and
+canst thou go forth and combat the enchantments of Tasnar, the enemy
+of thy master's peace?"
+
+"The locust and the worm," said the female slave, "are the instruments
+of Allah's vengeance on the mighty ones of the earth; and Mahomet can
+make even my weakness subservient to the cause of my lord."
+
+"And how wilt thou prevail against Ahubal the Prince and Tasnar the
+magician?" said Horam, careless of what he spoke.
+
+"I will go," answered she, "into the camp of Ahubal, and engage to
+poison my master the Vizier, and Misnar the lord of our lives, as I
+stand before them to minister unto them the pleasing draught. And
+while Tasnar is intently hearing my proposals, the steel of death
+shall suddenly search out the vile enchanter's heart."
+
+"But knowest thou not," said Horam, "that death will be the
+consequence of this rash deed?"
+
+"My lord," answered the slave, "I was, when young, bred up in the
+caves of Denraddin, and was taught by a sage to know what should
+happen to me in future times; and the sage read in the stars of
+heaven, that by my means should the Sultan of India be delivered from
+the enemy that oppressed him."
+
+The Vizier rejoiced at the assurances of his female slave, and bade
+her immediately prepare herself to appear before the Sultan.
+
+The slave, having put on her veil, followed the Vizier Horam, and was
+introduced to the tent of Misnar.
+
+"What!" said the Sultan, as he saw his Vizier enter with the female
+slave, "what new kind of warrior has Horam brought me?"
+
+"Light of mine eyes!" answered the Vizier, "behold a woman who is
+desirous of executing thy commands. This slave assures me that the
+sages of the caves of Denraddin have read in the stars of heaven that
+by her means the Sultan of India should be delivered from the enemy
+that oppressed him."
+
+"Then," said the Sultan, "let her go; and may the Prophet of the
+Faithful guide her footsteps in safety and security! I am assured that
+Horam would not consent to an enterprise that was foolish and weak;
+and to his direction I leave the fate of this trusty female."
+
+The slave then fell prostrate, and besought the Sultan to give her
+some of his writings and mandates, that she might pretend she had
+stolen them from his tent, with a design to carry and lay them at the
+feet of Tasnar and Ahubal.
+
+The Sultan approved of her scheme, and ordered several mandates to be
+written and signed relative to the motions of his army the next day,
+which were quite contrary to the real disposition he intended to give
+out.
+
+The female slave being furnished with these, and being conducted by
+the Vizier to the outskirts of the Sultan's army, walked forward till
+she was challenged by the sentinels of Ahubal, who seized upon and
+carried her to their commander.
+
+The commander, fearful of deceit, first satisfied himself that she was
+really a female slave, and then asked her what brought her alone out
+of the camp of the Sultan.
+
+"Bring me," said she, "before your Prince; for I have things to
+deliver up to him that will be of service to his army."
+
+The commander then sent her with the guard to the pavilion of Ahubal,
+where that Prince and the enchanter Tasnar were consulting in private
+together.
+
+As soon as the female slave had gained admittance, she fell prostrate
+at the feet of Ahubal, which Tasnar observing, commanded the guards to
+seize her.
+
+"Let us see," said the enchanter, "what service this slave can do us,
+before she is trusted so near our persons."
+
+The female slave, being secured by the guards, was doubtful how to
+behave.
+
+"Have you, base slave," said the enchanter, "aught to reveal to us? or
+are you sent as a spy to betray the counsels of the brave?"
+
+"I have," said the female slave (somewhat recovered from her
+surprise), "papers and mandates of great consequence, which I have
+stolen from the tent of the Sultan; and I bring them to the Prince
+Ahubal, the lord of all the hearts of the Indian empire."
+
+She then produced her mandates, and the guards laid them at the feet
+of Ahubal.
+
+The Prince Ahubal, having read the papers, gave them to Tasnar,
+saying, "These are indeed valuable acquisitions, and the female slave
+that brought them is worthy of high honour and reward."
+
+The slave, hearing this encomium, bowed down her head; for the guards
+who held her prevented her falling prostrate.
+
+"Mighty son of Dabulcombar," said the enchanter, "let the guards carry
+her forth, till we consult what reward she shall receive."
+
+As soon as the female slave was carried out, "My Prince," said Tasnar,
+"it is indeed politic to give rewards to those who serve us; and
+therefore it is sometimes necessary to do it, that the silly birds may
+be the more surely entangled in the snares of State; but when we can
+better serve our ends by their destruction than by their safety, it is
+but just that we should do so. This slave has already risked her life
+for our service, and therefore she will no doubt be ready to lay it
+down if we require it."
+
+As the enchanter said this, he called one of the guards, and commanded
+him to bring in the female slave and the bow-string.
+
+The slave approached, still held by the guards.
+
+"Kind slave," said the enchanter, "you have already served us much;
+there is one thing more that we require: let the slaves fit the
+bow-string to thy neck, and let thy last breath be sent forth in
+praise of thy lord Ahubal."
+
+The slaves of Ahubal then put upon the wretched female the deadly
+bow-string, and strangled her instantly; after which they retired,
+leaving her dead body on the floor of the tent.
+
+"What hast thou done, O Tasnar?" said Ahubal, astonished at the deed.
+
+"I suspect," said the enchanter, "that this female was sent on a vile
+errand; and see, here," continued he, searching her garments, "is the
+weapon of death!"
+
+So saying, he drew a dagger from her bosom, which she had concealed
+with a design of stabbing the enchanter.
+
+"Prudent Tasnar," said the Prince, "I admire thy foresight; but of
+what use is this murdered slave now to us?"
+
+"The disguise of this slave," answered the enchanter, "will introduce
+me into the camp of the Sultan, and, I hope, will give me an
+opportunity of reaching his heart with that steel which he designed
+for mine. But no time must be lost: the morning will, ere long,
+disclose its grey light in the east."
+
+Thus it is that deceit often leads into danger, and recoils upon
+itself.
+
+The enchanter then put on the garments of the murdered female slave,
+and stroking his face, it became like hers, so that Ahubal could
+scarcely believe but the slave was revived. He also cut off the head
+of the female slave, and, anointing it with a white ointment, it
+resembled his own. Thus equipped, the commander of the advanced guard
+conducted him to the foremost sentinels of the rebel army. The
+disguised enchanter soon reached the camp of the Sultan; and the
+sentinels, imagining it was the same female slave whom Horam had led
+through their ranks in the former part of the night, suffered him to
+pass unexamined.
+
+In a short time he reached the royal pavilion, and demanded
+admittance. The Vizier Horam, who was there in waiting, heard, as he
+supposed, the voice of his female slave, and went out to bring her
+before the Sultan.
+
+"My slave," said Horam, as he saw the disguised enchanter, "hast thou
+succeeded? and is Tasnar, the foe of the Faithful, dead?"
+
+"Bring me before the Sultan," said the pretended slave, "that my lord
+may first behold the head of his foe."
+
+The Vizier then led the disguised enchanter into the pavilion, where
+the Sultan Misnar, being warned of her coming, was seated on his
+throne.
+
+As the enchanter approached, he held a dagger in one hand, which was
+covered by a long sleeve, and in the other he bore the fictitious
+head. And now the pretended female was about to ascend the steps of
+the throne, when the Vizier commanded her first to fall prostrate
+before the Sultan.
+
+The sham slave did as she was ordered; and the Vizier, seeing her
+prostrate, fell upon her, and slew her with his sabre.
+
+"What hast thou done, wretched Vizier?" said the Sultan. "Has envy
+thus rashly stirred thee up against my faithful slave, that----"
+
+The Sultan would probably have continued his invective against his
+Vizier much longer, had he not beheld the corpse of the dead enchanter
+change its appearance, and found that Horam, by the sudden destruction
+of Tasnar, had but just preserved his own life.
+
+At the sight of this transformation, Misnar descended from his throne,
+and closely embraced his Vizier Horam.
+
+"O Horam, forgive my impetuous temper!" said the Sultan: "how have I
+blamed my friend for doing that which alone could have saved my life!
+But by what means did my faithful Vizier become acquainted with the
+disguise of this wicked enchanter, or how did he discover himself to
+thy watchful eye?"
+
+"Lord of my heart," answered Horam, "when I carried my poor female
+slave through the camp (whose death we have unhappily caused by our
+fraud), I bade her, when she returned and saw me, first repeat these
+words in my ear: 'Allah is Lord of heaven, Mahomet is His Prophet, and
+Misnar is His vicegerent upon earth.' And this precaution I took,
+fearful less Tasnar, discovering our design, should invent this method
+of revenge. Wherefore, when the pretended slave was brought before me,
+and she repeated not the words that I had taught her, I was assured
+that it was the enchanter in disguise, and waited till, by prostrating
+himself before my lord, he gave me an opportunity of destroying the
+life of the chief of thine enemies."
+
+The Sultan of India again embraced his faithful Vizier; and as soon as
+the eye of morn was opened in the east, the armies of Ahubal beheld
+the enchanter Tasnar's head fixed on a pole in the front of the
+Sultan's army.
+
+The Prince Ahubal, rising with the earliest dawn of the morning, went
+forward to the front of his troops, and there, at a small distance,
+saw the hideous features of the enchanter Tasnar already blackening in
+the sun. Fear immediately took possession of his soul; and he ran,
+with tears in his eyes, and hid himself, till the sun went down, in
+his pavilion.
+
+The Vizier Horam, perceiving the approach of the sun, would have led
+on the Sultan's troops to a second attack; but Misnar commanded him to
+forbear, that his army might rest one day after their fatigues.
+
+The great distress of the enchanters, and their unexpected deaths,
+alarmed the rest of that wicked race; and Ahaback and Desra, seeing
+that no one enchanter had succeeded against the Sultan, resolved to
+join their forces; and while one led a powerful army to Ahubal's
+assistance from the east, the other raised the storms of war and
+rebellion on the western confines of the Sultan's empire.
+
+In the meantime, the two armies of the Sultan and Ahubal continued
+inactive, till an express arrived that Ahaback was leading the
+strength of nine thousand squadrons against their Sultan, and that
+Desra was travelling over the plains of Embracan, with three thousand
+elephants and a hundred thousand troops from the western provinces.
+
+The Sultan instantly resolved to attack Ahubal before these succours
+could arrive; but the Vizier Horam fell at his feet, and besought him
+not to hazard his army, but rather to recruit and strengthen it.
+
+This advice, though quite contrary to the opinion of Misnar, was yet
+so strongly urged by the Vizier, that the Sultan gave up his better
+judgment to the opinion of Horam; and, when every one expected to be
+called forth to action, the Vizier gave orders in the camp for
+recruits to be sought after, and went himself to the north of Delhi to
+raise a second army for his master's service.
+
+The troops of Ahubal, finding themselves free from the attacks of the
+Sultan's army, endeavoured to comfort their Prince, who was grieved
+and dejected at the loss of his friends; and the provinces of the
+south, to dissipate his gloom, besought him to permit them to raise a
+pavilion worthy of his dignity, as heretofore he contented himself
+with such as his generals made use of.
+
+The Prince Ahubal, who by nature was not formed for war or contest,
+but only stirred up by the enchanters to be their tool against the
+Sultan his brother, was easily persuaded to accept of the offers of
+his troops, and a hundred curious artisans were set to work to
+contrive and erect a sumptuous pavilion for the use of the Prince.
+
+To these workmen, all the provinces who acknowledged the authority of
+Ahubal sent diamonds and jewels, and rich silks, and all the costly
+materials of the world, to finish the splendid pavilion which they
+purposed to raise for their Prince.
+
+While the sumptuous tent was raising, the squadrons of Ahaback drew
+nearer and nearer, and the elephants of Desra were within thirty days
+of the camp of Ahubal.
+
+The Vizier Horam, having returned with his reinforcements, waited on
+the Sultan, and besought him to trust the management of his army to
+him for forty days.
+
+"Horam," said the Sultan, "I have such confidence in thy sense and
+loyalty, that I grant thy request."
+
+The Vizier, having obtained his end, sent a messenger to Ahubal, and
+desired a forty-days' truce between the armies, to which the Prince
+readily agreed. In a few hours the truce was proclaimed in the
+Sultan's camp; and when Misnar hoped that his Vizier would have
+attacked the rebel army with a force more than double their number, he
+heard the trumpets sound a truce in the tents.
+
+Such a behaviour, so contrary to reason, alarmed the Sultan, and he
+sent for the Vizier Horam, and demanded his reasons for making a truce
+with his enemies.
+
+"My lord," answered Horam, "I have heard that the southern provinces
+are erecting a pavilion for your rebel brother Ahubal, which in
+splendour and magnificence is to surpass all the glories of thy palace
+at Delhi; and being convinced that thy subjects are led more by show
+and appearance than by duty and honour, I feared that Ahubal's
+glorious pavilion might draw the neighbouring cities into his
+encampment, and thereby strengthen his army, and weaken the resources
+of my Prince. For this reason I besought my lord to give me the
+command of his army for forty days, in which time I propose to build
+thee such a pavilion as shall far outshine in splendour every glory
+upon earth."
+
+"Horam," answered the Sultan, "I have put all things into thine hands;
+but let me beseech thee to be careful of thy master."
+
+The Vizier Horam, leaving the Sultan, sent to Delhi for workmen and
+artificers; and, ordering a large spot to be enclosed, that none might
+behold his pavilion till it was completed, he proceeded with the work
+with great care and assiduity.
+
+While these works of peace, rather than of war, were carrying on in
+the two armies of Misnar and Ahubal, the reinforcements of Ahaback and
+Desra arrived; and the captains in the Sultan's army, hearing of the
+great addition which was made to the rebel army, while the Vizier was
+spending his time with his curious workmen, petitioned the Sultan that
+one might be put over them who loved war rather than the amusements of
+females and children.
+
+The Sultan, who thought, with his captains, that Horam was rather
+betraying than forwarding his cause, commanded the Vizier to be
+brought before him, and, in the presence of the captains, asked him
+why he delayed to lead his troops against the rebel army.
+
+The Vizier Horam made no answer to the Sultan's question, but desired
+his lord to bring the captains towards the pavilion which he had
+erected.
+
+As soon as the Sultan appeared before the enclosure, several slaves
+behind were employed to remove it, so that in an instant Misnar and
+his captains beheld the most magnificent spectacle that art could
+achieve.
+
+The sight of the pavilion was highly acceptable to the army of the
+Sultan; but the captains justly condemned a performance which had,
+without cause, wasted the greatest part of the coffers of India.
+
+The pavilion was situated at one extremity of the Sultan's army, at a
+small distance from a rocky mountain, and surrounded by a grove of
+palm-trees, part of which had been cut down by the Vizier's order, to
+admit the air and light among the rest. It was composed of crimson
+velvet, embroidered round with flowers and festoons of silver and
+gold; and in the body was worked, in golden tissue, the deaths of the
+enchanters Ulin, Happuck, Ollomand, and Tasnar.
+
+The pavilion stood upon a carpet or cloth of gold, and within was
+supported by four massive pillars of burnished gold; the ceiling of
+the canopy within was studded with jewels and diamonds, and under it
+were placed two sofas of the richest workmanship.
+
+The Sultan, though much averse to such pageantry, was yet persuaded by
+his Vizier to sleep in his new pavilion; and the glorious appearance
+which it made brought thousands to view the magnificent abode of their
+Sultan.
+
+The account of this splendid tent soon reached Ahubal's army, and
+every one extolled the glorious pavilion: so that Ahubal's tent seemed
+as nothing in comparison with the Sultan's.
+
+Ahaback and Desra, who were in the Prince's pavilion, hearing the
+account, resolved to go invisibly and examine it; and leaving the
+Prince, and putting each a ring on his fingers, they passed the
+sentinels and watches of both armies.
+
+But if the sight of the pavilion filled them with malice and envy, the
+histories of their brethren's deaths increased that malice, and urged
+them to revenge. They returned hastily to Ahubal's pavilion, and
+related to him what they had seen.
+
+Ahubal's heart rankled at their account, and his visage fell, to hear
+how much his brother had outdone him in magnificence.
+
+"Get me a tent more splendid than the Sultan's," said he to the
+enchanters, "or disband your armies, and leave me to my fate."
+
+"My Prince," answered Ahaback, "let not such a trifle discompose you.
+It is true, we could in a moment erect a pavilion more magnificent
+than the Sultan's; but it will be more glorious to dispossess him of
+that which he has built, and to set my Prince upon the throne of his
+father: for which purpose let the trumpet sound on the morrow,--the
+truce is at an end, and if it were not, we mean not to keep faith with
+an usurper,--and ere the Sultan be prepared, let us fall upon him. Who
+knows but we may sleep to-morrow night in this pavilion which now
+causes uneasiness?"
+
+The counsel of Ahaback pleased both Desra and Ahubal; and they gave
+orders for the troops to march in the morning, and attack the army of
+the Sultan.
+
+The forces of Misnar were sleeping in their tents when the alarm was
+spread that the enemy was upon them. The Vizier Horam arose in haste,
+and put himself at the head of the army; but, instead of leading them
+towards their enemies, he fled off to the right with the choicest of
+the troops, and taking possession of a pass in the mountains behind
+the pavilion, sent a messenger to inform the Sultan that he had
+secured him a retreat, in case the armies of Ahubal should conquer.
+
+The Sultan, being at the extremity of his army, knew not of the
+confused attack till it was too late to redeem his lost opportunity.
+He collected his scattered troops, and led them towards the enemy, at
+the same time sending a message to Horam to leave the mountains and
+support him.
+
+The captains and officers that followed Misnar behaved with great
+resolution and intrepidity, and the Sultan exposed himself frequently
+to the darts and missile weapons of his enemies, till, overpowered by
+numbers, and his own troops on all sides giving way, through the
+confusion which prevailed, he was forced to make to the mountains,
+where his Vizier still continued, though he had received the Sultan's
+commands to the contrary.
+
+The troops of Ahubal pursued the Sultan's scattered forces to the
+mountains, where the Vizier's troops opened to receive their friends,
+and then opposed the rebels, who were faint with the fatigues of the
+day.
+
+After a great slaughter, the rebels were forced to give over, and,
+returning to the encampment of the Sultan, they loaded themselves with
+the spoils of their enemies.
+
+Ahaback and Desra were greatly elated at their success, and Ahubal in
+one day found himself master of India, his brother defeated, and his
+gaudy pavilion wrested from him.
+
+Ahubal beheld with surprise the magnificence of the pavilion, and
+seeing the invidious workmanship on the outside, where the deaths of
+his former friends were displayed, "Ahaback and Desra," said the
+Prince, "it is but just that you should revenge yourselves on my proud
+brother. For my part, I never can inhabit a pavilion which was meant
+as a triumph over my friends; but you may justly take up your abode
+here, that the nations may at once learn, when they see you in this
+pavilion, the former misfortunes of your brethren, and your present
+well-deserved success: wherefore, to-night, my friends, take up your
+residence here, as this place is most worthy to hold you, and
+to-morrow I will order my workmen to remove the pavilion next my own."
+
+The enchanters were pleased at the speech of Ahubal, and the banquet
+was prepared for the conquerors in the gay pavilion of the unfortunate
+Sultan, while he remained among the mountains, wanting even the
+necessaries of life for himself and his army.
+
+But the Sultan's misfortunes did not make him forget the cause of
+them. He called a council of his captains, and commanded the Vizier
+Horam to be brought before them. The Vizier was condemned by every
+voice, and Misnar, with tears in his eyes, pronounced the sentence of
+death against him.
+
+"To-morrow," said the Sultan, "must the ill-fated Horam be numbered
+with the dead."
+
+Horam heard the sentence without emotion. "My life," said he, "is in
+the hand of my lord, and he is welcome to the blood of his slave."
+
+The Vizier was then ordered into the custody of a hundred men, and a
+captain was appointed to guard him until morning.
+
+The unfortunate Sultan then retired to rest in an obscure tent, or
+rather not to rest, but to an irksome contemplation.
+
+"My kingdom," said he, "is passed from me, and, worse than my kingdom,
+my friend, my dearly beloved Horam, has proved a traitor to his
+master."
+
+As the Sultan was filled with these meditations, his guards gave him
+notice that the captain who was set over the Vizier had brought Horam
+to communicate an affair of moment to him.
+
+"Is there deceit in Horam," said the Sultan, "that he cometh like a
+thief in the night? If Horam is false, farewell my life. Let him that
+destroyed my kingdom complete his ingratitude by finishing my fate."
+
+The captain then entered the tent of his Sultan with Horam in chains.
+
+"Life of my life, and master of my thoughts," said the Vizier, "ere I
+die, I am constrained to show thee among these mountains far greater
+riches than are in thy palace at Delhi, or in the tents of thine
+enemies--riches that will restore thy affairs, and turn thy tears into
+showers of joy."
+
+"Are you not satisfied," said Misnar, "O ill-fated Horam, that you
+come to deceive me with new illusions? Where is my kingdom? where my
+royalty? where my army? By thy fatal counsels destroyed, overwhelmed,
+confounded! Now, then, lead the way, and let me see these curious
+treasures which are to recompense the loss of all my hopes."
+
+The captain then led Horam out of the tent, and the Sultan followed.
+
+The Vizier, being in chains, moved but slowly, and the captain of the
+guard, dismissing his men, drew his sabre, and held it naked over the
+head of the Vizier. The darkness of the night prevented the Sultan
+from seeing whither he was carried by his Vizier.
+
+They passed over various rocks, and were obliged to wade through some
+small brooks or rivulets which fell from the tops of the mountains,
+till at length they arrived at a spacious cavern, which was formed by
+two pendent rocks.
+
+Here the Vizier entered, and, lifting up his chains, knocked against a
+small door at the extremity of the cavern. In a moment it opened, and
+four slaves came forward with flambeaux in their hands.
+
+The slaves, seeing their master and the Sultan, fell prostrate: and
+Horam inquired whether all was safe.
+
+"Yes, my lord," answered the slaves. "We have not been disturbed since
+my lord first brought us to this gloomy cavern."
+
+"Where is Camul?" said the Vizier.
+
+"He watches," replied the slaves, "with the axe in his hand."
+
+"What hour of the night is it?" said Horam to his slaves.
+
+"The third watch of the night is past," answered the slaves.
+
+"Then enter, my Sultan," said Horam, "and see thine enemies perish
+from before thee."
+
+"What enemies? and what mysterious place is this?" said the Sultan.
+"Who is Camul? and what axe doth he bear in his hand? Lead me, Horam,
+not into danger, and remember that the sabre of my captain hangeth
+over thy head."
+
+The Sultan then entered in at the little door, and followed the Vizier
+and his guard, and the four slaves with flambeaux in their hands.
+
+In this manner Misnar passed through a long passage hewn out of the
+solid rock, till he beheld, at a distance, a man seated on a stone
+with an axe in his hand, and nine lamps burning before him.
+
+As they drew near, the man fell prostrate before them; and the Vizier,
+also falling prostrate, desired Misnar to take the axe out of the hand
+of Camul his slave.
+
+"What wonderful axe is this," said the Sultan, "that is thus preserved
+in the bowels of the earth?"
+
+The Sultan took the axe, and Camul the slave removing the stone on
+which he sat, there appeared a strong rope underneath, one end of
+which passed through the rocks, and the other was fastened to an
+enormous ring of iron.
+
+"Strike, royal master," said Horam, "and sever that rope from the ring
+of iron."
+
+The Sultan did as Horam desired, and struck the rope with his axe, and
+divided it from the ring.
+
+The rope, being released, flew with great swiftness through the hole
+in the rock, and Misnar waited some time to see what might be the
+consequence of cutting it asunder; but nothing appearing, he said to
+his Vizier,
+
+"Where are the riches, Horam, which I left my bed to view? Is this
+like the rest of your promises? and am I brought here to be again
+deceived?"
+
+"Royal master," answered Horam, "let me die the death of a rebel. I
+have nothing more to discover: pardon my follies, and avenge thine own
+losses by the sword of justice."
+
+"What!" said the Sultan, enraged, "hast thou brought me through the
+dangerous passes of the mountains by night only to cut a rope asunder?
+And was I called forth to see only a passage made in the rocks, and
+the slaves of Horam as ill employed as their master lately has been?
+Lead me, villain!" continued he, "back to my tent, and expect with the
+rising of the sun the fate you have so amply merited."
+
+Thus saying, the Sultan returned, and the captain of the guard led
+Horam back in chains to his place of confinement.
+
+In the morning, the army of the Sultan Misnar, which had escaped to
+the mountains, were all drawn out, the cymbals sounded, and a gibbet
+forty feet high was erected in their front, to which the captain of
+the guard led the unfortunate Vizier Horam.
+
+At the sound of the cymbals the Sultan came from his tent, and gave
+orders that Horam should be conducted to his fate.
+
+The Vizier, unmoved at his doom, surrendered himself to the officer
+who was to execute the Sultan's sentence; and the ignominious rope was
+put about his neck, when a messenger, attended by several sentinels,
+came running into the camp.
+
+The messenger hastened to the Sultan, and thus delivered his message:
+"Ahaback and Desra, the wicked enchanters who have upholden thy
+rebellious brother, are dead; the army of Ahubal is in the utmost
+consternation; and the friends of the Sultan wish to see thee hunting
+thine enemies, as the lion hunts the wild asses in the forest."
+
+This messenger was succeeded by several of the Sultan's spies, who
+confirmed the account.
+
+Misnar then put himself at the head of his troops, ordered Horam back
+to his former confinement, and hastened to fall upon the forces of the
+rebels.
+
+Early the same morning, Ahubal was awakened by his guards, who, with
+countenances of woe, declared to him the death of his friends Ahaback
+and Desra.
+
+"Are my friends dead?" said Ahubal, trembling: "by what misfortune am
+I bereaved of them? What new device has Misnar practised against them?
+Are not these wise and sage magicians, then, a match for a boy's
+prudence? Alas! what can _I_ effect against them, when these fall away
+before his victorious arm?"
+
+"Prince," answered the guards, "we have too late discovered the wiles
+of our enemies. Over the magnificent pavilion of the Sultan, which
+Horam built for his master, the artful Vizier had concealed a
+ponderous stone, which covered the whole pavilion. This, by some
+secret means, he contrived in the night to release from its
+confinement, while Ahaback and Desra were sleeping on the sofas
+beneath it; and ere day began to rise, their guards were surprised by
+the fall, and ran to release their masters from the stone; but, alas!
+their bodies were crushed to atoms, and still remain buried under the
+pavilion, as fifty of the strongest of thy troops were unable to
+remove the stone from the ground."
+
+At these words the countenance and the heart of Ahubal sank; and ere
+he could recover, word was brought him that the Sultan's troops were
+in the midst of his army, and that none dared stand against them
+unless he approached to encourage them.
+
+Ahubal was so overwhelmed with fear and grief, that, instead of
+leading his troops, he prepared himself for flight; and Misnar,
+pursuing his good fortune, was in a few hours in possession, not only
+of his own tents, but also of those of the enemy.
+
+Having gained a complete victory, and sent part of his troops after
+those that were fled, the Sultan commanded his Vizier to be brought
+before him, and, in the sight of his army, asked him what merit he
+could challenge in the success of that day.
+
+"The contrivances of thy slave had been useless," Horam replied, "if a
+less than my Sultan had afterwards led his troops to the battle.
+Therefore thine only be the glory and the honour of the day; but my
+lord must know, that some time since we were informed that the
+enchanters Ahaback and Desra were preparing to uphold thy rebellious
+brother; and well I knew that prudence, and not force, must prevail
+against them. I therefore besought my lord to grant me the chief
+command for forty days, and neglected to take such advantages over
+Ahubal's troops as the captains of thy armies advised.
+
+"This I did, knowing that any victory would be vain and fruitless, if
+the enchanters were not involved in the ruin; and that, while they
+were safe, a second army would spring up as soon as the first was
+destroyed. For these reasons, I endeavoured to strengthen my Sultan's
+army, that when the reinforcements of Ahaback and Desra should arrive,
+their numbers might not prevail against us.
+
+"In the meantime, the sumptuous pavilion which was built for Ahubal
+inspired me with a device, which I hoped would put the enchanters in
+my power.
+
+"Studious that no one might interrupt or betray my designs, I enclosed
+a place near the mountains, surrounded with trees, where I began to
+build a pavilion, which I gave out was erected in honour of my lord
+the Sultan: within this pavilion I concealed a massy stone, which was
+sawn out of the solid rock, and which, by the help of several engines,
+was hung upon four pillars of gold, and covered the whole pavilion.
+The rope which upheld this massy stone passed through one of the
+golden pillars into the earth beneath, and, by a secret channel cut in
+the rock, was carried onward through the side of the mountain, and was
+fastened to a ring of iron in a cave hollowed out of the rock on the
+opposite side.
+
+"By the time the enchanters were arrived in the camp of Ahubal, the
+pavilion was finished; and although I had secret advice that my
+Sultan's troops were to be attacked on the morrow, yet I chose to
+conceal that knowledge, and so to dispose of the army that the chief
+part might fly with me behind the mountains which hung over the
+pavilion, and that the rest, having no conductor, might be put to
+flight with as little slaughter as possible. This I did, expecting
+that Ahaback and Desra, puffed up with their good fortune, would take
+possession of my Sultan's pavilion."
+
+"Rise, faithful Horam," said the Sultan Misnar; "your plot is
+sufficiently unravelled; but why did you hide your intentions from
+your lord?"
+
+"Lord of my life," answered the Vizier, "because I was resolved, in
+case my plot did not succeed, to bear the burden myself, that my
+Sultan's honour might not be lessened in the eyes of his troops."
+
+This noble confession of the Vizier pleased the whole army, and they
+waited with the utmost impatience to hear his pardon pronounced.
+
+The Sultan then embraced his Vizier, and the shouts of the army
+were,--"Long live Misnar the lord of our hearts, and Horam the first
+and the most faithful of his slaves!"
+
+The army of Ahubal still continued to fly after their Prince, whose
+fear did not suffer him to direct those who came up to him.
+
+And now, in a few days, the army would have been totally dispersed,
+had not the giant Kifri, enraged at the death of his brethren, and
+travelling in his fury, appeared before the eyes of the terrified
+Prince and his troops, in a narrow pass among the rocks.
+
+The presence of Kifri was not less terrifying than the noise of the
+pursuers; and Ahubal, at the sight of the monster, fell with his face
+to the ground.
+
+"Who art thou," said Kifri, with the voice of thunder, "that fliest
+like the roebuck, and tremblest like the heart-stricken antelope?"
+
+"Prince of earth," said Ahubal, "I am the friend of Ulin, of Happuck,
+of Ollomand, of Tasnar, of Ahaback, and of Desra. I am he who, through
+the power of the enchanters, have contended for the throne of India."
+
+"Wretched, then, are they that league with thee," answered the giant
+Kifri, "thou son of fear, thou wretch unworthy of such support! Was it
+for thee, base coward, that Ollomand poured forth his unnumbered
+stores? that the plains of India were dyed with the blood of Desra,
+the mistress of our race?"
+
+As Kifri spake thus, his broad eyeballs glowed like the red orb of day
+when covered with dark fleeting clouds, and from his nostrils issued
+forth the tempest and the flame.
+
+In an instant he seized on the fear-shaken Ahubal, as the eagle shuts
+within her bloody talons the body of the affrighted trembling hare;
+and, lifting him high in the air, he dashed the wretched Prince
+against the rugged face of the mountains. The blood of Ahubal ran
+down from the mountain's side, and his mangled limbs, crushed by the
+fall, hung quivering on the pointed rocks.
+
+The death of Ahubal lessened not the fury of Kifri; but all that
+followed the unhappy Prince experienced his rage, till, glutted with
+blood, and tired of his revenge, the monstrous giant sank to rest, and
+stretched out his limbs upon the tops of the mountains.
+
+But the sleep of Kifri was cumbrous as his body. In the visions of the
+night came Ulin before him, and the ghost of the murdered Happuck was
+in the eye of his fancy.
+
+"Enemy of our race," said they, "where is he who was to redeem our
+glory and to revenge our blood? Where is Ahubal, of whom the dark
+saying went forth, that none but our race could overpower him? The
+dark saying is now interpreted by thy shameful deed, and the powers of
+enchantment are at an end!"
+
+The giant, disturbed at his visions, started up: the moon rode high
+above the mountains, and the trees of the forest looked broad with the
+shades of night. He cast his black eyes to the south, and saw the
+storm rolling forth in clouds: the tempest gathered around him, and
+poured its fury against him.
+
+The giant bent his body towards a huge rock, whereon he had slept, and
+straining his tough sinews, tore up the mighty fragment from the
+ground. The earth felt the shock, and its dark entrails trembled; but
+Kifri, undismayed, threw the wild ruin to the clouds. The labouring
+mountain returned quickly on the rebellious head of the giant,
+crushing him beneath its ponderous mass, and finished, by its descent,
+the life and the presumption of Kifri.
+
+The intelligence of Kifri's death was brought to the Sultan by one of
+the followers of Ahubal, who, at the first approach of the giant, had
+run from his presence, and hid himself in a cave in the rocks.
+
+"Horam," said the Sultan, "our enemies are no more; seven are
+destroyed, and one weak woman alone remains. But since Kifri, the
+terror of Asia, has fallen a sacrifice to the cause of Ahubal, and
+since the rebel is himself destroyed, what has Misnar more to fear?
+However, let our army be yet increased: let trusty nabobs be sent into
+every province, and nothing omitted which may preserve the peace of
+my empire: it is the part of prudence to watch most where there is the
+least appearance of danger."
+
+The Vizier Horam obeyed his master's command; and Misnar, having
+regulated his army, returned in triumph to Delhi.
+
+The Sultan, having restored peace to his kingdoms, began to administer
+impartial justice to his subjects: and, although the faith of Horam
+had often been tried, yet Misnar chose not to rely altogether on any
+but himself.
+
+"Vizier," said the Sultan, as Horam was standing before him, "are my
+people happy?--it is for them I rule, and not for myself; and though I
+delay not to punish the licentious and rebellious, yet shall I ever
+study to gain the hearts of my obedient subjects. A father's frown may
+restrain his children, but his smile can only bless them. Dost not
+thou remember, Horam, the story of Mahoud, the son of the jeweller?
+And how am I sure but even now private malice may be wreaking as great
+cruelty upon some innocent person, as the Princess Hemjunah suffered
+from the enchanter Bennaskar?"
+
+"My Prince," answered the Vizier, "the toils and the dangers of the
+war have never for a moment driven from my mind the memory of that
+Princess, who, with Mahoud, underwent the most odious transformation
+through the power of Ulin."
+
+"Nor have I," answered the Sultan, "forgot their distress; but the
+cares of my empire have hitherto prevented my search after them. As to
+the Princess, she is possibly with her father in Cassimir; but Mahoud
+is doubtless an inhabitant of Delhi, where he lived before his
+transformation; therefore, O Vizier, give immediate orders that the
+respective Cadis of each division of the city, who have the numbers
+and the names of every inhabitant within their district, be questioned
+concerning this jeweller's son; and let him to-morrow be brought
+before me."
+
+The Vizier Horam did as he was commanded, and sent for all the Cadis
+of the city, and examined them concerning Mahoud; but no one could
+give any account of him.
+
+The next morning Horam attended the divan, and acquainted the Sultan
+with his fruitless search.
+
+The Sultan was much dissatisfied at the Vizier's report; and after he
+had answered the petitioners and dismissed them, he sent again for his
+favourite Vizier.
+
+"Horam," said the Sultan, "my Cadis are remiss in their duty: Mahoud
+is certainly hid in my city: all is not right, Horam; the poor son of
+the jeweller would be proud to own that he was formerly the companion
+of the Sultan of the Indies, though in his distress; he had long ere
+this been at the foot of my throne, did not somewhat prevent him."
+
+"Prince of my life," answered the Vizier, "if Mahoud is in this city,
+he is doubtless disguised, and has reasons for concealing himself; and
+how shall thy officers of justice discover, among many millions, one
+obscure person, who is studious to hide himself?"
+
+"In a well-regulated city," answered the Sultan, "every one is known,
+and sound policy has always invented such distinctions as may prevent
+the disguise of designing and wicked men. But, till my capital is
+better regulated, I mean to take advantage myself of the confusion of
+my city, and examine, in disguise, those private outrages which are
+screened from the public eye of justice. Wherefore, Horam, procure two
+disguises for yourself and me; and let the Emir Matserak be sent
+ambassador to the Sultan of Cassimir, to inquire after the welfare of
+the Princess Hemjunah."
+
+The Vizier, in obedience to the Sultan's orders, sent the habits of
+two fakeers into the palace; and at evening the Sultan, accompanied by
+his Vizier, went forth in his disguise.
+
+As they passed through the second street from the royal palace, one
+habited like a fakeer, with his horn, saluted them, and asked them to
+partake of the alms he had received.
+
+The Sultan readily accepted his offer, lest the brother of his order
+should be offended.
+
+They immediately retired into a remote place, and, the strange fakeer
+pulling out the provision he had received, they began their repast.
+
+"Brother," said the fakeer to the disguised Sultan, "you are, I
+perceive, but a novice in your profession; you have seen but little of
+life, and you would be puzzled were you to encounter such wonders as
+I experienced but last night in my approach to this city."
+
+"What," answered the Sultan hastily, "were they? Perhaps, brother, you
+mistake me: possibly, though not so communicative as yourself, I may
+nevertheless be as brave and resolute."
+
+"Alas!" answered the fakeer, "I begin to suspect that you are no true
+brother: you know we are communicative among ourselves, but secret to
+the world about us. By the faith which I profess, I will no longer
+converse with you unless you give me some convincing proofs of the
+genuineness of your profession!"
+
+Here the Vizier, perceiving that the Sultan was hard pressed,
+interrupted the fakeer, and said, "O holy fakeer, but stranger to our
+tribe, whence comest thou that thou knowest not Elezren, the prince of
+devotees in the city of Delhi, to whom the Emirs bow, and before whom
+the populace lie prostrate as he passes? thou art indeed but newly
+come to Delhi, since the fame of Elezren hath not been sounded in
+thine ears."
+
+"Brother," answered the fakeer, "the fame of Elezren is not confined
+to Delhi alone, since all Asia receives him; but where are the silver
+marks of wisdom on his cheeks, and the furrows of affliction, which
+are deep-wrought in the aged front of Elezren?"
+
+At these words the fakeer sprang from the ground, and, running into
+the streets, he made the air echo with his complaints.
+
+The mob, hearing that two young men had personated the appearance of
+the caste, crowded to the place where the Sultan and his Vizier sat
+trembling at their own temerity, and were just about to tear them to
+pieces when the Vizier, stepping forward to meet them, cried aloud,
+
+"Slaves, presume not to approach your Sultan! for know that Misnar,
+the idol of his people, sits here disguised as a fakeer."
+
+Luckily for the Prince, several of the foremost were well acquainted
+with his features, or it is probable the mob would have looked upon
+the Vizier's speech as only a device to prevent their fury. But when
+the fakeer saw the foremost of the crowd acknowledge Misnar as their
+Sultan, and fall down before him, he tried to escape.
+
+"My friends," said the Sultan, "secure that wretch, and suffer him not
+to escape. And, Horam," said he, turning to his Vizier, "let him be
+confined in a dungeon this night, and to-morrow brought before me in
+the divan of justice."
+
+"The words of my lord," answered Horam, "are a law which cannot be
+changed. But let me beseech my Prince to retire from the crowd."
+
+Misnar willingly did as Horam advised; and the people made way for him
+to the palace, crying out, "Long live Misnar, the pride of his
+slaves!"
+
+The Sultan being returned to his palace with his Vizier, "Horam," said
+he, "each man has his part in life allotted to him; and the folly of
+those who, leaving the right and regular path, strike into the mazes
+of their own fancy, is sufficiently seen from our adventure this day:
+wherefore I would have every man endeavour to fill his real character
+and to shine in that, and not attempt what belongs to another, in
+which he can gain no credit, and runs a great hazard of disgrace."
+
+The Vizier went forth, and brought the fakeer bound in chains before
+the Sultan.
+
+The fakeer advanced to the presence of the Sultan, full of shame and
+fear; and falling at his footstool, cried out, "I call Mahomet to
+witness, I slew not the man in my wrath, but in mine own defence."
+
+"What man?" said the Sultan, astonished at his words; "whom hast thou
+slain, O wicked fakeer, that thine own fears should turn evidence
+against thee?"
+
+"Alas!" answered the fakeer, "hear me, most injured lord, for the
+blood of my brother presseth me sore.
+
+"As I journeyed yesterday, and was arrived within a league of the city
+of Delhi, I turned me towards a place walled round, which I supposed
+was a repository for the dead; and finding the gate open, I entered
+into it, intending to shelter myself for a few minutes against the
+scorching sun.
+
+"As I entered I perceived at one end a stone sepulchre, whose mouth
+was opened, and the stone rolled from it. Surprised at the sight, I
+walked forward to the vault, and heard within the voices of several
+persons. At this I was in doubt whether to proceed or retire,
+supposing that some robbers had taken up their residence there.
+
+"In the midst of my confusion, a young man with a turban hanging over
+his face came out, and seeing me, drew his sabre and made toward me to
+kill me. Whereupon I took up a large fragment of the wall which lay at
+my feet, and as he came forward I threw it and felled him to the
+ground; then running up, I snatched the sabre from his hand, and would
+have destroyed him, but he cried out, saying, 'Take care what thou
+doest, rash man; for it is not one but two lives that thou takest away
+when thou destroyest me!'
+
+"Amazed and wondering how it was possible for me to destroy two lives
+by avenging myself on one wretch, who, without offence, had meditated
+my death, I stayed my hand; which the young man seeing, he aimed to
+pull the sabre out of my hand, whereupon I lifted up the sabre above
+his head, and at one blow severed it from his body. Immediately,
+seeing the blood start from his veins, I ran out of the enclosure,
+fearing lest any one of his company should overtake me, and flew till
+I reached the city of Delhi, where I subsisted that night and this day
+on the alms of the Faithful, till I met my Sultan and his Vizier in
+the habit of two fakeers."
+
+"And what," said the Sultan, "has made thee thine own accuser, since
+the life you took was in your own defence? If thy tale is true, his
+blood rests on his own head, who was the aggressor; but the story is
+so singular, that I shall detain thee till my Vizier and a party of
+soldiers be sent to search the enclosure you have mentioned."
+
+The Vizier then gave orders for the guard to mount their horses, and
+the Sultan resolved to accompany the Vizier, the fakeer being carried
+between two of the guards to point out the scene of the encounter.
+
+The party having arrived at the iron gate of the enclosure, Horam,
+with ten of the guards, went in on foot, and marched with the fakeer
+to the tomb where he heard the voices, and whence the young man had
+issued forth.
+
+As they approached the tomb they beheld the body of the young man on
+the ground, and his head at a distance.
+
+The guards, entering the tomb, found no one within, but at the upper
+end they saw a stone case supported by two blocks of black marble. The
+stone case was covered with a flat marble, which the guards could not
+remove from its place.
+
+The Vizier, being acquainted with these particulars, returned to the
+Sultan, and related to him what the guards had discovered. But Misnar,
+recollecting the many devices which the enchanters had prepared to
+ensnare him, was very doubtful what course to take.
+
+On a sudden the moon, which shone exceeding bright, was overcast, and
+the clouds appeared of a glowing red, like the fiery heat of a burning
+furnace; hollow murmurs were heard at a distance, and a putrid and
+suffocating smell arose; when, in the midst of the fiery clouds, the
+black form of a haggard and hideously distorted female became visible,
+furiously riding on an unwieldy monster with many legs.
+
+In an instant the clouds to the east disappeared, and the heavens from
+that quarter shone like the meridian sun, and discovered a lovely
+graceful nymph, the brightness of whose features expressed the
+liveliest marks of meekness, grace, and love.
+
+"Hapacuson," said the fair one, addressing herself to the hag, "why
+wilt thou vainly brandish thy rebellious arms against the powers of
+Heaven? If the Sultan, though he be the favourite of Allah, do wrong,
+the Mighty One, who delighteth in justice, will make thee the
+instrument of His vengeance on the offending Prince. But know the
+extent of thy power, vain woman! and presume not to war against the
+will of Heaven, lest the battle of the faithful genii be set in array
+against thee, and thou be joined to the number of those who are
+already fallen."
+
+"Proud vassal of light," answered the enchantress Hapacuson, "I fear
+not thy threats, nor the bright pageants that surround thee: war,
+tumult, chaos, and darkness, fear and dismay, are to me more welcome
+than the idle splendours of thy Master."
+
+"Abandoned wretch!" answered the bright being, "defile not thy
+Maker's creations by thy blasphemous tongue; but learn at least to
+fear that Mighty One thou art not worthy to honour."
+
+Thus saying, she blew from her mouth a vivid flame, like a sharp two
+edged-sword, which, entering into the clouds that surrounded
+Hapacuson, the hag gave a horrible shriek, and the thick clouds
+rolling around her, she flew away into the darkness.
+
+The fair one then descending towards the Sultan, the brightness
+disappeared, and Misnar, the Vizier, and the guards, fell prostrate
+before her.
+
+"Arise, Misnar," said she, "Heaven's favourite! and fear not to enter
+the tomb, where the enchantments of Hapacuson are now at an end."
+
+The Sultan was about to answer, but the fair one led the way to the
+tomb, and commanded him to enter with her, and uncover the stone case
+which stood at the upper end.
+
+As the lid was removing, a sigh issued from its case, and a lovely
+female arose as from a deep sleep.
+
+"Inform me," said the Sultan, "whom it is my happy fate to release
+from this wretched confinement?"
+
+"Alas!" answered the beautiful maiden, "art thou the vile Bennaskar,
+or the still more vile Mahoud? Oh, let me sleep till death, and never
+more behold the wretchedness of life!"
+
+"What!" said the Sultan, starting from his knees, "do I behold the
+unfortunate Princess of Cassimir?"
+
+"Illustrious Hemjunah," said the Vizier Horam, as the Princess stared
+wildly about her, "Misnar, the Sultan of India, is before thee."
+
+"Yes," interrupted the fair spirit, "doubt not, Hemjunah, the truth of
+the Vizier Horam; for behold! Macoma, thy guardian genius, assures
+thee of the reality of what thou beholdest."
+
+"Helper of the afflicted," answered the Princess of Cassimir, "doubt
+vanishes when you are present; but wonder not at my incredulity, since
+my whole life has been a false illusion. O Allah, wherefore hast Thou
+made the weakest the most subject to deceit?"
+
+"To call in question the wisdom of Allah," answered the genius Macoma,
+"is to act like the child of folly: go, then, thou mirror of justice
+and understanding, and span with thy mighty arms the numberless
+heavens of the Faithful; weigh in thy just balance the wisdom of thy
+Maker, and the fitness of His creation; and, joined with the evil race
+from whom I have preserved thee, rail at that goodness thou canst not
+comprehend."
+
+"Spare me, just genius," answered the Princess of Cassimir; "spare the
+weakness of my disordered head. I confess my folly; but weak is the
+offspring of weakness."
+
+"True," replied the genius; "but although you are weak, ought you
+therefore to be presumptuous? Knowest thou not that the Sultan Misnar
+suffered with you because he despaired? And now would Hapacuson return
+thee to thy former slumbers, did not Allah, who has beheld thy former
+sufferings, in pity forgive the vain thoughts of mortality."
+
+"Blessed is His goodness," answered the Princess, "and blessed are His
+servants, who delight in succouring and instructing the weak and
+distressed."
+
+"To be sorry for our errors," said the genius, "is to bring down the
+pardon of Heaven; and Hemjunah, though so long overpowered by the
+malicious, is nevertheless one of the loveliest of her sex.
+
+"Sultan of India," continued Macoma, turning to Misnar, "I leave the
+Princess of Cassimir to your care, in full assurance that the delicacy
+of her sentiments will not be offended by your royal and noble
+treatment of her. But let an ambassador be immediately dispatched from
+your Court to inform her aged and pious father of the safety of his
+daughter."
+
+"The dictates of Macoma," answered the Sultan, bowing before her, "are
+the dictates of virtue and humanity, and her will shall be religiously
+obeyed."
+
+At these words the genius vanished, and the Sultan bade part of his
+guards return to Delhi to the chief of his eunuchs, and order him to
+prepare a palanquin and proper attendants to convey the Princess of
+Cassimir to the royal palace.
+
+While these preparations were making, the Sultan and his Vizier
+endeavoured to soothe and entertain the Princess of Cassimir; and
+though Horam was desirous of hearing her adventures, yet the Sultan
+would not suffer him to request Hemjunah's relation, till she was
+carried to the palace, and refreshed after her fatigues.
+
+The chief of the eunuchs arrived in a short time, and the Princess was
+conveyed, ere morning, to the palace of Misnar, where the female
+apartments were prepared for her reception, and a number of the first
+ladies of Delhi appointed to attend her.
+
+The Sultan, in the meantime, having ordered the fakeer to be released
+and sent out of the city, entered the divan with his Vizier, and,
+having dispatched the complainants, retired to rest.
+
+In the evening of the same day, the Princess, being recovered from her
+fatigue, sent the chief of the eunuchs to the Sultan, and desired
+leave to throw herself at his feet in gratitude for her escape.
+
+The Sultan received the message with joy, and ordering Horam his
+Vizier to be called, they both went into the apartments of the
+females, where the Princess of Cassimir was seated on a throne of
+ivory, and surrounded by the slaves of the seraglio.
+
+The Princess descended from her throne at the approach of the Sultan,
+and fell at his feet; but Misnar, taking her by the hand, said, "Rise,
+Princess, and injure not your honour by thus abasing yourself before
+your slave. The lovely Hemjunah has promised to relate her wonderful
+adventures; and Horam, the faithful friend of my bosom, and our former
+fellow-sufferer, is come to participate with me in the charming
+relation."
+
+"Prince," said Hemjunah, "I shall not conceal what you are so desirous
+of knowing."
+
+The Sultan then waved his hand, and the slaves withdrew.
+
+
+THE HISTORY OF THE PRINCESS OF CASSIMIR.
+
+
+Before I had attained my thirteenth year, my father proposed to marry
+me to the Prince of Georgia. It was in vain that, when my mother
+disclosed the fatal news to me, I urged my youth, and my entire
+ignorance of the Prince or his qualities.
+
+"My child," said Chederazade, "to make ourselves happy, we must be
+useful to the world. The Prince of Georgia has done your father great
+service in the wars, and you are destined to reward his toils: all
+the subjects of Cassimir will look upon your choice as a compliment to
+them, and they will rejoice to see their benefactor blessed with the
+hand of their Princess."
+
+"But, madam," answered I, "does the happiness of my father's subjects
+require such a sacrifice in me? Must I live in a country to whose
+language and manners I am a stranger? must I be for ever banished?"
+
+"I have given sufficient reasons," replied my mother, "to engage your
+compliance with your father's desire, and these will influence you, if
+prudence and wisdom are the motives of your choice; and if you want
+prudence, it is fit that those who are able to instruct you should
+also guide and direct your actions."
+
+At these words, Chederazade left me bathed in tears and trembling at
+my fate.
+
+My nurse Eloubrou was witness to the hard command my mother had
+imposed upon me, and endeavoured to comfort me in my affliction; but
+her words were as the wind on the surface of the rock; and to add to
+my griefs, in a few minutes after, the chief of the eunuchs entered,
+and bade me prepare to receive the Sultan my father.
+
+The Sultan of Cassimir entering my apartment, I fell at his feet.
+
+"Hemjunah," said he, "the Prince of Georgia is my friend, and I intend
+to give my daughter to his arms."
+
+Shocked at these successive declarations of my fate, which I had no
+reason to suspect the day before, I fainted away, and when I
+recovered, found myself on a sofa, with Eloubrou at my feet.
+
+"My lovely Princess," said Eloubrou, "how little am I able to see you
+thus! and yet I fear the news I have to impart to you may reduce you
+to your former condition."
+
+"Alas," said I, "nurse, what new evil has befallen me? What worse can
+happen than my marriage with a stranger?"
+
+"Princess," replied Eloubrou, "the Prince is to see you this night:
+nay, the ceremonies are preparing, the changes of vestment, the
+dessert, and the choral bands."
+
+"Ah," said I, "cruel Eloubrou! what hast thou said? Am I to be
+sacrificed this night to my father's policy? Am I to be given as a
+fee to the plunderer of cities?--for such they are whose profession is
+arms."
+
+"No, Princess," said a young female slave who attended on Eloubrou;
+"trust but to me, and the Prince of Georgia shall in vain seek the
+honour of your alliance."
+
+The faithful Eloubrou shrieked at the words of the female slave, and
+endeavoured to clap her hands and bring the chief of the eunuchs to
+her assistance; but the female slave waved her left hand, and Eloubrou
+and the rest of the slaves stood motionless before her.
+
+"Most lovely Princess," said she, "I am the friend of the distressed,
+and love to prevent the severe and ill-natured authority of parents:
+give me your hand, and I will deliver you from that monster, the
+Prince of Georgia."
+
+"What!" answered I, "shall I trust to a stranger, whom I know not, and
+fly from my father's Court? No!"
+
+"Well, then," said she, "I hear the cymbals playing before the Prince,
+and the trumpets, and the kettledrums. Farewell, sweet mistress of the
+fierce and unconquerable Prince of Georgia."
+
+As she spoke, the warlike music sounded in my ears; and, not doubting
+but that the Prince and my father were coming, I held out my hand to
+the female slave, and said,
+
+"Save me, oh, save me from my father's frown!"
+
+The slave eagerly snatched my hand, and, blowing forth a small vapour
+from her mouth, it filled the room, and we arose in a cloud.
+
+The manner of my flight from my father's palace I know not, as I
+immediately fainted; but when I recovered, I found myself in a
+magnificent apartment, and a youth standing before me.
+
+"Charming Hemjunah," said he, falling at my feet, "may I hope that the
+service I have performed, in delivering you from the Prince of
+Georgia, will merit your love?"
+
+"Alas!" said I, "what service hast thou performed? Who art thou, bold
+man, that durst stand before the Princess of Cassimir? Eloubrou,"
+shouted I, "faithful Eloubrou! where art thou? Where is Picksag, the
+chief of my eunuchs? Where are my slaves? Where are the guards of the
+seraglio?"
+
+"Princess," answered the young man, "fatigue not yourself with calling
+after them, since they are in the kingdom of Cassimir, and you are in
+the house of Bennaskar, the merchant of Delhi; but, not to keep you in
+suspense, O Princess! know that I have for several years traded from
+Cassimir to Delhi, and, although I never saw you till lately, yet the
+fame of your opening beauties was so great that it fired the hearts of
+all the young men in your father's kingdom. Every time I arrived at
+Cassimir, the subject of all conversation was the adorable Princess
+Hemjunah. Impelled by these encomiums, I resolved to see you or die."
+
+He then recounted how he had obtained access to me through the art of
+Ulin.
+
+The wicked Bennaskar would have made me the victim of his passions,
+when, in a gentle cloud, a venerable and majestic personage descended
+into the apartment.
+
+"Unhappy Princess of Cassimir!" said she, "how has thy imprudence
+weakened my power, and destroyed thine own safety! If thou hadst not
+yielded to the false female slave, the sorceress Ulin had not
+triumphed over thee and me; but now she has given thee into the power
+and possession of Bennaskar, and I am not permitted to rescue thee
+from the clutches of this detested merchant."
+
+"Then," said Bennaskar, who before was awed by the presence of the
+genius Macoma, "Hemjunah is my own, and my faithful Ulin has not
+deceived me."
+
+At these words, exerting all his strength, the villain seized me; but
+his triumph was short, for the genius, advancing, immediately touched
+him with her wand, and said,
+
+"Wretched slave of iniquity! though I am not permitted to rescue the
+Princess, yet I have power over thee, base tool of sin! therefore I
+ordain, that whenever you look upon the Princess, you shall deprive
+her of sensation."
+
+"Then," said Bennaskar, rising and turning from me, "I will at present
+disappoint thy power till I receive my commands from the mouth of
+Ulin, the mistress of my fate."
+
+"Ah!" cried the enchantress Ulin, who that moment entered the vaulted
+chamber from the closet, which, my Prince, you have heard described by
+Mahoud, "what hast thou done, thou enemy of our race? Accursed and
+fatal neglect, that I had not at first secured Bennaskar from thy
+power! But since the inexorable word is gone forth, I will add to thy
+sentence. Here," continued she, stamping with her foot, and an ugly
+dwarf arose through a trap-door in the chamber, "Nego, be it thy
+business to attend my servant Bennaskar, and whenever thou seest that
+female deprived of sensation, do you bury her in the earth beneath
+this chamber. And, Bennaskar," continued the enchantress, "do you take
+this phial, and whenever you want to converse with this stubborn
+female, let one of your slaves, whom you can trust, pour part of the
+liquor into her mouth, and she shall recover: only retire yourself
+into the closet, that you be not seen of her, at least till she
+consent to your will, for then the enchantments of Macoma shall no
+longer prevail against you."
+
+"The enchantments," said Macoma, "O wretched Ulin, are not yet
+complete! there is yet a moment left, and both our power over Hemjunah
+and Bennaskar will be at an end. Therefore thus shall it be: although
+Bennaskar is possessed of the Princess, yet shall these apartments be
+hidden from the sight of all men, except on that day when thy evil
+race prevails. On the full of the moon only shall Bennaskar be able to
+explore these rooms. And fear not, amiable Hemjunah," said the genius,
+addressing herself to me, "for neither force nor enchantment shall
+work your ruin without your own consent; and although Mahomet,
+displeased at your late imprudence, for a time permits this
+enchantment, yet at length, if you continue faithful and virtuous, he
+will assuredly deliver you."
+
+At these words, Bennaskar turned towards me, with anger and
+disappointment in his eye, and immediately I was seized with a deep
+sleep, and what passed afterwards I know not.
+
+One day I found myself awakened by the pouring of some liquor into my
+mouth, and saw a black slave standing before me. At the same time the
+voice of Bennaskar issued from the closet.
+
+"Ill-fated Princess! thy tyrant genius hath now hidden thee a month
+from my sight, while thy friends, Ulin and Bennaskar, seek to restore
+thee to light and to life: say but, therefore, thou wilt be mine, and
+the enchantments of Macoma will be destroyed."
+
+"Wretched Bennaskar!" answered I, "I knew not that my sleep had
+continued a month; but, if it be so long since I saw the genius Macoma
+in this chamber, I thank Mahomet that he hath so long hidden me from
+the persecutions of Bennaskar."
+
+"Haughty Princess!" answered the vile Bennaskar from the closet, "my
+slave shall inspire you with humbler words." Whereupon he ordered the
+black slave to give me fifty lashes with the chabouc.
+
+But it is needless, O Prince, to repeat the various designs of that
+wretch. For three months was I thus confined, and Bennaskar having
+exercised, through the hands of his slave, the cruelties of his heart,
+used at length, when he found me persist in my resolution, to come
+forth, and by his presence deprive me of sensation. The adventures of
+the third month you have heard from the mouth of Mahoud; I shall
+therefore only continue my narrative from the time that he left me
+with the book in my hand.
+
+Bennaskar, seeing his friend Mahoud had left him, went out, and soon
+returned again with him, and taking him into the closet, in a moment
+came forth, and, touching me, he said, "Come, fair Princess, the
+enchantments of Macoma are now at an end, and thou art given up
+entirely to Bennaskar."
+
+I shrieked at his words, hoping the Cadi would hear me, but in vain.
+Bennaskar ran with me through the vaulted passage, and found myself
+with him in an extended plain.
+
+"Wretch!" said the genius Macoma, who that moment appeared, "hast thou
+dared to disobey my commands, and remove the Princess from the vaulted
+chamber, where even thy mistress yielded to my power? But I thank
+thee: what the imprudent Mahoud could not accomplish against thee thou
+hast effected thyself."
+
+As she spake, the form of Bennaskar perished from the face of the
+plain, and his body crumbled to atoms and mixed with the dust of the
+earth; but from his ashes the enchantress Ulin arose, and with an
+enraged visage turned towards me and said, "Thou art still the victim
+of my power; and since Bennaskar is no more, go, sweet Princess, and
+join thy delicate form to the form of thy preserver Mahoud, whom I
+designed for the flames; but, my will being opposed, he is rescued
+thence, and now defiles the air of Tarapajan with his pestiferous
+breath."
+
+Such, Sultan of India, were the consequences of my imprudence; and
+thus are our sex, by the smallest deviations, often led through
+perpetual scenes of misery and distress.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"Lovely Princess of Cassimir," said the Sultan Misnar, "I have felt
+more anxiety during this short interval in which you have related your
+adventures than in all the campaigns I have made. But suffer us, O
+Princess, to add a further trouble to you by a second request; for I
+am as anxious to hear by what misfortune you were enclosed in the tomb
+of death as I was to know in what manner you were subjected to the
+villanous cruelties of the wretched Bennaskar."
+
+"The tale, O Prince," said the fair Hemjunah, "is wonderful; but,
+alas! new indiscretions drew upon me the severities I have
+experienced."
+
+
+THE HISTORY OF THE PRINCESS CONTINUED.
+
+
+As soon as, by our restoration to our pristine forms, we were apprised
+of your victory over the enchantress Ulin, I found myself in the
+seraglio of my father's palace. In the apartment from which I was
+taken by the wicked enchantress, I beheld my nurse Eloubrou: she was
+prostrate on the ground, and the palace was filled with her cries.
+
+"Faithful Eloubrou," said I, "arise and look upon thy beloved
+Hemjunah. Where is my royal father Zebenezer, and the fond
+Chederazade, the mother of my heart?"
+
+Eloubrou, at my voice, started up like one awakened from a trance.
+"What is it?" said she in emotion, "what is it I behold? Art thou the
+departed shade of my once-loved Hemjunah?"
+
+"No shade, beloved Eloubrou," said I, running to her, "but the true
+Princess of Cassimir, whom Misnar the Sultan of India hath rescued
+from the enchantments of the wicked Ulin."
+
+"Oh that thy royal mother," said Eloubrou, "were, like me, blessed
+with the sight of thy return!"
+
+"What," said I "Eloubrou, what dost thou say? Where, then, is the
+much-honoured Chederazade? where the dear parent of my life?"
+
+"Alas!" said Eloubrou, "who shall tell the dismal tale to thy tender
+heart?"
+
+"Ah!" said I, "is my beloved mother no more? Is she gone to seek her
+disobedient daughter over the burning lake?"
+
+At these words my spirit failed, and I sank motionless to the ground.
+But my lord must forgive me if I hasten over the dreadful scene that
+followed. The report of Eloubrou was too true: Chederazade, the
+dearest Chederazade, had been ten days dead when I was restored to my
+father's palace; and Zebenezer, distracted at the double loss of his
+consort and his child, had shut himself up in the tomb of my mother.
+
+Eloubrou hastened to the tomb wherein my father poured forth his
+tears, and acquainted the guards who watched without that I was
+returned.
+
+The sorrowful Zebenezer, although he was rejoiced at the news,
+resolved not to come forth out of his consort's tomb till the month
+was expired, according to his oath; and gave orders, that during that
+interval I should be obeyed by his subjects.
