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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Thousand and One Days, by Julia Pardoe
+
+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: The Thousand and One Days
+       A Companion to the 'Arabian Nights'
+
+Author: Julia Pardoe
+
+Release Date: June 2, 2011 [EBook #36301]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE THOUSAND AND ONE DAYS ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Julia Miller, Josephine Paolucci and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. (This
+file was produced from images generously made available
+by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+The Thousand and One Days;
+
+A COMPANION TO THE
+
+"_Arabian Nights._"
+
+WITH INTRODUCTION BY MISS PARDOE.
+
+[Illustration: P. 113.]
+
+LONDON:
+WILLIAM LAY, KING WILLIAM STREET, STRAND.
+1857.
+
+
+
+
+INTRODUCTION.
+
+
+The Compiler of the graceful little volume which I have the pleasure
+of introducing to the public, has conferred an undeniable benefit upon
+the youth of England by presenting to them a collection of Oriental
+Tales, which, rich in the elements of interest and entertainment, are
+nevertheless entirely free from the licentiousness which renders so
+many of the fictions of the East, beautiful and brilliant as they are,
+most objectionable for young and ardent minds. There is indeed no lack
+of the wonderful in the pages before us, any more than in the Arabian
+and Persian Tales already so well known: but it will be seen that the
+supernatural agency in the narratives is used as a means to work out
+totally different results. There is, in truth, scarcely one of these
+Tales which does not inculcate a valuable moral lesson; as may be seen
+by reference to "The Powder of Longevity," "The Old Camel," and "The
+Story of the Dervise Abounadar" among several, others.
+
+The present collection of Eastern Stories has been principally derived
+from the works of different Oriental Scholars on the Continent, and
+little doubt can be entertained of the genuineness of their origin;
+while they have been carefully selected, and do honour to the good
+taste of their Compiler. An acknowledgment is also due to him for his
+adherence to the good old orthography to which we have all been
+accustomed from our childhood, in the case of such titles as "Caliph,"
+"Vizier," "Houri," "Genii," &c.; as, however critically correct and
+learned the spelling of Mr. Lane may be in his magnificent version of
+the "Thousand and One Nights," and however appropriate to a work of so
+much research and value to Oriental students, it would have been alike
+fatiguing and out of character to have embarrassed a volume, simply
+intended for the amusement of youthful readers, by a number of hard
+and unfamiliar words, difficult of pronunciation to all save the
+initiated; and for the pleasure of the young requiring translation
+fully as much as the narrative itself.
+
+In one of the Tales there will be at once detected a portion of the
+favourite old story of Aladdin's Lamp, in the subterranean gem-garden
+discovered by the handsome youth; while in another, mention is made
+of the already-familiar legend of the hidden city of Ad, so popular
+among the ancient Arabs[1]; but these repetitions will cease to create
+any surprise when it is remembered that the professional story-tellers
+of the East are a wandering race, who travel from city to city,
+exhibiting their talent during seasons of festivity, in the palaces of
+the wealthy and the public coffee-houses. Those admitted to the
+women's apartments are universally aged crones, whose volubility is
+something marvellous; and they are always welcome guests to the
+indolent beauties, who listen to them for hours together without a
+symptom of weariness, as they pour forth their narratives in a
+monotonous voice strangely displeasing to European ears. The men,
+while reciting their tales, indulge in violent gesticulations and
+contortions of the body, which appear to produce great delight in
+their audience. Since they generally travel two or three in company;
+and, save in rare cases of improvisation, their stock of narrative is
+common to all, it is their ambition so individually to embellish,
+heighten, and amplify their subject-matter, as to outshine their
+competitors; and it is consequently to this cause that the numerous
+variations of the same Tale which have reached Europe must be
+attributed.
+
+Taken altogether, there can be no doubt that the "Thousand and One
+Days" merit the warm welcome which I trust awaits them.
+
+J. P.
+
+LONDON, FEB. 1857.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS.
+
+
+I.
+                                                             PAGE
+HASSAN ABDALLAH, OR THE ENCHANTED KEYS                          1
+  Story of Hassan                                               7
+  Story of the Basket-Maker                                    11
+  Story of the Dervise Abounadar                               21
+  Conclusion of the Story of Hassan                            29
+
+
+II.
+
+SOLIMAN BEY AND THE THREE STORY TELLERS                        46
+  First Story Teller                                           47
+  Second Story Teller                                          49
+  Third Story Teller                                           55
+
+
+III.
+
+PRINCE KHALAF AND THE PRINCESS OF CHINA                        58
+  Story of Prince Al Abbas                                     67
+  Continuation of Prince Khalaf and the Princess of China      99
+  Story of Lin-in                                             106
+  Story of Prince Khalaf concluded                            126
+
+
+IV.
+
+THE WISE DEY                                                  178
+
+
+V.
+
+THE TUNISIAN SAGE                                             190
+
+
+VI.
+
+THE NOSE FOR GOLD                                             203
+
+
+VII.
+
+THE TREASURES OF BASRA                                        215
+  History of Aboulcassem                                      223
+  Conclusion of the Treasures of Basra                        230
+
+
+VIII.
+
+THE OLD CAMEL                                                250
+
+
+IX.
+
+THE STORY OF MEDJEDDIN                                       263
+
+
+X.
+
+KING BEDREDDIN-LOLO AND HIS VIZIR                             299
+  Story of the Old Slippers                                   300
+  Story of Atalmulc the Sorrowful                             305
+  Continuation of King Bedreddin-Lolo and his Vizir           338
+  Story of Malek and the Princess Schirine                    340
+  Conclusion                                                  358
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+THE "THOUSAND AND ONE DAYS;"
+
+OR,
+
+ARABIAN TALES.
+
+
+
+
+I.
+
+THE STORY OF HASSAN ABDALLAH; OR, THE ENCHANTED KEYS.
+
+
+Theilon, caliph of Egypt, died, after having bequeathed his power to
+his son, Mohammed, who, like a wise and good prince, proceeded to root
+out abuses, and finally caused peace and justice to flourish
+throughout his dominions. Instead of oppressing his people by new
+taxes, he employed the treasures, which his father had amassed by
+violence, in supporting learned men, rewarding the brave, and
+assisting the unfortunate. Every thing succeeded under his happy sway;
+the risings of the Nile were regular and abundant; every year the soil
+produced rich harvests; and commerce, honoured and protected, caused
+the gold of foreign nations to flow abundantly into the ports of
+Egypt.
+
+Mohammed determined, one day, to take the census of the officers of
+his army, and of all the persons in public situations whose salaries
+were paid out of the treasury. The vizirs, to the number of forty,
+first made their appearance and knelt in succession before the
+sovereign. They were, for the most part, men venerable from their age,
+and some of them had long beards of snowy whiteness. They all wore on
+their heads tiaras of gold, enriched with precious stones, and carried
+in their hands long staves as badges of their power. One enumerated
+the battles in which he had been engaged, and the honourable wounds he
+had received; another recounted the long and laborious studies he had
+pursued, in order to render himself master of the various sciences,
+and to qualify himself to serve the state by his wisdom and knowledge.
+
+After the vizirs, came the governors of provinces, the generals, and
+the great officers of the army; and next to them the civil
+magistrates, and all who were entrusted with the preservation of the
+peace and the awarding of justice. Behind these walked the public
+executioner, who, although stout and well-fed, like a man who had
+nothing to do, went along as if depressed with grief, and instead of
+carrying his sword naked on his shoulder, he kept it in its scabbard.
+When he came into the presence of the prince, he threw himself at his
+feet, and exclaimed, "O mighty prince, the day of justice and of
+munificence is at last about to dawn on me! Since the death of the
+terrible Theilon, under whose reign my life was happy and my condition
+prosperous, I have seen my occupation and its emoluments diminish
+daily. If Egypt continue thus to live in peace and plenty, I shall run
+great danger of perishing with hunger, and my family will be brought
+to misery and ruin."
+
+Mohammed listened in silence to the complaints of the headsman, and
+acknowledged that there was some foundation for them, for his salary
+was small, and the chief part of his profits arose from what he
+obtained from criminals, either by way of gift, or as a rightful fee.
+In times of trouble, quarrelling, and violence, he had lived, in
+fact, in a state of ease and affluence, while now, under the present
+prosperous reign, he had nothing better than the prospect of beggary
+before him.
+
+"Is it then true," exclaimed the caliph, "that the happiness of all is
+a dream? that what is joy to one, may be the cause of grief to
+another? O executioner, fear not as to your fate! May it, indeed,
+please God that, under my reign, your sword,--which is almost as often
+an instrument of vengeance as of justice,--may remain useless and
+covered with rust. But, in order to enable you to provide for the
+wants of yourself and your family, without the unhappy necessity of
+exercising your fatal office, you shall receive every year the sum of
+two hundred dinars."
+
+In this way all the officers and servants of the palace passed before
+the notice of the prince; he interrogated each on the nature of his
+occupation and his past services, on his means of existence, and on
+the salary which he received. When he found that any one held a
+situation of a painful and difficult nature, for which he was
+inadequately remunerated, the caliph diminished his duties and
+increased his pay; and, on the other hand, when he found the contrary
+to be the case, he lessened the salary and increased the duties of the
+office. After having, in this way, performed many acts of wisdom and
+justice, the caliph observed, among the officers of the civil service,
+a sheik, whose wrinkled countenance and stooping figure indicated his
+great age. The caliph called him up, in order to inquire what was his
+employment in the palace, and the sum which it yielded him.
+
+"Prince," the old man replied, "my only employment is to take care of
+a chest that was committed to my charge by your father, the late
+caliph, and for attending to which he allowed me ten pieces of gold a
+month."
+
+"It seems to me," replied Mohammed, "that the reward is great for so
+slight a service. Pray what are the contents of this chest?"
+
+"I received it," replied the sheik, "in charge forty years ago, and I
+solemnly swear to you that I know not what it contains."
+
+The caliph commanded the chest to be brought to him, which was of pure
+gold, and most richly adorned. The old man opened it. It contained a
+manuscript written in brilliant characters on the skin of a gazelle,
+painted purple and sprinkled with a red dust. Neither the prince,
+however, nor his ministers, nor the ulemas who were present, could
+decipher the writing. By the caliph's order, the wise men of Egypt
+were summoned, as well as others from Syria, Persia, and India, but to
+no purpose; not one was able to interpret the mysterious characters.
+The book remained open for a long time, exposed to the gaze of all,
+and a great reward was offered to any one who could bring forward a
+person of sufficient learning to read it.
+
+Some time after this, a savant who had left Egypt in the reign of
+Theilon, and had now returned after a long absence, chanced to hear of
+the mysterious book, and said that he knew what it was, and could
+explain its history. The caliph immediately admitted him to an
+audience, and the old man addressed him as follows:
+
+"O sovereign ruler, may the Almighty prolong your days! Only one man
+can read this book, its rightful master, the sheik Hassan Abdallah,
+son of El-Achaar. This man had travelled through many lands, and
+penetrated into the mysterious city of Aram, built on columns, from
+which he brought this book, which no one but himself could read. He
+made use of it in his experiments in alchemy, and by its aid he could
+transmute the most worthless metals into gold. The caliph Theilon,
+your father, having learned this, commanded the sage to be brought
+before him, with a view of compelling him to reveal the secret of his
+knowledge. Hassan Abdallah refused to do so, for fear of putting into
+the hands of the unjust an instrument of such terrible power; and the
+prince, in a rage, laid hold of the chest, and ordered the sage to be
+thrown into prison, where he still remains, unless he has died since
+that time, which is forty years ago."
+
+On hearing this, Mohammed immediately despatched his officers to visit
+the prisons, and, on their return, learned with pleasure that Hassan
+was still alive. The caliph ordered him to be brought forth and
+arrayed in a dress of honour; and, on his appearing in the audience
+chamber, the prince made him sit down beside him, and begged him to
+forgive the unjust treatment which his father had caused him to
+undergo. He then told him how he had accidentally discovered that he
+was still alive; and at last, placing the mysterious book before him,
+said,
+
+"Old man, if this book could make me the owner of all the treasures of
+the world, I would not consent to possess it, since it only belongs to
+me by injustice and violence."
+
+On hearing these words, Hassan burst into tears.
+
+"O God," he exclaimed, "all wisdom proceeds from Thee! Thou causest to
+arise from the same soil the poisonous and the wholesome plant. Every
+where good is placed by the side of evil. This prince, the support of
+the feeble, the defender of the oppressed, who has conferred on me the
+happiness of spending my remaining years in the light of day, is the
+son of the tyrant who plunged Egypt in mourning, and who kept me for
+forty years in a loathsome dungeon. Prince," added the old man,
+addressing Mohammed, "what I refused to the wrath of your father, I
+willingly grant to your virtues: this book contains the precepts of
+the true science, and I bless Heaven that I have lived long enough to
+teach it to you. I have often risked my life to become the master of
+this wonderful book, which was the only article of value that I
+brought from Aram, that city into which no man can enter who is not
+assisted by Heaven."
+
+The caliph embraced the old man, and, calling him his father, begged
+him to relate what he had seen in the city of Aram.
+
+"Prince," replied Hassan, "it is a long story, as long, nearly, as my
+whole life."
+
+He then proceeded as follows.
+
+[Illustration: Story of the Enchanted Keys, p. 7.]
+
+
+THE STORY OF HASSAN ABDALLAH.
+
+I am the only son of one of the richest inhabitants of Egypt. My
+father, who was a man of extensive knowledge, employed my youth in the
+study of science; and at twenty years of age I was already honourably
+mentioned among the ulemas, when my father bestowed a young maiden on
+me as my wife, with eyes brilliant as the stars, and with a form
+elegant and light as that of the gazelle. My nuptials were
+magnificent, and my days flowed on in peace and happiness. I lived
+thus for ten years, when at last this beautiful dream vanished. It
+pleased Heaven to afflict me with every kind of misfortune: the plague
+deprived me of my father; war destroyed my dear brothers; my house
+fell a prey to the flames; my richly-laden ships were buried beneath
+the waves. Reduced to misery and want, my only resource was in the
+mercy of God and the compassion of the faithful whom I met while I
+frequented the mosques. My sufferings, from my own wretched state of
+poverty, and that of my wife and children, were cruel indeed. One day
+when I had not received any charitable donations, my wife, weeping,
+took some of my clothes, and gave them to me in order to sell them at
+the bazaar. On the way thither I met an Arab of the desert, mounted on
+a red camel. He greeted me, and said,
+
+"Peace be with you, my brother! Can you tell me where the sheik Hassan
+Abdallah, the son of El-Achaar, resides in the city?"
+
+Being ashamed of my poverty, and thinking I was not known, I replied,
+
+"There is no man at Cairo of that name."
+
+"God is great!" exclaimed the Arab; "are you not Hassan Abdallah, and
+can you send away your guest by concealing your name?"
+
+Greatly confused, I then begged him to forgive me, and laid hold of
+his hands to kiss them, which he would not permit me to do, and I then
+accompanied him to my house. On the way there I was tormented by the
+reflection that I had nothing to set before him; and when I reached
+home I informed my wife of the meeting I had just had.
+
+"The stranger is sent by God," said she; "and even the children's
+bread shall be his. Go, sell the clothes which I gave you; buy some
+food for our guest with the money, and if any thing should remain
+over, we will partake of it ourselves."
+
+In going out it was necessary that I should pass through the apartment
+where the Arab was. As I concealed the clothes, he said to me, "My
+brother, what have you got there hid under your cloak?"
+
+I replied that it was my wife's dress, which I was carrying to the
+tailor.
+
+"Show it to me," he said. I showed it to him, blushing.
+
+"O merciful God," he exclaimed, "you are going to sell it in order to
+get money to enable you to be hospitable towards me! Stop, Hassan!
+here are ten pieces of gold; spend them in buying what is needful for
+our own wants and for those of your family."
+
+I obeyed, and plenty and happiness seemed to revisit my abode. Every
+day the Arab gave me the same sum, which, according to his orders, I
+spent in the same way; and this continued for fifteen days. On the
+sixteenth day my guest, after chatting on indifferent matters, said to
+me, "Hassan, would you like to sell yourself to me?"
+
+"My lord," I replied, "I am already yours by gratitude."
+
+"No," he replied, "that is not what I mean; I wish to make you my
+property, and you shall fix the price yourself."
+
+Thinking he was joking, I replied, "The price of a freeman is one
+thousand dinars if he is killed at a single blow; but if many wounds
+are inflicted upon him, or if he should be cut in many pieces, the
+price is then one thousand five hundred dinars."
+
+"Very well," answered my guest, "I will pay you this last-mentioned
+sum if you will consent to the bargain."
+
+When I saw that he was speaking seriously, I asked for time in order
+to consult my family.
+
+"Do so," he replied, and then went out to look after some affairs in
+the city.
+
+When I related the strange proposal of my guest, my mother said, "What
+can this man want to do with you?" The children all clung to me, and
+wept. My wife, who was a wise and prudent woman, remarked,
+
+"This detestable stranger wants, perhaps, to get back what he has
+spent here. You have nothing but this wretched house, sell it, and
+give him the money, but don't sell yourself."
+
+I passed the rest of the day and the following night in reflection,
+and was in a state of great uncertainty. With the sum offered by the
+stranger I could at least secure bread for my family. But why wish to
+purchase me? What could he intend to do? Before next morning, however,
+I had come to a decision. I went to the Arab and said, "I am yours."
+Untying his sash, he took out one thousand five hundred gold pieces,
+and giving them to me, said, "Fear not, my brother, I have no designs
+against either your life or your liberty; I only wish to secure a
+faithful companion during a long journey which I am about to
+undertake."
+
+Overwhelmed with joy, I ran with the money to my wife and mother; but
+they, without listening to my explanations, began weeping and crying
+as if they were lamenting for the dead.
+
+"It is the price of flesh and blood," they exclaimed; "neither we nor
+our children will eat bread procured at such a cost!"
+
+By dint of argument, however, I succeeded at length in subduing their
+grief; and having embraced them, together with my children, I set out
+to meet my new master.
+
+By order of the Arab I purchased a camel renowned for its speed, at
+the price of a hundred drachms; I filled our sacks with food
+sufficient for a long period; and then, mounting our camels, we
+proceeded on our journey.
+
+We soon reached the desert. Here no traces of travellers were to be
+seen, for the wind effaced them continually from the surface of the
+moving sand. The Arab was guided in his course by indications known
+only to himself. We travelled thus together for five days under a
+burning sun; each day seemed longer to me than a night of suffering or
+of fear. My master, who was of a lively disposition, kept up my
+courage by tales which I remember even now with pleasure after forty
+years of anguish; and you will forgive an old man for not being able
+to resist the pleasure of relating some of them to you. The following
+story, he said, had been recounted to him by the basket-maker himself,
+a poor man whom he had found in prison, and whom he had charitably
+found means to release.
+
+
+THE STORY OF THE BASKET-MAKER.
+
+I was born of poor and honest parents; and my father, who was a
+basket-maker by trade, taught me to plait all kinds of baskets. So
+long as I had only myself to care for, I lived tolerably well on the
+produce of my labour; but when I reached twenty years of age, and took
+a wife, who in a few years presented me with several children, my
+gains proved insufficient to maintain my family. A basket-maker earns
+but little; one day he gets a drachm, the next he may get two, or
+perhaps only half a drachm. In this state of things I and my children
+had often to endure the pangs of hunger.
+
+One day it happened that I had just finished a large basket; it was
+well and strongly made, and I hoped to obtain at least three drachms
+for it. I took it to the bazaar and through all the streets, but no
+purchaser appeared. Night came on and I went home. When my wife and
+children saw me return without any food, they began to cry and to ask
+for bread, but as I had none to give them, I could only weep with
+them: the night was long and sorrowful. At daybreak my wife awoke me,
+saying, "Go, and sell the basket at any price you can get for it, were
+it only half a drachm." I set out, and perambulated the streets and
+squares, but night came on again without my finding a purchaser. My
+wife burst out into a great rage. "What!" she said, "do you still
+bring back this basket? Do you wish to see us die with hunger?"
+
+I assured her that I had tried every means, but in vain, to sell the
+basket. She then took some articles of her own, and told me to go and
+sell them, and procure some bread for the children. I did as she said,
+and my famished family partook of a miserable repast, which my
+depressed state of mind prevented me from sharing with them. I slept
+little that night; and as soon as it was day I performed my devotions,
+and prayed to God to come to my assistance. I then went out again with
+my unsaleable basket, with which I made many weary and fruitless
+rounds through the whole city. At noon, overwhelmed with fatigue and
+famished with hunger, I sat down at the door of a mosque, where the
+voice of the muezzim was calling the faithful to prayer. I entered to
+implore of God's goodness that I might be able, by his assistance, to
+sell the basket. Prayer being ended, the faithful left the mosque, and
+I found myself alone with a venerable Persian, named Saadi, who seemed
+lost in contemplation. Rising to go away, he passed near me, and
+noticing how pale I was, he said, "Friend, you are too much addicted
+to wine, and your health suffers from it."
+
+"My lord," I replied, "do not believe it; I have never tasted wine; my
+weakness and paleness arise from my not having had any food for the
+last two days."
+
+I then related to him my life, my occupation, and my wretched state.
+Whilst listening to me the stranger shed tears; and when I had
+finished speaking, he said, "God be praised, my brother! for I can put
+an end to your troubles: take this," putting a purse of gold into my
+hands; "run to the market, and buy meat, bread, and fruits for the
+refreshment of yourself and family. What I have given you will last
+you for a year to come; and in exchange, I only ask you to meet me
+here, at the same day and hour, every year." So saying, he departed.
+
+I could scarcely think but that I had been dreaming; the purse,
+however, proved that I was indeed awake. I opened it, and found in it
+a hundred pieces of gold! Overjoyed, I ran to the bazaar, and, in
+pursuance of the orders of the benevolent donor, I purchased enough,
+not only to satisfy the calls of hunger, but also food of such a
+nourishing nature, as had never entered my house before. The whole I
+put into my basket, and hastened to return home. Having reached the
+door, I listened, being curious to know what was going on. My children
+were uttering lamentations, and their mother was endeavouring to quiet
+them by repeating, for the hundredth time, her advice, to be quiet,
+and not to weep, for that their father would be sure to return with
+something to eat. I then entered the room, exclaiming, that God had
+heard them, and had sent them a plentiful supply for a long time to
+come. But when I showed them the purse and its contents, my wife
+shouted out, "What! have you then killed and robbed some one? Are we
+to become the object of the inquiries and suspicions of the police?"
+
+I then related my fortunate meeting with the old man, and while
+embracing me with tears of joy, and a conscience at ease, my family
+partook, with me, of a plentiful repast, at the same time invoking
+blessings on our unknown benefactor.
+
+For a whole year I lived happily in this manner. The day fixed upon by
+the stranger having arrived, I went to the mosque, after having
+attired myself in a becoming manner. The Persian came and seated
+himself beside me. When prayers were ended, and all the worshippers
+had departed, he turned towards me and said, with a smiling look,
+
+"O my brother! how has the time passed with you since our last
+interview?"
+
+"Thanks to your generosity, my lord," I replied, "my life has been
+spent in a tranquil and happy manner."
+
+The stranger then questioned me as to my courage, address, and love
+of travelling; and to all his questions I replied in a satisfactory
+manner, and, in my turn, asked him if I could be of any service to
+him.
+
+"Noureddin," he replied, "I intend setting out on a journey, and I
+wish you to accompany me as my servant. I shall employ you in a
+respectable and becoming manner; and if you show yourself obedient and
+devoted to my interests, you will have no reason to repent it. The
+journey will last two months; look, here are thirty dinars; buy
+provisions, that your family may want for nothing during your absence.
+In eight days you must bid adieu to your wife and children, and come
+to meet me here, bringing a supply of rice and dates, and arming
+yourself with a yatagan, to defend yourself in case of our being
+attacked."
+
+I then went to my wife, and told her what the stranger required of me.
+"He is our benefactor," she replied; "it is your duty to obey him." I
+spent the eight days in laying in a store of food for my family and
+for the journey, and on the appointed day, after embracing my wife and
+children, I went to the mosque, where I found the Persian. The muezzim
+having proclaimed the hour of prayer, we joined in it; and afterwards
+I followed him to a desert place, where were two fine horses well
+harnessed and yoked, which we unloosed and mounted, and then set out
+on our journey.
+
+After having traversed deserts and mountains during a whole month, we
+arrived at a fertile plain, watered by a fine river, whose peaceful
+and limpid waters winding about a thick forest, formed it into
+peninsula: a pavilion, with a golden cupola, seemed to rise out of
+this mass of verdure, and shone in the sun's rays as if it had been on
+fire.
+
+[Illustration: The Pavilion with the golden cupola, p. 14]
+
+The Persian now said to me, "Noureddin, enter this forest, and give me
+an account of what you see." I obeyed, but I had scarcely walked an
+hour, when I saw two huge lions with manes erect. Seized with alarm, I
+drew back, and running away reached my master out of breath, who only
+laughed at my fears, and assured me that I was needlessly afraid of
+the monsters. He wanted me to return, but I refused, and he was
+obliged to come back along with me. Having approached the lions, the
+Persian charmed them by some magical words, on which they became as
+submissive as lambs, remained motionless, and permitted us to pass. We
+journeyed on for many hours in the recesses of the forest, meeting, to
+my great dread, with what appeared to be troops of horsemen, sword in
+hand, and giants, armed with clubs, ready to strike us. All these
+fantastic beings disappeared at the sight of my master, and we reached
+at last the pavilion which crowned the forest.
+
+My master then said to me, "Go, Noureddin, to this pavilion; remove
+the belt of iron chains which fastens the gates, while I go and pray
+to the great Solomon to be propitious to our enterprise." I did as he
+commanded me; but when I let the chains fall, a frightful noise was
+heard, which made the earth shake under my feet. More dead than alive,
+I returned to the Persian, who, having finished his prayer, entered
+the pavilion. At the end of an hour he came out, bringing a book with
+him written in the sacred language. He began to read it; and when he
+had finished, with his countenance radiant with delight he exclaimed,
+"O thrice fortunate Saadi! thou possessest at last this holy
+book,--the sum of wisdom, the mirror of the good and the terror of the
+wicked! May the perusal of this garden of roses lead the children of
+Adam back to that original innocence from which they have so fatally
+departed! Hearken to these maxims and sentences, worthy to be the
+guides of mankind from the shepherd to the king:--
+
+     'He who learns the rules of wisdom without conforming his
+     life to them, is like the man who tills his field but never
+     sows any seed therein.
+
+     'Virtue does not consist in acquiring the riches of this
+     world, but in attaching all hearts by benefits and good
+     offices.
+
+     'If you are insensible to the sufferings of the unfortunate,
+     you do not deserve the name of a man.
+
+     'It is better to be loaded with chains for having told the
+     truth, than to be freed from them by means of a lie.
+
+     'A wicked person that accuses you of licentiousness should
+     be made to blush, in his turn, by your virtues and your
+     innocence.
+
+     'Man should remember that he is born of the earth, and that
+     his pride will one day come to an end in it.
+
+     'Crystal is found every where; but nothing is more rare than
+     the diamond, and hence the difference in their value.
+
+     'Instruction only bears fruit in so far as it is assisted by
+     your own endeavours.
+
+     'The discipline of the master is of greater benefit to the
+     child than the indulgence of the father.
+
+     'So long as the tree is young it is easy to fashion it as
+     you please; but when it has been permitted to grow, nothing
+     but fire can straighten it.
+
+     'Woe to the man of might, who devours the substance of the
+     people! At last some dire calamity will, of a surety,
+     overtake him.
+
+     'The most awful spectacle at the day of judgment will be,
+     says the prophet, to see pious slaves in paradise, and hard
+     and merciless masters in hell.
+
+     'Do you ask whether the ant beneath your feet has a right to
+     complain? Yes; just as much right as you would have if
+     crushed to atoms by an elephant.
+
+     'Encouragement towards the wicked is a wrong done to the
+     good; and the severest attack on virtue is to be indulgent
+     to crime.
+
+     'The perpetrator of an unjust action dies, but his memory is
+     held in everlasting abhorrence. The just man dies, and his
+     good actions bear fruit unto eternity.
+
+     'Be assured that thou wilt be rewarded if thine actions are
+     good, whether thou wearest the dress of the dervise or the
+     crown of the king.
+
+     'Would a king have nothing to fear from his enemies, let him
+     live in peace with his subjects.
+
+     'O my brother! the world forsakes us all. Fix thy heart on
+     the Creator of the universe, and all will be well with thee.
+
+     'What signifies it, whether we die in a stable or on a
+     throne?
+
+     'At your morning and evening prayer be able to say, Almighty
+     God, be pleased to remember Thy servant, who has never
+     forgotten Thee!'
+
+"My ambition is satisfied," resumed the Persian, "by the possession of
+this book; but a fortune of that description would be no fortune to
+you, Noureddin. You stand in need of a material treasure; and this
+sacred volume tells me where we ought to look for it. Quick! Mount
+your steed, and let us proceed so long as Solomon favours us." Leaping
+into our saddles, therefore, we set off at full gallop, and entering
+the desert, journeyed thus for two days and a night.
+
+On the evening of the second day we arrived at a city situated on a
+high mountain, and surrounded with white walls which shone like
+silver. We passed the night under the trees of an adjoining wood; and
+next day, having offered up our prayers, looked about for some way of
+entering the city, the gates of which were shut, and within which
+there reigned a perfect stillness. My master went round the walls, and
+in his examination of them he discovered a stone slab, in which was
+fastened an iron ring. We endeavoured to move the slab, but could not.
+The Persian then ordered me to take the horses and to fasten them to
+the ring with our sashes; and by this means we succeeded in removing
+the stone, which discovered the entrance to a subterraneous passage.
+My master said to me, "Noureddin, follow me; by this passage we shall
+get into the city." On leaving the subterraneous passage we heard a
+noise like that which might be produced by the loud puffing of the
+bellows of a forge, and we supposed for a moment that the city was
+inhabited. This strange noise was nothing else than the hissing of two
+winged serpents, which advanced towards us at a frightful pace. With
+the sacred book in his hand the Persian advanced to meet them, and
+with one touch of this talisman laid them prostrate on the ground.
+
+This obstacle being overcome, we traversed the whole city, admiring
+its squares, houses, mosques, and palaces. But what had become of the
+inhabitants? By what scourge had they been cut off, or what reason had
+induced them to quit so beautiful a city? How long ago was it
+inhabited? My mind was lost in conjectures about what seemed so far
+beyond my comprehension, and my master made no reply to the questions
+which I addressed to him. At length we stopped at the open railing of
+some gardens surrounding an enormous palace, which surpassed all that
+the imagination could conceive. Bushy thickets; orchards covered with
+flowers and fruits; enamelled meads, watered by murmuring streams;
+parterres planted with the rarest and most variegated flowers, every
+where met the eye. The Persian sat down under the shadow of a tree,
+opened the book, and commenced reading, and when he had finished
+ordered me to enter the palace. I reached it by a staircase that could
+only have been constructed by the hands of genii; it was formed of the
+most rare and costly marble, as were also the statues which were
+placed at the sides. After having walked through many spacious and
+magnificent apartments richly adorned, I entered a subterranean hall,
+still larger and more splendid. A hundred crystal lustres, brilliant
+with gold and precious stones, and lit up with thousands of
+wax-lights, shed a refulgence more dazzling than the day. Its walls
+were covered with paintings, in which the spirit of evil strove in
+vain for the mastery over the spirit of good, and a long series of the
+statues of justly-renowned dead princes were ranged all around. Vacant
+pedestals, waiting to receive monarchs still living, whose names were
+inscribed on them, were also to be seen. In the centre of this
+subterranean apartment, a throne of gold arose, incrusted with pearls
+and rubies. On this throne an old man was reposing, with a countenance
+pale as death, but whose open eyes shone with a supernatural
+brilliancy. I saluted him respectfully, but he made no gesture. I
+spoke to him, and he made no reply. Seized with astonishment and fear,
+I returned to my master and told him what I had seen.
+
+"God be praised!" he said, "we are now near the end of our
+enterprise. Return, Noureddin, to the old man; go up to him
+fearlessly, and bring to me the chest on which his head rests."
+
+I obeyed, and on my return to the subterranean hall I drew near to the
+throne, to which three silver steps led up. When I placed my foot on
+the first step the old man stood up; in spite of my surprise I
+ascended the second step, when, seizing a bow, he placed a
+keen-pointed arrow in it, and aimed it at me. Without any
+consideration of my benefactor's orders, I jumped backwards and took
+to flight anew. When the Arab saw me, he said, "Is this what you
+promised me? cowardly man, come with me, and you will find inestimable
+riches!" I then conducted him to the place where the old man was to be
+found. When my master was near the throne, he ascended the first step,
+and the old man arose; at the second step he took his bow and arrow;
+and at the third he shot it at my master, who received it on the
+sacred book, from which it rebounded as from a steel cuirass, and fell
+broken on the ground. The old man fell back motionless on the throne,
+and his eyes ceased to shine. My master then laid hold of the
+mysterious chest of which he had spoken to me, and took from it the
+magic key which opened subterranean recesses where heaps of pearls,
+diamonds, and rubies were deposited. The Persian allowed me to take as
+much as I pleased. I filled my trousers and the folds of my robe and
+turban with the finest pearls, the largest diamonds, and many other
+kinds of precious stones. As Saadi the Wise passed by all these
+treasures without looking at them, I said to him, "O my lord, why do
+you leave here all this wealth, and take away with you, as the reward
+of so many fatigues, an article of so little value? The book of wisdom
+is now useless; what man is there who does not think himself wise?"
+
+"My son," replied the old man, "I am near the end of my career, and my
+life has been spent in the search after true wisdom. If I have done
+nothing to improve mankind, God, when I appear before Him, will
+reckon with me not only for the evil I shall have done, but also for
+the good I may have neglected to do. As for you, who have a wife and
+children, I approve of your wishing to provide for their future
+condition."
+
+We left the enchanted city and its treasures, which I greatly
+regretted not being able to carry away. When we reached the open
+country, I looked back to gaze upon the palace and city, but they had
+disappeared, at which I expressed my astonishment to my master, who
+replied, "Noureddin, do not seek to fathom the mysteries of knowledge,
+but be contented to rejoice with me at the success of our journey." We
+then directed our faces towards Bagdad, and at the end of a short time
+arrived there, without meeting with any thing else worth relating. My
+family were rejoiced at my return and at the good fortune I had so
+unexpectedly met with. The old man abode with us for some time, which
+he employed in reading the Gulistan and in giving me useful counsels
+as to my future conduct.
+
+"Noureddin," he said, "you are the possessor of great wealth; know how
+to make a good use of it; always remember the wretched condition in
+which I found you in the mosque; beware of bad company and pretended
+friends and flatterers; avoid covetousness, and be charitable toward
+the poor; remember the uncertainty of riches, and how Providence often
+punishes those who give way to ingratitude and pride." Besides his
+good advice, he would often relate to me instructive histories by way
+of example, and I shall not tire you too much if I repeat one of them
+to you.
+
+
+THE STORY OF THE DERVISE ABOUNADAR.
+
+A dervise, venerable from his age, fell ill at the house of a woman
+who was a widow, and who lived in a state of great poverty in the
+outskirts of Balsora. He was so affected by the care and zeal with
+which she had nursed him, that at the time of his departure he said to
+her, "I have noticed that your means are sufficient for yourself
+alone, and are not adequate for the additional support of your only
+son, the young Mujahid; but if you will entrust him to my care, I will
+do my utmost to repay through him the obligations which I am under to
+your care."
+
+The good woman received the proposal with pleasure, and the dervise
+took his departure with the young man, stating, at the same time, that
+they were to be absent two years on a journey. While travelling in
+various countries the widow's son lived in opulence with his
+protector, who gave him excellent instructions, attended to him in a
+dangerous illness which he had, and, in short, treated him in every
+respect as if he had been his only son. Mujahid often said how
+grateful he was for such kindness, and the old man's constant reply
+was, "My son, gratitude is shown by actions, not words; at the proper
+time and place we shall see how you estimate my conduct towards you."
+
+One day, in their journeyings, they reached a place out of the beaten
+road, and the dervise said to Abdallah, "We are now at the end of our
+travels; I am about to cause the earth to open and allow you to enter
+a place where you will find one of the greatest treasures in the bosom
+of the globe; have you courage sufficient to descend into this
+subterranean recess?" Mujahid declared that he might be depended upon
+for his obedience and zeal. The dervise then lighted a small fire,
+into which he threw some perfumes, and when he had pronounced some
+prayers the earth opened, and the dervise said to the young man, "You
+can now enter; remember that it is in your power to render me a great
+service, and that the present occasion is perhaps the only one when
+you can prove to me that you are not ungrateful. Do not allow yourself
+to be dazzled by all the wealth which you will find, but think only of
+getting possession of an iron chandelier with twelve branches which
+you will see near a door; lose no time in bringing it to me." The
+youth promised to attend to all that was required of him, and plunged
+into the subterraneous recess full of confidence in himself.
+Forgetting, however, what had been so expressly enjoined upon him,
+while he was busy filling his pockets with the gold and diamonds
+spread around in prodigious quantities, the entrance by which he had
+descended was closed. He had, however, the presence of mind to lay
+hold of the iron chandelier which the dervise had urged him to bring
+away; and although he was now, by the closing of the entrance, placed
+in circumstances which were enough to appal a stouter heart, he did
+not abandon himself to despair. While trying to discover some way of
+escape from a place which was likely otherwise to be his grave, he saw
+but too plainly that the opening had been closed upon him on account
+of his not having strictly followed the dervise's orders; and
+reflecting on the kindness and care with which he had been treated, he
+bitterly reproached himself for his ingratitude. At length, after a
+busy search and much anxiety, he was fortunate enough to discover a
+narrow passage that led out of this dark cavern. The opening was
+covered over with briers and thorns, through which he managed to
+struggle, and thus recovered the light of day. He looked around him
+every where for the dervise in order to deliver the chandelier to him,
+but in vain; he was not to be seen.
+
+Unable to recognize any of the places where he had been, he walked at
+random, and was very much astonished to find himself, after a short
+time, at his mother's door, from which he had thought himself at a
+great distance. In reply to her inquiries respecting the dervise, he
+frankly told her all that had happened, and the danger he had
+encountered in order to gratify the fancy of the dervise; and then he
+showed her the riches with which he was loaded. His mother concluded,
+on seeing all this wealth, that the dervise only wanted to try his
+courage and obedience, and that he ought to take advantage of his good
+luck, adding, that such was no doubt the intention of the holy man.
+
+While they gazed on these treasures with avidity, and framed a
+thousand dazzling projects for spending them, the whole vanished
+suddenly from their eyes. Mujahid then reproached himself again for
+his ingratitude and disobedience; and looking at the iron chandelier
+which alone remained of all his treasure, said, "What has happened is
+just. I have lost what I had no wish to render back; and the
+chandelier, which I desired to give to the dervise, remains with
+me,--a proof that it belongs to him, and that the rest was improperly
+obtained." So saying, he placed the chandelier in the middle of his
+mother's small house.
+
+When night came on, Mujahid thought he would put a light in the
+chandelier, by way of turning it to some use. No sooner had he done
+this, than a dervise immediately appeared, who, after turning round,
+vanished, and threw a small coin behind him. Mujahid, whose thoughts
+were occupied all next day with what he had seen the evening before,
+wished to see what would be the event if he placed a light in each of
+the twelve branches. He did so, and twelve dervises immediately
+appeared, who, after wheeling round, also became invisible, each of
+them at the same time throwing down a small coin. Every day Mujahid
+repeated the same ceremony with the same success; but he could only
+make it occur once in twenty-four hours. The moderate sum with which
+the dervises supplied him daily was sufficient for the subsistence of
+himself and his mother, and for a long time this was all that he
+desired. By and by, however, his imagination began to feast itself
+with the idea of the riches of the cavern, the sight of those which he
+had once thought to be safe in his possession, and the schemes which
+he had formed as to the use to be made of his wealth; all these things
+had left so deep an impression on his mind, that he found it
+impossible to rest. He resolved, therefore, if possible, to find out
+the dervise, and to take him the chandelier, in the hope of obtaining
+the treasure by bringing to the holy man an article for which he had
+shown so strong a desire.
+
+Fortunately Mujahid recollected the dervise's name, and the name of
+the city, Magnebi, where he dwelt. He set out on his journey as soon
+as possible, bidding farewell to his mother, and taking the chandelier
+with him, which supplied him every evening, after being lit, with the
+means of supporting himself, without having occasion to resort for
+assistance to the compassion of the faithful. When he reached Magnebi,
+his first inquiry was after the house where Abounadar lodged. He was
+so well known, that the first person he met could tell him his
+residence. On arriving at the house, or rather palace, he found fifty
+porters keeping watch at the door, each of them bearing a wand with a
+golden apple for its handle. The courts of the palace were crowded
+with slaves and domestics; indeed, no prince's residence ever
+displayed greater splendour. Mujahid, struck with astonishment and
+admiration, was reluctant to proceed further. "Either," said he to
+himself, "I have described the person whom I wanted imperfectly, or
+those to whom I spoke must have wished to make a mock of me,
+observing that I was a stranger. This is not the residence of a
+dervise, but of a king."
+
+Mujahid was in this state of embarrassment when a man came up to him
+and said, "You are welcome, Mujahid; my master, Abounadar, has been
+long expecting you;" and so saying, he conducted him into a
+magnificent garden, where the dervise was seated. Mujahid, struck with
+the riches which he saw every where around him, would have thrown
+himself at his feet, but Abounadar would not permit him, and
+interrupted him when he was about to make a merit of bringing back the
+chandelier which he presented to him, by saying, "You are an
+ungrateful wretch. Do you think to impose upon me? I know all your
+thoughts; and if you had known the worth of this chandelier, you would
+never have brought it to me. I shall now make you acquainted with its
+true use." In each of the branches of the chandelier he now placed a
+light; and when the dervises had turned round, Abounadar gave each of
+them a blow with a stick, and immediately they were converted into
+twelve heaps of sequins, diamonds, and other precious stones. "Look,"
+he said, "at the use to be made of this wonderful chandelier. My only
+reason, however, for wishing to place it in my cabinet, was on account
+of its being a talisman composed by a sage whom I revered; and I shall
+be always happy to show it to persons who visit me. To prove to you,"
+he continued, "that curiosity is the only reason which induced me to
+procure the lamp, take the keys of my cellars, open them, and judge
+for yourself of the extent of my opulence, and say if I should not be
+the most insatiably avaricious of all men, not to be contented with
+what I have." Mujahid took the keys, and made a survey of twelve
+magazines so filled with every description of precious stones, that he
+was unable to tell which of them most deserved his admiration. Regret
+at having restored the chandelier, and at not having discovered its
+uses, now wrung his heart intensely. Abounadar seemed not to perceive
+this, but on the contrary loaded Mujahid with caresses, kept him for
+some days in his palace, and desired his servants to treat him as they
+would himself. On the evening before the day fixed for his departure,
+Abounadar said to him, "Mujahid, my son, I think, from what has
+occurred, that you are now cured of the frightful sin of ingratitude;
+however, I owe you something for having undertaken so long a journey
+for the purpose of bringing to me an article which I wished to
+possess. You may now depart; I will detain you no longer. To-morrow
+you will find at the gate of my palace one of my horses to carry you
+home. I will make you a present of it, together with a slave who will
+bring you two camels loaded with gold and precious stones, which you
+can select for yourself from among my treasures."
+
+During the night Mujahid was restless and uneasy, and unable to think
+of any thing except the chandelier and its wonderful qualities. For a
+long time he said to himself, "It was in my power; Abounadar would
+never have obtained it but for me. What risks did I not encounter in
+the subterranean cave in order to secure it! Why is it that he is now
+the fortunate owner of this treasure of treasures? Is it not owing to
+my fidelity, or rather folly, in bringing it to him, that he now
+profits by the trouble and danger I underwent in the long journey I
+had to make? And what does he give me in return? only two miserable
+camels loaded with gold and precious stones, when in a moment the
+chandelier could supply me with ten times as much! It is Abounadar who
+is ungrateful, and not I who am so. What injury shall I do him by
+taking the chandelier? Not any; for he is rich, and wants nothing
+more."
+
+These ideas determined him, at last, to do all in his power to get
+possession of the chandelier; and it was not difficult to do so. He
+knew where to find it, and having taken it, he placed it at the
+bottom of one of his sacks which he had filled with the treasure given
+to him, and put the sack, along with the others, on the back of one of
+the camels. His only desire now was to get away, and after having
+hurriedly bid farewell to the generous Abounadar, he took his
+departure, with his slave and camels.
+
+When now at some considerable distance from Balsora, he sold his
+slave, not wishing to retain him as a witness of his former poverty,
+or of the source of his wealth. He purchased another, and went
+straight to his mother's house, whom he scarcely noticed, so absorbed
+was he with his treasures. His first care was to place the camels'
+luggage in a secure place; and, in his impatience to feast his eyes
+with solid riches, he placed lights in the chandelier without delay.
+The twelve dervises made their appearance, and he bestowed on each of
+them a blow with all his might, being afraid of not complying
+sufficiently with the laws of the talisman; but he had not noticed
+that Abounadar, when striking them, held his stick in his left hand.
+Mujahid naturally held his in his right hand, and the dervises,
+instead of being changed into heaps of treasure, drew from beneath
+their robes formidable bludgeons, with which they all belaboured him
+so long and so severely, that they left him nearly dead, after which
+they disappeared, carrying with them the camels and all their burdens,
+the horse, the slave, and the chandelier.
+
+Thus, for not being contented with a large fortune honestly acquired,
+Mujahid fell into a state of misery from which he never recovered--a
+suitable punishment for his ingratitude and avarice.
+
+The old man at last took his leave of us, and returned to Schiraz, his
+native place, bearing with him the blessings of all my family.
+
+After Saadi's departure, I unhappily neglected to follow his good
+advice. I purchased a new and splendid residence, where I lived in
+great splendour and luxury. Instead of being grateful to Heaven for
+its bounty, I became proud and insolent. I entertained and feasted all
+the gay companions I could meet with, while I refused to give alms,
+and drove the needy from my door; in short, I spent my money rapidly,
+and made the worst possible use of what I had so mysteriously
+acquired. My treasure soon began to run low; still I lived in the same
+profuse extravagance, until at last all was spent, and I found that,
+for some time, I had been living upon credit. The truth could no
+longer be concealed, and, being unable to meet the demands upon me, I
+had to sell off the whole of my property. A small sum would have
+sufficed to release me, so that I might again return to my trade, and,
+for this purpose, I appealed for assistance to my former friends and
+companions. Not one of these, however, would come forward in my
+behalf. The produce of the sale of my house and effects was
+insufficient to pay my debts, and I was consequently thrown into
+prison, where I have remained for three years, my family, in the mean
+time, living upon the casual alms of the faithful. The aid you have
+rendered me will suffice to set me free, and I am now resolved to
+labour with diligence, in order to repair, as far as possible, my past
+folly.
+
+[Illustration: Shooting at the Enchanted Keys, p. 29]
+
+
+CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF HASSAN ABDALLAH.
+
+In this manner our journey was beguiled, and on the sixth day, in the
+morning, we entered on an immense plain, whose glittering soil seemed
+composed of silver dust. In the middle of the plain arose a lofty
+pillar of granite, surmounted by a statue of copper, representing a
+young man, whose right hand was stretched out open, and to each of
+whose fingers was suspended a key; the first was of iron, the second
+of lead, the third of bronze, the fourth of copper, and the fifth of
+gold.
+
+This statue was the workmanship of an enchanter, and each key was a
+talisman; whoever was led by accident or his own free will into this
+desert, and became possessed of these keys, inherited the destiny
+attached to them. The first was the key of calamities, the second of
+physical sufferings, the third of death, the fourth of glory, and the
+last of knowledge and wealth.
+
+I was ignorant of all these matters; but my master had become
+acquainted with them from a learned Indian, who had also informed him
+that the keys could only be obtained by shooting them down with
+arrows. The Arab planted his foot near to the column, and then fixing
+an arrow in his bow, which was of a foreign make, he shot it towards
+the statue, but, whether from want of skill or intentionally, the
+arrow did not reach halfway. He then said to me, "Hassan, you have
+now an opportunity of discharging your debt to me, and of purchasing
+your liberty. You are both strong and skilful; take this bow and
+arrows, and bring me down those keys." I took the bow, and perceived
+that it was of Persian workmanship, and made by a skilful hand. In my
+youth, I had accustomed myself to this exercise, and had acquired
+great reputation in it. Desirous of displaying my attainments, I bent
+the bow with all my strength, and with the first arrow I brought down
+the first key. Overjoyed, I took it up, and presented it to my master.
+"Keep it," he said; "it is the reward of your skill." With a second
+arrow, I brought down the leaden one. The Arab would not touch it, and
+I took it, and put it in my belt, along with the other. With two other
+arrows, I brought down two more keys--the copper key and the golden
+key. My companion took them up, uttering exclamations of delight.
+
+"O Hassan," he said, "God be praised! blessed be he who trained your
+arm and practised your eye to such accuracy. I am proceeding happily
+towards the accomplishment of my object."
+
+I was about to aim at the last key--that of death, and had raised my
+bow for that purpose, but he forbade me, and struck my arm to prevent
+my shooting. In doing this, he caused the arrow to fall and pierce my
+foot, producing a painful wound. Having dressed it as well as he
+could, he assisted me to mount my camel, and we thereupon continued
+our journey. After three days and nights of laborious travelling, we
+arrived in the neighbourhood of a small wood, where we stopped to
+spend the night. I set about looking for water, and some refreshing
+fruits, and particularly some with whose good qualities I was
+acquainted, but I could find nothing eatable. At last I discovered in
+the crevice of a rock a small spring, which invited me, by its clear
+and limpid waters, to refresh myself; but stooping down to drink, I
+heard the voice of my companion shouting to me not to taste the
+water, for that it was poisoned. "What matters it," I said, "whether I
+die of thirst or of poison?"
+
+"This water," he said, "comes from the infernal regions, and passes
+through the mass of sulphur, bitumen, and metals that feed the fires
+in the centre of the earth; and if you drink, you will in all
+probability fall a victim to your imprudence."
+
+Although bitter, the water was so clear and fresh, that without
+heeding what he said, I drank some of it, and feeling refreshed for
+the time, I agreed to proceed on our journey, but I had scarcely gone
+on a hundred paces, when I was attacked by the most racking pains, and
+with many exclamations and cries to Heaven for help, I endeavoured to
+moderate the speed of my camel, who was following his companion at a
+brisk pace. My tortures became so great, that I called aloud to the
+Arab, and begged him to stop; he consented, when I dismounted and
+walked for some time, which partly relieved me. The Arab chid me for
+my disobedience to his commands, and taking out a small phial from his
+pocket, gave me a few drops of a cordial, which in a short time
+completely cured me.
+
+Towards evening we came near a high mountain, where we stopped to take
+a little rest. The Arab said, "God be praised, to-day will not be a
+fast day with us! by experience I have learned to collect a healthy
+and refreshing nourishment from a quarter where you would only find
+poison." He then went to a bush with leaves of a very thick and
+prickly nature, and having cut off some of them with his sabre, and
+stript them, of their skins, he extracted from them a yellow and
+sugary substance, similar in taste to figs, and I partook of the food
+until I was quite satisfied and refreshed. I was beginning to forget
+my sufferings, and hoped to pass the night in peaceful slumber, but
+when the moon arose my master said to me, "I expect you to perform a
+signal service for me; you have to ascend this mountain, and when at
+the summit, you must wait for sunrise; then, standing up and turning
+towards the East, you must offer up your devotions and descend; but
+take care, and do not allow yourself to be overtaken by sleep, for the
+emanations which arise from the ground in this place are extremely
+noxious, and you may suffer severely from them."
+
+Although overwhelmed with fatigue and pain, I obeyed the Arab's
+orders, remembering that he had given bread to my children; and that,
+perhaps, should I refuse, he would abandon me in this savage
+wilderness. I ascended the mountain and reached the summit about
+midnight. The soil was bare and stony; not a shrub, not a blade of
+grass was to be found upon it. The extreme cold, together with
+fatigue, threw me into such a state of torpor that I could not resist
+lying down on the earth and falling asleep. I awoke at the rising of
+the sun to fulfil my instructions. I stood up with difficulty; my
+aching limbs refused to support my body; my head hung down as if made
+of lead, and I was unable to lift up my paralyzed arms. Making a
+painful effort, and holding myself up towards the East, I invoked the
+name of God. I then endeavoured to descend the mountain, but it was so
+steep, and my weakness was so great, that at the first step my limbs
+tottered under me, and I fell, and rolled down the mountain with
+frightful rapidity; stones and thorns were the only obstacles to my
+descent, and they tore my dress and my skin, causing me to bleed at
+every pore. At length I reached the bottom of the hill, near to where
+my master was stretched on the ground, tracing lines on it with such
+attention, that he did not observe in what a state I was. "God be
+thanked and praised," he said, without noticing me; "we were born
+under a happy planet; every thing succeeds with us! Thanks to you,
+Hassan, I have just discovered what I wanted, by measuring the shadow
+projected by your head from the summit of the mountain. Assist me to
+dig where I have stuck my lance." He raised his head, and seeing me
+extended on the earth, motionless, came up to me, and exclaimed,
+"What! in disobedience to my orders you have slept on the mountain,
+and imbibed its unwholesome vapours into your blood! Do not despair,
+however, I will cure you;" and he took from his pocket a lancet, with
+which, before I could offer any resistance, he made small incisions in
+different parts of my body, from which I bled profusely. He then
+dressed my wounds and bruises carefully, and I felt a little better.
+Seeing that I was too weak to assist him, he began to dig in the earth
+himself at the place which he had marked. He soon exposed to view a
+tomb of white marble, which he opened; it contained some human bones,
+and a book written in letters of gold on the skin of the gazelle.
+
+My master began reading it with attention: at length his pale brow
+became lit up with pleasure, and his eyes sparkled with delight.
+
+"Hassan Abdallah," he said to me, "this book teaches me the way to the
+mysterious city; we shall soon enter into Aram, built on columns,
+where no mortal has ever as yet penetrated; it is there that we shall
+find the principle of earthly riches, the germ of the metallic mines
+which God has placed in the centre of the earth."
+
+"My lord," I replied, "I share with you in your joy; but this treasure
+is of little or no advantage to me; I would rather, I assure you, be
+poor and in good health at Cairo, than rich and in wretchedness here."
+
+"Ungrateful man!" he exclaimed; "I am labouring for your advantage as
+well as for my own, intending to share with you the fruit of our
+journey, as I have done until now."
+
+"True," I said, "but, alas! all the ill fortunes and calamities fall
+to me." However, after some further assurances on the part of the
+Arab, I became pacified, and the same day, after having laid in a
+stock of fruits, we reascended our camels, and continued our journey
+towards the East.
+
+We journeyed thus for three days and nights. The fourth day in the
+morning we perceived in the horizon the appearance of a large mirror,
+which reflected the sunbeams. On drawing near we saw that it was a
+river of quicksilver; it was crossed by a bridge of crystal, without
+balustrades, but so narrow and slippery that no man in his senses
+would think of attempting to pass it. My master told me to unsaddle
+the camels, to let them feed at liberty, and to prepare woollen
+slippers with thick and soft soles for both of us; and having ordered
+me to walk behind him without looking to the right hand or to the
+left, he crossed the bridge with a firm step, and I followed him
+trembling.
+
+After we had crossed the river and proceeded for some hours, we found
+ourselves at the entrance of a gloomy valley. It was surrounded on all
+sides with black rocks, hard as iron, and here and there on the ground
+were spread human bones, bleached by time. Through the dark foliage of
+the shrubs which grew there might be seen the undulating and scaly
+forms of serpents gliding along. I retreated hastily from this den of
+horror, but could not discover the spot at which I had entered, the
+rocks seeming every where to rise up like the walls of a great cavern.
+
+I began to weep, and said to my companion, "You have led me on to
+death by the path of suffering and misery; I shall never see my wife
+and children again. Why have you torn me away from my poor but
+peaceful home?"
+
+"Hassan," he said to me, "be a man! Have patience; we shall soon get
+out of this horrible place. Wait a few moments, and I will show you
+how we may escape." So saying, he sat down on the ground, and, opening
+the mysterious book, began turning over the pages and reading in it
+as calmly as if he had been sitting in his own house. After a short
+time he called to me, and said, "My friend, call up your courage, your
+task is easy; you are a skilful marksman; take this bow and arrows;
+examine the valley until you meet with a huge serpent with a black
+head, kill him and bring his head and heart to me."
+
+"Alas!" I said, weeping, "is this indeed a thing so easy for me? Why
+will you not do it yourself? We are too fortunate not to be molested
+by these monsters; why should we go in search of them?" Upon this he
+started up with a fierce aspect, and, drawing his sword, swore that he
+would kill me that instant if I did not obey him.
+
+"Do you see all these bones?" he said. "They are the bones of men who
+disobeyed me, and who died in consequence by my hand." Trembling, I
+took the bow and arrows, and went among the rocks where the serpents
+were to be found. Selecting one which appeared to me to answer the
+description given me, I took aim at its head, and, invoking the
+assistance of Heaven, discharged my arrow. The serpent, mortally
+wounded, sprung up, and twisting and contorting itself in a frightful
+manner, fell dead on the ground. When I was certain that he was dead,
+I took my knife, cut off his head, and took out his heart. With these
+bloody trophies I returned to my master, who received me with a
+smiling countenance. "Forgive me," he said, "for employing threats
+towards you; in reality I was anxious to save you from a miserable
+fate. The men to whom these bones belonged died here of hunger by
+their own fault; they proved deficient in courage, and I was
+compelled, in spite of myself, to abandon them to their fate."
+
+"Now," he continued, "come and assist me to make a fire."
+
+I collected dry leaves and small branches of trees, of which he made a
+small heap; then turning an enchanted diamond towards the sun, which
+was then in its meridian, a ray of light issued from the precious
+stone which set the materials in a blaze. He next drew from under his
+robe a small iron vase and three phials; the first, of ruby, contained
+the elements of winds; the second, of emerald, contained a ray of
+moonlight; and the third, which was of gold, contained the blood of a
+phoenix. All these substances he placed in the vase, and added the
+heart and brain of the serpent. He then opened the book and put the
+vase on the fire, pronouncing at the same time some words which to me
+were unintelligible. When he had finished, he uncovered his shoulders,
+as the pilgrims do at their departure, and dipping a portion of his
+garment in the mixture, handed it to me, desiring me to rub his back
+and shoulders with it. As I did so I observed the skin swell out and
+wings spring forth, which, visibly increasing in size, soon reached
+the ground. The Arab spread them and began to rise in the air. Fear of
+remaining in this doleful place lent me courage, and laying hold with
+all my might of the end of his girdle, I was borne up along with him,
+and in a few moments we bade farewell to the black rocks of this fatal
+valley. Presently, as we pursued this aërial tour, we found ourselves
+soaring above an immense plain, surrounded by a precipice of crystal,
+tinged with azure and purple. The earth seemed formed of golden dust,
+and the pebbles upon it looked like precious stones. Before us were
+the lofty walls of a city crowded with magnificent palaces and
+delicious gardens. Lost in admiration of this glorious scene, the Arab
+forgot to keep his wings moving, and we descended rapidly towards the
+ground, which I of course reached first, he falling upon me. I then
+perceived his wings gradually diminish, and by degrees wholly
+disappear. When I noticed this to him, he replied, that,
+unfortunately, science was limited in its powers; it enabled him to
+construct wings of great power, but could not avail for their
+preservation beyond a certain time. "To become the possessor," said
+he, "of the ingredients which you saw me employ in forming these
+wings, I have spent thirty years of my life, the lives of many men,
+and money sufficient for a king's ransom. The wings helped me but for
+a few moments, long enough, however, for my purpose; they have borne
+me to glory and fortune. Rejoice, Hassan Abdallah; behold Aram, the
+city built on columns, the mysterious city!"
+
+[Illustration: The Escape of Hassan Abdallah and the Arab from the
+Enchanted Valley, p. 36.]
+
+We then approached the walls; they were built of alternate layers of
+bricks of gold and silver. The battlements were of marble, cut and
+sculptured by the hands of genii. There were eight gates in the
+walls,--the number of the gates of paradise; the first was of silver,
+the second of gold, the third of agate, the fourth of coral, the fifth
+of pearl, the sixth of topaz, the seventh of emerald, and the eighth
+of ruby.
+
+The Arab informed me that this city had been built by the famous
+enchanter Tchedad, the son of Aad, who had exhausted upon it all the
+treasures of earth, sea, and sky. He wanted in his pride to rival the
+glory of the Almighty by this piece of workmanship; but God, to punish
+him, struck him and his family with lightning at the very instant he
+and they were solemnly taking possession of the palace. An
+impenetrable veil hangs over the city ever since, and no one has been
+able to discover it.
+
+We went forward, invoking the name of God; the streets were lined with
+palaces adorned with columns of marble, agate, and all kinds of costly
+materials; streams of odoriferous waters embalmed and refreshed the
+atmosphere; trees of a wondrous form furnished a delicious shelter
+from the rays of the sun, and in their branches birds of song produced
+concerts of ravishing sweetness. The very air that one breathed seemed
+to fascinate the mind, and to lift it up to heaven.
+
+The Arab, taking me by the hand, conducted me towards the palace of
+Tchedad; its construction, in point of art and splendour of adornment,
+was unspeakably magnificent. Terraces, formed of coloured crystal,
+were supported on a thousand columns of gold. In the midst of the
+palace was an enchanted garden, where the earth, breathing of musk,
+bore fruits and flowers of marvellous richness and beauty. Three
+rivers surrounded the garden, flowing with wine, rose-water, and
+honey. In the centre of the garden there was a pavilion, whose dome,
+formed of a single emerald, overshadowed a throne of gold covered with
+pearls and rubies. On the throne there was a small chest of gold; the
+Arab opened it, and found in it a red powder. "Throw away this dust,"
+I said, "and fill the casket with precious stones."
+
+"Poor fool that you are," he replied; "this dust is the source of all
+the riches of the world; it is red sulphur. A small portion of it is
+sufficient to change into gold the basest metals. With it I can build
+palaces, found cities, purchase the life of men and the admiration of
+beautiful women. I can even, if I please, cause myself to become
+prince and king; but I cannot by it prolong my life a single day, or
+efface an hour from my by-past existence. God alone is great! God
+alone is eternal!"
+
+Whilst he thus spoke, I employed myself in collecting precious stones
+and pearls, filling with them my girdle, pockets, and turban.
+
+"Unhappy man!" he cried, "what are you doing? You will bring down upon
+us the vengeance of Heaven. We are only permitted to touch this
+casket; and if we should attempt to carry out of the valley a leaf
+from one of these trees, or a stone from off the ground, instantaneous
+death would be our lot."
+
+I immediately emptied my pockets, much to my regret, and followed my
+master, not however without often turning my head aside to look at the
+incalculable riches spread around me. Fearing that I should fall a
+prey to the seductions of wealth, my master took me by the hand and
+led me out of the city. We quitted it by the path by which we came,
+but more slowly than we approached. When we arrived at the crystal
+precipice it opened before us, and we passed through it; when we had
+done so, we looked about in vain for the wonderful plain and the
+city,--they could no longer be seen. We found ourselves on the brink
+of the river of quicksilver, and crossed the bridge. Our camels were
+feeding on the flowery herbage, and I ran to mine with delight, as to
+an old friend. After refastening our girths, we mounted and set out on
+the road to Egypt. We were three months in reaching Cairo. During all
+this time I suffered many privations; my health was destroyed, and I
+endured every kind of evil. From some fatality, the cause of which was
+unknown to me at the time, I alone was exposed to all the accidents of
+the journey, while my companion continued in health and comfort,
+passing safely through every danger. I discovered afterwards that all
+my misfortunes arose from my having in my possession the enchanted
+keys. This was one day towards the close of our journey, when the Arab
+confessed to me that he was aware of this fatal quality of theirs, and
+that it was in order to free himself from it that he purchased me.
+When I wanted to throw away the accursed keys, he withheld me.
+"Patience and resignation," said he, "and these virtues only, can
+exhaust their evil influence, and for your own sake I would advise you
+to keep them to the end. All will turn out eventually for your good."
+
+A few days after receiving this communication we arrived at Cairo, and
+I immediately ran to my home, the door of which was open and broken,
+and the interior occupied by crowds of famished and prowling dogs, who
+had taken up their abode there. A neighbour, who heard me calling out
+in an agony of despair, opened her door, and said to me, "Hassan
+Abdallah, is that you? Well may you be astounded! Know that some time
+after your departure,--that is, about five months ago,--some thieves,
+knowing that you were absent, and that there was no male slave left to
+take care of your house, broke into your house during the night,
+insulted the women, and went off with all the property that you had
+left. Your mother died a few days after, in consequence. Your wife, in
+her destitution, resolved to go to Alexandria, to her brother. The
+caravan which she accompanied was attacked by the Arabs of the desert,
+who, being enraged at the resistance they met with, put all to the
+sword without mercy."
+
+On hearing these sad tidings, I shed many tears, and returning to the
+Arab, accused him with being the cause of all my misfortunes. "God is
+the author and end of all things," he said to me, and then, taking me
+by the hand, led me along with him. It appeared that on the same day
+he had hired a magnificent palace, to this he now compelled me to
+repair and reside with him; and for my consolation, he told me that he
+would share with me the treasures of science, and teach me to read in
+the book of alchemy.
+
+Here we resided a long time: whenever his costly fancies caused him to
+be in want of money, he used to have several hundred-weight of lead
+conveyed secretly to him, and when it was melted he threw some small
+portions of red sulphur into it, and in a moment the vile metal was
+changed into the purest gold. In the midst of all this luxury, I
+continued ill and unhappy; my feeble body was unable to support the
+weight, or to endure the contact of the rich clothes and the precious
+stuffs with which I was covered. The most delicate food was served up
+to me in vain, and the most delicious wines; I only felt disgusted and
+disinclined towards them all. I had superb apartments, beds formed of
+sweet smelling and costly woods, and divans of purple; but sleep, in
+spite of all, was a stranger to my eyes.
+
+I called on death, but he refused to come to me. The Arab, on the
+other hand, passed his time in pleasure and feasting.
+
+The palace gardens extended to the banks of the Nile; they were
+planted with the rarest trees, brought at a great expense from India,
+Persia, China, and the isles. Machines, constructed with great skill,
+raised the water of the Nile, and caused it to fall in fresh and
+brilliant jets into marble reservoirs,
+
+     "'Mid orange groves and myrtle bowers, that breathed a gale
+     of fragrance round,"
+
+mingled with the perfume of jasmines and roses; there were silken
+pavilions, embroidered with gold, and supported on pillars of gold and
+silver; brilliant lamps, enclosed in globes of crystal, shed over all
+a light soft and effulgent as that of the moon.
+
+There, on each returning night, the Arab received his companions, and
+treated them with the utmost magnificence. His liberality made every
+one who approached him his friend, and they styled him the Great, the
+Magnificent.
+
+He would sometimes come to see me at the pavilion, where my illness
+compelled me to remain, a solitary prisoner. On one such occasion, he
+paid me his visit after a night of pleasure, early in the morning. He
+was heated with wine, his face red, and his eyes shining with a
+strange lustre. He sat down beside me, and taking hold of my hand,
+began singing, and when he had concluded, shut his eyes, leaned his
+head on his breast, and appeared to fall asleep. Alarmed at length at
+his unnatural stillness, I leaned over to him; his breathing had
+ceased, he had expired.
+
+Perceiving that all help was useless, I began to rummage his pockets,
+his girdle, and his turban, in the hope of finding the keys of
+happiness and of wisdom, but could not discover them. I thereupon, in
+spite of my bad state of health, and without losing a moment, laid
+hold of the casket containing the book of alchemy and the red sulphur;
+and considering that I might lawfully regard myself as the legitimate
+proprietor, I carried it secretly to my former house, which I had
+previously caused to be rebuilt and provided with new furniture.
+
+Returning to the palace just as I had left it, I began to cry aloud,
+and to ask for help; the slaves and servants ran immediately to know
+what was the matter, and I then sent them to bring the best physician,
+even the caliph's, if he could be found. When the medical men came
+they declared that the stranger had died by the will of God. I then
+gave orders for the funeral.
+
+His body, attired in the richest vestments, was placed, exposed to
+view, in a coffin of aloe-wood, lined with gold. A cloth of a
+marvellously fine tissue, which had been manufactured for a Persian
+prince, served for a coverlet. Fifty servants, all dressed in mourning
+attire, bore, in turns, the coffin on their shoulders; and every good
+mussulman who passed by, hastened to lend his assistance, if it were
+only by a helping hand.
+
+A considerable number of women, hired for the purpose, followed the
+bier, uttering plaintive cries.
+
+The keepers of the mosque sung sacred verses, and the crowd repeated,
+"God is God! There is no God but God! He alone is eternal." In this
+order, accompanied by numerous friends whom the Arab had made by his
+generosity, we proceeded to the cemetery, southward of the city, and
+near to the gate of Bab-el-Masr (the gate of victory). I gave a purse
+of gold to a skilful architect, with orders to raise a tomb to the
+memory of my master.
+
+Returning to the palace, it fell to my lot, of course, to preside at
+the funeral repast. This painful duty was scarcely over, when I saw
+some officers from the caliph arrive, who were commanded by his order
+to take possession of the wealth contained in the palace, and which
+belonged to him, as a stranger's heir. I was driven away, and left the
+palace, taking with me, in appearance, nothing but the dress which I
+wore, but, in reality, the owner of an inestimable treasure.
+
+Betaking myself to my house, I resolved to live there an unknown and
+peaceful life, passing the time in the study of the sciences, and only
+using the red sulphur to impart benefit to others in secret.
+
+A curious and jealous neighbour having ascended the terrace of my
+house one evening, and seen me at work, effecting the transmutation of
+the lead into gold, told my secret to his wife, who repeated it at the
+bath, and next morning all Cairo was acquainted with it.
+
+The report reached the ears of the caliph, Theilon, who sent for me,
+and told me that he knew I possessed the great secret of knowledge,
+and that if I would share it with him, he would overwhelm me with
+honours, and associate me with him in rank. I refused to the impious
+man the distinguished favour which God had denied to him. Transported
+with rage, he caused me to be loaded with chains, and thrown into a
+gloomy dungeon; and being baffled in his attempts to penetrate my
+secret, he placed the casket and the book under the care of a person
+on whose fidelity he could depend, hoping to force the secret from me
+by the sufferings which he made me endure. In this state I have lived
+for forty years. By my persecutor's orders, I have been made to
+undergo all kinds of privations and tortures, and only knew of his
+death by my being relieved from punishment.
+
+This morning, when kneeling on the ground at my devotions, I put my
+hand on a strange and hard substance. Looking at it, I perceived that
+it was the fatal keys which I had years ago buried under the floor of
+my dungeon. They were so worn by rust and damp, that they crumbled
+into powder in my hand, and I then thought that God intended to have
+pity upon me, and that my afflictions were about to end, either by
+death or the alleviation of my sufferings. A few moments after, your
+officers came and set me at liberty.
+
+"Now, O king!" continued the old man, "I have lived long enough, since
+I have been permitted to approach the greatest and most upright of
+monarchs."
+
+Mohammed, overjoyed at performing an act of justice, thanked Heaven
+for having sent him such a treasure, and being desirous to prove its
+reality, he caused one thousand hundred-weight of lead to be melted in
+immense caldrons; and having mixed some of the red powder in the fiery
+mass, and pronounced over it the magical words dictated to him by the
+old man, the base metal was instantly changed into pure gold.
+
+The caliph, in order to propitiate the favour of Heaven, resolved to
+employ this treasure in the building of a mosque which should
+transcend by its magnificence every other in the world. He collected
+architects from all the neighbouring countries, laid before them the
+plan of a vast edifice, unfettered by the difficulties or expense of
+its execution.
+
+The architects traced out an immense quadrangle, the sides of which
+faced the four cardinal points of the heavens. At each corner a tower
+of prodigious height was placed, of admirable proportions; the top of
+the structure was surrounded with a gallery and crowned with a dome of
+gilt copper. On each side of the edifice one thousand pillars were
+raised, supporting arches of an elegant curve and solid construction,
+and on the arches terraces were laid out with balustrades of gold of
+exquisite workmanship. In the centre of the edifice an immense
+pavilion was erected, whose construction was of so light and elegant a
+nature, that one would have thought it reached from earth to heaven.
+The vault was inlaid with azure-coloured enamel and studded with
+golden stars. Marbles of the rarest kinds formed the pavement, and the
+walls consisted of a mosaic formed of jasper, porphyry, agate,
+mother-of-pearl, sapphires, rubies, and other precious stones. The
+pillars and arches were covered with arabesques and verses from the
+Koran, carved in relief, and painted. No wood was employed in the
+building of this wonderful edifice, which was therefore fire-proof.
+Mohammed spent seven years in erecting this celebrated mosque, and
+expended on it a sum of two millions of dinars.
+
+Although so old, Hassan Abdallah recovered his health and strength,
+and lived to be a hundred years of age, honoured with the esteem and
+the friendship of the caliph.
+
+The mosque built by the caliph Mohammed is still to be seen at Cairo,
+and is the largest and the finest of all the mosques of that great
+city.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+One day, very shortly after the completion of the mosque, the caliph
+and Hassan Abdallah were absent for three days on a journey. Mohammed
+communicated to no one but his first vizir his intention; but on his
+return he assembled his whole court, and informed them that the object
+of the expedition had been to bury the casket, with the book and the
+powder, where it was impossible they could ever be discovered. "I have
+done," added Mohammed, "what I could to consecrate this wonderful
+treasure, but I would not trust even myself any longer with so
+dangerous a temptation."
+
+FOOTNOTES:
+
+[1] Most of our readers will also recognize in the Story of the
+Princess Schirine the groundwork of one of Hans Andersen's beautiful
+Danish Tales, "The Flying Trunk."
+
+
+
+
+II.
+
+SOLIMAN BEY AND THE THREE STORY-TELLERS.
+
+
+Soliman Bey, passing one day along a street in Cairo, saw three
+common-looking men seated at the door of a coffee-house and sipping
+their cup of mocha. From their dull and meaningless looks he
+conjectured that they were under the influence of haschich[2]. After
+looking at them attentively, the bey saluted them, and was pursuing
+his way, when he suddenly found himself obliged to stop, as a long
+train of camels, heavily laden, blocked up the street and prevented
+him from passing on. The bey, having nothing better to do, amused
+himself by scrutinizing attentively the eaters of haschich, who were
+old men. A warm discussion seemed to be going on among them; they
+raised their arms, vied with each other who should cry the loudest,
+and made the strangest possible grimaces; but owing to the distance at
+which he stood, he was unable to hear what they said. On his return
+home, being curious to know the subject of their dispute, he sent his
+officer to beg these three originals to wait upon him.
+
+When they arrived, he said to them, "What were you disputing about, my
+friends, when I passed you?"
+
+"May Allah prolong your days!" replied one of them; "we were
+disputing about which of us it was to whom the salutation belonged
+that your highness addressed to us, for each of us took that honour to
+himself."
+
+The bey burst out laughing. "I greeted," he said, after a moment's
+reflection, "him among you who did the greatest number of foolish
+things while intoxicated by the haschich."
+
+"It was I, my lord," they all at once exclaimed.
+
+"Stop," replied the bey; "let each of you tell me one of the tricks
+played him by the haschich, and the honour of my greeting shall be his
+who shall have committed the greatest act of folly; and do you begin,"
+added the bey, pointing to one of the men.
+
+
+THE FIRST STORY-TELLER.
+
+"Be it known to you, my lord," said the first story-teller, "that a
+short time ago I had in my purse a thousand piastres, which were
+enough for my expenses, and I was contented with my lot. One day,
+however, I had been taking a walk, and on my return I sat down to rest
+and chewed a bit of haschich, took my coffee, and lit my pipe; in two
+or three hours my head began to buzz. I went out again and walked
+about the streets. In front of a coffee-house I noticed some men
+collected round an _improvisatore_, who was singing and accompanying
+himself on the timbrel. I sat down in the circle and asked for coffee.
+I lighted my pipe and commenced listening. The improvisatore depicted
+a young girl. Oh, how beautiful she was! it was impossible not to love
+her. Compared with her Iyleika[3] was but as a star in the presence of
+the sun, and Ablia[3] but as the dirt of the street. I was so
+captivated by his description of the beautiful girl, that when he
+ceased I gave him all the money I had about me.
+
+"Next day, at the same hour, while the haschich was boiling in my
+brain, I ran to the coffee-house, where the improvisatore was
+commencing the continuation of his yesterday's story. He now told how
+paladins and padishahs disputed for the possession of my adorable
+Haridée, and how she disdained their love and refused their offers. I
+became more distracted this time than before, and the improvisatore
+got from me twice as much as he did the day before. I gave him all
+that I had, even to the last farthing.
+
+"Next day I never left my little seat at the _café_. The improvisatore
+struck his tambourine this time with more vehemence while singing the
+charms of the beautiful Haridée. He then began to relate how Haridée
+was in love with a certain worthless fellow. At this it was impossible
+to tell what I felt; the hydra of jealousy devoured my heart and
+poured a maddening poison through my veins. I became as one deprived
+of all sense and feeling. But stop; the parents have separated the
+lovers and plunged them in an ocean of tears. I again breathed more
+freely, and emptied my pockets to fill the purse of the improvisatore.
+
+"Thus were passed many days in succession. The flame of love and the
+stings of jealousy tormented me without ceasing. The haschich did its
+part unremittingly, and threw me at one moment into fire, and at
+another into ice and snow, hurling me from the height of bliss into
+the depths of misery. My fortunes fell with me, and I soon became
+totally destitute. But my thoughts were otherwise taken up than with
+eating or drinking; my love for Haridée had become the only source to
+me of life and action. In this way, with empty stomach and purse, I
+went one day to the _café_ after having paid a few paras for a little
+haschich. I listened--the voice of the improvisatore trembled; in
+truth he wept, and grief was depicted on his features.
+
+"'What has happened?' I asked, drawing near to him.
+
+"'Poor Haridée!' he replied.
+
+"'What is the matter? What has taken place?' I exclaimed.
+
+"'She is dead!' he muttered.
+
+"I wept, I tore my clothes, and fled I scarce knew where. When the
+first transports of my despair had subsided, I saw pass before my
+eyes, still under the influence of the haschich, the funeral of
+Haridée. The mournful cry of 'There is no God but God, and Mahomet is
+his prophet,' echoed in my ears, amidst the outcries and the
+lamentations of the women. I ran like a madman from street to street,
+while the crowd followed on my path with the coffin of Haridée, and
+the frightful groans and cries burst forth louder and louder on my
+ears. At length, worn out, and sore all over, I fell down in a state
+of complete unconsciousness, and when I came to myself, I perceived
+that I was at the threshold of my own home. I arose, and endeavoured
+to recal past events, which as they woke up in my memory caused me to
+feel the utmost surprise. My purse was empty, my heart broken, and the
+blood was flowing down my face, for in my fall I had cut open my head.
+After remaining a whole day in the house, I took a small piece of
+haschich and went to a coffee-house near at hand, where my friend the
+landlord poured me out a cup of mocha, and gave me a pipe. It was
+there that I met my two friends, and received from you, my gracious
+lord, a look, and a nod."
+
+"This story is not a bad one," replied Soliman Bey, "but do not too
+hastily take to yourself the honour of my greeting; let me hear first
+what the others have to say."
+
+
+THE SECOND STORY-TELLER.
+
+"Know, my lord," replied the second, "that I was formerly a rich and
+respected merchant, with a beautiful wife and fine children. My life
+was like a morning of spring-time--clear, peaceful, and balmy. But
+haschich has ruined the structure of my happiness, and destroyed it
+from the roof to the foundations. One day when I had imbibed a little
+of this fatal poison, I was reclining, after the labours of the day,
+on my sofa, sipping from time to time a mouthful of coffee, and
+inhaling a whiff of perfumed _latakia_. My wife was occupied at my
+side in embroidery, and my children were at play in the room, which
+they made ring again with their shrill voices. At length, my brain
+becoming overpowered by the vapours of the haschich, the thickening
+fancies began to chase each other in quick succession, and my
+imagination at length became morbidly excited. The cries of my
+children seemed insupportable to me. I ordered them several times to
+be quiet, but the brats, wild with their games and noise, paid no
+attention to me. At last I lost patience, laid hold of my stick, and
+rapped angrily on the floor, ordering them sternly to be quiet. In the
+midst of this fit of anger, I stopped short, all of a sudden. The
+floor of my apartment emitted a hollow sound, as if there were a vault
+beneath it. The haschich suggested to me that there might be hidden
+treasure down below. 'Oh, oh,' I said to myself, 'I must not be in a
+hurry. If I should discover the treasure in my wife's presence, she
+will foolishly run and trumpet it about to all our neighbours. What
+good would that do? Let me consider, then, what I shall do to get her
+away.' Intoxicated as I was, there was no need to deliberate long. I
+darted from my seat, exclaiming, 'Woman! thou art separated from me by
+a triple divorce!'[4]
+
+"My wife became pale as death. She threw aside her embroidery, and
+rose up.
+
+"'What is the matter, my dear husband? What has happened? Of what have
+I been guilty?'
+
+"'Don't say a word! And hasten this moment to leave the house, with
+your children.'
+
+"'But pray inform me, my lord and master, when and how I have given
+you any cause of complaint? We have now lived together twelve years in
+perfect peace and harmony, and never been but on the most affectionate
+terms; tell me.'
+
+"'No more explanations,' I replied; 'here are a thousand
+_grouches_[5]. Go to your room, and take of the furniture as much as
+you require, and return to your father's house.'
+
+"Sadly and sorrowfully she thereupon proceeded to collect her wearing
+apparel, uttering mournful cries and lamentations, and taking her
+children with her, left the house.
+
+"'Now!' I exclaimed, with satisfaction, 'now, I am quite alone.'
+
+"'Silence, Abou-Kalif,' whispered the haschich to me; 'don't be in
+such haste. Suppose you find this treasure, who knows but that at the
+first meeting of haschich-eaters, you will disclose your discovery to
+all the world. Put yourself to the proof beforehand, by some effectual
+means, and thus find out if your tongue have sufficient self-command
+to keep still, and not say one word too much.'
+
+"Faithful to the voice of my inward monitor, I arose, and taking from
+my chest the sum of five hundred grouches, went to pay a visit to the
+vali[6].
+
+"'Here,' said I to him, 'take this money, and give me on the soles of
+my feet five hundred blows with a leathern thong, and, while laying
+them on, ask me if I have seen, found, or discovered any thing?'
+
+"The man was extremely surprised at my request, and refused to comply
+with it; but the people about him said that my body was my own, and
+that I was at liberty to dispose of it as I thought proper. 'Take his
+money,' they said to him, 'and give him a hearty flogging.'
+
+"The vali, shrugging his shoulders, gave the signal; I was laid on the
+ground, my feet were tied together, and the lash whistled and sung on
+my bare feet. At each blow, the question I had suggested was asked,
+and I replied in the negative. This system of question and answer went
+on till the last blow. Fairly exhausted with the pain, I fell down the
+moment I attempted to stand up. I therefore crawled along on my knees,
+and reached my ass, on whose back I managed, somehow or other, to
+raise myself, and thus reached my home.
+
+"A few days' rest having restored me in some measure, I resolved to
+prosecute my search for the hidden treasure. But the haschich, to
+which I had not forgotten on that day to pay my usual respects,
+stopped me in my intention. 'O Abou-Kalif,' it muttered in my ear,
+'you have not yet put yourself sufficiently to the proof. Are you now
+in a fit state to resist all attempts to make you disclose your
+secret? Submit to another trial, my good fellow!' This suggestion was
+all-powerful, and I submitted forthwith. I drew from my strong-box one
+thousand grouches, and went to the aga of the Janissaries. 'Take this
+money,' I said to him, 'and give me in exchange for it a thousand
+stripes with a thong on the bare back; asking me between the blows,
+Have you seen any thing? have you found any thing? have you discovered
+any thing?' The aga did not keep me waiting long for a reply,--and
+having pocketed the money, bestowed upon me most faithfully the full
+complement of the lashes desired.
+
+"At the conclusion of the whipping my soul seemed hovering on my lips,
+as if about to leave my mutilated body, which was quite prostrated by
+the infliction. I was obliged to be carried to my ass, and it was many
+days before I could set my feet to the ground. When I had recovered a
+little, I recollected all the details of the strange adventure which
+had brought upon me the acute anguish that I felt in every part of my
+body; and the more I reflected on the matter, the more vividly I saw
+the fatal consequences that would follow from too much confidence in
+the suggestions inspired by the haschich. I cursed the hateful ideas
+produced by the vapours of this drug, and promised myself that I would
+amend my ways, and repair, as far as possible, my injustice to my
+wife. But at the very moment when this praiseworthy resolution arose
+in my brain and diffused its odours there, like a fresh-opening
+flower, my hand, from the strength of habit, sought for the tin box
+that lay under my pillow, and drew from it a white particle, which I
+placed in my mouth, as if to mock all the weak efforts of my will. In
+fact, while my mind was occupied in planning a final rupture with the
+perfidious hempen-seed, my enemy stole in on me like a midnight robber
+by night, imposed his yoke, and overthrew completely all my good
+intentions. Unwittingly I found myself again in the power of the
+enemy. 'Well, Abou-Kalif,' he said, 'arise. The precautions you have
+taken are sufficiently severe; it is time to set to work, and not
+allow the favourable moment to escape, otherwise you may repent it.'
+In this manner spake the delusive poison working within me, and I was
+wholly in its power, incapable of resistance. I rose from my bed with
+a frightful pain in my back and sides, dragged myself along towards
+the mysterious flag-stone, and with my heart beating violently, and my
+brain cloudy and obscured, I set to work to raise the stone, which
+speedily yielded to my efforts. In a state of the highest excitement,
+I sat down on the edge of the cavern with my legs hanging down into
+it, and my hands leaning on its sides; I scarcely dared to look
+downwards. The haschich, however, pushed me forwards, and seemed to
+press on my shoulders. My hands at last yielded, and I fell down. O my
+sovereign and master, do not ask where I found myself; enough that I
+felt myself stifled. The noisome matter into which I had fallen up to
+the chin, being disturbed and agitated, had emitted exhalations which
+fairly suffocated me. I strove to cry out, but in vain. I fainted, and
+lost all consciousness.
+
+"Meanwhile, whilst I, pursued by the fatal influence of the haschich,
+had fallen over the edge of the precipice, where I was now struggling,
+my disconsolate wife had begged her father to allow her to make
+inquiry respecting me. 'I know,' she said, weeping, 'that a sudden
+attack of madness has seized him, and that the real cause of his
+sending me away, as well as of all the evil that has just befallen us,
+is the haschich. Let no curse fall upon him. No doubt my husband will
+change his conduct with regard to me, as I cannot reproach myself with
+any thing; I will therefore go and see what has happened to him.'
+'Well, my child, you may go,' replied her father; 'I shall not seek to
+hinder you.' She went, and knocked at the door, but no one replied.
+She then inquired of the neighbours if Abou-Kalif was at home; they
+said they had not seen him leave the house for the last week. On being
+told this, she had the door burst open, and, followed by a crowd of
+neighbours of both sexes, searched for me for a long time in vain. At
+last, however, I was discovered, half dead and stifled. They pulled me
+out, cleansed and sweetened me, and attired me in a fresh suit of
+clothes; after which I left the house to breathe the fresh air and
+recover myself. It was not long, however, before the haschich regained
+its old dominion over me, and led me to the coffee-house, where you
+saw me, and condescended to honour me with your greeting."
+
+"Not quite so soon," exclaimed the bey, holding his sides with
+laughter; "your story is also a very good one, but before I award to
+you the honour of my salutation, I must hear what your other companion
+has got to say."
+
+
+THE THIRD STORY-TELLER.
+
+"Sovereign and master," commenced the third eater of haschich, "no
+longer ago than a week I was so happy and satisfied with my lot, that
+in truth I would not have exchanged it even for your own. I had a
+house filled with every comfort, plenty of money, and a wife who was a
+miracle of beauty. One day this charming better half of myself, after
+having passed all the day in the bath, returned from it looking so
+clean, fresh, and rosy, that my head, where the haschich which I had
+been taking for the last hour and a half was breeding disorder, became
+on fire and was lost. My eyes grew intoxicated with my wife, as if I
+had then beheld her beauty for the first time, and my heart bounded
+like the holy waves of the Nile during a storm.
+
+"'Dear cousin,' I cried, for she was my cousin as well as my wife,
+'how captivating you are to-day! I am over head and ears in love with
+you again!'
+
+"At this instant the haschich suggested to me to divorce her
+immediately in order to contract a new marriage and taste again the
+bliss of a first union. No sooner said than done; I pronounced the
+prescribed phrase, and the next day I celebrated a new marriage with
+her[7]. When the festivities were over, I conducted my relations and
+guests to the door, which, from absence of mind, I had forgotten to
+shut.
+
+"'Dear cousin,' said my wife to me when we were alone, 'go and shut
+the street door.'
+
+"'It would be strange indeed if I did,' I replied. 'Am I just made a
+bridegroom, clothed in silk, wearing a shawl and a dagger set with
+diamonds, and am I to go and shut the door? Why, my dear, you are
+crazy; go and shut it yourself!'
+
+"'Oh indeed!' she exclaimed; 'am I, young, robed in a satin dress,
+with lace and precious stones, am I to go and shut the court-yard
+door? No, indeed, it is you who have become crazy, and not I. Come,
+let us make a bargain,' she continued; 'and let the first who speaks
+get up and bar the door.'
+
+"'Agreed,' I replied, and straightway I became mute, and she too was
+silent, while we both sat down, dressed as we were in our nuptial
+attire, looking at each other, and seated on opposite sofas. We
+remained thus for one--two--hours. During this time thieves happening
+to pass by, and seeing the door open, entered and laid hold of
+whatever came to their hand. We heard footsteps in the house, but
+opened not our mouths; the robbers came even into our room, and saw us
+seated, motionless and indifferent to all that took place. They
+continued therefore their pillage, collecting together every thing
+valuable, and even dragging away the carpets from beneath us; they
+then laid hands on our own persons, which they despoiled of every
+article worth taking, while we, in the fear of losing our wager, said
+not a word.
+
+"Having thus cleared the house, the thieves departed quietly, but we
+remained on our seats, saying not a syllable. Towards morning a police
+officer came round on his tour of inspection, and, seeing our door
+opened, walked in. Having searched all the rooms and found no one, he
+entered the apartment where we were seated, and inquired the meaning
+of what he saw. Neither my wife nor I would condescend to reply. The
+officer became angry, and ordered our heads to be cut off. The
+executioner's sword was just about to perform its office, when my wife
+cried out, 'Sir, he is my husband, spare him!'
+
+"'Oh, oh!' I exclaimed, overjoyed and clapping my hands, 'you have
+lost the wager; go, shut the door.'
+
+"I then explained the whole affair to the police officer, who shrugged
+his shoulders and went away, leaving us in a truly dismal plight.
+Immediately after I went to a coffee-house, where you deigned to
+honour me with a salutation."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+At the conclusion of this story the bey, who was ready to die with
+laughter, exclaimed, "This time it is you who are in the right; you
+are truly entitled to my respects."
+
+FOOTNOTES:
+
+[2] An intoxicating drug, like opium.
+
+[3] Personages who figure in Arabian legends.
+
+[4] This is the legal form of pronouncing a divorce among the
+Mahometans.
+
+[5] A small coin, in circulation in Turkey, about the value of
+eighteenpence of our money. It is probably from the same root as the
+German _groschen_.
+
+[6] The public executioner.
+
+[7] The Mahometans may immediately take back the woman whom they had
+divorced, but a fresh marriage ceremony must take place.
+
+
+
+
+III.
+
+THE STORY OF PRINCE KHALAF AND THE PRINCESS OF CHINA.
+
+
+Prince Khalaf was the son of an aged khan of the Nagäi-Tartars. The
+history of his time makes honourable mention of his name. It relates
+that he surpassed all the princes of the age in beauty, in wisdom, and
+in valour; that he was as learned as the greatest doctors of his age;
+that he could fathom the deepest mysteries of the commentaries on the
+Koran; and that he knew by heart the sayings of the prophet: it speaks
+of him, in short, as the hero of Asia and the wonder of the East.
+
+This prince was the soul of the councils of his father Timurtasch.
+When he gave advice, the most accomplished statesmen approved it, and
+could not sufficiently admire his prudence and wisdom. If, moreover,
+it were necessary to take up arms, he was immediately seen at the head
+of the troops of the state, seeking out the enemy, engaging them and
+vanquishing them. He had already won several victories, and the Nagäis
+had rendered themselves so formidable by their repeated successes,
+that the neighbouring nations did not venture to quarrel with them.
+
+Such was the prosperous state of affairs in the khan's dominions, when
+an ambassador from the sultan of Carisma arrived at the court of
+Timurtasch, and demanded in the name of his master that the Nagäis
+should henceforth pay him a yearly tribute; he added that in default
+he would come in person, with an overwhelming force, and compel them
+to submit, at the same time depriving their sovereign of his crown as
+a punishment for his refusal. On hearing this arrogant message, the
+khan immediately assembled his council in order to decide whether to
+pay the tribute rather than risk a war with so powerful an enemy, or
+whether to treat his menaces with contempt and prepare to repel the
+invaders. Khalaf, with the majority of the council, were of the latter
+opinion, and the ambassador being dismissed with a refusal, took his
+departure for Carisma.
+
+The khan lost no time in sending deputies to the neighbouring nations,
+in order to represent to them that it was to their interest to unite
+with him against the sultan of Carisma, whose ambition now exceeded
+all bounds, and who would undoubtedly exact the same tribute from them
+if he should succeed in conquering the Nagäis. The deputies succeeded
+in these negotiations; the neighbouring nations and tribes, and
+amongst them the Circassians, engaged to join in the proposed
+confederation, and to furnish among them a quota of fifty thousand
+men. On this promise, the khan proceeded to raise fresh troops, in
+addition to the army which he already had on foot.
+
+While the Nagäis were making these preparations, the sultan of Carisma
+assembled an army of two hundred thousand men, and crossed the
+Jaxartes at Cogende. He marched through the countries of Ilac and
+Saganac, where he found abundance of provisions; and had advanced as
+far as Jund, before the army of the khan, commanded by prince Khalaf,
+was able to take the field, in consequence of the Circassians and the
+other auxiliary troops not having been able sooner to join him. As
+soon as these succours arrived, Khalaf marched direct towards Jund,
+but he had scarcely passed Jenge Kemt, when his scouts informed him
+that the enemy was close at hand, and was advancing to attack him. The
+young prince immediately ordered his troops to halt, and proceeded to
+arrange them in order of battle.
+
+The two armies were nearly equal in numbers, and the men who composed
+them equally courageous. The battle which ensued was bloody and
+obstinate. The sultan did all that a warrior skilled in the conduct of
+armies could do; and the prince Khalaf, on his side, more than could
+be expected from so young a general. At one time the Nagäi-Tartars had
+the advantage, at another they were obliged to yield to the
+Carismians; at last both parties, alternately victors and vanquished,
+were obliged by the approach of night to sound a retreat. The combat
+was to have recommenced in the morning; but, in the mean time, the
+leader of the Circassians went secretly to the sultan, and offered to
+abandon the cause of the Nagäis, provided the sultan would pledge
+himself, on oath, never to exact tribute from the Circassians upon any
+pretence whatever. The sultan having consented, the treaty was
+confirmed, and the Circassian leader, instead of occupying his place
+next day in the army of the khan, detached his troops from the Nagäis,
+and took the road back to his own country.
+
+This treachery was a terrible blow to prince Khalaf, who, seeing
+himself now much weakened in numbers, would have withdrawn for the
+time from the conflict; but there was no possibility of retreat. The
+Carismians advanced furiously to the charge, and taking advantage of
+the ground which allowed them to extend their lines, they surrounded
+the Nagäis on all sides. The latter, notwithstanding that they had
+been deserted by their best auxiliaries, did not lose their courage.
+Animated by the example of their prince, they closed their ranks, and
+for a long time firmly sustained the terrible onset of their enemies.
+At last, however, resistance became hopeless, and Khalaf, seeing all
+hope at an end, thought of nothing but his escape, which he
+fortunately succeeded in effecting. The moment the sultan was apprised
+of his flight, he sent six thousand horsemen to endeavour to capture
+him, but he eluded their pursuit, by taking roads that were unknown to
+them; and after a few days' hard riding through unfrequented and
+unknown tracts, arrived at his father's court, where he spread sorrow
+and consternation, by the disastrous tidings he brought.
+
+If this piece of news deeply afflicted Timurtasch, the intelligence he
+next received drove him to despair. An officer who had escaped from
+the battle, brought word that the sultan of Carisma had put to the
+sword nearly all the Nagäis, and that he was advancing with all
+possible speed, fully resolved to put the whole family of the khan to
+death, and to absorb the nation into his own kingdom. The khan then
+repented of having refused to pay the tribute, but he fully recognized
+the force of the Arab proverb, "When the city is in ruins, what is the
+use of repentance?" As time pressed, and it was necessary to fly, for
+fear of falling into the hands of the sultan, the khan, the princess
+Elmaze (diamond), his wife, and Khalaf, made a selection of all their
+most precious treasures, and departed from the capital, Astracan,
+accompanied by several officers of the palace, who refused to abandon
+them in their need, as well as by such of the troops as had cut their
+way through the ranks of their enemies with the young prince.
+
+They directed their march towards Bulgaria; their object being to beg
+an asylum at the court of some sovereign prince. They had now been
+several days on their journey, and had gained the Caucasus, when a
+swarm of some four thousand suddenly poured down upon them from that
+range. Although Khalaf had scarcely a hundred men with him, he
+steadily received the furious attack of the robbers, of whom numbers
+fell; his troops, however, were by degrees overpowered and
+slaughtered, and he himself remained in the power of the bandits, some
+of whom fell upon the spoil, whilst others butchered the followers of
+the khan. They only spared the lives of that prince, his wife, and
+his son, leaving them, however, almost naked in the midst of the
+mountains.
+
+It is impossible to describe the grief of Timurtasch when he saw
+himself reduced to this extremity. He envied the fate of those whom he
+had seen slain before his eyes, and giving way to despair, sought to
+destroy himself. The princess burst into tears, and made the air
+resound with her lamentations and groans. Khalaf alone had strength to
+support the weight of their misfortunes; he was possessed of an
+indomitable courage. The bitter lamentations which the khan and his
+wife uttered were his greatest trouble. "Oh, my father! Oh, my
+mother!" said he, "do not succumb to your misfortunes. Remember that
+it is God who wills that you should be thus wretched. Let us submit
+ourselves without a murmur to his absolute decrees. Are we the first
+princes whom the rod of justice has struck? How many rulers before us
+have been driven from their kingdoms, and after wandering about for
+years in foreign lands, sharing the lot of the most abject of mortals,
+have been in the end restored to their thrones! If God has the power
+to pluck off crowns, has He not also the power to restore them? Let us
+hope that He will commiserate our misery, and that He will in time
+change into prosperity the deplorable condition in which we now are."
+
+[Illustration: Prince Khalaf holding back his father, p. 63.]
+
+With such arguments he endeavoured to console his father and mother,
+and to some extent succeeded; they experienced a secret consolation,
+and at last allowed themselves to take comfort. "So be it, my son,"
+said the khan, "let us bow to Providence; and since these evils which
+encompass us are written in the book of fate, let us endure them
+without repining." At these words the royal party made up their minds
+to be firm under their misfortunes, and proceeded to continue their
+journey on foot, the robbers having taken their horses. They wandered
+on for a long time, living upon the fruits they found in the valleys;
+but at length they entered upon a desert, where the earth yielded
+nothing upon which they could subsist, and now their courage deserted
+them. The khan, far advanced in years, began to feel his strength fail
+him; and the princess, worn out with the fatigue of the journey she
+had made, could scarcely hold out any longer. In this predicament,
+Khalaf, although wofully tired himself, had no resource but to carry
+them by turns on his shoulders. At last all three, overwhelmed by
+hunger, thirst, and weariness, arrived at a spot abounding with
+frightful precipices. It was a hill, very steep, and intersected with
+deep chasms, forming what appeared to be dangerous passes. Through
+these, however, seemed to be the only way by which to enter upon the
+vast plain which stretched out beyond; for both sides of the hill were
+so encumbered with brambles and thorns, that it was impossible to
+force a way through. When the princess perceived the chasms, she
+uttered a piercing cry, and the khan at length lost his patience. He
+rushed furiously forward. "I can bear this no longer," said he to his
+son; "I yield to my hard destiny; I succumb to so much suffering. I
+will throw myself headlong into one of these deep gulfs, which,
+doubtless, Heaven has reserved for my tomb. I will escape the tyranny
+of wickedness. I prefer death to such a miserable existence."
+
+The khan, yielding himself up to the frenzy which had taken possession
+of him, was on the point of throwing himself down one of the
+precipices, when prince Khalaf seized him in his arms and held him
+back. "Oh, my father!" said he, "what are you doing? Why give way to
+this transport of fury? Is it thus that you show the submission you
+owe to the decrees of Heaven? Calm yourself. Instead of displaying a
+rebellious impatience of its will, let us endeavour to deserve by our
+constancy its compassion and favour. I confess that we are in a
+deplorable state, and that we can scarcely take a step without danger
+amidst these abysses; but there may be another road by which we can
+enter the plain: let me go and see if I can find one. In the mean
+time, my lord, calm the violence of your transports, and remain near
+the princess; I will return immediately."
+
+"Go, then, my son," replied the khan, "we will await you here; do not
+fear that I will any longer give way to despair."
+
+The young prince traversed the whole hill without being able to
+discover any path. He was oppressed with the deepest grief; he threw
+himself on the ground, sighed, and implored the help of Heaven. He
+rose up, and again searched for some track that would conduct them to
+the plain. At length he found one. He followed it, returning thanks to
+Heaven for the discovery, and advanced to the foot of a tree which
+stood at the entrance of the plain, and which covered with its shade a
+fountain of pure transparent water. He also perceived other trees
+laden with fruit of an extraordinary size. Delighted with this
+discovery, he ran to inform his father and mother, who received the
+news with the greater joy, since they now began to hope that Heaven
+had begun to compassionate their misery.
+
+Khalaf conducted them to the fountain, where all three bathed their
+faces and their hands and quenched the burning thirst which consumed
+them. They then ate of the fruits which the young prince gathered for
+them, and which, in their state of exhaustion from want of food,
+appeared to them delicious. "My lord," said Khalaf to his father, "you
+see the injustice of your complaints. You imagined that Heaven had
+forsaken us; I implored its succour, and it has succoured us. It is
+not deaf to the voice of the unfortunate who put their whole trust in
+its mercy."
+
+They remained near the fountain two or three days to repose and
+recruit their wasted strength. After that they collected as much of
+the fruit as they could carry, and advanced into the plain, hoping to
+find their way to some inhabited place. They were not deceived in
+their expectations; they soon perceived before them a town which
+appeared large and splendidly built. They made their way to it, and
+having arrived at the gates, resolved to remain there and wait for
+night, not wishing to enter the town during the day, covered with dust
+and perspiration, and with what little clothing the robbers had left
+them, travel-worn and rent with brambles. They selected a tree which
+cast a delicious shade, and stretched themselves upon the grass at its
+foot. They had reposed there some time, when an old man came out of
+the town and directed his steps to the same place, to enjoy the cool
+shade. He sat down near them after making them a profound obeisance.
+They in turn saluted him, and then inquired what was the name of the
+town. "It is called Jaic," replied the old man. "The king,
+Ileuge-Khan, makes it his residence. It is the capital of the country,
+and derives its name from the river which flows through it. You must
+be strangers since you ask me that question." "Yes," replied the khan,
+"we come from a country very far from here. We were born in the
+kingdom of Chrisnia, and we dwell upon the banks of the Caspian Sea;
+we are merchants. We were travelling with a number of other merchants
+in Captchak; a large band of robbers attacked our caravan and pillaged
+us; they spared our lives, but have left us in the situation in which
+you see us. We have traversed mount Caucasus, and found our way here
+without knowing where we were directing our steps."
+
+The old man, who had a compassionate heart for the distress of his
+neighbour, expressed his sympathy for their misfortunes, and, to
+assure them of his sincerity, offered them shelter in his house. He
+made the offer with such cordiality, that, even if they had not needed
+it, they would have felt some difficulty in refusing.
+
+As soon as night set in he conducted them to his home. It was a small
+house, very plainly furnished; but every thing was neat, and wore the
+appearance rather of simplicity than of poverty. As the old man
+entered he gave some orders in an undertone to one of his slaves, who
+returned in a short time followed by two boys, one of whom carried a
+large bundle of men's and women's clothes ready made, the other was
+laden with all sorts of veils, turbans, and girdles. Prince Khalaf and
+his father each took a caftan of cloth and a brocaded dress with a
+turban of Indian muslin, and the princess a complete suit. After this
+their host gave the boys the price of the clothes, sent them away, and
+ordered supper. Two slaves brought the table and placed upon it a tray
+covered with dishes of china, sandal, and aloe-wood, and several cups
+of coral perfumed with ambergris. They then served up a repast,
+delicate, yet without profusion. The old man endeavoured to raise the
+spirits of his guests; but perceiving that his endeavours were vain,
+"I see clearly," said he, "that the remembrance of your misfortunes is
+ever present to your minds. You must learn how to console yourselves
+for the loss of the goods of which the robbers have plundered you.
+Travellers and merchants often experience similar mishaps. I was
+myself once robbed on the road from Moussul to Bagdad. I nearly lost
+my life on that occasion, and I was reduced to the miserable condition
+in which I found you. If you please I will relate my history; the
+recital of my misfortunes may encourage you to support yours." Saying
+this, the good old man ordered his slaves to retire, and spoke as
+follows.
+
+
+THE STORY OF PRINCE AL ABBAS.
+
+I am the son of the king of Moussul, the great Ben-Ortoc. As soon as I
+had reached my twentieth year, my father permitted me to make a
+journey to Bagdad; and, to support the rank of a king's son in that
+great city, he ordered a splendid suite to attend me. He opened his
+treasures and took out for me four camel-loads of gold; he appointed
+officers of his own household to wait upon me, and a hundred soldiers
+of his guard to form my escort.
+
+I took my departure from Moussul with this numerous retinue in order
+to travel to Bagdad. Nothing happened the first few days; but one
+night, whilst we were quietly reposing in a meadow where we had
+encamped, we were suddenly attacked so furiously by an overwhelming
+body of Bedouin Arabs, that the greater part of my people were
+massacred almost before I was aware of the danger. After the first
+confusion I put myself at the head of such of the guards and officers
+of my father's household as had escaped the first onslaught, and
+charged the Bedouins. Such was the vigour of our attack, that more
+than three hundred fell under our blows. As the day dawned, the
+robbers, who were still sufficiently numerous to surround us on all
+sides, seeing our insignificant numbers, and ashamed and irritated by
+the obstinate resistance of such a handful of men, redoubled their
+efforts. It was in vain that we fought with the fury of desperation;
+they overpowered us; and at length we were forced to yield to
+numbers.
+
+They seized our arms and stripped off our clothes, and then, instead
+of reserving us for slaves, or letting us depart, as people already
+sufficiently wretched, in the state to which we were reduced, they
+resolved to revenge the deaths of their comrades; and were cowards and
+barbarians enough to slaughter the whole of their defenceless
+prisoners. All my people perished; and the same fate was on the point
+of being inflicted on me, when making myself known to the robbers,
+"Stay, rash men," I exclaimed, "respect the blood of kings. I am
+prince Al Abbas, only son of Ben-Ortoc, king of Moussul, and heir to
+his throne." "I am glad to learn who thou art," replied the chief of
+the Bedouins. "We have hated thy father mortally these many years; he
+has hanged several of our comrades who fell into his hands; thou shalt
+be treated after the same manner."
+
+Thereupon they bound me; and the villains, after first sharing among
+them all my baggage, carried me along with them to the foot of a
+mountain between two forests, where a great number of small grey tents
+were pitched. Here was their well-concealed camping ground. They
+placed me under the chief's tent, which was both loftier and larger
+than the rest. Here I was kept a whole day, after which they led me
+forth and bound me to a tree, where, awaiting the lingering death that
+was to put an end to my existence, I had to endure the mortification
+of finding myself surrounded by the whole gang, insulted with bitter
+taunts, and every feeling miserably outraged.
+
+I had been tied to the tree for some considerable time, and the last
+moments of my life appeared fast approaching, when a scout came
+galloping in to inform the chief of the Bedouins that a splendid
+chance offered itself seven leagues from thence; that a large caravan
+was to encamp the next evening in a certain spot, which he named. The
+chief instantly ordered his companions to prepare for the expedition;
+this was accomplished in a very short time. They all mounted their
+horses, and left me in their camp, not doubting but at their return
+they would find me a corpse. But Heaven, which renders useless all the
+resolves of men which do not agree with its eternal decrees, would not
+suffer me to perish so young. The wife of the robber chief had, it
+seems, taken pity on me; she managed to creep stealthily, during the
+night, to the tree where I was bound, and said to me, "Young man, I am
+touched by thy misfortune, and I would willingly release thee from the
+dangers that surround thee; but, if I were to unbind thee, dost thou
+think that thou hast strength enough left to escape." I replied, "The
+same good God who has inspired thee with these charitable feelings
+will give me strength to walk." The woman loosed my cords, gave me an
+old caftan of her husband's, and showing me the road, "Take that
+direction," said she, "and thou wilt speedily arrive at an inhabited
+place." I thanked my kind benefactress, and walked all that night
+without deviating from the road she had pointed out.
+
+The next day, I perceived a man on foot, who was driving before him a
+horse, laden with two large packages. I joined him, and, after telling
+him that I was an unfortunate stranger, who did not know the country,
+and had missed my way, I inquired of him where he was going. "I am
+going," replied he, "to sell my merchandise at Bagdad, and I hope to
+arrive there in two days." I accompanied this man, and only left him
+when I entered that great city; he went about his business, and I
+retired to a mosque, where I remained two days and two nights. I had
+no desire to go forth into the streets; I was afraid of meeting
+persons from Moussul, who might recognize me. So great was my shame at
+finding myself in this plight, that far from thinking of making my
+condition known, I wished to conceal it, even from myself. Hunger at
+length overcame my shame, or rather I was obliged to yield to that
+necessity which brooks no refusal. I resolved to beg my bread, until
+some better prospect presented itself. I stood before the lower
+window of a large house, and solicited alms with a loud voice. An old
+female slave appeared almost immediately, with a loaf in her hand,
+which she held out to me. As I advanced to take it, the wind by chance
+raised the curtain of the window, and allowed me to catch a glimpse of
+the interior of the chamber; there I saw a young lady of surpassing
+beauty; her loveliness burst upon my vision like a flash of lightning.
+I was completely dazzled. I received the bread without thinking what I
+was about, and stood motionless before the old slave, instead of
+thanking her, as I ought to have done.
+
+I was so surprised, so confused, and so violently enamoured, that
+doubtless she took me for a madman; she disappeared, leaving me in the
+street, gazing intently, though fruitlessly, at the window, for the
+wind did not again raise the curtain. I passed the whole day awaiting
+a second favourable breeze. Not until I perceived night coming on,
+could I make up my mind to think of retiring; but before quitting the
+house, I asked an old man, who was passing, if he knew to whom it
+belonged. "It is," replied he, "the house of Mouaffac, the son of
+Adbane; he is a man of rank, and, moreover, a rich man and a man of
+honour. It is not long since he was the governor of the city, but he
+quarrelled with the cadi, who found means of ruining him in the
+estimation of the caliph, and thereby caused him to lose his
+appointment."
+
+With my thoughts fully taken up by this adventure, I slowly wandered
+out of the city, and entering the great cemetery determined to pass
+the night there. I ate my bread without appetite, although my long
+fast ought to have given me a good one, and then lay down near a tomb,
+with my head resting on a pile of bricks. It was with difficulty that
+I composed myself to sleep: the daughter of Mouaffac had made too deep
+an impression upon me; the remembrance of her loveliness excited my
+imagination too vividly, and the little food I had eaten was not
+enough to cause the usual tendency to a refreshing sleep. At length,
+however, I dozed off, in spite of the ideas that filled my
+imagination; but my sleep was not destined to be of long duration; a
+loud noise within the tomb soon awoke me.
+
+Alarmed at the disturbance, the cause of which I did not stay to
+ascertain, I started up, with the intention of flying from the
+cemetery, when two men, who were standing at the entrance of the tomb,
+perceiving me, stopped me, and demanded who I was, and what I was
+doing there. "I am," I replied, "an unfortunate stranger, whom
+misfortune has reduced to live upon the bounty of the charitable, and
+I came here to pass the night, as I have no place to go to in the
+town." "Since thou art a beggar," said one of them, "thank Heaven that
+thou hast met with us; we will furnish thee with an excellent supper."
+So saying, they dragged me into the tomb, where four of their comrades
+were eating large radishes and dates, and washing them down with
+copious draughts of raki.
+
+They made me sit near them, at a long stone that served as a table,
+and I was obliged to eat and drink, for politeness' sake. I suspected
+them to be what they really were, that is to say, thieves, and they
+soon confirmed my suspicions by their discourse. They began to speak
+of a considerable theft they had just committed, and thought that it
+would afford me infinite pleasure to become one of their gang; they
+made me the offer, which threw me into great perplexity. You may
+imagine that I had no desire to associate myself with such fellows,
+but I was fearful of irritating them by a refusal. I was embarrassed,
+and at a loss for a reply, when a sudden event freed me from my
+trouble. The lieutenant of the cadi, followed by twenty or thirty
+_asas_ (archers) well armed, entered the tomb, seized the robbers and
+me, and took us all off to prison, where we passed the remainder of
+the night. The following day, the cadi came and interrogated the
+prisoners. The thieves confessed their crime, as they saw there was no
+use in denying it; for myself, I related to the judge how I had met
+with them, and, as they corroborated my statement, I was put on one
+side. The cadi wished to speak to me in private, before he set me
+free. Accordingly, he presently came over to me, and asked what took
+me into the cemetery where I was caught, and how I spent my time in
+Bagdad. In fact, he asked me a thousand questions, all of which I
+answered with great candour, only concealing the royalty of my birth.
+I recounted to him all that had happened to me, and I even told him of
+my having stopped before the window of Mouaffac's house to beg, and of
+my having seen, by chance, a young lady who had charmed me.
+
+At the name of Mouaffac I noticed the eyes of the cadi sparkle, with a
+curious expression. He remained a few moments immersed in thought;
+then, assuming a joyous countenance, he said, "Young man, it depends
+only on thyself to possess the lady thou sawest yesterday. It was
+doubtless Mouaffac's daughter; for I have been informed that he has a
+daughter of exquisite beauty. Though thou wert the most abject of
+beings, I would find means for thee to possess the object of thine
+ardent wishes. Thou hast but to leave it to me, and I will make thy
+fortune."
+
+I thanked him, without being able to penetrate his designs, and then
+by his orders followed the aga of his black eunuchs, who released me
+from the prison, and took me to the bath.
+
+Whilst I was there, the judge sent two of his _tchaous_ (guards) to
+Mouaffac's house, with a message that the cadi wished to speak to him
+upon business of the greatest importance. Mouaffac accompanied the
+guards back. As soon as the cadi saw him coming he went forward to
+meet him, saluted him, and kissed him several times. Mouaffac was in
+amazement at this reception.
+
+"Ho! ho!" said he to himself, "how is this, that the cadi, my greatest
+enemy, is become so civil to me to-day? There is something at the
+bottom of all this."
+
+"Friend Mouaffac," said the judge, "Heaven will not suffer us to be
+enemies any longer. It has furnished us with an opportunity of
+extinguishing that hatred which has separated our families for so many
+years. The prince of Bozrah arrived here last night. He left Bozrah
+without taking leave of his father the king. He has heard of your
+daughter; and from the description of her beauty which he has
+received, he has become so enamoured of her, that he is resolved to
+ask her in marriage. He wishes me to arrange the marriage,--a task
+which is the more agreeable to me, as it will be the means of
+reconciling us."
+
+"I am astounded," replied Mouaffac, "that the prince of Bozrah should
+have condescended to confer upon me the honour of marrying my
+daughter; and that you of all men should be the chosen means of
+communicating this happiness to me, as you have always shown yourself
+so anxious to injure me."
+
+"Let us not speak of the past, friend Mouaffac," returned the cadi;
+"pray let all recollection of what we have done to annoy each other be
+obliterated in our happiness at the splendid connexion which is to
+unite your daughter with the prince of Bozrah; let us pass the
+remainder of our days in good fellowship."
+
+Mouaffac was naturally as good and confiding as the cadi was crafty
+and bad: he allowed himself to be deceived by the false expressions of
+friendship that his enemy displayed. He stifled his hatred in a
+moment, and received without distrust the perfidious caresses of the
+cadi. They were in the act of embracing each other, and pledging an
+inviolable friendship, when I entered the room, conducted by the aga.
+This officer, on my coming out of the bath, had clothed me with a
+beautiful dress, which he had ready, and a turban of Indian muslin,
+with a gold fringe that hung down to my ear, and altogether my
+appearance was such as fully to bear out the statements of the cadi.
+
+"Great prince," said the cadi as soon as he perceived me, "blessed be
+your feet, and your arrival in Bagdad, since it has pleased you to
+take up your abode with me. What tongue can express to you the
+gratitude I feel for so great an honour? Here is Mouaffac, whom I have
+informed of the object of your visit to this city. He consents to give
+you in marriage his daughter, who is as beautiful as a star."
+
+Mouaffac then made me a profound obeisance, saying, "O son of the
+mighty, I am overwhelmed with the honour you are willing to confer
+upon my daughter; she would esteem herself sufficiently honoured in
+being made a slave to one of the princesses of your harem."
+
+Judge of the astonishment that this discourse caused me. I knew not
+what to answer. I saluted Mouaffac without speaking; but the cadi,
+perceiving my embarrassment, and fearing lest I should make some reply
+which would destroy his plot, instantly took up the conversation.
+
+"I venture to submit," said he, "that the sooner the marriage contract
+is made in presence of the proper witnesses the better." So saying, he
+ordered his aga to go for the witnesses, and in the mean time drew up
+the contract himself.
+
+When the aga arrived with the witnesses, the contract was read before
+them. I signed it, then Mouaffac, and then the cadi, who attached his
+signature the last. The judge then dismissed the witnesses, and
+turning to Mouaffac said, "You know that with great people these
+affairs are not managed as with persons of humble rank. Besides, in
+this case you readily perceive that silence and despatch are
+necessary. Conduct this prince, then, to your house, for he is now
+your son-in-law; give speedy orders for the consummation of the
+marriage, and take care that every thing is arranged as becomes his
+exalted rank."
+
+I left the cadi's house with Mouaffac. We found two mules richly
+caparisoned awaiting us at the door; the judge insisted upon our
+mounting them with great ceremony. Mouaffac conducted me to his house;
+and when we were in the court-yard dismounted first, and with a
+respectful air presented himself to hold my stirrup,--a ceremony to
+which of course I was obliged to submit. He then took me by the hand
+and conducted me to his daughter, with whom he left me alone, after
+informing her of what had passed at the cadi's.
+
+Zemroude, persuaded that her father had espoused her to a prince of
+Bozrah, received me as a husband who would one day place her upon the
+throne,--and I, the happiest of men, passed the day at her feet,
+striving by tender and conciliating manners to inspire her with love
+for me. I soon perceived that my pains were not bestowed in vain, and
+that my youth and ardent affection produced a favourable impression
+upon her. With what rapture did this discovery fill me! I redoubled my
+efforts, and I had the gratification of remarking that each moment I
+made advances in her esteem.
+
+In the mean time Mouaffac had prepared a splendid repast to celebrate
+his daughter's nuptials, at which several members of his family were
+present. The bride appeared there more brilliant and more beautiful
+than the houris. The sentiments with which I had already inspired her,
+seemed to add new lustre to her beauty.
+
+The next morning I heard a knock at my chamber-door; I got up and
+opened it. There stood the black aga of the cadi carrying a large
+bundle of clothes. I thought that perhaps the cadi had sent robes of
+honour to my wife and myself, but I was deceived.
+
+"Sir adventurer," said the negro in a bantering tone, "the cadi sends
+his salutations, and begs you to return the dress he lent you
+yesterday to play the part of the prince of Bozrah in. I have brought
+you back your own old garment, and the rest of the tatters, which are
+more suited to your station than the other."
+
+I was astounded at the application; my eyes were opened, and I saw
+through the whole malicious scheme of the cadi. However, making a
+virtue of necessity, I gravely restored to the aga the robe and turban
+of his master, and retook my own old caftan, which was a mass of rags.
+Zemroude had heard part of the conversation; and seeing me covered
+with rags, "O heavens!" she exclaimed, "what is the meaning of this
+change, and what has that man been saying to you?"
+
+"My princess," I replied, "the cadi is a great rascal, but he is the
+dupe of his own malice. He thinks he has given you a beggar for a
+husband, a man born in the lowest grade, but you are, indeed, the wife
+of a prince, and my rank is in no way inferior to that of the husband,
+whose hand you fancy you have received. I am to the full the equal of
+the prince of Bozrah, for I am the only son of the king of Moussul,
+and am heir to the kingdom of the great Ben-Ortoc; my name is Al
+Abbas." I then related my history to her, without suppressing the
+least circumstance. When I had finished the recital,
+
+"My prince," said she, "even were you not the son of a great king, I
+should love you none the less; and, believe me, that if I am overjoyed
+to learn the circumstance of your exalted birth, it is but out of
+regard to my father, who is more dazzled by the honours of the world
+than I; my only ambition is to possess a husband who will love me
+alone, and not grieve me by giving me rivals."
+
+I did not fail to protest that I would love her, and her alone, all my
+life, with which assurance she appeared delighted. She then summoned
+one of her women, and ordered her to proceed with all speed and
+secrecy to a merchant's, and buy a dress, ready made, of the richest
+materials that could be procured. The slave who was charged with this
+commission acquitted herself in the most satisfactory manner. She
+returned speedily, bringing a magnificent dress and robe, and a turban
+of Indian muslin as handsome, even handsomer, than what I had worn the
+previous day, so that I found myself even more gorgeously dressed than
+on the occasion of my first interview with my father-in-law. "Well, my
+lord," said Zemroude, "do you think the cadi has much reason to be
+satisfied with his work? He thought to heap reproaches on my family,
+and he has bestowed upon it an imperishable honour. He thinks that we
+are now overwhelmed with shame. What will be his grief when he knows
+that he has conferred such a benefit upon his enemy? But before he is
+made aware of your birth, we must invent some means of punishing him
+for his wicked designs against us. I will take that task upon me.
+There is in this city a dyer, who has a daughter most frightfully
+ugly. I will not tell you further," she continued, checking herself.
+"I will not deprive you of the pleasure of the surprise. I shall only
+let you know that I have conceived a project which will drive the cadi
+nearly mad, and make him the laughingstock of the court and the city."
+
+She then dressed herself in plain clothes, and covering her face with
+a thick veil, asked my permission to go out, which I granted her. She
+went alone, repaired to the cadi's house, and placed herself in one
+corner of the hall, where the judge gave audience.
+
+He no sooner cast his eyes upon her, than he was struck with her
+majestic figure; he sent an officer to ask who she was, and what she
+desired. She answered that she was the daughter of an artisan in the
+town, and that she wished to speak to the cadi on important private
+business. The officer having borne her answer to the cadi, the judge
+made a sign to Zemroude to approach, and enter his private apartment,
+which was on one side of the court; she complied, making a low
+obeisance. When she entered the cadi's private apartment, she took her
+seat upon the sofa, and raised her veil. The cadi had followed her,
+and as he seated himself near her, was astonished at her beauty.
+
+"Well! my dear child," said he, patronizingly, "of what service can I
+be to you?"
+
+"My lord," she replied, "you, who have the power to make the laws
+obeyed, who dispense justice to rich and poor alike, listen, I pray
+you, to my complaint, and pity the unfortunate situation in which I am
+placed."
+
+"Explain yourself," replied the judge, already moved, "and I swear by
+my head and my eyes that I will do every thing that is possible, ay,
+and impossible, to serve you."
+
+"Know then, my lord," replied Zemroude, "that, notwithstanding the
+attractions which Heaven has bestowed upon me, I live in solitude and
+obscurity in a house, forbidden not only to men, but even to women, so
+that even the conversation of my own sex is denied me. Not that
+advantageous proposals were at one time wanting for my hand; I should
+have been married long ago, if my father had not had the cruelty to
+refuse me to all who have asked me in marriage. To one he says, I am
+as withered as a dead tree; to another, that I am bloated with
+unnatural fat; to this one, that I am lame, and have lost the use of
+my hands; to that one, that I have lost my senses, that I have a
+cancer on my back, that I am dropsical; in fact, he wishes to make me
+out a creature not worthy the society of human beings, and has so
+decried me, that he has at length succeeded in making me the reproach
+of the human race; nobody inquires about me now, and I am condemned to
+perpetual celibacy."
+
+When she ceased speaking she pretended to weep, and played her part so
+well that the judge allowed himself to be deceived.
+
+"What can be the reason, my angel," said he, "that your father
+prevents your marrying? What can his motive be?"
+
+"I know not, my lord," replied Zemroude; "I cannot conceive what his
+intentions can be; but I confess my patience is exhausted. I can no
+longer live in this state. I have found means to leave home, and I
+have escaped to throw myself into your arms, and to implore your help;
+take pity on me, I implore you, and interpose your authority, that
+justice may be done to me, otherwise I will not answer for my life."
+
+"No, no," replied he, "you shall not die, neither shall you waste your
+youth in tears and sighs. It only remains with yourself to quit the
+darkness in which your perfections are buried, and to become this very
+day the wife of the cadi of Bagdad. Yes, lovely creature, more fair
+than the houris, I am ready to marry you, if you will consent."
+
+"My lord," replied the lady, "even were not your station one of the
+most dignified and honourable in the city, I could have no objection
+to give you my hand, for you appear to be one of the most amiable of
+men; but I fear that you will not be able to obtain the consent of my
+father, notwithstanding the honour of the alliance."
+
+"Don't trouble yourself upon that point," replied the judge, "I will
+pledge myself as to the issue; only tell me in what street your father
+lives, what his name is, and what his profession."
+
+"His name is Ousta Omar," replied Zemroude; "he is a dyer, he lives
+upon the eastern quay of the Tigris, and in front of his door is a
+palm-tree laden with dates."
+
+"That is enough," said the cadi; "you can return home now; you shall
+soon hear from me, depend upon my word."
+
+The lady, after bestowing a gracious smile upon him, covered her face
+again with her veil, left the private chamber, and returned to me.
+
+"We shall be revenged," she said, laughing gaily; "our enemy, who
+thought to make us the sport of the people, will himself become so."
+
+The judge had scarcely lost sight of Zemroude, ere he sent an officer
+to Ousta Omar, who was at home. "You are to come to the cadi," said
+the man, "he desires to speak with you, and he commanded me to bring
+you before him." The dyer grew pale at these words, he thought that
+some one had lodged a complaint against him before the judge, and that
+it was on that account the officer had come to fetch him. He rose,
+however, and followed in silence, but in great uneasiness.
+
+As soon as he appeared before the cadi, the judge ordered him into the
+same chamber where he had had the interview with Zemroude, and made
+him sit upon the same sofa. The artisan was so astonished at the
+honour paid him, that he changed colour several times.
+
+"Master Omar," said the cadi, "I am glad to see you; I have heard you
+spoken very well of this long time past. I am informed that you are a
+man of good character, that you regularly say your prayers five times
+a day, and that you never fail to attend the great mosque on Friday;
+besides, I know that you never eat pork, and never drink wine nor
+date-spirits; in fact, that whilst you are at work one of your
+apprentices reads the Koran."
+
+"That is true," replied the dyer; "I know above four thousand _hadits_
+(sayings of Mahomet), and I am making preparations for a pilgrimage to
+Mecca."
+
+"I assure you," replied the cadi, "that all this gives me the greatest
+pleasure, for I passionately love all good mussulmen. I am also
+informed that you keep concealed at home a daughter of an age to
+marry; is that true?"
+
+"Great judge," answered Ousta Omar, "whose palace serves as a haven
+and refuge for the unfortunate who are tossed about by the storms of
+the world, they have told you true. I have a daughter who is old
+enough, in all conscience, to be married, for she is more than thirty
+years old; but the poor creature is not fit to be presented to a man,
+much less to so great a man as the cadi of Bagdad; she is ugly, or
+rather frightful, lame, covered with blotches, an idiot; in a word,
+she is a monster whom I cannot take too much pains to hide from the
+world."
+
+"Indeed," said the cadi, "that is what I expected, master Omar. I was
+certain that you would thus praise your daughter; but know, my friend,
+that this blotchy, idiotic, lame, frightful person, in short, this
+monster, with all her defects, is loved to distraction by a man who
+desires her for his wife, and that man is myself."
+
+At this speech the dyer seemed to doubt whether he were awake; he
+pinched himself, rubbed his eyes, and then looking the cadi full in
+the face, said,
+
+"If my lord, the cadi, wishes to be merry, he is master; he may make a
+jest of my child as much as he pleases."
+
+"No, no," replied the cadi, "I am not joking, I am in love with your
+daughter, and I ask her in marriage."
+
+The artisan at these words burst into a fit of laughter. "By the
+prophet," cried he, "somebody wants to give you something to take care
+of. I give you fair warning, my lord, that my daughter has lost the
+use of her hands, is lame, dropsical."
+
+"I know all about that," replied the judge, "I recognize her by her
+portrait. I have a peculiar liking for that sort of girls, they are my
+taste."
+
+"I tell you," insisted the dyer, "she is not a fit match for you. Her
+name is Cayfacattaddhari (the monster of the age), and I must confess
+that her name is well chosen."
+
+"Come, come!" replied the cadi, in an impatient and imperious tone,
+"this is enough, I am sick of all these objections. Master Omar, I ask
+you to give me this Cayfacattaddhari just as she is, so not another
+word."
+
+The dyer, seeing him determined to espouse his daughter, and more than
+ever persuaded that some person had made him fall in love with her
+upon false representations for fun, said to himself, "I must ask him a
+heavy _scherbeha_ (dowry): the amount may disgust him, and he will
+think no more of her."
+
+"My lord," said he, "I am prepared to obey you; but I will not part
+with Cayfacattaddhari unless you give me a dowry of a thousand golden
+sequins beforehand."
+
+"That is rather a large sum," said the cadi, "still I will pay it
+you." He immediately ordered a large bagful of sequins to be brought,
+a thousand were counted out, which the dyer took after weighing them,
+and the judge then ordered the marriage contract to be drawn out.
+When, moreover, it was ready for signature, the artisan protested that
+he would not sign it except in the presence of a hundred lawyers at
+least.
+
+"You are very distrustful," said the cadi; "but never mind, I will
+satisfy your wishes, for I don't intend to let your daughter slip
+through my fingers." He thereupon sent immediately for all the
+neighbouring doctors, alfayins, mollahs, persons connected with the
+mosques and courts of law, of whom far more crowded in than the dyer
+required.
+
+When all the witnesses had arrived at the cadi's, Ousta Omar spoke
+thus,
+
+"My lord cadi, I give you my daughter in marriage, since you
+absolutely require me to do so; but I declare before all these
+gentlemen that it is on condition, that if you are not satisfied with
+her when you see her, and you wish afterwards to repudiate her, you
+will give her a thousand gold sequins, such as I have received from
+you."
+
+"Well! so be it," replied the cadi, "I promise it before all this
+assembly. Art thou content?" The dyer replied in the affirmative, and
+departed, saying that he would send the bride.
+
+He had scarcely left the house before the enamoured judge gave orders
+to have an apartment furnished in the most splendid manner to receive
+his new bride. Velvet carpets were laid down, new draperies hung up,
+and sofas of silver brocade placed round the walls, whilst several
+braziers perfumed the chamber with delicious scents. All was at length
+in readiness, and the cadi impatiently awaited the arrival of
+Cayfacattaddhari. The fair bride, however, not making her appearance
+so speedily as his eagerness expected, he called his faithful aga, and
+said, "The lovely object of my affections ought to be here by this
+time, I think. What can detain her so long at her father's? How slow
+the moments appear which retard my happiness!" At length his
+impatience could brook no longer delay, and he was on the point of
+sending the aga to Ousta Omar's, when a porter arrived carrying a deal
+case covered with green taffeta.
+
+"What hast thou got there, my friend," inquired the judge.
+
+"My lord," replied the porter, placing the box on the ground, "it is
+your bride; you have only to take off the covering and you will see
+what she is like."
+
+The cadi removed the cloth and saw a girl three feet and a half high:
+she had a lank visage covered with blotches, eyes sunk deep in their
+sockets and as red as fire, not the least vestige of a nose, but above
+her mouth two horrid wide nostrils like those of a crocodile. He could
+not look at this object without horror; he hastily replaced the cover,
+and, turning to the porter, cried,
+
+"What am I to do with this miserable creature?"
+
+"My lord," replied the porter, "it is the daughter of master Omar, the
+dyer, who told me you had married her from choice."
+
+"Merciful heavens!" exclaimed the cadi, "is it possible to marry such
+a monster as that?"
+
+At that moment the dyer, who had foreseen the surprise of the judge,
+arrived.
+
+"Wretch," said the cadi, "what dost thou take me for? Thou certainly
+hast an amazing amount of impudence to dare to play me such a trick as
+this. Dost thou dare thus to treat me who have it in my power to
+revenge myself on my enemies; me who, when I please, can put the like
+of thee in fetters? Dread my wrath, wretch! Instead of the hideous
+monster which thou hast sent me, give me instantly thy other daughter,
+whose beauty is unparalleled, or thou shalt experience what an angry
+cadi can do!"
+
+"My lord," replied Omar, "spare your threats, I beg, and don't be
+angry with me. I swear by the Creator of the light that I have no
+other daughter but this. I told you a thousand times that she would
+not suit you; you would not believe--whose fault is it?"
+
+The cadi at these words felt his soul sink within him, and said to the
+dyer,
+
+"Master Omar, a damsel of the most exquisite loveliness came here this
+morning and told me that you were her father, and that you represented
+her to the world as a perfect monster, indeed so much so, that no one
+would ask her in marriage."
+
+"My lord," returned the dyer, "that girl must have been playing you a
+trick; you must have some enemy."
+
+The cadi bent his head on his bosom, and remained some time in deep
+thought.
+
+"It is a misfortune that was destined to befal me; let us say no more
+about it; have your daughter taken back home; keep the thousand
+sequins you have got, but don't ask for any more, if you wish us to be
+friends."
+
+Although the judge had sworn before witnesses that he would give a
+thousand sequins more if Omar's daughter did not please him, the
+artisan did not dare to endeavour to compel him to keep his word, for
+he knew him to be a most vindictive man, and one who would easily find
+an opportunity of revenging himself upon any one he disliked, and was,
+of course, afraid to offend him. He thought it better to be content
+with what he had received.
+
+"My lord," said he, "I will obey you, and relieve you of my daughter,
+but you must, if you please, divorce her first."
+
+"Oh! true," said the cadi; "I have not the least objection; be assured
+that shall soon be done."
+
+Accordingly, he instantly sent for his naib, and the divorce was made
+out in due form, after which master Omar took leave of the judge, and
+ordered the porter to bear the wretched Cayfacattaddhari back home.
+
+This adventure was speedily noised all over the city. Every body
+laughed at it, and warmly applauded the trick which had been played
+upon the cadi, who could not escape the ridicule in which the whole
+city indulged at his expense. We carried our revenge still further. By
+Mouaffac's advice, I presented myself before the prince of the
+faithful, to whom I told my name and related my story. I did not
+suppress, as you may imagine, the circumstances which put the malice
+of the cadi in so strong a light. The caliph, after listening to me
+with the greatest attention, received me very graciously. "Prince,"
+said he, "why did you not come at once to me? Doubtless you were
+ashamed of your condition, but you might, without a blush, have
+presented yourself before my face, even in your wretched state. Does
+it depend upon men themselves to be happy or unhappy? Is it not Allah
+that spins the thread of our destiny? Ought you to have feared an
+ungracious reception? No! You know that I love and esteem king
+Ben-Ortoc, your father; my court was a safe asylum for you."
+
+The caliph embraced me, and conferred on me a _gulute_ (robe of
+honour) and a beautiful diamond which he wore on his finger. He
+regaled me with excellent sherbet, and when I returned to my
+father-in-law's house, I found six large bales of Persian brocade,
+gold and silver, two pieces of damask, and a beautiful Persian horse
+richly caparisoned. In addition, he reinstated Mouaffac in the
+government of Bagdad; and as to the cadi, by way of punishment for his
+malicious attempt to deceive Zemroude and her father, he deposed him,
+and condemned him to perpetual imprisonment, and, to crown his misery,
+ordered him as a companion in his confinement the daughter of Ousta
+Omar.
+
+A few days after my marriage, I sent a courier to Moussul, to inform
+my father of all that had happened to me since my departure from his
+court, and to assure him that I would return shortly, with the lady
+whom I had married. I waited most impatiently for the return of the
+courier; but, alas! he brought me back news which deeply afflicted me.
+He informed me that Ben-Ortoc having heard that four thousand Bedouin
+Arabs had attacked me, and that my escort had been cut to pieces,
+persuaded that I no longer lived, took my supposed death so much to
+heart that he died; that prince Amadeddin Zingui, my cousin-german,
+occupied the throne; that he reigned with equity; and that,
+nevertheless, although he was generally beloved, the people no sooner
+learned that I was still alive, than they gave themselves up to the
+greatest joy. Prince Amadeddin himself, in a letter which the courier
+placed in my hands, assured me of his fidelity, and expressed his
+impatience for my return, in order that he might restore the crown to
+me, and become the first subject in my dominions.
+
+This news decided me to hasten my return to Moussul. I took my leave
+of the prince of the faithful, who ordered a detachment of three
+thousand cavalry of his own guard to escort me to my kingdom, and,
+after embracing Mouaffac and his wife, I departed from Bagdad with my
+beloved Zemroude, who would almost have died of grief at the
+separation from her parents, if her love for me had not somewhat
+moderated the violence of her sorrow. About halfway between Bagdad and
+Moussul, the vanguard of my escort discovered a body of troops
+marching towards us. Concluding at once that it was a body of Bedouin
+Arabs, I immediately drew up my men, and was fully prepared for the
+attack, when my scouts brought me word, that those whom we had taken
+for robbers and enemies were, in fact, troops from Moussul, who had
+set out to meet me, with Amadeddin at their head.
+
+This prince, on his part, having learned who we were, left his little
+army to meet me, accompanied by the principal nobles of Moussul. When
+he reached the spot where I was awaiting him, he addressed me in the
+same tone in which his letter had been couched, submissively and
+respectfully, whilst all the nobles who accompanied him assured me of
+their zeal and fidelity. I thought it my duty to show my entire
+confidence in them, by dismissing the soldiers of the caliph's guard.
+I had no reason to repent of this step; far from being capable of
+forming any treacherous design, prince Amadeddin did all in his power
+to give me proofs of his attachment.
+
+When we came to Moussul, our safe and auspicious arrival was
+celebrated by gifts to the mosques, abundant alms to the poor, fêtes,
+and an illumination of the palace gardens with lamps of a thousand
+different colours. The people in general testified the delight they
+felt at my return by acclamations, and for a space of three days gave
+themselves up entirely to great rejoicings. The booths of the
+itinerant merchants, and the bazaars, were hung within and without
+with draperies, and at night they were lit up by lamps, which formed
+the letters of a verse of the Koran, so that every shop having its
+particular verse, this holy book was to be read entire in the city;
+and it appeared as though the angel Gabriel had brought it a second
+time in letters of light to our great prophet.
+
+In addition to this pious illumination, before each shop were placed
+large dishes, plates of pillau, of all sorts of colours, in the form
+of pyramids, and huge bowls of sherbet and pomegranate juice, for the
+passers-by to eat and drink at pleasure. In all the cross streets were
+to be seen dancers, displaying their graceful evolutions to the sounds
+of drums, lutes, and tambourines.
+
+The different trades formed a procession, consisting of cars decorated
+with tinsel and many-coloured flags, and with the tools used in their
+trades; and after traversing the principal streets, defiled to the
+music of pipes, cymbals, and trumpets, before my balcony, where
+Zemroude was sitting by my side, and after saluting us, shouted at the
+top of their voices, "Blessing and health to thee, Apostle of God, God
+give the king victory."
+
+It was not enough for me to share these honours with the daughter of
+Mouaffac, my study was to find out every thing that would afford her
+any pleasure. I caused her apartments to be adorned with every thing
+most rare and pleasing to the sight. Her suite was composed of
+twenty-five young Circassian ladies, slaves in my father's harem; some
+sang and played the lute exquisitely, others excelled on the harp, and
+the rest danced with the greatest grace and lightness. I also gave her
+a black aga, with twelve eunuchs, who all possessed some talent which
+might contribute to her amusement.
+
+I reigned over faithful and devoted subjects; every day I loved
+Zemroude more and more, and she as ardently reciprocated my
+attachment.
+
+My days passed thus in perfect happiness, till one day a young
+dervise appeared at my court. He introduced himself to the principal
+nobles, and gained their friendship by his pleasing and agreeable
+manners, as well as by his wit and his happy and brilliant repartees.
+He accompanied them to the chase, he entered into all their gaieties,
+and was a constant guest at their parties of pleasure. Every day some
+of my courtiers spoke to me of him as a man of charming manners, so
+that at last they excited in me a desire to see and converse with the
+agreeable stranger. Far from finding his portrait overdrawn, he
+appeared to me even more accomplished than they had represented him.
+His conversation charmed me, and I was disabused of an error into
+which many persons of quality fall, namely, that men of wit and high
+sentiment are only to be met with at court. I experienced so much
+pleasure in the company of the dervise, and he seemed so well suited
+to manage affairs of the greatest importance, that I wished to appoint
+him my minister, but he thanked me, and told me he had made a vow
+never to accept any employment, that he preferred a free and
+independent life, that he despised honours and riches, and was content
+with what God, who cares for the lowest animals, should provide for
+him; in a word, he was content with his condition.
+
+I admired a man so much raised above worldly considerations, and
+conceived the greatest esteem for him; I received him with pleasure
+each time he presented himself at court; if he was among the crowd of
+courtiers my eyes sought him out, and to him I most frequently
+addressed myself; I insensibly became so attached to him, that I made
+him my exclusive favourite.
+
+One day during a hunt, I had strayed from the main body of my
+followers, and the dervise was alone with me. He began by relating his
+travels, for although young he had travelled extensively. He spoke of
+several curious things he had seen in India, and, amongst others, of
+an old Bramin whom he knew. "This great man," said he, "knew an
+infinity of secrets, each more extraordinary than the former. Nature
+had no mystery but what he could fathom. He died in my arms," said the
+dervise, "but as he loved me, before he expired he said, 'My son, I
+wish to teach you a secret by which you may remember me, but it is on
+condition that you reveal it to no one.' I promised to keep it
+inviolate, and on the faith of my promise he taught me the secret."
+
+"Indeed!" said I, "what is the nature of the secret? Is it the secret
+of making gold?"
+
+"No, sire," replied he, "it is a greater and much more precious secret
+than that. It is the power of reanimating a dead body. Not that I can
+restore the same soul to the body it has left, Heaven alone can
+perform that miracle; but I can cause my soul to enter into a body
+deprived of life, and I will prove it to your highness whenever you
+shall please."
+
+"Most willingly!" said I, "now, if you please."
+
+At that moment there passed by us most opportunely a doe; I let fly an
+arrow, which struck her, and she fell dead. "Now let me see," said I,
+"if you can reanimate this creature."
+
+"Sire," replied the dervise, "your curiosity shall soon be gratified;
+watch well what I am about to do."
+
+He had scarcely uttered these words, when I beheld with amazement his
+body fall suddenly without animation, and at the same moment I saw the
+doe rise with great nimbleness. I will leave you to judge of my
+surprise. Although there was no room left to doubt what I beheld, I
+could hardly believe the evidence of my senses. The creature, however,
+came to me, fondled me, and after making several bounds, fell dead
+again, and immediately the body of the dervise, which lay stretched at
+my feet, became reanimated.
+
+I was delighted at so wonderful a secret, and entreated the dervise to
+impart it to me.
+
+[Illustration: The Dervise and the Prince, p. 91.]
+
+"Sire," said he, "I deeply regret that I cannot comply with your
+desire; for I promised the dying Bramin not to disclose it to any one,
+and I am a slave to my word."
+
+The more the dervise excused himself from satisfying my wishes, the
+more did I feel my curiosity excited.
+
+"In the name of Allah," said I, "do not refuse to comply with my
+entreaties. I promise thee never to divulge the secret, and I swear by
+Him who created us both never to employ it to a bad purpose."
+
+The dervise considered a moment, then turning to me said,
+
+"I cannot resist the wishes of a king whom I love more than my life; I
+will yield to your desire. It is true," added he, "that I only gave a
+simple promise to the Bramin. I did not bind myself by an inviolable
+oath. I will impart my secret to your highness. It consists only in
+remembering two words; it is sufficient to repeat them mentally to be
+able to reanimate a dead body."
+
+He then taught me the two magic words. I no sooner knew them, than I
+burned to test their power. I pronounced them, with the intention to
+make my soul pass into the body of the doe, and in a moment I found
+myself metamorphosed into the animal. But the delight I experienced at
+the success of the trial was soon converted into consternation; for no
+sooner had my spirit entered into the body of the doe, than the
+dervise caused his to pass into mine, and then suddenly drawing my
+bow, the traitor was on the point of shooting me with one of my own
+arrows, when, perceiving his intention, I took to flight, and by my
+speed just escaped the fatal shaft. Nevertheless, he let fly the arrow
+at me with so true an aim, that it just grazed my shoulder.
+
+I now beheld myself reduced to live with the beasts of the forests and
+mountains. Happier for me would it have been if I had resembled them
+more perfectly, and if in losing my human form, I had at the same
+time lost my power of reason. I should not then have been the prey to
+a thousand miserable reflections.
+
+Whilst I was deploring my misery in the forests, the dervise was
+occupying the throne of Moussul; and fearing that, as I possessed the
+secret as well as himself, I might find means to introduce myself into
+the palace, and take my revenge upon him, on the very day he usurped
+my place he ordered all the deer in the kingdom to be destroyed,
+wishing, as he said, to exterminate the whole species, which he
+mortally hated. Nay, so eager was he for my destruction, that the
+moment he returned from the hunting expedition, he again set out at
+the head of a large body of followers, intent upon the indiscriminate
+slaughter of all the deer they might meet.
+
+The people of Moussul, animated by the hope of gain, spread themselves
+all over the country with their bows and arrows; they scoured the
+forests, over-ran the mountains, and shot every stag and deer they met
+with. Happily, by this time I had nothing to fear from them; for,
+having seen a dead nightingale lying at the foot of a tree, I
+reanimated it, and under my new shape flew towards the palace of my
+enemy, and concealed myself among the thick foliage of a tree in the
+garden. This tree was not far from the apartments of the queen. There,
+thinking upon my misfortune, I poured forth in tender strains the
+melancholy that consumed me. It was one morning, as the sun rose, and
+already several birds, delighted to see its returning beams, expressed
+their joy by their minstrelsy. For my part, taken up with my griefs, I
+paid no attention to the brightness of the newborn day; but with my
+eyes sadly turned towards Zemroude's apartment, I poured forth so
+plaintive a song, that I attracted the attention of the princess, who
+came to the window. I continued my mournful notes in her presence, and
+I tried all the means in my power to render them more and more
+touching, as though I could make her comprehend the subject of my
+grief. But, alas! although she took pleasure in listening to me, I had
+the mortification to see, that instead of being moved by my piteous
+accents, she only laughed with one of her slaves, who had come to the
+window to listen to me.
+
+I did not leave the garden that day, nor for several following, and I
+took care to sing every morning at the same spot. Zemroude did not
+fail to come to the window; and at length, by the blessing of
+Providence, took a fancy to have me. One morning she said to her
+female attendants, "I wish that nightingale to be caught; let
+birdcatchers be sent for. I love that bird; I doat upon it; let them
+try every means to catch it, and bring it to me." The queen's orders
+were obeyed; expert birdcatchers were found, who laid traps for me,
+and, as I had no desire to escape, because I saw that their only
+object in depriving me of my liberty was to make me a slave to my
+princess, I allowed myself to be taken. The moment I was brought to
+her she took me in her hand, with every symptom of delight. "My
+darling," said she, caressing me, "my charming bul-bul, I will be thy
+rose; I already feel the greatest tenderness for thee." At these words
+she kissed me. I raised my beak softly to her lips. "Ah! the little
+rogue," cried she laughing, "he appears to know what I say." At last,
+after fondling me, she placed me in a gold filigree cage, which an
+eunuch had been sent into the city to buy for me.
+
+Every day as soon as she woke I began my song; and whenever she came
+to my cage to caress me or feed me, far from appearing wild, I spread
+out my wings, and stretched my beak towards her, to express my joy.
+She was surprised to see me so tame in so short a time. Sometimes she
+would take me out of the cage, and allow me to fly about her chamber.
+I always went to her to receive her caresses, and to lavish mine upon
+her; and if any of her slaves wished to take hold of me, I pecked at
+them with all my might. By these little insinuating ways I endeared
+myself so much to Zemroude, that she often said if by any mishap I
+were to die, she should be inconsolable, so strong was her attachment
+to me.