+
+My mourning was not less poignant than my royal father's. I shut
+myself up in my apartments, and would suffer none but Eloubrou to see
+me.
+
+Nine days passed in silence; our loss affected both, and Eloubrou was
+as little disposed as myself to forget the cause of her griefs. On the
+tenth morning, Eloubrou was called out by the Grand Vizier, who then
+had the command of my father's kingdom.
+
+She returned in haste. "Princess of Cassimir," said she, "one who
+calleth himself Mahoud inquires for thee; and the Grand Vizier,
+understanding that he was instrumental in your release, waits without
+to know your will."
+
+At the name of Mahoud I started from my reverie. "Mahoud," said I, "O
+Eloubrou! deserves my notice; and the son of the jeweller of Delhi
+shall be rewarded for his services to your mistress."
+
+"Alas!" answered Eloubrou, "my lovely mistress is distracted with
+sorrows, and supposes the Prince Mahoud to be the offspring of a
+slave!"
+
+"If he be a Prince," answered I, "he has hitherto concealed his
+circumstances and birth from me, or he is not that Mahoud whom I
+remember in the deserts of Tarapajan."
+
+"That," answered Eloubrou, "you will soon discover when you see him.
+But," continued she, "he desires a private audience."
+
+"Well, then," replied I, "introduce him, Eloubrou; but let my slaves
+be ready to enter at my call."
+
+Eloubrou obeyed, and brought the merchant Mahoud into my presence, and
+then retired.
+
+Mahoud fell at my feet, and said, "Forgive my presumption in
+approaching the throne of Cassimir, and that I have added hypocrisy to
+my boldness, by assuming the title of a Prince."
+
+"What, then," answered I, sternly, "has induced you to deceive my
+Court?"
+
+"Let death," said Mahoud, falling again before me, "let death atone
+for my crime; but first permit me to explain the motives of my
+presumption."
+
+"Proceed," said I.
+
+He then informed me that, after assuming his natural form, he visited
+Delhi, where he was spurned by Misnar and Horam, and had been
+compelled to beg his way to my dominions. A merchant of the city had
+furnished him with the robes in which he appeared. Then clapping my
+hands, Eloubrou appeared, and I said, "Eloubrou, let the Prince Mahoud
+be lodged in my father's palace, and let a proper number of slaves
+attend him; and do you acquaint the Vizier with his quality."
+
+Eloubrou did as I commanded; and Mahoud, full of joy, fell down at my
+feet, and kissed the hem of my garment.
+
+"Prince," said I, "arise; and Eloubrou shall conduct you to my
+father's palace."
+
+A few days' experience made me repent my folly in giving credit to
+the falsehoods of Mahoud, for the insolent merchant got proud of his
+newly-assumed honours. He came daily, and was introduced to me, and
+every time assumed greater state; till at last he dared to declare his
+passion for me, and talked of asking my father's consent as soon as
+the days of his sorrow should be accomplished. Astonished at his
+insolence, I bade him depart from my presence, which he did
+reluctantly, muttering revenge as he went.
+
+As soon as he was gone, I acquainted Eloubrou with Mahoud's story, his
+ridiculous and insolent behaviour, and that he had even dared to
+threaten me with revenge.
+
+"The threats of Mahoud," said Eloubrou, "are of little consequence,
+though prudence should never esteem the least enemy unworthy of its
+notice; care shall, therefore, be taken of this insolent merchant."
+
+While Eloubrou was giving the necessary instructions, one of the
+slaves entered the apartment, and gave me notice that Zebenezer, my
+father, expected me in the tomb immediately. I put on the solemn veil,
+and followed the guard to the tomb of Chederazade. I entered the
+lonely mansions of the dead with fear and trembling, and, at the upper
+end of the vaulted tomb, saw my father kneeling before the embalmed
+corpse of my mother.
+
+"Unhappy Hemjunah," said the aged man, "come hither, and behold the
+sad remains of my dearest Chederazade."
+
+Although my heart sank with grief, and my limbs tottered, yet I went
+to reach the place where Chederazade lay embalmed, and fell at the
+feet of my father Zebenezer.
+
+"Rise," said he, "O daughter!" and caught me suddenly in his arms;
+when, oh fearful sight! I perceived his visage alter, and that the
+villanous Mahoud held me in his embrace.
+
+Struck with horror and despair, I endeavoured to cry out, but in
+vain--my voice was gone, and the power of speech was taken from me.
+
+"No," said he, with a fierce air, "your struggles and resistance, O
+prudent Princess, are all vain; for she who would join to deceive
+others must expect to be deceived when there is none to help her;
+therefore speech, if you resist, is taken from you."
+
+"What," said I, "cruel Mahoud! is this the return my friendship
+deserves, when, to save you from infamy and slavery, I gave way to
+your entreaties, and represented you otherwise than you really were?"
+
+"Friendship, O Princess," said he, "is built on virtue, which Mahoud
+has disclaimed since he entered into the service of the sage
+Hapacuson; and by her advice it was that he told you a false tale to
+deceive you to your own destruction. Had you not yielded to that tale,
+I could have had no power over you or your father; but it is our
+triumph to circumvent the prudence of Mahomet's children; wherefore,
+seeing you would not yield openly to my wishes, I had no sooner left
+you with Eloubrou, than, by Hapacuson's assistance, I entered this
+tomb invisibly, and, by my enchantments, overpowered your father
+Zebenezer, and then, assuming his person, I sent for my Princess, and
+she came obedient to my call. But, now," continued the false Mahoud,
+"your cries will profit you but little; for Hapacuson, who is ever
+hovering over Delhi, to watch the motions of the Sultan Misnar, has by
+this time placed us in a repository of the dead, where we shall have
+none to overhear or disturb us."
+
+"Mahoud then showed me my father Zebenezer, whom, by his enchantment,
+he had deprived of all sensation: he lay in a coffin of black marble,
+in an inner apartment, and after that he vowed that he would desist
+from force; but, till I consented to love him, I must be content to
+live in the tomb.
+
+"He, by his enchantments, obliged me to sleep in the place whence you
+delivered me, and what time has elapsed during my confinement I know
+not."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"Princess," said the Sultan, "we rejoice at your escape; but as it is
+probable, by your account, that your royal sire Zebenezer still sleeps
+in the tomb, we will pray for his deliverance from the chains of
+enchantment."
+
+The Sultan then sent officers to search in the tomb for the body of
+Zebenezer, and also called together those who were skilled in magic,
+and desired them to use incantations to invoke the genius Macoma to
+their assistance. But the arts of the magicians were vain, and Macoma
+remained deaf to the entreaties of the Sultan and his sages.
+
+In the meantime, while the Sultan and his Vizier Horam endeavoured to
+comfort the afflicted Hemjunah, the ambassadors returned from
+Cassimir, bringing advice that the grand Vizier Hobaddan had assumed
+the title of Sultan, and that the whole kingdom of Cassimir
+acknowledged his authority.
+
+At this report, Hemjunah sank on the earth, and the Sultan Misnar ran
+to comfort her, declaring that he would march his whole army to
+recover her dominions from the rebel Hobaddan.
+
+"Horam," said the Sultan, "let us be prudent as well as just:
+therefore, while you march to the assistance of the injured subjects
+of Cassimir, and to restore that kingdom to its lawful Prince, I will
+keep strict discipline and order in the provinces of my empire; and I
+trust, in a short time, I shall see you return with the head of the
+rebel Hobaddan."
+
+The Vizier Horam set out in a few days from Delhi with three hundred
+thousand troops of the flower of the Sultan's army, and by forced
+marches reached the confines of Cassimir ere the pretended Sultan
+Hobaddan had notice of his arrival.
+
+The Vizier Horam's intention to restore the Princess Hemjunah to the
+throne of her ancestors being proclaimed, numbers of the subjects of
+Cassimir flocked to the standard of Horam; and the army, now increased
+to five hundred thousand troops, marched forthwith toward the capital
+of Cassimir.
+
+Hobaddan, having notice of the increase and progress of his enemies,
+and finding that to engage them upon equal terms was vain, sent an
+embassy to the Vizier Horam, assuring him that he and his whole army
+would surrender themselves up to the mercy and clemency of his
+master's troops. Horam rejoiced at the success of his march; and
+desirous of regaining the kingdom of Cassimir without bloodshed, sent
+an assurance to Hobaddan in answer, that, if he fulfilled his promise,
+his own life should be saved.
+
+The next morning Hobaddan appeared in front of his troops, with their
+heads dejected and their arms inverted toward the ground; and in this
+manner they came forward to the Vizier Horam's army.
+
+Horam, to encourage the submission of Hobaddan, had placed the forces,
+which he had raised in the kingdom of Cassimir, in the van of his
+army; and also to secure them from retreating, by the support which
+his own troops were to give them in the rear.
+
+When Hobaddan was within hearing, instead of throwing his arms on the
+ground, he unsheathed his scimitar, and thus spake to the troops
+before him:
+
+"Brethren and countrymen, suffer me to speak what my affection to you
+all, and my love for my country, requires me to say. Against whom, O
+my brethren, is this array of battle? and whose blood seek ye to spill
+on the plains which our forefathers have cultivated? Is it our own
+blood that must be poured forth over these lands to enrich them for a
+stranger's benefit? Is it not under pretence of fighting for the
+Princess of Cassimir, who has been long since dead, that the Sultan of
+India's troops are now ravaging, not on our borders only, but
+penetrating even into the heart of our nation? But suppose ye that the
+conquerors will give up the treasures they hope to earn by their
+blood? Will they not rather, invited by the fruitfulness of our vales,
+and by the rich produce of our mountains, fix here the standard of
+their arms, and make slaves of us, who are become thus easily the
+dupes of their ambitious pretences? Then, farewell content! farewell
+pleasure! farewell the well-earned fruits of industry and frugality!
+Our lands shall be the property of others, and we still tied down by
+slavish chains to cultivate and improve them. Our houses, our
+substance, shall be the reward of foreign robbers; our wives and our
+virgins shall bow down before conquerors; and we, like the beasts of
+the field, shall be drawn in the scorching midday to the furrow or the
+mine."
+
+As Hobaddan began to utter these words, Horam, astonished at his
+malice and presumption, ordered the archers who attended him to draw
+forth their arrows, and pierce him to the heart; but the weapons of
+war were as straws on the armour of Hobaddan, and he stood dauntless
+and unhurt amidst ten thousand arrows.
+
+"Friends and brethren!" continued Hobaddan, "you see the powers above
+are on our side; the arrows of Horam are as chaff on the plain, and as
+the dust which penetrates not the garments of the traveller. Halt not,
+therefore, but join your arms to the defender and supporter of your
+liberties and your possessions."
+
+At these words the recruits of Horam filed off in a body and joined
+the party of Hobaddan; while the pretended Sultan, elated at his
+success, pushed forward to the Vizier Horam's troops, and charged them
+with the utmost impetuosity.
+
+The weapons of the brave were foiled by the armour of Hobaddan; for
+the enchantress Hapacuson, studious of diverting the attention of the
+Sultan Misnar, had assisted Hobaddan with her counsel and with
+invulnerable arms; wherefore, seeing their labour vain and fruitless
+against the pretended and unconquerable Sultan, the hearts of Horam's
+warriors melted within them, and they fell away from the field of
+battle; and Hobaddan, sensible of his advantage, hastened after the
+troops of Horam all the day and night; and the Vizier himself barely
+escaped with his life, having none left behind him to send to Delhi
+with the unhappy report of his defeat.
+
+But malicious Fame, ever indefatigable in representing the horrors of
+affliction and distress, soon spread her voice throughout the regions
+of Delhi; and Misnar heard from every quarter, that his faithful Horam
+and all his chosen troops were defeated or cut off by the victorious
+arm of Hobaddan. The Princess Hemjunah gave up herself to sighs and
+tears, and refused the consolation of the Court of Delhi; and the
+Sultan Misnar, enraged at his loss, resolved to assemble the greatest
+part of his troops, and march to the assistance of Horam.
+
+But first he gave orders that recruits should be raised, and that the
+number of his troops should be increased; and then, mixing his young
+raised soldiers with the veterans of his army, he left one half of his
+troops to guard his own provinces, and with the other he marched
+towards the confines of Cassimir.
+
+The Vizier Horam had concealed himself in the hut of a faithful
+peasant, and hearing that his master had arrived with a numerous army
+in the kingdom of Cassimir, he went forward to meet him, and, falling
+down at his feet, besought his forgiveness.
+
+"Horam," said the Sultan, "arise. I forgive thee, although thou hast
+lost so many of my troops; but I little suspected Hobaddan had been
+too artful for the experience and sagacity of my Vizier. However,
+Horam, he must not expect to deceive us again: we are more in number,
+and we are aware of his deceit. You, Horam, forced your marches and
+weakened your troops, but I will bring them on slowly and surely. Have
+we prevailed against Ulin, and Happuck, and Ollomand, and Tasnar--have
+we crushed Ahaback and Desra by our prudent arts--and shall we fear
+the contrivance of a poor Vizier, who leads a few rebels among the
+rocks of the province of Cassimir? Let us but use prudence with
+resolution, and these enemies must soon fade away like the shadow that
+flieth from the noontide sun."
+
+The two armies of the Sultan of India and the pretended Sultan of
+Cassimir approached each other; and the troops of Misnar were pleased
+to hear that their number was treble the number of their enemies. But,
+however great their superiority might be, the Sultan Misnar and his
+Vizier kept the strictest discipline among them, and acted as if they
+were about to engage a superior force.
+
+For some time the armies continued within sight of each other, neither
+choosing to engage without some superiority of circumstances, and both
+watchful to prevent that superiority. At length the Sultan observing a
+weakness in the left wing of Hobaddan's army, caused by sickness, as
+they were encamped near a morass, gave orders for a furious attack
+upon the front, but directed the main effort to be made against that
+wing.
+
+But the Sultan's intentions were defeated; for Hobaddan, commanding
+not in the centre, as was expected, but in the left wing (with a
+chosen troop he had conveyed there the very morning of the
+engagement), totally defeated those who were sent to oppose him. The
+troops to the right of the Sultan's army, giving way, put all in
+confusion; and the unwieldy number of Misnar's forces, instead of
+regularly supporting them, poured toward the right in such tumult as
+destroyed the whole disposition of the army.
+
+During this confusion, Hobaddan hewed down on all sides those who
+dared oppose his arms; and his chosen troop followed him over heaps of
+the slain, every one flying through fear at his presence.
+
+The Sultan and his Vizier Horam, finding it in vain to rally their
+troops or oppose the conquerors, sounded a retreat, and, amidst the
+general confusion, fled toward the sandy deserts which divide the
+realms of Cassimir from the province of Delhi.
+
+But the prudent Sultan, in his flight, endeavoured to restore to his
+troops their rank and order; and while Horam reduced the foot under
+their proper banners, Misnar regulated the confusion of the horse, and
+placed them as a covering to the rest of his forces.
+
+In this manner they marched before the face of their enemies into the
+desert, without any provision or forage but what they carried with
+their accoutrements; and although the Sultan and his Vizier used every
+argument to persuade their troops (who still exceeded the number of
+their enemies) to turn and pursue the army of Hobaddan, yet so great
+was their dread of the victorious rebel and his forces, that they
+threatened to throw down their arms rather than return to the battle.
+
+Seeing all his endeavours to inspire his men with courage ineffectual,
+the Sultan travelled onward with them into the desert, as one given up
+to certain destruction.
+
+After two days' march, they halted beside several small pools; and
+such was the excessive drought of Misnar's army, that many perished
+before they could be prevailed upon to quit the refreshing waters of
+the desert. These, indeed, thought of little more than present relief;
+but Misnar, their lord, was overwhelmed with the severest pangs of
+distress.
+
+To increase their grief, scouts brought word that the troops of
+Hobaddan, being refreshed after their fatigues, were marching towards
+them, intending to destroy them while they were faint from want of
+provision. The army of the Sultan, terrified by the report, and seeing
+no hope of escape, fell upon the wretched Sultan and his faithful
+Vizier, and bringing them into the centre of the troops, demanded
+their blood as an atonement for the losses they were about to suffer
+in their cause.
+
+The ringleader of this general mutiny was Ourodi, the ancient enemy of
+the faithful Horam, who, standing foremost in the ranks, commanded the
+archers to bind their Sultan and Vizier to a stake.
+
+The Sultan, seeing all his hopes defeated, and the rage of the
+multitude, knelt down and commended his cause to the all-powerful
+Allah.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+And now the archers were about to bend their bows and fit the deadly
+shafts to their bow-strings, when a luminous appearance was discovered
+to the eastward, and the outskirts of the army saw a female in robes
+of light travelling over the sands of the desert. In a moment she
+passed through the ranks of the army, and stood in the circle who were
+gathered around to see the execution of the Sultan and his Vizier.
+
+"Misnar," said she, "arise, and fear not those sons of clay, nor the
+malice of enchantment: I am the genius Macoma, sent by Mahomet to save
+and deliver thee when human assistance was vain and impossible.
+Therefore assume thy just command over these thy subjects, and let
+them all fall prostrate on the ground to Allah, and wait to see the
+fate of those who fight against the Prophet of the Faithful. But first
+learn, from thine own experience, the folly of trusting even to the
+greatest human power or prudence, without an affiance in the Lord of
+Heaven. The world, O Misnar, is Allah's, and the kingdom of heaven is
+the work of His hands; let not, therefore, the proudest boast, nor the
+most humble despair; for, although the towering mountains appear most
+glorious to the sight, the lowly valleys enjoy the fatness of the
+skies. But Allah is able to clothe the summit of the rocks with
+verdure, and dry up even the rivers of the vale. Wherefore, although
+thou wert suffered to destroy the greatest part of thine enemies, yet
+one was left to overpower thee, that thou mightest know that thou wert
+but a weak instrument in the hands of strength."
+
+"I know," answered the Sultan Misnar, "that Allah is able to dissolve
+this frame of earth, and every vision of the eye; and therefore not
+the proudest nor the most powerful can stand against Him."
+
+As the Sultan spake thus; the army of Hobaddan appeared on the face of
+the sandy desert.
+
+"Although His power be infinite," said the genius, "yet can He effect
+these changes by the most unexpected means. But I will not waste that
+time in words which I am commanded to employ in action, to convince
+both you and your army of the sovereignty of Allah. Therefore suffer
+no man to rise from the earth or to quit his place; but lift up your
+heads only, and behold those enemies destroyed before whom you fled."
+
+So saying, the genius Macoma waved her wand, and instantly the air was
+darkened, and a confused noise was heard above the armies of Misnar
+and Hobaddan.
+
+For some hours the Sultan's troops knew not the cause of the darkness
+that overshadowed them; but in a little time the light returned by
+degrees, and they looked toward the army of Hobaddan, and saw them
+overwhelmed with innumerable locusts.
+
+"Thine enemies," said Macoma, "O Sultan, are no more, save the
+enchantress Hapacuson, who personates the rebel Ourodi."
+
+"The glory of extirpating her infernal race," said the Vizier Horam,
+bowing before the genius Macoma, "belongs to my Sultan; otherwise
+Horam would esteem himself the happiest of mankind in her
+destruction."
+
+"The glory you speak of," answered the genius Macoma, "is given to
+another: a fly has gone forth, the winged messenger of Allah's wrath,
+and at this moment bereaves the vile Hapacuson of her breath and of
+her life."
+
+The Vizier Horam held down his head at the just reproof of the genius;
+but the words of her reproof were the words of truth; for an account
+was brought that the rebel Ourodi was suddenly dead, being strangled
+by some impediment in his throat, and that, at his death, his figure
+was changed into the appearance of a deformed enchantress.
+
+"Although your enemies, O Misnar, are no more," said the genius, "yet
+the assistance of Allah is as necessary for your support as for their
+defeat; wherefore He hath given life to the springs of the pools of
+the desert, and your troops will find such refreshment from them, that
+you may safely march over the sandy plains; and, to add to your
+happiness, the old Sultan Zebenezer, being released from the
+enchantments of Hapacuson, waits, with his daughter Hemjunah, your
+safe arrival, and knows not as yet those wonders which I leave your
+prudence to reveal to him."
+
+The Sultan Misnar well understood the mysterious speech of the genius
+Macoma; but before he or his troops tasted of the pools or pursued
+their march, he commanded them to fall down before Allah, the only
+Lord of the world.
+
+The soldiers, having done reverence to Allah, were desirous of
+repeating it before Misnar, to ask his forgiveness; but the Sultan
+would not permit them. "Let us make," said he, "Allah and His Prophet
+our guide and defence, and then neither presumption nor rebellion
+shall lead us into error."
+
+The unexpected change reached not the Court of Delhi till the troops
+were within a few day's march of the city; and Zebenezer and Hemjunah
+were but just prepared to meet the Sultan Misnar when he entered the
+gates of the palace.
+
+As Misnar advanced toward the aged Zebenezer, the good old man started
+with surprise, and cried out, "Oh! is it possible that the Sultan of
+India and the Prince of Georgia should be one and the same?"
+
+The Princess Hemjunah was confounded at her father's speech, and she
+fell on his bosom and hid her face.
+
+"What you suspect, my royal friend," said Misnar, "is true: I am
+indeed the man who once passed in Cassimir for the Prince of Georgia.
+I beseech thee, O Zebenezer, forgive my deception."
+
+"You have no forgiveness," said the aged Zebenezer, "O Sultan, to ask
+from me."
+
+"Indeed," answered the Sultan, "my title was just: my royal father,
+Dabulcombar, being treacherously advised by those who wished to place
+his younger son Ahubal on the throne, commanded me to travel, and gain
+renown and experience in arms; and, to conceal my importance, gave me
+the title of Prince of Georgia. In this disguise I came to the royal
+Court of Cassimir, and engaged in your service, O venerable Sultan,
+and Allah sent His blessing on us: your enemies were put to flight,
+and your subjects, who favoured me, gave the credit of the defeat to
+my arms.
+
+"Hearing that you intended me the honour of an alliance with your
+illustrious family, I resolved first to see the Princess Hemjunah,
+whom I heard you had confined, being warned, from an ancient prophecy,
+that a stranger should deprive you of her. I saw the Princess by means
+of one of her slaves, and Hemjunah from that moment took possession of
+my heart. I was earnest, therefore, with you to propose the nuptials,
+and was to have been introduced to the Princess, when I received
+advice that my father was drawing near his end. In expectation of
+demanding your daughter as the Sultan of India, and not as an obscure
+Prince, I journeyed to Delhi, and arrived time enough to see my royal
+sire ere he departed.
+
+"'Son,' said he, 'evil threatens your reign: extricate, therefore,
+yourself from danger, and do not involve others in your ruin.'
+
+"Mindful of my father's words, I resolved to quell the commotions of
+the empire before I made myself known to the Sultan of Cassimir; but
+Allah has so wound the string of our fates together, that it is
+needless to repeat the rest of my adventures. Only the Princess must
+forgive me this, that, hearing she had been taken away from her
+father's Court, I was resolved to conceal my interest in her affairs
+till I was sensible that the Prince of Georgia, though not blessed
+with her smiles, had yet no rival in her affections."
+
+"Most noble Sultan," said the Princess Hemjunah, "it is vain to
+dissemble: suffer me, therefore, freely to declare that the Sultan of
+India has totally extirpated the Prince of Georgia from my heart; but,
+whatever my own sentiments may be, assure yourself that I shall not,
+at my father's commands, refuse the Prince of Georgia my hand."
+
+The Sultan of India and Zebenezer were both delighted with the
+Princess Hemjunah's answer; and the faithful Vizier Horam rejoiced to
+find that his master and the Princess Hemjunah were to be united. The
+whole Court expected the nuptials with impatience; and the good old
+Sultan Zebenezer stayed to see his daughter the Sultaness of India,
+and Misnar the happiest and the most thankful of the children of
+Allah.
+
+"The children of Allah," said the sage Horam, "have indeed a freedom
+of action; but that freedom is best exercised when it leads them to
+trust and depend on the Lord of all things: not that He who seeth even
+beyond the confines of light is pleased with idleness, or giveth
+encouragement to the sons of sloth; the spirit which He has infused
+into mankind He expects to find active and industrious; and, when
+prudence is joined with religion, Allah either gives success to its
+dictates, or, by counteracting its motions, draws forth the brighter
+virtues of patience and resignation. Learn, therefore, ye pupils of
+the race of immortals, not to forget your dependence on Allah while ye
+follow the prudent maxims of wisdom and experience; for he only is
+truly prudent who adds faith to his practice, and he truly religious
+whose actions are the result of his faith."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+Sadik Beg.
+
+
+Sadik Beg was of good family, handsome in person, and possessed of
+both sense and courage; but he was poor, having no property but his
+sword and his horse, with which he served as a gentleman retainer of a
+Pasha. The latter, satisfied with the purity of Sadik's descent, and
+entertaining a respect for his character, determined to make him the
+husband of his daughter Hooseinee, who, though beautiful as her name
+implied, was remarkable for her haughty manner and ungovernable
+temper.
+
+Giving a husband of the condition of Sadik Beg to a lady of
+Hooseinee's rank was, according to usage in such unequal matches, like
+giving her a slave; and as she heard a good report of his personal
+qualities, she offered no objections to the marriage, which was
+celebrated soon after it was proposed, and apartments were assigned to
+the happy couple in the Pasha's palace.
+
+Some of Sadik Beg's friends rejoiced in his good fortune, as they saw,
+in the connection he had formed, a sure prospect of his advancement.
+Others mourned the fate of so fine and promising a young man, now
+condemned to bear through life all the humours of a proud and
+capricious woman; but one of his friends, a little man called Merdek,
+who was completely henpecked, was particularly rejoiced, and quite
+chuckled at the thought of seeing another in the same condition with
+himself.
+
+About a month after the nuptials, Merdek met his friend, and, with
+malicious pleasure, wished him joy of his marriage.
+
+"Most sincerely do I congratulate you, Sadik," said he, "on this happy
+event."
+
+"Thank you, my good fellow, I am very happy indeed, and rendered more
+so by the joy I perceive it gives my friends."
+
+"Do you really mean to say you are happy?" said Merdek, with a smile.
+
+"I really am so," replied Sadik.
+
+"Nonsense!" said his friend; "do we not all know to what a termagant
+you are united? and her temper and high rank combined must no doubt
+make her a sweet companion." Here he burst into a loud laugh, and the
+little man actually strutted with a feeling of superiority over the
+bridegroom.
+
+Sadik, who knew his situation and feelings, was amused instead of
+being angry. "My friend," said he, "I quite understand the grounds of
+your apprehension for my happiness. Before I was married, I had heard
+the same reports as you have done of my beloved bride's disposition;
+but I am happy to say, I have found it quite otherwise: she is a most
+docile and obedient wife."
+
+"But how has this miraculous change been wrought?"
+
+"Why," said Sadik, "I believe I have some merit in effecting it; but
+you shall hear. After the ceremonies of our nuptials were over, I went
+in my military dress, and with my sword by my side, to the apartment
+of Hooseinee. She was sitting in a most dignified posture to receive
+me, and her looks were anything but inviting. As I entered the room, a
+beautiful cat, evidently a great favourite, came purring up to me. I
+deliberately drew my sword, struck its head off, and taking that in
+one hand and the body in the other, threw them out of the window. I
+then very unconcernedly turned to the lady, who appeared in some
+alarm; she, however, made no observations, but was in every way kind
+and submissive, and has continued so ever since."
+
+"Thank you, my dear fellow," said little Merdek, with a significant
+shake of the head: "a word to the wise." And away he capered,
+obviously quite rejoiced.
+
+It was near evening when this conversation took place; soon after,
+when the dark cloak of night had enveloped the bright radiance of day,
+Merdek entered the chamber of his spouse, with something of a martial
+swagger, armed with a scimitar. The unsuspecting cat came forward as
+usual, to welcome the husband of her mistress, but in an instant her
+head was divided from her body by a blow from the hand which had so
+often caressed her. Merdek, having proceeded so far courageously,
+stooped to take up the dissevered members of the cat, but before he
+could effect this, a blow upon the side of the head, from his incensed
+lady, laid him sprawling on the floor.
+
+The tattle and scandal of the day spreads from zenaneh to zenaneh with
+surprising rapidity, and the wife of Merdek saw in a moment whose
+example it was that he had imitated.
+
+"Take that!" said she, as she gave him another cuff, "take that, you
+paltry wretch! You should," she added, laughing him to scorn, "have
+killed the cat on the wedding day."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+Halechalbe and the Unknown Lady.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+The Caliph Haroun al Raschid sent for Giafar, his Grand Vizier, and
+Mesrour, his Chief Eunuch.
+
+"I intend," said he, "to go down to Bagdad in disguise, that I may
+visit my hospitals, and examine whether the administration of them is
+wise and regular, and whether the patients there receive the
+assistance and relief of which they stand in need. I will assume the
+disguise of a dervish: do you, who are to accompany me, choose a dress
+by which you will be completely concealed."
+
+The orders of the Caliph were obeyed, and he set out with his
+attendants on his expedition. He was in the centre of the
+establishments which he had proposed to visit, and everything appeared
+in the order which he wished for, until he arrived at the gate of a
+very large court, where he heard a noise.
+
+"Whence comes this noise?" said he to Giafar.
+
+"This," answered the Vizier, "is the place where mad people are
+confined. Those whose madness is not dangerous are allowed to walk in
+the great court, and they have their cells or small apartments all
+around."
+
+"Let us go in," said the Caliph: "this object is also interesting. Let
+us first ascertain if they are all confined for proper reasons. There
+are many people left at liberty who deserve to be confined; perhaps
+there are some here whom it would be for the interest, both of society
+and themselves, to restore to freedom. Let each of us examine apart
+one of the inhabitants of this place; let us determine by lot which of
+the three shall begin the examination, and we will immediately set to
+work."
+
+The lot decided that Mesrour should begin.
+
+All three having entered the court, the Chief Eunuch went straight to
+the first cell. He found there a man of about forty years of age,
+smoking a pipe with a serious air, and leaning his elbow on a table,
+upon which there were some papers. He saluted the smoker, who made him
+a due return.
+
+"I suppose," said Mesrour to him, "that you are entrusted with
+overseeing those who make a noise in the court?"
+
+"Overseeing," answered the smoker, "is a trouble from which I am free;
+I am entrusted with watching over myself, and that is quite enough."
+
+"But surely," said Mesrour, "you are not kept here in confinement
+among the number of mad people?"
+
+"And why should I not be kept in that character? Do you think me wiser
+than others? They have done me that justice, which they ought to do to
+all the inhabitants of Bagdad. I cannot complain: I was condemned by
+my equals, and they are so attentive as to come here every day to
+visit me."
+
+"I understand you," said Mesrour: "we have all a small grain of
+madness. However, when it does not pass certain bounds, we are very
+properly allowed to enjoy our liberty. It is only extraordinary
+madness----"
+
+"Ah, you are right," interrupted the smoker: "men excuse all their
+ordinary follies, however ridiculous; but when any one raises himself,
+by his ideas, knowledge, and observation, above others, he is a kind
+of reproach to them for the debasement into which they allow
+themselves to fall, and they endeavour to remove him from their sight.
+This is my history: I knew more than the vulgar, and therefore was
+separated from them."
+
+"In what branch did you excel?" inquired Mesrour.
+
+"In that science which is the chief of all others--astrology."
+
+"And were you in possession of that science?"
+
+"I endeavoured after it, but my progress was interrupted."
+
+"You were in correspondence with the stars, then?"
+
+"Yes, indeed."
+
+"And by whom were you chiefly favoured?"
+
+"By the moon."
+
+"Are you no longer in favour with her?"
+
+"Since I have lost my liberty, she uses me as she pleases. She
+formerly owed me great obligations, but now she has forgotten them.
+She had an enormous wart upon her nose, of which I cured her. Thus it
+is to me she owes that beautiful appearance which you sometimes see
+her assume. Besides, by causing her to go on her side, I saved her
+from an eclipse which was expected by all the astronomers. At first
+she showed me some gratitude; but since I have been confined, if I
+address her in her increase, she is yet too weak to act in my favour;
+if I address her when she is full, she is surrounded with clouds and
+mist; but if in her wane, all her malignant influences are at my
+service. Defluxions, rheumatisms, catarrhs are showered down upon me.
+I endeavour actually to deliver myself from this last mark of her
+beneficence. Ah! if I could get hold of her some day, she would find
+that she has not obliged an ungrateful person."
+
+"And what will you do to get hold of her?" inquired Mesrour.
+
+"Nothing can be more easy," said the smoker: "if a man like you would
+assist me; she will come this evening at nine o'clock to admire
+herself, and to bathe in that well which you see in the middle of the
+court. I will give you my table, and you will lie in wait. She will
+not suspect you; and while she is amusing herself with making her
+beams play upon the water, you will suddenly shut the well: then we
+shall get hold of her. It will make both our fortunes, and we will see
+how she will be put to it to justify her conduct."
+
+"She will speak, then?" said Mesrour. "Shall we hear her?"
+
+"I don't say that you will hear it very distinctly," answered the
+smoker; "but I, whose ear is by practice become so perfect as to be
+able to mark the cadence of the celestial harmony, shall not lose a
+single word. With respect to you, we must know how your ear is
+formed."
+
+So saying, the smoker laid down his pipe, examined narrowly Mesrour's
+ear, and, taking hold of it very roughly, suddenly pulled it with all
+his force, crying out, "Your ear is too short!"
+
+Mesrour uttered a dreadful cry. One of the keepers ran up, and caused
+the astrologer to quit his hold. The eunuch, holding his ear with both
+his hands, rejoined the Caliph, and related to him his lamentable
+adventure.
+
+"I have long been persuaded," said Haroun, smiling, "that those madmen
+who have an air of wisdom are most to be distrusted. Come, Giafar,"
+said he to his Grand Vizier, "you are warned beforehand not to allow
+your ear to be pulled. Proceed to your examination: Mesrour and I will
+not go far from the cell which you enter, that we may be at hand to
+assist you if there is occasion."
+
+The Grand Vizier had already cast his eye upon a door, by the side of
+which sat an old man, with a venerable beard and an engaging air. He
+began with giving him alms, and then saluted him. He appeared more
+attentive to the civility of the salutation than to the alms he had
+received. He returned the salute, and made a sign to Giafar to sit
+down on a seat a few paces distant from him.
+
+"You are undoubtedly come here to be instructed, young man," said he
+to him. "You ought to thank Heaven for having been so well directed.
+Of what chapter in my book do you wish to understand the text or the
+explanation?"
+
+The book, of which this man seemed to speak, was a small square plank
+of cedar, on which there were no characters. Giafar asked what book it
+was.
+
+"What! do you not distinguish in these characters the finger of God,
+and the inspiration of the angel Gabriel? A Mussulman not know the
+divine Koran, nor discover in him who presents it, according as he was
+inspired, the great prophet Mahomet!"
+
+Upon this exclamation, the Vizier rose up and withdrew.
+
+Having joined the Caliph, "Commander of the Faithful," said he, "I
+have been forced to abandon my project. The man whom I have left makes
+me tremble at his blasphemy: he says he is the Great Prophet."
+
+"It is not certain that he blasphemes," replied the Caliph: "every man
+may call himself a prophet, provided he proves his mission by
+miracles. Go and ask him concerning this point."
+
+Giafar obeyed, and returned to his place.
+
+"If you are Mahomet," said he to the old madman, "who has put you in a
+place like this?"
+
+"My ungrateful people," replied the pretended prophet. "They would not
+believe in me, and this has vexed rather than surprised me, for they
+scarcely believe in Allah."
+
+"But a prophet proves his mission by miracles. Why have you wrought
+none?"
+
+"My people should first have demanded them from me; but they were
+afraid of being convinced: they seek to believe nothing."
+
+"You could work miracles, then?"
+
+"Do you doubt the power of Mahomet?"
+
+"Work them immediately."
+
+"Your request shall not be refused. Ascend to the top of this spire by
+this outer stair, and throw yourself down from it without hesitation.
+When you are at the earth, though you were in a thousand pieces, with
+one word I will set you upon your feet, straighter and with a better
+carriage than you now have."
+
+"I would rather," said Giafar as he was going away, "believe you a
+prophet than oblige you to prove yourself one."
+
+He came and gave the Caliph an account of the proposal which had been
+made to him.
+
+"You can learn very little," said Haroun to him, "for you will make no
+trial."
+
+"If any one wishes to be instructed in this matter," replied Giafar,
+"the man and the tower are there, he may try the adventure--I will not
+be jealous of his success."
+
+The conversation of the Prince and his ministers was a little
+interrupted by some persons who accosted them. One of them was Caliph,
+and came to propose Haroun's quitting his habit of dervish, and
+accepting the place of Vizier. He intended to clothe him in a
+magnificent robe: it was an old piece of stuff, full of holes, dirty,
+and devoured by vermin. Another, with a basket full of nut-shells,
+came to sell him confections.
+
+These short and public scenes did not answer the design of Haroun, nor
+the purpose of the agreement into which he had entered with his
+ministers. It was his turn to go into a cell, where, like his two
+companions in adventure, he might have a private conversation. He
+passed near one, which appeared larger and better furnished than the
+rest. A young man, of a soft and engaging figure, was sitting upon a
+sofa, and appeared to be in deep melancholy: he held in his hand the
+Koran. The Caliph accosted and saluted him, addressing him in that
+kind and familiar tone which the robe of a dervish authorized him to
+assume.
+
+"Young man," said he, "why is a man so rational as you appear to be,
+to be found among mad people?"
+
+At this question, the young man shut his book, modestly opened his
+eyes, looked at the dervish, and answered him: "All the actions of my
+life have not been rational; I have given reason for the abuse which
+is now made of power in keeping me here."
+
+"And could not I," said the dervish, "learn from you your history,
+when you appear to be so well qualified for giving it?"
+
+"Pious dervish," answered the young man, "were you the Caliph, I would
+persuade you to sit down by me, and I would open to you my heart.
+Every day do I beseech God to send me this equitable Prince; but it
+would serve no purpose to have any other confidant. You see here a
+victim of his Grand Vizier Giafar, by whose orders I was brought
+hither, for a reason which appeared well founded; but I can declare
+that there is no reason why I should be still detained; and without
+the support of religion, I should sink under the weight of my
+misfortune and the horror of my situation."
+
+The Caliph was greatly astonished to hear so reasonable and connected
+a discourse. He called Giafar and Mesrour, and repeated what he had
+heard. The Grand Vizier attentively considered the young man, and
+assured the Caliph that the prisoner and his history were totally
+unknown to him. Haroun's curiosity grew stronger, and made him anxious
+to hear his history. He entered the cell with that freedom which
+dervishes generally use, and sat down beside the supposed victim of
+Giafar's orders.
+
+"Unfortunate young man," said he to him, "you know that people of my
+character have many privileges, and especially that of approaching the
+great, and of speaking to them the truth. The Commander of the
+Faithful is to us of all men the easiest of access: depend upon my
+zeal; it may be possible for me to serve you; you will entrust your
+misfortunes to a prudent ear, and to a soul truly charitable."
+
+The young man again sighed, mused a short time, shed some tears, and
+thus began his history:
+
+"My name is Halechalbe, and my father is syndic of the trade of
+Bagdad. One evening he invited to supper the principal merchants in
+the city, each of whom brought with him his eldest son. After the
+repast, which was plentiful and gay, the guests began to converse
+concerning the disposal of their children.
+
+"One had sent his son to a foreign counting-house; another had
+entrusted to his a vessel full of merchandise; a third had given up a
+certain branch of his trade; in short, it appeared from what I heard,
+that all my contemporaries were either advantageously placed or
+settled in life. After fully discoursing of these different
+arrangements, the company retired.
+
+"Remaining behind with my father, I observed to him, that though the
+son of the first in our profession, I alone was unemployed. He allowed
+the force of the observation, and proposed that I should open a
+warehouse of whatever goods I chose, in one of the quarters of Bagdad.
+
+"This proposal was agreeable to my inclination for trade and
+independence. I accepted it; and next day was put into possession of a
+large assortment of the most beautiful Persian and Indian stuffs. I
+had slaves who were skilled in trade, and who relieved me of the
+troublesome part of the business.
+
+"Being surrounded during the day with all the nobility of Bagdad, with
+whom I had an opportunity of getting acquainted, I returned in the
+evening to my father's house. In the management of my business I led a
+very active and busy life--a life, in short, agreeable to my own
+taste. My father often visited me in my shop, and was pleased to see
+the concourse of virtuosi and customers of both sexes. He never
+received anything uncommon from abroad but he was happy to send it to
+me; the manager of his own trade had orders to that purpose.
+
+"I was one day surrounded with a great many people in my
+counting-house, when two women of a fine external appearance came in.
+Civility made the other customers give place; and one of the two women
+put aside her veil sufficiently to discover charms which dazzled the
+sight.
+
+"They sat down upon a sofa, asked for the richest stuffs, bargained
+with me, and bought them for three thousand crowns. By this bargain,
+from calculation, I was a gainer of five hundred crowns. The goods
+were folded up, and, by the orders of one of the women who appeared
+mistress, were carried away by slaves. I was preparing to hold out my
+hand for payment, when the young lady began to speak.
+
+"'Halechalbe,' said she to me, 'I have brought no money with me; but
+be not uneasy about what is owing to you: I will return in a few days
+and bring it with me, at which time I intend to make very considerable
+purchases from you.'
+
+"'The other woman then spoke.
+
+"'Madam,' said she, 'do you speak to a son of the chief of trade, a
+man of acknowledged opulence, and whose worth is known to the Caliph
+himself, as if you supposed that he would not reckon it an honour to
+give so trifling a credit to a lady like you?'
+
+"The discourse of this woman, the impression made upon me by the
+beautiful eyes of her mistress, in consequence of the derangement of
+her veil, and my natural timidity, prevented me not only from
+venturing to ask payment, but even from insisting to know the name of
+the lady to whom I gave credit. She left me, after saluting me in a
+very graceful manner; and I remained at my door, fixed like a post,
+without taking the precaution to cause a slave to follow her, and
+observe the place of her abode.
+
+"When I was alone, the imprudence of which I had been guilty presented
+itself to my mind in the strongest colours. To whom had I given my
+goods? Could I forget, after the lessons I had received from my
+father, that Bagdad swarmed with adventurers, who could appear in any
+form and assume any tone? Everything, even the beautiful eyes which
+she had allowed me to see, then became suspicious. I believed myself
+cheated out of my goods, and returned to my father's house, trembling
+for the reproaches which I thought I had brought upon myself.
+
+"My mother soon perceived my distress. She well knew how to draw from
+me a confession of the cause, and endeavoured, as much as she could,
+to calm my apprehensions.
+
+"'The merchant who knows not how to lose,' said she, 'deserves not to
+gain. If you are embarrassed in your accounts with your father, my
+purse will supply the defect.'
+
+"I returned next day to my shop, hurt at being duped and at the loss
+which I had sustained. I had some hopes, however, that the lady would
+return; but the evening came, and she had not made her appearance.
+This unhappy day was followed by two others of the same kind, and my
+mother saw my distress increase, without being able to give it any
+relief.
+
+"In vain did she tell me that she would supply this loss out of her
+own purse, and that I should consider what had happened to me as a
+useful misfortune, for it was only by experience that man could learn
+wisdom.
+
+"All her discourses were in vain: nothing could console me for having
+allowed myself to be cheated by a pair of fine eyes, by mere
+compliment and show; my vanity, which was hurt, tormented my soul.
+
+"On the fourth day the unknown lady at last came to my shop, and threw
+a large purse upon my counter.
+
+"'Fair young man,' said she, 'I bring you your money; see if the
+account is right.'
+
+"At this desirable and unexpected sight my fears and anxieties
+vanished, and I felt myself suddenly recover new life.
+
+"The unknown lady caused other stuffs to be brought to her. She chose
+some of them, and carried from my shop goods to the value of three
+hundred pieces of gold. In my enthusiasm I would have given her credit
+for two thousand. As soon as she was gone I returned to my mother, and
+now showed as much joy as formerly I had shown sorrow and dejection. I
+related to her the lucky adventure of the day, and perceived the full
+force of the reasoning which till that time she had made use of in
+vain, to persuade me that in trade _he who never ventures can never
+gain_.
+
+"In short, respectable dervish, I continued to deal in the same manner
+with the unknown lady, who always carried from my shop stuffs worth
+more money than she left in it, till she was owing me about ten
+thousand crowns, equal to all the profit which I had been able to make
+in my different bargains with her.
+
+"One day, after opening my shop, I was scarcely seated on my sofa when
+an aged woman came and accosted me. I thought she wanted some robes or
+stuffs, and proposed to show them to her.
+
+"'No, my son,' answered she, 'I am entrusted with a commission of much
+greater importance: I come from the young lady who owes you ten
+thousand crowns. I do not bring you payment, but I am charged by her
+to tell you that you became her merchant in preference to every other
+of the same profession at Bagdad, only because her heart granted you a
+preference of another kind. In short, she is beautiful, young, and
+rich, and offers you her hand in marriage. If you find it agreeable
+to enter into this engagement after you have seen and conversed with
+her, no other dowry is required than the ten thousand crowns in which
+she stands indebted to you; if you do not agree to it, the money shall
+instantly be paid down. But you must resolve to follow me, that you
+may have it in your power to know whether the affair is agreeable to
+your wishes.'
+
+"During this discourse of the old woman, a flame, to which I was till
+then quite a stranger, penetrated through my veins, and the hope which
+was now suggested having increased its violence, I soon felt the fire
+of love burning in my heart. The beautiful eyes of the lady, from the
+first moment I beheld them, had so dazzled and blinded me concerning
+my real interest, that I allowed her to carry off my goods without
+knowing how I should receive payment for them. Though, in the visits
+which she afterwards made me, her veil had wholly concealed the
+features of her countenance, yet the fulness of her dress could not
+conceal the elegance of her stature, the gracefulness of her motions,
+the exquisite form of her foot, and the extraordinary beauty of her
+hands. Besides, she disputed with me about the price with so much
+courtesy, and with such an angelic voice, that she never left my shop
+without carrying away something more than my goods; but I did not well
+know what it was. Scarcely had she left my shop, when I felt myself
+extremely uneasy; said to myself, This is a charming lady! and then
+fell into a long state of profound thoughtfulness.
+
+"When the old woman had informed me that the unknown lady was in love
+with me, my passion increased to a desperate height. I ordered my
+slaves to shut up my shop; and, having desired them to tell my father
+and mother that I was going to enjoy myself with some of my friends,
+in a garden at some distance from the city, before I returned home, I
+put myself under the direction of the old woman.
+
+"'You will never repent,' said she, as we went along, 'of having put
+confidence in me; but you must still give me another proof of it. If
+the lady is not agreeable to you, if you do not accept the proposals
+which she is to make, and consequently a separation takes place, it is
+proper that she should remain always unknown. Her delicacy requires
+this; and I was ordered to put a covering over your eyes, that you may
+not be able to discover the house to which you are going.'
+
+"I readily agreed to this condition; and we withdrew under a portico,
+where, being concealed by two advanced pillars, she covered my eyes
+with a very thick silk handkerchief. She made me turn three or four
+times round on my heel; then took me by the hand, and caused me to
+walk by her side for a full quarter of an hour. We suddenly stopped. I
+heard her knock at a door, which opened, and, as soon as we had
+entered, immediately shut.
+
+"I was in a short time restored to the use of my eyes, and committed
+to the care of two female slaves of remarkable beauty and richness of
+dress. They conducted me through seven doors, at the end of which I
+was received by fourteen other slaves, whose figures were so striking,
+and whose dress so magnificent, that I was dazzled with beholding
+them. I was now in a superb apartment, where everything was marble,
+jasper, or rich gilding. My adventure had so much the appearance of a
+dream, that, though my eyes were open, I could scarcely be convinced
+that I was really awake. The old woman, who had still followed me,
+went out for an instant, and soon returned, accompanied by a slave,
+who brought breakfast upon a large golden plate. I sat down to refresh
+myself.
+
+"While I was satisfying my hunger, the old woman counted down upon a
+table the ten thousand crowns which were owing to me. 'There is your
+whole sum,' said she. 'Be not uneasy that my mistress does not yet
+appear. The law commands, and decency requires, that you should not
+see one another before the contract is made.'
+
+"Before she had done speaking, a Cadi appeared, with ten persons in
+his train. I arose to salute him, when the old woman, addressing the
+lawyer, said to him,
+
+"'The young lady who is to be married to this merchant has chosen you
+for her guardian: do you agree to accept the office?'
+
+"The Cadi replied, 'that he reckoned himself highly honoured by the
+choice which had been made of him.'
+
+"He immediately drew up the contract, and got it signed by the
+witnesses whom he had brought with him. After partaking of an ample
+collation, which was served up to him and his attendants, and having
+been presented with a magnificent dress and three hundred sequins, he
+retired, charging the old woman to beg her mistress to accept his
+thanks.
+
+"I was so astonished at what I saw, that when the Cadi went away, I
+made a motion to follow him, without perceiving that I left my money
+behind. I was prevented by the old woman, who made me sit down again.
+
+"'Are you mad?' said she. 'Need I inform you that the marriage follows
+the contract? Come, be wiser, and remain quiet till night, when
+everything will be ready for the completion of the ceremony.'
+
+"I continued in the hall, where a great number of slaves were
+attentive to every motion and ready to anticipate every wish. I was in
+a very extraordinary state of mind. The power of that feeling which
+had made me run so fast with my eyes blindfolded was no longer felt,
+and love remained fixed at the bottom of my heart, astonished at the
+luxury with which I was surrounded, and the ceremony of this
+extraordinary marriage.
+
+"Towards the evening, a magnificent repast was served up, accompanied
+with all kinds of confections, and exquisite wines, which I used very
+sparingly. As soon as I made a signal for them to remove the dishes,
+the old woman took me by the hand, and conducted me to the bath. I was
+there received by eight slaves, dressed in silk, who wrapped me in
+stuffs of the same material, entered into the water with me, and
+served me with all that respect and attention which could have been
+paid to the Caliph himself.
+
+"Imagine, O respectable dervish, my astonishment: it almost deprived
+me of my senses! I was soon drawn from it, however, by the appearance
+of twenty female slaves, beautiful and well dressed. Some held
+flambeaux, and other pots full of exquisite perfumes, the sweet odour
+of which, mingled with that of the wood of aloes, which served to warm
+the bath, embalmed the air, and raised an agreeable vapour to the very
+roof of the apartment.
+
+"From these delights I was carried to the enjoyment of others. Twenty
+slaves went before me, and conducted me into a magnificent apartment;
+I sat down on a sofa covered with cloth of gold. I was there attended
+by the most melodious music, which was at the same time so cheerful
+and lively, and so fitted to inspire delight, that I could not help
+feeling a little reanimated. The slaves at length proposed to conduct
+me into the apartment destined for the celebration of the nuptials.
+
+"I arose. A great door opened; and I beheld the person approach who
+had marked me out for her husband, preceded by twenty other slaves,
+whom she alone could surpass in beauty. At the sight of her I remained
+almost senseless; but this first impression instantly gave place to
+love; and my passion at length assumed over me that power, which even
+at this day makes me, every moment of my life, endure torments worse
+than death.
+
+"The beautiful stranger, preceded by her twenty slaves, and I attended
+by the same number, went into the grand apartment prepared for our
+nuptials, and there sat down together on the same sofa. The old woman
+then appeared at the head of four slaves, and brought us, on golden
+plates, different refreshments, exquisite confections, and fruit of
+all kinds, which we mutually presented to one another. After this, the
+service disappeared, and we remained alone.
+
+"I was almost trembling, when the lovely unknown lady took me by the
+hand to encourage me.
+
+"'Halechalbe,' said she, 'since the day when curiosity first led me
+into your shop I have loved you; and the same sentiment has frequently
+carried me back, under pretence of cheapening and purchasing goods.
+The little intercourse we have had together has given me an
+opportunity of knowing you; and my liking for you has so much
+increased as to make me ambitious of being united to you for life. Can
+you think of sacrificing your liberty?'
+
+"'Madam,' answered I, 'from the first moment you appeared in my sight,
+your charms failed not to produce their effect. I never saw you
+without feeling an unaccountable disorder, mixed, however, with the
+sweetest pleasure. You never left me without occasioning the most
+lively regret: I expected you every day, and my thoughts were
+incessantly occupied about your image. I dared not avow my passion to
+myself; but since you have confessed your regard for me, I swear to
+you, that nothing can equal the strength of my love, and that the
+sacrifice of liberty is nothing to one who would give his life for
+your sake.'
+
+"'Halechalbe,' said she, 'truth seems to flow from your lips: spare
+your life; it is essential to my happiness; but if we are to be united
+for life, attend to the conditions upon which I will yield my heart.
+My name and rank must remain unknown to you until the steps I am now
+taking shall have enabled me publicly to acknowledge you for my
+husband. You shall make no inquiry within this place for the purpose
+of getting information, and the door of the house shall be opened only
+once a year.'
+
+"'O madam,' said I, 'I will keep silence; I will remain ignorant; I
+will never leave the house----
+
+"'Stop,' said she, 'I have a still more severe condition to impose
+upon you: as I give myself wholly to you, it is reasonable that you
+should be wholly mine. My slaves are become yours, and will obey you
+in everything; but you must not speak to them, except to require their
+services. If you condescend to use the smallest familiarity with any
+one of them, further than mere expressions of kindness, if----I must
+discover to you a part of my character. I am inclined to be jealous;
+and if you make me the subject of this fatal passion, I know not how
+far my resentment may carry me against you.'
+
+"'Take courage,' said I, 'my adorable spouse: the strength of my
+passion secures you from every indiscretion on my part. I should die
+with vexation were I capable of displeasing you; but I am not afraid
+that I will ever be so unlucky as to give you offence.'
+
+"The unknown lady burst into tears when she saw the frankness and air
+of sincerity with which my protestations were accompanied.
+'Halechalbe,' said she, 'we will now be united; but had you hesitated
+about accepting them, I would have sacrificed my happiness to my
+delicacy, and we would have separated for ever.'
+
+"I tenderly embraced her, and she fainted away in my arms. A slave
+was called, and she, the idol of my heart, after a time opened her
+beautiful eyes, and with rapture I beheld them turned towards me.
+
+"I pass over the remaining events of my marriage, because they cannot
+be interesting to you, and the remembrance of them is still the
+torment of my life.
+
+"I was so enchanted by my passion, that I spent a fortnight in total
+forgetfulness of the whole world besides; and I will confess, to my
+shame, that I even omitted the most essential of all duties, for I
+never once thought of the uneasiness of my father and mother on my
+account. At last, by little and little, nature resumed her rights, and
+I began to think seriously of the grief which I must have occasioned
+to my affectionate parents. I uttered some sighs, which proceeded from
+the bottom of my heart; and the distress of my mind appeared in my
+countenance. My wife, who possessed great discernment, soon perceived
+the change which I underwent, got from me the secret, took an interest
+in my pain, and pointed out the method of being delivered from its
+attacks.
+
+"'Dear Halechalbe,' said she, 'I commend you for your attachment to
+your father and mother: they are dear to me on your account. We have
+given ourselves laws; but, as we are the judges, we must not allow
+them to do injury to nature. You will go to see your parents, spend a
+week with them, and also resume your business. There are many reasons
+for so doing. First of all, it will serve as a cloak to hide our
+marriage, and will furnish you with an opportunity of being present or
+absent at pleasure, without occasioning any suspicion of our marriage.
+It will likewise enable you to acquire, by your civil, frank, and
+generous dealings, the public esteem, which will one day be of great
+advantage to us; for we live under the government of a Caliph who has
+ears everywhere, and who likewise makes very good use of his own. Go,
+then, and my heart will accompany you wherever you are: if it could be
+rendered visible, you would see it continually fluttering around you.
+Besides, you will be under my hand: we have our trusty old woman, by
+whose means you will have the satisfaction of hearing me spoken of,
+and I shall have that of being informed of your welfare, and
+communicating to you my wishes. Above all,' added she, 'as our
+marriage cannot be concealed from your parents, charge them to keep it
+a profound secret.'
+
+"Night was beginning to come on when this discourse was ended; and my
+wife ordered the old woman to blindfold me, and conduct me out of the
+gates of the palace till I was under the portico where I had first
+submitted to this operation. As soon as my guide had restored to me
+the use of my eyes, I flew with all speed to my father's house. A
+neighbouring lady was just entering it. She discovered me by the light
+of a shop before which I passed.
+
+"'Halechalbe!' exclaimed she, 'what! is it you? Do not show yourself
+so unexpectedly to your mother. Retire for a few minutes into my
+house, and in the meantime my husband will go and inform her of your
+return. She is in the utmost distress and despair at your loss; and
+the joy occasioned by your sudden and unexpected return might be
+productive of fatal consequences.
+
+"'Whence come you, wicked young man?' said she, as soon as she had sat
+down. 'How could you let your worthy parents continue ignorant of what
+had become of you?'
+
+"Not having a story ready made for the first inquisitive person I
+should meet, and it being necessary to conceal my marriage from
+everybody, I was very much at a loss what answer to give. But I made
+it up by presence of mind, and was obliged to have recourse to a lie.
+
+"'I am astonished, madam,' answered I, 'to hear you talk of the
+vexation which I have occasioned to my parents. Having met with an
+opportunity of going to Balsora, where I had a very urgent and
+important examination to take against one of my most considerable
+debtors, and, not having a moment to lose, I set out without being
+able to inform my father of my departure. I dispatched an express as
+soon as it was in my power; but some accident must have befallen him,
+as no news have been received of me.'
+
+"The lady was satisfied with the excuse.
+
+"'All Bagdad, however,' said she, 'supposed you dead, and, moreover,
+magnificently buried; for a superb funeral was given you yesterday. I
+will relate the whole affair to you, when once my husband has prepared
+our neighbours for again seeing in good health the son whom they
+believed dead.'
+
+"The husband having with great pleasure undertaken the commission, the
+woman returned to her recital.
+
+"'Your slave informed your father and mother that you were to spend
+the remainder of the day and the night in a garden with your friends.
+This prevented them from being uneasy during that evening and next
+day; but on the following days all the merchants of Bagdad were in
+search of you. Messengers were sent to all the gardens in the
+neighbourhood of the city, to the woods, and to a great distance in
+the country. As you were nowhere to be found, and nobody had observed
+you, it was conjectured that you had fallen into one of those snares
+which are too common at Bagdad, where young people without knowledge
+and experience find death in the very cup of pleasure.
+
+"'Your father and mother tore their hair through grief; your family
+and friends went into mourning. Some kind of consolation was supposed
+to be derived from the pretended funeral, which all the mourners in
+Bagdad were hired to attend, but where many real tears were shed.
+Every person was affected with the distress of your parents.'
+
+"This recital, O virtuous dervish! made me very uneasy. I perceived
+the dreadful consequences of forgetting myself and my duty; and I
+always considered my misfortunes, and the distraction of mind which
+was the consequence thereof, as a punishment from Heaven, because, in
+the arms of love, I was unmindful of the sacred obligations of nature.
+
+"After our neighbour had related that part of my history which it was
+necessary I should know, she rose up.
+
+"'It is now time,' said she, 'to appear: my husband must already have
+announced you; go, and confirm the account which he has given of your
+return.'
+
+"I then entered my father's house, and it is impossible to describe
+his joy, much less that of my mother, who fainted away in my arms.
+
+"'What!' said my father, 'you are returned from Balsora? Poor child!
+the loss you might have sustained was not nearly equal in my
+estimation to the danger which you have run and the fatigues you have
+undergone.'
+
+"'Father,' said I, still keeping up before the neighbours the story
+which I had thought it convenient to adopt, 'I know not whether our
+correspondent is to fail, but I will deliver to you securities
+sufficient to remove every fear. There is a diamond to put in your
+turban; here is one for the hilt of your poniard; another for the
+handle of your scimitar, and a bracelet for my mother. I believe that
+this is a full equivalent for the sum which we may lose by him.'
+
+"They again embraced me, without asking any further explanation; the
+weeds of mourning soon disappeared, and every one was dressed in his
+festival robes. The house was filled with music; a thousand tapers
+shed their light, and the friends of my father and mother assembled to
+enjoy a splendid entertainment. The evening and night were spent by
+the company in amusement and joy.
+
+"Next morning I thought it my duty to eradicate from the mind of my
+parents those opinions which, in order to deceive the public, prudence
+had made me establish the evening before. I related to them the
+circumstances of my marriage, and besought them to keep it secret, as
+my happiness depended on its being concealed. Everything increased
+their astonishment, and the rich jewels which I had brought them from
+my wife were speaking proofs.
+
+"'He must have married the daughter of a genie,' said my mother.
+
+"'Such nuptials,' said my father, 'are celebrated without a Cadi.'
+
+"They knew not what to think; but they saw me happy, and they were
+satisfied.
+
+"I proposed to my parents to resume my trade. They were delighted to
+find that fortune had not deprived me of economy and diligence, and
+next day I again appeared in my shop. The quarter in which I lived
+expressed their happiness at seeing me again. As I was no longer
+directed by the hope of gain, I was perfectly easy and disinterested
+in my dealings, and brought to my shop all the people of Bagdad. In
+the evening I returned as usual to my father's house.
+
+"On the evening preceding the seventh day, I informed my father that I
+was again to disappear. He endeavoured to get my place filled up by an
+intelligent clerk, who was bound to conduct himself according to my
+principles. It was easy to account for my being a second time absent,
+by pretending that I had some business abroad.
+
+"On the seventh day, towards evening, the old woman came and informed
+me that my wife was waiting impatiently for my arrival. As I was
+equally impatient to rejoin her, I needed no entreaties to persuade me
+to follow my guide. The same mystery as before was still observed in
+conducting me to the palace, where my presence was expected, and I was
+received at the first door by my charming wife, who loosened the
+bandage with her own hands.
+
+"I passed another fortnight, still happier than the former, in those
+enjoyments which mutual love bestows, and amid those delights,
+pleasures, and amusements which the eager wishes and riches of my
+spouse could bring together. At the conclusion of this period, which
+seemed very short, I returned to my father's house, and afterwards to
+my business. My parents received me with the greatest affection; but
+scarcely did I enjoy it before I sighed for the return of the seventh
+day, when the old woman would come to blindfold me, and conduct me to
+an abode which I now considered as a celestial Paradise.
+
+"My wife appeared to feel with equal force the pangs of separation.
+During my absence from the palace, the only method which she pursued
+to divert her attention was to play upon a musical instrument, or to
+sing in concert with her slaves.
+
+"One day, during my absence, while my mistress and her slaves were
+singing my praises and our loves, Zaliza, one of the slaves, hearing a
+couplet in praise of my fidelity, affected to drop her lute, as if
+through impatience, and did not take it up again.
+
+"'Why,' said my spouse, 'do you leave your lute lying upon the
+ground?'
+
+"'I cannot sing the fidelity of men,' answered Zaliza, 'for I do not
+believe it. Halechalbe,' continued she, 'is very amiable; he
+undoubtedly loves you, and who would not? But I do not believe that
+his affection is equal to yours, or that he is more faithful than
+another: of this I can give proofs whenever they are required.'
+
+"These base and perfidious words infused the most fatal jealousy into
+the heart of my spouse: she gave me no opportunity, however, of
+perceiving that she entertained any suspicions. At the time fixed
+between us, I returned to my father's house and my ordinary business,
+and when I went back to the lady I was received as kindly and
+affectionately as before.
+
+"One day I was in my shop, when, about two hours before the usual time
+of the old woman's arrival to conduct me to my spouse, the public
+crier proclaimed in the street a golden censer set with diamonds, to
+be sold for two thousand sequins. I ordered a slave to call the crier.
+
+"'Who is the proprietor of that censer?' said I to him.
+
+"'It belongs,' answered he, 'to a young lady, whom you behold there;'
+at the same time he pointed out a handsome and well-dressed woman, and
+I desired him to bid her speak with me.
+
+"The woman took the censer from the crier, gave him a reward, and
+advanced towards me.
+
+"'Madam,' said I, 'since this censer belongs to you, I know where to
+place it; will you allow me to have it?'
+
+"'Since it pleases you, Halechalbe,' said the lady, 'it is yours, and
+I demand nothing in return.'
+
+"'I am not accustomed,' answered I, 'to make such bargains.'
+
+"'Nor I,' said the lady, 'to enjoy the happiness of making a present
+to the most amiable and best-beloved of his sex. I have,' continued
+she, 'for a long time past frequented your shop, unobserved, alas! by
+you; but your figure and your manners enchanted me, and still enchant
+me more and more. Since the censer pleases you, I reckon myself very
+fortunate in having it in my power to present you with it.'
+
+"'I will receive your present, madam,' said I, 'if you will accept
+from me its value.'
+
+"'Silver and gold,' said she, 'are of no account in my estimation.
+The love which I bear you has deprived me of repose: do not treat me
+with cruel disdain. A liking for me would do you no dishonour, for,
+thank God! I may be proud of my descent. But if, despised by you, I
+cannot aspire to the highest marks of your affection, let me have a
+single kiss, and the censer shall be yours.'
+
+"'I cannot agree,' replied I, 'that you should make so bad a bargain.
+Take your money, or keep your censer. A kiss is no trading price.'
+
+"'It is beyond price,' answered the lady, 'to one who dies of love. I
+brought not this censer here to sell, but to give it to you; accept it
+at the price mentioned, and you will save my life.'
+
+"Venerable dervish, I will confess my weakness, and declare that I was
+gained over by these flattering praises and this language of love. I
+had no suspicions, and was unable to discover the features of the lady
+through her veil. Overcome by self-love more than by her entreaties, I
+retired into a dark part of the shop, and presented my cheek; but
+instead of kissing it, she bit it with such force as made me cry out;
+and I was left alone with the censer in my hand, my cheek bathed in
+blood, and my countenance totally disfigured. The blood was at length
+stopped, but I was unable to allay the swelling or remove the marks of
+her cruel teeth.
+
+"At this moment the old woman came for me, and appeared surprised at
+the situation in which she beheld me. I intended to tell her that I
+had fallen upon a piece of broken glass, and I was ready to give the
+same account to my spouse. But the treacherous Zaliza had previously
+informed her of the whole matter. It was she who had played me that
+base trick, and she had no doubt reported it to my spouse in such a
+manner as to make me appear much more guilty than I really was. When I
+arrived at the palace, instead of being received as formerly by an
+eager and affectionate wife, I fell into the power of an enraged and
+implacable judge.
+
+"'What has hurt your cheek?' was the first question proposed by my
+wife as soon as I was before her. I was about to tell her of the
+pieces of glass, but she interrupted me with asking, 'whence I got the
+censer which I held in my hand?'
+
+"'It cost me two thousand sequins,' said I, stammering.
+
+"'Liar!' replied my spouse, her eyes inflamed with rage, 'it cost you
+much more: the account of it is on your cheek. Vile and base man! you
+have made a trade of your love, but you shall pay dear for your
+infamous conduct. Morigen,' said she, addressing her first eunuch,
+'let him be beheaded.'
+
+"Morigen had already seized me, when the old woman, our confidante,
+threw herself at the feet of her mistress.
+
+"'Oh, madam!' said she, 'do not commit such a crime; do not expose
+yourself to remorse which you will be unable to support.'
+
+"The behaviour of the old slave brought my wife to reflection. She
+appeared to meditate a little; and then, changing her opinion, ordered
+me to receive the bastinado. While Morigen was executing her rigorous
+orders, which I endeavoured to bear without complaining, she seized a
+musical instrument, and made the chords resound with an air which
+expressed a mixture of jealous rage and malignant satisfaction.
+
+"The pain I suffered totally deprived me of feeling; and I did not
+recover till I was in my father's house, placed upon a bed, surrounded
+by the whole family, and attended by physicians, who were employed in
+procuring me relief. I had been carried away after the fatal execution
+of my wife's orders, and left on the threshold of my father's door.
+
+"It was six weeks before I recovered from the consequences of the
+severe treatment I had undergone. At the end of this time, when I was
+again able to be out of bed, my father tried to gain my confidence,
+and I concealed not the smallest circumstance of my last adventure.
+
+"'O Heaven!' said he, 'you are united, my son, to a monster of cruelty
+and injustice.'
+
+"'Do not say so, father!' exclaimed I: 'my wife, I must confess, was
+cruel, but she thought she had reason to complain, and I was wanting
+in my duty to her, even when she loaded me with kindness and
+affection. I find that I still adore her, and that my love is
+increased by the consciousness of my fault, and by the fear of a
+final separation. Ah! would that I were admitted to be the lowest of
+her slaves!'
+
+"'You have not the feelings of a man,' said my father: 'know the
+dignity of your sex. I cannot determine to what kind of a being you
+have been united by the ceremony of a contract. I should suppose it
+entirely whimsical, if so strong proofs, and particularly the last,
+had not been given us of its reality. Be ashamed, that a man like you,
+who are well descended, and who might have aspired to a connection
+with the best families in Bagdad, has been hurried away by a foolish
+passion to so extraordinary and unequal a connection as that which you
+have now formed. Forget your disgraceful passion.'
+
+"Every word which my father uttered, by way of invective against my
+marriage and my wife, was a dagger to my heart.
+
+"'I shall one day discover this abominable creature,' added he. 'I
+will bring an information against her before the Caliph, who will put
+it out of her power to make further victims.'
+
+"Instead of seconding my father's resentment, my heart revolted
+against his plans of revenge, and placed itself betwixt him and my
+cruel but charming spouse.
+
+"This disposition of mind, in spite of the assistance of medicine,
+soon injured my health, and deranged my understanding. I became
+thoughtful and melancholy, refused every means of consolation, grieved
+my too affectionate parents, and was a torment to all the domestics.
+Nothing could be prepared to my taste, and I constantly blamed the
+unskilfulness of the cooks.
+
+"One of them came one day to justify his conduct.
+
+"'See,' said I, overturning the table, and treading the dishes under
+my feet, 'there is the estimation in which I hold your skill and
+diligence!'
+
+"As he wanted to make a reply, I threw myself upon him to give him a
+hearty beating. His cries and screams soon brought my mother, who
+wished to tear from me the person at whom I was offended. She even
+ventured to add blows to her reproofs; and, in the blindness of my
+fury, I unfortunately struck her. When my father arrived, he was not
+more prudent, and I was at length put in chains. I recollect that,
+having put my hand across my mouth, it was covered with foam. In
+short, I lost my recollection, and only recovered it to behold myself
+an inhabitant of this mournful abode. I then learned that I was kept
+here by order of Giafar, the Grand Vizier.
+
+"Many months have now elapsed since I groaned a miserable captive in
+this place. I have now recovered soundness of mind, in consequence of
+the solitude, but more especially the opportunity of indulging my
+unfortunate passion, which I here enjoy without hearing the person
+whom I will ever love loaded with imprecations.
+
+"Here, O respectable dervish! I am swayed by sadness, and not by
+passion, and can discover in myself nothing for which I ought to be
+detained in this hospital. My friends, it would appear, have forgotten
+me; but it is the duty of the Grand Vizier, whose orders are here
+followed, to inspect this place, and endeavour to bring back to me my
+parents, since I only offended by one fit of madness, and have now
+sufficiently recovered my reason to regulate my conduct. This,
+venerable dervish, is the whole of my history. All my consolation is
+the Koran, and the hope that some time or other the Commander of the
+Faithful, who wishes to see everything himself, will direct his steps
+towards this mournful abode. I ask this from Allah a hundred times a
+day; but, alas! my supplications have never reached his throne."
+
+"Cease not to pray, my dear son," replied the Caliph: "you will soon
+know the efficacy thereof, and your request will be heard."
+
+After these words of consolation, Haroun returned with Giafar and
+Mesrour to the palace.
+
+"What think you," said the Prince to the companions of his adventures,
+"of the story which has now been related? You were at hand, and must
+have heard everything which was spoken."
+
+"I think," said Giafar, "that this young man, of whom I never heard
+before, though he accuses me of being the cause of his misfortunes,
+has been employing his invention to relate to you a collection of
+dreams or falsehoods."
+
+"It is impossible that everything can be false in his relation,"
+replied the Caliph; "and I command you to think on the means of
+ascertaining the truth. To-morrow I expect to hear from you."
+
+Next day the Grand Vizier gave an account of the plan which he had
+devised for discovering what trust was to be placed in the history and
+complaints of Halechalbe.
+
+"Those people," said the minister, "who are deranged in their mind,
+are never consistent in their accounts. Let your Highness therefore
+order the young man to be brought before you; and if he repeats his
+long story in the same connection he did yesterday, and without
+varying its circumstances, it will then be proper to make the
+necessary inquiries for ascertaining the truth of the facts."
+
+The Vizier's opinion was highly approved of, and orders were instantly
+given to go for Halechalbe.
+
+When the young man was at the foot of the throne, the Caliph thus
+addressed him: "Halechalbe, I have been informed that you have been
+confined in a madhouse, by a series of the most extraordinary
+adventures: recover your spirits, and be assured that I am anxious to
+do justice to all my subjects. But in the relation I demand from you,
+omit no circumstance, and consider the respect which is due to truth
+and to my presence."
+
+Halechalbe, seeing the prediction of the dervish fulfilled, being
+inspired with confidence and affected with his subject, again began
+his history, and made not the smallest variations, even in the
+expressions.
+
+Giafar was obliged to own that the recital which he had twice heard
+bore very striking marks of veracity. His sole object now was to
+discover Halechalbe's beloved but cruel enemy, in order to procure
+justice from her towards her injured husband; and his sagacity soon
+suggested the steps which were proper to be taken.
+
+By calling together all the Cadis in Bagdad, in order to learn by whom
+the contract had been drawn up, the affair would be in danger of being
+divulged, without resolving the difficulty. For, if any of them had,
+contrary to law, drawn up a contract of so extraordinary a nature, he
+would not readily confess it; and besides, a man might have been
+suborned to act the part.
+
+If Halechalbe's father was reconciled to him, and persuaded again to
+entrust his son with the management of his trade, it was probable that
+the old woman would be going about him, were it only from curiosity;
+and spies, properly placed, might apprehend her, and force her to
+disclose the name of her mistress.
+
+The Caliph approved the scheme, and the syndic was immediately sent
+for. This unfortunate father, still supposing that his son was totally
+deranged in his mind, was greatly astonished to find himself in his
+company at the foot of the Caliph's throne, and still more to see
+Halechalbe treated by Haroun with the kindest attention.
+
+Upon the first proposal of a reconciliation made by the Grand Vizier,
+the father stretched out his arms to receive his son. Measures were
+then agreed upon for unravelling the adventure, and Halechalbe's
+father promised to execute with fidelity the orders which he received.
+The father and son returned to their house, after having received two
+rich robes from the munificent Caliph; and next day Halechalbe was
+re-established in his shop, which was as richly furnished as before.
+
+The young man endeavoured, by submission, kindness, and attention, to
+make his parents forget the cause of complaint which he had given
+them. Though still inflamed by love, he strove to conceal from them
+its effects, and to get the better of his melancholy. He yielded to it
+only when free from every other business, and when left to himself in
+solitude and retirement.
+
+Halechalbe's wife did not long enjoy the satisfaction of her revenge.
+Having come to serious reflection on her conduct, she blamed herself
+for the excess of her cruelty, and at length became uneasy about the
+fate of the husband whom she had treated with too much severity,
+though she still supposed him criminal and ungrateful. Love soon
+regained the empire of her heart; and though she struggled for some
+days against a feeling which she durst not avow, silence at length
+became burdensome to her, and she ordered the old woman, as if solely
+through compassion, to make inquiry about the situation of her
+unfortunate husband.
+
+"Alas, madam!" answered she, "my pity for him led me to his father's
+house, and I there learned from the inhabitants of that quarter, that
+the poor young man's life was in danger."
+
+"His life in danger!" replied the lady. "Ah! unfortunate that I am! I
+have killed the only man in the world I ever loved, or can love! Can I
+not inform him that my life depends upon his? but everything prevents
+me from doing so. Go, however, and speedily get information concerning
+him, as far as you can, consistently with the safety of my honour."
+
+The old woman received the order with great pleasure, and for some
+time was able to give her mistress good hopes of the recovery of her
+husband's health. But her inquiries soon became fruitless, for the
+neighbours were altogether silent concerning Halechalbe, from the
+moment when he was privately taken to a madhouse in a state of
+insanity.
+
+Her mistress now yielded to despair, and shut herself up with her
+confidante, that she might indulge her sorrow and shed her tears
+without restraint. The musical instrument, which had formerly been
+employed to insult over the misfortune of Halechalbe, now served to
+express her own complaints. The lady, quite inconsolable, could no
+longer make verses, as she was wont to do when inspired by love or
+revenge, but only uttered a few broken words, intermingled with sighs
+and tears.
+
+The good old woman was one day traversing the city, little thinking
+that she would have any agreeable news to carry to her mistress, when,
+as she passed through the quarter where Halechalbe's shop was, she
+observed it open. Stopping to look at it, she discovered the master
+himself, seated on a sofa and lost in deep thought, and she determined
+to enter. As soon as she saw him she wished to throw herself into his
+arms, and Halechalbe was running to meet her when he perceived her
+approaching; but the Grand Vizier's spies, who had not lost sight of
+the slave, interposed, carried off the woman, and conducted her to
+Giafar.
+
+Great was the astonishment of Giafar to find that the woman now
+brought before him was Nemana, the old governess of his beloved
+daughter Zeraide.
+
+"Is it possible," said he, "that you whom my daughter loads with her
+kindness should be engaged in the intrigue of Halechalbe's marriage?
+Who is the woman you have given him for a wife?"
+
+"O my Prince and master," answered Nemana, in great astonishment,
+"whom could I serve but your daughter, the Princess Zeraide?"
+
+Giafar was thunderstruck when he learned that his daughter had married
+without his knowledge and consent; but knowing that the Caliph was
+very anxious to get this affair unravelled, instead of returning to
+his own palace to get an explanation from Zeraide, he instantly
+repaired to the Commander of the Faithful, followed by Nemana and the
+spies whom he had sent in pursuit of her.
+
+"Wise Prince," said he "the old woman who was concerned in
+Halechalbe's marriage has been found: she is at the door, and I have
+put some questions to her. Halechalbe's wife," continued the Vizier,
+"has only availed herself of the law delivered in the Koran, by
+chastising her husband, who was surprised in a fault worthy of
+punishment. The duties of husband and wife are reciprocal, and
+Halechalbe had received the caresses of a strange woman."
+
+"I think," said Haroun, "you strain the expressions of the law: you
+make it too sanguinary, and you would expose a great many in Bagdad to
+danger if the right of doing themselves justice was granted to all who
+really are, or think themselves, injured in this respect."
+
+"Marriages of every kind," replied the Vizier, "will not admit of the
+rigorous application of the law; but when the lady who is married,
+while she subjects herself to the law in all its rigour, has it
+likewise in her power to demand the same subjection from the man whom
+she is to marry, and this condition is freely accepted, the injured
+person in avenging herself only makes use of her legal right."
+
+"Notwithstanding all your fine arguments," said Haroun, "I am still
+inclined to favour the unfortunate Halechalbe: it yet remains that I
+be informed of the name of the woman in whose cause you are so
+eloquent."
+
+"She is my daughter," answered the Vizier in great confusion.
+
+"You have now," replied the Caliph, "let me into the secret. I see
+that the multiplicity of my affairs makes you neglect your own, and
+renders you perfectly ignorant of what passes in your own house.
+Marriages are contracted, and men's lives disposed of, without your
+knowing anything of the matter. Imagine the consequences which would
+result from allowing an arm directed by passion to execute a rigorous
+law. I know the rights which are assumed by women in cases of unequal
+marriages. If conveniency and prudence, those powerful directors of
+human conduct, sometimes oblige them to give their hand to one of an
+inferior station, then they may avail themselves of these rights to a
+certain extent: they are a sort of compensation for the sacrifice
+which they make. But this is not the case with your daughter, who has
+made no sacrifice but to her own taste, and the son of the chief of
+trade is in every respect become her equal. He loves and adores her,
+notwithstanding all the cruelty which she has exercised against him,
+and she would certainly be too happy in having him again for her
+husband. You well know that with one word I can make my meanest
+subject a Prince. I will raise Halechalbe's father to that dignity,
+from a principle of justice, and I will take care of the son, from
+regard to himself and to you. Find out the name of the Cadi who drew
+up the contract, and why he ventured to do so without your consent,
+since without that the deed would be void; take care that nothing be
+wanting in the form." After this discourse with his Vizier, the Caliph
+ordered Halechalbe to approach.
+
+"Young man," said he, "your wife shall be restored to you, and you
+shall have it in your power either to pardon or punish her. She is my
+Grand Vizier's daughter; but nothing ought to have any influence in
+preventing you from following the inclinations of your heart and the
+dictates of your mind."
+
+"O Commander of the Faithful!" exclaimed the young Halechalbe, "can I
+retain any resentment against the person who is dearer to me than
+life? I aspire after nothing but the happiness of seeing her again,
+and if I can once more gain her heart, and the consent of her father,
+I vow to an affection which will terminate only with my existence."
+
+"Giafar," replied the Caliph, "I recommend the interests of your
+daughter and son-in-law to your care. Henceforth consider him as a man
+connected with my service, and for whom I mean to provide."
+
+The Grand Vizier returned to his palace, holding Halechalbe by the
+hand, and followed by the old woman, who perceiving herself at
+liberty, soon made her escape to go and inform her mistress of the
+visit which she might expect to receive. The Vizier, whom she had
+outrun, at length arrived at his house. Zeraide arose to meet him, and
+to give the usual marks of her attachment and respect; but a signal
+with his hand, and a look of severity, forced her to desist.
+
+"Suppress these demonstrations of attachment," said Giafar: "there can
+be no love without confidence, and no respect without obedience. You
+first married without my consent, and then, in a fit of delirium,
+abusing the authority which I gave you over my servants, you went to
+the most criminal excess against your husband, and committed a crime
+which exposed us to the wrath of the Caliph. When you gave your hand
+to the son of the chief of trade at Bagdad--a man esteemed and
+respected by everybody, and valued even by the Caliph himself--did you
+think that you were entering into a connection with the meanest slave?
+And if the life even of these is to be spared, how could you imagine
+that you might dispose of your husband's according to your pleasure
+and caprice? I have brought him to you; he is your master, and in his
+turn has your life in his power. Fall at his feet, and be assured that
+you can never regain my esteem unless you obliterate from his mind, by
+submission and obedience, the undeserved and cruel treatment which he
+has received."
+
+While the Vizier was speaking, the trembling Zeraide would have fallen
+dead at his feet if she had not perceived in the eyes of Halechalbe
+something more than compassion for the confusion to which she was
+reduced. With pleasure did she throw herself at his feet, and kissed
+them with transport. The young husband, happy beyond expression,
+having raised Zeraide, embraced her, and for some moments their tears
+were mingled together. This affecting scene made an impression on
+Giafar, who was passionately fond of his daughter: the father and the
+minister were at once disarmed. But the Cadi must be called to correct
+the irregularity in the contract of marriage. He learned that his name
+was Yaleddin, and ordered him to be instantly sent for.
+
+Yaleddin arrived, and did not allow Giafar time to ask why he agreed
+to marry Zeraide in private, and without the concurrence of any one
+but the young lady.
+
+"Your daughter," said the judge, "sent for me, and discovered the
+excess of her passion. I thought it my duty to fulfil her wishes, that
+I might prevent, though by an irregular proceeding on my part, a
+conduct still more irregular in her. She proposed that I should be her
+guardian; and having undertaken this character, and not condemning her
+choice, I believed I was doing an important service to this fond
+couple, and I plainly foresaw that one day it would not meet your
+disapprobation."
+
+Giafar, instead of showing dissatisfaction, generously expressed his
+gratitude to the Cadi; but ordered the slave Zaliza to be delivered to
+him, that she might be punished, after a confession should be extorted
+from her of the odious stratagem which she had employed for separating
+her mistress and her husband.
+
+The happy pair were then left to themselves, after the Vizier had
+assured Halechalbe that he would be as dear to him as his own son.
+Magnificent feasts were afterwards given, that all possible splendour
+might accompany an union authorized and approved by the Caliph, and
+which diffused joy among all the inhabitants of Bagdad.
+
+Thus did Halechalbe pass almost unexpectedly from a madhouse to that
+honourable elevation to which he was raised by the Caliph Haroun, and
+from the most mournful of all situations to the highest degree of
+happiness.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+The Four Talismans.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+Abouali Nabul,[7] Emperor of the Moguls, reflecting upon his great
+age, felt convinced that he could not long enjoy the light of the sun;
+he therefore sent for his well-beloved and only son Nourgehan, and
+spoke to him thus:
+
+[Footnote 7: Great father.]
+
+"Nourgehan, I leave my throne to thee. You will soon fill my place:
+forget not to do justice equally to the poor as to the rich. Be
+satisfied with possessing a flourishing kingdom. Envy not the
+dominions of any other Prince: leave every one in possession of that
+which they have inherited from their fathers. In one word, always
+remember that clemency and justice are the noblest titles of a
+Sovereign."
+
+After having said these words, the Emperor descended from his throne,
+made his son ascend it, and retired into a delightful apartment (where
+he had passed his happiest days), where he remained till he died,
+which was shortly afterwards.
+
+Nourgehan, after having paid all the honours that nature and gratitude
+required for so good a father, was wholly occupied in fulfilling the
+last counsels that he had received from him. His heart was naturally
+good, and his judgment just; but if every man stands in need of
+experience to form his mind, much more is it necessary for those who
+are destined to fill a throne. Nourgehan, persuaded of this important
+truth, was far from the presumption too common to Princes. One day, as
+he conversed with his courtiers upon the subject of government, he
+applauded those Kings who had shown the greatest love of justice.
+Solomon was quoted as having been the most just.
+
+"This example is not a just one," replied Nourgehan. "Solomon was a
+prophet, and could easily prevent the evils which he foresaw; but a
+common mortal can only use his best endeavours to repair the faults of
+his weakness: therefore I command you all, not only to inform me of
+all my duties without flattery, but also to prevent or repair my
+faults by your counsels. When a King testifies a love for virtue, all
+his subjects become virtuous."
+
+As soon as Nourgehan had ceased speaking, Abourazier rose up and said,
+"Great Prince, if you wish to have justice truly exercised in your
+dominions, you must make choice of a disinterested Vizier, who has
+only your glory and the good of the State in view. The satisfaction of
+having done right must be the only recompense he desires."
+
+"You say well, Abourazier," returned Nourgehan; "but the difficulty is
+to find such a man."
+
+"You have, my lord," replied the courtier, "one of your subjects whose
+moderation and wisdom made him renounce all public employments under
+the reign of your illustrious father: your Majesty, perhaps, is
+ignorant of what happened to him in the city of Shiras."
+
+The King having commanded him to inform him of it, Abourazier pursued
+his discourse thus:
+
+"Imadil Deule,[8] in the last war which we sustained against Persia,
+led our victorious army as far as Shiras, which he took, and, by a
+sentiment of humanity, preserved from being plundered. His soldiers,
+however, demanded a recompense that might make them amends for the
+booty they expected to have obtained, and spoke to him so strongly,
+that he was obliged to promise one to them, though he knew not where
+he could procure it."
+
+[Footnote 8: The support and assistance of felicity.]
+
+"One day as he was in his palace, thinking of this demand, he
+perceived a serpent creep out of a hole in the wall and return into it
+again. He called the officers of his harem, and said to them, 'Break
+open that hole, and take out the serpent that I saw enter it this
+moment.'
+
+"The courtiers obeyed him, and found a vault full of presses ranged
+along the walls, with chests piled upon each other. They were opened,
+and found to be filled with sequins, while the presses were heaped up
+with the most magnificent stuffs. Imadil Deule returned thanks to God
+for this discovery, and distributed the treasure to his soldiers. He
+afterwards commanded a tailor to be sent for to make habits of these
+stuffs, with which he designed to recompense the merits of those
+officers who had served under his command. The most experienced tailor
+of the city was presented to him, who had always wrought for the late
+Governor. Imadil Deule said to him, 'Not only thou shalt be well paid
+if these habits are carefully made, but I will procure thee a further
+recompense, and some bowls of cassonnade.'"[9]
+
+[Footnote 9: A kind of sherbet mixed with honey.]
+
+"The tailor, who was deaf of one ear, understood that he was to have
+the bastinado, and fell a-weeping. Imagining that it was intended to
+exact an account of the late Governor's clothes which he had in his
+possession, he declared he had only twelve chests full, and those who
+accused him of having more had not said the truth.
+
+"Imadil Deule could not forbear smiling at the effect which fear had
+produced in the poor tailor: he caused the habits to be brought, which
+were found to be magnificent and entirely new. The only use he made of
+them, as well as of the rich stuffs he found in the presses, was to
+clothe and adorn the officers of his army. I believe, therefore, that
+so disinterested a man deserves the confidence of your Majesty."
+
+Abourazier having ceased speaking, Nourgehan said to him, "Imadil
+Deule shall not be my Vizier. I believe him an honest man, but he
+wants prudence, and I do not think him capable of supporting my
+authority. He had the seals of the empire, and yet knew not how to
+order everything necessary for his expedition; in a word, his treasure
+failed him, and his soldiers presumed to give him laws. Without the
+accident of the serpent, of which any other man would have made the
+same use, what would have become of him? The story of the tailor is of
+no consequence."
+
+Nourgehan was continually occupied with the love of justice and the
+desire of reigning well. He left his palace at all hours to inform
+himself of the truth by his own knowledge. There was an old potter of
+earthen vessels who dwelt near his palace. Nourgehan, moved by seeing
+him every day pray to God with the most ardent and zealous fervour,
+stopped one day before the little hut in which he dwelt, and said to
+him, "Ask of me whatever thou desirest, and I promise to grant it
+thee."
+
+"Command all your officers," said the potter, "to take each of them
+one of my pots, and pay for it that which I ask. I will not abuse this
+permission."
+
+Nourgehan granted him his request, and gave orders to his guard to
+watch over the sale of the pots, and, above all, to do whatever the
+potter ordered him. He made a very modest use of the favour that he
+had obtained, and, satisfied with the sale of his work, he exacted no
+more than the value of it, thinking himself happy in being able to
+live by his industry, and wishing that he might give a proof of his
+gratitude to his Sovereign. The Vizier of Nourgehan was avaricious;
+but for fear of displeasing his master, he concealed that vice with
+the utmost care. He went one morning to the Emperor's audience, when
+the potter demanded a sequin for a pot which he presented to him. The
+Vizier refused it, and said it was a jest to ask such a sum for a
+thing that the least coin would sufficiently pay for.
+
+The potter, seeing that he added menaces to his refusal, answered him,
+"that since he took it in that strain, he demanded a thousand sequins
+for his pot," and added, "that he should not enter into the Emperor's
+presence until he had hung the pot round his neck, and carried him
+upon his back to have an audience of the Emperor, that he might make
+his complaints of the refusal and menaces he had given him."
+
+The Vizier made many difficulties and great entreaties to avoid these
+vexatious and mortifying conditions; but the hour approaching which
+the Emperor had appointed for an audience, and the guards refusing to
+let him enter till he had satisfied the desires of the potter, he was
+obliged to submit to them; to promise the thousand sequins, to hang
+the pot about his neck, and to carry the potter on his back, a
+condition from which he would not recede. The Emperor, surprised at
+seeing his Vizier arrive in a manner so ridiculous and so unsuitable
+to his dignity, commanded him to explain what it all meant. When he
+was told, he obliged the Vizier to pay the thousand sequins
+immediately; and comprehending of how great an injury it might be to a
+Prince to have an avaricious minister, he deposed him, and was pleased
+with the potter for having made known to him a fact that he never
+would have suspected otherwise.
+
+Nourgehan formed a counsel of the most worthy men of the empire,
+ordained wise and prudent laws, and departed to visit his provinces,
+with a resolution of releasing his people from any possible abuse of
+an authority which is always dangerous, when those who exercise it are
+at too great a distance from the Sovereign. This Prince, endowed with
+every virtue, had no other wish than that of deserving after his death
+the noble epitaph of that Persian monarch who has graved upon his
+tomb, "Weep! for Shah Chuja is dead!"
+
+Nourgehan, visiting all the provinces of his kingdom, had already gone
+through the greatest part of them, and remedied numberless disorders,
+when his curiosity engaged him in a journey into Tartary, his
+neighbouring kingdom. Finding himself so near their country, he had a
+desire also to see and know the manners of these Tartars, who were
+more civilized than others, for they had cities and fixed habitations:
+their women also are not shut up like those of the other Asiatics. The
+Tartars came to meet the Emperor of the Moguls. Some of them
+performed courses on their swiftest horses to do him honour, others,
+accompanied with their women, formed a kind of dance which, though a
+little savage, was not destitute of grace. In the number of the Tartar
+women who presented themselves before him, Nourgehan was struck with
+the beauty of a young person of eighteen, named Damake.[10] She
+possessed great beauty; an inexpressible sense and modesty was visible
+in her countenance. Nourgehan did homage to so many charms, and caused
+a place in his harem to be proposed to her, but she refused it. Love
+but too often causes the greatest change in the worthiest characters.
+The Prince, so wise, and till then so moderate, led away by his
+passion, joined menaces to his entreaties; he even went so far as to
+threaten that he would bring a formidable army thither to obtain a
+beauty whose refusals did not permit him to hope to win her otherwise.
+He made this rash speech to Damake alone; for if the Tartars, who are
+a people most jealous of their liberty, had had the least knowledge of
+it, war would have been that moment declared. But Damake answered him
+with the utmost sweetness, without showing the least fear, and without
+losing that respect which she owed to a Sovereign; and it was with the
+gentle and yet resolved tone that courage and truth always inspire,
+that she related this little history to him:
+
+[Footnote 10: Joy of the heart.]
+
+"One of the great Lamas," said she, "of whose supreme authority in
+this country you are not ignorant, fell in love, in this very place,
+with a maiden of my tribe. She not only refused all that he offered to
+her, but she would not accept the proposal he made to marry her. The
+love she felt for a musician was the sole cause of her refusal, which
+she confessed to the Lama, with a hope of appearing unworthy of his
+attachment. But that Prince--for they are looked upon as
+such--distracted with anger and sorrow, caused his unworthy rival to
+be put to death, and under the pretext of her being agreeable to the
+Grand Lama, it was not difficult to have her carried off. For you are
+sensible, my lord, that in this country every one trembles at the very
+name of him, whom we look upon as a god. But the Lama enjoyed not
+much satisfaction from his cruelty and injustice; for after she had
+promised to marry him, in order to obtain a greater liberty, she
+precipitated herself from the top of a rock, which can be perceived
+from hence, and which is always shown in the country as a proof of the
+constancy and resolution of which the Tartar virgins are capable. It
+is not," continued Damake, "love for another that makes me refuse the
+offers of your Majesty. My heart to this hour is free; but, my lord,
+learn to know it thoroughly. It is noble, and perhaps worthy of the
+favour you condescend to honour me with. My weak charms have seduced
+you; but a woman who has no other merit than beauty, in my opinion, is
+of little value."
+
+"Perhaps," returned Nourgehan, "the difference of our religions is an
+obstacle to my happiness?"
+
+"No, my lord, I am a Mussulman," resumed Damake. "Can you imagine I
+could submit to the ideas that are given us of the Grand Lama? Can we
+believe that a man is immortal? The artifice that is made use of to
+persuade us of it is too gross. In one word, my eyes are too much
+enlightened for me to hesitate between the ideas inculcated by these
+priests, and those by which the divinity of God is preached by his
+most sacred Prophet. No, my lord," continued she, "I am sensible of
+the risk I shall run by your goodness to me. Time causes the
+nightingale to perish and the rose to fade. The moon shines during the
+night; but its lustre fades when the day approaches. Can I expect,
+therefore, that time should spare me? Yet, notwithstanding these
+reflections, I confess, my lord, I should be flattered with the
+thought of pleasing a man whose virtues I esteem above his greatness.
+But I should wish to please him by other qualities: I should wish to
+have rendered myself worthy of him by services so considerable, that
+even a marriage thus unsuitable, far from exposing him to reproaches,
+should only serve to make his choice more applauded."
+
+Nourgehan, charmed at finding such uncommon sense and such delicate
+sentiments in an object whose figure alone would have rendered her
+amiable, admired her virtue, gave her his royal promise never to
+constrain her inclinations, and resolved never to depart from her. He
+sent a numerous train of slaves and camels to the beauteous Damake,
+who followed him with all her family. She would never have consented
+to this step if she had been obliged to abandon her family, to whom
+she was fondly attached. The King saw her every day, and could not
+exist a moment without wishing to see her, or without admiring her
+when he did see her. In the meantime the discourses of the Court and
+of the populace reached the ears of Damake. She knew the evil opinion
+they had of her. To repair this wrong she conjured Nourgehan to
+assemble all the learned men of his kingdom, that she might answer
+their questions, and afterwards propose some to them. Nourgehan, who
+dreaded lest a person so young as Damake should expose herself too
+hastily, and return with confusion from such a dispute, used his
+utmost efforts to dissuade her from her request; for the fear and
+concern that is felt for those whom we love is most certainly far
+stronger than that which interests us for ourselves. His remonstrances
+were in vain.
+
+Learned men were assembled to the number of twelve; and in the
+audience that was given them, the King was placed upon an elevated
+throne, in his habits of ceremony. Damake was seated lower, opposite
+to him, leaning upon a sofa, dressed with the greatest plainness, but
+shining with every charm of youth and every gift of nature, surrounded
+by the twelve sages, venerable by their extreme age and their flowing
+beards, leaning upon a large table, round which they and she were
+seated. The sages, who knew not with what design Nourgehan had
+assembled them, were extremely astonished when he made known to them
+the project of Damake. They looked upon the adversary who was
+presented to them, and kept silence, not doubting that the King did it
+with the design of showing them contempt. Nourgehan said to them,
+
+"I perceive your thoughts, but I have given my royal promise, and it
+is your duty to acquit me of it. Propose boldly the hardest questions
+to this lady, who has engaged to resolve all the difficulties that
+your great learning gives you the opportunity of proposing to her."
+
+The first sage demanded, "What is that which takes the colour of
+those who look upon it, which men cannot do without, and which of
+itself has neither form nor colour?"
+
+"It is the water," replied Damake.
+
+The second said to her, "Can you, O miracle of sense and beauty, tell
+me what is the thing which has neither door nor foundation, and which
+is within filled with yellow and white?"
+
+"It is an egg," said the beauteous maiden.
+
+The third sage, after having considered a little, in hopes of
+surpassing his brethren (for the learned men in the Mogul have a share
+of self-love), said to her, "There is in a certain garden a tree; this
+tree bears twelve branches, upon each branch there are thirty leaves,
+and upon each leaf there are five fruits, of which three are in the
+shade and two in the sun. What is this tree? and where is it to be
+found?"
+
+"This tree," returned Damake, "represents the year: the twelve
+branches are the months, the thirty leaves the days, the five fruits
+the five prayers, of which two are made by day and three by night."
+
+The sage was amazed, and the courtiers, whose minds vary like the air,
+and whose sentiments are changed by that which is less than nothing,
+began to be inwardly persuaded of the value of that which they had at
+first only pretended to admire.
+
+The other sages, who had not yet spoken, would have excused
+themselves, and had their silence passed over in favour of the
+applauses they gave to the uncommon sense of her who had confounded
+those who preceded them. But Nourgehan, at the entreaty of Damake,
+having commanded them to continue the conference, one of them
+demanded, "What is heavier than a mountain?" the other, "What is more
+cutting than a sabre?" and the third, "What is swifter than an arrow?"
+Damake answered that the first "was the tongue of a man that complains
+of oppression;" the second, "Calumny," and the third, "A glance."
+
+There were four sages remaining who had not yet proposed their
+difficulties. Nourgehan trembled, lest at length the mind of Damake
+should be exhausted, and she should lose the honour of so great a
+number of judicious answers. Yet this beautiful maiden appeared
+neither fatigued nor exalted with that which would have raised the
+vanity of the greatest part of mankind. But the very property of love
+being to submit to the will of that which it loves, Nourgehan, whom
+the preceding examples had not yet reassured, full of alarms and
+inquietudes, commanded them to speak by a sign of his head, which they
+durst not refuse. The first demanded of her, "What that animal was
+which avoided everybody, was composed of seven different animals, and
+inhabited desolate places." The second desired to know who that was
+whose habit was armed with darts, who wore a black vest, a yellow
+shirt, whose mother lived above a hundred years, and who was liked by
+the whole world. The third desired her to name that which had but one
+foot, which had a hole in its head, a leathern girdle, and which
+raised up its head when its hairs were torn off and its face was spit
+upon.
+
+Damake answered to the first that it was a grasshopper, which is
+composed of seven animals; for it has the head of a horse, the neck of
+an ox, the wings of an eagle, the feet of a camel, the tail of a
+serpent, the horns of a stag, and the body of a scorpion.
+
+The lady found it more difficult to answer the question of the second:
+for a moment the whole assembly thought her vanquished. This idea,
+which she perceived in the eyes of all who looked upon her, made her
+blush. She appeared only still more beautiful from her modesty; and
+Nourgehan was charmed when he saw the sage who had proposed the
+question agree that she had answered with her usual justness, when she
+said that it was a Chestnut. She answered the third without
+hesitation, that it was a Distaff.
+
+So much knowledge, so much presence of mind, joined to such uncommon
+personal charms, threw all minds into so pleasing a confusion that,
+notwithstanding the awe that the presence of Nourgehan inspired, they
+all loudly expressed the joy, admiration, and pleasure they felt at
+being witnesses of so uncommon a scene. Damake then made a sign that
+she wished now to speak. Silence was commanded, and she desired the
+sages to inform her what was sweeter than honey.
+
+Some of them answered that it was the satisfaction of having our
+wishes fulfilled, some that of gratitude, and others it was the
+pleasure of conferring obligations.
+
+When Damake had let them speak, she applauded all their reasonable and
+just thoughts, but finished her discourse by asking them with
+gentleness if she was mistaken when she imagined the sweetest thing
+upon earth to be the love of a mother for her child.
+
+An answer so suitable to her sex, who ought always to be attached to
+their maternal duty, and proposed with so much modesty, entirely
+finished the conquest of their hearts. But Damake, who had no other
+design upon this occasion than to conciliate their esteem and
+authorize the favours with which Nourgehan honoured her, was resolved
+to finish a scene which she did not design to repeat, resolving for
+the future to be occupied with schemes and ideas of a higher kind.
+Damake then caused instruments to be brought, and sang and played in
+all the different modes of music, finishing by singing the famous
+strain of Zeaghioule.
+
+Nourgehan, in those transports of joy which are given by the repeated
+successes of those one loves, dismissed the assembly, but not without
+making some large presents to the sages; and when they had all
+retired, he threw himself at the knees of Damake, saying, "Thou art
+the life of my soul: haste thee to make me happy!"
+
+The beauty answered that she was not yet worthy of him.
+
+"What can you require further?" cried the passionate Prince. "You have
+charmed my whole Court; you have confounded the learning of the men
+most celebrated for their wisdom; the justness of your answers, the
+moderation of your questions, and the modesty with which you bore the
+advantage of so great a triumph, have dazzled them. Not satisfied with
+having proved your sense, what talents did not you show when you
+touched the musical instruments! What taste did you not express in
+your song! Whoever, like Damake, joined such merit to so much beauty?
+But I perceive you love me not," added this passionate Prince, with
+the utmost tenderness, "since you refuse to attach your destiny to
+mine. Doubtless you have an aversion for my person."
+
+"I am very far from deserving this reproach, my lord," said Damake;
+"you yourself shall be the judge. The greatest pleasure and the
+highest satisfaction I have felt on this day, which your prejudice in
+my favour has made you think so glorious, was the being able to
+express before the whole Court, in a proper manner, the sentiments
+with which you have filled my heart."
+
+"What can you wait for further to render me the happiest man upon
+earth?" cried Nourgehan with eagerness. "You love me, and I adore you.
+What wants there more? My wishes for you are become an ocean unbounded
+by any shore."
+
+"I resolve to deserve you, my lord," replied she, "by talents of more
+value than those of music; by a justness of sense more valuable than
+that which your sages set such a price upon, and which is only a mere
+subtlety of mind. I wish to establish myself in your heart upon
+foundations more solid than beauty, or those superficial talents that
+you have had the goodness to applaud. In short, I wish that love may
+in you only be a passage to that esteem and friendship which I aspire
+to deserve. Submit your impatience to grant me this favour--it perhaps
+gives me more pain to ask it than your Majesty to grant: let me live
+some time under the shadow of your felicity."
+
+"I am capable of nothing now," replied Nourgehan, "but of loving and
+adoring you; but at least permit me to give a full proof of the
+justice I do your merit. Assist in the divan, preside in all affairs,
+and give me your counsels: I can follow none that are more prudent or
+better judged."
+
+"The diamond boasted," replied Damake, smiling, "that there was no
+stone which equalled it in strength and hardness. Allah, who loves not
+pride, changed its nature in favour of lead, the vilest of metals, to
+which He gave the power to cut it. Independently of the pride I must
+render myself guilty of if I accepted your offers,--Allah forbid that
+I should do that wrong to my Sovereign Lord!--to authorize by my
+behaviour the reproaches that would be thrown upon him. There would be
+a foundation to say that he was governed by a woman. I allow," added
+she, "that your Majesty ought to have a Vizier: you cannot see to
+everything with your own eyes, and I believe I am able to show you one
+worthy of Nourgehan."
+
+"Name him to me," replied he, "and I will give him the charge this
+moment."
+
+"Your Majesty," replied the beauteous Damake, "must know him before
+you accept him. I hope you will find in him whom I propose those
+virtues and talents necessary in a man dignified with so great an
+employment. He lives in the city of Balk, and is named Diafer. The
+post of Vizier to one of the most powerful Kings of the Indies has
+been in his family above a thousand years. Judge then, my lord, what a
+collection of admirable precepts he must have upon all parts of
+government, and yet a Prince, blinded by the pernicious counsels of
+his favourites, has deposed him, and he passes his days at Balk--days
+which might be happy if he had not lived in the habit of labour and a
+hurry of great affairs, which seldom leave the mind at liberty to be
+satisfied with anything less tumultuous."
+
+Nourgehan immediately replied, "Diafer is my Vizier: Damake can never
+be mistaken."
+
+Upon the spot he wrote to the Governor of Balk, and sent him a note
+for a hundred thousand sequins, to be delivered to Diafer, to defray
+the expenses of his journey; and he charged the same courier with a
+letter for Diafer, in which he conjured him to accept the post that he
+had destined him for.
+
+Diafer began his journey. He was received with magnificence in every
+city, and the Emperor sent all the noblemen of his Court to meet him,
+and conduct him to the palace which he had destined for him in the
+kingdom of Visiapour, where he then resided. He was treated there with
+incredible magnificence during three days, after which he was
+conducted to an audience of the Prince. He appeared at the height of
+joy for possessing a man whom Damake esteemed so highly; but that joy
+was of no long duration, for the Prince, who was so gracious and so
+prejudiced in his favour, flew into the most dreadful anger the moment
+Diafer appeared in his presence.
+
+"Go," said he to him, "depart this moment, and never see me again!"
+
+Diafer obeyed, and retired in all the confusion, the sorrow, and the
+surprise that such a reception must needs give him. He returned to his
+apartment without being able to imagine the cause of the King's sudden
+anger, who, in the meantime, held a council, and examined the affairs
+of his kingdom, without taking any notice of what had passed with him
+whom he had destined to be his Vizier.
+
+He afterwards repaired to the apartment of Damake, who, already
+informed of an event which employed the thoughts of the whole Court,
+doubted not that there was an alteration in the mind of him to whom
+she was so perfectly attached. The sorrow which this reflection had
+given her had plunged her into a state so languishing as scarce left
+her the use of speech. Yet making an effort to conquer herself, she
+said to him, after some moments' silence,
+
+"How is it possible, my lord, that after all the expenses you have
+been at, and all the cares you took for the arrival of Diafer at your
+Court--after all the honours you have ordered to be paid him, and
+those that you have loaded him with, you should receive him so ill?"
+
+"Ah! Damake," cried Nourgehan, "I should have had no regard to all
+that I have done for him, to his illustrious family, nor to the
+fatigues that he has suffered in coming so far, if any one but you had
+recommended him to me. I would have had his head struck off the moment
+he presented himself before me, and it was wholly in regard to you
+that I satisfied myself with banishing him from my presence for ever."
+
+"But how did he incur your indignation?" pursued Damake.
+
+"Know, then," resumed Nourgehan, "that when he came up to me he had
+the most subtle of poisons about him."
+
+"May I ask you, my lord," returned Damake, "what certainty you have of
+such a fact, and if you may not doubt of the fidelity of him who made
+you the report?"
+
+Nourgehan replied, "I knew it myself. I permit you to inquire into it,
+and you will find whether I was mistaken or not."
+
+When Nourgehan had left Damake more reassured as to the heart of the
+Emperor, though alarmed at the impressions he was capable of taking so
+lightly, she sent for Diafer, who appeared sunk in the most violent
+chagrin. She conversed with him for some time, and perceiving how
+deeply the ill-treatment he had received from the King had plunged the
+poniard of sorrow into his heart, she said to him that he ought not to
+afflict himself so much, that the wrath of Nourgehan would be of no
+long duration, and that he would soon repair the affront that he had
+publicly given him. She added that Princes had their hasty moments,
+that ought to be passed by and excused. When she had a little calmed
+his chagrin, she finished her discourse by saying to him,
+
+"If I have deserved your confidence, if you believe that I shall
+endeavour to repair the affront you have suffered--since I, by doing
+justice to your talents, was the innocent cause of that which has
+happened to you--if I deserve any return from you, vouchsafe to inform
+me why you had poison about you when you were presented to Nourgehan?"
+
+Diafer, surprised at this question, after having reflected some
+moments, replied, "True, I had poison with me; but my heart, though I
+bore it about me, was as pure as the dew of the morning. I even have
+it now that I speak to you." Saying this, he drew a ring from his
+finger and presented it to her. "The setting of this ring," said he,
+"encloses a most subtle poison. It is a treasure that has been
+preserved in our family from father to son these thousand years. My
+ancestors have always worn it, to preserve themselves from the anger
+of those Princes they served, in case they should have had the
+misfortune to displease them in the exercise of their post of Vizier.
+You may believe," continued he, "that when the King sent for me, who
+was wholly unknown to him, to exercise that charge, and conscious of
+the many enemies a stranger generally meets with, I would not forget
+to bring this treasure. The sorrow that the cruel behaviour of
+Nourgehan has given me, and the shame that he has covered me with,
+render it still more precious to me: it will not be long before I make
+use of it."
+
+Damake obtained from him that he should delay, at least for some days,
+this fatal design, and conjured him to wait in his palace till he
+heard from her.
+
+She immediately repaired to give an account to Nourgehan of what she
+had learned. That Prince, perceiving by her relation that Diafer had
+no ill design, and that the cruelty of Princes in general authorized
+but too justly such a precaution, repented that he had received him so
+unworthily, and promised Damake the next day to make amends for the
+pain he had given him. She approved this design; but before she
+quitted him she conjured him to satisfy her curiosity by informing her
+how he could perceive the poison which Diafer had with him. Nourgehan
+replied,
+
+"Never will I have anything concealed from the sovereign of my heart.
+I always wear a bracelet, which my father left me, and which has long
+been in our family, though I am ignorant of the name of the sage who
+composed it, or how it fell into the hands of my ancestors. It is of a
+substance that nearly resembles coral, and it has the property of
+discovering poison, even at a very great distance. It is moved and
+agitated whenever poison approaches; and when Diafer came near me, the
+bracelet was very nigh breaking, the poison which he bore had so much
+strength and violence. Had he not been recommended by you, his head
+should have been struck off that moment. I was the more certain that
+Diafer bore that dangerous poison, as my bracelet remained immovable
+immediately after his leaving the hall where I gave audience."
+
+Nourgehan loosed it from his arm, and gave it to Damake. She examined
+it with great attention, and said to him, "This talisman, my lord, is
+doubtless very wonderful; yet this adventure ought to prove to you how
+much those who have the sovereign power are obliged to be upon their
+guard against appearances, and of what consequence it is for them not
+to give judgment rashly."
+
+Damake retired, and Nourgehan commanded the greatest pomp and the most
+splendid train to conduct Diafer the next day to an audience. This
+order was executed. Nourgehan received him with the utmost affability,
+and testified the greatest regret for what had passed. Then there was
+presented to him, by the Sultan's command, a standish of gold, a pen
+and paper. Immediately he wrote in the most beautiful characters
+sublime sentences upon the manner in which a Vizier ought to fulfil
+the duties of his important post. Nourgehan admired his talents, made
+him clothe himself in the robe of a Vizier, and, to crown his
+goodness, confided to him the secret of his bracelet. Diafer
+strenuously advised that Prince never to part with it; and in his
+admiration, and the pleasure he felt at possessing so great a
+treasure, he asked his new Vizier if he believed that through the
+whole world there could be found anything so curious.
+
+"Great Prince," replied Diafer to him, "I have seen in the city of
+Dioul another miracle of nature, less useful, indeed, but which for
+the strength of art and learning with which a sage has composed it,
+may be compared to this."
+
+"What is it?" returned Nourgehan. "I should be glad to be informed of
+it."
+
+Then Diafer spoke thus:
+
+"When I had received your Majesty's command to repair to your
+presence, I departed at once, but was obliged to make some stay at
+Dioul, through which I passed in my way to Visiapour, where I knew I
+might join your Majesty. Notwithstanding my impatience, I was obliged
+to collect several things which were necessary for my journey, and
+made use of that time to view the beauties of the city. The Governor,
+whose riches and opulence astonished me, came to meet me on the day of
+my arrival, and conducted me to his palace. He loaded me with honours,
+and, during my residence there, showed me the utmost respect and
+favour; yet it was accompanied with a constraint that rendered his
+fidelity suspected by me. Among the amusements that he procured for
+me, was a party upon the river: I consented to join it, and we
+embarked the next day in a small frigate which he had provided. The
+weather was fair, and the conversation most agreeable. The Governor of
+Dioul was seated on the upper deck, and I was placed close to him. A
+young boy, beautiful as the sun, lay at his feet; the most exquisite
+wines were served upon a table which stood before us: their coldness,
+and that of the ice with which all the fruits were surrounded,
+contributed to the most seducing voluptuousness. The slaves sang and
+played upon different instruments. Our pleasure was thus accompanied
+with everything that could render it delicious; and as I was thinking
+upon something to say that might be agreeable to the Governor, I
+perceived upon his finger so magnificent a ruby, that I could not
+forbear giving it the praises it deserved. The Governor immediately
+drew it off, and presented it to me. I examined it with attention, and
+returned it to him again, but had great trouble to make him take it.
+Seeing that I absolutely refused to keep it, he was so concerned that
+he threw it into the river. I repented then that I had not accepted so
+perfect a work of nature, and testified my sorrow to the Governor, who
+answered, that it was my own fault.
+
+"'Yet,' continued he, 'if you will promise me to accept it, it will
+not be difficult for me to find the ring again, which is really
+deserving of your acceptance.'
+
+"I imagined that, having another not unlike it, he designed to offer
+me that; but, without saying any more to me, he immediately commanded
+they should steer the vessel to the land. When he was arrived there,
+he sent his slave to his treasurer to demand a small casket which he
+described to him, and cast anchor to wait the return of the slave, who
+was expeditious in executing the orders he had received. The Governor,
+having then taken out of his pocket a small gold key, opened the
+casket, out of which he took a small fish of the same metal and of
+admirable workmanship, and threw it into the river. Immediately it
+plunged to the bottom, and soon after appeared upon the surface of the
+water holding the ring in its mouth. The rowers who were in the boat
+took it in their hands and brought it to the Governor, to whom it
+delivered the ring with a motion of its head: no other person could
+have forced it from its teeth. The Governor again presenting the ring
+to me, I could not refuse it, especially as he redoubled his
+entreaties. The fish was replaced in the little casket and sent back
+to the treasury."
+
+Diafer, after having related this history, drew the ring from his
+finger and presented it to Nourgehan, who, finding it to be extremely
+magnificent, said to him,
+
+"Never part from this ring, which is still more precious from the
+virtue of the talisman which rendered you the possessor of it. But,"
+continued he, "you ought to have informed yourself at what time, how,
+and by whom that wonderful masterpiece of art was composed."
+
+"I used my utmost efforts to be informed," replied Diafer, "but they
+were in vain. Struck with so singular an event, I thought no more of
+the pleasures of the day. The Governor, perceiving that I fell into a
+deep reverie, said to me, 'Life is short: make use of every moment and
+enjoy every pleasure. The soul is a bird imprisoned in the cage of the
+body, which it must soon quit: rejoice while it is in your power, you
+know not who shall exist to-morrow.' I confessed to him that curiosity
+had penetrated my heart. He replied, 'I am in despair that I cannot
+satisfy you,' and pronounced these words with a tone that expressed
+his design of not giving a more particular answer. 'Let us think only
+of amusing ourselves agreeably,' continued he. I followed his counsels
+as much as it was in my power, and departed from Dioul without being
+able to obtain any information upon the subject, but fully persuaded
+that this talisman was the source of all the treasures which he
+possesses."
+
+Nourgehan terminated the audience of Diafer by assuring him of his
+favour if he used his utmost care in the administration of justice. He
+afterwards gave an account to Damake of the conversation he had held
+with his Vizier, and told her the history of the fish.
+
+"I have a love for these talismans," said that Prince, "and this
+little fish rouses my curiosity. I wish at least I knew the maker of
+it."
+
+Damake promised him to use her utmost efforts to inform him. In
+effect, the next day, she told him, that of all the talismans which
+the great Seidel-Beckir had made, there existed only four--his
+bracelet, the little fish of which Diafer had spoken to him, and which
+she presented to him from the Governor of Dioul, adding, that he had
+just sent it as a present to his Majesty in order to obtain a life
+which he had deserved to lose, his faithful subjects having taken him
+in arms against the Sultan. The third, a poniard, very meanly adorned,
+which she begged him to accept.
+
+"The others," continued she, "are either worn out (for you know, my
+lord they only last for a certain time), or have been destroyed by
+different accidents."
+
+"Why did the Governor of Dioul," resumed Nourgehan, "conceal from
+Diafer that Seidel-Beckir was the maker of that which he possessed?"
+
+"He was ignorant of it, my lord," interrupted Damake; "and perhaps,
+ashamed of not knowing it, he feigned it to be a secret. It is the
+habit of men to cover their ignorance by an affectation of mystery."
+
+"But what is the virtue of this talisman that you offer me?" said
+Nourgehan, as he accepted the poniard.
+
+"I will inform you of it, my lord," said Damake, "at the same time
+that I give you an account of what I have been able to learn
+concerning the fish. It may be about three thousand years since there
+appeared, in the part of Asia which we inhabit, a man named Houna, who
+was so great that he was surnamed Seidel-Beckir. He was a sage who
+possessed in perfection all those talents which acquire a general
+veneration. The science of talismans he possessed in so eminent a
+degree, that by their means he commanded the stars and the
+constellations. Unhappily, his writings are lost, and therefore no
+talismans like his can now be made. Antinmour, King of Hindostan,
+having found means to form a friendship with him, Seidel-Beckir, in
+return for his kindness and some small services that he had done him,
+made him a present of that little fish of which your Vizier gave you
+an account. It always remained in the treasury of Antinmour as long as
+his family existed. One of the ancestors of the Governor of Dioul
+finding himself the Vizier of the last of that race, when the family
+was extinct by those revolutions which the history of the Indies
+relates at length, and which are universally known, seized upon this
+curiosity, and his successors have kept it with the utmost care till
+this time. Not only does this talisman bring back whatever is fallen
+into a river, or the sea, to the person to whom it belongs, but if you
+indicate to it anything to be brought out of that element, it goes in
+search of it with the greatest readiness, and brings it wherever it is
+commanded."
+
+"I am fully satisfied," replied Nourgehan, "as to the two talismans,
+and never Prince was possessor of such treasures. I may now truly
+style myself the sovereign of the sea. What do I owe to thee, the
+ruler of my soul! But of what use is this one which the beauteous
+Damake has presented to me?"
+
+"My lord," replied she, "when I tell you for what reason it was
+composed, you will know its virtue."
+
+"We read in the revolutions of Hindostan, that Antinmour would have
+unjustly exacted a tribute from Keiramour, who was too weak to resist
+the forces of his enemy; and not knowing to whom to have recourse, he
+resolved to address himself to the sage Seidel-Beckir, and sent his
+Vizier to him with magnificent presents. The sage refused them; but he
+was so touched by the situation to which the King, his friend, had
+been reduced, that he declared Antinmour should not succeed in his
+designs. Immediately he composed this very poniard, which I have now
+presented to my Sovereign, and gave it to the Vizier. 'Tell your
+master from me,' said he, 'to choose out twenty of the bravest
+soldiers of his kingdom, and deliver the poniard into the hands of him
+who commands them; for this poniard has the virtue (when it is drawn)
+to render invisible not only the person who bears it, but all those
+whom he designs should participate in the virtue of the talisman. His
+will alone decides the effect of it. Keiramour shall send these twenty
+persons to Antinmour with a letter, in which he shall refuse to pay
+the tribute that is demanded of him. Antinmour, in the excess of his
+anger, will order the ambassadors to be seized. Then the law of
+nations being violated, he who bears the poniard shall render himself
+invisible by drawing it with one hand, and his sabre with the other;
+and his troop following his example, and doing the same, he shall
+obey, without hesitation, the dictates of his courage.'
+
+"The Vizier returned to Keiramour, and all that Seidel-Beckir had
+commanded was executed. The son of the King was charged with the
+command and execution of this great enterprise. Antinmour was enraged
+on reading the letter that was presented to him.
+
+"'Let this insolent ambassador be seized,' cried he, 'this moment.'
+
+"Then the Prince, hastily drawing out his poniard and sabre, struck
+off the head of Antinmour. His train did the same to all those who
+composed the divan; and running directly into the city, an infinity of
+heads were flying off without knowing who caused this disorder. After
+this great execution, the ambassador and his train made themselves
+visible, and declared to the people in the public square that there
+was no other method of avoiding certain death but to submit to the
+government of Keiramour, which they did without reluctance. This
+poniard," continued Damake, "has been long kept in the treasury of the
+Princes of that country. By little and little, however, its value was
+forgotten, and the remembrance of its uncommon property totally lost;
+and when your Majesty desired an explanation of the talismans, I found
+that this was at Balsora in the possession of a poor Jew, a broker,
+who sells upon the bridge of that city all the old iron and useless
+weapons that are cast away. It was not difficult to procure the
+possession of it, therefore it was no merit in me to give my Sovereign
+Lord a talisman which would be absolutely useless to me, whilst the
+destiny of monarchs may unfortunately render such precautions
+necessary to them."
+
+Nourgehan made a thousand exclamations upon the boundless ocean of her
+liberality, and said to her,
+
+"Sovereign of my heart, reflect upon what you have said to me:
+consider that if these talismans, valuable in themselves, but mean in
+comparison with you, have excited my wish to possess them, how much
+greater must my desire be to wed the giver! All the sages,
+Seidel-Beckir himself, never composed a talisman so wonderful as you
+are. Yesterday you knew not a single word of the history of the
+talisman, to-day you are perfectly instructed in it. This poniard was
+not four and twenty hours since at Balsora, yet notwithstanding the
+great distance we are from that city, you have presented it to me this
+moment. Are you the daughter of Seidel-Beckir, or are you an
+enchantress yourself?"
+
+Damake blushed at this discourse, and Nourgehan again pressing her to
+speak, she replied,
+
+"Nothing is impossible when one desires to please him whom one loves.
+But I will explain at once all that puzzles my Sultan. Not long after
+my birth, my mother was seated at the foot of a palm-tree, enjoying
+with me the coolness of the morning, without any other thought than
+that of returning by her tender kisses my innocent caresses, when in a
+moment she perceived herself surrounded by a numerous Court who
+attended a Queen, beautiful, majestic, magnificently dressed, and who
+had herself also an infant in her arms. Notwithstanding the pomp of
+her train, and all the grandeur of royalty, she caressed me, young as
+I was, and after some moments' stay said to my mother,
+
+"'This child whom you see in my arms, and who is mine, is by fate
+obliged to taste the milk of a mortal, it being a command laid upon us
+by Allah; and I cannot find one more modest, more wise, nor whose milk
+is purer than thine. Do me the pleasure, therefore, of nursing my
+infant for a few moments.'
+
+"My mother consented with pleasure; and the Queen, in return for her
+complaisance, said to her,
+
+"'Whenever you have any sorrow or any desire, come to the foot of a
+palm-tree, cut a leaf off it, burn it, and call for me--I am named the
+Peri Malikatada--and I will haste immediately to your assistance. I
+grant the same power to your little girl when she attains the age of
+reason.'
+
+"My mother never importuned the Peri except for the care of my
+education; and I, my lord, before I knew you, had never addressed
+myself to her, for I knew no desire, nor had my heart formed any wish.
+From that time I fear I have fatigued her, so many troubles and
+inquietudes have seized upon my soul. It was she, as you will judge,
+who made Diafer known to me, who dictated to me the answers I gave the
+sages, who informed me of the talismans, and delivered this one to me.
+It was she, likewise, who caused the Governor of Dioul to be arrested,
+and who demands his life of you in return for the golden fish which I
+have given you from him; she also would have given me----" she paused.
+
+"Go on, beauteous Damake," said Nourgehan, with tenderness; "if you
+love me, can you conceal anything from me?"
+
+"She would have given me," resumed Damake, "a talisman of her
+composition that should force you always to love me, but I have
+refused it. Can there be any happy talisman in love but the heart?"