+
+Zemroude also had a little dog in her chamber, of which she was very
+fond. One day, when the dog and I were alone, it died. Its death
+suggested to me the idea of making a third experiment of the secret.
+"I will pass into the body of the dog," thought I, "for I wish to see
+what effect the death of her nightingale will produce upon the
+princess." I cannot tell what suggested the fancy, for I did not
+foresee what this new metamorphosis would lead to; but the thought
+appeared to me a suggestion of Heaven, and I followed it at all risks.
+
+When Zemroude returned to the room, her first care was to come to my
+cage. As soon as she perceived that the nightingale was dead, she
+uttered a shriek that brought all her slaves about her. "What ails
+you, madam?" said they in terrified accents. "Has any misfortune
+happened to you?"
+
+"I am in despair," replied the princess, weeping bitterly; "my
+nightingale is dead. My dear bird, my little husband, why art thou
+taken from, me so soon? I shall no more hear your sweet notes! I shall
+never see you again! What have I done to deserve such punishment from
+Heaven?"
+
+All the efforts of her women to console her were in vain. The dervise
+had just returned from his murderous expedition, and one of them ran
+to acquaint him with the state in which they had found the queen. He
+quickly came and told her that the death of a bird ought not to cause
+her so much grief; that the loss was not irreparable; that if she was
+so fond of nightingales, and wanted another, it was easy to get one.
+But all his reasoning was to no purpose, he could make no impression
+upon her.
+
+"Cease your endeavours," she exclaimed, "to combat my grief, you will
+never overcome it. I know it is a great weakness to mourn so for a
+bird, I am as fully persuaded of it as you can be, still I cannot bear
+up against the force of the blow that has overwhelmed me. I loved the
+little creature; he appeared sensible of the caresses I bestowed on
+him, and he returned them in a way that delighted me. If my women
+approached him, he exhibited ferocity, or rather disdain; whereas he
+always came eagerly on to my hand when I held it out to him. It
+appeared as though he felt affection for me, he looked at me in so
+tender and languishing a manner, that it almost seemed as though he
+was mortified that he had not the power of speech to express his
+feelings towards me. I could read it in his eyes. Ah! I shall never
+think of him without despair." As she finished speaking her tears
+gushed out afresh, and she seemed as if nothing could ever console
+her.
+
+I drew a favourable omen from the violence of her grief. I had laid
+myself down in a corner of the room, where I heard all that was said
+and observed all that passed without their noticing me. I had a
+presentiment that the dervise, in order to console the queen, would
+avail himself of the secret, and I was not disappointed.
+
+Finding the queen inaccessible to reason, and being deeply enamoured
+of her, he was moved by her tears, and instead of persevering in
+fruitless arguments, he ordered the queen's slaves to quit the room
+and leave him alone with her. "Madam," said he, thinking that no one
+overheard him, "since the death of your nightingale causes you so much
+sorrow, he must be brought to life. Do not grieve, you shall see him
+alive again; I pledge myself to restore him to you; to-morrow morning,
+when you wake, you shall hear him sing again, and you shall have the
+satisfaction of caressing him."
+
+"I understand you, my lord," said Zemroude; "you look upon me as
+crazed, and think that you must humour my sorrow; you would persuade
+me that I shall see my nightingale alive to-morrow; to-morrow you
+will postpone your miracle till the following day, and so on from one
+day to another; by this means you reckon on making me gradually forget
+my bird; or, perhaps," pursued she, "you intend to get another put in
+his place to deceive me."
+
+"No, my queen," replied the dervise, "no; it is that very bird which
+you see stretched out in his cage without life; this very nightingale,
+the enviable object of such poignant grief; it is that very bird
+himself that shall sing. I will give him new life, and you can again
+lavish your caresses upon him. He will better appreciate that delight,
+and you shall behold him still more anxious to please you, for it will
+be I myself who will be the object of your endearments; every morning
+I will myself be his fresh life in order to divert you. I can perform
+this miracle," continued he; "it is a secret I possess; if you have
+any doubts upon it, or if you are impatient to behold your favourite
+reanimated, I will cause him to revive now immediately."
+
+As the princess did not reply, he imagined from her silence that she
+was not fully persuaded he could accomplish what he professed; he
+seated himself on the sofa, and by virtue of the two cabalistic words
+left his body, or rather mine, and entered into that of the
+nightingale. The bird began to sing in its cage to the great amazement
+of Zemroude. But his song was not destined to continue long; for no
+sooner did he begin to warble than I quitted the body of the dog and
+hastened to retake my own. At the same time running to the cage, I
+dragged the bird out and wrung his neck. "What have you done, my
+lord?" cried the princess. "Why have you treated my nightingale thus?
+If you did not wish him to live, why did you restore him to life?"
+
+"I thank Heaven!" cried I, without paying any regard to what she said,
+so much were my thoughts taken up with the feeling of vengeance which
+possessed me at the treacherous conduct of the dervise, "I am
+satisfied. I have at length avenged myself on the villain whose
+execrable treason deserved a still greater punishment."
+
+If Zemroude was surprised to see her nightingale restored to life, she
+was not the less so to hear me utter these words with such fierce
+emotion.
+
+"My lord," said she, "whence this violent transport which agitates
+you, and what do those words mean which you have just spoken?"
+
+I related to her all that had happened to me, and she could not doubt
+that I was truly Al Abbas, because she had heard that the body of the
+dervise had been found in the forest, and she was also of course well
+acquainted with the order which he had given for destroying all the
+deer.
+
+But my poor princess could not recover the shock her sensitive love
+had sustained. A few days after she fell ill, and died in my arms,
+literally frightened to death by the imminence of the danger from
+which she had just been so happily rescued.
+
+After I had bewailed her, and erected a splendid tomb to her memory, I
+summoned the prince Amadeddin.
+
+"My cousin," said I, "I have no children, I resign the crown of
+Moussul in your favour. I give the kingdom up into your hands. I
+renounce the regal dignity, and wish to pass the rest of my days in
+repose and privacy." Amadeddin, who really loved me, spared no
+arguments to deter me from taking the step I proposed, but I assured
+him that nothing could shake my resolution.
+
+"Prince," said I, "my determination is fixed, I resign my rank to you.
+Fill the throne of Al Abbas, and may you be more happy than he. Reign
+over a people who know your merit, and have already experienced the
+blessings of your rule. Disgusted with pomp, I shall retire to distant
+climes, and live in privacy; there freed from the cares of state, I
+shall mourn over the memory of Zemroude, and recall the happy days we
+passed together."
+
+I left Amadeddin upon the throne of Moussul, and, accompanied only by
+a few slaves, and carrying an ample supply of riches and jewels, took
+the road to Bagdad, where I arrived safely. I immediately repaired to
+Mouaffac's house. His wife and he were not a little surprised to see
+me, and they were deeply affected when I informed them of the death of
+their daughter, whom they had tenderly loved. The recital unlocked the
+fountains of my own grief, and I mingled my tears with theirs. I did
+not stay long in Bagdad, I joined a caravan of pilgrims going to
+Mecca, and after paying my devotions, found, by chance, another
+company of pilgrims from Tartary, whom I accompanied to their native
+country. We arrived in this city; I found the place agreeable, and
+took up my abode here, where I have resided for nearly forty years. I
+am thought to be a stranger who was formerly concerned in trade, and
+whose time is now passed in study and contemplation. I lead a retired
+life, and rarely see strangers. Zemroude is ever present to my
+thoughts, and my only consolation consists in dwelling fondly upon her
+memory and her virtues.
+
+
+CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF PRINCE KHALAF AND THE PRINCESS OF CHINA.
+
+Al Abbas, having finished the recital of his adventures, thus
+addressed his guests:
+
+"Such is my history. You perceive by my misfortunes and your own, that
+human life is but as a reed, ever liable to be bent to the earth by
+the bleak blasts of misfortune. I will, however, confess to you that I
+have led a happy and quiet life ever since I have been in Jaic; and
+that I by no means repent having abdicated the throne of Moussul; for
+in the obscurity in which I now live, I have discovered peaceful and
+tranquil joys which I never experienced before."
+
+Timurtasch, Elmaze, and Khalaf bestowed a thousand flattering
+encomiums upon the son of Ben-Ortoc; the khan admired the resolution
+which had caused him to deprive himself of his kingdom, in order to
+live in privacy in a country of strangers, where the station which he
+had filled in the world was unknown. Elmaze praised the fidelity he
+displayed towards Zemroude, and the grief he experienced at her death.
+And Khalaf remarked, "My lord, it were to be wished that all men could
+display the same constancy in adversity which you have done, under
+your misfortunes."
+
+They continued their conversation till it was time to retire. Al Abbas
+then summoned his slaves, who brought wax-lights in candlesticks made
+of aloe-wood, and conducted the khan, the princess, and her son to a
+suite of apartments, where the same simplicity reigned that
+characterized the rest of the house. Elmaze and Timurtasch retired to
+sleep in a chamber appropriated to themselves, and Khalaf to another.
+The following morning their host entered the chamber of his guests as
+soon as they were up, and said,
+
+"You are not the only unfortunate persons in the world; I have just
+been informed that an ambassador from the sultan of Carisma arrived in
+the city last evening; that his master has sent him to Ileuge-Khan, to
+beg of him not only to refuse an asylum to the khan of the Nagäis, his
+enemy, but if the khan should endeavour to pass through his dominions,
+to arrest him. Indeed, it is reported," pursued Al Abbas, "that the
+unfortunate khan, for fear of falling into the hands of the sultan of
+Carisma, has left his capital and fled with his family." At this news,
+Timurtasch and Khalaf changed colour, and the princess fainted.
+
+The swoon of Elmaze, as well as the evident trouble of the father and
+son, instantly caused Al Abbas to suspect that his guests were not
+merchants.
+
+"I see," said he, as soon as the princess had recovered her senses,
+"that you take a deep interest in the misfortunes of the khan of the
+Nagäis; indeed, if I may be permitted to tell you what I think, I
+believe you are yourselves the objects of the sultan of Carisma's
+hatred."
+
+"Yes, my lord," replied Timurtasch, "we are, indeed, the victims for
+whose immolation he is thirsty. I am the khan of the Nagäis, you
+behold my wife and my son; we should, indeed, be ungrateful, if we did
+not discover our position to you, after your generous reception, and
+the confidence you have reposed in us. I am encouraged even to hope,
+that by your counsels you will aid us to escape from the danger which
+threatens us."
+
+"Your situation is most critical," replied the aged king of Moussul;
+"I know Ileuge-Khan well, and, as he fears the sultan of Carisma, I
+cannot doubt that, to please him, he will search for you every where.
+You will not be safe, either in my house or in any other in this city;
+the only resource left you, is to leave the country of Jaic as
+speedily as possible, cross the river Irtisch, and gain, with the
+utmost diligence, the frontiers of the tribe of the Berlas."
+
+This advice pleased Timurtasch, his wife, and son. Al Abbas had three
+horses instantly got ready, together with provisions for the journey,
+and giving them a purse filled with gold; "Start immediately," said
+he, "you have no time to lose, by to-morrow, no doubt, Ileuge-Khan
+will cause search to be made for you every where."
+
+They returned their heartfelt thanks to the aged monarch, and then
+quitted Jaic, crossed the Irtisch, and joining company with a
+camel-driver, who was travelling that way, arrived after several days'
+journey in the territories of the tribe of Berlas. They took up their
+quarters with the first horde they met, sold their horses, and lived
+quietly enough as long as their money lasted; but, as soon as it came
+to an end, the misery of the khan recommenced. "Why am I still in the
+world?" he began to exclaim. "Would it not have been better to have
+awaited my blood-thirsty foe in my own kingdom, and have died
+defending my capital, than to drag on a life which is only one
+continued scene of misery? It is in vain that we endure our
+misfortunes with patience; for, in spite of our submission to its
+decrees, Heaven will never restore us to happiness, but leaves us
+still the sport of misery."
+
+"My lord," replied Khalaf, "do not despair of our miseries coming to
+an end. Heaven, which decrees these events, is preparing for us, I
+doubt not, some relief which we cannot foresee. Let us proceed at
+once," added he, "to the principal horde of this tribe. I have a
+presentiment, that our fortunes will now assume a more favourable
+aspect."
+
+They all three proceeded accordingly to the horde with whom the khan
+of Berlas resided. They entered a large tent which served as a refuge
+for poor strangers. Here they laid themselves down, worn out with
+their journey, and at a loss at last to know how to obtain even the
+necessaries of life. Khalaf, however, quietly slipt out of the tent,
+leaving his father and mother there, and went through the horde,
+asking charity of the passers-by. By the evening he had collected a
+small sum of money, with which he bought some provisions, and carried
+them to his parents. When they learned that their son had actually
+solicited charity, they could not refrain from tears. Khalaf himself
+was moved by their grief, but cheerfully remarked, nevertheless, "I
+confess that nothing we have yet endured has appeared to me more
+mortifying than to be reduced to solicit alms; still, as at present I
+cannot procure you subsistence by any other means, is it not my duty
+to do it, in spite of the mortification it costs me? But," he added,
+as though struck with a sudden thought, "there is still another
+resource--sell me for a slave, and the money you will receive will
+last you a long time."
+
+"What do you say, my son?" cried Timurtasch, when he heard these
+words. "Can you propose to us that we should live at the expense of
+your liberty? Ah! rather let us endure for ever our present misery.
+But if it should come to this, that one of us must be sold, let it be
+myself; I do not refuse to bear the yoke of servitude for you both."
+
+"My lord," said Khalaf, "another thought strikes me; to-morrow morning
+I will take my station among the porters; some one may chance to
+employ me, and we may thus earn a living by my labour." They agreed to
+this, and the following day the prince stationed himself among the
+porters of the horde, and waited till some one should employ him; but
+unfortunately no one wanted him, so that half the day passed and he
+had not had a single job. This grieved him deeply. "If I am not more
+successful than this," thought he, "how am I to support my father and
+mother?"
+
+He grew tired of waiting among the porters on the chance of some
+person wanting his services. He went out of the encampment and
+strolled into the country, in order to turn over in his mind
+undisturbedly the best means of earning a livelihood. He sat down
+under a tree, where, after praying Heaven to have pity on his
+perplexity, he fell asleep. When he woke he saw near him a falcon of
+singular beauty: its head was adorned with a tuft of gaudy feathers,
+and from its neck hung a chain of gold filigree-work set with
+diamonds, topazes, and rubies. Khalaf, who understood falconry, held
+out his fist, and the bird alighted on it. The prince of the Nagäis
+was delighted at the circumstance. "Let us see," said he, "what this
+will lead to. This bird, from all appearance, belongs to the sovereign
+of the tribe." Nor was he wrong. It was the favourite falcon of
+Almguer, khan of Berlas, who had lost it the previous day. His
+principal huntsmen were engaged at that moment in searching every
+where for it with the greatest diligence and uneasiness, for their
+master had threatened them with the severest punishments if they
+returned without his bird, which he loved passionately.
+
+Prince Khalaf returned to the encampment with the falcon. As soon as
+the people of the horde saw it, they began to cry out, "Ha! here is
+the khan's falcon recovered. Blessings on the youth who will make our
+prince rejoice by restoring him his bird." And so it turned out, for
+when Khalaf arrived at the royal tent, and appeared with the falcon,
+the khan, transported with joy, ran to his bird and kissed it a
+thousand times. Then addressing the prince of the Nagäis, he asked him
+where he found it. Khalaf related how he had recovered the falcon. The
+khan then said to him, "Thou appearest to be a stranger amongst us;
+where wast thou born, and what is thy profession?"
+
+"My lord," replied Khalaf, prostrating himself at the khan's feet, "I
+am the son of a merchant of Bulgaria, who was possessed of great
+wealth. I was travelling with my father and mother in the country of
+Jaic, when we were attacked by robbers, who stripped us of every thing
+but our lives, and we have found our way to this encampment actually
+reduced to beg our bread."
+
+"Young man," replied the khan, "I am glad that it is thou who hast
+found my falcon; for I swore to grant to whomsoever should bring me my
+bird, whatever two things he might ask; so thou hast but to speak.
+Tell me what thou desirest me to grant thee, and doubt not that thou
+shalt obtain it." "Since I have permission to ask two things,"
+returned Khalaf, "I request in the first place that my father and
+mother, who are in the strangers' tent, may have a tent to themselves
+in the quarter where your highness resides, and that they may be
+supported during the rest of their days at your highness's expense,
+and waited on by officers of your highness's household; secondly, I
+desire to have one of the best horses in your highness's stables and a
+purse full of gold, to enable me to make a journey which I have in
+contemplation." "Thy wishes shall be gratified," said Almguer; "thou
+shalt bring thy father and mother to me, and from this day forth I
+will begin to entertain them as thou desirest; and to-morrow, dressed
+in rich attire, and mounted on the best horse in my stables, thou
+shalt be at liberty to go wherever it shall please thee. Thy modesty,
+the filial love which is imprinted upon thy features, thy youth, thy
+noble air, please me; be my guest, come and join my festivities, and
+thou shalt listen to an Arabian story-teller, whose knowledge and
+imaginative powers instruct and amuse my tribes."
+
+The khan and the son of Timurtasch presently seated themselves at a
+table loaded with viands, confectionary, fruit, and flowers; gazelle
+venison, red-legged partridges, pheasants, and black cock were
+displayed as trophies of the skill of the hunter king. The Arab
+stationed near the khan awaited his orders. "Moustapha," said the khan
+at length, turning to the Arab, "I have been extolling thy knowledge
+and wit to my guest; surpass thyself, and let him see that I have not
+exaggerated. He shall give thee a subject; treat it in such a manner
+as to deserve his praise."
+
+"I am curious," said the prince, "to hear of China; I ask thee to
+instruct me concerning the government of that important kingdom, and
+to give me an insight into the manners and customs of its people."
+
+The Arab reflected a moment, and then, prefacing his recital with a
+few general remarks, proceeded to depict in glowing colours this
+celestial empire, whose civilization dates back to the remotest ages
+of the world. He described its extent as equal to one-half of the
+habitable globe; its population as so numerous that it might be
+counted by hundreds of millions; he spoke of cities, each of which
+alone brought a revenue to their crown, which surpassed that of entire
+kingdoms; of those gigantic works, the canals, whose extent equalled
+the course of the largest rivers, which traversed the vast empire. And
+he foretold that a time would come when Tartar warriors should scale
+that very wall which the terror of their arms had caused to be built,
+and should again reconquer the whole of that wealthy tract. He then
+began his story as follows.
+
+
+THE STORY OF LIN-IN.
+
+A CHINESE TALE.
+
+At Wou-si, a town dependent upon the city of Tchang-tcheou, in the
+province of Kiang-nan, there resided a family in the middle sphere of
+life. Three brothers composed the family; the name of the eldest was
+Lin-in (the jasper); the second Lin-pao (the precious); the youngest
+Lin-tchin (the pearl); this last was not yet old enough to marry; the
+other two had taken wives to themselves. The wife of the first was
+named Wang; the wife of the second Yang; and both possessed every
+grace which can constitute the charm of woman.
+
+Lin-pao's engrossing passions were gambling and wine; he evinced no
+inclination to good. His wife was of a similar disposition, and
+depraved in her conduct; she was very different from her sister-in-law
+Wang, who was a pattern of modesty and propriety. So although these
+two women lived together on neighbourly terms, there was but little
+real sympathy between them.
+
+Wang had a son named Hi-eul, that is to say, "the son of rejoicing."
+He was a child of six years old. One day having stopped in the street
+with some other children, to look at a great procession in the
+neighbourhood, he was lost in the crowd, and in the evening did not
+return to the house.
+
+This loss caused the deepest sorrow to his parents. They had handbills
+posted up, and there was not a street in which they did not make
+inquiries, but all to no purpose; they could gain no intelligence
+respecting their darling child. Lin-in was inconsolable; and giving
+way to the grief that overwhelmed him, he sought to fly from his home,
+where every thing brought back the remembrance of his dear Hi-eul. He
+borrowed a sum of money from one of his friends to enable him to carry
+on a small trade in the neighbourhood of the city and the adjacent
+villages, hoping that in one of these short excursions he might be
+able to recover the treasure he had lost.
+
+As his whole thoughts were taken up with his child, he took little
+pleasure in the circumstance that his trade flourished. He
+nevertheless continued to pursue it during five years, without making
+long journeys from home, whither he returned every year to spend the
+autumn. At length, being utterly unsuccessful in discovering the least
+trace of his son after so many years, and concluding that he was lost
+to him for ever, and finding moreover that his wife Wang bore him no
+more children, as he had now amassed a good sum of money, he
+determined to divert his thoughts from painful recollections by
+trading in another province.
+
+He joined the company of a rich merchant travelling the road he had
+fixed upon; and the merchant, having observed his aptitude for
+business, made him a very advantageous offer. The desire of becoming
+wealthy now took possession of him, and diverted his thoughts from
+their accustomed channel.
+
+Within a very short time after their arrival in the province of
+Chan-si every thing had succeeded to their utmost wishes. They found a
+quick sale for their merchandise, and the profits arising from it was
+considerable. The payments, however, were delayed for two years in
+consequence of a drought and famine which afflicted the country, as
+well as by a tedious illness by which Lin-in was attacked. They were
+detained altogether three years in the province; after which, having
+recovered his money and his health, he took his departure to return to
+his own country.
+
+He halted one day during his journey near a place named Tchin-lieou
+to recruit his strength, and strolling round the neighbourhood
+accidentally came upon a girdle of blue cloth, in the form of a long,
+narrow bag, such as is worn round the body, under the dress, and in
+which money is usually kept; as he took it up, he found the weight
+considerable. He retired to a quiet spot, opened the girdle, and found
+it contained about two hundred täels.
+
+At sight of this treasure he fell into the following train of
+reflection: "My good fortune has placed this sum in my hands; I might
+keep it and employ it for my own use without fearing any unpleasant
+consequences. Still the person who has dropt it, the moment he
+discovers his loss, will be in great distress, and will return in
+haste to look for it. Do they not say that our forefathers dared
+scarcely touch money found in this way; and if they picked it up, only
+did so with a view of restoring it to its owner? This appears to me a
+very praiseworthy custom, and I will imitate it, the more so as I am
+growing old and have no heir. Of what benefit would money got by such
+means be to me?"
+
+Whilst thus reasoning, he had wandered to some distance from the spot
+where he had found the money; he now, however, retraced his steps to
+the place, and waited there the whole day, to be ready in case the
+owner should return. Nobody came, however, and the next day he
+continued his journey.
+
+After five days' travelling, he arrived in the evening at
+Nan-sou-tcheou, and took up his quarters at an inn where several other
+merchants were staying. The conversation having turned upon the
+advantages of commerce, one of the company said, "Five days ago, on
+leaving Tchin-lieou, I lost two hundred täels, which I had in an
+inside girdle. I had taken it off, and placed it near me whilst I lay
+down to sleep, when a mandarin and his cortége chanced to pass by. I
+hastened to get out of the way for fear of insult, and in my hurry
+forgot to take up my money. It was only at night, as I was undressing
+to go to bed, that I discovered my loss. I felt sure that as the place
+where I lost my money was by the side of a well-frequented road, it
+would be useless to delay my journey for several days in order to look
+for what I should never find."
+
+Every one condoled with him on his loss. Lin-in asked him his name and
+place of abode. "Your servant," replied the merchant, "is named Tchin,
+and lives at Yang-tcheou, where he has a shop and a large warehouse.
+May I be so bold in return to inquire to whom I have the honour of
+speaking?" Lin-in told him his name, and said that he was an
+inhabitant of the town of Wou-si. "My shortest road there," added he,
+"lies through Yang-tcheou; and, if agreeable to you, I shall have much
+pleasure in your company so far."
+
+Tchin acknowledged this politeness in a becoming manner. "Most
+willingly," said he; "we will continue our journey together, and I
+esteem myself very fortunate in meeting with such an agreeable
+companion." The journey was not long, and they soon arrived at
+Yang-tcheou.
+
+After the usual civilities, Tchin invited his fellow-traveller to his
+house, and on their arrival there immediately ordered refreshments to
+be brought. Whilst they were discussing their meal, Lin-in managed to
+turn the conversation on the subject of the lost money.
+
+"What," he asked, "was the colour of the girdle which contained your
+money, and of what material was it made?"
+
+"It was of blue cloth," replied Tchin; "and what would enable me to
+identify it is, that at one end the letter Tchin, which is my name, is
+embroidered upon it in white silk."
+
+This description left no doubt as to the owner. Lin-in, therefore,
+rejoined in a cheerful tone, "If I have asked you all these
+questions, it was merely because passing through Tchin-lieou, I found
+a belt such as you describe." At the same time producing it, he added,
+"Look if this is yours." "The very same," said Tchin. Whereupon Lin-in
+politely restored it to its owner.
+
+Tchin, overwhelmed with gratitude, pressed him to accept the half of
+the sum which it contained; but his entreaties were in vain, Lin-in
+would receive nothing. "What obligations am I not under to you?"
+resumed Tchin; "where else should I find such honesty and generosity?"
+He then ordered a splendid repast to be brought, over which they
+pledged each other with great demonstrations of friendship.
+
+Tchin thought to himself, "Where should I find a man of such probity
+as Lin-in? Men of his character are very scarce in these days. What!
+shall I receive from him such an act of kindness, and not be able to
+repay him? I have a daughter twelve years old; I must form an alliance
+with such an honest man. But has he got a son? On this point I am
+entirely ignorant."
+
+"My dear friend," said he, "how old is your son?"
+
+This question brought tears into the eyes of Lin-in. "Alas!" replied
+he, "I had but one, who was most dear to me. It is now eight years ago
+since my child, having run out of the house to see a procession pass
+by, disappeared; and from that day to this I have never been able to
+learn any thing of him; and, to crown my misfortune, my wife has not
+borne me any more children."
+
+Upon hearing this, Tchin appeared to think for a moment, then,
+continuing the conversation, said, "My brother and benefactor, of what
+age was the child when you lost him?" "About six years old," replied
+Lin-in. "What was his name?" "We called him Hi-eul," returned Lin-in.
+"He had escaped all the dangers of the small-pox which had left no
+traces upon his countenance; his complexion was clear and florid."
+
+This description gave the greatest pleasure to Tchin, and he could not
+prevent his satisfaction from displaying itself in his looks and
+manner. He immediately called one of his servants, to whom he
+whispered a few words. The servant, having made a gesture of
+obedience, retired into the interior of the house.
+
+Lin-in, struck by the questions, and the joy which lit up the
+countenance of his host, was forming all sorts of conjectures, when he
+saw a youth of about fourteen years of age enter the room. He was
+dressed in a long gown, with a plain though neat jacket. His graceful
+form, his air and carriage, his face with its regular features, and
+his quick and piercing eyes, and finely arched black eyebrows, at once
+engaged the admiration and riveted the attention of Lin-in.
+
+As soon as the youth saw the stranger seated at table, he turned
+towards him, made a low bow, and uttered some respectful words; then
+approaching Tchin, and standing modestly before him, he said in a
+sweet and pleasing tone, "My father, you have called Hi-eul; what are
+you pleased to command?" "I will tell you presently," replied Tchin,
+"in the mean time stand beside me."
+
+The name of Hi-eul, by which the youth called himself, excited fresh
+suspicions in the breast of Lin-in. A secret sympathy suddenly forced
+itself upon him; and by one of those wonderful instincts of nature
+which are so unerring, recalled to his recollection the image of his
+lost child, his form, his face, his air, and manners; he beheld them
+all in the youth before him. There was but one circumstance that made
+him doubt the truth of his conjectures, and that was his addressing
+Tchin by the name of 'father.' He felt it would be rude to ask Tchin
+if the youth really were his son; perhaps he might truly be so, for it
+was not impossible that there might be two children bearing the same
+name, and in many respects resembling each other.
+
+Lin-in, absorbed in these reflections, paid little attention to the
+good cheer placed before him. Tchin could read on the countenance of
+Lin-in the perplexing thoughts that filled his mind. An indescribable
+charm seemed to attract him irresistibly towards the youth. He kept
+his eyes constantly fixed upon him, he could not turn them away.
+Hi-eul, on his part, despite his bashfulness and the timidity natural
+to his age, could not help gazing intently upon Lin-in; it seemed as
+though nature was revealing his father to him.
+
+At length Lin-in, no longer master of his feelings, suddenly broke the
+silence, and asked Tchin if the youth really was his son.
+
+"I am not," replied Tchin, "really his father, although I look upon
+him as my own child. Eight years ago, a man passing through this city,
+leading this child in his hand, addressed me by chance, and begged me
+to assist him in his great need. 'My wife,' said he, 'is dead, and has
+left me with this child. The impoverished state of my affairs has
+compelled me to leave my native place, and go to Hoaingan to my
+relations, from whom I hope to receive a sum of money, to enable me to
+set up in business again. I have not wherewith to continue my journey
+to that town, will you be so charitable as to lend me three täels? I
+will faithfully restore them on my return, and I will leave as a
+pledge all that I hold most dear in the world, my only son; I shall no
+sooner reach Hoaingan, than I will return and redeem my dear child.'
+
+"I felt gratified by this mark of confidence, and I gave him the sum
+he asked. As he left me he burst into tears, and gave every evidence
+of the grief he felt in leaving his child. I was, however, surprised
+that the child did not exhibit the least emotion at the separation;
+as, however, time wore on, and the pretended father did not return,
+suspicions began to rise, which I was anxious to set at rest. I called
+the child, and by various questions I put to him, learned that he was
+born in Wou-si, that having one day run out to see a procession pass
+by, he had strayed too far from home, and lost his way, and that he
+had been trepanned and carried off by a stranger. He also told me the
+name of his father and mother; indeed, it is that of your own family.
+I thus discovered that the fellow, so far from being the father of the
+poor child, was the identical rascal who had carried him off. Not only
+was my compassion excited, but the boy's pleasing manners had entirely
+won my heart; I treated him from that time as one of my own children,
+and I sent him to college with my own son, to study with him. I have
+often entertained the plan of going to Wou-si, to inquire after his
+family. But business of some kind always prevented me from undertaking
+the journey, of which, however, I had never fully relinquished the
+idea; when, happily, a few moments ago, you chanced in the course of
+conversation to mention your son, my suspicions were aroused, and upon
+the extraordinary coincidence of your tale, and the circumstances of
+which I was acquainted, I sent for your child to see if you would
+recognize him."
+
+At these words Hi-eul wept for joy, and his tears caused those of
+Lin-in to flow copiously. "A peculiar mark," said he, "will prove his
+identity; a little above the left knee you will find a small black
+spot, which has been there from his birth." Hi-eul pulled up the leg
+of his trouser, and showed the spot in question. Lin-in, on seeing it,
+threw himself upon the neck of the child, covered him with kisses, and
+folded him in his arms. "My child," cried he, "my dear child, what
+happiness for your father to find you after so many years' absence."
+
+It is not difficult to conceive to what transports of joy the father
+and son delivered themselves up, during these first moments of
+pleasure. After a thousand tender embraces, Lin-in at length tore
+himself from the arms of his son, and made a profound obeisance to
+Tchin. "What gratitude do I not owe you," said he, "for having
+received my son into your house, and brought up this dear portion of
+myself with so much care. But for you we should never have been
+united."
+
+"My kind benefactor," replied Tchin, rising, "it was the act of
+disinterested generosity you practised towards me, in restoring the
+two hundred täels, which moved the compassion of Heaven. It is Heaven
+that conducted you to my house, where you have found him whom you
+sought in vain for so many years. Now that I know that good youth is
+your son, I regret that I have not treated him with greater
+consideration."
+
+"Kneel, my son," said Lin-in, "and thank your generous benefactor."
+
+Tchin was about to return these salutations, when Lin-in himself
+prevented him, overcome with this excess of respect. This interchange
+of civilities being over they resumed their seats, and Tchin placed
+little Hi-eul on a seat by his father's side.
+
+Then Tchin resuming the conversation, said, "My brother (for
+henceforth that is the title by which I shall address you), I have a
+daughter twelve years of age, and it is my intention to give her in
+marriage to your son, in order that the union may cement our
+friendship more closely." This proposition was made in so sincere and
+ardent a manner, that Lin-in did not feel it right to make the usual
+excuses that good breeding prescribed. He therefore waived all
+ceremony, and gave his consent at once.
+
+As it was growing late, they separated for the night. Hi-eul slept in
+the same chamber with his father. You may imagine all the tender and
+affectionate conversation that passed between them during the night.
+The next day Lin-in prepared to take leave of his host, but he could
+not resist his pressing invitation to remain. Tchin had prepared a
+second day's festivity, in which he spared no expense to regale the
+future father-in-law of his daughter, and his new son-in-law, and
+thereby to console himself for their departure. They drank and sang,
+and gave themselves up fully to the hilarity of the occasion.
+
+When the repast was ended, Tchin drew out a packet of twenty täels,
+and looking towards Lin-in, said, "During the time my dear son-in-law
+has been with me, it is possible he may have suffered many things
+against my wish, and unknown to me; here is a little present I wish to
+make him, until I can give him more substantial proofs of my
+affection. I will not hear of a refusal."
+
+"What!" replied Lin-in, "at a time when I am contracting an alliance
+so honourable to me, and when I ought, according to custom, to make
+marriage presents for my son, presents which I am prevented from doing
+at this moment, only because I am travelling, do you load me with
+gifts? I cannot accept them; the thought covers me with confusion."
+
+"Well!" replied Tchin, "I am not dreaming of offering _you_ such a
+trifle. It is for my son-in-law, not the father-in-law of my daughter,
+that I intend this present. Indeed, if you persist in the refusal, I
+shall consider it as a sign that the alliance is not agreeable to
+you."
+
+Lin-in saw that he must yield, and that resistance would be useless.
+He humbly accepted the present, and making his son rise from table,
+ordered him to make a profound reverence to Tchin. "What I have given
+you," said Tchin, raising him up, "is but a trifle, and deserves no
+thanks." Hi-eul then went into the house to pay his respects to his
+mother-in-law. The whole day passed in feasting and diversions; it was
+only at night that they separated.
+
+When Lin-in retired to his chamber, he gave himself up entirely to the
+reflections to which these events gave rise. "It must be confessed,"
+cried he, "that by restoring the two hundred täels, I have done an
+action pleasing to Heaven, and now I am rewarded by the happiness of
+finding my child, and contracting so honourable an alliance. This is,
+indeed, joy upon joy; it is like putting gold flowers upon a beautiful
+piece of silk. How can I be sufficiently grateful for so many favours?
+Here are the twenty täels that my friend Tchin has given me; can I do
+better than employ them towards the maintenance of some virtuous
+bonzes? It will be sowing them in a soil of blessings."
+
+The next day, after breakfast, the father and son got ready their
+luggage, and took leave of their host; they proceeded to the quay,
+hired a boat, and commenced their journey. They had scarcely gone half
+a league, ere they came in sight of a scene of terrible excitement;
+the river was full of struggling people, whose cries rent the air. A
+bark, full of passengers, had just sunk, and the cries of the
+unfortunate creatures for help were heart-rending! The people on the
+shore called loudly to several small boats which were near to come to
+the rescue. But the hard-hearted and selfish boatmen demanded that a
+good sum should be guaranteed them, before they would bestir
+themselves. At this critical moment Lin-in's boat came up. The moment
+he perceived what was going on, he said to himself: "It is a much more
+meritorious action to save the life of a man, than to adorn the
+temples and support bonzes. Let us consecrate the twenty täels to this
+good work; let us succour these poor drowning souls." He instantly
+proclaimed that he would give the twenty täels amongst those who would
+take the drowning men into their boats.
+
+At this offer all the boatmen crowded towards the scene of the
+disaster, and the river was, in a moment, covered with their boats; at
+the same time, some of the spectators on shore, who knew how to swim,
+threw themselves into the water, and, in a few moments, all were
+saved, without exception. Lin-in then distributed amongst the boatmen
+the promised reward.
+
+The poor creatures, snatched from a watery grave, came in a body to
+return thanks to their preserver. One amongst them, having looked
+attentively at Lin-in, suddenly cried out, "What! is that you, my
+eldest brother? By what good luck do I find you here?"
+
+Lin-in, turning towards him, recognized his youngest brother,
+Lin-tchin. Then, transported with joy, he exclaimed, clasping his
+hands, "O wonderful circumstance! Heaven has led me hither to save my
+brother's life." He instantly reached out his hand to him, and made
+him come into his boat, helped him off with his wet clothes, and gave
+him others.
+
+As soon as Lin-tchin had sufficiently recovered, he paid the respects
+due to an elder brother which good breeding demands from a younger,
+and Lin-in, having acknowledged his politeness, called Hi-eul, who was
+in the cabin, to come and salute his uncle; he then recounted all his
+adventures, which threw Lin-tchin into a state of amazement, from
+which he was a long time in recovering. "But tell me," said Lin-in, at
+length, "your motive in coming to this country."
+
+"It is not possible," replied Lin-tchin, "to tell you in a few words
+the reason of my travels. In the course of the three years which have
+elapsed since your departure from home, the melancholy news of your
+death from illness reached us. My second brother made every inquiry,
+and assured himself that the report was true. It was a thunderbolt for
+my sister-in-law; she was inconsolable, and put on the deepest
+mourning. For my part, I could not give credit to the report. After a
+few days had elapsed, my second brother tried all in his power to
+induce my sister-in-law to contract a fresh marriage. She, however,
+steadily rejected the proposal; at length she prevailed upon me to
+make a journey to Chan-si, to ascertain upon the spot what had become
+of you; and, when I least expected it, at the point of perishing in
+the water, the very person I was in search of, my well-beloved
+brother, has saved my life. Is not this unexpected good fortune, a
+blessing from Heaven? But believe me, my brother, there is no time to
+be lost; make all possible haste to return home, and to put an end to
+my sister-in-law's grief. The least delay may cause an irreparable
+misfortune."
+
+Lin-in, overwhelmed at this news, sent for the captain of the boat,
+and, although it was late, ordered him to set sail, and continue the
+voyage during the night.
+
+Whilst all these events were happening to Lin-in, Wang, his wife, was
+a prey to the most poignant grief. A thousand circumstances led her to
+suspect that her husband was not dead; but Lin-pao, who by that
+reported death became the head of the family, so positively assured
+her that it was true, that, at last, she had allowed herself to be
+persuaded into that belief, and had assumed the widow's weeds.
+
+Lin-pao possessed a bad heart, and was capable of the most unworthy
+acts. "I have no doubt," said he, "of my elder brother's death. My
+sister-in-law is young and handsome; she has, besides, no one to
+support her; I must force her to marry again, and I shall make money
+by this means."
+
+He thereupon communicated his plan to Yang, his wife, and ordered her
+to employ some clever matchmaker. But Wang resolutely rejected the
+proposal; she vowed that she would remain a widow, and honour the
+memory of her husband by her widowhood. Her brother-in-law, Lin-tchin,
+supported her in her resolution. Thus all the artifices which Lin-pao
+and his wife employed were useless; and, as every time they urged her
+on the subject it occurred to her that they had no positive proof of
+his death, "I am determined," said she, at length, "to know the truth;
+these reports are often false; it is only on the very spot that
+certain information can be obtained. True, the distance is nearly a
+hundred leagues. Still, I know that Lin-tchin is a good-hearted man;
+he will travel to the province of Chan-si to relieve my anxiety, and
+learn positively if I am so unfortunate as to have lost my husband;
+and, if I have, he will, at least, bring me his precious remains."
+
+Lin-tchin was asked to undertake the journey, and, without a moment's
+hesitation, departed. His absence, however, only rendered Lin-pao more
+eager in the pursuit of his project. To crown the whole, he had
+gambled very deeply, and, having been a heavy loser, was at his wit's
+end to know where to obtain money. In this state of embarrassment, he
+met with a merchant of Kiang-si, who had just lost his wife, and was
+looking for another. Lin-pao seized upon the opportunity, and proposed
+his sister-in-law to him. The merchant accepted the offer, taking
+care, however, to make secret inquiries whether the lady who was
+proposed to him was young and good-looking. As soon as he was
+satisfied on these points, he lost no time, and paid down thirty täels
+to clinch the bargain.
+
+Lin-pao, having taken the money, said to the merchant, "I ought to
+warn you, that my sister-in-law is proud and haughty. She will raise
+many objections to leaving the house, and you will have a great deal
+of trouble to force her to do it. Now this will be your best plan for
+managing it. This evening, as soon as it gets dark, have a palanquin
+and good strong bearers in readiness; come with as little noise as
+possible, and present yourself at the door of the house. The young
+woman who will come to the door, attired in the head-dress of
+mourners, is my sister-in-law; don't say a word to her, and don't
+listen to what she may say, but seize her at once, thrust her into
+your palanquin, carry her to your boat, and set sail at once." This
+plan met with the approbation of the merchant, and its execution
+appeared easy enough of accomplishment.
+
+In the mean time, Lin-pao returned home, and, in order to prevent his
+sister-in-law from suspecting any thing of the project he had planned,
+he assumed an air of the most perfect indifference, but as soon as she
+left the room, he communicated his plans to his wife, and, alluding to
+his sister-in-law, in a contemptuous manner, said, "That two-legged
+piece of goods must leave this house to-night. However, not to be a
+witness of her tears and sighs, I shall go out beforehand, and, as it
+gets dark, a merchant of Kiang-si will come, and take her away in a
+palanquin to his boat."
+
+He would have continued the conversation, when he heard the footsteps
+of some person outside the window, and went hurriedly away. In his
+haste he forgot to mention the circumstance of the mourning dress. It
+was doubtless an interposition of Providence that this circumstance
+was omitted. The lady Wang easily perceived that the noise she made
+outside the window had caused Lin-pao to break off the conversation
+suddenly. The tone of his voice plainly showed that he had something
+more to say; but she had heard enough; for having remarked by his
+manner that he had some secret to tell his wife when he entered the
+house, she had pretended to go away, but listening at the window had
+heard these words distinctly, "They will take her away and put her
+into a palanquin."
+
+These words strongly fortified her suspicions. Her resolution was
+taken at once. She entered the room, and approaching Yang, gave
+utterance to her anxiety. "My sister-in-law," said she, "you behold an
+unfortunate widow, who is bound to you by the strongest ties of a
+friendship which has been always sincere. By this long-standing
+friendship I conjure you to tell me candidly whether my brother-in-law
+still persists in his design of forcing me into a marriage that would
+cover me with disgrace."
+
+At these words Yang at first appeared confused, and changed colour;
+then, assuming a more confident expression, "What are you thinking
+of?" she asked, "and what fancies have you got into your head? If
+there were any intention of making you marry again, do you think there
+would be any difficulty? What is the good of throwing oneself into the
+water before the ship is really going to pieces?"
+
+The moment the lady Wang heard this allusion to the ship, she
+understood more clearly the meaning of the secret conference of her
+brother-in-law with his wife. She now suspected the worst, and gave
+vent to her lamentations and sighs; and yielding to the current of her
+grief, she shut herself up in her room, where she wept, groaned, and
+bewailed her hard lot. "Unfortunate wretch that I am," cried she, "I
+do not know what has become of my husband. Lin-tchin, my
+brother-in-law and friend, upon whom alone I can rely, is gone on a
+journey. My father, mother, and relations live far from hence. If this
+business is hurried on, how shall I be able to inform them of it? I
+can hope for no assistance from our neighbours. Lin-pao has made
+himself the terror of the whole district, and every body knows him to
+be capable of the greatest villany. Miserable creature that I am! how
+can I escape his snares? If I do not fall into them to-day, it may be
+to-morrow, or at any rate in a very short time."
+
+She fell to the ground half dead; her fall, and the violence of her
+grief, made a great noise. The lady Yang, hearing the disturbance,
+hastened to her room, and finding the door firmly fastened, concluded
+that it was a plan of her distracted sister-in-law to evade the scheme
+of the night; she therefore seized a bar which stood by and broke the
+door open. As she entered the room, the night being very dark, she
+caught her feet in the clothes of the lady Wang, and fell tumbling
+over her. In her fall she lost her head-dress, which flew to some
+distance, and the fright and fall brought on a faint, in which she
+remained for some time. When she recovered she got up, went for a
+light, and returned to the room, where she found the lady Wang
+stretched on the floor, without motion and almost without breath.
+
+At the moment she was going to procure other assistance, she heard a
+gentle knock at the door. She knew it must be the merchant of Kiang-si
+come to fetch the wife he had bought. She quickly ran to receive him
+and bring him into the room, that he might himself be witness of what
+had occurred; but remembering that she had no head-dress, and that she
+was unfit to present herself in that state, she hastily caught up the
+one she found at her feet, which was the lady Wang's head-dress of
+mourning, and ran to the door.
+
+It was indeed the merchant of Kiang-si, who had come to fetch away his
+promised bride. He had a bridal palanquin, ornamented with silk flags,
+festoons, flowers, and several gay lanterns; it was surrounded by
+servants bearing lighted torches, and by a troop of flute and
+hautboy-players. The whole cortége was stationed in the street in
+perfect silence. The merchant, having knocked gently and finding the
+door open, entered the house with some of those who bore torches to
+light him.
+
+Upon the lady Yang's appearance, the merchant, who spied at a glance
+the mourning head-dress, which was the mark by which he was to
+distinguish his bride, flew upon her like a hungry kite upon a
+sparrow. His followers rushed in, carried off the lady, and shut her
+into the palanquin, which was all ready to receive her. It was in vain
+she endeavoured to make herself heard, crying out, "You are mistaken;
+it is not me you want." The music struck up as she was forced into the
+palanquin, and drowned her voice, whilst the bearers flew rather than
+walked, and bore her to the boat.
+
+[Illustration: The lady Yang carried off in the Palanquin, p. 122.]
+
+Whilst all this was taking place, the lady Wang had gradually revived
+and come to her senses. The great hubbub she heard at the door of the
+house renewed her fears, and occasioned her the most painful anxiety;
+but as she found that the noise of music, and the tumult of voices,
+which had arisen so suddenly died gradually away in the distance, she
+regained her courage, and after a few minutes summoned up strength to
+go and inquire what was the matter.
+
+After calling her sister-in-law two or three times without effect, the
+truth began to dawn on her; and after considering the matter
+carefully, she could only come to the conclusion that the merchant had
+made a mistake, and had carried off the wrong lady. But now a fresh
+cause of uneasiness arose; she dreaded the consequences when Lin-pao
+should return and be informed of the mistake. She shut herself up in
+her room, and after picking up the head-pins, the earrings, and the
+head-dress, which were lying on the floor, threw herself, quite worn
+out with fatigue and anxiety, on her couch, and endeavoured to get a
+little sleep, but she was not able to close her eyes all night.
+
+At daybreak she rose and bathed her face, and proceeded to complete
+her toilet. As, however, she was searching about for her mourning
+head-dress, some one began making a great noise at the room-door,
+knocking loudly and crying out, "Open the door instantly!" It was, in
+fact, Lin-pao himself. She recognized the voice at once. She made up
+her mind at once what to do; she let him go on knocking without
+answering him. He swore, stormed and bawled, till he was hoarse. At
+length the lady Wang went to the door, and standing behind it without
+opening it, asked, "Who is knocking there, and making such a
+disturbance?" Lin-pao, who recognized the voice of his sister-in-law,
+began to shout still louder: but seeing that his storming had no
+effect, he had recourse to an expedient which proved successful.
+"Sister-in-law," said he, "I have brought you good news! Lin-tchin, my
+youngest brother, has come back, and our eldest brother is in
+excellent health; open the door at once!"
+
+Overjoyed at this intelligence, the lady Wang ran to complete her
+toilet, and in her haste put on the black[8] head-dress that her
+sister-in-law had left behind, and eagerly opened the door; but, alas!
+in vain did she look for her friend Lin-tchin; no one was there but
+Lin-pao. He entered her room hurriedly and looked round, but not
+seeing his wife, and perceiving a black head-dress on the head of his
+sister-in-law, his suspicions began to be excited in a strange manner.
+
+"Well! where is your sister-in-law?" he asked roughly.
+
+"You ought to know better than I," replied the lady Wang, "since you
+had the whole management of this admirable plot."
+
+"But tell me," returned Lin-pao, "why don't you still wear a white
+head-dress? have you left off mourning?" The lady Wang forthwith
+proceeded to relate to him all that had happened during his absence.
+
+Just at this moment he caught sight through the window of four or five
+persons hurrying towards his house. To his utter astonishment he
+perceived that they were his eldest brother Lin-in, his youngest
+brother Lin-tchin, his nephew Hi-eul, and two servants carrying their
+luggage. Lin-pao, thunderstruck at this sight, and not having
+impudence enough to face them, ran off by the back-door, and
+disappeared like a flash of lightning.
+
+The lady Wang was transported with joy at her husband's return. But
+who shall describe her ecstasies of joy when her son was presented to
+her? She could scarcely recognize him, so tall and handsome had he
+grown. "Oh!" cried she, "by what good fortune did you recover our dear
+child, whom I thought we had lost for ever?"
+
+Lin-in gave her in detail an account of his adventures; and the lady
+Wang related at length all the indignities she had endured at the
+hands of Lin-pao, and the extremities to which she had been reduced by
+his scandalous treatment.
+
+Lin-in lavished on his wife encomiums which indeed her fidelity
+deserved; after which, reflecting on the whole chain of events by
+which the present meeting had been brought about, he seemed deeply
+moved, and remarked, "If a blind passion for wealth had caused me to
+keep the two hundred täels I found by accident, how should I have ever
+met with our dear child? If avarice had prevented me from employing
+the twenty täels in saving those drowning people, my dear brother
+would have perished in the waves, and I should never have seen him; if
+by an unlooked-for chance I had not met my kind-hearted brother, how
+should I have discovered the trouble and confusion that reigned in
+this house in time to prevent its disastrous consequences? But for all
+this, my beloved wife, we should never have seen each other again. I
+recognize the special interposition of Providence in bringing about
+all these things. As to my other brother, that unnatural brother, who
+has unconsciously sold his own wife, he has drawn upon himself his own
+terrible punishment. Heaven rewards men according to their deserts;
+let them not think to escape its judgments.
+
+"Let us learn from this how profitable in the end, as well as good, it
+is to practise virtue; it is that alone which bestows lasting
+prosperity upon a house."
+
+In due course of time Hi-eul brought home his bride, the daughter of
+Tchin. The marriage was celebrated with great rejoicings, and proved a
+happy one. They had several children, and lived to see a crowd of
+grandchildren, several of whom became men of learning, and acquired
+important positions in the state.
+
+
+CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF PRINCE KHALAF AND THE PRINCESS OF CHINA.
+
+The prince applauded the narrative of the story-teller; and, dinner
+being over, he prostrated himself a second time before the khan, and,
+after thanking him for his goodness, returned to the tent, where
+Elmaze and Timurtasch were anxiously expecting him. "I bring you good
+news," said he to them; "our fortune has changed already." He then
+related to them all that had passed. This fortunate event caused them
+the greatest pleasure; they regarded it as an infallible sign that the
+hardness of their destiny was beginning to soften. They willingly
+followed Khalaf, who conducted them to the royal tent and presented
+them to the khan. This prince received them with courtesy, and renewed
+to them the promise he had given to their son; and he did not fail to
+keep his word. He appointed them a private tent, caused them to be
+waited on by the slaves and officers of his household, and ordered
+them to be treated with the same respect as himself.
+
+The next day Khalaf was arrayed in a rich dress; he received from the
+hand of Almguer himself a sabre with a diamond hilt and a purse full
+of gold sequins; they then brought him a beautiful Turcoman horse. He
+mounted before all the court; and to show that he understood the
+management of a horse, he made him go through all his paces and
+evolutions in a manner that charmed the prince and all his courtiers.
+
+After having thanked the khan for all his benefits, he took his leave.
+He then sought Elmaze and Timurtasch; and after some time spent in
+desultory conversation, proceeded to unfold to them a scheme which for
+some days past had been agitating his mind. "I have a great desire,"
+said he, "to see the great kingdom of China; give me permission to
+gratify that wish. I have a presentiment that I shall signalize myself
+by some splendid action, and that I shall gain the friendship of the
+monarch who holds that vast empire under his sway. Suffer me to leave
+you in this asylum, where you are in perfect safety, and where you can
+want for nothing. I am following an impulse which inspires me, or
+rather, I am yielding myself to the guidance of Heaven."
+
+"Go, my son," replied Timurtasch; "yield to the noble impulse which
+animates you; hasten to the fortune that awaits you. Accelerate by
+your valour the arrival of that tardy prosperity which must one day
+succeed our misfortunes, or by a glorious death deserve an illustrious
+place in the history of unfortunate princes."
+
+The young prince of the Nagäis, after having embraced his father and
+mother, mounted upon his beautiful charger, took a respectful leave of
+the khan, received from the hand of the princess Elmaze, who came out
+of her tent for the purpose, the parting cup, and set out on his
+journey. Historians do not mention that he encountered any thing
+worthy notice on his route; they only say that, having arrived at the
+great city Canbalac, otherwise Pekin, he dismounted at a house near
+the gate, where a worthy woman, a widow, lived. Khalaf reined up his
+horse here, and on the widow presenting herself at the door, he
+saluted her and said,
+
+"My good mother, would you kindly receive a stranger? If you could
+give me a lodging in your house, I can venture to say that you will
+have no cause to regret it." The widow scrutinized him; and judging
+from his good looks, as well as from his dress, that he was no mean
+guest, she made him a low bow, and replied, "Young stranger of noble
+bearing, my house is at your service, and all that it contains."
+
+"Have you also a place where I can put my horse?"
+
+"Yes," said she, "I have," and called a young slave, who took the
+horse by the bridle, and led him into a small stable behind the house.
+Khalaf, who felt very hungry, then asked her if she would kindly send
+and buy something for him in the market. The widow replied, that she
+had a maiden who lived with her, and who would execute his orders. The
+prince then drew from his purse a sequin of gold and placed it in the
+girl's hand, who went off to the market.
+
+In the mean time, the widow had enough to do to answer the inquiries
+of Khalaf. He asked her a thousand questions; what were the customs of
+the inhabitants of the city? how many families Pekin was said to
+contain? and, at length, the conversation fell upon the king of China.
+
+"Tell me, I pray you," said Khalaf, "what is the character this prince
+bears. Is he generous, and do you think that he would pay any regard
+to a young stranger, who might offer to serve him against his enemies?
+In a word, is he a man to whose interests I could worthily attach
+myself?"
+
+"Doubtless," replied the widow; "he is an excellent prince, who loves
+his subjects as much as he is beloved by them, and I am surprised that
+you have never heard of our good king, Altoun-Khan, for the fame of
+his justice and liberality is spread far and wide."
+
+"From the favourable picture you draw of him," replied the prince of
+the Nagäis, "I should imagine that he ought to be the happiest and
+most prosperous monarch in the world."
+
+"He is not so, however," replied the widow; "indeed, he may be said to
+be the most wretched. In the first place, he has no prince to succeed
+him on his throne; a male heir is denied him, notwithstanding all the
+prayers of himself and his subjects, and all the good deeds he
+performs to that end. But I must tell you, the grief of having no son
+is not his greatest trouble; what principally disturbs the peace of
+his life is the princess Tourandocte, his only daughter."
+
+"How is it," replied Khalaf, "that she is such a source of grief to
+him?"
+
+"I will tell you," replied the widow; "and, indeed, I can speak upon
+the subject from the very best authority; for my daughter has often
+told me the story and she has the honour of being among the attendants
+on the princess."
+
+"The princess Tourandocte," continued the hostess of the prince of the
+Nagäis, "is in her nineteenth year; she is so beautiful, that the
+artists to whom she has sat for her portrait, although the most expert
+in the East, have all confessed that they were ashamed of their
+efforts; and that the most able painter in the world, and the best
+skilled in delineating the charms of a beautiful face, could not
+express those of the princess of China; nevertheless, the different
+portraits which have been taken of her, although infinitely inferior
+to the original, have produced the most disastrous consequences.
+
+"She combines, with her ravishing beauty, a mind so cultivated, that
+she not only understands all that is usual for persons in her station
+to know, but is mistress of sciences suited only for the other sex.
+She can trace the various characters of several languages, she is
+acquainted with arithmetic, geography, philosophy, mathematics, law,
+and, above all, theology, she knows the laws and moral philosophy of
+our great legislator, Berginghuzin; in fact, is as learned as all the
+wise men put together. But her good qualities are effaced by a
+hardness of heart without parallel, and all her accomplishments are
+tarnished by detestable cruelty.
+
+"It is now two years ago since the king of Thibet sent to ask her in
+marriage for his son, who had fallen in love with her from a portrait
+he had seen. Altoun-Khan, delighted with the prospect of this
+alliance, proposed it to Tourandocte. The haughty princess, to whom
+all men appeared despicable, so vain had her beauty rendered her,
+rejected the proposal with disdain. The king flew into a violent rage
+with her, and declared that he would be obeyed; but instead of
+submitting dutifully to the wishes of her father, she burst into
+bitter lamentations, because he showed a disposition to force her to
+comply; she grieved immoderately, as though it were intended to
+inflict a great injury upon her; in fact, she took it so much to heart
+that she fell seriously ill. The physicians, who soon discovered the
+secret of her complaint, told the king that all their remedies were
+useless, and that the princess would certainly lose her life, if he
+persisted in his resolution to make her espouse the prince of Thibet.
+
+"The king then, who loves his daughter to distraction, alarmed at the
+danger she was in, went to see her, and assured her that he would send
+back the ambassador with a refusal. 'That is not enough, my lord,'
+replied the princess; 'I am resolved to die, except you grant what I
+ask you. If you wish me to live, you must bind yourself by an
+inviolable oath never to try to influence my wishes in this matter,
+and to publish a decree declaring that of all the princes who may seek
+my hand, none shall be allowed to espouse me who shall not previously
+have replied, without hesitation, to the questions which I shall put
+to him before all the learned men in this city; that if his answers
+prove satisfactory, I will consent to his becoming my husband, but if
+the reverse, that he shall lose his head in the court-yard of your
+palace.'
+
+"'By this edict,' added she, 'of which all the foreign princes who may
+arrive at Pekin shall be informed, you will extinguish all desire of
+asking me in marriage; and that is exactly what I wish, for I hate
+men, and do not wish to be married.'
+
+"'But, my child,' said the king, 'if by chance some one should present
+himself, and reply to your questions?'--
+
+"'Ha! I do not fear that,' she said quickly, interrupting him; 'I can
+put questions which would puzzle the most learned doctors; I am
+willing to run that risk.'
+
+"Altoun-Khan pondered over what the princess demanded of him. 'I see
+clearly,' thought he, 'that my daughter does not wish to marry, and
+the effect of this edict will be to frighten away all lovers. I run no
+risk, therefore, in yielding to her fancies, no evil can come of it.
+What prince would be mad enough to face such danger?'
+
+"At length the king, persuaded that this edict would not be followed
+by any bad results, and that the recovery of his daughter entirely
+depended upon it, caused it to be published, and swore upon the laws
+of Berginghuzin to see that it was observed to the letter.
+Tourandocte, reassured by this oath, which she knew her father dare
+not violate, regained her strength, and was soon restored to perfect
+health.
+
+"In spite of the decree, the fame of her beauty attracted several
+young princes to Pekin. It was in vain that they were informed of the
+nature of the edict; and as every body, but particularly a young
+prince, entertains a good opinion of himself, they had the hardihood
+to present themselves to reply to the questions of the princess; and
+not being able to fathom her deep meaning, they perished miserably one
+after another.
+
+"The king, to do him justice, appears deeply afflicted with their sad
+fate. He repents of having made the oath which binds him; and however
+tenderly he may love his daughter, he would now almost rather he had
+let her die than have saved her life at such a price. He does all in
+his power to prevent these evils. When a lover whom the decree cannot
+restrain comes to demand the hand of the princess, he strives to deter
+him from his purpose; and he never consents, but with the deepest
+regret, to his exposing himself to the chance of losing his life. But
+it generally happens that he is unable to dissuade these rash young
+men. They are infatuated with Tourandocte, and the hope of possessing
+her blinds them to the difficulty of obtaining her.
+
+"But if the king shows so much grief at the ruin of the unfortunate
+princes, it is not the case with his barbarous daughter. She takes a
+pride in these spectacles of blood with which her beauty periodically
+furnishes the Chinese. So great is her vanity, that she considers the
+most accomplished prince not only unworthy of her, but most insolent
+in daring to raise his thoughts towards her, and she looks upon his
+death as a just chastisement for his temerity.
+
+"But what is still more deplorable, Heaven is perpetually permitting
+princes to come and sacrifice themselves to this inhuman princess.
+Only the other day, a prince, who flattered himself that he had
+knowledge enough to reply to her questions, lost his life; and this
+very night another is to die, who, unfortunately, came to the court of
+China with the same hopes."
+
+Khalaf was deeply attentive to the widow's story.
+
+"I cannot understand," said he, after she had ceased speaking, "how
+any princes can be found sufficiently devoid of judgment to come and
+ask the hand of the princess of China. What man would not be terrified
+at the condition without which he cannot hope to obtain her? Besides,
+despite what the artists may say who have painted her portrait;
+although they may affirm that their productions are but an imperfect
+image of her beauty, my firm belief is that they have added charms,
+and that their portraits exaggerate her beauty, since they have
+produced such powerful effects; indeed, I cannot think that
+Tourandocte is so beautiful as you say."
+
+"Sir," replied the widow, "she is more lovely by far than I have
+described her to you; and you may believe me, for I have seen her
+several times when I have gone to the harem to visit my daughter. Draw
+upon your fancy as you please, collect in your imagination all that
+can possibly be brought together in order to constitute a perfect
+beauty, and be assured that even then you would not have pictured to
+yourself an object which could approach the perfections of the
+princess."
+
+The prince of the Nagäis could not credit the story of the widow, so
+overdrawn did he consider it; he felt, nevertheless, a secret pleasure
+for which he could not account. "But, my mother," said he, "are the
+questions which the king's daughter proposes so difficult of solution
+that it is impossible to reply to them to the satisfaction of the
+lawyers who are judges? For my part, I cannot help thinking that the
+princes who were not able to penetrate the meaning of her questions,
+must have been persons of very little ingenuity, if not absolutely
+ignorant."
+
+"No, no!" replied the widow. "There is no enigma more obscure than the
+questions of the princess, and it is almost impossible to reply to
+them."
+
+Whilst they were conversing thus of Tourandocte and her lovers, the
+girl arrived from the market loaded with provisions. Khalaf sat down
+to a table which the widow had prepared, and ate like a man famishing
+with hunger. Whilst thus engaged the night drew on, and they heard
+shortly in the town the gong of justice. The prince asked what the
+noise meant. "It is to give notice to the people," replied the widow,
+"that some person is going to be executed; and the unfortunate victim
+about to be immolated is the prince of whom I told you, and who is to
+be executed to-night for not being able to answer the princess's
+questions. It is customary to punish the guilty during the day, but
+this is an exceptional case. The king, who in his heart abhors the
+punishment which he causes to be inflicted upon the lovers of his
+daughter, will not suffer the sun to be witness of such a cruel
+action."
+
+The son of Timurtasch had a wish to see this execution, the cause of
+which appeared so singular to him. He went out of the house, and
+meeting a crowd of Chinese in the street animated by the same
+curiosity, he mixed with them, and went to the court-yard of the
+palace, where the tragic scene was to be enacted. He beheld in the
+middle of the yard a _schebt-cheraghe_, in other words a very high
+wooden tower, the outside of which, from the top to the bottom, was
+covered with branches of cypress, amongst which a prodigious quantity
+of lamps, tastefully arranged, spread a brilliant light around, and
+illuminated the whole court-yard. Fifteen cubits from the tower a
+scaffold was raised, covered with white satin, and around the scaffold
+were arranged several pavilions of taffetas of the same colour open
+towards the scaffold. Behind these two thousand soldiers of the guard
+of Altoun-Khan were stationed, with drawn swords and axes in their
+hands, forming a double rank, which served as a barrier against the
+people. Khalaf was looking with deep attention at all that presented
+itself to his view, when suddenly the mournful ceremony commenced. It
+was ushered in by a confused noise of drums and bells, which proceeded
+from the town, and could be heard at a great distance. At the same
+moment twenty mandarins and as many judges, all dressed in long robes
+of white woollen cloth, emerged from the palace, advanced towards the
+scaffold, and after walking three times around it, took their places
+under the pavilions.
+
+Next came the victim, crowned with flowers interwoven with cypress
+leaves, and with a blue fillet round his head,--not a red one, such as
+criminals condemned by justice wear. He was a young prince, who had
+scarcely reached his eighteenth year; he was accompanied by a mandarin
+leading him by the hand, and followed by the executioner. The three
+ascended the scaffold; instantly the noise of the drums and bells
+ceased. The mandarin then addressed the prince in a tone so loud that
+he was heard by nearly the whole concourse of people. "Prince," said
+he, "is it not true that you were apprised of the terms of the king's
+edict before you presented yourself to ask the princess in marriage?
+Is it not also true that the king himself used all his endeavours to
+dissuade you from your rash resolution?" The prince, having replied in
+the affirmative, "Acknowledge, then," continued the mandarin, "that it
+is by your own fault that you lose your life to-day, and that the king
+and princess are not guilty of your death."
+
+"I pardon them," returned the prince; "I impute my death to myself
+alone, and I pray Heaven not to require of them my blood which is
+about to be shed."
+
+He had scarcely finished these words, when the executioner swept off
+his head with one stroke of the sword. The air instantly resounded
+with the noise of the drums and the bells. Then twelve mandarins took
+up the body, laid it in a coffin of ivory and ebony, and placed it
+upon a litter, which six of them bore away upon their shoulders into
+the gardens of Serail. Here they deposited it under a dome of white
+marble, which the king had ordered to be erected purposely to be the
+resting-place of all those unfortunate princes who should share the
+same fate. He often retired there to weep upon the tombs of those who
+were buried within it, and tried, by honouring their ashes with his
+tears, in some measure to atone for the barbarity of his child. As
+soon as the mandarins had carried away the body of the prince who had
+just suffered, the people and all the councillors retired to their
+homes, blaming the king for having had the imprudence to sanction
+such barbarity by an oath that he could not break. Khalaf remained in
+the court-yard of the palace in a state of bewilderment; he noticed a
+man near him weeping bitterly; he guessed that it was some person who
+was deeply interested in the execution that had just taken place, and
+wishing to know more about it, addressed him in these words:
+
+"I am deeply moved," said he, "by the lively grief you exhibit, and I
+sympathize in your troubles, for I cannot doubt that you were
+intimately acquainted with the prince who has just suffered."
+
+"Ah! sir," replied the mourner, with a fresh outburst of grief, "I
+ought indeed to know him, for I was his tutor. O unhappy king of
+Samarcand!" added he, "what will be thy grief when thou shalt be told
+of the extraordinary death of thy son? and who shall dare to carry
+thee the news?"
+
+Khalaf asked by what means the prince of Samarcand had become
+enamoured of the princess of China. "I will tell you," replied the
+tutor: "and you will doubtless be astonished at the recital I am about
+to make. The prince of Samarcand," pursued he, "lived happily at his
+father's court. The court looked upon him as a prince who would one
+day be their sovereign, and they studied to please him as much as the
+king himself. He usually passed the day in hunting and playing at
+ball, and at night he assembled secretly in his apartments the
+distinguished youth of the court, with whom he drank all sorts of
+liquors. He sometimes amused himself by seeing the beautiful slaves
+dance, or by listening to music and singing. In a word, his life was
+passed in a constant round of pleasure.
+
+"One day a famous painter arrived at Samarcand with several portraits
+of princesses which he had painted in the different courts through
+which he had passed. He showed them to my prince, who, looking at the
+first he presented, said, 'These are very beautiful pictures; I am
+certain that the originals are under a deep obligation to you.'
+
+"'My lord,' replied the artist, 'I confess that in these portraits I
+have somewhat flattered the sitters; but I crave permission to tell
+you that I have one far more beautiful than these, which does not
+approach the original.' Saying this, he drew from the case which
+contained his portraits that of the princess of China.
+
+"Scarcely had my master looked at it, when not conceiving that nature
+was capable of producing so perfect a beauty, he exclaimed that there
+was not in the world a woman of such exquisite loveliness, and that
+the portrait of the princess of China was more flattering than the
+others. The artist protested that it was not, and assured him that no
+pencil could convey an idea of the grace and beauty which shone in the
+countenance of the princess Tourandocte. Upon this assurance my master
+bought the portrait, which made so deep an impression on him, that,
+leaving the court of his father, he quitted Samarcand, accompanied by
+me alone, and without informing any one of his intentions, took the
+road for China, and came to this city. He volunteered to serve
+Altoun-Khan against his enemies, and asked the hand of his daughter
+the princess. We were apprized of the severe edict connected with the
+proposal, but alas! my prince, instead of being dismayed by the
+severity of the conditions, conceived the liveliest joy. 'I will go,'
+said he, 'and present myself to answer the questions of Tourandocte; I
+am not deficient in talent or ready wit, and I shall obtain the hand
+of the princess.'
+
+"It is needless to tell you the rest, sir," continued the tutor,
+sobbing; "you may judge by the mournful spectacle you have beheld that
+the unfortunate prince of Samarcand was unable to answer, as he hoped,
+the fatal questions of this barbarous beauty, whose delight is to shed
+blood, and who has already been the means of sacrificing the lives of
+several kings' sons. A few moments before his death he gave me the
+portrait of this cruel princess. 'I entrust,' said he, 'this portrait
+to thee; guard carefully the precious deposit. Thou hast but to show
+it to my father when thou informest him of my sad fate, and I doubt
+not that when he beholds so beautiful a face, he will pardon my
+temerity.' But," added the old man, "let any one else who pleases
+carry the sad news to the king his father; for my part, borne down by
+the weight of my affliction, I will go far from hence and Samarcand,
+and mourn for my beloved charge. This is what you wished to know; and
+here is the dangerous portrait," pursued he, taking it from beneath
+his cloak and throwing it on the ground in a paroxysm of rage; "behold
+the cause of the sad fate of my prince. O execrable portrait! why had
+my master not my eyes when he took thee into his hands? O inhuman
+princess! may all the princes of the earth entertain for thee the same
+sentiments as those with which thou hast inspired me! Instead of being
+the object of their love, thou wouldest then be their aversion."
+Saying this, the tutor of the prince of Samarcand retired full of
+rage, regarding the palace with a furious eye and without speaking
+another word to the son of Timurtasch. The latter quickly picked up
+the portrait of Tourandocte, and turned to retrace his steps to the
+house of the widow; but he missed his way in the darkness, and
+wandered heedlessly out of the city. He impatiently awaited the
+daylight to enable him to contemplate the beauty of the princess of
+China. As soon as the approach of dawn furnished him with sufficient
+light to satisfy his curiosity, he opened the case which contained the
+portrait.
+
+Still he hesitated before he looked at it. "What am I about to do?"
+cried he; "ought I to disclose to my eyes so dangerous an object?
+Think, Khalaf, think of the direful effects it has caused; hast thou
+already forgotten what the tutor of the prince of Samarcand has just
+narrated to thee? Look not on this portrait; resist the impulse which
+urges thee, it is nothing more than a feeling of idle curiosity.
+Whilst thou retainest thy reason thou canst prevent thy destruction.
+But what do I say? prevent," added he, checking himself; "with what
+false reasoning does my timid prudence inspire me. If I am to love the
+princess, is not my love already written in indelible characters in
+the book of fate. Besides, I think that it is possible to look upon
+the most beautiful portrait with impunity; one must be weak, indeed,
+to be influenced by the sight of a vain array of colours. Never fear;
+let us scan these surpassing and murderous features without emotion. I
+will even find defects, and taste the pleasure of criticizing the
+charms of this too beautiful princess; and I could wish, in order to
+mortify her vanity, that she might learn that I have looked upon her
+portrait without emotion."
+
+The son of Timurtasch had fully made up his mind to look upon the
+portrait of Tourandocte with an indifferent eye. He now casts his eyes
+on it, he regards it attentively, examines it, admires the contour of
+the countenance, the regularity of the features, the vivacity of the
+eyes,--the mouth, the nose, all appear perfect; he is surprised at so
+rare a combination of perfect features, and although still on his
+guard, he allows himself to be charmed. An inconceivable uneasiness
+takes possession of him in spite of himself; he can no longer
+understand his feelings. "What fire," said he, "has suddenly kindled
+itself in my bosom! What tumult has this portrait produced in my
+thoughts! Merciful Heaven, is it the lot of all those who look upon
+this portrait to become enamoured of this inhuman princess? Alas! I
+feel but too surely that she has made the same impression upon me, as
+she did upon the unhappy prince of Samarcand; I yield to the charms
+that wounded him, and far from being terrified by his melancholy fate,
+I could almost envy his very misfortune. What a change, gracious
+Heaven! I could not conceive a short time ago, how one could be mad
+enough to despise the severity of the edict, and now I see nothing
+that frightens me, all the danger has vanished.
+
+"No! incomparable princess," pursued he, devouring the portrait with
+an enamoured gaze, "no obstacle can stop me, I love you spite of your
+barbarity; and since it is permitted to me to aspire to your
+possession, from this day I will strive to win you; if I perish in the
+bold attempt, I shall only feel in dying the grief of not being able
+to possess you."
+
+Khalaf, having formed the resolve of demanding the hand of the
+princess, returned to the widow's house, a journey which cost him no
+little trouble, for he had rambled to some considerable distance
+during the night. "Ah! my son," exclaimed his hostess, as soon as she
+beheld him, "I am so glad to see you, I was very uneasy about you, I
+feared some accident had befallen you; why did you not return
+earlier?"
+
+"My good mother," replied he, "I am sorry to have caused you any
+uneasiness, I missed my way in the darkness." He then related to her
+how he had met the tutor of the prince whom they had put to death, and
+did not fail to repeat to her all that he had told him. Then showing
+her the portrait of Tourandocte; "Tell me," said he, "if this portrait
+is only an imperfect likeness of the princess of China; for my part, I
+cannot conceive that it is not equal to the original."
+
+"By the soul of the prophet Jacmouny," cried the widow, after she had
+examined the portrait, "the princess is a thousand times more
+beautiful, and infinitely more charming than she is here represented.
+I wish you could see her, you would be of my opinion, that all the
+artists in the world who should undertake to paint her as she really
+is, could never succeed. I will not even make an exception in favour
+of the famous Many."
+
+"You delight me above measure," replied the prince of the Nagäis, "by
+assuring me that the beauty of Tourandocte surpasses all the efforts
+of the artist's power. How flattering the assurance! It strengthens me
+in my determination, and incites me to attempt at once the brilliant
+adventure. Oh that I were before the princess! I burn with impatience
+to try whether I shall be more fortunate than the prince of
+Samarcand."
+
+"What do you say, my son?" eagerly asked the widow, "what enterprise
+are you so rashly planning? And do you seriously think of carrying it
+into effect?"
+
+"Yes, my good mother," returned Khalaf, "I intend this very day to
+present myself to answer the questions of the princess. I came to
+China only with the intention of offering my services to the great
+king, Altoun-Khan, but it is better to be his son-in-law than an
+officer in his army."
+
+At these words the widow burst into tears. "Ah! sir, in the name of
+Heaven do not persist in so rash a resolution; you will certainly
+perish if you are bold enough to aspire to the hand of the princess;
+instead of allowing her beauty to charm you, let it be the object of
+your detestation, since it has been the cause of so many frightful
+tragedies; picture to yourself what the grief of your parents will be
+when they hear of your death; let the thoughts of the mortal grief
+into which you will plunge them deter you."
+
+"For pity's sake, my mother," interrupted the son of Timurtasch,
+"cease to present to my mind such affecting images. I cannot be
+ignorant, that if it be my destiny to die this day, my sad end will be
+a source of bitter and inexhaustible grief to my beloved parents; nay,
+I can conceive their misery being so excessive as to endanger their
+own lives, for well do I know their extreme affection for me;
+notwithstanding all this, however, notwithstanding the gratitude with
+which their love ought to inspire, and indeed does inspire me, I must
+yield to the passion that consumes me. But, what! Is it not in hopes
+of making them more happy that I am about to expose my life? Yes,
+doubtless, their interest is bound up with the desire that urges me
+on, and I feel sure that if my father were here, far from opposing my
+design, he would rather excite me to its speedy execution. My
+resolution is taken; waste no more time in trying to dissuade me;
+nothing shall shake my determination."
+
+When the widow found that her young guest would not heed her advice,
+her grief increased. "So it must be, then, sir," continued she; "you
+will not be restrained from rushing headlong on your destruction. Why
+was it ordained that you should come to lodge in my house? why did I
+speak of Tourandocte? You became enamoured of her from the description
+I gave of her; wretched woman that I am, it is I who have caused your
+ruin; why must I reproach myself with your death?"
+
+"No, my good mother," said the prince of the Nagäis, interrupting her
+a second time, "you are not the cause of my misfortune; do not blame
+yourself because I love the princess; I am to love her, and do but
+fulfil my destiny. Besides, how do you know that I shall not be able
+to reply to her questions? I am not without understanding, and I have
+studied much; and Heaven may have reserved for me the honour of
+delivering the king of China from the grief with which his frightful
+oath overwhelms him. But," added he, drawing out the purse which the
+khan of Berlas had given him, and which still contained a considerable
+quantity of gold pieces, "as my success is after all uncertain, and I
+may chance to die, I make you a present of this purse to console you
+for my death. You may sell my horse and keep the money, for it will be
+of no more use to me, whether the daughter of Altoun-Khan become the
+reward of my boldness, or my death be the mournful forfeit of my
+audacity."
+
+The widow took the purse from Khalaf, saying, "O my son, you are much
+mistaken if you imagine that these pieces of gold will console me for
+your loss. I will employ them in good works, I will distribute a
+portion among the poor in the hospitals, who bear their afflictions
+with patience, and whose prayers are consequently acceptable to
+Heaven; the remainder I will give to the ministers of our religion,
+that they all may pray together that Heaven may inspire you, and not
+suffer you to perish. All the favour I ask you is, not to go to-day
+and present yourself to answer the questions of Tourandocte; wait till
+to-morrow, the time is not long; grant me that interval to enlist the
+hearts of the pious in your behalf, and propitiate our Prophet in your
+favour, after that you can do as you think best. I pray you to grant
+me that favour; I am bold to say that you owe it to one who has
+conceived so great a friendship for you, that she would be
+inconsolable if you were to die."
+
+Indeed Khalaf's appearance had made a favourable impression upon her,
+for, besides being one of the handsomest princes in the world, his
+manners were so easy and pleasing that it was impossible to see him
+without loving him. He was moved by the grief and affection the good
+lady exhibited. "Well, my mother," said he, "I will do as you desire
+me; and I will not go to-day to ask the hand of the princess; but, to
+speak my sentiments frankly, I don't believe that even your prophet
+Jacmouny will be able to make me forego my determination."
+
+The following morning, the prince appeared more determined than ever
+to demand Tourandocte. "Adieu, my good mother," said he, to the widow.
+"I am sorry that you have given yourself so much trouble on my
+account; you might have spared it, for I assured you yesterday that I
+should be of the same mind." With these words, he left the widow, who,
+giving herself up to the deepest sorrow, covered her face with her
+veil, and sat with her head on her knees, overwhelmed with
+indescribable grief.
+
+The young prince of the Nagäis, perfumed with rare scents and more
+beautiful than the moon, repaired to the palace. He found at the gate
+five elephants, and, on each side, a line of two thousand soldiers,
+with helmets on their heads, armed with shields, and covered with
+plate armour. One of the principal officers in command of the troops,
+judging from Khalaf's air that he was a stranger, stopped him, and
+demanded his business at the palace.
+
+"I am a foreign prince," replied the son of Timurtasch. "I am come to
+present myself to the king, and pray him to grant me permission to
+reply to the questions of the princess his daughter."
+
+The officer, at these words, regarding him with astonishment, said to
+him, "Prince, do you know that you come to seek death? You would have
+done more wisely to have remained in your own country, than form the
+design which brings you hither; retrace your steps, and do not flatter
+yourself with the deceitful hope that you will obtain the hand of the
+cruel Tourandocte. Although you may have studied until you have become
+more learned in science than all the mandarins, you will never be able
+to fathom the meaning of her ambiguous questions."
+
+"Accept my heartfelt thanks," replied Khalaf; "but, believe me, I am
+not come thus far to retreat."
+
+"Go on to your certain death, then," returned the officer, in a tone
+of chagrin, "since it is impossible to restrain you." At the same
+moment, he allowed him to enter the palace, and then, turning towards
+some other officers who had been listening to their conversation, he
+said, "How handsome and well-grown this young prince is. It is a pity
+he should die so early."
+
+Khalaf traversed several saloons, and, at length, found himself in the
+hall where the king was accustomed to give audience to his people. In
+it was placed the steel throne of Cathay, made in the form of a
+dragon, three cubits high; four lofty columns, of the same material,
+supported above it a vast canopy of yellow satin, ornamented with
+precious stones. Altoun-Khan, dressed in a caftan of gold brocade
+upon a crimson ground, was seated on his throne, with an air of
+gravity which was in admirable keeping with his long moustache and
+ample beard. The monarch, after listening to some of his subjects,
+cast his eyes by chance to where the prince of the Nagäis stood
+amongst the crowd; he saw, at once, by his noble bearing and splendid
+dress, that he was not a man of common birth; he pointed out Khalaf to
+one of his mandarins, and gave an order, in an undertone, to learn his
+rank, and the reason of his visit to his court.
+
+The mandarin approached the son of Timurtasch, and told him that the
+king desired to know who he was, and whether he wished to make any
+request of the king. "You may tell the king, your master," replied the
+prince, "that I am the only son of a king, and that I am come to
+endeavour to merit the honour of becoming his son-in-law."
+
+Altoun-Khan no sooner learned the reply of the prince of the Nagäis,
+than he changed colour; his august countenance became pale as death,
+he broke up the audience, and dismissed all the people; he then
+descended from his throne, and, approaching Khalaf, "Rash young man,"
+said he, "are you aware of the severity of my edict, and of the
+miserable fate of those who have hitherto persisted in their desire to
+obtain the hand of the princess my daughter?"
+
+"Yes, my lord," replied the son of Timurtasch, "I know all the danger
+I incur; my eyes have witnessed the just and severe punishment your
+majesty inflicted upon the prince of Samarcand; but the deplorable end
+of the audacious youths who have flattered themselves with the sweet,
+though vain, hope of possessing the princess Tourandocte, only
+stimulates the desire I have of deserving her."
+
+"What madness!" rejoined the king; "scarcely has one prince lost his
+life, than another presents himself to share the same fate; it appears
+as though they took a pleasure in sacrificing themselves. What
+blindness! Reconsider the step you are taking, and be less prodigal of
+your blood; you inspire me with more pity than any who have hitherto
+come to seek their destruction; I feel a growing inclination towards
+you, and wish to do all in my power to hinder you from perishing.
+Return to your father's kingdom, and do not inflict upon him the pain
+of learning from strangers' lips the sad intelligence that he will
+never more behold his only son."
+
+"My lord," replied Khalaf, "I am overjoyed to hear, from your
+majesty's own lips, that I have the honour of pleasing you; I draw a
+happy presage from it. It may be that Heaven, touched by the
+misfortunes caused by the beauty of the princess, will use me as a
+means of putting an end to them, and securing you, at the same time,
+tranquillity for the remainder of your life, which the necessity of
+authorizing these cruel deeds disturbs. Can you be sure that I shall
+not be able to answer the questions that may be put to me? What
+certainty have you that I shall perish? If others have been unable to
+fathom the depths of the obscure propositions of Tourandocte, is it to
+be concluded that I cannot penetrate their meaning? No, my lord, their
+example shall never make me renounce the brilliant honour of having
+you for a father-in-law."
+
+"Ah! unhappy prince," replied the king, melting into tears, "you wish
+to die; all the princes who have presented themselves before you, to
+answer the fatal questions put by my daughter, used the same language;
+they all hoped that they could penetrate her meaning, and not one was
+able to do so. Alas! you will be the dupe of your own confidence. Once
+more, my son, let me dissuade you. I love you, and wish to save you;
+do not frustrate my good intentions by your obstinacy; whatever
+confidence you may feel, distrust it. You deceive yourself, if you
+imagine that you will be able to answer upon the spot what the
+princess may propose to you; you will, it is true, have seven minutes
+to answer in; that is the rule. But if in that time you do not give a
+satisfactory reply, and one that shall be approved of by all the
+doctors and wise men who are appointed the judges, that moment you
+will be declared worthy of death, and on the following night will be
+conducted to execution. So, prince, retire; pass the rest of the day
+in considering what is your duty in reference to the step you propose
+to take; consult wise persons, reflect well, and to-morrow let me know
+your determination." When the king had finished speaking, he dismissed
+Khalaf, who immediately quitted the palace, much mortified that he was
+obliged to wait till the next day, for he was no way daunted by what
+the king had said. He returned to his hostess without exhibiting the
+least concern about the danger to which he had determined to expose
+himself. As soon as he presented himself to the widow, and had related
+all that had passed at the palace, she began to remonstrate with him
+afresh, and bring every argument she could think of into play to
+dissuade him from his enterprise; but her efforts were crowned with no
+better success, and she had the mortification of seeing that they only
+inflamed her young guest more, and strengthened him in his resolution.
+The next day the prince returned to the palace, and was announced to
+the king, who received him in his cabinet, not wishing any one to be
+present at their interview.
+
+"Well, prince," began Altoun-Khan, "am I to rejoice or grieve at your
+presence here to-day? What is your determination?"
+
+"My lord," replied Khalaf, "I am in the same mind as yesterday. Before
+I had the honour of presenting myself then before your majesty, I had
+thoroughly reflected upon the matter; and I am still prepared to
+suffer the same punishment as my rivals, if Heaven has not otherwise
+ordained." At these words the king smote his breast, rent his
+clothes, and plucked the hairs from his beard.
+
+"Wretched man that I am!" cried he, "that I should have conceived such
+friendship for him. The death of the others has not caused me half the
+pain which his will occasion me. Ah! my son," continued he, embracing
+the prince of the Nagäis with a tenderness that caused him deep
+emotion, "yield to my grief, if my arguments are not able to shake
+thee. I feel that the blow which takes thy life will strike my heart
+with deadly force. Renounce, I conjure thee, the hope of possessing my
+cruel daughter; thou wilt find in the world plenty of other princesses
+whom thou mayst gain with more ease and as much honour. Why persevere
+in the pursuit of an inhuman creature whom thou wilt never be able to
+obtain? Remain, if thou wilt, in my court; thou shalt hold the first
+rank after me; thou shalt have beautiful slaves; pleasures shall
+follow thee wherever thou goest; in a word, I will look on thee as my
+own son. Desist from thy pursuit of Tourandocte. Oh! let me at least
+have the joy of rescuing one victim from the sanguinary princess."
+
+The son of Timurtasch was deeply moved by the friendship which the
+king of China exhibited towards him; but he replied, "My lord, let me
+for pity's sake expose myself to the danger from which you seek to
+deter me; the greater it is, the more do I feel myself tempted to
+encounter it. I must avow that even the cruelty of the princess
+stimulates my love. I feel an inward pleasure in the thought that I am
+the happy mortal who is to triumph over this proud beauty. For
+Heaven's sake, your majesty," pursued he, "cease to oppose a design
+which my glory, my repose, my life even render it necessary for me to
+prosecute; for, truly, I cannot live unless I obtain Tourandocte."
+
+Altoun-Khan, perceiving that Khalaf was not to be moved, was
+overwhelmed with affliction. "Ah! rash youth," said he, "thy
+death-warrant is sealed, since thou art still determined to persist in
+demanding my daughter. Heaven is witness that I have done all in my
+power to inspire thee with rational thoughts. Thou rejectest my
+counsel, and lovest rather to perish than follow it; let us say no
+more; thou wilt receive the reward of thy mad constancy. I consent to
+thy undertaking to answer the questions of Tourandocte, but I must
+first pay thee the honour which I am accustomed to bestow upon princes
+who seek my alliance."
+
+At these words he called the chief of his first band of eunuchs; he
+ordered him to conduct Khalaf into the princes' palace, and to assign
+him two hundred eunuchs to wait upon him.
+
+The prince of the Nagäis had scarcely entered the palace to which the
+eunuch conducted him, before the principal mandarins came to salute
+him, which they did in the following manner: they placed themselves on
+their knees before him, bowed their heads to the ground, saying one
+after the other, "Prince, the perpetual servant of your illustrious
+race comes to make his obeisance to you." They then all made him
+presents and retired.
+
+The king, who felt the greatest friendship for the son of Timurtasch,
+and pitied him, sent for the most learned professor of the royal
+college, and said to him, "There is a new prince, who has come to my
+court to demand the hand of my daughter. I have spared no pains to
+induce him to renounce his intention, but without success. I wish thee
+to exert thine eloquence in endeavouring to make him listen to reason.
+It is for this I have sent for thee." The professor obeyed. He went to
+Khalaf and entered into a long conversation with him; after which he
+returned to Altoun-Khan, and said, "My lord, it is impossible to
+dissuade this young prince; he will absolutely deserve the princess or
+die. When I saw the futility of attempting to conquer his resolution,
+I had the curiosity to try and ascertain whether his obstinacy did
+not proceed from some other cause than his love. I interrogated him
+upon several different subjects, and I found him so well informed that
+I was surprised at his learning. He is a Moslem, and appears to me
+perfectly instructed in all that concerns his religion; in fact, to
+confess the truth to your majesty, I believe if any prince is capable
+of replying to the questions of the princess it is he."
+
+"O wise man," cried the king, "I am overjoyed at thy report. Heaven
+grant that he may become my son-in-law. From the moment he appeared
+before me I felt an affection for him; may he be more fortunate than
+the others who came to this city only to seek a grave."
+
+After prayers and sacrifices, the Chinese monarch sent his calao to
+the prince of the Nagäis with notice that he was to hold himself in
+readiness to reply to the princess's questions on the next day, and to
+tell him that the proper officers would come at the right time to
+conduct him to the divan; and that the persons who were to compose the
+assembly had already received orders to attend.
+
+Notwithstanding his inflexible determination to persevere in this
+adventure, Khalaf did not pass a quiet night; if at one time he dared
+to trust to his genius, and promise himself success, at another,
+losing confidence, he represented to himself the shame he should
+endure if his replies did not please the divan; at another time he
+thought of Elmaze and Timurtasch. "Alas!" said he, "if I die, what
+will become of my father and mother?"
+
+Day surprised him occupied with these conflicting thoughts. Presently
+he heard the ringing of bells and beating of drums. He concluded that
+this was to call to the council all those who were ordered to attend.
+Then raising his thoughts to Mahomet, "O great prophet," said he, "you
+behold my difficulties and know my doubts. Inspire me, and reveal to
+me whether I must go to the divan, or must confess to the king that
+the danger terrifies me!" He had scarcely pronounced these words,
+before he felt all his fears vanish and his confidence return. He rose
+and dressed himself in a caftan, and mantle of red silk worked with
+gold flowers, which Altoun-Khan had sent him, with stockings and
+slippers of blue silk.
+
+When he had finished dressing, six mandarins, booted and dressed in
+very wide robes of crimson, entered his apartment, and after having
+saluted him in the same manner as on the previous day, informed him
+that they came from the king to lead him to the divan. He immediately
+rose and accompanied them; they traversed a court between a double
+file of soldiers, and when they arrived in the first council-chamber
+found more than a thousand singers and players upon instruments, who
+performing in concert produced a wonderful noise. From thence they
+advanced into the hall, where the council was sitting, and which
+communicated with the interior palace.
+
+All the persons who were to assist at this assembly were already
+seated under canopies of different colours arranged round the hall.
+The mandarins of the highest rank were on one side, the calao with the
+professors of the college on the other, and several doctors, renowned
+for their erudition, occupied other seats. In the middle were placed
+two thrones of gold raised upon triangular pedestals.
+
+As soon as the prince of the Nagäis appeared, the noble and learned
+assembly saluted him with gestures of great respect, but without
+speaking a word; for every body, being in expectation of the king's
+arrival, preserved the strictest silence.
+
+The sun was upon the point of rising. As soon as the first rays of
+that brilliant luminary were perceived, two eunuchs drew aside the
+curtains which hung before the door of the inner palace, and
+immediately the king appeared, accompanied by the princess
+Tourandocte, who wore a long robe of silk and gold tissue, whilst her
+face was concealed by a veil of the same material. When the king and
+princess had taken their seats upon their thrones, which they ascended
+by five steps of silver, two young girls of perfect beauty approached
+and stationed themselves, one on the side of the king and the other
+near the princess. They were slaves of the harem of Altoun-Khan; their
+faces and necks were exposed; they wore large pearls in their ears;
+and they stood each with pen and paper, ready to transcribe what the
+king or the princess might desire. All this time the whole assembly,
+who had risen upon the entrance of Altoun-Khan, stood up with great
+gravity and their eyes half closed. Khalaf alone looked about him, or
+rather looked only at the princess, whose majestic demeanour filled
+him with admiration.
+
+When the powerful monarch of China had ordered the mandarins and
+doctors to be seated, one of the six nobles who had conducted Khalaf,
+and who stood with him at fifteen cubits' distance from the two
+thrones, kneeled down and read a petition, which contained the demand
+of the stranger prince for the hand of the princess Tourandocte. He
+then rose and told Khalaf to make three salutations to the king. The
+prince of the Nagäis acquitted himself with so much grace, that
+Altoun-Khan could not refrain from smiling and expressing the pleasure
+he experienced in seeing him.
+
+The calao then rose from his place and read with a loud voice the
+fatal edict, which condemned to death all the rash lovers who should
+fail to reply satisfactorily to the questions of Tourandocte. Then
+addressing Khalaf, "Prince," said he, "you have just heard the
+conditions upon which alone the princess's hand is to be obtained. If
+the sense of danger makes any impression upon you, there is still time
+to retire."
+
+"No, no!" said the prince; "the prize to be carried off is too
+precious to be lost by cowardice."
+
+The king, seeing Khalaf ready to reply to the questions of
+Tourandocte, turned towards the princess and said, "My daughter, it
+is for you to speak; propose to this young prince the questions which
+you have prepared; and may all the spirits to whom sacrifices were
+offered yesterday grant that he may penetrate the meaning of your
+words."
+
+Tourandocte thereupon said, "I take the prophet Jacmouny to witness,
+that I behold with sorrow the death of so many princes; but why do
+they persist in desiring to wed me? why will they not leave me to live
+in peace without making attempts on my liberty? Know then, rash young
+man," added she, addressing Khalaf, "that you cannot reproach me if
+you suffer a cruel death; you have the examples of your rivals before
+your eyes; you alone are the cause of your own destruction; I do not
+oblige you to come and ask my hand."
+
+"Lovely princess," replied the prince of the Nagäis, "I am fully alive
+to all that has been said upon this subject; propound, if you please,
+your questions, and I will endeavour to unravel their meaning."
+
+"Well then," said Tourandocte, "tell me what creature is that which
+belongs to every land, is a friend to the whole world, and will not
+brook an equal?"
+
+"Madam," replied Khalaf, "it is the sun."
+
+"He is right," exclaimed all the doctors, "it is the sun."
+
+"What is that mother," resumed the princess, "who, after having
+brought her children into the world, devours them when they are grown
+up?"
+
+"It is the sea," replied the prince of the Nagäis; "because the
+rivers, which draw their sources from the sea, discharge themselves
+into it again."
+
+Tourandocte, seeing that the prince gave correct replies to her
+questions, was so vexed that she resolved to spare no effort to
+destroy him. Exerting all her ingenuity, she next asked, "What tree is
+that whose leaves are white on one side and black on the other?" She
+was not satisfied with proposing the riddle alone; the malignant
+princess, in order to dazzle and confuse him, raised her veil at the
+same moment, and allowed the assembly to see all the beauty of her
+countenance, the haughty charms of which were only enhanced by the
+violence of her emotions. Her head was adorned with natural flowers
+arranged with infinite art, and her eyes shone more brilliantly than
+the stars. She was as lovely as the sun in all his splendour, when he
+emerges from a thick cloud. The son of Timurtasch, at the sight of
+this incomparable princess, remained mute and motionless; so much so,
+that all the divan, who were deeply interested in him, were seized
+with terror; the king himself grew pale, and thought that the prince
+was lost for ever.
+
+But Khalaf, recovering from the surprise that the beauty of
+Tourandocte had caused him, quickly reassured the assembly by
+resuming, "Charming princess, I pray you pardon me if I remained for
+some moments speechless; I could not behold so much loveliness without
+being disturbed. Have the goodness to repeat the question, for I no
+longer remember it; your charms have made me forget every thing."
+
+"I asked you," said Tourandocte, "what tree is that whose leaves are
+white on one side and black on the other?"
+
+"That tree," replied Khalaf, "is the year, which is composed of days
+and nights."
+
+This reply was again applauded in the divan. The mandarins and the
+doctors said that it was correct, and bestowed a thousand praises on
+the young prince. Altoun-Khan said to Tourandocte, "Come, my daughter,
+confess thyself vanquished, and consent to espouse thy conqueror; the
+others were not able to reply to even one of thy questions, and this
+one, thou seest, has answered them all."
+
+"He has _not_ gained the victory," angrily retorted the princess,
+replacing her veil to conceal her confusion and the tears she was not
+able to repress; "I have others to propose to him. But I will defer
+them till to-morrow."
+
+"No," replied the king, "I will certainly not permit you to propose
+questions without end: all that I can allow you is to ask him one
+more, and that immediately."
+
+The princess objected, saying that she had only prepared those which
+had just been answered, and entreated the king, her father, for
+permission to interrogate the prince on the following day.
+
+"I will certainly not grant it," cried the monarch of China, in a
+rage; "you are only endeavouring to perplex this young prince, while I
+am eagerly grasping at the prospect of escaping from the frightful
+oath I had the imprudence to make. Ah! cruel one, you breathe nothing
+but blood, and the death of your lovers is a pleasant sight to you.
+The queen, your mother, touched by the first misfortunes your cruelty
+caused, died of grief at having brought into the world so barbarous a
+child; and I, you know well, am plunged into a state of profound
+melancholy, which nothing can dissipate, whilst I behold the fatal
+results of the love I entertained for you; but, thanks to the sun, and
+the moon, and the spirits who preside in the heavens, and by whom my
+sacrifices have been regarded with a propitious eye, no more of those
+horrible executions which have rendered my name execrable shall be
+committed in my palace. Since this prince has answered your questions
+satisfactorily, I ask all this assembly if it is not right that you
+should become his wife?"
+
+The mandarins and the doctors expressed their assent in murmurs, and
+the calao took upon himself to speak. "My lord," said he, addressing
+the king, "your majesty is no longer bound by the oath you made, to
+execute your severe edict; it is for the princess to fulfil her
+engagement. She promised her hand to him who should answer her
+questions correctly; a prince has answered them, to the satisfaction
+of the whole divan; she must keep her promise, or we cannot doubt that
+the spirits who preside over the punishment of perjurers will quickly
+take vengeance upon her."
+
+Tourandocte kept silence during the delivery of this speech; she sat
+with her head on her knees, and appeared buried in deep affliction.
+Khalaf, perceiving this, prostrated himself before Altoun-Khan, and
+said, "Great king, whose justice and goodness have raised the vast
+empire of China to such prosperity, I beg of your majesty to grant me
+a favour. I see that the princess is in despair at my having been so
+fortunate as to reply to her questions; doubtless she would rather it
+had so happened that I should have deserved death. Since she exhibits
+so strong an aversion to me, that, in spite of her promise, she
+refuses to become my wife, I will renounce my right to her, on
+condition that she, on her part, replies correctly to a question which
+I shall propose."
+
+The whole assembly was surprised at this speech. "Is this young prince
+mad," they whispered one to another, "to risk the loss of that for
+which he perilled his life? Does he imagine he can propose a question
+that will be too difficult for Tourandocte to solve? He must have lost
+his senses." Altoun-Khan was also amazed at the request which Khalaf
+had the temerity to make. "Prince," said he, "have you reflected upon
+the words which have just escaped your lips?"
+
+"Yes, my lord," replied the prince of the Nagäis, "and I implore you
+to grant me this favour."
+
+"I grant it," returned the king; "but, whatever be the result, I
+declare that I am no longer bound by the oath I made, and that,
+henceforth, I will not cause another prince to be put to death."
+
+"Divine Tourandocte," resumed the son of Timurtasch, addressing the
+princess, "you have heard what I said. Although the decision of this
+learned assembly has awarded to me the prize of your hand, although
+you are mine, I will give you back your liberty, I will yield up
+possession of you, I will despoil myself of a treasure precious to me
+above all things, provided you reply at once to a question I shall
+ask; but, on your part, swear that if you cannot, you will consent
+willingly to complete my happiness and crown my love."
+
+"Yes, prince," replied Tourandocte, "I accept the conditions, and I
+take this assembly as witnesses of my oath."
+
+All the divan awaited, in breathless suspense, the question that
+Khalaf was to propose to the princess, and there was not one who did
+not blame the young prince for exposing himself to the risk of losing
+the daughter of Altoun-Khan; they were all amazed at his temerity.
+"Lovely princess," said Khalaf, "what is the name of that prince who,
+after suffering a thousand hardships, and being reduced even to beg
+his bread, finds himself, at this moment, overwhelmed with glory and
+joy?"
+
+"It is impossible," said Tourandocte, "for me to reply to that
+question on the spot, but I promise that to-morrow I will tell you the
+name of that prince."
+
+"Madam," cried Khalaf, "I asked no time for consideration, and it is
+not right to grant you any; still, I will grant you your wish; I hope,
+after that, you will look more favourably on me, and not oppose any
+further difficulty to your becoming my bride."
+
+"She must make up her mind to that," said Altoun-Khan, "if she cannot
+reply to the question proposed. Let her not think by falling ill, or
+pretending to do so, that she will thereby escape. Even if my rash
+oath should not bind me to grant him her hand, and she were not his
+according to the tenor of the edict, I would rather let her die, than
+send this young prince away. Where would it be possible for her to
+meet with one more perfectly worthy of her?" With these words, he rose
+and dismissed the assembly. He re-entered the inner palace with the
+princess, who retired to her own apartments.
+
+As soon as the king had left the divan, all the mandarins and doctors
+complimented Khalaf upon his wit and understanding. "I admire," said
+one, "your ready and easy conception." "No!" said another, "there is
+not a bachelor licentiate, or doctor even, of greater penetration than
+you. Not one of all the princes who has presented themselves hitherto,
+in the least degree approached your merit, and we feel the most
+heartfelt joy at your success." The prince of the Nagäis had no light
+task to perform in thanking all those who pressed round him to
+congratulate him. At length, the six mandarins who had conducted him
+to the council-chamber, led him back to the same palace whence they
+had brought him, whilst the others, together with the learned doctors
+retired, not without anxiety about the answer which the daughter of
+Altoun-Khan would return to the question.
+
+The princess Tourandocte regained her palace, followed by the two
+young slaves who enjoyed her confidence. No sooner had she entered
+into her apartment, than she tore off her veil, and throwing herself
+upon a couch, gave free vent to the grief and rage which agitated her;
+shame and sorrow were depicted on her countenance; her eyes already
+bedimmed with tears, overflowed afresh; she tore off the flowers that
+adorned her head, and allowed her hair to fall about her in confusion.
+Her two favourite slaves attempted to console her, but she only said
+bitterly, "Leave me, both of you, cease your useless attentions. I
+will listen to nothing but my despair; leave me alone to pour forth my
+tears and lamentations. Ah! how great will be my confusion to-morrow,
+when I shall be forced to acknowledge before the whole council, and
+the wisest doctors of China, that I cannot solve the question. Is
+that, they will say, the transcendent princess who prides herself
+upon knowing every thing, and to whom the solution of the most
+difficult enigma presented no difficulty?"
+
+"Alas!" continued she, "they all take an interest in this young
+prince. I noticed them grow pale with anxiety when he appeared
+embarrassed. I saw their faces beaming with joy when he penetrated the
+meaning of my questions. I shall have the bitter mortification of
+seeing them again rejoice at my confusion, when I shall have to
+confess myself conquered. How great will be their delight when I make
+the degrading avowal, and what agony must I endure in making it."
+
+"My princess," said one of her slaves, "instead of afflicting yourself
+beforehand, instead of picturing to yourself the shame you fear to
+suffer to-morrow, would it not be better to think of some means of
+preventing it? Is the question the prince has proposed so difficult,
+that you cannot answer it? with the genius and penetration you
+possess, can you not accomplish it?"
+
+"No," said Tourandocte, "it is impossible. He asks me to name the
+prince who, after suffering a thousand hardships, and being reduced to
+beg his bread, is, at this moment, overwhelmed with joy and glory? I
+feel assured that he is himself that prince, but not knowing him, I
+cannot tell his name."
+
+"Still, madam," rejoined the same slave, "you have promised to name
+that prince to-morrow; when you made that promise, you hoped,
+doubtless, to be able to fulfil it."
+
+"I had no hope," replied the princess, "and I only demanded time to
+die of grief, rather than be obliged to acknowledge my shame, and
+marry the prince."
+
+"The resolution is a violent one," said the other favourite slave. "I
+know well that no man is worthy of you, but you must allow that this
+prince possesses singular merits; his beauty, his noble bearing, and
+his ready wit ought to plead in his favour."
+
+"I grant it all," interrupted the princess. "If there is any prince
+in the world who is worthy of my regards, it is he. Indeed, I will not
+deny it, that I grieved for him, before I put my questions to him; I
+sighed when I beheld him, and--what has never happened till to-day--I
+almost hoped he would reply to my questions correctly. It is true
+that, at the same moment, I blushed at my weakness, but my pride got
+the better of me, and the apt answers he made excited my abhorrence
+towards him; all the commendations which the doctors bestowed on him
+so deeply mortified me, that I then felt, and still feel, the most
+bitter hatred against him. O unhappy Tourandocte, lay thee down and
+die of vexation and grief, at having found a man, and he a youth, who
+has been able to load thee with disgrace, and compel thee to become
+his wife."
+
+At these words she redoubled her tears, and in the transport of her
+rage spared neither her hair nor her clothes. She raised her hands
+more than once towards her cheeks to tear them, and punish them as the
+prime authors of the disgrace she had endured; but her slaves, who
+were watching her frenzy, prevented her. They tried, however, in vain
+to console her; they could not calm the fury of her agitation. Whilst
+she was in this fearful state of excitement, the prince of the Nagäis,
+charmed with the result, and overwhelmed with joy, delivered himself
+up to the hope of bearing off his bride the next day.
+
+The king, having returned from the council-chamber, sent for Khalaf to
+talk over in private the events which had taken place at the divan.
+The prince of the Nagäis hastened to obey the orders of the monarch,
+who, after embracing him with great tenderness, said, "Ah! my son,
+release me from the anxiety I am suffering. I fear lest my daughter
+should be able to answer the question you have proposed. Why have you
+risked the danger of losing the object of your love?"
+
+"Let not your majesty be under the least apprehension," replied
+Khalaf; "it is impossible that the princess can tell me who the prince
+is whose name I have asked, for I am that prince, and no one in your
+court knows me."
+
+"This gives me fresh hope," cried the king in a transport of joy; "I
+confess I was most anxious about you. Tourandocte is very shrewd; the
+subtlety of her wit made me tremble for you; but, thank Heaven, you
+dispel my doubts. However great her facility of penetrating the sense
+of enigmas, she cannot guess your name. I can no longer accuse you of
+temerity; and I see what appeared to me a lack of prudence, is an
+ingenious device you have formed to remove every pretext for my
+daughter's refusal."
+
+Altoun-Khan, after laughing with Khalaf at the question proposed to
+the princess, prepared to enjoy the diversion of the chase. He dressed
+himself in a light and close-fitting caftan, and enclosed his beard in
+a bag of black satin. He ordered the mandarins to hold themselves in
+readiness to accompany him, and commanded a hunting-dress to be given
+to the prince of the Nagäis. They partook of a slight repast, and then
+quitted the palace. The mandarins, in open palanquins of ivory inlaid
+with gold, headed the procession, each carried by six men; two men
+armed with whips of cord marched before each palanquin, and two others
+followed with tablets of silver, upon which were written in large
+characters all the mandarin's titles. The king and Khalaf, in an open
+litter of red sandalwood, carried by twenty military officers, on
+whose dresses were embroidered in silver the monarch's monogram
+and badges,--the latter consisting of several figures of
+animals,--appeared next. After the mandarins, two generals of
+Altoun-Khan's army marched on either side of the litter, carrying
+large fans or umbrellas to ward off the heat, and three thousand
+eunuchs on foot completed the cortége.
+
+When they arrived at the place where the hunters awaited the king with
+the falcons, the sport began by flying hawks at quails; this
+diversion lasted till sunset, when the king and the prince, and the
+persons of their suites, returned to the palace in the same order in
+which they had left. They found in the court several pavilions of silk
+of different colours, a great number of small tables, beautifully
+polished and covered with all sorts of viands ready cut up. As soon as
+the king had taken his seat, Khalaf and the mandarins sat down, each
+at a little separate table, near which stood another, which served as
+a buffet. They all began by drinking several bumpers of rice wine
+before touching the viands; they then proceeded to eat without
+drinking any more. The banquet ended, the king, Altoun-Khan, led the
+prince of the Nagäis into a large hall, brilliantly illuminated, and
+fitted up with seats arranged for seeing some spectacle, and they were
+followed by all the mandarins. The king appointed each his place, and
+made Khalaf sit near him, upon a large ebony throne, inlaid with gold
+tracery.
+
+As soon as the company had taken their places, singers and musicians
+entered, who commenced an agreeable concert. Altoun-Khan was delighted
+with it. Infatuated with the Chinese music, he asked the son of
+Timurtasch, from time to time, what he thought of it, and the young
+prince, out of politeness, gave it the highest rank of all the music
+in the world. The concert finished, the singers and musicians retired,
+to make room for an artificial elephant, which having advanced by
+secret springs into the middle of the hall, vomited forth six
+vaulters, who began by making some perilous leaps. They were attired
+in very thin dresses; they had on only drawers of Indian cloth, caps
+of brocade, and light shoes. After they had exhibited their agility
+and suppleness by a thousand extraordinary performances, they
+re-entered the elephant, which went away as it came. Next, there
+appeared players, who performed, impromptu, a piece, the subject of
+which the king chose. When all these diversions were finished, and
+the night was far advanced, Altoun-Khan and Khalaf rose, to retire to
+their apartments, and the mandarins followed their example.
+
+The young prince of the Nagäis, conducted by eunuchs bearing wax
+candles in gold candelabra, was preparing to taste the sweets of
+repose as well as his impatience to return to the divan would permit
+him, when on entering his chamber, he found a young lady, dressed in a
+robe of red brocade with silver flowers, and adorned with rubies and
+emeralds; she wore a head-dress of rose-coloured silk, ornamented with
+pearls and bound by a very light silver border, which only covered the
+top of her head, and allowed her beautiful hair to escape, which hung
+down in ringlets, adorned with a few artificial flowers; as to her
+figure and face it was impossible to see any more beautiful and
+perfect except that of the princess of China.
+
+The son of Timurtasch was much surprised at meeting a lady alone, and
+so beautiful, at midnight in his room. He could not have looked upon
+her with indifference, had he not seen Tourandocte; but as the lover
+of that princess he had no eyes for any other.
+
+As soon as the lady perceived Khalaf, she rose from the sofa where she
+was seated, and upon which she had laid her veil, and after making a
+low inclination of her head, "Prince," said she, "I doubt not that you
+are surprised to find a woman here; for you cannot be ignorant that it
+is rigorously forbidden for men and women who inhabit the harem, to
+have any communication together; but the importance of the matter that
+I have to communicate to you, has made me disregard all danger. I have
+had dexterity and good fortune enough to overcome all the obstacles
+which opposed my design. I have gained the eunuchs who wait upon you.
+It now only remains for me to tell you what brought me here."
+
+Khalaf felt interested; he could not doubt but that the lady who had
+taken so perilous a step, had something to communicate worthy his
+attention; he begged her to resume her seat on the sofa; they both sat
+down; and the lady then continued in these terms:
+
+"My lord, I believe I ought to begin by informing you that I am the
+daughter of a khan, one of the tributaries of Altoun-Khan. Some years
+ago, my father was bold enough to refuse to pay the usual tribute,
+and, relying too much upon his experience in the art of war, as well
+as upon the valour of his troops, prepared to defend himself in case
+he were attacked. What he expected happened. The king of China
+irritated by his audacity, sent the most experienced of his generals
+with a powerful army against him. My father, though considerably
+weaker in numbers, went out to meet him. After a sanguinary battle,
+which was fought on the banks of a river, the Chinese general remained
+victorious. My father, pierced with a thousand wounds, died during the
+battle, but before his death, he ordered all his wives and children to
+be thrown into the river, to preserve them from slavery. Those who
+were charged with the generous, though inhuman order, executed it;
+they threw me, together with my mother, sisters, and two brothers,
+whose tender age had kept them with us, into the river. The Chinese
+general arrived at the spot at the very moment when they had cast us
+in, and when we were about to finish our miserable existence. This
+mournful and horrible sight excited his compassion; he promised a
+reward to any of the soldiers who should save any of the vanquished
+khan's family. Several Chinese horsemen, in spite of the rapidity of
+the stream, dashed in, and urged their horses wherever they saw our
+dying bodies floating. They recovered a few, but their assistance was
+only of use to me. I still breathed when they brought me to shore. The
+general took great pains for my recovery, as though the glory acquired
+by my captivity would bestow a fresh lustre on his victory; he brought
+me to this city, and presented me to the king, after giving an
+account of his mission. Altoun-Khan placed me with his daughter the
+princess, who is two or three years younger than I am.
+
+"Although still a child, I could not help reflecting that I had become
+a slave, and that I ought to have sentiments conformable to my
+situation. I therefore studied the disposition of Tourandocte, and
+strove to please her, and I succeeded so well by my compliance with
+her wishes and my attentions, that I gained her friendship. From that
+time I have shared her confidence with a young person of illustrious
+birth, whom the misfortunes of her family have reduced to slavery.
+
+"Pardon, my lord," she continued, "this narrative which does not bear
+any relation to the subject that has brought me here. I thought it but
+right to apprize you that I am of noble blood, that you might place
+more reliance in me; for the important communication I have to make is
+such, that an ordinary slave might induce you to give but little
+credence to what she had to say; and I know not, that even I, though
+the daughter of a khan, shall be able to influence you: would a prince
+enamoured of Tourandocte give credit to what I am about to say of
+her?"
+
+"Princess," replied the son of Timurtasch, interrupting her, "keep me
+no longer in suspense, tell me, I pray you, at once what you have to
+say concerning the princess of China."
+
+"My lord," replied the lady, "Tourandocte, the barbarous Tourandocte
+has formed a plot to assassinate you!"
+
+At these words Khalaf, falling back on the sofa, lay for a moment in a
+state of horror and amazement.
+
+The slave-princess, who had foreseen the astonishment of the young
+prince, said,
+
+"I am not surprised that you should thus receive this frightful
+announcement, and I was right when I doubted that you would believe
+it."
+
+"Merciful Heaven," cried Khalaf, when he recovered from his
+stupefaction, "did I hear aright? Is it possible that the princess of
+China could be guilty of such an atrocious attempt? How could she
+conceive so base a project?"
+
+"Prince," replied the lady, "I will explain to you how she came to
+take this horrible resolution. When she left the divan this morning,
+where I had been stationed behind her throne, I saw that she was
+mortally enraged at what had taken place; she returned into her
+apartments writhing under the most bitter feelings of mortification
+and fury; she pondered over the question you asked her for a long
+time, and not being able to find a suitable answer, she abandoned
+herself to despair. While she was in the bath, I spared no means, in
+which I was seconded by the other favourite slave, to calm the
+violence of her transports; we tried all in our power to inspire her
+with sentiments favourable to you; we extolled your person and your
+talents; we represented to her, that she ought to determine to bestow
+her hand upon you; we pointed out the unseemliness of such immoderate
+grief; but she imposed silence upon us, with a torrent of injurious
+words. The most agreeable and handsome make no more impression upon
+her than the ugliest and most deformed. 'They are all,' said she,
+'objects of my contempt, and for whom I shall always entertain the
+deepest aversion. As regards him who has presented himself last, I
+entertain a greater hatred towards him than towards the others, and if
+I cannot rid myself of him by any other means I will have him
+assassinated.'
+
+"I opposed this detestable design," continued the slave-princess, "and
+laid before her the terrible consequences of such a deed. I
+represented to her the injury she would inflict upon herself, the
+despair she would occasion the king, and the just horror that future
+ages would entertain for her memory.
+
+"The other favourite slave supported with all her eloquence the
+arguments I adduced, but all our persuasions were of no avail; we
+could not turn her from her purpose. She has entrusted her faithful
+eunuchs with orders to take your life to-morrow morning as you leave
+your palace to repair to the divan."
+
+"O inhuman princess, perfidious Tourandocte," cried the prince of the
+Nagäis, "is it thus you prepare to crown the affection of the unhappy
+son of Timurtasch? Has Khalaf indeed appeared so hateful to you, that
+you would rather rid yourself of him by a crime that will dishonour
+you, than unite your destiny with his? Great Heaven! how chequered
+with strange events is my life! At one moment I seem to enjoy
+happiness that the greatest might envy, at another I am plunged into a
+whirlpool of misery."
+
+"My lord," said the slave-princess, "if Heaven ordains that you should
+suffer misfortunes, it does not will that you should sink beneath
+their weight, since it warns you of the dangers that threaten you.
+Yes, prince, it is Heaven that has doubtless inspired me with the
+thought of saving you, for I come not only to point out the snare laid
+for your life, I come also to furnish you with means to escape. By the
+assistance of some eunuchs who are devoted to me, I have gained over
+the soldiers of the guard, who will facilitate your flight from the
+serail. As they will not fail to make a searching investigation, when
+they know of your departure, and discover that I am the author of it,
+I am resolved to fly with you, and escape from this court, where I
+have more than one cause for discontent; my state of bondage makes me
+hate it, and you make it still more odious to me.
+
+"Let us waste no time; come, and let to-morrow's sun, when he begins
+his course, find us far, far from Pekin.
+
+"In a certain spot in the town," continued she, "horses await us; let
+us fly, and reach if possible the territory of the tribe of Berlas."
+
+Khalaf replied, "Beautiful princess, I render you a thousand thanks
+for your wish to save me from the danger with which I am encompassed.
+Oh! that I could, to prove my gratitude, deliver you from your
+slavery, and conduct you in safety to the horde of the khan of Berlas
+your relation. With what pleasure would I place you in his hands! I
+should thereby repay some of the obligations I lie under to him. But I
+ask you, princess, ought I thus to steal away from Altoun-Khan? What
+would he think of me? He would believe that I came to his court for
+the sole purpose of carrying you off, and at the very time when I
+should be flying, only that I might save his daughter from
+perpetrating a fearful crime, he would be accusing me of violating the
+laws of hospitality. Ah! must I confess it, cruel though the princess
+of China be, I could never find in my foolish heart to hate her?
+Whatever misfortune may be in store for me, I cannot consent to so
+ignominious a flight. I acknowledge that charms like yours would amply
+repay your liberator, and that my days with you might pass in the
+greatest bliss, but I am not born to be happy, my destiny is to love
+Tourandocte; despite the aversion she feels towards me, I should wear
+out my days in endless sorrow, were they spent away from her."
+
+"Well then, ingrate, remain," cried the lady passionately,
+interrupting him, "and let the spot in which thy happiness is
+concentrated be sprinkled with thy blood." Saying these words, she
+replaced her veil, and quitted the apartment.
+
+The young prince, after the lady had retired, remained upon the
+sofa in a state of bewilderment. "Must I believe," said he, "what I
+have just heard? Can she carry her cruelty thus far? Alas! I dare
+not doubt it, for the slave-princess's expressions of horror at
+Tourandocte's plot were so natural--the risks she ran in coming
+herself to warn me of it so great, and the feelings she displayed
+so unquestionable,--that all are pledges of the truthfulness of her
+words. Ah! cruel daughter of the best of kings, is it thus that you
+abuse the gifts with which Heaven has endowed you? O Heaven! how
+couldst thou confer on this barbarous princess so much beauty, or
+why adorn so inhuman a soul with so many charms?"
+
+Instead of seeking a few hours' sleep, he passed the night, distracted
+with the most painful reflections. At length day appeared, the ringing
+of the bells and beating of drums was again heard, and shortly after
+six mandarins arrived to conduct him to the council-chamber, as on the
+preceding day. He traversed the court where the soldiers were arranged
+in two files: he expected to meet his death at this spot, and that it
+was here the persons who had been appointed to assassinate him were
+posted, in order to despatch him as he passed. Far from thinking of
+defending himself or putting himself upon his guard, he walked on like
+a man prepared to die; he even appeared to chide the delay of his
+assassins. He passed through the court, however, without any attack
+being made upon him, and reached the first hall of the divan. "Ah!
+doubtless it is here," thought he, "that the sanguinary order of the
+princess is to be put in execution." He looked around him on all
+sides, and thought he saw in every one he surveyed a murderer. He
+nevertheless advanced and entered the hall where the council was
+sitting, without receiving the deadly stroke which he thought awaited
+him.
+
+All the doctors and mandarins were already seated under their
+canopies, and Altoun-Khan was momentarily expected. "What can be the
+design of the princess?" thought he. "Can she wish to be an
+eye-witness of my death, and does she desire to have me assassinated
+before the eyes of her father? Can the king be an accomplice in the
+deed? What am I to think? Can he have changed his mind, and issued the
+order for my death?"
+
+Whilst his thoughts were occupied with these doubts, the door of the
+inner palace opened, and the king, accompanied by Tourandocte, entered
+the hall. They took their seats upon their thrones, and the prince of
+the Nagäis stood before them, at the same distance as on the day
+before.
+
+When the calao saw the king seated, he rose, and demanded of the young
+prince whether he remembered having promised to renounce the hand of
+the princess if she answered the question which he had proposed.
+Khalaf replied that he did, and again declared that in that event, he
+would renounce all claim to the honour of being the king's son-in-law.
+The calao then addressed Tourandocte, and said, "And you, great
+princess, you are aware of the oath that binds you, and of the penalty
+to which you are subjected if you do not this day declare the name of
+the prince, which you are required to give."
+
+The king, persuaded that she could not reply to the question of
+Khalaf, said to her, "My daughter, you have had ample time to consider
+the question which was proposed to you; but if you had a whole year to
+think of it, I believe that in spite of your sagacity you would be
+obliged, at the end of it, to acknowledge that it is something which
+even you could not reveal. So, as you cannot guess, yield with good
+grace to the love of this young prince, and satisfy the wish I feel
+that he should be your husband. He is worthy of being so, and of
+reigning with you, after my death, over the people of this mighty
+empire."
+
+"My lord," replied Tourandocte, "why do you think that I shall not be
+able to reply to the question of this prince? It is not so difficult
+as you imagine. I suffered the shame of a defeat yesterday, but to-day
+I look forward to the honour of a victory. I will confound this rash
+young man who has entertained so mean an opinion of my talents. Let
+him put the question, and I will answer it."
+
+"Madam," thereupon said the prince of the Nagäis, "I ask, what is the
+name of that prince who, after suffering a thousand hardships, and
+being reduced to beg his bread, finds himself at this moment covered
+with glory, and overwhelmed with joy?"
+
+"This prince," replied Tourandocte, "is named Khalaf, and he is the
+son of Timurtasch."
+
+When Khalaf heard his name he changed colour, a dark mist seemed to
+cover his eyes, and he fell senseless to the ground. The king and all
+the mandarins, judging from this that Tourandocte had answered
+correctly, and had given the prince's real name, grew pale, and sat in
+great consternation.
+
+After Khalaf had recovered from his swoon, through the attentions of
+the mandarins and the king himself, who had quitted his throne to come
+to his assistance, he thus addressed Tourandocte:
+
+"Beautiful princess, you are mistaken if you think you have given a
+fitting answer to my question; the son of Timurtasch is not covered
+with glory, and overwhelmed with joy; he is rather covered with shame,
+and overwhelmed with grief."
+
+"I agree with you," replied the princess, "that at this moment you are
+not overwhelmed with glory and joy, but you were so when you proposed
+this question; so, prince, instead of having recourse to vain
+quibbles, confess honestly that you have lost your right to
+Tourandocte. I therefore can, if I choose, refuse you my hand, and
+abandon you to the regret of having lost your prize; nevertheless, I
+will acknowledge to you, and declare here publicly, that I entertain
+different feelings towards you to what I did. The friendship my father
+has conceived for you, and your own merit, have determined me to take
+you for my husband."
+
+At these words all etiquette was for a moment forgotten; the
+council-chamber resounded with shouts of joy. The mandarins and
+doctors applauded the words of Tourandocte. The king approached her,
+and kissing her, said, "My child, you could not have formed a decision
+more agreeable to me; by this act you will efface the bad impression
+you have made upon the minds of my people, and you confer upon your
+father a joy to which he has long been a stranger, and which hitherto
+he had hoped for in vain. Yes, that aversion you entertained for
+marriage, that aversion so contrary to nature, robbed me of the sweet
+hope of seeing princes of my own blood spring from you. Happily, that
+aversion has ceased, and what crowns my wishes is, that you have
+extinguished it in favour of a young hero who is dear to me. But tell
+us," added he, "how you have been able to guess the name of a prince
+who was unknown to you."
+
+"My lord," replied Tourandocte, "it was not by enchantment that I
+learned it; it was by perfectly natural means. One of my slaves sought
+the prince Khalaf, and had subtlety enough to rob him of his secret,
+and I hope he will forgive me for taking advantage of this treachery,
+since I have made no worse use of it."
+
+"Ah! charming Tourandocte," hereupon cried the prince of the Nagäis,
+"is it possible that you entertain such favourable sentiments towards
+me? From what a frightful abyss do you draw me, to raise me to the
+height of bliss! Alas, how unjust was I! whilst you were preparing
+such a glorious fate for me I thought you guilty of the blackest of
+all treachery. Deceived by a horrible fable which darkened my reason,
+I repaid your good intentions with injurious doubts. Oh! what
+impatience do I feel to expiate my unjust suspicions at your feet."
+
+Altoun-Khan ordered the preparations for the marriage of Khalaf and
+Tourandocte to be set on foot, and whilst they were engaged about them
+he sent ambassadors to the tribe of Berlas, to inform the khan of the
+Nagäis of all that had taken place in China, and to beg him to come
+with the princess his wife.
+
+The preparations being concluded, the marriage was celebrated with all
+the pomp and magnificence which belonged to the high birth of the
+happy pair. Khalaf was raised to the rank of the highest subject, and
+the king himself made a public declaration that, to mark his sense of
+the esteem and consideration he entertained for his son-in-law, he
+should allow him to dispense with the customary obeisances to his
+bride. During a whole month nothing was seen at the court but feasting
+and pageants, and in the city nothing but gaiety and rejoicings.
+
+The possession of Tourandocte did not diminish the love Khalaf
+entertained for her, and the princess, who had hitherto regarded men
+with so much contempt, could not but love so perfect a prince. Some
+time after their marriage the ambassadors whom Altoun-Khan had sent to
+the country of Berlas returned, bringing with them not only the father
+and mother of the king's son-in-law, but also prince Almguer, who, to
+pay honour to Elmaze and Timurtasch, insisted on accompanying them,
+with the most distinguished of his nobles, and conducting them to
+Pekin.
+
+The young prince of the Nagäis, apprized of their arrival, immediately
+rode out to meet them. He found them nearly at the gate of the palace.
+The joy he felt on seeing his father and mother, and their transports
+on seeing him, can be scarcely conceived, much less described. They
+all three embraced each other over and over again, and the tears they
+shed drew forth corresponding signs of emotion from the Chinese and
+Tartars who were present.
+
+After these tender embraces, Khalaf saluted the khan of Berlas; he
+expressed to him how deeply he felt his kindness, and more especially
+his condescension in himself accompanying his parents to the court of
+China; the prince Almguer replied that, being ignorant of the rank of
+Timurtasch and Elmaze, he had not shown towards them the respect that
+was due to them, and thus to atone for any neglect they might have
+experienced, he thought it his duty to pay them this mark of honour;
+the khan of the Nagäis and his wife the princess, however, paid a high
+tribute to the attentive kindness of the khan of Berlas; they then all
+entered the palace of the king, to be presented to Altoun-Khan. They
+found this monarch awaiting them in the first hall. He embraced them
+all, one after the other, and received them very graciously; he then
+conducted them into his cabinet, where, after expressing the pleasure
+he felt at seeing Timurtasch, and his sympathy in his misfortunes, he
+assured him that he would employ all his power to avenge him on the
+sultan of Carisma. This was no empty offer, for that very day he
+despatched orders to the governors of the provinces to march with all
+speed with the soldiers who were in the towns within their
+jurisdiction, and to take the route to lake Baljouta, which was chosen
+for the rendezvous of the formidable army he proposed to assemble
+there.
+
+For his part, the khan of Berlas, who had foreseen this war, and who
+wished to assist in the re-establishment of Timurtasch in his
+dominions, had, previous to his departure from his tribe, ordered the
+general of his army to be in readiness to take the field at the first
+summons. He now commanded him also to repair to lake Baljouta with all
+possible speed.
+
+During the time the officers and soldiers who were to compose the army
+of Altoun-Khan, and who were dispersed throughout the kingdom, were
+marching to assemble at the spot indicated, this king spared no pains
+to express his high consideration for his new guests; he appointed a
+separate palace to each, with a great number of eunuchs, and a guard
+of two thousand men. Every day some new fête was contrived for their
+entertainment, and the king's whole attention seemed turned towards
+affording them pleasure. Khalaf, although he had now every day a
+thousand matters to occupy his attention, did not forget his kind
+hostess; he remembered with gratitude the solicitude she expressed for
+him; he sent for her to the palace, and begged Tourandocte to receive
+her amongst her attendants.
+
+The hope that Timurtasch and Elmaze entertained of reascending the
+throne of the Nagäi-Tartars, by the assistance of the king of China,
+insensibly made them forget their past troubles; and when Tourandocte
+gave birth to a beautiful prince, they were quite overwhelmed with
+joy. The birth of this child, who was named the prince of China, was
+celebrated in all the cities of this vast empire by public rejoicings.
+
+Whilst these festivities were taking place, news was brought by
+couriers, sent by the officers who had orders to collect the army,
+that all the troops of the kingdom, and those of the khan of Berlas,
+had assembled at lake Baljouta. Immediately Timurtasch, Khalaf, and
+Almguer set out for the camp, where they found every thing in
+readiness, and seven hundred thousand men ready to march; they
+immediately took the read to Kotan, from whence they marched to
+Raschar, and at length entered the dominions of the sultan of Carisma.
+
+This prince, informed of their numbers, and of the invasion of his
+territories, by couriers whom the governors of the frontier towns had
+despatched, far from being alarmed at the number of his enemies,
+courageously prepared to meet them. Instead even of intrenching
+himself, he had the boldness to take the field himself, at the head of
+four hundred thousand men, whom he had hastily collected. The armies
+met near Cogendi, where they drew up in battle array. On the side of
+the Chinese, Timurtasch commanded the right wing, prince Almguer the
+left, and Khalaf the centre. On the other side, the sultan confided
+the command of his right wing to the ablest of his generals, opposed
+the prince of Carisma to the prince of the Nagäis, and reserved the
+left to himself, where the elite of his cavalry were stationed. The
+khan of Berlas began the attack with the soldiers of his tribe, who,
+fighting like men who knew the eyes of their master were on them, soon
+turned the right wing of their enemies; the officer who commanded it,
+however, succeeded in reforming it almost immediately. Meanwhile the
+right wing, commanded by Timurtasch, was not so fortunate; the sultan
+broke them at the first onset, and the Chinese in disorder were on
+the point of taking flight, in spite of every effort of the khan of
+the Nagäis, when Khalaf, informed of what had taken place, confided
+the care of the centre to an experienced Chinese general, and rushed
+to the assistance of his father at the head of reinforcements. In a
+short time things assumed a different aspect. The left wing of the
+Carismians was driven back, and in turn routed; the whole of the ranks
+fell into disorder and were easily broken--the entire wing was put to
+flight. The sultan determined to conquer or die, and made incredible
+efforts to rally his soldiers; but Timurtasch and Khalaf gave them no
+time, and surrounded them on all sides, whilst prince Almguer having
+defeated the right wing, victory declared in favour of the Chinese.
+
+There remained but one chance of safety for the sultan of Carisma, and
+that was to cut his way through the ranks of his enemies, and to take
+refuge with some foreign prince; but he preferred not surviving his
+defeat to exhibiting amongst the nations his brow despoiled of the
+diadem; so rushing blindly into the thickest of the carnage, he fell
+bravely, fighting to the last, and pierced with a thousand mortal
+wounds, on a heap of slain. The prince of Carisma, his son, shared the
+same fate; two hundred thousand of their troops were killed or made
+prisoners, the rest seeking safety in flight. The Chinese also lost a
+great number of men; but if the battle had been a bloody one, it was
+decisive. Timurtasch, after thanking Heaven for this signal success,
+despatched an officer to Pekin to give an account of the battle to the
+king of China; he then advanced into Zagatay, and seized upon the city
+of Carisma.
+
+He made a proclamation in this capital that he would not touch the
+property, or interfere with the liberty of the Carismians; that Heaven
+having made him master of the throne of his enemy, he intended to take
+possession of it, and that henceforth, Zagatay, and the other
+countries which had been under the sway of the sultan, should
+acknowledge for their sovereign his son Khalaf.
+
+The Carismians, tired of the harsh rule of their late master, and
+persuaded that that of Khalaf would be milder, submitted readily, and
+proclaimed as sultan this young prince, with whose merits they were
+acquainted. Whilst the new sultan took all necessary measures to
+strengthen his position, Timurtasch departed with a body of Chinese
+troops with all possible speed to his own dominions. The Nagäi-Tartars
+received him like faithful subjects, and were overjoyed to see their
+legitimate sovereign; but he was not content with regaining his
+throne; he declared war against the Circassians, in order to punish
+them for their treachery to prince Khalaf at Jund. Instead of trying
+to appease him by submission, these warlike people speedily collected
+an army to oppose him. He attacked them, and cut them nearly all to
+pieces; after which he caused himself to be proclaimed king of
+Circassia, and then returned to Zagatay, where he found Elmaze and
+Tourandocte, whom Altoun-Khan had sent to Carisma in great state.
+
+Such was the end of the misfortunes of prince Khalaf, who gained by
+his virtues the love and esteem of the Carismians. He reigned long and
+peacefully over them, and never abated in his love for Tourandocte; he
+had a second son by her, who became afterwards the sultan of Carisma.
+As for the prince of China, Altoun-Khan brought him up, and chose him
+for his successor. Timurtasch and the princess Elmaze passed the rest
+of their days at Astrachan, and the khan of Berlas, after having
+received from them and their children all the tokens of gratitude
+which his generosity merited, retired to his tribe with the remainder
+of his troops.
+
+FOOTNOTES:
+
+[8] The Chinese mourning colour is white.
+
+
+
+
+IV.
+
+THE WISE DEY.
+
+
+Chaaban, Dey of Algiers, being dead, the Turkish janissaries bethought
+themselves of electing a new dey; and their intention was to place in
+this high station an inert, weak, and indolent man, who would allow
+them to be their own masters, to act as they pleased either with or
+without justice, and who would never inflict any punishment upon them.
+Passing through the streets of Algiers, they beheld Hadgi-Achmet, a
+man of ripe age, seated peaceably at the door of his dwelling, and
+carefully mending his old slippers, without taking any part either in
+the outcries, the conversation, or the gossiping going on all around
+him. Hadgi-Achmet seemed to them to be just the sort of apathetic man
+they were in search of, a man who would never interfere with any one,
+would allow them to do exactly as they pleased, and who, in short,
+would be but the shadow of a dey. They therefore laid hold of
+Hadgi-Achmet, tore him from his work, led him to the divan, and
+elected him dey in spite of himself.
+
+Hadgi-Achmet, thus forced to assume the reins of government, wisely
+examined into the duties of his new position, and set himself to
+fulfil them with as much assiduity and zeal as he had employed in the
+humbler task of mending his old slippers. He watched over the
+interests of the country, and over those of justice, and punished
+severely all misdeeds which came under his observation; having a
+stern, strange habit of knitting his shaggy eyebrows and flashing his
+brilliant eyes whenever any thing mean or wicked came under his
+notice. All this was very displeasing to the Turkish janissaries, and
+to several members of the divan. Four of these latter formed a species
+of plot with the design of bringing Hadgi-Achmet into contempt in the
+eyes of the public. Now as it was the pleasure of the dey to
+administer justice himself, and to enquire into the smallest matter
+that concerned the interests of the people, they thought to render him
+ridiculous, by begging him one day to judge four distinct matters,
+unworthy, in their opinion, to occupy the attention of a great ruler.
+
+"Hadgi-Achmet," said one of the members of the divan to the dey, "my
+lord, here is a culprit who can only be judged by thee, O sun of
+justice! He is a Tunisian merchant, who has established himself a
+short time since at Bab-a-Zoun street, not far from the mosque. At
+first he carried on his trade with tolerable honesty; but by degrees
+it has been shown that he is nothing better than a rogue, and has
+cheated a great number of his customers in the weight, the quality,
+and the value of his goods. Thou knowest well the law which condemns
+such offenders to lose an ear. This man was seized, carried before the
+cadi, and his rogueries being but too apparent, condemned by the cadi
+to lose his left ear, the right being reserved in the event of fresh
+misdemeanors. But when the man's turban was removed, it was discovered
+that his left ear was already gone. The cadi, being informed of the
+fact, ordered the right ear to be cut off. To execute this order, they
+had to pull the hand of the culprit away from his right ear, and when
+this had been done, it was discovered that the Tunisian's right ear
+was missing as well as the left. The cadi therefore sent to inform me,
+and I, knowing the pleasure thou takest in resolving grave and
+important questions, have come to submit this one to thy consummate
+prudence, to thy glorious justice."
+
+Hadgi-Achmet, having heard these words, knit his brows, his eyes
+flashed fire upon him who had just spoken, and upon all those who were
+present at this audience; then, turning towards the man without ears,
+he said,
+
+"Since thou hast always been a rogue, and that nothing could reform
+thee, I condemn thee all thy life long to wear neither turban nor any
+head-dress whatsoever to conceal the mutilation of thy ears.
+Purchasers, on beholding this mutilation, will shun thee if they are
+wise, for no one is ignorant that a merchant without ears is nothing
+else than a rogue."
+
+The earless Tunisian went sadly away. Being compelled to exhibit to
+every one and at all times the mutilation he had undergone, was a far
+worse punishment than the loss of five hundred ears, if he had had
+them.
+
+This judgment pronounced, a second member of the divan addressed the
+dey,
+
+"Hadgi-Achmet, our lord and master, here are two men who are
+quarrelling upon a question which thou only canst decide by thy
+profound wisdom. One of these men is the father of a beautiful and
+promising boy. He had this son and two others. One day, about ten
+years ago, Ibrahim, his neighbour, who was childless, said to him,
+'Chamyl, give me thy youngest son, I will adopt him; he shall live in
+my house, inherit my wealth, and be happy. If thou desirest it, I will
+give thee in exchange for thy son my country-house at Boudjaréah; thou
+knowest that the north breeze is wafted there in the hottest days of
+summer.'
+
+"Chamyl consented to give his son, and took the house at Boudjaréah in
+exchange. Ormed, the son of Chamyl, went to live with Ibrahim, who
+soon loved him very tenderly, whilst Ormed, if only out of gratitude,
+soon became much attached to him.
+
+"Chamyl has now lost both his other sons, and having become rich,
+desires to take back Ormed, saying, 'This child is henceforth the sole
+hope of my race, the joy of my heart, and I wish him to become my
+heir.'
+
+"As for Ibrahim, he has lost nearly the half of his fortune, but he
+has not lost the attachment which he bears to his adopted son. On the
+contrary, his affection continues daily to strengthen for this child,
+who is endowed with the finest qualities of mind, and with a grateful
+and affectionate heart.
+
+"With whom dost thou decree that Ormed shall remain? with his adopted
+or with his real father?"
+
+Hadgi-Achmet, addressing himself to Chamyl, said, "In what does thy
+fortune consist?"
+
+Chamyl enumerated his possessions: a house, a ship, several country
+houses, and merchandise.
+
+"Can these things be removed?" asked Hadgi-Achmet.
+
+"Some of them can," replied Chamyl.
+
+"And the others," replied Hadgi-Achmet; "couldst not thou, if
+necessary, dispose of them, and buy others with the price?"
+
+"I could," replied Chamyl.
+
+"And the affection which thou hadst for thy sons who are dead, couldst
+thou transfer it, and bestow it upon other children."
+
+"Ah! that would be impossible," replied Chamyl, sorrowfully.
+
+"Then affection cannot be transferred or exchanged," said
+Hadgi-Achmet; "and as it forms part of the heart of man, it is of far
+higher consequence than material things, is it not?"
+
+"Yes, my lord," answered Chamyl.
+
+"So that," continued the dey, "we may say to a man, Sell, or give
+away, thy possessions; but we cannot, without absurdity, say to any
+one, Cease to love him whom thou lovest. For which reason, Chamyl, I
+condemn thee to leave with Ibrahim the child whom he loves, and whom
+thou voluntarily gavest him when thou hadst affection for thy two sons
+who are no more. As to thy possessions, thou canst bear them
+whithersoever thou wilt, for riches are not the heart."
+
+"But I love my son," cried Chamyl, "and I will have him, and him only,
+for my heir."
+
+"Ah! thou lovest thy son," rejoined Hadgi-Achmet. "It may be so, but
+thou gavest no proofs of it so long as thy two other children were
+alive. Moreover, thou hast taken a house in exchange for thy son; it
+is exactly the same as if thou hadst sold thy child."
+
+"I was poor," murmured Chamyl.
+
+"A lame excuse," said the dey, "for there are many more poor men than
+rich men, yet we do not see poor men giving up their children for any
+gain whatsoever."
+
+"No, no! I have not sold my son," cried Chamyl, "and my son is mine."
+
+"No, thy son is no longer thine," said the dey, "for thou art not a
+father after my heart, and for ten years thy son has been cared for by
+the man to whom thou gavest him in exchange for a house. Ibrahim has
+not deserved that the child whom he so tenderly loves should be taken
+from him, and I order him to be left with him. But since thou wilt
+have none other than thy son for thine heir, I decree moreover that
+all thy property shall revert to him after thy death, which is nothing
+but justice."
+
+Ibrahim then interposed. "My lord," said he to the dey, "Ormed and I
+have no need of the fortune of Chamyl. What Allah has left to us is
+sufficient for our wants. Permit Chamyl then to preserve the right of
+choosing for himself an heir among orphans or poor children, of whom
+he will now probably adopt one."
+
+"No," replied the dey, "the man who has been able to calmly select one
+from among his own children and barter him for a house, can never
+attach himself to the orphan or the unfortunate. I see no reason to
+alter the judgment I have pronounced. Ormed will have for his
+inheritance the love of his adopted father and the wealth of his real
+one."
+
+Chamyl withdrew, greatly incensed at this judgment, which seemed to
+him unjust, but which appeared highly equitable to the inhabitants of
+Aldgezaire.
+
+A third member of the divan then addressed Hadgi-Achmet:
+
+"All thy words bear the impress of the wisdom which illuminates thee.
+It suffices to hear thee, in order to know and venerate thee. If we do
+not abuse thy patience and thy goodness, it is because both are
+inexhaustible. Behold," added he, "a woman veiled, according to the
+law. She accuses her husband of leaving her to perish with hunger,
+whilst her husband here maintains that the woman tells an infamous
+untruth, and that he supplies her with ample means for becoming fat
+and strong; he adds, that the famished locusts from the desert eat not
+more voraciously than doth this woman, all the while remaining lean
+and feeble, as thou seest. The woman persists in asserting that her
+husband scarcely gives her sufficient to languish on like a dying
+tree, and she claims thy pity and thy justice."
+
+Hadgi-Achmet, having heard these words, knit his brows, his eyes
+flashed fire upon him who had just spoken, and upon those present at
+this audience. Then he said, "Mahmoud, dost thou declare that thou
+affordest sufficient nourishment to thy wife?"
+
+"Yes, my lord," replied Mahmoud.
+
+"And thou, woman," said the dey, "dost thou still maintain that thy
+husband leaves thee in want of nourishment?"
+
+"Yes, my lord," replied the poor starving woman in a faint voice, and
+extending her transparent hands and long thin arms, in a supplicating
+manner towards her master and her judge.
+
+"Art thou poor?" demanded Hadgi-Achmet of Mahmoud.
+
+"No, my lord," replied Mahmoud, "I could support several wives if I
+wished, but it pleases me to have only this one in my house."
+
+"Ah! thou couldst support several wives," replied the dey; "and why
+then dost thou not give to this one all she desires, even supposing
+she devoured as voraciously as the famished locusts of the desert?"
+
+"I never refuse her any thing," said Mahmoud.
+
+The poor veiled woman sighed.
+
+"Well," added Hadgi-Achmet, "since thou art both rich and generous, I
+will put thee in the position to repel an accusation so disgraceful to
+thee as that of leaving the woman whom thou hast espoused to perish of
+hunger. To which end I order that thy wife shall dwell in my palace in
+the apartments of my women and receive from thee a pension which will
+enable her to purchase whatever food she may desire. If at the end of
+a year of peace and plenty she should still possess that feeble voice
+and that excessive thinness which inspire my compassion, I shall
+regard her as inflicted with an incurable malady, and will leave her
+to go and die beneath thy roof; but if, on the contrary, she regains
+strength and voice, thou shalt be hung, not only for having violated
+the law which commands the husband to minister to the support of his
+wife, but still more for having lied before thy lord and thy judge,
+who knows and ever will know how to punish those who offend him."
+
+Having spoken thus, Hadgi-Achmet cast terrible looks upon all the men
+present at this audience. Mahmoud withdrew only too sure of being hung
+next year, and every one preserved a gloomy silence which lasted for
+several minutes.
+
+Hadgi-Achmet meanwhile resumed: "If there remains any other cause for
+me to judge, let it be declared."
+
+Then with less self-possession and confidence than his colleagues had
+displayed, a fourth member of the divan presented himself. "Here, my
+lord," said he, "is a strange affair which occupies us, and which thou
+alone canst judge.
+
+"These two men here present are twin-brothers. They have always loved
+each other, and have never been separated. Their father is just dead.
+After having deplored his loss, they said to each other: 'The roof of
+our father's dwelling has sheltered us to this day, let it shelter us
+still; and let us amicably share all that is left us by our father,
+arms, vestments, or jewels.'
+
+"But all at once an object presented itself which could not be
+divided, and for the loss of which nothing else would compensate. The
+article in question is a holy amulet, which it is said bestows wisdom
+on him who wears it upon his breast beneath his tunic. Now the two
+brothers equally desire wisdom, and both would fain possess the
+precious talisman left them by their father."
+
+Hadgi-Achmet having heard these words, knit his brows, again his eyes
+flashed fire, as he said to one of the twins:
+
+"Mozza, canst thou not yield to thy brother, who so earnestly desires
+it, the amulet left you both by your father?"
+
+"No, my lord," replied Mozza, "I could easily reconcile myself to my
+brother's being richer than myself, but not to his being wiser!"
+
+Hadgi-Achmet turned to the other brother:
+
+"Farzan, canst thou not yield to thy brother the amulet he wishes to
+possess?"
+
+"No, my lord," replied Farzan, "for wisdom not alone bestows upon its
+possessor the things of the earth, but those also which belong to
+heaven, and I desire those above all."
+
+Hadgi-Achmet then ordered Mozza to place upon his breast beneath his
+tunic the cherished amulet, which being done, he said to the young
+man:
+
+"I am charmed to find that thou preferrest wisdom to fortune, for
+wisdom is above all. But dost thou not see that it is wise to be at
+peace with thy brother, and that to obtain this peace there is no
+sacrifice too great? To yield to thy brother is the beginning and the
+end of wisdom; he who yields is ever the best and the wisest. On this
+ground thou wilt now, I am persuaded, yield cheerfully this amulet to
+thy brother."
+
+"I repeat, my lord," answered Mozza, "that I will yield every thing to
+my brother, slaves, diamonds, house--my entire fortune; but I will
+never willingly give up this sacred amulet: it is the only heritage I
+covet."
+
+"Ah!" said Hadgi-Achmet, "thou hast not changed thy mind then! well,
+give me thy father's amulet."
+
+Mozza reluctantly handed the precious talisman to the dey.
+
+"Farzan," said the dey, "place this amulet upon thy breast, and
+beneath thy tunic."
+
+Farzan obeyed. He had no sooner placed the amulet upon his breast than
+he felt so lively a joy that he would have embraced his brother had he
+dared, and his eyes glistened with pleasure.
+
+"Ah!" said Hadgi-Achmet, addressing himself to Farzan, "I perceive
+that this amulet has great power over thee. Thy heart is opened to
+wisdom, and thou wilt renounce foolish quarrels, wilt thou not, and
+yield to thy brother the talisman which he so much desires, and of
+which he has perhaps greater need than thou?"
+
+"I!" cried Farzan, "rather would I die than part with my father's
+amulet! I feel myself capable of plunging my dagger into the bosom of
+any one rash enough to attempt to tear it from me, whoever he might
+be."
+
+"In truth," rejoined Hadgi-Achmet, "I see that this amulet is far from
+bestowing all the wisdom of which you young men deem it capable. On
+the contrary it only seems to me fit to sow dissensions between you,
+since notwithstanding you have both worn it upon your breast, you
+have nevertheless preserved your animosity and unjust pretensions in
+the dispute in question. For which reason I ordain that this precious
+talisman, of whose real power we are doubtless ignorant, shall remain
+in my palace and be restored in ten years' time to whichever of you
+two shall have given by his conduct the most incontestable proofs of
+piety and virtue."
+
+Having heard this sentence, the two brothers sorrowfully withdrew. But
+they had no sooner crossed the threshold of the palace, than they were
+reconciled to each other, avowing that the dey had acted with justice,
+and thenceforth they lived happy and united as before.
+
+In the mean time, Hadgi-Achmet, having delivered these four judgments,
+knit his brows once more, and turning to the members of the divan,
+addressed them as follows:
+
+"Joyfully have I just occupied myself with the smallest things which
+concern the welfare and repose of my subjects, and I should not regret
+my time had it been employed in affairs still more trifling. Every
+thing appears of importance to me which in any way relates to the
+wellbeing of one of those over whom Allah has made me sovereign. I
+nothing doubt that you applaud my conduct, and that you would gladly
+imitate my zeal in the service of the people. Your praises prove it;
+but I know well that men such as you prefer proving their zeal by
+actions, rather than by words. I am about therefore to entrust you
+with a task of great importance to me, since it is for the most
+interesting class of my subjects, namely, the most unfortunate. I am
+about to distribute before the Ramadan, four sacks of rice among poor
+old men and widows. An unskilful hand has contrived in filling these
+sacks with the rice, to spill amongst it a quantity of _oats_. Now as
+I do not wish these poor people to think themselves treated with
+contempt by receiving rice mixed with oats, I wish that pious hands
+should carefully sift the rice and extract from it these grains. It is
+on you I rely for the performance of this duty, which awaits you in
+one of the halls of my palace. I cannot at this moment be an
+eye-witness of your zeal in obeying me, and serving the people; but
+before your task is finished, I will be with you."
+
+Having spoken these words, the dey caused the members of the divan to
+be respectfully conducted by his guards to a large hall, where they
+found four sacks of rice and several baskets.
+
+The members of the divan feeling persuaded that this was an affair
+which more nearly concerned their heads than the sacks of rice, set
+themselves silently to this unexpected work, whilst the guards
+remained stationary at the entrance of the hall in which the labour
+was being carried on.
+
+The flight of a musquito might have been heard in this hall where the
+members of the divan were busily engaged sifting the rice for the
+poor, all the while vowing to be revenged upon Hadgi-Achmet, if they
+ever had the power.
+
+Towards the evening the members of the divan were joined by
+Hadgi-Achmet, who perceiving that one of them had made less progress
+in his task than his three colleagues, said,
+
+"I would not accuse thee of want of zeal: man knows not always what he
+wishes, nor knows what he can do; I will therefore aid thee in thy
+task," and he began gravely to assist the four members of the divan in
+sifting the rice of the poor.
+
+The tasks being accomplished, the four sacks of rice were carefully
+closed. Hadgi-Achmet thanked his enemies, and caused them to be
+conducted with the greatest respect to the gates of his palace.
+
+These men left to themselves, regarded each other with consternation
+and shame; they then said, "We would fain have laughed at
+Hadgi-Achmet, and it is he who has mocked us. Let us henceforth
+abstain from criticizing his scrupulous exactitude in rendering
+justice, but let us think only of avenging ourselves."
+
+But they sought the opportunity in vain. Hadgi-Achmet, who had
+commenced his career by so carefully mending his old slippers, held
+the reins of power with a strong hand, and whilst other deys in those
+times almost always met a violent death by steel or poison, he died
+peacefully in his palace, after having lived many long years.
+
+
+
+
+V.
+
+THE TUNISIAN SAGE; OR, THE POWDER OF LONGEVITY.
+
+
+Selim-ben-Foubi had been twenty years engaged in commerce when he
+inherited a fortune which greatly surpassed his wants and even his
+desires.
+
+As he had lost all his children, his great wealth caused him but
+little joy, and he felt it even embarrassing to possess so much gold
+and so many precious things, of which he should never be able to make
+any use.
+
+"I am now fifty," said he, "and were I to live to a hundred, I should
+not spend half of what I possess. I can only take one meal at a time,
+dress in a single suit, and sleep in but one bed. Hence if I can but
+rest in peace in a substantial and commodious house, eat as much as I
+desire, and invite a friend to partake of my repast, that is all I
+need wish for. I have therefore resolved to give away the half of my
+fortune during my lifetime, that I may enjoy the pleasure of beholding
+happiness of my own creating."
+
+Having formed this generous project, Selim nevertheless wished before
+putting it into execution to take counsel with two of his friends.
+
+Quitting therefore his country-house at Boudjaréah, he repaired to
+Aldgezaire, where in the garden of the grand mosque dwelt usually a
+sage mufti, a grave and reverend man. Seating himself by his side
+beneath the shade of some flowering pomegranate trees, he thus
+accosted him:
+
+"Mehemet, I have come to visit thee in order to open my whole heart
+to thee and take counsel of thy wisdom. I am suddenly become very
+rich, as thou knowest, and I have no son to inherit my wealth; is it
+not too great for a single solitary man? speak, answer me."
+
+"That which Allah gives should never be despised," replied the sage.
+
+"I do not disdain my riches," replied Selim, "but I am thinking of
+sharing them with others, and of keeping only what is necessary to my
+existence for the remainder of my days."
+
+"Thou knowest not what the number of thy days will be."
+
+"I will suppose that I may enjoy the longest of lives, a hundred years
+for example, thinkest thou I shall live yet longer?"
+
+"Allah alone knows."
+
+"Let us say five hundred," continued Selim, "surely that covers all
+chances; well then, during this long course of years, would it not be
+more agreeable to me to know that my riches are useful, than to feel
+that they were hidden in some coffer, where they might become an
+object of envy to the poor, or tempt the cupidity of the ill-doer?"
+
+"May be so," said the mufti.
+
+"My thought is a good one then?"
+
+"It may be; but will it be good in practice? I cannot say. Nothing is
+more common than to think wisely; nothing more rare than to put wise
+thoughts into practice."
+
+"Advise me," said Selim, "and I shall then be sure of fulfilling the
+law, and of doing good. How ought I to distribute the half of my large
+fortune?"
+
+The mufti reflected profoundly, and then replied:
+
+"I advise thee first to take at least one year to reflect upon thy
+project. Time is the sun that ripens the thoughts of men. We never
+repent of having reflected before acting; we often regret not having
+done so. Reflect then, and afterwards come and consult with me."
+
+Selim quitted the mosque, and repaired to Bab-a-Zoun street, to the
+house of his other friend, a Moorish merchant, who laboured hard to
+support himself by his calling. He began thus:
+
+"We have been friends and have known each other these ten years, for
+which reason I come to put to thee this question: 'In what way,
+thinkest thou, a man who is both rich and beneficent should employ his
+fortune, in order to be useful?'"
+
+The Moorish merchant replied: "Thou makest a very singular demand of
+me. I cannot believe that a man can find any difficulty in giving, if
+he really possess the desire. He may found a mosque, succour the aged,
+support the widow and the orphan, enrich his friends, if he have any,
+and the rich are seldom without friends."
+
+"But thou," rejoined Selim, "if thou hadst aught to give away, what
+wouldst thou do?"
+
+"I? I cannot fancy myself having any thing to give away, seeing that I
+can scarcely pay the rent of my poor shop, and fill that shop with a
+few sacks of rice and a little coffee. If I had money, it is very
+certain that I should begin by buying a house and goods. It is of no
+use to say to a poor man like me, 'To whom wouldst thou give thy
+money?' But I repeat to thee there is no lack of good actions to be
+done. Happy he who has only to choose."
+
+"Thou art right," said Selim to his friend; and quitting him, he
+returned to his country-house at Boudjaréah. One of his neighbours,
+Achmet the Arab, accosted him upon the road thither; and Selim, having
+stopped to converse with his friend, said to him: "Thou art of a ripe
+age, and art not wanting in experience of the things of this life.
+Tell me then if thou considerest that it would be well for a man who
+is rich and childless to give away, while still living, the half of
+his fortune, reserving the other half, upon which to subsist
+honourably the remainder of his days."
+
+Achmet replied, "I cannot say whether it is better in the sight of
+Allah to give away or to retain the goods with which he has endowed
+thee. As for myself, I have nothing to give, for I have a very small
+fortune, and a great many children; but if I were rich and without
+heirs, I would bury my gold in some corner of my garden, sooner than
+bestow it to gratify men who are either wicked or ungrateful, and such
+they almost all are. This gold would sooner or later be discovered by
+some one whom Allah desired to enrich, and thus I should not be
+responsible for the use that was made of it."
+
+"Thy idea is not, perhaps, a bad one," said Selim, "and I will
+certainly reflect upon it."
+
+While Selim and his neighbour were talking together, a Tunisian of
+miserable aspect approached the spot. This was no other than Hussein
+Muley, a physician of Tunis. He was already advanced in years, and
+passed for a man rich in science, but poor in money. Selim requested
+this man to rest himself in his house, and his invitation being
+accepted, he saluted his neighbour Achmet, and conducted his guest
+into one of the fresh and salubrious halls of his smiling abode.
+Hussein Muley, fatigued by two hours' walk under a broiling sun, threw
+himself upon a divan, whilst fruits and coffee were abundantly served
+to him. When he had somewhat reposed and refreshed himself, Selim said
+to him in a friendly manner, "I am happy to receive thee at my house,
+because thou art a wise man, and of good renown in thy profession.
+Thou hast travelled, read, and seen life; thou must of necessity be
+able to judge wisely of the things which relate to this life. I should
+therefore be very glad to have thy opinion upon a project which I have
+formed. I have become very rich by inheritance; and having no
+children, I think of disposing, while yet living, of a great portion
+of my wealth. In what way dost thou consider it would be most
+desirable to employ this wealth?"
+
+Hussein Muley regarded Selim with surprise.
+
+"Thou wouldst give away a great portion of what thou hast," said he.
+"This is, indeed, a marvellous thing. I have, as thou sayest,
+travelled, read, and seen life, but never yet have I heard of any man
+giving away, during his lifetime, the greater part of his fortune."
+
+"Does that prove that it would be wrong to do so?" demanded Selim.
+
+"I know not," replied the Tunisian, falling into a fit of profound
+meditation, and looking all the while at the tips of his old slippers,
+instead of contemplating from afar the ever-changing sea and azure
+sky.
+
+"On what dost thou muse?" at length demanded Selim.
+
+"I was thinking--I was thinking that if the duration of man's life
+were longer, it would be better both for those who study science, and
+for those who are the fortunate possessors of great wealth; it would
+be equally good for the poor, since they might one day hope to enjoy
+the fruit of their toils, if they took pains to become rich."
+
+"What profits it to meditate so deeply upon a thing which all the
+reflections of man cannot change?"
+
+"I do not regard the prolongation of human existence as impossible.
+Hitherto physicians have most frequently been instrumental in
+abridging it. My aim is to repair the wrongs they have involuntarily
+committed. I would have succeeding ages regard my memory with
+gratitude."
+
+"What sayest thou?" cried Selim. "Thou wouldst change the order of
+things, the whole course of nature?"
+
+"Nothing can convince me that we follow the course of nature by dying
+at sixty or eighty years of age, when men formerly lived hundreds of
+years. On the contrary, I am certain that we were created to live
+longer, much longer, and I consecrate all my days, my nights, and my
+studies to the pursuit of a discovery which is destined to prolong the
+existence of mankind, and renew the state of things as they were when
+men married at a hundred years of age, and lived to see their sons'
+sons grow up and marry in their turn. Why, have I often asked myself,
+should our lives be shorter than those of an oak of the forests, of a
+serpent, or even of a vulture?"
+
+"If we lived as long as an oak," replied Selim, "the cedars and the
+palm trees would still live longer than we."
+
+"Thou dost but jest, but thy jesting is ill-timed; nothing is more
+serious than the thought which occupies me. Thou thyself, confess now,
+wouldst thou not be enchanted to see suns succeed suns, and to
+contemplate for ages to come the wonders of the heavens and the
+fecundity of the earth?"
+
+Selim reflected a little, and replied, "Man does not love death, it is
+true; nevertheless life is not so desirable as thou wouldst fain have
+us believe."
+
+"Then thou desirest not to prolong thy days upon the earth? For
+myself, I confess that I desire it greatly; so that besides my days
+and my nights, I consecrate all that I glean from learned researches
+to the accomplishment of this great end. I am already upon the track.
+But unfortunately gold is wanting--this gold which thou despisest, or
+knowest not how to employ--this gold would in my hands contribute to
+the happiness of future generations. With gold--with gold you can
+purchase books of precious value, measure the stars, dig the bowels of
+the earth, rend metals from her bosom, decompose substances, in short,
+penetrate into every mystery. Yes, gold which heretofore has been
+unable to bestow a day, nay an hour upon its possessor, gold in my
+hands would accomplish a wondrous discovery. I should certainly not
+keep the secret for myself alone, and I should share it first of all
+with the man whose wealth had helped me to the means of obtaining it."
+
+"But shouldst thou discover the means of prolonging my life for many
+centuries, I should not then be rich enough to give away half of my
+fortune."
+
+"What!" cried the physician of Tunis, "is not life preferable to all
+the riches in the world? and if at this moment it were said to thee,
+'thou shalt die, or give up the whole of thy possessions,' wouldst
+thou not readily yield them to avoid the thrust of a yataghan, or the
+discharge of a gun in thy breast?"
+
+"Thou puzzlest me, but I think that in such a case I should give up my
+property to preserve my life."
+
+"Thou seest then that life is dear, even to the poor. Why not
+therefore endeavour to prolong thine own? Even if my profound science
+did not succeed, thou wouldst still be rich enough to enjoy an
+existence of the shorter duration."
+
+Listening thus to the learned physician, Selim fell by degrees into a
+profound reverie, and the Tunisian, instead of continuing his
+discourse, gave himself up to meditation also; so that both these two
+men became absorbed in their own dreams in presence of each other, but
+without communicating their ideas, and Allah alone knows of what they
+were thinking.
+
+After long and silent reflection, Selim said to Hussein Muley, "Before
+seeing thee I had intended to bestow while yet alive one-half of my
+fortune in making others happy. It will, I think, be no change of
+purpose, if I aid thee in pursuing those learned researches which tend
+to prolong the life of man. For which reason, Hussein Muley, I propose
+at once to present thee with the gold of which thou hast need. Come
+with me."
+
+The Tunisian, appearing more astonished than rejoiced at these words,
+gravely arose, followed Selim into another apartment in the house, and
+received from him a little casket filled with pieces of gold.
+
+"Employ this wisely," said Selim, "and communicate to me the result of
+thy labour."
+
+"I will not fail to do so," replied Hussein Muley. And clasping the
+precious casket to his breast, he exclaimed, "Here then is the means
+of satisfying my thirst for knowledge, of surmounting all obstacles,
+of snatching from the past the secret which shall add hundreds of
+years to the existence of man, and prolong his days to the space of
+those of his fathers. Selim," added he, "thou dost a meritorious
+action in giving me this. I need not thank thee, because I am going to
+work for thee as for myself; nevertheless I do thank thee, and with my
+whole heart."
+
+Having said these words the learned physician withdrew gravely, and
+with an air of deep abstraction.
+
+Selim was not less preoccupied. Left to himself, he meditated long and
+profoundly on long and short lives, and on the prodigies accomplished
+by science, and he ended by asking himself whether he should confide
+to the sage mufti, whom he was soon about to see again, what he had
+done for Hussein Muley, and his hope of beholding the existence of the
+human species prolonged to an almost indefinite period. His final
+resolution was to admit no one to his confidence in the matter, but to
+await in silence the marvellous discovery of his new friend Hussein
+Muley, the physician of Tunis.
+
+Several months passed by without the reappearance of the latter, but
+when at length he returned to Boudjaréah he was yellower, leaner, and
+more attenuated even than a man who had crossed on foot the mighty
+desert of Sahara. His limbs, in fact, could scarcely support his
+trembling frame.
+
+"Well," said Selim, "what has befallen thee? art thou sick, or dost
+thou return to me perishing of hunger?"
+
+"No, but I have travelled night and day beneath the pale light of the
+stars, and the burning rays of the sun, and have often forgotten to
+take necessary sustenance, so deeply was I absorbed in my studies."
+
+"Well, and the result?"
+
+"Alas! I have not yet succeeded as I could desire. Thus far have I
+attained only, that I have secured the power of prolonging our days
+fifty years."
+
+Having uttered these words, Hussein Muley sorrowfully clasped his
+withered hands upon his breast, and then added:
+
+"I know that such a discovery would afford intense joy to any other
+but myself, but it is far from satisfying me. To live fifty years
+longer than usual, what is that?"
+
+"It is something, nevertheless," replied Selim, "and wilt thou tell me
+what is necessary to be done, in order to add fifty years to one's
+existence?"
+
+"Will I tell thee?" cried the Tunisian; "I am come expressly for that
+purpose, and to give thee this powder. It must be taken every morning
+fasting, for one year, three months, a week, and a day, without fail."
+
+"I must write down these directions," said Selim.
+
+He wrote them down at once, and then asked, "Dost thou not think thou
+shouldst rest satisfied with thy discovery, and begin to live well,
+and sleep well, in order to enjoy the remaining years of thy life?"
+
+"I have no desire to repose yet from my labours. Of what account are
+fifty years added to sixty or eighty, soon to be over for me? No, no,
+I would live two centuries at the least, to enjoy the fruits of my
+toil, and make the fortunes of my children, and my children's
+children. For thou dost not imagine we shall at first give to every
+one for nothing this magnificent secret, which has cost us so much. It
+is this secret which will procure us the means of living in splendour
+to the end of our days. Thou canst, for heavy sums of money, dispose
+of the powder which I shall have composed to whomsoever thou pleasest,
+while I on my part equally will part with it for gold; and when at
+length we die, surfeited with life, we will leave our secret to the
+multitude that survives us."
+
+"This arrangement seems to me just, and well conceived. Nevertheless,
+I desire not to sell the powder, but may I bestow it, and at once,
+upon one or two men whom I esteem highly?"
+
+"No, let us not yet draw attention to our happy fortune; let us wait
+until my discovery shall be completely perfected."
+
+"Agreed; but I lament to see thee yellow, thin, and attenuated, as
+thou art."
+
+"Oh! that is nothing," said the Tunisian, striking his forehead with
+his hands; "do not let my haggard appearance disturb thee. I would
+rather have nothing but skin upon my bones, and keep my secret to
+myself. I shall soon regain my flesh and my complexion. No, my health
+causes me no uneasiness. I merely suffer from anxiety, which arises
+from not having money sufficient for the prosecution of my studies."
+
+"Dost thou require much?" demanded Selim.
+
+"Ah! yes, much," replied Hussein with a sigh; "and if I fail in
+procuring it, instead of living fifty years longer than the usual
+course of things, I will either starve myself to death, or drown
+myself in the well of my house."
+
+"Beware of acting thus," said Selim. "I can still give thee something;
+make use of that, and afterwards follow my advice, and sell to some
+rich man thy powder, in order to meet the expenses of thy lengthened
+researches."
+
+Hussein Muley appeared to meditate profoundly with his forehead buried
+in his hands, and seemed not to listen to Selim, but it is not
+improbable that he heard him very well.
+
+"Thou dost not listen to me," continued Selim. "Hussein! Hussein! I
+will give thee another little casket of gold; but after this casket I
+have nothing more to give thee. There will only remain just
+sufficient for me, during the time that I hope to live, thanks to thy
+powder. If thou discoverest another still more marvellous, thou wilt
+give it me, at least for my own use, wilt thou not?"
+
+Hussein Muley seemed suddenly to come to himself, and exclaimed:
+
+"Oh! I have at length found that of which I was in search! Yes, one
+herb alone is now wanting; I will go in quest of it, were it at the
+other end of the earth, and I will resolve the great problem which has
+occupied me for more than thirty years. Selim! Selim! entrust to my
+keeping what thou canst still consecrate to the happiness of mankind,
+and rest assured that thou wilt merit the admiration and the gratitude
+of ages to come."
+
+"I desire neither the one nor the other," replied Selim; "I only wish
+to do a little good, that is all. Shall I succeed in my purpose? I
+will confess to thee, Hussein Muley, that I have more than once
+regretted devoting my fortune to a discovery which may prove more
+fatal than useful to the world; for the world is already peopled
+enough, and what would it be, if men lived for several centuries?
+Would they not kill each other for want of room?"
+
+"Do they not already kill each other by sea and by land?" said Hussein
+Muley with a strange smile. "Come," continued he, "do not disquiet
+thyself about what will some day happen upon the earth; profit by what
+fate offers thee, and prolong thy days in peace."
+
+Having thus spoken, he took the second casket proffered him by Selim,
+put it under his arm, and said in a grave tone:
+
+"I am about to undertake a journey into Asia. There, near the Indies,
+is a high mountain, Mount Himalaya--dost thou not know it?"
+
+"No," answered Selim.
+
+"Well, nor I either; but I go to cull from its summit, covered with
+perpetual snows, a plant, which will complete the discoveries I have
+already made."
+
+"I thought that no plant was ever to be found on those mountain tops
+covered with perpetual snow and frost?"
+
+"There grows none, but that of which I have immediate need; I am going
+in quest of it, and will show it thee on my return."
+
+"It is well," said Selim, and they separated.
+
+Hussein Muley retreated with rapid strides.
+
+Selim carefully placed in a small box the powder which he was to take
+fasting, during one year, three months, a week, and a day, and he
+began from the very next day to administer to himself this drug, which
+happily he did not find to be very nauseous to the taste.
+
+Meanwhile the Tunisian set out from Aldgezaire with his wife, his
+children, and several chests, containing no doubt his books, and the
+papers necessary for his studies; but Selim never saw him more. He
+awaited his return, three, five, ten years, and, as he judged that ten
+years should suffice to go to Asia, and scale the highest mountain
+there, he began to think that the yellow, thin, and learned Tunisian
+was either dead, or else had taken advantage of his credulity and
+ignorance.
+
+Whilst these thoughts occupied his mind, an epidemic broke out in
+Aldgezaire; Selim was attacked by it.
+
+He therefore begged the wise mufti, who was still alive, to come and
+visit him; and then with that burst of confidence which seizes men in
+the hour of danger, he opened his heart to him, and related how he had
+given two caskets full of gold to Hussein Muley, in the hope of
+prolonging the existence of mankind for many centuries.
+
+The wise mufti stroked his venerable beard and exclaimed:
+
+"Selim, Selim, thou hast been played upon by a swindler, to whom thou
+hast imprudently confided thy generous thoughts. This proves the truth
+of what I one day said to thee, 'With the best intentions we may
+commit the most foolish actions.'"
+
+"Ah!" said Selim sorrowfully, "my misfortune has been in not
+spontaneously following the first impulse of my heart, for I had
+really the wish to do good, but in taking counsel of one and another I
+have followed the worst I received."
+
+"Yes," replied the mufti, "thou mightest perhaps have acted wisely in
+following thy first idea; at the same time, if thou hadst, in
+accordance with my advice, reflected longer upon thy projects of
+benevolence, it is certain that thou wouldst not have given thy gold
+to a cheat who has done nothing but laugh at thy credulity."
+
+Selim willingly consented to acknowledge his fault. He confessed that
+it is useless to take the opinion of the wise and learned, if we do
+not mean to profit by it; then he prostrated himself devoutly before
+Allah, recovered his health by degrees, and caused a large sum of
+money to be distributed among the poor of the mosques, for he relied
+no longer on the hundreds of years of existence which were to come to
+him from Mount Himalaya, any more than on the powder of longevity.
+
+
+
+
+VI.
+
+THE NOSE FOR GOLD.
+
+
+Mohammed and Yousouf, young Moors, born in Aldgezaire, had loved each
+other from infancy, and increasing years only served to strengthen the
+bonds of their attachment. Besides the happiness they enjoyed in their
+mutual affection, their friendship tended also to elevate their
+characters, and make them remarkable, for every body knows that
+constant friendships are never the lot of vulgar minds. These two
+young men, therefore, raised themselves above the level of the vulgar
+herd by the fidelity of their affection; they were cited as models in
+their native city; people smiled with pleasure on seeing them pass,
+always together, ever in good humour; and although they were far from
+being rich, yet their fate was envied by every one.
+
+Mohammed and Yousouf generally dressed alike, and they had recourse to
+the same trade to gain their living. Their only trouble,--there must
+always be some in this world,--arose from the shops in which they were
+engaged during the day being separated from each other; evening, it is
+true, reunited them in the same dwelling, but that was not enough for
+them. When they married even, they contrived that it should be to each
+other's relatives. One family established itself on the first floor of
+the house, the other immediately above, and the two friends continued
+to love as heretofore, and to rejoice in their common felicity.
+
+Over and over again, during their long conversations, they would
+repeat with the reiteration usual to those to whom a subject is dear,
+some such sentiments as these:
+
+"The restless periods of youth, marriage, and commercial affairs have
+tried our friendship without altering it; it is henceforth secure from
+all changes; old age will only serve to render us dearer to each
+other, and we shall leave to our families the record and example of an
+affection which a future day will doubtless see renewed in our sons."
+
+"It is probable," they would often say, "that Allah, touched by our
+friendship upon earth, will reunite us eternally in the paradise of
+true believers, beneath fresh shades, and by the side of bubbling
+fountains, surrounded by flowers of sweet perfume."
+
+At this prospect of an eternal union, an eternal happiness, both would
+smile in anticipation, and such expressions as these they were never
+weary of repeating to each other.
+
+These two friends were about thirty years of age, when a lucky chance
+gave them the opportunity of accomplishing the dearest wish of their
+hearts, that of occupying together two small shops adjoining each
+other.
+
+An old Israelite, without family and without children, had inhabited
+them for twenty years. In one he slept and ate, not having any other
+house; in the other he displayed his merchandise; essences, amber,
+pastilles, necklaces and bracelets for the rich Moors, small
+looking-glasses, and beads of coral for the slaves; all of which he
+sold at the dearest possible price, as if he had a dozen children to
+support, and as many of his co-religionists.
+
+Mohammed and Yousouf established themselves with lively satisfaction
+in these shops, the possession of which they had so long coveted,
+without at the same time desiring the death of the old Jew. They were
+incapable of a wicked action; but the Jew being dead, as they could
+not restore him to life, they saw no harm in lawfully taking
+possession of his domicile. This event seemed to complete their
+happiness.
+
+But who can say or know what is really a good or an evil? who can
+foresee the consequences of things?
+
+Mohammed one day, while knocking a nail into the partition wall
+between his shop and that of Yousouf, discovered that this wall was
+hollow, and that it contained some pieces of metal. His first impulse
+was to call, "Yousouf! Yousouf! there is gold or silver in our wall;"
+but the next moment he thought, "I will first assure myself of what
+this part of the wall contains, and if I really make a fortunate
+discovery, I shall give Yousouf such an agreeable surprise by calling
+him to partake of it."
+
+Accordingly he waited until Yousouf should be out of the way for an
+hour or two to give him the opportunity of exploring further into his
+wall, but it so happened that Yousouf was never absent at all for
+several days following.
+
+Mohammed then said to his friend:
+
+"I fancy that something has been stolen from my shop during the night.
+I shall sleep there to-night, in order to surprise the thief, if he
+should reappear."
+
+"I shall not leave thee alone here all night," replied Yousouf, "but
+shall sleep also in my shop by the side of thee."
+
+Mohammed in vain strove to oppose the resolution of his friend; he
+could not revisit his shop alone in the evening, and for several days
+following, Yousouf seeing that he appeared pensive and uneasy, quitted
+him less than ever, and said to him with the solicitude of true
+friendship:
+
+"Thou seemest sad! Thy wife and thy sons, are they ill? Regrettest
+thou what has been taken from thy shop? Compensate thyself for thy
+loss by selecting whatever thou wilt from that which I possess."
+
+Mohammed thanked Yousouf, and replied with a smile:
+
+"Rest satisfied, I have no grief." He dared not add, "I have no
+secret," for he had one.
+
+In order however to put an end to the feeling of intense anxiety that
+filled his mind, he came to his shop one night unknown to Yousouf, and
+hastily detaching from the partition wall first one stone, then two or
+three more, he discovered a hundred Spanish doubloons, and eight
+four-dollar pieces. This was a perfect treasure to Mohammed, who had
+never in his life possessed more than the half of a small house, and
+the few goods exposed for sale in his shop.
+
+"We are rich," said he. "Yousouf and I can now purchase a country
+house by the sea-side, as we have so often wished. Our wives and our
+children will disport themselves in our sight. My son Ali, that
+beautiful child whom I so tenderly love, will be delighted to run
+among the trees and climb up into their topmost branches. Ah! how
+rejoiced I am, if only for his sake."
+
+Thus thinking, Mohammed took his gold and his silver, replaced, as
+well as he was able, the stones in his wall, and returned to his home,
+his mind occupied with delightful visions, and already beholding
+himself in imagination enjoying the pleasures of a delightful
+habitation by the sea-shore, with his beautiful Ali, that dear child
+whom he so tenderly loved. During two days he put off from hour to
+hour the disclosure which he had to make to Yousouf; and during those
+two days he revolved all sorts of ideas in his mind.
+
+"If I made the fortune of my son, instead of that of my friend," said
+he at length to himself, "should I be guilty? Is not a son nearer and
+dearer than all the friends in the world? Yes; but then the gold and
+silver which I have discovered belong by rights as much to Yousouf as
+to myself, for the wall whence I have taken them belongs as much to
+his shop as to mine."
+
+Unable to resolve either to share his treasure with his friend or to
+keep it for himself alone, he took the resolution of carefully
+concealing it in the chamber in which he slept, and of waiting until
+the agitation caused in his mind by so important an event should have
+somewhat subsided, to which end he hastened to secure his newly
+acquired possession.
+
+"Reflection is no crime," said he. Consequently he gave himself time
+to reflect, instead of following the first impulse of his heart and
+remaining faithful to that devotion of friendship which had hitherto
+constituted his pride and glory, and which still bore the promise of
+so rich a harvest in the future.
+
+He passed all his time then, extended during the heat of the day upon
+a mat by the side of his merchandise, and with closed eyes feigning to
+sleep, while in reality he was thinking of nothing but his treasure,
+and of what he ought to do with it.
+
+Yousouf meanwhile, impressed with the idea that his friend was
+sleeping, took every care to guard his slumbers from interruption,
+thinking as he gently fanned his fevered brow of nothing but Mohammed,
+and what he could possibly invent to divert him and render him happy.
+
+One day as Yousouf and Mohammed were reposing after their labours, an
+old hump-backed Jew with a sallow complexion and an enormous nose
+accosted Yousouf, saying:
+
+"Was it not here that Nathan Cohen, the son of David, lived about two
+years since?"
+
+"Speak low," replied Yousouf to the Jew. "My friend is asleep, and I
+would not that his slumbers should be disturbed."
+
+The Jew seated himself on the edge of Yousouf's little counter, and
+repeated his inquiry, at the same time lowering the harsh and hollow
+tones of his voice.
+
+"Yes, it was here that Nathan Cohen, the son of David, dwelt," replied
+the young Moor.
+
+"Ah!" said the old Jew, working his large and flexible nostrils, "I
+was sure of it--that is why I scent gold hidden here."
+
+"Indeed!" said Yousouf, regarding somewhat incredulously the
+extraordinary nose of his interlocutor. "Thou dost well to talk of
+smelling gold or silver either. Thy olfactory nerves are of the
+strongest no doubt, nevertheless I fear me they are at fault in this
+dwelling, where gold and silver but seldom make their appearance."
+
+"They are not often to be seen here," replied the Jew; "I know that
+full well; they are not heard here either, for the earth conceals them
+both from sight and sound. But remove them from the envious ground
+that covers them, and they will dazzle thine eyes and charm thine
+ears."
+
+"Indeed!" said Yousouf, laughing. "Thou art the bearer of good news.
+How much dost thou demand for thy reward?"
+
+"I would have thee share with me all that I shall cause to be
+discovered in thy house by means of the marvellous sense of smelling
+with which I am endowed, and at which thou now jestest."
+
+"Share with thee!" exclaimed Yousouf. "Oh no, indeed! If I were
+fortunate enough to discover a treasure, it is with my friend Mohammed
+that I should hasten to share it."
+
+"But thou wilt have nothing to share with him if I do not disclose to
+thee the spot where thy treasure lies concealed."
+
+"Perhaps so. But if I put any confidence in thy nose, what prevents me
+from turning my whole shop topsy-turvy, digging up the floor, and
+pulling down the walls and the shelves?"
+
+The Jew slowly regarded the ground, the walls, and the shelves, as
+they were severally named by Yousouf; then he said in an ironical
+manner:
+
+"Thou wouldst not do much harm if thou wert to demolish all around
+thee; but to save thyself so much trouble and labour, thou hadst far
+better give me at least one-third of what I shall discover in thy
+dwelling. The other two-thirds can be for thyself and thy friend, if
+thou art fool enough not to wish to keep all for thyself."
+
+"Ah, it may suit such a man as thou to call him who prefers friendship
+to money a fool! But in spite of all thy arguments I shall never
+change, and I shall love Mohammed better than all the money in the
+world."
+
+"As you please. It remains to be seen if Mohammed would do the same
+for you."
+
+"I have not the slightest doubt of it," replied Yousouf.
+
+The Jew uttered a suppressed laugh.
+
+"And I have every doubt of it," said he. "I doubt even _thy_ future
+disinterestedness, notwithstanding the warmth of thy discourse.
+Yousouf! Yousouf! thou hast not yet beheld the dazzling brilliancy of
+gold! It is the lustre of this metal which charms the eyes and wins
+the heart of man. Once let him see gold before him, and know that he
+has the power to possess himself of it, and adieu to every other
+thought. Gold! why it is the thing to be most desired in the world.
+Possessed of gold, what can we not enjoy? a fine house, smiling
+pasturage, blooming gardens, rich stuffs, divans, perfumes, all, in
+short, that renders life desirable!"
+
+"That is very true," replied Yousouf. "We can procure many things with
+gold; but still gold cannot purchase youth, gaiety, friendship, or
+even a good appetite or sound sleep. Leave me then in peace with thy
+discoveries, and if thou art so skilled in the art of scenting gold,
+learn also to scan the disposition of him to whom thou addressest
+thyself."
+
+"Then thou wilt not consent to give me the third of what I know to be
+here, hidden though it may be?"
+
+"Decidedly not," replied Yousouf. "I have no faith in thy ridiculous
+pretensions; moreover, I do not know thee, and have never seen thee
+either in the public walks, the streets, or elsewhere."
+
+"I have just returned from a long journey," replied the old man; "my
+name is Ephraim. When I quitted this city, thou wert but sixteen
+years of age; my friend Nathan Cohen, son of David, was then very old:
+he has been dead, they say, these two years."
+
+"And so thou comest to exercise thy sense of smelling in thy
+accustomed haunt," said Yousouf gaily; "and seest thou not then that
+there is some power in friendship, since it is the memory of a friend
+that brings thee hither?"
+
+"Ah! it is not the memory of the past, but hope for the future,"
+replied the old Jew. "So long as our friends are alive they may be
+useful, though that is a thing that very rarely happens; but when they
+are dead, what is the use of thinking any more of them?"
+
+Yousouf, wearied out with so much discussion, said at length to
+Ephraim:
+
+"Come, come, enough of this! Leave this place; thy voice will, I am
+sure, awaken my friend, and prevent him from sleeping, as he delights
+to do during the heat of the day."
+
+"Do not let us awaken him," replied the Jew, "but let us remove the
+ground there beneath thy feet. I will hope that a feeling of gratitude
+may induce thee to bestow upon me a portion of what I shall discover
+for thee."
+
+So saying, the Jew drew a long iron pickaxe from beneath his dirty
+brown tunic, and began to break up the ground around the feet of
+Yousouf. The latter regarded the old man--his prodigious nose inflated
+by the hope of gain--with a smile of derision. But in a short space of
+time their eyes were dazzled by a sight of the precious metal. The Jew
+had, indeed, succeeded in disinterring a veritable treasure.
+
+"Let us now count this gold and silver," said he.
+
+They took it, and counted it, and found that Yousouf had suddenly
+become the possessor of five hundred Spanish doubloons, and sixty
+four-dollar pieces. He could scarcely believe his eyes.
+
+"Well," said the Jew, "what sayest thou? have I lied to thee, or
+deceived myself? Come, let us see now what thou art going to give me
+in reward for my pains."
+
+"I will awaken Mohammed," said Yousouf, "and he and I will certainly
+give thee something as a recompense."
+
+"Yousouf!" said the Jew, arresting the young Moor by the arm, "reflect
+a moment before awakening thy friend. Would it not be better to keep
+this treasure for thyself and for thy sons? Hast thou not children,
+and are not children much dearer than a friend?"
+
+"If I have children," replied Yousouf, "Mohammed has them also. We
+loved each other before they were born, and we know how to be good
+fathers without being faithless friends."
+
+At this moment Mohammed, who had not awaked, for the very sufficient
+reason that he had not been asleep, started as if he had been stung by
+a thousand mosquitoes at once, and rose with a sudden bound. The
+concluding words of Yousouf had awakened a feeling of remorse within
+his breast.
+
+"Yousouf! Yousouf!" said he to his friend, "I have heard all. Yes,
+every thing, and thy sincere friendship, tried by time and tried by
+gold, is now the sole treasure I desire."
+
+"I know for how long a time thou hast thought thus," replied Yousouf.
+"But since Allah has chosen to make us rich, let us not disdain the
+blessing which he sends. He it was who first inspired us with the wish
+for these two little shops, and who has bestowed them upon us. It is
+he who has conducted hither this Jew who has been the instrument of
+our discovering this treasure. Let us offer our thanks to Allah, and
+let us give to Ephraim that which is meet and right."
+
+"Be that as thou only wilt," said Mohammed with a preoccupied air.
+"Thou art just and righteous, and thy thoughts are pure in the sight
+of Allah."
+
+Yousouf paid no great heed to this friendly eulogium, but continued
+gaily:
+
+"Since thou permittest me to be the sole arbiter in the affair, this
+is my decision."
+
+Then, turning towards Ephraim: "Thou shalt be more or less
+recompensed," said he, "according to the candour with which thou
+repliest to my question. Come, then, answer me truly, hast thou
+really, thanks to the singular form of thy nose, so fine a sense of
+smell as to be able to trace any metal whatever, either under ground
+or elsewhere?"
+
+"Yes," said the Jew, "I possess this rare faculty, thanks to my nose;
+and to give thee a farther proof of it, I declare that I can again
+scent in this spot in the wall a sum of gold and silver, the exact
+amount of which I cannot enumerate."
+
+Mohammed turned pale at these words. "In this wall?" said he.
+
+"Yes. Suffer me to make a little hole with this gimlet here, and you
+will see if I speak falsely."
+
+"Dig where thou wilt," replied Yousouf; "we have no right to prevent
+thee after the discovery thou hast just made here."
+
+The Jew instantly set to work at the wall, but it was now his turn to
+be astonished, for the wall, hollow it is true, was guiltless of gold
+or silver either.
+
+Yousouf burst out laughing at the disconcerted and stupified look of
+the old Jew.
+
+"Never mind," said he, "thy nose has deceived thee for once; but thou
+must not let that discourage thee. Still, hadst thou frankly told me
+that as a friend of old Nathan Cohen thou knewest where he had hidden
+his treasure, in return for thy confidence I should have given thee a
+quarter of what thou hast found; but since thou hast persisted in
+assuring me that thy nose is gifted with supernatural powers, I shall
+give thee much less. Besides, with such a nose as thine no one can
+doubt but thy fortune is made."
+
+"Ah!" cried the Jew, clasping his withered and wrinkled hands,
+"Yousouf! Yousouf! since thou art good and just, as Mohammed says,
+take pity on my poverty; it impelled me to deal falsely with thee; I
+confess it now; and spite of its singular form, my nose has nothing
+but what is common to other noses. Accord then to my tardy sincerity
+that which thou wouldst at first have given me."
+
+Yousouf consulted Mohammed again, who replied thus:
+
+"Thou art just and pious; act according to thy own desire."
+
+Yousouf then counted out to the old Jew the fourth part of what he had
+just found, thus rendering him happy for the remainder of his days.
+
+Then, finding himself alone with his friend, he began to divide into
+two equal parts the gold and silver which remained.
+
+"Give me none! give me none, Yousouf!" exclaimed Mohammed, "I am no
+longer deserving of thy friendship."
+
+"Thou!" said Yousouf, "art thou mad? what sayst thou?"
+
+"I speak the melancholy truth," cried Mohammed; "I have not a noble
+heart like thine. Some time since I discovered in the wall the gold
+and silver which the Jew thought to find there; but instead of saying
+as thou hast done, 'I will share it with my friend,' I put off from
+day to day the fulfilment of this sacred duty. Ah, Yousouf, I am
+unworthy of thy friendship, and am very unhappy!"
+
+Yousouf remained silent for a few moments, but soon his brow grew
+clear, and a pleasing smile diffused itself over his features and
+illuminated his fine dark eyes.
+
+"What man," said he, "is entirely master over his own thoughts? Thou
+didst hesitate, sayst thou, before confiding to me the discovery thou
+hadst made. That may be, but thou wouldst not have failed to do so at
+last. Thou wouldst never have been able to behold thyself rich,
+knowing me to be poor, and to sit at a feast whilst I lived upon black
+bread. Thou didst not thoroughly understand the wants and feelings of
+thy heart: that is all. Thou didst not at once perceive wherein lies
+true happiness, for which reason thou hast caused thyself much
+uneasiness. It is over now; our friendship has been tried by gold;
+nothing remains for us but to enjoy the good fortune that has befallen
+us. Let us seek to do so like wise men, and never let us forget to set
+apart for the poor a portion of that which Allah has bestowed upon
+us."
+
+The two friends agreed therefore to give a hundred doubloons to the
+poor of the great mosque. Then with the rest of their treasure they
+purchased a beautiful country house not far from the sea, on the coast
+of Punta Pescada. There they lived happily for many long years, always
+admired and esteemed for their mutual affection, and for the goodness
+of their hearts; for, strange to say, their sudden and unexpected
+change of fortune never served to render them callous to the poor, nor
+indifferent to the wants and troubles of their fellow-creatures.
+
+
+
+
+VII.
+
+THE STORY OF THE TREASURES OF BASRA.
+
+
+All historians agree that the caliph Haroun-al-Raschid would have been
+the most perfect prince of his time, as he was also the most powerful,
+if he had not so often given way both to anger and to an insupportable
+vanity. He was always saying that no prince in the world was so
+generous as himself. Giafar, his chief vizir, being at last quite
+disgusted with his boasting, took the liberty to say to him one day,
+"Oh, my sovereign lord, monarch of the world, pardon your slave if he
+dares to represent to you that you ought not thus to praise yourself.
+Leave that to your subjects and the crowds of strangers who frequent
+your court. Content yourself with the knowledge that the former thank
+heaven for being born in your dominions, and that the latter
+congratulate themselves on having quitted their country to come and
+live under your laws." Haroun was very angry at these words; he looked
+sternly at his vizir, and asked him if he knew any one who could be
+compared to himself in generosity.
+
+"Yes, my lord," answered Giafar, "there is in the town of Basra a
+young man named Aboulcassem, who, though a private individual, lives
+in more magnificence than kings, and without excepting even your
+majesty, no prince is more generous than this man."
+
+The caliph reddened at these words, his eyes flashed with anger. "Do
+you know," he said, "that a subject who has the audacity to lie to his
+master merits death?"
+
+"I have said nothing but the truth," replied the vizir. "During my
+last visit to Basra I saw this Aboulcassem; I stayed at his house; my
+eyes, though accustomed to your treasures, were surprised at his
+riches, and I was charmed with the generosity of his manners."
+
+At these words the impetuous Haroun could no longer contain his anger.
+"You are most insolent," he cried, "to place a private individual on
+an equality with myself! Your imprudence shall not remain unpunished."
+
+So saying, he made a sign for the captain of his guards to approach,
+and commanded him to arrest the vizir Giafar. He then went to the
+apartment of the princess Zobeide his wife, who grew pale with fear on
+seeing his irritated countenance.
+
+"What is the matter, my lord?" said she; "what causes you to be thus
+agitated?"
+
+Haroun told her all that had passed, and complained of his vizir in
+terms that soon made Zobeide comprehend how enraged he was with the
+minister. This wise princess advised him to suspend his resentment,
+and send some one to Basra to ascertain the truth of Giafar's
+assertion; if it was false, she argued, the vizir should be punished;
+on the contrary, if it proved true, which she could not believe, it
+was not just to treat him as a criminal. This discourse calmed the
+fury of the caliph.
+
+"I approve of this counsel, madam," said he, "and will acknowledge
+that I owe this justice to such a minister as Giafar. I will do still
+more; as any other person I charged with this office might, from an
+aversion to my vizir, give me a false statement, I will myself go to
+Basra and judge of the truth of this report. I will make acquaintance
+with this young man, whose generosity is thus extolled; if Giafar has
+told me true, I will load him with benefits instead of punishing him
+for his frankness; but I swear he shall forfeit his life if I find he
+has told me a falsehood."
+
+As soon as Haroun had formed this resolution he thought of nothing but
+how to execute it. One night he secretly left the palace, mounted his
+horse, and left the city, not wishing any one to follow him, though
+Zobeide entreated him not to go alone. Arriving at Basra, he
+dismounted at the first caravansary he found on entering the city, the
+landlord of which seemed a good old man.
+
+"Father," said Haroun, "is it true that there is in this city a young
+man called Aboulcassem, who surpasses even kings in magnificence and
+generosity?"
+
+"Yes, my lord," answered the landlord; "and if I had a hundred mouths,
+and in each mouth a hundred tongues, I could not relate to you all his
+generous actions." As the caliph had now need of some repose, he
+retired to rest after partaking of a slight refreshment. He was up
+very early in the morning, and walked about until sunrise. Then he
+approached a tailor's shop and asked for the dwelling of Aboulcassem.
+"From what country do you come?" said the tailor; "most certainly you
+have never been at Basra before, or you would have heard where the
+lord Aboulcassem lives; why, his house is better known than the palace
+of the king."
+
+The caliph answered, "I am a stranger; I know no one in this city, and
+I shall be obliged if you will conduct me to this lord's house."
+
+Upon that the tailor ordered one of his boys to show the caliph the
+way to the residence of Aboulcassem. It was a large house built of
+stone, with a doorway of marble and jasper. The prince entered the
+court, where there was a crowd of servants and liberated slaves who
+were amusing themselves in different ways while they awaited the
+orders of their master. He approached one of them and said, "Friend, I
+wish you would take the trouble to go to the lord Aboulcassem and tell
+him a stranger wishes to see him." The domestic judged from the
+appearance of Haroun that he was no common man. He ran to apprise his
+master, who coming into the court took the stranger by the hand and
+conducted him to a very beautiful saloon. The caliph then told the
+young man, that having heard him mentioned in terms of praise, he had
+become desirous of seeing him, and had travelled to Basra for that
+purpose. Aboulcassem modestly replied to this compliment, and seating
+his guest on a sofa, asked of what country and profession he was, and
+where he lodged at Basra.
+
+"I am a merchant of Bagdad," replied the caliph, "and I have taken a
+lodging at the first caravansary I found on my arrival."
+
+After they had conversed for a short time there entered twelve pages
+bearing vases of agate and rock crystal, enriched with precious
+stones, and full of the most exquisite beverages. They were followed
+by twelve very beautiful female slaves, some carrying china bowls
+filled with fruit and flowers, and others golden caskets containing
+conserves of an exquisite flavour. The pages presented their beverages
+to the caliph; the prince tasted them, and though accustomed to the
+most delicious that could be obtained in the East, he acknowledged
+that he had never tasted better. As it was now near the hour for
+dinner, Aboulcassem conducted his guest to another room, where they
+found a table covered with the choicest delicacies served on dishes of
+massive gold. The repast finished, the young man took the caliph by
+the hand and led him to a third room more richly furnished than the
+two others. Here the slaves brought a prodigious quantity of gold
+vases, enriched with rubies, filled with all sorts of rare wines, and
+china plates containing dried sweetmeats. While the host and his guest
+were partaking of these delicious wines there entered singers and
+musicians, who commenced a concert, with which Haroun was enchanted.
+"I have," he said to himself, "the most admirable voices in _my_
+palace, but I must confess they cannot bear comparison with these. I
+do not understand how a private individual can live in such
+magnificence."
+
+Amongst the voices there was one in particular the extraordinary
+sweetness of which attracted the attention of the prince, and whilst
+he was absorbed in listening to it Aboulcassem left the room and
+returned a moment after holding in one hand a wand, and in the other a
+little tree whose stem was of silver, the branches and leaves
+emeralds, and the fruit rubies. On the top of this tree was a golden
+peacock beautifully executed, the body of which was filled with amber,
+essence of aloes, and other perfumes. He placed this tree at the
+caliph's feet; then striking the head of the peacock with his wand,
+the bird extended its wings and tail, and moved itself quickly to the
+right and left, whilst at each movement of its body the most
+odoriferous perfumes filled the apartment. The caliph was so
+astonished and delighted that he could not take his eyes off the tree
+and the peacock, and he was just going to express his admiration when
+Aboulcassem suddenly took them away. Haroun was offended at this, and
+said to himself, "What does all this mean? It appears to me this young
+man does not merit so much praise. He takes away the tree and the
+peacock when he sees me occupied in looking at them more than he
+likes. Is he afraid I want him to make me a present? I fear Giafar is
+mistaken in calling him a generous man." He was thus thinking when
+Aboulcassem returned accompanied by a little page as beautiful as the
+sun. This lovely child was dressed in gold brocade covered with pearls
+and diamonds. He held in his hand a cup made of one single ruby, and
+filled with wine of a purple colour. He approached the caliph, and
+prostrating himself to the ground, presented the cup. The prince
+extended his hand to receive it, but, wonderful to relate, he
+perceived on giving back the cup to the page, that though he had
+emptied the cup, it was still quite full. He put it again to his lips
+and emptied it to the very last drop. He then placed it again in the
+hands of the page, and at the same moment saw it filling without any
+one approaching it. The surprise of Haroun was extreme at this
+wonderful circumstance, which made him forget the tree and the
+peacock. He asked how it was accomplished. "My lord," said
+Aboulcassem, "it is the work of an ancient sage who was acquainted
+with most of the secrets of nature;" and then, taking the page by the
+hand, he precipitately left the apartment. The caliph was indignant at
+this behaviour. "I see how it is," said he, "this young man has lost
+his senses. He brings me all these curiosities of his own accord, he
+presents them to my view, and when he perceives my admiration, he
+instantly removes his treasures. I never experienced treatment so
+ridiculous or uncourteous. Ah, Giafar! I thought you a better judge of
+men."
+
+In this manner they continued amusing themselves till sunset. Then
+Haroun said to the young man, "Oh, generous Aboulcassem, I am confused
+with the reception you have given me; permit me now to retire and
+leave you to repose." The young lord of Basra not wishing to
+inconvenience his guest, politely saluted him, and conducted him to
+the door of the house, apologizing for not having received him in a
+more magnificent style. "I quite acknowledge," said the caliph on
+returning to his caravansary, "that for magnificence Aboulcassem
+surpasses kings, but for generosity, there my vizir was wrong in
+placing him in comparison with myself; for what present has he made me
+during my visit? I was lavish in my praises of the tree, the cup, and
+the page, and I should have thought my admiration would have induced
+him to offer me, at least, one of these things. No, this man is
+ostentatious; he feels a pleasure in displaying his riches to the eyes
+of strangers. And why? Only to satisfy his pride and vanity. In
+reality he is a miser, and I ought not to pardon Giafar for thus
+deceiving me." Whilst making these disagreeable reflections on his
+minister, he arrived at the caravansary. But what was his astonishment
+on finding there silken carpets, magnificent tents, a great number of
+servants, slaves, horses, mules, camels, and besides all these, the
+tree and the peacock, and the page with his cup? The domestics
+prostrated themselves before him, and presented a roll of silk paper,
+on which were written these words, "Dear and amiable guest, I have
+not, perhaps, shown you the respect which is your due; I pray you to
+forget any appearance of neglect in my manner of receiving you, and do
+not distress me by refusing the little presents I have sent you. As to
+the tree, the peacock, the page, and the cup, since they please you,
+they are yours already, for any thing that delights my guests ceases
+to be mine from that instant." When the caliph had finished reading
+this letter, he was astounded at the liberality of Aboulcassem, and
+remembered how wrongly he had judged the young man. "A thousand
+blessings," cried he, "on my vizir Giafar! He has caused me to be
+undeceived. Ah, Haroun, never again boast of being the most
+magnificent and generous of men! one of your subjects surpasses you.
+But how is a private individual able to make such presents? I ought to
+have asked where he amassed such riches; I was wrong not to have
+questioned him on this point: I must not return to Bagdad without
+investigating this affair. Besides, it concerns me to know why there
+is a man in my dominions who leads a more princely life than myself. I
+must see him again, and try to discover by what means he has acquired
+such an immense fortune."
+
+Impatient to satisfy his curiosity, he left his new servants in the
+caravansary, and returned immediately to the young man's residence.
+When he found himself in his presence he said, "Oh, too amiable
+Aboulcassem, the presents you have made me are so valuable, that I
+fear I cannot accept them without abusing your generosity. Permit me
+to send them back before I return to Bagdad, and publish to the world
+your magnificence and generous hospitality." "My lord," answered the
+young man with a mortified air, "you certainly must have had reason to
+complain of the unhappy Aboulcassem; I fear some of his actions have
+displeased you, since you reject his presents; you would not have done
+me this injury, if you were satisfied with me."
+
+"No," replied the prince, "heaven is my witness that I am enchanted
+with your politeness; but your presents are too costly; they surpass
+those of kings, and if I dared tell you what I think, you would be
+less prodigal with your riches, and remember that they may soon be
+exhausted."
+
+Aboulcassem smiled at these words and said to the caliph, "My lord, I
+am very glad to learn that it is not to punish me for having committed
+any fault against yourself that you wished to refuse my presents; and
+now to oblige you to accept them, I will tell you that every day I can
+make the same and even more magnificent ones without inconveniencing
+myself. I see," added he, "that this astonishes you, but you will
+cease to be surprised when I have told you all the adventures which
+have happened to me. It is necessary that I should thus confide in
+you."
+
+Upon this he conducted Haroun to a room a thousand times richer and
+more ornamented than any of the others. The most exquisite essences
+perfumed this apartment, in which was a throne of gold placed on the
+richest carpets. Haroun could not believe he was in the house of a
+subject; he imagined he must be in the abode of a prince infinitely
+more powerful than himself. The young man made him mount the throne,
+and placing himself by his side, commenced the history of his life.
+
+
+HISTORY OF ABOULCASSEM.
+
+I am the son of a jeweller of Cairo, named Abdelaziz. He possessed
+such immense riches, that fearing to draw upon himself the envy or
+avarice of the sultan of Egypt, he quitted his native country and
+established himself at Basra, where he married the only daughter of
+the richest merchant in that city. I am the only child of that
+marriage, so that inheriting the estates of both my parents I became
+possessed on their death of a very splendid fortune. But I was young,
+I liked extravagance, and having wherewith to exercise my liberal
+propensities, or rather my prodigality, I lived with so much
+profusion, that in less than three years my fortune was dissipated.
+Then, like all who repent of their foolish conduct, I made the most
+promising resolutions for the future.
+
+After the life I had led at Basra, I thought it better to leave that
+place, for it seemed to me my misery would be more supportable among
+strangers. Accordingly I sold my house, and left the city before
+daybreak. When it was light I perceived a caravan of merchants who had
+encamped on a spot of ground near me. I joined them, and as they were
+on their road to Bagdad, where I also wished to go, I departed with
+them; I arrived there without accident, but soon found myself in a
+very miserable situation. I was without money, and of all my large
+fortune there remained but one gold sequin. In order to do something
+for a living I changed my sequin into aspres, and purchased some
+preserved apples, sweetmeats, balms, and roses. With these I went
+every day to the house of a merchant where many persons of rank and
+others were accustomed to assemble and converse together. I presented
+to them in a basket what I had to sell. Each took what he liked, and
+never failed to remunerate me, so that by this little commerce I
+contrived to live very comfortably. One day as I was as usual selling
+flowers at the merchant's house, there was seated in a corner of the
+room an old man, of whom I took no notice, and on perceiving that I
+did not address him, he called me and said, "My friend, how comes it
+that you do not offer your merchandise to me as well as the others? Do
+you take me for a dishonest man, or imagine that my purse is empty?"
+
+"My lord," answered I, "I pray you pardon me. All that I have is at
+your service, I ask nothing for it." At the same time I offered him my
+basket; he took some perfume, and told me to sit down by him. I did
+so, and he asked me a number of questions, who I was, and what was my
+name.
+
+"Excuse me satisfying your curiosity," said I, sighing; "I cannot do
+so without reopening wounds which time is beginning to heal."
+
+These words, or the tone in which I uttered them, prevented the old
+man from questioning me further. He changed the discourse, and after a
+long conversation, on rising to depart he took out his purse and gave
+me ten gold sequins. I was greatly surprised at this liberality. The
+wealthiest lords to whom I had been accustomed to present my basket
+had never given me even one sequin, and I could not tell what to make
+of this man.
+
+On the morrow, when I returned to the merchants, I again found my old
+friend; and for many days he continued to attract my attention. At
+length, one day, as I was addressing him after he had taken a little
+balm from my basket, he made me again sit by him, and pressed me so
+earnestly to relate my history, that I could not refuse him. I
+informed him of all that had happened to me; after this confidence he
+said:
+
+"Young man, I knew your father. I am a merchant of Basra; I have no
+child, and have conceived a friendship for you; I will adopt you as my
+son, therefore console yourself for your past misfortunes. You have
+found a father richer by far than Abdelaziz, and who will have as much
+affection for you." I thanked the venerable old man for the honour he
+did me, and followed him as he left the house. He made me throw away
+my basket of flowers, and conducted me to a large mansion that he had
+hired. There I was lodged in a spacious apartment with slaves to wait
+on me, and by his order they brought me rich clothes. One would have
+thought my father Abdelaziz again lived, and it seemed as if I had
+never known sorrow. When the merchant had finished the business that
+detained him at Bagdad,--namely, when he had sold the merchandise he
+brought with him,--we both took the road to Basra. My friends, who
+never thought to see me again, were not a little surprised to hear I
+had been adopted by a man who passed for the richest merchant in the
+city. I did my best to please the old man. He was charmed with my
+behaviour. "Aboulcassem," he often said to me, "I am enchanted that I
+met you at Bagdad. You appear worthy of all I have done for you." I
+was touched with the kindness he evinced for me, and far from abusing
+it, endeavoured to do all I could to please my kind benefactor.
+Instead of seeking companions of my own age, I always kept in his
+company, scarcely ever leaving him. At last this good old man fell
+sick, and the physicians despaired of his life. When he was at the
+last extremity he made all but myself leave him, and then said, "Now
+is the time, my son, to reveal to you a most important secret. If I
+had only this house with all its riches to bequeath, I should leave
+you but a moderate fortune; but all that I have amassed during the
+course of my life, though considerable for a merchant, is nothing in
+comparison to the treasure that is concealed here, and which I am now
+about to reveal to you. I shall not tell you how long ago, by whom, or
+in what manner it was found, for I am ignorant of that myself; all I
+know is, that my grandfather, when dying, told the secret to my
+father, who also made me acquainted with it a few days before his
+death. But," continued he, "I have one advice to give you, and take
+care you do not slight it. You are naturally generous. When you are at
+liberty to follow your own inclinations, you will no doubt be lavish
+of your riches. You will receive with magnificence any strangers who
+may come to your house. You will load them with presents, and will do
+good to all who implore your assistance. This conduct, which I much
+approve of if you can keep it within bounds, will at last be the cause
+of your ruin. The splendour of your establishment will excite the envy
+of the king of Basra, and the avarice of his ministers. They will
+suspect you of having some hidden treasure. They will spare no means
+to discover it, and will imprison you. To prevent this misfortune, you
+have only to follow my example. I have always, as well as my
+grandfather and father, carried on my business and enjoyed this
+treasure without ostentation; we have never indulged in any
+extravagance calculated to surprise the world."
+
+I faithfully promised the merchant I would imitate his prudence. He
+told me where I should find the treasure, and assured me that whatever
+idea I might have formed of its splendour, I should find the reality
+far exceed my expectations. At last, when the generous old man died,
+I, as his sole heir, performed for him the last offices, and, taking
+possession of his property, of which this house is a part, proceeded
+at once to see this treasure. I confess to you, my lord, that I was
+thunderstruck. I found it to be, if not inexhaustible, at least so
+vast that I could never expend it, even if heaven were to permit me to
+live beyond the age of man. My resolution therefore was at once
+formed, and instead of keeping the promise I made to the old merchant,
+I spend my riches freely. It is my boast that there is no one in Basra
+who has not benefited by my generosity. My house is open to all who
+desire my aid, and they leave it perfectly contented. Do you call it
+_possessing_ a treasure if it must not be touched? And can I make a
+better use of it than by endeavouring to relieve the unhappy, to
+receive strangers with liberality, and to lead a life of generosity
+and charity? Every one thought I should be ruined a second time.
+
+"If Aboulcassem," said they, "had all the treasures of the commander
+of the faithful, he would spend them."
+
+But they were much astonished, when, instead of seeing my affairs in
+disorder, they, on the contrary, appeared every day to become more
+flourishing. No one could imagine how my fortune increased, while I
+was thus squandering it. As the old man predicted, a feeling of envy
+was excited against me. A rumour prevailed that I had found a
+treasure. This was sufficient to attract the attention of a number of
+persons greedy of gain. The lieutenant of police at Basra came to see
+me.
+
+"I am," said he, "the daroga, and am come to demand where the treasure
+is which enables you to live in such magnificence."
+
+I trembled at these words, and remained silent. He guessed from my
+confused air that his suspicions were not without foundation; but
+instead of compelling me to discover my treasure, "My lord
+Aboulcassem," continued he, "I exercise my office as a man of sense.
+Make me some present worthy of my discretion in this affair, and I
+will retire."
+
+"How much do you ask?" said I.
+
+"I will content myself with ten gold sequins a day."
+
+"That is not enough--I will give you a hundred. You have only to come
+here every day or every month, and my treasurer will count them out
+to you."
+
+The lieutenant of police was transported with joy at hearing these
+words. "My lord," said he, "I wish that you could find a thousand
+treasures. Enjoy your fortune in peace; I shall never dispute your
+possession of it." Then taking a large sum of money in advance he went
+his way.
+
+A short time after the vizir Aboulfatah-Waschi sent for me, and,
+taking me into his cabinet, said:
+
+"Young man, I hear you have discovered a treasure. You know the fifth
+part belongs to God; you must give it to the king. Pay the fifth, and
+you shall remain the quiet possessor of the other four parts."
+
+I answered him thus: "My lord, I acknowledge that I _have_ found a
+treasure, but I swear to you at the same time that I will confess
+nothing, though I should be torn in pieces. But I promise to give you
+every day a thousand gold sequins, provided you leave me in peace."
+
+Aboulfatah was as tractable as the lieutenant of police. He sent his
+confidential servant, and my treasurer gave him thirty thousand
+sequins for the first month. This vizir, fearing no doubt that the
+king of Basra would hear of what had passed, thought it better to
+inform him himself of the circumstance. The prince listened very
+attentively, and thinking the affair required investigating, sent to
+summon me. He received me with a smiling countenance, saying:
+
+"Approach, young man, and answer me what I shall ask you. Why do you
+not show me your treasure? Do you think me so unjust, that I shall
+take it from you?"
+
+"Sire," replied I, "may the life of your majesty be prolonged for
+ages; but if you commanded my flesh to be torn with burning pincers I
+would not discover my treasure; I consent every day to pay to your
+majesty two thousand gold sequins. If you refuse to accept them, and
+think proper that I should die, you have only to order it; but I am
+ready to suffer all imaginable torments, sooner than satisfy your
+curiosity."
+
+The king looked at his vizir as I said this, and demanded his opinion.
+
+"Sire," said the minister, "the sum he offers you is considerable--it
+is of itself a real treasure. Send the young man back, only let him be
+careful to keep his word with your majesty."
+
+The king followed this advice; he loaded me with caresses, and from
+that time, according to my agreement, I pay every year to the prince,
+the vizir, and the lieutenant of police, more than one million sixty
+thousand gold sequins. This, my lord, is all I have to tell you. You
+will now no longer be surprised at the presents I have made you, nor
+at what you have seen in my house.
+
+
+CONCLUSION OF THE STORY OF THE TREASURES OF BASRA.
+
+When Aboulcassem had finished the recital of his adventures, the
+caliph, animated with a violent desire to see the treasure, said to
+him, "Is it possible that there is in the world a treasure that your
+generosity can never exhaust? No! I cannot believe it, and if it was
+not exacting too much from you, my lord, I would ask to see what you
+possess, and I swear never to reveal what you may confide to me." The
+son of Abdelaziz appeared grieved at this speech of the caliph's. "I
+am sorry, my lord," he said, "that you have conceived this curiosity;
+I cannot satisfy it but upon very disagreeable conditions."
+
+"Never mind," said the prince, "whatever the conditions, I submit
+without repugnance."
+
+"It is necessary," said Aboulcassem, "that I blindfold your eyes, and
+conduct you unarmed and bareheaded, with my drawn scimitar in my hand,
+ready to cut you to pieces at any moment, if you violate the laws of
+hospitality. I know very well I am acting imprudently, and ought not
+to yield to your wishes; but I rely on your promised secrecy, and
+besides that, I cannot bear to send away a guest dissatisfied."
+
+"In pity then satisfy my curiosity," said the caliph.
+
+"That cannot be just yet," replied the young man, "but remain here
+this night, and when my domestics are gone to rest I will come and
+conduct you from your apartment."
+
+He then called his people, and by the light of a number of wax tapers,
+carried by slaves in gold flambeaux, he led the prince to a
+magnificent chamber, and then retired to his own. The slaves disrobed
+the caliph, and left him to repose, after placing at the head and foot
+of his bed their lighted tapers, whose perfumed wax emitted an
+agreeable odour. Instead of taking any rest, Haroun-al-Raschid
+impatiently awaited the appearance of Aboulcassem, who did not fail to
+come for him towards the middle of the night. "My lord," he said, "all
+my servants are asleep. A profound silence reigns in my house. I will
+now show you my treasure upon the conditions I named to you."
+
+"Let us go then," said the caliph. "I am ready to follow you, and I
+again swear that you will not repent thus satisfying my curiosity."
+
+The son of Abdelaziz aided the prince to dress; then putting a bandage
+over his eyes, he said, "I am sorry, my lord, to be obliged to treat
+you thus; your appearance and your manners seem worthy of confidence,
+but--"
+
+"I approve of these precautions," interrupted the caliph, "and I do
+not take them in ill part."
+
+Aboulcassem then made him descend by a winding staircase into a garden
+of vast extent, and after many turnings they entered the place where
+the treasure was concealed. It was a deep and spacious cavern closed
+at the entrance by a stone. Passing through this they entered a long
+alley, very dark and steep, at the end of which was a large saloon,
+brilliantly lighted by carbuncles. When they arrived at this room the
+young man unbound the caliph's eyes, and the latter gazed with
+astonishment on the scene before him. A basin of white marble, fifty
+feet in circumference and thirty feet deep, stood in the middle of the
+apartment. It was full of large pieces of gold, and ranged round it
+were twelve columns of the same metal, supporting as many statues
+composed of precious stones of admirable workmanship. Aboulcassem
+conducted the prince to the edge of the basin and said to him, "This
+basin is thirty feet deep. Look at that mass of gold pieces. They are
+scarcely diminished the depth of two fingers. Do you think I shall
+soon spend all this?"
+
+Haroun, after attentively looking at the basin, replied: "Here are, I
+confess, immense riches, but you still may exhaust them."
+
+"Well," said the young man, "when this basin is empty I shall have
+recourse to what I am now going to show you."
+
+He then proceeded to another room, more brilliant still, where on a
+number of red brocaded sofas were immense quantities of pearls and
+diamonds. Here was also another marble basin, not so large or so deep
+as that filled with gold pieces, but to make up for this, full of
+rubies, topazes, emeralds, and all sorts of precious stones. Never was
+surprise equal to that of the caliph's. He could scarcely believe he
+was awake, this new basin seemed like enchantment. His gaze was still
+fixed on it, when Aboulcassem made him observe two persons seated on a
+throne of gold, who he said were the first masters of the treasure.
+They were a prince and princess, having on their heads crowns of
+diamonds. They appeared as if still alive, and were in a reclining
+posture, their heads leaning against each other. At their feet was a
+table of ebony, on which were written these words in letters of gold:
+"I have amassed all these riches during the course of a long life. I
+have taken and pillaged towns and castles, have conquered kingdoms and
+overthrown my enemies. I have been the most powerful monarch in the
+world, but all my power has yielded to that of death. Whoever sees me
+in this state ought to reflect upon it. Let him remember that once I
+was living, and that he also must die. He need not fear diminishing
+this treasure: it will never be exhausted. Let him endeavour so to use
+it as to make friends both for this world and the next. Let him lead a
+life of generosity and charity, for in the end he must also die. His
+riches cannot save him from the fate common to all men."
+
+"I will no longer disapprove of your conduct," said Haroun to the
+young man on reading these words; "you are right in living as you now
+do, and I condemn the advice given you by the old merchant. But I
+should like to know the name of this prince. What king could have
+possessed such riches? I am sorry this inscription does not inform
+us."
+
+The young man next took the caliph to see another room in which also
+there were many rarities of even greater value than what he had seen,
+amongst others several trees like the one he had given the prince.
+Haroun would willingly have passed the remainder of the night admiring
+all that was contained in this wonderful cavern, but the son of
+Abdelaziz, fearing to be observed by his servants, wished to return
+before daybreak in the same manner as they came, namely, the caliph
+blindfolded and bareheaded, and Aboulcassem with his scimitar in his
+hand, ready to cut off the prince's head if he made the least
+resistance. In this order they traversed the garden, and ascended by
+the winding stairs to the room where the caliph had slept. Finding the
+tapers still burning, they conversed together till sunrise; the caliph
+then, with many thanks for the reception he had received, returned to
+the caravansary, from whence he took the road to Bagdad, with all the
+domestics and presents he had accepted from Aboulcassem.
+
+Two days after the prince's departure, the vizir Aboulfatah, hearing
+of the magnificent gifts that Aboulcassem made to strangers when they
+came to see him, and above all astonished at the regularity of his
+payments to the king, the lieutenant, and himself, resolved to spare
+no means to discover the treasure from which he drew such
+inexhaustible supplies. This minister was one of those wicked men to
+whom the greatest crimes are nothing, when they wish to gain their own
+ends. He had a daughter eighteen years of age, and of surpassing
+beauty. She was named Balkis, and possessed every good quality of
+heart and mind. Prince Aly, nephew of the king of Basra, passionately
+loved her; he had already demanded her of her father, and they were
+soon to be married. Aboulfatah summoned Balkis one day to his presence
+and said: "My daughter, I have great need of your assistance. I wish
+you to array yourself in your richest robes, and go this evening to
+the house of the young Aboulcassem. You must do every thing to charm
+him, and oblige him to discover the treasure he has found."
+
+Balkis trembled at this speech; her countenance expressed the horror
+she felt at this command. "My lord," said she, "what is it you propose
+to your daughter? Do you know the peril to which you may expose her?
+Consider the stain on your honour, and the outrage against the prince
+Aly."
+
+"I have considered all this," answered the vizir, "but nothing will
+turn me from my resolution, and I order you to prepare to obey me."
+
+The young Balkis burst into tears at these words. "For heaven's sake,
+my father," said the weeping girl, "stifle this feeling of avarice,
+seek not to despoil this man of what is his own. Leave him to enjoy
+his riches in peace."
+
+"Be silent, insolent girl!" said the vizir angrily, "it does not
+become you to blame my actions. Answer me not. I desire you to repair
+to the house of Aboulcassem, and I swear that if you return without
+having seen his treasure, I will kill you."
+
+Balkis, hearing this dreadful alternative, retired to her apartment
+overwhelmed with grief; she called her women, and made them attire her
+in the richest apparel and most costly ornaments, though in reality
+she needed nothing to enhance her natural beauty. No young girl was
+less desirous to please than Balkis. All she feared was appearing too
+beautiful in the eyes of the son of Abdelaziz, and not sufficiently so
+to prince Aly.
+
+At length, when night arrived and Aboulfatah judged it time for his
+daughter to go, he secretly conducted her to the door of the young
+man's house, where he left her, after again declaring he would kill
+her if she returned unsuccessful. She timidly knocked and desired to
+speak to the son of Abdelaziz. A slave led her to a room where his
+master was reposing on a sofa, musing on the vicissitudes of his past
+life. As soon as Balkis appeared Aboulcassem rose to receive his
+visitor; he gravely saluted her, and, taking her hand with a
+respectful air, seated her on a sofa, at the same time inquiring why
+she honoured him by this visit. She answered, that hearing of his
+agreeable manners, she had resolved to spend an evening in his
+company.
+
+"Beautiful lady," said he, "I must thank my lucky star for procuring
+me this delightful interview; I cannot express my happiness."
+
+After some conversation supper was announced. They seated themselves
+at a table covered with choice delicacies. A great number of officers
+and pages were in attendance, but Aboulcassem dismissed them that the
+lady might not be exposed to their curious looks. He waited on her
+himself, presenting her with the best of every thing, and offering her
+wine in a gold cup enriched with diamonds and rubies. But all these
+polite attentions served but to increase the lady's uneasiness; and at
+length, frightened at the dangers which menaced her, she suddenly
+changed countenance and became pale as death, whilst her eyes filled
+with tears.
+
+"What is it, madam?" said the young man much surprised; "why this
+sudden grief? Have I said or done any thing to cause your tears to
+flow? Speak, I implore you; inform me of the cause of your sorrow."
+
+"Oh, Mahomet!" exclaimed Balkis, "I can dissimulate no longer; the
+part I am acting is insupportable. I have deceived you, Aboulcassem; I
+am a lady of rank. My father, who knows you have a hidden treasure,
+wishes me to discover where you have concealed it. He has ordered me
+to come here and spare no means to induce you to show it me. I refused
+to do so, but he has sworn to kill me if I return without being able
+to satisfy his curiosity. What an unhappy fate is mine! If I was not
+beloved by a prince who will soon marry me, this cruel vow of my
+father's would not appear so terrible."
+
+When the daughter of Aboulfatah had thus spoken, Aboulcassem said to
+her, "Madam, I am very glad you have informed me of this. You will not
+repent your noble frankness; you shall see my treasure, and be treated
+with all the respect you may desire. Do not weep, therefore, or any
+longer afflict yourself."
+
+"Ah, my lord," exclaimed Balkis at this speech, "it is not without
+reason that you pass for the most generous of men. I am charmed with
+your noble conduct, and shall not be satisfied until I have found
+means to testify my gratitude."
+
+After this conversation Aboulcassem conducted the lady to the same
+chamber that the caliph had occupied, where they remained until all
+was quiet in the dwelling. Then blindfolding the eyes of Balkis he
+said, "Pardon me, madam, for being obliged to act thus, but it is only
+on this condition that I can show you my treasure."
+
+"Do what you please, my lord," answered Balkis; "I have so much
+confidence in your generosity that I will follow wherever you desire;
+I have no fear but that of not sufficiently repaying your kindness."
+
+Aboulcassem then took her by the hand, and causing her to descend to
+the garden by the winding stairs, he entered the cavern and removed
+the bandage from her eyes. If the caliph had been surprised to see
+such heaps of gold and precious stones, Balkis was still more so.
+Every thing she saw astonished her. But the objects that most
+attracted her attention were the ancient owners of the treasure. As
+the queen had on a necklace composed of pearls as large as pigeons'
+eggs, Balkis could not avoid expressing her admiration. Aboulcassem
+detached it from the neck of the princess, and placed it round that of
+the young lady, saying her father would judge from this that she had
+seen the treasure; he then, after much persuasion, made her take a
+large quantity of precious stones which he himself chose for her.
+
+The young man then, fearing the day would dawn whilst she was looking
+at the wonders of the cavern, again placed the bandage over her eyes,
+and conducted her to a saloon where they conversed together until
+sunrise. Balkis then took leave, repeatedly assuring the son of
+Abdelaziz that she would never forget his generous conduct.
+
+She hastened to her father's and informed him of all that had passed.
+The vizir had been impatiently awaiting his daughter's return. Fearing
+she might not be sufficiently able to charm Aboulcassem, he remained
+in a state of inconceivable agitation. But when he saw her enter with
+the necklace and precious stones that Aboulcassem had given her, he
+was transported with joy.
+
+"Well, my daughter," he said, "have you seen the treasure?"
+
+"Yes, my lord," answered Balkis, "and to give you a just idea of its
+magnitude, I tell you that if all the kings of the world were to unite
+their riches, they could not be compared to those of Aboulcassem. But
+still, however vast this young man's treasures, I am less charmed with
+them than with his politeness and generosity." And she then related to
+her father the whole of her adventure.
+
+In the mean time Haroun-al-Raschid was advancing towards Bagdad. As
+soon as he arrived at his palace he set his chief vizir at liberty,
+and restored him to his confidence. He then proceeded to relate to him
+the events of his journey, and ended by asking, "Giafar, what shall I
+do? You know the gratitude of monarchs ought to surpass the pleasures
+they have received. If I should send the magnificent Aboulcassem the
+choicest and most precious treasure I possess, it will be but a slight
+gift, far inferior to the presents he has made me. How then can I
+surpass him in generosity?"
+
+"My lord," replied the vizir, "since your majesty condescends to
+consult me, I should write this day to the king of Basra and order him
+to commit the government of the state to the young Aboulcassem. We can
+soon despatch the courier, and in a few days I will depart myself to
+Basra and present the patents to the new king."
+
+The caliph approved of this advice. "You are right," he said to his
+minister, "it will be the only means of acquitting myself towards
+Aboulcassem, and of taking vengeance on the king of Basra and his
+unworthy vizir, who have concealed from me the considerable sums they
+have extorted from this young man. It is but just to punish them for
+their violence against him; they are unworthy of the situations they
+occupy."
+
+He immediately wrote to the king of Basra and despatched the courier.
+He then went to the apartment of the princess Zobeide to inform her of
+the success of his journey, and presented her with the little page,
+the tree, and the peacock. He also gave her a beautiful female slave.
+Zobeide found this slave so charming that she smilingly told the
+caliph she accepted this gift with more pleasure than all his other
+presents. The prince kept only the cup for himself; the vizir Giafar
+had all the rest; and this good minister, as he had before resolved,
+made preparations for his departure from Bagdad.
+
+The courier of the caliph no sooner arrived in the town of Basra than
+he hastened to present his despatch to the king, who was greatly
+concerned on reading it. The prince showed it to his vizir.
+"Aboulfatah," said he, "see the fatal order that I have received from
+the commander of the faithful. Can I refuse to obey it?"
+
+"Yes, my lord," answered the minister; "do not afflict yourself.
+Aboulcassem must be removed from hence. Without taking his life I will
+make every one believe he is dead. I can keep him so well concealed
+that he shall never be seen again; and by this means you will always
+remain on the throne and possess the riches of this young man; for
+when we are masters of his person we can increase his sufferings until
+he is obliged to reveal where his treasure is concealed."
+
+"Do what you like," replied the king; "but what answer shall we send
+the caliph?"
+
+"Leave that to me. The commander of the faithful will be deceived as
+well as others. Let me execute the design I meditate, and the rest
+need cause you no uneasiness."
+
+Aboulfatah then, accompanied by some courtiers who were ignorant of
+his intention, went to pay a visit to Aboulcassem. He received them
+according to their rank, regaled them magnificently, seated the vizir
+in the place of honour, and loaded him with presents without having
+the least suspicion of his perfidy. Whilst they were at table and
+partaking of the most delicious wines, the treacherous Aboulfatah
+skilfully threw unperceived into the cup of the son of Abdelaziz a
+powder which would render him insensible, and cause his body to remain
+in a state of lethargy resembling that of a corpse long deprived of
+life. The young man had no sooner taken the cup from his lips than he
+fainted away. His servants hastened to support him, but soon
+perceiving he had all the appearance of a dead man, they placed him on
+a sofa and uttered the most lamentable cries. The guests, struck with
+sudden terror, were silent from astonishment. As for Aboulfatah, it is
+impossible to say how well he dissimulated. He not only feigned the
+most immoderate grief, but tore his clothes and excited the rest of
+the company to follow his example. He ordered a coffin to be made of
+ivory and ebony, and while they were preparing it, he collected all
+the effects of Aboulcassem and placed them in the king's palace. The
+account of the young man's death soon spread abroad. All persons, men
+and women, put on mourning, and came to the door of the house, their
+heads and feet bare; old and young men, women and girls, were bathed
+in tears, filling the air with their cries and lamentations. Some said
+they had lost in him an only son, others a brother or a husband
+tenderly beloved. Rich and poor were equally afflicted at his death;
+the rich mourned a friend who had always welcomed them, and the poor a
+benefactor whose charity had never been equalled. His death caused a
+general consternation.
+
+Meanwhile the unhappy Aboulcassem was enclosed in the coffin, and a
+procession having been formed, the people, by order of Aboulfatah,
+carried him out of the town to a large cemetery containing a number of
+tombs, and amongst others a magnificent one where reposed the vizir's
+father and many others of his family. They placed the coffin in this
+tomb, and the perfidious Aboulfatah, leaning his head on his knees,
+beat his breast, and gave way apparently to the most violent grief.
+Those present pitied and prayed heaven to console him. As night
+approached the people returned to the town, but the vizir remained
+with two of his slaves in the tomb, the door of which he shut and
+double locked. They lit a fire, warmed some water in a silver basin,
+and taking Aboulcassem from the coffin, bathed him with the warm
+water. The young man by degrees regained his senses. He cast his eyes
+on Aboulfatah, whom he at once recognized. "Ah, my lord," said he,
+"where are we, and to what state am I reduced?"
+
+"Wretch!" answered the minister, "know that it is I who have caused
+your misfortune. I brought you here to have you in my power, and to
+make you suffer a thousand torments if you will not discover to me
+your treasure. I will rack your body with tortures--will invent each
+day new sufferings to render life insupportable: in a word, I will
+never cease to persecute you until you deliver me those hidden
+treasures which enable you to live with even more magnificence than
+kings."
+
+"You can do what you please," replied Aboulcassem; "I will never
+reveal my treasure."
+
+He had scarcely uttered these words, when the cruel Aboulfatah, making
+his slaves seize the unfortunate son of Abdelaziz, drew from his robe
+a whip made of twisted lion's skin, with which he struck so long and
+with such violence that the young man fainted. When the vizir saw him
+in this state, he commanded the slaves to replace him in the coffin,
+and leaving him in the tomb, which he firmly secured, returned to his
+palace.
+
+On the morrow he went to inform the king of what he had done. "Sire,"
+said he, "I tried yesterday, but in vain, to overcome the firmness of
+Aboulcassem; however, I have now prepared torments for him which I
+think he cannot resist."
+
+The prince, who was quite as barbarous as his minister, said, "Vizir,
+I am perfectly satisfied with all you have done. Ere long, I hope, we
+shall know where this treasure is concealed. But we must send back the
+courier without delay. What shall I write to the caliph?"
+
+"Tell him, my lord, that Aboulcassem, hearing he was to occupy your
+place, was so enchanted, and made such great rejoicings, that he died
+suddenly at a feast."
+
+The king approved of this advice, and writing immediately to
+Haroun-al-Raschid, despatched the courier. The vizir, flattering
+himself that he should at length be able to force Aboulcassem to
+reveal his treasure, left the town, resolving to extract the secret or
+leave him to perish. But on arriving at the tomb, he was surprised to
+find the door open. He entered trembling, and not seeing the son of
+Abdelaziz in the coffin, he nearly lost his senses. Returning
+instantly to the palace, he related to the king what had occurred. The
+monarch, seized with a mortal terror, exclaimed, "Oh, Waschi! what
+will become of us? Since this young man has escaped, we are lost. He
+will not fail to hasten to Bagdad, and acquaint the caliph with all
+that has taken place."
+
+Aboulfatah, on his part, in despair that the victim of his avarice was
+no longer in his power, said to the king his master, "What would I now
+give to have taken his life yesterday! He would not then have caused
+us such uneasiness. But we will not quite despair yet; if he has taken
+flight, as no doubt he has, he cannot be very far from here. Let me
+take some soldiers of your guard, and search in all the environs of
+the town; I hope still to find him."
+
+The king instantly consented to so important a step. He assembled all
+his soldiers, and dividing them into two bodies, gave the command of
+one to his vizir, and placing himself at the head of the other,
+prepared with his troops to search in all parts of his kingdom.
+
+Whilst they were seeking Aboulcassem in the villages, woods, and
+mountains, the vizir Giafar, who was already on the road to Basra, met
+the courier returning, who said to him, "My lord, it is useless for
+you to proceed further, if Aboulcassem is the sole cause of your
+journey, for this young man is dead; his funeral took place some days
+past; my eyes were witnesses of the mournful ceremony."
+
+Giafar, who had looked forward with pleasure to see the new king, and
+present his patents, was much afflicted at his death. He shed tears on
+hearing the sad news, and, thinking it was useless to continue his
+journey, retraced his steps. As soon as he arrived at Bagdad, he went
+with the courier to the palace. The sadness of his countenance
+informed the king he had some misfortune to announce.
+
+"Ah, Giafar!" exclaimed the prince, "you have soon returned. What are
+you come to tell me?'
+
+"Commander of the faithful," answered the vizir, "you do not, I am
+sure, expect to hear the bad news I am going to tell. Aboulcassem is
+no more; since your departure from Basra the young man has lost his
+life."
+
+Haroun-al-Raschid had no sooner heard these words than he threw
+himself from his throne. He remained some moments extended on the
+ground without giving any signs of life. At length his eyes sought the
+courier, who had returned from Basra, and he asked for the despatch.
+The prince read it with much attention. He shut himself in his cabinet
+with Giafar, and showed him the letter from the king of Basra. After
+re-reading it many times, the caliph said,
+
+"This does not appear to me natural; I begin to suspect that the king
+of Basra and his vizir, instead of executing my orders, have put
+Aboulcassem to death."
+
+"My lord," said Giafar, "the same suspicion occurred to me, and I
+advise that they should both be secured."
+
+"That is what I determine from this moment," said Haroun; "take ten
+thousand horsemen of my guard, march to Basra, seize the two guilty
+wretches, and bring them here. I will revenge the death of this most
+generous of men."
+
+"We will now return to the son of Abdelaziz, and relate why the vizir
+Aboulfatah did not find him in the tomb. The young man, after long
+remaining insensible, was beginning to recover, when he felt himself
+laid hold of by powerful arms, taken from the coffin, and gently laid
+on the earth. He thought it was the vizir and his slaves come again on
+their cruel errand.
+
+"Executioners!" he cried, "put me to death at once; if you have any
+pity spare me these useless torments, for again I declare that nothing
+you can do will ever tempt me to reveal my secret."
+
+"Fear not, young man," answered one of the persons who had lifted him
+from the coffin; "instead of ill-treating you, we are come to your
+assistance."
+
+At these words Aboulcassem opened his eyes, and, looking at his
+liberators, recognized the young lady to whom he had shown his
+treasure.
+
+"Ah, madam!" he said, "is it to you I owe my life?"
+
+"Yes, my lord," answered Balkis; "to myself and prince Aly, my
+betrothed, whom you see with me. Informed of your noble behaviour, he
+wished to share with me the pleasure of delivering you from death."
+
+"It is quite true," said prince Aly; "I would expose my life a
+thousand times, rather than leave so generous a man to perish."
+
+The son of Abdelaziz, having entirely recovered his senses by the help
+of some cordials they had given him, expressed to the lady and the
+prince his grateful thanks for the service they had rendered him, and
+asked how they had been informed he still lived.
+
+"My lord," said Balkis, "I am the daughter of the vizir Aboulfatah. I
+was not deceived by the false report of your death. I suspected my
+father in this affair, and, bribing one of his slaves, was informed of
+all concerning you. This slave is one of the two who were with him in
+the tomb, and as he had charge of the key he confided it to me for a
+few hours. I no sooner made this affair known to prince Aly than he
+hastened to join me with some of his confidential domestics. We lost
+not a moment in coming hither, and, thanks be to heaven, we did not
+arrive too late."
+
+"Oh, Mahomet!" said Aboulcassem, "is it possible so unworthy and cruel
+a father possesses such a daughter?"
+
+"Let us depart, my lord," said prince Aly; "the time is precious. I
+doubt not but that to-morrow the vizir, finding you have escaped, will
+seek you in all directions. I am going to conduct you to my house,
+where you will be in perfect safety, for no one will suspect me of
+giving you an asylum."
+
+They then covered Aboulcassem with a slave's robe, and all left the
+tomb. Balkis proceeded to her father's, and returned the key to the
+slave, whilst prince Aly took the son of Abdelaziz to his own palace,
+and kept him so well concealed, that it was impossible his enemies
+could discover him. Aboulcassem remained some time in prince Aly's
+house, who treated him most kindly, until the king and his vizir,
+despairing of finding him, gave up their search. The prince then gave
+him a very beautiful horse, loaded him with sequins and precious
+stones, and said to him:
+
+"You can now safely depart; the roads are open, and your enemies know
+not what is become of you. Hasten to seek a place where you will be
+secure from harm."
+
+The young man thanked this generous prince for his hospitality, and
+assured him he should ever gratefully remember it. Prince Aly embraced
+him, and prayed heaven to protect and watch over him on his journey.
+Aboulcassem then took the road to Bagdad, and arrived there in safety
+a few days afterwards. The first thing he did on entering the city was
+to hasten to the place where the merchants usually assembled. The hope
+of seeing there some one he had known at Basra, and of relating his
+misfortunes, was his only consolation. He was vexed at being unable to
+find this place, and traversing the town, sought in vain for the face
+of a friend amongst the multitudes he met. Feeling fatigued, he
+stopped before the caliph's palace to rest a little: the page whom he
+had given to his former guest was then at a window, and the child
+looking by chance that way, instantly recognized him. He ran to the
+caliph's apartment.
+
+"My lord," he exclaimed, "I have just seen my old master from Basra!"
+
+Haroun put no faith in this report. "You are mistaken," he said;
+"Aboulcassem no longer lives. Deceived by some fancied resemblance,
+you have taken another for him."
+
+"No, no, commander of the faithful; I assure you it is he: I am
+certain I am not mistaken."
+
+Though the caliph did not believe this assertion, still he wished to
+fathom the mystery, and sent one of his officers with the page to see
+the man the boy declared was the son of Abdelaziz. They found him in
+the same place, for, imagining he had recognized his little page, he
+waited till the child reappeared at the window. When the boy was
+convinced he was not deceived, he threw himself at the feet of
+Aboulcassem, who raised him, and asked if he had the honour of
+belonging to the caliph.
+
+"Yes, my lord," said the child; "it was to the commander of the
+faithful himself--he it was whom you entertained at Basra--it was to
+him that you gave me. Come with me, my lord; the caliph will be
+delighted to see you."
+
+The surprise of the young man at this speech was extreme. He allowed
+himself to be conducted into the palace by the page and the officer,
+and was soon ushered into the apartment of Haroun. The prince was
+seated on a sofa. He was extremely affected at the sight of
+Aboulcassem. He hastened towards the young man, and held him long
+embraced without uttering a word, so much was he transported with joy.
+When he recovered a little from his emotion he said to the son of
+Abdelaziz:
+
+"Young man, open your eyes, and recognize your happy guest. It was I
+whom you received so hospitably, and to whom you gave presents that
+kings could not equal."
+
+At these words Aboulcassem, who was not less moved than the caliph,
+and who from respect had drawn his cloak over his head, and had not
+yet dared to look up, now uncovered his face, and said:
+
+"Oh, my sovereign master! oh, king of the world, was it you who
+honoured your slave's house?" And he threw himself at the feet of
+Haroun, and kissed the floor before him.
+
+"How is it," said the prince, raising him, and placing him on a sofa,
+"that you are still alive? Tell me all that has happened to you."
+
+[Illustration: ABOULCASSEM AND THE PAGE, p. 246.]
+
+Aboulcassem then related the cruelties of Aboulfatah, and how he had
+been preserved from the fury of that vizir. Haroun listened
+attentively, and then said:
+
+"Aboulcassem, I am the cause of your misfortunes. On my return to
+Bagdad, wishing to repay my debt to you, I sent a courier to the king
+of Basra, desiring him to resign his crown to you. Instead of
+executing my orders, he resolved to take your life. Aboulfatah, by
+putting you to the most frightful tortures, hoped to induce you to
+reveal your treasures; that was the sole reason he delayed your death.
+But you would have been revenged. Giafar, with a large body of my
+troops, is gone to Basra. I have given him orders to seize your two
+persecutors, and to bring them here. In the mean time you shall remain
+in my palace, and be attended by my officers with as much respect as
+myself."
+
+After this speech he took the young man by the hand, and made him
+descend to a garden, filled with the choicest flowers. There he saw
+basins of marble, porphyry, and jasper, which served for reservoirs to
+multitudes of beautiful fish. In the midst of the garden, supported
+upon twelve lofty pillars of black marble, was a dome, the roof of
+sandal wood and aloes. The spaces between the columns were closed by a
+double trellis-work of gold, which formed an aviary containing
+thousands of canaries of different colours, nightingales, linnets, and
+other harmonious birds, who mingling their notes formed the most
+charming concert. The baths of Haroun-al-Raschid were under this dome.
+The prince and his guest took a bath, after which the attendants
+rubbed them with the finest towels, which had never before been used.
+They then clothed Aboulcassem in rich apparel. The caliph conducted
+him to a chamber where refreshments awaited them, such as roasted
+fowls and lamb, white soups, pomegranates from Amlas and Ziri, pears
+from Exhali, grapes from Melah and Sevise, and apples from Ispahan.
+After they had partaken of these delicacies, and drunk some delicious
+wine, the caliph conducted Aboulcassem to Zobeide's apartment. This
+princess was seated on a throne of gold, surrounded by her slaves, who
+were ranged standing on each side of her; some had tambourines, others
+flutes and harps. At that moment their instruments were mute, all
+being attentively engaged in listening to a young girl whose charming
+voice rang through the saloon like the warblings of a nightingale. As
+soon as Zobeide perceived the caliph and the son of Abdelaziz, she
+descended from her throne to receive them.
+
+"Madam," said Haroun, "allow me to present to you my host of Basra."
+
+The young man prostrated himself before the princess. At this moment
+the vizir Giafar was heard returning with the troops, and bringing
+with him Aboulfatah securely bound. As for the king of Basra, he was
+left behind dying of grief and fright at not finding Aboulcassem.
+Giafar had no sooner rendered an account of his mission, than the
+caliph ordered a scaffold to be erected before the palace, to which
+the wicked Aboulfatah was conducted. The people knowing the cruelty of
+this vizir, instead of being touched with his misfortune, testified
+the utmost impatience to witness his execution. The executioner was
+already prepared, sabre in hand, to strike off the guilty man's head,
+when the son of Abdelaziz prostrating himself before the caliph,
+exclaimed, "Oh, commander of the faithful, yield to my prayers the
+life of Aboulfatah! Let him live to witness my happiness, to behold
+all the favours you are conferring upon me, and he will be
+sufficiently punished."
+
+"Oh, too generous Aboulcassem," replied the caliph, "you, indeed,
+deserve a crown! Happy the people of Basra to have you for their
+king."
+
+"My lord, I have one more favour to ask. Give to the prince Aly the
+throne you destined for myself. Let him reign, together with the lady
+who had the generosity to avert from me the fury of her father; these
+two lovers are worthy this honour. As to myself, cherished and
+protected by the commander of the faithful, I have no need of a crown;
+I shall be superior to kings."
+
+The caliph assented to this proposal, and to recompense prince Aly for
+the service he had rendered the son of Abdelaziz, sent him the
+patents, and made him king of Basra; but finding Aboulfatah too guilty
+to accord him liberty as well as life, he ordered the vizir to be shut
+up in a dark tower for the remainder of his days. When the people of
+Bagdad were informed that it was Aboulcassem himself who had begged
+the life of his persecutor, they showered a thousand praises on the
+generous young man, who soon after departed for Basra, escorted by a
+troop of the caliph's guards, and a great number of his officers.
+
+
+
+
+VIII.
+
+THE OLD CAMEL.
+
+
+Eggadi-ben-Yousouf, a merchant at Miliana, was a mere lover of gain;
+he never gave away any thing in alms; his heart was dry as the earth
+in the hottest days of summer, and never open to pity for the
+unfortunate. To amass, to amass for ever was the sole desire of
+Eggadi. But in what did his riches consist? None could say, for he
+concealed them with the utmost care.
+
+One day one of his camels having died, he bought to replace it the
+only camel of Ali-Bénala, a poor dealer in mats. This camel was the
+sole heritage of which Ali came into possession at the death of his
+father. He sold it for much less than its value;--Eggadi, who was an
+adept at bargaining, depreciating it in every possible way, especially
+on account of its extreme age.
+
+On his next journey Eggadi added this camel to his little caravan. As
+he was passing a solitary place, he was surprised to see the camel
+betake itself with hasty steps to a spot at some distance behind some
+rocks, and on its arrival there kneel down and groan, as camels
+usually do when they expect to be unloaded. A negro, having run after
+the animal, brought it back to its place in the caravan.
+
+Eggadi soon took a second journey on the same road, and on this
+occasion too the camel sold him by Ali-Bénala again quitted the rank,
+and was again observed to kneel down and groan at the same place.
+This time Eggadi followed it, and saw with surprise that the spot at
+which it stopped was one where no merchant of any country had been
+ever known to unload his merchandise. He reflected deeply on this
+circumstance, and in the end resolved to revisit the spot alone with
+the camel, who, faithful perhaps to some recollection, might, he
+thought, be the means of disclosing to him some mysterious act, or
+perhaps the place where a treasure lay concealed.
+
+Eggadi returned, in short, soon after, to this solitary spot. He had
+brought with him a spade, and proceeded to dig with care around the
+camel, who had invariably knelt in the same place. He had scarcely
+laboured ten minutes ere he discovered traces of another spade; this
+redoubled his zeal, and soon after, to his intense satisfaction, he
+came upon some bags of money, then a coffer firmly shut, but which
+contained, he could not doubt, objects of costly value. He first took
+the bags, which were filled with good and true Spanish doubloons; with
+these he loaded his camel, who thus had gained nothing but a double
+burden for his pains; then, having re-covered with stones and sand the
+precious coffer, which he resolved upon examining another time, he
+returned with his mind greatly preoccupied, asking himself whether it
+must not have been the old father of Ali-Bénala to whom all the wealth
+he had just discovered formerly belonged.
+
+This question, which he could not help addressing to his conscience
+over and over again, prevented him from fully enjoying the possession
+of his treasure. Although he dearly loved money, yet Eggadi to obtain
+possession of it had never yet plundered the widow and the orphan. The
+first step in the road to evil is not accomplished without difficulty
+and without remorse; Eggadi painfully experienced the truth of this.
+"And yet," said he to himself, "I made a fair bargain with poor Ali
+for this very camel which has been the means of my finding a
+treasure."
+
+Before going to take possession of the coffer left underground behind
+the rocks, Eggadi, impelled by his conscience, approached the
+miserable shop where Ali carried on the sale of his mats, and said to
+him:
+
+"How comes it, Ali, that your father, rich as it is said he was, left
+you no fortune, only an old camel and a house in ruins?"
+
+"Ah!" replied Ali, "my father was good to the poor. Not only did he
+call every poor man his brother, but assisted him to the utmost of his
+power. At times, however, I have suspected that my father may have had
+riches concealed in some spot, and that he intended to bestow them
+upon me before he died. And I will tell you what led me to suppose so.
+
+"A few moments before his death he sent for me, and said: 'I have a
+great secret to confide to thee. Come close to me that my voice may
+reach thy ear alone: but before our conversation, my son, let us pray
+to Allah to grant us on this solemn day that which is best for us.'
+
+"We prayed, and in ten minutes my father was no more. Allah, no doubt,
+judged that that which was best for me was poverty. Allah be praised."
+
+Ali bowed his head profoundly, laying his hand upon his breast.
+Eggadi, much disturbed at the virtuous resignation of Ali-Bénala,
+rejoined:
+
+"But thinkest thou, that if good fortune befel thee, thou wouldst know
+how to make good use of it?"
+
+"Allah alone knows," said Ali. "Should he ever see fit to make me
+rich, he will know how to fit me for the change. For myself, I cannot
+succeed in improving the poverty of my estate. I work incessantly, but
+nothing succeeds with me. My oxen, if I have any, drown themselves in
+crossing a torrent; my goods either do not sell or are damaged. I am
+destined to possess upon this earth nothing but this miserable hut,
+which has been my only home for ten years, But what matters it,
+provided I fulfil the law of the prophet? I shall see Abraham, in
+heaven. If at times my poverty renders me uneasy, it is only for the
+sake of my poor children, who live miserably in a house as open to the
+wind and the rain as though it were without a roof."
+
+"Well," said Eggadi, "it is certainly not just that such an honest man
+as thou should be in such a wretched state of poverty."
+
+"How! not just!" replied Ali. "Are there not, then, many honest men
+who are no richer than myself?"
+
+"That may be," said Eggadi. "Nevertheless, since thy father was rich,
+it seems to be but just that thou shouldst be so too, and I come to
+propose to thee to enter into partnership with me. I have two good
+houses outside the town; one shall be for thy family, the other for
+mine. We will live as brothers, and unite our children as in the time
+of the patriarchs."
+
+Ali remained greatly astonished at such a proposition, coming
+especially from Eggadi-ben-Yousouf, who had never had any friendship
+for him, and who so far from evincing any generosity towards him, had
+bargained with him for his poor camel like the veriest Jew in the
+world.
+
+He therefore remained silent, neither accepting nor refusing the
+offer, but looking with an abstracted air upon the mats in his
+miserable dwelling.
+
+"Well," said Eggadi, ashamed at the bottom of his heart at making this
+show of generosity to one whom he was secretly despoiling, "well, thou
+dost not reply to me?"
+
+"Grant me time to imitate the example of my father by invoking Allah
+before taking a resolution," said Ali. "Allah alone can know whether
+it will be best for me to keep at once my poverty and the freedom of
+all my actions, or to accept opulence and with it the necessity of
+being always of thy opinion; for bringing into our partnership nothing
+but my two stout arms, I should be an ingrate if I did not yield in
+every thing to thy wishes."
+
+Eggadi involuntarily cast down his eyes before this poor man who spoke
+with so much wisdom.
+
+"Well," said he again, "reflect till to-morrow, and come to me in the
+morning under the palm trees in front of my house; I will there await
+thee."
+
+Then these two men separated. Ali, praying in the mosque, thought he
+heard his father pronounce these words. "Never associate thyself save
+with him who has no more than thyself, and who already knows the right
+way. The good are spoilt by associating with the rogue and the miser,
+whilst neither rogue nor miser is reformed by association with one
+better than himself."
+
+The next morning Ali repaired to the palm trees which grew before the
+house of Eggadi, where the latter awaited him uneasy and fatigued
+after a sleepless night. After the usual Mussulman salutation,
+Ali-Bénala said to the rich Eggadi:
+
+"How comes it that thou appearest sad, thou who possessest fine
+houses, coffers of gold, and merchandise, whilst I, I who have
+nothing, rise with a joyous heart, and smoke my pipe all day with
+pleasure, seated on the threshold of my poor shop?"
+
+"The weight of business overwhelms me," replied Eggadi; "I have great
+need of some one to share it."
+
+"Then why not diminish thy transactions, and live in peace?" inquired
+Ali.
+
+"No, no, it is impossible to set limits to one's purchases and sales.
+A fortunate speculation balances an unlucky one. You must accept all
+if you would grow rich. But come, hast thou decided? Wilt thou enter
+into partnership with me?"
+
+"I have reflected and prayed," said Ali. "I am very grateful for thy
+offers, and Allah will doubtless recompense thee; but prudence forbids
+me to accept them. I will never enter into partnership but with one
+who is as poor as myself."
+
+"Indeed!" exclaimed Eggadi-ben-Yousouf, "be no longer then surprised
+at thy poverty, since thou refusest the opportunity of enriching
+thyself. The traveller who does not stop beneath the first trees he
+meets runs the risk of not finding another upon his road, and of
+performing the whole journey without enjoying their refreshing shade.
+Such a man would have no right to complain of the dust of the roads,
+or the heat of the sun."
+
+"I do not complain," replied Ali, "I come, on the contrary, to tell
+thee that I live and sleep in peace."
+
+"It is well, it is well," said Eggadi, who had not closed his eyes
+till the morning, "it is well, remain as thou art. Instead of gold
+pieces, be content to receive rain-drops through thy roof, eat bread
+when thou hast any, and go fasting oftener; it concerns me no more."
+
+"I should be a fool," added he internally, "to trouble myself any
+longer about the poverty of this man." And he remembered his fine
+house, where gilded cakes, a delicious repast, and rich and rare
+fruits awaited him.
+
+He ate his meal in company with his sons; then he washed his beard and
+hands, rose from the table, and called his wife, his daughters, his
+mother, and his grandmother, and said to them, "Women, eat in your
+turn; this is for you."
+
+The women respectfully kissed his hands, and proceeded to make their
+meal, whilst he went and sat down out of doors, and smoked with his
+sons, to whom he spoke as follows whilst a negro waited upon him with
+coffee:
+
+"I am about to take another journey. During my absence see to such and
+such things, and do not forget any of my orders, if you would not run
+the risk of becoming poor, poor--" he was going to say, "as Ali, the
+seller of mats," but this name excited too keenly his remorse; he
+could not venture to pronounce it.
+
+So that in spite of the good repast of which he had just partaken,
+Eggadi felt ill at ease, for the thought was ever recurring to him,
+"Ali is poor, his father was rich, and it is I who have unjustly taken
+possession of his father's wealth." Meanwhile Eggadi had this very
+moderate relief, he might still enjoy the benefit of a doubt as to
+whether the father of Ali was really the possessor of the discovered
+treasures. However, the coffer left behind the rocks would doubtless
+throw a light upon this matter. Eggadi proceeded at once in search of
+this coffer; he opened it, and his eyes, dazzled though they were by
+the precious objects that met their gaze, were constrained to perceive
+at the same time a sheet of parchment, upon which the following words
+were very distinctly inscribed:
+
+"All the treasures buried in this spot have been lawfully acquired, or
+received in heritage by me, Mustapha Selim. I bequeath them to my only
+son, Ali-Bénala, who has ever been a faithful servant of Allah, and
+respectful towards me. May he, and his children, and his children's
+children inherit and enjoy these possessions, to which I add my
+benediction."
+
+As soon as Eggadi had read these words a profound sadness took
+possession of him, for he could no longer doubt that these hidden
+riches were the inheritance of Ali-Bénala. If therefore he
+appropriated them, he was a despoiler of the poor and the orphan. It
+would have been so delightful to have been able to keep up the
+illusion, and to say to himself: "This wealth was without an owner;
+Allah has been pleased to bestow it on me!" But if Eggadi had never as
+yet committed any very culpable actions, he had never done any good
+ones, and did not merit the protection of heaven. He dared not doubt
+that by keeping unlawful possession of the property of Ali he should
+incur the wrath of heaven; at the same time he could not bring himself
+to renounce it. He took the coffer, carried it home, meditating by
+turns on the uses to which he might turn his great fortune, and on
+what might be done by way of compromising his conscience for poor Ali,
+his children, and his children's children.
+
+Arrived at his own house, he placed his treasures in a large chest,
+which he kept thenceforth in the chamber where he passed his nights.
+By day, too, this coffer often served him for a seat; whilst scarce a
+day passed without his opening it, to assure himself that nothing had
+disappeared. He kept it carefully fastened with the aid of several
+locks and a master key, of which he never gave up the possession.
+
+Eggadi contemplated a thousand times these treasures acquired with so
+little trouble; if we can call that gained with little trouble which
+is purchased at the price of our peace of mind. And each time after
+having contemplated them, he would repeat to himself the words of Ali,
+"Allah will no doubt recompense thee." "Ah! if he recompenses me as I
+deserve," he could not help reflecting, "he will send me great
+disasters indeed."
+
+Pursued by the dread of a heavy chastisement, Eggadi became so
+miserable in the midst of his fine family and his treasures, that he
+formed the project of quitting his country, where the sight of Ali,
+his humble house and miserable shop, haunted him incessantly. So he
+adjusted his affairs, collected his merchandise, and then communicated
+his intention to his children and his servants.
+
+But whilst, spurred on by a secret terror, he was hastening the
+preparations for his departure, Allah, on whose will depend all things
+on earth and in heaven, visited him with a severe fever, accompanied
+with delirium, during which he spoke incessantly of the old camel of
+Ali, of concealed treasures, and the vengeance of Heaven.
+
+Salmanazar, an old Jew doctor, had charge of Eggadi; he heard the
+incoherent ravings of his patient, and immediately divined them to be
+the result of preceding mental anguish. Thanks to the skill acquired
+by medical science, and still more to the intuition engendered by the
+desire of self-enrichment, the old Jew was not slow in comprehending
+that there was a secret relating to a treasure unjustly acquired, and
+he saw no reason, moreover, why he should not be a partaker in the
+booty.
+
+He found means therefore to remove all the attendants, and
+constituting himself sole guardian of the sick man, seated himself by
+his bedside and patiently awaited the auspicious moment which should
+deliver into his merciless keeping a soul harassed by the stings of
+remorse.
+
+This moment at length arrived; Eggadi ceased to be delirious, and as
+though awakening from a painful dream, drew a long breath, and cast
+looks of inquiry around him.
+
+Salmanazar, who had been watching for this opportunity, then
+exclaimed: "Eggadi! Eggadi! you Mussulmans cry, 'God is great,' but
+you do not believe it, for if you did, how could you dare enrich
+yourselves at the expense of the poor man and his children? Thou art
+rich, Eggadi, and Ali is poor."
+
+"What sayst thou?" cried the sick man, distending his eyes with terror
+as dismal recollections thronged upon him.
+
+"I say that thou hast a treasure which should not belong to thee, and
+that this is why thou hast the fever, and why moreover thou wilt die,
+unless I save thy life by my profound science. Restitution must be
+made; nay, if indeed thou wert to do good with this treasure to poor
+Jews like me, God would perhaps pardon thee, but thou takest care to
+give us nothing. If I cure thee what will be my profit? a few
+miserable doubloons, which I shall have all the same if thou diest;
+for thy sons will give them me, and if they refused to pay me, I
+should summon them before the cadi. Thus, whether thou livest or
+whether thou diest is much the same to me. Nevertheless, if I had a
+mind I could easily cure thee, and cause thee still to live, that thy
+days might be long upon the earth. But what profit would this be to
+me?"
+
+"Cure me, cure me," cried the sick man, "and I will give thee far more
+than my sons would give thee, far more than the cadi would grant thee
+did my children refuse thee payment. I will give thee twenty
+doubloons; nay, fifty. That would be a fine thing for thee."
+
+"It would be a much better thing for thyself," chuckled Salmanazar.
+"Of what use will thy doubloons be to thee when thou art dead? I
+demand five hundred doubloons for curing thee, and I will have them at
+once, for in an hour's time I shall demand a thousand, and if you then
+delay deciding there will be no longer any time to choose."
+
+"A thousand doubloons!" exclaimed the patient; "I will not even give
+thee five hundred. If I did,--Allah would not pardon me the more, even
+supposing I really am guilty of what thou suggested."
+
+"Well, then, thou wilt die," rejoined Salmanazar, settling himself
+again in his chair.
+
+The chamber of the sick man was gloomy. A small lamp cast a fitful
+light upon one corner, while the rest seemed inhabited by nothing but
+dim shadows. An odour of fever and its remedies pervaded the
+atmosphere; out of doors,--for it was night,--the dismal cry of the
+jackals seeking food resounded, whilst the deep baying of the
+neighbouring dogs was heard without intermission. The weather was
+windy and tempestuous. All this but served to increase the deep
+depression which filled the soul of Eggadi. He threw a wistful look
+around his shadow-haunted room; it fell upon the old Jew who was
+watching him askance, his large dark eyes dimmed by ophthalmia, and he
+asked himself whether the old man with his prominent nose, yellow
+visage, long, lean and withered arms, habited in a scanty and dirty
+garment, were not some evil genius come thither to curse him for his
+crime, and drag him to the bottomless pit of perdition.
+
+Nevertheless, Eggadi contrived to raise himself up in a sitting
+posture on his bed. He collected all his strength, drew a long breath,
+sighed feebly, and said:
+
+"Well, I have decided, Salmanazar; give me the remedy which will make
+my days long upon the earth."
+
+"Give me first the five hundred doubloons," said Salmanazar.
+
+"I have them not here," replied the sick man.
+
+"Tell me where they are, I will go and get them."
+
+"That is impossible," said Eggadi; "but summon Bankala, my black
+slave, he will bring me the key of my coffer, and the coffer itself
+which contains my treasures."
+
+"Well and good," replied Salmanazar; and he summoned Bankala.
+
+Eggadi gave some orders to the slave in a language unknown to
+Salmanazar, and he disappeared. He returned shortly with two other
+slaves, whom he placed like two sentinels by the side of his master's
+bed.
+
+"Send away those men," said Salmanazar to the sick man. The latter
+replied, "They are needed to go and bring the coffer as soon as
+Bankala shall have given us the key; he and I alone know where it is
+hidden."
+
+"It is well," said the Jew; and he held his peace, looking alternately
+at the sick man and the two slaves.
+
+"What wilt thou do to effect my cure?" began Eggadi to inquire of the
+Jew in a doleful tone.
+
+"Thou shalt see--thou shalt see," replied the latter. And they both
+awaited the return of the slave with an equal anxiety, which they in
+vain strove to conceal.
+
+Bankala made them wait a long time, but when at length he did return,
+Ali, the poor seller of mats, followed upon his footsteps. "Arise
+quickly," had been the summons of the slave to him; "Eggadi my master
+summons thee in the name of Allah, and desires to see thee before he
+dies." Ali had hastened to obey. At sight of him the Jew trembled.
+Eggadi, on the contrary, felt himself happy and reassured.
+
+"Come hither, Ali," said he; "come and behold a man guilty but
+repentant. The example of thy virtues did not suffice to bring me back
+to the path of duty: it was necessary that I should be struck by
+misfortune. Thanks to Heaven misfortune has befallen me. Ali! Ali! it
+was I who bought of thee the old camel which was left thee by thy
+father. That camel no doubt aided him in concealing the great wealth
+he would fain have bestowed upon thee ere he died. I discovered this
+wealth, and I conceived the iniquitous design of keeping it, instead
+of restoring it to thee in accordance with the demands of justice. I
+was on the point of quitting my country to avoid the further sight of
+thy poverty, the unceasing reproach to my crime, when Allah visited me
+with a terrible malady, and a still more terrible physician. This
+physician, whom thou there beholdest, having discovered my secret,
+instead of urging me to the restitution of my ill-acquired fortune,
+dreamt only of sharing it with me, and threatened me with death if I
+refused the division of the plunder.
+
+"His horrible conduct, his avarice and cruelty combined, have inspired
+me with horror, and have shown me to what lengths an inordinate love
+of gold may lead. I have mourned for my fault, and have taken a sudden
+resolution to repair it. By deceiving this skilful man, I have been
+enabled to send for thee, and before him I declare that I render thee
+up joyfully all the treasures which are enclosed in the chest upon
+which Salmanazar is seated."
+
+Salmanazar started up on hearing these words. How! he had been
+actually sitting upon the treasure and had not divined it.
+
+Eggadi continued:
+
+"Consider, Ali, what will be most suitable to bestow upon this Jew. He
+demanded of me five hundred doubloons down, or a thousand in an hour's
+time, if I desired to live. I think that five hundred blows with a
+stick should be his recompense; at the same time I am unworthy to
+judge any man in this world. Thou who art just, act towards him as
+thou thinkest best, but deign, above all things, to grant me thy
+forgiveness."
+
+Ali was of course greatly surprised at all he had just heard. He took
+a moment to collect his thoughts and then said:
+
+"Eggadi-ben-Yousouf, I pardon thee willingly; and to prove it, I say
+to thee as thou once saidst to me:
+
+"Let us enter into partnership, let us live as brothers, and unite our
+children as in the time of the patriarchs. As for Salmanazar, let his
+only punishment be to behold the riches he would have forced thee to
+share with him, and after having seen them, let him return home
+without money and without blows."
+
+The wish of the wise Ali was put into execution. The coffer, the key
+of which Eggadi had about him, was opened; and the Jew, though still
+trembling with the fear of receiving the blows, could not help eagerly
+regarding the gold and precious stones which were revealed to his
+cupidity. Then he departed, filled with grief at having missed his
+aim, and at not having been himself the fortunate purchaser of the old
+camel of Ali. This event was engraven on his memory, and caused him to
+regard with looks of eager anxiety all the old camels whom he chanced
+to meet. He often stopped before them, and seemed to endeavour to
+trace in their movements some mysterious sign which might lead to the
+discovery of hidden treasures.
+
+Eggadi, having his conscience at ease, regained his health without the
+aid of any other physician. He became the adopted brother of Ali, who
+insisted on sharing with him his newly-acquired fortune; and these two
+men, their children, and their children's children, continued to live
+together wealthy and united.
+
+
+
+
+IX.
+
+THE STORY OF MEDJEDDIN.
+
+
+Many hundred years ago there lived in the famous city of Bagdad a
+retired merchant named El Kattab. The earlier part of his life had
+been assiduously devoted to commercial pursuits, in the prosecution of
+which he had made many a long journey, and crossed many a sea. In the
+course of his wanderings he had not only amassed the wealth he sought,
+but, what was better, had stored his mind and memory with the
+treasures of wisdom and general information. The property he had
+acquired was far from immense, yet it was amply sufficient to enable
+him to live in a style of substantial comfort and respectability, and
+to devote himself to the darling object of his declining years, the
+education and training of his only son.
+
+El Kattab's beard was grey, yet he had not very long passed the prime
+of life, and still retained most of the vigour and elasticity of his
+earlier years. He was wise enough to be content with the quiet
+enjoyments of a moderate affluence, and had no desire to wear out the
+rest of his life in the feverish labour of constant acquirement, for
+the mere sake of amassing a splendid fortune; therein differing from
+too many of his friends, who seemed to forget in their headlong
+pursuit of enormous riches, that by the time these might be acquired,
+life would be nigh spent, and at any rate all its charms gone, unless
+some higher and nobler object had been substituted for that of mere
+wealth-getting.
+
+The city of Mossul had been El Kattab's home in his earlier days; but
+he quitted it, and took up his abode in Bagdad, partly in order to be
+near his friend Salek, with whom he had been on the most intimate
+terms from his youth; partly, too, for the sake of his son's
+education, as he expected that a residence in the latter city would
+produce good and lasting impressions on the mind of the young man; for
+the great city of Bagdad was at this time under the rule of the
+far-famed caliph Haroun al Raschid, and was the resort of strangers
+from all parts of the globe; and here artists and sages of all
+countries mingled with each other. Nor had El Kattab conceived a vain
+expectation. His son, whose name was Medjeddin, was a young man gifted
+with good natural abilities, and endowed with a pure and noble heart.
+He used every opportunity to extend his knowledge and 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 not only, therefore, as was natural
+enough, 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 son, so the latter, with
+all the fervour of a well-directed mind, clung affectionately to his
+father.
+
+Some years passed over them in this mutual love, rendered still more
+delightful by the companionship of their friend Salek, and their
+happiness was full and uninterrupted. It chanced one day that El
+Kattab and Salek were taking their accustomed walk in the 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 usual length.
+They passed the last garden, and wandered on over some green
+meadow-land, behind a little wood, at the entrance of which stood high
+palms, whose shadows invited to repose, while a fresh spring gushed
+from a neighbouring rock, and meandered among the verdant herbage and
+variegated flowers.
+
+The two friends lay down in the shade, and conversed on the perils to
+which even the most virtuous men are subject, particularly enlarging
+on the danger of an over-confidence in the rectitude of our own
+intentions, and on the comparative ease with which a sudden impulse
+will sometimes hurry even the best of men, who possesses an
+overweening reliance on his own firmness of purpose, into a false or
+even fatal step in life.
+
+"I have known men," observed Salek, "who, although among the best and
+noblest I have ever met in the course of my life, have been led
+unawares, by too great self-confidence, into an action which they
+might easily have avoided by moderate caution, but which has proved
+the beginning of a long chain of evils, ending at last in their
+complete ruin."
+
+El Kattab, on the contrary, maintained that a heart accustomed from
+early youth to virtue, would not be easily led to commit a serious
+fault; and even if this should happen, that it would readily find its
+way back from a slight error to the right road. They continued to talk
+on these subjects, each endeavouring to confirm his assertions by
+examples, whilst Medjeddin, stretched beside them, listened with
+attention to their conversation. Suddenly he sprang to his feet, and
+ran quickly up the woody hill, at the foot of which they were
+reposing. His father and Salek looked after him surprised, as they
+could not comprehend what had occasioned his sudden disappearance.
+They then 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 called to him to come back; but in vain. They
+waited for a quarter of an hour, and still Medjeddin did not return.
+Growing uneasy about him, they advanced in the direction in which he
+had disappeared, but could discover nothing. At last the sun set; then
+Salek said, "Let us return home: your son is a strong, active young
+man; he will easily find his way back to the city. Perhaps he has gone
+home some other way, and will be there before us."
+
+After much opposition, the father was 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 Medjeddin: but he
+had not returned. Salek's cheering suggestions were of no more avail;
+El Kattab would no longer listen to him, but threw himself weeping on
+his couch. Salek 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 all at
+once.
+
+"He has no doubt found a shelter where he will remain till morning,"
+continued he; "he will return here early to-morrow, and will laugh
+heartily at your fears."
+
+When Salek was gone, El Kattab gave free scope to his feelings. He
+wept aloud, tore his beard, and dashed himself upon the ground, like a
+madman. The slaves stood around in motionless astonishment, surprised
+to see their master exhibiting such passionate emotion; others sought
+to console him, but fruitlessly; at length they all began to cry and
+bewail with him for his dear son, who was beloved by them all. After a
+sleepless night, the afflicted father rose not at all quieted. He
+wished early in the morning to send messengers in all directions; but
+Salek, who had come to inquire if the lost one had returned home,
+explained to him how foolish this step would be.
+
+"Consider," said he, "that your Medjeddin has most probably found a
+night's lodging, and slept better than you. Supposing him, therefore,
+to be at any probable distance, even if he had set out on his way at
+daybreak, he could hardly be here now: 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 mid-day."
+
+El Kattab yielded; he appointed the messengers to be ready at noon,
+and in the meanwhile walked through the gardens and in the country
+around the city, where they had been on the preceding day. His friend
+accompanied him, although he pointed out that Medjeddin might, in the
+interval, have reached home while they were walking, and that El
+Kattab was thus perhaps giving himself more trouble than was
+necessary.
+
+"I have yielded to you in the rest," replied El Kattab; "let me at
+least in this instance have my own will, and 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 seen a young man, whom they
+accurately described. Nobody could give them any information about
+him. El Kattab now sent out his messengers in all directions;
+promising a rich reward to the one who should lead his lost son back
+to his arms. The messengers returned on the tenth day, and reported
+that all their researches had been without success. At this the
+parent's grief knew no bounds. His friend Salek remained almost
+constantly with him, comforting him; and all his friends held a
+consultation on the possible means of gaining tidings of Medjeddin.
+They agreed that he could not have been killed, for then his corpse
+would have been found: that he had no cause to conceal himself: that
+he could not have been attacked by enemies, as he had none: might he,
+they suggested, in the pursuit of the bird, have been led to the brink
+of the river, and have thrown himself in, and been carried away by
+the stream? scarcely had this idea presented itself, ere two
+messengers were despatched to each side of the river to search, from
+its junction with the Euphrates above Balsora to the spot where it
+flows into the Arabian Sea, and ascertain if the corpse of Medjeddin
+had been washed ashore. But these messengers also returned to the
+anxious parent, without having found what they sought. The parent and
+his friend now gave up Medjeddin for lost; El Kattab's spirit was
+broken; grief for his lost son shortened his life; he soon became old:
+all joy fled from his mind; and his sorrow was only a little
+alleviated when his faithful friend Salek sat by him in the evening,
+talking with him of his son, relating the virtues by which he had been
+distinguished, and telling him how it had been his darling wish that
+this excellent young man should marry his daughter Maryam.
+
+A few days afterwards the caliph Haroun al Raschid went, as he was
+accustomed, in disguise, with his grand vizier Giafar, and Mesrur 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 the
+joys and pleasures of his subjects, as they had then ended their daily
+toils, and were seeking comfort and repose in the bosoms of their
+families. In the course of his progress he came to a street remarkable
+for its peculiar 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 El Kattab; and, as
+usual at this hour, his friend Salek is sitting 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, the man turned away, and entered
+the house, and the other followed him.
+
+"Have you ever heard of this unfortunate El Kattab before?" asked
+Haroun al Raschid of his grand vizier; and as he answered in the
+negative, the caliph proceeded, "Let us make an inspection of the
+house where this El Kattab 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 applied his eye to the aperture, and after he
+had watched for some time, beckoned his followers to him, and said,
+"Two grey-headed men are sitting in this court by the light of a lamp,
+and one seems to be comforting the other; but this latter continues to
+weep all the more bitterly, the more his companion endeavours to
+console him: both appear to be of the same rank. I am desirous of
+knowing what sorrow oppresses the unfortunate El Kattab: 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. El Kattab was
+alarmed when he heard that his presence was required at the palace. He
+was led into the great hall where the divan usually assembled; but
+there the attendants left him quite alone. 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 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. El Kattab rose from the
+ground, and bowed his head down to the carpet on which the caliph
+stood.
+
+"El Kattab," said the caliph, "a heavy weight of grief seems to
+oppress you; and by the anxiety which your neighbours manifest to show
+respect for your sorrow, I must consider you as a man of worth: I wish
+then to know the cause of your despondency; have you any objection to
+inform me of it before these two witnesses, or would you rather
+confide to me alone the reason of your tears?"
+
+"Ruler of the faithful," answered El Kattab, "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."
+
+The caliph replied, "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. If I am careful for my whole kingdom, this care none the less
+extends to each individual; and, if 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 affliction?"
+
+El Kattab then recounted the mysterious disappearance of his son; how
+he had sought for him every where, and how 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 in
+tears perhaps my sorrow might expend itself, if at the same time a
+spark of hope did not live in my heart, that possibly he is still
+alive: but ah! where? This spark of hope keeps the wound in the
+father's heart always open."
+
+"You have, indeed, 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 into 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 in order to do my pleasure. That
+which was not possible to yourself, your friends, and your servants to
+accomplish, may perhaps prove easy for me. Now go home, and believe
+that you shall obtain news of your son, if he live 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 recognised.
+
+When El Kattab was sitting again with his friend Salek in the evening,
+he related to him the gracious and comforting words of the caliph.
+Salek perceived that hope was revived in his friend's heart, and that
+he confidently trusted to find his son. He thought it his duty,
+therefore, to damp somewhat this hope, and said, "Beloved friend, I
+have once heard a speech, which sunk deeply in my memory: it is,
+'Trust not in princes; they are but men.' In truth, the mightiest on
+earth are subject to destiny. If the caliph have influence in distant
+lands, it must still be within a comparatively confined and narrow
+limit; whilst what is in the farthest regions of the earth, as well as
+what is but a span distant, are all equally under the control of
+all-governing fate, even from the meanest slave to the ruler of the
+faithful."
+
+Haroun al Raschid meanwhile resolved to do all he could to fulfil the
+hope he had raised in El Kattab's heart. He gave a commission to all
+his servants in the 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 on terms of friendship, at the same time
+despatching messengers with the charge to search for Medjeddin with
+all diligence, giving them a description by which they might recognise
+him if they found him. But week after week, and month after month
+passed away; even a whole year elapsed, without any intelligence being
+received either of the life or death of the lost one. So that all hope
+of finding him deserted the father for ever.
+
+Medjeddin, meantime, had not perished--none of the accidents suggested
+by his father's advisers had befallen him; he still lived, but in such
+complete concealment that it was impossible for any one to discover
+him. He had 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 at the same time so slowly. The tardiness of its flight
+made him conjecture that it must have hurt one of its wings; several
+times he succeeded in getting quite close to it, but just as he
+stretched out his hand to seize it, the bird again raised its wings,
+and flew a little in advance. Medjeddin 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 climbed a hill, and soon after found himself in a narrow
+meadow-valley, down which he ran; 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 seize his prisoner, it flew away, leaving only one of its
+tail-feathers tightly grasped in his hand: still he saw it through the
+twilight flying before him, and still he hastened after it. The bird
+seemed now to quicken its pace; but as he had so nearly caught it
+once, he continued the pursuit with more eagerness; he ran through the
+high grass, with his strained sight fixed on this glimmering white
+object, he saw nothing else. Thus he came unexpectedly on a small but
+deep pool of water, which lay across his path; he jumped in, swam
+across, and tried to climb the other side, but it was so steep that he
+fell in with some of the crumbling earth: the water closed over his
+head, and he lost all consciousness. When he came to himself, he found
+himself lying on the turf, and a tall, grey-headed man of strange
+appearance by him, clothed in a long black robe reaching to his
+ancles, and fastened by a glittering girdle of a fiery colour. Instead
+of a turban, he wore a high pointed cap on his head, with 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 the stranger raised him from the ground, passed his
+left arm round his body, and flew with him through the air with the
+speed of an arrow. Medjeddin again soon lost recollection, and did not
+know how long he remained in this condition. He awoke at last as from
+a deep sleep; and looking around, the first thing he observed was a
+cage of gold wire, hanging 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 which served as windows were
+protected by lattices so skilfully contrived with winding tracery,
+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, was received in a white basin beneath,
+from which it disappeared unseen. Whilst he was observing this, and
+wondering what had happened to him, and how he came there, suddenly
+the old man in the black robe entered 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, and have it safe 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. Medjeddin 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 from any he had before seen. The hall seemed to be
+high in the air, as if it were the upper story of a lofty tower. No
+other edifice was to be seen, and from the windows he could not
+distinguish what shrubs and plants bloomed beneath. He drew the
+curtain aside, and discovered a doorway; 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 lattices, that he might put his head out,
+and see if there were any body beneath, to whom he might cry out.
+There was no door; he could not open the lattices; and as far as he
+could strain his sight in every direction, he could see nobody: he
+threw himself in despair on the pillow, 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 a grating of
+iron." Then he rose and shouted through 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 these useless efforts, he observed that the white bird
+fluttered restlessly in its prison, and pecked at the golden dish for
+its food, without finding any.
+
+"Poor brother in misfortune," said Medjeddin, "you shall not suffer
+want; I will take care of you; come, I will bring you what you want."
+
+He took the pans from the cage, filling one with water from the urn,
+and 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 this had happened; still it
+was not long before he attacked the meats with the zest of a young man
+who had fasted nearly all day. Although these viands were altogether
+different from those he had been accustomed to taste in his father's
+house, they all appeared excellent. He ate till he was fully
+satisfied, and then took from the table a golden cup, and quenched his
+thirst with pure water from the urn. After this he threw himself on a
+couch and fell asleep. When he awoke he felt strong and well. He arose
+and began to make another tour of the hall, and he then observed that
+the table with the meats had disappeared. This was a disappointment,
+as he had thought to make a good supper of the remainder. He did not
+allow this, however, to trouble him much, as he now felt pretty sure
+that he was not to die of hunger. He next proceeded to scrutinise his
+prison more closely: he examined all anew, pillars, walls, and floor;
+but could no where find a crevice or a fissure: all was fast and
+whole. His view from the windows did not allow him to make any further
+discovery; he only saw that he was very far above the earth, and in a
+spacious valley; mountains were to be seen in the distance, with
+curiously-pointed summits. 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 gazed at him with its bright eyes,
+which seemed as if sense and speech lay in them, the interpretation
+only was wanting.
+
+Night put an end to these reflections. Next morning he observed that
+the bird again wanted food. He filled its seed-pan with grain from his
+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; Medjeddin 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-pan. He could not perceive who brought the table, nor how it
+disappeared. It always came whilst 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 rest for you;
+you have performed your duty during the preceding days in giving the
+bird its food, you may now 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; he then opened a small metal trap-door,
+and then Medjeddin descended twenty steps more: they next came to a
+similar door, and descended twenty more steps to a third, 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.
+Medjeddin 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 stories, each about fifteen feet
+in height. The tower was nine-sided, with a window in the third side
+of each story, so arranged that no window was directly over another,
+and that consequently only three altogether appeared in each side of
+the tower from bottom to top. 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; 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. He found the gardens surrounded on all sides
+by a lofty wall, constructed of the same materials, and quite as
+glassy, as the tower. After making the whole circuit of the garden, he
+at length found a gate, consisting of a grating of strong iron bars,
+polished to the highest degree of smoothness, and 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 he lost his hold and
+fell backwards on the earth. He next examined the grating closely to
+see if there were no means of escape; but all was in vain: every where
+the bars were high, thick, and like polished glass. Sorrowfully 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 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 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 again 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 grating. But
+there was something wanting for this work; he had not even a dagger or
+a knife. As he thus thought, 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 Medjeddin,
+"what is the matter? are you ill?" It seemed as if the bird was
+affected by these sympathising 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 mean time 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."
+
+One day the old man appeared and led him into the garden as usual; 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. Medjeddin also remarked that the white bird, which he had
+learnt to love more every day, sat at the bottom of its cage, more
+mournful than it usually was after the old man's visit. He drew near,
+and observed a little door in the cage 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, and worked into the
+ornamental parts of the cage so cunningly, that nobody could have
+discovered them if his attention had not been drawn to them by design
+or accident. Medjeddin pushed back the bolt and opened the door; the
+bird started up as if some sudden joy had seized it, hopped out, and
+as soon as it touched the floor was transformed, and in its stead a
+young maiden stood before Medjeddin, clothed in a white silk robe;
+beautiful dark locks streamed over her neck and shoulders, and a thin
+fragrant veil fell over them, confined by a fillet set with precious
+stones; her finely-formed countenance was as white as ivory, relieved
+by the softest shade of the rose. Surprised and astonished, Medjeddin
+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 helpless 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 Omar, king of Zanguebar; 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 his son with him, and praises his excellent qualities. This he
+has done regularly for many months past, tormenting me at every visit
+for my consent to this odious union; and he now threatens me with
+cruel tortures if I give it not by 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 continue to entreat: 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 maiden," answered Medjeddin, "how willingly would I free you!
+but, alas, I am as helpless as yourself, and cannot even free myself.
+But tell me how is it? 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.
+
+"But even then," pursued Medjeddin, "the son could not conceal himself
+from me on the stairs, or in the narrow passage."
+
+"Quite true," she answered, "but he carries him in his pocket."
+
+"What," exclaimed Medjeddin in astonishment, "in his pocket!--how can
+that be?"
+
+The princess informed him that the young man became on the occasion of
+each visit 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 the pertinacious obstinacy of a brutal affection, would
+follow her and settle confidingly near her. "You must," she continued,
+"have remarked how tired and mournful I always was on the ninth day
+when you returned."
+
+Medjeddin, astonished at this explanation, assured her of his
+willingness to free her, but bewailed his helplessness. The princess,
+however, would not give up hopes of their success. "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 I can be
+delivered from the magician's power; on any other day I should still
+have remained a dumb bird, even if you had freed me from my cage; only
+on this day has my touching the floor had power to restore me to my
+natural form; the enchantment lies in the cage."
+
+Medjeddin instantly seized the cage, exclaiming, "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 like thunder resounded through the
+air. The whole building shook as with a furious tempest, the doors
+flew open with a crash, 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?"
+
+Medjeddin was so terrified he could answer nothing. The enchanter then
+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 thence a small
+box; this he opened, and a white bird flew out and perched on the
+table. He then took a smaller box from his girdle and opened it,--it
+was filled with grains of millet; from these he took one, and laid it
+before the bird, who had scarcely eaten it before such a distorted man
+stood in its place, that both Medjeddin and the princess screamed
+aloud. His head was large and thick, his eyes red and dark, his nose
+small and quite flat, his lips thick and blueish red, his chin broad
+and projecting, and on his head grew a few stiff white hairs; a hump
+grew out in front, and a similar one behind; his shoulders were quite
+drawn up, and his head so jammed between them that his ears could not
+be seen. The upper part of his body was so unwieldy, 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.
+
+"Come forward, my son," said the enchanter to this deformed 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 own 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
+to motion him away. But by this time Medjeddin's courage had returned:
+resolving to venture all, he stepped before the princess and gave the
+deformity such a blow that he reeled and fell backwards. His head
+struck in the fall on the corner of the pedestal of one of the marble
+pillars with such violence, that his skull was broken: a stream of
+blood flowed from the wound, and the monster gave a hollow groan.
+Medjeddin thought of nothing but 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, and appeared stupified with horror
+and amazement. Presently he threw himself down beside him, examined
+the injury, and wrung his hands, forgetting his revenge in his sorrow.
+Medjeddin quickly seized the hand of the princess, and led her through
+the door and down the stairs: all the doors were open, and they found
+their way without any obstacle into the garden. Soon they stood before
+the grating of the iron gate, which was closed.
+
+"Of what use is our flight?" said Medjeddin despondingly; "we are
+still as much as ever in the power of the enchanter; and even if we
+were on the other side of the gate, and concealed 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 many of the
+things on which the superior power of this magician depends, and I
+believe that if we could only get out of this place, we should be
+safe."
+
+They went on a little further, and came to a spot where a number of
+trees had been uprooted by the hurricane; one of these lay overturned
+with its summit resting on the top of the wall, and its boughs and
+branches hanging far over the other side. At this sight the young man
+rejoiced; he climbed quickly on to the trunk, pulling the princess
+after him, and guiding her with great care and tenderness into the top
+of the tree. They then clambered over the wall in spite of a
+formidable row of spikes, and let themselves down on the other side by
+the overhanging branches of the tree. These did not quite reach to the
+ground, but near enough for them to leap down; they let go
+accordingly, and fell gently to the earth; then jumping up, they
+proceeded as rapidly as the strength of the princess and the
+difficulties of the way would allow them, through thickets, underwood,
+and plains studded with prickly plants, towards the distant mountains.
+
+After the two fugitives had continued their flight for several hours
+without looking back on the scene of their imprisonment, the princess
+felt her strength exhausted, and that she could go no further; she
+begged her companion, therefore, to stop and rest for a short time.
+Medjeddin sought a place free from bushes, and clad with moss and long
+grass; they seated themselves there, and Medjeddin entreated the
+princess to relate her history. She was too much exhausted at first,
+but after a short pause recovered her strength and commenced thus:
+
+"My early history is very simple. I am called Jasmin, the only
+daughter of the sultan of Zanguebar. My mother was brought over the
+wide-stretching sea, from beyond Arabia and Mount Caucasus, and was
+sold to him as a slave. Soon attracted by her beauty and manners, he
+raised her to the dignity of wife. My earliest youth was spent in
+happy sports under my mother's eyes, who died, however, 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. My father
+loved me as his greatest treasure, and confided 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. On that day we always went
+together in a light bark to a neighbouring promontory, where he had a
+beautiful palace and gardens. The air there was 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 mean time 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 Mundiana Mesoud, often accompanied us in these
+visits to the castle on the promontory.
+
+"It happened one day, as we were sitting on a terrace by the sea, that
+a foreign ship anchored just below us. A stranger 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
+his wares, and begged my father to admit him. The man laid many costly
+trinkets of gold and precious stones before us; and my father bought
+some which pleased me the most. I remarked that the merchant watched
+me closely, but he did this with such evident pleasure that my vanity
+ascribed it to his admiration of my charms, and found no harm in it.
+Whilst he showed his goods, he let fall some words which intimated
+that he had left his most precious articles behind in the ship; he had
+there, he said, many curious birds, particularly a snow-white bird
+which was the most beautiful of all creatures of this kind. He managed
+thus to excite my curiosity so much that I begged my father to allow
+me to go with the stranger to his ship to see these rarities. My
+father was weak enough to comply with this unreasonable wish. A
+suitable train ought to 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 strangers came
+into his ship. 'They are only things fit for the royal princess,' he
+said; 'there is no fear that I should expose her to danger. I can
+never forget that a powerful king has entrusted his only daughter to
+my care. However, the prince may accompany you as a watchful
+protector.' We accompanied 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 cabins 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 sort of box; and as I could not
+see it distinctly, he took it out and placed it in my hand. 'The most
+wonderful circumstance,' said he, 'connected with this bird is, that,
+being a native of a far distant country, when removed to this it can
+only remain a few days alive, but I have found the corn of life of
+which I give it some grains 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
+Mesoud. When I offered the grain to the bird, it refused it; and when
+I pressed my hand closer, 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, however,
+with a sort of 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 at 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. Upon this 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 and the attendants on the terrace, and could
+distinguish their gestures of wonder as they saw the ship depart; I
+believed even 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 any thing of prince Mesoud.
+
+"When my home was far in the distance, and even the summit of the
+mountains which overhung it 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 do not 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 round the cage. 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 up
+immediately. It was then changed into a man, the same ugly wretch you
+saw 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. It
+was also part of my enchantment to be obliged to allure you here. I
+have now no other wish than to return to my father in Zanguebar,
+because I know he is living in great affliction."
+
+This relation vividly reminded Medjeddin of his own father; he knew,
+from the great love he had always shown him, that he must have pined
+for his loss, and his mournful countenance and bowed-down form
+presented themselves before his mind. "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 seen you safe into the hands of those who will
+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 it was necessary to find a resting-place for the night; fortune
+was favourable; they soon found a nook overhung by a large and lofty
+bush. Medjeddin broke away the boughs, so as to form a hedge which
+fenced round a small spot in which he concealed the princess, leaving
+only a narrow entrance, before which he lay down to watch. Night
+passed without danger. However anxiously Medjeddin strove against
+sleep in order to watch over his companion, it at last weighed down
+his eyelids; and they both awoke with the first rays of the sun. They
+wandered the whole day, resting occasionally; 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
+mountains. There they found cultivated land and human habitations.
+Medjeddin inquired where they were, and asked the way to the sea. The
+people told them the name of the country, which was unknown to
+Medjeddin and to the princess Jasmin, and added, that on the other
+side of the high mountains lay a large flat land, bordering on the
+sea. They received this information with great joy, and, tired and
+footsore as they were, addressed themselves, without loss of time, to
+the task of crossing the mountains, and at last, after a wearisome
+journey, during which they had seen the sun rise and set seven times,
+they arrived at the flat country and the sea-coast of which they had
+been told. A ship lay ready at anchor; and when they inquired its
+destination, the steersman answered, "We are going to Zanguebar, to
+fetch a cargo of cinnamon." To Medjeddin's question where they came
+from, and the name of the land where they were, 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 the fillet on her forehead, and gave it for the passage money
+of herself and her companion. The following morning they weighed
+anchor, and, after a prosperous voyage, reached the very 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 Jasmin led her deliverer through
+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 hastily forwards, they concealed themselves behind a bush,
+for on the terrace sat a venerable and noble-looking man, with the
+profoundest melancholy stamped on his features; he was looking
+seawards, and the vessel had just caught his eye; 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.
+
+The princess Jasmin was rushing towards him, but Medjeddin held her
+back, and said, "Let me first prepare him for your arrival, for
+otherwise joy may kill him." And he came forward, and bowed himself
+before the sorrowing old man.
+
+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."
+
+Medjeddin stood up and answered, "From my appearance, you might well
+take me for a beggar, O great king Omar. But know that under these
+ragged clothes is concealed a magician, who is able to change your
+tears into smiles, your sobs into transports of joy."
+
+"Can any man on earth do this?" asked Omar.
+
+"I have only to speak three words," answered the other, "and it will
+happen. Are you strong enough to support the highest joy that your
+heart can feel or conceive?"
+
+At these questions, a ray of hope kindled in the soul of the mourning
+father. "What is it? Who are you who can promise this?" asked he; and,
+on Medjeddin repeating his question, he answered, "I think so,"
+regarding him, at the same time, with eager looks.
+
+"Approach, princess Jasmin," cried the youth; and she sprang forward
+into her father's open arms.
+
+Medjeddin's promise was indeed fulfilled; the aged monarch's tears
+were changed into smiles of joy. Their embrace continued long. At last
+Omar raised himself, beckoned Medjeddin to approach, and said, "You
+are indeed a magician such as I have never seen before. By your 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, nor 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 the king's barge, and soon the joyful
+news of the unexpected reappearance of the princess spread every
+where. Crowds assembled at the palace to ascertain if the news were
+true, and the princess at length went out of the principal gate of the
+palace, and showed herself at the head of the flight of steps which
+led up to it. Then arose a shout of joy from ten thousand voices, and
+loud wishes for her health and happiness.
+
+The next day, after the king had heard from his daughter the history
+of her imprisonment, and of the devotion with which Medjeddin had
+watched over her and when Medjeddin had in turn narrated his history
+Omar became 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 placed over the people next to the king."
+
+After longer consultation, the eldest of the councillors rose, and
+said, "Omar, my king and lord, the youth has certainly performed a
+great service to you and the princess Jasmin; it seems to me,
+therefore, that his reward ought to come from you. It is fitting that
+the king, having received from him a great benefit in his family,
+should reward him from his family. Were I in such a case, I would
+constitute him 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," said he, "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 so
+good a husband. The prince Mundiana Mesoud, whom I had before chosen,
+has disappeared; and this youth, although of lower birth, is of noble
+soul, and will soon, under my guidance, acquire the necessary
+experience to enable him to promote justice and order in my kingdom."
+
+He did not delay, but immediately caused Medjeddin 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 immediately added their congratulations.
+
+Medjeddin expressed his gratitude in becoming terms, but inquired,
+smiling, what was the precise nature of the dignity conferred on him.
+
+The eldest councillor stepped forward and said, "This name points out
+the highest post of honour which the king can bestow. You are found
+worthy of this honour, and no other lives who bears the title, because
+the Mundiana Prince Mesoud 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
+officer was placed, and led through the streets. Heralds went before
+him, and cried aloud, "Listen to what Omar 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 Jasmin for his wife. To-morrow the betrothal will be
+celebrated; and every body is invited to the court of the palace to
+partake of the general joy."
+
+Medjeddin hardly knew how all this had come about. He had 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 Jasmin, but was to succeed Omar on the throne, and to reign
+over that beautiful and rich land. In his happiness he forgot his
+early life, his father's sorrow, and even his playfellow Maryam and
+his father's faithful friend Salek, and thought no more of his home or
+his father-land. 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, although, she felt a very sincere
+friendship for her intended husband, and treated him with great
+respect and attention, as she did not forget in her prosperity how
+much she had owed to him in the time of misfortune. The first days and
+weeks after the ceremony of betrothal were devoted to recreation and
+amusement, after which he was formally introduced by the king to the
+council, and instructed in the business of the state. The king and
+councillors had soon reason to wonder at the acuteness of his judgment
+in difficult cases, and above all, at his quick perception of right
+and order. Throughout the country, 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 Jasmin, in her apartments. He happened to enter very rapidly
+after his announcement by the attendant, and saw the princess hastily
+wiping her eyes; and as he drew nearer, he perceived the traces of her
+tears. Sympathising with her, he asked the cause of her grief; 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 constant heart. You know that I was formerly beloved by
+prince Mesoud, the son of the neighbouring king; I related to you that
+this prince was changed into a black bird 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 the desire to ascertain his
+fate, and I have obtained certain news of his present condition, by
+the secret knowledge of a certain wise man. I have learned that he
+still lives in his new form, and that he has flown away, from fear of
+the machinations of the demon hunter, called among us Dolda Waldas,
+and is now in far 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 his mournful destiny has drawn these tears from my
+eyes, the traces of which you observed."
+
+This narrative made a deep impression on Medjeddin; he discovered that
+Jasmin had acceded to her father's wish only from gratitude and filial
+obedience, whilst her affections were still fixed on the absent
+prince. He saw that he could purchase the good fortune of being the
+husband of the noble princess, and son-in-law of the great king Omar,
+and after him king of Zanguebar, only by the misfortunes of prince
+Mesoud. He asked himself if this were right, and was obliged to
+confess that 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 his imagination
+pictured 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 Zanguebar.
+Scarcely had these thoughts and feelings arisen in his breast, than he
+made up his mind: he went to the king, told him all, and begged him to
+let him go and fulfil a son's duty to a father whom he had too long
+neglected. Omar sighed deeply at these disclosures of his expected
+son-in-law; he proposed to send a ship to bring his father, so that he
+might spend the rest of his life in sharing his son's good fortune and
+companionship. Upon this Medjeddin 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 that the prince Mesoud must, through my
+happiness, always remain in his present condition, if I thus take away
+the possibility of his ever returning to his human form, I should be
+in the highest degree culpable, if I did not voluntarily give up my
+good fortune."
+
+All the persuasions and arguments of Omar 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 seek
+information about prince Mesoud 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, including many precious stones from his treasury, and
+provided him with a ship, and all necessaries for the voyage.
+
+The heavens seemed to favour the resolution of the returning son: the
+finest 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, and recognised the very place where he had lain
+at the feet of his father and Salek, and listened to their
+conversation; their last discourse there returned to his memory.