+
+Nourgehan, struck with so many virtues, and such proofs of her
+attachment to him, would no longer defer his happiness. He immediately
+caused his whole Court, and all the grandees of his kingdom, to be
+assembled.
+
+"I may boast with reason," said he to them, "that I am the happiest
+Prince upon earth: I possess a bracelet which preserves me from all
+fear of poison; all the treasures of the sea are mine by the means of
+a fish, which at my command will fetch them from the bottom of the
+waves; Damake has given me this poniard, which renders whoever I
+please invisible. The proof that I can make before your eyes of this
+magnificent talisman will convince you of their virtues better than
+the golden fish, which it would be more tedious and difficult to
+exhibit."
+
+He drew his poniard as he spoke, and disappeared from their sight. The
+astonishment of the spectators was not yet dissipated, when he
+disappeared with all his military officers, and said to his
+magistrates, "Do you see such a general, such an officer that has
+served so long in my army?" To every question they answered No. He
+ceased then to be visible to the eyes of his warriors, and disappeared
+with his Viziers and all the Doctors of the Law, designing by that
+means to convince them fully, and leave no room for jealousy and
+suspicion. "Return thanks, then, with me," added he, "to Allah and His
+holy Prophet, for having made me the most powerful Prince upon earth."
+
+He performed his action of thanks with a fervour worthy of the bounty
+which Heaven had shown him, and all his courtiers followed his
+example. When he had fulfilled that important duty, he said to them,
+
+"The greatest vice of the human heart is ingratitude: it is to Damake
+that I owe these powerful treasures; her beauty alone, her merit and
+her virtue, would deserve the gratitude I shall my whole life preserve
+for her; but gratitude ought to be accompanied with more than words: I
+will this day unite her to me for ever."
+
+All the Court and the grandees applauded his choice; and Nourgehan,
+having commanded Damake to be brought, she appeared with all those
+modest graces that nature had adorned her. When the Prince had given
+her his hand in presence of the Great Imam, Damake, who had prostrated
+herself before him, said with an audible voice,
+
+"When I gave an account of the talismans of the great Seidel-Beckir, I
+informed you, my lord, that there were four still subsisting in the
+world: you have yet but three."
+
+"Have I not riches enough in possessing thee?" returned Nourgehan.
+"Thou art reckoned, perhaps, for the fourth; but they are not all of
+half thy value."
+
+"No, my lord," resumed Damake, casting her eyes upon the ground, and
+presenting him with a ring, "this was wanting. This ring of steel
+gives you a power of penetrating into the secrets of every heart.
+Others, in my place, might look upon this talisman as a danger, but I
+shall look upon it as a blessing if you still condescend to interest
+yourself in the sentiments that you have for ever graved in mine; and
+if I have the misfortune not to deserve that interesting curiosity, it
+will at least make known to you, without any doubts, the characters
+and the fidelity of your subjects."
+
+At that instant the Peri Malikatada appeared with her whole Court, and
+desired the King to pass into a garden, which by her power, and that
+of the genii, she had adorned with exquisite taste and magnificence.
+Here she honoured the nuptials with her presence, and Nourgehan lived
+happily ever afterwards, more happy in the love and counsels of Damake
+than in all the talismans upon earth, if he could have joined them to
+those which he already possessed.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+The Story of Bohetzad;
+
+OR,
+
+The Lost Child.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+The kingdom of Dineroux comprehended all Syria and the isles of India
+lying at the mouth of the Persian Gulf. This powerful State was
+formerly subject to King Bohetzad, who resided in the city of
+Issessara. Nothing could equal the power of this monarch. His troops
+were without number, his treasures inexhaustible, and the population
+of his dominions was equal to their fertility. His whole kingdom,
+divided into ten great departments, was entrusted to the
+administration of ten Viziers, of whom his divan was composed. This
+Prince used often to repair to the chase as a recreation after the
+cares of government.
+
+One day, while he entered with his usual keenness into this exercise,
+he allowed himself to be carried so far in pursuit of a stag which had
+darted into the forest, and left his attendants at so great a
+distance, that, upon coming out of the wood, he could perceive none of
+his people; he had also lost sight of his prey. And while he
+endeavoured to find out the east of the place he was in, he perceived
+at a distance a pretty large troop of men. He approached them, and as
+he drew near he could distinguish a body of forty knights,[11]
+surrounding a splendid litter, the brightness of which was heightened
+by the rays of the sun. This carriage was made of rock crystal, the
+mouldings and hinges were of carved gold, and the roof, in form of a
+crown, was made of wood of aloes, having cornices of silver. This
+litter resembled in shape a small antique temple, but so brilliant
+that the eye was quite dazzled with it. A prodigy of this kind in the
+midst of a desert, astonished the King, and at the same time excited
+his curiosity. He came up and saluted the convoy, and, addressing his
+discourse to the knight who held the reins of the mules,
+
+"Friends," said he, "be so kind as to tell me the meaning of all this
+equipage, and the name of the person to whom it belongs."
+
+[Footnote 11: Knights. The very ancient knighthood of India existed at
+this time. Those who devoted themselves to this manner of life came,
+armed from head to foot, to offer their services to the different
+Princes. See the "Memoirs of Hyder Ali Khan."]
+
+Notwithstanding the civil and polite manner in which the monarch spoke
+this, yet, as the hunting dress did not express the dignity of the
+wearer, they answered, "What matters it to you?"
+
+Bohetzad was not discouraged with so dry an answer, but still insisted
+with politeness, and even earnestness, for a more satisfactory reply.
+He who appeared to be the leader of the troop then presented to him
+the point of his spear, and said,
+
+"Go on your way, audacious fellow! otherwise, if your curiosity
+becomes more impertinent, be assured it will cost you your life."
+
+This insolent behaviour excited the indignation of the King. He went
+up to the knight who thus threatened him, with that air of confidence
+and that commanding tone, the habit of which he had acquired in the
+exercise of absolute power.
+
+"Slave of my throne!" said he to him, "dost thou not know Bohetzad?
+But, had I been only a common man, after speaking to you in so modest
+and friendly a manner, ought you to have threatened me with death?"
+
+At the very name of Bohetzad, the knights alighted and prostrated
+themselves on the earth.
+
+"Sire," said one of the oldest of them, "pardon an answer which we
+could not think addressed to the greatest monarch of the earth; for it
+was very possible not to recognize your Majesty in a hunting dress,
+and without attendants."
+
+"Rise," said the King, "and gratify my curiosity. Who is the person in
+that litter, and whither are you conducting it?"
+
+"Sire," answered the knight, "it is the daughter of Asphand, your
+Grand Vizier: we are conducting her to the Prince of Babylon, to whom
+she is going to be married."
+
+During this, the daughter of the Vizier, uneasy on account of the
+delay, presented her head at the curtain of the litter, in order to
+get information, and was perceived by Bohetzad. Whatever pains she had
+taken to prevent herself from being seen, her extraordinary beauty
+struck the Sovereign. His heart received a fatal wound: his passion,
+arrived at its height, aspired after gratification from the very
+moment of its existence; and Bohetzad, determined to make sure of the
+object of it, made use of his absolute authority, and spoke thus to
+the conductor of the litter:
+
+"I command you to take the road to Issessara, and to conduct the
+daughter of my Grand Vizier to my palace."
+
+The commander of the troop thought it necessary to make some reply to
+his Majesty.
+
+"Sire," said he, "your Vizier is your slave as well as we; and
+therefore, if we return his daughter to his own palace, she will
+continue there in equal subjection to your will."
+
+"But my Vizier has disposed of his daughter without my consent, and I
+do not owe him the attention which you propose I should pay him."
+
+"Sire," replied the knight, "your Grand Vizier Asphand has always been
+held in the highest estimation, and has had the honour to enjoy the
+confidence of your Majesty. One instance of violence exercised against
+him may affect his reputation, and cause him to lose, in the opinion
+of the public, that credit which it is your interest that he should
+enjoy."
+
+"All his credit depends on me, and I do not detract from it by doing
+him the honour to marry his daughter."
+
+The oldest, and likewise the best informed of the knights, still
+ventured to speak.
+
+"Sire," said he, "precipitation is dangerous; it often draws
+repentance after it: your slaves beseech your Majesty to reflect
+maturely on this."
+
+"I have reflected already, audacious old man!" replied the Prince in
+anger; "what caution should I observe with my slave? Obey."
+
+Being able to restrain his impatience no longer, he himself seized the
+bridle of the mules, and directed their steps towards that part of the
+forest where he presumed his people would be assembled at the
+appointed rendezvous. He soon found himself at the tent which they had
+set up, and he ordered all his suite to accompany the Princess in the
+litter to his palace. When the retinue was arrived, the King ordered
+the chief of his eunuchs to bring the Cadi, who instantly appeared,
+and drew up a contract of marriage between Bohetzad and the Princess
+Baherjoa, daughter of Asphand the Vizier.
+
+While the King was taken up with the ceremonies of the marriage, the
+forty knights returned to the palace of the Grand Vizier, being forced
+to abandon the litter, and the Princess whom they were conducting to
+Babylon. The minister was confounded at so speedy a return. Having set
+out from the city of Issessara, how could they come back so soon from
+Babylon? He feared that some extraordinary accident had befallen them.
+One of the knights came and told what had happened: he exaggerated the
+violence and despotic manner of Bohetzad, and filled the mind of the
+minister with fear and resentment, although he assured him that the
+monarch was that very night to marry his daughter.
+
+"Thus to oppose himself to my disposal of my own family! to carry off
+my daughter! to marry her against my will!--in this manner to repay my
+services!" said the enraged minister.
+
+Full of a desire of vengeance, he immediately ordered expresses to be
+sent to all his friends, the Princes and grandees of his family, to
+assemble them at his house. When they were come, he represented to
+them the outrage which the King had committed against his daughter,
+the Prince of Babylon, and himself. Shame and resentment entered into
+every breast. Asphand perceived, from the effect of the relation which
+he had made them, that it would be easy to associate them with him in
+his schemes of revenge.
+
+"Princes and lords!" said he to them, "the King, occupied with his
+pleasures, is not delicate about the means of gratification; and, as a
+recompense for my labours, he hesitates not to expose me to the
+disgrace of an irreparable insult. I am nothing but a vile slave in
+his eyes. Thinks he that my daughter is obliged to share his unsteady
+attachment? You yourselves will not be safe from this dishonour; your
+wives and daughters will not be spared. His torrent of iniquity will
+discharge itself on you, if we endeavour not to stop its course."
+
+The relations and friends of the Vizier entered into his interests,
+and a deliberation was held concerning the measures which were to be
+taken. One of them, deeply skilled in politics, thus gave his opinion:
+
+"Vizier, write to the King, and express to him how sensible you are of
+the unexpected honour which he has done you, to which you could never
+have had the smallest pretensions. Along with this letter send another
+to your daughter, in which you must seem delighted with her good
+fortune. Supplicate Heaven with her, to pour down happiness upon a
+monarch so beloved by his people. Accompany these despatches with
+magnificent presents, and Bohetzad, blinded by his passion, will
+readily believe everything which can flatter it. You will take
+advantage of this security to leave him at the first opportunity,
+under pretence of attending to his business; and, having secured
+yourself against any sudden attack from him, transmit to all the
+Princes, the Governors, and people entrusted with the management of
+the finances, alarming accounts of the situation of the kingdom.
+Represent to them the danger of the State, while the government, is in
+the hands of a young Prince, addicted to the gratification of his
+passions, and incapable of rewarding the services done him, which he
+only repays with violence and disgrace, being guided by no law but the
+dictates of a will as depraved as it is absolute."
+
+The Grand Vizier and the rest of the assembly adopted this plan. They
+all agreed to embrace every opportunity which might present itself of
+preparing the minds of the people, without exposing themselves to
+danger, and to continue at Issessara when Asphand had left it, for the
+purpose of giving him information and directing his conduct. These
+resolutions being entered into, the assembly quickly broke up, that
+they might give no room for suspicion; and Asphand wrote to the King
+in the following terms:
+
+"Mighty King, monarch of two seas! your slave, already elevated by you
+to the place of Grand Vizier, and honoured with the title of Prince,
+did not expect the distinguished honour of becoming your relation.
+Infinitely obliged by this new favour, I offer up to the God of heaven
+the most ardent wishes that He would continually heap on your Majesty
+new marks of His kindness; that He would prolong your days, and grant
+you all the blessings of a kingdom which shall not be shaken to the
+latest posterity. My duty hitherto has been to labour for maintaining
+both external and internal peace in your dominions, by the wise
+administration of justice, and by defending your frontiers from the
+enemy. I filled the station of your First Vizier; the duties thereof
+are now become more sacred to me; the honour of a connection with you
+gives me a personal interest in their success; and my daughter and I
+will only be slaves more faithfully attached to your person and
+interests."
+
+The letter to Baherjoa contained congratulations on her good fortune,
+and was as artfully expressed as the one addressed to her spouse.
+Asphand caused the first officer of his household to deliver these
+letters, and accompanied them with a magnificent present. The young
+son of the Vizier joined the envoy; they went together to the King's
+palace, and prostrated themselves before him.
+
+Bohetzad, intoxicated with the good fortune which he enjoyed, did not
+in the least suspect the false declarations of the Vizier. He ordered
+his son to be clothed with the richest robe, and a thousand pieces of
+gold to be given to the officer who was entrusted with the message.
+Scarcely were they gone out, when the oldest of the Viziers came to
+pay his court to the King. The monarch received him with his usual
+goodness, made him sit down, and communicated to him the happiness
+which he expected to enjoy in the possession of his lovely spouse;
+for, though he had gained her by an act of violence, he imagined that
+his happiness could be obscured by no cloud.
+
+"The attachment shown me by Asphand," said he, "removes my fears
+concerning the resentment which I might suppose him to possess: here
+are his letters; read them, and you will see how well he is pleased
+with this alliance. Besides, the magnificence of his presents exceeds
+even the force of his expressions."
+
+The old minister, after reading the letters, continued thoughtful, and
+with downcast eyes.
+
+"Are you not satisfied with what you have read?" said the King.
+
+"A dangerous reptile," replied the minister, "when it means to
+introduce itself anywhere, does not try to frighten by its odious
+hissings: it creeps in artfully under the folds of its flexible and
+thin body; its scales are glittering and smooth; its looks are soft
+and fawning, and it takes care to conceal its treacherous and venomous
+sting. The letters of Asphand are studied: doubt not that you have
+offended; and the pretended softness of his expressions only conceals
+a scheme of revenge, the consequences of which you ought to guard
+against and prevent."
+
+Bohetzad, entirely occupied with his love, and supposing that the
+minister who thus spoke to him was influenced by motives of jealousy,
+paid no regard to the advice, which proceeded from attachment, zeal,
+and prudence, but allowed himself to be blinded concerning the conduct
+of Asphand. The latter, in prosecution of his plan, and under pretence
+of appeasing some rumours in certain parts of the kingdom, left the
+capital, in a few months after, with his whole retinue. As soon as he
+saw himself out of the reach of power, he communicated to the
+governors of the provinces the affront which he had received; he
+excited them to revolt, by inspiring them with a fear that they would
+all meet with a treatment similar to that which he had received; and
+to determine them, he calumniated, in every instance, the person and
+government of Bohetzad.
+
+On receiving the messengers of the Grand Vizier, the grandees of the
+kingdom, enraged against a Prince whose administration was held forth
+in such odious colours, concerted together, from one province to
+another, and assured Asphand that, upon the first signal given by him,
+they would take the field with the troops under their command. The
+Vizier at the same time warned the Princes who remained at Issessara
+to hold themselves in readiness against the day on which he should
+come to complete his revenge, and to free the State from a tyrant who
+was sunk in effeminacy.
+
+The plot was executed before Bohetzad had the smallest suspicion of
+it. The city of Issessara was completely invested by the army of
+Asphand. On receiving this news, the King armed in haste; he ordered
+the troops who were about his person to follow him; but they had been
+gained over, and were devoted to his enemy. He saw no safety for
+himself but in flight. He saddled, with his own hands, one of his
+finest coursers; and, taking Baherjoa behind him, endeavoured to gain
+the desert. He made a passage for himself through the midst of his
+mutinous subjects, whom he trod under his feet. The young hero, whose
+courage seemed only to be increased by love, burst like a torrent
+through a troop of those who wished to interrupt his passage; his
+invincible spear spared none of the rebels; and his horse, as vigorous
+as swift, soon carried him out of sight of his enemies.
+
+He was now in the midst of the desert; and, night obliging him to
+allow some repose to his wife, fatigued with so violent an expedition,
+he stopped at the foot of a frightful mountain. On this spot the
+Queen, exhausted with weariness, gave birth to her first-born child,
+and the Prince received in his arms a young boy, no less beautiful
+than his mother.
+
+The tender pair loaded him with caresses, and soon forgot, in their
+new joy, the fatigue, uneasiness, and horror of their situation. The
+child was wrapped in a part of the Queen's robes; and, in this
+solitude, they enjoyed a profound sleep. The returning day invited
+them, however, to pursue their journey. The affectionate mother nursed
+her infant tenderly, but it pined away, and the mother herself was in
+danger. Bohetzad then saw himself under the cruel necessity of
+sacrificing nature to duty. He perceived a limpid fountain, on the
+borders of which there was a green bank, defended from the rays of the
+sun by the neighbouring willows. Here the unhappy parents abandoned to
+the care of Providence the object of their affection, having first
+watered it with their tears.
+
+"Great Allah!" said the afflicted mother, "Thou who formerly watched
+over the young Ishmael, take care of this innocent creature. Send the
+preserving angel to him. We have no hope but in Thy succour."
+
+Sighs prevented her from saying more. They both tore themselves away
+from this dreadful sacrifice, and committed this sacred deposit into
+the hands of its Creator.
+
+The noise they had made in coming thither had frightened away from the
+brink a hind, who, along with her fawns, was refreshing herself at
+this exuberant fountain. As soon as they were gone, she returned, and
+approached the languishing creature, which seemed about to lose for
+ever the little strength which remained. A powerful instinct led this
+animal to give the child that nourishment which was reserved only for
+her young ones. She fed quietly around her nursling, and left the
+place no more. The wild beasts of the forest, it appeared, had
+abandoned to her the enjoyment of this happy spot, although so
+necessary to the supply of their wants, amid the burning sands and
+parched deserts with which they were surrounded. Nevertheless, men
+came to disturb their repose.
+
+It was a band of robbers, whom thirst had brought into these places.
+They saw a child wrapped in rich swaddling-clothes, but still more
+remarkable for the beauty of its features. The leader of the banditti
+approached it, took it up, and sent it straightway to his wife, that
+she might pay it the necessary attentions, and educate it as if it had
+been their own son. When the wife saw it she was moved with its
+innocent beauty, entered into the benevolent views of her husband, and
+immediately procured for their adopted son the best nurse in the
+horde.
+
+Having seen the son of Bohetzad in safe hands, let us now follow the
+steps of those illustrious travellers.
+
+Full of grief for the sacrifice which they had been forced to make,
+the King and Queen continued their journey in sadness till they
+reached the capital of Persia, where Kassera then reigned.
+
+This powerful monarch received the fugitive Prince and his charming
+spouse with the respect which was due from a crowned head to a great
+Sovereign, his ally, whose rebellious subjects had revolted under the
+standard of a criminal usurper. To Bohetzad he allotted an apartment
+in his palace as magnificent as his own, and to Baherjoa one equal to
+that of his favourite Sultana. Such were the riches and magnificence
+of the palace in which the King of Dineroux and his wife now were,
+that, besides the magnificent apartments in which they were lodged
+themselves, there were twenty-four others occupied by as many ladies
+belonging to the Sultan, each of whom was served by fifty slaves of
+their own sex, in the bloom of youth and of the most exquisite beauty.
+
+The treasures of the East seemed to have been exhausted in beautifying
+these stately dwellings. The gardens were full of the rarest and the
+most gaudy flowers; the waters, whose courses were distributed with
+great art, presented a magnificent scene to the eye; the trees gave at
+once, by the beauty of their fruit and the thickness of their foliage,
+the idea of plenty and the delight of repose; the birds, with the
+variety of their plumage and their song, enchanted the inhabitants of
+these happy regions. Everything, in short, concurred to display the
+riches of the great monarch of Persia, whose immense power was further
+displayed by an army of two hundred thousand men which constituted his
+life guard. A Prince so powerful and magnificent need spare nothing in
+treating, in a manner suitable to their rank, the illustrious guests
+whom he had received into his palace.
+
+At the same time that he ordered a powerful army to be assembled on
+the frontiers, with the necessary stores and military engines, he
+endeavoured to dispel the melancholy of the husband and wife by
+feasts, which displayed the greatest splendour and variety. But
+generosity and greatness of soul were not the only cause of his
+attentions; a less noble but more powerful feeling had taken
+possession of his heart. He was enamoured of Baherjoa, whose beauty
+was superior to that of all the wives in his seraglio. His passion for
+her was disguised under the veil of friendship; but, from the
+profusion which he displayed on every occasion, the delicacy of his
+attentions, and the care which he took to anticipate her wishes, it
+was easy to discover the love by which he was actuated. The sad
+Baherjoa, whose attention was occupied solely by the loss of her son
+and the misfortunes of her husband, was far from ascribing any of the
+attentions which she met with to this motive; her soul, weighed down
+with grief, was incapable of enjoying any of the pleasures which were
+presented to her; her heart, sincerely affected, was inaccessible to
+every impression but that with which it was already occupied. Her son
+abandoned in the desert to the care of Providence, and her husband
+reduced by her father to the necessity of asking succour from a
+foreign King, were the only objects which engrossed her thoughts.
+
+In the meantime, the army which Bohetzad was to command was assembled.
+He took leave of Kassera to put himself at the head of this formidable
+body, and soon penetrated into the heart of Syria. Asphand, the
+usurper, being informed of the danger which threatened him,
+communicated it to his associates, assembled them as quickly as
+possible, and met his enemy at the head of two hundred thousand men.
+
+The armies were now in sight of one another. The centre of Bohetzad's
+army was commanded by an experienced Vizier of the Persian King.
+Bohetzad himself, at the head of a chosen body of knights, was
+everywhere to give orders. He suddenly began the combat on the right
+by attacking the opposite wing of the enemy with such fury that they
+were obliged to fall back upon the centre, and were thrown into
+confusion and disorder. The King of Dineroux lost not a moment: he
+advanced his main body towards that of the enemy as if he meant to
+attack it; but, frugal of the blood of his subjects, whose lives he
+wished to spare, he made them halt, and ordered his left wing to
+attack the right wing of the enemy: they gave way and fell back in
+disorder, so that three-fourths of Asphand's army remained surrounded.
+The usurper endeavoured in vain to rally his troops, whom an attack
+equally prudent and vigorous had thrown into disorder. Fear, and above
+all remorse, disarmed them. A pardon being offered, they accepted it;
+and, that they might appear less unworthy of it, they unanimously
+delivered up the ringleaders of the revolt. Asphand, his family, and
+his principal associates, were put to death on the field of battle.
+
+This victory decided anew the fate of the kingdom of Dineroux, which
+again submitted to the laws of its rightful Sovereign. The monarch
+returned to his capital, re-established order throughout his empire,
+and contrived proper means for testifying his gratitude to the
+Sovereign who had given him such powerful assistance.
+
+He determined that the most intelligent of his Viziers should go into
+Persia, at the head of twelve thousand men. Twenty elephants, loaded
+with magnificent presents, were to follow in his train. At the same
+time, he was charged with a more delicate commission. He was to pass
+through the desert in which the son of Baherjoa had been abandoned,
+and endeavour to find out the place near the fountain which had served
+him for a cradle. He was to make inquiry of every living soul he might
+meet on the road, in order to get information concerning the fate of
+this precious deposit; and having found him, to carry him to the arms
+of his tender mother, whom he was to bring with him also to Issessara.
+But many obstacles stood in the way of these things. The prudent envoy
+caused the whole desert to be searched, but to no purpose: he did not
+succeed so well in finding the child as in bringing back the mother.
+
+Kassera, desperately in love with this Princess, could not think of
+parting with her. On the arrival of the ambassador, with presents from
+the King of Dineroux, and a commission to bring away the Queen, he
+felt some struggles in his heart; but love triumphed over them. This
+imperious passion magnified, in his eyes, the good offices he had
+done, and made the giving up of a woman seem but a poor return for
+them. In a word, he renounced the glorious title of a generous
+protector for that of a base ravisher of the wife of his ally.
+
+Nevertheless, he appeared to receive with gratitude the embassy of
+Bohetzad, and the presents with which it was accompanied. Meanwhile,
+he was informed that the auxiliary troops, which he had furnished this
+monarch, had returned into Persia. The officers who commanded them
+extolled to the skies the bravery, the abilities, and the magnificence
+of Bohetzad. They returned from his dominions, delighted with himself,
+loaded with kindness, and astonished at the power with which he was
+surrounded, and the resources of the country over which he reigned.
+These universal reports raised an unusual conflict in the soul of
+Kassera. He was not accustomed to victory over himself, for, till that
+moment, he had yielded to every inclination. But he must now either
+give up a violent passion, or the title of the benefactor of a
+Sovereign equal to himself in dignity and in power, and that, too, at
+the hazard of drawing upon Persia the scourge of a cruel war, and of
+seeing all Asia in dreadful confusion.
+
+"Be ashamed, Kassera," said he to himself, "of the guilty designs you
+have formed. Return thanks to fortune for the favour it has done you,
+in opening your eyes to the folly of your conduct. May the King of
+Dineroux for ever remain ignorant that, forgetting what you owe both
+to yourself and him, you have dared to covet a blessing which he holds
+so dear. Remember the benefit you have derived from encountering
+difficulties which have recalled you to your duty. Oh! absolute power!
+how much art thou to be dreaded by the man who knows not how to
+command himself! Allowing myself to be carried away by my desires, I
+was about to become criminal, and to show myself unworthy to reign.
+But I know how to check my passions and change my projects."
+
+The King of Persia, having taken this resolution, sent immediately for
+his principal treasurer, and gave orders that a litter, ornamented
+with precious stones, and more splendid than had ever been seen,
+should be prepared to carry Baherjoa into her husband's dominions. A
+considerable embassy was ordered to follow it, with magnificent
+presents. In this manner did Baherjoa begin her journey to Syria,
+after being well assured of respect and attachment by the Sovereign
+who had now determined to part with her. Bohetzad met his spouse
+before she entered Issessara. It is impossible to describe the
+transports of this interview. Yet the tender uneasiness of the mother,
+respecting the fate of her son, soon disturbed the happiness with
+which the pair were intoxicated. Baherjoa offered the greatest reward
+to obtain news of her son, and Bohetzad gave orders that the most
+minute inquiry should be made. It was by no means probable that he had
+been devoured by wild beasts, otherwise some remnants would have been
+found, at the first search, of the clothes wherein he was wrapped. A
+thousand knights were again dispatched to the desert, and ordered to
+spread themselves all around the fountain; but their search was in
+vain. Bohetzad concealed their want of success from his inconsolable
+spouse, and endeavoured to soften her pain and vexation.
+
+"There is as yet no room for despair," said he to her: "the favour of
+Heaven, which did not abandon us amidst the dangers to which we have
+been exposed, and which has restored to us the throne whereon we are
+now seated, will have preserved the son so dear to our heart. It only
+withholds him in order to deliver him to us when we shall have merited
+this favour by our submission to its will. To be deprived of him is
+grievous, but we are still of an age to expect consolation. Dry up
+your tears, my dear Baherjoa; they are the torment of my life."
+
+The Queen appeared somewhat more tranquil, but the wound which her
+heart had received could not be so easily closed.
+
+In the meantime, the tender object of their uneasiness, snatched from
+the arms of death by the chief of the robbers, and educated by his
+wife with all the care of the most tender mother, grew in strength and
+beauty. The leisure of his early youth was filled up by reading and
+study. He was soon able to engage in those exercises which strengthen
+the body; he outstripped all the children of the horde by abilities,
+address, strength, and intrepidity, very surprising at his years. He
+was also distinguished by an application to study, from which he
+derived the greatest advantages, and by punctuality in those duties
+which were required of him by a society little suited to him, but of
+which chance had made him a member. The chief of these vagabonds,
+seeing him so expert in the use of arms and in riding, soon associated
+him with himself in his expeditions against the travellers whom
+business led into the countries infested by their depredations; and
+the young Aladin (for this was his name) showed himself as brave as he
+was expert.
+
+One day the troop attacked a caravan returning from India, and which,
+as it was loaded with goods of the most valuable kind, a formidable
+guard defended from danger. The desire of booty prevented the
+vagabonds from thinking of the danger to which they were exposing
+themselves. They attacked this convoy with an unusual degree of
+boldness, but were soon repulsed. Two-thirds of the troop remained on
+the field of battle, and the rest fled. Aladin, as yet young and
+inexperienced, drawn on by his valour, was soon surrounded and made
+prisoner.
+
+When a robber is taken with arms in his hand he ought to be beheaded.
+But the engaging air, the elegance, and beauty of this young Prince,
+interested the whole caravan in his favour, and saved him from the
+common fate. They did not believe the ingenuous replies which he made.
+When questioned about his birth and profession, he declared himself
+the son of the chief of the robbers. They could not imagine how this
+youth should unite so many natural advantages with an air so
+remarkable. He was carried along with the caravan, which soon arrived
+at Issessara, where his father Bohetzad held his Court.
+
+The arrival of the caravan afforded a new opportunity of diverting the
+attention of the Queen, as yet afflicted with the loss of a son, whom
+she could not banish from her memory. The Sovereign sent the chief of
+the eunuchs to make choice of such stuffs and valuable articles as
+might be most agreeable to Baherjoa. The merchants were eager to
+display them before him; but the figure of Aladin, who was there as a
+slave, appeared to him so ravishingly beautiful that he attracted his
+particular attention. He wished to conduct him to the palace, hoping
+that his service might be agreeable to the monarch; so that, after
+having purchased what was proper, he returned, together with Aladin,
+to the palace, where the King appeared satisfied with his bargains.
+
+"Sire," said the eunuch, "your Majesty seems pleased with what I have
+purchased; but the most beautiful article in the _kan_[12] was a young
+man of such complete beauty that I thought him the perfect image of
+him who is mentioned in the Alcoran, before whom the eleven stars
+prostrated themselves, as before the sun and the moon."
+
+[Footnote 12: The _kan_ is a place allotted for the shops of foreign
+merchants, where they expose their merchandise for sale.]
+
+The King, curious to see this slave, ordered him to be brought with
+his master, and they both quickly appeared before the King.
+
+The appearance of the young stranger did not belie the favourable
+character which the chief of the eunuchs had given of him. The King
+could not believe that so beautiful a slave could owe his birth to a
+class of men so vulgar as that which composed the caravan. He made
+inquiry concerning him of their chief, to whom he communicated his
+doubts on that point.
+
+"Sire," replied the merchant, "this young man does not in reality
+belong to any of us, and we know neither his family nor origin. We
+were attacked in the desert by a band of robbers; we defended
+ourselves with bravery. Part of them remained on the field of battle,
+the rest fled, and left in our hands the young man who now engages
+your curiosity. Custom condemned him to death, but we could not think
+of inflicting it. We asked him concerning his station and family, and
+he told us that he was the son of the chief of these vagabonds. We
+know no more of him, and can say nothing more to your Majesty with any
+degree of certainty."
+
+"Let him be left here," said the King; "I want him to enter into my
+service."
+
+"Your Majesty," replied the chief, "may dispose as you please of all
+that belongs to the slaves of your throne."
+
+At that instant Aladin fell at the feet of the monarch, with his face
+on the ground, and kissed his robe. The King ordered the chief of the
+eunuchs to admit him into the class of slaves which were most
+frequently about his person.
+
+Nature spoke in the monarch's heart in favour of his new page. He
+never saw him without feeling emotions which he could by no means
+account for. He always wished to have him with him; and that which at
+first appeared no more than a rising inclination, soon became a very
+warm attachment. An interest which he felt very strongly made him
+regard with pleasure the progress both of the young Aladin's mind and
+body. He admired his application, prudence, discretion, and fidelity,
+and already considered his rare virtues as the fruit of his cares.
+
+After long experience of his abilities and activity, he went so far as
+to trust him with the superintendence of his finances, and deprived
+his Viziers of an administration in which he suspected them. In short,
+he decided every affair of importance, by submitting it to the
+sagacity of the young Aladin. The confidence of the Sovereign was not
+misplaced. The more he trusted the reason and wisdom of his favourite,
+the more the happiness of his people, the prosperity of the realm, and
+his revenues were increased. His confidence in a short time knew no
+bounds. Aladin became as dear to his father as if he had known himself
+to be so in reality, and the influence of the Viziers was lost in that
+of the young minister.
+
+Jealous of a power which they had lost, the ten Viziers assembled in
+secret for the purpose of contriving the means of gratifying their
+ambition and their avarice. They determined, at any rate, to hasten
+the ruin of their hated rival; and, unfortunately, he himself seemed
+to furnish a favourable opportunity for this purpose.
+
+A grand entertainment was given in the palace. Aladin was naturally
+sober; but, while he sought only to participate in the pleasure of the
+guests, he indulged himself in drink, with so much the greater
+security that he was not accustomed to it, and was ignorant of its
+effects. At the end of the repast he wanted to retire to his own
+apartment. He staggered, his eyes grew dim, and he lost the use of his
+senses. The first apartment which came in his way seemed to be made
+ready for him. It was a very rich one, and lighted by a great number
+of wax candles set in lustres. But Aladin saw nothing; he only sought
+repose, and having found a sofa, he threw himself upon it and fell
+asleep.
+
+There were no slaves there to inform him of his mistake. They were
+enjoying the feast, and only returned to the apartment, which they had
+left open, to fill the pots with perfumes, and prepare, according to
+the custom of the East, a collation of different sherbets and dried
+sweetmeats. The hangings concealed the sofa on which Aladin lay.
+
+All these preparations being finished, the King and Queen retired to
+their apartment. Bohetzad approached the sofa, opened the curtains,
+and beheld his minister stretched upon it and asleep. He was instantly
+seized with frantic indignation.
+
+"What dreadful behaviour is this of yours?" said he to Baherjoa. "This
+slave could not have got into your apartment and placed himself there
+without your knowledge."
+
+"Sire," replied the Queen, in astonishment, but without confusion, "in
+the name of the great Prophet I swear that I have never spoken to this
+young man. This is the first time I ever saw him, and in nothing have
+I encouraged his audacity."
+
+At the noise which was made around the sofa Aladin awoke, surprised
+and astonished at his situation. He hastily arose.
+
+"Traitor!" said the frantic King to him, "ingrate! is this thy
+gratitude for my favour? Darest thou enter into my womens' apartment,
+wretch that thou art? Speedily shalt thou receive the chastisement of
+thy boldness."
+
+Having said this, Bohetzad, inflamed with rage, ordered the chief of
+his eunuchs to shut up the minister in prison. The monarch, agitated
+with the most violent and opposite passions, spent the night without
+closing his eyes. At daybreak he called to him the first of his
+Viziers, who had not, for a long time, been admitted into his
+presence. He told him of the insult which he supposed he had received.
+
+At this recital the Vizier concealed his secret joy. Envy, hatred, and
+revenge were about to triumph. It was no feeble victim which was
+offered: it was a most powerful rival whom he had to crush. The old
+courtier recollected himself. He endeavoured still further to
+exasperate his Sovereign, and determine him to take distinguished
+vengeance; and with a humble air he spoke as follows:
+
+"Sire, your faithful subjects were astonished when they saw your
+confidence bestowed upon an avowed son of a chief of the robbers. It
+would have been too great an instance of your Majesty's goodness to
+have admitted the branch of so corrupt a stock near your sacred
+person. You could expect nothing from him but treachery and crimes."
+
+At this speech of the Vizier, the eyes of the monarch sparkled with
+rage. Immediately he ordered the young man to be brought before him,
+loaded with chains.
+
+"Wretch!" said he, as soon as he saw him, "recollect the excess of my
+favours, and of your ingratitude! Let the recollection of these, and
+your remorse, be to you the preludes of the punishment that awaits
+you! Your head is soon to fall upon the scaffold."
+
+The fury and threatening of the King could not change the countenance
+of the innocent and unfortunate Aladin. No trouble altered the beauty
+of his features: he preserved that sweet, modest, and firm air which
+had hitherto gained him the goodwill of the monarch. He began to
+speak, and ingenuous candour flowed from his lips.
+
+"Sire, my fault was an involuntary one. If an indiscretion on my part
+reduced me to a situation in which, during some time, I was deprived
+of the use of reason, so that it was no longer my guide, and allowed
+me to fall into a very gross mistake, the rest was the work of the
+cruelty of fate. My heart, overcome by your favours, and entirely
+devoted to your Majesty, has hitherto felt no pleasure but in the
+happiness of serving you. But, alas! what avail the best intentions,
+and all the exertions of zeal, if a superior law, ruling our destiny,
+can put a different appearance on the purity of the motives by which
+we are influenced?--if a single action of our life, and that, too,
+done from the momentary disorder of our senses, can expose us to the
+apparent guilt of a crime, although all our inclinations are virtuous?
+Hurried from the summit of happiness into the horrors of disgrace, I
+must submit to the decree which inflicts the blow, like the merchant,
+whose memorable story is known even in your Majesty's palace."
+
+"What merchant do you mean?" said the King. "What connection has his
+story with thy crime? I allow you to relate it."
+
+
+THE HISTORY OF KASKAS, OR THE UNLUCKY MAN.
+
+
+Sire, there lived at Bagdad a very wealthy merchant, whose manners and
+knowledge rendered him worthy of public confidence. His name was
+Kaskas. Fortune had hitherto seconded his labours so well, that he
+could boast of success in all his enterprises; but fate soon declared
+against him. He could now no longer send a commission, or receive a
+return, without being obliged to make considerable sacrifices. He
+determined at length to change the nature of his commerce. He sold his
+stock, and laid out one-half of the money in buying grain, in hopes
+that this article would rise in its price during the winter.
+Circumstances, however, were against his speculation, for grain fell
+in its value. To avoid this loss, he locked up his granaries,
+determined to wait for a more favourable opportunity. In the meantime,
+one of his friends having come on a visit to him, wished to persuade
+him to give up this new kind of commerce in which he was engaged; but
+he did not listen to this advice, and was obstinately determined to
+keep his grain a third year. Soon after there happened so violent a
+storm that the streets and houses of Bagdad suffered by an inundation.
+When the waters were abated, Kaskas went to see if his corn had
+received any damage; he found it all springing, and beginning to rot.
+In order to escape the penalty, it cost him five hundred pieces to get
+thrown into the river that which he had heaped up in his granaries at
+a great expense.
+
+His friend returned to him.
+
+"You have neglected," said he, "the advice which I gave you. Distrust
+fortune, she seems to have sworn against you, and engage in no
+enterprise without the advice of a skilful astrologer."
+
+There was no scarcity of these in Bagdad; and Kaskas, taught by his
+ill success, thought the advice of his friend deserved attention. The
+soothsayer drew out his horoscope, and assured him that his star was
+so malignant, that he must of necessity lose whatever stock he should
+hazard in commerce. Kaskas, shocked with a prophecy so contrary to his
+own inclination, attempted to prove the prediction false. He laid out
+all the money he had remaining in loading a vessel, and embarked in it
+with all his wealth.
+
+At the end of four days, during which he had an agreeable voyage, a
+terrible tempest arose, which broke in pieces the masts and sails,
+carried away the rudder, and at last sunk the ship, with the whole
+crew. Kaskas alone, after seeing the remainder of his fortune perish,
+was saved from shipwreck by a fragment of the vessel, which carried
+him towards a sandy country, where he landed at length, after much
+difficulty and fatigue. Tired and naked, he landed in the
+neighbourhood of a village which was situated on the sea-shore. He
+hastened thither to implore relief, and return thanks to Heaven for
+having preserved him from death, while his unfortunate companions had
+perished.
+
+As he entered this little colony, he met an old man whose features and
+dress inspired respect and confidence. This man, affected with the
+situation of Kaskas, covered him with his cloak, and led him to his
+house, where, after having given such relief as his exhausted strength
+required, he clothed him in a suitable dress.
+
+It was natural for Kaskas to gratify his landlord's curiosity by the
+relation of his adventures, and he recounted them with such an air of
+candour as to leave no doubt of their truth. As this old man had just
+lost his steward, he judged Kaskas worthy to succeed him, and offered
+him this new office, with an appointment of two pieces of gold a day.
+It was a laborious office: he had to sow a considerable quantity of
+ground, to direct the work and workmen, to gather in immense harvests,
+to look after the flocks, and to give in accurate and faithful
+accounts of the whole at the end of the year. The poor Kaskas returned
+thanks to Providence for thus putting it in his power to earn a
+subsistence by his labour, since every other resource in the world had
+failed him; and he immediately entered on the duties of his new
+place.
+
+These he fulfilled with assiduity, zeal, and knowledge, till the very
+moment when he was to treasure up the different crops. As his master
+had never yet given him any part of his wages, he suspected that he
+would not fulfil his engagements, and, to make sure of his salary, he
+set apart as much of the grain as would amount to the sum, and shut up
+all the rest, giving an account of it to his master. The latter
+received this account, full of confidence in his steward, and paid him
+all the wages which he owed him, assuring him of the same punctuality
+in that respect every year. Kaskas was much ashamed of the precautions
+which he had taken, and of the suspicions which he had allowed himself
+to entertain.
+
+He immediately returned to the little magazine he had made, in order
+to repair his injustice, if happily it were still in his power. But
+what was his surprise when he did not find in it the grain he had set
+apart! He thought he saw in this theft the punishment of Heaven, and
+determined to confess the fault of which he had been guilty. With a
+heart full of grief he returned to his master.
+
+"You appear vexed," said the old man. "What can be the cause of it?"
+
+Then Kaskas, flattering himself that he would obtain by his sincerity
+the pardon of his fault, made a humble confession of the motive, and
+all the circumstances of it, even to the carrying off the grain which
+he had set apart, and of which he had not been able to discover the
+thieves.
+
+The old man, discovering the marked influence of his steward's
+malignant star, thought it would be imprudent to keep him any longer
+in his service, and determined to give him his dismissal immediately.
+
+"We do not suit one another," said he to him; "let us part. But, as it
+is not just that I should bear the loss of that which you improperly
+set apart, restore me the money which I gave you, and seek the reward
+of your labour in the sale of the grain which you took from me. I
+abandon you."
+
+The unfortunate Kaskas acknowledged the justice of this order: he
+submitted to it without murmuring, and left the house of his
+benefactor somewhat less naked than he entered it, but without a
+single piece of money, and plunged into a deep melancholy.
+
+This sorrowful sport of fortune was thoughtfully walking along the
+sea-shore, when he perceived a tent, which he approached. He found in
+it four persons, who, discovering in his countenance, which was
+otherwise engaging, the traces of deep sorrow, eagerly asked him the
+cause of it. He gratified their curiosity by the recital of his
+misfortunes. As he spoke he drew a very marked attention from one of
+the four, who seemed to have a kind of authority over the other three.
+This man soon recognized him as one of his correspondents at Bagdad,
+with whom he had formerly had important and lucrative concerns. The
+merchant was moved with compassion. At that time he was engaged in an
+adventure of pearl-fishing, and was the chief of the three divers who
+were with him.
+
+"Throw yourselves into the sea," said he to them, "and the first take
+of pearls which you have shall be for this unfortunate traveller."
+
+The three divers, affected as well as their master with the misfortune
+of Kaskas, threw themselves into the sea, and brought up, in shells
+which they carried with them, ten pearls of an inestimable value for
+their size and beauty. The merchant was delighted with the little
+fortune he had been able to procure for his former correspondent.
+
+"Take these pearls," said he to him; "sell two of them when you arrive
+in the capital, and their price will be sufficient for any adventure
+in which you may be inclined to engage; but take particular care of
+the other eight, that they may serve you in the time of need, and sell
+them where you can do it to the greatest advantage."
+
+Kaskas, after thanking his benefactor, departed, and took the road
+which he was directed to follow in his way to the capital. He had been
+three days on his journey, when he perceived at a distance some people
+on horseback. Afraid lest they should be robbers, he hid eight of the
+pearls betwixt the two cloths of his vest, and put into his mouth the
+two others which he proposed to sell. He was not wrong in his
+conjecture concerning the persons he had seen--they were in reality
+robbers. They came up to him, surrounded him, and stripped him; and in
+this situation they left him on the road, with nothing but a single
+pair of drawers.
+
+The unfortunate traveller recognized in this new feature of fortune
+the effect of the evil destiny which pursued him. Meanwhile, he
+congratulated himself on having been able to save from the hands of
+the rascals the two most beautiful pearls, which were sufficient to
+re-establish his affairs and assist him in some lucrative adventure.
+The capital was not far distant. He arrived there, and entrusted to
+the Dellal[13] the two pearls which remained, to expose them for sale.
+The Dellal proclaimed the jewels with a loud voice in the market, and
+invited the curious to bid for them. Unfortunately, some days before
+there had been some pearls stolen from one of the richest jewellers in
+the city. He thought he recognized some of his own in those which were
+set up to sell, and demanded that the pretended owner of the jewels
+should appear. When he saw him so ill dressed he was convinced he had
+found the thief.
+
+[Footnote 13: The Dellal is a public crier.]
+
+"There are two pearls," said he to him, "but you ought to have ten:
+what have you done with the other eight?"
+
+Kaskas, thinking the jeweller had been informed of the present that
+the fisher had made him, ingenuously replied, "I had ten of them, it
+is true; but some robbers whom I met on the road have carried off the
+other eight in the lining of my waistcoat, where I had concealed
+them."
+
+On this confession, which appeared to the jeweller an acknowledgment
+of guilt, he took Kaskas by the hand and carried him before the civil
+magistrate, accusing him of having stolen his pearls. This judge, led
+away by appearances, and on the declaration of the rich citizen,
+condemned the poor Kaskas to the bastinado, and to imprisonment as
+long as his accuser should be pleased to detain him in custody. This
+unhappy creature, the sport of fortune and of men's injustice,
+underwent the punishment, and was forced, during a whole year, to
+groan under the rigour of a severe confinement, till at length chance
+brought a man of his acquaintance into the same prison. This was one
+of the three divers in the Persian Gulf, whose labour appeared to have
+been so profitable to him.
+
+The diver, surprised to see him in this situation, asked the cause of
+it. Kaskas related to him all that had happened since they parted.
+This new confidant immediately addressed a petition to the King, in
+which he implored the favour of being admitted into his presence, that
+he might communicate to him a secret of the utmost importance. The
+King caused the diver to be brought before him. He prostrated himself;
+and the King, after having made him rise up, ordered him to
+communicate the secret which he was to reveal.
+
+"Great King," said the diver, "the greatness of your Majesty's soul,
+and your love of justice, are known to all your subjects. I venture,
+this day, to call upon these sublime virtues, in favour of an unhappy
+innocent stranger, who has suffered an unjust punishment for a crime
+which he did not commit, and who is still confined in the same dungeon
+in which I have been shut up for a trifling fault. You love, sire, to
+punish the wicked; but it is with the spirit of equity, and for the
+maintenance of good order. Your Majesty would wish that the wolf and
+the lamb should walk together securely; and it is the duty of your
+slave to co-operate with your benevolent intentions, by putting it in
+your power to repair an injustice committed against a man, persecuted
+by his evil destiny, and worthy of your compassion."
+
+He then entered into a minute detail of the adventure of Kaskas with
+regard to the pearls. He showed him the circumstance which had led the
+jeweller into a mistake, and occasioned the ignorance of the judge; in
+fine, he added, "If your Majesty still suspects the truth of my
+recital, you may cause the chief of the fishery, and my companions the
+divers, to be interrogated concerning it."
+
+The diver, having no interest in a matter that concerned only an
+unfortunate and helpless man, spoke with that boldness and openness
+which truth inspires. In the end, the monarch was convinced of the
+innocence of the unfortunate Kaskas, and ordered the chief of the
+eunuchs to set him at liberty, conduct him to the bath, and, after
+having clothed him decently, to bring him into his presence.
+
+The eunuch obeyed. Kaskas was led to the feet of the Sovereign, where
+he confirmed the report of the diver. He told the fruitless efforts he
+had made to undeceive the jeweller and remove the prejudice of the
+judge. In a word, by the detail of all his adventures, he interested
+the King so much, that he obtained from him, that instant, a lodging
+in the palace, and a place of trust near his person, with great
+appointments.
+
+As to the jeweller, after being obliged to restore the pearls, he was
+sentenced to receive two hundred strokes of the bastinado: the judge
+received double that number, and was deposed from his office. Kaskas,
+loaded with favours, thought fate reconciled to him for ever. He took
+pleasure in hardening himself against his bad fortune, and was already
+arranging the plans of that success which he promised himself in the
+new office which he filled, when his curiosity laid a new snare for
+him.
+
+He discovered one day in the apartment which was allotted to him a
+door covered up with a thin coat of plaster, which, from age, fell to
+dust at the smallest touch. It required no effort to force this
+passage--the door opened of itself. He entered, without reflecting,
+into a rich apartment, to which he was an entire stranger, and found
+himself, without knowing it, in the middle of the palace.
+
+Scarcely had he made one step when the chief of the eunuchs observed
+him, and without delay informed the King of it. The monarch instantly
+came. The fragments of the plaster, which were still upon the ground,
+appeared a proof that the door had been forced, and the astonishment
+of Kaskas carried a complete conviction of his guilt.
+
+"Unhappy man!" said the King to him, "is it thus you acknowledge my
+favours and your obligations? My justice saved you when I believed you
+innocent: guilty now, it condemns you to lose your sight."
+
+The imprudent man, without daring to attempt any justification, was
+instantly delivered over to the executioner, asking no other favour
+than that they would put into his hands the eyes which were to be torn
+out.
+
+He carried them in his hand as he walked groping through the streets
+of the capital.
+
+"Behold," said he, "O ye who hear me, that which the unfortunate
+Kaskas hath gained by hardening himself against the decrees of his
+evil destiny, and despising the advice of his friends! Behold the lot
+of the obstinate!"
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Aladin having thus finished the history of the merchant, addressed
+himself directly to Bohetzad.
+
+"Sire, you have seen the effect of fortune's influence on the man
+whose adventures I have now related. So long as his star was
+propitious, he succeeded in everything; but whenever it changed, his
+efforts to correct its malignity were fruitless. The transient
+instances of success which seemed to arrest the current of his
+misfortunes soon plunged him into greater evils than those which he
+had escaped. Circumstances that were unforeseen, and steps that were
+innocent, gave him the appearance of ingratitude and guilt, even when
+everything assured him of the purity of his conduct. My lot, alas! is
+but too like that of his."
+
+The young man had related the adventures of the unfortunate merchant
+of Bagdad so naturally and with so much grace, and had made so happy
+an application of them, that Bohetzad, still disposed to favour a
+criminal whom he had loved so well, and moved by the instance of rash
+judgment which he had just heard, put off the execution which he had
+ordered till the day following, under pretence of its being too late
+for it then.
+
+"Return to thy prison," said he to him. "I grant thee thy life till
+to-morrow: I put off till that time the punishment that is justly due
+to thee."
+
+In the meantime the First Vizier expected with impatience the account
+of Aladin's execution, and when he heard that it was delayed, he
+assembled his associates, and thus addressed the Second Vizier:
+
+"The favourite has found means to suspend the execution of his
+sentence. I have done my duty in determining the King to an act of
+justice. It now belongs to you to do yours by representing to him the
+wrong which he does in forgetting the duties of the throne, and in
+withholding so long the punishment of a crime that has been proved.
+Make your remonstrances to his Majesty, and give them that force which
+both his personal safety and ours requires."
+
+The next morning, as soon as access could be had to Bohetzad, Baharon
+(for that was the name of the Second Vizier) was introduced to the
+King.
+
+"Sire," said this minister to him, "I heard in the retirement of my
+closet, and amid the important business with which I am entrusted, of
+the insult your Majesty has received. Excuse the zeal by which I am
+animated if I offer your Majesty all the service which can arise from
+my experience and attachment to you to stop the progress of this
+evil."
+
+The King thought Baharon might really be ignorant of the event which
+had happened within the palace, and told him the crime of which Aladin
+was guilty.
+
+The Vizier seemed to shake as he listened to this report.
+
+"Sire," said he to the King, as soon as he had done speaking, "if the
+son of a chief of villains, brought up and nourished amidst guilt,
+could have been capable of virtuous sentiments, this phenomenon would
+have contradicted experience, and even proved it deceitful. I will
+here venture to recall to your Majesty a fable of our ancestors which
+tradition has preserved to us:
+
+"In ancient times a young wolf was put to school, to endeavour, by
+instruction, to correct his natural propensity to voracity. His
+master, in order to teach him to read, transcribed, in large
+characters, some letters of the alphabet, and attempted to make him
+understand these signs. But instead of reading K L S, as it was
+written, the savage animal read fluently Kid, Lamb, Sheep. He was
+governed by instinct, and his nature was incorrigible. The son of a
+robber is in the very same situation: vice is coeval with his
+existence. From the beginning he is an infected mass, which it is
+impossible to purify. But what astonishes me most, sire, is that such
+a criminal should have survived one moment the insult he has offered
+to the Crown."
+
+These remonstrances of the Second Vizier having enraged the mind of
+the monarch still more, he ordered the prisoner to be brought in
+chains into his presence. He was obeyed.
+
+Aladin appeared. The King, doing violence to the sentiments which
+moved him in his favour, addressed him with the greatest severity.
+
+"Traitor!" said he to him, "nothing can hereafter delay your
+punishment; and the world shall be informed of your crime and my
+vengeance!"
+
+At the same time he gave the executioner the signal of death.
+
+"Sire," interrupted Aladin, whose steady and modest countenance was
+the genuine proof of courage and innocence, "my life is in the hands
+of your Majesty; but I conjure you still not to hasten my death. He
+who thinks only of the present, without reference to the future,
+exposes himself to as bitter a repentance as that which the merchant
+felt, whose history I have heard. He, on the contrary, who looks into
+futurity, has a right one day to congratulate himself on his prudence,
+as it happened to the son of this merchant."
+
+Bohetzad, in spite of himself, felt his curiosity excited anew, and
+was desirous to hear the story which Aladin wanted to relate to him.
+
+"I will consent," said the monarch, "to hear the adventures of this
+merchant; but it is the last instance of complaisance I shall show
+you."
+
+"May it please your beneficent Majesty," returned Aladin, "order this
+man, who holds the sabre above my head, to be gone. I think I see the
+angel of death."
+
+The executioner, having withdrawn by the King's order, Aladin
+fulfilled the engagement he had come under in the following terms:
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+THE HISTORY OF ILLAGE MAHOMET AND HIS SONS.
+
+
+There was, in the city of Naka in Tartary, a merchant, whose name was
+Illage Mahomet, who, wishing to extend his commerce to the most remote
+boundaries of the world, constructed a vessel in such a manner as to
+be able to endure the longest voyage and carry a considerable burden.
+When this ship was ready to go to sea, he filled it with merchandise;
+and observing that the wind was favourable, he took leave of his wife,
+embraced his three children, went on board, and sailed with a fair
+wind for the Indies.
+
+A fortunate voyage having, in a short time, brought him to the port of
+the capital of India, he took lodgings, and placed his merchandise in
+the _kan_. Quite at ease respecting the fate of his effects, he then
+visited the different quarters of the city, accompanied by four
+slaves, and soon entered into friendship with the most celebrated
+merchants of the place. As his attendants had orders to publish the
+nature of his merchandise, and to distribute patterns of them, a crowd
+of purchasers resorted to his magazines.
+
+The King of India was accustomed to come out of his palace in order to
+walk through the town, and inform himself of what was going on there,
+under a disguise which rendered it impossible he should be known.
+Chance having directed his steps to the neighbourhood of the _kan_, he
+was anxious to know what drew everybody there. He saw this foreign
+merchant, whom a happy and engaging physiognomy, with a gracious
+address, announced in a very favourable manner. He heard him answer,
+with good breeding and perspicuity, the questions that were put to
+him, and saw him conduct his affairs with an openness which gained the
+confidence of all. He was desirous of having some conversation with
+him; but the fear of being discovered made him renounce his design for
+the present. He returned to his palace as quickly as he could, resumed
+the dress which became his dignity, and sent for this honourable
+merchant. The merchant quickly obeyed the will of the monarch. He was
+admitted into his presence, and the King expressed his desire to be
+acquainted with him.
+
+"Sire," replied the merchant, "I was born and established in Naka,
+near Mount Caucasus. Commerce is my profession. The favour and liberty
+which your Majesty grants it have directed my speculations to your
+dominions, and Heaven hath favoured my voyage."
+
+The King, satisfied with the simple and noble reply of this stranger,
+wished to find out more particularly the amount of his knowledge, by
+showing, by turns, curiosity on some subjects and embarrassment on
+others; but he was equally pleased with all his answers. Convinced, by
+all that he had heard, that the stranger's abilities were far beyond
+those necessary for trade, he determined to attach him to his own
+service by raising him to the highest office. It was not the design of
+the Sovereign to try the stranger by the allurements of honour; but,
+knowing that distinguished merit may become useless in an inferior
+station, and is frequently only the object of envy, he gave him the
+office of Grand Vizier, in order that it might afford him an
+opportunity of displaying to greater advantage his knowledge and
+ability. Illage received this favour with expressions of respect and
+gratitude.
+
+"I should have considered myself as too much honoured, sire, in being
+admitted into the number of the slaves who surround your throne. The
+dignity of the honourable office to which you have called me far
+surpasses my merit and pretensions; but the high idea which I have
+conceived of your Majesty inspires me with an unbounded zeal for your
+service, and a confidence that I shall be wholly devoted to it."
+
+The monarch, still more pleased with his new minister, ordered him a
+magnificent robe, assigned him for lodgings a palace in the
+neighbourhood of his own, and caused him to be installed in his new
+dignity. The Prince had no reason to repent of his choice, which might
+appear rash. The new minister sat in the divan on the right hand of
+his master. He was never embarrassed in the discussion of affairs,
+however intricate. He had great sagacity in understanding every report
+concerning them. Justice and equity were summed up in his decisions,
+so that the people and the monarch enjoyed, under the administration
+of this enlightened minister, all the blessings of a wise government.
+
+Two years passed in labour and great employments; but at last nature
+resumed her rights. The Vizier, separated so long from a family which
+he tenderly loved, felt a desire to see them. The first request which
+he made on this subject alarmed the Sovereign. But he had a soul of
+sensibility; he could not long resist the voice of nature, and
+permitted his minister to undertake a voyage which he limited to a
+certain period, assuring him that if he brought his whole family along
+with him he should never be exposed to any uneasiness in his service.
+With this permission, the Vizier embarked for Naka in a vessel of war,
+of which he had the command.
+
+The family of this merchant of Tartary, being entirely ignorant of his
+fate since the time of his departure, were abandoned to the most cruel
+uneasiness. Fortunately, a merchant of the country, returning from
+India, had given them news of him, and restored tranquillity to the
+family, who were raised to the summit of joy on hearing of the
+elevation and success of him on whose account they were alarmed. The
+wife of Illage determined that moment to repair to her husband, less
+to share his glory than his love. She set her affairs in order, and,
+after having taken every necessary step, she embarked with the same
+merchant who had given her the consolatory news.
+
+After some days' sailing, the vessel which carried them cast anchor
+near an island where they were to land and exchange merchandise.
+Contrary winds had obliged Illage to land at the same place. He had
+hired a lodging pretty near the harbour, and, being fatigued with the
+bad weather which he had met with, had thrown himself upon a bed in
+order to take repose. His spouse, who lived in an opposite quarter of
+the city, soon learned that a vessel had arrived on its way from
+India, and that it had sailed from the capital. She sent her children
+to ask the news concerning the Grand Vizier, thinking it impossible
+but that they should be able to receive some.
+
+The young people went from the inn where their mother was, running,
+the one after the other, till they had come under the windows of the
+apartment where the Vizier was at rest. They took possession of a
+little eminence on which a number of bales of goods were collected to
+keep them dry. The thoughtless youths went to play on the bales,
+trying which of the two could push down his brother. These playful
+lads, disputing with address and roguery, announced their victory or
+their defeat by such piercing shouts that they awoke the Vizier.
+
+He lost his patience: he went to the window to check the noise, and,
+leaning over it, three diamonds, which the King had given him, fell
+from his fingers. The agitation of the sea had already stirred up the
+minister's choler; the habit of command rendered him incapable of
+forbearance; and, the island on which he was being within the
+jurisdiction of his government, he ordered these troublesome children
+to be taken into custody. He came down himself to search for his
+diamonds; but, amidst such confusion, this search was fruitless.
+Driven by degrees to indignation and fury, he accused the children,
+not only of being the cause of the loss of his diamonds, but even of
+having stolen them. Their innocence could not defend them against
+prejudice. He punished them with the bastinado, and then caused each
+of them to be tied to a board and cast into the sea. The innocent
+victims, expecting a cruel death, became the sport of the waves and
+billows.
+
+Meanwhile night approached, and the spouse of Illage, not seeing her
+children return, uneasy, and bathed in tears, went out to seek them.
+The neighbours could tell her nothing of them. She ran from street to
+street, without meeting any person who could satisfy her well-founded
+impatience. This tender mother came at last to the harbour. There,
+from the description she gave of the three persons who were the object
+of her search and the cause of her uneasiness, a sailor replied to
+her,
+
+"Madam, the young people whom you inquire after are the same whom a
+powerful man, lately arrived from India, hath punished by his slaves
+for a theft which he imputed to them. They gave them the bastinado,
+tied them to a plank, and, by his order, threw them into the sea."
+
+At these words, the unhappy mother filled the air with her shrieks and
+groans: she rent her clothes and tore her hair. "O my children," said
+she, "where is the Vizier your father, to revenge me on the man who
+hath murdered my children?"
+
+Her despair struck the ear of her husband, who was not far distant. He
+seemed to know the voice, and learned that it was that of the
+inconsolable mother whose children he had condemned to death. The cry
+of nature resounded in his heart, and he no longer doubted that the
+children he had punished were his own. He hastened to the unfortunate
+woman whose misery he had occasioned, and immediately knew her.
+
+"Ah, barbarian that I am, I have been the murderer of our children!
+Fatal power with which I am invested! blinded by thee, I had not time
+allowed me to be just! I am the executioner of my own children!"
+
+As he spoke these words, all the signs of the most violent despair
+were painted in his countenance, and manifested themselves by every
+sort of extravagance. His wife sank at his feet under the weight of
+her grief.
+
+"Do not pardon me," added he: "I am a monster; and so much the more
+criminal as I am at this moment placed beyond the reach of the law. I
+must for ever be torn by my own remorse and loaded with your
+reproaches. I thought myself injured, and I hastened to revenge
+myself, without taking time to reflect. I saw a crime where there was
+none, and let fall the stroke upon innocence without thinking it would
+rebound upon myself."