+"Well," said he to himself, "my own experience has indeed proved how
+true it is that it is easy for a man to be seduced from virtue into
+one false step, if he be not watchful, but relies on his own power: I
+thought that my heart was sure to be always right, and neglected the
+practice of weighing carefully each action beforehand. In this manner
+have I so much forgotten my love for my father, and had nearly
+committed a great wrong, having been about to sacrifice to my vanity,
+in the intoxication of good fortune, the happiness of the princess and
+her betrothed. And you, my 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
+brought me up to what was good." As he spoke, he espied a small
+solitary hut where the palm-trees used to stand. A venerable man, much
+marked by sorrow, appeared at the door; he stood still before the
+threshold, and regarded the youth with astonishment; the young man
+gazed earnestly at him. Then suddenly recognising the features of the
+old man, he threw himself on his knees before him, seized his hand,
+and covered it with kisses.
+
+"My father," cried he, "is it so indeed? have you become so much
+altered in the course of so few years? that is my fault. Father,
+forgive your offending son, who forgot you in the height of
+prosperity."
+
+El Kattab extended 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 again, he saw a man approaching, accompanied by a
+maiden, whose features he recognised. It was Salek and his daughter
+Maryam, Medjeddin's playfellow. After welcoming him, they sat down,
+and Medjeddin related to them all that had happened to him since the
+memorable 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 greatness, and by honours. As they
+were sitting and conversing, they observed three birds coming up from
+a distance, and who seemed to be chasing one another. They soon
+perceived that one of them was a black bird flying in great fright
+from a large hawk. It was obvious that the hawk would soon have seized
+his prey, had he not been pursued in turn by a larger bird, to avoid
+which, he was often compelled to dart from side to side: at last they
+came to close conflict. The pursued black bird fell into Medjeddin's
+lap; the hawk, struck by his pursuer, fell to the ground at their
+feet, and was, by the strong hooked bill and sharp claws of his
+adversary, soon killed and torn to pieces. Scarcely had this taken
+place, when the conqueror changed into a venerable-looking sage. He
+turned to Medjeddin, who was quite astonished, and said: "Dip quickly
+your forefinger in the blood of this slain bird, and anoint with it
+the beak of the black one."
+
+Medjeddin obeyed immediately; and scarcely had he touched the black
+bird's beak with the blood, ere it was transformed, and a handsome
+youth in kingly dress stood before them.
+
+"Guess who this is," said the genius.
+
+"The prince Mesoud?" asked Medjeddin.
+
+The genius answered, "It is he!" And as he stood looking at the young
+prince with astonishment, added, "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 for you to perform all this, that you might be tried: you
+are found worthy, and Heaven rewards you with Maryam, the early
+companion of your youth, now to be your wife."
+
+Then Medjeddin turned towards Maryam, and looked inquiringly at Salek,
+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 transformed the princess Jasmin and the prince Mesoud. 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 El Kattab, who had built his hut at the
+edge of the wood to be always near the place of his sorrow, dwelt
+again in his house with his children. The prince proceeded to
+Zanguebar in the same ship that had brought Medjeddin. He was received
+there with great joy, and was soon married to his early love. But
+Medjeddin'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 Medjeddin'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. And when Giafar, his aged vizier,
+expressed a wish to end his life in quietness, the caliph raised
+Medjeddin to the grand viziership; and he continued long in this
+office, to the pleasure of his friends and the happiness of the
+people, by whom he was greatly beloved.
+
+
+
+
+VIII.
+
+THE STORY OF KING BEDREDDIN-LOLO AND HIS VIZIR ATALMULC.
+
+
+The city of Damascus is one of the most populous and flourishing
+cities of the East, and to this capital of a rich kingdom travellers
+and caravans arrive from all the countries of the world. Its
+sovereigns bear the title of "Prince of the Believers," and their
+person is sacred.
+
+Bedreddin-Lolo, king of Damascus, had for his grand vizir a man
+celebrated in history for his goodness. This minister, whose real name
+was Aswad, but whose great virtues had acquired for him the surname of
+Atalmulc[9], was in every way worthy of the high name he had so
+obtained; uniting to an indefatigable zeal for the king's service a
+vigilance that nothing could deceive, a penetrating and capacious
+mind, and a disinterestedness that was universally admired. But he was
+surnamed the "sorrowful" vizir, because he appeared to be always
+plunged in a profound melancholy. Whatever he did at court was
+performed in a grave and serious manner, and he never smiled at the
+wittiest remark that was made in his presence.
+
+One day the king entertained this vizir and Sedif-Elmuloak, his
+favourite, and related to them, laughing immoderately all the while,
+the following misfortunes that happened to a rich old miser.
+
+
+THE OLD PAIR OF SLIPPERS.
+
+There was at Bagdad a merchant very notorious for his avarice, and his
+name was Abou-Cassem-Tambouri. Although he was enormously rich, his
+clothes were constantly in rags and tatters, and his turban, made of
+coarse stuff, was so dirty that its colour could no longer be
+distinguished. Of all his garments, however, his slippers were the
+most remarkable; the soles were kept together by large, clumsy nails,
+and the upper leathers were pieced in every direction. The famous ship
+Argo was not made up of a greater number of separate fragments. During
+the ten years of their existence as slippers, the cleverest cobblers
+of Bagdad had exerted their utmost skill to tag together their
+remains, and had only succeeded by adding piece on piece, by which
+means they had become so heavy, that they had passed into a proverb;
+and when any one wished to describe something weighty, the slippers of
+Cassem were always the object of comparison.
+
+One day, when this merchant was taking a walk in the great bazaar of
+the city, a proposal was made to him to buy a considerable quantity of
+glass; he agreed to the offer, because it was an advantageous one; and
+having heard a few days afterwards, that a perfumer who had fallen
+into difficulties had nothing left but some rose-water, which he would
+of course be obliged to sell as speedily as possible, Cassem took
+advantage of the poor man's misfortune, and purchased it at less than
+half its value. This successful stroke of business had put him into
+good humour, and instead of giving a great feast, according to the
+custom of Eastern merchants, when they have made an excellent bargain,
+he thought it better to take a bath, a luxury which he had not enjoyed
+for a long time.
+
+Whilst he was taking off his clothes, one of his friends, or at least
+one who pretended to be a friend--for it is a rare thing for a miser
+to have one--remarked to him that his slippers made him the
+laughing-stock of the whole city, and that he certainly ought to
+purchase a new pair.
+
+"I have long thought of doing so," replied Cassem; "but my old ones
+are not so very bad, and will last me for some time even yet." While
+talking, he stripped off his clothes, and entered the bath.
+
+At this juncture the cadi of Bagdad came also to take one. Cassem,
+having finished his bath before the judge, went into the first
+apartment, where he found his clothes, but not his slippers, which had
+disappeared, and in their place was a new pair, which our miser was
+convinced were a present from the man who had made him such a friendly
+remonstrance about them. With that he made no more ado, but put the
+new pair on his own feet, thus sparing himself the pain of buying new
+ones, and left the bath overjoyed with his prize.
+
+When the cadi had finished his bath, his slaves looked about in vain,
+for their master's slippers, and finding only a wretched pair, which
+were immediately recognized as Cassem's, the police ran after the
+supposed sharper, and brought him back with the stolen goods upon his
+feet. The cadi, after having exchanged the slippers, sent Cassem to
+prison; and, as he was well known to be rich as well as avaricious, he
+was not allowed to come out of prison until he had paid a handsome
+fine.
+
+On returning home the afflicted Cassem threw his slippers, in a rage,
+into the Tigris, which flowed beneath his windows. A few days after,
+some fishermen, drawing up a net heavier than usual, found in it
+Cassem's slippers. The nails, with which they had been patched, had
+broken the meshes of the net. The fishermen, out of spite to Cassem
+and his slippers, threw them into his room by the open window, and in
+their passage they struck the bottles containing the rose-water, and
+knocking them down, the bottles were broken and the water totally
+lost.
+
+The grief and wrath of Cassem on seeing this may easily be conceived.
+He cursed his slippers, and tearing out the hair from his beard, vowed
+that they should cause him no more mischief; and so saying, he took a
+spade, and digging a hole in his garden, buried them there.
+
+One of his neighbours, however, who had borne him a grudge for a long
+time, perceived him turning up the earth, and ran and told the
+governor that Cassem had dug up a treasure in his garden. This was
+enough to excite the cupidity of the officer, and he sent forthwith
+for Cassem. In vain our miser declared that he had not found money,
+that he was only employed in burying his slippers. The governor had
+calculated on his bribe, and the afflicted Cassem could only regain
+his liberty by paying down a second large sum.
+
+Our friend, in an extremity of despair, consigned his slippers to
+Shitan[10], and went and threw them into an aqueduct at some distance
+from the city, thinking that this time he should hear no more of them.
+But as though the evil spirit he had invoked was determined to play
+him a trick, the slippers somehow found their way just to the very
+pipe of the aqueduct, by this means preventing the flowing of the
+water. The persons who had the care of the aqueduct having gone to
+ascertain the cause of the stoppage, and to remove it, carried
+Cassem's slippers to the governor of the city, declaring them to be
+the cause of all the injury. Their unfortunate owner was thrown again
+into prison, and condemned to pay a larger fine than before. The
+governor who had punished the offence, and who pretended to be
+indebted to no one for any thing, returned Cassem's precious slippers
+to him again most faithfully; and Cassem, in order to free himself
+from all the evils which they had brought upon him, resolved to burn
+them. As they were saturated with water, he first of all put them out
+to dry in the sun on the terrace of his house. But Cassem's evil
+genius had not yet quite done with his tricks, and the last which he
+played him was the worst of all.
+
+A neighbour's dog prowling along the terrace on the housetops spied
+out the slippers, and, darting at them, carried off one of them. As,
+however, the dog was playing with it, and tossing it about, he
+contrived to let it fall off the terrace on to the head of a woman who
+happened to be passing below. The fright and the violence of the blow
+together, made the poor woman quite ill; and her husband having
+carried his complaint before the cadi, Cassem was condemned to pay a
+fine proportionate to the misfortune of which he had been the cause.
+Going home, he took up his slippers, and returned to the cadi with
+them in his hands.
+
+"My lord," he exclaimed with a vehemence which excited the judge's
+laughter, "my lord, look at the fatal cause of all my troubles! These
+abominable slippers have at length reduced me to poverty; be pleased
+now to issue a decree, in order that the misfortunes which they will,
+no doubt, still continue to occasion, may not be imputed to me."
+
+The cadi could not refuse to comply with this request, and Cassem
+learned, at great expense, the danger there is in not changing one's
+slippers often enough.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The vizir listened to this story with such a serious countenance that
+Bedreddin was astonished.
+
+"Atalmulc," he said, "you are of a strange disposition; you seem
+always sad and melancholy. During ten years that you have been in my
+service I have never seen the slightest sign of pleasure on your
+countenance."
+
+"May it please your majesty," replied the vizir, "you need not be
+surprised at it; all have their secret sorrows; there is no man on
+earth who is exempt from them."
+
+"Your remark is surely untrue," replied the king. "Do you mean to say
+that all men have some secret anxiety preying on their minds, because
+you appear in that state? Do you really believe this to be the truth?"
+
+"Yes, your majesty," replied Atalmulc; "such is the condition of all
+the children of Adam; our bosoms are incapable of enjoying perfect
+ease. Judge of others by yourself. Is your majesty quite contented?"
+
+"Oh, as to me," exclaimed Bedreddin, "that is impossible! I have
+enemies to deal with--the weight of an empire on my hands--a thousand
+cares to distract my thoughts, and disturb the repose of my life; but
+I am convinced that there are in the world a vast number of persons
+whose days run on in unruffled enjoyment."
+
+The vizir Atalmulc, however, pertinaciously adhered to what he had
+stated, so that the king, seeing him so strongly attached to his
+opinion, said to him:
+
+"If no one is exempt from vexation, all the world, at any rate, is not
+like you, wholly overcome by affliction. You have made me, however,
+very curious to know what it is that has rendered you so pensive and
+sorrowful; tell me therefore the reason of your melancholy."
+
+"I shall comply with your majesty's wish," replied the vizir, "and
+reveal the cause of my secret cares to you, by relating the history of
+my life."
+
+
+THE HISTORY OF ATALMULC, SURNAMED "THE SORROWFUL VIZIR," AND THE
+PRINCESS ZELICA.
+
+I am the only son of a rich jeweller of Bagdad. My father, whose name
+was Cogia Abdallah, spared no expense in my education; having from my
+earliest infancy hired masters, who taught me the various sciences,
+philosophy, law, theology, and more particularly the different
+languages of Asia, in order that they might be useful to me in my
+travels, if I should ever make any in that part of the world.
+
+Shortly after this my father died, and when the funeral ceremony,
+which was magnificent, was over, I took possession of all his immense
+property. Instead of giving myself up to the pursuit of pleasure, I
+resolved to devote myself to my father's profession. Being well versed
+in the knowledge of precious stones, I had reason to believe that I
+should succeed in business, and accordingly I went into partnership
+with two merchant jewellers of Bagdad, friends of my father, who were
+about to undertake a trading expedition to Ormus. At Basra we hired a
+vessel, and embarked on our enterprise from the bay which bears the
+name of that city.
+
+Our companions on board were agreeable; the ship wafted by favourable
+winds glided swiftly through the waves. We passed the time in festive
+mirth, and our voyage promised to end as pleasantly as we could
+desire, when my two associates gave me a startling proof that they
+were not the honourable characters I had supposed. We were just at the
+end of our voyage, and being in good spirits on that account, we held
+a sort of farewell feast, and did ample justice to some exquisite
+wines which we had laid in at Basra. For my part, being in the highest
+spirits, I made copious libations, and, on retiring to rest, lay down
+on a sofa, without taking off my clothes. In the middle of the night,
+while I was buried in profound slumber, my partners took me up in
+their arms, and threw me over-board through the cabin window. Death
+would seem inevitable under the circumstances, and in truth it is
+still impossible for me to imagine how I was fortunate enough to
+survive such a catastrophe. The sea was running high at the time, but
+the waves, as if Heaven had commanded them to spare me, instead of
+overwhelming me, bore me to the foot of a mountain, and cast me
+violently on shore. As soon as I recovered the shock, I found myself
+safe and sound on the beach, where I passed the remainder of the night
+in thanking God for my deliverance, at which I could not sufficiently
+wonder.
+
+At break of day I clambered up with great difficulty to the top of the
+mountain, which was very steep, and met there with some peasants of
+the neighbourhood, who were occupied in collecting crystal, which they
+afterwards sold at Ormus. I related to them the danger in which my
+life had been placed, and my escape seemed miraculous to them, as well
+as to myself. These worthy people took pity on me, gave me part of
+their provisions, which consisted of honey and rice, and as soon as
+they had finished gathering their crystal, acted as my guides to the
+great city of Ormus. I put up at a caravansary, where the first object
+that met my eyes was one of my associates.
+
+His surprise was great at seeing a man whom he no doubt believed to be
+safely housed in some marine monster's stomach, and he ran off
+instantly to find his companion, in order to acquaint him with my
+arrival, and to plan how they should receive me. They soon settled as
+to their course of proceeding, and, returning to the place where I
+was, they took no notice of me, and studiously conducted themselves as
+though they had never seen me before.
+
+"O traitors!" I exclaimed, "Heaven frustrated your murderous
+intentions, and in spite of your cruelty I am still alive; give me
+back instantly all my precious stones; I will no longer associate with
+such vile wretches."
+
+On hearing these words, which ought to have overwhelmed them with
+shame and remorse, they had the impudence to reply:
+
+"O thief and rogue! who are you, and where do you come from? What
+precious stones do you speak of that we have belonging to you?"
+
+So saying, they set on me, and gave me several blows with a stick. I
+threatened to complain to the cadi, but they anticipated me by going
+to that judge themselves. Bowing down before him, after having
+previously taken care to present him with some valuable brilliants,
+which no doubt belonged to me, they said to him:
+
+"O lamp of justice! light which dispels the darkness of deceit! We
+have recourse to you. We are poor strangers, come from the ends of the
+earth to trade here; is it right that a thief should insult us, and
+will you permit that he should deprive us by an imposture of what we
+have acquired at the risk of our lives, and after running a thousand
+dangers?"
+
+"Who is the man of whom you make this complaint?" asked the cadi.
+
+"My lord," they replied, "we do not know him, we never saw him before
+this morning."
+
+At this moment I presented myself before the judge, to make my own
+complaint, but as soon as they saw me they exclaimed:
+
+"Here is the man--here is the wretch, the arrant thief! He is even
+impudent enough to venture into your palace, and show himself before
+you, the very sight of whom ought to frighten the guilty. Great judge,
+condescend to protect us."
+
+I now approached the cadi, in order to address him, but having no
+presents to make to him, I found it impossible to get him to listen to
+my story. The calm and unmoved aspect with which I spoke to him,
+proceeding from the testimony of a good conscience, was thought by the
+cadi's prejudiced mind to arise from impudence, and he ordered his
+archers to convey me instantly to prison, an order which they lost no
+time in executing. So that while I, an innocent man, was loaded with
+chains, my partners departed, not only unpunished but in triumph, and
+well persuaded that a new miracle would require to be wrought to
+deliver me from the hands of the cadi.
+
+And, indeed, my escape from my present difficulty might not have been
+of so fortunate a nature as that from drowning, had not an incident
+occurred which showed the goodness of Heaven still visibly displayed
+on my behalf. The peasants who had brought me to Ormus, having heard
+by chance that I had been put in prison, moved with compassion, went
+to the cadi, and told him in what way they had fallen in with me,
+together with all the details which they had heard from myself on the
+mountain.
+
+This recital began to open the eyes of the judge, and caused him to
+regret that he had not listened to me. He forthwith resolved to
+investigate the matter; and first of all sent to the caravansary to
+inquire for the two merchants, but they had hastily decamped, and
+returned on board the ship, which had put to sea; for in spite of the
+bias of the cadi in their favour they had taken the alarm. Their rapid
+flight effectually convinced the judge that I had been committed to
+prison unjustly, and he gave orders to set me at liberty. Such was the
+termination of the partnership I had entered into with the two honest
+jewellers.
+
+As one saved from drowning, and the hands of justice, (or rather
+injustice,) I might well have considered myself eminently bound to
+return thanks to the Almighty. My situation, however, was such as to
+render me rather indifferent as to what might happen to me; for I was
+without money, without friends, without credit, and reduced either to
+subsist on charity, or to perish of hunger. I quitted Ormus, without
+knowing what would become of me, and walked in the direction of the
+prairie of Lar, which is between the mountains and the Persian Gulf.
+On arriving there, I met a caravan of merchants from Hindostan, who
+were setting out for Schiras, and, joining myself to them, I gained a
+subsistence by rendering myself useful on trifling occasions. On our
+arrival at Schiras, where the shah Tahmaspe held his court, I stopped
+for some time in that city.
+
+One day, when returning from the great mosque to the caravansary where
+I lodged, I saw an officer of the king of Persia, richly dressed and
+very handsome; looking at me attentively, he came up to me and said,
+"Young man, from what country do you come; for I see you are a
+stranger, and evidently not in a very prosperous condition?" I
+replied, that I came from Bagdad, and that his conjecture was but too
+well founded. I then related my history more at length, to which he
+listened attentively, and with much feeling for my misfortunes. He
+next asked me how old I was; and when I told him that I was nineteen
+years of age, he desired me to follow him, and walking before me
+proceeded to the king's palace, which I entered along with him.
+Conducting me into a very elegant apartment, he asked me, "What is
+your name?" I replied, "Aswad;" he then asked many other questions,
+and being satisfied with my replies, said at last:
+
+"Aswad, your misfortunes have affected me greatly, and I wish to
+assist you as a father: I am the capi-aga[11] of the king of Persia;
+there is now a place vacant for a new page, and I have appointed you
+to it. You are young and handsome, and I cannot make a better choice,
+for there is not one among the present pages who surpasses you in good
+looks."
+
+I thanked the capi-aga for his kindness, and he forthwith took me
+under his command, and caused me to be equipped in the dress of a
+page. I was made acquainted with my duties, which I soon learned to
+discharge in such a manner as to gain the esteem of the zuluflis[12],
+and to confer honour on my protector.
+
+There was a rule that no page of the twelve chambers should, under
+pain of death, remain in the gardens of the seraglio after a certain
+hour, when the women were accustomed occasionally to walk there. The
+same rule extended to all the officers of the palace and the soldiers
+of the guard. Being in the gardens one evening quite alone, and musing
+on my misfortunes, I became so lost in thought that I did not perceive
+that the proper time for men to leave the gardens was already past:
+knowing that no time was to be lost, I quickened my pace in order to
+enter the palace, when just as I was turning the corner of one of the
+walks, a lady appeared before me. She was of a majestic stature, and
+in spite of the darkness I could see that she was both young and
+beautiful. "You are in a great hurry," she remarked; "what can it be
+that obliges you to walk so fast?"
+
+"I have very good reasons for doing so," I replied, "and if you belong
+to the palace, as doubtless you do, you cannot be ignorant of them.
+You know that men are forbidden to appear in the gardens after a
+certain hour, and that whoever breaks this rule suffers death."
+
+"You have been rather slow in remembering the rule," replied the lady,
+"for the hour is long past; however, on another account you may thank
+your stars you have loitered, for if you had not, you would not have
+met with me."
+
+"How unfortunate for me that I should have mistaken the time," I
+exclaimed, thinking only that I had placed my life in danger.
+
+"Don't reproach yourself," said the lady; "if you do, I shall feel
+offended. You ought to look on your misfortune to be rather a source
+of congratulation. It is very true that the danger in which you are
+placed presents ideas disagreeable enough, but it is not quite so
+certain that you will be beheaded, for the king is a good prince, who
+may be induced to forgive you. Who are you?"
+
+"I am one of the pages," I replied.
+
+"Indeed!" she exclaimed, "you make very wise observations for a page;
+the grand vizir could not make better. Well, don't distress yourself
+about what may happen to-morrow, the events of which are hidden from
+you, and are only known to Heaven, which has perhaps even now prepared
+a means of escape for you. Leave then the future to take care of
+itself, and think only of the present. If you knew who I am, and the
+great honour conferred upon you by this adventure, instead of
+poisoning the precious moments by bitter reflections, you would esteem
+yourself the most fortunate of mortals."
+
+By such animating language the lady at length dispelled my fears: the
+idea of the punishment which threatened me vanished from my mind as I
+abandoned myself to the flattering ideas which she held out to me, and
+I proceeded somewhat over ardently to ingratiate myself with my
+companion. The next moment, however, as if at a signal from her, I
+found myself surrounded by ten or a dozen women who had concealed
+themselves close by, in order to listen to our conversation. It was
+easy now to see that the woman who had played me this trick was
+laughing at me. I supposed she was one of the female slaves of the
+princess of Persia who was desirous of having a little amusement at my
+expense. All the other women ran quickly to her assistance, and,
+bursting into laughter, began to surround me, and to joke with me.
+One remarked that I was of a lively character, and well fitted for an
+amusing companion. "If I should ever walk all alone at night," said
+another, "I hope I shall meet with somebody quite as clever as this
+page." Their pleasantries put me quite out of countenance, while every
+now and then they laughed outrageously, and I felt as ashamed as if
+they had rallied me for being too bashful. They even made themselves
+merry at my having permitted the hour for leaving the gardens to
+escape me, and said that it would be a pity if I were to die on that
+account; and that I well deserved to live since I was so devoted to
+the service of the ladies. The first one then, whom I had heard
+addressed as Cale-Cairi, said to another, "It is for you, my princess,
+to determine respecting his lot: is it your wish that he should be
+abandoned to his fate, or shall we lend him our assistance?"
+
+"He must be saved from the danger he is in," replied the princess: "I
+give my consent for him to live; and, indeed, to the end that he may
+remember this adventure of his for a long time to come, we must make
+it still more agreeable to him; let him come to my apartments."
+
+When I entered the chamber of Zelica Begum--for such was her name, and
+she was the princess of Persia--she inquired my name, and how long I
+had been a page. When I had satisfied her curiosity on these points
+she said:
+
+"Well, Aswad, make yourself at home, and forget that you are in an
+apartment which is forbidden to be entered by any man: forget that I
+am Zelica: speak to us as if you were with a party of young ladies,
+the daughters of plain citizens of Schiras: look attentively at all
+these young women, and tell me frankly which one among us all you like
+best."
+
+Although Zelica's slaves were perfectly beautiful, and the princess
+herself might be considered to have a just claim to the preference, my
+heart decided at once in favour of the charming Cale-Cairi; but
+concealing sentiments which would seem to cast Zelica into the shade,
+I said to her that she ought not to place herself in the same rank
+with the others, or contend with her slaves for the possession of my
+heart, for that her beauty was such that wherever she was seen, all
+eyes must be directed to her, and her alone. While speaking thus,
+however, I could not resist looking at Cale-Cairi in a way which would
+make her think that my language had been dictated by courtesy alone,
+and not by the real feelings of my breast. Zelica noticing this, said,
+"Aswad, you flatter me too much: you must be more candid: I am certain
+that you have not spoken your real sentiments, and you must really
+answer me truly in reply to my question: open your inmost soul to us:
+we all beg you to do this, and you cannot confer a greater pleasure
+both on myself and all my slaves." Yielding at last to their urgent
+requests, I threw off my timidity, and addressing myself to Zelica, I
+said:
+
+"I will then endeavour to comply with your highness's wishes: it would
+be difficult to decide which of the exquisitely beautiful assemblage
+before me is the most beautiful, but I will avow to you that the
+amiable Cale-Cairi is the lady for whom the inclinations of my heart
+plead the most strongly."
+
+Zelica, instead of being offended by my boldness, replied: "I am well
+pleased, Aswad, that you have given the preference to Cale-Cairi; she
+is my favourite, and that is sufficient to prove that your taste is
+not bad. You do not know the full worth of the fair lady whom you have
+chosen: we unite in owning that she excels us all."
+
+The princess and her slaves now began to banter Cale-Cairi on the
+triumph which her charms had achieved--and she received all their
+witticisms in very good part. Zelica then ordered a lute to be
+brought, and placing it in Cale's hands, said to her, "Show your lover
+what you can do with it," and she played upon it in a style which
+enchanted me, accompanying it at the same time with her voice in a
+song which indicated that when a lover has made choice of a suitable
+object, he ought to love that dear one for ever. An old slave at
+length came to inform us that daylight was approaching, and that there
+was no time to be lost, if it were intended that I should quit the
+apartments in safety. Zelica then told me to follow the slave, who led
+me through many galleries, and by many windings and turnings, until we
+reached a little gate of which she had the key; and on the door being
+opened, I went out, and as it was now daylight, I saw that I was no
+longer in the palace. A few hours after I rejoined my companions.
+
+Eight days after this, an eunuch came to the door of the king's
+apartments, and said that he wished to speak with me. I went to him
+and inquired what he wanted.
+
+"Is not your name Aswad?" he asked.
+
+I replied that it was. He then put a note into my hands, and went
+away. The letter stated that if I felt inclined to pay a visit to the
+gardens of the seraglio next night, and would be at the same place as
+before, I should there see a lady who was very sensibly touched with
+the preference I had given to her over all the princess's women.
+Although I suspected that Cale-Cairi had taken a fancy to me, I had no
+idea of receiving such a letter as this from her. Intoxicated with my
+good luck, I asked leave from the oda-baschi to pay a visit to a
+dervise--who was a countryman of my own, and who had just arrived from
+Mecca. Leave being granted me, I ran, or rather flew, to the gardens
+of the seraglio, as soon as night was come. If, on the first occasion
+time fled too swiftly and surprised me into stopping after the hour
+for leaving the gardens, it seemed now too slow in bringing me the
+promised pleasure, and I thought the hour of retreat would never come.
+It did come, however, and I could see, shortly afterwards, approaching
+the place where I was concealed, a lady whom I recognized by her
+stature and air to be Cale-Cairi. Transported with delight, I drew
+near, and throwing myself at her feet, I remained for some time
+prostrate on the ground without speaking a word, so completely had I
+lost all self-possession.
+
+"Rise, Aswad," she said, "I am enraptured at having inspired you with
+such feelings towards me, for I will confess to you that for my part I
+have not been able to resist a friendly regard for you. Your youth,
+good looks, and lively and brilliant wit, but more than all, perhaps,
+your preferring me to other ladies of great beauty, have endeared you
+to me. My conduct proves this sufficiently; but, alas! my dear Aswad,"
+she added, sighing, "I scarcely know whether I ought to be proud of
+the conquest I have made, or rather to regard it as an event which
+will embitter the whole course of my life."
+
+"But, madam," I replied, "why give way to such gloomy presentiments at
+the very time when your presence brings me such delight?"
+
+"It is not," she replied, "a foolish fear that now, at such a moment
+as this, causes me annoyance and disturbs the pleasure of our meeting;
+my fears are only too well founded, and you are ignorant of the cause
+of my grief. The princess Zelica loves you, and when she has freed
+herself, as she will do soon, from the splendid bondage in which she
+is held, she will inform you of your happiness. When she confesses to
+you that you are dear to her, how will you receive such a glorious
+avowal? Will your love for me hold out against the honour of having
+the affections of the first princess in the world?"
+
+"Yes, charming Cale-Cairi," I said, interrupting her; "I would prefer
+you even to Zelica. Were it to please Heaven that you should have even
+a still more formidable rival, you would see that nothing could shake
+the constancy of a heart that is devoted to you."
+
+"Unhappy Aswad!" exclaimed the lady, "whither does your love carry
+you? What a fatal assurance you are giving me of your fidelity! You
+forget that I am a slave of the princess of Persia. If you were to
+repay her kindness by ingratitude you would draw down her anger upon
+us both, and we should perish. Better it were that I should yield you
+up to so powerful a rival; it would be the only means of saving
+ourselves."
+
+"No, no," I replied hastily; "there is another means which I should
+rather choose in my despair, and that would be to banish myself from
+the court altogether. After my retreat you would be safe from the
+vengeance of Zelica, and you would regain your peace of mind: by
+degrees you would forget the unfortunate Aswad, who would retire into
+the deserts to seek for rest in his misfortunes."
+
+I spoke with such deep feeling and truth that the lady was herself
+overcome with my grief, and said:
+
+"Cease, Aswad, to yield to a needless affliction. You are mistaken;
+your merits are such that it would be wrong to keep you longer in the
+dark. I am Zelica herself, and not her slave. That night when you came
+to my apartment I personated Cale-Cairi, and you supposed my attendant
+to be myself."
+
+Zelica then called one of her women, who ran to her from amidst some
+cypress trees where she was concealed, and I perceived that she was
+the slave whom I supposed to be the princess of Persia.
+
+"Aswad," said the princess to me, "you now see the true Cale-Cairi; I
+give her back her name and take my own: I have no wish to disguise
+myself any longer. Although your love is greater than your ambition, I
+am certain that it will be a source of new pleasure to you to know
+that the lady who loves you is a princess."
+
+We passed nearly the whole night in walking about and conversing, and
+daylight would no doubt have found us in the gardens, had not
+Cale-Cairi, who was with us, taken care to inform us that it was time
+to withdraw. It was needful then that we should separate, but before
+I parted from Zelica the princess said to me:
+
+"Adieu, Aswad! do not forget me. We shall see each other again, and I
+will soon let you know how dear you are to me." I threw myself at her
+feet to thank her for so flattering a promise, after which Cale-Cairi
+took me out by the same winding passages as before, and I then left
+the seraglio.
+
+Beloved by the august princess whom I idolized, and forming an
+enchanting image of what she had promised me, I abandoned myself to
+the most pleasing fancies that the mind could depict, when an
+unlooked-for event deprived me all on a sudden of my proud hopes. I
+had heard a report that the princess Zelica was ill, and two days
+afterwards the rumour of her death was circulated in the palace. I was
+unwilling to give credit to this fatal intelligence, and refused to do
+so until I saw preparations going for the funeral ceremony. I did not
+see the whole of it, because excessive grief threw me into a
+succession of dangerous fainting fits which lasted for a long time.
+One of the officers of the palace gave directions for me to be carried
+into the pages' room, where great care was taken of me; my limbs were
+rubbed with a balm of exceeding virtue, and in spite of my
+overwhelming misery, such was the progress I made, that in two days my
+strength was restored. A stay in Schiras, however, having become
+insupportable, I secretly left the court of Persia three days after
+the interment of my beloved princess. Overwhelmed with grief, I walked
+all night without knowing whither I was going or where I ought to go.
+Next morning, having stopped to rest myself, a young man approached
+who was dressed in a very extraordinary manner. Coming up to me he
+saluted me and presented me with a green branch which he held in his
+hand, and after having civilly made me accept it, he began to recite
+some Persian verses to induce me to bestow my charity upon him. As I
+had no money I could not give him any. Thinking that I was ignorant
+of the Persian language he recited some Arabic verses, but seeing that
+he had no better success this way than the other, and that I did not
+do what he wanted, he said to me, "Brother, I cannot persuade myself
+that you are deficient in charity, but rather in the means wherewith
+to exercise it."
+
+"You are right," I said, "I have not a farthing in the world, and I
+know not even where to shelter my head."
+
+"Unfortunate man," he exclaimed, "what a sad plight you are in; I
+really pity you, and wish, moreover, to assist you."
+
+I was not a little astonished to be thus addressed by a man who had
+been asking alms of me a moment before, and I supposed that the
+assistance he offered was merely that of his prayers, when he went on
+to say:
+
+"I am one of those merry fellows they call fakirs; and I can tell you,
+that though we subsist entirely on charity, we fare none the less
+sumptuously for that, as we have discovered the secret of exciting the
+compassion of well-meaning people by an appearance of mortification
+and penance which we well know how to impart to ourselves. It is true
+there are a few fakirs fools enough to be really what they seem, and
+who lead a life of such austerity as sometimes to go ten whole days
+without the least nourishment. But we are a little less rigorous than
+these ascetics; we make no pretensions to the reality of their
+virtues, only to the appearance of them. Will you become one of our
+fraternity? I am now on my way to meet two of them at Bost; if you
+have a fancy to make the fourth, you have but to follow me."
+
+"I am afraid," I replied, "that not being accustomed to your religious
+exercises I shall acquit myself but clumsily."
+
+"Pray don't trouble yourself," he broke in, "on that head; I repeat to
+you that we are not fakirs of the austere order; in short, we have
+really nothing of the fakir about us but the dress."
+
+Although I guessed from what the fakir had told me, that he and his
+companions were in reality three libertines in disguise, I
+nevertheless did not hesitate to join them; for besides being reckless
+from sheer misery, I had not learned among the pages of the court many
+lessons of scrupulousness on the score of morality. As soon as I had
+signified to the fakir my consent, he set out with me at once for
+Bost, feeding me on the road with abundance of dates, rice, and other
+good things, which people presented to him in the towns and villages
+through which we passed; for the moment his little bell and his
+peculiar cry became heard, the good Mussulmans came running to him
+with provisions from all quarters.
+
+In this way we arrived at the large town of Bost; we made our way to a
+small house in the suburbs, where the two other fakirs resided. They
+received us with open arms, and appeared delighted with my resolution
+of joining them. They soon initiated me into their mysteries; that is
+to say, they showed me how to perform their antics. As soon as I was
+well instructed in the art of imposing on the populace, they sent me
+into the town to present respectable citizens with flowers or
+branches, and to recite verses to them. I always returned home with
+some pieces of silver, which enabled us to live merrily enough.
+
+I passed nearly two years with the fakirs, and should have lived there
+much longer had not the one who had induced me to join them, and whom
+I liked the best, proposed to me to travel.
+
+"Aswad," said he one day, "I am sick of this town; I begin to long to
+roam a little. I have heard wonderful accounts of the city of
+Candahar; if you will accompany me we will put the truth of these
+reports to the test."
+
+I consented at once, for I had a curiosity to see some new country,
+or rather, I was impelled by that superior power which guides our
+destinies.
+
+Accordingly we both quitted Bost, and passing through many cities of
+Segestan without stopping, we reached the noble city of Candahar,
+surrounded with its strong fortifications. We betook ourselves to a
+caravansary, where our dresses, the most commendable thing about us by
+the way, procured us a kind and hearty reception. We found the
+inhabitants of the city in a great bustle, as they were going to
+celebrate the feast of Giulous on the following day. We learned that
+at court they were no less busy, as every one was anxious to show his
+attachment for the king Firouzshah, who had earned by his justice the
+love of all good men, and still more by his rigour the fear of the
+wicked.
+
+The fakirs going where they please without hindrance, we proceeded
+next day to court to witness the festival, which however had few
+charms for the eyes of a man who had seen the Giulous of the king of
+Persia.
+
+Whilst we were attentively watching what passed, I felt myself pulled
+by the sleeve, and turning round, perceived close to me the very
+eunuch who, in the shah's palace, had been the bearer of Cale-Cairi's,
+or rather Zelica's letter.
+
+"My lord," he whispered, "I recognized you at once in spite of your
+strange dress; but indeed, though I flatter myself I am never
+mistaken, I am not quite sure whether on the present occasion I ought
+not to doubt the evidence of my own eyes. Is it possible that it is
+you I have met here?"
+
+"And pray," I asked in reply, "what are you doing at Candahar, and why
+have you left the court of Persia? Can the death of the princess
+Zelica have driven you away as it did me?"
+
+"That," replied he, "is exactly what I cannot tell you at this moment,
+but I will amply satisfy your curiosity if you will meet me here
+to-morrow alone at the same hour. I have a few things to tell you
+which will astonish you, and which--let me add--concern you not a
+little."
+
+I promised to return alone to the same spot the following day, and
+took care to keep my word. The eunuch was there, and coming up to me,
+proposed that we should leave the palace and seek some place better
+adapted for conversation. We accordingly went out into the city, and
+after traversing several streets, stopped at last at the door of a
+good-sized house, of which he had the key. We entered, and I observed
+suites of apartments magnificently furnished, delicious carpets and
+luxurious sofas, whilst through the windows I perceived a garden
+beautifully laid out, with a delightful piece of water in the middle,
+bordered with variegated marble.
+
+"My lord Aswad," said the eunuch, "I trust the house pleases you."
+
+"I am delighted with it," I replied.
+
+"I am glad to hear you say so," he returned, "for I yesterday took it,
+just as you see it, for _you_. You will next want slaves to wait on
+you. I will go and purchase some whilst you take a bath."
+
+So saying, he conducted me to a chamber, where I found baths all
+ready.
+
+"In Heaven's name," I exclaimed, "tell me for what purpose you have
+brought me here, and what the news is you have promised to tell me."
+
+"At the proper time and place," he rejoined, "you shall learn all; for
+the present be content to know that your lot is materially changed
+since I met you, and that I have my orders for every thing I am
+doing."
+
+As he spoke, he assisted me to undress--a process which did not take
+long--I entered the bath and the eunuch left me, enjoining patience.
+
+All this mystery furnished ample food for conjecture, but I wearied
+myself fruitlessly in endeavouring to fathom it. Schapour left me a
+long time in the bath, and my patience was beginning to be exhausted,
+when he returned, followed by four slaves, two of whom carried towels
+and garments, and the others all sorts of provisions.
+
+"I beg your pardon, my lord," said he, "I am extremely sorry I have
+kept you waiting so long."
+
+At the same time the slaves placed their bundles on the sofas and
+proceeded to wait on me: they rubbed me with towels of the finest
+texture, and then dressed me in rich garments, with a magnificent robe
+and turban.
+
+"What on earth is all this to end in?" said I to myself; "and by whose
+orders can it be that this eunuch treats me in such a manner?"
+
+My impatience to be enlightened became so lively that I could not
+conceal it. Schapour soon perceived it, and said:
+
+"It is with the deepest regret that I see you so restless and uneasy,
+but I cannot yet relieve you. Even supposing I had not been expressly
+forbidden to say a word, or even supposing that I betrayed my trust,
+and told you every thing I am now concealing from you, I should not
+succeed in tranquillizing you in the least; anxieties still more
+harassing would take the place of those which now worry you--you must
+wait till night, and you shall then learn all you desire to know."
+
+Though I would not but augur well from what the eunuch said, yet it
+was impossible to help being for the rest of the day in a state of
+cruel suspense. I really believe that the expectation of evil causes
+less real suffering than that of some great pleasure. The night
+however came at last, and the slaves proceeded to light up the whole
+house, and particularly the principal apartment, with wax candles. In
+this apartment I took my seat with Schapour, who, to assuage my
+impatience, kept saying to me, "They will be here in a moment--have
+but a little more patience." At last we heard knocking at the door,
+the eunuch went himself to open it, and returned with a lady whom,
+the moment she raised her veil, I recognized as Cale-Cairi. My
+surprise was extreme, for I believed her to be at Schiras.
+
+"My lord Aswad," said she, "however astonished you may be to see me,
+you will be much more so when you hear the story I have to tell you."
+
+At these words Schapour and the slaves quitted the apartment, leaving
+me alone with Cale-Cairi; we both sat down on the same sofa, and she
+commenced her narration as follows:
+
+"You recollect well, my lord, that night on which Zelica made herself
+known to you, nor can you yet have forgotten the promise she made you
+on leaving. The following day I asked her whether she had come to any
+resolution what course to pursue in the matter; I represented to her
+the absurdity of a princess of her rank dreaming of exposing herself
+to disgrace and death for the sake of a mere page; in short, I used
+every effort to overcome her passion; and you may well pardon me for
+doing so, as all my reasoning served but to strengthen her attachment.
+When I saw I was utterly unable to prevail with her, 'Madam,' I said
+at length, 'I cannot contemplate without shuddering the danger into
+which you are rushing, but since no consideration seems powerful
+enough to detach you from your lover, we must endeavour to contrive
+some plan for you to meet without endangering either your life or his.
+I have thought of one which would doubtless be gratifying to your
+affection, but it seems to me so daring that I hardly like to propose
+it.'
+
+"'Let me hear it at once, Cale-Cairi,' said the princess; 'whatever it
+may be, pray do not keep it from me.'
+
+"'If you put it in practice,' replied I, 'you must make up your mind
+to quit the court and live as though you had been born to the humblest
+lot in life. You must renounce all the honours of your rank. Do you
+love Aswad sufficiently to make so great a sacrifice?'
+
+"'_Do_ I love him?' returned she, drawing a deep sigh. 'Ah! the very
+humblest lot with him would please me far more than all the pomp and
+luxury with which I am now surrounded. Only point out to me what I can
+do in order to enjoy his society without constraint and without
+impropriety, and I am ready to do it without a moment's hesitation.'
+
+"'Well, madam,' I replied, 'since I perceive it is useless to
+endeavour to overcome your attachment, I will do all in my power to
+favour it. I am acquainted with the properties of a herb of singular
+power. One leaf of it placed in your ear will in an hour bring on so
+lethargic a sleep that you will appear quite dead; they will then
+perform the funeral rites, and carry you to your tomb, from which at
+nightfall I can easily release you--'"
+
+Here I interrupted Cale-Cairi, "Great Heavens!" I exclaimed, "is it
+possible that the princess Zelica did not die after all--what then has
+become of her?--"
+
+"My lord," said Cale-Cairi, "she is still alive. But pray listen
+patiently to my story, and you will learn all that you desire to know.
+My mistress," she continued, "threw herself into my arms with joy, so
+clever did my plan appear to her; presently, however, she began to
+perceive many difficulties connected with the rites and observances
+usual at funerals. I removed all her doubts, and thus we set about the
+execution of our plan.
+
+"Zelica complained of a terrible pain in her head, and went to bed.
+The next morning I spread a report that she was dangerously ill; the
+royal physician was sent for; it was no difficult matter to deceive
+him. He sent some remedies which of course were never taken. From day
+to day the princess's illness increased; and as soon as, in my
+judgment, her last moments ought to approach, I placed in her ear a
+leaf of the herb I have mentioned. I immediately after ran to the
+shah, and told him the princess had but a few moments to live, and
+desired anxiously to speak to him. He came to her at once, and,
+observing that, as the herb began its work, her face changed rapidly,
+he was deeply moved, and began to weep.
+
+"'My lord,' said his daughter, in faint accents, 'I implore you, by
+the love you have always borne me, to order my last wishes to be
+carried out to the letter. My wish is, that when I am dead, no one but
+Cale-Cairi shall be permitted to wash my body, and that none of my
+other slaves shall share that honour with her. I also beg that none
+but she shall watch my tomb the first night, that no tears but hers
+shall fall on it, and that her prayers alone shall ascend to the
+prophet, to avert from me the assaults of evil spirits.'
+
+"Shah Tahmaspe promised his daughter that I alone should perform for
+her these last sad duties.
+
+"'But this is not all, my lord,' continued she; 'I also implore you to
+give Cale-Cairi her liberty the moment I am no more, and to give her,
+with her freedom, presents worthy of yourself and of the affection she
+has always evinced towards me.'
+
+"'My child,' replied the shah, 'make yourself perfectly easy on all
+the matters you have commended to my notice; should it be my
+misfortune to lose you, I swear that your favourite slave, loaded with
+presents, shall be at liberty to go whither she pleases.'
+
+"He had hardly done speaking when the herb completed its work. Zelica
+lost all consciousness, and her father, supposing her to be dead,
+retired to his own apartments in deep grief. He gave orders that I
+alone should wash and embalm the body, which I pretended to do, and
+then wrapping it in a white cloth, laid it in the coffin. The princess
+was then carried in great pomp to the tomb, where by the shah's
+express orders I was left alone for the first night. I made a careful
+survey all round, to assure myself that no one was on the watch, and,
+not having discovered any one, I roused my mistress at once from her
+sleep in the coffin, made her put on a dress and veil I had concealed
+under my own, and we both repaired to a spot where Schapour was in
+waiting. The faithful eunuch conducted the princess to a small house
+which he had taken, and I returned to the tomb to pass the remainder
+of the night. I made up a bundle to represent the corpse, covered it
+with the same cloth in which I had previously wrapped Zelica, and
+placed it in the coffin. The next morning the princess's other slaves
+came to take my place, which I took care not to leave without
+previously indulging in all the expressions of inconsolable grief
+usual on such occasions. A faithful account of this exhibition of woe
+was duly carried to the king's ear, who was induced by it to make me
+presents far beyond what he had determined on. He ordered me ten
+thousand sequins out of his treasury, and granted me permission, the
+moment I asked it, to quit the court and carry with me the eunuch
+Schapour. I immediately proceeded to join my mistress, and
+congratulate her on the complete success of our stratagem. Next day we
+sent the eunuch to the royal apartments with a note asking you to come
+and see me. But one of your attendants told him you were ill, and
+could see no one. Three days after we sent him again; he brought back
+word that you had left the palace, and that no one knew what had
+become of you. We caused search to be made for you all through the
+city; Schapour left nothing undone in order to discover you; and when
+at last we gave up the search in despair and left Schiras, we took the
+road to the Indus, because we thought it just possible that you might
+have turned your steps in that direction;--and, stopping at every town
+on our route, we set on foot the most careful inquiries, which
+nevertheless proved entirely useless.
+
+"One day, on our road from one city to another, though we were
+travelling with a caravan, a vast horde of robbers surrounded us, and,
+in spite of a vigorous defence, swept down the merchants and plundered
+their goods. Of us, of course, they soon made themselves masters,
+robbed us of our money and jewels, carried us to Candahar, and sold us
+to a slave merchant of their acquaintance. This merchant had no sooner
+secured Zelica, than he resolved to show her to the king of Candahar.
+Firouzshah was charmed the moment he saw her, and asked her whence she
+came. She told him Ormus was her native place, and answered the
+prince's other inquiries in a similar manner. In the end he purchased
+us, and placed us in the palace of his wives, where the handsomest
+apartments were assigned to us. Passionately though she is loved by
+the king of Candahar, she cannot, nevertheless, forget you; and,
+though he sighs at her feet, he has never succeeded in obtaining the
+slightest proof of any return of attachment. No one ever saw any thing
+like the joy she exhibited yesterday when Schapour informed her he had
+met with you. She was quite beside herself all the rest of the day.
+She ordered Schapour instantly to engage a furnished house for you, to
+conduct you there to-day, and to suffer you to want for nothing. I am
+now here by her orders to inform you of the several things I have
+communicated, and to prepare you to see her in the course of to-morrow
+night. We shall leave the palace unobserved, and let ourselves in here
+by a small door in the garden wall, of which we have had a key made
+for us." As she uttered these last words the favourite slave of the
+princess of Persia rose and quitted the apartment, in order to return
+to her mistress, and Schapour accompanied her.
+
+I could do nothing all that night but think of Zelica, my love for
+whom seemed to return with tenfold ardour. Sleep never approached my
+eyelids, and the following day seemed a century. At last, as I almost
+began to think I should fall a victim to the agonies of suspense, I
+heard a knocking at the door; my slaves ran to open it, and the next
+moment I saw my princess entering the room. How shall I describe the
+feelings which her presence excited in me! and for her part what was
+her delight to see me once more! I threw myself at her feet and for
+some time could do nothing but embrace them without uttering a
+syllable. At length she forced me to rise, and seating me next her on
+the sofa, "Aswad," said she, "I render thanks to Heaven for reuniting
+us; let us now hope that the goodness of Providence will not stop
+here, but will remove the new obstacle which hinders our union. In
+expectation of the arrival of that happy hour we will live here in
+contentment; and if circumstances prevent our meeting unconstrainedly,
+we can at least enjoy the consolation of hearing daily news of each
+other, as well as of occasional secret interviews." In such
+conversation we passed the greater part of the night. Next day, in
+spite of the happy thoughts which now filled my mind, I did not forget
+the fakir in whose company I had come to Candahar; and picturing to
+myself his uneasiness at not knowing where I was, I determined to go
+and find him out. I met him by accident in the street and we embraced
+each other.
+
+"My friend," said I, "I was on my way to your caravansary to inform
+you of what has happened to me, and to set your mind at ease. No doubt
+I have occasioned you some uneasiness."
+
+"That is true enough," replied he; "I was in no small trouble about
+you. But what a change! What clothes are these you appear in? You seem
+to have been in luck. Whilst I was worrying myself about what had
+become of you, you were passing your time, as it seems to me,
+pleasantly enough."
+
+"I confess it, my dear friend," replied I; "and I can assure you,
+moreover, that I am a thousand times happier than it is possible for
+you to conceive. I want you not only to be witness of my good fortune,
+but to profit by it as well. Quit your caravansary and come and live
+with me."
+
+So saying, I led him to my house and showed him all over it. He
+admired the rooms and the furniture amazingly, and every now and then
+would exclaim, "O Heaven! what has Aswad done more than other men to
+deserve such an accumulation of good fortune?"
+
+"What, now, fakir," asked I, "do you view my happy condition with
+chagrin? It seems to me that my good fortune is positively annoying to
+you."
+
+"On the contrary," returned he, "it affords me the liveliest
+satisfaction; so far from envying my friends' happiness, I am never so
+happy as when I see them flourishing."
+
+As he concluded this speech he embraced me ardently, the better to
+persuade me of the sincerity of his words. I believed him sincere, and
+acting towards him myself in the most perfect good faith, betrayed
+myself without the least mistrust into the hands of the most envious,
+the most cowardly, and the most treacherous of men.
+
+In this way we continued to live for some time. Schapour or Cale-Cairi
+brought me daily intelligence of my beloved princess, and an
+occasional stolen interview elevated me to the seventh heaven of
+happiness. The fakir expressed the liveliest interest in the progress
+of my attachment, and I confided to him, as to my bosom friend, every
+particular of my life.
+
+One day, as I was reposing on a sofa and dreaming of Zelica, I was
+aroused by a great noise in my house. I rose in order to ascertain the
+cause, and to my great dismay, found that it was occasioned by a body
+of Firouzshah's own guards.
+
+"Follow me," said the officer in command; "our orders are to conduct
+you to the palace."
+
+"What crime have I committed?" asked I; "of what am I accused?"
+
+"We have not been informed," replied the officer; "our orders are
+merely to carry you before the king; we know nothing about the cause:
+but I may tell you for your comfort, that if you are innocent you have
+nothing whatever to fear, for you have to do with a prince of the
+strictest justice, who never lightly condemns any one who is brought
+before him. He requires the most convincing proofs before he will pass
+an adverse sentence; but it is true at the same time that he punishes
+the guilty with the utmost rigour, so that, if you are guilty, I pity
+you."
+
+There was no help for it; I was obliged to follow the officer. On my
+way to the palace I said to myself, "Firouzshah has no doubt
+discovered my correspondence with Zelica; but how can he have learned
+it?" As we crossed the court-yard of the palace I observed that four
+gibbets had been erected there. I made a shrewd guess at their
+destination, and apprehended that this kind of death was the least
+part of the punishment I had to expect from the wrath of Firouzshah. I
+raised my eyes to heaven and prayed that at least the princess of
+Persia might be saved from this. We entered the palace; the officer
+who had charge of me conducted me into the king's apartment. That
+prince was there, attended only by his grand vizir and the fakir. The
+moment I perceived my treacherous friend I saw that I had been
+betrayed.
+
+"It is you, then," said Firouzshah to me, "who has secret interviews
+with my favourite. Wretch! you must be bold indeed to dare to trifle
+with me! Speak, and reply exactly and truly to my questions:--When you
+came to Candahar, were you not told that I was a severe punisher of
+criminals?"
+
+I replied that I was informed of it.
+
+"Well," he continued, "since you knew that, why have you committed the
+greatest of all crimes?"
+
+"Sire," I answered, "may your majesty's days last for ever. You know
+that love gives courage to the dove: a man possessed by a violent
+passion fears nothing: I am ready to be a victim to your just wrath;
+and as to any tortures that may be reserved for me I shall not
+complain of your severity, provided you grant a pardon to your
+favourite. Alas! she was living peacefully in your palace before I
+came here, and would soon have been contented with rendering a great
+king happy, while gradually forgetting an unfortunate lover whom she
+never thought to see again. Knowing that I was in this city, her
+former attachment returned. It was I that separated her from your
+affection, and your punishment should fall on me alone."
+
+While I was thus speaking, Zelica, who had been sent for by the king's
+order, entered the apartment, followed by Schapour and Cale-Cairi, and
+hearing the last words I uttered, ran forward and threw herself at the
+feet of Firouzshah.
+
+"Great prince!" she exclaimed, "forgive this young man: it is on your
+guilty slave, who has betrayed you, that your vengeance ought to
+fall."
+
+"Traitors that you both are!" exclaimed the king "expect no favour
+either of you: die! both of you. This ungrateful woman only implores
+my kindness in behalf of the rash man who has offended me; while his
+sensibilities are only alive to the loss of her whom he loves; both of
+them thus parading in my very sight their amorous madness; what
+insolence! Vizir!" he cried, turning to his minister, "let them be led
+away to execution. Hang them up on gibbets, and after their death, let
+their carcasses be thrown to the dogs and the vultures."
+
+The officers were leading us away, when I resolved on one more
+desperate effort to save the princess.
+
+"Stop, sire!" I shouted at the top of my voice, "take care what you
+do, and do not treat with ignominy the daughter of a king! Let your
+jealousy even in its fury have respect to the august blood from which
+she has sprung!"
+
+At these words Firouzshah appeared thunderstruck, and then addressing
+Zelica, he inquired, "Who then is the prince who is your father?"
+
+The princess looked at me with a proud countenance, and said:
+
+"Alas! Aswad, where was your discretion? how is it that you have told
+what I wished to conceal, if it were possible, even from myself? I
+should have had the consolation in death of knowing that my rank was
+a secret, but in disclosing it, you have overwhelmed me with shame.
+Learn then who I am," she continued, addressing herself to Firouzshah;
+"the slave whom you have condemned to an infamous death is the
+daughter of shah Tahmaspe!" She then related her whole story, without
+omitting the slightest circumstance.
+
+When she had concluded her recital, which increased the king's
+astonishment, she said to him, "Now I have revealed a secret which it
+was my intention to bury in my own breast, and which nothing but the
+indiscretion of my lover could have wrung from me. After this
+confession, which I make with extreme humiliation, I beg that you will
+instantly give orders for my immediate execution. This is the only
+favour I now ask of your majesty."
+
+"Madam," replied the king, "I revoke the order for your death: I have
+too great a love for justice not to honour your faithfulness: what you
+have told me makes me look upon you in a different light; I have no
+complaint to make against you, and I set you at liberty. Live for
+Aswad, and may the happy Aswad live for you! Schapour also and your
+friend have life and liberty granted to them. Go, most faithful
+lovers, and may you pass the rest of your days in the enjoyment of
+each other's society, and may nothing interrupt the course of your
+happiness. As for you, traitor," he continued, turning to the fakir,
+"you shall be punished for your treason, for your base and envious
+heart, which could not endure to see the happiness of your friend, and
+led you to deliver him up yourself to my vengeance. Miserable wretch!
+You shall yourself be the victim of my jealousy!"
+
+While this villain was being led to the gallows, Zelica and I threw
+ourselves at the feet of the king of Candahar, and bathed them with
+tears of gratitude and joy. We assured him that we should ever retain
+a grateful sense of his generous goodness. And at length we left his
+palace, accompanied by Schapour and Cale-Cairi, with the intention of
+taking up our lodging at a caravansary. We were just about to enter,
+when an officer sent by the king accosted us. "I come," he said, "from
+my master, Firouzshah, to offer you a lodging: the grand vizir will
+lend you a house of his, situated at the gates of the city, where you
+will be very commodiously lodged. I will be your conductor thither, if
+you will allow me, and will take the trouble to follow me." We
+accompanied him, and soon arrived at a house of imposing appearance,
+and elegant architecture: the interior corresponded to the outside
+appearance. Every thing was magnificent, and in good taste. There were
+more than twenty slaves, who told us that their master had desired
+them to supply us with every thing that we wanted, and to treat us as
+they would himself all the time that we remained in the house.
+
+Here my marriage with the princess was duly celebrated, though with
+the strictest privacy. Two days after we received a visit from the
+grand vizir, who brought an immense quantity of presents from the
+king. There were bales of silk and cloth of India, with twenty purses,
+each containing a thousand sequins of gold. As we did not feel
+ourselves quite at our ease in a house which was not our own, and as
+the king's bounty enabled us to go elsewhere, we joined ourselves to a
+great caravan of merchants, who were proceeding to Bagdad, where we
+arrived without encountering any disaster.
+
+We took up our lodgings at my own house, where we remained for a few
+days after our arrival, for the purpose of recovering ourselves from
+the fatigue of our long journey. I then went into the city and visited
+my friends, who were astonished to see me, as they had been told by my
+associates on their return, that I was dead. As soon as I knew that
+they were at Bagdad, I hastened to the grand vizir, threw myself at
+his feet, and related their perfidious conduct towards me. He gave
+orders for their immediate arrest, and commanded them to be
+interrogated in my presence. "Is it not true," I asked them, "that I
+awoke when you took me up in your arms, that I asked what you intended
+doing with me, and that without replying you threw me out through the
+porthole of the ship into the sea?"
+
+They replied that I must have been dreaming, and that I must certainly
+have thrown myself into the sea when asleep.
+
+"Why then," said the vizir, "did you pretend not to know him at
+Ormus?"
+
+They replied that they had not seen me at Ormus.
+
+"Traitors!" he replied, eyeing them with a threatening aspect, "what
+will you say, when I show you a certificate from the cadi of Ormus,
+proving the contrary?"
+
+At these words, which the vizir only made use of to put them to the
+proof, my associates turned pale and became confused. The vizir
+noticed their altered looks, and bade them confess their crime, that
+they might not be compelled to do so, by being put to the torture.
+
+They then confessed every thing and were conveyed to prison, until the
+caliph should be informed of the matter, and give his orders
+respecting the kind of death which they were to undergo. In the mean
+time, however, they contrived to make their escape, either by bribing
+their guards, or deceiving their vigilance, and concealed themselves
+so carefully in Bagdad, that all search after them proved ineffectual.
+Their property, however, was confiscated to the caliph, excepting a
+small part which was bestowed upon me, by way of some compensation for
+the robbery.
+
+After this all my ambition consisted in living a quiet life with the
+princess, with whom I was perfectly united in love and affection. My
+constant prayer to Heaven was, that such a state of felicity might be
+continued to us; but alas! how vain are the wishes and hopes of man,
+who is never destined to enjoy unruffled repose for a long time, but
+whose existence is continually disturbed by contending cares and
+sorrows! Returning home one evening from partaking of an entertainment
+with some friends, I knocked at the door of my house, but could get no
+one to admit me, although I knocked loudly and repeatedly. I was
+surprised at this, and began to form the gloomiest conjectures. I
+redoubled my knocks at the door, but no slave came to admit me. What
+can have happened? I thought; can this be some new misfortune that has
+befallen me? Such were my surmises. At the noise I made several
+neighbours came out of their houses, and being as astonished as myself
+at none of the domestics appearing, we broke open the door, and on
+entering found my slaves lying on the floor, with their throats cut,
+and weltering in their blood. We passed from them to Zelica's
+apartment, and here another frightful spectacle presented itself, for
+we found both Schapour and Cale-Cairi stretched lifeless on the
+ground, bathed in their blood. I called on Zelica, but received no
+reply. I searched every room and corner in the house, but without
+finding her. Such a blow was too much for me, and I sank back in a
+swoon in the arms of my neighbours. Happy would it have been for me
+had the angel of death at that moment borne me away; but no! it was
+the will of Heaven that I should live to see the full horror of my
+fate.
+
+When my neighbours by their attentions had succeeded in recalling me
+to life, I asked how it was possible that so terrible a slaughter
+could have taken place in my house, and not the slightest sound of it
+have been heard by them. They replied that they were as astonished as
+I was at the circumstance. I then ran to the cadi, who despatched his
+nayb[13] into all the surrounding country with all his asas[14], but
+their inquiries were fruitless, and every one formed his own
+conjecture respecting this horrible tragedy. As for myself, I
+believed, as well as many others, that my former partners were the
+perpetrators of the crime. My grief was so intense that I fell ill,
+and continued in a languishing state at Bagdad for a long time. When I
+recovered I sold my house, and went to reside at Mossoul, carrying
+with me the wreck of my fortune. I adopted this course because I had a
+relation there of whom I was extremely fond, and who belonged to the
+household of the grand vizir of the king of Mossoul. My relation
+received me very cordially, and in a short time I became known to the
+minister, who, thinking that he saw in me good business talents, gave
+me some employment. I endeavoured to discharge effectively the duties
+entrusted to me, and I had the good fortune to succeed. His
+satisfaction with me daily increased, and I became insensibly
+initiated into the most secret state affairs, the weight of which I
+even assisted him to bear. In a few years this minister died, and the
+king, who was perhaps too partial to me, appointed me to his place,
+which I filled for two years, to the satisfaction of the king, and the
+contentment of the people. To mark, also, how much he was pleased with
+my conduct as minister, he first gave me the name of Atalmulc. And now
+envy soon began to be excited against me. Some of the chief nobles
+became my secret enemies, and plotted my ruin. The better to secure
+their ends, they instilled suspicions respecting me into the mind of
+the prince of Mossoul, who, being influenced by their unfavourable
+insinuations, asked the king, his father, to deprive me of power. The
+king at first refused, but yielded at last to the urgent requests of
+his son. I thereupon left Mossoul, and came to Damascus, where I had
+soon the honour of being presented to your majesty.
+
+I have now related to you, sire, the history of my life, and the cause
+of the deep grief in which I seem to be buried. The abduction of
+Zelica is ever present to my mind, and renders me insensible to every
+kind of pleasure. If I could learn that she was no more in life, I
+might, perhaps, lose the recollection of her, as I did before; but the
+uncertainty of her fate brings her ever back to my memory, and
+constantly feeds my grief.
+
+
+CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF KING BEDREDDIN-LOLO AND HIS VIZIR.
+
+When the vizir Atalmulc had concluded the recital of his adventures,
+the king said to him:
+
+"I am no longer surprised at your melancholy, for you have, indeed,
+good reason for it; but every one has not, like you, lost a princess,
+and you are wrong in thinking that there is not one man in the world
+who is perfectly satisfied with his condition."
+
+For the purpose of proving to his grand vizir that there are men in
+this state, the king of Damascus said, one day, to his favourite
+Seyf-Elmulouk, "Go into the city, walk before the shop of the
+artisans, and bring me here immediately the man who seems the gayest
+of the gay." The favourite obeyed, and returned to Bedreddin in a few
+hours. "Well," said the monarch, "have you done what I commanded you?"
+
+"Yes, sire," replied the favourite, "I passed in front of several
+shops, and saw all descriptions of workmen who sung while at their
+various occupations, and seemed quite contented with their lot. I
+noticed one among them, a young weaver, named Malek, who laughed with
+his neighbours till I thought he would have split his sides, and I
+stopped to have some chat with him. 'Friend,' I said, 'you appear to
+be very merry.' 'Yes,' he replied, 'it is my way: I don't encourage
+melancholy.' I asked his neighbours if it was true that he was of such
+a happy turn of mind, and they all assured me that he did nothing but
+laugh from morning till night. I then told him to follow me, and I
+have brought him to the palace. He is now at hand: does your majesty
+wish him to be introduced to your presence?"
+
+"By all means," replied the king, "bring him here, for I wish to speak
+with him."
+
+Seyf-Elmulouk immediately left the king's cabinet and returned in an
+instant, followed by a good-looking young man, whom the favourite
+presented to the king. The weaver threw himself down at the monarch's
+feet, who said to him, "Rise, Malek, and tell me truly if you are as
+happy as you seem to be: I am told you do nothing but laugh and sing
+the live-long day while at your work: you are thought to be the
+happiest man in my dominions, and there is reason to believe that such
+is really the case. Tell me whether or not this is a correct judgment,
+and if you are contented with your condition. This is a matter that I
+am concerned to know; and I desire that you will speak without
+disguise."
+
+"Great king," replied the weaver, standing up, "may your majesty's
+days last to the end of the world, and be interwoven with a thousand
+delights, unmixed with the slightest misfortune. Excuse your slave
+from satisfying your curiosity. If it is forbidden to lie to kings, it
+must also be owned that there are truths that we dare not reveal. I
+can only say that a false idea is entertained respecting me: in spite
+of my laughter and songs, I am perhaps the most unfortunate of men. Be
+contented with this avowal, sire, and do not compel me to relate my
+misfortunes to you."
+
+"I am resolved to have them," replied the king. "Why should you be
+afraid to tell them? Are they not creditable to you?"
+
+"Of this your majesty must judge," replied the weaver. "I had resolved
+to keep them to myself, but since it is necessary I will proceed with
+my story."
+
+The weaver then began as follows:--
+
+
+THE STORY OF MALEK AND THE PRINCESS SCHIRINE.
+
+I am the only son of a merchant of Surat, who left me at his death
+considerable wealth, most of which I squandered away in a very short
+time. I was nearly at the end of my property, when one day a stranger,
+who was going to the island of Serendib, happened to be dining with
+me. The conversation turned on voyages and travels: some who were
+present praised the advantages and the pleasure attending them, and
+others expatiated on their dangers. Among the guests there were a few
+persons who had travelled extensively, and who gave us detailed
+accounts of their experience in this adventurous kind of life. Between
+their accounts of the strange and curious scenes which they had
+witnessed and of the dangers which they had encountered, my mind was
+kept in suspense, as I conceived a strong desire to travel, and yet
+felt afraid of the accompanying risks. After listening to all that was
+related, I remarked:
+
+"It is impossible to hear your striking account of the pleasure
+experienced by you in travelling over the world without feeling a
+strong wish to travel also; but the dangers to which a traveller is
+exposed deprive me of all inclination for visiting foreign countries.
+If it were possible," I added, smiling, "to go from one end of the
+earth to the other, without meeting with any bad accident by the way,
+I would leave Surat to-day."
+
+These words excited universal laughter, but the stranger before
+alluded to remarked:
+
+"O Malek! if you have a desire to travel, and if nothing prevents you
+but the fear of encountering robbers and other dangers, I will teach
+you whenever you have a mind, a method of travelling at your pleasure,
+and without peril, from one kingdom to another."
+
+I thought he was joking, but after dinner he took me aside, and told
+me that he would pay me a visit the following morning and show me
+something extraordinary. He was true to his word, for the next day he
+came to see me, and said, "I mean to keep my promise, but some days
+must elapse before you can see the effect, for what I have to show you
+is a piece of workmanship which cannot be constructed in a day. Send
+therefore for a carpenter; let one of your slaves go for him, and let
+them both return with planks and other materials according to this
+list." I immediately complied with his request. When the slave and the
+carpenter returned, the stranger directed the latter to construct a
+box in the form of a bird, six feet in length and four in breadth, the
+upper part open, so as to admit a man to sit in it. The artisan
+immediately set to work, and the stranger on his part was not idle,
+for he made or brought from his lodging several parts of the machine,
+such as wings, wheels, and springs. For several days the carpenter and
+he worked together, and afterwards the former was dismissed, while the
+stranger spent one day in putting together the machinery and finishing
+the work.
+
+At length on the sixth day the box was finished, and covered with a
+Persian carpet. I observed that in this box there were several
+apertures, as well to admit air as to serve for look-outs. At the
+stranger's desire I then ordered some of my slaves to carry it into
+the country, whither I followed with the stranger. When we arrived at
+the spot he said to me, "Send away your slaves and let no one be here
+but ourselves. I do not wish to have other persons present beside
+yourself to see what I am about to do."
+
+I ordered my slaves to return home, while I remained alone with the
+stranger. I was very anxious to know what he intended to do with this
+machine, and eagerly watched his movements. He removed the carpet, and
+stepped inside. In a moment the box began to ascend above the earth
+and soared into the sky with incredible swiftness, carrying him
+rapidly to a great distance in the clouds; before I had recovered from
+my astonishment he was down again on the ground. I cannot express to
+you my amazement at witnessing this miracle of art.
+
+"You behold," said the stranger to me, as he stepped out of the
+machine, "a very quiet carriage, and you must admit that in travelling
+in it there is no fear of being robbed on the journey. This is the
+method I spoke of, and I now make you a present of the machine to be
+employed by you if ever you should take a fancy to visit foreign
+countries. Do not suppose that there is any magic or black art in what
+you have seen: it is neither by cabalistic words nor by virtue of a
+talisman that the box rises above the earth: its motion is produced
+merely by an ingenious adaptation of machinery. I am perfectly
+conversant with the mechanical arts, and know how to construct other
+machines quite as surprising as this one."
+
+I thanked the stranger for such a rare gift, and as a mark of my
+gratitude presented him with a purse of sequins. I then requested him
+to instruct me how to set the machine in motion. "It is very easily
+done," he said, and requested me to step into the box along with him:
+he then touched a spring and we immediately mounted up into the air;
+when there, he next showed me how to steer the machine. "By turning
+this screw," he said, "you will go to the right, and that other screw
+will take you to the left; by touching this spring you will ascend,
+and the same operation applied to another spring will cause you to
+descend." I wanted to make the experiment myself: I turned the screws
+and touched the springs, and the machine, obedient to my hand, went
+whither I pleased; I quickened its movements, or slackened them, just
+as I wished. After having taken several turns in the air, we directed
+our flight towards my house and alighted in the garden.
+
+We reached home before my slaves, who were astonished beyond measure
+when they found we had returned. I shut up the box in my room, where I
+watched it more carefully than any heap of gold; and the stranger
+departed as well satisfied with me as I was with him. I continued to
+amuse myself in the society of my friends until I had eaten and drunk
+all my fortune--was compelled to borrow money, and eventually got over
+head and ears in debt. As soon as it was known in Surat that I was a
+ruined man, I lost all credit; no one would trust me, and my creditors
+being impatient to get their money, sent me summonses to pay them.
+Finding myself almost penniless, and consequently exposed to all kinds
+of insults and mortifications, I had recourse to my machine, and
+dragging it out one night from my room into the open air, I stepped
+into it, taking with me some provisions and the little money I had
+left. I touched the spring which caused the machine to ascend; and
+then moving one of the screws, I turned my back upon Surat and my
+creditors, without any fear of their sending the officers after me. I
+put on as much propelling power as possible all night, and it seemed
+to me that my flight was swifter than the winds. At daybreak I looked
+out of one of the apertures in the carpet to see whereabouts I was. I
+could see nothing but mountains, precipices, a barren country, and a
+frightful desert. Wherever I looked I could discover no signs of human
+habitations. During all that day and the following night I continued
+my aërial tour, and next day I found myself above a very thick wood,
+near which was a fine city situated in an extensive plain. I stopped
+here in order to take a view of the city, as well as of a magnificent
+palace which I saw at some distance from it at the extremity of the
+plain. I was extremely anxious to know where I was, and began to
+ponder in what way I could satisfy my curiosity, when I observed a
+peasant at work in a field. I descended in the wood, left my box
+there, and going up to the labourer, asked the name of the city.
+"Young man," he replied, "it is easy to see that you are a stranger,
+since you do not know that this is the renowned city of Gazna, where
+the just and valiant king Bahaman resides."
+
+"And who lives," I asked, "in the palace at the end of the plain?"
+
+"The king of Gazna," he replied, "has built it in order to keep his
+daughter, the princess Schirine, shut up there; for the princess's
+horoscope declares that she is threatened with being deceived by a
+man. Bahaman, for the purpose of evading this predicted danger, has
+erected this palace, which is built of marble, and surrounded by a
+deep ditch. The gate is formed of Indian steel, and while the king
+himself keeps the key, a numerous body of troops keep watch round it
+day and night to prevent any man from gaining entrance. The king goes
+once a week to see his daughter, and then returns to Gazna. Schirine's
+only companions in the palace are a governess and a few female
+slaves."
+
+I thanked the peasant for his information, and directed my steps
+towards the city. When I was near to it, I heard the noise of an
+approaching multitude, and soon espied a vast crowd of horsemen
+magnificently attired, and mounted on very fine horses richly
+caparisoned. I perceived in the midst of this splendid cavalcade a
+tall individual, with a crown of gold on his head, and whose dress was
+covered with diamonds. I concluded that this person was the king of
+Gazna, going to visit the princess his daughter; and, in fact, I
+learned in the city that my conjecture was correct.
+
+After having made the circuit of the city, and somewhat satisfied my
+curiosity, I bethought me of my machine; and although I had left it in
+a spot which seemed to promise security, I became uneasy on its
+account. I left Gazna and had no peace of mind until I reached the
+place where I had left the box, which I found quite safe. I then
+became tranquil, and partook with a good appetite of the food which I
+had brought with me, and as night was coming on, I resolved to pass it
+in the wood. I had reason to hope that a profound sleep would soon
+overpower me, for latterly my debts, as well as the general
+complication of my affairs, had naturally caused me much uneasiness
+and many sleepless nights: but my wishes were in vain, I could not
+sleep; for what the peasant had told me respecting the princess
+Schirine was constantly present to my mind. The more I thought of her
+and her peculiar situation, the more did I become possessed with the
+desire of effecting an interview; at length my inclinations became
+ungovernable, and I resolved to convey myself to the roof of the
+princess's palace and endeavour to obtain an entrance into her
+chamber. "Perhaps," thought I, "I may have the happiness to please
+her, perhaps to dispel the _ennui_ she must suffer under: perhaps even
+I may be the mortal whose fortunate audacity was foretold by the
+astrologers." I was young and consequently thoughtless, and I was not
+deficient in courage, or such a scheme would not have occurred to me.
+However, having formed the rash resolution, I instantly proceeded to
+execute it. I raised myself up in the air and steered my machine in
+the direction of the palace: the night was as dark as I could wish. I
+passed without being seen over the heads of the soldiers, who were
+dispersed around the palace fosse, keeping watch, and descended on the
+roof near a spot where I saw a light; quitting my box I then slipped
+in at a window which had been left open to admit the cool night
+breeze. The room was furnished with the utmost magnificence; and I
+saw, reposing in slumber on a sofa, a young lady who, from the
+splendour and luxury with which she was surrounded, I could not doubt
+was the princess Schirine herself. I gazed for some time on her and
+found her to be of such dazzling beauty as exceeded the highest idea I
+had formed of her. I drew nearer in order to gaze upon her more
+intently: I could not, without an overwhelming emotion of rapture,
+contemplate such charms. I was quite overcome; and hardly knowing what
+I was about, knelt down beside her to kiss one of her beautiful hands.
+She awoke at that instant, and seeing a man near her, though in an
+attitude of respect which need have excited no alarm, uttered a cry
+which soon brought her governess, who slept in an adjoining room.
+
+"Help, Mahpeiker!" exclaimed the princess: "here is a man! how was it
+possible for him to get into my room? You must surely have admitted
+him, and are an accomplice in his crime."
+
+"I his accomplice!" exclaimed the governess: "the bare idea is an
+insult to me! I am as astonished as you can be, to see here this rash
+young man. Besides, if I had even been inclined to favour him in his
+bold attempt, how was it possible for me to deceive the vigilance of
+the guards who keep watch around the palace? You know also that there
+are twenty gates of burnished steel to be opened before any person can
+get in here; the seal royal is on every lock, and the king, your
+father, keeps the keys. I cannot imagine how this young man has been
+able to overcome all these obstacles."
+
+All this time I remained kneeling, overwhelmed with confusion: the
+governess's long speech, however, gave me time to collect my thoughts,
+and it occurred to me that I would endeavour to persuade them that I
+was a being of a superior order.
+
+"Beautiful princess," I said to Schirine, rising from my knee and
+making her a profound obeisance, "do not be surprised at seeing me
+here. I am not a lover who lavishes gold, and resorts to nefarious
+tricks to accomplish his wishes; far be from me any unworthy
+intention: I have not a wish at which your virtuous mind need be
+ashamed. Know then that I am the king of the genii: for a long time I
+have been aware of your singular position, and could not without
+pitying you see you condemned to pass your best days in a prison. I am
+come here to throw myself at your feet, and to ask you in marriage
+from Bahaman: as my bride it will be in my power to shield you from
+the danger alluded to by the prediction which has terrified your
+father. Deign, therefore, beautiful princess, to look kindly on my
+suit, and then let both your father and yourself be at rest respecting
+your future fate, which cannot fail to be both glorious and happy; for
+as soon as the news of your marriage is spread abroad in the world,
+all the kings of the earth will stand in awe of the father-in-law of
+so powerful a monarch, and every princess will envy your fate."
+
+Schirine and her governess looked at each other during this speech as
+if desirous of consulting together whether they should give credit to
+it. I confess I had reason to believe that they would give no heed to
+such a fable, but women are fond of the wonderful, and both Mahpeiker
+and her mistress believed me.
+
+After passing the greater part of the night in delightful conversation
+with the princess of Gazna and her governess, I left her apartment
+before daybreak, promising to return next day. I lost no time in
+getting into my machine, and ascended to a great height that I might
+not be seen by the soldiers. I alighted in the wood, left the box
+there, and went into the city, where I purchased a stock of provisions
+for eight days, magnificent robes, a turban of Indian woof surrounded
+with a golden circlet, darting forth rays of light, and a rich girdle.
+At the same time I did not forget the costliest perfumes and
+essences. I spent all my money in these purchases without troubling my
+head about the future; for I thought that after such a pleasant
+adventure as had befallen me, I should never more want for any thing.
+I remained all day in the wood employed in dressing and perfuming
+myself with the utmost care and attention. When night came on, I
+entered the machine and set off for the roof of Schirine's palace,
+where I introduced myself into her apartment as before, and spent
+another delightful evening in conversation with the princess and her
+attendant. I left the palace when night was waning, for fear lest my
+imposture should be discovered. I returned next day, and always
+conducted myself so cleverly that the princess and Mahpeiker had not
+the least idea that I was an impostor. True it is that the princess by
+degrees had acquired such a fondness for me that, on this account, she
+gave a more ready belief to what I said; for love is blind and, when
+such feelings exist in favour of a person, his sincerity is never
+doubted. I, too, had become deeply enamoured of the beautiful
+princess, and more than once regretted the imposture I was practising
+on her; but what was I to do? To discover it was certain destruction,
+and I could not summon up courage to undeceive her.
+
+After some days had elapsed, the king of Gazna, attended by some of
+his officers, paid his weekly visit to his daughter's palace, and
+finding the gates securely fastened, and his seal on the locks, said
+to the vizirs who accompanied him:
+
+"Every thing goes on as well as possible: so long as the palace gates
+continue in this state I have little fear of the evil with which my
+daughter is threatened."
+
+He went up to her apartment alone and unannounced, and at seeing him
+she could not help betraying some emotion, which he noticed and
+required to know the reason of. His curiosity added to her perplexity;
+and, finding herself at last compelled to satisfy him, she related
+all that had taken place. Your majesty may conceive the astonishment
+of king Bahaman when he learned that, without his knowledge, a
+proposal of marriage had been made by the king of the genii. But he
+was not so easily duped as his daughter. Suspecting the truth, he
+exclaimed:
+
+"Alas! my child, how credulous you are! O Heaven! I see that it is
+hopeless to endeavour to avoid the misfortunes destined for us; the
+horoscope of Schirine is fulfilled; some villain has deceived her!"
+
+So saying, he left the princess's room in a state of great agitation,
+and went over all the palace, from the top to the bottom, searching
+every where, and strictly examining all the attendants, but I need
+hardly say without success, for he found no trace of any stranger, nor
+the slightest circumstance to lead to the supposition that bribery had
+been resorted to, which increased his astonishment. "By what means,"
+he said, "can any person, however ingenious and daring, enter this
+fortress? To me it is inconceivable."
+
+He resolved to get at the truth of the matter somehow, but being
+desirous of setting to work prudently, and of speaking himself alone,
+in the first instance, and without witnesses, to the pretended genius,
+he sent back his vizirs and courtiers to Gazna. "Withdraw," he said to
+them, "and I will remain alone at the palace this night with my
+daughter; and do you return here to-morrow."
+
+They all obeyed the king's orders: they returned to the city, and
+Bahaman set about questioning the princess afresh until night drew on.
+He asked her if I had eaten with her. She replied that I had not, for
+that she had in vain offered me refreshments, and that she had not
+seen me either eat or drink any thing since I came to her. "Tell me
+the whole occurrence again," he said, "and conceal nothing." Schirine
+related to him her story all over again, and the king, who was
+attentive to her recital, weighed every circumstance of it carefully.
+
+Night had now set in; Bahaman seated himself on a sofa, and ordered
+tapers to be lit and to be placed before him on the marble table. He
+then drew his sabre, to be employed, if necessary, in wiping out with
+my blood the insult he conceived to have been offered to his honour.
+He sat thus, expecting me every moment; and the idea of seeing me
+appear instantaneously probably agitated him not a little.
+
+That night it happened that the atmosphere was highly charged with
+electric matter. A brilliant flash of lightning darted across the sky
+before him and made him start. Approaching the window at which
+Schirine had told him I should enter, and observing the heavens to be
+on fire with vivid flashes, his imagination was excited, although
+nothing was taking place but what was quite natural: he thought he saw
+in the clouds fanciful forms, among which was prominently conspicuous
+that of a venerable old man, such as the prophet is represented to us.
+As he gazed he forgot to reflect that these meteors arose merely from
+exhalations of an inflammable nature that exploded in the air, and
+came to regard them as brilliant lights announcing to the world the
+descent of the king of the genii. In such a state of mind the king was
+disposed to receive me as really bearing the character to which I
+pretended, and therefore when I appeared at the window, instead of
+exhibiting the fury he had contemplated, he was overcome with respect
+and fear; he dropped his sabre, and, falling at my feet, kissed them,
+and said, "O great king! what am I, and what have I done to deserve
+the honour of being your father-in-law?"
+
+From these words I could guess what had passed between the king and
+the princess, and discovered that the worthy monarch was almost as
+easily imposed upon as his daughter. We sat down together on the sofa
+and conversed. I now formally renewed to him my suit for the hand of
+the princess. He believed all I told him, and feeling delighted at the
+prospect of being allied to me, again prostrated himself at my feet
+in sign of gratitude for my kindness. I raised him up, embraced him,
+and assured him of my protection, for which he could not find language
+sufficiently strong to thank me. It was arranged that the marriage
+should take place the following day. I stopped with Schirine and her
+father for a few hours, but however pleased I might be with our
+interview, I did not forget how time was flying; I was apprehensive of
+daylight surprising us, and of my box being seen on the roof of the
+palace. I therefore made haste to leave in good time and to reseat
+myself in the machine.
+
+The following day, on the return of the vizirs and great officers of
+state, a magnificent banquet was prepared at the palace, and
+immediately on my arrival in the evening the marriage was celebrated
+with great pomp and rejoicing.
+
+A month had nearly passed during which I continued to be looked on and
+treated as the king of the genii, and I was leading a most agreeable
+life, when there arrived in the city of Gazna an ambassador from a
+neighbouring monarch to demand Schirine in marriage. On being admitted
+to an audience, and detailing the object of his embassy, Bahaman said
+to him:
+
+"I am sorry that I am unable to give my daughter in marriage to the
+king, your master, for I have already bestowed her hand on the king of
+the genii."
+
+From such a reply the ambassador supposed that king Bahaman had lost
+his senses; he therefore took leave and returned to his master, who
+also at first thought Bahaman was mad, but on reconsidering the answer
+began to look on the refusal as a studied insult; he therefore raised
+troops, and forming a large army, entered the kingdom of Gazna in a
+hostile manner. This king, whose name was Cacem, was more powerful
+than Bahaman, who also was so slow in preparing to oppose his enemy
+that he could not prevent him from making great progress. Cacem
+defeated some troops which opposed him, and advancing rapidly towards
+the city of Gazna, found the army of Bahaman intrenched in the plain
+before the castle of the princess Schirine. The design of the
+irritated lover was to attack Bahaman in his intrenchments; but as his
+troops had need of rest, and he had only arrived that evening in the
+plain after a long forced march, he delayed his attack until the
+following morning.
+
+The king of Gazna, having been informed of the numbers and valour of
+Cacem's soldiers, began to tremble for the result. He assembled his
+privy council and asked for their advice, when one of its members
+spoke in the following terms:
+
+"I am astonished that the king should appear to be at all uneasy on
+this occasion. What alarm can all the princes of the world, to say
+nothing of Cacem, occasion to the father-in-law of the king of the
+genii? Your majesty need only address yourself to him, and beg his
+assistance, and he will soon confound your enemies. It is his duty to
+do this, indeed, since it is on his account that Cacem has come to
+disturb the quiet of your majesty's subjects."
+
+This speech did not fail to inspire king Bahaman with confidence.
+
+"You are right," he said to the courtier; "I shall at once go and beg
+of him to repulse my proud enemy, and I venture to hope that he will
+not reject my supplication."
+
+So saying, he went to visit his daughter, and said to her:
+
+"Schirine, to-morrow at daybreak it is Cacem's intention to attack us,
+and I am afraid he will carry our intrenchments. I wish to entreat of
+the king of the genii that he would undertake our defence. Let us
+unite our prayers that he would be favourable to us."
+
+"My lord and father," replied the princess, "there will be no great
+difficulty in engaging the king on our side; he will soon disperse the
+enemy's troops, and all the kings of the world will learn, at Cacem's
+expense, to respect you."
+
+"But," resumed king Bahaman, "night is coming on, and still the king
+of the genii does not appear; can he have forsaken us?"
+
+"No, no, my father," replied Schirine; "do not fear that he will fail
+us in time of need. He sees the army which is now besieging us, and is
+perhaps at this moment preparing to carry disorder and terror into all
+its ranks."
+
+And this, in fact, was what I was desirous of doing. I had watched
+during the day Cacem's troops; I had observed their arrangement, and
+taken particular notice of the head-quarters of the king. I collected
+a quantity of stones and pebbles, both large and small, with which I
+filled my box, and at midnight I mounted aloft. Advancing towards the
+tents of Cacem, I easily discovered that in which the king was
+reposing. It was very lofty, richly adorned with gilding, and in the
+form of a dome, supported on twelve columns of painted wood, fixed
+deep in the ground; the spaces between the columns were intertwined
+with branches of different kinds of trees, and towards the summit
+there were two windows, one at the east, and another at the south
+side.
+
+All the soldiers around the tent were asleep; and this circumstance
+permitted me to descend near one of the windows without being
+perceived. Through it I saw the king lying on a sofa, with his head
+supported on a satin cushion. Rising a little in my box, I hurled a
+large stone at Cacem; I struck him on the forehead, and wounded him
+dangerously; he uttered a cry, which soon awoke his guards and
+officers, who, running up to him, found him covered with blood, and
+almost insensible. Immediately loud cries were heard, and the alarm
+was communicated to the whole quarter, every one asking what had
+happened. A report was soon circulated that the king was wounded, and
+it was not known by whom the blow had been struck. Whilst the culprit
+was being searched for, I ascended high up among the clouds, and
+discharged from an immense height a shower of stones on the royal tent
+and all near it. The stones cut through the silk of the tent, and
+severely wounded the attendants; many of the soldiers who surrounded
+it, too, were very badly hit, and began to cry out that stones were
+being rained down on them from heaven. The news soon spread, and to
+confirm it I scattered my stony artillery in all directions. Terror
+took possession of the army; both officers and soldiers thinking that
+the Prophet was enraged with Cacem, and that his anger was too
+evidently declared by this miraculous interference. In short,
+Bahaman's enemies took to flight in a panic, and with such
+precipitation, that they abandoned their tents and baggage to their
+foes, crying out, "We are lost; Heaven is destroying us!"
+
+When day dawned the king of Gazna was not a little surprised to find,
+that, instead of advancing to the attack, the enemy was in full
+retreat. Seeing this, however, he pursued the fugitives with his best
+troops, who made prodigious carnage, and took prisoner Cacem himself,
+whose wound prevented his making a sufficiently speedy flight.
+
+"Why," asked Bahaman, when his enemy was brought before him, "why have
+you advanced into my dominions against all right and reason? What
+provocation have I given you for making war against me?"
+
+"Bahaman," replied the vanquished monarch, "I thought you had refused
+me your daughter out of contempt for me, and I thirsted to be revenged
+upon you. I believed the story of the king of the genii being your
+son-in-law to be a mere pretext. I have now, however, good reason to
+be sure of its truth, for it is he who has wounded me and dispersed my
+army."
+
+When the pursuit was ended Bahaman returned to Gazna with Cacem, who,
+however, died of his wound the same day. The spoil was divided, and it
+was so considerable, that even the common soldiers returned home
+laden with booty; and prayers were offered up in all the mosques
+thanking Heaven for having confounded the enemies of the state.
+
+When night arrived, the king repaired to the princess's palace.
+
+"My daughter," he said, "I have come to thank the king of the genii
+for a success I owe entirely to him. The courier whom I despatched to
+you has informed you of all that he has done for us, and I am so
+profoundly grateful for it, that I am dying with impatience to embrace
+his knees."
+
+This satisfaction was soon granted him. I entered Schirine's room by
+the usual window, and there, as I indeed expected, I found him.
+
+"O great king!" he exclaimed, "language is wanting to express to you
+what I feel on this occasion. Read yourself in my countenance the full
+measure of my gratitude."
+
+I raised up Bahaman, and kissed his forehead.
+
+"Prince," I said to him, "could you possibly think that I would refuse
+to help you in the embarrassing situation in which you were placed on
+my account? I have punished the proud Cacem who intended to make
+himself master of your kingdom, and to carry off Schirine, to place
+her among the slaves of his seraglio. No longer fear that any
+potentate on the earth will dare to make war against you; but if any
+one should be so bold, be assured that I will rain a fiery shower upon
+his troops, which will reduce them to ashes."
+
+After having again assured the king of Gazna that I would take his
+kingdom under my protection, I related how the enemy's army had been
+terrified at seeing stones showered down upon their camp. Bahaman, for
+his part, repeated to me what Cacem had told him, and then took his
+departure, leaving Schirine and myself to ourselves. The princess was
+as sensible as her father of the important service I had rendered to
+the country, and manifested the greatest gratitude, caressing me a
+thousand times over.
+
+Two days after the interment of Cacem, on whom, although a foe, a
+magnificent funeral was bestowed, the king of Gazna commanded that
+rejoicings should take place in the city for the defeat of the enemy's
+troops. I thought that a festival prepared in my honour ought to be
+signalized by some wonderful prodigy; and for this purpose I purchased
+in Gazna some combustible materials. With these I manufactured
+fireworks, which I let off at as great a height as possible, while the
+people in the streets were celebrating their victory with great
+rejoicings. My pyrotechnic display was very successful; and as soon as
+daylight appeared I left my machine, and went into the town to have
+the pleasure of hearing what people said about me. I was not deceived
+in my expectations. A thousand extravagant accounts were current among
+those who had been spectators of my display. Some said that the king
+of the genii had illuminated the whole heavens expressly to show his
+satisfaction with the festival; and others asserted that they had even
+seen him in the sky, surrounded by a blaze of meteors.
+
+All these speeches amused me exceedingly. But alas! while I was
+indulging in these pleasurable sensations, my box--my dear
+machine--the instrument by which I had worked all my wonders--was
+burning to ashes in the wood. A spark, which I had not perceived, had
+set fire to it in my absence, and consumed it, and in this state I
+found it on my return. A father who enters his house, and finds his
+only son pierced with a thousand mortal wounds, and lying bathed in
+his blood, could not suffer more than I did on this occasion. I tore
+my hair and garments, while the wood resounded with my cries and
+lamentations; I even wonder that I did not lay violent hands upon
+myself in the paroxysm of my despair. However, by degrees I became
+calmed, and reflecting that there was no help for my disaster, I at
+the same time perceived that some resolution must be formed
+immediately. Only one course seemed open to me, and that was to seek
+my fortunes elsewhere.
+
+Leaving, therefore, Bahaman and Schirine, doubtless in the deepest
+distress about me, I left the city of Gazna, and falling in with a
+caravan of Egyptian merchants, returning to their own country, I
+joined myself to them, and travelled to Grand Cairo, where I became a
+weaver in order to gain a subsistence. I lived there for some years
+and afterwards came to Damascus, where I have followed the same
+occupation. In appearance I am very well satisfied with my condition,
+but in reality I am not at all happy, I cannot forget my former
+fortunate condition, Schirine is ever present to my thoughts, and
+although I would wish to banish her from my recollection, and in truth
+make every effort to do so, yet the attempt, as painful as useless,
+merely causes me constant uneasiness.
+
+I have now, may it please your majesty, performed what you required of
+me. I know very well that you do not approve the deceit I practised
+towards the king of Gazna and the princess Schirine, for I have
+perceived oftener than once, that my story was repugnant to your
+feelings and that your piety shuddered at my sacrilegious audacity.
+But be pleased to remember that you demanded a true account from me,
+and condescend to forgive the confession I have made of my adventures,
+in consideration of the necessity I was under of obeying you.
+
+
+CONCLUSION.
+
+The king of Damascus made a suitable reply, and dismissed the weaver,
+whose story afforded a new argument in favour of the grand vizir's
+opinion that there is no man who is perfectly happy: however, the king
+would not desist.
+
+"Atalmulc," he said, "with the exception of yourself, there is no man
+approaches me but with a smiling countenance; it cannot be that not
+one of all these is perfectly happy; I shall ask my generals,
+courtiers, and all the officers of my household. Go, vizir, and summon
+them all into my presence in succession."
+
+He had the patience to speak to them all individually, and they all
+made the same reply; namely, that they were not exempt from grief. One
+complained of his wife, another of his children; the poor accused
+their poverty as the cause of all their misfortunes, and the rich
+either did not enjoy good health, or laboured under some other source
+of affliction.
+
+Bedreddin having questioned so many persons, not one of whom was
+contented with his lot, came at last to be of the same mind with
+Atalmulc, and was obliged to admit to his favourite vizir that perfect
+felicity is not to be looked for in the present life; that every lot
+and every station has its cares, its anxieties, and its misfortunes;
+and that we approach the condition of complete happiness only as we
+conscientiously discharge those duties which our position daily and
+hourly requires of us.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+THE END.
+
+
+FOOTNOTES:
+
+[9] A gift to the kingdom.
+
+[10] The Devil.
+
+[11] Captain of the door of the king's chamber.
+
+[12] The officer in command of the pages.
+
+[13] Lieutenant.
+
+[14] Archers.
+
+GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, PRINTERS, ST. JOHN'S SQUARE, LONDON.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+WILLIAM LAY'S
+
+_Catalogue_
+
+OF
+
+ATTRACTIVE AND ENTERTAINING WORKS
+
+BY POPULAR AUTHORS.
+
+LONDON:
+
+WILLIAM LAY, KING WILLIAM STREET, STRAND.
+
+1857.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+THE AMUSING LIBRARY
+
+FOR HOME AND RAIL.
+
+
+The object is to provide a choice supply of Books of Light Reading,
+entirely free from objectionable matter, and which may be
+indiscriminately used by young and old. Great care has been bestowed
+in the selection; and it is hoped that the Works contained in this
+Series will be found adapted in every respect for the perusal of all
+who desire a sound and healthy imaginative literature, free from
+everything immoral on the one hand, or controversial on the other. The
+volumes, while issued at a price which brings them within the reach of
+all, yet possess sufficient attractions of typography and
+embellishment to fit them for the drawing-room table and for presents
+to friends.
+
+"We have not seen for many a day books which so deeply interested us,
+and which are so much in advance of the ordinary books provided for
+the rail or road. The 'Amusing Library' will be the most popular of
+the many which these stirring days have produced."--_Churchman's
+Companion._
+
+"Ministers of religion and philanthropists have long lamented the
+absence of some well-written serial works suitable for the million, to
+counteract the baneful influence of the impure literature of the day.
+The want is here supplied with judgment and good taste. The books are
+valuable both to old and young."--_Manchester Courier._
+
+
+Grantley Manor:
+
+     The well-known and favourite Novel by Lady Georgiana
+     Fullerton. 2_s._ boards; 2_s._ 6_d._ cloth.
+
+"The skill with which the plot of 'Grantley Manor' is constructed, the
+exquisite truth of delineation which the characters exhibit, and the
+intensity of passion which warms and dignifies the subject, are alike
+admirable.... The depth of passion which surrounds the story of
+Genevra is the result of unquestionable genius. No heroine that we can
+remember excels this lovely creation in purity, deep affection, a
+solemn sense of the sanctity of duty, and a profound feeling of the
+beauty and holiness of religion."--_Times._
+
+
+Tales of Humour.
+
+     Fcap. 8vo, 2_s._ boards; 2_s._ 6_d._ cloth.
+
+"Spirited and well-selected tales of most inviting dimensions. Will be
+a favourite on the 'line.'"--_Brighton Herald._
+
+
+Abroad and at Home.
+
+     Tales Here and There. By Miss Pardoe. Fcap. 8vo, 2_s._
+     boards; 2_s._ 6_d._ cloth.
+
+"Ten pretty tales, full of interesting matter, gracefully
+related."--_Glasgow Herald._
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+[Illustration: The Lay of the Golden Dice.]
+
+Amusing Poetry.
+
+A new and choice selection, Edited by Shirley Brooks. Fcap. 8vo, 2_s._
+boards; 2_s._ 6_d._ cloth.
+
+13; KING WILLIAM STREET, STRAND.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+AMUSING LIBRARY, _continued_.
+
+Hendrik Conscience's Tales.
+
+Complete in Six Volumes. Each Fcap. 8vo, 2_s._ boards; 2_s._ 6_d._
+cloth.
+
+     I. THE DEMON OF GOLD. (_Just ready._)
+
+     II. THE LION OF FLANDERS.
+
+     III. THE CURSE OF THE VILLAGE, ETC.
+
+     IV. VEVA; OR, THE WAR OF THE PEASANTS.
+
+     V. THE MISER, AND RICKETICKETACK.
+
+     VI. TALES OF FLANDERS.
+
+"Had our writers of fiction preserved the healthful tone which
+characterises these volumes, they would not have been a proscribed
+class. Each of the tales may be read by the most modest without a
+blush, and by the most fastidious without scruple."--_Eclectic
+Review._
+
+"Writing in a language familiar to comparatively few, Conscience owes
+to his own merits alone the European reputation which he now enjoys.
+There is a truthfulness in his pictures which is perfectly delightful,
+while the whole moral of his works is such as to make them a valuable
+addition to the light-reading division of a library."--_Notes and
+Queries._
+
+"We do not know if, laying aside Sir Walter Scott, it would be
+possible to name any English historical novel at all equal in
+deep interest to the 'Lion of Flanders,' or the 'War of the
+Peasants.'"--_Scotsman._
+
+Romantic Tales of Great Men:
+
+Artists, Poets, Scholars, Statesmen, etc. 2s. boards; 2_s._ 6_d._
+cloth.
+
+This volume will be found to convey information as well as amusement,
+all the tales being founded on historical facts. It is charmingly
+written, and forms an excellent prize or gift-book.
+
+Tales of the City and the Plain.
+
+1_s._ 6_d._ boards; 2_s._ cloth.
+
+The Betrothed;
+
+A Romance of the Seventeenth Century. By Manzoni. 2_s._ boards; 2_s._
+6_d._ cloth.
+
+This unrivalled romance, which stands quite alone in the literature of
+fiction, is now brought within the reach of every reader in this very
+neat and portable edition.
+
+"_I am not sure_," says Rogers, "_that I would not rather have written
+the Betrothed than all Scott's novels_." "It has every quality that a
+work of fiction ought to have."--_Heir of Redcliffe._
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The Adventures of Jules Gerard, the "Lion-killer"
+
+of Northern Africa, during his Ten Years' Campaigns among the Lions of
+Algeria; including the Details of more than Forty Encounters,
+Adventures, and Episodes, and a variety of interesting sketches of
+Arab life.
+
+New Edition, Enlarged, and Profusely Illustrated, containing a
+Complete and Concise History and Description of Algeria, with Maps,
+Sections, and numerous Illustrations of Arab and French Colonial Life
+and Manners; and further enriched with numerous new Engravings
+illustrative of M. Gerard's startling Adventures among the Lions of
+North Africa. Fcap. 8vo, 3s. 6d., cloth.
+
+The Amusing Library Edition may still be had, price 2s. boards; 2s.
+6d. cloth. Also a Cheap Edition, 1s., boards.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Popular Tales and Sketches.
+
+By Mrs. S. C. Hall. Containing Eighteen Beautiful Tales by this most
+popular Authoress. 2_s._ boards; 2_s._ 6_d._ cloth.
+
+
+Tales of France.
+
+Romantic Historical, and Domestic. 2_s._ boards; 2_s._ 6_d._ cloth.
+
+"Original in style, full of interest, and unexceptionable in
+morals."--_Hants Advertiser._
+
+
+Tales of Paris and its Streets.
+
+2_s._ boards; 2_s._ 6 _d._ cloth.
+
+[**three asterisks]These tales, of which the scenes are laid in the
+capital of France, introduce to the English reader some of the most
+interesting, and, at the same time, unexceptionable of the shorter
+fictions of our Continental neighbours; many of which will be found
+useful as well as entertaining, from the illustrations which they
+supply of history and manners at different periods.
+
+
+Tales and Traditions of the Netherlands.
+
+1_s._ 6_d._ boards; 2_s._ cloth.
+
+"A most varied, interesting, and readable volume."--_Caledonian
+Mercury._
+
+"Wrought up with great skill, and extremely interesting."--_Daily
+Express._
+
+
+Romantic Tales of Spain.
+
+    I. THE RIVALS; A TALE OF CASTILE.
+    II. THE GIPSY LOVERS. By Cervantes.
+    III. THE GUIDE; AN EPISODE OF THE CIVIL WARS.
+
+Fcap. 8vo, 1_s._ 6_d._ boards; 2_s._ cloth.
+
+
+Sea Stories:
+
+Tales of Discovery, Adventure, and Escape. A new and choice
+Collection, containing several striking Narratives, mostly unknown to
+English readers; also a complete and graphic Sketch of the Adventures
+of Columbus. 2_s._ boards; 2_s._ 6_d._ cloth.
+
+"The best volume of the kind we have ever met with."--_Churchman's
+Companion._
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+NEW WORKS.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+A Life of John Banim, the Irish Novelist.
+
+Author of "Damon and Pythias," etc., and one of the writers of "Tales
+by the O'Hara Family." With Extracts from his Correspondence--general
+and literary. By Patrick Joseph Murray. Fcap. 8vo.
+
+[_Just ready._
+
+_In the Press, and will speedily appear at short intervals,_
+
+Tales by the O'Hara Family.
+
+Reproductions of several of the most popular and powerful of these
+wonderfully graphic Tales, with the addition of Prefaces and Notes by
+Michael Banim, the survivor of the O'Hara family.
+
+
+_Nearly ready,_
+
+    CROHOORE OF THE BILLHOOK.
+    FATHER CONNELL.
+    JOHN DOE.
+
+
+Tales of Brigands and Smugglers.
+
+A collection of some of the most remarkable events in the lives of
+some celebrated Bandits and Smugglers, as well as of Adventures met
+with by Travellers in their company, not hitherto published in any
+other collection. Fcap. 8vo, 2_s._ boards; 2_s._ 6_d._ cloth.
+
+[_Just ready._
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+THE ENTERTAINING LIBRARY.
+
+A NEW SERIES OF CHOICE BOOKS OF RECREATION FOR THE YOUNG, FULLY
+ILLUSTRATED.
+
+
+The History of Jean Paul Choppart;
+
+Or, the Surprising Adventures of a Runaway. Illustrated with 22
+Engravings. Fcap. 8vo, 2_s._ 6_d._ cloth.
+
+"'Jean Paul Choppart' is a translation of a work which has become very
+popular on the Continent, and is destined to receive a like share of
+favour in this country, should parents and instructors of children
+become aware of the excellent moral which its pages convey through the
+medium of a story which is most piquant and catching for the youthful
+mind."--_Court Journal._
+
+
+The Thousand and One Days;
+
+Or, Arabian Tales. A select and thoroughly unexceptionable collection
+of highly entertaining tales, illustrative of Oriental manners and
+customs, carefully revised and adapted for the young. With a Preface
+by Miss PARDOE. Fcap. 8vo, with numerous engravings, 3_s._ 6_d._
+cloth.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+_Books for Students and Travellers._
+
+
+The Vade Mecum
+
+For Tourists in France and Belgium; containing a copious Phrasebook
+and Vocabulary adapted for every emergency of the traveller, with Maps
+of the chief routes, and full information as to Money, Passports,
+Hotels, etc. etc. Of a size for the waistcoat-pocket, limp cloth,
+1_s._; with pockets and strap for passport, etc., 2_s._
+
+"Everything wanted on the journey, and nothing more."
+
+
+The German Vade Mecum;
+
+Or German and English Phrase and Guide Book for Students, Travellers,
+etc. Compiled on exactly the same principles, and containing precisely
+the same sort of matter, as the French Vade Mecum. 1_s._
+
+
+A Compendious French Grammar,
+
+For the use of Students and Travellers; with full instructions in
+Pronunciation, and containing the substance of all the best French
+Grammars in a neat portable form, easily carried in the pocket. 1_s._
+
+
+The Pocket French Dictionary.
+
+A compendious French and English and English and French Dictionary,
+for the use of Students and Travellers.
+
+[_Nearly ready._
+
+
+The following is an enumeration of the principal points which
+distinguish this Dictionary:--
+
+I. All those words are excluded which, however much they are in place
+in a large Dictionary, like that of Johnson or Webster, or the French
+Dictionary of the Academy, are yet totally useless to ordinary
+readers.
+
+II. The space thus saved is occupied by matter really useful to the
+student or traveller, such as--
+
+     (1.) The various meanings and uses of words in different
+     connections, so as at once to point out the particular term
+     required.
+
+     (2.) Commercial and travelling expressions, especially those
+     recently introduced; also technical words in general use.
+
+     (3.) A selection of the most useful idioms and phrases.
+
+     (4.) The prepositions required by the French verbs and
+     adjectives.
+
+III. A clear and full explanation of the Rules of Pronunciation is
+prefixed, while that of all difficult or exceptional words is
+indicated as they occur.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+A LIST OF NEW AND POPULAR WORKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
+
+SOLD BY W. H. DALTON,
+
+BOOKSELLER TO THE QUEEN,
+
+28, COCKSPUR STREET, CHARING CROSS.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The Adventures of a Cat; and a Fine Cat too! By ALFRED Elwes, Author
+of "The Adventures of a Bear," &c. With Eight Illustrations by
+HARRISON WEIR. Fcap. 4to. cloth, 3s. 6d.; or 6s. with coloured plates.
+
+The Adventures of a Dog, and a Good Dog too! By ALFRED ELWES, Author
+of "The Adventures of a Bear," &c. With Eight large Illustrations by
+HARRISON WEIR. Fcap. 4to. cloth, 3s. 6d.; or 6s. coloured pictures,
+gilt edges.
+
+The Adventures of a Bear, and a Great Bear too! By ALFRED ELWES. With
+Nine Illustrations by HARRISON WEIR. Fcap. 4to. 3s. 6d. cloth; or 6s.
+with coloured pictures, gilt edges.
+
+The Old Story Teller. Translated from the German of LUDWIG BECHSTEIN,
+by the Translators of "Grimm's Household Stories." With 100
+Illustrations by LUDWIG RICHTER. Crown 8vo. cloth, 8s. coloured
+pictures, gilt edges.
+
+Danish Fairy Tales and Legends. By HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. The
+genuine edition, translated direct from the Danish. With Twenty
+Illustrations, and a Memoir and Portrait of the Author. Fcap. 8vo. 5s.
+cloth.
+
+A Hero: Philip's Book; A Tale for Young People. By the Author of
+"Olive," "The Head of the Family," "Cola Monti," &c. Illustrated by
+JAMES GODWIN. Fcap. 8vo. cloth, 3s. 6d. coloured pictures, gilt edges.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+W. H. DALTON, BOOKSELLER TO THE QUEEN, 28, COCKSPUR STREET, CHARING
+CROSS.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Instructive and Amusing Works.
+
+
+The Little Drummer; or, the Boy Soldier. A Story of the Russian
+Campaign. Edited by H. W. DULCKEN. Illustrated by JOHN GILBERT. Fcap.
+8vo. cloth, 3s. 6d. coloured pictures, gilt edges.
+
+All is not Gold that Glitters. By ALICE B. NEAL (Cousin Alice).
+Illustrated by DALZIEL. Fcap. 8vo. cloth, 3s. 6d.
+
+
+BY MRS. HARRIET MYRTLE.
+
+The Little Sister. With Sixteen Illustrations on Steel by H. J.
+SCHNEIDER. Fcap. 4to. cloth, gilt edges, 7s. 6d.
+
+A Day Of Pleasure. A Simple Story for Young Children. With Eight
+Illustrations by HABLOT K. BROWNE. Fcap. 4to. cloth, 6s. with coloured
+pictures, gilt edges.
+
+Home and its Pleasures. Simple Stories for Young Children. With Eight
+Illustrations by HALBLOT K. BROWNE. Fcap. 4to. cloth, 6s. with
+coloured pictures, gilt edges.
+
+The Pleasures of the Country. Simple stories for Young Children.
+Second Edition. With Eight Illustrations by JOHN GILBERT. Fcap. 4to.
+cloth, 3s. 6d.; or 6s. with coloured pictures, gilt edges.
+
+The Ocean Child; or, Showers and Sunshine. A Tale of Girlhood. Small
+8vo. cloth, 5s.
+
+
+BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM.
+
+Household Stories. All the Popular Fairy Tales and Legends of Germany,
+collected by the BROTHERS GRIMM. Newly Translated, and Illustrated
+with Two Hundred and Forty Engravings, by EDWARD H. WEHNERT. In two
+volumes, post 8vo. 12s. cloth; or, 18s. coloured, gilt edges.
+
+The English Struwwelpeter; or, Pretty Stories and Funny Pictures for
+Little Children. After the 17th Edition of DR. HEINRICH HOFFMANN'S
+celebrated Work. With many large coloured pictures, post 4to. 2s. 6d.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+_Companion to the "English Struwwelpeter."_
+
+A Laughter-Book for Little Folk. New Edition. Translated from the
+German by MADAME DE CHATELAIN. With Eighteen large Coloured Comic
+Illustrations by THOMAS HOSEMAN. Post 4to. 2s. 6d. in coloured picture
+binding, by KENNY MEADOWS.
+
+Naughty Boys and Girls. Comic Tales and Coloured Pictures. From the
+German of Dr. JULIUS BAHR, by MADAME DE CHATELAIN. New Edition. A
+Companion to the "English Struwwelpeter." Post 4to, 2s. 6d. in
+coloured picture binding, by KENNY MEADOWS.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+W. H. DALTON, BOOKSELLER TO THE QUEEN, 28, COCKSPUR STREET, CHARING
+CROSS.
+
+     The Picture Pleasure-Book, Comprising nearly 1000
+     Illustrations by Eminent Artists. In a coloured Pictorial
+     Binding, by LUKE LIMNER, 2 vols. imp. 4to. 6s. each.
+
+An edition is also published mounted on cloth, 12s.
+
+     Comical Creatures from Wurtemberg; from the Stuffed Animals
+     in the Great Exhibition. With Twenty Pictures. Square cloth,
+     3s. 6d.; or coloured, 6s.
+
+     Comical People, met with at the Great Exhibition. From
+     Drawings by J. E. GRANDVILLE. With Sixteen Pictures. Small
+     4to. 3s. 6d.; or coloured, 6s.
+
+     Funny Dogs with Funny Tales. The Dogs from the Pencil of
+     HARRISON WEIR. The Tales from the pens of ROBERT B. BROUGH,
+     ALFRED ELWES, JAMES HANNAY, and EDMUND F. BLANCHARD. Eight
+     Illustrations, post 4to. cloth, 6s.
+
+     Natural History in Stories. By M. S. C. Author of "Little
+     Poems for Little People," "Twilight Thoughts," &c. With
+     Illustrations by HARRISON WEIR. Small 4to. cloth, 3s. 6d.
+     coloured pictures, gilt edges.
+
+     Merry Tales for Little Folk. Edited by MADAME DE CHATELAIN.
+     An entirely New Edition, with new Frontispiece and binding.
+     16mo. cloth, 3s. 6d.
+
+This volume, illustrated with 200 Pictures, by first-rate Artists,
+contains about Forty of the long-established favourite Stories of the
+Nursery in England and Abroad, re-written or re-translated from
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+
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Thousand and One Days, by Julia Pardoe
+
+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: The Thousand and One Days
+       A Companion to the 'Arabian Nights'
+
+Author: Julia Pardoe
+
+Release Date: June 2, 2011 [EBook #36301]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE THOUSAND AND ONE DAYS ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Julia Miller, Josephine Paolucci and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. (This
+file was produced from images generously made available
+by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
+
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+
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+
+
+</pre>
+
+
+
+<h1>The Thousand and One Days;</h1>
+
+<h4>A COMPANION TO THE</h4>
+
+<h2>"<i>Arabian Nights.</i>"</h2>
+
+<h3>WITH INTRODUCTION BY MISS PARDOE.</h3>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 450px;">
+<img src="images/illus-1.jpg" width="450" height="444" alt="P. 113." title="" />
+<span class="caption">P. 113.</span>
+</div>
+
+<p class="center">
+LONDON:<br />
+WILLIAM LAY, KING WILLIAM STREET, STRAND.<br />
+1857.<br />
+</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_v" id="Page_v">[Pg v]</a></span></p>
+<h2>INTRODUCTION.</h2>
+
+
+<p>The Compiler of the graceful little volume which I have the pleasure
+of introducing to the public, has conferred an undeniable benefit upon
+the youth of England by presenting to them a collection of Oriental
+Tales, which, rich in the elements of interest and entertainment, are
+nevertheless entirely free from the licentiousness which renders so
+many of the fictions of the East, beautiful and brilliant as they are,
+most objectionable for young and ardent minds. There is indeed no lack
+of the wonderful in the pages before us, any more than in the Arabian
+and Persian Tales already so well known: but it will be seen that the
+supernatural agency in the narratives is used as a means to work out
+totally different results. There is, in truth, scarcely one of these
+Tales which does not inculcate a valuable moral lesson; as may be seen
+by reference to "The Powder of Longevity," "The<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vi" id="Page_vi">[Pg vi]</a></span> Old Camel," and "The
+Story of the Dervise Abounadar" among several, others.</p>
+
+<p>The present collection of Eastern Stories has been principally derived
+from the works of different Oriental Scholars on the Continent, and
+little doubt can be entertained of the genuineness of their origin;
+while they have been carefully selected, and do honour to the good
+taste of their Compiler. An acknowledgment is also due to him for his
+adherence to the good old orthography to which we have all been
+accustomed from our childhood, in the case of such titles as "Caliph,"
+"Vizier," "Houri," "Genii," &amp;c.; as, however critically correct and
+learned the spelling of Mr. Lane may be in his magnificent version of
+the "Thousand and One Nights," and however appropriate to a work of so
+much research and value to Oriental students, it would have been alike
+fatiguing and out of character to have embarrassed a volume, simply
+intended for the amusement of youthful readers, by a number of hard
+and unfamiliar words, difficult of pronunciation to all save the
+initiated; and for the pleasure of the young requiring translation
+fully as much as the narrative itself.</p>
+
+<p>In one of the Tales there will be at once detected a portion of the
+favourite old story of Aladdin's Lamp, in the subterranean gem-garden
+discovered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_vii" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</a></span> by the handsome youth; while in another, mention is made
+of the already-familiar legend of the hidden city of Ad, so popular
+among the ancient Arabs<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a>; but these repetitions will cease to create
+any surprise when it is remembered that the professional story-tellers
+of the East are a wandering race, who travel from city to city,
+exhibiting their talent during seasons of festivity, in the palaces of
+the wealthy and the public coffee-houses. Those admitted to the
+women's apartments are universally aged crones, whose volubility is
+something marvellous; and they are always welcome guests to the
+indolent beauties, who listen to them for hours together without a
+symptom of weariness, as they pour forth their narratives in a
+monotonous voice strangely displeasing to European ears. The men,
+while reciting their tales, indulge in violent gesticulations and
+contortions of the body, which appear to produce great delight in
+their audience. Since they generally travel two or three in company;
+and, save in rare cases of improvisation, their stock of narrative is
+common to all, it is their ambition so individually to embellish,
+heighten, and amplify their subject-matter, as to outshine their
+competitors; and it is consequently<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_viii" id="Page_viii">[Pg viii]</a></span> to this cause that the numerous
+variations of the same Tale which have reached Europe must be
+attributed.</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> Most of our readers will also recognize in the Story of
+the Princess Schirine the groundwork of one of Hans Andersen's
+beautiful Danish Tales, "The Flying Trunk."</p></div>
+
+<p>Taken altogether, there can be no doubt that the "Thousand and One
+Days" merit the warm welcome which I trust awaits them.</p>
+
+<p class="right">
+J. P.<br />
+<br />
+<span class="smcap">London, Feb. 1857.</span><br />
+</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 357px;">
+<img src="images/illus-viii.jpg" width="357" height="500" alt="" title="" />
+</div>
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_ix" id="Page_ix">[Pg ix]</a></span></p>
+<h2>CONTENTS.</h2>
+<p>
+I.<br />
+<span class="tocnum">PAGE</span><br />
+<span class="smcap">Hassan Abdallah, or the Enchanted Keys</span>                         <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_1'>1</a></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Story of Hassan                       <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_7'>7</a></span></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Story of the Basket-Maker                 <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_11'>11</a></span></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Story of the Dervise Abounadar               <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_21'>21</a></span></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Conclusion of the Story of Hassan             <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_29'>29</a></span></span><br />
+<br />
+<br />
+II.<br />
+<br />
+<span class="smcap">Soliman Bey and the Three Story Tellers</span>                       <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_46'>46</a></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">First Story Teller                     <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_47'>47</a></span></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Second Story Teller                    <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_49'>49</a></span></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Third Story Teller                     <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_55'>55</a></span></span><br />
+<br />
+<br />
+III.<br />
+<br />
+<span class="smcap">Prince Khalaf and the Princess of China</span>                       <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_58'>58</a></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Story of Prince Al Abbas                  <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_67'>67</a></span></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Continuation of Prince Khalaf and the Princess of China  <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_99'>99</a></span></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Story of Lin-in                      <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_106'>106</a></span></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Story of Prince Khalaf concluded             <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_126'>126</a></span></span><br />
+<br />
+<br />
+IV.<br />
+<br />
+<span class="smcap">The Wise Dey</span>                                                 <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_178'>178</a></span><br />
+<br />
+<br />
+V.<br />
+<br />
+<span class="smcap">The Tunisian Sage</span>                                            <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_190'>190</a></span><br />
+<br />
+<br />
+VI.<br />
+<br />
+<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_x" id="Page_x">[Pg x]</a></span><span class="smcap">The Nose for Gold</span>                                            <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_203'>203</a></span><br />
+<br />
+<br />
+VII.                                                         PAGE<br />
+<br />
+<span class="smcap">The Treasures of Basra</span>                                       <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_215'>215</a></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">History of Aboulcassem                  <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_223'>223</a></span></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Conclusion of the Treasures of Basra           <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_230'>230</a></span></span><br />
+<br />
+<br />
+VIII.<br />
+<br />
+<span class="smcap">The Old Camel</span>                                               <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_250'>250</a></span><br />
+<br />
+<br />
+IX.<br />
+<br />
+<span class="smcap">The Story of Medjeddin</span>                                      <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_263'>263</a></span><br />
+<br />
+<br />
+X.<br />
+<br />
+<span class="smcap">King Bedreddin-Lolo and his Vizir</span>                           <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_299'>299</a></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Story of the Old Slippers                 <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_300'>300</a></span></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Story of Atalmulc the Sorrowful              <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_305'>305</a></span></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Continuation of King Bedreddin-Lolo and his Vizir     <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_338'>338</a></span></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Story of Malek and the Princess Schirine         <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_340'>340</a></span></span><br />
+<span style="margin-left: 1em;">Conclusion                        <span class="tocnum"><a href='#Page_358'>358</a></span></span><br />
+</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 480px;">
+<img src="images/illus-x.jpg" width="480" height="501" alt="" title="" />
+</div>
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p>
+<h2>THE "THOUSAND AND ONE DAYS;"</h2>
+
+<h4>OR,</h4>
+
+<h2>ARABIAN TALES.</h2>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<h2>I.</h2>
+
+<h3>THE STORY OF HASSAN ABDALLAH; OR, THE ENCHANTED KEYS.</h3>
+
+
+<p>Theilon, caliph of Egypt, died, after having bequeathed his power to
+his son, Mohammed, who, like a wise and good prince, proceeded to root
+out abuses, and finally caused peace and justice to flourish
+throughout his dominions. Instead of oppressing his people by new
+taxes, he employed the treasures, which his father had amassed by
+violence, in supporting learned men, rewarding the brave, and
+assisting the unfortunate. Every thing succeeded under his happy sway;
+the risings of the Nile were regular and abundant; every year the soil
+produced rich harvests; and commerce, honoured and protected, caused
+the gold of foreign nations to flow abundantly into the ports of
+Egypt.</p>
+
+<p>Mohammed determined, one day, to take the census of the officers of
+his army, and of all the persons in public situations whose salaries
+were paid out of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span> treasury. The vizirs, to the number of forty,
+first made their appearance and knelt in succession before the
+sovereign. They were, for the most part, men venerable from their age,
+and some of them had long beards of snowy whiteness. They all wore on
+their heads tiaras of gold, enriched with precious stones, and carried
+in their hands long staves as badges of their power. One enumerated
+the battles in which he had been engaged, and the honourable wounds he
+had received; another recounted the long and laborious studies he had
+pursued, in order to render himself master of the various sciences,
+and to qualify himself to serve the state by his wisdom and knowledge.</p>
+
+<p>After the vizirs, came the governors of provinces, the generals, and
+the great officers of the army; and next to them the civil
+magistrates, and all who were entrusted with the preservation of the
+peace and the awarding of justice. Behind these walked the public
+executioner, who, although stout and well-fed, like a man who had
+nothing to do, went along as if depressed with grief, and instead of
+carrying his sword naked on his shoulder, he kept it in its scabbard.
+When he came into the presence of the prince, he threw himself at his
+feet, and exclaimed, "O mighty prince, the day of justice and of
+munificence is at last about to dawn on me! Since the death of the
+terrible Theilon, under whose reign my life was happy and my condition
+prosperous, I have seen my occupation and its emoluments diminish
+daily. If Egypt continue thus to live in peace and plenty, I shall run
+great danger of perishing with hunger, and my family will be brought
+to misery and ruin."</p>
+
+<p>Mohammed listened in silence to the complaints of the headsman, and
+acknowledged that there was some foundation for them, for his salary
+was small, and the chief part of his profits arose from what he
+obtained from criminals, either by way of gift, or as a rightful fee.
+In times of trouble, quarrelling, and violence,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span> he had lived, in
+fact, in a state of ease and affluence, while now, under the present
+prosperous reign, he had nothing better than the prospect of beggary
+before him.</p>
+
+<p>"Is it then true," exclaimed the caliph, "that the happiness of all is
+a dream? that what is joy to one, may be the cause of grief to
+another? O executioner, fear not as to your fate! May it, indeed,
+please God that, under my reign, your sword,&mdash;which is almost as often
+an instrument of vengeance as of justice,&mdash;may remain useless and
+covered with rust. But, in order to enable you to provide for the
+wants of yourself and your family, without the unhappy necessity of
+exercising your fatal office, you shall receive every year the sum of
+two hundred dinars."</p>
+
+<p>In this way all the officers and servants of the palace passed before
+the notice of the prince; he interrogated each on the nature of his
+occupation and his past services, on his means of existence, and on
+the salary which he received. When he found that any one held a
+situation of a painful and difficult nature, for which he was
+inadequately remunerated, the caliph diminished his duties and
+increased his pay; and, on the other hand, when he found the contrary
+to be the case, he lessened the salary and increased the duties of the
+office. After having, in this way, performed many acts of wisdom and
+justice, the caliph observed, among the officers of the civil service,
+a sheik, whose wrinkled countenance and stooping figure indicated his
+great age. The caliph called him up, in order to inquire what was his
+employment in the palace, and the sum which it yielded him.</p>
+
+<p>"Prince," the old man replied, "my only employment is to take care of
+a chest that was committed to my charge by your father, the late
+caliph, and for attending to which he allowed me ten pieces of gold a
+month."</p>
+
+<p>"It seems to me," replied Mohammed, "that the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span> reward is great for so
+slight a service. Pray what are the contents of this chest?"</p>
+
+<p>"I received it," replied the sheik, "in charge forty years ago, and I
+solemnly swear to you that I know not what it contains."</p>
+
+<p>The caliph commanded the chest to be brought to him, which was of pure
+gold, and most richly adorned. The old man opened it. It contained a
+manuscript written in brilliant characters on the skin of a gazelle,
+painted purple and sprinkled with a red dust. Neither the prince,
+however, nor his ministers, nor the ulemas who were present, could
+decipher the writing. By the caliph's order, the wise men of Egypt
+were summoned, as well as others from Syria, Persia, and India, but to
+no purpose; not one was able to interpret the mysterious characters.
+The book remained open for a long time, exposed to the gaze of all,
+and a great reward was offered to any one who could bring forward a
+person of sufficient learning to read it.</p>
+
+<p>Some time after this, a savant who had left Egypt in the reign of
+Theilon, and had now returned after a long absence, chanced to hear of
+the mysterious book, and said that he knew what it was, and could
+explain its history. The caliph immediately admitted him to an
+audience, and the old man addressed him as follows:</p>
+
+<p>"O sovereign ruler, may the Almighty prolong your days! Only one man
+can read this book, its rightful master, the sheik Hassan Abdallah,
+son of El-Achaar. This man had travelled through many lands, and
+penetrated into the mysterious city of Aram, built on columns, from
+which he brought this book, which no one but himself could read. He
+made use of it in his experiments in alchemy, and by its aid he could
+transmute the most worthless metals into gold. The caliph Theilon,
+your father, having learned this, commanded the sage to be brought
+before him, with a view of compelling him to reveal the secret of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> his
+knowledge. Hassan Abdallah refused to do so, for fear of putting into
+the hands of the unjust an instrument of such terrible power; and the
+prince, in a rage, laid hold of the chest, and ordered the sage to be
+thrown into prison, where he still remains, unless he has died since
+that time, which is forty years ago."</p>
+
+<p>On hearing this, Mohammed immediately despatched his officers to visit
+the prisons, and, on their return, learned with pleasure that Hassan
+was still alive. The caliph ordered him to be brought forth and
+arrayed in a dress of honour; and, on his appearing in the audience
+chamber, the prince made him sit down beside him, and begged him to
+forgive the unjust treatment which his father had caused him to
+undergo. He then told him how he had accidentally discovered that he
+was still alive; and at last, placing the mysterious book before him,
+said,</p>
+
+<p>"Old man, if this book could make me the owner of all the treasures of
+the world, I would not consent to possess it, since it only belongs to
+me by injustice and violence."</p>
+
+<p>On hearing these words, Hassan burst into tears.</p>
+
+<p>"O God," he exclaimed, "all wisdom proceeds from Thee! Thou causest to
+arise from the same soil the poisonous and the wholesome plant. Every
+where good is placed by the side of evil. This prince, the support of
+the feeble, the defender of the oppressed, who has conferred on me the
+happiness of spending my remaining years in the light of day, is the
+son of the tyrant who plunged Egypt in mourning, and who kept me for
+forty years in a loathsome dungeon. Prince," added the old man,
+addressing Mohammed, "what I refused to the wrath of your father, I
+willingly grant to your virtues: this book contains the precepts of
+the true science, and I bless Heaven that I have lived long enough to
+teach it to you. I have often risked my life to become the master of
+this wonderful book, which was the only article of value<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span> that I
+brought from Aram, that city into which no man can enter who is not
+assisted by Heaven."</p>
+
+<p>The caliph embraced the old man, and, calling him his father, begged
+him to relate what he had seen in the city of Aram.</p>
+
+<p>"Prince," replied Hassan, "it is a long story, as long, nearly, as my
+whole life."</p>
+
+<p>He then proceeded as follows.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 480px;">
+<img src="images/i7.jpg" width="480" height="549" alt="Story of the Enchanted Keys, p. 7." title="" />
+<span class="caption">Story of the Enchanted Keys, p. 7.</span>
+</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h3>THE STORY OF HASSAN ABDALLAH.</h3>
+
+<p>I am the only son of one of the richest inhabitants of Egypt. My
+father, who was a man of extensive knowledge, employed my youth in the
+study of science; and at twenty years of age I was already honourably
+mentioned among the ulemas, when my father bestowed a young maiden on
+me as my wife, with eyes brilliant as the stars, and with a form
+elegant and light as that of the gazelle. My nuptials were
+magnificent, and my days flowed on in peace and happiness. I lived
+thus for ten years, when at last this beautiful dream vanished. It
+pleased Heaven to afflict me with every kind of misfortune: the plague
+deprived me of my father; war destroyed my dear brothers; my house
+fell a prey to the flames; my richly-laden ships were buried beneath
+the waves. Reduced to misery and want, my only resource was in the
+mercy of God and the compassion of the faithful whom I met while I
+frequented the mosques. My sufferings, from my own wretched state of
+poverty, and that of my wife and children, were cruel indeed. One day
+when I had not received any charitable donations, my wife, weeping,
+took some of my clothes, and gave them to me in order to sell them at
+the bazaar. On the way thither I met an Arab of the desert, mounted on
+a red camel. He greeted me, and said,</p>
+
+<p>"Peace be with you, my brother! Can you tell me where the sheik Hassan
+Abdallah, the son of El-Achaar, resides in the city?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Being ashamed of my poverty, and thinking I was not known, I replied,</p>
+
+<p>"There is no man at Cairo of that name."</p>
+
+<p>"God is great!" exclaimed the Arab; "are you not Hassan Abdallah, and
+can you send away your guest by concealing your name?"</p>
+
+<p>Greatly confused, I then begged him to forgive me, and laid hold of
+his hands to kiss them, which he would not permit me to do, and I then
+accompanied him to my house. On the way there I was tormented by the
+reflection that I had nothing to set before him; and when I reached
+home I informed my wife of the meeting I had just had.</p>
+
+<p>"The stranger is sent by God," said she; "and even the children's
+bread shall be his. Go, sell the clothes which I gave you; buy some
+food for our guest with the money, and if any thing should remain
+over, we will partake of it ourselves."</p>
+
+<p>In going out it was necessary that I should pass through the apartment
+where the Arab was. As I concealed the clothes, he said to me, "My
+brother, what have you got there hid under your cloak?"</p>
+
+<p>I replied that it was my wife's dress, which I was carrying to the
+tailor.</p>
+
+<p>"Show it to me," he said. I showed it to him, blushing.</p>
+
+<p>"O merciful God," he exclaimed, "you are going to sell it in order to
+get money to enable you to be hospitable towards me! Stop, Hassan!
+here are ten pieces of gold; spend them in buying what is needful for
+our own wants and for those of your family."</p>
+
+<p>I obeyed, and plenty and happiness seemed to revisit my abode. Every
+day the Arab gave me the same sum, which, according to his orders, I
+spent in the same way; and this continued for fifteen days. On the
+sixteenth day my guest, after chatting on indifferent matters, said to
+me, "Hassan, would you like to sell yourself to me?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"My lord," I replied, "I am already yours by gratitude."</p>
+
+<p>"No," he replied, "that is not what I mean; I wish to make you my
+property, and you shall fix the price yourself."</p>
+
+<p>Thinking he was joking, I replied, "The price of a freeman is one
+thousand dinars if he is killed at a single blow; but if many wounds
+are inflicted upon him, or if he should be cut in many pieces, the
+price is then one thousand five hundred dinars."</p>
+
+<p>"Very well," answered my guest, "I will pay you this last-mentioned
+sum if you will consent to the bargain."</p>
+
+<p>When I saw that he was speaking seriously, I asked for time in order
+to consult my family.</p>
+
+<p>"Do so," he replied, and then went out to look after some affairs in
+the city.</p>
+
+<p>When I related the strange proposal of my guest, my mother said, "What
+can this man want to do with you?" The children all clung to me, and
+wept. My wife, who was a wise and prudent woman, remarked,</p>
+
+<p>"This detestable stranger wants, perhaps, to get back what he has
+spent here. You have nothing but this wretched house, sell it, and
+give him the money, but don't sell yourself."</p>
+
+<p>I passed the rest of the day and the following night in reflection,
+and was in a state of great uncertainty. With the sum offered by the
+stranger I could at least secure bread for my family. But why wish to
+purchase me? What could he intend to do? Before next morning, however,
+I had come to a decision. I went to the Arab and said, "I am yours."
+Untying his sash, he took out one thousand five hundred gold pieces,
+and giving them to me, said, "Fear not, my brother, I have no designs
+against either your life or your liberty; I only wish to secure a
+faithful companion during a long journey which I am about to
+undertake."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Overwhelmed with joy, I ran with the money to my wife and mother; but
+they, without listening to my explanations, began weeping and crying
+as if they were lamenting for the dead.</p>
+
+<p>"It is the price of flesh and blood," they exclaimed; "neither we nor
+our children will eat bread procured at such a cost!"</p>
+
+<p>By dint of argument, however, I succeeded at length in subduing their
+grief; and having embraced them, together with my children, I set out
+to meet my new master.</p>
+
+<p>By order of the Arab I purchased a camel renowned for its speed, at
+the price of a hundred drachms; I filled our sacks with food
+sufficient for a long period; and then, mounting our camels, we
+proceeded on our journey.</p>
+
+<p>We soon reached the desert. Here no traces of travellers were to be
+seen, for the wind effaced them continually from the surface of the
+moving sand. The Arab was guided in his course by indications known
+only to himself. We travelled thus together for five days under a
+burning sun; each day seemed longer to me than a night of suffering or
+of fear. My master, who was of a lively disposition, kept up my
+courage by tales which I remember even now with pleasure after forty
+years of anguish; and you will forgive an old man for not being able
+to resist the pleasure of relating some of them to you. The following
+story, he said, had been recounted to him by the basket-maker himself,
+a poor man whom he had found in prison, and whom he had charitably
+found means to release.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h3>THE STORY OF THE BASKET-MAKER.</h3>
+
+<p>I was born of poor and honest parents; and my father, who was a
+basket-maker by trade, taught me to plait all kinds of baskets. So
+long as I had only myself to care for, I lived tolerably well on the
+produce of my labour; but when I reached twenty years of age, and took
+a wife, who in a few years presented me with several children, my
+gains proved insufficient to maintain my family. A basket-maker earns
+but little; one day he gets a drachm, the next he may get two, or
+perhaps only half a drachm. In this state of things I and my children
+had often to endure the pangs of hunger.</p>
+
+<p>One day it happened that I had just finished a large basket; it was
+well and strongly made, and I hoped to obtain at least three drachms
+for it. I took it to the bazaar and through all the streets, but no
+purchaser appeared. Night came on and I went home. When my wife and
+children saw me return without any food, they began to cry and to ask
+for bread, but as I had none to give them, I could only weep with
+them: the night was long and sorrowful. At daybreak my wife awoke me,
+saying, "Go, and sell the basket at any price you can get for it, were
+it only half a drachm." I set out, and perambulated the streets and
+squares, but night came on again without my finding a purchaser. My
+wife burst out into a great rage. "What!" she said, "do you still
+bring back this basket? Do you wish to see us die with hunger?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>I assured her that I had tried every means, but in vain, to sell the
+basket. She then took some articles of her own, and told me to go and
+sell them, and procure some bread for the children. I did as she said,
+and my famished family partook of a miserable repast, which my
+depressed state of mind prevented me from sharing with them. I slept
+little that night; and as soon as it was day I performed my devotions,
+and prayed to God to come to my assistance. I then went out again with
+my unsaleable basket, with which I made many weary and fruitless
+rounds through the whole city. At noon, overwhelmed with fatigue and
+famished with hunger, I sat down at the door of a mosque, where the
+voice of the muezzim was calling the faithful to prayer. I entered to
+implore of God's goodness that I might be able, by his assistance, to
+sell the basket. Prayer being ended, the faithful left the mosque, and
+I found myself alone with a venerable Persian, named Saadi, who seemed
+lost in contemplation. Rising to go away, he passed near me, and
+noticing how pale I was, he said, "Friend, you are too much addicted
+to wine, and your health suffers from it."</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," I replied, "do not believe it; I have never tasted wine; my
+weakness and paleness arise from my not having had any food for the
+last two days."</p>
+
+<p>I then related to him my life, my occupation, and my wretched state.
+Whilst listening to me the stranger shed tears; and when I had
+finished speaking, he said, "God be praised, my brother! for I can put
+an end to your troubles: take this," putting a purse of gold into my
+hands; "run to the market, and buy meat, bread, and fruits for the
+refreshment of yourself and family. What I have given you will last
+you for a year to come; and in exchange, I only ask you to meet me
+here, at the same day and hour, every year." So saying, he departed.</p>
+
+<p>I could scarcely think but that I had been dreaming;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> the purse,
+however, proved that I was indeed awake. I opened it, and found in it
+a hundred pieces of gold! Overjoyed, I ran to the bazaar, and, in
+pursuance of the orders of the benevolent donor, I purchased enough,
+not only to satisfy the calls of hunger, but also food of such a
+nourishing nature, as had never entered my house before. The whole I
+put into my basket, and hastened to return home. Having reached the
+door, I listened, being curious to know what was going on. My children
+were uttering lamentations, and their mother was endeavouring to quiet
+them by repeating, for the hundredth time, her advice, to be quiet,
+and not to weep, for that their father would be sure to return with
+something to eat. I then entered the room, exclaiming, that God had
+heard them, and had sent them a plentiful supply for a long time to
+come. But when I showed them the purse and its contents, my wife
+shouted out, "What! have you then killed and robbed some one? Are we
+to become the object of the inquiries and suspicions of the police?"</p>
+
+<p>I then related my fortunate meeting with the old man, and while
+embracing me with tears of joy, and a conscience at ease, my family
+partook, with me, of a plentiful repast, at the same time invoking
+blessings on our unknown benefactor.</p>
+
+<p>For a whole year I lived happily in this manner. The day fixed upon by
+the stranger having arrived, I went to the mosque, after having
+attired myself in a becoming manner. The Persian came and seated
+himself beside me. When prayers were ended, and all the worshippers
+had departed, he turned towards me and said, with a smiling look,</p>
+
+<p>"O my brother! how has the time passed with you since our last
+interview?"</p>
+
+<p>"Thanks to your generosity, my lord," I replied, "my life has been
+spent in a tranquil and happy manner."</p>
+
+<p>The stranger then questioned me as to my courage,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> address, and love
+of travelling; and to all his questions I replied in a satisfactory
+manner, and, in my turn, asked him if I could be of any service to
+him.</p>
+
+<p>"Noureddin," he replied, "I intend setting out on a journey, and I
+wish you to accompany me as my servant. I shall employ you in a
+respectable and becoming manner; and if you show yourself obedient and
+devoted to my interests, you will have no reason to repent it. The
+journey will last two months; look, here are thirty dinars; buy
+provisions, that your family may want for nothing during your absence.
+In eight days you must bid adieu to your wife and children, and come
+to meet me here, bringing a supply of rice and dates, and arming
+yourself with a yatagan, to defend yourself in case of our being
+attacked."</p>
+
+<p>I then went to my wife, and told her what the stranger required of me.
+"He is our benefactor," she replied; "it is your duty to obey him." I
+spent the eight days in laying in a store of food for my family and
+for the journey, and on the appointed day, after embracing my wife and
+children, I went to the mosque, where I found the Persian. The muezzim
+having proclaimed the hour of prayer, we joined in it; and afterwards
+I followed him to a desert place, where were two fine horses well
+harnessed and yoked, which we unloosed and mounted, and then set out
+on our journey.</p>
+
+<p>After having traversed deserts and mountains during a whole month, we
+arrived at a fertile plain, watered by a fine river, whose peaceful
+and limpid waters winding about a thick forest, formed it into
+peninsula: a pavilion, with a golden cupola, seemed to rise out of
+this mass of verdure, and shone in the sun's rays as if it had been on
+fire.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 480px;">
+<img src="images/i14.jpg" width="480" height="500" alt="The Pavilion with the golden cupola, p. 14" title="" />
+<span class="caption">The Pavilion with the golden cupola, p. 14</span>
+</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The Persian now said to me, "Noureddin, enter this forest, and give me
+an account of what you see." I obeyed, but I had scarcely walked an
+hour, when I saw two huge lions with manes erect. Seized with alarm, I
+drew back, and running away reached my master out of breath, who only
+laughed at my fears, and assured me that I was needlessly afraid of
+the monsters. He wanted me to return, but I refused, and he was
+obliged to come back along with me. Having approached the lions, the
+Persian charmed them by some magical words, on which they became as
+submissive as lambs, remained motionless, and permitted us to pass. We
+journeyed on for many hours in the recesses of the forest, meeting, to
+my great dread, with what appeared to be troops of horsemen, sword in
+hand, and giants, armed with clubs, ready to strike us. All these
+fantastic beings disappeared at the sight of my master, and we reached
+at last the pavilion which crowned the forest.</p>
+
+<p>My master then said to me, "Go, Noureddin, to this pavilion; remove
+the belt of iron chains which fastens the gates, while I go and pray
+to the great Solomon to be propitious to our enterprise." I did as he
+commanded me; but when I let the chains fall, a frightful noise was
+heard, which made the earth shake under my feet. More dead than alive,
+I returned to the Persian, who, having finished his prayer, entered
+the pavilion. At the end of an hour he came out, bringing a book with
+him written in the sacred language. He began to read it; and when he
+had finished, with his countenance radiant with delight he exclaimed,
+"O thrice fortunate Saadi! thou possessest at last this holy
+book,&mdash;the sum of wisdom, the mirror of the good and the terror of the
+wicked! May the perusal of this garden of roses lead the children of
+Adam back to that original innocence from which they have so fatally
+departed! Hearken to these maxims and sentences, worthy to be the
+guides of mankind from the shepherd to the king:&mdash;</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>'He who learns the rules of wisdom without conforming his
+life to them, is like the man who tills his field but never
+sows any seed therein.</p>
+
+<p>'Virtue does not consist in acquiring the riches of this
+world, but in attaching all hearts by benefits and good
+offices.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>'If you are insensible to the sufferings of the unfortunate,
+you do not deserve the name of a man.</p>
+
+<p>'It is better to be loaded with chains for having told the
+truth, than to be freed from them by means of a lie.</p>
+
+<p>'A wicked person that accuses you of licentiousness should
+be made to blush, in his turn, by your virtues and your
+innocence.</p>
+
+<p>'Man should remember that he is born of the earth, and that
+his pride will one day come to an end in it.</p>
+
+<p>'Crystal is found every where; but nothing is more rare than
+the diamond, and hence the difference in their value.</p>
+
+<p>'Instruction only bears fruit in so far as it is assisted by
+your own endeavours.</p>
+
+<p>'The discipline of the master is of greater benefit to the
+child than the indulgence of the father.</p>
+
+<p>'So long as the tree is young it is easy to fashion it as
+you please; but when it has been permitted to grow, nothing
+but fire can straighten it.</p>
+
+<p>'Woe to the man of might, who devours the substance of the
+people! At last some dire calamity will, of a surety,
+overtake him.</p>
+
+<p>'The most awful spectacle at the day of judgment will be,
+says the prophet, to see pious slaves in paradise, and hard
+and merciless masters in hell.</p>
+
+<p>'Do you ask whether the ant beneath your feet has a right to
+complain? Yes; just as much right as you would have if
+crushed to atoms by an elephant.</p>
+
+<p>'Encouragement towards the wicked is a wrong done to the
+good; and the severest attack on virtue is to be indulgent
+to crime.</p>
+
+<p>'The perpetrator of an unjust action dies, but his memory is
+held in everlasting abhorrence. The just man dies, and his
+good actions bear fruit unto eternity.</p>
+
+<p>'Be assured that thou wilt be rewarded if thine actions are
+good, whether thou wearest the dress of the dervise or the
+crown of the king.</p>
+
+<p>'Would a king have nothing to fear from his enemies, let him
+live in peace with his subjects.</p>
+
+<p>'O my brother! the world forsakes us all. Fix thy heart on
+the Creator of the universe, and all will be well with thee.</p>
+
+<p>'What signifies it, whether we die in a stable or on a
+throne?</p>
+
+<p>'At your morning and evening prayer be able to say, Almighty
+God, be pleased to remember Thy servant, who has never
+forgotten Thee!'</p></div>
+
+<p>"My ambition is satisfied," resumed the Persian, "by the possession of
+this book; but a fortune of that description would be no fortune to
+you, Noureddin.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span> You stand in need of a material treasure; and this
+sacred volume tells me where we ought to look for it. Quick! Mount
+your steed, and let us proceed so long as Solomon favours us." Leaping
+into our saddles, therefore, we set off at full gallop, and entering
+the desert, journeyed thus for two days and a night.</p>
+
+<p>On the evening of the second day we arrived at a city situated on a
+high mountain, and surrounded with white walls which shone like
+silver. We passed the night under the trees of an adjoining wood; and
+next day, having offered up our prayers, looked about for some way of
+entering the city, the gates of which were shut, and within which
+there reigned a perfect stillness. My master went round the walls, and
+in his examination of them he discovered a stone slab, in which was
+fastened an iron ring. We endeavoured to move the slab, but could not.
+The Persian then ordered me to take the horses and to fasten them to
+the ring with our sashes; and by this means we succeeded in removing
+the stone, which discovered the entrance to a subterraneous passage.
+My master said to me, "Noureddin, follow me; by this passage we shall
+get into the city." On leaving the subterraneous passage we heard a
+noise like that which might be produced by the loud puffing of the
+bellows of a forge, and we supposed for a moment that the city was
+inhabited. This strange noise was nothing else than the hissing of two
+winged serpents, which advanced towards us at a frightful pace. With
+the sacred book in his hand the Persian advanced to meet them, and
+with one touch of this talisman laid them prostrate on the ground.</p>
+
+<p>This obstacle being overcome, we traversed the whole city, admiring
+its squares, houses, mosques, and palaces. But what had become of the
+inhabitants? By what scourge had they been cut off, or what reason had
+induced them to quit so beautiful a city? How long ago was it
+inhabited? My mind was lost<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> in conjectures about what seemed so far
+beyond my comprehension, and my master made no reply to the questions
+which I addressed to him. At length we stopped at the open railing of
+some gardens surrounding an enormous palace, which surpassed all that
+the imagination could conceive. Bushy thickets; orchards covered with
+flowers and fruits; enamelled meads, watered by murmuring streams;
+parterres planted with the rarest and most variegated flowers, every
+where met the eye. The Persian sat down under the shadow of a tree,
+opened the book, and commenced reading, and when he had finished
+ordered me to enter the palace. I reached it by a staircase that could
+only have been constructed by the hands of genii; it was formed of the
+most rare and costly marble, as were also the statues which were
+placed at the sides. After having walked through many spacious and
+magnificent apartments richly adorned, I entered a subterranean hall,
+still larger and more splendid. A hundred crystal lustres, brilliant
+with gold and precious stones, and lit up with thousands of
+wax-lights, shed a refulgence more dazzling than the day. Its walls
+were covered with paintings, in which the spirit of evil strove in
+vain for the mastery over the spirit of good, and a long series of the
+statues of justly-renowned dead princes were ranged all around. Vacant
+pedestals, waiting to receive monarchs still living, whose names were
+inscribed on them, were also to be seen. In the centre of this
+subterranean apartment, a throne of gold arose, incrusted with pearls
+and rubies. On this throne an old man was reposing, with a countenance
+pale as death, but whose open eyes shone with a supernatural
+brilliancy. I saluted him respectfully, but he made no gesture. I
+spoke to him, and he made no reply. Seized with astonishment and fear,
+I returned to my master and told him what I had seen.</p>
+
+<p>"God be praised!" he said, "we are now near the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span> end of our
+enterprise. Return, Noureddin, to the old man; go up to him
+fearlessly, and bring to me the chest on which his head rests."</p>
+
+<p>I obeyed, and on my return to the subterranean hall I drew near to the
+throne, to which three silver steps led up. When I placed my foot on
+the first step the old man stood up; in spite of my surprise I
+ascended the second step, when, seizing a bow, he placed a
+keen-pointed arrow in it, and aimed it at me. Without any
+consideration of my benefactor's orders, I jumped backwards and took
+to flight anew. When the Arab saw me, he said, "Is this what you
+promised me? cowardly man, come with me, and you will find inestimable
+riches!" I then conducted him to the place where the old man was to be
+found. When my master was near the throne, he ascended the first step,
+and the old man arose; at the second step he took his bow and arrow;
+and at the third he shot it at my master, who received it on the
+sacred book, from which it rebounded as from a steel cuirass, and fell
+broken on the ground. The old man fell back motionless on the throne,
+and his eyes ceased to shine. My master then laid hold of the
+mysterious chest of which he had spoken to me, and took from it the
+magic key which opened subterranean recesses where heaps of pearls,
+diamonds, and rubies were deposited. The Persian allowed me to take as
+much as I pleased. I filled my trousers and the folds of my robe and
+turban with the finest pearls, the largest diamonds, and many other
+kinds of precious stones. As Saadi the Wise passed by all these
+treasures without looking at them, I said to him, "O my lord, why do
+you leave here all this wealth, and take away with you, as the reward
+of so many fatigues, an article of so little value? The book of wisdom
+is now useless; what man is there who does not think himself wise?"</p>
+
+<p>"My son," replied the old man, "I am near the end of my career, and my
+life has been spent in the search after true wisdom. If I have done
+nothing to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span> improve mankind, God, when I appear before Him, will
+reckon with me not only for the evil I shall have done, but also for
+the good I may have neglected to do. As for you, who have a wife and
+children, I approve of your wishing to provide for their future
+condition."</p>
+
+<p>We left the enchanted city and its treasures, which I greatly
+regretted not being able to carry away. When we reached the open
+country, I looked back to gaze upon the palace and city, but they had
+disappeared, at which I expressed my astonishment to my master, who
+replied, "Noureddin, do not seek to fathom the mysteries of knowledge,
+but be contented to rejoice with me at the success of our journey." We
+then directed our faces towards Bagdad, and at the end of a short time
+arrived there, without meeting with any thing else worth relating. My
+family were rejoiced at my return and at the good fortune I had so
+unexpectedly met with. The old man abode with us for some time, which
+he employed in reading the Gulistan and in giving me useful counsels
+as to my future conduct.</p>
+
+<p>"Noureddin," he said, "you are the possessor of great wealth; know how
+to make a good use of it; always remember the wretched condition in
+which I found you in the mosque; beware of bad company and pretended
+friends and flatterers; avoid covetousness, and be charitable toward
+the poor; remember the uncertainty of riches, and how Providence often
+punishes those who give way to ingratitude and pride." Besides his
+good advice, he would often relate to me instructive histories by way
+of example, and I shall not tire you too much if I repeat one of them
+to you.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h3>THE STORY OF THE DERVISE ABOUNADAR.</h3>
+
+<p>A dervise, venerable from his age, fell ill at the house of a woman
+who was a widow, and who lived in a state of great poverty in the
+outskirts of Balsora. He was so affected by the care and zeal with
+which she had nursed him, that at the time of his departure he said to
+her, "I have noticed that your means are sufficient for yourself
+alone, and are not adequate for the additional support of your only
+son, the young Mujahid; but if you will entrust him to my care, I will
+do my utmost to repay through him the obligations which I am under to
+your care."</p>
+
+<p>The good woman received the proposal with pleasure, and the dervise
+took his departure with the young man, stating, at the same time, that
+they were to be absent two years on a journey. While travelling in
+various countries the widow's son lived in opulence with his
+protector, who gave him excellent instructions, attended to him in a
+dangerous illness which he had, and, in short, treated him in every
+respect as if he had been his only son. Mujahid often said how
+grateful he was for such kindness, and the old man's constant reply
+was, "My son, gratitude is shown by actions, not words; at the proper
+time and place we shall see how you estimate my conduct towards you."</p>
+
+<p>One day, in their journeyings, they reached a place out of the beaten
+road, and the dervise said to Abdallah, "We are now at the end of our
+travels; I am about to cause the earth to open and allow you to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span> enter
+a place where you will find one of the greatest treasures in the bosom
+of the globe; have you courage sufficient to descend into this
+subterranean recess?" Mujahid declared that he might be depended upon
+for his obedience and zeal. The dervise then lighted a small fire,
+into which he threw some perfumes, and when he had pronounced some
+prayers the earth opened, and the dervise said to the young man, "You
+can now enter; remember that it is in your power to render me a great
+service, and that the present occasion is perhaps the only one when
+you can prove to me that you are not ungrateful. Do not allow yourself
+to be dazzled by all the wealth which you will find, but think only of
+getting possession of an iron chandelier with twelve branches which
+you will see near a door; lose no time in bringing it to me." The
+youth promised to attend to all that was required of him, and plunged
+into the subterraneous recess full of confidence in himself.
+Forgetting, however, what had been so expressly enjoined upon him,
+while he was busy filling his pockets with the gold and diamonds
+spread around in prodigious quantities, the entrance by which he had
+descended was closed. He had, however, the presence of mind to lay
+hold of the iron chandelier which the dervise had urged him to bring
+away; and although he was now, by the closing of the entrance, placed
+in circumstances which were enough to appal a stouter heart, he did
+not abandon himself to despair. While trying to discover some way of
+escape from a place which was likely otherwise to be his grave, he saw
+but too plainly that the opening had been closed upon him on account
+of his not having strictly followed the dervise's orders; and
+reflecting on the kindness and care with which he had been treated, he
+bitterly reproached himself for his ingratitude. At length, after a
+busy search and much anxiety, he was fortunate enough to discover a
+narrow passage that led out of this dark cavern. The opening was
+covered over with briers and thorns, through which he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> managed to
+struggle, and thus recovered the light of day. He looked around him
+every where for the dervise in order to deliver the chandelier to him,
+but in vain; he was not to be seen.</p>
+
+<p>Unable to recognize any of the places where he had been, he walked at
+random, and was very much astonished to find himself, after a short
+time, at his mother's door, from which he had thought himself at a
+great distance. In reply to her inquiries respecting the dervise, he
+frankly told her all that had happened, and the danger he had
+encountered in order to gratify the fancy of the dervise; and then he
+showed her the riches with which he was loaded. His mother concluded,
+on seeing all this wealth, that the dervise only wanted to try his
+courage and obedience, and that he ought to take advantage of his good
+luck, adding, that such was no doubt the intention of the holy man.</p>
+
+<p>While they gazed on these treasures with avidity, and framed a
+thousand dazzling projects for spending them, the whole vanished
+suddenly from their eyes. Mujahid then reproached himself again for
+his ingratitude and disobedience; and looking at the iron chandelier
+which alone remained of all his treasure, said, "What has happened is
+just. I have lost what I had no wish to render back; and the
+chandelier, which I desired to give to the dervise, remains with
+me,&mdash;a proof that it belongs to him, and that the rest was improperly
+obtained." So saying, he placed the chandelier in the middle of his
+mother's small house.</p>
+
+<p>When night came on, Mujahid thought he would put a light in the
+chandelier, by way of turning it to some use. No sooner had he done
+this, than a dervise immediately appeared, who, after turning round,
+vanished, and threw a small coin behind him. Mujahid, whose thoughts
+were occupied all next day with what he had seen the evening before,
+wished to see what would be the event if he placed a light in each of
+the twelve branches. He did so, and twelve dervises immediately
+appeared, who, after wheeling<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> round, also became invisible, each of
+them at the same time throwing down a small coin. Every day Mujahid
+repeated the same ceremony with the same success; but he could only
+make it occur once in twenty-four hours. The moderate sum with which
+the dervises supplied him daily was sufficient for the subsistence of
+himself and his mother, and for a long time this was all that he
+desired. By and by, however, his imagination began to feast itself
+with the idea of the riches of the cavern, the sight of those which he
+had once thought to be safe in his possession, and the schemes which
+he had formed as to the use to be made of his wealth; all these things
+had left so deep an impression on his mind, that he found it
+impossible to rest. He resolved, therefore, if possible, to find out
+the dervise, and to take him the chandelier, in the hope of obtaining
+the treasure by bringing to the holy man an article for which he had
+shown so strong a desire.</p>
+
+<p>Fortunately Mujahid recollected the dervise's name, and the name of
+the city, Magnebi, where he dwelt. He set out on his journey as soon
+as possible, bidding farewell to his mother, and taking the chandelier
+with him, which supplied him every evening, after being lit, with the
+means of supporting himself, without having occasion to resort for
+assistance to the compassion of the faithful. When he reached Magnebi,
+his first inquiry was after the house where Abounadar lodged. He was
+so well known, that the first person he met could tell him his
+residence. On arriving at the house, or rather palace, he found fifty
+porters keeping watch at the door, each of them bearing a wand with a
+golden apple for its handle. The courts of the palace were crowded
+with slaves and domestics; indeed, no prince's residence ever
+displayed greater splendour. Mujahid, struck with astonishment and
+admiration, was reluctant to proceed further. "Either," said he to
+himself, "I have described the person whom I wanted imperfectly, or
+those to whom I spoke must<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> have wished to make a mock of me,
+observing that I was a stranger. This is not the residence of a
+dervise, but of a king."</p>
+
+<p>Mujahid was in this state of embarrassment when a man came up to him
+and said, "You are welcome, Mujahid; my master, Abounadar, has been
+long expecting you;" and so saying, he conducted him into a
+magnificent garden, where the dervise was seated. Mujahid, struck with
+the riches which he saw every where around him, would have thrown
+himself at his feet, but Abounadar would not permit him, and
+interrupted him when he was about to make a merit of bringing back the
+chandelier which he presented to him, by saying, "You are an
+ungrateful wretch. Do you think to impose upon me? I know all your
+thoughts; and if you had known the worth of this chandelier, you would
+never have brought it to me. I shall now make you acquainted with its
+true use." In each of the branches of the chandelier he now placed a
+light; and when the dervises had turned round, Abounadar gave each of
+them a blow with a stick, and immediately they were converted into
+twelve heaps of sequins, diamonds, and other precious stones. "Look,"
+he said, "at the use to be made of this wonderful chandelier. My only
+reason, however, for wishing to place it in my cabinet, was on account
+of its being a talisman composed by a sage whom I revered; and I shall
+be always happy to show it to persons who visit me. To prove to you,"
+he continued, "that curiosity is the only reason which induced me to
+procure the lamp, take the keys of my cellars, open them, and judge
+for yourself of the extent of my opulence, and say if I should not be
+the most insatiably avaricious of all men, not to be contented with
+what I have." Mujahid took the keys, and made a survey of twelve
+magazines so filled with every description of precious stones, that he
+was unable to tell which of them most deserved his admiration. Regret
+at having restored the chandelier, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span> at not having discovered its
+uses, now wrung his heart intensely. Abounadar seemed not to perceive
+this, but on the contrary loaded Mujahid with caresses, kept him for
+some days in his palace, and desired his servants to treat him as they
+would himself. On the evening before the day fixed for his departure,
+Abounadar said to him, "Mujahid, my son, I think, from what has
+occurred, that you are now cured of the frightful sin of ingratitude;
+however, I owe you something for having undertaken so long a journey
+for the purpose of bringing to me an article which I wished to
+possess. You may now depart; I will detain you no longer. To-morrow
+you will find at the gate of my palace one of my horses to carry you
+home. I will make you a present of it, together with a slave who will
+bring you two camels loaded with gold and precious stones, which you
+can select for yourself from among my treasures."</p>
+
+<p>During the night Mujahid was restless and uneasy, and unable to think
+of any thing except the chandelier and its wonderful qualities. For a
+long time he said to himself, "It was in my power; Abounadar would
+never have obtained it but for me. What risks did I not encounter in
+the subterranean cave in order to secure it! Why is it that he is now
+the fortunate owner of this treasure of treasures? Is it not owing to
+my fidelity, or rather folly, in bringing it to him, that he now
+profits by the trouble and danger I underwent in the long journey I
+had to make? And what does he give me in return? only two miserable
+camels loaded with gold and precious stones, when in a moment the
+chandelier could supply me with ten times as much! It is Abounadar who
+is ungrateful, and not I who am so. What injury shall I do him by
+taking the chandelier? Not any; for he is rich, and wants nothing
+more."</p>
+
+<p>These ideas determined him, at last, to do all in his power to get
+possession of the chandelier; and it was not difficult to do so. He
+knew where to find it, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span> having taken it, he placed it at the
+bottom of one of his sacks which he had filled with the treasure given
+to him, and put the sack, along with the others, on the back of one of
+the camels. His only desire now was to get away, and after having
+hurriedly bid farewell to the generous Abounadar, he took his
+departure, with his slave and camels.</p>
+
+<p>When now at some considerable distance from Balsora, he sold his
+slave, not wishing to retain him as a witness of his former poverty,
+or of the source of his wealth. He purchased another, and went
+straight to his mother's house, whom he scarcely noticed, so absorbed
+was he with his treasures. His first care was to place the camels'
+luggage in a secure place; and, in his impatience to feast his eyes
+with solid riches, he placed lights in the chandelier without delay.
+The twelve dervises made their appearance, and he bestowed on each of
+them a blow with all his might, being afraid of not complying
+sufficiently with the laws of the talisman; but he had not noticed
+that Abounadar, when striking them, held his stick in his left hand.
+Mujahid naturally held his in his right hand, and the dervises,
+instead of being changed into heaps of treasure, drew from beneath
+their robes formidable bludgeons, with which they all belaboured him
+so long and so severely, that they left him nearly dead, after which
+they disappeared, carrying with them the camels and all their burdens,
+the horse, the slave, and the chandelier.</p>
+
+<p>Thus, for not being contented with a large fortune honestly acquired,
+Mujahid fell into a state of misery from which he never recovered&mdash;a
+suitable punishment for his ingratitude and avarice.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The old man at last took his leave of us, and returned to Schiraz, his
+native place, bearing with him the blessings of all my family.</p>
+
+<p>After Saadi's departure, I unhappily neglected to follow his good
+advice. I purchased a new and splendid residence, where I lived in
+great splendour and luxury. Instead of being grateful to Heaven for
+its bounty, I became proud and insolent. I entertained and feasted all
+the gay companions I could meet with, while I refused to give alms,
+and drove the needy from my door; in short, I spent my money rapidly,
+and made the worst possible use of what I had so mysteriously
+acquired. My treasure soon began to run low; still I lived in the same
+profuse extravagance, until at last all was spent, and I found that,
+for some time, I had been living upon credit. The truth could no
+longer be concealed, and, being unable to meet the demands upon me, I
+had to sell off the whole of my property. A small sum would have
+sufficed to release me, so that I might again return to my trade, and,
+for this purpose, I appealed for assistance to my former friends and
+companions. Not one of these, however, would come forward in my
+behalf. The produce of the sale of my house and effects was
+insufficient to pay my debts, and I was consequently thrown into
+prison, where I have remained for three years, my family, in the mean
+time, living upon the casual alms of the faithful. The aid you have
+rendered me will suffice to set me free, and I am now resolved to
+labour with diligence, in order to repair, as far as possible, my past
+folly.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 480px;">
+<img src="images/i29.jpg" width="480" height="498" alt="Shooting at the Enchanted Keys, p. 29" title="" />
+<span class="caption">Shooting at the Enchanted Keys, p. 29</span>
+</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h3>CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF HASSAN ABDALLAH.</h3>
+
+<p>In this manner our journey was beguiled, and on the sixth day, in the
+morning, we entered on an immense plain, whose glittering soil seemed
+composed of silver dust. In the middle of the plain arose a lofty
+pillar of granite, surmounted by a statue of copper, representing a
+young man, whose right hand was stretched out open, and to each of
+whose fingers was suspended a key; the first was of iron, the second
+of lead, the third of bronze, the fourth of copper, and the fifth of
+gold.</p>
+
+<p>This statue was the workmanship of an enchanter, and each key was a
+talisman; whoever was led by accident or his own free will into this
+desert, and became possessed of these keys, inherited the destiny
+attached to them. The first was the key of calamities, the second of
+physical sufferings, the third of death, the fourth of glory, and the
+last of knowledge and wealth.</p>
+
+<p>I was ignorant of all these matters; but my master had become
+acquainted with them from a learned Indian, who had also informed him
+that the keys could only be obtained by shooting them down with
+arrows. The Arab planted his foot near to the column, and then fixing
+an arrow in his bow, which was of a foreign make, he shot it towards
+the statue, but, whether from want of skill or intentionally, the
+arrow did not reach halfway. He then said to me, "Hassan,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span> you have
+now an opportunity of discharging your debt to me, and of purchasing
+your liberty. You are both strong and skilful; take this bow and
+arrows, and bring me down those keys." I took the bow, and perceived
+that it was of Persian workmanship, and made by a skilful hand. In my
+youth, I had accustomed myself to this exercise, and had acquired
+great reputation in it. Desirous of displaying my attainments, I bent
+the bow with all my strength, and with the first arrow I brought down
+the first key. Overjoyed, I took it up, and presented it to my master.
+"Keep it," he said; "it is the reward of your skill." With a second
+arrow, I brought down the leaden one. The Arab would not touch it, and
+I took it, and put it in my belt, along with the other. With two other
+arrows, I brought down two more keys&mdash;the copper key and the golden
+key. My companion took them up, uttering exclamations of delight.</p>
+
+<p>"O Hassan," he said, "God be praised! blessed be he who trained your
+arm and practised your eye to such accuracy. I am proceeding happily
+towards the accomplishment of my object."</p>
+
+<p>I was about to aim at the last key&mdash;that of death, and had raised my
+bow for that purpose, but he forbade me, and struck my arm to prevent
+my shooting. In doing this, he caused the arrow to fall and pierce my
+foot, producing a painful wound. Having dressed it as well as he
+could, he assisted me to mount my camel, and we thereupon continued
+our journey. After three days and nights of laborious travelling, we
+arrived in the neighbourhood of a small wood, where we stopped to
+spend the night. I set about looking for water, and some refreshing
+fruits, and particularly some with whose good qualities I was
+acquainted, but I could find nothing eatable. At last I discovered in
+the crevice of a rock a small spring, which invited me, by its clear
+and limpid waters, to refresh myself; but stooping down to drink, I
+heard the voice of my companion<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span> shouting to me not to taste the
+water, for that it was poisoned. "What matters it," I said, "whether I
+die of thirst or of poison?"</p>
+
+<p>"This water," he said, "comes from the infernal regions, and passes
+through the mass of sulphur, bitumen, and metals that feed the fires
+in the centre of the earth; and if you drink, you will in all
+probability fall a victim to your imprudence."</p>
+
+<p>Although bitter, the water was so clear and fresh, that without
+heeding what he said, I drank some of it, and feeling refreshed for
+the time, I agreed to proceed on our journey, but I had scarcely gone
+on a hundred paces, when I was attacked by the most racking pains, and
+with many exclamations and cries to Heaven for help, I endeavoured to
+moderate the speed of my camel, who was following his companion at a
+brisk pace. My tortures became so great, that I called aloud to the
+Arab, and begged him to stop; he consented, when I dismounted and
+walked for some time, which partly relieved me. The Arab chid me for
+my disobedience to his commands, and taking out a small phial from his
+pocket, gave me a few drops of a cordial, which in a short time
+completely cured me.</p>
+
+<p>Towards evening we came near a high mountain, where we stopped to take
+a little rest. The Arab said, "God be praised, to-day will not be a
+fast day with us! by experience I have learned to collect a healthy
+and refreshing nourishment from a quarter where you would only find
+poison." He then went to a bush with leaves of a very thick and
+prickly nature, and having cut off some of them with his sabre, and
+stript them, of their skins, he extracted from them a yellow and
+sugary substance, similar in taste to figs, and I partook of the food
+until I was quite satisfied and refreshed. I was beginning to forget
+my sufferings, and hoped to pass the night in peaceful slumber, but
+when the moon arose my master said to me, "I expect you to perform a
+signal service<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span> for me; you have to ascend this mountain, and when at
+the summit, you must wait for sunrise; then, standing up and turning
+towards the East, you must offer up your devotions and descend; but
+take care, and do not allow yourself to be overtaken by sleep, for the
+emanations which arise from the ground in this place are extremely
+noxious, and you may suffer severely from them."</p>
+
+<p>Although overwhelmed with fatigue and pain, I obeyed the Arab's
+orders, remembering that he had given bread to my children; and that,
+perhaps, should I refuse, he would abandon me in this savage
+wilderness. I ascended the mountain and reached the summit about
+midnight. The soil was bare and stony; not a shrub, not a blade of
+grass was to be found upon it. The extreme cold, together with
+fatigue, threw me into such a state of torpor that I could not resist
+lying down on the earth and falling asleep. I awoke at the rising of
+the sun to fulfil my instructions. I stood up with difficulty; my
+aching limbs refused to support my body; my head hung down as if made
+of lead, and I was unable to lift up my paralyzed arms. Making a
+painful effort, and holding myself up towards the East, I invoked the
+name of God. I then endeavoured to descend the mountain, but it was so
+steep, and my weakness was so great, that at the first step my limbs
+tottered under me, and I fell, and rolled down the mountain with
+frightful rapidity; stones and thorns were the only obstacles to my
+descent, and they tore my dress and my skin, causing me to bleed at
+every pore. At length I reached the bottom of the hill, near to where
+my master was stretched on the ground, tracing lines on it with such
+attention, that he did not observe in what a state I was. "God be
+thanked and praised," he said, without noticing me; "we were born
+under a happy planet; every thing succeeds with us! Thanks to you,
+Hassan, I have just discovered what I wanted, by measuring the shadow
+projected by your<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span> head from the summit of the mountain. Assist me to
+dig where I have stuck my lance." He raised his head, and seeing me
+extended on the earth, motionless, came up to me, and exclaimed,
+"What! in disobedience to my orders you have slept on the mountain,
+and imbibed its unwholesome vapours into your blood! Do not despair,
+however, I will cure you;" and he took from his pocket a lancet, with
+which, before I could offer any resistance, he made small incisions in
+different parts of my body, from which I bled profusely. He then
+dressed my wounds and bruises carefully, and I felt a little better.
+Seeing that I was too weak to assist him, he began to dig in the earth
+himself at the place which he had marked. He soon exposed to view a
+tomb of white marble, which he opened; it contained some human bones,
+and a book written in letters of gold on the skin of the gazelle.</p>
+
+<p>My master began reading it with attention: at length his pale brow
+became lit up with pleasure, and his eyes sparkled with delight.</p>
+
+<p>"Hassan Abdallah," he said to me, "this book teaches me the way to the
+mysterious city; we shall soon enter into Aram, built on columns,
+where no mortal has ever as yet penetrated; it is there that we shall
+find the principle of earthly riches, the germ of the metallic mines
+which God has placed in the centre of the earth."</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," I replied, "I share with you in your joy; but this treasure
+is of little or no advantage to me; I would rather, I assure you, be
+poor and in good health at Cairo, than rich and in wretchedness here."</p>
+
+<p>"Ungrateful man!" he exclaimed; "I am labouring for your advantage as
+well as for my own, intending to share with you the fruit of our
+journey, as I have done until now."</p>
+
+<p>"True," I said, "but, alas! all the ill fortunes and calamities fall
+to me." However, after some further<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span> assurances on the part of the
+Arab, I became pacified, and the same day, after having laid in a
+stock of fruits, we reascended our camels, and continued our journey
+towards the East.</p>
+
+<p>We journeyed thus for three days and nights. The fourth day in the
+morning we perceived in the horizon the appearance of a large mirror,
+which reflected the sunbeams. On drawing near we saw that it was a
+river of quicksilver; it was crossed by a bridge of crystal, without
+balustrades, but so narrow and slippery that no man in his senses
+would think of attempting to pass it. My master told me to unsaddle
+the camels, to let them feed at liberty, and to prepare woollen
+slippers with thick and soft soles for both of us; and having ordered
+me to walk behind him without looking to the right hand or to the
+left, he crossed the bridge with a firm step, and I followed him
+trembling.</p>
+
+<p>After we had crossed the river and proceeded for some hours, we found
+ourselves at the entrance of a gloomy valley. It was surrounded on all
+sides with black rocks, hard as iron, and here and there on the ground
+were spread human bones, bleached by time. Through the dark foliage of
+the shrubs which grew there might be seen the undulating and scaly
+forms of serpents gliding along. I retreated hastily from this den of
+horror, but could not discover the spot at which I had entered, the
+rocks seeming every where to rise up like the walls of a great cavern.</p>
+
+<p>I began to weep, and said to my companion, "You have led me on to
+death by the path of suffering and misery; I shall never see my wife
+and children again. Why have you torn me away from my poor but
+peaceful home?"</p>
+
+<p>"Hassan," he said to me, "be a man! Have patience; we shall soon get
+out of this horrible place. Wait a few moments, and I will show you
+how we may escape." So saying, he sat down on the ground, and, opening
+the mysterious book, began turning over<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span> the pages and reading in it
+as calmly as if he had been sitting in his own house. After a short
+time he called to me, and said, "My friend, call up your courage, your
+task is easy; you are a skilful marksman; take this bow and arrows;
+examine the valley until you meet with a huge serpent with a black
+head, kill him and bring his head and heart to me."</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" I said, weeping, "is this indeed a thing so easy for me? Why
+will you not do it yourself? We are too fortunate not to be molested
+by these monsters; why should we go in search of them?" Upon this he
+started up with a fierce aspect, and, drawing his sword, swore that he
+would kill me that instant if I did not obey him.</p>
+
+<p>"Do you see all these bones?" he said. "They are the bones of men who
+disobeyed me, and who died in consequence by my hand." Trembling, I
+took the bow and arrows, and went among the rocks where the serpents
+were to be found. Selecting one which appeared to me to answer the
+description given me, I took aim at its head, and, invoking the
+assistance of Heaven, discharged my arrow. The serpent, mortally
+wounded, sprung up, and twisting and contorting itself in a frightful
+manner, fell dead on the ground. When I was certain that he was dead,
+I took my knife, cut off his head, and took out his heart. With these
+bloody trophies I returned to my master, who received me with a
+smiling countenance. "Forgive me," he said, "for employing threats
+towards you; in reality I was anxious to save you from a miserable
+fate. The men to whom these bones belonged died here of hunger by
+their own fault; they proved deficient in courage, and I was
+compelled, in spite of myself, to abandon them to their fate."</p>
+
+<p>"Now," he continued, "come and assist me to make a fire."</p>
+
+<p>I collected dry leaves and small branches of trees, of which he made a
+small heap; then turning an enchanted diamond towards the sun, which
+was then<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span> in its meridian, a ray of light issued from the precious
+stone which set the materials in a blaze. He next drew from under his
+robe a small iron vase and three phials; the first, of ruby, contained
+the elements of winds; the second, of emerald, contained a ray of
+moonlight; and the third, which was of gold, contained the blood of a
+ph[oe]nix. All these substances he placed in the vase, and added the
+heart and brain of the serpent. He then opened the book and put the
+vase on the fire, pronouncing at the same time some words which to me
+were unintelligible. When he had finished, he uncovered his shoulders,
+as the pilgrims do at their departure, and dipping a portion of his
+garment in the mixture, handed it to me, desiring me to rub his back
+and shoulders with it. As I did so I observed the skin swell out and
+wings spring forth, which, visibly increasing in size, soon reached
+the ground. The Arab spread them and began to rise in the air. Fear of
+remaining in this doleful place lent me courage, and laying hold with
+all my might of the end of his girdle, I was borne up along with him,
+and in a few moments we bade farewell to the black rocks of this fatal
+valley. Presently, as we pursued this a&euml;rial tour, we found ourselves
+soaring above an immense plain, surrounded by a precipice of crystal,
+tinged with azure and purple. The earth seemed formed of golden dust,
+and the pebbles upon it looked like precious stones. Before us were
+the lofty walls of a city crowded with magnificent palaces and
+delicious gardens. Lost in admiration of this glorious scene, the Arab
+forgot to keep his wings moving, and we descended rapidly towards the
+ground, which I of course reached first, he falling upon me. I then
+perceived his wings gradually diminish, and by degrees wholly
+disappear. When I noticed this to him, he replied, that,
+unfortunately, science was limited in its powers; it enabled him to
+construct wings of great power, but could not avail for their
+preservation beyond a certain time. "To become the possessor," said
+he, "of the ingredients which you saw me employ in forming these
+wings, I have spent thirty years of my life, the lives of many men,
+and money sufficient for a king's ransom. The wings helped me but for
+a few moments, long enough, however, for my purpose; they have borne
+me to glory and fortune. Rejoice, Hassan Abdallah; behold Aram, the
+city built on columns, the mysterious city!"</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 430px;">
+<img src="images/i36.jpg" width="430" height="640" alt="The Escape of Hassan Abdallah and the Arab from the
+Enchanted Valley, p. 36." title="" />
+<span class="caption">The Escape of Hassan Abdallah and the Arab from the
+Enchanted Valley, p. 36.</span>
+</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>We then approached the walls; they were built of alternate layers of
+bricks of gold and silver. The battlements were of marble, cut and
+sculptured by the hands of genii. There were eight gates in the
+walls,&mdash;the number of the gates of paradise; the first was of silver,
+the second of gold, the third of agate, the fourth of coral, the fifth
+of pearl, the sixth of topaz, the seventh of emerald, and the eighth
+of ruby.</p>
+
+<p>The Arab informed me that this city had been built by the famous
+enchanter Tchedad, the son of Aad, who had exhausted upon it all the
+treasures of earth, sea, and sky. He wanted in his pride to rival the
+glory of the Almighty by this piece of workmanship; but God, to punish
+him, struck him and his family with lightning at the very instant he
+and they were solemnly taking possession of the palace. An
+impenetrable veil hangs over the city ever since, and no one has been
+able to discover it.</p>
+
+<p>We went forward, invoking the name of God; the streets were lined with
+palaces adorned with columns of marble, agate, and all kinds of costly
+materials; streams of odoriferous waters embalmed and refreshed the
+atmosphere; trees of a wondrous form furnished a delicious shelter
+from the rays of the sun, and in their branches birds of song produced
+concerts of ravishing sweetness. The very air that one breathed seemed
+to fascinate the mind, and to lift it up to heaven.</p>
+
+<p>The Arab, taking me by the hand, conducted me<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span> towards the palace of
+Tchedad; its construction, in point of art and splendour of adornment,
+was unspeakably magnificent. Terraces, formed of coloured crystal,
+were supported on a thousand columns of gold. In the midst of the
+palace was an enchanted garden, where the earth, breathing of musk,
+bore fruits and flowers of marvellous richness and beauty. Three
+rivers surrounded the garden, flowing with wine, rose-water, and
+honey. In the centre of the garden there was a pavilion, whose dome,
+formed of a single emerald, overshadowed a throne of gold covered with
+pearls and rubies. On the throne there was a small chest of gold; the
+Arab opened it, and found in it a red powder. "Throw away this dust,"
+I said, "and fill the casket with precious stones."</p>
+
+<p>"Poor fool that you are," he replied; "this dust is the source of all
+the riches of the world; it is red sulphur. A small portion of it is
+sufficient to change into gold the basest metals. With it I can build
+palaces, found cities, purchase the life of men and the admiration of
+beautiful women. I can even, if I please, cause myself to become
+prince and king; but I cannot by it prolong my life a single day, or
+efface an hour from my by-past existence. God alone is great! God
+alone is eternal!"</p>
+
+<p>Whilst he thus spoke, I employed myself in collecting precious stones
+and pearls, filling with them my girdle, pockets, and turban.</p>
+
+<p>"Unhappy man!" he cried, "what are you doing? You will bring down upon
+us the vengeance of Heaven. We are only permitted to touch this
+casket; and if we should attempt to carry out of the valley a leaf
+from one of these trees, or a stone from off the ground, instantaneous
+death would be our lot."</p>
+
+<p>I immediately emptied my pockets, much to my regret, and followed my
+master, not however without often turning my head aside to look at the
+incalculable riches spread around me. Fearing that I should fall a
+prey to the seductions of wealth, my master took<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></span> me by the hand and
+led me out of the city. We quitted it by the path by which we came,
+but more slowly than we approached. When we arrived at the crystal
+precipice it opened before us, and we passed through it; when we had
+done so, we looked about in vain for the wonderful plain and the
+city,&mdash;they could no longer be seen. We found ourselves on the brink
+of the river of quicksilver, and crossed the bridge. Our camels were
+feeding on the flowery herbage, and I ran to mine with delight, as to
+an old friend. After refastening our girths, we mounted and set out on
+the road to Egypt. We were three months in reaching Cairo. During all
+this time I suffered many privations; my health was destroyed, and I
+endured every kind of evil. From some fatality, the cause of which was
+unknown to me at the time, I alone was exposed to all the accidents of
+the journey, while my companion continued in health and comfort,
+passing safely through every danger. I discovered afterwards that all
+my misfortunes arose from my having in my possession the enchanted
+keys. This was one day towards the close of our journey, when the Arab
+confessed to me that he was aware of this fatal quality of theirs, and
+that it was in order to free himself from it that he purchased me.
+When I wanted to throw away the accursed keys, he withheld me.
+"Patience and resignation," said he, "and these virtues only, can
+exhaust their evil influence, and for your own sake I would advise you
+to keep them to the end. All will turn out eventually for your good."</p>
+
+<p>A few days after receiving this communication we arrived at Cairo, and
+I immediately ran to my home, the door of which was open and broken,
+and the interior occupied by crowds of famished and prowling dogs, who
+had taken up their abode there. A neighbour, who heard me calling out
+in an agony of despair, opened her door, and said to me, "Hassan
+Abdallah,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span> is that you? Well may you be astounded! Know that some time
+after your departure,&mdash;that is, about five months ago,&mdash;some thieves,
+knowing that you were absent, and that there was no male slave left to
+take care of your house, broke into your house during the night,
+insulted the women, and went off with all the property that you had
+left. Your mother died a few days after, in consequence. Your wife, in
+her destitution, resolved to go to Alexandria, to her brother. The
+caravan which she accompanied was attacked by the Arabs of the desert,
+who, being enraged at the resistance they met with, put all to the
+sword without mercy."</p>
+
+<p>On hearing these sad tidings, I shed many tears, and returning to the
+Arab, accused him with being the cause of all my misfortunes. "God is
+the author and end of all things," he said to me, and then, taking me
+by the hand, led me along with him. It appeared that on the same day
+he had hired a magnificent palace, to this he now compelled me to
+repair and reside with him; and for my consolation, he told me that he
+would share with me the treasures of science, and teach me to read in
+the book of alchemy.</p>
+
+<p>Here we resided a long time: whenever his costly fancies caused him to
+be in want of money, he used to have several hundred-weight of lead
+conveyed secretly to him, and when it was melted he threw some small
+portions of red sulphur into it, and in a moment the vile metal was
+changed into the purest gold. In the midst of all this luxury, I
+continued ill and unhappy; my feeble body was unable to support the
+weight, or to endure the contact of the rich clothes and the precious
+stuffs with which I was covered. The most delicate food was served up
+to me in vain, and the most delicious wines; I only felt disgusted and
+disinclined towards them all. I had superb apartments, beds formed of
+sweet smelling and costly woods, and divans of purple; but sleep, in
+spite of all, was a stranger to my eyes.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>I called on death, but he refused to come to me. The Arab, on the
+other hand, passed his time in pleasure and feasting.</p>
+
+<p>The palace gardens extended to the banks of the Nile; they were
+planted with the rarest trees, brought at a great expense from India,
+Persia, China, and the isles. Machines, constructed with great skill,
+raised the water of the Nile, and caused it to fall in fresh and
+brilliant jets into marble reservoirs,</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>"'Mid orange groves and myrtle bowers, that breathed a gale
+of fragrance round,"</p></div>
+
+<p>mingled with the perfume of jasmines and roses; there were silken
+pavilions, embroidered with gold, and supported on pillars of gold and
+silver; brilliant lamps, enclosed in globes of crystal, shed over all
+a light soft and effulgent as that of the moon.</p>
+
+<p>There, on each returning night, the Arab received his companions, and
+treated them with the utmost magnificence. His liberality made every
+one who approached him his friend, and they styled him the Great, the
+Magnificent.</p>
+
+<p>He would sometimes come to see me at the pavilion, where my illness
+compelled me to remain, a solitary prisoner. On one such occasion, he
+paid me his visit after a night of pleasure, early in the morning. He
+was heated with wine, his face red, and his eyes shining with a
+strange lustre. He sat down beside me, and taking hold of my hand,
+began singing, and when he had concluded, shut his eyes, leaned his
+head on his breast, and appeared to fall asleep. Alarmed at length at
+his unnatural stillness, I leaned over to him; his breathing had
+ceased, he had expired.</p>
+
+<p>Perceiving that all help was useless, I began to rummage his pockets,
+his girdle, and his turban, in the hope of finding the keys of
+happiness and of wisdom, but could not discover them. I thereupon, in
+spite of my bad state of health, and without losing a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span> moment, laid
+hold of the casket containing the book of alchemy and the red sulphur;
+and considering that I might lawfully regard myself as the legitimate
+proprietor, I carried it secretly to my former house, which I had
+previously caused to be rebuilt and provided with new furniture.</p>
+
+<p>Returning to the palace just as I had left it, I began to cry aloud,
+and to ask for help; the slaves and servants ran immediately to know
+what was the matter, and I then sent them to bring the best physician,
+even the caliph's, if he could be found. When the medical men came
+they declared that the stranger had died by the will of God. I then
+gave orders for the funeral.</p>
+
+<p>His body, attired in the richest vestments, was placed, exposed to
+view, in a coffin of aloe-wood, lined with gold. A cloth of a
+marvellously fine tissue, which had been manufactured for a Persian
+prince, served for a coverlet. Fifty servants, all dressed in mourning
+attire, bore, in turns, the coffin on their shoulders; and every good
+mussulman who passed by, hastened to lend his assistance, if it were
+only by a helping hand.</p>
+
+<p>A considerable number of women, hired for the purpose, followed the
+bier, uttering plaintive cries.</p>
+
+<p>The keepers of the mosque sung sacred verses, and the crowd repeated,
+"God is God! There is no God but God! He alone is eternal." In this
+order, accompanied by numerous friends whom the Arab had made by his
+generosity, we proceeded to the cemetery, southward of the city, and
+near to the gate of Bab-el-Masr (the gate of victory). I gave a purse
+of gold to a skilful architect, with orders to raise a tomb to the
+memory of my master.</p>
+
+<p>Returning to the palace, it fell to my lot, of course, to preside at
+the funeral repast. This painful duty was scarcely over, when I saw
+some officers from the caliph arrive, who were commanded by his order
+to take possession of the wealth contained in the palace,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span> and which
+belonged to him, as a stranger's heir. I was driven away, and left the
+palace, taking with me, in appearance, nothing but the dress which I
+wore, but, in reality, the owner of an inestimable treasure.</p>
+
+<p>Betaking myself to my house, I resolved to live there an unknown and
+peaceful life, passing the time in the study of the sciences, and only
+using the red sulphur to impart benefit to others in secret.</p>
+
+<p>A curious and jealous neighbour having ascended the terrace of my
+house one evening, and seen me at work, effecting the transmutation of
+the lead into gold, told my secret to his wife, who repeated it at the
+bath, and next morning all Cairo was acquainted with it.</p>
+
+<p>The report reached the ears of the caliph, Theilon, who sent for me,
+and told me that he knew I possessed the great secret of knowledge,
+and that if I would share it with him, he would overwhelm me with
+honours, and associate me with him in rank. I refused to the impious
+man the distinguished favour which God had denied to him. Transported
+with rage, he caused me to be loaded with chains, and thrown into a
+gloomy dungeon; and being baffled in his attempts to penetrate my
+secret, he placed the casket and the book under the care of a person
+on whose fidelity he could depend, hoping to force the secret from me
+by the sufferings which he made me endure. In this state I have lived
+for forty years. By my persecutor's orders, I have been made to
+undergo all kinds of privations and tortures, and only knew of his
+death by my being relieved from punishment.</p>
+
+<p>This morning, when kneeling on the ground at my devotions, I put my
+hand on a strange and hard substance. Looking at it, I perceived that
+it was the fatal keys which I had years ago buried under the floor of
+my dungeon. They were so worn by rust and damp, that they crumbled
+into powder in my hand, and I then thought that God intended to have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span>
+pity upon me, and that my afflictions were about to end, either by
+death or the alleviation of my sufferings. A few moments after, your
+officers came and set me at liberty.</p>
+
+<p>"Now, O king!" continued the old man, "I have lived long enough, since
+I have been permitted to approach the greatest and most upright of
+monarchs."</p>
+
+<p>Mohammed, overjoyed at performing an act of justice, thanked Heaven
+for having sent him such a treasure, and being desirous to prove its
+reality, he caused one thousand hundred-weight of lead to be melted in
+immense caldrons; and having mixed some of the red powder in the fiery
+mass, and pronounced over it the magical words dictated to him by the
+old man, the base metal was instantly changed into pure gold.</p>
+
+<p>The caliph, in order to propitiate the favour of Heaven, resolved to
+employ this treasure in the building of a mosque which should
+transcend by its magnificence every other in the world. He collected
+architects from all the neighbouring countries, laid before them the
+plan of a vast edifice, unfettered by the difficulties or expense of
+its execution.</p>
+
+<p>The architects traced out an immense quadrangle, the sides of which
+faced the four cardinal points of the heavens. At each corner a tower
+of prodigious height was placed, of admirable proportions; the top of
+the structure was surrounded with a gallery and crowned with a dome of
+gilt copper. On each side of the edifice one thousand pillars were
+raised, supporting arches of an elegant curve and solid construction,
+and on the arches terraces were laid out with balustrades of gold of
+exquisite workmanship. In the centre of the edifice an immense
+pavilion was erected, whose construction was of so light and elegant a
+nature, that one would have thought it reached from earth to heaven.
+The vault was inlaid with azure-coloured enamel and studded with
+golden stars. Marbles of the rarest kinds formed the pavement, and the
+walls consisted of a mosaic formed of jasper, porphyry, agate,
+mother-of-pearl,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span> sapphires, rubies, and other precious stones. The
+pillars and arches were covered with arabesques and verses from the
+Koran, carved in relief, and painted. No wood was employed in the
+building of this wonderful edifice, which was therefore fire-proof.
+Mohammed spent seven years in erecting this celebrated mosque, and
+expended on it a sum of two millions of dinars.</p>
+
+<p>Although so old, Hassan Abdallah recovered his health and strength,
+and lived to be a hundred years of age, honoured with the esteem and
+the friendship of the caliph.</p>
+
+<p>The mosque built by the caliph Mohammed is still to be seen at Cairo,
+and is the largest and the finest of all the mosques of that great
+city.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>One day, very shortly after the completion of the mosque, the caliph
+and Hassan Abdallah were absent for three days on a journey. Mohammed
+communicated to no one but his first vizir his intention; but on his
+return he assembled his whole court, and informed them that the object
+of the expedition had been to bury the casket, with the book and the
+powder, where it was impossible they could ever be discovered. "I have
+done," added Mohammed, "what I could to consecrate this wonderful
+treasure, but I would not trust even myself any longer with so
+dangerous a temptation."</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span></p>
+<h2>II.</h2>
+
+<h3>SOLIMAN BEY AND THE THREE STORY-TELLERS.</h3>
+
+
+<p>Soliman Bey, passing one day along a street in Cairo, saw three
+common-looking men seated at the door of a coffee-house and sipping
+their cup of mocha. From their dull and meaningless looks he
+conjectured that they were under the influence of haschich<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a>. After
+looking at them attentively, the bey saluted them, and was pursuing
+his way, when he suddenly found himself obliged to stop, as a long
+train of camels, heavily laden, blocked up the street and prevented
+him from passing on. The bey, having nothing better to do, amused
+himself by scrutinizing attentively the eaters of haschich, who were
+old men. A warm discussion seemed to be going on among them; they
+raised their arms, vied with each other who should cry the loudest,
+and made the strangest possible grimaces; but owing to the distance at
+which he stood, he was unable to hear what they said. On his return
+home, being curious to know the subject of their dispute, he sent his
+officer to beg these three originals to wait upon him.</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> An intoxicating drug, like opium.</p></div>
+
+<p>When they arrived, he said to them, "What were you disputing about, my
+friends, when I passed you?"</p>
+
+<p>"May Allah prolong your days!" replied one of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span> them; "we were
+disputing about which of us it was to whom the salutation belonged
+that your highness addressed to us, for each of us took that honour to
+himself."</p>
+
+<p>The bey burst out laughing. "I greeted," he said, after a moment's
+reflection, "him among you who did the greatest number of foolish
+things while intoxicated by the haschich."</p>
+
+<p>"It was I, my lord," they all at once exclaimed.</p>
+
+<p>"Stop," replied the bey; "let each of you tell me one of the tricks
+played him by the haschich, and the honour of my greeting shall be his
+who shall have committed the greatest act of folly; and do you begin,"
+added the bey, pointing to one of the men.</p>
+
+
+<h3>THE FIRST STORY-TELLER.</h3>
+
+<p>"Be it known to you, my lord," said the first story-teller, "that a
+short time ago I had in my purse a thousand piastres, which were
+enough for my expenses, and I was contented with my lot. One day,
+however, I had been taking a walk, and on my return I sat down to rest
+and chewed a bit of haschich, took my coffee, and lit my pipe; in two
+or three hours my head began to buzz. I went out again and walked
+about the streets. In front of a coffee-house I noticed some men
+collected round an <i>improvisatore</i>, who was singing and accompanying
+himself on the timbrel. I sat down in the circle and asked for coffee.
+I lighted my pipe and commenced listening. The improvisatore depicted
+a young girl. Oh, how beautiful she was! it was impossible not to love
+her. Compared with her Iyleika<a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> was but as a star in the presence of
+the sun, and Ablia<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> but as the dirt of the street. I was so
+captivated by his description of the beautiful girl, that when he
+ceased I gave him all the money I had about me.</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> Personages who figure in Arabian legends.</p></div>
+
+<p>"Next day, at the same hour, while the haschich<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></span> was boiling in my
+brain, I ran to the coffee-house, where the improvisatore was
+commencing the continuation of his yesterday's story. He now told how
+paladins and padishahs disputed for the possession of my adorable
+Harid&eacute;e, and how she disdained their love and refused their offers. I
+became more distracted this time than before, and the improvisatore
+got from me twice as much as he did the day before. I gave him all
+that I had, even to the last farthing.</p>
+
+<p>"Next day I never left my little seat at the <i>caf&eacute;</i>. The improvisatore
+struck his tambourine this time with more vehemence while singing the
+charms of the beautiful Harid&eacute;e. He then began to relate how Harid&eacute;e
+was in love with a certain worthless fellow. At this it was impossible
+to tell what I felt; the hydra of jealousy devoured my heart and
+poured a maddening poison through my veins. I became as one deprived
+of all sense and feeling. But stop; the parents have separated the
+lovers and plunged them in an ocean of tears. I again breathed more
+freely, and emptied my pockets to fill the purse of the improvisatore.</p>
+
+<p>"Thus were passed many days in succession. The flame of love and the
+stings of jealousy tormented me without ceasing. The haschich did its
+part unremittingly, and threw me at one moment into fire, and at
+another into ice and snow, hurling me from the height of bliss into
+the depths of misery. My fortunes fell with me, and I soon became
+totally destitute. But my thoughts were otherwise taken up than with
+eating or drinking; my love for Harid&eacute;e had become the only source to
+me of life and action. In this way, with empty stomach and purse, I
+went one day to the <i>caf&eacute;</i> after having paid a few paras for a little
+haschich. I listened&mdash;the voice of the improvisatore trembled; in
+truth he wept, and grief was depicted on his features.</p>
+
+<p>"'What has happened?' I asked, drawing near to him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"'Poor Harid&eacute;e!' he replied.</p>
+
+<p>"'What is the matter? What has taken place?' I exclaimed.</p>
+
+<p>"'She is dead!' he muttered.</p>
+
+<p>"I wept, I tore my clothes, and fled I scarce knew where. When the
+first transports of my despair had subsided, I saw pass before my
+eyes, still under the influence of the haschich, the funeral of
+Harid&eacute;e. The mournful cry of 'There is no God but God, and Mahomet is
+his prophet,' echoed in my ears, amidst the outcries and the
+lamentations of the women. I ran like a madman from street to street,
+while the crowd followed on my path with the coffin of Harid&eacute;e, and
+the frightful groans and cries burst forth louder and louder on my
+ears. At length, worn out, and sore all over, I fell down in a state
+of complete unconsciousness, and when I came to myself, I perceived
+that I was at the threshold of my own home. I arose, and endeavoured
+to recal past events, which as they woke up in my memory caused me to
+feel the utmost surprise. My purse was empty, my heart broken, and the
+blood was flowing down my face, for in my fall I had cut open my head.
+After remaining a whole day in the house, I took a small piece of
+haschich and went to a coffee-house near at hand, where my friend the
+landlord poured me out a cup of mocha, and gave me a pipe. It was
+there that I met my two friends, and received from you, my gracious
+lord, a look, and a nod."</p>
+
+<p>"This story is not a bad one," replied Soliman Bey, "but do not too
+hastily take to yourself the honour of my greeting; let me hear first
+what the others have to say."</p>
+
+
+<h3>THE SECOND STORY-TELLER.</h3>
+
+<p>"Know, my lord," replied the second, "that I was formerly a rich and
+respected merchant, with a beautiful wife and fine children. My life
+was like a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span> morning of spring-time&mdash;clear, peaceful, and balmy. But
+haschich has ruined the structure of my happiness, and destroyed it
+from the roof to the foundations. One day when I had imbibed a little
+of this fatal poison, I was reclining, after the labours of the day,
+on my sofa, sipping from time to time a mouthful of coffee, and
+inhaling a whiff of perfumed <i>latakia</i>. My wife was occupied at my
+side in embroidery, and my children were at play in the room, which
+they made ring again with their shrill voices. At length, my brain
+becoming overpowered by the vapours of the haschich, the thickening
+fancies began to chase each other in quick succession, and my
+imagination at length became morbidly excited. The cries of my
+children seemed insupportable to me. I ordered them several times to
+be quiet, but the brats, wild with their games and noise, paid no
+attention to me. At last I lost patience, laid hold of my stick, and
+rapped angrily on the floor, ordering them sternly to be quiet. In the
+midst of this fit of anger, I stopped short, all of a sudden. The
+floor of my apartment emitted a hollow sound, as if there were a vault
+beneath it. The haschich suggested to me that there might be hidden
+treasure down below. 'Oh, oh,' I said to myself, 'I must not be in a
+hurry. If I should discover the treasure in my wife's presence, she
+will foolishly run and trumpet it about to all our neighbours. What
+good would that do? Let me consider, then, what I shall do to get her
+away.' Intoxicated as I was, there was no need to deliberate long. I
+darted from my seat, exclaiming, 'Woman! thou art separated from me by
+a triple divorce!'<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a></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 is the legal form of pronouncing a divorce among the
+Mahometans.</p></div>
+
+<p>"My wife became pale as death. She threw aside her embroidery, and
+rose up.</p>
+
+<p>"'What is the matter, my dear husband? What has happened? Of what have
+I been guilty?'</p>
+
+<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span>"'Don't say a word! And hasten this moment to leave the house, with
+your children.'</p>
+
+<p>"'But pray inform me, my lord and master, when and how I have given
+you any cause of complaint? We have now lived together twelve years in
+perfect peace and harmony, and never been but on the most affectionate
+terms; tell me.'</p>
+
+<p>"'No more explanations,' I replied; 'here are a thousand
+<i>grouches</i><a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a>. Go to your room, and take of the furniture as much as
+you require, and return to your father's house.'</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> A small coin, in circulation in Turkey, about the value
+of eighteenpence of our money. It is probably from the same root as
+the German <i>groschen</i>.</p></div>
+
+<p>"Sadly and sorrowfully she thereupon proceeded to collect her wearing
+apparel, uttering mournful cries and lamentations, and taking her
+children with her, left the house.</p>
+
+<p>"'Now!' I exclaimed, with satisfaction, 'now, I am quite alone.'</p>
+
+<p>"'Silence, Abou-Kalif,' whispered the haschich to me; 'don't be in
+such haste. Suppose you find this treasure, who knows but that at the
+first meeting of haschich-eaters, you will disclose your discovery to
+all the world. Put yourself to the proof beforehand, by some effectual
+means, and thus find out if your tongue have sufficient self-command
+to keep still, and not say one word too much.'</p>
+
+<p>"Faithful to the voice of my inward monitor, I arose, and taking from
+my chest the sum of five hundred grouches, went to pay a visit to the
+vali<a name="FNanchor_6_6" id="FNanchor_6_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a>.</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> The public executioner.</p></div>
+
+<p>"'Here,' said I to him, 'take this money, and give me on the soles of
+my feet five hundred blows with a leathern thong, and, while laying
+them on, ask me if I have seen, found, or discovered any thing?'</p>
+
+<p>"The man was extremely surprised at my request, and refused to comply
+with it; but the people about him said that my body was my own, and
+that I was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span> at liberty to dispose of it as I thought proper. 'Take his
+money,' they said to him, 'and give him a hearty flogging.'</p>
+
+<p>"The vali, shrugging his shoulders, gave the signal; I was laid on the
+ground, my feet were tied together, and the lash whistled and sung on
+my bare feet. At each blow, the question I had suggested was asked,
+and I replied in the negative. This system of question and answer went
+on till the last blow. Fairly exhausted with the pain, I fell down the
+moment I attempted to stand up. I therefore crawled along on my knees,
+and reached my ass, on whose back I managed, somehow or other, to
+raise myself, and thus reached my home.</p>
+
+<p>"A few days' rest having restored me in some measure, I resolved to
+prosecute my search for the hidden treasure. But the haschich, to
+which I had not forgotten on that day to pay my usual respects,
+stopped me in my intention. 'O Abou-Kalif,' it muttered in my ear,
+'you have not yet put yourself sufficiently to the proof. Are you now
+in a fit state to resist all attempts to make you disclose your
+secret? Submit to another trial, my good fellow!' This suggestion was
+all-powerful, and I submitted forthwith. I drew from my strong-box one
+thousand grouches, and went to the aga of the Janissaries. 'Take this
+money,' I said to him, 'and give me in exchange for it a thousand
+stripes with a thong on the bare back; asking me between the blows,
+Have you seen any thing? have you found any thing? have you discovered
+any thing?' The aga did not keep me waiting long for a reply,&mdash;and
+having pocketed the money, bestowed upon me most faithfully the full
+complement of the lashes desired.</p>
+
+<p>"At the conclusion of the whipping my soul seemed hovering on my lips,
+as if about to leave my mutilated body, which was quite prostrated by
+the infliction. I was obliged to be carried to my ass, and it was many
+days before I could set my feet to the ground.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span> When I had recovered a
+little, I recollected all the details of the strange adventure which
+had brought upon me the acute anguish that I felt in every part of my
+body; and the more I reflected on the matter, the more vividly I saw
+the fatal consequences that would follow from too much confidence in
+the suggestions inspired by the haschich. I cursed the hateful ideas
+produced by the vapours of this drug, and promised myself that I would
+amend my ways, and repair, as far as possible, my injustice to my
+wife. But at the very moment when this praiseworthy resolution arose
+in my brain and diffused its odours there, like a fresh-opening
+flower, my hand, from the strength of habit, sought for the tin box
+that lay under my pillow, and drew from it a white particle, which I
+placed in my mouth, as if to mock all the weak efforts of my will. In
+fact, while my mind was occupied in planning a final rupture with the
+perfidious hempen-seed, my enemy stole in on me like a midnight robber
+by night, imposed his yoke, and overthrew completely all my good
+intentions. Unwittingly I found myself again in the power of the
+enemy. 'Well, Abou-Kalif,' he said, 'arise. The precautions you have
+taken are sufficiently severe; it is time to set to work, and not
+allow the favourable moment to escape, otherwise you may repent it.'
+In this manner spake the delusive poison working within me, and I was
+wholly in its power, incapable of resistance. I rose from my bed with
+a frightful pain in my back and sides, dragged myself along towards
+the mysterious flag-stone, and with my heart beating violently, and my
+brain cloudy and obscured, I set to work to raise the stone, which
+speedily yielded to my efforts. In a state of the highest excitement,
+I sat down on the edge of the cavern with my legs hanging down into
+it, and my hands leaning on its sides; I scarcely dared to look
+downwards. The haschich, however, pushed me forwards, and seemed to
+press on my shoulders. My hands at last yielded, and I fell down. O my
+sovereign and master, do not<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></span> ask where I found myself; enough that I
+felt myself stifled. The noisome matter into which I had fallen up to
+the chin, being disturbed and agitated, had emitted exhalations which
+fairly suffocated me. I strove to cry out, but in vain. I fainted, and
+lost all consciousness.</p>
+
+<p>"Meanwhile, whilst I, pursued by the fatal influence of the haschich,
+had fallen over the edge of the precipice, where I was now struggling,
+my disconsolate wife had begged her father to allow her to make
+inquiry respecting me. 'I know,' she said, weeping, 'that a sudden
+attack of madness has seized him, and that the real cause of his
+sending me away, as well as of all the evil that has just befallen us,
+is the haschich. Let no curse fall upon him. No doubt my husband will
+change his conduct with regard to me, as I cannot reproach myself with
+any thing; I will therefore go and see what has happened to him.'
+'Well, my child, you may go,' replied her father; 'I shall not seek to
+hinder you.' She went, and knocked at the door, but no one replied.
+She then inquired of the neighbours if Abou-Kalif was at home; they
+said they had not seen him leave the house for the last week. On being
+told this, she had the door burst open, and, followed by a crowd of
+neighbours of both sexes, searched for me for a long time in vain. At
+last, however, I was discovered, half dead and stifled. They pulled me
+out, cleansed and sweetened me, and attired me in a fresh suit of
+clothes; after which I left the house to breathe the fresh air and
+recover myself. It was not long, however, before the haschich regained
+its old dominion over me, and led me to the coffee-house, where you
+saw me, and condescended to honour me with your greeting."</p>
+
+<p>"Not quite so soon," exclaimed the bey, holding his sides with
+laughter; "your story is also a very good one, but before I award to
+you the honour of my salutation, I must hear what your other companion
+has got to say."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h3>THE THIRD STORY-TELLER.</h3>
+
+<p>"Sovereign and master," commenced the third eater of haschich, "no
+longer ago than a week I was so happy and satisfied with my lot, that
+in truth I would not have exchanged it even for your own. I had a
+house filled with every comfort, plenty of money, and a wife who was a
+miracle of beauty. One day this charming better half of myself, after
+having passed all the day in the bath, returned from it looking so
+clean, fresh, and rosy, that my head, where the haschich which I had
+been taking for the last hour and a half was breeding disorder, became
+on fire and was lost. My eyes grew intoxicated with my wife, as if I
+had then beheld her beauty for the first time, and my heart bounded
+like the holy waves of the Nile during a storm.</p>
+
+<p>"'Dear cousin,' I cried, for she was my cousin as well as my wife,
+'how captivating you are to-day! I am over head and ears in love with
+you again!'</p>
+
+<p>"At this instant the haschich suggested to me to divorce her
+immediately in order to contract a new marriage and taste again the
+bliss of a first union. No sooner said than done; I pronounced the
+prescribed phrase, and the next day I celebrated a new marriage with
+her<a name="FNanchor_7_7" id="FNanchor_7_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a>. When the festivities were over, I conducted my relations and
+guests to the door, which, from absence of mind, I had forgotten to
+shut.</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> The Mahometans may immediately take back the woman whom
+they had divorced, but a fresh marriage ceremony must take place.</p></div>
+
+<p>"'Dear cousin,' said my wife to me when we were alone, 'go and shut
+the street door.'</p>
+
+<p>"'It would be strange indeed if I did,' I replied. 'Am I just made a
+bridegroom, clothed in silk, wearing a shawl and a dagger set with
+diamonds, and am I to go and shut the door? Why, my dear, you are
+crazy; go and shut it yourself!'</p>
+
+<p>"'Oh indeed!' she exclaimed; 'am I, young, robed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span> in a satin dress,
+with lace and precious stones, am I to go and shut the court-yard
+door? No, indeed, it is you who have become crazy, and not I. Come,
+let us make a bargain,' she continued; 'and let the first who speaks
+get up and bar the door.'</p>
+
+<p>"'Agreed,' I replied, and straightway I became mute, and she too was
+silent, while we both sat down, dressed as we were in our nuptial
+attire, looking at each other, and seated on opposite sofas. We
+remained thus for one&mdash;two&mdash;hours. During this time thieves happening
+to pass by, and seeing the door open, entered and laid hold of
+whatever came to their hand. We heard footsteps in the house, but
+opened not our mouths; the robbers came even into our room, and saw us
+seated, motionless and indifferent to all that took place. They
+continued therefore their pillage, collecting together every thing
+valuable, and even dragging away the carpets from beneath us; they
+then laid hands on our own persons, which they despoiled of every
+article worth taking, while we, in the fear of losing our wager, said
+not a word.</p>
+
+<p>"Having thus cleared the house, the thieves departed quietly, but we
+remained on our seats, saying not a syllable. Towards morning a police
+officer came round on his tour of inspection, and, seeing our door
+opened, walked in. Having searched all the rooms and found no one, he
+entered the apartment where we were seated, and inquired the meaning
+of what he saw. Neither my wife nor I would condescend to reply. The
+officer became angry, and ordered our heads to be cut off. The
+executioner's sword was just about to perform its office, when my wife
+cried out, 'Sir, he is my husband, spare him!'</p>
+
+<p>"'Oh, oh!' I exclaimed, overjoyed and clapping my hands, 'you have
+lost the wager; go, shut the door.'</p>
+
+<p>"I then explained the whole affair to the police officer, who shrugged
+his shoulders and went away, leaving us in a truly dismal plight.
+Immediately<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span> after I went to a coffee-house, where you deigned to
+honour me with a salutation."</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>At the conclusion of this story the bey, who was ready to die with
+laughter, exclaimed, "This time it is you who are in the right; you
+are truly entitled to my respects."</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span></p>
+<h2>III.</h2>
+
+<h3>THE STORY OF PRINCE KHALAF AND THE PRINCESS OF CHINA.</h3>
+
+
+<p>Prince Khalaf was the son of an aged khan of the Nag&auml;i-Tartars. The
+history of his time makes honourable mention of his name. It relates
+that he surpassed all the princes of the age in beauty, in wisdom, and
+in valour; that he was as learned as the greatest doctors of his age;
+that he could fathom the deepest mysteries of the commentaries on the
+Koran; and that he knew by heart the sayings of the prophet: it speaks
+of him, in short, as the hero of Asia and the wonder of the East.</p>
+
+<p>This prince was the soul of the councils of his father Timurtasch.
+When he gave advice, the most accomplished statesmen approved it, and
+could not sufficiently admire his prudence and wisdom. If, moreover,
+it were necessary to take up arms, he was immediately seen at the head
+of the troops of the state, seeking out the enemy, engaging them and
+vanquishing them. He had already won several victories, and the Nag&auml;is
+had rendered themselves so formidable by their repeated successes,
+that the neighbouring nations did not venture to quarrel with them.</p>
+
+<p>Such was the prosperous state of affairs in the khan's dominions, when
+an ambassador from the sultan of Carisma arrived at the court of
+Timurtasch, and demanded in the name of his master that the Nag&auml;is
+should henceforth pay him a yearly tribute;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span> he added that in default
+he would come in person, with an overwhelming force, and compel them
+to submit, at the same time depriving their sovereign of his crown as
+a punishment for his refusal. On hearing this arrogant message, the
+khan immediately assembled his council in order to decide whether to
+pay the tribute rather than risk a war with so powerful an enemy, or
+whether to treat his menaces with contempt and prepare to repel the
+invaders. Khalaf, with the majority of the council, were of the latter
+opinion, and the ambassador being dismissed with a refusal, took his
+departure for Carisma.</p>
+
+<p>The khan lost no time in sending deputies to the neighbouring nations,
+in order to represent to them that it was to their interest to unite
+with him against the sultan of Carisma, whose ambition now exceeded
+all bounds, and who would undoubtedly exact the same tribute from them
+if he should succeed in conquering the Nag&auml;is. The deputies succeeded
+in these negotiations; the neighbouring nations and tribes, and
+amongst them the Circassians, engaged to join in the proposed
+confederation, and to furnish among them a quota of fifty thousand
+men. On this promise, the khan proceeded to raise fresh troops, in
+addition to the army which he already had on foot.</p>
+
+<p>While the Nag&auml;is were making these preparations, the sultan of Carisma
+assembled an army of two hundred thousand men, and crossed the
+Jaxartes at Cogende. He marched through the countries of Ilac and
+Saganac, where he found abundance of provisions; and had advanced as
+far as Jund, before the army of the khan, commanded by prince Khalaf,
+was able to take the field, in consequence of the Circassians and the
+other auxiliary troops not having been able sooner to join him. As
+soon as these succours arrived, Khalaf marched direct towards Jund,
+but he had scarcely passed Jenge Kemt, when his scouts informed him
+that the enemy was close at hand, and was advancing to attack him. The
+young prince immediately<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></span> ordered his troops to halt, and proceeded to
+arrange them in order of battle.</p>
+
+<p>The two armies were nearly equal in numbers, and the men who composed
+them equally courageous. The battle which ensued was bloody and
+obstinate. The sultan did all that a warrior skilled in the conduct of
+armies could do; and the prince Khalaf, on his side, more than could
+be expected from so young a general. At one time the Nag&auml;i-Tartars had
+the advantage, at another they were obliged to yield to the
+Carismians; at last both parties, alternately victors and vanquished,
+were obliged by the approach of night to sound a retreat. The combat
+was to have recommenced in the morning; but, in the mean time, the
+leader of the Circassians went secretly to the sultan, and offered to
+abandon the cause of the Nag&auml;is, provided the sultan would pledge
+himself, on oath, never to exact tribute from the Circassians upon any
+pretence whatever. The sultan having consented, the treaty was
+confirmed, and the Circassian leader, instead of occupying his place
+next day in the army of the khan, detached his troops from the Nag&auml;is,
+and took the road back to his own country.</p>
+
+<p>This treachery was a terrible blow to prince Khalaf, who, seeing
+himself now much weakened in numbers, would have withdrawn for the
+time from the conflict; but there was no possibility of retreat. The
+Carismians advanced furiously to the charge, and taking advantage of
+the ground which allowed them to extend their lines, they surrounded
+the Nag&auml;is on all sides. The latter, notwithstanding that they had
+been deserted by their best auxiliaries, did not lose their courage.
+Animated by the example of their prince, they closed their ranks, and
+for a long time firmly sustained the terrible onset of their enemies.
+At last, however, resistance became hopeless, and Khalaf, seeing all
+hope at an end, thought of nothing but his escape, which he
+fortunately succeeded in effecting. The moment the sultan was apprised
+of his flight,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span> he sent six thousand horsemen to endeavour to capture
+him, but he eluded their pursuit, by taking roads that were unknown to
+them; and after a few days' hard riding through unfrequented and
+unknown tracts, arrived at his father's court, where he spread sorrow
+and consternation, by the disastrous tidings he brought.</p>
+
+<p>If this piece of news deeply afflicted Timurtasch, the intelligence he
+next received drove him to despair. An officer who had escaped from
+the battle, brought word that the sultan of Carisma had put to the
+sword nearly all the Nag&auml;is, and that he was advancing with all
+possible speed, fully resolved to put the whole family of the khan to
+death, and to absorb the nation into his own kingdom. The khan then
+repented of having refused to pay the tribute, but he fully recognized
+the force of the Arab proverb, "When the city is in ruins, what is the
+use of repentance?" As time pressed, and it was necessary to fly, for
+fear of falling into the hands of the sultan, the khan, the princess
+Elmaze (diamond), his wife, and Khalaf, made a selection of all their
+most precious treasures, and departed from the capital, Astracan,
+accompanied by several officers of the palace, who refused to abandon
+them in their need, as well as by such of the troops as had cut their
+way through the ranks of their enemies with the young prince.</p>
+
+<p>They directed their march towards Bulgaria; their object being to beg
+an asylum at the court of some sovereign prince. They had now been
+several days on their journey, and had gained the Caucasus, when a
+swarm of some four thousand suddenly poured down upon them from that
+range. Although Khalaf had scarcely a hundred men with him, he
+steadily received the furious attack of the robbers, of whom numbers
+fell; his troops, however, were by degrees overpowered and
+slaughtered, and he himself remained in the power of the bandits, some
+of whom fell upon the spoil, whilst others butchered the followers of
+the khan.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span> They only spared the lives of that prince, his wife, and
+his son, leaving them, however, almost naked in the midst of the
+mountains.</p>
+
+<p>It is impossible to describe the grief of Timurtasch when he saw
+himself reduced to this extremity. He envied the fate of those whom he
+had seen slain before his eyes, and giving way to despair, sought to
+destroy himself. The princess burst into tears, and made the air
+resound with her lamentations and groans. Khalaf alone had strength to
+support the weight of their misfortunes; he was possessed of an
+indomitable courage. The bitter lamentations which the khan and his
+wife uttered were his greatest trouble. "Oh, my father! Oh, my
+mother!" said he, "do not succumb to your misfortunes. Remember that
+it is God who wills that you should be thus wretched. Let us submit
+ourselves without a murmur to his absolute decrees. Are we the first
+princes whom the rod of justice has struck? How many rulers before us
+have been driven from their kingdoms, and after wandering about for
+years in foreign lands, sharing the lot of the most abject of mortals,
+have been in the end restored to their thrones! If God has the power
+to pluck off crowns, has He not also the power to restore them? Let us
+hope that He will commiserate our misery, and that He will in time
+change into prosperity the deplorable condition in which we now are."</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 546px;">
+<img src="images/i63.jpg" width="546" height="480" alt="Prince Khalaf holding back his father, p. 63." title="" />
+<span class="caption">Prince Khalaf holding back his father, p. 63.</span>
+</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>With such arguments he endeavoured to console his father and mother,
+and to some extent succeeded; they experienced a secret consolation,
+and at last allowed themselves to take comfort. "So be it, my son,"
+said the khan, "let us bow to Providence; and since these evils which
+encompass us are written in the book of fate, let us endure them
+without repining." At these words the royal party made up their minds
+to be firm under their misfortunes, and proceeded to continue their
+journey on foot, the robbers having taken their horses. They wandered
+on for a long time, living upon the fruits they found in the valleys;
+but at length they entered upon a desert, where the earth yielded
+nothing upon which they could subsist, and now their courage deserted
+them. The khan, far advanced in years, began to feel his strength fail
+him; and the princess, worn out with the fatigue of the journey she
+had made, could scarcely hold out any longer. In this predicament,
+Khalaf, although wofully tired himself, had no resource but to carry
+them by turns on his shoulders. At last all three, overwhelmed by
+hunger, thirst, and weariness, arrived at a spot abounding with
+frightful precipices. It was a hill, very steep, and intersected with
+deep chasms, forming what appeared to be dangerous passes. Through
+these, however, seemed to be the only way by which to enter upon the
+vast plain which stretched out beyond; for both sides of the hill were
+so encumbered with brambles and thorns, that it was impossible to
+force a way through. When the princess perceived the chasms, she
+uttered a piercing cry, and the khan at length lost his patience. He
+rushed furiously forward. "I can bear this no longer," said he to his
+son; "I yield to my hard destiny; I succumb to so much suffering. I
+will throw myself headlong into one of these deep gulfs, which,
+doubtless, Heaven has reserved for my tomb. I will escape the tyranny
+of wickedness. I prefer death to such a miserable existence."</p>
+
+<p>The khan, yielding himself up to the frenzy which had taken possession
+of him, was on the point of throwing himself down one of the
+precipices, when prince Khalaf seized him in his arms and held him
+back. "Oh, my father!" said he, "what are you doing? Why give way to
+this transport of fury? Is it thus that you show the submission you
+owe to the decrees of Heaven? Calm yourself. Instead of displaying a
+rebellious impatience of its will, let us endeavour to deserve by our
+constancy its compassion and favour. I confess that we are in a
+deplorable state, and that we can scarcely take a step without<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span> danger
+amidst these abysses; but there may be another road by which we can
+enter the plain: let me go and see if I can find one. In the mean
+time, my lord, calm the violence of your transports, and remain near
+the princess; I will return immediately."</p>
+
+<p>"Go, then, my son," replied the khan, "we will await you here; do not
+fear that I will any longer give way to despair."</p>
+
+<p>The young prince traversed the whole hill without being able to
+discover any path. He was oppressed with the deepest grief; he threw
+himself on the ground, sighed, and implored the help of Heaven. He
+rose up, and again searched for some track that would conduct them to
+the plain. At length he found one. He followed it, returning thanks to
+Heaven for the discovery, and advanced to the foot of a tree which
+stood at the entrance of the plain, and which covered with its shade a
+fountain of pure transparent water. He also perceived other trees
+laden with fruit of an extraordinary size. Delighted with this
+discovery, he ran to inform his father and mother, who received the
+news with the greater joy, since they now began to hope that Heaven
+had begun to compassionate their misery.</p>
+
+<p>Khalaf conducted them to the fountain, where all three bathed their
+faces and their hands and quenched the burning thirst which consumed
+them. They then ate of the fruits which the young prince gathered for
+them, and which, in their state of exhaustion from want of food,
+appeared to them delicious. "My lord," said Khalaf to his father, "you
+see the injustice of your complaints. You imagined that Heaven had
+forsaken us; I implored its succour, and it has succoured us. It is
+not deaf to the voice of the unfortunate who put their whole trust in
+its mercy."</p>
+
+<p>They remained near the fountain two or three days to repose and
+recruit their wasted strength. After that they collected as much of
+the fruit as they could carry, and advanced into the plain, hoping to
+find<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></span> their way to some inhabited place. They were not deceived in
+their expectations; they soon perceived before them a town which
+appeared large and splendidly built. They made their way to it, and
+having arrived at the gates, resolved to remain there and wait for
+night, not wishing to enter the town during the day, covered with dust
+and perspiration, and with what little clothing the robbers had left
+them, travel-worn and rent with brambles. They selected a tree which
+cast a delicious shade, and stretched themselves upon the grass at its
+foot. They had reposed there some time, when an old man came out of
+the town and directed his steps to the same place, to enjoy the cool
+shade. He sat down near them after making them a profound obeisance.
+They in turn saluted him, and then inquired what was the name of the
+town. "It is called Jaic," replied the old man. "The king,
+Ileuge-Khan, makes it his residence. It is the capital of the country,
+and derives its name from the river which flows through it. You must
+be strangers since you ask me that question." "Yes," replied the khan,
+"we come from a country very far from here. We were born in the
+kingdom of Chrisnia, and we dwell upon the banks of the Caspian Sea;
+we are merchants. We were travelling with a number of other merchants
+in Captchak; a large band of robbers attacked our caravan and pillaged
+us; they spared our lives, but have left us in the situation in which
+you see us. We have traversed mount Caucasus, and found our way here
+without knowing where we were directing our steps."</p>
+
+<p>The old man, who had a compassionate heart for the distress of his
+neighbour, expressed his sympathy for their misfortunes, and, to
+assure them of his sincerity, offered them shelter in his house. He
+made the offer with such cordiality, that, even if they had not needed
+it, they would have felt some difficulty in refusing.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as night set in he conducted them to his home. It was a small
+house, very plainly furnished;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span> but every thing was neat, and wore the
+appearance rather of simplicity than of poverty. As the old man
+entered he gave some orders in an undertone to one of his slaves, who
+returned in a short time followed by two boys, one of whom carried a
+large bundle of men's and women's clothes ready made, the other was
+laden with all sorts of veils, turbans, and girdles. Prince Khalaf and
+his father each took a caftan of cloth and a brocaded dress with a
+turban of Indian muslin, and the princess a complete suit. After this
+their host gave the boys the price of the clothes, sent them away, and
+ordered supper. Two slaves brought the table and placed upon it a tray
+covered with dishes of china, sandal, and aloe-wood, and several cups
+of coral perfumed with ambergris. They then served up a repast,
+delicate, yet without profusion. The old man endeavoured to raise the
+spirits of his guests; but perceiving that his endeavours were vain,
+"I see clearly," said he, "that the remembrance of your misfortunes is
+ever present to your minds. You must learn how to console yourselves
+for the loss of the goods of which the robbers have plundered you.
+Travellers and merchants often experience similar mishaps. I was
+myself once robbed on the road from Moussul to Bagdad. I nearly lost
+my life on that occasion, and I was reduced to the miserable condition
+in which I found you. If you please I will relate my history; the
+recital of my misfortunes may encourage you to support yours." Saying
+this, the good old man ordered his slaves to retire, and spoke as
+follows.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h3>THE STORY OF PRINCE AL ABBAS.</h3>
+
+<p>I am the son of the king of Moussul, the great Ben-Ortoc. As soon as I
+had reached my twentieth year, my father permitted me to make a
+journey to Bagdad; and, to support the rank of a king's son in that
+great city, he ordered a splendid suite to attend me. He opened his
+treasures and took out for me four camel-loads of gold; he appointed
+officers of his own household to wait upon me, and a hundred soldiers
+of his guard to form my escort.</p>
+
+<p>I took my departure from Moussul with this numerous retinue in order
+to travel to Bagdad. Nothing happened the first few days; but one
+night, whilst we were quietly reposing in a meadow where we had
+encamped, we were suddenly attacked so furiously by an overwhelming
+body of Bedouin Arabs, that the greater part of my people were
+massacred almost before I was aware of the danger. After the first
+confusion I put myself at the head of such of the guards and officers
+of my father's household as had escaped the first onslaught, and
+charged the Bedouins. Such was the vigour of our attack, that more
+than three hundred fell under our blows. As the day dawned, the
+robbers, who were still sufficiently numerous to surround us on all
+sides, seeing our insignificant numbers, and ashamed and irritated by
+the obstinate resistance of such a handful of men, redoubled their
+efforts. It was in vain that we fought with the fury of desperation;
+they overpowered us; and at length we were forced to yield to
+numbers.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>They seized our arms and stripped off our clothes, and then, instead
+of reserving us for slaves, or letting us depart, as people already
+sufficiently wretched, in the state to which we were reduced, they
+resolved to revenge the deaths of their comrades; and were cowards and
+barbarians enough to slaughter the whole of their defenceless
+prisoners. All my people perished; and the same fate was on the point
+of being inflicted on me, when making myself known to the robbers,
+"Stay, rash men," I exclaimed, "respect the blood of kings. I am
+prince Al Abbas, only son of Ben-Ortoc, king of Moussul, and heir to
+his throne." "I am glad to learn who thou art," replied the chief of
+the Bedouins. "We have hated thy father mortally these many years; he
+has hanged several of our comrades who fell into his hands; thou shalt
+be treated after the same manner."</p>
+
+<p>Thereupon they bound me; and the villains, after first sharing among
+them all my baggage, carried me along with them to the foot of a
+mountain between two forests, where a great number of small grey tents
+were pitched. Here was their well-concealed camping ground. They
+placed me under the chief's tent, which was both loftier and larger
+than the rest. Here I was kept a whole day, after which they led me
+forth and bound me to a tree, where, awaiting the lingering death that
+was to put an end to my existence, I had to endure the mortification
+of finding myself surrounded by the whole gang, insulted with bitter
+taunts, and every feeling miserably outraged.</p>
+
+<p>I had been tied to the tree for some considerable time, and the last
+moments of my life appeared fast approaching, when a scout came
+galloping in to inform the chief of the Bedouins that a splendid
+chance offered itself seven leagues from thence; that a large caravan
+was to encamp the next evening in a certain spot, which he named. The
+chief instantly ordered his companions to prepare for the expedition;
+this was accomplished in a very short time. They<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></span> all mounted their
+horses, and left me in their camp, not doubting but at their return
+they would find me a corpse. But Heaven, which renders useless all the
+resolves of men which do not agree with its eternal decrees, would not
+suffer me to perish so young. The wife of the robber chief had, it
+seems, taken pity on me; she managed to creep stealthily, during the
+night, to the tree where I was bound, and said to me, "Young man, I am
+touched by thy misfortune, and I would willingly release thee from the
+dangers that surround thee; but, if I were to unbind thee, dost thou
+think that thou hast strength enough left to escape." I replied, "The
+same good God who has inspired thee with these charitable feelings
+will give me strength to walk." The woman loosed my cords, gave me an
+old caftan of her husband's, and showing me the road, "Take that
+direction," said she, "and thou wilt speedily arrive at an inhabited
+place." I thanked my kind benefactress, and walked all that night
+without deviating from the road she had pointed out.</p>
+
+<p>The next day, I perceived a man on foot, who was driving before him a
+horse, laden with two large packages. I joined him, and, after telling
+him that I was an unfortunate stranger, who did not know the country,
+and had missed my way, I inquired of him where he was going. "I am
+going," replied he, "to sell my merchandise at Bagdad, and I hope to
+arrive there in two days." I accompanied this man, and only left him
+when I entered that great city; he went about his business, and I
+retired to a mosque, where I remained two days and two nights. I had
+no desire to go forth into the streets; I was afraid of meeting
+persons from Moussul, who might recognize me. So great was my shame at
+finding myself in this plight, that far from thinking of making my
+condition known, I wished to conceal it, even from myself. Hunger at
+length overcame my shame, or rather I was obliged to yield to that
+necessity which brooks no refusal. I resolved to beg my bread, until
+some better prospect presented<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span> itself. I stood before the lower
+window of a large house, and solicited alms with a loud voice. An old
+female slave appeared almost immediately, with a loaf in her hand,
+which she held out to me. As I advanced to take it, the wind by chance
+raised the curtain of the window, and allowed me to catch a glimpse of
+the interior of the chamber; there I saw a young lady of surpassing
+beauty; her loveliness burst upon my vision like a flash of lightning.
+I was completely dazzled. I received the bread without thinking what I
+was about, and stood motionless before the old slave, instead of
+thanking her, as I ought to have done.</p>
+
+<p>I was so surprised, so confused, and so violently enamoured, that
+doubtless she took me for a madman; she disappeared, leaving me in the
+street, gazing intently, though fruitlessly, at the window, for the
+wind did not again raise the curtain. I passed the whole day awaiting
+a second favourable breeze. Not until I perceived night coming on,
+could I make up my mind to think of retiring; but before quitting the
+house, I asked an old man, who was passing, if he knew to whom it
+belonged. "It is," replied he, "the house of Mouaffac, the son of
+Adbane; he is a man of rank, and, moreover, a rich man and a man of
+honour. It is not long since he was the governor of the city, but he
+quarrelled with the cadi, who found means of ruining him in the
+estimation of the caliph, and thereby caused him to lose his
+appointment."</p>
+
+<p>With my thoughts fully taken up by this adventure, I slowly wandered
+out of the city, and entering the great cemetery determined to pass
+the night there. I ate my bread without appetite, although my long
+fast ought to have given me a good one, and then lay down near a tomb,
+with my head resting on a pile of bricks. It was with difficulty that
+I composed myself to sleep: the daughter of Mouaffac had made too deep
+an impression upon me; the remembrance of her loveliness excited my
+imagination too vividly,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span> and the little food I had eaten was not
+enough to cause the usual tendency to a refreshing sleep. At length,
+however, I dozed off, in spite of the ideas that filled my
+imagination; but my sleep was not destined to be of long duration; a
+loud noise within the tomb soon awoke me.</p>
+
+<p>Alarmed at the disturbance, the cause of which I did not stay to
+ascertain, I started up, with the intention of flying from the
+cemetery, when two men, who were standing at the entrance of the tomb,
+perceiving me, stopped me, and demanded who I was, and what I was
+doing there. "I am," I replied, "an unfortunate stranger, whom
+misfortune has reduced to live upon the bounty of the charitable, and
+I came here to pass the night, as I have no place to go to in the
+town." "Since thou art a beggar," said one of them, "thank Heaven that
+thou hast met with us; we will furnish thee with an excellent supper."
+So saying, they dragged me into the tomb, where four of their comrades
+were eating large radishes and dates, and washing them down with
+copious draughts of raki.</p>
+
+<p>They made me sit near them, at a long stone that served as a table,
+and I was obliged to eat and drink, for politeness' sake. I suspected
+them to be what they really were, that is to say, thieves, and they
+soon confirmed my suspicions by their discourse. They began to speak
+of a considerable theft they had just committed, and thought that it
+would afford me infinite pleasure to become one of their gang; they
+made me the offer, which threw me into great perplexity. You may
+imagine that I had no desire to associate myself with such fellows,
+but I was fearful of irritating them by a refusal. I was embarrassed,
+and at a loss for a reply, when a sudden event freed me from my
+trouble. The lieutenant of the cadi, followed by twenty or thirty
+<i>asas</i> (archers) well armed, entered the tomb, seized the robbers and
+me, and took us all off to prison, where we passed the remainder of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span>
+the night. The following day, the cadi came and interrogated the
+prisoners. The thieves confessed their crime, as they saw there was no
+use in denying it; for myself, I related to the judge how I had met
+with them, and, as they corroborated my statement, I was put on one
+side. The cadi wished to speak to me in private, before he set me
+free. Accordingly, he presently came over to me, and asked what took
+me into the cemetery where I was caught, and how I spent my time in
+Bagdad. In fact, he asked me a thousand questions, all of which I
+answered with great candour, only concealing the royalty of my birth.
+I recounted to him all that had happened to me, and I even told him of
+my having stopped before the window of Mouaffac's house to beg, and of
+my having seen, by chance, a young lady who had charmed me.</p>
+
+<p>At the name of Mouaffac I noticed the eyes of the cadi sparkle, with a
+curious expression. He remained a few moments immersed in thought;
+then, assuming a joyous countenance, he said, "Young man, it depends
+only on thyself to possess the lady thou sawest yesterday. It was
+doubtless Mouaffac's daughter; for I have been informed that he has a
+daughter of exquisite beauty. Though thou wert the most abject of
+beings, I would find means for thee to possess the object of thine
+ardent wishes. Thou hast but to leave it to me, and I will make thy
+fortune."</p>
+
+<p>I thanked him, without being able to penetrate his designs, and then
+by his orders followed the aga of his black eunuchs, who released me
+from the prison, and took me to the bath.</p>
+
+<p>Whilst I was there, the judge sent two of his <i>tchaous</i> (guards) to
+Mouaffac's house, with a message that the cadi wished to speak to him
+upon business of the greatest importance. Mouaffac accompanied the
+guards back. As soon as the cadi saw him coming he went forward to
+meet him, saluted him, and kissed him several times. Mouaffac was in
+amazement at this reception.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Ho! ho!" said he to himself, "how is this, that the cadi, my greatest
+enemy, is become so civil to me to-day? There is something at the
+bottom of all this."</p>
+
+<p>"Friend Mouaffac," said the judge, "Heaven will not suffer us to be
+enemies any longer. It has furnished us with an opportunity of
+extinguishing that hatred which has separated our families for so many
+years. The prince of Bozrah arrived here last night. He left Bozrah
+without taking leave of his father the king. He has heard of your
+daughter; and from the description of her beauty which he has
+received, he has become so enamoured of her, that he is resolved to
+ask her in marriage. He wishes me to arrange the marriage,&mdash;a task
+which is the more agreeable to me, as it will be the means of
+reconciling us."</p>
+
+<p>"I am astounded," replied Mouaffac, "that the prince of Bozrah should
+have condescended to confer upon me the honour of marrying my
+daughter; and that you of all men should be the chosen means of
+communicating this happiness to me, as you have always shown yourself
+so anxious to injure me."</p>
+
+<p>"Let us not speak of the past, friend Mouaffac," returned the cadi;
+"pray let all recollection of what we have done to annoy each other be
+obliterated in our happiness at the splendid connexion which is to
+unite your daughter with the prince of Bozrah; let us pass the
+remainder of our days in good fellowship."</p>
+
+<p>Mouaffac was naturally as good and confiding as the cadi was crafty
+and bad: he allowed himself to be deceived by the false expressions of
+friendship that his enemy displayed. He stifled his hatred in a
+moment, and received without distrust the perfidious caresses of the
+cadi. They were in the act of embracing each other, and pledging an
+inviolable friendship, when I entered the room, conducted by the aga.
+This officer, on my coming out of the bath, had clothed me with a
+beautiful dress, which he had ready, and a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></span> turban of Indian muslin,
+with a gold fringe that hung down to my ear, and altogether my
+appearance was such as fully to bear out the statements of the cadi.</p>
+
+<p>"Great prince," said the cadi as soon as he perceived me, "blessed be
+your feet, and your arrival in Bagdad, since it has pleased you to
+take up your abode with me. What tongue can express to you the
+gratitude I feel for so great an honour? Here is Mouaffac, whom I have
+informed of the object of your visit to this city. He consents to give
+you in marriage his daughter, who is as beautiful as a star."</p>
+
+<p>Mouaffac then made me a profound obeisance, saying, "O son of the
+mighty, I am overwhelmed with the honour you are willing to confer
+upon my daughter; she would esteem herself sufficiently honoured in
+being made a slave to one of the princesses of your harem."</p>
+
+<p>Judge of the astonishment that this discourse caused me. I knew not
+what to answer. I saluted Mouaffac without speaking; but the cadi,
+perceiving my embarrassment, and fearing lest I should make some reply
+which would destroy his plot, instantly took up the conversation.</p>
+
+<p>"I venture to submit," said he, "that the sooner the marriage contract
+is made in presence of the proper witnesses the better." So saying, he
+ordered his aga to go for the witnesses, and in the mean time drew up
+the contract himself.</p>
+
+<p>When the aga arrived with the witnesses, the contract was read before
+them. I signed it, then Mouaffac, and then the cadi, who attached his
+signature the last. The judge then dismissed the witnesses, and
+turning to Mouaffac said, "You know that with great people these
+affairs are not managed as with persons of humble rank. Besides, in
+this case you readily perceive that silence and despatch are
+necessary. Conduct this prince, then, to your house, for he is now
+your son-in-law;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span> give speedy orders for the consummation of the
+marriage, and take care that every thing is arranged as becomes his
+exalted rank."</p>
+
+<p>I left the cadi's house with Mouaffac. We found two mules richly
+caparisoned awaiting us at the door; the judge insisted upon our
+mounting them with great ceremony. Mouaffac conducted me to his house;
+and when we were in the court-yard dismounted first, and with a
+respectful air presented himself to hold my stirrup,&mdash;a ceremony to
+which of course I was obliged to submit. He then took me by the hand
+and conducted me to his daughter, with whom he left me alone, after
+informing her of what had passed at the cadi's.</p>
+
+<p>Zemroude, persuaded that her father had espoused her to a prince of
+Bozrah, received me as a husband who would one day place her upon the
+throne,&mdash;and I, the happiest of men, passed the day at her feet,
+striving by tender and conciliating manners to inspire her with love
+for me. I soon perceived that my pains were not bestowed in vain, and
+that my youth and ardent affection produced a favourable impression
+upon her. With what rapture did this discovery fill me! I redoubled my
+efforts, and I had the gratification of remarking that each moment I
+made advances in her esteem.</p>
+
+<p>In the mean time Mouaffac had prepared a splendid repast to celebrate
+his daughter's nuptials, at which several members of his family were
+present. The bride appeared there more brilliant and more beautiful
+than the houris. The sentiments with which I had already inspired her,
+seemed to add new lustre to her beauty.</p>
+
+<p>The next morning I heard a knock at my chamber-door; I got up and
+opened it. There stood the black aga of the cadi carrying a large
+bundle of clothes. I thought that perhaps the cadi had sent robes of
+honour to my wife and myself, but I was deceived.</p>
+
+<p>"Sir adventurer," said the negro in a bantering<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span> tone, "the cadi sends
+his salutations, and begs you to return the dress he lent you
+yesterday to play the part of the prince of Bozrah in. I have brought
+you back your own old garment, and the rest of the tatters, which are
+more suited to your station than the other."</p>
+
+<p>I was astounded at the application; my eyes were opened, and I saw
+through the whole malicious scheme of the cadi. However, making a
+virtue of necessity, I gravely restored to the aga the robe and turban
+of his master, and retook my own old caftan, which was a mass of rags.
+Zemroude had heard part of the conversation; and seeing me covered
+with rags, "O heavens!" she exclaimed, "what is the meaning of this
+change, and what has that man been saying to you?"</p>
+
+<p>"My princess," I replied, "the cadi is a great rascal, but he is the
+dupe of his own malice. He thinks he has given you a beggar for a
+husband, a man born in the lowest grade, but you are, indeed, the wife
+of a prince, and my rank is in no way inferior to that of the husband,
+whose hand you fancy you have received. I am to the full the equal of
+the prince of Bozrah, for I am the only son of the king of Moussul,
+and am heir to the kingdom of the great Ben-Ortoc; my name is Al
+Abbas." I then related my history to her, without suppressing the
+least circumstance. When I had finished the recital,</p>
+
+<p>"My prince," said she, "even were you not the son of a great king, I
+should love you none the less; and, believe me, that if I am overjoyed
+to learn the circumstance of your exalted birth, it is but out of
+regard to my father, who is more dazzled by the honours of the world
+than I; my only ambition is to possess a husband who will love me
+alone, and not grieve me by giving me rivals."</p>
+
+<p>I did not fail to protest that I would love her, and her alone, all my
+life, with which assurance she appeared delighted. She then summoned
+one of her<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span> women, and ordered her to proceed with all speed and
+secrecy to a merchant's, and buy a dress, ready made, of the richest
+materials that could be procured. The slave who was charged with this
+commission acquitted herself in the most satisfactory manner. She
+returned speedily, bringing a magnificent dress and robe, and a turban
+of Indian muslin as handsome, even handsomer, than what I had worn the
+previous day, so that I found myself even more gorgeously dressed than
+on the occasion of my first interview with my father-in-law. "Well, my
+lord," said Zemroude, "do you think the cadi has much reason to be
+satisfied with his work? He thought to heap reproaches on my family,
+and he has bestowed upon it an imperishable honour. He thinks that we
+are now overwhelmed with shame. What will be his grief when he knows
+that he has conferred such a benefit upon his enemy? But before he is
+made aware of your birth, we must invent some means of punishing him
+for his wicked designs against us. I will take that task upon me.
+There is in this city a dyer, who has a daughter most frightfully
+ugly. I will not tell you further," she continued, checking herself.
+"I will not deprive you of the pleasure of the surprise. I shall only
+let you know that I have conceived a project which will drive the cadi
+nearly mad, and make him the laughingstock of the court and the city."</p>
+
+<p>She then dressed herself in plain clothes, and covering her face with
+a thick veil, asked my permission to go out, which I granted her. She
+went alone, repaired to the cadi's house, and placed herself in one
+corner of the hall, where the judge gave audience.</p>
+
+<p>He no sooner cast his eyes upon her, than he was struck with her
+majestic figure; he sent an officer to ask who she was, and what she
+desired. She answered that she was the daughter of an artisan in the
+town, and that she wished to speak to the cadi on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span> important private
+business. The officer having borne her answer to the cadi, the judge
+made a sign to Zemroude to approach, and enter his private apartment,
+which was on one side of the court; she complied, making a low
+obeisance. When she entered the cadi's private apartment, she took her
+seat upon the sofa, and raised her veil. The cadi had followed her,
+and as he seated himself near her, was astonished at her beauty.</p>
+
+<p>"Well! my dear child," said he, patronizingly, "of what service can I
+be to you?"</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," she replied, "you, who have the power to make the laws
+obeyed, who dispense justice to rich and poor alike, listen, I pray
+you, to my complaint, and pity the unfortunate situation in which I am
+placed."</p>
+
+<p>"Explain yourself," replied the judge, already moved, "and I swear by
+my head and my eyes that I will do every thing that is possible, ay,
+and impossible, to serve you."</p>
+
+<p>"Know then, my lord," replied Zemroude, "that, notwithstanding the
+attractions which Heaven has bestowed upon me, I live in solitude and
+obscurity in a house, forbidden not only to men, but even to women, so
+that even the conversation of my own sex is denied me. Not that
+advantageous proposals were at one time wanting for my hand; I should
+have been married long ago, if my father had not had the cruelty to
+refuse me to all who have asked me in marriage. To one he says, I am
+as withered as a dead tree; to another, that I am bloated with
+unnatural fat; to this one, that I am lame, and have lost the use of
+my hands; to that one, that I have lost my senses, that I have a
+cancer on my back, that I am dropsical; in fact, he wishes to make me
+out a creature not worthy the society of human beings, and has so
+decried me, that he has at length succeeded in making me the reproach
+of the human race; nobody inquires about me now, and I am condemned to
+perpetual celibacy."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>When she ceased speaking she pretended to weep, and played her part so
+well that the judge allowed himself to be deceived.</p>
+
+<p>"What can be the reason, my angel," said he, "that your father
+prevents your marrying? What can his motive be?"</p>
+
+<p>"I know not, my lord," replied Zemroude; "I cannot conceive what his
+intentions can be; but I confess my patience is exhausted. I can no
+longer live in this state. I have found means to leave home, and I
+have escaped to throw myself into your arms, and to implore your help;
+take pity on me, I implore you, and interpose your authority, that
+justice may be done to me, otherwise I will not answer for my life."</p>
+
+<p>"No, no," replied he, "you shall not die, neither shall you waste your
+youth in tears and sighs. It only remains with yourself to quit the
+darkness in which your perfections are buried, and to become this very
+day the wife of the cadi of Bagdad. Yes, lovely creature, more fair
+than the houris, I am ready to marry you, if you will consent."</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," replied the lady, "even were not your station one of the
+most dignified and honourable in the city, I could have no objection
+to give you my hand, for you appear to be one of the most amiable of
+men; but I fear that you will not be able to obtain the consent of my
+father, notwithstanding the honour of the alliance."</p>
+
+<p>"Don't trouble yourself upon that point," replied the judge, "I will
+pledge myself as to the issue; only tell me in what street your father
+lives, what his name is, and what his profession."</p>
+
+<p>"His name is Ousta Omar," replied Zemroude; "he is a dyer, he lives
+upon the eastern quay of the Tigris, and in front of his door is a
+palm-tree laden with dates."</p>
+
+<p>"That is enough," said the cadi; "you can return<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span> home now; you shall
+soon hear from me, depend upon my word."</p>
+
+<p>The lady, after bestowing a gracious smile upon him, covered her face
+again with her veil, left the private chamber, and returned to me.</p>
+
+<p>"We shall be revenged," she said, laughing gaily; "our enemy, who
+thought to make us the sport of the people, will himself become so."</p>
+
+<p>The judge had scarcely lost sight of Zemroude, ere he sent an officer
+to Ousta Omar, who was at home. "You are to come to the cadi," said
+the man, "he desires to speak with you, and he commanded me to bring
+you before him." The dyer grew pale at these words, he thought that
+some one had lodged a complaint against him before the judge, and that
+it was on that account the officer had come to fetch him. He rose,
+however, and followed in silence, but in great uneasiness.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as he appeared before the cadi, the judge ordered him into the
+same chamber where he had had the interview with Zemroude, and made
+him sit upon the same sofa. The artisan was so astonished at the
+honour paid him, that he changed colour several times.</p>
+
+<p>"Master Omar," said the cadi, "I am glad to see you; I have heard you
+spoken very well of this long time past. I am informed that you are a
+man of good character, that you regularly say your prayers five times
+a day, and that you never fail to attend the great mosque on Friday;
+besides, I know that you never eat pork, and never drink wine nor
+date-spirits; in fact, that whilst you are at work one of your
+apprentices reads the Koran."</p>
+
+<p>"That is true," replied the dyer; "I know above four thousand <i>hadits</i>
+(sayings of Mahomet), and I am making preparations for a pilgrimage to
+Mecca."</p>
+
+<p>"I assure you," replied the cadi, "that all this gives me the greatest
+pleasure, for I passionately love all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></span> good mussulmen. I am also
+informed that you keep concealed at home a daughter of an age to
+marry; is that true?"</p>
+
+<p>"Great judge," answered Ousta Omar, "whose palace serves as a haven
+and refuge for the unfortunate who are tossed about by the storms of
+the world, they have told you true. I have a daughter who is old
+enough, in all conscience, to be married, for she is more than thirty
+years old; but the poor creature is not fit to be presented to a man,
+much less to so great a man as the cadi of Bagdad; she is ugly, or
+rather frightful, lame, covered with blotches, an idiot; in a word,
+she is a monster whom I cannot take too much pains to hide from the
+world."</p>
+
+<p>"Indeed," said the cadi, "that is what I expected, master Omar. I was
+certain that you would thus praise your daughter; but know, my friend,
+that this blotchy, idiotic, lame, frightful person, in short, this
+monster, with all her defects, is loved to distraction by a man who
+desires her for his wife, and that man is myself."</p>
+
+<p>At this speech the dyer seemed to doubt whether he were awake; he
+pinched himself, rubbed his eyes, and then looking the cadi full in
+the face, said,</p>
+
+<p>"If my lord, the cadi, wishes to be merry, he is master; he may make a
+jest of my child as much as he pleases."</p>
+
+<p>"No, no," replied the cadi, "I am not joking, I am in love with your
+daughter, and I ask her in marriage."</p>
+
+<p>The artisan at these words burst into a fit of laughter. "By the
+prophet," cried he, "somebody wants to give you something to take care
+of. I give you fair warning, my lord, that my daughter has lost the
+use of her hands, is lame, dropsical."</p>
+
+<p>"I know all about that," replied the judge, "I recognize her by her
+portrait. I have a peculiar liking for that sort of girls, they are my
+taste."</p>
+
+<p>"I tell you," insisted the dyer, "she is not a fit<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span> match for you. Her
+name is Cayfacattaddhari (the monster of the age), and I must confess
+that her name is well chosen."</p>
+
+<p>"Come, come!" replied the cadi, in an impatient and imperious tone,
+"this is enough, I am sick of all these objections. Master Omar, I ask
+you to give me this Cayfacattaddhari just as she is, so not another
+word."</p>
+
+<p>The dyer, seeing him determined to espouse his daughter, and more than
+ever persuaded that some person had made him fall in love with her
+upon false representations for fun, said to himself, "I must ask him a
+heavy <i>scherbeha</i> (dowry): the amount may disgust him, and he will
+think no more of her."</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," said he, "I am prepared to obey you; but I will not part
+with Cayfacattaddhari unless you give me a dowry of a thousand golden
+sequins beforehand."</p>
+
+<p>"That is rather a large sum," said the cadi, "still I will pay it
+you." He immediately ordered a large bagful of sequins to be brought,
+a thousand were counted out, which the dyer took after weighing them,
+and the judge then ordered the marriage contract to be drawn out.
+When, moreover, it was ready for signature, the artisan protested that
+he would not sign it except in the presence of a hundred lawyers at
+least.</p>
+
+<p>"You are very distrustful," said the cadi; "but never mind, I will
+satisfy your wishes, for I don't intend to let your daughter slip
+through my fingers." He thereupon sent immediately for all the
+neighbouring doctors, alfayins, mollahs, persons connected with the
+mosques and courts of law, of whom far more crowded in than the dyer
+required.</p>
+
+<p>When all the witnesses had arrived at the cadi's, Ousta Omar spoke
+thus,</p>
+
+<p>"My lord cadi, I give you my daughter in marriage, since you
+absolutely require me to do so; but I declare before all these
+gentlemen that it is on condition, that if you are not satisfied with
+her when you see<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span> her, and you wish afterwards to repudiate her, you
+will give her a thousand gold sequins, such as I have received from
+you."</p>
+
+<p>"Well! so be it," replied the cadi, "I promise it before all this
+assembly. Art thou content?" The dyer replied in the affirmative, and
+departed, saying that he would send the bride.</p>
+
+<p>He had scarcely left the house before the enamoured judge gave orders
+to have an apartment furnished in the most splendid manner to receive
+his new bride. Velvet carpets were laid down, new draperies hung up,
+and sofas of silver brocade placed round the walls, whilst several
+braziers perfumed the chamber with delicious scents. All was at length
+in readiness, and the cadi impatiently awaited the arrival of
+Cayfacattaddhari. The fair bride, however, not making her appearance
+so speedily as his eagerness expected, he called his faithful aga, and
+said, "The lovely object of my affections ought to be here by this
+time, I think. What can detain her so long at her father's? How slow
+the moments appear which retard my happiness!" At length his
+impatience could brook no longer delay, and he was on the point of
+sending the aga to Ousta Omar's, when a porter arrived carrying a deal
+case covered with green taffeta.</p>
+
+<p>"What hast thou got there, my friend," inquired the judge.</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," replied the porter, placing the box on the ground, "it is
+your bride; you have only to take off the covering and you will see
+what she is like."</p>
+
+<p>The cadi removed the cloth and saw a girl three feet and a half high:
+she had a lank visage covered with blotches, eyes sunk deep in their
+sockets and as red as fire, not the least vestige of a nose, but above
+her mouth two horrid wide nostrils like those of a crocodile. He could
+not look at this object without horror; he hastily replaced the cover,
+and, turning to the porter, cried,</p>
+
+<p>"What am I to do with this miserable creature?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"My lord," replied the porter, "it is the daughter of master Omar, the
+dyer, who told me you had married her from choice."</p>
+
+<p>"Merciful heavens!" exclaimed the cadi, "is it possible to marry such
+a monster as that?"</p>
+
+<p>At that moment the dyer, who had foreseen the surprise of the judge,
+arrived.</p>
+
+<p>"Wretch," said the cadi, "what dost thou take me for? Thou certainly
+hast an amazing amount of impudence to dare to play me such a trick as
+this. Dost thou dare thus to treat me who have it in my power to
+revenge myself on my enemies; me who, when I please, can put the like
+of thee in fetters? Dread my wrath, wretch! Instead of the hideous
+monster which thou hast sent me, give me instantly thy other daughter,
+whose beauty is unparalleled, or thou shalt experience what an angry
+cadi can do!"</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," replied Omar, "spare your threats, I beg, and don't be
+angry with me. I swear by the Creator of the light that I have no
+other daughter but this. I told you a thousand times that she would
+not suit you; you would not believe&mdash;whose fault is it?"</p>
+
+<p>The cadi at these words felt his soul sink within him, and said to the
+dyer,</p>
+
+<p>"Master Omar, a damsel of the most exquisite loveliness came here this
+morning and told me that you were her father, and that you represented
+her to the world as a perfect monster, indeed so much so, that no one
+would ask her in marriage."</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," returned the dyer, "that girl must have been playing you a
+trick; you must have some enemy."</p>
+
+<p>The cadi bent his head on his bosom, and remained some time in deep
+thought.</p>
+
+<p>"It is a misfortune that was destined to befal me; let us say no more
+about it; have your daughter taken back home; keep the thousand
+sequins you have got, but don't ask for any more, if you wish us to be
+friends."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Although the judge had sworn before witnesses that he would give a
+thousand sequins more if Omar's daughter did not please him, the
+artisan did not dare to endeavour to compel him to keep his word, for
+he knew him to be a most vindictive man, and one who would easily find
+an opportunity of revenging himself upon any one he disliked, and was,
+of course, afraid to offend him. He thought it better to be content
+with what he had received.</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," said he, "I will obey you, and relieve you of my daughter,
+but you must, if you please, divorce her first."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh! true," said the cadi; "I have not the least objection; be assured
+that shall soon be done."</p>
+
+<p>Accordingly, he instantly sent for his naib, and the divorce was made
+out in due form, after which master Omar took leave of the judge, and
+ordered the porter to bear the wretched Cayfacattaddhari back home.</p>
+
+<p>This adventure was speedily noised all over the city. Every body
+laughed at it, and warmly applauded the trick which had been played
+upon the cadi, who could not escape the ridicule in which the whole
+city indulged at his expense. We carried our revenge still further. By
+Mouaffac's advice, I presented myself before the prince of the
+faithful, to whom I told my name and related my story. I did not
+suppress, as you may imagine, the circumstances which put the malice
+of the cadi in so strong a light. The caliph, after listening to me
+with the greatest attention, received me very graciously. "Prince,"
+said he, "why did you not come at once to me? Doubtless you were
+ashamed of your condition, but you might, without a blush, have
+presented yourself before my face, even in your wretched state. Does
+it depend upon men themselves to be happy or unhappy? Is it not Allah
+that spins the thread of our destiny? Ought you to have feared an
+ungracious reception? No! You know that I love and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span> esteem king
+Ben-Ortoc, your father; my court was a safe asylum for you."</p>
+
+<p>The caliph embraced me, and conferred on me a <i>gulute</i> (robe of
+honour) and a beautiful diamond which he wore on his finger. He
+regaled me with excellent sherbet, and when I returned to my
+father-in-law's house, I found six large bales of Persian brocade,
+gold and silver, two pieces of damask, and a beautiful Persian horse
+richly caparisoned. In addition, he reinstated Mouaffac in the
+government of Bagdad; and as to the cadi, by way of punishment for his
+malicious attempt to deceive Zemroude and her father, he deposed him,
+and condemned him to perpetual imprisonment, and, to crown his misery,
+ordered him as a companion in his confinement the daughter of Ousta
+Omar.</p>
+
+<p>A few days after my marriage, I sent a courier to Moussul, to inform
+my father of all that had happened to me since my departure from his
+court, and to assure him that I would return shortly, with the lady
+whom I had married. I waited most impatiently for the return of the
+courier; but, alas! he brought me back news which deeply afflicted me.
+He informed me that Ben-Ortoc having heard that four thousand Bedouin
+Arabs had attacked me, and that my escort had been cut to pieces,
+persuaded that I no longer lived, took my supposed death so much to
+heart that he died; that prince Amadeddin Zingui, my cousin-german,
+occupied the throne; that he reigned with equity; and that,
+nevertheless, although he was generally beloved, the people no sooner
+learned that I was still alive, than they gave themselves up to the
+greatest joy. Prince Amadeddin himself, in a letter which the courier
+placed in my hands, assured me of his fidelity, and expressed his
+impatience for my return, in order that he might restore the crown to
+me, and become the first subject in my dominions.</p>
+
+<p>This news decided me to hasten my return to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span> Moussul. I took my leave
+of the prince of the faithful, who ordered a detachment of three
+thousand cavalry of his own guard to escort me to my kingdom, and,
+after embracing Mouaffac and his wife, I departed from Bagdad with my
+beloved Zemroude, who would almost have died of grief at the
+separation from her parents, if her love for me had not somewhat
+moderated the violence of her sorrow. About halfway between Bagdad and
+Moussul, the vanguard of my escort discovered a body of troops
+marching towards us. Concluding at once that it was a body of Bedouin
+Arabs, I immediately drew up my men, and was fully prepared for the
+attack, when my scouts brought me word, that those whom we had taken
+for robbers and enemies were, in fact, troops from Moussul, who had
+set out to meet me, with Amadeddin at their head.</p>
+
+<p>This prince, on his part, having learned who we were, left his little
+army to meet me, accompanied by the principal nobles of Moussul. When
+he reached the spot where I was awaiting him, he addressed me in the
+same tone in which his letter had been couched, submissively and
+respectfully, whilst all the nobles who accompanied him assured me of
+their zeal and fidelity. I thought it my duty to show my entire
+confidence in them, by dismissing the soldiers of the caliph's guard.
+I had no reason to repent of this step; far from being capable of
+forming any treacherous design, prince Amadeddin did all in his power
+to give me proofs of his attachment.</p>
+
+<p>When we came to Moussul, our safe and auspicious arrival was
+celebrated by gifts to the mosques, abundant alms to the poor, f&ecirc;tes,
+and an illumination of the palace gardens with lamps of a thousand
+different colours. The people in general testified the delight they
+felt at my return by acclamations, and for a space of three days gave
+themselves up entirely to great rejoicings. The booths of the
+itinerant merchants, and the bazaars, were hung within and without
+with draperies, and at night they were lit up by<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span> lamps, which formed
+the letters of a verse of the Koran, so that every shop having its
+particular verse, this holy book was to be read entire in the city;
+and it appeared as though the angel Gabriel had brought it a second
+time in letters of light to our great prophet.</p>
+
+<p>In addition to this pious illumination, before each shop were placed
+large dishes, plates of pillau, of all sorts of colours, in the form
+of pyramids, and huge bowls of sherbet and pomegranate juice, for the
+passers-by to eat and drink at pleasure. In all the cross streets were
+to be seen dancers, displaying their graceful evolutions to the sounds
+of drums, lutes, and tambourines.</p>
+
+<p>The different trades formed a procession, consisting of cars decorated
+with tinsel and many-coloured flags, and with the tools used in their
+trades; and after traversing the principal streets, defiled to the
+music of pipes, cymbals, and trumpets, before my balcony, where
+Zemroude was sitting by my side, and after saluting us, shouted at the
+top of their voices, "Blessing and health to thee, Apostle of God, God
+give the king victory."</p>
+
+<p>It was not enough for me to share these honours with the daughter of
+Mouaffac, my study was to find out every thing that would afford her
+any pleasure. I caused her apartments to be adorned with every thing
+most rare and pleasing to the sight. Her suite was composed of
+twenty-five young Circassian ladies, slaves in my father's harem; some
+sang and played the lute exquisitely, others excelled on the harp, and
+the rest danced with the greatest grace and lightness. I also gave her
+a black aga, with twelve eunuchs, who all possessed some talent which
+might contribute to her amusement.</p>
+
+<p>I reigned over faithful and devoted subjects; every day I loved
+Zemroude more and more, and she as ardently reciprocated my
+attachment.</p>
+
+<p>My days passed thus in perfect happiness, till one<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span> day a young
+dervise appeared at my court. He introduced himself to the principal
+nobles, and gained their friendship by his pleasing and agreeable
+manners, as well as by his wit and his happy and brilliant repartees.
+He accompanied them to the chase, he entered into all their gaieties,
+and was a constant guest at their parties of pleasure. Every day some
+of my courtiers spoke to me of him as a man of charming manners, so
+that at last they excited in me a desire to see and converse with the
+agreeable stranger. Far from finding his portrait overdrawn, he
+appeared to me even more accomplished than they had represented him.
+His conversation charmed me, and I was disabused of an error into
+which many persons of quality fall, namely, that men of wit and high
+sentiment are only to be met with at court. I experienced so much
+pleasure in the company of the dervise, and he seemed so well suited
+to manage affairs of the greatest importance, that I wished to appoint
+him my minister, but he thanked me, and told me he had made a vow
+never to accept any employment, that he preferred a free and
+independent life, that he despised honours and riches, and was content
+with what God, who cares for the lowest animals, should provide for
+him; in a word, he was content with his condition.</p>
+
+<p>I admired a man so much raised above worldly considerations, and
+conceived the greatest esteem for him; I received him with pleasure
+each time he presented himself at court; if he was among the crowd of
+courtiers my eyes sought him out, and to him I most frequently
+addressed myself; I insensibly became so attached to him, that I made
+him my exclusive favourite.</p>
+
+<p>One day during a hunt, I had strayed from the main body of my
+followers, and the dervise was alone with me. He began by relating his
+travels, for although young he had travelled extensively. He spoke of
+several curious things he had seen in India, and, amongst others, of
+an old Bramin whom he<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span> knew. "This great man," said he, "knew an
+infinity of secrets, each more extraordinary than the former. Nature
+had no mystery but what he could fathom. He died in my arms," said the
+dervise, "but as he loved me, before he expired he said, 'My son, I
+wish to teach you a secret by which you may remember me, but it is on
+condition that you reveal it to no one.' I promised to keep it
+inviolate, and on the faith of my promise he taught me the secret."</p>
+
+<p>"Indeed!" said I, "what is the nature of the secret? Is it the secret
+of making gold?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, sire," replied he, "it is a greater and much more precious secret
+than that. It is the power of reanimating a dead body. Not that I can
+restore the same soul to the body it has left, Heaven alone can
+perform that miracle; but I can cause my soul to enter into a body
+deprived of life, and I will prove it to your highness whenever you
+shall please."</p>
+
+<p>"Most willingly!" said I, "now, if you please."</p>
+
+<p>At that moment there passed by us most opportunely a doe; I let fly an
+arrow, which struck her, and she fell dead. "Now let me see," said I,
+"if you can reanimate this creature."</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," replied the dervise, "your curiosity shall soon be gratified;
+watch well what I am about to do."</p>
+
+<p>He had scarcely uttered these words, when I beheld with amazement his
+body fall suddenly without animation, and at the same moment I saw the
+doe rise with great nimbleness. I will leave you to judge of my
+surprise. Although there was no room left to doubt what I beheld, I
+could hardly believe the evidence of my senses. The creature, however,
+came to me, fondled me, and after making several bounds, fell dead
+again, and immediately the body of the dervise, which lay stretched at
+my feet, became reanimated.</p>
+
+<p>I was delighted at so wonderful a secret, and entreated the dervise to
+impart it to me.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 480px;">
+<img src="images/i91.jpg" width="480" height="567" alt="The Dervise and the Prince, p. 91." title="" />
+<span class="caption">The Dervise and the Prince, p. 91.</span>
+</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Sire," said he, "I deeply regret that I cannot comply with your
+desire; for I promised the dying Bramin not to disclose it to any one,
+and I am a slave to my word."</p>
+
+<p>The more the dervise excused himself from satisfying my wishes, the
+more did I feel my curiosity excited.</p>
+
+<p>"In the name of Allah," said I, "do not refuse to comply with my
+entreaties. I promise thee never to divulge the secret, and I swear by
+Him who created us both never to employ it to a bad purpose."</p>
+
+<p>The dervise considered a moment, then turning to me said,</p>
+
+<p>"I cannot resist the wishes of a king whom I love more than my life; I
+will yield to your desire. It is true," added he, "that I only gave a
+simple promise to the Bramin. I did not bind myself by an inviolable
+oath. I will impart my secret to your highness. It consists only in
+remembering two words; it is sufficient to repeat them mentally to be
+able to reanimate a dead body."</p>
+
+<p>He then taught me the two magic words. I no sooner knew them, than I
+burned to test their power. I pronounced them, with the intention to
+make my soul pass into the body of the doe, and in a moment I found
+myself metamorphosed into the animal. But the delight I experienced at
+the success of the trial was soon converted into consternation; for no
+sooner had my spirit entered into the body of the doe, than the
+dervise caused his to pass into mine, and then suddenly drawing my
+bow, the traitor was on the point of shooting me with one of my own
+arrows, when, perceiving his intention, I took to flight, and by my
+speed just escaped the fatal shaft. Nevertheless, he let fly the arrow
+at me with so true an aim, that it just grazed my shoulder.</p>
+
+<p>I now beheld myself reduced to live with the beasts of the forests and
+mountains. Happier for me would it have been if I had resembled them
+more perfectly, and if in losing my human form, I had at the same<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span>
+time lost my power of reason. I should not then have been the prey to
+a thousand miserable reflections.</p>
+
+<p>Whilst I was deploring my misery in the forests, the dervise was
+occupying the throne of Moussul; and fearing that, as I possessed the
+secret as well as himself, I might find means to introduce myself into
+the palace, and take my revenge upon him, on the very day he usurped
+my place he ordered all the deer in the kingdom to be destroyed,
+wishing, as he said, to exterminate the whole species, which he
+mortally hated. Nay, so eager was he for my destruction, that the
+moment he returned from the hunting expedition, he again set out at
+the head of a large body of followers, intent upon the indiscriminate
+slaughter of all the deer they might meet.</p>
+
+<p>The people of Moussul, animated by the hope of gain, spread themselves
+all over the country with their bows and arrows; they scoured the
+forests, over-ran the mountains, and shot every stag and deer they met
+with. Happily, by this time I had nothing to fear from them; for,
+having seen a dead nightingale lying at the foot of a tree, I
+reanimated it, and under my new shape flew towards the palace of my
+enemy, and concealed myself among the thick foliage of a tree in the
+garden. This tree was not far from the apartments of the queen. There,
+thinking upon my misfortune, I poured forth in tender strains the
+melancholy that consumed me. It was one morning, as the sun rose, and
+already several birds, delighted to see its returning beams, expressed
+their joy by their minstrelsy. For my part, taken up with my griefs, I
+paid no attention to the brightness of the newborn day; but with my
+eyes sadly turned towards Zemroude's apartment, I poured forth so
+plaintive a song, that I attracted the attention of the princess, who
+came to the window. I continued my mournful notes in her presence, and
+I tried all the means in my power to render them more and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></span> more
+touching, as though I could make her comprehend the subject of my
+grief. But, alas! although she took pleasure in listening to me, I had
+the mortification to see, that instead of being moved by my piteous
+accents, she only laughed with one of her slaves, who had come to the
+window to listen to me.</p>
+
+<p>I did not leave the garden that day, nor for several following, and I
+took care to sing every morning at the same spot. Zemroude did not
+fail to come to the window; and at length, by the blessing of
+Providence, took a fancy to have me. One morning she said to her
+female attendants, "I wish that nightingale to be caught; let
+birdcatchers be sent for. I love that bird; I doat upon it; let them
+try every means to catch it, and bring it to me." The queen's orders
+were obeyed; expert birdcatchers were found, who laid traps for me,
+and, as I had no desire to escape, because I saw that their only
+object in depriving me of my liberty was to make me a slave to my
+princess, I allowed myself to be taken. The moment I was brought to
+her she took me in her hand, with every symptom of delight. "My
+darling," said she, caressing me, "my charming bul-bul, I will be thy
+rose; I already feel the greatest tenderness for thee." At these words
+she kissed me. I raised my beak softly to her lips. "Ah! the little
+rogue," cried she laughing, "he appears to know what I say." At last,
+after fondling me, she placed me in a gold filigree cage, which an
+eunuch had been sent into the city to buy for me.</p>
+
+<p>Every day as soon as she woke I began my song; and whenever she came
+to my cage to caress me or feed me, far from appearing wild, I spread
+out my wings, and stretched my beak towards her, to express my joy.
+She was surprised to see me so tame in so short a time. Sometimes she
+would take me out of the cage, and allow me to fly about her chamber.
+I always went to her to receive her caresses, and to lavish mine upon
+her; and if any of her slaves wished<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span> to take hold of me, I pecked at
+them with all my might. By these little insinuating ways I endeared
+myself so much to Zemroude, that she often said if by any mishap I
+were to die, she should be inconsolable, so strong was her attachment
+to me.</p>
+
+<p>Zemroude also had a little dog in her chamber, of which she was very
+fond. One day, when the dog and I were alone, it died. Its death
+suggested to me the idea of making a third experiment of the secret.
+"I will pass into the body of the dog," thought I, "for I wish to see
+what effect the death of her nightingale will produce upon the
+princess." I cannot tell what suggested the fancy, for I did not
+foresee what this new metamorphosis would lead to; but the thought
+appeared to me a suggestion of Heaven, and I followed it at all risks.</p>
+
+<p>When Zemroude returned to the room, her first care was to come to my
+cage. As soon as she perceived that the nightingale was dead, she
+uttered a shriek that brought all her slaves about her. "What ails
+you, madam?" said they in terrified accents. "Has any misfortune
+happened to you?"</p>
+
+<p>"I am in despair," replied the princess, weeping bitterly; "my
+nightingale is dead. My dear bird, my little husband, why art thou
+taken from, me so soon? I shall no more hear your sweet notes! I shall
+never see you again! What have I done to deserve such punishment from
+Heaven?"</p>
+
+<p>All the efforts of her women to console her were in vain. The dervise
+had just returned from his murderous expedition, and one of them ran
+to acquaint him with the state in which they had found the queen. He
+quickly came and told her that the death of a bird ought not to cause
+her so much grief; that the loss was not irreparable; that if she was
+so fond of nightingales, and wanted another, it was easy to get one.
+But all his reasoning was to no purpose, he could make no impression
+upon her.</p>
+
+<p>"Cease your endeavours," she exclaimed, "to combat<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span> my grief, you will
+never overcome it. I know it is a great weakness to mourn so for a
+bird, I am as fully persuaded of it as you can be, still I cannot bear
+up against the force of the blow that has overwhelmed me. I loved the
+little creature; he appeared sensible of the caresses I bestowed on
+him, and he returned them in a way that delighted me. If my women
+approached him, he exhibited ferocity, or rather disdain; whereas he
+always came eagerly on to my hand when I held it out to him. It
+appeared as though he felt affection for me, he looked at me in so
+tender and languishing a manner, that it almost seemed as though he
+was mortified that he had not the power of speech to express his
+feelings towards me. I could read it in his eyes. Ah! I shall never
+think of him without despair." As she finished speaking her tears
+gushed out afresh, and she seemed as if nothing could ever console
+her.</p>
+
+<p>I drew a favourable omen from the violence of her grief. I had laid
+myself down in a corner of the room, where I heard all that was said
+and observed all that passed without their noticing me. I had a
+presentiment that the dervise, in order to console the queen, would
+avail himself of the secret, and I was not disappointed.</p>
+
+<p>Finding the queen inaccessible to reason, and being deeply enamoured
+of her, he was moved by her tears, and instead of persevering in
+fruitless arguments, he ordered the queen's slaves to quit the room
+and leave him alone with her. "Madam," said he, thinking that no one
+overheard him, "since the death of your nightingale causes you so much
+sorrow, he must be brought to life. Do not grieve, you shall see him
+alive again; I pledge myself to restore him to you; to-morrow morning,
+when you wake, you shall hear him sing again, and you shall have the
+satisfaction of caressing him."</p>
+
+<p>"I understand you, my lord," said Zemroude; "you look upon me as
+crazed, and think that you must humour my sorrow; you would persuade
+me that I shall<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span> see my nightingale alive to-morrow; to-morrow you
+will postpone your miracle till the following day, and so on from one
+day to another; by this means you reckon on making me gradually forget
+my bird; or, perhaps," pursued she, "you intend to get another put in
+his place to deceive me."</p>
+
+<p>"No, my queen," replied the dervise, "no; it is that very bird which
+you see stretched out in his cage without life; this very nightingale,
+the enviable object of such poignant grief; it is that very bird
+himself that shall sing. I will give him new life, and you can again
+lavish your caresses upon him. He will better appreciate that delight,
+and you shall behold him still more anxious to please you, for it will
+be I myself who will be the object of your endearments; every morning
+I will myself be his fresh life in order to divert you. I can perform
+this miracle," continued he; "it is a secret I possess; if you have
+any doubts upon it, or if you are impatient to behold your favourite
+reanimated, I will cause him to revive now immediately."</p>
+
+<p>As the princess did not reply, he imagined from her silence that she
+was not fully persuaded he could accomplish what he professed; he
+seated himself on the sofa, and by virtue of the two cabalistic words
+left his body, or rather mine, and entered into that of the
+nightingale. The bird began to sing in its cage to the great amazement
+of Zemroude. But his song was not destined to continue long; for no
+sooner did he begin to warble than I quitted the body of the dog and
+hastened to retake my own. At the same time running to the cage, I
+dragged the bird out and wrung his neck. "What have you done, my
+lord?" cried the princess. "Why have you treated my nightingale thus?
+If you did not wish him to live, why did you restore him to life?"</p>
+
+<p>"I thank Heaven!" cried I, without paying any regard to what she said,
+so much were my thoughts taken up with the feeling of vengeance which
+possessed me at the treacherous conduct of the dervise,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span> "I am
+satisfied. I have at length avenged myself on the villain whose
+execrable treason deserved a still greater punishment."</p>
+
+<p>If Zemroude was surprised to see her nightingale restored to life, she
+was not the less so to hear me utter these words with such fierce
+emotion.</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," said she, "whence this violent transport which agitates
+you, and what do those words mean which you have just spoken?"</p>
+
+<p>I related to her all that had happened to me, and she could not doubt
+that I was truly Al Abbas, because she had heard that the body of the
+dervise had been found in the forest, and she was also of course well
+acquainted with the order which he had given for destroying all the
+deer.</p>
+
+<p>But my poor princess could not recover the shock her sensitive love
+had sustained. A few days after she fell ill, and died in my arms,
+literally frightened to death by the imminence of the danger from
+which she had just been so happily rescued.</p>
+
+<p>After I had bewailed her, and erected a splendid tomb to her memory, I
+summoned the prince Amadeddin.</p>
+
+<p>"My cousin," said I, "I have no children, I resign the crown of
+Moussul in your favour. I give the kingdom up into your hands. I
+renounce the regal dignity, and wish to pass the rest of my days in
+repose and privacy." Amadeddin, who really loved me, spared no
+arguments to deter me from taking the step I proposed, but I assured
+him that nothing could shake my resolution.</p>
+
+<p>"Prince," said I, "my determination is fixed, I resign my rank to you.
+Fill the throne of Al Abbas, and may you be more happy than he. Reign
+over a people who know your merit, and have already experienced the
+blessings of your rule. Disgusted with pomp, I shall retire to distant
+climes, and live in privacy; there freed from the cares of state, I
+shall<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span> mourn over the memory of Zemroude, and recall the happy days we
+passed together."</p>
+
+<p>I left Amadeddin upon the throne of Moussul, and, accompanied only by
+a few slaves, and carrying an ample supply of riches and jewels, took
+the road to Bagdad, where I arrived safely. I immediately repaired to
+Mouaffac's house. His wife and he were not a little surprised to see
+me, and they were deeply affected when I informed them of the death of
+their daughter, whom they had tenderly loved. The recital unlocked the
+fountains of my own grief, and I mingled my tears with theirs. I did
+not stay long in Bagdad, I joined a caravan of pilgrims going to
+Mecca, and after paying my devotions, found, by chance, another
+company of pilgrims from Tartary, whom I accompanied to their native
+country. We arrived in this city; I found the place agreeable, and
+took up my abode here, where I have resided for nearly forty years. I
+am thought to be a stranger who was formerly concerned in trade, and
+whose time is now passed in study and contemplation. I lead a retired
+life, and rarely see strangers. Zemroude is ever present to my
+thoughts, and my only consolation consists in dwelling fondly upon her
+memory and her virtues.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h3>CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF PRINCE KHALAF AND THE PRINCESS OF CHINA.</h3>
+
+<p>Al Abbas, having finished the recital of his adventures, thus
+addressed his guests:</p>
+
+<p>"Such is my history. You perceive by my misfortunes and your own, that
+human life is but as a reed, ever liable to be bent to the earth by
+the bleak blasts of misfortune. I will, however, confess to you that I
+have led a happy and quiet life ever since I have been in Jaic; and
+that I by no means repent having abdicated the throne of Moussul; for
+in the obscurity in which I now live, I have discovered peaceful and
+tranquil joys which I never experienced before."</p>
+
+<p>Timurtasch, Elmaze, and Khalaf bestowed a thousand flattering
+encomiums upon the son of Ben-Ortoc; the khan admired the resolution
+which had caused him to deprive himself of his kingdom, in order to
+live in privacy in a country of strangers, where the station which he
+had filled in the world was unknown. Elmaze praised the fidelity he
+displayed towards Zemroude, and the grief he experienced at her death.
+And Khalaf remarked, "My lord, it were to be wished that all men could
+display the same constancy in adversity which you have done, under
+your misfortunes."</p>
+
+<p>They continued their conversation till it was time to retire. Al Abbas
+then summoned his slaves, who brought wax-lights in candlesticks made
+of aloe-wood, and conducted the khan, the princess, and her son to a
+suite of apartments, where the same simplicity<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span> reigned that
+characterized the rest of the house. Elmaze and Timurtasch retired to
+sleep in a chamber appropriated to themselves, and Khalaf to another.
+The following morning their host entered the chamber of his guests as
+soon as they were up, and said,</p>
+
+<p>"You are not the only unfortunate persons in the world; I have just
+been informed that an ambassador from the sultan of Carisma arrived in
+the city last evening; that his master has sent him to Ileuge-Khan, to
+beg of him not only to refuse an asylum to the khan of the Nag&auml;is, his
+enemy, but if the khan should endeavour to pass through his dominions,
+to arrest him. Indeed, it is reported," pursued Al Abbas, "that the
+unfortunate khan, for fear of falling into the hands of the sultan of
+Carisma, has left his capital and fled with his family." At this news,
+Timurtasch and Khalaf changed colour, and the princess fainted.</p>
+
+<p>The swoon of Elmaze, as well as the evident trouble of the father and
+son, instantly caused Al Abbas to suspect that his guests were not
+merchants.</p>
+
+<p>"I see," said he, as soon as the princess had recovered her senses,
+"that you take a deep interest in the misfortunes of the khan of the
+Nag&auml;is; indeed, if I may be permitted to tell you what I think, I
+believe you are yourselves the objects of the sultan of Carisma's
+hatred."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, my lord," replied Timurtasch, "we are, indeed, the victims for
+whose immolation he is thirsty. I am the khan of the Nag&auml;is, you
+behold my wife and my son; we should, indeed, be ungrateful, if we did
+not discover our position to you, after your generous reception, and
+the confidence you have reposed in us. I am encouraged even to hope,
+that by your counsels you will aid us to escape from the danger which
+threatens us."</p>
+
+<p>"Your situation is most critical," replied the aged king of Moussul;
+"I know Ileuge-Khan well, and, as he fears the sultan of Carisma, I
+cannot doubt that,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span> to please him, he will search for you every where.
+You will not be safe, either in my house or in any other in this city;
+the only resource left you, is to leave the country of Jaic as
+speedily as possible, cross the river Irtisch, and gain, with the
+utmost diligence, the frontiers of the tribe of the Berlas."</p>
+
+<p>This advice pleased Timurtasch, his wife, and son. Al Abbas had three
+horses instantly got ready, together with provisions for the journey,
+and giving them a purse filled with gold; "Start immediately," said
+he, "you have no time to lose, by to-morrow, no doubt, Ileuge-Khan
+will cause search to be made for you every where."</p>
+
+<p>They returned their heartfelt thanks to the aged monarch, and then
+quitted Jaic, crossed the Irtisch, and joining company with a
+camel-driver, who was travelling that way, arrived after several days'
+journey in the territories of the tribe of Berlas. They took up their
+quarters with the first horde they met, sold their horses, and lived
+quietly enough as long as their money lasted; but, as soon as it came
+to an end, the misery of the khan recommenced. "Why am I still in the
+world?" he began to exclaim. "Would it not have been better to have
+awaited my blood-thirsty foe in my own kingdom, and have died
+defending my capital, than to drag on a life which is only one
+continued scene of misery? It is in vain that we endure our
+misfortunes with patience; for, in spite of our submission to its
+decrees, Heaven will never restore us to happiness, but leaves us
+still the sport of misery."</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," replied Khalaf, "do not despair of our miseries coming to
+an end. Heaven, which decrees these events, is preparing for us, I
+doubt not, some relief which we cannot foresee. Let us proceed at
+once," added he, "to the principal horde of this tribe. I have a
+presentiment, that our fortunes will now assume a more favourable
+aspect."</p>
+
+<p>They all three proceeded accordingly to the horde<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span> with whom the khan
+of Berlas resided. They entered a large tent which served as a refuge
+for poor strangers. Here they laid themselves down, worn out with
+their journey, and at a loss at last to know how to obtain even the
+necessaries of life. Khalaf, however, quietly slipt out of the tent,
+leaving his father and mother there, and went through the horde,
+asking charity of the passers-by. By the evening he had collected a
+small sum of money, with which he bought some provisions, and carried
+them to his parents. When they learned that their son had actually
+solicited charity, they could not refrain from tears. Khalaf himself
+was moved by their grief, but cheerfully remarked, nevertheless, "I
+confess that nothing we have yet endured has appeared to me more
+mortifying than to be reduced to solicit alms; still, as at present I
+cannot procure you subsistence by any other means, is it not my duty
+to do it, in spite of the mortification it costs me? But," he added,
+as though struck with a sudden thought, "there is still another
+resource&mdash;sell me for a slave, and the money you will receive will
+last you a long time."</p>
+
+<p>"What do you say, my son?" cried Timurtasch, when he heard these
+words. "Can you propose to us that we should live at the expense of
+your liberty? Ah! rather let us endure for ever our present misery.
+But if it should come to this, that one of us must be sold, let it be
+myself; I do not refuse to bear the yoke of servitude for you both."</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," said Khalaf, "another thought strikes me; to-morrow morning
+I will take my station among the porters; some one may chance to
+employ me, and we may thus earn a living by my labour." They agreed to
+this, and the following day the prince stationed himself among the
+porters of the horde, and waited till some one should employ him; but
+unfortunately no one wanted him, so that half the day passed and he
+had not had a single job. This grieved him<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span> deeply. "If I am not more
+successful than this," thought he, "how am I to support my father and
+mother?"</p>
+
+<p>He grew tired of waiting among the porters on the chance of some
+person wanting his services. He went out of the encampment and
+strolled into the country, in order to turn over in his mind
+undisturbedly the best means of earning a livelihood. He sat down
+under a tree, where, after praying Heaven to have pity on his
+perplexity, he fell asleep. When he woke he saw near him a falcon of
+singular beauty: its head was adorned with a tuft of gaudy feathers,
+and from its neck hung a chain of gold filigree-work set with
+diamonds, topazes, and rubies. Khalaf, who understood falconry, held
+out his fist, and the bird alighted on it. The prince of the Nag&auml;is
+was delighted at the circumstance. "Let us see," said he, "what this
+will lead to. This bird, from all appearance, belongs to the sovereign
+of the tribe." Nor was he wrong. It was the favourite falcon of
+Almguer, khan of Berlas, who had lost it the previous day. His
+principal huntsmen were engaged at that moment in searching every
+where for it with the greatest diligence and uneasiness, for their
+master had threatened them with the severest punishments if they
+returned without his bird, which he loved passionately.</p>
+
+<p>Prince Khalaf returned to the encampment with the falcon. As soon as
+the people of the horde saw it, they began to cry out, "Ha! here is
+the khan's falcon recovered. Blessings on the youth who will make our
+prince rejoice by restoring him his bird." And so it turned out, for
+when Khalaf arrived at the royal tent, and appeared with the falcon,
+the khan, transported with joy, ran to his bird and kissed it a
+thousand times. Then addressing the prince of the Nag&auml;is, he asked him
+where he found it. Khalaf related how he had recovered the falcon. The
+khan then said to him, "Thou appearest to be a stranger amongst us;
+where wast thou born, and what is thy profession?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"My lord," replied Khalaf, prostrating himself at the khan's feet, "I
+am the son of a merchant of Bulgaria, who was possessed of great
+wealth. I was travelling with my father and mother in the country of
+Jaic, when we were attacked by robbers, who stripped us of every thing
+but our lives, and we have found our way to this encampment actually
+reduced to beg our bread."</p>
+
+<p>"Young man," replied the khan, "I am glad that it is thou who hast
+found my falcon; for I swore to grant to whomsoever should bring me my
+bird, whatever two things he might ask; so thou hast but to speak.
+Tell me what thou desirest me to grant thee, and doubt not that thou
+shalt obtain it." "Since I have permission to ask two things,"
+returned Khalaf, "I request in the first place that my father and
+mother, who are in the strangers' tent, may have a tent to themselves
+in the quarter where your highness resides, and that they may be
+supported during the rest of their days at your highness's expense,
+and waited on by officers of your highness's household; secondly, I
+desire to have one of the best horses in your highness's stables and a
+purse full of gold, to enable me to make a journey which I have in
+contemplation." "Thy wishes shall be gratified," said Almguer; "thou
+shalt bring thy father and mother to me, and from this day forth I
+will begin to entertain them as thou desirest; and to-morrow, dressed
+in rich attire, and mounted on the best horse in my stables, thou
+shalt be at liberty to go wherever it shall please thee. Thy modesty,
+the filial love which is imprinted upon thy features, thy youth, thy
+noble air, please me; be my guest, come and join my festivities, and
+thou shalt listen to an Arabian story-teller, whose knowledge and
+imaginative powers instruct and amuse my tribes."</p>
+
+<p>The khan and the son of Timurtasch presently seated themselves at a
+table loaded with viands, confectionary, fruit, and flowers; gazelle
+venison, red-legged<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span> partridges, pheasants, and black cock were
+displayed as trophies of the skill of the hunter king. The Arab
+stationed near the khan awaited his orders. "Moustapha," said the khan
+at length, turning to the Arab, "I have been extolling thy knowledge
+and wit to my guest; surpass thyself, and let him see that I have not
+exaggerated. He shall give thee a subject; treat it in such a manner
+as to deserve his praise."</p>
+
+<p>"I am curious," said the prince, "to hear of China; I ask thee to
+instruct me concerning the government of that important kingdom, and
+to give me an insight into the manners and customs of its people."</p>
+
+<p>The Arab reflected a moment, and then, prefacing his recital with a
+few general remarks, proceeded to depict in glowing colours this
+celestial empire, whose civilization dates back to the remotest ages
+of the world. He described its extent as equal to one-half of the
+habitable globe; its population as so numerous that it might be
+counted by hundreds of millions; he spoke of cities, each of which
+alone brought a revenue to their crown, which surpassed that of entire
+kingdoms; of those gigantic works, the canals, whose extent equalled
+the course of the largest rivers, which traversed the vast empire. And
+he foretold that a time would come when Tartar warriors should scale
+that very wall which the terror of their arms had caused to be built,
+and should again reconquer the whole of that wealthy tract. He then
+began his story as follows.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h3>THE STORY OF LIN-IN.</h3>
+
+<h4>A CHINESE TALE.</h4>
+
+<p>At Wou-si, a town dependent upon the city of Tchang-tcheou, in the
+province of Kiang-nan, there resided a family in the middle sphere of
+life. Three brothers composed the family; the name of the eldest was
+Lin-in (the jasper); the second Lin-pao (the precious); the youngest
+Lin-tchin (the pearl); this last was not yet old enough to marry; the
+other two had taken wives to themselves. The wife of the first was
+named Wang; the wife of the second Yang; and both possessed every
+grace which can constitute the charm of woman.</p>
+
+<p>Lin-pao's engrossing passions were gambling and wine; he evinced no
+inclination to good. His wife was of a similar disposition, and
+depraved in her conduct; she was very different from her sister-in-law
+Wang, who was a pattern of modesty and propriety. So although these
+two women lived together on neighbourly terms, there was but little
+real sympathy between them.</p>
+
+<p>Wang had a son named Hi-eul, that is to say, "the son of rejoicing."
+He was a child of six years old. One day having stopped in the street
+with some other children, to look at a great procession in the
+neighbourhood, he was lost in the crowd, and in the evening did not
+return to the house.</p>
+
+<p>This loss caused the deepest sorrow to his parents. They had handbills
+posted up, and there was not a street in which they did not make
+inquiries, but all to no purpose; they could gain no intelligence
+respecting their darling child. Lin-in was inconsolable; and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></span> giving
+way to the grief that overwhelmed him, he sought to fly from his home,
+where every thing brought back the remembrance of his dear Hi-eul. He
+borrowed a sum of money from one of his friends to enable him to carry
+on a small trade in the neighbourhood of the city and the adjacent
+villages, hoping that in one of these short excursions he might be
+able to recover the treasure he had lost.</p>
+
+<p>As his whole thoughts were taken up with his child, he took little
+pleasure in the circumstance that his trade flourished. He
+nevertheless continued to pursue it during five years, without making
+long journeys from home, whither he returned every year to spend the
+autumn. At length, being utterly unsuccessful in discovering the least
+trace of his son after so many years, and concluding that he was lost
+to him for ever, and finding moreover that his wife Wang bore him no
+more children, as he had now amassed a good sum of money, he
+determined to divert his thoughts from painful recollections by
+trading in another province.</p>
+
+<p>He joined the company of a rich merchant travelling the road he had
+fixed upon; and the merchant, having observed his aptitude for
+business, made him a very advantageous offer. The desire of becoming
+wealthy now took possession of him, and diverted his thoughts from
+their accustomed channel.</p>
+
+<p>Within a very short time after their arrival in the province of
+Chan-si every thing had succeeded to their utmost wishes. They found a
+quick sale for their merchandise, and the profits arising from it was
+considerable. The payments, however, were delayed for two years in
+consequence of a drought and famine which afflicted the country, as
+well as by a tedious illness by which Lin-in was attacked. They were
+detained altogether three years in the province; after which, having
+recovered his money and his health, he took his departure to return to
+his own country.</p>
+
+<p>He halted one day during his journey near a place<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span> named Tchin-lieou
+to recruit his strength, and strolling round the neighbourhood
+accidentally came upon a girdle of blue cloth, in the form of a long,
+narrow bag, such as is worn round the body, under the dress, and in
+which money is usually kept; as he took it up, he found the weight
+considerable. He retired to a quiet spot, opened the girdle, and found
+it contained about two hundred t&auml;els.</p>
+
+<p>At sight of this treasure he fell into the following train of
+reflection: "My good fortune has placed this sum in my hands; I might
+keep it and employ it for my own use without fearing any unpleasant
+consequences. Still the person who has dropt it, the moment he
+discovers his loss, will be in great distress, and will return in
+haste to look for it. Do they not say that our forefathers dared
+scarcely touch money found in this way; and if they picked it up, only
+did so with a view of restoring it to its owner? This appears to me a
+very praiseworthy custom, and I will imitate it, the more so as I am
+growing old and have no heir. Of what benefit would money got by such
+means be to me?"</p>
+
+<p>Whilst thus reasoning, he had wandered to some distance from the spot
+where he had found the money; he now, however, retraced his steps to
+the place, and waited there the whole day, to be ready in case the
+owner should return. Nobody came, however, and the next day he
+continued his journey.</p>
+
+<p>After five days' travelling, he arrived in the evening at
+Nan-sou-tcheou, and took up his quarters at an inn where several other
+merchants were staying. The conversation having turned upon the
+advantages of commerce, one of the company said, "Five days ago, on
+leaving Tchin-lieou, I lost two hundred t&auml;els, which I had in an
+inside girdle. I had taken it off, and placed it near me whilst I lay
+down to sleep, when a mandarin and his cort&eacute;ge chanced to pass by. I
+hastened to get out of the way for fear of insult, and in my hurry
+forgot to take up my money. It was only<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span> at night, as I was undressing
+to go to bed, that I discovered my loss. I felt sure that as the place
+where I lost my money was by the side of a well-frequented road, it
+would be useless to delay my journey for several days in order to look
+for what I should never find."</p>
+
+<p>Every one condoled with him on his loss. Lin-in asked him his name and
+place of abode. "Your servant," replied the merchant, "is named Tchin,
+and lives at Yang-tcheou, where he has a shop and a large warehouse.
+May I be so bold in return to inquire to whom I have the honour of
+speaking?" Lin-in told him his name, and said that he was an
+inhabitant of the town of Wou-si. "My shortest road there," added he,
+"lies through Yang-tcheou; and, if agreeable to you, I shall have much
+pleasure in your company so far."</p>
+
+<p>Tchin acknowledged this politeness in a becoming manner. "Most
+willingly," said he; "we will continue our journey together, and I
+esteem myself very fortunate in meeting with such an agreeable
+companion." The journey was not long, and they soon arrived at
+Yang-tcheou.</p>
+
+<p>After the usual civilities, Tchin invited his fellow-traveller to his
+house, and on their arrival there immediately ordered refreshments to
+be brought. Whilst they were discussing their meal, Lin-in managed to
+turn the conversation on the subject of the lost money.</p>
+
+<p>"What," he asked, "was the colour of the girdle which contained your
+money, and of what material was it made?"</p>
+
+<p>"It was of blue cloth," replied Tchin; "and what would enable me to
+identify it is, that at one end the letter Tchin, which is my name, is
+embroidered upon it in white silk."</p>
+
+<p>This description left no doubt as to the owner. Lin-in, therefore,
+rejoined in a cheerful tone, "If I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span> have asked you all these
+questions, it was merely because passing through Tchin-lieou, I found
+a belt such as you describe." At the same time producing it, he added,
+"Look if this is yours." "The very same," said Tchin. Whereupon Lin-in
+politely restored it to its owner.</p>
+
+<p>Tchin, overwhelmed with gratitude, pressed him to accept the half of
+the sum which it contained; but his entreaties were in vain, Lin-in
+would receive nothing. "What obligations am I not under to you?"
+resumed Tchin; "where else should I find such honesty and generosity?"
+He then ordered a splendid repast to be brought, over which they
+pledged each other with great demonstrations of friendship.</p>
+
+<p>Tchin thought to himself, "Where should I find a man of such probity
+as Lin-in? Men of his character are very scarce in these days. What!
+shall I receive from him such an act of kindness, and not be able to
+repay him? I have a daughter twelve years old; I must form an alliance
+with such an honest man. But has he got a son? On this point I am
+entirely ignorant."</p>
+
+<p>"My dear friend," said he, "how old is your son?"</p>
+
+<p>This question brought tears into the eyes of Lin-in. "Alas!" replied
+he, "I had but one, who was most dear to me. It is now eight years ago
+since my child, having run out of the house to see a procession pass
+by, disappeared; and from that day to this I have never been able to
+learn any thing of him; and, to crown my misfortune, my wife has not
+borne me any more children."</p>
+
+<p>Upon hearing this, Tchin appeared to think for a moment, then,
+continuing the conversation, said, "My brother and benefactor, of what
+age was the child when you lost him?" "About six years old," replied
+Lin-in. "What was his name?" "We called him Hi-eul," returned Lin-in.