+
+"You see, sire," continued Aladin, "what cause this Vizier had to
+repent his believing these children guilty upon a deceitful
+appearance, and his having hurried on a severe punishment without
+reflecting on whom it was to fall. He forgot that a regard to futurity
+ought to regulate the present."
+
+The unfortunate minister, disgusted with glory and opulence, renounced
+the search for his diamonds, abandoned the vessel and its lading, and
+supporting the tottering steps of a weeping mother, they both walked
+along the shore of the sea mournfully demanding of it the treasures
+which the Vizier had cruelly committed to the inconstancy of its
+waves.
+
+"Your Majesty," continued Aladin, "will pardon me, if, for a short
+time, I make you lose sight of this disconsolate pair, while I fix
+your attention on their unhappy children."
+
+The billows, to whose caprice they had been abandoned, were so
+agitated that, although they were frequently thrown against one
+another, they were immediately separated again. One of them, after
+having struggled for two days against the billows, and after having
+escaped the danger of being dashed to pieces on the rocks against
+which he was continually driven, found himself, all at once, ashore on
+the coast of a neighbouring kingdom. The chains which fixed him to the
+plank were much worn by the sea, and notwithstanding his fatigue and
+hunger, he had still strength enough to disengage himself from them,
+and reach the land. He there found an officer who was going to refresh
+his horse at the stream of a neighbouring fountain. This man, affected
+with the sight of the unfortunate child, gave him part of his clothes,
+set him behind him, and carried him to his own house. There
+nourishing food and repose completely recovered the shipwrecked youth.
+
+After decently dressing him, his benefactor presented him to the King,
+already informed of the event.
+
+The happy physiognomy of the young man made an impression on the King,
+and his answers soon completed the very favourable opinion he had of
+him. He became a distinguished officer in the palace, where his
+conduct gained the complete esteem and confidence of his Sovereign.
+This Prince, to whom Heaven had not granted children, thought he could
+not do his people a greater service than by adopting the youth, whom
+fortune had thrown into his arms. His choice was applauded by the
+whole Court, and confirmed by the divan. The people were happy, and
+the abilities of the young Prince soon placed him in the number of the
+most valiant Kings of Asia. Age and infirmities rendered the King
+unable to support the weight of the government, and he abdicated the
+sceptre in favour of his adopted son. He saw him married, and thus
+terminating his career of glory, calmly resigned his life into the
+hands of his Creator.
+
+The young Sovereign, bewailing the loss of his benefactor, gave
+himself up to the justest sorrow. He wished to fulfil the duties of
+gratitude and piety, and summoned his divan, that he might honour the
+ashes of his predecessor by prayers and solemn ceremonies. The people
+repaired to the mosques. The Imam, the Nabib, the dervishes, and all
+those who serve at them, paid to his memory the homage which was due
+to it. He caused many alms to be distributed among the poor and
+through all the hospitals of the kingdom. These religious duties early
+announced the wisdom of his government, and they were not proved false
+by the event. He was always a just and active King, and governed his
+people with the affection of a father.
+
+In this manner did fortune snatch from the fury of the waves one of
+the Vizier's children, to raise him to the summit of greatness. But
+this unhappy father continued to grieve for the loss of his two sons,
+until, in one of the islands where he had his residence, he heard the
+Dellal proclaim, with a loud voice, that there was a young slave to
+be sold, and that the curious were invited to come and examine him.
+Illage stopped, looked at the young man, and, constrained by a feeling
+of which he knew not the cause, he determined to purchase him.
+
+The figure of this stranger had attractions which he could not resist.
+His age corresponded to that of one of his own children; and if the
+beauty of his features was a true indication of the virtues of his
+mind, he hoped he would supply the place of one of those whom he had
+lost. He returned home with his new purchase.
+
+His wife, who perceived them at a distance, recognized the youth, and
+was about to throw herself into his arms, but sank under this
+unexpected surprise. But although her joy deprived her of the use of
+her senses, she was still able to utter the name of her son. The
+attention of her husband, and that of the young man, who bathed her
+with his tears, recalled her to life. The father, affected with what
+he saw, recognized the cry of nature, and returning thanks to Heaven
+for the unexpected favour he had received, mingled together his tears
+and caresses at this moving picture, and partook of the happiness of
+an unlooked-for discovery. Nevertheless, he was tormented by a new
+uneasiness: the presence of his son recalled to him his brother--"What
+is become of him?"
+
+"Alas!" replied the young man, "the waves soon separated the planks on
+which we were carried, and I can tell you nothing of his fate."
+
+This answer redoubled the affliction of the husband and wife; but they
+seemed to be comforted with the hope of another blessing similar to
+that which they had just received; and in this pleasing expectation
+their tenderness centred on the beloved son whom Heaven had at length
+restored to their arms.
+
+Several years had elapsed. Achib, the son of Illage, grew stronger
+every day. He acquired knowledge, and became capable of following
+commerce, in which his father had instructed him. Seeing him fit even
+to undertake a profitable voyage, his father purchased a ship, loaded
+it with merchandise, and destined it for the capital of the islands in
+which they were settled, entrusting him with the management of it.
+Upon his arrival in the capital, Achib hired a storehouse in the
+_kan_, deposited his goods there, and passed some days in arranging
+them to advantage.
+
+The Feast of the Ramezan came. The young man, a faithful Mussulman,
+possessed the art of singing so perfectly, that he was able to fulfil
+with dignity the functions of the Imam.[14] He dressed himself in his
+_faragi_, and went to the principal mosque. There the King, with all
+his Court and the grandees of the kingdom, were present at the noonday
+service. The young man took his place near the King, and when the
+Athib[15] mounted the pulpit and began to chaunt the _Falhea_,[16]
+Achib repeated three times, _Alla Akbar_.
+
+[Footnote 14: Imam is a priest who reads and explains the Koran.]
+
+[Footnote 15: Athib is a reader who chaunts over the prayers in plain
+song.]
+
+[Footnote 16: Falhea, the Mahommedan Confession of Faith.]
+
+The assembly, and the King himself, were astonished at this young
+stranger seating himself so near his Majesty; but the pleasure of his
+melodious and affecting voice excited so agreeable a surprise, that
+they soon forgot his assurance. All agreed that they had never heard
+anything so exquisite and perfect. The Athib was jealous of him: he
+had never supposed that there was a voice in the world superior to his
+own, and the despair which he felt deprived him of the use of it--he
+felt it die upon his lips. Achib did not give him time to recover it:
+he continued the prayer with a force and ease which the efforts of the
+Athib, supposing him to have had the courage to attempt it, could not
+have surpassed.
+
+When the King had ended his prayer, as he came out of the mosque he
+ordered his officers to wait for the new singer, to have a horse ready
+for him, and to conduct him to the palace, where his Majesty desired
+to see him. Achib received this invitation with respect, and obeyed
+the orders of his Sovereign.
+
+The monarch gave him a most gracious reception, bestowing the highest
+praise upon his talents, and soon felt himself prejudiced in favour of
+this stranger by a sympathy of which he could not discover the
+springs; but it seemed to be of the most interesting nature. Achib was
+only in his seventeenth year, and was endowed with every personal
+grace. Everything seemed to unite in strengthening the liking which
+the King showed for this stranger. Thus, whether on this pretence or
+to do a beneficent action, he made him lodge in his palace, and gave
+him a distinguished preference over the pages and those who composed
+his household.
+
+The officers soon conspired the destruction of their rival. In the
+meantime the virtuous Achib, after a long residence at Court, became
+desirous of seeing his parents and giving them an account of the goods
+with which he had been entrusted. Afraid lest he should not obtain the
+monarch's permission to return to them, he wrote to them and informed
+them of the favour he enjoyed. This motive, and the desire he
+expressed of seeing them again, determined the family to go to him
+immediately.
+
+Illage and his wife bore in their hearts the letter which they had
+just received; and both being flattered with having a son who at so
+early an age had been able to gain the good graces of a King, they
+instantly determined to hasten their departure, and informed their son
+of this resolution. As soon as Achib received this information, he
+purchased a house and suitable furniture, and in a short time embraced
+in it the authors of his existence, to whom the King sent presents of
+such magnificence as showed that they were intended for the family of
+his favourite.
+
+The fineness of the season having invited the King to one of his
+country houses, he removed thither, and gave entertainments for the
+amusement of his Court. One evening, contrary to his usual custom, he
+gave himself up to the pleasures of the table, and drank of a strange
+liquor of which he knew not the strength. In a short time after he was
+suddenly seized with such a stupidity that he was obliged to throw
+himself on a sofa, where he soon fell asleep. Pleasure had removed
+from him all his servants. Achib alone, following from affection every
+step of his master and benefactor, entered into the apartment and
+found him asleep. Then placing himself within the door, he drew his
+sabre, and stood there as a guard.
+
+One of the pages having returned, was surprised to find him in this
+situation, and asked him the cause of it.
+
+"I am watching," said Achib, "for the safety of my King: my attachment
+and my duty fix me here."
+
+The page ran and told his companions what he had seen. They thought
+they might easily avail themselves of this event to destroy him, and
+went in a body to the monarch. The witness swore that he had found
+Achib with a naked sabre in his hand in his Majesty's chamber while he
+was asleep. He ascribed the most criminal intentions to this faithful
+guard, and pretended that nothing but some sudden alarm had prevented
+the intended blow.
+
+"If your Majesty, sire," added he, "suspects the truth of my report,
+you need only to-day feign giving yourself up to sleep without any
+precaution, and we do not doubt that this rash man, pursuing his
+detestable purpose, will come to renew his attempt."
+
+Though moved by this accusation, the King was unwilling to trust
+entirely to the declaration of his pages, and thought it his duty to
+clear up his doubts himself.
+
+In the meantime the pages had gone to find the young favourite.
+
+"The King," said they to him, "is highly pleased with the zeal you
+have shown for the safety of his person. 'Achib,' hath he said, 'is to
+me as a shield; under his protection I can sleep without fear.'"
+
+Night came, and the King, after a repast, during which he affected
+much gaiety and cheerfulness, suddenly retired, and threw himself upon
+a sofa, apparently in the same state in which he had been the night
+before. Achib, who never lost sight of him, supposing he was asleep,
+entered the apartment to place himself on guard, with his sabre
+uplifted and naked.
+
+As soon as the King saw the gleam of the sabre he was seized with
+terror, and a cry which he uttered brought to him all the officers of
+his guard. Achib was arrested by his order, loaded with chains, and
+led away to prison.
+
+The next morning, after the first prayer, the King assembled his
+divan, ascended his throne, and caused the man to be brought before
+him whom slanderous and false reports and deceitful appearances had
+exposed to the presumption of so much guilt.
+
+"Ungrateful that you are!" said he to him. "Is it by putting me to
+death that you would show your gratitude and repay my favours? I will
+not delay to take signal vengeance on your detestable baseness."
+
+Achib, having made no reply to these reproaches, was sent back to
+prison.
+
+Scarcely was he gone out, when two of the courtiers who were most
+eager for his destruction approached the King.
+
+"Sire," said they to him, "everybody is surprised to see the execution
+of the criminal delayed. There is no crime equal to that which he
+intended to commit; and you ought to give such a speedy example of
+justice as your personal safety and the tranquillity of your people
+require."
+
+"Let us not be rash," replied the King, "in a judgment of this nature.
+The criminal is in chains, and cannot make his escape. And as to
+public vengeance, it will never be too late to gratify it. It is easy
+to take away a man's life, but it is impossible to restore it. Life is
+a blessing of Heaven which we ought to respect, and it becomes not us
+to deprive our fellow-creatures of it without the most mature
+deliberation. The evil, once done, can never be repaired. I have it
+now in my power to reflect on what I ought to do, and wish not that
+the future should have to reproach me with the improper conduct of the
+present."
+
+Having said this, the King dismissed the divan, ordered his hunting
+equipage to be got ready, and gave himself up for some days to the
+amusements of the chase.
+
+On his return, he was again set upon by the enemies of Achib. The
+longer, according to them, that this criminal's punishment was
+delayed, the more the people were discontented. Clemency and
+moderation ceased to be virtues when they spared such crimes as his.
+These new remarks embarrassed the Sovereign, who had now nothing to
+oppose to them, since the delay which he had granted had brought
+nothing to light. He determined to inflict that severe punishment
+which justice seemed to require, and ordered the criminal to be
+brought before him, accompanied by the officers of justice and the
+executioner.
+
+Achib stood blindfolded at the foot of the throne. The executioner,
+with the sword in his hand, waited the King's command. At that instant
+a confused noise was heard; a stranger pierced through the crowd, and
+hastened to the feet of the King. It was the unfortunate Illage.
+
+"Mercy, sire! mercy!" exclaimed he: "pardon the only child that Heaven
+has restored to me! My son could not intend an attack upon your life:
+he was incapable of designing so unnatural a murder; your life is
+dearer to him than his own. I have letters of his which made me fly to
+your Majesty, that I might admire more nearly those virtues which I
+adored. But, O monarch, whose illustrious virtues are renowned through
+the most distant corners of the world, justify the public admiration
+by a new display of wisdom, in overcoming a resentment with which
+false appearances have inspired you! Consider with horror the
+melancholy consequences of a too rash judgment! Behold in me a
+dreadful example of the consequence of being led away by passion, and
+of yielding, without reflection, to its imprudent follies. Heaven
+blessed me with children; but having been separated from them from
+their earliest infancy, the day at length came when we were to be
+reunited. Not knowing them, and being blinded by passion, I abused the
+power with which I was invested. I had them bound upon planks and
+thrown into the sea. The man whom you threaten with death alone
+escaped from perishing in the waves, and must I this day be the
+witness of his death? Behold the reward of my guilty rashness! My
+heart is filled with bitterness, and tears will flow from mine eyes
+till they are closed in death."
+
+During this discourse, the King stood motionless through astonishment.
+It was his own history he had just heard. The man who spoke was his
+father, and the supposed criminal his brother!
+
+Having happily acquired, in the exercise of power, the habit of
+self-command, he knew how to shun the dangers of too sudden a
+discovery. Nature, however, yielded at length to his eagerness, and he
+affectionately embraced the author of his life. He ordered his brother
+to be set free from those shameful chains with which envy had bound
+him. He made himself known to him; and after mutual consolation.
+
+"Behold," said he to his divan, "to what a dreadful evil I should have
+exposed myself, had I lightly credited the detractions of slander,
+and, upon your artful reports, had hastened the punishment which you
+so eagerly urged! Go, and be ashamed! Was there one among you all who
+supported innocence?"
+
+After these few words, the King retired into his apartments with his
+father and brother. He admitted them to a share in all the joys of his
+Court, and sent twenty slaves, magnificently dressed, in quest of his
+mother. This family, so happily reunited, lived in the blessings of
+the most affectionate unity, grateful to the Almighty, and faithful to
+the law written by His great Prophet, till the moment when they were
+called, by the decree of fate, from this world to a better.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Aladin, having thus finished the history of "Illage Mahomet, or the
+Imprudent," added some reflections fitted to make an impression on the
+mind of the King, whose attention he had been so fortunate as to
+engage.
+
+"Sire!" said he to him, "if the son, when he became a King, had
+conducted himself as rashly as the father when he was a minister,
+innocence would have been sacrificed to jealousy and ambition, and a
+whole family devoted for life to misery and remorse. There is always
+something gained by delay. Appearances are equally against me, and
+envy hath availed itself of them to make me appear guilty; but I have
+Heaven and your wisdom on my side."
+
+When the young man had done speaking, Bohetzad turned towards his
+ministers.
+
+"I do not mean," said he, "that crimes should remain unpunished. But
+truth, even when it comes from the mouth of an enemy, ought to be
+esteemed precious. This criminal hath well remarked, that there can be
+nothing lost by taking time to reflect. Let him be carried back to
+prison."
+
+The Viziers were enraged. Delay might discover the truth, through the
+cloud under which they had concealed it. As they jointly endeavoured
+to conceal the stratagems they had devised in secret, the third among
+them went early the next day to the palace.
+
+The King inquired if the interval that had elapsed had produced no new
+light.
+
+"Sire," replied this minister, "the police which, under your Majesty's
+orders, we exercise, maintains the peace of your capital, and all
+would be perfectly quiet if the throne were avenged of the outrage of
+this son of a villain, whose punishment your Majesty still delays. The
+people are murmuring at it, and I should have thought myself wanting
+in my duty had I concealed from you their uneasiness, the consequences
+of which may be dangerous. It is never too soon to prevent a
+rebellion, and that which is now forming would be extremely fatal."
+
+Constrained by these observations, the King commanded the criminal to
+be brought before him.
+
+"Unhappy man!" said he to him, "thou shalt never summon me to the
+tribunal of Heaven for having hastened thy punishment. I have listened
+to all the weak shifts by which thou hast defended thyself. I have
+weighed their value. But reserve and circumspection have an end. My
+people murmur. Their patience and mine is exhausted. Heaven and earth
+look to me for justice, and thou hast reached thy last moment."
+
+"Sire," replied the modest Aladin, "do the people look for an example
+of your justice? Impatience is the fault of the people. But patience
+ought always to sit upon the throne, amidst the virtues which form its
+basis and safety. This virtue, necessary to all, and which calls upon
+us for that resignation which we owe to the eternal decrees, raised
+the patient Abosaber from the bottom of a well even to the throne."
+
+"Who is this Abosaber?" asked the King. "Give me a short account of
+his history."
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+THE HISTORY OF ABOSABER THE PATIENT.
+
+
+Sire (said Aladin), Abosaber, surnamed the Patient, was a wealthy and
+generous man, who lived in a village which he rendered happy by his
+charities. He was hospitable and beneficent to the poor, and every one
+that applied to him. His granaries were full, his ploughs were
+continually at work, his flocks covered the plains, and he maintained
+plenty in the country. He had a wife and two children, and the
+happiness of this way of life was disturbed by nothing but the
+devastations of a monstrous lion, which ravaged the stables and folds
+belonging to the peaceful cultivators of these happy regions,
+according to its necessities and those of its young.
+
+The wife of Abosaber wanted her husband, at the head of his people, to
+hunt this animal, by whose devastation they, on account of their
+riches, were more particularly affected.
+
+"Wife," said Abosaber to her, "let us have patience! I have not any
+skill in lion hunting; leave it to others."
+
+The King of the country heard of the ravages of this lion, and ordered
+a general chase. The people immediately took arms: the lion was sought
+for, and soon surrounded on every side. A shower of arrows was
+discharged upon him. He became furious: his bristles stood on end, his
+eyes flashed, he beat his sides with his terrible tail, and, setting
+up tremendous roarings, darted with fury upon the nearest of the
+hunters. This was a young man of nineteen years of age, mounted upon a
+vigorous horse.
+
+At the cries of the lion the courser was seized with terror, and his
+strength instantly failed him. He fell, and died as if he had been
+struck with a thunderbolt. The valiant knight soon got upon his feet,
+and, invoking the name of the great Prophet, he plunged his spear into
+the enormous jaws which were opened to devour him. This exploit of
+courage and intrepidity gained him, together with the applauses of his
+Sovereign, the office of commander-in-chief of all his troops.
+
+Abosaber, hearing of the lion's death, said to his wife, "See of what
+advantage patience hath been to us! Had I followed your advice, and
+exposed myself to the danger of attacking an animal against which it
+was necessary to draw out so much strength, I should have lost my
+life, with all my people, to no purpose."
+
+The dangerous lion did not alone disturb the peaceful retreat of
+Abosaber; the inhabitants of the village did not all enjoy the same
+good character. One of them committed a considerable robbery in the
+capital, and made his escape, after having murdered the master of the
+house he had plundered. The King, informed of this double crime, sent
+in search of the relations and slaves of the man who had been so
+inhumanly murdered. No one could give him any information, but by
+throwing out suspicions against the inhabitants of the village where
+Abosaber dwelt. These had the character of being very bad people, and
+were known to have frequented the house in which the murder and theft
+had been committed, the perpetrators of which they were endeavouring
+to discover. Upon this declaration alone, and without having recourse
+to any other proof, the enraged monarch commanded an officer at the
+head of a detachment to lay waste the village, and bring away its
+inhabitants loaded with chains.
+
+Those who are employed in the execution of severe commands frequently
+go beyond the orders they have received. Troops very ill disciplined
+spread their devastation over all the neighbouring country. They
+spared only the dwelling of Abosaber and six persons of his household;
+but they pillaged his granaries and his standing corn, with those of
+all the inhabitants.
+
+The wife of Abosaber bewailed this disaster.
+
+"We are ruined," said she to her husband; "you see our flocks carried
+off with those of the guilty, notwithstanding the orders they have to
+spare whatever belongs to us. See with what injustice we are treated.
+Speak to the officers of the King."
+
+"I have spoken," said Abosaber, "but they have not time to hear me.
+Let us have patience: the evil will recoil on those who commit it.
+Unhappy the man who gives orders at once rigorous and urgent! unhappy
+the man who acts without reflection! I fear that the evils which the
+King has brought upon us will soon return upon himself."
+
+An enemy of Abosaber had heard this discourse, and reported it to the
+King.
+
+"Thus," said he, "speaks the man whom the goodness of your Majesty had
+spared!"
+
+The monarch instantly gave orders that Abosaber, his wife, and his two
+children, should be driven from the village and banished from his
+dominions.
+
+The wife of the wise and resigned Mussulman made loud complaints: she
+reproached the authors of her calamity, and carried her resentment to
+excess.
+
+"Have patience, wife," said he to her: "this virtue is the sovereign
+balm against adversity; it gives salutary counsel, and carries with it
+hope and consolation. Let us go to the desert, since they persecute us
+here."
+
+The good Abosaber lifted up his eyes and blessed the Almighty as he
+pursued his journey with his family. But they had scarcely entered
+the desert when they were attacked by a band of robbers. They were
+plundered, their children were carried off, and, deprived of every
+resource or human aid, they were left to the care of Providence.
+
+The wife, having lost by this new stroke of fate what was most dear to
+her, gave free course to her grief, and set up mournful cries.
+
+"Indolent man!" said she to her husband, "lay aside your listlessness.
+Let us pursue the robbers: if they have any feeling of humanity left,
+they will restore us our children."
+
+"Let us have patience," replied Abosaber; "it is the only remedy for
+evils which appear desperate. These robbers are well mounted; naked
+and fatigued as we are, there is no probability of our overtaking
+them. And suppose we should succeed in that, perhaps these barbarous
+men, harassed with our lamentations, might put us to death."
+
+The wife grew calm, for the decay of her strength made her unable to
+complain; and they both arrived on the bank of a river, from whence
+they discovered a village.
+
+"Sit down here," said Abosaber to his wife; "I will go to seek a
+lodging and some clothes to cover us."
+
+Saying this, he went away, taking the road to the village, from which
+they were not far distant.
+
+Scarcely was Abosaber out of sight when a gentleman passing near her
+stopped in astonishment at seeing a most beautiful woman plundered and
+abandoned thus in a solitary road. He put several questions to her,
+which this singular adventure might seem to authorize, and she
+answered them with sufficient spirit. These replies increased the
+fancy of the young man.
+
+"Madam," said he to her, "you seem formed to enjoy a happier lot, and
+if you will accept of that which I will prepare for you, follow me,
+and, together with my heart and hand, I offer you a situation that
+deserves to be envied."
+
+"I have a husband," replied the lady, "to whom, unfortunate as he is,
+I am bound for life."
+
+"I have no time," replied the gentleman, "to convince you of the
+folly of a refusal in your situation. I love you. Mount my horse
+without reply, or with one stroke of my scimitar I will terminate both
+your misfortunes and your life."
+
+The wife of Abosaber, forced to yield, before she departed wrote these
+words upon the sand: "Abosaber, your patience hath cost you your
+fortune, your children, and your wife, who is carried off from you.
+Heaven grant that it may not prove still more fatal to you!"
+
+While she traced these words, the gentleman quitted his horse's
+bridle, and when everything was ready, he seized his prey and
+disappeared.
+
+Abosaber, on his return, sought for his spouse, and called upon her in
+vain. He demanded her of all nature, but nature was silent. He cast
+his eyes upon the ground, and there learned his misfortune. He could
+not restrain the first accents of grief: he tore his hair, rent his
+breast, and bruised himself with strokes. But soon becoming quiet,
+after all this agitation,
+
+"Have patience, Abosaber!" said he to himself; "thou lovest thy wife,
+and art beloved by her. Allah hath undoubtedly suffered her to fall
+into the situation in which she is in order to snatch her from more
+dreadful evils. Does it become thee to search into the secrets of
+Providence? It is thy part to submit, and also to cease from fatiguing
+and offending Heaven by thy cries and thy complaints."
+
+These reflections completely restored his tranquillity, and abandoning
+the design he had of returning to the village from which he came, he
+took the road to a city whose distant spires had attracted his
+attention.
+
+As he approached it, he perceived a number of workmen engaged in
+constructing a palace for the King. The overseer of this work took
+hold of him by the arm, and obliged him to labour with his workmen,
+under pain of being sent to prison. Abosaber was forced to have
+patience, while he exerted himself to the utmost, receiving no wages
+but a little bread and water.
+
+He had been a month in this laborious and unprofitable situation, when
+a workman, falling from a ladder, broke his leg. This poor unhappy
+man set up dreadful cries, interrupted by complaints and imprecations.
+Abosaber approached him.
+
+"Companion," said he to him, "you increase your misfortunes instead of
+relieving them. Have patience! The fruits of this virtue are always
+salutary: it supports us under calamity, and such is its power that it
+can raise a man to the throne, even though he were cast into the
+bottom of a well."
+
+The monarch of the country was at this moment at one of the windows of
+his palace, to which the cries of the unfortunate workman had drawn
+him. He had heard Abosaber's discourse, and was offended at it.
+
+"Let this man be arrested," said he to one of his officers, "and
+brought before me."
+
+The officer obeyed. Abosaber was in the presence of the tyrant whose
+pride he had unintentionally shocked.
+
+"Insolent fellow!" said this barbarous King to him, "can patience then
+bring a man from the bottom of a well to a throne? Thou art going to
+put the truth of thy own maxim to the trial."
+
+At the same time he ordered him to be let down to the bottom of a dry
+and deep well which was within the palace. There he visited him
+regularly every day, carrying him two morsels of bread.
+
+"Abosaber," would he say to him, "you appear to me to be still at the
+bottom of the well: when is your patience to raise you to the throne?"
+
+The more this unfeeling monarch insulted his prisoner, he became the
+more resigned.
+
+"Let us have patience," would he say to himself; "let us not repel
+contempt with reproach; we are not suffered to avenge ourselves in any
+shape whatever. Let us allow the crime to come to its full height:
+Heaven sees, and is our judge. Let us have patience."
+
+The King had a brother, whom he had always concealed from every eye in
+a secret part of the palace. But suspicion and uneasiness made him
+afraid lest he should one day be carried off and placed upon the
+throne. Some time ago he had secretly let him down into the bottom of
+this well we have spoken of. This unhappy victim soon sank under so
+many difficulties. He died, but this event was not known, although the
+other parts of the secret had transpired.
+
+The grandees of the realm and the whole nation, shocked at the
+capricious cruelty, which exposed them all to the same danger, rose
+with one accord against the tyrant, and assassinated him. The
+adventure of Abosaber had been long since forgotten. One of the
+officers of the palace reported that the King went every day to carry
+bread to a man who was in the well, and to converse with him. This
+idea led their thoughts to the brother who had been so cruelly used by
+the tyrant. They ran to the well, went down into it, and found there
+the patient Abosaber, whom they took for the presumptive heir to the
+crown. Without giving him time to speak, or to make himself known,
+they conducted him to a bath, and he was soon clothed in the royal
+purple and placed upon the throne.
+
+The new King, always steady to his principles, left Heaven to operate
+in his favour, and was patient. His deportment, his reserve, and his
+coolness disposed men to prophecy well of his reign, and the wisdom of
+his conduct justified these happy presages. Not contented to weigh
+with indefatigable patience the decisions of his own judgment, he was
+present as often as possible at all the business of the State.
+"Viziers, Cadis, ministers of justice," said he to them, "before
+deciding hastily, take patience and inquire."
+
+They admired his wisdom, and yielded themselves to its direction. Such
+was the disposition of their minds with respect to him, when a train
+of events produced a great change in it.
+
+A neighbouring monarch, driven from his dominions by a powerful enemy,
+vanquished, and followed by a small retinue, took refuge with
+Abosaber, and implored on his knees the hospitality, assistance, and
+good offices of a King renowned for his virtues, and especially for
+his patience.
+
+Abosaber dismissed his divan to converse with this exiled Prince, and,
+as soon as they were alone, he said to him, "Behold in me Abosaber,
+your former subject, unjustly spoiled by you of all his fortune, and
+banished from your kingdom. Observe the just difference in the
+conduct of Heaven towards us. I departed from my village, reduced by
+you to the last point of wretchedness. I submitted, however, to my
+lot, was patient, and Providence hath conducted me to the throne,
+while your passionate, cruel, and rash conduct hath brought you down
+from one. It appears to me that, in seeing you thus at my discretion,
+I am commissioned to execute on you the decrees of Heaven, as a
+warning to the wicked."
+
+After this reproof, and without waiting a reply, Abosaber commanded
+his officers to drive the exiled King and all his followers from the
+city. These orders were instantly put in execution, but they
+occasioned some murmurs. Should an unfortunate and suppliant King be
+treated with so much rigour? This seemed contrary to all the laws of
+equity, of humanity, and of policy.
+
+Some time after this Abosaber, having been informed that a band of
+robbers infested a part of his dominions, sent troops in pursuit of
+them. They were surprised, surrounded, and brought before him. The
+King recognized them to be those who had carried off his children, and
+privately interrogated their chief.
+
+"In such a situation," said he to him, "and in such a desert, you
+found a man, a woman, and two children. You plundered the father and
+mother, and carried away their children. What have you done with them?
+What is become of them?"
+
+"Sire," replied the chief of the robbers, "these children are among
+us, and we will give them to your Majesty to dispose of them as you
+please. We are ready, moreover, to deliver into your hands all that we
+have heaped up in our profession. Grant us life and pardon; receive us
+into the number of your subjects; we will return from our evil
+courses, and no soldiers in your Majesty's service shall be more
+devoted to you than we."
+
+The King sent for the children, seized the riches of the robbers, and
+caused their heads to be instantly struck off, without regarding their
+repentance or entreaties.
+
+The subjects of Abosaber, seeing this hasty conduct, and recollecting
+the treatment of the exiled Monarch, in a short time did not know what
+might be their own. "What precipitation!" said they. "Is this the
+compassionate King, who, when the Cadi was about to inflict any
+punishment, continually repeated to him, '_Wait, examine, do nothing
+rashly; have patience_'?" They were extremely surprised, but a new
+event rendered them still more astonished.
+
+A gentleman came with complaints against his wife. Abosaber, before
+hearing them, said to him, "Bring your wife with you: if it be just
+for me to listen to your arguments, it cannot be less so to hear
+hers."
+
+The gentleman went out, and in a few moments after returned with his
+wife. The King had scarcely looked at her, when he ordered her to be
+conducted into the palace, and the man's head to be cut off, who had
+come to complain of her. The order was obeyed. The Viziers, the
+officers, and the whole divan murmured aloud, that Abosaber might hear
+them.
+
+"Never was there seen such an act of violence," said they among
+themselves. "The King who was beheaded was never guilty of so shocking
+an action, and this brother, coming out of a well, and promising at
+first wisdom and prudence, is carried in cold blood to an excess which
+borders on madness."
+
+Abosaber listened and remained patient, till at length a wave of his
+hand having imposed silence, he spoke as follows:
+
+"Viziers, Cadis, ministers of justice, and all ye vassals of the Crown
+who hear me, I have always advised you against precipitation in your
+judgments; you owe me the same attention, and I pray you hear me.
+
+"Arrived at a point of good fortune to which I had never even dared to
+aspire, the circumstances which were necessary for my success being so
+difficult to be united; indifferent as to the crown which I wear, and
+to which I had no right by my birth; it only remains for me to gain
+your esteem by justifying the motives of my conduct, and making myself
+known to you.
+
+"I am not brother to the King whom you judged unworthy to reign; I am
+a man of mean birth. Persecuted, undone, and driven from my country, I
+took refuge in this kingdom, after having seen my two children and my
+wife torn from me in the way. I devoutly submitted to the strokes
+which fate had laid on me, when, at the entrance of this city, I was
+seized by force, and constrained to labour at the building of the
+palace. Convinced in my mind that patience is the most necessary
+virtue to man, I exhorted one of my fellow-labourers to bear with
+resignation a dreadful evil he had met with in breaking his leg.
+_Patience_, said I to him, _is so great a virtue, that it could raise
+a man to the throne, although he were cast into the bottom of a well_.
+
+"The King, my predecessor, heard me. This maxim shocked him, and that
+instant he caused me be let down into the well, from which you took me
+to set me on the throne.
+
+"When a neighbouring monarch, driven by an usurper from his dominions,
+came to implore my assistance, I recognized in him my own Sovereign,
+who had unjustly stripped me of my possessions and sent me into
+banishment. I was not the only object of his capricious cruelties: I
+saw all his subjects groaning under them.
+
+"The robbers, whom I punished, had carried off my children and reduced
+me to the last point of wretchedness.
+
+"In fine, the gentleman whom I caused to be beheaded is he who
+violently took away my wife.
+
+"In all these judgments, I have not had the revenge of my own
+particular offences in view. King of these dominions by your choice,
+the instrument of God upon earth, I did not think myself at liberty to
+yield to an arbitrary clemency, which would have weakened your power.
+It was my duty to execute the decrees of Providence upon such as were
+clearly convicted of guilt, and to cut off from society mortals too
+dangerous for it.
+
+"A tyrannical King who respects not the laws, and is only directed by
+his passions and caprice, is the scourge of his people. If it is not
+lawful to make any attempt upon his life, it is still less so to grant
+him such assistance as would authorize him in the perpetual exercise
+of revenge, and in the indulgence of the injustice and atrocity of his
+disposition. It is even wise to deprive him of the means of it.
+
+"Villains whose sole occupation is to attack caravans, plunder
+travellers, and who are accustomed to nothing but disorder, can never
+become useful and valuable citizens. They deserve still less to be
+admitted to the honour of defending their country. Banishment to them
+is only a return to their former life. By increasing their number, the
+evils of the world are rendered perpetual.
+
+"The ravisher of a wife is a monster in society from which it ought to
+be freed. The man who indulges himself in this crime is capable of
+every other.
+
+"Such are the motives of my conduct: severity costs me more than any
+one else. But I should have been unworthy of the confidence of my
+people, and wanting in the duties of the throne, had I not exercised
+it in this situation.
+
+"If I have exceeded the limits of my authority, I am ready to resign
+it into your hands. Reunited to my wife and my children, and thus
+loaded with the most precious blessings of the Almighty, I should have
+nothing left but to wish you happy days under a government wiser than
+mine."
+
+When Abosaber had finished this justification of his conduct,
+admiration and respect held the whole assembly in silence. Soon,
+however, a shout followed by a thousand others resounded through the
+divan.
+
+"Long live Abosaber! long live our King! long live the patient
+monarch! may he live for ever! and may his reign endure to eternity!"
+
+The King having returned into his apartment, sent for his wife and his
+children, and after yielding to the sweet impulses of nature,
+"Behold," said he to his spouse, "the fruits of patience, and the
+consequences of rashness. Give up at last your prejudices, and engrave
+on the hearts of our children these important truths. Good and evil
+happen under the inspection of Providence, and divine wisdom
+infallibly bestows the punishment or the reward. The patient man who
+submits to his lot is sooner or later crowned with honour."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+After having ended his story Aladin kept a respectful silence.
+Bohetzad seemed lost in thought.
+
+"How is it possible," said he, "that the maxims of wisdom should flow
+from the lips of a man whose heart must be corrupted, and whose soul
+must be guilty? Young man!" added he, addressing himself to the
+supposed criminal, "I will still defer your punishment till to-morrow.
+You are to be carried back to prison. The counsels which you have
+given me shall have their proper effect. A professed robber ought to
+be cut off from the class of citizens, from that of the defenders of
+the kingdom, and from the whole world. But as you have at the same
+time guarded me against precipitation in judgment, I consent that you
+may live during the remainder of this day and the following night."
+
+At these words the King dismissed the assembly.
+
+The Viziers took counsel together respecting the step they should take
+to secure the destruction of the favourite. Perceiving the punishment
+so often delayed, it was their business to alarm the King respecting
+the dangerous effects of his clemency, and his weakness in allowing
+himself to be led away by these discourses, prepared on purpose to
+suspend an act of justice which was absolutely necessary. He ought to
+banish from the people every suspicion of weakness on the part of the
+government, and show them that equity was its foundation.
+
+The artful detail of this reasoning was entrusted to the Fourth
+Vizier; and this minister came next morning to Bohetzad to perform his
+part.
+
+The poison of flattery was artfully mingled with remonstrances, which
+appeared to be dictated by a disinterested zeal, and made a deep
+impression on the King. He ordered the Superintendent to be brought
+before him, as formerly, with all the apparatus of punishment.
+"Unhappy man!" said he to him, "I have reflected enough to punish you
+for your crime. May your death, if it be possible, make me forget you
+for ever!"
+
+"Sire," replied Aladin, with respect and firmness, "I receive with
+submission the sentence of my crime. It is dictated by circumstances;
+and were it not, I feel that the misery of having fallen under your
+disgrace would be worse to me. The sacrifice once made, I can repent
+of it no more. But the day will come, when your Majesty, regretting
+your unjust precipitation, will repent that you did not sufficiently
+consult the rules of prudence, as it happened to Bhazad, the son of
+Cyrus, founder of the Syrian empire."
+
+
+HISTORY OF BHAZAD THE IMPATIENT.
+
+
+Bhazad was a Prince possessed of every external accomplishment. His
+beauty, celebrated by the poets, was become proverbial among all
+nations. He was the delight of every company, and scarcely anything
+was noticed in it but himself. One day, while he was unperceived, his
+beauty became the subject of conversation. After it had been much
+praised, one who was present, and had till then been silent, added,
+
+"Prince Bhazad is doubtless one of the most beautiful men in the
+world; but I know a woman who in this respect is much more superior to
+her own sex than he is to his."
+
+This discourse roused the curiosity of Bhazad more than his pride;
+and, addressing himself in private to the man who spoke thus:
+
+"Might one know from you," said he to him, "the name of this beauty,
+in whose praise you have just now spoken?"
+
+"Prince," replied this man, "she is the daughter of one of the most
+illustrious vassals of the Syrian throne; and if she enchants every
+eye by her external charms, the virtues of her heart and of her mind
+contribute still more to make her perfect."
+
+Those few words made a lively impression upon the heart of Bhazad. He
+could think of nothing but of the object whose praises he had heard,
+and he endeavoured to make a conquest of her. The love which consumed
+him injured his health, rendered him thoughtful and solitary; and the
+King his father, being surprised at this change, upon inquiring of
+him, was informed of its cause.
+
+Bhazad, after having made a confession of his passion to Cyrus,
+suffered from him some reproaches for his reserve.
+
+"Why have you concealed from me the state of your heart?" said he to
+him. "Are you ignorant that I have all power over the Prince whose
+daughter you are desirous to marry? Are you afraid that he will not
+accept the honour of our alliance?"
+
+Upon this Cyrus sent in quest of the father of the young beauty, and
+demanded her for his son. The dowry, which was to be three hundred
+thousand pieces of gold, was agreed upon at once. But the future
+father-in-law required that the celebration of the nuptials should be
+delayed for nine months.
+
+"Nine months without seeing her!" said the impatient Bhazad to
+himself. "Nine months without her! It is insupportable."
+
+He quickly formed the design of going to her. He mounted the best
+courser in his stables, and immediately departed, having provided
+himself with some necessary articles, such as a bow, a lance, and a
+scimitar. He was not far from the capital of Syria when he was
+attacked by a band of robbers. His undaunted countenance and his
+martial air made an impression upon them; and far from endeavouring,
+according to their usual custom, to murder him after they had robbed
+him, they proposed to him a very different plan, and promised him his
+life on condition that he would associate with them. Bhazad thought it
+necessary to discover to these vagabonds his rank, his projects, and
+the fatal delay of nine months, which his impatience had been unable
+to endure. Upon this declaration, the chief of the robbers replied to
+him,
+
+"We will shorten this delay. We know the castle in which the object of
+your love dwells, and the strength that defends it. March at our head;
+we will attack it, and no object shall be able to resist us. All we
+ask of you for this important service is a share in the dowry, your
+future protection, and a delay of some days to prepare ourselves for
+the enterprise."
+
+Bhazad, in his impatience, thought himself already on the very point
+of happiness. Every method seemed just to him which could serve his
+passion, and he was by no means delicate in the choice of them. Thus
+he deliberated no more, but continued his journey at the head of the
+robbers.
+
+They soon met a numerous caravan, and the robbers, constrained by
+their natural propensity, attacked it in disorder. They were repulsed,
+however, with the loss of several men and a considerable number of
+prisoners, among whom Bhazad was included. He was conducted to the
+capital of the country to which the caravan was travelling. The
+commander of it, after relating his adventure, presented Bhazad to the
+King.
+
+"Here, sire, is a young man who, in our opinion, deserves to be
+distinguished from the rest, and we beseech your Majesty to dispose of
+him according to your pleasure."
+
+The countenance of the captive attracted the particular attention of
+the King.
+
+"Who are you, young man?" inquired the Prince. "You seem not to have
+been born for the criminal profession you follow. How did you fall
+into the hands of the caravan?"
+
+Bhazad, lest he should dishonour his respectable name, was unwilling
+to make himself known.
+
+"Sire," replied he, "my appearance ought not to impose upon your
+Majesty: I am, and always have been, a professed robber."
+
+"Your answer," said the King, "is your sentence of death. Yet," said
+he to himself, "I ought to be rash in nothing. Regard must be had to
+his youth and external qualities, which seem to distinguish him from
+people of his profession. If this young man is in reality a robber, he
+deserves punishment; but if he is an unfortunate sport of destiny, who
+hath sought for death as a deliverance from the sorrows of life, one
+may become an accomplice in his crime by not preventing his death."
+
+The prudent Sovereign, having made this soliloquy, ordered Bhazad to
+be shut up in close confinement, expecting some great discovery
+respecting his rank.
+
+In the meantime the King of Syria, having in quest of his son searched
+his dominions in vain, addressed circular letters to all the
+Sovereigns of Asia. One of them came to the King in whose dominion
+Bhazad was in custody. From the description which it gave of him, he
+had no doubt that the young adventurer whom he kept in prison was the
+well-beloved son of the powerful monarch of Syria. What reason had he
+to applaud himself for not having hurried his judgment!
+
+He sent immediately for the handsome prisoner, and asked his name.
+
+"My name is Bhazad," replied the young man.
+
+"You are the son, then, of King Cyrus. But what motives determined you
+to conceal your birth? Had I not been slow in the execution of
+punishment, it would have cost you your life, and me the remorse of
+having treated you as a vile assassin."
+
+"Sire," replied Bhazad, after having revealed to him the secret of his
+escape, "finding myself seized among robbers, in whose crimes I had
+involuntarily shared, I preferred death to shame, and was unwilling to
+dishonour a name so illustrious."
+
+"Son," replied the sage monarch, "there has been a great deal of
+imprudence in your behaviour. You were in love, and assured of wedding
+in a few months the object of your affection. See to what rashness and
+impatience have brought you. Instead of waiting patiently till you
+should become the son-in-law of one of your father's noble vassals,
+after having quitted the Court of Syria without permission, and after
+having incautiously exposed yourself to be murdered by the robbers who
+infest these deserts, you joined yourself to these vagabonds to carry
+off by force the woman who was voluntarily to be given you in
+marriage. See into what a train of crimes you have drawn yourself.
+Check this passion and calm your impatience. I will procure you the
+means of uniting yourself soon to the Princess whose hand you are
+anxious to obtain. But as everything ought to be done in a manner
+suitable to her condition and your rank, we will hurry nothing."
+
+After this, the King, having caused Bhazad to be magnificently
+dressed, appointed him lodgings in his palace, and admitted him to his
+table. He wrote to Cyrus to set him at ease respecting the fate of his
+son, whose equipage was getting ready that he might appear with more
+splendour at the Court of the Prince whose daughter he was about to
+espouse.
+
+The impatient Bhazad saw these preparations with uneasiness. The
+attention which was paid to them retarded his happiness. At length,
+however, the order for his departure was given, and he might begin his
+journey. A small army escorted him, but every halt which it made
+appeared an age to this impatient Prince.
+
+Messengers had been dispatched to the father of the Princess, to
+inform him of the arrival of his son-in-law. He came, with his
+daughter covered with a veil, to receive him at the gate of his
+castle, and allotted him a magnificent apartment next to that of his
+future spouse. All the arrangements had been previously fixed by the
+two fathers. The term of nine months would have elapsed in three days,
+and all the preparations suitable to this so much wished-for union
+were finished.
+
+Bhazad was only separated from the object of his affection by the
+breadth of a thin wall. In three days he might see her. But this wall
+was like Mount Ararat to him, and these three days seemed an eternity.
+As he constantly inquired what she was doing, he learnt that she was
+at her toilet, assisted by her female slaves, and without her veil.
+This was the time for him to surprise her and behold her at his
+pleasure. He presently examined all the openings of his apartment, to
+find some way of gratifying his impatience and curiosity. He
+discovered, to his misfortune, a small grated window, to which he
+applied his eye. But an eunuch, placed there on guard, perceived the
+inquisitive man, and, without knowing him, struck him with the point
+of his scimitar, which at once ran through both his eyes, and drew
+from him a piercing cry, which soon collected around him all those
+engaged in his service.
+
+They stood around the wounded, inquiring the cause which could have
+reduced him to the unhappy situation he was in. His misfortune
+discovered to him his crime.
+
+"It was my impatience," replied he, with sorrow. "I have too soon
+forgotten the sage counsels of the King my benefactor. In three days I
+would have seen her who was to crown my happiness; but I was unable to
+bear this delay with patience. I wished to enjoy beforehand the
+pleasure of seeing her, and for this I am punished with the loss of my
+sight."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"In this manner," added Aladin, "did the impatient Bhazad, on the very
+point of becoming happy, lose that hope for ever, and was condemned to
+the most cruel loss in being deprived of the sense of sight. He ought
+to have recollected the dangers to which his former imprudence had
+exposed him; with what maturity of deliberation, with what wise delay,
+the monarch to whom he was indebted for his fortune and life had
+conducted himself with respect to him, and he ought to have yielded
+entirely to his advice. But it is not from acting without reflection
+that experience is acquired, and the wise alone can profit by that of
+others."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The young Superintendent, having made an end of speaking, Bohetzad,
+drowned in thought, dismissed the assembly, and remanded the criminal
+to prison.
+
+The ten Viziers, afraid lest their victim should escape, assembled
+again next day, and sent three of their number in a deputation to the
+King to strike the last blow against the young Aladin. They assured
+Bohetzad that the dangerous consequences of his clemency were already
+felt.
+
+"Every day," said they, "ordinary justice is engaged in checking the
+audacious crimes of your subjects against the sanctity of the harem.
+Prevaricating criminals have the boldness to defend themselves by the
+example that is before their eyes; and the delays which arise from
+your Majesty in this affair are so many pretences which they allege in
+their justification. We conjure you, sire, to put an end to this
+disorder, which your ministers will soon be unable to restrain."
+
+Bohetzad, ashamed of his too great indulgence, caused the
+Superintendent to be brought before him.
+
+"Thou appearest at length," said he to him, "for the last time, on the
+scaffold, which thou art about to stain with thy blood. The crime
+which thou hast committed allows me no rest. The too long suspension
+of the sword of the law draws along with it an example fatal to my
+subjects. Every voice is united against thee, and not one justifies
+thee."
+
+"Men pursue me," interrupted the undaunted Aladin. "I am the object of
+hatred and slander; but, if the Eternal and His Prophet are for me, I
+have nothing in this world to fear. Heaven protects my innocence, and
+the sword cannot deprive me of it. It will always shine upon my
+forehead, even when it shall be separated from my body. My confidence
+is in God. I expect everything from Him, as King Bazmant at length did
+after the reverses he experienced."
+
+
+HISTORY OF BAZMANT, OR THE CONFIDENT.
+
+
+This Sovereign, too much addicted to the pleasures of the table, was
+giving himself up one day to the immoderate enjoyment of a sumptuous
+feast, when his Vizier came to inform him that the enemy was coming to
+besiege his capital.
+
+"Have not I," replied he, "excellent generals and good troops? Let
+them take care of everything, and beware of disturbing my pleasures."
+
+"I will obey, sire," replied the Vizier; "but remember that the
+Almighty disposes of thrones, and that if you invoke not His aid, your
+riches and power will not support you or yours."
+
+Disregarding this wise counsel, Bazmant fell asleep in the arms of
+sensuality; and when he awoke was obliged to take to flight:
+notwithstanding the bravery of his soldiers, the enemy had become
+masters of the city.
+
+The fugitive King withdrew to one of his allies, his father-in-law and
+friend, who granted him a powerful army, with which he hoped in a
+short time to re-enter his dominions and take vengeance on his enemy.
+Full of confidence in this assistance, he marched at the head of his
+troops, and advanced towards the capital which he had lost. But
+victory again declared in favour of the usurper. His army was routed,
+and he himself owed his safety to the swiftness and vigour of his
+horse, which, pursued by the enemy, crossed an arm of the sea which
+lay in his way, and soon landed him on the opposite shore.
+
+Not far from the shore was situated a fortified city called Kerassin,
+at that time under the dominion of King Abadid. Bazmant went to it,
+and demanded an asylum in the hospital destined for the reception of
+poor strangers. He learned that King Abadid resided in Medinet-Ilahid,
+the capital of the kingdom. He took the road to it, arrived there, and
+demanded an audience of the Sovereign, which was immediately granted.
+His external appearance prejudiced the monarch in his favour, and he
+asked him concerning his rank, his country, and the motives which had
+brought him to Medinet-Ilahid.
+
+"I was," replied he, "a distinguished officer in the Court of King
+Bazmant, to whom I was much attached. This unfortunate Prince has been
+driven from his kingdom, and as it became necessary for me to choose a
+master, I am come to make a voluntary offer of my person and services
+to your Majesty."
+
+Abadid, full of prudence and penetration, conceived a favourable
+opinion of the stranger. He loaded him with presents, and assigned him
+a distinguished rank among his officers. Bazmant might have been proud
+of his new situation could he have banished from his memory the
+fortune he had once enjoyed, and had he not been still wholly occupied
+with the loss of his kingdom.
+
+A neighbouring power at that time threatened Abadid with an invasion
+of his dominions. The Sovereign put himself in a posture of defence,
+and took every necessary precaution to repel his enemy. He himself
+took arms, and left his capital at the head of a formidable army.
+Bazmant had the chief command of the van.
+
+The battle was soon begun, during which Abadid and Bazmant conducted
+themselves like experienced chiefs, and were distinguished by
+remarkable feats of courage and intrepidity. The enemy was entirely
+defeated and repulsed. Bazmant extolled to the skies the mighty deeds
+and wise plans of Abadid.
+
+"Sire," said he to him, "with an army so well disciplined and so much
+good conduct you might easily humble the most formidable nations."
+
+"You are mistaken," replied the wise monarch; "without the assistance
+of Allah I could not resist the most feeble atoms in the creation. It
+is by trusting in Him alone that we have the power of posting our
+troops to advantage, of directing our plans with wisdom, and of
+preserving that presence of mind which is the guide of all our
+operations. If I had not had recourse to Him, the greatest force would
+have vanished in my hands."
+
+"I am convinced of it," replied Bazmant, "and the misfortunes which I
+have experienced are a proof of it. A false prudence induced me to
+conceal my name and my misfortunes. But your virtues forcibly draw the
+secret from me. You see before you the unhappy Bazmant, whom too much
+confidence in his own troops could not preserve upon the throne."
+
+Upon this confession, Abadid, seized with astonishment, wished to make
+an apology to Bazmant for the reception he had given him.
+
+"How could you know me," replied the dethroned Prince, "since shame
+and confusion obliged me to be silent? Could you read upon my forehead
+a character which the justice of Heaven had effaced? Great King,"
+added he, embracing him, "I owe to your generosity a full account of
+my faults: lend me your attention."
+
+At these words Bazmant related his history.
+
+"My dear brother," said Abadid to him, after having heard it, "cease
+to humble yourself before a man brought up in your very principles,
+and corrected at last by a series of misfortunes similar to yours. I
+have not been wiser than you. It appears that we must be instructed by
+misery! Formerly I put my confidence in my troops and my own
+abilities, and at the head of a numerous army I was conquered by an
+enemy who had nothing to oppose me but a handful of men. Forced to
+take to flight, I retired to the mountains, with fifty men who would
+not abandon me. Providence caused me to fall in with a dervish in his
+hermitage, where he was wholly devoted to the exercise and duties of
+religion. He showed me the cause of my misfortunes, and told me that
+the enemy had put his trust in Allah alone, and was thus enabled to
+strike me with unerring blows; while I, depending upon the effort of
+my spear and the thickness of my battalions, and full of audacious
+pride, neglected my duty, and gave no order which did not lead to an
+error. 'Put,' said he to me, 'your confidence in Him who directs
+everything here below, and if His arm is engaged in your behalf, fifty
+men will be sufficient to regain your kingdom.' These discourses of
+the sage made a strong impression upon me. I raised my eyes on high,
+and, full of a salutary confidence, I returned to my capital.
+Prosperity had blinded my enemy. He had forgotten in the lap of
+pleasure the wise maxims to which he was indebted for his victory.
+Everything seemed quiet in his dominions. He believed himself secure
+in the possession of them, and neglected the maintenance of an army. I
+arrived unawares at the beginning of the night. I hastened to the
+palace with my small party, which curiosity, however, increased. It
+became a formidable army within the palace: dismay and terror marched
+in its train. The usurper had only just time to make his escape and
+avoid the danger which surrounded him. And the next day beheld me
+re-established on my throne, and in the undisturbed possession of my
+kingdom."
+
+The recital of Abadid's adventures completely changed the opinions of
+Bazmant.
+
+"You have," said the Prince to him, "inspired me with a confidence
+equal to that which animated you, and henceforward I will place it
+nowhere else. God alone and His great Prophet are able to restore me
+my crown; and in order to regain it, I will follow the same method
+that you did."
+
+At these words he took leave of Abadid, and hastened into a desert,
+through which he was obliged to pass in order to reach his dominions.
+Guided by the confidence which he had placed in the Sovereign Ruler of
+men, and imploring His support by prayer, he gained the summit of a
+mountain. He was oppressed with fatigue, and, having fallen asleep, he
+saw a vision in a dream.
+
+He thought he heard a voice say to him, "Bazmant, Allah has heard thy
+prayers: He accepts thy penitence, and thou mayest march without fear
+whither thou intendest."
+
+The Prince believed he had heard his guardian angel, and hastened his
+journey towards the capital of his kingdom. Scarcely had he reached
+the frontiers, when he met a party of those who had been most faithful
+to him. They lived under a tent, ready to seek another asylum on the
+least instance of tyranny in the usurper. Without making himself
+known, he entered into conversation, and told them that he was
+travelling to the capital. They endeavoured to divert him from his
+design. They described the avenues to the city as extremely dangerous.
+They told him that suspicion and fear were upon the throne; that
+strangers who approached it were believed to be emissaries of Bazmant,
+and were, without distinction, beheaded by order of the tyrant.
+
+"He causes the former King to be regretted, then?" inquired the
+Prince, certain that they could not know him.
+
+"Alas!" replied they, "would indeed that our worthy monarch were here!
+He would find a safe asylum in the hearts of all his subjects, and a
+hundred thousand arms to avenge him. The monster who has dethroned
+him, confiding in his forces, sacrifices everything to his unbridled
+desires, and frees himself by the sword of his slightest alarms."
+
+"He is in the wrong," replied Bazmant, "to trust wholly in his army:
+the true support of Kings is the favour of Heaven. As for me, who have
+come here with no other intention than to acquire knowledge by
+travelling, knowing that no one can injure me while I have the divine
+protection, I will, without fear, approach the place which the vain
+precautions of your master have caused to be looked upon as so
+dangerous."
+
+"We conjure you not to do this," replied these worthy people, in a
+feeling tone: "do not give us another misfortune to bewail. Since you
+are a good Mussulman, wait patiently till the divine justice shall
+have struck this tyrant: the time is not far distant, for the measure
+of his iniquity is full. And should the arm of man delay to strike,
+the pillars of his palace will fall upon him."
+
+At these words, Bazmant felt his hopes revive. He laid aside all
+disguise, and declared that he was the monarch whom they wished to
+return. At that instant his faithful subjects, exiled on his account,
+fell at his feet. They kissed his hands and moistened them with their
+tears. A part of the knights who were there devoted themselves as his
+life-guard. The rest spread all around to announce his happy return,
+and appoint a place of rendezvous. A formidable army was soon in a
+condition to advance to the capital, the tyrant was overthrown, and
+Bazmant resumed the reins of government and power amidst the
+acclamations of all his people.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+At the end of this history, Aladin ventured to add some reflections of
+his own.
+
+"You see," said he to Bohetzad, "how Bazmant reascended his throne,
+without any other assistance than that of Heaven. My true throne,
+sire, is my innocence; and, as if inspired from above, I have a fixed
+belief that I will yet be re-established on it, and triumph over mine
+enemies."
+
+As the young minister mingled sage truths with the recital of his
+stories, the Sovereign, who had listened to him, felt his anger
+relent.
+
+He again ordered the punishment to be deferred, and the criminal was
+carried back to prison.
+
+The Viziers again resolved to diffuse in the mind of the King the
+poison of those perfidious insinuations which had hitherto been so
+unsuccessful.
+
+One of them accordingly arrived well prepared. He brought with him
+seditious libels and a list of disorders which, he said, the violation
+of a law that was refused to be put in execution had occasioned, in
+leaving unpunished a crime which appeared in so obvious a manner.
+
+These reports, which seemed to be dictated by disinterestedness and
+fidelity, again inflamed Bohetzad. He resumed his first resolutions,
+and sent for the criminal to his presence.
+
+"I have hesitated too long," said he. "Thy death is essential to the
+safety of my kingdom, and thou canst no more hope either for delay or
+mercy."
+
+"Sire," said Aladin, "every fault deserves pardon. I have committed
+one in indulging myself in a drink which I did not know, and which
+deprived me, for a moment, of reason. But I have a right to obtain
+your Majesty's pardon. I am incapable of the crime of which I am
+accused. Sovereigns, sire, have a noble right which they derive from
+Heaven: it is that of exercising mercy when it is proper. Let us
+suppose that, after a little delay and deliberate examination, you had
+snatched an innocent person from punishment, would not your Majesty
+have done an action something like that of raising him from the dead?
+An action may often appear agreeable to strict justice, while in
+reality it is only the effect of lawless tyranny. And what glory is
+there not, even in pardoning an offence? He who is capable of mercy
+will, like Baharkan, sooner or later receive his reward."
+
+Aladin, perceiving Bohetzad inclined to listen to him, proceeded thus
+in the explanation of what he had advanced:
+
+
+HISTORY OF BAHARKAN.
+
+
+Baharkan was an intemperate Prince. He sacrificed everything to his
+passions, and, in order to gratify them, he boldly plunged into the
+greatest excess of tyranny. He never pardoned even the appearance of a
+crime: so that involuntary faults were punished no less than avowed
+transgressions.
+
+Being one day at the chase, one of his officers inadvertently
+discharged from his bow an arrow which he was holding prepared. It
+struck the ear of the King, and unfortunately carried it off.
+Baharkan, in his fury, ordered the offender to be brought before him,
+and his head to be struck off. As soon as the unhappy young man was in
+his presence, having heard the sentence of death pronounced by the
+monarch, he spoke to him thus:
+
+"Sire, the fault I have committed was unpremeditated on my part; it
+was the effect of the fatality of the stars. I throw myself on your
+clemency. I implore your pardon. It will be meritorious in the sight
+of God and approved of by men. In the name of the heavenly Power which
+hath put the sceptre into your hands, I entreat for pardon, and your
+Majesty will one day receive your reward."
+
+This prayer softened the unrelenting heart of the King, and, contrary
+to the general expectation, the young officer obtained his pardon.
+
+His name was Tirkan. He was a Prince who had fled from his father's
+Court in order to escape the punishment of a fault which he had
+committed. After having wandered unknown from kingdom to kingdom, he
+at length settled at the Court of Baharkan, where he obtained
+employment. He remained there for some time after the accident which
+had befallen him; but his father, having discovered the place of his
+retreat, sent him his pardon, and advised him to return to him. He
+did this in such affectionate and paternal terms that Tirkan, trusting
+in his father's goodness, immediately departed. His hopes were not
+deceived, and he was re-established in all his rights.
+
+King Baharkan, desiring one day to amuse himself with pearl-fishing,
+embarked in a vessel with a design to coast along the shores of his
+kingdom in search of pearls. An unexpected storm drove the ship into
+the open sea. It became the sport of the winds and the waves, and,
+stripped of all its rigging, ran aground on an unknown shore, and was
+dashed to pieces against the rocks which surrounded it. The whole crew
+perished. Baharkan alone was saved from shipwreck by a plank which he
+had had the good fortune to seize. Fortunately, he landed on the
+dominions of the monarch whose son had shot away his ear, and whom he
+had pardoned.
+
+Night began to descend when Baharkan landed. He wanted neither courage
+nor vigour, and therefore took the first road that presented itself,
+which led to a large fortified city. But, as the gates had just been
+shut, he was forced to wait without till next day, and to pass the
+night in a neighbouring churchyard.
+
+Day began to appear, and the gates were opened. The first persons who
+came from the city found, at the gate of the churchyard, a man who had
+been murdered. Baharkan was coming out of it at the same time. The
+efforts he had made in the evening to reach the coast with his plank
+had given him some slight wounds, from which the blood was still
+trickling. This proof appeared sufficient in the eyes of the
+bystanders: he was taken for the murderer, and carried to prison.
+
+There this unfortunate Prince, left to his own reflections, thus
+communed with himself: "Heaven chastises thee, Baharkan. Thou wast
+cruel, vindictive, and inexorable. With thee humanity had no value.
+Thou sacrificedst thy brethren on the slightest suspicion. Behold
+thyself now on a level with the vilest of mortals. Thou hast met with
+no more than thy desert."
+
+As he rendered this terrible justice to himself, he perceived in the
+air a vulture, which hovered above the prison in the court of which
+he was walking. He instinctively took a flint, and threw it with great
+force at the bird, which avoided the stroke; but, in falling, the
+stone accidentally struck the same Prince Tirkan who formerly had
+carried off his ear by the stroke of an arrow. It wounded him exactly
+on the ear, but not so severely as Baharkan had been. Pain forced a
+cry from the young Prince, which brought all his courtiers around him.
+Surgeons were sent for, who soon cured this slight wound.