+"He had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span> escaped all the dangers of the small-pox which had left no
+traces upon his countenance; his complexion was clear and florid."</p>
+
+<p>This description gave the greatest pleasure to Tchin, and he could not
+prevent his satisfaction from displaying itself in his looks and
+manner. He immediately called one of his servants, to whom he
+whispered a few words. The servant, having made a gesture of
+obedience, retired into the interior of the house.</p>
+
+<p>Lin-in, struck by the questions, and the joy which lit up the
+countenance of his host, was forming all sorts of conjectures, when he
+saw a youth of about fourteen years of age enter the room. He was
+dressed in a long gown, with a plain though neat jacket. His graceful
+form, his air and carriage, his face with its regular features, and
+his quick and piercing eyes, and finely arched black eyebrows, at once
+engaged the admiration and riveted the attention of Lin-in.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the youth saw the stranger seated at table, he turned
+towards him, made a low bow, and uttered some respectful words; then
+approaching Tchin, and standing modestly before him, he said in a
+sweet and pleasing tone, "My father, you have called Hi-eul; what are
+you pleased to command?" "I will tell you presently," replied Tchin,
+"in the mean time stand beside me."</p>
+
+<p>The name of Hi-eul, by which the youth called himself, excited fresh
+suspicions in the breast of Lin-in. A secret sympathy suddenly forced
+itself upon him; and by one of those wonderful instincts of nature
+which are so unerring, recalled to his recollection the image of his
+lost child, his form, his face, his air, and manners; he beheld them
+all in the youth before him. There was but one circumstance that made
+him doubt the truth of his conjectures, and that was his addressing
+Tchin by the name of 'father.' He felt it would be rude to ask Tchin
+if the youth really were his son; perhaps he might truly be so, for it
+was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></span> not impossible that there might be two children bearing the same
+name, and in many respects resembling each other.</p>
+
+<p>Lin-in, absorbed in these reflections, paid little attention to the
+good cheer placed before him. Tchin could read on the countenance of
+Lin-in the perplexing thoughts that filled his mind. An indescribable
+charm seemed to attract him irresistibly towards the youth. He kept
+his eyes constantly fixed upon him, he could not turn them away.
+Hi-eul, on his part, despite his bashfulness and the timidity natural
+to his age, could not help gazing intently upon Lin-in; it seemed as
+though nature was revealing his father to him.</p>
+
+<p>At length Lin-in, no longer master of his feelings, suddenly broke the
+silence, and asked Tchin if the youth really was his son.</p>
+
+<p>"I am not," replied Tchin, "really his father, although I look upon
+him as my own child. Eight years ago, a man passing through this city,
+leading this child in his hand, addressed me by chance, and begged me
+to assist him in his great need. 'My wife,' said he, 'is dead, and has
+left me with this child. The impoverished state of my affairs has
+compelled me to leave my native place, and go to Hoaingan to my
+relations, from whom I hope to receive a sum of money, to enable me to
+set up in business again. I have not wherewith to continue my journey
+to that town, will you be so charitable as to lend me three t&auml;els? I
+will faithfully restore them on my return, and I will leave as a
+pledge all that I hold most dear in the world, my only son; I shall no
+sooner reach Hoaingan, than I will return and redeem my dear child.'</p>
+
+<p>"I felt gratified by this mark of confidence, and I gave him the sum
+he asked. As he left me he burst into tears, and gave every evidence
+of the grief he felt in leaving his child. I was, however, surprised
+that the child did not exhibit the least emotion at the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span> separation;
+as, however, time wore on, and the pretended father did not return,
+suspicions began to rise, which I was anxious to set at rest. I called
+the child, and by various questions I put to him, learned that he was
+born in Wou-si, that having one day run out to see a procession pass
+by, he had strayed too far from home, and lost his way, and that he
+had been trepanned and carried off by a stranger. He also told me the
+name of his father and mother; indeed, it is that of your own family.
+I thus discovered that the fellow, so far from being the father of the
+poor child, was the identical rascal who had carried him off. Not only
+was my compassion excited, but the boy's pleasing manners had entirely
+won my heart; I treated him from that time as one of my own children,
+and I sent him to college with my own son, to study with him. I have
+often entertained the plan of going to Wou-si, to inquire after his
+family. But business of some kind always prevented me from undertaking
+the journey, of which, however, I had never fully relinquished the
+idea; when, happily, a few moments ago, you chanced in the course of
+conversation to mention your son, my suspicions were aroused, and upon
+the extraordinary coincidence of your tale, and the circumstances of
+which I was acquainted, I sent for your child to see if you would
+recognize him."</p>
+
+<p>At these words Hi-eul wept for joy, and his tears caused those of
+Lin-in to flow copiously. "A peculiar mark," said he, "will prove his
+identity; a little above the left knee you will find a small black
+spot, which has been there from his birth." Hi-eul pulled up the leg
+of his trouser, and showed the spot in question. Lin-in, on seeing it,
+threw himself upon the neck of the child, covered him with kisses, and
+folded him in his arms. "My child," cried he, "my dear child, what
+happiness for your father to find you after so many years' absence."</p>
+
+<p>It is not difficult to conceive to what transports of joy the father
+and son delivered themselves up, during<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span> these first moments of
+pleasure. After a thousand tender embraces, Lin-in at length tore
+himself from the arms of his son, and made a profound obeisance to
+Tchin. "What gratitude do I not owe you," said he, "for having
+received my son into your house, and brought up this dear portion of
+myself with so much care. But for you we should never have been
+united."</p>
+
+<p>"My kind benefactor," replied Tchin, rising, "it was the act of
+disinterested generosity you practised towards me, in restoring the
+two hundred t&auml;els, which moved the compassion of Heaven. It is Heaven
+that conducted you to my house, where you have found him whom you
+sought in vain for so many years. Now that I know that good youth is
+your son, I regret that I have not treated him with greater
+consideration."</p>
+
+<p>"Kneel, my son," said Lin-in, "and thank your generous benefactor."</p>
+
+<p>Tchin was about to return these salutations, when Lin-in himself
+prevented him, overcome with this excess of respect. This interchange
+of civilities being over they resumed their seats, and Tchin placed
+little Hi-eul on a seat by his father's side.</p>
+
+<p>Then Tchin resuming the conversation, said, "My brother (for
+henceforth that is the title by which I shall address you), I have a
+daughter twelve years of age, and it is my intention to give her in
+marriage to your son, in order that the union may cement our
+friendship more closely." This proposition was made in so sincere and
+ardent a manner, that Lin-in did not feel it right to make the usual
+excuses that good breeding prescribed. He therefore waived all
+ceremony, and gave his consent at once.</p>
+
+<p>As it was growing late, they separated for the night. Hi-eul slept in
+the same chamber with his father. You may imagine all the tender and
+affectionate conversation that passed between them during the night.
+The next day Lin-in prepared to take leave of his host, but he could
+not resist his pressing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span> invitation to remain. Tchin had prepared a
+second day's festivity, in which he spared no expense to regale the
+future father-in-law of his daughter, and his new son-in-law, and
+thereby to console himself for their departure. They drank and sang,
+and gave themselves up fully to the hilarity of the occasion.</p>
+
+<p>When the repast was ended, Tchin drew out a packet of twenty t&auml;els,
+and looking towards Lin-in, said, "During the time my dear son-in-law
+has been with me, it is possible he may have suffered many things
+against my wish, and unknown to me; here is a little present I wish to
+make him, until I can give him more substantial proofs of my
+affection. I will not hear of a refusal."</p>
+
+<p>"What!" replied Lin-in, "at a time when I am contracting an alliance
+so honourable to me, and when I ought, according to custom, to make
+marriage presents for my son, presents which I am prevented from doing
+at this moment, only because I am travelling, do you load me with
+gifts? I cannot accept them; the thought covers me with confusion."</p>
+
+<p>"Well!" replied Tchin, "I am not dreaming of offering <i>you</i> such a
+trifle. It is for my son-in-law, not the father-in-law of my daughter,
+that I intend this present. Indeed, if you persist in the refusal, I
+shall consider it as a sign that the alliance is not agreeable to
+you."</p>
+
+<p>Lin-in saw that he must yield, and that resistance would be useless.
+He humbly accepted the present, and making his son rise from table,
+ordered him to make a profound reverence to Tchin. "What I have given
+you," said Tchin, raising him up, "is but a trifle, and deserves no
+thanks." Hi-eul then went into the house to pay his respects to his
+mother-in-law. The whole day passed in feasting and diversions; it was
+only at night that they separated.</p>
+
+<p>When Lin-in retired to his chamber, he gave himself up entirely to the
+reflections to which these events gave rise. "It must be confessed,"
+cried he, "that<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span> by restoring the two hundred t&auml;els, I have done an
+action pleasing to Heaven, and now I am rewarded by the happiness of
+finding my child, and contracting so honourable an alliance. This is,
+indeed, joy upon joy; it is like putting gold flowers upon a beautiful
+piece of silk. How can I be sufficiently grateful for so many favours?
+Here are the twenty t&auml;els that my friend Tchin has given me; can I do
+better than employ them towards the maintenance of some virtuous
+bonzes? It will be sowing them in a soil of blessings."</p>
+
+<p>The next day, after breakfast, the father and son got ready their
+luggage, and took leave of their host; they proceeded to the quay,
+hired a boat, and commenced their journey. They had scarcely gone half
+a league, ere they came in sight of a scene of terrible excitement;
+the river was full of struggling people, whose cries rent the air. A
+bark, full of passengers, had just sunk, and the cries of the
+unfortunate creatures for help were heart-rending! The people on the
+shore called loudly to several small boats which were near to come to
+the rescue. But the hard-hearted and selfish boatmen demanded that a
+good sum should be guaranteed them, before they would bestir
+themselves. At this critical moment Lin-in's boat came up. The moment
+he perceived what was going on, he said to himself: "It is a much more
+meritorious action to save the life of a man, than to adorn the
+temples and support bonzes. Let us consecrate the twenty t&auml;els to this
+good work; let us succour these poor drowning souls." He instantly
+proclaimed that he would give the twenty t&auml;els amongst those who would
+take the drowning men into their boats.</p>
+
+<p>At this offer all the boatmen crowded towards the scene of the
+disaster, and the river was, in a moment, covered with their boats; at
+the same time, some of the spectators on shore, who knew how to swim,
+threw themselves into the water, and, in a few moments,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span> all were
+saved, without exception. Lin-in then distributed amongst the boatmen
+the promised reward.</p>
+
+<p>The poor creatures, snatched from a watery grave, came in a body to
+return thanks to their preserver. One amongst them, having looked
+attentively at Lin-in, suddenly cried out, "What! is that you, my
+eldest brother? By what good luck do I find you here?"</p>
+
+<p>Lin-in, turning towards him, recognized his youngest brother,
+Lin-tchin. Then, transported with joy, he exclaimed, clasping his
+hands, "O wonderful circumstance! Heaven has led me hither to save my
+brother's life." He instantly reached out his hand to him, and made
+him come into his boat, helped him off with his wet clothes, and gave
+him others.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as Lin-tchin had sufficiently recovered, he paid the respects
+due to an elder brother which good breeding demands from a younger,
+and Lin-in, having acknowledged his politeness, called Hi-eul, who was
+in the cabin, to come and salute his uncle; he then recounted all his
+adventures, which threw Lin-tchin into a state of amazement, from
+which he was a long time in recovering. "But tell me," said Lin-in, at
+length, "your motive in coming to this country."</p>
+
+<p>"It is not possible," replied Lin-tchin, "to tell you in a few words
+the reason of my travels. In the course of the three years which have
+elapsed since your departure from home, the melancholy news of your
+death from illness reached us. My second brother made every inquiry,
+and assured himself that the report was true. It was a thunderbolt for
+my sister-in-law; she was inconsolable, and put on the deepest
+mourning. For my part, I could not give credit to the report. After a
+few days had elapsed, my second brother tried all in his power to
+induce my sister-in-law to contract a fresh marriage. She, however,
+steadily rejected the proposal; at length she prevailed upon me to
+make a journey to Chan-si, to ascertain<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span> upon the spot what had become
+of you; and, when I least expected it, at the point of perishing in
+the water, the very person I was in search of, my well-beloved
+brother, has saved my life. Is not this unexpected good fortune, a
+blessing from Heaven? But believe me, my brother, there is no time to
+be lost; make all possible haste to return home, and to put an end to
+my sister-in-law's grief. The least delay may cause an irreparable
+misfortune."</p>
+
+<p>Lin-in, overwhelmed at this news, sent for the captain of the boat,
+and, although it was late, ordered him to set sail, and continue the
+voyage during the night.</p>
+
+<p>Whilst all these events were happening to Lin-in, Wang, his wife, was
+a prey to the most poignant grief. A thousand circumstances led her to
+suspect that her husband was not dead; but Lin-pao, who by that
+reported death became the head of the family, so positively assured
+her that it was true, that, at last, she had allowed herself to be
+persuaded into that belief, and had assumed the widow's weeds.</p>
+
+<p>Lin-pao possessed a bad heart, and was capable of the most unworthy
+acts. "I have no doubt," said he, "of my elder brother's death. My
+sister-in-law is young and handsome; she has, besides, no one to
+support her; I must force her to marry again, and I shall make money
+by this means."</p>
+
+<p>He thereupon communicated his plan to Yang, his wife, and ordered her
+to employ some clever matchmaker. But Wang resolutely rejected the
+proposal; she vowed that she would remain a widow, and honour the
+memory of her husband by her widowhood. Her brother-in-law, Lin-tchin,
+supported her in her resolution. Thus all the artifices which Lin-pao
+and his wife employed were useless; and, as every time they urged her
+on the subject it occurred to her that they had no positive proof of
+his death, "I am determined," said she, at length, "to know the truth;
+these reports are often false; it is only on the very spot that
+certain<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span> information can be obtained. True, the distance is nearly a
+hundred leagues. Still, I know that Lin-tchin is a good-hearted man;
+he will travel to the province of Chan-si to relieve my anxiety, and
+learn positively if I am so unfortunate as to have lost my husband;
+and, if I have, he will, at least, bring me his precious remains."</p>
+
+<p>Lin-tchin was asked to undertake the journey, and, without a moment's
+hesitation, departed. His absence, however, only rendered Lin-pao more
+eager in the pursuit of his project. To crown the whole, he had
+gambled very deeply, and, having been a heavy loser, was at his wit's
+end to know where to obtain money. In this state of embarrassment, he
+met with a merchant of Kiang-si, who had just lost his wife, and was
+looking for another. Lin-pao seized upon the opportunity, and proposed
+his sister-in-law to him. The merchant accepted the offer, taking
+care, however, to make secret inquiries whether the lady who was
+proposed to him was young and good-looking. As soon as he was
+satisfied on these points, he lost no time, and paid down thirty t&auml;els
+to clinch the bargain.</p>
+
+<p>Lin-pao, having taken the money, said to the merchant, "I ought to
+warn you, that my sister-in-law is proud and haughty. She will raise
+many objections to leaving the house, and you will have a great deal
+of trouble to force her to do it. Now this will be your best plan for
+managing it. This evening, as soon as it gets dark, have a palanquin
+and good strong bearers in readiness; come with as little noise as
+possible, and present yourself at the door of the house. The young
+woman who will come to the door, attired in the head-dress of
+mourners, is my sister-in-law; don't say a word to her, and don't
+listen to what she may say, but seize her at once, thrust her into
+your palanquin, carry her to your boat, and set sail at once." This
+plan met with the approbation of the merchant, and its execution
+appeared easy enough of accomplishment.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>In the mean time, Lin-pao returned home, and, in order to prevent his
+sister-in-law from suspecting any thing of the project he had planned,
+he assumed an air of the most perfect indifference, but as soon as she
+left the room, he communicated his plans to his wife, and, alluding to
+his sister-in-law, in a contemptuous manner, said, "That two-legged
+piece of goods must leave this house to-night. However, not to be a
+witness of her tears and sighs, I shall go out beforehand, and, as it
+gets dark, a merchant of Kiang-si will come, and take her away in a
+palanquin to his boat."</p>
+
+<p>He would have continued the conversation, when he heard the footsteps
+of some person outside the window, and went hurriedly away. In his
+haste he forgot to mention the circumstance of the mourning dress. It
+was doubtless an interposition of Providence that this circumstance
+was omitted. The lady Wang easily perceived that the noise she made
+outside the window had caused Lin-pao to break off the conversation
+suddenly. The tone of his voice plainly showed that he had something
+more to say; but she had heard enough; for having remarked by his
+manner that he had some secret to tell his wife when he entered the
+house, she had pretended to go away, but listening at the window had
+heard these words distinctly, "They will take her away and put her
+into a palanquin."</p>
+
+<p>These words strongly fortified her suspicions. Her resolution was
+taken at once. She entered the room, and approaching Yang, gave
+utterance to her anxiety. "My sister-in-law," said she, "you behold an
+unfortunate widow, who is bound to you by the strongest ties of a
+friendship which has been always sincere. By this long-standing
+friendship I conjure you to tell me candidly whether my brother-in-law
+still persists in his design of forcing me into a marriage that would
+cover me with disgrace."</p>
+
+<p>At these words Yang at first appeared confused,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span> and changed colour;
+then, assuming a more confident expression, "What are you thinking
+of?" she asked, "and what fancies have you got into your head? If
+there were any intention of making you marry again, do you think there
+would be any difficulty? What is the good of throwing oneself into the
+water before the ship is really going to pieces?"</p>
+
+<p>The moment the lady Wang heard this allusion to the ship, she
+understood more clearly the meaning of the secret conference of her
+brother-in-law with his wife. She now suspected the worst, and gave
+vent to her lamentations and sighs; and yielding to the current of her
+grief, she shut herself up in her room, where she wept, groaned, and
+bewailed her hard lot. "Unfortunate wretch that I am," cried she, "I
+do not know what has become of my husband. Lin-tchin, my
+brother-in-law and friend, upon whom alone I can rely, is gone on a
+journey. My father, mother, and relations live far from hence. If this
+business is hurried on, how shall I be able to inform them of it? I
+can hope for no assistance from our neighbours. Lin-pao has made
+himself the terror of the whole district, and every body knows him to
+be capable of the greatest villany. Miserable creature that I am! how
+can I escape his snares? If I do not fall into them to-day, it may be
+to-morrow, or at any rate in a very short time."</p>
+
+<p>She fell to the ground half dead; her fall, and the violence of her
+grief, made a great noise. The lady Yang, hearing the disturbance,
+hastened to her room, and finding the door firmly fastened, concluded
+that it was a plan of her distracted sister-in-law to evade the scheme
+of the night; she therefore seized a bar which stood by and broke the
+door open. As she entered the room, the night being very dark, she
+caught her feet in the clothes of the lady Wang, and fell tumbling
+over her. In her fall she lost her head-dress, which flew to some
+distance, and the fright and fall brought on a faint, in which she
+remained for some time. When she recovered she got up, went for a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></span>
+light, and returned to the room, where she found the lady Wang
+stretched on the floor, without motion and almost without breath.</p>
+
+<p>At the moment she was going to procure other assistance, she heard a
+gentle knock at the door. She knew it must be the merchant of Kiang-si
+come to fetch the wife he had bought. She quickly ran to receive him
+and bring him into the room, that he might himself be witness of what
+had occurred; but remembering that she had no head-dress, and that she
+was unfit to present herself in that state, she hastily caught up the
+one she found at her feet, which was the lady Wang's head-dress of
+mourning, and ran to the door.</p>
+
+<p>It was indeed the merchant of Kiang-si, who had come to fetch away his
+promised bride. He had a bridal palanquin, ornamented with silk flags,
+festoons, flowers, and several gay lanterns; it was surrounded by
+servants bearing lighted torches, and by a troop of flute and
+hautboy-players. The whole cort&eacute;ge was stationed in the street in
+perfect silence. The merchant, having knocked gently and finding the
+door open, entered the house with some of those who bore torches to
+light him.</p>
+
+<p>Upon the lady Yang's appearance, the merchant, who spied at a glance
+the mourning head-dress, which was the mark by which he was to
+distinguish his bride, flew upon her like a hungry kite upon a
+sparrow. His followers rushed in, carried off the lady, and shut her
+into the palanquin, which was all ready to receive her. It was in vain
+she endeavoured to make herself heard, crying out, "You are mistaken;
+it is not me you want." The music struck up as she was forced into the
+palanquin, and drowned her voice, whilst the bearers flew rather than
+walked, and bore her to the boat.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 632px;">
+<img src="images/i123.jpg" width="632" height="427" alt="The lady Yang carried off in the Palanquin, p. 122." title="" />
+<span class="caption">The lady Yang carried off in the Palanquin, p. 122.</span>
+</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Whilst all this was taking place, the lady Wang had gradually revived
+and come to her senses. The great hubbub she heard at the door of the
+house renewed her fears, and occasioned her the most painful anxiety;
+but as she found that the noise of music, and the tumult of voices,
+which had arisen so suddenly died gradually away in the distance, she
+regained her courage, and after a few minutes summoned up strength to
+go and inquire what was the matter.</p>
+
+<p>After calling her sister-in-law two or three times without effect, the
+truth began to dawn on her; and after considering the matter
+carefully, she could only come to the conclusion that the merchant had
+made a mistake, and had carried off the wrong lady. But now a fresh
+cause of uneasiness arose; she dreaded the consequences when Lin-pao
+should return and be informed of the mistake. She shut herself up in
+her room, and after picking up the head-pins, the earrings, and the
+head-dress, which were lying on the floor, threw herself, quite worn
+out with fatigue and anxiety, on her couch, and endeavoured to get a
+little sleep, but she was not able to close her eyes all night.</p>
+
+<p>At daybreak she rose and bathed her face, and proceeded to complete
+her toilet. As, however, she was searching about for her mourning
+head-dress, some one began making a great noise at the room-door,
+knocking loudly and crying out, "Open the door instantly!" It was, in
+fact, Lin-pao himself. She recognized the voice at once. She made up
+her mind at once what to do; she let him go on knocking without
+answering him. He swore, stormed and bawled, till he was hoarse. At
+length the lady Wang went to the door, and standing behind it without
+opening it, asked, "Who is knocking there, and making such a
+disturbance?" Lin-pao, who recognized the voice of his sister-in-law,
+began to shout still louder: but seeing that his storming had no
+effect, he had recourse to an expedient which proved successful.
+"Sister-in-law," said he, "I have brought you good news! Lin-tchin, my
+youngest brother, has come back, and our eldest brother is in
+excellent health; open the door at once!"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Overjoyed at this intelligence, the lady Wang ran to complete her
+toilet, and in her haste put on the black<a name="FNanchor_8_8" id="FNanchor_8_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a> head-dress that her
+sister-in-law had left behind, and eagerly opened the door; but, alas!
+in vain did she look for her friend Lin-tchin; no one was there but
+Lin-pao. He entered her room hurriedly and looked round, but not
+seeing his wife, and perceiving a black head-dress on the head of his
+sister-in-law, his suspicions began to be excited in a strange manner.</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 Chinese mourning colour is white.</p></div>
+
+<p>"Well! where is your sister-in-law?" he asked roughly.</p>
+
+<p>"You ought to know better than I," replied the lady Wang, "since you
+had the whole management of this admirable plot."</p>
+
+<p>"But tell me," returned Lin-pao, "why don't you still wear a white
+head-dress? have you left off mourning?" The lady Wang forthwith
+proceeded to relate to him all that had happened during his absence.</p>
+
+<p>Just at this moment he caught sight through the window of four or five
+persons hurrying towards his house. To his utter astonishment he
+perceived that they were his eldest brother Lin-in, his youngest
+brother Lin-tchin, his nephew Hi-eul, and two servants carrying their
+luggage. Lin-pao, thunderstruck at this sight, and not having
+impudence enough to face them, ran off by the back-door, and
+disappeared like a flash of lightning.</p>
+
+<p>The lady Wang was transported with joy at her husband's return. But
+who shall describe her ecstasies of joy when her son was presented to
+her? She could scarcely recognize him, so tall and handsome had he
+grown. "Oh!" cried she, "by what good fortune did you recover our dear
+child, whom I thought we had lost for ever?"</p>
+
+<p>Lin-in gave her in detail an account of his adventures; and the lady
+Wang related at length all the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span> indignities she had endured at the
+hands of Lin-pao, and the extremities to which she had been reduced by
+his scandalous treatment.</p>
+
+<p>Lin-in lavished on his wife encomiums which indeed her fidelity
+deserved; after which, reflecting on the whole chain of events by
+which the present meeting had been brought about, he seemed deeply
+moved, and remarked, "If a blind passion for wealth had caused me to
+keep the two hundred t&auml;els I found by accident, how should I have ever
+met with our dear child? If avarice had prevented me from employing
+the twenty t&auml;els in saving those drowning people, my dear brother
+would have perished in the waves, and I should never have seen him; if
+by an unlooked-for chance I had not met my kind-hearted brother, how
+should I have discovered the trouble and confusion that reigned in
+this house in time to prevent its disastrous consequences? But for all
+this, my beloved wife, we should never have seen each other again. I
+recognize the special interposition of Providence in bringing about
+all these things. As to my other brother, that unnatural brother, who
+has unconsciously sold his own wife, he has drawn upon himself his own
+terrible punishment. Heaven rewards men according to their deserts;
+let them not think to escape its judgments.</p>
+
+<p>"Let us learn from this how profitable in the end, as well as good, it
+is to practise virtue; it is that alone which bestows lasting
+prosperity upon a house."</p>
+
+<p>In due course of time Hi-eul brought home his bride, the daughter of
+Tchin. The marriage was celebrated with great rejoicings, and proved a
+happy one. They had several children, and lived to see a crowd of
+grandchildren, several of whom became men of learning, and acquired
+important positions in the state.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h3>CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF PRINCE KHALAF AND THE PRINCESS OF CHINA.</h3>
+
+
+<p>The prince applauded the narrative of the story-teller; and, dinner
+being over, he prostrated himself a second time before the khan, and,
+after thanking him for his goodness, returned to the tent, where
+Elmaze and Timurtasch were anxiously expecting him. "I bring you good
+news," said he to them; "our fortune has changed already." He then
+related to them all that had passed. This fortunate event caused them
+the greatest pleasure; they regarded it as an infallible sign that the
+hardness of their destiny was beginning to soften. They willingly
+followed Khalaf, who conducted them to the royal tent and presented
+them to the khan. This prince received them with courtesy, and renewed
+to them the promise he had given to their son; and he did not fail to
+keep his word. He appointed them a private tent, caused them to be
+waited on by the slaves and officers of his household, and ordered
+them to be treated with the same respect as himself.</p>
+
+<p>The next day Khalaf was arrayed in a rich dress; he received from the
+hand of Almguer himself a sabre with a diamond hilt and a purse full
+of gold sequins; they then brought him a beautiful Turcoman horse. He
+mounted before all the court; and to show that he understood the
+management of a horse, he made him go through all his paces and
+evolutions in a manner that charmed the prince and all his courtiers.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>After having thanked the khan for all his benefits, he took his leave.
+He then sought Elmaze and Timurtasch; and after some time spent in
+desultory conversation, proceeded to unfold to them a scheme which for
+some days past had been agitating his mind. "I have a great desire,"
+said he, "to see the great kingdom of China; give me permission to
+gratify that wish. I have a presentiment that I shall signalize myself
+by some splendid action, and that I shall gain the friendship of the
+monarch who holds that vast empire under his sway. Suffer me to leave
+you in this asylum, where you are in perfect safety, and where you can
+want for nothing. I am following an impulse which inspires me, or
+rather, I am yielding myself to the guidance of Heaven."</p>
+
+<p>"Go, my son," replied Timurtasch; "yield to the noble impulse which
+animates you; hasten to the fortune that awaits you. Accelerate by
+your valour the arrival of that tardy prosperity which must one day
+succeed our misfortunes, or by a glorious death deserve an illustrious
+place in the history of unfortunate princes."</p>
+
+<p>The young prince of the Nag&auml;is, after having embraced his father and
+mother, mounted upon his beautiful charger, took a respectful leave of
+the khan, received from the hand of the princess Elmaze, who came out
+of her tent for the purpose, the parting cup, and set out on his
+journey. Historians do not mention that he encountered any thing
+worthy notice on his route; they only say that, having arrived at the
+great city Canbalac, otherwise Pekin, he dismounted at a house near
+the gate, where a worthy woman, a widow, lived. Khalaf reined up his
+horse here, and on the widow presenting herself at the door, he
+saluted her and said,</p>
+
+<p>"My good mother, would you kindly receive a stranger? If you could
+give me a lodging in your house, I can venture to say that you will
+have no cause to regret it." The widow scrutinized him; and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span> judging
+from his good looks, as well as from his dress, that he was no mean
+guest, she made him a low bow, and replied, "Young stranger of noble
+bearing, my house is at your service, and all that it contains."</p>
+
+<p>"Have you also a place where I can put my horse?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," said she, "I have," and called a young slave, who took the
+horse by the bridle, and led him into a small stable behind the house.
+Khalaf, who felt very hungry, then asked her if she would kindly send
+and buy something for him in the market. The widow replied, that she
+had a maiden who lived with her, and who would execute his orders. The
+prince then drew from his purse a sequin of gold and placed it in the
+girl's hand, who went off to the market.</p>
+
+<p>In the mean time, the widow had enough to do to answer the inquiries
+of Khalaf. He asked her a thousand questions; what were the customs of
+the inhabitants of the city? how many families Pekin was said to
+contain? and, at length, the conversation fell upon the king of China.</p>
+
+<p>"Tell me, I pray you," said Khalaf, "what is the character this prince
+bears. Is he generous, and do you think that he would pay any regard
+to a young stranger, who might offer to serve him against his enemies?
+In a word, is he a man to whose interests I could worthily attach
+myself?"</p>
+
+<p>"Doubtless," replied the widow; "he is an excellent prince, who loves
+his subjects as much as he is beloved by them, and I am surprised that
+you have never heard of our good king, Altoun-Khan, for the fame of
+his justice and liberality is spread far and wide."</p>
+
+<p>"From the favourable picture you draw of him," replied the prince of
+the Nag&auml;is, "I should imagine that he ought to be the happiest and
+most prosperous monarch in the world."</p>
+
+<p>"He is not so, however," replied the widow; "indeed, he may be said to
+be the most wretched. In<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span> the first place, he has no prince to succeed
+him on his throne; a male heir is denied him, notwithstanding all the
+prayers of himself and his subjects, and all the good deeds he
+performs to that end. But I must tell you, the grief of having no son
+is not his greatest trouble; what principally disturbs the peace of
+his life is the princess Tourandocte, his only daughter."</p>
+
+<p>"How is it," replied Khalaf, "that she is such a source of grief to
+him?"</p>
+
+<p>"I will tell you," replied the widow; "and, indeed, I can speak upon
+the subject from the very best authority; for my daughter has often
+told me the story and she has the honour of being among the attendants
+on the princess."</p>
+
+<p>"The princess Tourandocte," continued the hostess of the prince of the
+Nag&auml;is, "is in her nineteenth year; she is so beautiful, that the
+artists to whom she has sat for her portrait, although the most expert
+in the East, have all confessed that they were ashamed of their
+efforts; and that the most able painter in the world, and the best
+skilled in delineating the charms of a beautiful face, could not
+express those of the princess of China; nevertheless, the different
+portraits which have been taken of her, although infinitely inferior
+to the original, have produced the most disastrous consequences.</p>
+
+<p>"She combines, with her ravishing beauty, a mind so cultivated, that
+she not only understands all that is usual for persons in her station
+to know, but is mistress of sciences suited only for the other sex.
+She can trace the various characters of several languages, she is
+acquainted with arithmetic, geography, philosophy, mathematics, law,
+and, above all, theology, she knows the laws and moral philosophy of
+our great legislator, Berginghuzin; in fact, is as learned as all the
+wise men put together. But her good qualities are effaced by a
+hardness of heart without parallel, and all her accomplishments are
+tarnished by detestable cruelty.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"It is now two years ago since the king of Thibet sent to ask her in
+marriage for his son, who had fallen in love with her from a portrait
+he had seen. Altoun-Khan, delighted with the prospect of this
+alliance, proposed it to Tourandocte. The haughty princess, to whom
+all men appeared despicable, so vain had her beauty rendered her,
+rejected the proposal with disdain. The king flew into a violent rage
+with her, and declared that he would be obeyed; but instead of
+submitting dutifully to the wishes of her father, she burst into
+bitter lamentations, because he showed a disposition to force her to
+comply; she grieved immoderately, as though it were intended to
+inflict a great injury upon her; in fact, she took it so much to heart
+that she fell seriously ill. The physicians, who soon discovered the
+secret of her complaint, told the king that all their remedies were
+useless, and that the princess would certainly lose her life, if he
+persisted in his resolution to make her espouse the prince of Thibet.</p>
+
+<p>"The king then, who loves his daughter to distraction, alarmed at the
+danger she was in, went to see her, and assured her that he would send
+back the ambassador with a refusal. 'That is not enough, my lord,'
+replied the princess; 'I am resolved to die, except you grant what I
+ask you. If you wish me to live, you must bind yourself by an
+inviolable oath never to try to influence my wishes in this matter,
+and to publish a decree declaring that of all the princes who may seek
+my hand, none shall be allowed to espouse me who shall not previously
+have replied, without hesitation, to the questions which I shall put
+to him before all the learned men in this city; that if his answers
+prove satisfactory, I will consent to his becoming my husband, but if
+the reverse, that he shall lose his head in the court-yard of your
+palace.'</p>
+
+<p>"'By this edict,' added she, 'of which all the foreign princes who may
+arrive at Pekin shall be informed, you will extinguish all desire of
+asking me<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span> in marriage; and that is exactly what I wish, for I hate
+men, and do not wish to be married.'</p>
+
+<p>"'But, my child,' said the king, 'if by chance some one should present
+himself, and reply to your questions?'&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>"'Ha! I do not fear that,' she said quickly, interrupting him; 'I can
+put questions which would puzzle the most learned doctors; I am
+willing to run that risk.'</p>
+
+<p>"Altoun-Khan pondered over what the princess demanded of him. 'I see
+clearly,' thought he, 'that my daughter does not wish to marry, and
+the effect of this edict will be to frighten away all lovers. I run no
+risk, therefore, in yielding to her fancies, no evil can come of it.
+What prince would be mad enough to face such danger?'</p>
+
+<p>"At length the king, persuaded that this edict would not be followed
+by any bad results, and that the recovery of his daughter entirely
+depended upon it, caused it to be published, and swore upon the laws
+of Berginghuzin to see that it was observed to the letter.
+Tourandocte, reassured by this oath, which she knew her father dare
+not violate, regained her strength, and was soon restored to perfect
+health.</p>
+
+<p>"In spite of the decree, the fame of her beauty attracted several
+young princes to Pekin. It was in vain that they were informed of the
+nature of the edict; and as every body, but particularly a young
+prince, entertains a good opinion of himself, they had the hardihood
+to present themselves to reply to the questions of the princess; and
+not being able to fathom her deep meaning, they perished miserably one
+after another.</p>
+
+<p>"The king, to do him justice, appears deeply afflicted with their sad
+fate. He repents of having made the oath which binds him; and however
+tenderly he may love his daughter, he would now almost rather he had
+let her die than have saved her life at such a price.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span> He does all in
+his power to prevent these evils. When a lover whom the decree cannot
+restrain comes to demand the hand of the princess, he strives to deter
+him from his purpose; and he never consents, but with the deepest
+regret, to his exposing himself to the chance of losing his life. But
+it generally happens that he is unable to dissuade these rash young
+men. They are infatuated with Tourandocte, and the hope of possessing
+her blinds them to the difficulty of obtaining her.</p>
+
+<p>"But if the king shows so much grief at the ruin of the unfortunate
+princes, it is not the case with his barbarous daughter. She takes a
+pride in these spectacles of blood with which her beauty periodically
+furnishes the Chinese. So great is her vanity, that she considers the
+most accomplished prince not only unworthy of her, but most insolent
+in daring to raise his thoughts towards her, and she looks upon his
+death as a just chastisement for his temerity.</p>
+
+<p>"But what is still more deplorable, Heaven is perpetually permitting
+princes to come and sacrifice themselves to this inhuman princess.
+Only the other day, a prince, who flattered himself that he had
+knowledge enough to reply to her questions, lost his life; and this
+very night another is to die, who, unfortunately, came to the court of
+China with the same hopes."</p>
+
+<p>Khalaf was deeply attentive to the widow's story.</p>
+
+<p>"I cannot understand," said he, after she had ceased speaking, "how
+any princes can be found sufficiently devoid of judgment to come and
+ask the hand of the princess of China. What man would not be terrified
+at the condition without which he cannot hope to obtain her? Besides,
+despite what the artists may say who have painted her portrait;
+although they may affirm that their productions are but an imperfect
+image of her beauty, my firm belief is that they have added charms,
+and that their portraits<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span> exaggerate her beauty, since they have
+produced such powerful effects; indeed, I cannot think that
+Tourandocte is so beautiful as you say."</p>
+
+<p>"Sir," replied the widow, "she is more lovely by far than I have
+described her to you; and you may believe me, for I have seen her
+several times when I have gone to the harem to visit my daughter. Draw
+upon your fancy as you please, collect in your imagination all that
+can possibly be brought together in order to constitute a perfect
+beauty, and be assured that even then you would not have pictured to
+yourself an object which could approach the perfections of the
+princess."</p>
+
+<p>The prince of the Nag&auml;is could not credit the story of the widow, so
+overdrawn did he consider it; he felt, nevertheless, a secret pleasure
+for which he could not account. "But, my mother," said he, "are the
+questions which the king's daughter proposes so difficult of solution
+that it is impossible to reply to them to the satisfaction of the
+lawyers who are judges? For my part, I cannot help thinking that the
+princes who were not able to penetrate the meaning of her questions,
+must have been persons of very little ingenuity, if not absolutely
+ignorant."</p>
+
+<p>"No, no!" replied the widow. "There is no enigma more obscure than the
+questions of the princess, and it is almost impossible to reply to
+them."</p>
+
+<p>Whilst they were conversing thus of Tourandocte and her lovers, the
+girl arrived from the market loaded with provisions. Khalaf sat down
+to a table which the widow had prepared, and ate like a man famishing
+with hunger. Whilst thus engaged the night drew on, and they heard
+shortly in the town the gong of justice. The prince asked what the
+noise meant. "It is to give notice to the people," replied the widow,
+"that some person is going to be executed; and the unfortunate victim
+about to be immolated is the prince of whom I told you, and who is to
+be executed to-night for not being able to answer the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span> princess's
+questions. It is customary to punish the guilty during the day, but
+this is an exceptional case. The king, who in his heart abhors the
+punishment which he causes to be inflicted upon the lovers of his
+daughter, will not suffer the sun to be witness of such a cruel
+action."</p>
+
+<p>The son of Timurtasch had a wish to see this execution, the cause of
+which appeared so singular to him. He went out of the house, and
+meeting a crowd of Chinese in the street animated by the same
+curiosity, he mixed with them, and went to the court-yard of the
+palace, where the tragic scene was to be enacted. He beheld in the
+middle of the yard a <i>schebt-cheraghe</i>, in other words a very high
+wooden tower, the outside of which, from the top to the bottom, was
+covered with branches of cypress, amongst which a prodigious quantity
+of lamps, tastefully arranged, spread a brilliant light around, and
+illuminated the whole court-yard. Fifteen cubits from the tower a
+scaffold was raised, covered with white satin, and around the scaffold
+were arranged several pavilions of taffetas of the same colour open
+towards the scaffold. Behind these two thousand soldiers of the guard
+of Altoun-Khan were stationed, with drawn swords and axes in their
+hands, forming a double rank, which served as a barrier against the
+people. Khalaf was looking with deep attention at all that presented
+itself to his view, when suddenly the mournful ceremony commenced. It
+was ushered in by a confused noise of drums and bells, which proceeded
+from the town, and could be heard at a great distance. At the same
+moment twenty mandarins and as many judges, all dressed in long robes
+of white woollen cloth, emerged from the palace, advanced towards the
+scaffold, and after walking three times around it, took their places
+under the pavilions.</p>
+
+<p>Next came the victim, crowned with flowers interwoven with cypress
+leaves, and with a blue fillet round his head,&mdash;not a red one, such as
+criminals condemned<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span> by justice wear. He was a young prince, who had
+scarcely reached his eighteenth year; he was accompanied by a mandarin
+leading him by the hand, and followed by the executioner. The three
+ascended the scaffold; instantly the noise of the drums and bells
+ceased. The mandarin then addressed the prince in a tone so loud that
+he was heard by nearly the whole concourse of people. "Prince," said
+he, "is it not true that you were apprised of the terms of the king's
+edict before you presented yourself to ask the princess in marriage?
+Is it not also true that the king himself used all his endeavours to
+dissuade you from your rash resolution?" The prince, having replied in
+the affirmative, "Acknowledge, then," continued the mandarin, "that it
+is by your own fault that you lose your life to-day, and that the king
+and princess are not guilty of your death."</p>
+
+<p>"I pardon them," returned the prince; "I impute my death to myself
+alone, and I pray Heaven not to require of them my blood which is
+about to be shed."</p>
+
+<p>He had scarcely finished these words, when the executioner swept off
+his head with one stroke of the sword. The air instantly resounded
+with the noise of the drums and the bells. Then twelve mandarins took
+up the body, laid it in a coffin of ivory and ebony, and placed it
+upon a litter, which six of them bore away upon their shoulders into
+the gardens of Serail. Here they deposited it under a dome of white
+marble, which the king had ordered to be erected purposely to be the
+resting-place of all those unfortunate princes who should share the
+same fate. He often retired there to weep upon the tombs of those who
+were buried within it, and tried, by honouring their ashes with his
+tears, in some measure to atone for the barbarity of his child. As
+soon as the mandarins had carried away the body of the prince who had
+just suffered, the people and all the councillors retired to their
+homes, blaming the king for having had the imprudence to sanction
+such<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span> barbarity by an oath that he could not break. Khalaf remained in
+the court-yard of the palace in a state of bewilderment; he noticed a
+man near him weeping bitterly; he guessed that it was some person who
+was deeply interested in the execution that had just taken place, and
+wishing to know more about it, addressed him in these words:</p>
+
+<p>"I am deeply moved," said he, "by the lively grief you exhibit, and I
+sympathize in your troubles, for I cannot doubt that you were
+intimately acquainted with the prince who has just suffered."</p>
+
+<p>"Ah! sir," replied the mourner, with a fresh outburst of grief, "I
+ought indeed to know him, for I was his tutor. O unhappy king of
+Samarcand!" added he, "what will be thy grief when thou shalt be told
+of the extraordinary death of thy son? and who shall dare to carry
+thee the news?"</p>
+
+<p>Khalaf asked by what means the prince of Samarcand had become
+enamoured of the princess of China. "I will tell you," replied the
+tutor: "and you will doubtless be astonished at the recital I am about
+to make. The prince of Samarcand," pursued he, "lived happily at his
+father's court. The court looked upon him as a prince who would one
+day be their sovereign, and they studied to please him as much as the
+king himself. He usually passed the day in hunting and playing at
+ball, and at night he assembled secretly in his apartments the
+distinguished youth of the court, with whom he drank all sorts of
+liquors. He sometimes amused himself by seeing the beautiful slaves
+dance, or by listening to music and singing. In a word, his life was
+passed in a constant round of pleasure.</p>
+
+<p>"One day a famous painter arrived at Samarcand with several portraits
+of princesses which he had painted in the different courts through
+which he had passed. He showed them to my prince, who, looking at the
+first he presented, said, 'These are very beautiful pictures; I am
+certain that the originals are under a deep obligation to you.'<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"'My lord,' replied the artist, 'I confess that in these portraits I
+have somewhat flattered the sitters; but I crave permission to tell
+you that I have one far more beautiful than these, which does not
+approach the original.' Saying this, he drew from the case which
+contained his portraits that of the princess of China.</p>
+
+<p>"Scarcely had my master looked at it, when not conceiving that nature
+was capable of producing so perfect a beauty, he exclaimed that there
+was not in the world a woman of such exquisite loveliness, and that
+the portrait of the princess of China was more flattering than the
+others. The artist protested that it was not, and assured him that no
+pencil could convey an idea of the grace and beauty which shone in the
+countenance of the princess Tourandocte. Upon this assurance my master
+bought the portrait, which made so deep an impression on him, that,
+leaving the court of his father, he quitted Samarcand, accompanied by
+me alone, and without informing any one of his intentions, took the
+road for China, and came to this city. He volunteered to serve
+Altoun-Khan against his enemies, and asked the hand of his daughter
+the princess. We were apprized of the severe edict connected with the
+proposal, but alas! my prince, instead of being dismayed by the
+severity of the conditions, conceived the liveliest joy. 'I will go,'
+said he, 'and present myself to answer the questions of Tourandocte; I
+am not deficient in talent or ready wit, and I shall obtain the hand
+of the princess.'</p>
+
+<p>"It is needless to tell you the rest, sir," continued the tutor,
+sobbing; "you may judge by the mournful spectacle you have beheld that
+the unfortunate prince of Samarcand was unable to answer, as he hoped,
+the fatal questions of this barbarous beauty, whose delight is to shed
+blood, and who has already been the means of sacrificing the lives of
+several kings' sons. A few moments before his death he gave me the
+portrait of this cruel princess. 'I entrust,' said he, 'this portrait<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span>
+to thee; guard carefully the precious deposit. Thou hast but to show
+it to my father when thou informest him of my sad fate, and I doubt
+not that when he beholds so beautiful a face, he will pardon my
+temerity.' But," added the old man, "let any one else who pleases
+carry the sad news to the king his father; for my part, borne down by
+the weight of my affliction, I will go far from hence and Samarcand,
+and mourn for my beloved charge. This is what you wished to know; and
+here is the dangerous portrait," pursued he, taking it from beneath
+his cloak and throwing it on the ground in a paroxysm of rage; "behold
+the cause of the sad fate of my prince. O execrable portrait! why had
+my master not my eyes when he took thee into his hands? O inhuman
+princess! may all the princes of the earth entertain for thee the same
+sentiments as those with which thou hast inspired me! Instead of being
+the object of their love, thou wouldest then be their aversion."
+Saying this, the tutor of the prince of Samarcand retired full of
+rage, regarding the palace with a furious eye and without speaking
+another word to the son of Timurtasch. The latter quickly picked up
+the portrait of Tourandocte, and turned to retrace his steps to the
+house of the widow; but he missed his way in the darkness, and
+wandered heedlessly out of the city. He impatiently awaited the
+daylight to enable him to contemplate the beauty of the princess of
+China. As soon as the approach of dawn furnished him with sufficient
+light to satisfy his curiosity, he opened the case which contained the
+portrait.</p>
+
+<p>Still he hesitated before he looked at it. "What am I about to do?"
+cried he; "ought I to disclose to my eyes so dangerous an object?
+Think, Khalaf, think of the direful effects it has caused; hast thou
+already forgotten what the tutor of the prince of Samarcand has just
+narrated to thee? Look not on this portrait; resist the impulse which
+urges thee, it is nothing more than a feeling of idle curiosity.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></span>
+Whilst thou retainest thy reason thou canst prevent thy destruction.
+But what do I say? prevent," added he, checking himself; "with what
+false reasoning does my timid prudence inspire me. If I am to love the
+princess, is not my love already written in indelible characters in
+the book of fate. Besides, I think that it is possible to look upon
+the most beautiful portrait with impunity; one must be weak, indeed,
+to be influenced by the sight of a vain array of colours. Never fear;
+let us scan these surpassing and murderous features without emotion. I
+will even find defects, and taste the pleasure of criticizing the
+charms of this too beautiful princess; and I could wish, in order to
+mortify her vanity, that she might learn that I have looked upon her
+portrait without emotion."</p>
+
+<p>The son of Timurtasch had fully made up his mind to look upon the
+portrait of Tourandocte with an indifferent eye. He now casts his eyes
+on it, he regards it attentively, examines it, admires the contour of
+the countenance, the regularity of the features, the vivacity of the
+eyes,&mdash;the mouth, the nose, all appear perfect; he is surprised at so
+rare a combination of perfect features, and although still on his
+guard, he allows himself to be charmed. An inconceivable uneasiness
+takes possession of him in spite of himself; he can no longer
+understand his feelings. "What fire," said he, "has suddenly kindled
+itself in my bosom! What tumult has this portrait produced in my
+thoughts! Merciful Heaven, is it the lot of all those who look upon
+this portrait to become enamoured of this inhuman princess? Alas! I
+feel but too surely that she has made the same impression upon me, as
+she did upon the unhappy prince of Samarcand; I yield to the charms
+that wounded him, and far from being terrified by his melancholy fate,
+I could almost envy his very misfortune. What a change, gracious
+Heaven! I could not conceive a short time ago, how one could be mad
+enough to despise the severity of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span> the edict, and now I see nothing
+that frightens me, all the danger has vanished.</p>
+
+<p>"No! incomparable princess," pursued he, devouring the portrait with
+an enamoured gaze, "no obstacle can stop me, I love you spite of your
+barbarity; and since it is permitted to me to aspire to your
+possession, from this day I will strive to win you; if I perish in the
+bold attempt, I shall only feel in dying the grief of not being able
+to possess you."</p>
+
+<p>Khalaf, having formed the resolve of demanding the hand of the
+princess, returned to the widow's house, a journey which cost him no
+little trouble, for he had rambled to some considerable distance
+during the night. "Ah! my son," exclaimed his hostess, as soon as she
+beheld him, "I am so glad to see you, I was very uneasy about you, I
+feared some accident had befallen you; why did you not return
+earlier?"</p>
+
+<p>"My good mother," replied he, "I am sorry to have caused you any
+uneasiness, I missed my way in the darkness." He then related to her
+how he had met the tutor of the prince whom they had put to death, and
+did not fail to repeat to her all that he had told him. Then showing
+her the portrait of Tourandocte; "Tell me," said he, "if this portrait
+is only an imperfect likeness of the princess of China; for my part, I
+cannot conceive that it is not equal to the original."</p>
+
+<p>"By the soul of the prophet Jacmouny," cried the widow, after she had
+examined the portrait, "the princess is a thousand times more
+beautiful, and infinitely more charming than she is here represented.
+I wish you could see her, you would be of my opinion, that all the
+artists in the world who should undertake to paint her as she really
+is, could never succeed. I will not even make an exception in favour
+of the famous Many."</p>
+
+<p>"You delight me above measure," replied the prince of the Nag&auml;is, "by
+assuring me that the beauty of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span> Tourandocte surpasses all the efforts
+of the artist's power. How flattering the assurance! It strengthens me
+in my determination, and incites me to attempt at once the brilliant
+adventure. Oh that I were before the princess! I burn with impatience
+to try whether I shall be more fortunate than the prince of
+Samarcand."</p>
+
+<p>"What do you say, my son?" eagerly asked the widow, "what enterprise
+are you so rashly planning? And do you seriously think of carrying it
+into effect?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, my good mother," returned Khalaf, "I intend this very day to
+present myself to answer the questions of the princess. I came to
+China only with the intention of offering my services to the great
+king, Altoun-Khan, but it is better to be his son-in-law than an
+officer in his army."</p>
+
+<p>At these words the widow burst into tears. "Ah! sir, in the name of
+Heaven do not persist in so rash a resolution; you will certainly
+perish if you are bold enough to aspire to the hand of the princess;
+instead of allowing her beauty to charm you, let it be the object of
+your detestation, since it has been the cause of so many frightful
+tragedies; picture to yourself what the grief of your parents will be
+when they hear of your death; let the thoughts of the mortal grief
+into which you will plunge them deter you."</p>
+
+<p>"For pity's sake, my mother," interrupted the son of Timurtasch,
+"cease to present to my mind such affecting images. I cannot be
+ignorant, that if it be my destiny to die this day, my sad end will be
+a source of bitter and inexhaustible grief to my beloved parents; nay,
+I can conceive their misery being so excessive as to endanger their
+own lives, for well do I know their extreme affection for me;
+notwithstanding all this, however, notwithstanding the gratitude with
+which their love ought to inspire, and indeed does inspire me, I must
+yield to the passion that consumes me. But, what! Is it not in hopes
+of making them more happy that I am about to expose my life? Yes,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span>
+doubtless, their interest is bound up with the desire that urges me
+on, and I feel sure that if my father were here, far from opposing my
+design, he would rather excite me to its speedy execution. My
+resolution is taken; waste no more time in trying to dissuade me;
+nothing shall shake my determination."</p>
+
+<p>When the widow found that her young guest would not heed her advice,
+her grief increased. "So it must be, then, sir," continued she; "you
+will not be restrained from rushing headlong on your destruction. Why
+was it ordained that you should come to lodge in my house? why did I
+speak of Tourandocte? You became enamoured of her from the description
+I gave of her; wretched woman that I am, it is I who have caused your
+ruin; why must I reproach myself with your death?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, my good mother," said the prince of the Nag&auml;is, interrupting her
+a second time, "you are not the cause of my misfortune; do not blame
+yourself because I love the princess; I am to love her, and do but
+fulfil my destiny. Besides, how do you know that I shall not be able
+to reply to her questions? I am not without understanding, and I have
+studied much; and Heaven may have reserved for me the honour of
+delivering the king of China from the grief with which his frightful
+oath overwhelms him. But," added he, drawing out the purse which the
+khan of Berlas had given him, and which still contained a considerable
+quantity of gold pieces, "as my success is after all uncertain, and I
+may chance to die, I make you a present of this purse to console you
+for my death. You may sell my horse and keep the money, for it will be
+of no more use to me, whether the daughter of Altoun-Khan become the
+reward of my boldness, or my death be the mournful forfeit of my
+audacity."</p>
+
+<p>The widow took the purse from Khalaf, saying, "O my son, you are much
+mistaken if you imagine that these pieces of gold will console me for
+your loss. I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span> will employ them in good works, I will distribute a
+portion among the poor in the hospitals, who bear their afflictions
+with patience, and whose prayers are consequently acceptable to
+Heaven; the remainder I will give to the ministers of our religion,
+that they all may pray together that Heaven may inspire you, and not
+suffer you to perish. All the favour I ask you is, not to go to-day
+and present yourself to answer the questions of Tourandocte; wait till
+to-morrow, the time is not long; grant me that interval to enlist the
+hearts of the pious in your behalf, and propitiate our Prophet in your
+favour, after that you can do as you think best. I pray you to grant
+me that favour; I am bold to say that you owe it to one who has
+conceived so great a friendship for you, that she would be
+inconsolable if you were to die."</p>
+
+<p>Indeed Khalaf's appearance had made a favourable impression upon her,
+for, besides being one of the handsomest princes in the world, his
+manners were so easy and pleasing that it was impossible to see him
+without loving him. He was moved by the grief and affection the good
+lady exhibited. "Well, my mother," said he, "I will do as you desire
+me; and I will not go to-day to ask the hand of the princess; but, to
+speak my sentiments frankly, I don't believe that even your prophet
+Jacmouny will be able to make me forego my determination."</p>
+
+<p>The following morning, the prince appeared more determined than ever
+to demand Tourandocte. "Adieu, my good mother," said he, to the widow.
+"I am sorry that you have given yourself so much trouble on my
+account; you might have spared it, for I assured you yesterday that I
+should be of the same mind." With these words, he left the widow, who,
+giving herself up to the deepest sorrow, covered her face with her
+veil, and sat with her head on her knees, overwhelmed with
+indescribable grief.</p>
+
+<p>The young prince of the Nag&auml;is, perfumed with rare scents and more
+beautiful than the moon, re<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span>paired to the palace. He found at the gate
+five elephants, and, on each side, a line of two thousand soldiers,
+with helmets on their heads, armed with shields, and covered with
+plate armour. One of the principal officers in command of the troops,
+judging from Khalaf's air that he was a stranger, stopped him, and
+demanded his business at the palace.</p>
+
+<p>"I am a foreign prince," replied the son of Timurtasch. "I am come to
+present myself to the king, and pray him to grant me permission to
+reply to the questions of the princess his daughter."</p>
+
+<p>The officer, at these words, regarding him with astonishment, said to
+him, "Prince, do you know that you come to seek death? You would have
+done more wisely to have remained in your own country, than form the
+design which brings you hither; retrace your steps, and do not flatter
+yourself with the deceitful hope that you will obtain the hand of the
+cruel Tourandocte. Although you may have studied until you have become
+more learned in science than all the mandarins, you will never be able
+to fathom the meaning of her ambiguous questions."</p>
+
+<p>"Accept my heartfelt thanks," replied Khalaf; "but, believe me, I am
+not come thus far to retreat."</p>
+
+<p>"Go on to your certain death, then," returned the officer, in a tone
+of chagrin, "since it is impossible to restrain you." At the same
+moment, he allowed him to enter the palace, and then, turning towards
+some other officers who had been listening to their conversation, he
+said, "How handsome and well-grown this young prince is. It is a pity
+he should die so early."</p>
+
+<p>Khalaf traversed several saloons, and, at length, found himself in the
+hall where the king was accustomed to give audience to his people. In
+it was placed the steel throne of Cathay, made in the form of a
+dragon, three cubits high; four lofty columns, of the same material,
+supported above it a vast canopy of yellow satin, ornamented with
+precious stones.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span> Altoun-Khan, dressed in a caftan of gold brocade
+upon a crimson ground, was seated on his throne, with an air of
+gravity which was in admirable keeping with his long moustache and
+ample beard. The monarch, after listening to some of his subjects,
+cast his eyes by chance to where the prince of the Nag&auml;is stood
+amongst the crowd; he saw, at once, by his noble bearing and splendid
+dress, that he was not a man of common birth; he pointed out Khalaf to
+one of his mandarins, and gave an order, in an undertone, to learn his
+rank, and the reason of his visit to his court.</p>
+
+<p>The mandarin approached the son of Timurtasch, and told him that the
+king desired to know who he was, and whether he wished to make any
+request of the king. "You may tell the king, your master," replied the
+prince, "that I am the only son of a king, and that I am come to
+endeavour to merit the honour of becoming his son-in-law."</p>
+
+<p>Altoun-Khan no sooner learned the reply of the prince of the Nag&auml;is,
+than he changed colour; his august countenance became pale as death,
+he broke up the audience, and dismissed all the people; he then
+descended from his throne, and, approaching Khalaf, "Rash young man,"
+said he, "are you aware of the severity of my edict, and of the
+miserable fate of those who have hitherto persisted in their desire to
+obtain the hand of the princess my daughter?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, my lord," replied the son of Timurtasch, "I know all the danger
+I incur; my eyes have witnessed the just and severe punishment your
+majesty inflicted upon the prince of Samarcand; but the deplorable end
+of the audacious youths who have flattered themselves with the sweet,
+though vain, hope of possessing the princess Tourandocte, only
+stimulates the desire I have of deserving her."</p>
+
+<p>"What madness!" rejoined the king; "scarcely has one prince lost his
+life, than another presents himself to share the same fate; it appears
+as though<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></span> they took a pleasure in sacrificing themselves. What
+blindness! Reconsider the step you are taking, and be less prodigal of
+your blood; you inspire me with more pity than any who have hitherto
+come to seek their destruction; I feel a growing inclination towards
+you, and wish to do all in my power to hinder you from perishing.
+Return to your father's kingdom, and do not inflict upon him the pain
+of learning from strangers' lips the sad intelligence that he will
+never more behold his only son."</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," replied Khalaf, "I am overjoyed to hear, from your
+majesty's own lips, that I have the honour of pleasing you; I draw a
+happy presage from it. It may be that Heaven, touched by the
+misfortunes caused by the beauty of the princess, will use me as a
+means of putting an end to them, and securing you, at the same time,
+tranquillity for the remainder of your life, which the necessity of
+authorizing these cruel deeds disturbs. Can you be sure that I shall
+not be able to answer the questions that may be put to me? What
+certainty have you that I shall perish? If others have been unable to
+fathom the depths of the obscure propositions of Tourandocte, is it to
+be concluded that I cannot penetrate their meaning? No, my lord, their
+example shall never make me renounce the brilliant honour of having
+you for a father-in-law."</p>
+
+<p>"Ah! unhappy prince," replied the king, melting into tears, "you wish
+to die; all the princes who have presented themselves before you, to
+answer the fatal questions put by my daughter, used the same language;
+they all hoped that they could penetrate her meaning, and not one was
+able to do so. Alas! you will be the dupe of your own confidence. Once
+more, my son, let me dissuade you. I love you, and wish to save you;
+do not frustrate my good intentions by your obstinacy; whatever
+confidence you may feel, distrust it. You deceive yourself, if you
+imagine that you will be able to answer upon the spot what the
+princess<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span> may propose to you; you will, it is true, have seven minutes
+to answer in; that is the rule. But if in that time you do not give a
+satisfactory reply, and one that shall be approved of by all the
+doctors and wise men who are appointed the judges, that moment you
+will be declared worthy of death, and on the following night will be
+conducted to execution. So, prince, retire; pass the rest of the day
+in considering what is your duty in reference to the step you propose
+to take; consult wise persons, reflect well, and to-morrow let me know
+your determination." When the king had finished speaking, he dismissed
+Khalaf, who immediately quitted the palace, much mortified that he was
+obliged to wait till the next day, for he was no way daunted by what
+the king had said. He returned to his hostess without exhibiting the
+least concern about the danger to which he had determined to expose
+himself. As soon as he presented himself to the widow, and had related
+all that had passed at the palace, she began to remonstrate with him
+afresh, and bring every argument she could think of into play to
+dissuade him from his enterprise; but her efforts were crowned with no
+better success, and she had the mortification of seeing that they only
+inflamed her young guest more, and strengthened him in his resolution.
+The next day the prince returned to the palace, and was announced to
+the king, who received him in his cabinet, not wishing any one to be
+present at their interview.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, prince," began Altoun-Khan, "am I to rejoice or grieve at your
+presence here to-day? What is your determination?"</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," replied Khalaf, "I am in the same mind as yesterday. Before
+I had the honour of presenting myself then before your majesty, I had
+thoroughly reflected upon the matter; and I am still prepared to
+suffer the same punishment as my rivals, if Heaven has not otherwise
+ordained." At these<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span> words the king smote his breast, rent his
+clothes, and plucked the hairs from his beard.</p>
+
+<p>"Wretched man that I am!" cried he, "that I should have conceived such
+friendship for him. The death of the others has not caused me half the
+pain which his will occasion me. Ah! my son," continued he, embracing
+the prince of the Nag&auml;is with a tenderness that caused him deep
+emotion, "yield to my grief, if my arguments are not able to shake
+thee. I feel that the blow which takes thy life will strike my heart
+with deadly force. Renounce, I conjure thee, the hope of possessing my
+cruel daughter; thou wilt find in the world plenty of other princesses
+whom thou mayst gain with more ease and as much honour. Why persevere
+in the pursuit of an inhuman creature whom thou wilt never be able to
+obtain? Remain, if thou wilt, in my court; thou shalt hold the first
+rank after me; thou shalt have beautiful slaves; pleasures shall
+follow thee wherever thou goest; in a word, I will look on thee as my
+own son. Desist from thy pursuit of Tourandocte. Oh! let me at least
+have the joy of rescuing one victim from the sanguinary princess."</p>
+
+<p>The son of Timurtasch was deeply moved by the friendship which the
+king of China exhibited towards him; but he replied, "My lord, let me
+for pity's sake expose myself to the danger from which you seek to
+deter me; the greater it is, the more do I feel myself tempted to
+encounter it. I must avow that even the cruelty of the princess
+stimulates my love. I feel an inward pleasure in the thought that I am
+the happy mortal who is to triumph over this proud beauty. For
+Heaven's sake, your majesty," pursued he, "cease to oppose a design
+which my glory, my repose, my life even render it necessary for me to
+prosecute; for, truly, I cannot live unless I obtain Tourandocte."</p>
+
+<p>Altoun-Khan, perceiving that Khalaf was not to be moved, was
+overwhelmed with affliction. "Ah! rash<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span> youth," said he, "thy
+death-warrant is sealed, since thou art still determined to persist in
+demanding my daughter. Heaven is witness that I have done all in my
+power to inspire thee with rational thoughts. Thou rejectest my
+counsel, and lovest rather to perish than follow it; let us say no
+more; thou wilt receive the reward of thy mad constancy. I consent to
+thy undertaking to answer the questions of Tourandocte, but I must
+first pay thee the honour which I am accustomed to bestow upon princes
+who seek my alliance."</p>
+
+<p>At these words he called the chief of his first band of eunuchs; he
+ordered him to conduct Khalaf into the princes' palace, and to assign
+him two hundred eunuchs to wait upon him.</p>
+
+<p>The prince of the Nag&auml;is had scarcely entered the palace to which the
+eunuch conducted him, before the principal mandarins came to salute
+him, which they did in the following manner: they placed themselves on
+their knees before him, bowed their heads to the ground, saying one
+after the other, "Prince, the perpetual servant of your illustrious
+race comes to make his obeisance to you." They then all made him
+presents and retired.</p>
+
+<p>The king, who felt the greatest friendship for the son of Timurtasch,
+and pitied him, sent for the most learned professor of the royal
+college, and said to him, "There is a new prince, who has come to my
+court to demand the hand of my daughter. I have spared no pains to
+induce him to renounce his intention, but without success. I wish thee
+to exert thine eloquence in endeavouring to make him listen to reason.
+It is for this I have sent for thee." The professor obeyed. He went to
+Khalaf and entered into a long conversation with him; after which he
+returned to Altoun-Khan, and said, "My lord, it is impossible to
+dissuade this young prince; he will absolutely deserve the princess or
+die. When I saw the futility of attempting to conquer his resolution,
+I had the curiosity to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span> try and ascertain whether his obstinacy did
+not proceed from some other cause than his love. I interrogated him
+upon several different subjects, and I found him so well informed that
+I was surprised at his learning. He is a Moslem, and appears to me
+perfectly instructed in all that concerns his religion; in fact, to
+confess the truth to your majesty, I believe if any prince is capable
+of replying to the questions of the princess it is he."</p>
+
+<p>"O wise man," cried the king, "I am overjoyed at thy report. Heaven
+grant that he may become my son-in-law. From the moment he appeared
+before me I felt an affection for him; may he be more fortunate than
+the others who came to this city only to seek a grave."</p>
+
+<p>After prayers and sacrifices, the Chinese monarch sent his calao to
+the prince of the Nag&auml;is with notice that he was to hold himself in
+readiness to reply to the princess's questions on the next day, and to
+tell him that the proper officers would come at the right time to
+conduct him to the divan; and that the persons who were to compose the
+assembly had already received orders to attend.</p>
+
+<p>Notwithstanding his inflexible determination to persevere in this
+adventure, Khalaf did not pass a quiet night; if at one time he dared
+to trust to his genius, and promise himself success, at another,
+losing confidence, he represented to himself the shame he should
+endure if his replies did not please the divan; at another time he
+thought of Elmaze and Timurtasch. "Alas!" said he, "if I die, what
+will become of my father and mother?"</p>
+
+<p>Day surprised him occupied with these conflicting thoughts. Presently
+he heard the ringing of bells and beating of drums. He concluded that
+this was to call to the council all those who were ordered to attend.
+Then raising his thoughts to Mahomet, "O great prophet," said he, "you
+behold my difficulties and know my doubts. Inspire me, and reveal to
+me<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span> whether I must go to the divan, or must confess to the king that
+the danger terrifies me!" He had scarcely pronounced these words,
+before he felt all his fears vanish and his confidence return. He rose
+and dressed himself in a caftan, and mantle of red silk worked with
+gold flowers, which Altoun-Khan had sent him, with stockings and
+slippers of blue silk.</p>
+
+<p>When he had finished dressing, six mandarins, booted and dressed in
+very wide robes of crimson, entered his apartment, and after having
+saluted him in the same manner as on the previous day, informed him
+that they came from the king to lead him to the divan. He immediately
+rose and accompanied them; they traversed a court between a double
+file of soldiers, and when they arrived in the first council-chamber
+found more than a thousand singers and players upon instruments, who
+performing in concert produced a wonderful noise. From thence they
+advanced into the hall, where the council was sitting, and which
+communicated with the interior palace.</p>
+
+<p>All the persons who were to assist at this assembly were already
+seated under canopies of different colours arranged round the hall.
+The mandarins of the highest rank were on one side, the calao with the
+professors of the college on the other, and several doctors, renowned
+for their erudition, occupied other seats. In the middle were placed
+two thrones of gold raised upon triangular pedestals.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the prince of the Nag&auml;is appeared, the noble and learned
+assembly saluted him with gestures of great respect, but without
+speaking a word; for every body, being in expectation of the king's
+arrival, preserved the strictest silence.</p>
+
+<p>The sun was upon the point of rising. As soon as the first rays of
+that brilliant luminary were perceived, two eunuchs drew aside the
+curtains which hung before the door of the inner palace, and
+immediately the king appeared, accompanied by the princess
+Tourandocte, who wore a long robe of silk and gold tissue, whilst<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span> her
+face was concealed by a veil of the same material. When the king and
+princess had taken their seats upon their thrones, which they ascended
+by five steps of silver, two young girls of perfect beauty approached
+and stationed themselves, one on the side of the king and the other
+near the princess. They were slaves of the harem of Altoun-Khan; their
+faces and necks were exposed; they wore large pearls in their ears;
+and they stood each with pen and paper, ready to transcribe what the
+king or the princess might desire. All this time the whole assembly,
+who had risen upon the entrance of Altoun-Khan, stood up with great
+gravity and their eyes half closed. Khalaf alone looked about him, or
+rather looked only at the princess, whose majestic demeanour filled
+him with admiration.</p>
+
+<p>When the powerful monarch of China had ordered the mandarins and
+doctors to be seated, one of the six nobles who had conducted Khalaf,
+and who stood with him at fifteen cubits' distance from the two
+thrones, kneeled down and read a petition, which contained the demand
+of the stranger prince for the hand of the princess Tourandocte. He
+then rose and told Khalaf to make three salutations to the king. The
+prince of the Nag&auml;is acquitted himself with so much grace, that
+Altoun-Khan could not refrain from smiling and expressing the pleasure
+he experienced in seeing him.</p>
+
+<p>The calao then rose from his place and read with a loud voice the
+fatal edict, which condemned to death all the rash lovers who should
+fail to reply satisfactorily to the questions of Tourandocte. Then
+addressing Khalaf, "Prince," said he, "you have just heard the
+conditions upon which alone the princess's hand is to be obtained. If
+the sense of danger makes any impression upon you, there is still time
+to retire."</p>
+
+<p>"No, no!" said the prince; "the prize to be carried off is too
+precious to be lost by cowardice."</p>
+
+<p>The king, seeing Khalaf ready to reply to the questions of
+Tourandocte, turned towards the princess and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span> said, "My daughter, it
+is for you to speak; propose to this young prince the questions which
+you have prepared; and may all the spirits to whom sacrifices were
+offered yesterday grant that he may penetrate the meaning of your
+words."</p>
+
+<p>Tourandocte thereupon said, "I take the prophet Jacmouny to witness,
+that I behold with sorrow the death of so many princes; but why do
+they persist in desiring to wed me? why will they not leave me to live
+in peace without making attempts on my liberty? Know then, rash young
+man," added she, addressing Khalaf, "that you cannot reproach me if
+you suffer a cruel death; you have the examples of your rivals before
+your eyes; you alone are the cause of your own destruction; I do not
+oblige you to come and ask my hand."</p>
+
+<p>"Lovely princess," replied the prince of the Nag&auml;is, "I am fully alive
+to all that has been said upon this subject; propound, if you please,
+your questions, and I will endeavour to unravel their meaning."</p>
+
+<p>"Well then," said Tourandocte, "tell me what creature is that which
+belongs to every land, is a friend to the whole world, and will not
+brook an equal?"</p>
+
+<p>"Madam," replied Khalaf, "it is the sun."</p>
+
+<p>"He is right," exclaimed all the doctors, "it is the sun."</p>
+
+<p>"What is that mother," resumed the princess, "who, after having
+brought her children into the world, devours them when they are grown
+up?"</p>
+
+<p>"It is the sea," replied the prince of the Nag&auml;is; "because the
+rivers, which draw their sources from the sea, discharge themselves
+into it again."</p>
+
+<p>Tourandocte, seeing that the prince gave correct replies to her
+questions, was so vexed that she resolved to spare no effort to
+destroy him. Exerting all her ingenuity, she next asked, "What tree is
+that whose leaves are white on one side and black on the other?" She
+was not satisfied with proposing the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span> riddle alone; the malignant
+princess, in order to dazzle and confuse him, raised her veil at the
+same moment, and allowed the assembly to see all the beauty of her
+countenance, the haughty charms of which were only enhanced by the
+violence of her emotions. Her head was adorned with natural flowers
+arranged with infinite art, and her eyes shone more brilliantly than
+the stars. She was as lovely as the sun in all his splendour, when he
+emerges from a thick cloud. The son of Timurtasch, at the sight of
+this incomparable princess, remained mute and motionless; so much so,
+that all the divan, who were deeply interested in him, were seized
+with terror; the king himself grew pale, and thought that the prince
+was lost for ever.</p>
+
+<p>But Khalaf, recovering from the surprise that the beauty of
+Tourandocte had caused him, quickly reassured the assembly by
+resuming, "Charming princess, I pray you pardon me if I remained for
+some moments speechless; I could not behold so much loveliness without
+being disturbed. Have the goodness to repeat the question, for I no
+longer remember it; your charms have made me forget every thing."</p>
+
+<p>"I asked you," said Tourandocte, "what tree is that whose leaves are
+white on one side and black on the other?"</p>
+
+<p>"That tree," replied Khalaf, "is the year, which is composed of days
+and nights."</p>
+
+<p>This reply was again applauded in the divan. The mandarins and the
+doctors said that it was correct, and bestowed a thousand praises on
+the young prince. Altoun-Khan said to Tourandocte, "Come, my daughter,
+confess thyself vanquished, and consent to espouse thy conqueror; the
+others were not able to reply to even one of thy questions, and this
+one, thou seest, has answered them all."</p>
+
+<p>"He has <i>not</i> gained the victory," angrily retorted the princess,
+replacing her veil to conceal her confusion and the tears she was not
+able to repress; "I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span> have others to propose to him. But I will defer
+them till to-morrow."</p>
+
+<p>"No," replied the king, "I will certainly not permit you to propose
+questions without end: all that I can allow you is to ask him one
+more, and that immediately."</p>
+
+<p>The princess objected, saying that she had only prepared those which
+had just been answered, and entreated the king, her father, for
+permission to interrogate the prince on the following day.</p>
+
+<p>"I will certainly not grant it," cried the monarch of China, in a
+rage; "you are only endeavouring to perplex this young prince, while I
+am eagerly grasping at the prospect of escaping from the frightful
+oath I had the imprudence to make. Ah! cruel one, you breathe nothing
+but blood, and the death of your lovers is a pleasant sight to you.
+The queen, your mother, touched by the first misfortunes your cruelty
+caused, died of grief at having brought into the world so barbarous a
+child; and I, you know well, am plunged into a state of profound
+melancholy, which nothing can dissipate, whilst I behold the fatal
+results of the love I entertained for you; but, thanks to the sun, and
+the moon, and the spirits who preside in the heavens, and by whom my
+sacrifices have been regarded with a propitious eye, no more of those
+horrible executions which have rendered my name execrable shall be
+committed in my palace. Since this prince has answered your questions
+satisfactorily, I ask all this assembly if it is not right that you
+should become his wife?"</p>
+
+<p>The mandarins and the doctors expressed their assent in murmurs, and
+the calao took upon himself to speak. "My lord," said he, addressing
+the king, "your majesty is no longer bound by the oath you made, to
+execute your severe edict; it is for the princess to fulfil her
+engagement. She promised her hand to him who should answer her
+questions correctly; a prince has answered them, to the satisfaction<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span>
+of the whole divan; she must keep her promise, or we cannot doubt that
+the spirits who preside over the punishment of perjurers will quickly
+take vengeance upon her."</p>
+
+<p>Tourandocte kept silence during the delivery of this speech; she sat
+with her head on her knees, and appeared buried in deep affliction.
+Khalaf, perceiving this, prostrated himself before Altoun-Khan, and
+said, "Great king, whose justice and goodness have raised the vast
+empire of China to such prosperity, I beg of your majesty to grant me
+a favour. I see that the princess is in despair at my having been so
+fortunate as to reply to her questions; doubtless she would rather it
+had so happened that I should have deserved death. Since she exhibits
+so strong an aversion to me, that, in spite of her promise, she
+refuses to become my wife, I will renounce my right to her, on
+condition that she, on her part, replies correctly to a question which
+I shall propose."</p>
+
+<p>The whole assembly was surprised at this speech. "Is this young prince
+mad," they whispered one to another, "to risk the loss of that for
+which he perilled his life? Does he imagine he can propose a question
+that will be too difficult for Tourandocte to solve? He must have lost
+his senses." Altoun-Khan was also amazed at the request which Khalaf
+had the temerity to make. "Prince," said he, "have you reflected upon
+the words which have just escaped your lips?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, my lord," replied the prince of the Nag&auml;is, "and I implore you
+to grant me this favour."</p>
+
+<p>"I grant it," returned the king; "but, whatever be the result, I
+declare that I am no longer bound by the oath I made, and that,
+henceforth, I will not cause another prince to be put to death."</p>
+
+<p>"Divine Tourandocte," resumed the son of Timurtasch, addressing the
+princess, "you have heard what I said. Although the decision of this
+learned assembly has awarded to me the prize of your hand, although<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span>
+you are mine, I will give you back your liberty, I will yield up
+possession of you, I will despoil myself of a treasure precious to me
+above all things, provided you reply at once to a question I shall
+ask; but, on your part, swear that if you cannot, you will consent
+willingly to complete my happiness and crown my love."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, prince," replied Tourandocte, "I accept the conditions, and I
+take this assembly as witnesses of my oath."</p>
+
+<p>All the divan awaited, in breathless suspense, the question that
+Khalaf was to propose to the princess, and there was not one who did
+not blame the young prince for exposing himself to the risk of losing
+the daughter of Altoun-Khan; they were all amazed at his temerity.
+"Lovely princess," said Khalaf, "what is the name of that prince who,
+after suffering a thousand hardships, and being reduced even to beg
+his bread, finds himself, at this moment, overwhelmed with glory and
+joy?"</p>
+
+<p>"It is impossible," said Tourandocte, "for me to reply to that
+question on the spot, but I promise that to-morrow I will tell you the
+name of that prince."</p>
+
+<p>"Madam," cried Khalaf, "I asked no time for consideration, and it is
+not right to grant you any; still, I will grant you your wish; I hope,
+after that, you will look more favourably on me, and not oppose any
+further difficulty to your becoming my bride."</p>
+
+<p>"She must make up her mind to that," said Altoun-Khan, "if she cannot
+reply to the question proposed. Let her not think by falling ill, or
+pretending to do so, that she will thereby escape. Even if my rash
+oath should not bind me to grant him her hand, and she were not his
+according to the tenor of the edict, I would rather let her die, than
+send this young prince away. Where would it be possible for her to
+meet with one more perfectly worthy of her?" With these words, he rose
+and dismissed the assembly. He<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span> re-entered the inner palace with the
+princess, who retired to her own apartments.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the king had left the divan, all the mandarins and doctors
+complimented Khalaf upon his wit and understanding. "I admire," said
+one, "your ready and easy conception." "No!" said another, "there is
+not a bachelor licentiate, or doctor even, of greater penetration than
+you. Not one of all the princes who has presented themselves hitherto,
+in the least degree approached your merit, and we feel the most
+heartfelt joy at your success." The prince of the Nag&auml;is had no light
+task to perform in thanking all those who pressed round him to
+congratulate him. At length, the six mandarins who had conducted him
+to the council-chamber, led him back to the same palace whence they
+had brought him, whilst the others, together with the learned doctors
+retired, not without anxiety about the answer which the daughter of
+Altoun-Khan would return to the question.</p>
+
+<p>The princess Tourandocte regained her palace, followed by the two
+young slaves who enjoyed her confidence. No sooner had she entered
+into her apartment, than she tore off her veil, and throwing herself
+upon a couch, gave free vent to the grief and rage which agitated her;
+shame and sorrow were depicted on her countenance; her eyes already
+bedimmed with tears, overflowed afresh; she tore off the flowers that
+adorned her head, and allowed her hair to fall about her in confusion.
+Her two favourite slaves attempted to console her, but she only said
+bitterly, "Leave me, both of you, cease your useless attentions. I
+will listen to nothing but my despair; leave me alone to pour forth my
+tears and lamentations. Ah! how great will be my confusion to-morrow,
+when I shall be forced to acknowledge before the whole council, and
+the wisest doctors of China, that I cannot solve the question. Is
+that, they will say, the transcendent<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span> princess who prides herself
+upon knowing every thing, and to whom the solution of the most
+difficult enigma presented no difficulty?"</p>
+
+<p>"Alas!" continued she, "they all take an interest in this young
+prince. I noticed them grow pale with anxiety when he appeared
+embarrassed. I saw their faces beaming with joy when he penetrated the
+meaning of my questions. I shall have the bitter mortification of
+seeing them again rejoice at my confusion, when I shall have to
+confess myself conquered. How great will be their delight when I make
+the degrading avowal, and what agony must I endure in making it."</p>
+
+<p>"My princess," said one of her slaves, "instead of afflicting yourself
+beforehand, instead of picturing to yourself the shame you fear to
+suffer to-morrow, would it not be better to think of some means of
+preventing it? Is the question the prince has proposed so difficult,
+that you cannot answer it? with the genius and penetration you
+possess, can you not accomplish it?"</p>
+
+<p>"No," said Tourandocte, "it is impossible. He asks me to name the
+prince who, after suffering a thousand hardships, and being reduced to
+beg his bread, is, at this moment, overwhelmed with joy and glory? I
+feel assured that he is himself that prince, but not knowing him, I
+cannot tell his name."</p>
+
+<p>"Still, madam," rejoined the same slave, "you have promised to name
+that prince to-morrow; when you made that promise, you hoped,
+doubtless, to be able to fulfil it."</p>
+
+<p>"I had no hope," replied the princess, "and I only demanded time to
+die of grief, rather than be obliged to acknowledge my shame, and
+marry the prince."</p>
+
+<p>"The resolution is a violent one," said the other favourite slave. "I
+know well that no man is worthy of you, but you must allow that this
+prince possesses singular merits; his beauty, his noble bearing, and
+his ready wit ought to plead in his favour."</p>
+
+<p>"I grant it all," interrupted the princess. "If<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></span> there is any prince
+in the world who is worthy of my regards, it is he. Indeed, I will not
+deny it, that I grieved for him, before I put my questions to him; I
+sighed when I beheld him, and&mdash;what has never happened till to-day&mdash;I
+almost hoped he would reply to my questions correctly. It is true
+that, at the same moment, I blushed at my weakness, but my pride got
+the better of me, and the apt answers he made excited my abhorrence
+towards him; all the commendations which the doctors bestowed on him
+so deeply mortified me, that I then felt, and still feel, the most
+bitter hatred against him. O unhappy Tourandocte, lay thee down and
+die of vexation and grief, at having found a man, and he a youth, who
+has been able to load thee with disgrace, and compel thee to become
+his wife."</p>
+
+<p>At these words she redoubled her tears, and in the transport of her
+rage spared neither her hair nor her clothes. She raised her hands
+more than once towards her cheeks to tear them, and punish them as the
+prime authors of the disgrace she had endured; but her slaves, who
+were watching her frenzy, prevented her. They tried, however, in vain
+to console her; they could not calm the fury of her agitation. Whilst
+she was in this fearful state of excitement, the prince of the Nag&auml;is,
+charmed with the result, and overwhelmed with joy, delivered himself
+up to the hope of bearing off his bride the next day.</p>
+
+<p>The king, having returned from the council-chamber, sent for Khalaf to
+talk over in private the events which had taken place at the divan.
+The prince of the Nag&auml;is hastened to obey the orders of the monarch,
+who, after embracing him with great tenderness, said, "Ah! my son,
+release me from the anxiety I am suffering. I fear lest my daughter
+should be able to answer the question you have proposed. Why have you
+risked the danger of losing the object of your love?"</p>
+
+<p>"Let not your majesty be under the least apprehension,"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span> replied
+Khalaf; "it is impossible that the princess can tell me who the prince
+is whose name I have asked, for I am that prince, and no one in your
+court knows me."</p>
+
+<p>"This gives me fresh hope," cried the king in a transport of joy; "I
+confess I was most anxious about you. Tourandocte is very shrewd; the
+subtlety of her wit made me tremble for you; but, thank Heaven, you
+dispel my doubts. However great her facility of penetrating the sense
+of enigmas, she cannot guess your name. I can no longer accuse you of
+temerity; and I see what appeared to me a lack of prudence, is an
+ingenious device you have formed to remove every pretext for my
+daughter's refusal."</p>
+
+<p>Altoun-Khan, after laughing with Khalaf at the question proposed to
+the princess, prepared to enjoy the diversion of the chase. He dressed
+himself in a light and close-fitting caftan, and enclosed his beard in
+a bag of black satin. He ordered the mandarins to hold themselves in
+readiness to accompany him, and commanded a hunting-dress to be given
+to the prince of the Nag&auml;is. They partook of a slight repast, and then
+quitted the palace. The mandarins, in open palanquins of ivory inlaid
+with gold, headed the procession, each carried by six men; two men
+armed with whips of cord marched before each palanquin, and two others
+followed with tablets of silver, upon which were written in large
+characters all the mandarin's titles. The king and Khalaf, in an open
+litter of red sandalwood, carried by twenty military officers, on
+whose dresses were embroidered in silver the monarch's monogram
+and badges,&mdash;the latter consisting of several figures of
+animals,&mdash;appeared next. After the mandarins, two generals of
+Altoun-Khan's army marched on either side of the litter, carrying
+large fans or umbrellas to ward off the heat, and three thousand
+eunuchs on foot completed the cort&eacute;ge.</p>
+
+<p>When they arrived at the place where the hunters awaited the king with
+the falcons, the sport<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span> began by flying hawks at quails; this
+diversion lasted till sunset, when the king and the prince, and the
+persons of their suites, returned to the palace in the same order in
+which they had left. They found in the court several pavilions of silk
+of different colours, a great number of small tables, beautifully
+polished and covered with all sorts of viands ready cut up. As soon as
+the king had taken his seat, Khalaf and the mandarins sat down, each
+at a little separate table, near which stood another, which served as
+a buffet. They all began by drinking several bumpers of rice wine
+before touching the viands; they then proceeded to eat without
+drinking any more. The banquet ended, the king, Altoun-Khan, led the
+prince of the Nag&auml;is into a large hall, brilliantly illuminated, and
+fitted up with seats arranged for seeing some spectacle, and they were
+followed by all the mandarins. The king appointed each his place, and
+made Khalaf sit near him, upon a large ebony throne, inlaid with gold
+tracery.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the company had taken their places, singers and musicians
+entered, who commenced an agreeable concert. Altoun-Khan was delighted
+with it. Infatuated with the Chinese music, he asked the son of
+Timurtasch, from time to time, what he thought of it, and the young
+prince, out of politeness, gave it the highest rank of all the music
+in the world. The concert finished, the singers and musicians retired,
+to make room for an artificial elephant, which having advanced by
+secret springs into the middle of the hall, vomited forth six
+vaulters, who began by making some perilous leaps. They were attired
+in very thin dresses; they had on only drawers of Indian cloth, caps
+of brocade, and light shoes. After they had exhibited their agility
+and suppleness by a thousand extraordinary performances, they
+re-entered the elephant, which went away as it came. Next, there
+appeared players, who performed, impromptu, a piece, the subject of
+which the king chose. When all these<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span> diversions were finished, and
+the night was far advanced, Altoun-Khan and Khalaf rose, to retire to
+their apartments, and the mandarins followed their example.</p>
+
+<p>The young prince of the Nag&auml;is, conducted by eunuchs bearing wax
+candles in gold candelabra, was preparing to taste the sweets of
+repose as well as his impatience to return to the divan would permit
+him, when on entering his chamber, he found a young lady, dressed in a
+robe of red brocade with silver flowers, and adorned with rubies and
+emeralds; she wore a head-dress of rose-coloured silk, ornamented with
+pearls and bound by a very light silver border, which only covered the
+top of her head, and allowed her beautiful hair to escape, which hung
+down in ringlets, adorned with a few artificial flowers; as to her
+figure and face it was impossible to see any more beautiful and
+perfect except that of the princess of China.</p>
+
+<p>The son of Timurtasch was much surprised at meeting a lady alone, and
+so beautiful, at midnight in his room. He could not have looked upon
+her with indifference, had he not seen Tourandocte; but as the lover
+of that princess he had no eyes for any other.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as the lady perceived Khalaf, she rose from the sofa where she
+was seated, and upon which she had laid her veil, and after making a
+low inclination of her head, "Prince," said she, "I doubt not that you
+are surprised to find a woman here; for you cannot be ignorant that it
+is rigorously forbidden for men and women who inhabit the harem, to
+have any communication together; but the importance of the matter that
+I have to communicate to you, has made me disregard all danger. I have
+had dexterity and good fortune enough to overcome all the obstacles
+which opposed my design. I have gained the eunuchs who wait upon you.
+It now only remains for me to tell you what brought me here."</p>
+
+<p>Khalaf felt interested; he could not doubt but that the lady who had
+taken so perilous a step, had something<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span> to communicate worthy his
+attention; he begged her to resume her seat on the sofa; they both sat
+down; and the lady then continued in these terms:</p>
+
+<p>"My lord, I believe I ought to begin by informing you that I am the
+daughter of a khan, one of the tributaries of Altoun-Khan. Some years
+ago, my father was bold enough to refuse to pay the usual tribute,
+and, relying too much upon his experience in the art of war, as well
+as upon the valour of his troops, prepared to defend himself in case
+he were attacked. What he expected happened. The king of China
+irritated by his audacity, sent the most experienced of his generals
+with a powerful army against him. My father, though considerably
+weaker in numbers, went out to meet him. After a sanguinary battle,
+which was fought on the banks of a river, the Chinese general remained
+victorious. My father, pierced with a thousand wounds, died during the
+battle, but before his death, he ordered all his wives and children to
+be thrown into the river, to preserve them from slavery. Those who
+were charged with the generous, though inhuman order, executed it;
+they threw me, together with my mother, sisters, and two brothers,
+whose tender age had kept them with us, into the river. The Chinese
+general arrived at the spot at the very moment when they had cast us
+in, and when we were about to finish our miserable existence. This
+mournful and horrible sight excited his compassion; he promised a
+reward to any of the soldiers who should save any of the vanquished
+khan's family. Several Chinese horsemen, in spite of the rapidity of
+the stream, dashed in, and urged their horses wherever they saw our
+dying bodies floating. They recovered a few, but their assistance was
+only of use to me. I still breathed when they brought me to shore. The
+general took great pains for my recovery, as though the glory acquired
+by my captivity would bestow a fresh lustre on his victory; he brought
+me to this city, and presented me to the king, after giving<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span> an
+account of his mission. Altoun-Khan placed me with his daughter the
+princess, who is two or three years younger than I am.</p>
+
+<p>"Although still a child, I could not help reflecting that I had become
+a slave, and that I ought to have sentiments conformable to my
+situation. I therefore studied the disposition of Tourandocte, and
+strove to please her, and I succeeded so well by my compliance with
+her wishes and my attentions, that I gained her friendship. From that
+time I have shared her confidence with a young person of illustrious
+birth, whom the misfortunes of her family have reduced to slavery.</p>
+
+<p>"Pardon, my lord," she continued, "this narrative which does not bear
+any relation to the subject that has brought me here. I thought it but
+right to apprize you that I am of noble blood, that you might place
+more reliance in me; for the important communication I have to make is
+such, that an ordinary slave might induce you to give but little
+credence to what she had to say; and I know not, that even I, though
+the daughter of a khan, shall be able to influence you: would a prince
+enamoured of Tourandocte give credit to what I am about to say of
+her?"</p>
+
+<p>"Princess," replied the son of Timurtasch, interrupting her, "keep me
+no longer in suspense, tell me, I pray you, at once what you have to
+say concerning the princess of China."</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," replied the lady, "Tourandocte, the barbarous Tourandocte
+has formed a plot to assassinate you!"</p>
+
+<p>At these words Khalaf, falling back on the sofa, lay for a moment in a
+state of horror and amazement.</p>
+
+<p>The slave-princess, who had foreseen the astonishment of the young
+prince, said,</p>
+
+<p>"I am not surprised that you should thus receive this frightful
+announcement, and I was right when I doubted that you would believe
+it."</p>
+
+<p>"Merciful Heaven," cried Khalaf, when he recovered from his
+stupefaction, "did I hear aright? Is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span> it possible that the princess of
+China could be guilty of such an atrocious attempt? How could she
+conceive so base a project?"</p>
+
+<p>"Prince," replied the lady, "I will explain to you how she came to
+take this horrible resolution. When she left the divan this morning,
+where I had been stationed behind her throne, I saw that she was
+mortally enraged at what had taken place; she returned into her
+apartments writhing under the most bitter feelings of mortification
+and fury; she pondered over the question you asked her for a long
+time, and not being able to find a suitable answer, she abandoned
+herself to despair. While she was in the bath, I spared no means, in
+which I was seconded by the other favourite slave, to calm the
+violence of her transports; we tried all in our power to inspire her
+with sentiments favourable to you; we extolled your person and your
+talents; we represented to her, that she ought to determine to bestow
+her hand upon you; we pointed out the unseemliness of such immoderate
+grief; but she imposed silence upon us, with a torrent of injurious
+words. The most agreeable and handsome make no more impression upon
+her than the ugliest and most deformed. 'They are all,' said she,
+'objects of my contempt, and for whom I shall always entertain the
+deepest aversion. As regards him who has presented himself last, I
+entertain a greater hatred towards him than towards the others, and if
+I cannot rid myself of him by any other means I will have him
+assassinated.'</p>
+
+<p>"I opposed this detestable design," continued the slave-princess, "and
+laid before her the terrible consequences of such a deed. I
+represented to her the injury she would inflict upon herself, the
+despair she would occasion the king, and the just horror that future
+ages would entertain for her memory.</p>
+
+<p>"The other favourite slave supported with all her eloquence the
+arguments I adduced, but all our persuasions were of no avail; we
+could not turn her from her purpose. She has entrusted her faithful
+eunuchs with<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span> orders to take your life to-morrow morning as you leave
+your palace to repair to the divan."</p>
+
+<p>"O inhuman princess, perfidious Tourandocte," cried the prince of the
+Nag&auml;is, "is it thus you prepare to crown the affection of the unhappy
+son of Timurtasch? Has Khalaf indeed appeared so hateful to you, that
+you would rather rid yourself of him by a crime that will dishonour
+you, than unite your destiny with his? Great Heaven! how chequered
+with strange events is my life! At one moment I seem to enjoy
+happiness that the greatest might envy, at another I am plunged into a
+whirlpool of misery."</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," said the slave-princess, "if Heaven ordains that you should
+suffer misfortunes, it does not will that you should sink beneath
+their weight, since it warns you of the dangers that threaten you.
+Yes, prince, it is Heaven that has doubtless inspired me with the
+thought of saving you, for I come not only to point out the snare laid
+for your life, I come also to furnish you with means to escape. By the
+assistance of some eunuchs who are devoted to me, I have gained over
+the soldiers of the guard, who will facilitate your flight from the
+serail. As they will not fail to make a searching investigation, when
+they know of your departure, and discover that I am the author of it,
+I am resolved to fly with you, and escape from this court, where I
+have more than one cause for discontent; my state of bondage makes me
+hate it, and you make it still more odious to me.</p>
+
+<p>"Let us waste no time; come, and let to-morrow's sun, when he begins
+his course, find us far, far from Pekin.</p>
+
+<p>"In a certain spot in the town," continued she, "horses await us; let
+us fly, and reach if possible the territory of the tribe of Berlas."</p>
+
+<p>Khalaf replied, "Beautiful princess, I render you a thousand thanks
+for your wish to save me from the danger with which I am encompassed.
+Oh! that I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span> could, to prove my gratitude, deliver you from your
+slavery, and conduct you in safety to the horde of the khan of Berlas
+your relation. With what pleasure would I place you in his hands! I
+should thereby repay some of the obligations I lie under to him. But I
+ask you, princess, ought I thus to steal away from Altoun-Khan? What
+would he think of me? He would believe that I came to his court for
+the sole purpose of carrying you off, and at the very time when I
+should be flying, only that I might save his daughter from
+perpetrating a fearful crime, he would be accusing me of violating the
+laws of hospitality. Ah! must I confess it, cruel though the princess
+of China be, I could never find in my foolish heart to hate her?
+Whatever misfortune may be in store for me, I cannot consent to so
+ignominious a flight. I acknowledge that charms like yours would amply
+repay your liberator, and that my days with you might pass in the
+greatest bliss, but I am not born to be happy, my destiny is to love
+Tourandocte; despite the aversion she feels towards me, I should wear
+out my days in endless sorrow, were they spent away from her."</p>
+
+<p>"Well then, ingrate, remain," cried the lady passionately,
+interrupting him, "and let the spot in which thy happiness is
+concentrated be sprinkled with thy blood." Saying these words, she
+replaced her veil, and quitted the apartment.</p>
+
+<p>The young prince, after the lady had retired, remained upon the sofa
+in a state of bewilderment. "Must I believe," said he, "what I have
+just heard? Can she carry her cruelty thus far? Alas! I dare not doubt
+it, for the slave-princess's expressions of horror at Tourandocte's
+plot were so natural&mdash;the risks she ran in coming herself to warn me
+of it so great, and the feelings she displayed so
+unquestionable,&mdash;that all are pledges of the truthfulness of her
+words. Ah! cruel daughter of the best of kings, is it thus that you
+abuse the gifts with which Heaven has endowed you?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span> O Heaven! how
+couldst thou confer on this barbarous princess so much beauty, or why
+adorn so inhuman a soul with so many charms?"</p>
+
+<p>Instead of seeking a few hours' sleep, he passed the night, distracted
+with the most painful reflections. At length day appeared, the ringing
+of the bells and beating of drums was again heard, and shortly after
+six mandarins arrived to conduct him to the council-chamber, as on the
+preceding day. He traversed the court where the soldiers were arranged
+in two files: he expected to meet his death at this spot, and that it
+was here the persons who had been appointed to assassinate him were
+posted, in order to despatch him as he passed. Far from thinking of
+defending himself or putting himself upon his guard, he walked on like
+a man prepared to die; he even appeared to chide the delay of his
+assassins. He passed through the court, however, without any attack
+being made upon him, and reached the first hall of the divan. "Ah!
+doubtless it is here," thought he, "that the sanguinary order of the
+princess is to be put in execution." He looked around him on all
+sides, and thought he saw in every one he surveyed a murderer. He
+nevertheless advanced and entered the hall where the council was
+sitting, without receiving the deadly stroke which he thought awaited
+him.</p>
+
+<p>All the doctors and mandarins were already seated under their
+canopies, and Altoun-Khan was momentarily expected. "What can be the
+design of the princess?" thought he. "Can she wish to be an
+eye-witness of my death, and does she desire to have me assassinated
+before the eyes of her father? Can the king be an accomplice in the
+deed? What am I to think? Can he have changed his mind, and issued the
+order for my death?"</p>
+
+<p>Whilst his thoughts were occupied with these doubts, the door of the
+inner palace opened, and the king, accompanied by Tourandocte, entered
+the hall. They took their seats upon their thrones, and the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span> prince of
+the Nag&auml;is stood before them, at the same distance as on the day
+before.</p>
+
+<p>When the calao saw the king seated, he rose, and demanded of the young
+prince whether he remembered having promised to renounce the hand of
+the princess if she answered the question which he had proposed.
+Khalaf replied that he did, and again declared that in that event, he
+would renounce all claim to the honour of being the king's son-in-law.
+The calao then addressed Tourandocte, and said, "And you, great
+princess, you are aware of the oath that binds you, and of the penalty
+to which you are subjected if you do not this day declare the name of
+the prince, which you are required to give."</p>
+
+<p>The king, persuaded that she could not reply to the question of
+Khalaf, said to her, "My daughter, you have had ample time to consider
+the question which was proposed to you; but if you had a whole year to
+think of it, I believe that in spite of your sagacity you would be
+obliged, at the end of it, to acknowledge that it is something which
+even you could not reveal. So, as you cannot guess, yield with good
+grace to the love of this young prince, and satisfy the wish I feel
+that he should be your husband. He is worthy of being so, and of
+reigning with you, after my death, over the people of this mighty
+empire."</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," replied Tourandocte, "why do you think that I shall not be
+able to reply to the question of this prince? It is not so difficult
+as you imagine. I suffered the shame of a defeat yesterday, but to-day
+I look forward to the honour of a victory. I will confound this rash
+young man who has entertained so mean an opinion of my talents. Let
+him put the question, and I will answer it."</p>
+
+<p>"Madam," thereupon said the prince of the Nag&auml;is, "I ask, what is the
+name of that prince who, after suffering a thousand hardships, and
+being reduced to beg his bread, finds himself at this moment covered
+with glory, and overwhelmed with joy?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"This prince," replied Tourandocte, "is named Khalaf, and he is the
+son of Timurtasch."</p>
+
+<p>When Khalaf heard his name he changed colour, a dark mist seemed to
+cover his eyes, and he fell senseless to the ground. The king and all
+the mandarins, judging from this that Tourandocte had answered
+correctly, and had given the prince's real name, grew pale, and sat in
+great consternation.</p>
+
+<p>After Khalaf had recovered from his swoon, through the attentions of
+the mandarins and the king himself, who had quitted his throne to come
+to his assistance, he thus addressed Tourandocte:</p>
+
+<p>"Beautiful princess, you are mistaken if you think you have given a
+fitting answer to my question; the son of Timurtasch is not covered
+with glory, and overwhelmed with joy; he is rather covered with shame,
+and overwhelmed with grief."</p>
+
+<p>"I agree with you," replied the princess, "that at this moment you are
+not overwhelmed with glory and joy, but you were so when you proposed
+this question; so, prince, instead of having recourse to vain
+quibbles, confess honestly that you have lost your right to
+Tourandocte. I therefore can, if I choose, refuse you my hand, and
+abandon you to the regret of having lost your prize; nevertheless, I
+will acknowledge to you, and declare here publicly, that I entertain
+different feelings towards you to what I did. The friendship my father
+has conceived for you, and your own merit, have determined me to take
+you for my husband."</p>
+
+<p>At these words all etiquette was for a moment forgotten; the
+council-chamber resounded with shouts of joy. The mandarins and
+doctors applauded the words of Tourandocte. The king approached her,
+and kissing her, said, "My child, you could not have formed a decision
+more agreeable to me; by this act you will efface the bad impression
+you have made upon the minds of my people, and you confer upon your
+father a joy to which he has long been a stranger, and which<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span> hitherto
+he had hoped for in vain. Yes, that aversion you entertained for
+marriage, that aversion so contrary to nature, robbed me of the sweet
+hope of seeing princes of my own blood spring from you. Happily, that
+aversion has ceased, and what crowns my wishes is, that you have
+extinguished it in favour of a young hero who is dear to me. But tell
+us," added he, "how you have been able to guess the name of a prince
+who was unknown to you."</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," replied Tourandocte, "it was not by enchantment that I
+learned it; it was by perfectly natural means. One of my slaves sought
+the prince Khalaf, and had subtlety enough to rob him of his secret,
+and I hope he will forgive me for taking advantage of this treachery,
+since I have made no worse use of it."</p>
+
+<p>"Ah! charming Tourandocte," hereupon cried the prince of the Nag&auml;is,
+"is it possible that you entertain such favourable sentiments towards
+me? From what a frightful abyss do you draw me, to raise me to the
+height of bliss! Alas, how unjust was I! whilst you were preparing
+such a glorious fate for me I thought you guilty of the blackest of
+all treachery. Deceived by a horrible fable which darkened my reason,
+I repaid your good intentions with injurious doubts. Oh! what
+impatience do I feel to expiate my unjust suspicions at your feet."</p>
+
+<p>Altoun-Khan ordered the preparations for the marriage of Khalaf and
+Tourandocte to be set on foot, and whilst they were engaged about them
+he sent ambassadors to the tribe of Berlas, to inform the khan of the
+Nag&auml;is of all that had taken place in China, and to beg him to come
+with the princess his wife.</p>
+
+<p>The preparations being concluded, the marriage was celebrated with all
+the pomp and magnificence which belonged to the high birth of the
+happy pair. Khalaf was raised to the rank of the highest subject, and
+the king himself made a public declaration that, to mark his sense of
+the esteem and consideration he entertained<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span> for his son-in-law, he
+should allow him to dispense with the customary obeisances to his
+bride. During a whole month nothing was seen at the court but feasting
+and pageants, and in the city nothing but gaiety and rejoicings.</p>
+
+<p>The possession of Tourandocte did not diminish the love Khalaf
+entertained for her, and the princess, who had hitherto regarded men
+with so much contempt, could not but love so perfect a prince. Some
+time after their marriage the ambassadors whom Altoun-Khan had sent to
+the country of Berlas returned, bringing with them not only the father
+and mother of the king's son-in-law, but also prince Almguer, who, to
+pay honour to Elmaze and Timurtasch, insisted on accompanying them,
+with the most distinguished of his nobles, and conducting them to
+Pekin.</p>
+
+<p>The young prince of the Nag&auml;is, apprized of their arrival, immediately
+rode out to meet them. He found them nearly at the gate of the palace.
+The joy he felt on seeing his father and mother, and their transports
+on seeing him, can be scarcely conceived, much less described. They
+all three embraced each other over and over again, and the tears they
+shed drew forth corresponding signs of emotion from the Chinese and
+Tartars who were present.</p>
+
+<p>After these tender embraces, Khalaf saluted the khan of Berlas; he
+expressed to him how deeply he felt his kindness, and more especially
+his condescension in himself accompanying his parents to the court of
+China; the prince Almguer replied that, being ignorant of the rank of
+Timurtasch and Elmaze, he had not shown towards them the respect that
+was due to them, and thus to atone for any neglect they might have
+experienced, he thought it his duty to pay them this mark of honour;
+the khan of the Nag&auml;is and his wife the princess, however, paid a high
+tribute to the attentive kindness of the khan of Berlas; they then all
+entered the palace of the king, to be presented to Altoun-Khan. They
+found this monarch awaiting<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span> them in the first hall. He embraced them
+all, one after the other, and received them very graciously; he then
+conducted them into his cabinet, where, after expressing the pleasure
+he felt at seeing Timurtasch, and his sympathy in his misfortunes, he
+assured him that he would employ all his power to avenge him on the
+sultan of Carisma. This was no empty offer, for that very day he
+despatched orders to the governors of the provinces to march with all
+speed with the soldiers who were in the towns within their
+jurisdiction, and to take the route to lake Baljouta, which was chosen
+for the rendezvous of the formidable army he proposed to assemble
+there.</p>
+
+<p>For his part, the khan of Berlas, who had foreseen this war, and who
+wished to assist in the re-establishment of Timurtasch in his
+dominions, had, previous to his departure from his tribe, ordered the
+general of his army to be in readiness to take the field at the first
+summons. He now commanded him also to repair to lake Baljouta with all
+possible speed.</p>
+
+<p>During the time the officers and soldiers who were to compose the army
+of Altoun-Khan, and who were dispersed throughout the kingdom, were
+marching to assemble at the spot indicated, this king spared no pains
+to express his high consideration for his new guests; he appointed a
+separate palace to each, with a great number of eunuchs, and a guard
+of two thousand men. Every day some new f&ecirc;te was contrived for their
+entertainment, and the king's whole attention seemed turned towards
+affording them pleasure. Khalaf, although he had now every day a
+thousand matters to occupy his attention, did not forget his kind
+hostess; he remembered with gratitude the solicitude she expressed for
+him; he sent for her to the palace, and begged Tourandocte to receive
+her amongst her attendants.</p>
+
+<p>The hope that Timurtasch and Elmaze entertained of reascending the
+throne of the Nag&auml;i-Tartars, by the assistance of the king of China,
+insensibly made<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span> them forget their past troubles; and when Tourandocte
+gave birth to a beautiful prince, they were quite overwhelmed with
+joy. The birth of this child, who was named the prince of China, was
+celebrated in all the cities of this vast empire by public rejoicings.</p>
+
+<p>Whilst these festivities were taking place, news was brought by
+couriers, sent by the officers who had orders to collect the army,
+that all the troops of the kingdom, and those of the khan of Berlas,
+had assembled at lake Baljouta. Immediately Timurtasch, Khalaf, and
+Almguer set out for the camp, where they found every thing in
+readiness, and seven hundred thousand men ready to march; they
+immediately took the read to Kotan, from whence they marched to
+Raschar, and at length entered the dominions of the sultan of Carisma.</p>
+
+<p>This prince, informed of their numbers, and of the invasion of his
+territories, by couriers whom the governors of the frontier towns had
+despatched, far from being alarmed at the number of his enemies,
+courageously prepared to meet them. Instead even of intrenching
+himself, he had the boldness to take the field himself, at the head of
+four hundred thousand men, whom he had hastily collected. The armies
+met near Cogendi, where they drew up in battle array. On the side of
+the Chinese, Timurtasch commanded the right wing, prince Almguer the
+left, and Khalaf the centre. On the other side, the sultan confided
+the command of his right wing to the ablest of his generals, opposed
+the prince of Carisma to the prince of the Nag&auml;is, and reserved the
+left to himself, where the elite of his cavalry were stationed. The
+khan of Berlas began the attack with the soldiers of his tribe, who,
+fighting like men who knew the eyes of their master were on them, soon
+turned the right wing of their enemies; the officer who commanded it,
+however, succeeded in reforming it almost immediately. Meanwhile the
+right wing, commanded by Timurtasch, was not so fortunate; the sultan
+broke them<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span> at the first onset, and the Chinese in disorder were on
+the point of taking flight, in spite of every effort of the khan of
+the Nag&auml;is, when Khalaf, informed of what had taken place, confided
+the care of the centre to an experienced Chinese general, and rushed
+to the assistance of his father at the head of reinforcements. In a
+short time things assumed a different aspect. The left wing of the
+Carismians was driven back, and in turn routed; the whole of the ranks
+fell into disorder and were easily broken&mdash;the entire wing was put to
+flight. The sultan determined to conquer or die, and made incredible
+efforts to rally his soldiers; but Timurtasch and Khalaf gave them no
+time, and surrounded them on all sides, whilst prince Almguer having
+defeated the right wing, victory declared in favour of the Chinese.</p>
+
+<p>There remained but one chance of safety for the sultan of Carisma, and
+that was to cut his way through the ranks of his enemies, and to take
+refuge with some foreign prince; but he preferred not surviving his
+defeat to exhibiting amongst the nations his brow despoiled of the
+diadem; so rushing blindly into the thickest of the carnage, he fell
+bravely, fighting to the last, and pierced with a thousand mortal
+wounds, on a heap of slain. The prince of Carisma, his son, shared the
+same fate; two hundred thousand of their troops were killed or made
+prisoners, the rest seeking safety in flight. The Chinese also lost a
+great number of men; but if the battle had been a bloody one, it was
+decisive. Timurtasch, after thanking Heaven for this signal success,
+despatched an officer to Pekin to give an account of the battle to the
+king of China; he then advanced into Zagatay, and seized upon the city
+of Carisma.</p>
+
+<p>He made a proclamation in this capital that he would not touch the
+property, or interfere with the liberty of the Carismians; that Heaven
+having made him master of the throne of his enemy, he intended to take
+possession of it, and that henceforth,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span> Zagatay, and the other
+countries which had been under the sway of the sultan, should
+acknowledge for their sovereign his son Khalaf.</p>
+
+<p>The Carismians, tired of the harsh rule of their late master, and
+persuaded that that of Khalaf would be milder, submitted readily, and
+proclaimed as sultan this young prince, with whose merits they were
+acquainted. Whilst the new sultan took all necessary measures to
+strengthen his position, Timurtasch departed with a body of Chinese
+troops with all possible speed to his own dominions. The Nag&auml;i-Tartars
+received him like faithful subjects, and were overjoyed to see their
+legitimate sovereign; but he was not content with regaining his
+throne; he declared war against the Circassians, in order to punish
+them for their treachery to prince Khalaf at Jund. Instead of trying
+to appease him by submission, these warlike people speedily collected
+an army to oppose him. He attacked them, and cut them nearly all to
+pieces; after which he caused himself to be proclaimed king of
+Circassia, and then returned to Zagatay, where he found Elmaze and
+Tourandocte, whom Altoun-Khan had sent to Carisma in great state.</p>
+
+<p>Such was the end of the misfortunes of prince Khalaf, who gained by
+his virtues the love and esteem of the Carismians. He reigned long and
+peacefully over them, and never abated in his love for Tourandocte; he
+had a second son by her, who became afterwards the sultan of Carisma.
+As for the prince of China, Altoun-Khan brought him up, and chose him
+for his successor. Timurtasch and the princess Elmaze passed the rest
+of their days at Astrachan, and the khan of Berlas, after having
+received from them and their children all the tokens of gratitude
+which his generosity merited, retired to his tribe with the remainder
+of his troops.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></span></p>
+<h2>IV.</h2>
+
+<h3>THE WISE DEY.</h3>
+
+
+<p>Chaaban, Dey of Algiers, being dead, the Turkish janissaries bethought
+themselves of electing a new dey; and their intention was to place in
+this high station an inert, weak, and indolent man, who would allow
+them to be their own masters, to act as they pleased either with or
+without justice, and who would never inflict any punishment upon them.
+Passing through the streets of Algiers, they beheld Hadgi-Achmet, a
+man of ripe age, seated peaceably at the door of his dwelling, and
+carefully mending his old slippers, without taking any part either in
+the outcries, the conversation, or the gossiping going on all around
+him. Hadgi-Achmet seemed to them to be just the sort of apathetic man
+they were in search of, a man who would never interfere with any one,
+would allow them to do exactly as they pleased, and who, in short,
+would be but the shadow of a dey. They therefore laid hold of
+Hadgi-Achmet, tore him from his work, led him to the divan, and
+elected him dey in spite of himself.</p>
+
+<p>Hadgi-Achmet, thus forced to assume the reins of government, wisely
+examined into the duties of his new position, and set himself to
+fulfil them with as much assiduity and zeal as he had employed in the
+humbler task of mending his old slippers. He watched over the
+interests of the country, and over those of justice, and punished
+severely all misdeeds which came under<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span> his observation; having a
+stern, strange habit of knitting his shaggy eyebrows and flashing his
+brilliant eyes whenever any thing mean or wicked came under his
+notice. All this was very displeasing to the Turkish janissaries, and
+to several members of the divan. Four of these latter formed a species
+of plot with the design of bringing Hadgi-Achmet into contempt in the
+eyes of the public. Now as it was the pleasure of the dey to
+administer justice himself, and to enquire into the smallest matter
+that concerned the interests of the people, they thought to render him
+ridiculous, by begging him one day to judge four distinct matters,
+unworthy, in their opinion, to occupy the attention of a great ruler.</p>
+
+<p>"Hadgi-Achmet," said one of the members of the divan to the dey, "my
+lord, here is a culprit who can only be judged by thee, O sun of
+justice! He is a Tunisian merchant, who has established himself a
+short time since at Bab-a-Zoun street, not far from the mosque. At
+first he carried on his trade with tolerable honesty; but by degrees
+it has been shown that he is nothing better than a rogue, and has
+cheated a great number of his customers in the weight, the quality,
+and the value of his goods. Thou knowest well the law which condemns
+such offenders to lose an ear. This man was seized, carried before the
+cadi, and his rogueries being but too apparent, condemned by the cadi
+to lose his left ear, the right being reserved in the event of fresh
+misdemeanors. But when the man's turban was removed, it was discovered
+that his left ear was already gone. The cadi, being informed of the
+fact, ordered the right ear to be cut off. To execute this order, they
+had to pull the hand of the culprit away from his right ear, and when
+this had been done, it was discovered that the Tunisian's right ear
+was missing as well as the left. The cadi therefore sent to inform me,
+and I, knowing the pleasure thou takest in resolving grave and
+important questions,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span> have come to submit this one to thy consummate
+prudence, to thy glorious justice."</p>
+
+<p>Hadgi-Achmet, having heard these words, knit his brows, his eyes
+flashed fire upon him who had just spoken, and upon all those who were
+present at this audience; then, turning towards the man without ears,
+he said,</p>
+
+<p>"Since thou hast always been a rogue, and that nothing could reform
+thee, I condemn thee all thy life long to wear neither turban nor any
+head-dress whatsoever to conceal the mutilation of thy ears.
+Purchasers, on beholding this mutilation, will shun thee if they are
+wise, for no one is ignorant that a merchant without ears is nothing
+else than a rogue."</p>
+
+<p>The earless Tunisian went sadly away. Being compelled to exhibit to
+every one and at all times the mutilation he had undergone, was a far
+worse punishment than the loss of five hundred ears, if he had had
+them.</p>
+
+<p>This judgment pronounced, a second member of the divan addressed the
+dey,</p>
+
+<p>"Hadgi-Achmet, our lord and master, here are two men who are
+quarrelling upon a question which thou only canst decide by thy
+profound wisdom. One of these men is the father of a beautiful and
+promising boy. He had this son and two others. One day, about ten
+years ago, Ibrahim, his neighbour, who was childless, said to him,
+'Chamyl, give me thy youngest son, I will adopt him; he shall live in
+my house, inherit my wealth, and be happy. If thou desirest it, I will
+give thee in exchange for thy son my country-house at Boudjar&eacute;ah; thou
+knowest that the north breeze is wafted there in the hottest days of
+summer.'</p>
+
+<p>"Chamyl consented to give his son, and took the house at Boudjar&eacute;ah in
+exchange. Ormed, the son of Chamyl, went to live with Ibrahim, who
+soon loved him very tenderly, whilst Ormed, if only out of gratitude,
+soon became much attached to him.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Chamyl has now lost both his other sons, and having become rich,
+desires to take back Ormed, saying, 'This child is henceforth the sole
+hope of my race, the joy of my heart, and I wish him to become my
+heir.'</p>
+
+<p>"As for Ibrahim, he has lost nearly the half of his fortune, but he
+has not lost the attachment which he bears to his adopted son. On the
+contrary, his affection continues daily to strengthen for this child,
+who is endowed with the finest qualities of mind, and with a grateful
+and affectionate heart.</p>
+
+<p>"With whom dost thou decree that Ormed shall remain? with his adopted
+or with his real father?"</p>
+
+<p>Hadgi-Achmet, addressing himself to Chamyl, said, "In what does thy
+fortune consist?"</p>
+
+<p>Chamyl enumerated his possessions: a house, a ship, several country
+houses, and merchandise.</p>
+
+<p>"Can these things be removed?" asked Hadgi-Achmet.</p>
+
+<p>"Some of them can," replied Chamyl.</p>
+
+<p>"And the others," replied Hadgi-Achmet; "couldst not thou, if
+necessary, dispose of them, and buy others with the price?"</p>
+
+<p>"I could," replied Chamyl.</p>
+
+<p>"And the affection which thou hadst for thy sons who are dead, couldst
+thou transfer it, and bestow it upon other children."</p>
+
+<p>"Ah! that would be impossible," replied Chamyl, sorrowfully.</p>
+
+<p>"Then affection cannot be transferred or exchanged," said
+Hadgi-Achmet; "and as it forms part of the heart of man, it is of far
+higher consequence than material things, is it not?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, my lord," answered Chamyl.</p>
+
+<p>"So that," continued the dey, "we may say to a man, Sell, or give
+away, thy possessions; but we cannot, without absurdity, say to any
+one, Cease to love him whom thou lovest. For which reason, Chamyl, I
+condemn thee to leave with Ibrahim the child whom<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span> he loves, and whom
+thou voluntarily gavest him when thou hadst affection for thy two sons
+who are no more. As to thy possessions, thou canst bear them
+whithersoever thou wilt, for riches are not the heart."</p>
+
+<p>"But I love my son," cried Chamyl, "and I will have him, and him only,
+for my heir."</p>
+
+<p>"Ah! thou lovest thy son," rejoined Hadgi-Achmet. "It may be so, but
+thou gavest no proofs of it so long as thy two other children were
+alive. Moreover, thou hast taken a house in exchange for thy son; it
+is exactly the same as if thou hadst sold thy child."</p>
+
+<p>"I was poor," murmured Chamyl.</p>
+
+<p>"A lame excuse," said the dey, "for there are many more poor men than
+rich men, yet we do not see poor men giving up their children for any
+gain whatsoever."</p>
+
+<p>"No, no! I have not sold my son," cried Chamyl, "and my son is mine."</p>
+
+<p>"No, thy son is no longer thine," said the dey, "for thou art not a
+father after my heart, and for ten years thy son has been cared for by
+the man to whom thou gavest him in exchange for a house. Ibrahim has
+not deserved that the child whom he so tenderly loves should be taken
+from him, and I order him to be left with him. But since thou wilt
+have none other than thy son for thine heir, I decree moreover that
+all thy property shall revert to him after thy death, which is nothing
+but justice."</p>
+
+<p>Ibrahim then interposed. "My lord," said he to the dey, "Ormed and I
+have no need of the fortune of Chamyl. What Allah has left to us is
+sufficient for our wants. Permit Chamyl then to preserve the right of
+choosing for himself an heir among orphans or poor children, of whom
+he will now probably adopt one."</p>
+
+<p>"No," replied the dey, "the man who has been able to calmly select one
+from among his own children and barter him for a house, can never
+attach himself to the orphan or the unfortunate. I see no reason to
+alter the judgment I have pronounced. Ormed will<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span> have for his
+inheritance the love of his adopted father and the wealth of his real
+one."</p>
+
+<p>Chamyl withdrew, greatly incensed at this judgment, which seemed to
+him unjust, but which appeared highly equitable to the inhabitants of
+Aldgezaire.</p>
+
+<p>A third member of the divan then addressed Hadgi-Achmet:</p>
+
+<p>"All thy words bear the impress of the wisdom which illuminates thee.
+It suffices to hear thee, in order to know and venerate thee. If we do
+not abuse thy patience and thy goodness, it is because both are
+inexhaustible. Behold," added he, "a woman veiled, according to the
+law. She accuses her husband of leaving her to perish with hunger,
+whilst her husband here maintains that the woman tells an infamous
+untruth, and that he supplies her with ample means for becoming fat
+and strong; he adds, that the famished locusts from the desert eat not
+more voraciously than doth this woman, all the while remaining lean
+and feeble, as thou seest. The woman persists in asserting that her
+husband scarcely gives her sufficient to languish on like a dying
+tree, and she claims thy pity and thy justice."</p>
+
+<p>Hadgi-Achmet, having heard these words, knit his brows, his eyes
+flashed fire upon him who had just spoken, and upon those present at
+this audience. Then he said, "Mahmoud, dost thou declare that thou
+affordest sufficient nourishment to thy wife?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, my lord," replied Mahmoud.</p>
+
+<p>"And thou, woman," said the dey, "dost thou still maintain that thy
+husband leaves thee in want of nourishment?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, my lord," replied the poor starving woman in a faint voice, and
+extending her transparent hands and long thin arms, in a supplicating
+manner towards her master and her judge.</p>
+
+<p>"Art thou poor?" demanded Hadgi-Achmet of Mahmoud.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"No, my lord," replied Mahmoud, "I could support several wives if I
+wished, but it pleases me to have only this one in my house."</p>
+
+<p>"Ah! thou couldst support several wives," replied the dey; "and why
+then dost thou not give to this one all she desires, even supposing
+she devoured as voraciously as the famished locusts of the desert?"</p>
+
+<p>"I never refuse her any thing," said Mahmoud.</p>
+
+<p>The poor veiled woman sighed.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," added Hadgi-Achmet, "since thou art both rich and generous, I
+will put thee in the position to repel an accusation so disgraceful to
+thee as that of leaving the woman whom thou hast espoused to perish of
+hunger. To which end I order that thy wife shall dwell in my palace in
+the apartments of my women and receive from thee a pension which will
+enable her to purchase whatever food she may desire. If at the end of
+a year of peace and plenty she should still possess that feeble voice
+and that excessive thinness which inspire my compassion, I shall
+regard her as inflicted with an incurable malady, and will leave her
+to go and die beneath thy roof; but if, on the contrary, she regains
+strength and voice, thou shalt be hung, not only for having violated
+the law which commands the husband to minister to the support of his
+wife, but still more for having lied before thy lord and thy judge,
+who knows and ever will know how to punish those who offend him."</p>
+
+<p>Having spoken thus, Hadgi-Achmet cast terrible looks upon all the men
+present at this audience. Mahmoud withdrew only too sure of being hung
+next year, and every one preserved a gloomy silence which lasted for
+several minutes.</p>
+
+<p>Hadgi-Achmet meanwhile resumed: "If there remains any other cause for
+me to judge, let it be declared."</p>
+
+<p>Then with less self-possession and confidence than his colleagues had
+displayed, a fourth member of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span> divan presented himself. "Here, my
+lord," said he, "is a strange affair which occupies us, and which thou
+alone canst judge.</p>
+
+<p>"These two men here present are twin-brothers. They have always loved
+each other, and have never been separated. Their father is just dead.
+After having deplored his loss, they said to each other: 'The roof of
+our father's dwelling has sheltered us to this day, let it shelter us
+still; and let us amicably share all that is left us by our father,
+arms, vestments, or jewels.'</p>
+
+<p>"But all at once an object presented itself which could not be
+divided, and for the loss of which nothing else would compensate. The
+article in question is a holy amulet, which it is said bestows wisdom
+on him who wears it upon his breast beneath his tunic. Now the two
+brothers equally desire wisdom, and both would fain possess the
+precious talisman left them by their father."</p>
+
+<p>Hadgi-Achmet having heard these words, knit his brows, again his eyes
+flashed fire, as he said to one of the twins:</p>
+
+<p>"Mozza, canst thou not yield to thy brother, who so earnestly desires
+it, the amulet left you both by your father?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, my lord," replied Mozza, "I could easily reconcile myself to my
+brother's being richer than myself, but not to his being wiser!"</p>
+
+<p>Hadgi-Achmet turned to the other brother:</p>
+
+<p>"Farzan, canst thou not yield to thy brother the amulet he wishes to
+possess?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, my lord," replied Farzan, "for wisdom not alone bestows upon its
+possessor the things of the earth, but those also which belong to
+heaven, and I desire those above all."</p>
+
+<p>Hadgi-Achmet then ordered Mozza to place upon his breast beneath his
+tunic the cherished amulet, which being done, he said to the young
+man:</p>
+
+<p>"I am charmed to find that thou preferrest wisdom<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span> to fortune, for
+wisdom is above all. But dost thou not see that it is wise to be at
+peace with thy brother, and that to obtain this peace there is no
+sacrifice too great? To yield to thy brother is the beginning and the
+end of wisdom; he who yields is ever the best and the wisest. On this
+ground thou wilt now, I am persuaded, yield cheerfully this amulet to
+thy brother."</p>
+
+<p>"I repeat, my lord," answered Mozza, "that I will yield every thing to
+my brother, slaves, diamonds, house&mdash;my entire fortune; but I will
+never willingly give up this sacred amulet: it is the only heritage I
+covet."</p>
+
+<p>"Ah!" said Hadgi-Achmet, "thou hast not changed thy mind then! well,
+give me thy father's amulet."</p>
+
+<p>Mozza reluctantly handed the precious talisman to the dey.</p>
+
+<p>"Farzan," said the dey, "place this amulet upon thy breast, and
+beneath thy tunic."</p>
+
+<p>Farzan obeyed. He had no sooner placed the amulet upon his breast than
+he felt so lively a joy that he would have embraced his brother had he
+dared, and his eyes glistened with pleasure.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah!" said Hadgi-Achmet, addressing himself to Farzan, "I perceive
+that this amulet has great power over thee. Thy heart is opened to
+wisdom, and thou wilt renounce foolish quarrels, wilt thou not, and
+yield to thy brother the talisman which he so much desires, and of
+which he has perhaps greater need than thou?"</p>
+
+<p>"I!" cried Farzan, "rather would I die than part with my father's
+amulet! I feel myself capable of plunging my dagger into the bosom of
+any one rash enough to attempt to tear it from me, whoever he might
+be."</p>
+
+<p>"In truth," rejoined Hadgi-Achmet, "I see that this amulet is far from
+bestowing all the wisdom of which you young men deem it capable. On
+the contrary it only seems to me fit to sow dissensions between you,
+since notwithstanding you have both worn it upon<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></span> your breast, you
+have nevertheless preserved your animosity and unjust pretensions in
+the dispute in question. For which reason I ordain that this precious
+talisman, of whose real power we are doubtless ignorant, shall remain
+in my palace and be restored in ten years' time to whichever of you
+two shall have given by his conduct the most incontestable proofs of
+piety and virtue."</p>
+
+<p>Having heard this sentence, the two brothers sorrowfully withdrew. But
+they had no sooner crossed the threshold of the palace, than they were
+reconciled to each other, avowing that the dey had acted with justice,
+and thenceforth they lived happy and united as before.</p>
+
+<p>In the mean time, Hadgi-Achmet, having delivered these four judgments,
+knit his brows once more, and turning to the members of the divan,
+addressed them as follows:</p>
+
+<p>"Joyfully have I just occupied myself with the smallest things which
+concern the welfare and repose of my subjects, and I should not regret
+my time had it been employed in affairs still more trifling. Every
+thing appears of importance to me which in any way relates to the
+wellbeing of one of those over whom Allah has made me sovereign. I
+nothing doubt that you applaud my conduct, and that you would gladly
+imitate my zeal in the service of the people. Your praises prove it;
+but I know well that men such as you prefer proving their zeal by
+actions, rather than by words. I am about therefore to entrust you
+with a task of great importance to me, since it is for the most
+interesting class of my subjects, namely, the most unfortunate. I am
+about to distribute before the Ramadan, four sacks of rice among poor
+old men and widows. An unskilful hand has contrived in filling these
+sacks with the rice, to spill amongst it a quantity of <i>oats</i>. Now as
+I do not wish these poor people to think themselves treated with
+contempt by receiving rice mixed with oats, I wish that pious hands
+should carefully sift the rice and extract from it these grains. It is
+on<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span> you I rely for the performance of this duty, which awaits you in
+one of the halls of my palace. I cannot at this moment be an
+eye-witness of your zeal in obeying me, and serving the people; but
+before your task is finished, I will be with you."</p>
+
+<p>Having spoken these words, the dey caused the members of the divan to
+be respectfully conducted by his guards to a large hall, where they
+found four sacks of rice and several baskets.</p>
+
+<p>The members of the divan feeling persuaded that this was an affair
+which more nearly concerned their heads than the sacks of rice, set
+themselves silently to this unexpected work, whilst the guards
+remained stationary at the entrance of the hall in which the labour
+was being carried on.</p>
+
+<p>The flight of a musquito might have been heard in this hall where the
+members of the divan were busily engaged sifting the rice for the
+poor, all the while vowing to be revenged upon Hadgi-Achmet, if they
+ever had the power.</p>
+
+<p>Towards the evening the members of the divan were joined by
+Hadgi-Achmet, who perceiving that one of them had made less progress
+in his task than his three colleagues, said,</p>
+
+<p>"I would not accuse thee of want of zeal: man knows not always what he
+wishes, nor knows what he can do; I will therefore aid thee in thy
+task," and he began gravely to assist the four members of the divan in
+sifting the rice of the poor.</p>
+
+<p>The tasks being accomplished, the four sacks of rice were carefully
+closed. Hadgi-Achmet thanked his enemies, and caused them to be
+conducted with the greatest respect to the gates of his palace.</p>
+
+<p>These men left to themselves, regarded each other with consternation
+and shame; they then said, "We would fain have laughed at
+Hadgi-Achmet, and it is he who has mocked us. Let us henceforth
+abstain from criticizing his scrupulous exactitude in rendering
+justice, but let us think only of avenging ourselves."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>But they sought the opportunity in vain. Hadgi-Achmet, who had
+commenced his career by so carefully mending his old slippers, held
+the reins of power with a strong hand, and whilst other deys in those
+times almost always met a violent death by steel or poison, he died
+peacefully in his palace, after having lived many long years.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span></p>
+<h2>V.</h2>
+
+<h3>THE TUNISIAN SAGE; OR, THE POWDER OF LONGEVITY.</h3>
+
+
+<p>Selim-ben-Foubi had been twenty years engaged in commerce when he
+inherited a fortune which greatly surpassed his wants and even his
+desires.</p>
+
+<p>As he had lost all his children, his great wealth caused him but
+little joy, and he felt it even embarrassing to possess so much gold
+and so many precious things, of which he should never be able to make
+any use.</p>
+
+<p>"I am now fifty," said he, "and were I to live to a hundred, I should
+not spend half of what I possess. I can only take one meal at a time,
+dress in a single suit, and sleep in but one bed. Hence if I can but
+rest in peace in a substantial and commodious house, eat as much as I
+desire, and invite a friend to partake of my repast, that is all I
+need wish for. I have therefore resolved to give away the half of my
+fortune during my lifetime, that I may enjoy the pleasure of beholding
+happiness of my own creating."</p>
+
+<p>Having formed this generous project, Selim nevertheless wished before
+putting it into execution to take counsel with two of his friends.</p>
+
+<p>Quitting therefore his country-house at Boudjar&eacute;ah, he repaired to
+Aldgezaire, where in the garden of the grand mosque dwelt usually a
+sage mufti, a grave and reverend man. Seating himself by his side
+beneath the shade of some flowering pomegranate trees, he thus
+accosted him:</p>
+
+<p>"Mehemet, I have come to visit thee in order to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span> open my whole heart
+to thee and take counsel of thy wisdom. I am suddenly become very
+rich, as thou knowest, and I have no son to inherit my wealth; is it
+not too great for a single solitary man? speak, answer me."</p>
+
+<p>"That which Allah gives should never be despised," replied the sage.</p>
+
+<p>"I do not disdain my riches," replied Selim, "but I am thinking of
+sharing them with others, and of keeping only what is necessary to my
+existence for the remainder of my days."</p>
+
+<p>"Thou knowest not what the number of thy days will be."</p>
+
+<p>"I will suppose that I may enjoy the longest of lives, a hundred years
+for example, thinkest thou I shall live yet longer?"</p>
+
+<p>"Allah alone knows."</p>
+
+<p>"Let us say five hundred," continued Selim, "surely that covers all
+chances; well then, during this long course of years, would it not be
+more agreeable to me to know that my riches are useful, than to feel
+that they were hidden in some coffer, where they might become an
+object of envy to the poor, or tempt the cupidity of the ill-doer?"</p>
+
+<p>"May be so," said the mufti.</p>
+
+<p>"My thought is a good one then?"</p>
+
+<p>"It may be; but will it be good in practice? I cannot say. Nothing is
+more common than to think wisely; nothing more rare than to put wise
+thoughts into practice."</p>
+
+<p>"Advise me," said Selim, "and I shall then be sure of fulfilling the
+law, and of doing good. How ought I to distribute the half of my large
+fortune?"</p>
+
+<p>The mufti reflected profoundly, and then replied:</p>
+
+<p>"I advise thee first to take at least one year to reflect upon thy
+project. Time is the sun that ripens the thoughts of men. We never
+repent of having reflected before acting; we often regret not having<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span>
+done so. Reflect then, and afterwards come and consult with me."</p>
+
+<p>Selim quitted the mosque, and repaired to Bab-a-Zoun street, to the
+house of his other friend, a Moorish merchant, who laboured hard to
+support himself by his calling. He began thus:</p>
+
+<p>"We have been friends and have known each other these ten years, for
+which reason I come to put to thee this question: 'In what way,
+thinkest thou, a man who is both rich and beneficent should employ his
+fortune, in order to be useful?'"</p>
+
+<p>The Moorish merchant replied: "Thou makest a very singular demand of
+me. I cannot believe that a man can find any difficulty in giving, if
+he really possess the desire. He may found a mosque, succour the aged,
+support the widow and the orphan, enrich his friends, if he have any,
+and the rich are seldom without friends."</p>
+
+<p>"But thou," rejoined Selim, "if thou hadst aught to give away, what
+wouldst thou do?"</p>
+
+<p>"I? I cannot fancy myself having any thing to give away, seeing that I
+can scarcely pay the rent of my poor shop, and fill that shop with a
+few sacks of rice and a little coffee. If I had money, it is very
+certain that I should begin by buying a house and goods. It is of no
+use to say to a poor man like me, 'To whom wouldst thou give thy
+money?' But I repeat to thee there is no lack of good actions to be
+done. Happy he who has only to choose."</p>
+
+<p>"Thou art right," said Selim to his friend; and quitting him, he
+returned to his country-house at Boudjar&eacute;ah. One of his neighbours,
+Achmet the Arab, accosted him upon the road thither; and Selim, having
+stopped to converse with his friend, said to him: "Thou art of a ripe
+age, and art not wanting in experience of the things of this life.
+Tell me then if thou considerest that it would be well for a man who
+is rich and childless to give away, while still living, the half<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span> of
+his fortune, reserving the other half, upon which to subsist
+honourably the remainder of his days."</p>
+
+<p>Achmet replied, "I cannot say whether it is better in the sight of
+Allah to give away or to retain the goods with which he has endowed
+thee. As for myself, I have nothing to give, for I have a very small
+fortune, and a great many children; but if I were rich and without
+heirs, I would bury my gold in some corner of my garden, sooner than
+bestow it to gratify men who are either wicked or ungrateful, and such
+they almost all are. This gold would sooner or later be discovered by
+some one whom Allah desired to enrich, and thus I should not be
+responsible for the use that was made of it."</p>
+
+<p>"Thy idea is not, perhaps, a bad one," said Selim, "and I will
+certainly reflect upon it."</p>
+
+<p>While Selim and his neighbour were talking together, a Tunisian of
+miserable aspect approached the spot. This was no other than Hussein
+Muley, a physician of Tunis. He was already advanced in years, and
+passed for a man rich in science, but poor in money. Selim requested
+this man to rest himself in his house, and his invitation being
+accepted, he saluted his neighbour Achmet, and conducted his guest
+into one of the fresh and salubrious halls of his smiling abode.
+Hussein Muley, fatigued by two hours' walk under a broiling sun, threw
+himself upon a divan, whilst fruits and coffee were abundantly served
+to him. When he had somewhat reposed and refreshed himself, Selim said
+to him in a friendly manner, "I am happy to receive thee at my house,
+because thou art a wise man, and of good renown in thy profession.
+Thou hast travelled, read, and seen life; thou must of necessity be
+able to judge wisely of the things which relate to this life. I should
+therefore be very glad to have thy opinion upon a project which I have
+formed. I have become very rich by inheritance; and having no
+children, I think of disposing, while yet living, of a great portion
+of my<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span> wealth. In what way dost thou consider it would be most
+desirable to employ this wealth?"</p>
+
+<p>Hussein Muley regarded Selim with surprise.</p>
+
+<p>"Thou wouldst give away a great portion of what thou hast," said he.
+"This is, indeed, a marvellous thing. I have, as thou sayest,
+travelled, read, and seen life, but never yet have I heard of any man
+giving away, during his lifetime, the greater part of his fortune."</p>
+
+<p>"Does that prove that it would be wrong to do so?" demanded Selim.</p>
+
+<p>"I know not," replied the Tunisian, falling into a fit of profound
+meditation, and looking all the while at the tips of his old slippers,
+instead of contemplating from afar the ever-changing sea and azure
+sky.</p>
+
+<p>"On what dost thou muse?" at length demanded Selim.</p>
+
+<p>"I was thinking&mdash;I was thinking that if the duration of man's life
+were longer, it would be better both for those who study science, and
+for those who are the fortunate possessors of great wealth; it would
+be equally good for the poor, since they might one day hope to enjoy
+the fruit of their toils, if they took pains to become rich."</p>
+
+<p>"What profits it to meditate so deeply upon a thing which all the
+reflections of man cannot change?"</p>
+
+<p>"I do not regard the prolongation of human existence as impossible.
+Hitherto physicians have most frequently been instrumental in
+abridging it. My aim is to repair the wrongs they have involuntarily
+committed. I would have succeeding ages regard my memory with
+gratitude."</p>
+
+<p>"What sayest thou?" cried Selim. "Thou wouldst change the order of
+things, the whole course of nature?"</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing can convince me that we follow the course of nature by dying
+at sixty or eighty years of age, when men formerly lived hundreds of
+years. On the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span> contrary, I am certain that we were created to live
+longer, much longer, and I consecrate all my days, my nights, and my
+studies to the pursuit of a discovery which is destined to prolong the
+existence of mankind, and renew the state of things as they were when
+men married at a hundred years of age, and lived to see their sons'
+sons grow up and marry in their turn. Why, have I often asked myself,
+should our lives be shorter than those of an oak of the forests, of a
+serpent, or even of a vulture?"</p>
+
+<p>"If we lived as long as an oak," replied Selim, "the cedars and the
+palm trees would still live longer than we."</p>
+
+<p>"Thou dost but jest, but thy jesting is ill-timed; nothing is more
+serious than the thought which occupies me. Thou thyself, confess now,
+wouldst thou not be enchanted to see suns succeed suns, and to
+contemplate for ages to come the wonders of the heavens and the
+fecundity of the earth?"</p>
+
+<p>Selim reflected a little, and replied, "Man does not love death, it is
+true; nevertheless life is not so desirable as thou wouldst fain have
+us believe."</p>
+
+<p>"Then thou desirest not to prolong thy days upon the earth? For
+myself, I confess that I desire it greatly; so that besides my days
+and my nights, I consecrate all that I glean from learned researches
+to the accomplishment of this great end. I am already upon the track.
+But unfortunately gold is wanting&mdash;this gold which thou despisest, or
+knowest not how to employ&mdash;this gold would in my hands contribute to
+the happiness of future generations. With gold&mdash;with gold you can
+purchase books of precious value, measure the stars, dig the bowels of
+the earth, rend metals from her bosom, decompose substances, in short,
+penetrate into every mystery. Yes, gold which heretofore has been
+unable to bestow a day, nay an hour upon its possessor, gold in my
+hands would accomplish a wondrous discovery. I should certainly not
+keep the secret for myself alone, and I should<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></span> share it first of all
+with the man whose wealth had helped me to the means of obtaining it."</p>
+
+<p>"But shouldst thou discover the means of prolonging my life for many
+centuries, I should not then be rich enough to give away half of my
+fortune."</p>
+
+<p>"What!" cried the physician of Tunis, "is not life preferable to all
+the riches in the world? and if at this moment it were said to thee,
+'thou shalt die, or give up the whole of thy possessions,' wouldst
+thou not readily yield them to avoid the thrust of a yataghan, or the
+discharge of a gun in thy breast?"</p>
+
+<p>"Thou puzzlest me, but I think that in such a case I should give up my
+property to preserve my life."</p>
+
+<p>"Thou seest then that life is dear, even to the poor. Why not
+therefore endeavour to prolong thine own? Even if my profound science
+did not succeed, thou wouldst still be rich enough to enjoy an
+existence of the shorter duration."</p>
+
+<p>Listening thus to the learned physician, Selim fell by degrees into a
+profound reverie, and the Tunisian, instead of continuing his
+discourse, gave himself up to meditation also; so that both these two
+men became absorbed in their own dreams in presence of each other, but
+without communicating their ideas, and Allah alone knows of what they
+were thinking.</p>
+
+<p>After long and silent reflection, Selim said to Hussein Muley, "Before
+seeing thee I had intended to bestow while yet alive one-half of my
+fortune in making others happy. It will, I think, be no change of
+purpose, if I aid thee in pursuing those learned researches which tend
+to prolong the life of man. For which reason, Hussein Muley, I propose
+at once to present thee with the gold of which thou hast need. Come
+with me."</p>
+
+<p>The Tunisian, appearing more astonished than rejoiced at these words,
+gravely arose, followed Selim into another apartment in the house, and
+received from him a little casket filled with pieces of gold.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Employ this wisely," said Selim, "and communicate to me the result of
+thy labour."</p>
+
+<p>"I will not fail to do so," replied Hussein Muley. And clasping the
+precious casket to his breast, he exclaimed, "Here then is the means
+of satisfying my thirst for knowledge, of surmounting all obstacles,
+of snatching from the past the secret which shall add hundreds of
+years to the existence of man, and prolong his days to the space of
+those of his fathers. Selim," added he, "thou dost a meritorious
+action in giving me this. I need not thank thee, because I am going to
+work for thee as for myself; nevertheless I do thank thee, and with my
+whole heart."</p>
+
+<p>Having said these words the learned physician withdrew gravely, and
+with an air of deep abstraction.</p>
+
+<p>Selim was not less preoccupied. Left to himself, he meditated long and
+profoundly on long and short lives, and on the prodigies accomplished
+by science, and he ended by asking himself whether he should confide
+to the sage mufti, whom he was soon about to see again, what he had
+done for Hussein Muley, and his hope of beholding the existence of the
+human species prolonged to an almost indefinite period. His final
+resolution was to admit no one to his confidence in the matter, but to
+await in silence the marvellous discovery of his new friend Hussein
+Muley, the physician of Tunis.</p>
+
+<p>Several months passed by without the reappearance of the latter, but
+when at length he returned to Boudjar&eacute;ah he was yellower, leaner, and
+more attenuated even than a man who had crossed on foot the mighty
+desert of Sahara. His limbs, in fact, could scarcely support his
+trembling frame.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," said Selim, "what has befallen thee? art thou sick, or dost
+thou return to me perishing of hunger?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, but I have travelled night and day beneath the pale light of the
+stars, and the burning rays of the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span> sun, and have often forgotten to
+take necessary sustenance, so deeply was I absorbed in my studies."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, and the result?"</p>
+
+<p>"Alas! I have not yet succeeded as I could desire. Thus far have I
+attained only, that I have secured the power of prolonging our days
+fifty years."</p>
+
+<p>Having uttered these words, Hussein Muley sorrowfully clasped his
+withered hands upon his breast, and then added:</p>
+
+<p>"I know that such a discovery would afford intense joy to any other
+but myself, but it is far from satisfying me. To live fifty years
+longer than usual, what is that?"</p>
+
+<p>"It is something, nevertheless," replied Selim, "and wilt thou tell me
+what is necessary to be done, in order to add fifty years to one's
+existence?"</p>
+
+<p>"Will I tell thee?" cried the Tunisian; "I am come expressly for that
+purpose, and to give thee this powder. It must be taken every morning
+fasting, for one year, three months, a week, and a day, without fail."</p>
+
+<p>"I must write down these directions," said Selim.</p>
+
+<p>He wrote them down at once, and then asked, "Dost thou not think thou
+shouldst rest satisfied with thy discovery, and begin to live well,
+and sleep well, in order to enjoy the remaining years of thy life?"</p>
+
+<p>"I have no desire to repose yet from my labours. Of what account are
+fifty years added to sixty or eighty, soon to be over for me? No, no,
+I would live two centuries at the least, to enjoy the fruits of my
+toil, and make the fortunes of my children, and my children's
+children. For thou dost not imagine we shall at first give to every
+one for nothing this magnificent secret, which has cost us so much. It
+is this secret which will procure us the means of living in splendour
+to the end of our days. Thou canst, for heavy sums of money, dispose
+of the powder which I shall have composed to whomsoever thou pleasest,
+while I on my<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span> part equally will part with it for gold; and when at
+length we die, surfeited with life, we will leave our secret to the
+multitude that survives us."</p>
+
+<p>"This arrangement seems to me just, and well conceived. Nevertheless,
+I desire not to sell the powder, but may I bestow it, and at once,
+upon one or two men whom I esteem highly?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, let us not yet draw attention to our happy fortune; let us wait
+until my discovery shall be completely perfected."</p>
+
+<p>"Agreed; but I lament to see thee yellow, thin, and attenuated, as
+thou art."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh! that is nothing," said the Tunisian, striking his forehead with
+his hands; "do not let my haggard appearance disturb thee. I would
+rather have nothing but skin upon my bones, and keep my secret to
+myself. I shall soon regain my flesh and my complexion. No, my health
+causes me no uneasiness. I merely suffer from anxiety, which arises
+from not having money sufficient for the prosecution of my studies."</p>
+
+<p>"Dost thou require much?" demanded Selim.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah! yes, much," replied Hussein with a sigh; "and if I fail in
+procuring it, instead of living fifty years longer than the usual
+course of things, I will either starve myself to death, or drown
+myself in the well of my house."</p>
+
+<p>"Beware of acting thus," said Selim. "I can still give thee something;
+make use of that, and afterwards follow my advice, and sell to some
+rich man thy powder, in order to meet the expenses of thy lengthened
+researches."</p>
+
+<p>Hussein Muley appeared to meditate profoundly with his forehead buried
+in his hands, and seemed not to listen to Selim, but it is not
+improbable that he heard him very well.</p>
+
+<p>"Thou dost not listen to me," continued Selim. "Hussein! Hussein! I
+will give thee another little casket of gold; but after this casket I
+have nothing more to give thee. There will only remain just<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></span>
+sufficient for me, during the time that I hope to live, thanks to thy
+powder. If thou discoverest another still more marvellous, thou wilt
+give it me, at least for my own use, wilt thou not?"</p>
+
+<p>Hussein Muley seemed suddenly to come to himself, and exclaimed:</p>
+
+<p>"Oh! I have at length found that of which I was in search! Yes, one
+herb alone is now wanting; I will go in quest of it, were it at the
+other end of the earth, and I will resolve the great problem which has
+occupied me for more than thirty years. Selim! Selim! entrust to my
+keeping what thou canst still consecrate to the happiness of mankind,
+and rest assured that thou wilt merit the admiration and the gratitude
+of ages to come."</p>
+
+<p>"I desire neither the one nor the other," replied Selim; "I only wish
+to do a little good, that is all. Shall I succeed in my purpose? I
+will confess to thee, Hussein Muley, that I have more than once
+regretted devoting my fortune to a discovery which may prove more
+fatal than useful to the world; for the world is already peopled
+enough, and what would it be, if men lived for several centuries?
+Would they not kill each other for want of room?"</p>
+
+<p>"Do they not already kill each other by sea and by land?" said Hussein
+Muley with a strange smile. "Come," continued he, "do not disquiet
+thyself about what will some day happen upon the earth; profit by what
+fate offers thee, and prolong thy days in peace."</p>
+
+<p>Having thus spoken, he took the second casket proffered him by Selim,
+put it under his arm, and said in a grave tone:</p>
+
+<p>"I am about to undertake a journey into Asia. There, near the Indies,
+is a high mountain, Mount Himalaya&mdash;dost thou not know it?"</p>
+
+<p>"No," answered Selim.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, nor I either; but I go to cull from its summit, covered with
+perpetual snows, a plant, which will complete the discoveries I have
+already made."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I thought that no plant was ever to be found on those mountain tops
+covered with perpetual snow and frost?"</p>
+
+<p>"There grows none, but that of which I have immediate need; I am going
+in quest of it, and will show it thee on my return."</p>
+
+<p>"It is well," said Selim, and they separated.</p>
+
+<p>Hussein Muley retreated with rapid strides.</p>
+
+<p>Selim carefully placed in a small box the powder which he was to take
+fasting, during one year, three months, a week, and a day, and he
+began from the very next day to administer to himself this drug, which
+happily he did not find to be very nauseous to the taste.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the Tunisian set out from Aldgezaire with his wife, his
+children, and several chests, containing no doubt his books, and the
+papers necessary for his studies; but Selim never saw him more. He
+awaited his return, three, five, ten years, and, as he judged that ten
+years should suffice to go to Asia, and scale the highest mountain
+there, he began to think that the yellow, thin, and learned Tunisian
+was either dead, or else had taken advantage of his credulity and
+ignorance.</p>
+
+<p>Whilst these thoughts occupied his mind, an epidemic broke out in
+Aldgezaire; Selim was attacked by it.</p>
+
+<p>He therefore begged the wise mufti, who was still alive, to come and
+visit him; and then with that burst of confidence which seizes men in
+the hour of danger, he opened his heart to him, and related how he had
+given two caskets full of gold to Hussein Muley, in the hope of
+prolonging the existence of mankind for many centuries.</p>
+
+<p>The wise mufti stroked his venerable beard and exclaimed:</p>
+
+<p>"Selim, Selim, thou hast been played upon by a swindler, to whom thou
+hast imprudently confided thy generous thoughts. This proves the truth
+of what I one day said to thee, 'With the best intentions we may
+commit the most foolish actions.'"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Ah!" said Selim sorrowfully, "my misfortune has been in not
+spontaneously following the first impulse of my heart, for I had
+really the wish to do good, but in taking counsel of one and another I
+have followed the worst I received."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," replied the mufti, "thou mightest perhaps have acted wisely in
+following thy first idea; at the same time, if thou hadst, in
+accordance with my advice, reflected longer upon thy projects of
+benevolence, it is certain that thou wouldst not have given thy gold
+to a cheat who has done nothing but laugh at thy credulity."</p>
+
+<p>Selim willingly consented to acknowledge his fault. He confessed that
+it is useless to take the opinion of the wise and learned, if we do
+not mean to profit by it; then he prostrated himself devoutly before
+Allah, recovered his health by degrees, and caused a large sum of
+money to be distributed among the poor of the mosques, for he relied
+no longer on the hundreds of years of existence which were to come to
+him from Mount Himalaya, any more than on the powder of longevity.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span></p>
+<h2>VI.</h2>
+
+<h3>THE NOSE FOR GOLD.</h3>
+
+
+<p>Mohammed and Yousouf, young Moors, born in Aldgezaire, had loved each
+other from infancy, and increasing years only served to strengthen the
+bonds of their attachment. Besides the happiness they enjoyed in their
+mutual affection, their friendship tended also to elevate their
+characters, and make them remarkable, for every body knows that
+constant friendships are never the lot of vulgar minds. These two
+young men, therefore, raised themselves above the level of the vulgar
+herd by the fidelity of their affection; they were cited as models in
+their native city; people smiled with pleasure on seeing them pass,
+always together, ever in good humour; and although they were far from
+being rich, yet their fate was envied by every one.</p>
+
+<p>Mohammed and Yousouf generally dressed alike, and they had recourse to
+the same trade to gain their living. Their only trouble,&mdash;there must
+always be some in this world,&mdash;arose from the shops in which they were
+engaged during the day being separated from each other; evening, it is
+true, reunited them in the same dwelling, but that was not enough for
+them. When they married even, they contrived that it should be to each
+other's relatives. One family established itself on the first floor of
+the house, the other immediately above, and the two friends continued
+to love as heretofore, and to rejoice in their common felicity.</p>
+
+<p>Over and over again, during their long conversations, they would
+repeat with the reiteration usual to those<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span> to whom a subject is dear,
+some such sentiments as these:</p>
+
+<p>"The restless periods of youth, marriage, and commercial affairs have
+tried our friendship without altering it; it is henceforth secure from
+all changes; old age will only serve to render us dearer to each
+other, and we shall leave to our families the record and example of an
+affection which a future day will doubtless see renewed in our sons."</p>
+
+<p>"It is probable," they would often say, "that Allah, touched by our
+friendship upon earth, will reunite us eternally in the paradise of
+true believers, beneath fresh shades, and by the side of bubbling
+fountains, surrounded by flowers of sweet perfume."</p>
+
+<p>At this prospect of an eternal union, an eternal happiness, both would
+smile in anticipation, and such expressions as these they were never
+weary of repeating to each other.</p>
+
+<p>These two friends were about thirty years of age, when a lucky chance
+gave them the opportunity of accomplishing the dearest wish of their
+hearts, that of occupying together two small shops adjoining each
+other.</p>
+
+<p>An old Israelite, without family and without children, had inhabited
+them for twenty years. In one he slept and ate, not having any other
+house; in the other he displayed his merchandise; essences, amber,
+pastilles, necklaces and bracelets for the rich Moors, small
+looking-glasses, and beads of coral for the slaves; all of which he
+sold at the dearest possible price, as if he had a dozen children to
+support, and as many of his co-religionists.</p>
+
+<p>Mohammed and Yousouf established themselves with lively satisfaction
+in these shops, the possession of which they had so long coveted,
+without at the same time desiring the death of the old Jew. They were
+incapable of a wicked action; but the Jew being dead, as they could
+not restore him to life, they saw no harm<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span> in lawfully taking
+possession of his domicile. This event seemed to complete their
+happiness.</p>
+
+<p>But who can say or know what is really a good or an evil? who can
+foresee the consequences of things?</p>
+
+<p>Mohammed one day, while knocking a nail into the partition wall
+between his shop and that of Yousouf, discovered that this wall was
+hollow, and that it contained some pieces of metal. His first impulse
+was to call, "Yousouf! Yousouf! there is gold or silver in our wall;"
+but the next moment he thought, "I will first assure myself of what
+this part of the wall contains, and if I really make a fortunate
+discovery, I shall give Yousouf such an agreeable surprise by calling
+him to partake of it."</p>
+
+<p>Accordingly he waited until Yousouf should be out of the way for an
+hour or two to give him the opportunity of exploring further into his
+wall, but it so happened that Yousouf was never absent at all for
+several days following.</p>
+
+<p>Mohammed then said to his friend:</p>
+
+<p>"I fancy that something has been stolen from my shop during the night.
+I shall sleep there to-night, in order to surprise the thief, if he
+should reappear."</p>
+
+<p>"I shall not leave thee alone here all night," replied Yousouf, "but
+shall sleep also in my shop by the side of thee."</p>
+
+<p>Mohammed in vain strove to oppose the resolution of his friend; he
+could not revisit his shop alone in the evening, and for several days
+following, Yousouf seeing that he appeared pensive and uneasy, quitted
+him less than ever, and said to him with the solicitude of true
+friendship:</p>
+
+<p>"Thou seemest sad! Thy wife and thy sons, are they ill? Regrettest
+thou what has been taken from thy shop? Compensate thyself for thy
+loss by selecting whatever thou wilt from that which I possess."</p>
+
+<p>Mohammed thanked Yousouf, and replied with a smile:</p>
+
+<p>"Rest satisfied, I have no grief." He dared not add, "I have no
+secret," for he had one.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>In order however to put an end to the feeling of intense anxiety that
+filled his mind, he came to his shop one night unknown to Yousouf, and
+hastily detaching from the partition wall first one stone, then two or
+three more, he discovered a hundred Spanish doubloons, and eight
+four-dollar pieces. This was a perfect treasure to Mohammed, who had
+never in his life possessed more than the half of a small house, and
+the few goods exposed for sale in his shop.</p>
+
+<p>"We are rich," said he. "Yousouf and I can now purchase a country
+house by the sea-side, as we have so often wished. Our wives and our
+children will disport themselves in our sight. My son Ali, that
+beautiful child whom I so tenderly love, will be delighted to run
+among the trees and climb up into their topmost branches. Ah! how
+rejoiced I am, if only for his sake."</p>
+
+<p>Thus thinking, Mohammed took his gold and his silver, replaced, as
+well as he was able, the stones in his wall, and returned to his home,
+his mind occupied with delightful visions, and already beholding
+himself in imagination enjoying the pleasures of a delightful
+habitation by the sea-shore, with his beautiful Ali, that dear child
+whom he so tenderly loved. During two days he put off from hour to
+hour the disclosure which he had to make to Yousouf; and during those
+two days he revolved all sorts of ideas in his mind.</p>
+
+<p>"If I made the fortune of my son, instead of that of my friend," said
+he at length to himself, "should I be guilty? Is not a son nearer and
+dearer than all the friends in the world? Yes; but then the gold and
+silver which I have discovered belong by rights as much to Yousouf as
+to myself, for the wall whence I have taken them belongs as much to
+his shop as to mine."</p>
+
+<p>Unable to resolve either to share his treasure with his friend or to
+keep it for himself alone, he took the resolution of carefully
+concealing it in the chamber in which he slept, and of waiting until
+the agitation caused<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span> in his mind by so important an event should have
+somewhat subsided, to which end he hastened to secure his newly
+acquired possession.</p>
+
+<p>"Reflection is no crime," said he. Consequently he gave himself time
+to reflect, instead of following the first impulse of his heart and
+remaining faithful to that devotion of friendship which had hitherto
+constituted his pride and glory, and which still bore the promise of
+so rich a harvest in the future.</p>
+
+<p>He passed all his time then, extended during the heat of the day upon
+a mat by the side of his merchandise, and with closed eyes feigning to
+sleep, while in reality he was thinking of nothing but his treasure,
+and of what he ought to do with it.</p>
+
+<p>Yousouf meanwhile, impressed with the idea that his friend was
+sleeping, took every care to guard his slumbers from interruption,
+thinking as he gently fanned his fevered brow of nothing but Mohammed,
+and what he could possibly invent to divert him and render him happy.</p>
+
+<p>One day as Yousouf and Mohammed were reposing after their labours, an
+old hump-backed Jew with a sallow complexion and an enormous nose
+accosted Yousouf, saying:</p>
+
+<p>"Was it not here that Nathan Cohen, the son of David, lived about two
+years since?"</p>
+
+<p>"Speak low," replied Yousouf to the Jew. "My friend is asleep, and I
+would not that his slumbers should be disturbed."</p>
+
+<p>The Jew seated himself on the edge of Yousouf's little counter, and
+repeated his inquiry, at the same time lowering the harsh and hollow
+tones of his voice.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, it was here that Nathan Cohen, the son of David, dwelt," replied
+the young Moor.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah!" said the old Jew, working his large and flexible nostrils, "I
+was sure of it&mdash;that is why I scent gold hidden here."</p>
+
+<p>"Indeed!" said Yousouf, regarding somewhat incredulously the
+extraordinary nose of his interlocutor.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span> "Thou dost well to talk of
+smelling gold or silver either. Thy olfactory nerves are of the
+strongest no doubt, nevertheless I fear me they are at fault in this
+dwelling, where gold and silver but seldom make their appearance."</p>
+
+<p>"They are not often to be seen here," replied the Jew; "I know that
+full well; they are not heard here either, for the earth conceals them
+both from sight and sound. But remove them from the envious ground
+that covers them, and they will dazzle thine eyes and charm thine
+ears."</p>
+
+<p>"Indeed!" said Yousouf, laughing. "Thou art the bearer of good news.
+How much dost thou demand for thy reward?"</p>
+
+<p>"I would have thee share with me all that I shall cause to be
+discovered in thy house by means of the marvellous sense of smelling
+with which I am endowed, and at which thou now jestest."</p>
+
+<p>"Share with thee!" exclaimed Yousouf. "Oh no, indeed! If I were
+fortunate enough to discover a treasure, it is with my friend Mohammed
+that I should hasten to share it."</p>
+
+<p>"But thou wilt have nothing to share with him if I do not disclose to
+thee the spot where thy treasure lies concealed."</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps so. But if I put any confidence in thy nose, what prevents me
+from turning my whole shop topsy-turvy, digging up the floor, and
+pulling down the walls and the shelves?"</p>
+
+<p>The Jew slowly regarded the ground, the walls, and the shelves, as
+they were severally named by Yousouf; then he said in an ironical
+manner:</p>
+
+<p>"Thou wouldst not do much harm if thou wert to demolish all around
+thee; but to save thyself so much trouble and labour, thou hadst far
+better give me at least one-third of what I shall discover in thy
+dwelling. The other two-thirds can be for thyself and thy friend, if
+thou art fool enough not to wish to keep all for thyself."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Ah, it may suit such a man as thou to call him who prefers friendship
+to money a fool! But in spite of all thy arguments I shall never
+change, and I shall love Mohammed better than all the money in the
+world."</p>
+
+<p>"As you please. It remains to be seen if Mohammed would do the same
+for you."</p>
+
+<p>"I have not the slightest doubt of it," replied Yousouf.</p>
+
+<p>The Jew uttered a suppressed laugh.</p>
+
+<p>"And I have every doubt of it," said he. "I doubt even <i>thy</i> future
+disinterestedness, notwithstanding the warmth of thy discourse.
+Yousouf! Yousouf! thou hast not yet beheld the dazzling brilliancy of
+gold! It is the lustre of this metal which charms the eyes and wins
+the heart of man. Once let him see gold before him, and know that he
+has the power to possess himself of it, and adieu to every other
+thought. Gold! why it is the thing to be most desired in the world.
+Possessed of gold, what can we not enjoy? a fine house, smiling
+pasturage, blooming gardens, rich stuffs, divans, perfumes, all, in
+short, that renders life desirable!"</p>
+
+<p>"That is very true," replied Yousouf. "We can procure many things with
+gold; but still gold cannot purchase youth, gaiety, friendship, or
+even a good appetite or sound sleep. Leave me then in peace with thy
+discoveries, and if thou art so skilled in the art of scenting gold,
+learn also to scan the disposition of him to whom thou addressest
+thyself."</p>
+
+<p>"Then thou wilt not consent to give me the third of what I know to be
+here, hidden though it may be?"</p>
+
+<p>"Decidedly not," replied Yousouf. "I have no faith in thy ridiculous
+pretensions; moreover, I do not know thee, and have never seen thee
+either in the public walks, the streets, or elsewhere."</p>
+
+<p>"I have just returned from a long journey," replied the old man; "my
+name is Ephraim. When I quitted<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span> this city, thou wert but sixteen
+years of age; my friend Nathan Cohen, son of David, was then very old:
+he has been dead, they say, these two years."</p>
+
+<p>"And so thou comest to exercise thy sense of smelling in thy
+accustomed haunt," said Yousouf gaily; "and seest thou not then that
+there is some power in friendship, since it is the memory of a friend
+that brings thee hither?"</p>
+
+<p>"Ah! it is not the memory of the past, but hope for the future,"
+replied the old Jew. "So long as our friends are alive they may be
+useful, though that is a thing that very rarely happens; but when they
+are dead, what is the use of thinking any more of them?"</p>
+
+<p>Yousouf, wearied out with so much discussion, said at length to
+Ephraim:</p>
+
+<p>"Come, come, enough of this! Leave this place; thy voice will, I am
+sure, awaken my friend, and prevent him from sleeping, as he delights
+to do during the heat of the day."</p>
+
+<p>"Do not let us awaken him," replied the Jew, "but let us remove the
+ground there beneath thy feet. I will hope that a feeling of gratitude
+may induce thee to bestow upon me a portion of what I shall discover
+for thee."</p>
+
+<p>So saying, the Jew drew a long iron pickaxe from beneath his dirty
+brown tunic, and began to break up the ground around the feet of
+Yousouf. The latter regarded the old man&mdash;his prodigious nose inflated
+by the hope of gain&mdash;with a smile of derision. But in a short space of
+time their eyes were dazzled by a sight of the precious metal. The Jew
+had, indeed, succeeded in disinterring a veritable treasure.</p>
+
+<p>"Let us now count this gold and silver," said he.</p>
+
+<p>They took it, and counted it, and found that Yousouf had suddenly
+become the possessor of five hundred Spanish doubloons, and sixty
+four-dollar pieces. He could scarcely believe his eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," said the Jew, "what sayest thou? have<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span> I lied to thee, or
+deceived myself? Come, let us see now what thou art going to give me
+in reward for my pains."</p>
+
+<p>"I will awaken Mohammed," said Yousouf, "and he and I will certainly
+give thee something as a recompense."</p>
+
+<p>"Yousouf!" said the Jew, arresting the young Moor by the arm, "reflect
+a moment before awakening thy friend. Would it not be better to keep
+this treasure for thyself and for thy sons? Hast thou not children,
+and are not children much dearer than a friend?"</p>
+
+<p>"If I have children," replied Yousouf, "Mohammed has them also. We
+loved each other before they were born, and we know how to be good
+fathers without being faithless friends."</p>
+
+<p>At this moment Mohammed, who had not awaked, for the very sufficient
+reason that he had not been asleep, started as if he had been stung by
+a thousand mosquitoes at once, and rose with a sudden bound. The
+concluding words of Yousouf had awakened a feeling of remorse within
+his breast.</p>
+
+<p>"Yousouf! Yousouf!" said he to his friend, "I have heard all. Yes,
+every thing, and thy sincere friendship, tried by time and tried by
+gold, is now the sole treasure I desire."</p>
+
+<p>"I know for how long a time thou hast thought thus," replied Yousouf.
+"But since Allah has chosen to make us rich, let us not disdain the
+blessing which he sends. He it was who first inspired us with the wish
+for these two little shops, and who has bestowed them upon us. It is
+he who has conducted hither this Jew who has been the instrument of
+our discovering this treasure. Let us offer our thanks to Allah, and
+let us give to Ephraim that which is meet and right."</p>
+
+<p>"Be that as thou only wilt," said Mohammed with a preoccupied air.
+"Thou art just and righteous, and thy thoughts are pure in the sight
+of Allah."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Yousouf paid no great heed to this friendly eulogium, but continued
+gaily:</p>
+
+<p>"Since thou permittest me to be the sole arbiter in the affair, this
+is my decision."</p>
+
+<p>Then, turning towards Ephraim: "Thou shalt be more or less
+recompensed," said he, "according to the candour with which thou
+repliest to my question. Come, then, answer me truly, hast thou
+really, thanks to the singular form of thy nose, so fine a sense of
+smell as to be able to trace any metal whatever, either under ground
+or elsewhere?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," said the Jew, "I possess this rare faculty, thanks to my nose;
+and to give thee a farther proof of it, I declare that I can again
+scent in this spot in the wall a sum of gold and silver, the exact
+amount of which I cannot enumerate."</p>
+
+<p>Mohammed turned pale at these words. "In this wall?" said he.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes. Suffer me to make a little hole with this gimlet here, and you
+will see if I speak falsely."</p>
+
+<p>"Dig where thou wilt," replied Yousouf; "we have no right to prevent
+thee after the discovery thou hast just made here."</p>
+
+<p>The Jew instantly set to work at the wall, but it was now his turn to
+be astonished, for the wall, hollow it is true, was guiltless of gold
+or silver either.</p>
+
+<p>Yousouf burst out laughing at the disconcerted and stupified look of
+the old Jew.</p>
+
+<p>"Never mind," said he, "thy nose has deceived thee for once; but thou
+must not let that discourage thee. Still, hadst thou frankly told me
+that as a friend of old Nathan Cohen thou knewest where he had hidden
+his treasure, in return for thy confidence I should have given thee a
+quarter of what thou hast found; but since thou hast persisted in
+assuring me that thy nose is gifted with supernatural powers, I shall
+give thee much less. Besides, with such a nose as thine no one can
+doubt but thy fortune is made."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Ah!" cried the Jew, clasping his withered and wrinkled hands,
+"Yousouf! Yousouf! since thou art good and just, as Mohammed says,
+take pity on my poverty; it impelled me to deal falsely with thee; I
+confess it now; and spite of its singular form, my nose has nothing
+but what is common to other noses. Accord then to my tardy sincerity
+that which thou wouldst at first have given me."</p>
+
+<p>Yousouf consulted Mohammed again, who replied thus:</p>
+
+<p>"Thou art just and pious; act according to thy own desire."</p>
+
+<p>Yousouf then counted out to the old Jew the fourth part of what he had
+just found, thus rendering him happy for the remainder of his days.</p>
+
+<p>Then, finding himself alone with his friend, he began to divide into
+two equal parts the gold and silver which remained.</p>
+
+<p>"Give me none! give me none, Yousouf!" exclaimed Mohammed, "I am no
+longer deserving of thy friendship."</p>
+
+<p>"Thou!" said Yousouf, "art thou mad? what sayst thou?"</p>
+
+<p>"I speak the melancholy truth," cried Mohammed; "I have not a noble
+heart like thine. Some time since I discovered in the wall the gold
+and silver which the Jew thought to find there; but instead of saying
+as thou hast done, 'I will share it with my friend,' I put off from
+day to day the fulfilment of this sacred duty. Ah, Yousouf, I am
+unworthy of thy friendship, and am very unhappy!"</p>
+
+<p>Yousouf remained silent for a few moments, but soon his brow grew
+clear, and a pleasing smile diffused itself over his features and
+illuminated his fine dark eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"What man," said he, "is entirely master over his own thoughts? Thou
+didst hesitate, sayst thou, before confiding to me the discovery thou
+hadst made. That may be, but thou wouldst not have failed to do so at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span>
+last. Thou wouldst never have been able to behold thyself rich,
+knowing me to be poor, and to sit at a feast whilst I lived upon black
+bread. Thou didst not thoroughly understand the wants and feelings of
+thy heart: that is all. Thou didst not at once perceive wherein lies
+true happiness, for which reason thou hast caused thyself much
+uneasiness. It is over now; our friendship has been tried by gold;
+nothing remains for us but to enjoy the good fortune that has befallen
+us. Let us seek to do so like wise men, and never let us forget to set
+apart for the poor a portion of that which Allah has bestowed upon
+us."</p>
+
+<p>The two friends agreed therefore to give a hundred doubloons to the
+poor of the great mosque. Then with the rest of their treasure they
+purchased a beautiful country house not far from the sea, on the coast
+of Punta Pescada. There they lived happily for many long years, always
+admired and esteemed for their mutual affection, and for the goodness
+of their hearts; for, strange to say, their sudden and unexpected
+change of fortune never served to render them callous to the poor, nor
+indifferent to the wants and troubles of their fellow-creatures.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span></p>
+<h2>VII.</h2>
+
+<h3>THE STORY OF THE TREASURES OF BASRA.</h3>
+
+
+<p>All historians agree that the caliph Haroun-al-Raschid would have been
+the most perfect prince of his time, as he was also the most powerful,
+if he had not so often given way both to anger and to an insupportable
+vanity. He was always saying that no prince in the world was so
+generous as himself. Giafar, his chief vizir, being at last quite
+disgusted with his boasting, took the liberty to say to him one day,
+"Oh, my sovereign lord, monarch of the world, pardon your slave if he
+dares to represent to you that you ought not thus to praise yourself.
+Leave that to your subjects and the crowds of strangers who frequent
+your court. Content yourself with the knowledge that the former thank
+heaven for being born in your dominions, and that the latter
+congratulate themselves on having quitted their country to come and
+live under your laws." Haroun was very angry at these words; he looked
+sternly at his vizir, and asked him if he knew any one who could be
+compared to himself in generosity.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, my lord," answered Giafar, "there is in the town of Basra a
+young man named Aboulcassem, who, though a private individual, lives
+in more magnificence than kings, and without excepting even your
+majesty, no prince is more generous than this man."</p>
+
+<p>The caliph reddened at these words, his eyes flashed with anger. "Do
+you know," he said, "that a subject who has the audacity to lie to his
+master merits death?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I have said nothing but the truth," replied the vizir. "During my
+last visit to Basra I saw this Aboulcassem; I stayed at his house; my
+eyes, though accustomed to your treasures, were surprised at his
+riches, and I was charmed with the generosity of his manners."</p>
+
+<p>At these words the impetuous Haroun could no longer contain his anger.
+"You are most insolent," he cried, "to place a private individual on
+an equality with myself! Your imprudence shall not remain unpunished."</p>
+
+<p>So saying, he made a sign for the captain of his guards to approach,
+and commanded him to arrest the vizir Giafar. He then went to the
+apartment of the princess Zobeide his wife, who grew pale with fear on
+seeing his irritated countenance.</p>
+
+<p>"What is the matter, my lord?" said she; "what causes you to be thus
+agitated?"</p>
+
+<p>Haroun told her all that had passed, and complained of his vizir in
+terms that soon made Zobeide comprehend how enraged he was with the
+minister. This wise princess advised him to suspend his resentment,
+and send some one to Basra to ascertain the truth of Giafar's
+assertion; if it was false, she argued, the vizir should be punished;
+on the contrary, if it proved true, which she could not believe, it
+was not just to treat him as a criminal. This discourse calmed the
+fury of the caliph.</p>
+
+<p>"I approve of this counsel, madam," said he, "and will acknowledge
+that I owe this justice to such a minister as Giafar. I will do still
+more; as any other person I charged with this office might, from an
+aversion to my vizir, give me a false statement, I will myself go to
+Basra and judge of the truth of this report. I will make acquaintance
+with this young man, whose generosity is thus extolled; if Giafar has
+told me true, I will load him with benefits instead of punishing him
+for his frankness; but I swear he shall forfeit his life if I find he
+has told me a falsehood."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>As soon as Haroun had formed this resolution he thought of nothing but
+how to execute it. One night he secretly left the palace, mounted his
+horse, and left the city, not wishing any one to follow him, though
+Zobeide entreated him not to go alone. Arriving at Basra, he
+dismounted at the first caravansary he found on entering the city, the
+landlord of which seemed a good old man.</p>
+
+<p>"Father," said Haroun, "is it true that there is in this city a young
+man called Aboulcassem, who surpasses even kings in magnificence and
+generosity?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, my lord," answered the landlord; "and if I had a hundred mouths,
+and in each mouth a hundred tongues, I could not relate to you all his
+generous actions." As the caliph had now need of some repose, he
+retired to rest after partaking of a slight refreshment. He was up
+very early in the morning, and walked about until sunrise. Then he
+approached a tailor's shop and asked for the dwelling of Aboulcassem.
+"From what country do you come?" said the tailor; "most certainly you
+have never been at Basra before, or you would have heard where the
+lord Aboulcassem lives; why, his house is better known than the palace
+of the king."</p>
+
+<p>The caliph answered, "I am a stranger; I know no one in this city, and
+I shall be obliged if you will conduct me to this lord's house."</p>
+
+<p>Upon that the tailor ordered one of his boys to show the caliph the
+way to the residence of Aboulcassem. It was a large house built of
+stone, with a doorway of marble and jasper. The prince entered the
+court, where there was a crowd of servants and liberated slaves who
+were amusing themselves in different ways while they awaited the
+orders of their master. He approached one of them and said, "Friend, I
+wish you would take the trouble to go to the lord Aboulcassem and tell
+him a stranger wishes to see him." The domestic judged from the
+appearance of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span> Haroun that he was no common man. He ran to apprise his
+master, who coming into the court took the stranger by the hand and
+conducted him to a very beautiful saloon. The caliph then told the
+young man, that having heard him mentioned in terms of praise, he had
+become desirous of seeing him, and had travelled to Basra for that
+purpose. Aboulcassem modestly replied to this compliment, and seating
+his guest on a sofa, asked of what country and profession he was, and
+where he lodged at Basra.</p>
+
+<p>"I am a merchant of Bagdad," replied the caliph, "and I have taken a
+lodging at the first caravansary I found on my arrival."</p>
+
+<p>After they had conversed for a short time there entered twelve pages
+bearing vases of agate and rock crystal, enriched with precious
+stones, and full of the most exquisite beverages. They were followed
+by twelve very beautiful female slaves, some carrying china bowls
+filled with fruit and flowers, and others golden caskets containing
+conserves of an exquisite flavour. The pages presented their beverages
+to the caliph; the prince tasted them, and though accustomed to the
+most delicious that could be obtained in the East, he acknowledged
+that he had never tasted better. As it was now near the hour for
+dinner, Aboulcassem conducted his guest to another room, where they
+found a table covered with the choicest delicacies served on dishes of
+massive gold. The repast finished, the young man took the caliph by
+the hand and led him to a third room more richly furnished than the
+two others. Here the slaves brought a prodigious quantity of gold
+vases, enriched with rubies, filled with all sorts of rare wines, and
+china plates containing dried sweetmeats. While the host and his guest
+were partaking of these delicious wines there entered singers and
+musicians, who commenced a concert, with which Haroun was enchanted.
+"I have," he said to himself, "the most admirable voices in <i>my</i>
+palace, but I must confess they cannot bear comparison<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span> with these. I
+do not understand how a private individual can live in such
+magnificence."</p>
+
+<p>Amongst the voices there was one in particular the extraordinary
+sweetness of which attracted the attention of the prince, and whilst
+he was absorbed in listening to it Aboulcassem left the room and
+returned a moment after holding in one hand a wand, and in the other a
+little tree whose stem was of silver, the branches and leaves
+emeralds, and the fruit rubies. On the top of this tree was a golden
+peacock beautifully executed, the body of which was filled with amber,
+essence of aloes, and other perfumes. He placed this tree at the
+caliph's feet; then striking the head of the peacock with his wand,
+the bird extended its wings and tail, and moved itself quickly to the
+right and left, whilst at each movement of its body the most
+odoriferous perfumes filled the apartment. The caliph was so
+astonished and delighted that he could not take his eyes off the tree
+and the peacock, and he was just going to express his admiration when
+Aboulcassem suddenly took them away. Haroun was offended at this, and
+said to himself, "What does all this mean? It appears to me this young
+man does not merit so much praise. He takes away the tree and the
+peacock when he sees me occupied in looking at them more than he
+likes. Is he afraid I want him to make me a present? I fear Giafar is
+mistaken in calling him a generous man." He was thus thinking when
+Aboulcassem returned accompanied by a little page as beautiful as the
+sun. This lovely child was dressed in gold brocade covered with pearls
+and diamonds. He held in his hand a cup made of one single ruby, and
+filled with wine of a purple colour. He approached the caliph, and
+prostrating himself to the ground, presented the cup. The prince
+extended his hand to receive it, but, wonderful to relate, he
+perceived on giving back the cup to the page, that though he had
+emptied the cup, it was still quite full. He put it again to his lips
+and emptied it to the very last<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span> drop. He then placed it again in the
+hands of the page, and at the same moment saw it filling without any
+one approaching it. The surprise of Haroun was extreme at this
+wonderful circumstance, which made him forget the tree and the
+peacock. He asked how it was accomplished. "My lord," said
+Aboulcassem, "it is the work of an ancient sage who was acquainted
+with most of the secrets of nature;" and then, taking the page by the
+hand, he precipitately left the apartment. The caliph was indignant at
+this behaviour. "I see how it is," said he, "this young man has lost
+his senses. He brings me all these curiosities of his own accord, he
+presents them to my view, and when he perceives my admiration, he
+instantly removes his treasures. I never experienced treatment so
+ridiculous or uncourteous. Ah, Giafar! I thought you a better judge of
+men."</p>
+
+<p>In this manner they continued amusing themselves till sunset. Then
+Haroun said to the young man, "Oh, generous Aboulcassem, I am confused
+with the reception you have given me; permit me now to retire and
+leave you to repose." The young lord of Basra not wishing to
+inconvenience his guest, politely saluted him, and conducted him to
+the door of the house, apologizing for not having received him in a
+more magnificent style. "I quite acknowledge," said the caliph on
+returning to his caravansary, "that for magnificence Aboulcassem
+surpasses kings, but for generosity, there my vizir was wrong in
+placing him in comparison with myself; for what present has he made me
+during my visit? I was lavish in my praises of the tree, the cup, and
+the page, and I should have thought my admiration would have induced
+him to offer me, at least, one of these things. No, this man is
+ostentatious; he feels a pleasure in displaying his riches to the eyes
+of strangers. And why? Only to satisfy his pride and vanity. In
+reality he is a miser, and I ought not to pardon Giafar for thus
+deceiving me." Whilst making these disagreeable reflections<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span> on his
+minister, he arrived at the caravansary. But what was his astonishment
+on finding there silken carpets, magnificent tents, a great number of
+servants, slaves, horses, mules, camels, and besides all these, the
+tree and the peacock, and the page with his cup? The domestics
+prostrated themselves before him, and presented a roll of silk paper,
+on which were written these words, "Dear and amiable guest, I have
+not, perhaps, shown you the respect which is your due; I pray you to
+forget any appearance of neglect in my manner of receiving you, and do
+not distress me by refusing the little presents I have sent you. As to
+the tree, the peacock, the page, and the cup, since they please you,
+they are yours already, for any thing that delights my guests ceases
+to be mine from that instant." When the caliph had finished reading
+this letter, he was astounded at the liberality of Aboulcassem, and
+remembered how wrongly he had judged the young man. "A thousand
+blessings," cried he, "on my vizir Giafar! He has caused me to be
+undeceived. Ah, Haroun, never again boast of being the most
+magnificent and generous of men! one of your subjects surpasses you.
+But how is a private individual able to make such presents? I ought to
+have asked where he amassed such riches; I was wrong not to have
+questioned him on this point: I must not return to Bagdad without
+investigating this affair. Besides, it concerns me to know why there
+is a man in my dominions who leads a more princely life than myself. I
+must see him again, and try to discover by what means he has acquired
+such an immense fortune."</p>
+
+<p>Impatient to satisfy his curiosity, he left his new servants in the
+caravansary, and returned immediately to the young man's residence.
+When he found himself in his presence he said, "Oh, too amiable
+Aboulcassem, the presents you have made me are so valuable, that I
+fear I cannot accept them without abusing your generosity. Permit me
+to send them back before I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></span> return to Bagdad, and publish to the world
+your magnificence and generous hospitality." "My lord," answered the
+young man with a mortified air, "you certainly must have had reason to
+complain of the unhappy Aboulcassem; I fear some of his actions have
+displeased you, since you reject his presents; you would not have done
+me this injury, if you were satisfied with me."</p>
+
+<p>"No," replied the prince, "heaven is my witness that I am enchanted
+with your politeness; but your presents are too costly; they surpass
+those of kings, and if I dared tell you what I think, you would be
+less prodigal with your riches, and remember that they may soon be
+exhausted."</p>
+
+<p>Aboulcassem smiled at these words and said to the caliph, "My lord, I
+am very glad to learn that it is not to punish me for having committed
+any fault against yourself that you wished to refuse my presents; and
+now to oblige you to accept them, I will tell you that every day I can
+make the same and even more magnificent ones without inconveniencing
+myself. I see," added he, "that this astonishes you, but you will
+cease to be surprised when I have told you all the adventures which
+have happened to me. It is necessary that I should thus confide in
+you."</p>
+
+<p>Upon this he conducted Haroun to a room a thousand times richer and
+more ornamented than any of the others. The most exquisite essences
+perfumed this apartment, in which was a throne of gold placed on the
+richest carpets. Haroun could not believe he was in the house of a
+subject; he imagined he must be in the abode of a prince infinitely
+more powerful than himself. The young man made him mount the throne,
+and placing himself by his side, commenced the history of his life.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h3>HISTORY OF ABOULCASSEM.</h3>
+
+<p>I am the son of a jeweller of Cairo, named Abdelaziz. He possessed
+such immense riches, that fearing to draw upon himself the envy or
+avarice of the sultan of Egypt, he quitted his native country and
+established himself at Basra, where he married the only daughter of
+the richest merchant in that city. I am the only child of that
+marriage, so that inheriting the estates of both my parents I became
+possessed on their death of a very splendid fortune. But I was young,
+I liked extravagance, and having wherewith to exercise my liberal
+propensities, or rather my prodigality, I lived with so much
+profusion, that in less than three years my fortune was dissipated.
+Then, like all who repent of their foolish conduct, I made the most
+promising resolutions for the future.</p>
+
+<p>After the life I had led at Basra, I thought it better to leave that
+place, for it seemed to me my misery would be more supportable among
+strangers. Accordingly I sold my house, and left the city before
+daybreak. When it was light I perceived a caravan of merchants who had
+encamped on a spot of ground near me. I joined them, and as they were
+on their road to Bagdad, where I also wished to go, I departed with
+them; I arrived there without accident, but soon found myself in a
+very miserable situation. I was without money, and of all my large
+fortune there remained but one gold sequin. In order to do something
+for a living I changed my sequin into aspres, and purchased some
+preserved apples, sweetmeats, balms,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span> and roses. With these I went
+every day to the house of a merchant where many persons of rank and
+others were accustomed to assemble and converse together. I presented
+to them in a basket what I had to sell. Each took what he liked, and
+never failed to remunerate me, so that by this little commerce I
+contrived to live very comfortably. One day as I was as usual selling
+flowers at the merchant's house, there was seated in a corner of the
+room an old man, of whom I took no notice, and on perceiving that I
+did not address him, he called me and said, "My friend, how comes it
+that you do not offer your merchandise to me as well as the others? Do
+you take me for a dishonest man, or imagine that my purse is empty?"</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," answered I, "I pray you pardon me. All that I have is at
+your service, I ask nothing for it." At the same time I offered him my
+basket; he took some perfume, and told me to sit down by him. I did
+so, and he asked me a number of questions, who I was, and what was my
+name.</p>
+
+<p>"Excuse me satisfying your curiosity," said I, sighing; "I cannot do
+so without reopening wounds which time is beginning to heal."</p>
+
+<p>These words, or the tone in which I uttered them, prevented the old
+man from questioning me further. He changed the discourse, and after a
+long conversation, on rising to depart he took out his purse and gave
+me ten gold sequins. I was greatly surprised at this liberality. The
+wealthiest lords to whom I had been accustomed to present my basket
+had never given me even one sequin, and I could not tell what to make
+of this man.</p>
+
+<p>On the morrow, when I returned to the merchants, I again found my old
+friend; and for many days he continued to attract my attention. At
+length, one day, as I was addressing him after he had taken a little
+balm from my basket, he made me again sit by him, and pressed me so
+earnestly to relate my history, that I could not refuse him. I
+informed him of all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span> that had happened to me; after this confidence he
+said:</p>
+
+<p>"Young man, I knew your father. I am a merchant of Basra; I have no
+child, and have conceived a friendship for you; I will adopt you as my
+son, therefore console yourself for your past misfortunes. You have
+found a father richer by far than Abdelaziz, and who will have as much
+affection for you." I thanked the venerable old man for the honour he
+did me, and followed him as he left the house. He made me throw away
+my basket of flowers, and conducted me to a large mansion that he had
+hired. There I was lodged in a spacious apartment with slaves to wait
+on me, and by his order they brought me rich clothes. One would have
+thought my father Abdelaziz again lived, and it seemed as if I had
+never known sorrow. When the merchant had finished the business that
+detained him at Bagdad,&mdash;namely, when he had sold the merchandise he
+brought with him,&mdash;we both took the road to Basra. My friends, who
+never thought to see me again, were not a little surprised to hear I
+had been adopted by a man who passed for the richest merchant in the
+city. I did my best to please the old man. He was charmed with my
+behaviour. "Aboulcassem," he often said to me, "I am enchanted that I
+met you at Bagdad. You appear worthy of all I have done for you." I
+was touched with the kindness he evinced for me, and far from abusing
+it, endeavoured to do all I could to please my kind benefactor.
+Instead of seeking companions of my own age, I always kept in his
+company, scarcely ever leaving him. At last this good old man fell
+sick, and the physicians despaired of his life. When he was at the
+last extremity he made all but myself leave him, and then said, "Now
+is the time, my son, to reveal to you a most important secret. If I
+had only this house with all its riches to bequeath, I should leave
+you but a moderate fortune; but all that I have amassed during the
+course of my life, though considerable for a merchant, is nothing in
+comparison<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</a></span> to the treasure that is concealed here, and which I am now
+about to reveal to you. I shall not tell you how long ago, by whom, or
+in what manner it was found, for I am ignorant of that myself; all I
+know is, that my grandfather, when dying, told the secret to my
+father, who also made me acquainted with it a few days before his
+death. But," continued he, "I have one advice to give you, and take
+care you do not slight it. You are naturally generous. When you are at
+liberty to follow your own inclinations, you will no doubt be lavish
+of your riches. You will receive with magnificence any strangers who
+may come to your house. You will load them with presents, and will do
+good to all who implore your assistance. This conduct, which I much
+approve of if you can keep it within bounds, will at last be the cause
+of your ruin. The splendour of your establishment will excite the envy
+of the king of Basra, and the avarice of his ministers. They will
+suspect you of having some hidden treasure. They will spare no means
+to discover it, and will imprison you. To prevent this misfortune, you
+have only to follow my example. I have always, as well as my
+grandfather and father, carried on my business and enjoyed this
+treasure without ostentation; we have never indulged in any
+extravagance calculated to surprise the world."</p>
+
+<p>I faithfully promised the merchant I would imitate his prudence. He
+told me where I should find the treasure, and assured me that whatever
+idea I might have formed of its splendour, I should find the reality
+far exceed my expectations. At last, when the generous old man died,
+I, as his sole heir, performed for him the last offices, and, taking
+possession of his property, of which this house is a part, proceeded
+at once to see this treasure. I confess to you, my lord, that I was
+thunderstruck. I found it to be, if not inexhaustible, at least so
+vast that I could never expend it, even if heaven were to permit me to
+live beyond the age of man. My resolution therefore was at once<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span>
+formed, and instead of keeping the promise I made to the old merchant,
+I spend my riches freely. It is my boast that there is no one in Basra
+who has not benefited by my generosity. My house is open to all who
+desire my aid, and they leave it perfectly contented. Do you call it
+<i>possessing</i> a treasure if it must not be touched? And can I make a
+better use of it than by endeavouring to relieve the unhappy, to
+receive strangers with liberality, and to lead a life of generosity
+and charity? Every one thought I should be ruined a second time.</p>
+
+<p>"If Aboulcassem," said they, "had all the treasures of the commander
+of the faithful, he would spend them."</p>
+
+<p>But they were much astonished, when, instead of seeing my affairs in
+disorder, they, on the contrary, appeared every day to become more
+flourishing. No one could imagine how my fortune increased, while I
+was thus squandering it. As the old man predicted, a feeling of envy
+was excited against me. A rumour prevailed that I had found a
+treasure. This was sufficient to attract the attention of a number of
+persons greedy of gain. The lieutenant of police at Basra came to see
+me.</p>
+
+<p>"I am," said he, "the daroga, and am come to demand where the treasure
+is which enables you to live in such magnificence."</p>
+
+<p>I trembled at these words, and remained silent. He guessed from my
+confused air that his suspicions were not without foundation; but
+instead of compelling me to discover my treasure, "My lord
+Aboulcassem," continued he, "I exercise my office as a man of sense.
+Make me some present worthy of my discretion in this affair, and I
+will retire."</p>
+
+<p>"How much do you ask?" said I.</p>
+
+<p>"I will content myself with ten gold sequins a day."</p>
+
+<p>"That is not enough&mdash;I will give you a hundred. You have only to come
+here every day or every<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span> month, and my treasurer will count them out
+to you."</p>
+
+<p>The lieutenant of police was transported with joy at hearing these
+words. "My lord," said he, "I wish that you could find a thousand
+treasures. Enjoy your fortune in peace; I shall never dispute your
+possession of it." Then taking a large sum of money in advance he went
+his way.</p>
+
+<p>A short time after the vizir Aboulfatah-Waschi sent for me, and,
+taking me into his cabinet, said:</p>
+
+<p>"Young man, I hear you have discovered a treasure. You know the fifth
+part belongs to God; you must give it to the king. Pay the fifth, and
+you shall remain the quiet possessor of the other four parts."</p>
+
+<p>I answered him thus: "My lord, I acknowledge that I <i>have</i> found a
+treasure, but I swear to you at the same time that I will confess
+nothing, though I should be torn in pieces. But I promise to give you
+every day a thousand gold sequins, provided you leave me in peace."</p>
+
+<p>Aboulfatah was as tractable as the lieutenant of police. He sent his
+confidential servant, and my treasurer gave him thirty thousand
+sequins for the first month. This vizir, fearing no doubt that the
+king of Basra would hear of what had passed, thought it better to
+inform him himself of the circumstance. The prince listened very
+attentively, and thinking the affair required investigating, sent to
+summon me. He received me with a smiling countenance, saying:</p>
+
+<p>"Approach, young man, and answer me what I shall ask you. Why do you
+not show me your treasure? Do you think me so unjust, that I shall
+take it from you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," replied I, "may the life of your majesty be prolonged for
+ages; but if you commanded my flesh to be torn with burning pincers I
+would not discover my treasure; I consent every day to pay to your
+majesty two thousand gold sequins. If you refuse to accept them, and
+think proper that I should die, you have only<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span> to order it; but I am
+ready to suffer all imaginable torments, sooner than satisfy your
+curiosity."</p>
+
+<p>The king looked at his vizir as I said this, and demanded his opinion.</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," said the minister, "the sum he offers you is considerable&mdash;it
+is of itself a real treasure. Send the young man back, only let him be
+careful to keep his word with your majesty."</p>
+
+<p>The king followed this advice; he loaded me with caresses, and from
+that time, according to my agreement, I pay every year to the prince,
+the vizir, and the lieutenant of police, more than one million sixty
+thousand gold sequins. This, my lord, is all I have to tell you. You
+will now no longer be surprised at the presents I have made you, nor
+at what you have seen in my house.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h3>CONCLUSION OF THE STORY OF THE TREASURES OF BASRA.</h3>
+
+<p>When Aboulcassem had finished the recital of his adventures, the
+caliph, animated with a violent desire to see the treasure, said to
+him, "Is it possible that there is in the world a treasure that your
+generosity can never exhaust? No! I cannot believe it, and if it was
+not exacting too much from you, my lord, I would ask to see what you
+possess, and I swear never to reveal what you may confide to me." The
+son of Abdelaziz appeared grieved at this speech of the caliph's. "I
+am sorry, my lord," he said, "that you have conceived this curiosity;
+I cannot satisfy it but upon very disagreeable conditions."</p>
+
+<p>"Never mind," said the prince, "whatever the conditions, I submit
+without repugnance."</p>
+
+<p>"It is necessary," said Aboulcassem, "that I blindfold your eyes, and
+conduct you unarmed and bareheaded, with my drawn scimitar in my hand,
+ready to cut you to pieces at any moment, if you violate the laws of
+hospitality. I know very well I am acting imprudently, and ought not
+to yield to your wishes; but I rely on your promised secrecy, and
+besides that, I cannot bear to send away a guest dissatisfied."</p>
+
+<p>"In pity then satisfy my curiosity," said the caliph.</p>
+
+<p>"That cannot be just yet," replied the young man, "but remain here
+this night, and when my domestics are gone to rest I will come and
+conduct you from your apartment."</p>
+
+<p>He then called his people, and by the light of a number of wax tapers,
+carried by slaves in gold flambeaux,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</a></span> he led the prince to a
+magnificent chamber, and then retired to his own. The slaves disrobed
+the caliph, and left him to repose, after placing at the head and foot
+of his bed their lighted tapers, whose perfumed wax emitted an
+agreeable odour. Instead of taking any rest, Haroun-al-Raschid
+impatiently awaited the appearance of Aboulcassem, who did not fail to
+come for him towards the middle of the night. "My lord," he said, "all
+my servants are asleep. A profound silence reigns in my house. I will
+now show you my treasure upon the conditions I named to you."</p>
+
+<p>"Let us go then," said the caliph. "I am ready to follow you, and I
+again swear that you will not repent thus satisfying my curiosity."</p>
+
+<p>The son of Abdelaziz aided the prince to dress; then putting a bandage
+over his eyes, he said, "I am sorry, my lord, to be obliged to treat
+you thus; your appearance and your manners seem worthy of confidence,
+but&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I approve of these precautions," interrupted the caliph, "and I do
+not take them in ill part."</p>
+
+<p>Aboulcassem then made him descend by a winding staircase into a garden
+of vast extent, and after many turnings they entered the place where
+the treasure was concealed. It was a deep and spacious cavern closed
+at the entrance by a stone. Passing through this they entered a long
+alley, very dark and steep, at the end of which was a large saloon,
+brilliantly lighted by carbuncles. When they arrived at this room the
+young man unbound the caliph's eyes, and the latter gazed with
+astonishment on the scene before him. A basin of white marble, fifty
+feet in circumference and thirty feet deep, stood in the middle of the
+apartment. It was full of large pieces of gold, and ranged round it
+were twelve columns of the same metal, supporting as many statues
+composed of precious stones of admirable workmanship. Aboulcassem
+conducted the prince to the edge of the basin and said to him, "This
+basin is thirty feet deep. Look at that mass of gold pieces. They are
+scarcely diminished the depth of two fingers. Do you think I shall
+soon spend all this?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Haroun, after attentively looking at the basin, replied: "Here are, I
+confess, immense riches, but you still may exhaust them."</p>
+
+<p>"Well," said the young man, "when this basin is empty I shall have
+recourse to what I am now going to show you."</p>
+
+<p>He then proceeded to another room, more brilliant still, where on a
+number of red brocaded sofas were immense quantities of pearls and
+diamonds. Here was also another marble basin, not so large or so deep
+as that filled with gold pieces, but to make up for this, full of
+rubies, topazes, emeralds, and all sorts of precious stones. Never was
+surprise equal to that of the caliph's. He could scarcely believe he
+was awake, this new basin seemed like enchantment. His gaze was still
+fixed on it, when Aboulcassem made him observe two persons seated on a
+throne of gold, who he said were the first masters of the treasure.
+They were a prince and princess, having on their heads crowns of
+diamonds. They appeared as if still alive, and were in a reclining
+posture, their heads leaning against each other. At their feet was a
+table of ebony, on which were written these words in letters of gold:
+"I have amassed all these riches during the course of a long life. I
+have taken and pillaged towns and castles, have conquered kingdoms and
+overthrown my enemies. I have been the most powerful monarch in the
+world, but all my power has yielded to that of death. Whoever sees me
+in this state ought to reflect upon it. Let him remember that once I
+was living, and that he also must die. He need not fear diminishing
+this treasure: it will never be exhausted. Let him endeavour so to use
+it as to make friends both for this world and the next. Let him lead a
+life of generosity and charity, for in the end he must also die. His
+riches cannot save him from the fate common to all men."</p>
+
+<p>"I will no longer disapprove of your conduct," said Haroun to the
+young man on reading these words; "you are right in living as you now
+do, and I condemn the advice given you by the old merchant. But I<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</a></span>
+should like to know the name of this prince. What king could have
+possessed such riches? I am sorry this inscription does not inform
+us."</p>
+
+<p>The young man next took the caliph to see another room in which also
+there were many rarities of even greater value than what he had seen,
+amongst others several trees like the one he had given the prince.
+Haroun would willingly have passed the remainder of the night admiring
+all that was contained in this wonderful cavern, but the son of
+Abdelaziz, fearing to be observed by his servants, wished to return
+before daybreak in the same manner as they came, namely, the caliph
+blindfolded and bareheaded, and Aboulcassem with his scimitar in his
+hand, ready to cut off the prince's head if he made the least
+resistance. In this order they traversed the garden, and ascended by
+the winding stairs to the room where the caliph had slept. Finding the
+tapers still burning, they conversed together till sunrise; the caliph
+then, with many thanks for the reception he had received, returned to
+the caravansary, from whence he took the road to Bagdad, with all the
+domestics and presents he had accepted from Aboulcassem.</p>
+
+<p>Two days after the prince's departure, the vizir Aboulfatah, hearing
+of the magnificent gifts that Aboulcassem made to strangers when they
+came to see him, and above all astonished at the regularity of his
+payments to the king, the lieutenant, and himself, resolved to spare
+no means to discover the treasure from which he drew such
+inexhaustible supplies. This minister was one of those wicked men to
+whom the greatest crimes are nothing, when they wish to gain their own
+ends. He had a daughter eighteen years of age, and of surpassing
+beauty. She was named Balkis, and possessed every good quality of
+heart and mind. Prince Aly, nephew of the king of Basra, passionately
+loved her; he had already demanded her of her father, and they were
+soon to be married. Aboulfatah summoned Balkis one day to his presence
+and said: "My daughter, I have great need of your assistance. I wish<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</a></span>
+you to array yourself in your richest robes, and go this evening to
+the house of the young Aboulcassem. You must do every thing to charm
+him, and oblige him to discover the treasure he has found."</p>
+
+<p>Balkis trembled at this speech; her countenance expressed the horror
+she felt at this command. "My lord," said she, "what is it you propose
+to your daughter? Do you know the peril to which you may expose her?
+Consider the stain on your honour, and the outrage against the prince
+Aly."</p>
+
+<p>"I have considered all this," answered the vizir, "but nothing will
+turn me from my resolution, and I order you to prepare to obey me."</p>
+
+<p>The young Balkis burst into tears at these words. "For heaven's sake,
+my father," said the weeping girl, "stifle this feeling of avarice,
+seek not to despoil this man of what is his own. Leave him to enjoy
+his riches in peace."</p>
+
+<p>"Be silent, insolent girl!" said the vizir angrily, "it does not
+become you to blame my actions. Answer me not. I desire you to repair
+to the house of Aboulcassem, and I swear that if you return without
+having seen his treasure, I will kill you."</p>
+
+<p>Balkis, hearing this dreadful alternative, retired to her apartment
+overwhelmed with grief; she called her women, and made them attire her
+in the richest apparel and most costly ornaments, though in reality
+she needed nothing to enhance her natural beauty. No young girl was
+less desirous to please than Balkis. All she feared was appearing too
+beautiful in the eyes of the son of Abdelaziz, and not sufficiently so
+to prince Aly.</p>
+
+<p>At length, when night arrived and Aboulfatah judged it time for his
+daughter to go, he secretly conducted her to the door of the young
+man's house, where he left her, after again declaring he would kill
+her if she returned unsuccessful. She timidly knocked and desired to
+speak to the son of Abdelaziz. A slave led her to a room where his
+master was reposing on a<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</a></span> sofa, musing on the vicissitudes of his past
+life. As soon as Balkis appeared Aboulcassem rose to receive his
+visitor; he gravely saluted her, and, taking her hand with a
+respectful air, seated her on a sofa, at the same time inquiring why
+she honoured him by this visit. She answered, that hearing of his
+agreeable manners, she had resolved to spend an evening in his
+company.</p>
+
+<p>"Beautiful lady," said he, "I must thank my lucky star for procuring
+me this delightful interview; I cannot express my happiness."</p>
+
+<p>After some conversation supper was announced. They seated themselves
+at a table covered with choice delicacies. A great number of officers
+and pages were in attendance, but Aboulcassem dismissed them that the
+lady might not be exposed to their curious looks. He waited on her
+himself, presenting her with the best of every thing, and offering her
+wine in a gold cup enriched with diamonds and rubies. But all these
+polite attentions served but to increase the lady's uneasiness; and at
+length, frightened at the dangers which menaced her, she suddenly
+changed countenance and became pale as death, whilst her eyes filled
+with tears.</p>
+
+<p>"What is it, madam?" said the young man much surprised; "why this
+sudden grief? Have I said or done any thing to cause your tears to
+flow? Speak, I implore you; inform me of the cause of your sorrow."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Mahomet!" exclaimed Balkis, "I can dissimulate no longer; the
+part I am acting is insupportable. I have deceived you, Aboulcassem; I
+am a lady of rank. My father, who knows you have a hidden treasure,
+wishes me to discover where you have concealed it. He has ordered me
+to come here and spare no means to induce you to show it me. I refused
+to do so, but he has sworn to kill me if I return without being able
+to satisfy his curiosity. What an unhappy fate is mine! If I was not
+beloved by a prince who<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</a></span> will soon marry me, this cruel vow of my
+father's would not appear so terrible."</p>
+
+<p>When the daughter of Aboulfatah had thus spoken, Aboulcassem said to
+her, "Madam, I am very glad you have informed me of this. You will not
+repent your noble frankness; you shall see my treasure, and be treated
+with all the respect you may desire. Do not weep, therefore, or any
+longer afflict yourself."</p>
+
+<p>"Ah, my lord," exclaimed Balkis at this speech, "it is not without
+reason that you pass for the most generous of men. I am charmed with
+your noble conduct, and shall not be satisfied until I have found
+means to testify my gratitude."</p>
+
+<p>After this conversation Aboulcassem conducted the lady to the same
+chamber that the caliph had occupied, where they remained until all
+was quiet in the dwelling. Then blindfolding the eyes of Balkis he
+said, "Pardon me, madam, for being obliged to act thus, but it is only
+on this condition that I can show you my treasure."</p>
+
+<p>"Do what you please, my lord," answered Balkis; "I have so much
+confidence in your generosity that I will follow wherever you desire;
+I have no fear but that of not sufficiently repaying your kindness."</p>
+
+<p>Aboulcassem then took her by the hand, and causing her to descend to
+the garden by the winding stairs, he entered the cavern and removed
+the bandage from her eyes. If the caliph had been surprised to see
+such heaps of gold and precious stones, Balkis was still more so.
+Every thing she saw astonished her. But the objects that most
+attracted her attention were the ancient owners of the treasure. As
+the queen had on a necklace composed of pearls as large as pigeons'
+eggs, Balkis could not avoid expressing her admiration. Aboulcassem
+detached it from the neck of the princess, and placed it round that of
+the young lady, saying her father would judge from this that she had
+seen the treasure; he then, after much persuasion,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_237" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</a></span> made her take a
+large quantity of precious stones which he himself chose for her.</p>
+
+<p>The young man then, fearing the day would dawn whilst she was looking
+at the wonders of the cavern, again placed the bandage over her eyes,
+and conducted her to a saloon where they conversed together until
+sunrise. Balkis then took leave, repeatedly assuring the son of
+Abdelaziz that she would never forget his generous conduct.</p>
+
+<p>She hastened to her father's and informed him of all that had passed.
+The vizir had been impatiently awaiting his daughter's return. Fearing
+she might not be sufficiently able to charm Aboulcassem, he remained
+in a state of inconceivable agitation. But when he saw her enter with
+the necklace and precious stones that Aboulcassem had given her, he
+was transported with joy.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, my daughter," he said, "have you seen the treasure?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, my lord," answered Balkis, "and to give you a just idea of its
+magnitude, I tell you that if all the kings of the world were to unite
+their riches, they could not be compared to those of Aboulcassem. But
+still, however vast this young man's treasures, I am less charmed with
+them than with his politeness and generosity." And she then related to
+her father the whole of her adventure.</p>
+
+<p>In the mean time Haroun-al-Raschid was advancing towards Bagdad. As
+soon as he arrived at his palace he set his chief vizir at liberty,
+and restored him to his confidence. He then proceeded to relate to him
+the events of his journey, and ended by asking, "Giafar, what shall I
+do? You know the gratitude of monarchs ought to surpass the pleasures
+they have received. If I should send the magnificent Aboulcassem the
+choicest and most precious treasure I possess, it will be but a slight
+gift, far inferior to the presents he has made me. How then can I
+surpass him in generosity?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_238" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"My lord," replied the vizir, "since your majesty condescends to
+consult me, I should write this day to the king of Basra and order him
+to commit the government of the state to the young Aboulcassem. We can
+soon despatch the courier, and in a few days I will depart myself to
+Basra and present the patents to the new king."</p>
+
+<p>The caliph approved of this advice. "You are right," he said to his
+minister, "it will be the only means of acquitting myself towards
+Aboulcassem, and of taking vengeance on the king of Basra and his
+unworthy vizir, who have concealed from me the considerable sums they
+have extorted from this young man. It is but just to punish them for
+their violence against him; they are unworthy of the situations they
+occupy."</p>
+
+<p>He immediately wrote to the king of Basra and despatched the courier.
+He then went to the apartment of the princess Zobeide to inform her of
+the success of his journey, and presented her with the little page,
+the tree, and the peacock. He also gave her a beautiful female slave.
+Zobeide found this slave so charming that she smilingly told the
+caliph she accepted this gift with more pleasure than all his other
+presents. The prince kept only the cup for himself; the vizir Giafar
+had all the rest; and this good minister, as he had before resolved,
+made preparations for his departure from Bagdad.</p>
+
+<p>The courier of the caliph no sooner arrived in the town of Basra than
+he hastened to present his despatch to the king, who was greatly
+concerned on reading it. The prince showed it to his vizir.
+"Aboulfatah," said he, "see the fatal order that I have received from
+the commander of the faithful. Can I refuse to obey it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, my lord," answered the minister; "do not afflict yourself.
+Aboulcassem must be removed from hence. Without taking his life I will
+make every one believe he is dead. I can keep him so well concealed
+that he shall never be seen again; and by this means<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_239" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</a></span> you will always
+remain on the throne and possess the riches of this young man; for
+when we are masters of his person we can increase his sufferings until
+he is obliged to reveal where his treasure is concealed."</p>
+
+<p>"Do what you like," replied the king; "but what answer shall we send
+the caliph?"</p>
+
+<p>"Leave that to me. The commander of the faithful will be deceived as
+well as others. Let me execute the design I meditate, and the rest
+need cause you no uneasiness."</p>
+
+<p>Aboulfatah then, accompanied by some courtiers who were ignorant of
+his intention, went to pay a visit to Aboulcassem. He received them
+according to their rank, regaled them magnificently, seated the vizir
+in the place of honour, and loaded him with presents without having
+the least suspicion of his perfidy. Whilst they were at table and
+partaking of the most delicious wines, the treacherous Aboulfatah
+skilfully threw unperceived into the cup of the son of Abdelaziz a
+powder which would render him insensible, and cause his body to remain
+in a state of lethargy resembling that of a corpse long deprived of
+life. The young man had no sooner taken the cup from his lips than he
+fainted away. His servants hastened to support him, but soon
+perceiving he had all the appearance of a dead man, they placed him on
+a sofa and uttered the most lamentable cries. The guests, struck with
+sudden terror, were silent from astonishment. As for Aboulfatah, it is
+impossible to say how well he dissimulated. He not only feigned the
+most immoderate grief, but tore his clothes and excited the rest of
+the company to follow his example. He ordered a coffin to be made of
+ivory and ebony, and while they were preparing it, he collected all
+the effects of Aboulcassem and placed them in the king's palace. The
+account of the young man's death soon spread abroad. All persons, men
+and women, put on mourning, and came to the door of the house, their
+heads and feet<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_240" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</a></span> bare; old and young men, women and girls, were bathed
+in tears, filling the air with their cries and lamentations. Some said
+they had lost in him an only son, others a brother or a husband
+tenderly beloved. Rich and poor were equally afflicted at his death;
+the rich mourned a friend who had always welcomed them, and the poor a
+benefactor whose charity had never been equalled. His death caused a
+general consternation.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile the unhappy Aboulcassem was enclosed in the coffin, and a
+procession having been formed, the people, by order of Aboulfatah,
+carried him out of the town to a large cemetery containing a number of
+tombs, and amongst others a magnificent one where reposed the vizir's
+father and many others of his family. They placed the coffin in this
+tomb, and the perfidious Aboulfatah, leaning his head on his knees,
+beat his breast, and gave way apparently to the most violent grief.
+Those present pitied and prayed heaven to console him. As night
+approached the people returned to the town, but the vizir remained
+with two of his slaves in the tomb, the door of which he shut and
+double locked. They lit a fire, warmed some water in a silver basin,
+and taking Aboulcassem from the coffin, bathed him with the warm
+water. The young man by degrees regained his senses. He cast his eyes
+on Aboulfatah, whom he at once recognized. "Ah, my lord," said he,
+"where are we, and to what state am I reduced?"</p>
+
+<p>"Wretch!" answered the minister, "know that it is I who have caused
+your misfortune. I brought you here to have you in my power, and to
+make you suffer a thousand torments if you will not discover to me
+your treasure. I will rack your body with tortures&mdash;will invent each
+day new sufferings to render life insupportable: in a word, I will
+never cease to persecute you until you deliver me those hidden
+treasures which enable you to live with even more magnificence than
+kings."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_241" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"You can do what you please," replied Aboulcassem; "I will never
+reveal my treasure."</p>
+
+<p>He had scarcely uttered these words, when the cruel Aboulfatah, making
+his slaves seize the unfortunate son of Abdelaziz, drew from his robe
+a whip made of twisted lion's skin, with which he struck so long and
+with such violence that the young man fainted. When the vizir saw him
+in this state, he commanded the slaves to replace him in the coffin,
+and leaving him in the tomb, which he firmly secured, returned to his
+palace.</p>
+
+<p>On the morrow he went to inform the king of what he had done. "Sire,"
+said he, "I tried yesterday, but in vain, to overcome the firmness of
+Aboulcassem; however, I have now prepared torments for him which I
+think he cannot resist."</p>
+
+<p>The prince, who was quite as barbarous as his minister, said, "Vizir,
+I am perfectly satisfied with all you have done. Ere long, I hope, we
+shall know where this treasure is concealed. But we must send back the
+courier without delay. What shall I write to the caliph?"</p>
+
+<p>"Tell him, my lord, that Aboulcassem, hearing he was to occupy your
+place, was so enchanted, and made such great rejoicings, that he died
+suddenly at a feast."</p>
+
+<p>The king approved of this advice, and writing immediately to
+Haroun-al-Raschid, despatched the courier. The vizir, flattering
+himself that he should at length be able to force Aboulcassem to
+reveal his treasure, left the town, resolving to extract the secret or
+leave him to perish. But on arriving at the tomb, he was surprised to
+find the door open. He entered trembling, and not seeing the son of
+Abdelaziz in the coffin, he nearly lost his senses. Returning
+instantly to the palace, he related to the king what had occurred. The
+monarch, seized with a mortal terror, exclaimed, "Oh, Waschi! what
+will become of us? Since this young man has escaped, we are lost. He
+will not fail<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_242" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</a></span> to hasten to Bagdad, and acquaint the caliph with all
+that has taken place."</p>
+
+<p>Aboulfatah, on his part, in despair that the victim of his avarice was
+no longer in his power, said to the king his master, "What would I now
+give to have taken his life yesterday! He would not then have caused
+us such uneasiness. But we will not quite despair yet; if he has taken
+flight, as no doubt he has, he cannot be very far from here. Let me
+take some soldiers of your guard, and search in all the environs of
+the town; I hope still to find him."</p>
+
+<p>The king instantly consented to so important a step. He assembled all
+his soldiers, and dividing them into two bodies, gave the command of
+one to his vizir, and placing himself at the head of the other,
+prepared with his troops to search in all parts of his kingdom.</p>
+
+<p>Whilst they were seeking Aboulcassem in the villages, woods, and
+mountains, the vizir Giafar, who was already on the road to Basra, met
+the courier returning, who said to him, "My lord, it is useless for
+you to proceed further, if Aboulcassem is the sole cause of your
+journey, for this young man is dead; his funeral took place some days
+past; my eyes were witnesses of the mournful ceremony."</p>
+
+<p>Giafar, who had looked forward with pleasure to see the new king, and
+present his patents, was much afflicted at his death. He shed tears on
+hearing the sad news, and, thinking it was useless to continue his
+journey, retraced his steps. As soon as he arrived at Bagdad, he went
+with the courier to the palace. The sadness of his countenance
+informed the king he had some misfortune to announce.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah, Giafar!" exclaimed the prince, "you have soon returned. What are
+you come to tell me?'</p>
+
+<p>"Commander of the faithful," answered the vizir, "you do not, I am
+sure, expect to hear the bad news I am going to tell. Aboulcassem is
+no more; since your departure from Basra the young man has lost his
+life."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_243" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Haroun-al-Raschid had no sooner heard these words than he threw
+himself from his throne. He remained some moments extended on the
+ground without giving any signs of life. At length his eyes sought the
+courier, who had returned from Basra, and he asked for the despatch.
+The prince read it with much attention. He shut himself in his cabinet
+with Giafar, and showed him the letter from the king of Basra. After
+re-reading it many times, the caliph said,</p>
+
+<p>"This does not appear to me natural; I begin to suspect that the king
+of Basra and his vizir, instead of executing my orders, have put
+Aboulcassem to death."</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," said Giafar, "the same suspicion occurred to me, and I
+advise that they should both be secured."</p>
+
+<p>"That is what I determine from this moment," said Haroun; "take ten
+thousand horsemen of my guard, march to Basra, seize the two guilty
+wretches, and bring them here. I will revenge the death of this most
+generous of men."</p>
+
+<p>"We will now return to the son of Abdelaziz, and relate why the vizir
+Aboulfatah did not find him in the tomb. The young man, after long
+remaining insensible, was beginning to recover, when he felt himself
+laid hold of by powerful arms, taken from the coffin, and gently laid
+on the earth. He thought it was the vizir and his slaves come again on
+their cruel errand.</p>
+
+<p>"Executioners!" he cried, "put me to death at once; if you have any
+pity spare me these useless torments, for again I declare that nothing
+you can do will ever tempt me to reveal my secret."</p>
+
+<p>"Fear not, young man," answered one of the persons who had lifted him
+from the coffin; "instead of ill-treating you, we are come to your
+assistance."</p>
+
+<p>At these words Aboulcassem opened his eyes, and, looking at his
+liberators, recognized the young lady to whom he had shown his
+treasure.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_244" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Ah, madam!" he said, "is it to you I owe my life?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, my lord," answered Balkis; "to myself and prince Aly, my
+betrothed, whom you see with me. Informed of your noble behaviour, he
+wished to share with me the pleasure of delivering you from death."</p>
+
+<p>"It is quite true," said prince Aly; "I would expose my life a
+thousand times, rather than leave so generous a man to perish."</p>
+
+<p>The son of Abdelaziz, having entirely recovered his senses by the help
+of some cordials they had given him, expressed to the lady and the
+prince his grateful thanks for the service they had rendered him, and
+asked how they had been informed he still lived.</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," said Balkis, "I am the daughter of the vizir Aboulfatah. I
+was not deceived by the false report of your death. I suspected my
+father in this affair, and, bribing one of his slaves, was informed of
+all concerning you. This slave is one of the two who were with him in
+the tomb, and as he had charge of the key he confided it to me for a
+few hours. I no sooner made this affair known to prince Aly than he
+hastened to join me with some of his confidential domestics. We lost
+not a moment in coming hither, and, thanks be to heaven, we did not
+arrive too late."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, Mahomet!" said Aboulcassem, "is it possible so unworthy and cruel
+a father possesses such a daughter?"</p>
+
+<p>"Let us depart, my lord," said prince Aly; "the time is precious. I
+doubt not but that to-morrow the vizir, finding you have escaped, will
+seek you in all directions. I am going to conduct you to my house,
+where you will be in perfect safety, for no one will suspect me of
+giving you an asylum."</p>
+
+<p>They then covered Aboulcassem with a slave's robe, and all left the
+tomb. Balkis proceeded to her father's, and returned the key to the
+slave, whilst prince Aly<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_245" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</a></span> took the son of Abdelaziz to his own palace,
+and kept him so well concealed, that it was impossible his enemies
+could discover him. Aboulcassem remained some time in prince Aly's
+house, who treated him most kindly, until the king and his vizir,
+despairing of finding him, gave up their search. The prince then gave
+him a very beautiful horse, loaded him with sequins and precious
+stones, and said to him:</p>
+
+<p>"You can now safely depart; the roads are open, and your enemies know
+not what is become of you. Hasten to seek a place where you will be
+secure from harm."</p>
+
+<p>The young man thanked this generous prince for his hospitality, and
+assured him he should ever gratefully remember it. Prince Aly embraced
+him, and prayed heaven to protect and watch over him on his journey.
+Aboulcassem then took the road to Bagdad, and arrived there in safety
+a few days afterwards. The first thing he did on entering the city was
+to hasten to the place where the merchants usually assembled. The hope
+of seeing there some one he had known at Basra, and of relating his
+misfortunes, was his only consolation. He was vexed at being unable to
+find this place, and traversing the town, sought in vain for the face
+of a friend amongst the multitudes he met. Feeling fatigued, he
+stopped before the caliph's palace to rest a little: the page whom he
+had given to his former guest was then at a window, and the child
+looking by chance that way, instantly recognized him. He ran to the
+caliph's apartment.</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," he exclaimed, "I have just seen my old master from Basra!"</p>
+
+<p>Haroun put no faith in this report. "You are mistaken," he said;
+"Aboulcassem no longer lives. Deceived by some fancied resemblance,
+you have taken another for him."</p>
+
+<p>"No, no, commander of the faithful; I assure you it is he: I am
+certain I am not mistaken."</p>
+
+<p>Though the caliph did not believe this assertion,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_246" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</a></span> still he wished to
+fathom the mystery, and sent one of his officers with the page to see
+the man the boy declared was the son of Abdelaziz. They found him in
+the same place, for, imagining he had recognized his little page, he
+waited till the child reappeared at the window. When the boy was
+convinced he was not deceived, he threw himself at the feet of
+Aboulcassem, who raised him, and asked if he had the honour of
+belonging to the caliph.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, my lord," said the child; "it was to the commander of the
+faithful himself&mdash;he it was whom you entertained at Basra&mdash;it was to
+him that you gave me. Come with me, my lord; the caliph will be
+delighted to see you."</p>
+
+<p>The surprise of the young man at this speech was extreme. He allowed
+himself to be conducted into the palace by the page and the officer,
+and was soon ushered into the apartment of Haroun. The prince was
+seated on a sofa. He was extremely affected at the sight of
+Aboulcassem. He hastened towards the young man, and held him long
+embraced without uttering a word, so much was he transported with joy.
+When he recovered a little from his emotion he said to the son of
+Abdelaziz:</p>
+
+<p>"Young man, open your eyes, and recognize your happy guest. It was I
+whom you received so hospitably, and to whom you gave presents that
+kings could not equal."</p>
+
+<p>At these words Aboulcassem, who was not less moved than the caliph,
+and who from respect had drawn his cloak over his head, and had not
+yet dared to look up, now uncovered his face, and said:</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, my sovereign master! oh, king of the world, was it you who
+honoured your slave's house?" And he threw himself at the feet of
+Haroun, and kissed the floor before him.</p>
+
+<p>"How is it," said the prince, raising him, and placing him on a sofa,
+"that you are still alive? Tell me all that has happened to you."</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 480px;">
+<img src="images/i246.jpg" width="480" height="540" alt="ABOULCASSEM AND THE PAGE, p. 246." title="" />
+<span class="caption">ABOULCASSEM AND THE PAGE, p. 246.</span>
+</div><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_247" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Aboulcassem then related the cruelties of Aboulfatah, and how he had
+been preserved from the fury of that vizir. Haroun listened
+attentively, and then said:</p>
+
+<p>"Aboulcassem, I am the cause of your misfortunes. On my return to
+Bagdad, wishing to repay my debt to you, I sent a courier to the king
+of Basra, desiring him to resign his crown to you. Instead of
+executing my orders, he resolved to take your life. Aboulfatah, by
+putting you to the most frightful tortures, hoped to induce you to
+reveal your treasures; that was the sole reason he delayed your death.
+But you would have been revenged. Giafar, with a large body of my
+troops, is gone to Basra. I have given him orders to seize your two
+persecutors, and to bring them here. In the mean time you shall remain
+in my palace, and be attended by my officers with as much respect as
+myself."</p>
+
+<p>After this speech he took the young man by the hand, and made him
+descend to a garden, filled with the choicest flowers. There he saw
+basins of marble, porphyry, and jasper, which served for reservoirs to
+multitudes of beautiful fish. In the midst of the garden, supported
+upon twelve lofty pillars of black marble, was a dome, the roof of
+sandal wood and aloes. The spaces between the columns were closed by a
+double trellis-work of gold, which formed an aviary containing
+thousands of canaries of different colours, nightingales, linnets, and
+other harmonious birds, who mingling their notes formed the most
+charming concert. The baths of Haroun-al-Raschid were under this dome.
+The prince and his guest took a bath, after which the attendants
+rubbed them with the finest towels, which had never before been used.
+They then clothed Aboulcassem in rich apparel. The caliph conducted
+him to a chamber where refreshments awaited them, such as roasted
+fowls and lamb, white soups, pomegranates from Amlas and Ziri, pears
+from Exhali, grapes from Melah and Sevise, and<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_248" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</a></span> apples from Ispahan.
+After they had partaken of these delicacies, and drunk some delicious
+wine, the caliph conducted Aboulcassem to Zobeide's apartment. This
+princess was seated on a throne of gold, surrounded by her slaves, who
+were ranged standing on each side of her; some had tambourines, others
+flutes and harps. At that moment their instruments were mute, all
+being attentively engaged in listening to a young girl whose charming
+voice rang through the saloon like the warblings of a nightingale. As
+soon as Zobeide perceived the caliph and the son of Abdelaziz, she
+descended from her throne to receive them.</p>
+
+<p>"Madam," said Haroun, "allow me to present to you my host of Basra."</p>
+
+<p>The young man prostrated himself before the princess. At this moment
+the vizir Giafar was heard returning with the troops, and bringing
+with him Aboulfatah securely bound. As for the king of Basra, he was
+left behind dying of grief and fright at not finding Aboulcassem.
+Giafar had no sooner rendered an account of his mission, than the
+caliph ordered a scaffold to be erected before the palace, to which
+the wicked Aboulfatah was conducted. The people knowing the cruelty of
+this vizir, instead of being touched with his misfortune, testified
+the utmost impatience to witness his execution. The executioner was
+already prepared, sabre in hand, to strike off the guilty man's head,
+when the son of Abdelaziz prostrating himself before the caliph,
+exclaimed, "Oh, commander of the faithful, yield to my prayers the
+life of Aboulfatah! Let him live to witness my happiness, to behold
+all the favours you are conferring upon me, and he will be
+sufficiently punished."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, too generous Aboulcassem," replied the caliph, "you, indeed,
+deserve a crown! Happy the people of Basra to have you for their
+king."</p>
+
+<p>"My lord, I have one more favour to ask. Give to the prince Aly the
+throne you destined for myself.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_249" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</a></span> Let him reign, together with the lady
+who had the generosity to avert from me the fury of her father; these
+two lovers are worthy this honour. As to myself, cherished and
+protected by the commander of the faithful, I have no need of a crown;
+I shall be superior to kings."</p>
+
+<p>The caliph assented to this proposal, and to recompense prince Aly for
+the service he had rendered the son of Abdelaziz, sent him the
+patents, and made him king of Basra; but finding Aboulfatah too guilty
+to accord him liberty as well as life, he ordered the vizir to be shut
+up in a dark tower for the remainder of his days. When the people of
+Bagdad were informed that it was Aboulcassem himself who had begged
+the life of his persecutor, they showered a thousand praises on the
+generous young man, who soon after departed for Basra, escorted by a
+troop of the caliph's guards, and a great number of his officers.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_250" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</a></span></p>
+<h2>VIII.</h2>
+
+<h3>THE OLD CAMEL.</h3>
+
+
+<p>Eggadi-ben-Yousouf, a merchant at Miliana, was a mere lover of gain;
+he never gave away any thing in alms; his heart was dry as the earth
+in the hottest days of summer, and never open to pity for the
+unfortunate. To amass, to amass for ever was the sole desire of
+Eggadi. But in what did his riches consist? None could say, for he
+concealed them with the utmost care.</p>
+
+<p>One day one of his camels having died, he bought to replace it the
+only camel of Ali-B&eacute;nala, a poor dealer in mats. This camel was the
+sole heritage of which Ali came into possession at the death of his
+father. He sold it for much less than its value;&mdash;Eggadi, who was an
+adept at bargaining, depreciating it in every possible way, especially
+on account of its extreme age.</p>
+
+<p>On his next journey Eggadi added this camel to his little caravan. As
+he was passing a solitary place, he was surprised to see the camel
+betake itself with hasty steps to a spot at some distance behind some
+rocks, and on its arrival there kneel down and groan, as camels
+usually do when they expect to be unloaded. A negro, having run after
+the animal, brought it back to its place in the caravan.</p>
+
+<p>Eggadi soon took a second journey on the same road, and on this
+occasion too the camel sold him by Ali-B&eacute;nala again quitted the rank,
+and was again<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_251" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</a></span> observed to kneel down and groan at the same place.
+This time Eggadi followed it, and saw with surprise that the spot at
+which it stopped was one where no merchant of any country had been
+ever known to unload his merchandise. He reflected deeply on this
+circumstance, and in the end resolved to revisit the spot alone with
+the camel, who, faithful perhaps to some recollection, might, he
+thought, be the means of disclosing to him some mysterious act, or
+perhaps the place where a treasure lay concealed.</p>
+
+<p>Eggadi returned, in short, soon after, to this solitary spot. He had
+brought with him a spade, and proceeded to dig with care around the
+camel, who had invariably knelt in the same place. He had scarcely
+laboured ten minutes ere he discovered traces of another spade; this
+redoubled his zeal, and soon after, to his intense satisfaction, he
+came upon some bags of money, then a coffer firmly shut, but which
+contained, he could not doubt, objects of costly value. He first took
+the bags, which were filled with good and true Spanish doubloons; with
+these he loaded his camel, who thus had gained nothing but a double
+burden for his pains; then, having re-covered with stones and sand the
+precious coffer, which he resolved upon examining another time, he
+returned with his mind greatly preoccupied, asking himself whether it
+must not have been the old father of Ali-B&eacute;nala to whom all the wealth
+he had just discovered formerly belonged.</p>
+
+<p>This question, which he could not help addressing to his conscience
+over and over again, prevented him from fully enjoying the possession
+of his treasure. Although he dearly loved money, yet Eggadi to obtain
+possession of it had never yet plundered the widow and the orphan. The
+first step in the road to evil is not accomplished without difficulty
+and without remorse; Eggadi painfully experienced the truth of this.
+"And yet," said he to himself, "I made a fair bargain with poor Ali
+for this very camel which has been the means of my finding a
+treasure."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_252" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Before going to take possession of the coffer left underground behind
+the rocks, Eggadi, impelled by his conscience, approached the
+miserable shop where Ali carried on the sale of his mats, and said to
+him:</p>
+
+<p>"How comes it, Ali, that your father, rich as it is said he was, left
+you no fortune, only an old camel and a house in ruins?"</p>
+
+<p>"Ah!" replied Ali, "my father was good to the poor. Not only did he
+call every poor man his brother, but assisted him to the utmost of his
+power. At times, however, I have suspected that my father may have had
+riches concealed in some spot, and that he intended to bestow them
+upon me before he died. And I will tell you what led me to suppose so.</p>
+
+<p>"A few moments before his death he sent for me, and said: 'I have a
+great secret to confide to thee. Come close to me that my voice may
+reach thy ear alone: but before our conversation, my son, let us pray
+to Allah to grant us on this solemn day that which is best for us.'</p>
+
+<p>"We prayed, and in ten minutes my father was no more. Allah, no doubt,
+judged that that which was best for me was poverty. Allah be praised."</p>
+
+<p>Ali bowed his head profoundly, laying his hand upon his breast.
+Eggadi, much disturbed at the virtuous resignation of Ali-B&eacute;nala,
+rejoined:</p>
+
+<p>"But thinkest thou, that if good fortune befel thee, thou wouldst know
+how to make good use of it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Allah alone knows," said Ali. "Should he ever see fit to make me
+rich, he will know how to fit me for the change. For myself, I cannot
+succeed in improving the poverty of my estate. I work incessantly, but
+nothing succeeds with me. My oxen, if I have any, drown themselves in
+crossing a torrent; my goods either do not sell or are damaged. I am
+destined to possess upon this earth nothing but this miserable hut,
+which has been my only home for ten years, But what matters it,
+provided I fulfil the law of the prophet? I shall see Abraham, in
+heaven. If at times<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_253" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</a></span> my poverty renders me uneasy, it is only for the
+sake of my poor children, who live miserably in a house as open to the
+wind and the rain as though it were without a roof."</p>
+
+<p>"Well," said Eggadi, "it is certainly not just that such an honest man
+as thou should be in such a wretched state of poverty."</p>
+
+<p>"How! not just!" replied Ali. "Are there not, then, many honest men
+who are no richer than myself?"</p>
+
+<p>"That may be," said Eggadi. "Nevertheless, since thy father was rich,
+it seems to be but just that thou shouldst be so too, and I come to
+propose to thee to enter into partnership with me. I have two good
+houses outside the town; one shall be for thy family, the other for
+mine. We will live as brothers, and unite our children as in the time
+of the patriarchs."</p>
+
+<p>Ali remained greatly astonished at such a proposition, coming
+especially from Eggadi-ben-Yousouf, who had never had any friendship
+for him, and who so far from evincing any generosity towards him, had
+bargained with him for his poor camel like the veriest Jew in the
+world.</p>
+
+<p>He therefore remained silent, neither accepting nor refusing the
+offer, but looking with an abstracted air upon the mats in his
+miserable dwelling.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," said Eggadi, ashamed at the bottom of his heart at making this
+show of generosity to one whom he was secretly despoiling, "well, thou
+dost not reply to me?"</p>
+
+<p>"Grant me time to imitate the example of my father by invoking Allah
+before taking a resolution," said Ali. "Allah alone can know whether
+it will be best for me to keep at once my poverty and the freedom of
+all my actions, or to accept opulence and with it the necessity of
+being always of thy opinion; for bringing into our partnership nothing
+but my two stout arms, I should be an ingrate if I did not yield in
+every thing to thy wishes."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_254" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Eggadi involuntarily cast down his eyes before this poor man who spoke
+with so much wisdom.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," said he again, "reflect till to-morrow, and come to me in the
+morning under the palm trees in front of my house; I will there await
+thee."</p>
+
+<p>Then these two men separated. Ali, praying in the mosque, thought he
+heard his father pronounce these words. "Never associate thyself save
+with him who has no more than thyself, and who already knows the right
+way. The good are spoilt by associating with the rogue and the miser,
+whilst neither rogue nor miser is reformed by association with one
+better than himself."</p>
+
+<p>The next morning Ali repaired to the palm trees which grew before the
+house of Eggadi, where the latter awaited him uneasy and fatigued
+after a sleepless night. After the usual Mussulman salutation,
+Ali-B&eacute;nala said to the rich Eggadi:</p>
+
+<p>"How comes it that thou appearest sad, thou who possessest fine
+houses, coffers of gold, and merchandise, whilst I, I who have
+nothing, rise with a joyous heart, and smoke my pipe all day with
+pleasure, seated on the threshold of my poor shop?"</p>
+
+<p>"The weight of business overwhelms me," replied Eggadi; "I have great
+need of some one to share it."</p>
+
+<p>"Then why not diminish thy transactions, and live in peace?" inquired
+Ali.</p>
+
+<p>"No, no, it is impossible to set limits to one's purchases and sales.
+A fortunate speculation balances an unlucky one. You must accept all
+if you would grow rich. But come, hast thou decided? Wilt thou enter
+into partnership with me?"</p>
+
+<p>"I have reflected and prayed," said Ali. "I am very grateful for thy
+offers, and Allah will doubtless recompense thee; but prudence forbids
+me to accept them. I will never enter into partnership but with one
+who is as poor as myself."</p>
+
+<p>"Indeed!" exclaimed Eggadi-ben-Yousouf, "be no longer then surprised
+at thy poverty, since thou refusest<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_255" id="Page_255">[Pg 255]</a></span> the opportunity of enriching
+thyself. The traveller who does not stop beneath the first trees he
+meets runs the risk of not finding another upon his road, and of
+performing the whole journey without enjoying their refreshing shade.
+Such a man would have no right to complain of the dust of the roads,
+or the heat of the sun."</p>
+
+<p>"I do not complain," replied Ali, "I come, on the contrary, to tell
+thee that I live and sleep in peace."</p>
+
+<p>"It is well, it is well," said Eggadi, who had not closed his eyes
+till the morning, "it is well, remain as thou art. Instead of gold
+pieces, be content to receive rain-drops through thy roof, eat bread
+when thou hast any, and go fasting oftener; it concerns me no more."</p>
+
+<p>"I should be a fool," added he internally, "to trouble myself any
+longer about the poverty of this man." And he remembered his fine
+house, where gilded cakes, a delicious repast, and rich and rare
+fruits awaited him.</p>
+
+<p>He ate his meal in company with his sons; then he washed his beard and
+hands, rose from the table, and called his wife, his daughters, his
+mother, and his grandmother, and said to them, "Women, eat in your
+turn; this is for you."</p>
+
+<p>The women respectfully kissed his hands, and proceeded to make their
+meal, whilst he went and sat down out of doors, and smoked with his
+sons, to whom he spoke as follows whilst a negro waited upon him with
+coffee:</p>
+
+<p>"I am about to take another journey. During my absence see to such and
+such things, and do not forget any of my orders, if you would not run
+the risk of becoming poor, poor&mdash;" he was going to say, "as Ali, the
+seller of mats," but this name excited too keenly his remorse; he
+could not venture to pronounce it.</p>
+
+<p>So that in spite of the good repast of which he had just partaken,
+Eggadi felt ill at ease, for the thought was ever recurring to him,
+"Ali is poor, his father was rich, and it is I who have unjustly taken
+possession of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_256" id="Page_256">[Pg 256]</a></span> his father's wealth." Meanwhile Eggadi had this very
+moderate relief, he might still enjoy the benefit of a doubt as to
+whether the father of Ali was really the possessor of the discovered
+treasures. However, the coffer left behind the rocks would doubtless
+throw a light upon this matter. Eggadi proceeded at once in search of
+this coffer; he opened it, and his eyes, dazzled though they were by
+the precious objects that met their gaze, were constrained to perceive
+at the same time a sheet of parchment, upon which the following words
+were very distinctly inscribed:</p>
+
+<p>"All the treasures buried in this spot have been lawfully acquired, or
+received in heritage by me, Mustapha Selim. I bequeath them to my only
+son, Ali-B&eacute;nala, who has ever been a faithful servant of Allah, and
+respectful towards me. May he, and his children, and his children's
+children inherit and enjoy these possessions, to which I add my
+benediction."</p>
+
+<p>As soon as Eggadi had read these words a profound sadness took
+possession of him, for he could no longer doubt that these hidden
+riches were the inheritance of Ali-B&eacute;nala. If therefore he
+appropriated them, he was a despoiler of the poor and the orphan. It
+would have been so delightful to have been able to keep up the
+illusion, and to say to himself: "This wealth was without an owner;
+Allah has been pleased to bestow it on me!" But if Eggadi had never as
+yet committed any very culpable actions, he had never done any good
+ones, and did not merit the protection of heaven. He dared not doubt
+that by keeping unlawful possession of the property of Ali he should
+incur the wrath of heaven; at the same time he could not bring himself
+to renounce it. He took the coffer, carried it home, meditating by
+turns on the uses to which he might turn his great fortune, and on
+what might be done by way of compromising his conscience for poor Ali,
+his children, and his children's children.</p>
+
+<p>Arrived at his own house, he placed his treasures in a large chest,
+which he kept thenceforth in the chamber<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_257" id="Page_257">[Pg 257]</a></span> where he passed his nights.
+By day, too, this coffer often served him for a seat; whilst scarce a
+day passed without his opening it, to assure himself that nothing had
+disappeared. He kept it carefully fastened with the aid of several
+locks and a master key, of which he never gave up the possession.</p>
+
+<p>Eggadi contemplated a thousand times these treasures acquired with so
+little trouble; if we can call that gained with little trouble which
+is purchased at the price of our peace of mind. And each time after
+having contemplated them, he would repeat to himself the words of Ali,
+"Allah will no doubt recompense thee." "Ah! if he recompenses me as I
+deserve," he could not help reflecting, "he will send me great
+disasters indeed."</p>
+
+<p>Pursued by the dread of a heavy chastisement, Eggadi became so
+miserable in the midst of his fine family and his treasures, that he
+formed the project of quitting his country, where the sight of Ali,
+his humble house and miserable shop, haunted him incessantly. So he
+adjusted his affairs, collected his merchandise, and then communicated
+his intention to his children and his servants.</p>
+
+<p>But whilst, spurred on by a secret terror, he was hastening the
+preparations for his departure, Allah, on whose will depend all things
+on earth and in heaven, visited him with a severe fever, accompanied
+with delirium, during which he spoke incessantly of the old camel of
+Ali, of concealed treasures, and the vengeance of Heaven.</p>
+
+<p>Salmanazar, an old Jew doctor, had charge of Eggadi; he heard the
+incoherent ravings of his patient, and immediately divined them to be
+the result of preceding mental anguish. Thanks to the skill acquired
+by medical science, and still more to the intuition engendered by the
+desire of self-enrichment, the old Jew was not slow in comprehending
+that there was a secret relating to a treasure unjustly acquired, and
+he saw no reason, moreover, why he should not be a partaker in the
+booty.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_258" id="Page_258">[Pg 258]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>He found means therefore to remove all the attendants, and
+constituting himself sole guardian of the sick man, seated himself by
+his bedside and patiently awaited the auspicious moment which should
+deliver into his merciless keeping a soul harassed by the stings of
+remorse.</p>
+
+<p>This moment at length arrived; Eggadi ceased to be delirious, and as
+though awakening from a painful dream, drew a long breath, and cast
+looks of inquiry around him.</p>
+
+<p>Salmanazar, who had been watching for this opportunity, then
+exclaimed: "Eggadi! Eggadi! you Mussulmans cry, 'God is great,' but
+you do not believe it, for if you did, how could you dare enrich
+yourselves at the expense of the poor man and his children? Thou art
+rich, Eggadi, and Ali is poor."</p>
+
+<p>"What sayst thou?" cried the sick man, distending his eyes with terror
+as dismal recollections thronged upon him.</p>
+
+<p>"I say that thou hast a treasure which should not belong to thee, and
+that this is why thou hast the fever, and why moreover thou wilt die,
+unless I save thy life by my profound science. Restitution must be
+made; nay, if indeed thou wert to do good with this treasure to poor
+Jews like me, God would perhaps pardon thee, but thou takest care to
+give us nothing. If I cure thee what will be my profit? a few
+miserable doubloons, which I shall have all the same if thou diest;
+for thy sons will give them me, and if they refused to pay me, I
+should summon them before the cadi. Thus, whether thou livest or
+whether thou diest is much the same to me. Nevertheless, if I had a
+mind I could easily cure thee, and cause thee still to live, that thy
+days might be long upon the earth. But what profit would this be to
+me?"</p>
+
+<p>"Cure me, cure me," cried the sick man, "and I will give thee far more
+than my sons would give thee, far more than the cadi would grant thee
+did my children refuse thee payment. I will give thee twenty
+doubloons;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_259" id="Page_259">[Pg 259]</a></span> nay, fifty. That would be a fine thing for thee."</p>
+
+<p>"It would be a much better thing for thyself," chuckled Salmanazar.
+"Of what use will thy doubloons be to thee when thou art dead? I
+demand five hundred doubloons for curing thee, and I will have them at
+once, for in an hour's time I shall demand a thousand, and if you then
+delay deciding there will be no longer any time to choose."</p>
+
+<p>"A thousand doubloons!" exclaimed the patient; "I will not even give
+thee five hundred. If I did,&mdash;Allah would not pardon me the more, even
+supposing I really am guilty of what thou suggested."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, then, thou wilt die," rejoined Salmanazar, settling himself
+again in his chair.</p>
+
+<p>The chamber of the sick man was gloomy. A small lamp cast a fitful
+light upon one corner, while the rest seemed inhabited by nothing but
+dim shadows. An odour of fever and its remedies pervaded the
+atmosphere; out of doors,&mdash;for it was night,&mdash;the dismal cry of the
+jackals seeking food resounded, whilst the deep baying of the
+neighbouring dogs was heard without intermission. The weather was
+windy and tempestuous. All this but served to increase the deep
+depression which filled the soul of Eggadi. He threw a wistful look
+around his shadow-haunted room; it fell upon the old Jew who was
+watching him askance, his large dark eyes dimmed by ophthalmia, and he
+asked himself whether the old man with his prominent nose, yellow
+visage, long, lean and withered arms, habited in a scanty and dirty
+garment, were not some evil genius come thither to curse him for his
+crime, and drag him to the bottomless pit of perdition.</p>
+
+<p>Nevertheless, Eggadi contrived to raise himself up in a sitting
+posture on his bed. He collected all his strength, drew a long breath,
+sighed feebly, and said:</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I have decided, Salmanazar; give me the remedy which will make
+my days long upon the earth."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_260" id="Page_260">[Pg 260]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Give me first the five hundred doubloons," said Salmanazar.</p>
+
+<p>"I have them not here," replied the sick man.</p>
+
+<p>"Tell me where they are, I will go and get them."</p>
+
+<p>"That is impossible," said Eggadi; "but summon Bankala, my black
+slave, he will bring me the key of my coffer, and the coffer itself
+which contains my treasures."</p>
+
+<p>"Well and good," replied Salmanazar; and he summoned Bankala.</p>
+
+<p>Eggadi gave some orders to the slave in a language unknown to
+Salmanazar, and he disappeared. He returned shortly with two other
+slaves, whom he placed like two sentinels by the side of his master's
+bed.</p>
+
+<p>"Send away those men," said Salmanazar to the sick man. The latter
+replied, "They are needed to go and bring the coffer as soon as
+Bankala shall have given us the key; he and I alone know where it is
+hidden."</p>
+
+<p>"It is well," said the Jew; and he held his peace, looking alternately
+at the sick man and the two slaves.</p>
+
+<p>"What wilt thou do to effect my cure?" began Eggadi to inquire of the
+Jew in a doleful tone.</p>
+
+<p>"Thou shalt see&mdash;thou shalt see," replied the latter. And they both
+awaited the return of the slave with an equal anxiety, which they in
+vain strove to conceal.</p>
+
+<p>Bankala made them wait a long time, but when at length he did return,
+Ali, the poor seller of mats, followed upon his footsteps. "Arise
+quickly," had been the summons of the slave to him; "Eggadi my master
+summons thee in the name of Allah, and desires to see thee before he
+dies." Ali had hastened to obey. At sight of him the Jew trembled.
+Eggadi, on the contrary, felt himself happy and reassured.</p>
+
+<p>"Come hither, Ali," said he; "come and behold a man guilty but
+repentant. The example of thy virtues did not suffice to bring me back
+to the path of duty: it was necessary that I should be struck by<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_261" id="Page_261">[Pg 261]</a></span>
+misfortune. Thanks to Heaven misfortune has befallen me. Ali! Ali! it
+was I who bought of thee the old camel which was left thee by thy
+father. That camel no doubt aided him in concealing the great wealth
+he would fain have bestowed upon thee ere he died. I discovered this
+wealth, and I conceived the iniquitous design of keeping it, instead
+of restoring it to thee in accordance with the demands of justice. I
+was on the point of quitting my country to avoid the further sight of
+thy poverty, the unceasing reproach to my crime, when Allah visited me
+with a terrible malady, and a still more terrible physician. This
+physician, whom thou there beholdest, having discovered my secret,
+instead of urging me to the restitution of my ill-acquired fortune,
+dreamt only of sharing it with me, and threatened me with death if I
+refused the division of the plunder.</p>
+
+<p>"His horrible conduct, his avarice and cruelty combined, have inspired
+me with horror, and have shown me to what lengths an inordinate love
+of gold may lead. I have mourned for my fault, and have taken a sudden
+resolution to repair it. By deceiving this skilful man, I have been
+enabled to send for thee, and before him I declare that I render thee
+up joyfully all the treasures which are enclosed in the chest upon
+which Salmanazar is seated."</p>
+
+<p>Salmanazar started up on hearing these words. How! he had been
+actually sitting upon the treasure and had not divined it.</p>
+
+<p>Eggadi continued:</p>
+
+<p>"Consider, Ali, what will be most suitable to bestow upon this Jew. He
+demanded of me five hundred doubloons down, or a thousand in an hour's
+time, if I desired to live. I think that five hundred blows with a
+stick should be his recompense; at the same time I am unworthy to
+judge any man in this world. Thou who art just, act towards him as
+thou thinkest best, but deign, above all things, to grant me thy
+forgiveness."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_262" id="Page_262">[Pg 262]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Ali was of course greatly surprised at all he had just heard. He took
+a moment to collect his thoughts and then said:</p>
+
+<p>"Eggadi-ben-Yousouf, I pardon thee willingly; and to prove it, I say
+to thee as thou once saidst to me:</p>
+
+<p>"Let us enter into partnership, let us live as brothers, and unite our
+children as in the time of the patriarchs. As for Salmanazar, let his
+only punishment be to behold the riches he would have forced thee to
+share with him, and after having seen them, let him return home
+without money and without blows."</p>
+
+<p>The wish of the wise Ali was put into execution. The coffer, the key
+of which Eggadi had about him, was opened; and the Jew, though still
+trembling with the fear of receiving the blows, could not help eagerly
+regarding the gold and precious stones which were revealed to his
+cupidity. Then he departed, filled with grief at having missed his
+aim, and at not having been himself the fortunate purchaser of the old
+camel of Ali. This event was engraven on his memory, and caused him to
+regard with looks of eager anxiety all the old camels whom he chanced
+to meet. He often stopped before them, and seemed to endeavour to
+trace in their movements some mysterious sign which might lead to the
+discovery of hidden treasures.</p>
+
+<p>Eggadi, having his conscience at ease, regained his health without the
+aid of any other physician. He became the adopted brother of Ali, who
+insisted on sharing with him his newly-acquired fortune; and these two
+men, their children, and their children's children, continued to live
+together wealthy and united.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_263" id="Page_263">[Pg 263]</a></span></p>
+<h2>IX.</h2>
+
+<h3>THE STORY OF MEDJEDDIN.</h3>
+
+
+<p>Many hundred years ago there lived in the famous city of Bagdad a
+retired merchant named El Kattab. The earlier part of his life had
+been assiduously devoted to commercial pursuits, in the prosecution of
+which he had made many a long journey, and crossed many a sea. In the
+course of his wanderings he had not only amassed the wealth he sought,
+but, what was better, had stored his mind and memory with the
+treasures of wisdom and general information. The property he had
+acquired was far from immense, yet it was amply sufficient to enable
+him to live in a style of substantial comfort and respectability, and
+to devote himself to the darling object of his declining years, the
+education and training of his only son.</p>
+
+<p>El Kattab's beard was grey, yet he had not very long passed the prime
+of life, and still retained most of the vigour and elasticity of his
+earlier years. He was wise enough to be content with the quiet
+enjoyments of a moderate affluence, and had no desire to wear out the
+rest of his life in the feverish labour of constant acquirement, for
+the mere sake of amassing a splendid fortune; therein differing from
+too many of his friends, who seemed to forget in their headlong
+pursuit of enormous riches, that by the time these might be acquired,
+life would be nigh spent, and at any rate all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_264" id="Page_264">[Pg 264]</a></span> its charms gone, unless
+some higher and nobler object had been substituted for that of mere
+wealth-getting.</p>
+
+<p>The city of Mossul had been El Kattab's home in his earlier days; but
+he quitted it, and took up his abode in Bagdad, partly in order to be
+near his friend Salek, with whom he had been on the most intimate
+terms from his youth; partly, too, for the sake of his son's
+education, as he expected that a residence in the latter city would
+produce good and lasting impressions on the mind of the young man; for
+the great city of Bagdad was at this time under the rule of the
+far-famed caliph Haroun al Raschid, and was the resort of strangers
+from all parts of the globe; and here artists and sages of all
+countries mingled with each other. Nor had El Kattab conceived a vain
+expectation. His son, whose name was Medjeddin, was a young man gifted
+with good natural abilities, and endowed with a pure and noble heart.
+He used every opportunity to extend his knowledge and 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 not only, therefore, as was natural
+enough, 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 son, so the latter, with
+all the fervour of a well-directed mind, clung affectionately to his
+father.</p>
+
+<p>Some years passed over them in this mutual love, rendered still more
+delightful by the companionship of their friend Salek, and their
+happiness was full and uninterrupted. It chanced one day that El
+Kattab and Salek were taking their accustomed walk in the 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 usual length.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_265" id="Page_265">[Pg 265]</a></span>
+They passed the last garden, and wandered on over some green
+meadow-land, behind a little wood, at the entrance of which stood high
+palms, whose shadows invited to repose, while a fresh spring gushed
+from a neighbouring rock, and meandered among the verdant herbage and
+variegated flowers.</p>
+
+<p>The two friends lay down in the shade, and conversed on the perils to
+which even the most virtuous men are subject, particularly enlarging
+on the danger of an over-confidence in the rectitude of our own
+intentions, and on the comparative ease with which a sudden impulse
+will sometimes hurry even the best of men, who possesses an
+overweening reliance on his own firmness of purpose, into a false or
+even fatal step in life.</p>
+
+<p>"I have known men," observed Salek, "who, although among the best and
+noblest I have ever met in the course of my life, have been led
+unawares, by too great self-confidence, into an action which they
+might easily have avoided by moderate caution, but which has proved
+the beginning of a long chain of evils, ending at last in their
+complete ruin."</p>
+
+<p>El Kattab, on the contrary, maintained that a heart accustomed from
+early youth to virtue, would not be easily led to commit a serious
+fault; and even if this should happen, that it would readily find its
+way back from a slight error to the right road. They continued to talk
+on these subjects, each endeavouring to confirm his assertions by
+examples, whilst Medjeddin, stretched beside them, listened with
+attention to their conversation. Suddenly he sprang to his feet, and
+ran quickly up the woody hill, at the foot of which they were
+reposing. His father and Salek looked after him surprised, as they
+could not comprehend what had occasioned his sudden disappearance.
+They then 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 called to him to come back; but in vain. They
+waited for a quarter of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_266" id="Page_266">[Pg 266]</a></span> an hour, and still Medjeddin did not return.
+Growing uneasy about him, they advanced in the direction in which he
+had disappeared, but could discover nothing. At last the sun set; then
+Salek said, "Let us return home: your son is a strong, active young
+man; he will easily find his way back to the city. Perhaps he has gone
+home some other way, and will be there before us."</p>
+
+<p>After much opposition, the father was 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 Medjeddin: but he
+had not returned. Salek's cheering suggestions were of no more avail;
+El Kattab would no longer listen to him, but threw himself weeping on
+his couch. Salek 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 all at
+once.</p>
+
+<p>"He has no doubt found a shelter where he will remain till morning,"
+continued he; "he will return here early to-morrow, and will laugh
+heartily at your fears."</p>
+
+<p>When Salek was gone, El Kattab gave free scope to his feelings. He
+wept aloud, tore his beard, and dashed himself upon the ground, like a
+madman. The slaves stood around in motionless astonishment, surprised
+to see their master exhibiting such passionate emotion; others sought
+to console him, but fruitlessly; at length they all began to cry and
+bewail with him for his dear son, who was beloved by them all. After a
+sleepless night, the afflicted father rose not at all quieted. He
+wished early in the morning to send messengers in all directions; but
+Salek, who had come to inquire if the lost one had returned home,
+explained to him how foolish this step would be.</p>
+
+<p>"Consider," said he, "that your Medjeddin has<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_267" id="Page_267">[Pg 267]</a></span> most probably found a
+night's lodging, and slept better than you. Supposing him, therefore,
+to be at any probable distance, even if he had set out on his way at
+daybreak, he could hardly be here now: 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 mid-day."</p>
+
+<p>El Kattab yielded; he appointed the messengers to be ready at noon,
+and in the meanwhile walked through the gardens and in the country
+around the city, where they had been on the preceding day. His friend
+accompanied him, although he pointed out that Medjeddin might, in the
+interval, have reached home while they were walking, and that El
+Kattab was thus perhaps giving himself more trouble than was
+necessary.</p>
+
+<p>"I have yielded to you in the rest," replied El Kattab; "let me at
+least in this instance have my own will, and 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 seen a young man, whom they
+accurately described. Nobody could give them any information about
+him. El Kattab now sent out his messengers in all directions;
+promising a rich reward to the one who should lead his lost son back
+to his arms. The messengers returned on the tenth day, and reported
+that all their researches had been without success. At this the
+parent's grief knew no bounds. His friend Salek remained almost
+constantly with him, comforting him; and all his friends held a
+consultation on the possible means of gaining tidings of Medjeddin.
+They agreed that he could not have been killed, for then his corpse
+would have been found: that he had no cause to conceal himself: that
+he could not have been attacked by enemies, as he had none: might he,
+they suggested, in the pursuit of the bird, have been led to the brink
+of the river,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_268" id="Page_268">[Pg 268]</a></span> and have thrown himself in, and been carried away by
+the stream? scarcely had this idea presented itself, ere two
+messengers were despatched to each side of the river to search, from
+its junction with the Euphrates above Balsora to the spot where it
+flows into the Arabian Sea, and ascertain if the corpse of Medjeddin
+had been washed ashore. But these messengers also returned to the
+anxious parent, without having found what they sought. The parent and
+his friend now gave up Medjeddin for lost; El Kattab's spirit was
+broken; grief for his lost son shortened his life; he soon became old:
+all joy fled from his mind; and his sorrow was only a little
+alleviated when his faithful friend Salek sat by him in the evening,
+talking with him of his son, relating the virtues by which he had been
+distinguished, and telling him how it had been his darling wish that
+this excellent young man should marry his daughter Maryam.</p>
+
+<p>A few days afterwards the caliph Haroun al Raschid went, as he was
+accustomed, in disguise, with his grand vizier Giafar, and Mesrur 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 the
+joys and pleasures of his subjects, as they had then ended their daily
+toils, and were seeking comfort and repose in the bosoms of their
+families. In the course of his progress he came to a street remarkable
+for its peculiar 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?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_269" id="Page_269">[Pg 269]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I can easily tell you, my lord," answered one of the whisperers;
+"here, in the next house, lives the unfortunate El Kattab; and, as
+usual at this hour, his friend Salek is sitting 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."</p>
+
+<p>Before the caliph could answer him, the man turned away, and entered
+the house, and the other followed him.</p>
+
+<p>"Have you ever heard of this unfortunate El Kattab before?" asked
+Haroun al Raschid of his grand vizier; and as he answered in the
+negative, the caliph proceeded, "Let us make an inspection of the
+house where this El Kattab 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 applied his eye to the aperture, and after he
+had watched for some time, beckoned his followers to him, and said,
+"Two grey-headed men are sitting in this court by the light of a lamp,
+and one seems to be comforting the other; but this latter continues to
+weep all the more bitterly, the more his companion endeavours to
+console him: both appear to be of the same rank. I am desirous of
+knowing what sorrow oppresses the unfortunate El Kattab: 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. El Kattab was
+alarmed when he heard that his presence was required at the palace. He
+was led into the great hall where the divan usually assembled; but
+there the attendants left him quite alone. 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 caliph; for he knew that Haroun al Raschid
+often, in a mysterious manner, discovered the faults of his<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_270" id="Page_270">[Pg 270]</a></span> 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. El Kattab rose from the
+ground, and bowed his head down to the carpet on which the caliph
+stood.</p>
+
+<p>"El Kattab," said the caliph, "a heavy weight of grief seems to
+oppress you; and by the anxiety which your neighbours manifest to show
+respect for your sorrow, I must consider you as a man of worth: I wish
+then to know the cause of your despondency; have you any objection to
+inform me of 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 El Kattab, "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>The caliph replied, "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. If I am careful for my whole kingdom, this care none the less
+extends to each individual; and, if 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 affliction?"</p>
+
+<p>El Kattab then recounted the mysterious disappearance of his son; how
+he had sought for him every where, and how 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 in
+tears perhaps my sorrow might expend itself, if at the same time a
+spark of hope did not live in my heart, that possibly he is still
+alive: but ah! where? This spark of hope keeps the wound in the
+father's heart always open."</p>
+
+<p>"You have, indeed, real cause for grief," answered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_271" id="Page_271">[Pg 271]</a></span> 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 into 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 in order to do my pleasure. That
+which was not possible to yourself, your friends, and your servants to
+accomplish, may perhaps prove easy for me. Now go home, and believe
+that you shall obtain news of your son, if he live 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 recognised.</p>
+
+<p>When El Kattab was sitting again with his friend Salek in the evening,
+he related to him the gracious and comforting words of the caliph.
+Salek perceived that hope was revived in his friend's heart, and that
+he confidently trusted to find his son. He thought it his duty,
+therefore, to damp somewhat this hope, and said, "Beloved friend, I
+have once heard a speech, which sunk deeply in my memory: it is,
+'Trust not in princes; they are but men.' In truth, the mightiest on
+earth are subject to destiny. If the caliph have influence in distant
+lands, it must still be within a comparatively confined and narrow
+limit; whilst what is in the farthest regions of the earth, as well as
+what is but a span distant, are all equally under the control of
+all-governing fate, even from the meanest slave to the ruler of the
+faithful."</p>
+
+<p>Haroun al Raschid meanwhile resolved to do all he could to fulfil the
+hope he had raised in El Kattab's heart. He gave a commission to all
+his servants in the 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 on terms of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_272" id="Page_272">[Pg 272]</a></span> friendship, at the same time
+despatching messengers with the charge to search for Medjeddin with
+all diligence, giving them a description by which they might recognise
+him if they found him. But week after week, and month after month
+passed away; even a whole year elapsed, without any intelligence being
+received either of the life or death of the lost one. So that all hope
+of finding him deserted the father for ever.</p>
+
+<p>Medjeddin, meantime, had not perished&mdash;none of the accidents suggested
+by his father's advisers had befallen him; he still lived, but in such
+complete concealment that it was impossible for any one to discover
+him. He had 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 at the same time so slowly. The tardiness of its flight
+made him conjecture that it must have hurt one of its wings; several
+times he succeeded in getting quite close to it, but just as he
+stretched out his hand to seize it, the bird again raised its wings,
+and flew a little in advance. Medjeddin 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 climbed a hill, and soon after found himself in a narrow
+meadow-valley, down which he ran; 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 seize his prisoner, it flew away, leaving only one of its
+tail-feathers tightly grasped in his hand: still he saw it through the
+twilight flying before him, and still he hastened after it. The bird
+seemed now to quicken its pace; but as he had so nearly caught it
+once, he continued the pursuit with more eagerness; he ran through the
+high grass, with his strained sight fixed on this glimmering white
+object, he saw nothing else.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_273" id="Page_273">[Pg 273]</a></span> Thus he came unexpectedly on a small but
+deep pool of water, which lay across his path; he jumped in, swam
+across, and tried to climb the other side, but it was so steep that he
+fell in with some of the crumbling earth: the water closed over his
+head, and he lost all consciousness. When he came to himself, he found
+himself lying on the turf, and a tall, grey-headed man of strange
+appearance by him, clothed in a long black robe reaching to his
+ancles, and fastened by a glittering girdle of a fiery colour. Instead
+of a turban, he wore a high pointed cap on his head, with 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 the stranger raised him from the ground, passed his
+left arm round his body, and flew with him through the air with the
+speed of an arrow. Medjeddin again soon lost recollection, and did not
+know how long he remained in this condition. He awoke at last as from
+a deep sleep; and looking around, the first thing he observed was a
+cage of gold wire, hanging 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 which served as windows were
+protected by lattices so skilfully contrived with winding tracery,
+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, was received in a white basin beneath,
+from which it disappeared unseen. Whilst he was observing this, and
+wondering what had happened to him, and how he came there, suddenly
+the old man in the black robe entered from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_274" id="Page_274">[Pg 274]</a></span> 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, and have it safe 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. Medjeddin 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 from any he had before seen. The hall seemed to be
+high in the air, as if it were the upper story of a lofty tower. No
+other edifice was to be seen, and from the windows he could not
+distinguish what shrubs and plants bloomed beneath. He drew the
+curtain aside, and discovered a doorway; 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 lattices, that he might put his head out,
+and see if there were any body beneath, to whom he might cry out.
+There was no door; he could not open the lattices; and as far as he
+could strain his sight in every direction, he could see nobody: he
+threw himself in despair on the pillow, wrung his hands, and wept, and
+cried: "I am then imprisoned&mdash;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 a grating of
+iron." Then he rose and shouted through 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 these useless<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_275" id="Page_275">[Pg 275]</a></span> efforts, he observed that the white bird
+fluttered restlessly in its prison, and pecked at the golden dish for
+its food, without finding any.</p>
+
+<p>"Poor brother in misfortune," said Medjeddin, "you shall not suffer
+want; I will take care of you; come, I will bring you what you want."</p>
+
+<p>He took the pans from the cage, filling one with water from the urn,
+and 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 this had happened; still it
+was not long before he attacked the meats with the zest of a young man
+who had fasted nearly all day. Although these viands were altogether
+different from those he had been accustomed to taste in his father's
+house, they all appeared excellent. He ate till he was fully
+satisfied, and then took from the table a golden cup, and quenched his
+thirst with pure water from the urn. After this he threw himself on a
+couch and fell asleep. When he awoke he felt strong and well. He arose
+and began to make another tour of the hall, and he then observed that
+the table with the meats had disappeared. This was a disappointment,
+as he had thought to make a good supper of the remainder. He did not
+allow this, however, to trouble him much, as he now felt pretty sure
+that he was not to die of hunger. He next proceeded to scrutinise his
+prison more closely: he examined all anew, pillars, walls, and floor;
+but could no where find a crevice or a fissure: all was fast and
+whole. His view from the windows did not allow him to make any further
+discovery; he only saw that he was very far above the earth, and in a
+spacious valley; mountains were to be seen in the distance, with
+curiously-pointed summits. 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<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_276" id="Page_276">[Pg 276]</a></span> still life; and if
+the cage was narrow, yet the prisoner could hop about on the different
+perches. Soon it remained still and gazed at him with its bright eyes,
+which seemed as if sense and speech lay in them, the interpretation
+only was wanting.</p>
+
+<p>Night put an end to these reflections. Next morning he observed that
+the bird again wanted food. He filled its seed-pan with grain from his
+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; Medjeddin 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-pan. He could not perceive who brought the table, nor how it
+disappeared. It always came whilst 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 rest for you;
+you have performed your duty during the preceding days in giving the
+bird its food, you may now 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; he then opened a small metal trap-door,
+and then Medjeddin descended twenty steps more: they next came to a
+similar door, and descended twenty more steps to a third, and so on,
+till, after passing the ninth door, they found themselves in the open
+air.</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.
+Medjeddin 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 stories, each about fifteen feet
+in height. The tower was nine-sided, with a window in the third side
+of each<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_277" id="Page_277">[Pg 277]</a></span> story, so arranged that no window was directly over another,
+and that consequently only three altogether appeared in each side of
+the tower from bottom to top. 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; 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. He found the gardens surrounded on all sides
+by a lofty wall, constructed of the same materials, and quite as
+glassy, as the tower. After making the whole circuit of the garden, he
+at length found a gate, consisting of a grating of strong iron bars,
+polished to the highest degree of smoothness, and 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 he lost his hold and
+fell backwards on the earth. He next examined the grating closely to
+see if there were no means of escape; but all was in vain: every where
+the bars were high, thick, and like polished glass. Sorrowfully 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<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_278" id="Page_278">[Pg 278]</a></span> from
+their influence. He lay down on a 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 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 again 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 grating. But
+there was something wanting for this work; he had not even a dagger or
+a knife. As he thus thought, 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.</p>
+
+<p>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 Medjeddin,
+"what is the matter? are you ill?" It seemed as if the bird was
+affected by these sympathising 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 mean time he asked the old man many times<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_279" id="Page_279">[Pg 279]</a></span> 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>
+
+<p>One day the old man appeared and led him into the garden as usual; 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. Medjeddin also remarked that the white bird, which he had
+learnt to love more every day, sat at the bottom of its cage, more
+mournful than it usually was after the old man's visit. He drew near,
+and observed a little door in the cage 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, and worked into the
+ornamental parts of the cage so cunningly, that nobody could have
+discovered them if his attention had not been drawn to them by design
+or accident. Medjeddin pushed back the bolt and opened the door; the
+bird started up as if some sudden joy had seized it, hopped out, and
+as soon as it touched the floor was transformed, and in its stead a
+young maiden stood before Medjeddin, clothed in a white silk robe;
+beautiful dark locks streamed over her neck and shoulders, and a thin
+fragrant veil fell over them, confined by a fillet set with precious
+stones; her finely-formed countenance was as white as ivory, relieved
+by the softest shade of the rose. Surprised and astonished, Medjeddin
+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 helpless 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 Omar, king of Zanguebar; 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<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_280" id="Page_280">[Pg 280]</a></span> he comes,
+brings his son with him, and praises his excellent qualities. This he
+has done regularly for many months past, tormenting me at every visit
+for my consent to this odious union; and he now threatens me with
+cruel tortures if I give it not by 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 continue to entreat: 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.</p>
+
+<p>"Noble maiden," answered Medjeddin, "how willingly would I free you!
+but, alas, I am as helpless as yourself, and cannot even free myself.
+But tell me how is it? you say the enchanter brings his hateful son
+with him&mdash;why, then, have I never seen him?"</p>
+
+<p>"He always sends you away when he comes," answered the princess.</p>
+
+<p>"But even then," pursued Medjeddin, "the son could not conceal himself
+from me on the stairs, or in the narrow passage."</p>
+
+<p>"Quite true," she answered, "but he carries him in his pocket."</p>
+
+<p>"What," exclaimed Medjeddin in astonishment, "in his pocket!&mdash;how can
+that be?"</p>
+
+<p>The princess informed him that the young man became on the occasion of
+each visit 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 the pertinacious obstinacy of a brutal affection, would
+follow her and settle confidingly near her. "You must," she continued,
+"have remarked how tired and mournful I always was on the ninth day
+when you returned."</p>
+
+<p>Medjeddin, astonished at this explanation, assured her of his
+willingness to free her, but bewailed his helplessness. The princess,
+however, would not give up hopes of their success. "It seems to me,"
+said she, "a good omen that the enchanter has to-day received<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_281" id="Page_281">[Pg 281]</a></span> 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 I can be
+delivered from the magician's power; on any other day I should still
+have remained a dumb bird, even if you had freed me from my cage; only
+on this day has my touching the floor had power to restore me to my
+natural form; the enchantment lies in the cage."</p>
+
+<p>Medjeddin instantly seized the cage, exclaiming, "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 like thunder resounded through the
+air. The whole building shook as with a furious tempest, the doors
+flew open with a crash, 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?"</p>
+
+<p>Medjeddin was so terrified he could answer nothing. The enchanter then
+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."</p>
+
+<p>He felt in the pocket of his black robe, and pulled out thence a small
+box; this he opened, and a white bird flew out and perched on the
+table. He then took a smaller box from his girdle and opened it,&mdash;it
+was filled with grains of millet; from these he took one, and laid it
+before the bird, who had scarcely eaten it before such a distorted man
+stood in its place, that both Medjeddin and the princess screamed
+aloud. His head was large and thick, his eyes red and dark, his nose
+small and quite flat, his lips thick and blueish red, his chin broad
+and projecting, and on his head<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_282" id="Page_282">[Pg 282]</a></span> grew a few stiff white hairs; a hump
+grew out in front, and a similar one behind; his shoulders were quite
+drawn up, and his head so jammed between them that his ears could not
+be seen. The upper part of his body was so unwieldy, 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.</p>
+
+<p>"Come forward, my son," said the enchanter to this deformed 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 own 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
+to motion him away. But by this time Medjeddin's courage had returned:
+resolving to venture all, he stepped before the princess and gave the
+deformity such a blow that he reeled and fell backwards. His head
+struck in the fall on the corner of the pedestal of one of the marble
+pillars with such violence, that his skull was broken: a stream of
+blood flowed from the wound, and the monster gave a hollow groan.
+Medjeddin thought of nothing but 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, and appeared stupified with horror
+and amazement. Presently he threw himself down beside him, examined
+the injury, and wrung his hands, forgetting his revenge in his sorrow.
+Medjeddin quickly seized the hand of the princess, and led her through
+the door and down the stairs: all the doors were open, and they found
+their way without any obstacle into the garden. Soon they stood before
+the grating of the iron gate, which was closed.</p>
+
+<p>"Of what use is our flight?" said Medjeddin despondingly;<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_283" id="Page_283">[Pg 283]</a></span> "we are
+still as much as ever in the power of the enchanter; and even if we
+were on the other side of the gate, and concealed 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 many of the
+things on which the superior power of this magician depends, and I
+believe that if we could only get out of this place, we should be
+safe."</p>
+
+<p>They went on a little further, and came to a spot where a number of
+trees had been uprooted by the hurricane; one of these lay overturned
+with its summit resting on the top of the wall, and its boughs and
+branches hanging far over the other side. At this sight the young man
+rejoiced; he climbed quickly on to the trunk, pulling the princess
+after him, and guiding her with great care and tenderness into the top
+of the tree. They then clambered over the wall in spite of a
+formidable row of spikes, and let themselves down on the other side by
+the overhanging branches of the tree. These did not quite reach to the
+ground, but near enough for them to leap down; they let go
+accordingly, and fell gently to the earth; then jumping up, they
+proceeded as rapidly as the strength of the princess and the
+difficulties of the way would allow them, through thickets, underwood,
+and plains studded with prickly plants, towards the distant mountains.</p>
+
+<p>After the two fugitives had continued their flight for several hours
+without looking back on the scene of their imprisonment, the princess
+felt her strength exhausted, and that she could go no further; she
+begged her companion, therefore, to stop and rest for a short time.
+Medjeddin sought a place free from bushes, and clad with moss and long
+grass; they seated themselves there, and Medjeddin entreated the
+princess to relate her history. She was too much<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_284" id="Page_284">[Pg 284]</a></span> exhausted at first,
+but after a short pause recovered her strength and commenced thus:</p>
+
+<p>"My early history is very simple. I am called Jasmin, the only
+daughter of the sultan of Zanguebar. My mother was brought over the
+wide-stretching sea, from beyond Arabia and Mount Caucasus, and was
+sold to him as a slave. Soon attracted by her beauty and manners, he
+raised her to the dignity of wife. My earliest youth was spent in
+happy sports under my mother's eyes, who died, however, 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. My father
+loved me as his greatest treasure, and confided 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. On that day we always went
+together in a light bark to a neighbouring promontory, where he had a
+beautiful palace and gardens. The air there was 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 mean time 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 Mundiana Mesoud, often accompanied us 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, that
+a foreign ship anchored just below us. A stranger 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
+his wares, and begged my father to admit him. The man laid many costly
+trinkets of gold and precious stones before us; and my father<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_285" id="Page_285">[Pg 285]</a></span> bought
+some which pleased me the most. I remarked that the merchant watched
+me closely, but he did this with such evident pleasure that my vanity
+ascribed it to his admiration of my charms, and found no harm in it.
+Whilst he showed his goods, he let fall some words which intimated
+that he had left his most precious articles behind in the ship; he had
+there, he said, many curious birds, particularly a snow-white bird
+which was the most beautiful of all creatures of this kind. He managed
+thus to excite my curiosity so much that I begged my father to allow
+me to go with the stranger to his ship to see these rarities. My
+father was weak enough to comply with this unreasonable wish. A
+suitable train ought to 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 strangers came
+into his ship. 'They are only things fit for the royal princess,' he
+said; 'there is no fear that I should expose her to danger. I can
+never forget that a powerful king has entrusted his only daughter to
+my care. However, the prince may accompany you as a watchful
+protector.' We accompanied 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 cabins 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 sort of box; and as I could not
+see it distinctly, he took it out and placed it in my hand. 'The most
+wonderful circumstance,' said he, 'connected with this bird is, that,
+being a native of a far distant country, when removed to this it can
+only remain a few days alive, but I have found the corn of life of
+which I give it some grains each week, and it<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_286" id="Page_286">[Pg 286]</a></span> 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
+Mesoud. When I offered the grain to the bird, it refused it; and when
+I pressed my hand closer, 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, however,
+with a sort of 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 at 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. Upon this 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 and the attendants on the terrace, and could
+distinguish their gestures of wonder as they saw the ship depart; I
+believed even 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 any thing of prince Mesoud.</p>
+
+<p>"When my home was far in the distance, and even the summit of the
+mountains which overhung it 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 do not 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<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_287" id="Page_287">[Pg 287]</a></span> 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 round the cage. 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 up
+immediately. It was then changed into a man, the same ugly wretch you
+saw 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. It
+was also part of my enchantment to be obliged to allure you here. I
+have now no other wish than to return to my father in Zanguebar,
+because I know he is living in great affliction."</p>
+
+<p>This relation vividly reminded Medjeddin of his own father; he knew,
+from the great love he had always shown him, that he must have pined
+for his loss, and his mournful countenance and bowed-down form
+presented themselves before his mind. "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 seen you safe into the hands of those who will
+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 it was necessary to find a resting-place for the night; fortune
+was favourable; they soon found a nook overhung by a large and lofty
+bush. Medjeddin broke away the boughs, so as to form a hedge which
+fenced round a small spot in which he concealed the princess, leaving
+only a narrow entrance, before which he lay down to watch. Night
+passed without danger. However anxiously<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_288" id="Page_288">[Pg 288]</a></span> Medjeddin strove against
+sleep in order to watch over his companion, it at last weighed down
+his eyelids; and they both awoke with the first rays of the sun. They
+wandered the whole day, resting occasionally; 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
+mountains. There they found cultivated land and human habitations.
+Medjeddin inquired where they were, and asked the way to the sea. The
+people told them the name of the country, which was unknown to
+Medjeddin and to the princess Jasmin, and added, that on the other
+side of the high mountains lay a large flat land, bordering on the
+sea. They received this information with great joy, and, tired and
+footsore as they were, addressed themselves, without loss of time, to
+the task of crossing the mountains, and at last, after a wearisome
+journey, during which they had seen the sun rise and set seven times,
+they arrived at the flat country and the sea-coast of which they had
+been told. A ship lay ready at anchor; and when they inquired its
+destination, the steersman answered, "We are going to Zanguebar, to
+fetch a cargo of cinnamon." To Medjeddin's question where they came
+from, and the name of the land where they were, 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 the fillet on her forehead, and gave it for the passage money
+of herself and her companion. The following morning they weighed
+anchor, and, after a prosperous voyage, reached the very same place
+where the enchanter's ship had formerly lain at anchor, when he
+carried off the princess.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_289" id="Page_289">[Pg 289]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>They were landed in a small boat, and Jasmin led her deliverer through
+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 hastily forwards, they concealed themselves behind a bush,
+for on the terrace sat a venerable and noble-looking man, with the
+profoundest melancholy stamped on his features; he was looking
+seawards, and the vessel had just caught his eye; 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."</p>
+
+<p>He pronounced these words aloud, and covered his face, as he bowed
+himself forward on his hands.</p>
+
+<p>The princess Jasmin was rushing towards him, but Medjeddin held her
+back, and said, "Let me first prepare him for your arrival, for
+otherwise joy may kill him." And he came forward, and bowed himself
+before the sorrowing old man.</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>Medjeddin stood up and answered, "From my appearance, you might well
+take me for a beggar, O great king Omar. But know that under these
+ragged clothes is concealed a magician, who is able to change your
+tears into smiles, your sobs into transports of joy."</p>
+
+<p>"Can any man on earth do this?" asked Omar.</p>
+
+<p>"I have only to speak three words," answered the other, "and it will
+happen. Are you strong enough to support the highest joy that your
+heart can feel or conceive?"<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_290" id="Page_290">[Pg 290]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>At these questions, a ray of hope kindled in the soul of the mourning
+father. "What is it? Who are you who can promise this?" asked he; and,
+on Medjeddin repeating his question, he answered, "I think so,"
+regarding him, at the same time, with eager looks.</p>
+
+<p>"Approach, princess Jasmin," cried the youth; and she sprang forward
+into her father's open arms.</p>
+
+<p>Medjeddin's promise was indeed fulfilled; the aged monarch's tears
+were changed into smiles of joy. Their embrace continued long. At last
+Omar raised himself, beckoned Medjeddin to approach, and said, "You
+are indeed a magician such as I have never seen before. By your 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, nor 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 the king's barge, and soon the joyful
+news of the unexpected reappearance of the princess spread every
+where. Crowds assembled at the palace to ascertain if the news were
+true, and the princess at length went out of the principal gate of the
+palace, and showed herself at the head of the flight of steps which
+led up to it. Then arose a shout of joy from ten thousand voices, and
+loud wishes for her health and happiness.</p>
+
+<p>The next day, after the king had heard from his daughter the history
+of her imprisonment, and of the devotion with which Medjeddin had
+watched over her and when Medjeddin had in turn narrated his history
+Omar became 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 placed over the people next to the king."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_291" id="Page_291">[Pg 291]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>After longer consultation, the eldest of the councillors rose, and
+said, "Omar, my king and lord, the youth has certainly performed a
+great service to you and the princess Jasmin; it seems to me,
+therefore, that his reward ought to come from you. It is fitting that
+the king, having received from him a great benefit in his family,
+should reward him from his family. Were I in such a case, I would
+constitute him 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. "I am old," said he, "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 so
+good a husband. The prince Mundiana Mesoud, whom I had before chosen,
+has disappeared; and this youth, although of lower birth, is of noble
+soul, and will soon, under my guidance, acquire the necessary
+experience to enable him to promote justice and order in my kingdom."</p>
+
+<p>He did not delay, but immediately caused Medjeddin 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 immediately added their congratulations.</p>
+
+<p>Medjeddin expressed his gratitude in becoming terms, but inquired,
+smiling, what was the precise nature of the dignity conferred on him.</p>
+
+<p>The eldest councillor stepped forward and said, "This name points out
+the highest post of honour which the king can bestow. You are found
+worthy of this honour, and no other lives who bears the title, because
+the Mundiana Prince Mesoud 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
+officer was placed, and led through the streets. Heralds went before<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_292" id="Page_292">[Pg 292]</a></span>
+him, and cried aloud, "Listen to what Omar 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 Jasmin for his wife. To-morrow the betrothal will be
+celebrated; and every body is invited to the court of the palace to
+partake of the general joy."</p>
+
+<p>Medjeddin hardly knew how all this had come about. He had 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 Jasmin, but was to succeed Omar on the throne, and to reign
+over that beautiful and rich land. In his happiness he forgot his
+early life, his father's sorrow, and even his playfellow Maryam and
+his father's faithful friend Salek, and thought no more of his home or
+his father-land. 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, although, she felt a very sincere
+friendship for her intended husband, and treated him with great
+respect and attention, as she did not forget in her prosperity how
+much she had owed to him in the time of misfortune. The first days and
+weeks after the ceremony of betrothal were devoted to recreation and
+amusement, after which he was formally introduced by the king to the
+council, and instructed in the business of the state. The king and
+councillors had soon reason to wonder at the acuteness of his judgment
+in difficult cases, and above all, at his quick perception of right
+and order. Throughout the country, 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 Jasmin,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_293" id="Page_293">[Pg 293]</a></span> in her apartments. He happened to enter very rapidly
+after his announcement by the attendant, and saw the princess hastily
+wiping her eyes; and as he drew nearer, he perceived the traces of her
+tears. Sympathising with her, he asked the cause of her grief; 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 constant heart. You know that I was formerly beloved by
+prince Mesoud, the son of the neighbouring king; I related to you that
+this prince was changed into a black bird 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 the desire to ascertain his
+fate, and I have obtained certain news of his present condition, by
+the secret knowledge of a certain wise man. I have learned that he
+still lives in his new form, and that he has flown away, from fear of
+the machinations of the demon hunter, called among us Dolda Waldas,
+and is now in far 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 his mournful destiny has drawn these tears from my
+eyes, the traces of which you observed."</p>
+
+<p>This narrative made a deep impression on Medjeddin; he discovered that
+Jasmin had acceded to her father's wish only from gratitude and filial
+obedience, whilst her affections were still fixed on the absent
+prince. He saw that he could purchase the good fortune of being the
+husband of the noble princess, and son-in-law of the great king Omar,
+and after him king of Zanguebar, only by the misfortunes of prince
+Mesoud. He asked himself if this were right, and was obliged to
+confess that justice and honour were opposed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_294" id="Page_294">[Pg 294]</a></span> to it. He saw that the
+intoxication of good fortune had hitherto blinded him. Then the
+remembrance of his father came before him, and his imagination
+pictured 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 Zanguebar.
+Scarcely had these thoughts and feelings arisen in his breast, than he
+made up his mind: he went to the king, told him all, and begged him to
+let him go and fulfil a son's duty to a father whom he had too long
+neglected. Omar sighed deeply at these disclosures of his expected
+son-in-law; he proposed to send a ship to bring his father, so that he
+might spend the rest of his life in sharing his son's good fortune and
+companionship. Upon this Medjeddin 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 that the prince Mesoud must, through my
+happiness, always remain in his present condition, if I thus take away
+the possibility of his ever returning to his human form, I should be
+in the highest degree culpable, if I did not voluntarily give up my
+good fortune."</p>
+
+<p>All the persuasions and arguments of Omar 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 seek
+information about prince Mesoud 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, including many precious stones from his treasury, and
+provided<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_295" id="Page_295">[Pg 295]</a></span> him with a ship, and all necessaries for the voyage.</p>
+
+<p>The heavens seemed to favour the resolution of the returning son: the
+finest 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, and recognised the very place where he had lain
+at the feet of his father and Salek, and listened to their
+conversation; their last discourse there returned to his memory.
+"Well," said he to himself, "my own experience has indeed proved how
+true it is that it is easy for a man to be seduced from virtue into
+one false step, if he be not watchful, but relies on his own power: I
+thought that my heart was sure to be always right, and neglected the
+practice of weighing carefully each action beforehand. In this manner
+have I so much forgotten my love for my father, and had nearly
+committed a great wrong, having been about to sacrifice to my vanity,
+in the intoxication of good fortune, the happiness of the princess and
+her betrothed. And you, my 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
+brought me up to what was good." As he spoke, he espied a small
+solitary hut where the palm-trees used to stand. A venerable man, much
+marked by sorrow, appeared at the door; he stood still before the
+threshold, and regarded the youth with astonishment; the young man
+gazed earnestly at him. Then suddenly recognising the features of the
+old man, he threw himself on his knees before him, seized his hand,
+and covered it with kisses.</p>
+
+<p>"My father," cried he, "is it so indeed? have you become so much
+altered in the course of so few years?<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_296" id="Page_296">[Pg 296]</a></span> that is my fault. Father,
+forgive your offending son, who forgot you in the height of
+prosperity."</p>
+
+<p>El Kattab extended 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.</p>
+
+<p>When he looked up again, he saw a man approaching, accompanied by a
+maiden, whose features he recognised. It was Salek and his daughter
+Maryam, Medjeddin's playfellow. After welcoming him, they sat down,
+and Medjeddin related to them all that had happened to him since the
+memorable 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 greatness, and by honours. As they
+were sitting and conversing, they observed three birds coming up from
+a distance, and who seemed to be chasing one another. They soon
+perceived that one of them was a black bird flying in great fright
+from a large hawk. It was obvious that the hawk would soon have seized
+his prey, had he not been pursued in turn by a larger bird, to avoid
+which, he was often compelled to dart from side to side: at last they
+came to close conflict. The pursued black bird fell into Medjeddin's
+lap; the hawk, struck by his pursuer, fell to the ground at their
+feet, and was, by the strong hooked bill and sharp claws of his
+adversary, soon killed and torn to pieces. Scarcely had this taken
+place, when the conqueror changed into a venerable-looking sage. He
+turned to Medjeddin, who was quite astonished, and said: "Dip quickly
+your forefinger in the blood of this slain bird, and anoint with it
+the beak of the black one."</p>
+
+<p>Medjeddin obeyed immediately; and scarcely had he touched the black
+bird's beak with the blood, ere it was transformed, and a handsome
+youth in kingly dress stood before them.</p>
+
+<p>"Guess who this is," said the genius.</p>
+
+<p>"The prince Mesoud?" asked Medjeddin.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_297" id="Page_297">[Pg 297]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The genius answered, "It is he!" And as he stood looking at the young
+prince with astonishment, added, "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 for you to perform all this, that you might be tried: you
+are found worthy, and Heaven rewards you with Maryam, the early
+companion of your youth, now to be your wife."</p>
+
+<p>Then Medjeddin turned towards Maryam, and looked inquiringly at Salek,
+her father. This latter said, "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 transformed the princess Jasmin and the prince Mesoud. 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."</p>
+
+<p>With these words he disappeared from their sight. They returned now in
+happy union to the city; and El Kattab, who had built his hut at the
+edge of the wood to be always near the place of his sorrow, dwelt
+again in his house with his children. The prince proceeded to
+Zanguebar in the same ship that had brought Medjeddin. He was received
+there with great joy, and was soon married to his early love. But
+Medjeddin'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 Medjeddin'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<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_298" id="Page_298">[Pg 298]</a></span> kingdom. And when Giafar, his aged vizier,
+expressed a wish to end his life in quietness, the caliph raised
+Medjeddin to the grand viziership; and he continued long in this
+office, to the pleasure of his friends and the happiness of the
+people, by whom he was greatly beloved.</p>
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" /><p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_299" id="Page_299">[Pg 299]</a></span></p>
+<h2>VIII.</h2>
+
+<h3>THE STORY OF KING BEDREDDIN-LOLO AND HIS VIZIR ATALMULC.</h3>
+
+
+<p>The city of Damascus is one of the most populous and flourishing
+cities of the East, and to this capital of a rich kingdom travellers
+and caravans arrive from all the countries of the world. Its
+sovereigns bear the title of "Prince of the Believers," and their
+person is sacred.</p>
+
+<p>Bedreddin-Lolo, king of Damascus, had for his grand vizir a man
+celebrated in history for his goodness. This minister, whose real name
+was Aswad, but whose great virtues had acquired for him the surname of
+Atalmulc<a name="FNanchor_9_9" id="FNanchor_9_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a>, was in every way worthy of the high name he had so
+obtained; uniting to an indefatigable zeal for the king's service a
+vigilance that nothing could deceive, a penetrating and capacious
+mind, and a disinterestedness that was universally admired. But he was
+surnamed the "sorrowful" vizir, because he appeared to be always
+plunged in a profound melancholy. Whatever he did at court was
+performed in a grave and serious manner, and he never smiled at the
+wittiest remark that was made in his presence.</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 gift to the kingdom.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_300" id="Page_300">[Pg 300]</a></span></p></div>
+
+<p>One day the king entertained this vizir and Sedif-Elmuloak, his
+favourite, and related to them, laughing immoderately all the while,
+the following misfortunes that happened to a rich old miser.</p>
+
+
+<h3>THE OLD PAIR OF SLIPPERS.</h3>
+
+<p>There was at Bagdad a merchant very notorious for his avarice, and his
+name was Abou-Cassem-Tambouri. Although he was enormously rich, his
+clothes were constantly in rags and tatters, and his turban, made of
+coarse stuff, was so dirty that its colour could no longer be
+distinguished. Of all his garments, however, his slippers were the
+most remarkable; the soles were kept together by large, clumsy nails,
+and the upper leathers were pieced in every direction. The famous ship
+Argo was not made up of a greater number of separate fragments. During
+the ten years of their existence as slippers, the cleverest cobblers
+of Bagdad had exerted their utmost skill to tag together their
+remains, and had only succeeded by adding piece on piece, by which
+means they had become so heavy, that they had passed into a proverb;
+and when any one wished to describe something weighty, the slippers of
+Cassem were always the object of comparison.</p>
+
+<p>One day, when this merchant was taking a walk in the great bazaar of
+the city, a proposal was made to him to buy a considerable quantity of
+glass; he agreed to the offer, because it was an advantageous one; and
+having heard a few days afterwards, that a perfumer who had fallen
+into difficulties had nothing left but some rose-water, which he would
+of course be obliged to sell as speedily as possible, Cassem took
+advantage of the poor man's misfortune, and purchased it at less than
+half its value. This successful stroke of business had put him into
+good humour, and instead of giving a great feast, according to the
+custom of Eastern merchants, when they have made an excellent bargain,
+he thought it better to take a bath, a luxury which he had not enjoyed
+for a long time.</p>
+
+<p>Whilst he was taking off his clothes, one of his friends, or at least
+one who pretended to be a friend&mdash;for it is a rare thing for a miser
+to have one&mdash;remarked<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_301" id="Page_301">[Pg 301]</a></span> to him that his slippers made him the
+laughing-stock of the whole city, and that he certainly ought to
+purchase a new pair.</p>
+
+<p>"I have long thought of doing so," replied Cassem; "but my old ones
+are not so very bad, and will last me for some time even yet." While
+talking, he stripped off his clothes, and entered the bath.</p>
+
+<p>At this juncture the cadi of Bagdad came also to take one. Cassem,
+having finished his bath before the judge, went into the first
+apartment, where he found his clothes, but not his slippers, which had
+disappeared, and in their place was a new pair, which our miser was
+convinced were a present from the man who had made him such a friendly
+remonstrance about them. With that he made no more ado, but put the
+new pair on his own feet, thus sparing himself the pain of buying new
+ones, and left the bath overjoyed with his prize.</p>
+
+<p>When the cadi had finished his bath, his slaves looked about in vain,
+for their master's slippers, and finding only a wretched pair, which
+were immediately recognized as Cassem's, the police ran after the
+supposed sharper, and brought him back with the stolen goods upon his
+feet. The cadi, after having exchanged the slippers, sent Cassem to
+prison; and, as he was well known to be rich as well as avaricious, he
+was not allowed to come out of prison until he had paid a handsome
+fine.</p>
+
+<p>On returning home the afflicted Cassem threw his slippers, in a rage,
+into the Tigris, which flowed beneath his windows. A few days after,
+some fishermen, drawing up a net heavier than usual, found in it
+Cassem's slippers. The nails, with which they had been patched, had
+broken the meshes of the net. The fishermen, out of spite to Cassem
+and his slippers, threw them into his room by the open window, and in
+their passage they struck the bottles containing the rose-water, and
+knocking them down, the bottles were broken and the water totally
+lost.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_302" id="Page_302">[Pg 302]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The grief and wrath of Cassem on seeing this may easily be conceived.
+He cursed his slippers, and tearing out the hair from his beard, vowed
+that they should cause him no more mischief; and so saying, he took a
+spade, and digging a hole in his garden, buried them there.</p>
+
+<p>One of his neighbours, however, who had borne him a grudge for a long
+time, perceived him turning up the earth, and ran and told the
+governor that Cassem had dug up a treasure in his garden. This was
+enough to excite the cupidity of the officer, and he sent forthwith
+for Cassem. In vain our miser declared that he had not found money,
+that he was only employed in burying his slippers. The governor had
+calculated on his bribe, and the afflicted Cassem could only regain
+his liberty by paying down a second large sum.</p>
+
+<p>Our friend, in an extremity of despair, consigned his slippers to
+Shitan<a name="FNanchor_10_10" id="FNanchor_10_10"></a><a href="#Footnote_10_10" class="fnanchor">[10]</a>, and went and threw them into an aqueduct at some distance
+from the city, thinking that this time he should hear no more of them.
+But as though the evil spirit he had invoked was determined to play
+him a trick, the slippers somehow found their way just to the very
+pipe of the aqueduct, by this means preventing the flowing of the
+water. The persons who had the care of the aqueduct having gone to
+ascertain the cause of the stoppage, and to remove it, carried
+Cassem's slippers to the governor of the city, declaring them to be
+the cause of all the injury. Their unfortunate owner was thrown again
+into prison, and condemned to pay a larger fine than before. The
+governor who had punished the offence, and who pretended to be
+indebted to no one for any thing, returned Cassem's precious slippers
+to him again most faithfully; and Cassem, in order to free himself
+from all the evils which they had brought upon him, resolved to burn
+them. As they were saturated<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_303" id="Page_303">[Pg 303]</a></span> with water, he first of all put them out
+to dry in the sun on the terrace of his house. But Cassem's evil
+genius had not yet quite done with his tricks, and the last which he
+played him was the worst of all.</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> The Devil.</p></div>
+
+<p>A neighbour's dog prowling along the terrace on the housetops spied
+out the slippers, and, darting at them, carried off one of them. As,
+however, the dog was playing with it, and tossing it about, he
+contrived to let it fall off the terrace on to the head of a woman who
+happened to be passing below. The fright and the violence of the blow
+together, made the poor woman quite ill; and her husband having
+carried his complaint before the cadi, Cassem was condemned to pay a
+fine proportionate to the misfortune of which he had been the cause.