+
+The King ordered a search to be made, in order to discover the person
+who had thrown the stone. Baharkan was accused by his fellow-prisoners
+of picking up and throwing it. He was brought before the monarch, who
+condemned him to lose his head, since, besides this, he believed him
+to be the murderer of the man who had been assassinated near the
+churchyard. The executioner of justice had already taken off the
+turban which covered him, and was drawing the sword from its scabbard,
+when the King, examining attentively the head which had just been
+uncovered, perceived that it wanted an ear.
+
+"It appears," said he to the criminal, "that this is not your first
+offence. For what crime have you been already condemned to lose an
+ear?"
+
+Baharkan, having assumed a manly spirit since his misfortunes,
+replied, with boldness, "Sire, if I have committed crimes, I owe no
+account of them but to Heaven; and till it should have determined to
+punish me, human justice had no right to inflict it. I have been, in
+one word, your equal--I was a King. The ear which I want was
+unfortunately carried off by an arrow, which escaped from the bow of
+one of my officers, whose name was Tirkan. Impelled by the first
+emotion of anger, I condemned him to death. He besought my pardon, and
+obtained it. My name is Baharkan."
+
+Tirkan, without giving him time to finish, had already thrown himself
+into his arms. He recognized at once his ancient master and his
+deliverer. Baharkan, far from being punished, was treated as a King,
+and an unfortunate one. He related the adventure which had landed him
+in the dominions of Tirkan's father. The latter communicated to him
+his own, and especially the unfortunate accident which had wounded
+Baharkan.
+
+"Recollect, sire," added he, "that in soliciting a pardon, I ventured
+to promise you, from Heaven, the same favour which I expected from
+you. Here you have received it, under the very same circumstances,
+through the instrumentality of my father."
+
+After these discoveries, the two Sovereigns embraced each other, with
+marks of esteem and kindness. A short time after, Baharkan returned to
+his kingdom in a fleet well equipped, and at the head of an army of
+fifty thousand fighting men, commanded by Prince Tirkan.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"In this manner," added Aladin, "Baharkan was rewarded for suffering
+himself to be softened when he was personally offended. Heaven did not
+confine its blessings to his receiving the same treatment in a similar
+situation and restoring him to his subjects, it moreover granted to
+him every virtue requisite in a good King; and in governing his
+subjects, it enabled him always to govern himself."
+
+Bohetzad, shaken in his resolution by this discourse, ordered the
+instruments of death to be again removed, and the minister to be
+conducted back to prison. He even pronounced these last words so
+hesitatingly, that the Viziers, who observed it, were alarmed.
+
+The whole conspiracy formed against Aladin awoke with still greater
+force, and it was determined that the ten Viziers should go in a body
+to the King. Their danger would become so great, if Aladin should
+succeed in justifying himself, that every step should be taken to
+destroy him.
+
+The next day they all repaired to the palace, and he who was possessed
+of the warmest eloquence spoke. If the monarch would believe it, the
+wicked story-teller, whose talents were so specious, was indebted for
+his success to the art of magic, in which he was well skilled. But he
+ought to distrust an illusion which exposes at once the laws,
+religion, morals, the honour of the throne, and the public welfare;
+and unless he punished this crime, it would be impossible to check
+disorder. All the other Viziers supported this insidious harangue.
+Each of them alleged his own disinterestedness, his zeal, and his
+fidelity.
+
+"Unbridled audacity is in him united with matchless cunning," they
+said. "Everything is in danger if this offence remains unpunished."
+
+Bohetzad could not resist the unanimous voice of so many counsellors.
+His anger re-awoke, and he ordered the criminal to be brought forth.
+
+Aladin appeared in chains, and the King, perceiving him, exclaimed,
+
+"Let the head of this unhappy man be struck off."
+
+The ten Viziers hastened to seize the sword of the executioner, in
+order to dispute with him the execution of his office. This motion
+gave Aladin time to speak.
+
+"Behold, sire, the eagerness of your Viziers to bathe themselves in
+the blood of innocence. Justice pursues the crime, but does not rush
+upon the criminal. Zeal, like every other virtue, should be moderated.
+Stop, eager and wicked men! I am here under the justice of the King,
+not under yours. You have no power over my life. It is sacred with
+respect to you, who are neither judges nor executioners. Speak! Show
+yourselves openly as you really are. I have offended you by checking
+your rapine. You are my enemies and base slanderers."
+
+"You recriminate upon my Viziers," interrupted the King; "truth which
+flows from their mouths confounds you."
+
+"Nothing from them can confound me," replied Aladin; "not even the
+blackness of their calumny. It is coeval with their existence. But for
+these, who have reduced me to the necessity of this defence, I must
+question them in my turn. They are all here, and let them answer. Does
+not the law require that every accuser or deponent should have been a
+witness of the crime? Their evidence is therefore objectionable in
+this case; the law rejects it. It is only the effect of envy and
+jealous rage by which they are devoured. Look at them, sire, and at
+me. The sword is above my head, yet I dare raise it up, while their
+eyes shun both yours and mine. Heaven supports me and condemns them;
+our sentence is written on our countenance. O great King! deserving of
+better ministers, beware of being drawn into the guilty plot they have
+contrived for you. One may, but without passion, bear testimony
+against the accused. If he is convicted, justice condemns him. But the
+judge, in describing the crime and pronouncing sentence, never forgets
+the duty due to the creature of God on whom the punishment is about to
+fall. Here I see nothing but fury and jealous rage. They are devoured
+by their thirst for blood, and equity is not the basis of their
+judgments. All the injurious imputations which have been levelled
+against me vanish. An invisible hand imprints on my forehead the
+serenity of innocence. An inward sentiment tells me that, having lived
+free from crimes, I shall not be confounded with the guilty. Unhappy
+is the man whose conscience gives a contrary testimony. He endeavours
+in vain to shun the stroke that threatens him. The history of the
+Sultan Hebraim and of his son is a proof of this."
+
+Bohetzad, struck with astonishment at the intrepid firmness of Aladin
+and the united rage of his ministers, wished to hear the adventures of
+Hebraim; and the Superintendent, having obtained permission to relate
+them, thus began:
+
+
+HISTORY OF THE SULTAN HEBRAIM AND HIS SONS, OR THE PREDESTINATED.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+The Sultan Hebraim, called by his birth to the government of extensive
+dominions, had enlarged them considerably by the success of his arms.
+But the want of an heir disturbed the enjoyment of his glory. At
+length, however, a son was born, whose birth was celebrated by public
+rejoicings and feasts, which, during forty days, announced to the
+people the happiness of the Sovereign.
+
+This time was employed in a very different manner by the astrologers
+who were employed to cast the infant's nativity. They could not
+conceal from the Sultan that an evil star had presided at the birth of
+his son. The orbit of his planet, black and stained with blood,
+announced misfortunes, which it would be difficult to resist. They
+unanimously declared that before he was seven years old, the infant
+would be exposed to the devouring jaws of a tiger; and that if he
+could escape the fury of that animal during this determinate space of
+time, his hand would become fatal to the author of his existence; and
+that there was no other way by which he could escape the evils that
+threatened him but by becoming, from the effects of education, an
+enlightened, wise, and virtuous Prince.
+
+The annunciation of so mournful a prediction dissipated the joy of
+Hebraim, and the days of public happiness were spent by him in tears
+and in grief. Nevertheless, as hope never forsakes the unfortunate, he
+flattered himself, and was happy to think, that it was possible to
+screen the heir of his power from the decrees of fate. It did not
+appear to him impossible to protect his son from the attacks of the
+tiger during the appointed term of seven years; and after having
+snatched him from the first decree of destiny, he might, by carefully
+watching over his education, beget in him sentiments of wisdom and the
+love of virtue, and thus disprove the prediction of the astrologers.
+
+After these reflections, the Sultan prepared a retreat on the summit
+of a mountain, in which he hoped that his son would be safe from the
+attacks of the tiger for the seven years determined by fate. A number
+of workmen were employed in forming in the rock a cavity of a hundred
+feet in depth, about a hundred and fifty in length, and thirty in
+breadth. They let down into this every material necessary to make a
+commodious lodging; a spring of water was found there, and they
+contrived a passage for it, as well as for the rain-water which might
+be collected in this cavity. They carried earth to it, and put plants
+there, which were soon in a thriving condition.
+
+After having furnished this little palace in a proper manner, they let
+down into it the Prince and his nurse by the help of a pulley,
+together with every necessary article for a month. At the end of every
+moon Hebraim came regularly to visit his son. The nurse laid the
+child in a basket made of bulrushes, which was lifted up to the very
+brim of the entrance; and while the father yielded to the sweetest
+emotions of nature in caressing his son, a numerous guard, by the
+thundering sound of their instruments, kept the wild beasts at a
+distance. When the visit was over the provisions were renewed, and the
+cord, rolling upon the pulley, gently returned to the bottom of the
+cave the basket and the infant.
+
+The young Prince grew and prospered in this solitary habitation, which
+a very strong vegetation had adorned with trees and shrubs of every
+kind. The fatal term marked out by the astrologers had almost elapsed.
+Only twenty days were wanting to fulfil the seven years, when a troop
+of unknown hunters, in vigorous pursuit of an enormous tiger which
+they had already wounded, came to the summit of the mountain in full
+view of their prey. The furious animal, terrified by their shouts, and
+struck by arrows which were shot at it from every quarter, found this
+cavity in its course, and either blinded by terror or being now in
+despair, immediately sprang down it. It fell upon a tree, which,
+bending under its weight, considerably broke the force of a fall which
+would have dashed it to pieces on the bottom of this pit.
+
+The terrified nurse endeavoured to conceal herself, and the monster
+found the child, which it grievously wounded on the shoulder. On
+hearing the cries of the infant, however, the nurse, forgetting her
+own danger, flew to his assistance. The tiger darted at her, and
+having torn her in pieces, was about to devour her, when the huntsmen,
+coming suddenly up to the brink of the precipice, discharged at once a
+shower of arrows upon the voracious animal. His body was full of them,
+the blood gushed from every part of it, and an enormous stone thrown
+at his head killed him on the spot.
+
+After this exploit the huntsmen, anxious to discover the child whose
+cries resounded in this frightful habitation, eagerly descended into
+it. But what was their astonishment when they found there at the side
+of a dead woman a beautiful infant, richly dressed, and swimming in
+the blood of the wounds it had received! Their first care was to
+assist the innocent creature, which still breathed. They bathed its
+wounds, and wrapped them up with healing herbs. As soon as the infant
+appeared more calm, they buried the nurse and examined this strange
+retreat. The furniture of this small habitation appeared extremely
+rich, and a quantity of provisions was found there, which seemed to
+have come down from heaven. The huntsmen took possession of everything
+by the right of conquest, and sought how they might take out of this
+dungeon everything it concealed.
+
+The basket of bulrushes was first employed in drawing up the young
+child out of this habitation, and next all the effects, the furniture,
+and the provisions, were raised by means of the pulley which was fixed
+at the top of the cave. When everything was out a division was made.
+The chief of the troop took possession of the infant, in whose
+preservation he felt himself strongly interested, and carried it with
+him to his own house.
+
+The only son of the Sultan Hebraim had fallen into good hands. His
+benefactor was a man of distinction, wealthy, and without a fault but
+that of an unlimited passion for the chase. Struck with the beauty and
+the sweetness of his young charge, he paid the greatest attention to
+him. And when he found him capable of answering his questions, he
+endeavoured to learn from him who he was, and for what reason he had
+been made to dwell in so extraordinary a habitation.
+
+"I know not," replied the child. "I lived with the woman whom you
+found dead; she gave me everything I wanted. From time to time a man,
+much bigger than you, came and stood at the top of the dwelling where
+you found me. I was put into a basket and drawn up to him. He caressed
+me very much, and called me his dear child. I called the woman Nurse,
+and she likewise said I was her dear child. I know nothing more."
+
+The benefactor could not conclude, from this simple declaration,
+anything else than that this child owed its birth to parents of an
+illustrious rank, but he could not discover the very extraordinary
+reason which had forced them to conceal its existence by a method
+still more extraordinary. Expecting that time would unravel this
+mystery, he paid every attention to the boy's education, had him
+instructed in the sciences, and trained up in exercises suitable to
+the most illustrious descent.
+
+The young disciple early answered the hopes of his friend. He excelled
+particularly in the art of horsemanship, handled every sort of weapon
+with dexterity, and in general acquired all the knowledge necessary
+for the most resolute warrior or hunter.
+
+One day, as they were both hotly engaged in the pursuit of some
+tigers, they were suddenly surrounded by a band of robbers. Abaquir
+(for that was the young man's name) displayed, as well as his master,
+prodigious feats of valour. But, overpowered by numbers, they were
+both plundered. The protector of Abaquir lost his life, and he himself
+received some slight wounds; but the faintness which succeeded was
+more the effect of fatigue than of blows. As soon as the robbers had
+disappeared he came to himself, and being naturally courageous, he
+attempted, though deprived of every aid, to cross the desert, in order
+to reach some inhabited place, having nothing for his defence but a
+hunter's javelin, which had been left on the field of battle.
+
+He had travelled but a few hours when he perceived in the plain a man
+in the habit of a dervish. He made haste to join him, to address and
+salute him. The dervish prevented him by beginning the conversation
+himself.
+
+"Beautiful young man," said he to him, "you are naked and wounded. Who
+hath reduced you to the distressed situation in which I see you?"
+Abaquir did not hesitate to relate his adventure to this man, whom he
+took for some holy person, and confidently asked from him some food
+and clothing.
+
+"One ought," replied the dervish, "to know what it is to strip himself
+in order to clothe his brother, and to share with him his food in
+order to preserve him."
+
+At the same time he covered the young man with his cloak, made him sit
+down, and drew from a sort of wallet some dates, bread baked with the
+milk of a camel, and a bottle of the skin of a goat, containing five
+or six pints of water.
+
+"Hold," said he, "you shall have the repast of a penitent. I carry
+these with me to supply my own wants and those of others; but we will
+go to my cave, and there you will find both repose and plenty."
+
+Abaquir, before he began to eat, returned thanks to the holy Prophet
+for so seasonable a relief. When the first calls of hunger were
+satisfied, the dervish prevailed upon him to go with him to his cell,
+which was at no great distance.
+
+Abaquir was received therewith every mark of benevolent charity. His
+wounds were washed and dressed, and the most nourishing food was set
+before him. In this wild habitation the tables and chairs were nothing
+but stones rudely thrown together, and the beds were made of heaps of
+moss; but it was very well for Abaquir, who had been reduced to the
+want of everything. Besides, the attention of his landlord supplied
+the want of conveniences in this retreat. The young man conceived the
+highest idea of the profession of a dervish, from its inspiring
+sentiments so humane.
+
+"My dear child," said the disguised person to him, "I take pleasure in
+bestowing care on you; do not place all to the account of religion.
+You inspire me with a strong interest, and if you wish to go away from
+me, you must at least tarry till you are perfectly recovered of your
+wounds, for the passage from this desert is extremely difficult."
+
+Although the young man could not but show himself grateful for so much
+attention, yet it did not appear uncommon to him. Accustomed to the
+tender caresses of his nurse, to those of his father, and of his
+generous benefactor who had since directed his education, the
+attentions of the pretended dervish seemed to him affectionate and
+natural. The latter, by degrees, came to know all the adventures of
+Abaquir, and appeared to take in him an interest always more marked.
+
+"Either I am much deceived, child," said the recluse, "or I perceive
+that you are reserved for very high fates, and I devote myself to
+become your conductor in this fortunate career. I will restore to you
+this father who took so much pleasure in lavishing his caresses upon
+you."
+
+"Ah! if you can," replied Abaquir, "conduct me to him immediately."
+
+"In your present condition? No, my child, you are unacquainted with
+mankind. Nature speaks not with the great in favour of a stranger
+covered with the old cloak of a dervish. Before you could obtain a
+hearing, you would experience the treatment reserved for an impostor,
+and there would be a number of interested people ready to forbid you
+all access. But at present you are with a man who loves you, and whose
+resources are inexhaustible. A disgust at the riches and vanities of
+the world made me form the resolution of retiring from it. But
+to-morrow, if I choose, I can have more of them in my possession than
+would satisfy the ambition of the most wealthy potentates on earth. I
+can show you part of them. The earth conceals treasures which I can
+force her to give up. Not far from this there is great abundance of
+them, and I will conduct you thither. You shall take what may be
+necessary to carry you to your father's Court, preceded by a hundred
+camels, loaded with the richest stuffs of the East, and each of them
+led by a slave. You shall be surrounded by a guard, which will secure
+you respect wherever you pass."
+
+Abaquir was lost in admiration. He could not imagine that these
+magnificent promises were real when he looked upon the coarse cloak
+with which he was covered, the furniture, and the fantastic utensils
+of his landlord. The latter, after having been some moments lost in
+reflection, thus resumed his speech:
+
+"O my child, never let appearances deceive you! The more you advance
+in years, the more you will learn to distrust its illusions. I am a
+dervish by inclination, but all the garments I wear are not mean. Here
+is one which becomes none but brave and powerful men." At the same
+time the pretended dervish opened his cassock, and discovered a girdle
+of red, yellow, and green silk.
+
+"Take courage, young man," continued he: "to-morrow I will show you
+great things. Our attention shall be engaged about your fortune. I
+shall be able, without being obliged to go far, to find out this
+singular cave in which you were brought up. I shall know the
+architect; and in a month, after having finished all our preparations,
+we will depart for your father's Court, with a train of attendants
+that will force everybody to welcome us."
+
+The discovery of this girdle under rags had struck Abaquir with
+astonishment. He depended upon the promises of his new protector, and
+accepted his offers.
+
+"But," continued this extraordinary man, "as soon as you shall be at
+your father's house, and, notwithstanding the pain which our
+separation will cost you, I shall require your permission to return to
+my solitary manner of life."
+
+"Willingly," replied Abaquir; "but you will not prevent me from
+conducting you thither."
+
+On the morning of the next day the dervish made the young man take a
+basket with provisions for breakfast, and a parcel of ropes, and they
+went together to the bottom of a steep mountain. When they had arrived
+there, the companion of Abaquir encouraged him to exert new strength.
+
+"You may," said he, "suffer a little fatigue, but reflecting that you
+are to reap the fruit of it, you must redouble your courage. Be not
+astonished at what you are about to see. This mountain contains in its
+bosom a treasure which cannot be estimated. These riches are abandoned
+to magi, like me; but we despise using them for ourselves. Do not
+spend your time in gathering gold, which you will find here in great
+quantity: take nothing but precious stones. This is the best method of
+enriching yourself speedily."
+
+After this advice, the dervish threw off his cloak, and appeared as a
+magician. He was covered only with his large particoloured girdle
+which adorned his breast. He took from a purse which hung from his
+girdle an instrument for striking fire, and, having lighted a taper,
+he burnt perfumes, and running over a book, he pronounced with a loud
+voice a magical charm. Scarcely had he finished when the earth shook
+under his feet, opened before him, and discovered a square stone of
+marble, upon the middle of which the magician immediately scattered
+perfumes. When he thought the air sufficiently purified and refreshed
+with them, he girded Abaquir with a rope under his arms, put a taper
+in his hand, and let him down into the opening.
+
+As soon as Abaquir had got into it, his eyes were dazzled by the
+splendour of the riches with which he was surrounded. But, faithful
+to the advice of the magician, he picked up only precious stones, with
+which he filled the basket which his guide had let down to him by a
+cord. When it was full and lifted out of the pit, the magician took
+it; and at that moment a dreadful noise was heard, the fatal trap was
+shut, and the young Abaquir found himself swallowed up in the bowels
+of the earth, without any hope of ever getting out.
+
+He believed he was betrayed by the magician, and, without great vigour
+of mind, would have abandoned himself to despair. But, after having
+shed some tears, he retraced in his memory the events of his former
+life. Threatened in his early infancy with becoming the prey of a
+tiger, Providence had protected him from danger. Attacked afterwards
+by robbers, the same protection had saved him. "The arm which hath
+defended me," said he, "will not cease to do so still. I am innocent
+and betrayed." In this confidence he prostrated himself before Him who
+has the keys of the deep, and rested with confidence in His
+assistance.
+
+By the light of the candle, which was still burning, he examined the
+immense cave which served him as a prison. He thought he perceived at
+the bottom a passage, the path of which could not be followed without
+stooping. He approached it with his light, but there came from it so
+strong a wind that it was instantly extinguished. Far from lessening
+his hopes, this accident increased them. So violent a wind announced
+to him a passage outward. He entered it with great difficulty, and
+almost creeping in the darkness. As he advanced he heard a hollow
+noise, the murmur of which presaged to him some singular event. He
+soon perceived that he dipped his hands and his knees in a spring of
+running water. He raised his head, and finding that he could take some
+rest, he sat down upon a stone which he had met with, amid the murmurs
+of many other streams which flowed from these deep caves. He filled
+the hollow of his hand with the water, which was fresh and delicious.
+He drank of it, and after having recruited his strength, he continued
+this fatiguing journey. But these little streams, which thus far had
+only run upon the ground, had here hollowed out a bed for themselves.
+He was obliged to enter it, and the farther he advanced the more the
+danger increased, till at last he began to swim. The darkness around
+him at length began to be dissipated. The cavern grew wider and
+higher, and admitted a feeble ray of light, which seemed to announce
+that the outlet was near. The strength of the swimmer increased with
+his hopes; and he soon found himself under the vault of heaven, at the
+moment when the sun was ceasing to adorn it, and the goddess of the
+night was succeeding to her task.
+
+Abaquir might now repose without fear, and his strength was exhausted.
+He laid himself upon the ground, and, overcome with fatigue, soon fell
+asleep. He had but few of the wet clothes which he had received from
+the magician to put off, for the rubbing of the flints had carried
+away part of them, and the remainder were but shreds.
+
+The singing of birds announced the return of morning, and the first
+rays of the sun awakened Abaquir. The young Prince, on opening his
+eyes, recollected the dangers from which he had just escaped. He
+retraced the most trifling circumstances of them in his memory. He
+thought he remembered to have seen, in the frightful cavern he had
+traversed, the carcasses of many who had fallen victims to the avarice
+of the wicked magician. This remembrance filled his soul with terror
+and dismay; but, at the same time, he felt the value of the blessings
+of the Almighty hand, which had miraculously rescued him from this
+tomb. His eyes, raised to heaven and swimming in tears, expressed his
+gratitude, while his lips celebrated the praises of the Almighty and
+of His Prophet.
+
+These first duties being fulfilled, it became necessary to appease the
+hunger which preyed upon him. In running round the borders of a small
+lake where he was, he perceived some reeds, of which he sucked the
+stalks, and chewed the roots with his teeth. He dug up the earth all
+around, which furnished him such supplies as his urgent need required.
+By the help of care and patience he at last regained strength, and
+with it, courage. He then took up some shreds of his clothes, already
+dried by the sun, and fixed them to a girdle made of the leaves of
+reeds; and by searching carefully he found a stick, which served him
+at once for support and defence. He arrived, after much fatigue, upon
+a little plain, from whence he discovered a neighbouring city, to
+which he directed his steps by the first road that presented itself.
+
+As soon as he was perceived by the inhabitants, one of them ran to
+meet him, and appeared eager to lavish upon him the assistance of
+which his external appearance showed he had need. He obliged him to
+take an asylum in his house, where he was received with kindness; the
+recital of his adventures was listened to with feeling, and he found
+friends in his misfortunes.
+
+And now, without feeling a moment's uneasiness concerning the fate of
+this young Prince, let us return to the Sultan Hebraim, his father,
+much more afflicted than he by the accomplishment of the mournful
+prediction.
+
+The second day after the defeat of the tiger was the term assigned by
+the astrologers. The Sultan, thinking to reap at length the fruit of
+his cares and prudence, appeared at the top of the opening, and
+announced his arrival as usual by the sound of a horn. But nobody
+having answered his first signal, Hebraim, uneasy at this silence,
+made some of his officers go down into the pit, who, after much
+diligent but fruitless search, found nothing in it but the dead body
+of a tiger. The unhappy father doubted no longer the death of his son:
+he returned in haste to his palace, and sent for the same astrologers
+whom he had formerly consulted respecting the fate of his heir.
+
+"Unhappy that I am!" said he to them, "your fatal prediction is
+verified: my son has been devoured by a tiger before the expiration of
+the seven years; for in the retreat which I prepared for him I have
+found nothing but the body of an enormous tiger."
+
+"Invincible Sultan!" replied the astrologers, "since the event forces
+from you an acknowledgment of the truth of our presage, we must
+congratulate you now on being beyond the reach of an inevitable death,
+which he whose loss you deplore would have brought upon you. Your son,
+falling under his destiny, has died in innocence and you are
+preserved."
+
+This reflection brought some relief to the natural sorrow of the
+Sultan, and time completely effaced the remembrance of it.
+
+In the meantime, Abaquir, of whom we must not lose sight, grew weary
+of his idleness in this little village where he had been so well
+received. His landlord had a numerous family, and but very small
+resources for their maintenance. The young Prince being unwilling to
+be a burden on him, went frequently to hunt in the country. One day as
+he had killed a deer, and was preparing to lay it on his shoulders, he
+was suddenly surrounded by a troop of horsemen, and doubted not that
+he was in the middle of a band of robbers.
+
+"Companion!" said the chief to him, "you hunt on foot, and carry
+nothing but a bow. There are, however, in these deserts many lions and
+tigers, and you may some day be worsted. Come and hunt along with us,
+and we will give you an excellent horse."
+
+Abaquir, already eager for the chase, thought he had found an
+excellent opportunity of following his inclination, and of relieving
+his landlord of the burden of his entertainment. He briskly replied to
+this offer by saying that he accepted the favour they intended him of
+admitting him into their number. The chief of the band perceived by
+this reply that the young man, who was as yet a novice, had not
+understood his proposal in its true sense, and thus resumed his
+speech:
+
+"Since you are willing to join us, we will breakfast together to
+confirm our acquaintance."
+
+Upon this the rest of the band dismounted, opened their knapsacks, and
+began each to satisfy his appetite.
+
+"Since you are one of us," said the chief, "I must inform you of the
+laws by which we are governed. We love and assist one another as
+brethren, we make an equal division of our booty, and we swear to be
+faithful in life or in death."
+
+"I have already lived among hunters," replied Abaquir; "I love that
+way of life, and you must know that if I do not owe my birth to them,
+I am at least indebted to them for my life. Your laws appear to me
+extremely equitable."
+
+"Since it is so," said the chief, "I have nothing more to do but
+instruct you in our rules. Although I am only your equal, every one
+here submits to me as their chief. And as it is necessary that I
+should be feared and respected, I treat with extreme rigour all those
+who disobey my orders."
+
+"The moment you associate in a band," said Abaquir, "subordination is
+essentially necessary."
+
+"Swear, then, upon the Koran, and by the name of the holy Prophet,"
+replied the chief, "to submit to all our laws without limitation."
+
+As soon as Abaquir heard the divine book mentioned, he believed he had
+got among saints, and without hesitating took the Koran, put it thrice
+upon his heart, his head, and his lips, and promised more than was
+required of him. Thus was he enrolled without knowing it in the number
+of the greatest miscreants of the desert. All his new companions
+embraced him with joy. He mounted a fine horse, was covered with a
+cloak, and armed with a bow, a sabre, and a spear. Abaquir was
+delighted, and perceived not till next day the rashness of the
+engagements he had made.
+
+In a short time these vagabonds spread themselves over the desert, and
+robbed and plundered travellers and caravans. Their number was every
+day increased by the success of their fatal expeditions. At length
+their ravages became so considerable that the Sovereign of these
+countries put himself at the head of some troops to pursue them. This
+was the Sultan Hebraim. The robbers were surrounded on every side; and
+Abaquir, being at the head of the band, was particularly aimed at by
+the Sultan. But the young man, warding off the danger which threatened
+him, wounded his adversary with an arrow; while, in another quarter,
+the subjects of the Prince had made themselves masters of the robbers.
+Every one that did not fall by the sword was taken prisoner, and the
+deserts were at last cleared of this wandering and destructive band.
+
+The Sultan, however, was very grievously wounded. On his return to the
+capital, and after having received some medicines for his hurt, he
+sent for the astrologers.
+
+"Impostors!" said he to them. "Did you foretell that I was to die by
+the hand of a robber?--you who threatened me only with dying by that
+of my son?"
+
+"Sultan," replied they, "everything which we have foretold is
+unhappily but too true. First let your Highness examine the criminal;
+inform yourself from what hand the fatal arrow came, and then form
+your opinion of us."
+
+Hebraim ordered all the prisoners to be brought into his presence, and
+promised them their lives and their liberty if they would discover the
+person that wounded him.
+
+"It was I," said Abaquir, with firmness; "I have been so unfortunate
+as to attack the life of my Sovereign, whom I did not know, and I
+deserve death."
+
+"Take courage, young man," said the astonished Sultan. "Tell me only
+who you are, and who is your father."
+
+Upon this demand, Abaquir gave a full detail of his history, so far as
+was consistent with his knowledge, up to that part of it where the
+tiger wounded him and devoured his nurse. The relation was interrupted
+by the visible change which was observed on the countenance of the
+Sultan. But somewhat recovered from this first emotion, Hebraim warmly
+solicited the account of his adventures. The young Prince continued
+his history, and ended by describing the dread he had felt when
+fighting against the Sultan.
+
+"Stop!" said Hebraim, with tears in his eyes. "Approach, and show me
+the bite of the tiger."
+
+Abaquir obeyed.
+
+"I have found the truth," exclaimed the Sultan, as he examined the
+scar. "Hesitate no more, my dear son; come into my arms! Let me have
+at least the consolation, before going down to the grave, of having
+found my only son.--Astrologers!" said he, turning towards them, "you
+have told me truth as far as it was possible for you, but I was in the
+wrong to consult you about my destiny: we ought to submit in silence
+to the decree pronounced upon us; in seeking to shun it, we only
+increase its weight."
+
+Then addressing the whole Court:
+
+"Viziers, and grandees of the realm!" said he to them, "acknowledge as
+your rightful Sovereign Ben-Hebraim, my only son and assist him in
+fulfilling with dignity the difficult duties of the throne."
+
+Abaquir having been immediately crowned, under the name of
+Abaquir-Ben-Hebraim, his father died; for he caused the arrow which
+had entered his body to be pulled out, and his life escaped with the
+blood which issued from the large wound, while he reverenced the
+decree whose execution he had drawn upon himself, and blessed God for
+granting him an heir worthy of his crown.
+
+Ben-Hebraim, early called to the government of a kingdom, but
+instructed by adversity, brought up amid labour, and virtuous from
+principle, showed himself worthy of the public confidence. The
+adventure of the magician and the robbers put him on his guard against
+appearances. He pardoned the latter, but ardently wished that Heaven
+would bring the former under his power, that he might make him an
+example of justice.
+
+One day, as the young Sultan was passing through the market-places of
+the city in disguise, he perceived a stranger surrounded by a crowd,
+whom curiosity had attracted. They were admiring some diamonds and
+jewels of the most exquisite beauty.
+
+Ben-Hebraim observed this stranger attentively, and, under the rich
+dress of an Armenian, he recollected his wicked dervish. The tone of
+his voice and his striking air marked him so strongly, that it was
+impossible to mistake him.
+
+The Sultan speedily returned to his palace, and sent secretly for the
+youngest of the robbers, whom he had kept on account of the happy
+dispositions he had discovered in him, and of the aversion he had
+shown for a manner of life which he had formerly been compelled to
+embrace.
+
+"Margam," said he to him, "I have need of your assistance in
+delivering the world from a most dangerous man."
+
+And at the same time he pointed out to him the part he was to act in
+the plan which they concerted together.
+
+Two days after, Ben-Hebraim sent his chief eunuch, attended by four
+officers of the palace and a train of slaves, to invite the Armenian
+jeweller Daboul to come to the palace. And for this purpose one of the
+finest horses in the stables was led to him.
+
+The pretended Armenian was astonished at so much honour; and not
+supposing that this invitation had any other motive than curiosity, he
+collected his most precious effects, and intended to dazzle every eye
+by the magnificence of the present he was to carry to the Sultan. He
+entrusted two of his own slaves with it, and allowed himself to be
+conducted by the eunuch.
+
+As soon as he arrived at the gates of the palace, a deputation from
+the Sultan, with an officer at their head, came to present him with a
+richly-ornamented box filled with betel-nuts. All the halls of the
+palace which he crossed were perfumed with aloes and sandal-wood; he
+passed thus even to the most retired closet of the Sultan's
+apartments.
+
+Margam, in the robes of a Sultan, seated upon an elevated sofa, well
+instructed in what he was to do and say, was waiting for the stranger.
+Ben-Hebraim had acquired some knowledge in the magical art, the effect
+of which will soon be perceived.
+
+At the sight of Daboul, Margam descended from the sofa, and came to
+meet the pretended Armenian, without allowing him time to kneel, as
+was usual, and made him sit down on the sofa, giving him the
+right-hand place.
+
+"Permit this homage," added he: "it is that of a young magician
+towards his master." The astonished Daboul was silent. "Here are my
+proofs," pursued Margam, and, uncovering his deliman, he showed him
+the red, yellow, and green-coloured girdle which adorned his breast.
+"I earnestly wished," continued the false Sultan, "again to bring near
+me the man for whom wonderful circumstances have inspired me with as
+much respect as curiosity. The moment is now come, and I congratulate
+myself upon it."
+
+"Sultan," replied Daboul, "when science is united with power,
+everything must bend before them. And you see me in admiration at
+being within the reach of kissing the feet of another Solomon."
+
+"Let us leave to ordinary men," said Margam, "the desire of external
+respect. I seek not for empty homage, but am desirous to obtain new
+knowledge. Besides, what is an earthly sovereignty, subjected to so
+much labour and exposed to so many dangers, compared to that which you
+enjoy? What a happiness to be able to acquire immense riches, and to
+diffuse the blessings thereof, without being burdensome to any!"
+
+"I cannot, O wise Sultan," replied Daboul, "but approve of this noble
+ambition and these virtuous sentiments. We can make ourselves masters
+of many things with great facility, and without delivering a whole
+people to misery and the horrors of war: we sacrifice but one man."
+
+"That is precisely," interrupted Margam, "what I wanted to avoid. I
+would wish to be able to save a man, and it is on this very subject I
+was desirous to consult you."
+
+"To save him?" said Daboul. "When he is predestined to it, one could
+not preserve him even by putting oneself in his place."
+
+"In this case, he must be abandoned; but I would wish, at least, that
+he might only be a slave."
+
+"Sultan, you would obtain nothing. He must be a victim of consequence,
+and of a distinguished rank."
+
+"But it appears to me," said Margam, "that in a choice like this one
+is exposed to dangerous resentments."
+
+"There is a method of consulting beforehand," replied the magician,
+"such as I made use of in my last search, and I received for answer,
+'_In order that you may run some danger, it would be necessary that
+you should meet with your victim on earth_.' Now, having put him two
+hundred feet below ground, I could not fear the danger of his return."
+
+After appearing to muse, Margam added, "It will be necessary, then,
+that I overcome my scruples. I have only one thing to desire of you.
+We can work together during your residence here. I am going to show
+you the book which I have upon my breast, and wish you to give me
+yours."
+
+Daboul could not refuse; he was in a place where everything was
+subject to the power of the Sultan. Margam took the book, carelessly
+approached a burning pan, and threw it in. The magician wished to pull
+it out; but at that instant the real Sultan, coming from behind a
+curtain, stopped him.
+
+"Wretch," said he, "thy hour is come! Thou art in presence of Abaquir,
+thy victim, and at the same time of Ben-Hebraim, Sovereign of these
+dominions."
+
+Then, addressing his page, "Margam," said he to him, "lay aside your
+royal dress, and make my eunuchs approach. Infamous magician!"
+continued he, speaking to Daboul, "see how the deceitful illusions of
+thy art have hurried thee under the sword which must strike thee.
+Whither shall guilt flee when Heaven pursues it?--when the Divine
+vengeance arises from the earth to strike?"
+
+At these words the magician remained horror-stricken. But in a short
+time the terrible remorse which gnawed his conscience appeared to have
+the same effect upon him that the hot fire had upon his detestable
+book.
+
+"I burn!" exclaimed he at short intervals, and setting up dismal
+shrieks.
+
+"Let him be conducted from the palace," said the Sultan, "and let his
+head be cut off in presence of his slaves and of the people who are
+there assembled."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Aladin thus finished the history of the Sultan Hebraim and of his son;
+and, after a moment's silence, he again addressed himself to Bohetzad.
+
+"Sire, I might here apply to my own adventures the reflections which
+naturally arise from the history you have just heard. But if the
+decree of Heaven hath not determined my deliverance, there is no means
+whatever which could save me from the danger in which I am involved.
+The characters imprinted upon my forehead decide concerning my safety,
+and the success or the shame of my enemies. But at all events I shall
+remain rich in my innocence, and sooner or later it will triumph."
+
+Bohetzad, more irresolute than ever, gave notice by a signal that the
+minister was to be conducted back to prison.
+
+The seventh day had just appeared since the condemnation of the young
+Aladin had been so often deferred. It was the time of a festival. The
+grandees, the courtiers, and the nobility of the kingdom were
+assembled around the throne, a duty they were obliged to fulfil. The
+ten Viziers had all their creatures there. Some of these, authorized
+by the duties of their station, undertook to speak to the King
+against the Superintendent, by repeating all the strongest and most
+deceitful things that had been said, in order to bring the Sovereign
+to the resolution of exercising against this convicted criminal all
+the severity of justice. They finished by insinuating that, being
+descended from robbers, nothing was to be expected from him but
+crimes. Every one appeared to support these assertions by looks and
+gestures.
+
+The unanimity of these advices, in appearance so disinterested, shook
+the monarch once more. He thought himself obliged to acknowledge these
+marks of zeal by thanks, and to justify the irresolution of his
+conduct. "I do not mean," he said, "that the wicked should remain
+unpunished, but I would wish that the criminal himself, convinced that
+he has merited death, should be forced to acknowledge the equity of
+the judgment by which he is condemned."
+
+After this observation he ordered the criminal, who was still loaded
+with irons, to be brought before him.
+
+"Audacious young man!" said he to him, "you see around me the
+representatives of my nation, to whom the continuance of your life is
+a grievance. It is only by your death that the murmurings of my people
+can be appeased."
+
+"Sire," replied Aladin, with respect and dignity, "as to the crime
+with which so many voices seem to accuse me, and with whose vengeance
+I am pursued, I throw it always far from me, even to the shadow of
+suspicion. If the nation were here worthily represented, its voice
+would be the voice of God, and would be lifted up in favour of my
+innocence. This voice, to whose sound every one is deaf at this
+moment, yet resounds at the bottom of your Majesty's heart. The fowler
+has less power to smother with his hands the bird which he holds in
+them, than you have to take away my life. Your clemency alone would
+not have led you to have deliberated so long, if the finger of Allah
+did not weigh in your heart the atrocity of the imputations with which
+I am charged, and if the power of the star which rules my fortune were
+not opposed to my fall. I find, among the adventures of the family of
+Selimansha, innumerable circumstances that have a resemblance to
+mine. Balavan, his son, found, in attempting the death of one of his
+nephews, that no human power can hasten the moment of death marked out
+by Providence."
+
+"I should wish to know," said Bohetzad, "if you can show us in the
+history of this family an example of ingratitude like yours."
+
+
+HISTORY OF SELIMANSHA AND HIS FAMILY.
+
+
+Sire (replied the young Superintendent immediately) history has
+preserved to us the memory of a King of Persia, named Selimansha, who
+possessed all the virtues of a great Sovereign. His family consisted
+of two sons, but was increased by an only daughter of Kalisla, his
+brother, whom the latter, when dying, had entrusted to his care.
+Sensible of his preference, Selimansha forgot nothing in order to
+return his confidence. His love for his brother, joined to the purest
+virtues, engaged him to bestow the greatest care on the education of
+this Princess, whom he looked upon as his own daughter. Favours so
+delicate met in this young disciple the happiest dispositions, and
+soon brought her to a great degree of perfection.
+
+From the age of twelve the charms of her person and the graces of her
+mind caused her to be remarked by persons of her own sex as the star
+of morning in the bosom of the firmament. Her well-stored memory
+always enabled her to display the soundness of her judgment. She was
+so well acquainted with the Koran as to repeat chapters of it at
+pleasure, and she explained its meaning with a precision that
+delighted every hearer.
+
+Selimansha, seeing his amiable niece fit for marriage, thought he
+could not dispose of her hand better than by bestowing it on one of
+his sons. He proposed this to the Princess, leaving her, however,
+absolute mistress of her choice.
+
+"It is only your happiness that I seek, daughter; pronounce, and my
+will shall follow your decision."
+
+"On whose judgment could I better rely than on yours?" replied
+Chamsada. "I commit myself entirely to the tenderness of which I have
+every day the most affecting proofs, and I submit with pleasure to
+everything which your wisdom shall determine concerning me."
+
+"Your confidence flatters me," replied the good monarch, "and would
+redouble my affection for you were it capable of being increased.
+Since you leave to me the disposal of your lot, I will join it to that
+of my second son. The happy similarity which I have observed in your
+dispositions seems to me to promise the most agreeable union. I
+discern in him virtues which, now unfolding themselves, will soon
+become the rivals of your own. You are born to govern kingdoms, and I
+think he possesses virtues worthy of a throne. In giving him your
+hand, and in allotting him my crown, I promote your happiness, his,
+and that of my people."
+
+The amiable Princess cast down her eyes, while she thanked her uncle
+for his goodness. Selimansha immediately ordered the preparations
+necessary for the celebration of the nuptials.
+
+Public rejoicings followed it, and manifested the general
+satisfaction. They lasted sixty days. At the end of this term
+Selimansha, desirous of repose, abdicated the crown in favour of the
+son to whose fortunes he had just united the lovely Chamsada.
+
+Balavan, the eldest of Selimansha's sons, expected to ascend the
+throne at the death of his father. Smitten with the charms of his
+beautiful relation, he was reckoning upon offering her his hand, and
+associating her with his fortune. Indignation and jealousy took
+possession of his heart when he saw the rank and happiness to which he
+thought himself called by the right of age pass into the hands of his
+brother. Even if his merit had not been a reason for this preference,
+he knew that the Sovereigns of this part of the East have the power of
+choosing their successors in their family without regard to the
+prerogatives of age. But the impetuous Balavan thought they should
+have departed from this usage in his behalf, and followed that of
+other nations.
+
+The birth of a son to his brother increased his rage, and was another
+obstacle to his pretensions. He found means to introduce himself
+secretly into the apartment of the King his brother, and with a
+furious hand plunged his poniard into his breast. He entered with the
+same precautions and the same design into that where the infant was
+asleep; but lifting the veil which concealed this young Prince, more
+beautiful than the day, a supernatural feeling seemed to withhold his
+hand.
+
+"Thou shouldst have been my son," said he, "if injustice had not torn
+from me the heart and the hand of Chamsada."
+
+And recognizing at the same time in this innocent victim the features
+of her whose charms he adored, an involuntary emotion made him strike
+a feeble blow; the poniard wavered in his trembling hand, and the
+wound of the stroke was not mortal.
+
+Balavan was only induced to spare his sister-in-law from the hopes he
+entertained of one day obtaining her hand. This hope, however,
+restrained his murdering arm. As for Selimansha, he escaped this
+monster by the vigilance of his guards. At the moment when he
+approached the apartment of his father, in the dreadful design of
+completing his crimes by embruing his hands in his parent's blood, he
+was perceived by a slave, who, assisted by the eunuchs of the guard,
+deprived the murderer of every hope of success in the crime he was
+about to commit. Convinced then that he could not escape suspicion, he
+fled and concealed himself on the frontiers of the kingdom, in a
+castle fortified both by nature and by art.
+
+Day, which began to appear, was soon to discover the horrors of this
+bloody night. With the first rays of morning the nurse went to feed
+her tender care, whose blood deluged the cradle. Lost in astonishment,
+she ran to the apartment of the King and Queen to announce this fatal
+news. Her despair and shrieks went before her, and awakened Chamsada.
+The unhappy Queen opened her eyes, and found her husband breathing his
+last at her side. The cries of the nurse made her dread misfortunes
+still more terrible. A widowed spouse and a weeping mother, she ran to
+the cradle of her son and took him in her arms. He still breathed, and
+she conceived the hope of saving his life. The whole palace was in
+motion. Selimansha arrived with his eunuchs, and surgeons were called,
+whose skill and attention restored the life of this innocent creature.
+But they were employed to no purpose on the body of the young monarch,
+whose death the unfortunate Chamsada deplored. Aromatic and medicinal
+herbs and the balms of the East produced their effect on the wound of
+the child, and rekindled the hopes of his mother. He was again placed
+in the bosom of his nurse, and the presumptive heir of Selimansha was
+at length out of danger.
+
+In the meantime the aged monarch endeavoured to discover the murderer
+of his children. The hasty flight of Balavan, his poniard stained with
+blood, which was found in the apartment, soon confirmed the suspicions
+to which his vicious disposition had at first given rise. The
+unfortunate old man with difficulty restrained the excess of his
+grief.
+
+"Heaven," exclaimed he, "keep far from me the angel of death, since it
+is your will that I should still be useful on earth."
+
+After this he assembled the grandees and the Viziers, and announced to
+them his intention of resuming the reins of government.
+
+His first care was to comfort the disconsolate Chamsada, and they
+agreed in directing their attention to the lovely infant whom
+Providence had preserved. While they strengthened his constitution,
+they also formed his understanding and his heart. The mother explained
+to him passages of the law which ought to guide his manners and his
+conduct, and the old man instructed him in the important knowledge of
+the world and of men.
+
+At the age of eight, the young Prince was so robust that he was able
+to handle arms and endure the fatigue of riding; and in a few years
+more, his moral virtues were unfolded, and promised one day to eclipse
+those which had shone so conspicuous in the King his father.
+
+Selimansha, now judging that his grandson, with the assistance of good
+counsel, was capable of wearing the crown, resigned the reins of
+empire into his hands amidst the assembled divan, and caused him to be
+proclaimed King, under the name of Shaseliman, amidst the acclamations
+of the kingdom. The people, not yet recovered from astonishment at the
+dreadful stroke which had deprived them of a Sovereign they adored,
+promised his heir the same attachment, and expected from him the same
+love.
+
+The new King, directed by wise counsels, did not belie the happy
+anticipation of his subjects in his favour. The Cadis and Viziers,
+fulfilling with propriety the duties of their office, made the laws
+beloved, the wise and speedy execution of which confirmed the
+happiness of all. Equally punctual in the duties of religion as in
+those of the throne, Shaseliman was regular in his ablutions, attended
+prayers in the mosques, held three divans in the week, was every day
+busied with his ministers, and was found in every place where his
+presence was necessary to restore tranquillity and good order. The
+people, happy under his government, enjoyed their felicity in peace,
+when new crimes came to disturb it, and tear from them the hope of a
+durable happiness.
+
+The accursed Balavan, pursued by remorse at the crime which he had
+committed, and not thinking himself safe among a people by whom he was
+hated, left the fortified place where he had taken refuge, and
+attempted to retire into Egypt, in order to implore the protection of
+the Sovereign of that vast empire. There, concealing his crimes, he
+presented himself as an unfortunate Prince, the victim of a woman, and
+sacrificed by a father whom age had rendered weak. The King of Egypt
+received him with kindness, and was preparing to give him assistance,
+when an envoy of Selimansha arrived and demanded audience.
+
+This old monarch, informed by his spies of the road which Balavan had
+taken, had sent deputies to all the Courts at which this wretch might
+beg a retreat or support. A very full description was given of the
+fugitive, and all his crimes were mentioned.
+
+The Sultan, in communicating to the criminal the despatches he had
+received, gave immediate orders that he should be shut up in close
+confinement, waiting the sentence which an enraged father should pass
+against him. Such was the order intimated to Balavan, and such was the
+import of the answer which was given to the King Selimansha. But this
+father, too weak and affectionate, committed at once two capital
+blunders.
+
+In order to excite against his son all the anger of the Egyptian King,
+he had concealed from him that the young Shaseliman had escaped the
+mortal blow which was aimed at him. He did not correct this opinion
+in his second letter, and advised the King of Egypt to set the
+criminal at liberty.
+
+"Already too unhappy," said he, "I do not wish to stain my hand by
+tracing the order for my son's death. Let him wander from place to
+place, destitute of resources and assistance, having no companion but
+remorse, and no society but the tigers of the desert, less inhuman
+than himself. Assailed by want, tormented by grief, and detested by
+others, may he himself become the instrument of my vengeance, which I
+leave to the King of Kings."
+
+Upon this resolution, the Sultan set Balavan at liberty, and banished
+him for ever from his kingdom. Of this he gave an account to
+Selimansha, with whom he entered upon a much more agreeable
+negotiation.
+
+The fame of the beauty and valuable qualities of Chamsada had reached
+even to Egypt. Bensirak, the Sultan just mentioned, perceiving that it
+was possible to obtain her hand, made the proposal to Selimansha in
+the most urgent and respectful terms, beseeching him to gain the
+consent of her whom both nature and blood had made subject to him as
+his niece and daughter-in-law.
+
+The aged monarch of Persia, pleased with a demand which offered to his
+amiable niece so advantageous an establishment, instantly laid the
+proposal before her. The feeling Chamsada could not hear it without
+tears. Her heart still belonged wholly to the husband whom she had
+lost, and she must tear herself from the arms of her uncle and her
+child to be able to open her soul to the impressions of a new
+affection!
+
+"Alas! dear uncle," said she, "what sentiments will ever replace those
+whose sweetness I here experience? Where could I find duties so
+pleasant to fulfil?"
+
+"My dear daughter," replied Selimansha, "you are asked in marriage by
+one of the most powerful monarchs in the world. His virtues are highly
+praised, and his person favourably spoken of. Your son, whom I have
+placed upon my throne, stands in need of a protection more vigorous
+and lasting than mine. You will be able by your address to bring about
+a strict alliance betwixt the two monarchs. But forget not that, in
+order to procure the expulsion of Balavan, I have charged him with
+the double crime of having assassinated his brother and his nephew.
+Shaseliman reigns in Persia as a descendant of my house, and his
+mother must be concealed from Bensirak. You will become dearer to him
+when he can hope for your undivided affections, and that they will
+only be extended to the children who shall be born of this marriage.
+My experience hath taught me the weakness of the human heart. A
+powerful man always distrusts discourses in which personal interest is
+concerned. You can render your son upon the Persian throne the most
+essential services as a distant relation without being suspected of
+sacrificing the interests of your husband and children; but were you
+to speak in behalf of a son, you would be looked on as a mother
+blinded by an excess of love. Besides, it is very fortunate for us
+that Bensirak expects from our favour that which he might force from
+us by his power. Let us not by a refusal draw the scourge of war upon
+our people, and let us sacrifice to their repose and our own interests
+the pleasure we should have in living together."
+
+Chamsada made no opposition to these arguments, more specious than
+solid; and Selimansha in a short time returned, in answer to the
+Sultan, that his niece found herself extremely honoured by the choice
+of the powerful Sovereign of Egypt, and that she was ready to be
+united to him. On hearing this, the Sultan, intoxicated with joy, sent
+an ambassador with a superb retinue to bring his spouse. Selimansha,
+informed of the arrival of the Egyptian minister in his kingdom, went
+twenty leagues from his capital to meet him, received him in a
+magnificent camp, and after having feasted him for two days, delivered
+to him his niece. The ceremonies were shortened, as well to gratify
+the impatience of the Sultan as to conceal from the ambassador the
+secret of the existence of Chamsada's son. The aged monarch at that
+time assumed the dignity of envoy from the King of Persia, to fulfil
+the conditions of the treaty.
+
+No sooner had Chamsada arrived in the capital of Egypt, than the
+Sultan sent for the Mufti and the Cadi for the contract and ceremony
+of marriage. Their obedience was immediately rewarded by a present of
+robes and five thousand pieces of gold. The Princess entered the
+apartment allotted for the nuptials. A crowd of most beautiful slaves,
+and magnificently dressed, conducted her to the bath, carrying pots in
+which the most precious spices were burning. At her coming out of the
+bath she was dressed by her attendants with the greatest care. They
+fanned her with peacocks' feathers while her long and lovely hair was
+dressed, and spared no pains to attire her in the most costly
+garments, till her splendour outshone the lights of the apartment, and
+her beauty eclipsed that of everything around her. Thus attired, she
+was conducted to the Sultan.
+
+The monarch received her with demonstrations of the most tender
+affection, and seated her by his side. A supper was served up to them,
+of which the delicacy exceeded the profusion of the dishes; and he
+presented his future spouse with several boxes stored with the rarest
+jewels.
+
+In the meantime Chamsada, far from partaking of the public felicity
+and of the happiness of her husband, pined in secret. Separated from
+her son, she was occupied about him alone, to whom her heart was truly
+attached. Seconding the political and foolish views of her uncle, she
+would hazard nothing with the Sultan which might lessen the character
+of this respectable old man, and she durst not speak of her son. What
+evils, however, might she not have prevented by a proper confidence!
+And what might she not have expected from the love of Bensirak, which
+grew stronger every day!
+
+The event was soon to justify the tender uneasiness of the Queen
+respecting her son. Balavan, informed of the marriage of his
+sister-in-law with the Sultan of Egypt, and having learned that
+Selimansha reigned in Persia, felt his projects of vengeance awaken in
+his heart. He beheld himself deprived of the fruit of his crimes, of
+the throne of Persia, the object of his ambition, and of the beauty he
+was anxious to conquer. The wretch, delivered over to his
+inclinations, infested by every sort of crime the kingdom, which he
+hoped to seize after the death of his father. He lived by rapine and
+robbery.
+
+At length Selimansha, sinking under the weight of years, resigned his
+soul into the hands of his Creator. No sooner was Balavan informed of
+this event than he placed himself at the head of the banditti of whom
+he was the chief, stirring them up to revolt, drawing together new
+forces--gaining some by magnificent promises, and seducing others by
+the allurement of the gold which his crimes had amassed. They
+concerted their measures together. He dethroned his nephew, threw him
+into a dungeon, and was proclaimed in his stead.
+
+This cruel usurper, not content with his success, determined to put to
+death the innocent victim, who had formerly had such a miraculous
+escape from his murdering arm. But compassion, which could find no
+avenue to his soul, had entered the heart of his wretched accomplices.
+
+"We cannot consent to the death of a young man that hath done no
+evil," said they to Balavan: "keep him in close confinement if you are
+afraid of his interest, but spare his life."
+
+He was forced to comply with their demand, and shut up his nephew in a
+cave.
+
+Chamsada, having heard this afflicting news, was unable to restrain
+her excessive grief. But she could not inform her husband of the
+misfortunes of her son without exposing the memory of her uncle
+Selimansha, without representing him as an impostor, since he had
+written that the young Shaseliman had been assassinated. In the
+meantime the detestable Balavan completed the conquest of Persia. All
+the grandees of the kingdom came to pay him homage. The young
+Shaseliman remained shut up four years, scarcely receiving as much
+food as was necessary for his subsistence. Loaded with misfortune, his
+beauty no longer recalled the image of his mother, of whom he was the
+perfect resemblance. At length it pleased Providence, that watched
+over him, to relieve him for a time from so many evils.
+
+Balavan, seated in his divan and surrounded by a brilliant Court,
+seemed to enjoy in peace an authority which appeared immovable. In
+midst of grandees whose confidence he thought he possessed, and of
+courtiers whose flattery he received, a voice was heard. This voice,
+sacred to truth, and still devoted to the memory of Selimansha, spake
+as follows:
+
+"Sire, Heaven has crowned you with prosperity: in giving you, with
+this empire, the hearts of your people, your throne appears to rest
+upon an immovable foundation; show yourself more and more worthy of
+the favours of the Most High. Cast a look of compassion upon a feeble
+young man, whose innocence is his only support; who never opens his
+eyes to the light but to shed tears; every moment of whose existence
+has been marked by sufferings and misfortune. The unfortunate
+Shaseliman never could offend you: restore him his liberty."
+
+"I would agree to your request," replied Balavan, "had I not some
+reasons to fear that he would form a party against me, and become the
+leader of the malcontents whom a King never fails to make in spite of
+his best intentions."
+
+"Alas! sire," replied the Prince who had spoken, "who would follow a
+young man in whom nature is partly wasted by suffering, and whose soul
+has no longer any vigour? Your subjects are devoted to your interest,
+and where would he find any who would be foolish enough to cherish
+ambitious designs against you?"
+
+Balavan yielded to these arguments, and affecting clemency in the
+presence of his Court, he set the young Shaseliman at liberty, dressed
+him in a rich robe, and gave him the command of a distant province.
+But this was not so much with a view to procure him prosperity as to
+get rid of him altogether, by sending him to the defence of a country
+which was continually exposed to the attacks of Infidels. He presumed,
+with some reason, that he would sacrifice his life there, since none
+of his predecessors had ever escaped the dangers with which that part
+of Persia was threatened.
+
+The young Prince departed with a small party. Scarcely had they
+arrived at the place of their destination when the conjectures of his
+uncle Balavan were partly verified. The Infidels made an irruption.
+Shaseliman, having nothing to oppose to them but a handful of men, was
+forced to yield to numbers, and fell himself into the hands of the
+enemy. But they, on account of his age and beauty (departing from the
+cruel usage they practised on such occasions), instead of putting him
+to death, were satisfied with letting him down into a well, where
+several Mussulmans were already shut up prisoners. This unhappy
+Prince, the victim of destiny, saw a whole year elapse in this
+dreadful captivity.
+
+These Infidels had a custom every year, on a certain day, of carrying
+such as they had made prisoners to be thrown from the top of a very
+high tower.
+
+Shaseliman was drawn up from the well, conducted to the top of the
+tower, and thrown down with others. But Providence, who watched over
+his life, made him fall upon the body of one of his companions in
+misfortune. This body partly bearing him up, and the air supporting
+his clothes, preserved him from a mortal fall. He was stunned by the
+rapidity of the motion, but he neither met with a fracture nor a
+contusion, and except a long swoon, he experienced no other accident.
+
+He was at length recalled to life amidst the unfortunate people who
+had lost it. His first step was to raise his soul to God, and to
+testify his gratitude to Him, through the intercession of His great
+Prophet. He discovered that he was in the middle of an immense forest,
+and that the corpses which surrounded him must necessarily attract the
+wild beasts; he therefore removed from this dangerous spot. He walked
+all night, and as soon as he thought himself beyond the reach of men
+and animals, he ascended a tree, endeavouring to conceal himself in
+its foliage from the notice of travellers, and supporting himself by
+wild fruits. This way of life he constantly pursued till he reached
+the dominions of Balavan his uncle.
+
+He was near entering the first city of Persia when he perceived five
+or six men conversing together. Perceiving them to be Mussulmans, he
+accosted them, and gave them an account of the treatment he had
+received from the Infidels, and of the miraculous way in which he had
+been saved. The simplicity of his relation leaving no room to suspect
+its truth, they were affected with compassion in his favour, and
+conducted him to their house, where he enjoyed all the rites of
+hospitality. After some days' rest he took leave of his benefactors,
+in order to continue his journey towards the capital where Balavan
+reigned. His hosts, after furnishing him with whatever he had need of,
+showed him the way, without suspecting that the young man whom they
+had entertained in so obliging a manner was the nephew of their
+Sovereign.
+
+The young Prince walked night and day. Fatigued, tired, his legs and
+feet torn by the brambles and flints, he at length arrived under the
+walls of Ispahan, and sat down near a basin which served as a
+reservoir to a neighbouring fountain. Scarcely had he time to recover
+his breath, when he saw several gentlemen on horseback approaching.
+They were officers of the King who were returning from the chase, and
+were going to give their horses drink. Looking about them, they
+perceived the young Shaseliman; and notwithstanding the disorder of
+his dress, and the change which sufferings and dejection had made upon
+the natural charms of his countenance, they easily distinguished its
+sweetness and beauty, and were not able to look at him without feeling
+an emotion of the most tender interest.
+
+"What are you doing here, young man?" asked one of the officers.
+
+"Brother!" replied the wise Shaseliman, "you know the proverb: 'Ask
+not a stranger who is naked where are his clothes.' Let that answer
+for me. I am hungry and thirsty, I am weak and deprived of every
+resource."
+
+At this reply one of the officers ran to their beasts of burden, and
+taking some venison and bread, brought it to him. As soon as he had
+profited by this food, and seemed to have sufficient strength to
+continue the conversation,
+
+"Brother!" said one of the officers of the company to him, "we are
+interested in your fortune. Would it be indiscreet in us, should we
+beg of you to give us some account of your history?"
+
+"Before satisfying you," replied the unfortunate Prince, "answer, if
+you please, one question of the greatest consequence to me. Is King
+Balavan, your Sovereign, still alive?"
+
+"Do you know the King?"
+
+"Yes. You see before you Shaseliman, his nephew."
+
+"How can you be Shaseliman," replied the officer, "since we know that
+his uncle, after delivering him from a dungeon in which he had been
+for four years shut up, gave him the command of a province, where it
+was impossible but he must have died by the hands of the Infidels?
+Besides, we have heard that he was thrown down from the summit of a
+high tower by them with many other Mussulmans."
+
+Then the young Prince, in order completely to convince them, entered
+into the detail of all his adventures, and of the wonderful manner in
+which Providence had preserved his life. At this relation the officers
+were struck with astonishment: they prostrated themselves at his feet
+and watered his hand with their tears.
+
+"You are King, sire," said they to him, "the son of our rightful
+Sovereign, and in all respects worthy of a better fate. But, alas!
+what do you come to seek at a Court where you can find nothing but
+death? Recollect the cruelties of which you have been the victim--the
+treatment you have experienced, and the dangerous snare by which,
+under the shadow of power, you were devoted to certain death in the
+office to which you were appointed. Fly! Seek the country where the
+beautiful Chamsada reigns Queen over the heart of the Sultan of Egypt.
+It is there you will find happiness."
+
+"Alas! how can I direct my steps to Egypt? Selimansha, my grandfather,
+deceived the Sovereign of that empire by assuring him that I was dead:
+my mother and I would be considered as impostors should I hazard an
+appearance there."
+
+"You are right," replied he to him; "but should you be reduced to the
+necessity of living concealed in Egypt, you will at least be beyond
+the reach of your uncle's attempts, whose cruelties you will not
+escape if he learns that you are alive."
+
+To these advices the oldest of the officers likewise added his
+entreaties.
+
+"O my master and my King!" said he to the Prince, throwing himself on
+his knees, "the only and true descendant of Selimansha! Alas! must the
+slave who for thirty years was subject to his orders, who was the
+witness of his virtues and the object of his kindness, see you reduced
+to this depth of misfortune? Does fate, then, pursue this monarch even
+beyond the grave? Fly, dear Prince and wait not till you are attacked
+by greater misfortunes!"
+
+Each of them was eager to supply the most urgent necessities of
+Shaseliman. One stripped himself of part of his garments in order to
+clothe him; another divided with him his little provision; and all
+together made up a small sum of money, which might enable him to
+continue his journey. The unfortunate Prince, availing himself of
+their beneficence and counsel, took his leave. They did not separate
+from him without giving proofs of their attachment; and Shaseliman
+began his journey, recommending himself to God, and Mahomet His great
+Prophet.
+
+After a long and fatiguing journey, he at length arrived in Egypt,
+where Chamsada, his mother, reigned. When he drew near to Grand Cairo,
+he was unwilling to enter that great city, lest he should expose
+himself to discovery. He therefore stopped at a village at a little
+distance from the road, with the intention of entering into the
+service of some of its inhabitants. He offered himself to a farmer of
+the place to tend his flocks. He did not demand high wages, and lived
+in this obscure and miserable situation, subsisting with difficulty on
+the crumbs which fell from his master's table.
+
+But while the presumptive heir of the Persian throne was reduced to
+such a strange situation, how was Queen Chamsada employed? Every day
+this disconsolate mother felt her uneasiness increase. In the struggle
+betwixt her affection for her son and the secret which she must keep
+from the monarch, for the sake of her uncle's honour, her situation
+was as distressing as that of Shaseliman. There was at the Court of
+Bensirak an old slave of Selimansha, who had accompanied the Queen
+into Egypt, and who since that time had remained in her service. He
+had all her confidence, and was frequently the depository of the
+uneasiness of this tender mother. One day she perceived him alone, and
+made him a signal to approach her.
+
+"Well," said she to him, "you know my attachment for my son; you know
+my fears on his account, and you have taken no step in order to know
+what has become of him."
+
+"Queen!" replied the slave, "that which you wish to know is extremely
+difficult, and I know no means by which I could get information of it.
+You know that you have yourself confirmed the report of his death,
+which was attested by Selimansha; and although by chance your son
+should appear here, how could you destroy the public opinion? How
+could you make him known?"
+
+"Ah! would to God that my son were here, although I should even be
+deprived of the pleasure of seeing him. To know that he was still
+alive would be sufficient to confirm my repose and happiness."
+
+"Queen," replied the slave, "I am willing to sacrifice my life for
+you: what do you require of me?"
+
+"Take from my treasures," said the Queen, "the sum which you judge
+necessary for your journey: go to Persia and bring my son."
+
+"Money alone is less necessary here than prudence. Some plausible
+reason must be given for the journey which your Majesty proposes to
+me. You know that the Sultan honours me with his bounty, and that,
+engaged in his service, I cannot remove from his Court without his
+express permission. You yourself must ask and obtain it under some
+specious pretence, which may prevent him from entertaining any
+suspicion, and at the same time secure the success of your
+application. Tell him that during the disturbances which preceded the
+death of your husband you concealed, in a place known only to me, a
+casket of precious jewels, which you were anxious to put beyond the
+reach of accident. Beseech his Majesty to grant you permission to send
+me into Persia in search of this treasure. The care of the rest
+belongs to me."
+
+The Queen, convinced of her slave's attachment, and approving his
+counsels, flew instantly to put them in execution, and found no
+difficulty in obtaining her desire.
+
+The faithful emissary speedily departed, disguised as a merchant, that
+he might not be recognized in Persia. After much fatigue, he arrived
+at Ispahan, and having privately made inquiry concerning the fate of
+Shaseliman, received at first the most distressing accounts of him.
+
+Some days after, as he was walking in the environs of the palace, he
+found by chance one of the officers who had assisted the young Prince
+when he was sitting near the fountain which we have already mentioned.
+Having served together under the reign of Selimansha, they
+recollected one another, and entered into conversation.
+
+"You come from Egypt," said the officer: "did you meet Prince
+Shaseliman?"
+
+"Shaseliman!" replied the slave. "Ah! can he be alive after the
+dreadful news that are spread here concerning him?"
+
+"Yes, he is alive, and I will tell you, in confidence, how we learned
+this."
+
+He then related everything which had befallen him, as well as the
+other officers, when they had met the Prince, and how, upon their
+advice, the latter had taken the road to Egypt.
+
+The pretended merchant, transported with joy, wished, in his turn, to
+return the confidence of his former companion, and revealed to him the
+whole mystery of his mission into Persia; after this he took his leave
+of him to return into Egypt. In every place through which he passed he
+made diligent inquiry after the young Prince, describing his
+appearance as the officer had represented it to him. Being arrived at
+the village where he expected to meet him, he was very much surprised
+that no person could give any information concerning him. As he was
+preparing to continue his journey, he found, at his going out of the
+city, a young man asleep under a tree, near which some sheep were
+feeding quietly.
+
+He cast a look of compassion upon this poor creature, whose tattered
+garments announced his misery.
+
+"Alas!" said he, "it is impossible that this can be the man whom I
+seek. This is doubtless the child of some unhappy shepherd. My trouble
+will be lost; yet what do I risk by awaking this young man, and
+inquiring concerning the person of whom I am in search? Let me not
+neglect even this hopeless expedient."
+
+Having soon awakened him, he put the same questions to him which he
+had been accustomed to propose to every one.
+
+"I am a stranger in these places," replied Shaseliman, who was afraid
+to make himself known, being ignorant of the motives of this
+curiosity; "but, if I am not greatly mistaken, from the description
+which you have given, the person whom you are in search of is
+Shaseliman, the young King of Persia, and grandson to Selimansha. His
+father was killed by his barbarous brother Balavan, who usurped his
+throne; the son was wounded in his cradle, yet Allah preserved the
+life of that unfortunate infant."
+
+"O Heaven!" exclaimed the slave, "am I so happy as to hear Shaseliman
+mentioned? How, young man, have you guessed the cause which made me
+travel from Egypt into Persia? Who could inform you of it? Do you
+know, then, what has become of this unfortunate Prince? Shall I reap
+at length the fruit of my anxiety and labours? Where could I find
+him?"
+
+When Shaseliman was convinced that he who thus spoke to him was a
+messenger from his mother, he thought he might make himself known.
+
+"In vain would you run over the whole world," said he to him, "in
+order to find Shaseliman, since it is he who now speaks to you."
+
+At these words, the slave fell at the feet of his Sovereign, and
+covered his hands with tears and kisses.
+
+"Ah," exclaimed he, "how overjoyed will Chamsada be! What happy news
+shall I bring to her! Remain here, my Prince: I am going to find
+everything that is necessary for your going with me."
+
+He ran quickly to the village, and brought from it a saddled horse and
+more suitable clothes for Shaseliman, and they both took the road to
+Grand Cairo.
+
+An unforeseen event interrupted their journey. As they were crossing a
+desert, they were surrounded by robbers, seized, plundered, and let
+down into a well. Shut up in this frightful place, the slave abandoned
+himself to grief.
+
+"How! are you disconsolate?" said the young Prince. "Is it the
+prospect of death which terrifies you?"
+
+"Death hath nothing dreadful to me," replied he; "but can I remain
+insensible to the hardships of your lot? Can I think calmly upon the
+loss which the sorrowful Chamsada will suffer?"
+
+"Take courage," said Shaseliman. "I must fulfill the decrees of the
+Almighty. All that has happened to me was written in the Book of Life;
+and, if I must end my days in this dreadful abode, no human power can
+rescue me from it, and it becomes me to be submissive and resigned."
+
+In these sentiments and in this dreadful situation did this virtuous
+Prince and his slave pass two days and two nights.
+
+In the meantime, the eye of Providence continually watched over
+Shaseliman. It brought the King of Egypt, in pursuit of a roebuck, to
+the place where this Prince was shut up. The animal, struck by a
+deadly arrow, came to lie down and die on the brink of the well.
+
+A hunter, outstripping the King's retinue, came first to seize the
+prey. As he approached it, he heard a plaintive voice from the bottom
+of the well. Having listened to ascertain whether it was so, he ran to
+report this to the King, who was speedily advancing with his train,
+and ordered some of them to descend into the well. Shaseliman and the
+slave were immediately drawn out of it. The cords which tied them were
+cut, cordials recalled them to life; and no sooner had they opened
+their eyes than the King recognized in one of them his own officer.
+
+"Are not you," said he to him, "the confidant of Chamsada?"
+
+"Yes, sire, I am."
+
+"Well, what has brought you into this situation?"
+
+"I was returning," said the slave, "loaded with the treasure the Queen
+had ordered me to search for in Persia; I was attacked by robbers,
+plundered, and thrown alive into this sepulchre."
+
+"And who is this young man?"
+
+"He is son to the nurse of your Majesty's august spouse. I was
+bringing him to your Court, with the view of procuring him a place."
+
+After these two unfortunate men had received proper food, the King
+returned to his palace. He flew instantly to Chamsada, to give her an
+account of what he had seen, of the return of her slave with a young
+man, and of the loss of her treasure. When the Queen learned that they
+had been thrown into a well, grief took possession of her soul. She
+tried to hide her disorder, which was, however, betrayed by the
+visible alteration of her countenance under the mask of apparent
+tranquillity. The King, who was looking at her, and perceived the
+efforts she employed to restrain herself, wished to penetrate into the
+cause of her trouble.
+
+"What is the matter with you, Chamsada?" said he. "Are you afflicted
+at the loss of your treasure? Is not mine at your disposal?"
+
+"I swear by your life, O glorious Sultan," replied she, "that I am
+less sorry for the loss of my treasures, than for the sufferings of
+the poor slave, of which I have been the cause. I have a feeling
+heart, and you know how much I am affected by the misfortunes of
+others."
+
+However, as the King continued to relate the adventure of the well,
+and as she learned that the slave and the young man had been drawn up
+from it, she recovered her tranquillity, and at the end of her
+husband's relation her feelings were entirely calm.
+
+"Be comforted, my dear Chamsada," said he to her. "If all that I
+possess is not sufficient to make up for the loss of your treasure,
+think that you have one that is inexhaustible in the affection of a
+heart which is yours for life."
+
+Having said this, he retired.
+
+As soon as Chamsada was alone she called for her slave. He gave her an
+account of the manner in which he had got information of the Prince's
+adventures; of the means which Providence had employed in saving him
+from the cruelties and snares of his uncle; of the barbarity of the
+Infidels; and even of his too great confidence, when, having escaped
+being dashed to pieces by the fall, from which no Mussulman before him
+was ever saved, he was about again to deliver himself into the power
+of the barbarous Balavan. He continued his recital even to the moment
+when, drawn up from the well, the young Prince had been seen by the
+Egyptian monarch, whose curiosity he had excited.
+
+The Queen then interrupted him.
+
+"Ah!" said she to him, "what answer did you make to the King when he
+asked you who this young man was?"
+
+"Alas!" replied the slave, "I told a lie, and I beseech you to pardon
+it. I told him that he was the son of your nurse, and that he was
+intended for his Majesty's service."
+
+"Wise and faithful friend!" exclaimed Chamsada, her eyes bathed in
+tears, and still moved with what she had heard, "what gratitude will
+ever repay the service you have rendered to the most tender mother?
+Watch over my son. I trust him to your zeal and prudence. Never shall
+I forget the obligation I am under for what you have already done for
+him, and for what your attachment may still be able to do."
+
+"Queen! the recommendation is unnecessary. I know what I owe to the
+posterity of my Sovereigns, and there is no sacrifice I am not ready
+to make for your Majesty."
+
+These were not empty promises; the slave was no courtier. Considering
+what care and precaution would be necessary to repair the health and
+constitution of the young Prince, wasted by sufferings and fatigue, he
+made this his only study. A salutary and light diet, the use of the
+bath, and moderate exercise, gradually succeeded in renewing his
+strength. Nature resumed her empire; his body and mind regained their
+energy and every external charm, restored at length to the fairest of
+Queens the most beautiful Prince in the world.
+
+A happy similarity of disposition gained him the monarch's heart, who
+distinguished this page above all the rest. He soon became so
+necessary to his service, that he alone was admitted into his private
+apartment. The monarch boasted continually of his virtues, and praised
+this new favourite to the grandees of his Court, endeavouring to
+render him as dear to them as he was to himself.
+
+Amidst these flattering praises, which resounded in the ears of
+Chamsada, what conflicts of tenderness did not this feeling mother
+experience in the loss of her own son! She often perceived him, but
+durst not cast upon him one affectionate look. She was forced to
+restrain the affection of her heart, and give no visible tokens of her
+regard. Every day she observed his steps, and secretly longed for the
+moment when she might pour out her soul in his embraces. As he passed
+one day before the door of her apartment, and when she presumed no one
+would perceive her, she suddenly yielded to a mother's transports,
+threw herself on his neck, and in that happy moment forgot many years
+of sorrow.
+
+While this fond mother was indulging the sweetest feelings of nature,
+danger surrounded her. One of the King's ministers, coming
+accidentally out of the neighbouring apartment, was the unintentional
+witness of this scene. He was uncertain what to think of it. As
+Chamsada was veiled he might have mistaken her. But having asked of
+the eunuchs the name of the lady who inhabited the apartment before
+which he had passed, he came trembling to his Majesty, eager to
+discover the mystery of which chance had made him a witness. The
+charming page had already gone before him to the throne.
+
+"August Majesty," said the minister, "you see me still in horror at
+the crime which has just now been committed, and of which I have been
+a witness. Pardon me, sire, if I am under the necessity of discovering
+to you the conduct of a spouse whom you have loved too dearly, but as
+I passed before her apartment, I saw her embracing the vile slave who
+is at your side."
+
+He knows not the power of the passions who cannot figure to himself
+the sudden revolution which this report occasioned in the soul of the
+enamoured Sultan. The confusion of Shaseliman seemed still to increase
+it, and to remove every doubt concerning the truth of the fact. The
+Sultan instantly ordered the young man and the slave who had brought
+him from Persia to be thrown into a dungeon.
+
+"What abominable treachery!" exclaimed he. "What! was this pretended
+treasure nothing but a slave?" And running hastily into Chamsada's
+apartment, "What has she become," said he, addressing himself to
+Chamsada, "whose prudence, wisdom, and love were the glory of my Court
+and the pattern of wives? How has this mirror of perfection been
+tarnished in a moment! How has she become my shame after having been
+my true honour, and a subject of reproach to the world after having
+been its admiration! How, alas! have appearances deceived me!
+Henceforward, every woman shall be dishonoured in my eyes, from past
+and present to all future generations."
+
+Having said this, the King went out, his soul struggling betwixt love
+and jealousy, fury and grief.
+
+Chamsada was astonished at the reproaches she had just heard, and
+tormented by the false suspicions to which her husband, whom she
+loved, was abandoned. But how could she remove them? She had always
+confirmed to the Sultan the false report of her son's death
+intentionally spread by her father Selimansha, and she could not
+venture to discover him at present without exposing him to the utmost
+danger. Alas! when one has so long wandered from truth, is it possible
+to return? Could one regain confidence who has not known how to
+deserve it by a sincere and timely confession?
+
+"No, no," would she say, "it was my inclination, and, without doubt,
+my duty, to spare the reputation of my uncle, and to-day I would in
+vain attempt to sully it. O Sovereign Wisdom! Divine Goodness! only
+resource of the innocent, to Thee I lift my hands and my heart. By
+invisible means you formerly snatched my unfortunate son from the
+snares of death with which he was on all sides surrounded. He falls
+into them still, notwithstanding his innocence. The fatality of his
+star draws along with him my faithful slave and myself, and even the
+Sultan my husband, who is weighed down by the too well-founded
+presumption of our crime. Deliver us, O Allah, from the horrors of
+suspicion! And thou, great Prophet! if thou bearest in thy heart thy
+faithful followers--if all thy prayers in their behalf are heard--make
+mine ascend before the God of Justice! And since all the wisdom of the
+world could not untie the fatal knot in which we are bound, be pleased
+to employ in this work thy omnipotent power."
+
+After this invocation, she placed her confidence in Allah, and waited
+the event with resignation.
+
+In the meantime the irresolute soul of the Sultan was abandoned to the
+greatest uncertainty. His passion for Chamsada seemed to acquire new
+strength in proportion as he attempted to destroy it. He knew not what
+step to take. How should he take vengeance on the guilty? How could he
+discern if they were both equally so? How could he know which of the
+two he ought to spare? How could he strike two objects who were so
+dear to him? Harassed by these painful and afflicting considerations,
+he lost his repose and his health, and his nurse, who still remained
+in the seraglio, was alarmed at this change. This woman, whom age and
+experience had rendered prudent, having deserved the confidence of her
+masters, had acquired the right of approaching them whenever she
+thought proper, and accordingly she went to the Sultan.
+
+"What is the matter with you, my son?" said she to him. "You are not
+as you used to be. You shun the amusements which, till now, appeared
+agreeable to your inclinations. Riding, walking, and hunting, please
+you no more. You do not now assemble your Court, nor give feasts and
+entertainments. I well know that you scarcely take food. What secret
+grief consumes you? Open to me your heart, my son. You know my tender
+attachment, and you ought to fear nothing from my indiscretion. We
+often allow ourselves to be prepossessed by phantoms, and perhaps I
+may be able to dissipate, in a moment, those which disturb your
+imagination. Trust me with your affliction, my son, and I hope to
+soothe it."
+
+Whatever confidence this Prince had in his good nurse, and
+notwithstanding the great estimation in which he held her excellent
+qualities, he did not think it proper to disclose his grief to her. He
+must speak against Chamsada, and this remembrance would make the wound
+bleed afresh which she had made in his heart. The sage old woman was
+not discouraged by the ill success of her first attempt: she watched
+every opportunity of being seen by her master; and the tender looks
+which she cast upon him seemed to say, "O my dear son! speak to me,
+unfold your heart to your good nurse." But all her cares were
+fruitless.
+
+Finding that she could not succeed by this method, and presuming that
+Chamsada must have been informed of the Sultan's grief, and
+conjecturing, moreover, that a woman would more easily reveal the
+secret which she wished to know, she flew to the Queen, whom she found
+plunged in sorrow apparently as deep as that which consumed the
+Sultan. She employed every method which address and experience could
+furnish her, in order to deserve the confidence of Chamsada.
+
+"But why this cruel reserve with me?" said the good nurse. "Look, my
+daughter, upon my grey hairs! If age and time have furrowed my brow
+with wrinkles, they have also given me experience. I am no more the
+sport of passion, and my counsels will be dictated by prudence."
+
+Chamsada, shaken but not convinced by these arguments, replied to her,
+
+"My secret is very weighty, my dear nurse; it weighs down my heart;
+but it is impossible it should ever come out of it. In trusting you
+with it, I must be well assured that it will remain for ever shut up
+in your breast."
+
+"Your wishes shall be fulfilled," said the old woman. "I am discreet,
+and never shall my lips divulge your secret; but let it be no more one
+with her who takes so lively an interest in your happiness."
+
+At length Chamsada could resist her no longer: she related to her all
+her adventures, and informed her that the young man of whom the Sultan
+was become jealous was her son Shaseliman, who had been supposed to
+have been dead.
+
+"O great Prophet, I thank you!" exclaimed the nurse. "Praised be
+Mahomet! we have nothing to struggle with but chimeras! Be comforted,
+my daughter: every cloud will disappear: I behold the rising of a
+bright day."
+
+"O my good mother, we shall never, never reach it. Never will this
+young man be believed to be my son. We shall be accused of falsehood,
+and I would prefer the loss of his life, and of my own, rather than be
+suspected of this infamy."
+
+"I approve of your delicacy," said the nurse; "but my precautions
+shall prevent everything that might hurt it."
+
+Upon this she went out, and immediately entered the Sultan's
+apartment, whom she found in the same state of dejection and sorrow in
+which she had left him; she embraced him and took him by the hand.
+
+"My son," said she to him, "you are too much afflicted. If you are a
+true Mussulman, I conjure you by the name of the great Prophet to
+reveal to me the true cause of the grief which afflicts you."
+
+Unable any longer to withstand the force of this intercession, the
+Sultan was forced to reveal all his distress.
+
+"I loved Chamsada with my whole heart," said the Sultan. "Her graces,
+her wisdom, her virtues, all the charms, in a word, with which she was
+adorned, appeared to me a delicious garden, where my thoughts wandered
+with delight. All is now changed into a frightful desert, where I see
+nothing but hideous monsters and dreadful precipices. Chamsada is
+faithless. The false Chamsada whom I adored, and whom I love still,
+has betrayed me. She has given her heart to a vile slave. I am fallen
+from the height of an imaginary happiness into a hell where every evil
+torments me. The two criminals must perish: nothing remains for me but
+to proportion the punishment to the crime, and endeavour to
+distinguish on which of the two my severest justice ought to fall.
+But, alas! what will it cost me to execute this fatal sentence! The
+same weapon which pierces the heart of my adorable Chamsada, will
+wound my own with a deadly stroke."
+
+"My son! do nothing rashly," said the nurse. "You may expose yourself
+to eternal repentance. Those whom you think guilty are in your hands:
+you will always have time to punish them: allow yourself time to
+examine them. 'Time,' says the proverb, 'is the wisest of all
+counsellors: many things are brought to light by time and patience.'"
+
+"Ah! my good nurse, what explanation can I expect? Is there any that
+could destroy an attested fact? Chamsada loves this young man; and
+pretending that she had a treasure in Persia, she abused my confidence
+and affection to obtain from me an order to go in search of him."
+
+"My dear son, be calm," said the old woman. "I have a method of laying
+open to you the soul of Chamsada. Cause your hunters to bring me an
+egret.[17] I will tear out the heart of this bird, which I will give
+to you, and as soon as Chamsada shall be asleep, you must bring it
+near hers, and it will be impossible for her to conceal from you the
+smallest secret."
+
+[Footnote 17: Egret. A bird with a tuft upon its head.]
+
+The King, delighted with having it in his power to discover so easily
+the mystery which kept him in such perplexity, instantly ordered his
+officers to go and catch an egret in his gardens. One was brought to
+him, which he immediately gave to the old nurse. She tore its breast,
+accompanying this action, extremely simple in itself, with a magical
+charm, and the Sultan was put in possession of its reeking heart.
+
+While the Prince was reflecting on the surprising virtues of this
+method, the nurse had gone secretly to the apartment of Chamsada.
+
+"Everything goes well," said she to her. "Let your heart be filled
+with hope, and let your mouth be prepared to disclose the truth,
+without any reserve. Expect this night to receive a mysterious visit.
+It will be from the Sultan himself, with the heart of an egret in his
+hand. As soon as you perceive that he brings it near yours, feign to
+be asleep, but answer with precision all the questions which he may
+put to you, and let truth flow from your mouth, unsullied by the
+slightest scruple."
+
+Chamsada tenderly thanked the nurse, and prepared herself to second
+this innocent stratagem, beseeching the favour of the holy Prophet to
+carry conviction to his heart who was endeavouring to discover the
+truth.
+
+As soon as night had spread her shades, Chamsada, contrary to her
+custom, signified that she had need of rest. She sent away her slaves,
+and threw herself upon a sofa. Scarcely had she been there two hours
+when the Sultan, impatient to prove the nurse's secret, presented
+himself at the apartment of his favourite: he found there the chief of
+the eunuchs.
+
+"How is Chamsada employed?" demanded he.
+
+"She had need of rest," replied the eunuch, "and I believe she is upon
+her sofa."
+
+The Sultan entered without making the least noise, and found her
+asleep. He approached very near her, in order the better to judge of
+the soundness of her sleep, and, thinking it profound, he judged it
+proper to try his experiment, and gently applied the heart of the bird
+to that of Chamsada, saying to her, "Chamsada, who is that young man
+whom you were caressing when one of my ministers surprised you?"
+
+"He is Shaseliman," replied she, without awaking, "the only child of
+my first marriage with the son of Selimansha my uncle."
+
+"This child was stabbed in his cradle; I am assured of this by letters
+from your uncle himself."
+
+"He was indeed wounded, but the stroke was not mortal; skilful
+surgeons restored him to life; and this was kept a secret from the
+murderer of my husband."
+
+"Why have you concealed it from me, who loved you so dearly?"
+
+"Because my uncle, whose memory I cherished, and wished to be
+respected, had for a political reason imposed upon you respecting this
+fact. If what I have told you does not appear possible, interrogate
+the young man, and his mouth will confirm the truth of this
+declaration."
+
+Having got this ray of light, the Sultan gave over his inquiries,
+withdrew from his spouse, whom he supposed still asleep, left her
+apartment, and gave orders that the young man and the slave should be
+brought out of the dungeons in which they were shut up. This order was
+immediately executed.
+
+The unfortunate Shaseliman, who was languishing in his prison,
+suddenly hearing the vaults resound with the noise of the bolts and
+keys, believed that his last hour was come, and that the ignominy of
+punishment was about to terminate his existence.
+
+"O Allah!" said he, raising his innocent hands to heaven, "my life is
+in Thy hands; to Thee I resign it; but watch over the life of my
+mother!"
+
+Shaseliman and the slave were brought before the Sultan. The Prince
+did not leave to others the care of proving a fact so important to his
+honour and repose. He ran to the young man, and searched in his bosom
+for the scar of Balavan's poniard; he found it, and, transported with
+joy, he exclaimed, "O Allah! for ever be Thou blessed for having
+preserved me from the dreadful crime I was about to commit! and thou
+His great Prophet, a signal mark of whose protection the virtues of
+Chamsada have drawn down upon me, to so many favours still add that of
+enabling me to efface, by my services, the dreadful sorrows I have
+occasioned, and the idea of the injustice I was about to commit!"
+
+Then throwing himself into the arms of Shaseliman, "Come, dear and
+unfortunate Prince, come to my heart! Let your image be joined there
+with that of my beloved Chamsada, that my most tender affections may
+henceforth be centred on one object alone! But deign to satisfy my
+curiosity, and inform me by what chain of events you have been
+conducted hither, unknown to all the world. How have you existed?
+Speak, Prince. I am impatient to know more particularly the person who
+restores me to happiness."
+
+Shaseliman, encouraged by the demonstration of such affecting
+kindness, then gave a faithful detail of his adventures, from the very
+moment in which he had been hurled from the throne into prison, even
+to that in which, reduced to the humble condition of a shepherd, he
+had been found by the messenger of his mother, surrounded by robbers,
+drawn up out of the well into which they had been let down, and
+conducted to the Court of the Sultan.
+
+While this recital engaged the attention of Bensirak, Chamsada, his
+spouse, although less troubled than on the preceding days, was not
+altogether in a tranquil state. The events had become too important
+for her. She endeavoured to find out with what design the Sultan,
+after having questioned her, had departed so abruptly. She had not
+been able to learn what he had done, nor what was become of him, since
+the confession which she had made to him. She was indulging these
+reflections, and continued sunk in the sleep in which the Sultan
+seemed to surprise her. All at once twenty slaves, carrying flambeaux,
+came to illuminate her apartment; they walked before the Sultan, who
+conducted by the hand and looked with kindness on the beloved son of
+the most virtuous of mothers. He had caused Shaseliman to be dressed
+in the most magnificent garments; he was adorned with beautiful
+diamonds, in which Bensirak had delighted to be decked on the days of
+triumph.
+
+"Soothe your sorrows, adorable Chamsada," cried he, throwing himself
+into her arms. "The favour of Heaven restores to you a husband and a
+son, whose feelings and affection secure your felicity for ever."
+
+Shaseliman, on his knees, kissed the hands of his mother; and tears of
+consolation expressed the sentiments of the son and of the delighted
+pair.
+
+As soon as day had succeeded this happy night, the Sultan assembled
+the best of his troops, and put himself at their head, accompanied by
+Shaseliman. He took the road for Persia, causing heralds go before
+him, and announce to the people of that kingdom that he was about to
+re-establish on the throne their rightful King, assassinated,
+persecuted, and dethroned by the usurper Balavan. Scarcely had they
+reached the frontiers of Persia, when a party of the faithful subjects
+of the old King Selimansha, always attached to the blood of this
+august family, came to range themselves under the banners of the
+Sultan of Egypt and of Shaseliman. The perfidious Balavan heard this
+intelligence, and endeavoured to assemble his forces, in order to
+dispute the ground with a powerful enemy who came to overwhelm him;
+but no one would repair to his colours, and he was obliged to shut
+himself up in his capital with his usual guard and the few subjects on
+whose fidelity he thought he could depend.
+
+But if virtue, pursued by a superior force, is so often deserted,
+where are the resources of guilt?
+
+Ispahan is invested, and Balavan, betrayed by his ministers, is
+delivered up to the Sultan Bensirak, who, turning his eyes from a
+monster who had dishonoured the throne by the most dreadful crimes,
+and directing himself to Shaseliman,
+
+"My son," said he, "to you I commit the scourge of your subjects and
+your father's murderer; dispose of his lot, and give orders for his
+punishment."
+
+"O my benefactor! O my father! it belongs not to me to dispose of
+him," replied Shaseliman; "vengeance must come down from above. Let
+him go to the frontiers to guard that dangerous post with which I was
+entrusted. If he is innocent, he will be preserved as I have been; but
+if he is guilty, his decree is pronounced, and nothing can suspend its
+execution."
+
+The Sultan approved of the decision of Shaseliman, and Balavan set out
+to make head against the infidels. But divine justice was now
+prepared to inflict its stroke. He was taken, chained, and thrown into
+the fatal well, where gnawing remorse and dreadful despair continued
+to torment him till the moment of his death.
+
+Meanwhile the presumptive heir of the Persian crown, the happy
+Shaseliman, seated on the throne of his ancestors, received the oaths
+of his people. He commenced a reign of which the wisdom and piety
+recalled to the Persians the sublime virtues of the Grand Caliph
+Moavie. The Sultan of Egypt, after having seen this young Sovereign
+shine in the splendour of the most distinguished virtues, and having
+tenderly embraced him, returned to his dominions, and by his presence
+completed the joy of Chamsada. Nothing afterwards disturbed the repose
+of this happy pair, and having reached at last the term allotted to
+human greatness, they fell asleep in that peace which is the portion
+of faithful Mussulmans.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"Sire," said Aladin to King Bohetzad, after having finished his
+recital, "see by what secret and wonderful ways Providence delivered
+Shaseliman from the hands of persecution! See how it led Balavan into
+the very gulf he had dug for another! No, Allah will never suffer
+guilt to triumph and innocence to be punished. His vigilance and
+justice nothing can escape, and sooner or later He will tear asunder
+the veil with which the wicked are covered. As for me, sire,
+encouraged by my conscience and convinced that man cannot alter the
+decrees of my destiny, I am always firm and hopeful. I only fear that
+your justice will light on your Viziers, my accusers."
+
+At this discourse, equally firm, wise, and modest, the King was left
+still more irresolute than ever.
+
+"Let the execution of the sentence be suspended," said he; "let this
+young man be conducted back to prison. The silence of the night, and
+the reflections which his recital will occasion, may enlighten my
+judgment, and to-morrow I shall more easily take my resolution."
+
+As soon as Aladin had been led back to his dungeon, one of the Viziers
+began:
+
+"Sire, your Majesty suffers yourself to be overcome by the magic of
+this young impostor's discourses. The great Prophet preserve you from
+yielding to sentiments of mercy in his behalf! When guilt remains
+unpunished, the splendour of the throne is obscured. You are seated
+there for no other purpose but to administer justice: the crime of
+this villain is evident, and his punishment ought to be signal; the
+most awful should be fixed upon, that it may serve as an example to
+such."
+
+"Let orders be immediately given," interrupted Bohetzad eagerly, "to
+erect a scaffold without the walls of the city, on the most elevated
+situation. Let the dread of death terrify those who might attempt to
+follow his footsteps. Such is my final resolution, and let it be
+announced to the people by the public criers."
+
+The ten Viziers were well pleased to hear this resolution. They hoped
+at length, by their secret plots, to make the object of their envy
+fall beneath the sword of justice, and were eager to order the
+apparatus of punishment.
+
+On the morning of the following day, which was the eleventh since the
+confinement of Aladin, the ten Viziers went to the King.
+
+"Sire," said they, "your orders are obeyed; your pleasure is known,
+and the people assembled round the spot wait only for him who is to
+die there."
+
+Bohetzad gave orders that the criminal should be brought to him. As
+soon as he appeared the ten Viziers lifted up their voices against
+him.
+
+"Wretch! offspring of villains!" said they to him, "the scythe of
+death is raised over thy head; thy stratagems are exhausted, and thou
+art about to receive the reward of thy crimes and rashness."
+
+"Audacious ministers," said Aladin, looking at them with a confident
+but modest air, "it belongs not to you to mark my forehead with the
+seal of death! If the decree which strikes me comes not from Heaven,
+what could all your attempts avail? Guilt alone can be afraid of them.
+But since I have nothing wherewith to reproach myself, had I even my
+head under the fatal sword, I should be preserved from the stroke,
+like the slave who was accused although innocent."
+
+"Sire," interrupted all the Viziers at once, "impose silence on this
+audacious fellow; he wishes still to deceive your Majesty by a new
+tale."
+
+"I wish not to impose upon the King," said Aladin; "it is you who
+cherish falsehood and imposture."
+
+"Stop!" said Bohetzad to him; "I will yet put my patience to a last
+effort, and agree to hear the history of your slave and of his
+deliverance."
+
+"Oh, the clemency of my King!" replied Aladin. "May truth at length
+reach your heart, which is so difficult of access! I wish not by a
+false relation to deceive your Majesty; the story I am going to relate
+is well known throughout all Chaldea."
+
+
+HISTORY OF THE KING OF HARAM, AND OF THE SLAVE.
+
+
+The King of Haram, uneasy at the manner in which his Viziers and Cadis
+administered justice in the provinces of his empire, went one night
+from his palace disguised, and only escorted by two eunuchs. By chance
+he passed near a dungeon, from whence he heard a plaintive and
+lamentable voice. He learned that this place served as a prison, in
+which criminals condemned to death were shut up; and approaching
+nearer it in order to hear distinctly the doleful accents, which
+appeared to come from the bowels of the earth, he heard these words:
+
+"O powerful Allah! Thou who watchest constantly over the unfortunate,
+stooping under the burden of his misery, wilt Thou suffer innocence,
+falsely accused, to sink under presumptions which a fatal destiny hath
+heaped upon it? Infinite mercy! none of Thy creatures are
+insignificant in Thy eyes; Thou hearest the cries of a worm; listen to
+that of Thy slave; and if my death is not determined by Thy
+providence, arrest the stroke with which I am threatened."
+
+A silence, interrupted only by sighs, succeeded this prayer. The King
+of Haram returned to his palace with a heart moved by these
+lamentations, and a spirit troubled with this adventure. In vain did
+he seek repose: the idea of the death of an innocent person agitated
+him, and he only waited the return of day to clear up this mystery.
+
+As soon as the sun had enlightened the earth, he called together his
+ministers, and described to them the place from which the cries came
+that had excited his pity. They informed him that the unfortunate
+person confined in this dungeon was destined to die that very day upon
+the scaffold. They gave him an account of his trial, from which the
+crime appeared clear, and two witnesses certified that the slave, whom
+his Majesty had heard, was the perpetrator of it. The King of Haram
+could not resist what human justice reckons evidence, and immediately
+confirmed the order for his execution.
+
+The slave, convicted of the crime, was taken from the dungeon: he
+walked to punishment with a firm and modest countenance; his hands
+bound, and his eyes lifted up to Heaven, which was now his only hope.
+He was at the foot of the scaffold; the executioners were preparing to
+strip him of his clothes, when an unexpected noise entirely changed
+the aspect of this scene of death. A hostile party, having formed the
+design of making themselves masters of the city, waited until the
+people, attracted by curiosity to see the execution, should have gone
+out of it. They hastily quitted the ambuscade in which they were
+concealed, fell upon the guard, and dispersed it. All those who
+endeavoured to defend it either fell by the sword or were made
+prisoners; not one escaped except the unhappy slave who was about to
+suffer an ignominious death.
+
+The enemy, dreading the approach of the King, then withdrew to a
+distance in order to increase their forces, carrying with them the
+booty they had got, and deferred to another time the consummation of
+their enterprise.
+
+Meanwhile, the slave, delivered from his chains by the hands of the
+enemy, and still fearing lest people should be dispatched to pursue
+him, gained the country, and walked day and night without stopping. At
+length, overcome with fatigue, he stopped under the shade of a laurel,
+which, from its size and height, appeared coeval with the world, and
+sat down. Opposite to this tree, and very near it, was the entrance of
+a dark cave; two torches threw a dreadful light around it, without
+altogether dispelling its darkness. His attention was fixed with
+astonishment on these objects, which inspired him with terror, when he
+thought he observed these two lights move and advance towards him.
+These bright fires were nothing but the glaring eyes of a monstrous
+lion, which came out of the cave and slowly approached the unhappy
+slave, who had nothing with which he could defend himself. The animal
+seized him, and, without hurting him, carried him into the cave. He
+instantly went out of it again, tore down the enormous laurel under
+which the man had been formerly seated, and, having placed it at the
+mouth of the cave in order to shut up its passage, ran into the desert
+in search of its mate, whom the need of food for their whelps had
+carried far from their common haunt.
+
+The mouth of this cave, shut up by the trunk of the tree, was
+inaccessible to all human power. However, there was still sufficient
+light left for the slave to view the inside of this dreadful
+habitation, to distinguish its inhabitants, and to see there the
+fragments of bones and food with which the ground was covered. He saw
+likewise two young lions couching on a heap of moss, who were not
+frightened by his presence. In an opposite corner he perceived a heap
+of human bones, the sad remains of the unfortunate whom the same
+destiny that had brought him there had drawn toward this frightful
+abode. Nevertheless, amid these objects, fear did not damp his
+courage: he turned towards the south, and, like a faithful Mussulman,
+addressed his prayer to the great Prophet with as much zeal and
+fervour as if he had been in the most splendid mosque and in the most
+secure asylum.
+
+Full of confidence in the Sovereign Arbiter of Destiny, he then cast
+his eyes into the dark cavities of this den. There were many clothes
+in it: he put his hand into the pockets of one garment, and found
+there a stone and a piece of steel for striking fire; the earth was
+covered with a dry moss, which served as litter to the savage
+inhabitants of this dwelling. The possibility of getting out revived
+his courage; and scarcely was the enterprise conceived when it was put
+in execution. He set fire to the moss which he had collected at the
+mouth of the cave; the flames penetrated the moist bark of the
+laurel's roots, and the fire speedily increasing, the tree lost its
+support and fell upon its side with a crash, so as to leave the mouth
+of the cave quite open. In examining this cave he had seen a bow,
+sabres, and poniards, which might serve for his defence. He had also
+discovered, by the light, a pan with coined gold, and pieces of this
+metal, with precious jewels of different kinds. Provided in this
+manner, with everything which could assist his escape, he armed
+himself with what was necessary, cut away with his sabre the burning
+branches which opposed his passage, and, blessing Heaven, at length
+recovered his liberty.
+
+Scarcely had the slave got out of this dangerous cave, when he
+perceived the lion at the distance of four bowshots, and the lioness
+somewhat farther off in the plain. He put upon his bow a deadly arrow;
+and the lion, thinking to dart upon his prey, ran with great rapidity
+against the arrow, which was discharged at him. The steel reached his
+heart, and he fell lifeless.
+
+The slave, freed from this enemy, soon had the other also to contend
+with. He darted another arrow, but it made only a slight wound. The
+animal, rendered still more furious, rushed forwards to throw him on
+the ground. The slave opposed her with his poniard, and plunged it
+into her side. The lioness, roaring aloud, made a new effort; but with
+his scimitar he struck off one of her fore-paws, and disabled her for
+further combat. She rolled along the earth, making the echoes resound
+with her roaring: the young lions from the cave answered her with
+hideous cries, which would have filled the most warlike soul with
+terror. In the meantime the conqueror secured his victory by piercing
+the animal in the vital parts, till at length she sank under the
+vigour of his arm. He ran immediately to kill the whelps, and drew
+them out of the cave. After this feat of valour, he looked in the
+plain for a tree, the fruit of which might afford him nourishment, and
+a stream in which he might quench his thirst; and still aided by
+Providence, everything seemed subject to his desires and offered
+itself to his hand.
+
+Having at length recruited his strength, exhausted by so much fatigue,
+he re-entered the cave whose inhabitants he had destroyed, made
+himself master of the treasures it contained, shut up its entrance
+with the branches of a tree, and, armed to as much advantage as
+possible, and furnished with gold and silver to satisfy his wants, he
+took the road to his native country. He arrived there at the end of
+some days, and gave an account of his history to his relations. Camels
+and slaves were dispatched to bring away the precious effects which
+were left in the lions' den. Possessed of so much riches, the
+beneficent slave shared them with the indigent. Not far from his
+habitation he built an asylum for caravans, pilgrims, and travellers
+who might be obliged to take that road; and from the spoils of a
+lions' den he erected a temple of charity.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+"Sire," added Aladin, after having finished his relation, "you see how
+this slave, condemned to perish upon the scaffold, on the false
+evidence of his enemies, and in danger of being devoured by lions, was
+miraculously delivered from these dangers; while his accusers and
+enemies, eager to feast their eyes with the sight of his tortures,
+were massacred and punished. The King of Haram, deprived of part of
+his subjects, suffered the punishment of his negligence in not
+examining the proceedings himself, and not listening sufficiently to
+complaints which, although they moved his pity, had not armed his
+justice."
+
+Bohetzad felt an unusual struggle betwixt his own power, the relations
+and reflections of Aladin, and the solicitations of his ministers. A
+voice within him pleaded powerfully against the judgment he had
+pronounced; yet the orders which he had given publicly, the scaffold
+already prepared without the walls of the city, the crowd of people
+impatient to enjoy this execution, so long delayed, all seemed to
+increase the embarrassment of the King. His Viziers, seeing him
+hesitate again, were eager to fix his resolution by the strongest
+remonstrances; and going over all the arguments they had already
+alleged, they ended by alarming the King respecting the duration of
+his power.
+
+"I feel in spite of you," said the King, "that my heart revolts at
+what I am doing; nevertheless, as the safety of my kingdom depends
+upon this decree, I yield to your reasons. Let the criminal be
+conducted to punishment."
+
+That very instant the guard seized Aladin. He was bound with cords,
+loaded with chains, and led without the city to the place where he was
+to terminate his existence. The King himself, mounted upon an
+elephant, and followed by his whole Court, repaired to the place of
+punishment: he was seated upon a throne from which he would behold the
+execution. The unfortunate Aladin was already on the scaffold, when
+suddenly a stranger, rushing through the crowd, and removing the
+guards and every obstacle that opposed his passage, threw himself into
+the arms of Aladin.
+
+"Oh, my son! my dear son!" exclaimed he, the tears flowing in a
+torrent from his eyes. He could say no more, for grief stopped his
+utterance.
+
+This unexpected event threw the people into commotion, and the King
+gave orders that the stranger should be brought before him.
+
+"Sovereign monarch," said he to him, embracing his knees, "save the
+life of the unfortunate young man whom you have condemned to death. If
+a criminal must die, give orders for my punishment: I await it at your
+feet."
+
+"Who are you?" said the King. "What interest have you in this
+criminal?"
+
+"Sire, I am the chief of a band of robbers. Searching one day in the
+desert for a fountain to allay the thirst of my company, I found upon
+the grass, on the brink of a fountain, and at the feet of five
+palm-trees, which covered it with their shadow, a piece of cloth
+interwoven with gold, and some swaddling-clothes, on which an infant
+lay. Moved with compassion for this innocent creature, I carried him
+to my house, where my wife became his nurse. This child was not ours,
+sire; but he was to us a gift from Heaven, and became dearer to us
+than our own. He was endowed with such excellent qualities and so many
+virtues, that we regretted our having abandoned those which the
+exercise of our profession had made us forget; for in short--to my
+shame I avow it, sire--we were robbers. He followed us in our
+expeditions, and distinguished himself on every occasion by deeds of
+valour and humanity. We lost him in a conflict with your troops."
+
+No other circumstance was necessary to inform the King that he who was
+about to die by his command was his only son! He rushed from his
+throne, flew to Aladin, with his own poniard struck the cords off him,
+and clasped him in his arms, with marks of the most tender affection.
+
+"Ah! my son," exclaimed he, "I have been on the point of plunging in
+my heart the dagger of endless repentance. My heart must have been
+torn at the sight of a cruel punishment, and it has been mercifully
+converted into a spectacle of triumph and joy, whose ravishing
+splendour my soul can with difficulty support!"
+
+He again embraced Aladin, set him upon his elephant, and returned to
+the palace, amid the din of trumpets and the acclamations of the
+people.
+
+Baherjoa had been already informed of his unexpected happiness in
+finding a son for whose fate she had been so often alarmed. In a short
+time the King himself presented to her this dear child, dressed in
+such splendid garments that it was not easy to discover the alteration
+which a tedious confinement had produced upon him. The joy of this
+event soon spread through all ranks in the kingdom. Courtiers,
+merchants, and artists partook of it; the mosques were opened, and the
+people crowded thither to render thanks to Allah and His Prophet;
+public rejoicings testified the general happiness; the city of Ispahan
+was on this day transformed into a scene of pleasure; and everything,
+even the birds of heaven, sang the glory of the monarch and the
+deliverance of Aladin.
+
+The ten Viziers alone, far from participating in the public happiness,
+were thrown into a dark dungeon, where the remorse of their
+consciences anticipated the punishment which, at the end of the thirty
+days that had been appointed for feasting, they were doomed to suffer.
+At length, by the orders of the Sovereign, they were brought to the
+foot of the throne, which was now become so formidable to them. Aladin
+was seated at his father's right hand. They turned away their guilty
+eyes, and after a silence that imposed respect and terror, Bohetzad
+thus addressed them:
+
+"Pretended supports of my throne!" said he to them, "ministers so
+jealous of my glory! behold this criminal whom, with so much cruel
+obstinacy and such distinguished eagerness, you pursued. I ought to
+have sent him to punishment without hearing him! by listening to his
+stories, I exposed my glory, my safety, and the peace of my subjects!
+Justify yourselves if you can: you have liberty to speak."
+
+In vain did the King endeavour to make these guilty ministers open
+their mouths. They were seized with a mortal coldness; their eyes,
+fixed on the ground, could not be drawn from it; their lips quivered;
+their feeble limbs bent under their knees and seemed ready to fail
+them.
+
+"Speak," said Aladin to them in his turn: "where now is that
+attachment to the rules of justice which rendered you so eloquent
+against the son of a chief of the robbers, whose mere mistake was in
+your eyes a crime which ought to be expiated by the most infamous
+punishment? Are your courage and your zeal for the glory of the
+kingdom annihilated? Guilt weighs you down, remorse preys upon you,
+and you are confounded with shame."
+
+"Your sentence, already written in heaven," resumed Bohetzad, "is
+about to be executed on earth. On the scaffold where my son was to
+suffer let these ten wretches finish their days, and let the public
+criers announce this decree to the people."
+
+The order was instantly executed.
+
+Bohetzad then leading back his son to the palace, continually renewed
+the tender proofs of his affection.
+
+"Ah, dear son!" would he say, "how were you so little intimidated by
+the death which threatened you as to recollect all the circumstances
+you related? Whence have you drawn those numerous maxims and judicious
+reflections which can only be the fruit of experience and study?"
+
+"Sire," replied Aladin, "it was not I who spoke, but Heaven which
+inspired me. In my infancy I had not been neglected; and since the
+happy moment in which I had the good fortune to be placed near your
+Majesty, I have been perfected in wisdom. The woman, whom I took for
+my mother, early directed my attention to the divine Koran, by whose
+sacred precepts, she told me, I ought to regulate my conduct. And that
+which will appear most extraordinary to you, sire, is, that her
+husband, led away by the force of habit, brought up in guilt almost
+from his infancy, and not hesitating in the least to plunder caravans,
+should yet be afraid of breaking his word. He was a faithful husband,
+a kind master to his slaves, to me more than an affectionate father,
+and of all men the least greedy of plunder. He cherished me; and as at
+that time I was not so well informed as I am at present, I honoured
+him as a benefactor and loved him as a parent."
+
+"Enough respecting him, my son," replied the King. "Returning from the
+awful scene they have just beheld, and warned by the signal which the
+Muezzins have sounded from the tops of the mosques, the people are
+about to fill them. Order my treasurer to follow you; let plentiful
+alms and charity everywhere accompany your steps, and announce, in a
+suitable manner, the heir, whom, for the prosperity of my empire,
+Heaven has restored to my arms."
+
+As soon as the religious ceremonies were finished, the King ordered
+the chief of the robbers, who was known to have remained at Issessara,
+to be conducted to the bath, to be decently dressed, and brought to
+the palace, that he might enjoy the triumph of his adopted son. Far
+from reproaching him with his former manner of life, but presuming on
+the natural principles of this man, whom example had not corrupted,
+whom opportunities had not seduced, and whom want had not provoked, he
+appointed him to the command of a frontier province, where he must
+necessarily command respect by his activity and military talents.
+
+Bohetzad, Baherjoa, and Aladin, reunited by the ties of blood, of
+love, and of friendship, passed many years in unalterable affection,
+continually finding means to draw closer the knots which bound them
+together. At length, the monarch, feeling from his age and strength
+that it was time to resign the sceptre into more steady hands,
+assembled his divan, his ministers, Viziers, Cadis, lawyers, princes,
+lords, and all the grandees of the realm.
+
+"Nature," said he to them, "hath called my son to succeed me; but, in
+his miraculous preservation, Heaven has given a clear indication of
+its will. In putting the crown upon his head this day, I only obey its
+decrees, and give you a master more worthy than I to command."
+
+
+
+
+The Adventures of Urad; or, The Fair Wanderer.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+On the banks of the river Tigris, far above where it washes the lofty
+city of the Faithful, lived Nouri, in poverty and widowhood, whose
+employment it was to tend the worm who clothes the richest and the
+fairest with its beautiful web. Her husband, who was a guard to the
+caravans of the merchants, lost his life in an engagement with the
+wild Arabs, and left the poor woman no other means of supporting
+herself, or her infant daughter Urad, but by her labours among the
+silk-worms, which were little more than sufficient to support nature,
+although her labours began ere the sunbeams played on the waters of
+the Tigris, and ended not till the stars were reflected from its
+surface. Such was the business of the disconsolate Nouri, when the
+voluptuous Almurah was proclaimed Sultan throughout his extensive
+dominions; nor was it long before his subjects felt the power of their
+Sultan; for, Almurah resolving to inclose a large tract of land for
+hunting and sporting, commanded the inhabitants of fourteen hundred
+villages to be expelled from the limits of his intended inclosure.
+
+A piteous train of helpless and ruined families were in one day driven
+from their country and livelihood, and obliged to seek for shelter
+amidst the forests, the caves, and deserts, which surround the more
+uncultivated banks of the Tigris.
+
+Many passed by the cottage of Nouri the widow, among whom she
+distributed what little remains of provision she had saved from the
+earnings of her labours the day before; and, her little stock being
+exhausted, she had nothing but wishes and prayers left for the rest.
+
+It happened, among the numerous throngs that travelled by her cottage,
+that a young man came with wearied steps, bearing on his shoulders an
+old and feeble woman; setting her down on the ground before the door
+of Nouri, he besought her to give him a drop of water, to wash the
+sand and the dust from his parched mouth.
+
+Nouri, having already distributed the contents of her pitcher,
+hastened to the river to fill it for the wearied young man; and, as
+she went, she begged a morsel of provisions from a neighbour, whose
+cottage stood on a rock which overlooked the flood.
+
+With this, and her pitcher filled with water, the good Nouri returned,
+and found the feeble old woman on the ground, but the young man was
+not with her.
+
+"Where," said Nouri, "O afflicted stranger, is the pious young man
+that dutifully bore the burden of age on his shoulders?"
+
+"Alas!" answered the stranger, "my son has brought me hither from the
+tyranny of Almurah, and leaves me to perish in the deserts of Tigris.
+No sooner were you gone for the water, than a crowd of young damsels
+came this way, and led my cruel son from his perishing mother. But,
+courteous stranger," said she to Nouri, "give me of that water to
+drink, that my life fail not within me, for thirst, and hunger, and
+trouble are hastening to put an end to the unhappy Houadir."
+
+The tender and benevolent Nouri invited Houadir into the cottage, and
+there placed her on a straw bed, and gave her the provisions, and a
+cup of water to drink.
+
+Houadir, being somewhat refreshed by the care of Nouri, acquainted her
+with the cruel decree of Almurah, who had turned her son out of his
+little patrimony, where, by the labour of his hands, he had for many
+years supported her, and that till that day she had ever found him a
+most dutiful and obedient son, and concluded with a wish that he would
+shortly return to his poor helpless parent.
+
+Nouri did all she could to comfort the wretched Houadir, and, having
+persuaded her to rest awhile on the bed, returned to the labours of
+the day.
+
+When her work was finished, Nouri, with the wages of the day,
+purchased some provisions, and brought them home to feed herself and
+the little Urad, whose portion of food, as well as her own, had been
+distributed to the unhappy wanderers.
+
+As Nouri was giving a small morsel to Urad, Houadir awaked, and begged
+that Nouri would be so kind as to spare her a bit of her provisions.
+
+Immediately, before Nouri could rise, the little Urad ran nimbly to
+the bed and offered her supper to the afflicted Houadir, who received
+it with great pleasure from her hands, being assured her mother would
+not let Urad be a loser by her benevolence.
+
+Houadir continued several days with the widow Nouri, expecting the
+return of her son; till, giving over all hopes of seeing him, and
+observing that she was burdensome to the charitable widow, she one
+evening, after the labours of the day, thus addressed her hospitable
+friend:
+
+"I perceive, benevolent Nouri, that my son has forsaken me, and that I
+do but rob you and your poor infant of the scanty provision which you,
+by your hourly toil, are earning: wherefore, listen to my proposal,
+and judge whether I offer you a suitable return. There are many parts
+of your business that, old as I am, I can help you in, as the winding
+your silk and feeding your worms. Employ me, therefore, in such
+business in the day as you think me capable of performing; and at
+night, while your necessary cares busy you about the house, give me
+leave (as I see your labour allows you no spare time) to instruct the
+innocent Urad how to behave herself, when your death shall leave her
+unsheltered from the storms and deceits of a troublesome world."
+
+Nouri listened with pleasure to the words of Houadir.
+
+"Yes," said she, "benevolent stranger, you well advise me how to
+portion my poor infant, Urad, whom I could neither provide for by my
+industry nor instruct without losing the daily bread I earn for her. I
+perceive a little is sufficient for your support; nay, I know not how,
+I seem to have greater plenty since you have been with me than before;
+whether it be owing to the blessing of Heaven on you I know not."
+
+"Far be it from me," said Houadir, "to see my generous benefactress
+deceived; but the thinness of inhabitants, occasioned by the tyranny
+of Almurah, is the cause that your provisions are more plentiful; but
+yet I insist upon bearing my part in the burden of the day, and Urad
+shall share my evening's labour."
+
+From this time Houadir became a useful member of the family of Nouri,
+and Urad was daily instructed by the good old stranger in the
+pleasures and benefits of a virtuous, and the horrors and curses of an
+evil, life.
+
+Little Urad was greatly rejoiced at the lessons of Houadir, and was
+never better pleased than when she was listening to the mild and
+pleasing instructions of her affable mistress.
+
+It was the custom of Houadir, whenever she taught Urad any new rule or
+caution, to give her a peppercorn; requiring of her, as often as she
+looked at them, to remember the lessons which she learnt at the time
+she received them.
+
+In this manner Urad continued to be instructed; greatly improving, as
+well in virtue and religion, as in comeliness and beauty, till she was
+near woman's estate; so that Nouri could scarcely believe she was the
+mother of a daughter so amiable and graceful in person and manners.
+Neither was Urad unskilled in the labours of the family, or the
+silk-worm; for, Nouri growing old and sickly, she almost constantly,
+by her industry, supported the whole cottage.
+
+One evening, as Houadir was lecturing her attentive pupil, Nouri, who
+lay sick on the straw bed, called Urad to her.
+
+"My dear daughter," said Nouri, "I feel, alas! more for you than
+myself: while Houadir lives, you will have indeed a better instructor
+than your poor mother was capable of being unto you; but what will my
+innocent lamb, my lovely Urad do, when she is left alone, the helpless
+prey of craft or power? Consider, my dear child, that Allah would not
+send you into the world to be necessarily and unavoidably wicked;
+therefore always depend upon the assistance of our holy Prophet when
+you do right, and let no circumstance of life, nor any persuasion,
+ever bias you to live otherwise than according to the chaste and
+virtuous precepts of the religious Houadir. May Allah and the Prophet
+of the Faithful ever bless and preserve the innocence and chastity of
+my dutiful and affectionate Urad!"
+
+The widow Nouri spoke not again; her breath for ever fled from its
+confinement, and her body was delivered to the waters of the Tigris.
+
+The inconsolable Urad had now her most difficult lesson to learn from
+the patient Houadir; and scarcely did she think it dutiful to moderate
+the violence of her grief.
+
+"Sorrows," said Houadir, "O duteous Urad, which arise from sin or evil
+actions, cannot be assuaged without contrition or amendment of life;
+there the soul is deservedly afflicted, and must feel before it can be
+cured: such sorrows may my amiable pupil never experience! But the
+afflictions of mortality are alike the portions of piety or iniquity:
+it is necessary that we should be taught to part with the desirable
+things of this life by degrees, and that by the frequency of such
+losses our affections should be loosened from their earthly
+attachments. While you continue good be not dejected, my obedient
+Urad; and remember, it is one part of virtue to bear with patience and
+resignation the unalterable decrees of Heaven; not but that I esteem
+your sorrow, which arises from gratitude, duty, and affection. I do
+not teach my pupil to part with her dearest friends without
+reluctance, or wish her to be unconcerned at the loss of those who, by
+a marvellous love, have sheltered her from all those storms which
+must have overwhelmed helpless innocence. Only remember that your
+tears be the tears of resignation, and that your sighs confess a heart
+humbly yielding to His will who ordereth all things according to His
+infinite knowledge and goodness."
+
+"O pious Houadir," replied Urad, "just are thy precepts: it was Allah
+that created my best of parents, and Allah is pleased to take her from
+me; far be it from me, though an infinite sufferer, to dispute His
+will; the loss indeed wounds me sorely, yet will I endeavour to bear
+the blow with patience and resignation."
+
+Houadir still continued her kind lessons and instructions, and Urad,
+with a decent solemnity, attended both her labours and her teacher,
+who was so pleased with the fruits which she saw spring forth from the
+seeds of virtue that she had sown in the breast of her pupil, that she
+now began to leave her more to herself, and exhorted her to set apart
+some portion of each day to pray to her Prophet, and frequent
+meditation and recollection of the rules she had given her, that so
+her mind might never be suffered to grow forgetful of the truths she
+had treasured up. "For," said the provident Houadir, "when it shall
+please the Prophet to snatch me also from you, my dear Urad will then
+have only the peppercorns to assist her."
+
+"And how, my kind governess," said Urad, "will those corns assist me?"
+
+"They will," answered Houadir, "each of them (if you remember the
+precepts I gave you with them, but not otherwise), be serviceable in
+the times of your necessities."
+
+Urad, with great reluctance, from that time was obliged to go without
+her evening lectures; which loss affected her much, for she knew no
+greater pleasure in life than hanging over Houadir's persuasive
+tongue, and hearing, with fixed attention, the sweet doctrines of
+prudence, chastity, and virtue.
+
+As Urad, according to her usual custom (after having spent some few
+early hours at her employment), advanced toward the bed to call her
+kind instructress, whose infirmities would not admit her to rise
+betimes, she perceived that Houadir was risen from her bed.
+
+The young virgin was amazed at the novelty of her instructress's
+behaviour, especially as she seldom moved without assistance, and
+hastened into a little inclosure to look after her; but not finding
+Houadir there, she went to the neighbouring cottages, none of the
+inhabitants of which could give any account of the good old matron;
+nevertheless the anxious Urad continued her search, looking all around
+the woods and forest, and often peeping over the rocks of the Tigris,
+as fearful that some accident might have befallen her. In this
+fruitless labour the poor virgin fatigued herself, till the sun, as
+tired of her toils, refused any longer to assist her search; when,
+returning to her lonely cot, she spent the night in tears and
+lamentations.
+
+The helpless Urad now gave herself up entirely to grief; and the
+remembrance of her affectionate mother added a double portion of
+sorrows to her heart: she neglected to open her lonely cottage, and
+went not forth to the labours of the silk-worm; but, day after day,
+with little or no nourishment, she continued weeping the loss of
+Houadir, her mild instructress, and Nouri, her affectionate mother.
+
+The neighbouring cottagers, observing that Urad came no longer to the
+silk-worms, and that her dwelling was daily shut up, after some time
+knocked at her cottage, and demanded if Urad the daughter of Nouri was
+living. Urad, seeing the concourse of people, came weeping and
+trembling toward the door, and asked them the cause of their coming.
+
+"O Urad," said her neighbours, "we saw you, not long ago, seeking your
+friend Houadir, and we feared you also were missing, as you have
+neither appeared among us, nor attended your daily labours among the
+worms, who feed and provide for us by their subtle spinning."
+
+"O my friends," answered Urad, "suffer a wretched maid to deplore the
+loss of her dearest friends. Nouri, from whose breasts I sucked my
+natural life, is now a prey to the vulture on the banks of the Tigris;
+and Houadir, from whom I derive my better life, is passed away from me
+like a vision in the night."
+
+Her rustic acquaintance laughed at these sorrows of the virgin Urad.
+"Alas!" said one, "Urad grieves that now she has to work for one,
+instead of three." "Nay," cried another, "I wish my old folks were as
+well bestowed." "And I," said a third, "were our house rid of the
+old-fashioned lumber that fills it at present (my superannuated father
+and mother), would soon bring a healthy young swain to supply their
+places with love and affection." "Ay, true," answered two or three
+more, "we must look out a clever young fellow for Urad; whom shall she
+have?" "Oh, if that be all," said a crooked old maid, who was famous
+for match-making, "I will send Darandu to comfort her, before night;
+and, if I mistake not, he very well knows his business." "Well, pretty
+Urad," cried they all, "Darandu will soon be here: he is fishing on
+the Tigris; and it is but just that the river which has robbed you of
+one comfort, should give you a better." At this speech, the rest
+laughed very heartily, and they all ran away, crying out, "Oh, she
+will do very well when Darandu approaches."
+
+Urad, though she could despise the trifling of her country neighbours,
+yet felt an oppression on her heart at the name of Darandu, who was a
+youth of incomparable beauty, and added to the charms of his person an
+engaging air, which was far above the reach of the rest of the country
+swains, who lived on those remote banks of the Tigris. "But, O
+Houadir, O Nouri!" said the afflicted virgin to herself, "never shall
+Urad seek, in the arms of a lover, to forget the bounties and precepts
+of so kind a mistress and so indulgent a parent."
+
+These reflections hurried the wretched Urad into her usual sorrowful
+train of thoughts, and she spent the rest of the day in tears and
+weeping, calling for ever on Nouri and Houadir, and wishing that the
+Prophet would permit her to follow them out of a world where she
+foresaw neither comfort nor peace.
+
+In the midst of these melancholy meditations, she was disturbed by a
+knocking at the door. Urad arose with trembling, and asked who was
+there.
+
+"It is one," answered a voice in the softest tone, "who seeketh
+comfort and cannot find it; who desires peace, and it is far from
+him."
+
+"Alas!" answered Urad, "few are the comforts of this cottage, and
+peace is a stranger to this mournful roof: depart, O traveller,
+whosoever thou art, and suffer the disconsolate Urad to indulge in
+sorrows greater than those from which you wish to be relieved."
+
+"Alas!" answered the voice without, "the griefs of the beautiful Urad
+are my griefs; and the sorrows which afflict her, rend the soul of the
+wretched Darandu!"
+
+"Whatever may be the motive for this charitable visit, Darandu,"
+answered Urad, "let me beseech you to depart; for ill does it become a
+forlorn virgin to admit the conversation of the youths that surround
+her: leave me, therefore, O swain, ere want of decency make you appear
+odious in the sight of the virgins who inhabit the rocky banks of the
+rapid Tigris."
+
+"To convince the lovely Urad," answered Darandu, "that I came to
+soothe her cares and condole with her in her losses (which I heard but
+this evening), I now will quit this dear spot, which contains the
+treasure of my heart, as, however terrible the parting is to me, I
+rest satisfied that it pleases the fair conqueror of my heart, whose
+peace to Darandu is more precious than the pomegranate in the sultry
+noon, or the silver scales of ten thousand fishes enclosed in the nets
+of my skilful comrades."
+
+Darandu then left the door of the cottage, and Urad reclined on the
+bed, till sleep finished her toils, and for a time released her from
+the severe afflictions of her unguarded situation.
+
+Early in the morning the fair Urad arose, and directed her steps to
+the rocks of the Tigris, either invited thither by the melancholy
+reflections which her departed mother occasioned, or willing to take a
+nearer and more unobserved view of the gentle Darandu.
+
+Darandu, who was just about to launch his vessel into the river,
+perceived the beauteous mourner on the rocks; but he was too well
+versed in love affairs to take any notice of her: he rather turned
+from Urad, and endeavoured by his behaviour to persuade her that he
+had not observed her, for it was enough for him to know that he was
+not indifferent to her.
+
+Urad, though she hardly knew the cause of her morning walk, yet
+continued on the rocks till Darandu had taken in his nets, and, with
+his companions, was steering up the stream in quest of the fishes of
+the Tigris. She then returned to her cottage, more irresolute in her
+thoughts, but less than ever inclined to the labours of her
+profession.
+
+At the return of the evening she was anxious lest Darandu should renew
+his visit--an anxiety which, though it arose from fear, was yet near
+allied to hope; nor was she less solicitous about provisions, as all
+her little stock was entirely exhausted, and she had no other prospect
+before her than to return to her labours, which her sorrows had
+rendered irksome and disagreeable to her.
+
+While she was meditating on these things, she heard a knocking at the
+door, which fluttered her little less than the fears of hunger or the
+sorrows of her lonely life.
+
+For some time she had not courage to answer, till, the knocking being
+repeated, she faintly asked who was at the door.
+
+"It is Lahnar," answered a female: "Lahnar, your neighbour, seeks to
+give Urad comfort, and to condole with the distressed mourner of a
+mother and a friend."
+
+"Lahnar," answered Urad, "is then a friend to the afflicted, and
+kindly seeks to alleviate the sorrows of the wretched Urad."
+
+She then opened the door, and Lahnar entered with a basket on her
+head.
+
+"Kind Lahnar," said the fair mourner, "leave your burden at the door,
+and enter this cottage of affliction. Alas! alas! there once sat
+Nouri, my ever-affectionate mother, and there Houadir, my kind
+counsellor and director; but now are their seats vacant, and sorrow
+and grief are the only companions of the miserable Urad!"
+
+"Your losses are certainly great," answered Lahnar; "but you must
+endeavour to bear them with patience, especially as they are the
+common changes and alterations of life. Your good mother Nouri lived
+to a great age, and Houadir, though a kind friend, may yet be
+succeeded by one as amiable; but what I am most alarmed at, O Urad! is
+your manner of life. We no longer see you busied among the leaves of
+the mulberries, or gathering the bags of silk, or preparing them for
+the wheels. You purchase no provision among us; you seek no comfort in
+society; you live like the mole buried under the earth, which neither
+sees nor is seen."
+
+"My sorrows indeed hitherto," replied Urad, "have prevented my labour;
+but to-morrow I shall again rise to my wonted employment."
+
+"But even to-night," said Lahnar, "let my friend take some little
+nourishment, that she may rise refreshed; for fasting will deject you
+as well as grief; and suffer me to partake with you. And see, in this
+basket I have brought my provisions, some boiled rice, and a few fish,
+which my kind brother Darandu brought me this evening from the river
+Tigris."
+
+"Excuse me, kind Lahnar," answered Urad, "but I must refuse your
+offer. Grief has driven away appetite to aught but itself far from me,
+and I am not solicitous to take provisions which I cannot use."
+
+"At least," replied Lahnar, "permit me to sit beside you, and eat of
+what is here before us."
+
+Upon which, without other excuses, Lahnar emptied her basket, and set
+a bowl of rice and fish before Urad, and began to feed heartily on
+that which she had brought for herself.
+
+Urad was tempted by hunger and the example of Lahnar to begin, but she
+was doubtful about tasting the fish of Darandu; wherefore she first
+attempted the boiled rice, though her appetite was most inclined to
+the fish, of which she at last ate very heartily, when she recollected
+that as she had partaken with Lahnar, it was the same whatever part
+she accepted.
+
+Lahnar having finished her meal, and advised Urad to think of some
+methods of social life, took her leave, and left the unsettled virgin
+to meditate on her strange visitor.
+
+Urad, though confused, could not help expressing some pleasure at this
+visit; for such is the blessing of society, that it will always give
+comfort to those who have been disused to its sweet effects.
+
+But Urad, though pleased with the friendship of Lahnar, yet was
+confounded when, some few minutes after, she perceived her again
+returning.
+
+"What," said Urad, "brings back Lahnar to the sorrows of this
+cottage?"
+
+"Urad," said Lahnar, "I will rest with my friend to-night, for the
+shades of night cast horrors around, and I dare not disturb my
+father's cottage by my late approach."
+
+But as soon as she had admitted Lahnar, she perceived that it was
+Darandu disguised in Lahnar's clothes. Urad, greatly terrified,
+recollecting her lost friend Houadir, felt for a peppercorn, and let
+it fall to the ground.
+
+A violent rapping was in a moment heard at the cottage, at which Urad
+uttered a loud cry, and Darandu, with shame and confusion, looked
+trembling toward the door.
+
+Urad ran forward and opened it, when the son of Houadir entered, and
+asked Urad the reason of her cries.
+
+"O thou blessed angel!" said Urad; "this wicked wretch is disguised in
+his sister's clothes."
+
+But Darandu was fled, as guilt is ever fearful, mean, and base.
+
+"Now, Urad," said the son of Houadir, "before you close your doors
+upon another man, let me resume my former features."
+
+Upon which Urad looked, and beheld her old friend Houadir. At the
+sight of Houadir, Urad was equally astonished and abashed.
+
+"Why blushes, Urad?" said Houadir.
+
+"How, O genius," said Urad, "for such I perceive thou art--how is Urad
+guilty? I invited not Darandu hither: I wished not for him."
+
+"Take care," answered Houadir, "what you say. If you wished not for
+him, you hardly wished him away, and, but for your imprudence, he had
+not entered your home. Consider how have your days been employed since
+I left you? Have you continued to watch the labours of the silk-worm?
+Have you repeated the lessons I gave you? or has the time of Urad been
+consumed in idleness and disobedience? Has she shaken off her
+dependence on Mahomet, and indulged the unavailing sorrows of her
+heart?"
+
+"Alas!" answered the fair Urad, "repeat no more, my ever-honoured
+Houadir: I have indeed been guilty, under the mask of love and
+affection; and I now plainly see the force of your first rule, that
+idleness is the beginning of all evil and vice. Yes, my dearest
+Houadir, had I attended to your instructions I had given no handle to
+Darandu's insolence; but yet methinks some sorrows were allowable for
+the loss of such a mother and such a friend."
+
+"Sorrows," answered Houadir, "proceed from the heart, and, totally
+indulged, soon require a change and vicissitude in our minds;
+wherefore, in the midst of your griefs, your feet involuntarily
+wandered after Darandu, and your soul, softened by idle sighs, was the
+more easily impressed by the deceits of his tongue.
+
+"But this remember, O Urad--for I must, I find, repeat an old
+instruction to you--that of all things in the world, nothing should so
+much engage a woman's attention as the avenues which lead to her
+heart. Such are the wiles and deceits of men, that they are rarely to
+be trusted with the most advanced post; give them but footing, though
+that footing be innocent, and they will work night and day till their
+wishes are accomplished. Trust not, therefore, to yourself alone, nor
+suffer your heart to plead in their favour, lest it become as much
+your enemy as the tempter, man. Place your security in flight, and
+avoid every evil, lest it lead you into danger, for hard it is to turn
+the head and look backward when a beautiful or agreeable object is
+before you. Remember my instructions, O Urad! make a prudent use of
+your peppercorns, and leave this place, which holds a man sensible of
+your folly and resolute in his own dark and subtle intentions."
+
+Urad was about to thank Houadir, but the genius was fled, and the
+eyelids of the morning were opening in the east.
+
+Urad, in a little wallet, packed up her small stock of necessaries,
+and, full of terror and full of uncertainty, struck into the forest,
+and without reflection took the widest path that offered. And first,
+it was her care to repeat over deliberately the lessons of Houadir.
+She then travelled slowly forward, often looking, and fearing to
+behold the wicked Darandu at her heels.
+
+After walking through the forest for the greater part of the day, she
+came to a steep descent, on each side overshadowed with lofty trees;
+this she walked down, and came to a small spot of ground surrounded by
+hills, woods, and rocks. Here she found a spring of water, and sat
+down on the grass to refresh herself after the travels of the day.
+
+As Urad's meal was almost at an end she heard various voices issuing
+from the woods on the hills opposite to that which she came down. Her
+little heart beat quick at this alarm; and recollecting the advice of
+Houadir, she began to repeat the lessons of her instructress, and ere
+long she perceived through the trees several men coming down the hill,
+who, at sight of her, gave a loud halloo, and ran forward, each being
+eager who should first seize the prize.
+
+Urad, trembling and sighing at her danger, forgot not to drop one of
+her peppercorns, and immediately she found herself changed into a
+pismire, and with great pleasure she looked for a hole in the ground,
+and crept into it.
+
+The robbers, coming down to the bottom of the vale, were surprised to
+find their prize eloped; but they divided into separate bodies,
+resolved to hunt till night, and then appointed that little vale as
+the place of rendezvous.
+
+Urad, perceiving that they were gone, wished herself into her original
+form, but alas! her wish was not granted, and the once beautiful Urad
+still continued an ugly pismire.
+
+Late at night the robbers returned, and the moon shining bright,
+reflected a gloomy horror upon their despairing faces. Urad shuddered
+at the sight of them, though so well concealed, and dared hardly peep
+out of her hole--so difficult is it to forget our former fears. The
+gang resolved to spend the rest of the night in that place, and
+therefore unloaded their wallets, and spread their wine and provisions
+on the banks of the spring, grumbling and cursing each other all the
+time for their unfortunate search.
+
+Urad heard them lamenting their ill fortune with the utmost horror and
+indignation, and praised continually the gracious Allah who had
+rescued her from such inhuman wretches; while they with singing and
+drinking spent the greatest part of the night, and wishing that their
+comrades in the other part of the forest had been with them; at length
+falling into drunkenness and sleep, they left the world to silence and
+peace.
+
+Urad, finding them fast asleep, crawled out of her hole, and going to
+the first, she stung him in each eye, and thus she went round to them
+all.
+
+The poison of the little pismire working in their eyes, in a short
+time occasioned them to awake in the utmost tortures; and perceiving
+they were blind, and feeling the pain, they each supposed his
+neighbour had blinded him in order to get away with the booty. This so
+enraged them that, feeling about, they fell upon one another, and in a
+short time almost the whole gang was demolished.
+
+Urad beheld with astonishment the effect of her stings, and at a wish
+resumed her pristine form, saying at the same time to herself, "I now
+perceive that Providence is able by the most insignificant means to
+work the greatest purposes."
+
+Continuing her journey through the forest, she was terribly afraid of
+meeting with the second band of robbers, and therefore she directed
+her steps with the greatest caution and circumspection.
+
+As she walked forward, and cast her eyes all around, and stopped at
+every motion of the wind, she saw the son of Houadir coming to meet
+her in the path in which she was travelling.
+
+At this sight Urad ran toward him, and with joy begged her old
+governess would unmask herself, and entertain her with instruction and
+persuasion.
+
+"No, my dear child," answered the son of Houadir, "that I cannot do at
+present; the time is not as yet come. I will first, as you have been
+tried, lead you to the palace of the Genii of the Forest, and present
+your unspotted innocence before them; for, O my sweet Urad, my
+heavenly pupil!" said he, kissing and taking her in his arms, "your
+virtue is tried; I have found you worthy of the lessons which I gave
+you. I foresaw evils might befall you, and therefore I took pity on
+your innocence, and lived with Nouri your mother, that I might train
+up my beloved Urad in the paths of virtue; and now your trial is past,
+Urad shall enjoy the happiness of a genius."
+
+Urad, though somewhat confounded at Houadir's embrace under the
+appearance of a man, yet with great humility thanked her benefactor;
+and the son of Houadir, turning to the left, led Urad into a little
+by-path, so concealed that few, if any, might ever find its beginning.
+After a long walk through various turnings and intricate windings,
+they came to a small mean cottage, where, the son of Houadir leading
+the way, Urad followed.
+
+The son of Houadir striking fire with his stick, a bright flame arose
+from the centre of the floor, into which he cast divers herbs, and
+repeating some enchantments, the back part of the cottage opened and
+presented to the view of Urad a beautiful dome, where she saw sitting
+round a table a numerous assembly of gay persons of both sexes.
+
+The son of Houadir, leading in Urad, said, "This, my dear pupil, is
+the assembly of the Genii of the Forest." And, presenting her to the
+company, "Behold," said he, "the beautiful and well-tried Urad. But
+here you may cast off your reserve, fair maid, and indulge in the
+innocent pleasures of the Genii of the Forest."
+
+The son of Houadir then led her to the table, and seated her on the
+same sofa with himself. The remainder of the day was spent in mirth
+and pleasure.
+
+Urad, having never beheld anything splendid or magnificent, was
+greatly delighted at the gay company and beautiful saloon, nor did she
+receive the caresses of the son of Houadir reluctantly.
+
+At night, Urad was shown a glorious apartment to rest in, and the son
+of Houadir attended her.
+
+"My dear Houadir," said Urad, "when shall I behold your proper shape?
+When shall I see you as my tutelary genius?"
+
+"That," answered the son of Houadir, "I shall be in every shape; but
+call neither one nor the other my _proper_ shape; for to a genius all
+shapes are assumed: neither is this my proper shape, nor the wrinkles
+of an old woman. But, to confess the truth, O beautiful Urad, from the
+first moment of your birth I resolved to make you my bride, and
+therefore did I so patiently watch your growing years, and instruct
+you in the fear of vice and the love of virtue."
+
+Urad, astonished at the words of the son of Houadir, knew not what
+answer to make; but the natural timidity of her sex, and the
+strangeness of the proposal, filled her with strange apprehensions.
+However, she begged at least that the genius would, for a time, leave
+her to herself.
+
+"No, my lovely Urad," answered the son of Houadir, "never, never, will
+thy faithful genius leave thee!"
+
+"Why," said Urad, "didst thou bestow so many peppercorns upon me, as
+they now will become useless?"
+
+"Not useless," said the son of Houadir: "they are indeed little
+preservatives against danger; but I have the seeds of some melons
+which will not only rescue you, but always preserve you from harm.
+Here, faithful Urad," continued he, "take these seeds, and, whenever
+you are fearful, swallow one of these, and no dangers shall surround
+you."
+
+Urad thankfully received the seeds.
+
+"And what," said she, "must I do with the peppercorns?"
+
+"Give them," said the son of Houadir, "to me, and I will endue them
+with stronger virtues, and thou shalt by them have power also over
+others, as well as to defend thyself."
+
+Urad pulled the peppercorns out of her bag, and presented them to the
+son of Houadir, whose eyes flashed with joy at the sight, and he
+immediately thrust them into the folds of his garments.
+
+"O son of Houadir, what hast thou done?" said Urad.
+
+"I have," answered the false son of Houadir, "gained the full
+possession of my lovely Urad, and now may address her in my proper
+shape." So saying, he resumed his natural figure, and became like a
+satyr of the wood.
+
+"I am," said he, "O beautiful Urad, the enchanter Repah, who range in
+the solitude of the forest of the Tigris. You I saw surrounded by the
+influence of the genius Houadir, and therefore was obliged to use
+artifice to gain you as my wife."
+
+The poor deluded victim, with tears in her eyes, implored his mercy
+and forbearance; but he laughed at her tears, and told her her eyes
+glittered the brighter for them.
+
+Urad, in her despair, again put her hands into the bag whence she had
+fatally resigned the peppercorns, and felt about in agony for her lost
+treasure. And now finding none, and perceiving that the genius Houadir
+attended not to her cries, she was drawing out her hand when, in a
+corner of the bag, she felt one peppercorn, which had before escaped
+her search.
+
+She instantly drew it out, and, throwing it on the ground, the
+enchanter stood motionless before her; the apartments vanished, and
+she found herself with him in a dark hut, with various kinds of
+necromantic instruments about her.
+
+Urad, though fearful, yet was so much overcome with fatigue and fright
+that she sank on the ground; and, happily for her, the enchanter was
+in no condition to persecute her.
+
+"Curse on my folly," said he, as he stood fixed to the ground, "that I
+neglected to ask for the bag itself which held the gifts of the genius
+Houadir! her pretty pupil had then been my slave, in spite of the many
+fine lessons she had been taught by that pitiful and enthusiastic
+genius; but now by chance, and not by the merit of thy virtues, or thy
+education, art thou delivered from my seraglio. But this grieves me
+not so much to lose a sickly girl as that I find a superior power
+condemns me to declare to you the causes of your error.
+
+"Know, then, Urad--I speak not from myself, but He speaks who, from
+casual evil, can work out certain good--He forces me to declare that
+no specious appearance, no false colours, should incline the virtuous
+heart to listen to the wiles of deceit; for evil then comes most
+terrible when it is cloaked under friendship. Why, then, had Urad so
+great an opinion of her own judgment as to confide in the false
+appearance of the son of Houadir when she might have consulted her
+faithful monitors? The falling of a peppercorn would have taught her
+to trust to no appearances, nor would she have parted with her
+peppercorns, which were to refresh in her memory the sentiments of
+virtue, chastity, and honour--no, not to Houadir herself. No adviser
+can be good who would destroy what he himself has first inculcated;
+and no appearance ought to bias us to receive as truths those things
+which are contrary to virtue and religion. How, then, did Urad keep to
+the instructions of Houadir?"
+
+Thus spoke the enchanter, and no more; his mouth closed up, and he
+stood fixed and motionless. And Urad, finding her spirits somewhat
+recovered, hastened out of the hut, and perceived that it was morning.
+
+She had now no more peppercorns to depend upon; wherefore she cried
+to Houadir to succour her; but the genius was deaf to her entreaties.
+
+"Poor miserable wretch!" said Urad to herself, "what will become of
+thee, inclosed in a forest through which thou knowest no path? But,"
+continued she, "why should I not examine the enchanter, who perhaps is
+yet immovable in the cottage? I saw him fold them in the plaits of his
+garments, and they may yet become mine."
+
+So saying, she returned to the hut, where entering, the very sight of
+the dumb enchanter affrighted her so much, that it was a long time
+before she could venture near him. At length she put out her hand, and
+pulled forth her beloved peppercorns, the enchanter still standing
+motionless.
+
+Away flew Urad like lightning from the hut, and ran till she had again
+reached the road from which she had been decoyed.
+
+She continued her journeying for seven days, feeding on the fruits of
+the forest, and sleeping in the densest thickets.
+
+The eighth day, as she was endeavouring to pass a ford where a small
+rivulet had been swelled by the rains, she perceived a large body of
+horsemen riding through the woods, and doubted not that it was the
+remainder of the gang of robbers whom she had before met with.
+
+Urad was now in some measure reconciled to danger; and therefore,
+without much fear, dropped a peppercorn, and expected relief.
+
+The peppercorn had been dropped some time, the horsemen advanced, and
+no one appeared to her succour.
+
+"Alas!" said Urad, "why has Houadir deceived me? Neither her advice,
+nor her magical peppercorns, can save me from these cruel robbers. O
+genius, genius! why hast thou forsaken me in my severest trials!"
+
+By this time the robbers were come up, and were highly rejoiced to
+find such a beautiful prize.
+
+Their captain leaped from his horse to seize her, and the trembling
+Urad gave a loud shriek, which was answered from the woods by the
+roaring of a hundred lions.
+
+"O Allah," said the chief, "the lions are upon us!"
+
+"That may be," said he who was dismounted; "but were the whole world
+set against me, I would secure my prize." So saying, he took Urad in
+his arms to place her on his horse.
+
+The roaring of the lions continued, and many of them came howling out
+of the woods: the robbers fled in dismay, all but the ruffian who had
+seized on the fair Urad, who was striving in vain to fix her on his
+horse. A lion furiously made at him, and tore him limb from limb,
+while Urad expected the same fate from several others who came roaring
+around.
+
+"But," said she, "better is death than infamy, and the paw of the
+hungry lion, than slavery to a robber."
+
+The noble beast, having devoured his prey, came fawning at the feet of
+Urad, who was surprised at his behaviour and gentleness; but much more
+was her astonishment increased when she heard him speak.
+
+"O virgin (for none other can experience the assistance of our race,
+or stand unhurt before us), I am the King and Sovereign of these
+mighty forests, and am sent by the genius Houadir to thy protection.
+But why did the distrustful Urad despair, or why did she accuse
+Providence of deserting her? should not the relieved wait with
+patience on the hand that supports him, and not cry out with
+impatience, and charge its benefactor with neglect?"
+
+"True, O royal lion," answered the fair Urad; "but fear is
+irresistible, and the children of men are but weakness and
+ingratitude. But blessed be Allah, who, though justly provoked at my
+discontent, yet sent to my assistance the guardian of the fair. Yet
+how cometh it to pass, O royal protector, that you, who are so bold
+and so fierce in your nature, should yet behave with such tenderness
+and kindness to a helpless virgin, whom you might with pleasure to
+yourself in a moment devour?"
+
+"The truly great and noble spirit," answered the lion, "takes a pride
+in protecting innocence, neither can he wish to oppress it. Hence
+learn, fair virgin, that of all mankind he only is noble, generous,
+and truly virtuous, who is ready to defend helpless womanhood. What,
+then, must you think of those mean wretches who cajole you under the
+appearance of affection, and yet tell you that it was only to try you?
+He that is suspicious is mean: he that is mean is unworthy of the
+chaste affections of the virtuous maid. Wherefore, O Urad, shun him,
+however honoured by mankind, or covered by the specious characters of
+virtue, whoever attempts the honour of your chastity, for he cannot be
+just: to deceive you he must himself swear falsely, and therefore
+cannot be good; or if he tell the truth, he must be weak and
+ungenerous, and unworthy of you."
+
+In such conversation they passed along the forest, till, after a few
+days, they were alarmed at the noise of the hunters and the music of
+the chase.
+
+"Alas!" said the beautiful Urad, "what is this that I hear?"
+
+"It is," answered the royal beast, "the noise of the hunters; and thou
+shalt escape, but me will they in sport destroy. The lion you call
+cruel, who kills to devour. What, then, is he who wantons in the death
+of those who advantage him not? But man is lord of all: let him look
+to it how he governs!"
+
+"Nay, but," answered Urad, "leave me, gentle protector, and provide
+for your safety; nor fear but Houadir will prevent the storms that
+hover over from breaking upon me."
+
+"No," answered the royal beast, "she has commanded me to follow you
+till I see her presence; and where can I better sacrifice my life than
+in the service of chastity and virtue?"
+
+The hunters were now in sight, but advanced not towards the lion; they
+turned their coursers aside, and only one of superior mien, with
+several attendants, rode towards Urad.
+
+The lion erecting his mane, his eyes glowing with vivid lightnings,
+drew up the wide sinews of his broad back, and with wrathful front
+leaped towards him who seemed to have the command.
+
+The horseman, perceiving his intention, poised his spear in his right
+hand, and spurred his courser to meet him.
+
+Ere the royal beast had reached the horseman, the rider threw his
+spear, which, entering between the fore-paws of the lion, nailed him
+to the ground. The enraged animal tore his paw from the ground; but
+the spear still remained in his foot, and the anguish of the wound
+made him shake the whole forest with his lordly roarings.
+
+The stranger then rode up to the fair Urad, whom viewing, he cried
+out, "By Allah! thou art worthy of the seraglio of the Vizier
+Mussapulta: take her, my eunuchs, behind you, and bear her through the
+forest of Bagdad, to the home of my ancestors."
+
+The eunuchs obeyed, and bore her away, though Urad dropped her corn
+upon the ground; but still she trusted in the help of Houadir.
+
+The Vizier Mussapulta then ordered that one of his slaves should stay
+behind, and destroy and bury the lion; which he commanded to be done
+with the utmost caution, as Almurah had made a decree that if any
+subjects should wound, maim, or destroy any lion in his forests, the
+same should be put to death.
+
+The eunuchs bore away Urad to the seraglio, taking her through by-ways
+to the palace of the Vizier, lest her shrieks should be heard.
+Mussapulta followed at a distance, and the slave was left with the
+tortured and faithful lion.
+
+In a few hours they reached the palace, and Urad, being conducted to
+the seraglio, was ordered to be dressed, as the Vizier intended
+visiting her.
+
+Urad was thunderstruck at the news, and now began to fear Houadir had
+forgotten her, and resolved, as soon as the eunuchs had left her, to
+drop a second peppercorn. But poor Urad had forgotten to take her bag
+from her old garments, which the women who dressed her had carried
+away. She dissolved in fresh tears at this piece of carelessness.
+
+"Well," said she, "surely Houadir will neglect me, if I so easily
+neglect myself."
+
+She waited that night with fear and trembling; but no Vizier appeared.
+
+This eased her greatly, and the next day, when the eunuchs came, they
+informed her that Mussapulta had that evening been sent by the Sultan
+to quell an insurrection, and that they did not expect him home under
+twenty days.
+
+During this time no pains were spared with Urad to teach her the
+accomplishments of the country, all which, in spite of her
+unwillingness to learn in such a detestable place, she nevertheless
+acquired with the utmost ease and facility.
+
+The insurrection being quelled, the Vizier returned, and, not
+unmindful of his fair captive, ordered that she might be prepared for
+his reception in the evening.
+
+Accordingly Urad was sumptuously adorned with jewels and brocades, and
+looked more beautiful than the fairest Circassian; and the dignity of
+her virtue added such a grace to her charms, that even her keepers,
+the eunuchs, dared not look upon her. In the evening the chief eunuch
+led her into the presence of Mussapulta. She shrank from him with
+horror.
+
+"What!" said he, "cannot a fortnight's pleasure in this palace efface
+the remembrance of your sorrows? But be gay and cheerful, for know
+that the Vizier Mussapulta esteems you beyond any of his wives."
+
+"The esteem of a robber, the esteem of a lawless ranger," answered
+Urad, "charms not the ears of virtue."
+
+"What," said Mussapulta, sternly, "dost thou refuse my proffered love?
+Then shalt thou die! Slay this proud maiden in my sight. Cut off her
+head at once."
+
+The eunuch hesitated.
+
+"Why," said the proud Vizier, "do you delay to obey me?"
+
+As he said this an eunuch came running in haste, crying, "The Sultan,
+the Sultan Almurah, approaches!"
+
+All was instant confusion. Mussapulta turned pale and trembled. He
+ordered the eunuch to release the fair Urad, and at that moment the
+faithful lion entered with the Sultan Almurah.
+
+The lion instantly seized on the Vizier Mussapulta, and tore him limb
+from limb. Yet the generous animal would not defile himself with the
+carcass, but with great wrath tossed the bloody remains among the
+females of the seraglio.
+
+Almurah commanded Urad to advance, and at the sight of her,
+
+"O royal beast," said he to the lion, "I wonder not that thou wert
+unable to describe the beauties of this lovely maid, since they are
+almost too dazzling to behold. O virtuous maid," continued Almurah,
+"whose excellencies I have heard from this faithful animal, if thou
+canst deign to accept of the heart of Almurah, thy Sultan will be the
+happiest of mankind; but I swear, by my unalterable will, that no
+power on earth shall force or distress you."
+
+"Oh," sighed Urad, "royal Sultan, you honour your poor slave too much;
+yet happy should I be were Houadir here!"
+
+As she spoke, the genius Houadir entered the room: the face of the
+sage instructress still remained, but a glowing splendour surrounded
+her, and her walk was majestic and commanding. Almurah bowed to the
+ground, Urad made obeisance, and the rest fell prostrate before her.
+
+"My advice," said Houadir, "is necessary now, O Urad, nor ought young
+virgins to enter into such engagements without counsel and the
+approbation of those above them, how splendid and lucrative soever the
+union may appear. I, who know the heart of Almurah, the servant of
+Mahomet, know him to be virtuous: some excesses he has been guilty of,
+but they were chiefly owing to his villanous Vizier, Mussapulta."
+(Here the lion gave a dreadful roar.) "Against your command, Almurah,
+did he wound this animal, which I endowed with speech for the service
+of Urad, to teach her that strength and nobleness of soul would always
+support the innocent.
+
+"Mussapulta having wounded him, commanded his slave to put the royal
+beast to death; but I gave the slave bowels of mercy, and he carried
+him home to his cottage till the wound was healed, when the lion,
+faithful to his trust, came towards you as you were hunting, and being
+endowed with speech, declared the iniquity of Mussapulta--but he is no
+more.
+
+"Now, Urad, if thy mind incline to Almurah, receive his vows, but give
+not thine hand where thy heart is estranged, for no splendour can
+compensate the want of affection."
+
+"If Almurah, my gracious lord," answered Urad, "will swear in three
+things to do my desire, his handmaid will be happy to serve him."
+
+"I swear," answered the fond Almurah. "Hadst thou three thousand
+desires, Almurah would satisfy them or die."
+
+"What strange things," said Houadir, "has Urad to ask of the Sultan
+Almurah?"
+
+"Whatever they are, gracious genius," said Almurah, "Urad, the lovely
+Urad, may command me."
+
+"Then," said Urad, "first I require that the poor inhabitants of the
+forest be restored to their native lands, whence thou hast driven
+them."
+
+"By the great Allah, and Mahomet the Prophet of the just," answered
+Almurah, "the deed was proposed and executed by the villain
+Mussapulta! Yes, my lovely Urad shall be obeyed. But now, Urad,"
+continued the Sultan, "ere you proceed in your requests, let me make
+one sacrifice to chastity and justice, by vowing, in the presence of
+the good genius Houadir, to dismiss my seraglio, and take thee only
+for my wife."
+
+"So noble a sacrifice," answered Urad, "demands my utmost returns;
+wherefore, beneficent Sultan, I release thee from any further
+compliance with my requests."
+
+"Lovely Urad," said Almurah, "permit me, then, to dive into your
+thoughts:--yes, by your kind glances on that noble beast, I perceive
+you meditated to ask some bounty for your deliverer. He shall, fair
+virgin, be honoured as Urad's guardian, and the friend of Almurah; he
+shall live in my royal palace, with slaves to attend him; and, that
+his rest may not be inglorious or his life useless, once every year
+shall those who have injured the innocent be delivered up to his
+honest rage."
+
+The lovely Urad fell at the feet of her Sultan, and blessed him for
+his favours; and the sage Houadir approved of Urad's request and the
+promises of Almurah. The lion came and licked the feet of his
+benefactors; and the genius Houadir, at parting, poured her blessings
+on the royal pair.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+Alischar and Smaragdine.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+There lived once on a time, in the province of Khorassan, a rich
+merchant, to whom, in his sixtieth year, a son was born, and he called
+his name Alischar. Fifteen years afterwards the father died, but not
+without giving his son, in the hour of death, many excellent advices
+and moral instructions as to his conduct through life. Alischar buried
+his father, and not long afterwards his mother also, and began to
+exercise diligently the trade which his parents had bequeathed to him.
+In this way a whole year was spent, without the least departure from
+the wise course of behaviour which his father had prescribed for him
+in his last moments. But, unfortunately, ere many weeks more were
+gone, he fell into the company of certain vicious people, who seduced
+him into a life of such luxury and extravagance, that in a short time
+the money the old man had left him was entirely spent. Proceeding in
+the same follies, he by-and-bye was obliged to part with the shop
+itself,--the household furniture followed,--and, in a word, Alischar
+was left without anything he could call his own, except the bare roof
+over his head and the clothes upon his back.
+
+Having nothing wherewithal to still the cravings of hunger, the youth
+might now be seen daily roaming about the streets, idle and listless.
+One day in this sad condition he was loitering about in the great
+square of the city, when his attention was attracted by a crowd of
+people, who seemed to be gathered around one who sold some merchandise
+by auction. He drew near, and, mixing among the assemblage, saw that
+the business was the selling of a beautiful young slave, who stood in
+the midst with a form of the most fascinating elegance, cheeks that
+outshone the rose, and beauty more dazzling than the reflection of the
+full moon in a fountain of dissolved pearls. Scarcely had he looked
+upon her ere love seized him and mastered him; he knew not what to do
+or to say, but remained like a stone in the midst of the crowd,
+gazing. The bystanders, who were ignorant that Alischar had so soon
+dissipated his patrimony, never doubted that he had come in order to
+be a bidder for the beautiful slave. The crier moved his situation so
+as to stand right opposite to him, with the girl in his hand, and
+began to call out the usual words more loudly than before, "Ye rich
+merchants, ye honourable wholesale dealers, gentlemen all of worth and
+condition, what say ye for this brunette slave, who is the mistress of
+the moon of heaven, whose name is called Smaragdine, and whose fame is
+purer than the pearl in the depths of the Red Sea? Say your bidding,
+great and small."
+
+At first five hundred and twenty-five ducats were offered; but
+immediately there came forward an old man, by name Beschadeddin,
+shapeless in his form and shuffling in his gait,--the aversion of
+every eye that rested on him. This old man came forward across the
+market-place, and offered without hesitation a thousand ducats.
+
+The crier cast his eyes around, but the former bidders remained
+silent, and then asked the master of the slave if he was satisfied
+with this offer.
+
+"I am," said the merchant, "but upon condition that the girl herself
+is so also; for I have sworn to her, that she shall be sold to no one
+for whose service she does not herself feel an inclination."
+
+Upon this the crier turned to the girl, and asked her what she had to
+say to the matter. She cast her bright eyes upon the hateful old man,
+and replied, "Know ye not the verse of the old poet, how he says:
+
+    "'Grey hairs were never formed to give me delight;
+    Sooner would I twist my fingers amidst the dead leaves
+    That are about to fall from the tree, when the wind of winter
+        is blowing?'"
+
+"You are right," said the auctioneer, laughing (and the master of the
+slave re-echoed his laugh and his answer); "let us see whether we
+cannot light upon a younger bidder."
+
+With that there drew near a man whose years were not few, but he had
+dyed his beard and moved trippingly. He also offered a thousand
+ducats; but at that moment Smaragdine began to recite as from the book
+of some poet, but the verses were in truth her own:
+
+    "'Say to him that dyes his beard, that I love not the false.
+    Deception is in him that conceals the works of God and Time.
+    He that disguises his countenance, how shall one put faith in his
+        words?'"
+
+A third now came forward, but unfortunately he was one-eyed. The slave
+regarded him, and quoted, or seemed to quote, without hesitation,
+
+    "'Avoid the one-eyed lover, maiden;
+    How shall he be thy safe guardian, fair woman?
+    Will he love thee better than the apple of his eye?'"
+
+"Look round you," said the crier; "is there none here that pleases you
+better?" And with this he pointed to a short stout man whose beard was
+of unusual dimensions.
+
+"Fie!" said the slave, "this is he whom the poet had in his eye when
+he sang,
+
+    "'Providence has given my adorer too great an allowance of beard.
+    This bush resembles the night of winter--long, black, and cold.'"
+
+"Choose for yourself, girl," said the auctioneer, laughing more
+heartily than before; "I pray you look round upon all the circle of
+the bystanders."
+
+The slave cast her eyes slowly around the company, and at last rested
+them upon Alischar, whose appearance had charmed her from the first
+moment.
+
+"Mr. Crier," said she, "I will belong to no one but this handsome
+young man. It is of him that the poet was thinking when he wrote those
+verses:
+
+    "'Sorrow and pain fly from the loveliness of his countenance,
+    And pierce the hearts of the maidens every one.
+    Why are they not veiled deeply over the eyes?
+    Why court they destruction in gazing upon his beauty?
+
+    The breath of his lip is like the odour of myrrh and camphor.
+    Men slander him; but the moon rises in heaven, and who will then
+        believe that there is darkness?'"
+
+When she ceased from her recitation, her master drew near to Alischar,
+and said, "Friend, you see what a wonder of beauty, education, and
+eloquence this slave is; and, if you got such a treasure for a
+thousand ducats, be assured you were a most fortunate man. I swear to
+you that she can read the Koran in seven different methods--that she
+excels equally in seven different styles of penmanship--that she
+embroiders to admiration in silk, in silver, and in gold--and that you
+will soon get your money out of her, if it were but by the sale of her
+works in the market-place."
+
+The crier also put in his word. "O sir," quoth he to Alischar, "it is
+obvious that Providence has an especial kindness for you: she is a
+pearl and a jewel. You are about to be the happiest of men."
+
+Alischar could not help smiling when he heard all this.
+
+"How!" said he to himself, "last night I went supperless to bed, and
+yet these people all fancy I am in a condition to pay a thousand
+ducats for a dark-eyed slave!"
+
+He shook his head, for he would fain escape the pain of saying openly
+that he was too poor to think of such a purchase.
+
+"Quick," said the beautiful slave, "let me speak to the young man
+myself: I must talk to him a little in private, for I am determined
+that he, and he only, shall buy me."
+
+The crier took her by the hand, and, leading her to Alischar, retired
+a few paces to allow them opportunity of conversation.
+
+"Amiable young man!" whispered she to the youth, "will you not buy
+me?"
+
+Alischar shook his head sorrowfully.
+
+"Aha!" said she, "I have it. Perhaps you think I am too dear? Will you
+give nine hundred ducats for me?"
+
+"No."
+
+"Eight hundred?"
+
+"No."
+
+"Seven hundred?"
+
+"No, no."
+
+And in this way she came down to one hundred ducats, receiving always
+the same melancholy monosyllable in reply.
+
+"I have not a hundred ducats in the world," said Alischar, and a deep
+sigh came from his breast.
+
+"Perhaps you could give ninety--eighty--seventy?"
+
+At last he could not help himself, and whispered in her ear,--"Angel
+of light!" said he, "I have neither gold nor silver, not to talk of
+ducats; I have not a penny in the world: you must find another
+purchaser."
+
+"Do what I bid you," answers she. "Take hold of my hand, and kiss me
+on the side of the cheek, for that is the signal of the bargain being
+completed."
+
+Alischar, scarcely conscious of his proceedings, obeyed the girl. The
+instant afterwards she drew a purse from her bosom, and said, "Take
+that, my love; you will find a thousand ducats in it: pay nine hundred
+to my master for me, and lead your new slave home with all speed."
+
+When they came to the house there was neither bed, sofa, table, nor
+dish in it. The slave instantly sent Alischar to the market to get a
+few necessary moveables and provisions. He did what she bade him.
+Smaragdine forthwith put the house in the nicest order, and set about
+dressing a little supper with the most exquisite skill. In short, the
+next day Alischar married the beautiful slave. Then Smaragdine set
+herself busily to work in embroidering a carpet. She represented on it
+all sorts of quadrupeds so skilfully that one expected to see them
+move; and birds, so that it was a wonder one did not hear them
+singing. In the whole of this work she occupied only eight days, and
+when these were over she sent her man to the market to sell the
+carpet, cautioning him, however, with great strictness, to avoid
+falling into any adventure that might terminate in their separation.
+Alischar followed scrupulously the instructions of his wife, and in
+this manner, supported by Smaragdine's needlework, they spent a whole
+year of undisturbed felicity.
+
+One day, as Alischar was going to market with one of Smaragdine's
+coverlets, as usual, to sell, he happened to meet with a certain
+Infidel who at once offered him sixty ducats for it. He had a secret
+disinclination to have any dealings with a Giaour, and asked first
+sixty-five, and then seventy ducats, and so up at last to a hundred.
+The man, to his astonishment, said, "Well, there is your money;" and
+not having the face to play the extortioner further, Alischar pursed
+the gold, and returned homewards. He was close to the door of his
+house ere he observed that the Giaour had been following him, and was
+just behind him.
+
+"I see you are now at home," said the Infidel, "and I beg you will
+have the kindness to give me a cup of water, for I have been broiling
+in the streets all day, and am ready to expire with thirst."
+
+Alischar, who would never have forgiven himself for refusing so
+trivial a civility, went immediately into the house for a jug of
+water.
+
+"Where have you been lingering so long to-day?" said Smaragdine. "I
+know not how or why, but a certain painful anticipation of some
+misfortune has been hanging over my mind ever since you went out. It
+rejoices my very heart to see you come home sound and well again; but
+what is it you want with the water-jug?"
+
+"Only to refresh a person who seems about to die of thirst," answered
+Alischar; "but I shall be back again in a moment, my dear Smaragdine."
+With this he ran downstairs, and was surprised to find the Infidel,
+whom he had left without on the street, seated within the porch.
+
+"Dog of a Giaour!" says he, "what do you here?"
+
+"Pardon me, good sir," replies the Giaour; "I was so wearied that my
+legs refused to support me any longer, and it was a matter of mere
+necessity that I should sit down somewhere."
+
+Alischar gave him a cup of water, and waited to see him arise and take
+his departure; but, behold, nothing was less in the man's mind.
+
+"Out with you," at last cries Alischar; "out this moment, I say."
+
+"Blessed," says the Giaour, "be they that refuse not a drink of water
+to him who standeth athirst before the door, and who grudge not a bit
+of bread to him that is a-hungered. Now my thirst is quenched, but my
+hunger is even greater than that was. Give me a bit of bread and a
+couple of onions, and for more I will not trouble you."
+
+"Pack off!" said Alischar; "there is nothing in the house."
+
+"With your leave, sir," says the other, producing his purse, "here are
+one hundred ducats: have the kindness to seek some bread and onions
+here in your neighbourhood, and I shall feel myself eternally obliged
+by your condescension."
+
+"The man is mad," thinks Alischar to himself; "but that is no reason
+why I should suffer a hundred ducats to go a-begging for quarters."
+
+"Haste, sir, haste!" continued the Giaour. "I am near to death, so
+great is my hunger, and no one knows what sort of a misery that is
+until he has experienced it himself. If it be but a crust, a crumb--a
+morsel of dry meal even; but something I must have, else I want
+strength to move myself from this seat."
+
+"Wait a moment, then," said Alischar. And with that he went out,
+taking care to lock the door behind him. He soon returned with roast
+meat, pastry, honey, a water-melon, and some bread, upon a tray.
+
+"Oh!" cried the Giaour, when he saw him returning so, "this is too
+much. Ten men might dine on this, and here am I alone before it all,
+unless you would do me the honour to sit with me."
+
+"Eat alone," said Alischar harshly.
+
+But by-and-bye the guest takes the water-melon, and divides it very
+neatly into two parts, contriving by dexterous management of the knife
+to besmear the one of these with a strong tincture of _nepenthe_ of
+Crete and opium, enough to have put an elephant to sleep.
+
+"Pray," said the Infidel, holding the medicated half towards Alischar,
+"accept this beautiful slice of melon at the hands of your servant."
+
+Alischar could not be so rude as to refuse this: he ate the fruit, and
+in a moment the fatal effects of it were apparent, for he sank into
+utter oblivion, losing all his senses at once.
+
+The Giaour rises softly the moment he perceives this, locks the door,
+and putting the key of the house in his pocket, runs with all speed to
+inform his brother of the success of his treachery. This was the old
+Beschadeddin, our acquaintance, who, though he pretended to be a
+Mussulman, had always remained an Infidel. It was he who had excited
+his brother to all this knavery, in order that he himself might if
+possible gain possession of Smaragdine. He now took his people with
+him, provided himself with gold, mounted his mule, and repaired
+directly to Alischar's habitation. His slaves seized Smaragdine by
+force, threatening her with instant death if she dared to utter a
+single cry, and so conveyed her in safety to the house of their
+master.
+
+"Ah, wretch!" says the old reprobate, "have I got you at last into my
+hands? I swear to you, that if you do not consent to renounce Mahomet
+I will make minced meat of you forthwith."
+
+"Hack me and hew me into a thousand shreds, if such be your pleasure,"
+answers she; "but know, wretch of wretches! that a Moslem I am, and a
+Moslem I will die. Allah chastises those He best loves with
+difficulties and dangers, and upon Him alone I set all my trust."
+
+Upon this the wretched ancient gave orders to his female slaves to
+prick Smaragdine's flesh with pins, and then to tie her up in the
+corner of the kitchen, but on no account to give her a morsel to eat.
+But even this last blow had no effect on Smaragdine, who merely
+exclaimed as she had been doing before,
+
+"God is God, and Mahomet is His Prophet!"
+
+When poor Alischar, on his part, awoke from his sleep, and found
+himself alone in his bed, fear unutterable came into his mind, and he
+began to cry out for his Smaragdine like one possessed. But his cries
+were as useless as his searches: he could find his love nowhere, and
+concluded that the vile Giaour had deceived him for the sake of
+abstracting her. At first he sat in a corner shedding hot tears, hour
+after hour, by himself; but perceiving that his tears were of no
+avail, he tore his garments, took a stone in each hand, and walked
+through the town beating his breast alternately with these stones, and
+crying out all the time in a loud voice of distress, "O Smaragdine!
+Smaragdine!"
+
+The children collected about him, and first one and then another of
+them entreated him to tell his story. He did so, and whoever heard him
+pitied him. After he had in this way gone through the whole town, he
+happened to see an old woman of his acquaintance sitting at her door,
+and saluted her respectfully. The old lady, being knowing in such
+matters, perceived at once the symptoms of a desolate lover, and asked
+him the reason of his distress. He told her all, and she said to him,
+
+"I am very much grieved for your case, my son; but take courage. I
+certainly think my assistance will be of much advantage to you. Go
+hence immediately, buy one of the bread-baskets in which the hawkers
+carry their loaves about, and put a few articles of female attire in
+it. I undertake to go about with the wares, and I flatter myself you
+will ere long hear some tidings of Smaragdine."
+
+Alischar was out of himself with joy even at this small glimpse of
+hope; he covered the hand of the old dame with tears and kisses, and
+forthwith fetched her what she had asked for. She made herself ready
+without delay to commence her operations, and in the course of her
+wanderings came, after no long space of time, to the very house of
+Beschadeddin.
+
+She happened to enter at a moment when the female slaves of the house
+were misusing poor Smaragdine.
+
+"And what," says she, "has the poor child done to you that you should
+treat her so roughly?"
+
+"In truth," they answered, "we do what we do against our own
+inclination, but we must obey our master's orders."
+
+"Not when he is from home, surely," says the old woman again; "do have
+a little pity. Oblige me so far as to unbind this unfortunate, and
+refresh her a little with some food."
+
+The slave-girls, whose hearts were by no means destitute of
+sensibility, loosed her bands, and left her for a moment alone with
+the old woman. She made good use of the happy occasion, told her in
+whose name she had come, and said that if she would take care to be at
+the window exactly at midnight, Alischar would be there at that
+moment, when she might easily drop upon his shoulders and regain her
+freedom. With this she hies away to Alischar to make him acquainted
+with her success. She assured him that Beschadeddin being from home,
+the slaves had promised to leave Smaragdine unbound for that one
+night, and he needed not many words to make him undertake the
+adventure.
+
+He was at the appointed spot the moment darkness closed, determined to
+stand there and wait patiently for the time when his love should
+appear. But alas! his sorrow had cost him many slumberless nights, and
+now that he thought himself secure of his happiness again, long-absent
+sleep came, and overpowered him suddenly where he stood on the street.
+
+It happened that just about this time a thief was passing down the
+same street. Perceiving that Alischar was fast asleep, this fellow
+eased him of his turban, and setting that on his head, was about to
+proceed on his way. Smaragdine, at this moment standing in the window,
+saw the gleam of her lover's turban, and never doubting that it was
+worn by Alischar himself, opened the lattice, and said to the thief in
+an audible whisper,
+
+"Come, come, love, I am ready to come down."
+
+"Here is a fine adventure," quoth the thief to himself; "let us make
+the best of it."
+
+With this he placed himself below Smaragdine's window, received her on
+his shoulders, and darted off with her like lightning.
+
+"Oh," says she to him, "you are so strong, you trot as nimbly as if
+you were a horse under me; and the good old woman had persuaded me
+that grief had weakened you so that you could scarcely drag your own
+limbs along."
+
+The gentleman, on his part, made no answer to these observations, and
+Smaragdine at last began to feel his face, which being very rough and
+half covered with hair, her error was apparent, and she began to cry
+out with all her might,
+
+"Who art thou? who art thou?"
+
+"Silence!" answered the thief: "I am Hirvan the Kurd, and I belong to
+the band of Ahmed-ed-deyf. We are forty of us, all jolly brothers of
+the trade, and a happy life shall you lead with us."
+
+Smaragdine perceived into what horrors her error had plunged her: she
+committed her soul to God and her body to the Prophet, and allowed
+Hirvan to proceed with her in silence.
+
+He conveyed her straight to a cavern without the city, which was the
+hiding-place of the band. At that moment there was no one in it but
+the mother of the captain, who had been left to arrange the plunder of
+the preceding night, and in particular the wardrobe of a young
+cavalier whom they had murdered, and whose horse and portmanteau were
+observed just within the entrance of the cavern. The young robber
+handed over Smaragdine to the old lady's protection, and went out
+again in quest of more adventures; and no sooner were they alone than
+the old one began to praise Smaragdine's beauty, and to felicitate her
+upon the prospect of being bride to her own son, the captain, whose
+manifold accomplishments she most vigorously extolled. Smaragdine,
+after a little while, began to dry her tears, and by degrees affected
+to be quite comforted. She even went so far as to say that she
+regretted one thing more than all the rest, and this was that she
+could not take a bath, and be ready to give the captain a reception
+more worthy of his rank and character.
+
+"Ah, the bath! the bath!" cries the old woman, "you are quite in the
+right; there is no comfort in this world like the bath; but it is a
+luxury I never enjoy, for I have nobody about me to shampoo me."
+
+"Here am I," says Smaragdine; "allow me to attend on you the first,
+and then you will do the like good office to me."
+
+The bargain was soon struck. The bath was got into order, and the old
+woman, the first time for many years, entered it. Smaragdine kept the
+water very hot, and rubbed and scrubbed the old dame so, that she was
+quite in transports, and at length fell fast asleep under the pleasing
+influence. While she slept Smaragdine took possession of the clothes
+and arms of the murdered cavalier, mounted his horse, and galloped
+from the cavern, without having the least notion whither.
+
+When morning broke she found herself in an uncultivated country,
+destitute of any marks of human habitation. She ate some roots and
+fruits, allowed her horse to graze under the trees, and so proceeded
+all the day.
+
+On the eleventh morning she descried, in the valley before her, a
+noble and beautifully situated town; and behold, as she drew nearer to
+the gates, there came from thence a multitude of horsemen, who
+surrounded her upon the highway, threw themselves on the ground before
+the hoofs of her horse, kissed her garment, and hailed her as the
+Sultan sent to them by the especial care of Heaven. Each man clapped
+his hands, and exclaimed, _Allah jausur es Sultaun_![18] that is to
+say, God give victory to the Sultan, King of the world--blessed be thy
+coming!
+
+[Footnote 18: This is a cry which still survives in Egypt--the very
+cry with which the inhabitants of that country welcomed successively,
+in 1800-1, the Generals of the French, the Turkish, and the English
+armies.]
+
+What may all this mean? thinks the bewildered girl to herself. She
+asked the question aloud, and the Lord High Chamberlain hastened to
+answer it. "Know, sire," said he, "that when the Sovereign of this
+city dies without children, all the inhabitants are, according to the
+constitution, assembled together in the great street, there ready to
+come out and salute as their Prince the first traveller who happens to
+emerge from the wilderness; and in this manner it is impossible for us
+not to acknowledge the finger of Providence, who gives the crown to
+the person He judges most fit to wear it. Heaven be praised for having
+sent us, on this occasion, a King such as you seem to be; for had it
+been never such a ragamuffin, or even scoundrel, it must have been
+equally our duty to welcome him as our lord."
+
+"Believe not," answered Smaragdine, recollecting herself, "believe not
+that in me you hail any low-born Prince. No, my lords, I am the son of
+a noble house, who happened to take into my head the fancy of riding
+through the world in quest of adventures; and here, as you perceive,
+gentlemen, here is one that appears to be by no means of a despicable
+description to begin with."
+
+Without delay Smaragdine held her triumphant entry into the city,
+opened the treasury chambers of the dead King, and distributed a large
+proportion of the gold that was found there to propitiate the goodwill
+of the inhabitants, above all of the army. In this way all hearts were
+won, and every class of the people remained full of affection and
+devotion to the sovereign authority. The Sultan alone was unhappy. Her
+thoughts rested afar off upon her Alischar. In the harem she
+constrained herself so far as to appear well pleased with the songs,
+dances, and banquets prepared for her; but when night approached, she
+retired to a solitary chamber, and spent the silent hours in fasting
+and praying and melancholy reflection.
+
+After a full twelve months had been passed in this manner, without any
+tidings of the lost Alischar, she assembled on the feast of the New
+Year the Viziers and lords of the chamber, and gave command that a
+vast amphitheatre should be erected in the centre of the city. In the
+midst a lofty dome was placed, below which seats were arranged for the
+nobles of the realm. Here, when all was finished, Smaragdine
+entertained them with a stately feast; and her heralds made
+proclamation, that henceforth, on the first day of every new moon, a
+season naturally devoted to festivities, the Sultan would give a
+banquet to all his subjects in the amphitheatre: on that day, under
+pain of death, no shop should be opened, nor merchandise cared for. On
+the day of the first new moon, accordingly, the whole of the people
+were assembled in the presence of their Prince. Each ate, drank, and
+enjoyed himself as much as he could, well satisfied that in so doing
+he fulfilled the decree of his Sovereign.
+
+Glad at heart was Smaragdine, for she flattered herself that this
+assembling of the people might one day or other furnish the means of
+getting some intelligence concerning her dear Alischar. Just while
+this thought passed through her mind, behold, a man rose up, and
+stretching out his hand, drew to himself from some distance a dish of
+milk, in which rice, sugar, and cinnamon were mingled, and there arose
+a cry of "Shame! shame! shame on the glutton, who is unsatisfied with
+that which the King's bounty had placed before his own seat."
+
+"The reason," said the man, "is only this, that they have placed a
+fricassee before me, and I eat no fricassees."
+
+"I am convinced," cries another, "that this is some dog of an Infidel,
+and that this happens to be one of their fast-days."
+
+Smaragdine, whom this disturbance had not escaped, gave orders
+forthwith that the man should be brought before her throne. The people
+ceased from eating and drinking, and every eye and ear were fixed upon
+the footstool of the Sultan.
+
+"What is your name?" said Smaragdine, "and for what purpose have you
+come into my states?"
+
+The wretch, who had clothed himself in a white turban, which of right
+belongs only to the Moslems, made answer, "My name is Ali; I am a
+weaver by trade, and I have come hither in the hope to gain my bread
+honestly by the labour of my hands."
+
+"Well, well," says Smaragdine, "bring quickly hither my necromantic
+tablet _Romla_, and the steel pen that belongs to it, and soon shall
+the truth be made manifest."
+
+With that she began, apparently, her calculation, cast her eyes
+upwards, and after a pause of some moments, said, "Dog, thou liest!
+Thou art a Giaour, and thou hast come hither with some wicked
+intention. Confess the truth, or thy head flies from thy shoulders
+upon the spot!"
+
+"Pardon! pardon!" cried the stranger, altogether astonished; for he
+never doubted that the secret virtue of the _Romla_ had detected him:
+"pardon, great King! It is true I am a Giaour."
+
+Smaragdine gave orders that he should instantly be hung, his carcass
+thrown into the court of offal, and his head fixed before the gate of
+the palace. The people witnessed the execution, and applauded equally
+the astrological skill and the stern justice of their Sovereign.
+
+On the first day of the second month the same festival was repeated.
+It was again proclaimed that every one should eat, drink, and rejoice,
+but that none should on any account touch anything but what happened
+to be set before himself. The nobles assembled; the troops stood in
+order of parade; the people had taken their places in the
+amphitheatre. The King was on his throne, and surveyed the scene
+around with attentive eyes. At this moment a foreigner came, all
+hastily and dusty from his journey, to the door of the amphitheatre,
+and his loud inquiries as to the meaning of the splendid scene before
+him were heard distinctly even where the King sat. An old woman, near
+the entrance, explained to him the meaning of the feast, but forgot to
+inform him of the regulations as to meddling with dishes at a distance
+from one's own place. The man took his place, and shortly afterwards
+stretched out his hand to seize something a little way off. "Hold!"
+cried at once a thousand voices; "hold, or you will be hanged."
+
+The man, who had no very pure conscience to sustain his nerves, took
+it for granted his fate was sealed; and, without a moment's delay,
+began leaping over the benches, in the hopes to make his escape. The
+King nodded; he was arrested and placed before the throne. "Who art
+thou?" said Smaragdine, "and wherefore hast thou come into our
+states?".
+
+"My name," answered he, "is Osman. I am by profession a gardener, and
+have come hither to seek for certain rare trees and flowers."
+
+"Holla, there!" cries the King, "bring hither quickly my tablet
+_Romla_ and the steel pen, and speedily will the truth see daylight."
+
+With this, Smaragdine began to study the tablet attentively: she kept
+her eyes for some moments fixed upon the sky, and then said, "Hateful
+churl, thou liest! Thy name is Hirvan the Kurd, and by profession thou
+art a thief. Confess the truth, wretch!"
+
+The man's colour changed; his tongue refused its office; at length he
+confessed the truth. The King ordered him to be hung immediately, his
+carcass and head to be treated as had been done with those of the
+Giaour. The people returned with quickened appetites to their dinner,
+and admired more than ever the wisdom and rectitude of their Prince.
+
+The first day of the third moon brought with it the usual
+proclamation, the usual feast, and the usual consequences. A stranger
+appears, who, not knowing the law of the festival, transgresses it
+grossly, is accused, and finally conducted into the immediate presence
+of Smaragdine, who puts to him the usual questions.
+
+"My name," replies the stranger, "is Resim, and I am a poor dervish."
+
+"Bring my _Romla_ tablet and my steel pen," cries the King.
+
+They do as they are bid: Smaragdine casts her eyes upwards, preserves
+for a moment the usual silence, and exclaims, "Thou liest, dog! thy
+name is Beschadeddin; outwardly thou art a Moslem, but in heart an
+unbeliever: confess the verity, or thou diest."
+
+It was no one but Beschadeddin. Like the robber, he had, after the
+loss of the beautiful slave, set out upon his travels in the hope of
+finding her again, and his ill fortune had conducted him to the same
+city. Full of dismay, he was constrained to confess the truth, and his
+head figured forthwith beside those of his brother adventurers. The
+feast proceeded with redoubled jollity, and louder than ever were the
+sagacity and justice of the Sultan extolled. Smaragdine alone took no
+part in the general merriment.
+
+It was the first morning of the fourth moon, as the people were
+congregated together for the usual festival, when there appeared, at
+one of the doors of the amphitheatre, a young man, beautiful as the
+day, but having the lustre of his complexion dimmed by the cloud of
+long afflictions. It was Alischar, and Smaragdine had nigh swooned
+away with the joy of beholding him.
+
+After he awoke in the street without his turban, and learnt from the
+old woman what had happened, and that his dear Smaragdine had indeed
+vanished, though not in his company, his spirit was yielded up as a
+prey to the bitterest anguish. A sore illness fell upon him, and for a
+whole year he had lain helpless, nursed carefully by the good old
+woman. But as soon as he began to recover a little strength, he set
+out a-wandering though the world, if perchance he might yet once again
+find his wife. It happened that he came on the morning of this
+feast-day to the city where she was King, and, being unacquainted with
+the regulations of the amphitheatre, he fell into a mistake similar to
+that which had already proved fatal to so many travellers. He was,
+like them, accused and summoned to the Prince's footstool. He knelt
+down reverently, and kissed the dust before her; and being asked what
+was his name and his business, made answer, without hesitation,
+
+"My name is Alischar, and I am come hither, wandering over the whole
+earth, in quest of the fountain of my life, my dear Smaragdine, whom I
+have lost."
+
+The King sent for the tablet _Romla_ and the steel pen. "You have said
+the truth," says the King; "and I perceive that Heaven designs ere
+long to restore to you your lost love."
+
+With this she commanded them to lead Alischar to the bath, to clothe
+him in a robe of honour, and treat him in her palace with all respect
+and consideration.
+
+Smaragdine could scarcely wait until night came, so great was her
+impatience. When it was dark, she commanded that Alischar should be
+brought before her, and invited him to partake of the royal supper.
+The young man, who was naturally modest, was confounded with this
+condescension, but constrained himself, and acquitted himself as well
+as he could. It appeared that his behaviour gave no displeasure to the
+King; for, supper being ended, the chief of the black eunuchs came
+into the apartment, and Alischar heard him receive his Sovereign's
+orders to place him in one of the palace sleeping-chambers.
+
+Presently a whisper was heard close to his pillow, and ere he could
+make any answer, his visitant revealed herself.
+
+It was Smaragdine: she was out of herself with joy; she burst out into
+loud laughter, such as could proceed from no lips but hers, and made
+herself known to the enraptured Alischar.
+
+Next morning the King called together the nobles of the city, and
+requested them to choose some one to act as Viceroy for a season,
+announcing the necessity of undertaking a journey to his own country
+in company with the stranger.
+
+They immediately complied with this request, and escorted the Prince
+from their gates with all the splendour of royal attendance. But
+Smaragdine had no intention ever to reclaim their homage: she had
+found her Alischar, and preferred a life of love and peace in her
+native place, to a disagreeable disguise and the troublesome
+magnificence of sovereign estate.
+
+FINIS.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's Eastern Tales by Many Story Tellers, by Various
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