+Going home, he took up his slippers, and returned to the cadi with
+them in his hands.</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," he exclaimed with a vehemence which excited the judge's
+laughter, "my lord, look at the fatal cause of all my troubles! These
+abominable slippers have at length reduced me to poverty; be pleased
+now to issue a decree, in order that the misfortunes which they will,
+no doubt, still continue to occasion, may not be imputed to me."</p>
+
+<p>The cadi could not refuse to comply with this request, and Cassem
+learned, at great expense, the danger there is in not changing one's
+slippers often enough.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p>The vizir listened to this story with such a serious countenance that
+Bedreddin was astonished.</p>
+
+<p>"Atalmulc," he said, "you are of a strange disposition; you seem
+always sad and melancholy. During ten years that you have been in my
+service I have never seen the slightest sign of pleasure on your
+countenance."</p>
+
+<p>"May it please your majesty," replied the vizir, "you need not be
+surprised at it; all have their secret<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_304" id="Page_304">[Pg 304]</a></span> sorrows; there is no man on
+earth who is exempt from them."</p>
+
+<p>"Your remark is surely untrue," replied the king. "Do you mean to say
+that all men have some secret anxiety preying on their minds, because
+you appear in that state? Do you really believe this to be the truth?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, your majesty," replied Atalmulc; "such is the condition of all
+the children of Adam; our bosoms are incapable of enjoying perfect
+ease. Judge of others by yourself. Is your majesty quite contented?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, as to me," exclaimed Bedreddin, "that is impossible! I have
+enemies to deal with&mdash;the weight of an empire on my hands&mdash;a thousand
+cares to distract my thoughts, and disturb the repose of my life; but
+I am convinced that there are in the world a vast number of persons
+whose days run on in unruffled enjoyment."</p>
+
+<p>The vizir Atalmulc, however, pertinaciously adhered to what he had
+stated, so that the king, seeing him so strongly attached to his
+opinion, said to him:</p>
+
+<p>"If no one is exempt from vexation, all the world, at any rate, is not
+like you, wholly overcome by affliction. You have made me, however,
+very curious to know what it is that has rendered you so pensive and
+sorrowful; tell me therefore the reason of your melancholy."</p>
+
+<p>"I shall comply with your majesty's wish," replied the vizir, "and
+reveal the cause of my secret cares to you, by relating the history of
+my life."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_305" id="Page_305">[Pg 305]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h3>THE HISTORY OF ATALMULC, SURNAMED "THE SORROWFUL VIZIR," AND THE
+PRINCESS ZELICA.</h3>
+
+<p>I am the only son of a rich jeweller of Bagdad. My father, whose name
+was Cogia Abdallah, spared no expense in my education; having from my
+earliest infancy hired masters, who taught me the various sciences,
+philosophy, law, theology, and more particularly the different
+languages of Asia, in order that they might be useful to me in my
+travels, if I should ever make any in that part of the world.</p>
+
+<p>Shortly after this my father died, and when the funeral ceremony,
+which was magnificent, was over, I took possession of all his immense
+property. Instead of giving myself up to the pursuit of pleasure, I
+resolved to devote myself to my father's profession. Being well versed
+in the knowledge of precious stones, I had reason to believe that I
+should succeed in business, and accordingly I went into partnership
+with two merchant jewellers of Bagdad, friends of my father, who were
+about to undertake a trading expedition to Ormus. At Basra we hired a
+vessel, and embarked on our enterprise from the bay which bears the
+name of that city.</p>
+
+<p>Our companions on board were agreeable; the ship wafted by favourable
+winds glided swiftly through the waves. We passed the time in festive
+mirth, and our voyage promised to end as pleasantly as we could
+desire, when my two associates gave me a startling<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_306" id="Page_306">[Pg 306]</a></span> proof that they
+were not the honourable characters I had supposed. We were just at the
+end of our voyage, and being in good spirits on that account, we held
+a sort of farewell feast, and did ample justice to some exquisite
+wines which we had laid in at Basra. For my part, being in the highest
+spirits, I made copious libations, and, on retiring to rest, lay down
+on a sofa, without taking off my clothes. In the middle of the night,
+while I was buried in profound slumber, my partners took me up in
+their arms, and threw me over-board through the cabin window. Death
+would seem inevitable under the circumstances, and in truth it is
+still impossible for me to imagine how I was fortunate enough to
+survive such a catastrophe. The sea was running high at the time, but
+the waves, as if Heaven had commanded them to spare me, instead of
+overwhelming me, bore me to the foot of a mountain, and cast me
+violently on shore. As soon as I recovered the shock, I found myself
+safe and sound on the beach, where I passed the remainder of the night
+in thanking God for my deliverance, at which I could not sufficiently
+wonder.</p>
+
+<p>At break of day I clambered up with great difficulty to the top of the
+mountain, which was very steep, and met there with some peasants of
+the neighbourhood, who were occupied in collecting crystal, which they
+afterwards sold at Ormus. I related to them the danger in which my
+life had been placed, and my escape seemed miraculous to them, as well
+as to myself. These worthy people took pity on me, gave me part of
+their provisions, which consisted of honey and rice, and as soon as
+they had finished gathering their crystal, acted as my guides to the
+great city of Ormus. I put up at a caravansary, where the first object
+that met my eyes was one of my associates.</p>
+
+<p>His surprise was great at seeing a man whom he no doubt believed to be
+safely housed in some marine monster's stomach, and he ran off
+instantly to find his companion, in order to acquaint him with my
+arrival,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_307" id="Page_307">[Pg 307]</a></span> and to plan how they should receive me. They soon settled as
+to their course of proceeding, and, returning to the place where I
+was, they took no notice of me, and studiously conducted themselves as
+though they had never seen me before.</p>
+
+<p>"O traitors!" I exclaimed, "Heaven frustrated your murderous
+intentions, and in spite of your cruelty I am still alive; give me
+back instantly all my precious stones; I will no longer associate with
+such vile wretches."</p>
+
+<p>On hearing these words, which ought to have overwhelmed them with
+shame and remorse, they had the impudence to reply:</p>
+
+<p>"O thief and rogue! who are you, and where do you come from? What
+precious stones do you speak of that we have belonging to you?"</p>
+
+<p>So saying, they set on me, and gave me several blows with a stick. I
+threatened to complain to the cadi, but they anticipated me by going
+to that judge themselves. Bowing down before him, after having
+previously taken care to present him with some valuable brilliants,
+which no doubt belonged to me, they said to him:</p>
+
+<p>"O lamp of justice! light which dispels the darkness of deceit! We
+have recourse to you. We are poor strangers, come from the ends of the
+earth to trade here; is it right that a thief should insult us, and
+will you permit that he should deprive us by an imposture of what we
+have acquired at the risk of our lives, and after running a thousand
+dangers?"</p>
+
+<p>"Who is the man of whom you make this complaint?" asked the cadi.</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," they replied, "we do not know him, we never saw him before
+this morning."</p>
+
+<p>At this moment I presented myself before the judge, to make my own
+complaint, but as soon as they saw me they exclaimed:</p>
+
+<p>"Here is the man&mdash;here is the wretch, the arrant thief! He is even
+impudent enough to venture into<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_308" id="Page_308">[Pg 308]</a></span> your palace, and show himself before
+you, the very sight of whom ought to frighten the guilty. Great judge,
+condescend to protect us."</p>
+
+<p>I now approached the cadi, in order to address him, but having no
+presents to make to him, I found it impossible to get him to listen to
+my story. The calm and unmoved aspect with which I spoke to him,
+proceeding from the testimony of a good conscience, was thought by the
+cadi's prejudiced mind to arise from impudence, and he ordered his
+archers to convey me instantly to prison, an order which they lost no
+time in executing. So that while I, an innocent man, was loaded with
+chains, my partners departed, not only unpunished but in triumph, and
+well persuaded that a new miracle would require to be wrought to
+deliver me from the hands of the cadi.</p>
+
+<p>And, indeed, my escape from my present difficulty might not have been
+of so fortunate a nature as that from drowning, had not an incident
+occurred which showed the goodness of Heaven still visibly displayed
+on my behalf. The peasants who had brought me to Ormus, having heard
+by chance that I had been put in prison, moved with compassion, went
+to the cadi, and told him in what way they had fallen in with me,
+together with all the details which they had heard from myself on the
+mountain.</p>
+
+<p>This recital began to open the eyes of the judge, and caused him to
+regret that he had not listened to me. He forthwith resolved to
+investigate the matter; and first of all sent to the caravansary to
+inquire for the two merchants, but they had hastily decamped, and
+returned on board the ship, which had put to sea; for in spite of the
+bias of the cadi in their favour they had taken the alarm. Their rapid
+flight effectually convinced the judge that I had been committed to
+prison unjustly, and he gave orders to set me at liberty. Such was the
+termination of the partnership I had entered into with the two honest
+jewellers.</p>
+
+<p>As one saved from drowning, and the hands of justice,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_309" id="Page_309">[Pg 309]</a></span> (or rather
+injustice,) I might well have considered myself eminently bound to
+return thanks to the Almighty. My situation, however, was such as to
+render me rather indifferent as to what might happen to me; for I was
+without money, without friends, without credit, and reduced either to
+subsist on charity, or to perish of hunger. I quitted Ormus, without
+knowing what would become of me, and walked in the direction of the
+prairie of Lar, which is between the mountains and the Persian Gulf.
+On arriving there, I met a caravan of merchants from Hindostan, who
+were setting out for Schiras, and, joining myself to them, I gained a
+subsistence by rendering myself useful on trifling occasions. On our
+arrival at Schiras, where the shah Tahmaspe held his court, I stopped
+for some time in that city.</p>
+
+<p>One day, when returning from the great mosque to the caravansary where
+I lodged, I saw an officer of the king of Persia, richly dressed and
+very handsome; looking at me attentively, he came up to me and said,
+"Young man, from what country do you come; for I see you are a
+stranger, and evidently not in a very prosperous condition?" I
+replied, that I came from Bagdad, and that his conjecture was but too
+well founded. I then related my history more at length, to which he
+listened attentively, and with much feeling for my misfortunes. He
+next asked me how old I was; and when I told him that I was nineteen
+years of age, he desired me to follow him, and walking before me
+proceeded to the king's palace, which I entered along with him.
+Conducting me into a very elegant apartment, he asked me, "What is
+your name?" I replied, "Aswad;" he then asked many other questions,
+and being satisfied with my replies, said at last:</p>
+
+<p>"Aswad, your misfortunes have affected me greatly, and I wish to
+assist you as a father: I am the capi-aga<a name="FNanchor_11_11" id="FNanchor_11_11"></a><a href="#Footnote_11_11" class="fnanchor">[11]</a> of the king of Persia;
+there is now a place<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_310" id="Page_310">[Pg 310]</a></span> vacant for a new page, and I have appointed you
+to it. You are young and handsome, and I cannot make a better choice,
+for there is not one among the present pages who surpasses you in good
+looks."</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> Captain of the door of the king's chamber.</p></div>
+
+<p>I thanked the capi-aga for his kindness, and he forthwith took me
+under his command, and caused me to be equipped in the dress of a
+page. I was made acquainted with my duties, which I soon learned to
+discharge in such a manner as to gain the esteem of the zuluflis<a name="FNanchor_12_12" id="FNanchor_12_12"></a><a href="#Footnote_12_12" class="fnanchor">[12]</a>,
+and to confer honour on my protector.</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 officer in command of the pages.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_311" id="Page_311">[Pg 311]</a></span></p></div>
+
+<p>There was a rule that no page of the twelve chambers should, under
+pain of death, remain in the gardens of the seraglio after a certain
+hour, when the women were accustomed occasionally to walk there. The
+same rule extended to all the officers of the palace and the soldiers
+of the guard. Being in the gardens one evening quite alone, and musing
+on my misfortunes, I became so lost in thought that I did not perceive
+that the proper time for men to leave the gardens was already past:
+knowing that no time was to be lost, I quickened my pace in order to
+enter the palace, when just as I was turning the corner of one of the
+walks, a lady appeared before me. She was of a majestic stature, and
+in spite of the darkness I could see that she was both young and
+beautiful. "You are in a great hurry," she remarked; "what can it be
+that obliges you to walk so fast?"</p>
+
+<p>"I have very good reasons for doing so," I replied, "and if you belong
+to the palace, as doubtless you do, you cannot be ignorant of them.
+You know that men are forbidden to appear in the gardens after a
+certain hour, and that whoever breaks this rule suffers death."</p>
+
+<p>"You have been rather slow in remembering the rule," replied the lady,
+"for the hour is long past; however, on another account you may thank
+your stars you have loitered, for if you had not, you would not have
+met with me."</p>
+
+<p>"How unfortunate for me that I should have mistaken the time," I
+exclaimed, thinking only that I had placed my life in danger.</p>
+
+<p>"Don't reproach yourself," said the lady; "if you do, I shall feel
+offended. You ought to look on your misfortune to be rather a source
+of congratulation. It is very true that the danger in which you are
+placed presents ideas disagreeable enough, but it is not quite so
+certain that you will be beheaded, for the king is a good prince, who
+may be induced to forgive you. Who are you?"</p>
+
+<p>"I am one of the pages," I replied.</p>
+
+<p>"Indeed!" she exclaimed, "you make very wise observations for a page;
+the grand vizir could not make better. Well, don't distress yourself
+about what may happen to-morrow, the events of which are hidden from
+you, and are only known to Heaven, which has perhaps even now prepared
+a means of escape for you. Leave then the future to take care of
+itself, and think only of the present. If you knew who I am, and the
+great honour conferred upon you by this adventure, instead of
+poisoning the precious moments by bitter reflections, you would esteem
+yourself the most fortunate of mortals."</p>
+
+<p>By such animating language the lady at length dispelled my fears: the
+idea of the punishment which threatened me vanished from my mind as I
+abandoned myself to the flattering ideas which she held out to me, and
+I proceeded somewhat over ardently to ingratiate myself with my
+companion. The next moment, however, as if at a signal from her, I
+found myself surrounded by ten or a dozen women who had concealed
+themselves close by, in order to listen to our conversation. It was
+easy now to see that the woman who had played me this trick was
+laughing at me. I supposed she was one of the female slaves of the
+princess of Persia who was desirous of having a little amusement at my
+expense. All the other women ran quickly to her assistance, and,
+bursting into laughter, began to surround<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_312" id="Page_312">[Pg 312]</a></span> me, and to joke with me.
+One remarked that I was of a lively character, and well fitted for an
+amusing companion. "If I should ever walk all alone at night," said
+another, "I hope I shall meet with somebody quite as clever as this
+page." Their pleasantries put me quite out of countenance, while every
+now and then they laughed outrageously, and I felt as ashamed as if
+they had rallied me for being too bashful. They even made themselves
+merry at my having permitted the hour for leaving the gardens to
+escape me, and said that it would be a pity if I were to die on that
+account; and that I well deserved to live since I was so devoted to
+the service of the ladies. The first one then, whom I had heard
+addressed as Cale-Cairi, said to another, "It is for you, my princess,
+to determine respecting his lot: is it your wish that he should be
+abandoned to his fate, or shall we lend him our assistance?"</p>
+
+<p>"He must be saved from the danger he is in," replied the princess: "I
+give my consent for him to live; and, indeed, to the end that he may
+remember this adventure of his for a long time to come, we must make
+it still more agreeable to him; let him come to my apartments."</p>
+
+<p>When I entered the chamber of Zelica Begum&mdash;for such was her name, and
+she was the princess of Persia&mdash;she inquired my name, and how long I
+had been a page. When I had satisfied her curiosity on these points
+she said:</p>
+
+<p>"Well, Aswad, make yourself at home, and forget that you are in an
+apartment which is forbidden to be entered by any man: forget that I
+am Zelica: speak to us as if you were with a party of young ladies,
+the daughters of plain citizens of Schiras: look attentively at all
+these young women, and tell me frankly which one among us all you like
+best."</p>
+
+<p>Although Zelica's slaves were perfectly beautiful, and the princess
+herself might be considered to have a just claim to the preference, my
+heart decided at once<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_313" id="Page_313">[Pg 313]</a></span> in favour of the charming Cale-Cairi; but
+concealing sentiments which would seem to cast Zelica into the shade,
+I said to her that she ought not to place herself in the same rank
+with the others, or contend with her slaves for the possession of my
+heart, for that her beauty was such that wherever she was seen, all
+eyes must be directed to her, and her alone. While speaking thus,
+however, I could not resist looking at Cale-Cairi in a way which would
+make her think that my language had been dictated by courtesy alone,
+and not by the real feelings of my breast. Zelica noticing this, said,
+"Aswad, you flatter me too much: you must be more candid: I am certain
+that you have not spoken your real sentiments, and you must really
+answer me truly in reply to my question: open your inmost soul to us:
+we all beg you to do this, and you cannot confer a greater pleasure
+both on myself and all my slaves." Yielding at last to their urgent
+requests, I threw off my timidity, and addressing myself to Zelica, I
+said:</p>
+
+<p>"I will then endeavour to comply with your highness's wishes: it would
+be difficult to decide which of the exquisitely beautiful assemblage
+before me is the most beautiful, but I will avow to you that the
+amiable Cale-Cairi is the lady for whom the inclinations of my heart
+plead the most strongly."</p>
+
+<p>Zelica, instead of being offended by my boldness, replied: "I am well
+pleased, Aswad, that you have given the preference to Cale-Cairi; she
+is my favourite, and that is sufficient to prove that your taste is
+not bad. You do not know the full worth of the fair lady whom you have
+chosen: we unite in owning that she excels us all."</p>
+
+<p>The princess and her slaves now began to banter Cale-Cairi on the
+triumph which her charms had achieved&mdash;and she received all their
+witticisms in very good part. Zelica then ordered a lute to be
+brought, and placing it in Cale's hands, said to her, "Show your lover
+what you can do with it," and she played<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_314" id="Page_314">[Pg 314]</a></span> upon it in a style which
+enchanted me, accompanying it at the same time with her voice in a
+song which indicated that when a lover has made choice of a suitable
+object, he ought to love that dear one for ever. An old slave at
+length came to inform us that daylight was approaching, and that there
+was no time to be lost, if it were intended that I should quit the
+apartments in safety. Zelica then told me to follow the slave, who led
+me through many galleries, and by many windings and turnings, until we
+reached a little gate of which she had the key; and on the door being
+opened, I went out, and as it was now daylight, I saw that I was no
+longer in the palace. A few hours after I rejoined my companions.</p>
+
+<p>Eight days after this, an eunuch came to the door of the king's
+apartments, and said that he wished to speak with me. I went to him
+and inquired what he wanted.</p>
+
+<p>"Is not your name Aswad?" he asked.</p>
+
+<p>I replied that it was. He then put a note into my hands, and went
+away. The letter stated that if I felt inclined to pay a visit to the
+gardens of the seraglio next night, and would be at the same place as
+before, I should there see a lady who was very sensibly touched with
+the preference I had given to her over all the princess's women.
+Although I suspected that Cale-Cairi had taken a fancy to me, I had no
+idea of receiving such a letter as this from her. Intoxicated with my
+good luck, I asked leave from the oda-baschi to pay a visit to a
+dervise&mdash;who was a countryman of my own, and who had just arrived from
+Mecca. Leave being granted me, I ran, or rather flew, to the gardens
+of the seraglio, as soon as night was come. If, on the first occasion
+time fled too swiftly and surprised me into stopping after the hour
+for leaving the gardens, it seemed now too slow in bringing me the
+promised pleasure, and I thought the hour of retreat would never come.
+It did come, however, and I could see, shortly afterwards, approaching
+the place where I was concealed,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_315" id="Page_315">[Pg 315]</a></span> a lady whom I recognized by her
+stature and air to be Cale-Cairi. Transported with delight, I drew
+near, and throwing myself at her feet, I remained for some time
+prostrate on the ground without speaking a word, so completely had I
+lost all self-possession.</p>
+
+<p>"Rise, Aswad," she said, "I am enraptured at having inspired you with
+such feelings towards me, for I will confess to you that for my part I
+have not been able to resist a friendly regard for you. Your youth,
+good looks, and lively and brilliant wit, but more than all, perhaps,
+your preferring me to other ladies of great beauty, have endeared you
+to me. My conduct proves this sufficiently; but, alas! my dear Aswad,"
+she added, sighing, "I scarcely know whether I ought to be proud of
+the conquest I have made, or rather to regard it as an event which
+will embitter the whole course of my life."</p>
+
+<p>"But, madam," I replied, "why give way to such gloomy presentiments at
+the very time when your presence brings me such delight?"</p>
+
+<p>"It is not," she replied, "a foolish fear that now, at such a moment
+as this, causes me annoyance and disturbs the pleasure of our meeting;
+my fears are only too well founded, and you are ignorant of the cause
+of my grief. The princess Zelica loves you, and when she has freed
+herself, as she will do soon, from the splendid bondage in which she
+is held, she will inform you of your happiness. When she confesses to
+you that you are dear to her, how will you receive such a glorious
+avowal? Will your love for me hold out against the honour of having
+the affections of the first princess in the world?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, charming Cale-Cairi," I said, interrupting her; "I would prefer
+you even to Zelica. Were it to please Heaven that you should have even
+a still more formidable rival, you would see that nothing could shake
+the constancy of a heart that is devoted to you."</p>
+
+<p>"Unhappy Aswad!" exclaimed the lady, "whither<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_316" id="Page_316">[Pg 316]</a></span> does your love carry
+you? What a fatal assurance you are giving me of your fidelity! You
+forget that I am a slave of the princess of Persia. If you were to
+repay her kindness by ingratitude you would draw down her anger upon
+us both, and we should perish. Better it were that I should yield you
+up to so powerful a rival; it would be the only means of saving
+ourselves."</p>
+
+<p>"No, no," I replied hastily; "there is another means which I should
+rather choose in my despair, and that would be to banish myself from
+the court altogether. After my retreat you would be safe from the
+vengeance of Zelica, and you would regain your peace of mind: by
+degrees you would forget the unfortunate Aswad, who would retire into
+the deserts to seek for rest in his misfortunes."</p>
+
+<p>I spoke with such deep feeling and truth that the lady was herself
+overcome with my grief, and said:</p>
+
+<p>"Cease, Aswad, to yield to a needless affliction. You are mistaken;
+your merits are such that it would be wrong to keep you longer in the
+dark. I am Zelica herself, and not her slave. That night when you came
+to my apartment I personated Cale-Cairi, and you supposed my attendant
+to be myself."</p>
+
+<p>Zelica then called one of her women, who ran to her from amidst some
+cypress trees where she was concealed, and I perceived that she was
+the slave whom I supposed to be the princess of Persia.</p>
+
+<p>"Aswad," said the princess to me, "you now see the true Cale-Cairi; I
+give her back her name and take my own: I have no wish to disguise
+myself any longer. Although your love is greater than your ambition, I
+am certain that it will be a source of new pleasure to you to know
+that the lady who loves you is a princess."</p>
+
+<p>We passed nearly the whole night in walking about and conversing, and
+daylight would no doubt have found us in the gardens, had not
+Cale-Cairi, who was with us, taken care to inform us that it was time
+to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_317" id="Page_317">[Pg 317]</a></span> withdraw. It was needful then that we should separate, but before
+I parted from Zelica the princess said to me:</p>
+
+<p>"Adieu, Aswad! do not forget me. We shall see each other again, and I
+will soon let you know how dear you are to me." I threw myself at her
+feet to thank her for so flattering a promise, after which Cale-Cairi
+took me out by the same winding passages as before, and I then left
+the seraglio.</p>
+
+<p>Beloved by the august princess whom I idolized, and forming an
+enchanting image of what she had promised me, I abandoned myself to
+the most pleasing fancies that the mind could depict, when an
+unlooked-for event deprived me all on a sudden of my proud hopes. I
+had heard a report that the princess Zelica was ill, and two days
+afterwards the rumour of her death was circulated in the palace. I was
+unwilling to give credit to this fatal intelligence, and refused to do
+so until I saw preparations going for the funeral ceremony. I did not
+see the whole of it, because excessive grief threw me into a
+succession of dangerous fainting fits which lasted for a long time.
+One of the officers of the palace gave directions for me to be carried
+into the pages' room, where great care was taken of me; my limbs were
+rubbed with a balm of exceeding virtue, and in spite of my
+overwhelming misery, such was the progress I made, that in two days my
+strength was restored. A stay in Schiras, however, having become
+insupportable, I secretly left the court of Persia three days after
+the interment of my beloved princess. Overwhelmed with grief, I walked
+all night without knowing whither I was going or where I ought to go.
+Next morning, having stopped to rest myself, a young man approached
+who was dressed in a very extraordinary manner. Coming up to me he
+saluted me and presented me with a green branch which he held in his
+hand, and after having civilly made me accept it, he began to recite
+some Persian verses to induce me to bestow my charity upon him. As I
+had no money I could not give him any. Thinking<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_318" id="Page_318">[Pg 318]</a></span> that I was ignorant
+of the Persian language he recited some Arabic verses, but seeing that
+he had no better success this way than the other, and that I did not
+do what he wanted, he said to me, "Brother, I cannot persuade myself
+that you are deficient in charity, but rather in the means wherewith
+to exercise it."</p>
+
+<p>"You are right," I said, "I have not a farthing in the world, and I
+know not even where to shelter my head."</p>
+
+<p>"Unfortunate man," he exclaimed, "what a sad plight you are in; I
+really pity you, and wish, moreover, to assist you."</p>
+
+<p>I was not a little astonished to be thus addressed by a man who had
+been asking alms of me a moment before, and I supposed that the
+assistance he offered was merely that of his prayers, when he went on
+to say:</p>
+
+<p>"I am one of those merry fellows they call fakirs; and I can tell you,
+that though we subsist entirely on charity, we fare none the less
+sumptuously for that, as we have discovered the secret of exciting the
+compassion of well-meaning people by an appearance of mortification
+and penance which we well know how to impart to ourselves. It is true
+there are a few fakirs fools enough to be really what they seem, and
+who lead a life of such austerity as sometimes to go ten whole days
+without the least nourishment. But we are a little less rigorous than
+these ascetics; we make no pretensions to the reality of their
+virtues, only to the appearance of them. Will you become one of our
+fraternity? I am now on my way to meet two of them at Bost; if you
+have a fancy to make the fourth, you have but to follow me."</p>
+
+<p>"I am afraid," I replied, "that not being accustomed to your religious
+exercises I shall acquit myself but clumsily."</p>
+
+<p>"Pray don't trouble yourself," he broke in, "on that head; I repeat to
+you that we are not fakirs of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_319" id="Page_319">[Pg 319]</a></span> the austere order; in short, we have
+really nothing of the fakir about us but the dress."</p>
+
+<p>Although I guessed from what the fakir had told me, that he and his
+companions were in reality three libertines in disguise, I
+nevertheless did not hesitate to join them; for besides being reckless
+from sheer misery, I had not learned among the pages of the court many
+lessons of scrupulousness on the score of morality. As soon as I had
+signified to the fakir my consent, he set out with me at once for
+Bost, feeding me on the road with abundance of dates, rice, and other
+good things, which people presented to him in the towns and villages
+through which we passed; for the moment his little bell and his
+peculiar cry became heard, the good Mussulmans came running to him
+with provisions from all quarters.</p>
+
+<p>In this way we arrived at the large town of Bost; we made our way to a
+small house in the suburbs, where the two other fakirs resided. They
+received us with open arms, and appeared delighted with my resolution
+of joining them. They soon initiated me into their mysteries; that is
+to say, they showed me how to perform their antics. As soon as I was
+well instructed in the art of imposing on the populace, they sent me
+into the town to present respectable citizens with flowers or
+branches, and to recite verses to them. I always returned home with
+some pieces of silver, which enabled us to live merrily enough.</p>
+
+<p>I passed nearly two years with the fakirs, and should have lived there
+much longer had not the one who had induced me to join them, and whom
+I liked the best, proposed to me to travel.</p>
+
+<p>"Aswad," said he one day, "I am sick of this town; I begin to long to
+roam a little. I have heard wonderful accounts of the city of
+Candahar; if you will accompany me we will put the truth of these
+reports to the test."</p>
+
+<p>I consented at once, for I had a curiosity to see<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_320" id="Page_320">[Pg 320]</a></span> some new country,
+or rather, I was impelled by that superior power which guides our
+destinies.</p>
+
+<p>Accordingly we both quitted Bost, and passing through many cities of
+Segestan without stopping, we reached the noble city of Candahar,
+surrounded with its strong fortifications. We betook ourselves to a
+caravansary, where our dresses, the most commendable thing about us by
+the way, procured us a kind and hearty reception. We found the
+inhabitants of the city in a great bustle, as they were going to
+celebrate the feast of Giulous on the following day. We learned that
+at court they were no less busy, as every one was anxious to show his
+attachment for the king Firouzshah, who had earned by his justice the
+love of all good men, and still more by his rigour the fear of the
+wicked.</p>
+
+<p>The fakirs going where they please without hindrance, we proceeded
+next day to court to witness the festival, which however had few
+charms for the eyes of a man who had seen the Giulous of the king of
+Persia.</p>
+
+<p>Whilst we were attentively watching what passed, I felt myself pulled
+by the sleeve, and turning round, perceived close to me the very
+eunuch who, in the shah's palace, had been the bearer of Cale-Cairi's,
+or rather Zelica's letter.</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," he whispered, "I recognized you at once in spite of your
+strange dress; but indeed, though I flatter myself I am never
+mistaken, I am not quite sure whether on the present occasion I ought
+not to doubt the evidence of my own eyes. Is it possible that it is
+you I have met here?"</p>
+
+<p>"And pray," I asked in reply, "what are you doing at Candahar, and why
+have you left the court of Persia? Can the death of the princess
+Zelica have driven you away as it did me?"</p>
+
+<p>"That," replied he, "is exactly what I cannot tell you at this moment,
+but I will amply satisfy your<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_321" id="Page_321">[Pg 321]</a></span> curiosity if you will meet me here
+to-morrow alone at the same hour. I have a few things to tell you
+which will astonish you, and which&mdash;let me add&mdash;concern you not a
+little."</p>
+
+<p>I promised to return alone to the same spot the following day, and
+took care to keep my word. The eunuch was there, and coming up to me,
+proposed that we should leave the palace and seek some place better
+adapted for conversation. We accordingly went out into the city, and
+after traversing several streets, stopped at last at the door of a
+good-sized house, of which he had the key. We entered, and I observed
+suites of apartments magnificently furnished, delicious carpets and
+luxurious sofas, whilst through the windows I perceived a garden
+beautifully laid out, with a delightful piece of water in the middle,
+bordered with variegated marble.</p>
+
+<p>"My lord Aswad," said the eunuch, "I trust the house pleases you."</p>
+
+<p>"I am delighted with it," I replied.</p>
+
+<p>"I am glad to hear you say so," he returned, "for I yesterday took it,
+just as you see it, for <i>you</i>. You will next want slaves to wait on
+you. I will go and purchase some whilst you take a bath."</p>
+
+<p>So saying, he conducted me to a chamber, where I found baths all
+ready.</p>
+
+<p>"In Heaven's name," I exclaimed, "tell me for what purpose you have
+brought me here, and what the news is you have promised to tell me."</p>
+
+<p>"At the proper time and place," he rejoined, "you shall learn all; for
+the present be content to know that your lot is materially changed
+since I met you, and that I have my orders for every thing I am
+doing."</p>
+
+<p>As he spoke, he assisted me to undress&mdash;a process which did not take
+long&mdash;I entered the bath and the eunuch left me, enjoining patience.</p>
+
+<p>All this mystery furnished ample food for conjecture, but I wearied
+myself fruitlessly in endeavouring to fathom it. Schapour left me a
+long time in the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_322" id="Page_322">[Pg 322]</a></span> bath, and my patience was beginning to be exhausted,
+when he returned, followed by four slaves, two of whom carried towels
+and garments, and the others all sorts of provisions.</p>
+
+<p>"I beg your pardon, my lord," said he, "I am extremely sorry I have
+kept you waiting so long."</p>
+
+<p>At the same time the slaves placed their bundles on the sofas and
+proceeded to wait on me: they rubbed me with towels of the finest
+texture, and then dressed me in rich garments, with a magnificent robe
+and turban.</p>
+
+<p>"What on earth is all this to end in?" said I to myself; "and by whose
+orders can it be that this eunuch treats me in such a manner?"</p>
+
+<p>My impatience to be enlightened became so lively that I could not
+conceal it. Schapour soon perceived it, and said:</p>
+
+<p>"It is with the deepest regret that I see you so restless and uneasy,
+but I cannot yet relieve you. Even supposing I had not been expressly
+forbidden to say a word, or even supposing that I betrayed my trust,
+and told you every thing I am now concealing from you, I should not
+succeed in tranquillizing you in the least; anxieties still more
+harassing would take the place of those which now worry you&mdash;you must
+wait till night, and you shall then learn all you desire to know."</p>
+
+<p>Though I would not but augur well from what the eunuch said, yet it
+was impossible to help being for the rest of the day in a state of
+cruel suspense. I really believe that the expectation of evil causes
+less real suffering than that of some great pleasure. The night
+however came at last, and the slaves proceeded to light up the whole
+house, and particularly the principal apartment, with wax candles. In
+this apartment I took my seat with Schapour, who, to assuage my
+impatience, kept saying to me, "They will be here in a moment&mdash;have
+but a little more patience." At last we heard knocking at the door,
+the eunuch went himself<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_323" id="Page_323">[Pg 323]</a></span> to open it, and returned with a lady whom,
+the moment she raised her veil, I recognized as Cale-Cairi. My
+surprise was extreme, for I believed her to be at Schiras.</p>
+
+<p>"My lord Aswad," said she, "however astonished you may be to see me,
+you will be much more so when you hear the story I have to tell you."</p>
+
+<p>At these words Schapour and the slaves quitted the apartment, leaving
+me alone with Cale-Cairi; we both sat down on the same sofa, and she
+commenced her narration as follows:</p>
+
+<p>"You recollect well, my lord, that night on which Zelica made herself
+known to you, nor can you yet have forgotten the promise she made you
+on leaving. The following day I asked her whether she had come to any
+resolution what course to pursue in the matter; I represented to her
+the absurdity of a princess of her rank dreaming of exposing herself
+to disgrace and death for the sake of a mere page; in short, I used
+every effort to overcome her passion; and you may well pardon me for
+doing so, as all my reasoning served but to strengthen her attachment.
+When I saw I was utterly unable to prevail with her, 'Madam,' I said
+at length, 'I cannot contemplate without shuddering the danger into
+which you are rushing, but since no consideration seems powerful
+enough to detach you from your lover, we must endeavour to contrive
+some plan for you to meet without endangering either your life or his.
+I have thought of one which would doubtless be gratifying to your
+affection, but it seems to me so daring that I hardly like to propose
+it.'</p>
+
+<p>"'Let me hear it at once, Cale-Cairi,' said the princess; 'whatever it
+may be, pray do not keep it from me.'</p>
+
+<p>"'If you put it in practice,' replied I, 'you must make up your mind
+to quit the court and live as though you had been born to the humblest
+lot in life. You must renounce all the honours of your rank. Do you
+love Aswad sufficiently to make so great a sacrifice?'<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_324" id="Page_324">[Pg 324]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"'<i>Do</i> I love him?' returned she, drawing a deep sigh. 'Ah! the very
+humblest lot with him would please me far more than all the pomp and
+luxury with which I am now surrounded. Only point out to me what I can
+do in order to enjoy his society without constraint and without
+impropriety, and I am ready to do it without a moment's hesitation.'</p>
+
+<p>"'Well, madam,' I replied, 'since I perceive it is useless to
+endeavour to overcome your attachment, I will do all in my power to
+favour it. I am acquainted with the properties of a herb of singular
+power. One leaf of it placed in your ear will in an hour bring on so
+lethargic a sleep that you will appear quite dead; they will then
+perform the funeral rites, and carry you to your tomb, from which at
+nightfall I can easily release you&mdash;'"</p>
+
+<p>Here I interrupted Cale-Cairi, "Great Heavens!" I exclaimed, "is it
+possible that the princess Zelica did not die after all&mdash;what then has
+become of her?&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"My lord," said Cale-Cairi, "she is still alive. But pray listen
+patiently to my story, and you will learn all that you desire to know.
+My mistress," she continued, "threw herself into my arms with joy, so
+clever did my plan appear to her; presently, however, she began to
+perceive many difficulties connected with the rites and observances
+usual at funerals. I removed all her doubts, and thus we set about the
+execution of our plan.</p>
+
+<p>"Zelica complained of a terrible pain in her head, and went to bed.
+The next morning I spread a report that she was dangerously ill; the
+royal physician was sent for; it was no difficult matter to deceive
+him. He sent some remedies which of course were never taken. From day
+to day the princess's illness increased; and as soon as, in my
+judgment, her last moments ought to approach, I placed in her ear a
+leaf of the herb I have mentioned. I immediately after ran to the
+shah, and told him the princess had but a few moments to live, and
+desired anxiously to speak to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_325" id="Page_325">[Pg 325]</a></span> him. He came to her at once, and,
+observing that, as the herb began its work, her face changed rapidly,
+he was deeply moved, and began to weep.</p>
+
+<p>"'My lord,' said his daughter, in faint accents, 'I implore you, by
+the love you have always borne me, to order my last wishes to be
+carried out to the letter. My wish is, that when I am dead, no one but
+Cale-Cairi shall be permitted to wash my body, and that none of my
+other slaves shall share that honour with her. I also beg that none
+but she shall watch my tomb the first night, that no tears but hers
+shall fall on it, and that her prayers alone shall ascend to the
+prophet, to avert from me the assaults of evil spirits.'</p>
+
+<p>"Shah Tahmaspe promised his daughter that I alone should perform for
+her these last sad duties.</p>
+
+<p>"'But this is not all, my lord,' continued she; 'I also implore you to
+give Cale-Cairi her liberty the moment I am no more, and to give her,
+with her freedom, presents worthy of yourself and of the affection she
+has always evinced towards me.'</p>
+
+<p>"'My child,' replied the shah, 'make yourself perfectly easy on all
+the matters you have commended to my notice; should it be my
+misfortune to lose you, I swear that your favourite slave, loaded with
+presents, shall be at liberty to go whither she pleases.'</p>
+
+<p>"He had hardly done speaking when the herb completed its work. Zelica
+lost all consciousness, and her father, supposing her to be dead,
+retired to his own apartments in deep grief. He gave orders that I
+alone should wash and embalm the body, which I pretended to do, and
+then wrapping it in a white cloth, laid it in the coffin. The princess
+was then carried in great pomp to the tomb, where by the shah's
+express orders I was left alone for the first night. I made a careful
+survey all round, to assure myself that no one was on the watch, and,
+not having discovered any one, I roused my mistress at once from her
+sleep in the coffin, made her put on a dress and veil I had concealed<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_326" id="Page_326">[Pg 326]</a></span>
+under my own, and we both repaired to a spot where Schapour was in
+waiting. The faithful eunuch conducted the princess to a small house
+which he had taken, and I returned to the tomb to pass the remainder
+of the night. I made up a bundle to represent the corpse, covered it
+with the same cloth in which I had previously wrapped Zelica, and
+placed it in the coffin. The next morning the princess's other slaves
+came to take my place, which I took care not to leave without
+previously indulging in all the expressions of inconsolable grief
+usual on such occasions. A faithful account of this exhibition of woe
+was duly carried to the king's ear, who was induced by it to make me
+presents far beyond what he had determined on. He ordered me ten
+thousand sequins out of his treasury, and granted me permission, the
+moment I asked it, to quit the court and carry with me the eunuch
+Schapour. I immediately proceeded to join my mistress, and
+congratulate her on the complete success of our stratagem. Next day we
+sent the eunuch to the royal apartments with a note asking you to come
+and see me. But one of your attendants told him you were ill, and
+could see no one. Three days after we sent him again; he brought back
+word that you had left the palace, and that no one knew what had
+become of you. We caused search to be made for you all through the
+city; Schapour left nothing undone in order to discover you; and when
+at last we gave up the search in despair and left Schiras, we took the
+road to the Indus, because we thought it just possible that you might
+have turned your steps in that direction;&mdash;and, stopping at every town
+on our route, we set on foot the most careful inquiries, which
+nevertheless proved entirely useless.</p>
+
+<p>"One day, on our road from one city to another, though we were
+travelling with a caravan, a vast horde of robbers surrounded us, and,
+in spite of a vigorous defence, swept down the merchants and plundered
+their goods. Of us, of course, they soon made them<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_327" id="Page_327">[Pg 327]</a></span>selves masters,
+robbed us of our money and jewels, carried us to Candahar, and sold us
+to a slave merchant of their acquaintance. This merchant had no sooner
+secured Zelica, than he resolved to show her to the king of Candahar.
+Firouzshah was charmed the moment he saw her, and asked her whence she
+came. She told him Ormus was her native place, and answered the
+prince's other inquiries in a similar manner. In the end he purchased
+us, and placed us in the palace of his wives, where the handsomest
+apartments were assigned to us. Passionately though she is loved by
+the king of Candahar, she cannot, nevertheless, forget you; and,
+though he sighs at her feet, he has never succeeded in obtaining the
+slightest proof of any return of attachment. No one ever saw any thing
+like the joy she exhibited yesterday when Schapour informed her he had
+met with you. She was quite beside herself all the rest of the day.
+She ordered Schapour instantly to engage a furnished house for you, to
+conduct you there to-day, and to suffer you to want for nothing. I am
+now here by her orders to inform you of the several things I have
+communicated, and to prepare you to see her in the course of to-morrow
+night. We shall leave the palace unobserved, and let ourselves in here
+by a small door in the garden wall, of which we have had a key made
+for us." As she uttered these last words the favourite slave of the
+princess of Persia rose and quitted the apartment, in order to return
+to her mistress, and Schapour accompanied her.</p>
+
+<p>I could do nothing all that night but think of Zelica, my love for
+whom seemed to return with tenfold ardour. Sleep never approached my
+eyelids, and the following day seemed a century. At last, as I almost
+began to think I should fall a victim to the agonies of suspense, I
+heard a knocking at the door; my slaves ran to open it, and the next
+moment I saw my princess entering the room. How shall I describe the
+feelings which her presence excited in me! and for her part what was<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_328" id="Page_328">[Pg 328]</a></span>
+her delight to see me once more! I threw myself at her feet and for
+some time could do nothing but embrace them without uttering a
+syllable. At length she forced me to rise, and seating me next her on
+the sofa, "Aswad," said she, "I render thanks to Heaven for reuniting
+us; let us now hope that the goodness of Providence will not stop
+here, but will remove the new obstacle which hinders our union. In
+expectation of the arrival of that happy hour we will live here in
+contentment; and if circumstances prevent our meeting unconstrainedly,
+we can at least enjoy the consolation of hearing daily news of each
+other, as well as of occasional secret interviews." In such
+conversation we passed the greater part of the night. Next day, in
+spite of the happy thoughts which now filled my mind, I did not forget
+the fakir in whose company I had come to Candahar; and picturing to
+myself his uneasiness at not knowing where I was, I determined to go
+and find him out. I met him by accident in the street and we embraced
+each other.</p>
+
+<p>"My friend," said I, "I was on my way to your caravansary to inform
+you of what has happened to me, and to set your mind at ease. No doubt
+I have occasioned you some uneasiness."</p>
+
+<p>"That is true enough," replied he; "I was in no small trouble about
+you. But what a change! What clothes are these you appear in? You seem
+to have been in luck. Whilst I was worrying myself about what had
+become of you, you were passing your time, as it seems to me,
+pleasantly enough."</p>
+
+<p>"I confess it, my dear friend," replied I; "and I can assure you,
+moreover, that I am a thousand times happier than it is possible for
+you to conceive. I want you not only to be witness of my good fortune,
+but to profit by it as well. Quit your caravansary and come and live
+with me."</p>
+
+<p>So saying, I led him to my house and showed him all over it. He
+admired the rooms and the furniture amazingly, and every now and then
+would exclaim,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_329" id="Page_329">[Pg 329]</a></span> "O Heaven! what has Aswad done more than other men to
+deserve such an accumulation of good fortune?"</p>
+
+<p>"What, now, fakir," asked I, "do you view my happy condition with
+chagrin? It seems to me that my good fortune is positively annoying to
+you."</p>
+
+<p>"On the contrary," returned he, "it affords me the liveliest
+satisfaction; so far from envying my friends' happiness, I am never so
+happy as when I see them flourishing."</p>
+
+<p>As he concluded this speech he embraced me ardently, the better to
+persuade me of the sincerity of his words. I believed him sincere, and
+acting towards him myself in the most perfect good faith, betrayed
+myself without the least mistrust into the hands of the most envious,
+the most cowardly, and the most treacherous of men.</p>
+
+<p>In this way we continued to live for some time. Schapour or Cale-Cairi
+brought me daily intelligence of my beloved princess, and an
+occasional stolen interview elevated me to the seventh heaven of
+happiness. The fakir expressed the liveliest interest in the progress
+of my attachment, and I confided to him, as to my bosom friend, every
+particular of my life.</p>
+
+<p>One day, as I was reposing on a sofa and dreaming of Zelica, I was
+aroused by a great noise in my house. I rose in order to ascertain the
+cause, and to my great dismay, found that it was occasioned by a body
+of Firouzshah's own guards.</p>
+
+<p>"Follow me," said the officer in command; "our orders are to conduct
+you to the palace."</p>
+
+<p>"What crime have I committed?" asked I; "of what am I accused?"</p>
+
+<p>"We have not been informed," replied the officer; "our orders are
+merely to carry you before the king; we know nothing about the cause:
+but I may tell you for your comfort, that if you are innocent you have
+nothing whatever to fear, for you have to do with a prince of the
+strictest justice, who never lightly condemns<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_330" id="Page_330">[Pg 330]</a></span> any one who is brought
+before him. He requires the most convincing proofs before he will pass
+an adverse sentence; but it is true at the same time that he punishes
+the guilty with the utmost rigour, so that, if you are guilty, I pity
+you."</p>
+
+<p>There was no help for it; I was obliged to follow the officer. On my
+way to the palace I said to myself, "Firouzshah has no doubt
+discovered my correspondence with Zelica; but how can he have learned
+it?" As we crossed the court-yard of the palace I observed that four
+gibbets had been erected there. I made a shrewd guess at their
+destination, and apprehended that this kind of death was the least
+part of the punishment I had to expect from the wrath of Firouzshah. I
+raised my eyes to heaven and prayed that at least the princess of
+Persia might be saved from this. We entered the palace; the officer
+who had charge of me conducted me into the king's apartment. That
+prince was there, attended only by his grand vizir and the fakir. The
+moment I perceived my treacherous friend I saw that I had been
+betrayed.</p>
+
+<p>"It is you, then," said Firouzshah to me, "who has secret interviews
+with my favourite. Wretch! you must be bold indeed to dare to trifle
+with me! Speak, and reply exactly and truly to my questions:&mdash;When you
+came to Candahar, were you not told that I was a severe punisher of
+criminals?"</p>
+
+<p>I replied that I was informed of it.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," he continued, "since you knew that, why have you committed the
+greatest of all crimes?"</p>
+
+<p>"Sire," I answered, "may your majesty's days last for ever. You know
+that love gives courage to the dove: a man possessed by a violent
+passion fears nothing: I am ready to be a victim to your just wrath;
+and as to any tortures that may be reserved for me I shall not
+complain of your severity, provided you grant a pardon to your
+favourite. Alas! she was living peacefully in your palace before I
+came here, and would soon have been contented with rendering a great
+king<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_331" id="Page_331">[Pg 331]</a></span> happy, while gradually forgetting an unfortunate lover whom she
+never thought to see again. Knowing that I was in this city, her
+former attachment returned. It was I that separated her from your
+affection, and your punishment should fall on me alone."</p>
+
+<p>While I was thus speaking, Zelica, who had been sent for by the king's
+order, entered the apartment, followed by Schapour and Cale-Cairi, and
+hearing the last words I uttered, ran forward and threw herself at the
+feet of Firouzshah.</p>
+
+<p>"Great prince!" she exclaimed, "forgive this young man: it is on your
+guilty slave, who has betrayed you, that your vengeance ought to
+fall."</p>
+
+<p>"Traitors that you both are!" exclaimed the king "expect no favour
+either of you: die! both of you. This ungrateful woman only implores
+my kindness in behalf of the rash man who has offended me; while his
+sensibilities are only alive to the loss of her whom he loves; both of
+them thus parading in my very sight their amorous madness; what
+insolence! Vizir!" he cried, turning to his minister, "let them be led
+away to execution. Hang them up on gibbets, and after their death, let
+their carcasses be thrown to the dogs and the vultures."</p>
+
+<p>The officers were leading us away, when I resolved on one more
+desperate effort to save the princess.</p>
+
+<p>"Stop, sire!" I shouted at the top of my voice, "take care what you
+do, and do not treat with ignominy the daughter of a king! Let your
+jealousy even in its fury have respect to the august blood from which
+she has sprung!"</p>
+
+<p>At these words Firouzshah appeared thunderstruck, and then addressing
+Zelica, he inquired, "Who then is the prince who is your father?"</p>
+
+<p>The princess looked at me with a proud countenance, and said:</p>
+
+<p>"Alas! Aswad, where was your discretion? how is it that you have told
+what I wished to conceal, if it were possible, even from myself? I
+should have had<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_332" id="Page_332">[Pg 332]</a></span> the consolation in death of knowing that my rank was
+a secret, but in disclosing it, you have overwhelmed me with shame.
+Learn then who I am," she continued, addressing herself to Firouzshah;
+"the slave whom you have condemned to an infamous death is the
+daughter of shah Tahmaspe!" She then related her whole story, without
+omitting the slightest circumstance.</p>
+
+<p>When she had concluded her recital, which increased the king's
+astonishment, she said to him, "Now I have revealed a secret which it
+was my intention to bury in my own breast, and which nothing but the
+indiscretion of my lover could have wrung from me. After this
+confession, which I make with extreme humiliation, I beg that you will
+instantly give orders for my immediate execution. This is the only
+favour I now ask of your majesty."</p>
+
+<p>"Madam," replied the king, "I revoke the order for your death: I have
+too great a love for justice not to honour your faithfulness: what you
+have told me makes me look upon you in a different light; I have no
+complaint to make against you, and I set you at liberty. Live for
+Aswad, and may the happy Aswad live for you! Schapour also and your
+friend have life and liberty granted to them. Go, most faithful
+lovers, and may you pass the rest of your days in the enjoyment of
+each other's society, and may nothing interrupt the course of your
+happiness. As for you, traitor," he continued, turning to the fakir,
+"you shall be punished for your treason, for your base and envious
+heart, which could not endure to see the happiness of your friend, and
+led you to deliver him up yourself to my vengeance. Miserable wretch!
+You shall yourself be the victim of my jealousy!"</p>
+
+<p>While this villain was being led to the gallows, Zelica and I threw
+ourselves at the feet of the king of Candahar, and bathed them with
+tears of gratitude and joy. We assured him that we should ever retain
+a grateful sense of his generous goodness. And at<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_333" id="Page_333">[Pg 333]</a></span> length we left his
+palace, accompanied by Schapour and Cale-Cairi, with the intention of
+taking up our lodging at a caravansary. We were just about to enter,
+when an officer sent by the king accosted us. "I come," he said, "from
+my master, Firouzshah, to offer you a lodging: the grand vizir will
+lend you a house of his, situated at the gates of the city, where you
+will be very commodiously lodged. I will be your conductor thither, if
+you will allow me, and will take the trouble to follow me." We
+accompanied him, and soon arrived at a house of imposing appearance,
+and elegant architecture: the interior corresponded to the outside
+appearance. Every thing was magnificent, and in good taste. There were
+more than twenty slaves, who told us that their master had desired
+them to supply us with every thing that we wanted, and to treat us as
+they would himself all the time that we remained in the house.</p>
+
+<p>Here my marriage with the princess was duly celebrated, though with
+the strictest privacy. Two days after we received a visit from the
+grand vizir, who brought an immense quantity of presents from the
+king. There were bales of silk and cloth of India, with twenty purses,
+each containing a thousand sequins of gold. As we did not feel
+ourselves quite at our ease in a house which was not our own, and as
+the king's bounty enabled us to go elsewhere, we joined ourselves to a
+great caravan of merchants, who were proceeding to Bagdad, where we
+arrived without encountering any disaster.</p>
+
+<p>We took up our lodgings at my own house, where we remained for a few
+days after our arrival, for the purpose of recovering ourselves from
+the fatigue of our long journey. I then went into the city and visited
+my friends, who were astonished to see me, as they had been told by my
+associates on their return, that I was dead. As soon as I knew that
+they were at Bagdad, I hastened to the grand vizir, threw myself<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_334" id="Page_334">[Pg 334]</a></span> at
+his feet, and related their perfidious conduct towards me. He gave
+orders for their immediate arrest, and commanded them to be
+interrogated in my presence. "Is it not true," I asked them, "that I
+awoke when you took me up in your arms, that I asked what you intended
+doing with me, and that without replying you threw me out through the
+porthole of the ship into the sea?"</p>
+
+<p>They replied that I must have been dreaming, and that I must certainly
+have thrown myself into the sea when asleep.</p>
+
+<p>"Why then," said the vizir, "did you pretend not to know him at
+Ormus?"</p>
+
+<p>They replied that they had not seen me at Ormus.</p>
+
+<p>"Traitors!" he replied, eyeing them with a threatening aspect, "what
+will you say, when I show you a certificate from the cadi of Ormus,
+proving the contrary?"</p>
+
+<p>At these words, which the vizir only made use of to put them to the
+proof, my associates turned pale and became confused. The vizir
+noticed their altered looks, and bade them confess their crime, that
+they might not be compelled to do so, by being put to the torture.</p>
+
+<p>They then confessed every thing and were conveyed to prison, until the
+caliph should be informed of the matter, and give his orders
+respecting the kind of death which they were to undergo. In the mean
+time, however, they contrived to make their escape, either by bribing
+their guards, or deceiving their vigilance, and concealed themselves
+so carefully in Bagdad, that all search after them proved ineffectual.
+Their property, however, was confiscated to the caliph, excepting a
+small part which was bestowed upon me, by way of some compensation for
+the robbery.</p>
+
+<p>After this all my ambition consisted in living a quiet life with the
+princess, with whom I was perfectly united in love and affection. My
+constant prayer to Heaven was, that such a state of felicity might be
+continued<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_335" id="Page_335">[Pg 335]</a></span> to us; but alas! how vain are the wishes and hopes of man,
+who is never destined to enjoy unruffled repose for a long time, but
+whose existence is continually disturbed by contending cares and
+sorrows! Returning home one evening from partaking of an entertainment
+with some friends, I knocked at the door of my house, but could get no
+one to admit me, although I knocked loudly and repeatedly. I was
+surprised at this, and began to form the gloomiest conjectures. I
+redoubled my knocks at the door, but no slave came to admit me. What
+can have happened? I thought; can this be some new misfortune that has
+befallen me? Such were my surmises. At the noise I made several
+neighbours came out of their houses, and being as astonished as myself
+at none of the domestics appearing, we broke open the door, and on
+entering found my slaves lying on the floor, with their throats cut,
+and weltering in their blood. We passed from them to Zelica's
+apartment, and here another frightful spectacle presented itself, for
+we found both Schapour and Cale-Cairi stretched lifeless on the
+ground, bathed in their blood. I called on Zelica, but received no
+reply. I searched every room and corner in the house, but without
+finding her. Such a blow was too much for me, and I sank back in a
+swoon in the arms of my neighbours. Happy would it have been for me
+had the angel of death at that moment borne me away; but no! it was
+the will of Heaven that I should live to see the full horror of my
+fate.</p>
+
+<p>When my neighbours by their attentions had succeeded in recalling me
+to life, I asked how it was possible that so terrible a slaughter
+could have taken place in my house, and not the slightest sound of it
+have been heard by them. They replied that they were as astonished as
+I was at the circumstance. I then ran to the cadi, who despatched his
+nayb<a name="FNanchor_13_13" id="FNanchor_13_13"></a><a href="#Footnote_13_13" class="fnanchor">[13]</a> into<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_336" id="Page_336">[Pg 336]</a></span> all the surrounding country with all his asas<a name="FNanchor_14_14" id="FNanchor_14_14"></a><a href="#Footnote_14_14" class="fnanchor">[14]</a>, but
+their inquiries were fruitless, and every one formed his own
+conjecture respecting this horrible tragedy. As for myself, I
+believed, as well as many others, that my former partners were the
+perpetrators of the crime. My grief was so intense that I fell ill,
+and continued in a languishing state at Bagdad for a long time. When I
+recovered I sold my house, and went to reside at Mossoul, carrying
+with me the wreck of my fortune. I adopted this course because I had a
+relation there of whom I was extremely fond, and who belonged to the
+household of the grand vizir of the king of Mossoul. My relation
+received me very cordially, and in a short time I became known to the
+minister, who, thinking that he saw in me good business talents, gave
+me some employment. I endeavoured to discharge effectively the duties
+entrusted to me, and I had the good fortune to succeed. His
+satisfaction with me daily increased, and I became insensibly
+initiated into the most secret state affairs, the weight of which I
+even assisted him to bear. In a few years this minister died, and the
+king, who was perhaps too partial to me, appointed me to his place,
+which I filled for two years, to the satisfaction of the king, and the
+contentment of the people. To mark, also, how much he was pleased with
+my conduct as minister, he first gave me the name of Atalmulc. And now
+envy soon began to be excited against me. Some of the chief nobles
+became my secret enemies, and plotted my ruin. The better to secure
+their ends, they instilled suspicions respecting me into the mind of
+the prince of Mossoul, who, being influenced by their unfavourable
+insinuations, asked the king, his father, to deprive me of power. The
+king at first refused, but yielded at last to the urgent requests of
+his son. I thereupon left Mossoul, and came to Damascus, where I had
+soon the honour of being presented to your majesty.</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> Lieutenant.</p></div>
+
+<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> Archers.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_337" id="Page_337">[Pg 337]</a></span></p></div>
+
+<p>I have now related to you, sire, the history of my life, and the cause
+of the deep grief in which I seem to be buried. The abduction of
+Zelica is ever present to my mind, and renders me insensible to every
+kind of pleasure. If I could learn that she was no more in life, I
+might, perhaps, lose the recollection of her, as I did before; but the
+uncertainty of her fate brings her ever back to my memory, and
+constantly feeds my grief.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_338" id="Page_338">[Pg 338]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h3>CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF KING BEDREDDIN-LOLO AND HIS VIZIR.</h3>
+
+<p>When the vizir Atalmulc had concluded the recital of his adventures,
+the king said to him:</p>
+
+<p>"I am no longer surprised at your melancholy, for you have, indeed,
+good reason for it; but every one has not, like you, lost a princess,
+and you are wrong in thinking that there is not one man in the world
+who is perfectly satisfied with his condition."</p>
+
+<p>For the purpose of proving to his grand vizir that there are men in
+this state, the king of Damascus said, one day, to his favourite
+Seyf-Elmulouk, "Go into the city, walk before the shop of the
+artisans, and bring me here immediately the man who seems the gayest
+of the gay." The favourite obeyed, and returned to Bedreddin in a few
+hours. "Well," said the monarch, "have you done what I commanded you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sire," replied the favourite, "I passed in front of several
+shops, and saw all descriptions of workmen who sung while at their
+various occupations, and seemed quite contented with their lot. I
+noticed one among them, a young weaver, named Malek, who laughed with
+his neighbours till I thought he would have split his sides, and I
+stopped to have some chat with him. 'Friend,' I said, 'you appear to
+be very merry.' 'Yes,' he replied, 'it is my way: I don't encourage
+melancholy.' I asked his neighbours if it was true that he was of such
+a happy turn of mind, and they all assured me that he did nothing but
+laugh from morning till night. I then told him to follow me, and I
+have brought him to the palace. He is<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_339" id="Page_339">[Pg 339]</a></span> now at hand: does your majesty
+wish him to be introduced to your presence?"</p>
+
+<p>"By all means," replied the king, "bring him here, for I wish to speak
+with him."</p>
+
+<p>Seyf-Elmulouk immediately left the king's cabinet and returned in an
+instant, followed by a good-looking young man, whom the favourite
+presented to the king. The weaver threw himself down at the monarch's
+feet, who said to him, "Rise, Malek, and tell me truly if you are as
+happy as you seem to be: I am told you do nothing but laugh and sing
+the live-long day while at your work: you are thought to be the
+happiest man in my dominions, and there is reason to believe that such
+is really the case. Tell me whether or not this is a correct judgment,
+and if you are contented with your condition. This is a matter that I
+am concerned to know; and I desire that you will speak without
+disguise."</p>
+
+<p>"Great king," replied the weaver, standing up, "may your majesty's
+days last to the end of the world, and be interwoven with a thousand
+delights, unmixed with the slightest misfortune. Excuse your slave
+from satisfying your curiosity. If it is forbidden to lie to kings, it
+must also be owned that there are truths that we dare not reveal. I
+can only say that a false idea is entertained respecting me: in spite
+of my laughter and songs, I am perhaps the most unfortunate of men. Be
+contented with this avowal, sire, and do not compel me to relate my
+misfortunes to you."</p>
+
+<p>"I am resolved to have them," replied the king. "Why should you be
+afraid to tell them? Are they not creditable to you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Of this your majesty must judge," replied the weaver. "I had resolved
+to keep them to myself, but since it is necessary I will proceed with
+my story."</p>
+
+<p>The weaver then began as follows:<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_340" id="Page_340">[Pg 340]</a></span>&mdash;</p>
+
+
+<h3>THE STORY OF MALEK AND THE PRINCESS SCHIRINE.</h3>
+
+<p>I am the only son of a merchant of Surat, who left me at his death
+considerable wealth, most of which I squandered away in a very short
+time. I was nearly at the end of my property, when one day a stranger,
+who was going to the island of Serendib, happened to be dining with
+me. The conversation turned on voyages and travels: some who were
+present praised the advantages and the pleasure attending them, and
+others expatiated on their dangers. Among the guests there were a few
+persons who had travelled extensively, and who gave us detailed
+accounts of their experience in this adventurous kind of life. Between
+their accounts of the strange and curious scenes which they had
+witnessed and of the dangers which they had encountered, my mind was
+kept in suspense, as I conceived a strong desire to travel, and yet
+felt afraid of the accompanying risks. After listening to all that was
+related, I remarked:</p>
+
+<p>"It is impossible to hear your striking account of the pleasure
+experienced by you in travelling over the world without feeling a
+strong wish to travel also; but the dangers to which a traveller is
+exposed deprive me of all inclination for visiting foreign countries.
+If it were possible," I added, smiling, "to go from one end of the
+earth to the other, without meeting with any bad accident by the way,
+I would leave Surat to-day."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_341" id="Page_341">[Pg 341]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>These words excited universal laughter, but the stranger before
+alluded to remarked:</p>
+
+<p>"O Malek! if you have a desire to travel, and if nothing prevents you
+but the fear of encountering robbers and other dangers, I will teach
+you whenever you have a mind, a method of travelling at your pleasure,
+and without peril, from one kingdom to another."</p>
+
+<p>I thought he was joking, but after dinner he took me aside, and told
+me that he would pay me a visit the following morning and show me
+something extraordinary. He was true to his word, for the next day he
+came to see me, and said, "I mean to keep my promise, but some days
+must elapse before you can see the effect, for what I have to show you
+is a piece of workmanship which cannot be constructed in a day. Send
+therefore for a carpenter; let one of your slaves go for him, and let
+them both return with planks and other materials according to this
+list." I immediately complied with his request. When the slave and the
+carpenter returned, the stranger directed the latter to construct a
+box in the form of a bird, six feet in length and four in breadth, the
+upper part open, so as to admit a man to sit in it. The artisan
+immediately set to work, and the stranger on his part was not idle,
+for he made or brought from his lodging several parts of the machine,
+such as wings, wheels, and springs. For several days the carpenter and
+he worked together, and afterwards the former was dismissed, while the
+stranger spent one day in putting together the machinery and finishing
+the work.</p>
+
+<p>At length on the sixth day the box was finished, and covered with a
+Persian carpet. I observed that in this box there were several
+apertures, as well to admit air as to serve for look-outs. At the
+stranger's desire I then ordered some of my slaves to carry it into
+the country, whither I followed with the stranger. When we arrived at
+the spot he said to me, "Send away your slaves and let no one be here
+but ourselves.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_342" id="Page_342">[Pg 342]</a></span> I do not wish to have other persons present beside
+yourself to see what I am about to do."</p>
+
+<p>I ordered my slaves to return home, while I remained alone with the
+stranger. I was very anxious to know what he intended to do with this
+machine, and eagerly watched his movements. He removed the carpet, and
+stepped inside. In a moment the box began to ascend above the earth
+and soared into the sky with incredible swiftness, carrying him
+rapidly to a great distance in the clouds; before I had recovered from
+my astonishment he was down again on the ground. I cannot express to
+you my amazement at witnessing this miracle of art.</p>
+
+<p>"You behold," said the stranger to me, as he stepped out of the
+machine, "a very quiet carriage, and you must admit that in travelling
+in it there is no fear of being robbed on the journey. This is the
+method I spoke of, and I now make you a present of the machine to be
+employed by you if ever you should take a fancy to visit foreign
+countries. Do not suppose that there is any magic or black art in what
+you have seen: it is neither by cabalistic words nor by virtue of a
+talisman that the box rises above the earth: its motion is produced
+merely by an ingenious adaptation of machinery. I am perfectly
+conversant with the mechanical arts, and know how to construct other
+machines quite as surprising as this one."</p>
+
+<p>I thanked the stranger for such a rare gift, and as a mark of my
+gratitude presented him with a purse of sequins. I then requested him
+to instruct me how to set the machine in motion. "It is very easily
+done," he said, and requested me to step into the box along with him:
+he then touched a spring and we immediately mounted up into the air;
+when there, he next showed me how to steer the machine. "By turning
+this screw," he said, "you will go to the right, and that other screw
+will take you to the left; by touching this spring you will ascend,
+and the same operation applied to another spring will cause you to
+descend."<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_343" id="Page_343">[Pg 343]</a></span> I wanted to make the experiment myself: I turned the screws
+and touched the springs, and the machine, obedient to my hand, went
+whither I pleased; I quickened its movements, or slackened them, just
+as I wished. After having taken several turns in the air, we directed
+our flight towards my house and alighted in the garden.</p>
+
+<p>We reached home before my slaves, who were astonished beyond measure
+when they found we had returned. I shut up the box in my room, where I
+watched it more carefully than any heap of gold; and the stranger
+departed as well satisfied with me as I was with him. I continued to
+amuse myself in the society of my friends until I had eaten and drunk
+all my fortune&mdash;was compelled to borrow money, and eventually got over
+head and ears in debt. As soon as it was known in Surat that I was a
+ruined man, I lost all credit; no one would trust me, and my creditors
+being impatient to get their money, sent me summonses to pay them.
+Finding myself almost penniless, and consequently exposed to all kinds
+of insults and mortifications, I had recourse to my machine, and
+dragging it out one night from my room into the open air, I stepped
+into it, taking with me some provisions and the little money I had
+left. I touched the spring which caused the machine to ascend; and
+then moving one of the screws, I turned my back upon Surat and my
+creditors, without any fear of their sending the officers after me. I
+put on as much propelling power as possible all night, and it seemed
+to me that my flight was swifter than the winds. At daybreak I looked
+out of one of the apertures in the carpet to see whereabouts I was. I
+could see nothing but mountains, precipices, a barren country, and a
+frightful desert. Wherever I looked I could discover no signs of human
+habitations. During all that day and the following night I continued
+my a&euml;rial tour, and next day I found myself above a very thick wood,
+near<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_344" id="Page_344">[Pg 344]</a></span> which was a fine city situated in an extensive plain. I stopped
+here in order to take a view of the city, as well as of a magnificent
+palace which I saw at some distance from it at the extremity of the
+plain. I was extremely anxious to know where I was, and began to
+ponder in what way I could satisfy my curiosity, when I observed a
+peasant at work in a field. I descended in the wood, left my box
+there, and going up to the labourer, asked the name of the city.
+"Young man," he replied, "it is easy to see that you are a stranger,
+since you do not know that this is the renowned city of Gazna, where
+the just and valiant king Bahaman resides."</p>
+
+<p>"And who lives," I asked, "in the palace at the end of the plain?"</p>
+
+<p>"The king of Gazna," he replied, "has built it in order to keep his
+daughter, the princess Schirine, shut up there; for the princess's
+horoscope declares that she is threatened with being deceived by a
+man. Bahaman, for the purpose of evading this predicted danger, has
+erected this palace, which is built of marble, and surrounded by a
+deep ditch. The gate is formed of Indian steel, and while the king
+himself keeps the key, a numerous body of troops keep watch round it
+day and night to prevent any man from gaining entrance. The king goes
+once a week to see his daughter, and then returns to Gazna. Schirine's
+only companions in the palace are a governess and a few female
+slaves."</p>
+
+<p>I thanked the peasant for his information, and directed my steps
+towards the city. When I was near to it, I heard the noise of an
+approaching multitude, and soon espied a vast crowd of horsemen
+magnificently attired, and mounted on very fine horses richly
+caparisoned. I perceived in the midst of this splendid cavalcade a
+tall individual, with a crown of gold on his head, and whose dress was
+covered with diamonds. I concluded that this person was the king of
+Gazna,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_345" id="Page_345">[Pg 345]</a></span> going to visit the princess his daughter; and, in fact, I
+learned in the city that my conjecture was correct.</p>
+
+<p>After having made the circuit of the city, and somewhat satisfied my
+curiosity, I bethought me of my machine; and although I had left it in
+a spot which seemed to promise security, I became uneasy on its
+account. I left Gazna and had no peace of mind until I reached the
+place where I had left the box, which I found quite safe. I then
+became tranquil, and partook with a good appetite of the food which I
+had brought with me, and as night was coming on, I resolved to pass it
+in the wood. I had reason to hope that a profound sleep would soon
+overpower me, for latterly my debts, as well as the general
+complication of my affairs, had naturally caused me much uneasiness
+and many sleepless nights: but my wishes were in vain, I could not
+sleep; for what the peasant had told me respecting the princess
+Schirine was constantly present to my mind. The more I thought of her
+and her peculiar situation, the more did I become possessed with the
+desire of effecting an interview; at length my inclinations became
+ungovernable, and I resolved to convey myself to the roof of the
+princess's palace and endeavour to obtain an entrance into her
+chamber. "Perhaps," thought I, "I may have the happiness to please
+her, perhaps to dispel the <i>ennui</i> she must suffer under: perhaps even
+I may be the mortal whose fortunate audacity was foretold by the
+astrologers." I was young and consequently thoughtless, and I was not
+deficient in courage, or such a scheme would not have occurred to me.
+However, having formed the rash resolution, I instantly proceeded to
+execute it. I raised myself up in the air and steered my machine in
+the direction of the palace: the night was as dark as I could wish. I
+passed without being seen over the heads of the soldiers, who were
+dispersed around the palace fosse, keeping watch, and descended on the
+roof near a spot where I saw a light; quitting my box I then slipped
+in at a window which had been<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_346" id="Page_346">[Pg 346]</a></span> left open to admit the cool night
+breeze. The room was furnished with the utmost magnificence; and I
+saw, reposing in slumber on a sofa, a young lady who, from the
+splendour and luxury with which she was surrounded, I could not doubt
+was the princess Schirine herself. I gazed for some time on her and
+found her to be of such dazzling beauty as exceeded the highest idea I
+had formed of her. I drew nearer in order to gaze upon her more
+intently: I could not, without an overwhelming emotion of rapture,
+contemplate such charms. I was quite overcome; and hardly knowing what
+I was about, knelt down beside her to kiss one of her beautiful hands.
+She awoke at that instant, and seeing a man near her, though in an
+attitude of respect which need have excited no alarm, uttered a cry
+which soon brought her governess, who slept in an adjoining room.</p>
+
+<p>"Help, Mahpeiker!" exclaimed the princess: "here is a man! how was it
+possible for him to get into my room? You must surely have admitted
+him, and are an accomplice in his crime."</p>
+
+<p>"I his accomplice!" exclaimed the governess: "the bare idea is an
+insult to me! I am as astonished as you can be, to see here this rash
+young man. Besides, if I had even been inclined to favour him in his
+bold attempt, how was it possible for me to deceive the vigilance of
+the guards who keep watch around the palace? You know also that there
+are twenty gates of burnished steel to be opened before any person can
+get in here; the seal royal is on every lock, and the king, your
+father, keeps the keys. I cannot imagine how this young man has been
+able to overcome all these obstacles."</p>
+
+<p>All this time I remained kneeling, overwhelmed with confusion: the
+governess's long speech, however, gave me time to collect my thoughts,
+and it occurred to me that I would endeavour to persuade them that I
+was a being of a superior order.</p>
+
+<p>"Beautiful princess," I said to Schirine, rising from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_347" id="Page_347">[Pg 347]</a></span> my knee and
+making her a profound obeisance, "do not be surprised at seeing me
+here. I am not a lover who lavishes gold, and resorts to nefarious
+tricks to accomplish his wishes; far be from me any unworthy
+intention: I have not a wish at which your virtuous mind need be
+ashamed. Know then that I am the king of the genii: for a long time I
+have been aware of your singular position, and could not without
+pitying you see you condemned to pass your best days in a prison. I am
+come here to throw myself at your feet, and to ask you in marriage
+from Bahaman: as my bride it will be in my power to shield you from
+the danger alluded to by the prediction which has terrified your
+father. Deign, therefore, beautiful princess, to look kindly on my
+suit, and then let both your father and yourself be at rest respecting
+your future fate, which cannot fail to be both glorious and happy; for
+as soon as the news of your marriage is spread abroad in the world,
+all the kings of the earth will stand in awe of the father-in-law of
+so powerful a monarch, and every princess will envy your fate."</p>
+
+<p>Schirine and her governess looked at each other during this speech as
+if desirous of consulting together whether they should give credit to
+it. I confess I had reason to believe that they would give no heed to
+such a fable, but women are fond of the wonderful, and both Mahpeiker
+and her mistress believed me.</p>
+
+<p>After passing the greater part of the night in delightful conversation
+with the princess of Gazna and her governess, I left her apartment
+before daybreak, promising to return next day. I lost no time in
+getting into my machine, and ascended to a great height that I might
+not be seen by the soldiers. I alighted in the wood, left the box
+there, and went into the city, where I purchased a stock of provisions
+for eight days, magnificent robes, a turban of Indian woof surrounded
+with a golden circlet, darting forth rays of light, and a rich girdle.
+At the same time I did not forget the<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_348" id="Page_348">[Pg 348]</a></span> costliest perfumes and
+essences. I spent all my money in these purchases without troubling my
+head about the future; for I thought that after such a pleasant
+adventure as had befallen me, I should never more want for any thing.
+I remained all day in the wood employed in dressing and perfuming
+myself with the utmost care and attention. When night came on, I
+entered the machine and set off for the roof of Schirine's palace,
+where I introduced myself into her apartment as before, and spent
+another delightful evening in conversation with the princess and her
+attendant. I left the palace when night was waning, for fear lest my
+imposture should be discovered. I returned next day, and always
+conducted myself so cleverly that the princess and Mahpeiker had not
+the least idea that I was an impostor. True it is that the princess by
+degrees had acquired such a fondness for me that, on this account, she
+gave a more ready belief to what I said; for love is blind and, when
+such feelings exist in favour of a person, his sincerity is never
+doubted. I, too, had become deeply enamoured of the beautiful
+princess, and more than once regretted the imposture I was practising
+on her; but what was I to do? To discover it was certain destruction,
+and I could not summon up courage to undeceive her.</p>
+
+<p>After some days had elapsed, the king of Gazna, attended by some of
+his officers, paid his weekly visit to his daughter's palace, and
+finding the gates securely fastened, and his seal on the locks, said
+to the vizirs who accompanied him:</p>
+
+<p>"Every thing goes on as well as possible: so long as the palace gates
+continue in this state I have little fear of the evil with which my
+daughter is threatened."</p>
+
+<p>He went up to her apartment alone and unannounced, and at seeing him
+she could not help betraying some emotion, which he noticed and
+required to know the reason of. His curiosity added to her perplexity;
+and, finding herself at last compelled to<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_349" id="Page_349">[Pg 349]</a></span> satisfy him, she related
+all that had taken place. Your majesty may conceive the astonishment
+of king Bahaman when he learned that, without his knowledge, a
+proposal of marriage had been made by the king of the genii. But he
+was not so easily duped as his daughter. Suspecting the truth, he
+exclaimed:</p>
+
+<p>"Alas! my child, how credulous you are! O Heaven! I see that it is
+hopeless to endeavour to avoid the misfortunes destined for us; the
+horoscope of Schirine is fulfilled; some villain has deceived her!"</p>
+
+<p>So saying, he left the princess's room in a state of great agitation,
+and went over all the palace, from the top to the bottom, searching
+every where, and strictly examining all the attendants, but I need
+hardly say without success, for he found no trace of any stranger, nor
+the slightest circumstance to lead to the supposition that bribery had
+been resorted to, which increased his astonishment. "By what means,"
+he said, "can any person, however ingenious and daring, enter this
+fortress? To me it is inconceivable."</p>
+
+<p>He resolved to get at the truth of the matter somehow, but being
+desirous of setting to work prudently, and of speaking himself alone,
+in the first instance, and without witnesses, to the pretended genius,
+he sent back his vizirs and courtiers to Gazna. "Withdraw," he said to
+them, "and I will remain alone at the palace this night with my
+daughter; and do you return here to-morrow."</p>
+
+<p>They all obeyed the king's orders: they returned to the city, and
+Bahaman set about questioning the princess afresh until night drew on.
+He asked her if I had eaten with her. She replied that I had not, for
+that she had in vain offered me refreshments, and that she had not
+seen me either eat or drink any thing since I came to her. "Tell me
+the whole occurrence again," he said, "and conceal nothing." Schirine
+related to him her story all over again, and the king, who was
+attentive to her recital, weighed every circumstance of it carefully.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_350" id="Page_350">[Pg 350]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Night had now set in; Bahaman seated himself on a sofa, and ordered
+tapers to be lit and to be placed before him on the marble table. He
+then drew his sabre, to be employed, if necessary, in wiping out with
+my blood the insult he conceived to have been offered to his honour.
+He sat thus, expecting me every moment; and the idea of seeing me
+appear instantaneously probably agitated him not a little.</p>
+
+<p>That night it happened that the atmosphere was highly charged with
+electric matter. A brilliant flash of lightning darted across the sky
+before him and made him start. Approaching the window at which
+Schirine had told him I should enter, and observing the heavens to be
+on fire with vivid flashes, his imagination was excited, although
+nothing was taking place but what was quite natural: he thought he saw
+in the clouds fanciful forms, among which was prominently conspicuous
+that of a venerable old man, such as the prophet is represented to us.
+As he gazed he forgot to reflect that these meteors arose merely from
+exhalations of an inflammable nature that exploded in the air, and
+came to regard them as brilliant lights announcing to the world the
+descent of the king of the genii. In such a state of mind the king was
+disposed to receive me as really bearing the character to which I
+pretended, and therefore when I appeared at the window, instead of
+exhibiting the fury he had contemplated, he was overcome with respect
+and fear; he dropped his sabre, and, falling at my feet, kissed them,
+and said, "O great king! what am I, and what have I done to deserve
+the honour of being your father-in-law?"</p>
+
+<p>From these words I could guess what had passed between the king and
+the princess, and discovered that the worthy monarch was almost as
+easily imposed upon as his daughter. We sat down together on the sofa
+and conversed. I now formally renewed to him my suit for the hand of
+the princess. He believed all I told him, and feeling delighted at the
+prospect of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_351" id="Page_351">[Pg 351]</a></span> being allied to me, again prostrated himself at my feet
+in sign of gratitude for my kindness. I raised him up, embraced him,
+and assured him of my protection, for which he could not find language
+sufficiently strong to thank me. It was arranged that the marriage
+should take place the following day. I stopped with Schirine and her
+father for a few hours, but however pleased I might be with our
+interview, I did not forget how time was flying; I was apprehensive of
+daylight surprising us, and of my box being seen on the roof of the
+palace. I therefore made haste to leave in good time and to reseat
+myself in the machine.</p>
+
+<p>The following day, on the return of the vizirs and great officers of
+state, a magnificent banquet was prepared at the palace, and
+immediately on my arrival in the evening the marriage was celebrated
+with great pomp and rejoicing.</p>
+
+<p>A month had nearly passed during which I continued to be looked on and
+treated as the king of the genii, and I was leading a most agreeable
+life, when there arrived in the city of Gazna an ambassador from a
+neighbouring monarch to demand Schirine in marriage. On being admitted
+to an audience, and detailing the object of his embassy, Bahaman said
+to him:</p>
+
+<p>"I am sorry that I am unable to give my daughter in marriage to the
+king, your master, for I have already bestowed her hand on the king of
+the genii."</p>
+
+<p>From such a reply the ambassador supposed that king Bahaman had lost
+his senses; he therefore took leave and returned to his master, who
+also at first thought Bahaman was mad, but on reconsidering the answer
+began to look on the refusal as a studied insult; he therefore raised
+troops, and forming a large army, entered the kingdom of Gazna in a
+hostile manner. This king, whose name was Cacem, was more powerful
+than Bahaman, who also was so slow in preparing to oppose his enemy
+that he could not prevent him from making great progress. Cacem
+defeated some troops which opposed him, and advancing<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_352" id="Page_352">[Pg 352]</a></span> rapidly towards
+the city of Gazna, found the army of Bahaman intrenched in the plain
+before the castle of the princess Schirine. The design of the
+irritated lover was to attack Bahaman in his intrenchments; but as his
+troops had need of rest, and he had only arrived that evening in the
+plain after a long forced march, he delayed his attack until the
+following morning.</p>
+
+<p>The king of Gazna, having been informed of the numbers and valour of
+Cacem's soldiers, began to tremble for the result. He assembled his
+privy council and asked for their advice, when one of its members
+spoke in the following terms:</p>
+
+<p>"I am astonished that the king should appear to be at all uneasy on
+this occasion. What alarm can all the princes of the world, to say
+nothing of Cacem, occasion to the father-in-law of the king of the
+genii? Your majesty need only address yourself to him, and beg his
+assistance, and he will soon confound your enemies. It is his duty to
+do this, indeed, since it is on his account that Cacem has come to
+disturb the quiet of your majesty's subjects."</p>
+
+<p>This speech did not fail to inspire king Bahaman with confidence.</p>
+
+<p>"You are right," he said to the courtier; "I shall at once go and beg
+of him to repulse my proud enemy, and I venture to hope that he will
+not reject my supplication."</p>
+
+<p>So saying, he went to visit his daughter, and said to her:</p>
+
+<p>"Schirine, to-morrow at daybreak it is Cacem's intention to attack us,
+and I am afraid he will carry our intrenchments. I wish to entreat of
+the king of the genii that he would undertake our defence. Let us
+unite our prayers that he would be favourable to us."</p>
+
+<p>"My lord and father," replied the princess, "there will be no great
+difficulty in engaging the king on our side; he will soon disperse the
+enemy's troops, and all<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_353" id="Page_353">[Pg 353]</a></span> the kings of the world will learn, at Cacem's
+expense, to respect you."</p>
+
+<p>"But," resumed king Bahaman, "night is coming on, and still the king
+of the genii does not appear; can he have forsaken us?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, no, my father," replied Schirine; "do not fear that he will fail
+us in time of need. He sees the army which is now besieging us, and is
+perhaps at this moment preparing to carry disorder and terror into all
+its ranks."</p>
+
+<p>And this, in fact, was what I was desirous of doing. I had watched
+during the day Cacem's troops; I had observed their arrangement, and
+taken particular notice of the head-quarters of the king. I collected
+a quantity of stones and pebbles, both large and small, with which I
+filled my box, and at midnight I mounted aloft. Advancing towards the
+tents of Cacem, I easily discovered that in which the king was
+reposing. It was very lofty, richly adorned with gilding, and in the
+form of a dome, supported on twelve columns of painted wood, fixed
+deep in the ground; the spaces between the columns were intertwined
+with branches of different kinds of trees, and towards the summit
+there were two windows, one at the east, and another at the south
+side.</p>
+
+<p>All the soldiers around the tent were asleep; and this circumstance
+permitted me to descend near one of the windows without being
+perceived. Through it I saw the king lying on a sofa, with his head
+supported on a satin cushion. Rising a little in my box, I hurled a
+large stone at Cacem; I struck him on the forehead, and wounded him
+dangerously; he uttered a cry, which soon awoke his guards and
+officers, who, running up to him, found him covered with blood, and
+almost insensible. Immediately loud cries were heard, and the alarm
+was communicated to the whole quarter, every one asking what had
+happened. A report was soon circulated that the king was wounded, and
+it was not known by whom the blow had been struck. Whilst<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_354" id="Page_354">[Pg 354]</a></span> the culprit
+was being searched for, I ascended high up among the clouds, and
+discharged from an immense height a shower of stones on the royal tent
+and all near it. The stones cut through the silk of the tent, and
+severely wounded the attendants; many of the soldiers who surrounded
+it, too, were very badly hit, and began to cry out that stones were
+being rained down on them from heaven. The news soon spread, and to
+confirm it I scattered my stony artillery in all directions. Terror
+took possession of the army; both officers and soldiers thinking that
+the Prophet was enraged with Cacem, and that his anger was too
+evidently declared by this miraculous interference. In short,
+Bahaman's enemies took to flight in a panic, and with such
+precipitation, that they abandoned their tents and baggage to their
+foes, crying out, "We are lost; Heaven is destroying us!"</p>
+
+<p>When day dawned the king of Gazna was not a little surprised to find,
+that, instead of advancing to the attack, the enemy was in full
+retreat. Seeing this, however, he pursued the fugitives with his best
+troops, who made prodigious carnage, and took prisoner Cacem himself,
+whose wound prevented his making a sufficiently speedy flight.</p>
+
+<p>"Why," asked Bahaman, when his enemy was brought before him, "why have
+you advanced into my dominions against all right and reason? What
+provocation have I given you for making war against me?"</p>
+
+<p>"Bahaman," replied the vanquished monarch, "I thought you had refused
+me your daughter out of contempt for me, and I thirsted to be revenged
+upon you. I believed the story of the king of the genii being your
+son-in-law to be a mere pretext. I have now, however, good reason to
+be sure of its truth, for it is he who has wounded me and dispersed my
+army."</p>
+
+<p>When the pursuit was ended Bahaman returned to Gazna with Cacem, who,
+however, died of his wound the same day. The spoil was divided, and it
+was so<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_355" id="Page_355">[Pg 355]</a></span> considerable, that even the common soldiers returned home
+laden with booty; and prayers were offered up in all the mosques
+thanking Heaven for having confounded the enemies of the state.</p>
+
+<p>When night arrived, the king repaired to the princess's palace.</p>
+
+<p>"My daughter," he said, "I have come to thank the king of the genii
+for a success I owe entirely to him. The courier whom I despatched to
+you has informed you of all that he has done for us, and I am so
+profoundly grateful for it, that I am dying with impatience to embrace
+his knees."</p>
+
+<p>This satisfaction was soon granted him. I entered Schirine's room by
+the usual window, and there, as I indeed expected, I found him.</p>
+
+<p>"O great king!" he exclaimed, "language is wanting to express to you
+what I feel on this occasion. Read yourself in my countenance the full
+measure of my gratitude."</p>
+
+<p>I raised up Bahaman, and kissed his forehead.</p>
+
+<p>"Prince," I said to him, "could you possibly think that I would refuse
+to help you in the embarrassing situation in which you were placed on
+my account? I have punished the proud Cacem who intended to make
+himself master of your kingdom, and to carry off Schirine, to place
+her among the slaves of his seraglio. No longer fear that any
+potentate on the earth will dare to make war against you; but if any
+one should be so bold, be assured that I will rain a fiery shower upon
+his troops, which will reduce them to ashes."</p>
+
+<p>After having again assured the king of Gazna that I would take his
+kingdom under my protection, I related how the enemy's army had been
+terrified at seeing stones showered down upon their camp. Bahaman, for
+his part, repeated to me what Cacem had told him, and then took his
+departure, leaving Schirine and myself to ourselves. The princess was
+as sensible as her father of the important service I had rendered<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_356" id="Page_356">[Pg 356]</a></span> to
+the country, and manifested the greatest gratitude, caressing me a
+thousand times over.</p>
+
+<p>Two days after the interment of Cacem, on whom, although a foe, a
+magnificent funeral was bestowed, the king of Gazna commanded that
+rejoicings should take place in the city for the defeat of the enemy's
+troops. I thought that a festival prepared in my honour ought to be
+signalized by some wonderful prodigy; and for this purpose I purchased
+in Gazna some combustible materials. With these I manufactured
+fireworks, which I let off at as great a height as possible, while the
+people in the streets were celebrating their victory with great
+rejoicings. My pyrotechnic display was very successful; and as soon as
+daylight appeared I left my machine, and went into the town to have
+the pleasure of hearing what people said about me. I was not deceived
+in my expectations. A thousand extravagant accounts were current among
+those who had been spectators of my display. Some said that the king
+of the genii had illuminated the whole heavens expressly to show his
+satisfaction with the festival; and others asserted that they had even
+seen him in the sky, surrounded by a blaze of meteors.</p>
+
+<p>All these speeches amused me exceedingly. But alas! while I was
+indulging in these pleasurable sensations, my box&mdash;my dear
+machine&mdash;the instrument by which I had worked all my wonders&mdash;was
+burning to ashes in the wood. A spark, which I had not perceived, had
+set fire to it in my absence, and consumed it, and in this state I
+found it on my return. A father who enters his house, and finds his
+only son pierced with a thousand mortal wounds, and lying bathed in
+his blood, could not suffer more than I did on this occasion. I tore
+my hair and garments, while the wood resounded with my cries and
+lamentations; I even wonder that I did not lay violent hands upon
+myself in the paroxysm of my despair. However, by degrees I became
+calmed, and reflecting that there was no help for my disaster,<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_357" id="Page_357">[Pg 357]</a></span> I at
+the same time perceived that some resolution must be formed
+immediately. Only one course seemed open to me, and that was to seek
+my fortunes elsewhere.</p>
+
+<p>Leaving, therefore, Bahaman and Schirine, doubtless in the deepest
+distress about me, I left the city of Gazna, and falling in with a
+caravan of Egyptian merchants, returning to their own country, I
+joined myself to them, and travelled to Grand Cairo, where I became a
+weaver in order to gain a subsistence. I lived there for some years
+and afterwards came to Damascus, where I have followed the same
+occupation. In appearance I am very well satisfied with my condition,
+but in reality I am not at all happy, I cannot forget my former
+fortunate condition, Schirine is ever present to my thoughts, and
+although I would wish to banish her from my recollection, and in truth
+make every effort to do so, yet the attempt, as painful as useless,
+merely causes me constant uneasiness.</p>
+
+<p>I have now, may it please your majesty, performed what you required of
+me. I know very well that you do not approve the deceit I practised
+towards the king of Gazna and the princess Schirine, for I have
+perceived oftener than once, that my story was repugnant to your
+feelings and that your piety shuddered at my sacrilegious audacity.
+But be pleased to remember that you demanded a true account from me,
+and condescend to forgive the confession I have made of my adventures,
+in consideration of the necessity I was under of obeying you.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_358" id="Page_358">[Pg 358]</a></span></p>
+
+
+<h3>CONCLUSION.</h3>
+
+
+<p>The king of Damascus made a suitable reply, and dismissed the weaver,
+whose story afforded a new argument in favour of the grand vizir's
+opinion that there is no man who is perfectly happy: however, the king
+would not desist.</p>
+
+<p>"Atalmulc," he said, "with the exception of yourself, there is no man
+approaches me but with a smiling countenance; it cannot be that not
+one of all these is perfectly happy; I shall ask my generals,
+courtiers, and all the officers of my household. Go, vizir, and summon
+them all into my presence in succession."</p>
+
+<p>He had the patience to speak to them all individually, and they all
+made the same reply; namely, that they were not exempt from grief. One
+complained of his wife, another of his children; the poor accused
+their poverty as the cause of all their misfortunes, and the rich
+either did not enjoy good health, or laboured under some other source
+of affliction.</p>
+
+<p>Bedreddin having questioned so many persons, not one of whom was
+contented with his lot, came at last to be of the same mind with
+Atalmulc, and was obliged to admit to his favourite vizir that perfect
+felicity is not to be looked for in the present life; that every lot
+and every station has its cares, its anxieties, and its misfortunes;
+and that we approach the condition of complete happiness only as we
+conscientiously discharge those duties which our position daily and
+hourly requires of us.</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 350px;">
+<img src="images/i358.jpg" width="350" height="148" alt="" title="" />
+</div>
+
+<h4>THE END.</h4>
+
+
+<p class="center">GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, PRINTERS, ST. JOHN'S SQUARE, LONDON.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+
+
+<hr style="width: 65%;" />
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 336px;">
+<img src="images/illus-ads1.jpg" width="336" height="600" alt="" title="" />
+</div>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<h3>THE AMUSING LIBRARY</h3>
+
+<h3>FOR HOME AND RAIL.</h3>
+
+
+<p>&#8258; The object is to provide a choice supply of
+Books of Light Reading, entirely free from objectionable matter, and
+which may be indiscriminately used by young and old. Great care has
+been bestowed in the selection; and it is hoped that the Works
+contained in this Series will be found adapted in every respect for
+the perusal of all who desire a sound and healthy imaginative
+literature, free from everything immoral on the one hand, or
+controversial on the other. The volumes, while issued at a price which
+brings them within the reach of all, yet possess sufficient
+attractions of typography and embellishment to fit them for the
+drawing-room table and for presents to friends.</p>
+
+<p>"We have not seen for many a day books which so deeply interested us,
+and which are so much in advance of the ordinary books provided for
+the rail or road. The 'Amusing Library' will be the most popular of
+the many which these stirring days have produced."&mdash;<i>Churchman's
+Companion.</i></p>
+
+<p>"Ministers of religion and philanthropists have long lamented the
+absence of some well-written serial works suitable for the million, to
+counteract the baneful influence of the impure literature of the day.
+The want is here supplied with judgment and good taste. The books are
+valuable both to old and young."&mdash;<i>Manchester Courier.</i></p>
+
+
+<h3>Grantley Manor:</h3>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>The well-known and favourite Novel by Lady Georgiana
+Fullerton. 2<i>s.</i> boards; 2<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i> cloth.</p></div>
+
+<p>"The skill with which the plot of 'Grantley Manor' is constructed, the
+exquisite truth of delineation which the characters exhibit, and the
+intensity of passion which warms and dignifies the subject, are alike
+admirable.... The depth of passion which surrounds the story of
+Genevra is the result of unquestionable genius. No heroine that we can
+remember excels this lovely creation in purity, deep affection, a
+solemn sense of the sanctity of duty, and a profound feeling of the
+beauty and holiness of religion."&mdash;<i>Times.</i></p>
+
+
+<h3>Tales of Humour.</h3>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>Fcap. 8vo, 2<i>s.</i> boards; 2<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i> cloth.</p></div>
+
+<p>"Spirited and well-selected tales of most inviting dimensions. Will be
+a favourite on the 'line.'"&mdash;<i>Brighton Herald.</i></p>
+
+
+<h3>Abroad and at Home.</h3>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>Tales Here and There. By Miss Pardoe. Fcap. 8vo, 2<i>s.</i>
+boards; 2<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i> cloth.</p></div>
+
+<p>"Ten pretty tales, full of interesting matter, gracefully
+related."&mdash;<i>Glasgow Herald.</i></p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 302px;">
+<img src="images/i389.jpg" width="302" height="450" alt="The Lay of the Golden Dice." title="" />
+<span class="caption">The Lay of the Golden Dice.</span>
+</div>
+
+<h3>Amusing Poetry.</h3>
+
+<p>A new and choice selection, Edited by Shirley Brooks. Fcap. 8vo, 2<i>s.</i>
+boards; 2<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i> cloth.</p>
+
+<p>13; KING WILLIAM STREET, STRAND.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<h4>AMUSING LIBRARY, <i>continued</i>.</h4>
+
+<h3>Hendrik Conscience's Tales.</h3>
+
+<p>Complete in Six Volumes. Each Fcap. 8vo, 2<i>s.</i> boards; 2<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i>
+cloth.</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>I. THE DEMON OF GOLD. (<i>Just ready.</i>)</p>
+
+<p>II. THE LION OF FLANDERS.</p>
+
+<p>III. THE CURSE OF THE VILLAGE, ETC.</p>
+
+<p>IV. VEVA; OR, THE WAR OF THE PEASANTS.</p>
+
+<p>V. THE MISER, AND RICKETICKETACK.</p>
+
+<p>VI. TALES OF FLANDERS.</p></div>
+
+<p>"Had our writers of fiction preserved the healthful tone which
+characterises these volumes, they would not have been a proscribed
+class. Each of the tales may be read by the most modest without a
+blush, and by the most fastidious without scruple."&mdash;<i>Eclectic
+Review.</i></p>
+
+<p>"Writing in a language familiar to comparatively few, Conscience owes
+to his own merits alone the European reputation which he now enjoys.
+There is a truthfulness in his pictures which is perfectly delightful,
+while the whole moral of his works is such as to make them a valuable
+addition to the light-reading division of a library."&mdash;<i>Notes and
+Queries.</i></p>
+
+<p>"We do not know if, laying aside Sir Walter Scott, it would be
+possible to name any English historical novel at all equal in
+deep interest to the 'Lion of Flanders,' or the 'War of the
+Peasants.'"&mdash;<i>Scotsman.</i></p>
+
+<p>Romantic Tales of Great Men:</p>
+
+<p>Artists, Poets, Scholars, Statesmen, etc. 2s. boards; 2<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i>
+cloth.</p>
+
+<p>&#8258;This volume will be found to convey
+information as well as amusement, all the tales being founded on
+historical facts. It is charmingly written, and forms an excellent
+prize or gift-book.</p>
+
+<h3>Tales of the City and the Plain.</h3>
+
+<p>1<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i> boards; 2<i>s.</i> cloth.</p>
+
+<h3>The Betrothed;</h3>
+
+<p>A Romance of the Seventeenth Century. By Manzoni. 2<i>s.</i> boards; 2<i>s.</i>
+6<i>d.</i> cloth.</p>
+
+<p>This unrivalled romance, which stands quite alone in the literature of
+fiction, is now brought within the reach of every reader in this very
+neat and portable edition.</p>
+
+<p>"<i>I am not sure</i>," says Rogers, "<i>that I would not rather have written
+the Betrothed than all Scott's novels</i>." "It has every quality that a
+work of fiction ought to have."&mdash;<i>Heir of Redcliffe.</i></p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<div class="figcenter" style="width: 480px;">
+<img src="images/illus-ads5.jpg" width="480" height="548" alt="" title="" />
+</div>
+
+<h3>The Adventures of Jules Gerard, the "Lion-killer"</h3>
+
+<p>of Northern Africa, during his Ten Years' Campaigns among the Lions of
+Algeria; including the Details of more than Forty Encounters,
+Adventures, and Episodes, and a variety of interesting sketches of
+Arab life.</p>
+
+<p>New Edition, Enlarged, and Profusely Illustrated, containing a
+Complete and Concise History and Description of Algeria, with Maps,
+Sections, and numerous Illustrations of Arab and French Colonial Life
+and Manners; and further enriched with numerous new Engravings
+illustrative of M. Gerard's startling Adventures among the Lions of
+North Africa. Fcap. 8vo, 3s. 6d., cloth.</p>
+
+<p>The Amusing Library Edition may still be had, price 2s. boards; 2s.
+6d. cloth. Also a Cheap Edition, 1s., boards.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<h3>Popular Tales and Sketches.</h3>
+
+<p>By Mrs. S. C. Hall. Containing Eighteen Beautiful Tales by this most
+popular Authoress. 2<i>s.</i> boards; 2<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i> cloth.</p>
+
+
+<h3>Tales of France.</h3>
+
+<p>Romantic Historical, and Domestic. 2<i>s.</i> boards; 2<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i> cloth.</p>
+
+<p>"Original in style, full of interest, and unexceptionable in
+morals."&mdash;<i>Hants Advertiser.</i></p>
+
+
+<h3>Tales of Paris and its Streets.</h3>
+
+<p>2<i>s.</i> boards; 2<i>s.</i> 6 <i>d.</i> cloth.</p>
+
+<p>&#8258;These tales, of which the scenes are laid in the
+capital of France, introduce to the English reader some of the most
+interesting, and, at the same time, unexceptionable of the shorter
+fictions of our Continental neighbours; many of which will be found
+useful as well as entertaining, from the illustrations which they
+supply of history and manners at different periods.</p>
+
+
+<h3>Tales and Traditions of the Netherlands.</h3>
+
+<p>1<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i> boards; 2<i>s.</i> cloth.</p>
+
+<p>"A most varied, interesting, and readable volume."&mdash;<i>Caledonian
+Mercury.</i></p>
+
+<p>"Wrought up with great skill, and extremely interesting."&mdash;<i>Daily
+Express.</i></p>
+
+
+<h3>Romantic Tales of Spain.</h3>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">I. THE RIVALS; A TALE OF CASTILE.<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">II. THE GIPSY LOVERS. By Cervantes.<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">III. THE GUIDE; AN EPISODE OF THE CIVIL WARS.<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>Fcap. 8vo, 1<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i> boards; 2<i>s.</i> cloth.</p>
+
+
+<h3>Sea Stories:</h3>
+
+<p>Tales of Discovery, Adventure, and Escape. A new and choice
+Collection, containing several striking Narratives, mostly unknown to
+English readers; also a complete and graphic Sketch of the Adventures
+of Columbus. 2<i>s.</i> boards; 2<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i> cloth.</p>
+
+<p>"The best volume of the kind we have ever met with."&mdash;<i>Churchman's
+Companion.</i></p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<h2>NEW WORKS.</h2>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<h3>A Life of John Banim, the Irish Novelist.</h3>
+
+<p>Author of "Damon and Pythias," etc., and one of the writers of "Tales
+by the O'Hara Family." With Extracts from his Correspondence&mdash;general
+and literary. By Patrick Joseph Murray. Fcap. 8vo.</p>
+
+<p class="right">
+[<i>Just ready.</i><br />
+</p>
+
+<h4><i>In the Press, and will speedily appear at short intervals,</i></h4>
+
+<h3>Tales by the O'Hara Family.</h3>
+
+<p>Reproductions of several of the most popular and powerful of these
+wonderfully graphic Tales, with the addition of Prefaces and Notes by
+Michael Banim, the survivor of the O'Hara family.</p>
+
+
+<p class="right"><i>Nearly ready,</i></p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">CROHOORE OF THE BILLHOOK.<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">FATHER CONNELL.<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">JOHN DOE.<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+
+<h3>Tales of Brigands and Smugglers.</h3>
+
+<p>A collection of some of the most remarkable events in the lives of
+some celebrated Bandits and Smugglers, as well as of Adventures met
+with by Travellers in their company, not hitherto published in any
+other collection. Fcap. 8vo, 2<i>s.</i> boards; 2<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i> cloth.</p>
+
+<p class="right">
+[<i>Just ready.</i><br />
+</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<h4>THE ENTERTAINING LIBRARY.</h4>
+
+<h2>A NEW SERIES OF CHOICE BOOKS OF RECREATION FOR THE YOUNG, FULLY
+ILLUSTRATED.</h2>
+
+
+<h3>The History of Jean Paul Choppart;</h3>
+
+<h4>Or, the Surprising Adventures of a Runaway. Illustrated with 22
+Engravings. Fcap. 8vo, 2<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i> cloth.</h4>
+
+<p>"'Jean Paul Choppart' is a translation of a work which has become very
+popular on the Continent, and is destined to receive a like share of
+favour in this country, should parents and instructors of children
+become aware of the excellent moral which its pages convey through the
+medium of a story which is most piquant and catching for the youthful
+mind."&mdash;<i>Court Journal.</i></p>
+
+
+<h3>The Thousand and One Days;</h3>
+
+<p>Or, Arabian Tales. A select and thoroughly unexceptionable collection
+of highly entertaining tales, illustrative of Oriental manners and
+customs, carefully revised and adapted for the young. With a Preface
+by Miss <span class="smcap">Pardoe</span>. Fcap. 8vo, with numerous engravings, 3<i>s.</i> 6<i>d.</i>
+cloth.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<h4><i>Books for Students and Travellers.</i></h4>
+
+
+<h3>The Vade Mecum</h3>
+
+<p>For Tourists in France and Belgium; containing a copious Phrasebook
+and Vocabulary adapted for every emergency of the traveller, with Maps
+of the chief routes, and full information as to Money, Passports,
+Hotels, etc. etc. Of a size for the waistcoat-pocket, limp cloth,
+1<i>s.</i>; with pockets and strap for passport, etc., 2<i>s.</i></p>
+
+<p>"Everything wanted on the journey, and nothing more."</p>
+
+
+<h3>The German Vade Mecum;</h3>
+
+<p>Or German and English Phrase and Guide Book for Students, Travellers,
+etc. Compiled on exactly the same principles, and containing precisely
+the same sort of matter, as the French Vade Mecum. 1<i>s.</i></p>
+
+
+<h3>A Compendious French Grammar,</h3>
+
+<p>For the use of Students and Travellers; with full instructions in
+Pronunciation, and containing the substance of all the best French
+Grammars in a neat portable form, easily carried in the pocket. 1<i>s.</i></p>
+
+
+<h3>The Pocket French Dictionary.</h3>
+
+<p>A compendious French and English and English and French Dictionary,
+for the use of Students and Travellers.</p>
+
+<p class="right">[<i>Nearly ready.</i></p>
+
+
+<p>The following is an enumeration of the principal points which
+distinguish this Dictionary:&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>I. All those words are excluded which, however much they are in place
+in a large Dictionary, like that of Johnson or Webster, or the French
+Dictionary of the Academy, are yet totally useless to ordinary
+readers.</p>
+
+<p>II. The space thus saved is occupied by matter really useful to the
+student or traveller, such as&mdash;</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p>(1.) The various meanings and uses of words in different
+connections, so as at once to point out the particular term
+required.</p>
+
+<p>(2.) Commercial and travelling expressions, especially those
+recently introduced; also technical words in general use.</p>
+
+<p>(3.) A selection of the most useful idioms and phrases.</p>
+
+<p>(4.) The prepositions required by the French verbs and
+adjectives.</p></div>
+
+<p>III. A clear and full explanation of the Rules of Pronunciation is
+prefixed, while that of all difficult or exceptional words is
+indicated as they occur.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<h3>A LIST OF NEW AND POPULAR WORKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.</h3>
+
+<h3>SOLD BY W. H. DALTON,</h3>
+
+<h4><span class="smcap">Bookseller to the Queen</span>,</h4>
+
+<h4>28, COCKSPUR STREET, CHARING CROSS.</h4>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<p><b>The Adventures of a Cat; and a Fine Cat too!</b> By <span class="smcap">Alfred</span> Elwes, Author
+of "The Adventures of a Bear," &amp;c. With Eight Illustrations by
+<span class="smcap">Harrison Weir</span>. Fcap. 4to. cloth, 3s. 6d.; or 6s. with coloured plates.</p>
+
+<p><b>The Adventures of a Dog, and a Good Dog too!</b> By <span class="smcap">Alfred Elwes</span>, Author
+of "The Adventures of a Bear," &amp;c. With Eight large Illustrations by
+<span class="smcap">Harrison Weir</span>. Fcap. 4to. cloth, 3s. 6d.; or 6s. coloured pictures,
+gilt edges.</p>
+
+<p><b>The Adventures of a Bear, and a Great Bear too!</b> By <span class="smcap">Alfred Elwes</span>. With
+Nine Illustrations by <span class="smcap">Harrison Weir</span>. Fcap. 4to. 3s. 6d. cloth; or 6s.
+with coloured pictures, gilt edges.</p>
+
+<p><b>The Old Story Teller.</b> Translated from the German of <span class="smcap">Ludwig Bechstein</span>,
+by the Translators of "Grimm's Household Stories." With 100
+Illustrations by <span class="smcap">Ludwig Richter</span>. Crown 8vo. cloth, 8s. coloured
+pictures, gilt edges.</p>
+
+<p><b>Danish Fairy Tales and Legends.</b> By <span class="smcap">Hans Christian Andersen</span>. The
+genuine edition, translated direct from the Danish. With Twenty
+Illustrations, and a Memoir and Portrait of the Author. Fcap. 8vo. 5s.
+cloth.</p>
+
+<p><b>A Hero: Philip's Book;</b> A Tale for Young People. By the Author of
+"Olive," "The Head of the Family," "Cola Monti," &amp;c. Illustrated by
+<span class="smcap">James Godwin</span>. Fcap. 8vo. cloth, 3s. 6d. coloured pictures, gilt edges.</p>
+
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<h4>Instructive and Amusing Works.</h4>
+
+
+<p>The Little Drummer; or, the Boy Soldier. A Story of the Russian
+Campaign. Edited by H. W. <span class="smcap">Dulcken</span>. Illustrated by <span class="smcap">John Gilbert</span>. Fcap.
+8vo. cloth, 3s. 6d. coloured pictures, gilt edges.</p>
+
+<p>All is not Gold that Glitters. By <span class="smcap">Alice B. Neal</span> (Cousin Alice).
+Illustrated by <span class="smcap">Dalziel</span>. Fcap. 8vo. cloth, 3s. 6d.</p>
+
+
+<h3>BY MRS. HARRIET MYRTLE.</h3>
+
+<p>The Little Sister. With Sixteen Illustrations on Steel by <span class="smcap">H. J.
+Schneider</span>. Fcap. 4to. cloth, gilt edges, 7s. 6d.</p>
+
+<p>A Day Of Pleasure. A Simple Story for Young Children. With Eight
+Illustrations by <span class="smcap">Hablot K. Browne</span>. Fcap. 4to. cloth, 6s. with coloured
+pictures, gilt edges.</p>
+
+<p>Home and its Pleasures. Simple Stories for Young Children. With Eight
+Illustrations by <span class="smcap">Halblot K. Browne</span>. Fcap. 4to. cloth, 6s. with
+coloured pictures, gilt edges.</p>
+
+<p>The Pleasures of the Country. Simple stories for Young Children.
+Second Edition. With Eight Illustrations by <span class="smcap">John Gilbert</span>. Fcap. 4to.
+cloth, 3s. 6d.; or 6s. with coloured pictures, gilt edges.</p>
+
+<p>The Ocean Child; or, Showers and Sunshine. A Tale of Girlhood. Small
+8vo. cloth, 5s.</p>
+
+
+<h3>BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM.</h3>
+
+<p>Household Stories. All the Popular Fairy Tales and Legends of Germany,
+collected by the <span class="smcap">Brothers Grimm</span>. Newly Translated, and Illustrated
+with Two Hundred and Forty Engravings, by <span class="smcap">Edward H. Wehnert</span>. In two
+volumes, post 8vo. 12s. cloth; or, 18s. coloured, gilt edges.</p>
+
+<p>The English Struwwelpeter; or, Pretty Stories and Funny Pictures for
+Little Children. After the 17th Edition of <span class="smcap">Dr. Heinrich Hoffmann's</span>
+celebrated Work. With many large coloured pictures, post 4to. 2s. 6d.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<h4><i>Companion to the "English Struwwelpeter."</i></h4>
+
+<p>A Laughter-Book for Little Folk. New Edition. Translated from the
+German by <span class="smcap">Madame de Chatelain</span>. With Eighteen large Coloured Comic
+Illustrations by <span class="smcap">Thomas Hoseman</span>. Post 4to. 2s. 6d. in coloured picture
+binding, by <span class="smcap">Kenny Meadows</span>.</p>
+
+<p>Naughty Boys and Girls. Comic Tales and Coloured Pictures. From the
+German of Dr. <span class="smcap">Julius Bahr</span>, by <span class="smcap">Madame de Chatelain</span>. New Edition. A
+Companion to the "English Struwwelpeter." Post 4to, 2s. 6d. in
+coloured picture binding, by <span class="smcap">Kenny Meadows</span>.</p>
+
+<hr style='width: 45%;' />
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p><b>The Picture Pleasure-Book</b>, Comprising nearly 1000
+Illustrations by Eminent Artists. In a coloured Pictorial
+Binding, by <span class="smcap">Luke Limner</span>, 2 vols. imp. 4to. 6s. each.</p></div>
+
+<p>An edition is also published mounted on cloth, 12s.</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p><b>Comical Creatures from Wurtemberg</b>; from the Stuffed Animals
+in the Great Exhibition. With Twenty Pictures. Square cloth,
+3s. 6d.; or coloured, 6s.</p>
+
+<p><b>Comical People</b>, met with at the Great Exhibition. From
+Drawings by <span class="smcap">J. E. Grandville</span>. With Sixteen Pictures. Small
+4to. 3s. 6d.; or coloured, 6s.</p>
+
+<p>Funny Dogs with Funny Tales. The Dogs from the Pencil of
+<span class="smcap">Harrison Weir</span>. The Tales from the pens of <span class="smcap">Robert B. Brough</span>,
+<span class="smcap">Alfred Elwes</span>, <span class="smcap">James Hannay</span>, and <span class="smcap">Edmund F. Blanchard</span>. Eight
+Illustrations, post 4to. cloth, 6s.</p>
+
+<p><b>Natural History in Stories.</b> By M. S. C. Author of "Little
+Poems for Little People," "Twilight Thoughts," &amp;c. With
+Illustrations by <span class="smcap">Harrison Weir</span>. Small 4to. cloth, 3s. 6d.
+coloured pictures, gilt edges.</p>
+
+<p><b>Merry Tales for Little Folk.</b> Edited by <span class="smcap">Madame de Chatelain</span>.
+An entirely New Edition, with new Frontispiece and binding.
+16mo. cloth, 3s. 6d.</p></div>
+
+<p>&#8258; This volume, illustrated with 200 Pictures, by first-rate
+Artists, contains about Forty of the long-established favourite
+Stories of the Nursery in England and Abroad, re-written or
+re-translated from original Authors, by <span class="smcap">Madame de Chatelain</span>.</p>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p><b>&AElig;sop's Fables.</b> A New Version, chiefly from the Original
+Greek. By the Rev. <span class="smcap">Thomas James, M.A.</span> Illustrated with 100
+Woodcuts, by <span class="smcap">John Tenniel</span>. Twenty-first Edition. Post 8vo.
+cloth extra, 3s. 6d.</p>
+
+<p><b>Arthur's (Little) History of England.</b> By <span class="smcap">Lady Callcott</span>.
+Eighteenth Edition. Woodcuts, 18mo. 2s. 6d.</p>
+
+<p><b>Croker's (Right Hon. J. W.) Stories for Children</b>, Selected
+from the History of England. Fifteenth Edition. Woodcuts,
+16mo. 2s. 6d.</p>
+
+<p><b>Puss in Boots.</b> With 12 Illustrations; for Old and Young. By
+<span class="smcap">Otto Speckter</span>. A New Edition. 16mo. 1s. 6d.</p>
+
+<p><b>The Illustrated Book of Songs for Children.</b> With Thirty
+Illustrations by <span class="smcap">Birket Foster</span>. Small 4to. cloth, gilt
+edges, 3s. 6d.; or 5s. with coloured Pictures.</p>
+
+<p><b>Aunt Effie's Rhymes for Little Children.</b> With Twenty-four
+Illustrations by <span class="smcap">Hablot K. Browne</span>. Small 4to. cloth, gilt
+edges, 4s. 6d.; or 6s. with coloured Pictures.</p></div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p><b>Original Poems for Infant Minds.</b> A New Revised Edition. Two
+Volumes. 18mo. cloth, 1s. 6d.</p>
+
+<p><b>The Ice King.</b> A Tale for Children, showing the Influence of
+Good and Bad Temper. With Eight Illustrations. Second
+Edition. Square, cloth, plain, 3s. 6d.; coloured, 5s.</p>
+
+<p><b>Indestructible Pleasure-Books.</b> Printed in Colours, on
+prepared Cloth. One Shilling each.</p></div>
+
+
+<div class='center'>
+<table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0" summary="">
+<tr><td align='left'>1. LITTLE BO-PEEP</td><td align='left'>7 Pictures.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>2. MOTHER GOOSE</td><td align='left'>7 Pictures.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>3. HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT</td><td align='left'>11 Pictures.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>4. WEDDING OF COCK-ROBIN</td><td align='left'>7 Pictures.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>5. DEATH OF COCK-ROBIN</td><td align='left'>12 Pictures.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>6. OLD MOTHER HUBBARD</td><td align='left'>14 Pictures.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>7. THE CAT AND THE MOUSE</td><td align='left'>7 Pictures.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>8. LIFE AND DEATH OF JENNY WREN</td><td align='left'>8 Pictures.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>9. OLD WOMAN AND HER PIG</td><td align='left'>7 Pictures.</td></tr>
+<tr><td align='left'>10. LITTLE MAN AND LITTLE MAID</td><td align='left'>7 Pictures.</td></tr>
+</table></div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p><b>Indestructible Pleasure-Books.</b> <span class="smcap">First Series</span> comprising Parts
+1 to 5, strongly bound in One Volume. With Forty-five
+coloured Pictures, 5s.</p>
+
+<p><b>Indestructible Pleasure-Books.</b> <span class="smcap">Second Series</span> comprising
+Parts 6 to 10, strongly bound in One Volume. With Forty-five
+coloured Pictures, 5s.</p>
+
+<p><b>Maja's Lesson-Books.</b> With numerous Coloured Pictures In Four
+Parts, price 1s. each, coloured.</p></div>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i4">1. Maja's Alphabet.<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">2. Maja's Primer.<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">3. Maja's Spelling-Book.<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">4. Maja's Reading-Book.<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<div class="blockquot"><p><b>Mavor's Primer.</b> Illustrated with Thirty-eight Engravings by
+<span class="smcap">John Gilbert</span>. Coloured pictures, 1s.</p>
+
+<p><b>Schnorr's Bible Pictures.</b> Scripture History Illustrated in a
+Series of Woodcuts from original Designs by <span class="smcap">Julius Schnorr</span>.
+Imperial 4to. cloth, 15s.</p>
+
+<p><b>The Pictorial Sunday Book.</b> By Dr. <span class="smcap">Kitto</span>. Illustrated by 1303
+Illustrations and 13 coloured Maps, folio, cloth gilt. 18s.</p>
+
+<p><b>The Pictorial Museum of Animated Nature.</b> By <span class="smcap">Charles Knight</span>.
+With very many Illustrations. Two Volumes, folio, cloth
+gilt, &pound;1. 4s.</p>
+
+<p><b>The Pictorial Gallery of Arts</b>, both Useful and Fine Arts. By
+<span class="smcap">Charles Knight</span>. With about 4000 engravings, 2 vols. folio,
+cloth gilt, &pound;1. 1s.</p></div>
+
+<p class="center">
+W. H. DALTON, BOOKSELLER TO THE QUEEN,<br />
+28, COCKSPUR STREET, CHARING CROSS.<br />
+</p>
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<pre>
+
+
+
+
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+</body>
+</html>
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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Thousand and One Days, by Julia Pardoe
+
+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: The Thousand and One Days
+       A Companion to the 'Arabian Nights'
+
+Author: Julia Pardoe
+
+Release Date: June 2, 2011 [EBook #36301]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE THOUSAND AND ONE DAYS ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Julia Miller, Josephine Paolucci and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net. (This
+file was produced from images generously made available
+by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+The Thousand and One Days;
+
+A COMPANION TO THE
+
+"_Arabian Nights._"
+
+WITH INTRODUCTION BY MISS PARDOE.
+
+[Illustration: P. 113.]
+
+LONDON:
+WILLIAM LAY, KING WILLIAM STREET, STRAND.
+1857.
+
+
+
+
+INTRODUCTION.
+
+
+The Compiler of the graceful little volume which I have the pleasure
+of introducing to the public, has conferred an undeniable benefit upon
+the youth of England by presenting to them a collection of Oriental
+Tales, which, rich in the elements of interest and entertainment, are
+nevertheless entirely free from the licentiousness which renders so
+many of the fictions of the East, beautiful and brilliant as they are,
+most objectionable for young and ardent minds. There is indeed no lack
+of the wonderful in the pages before us, any more than in the Arabian
+and Persian Tales already so well known: but it will be seen that the
+supernatural agency in the narratives is used as a means to work out
+totally different results. There is, in truth, scarcely one of these
+Tales which does not inculcate a valuable moral lesson; as may be seen
+by reference to "The Powder of Longevity," "The Old Camel," and "The
+Story of the Dervise Abounadar" among several, others.
+
+The present collection of Eastern Stories has been principally derived
+from the works of different Oriental Scholars on the Continent, and
+little doubt can be entertained of the genuineness of their origin;
+while they have been carefully selected, and do honour to the good
+taste of their Compiler. An acknowledgment is also due to him for his
+adherence to the good old orthography to which we have all been
+accustomed from our childhood, in the case of such titles as "Caliph,"
+"Vizier," "Houri," "Genii," &c.; as, however critically correct and
+learned the spelling of Mr. Lane may be in his magnificent version of
+the "Thousand and One Nights," and however appropriate to a work of so
+much research and value to Oriental students, it would have been alike
+fatiguing and out of character to have embarrassed a volume, simply
+intended for the amusement of youthful readers, by a number of hard
+and unfamiliar words, difficult of pronunciation to all save the
+initiated; and for the pleasure of the young requiring translation
+fully as much as the narrative itself.
+
+In one of the Tales there will be at once detected a portion of the
+favourite old story of Aladdin's Lamp, in the subterranean gem-garden
+discovered by the handsome youth; while in another, mention is made
+of the already-familiar legend of the hidden city of Ad, so popular
+among the ancient Arabs[1]; but these repetitions will cease to create
+any surprise when it is remembered that the professional story-tellers
+of the East are a wandering race, who travel from city to city,
+exhibiting their talent during seasons of festivity, in the palaces of
+the wealthy and the public coffee-houses. Those admitted to the
+women's apartments are universally aged crones, whose volubility is
+something marvellous; and they are always welcome guests to the
+indolent beauties, who listen to them for hours together without a
+symptom of weariness, as they pour forth their narratives in a
+monotonous voice strangely displeasing to European ears. The men,
+while reciting their tales, indulge in violent gesticulations and
+contortions of the body, which appear to produce great delight in
+their audience. Since they generally travel two or three in company;
+and, save in rare cases of improvisation, their stock of narrative is
+common to all, it is their ambition so individually to embellish,
+heighten, and amplify their subject-matter, as to outshine their
+competitors; and it is consequently to this cause that the numerous
+variations of the same Tale which have reached Europe must be
+attributed.
+
+Taken altogether, there can be no doubt that the "Thousand and One
+Days" merit the warm welcome which I trust awaits them.
+
+J. P.
+
+LONDON, FEB. 1857.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS.
+
+
+I.
+                                                             PAGE
+HASSAN ABDALLAH, OR THE ENCHANTED KEYS                          1
+  Story of Hassan                                               7
+  Story of the Basket-Maker                                    11
+  Story of the Dervise Abounadar                               21
+  Conclusion of the Story of Hassan                            29
+
+
+II.
+
+SOLIMAN BEY AND THE THREE STORY TELLERS                        46
+  First Story Teller                                           47
+  Second Story Teller                                          49
+  Third Story Teller                                           55
+
+
+III.
+
+PRINCE KHALAF AND THE PRINCESS OF CHINA                        58
+  Story of Prince Al Abbas                                     67
+  Continuation of Prince Khalaf and the Princess of China      99
+  Story of Lin-in                                             106
+  Story of Prince Khalaf concluded                            126
+
+
+IV.
+
+THE WISE DEY                                                  178
+
+
+V.
+
+THE TUNISIAN SAGE                                             190
+
+
+VI.
+
+THE NOSE FOR GOLD                                             203
+
+
+VII.
+
+THE TREASURES OF BASRA                                        215
+  History of Aboulcassem                                      223
+  Conclusion of the Treasures of Basra                        230
+
+
+VIII.
+
+THE OLD CAMEL                                                250
+
+
+IX.
+
+THE STORY OF MEDJEDDIN                                       263
+
+
+X.
+
+KING BEDREDDIN-LOLO AND HIS VIZIR                             299
+  Story of the Old Slippers                                   300
+  Story of Atalmulc the Sorrowful                             305
+  Continuation of King Bedreddin-Lolo and his Vizir           338
+  Story of Malek and the Princess Schirine                    340
+  Conclusion                                                  358
+
+[Illustration]
+
+
+
+
+THE "THOUSAND AND ONE DAYS;"
+
+OR,
+
+ARABIAN TALES.
+
+
+
+
+I.
+
+THE STORY OF HASSAN ABDALLAH; OR, THE ENCHANTED KEYS.
+
+
+Theilon, caliph of Egypt, died, after having bequeathed his power to
+his son, Mohammed, who, like a wise and good prince, proceeded to root
+out abuses, and finally caused peace and justice to flourish
+throughout his dominions. Instead of oppressing his people by new
+taxes, he employed the treasures, which his father had amassed by
+violence, in supporting learned men, rewarding the brave, and
+assisting the unfortunate. Every thing succeeded under his happy sway;
+the risings of the Nile were regular and abundant; every year the soil
+produced rich harvests; and commerce, honoured and protected, caused
+the gold of foreign nations to flow abundantly into the ports of
+Egypt.
+
+Mohammed determined, one day, to take the census of the officers of
+his army, and of all the persons in public situations whose salaries
+were paid out of the treasury. The vizirs, to the number of forty,
+first made their appearance and knelt in succession before the
+sovereign. They were, for the most part, men venerable from their age,
+and some of them had long beards of snowy whiteness. They all wore on
+their heads tiaras of gold, enriched with precious stones, and carried
+in their hands long staves as badges of their power. One enumerated
+the battles in which he had been engaged, and the honourable wounds he
+had received; another recounted the long and laborious studies he had
+pursued, in order to render himself master of the various sciences,
+and to qualify himself to serve the state by his wisdom and knowledge.
+
+After the vizirs, came the governors of provinces, the generals, and
+the great officers of the army; and next to them the civil
+magistrates, and all who were entrusted with the preservation of the
+peace and the awarding of justice. Behind these walked the public
+executioner, who, although stout and well-fed, like a man who had
+nothing to do, went along as if depressed with grief, and instead of
+carrying his sword naked on his shoulder, he kept it in its scabbard.
+When he came into the presence of the prince, he threw himself at his
+feet, and exclaimed, "O mighty prince, the day of justice and of
+munificence is at last about to dawn on me! Since the death of the
+terrible Theilon, under whose reign my life was happy and my condition
+prosperous, I have seen my occupation and its emoluments diminish
+daily. If Egypt continue thus to live in peace and plenty, I shall run
+great danger of perishing with hunger, and my family will be brought
+to misery and ruin."
+
+Mohammed listened in silence to the complaints of the headsman, and
+acknowledged that there was some foundation for them, for his salary
+was small, and the chief part of his profits arose from what he
+obtained from criminals, either by way of gift, or as a rightful fee.
+In times of trouble, quarrelling, and violence, he had lived, in
+fact, in a state of ease and affluence, while now, under the present
+prosperous reign, he had nothing better than the prospect of beggary
+before him.
+
+"Is it then true," exclaimed the caliph, "that the happiness of all is
+a dream? that what is joy to one, may be the cause of grief to
+another? O executioner, fear not as to your fate! May it, indeed,
+please God that, under my reign, your sword,--which is almost as often
+an instrument of vengeance as of justice,--may remain useless and
+covered with rust. But, in order to enable you to provide for the
+wants of yourself and your family, without the unhappy necessity of
+exercising your fatal office, you shall receive every year the sum of
+two hundred dinars."
+
+In this way all the officers and servants of the palace passed before
+the notice of the prince; he interrogated each on the nature of his
+occupation and his past services, on his means of existence, and on
+the salary which he received. When he found that any one held a
+situation of a painful and difficult nature, for which he was
+inadequately remunerated, the caliph diminished his duties and
+increased his pay; and, on the other hand, when he found the contrary
+to be the case, he lessened the salary and increased the duties of the
+office. After having, in this way, performed many acts of wisdom and
+justice, the caliph observed, among the officers of the civil service,
+a sheik, whose wrinkled countenance and stooping figure indicated his
+great age. The caliph called him up, in order to inquire what was his
+employment in the palace, and the sum which it yielded him.
+
+"Prince," the old man replied, "my only employment is to take care of
+a chest that was committed to my charge by your father, the late
+caliph, and for attending to which he allowed me ten pieces of gold a
+month."
+
+"It seems to me," replied Mohammed, "that the reward is great for so
+slight a service. Pray what are the contents of this chest?"
+
+"I received it," replied the sheik, "in charge forty years ago, and I
+solemnly swear to you that I know not what it contains."
+
+The caliph commanded the chest to be brought to him, which was of pure
+gold, and most richly adorned. The old man opened it. It contained a
+manuscript written in brilliant characters on the skin of a gazelle,
+painted purple and sprinkled with a red dust. Neither the prince,
+however, nor his ministers, nor the ulemas who were present, could
+decipher the writing. By the caliph's order, the wise men of Egypt
+were summoned, as well as others from Syria, Persia, and India, but to
+no purpose; not one was able to interpret the mysterious characters.
+The book remained open for a long time, exposed to the gaze of all,
+and a great reward was offered to any one who could bring forward a
+person of sufficient learning to read it.
+
+Some time after this, a savant who had left Egypt in the reign of
+Theilon, and had now returned after a long absence, chanced to hear of
+the mysterious book, and said that he knew what it was, and could
+explain its history. The caliph immediately admitted him to an
+audience, and the old man addressed him as follows:
+
+"O sovereign ruler, may the Almighty prolong your days! Only one man
+can read this book, its rightful master, the sheik Hassan Abdallah,
+son of El-Achaar. This man had travelled through many lands, and
+penetrated into the mysterious city of Aram, built on columns, from
+which he brought this book, which no one but himself could read. He
+made use of it in his experiments in alchemy, and by its aid he could
+transmute the most worthless metals into gold. The caliph Theilon,
+your father, having learned this, commanded the sage to be brought
+before him, with a view of compelling him to reveal the secret of his
+knowledge. Hassan Abdallah refused to do so, for fear of putting into
+the hands of the unjust an instrument of such terrible power; and the
+prince, in a rage, laid hold of the chest, and ordered the sage to be
+thrown into prison, where he still remains, unless he has died since
+that time, which is forty years ago."
+
+On hearing this, Mohammed immediately despatched his officers to visit
+the prisons, and, on their return, learned with pleasure that Hassan
+was still alive. The caliph ordered him to be brought forth and
+arrayed in a dress of honour; and, on his appearing in the audience
+chamber, the prince made him sit down beside him, and begged him to
+forgive the unjust treatment which his father had caused him to
+undergo. He then told him how he had accidentally discovered that he
+was still alive; and at last, placing the mysterious book before him,
+said,
+
+"Old man, if this book could make me the owner of all the treasures of
+the world, I would not consent to possess it, since it only belongs to
+me by injustice and violence."
+
+On hearing these words, Hassan burst into tears.
+
+"O God," he exclaimed, "all wisdom proceeds from Thee! Thou causest to
+arise from the same soil the poisonous and the wholesome plant. Every
+where good is placed by the side of evil. This prince, the support of
+the feeble, the defender of the oppressed, who has conferred on me the
+happiness of spending my remaining years in the light of day, is the
+son of the tyrant who plunged Egypt in mourning, and who kept me for
+forty years in a loathsome dungeon. Prince," added the old man,
+addressing Mohammed, "what I refused to the wrath of your father, I
+willingly grant to your virtues: this book contains the precepts of
+the true science, and I bless Heaven that I have lived long enough to
+teach it to you. I have often risked my life to become the master of
+this wonderful book, which was the only article of value that I
+brought from Aram, that city into which no man can enter who is not
+assisted by Heaven."
+
+The caliph embraced the old man, and, calling him his father, begged
+him to relate what he had seen in the city of Aram.
+
+"Prince," replied Hassan, "it is a long story, as long, nearly, as my
+whole life."
+
+He then proceeded as follows.
+
+[Illustration: Story of the Enchanted Keys, p. 7.]
+
+
+THE STORY OF HASSAN ABDALLAH.
+
+I am the only son of one of the richest inhabitants of Egypt. My
+father, who was a man of extensive knowledge, employed my youth in the
+study of science; and at twenty years of age I was already honourably
+mentioned among the ulemas, when my father bestowed a young maiden on
+me as my wife, with eyes brilliant as the stars, and with a form
+elegant and light as that of the gazelle. My nuptials were
+magnificent, and my days flowed on in peace and happiness. I lived
+thus for ten years, when at last this beautiful dream vanished. It
+pleased Heaven to afflict me with every kind of misfortune: the plague
+deprived me of my father; war destroyed my dear brothers; my house
+fell a prey to the flames; my richly-laden ships were buried beneath
+the waves. Reduced to misery and want, my only resource was in the
+mercy of God and the compassion of the faithful whom I met while I
+frequented the mosques. My sufferings, from my own wretched state of
+poverty, and that of my wife and children, were cruel indeed. One day
+when I had not received any charitable donations, my wife, weeping,
+took some of my clothes, and gave them to me in order to sell them at
+the bazaar. On the way thither I met an Arab of the desert, mounted on
+a red camel. He greeted me, and said,
+
+"Peace be with you, my brother! Can you tell me where the sheik Hassan
+Abdallah, the son of El-Achaar, resides in the city?"
+
+Being ashamed of my poverty, and thinking I was not known, I replied,
+
+"There is no man at Cairo of that name."
+
+"God is great!" exclaimed the Arab; "are you not Hassan Abdallah, and
+can you send away your guest by concealing your name?"
+
+Greatly confused, I then begged him to forgive me, and laid hold of
+his hands to kiss them, which he would not permit me to do, and I then
+accompanied him to my house. On the way there I was tormented by the
+reflection that I had nothing to set before him; and when I reached
+home I informed my wife of the meeting I had just had.
+
+"The stranger is sent by God," said she; "and even the children's
+bread shall be his. Go, sell the clothes which I gave you; buy some
+food for our guest with the money, and if any thing should remain
+over, we will partake of it ourselves."
+
+In going out it was necessary that I should pass through the apartment
+where the Arab was. As I concealed the clothes, he said to me, "My
+brother, what have you got there hid under your cloak?"
+
+I replied that it was my wife's dress, which I was carrying to the
+tailor.
+
+"Show it to me," he said. I showed it to him, blushing.
+
+"O merciful God," he exclaimed, "you are going to sell it in order to
+get money to enable you to be hospitable towards me! Stop, Hassan!
+here are ten pieces of gold; spend them in buying what is needful for
+our own wants and for those of your family."
+
+I obeyed, and plenty and happiness seemed to revisit my abode. Every
+day the Arab gave me the same sum, which, according to his orders, I
+spent in the same way; and this continued for fifteen days. On the
+sixteenth day my guest, after chatting on indifferent matters, said to
+me, "Hassan, would you like to sell yourself to me?"
+
+"My lord," I replied, "I am already yours by gratitude."
+
+"No," he replied, "that is not what I mean; I wish to make you my
+property, and you shall fix the price yourself."
+
+Thinking he was joking, I replied, "The price of a freeman is one
+thousand dinars if he is killed at a single blow; but if many wounds
+are inflicted upon him, or if he should be cut in many pieces, the
+price is then one thousand five hundred dinars."
+
+"Very well," answered my guest, "I will pay you this last-mentioned
+sum if you will consent to the bargain."
+
+When I saw that he was speaking seriously, I asked for time in order
+to consult my family.
+
+"Do so," he replied, and then went out to look after some affairs in
+the city.
+
+When I related the strange proposal of my guest, my mother said, "What
+can this man want to do with you?" The children all clung to me, and
+wept. My wife, who was a wise and prudent woman, remarked,
+
+"This detestable stranger wants, perhaps, to get back what he has
+spent here. You have nothing but this wretched house, sell it, and
+give him the money, but don't sell yourself."
+
+I passed the rest of the day and the following night in reflection,
+and was in a state of great uncertainty. With the sum offered by the
+stranger I could at least secure bread for my family. But why wish to
+purchase me? What could he intend to do? Before next morning, however,
+I had come to a decision. I went to the Arab and said, "I am yours."
+Untying his sash, he took out one thousand five hundred gold pieces,
+and giving them to me, said, "Fear not, my brother, I have no designs
+against either your life or your liberty; I only wish to secure a
+faithful companion during a long journey which I am about to
+undertake."
+
+Overwhelmed with joy, I ran with the money to my wife and mother; but
+they, without listening to my explanations, began weeping and crying
+as if they were lamenting for the dead.
+
+"It is the price of flesh and blood," they exclaimed; "neither we nor
+our children will eat bread procured at such a cost!"
+
+By dint of argument, however, I succeeded at length in subduing their
+grief; and having embraced them, together with my children, I set out
+to meet my new master.
+
+By order of the Arab I purchased a camel renowned for its speed, at
+the price of a hundred drachms; I filled our sacks with food
+sufficient for a long period; and then, mounting our camels, we
+proceeded on our journey.
+
+We soon reached the desert. Here no traces of travellers were to be
+seen, for the wind effaced them continually from the surface of the
+moving sand. The Arab was guided in his course by indications known
+only to himself. We travelled thus together for five days under a
+burning sun; each day seemed longer to me than a night of suffering or
+of fear. My master, who was of a lively disposition, kept up my
+courage by tales which I remember even now with pleasure after forty
+years of anguish; and you will forgive an old man for not being able
+to resist the pleasure of relating some of them to you. The following
+story, he said, had been recounted to him by the basket-maker himself,
+a poor man whom he had found in prison, and whom he had charitably
+found means to release.
+
+
+THE STORY OF THE BASKET-MAKER.
+
+I was born of poor and honest parents; and my father, who was a
+basket-maker by trade, taught me to plait all kinds of baskets. So
+long as I had only myself to care for, I lived tolerably well on the
+produce of my labour; but when I reached twenty years of age, and took
+a wife, who in a few years presented me with several children, my
+gains proved insufficient to maintain my family. A basket-maker earns
+but little; one day he gets a drachm, the next he may get two, or
+perhaps only half a drachm. In this state of things I and my children
+had often to endure the pangs of hunger.
+
+One day it happened that I had just finished a large basket; it was
+well and strongly made, and I hoped to obtain at least three drachms
+for it. I took it to the bazaar and through all the streets, but no
+purchaser appeared. Night came on and I went home. When my wife and
+children saw me return without any food, they began to cry and to ask
+for bread, but as I had none to give them, I could only weep with
+them: the night was long and sorrowful. At daybreak my wife awoke me,
+saying, "Go, and sell the basket at any price you can get for it, were
+it only half a drachm." I set out, and perambulated the streets and
+squares, but night came on again without my finding a purchaser. My
+wife burst out into a great rage. "What!" she said, "do you still
+bring back this basket? Do you wish to see us die with hunger?"
+
+I assured her that I had tried every means, but in vain, to sell the
+basket. She then took some articles of her own, and told me to go and
+sell them, and procure some bread for the children. I did as she said,
+and my famished family partook of a miserable repast, which my
+depressed state of mind prevented me from sharing with them. I slept
+little that night; and as soon as it was day I performed my devotions,
+and prayed to God to come to my assistance. I then went out again with
+my unsaleable basket, with which I made many weary and fruitless
+rounds through the whole city. At noon, overwhelmed with fatigue and
+famished with hunger, I sat down at the door of a mosque, where the
+voice of the muezzim was calling the faithful to prayer. I entered to
+implore of God's goodness that I might be able, by his assistance, to
+sell the basket. Prayer being ended, the faithful left the mosque, and
+I found myself alone with a venerable Persian, named Saadi, who seemed
+lost in contemplation. Rising to go away, he passed near me, and
+noticing how pale I was, he said, "Friend, you are too much addicted
+to wine, and your health suffers from it."
+
+"My lord," I replied, "do not believe it; I have never tasted wine; my
+weakness and paleness arise from my not having had any food for the
+last two days."
+
+I then related to him my life, my occupation, and my wretched state.
+Whilst listening to me the stranger shed tears; and when I had
+finished speaking, he said, "God be praised, my brother! for I can put
+an end to your troubles: take this," putting a purse of gold into my
+hands; "run to the market, and buy meat, bread, and fruits for the
+refreshment of yourself and family. What I have given you will last
+you for a year to come; and in exchange, I only ask you to meet me
+here, at the same day and hour, every year." So saying, he departed.
+
+I could scarcely think but that I had been dreaming; the purse,
+however, proved that I was indeed awake. I opened it, and found in it
+a hundred pieces of gold! Overjoyed, I ran to the bazaar, and, in
+pursuance of the orders of the benevolent donor, I purchased enough,
+not only to satisfy the calls of hunger, but also food of such a
+nourishing nature, as had never entered my house before. The whole I
+put into my basket, and hastened to return home. Having reached the
+door, I listened, being curious to know what was going on. My children
+were uttering lamentations, and their mother was endeavouring to quiet
+them by repeating, for the hundredth time, her advice, to be quiet,
+and not to weep, for that their father would be sure to return with
+something to eat. I then entered the room, exclaiming, that God had
+heard them, and had sent them a plentiful supply for a long time to
+come. But when I showed them the purse and its contents, my wife
+shouted out, "What! have you then killed and robbed some one? Are we
+to become the object of the inquiries and suspicions of the police?"
+
+I then related my fortunate meeting with the old man, and while
+embracing me with tears of joy, and a conscience at ease, my family
+partook, with me, of a plentiful repast, at the same time invoking
+blessings on our unknown benefactor.
+
+For a whole year I lived happily in this manner. The day fixed upon by
+the stranger having arrived, I went to the mosque, after having
+attired myself in a becoming manner. The Persian came and seated
+himself beside me. When prayers were ended, and all the worshippers
+had departed, he turned towards me and said, with a smiling look,
+
+"O my brother! how has the time passed with you since our last
+interview?"
+
+"Thanks to your generosity, my lord," I replied, "my life has been
+spent in a tranquil and happy manner."
+
+The stranger then questioned me as to my courage, address, and love
+of travelling; and to all his questions I replied in a satisfactory
+manner, and, in my turn, asked him if I could be of any service to
+him.
+
+"Noureddin," he replied, "I intend setting out on a journey, and I
+wish you to accompany me as my servant. I shall employ you in a
+respectable and becoming manner; and if you show yourself obedient and
+devoted to my interests, you will have no reason to repent it. The
+journey will last two months; look, here are thirty dinars; buy
+provisions, that your family may want for nothing during your absence.
+In eight days you must bid adieu to your wife and children, and come
+to meet me here, bringing a supply of rice and dates, and arming
+yourself with a yatagan, to defend yourself in case of our being
+attacked."
+
+I then went to my wife, and told her what the stranger required of me.
+"He is our benefactor," she replied; "it is your duty to obey him." I
+spent the eight days in laying in a store of food for my family and
+for the journey, and on the appointed day, after embracing my wife and
+children, I went to the mosque, where I found the Persian. The muezzim
+having proclaimed the hour of prayer, we joined in it; and afterwards
+I followed him to a desert place, where were two fine horses well
+harnessed and yoked, which we unloosed and mounted, and then set out
+on our journey.
+
+After having traversed deserts and mountains during a whole month, we
+arrived at a fertile plain, watered by a fine river, whose peaceful
+and limpid waters winding about a thick forest, formed it into
+peninsula: a pavilion, with a golden cupola, seemed to rise out of
+this mass of verdure, and shone in the sun's rays as if it had been on
+fire.
+
+[Illustration: The Pavilion with the golden cupola, p. 14]
+
+The Persian now said to me, "Noureddin, enter this forest, and give me
+an account of what you see." I obeyed, but I had scarcely walked an
+hour, when I saw two huge lions with manes erect. Seized with alarm, I
+drew back, and running away reached my master out of breath, who only
+laughed at my fears, and assured me that I was needlessly afraid of
+the monsters. He wanted me to return, but I refused, and he was
+obliged to come back along with me. Having approached the lions, the
+Persian charmed them by some magical words, on which they became as
+submissive as lambs, remained motionless, and permitted us to pass. We
+journeyed on for many hours in the recesses of the forest, meeting, to
+my great dread, with what appeared to be troops of horsemen, sword in
+hand, and giants, armed with clubs, ready to strike us. All these
+fantastic beings disappeared at the sight of my master, and we reached
+at last the pavilion which crowned the forest.
+
+My master then said to me, "Go, Noureddin, to this pavilion; remove
+the belt of iron chains which fastens the gates, while I go and pray
+to the great Solomon to be propitious to our enterprise." I did as he
+commanded me; but when I let the chains fall, a frightful noise was
+heard, which made the earth shake under my feet. More dead than alive,
+I returned to the Persian, who, having finished his prayer, entered
+the pavilion. At the end of an hour he came out, bringing a book with
+him written in the sacred language. He began to read it; and when he
+had finished, with his countenance radiant with delight he exclaimed,
+"O thrice fortunate Saadi! thou possessest at last this holy
+book,--the sum of wisdom, the mirror of the good and the terror of the
+wicked! May the perusal of this garden of roses lead the children of
+Adam back to that original innocence from which they have so fatally
+departed! Hearken to these maxims and sentences, worthy to be the
+guides of mankind from the shepherd to the king:--
+
+     'He who learns the rules of wisdom without conforming his
+     life to them, is like the man who tills his field but never
+     sows any seed therein.
+
+     'Virtue does not consist in acquiring the riches of this
+     world, but in attaching all hearts by benefits and good
+     offices.
+
+     'If you are insensible to the sufferings of the unfortunate,
+     you do not deserve the name of a man.
+
+     'It is better to be loaded with chains for having told the
+     truth, than to be freed from them by means of a lie.
+
+     'A wicked person that accuses you of licentiousness should
+     be made to blush, in his turn, by your virtues and your
+     innocence.
+
+     'Man should remember that he is born of the earth, and that
+     his pride will one day come to an end in it.
+
+     'Crystal is found every where; but nothing is more rare than
+     the diamond, and hence the difference in their value.
+
+     'Instruction only bears fruit in so far as it is assisted by
+     your own endeavours.
+
+     'The discipline of the master is of greater benefit to the
+     child than the indulgence of the father.
+
+     'So long as the tree is young it is easy to fashion it as
+     you please; but when it has been permitted to grow, nothing
+     but fire can straighten it.
+
+     'Woe to the man of might, who devours the substance of the
+     people! At last some dire calamity will, of a surety,
+     overtake him.
+
+     'The most awful spectacle at the day of judgment will be,
+     says the prophet, to see pious slaves in paradise, and hard
+     and merciless masters in hell.
+
+     'Do you ask whether the ant beneath your feet has a right to
+     complain? Yes; just as much right as you would have if
+     crushed to atoms by an elephant.
+
+     'Encouragement towards the wicked is a wrong done to the
+     good; and the severest attack on virtue is to be indulgent
+     to crime.
+
+     'The perpetrator of an unjust action dies, but his memory is
+     held in everlasting abhorrence. The just man dies, and his
+     good actions bear fruit unto eternity.
+
+     'Be assured that thou wilt be rewarded if thine actions are
+     good, whether thou wearest the dress of the dervise or the
+     crown of the king.
+
+     'Would a king have nothing to fear from his enemies, let him
+     live in peace with his subjects.
+
+     'O my brother! the world forsakes us all. Fix thy heart on
+     the Creator of the universe, and all will be well with thee.
+
+     'What signifies it, whether we die in a stable or on a
+     throne?
+
+     'At your morning and evening prayer be able to say, Almighty
+     God, be pleased to remember Thy servant, who has never
+     forgotten Thee!'
+
+"My ambition is satisfied," resumed the Persian, "by the possession of
+this book; but a fortune of that description would be no fortune to
+you, Noureddin. You stand in need of a material treasure; and this
+sacred volume tells me where we ought to look for it. Quick! Mount
+your steed, and let us proceed so long as Solomon favours us." Leaping
+into our saddles, therefore, we set off at full gallop, and entering
+the desert, journeyed thus for two days and a night.
+
+On the evening of the second day we arrived at a city situated on a
+high mountain, and surrounded with white walls which shone like
+silver. We passed the night under the trees of an adjoining wood; and
+next day, having offered up our prayers, looked about for some way of
+entering the city, the gates of which were shut, and within which
+there reigned a perfect stillness. My master went round the walls, and
+in his examination of them he discovered a stone slab, in which was
+fastened an iron ring. We endeavoured to move the slab, but could not.
+The Persian then ordered me to take the horses and to fasten them to
+the ring with our sashes; and by this means we succeeded in removing
+the stone, which discovered the entrance to a subterraneous passage.
+My master said to me, "Noureddin, follow me; by this passage we shall
+get into the city." On leaving the subterraneous passage we heard a
+noise like that which might be produced by the loud puffing of the
+bellows of a forge, and we supposed for a moment that the city was
+inhabited. This strange noise was nothing else than the hissing of two
+winged serpents, which advanced towards us at a frightful pace. With
+the sacred book in his hand the Persian advanced to meet them, and
+with one touch of this talisman laid them prostrate on the ground.
+
+This obstacle being overcome, we traversed the whole city, admiring
+its squares, houses, mosques, and palaces. But what had become of the
+inhabitants? By what scourge had they been cut off, or what reason had
+induced them to quit so beautiful a city? How long ago was it
+inhabited? My mind was lost in conjectures about what seemed so far
+beyond my comprehension, and my master made no reply to the questions
+which I addressed to him. At length we stopped at the open railing of
+some gardens surrounding an enormous palace, which surpassed all that
+the imagination could conceive. Bushy thickets; orchards covered with
+flowers and fruits; enamelled meads, watered by murmuring streams;
+parterres planted with the rarest and most variegated flowers, every
+where met the eye. The Persian sat down under the shadow of a tree,
+opened the book, and commenced reading, and when he had finished
+ordered me to enter the palace. I reached it by a staircase that could
+only have been constructed by the hands of genii; it was formed of the
+most rare and costly marble, as were also the statues which were
+placed at the sides. After having walked through many spacious and
+magnificent apartments richly adorned, I entered a subterranean hall,
+still larger and more splendid. A hundred crystal lustres, brilliant
+with gold and precious stones, and lit up with thousands of
+wax-lights, shed a refulgence more dazzling than the day. Its walls
+were covered with paintings, in which the spirit of evil strove in
+vain for the mastery over the spirit of good, and a long series of the
+statues of justly-renowned dead princes were ranged all around. Vacant
+pedestals, waiting to receive monarchs still living, whose names were
+inscribed on them, were also to be seen. In the centre of this
+subterranean apartment, a throne of gold arose, incrusted with pearls
+and rubies. On this throne an old man was reposing, with a countenance
+pale as death, but whose open eyes shone with a supernatural
+brilliancy. I saluted him respectfully, but he made no gesture. I
+spoke to him, and he made no reply. Seized with astonishment and fear,
+I returned to my master and told him what I had seen.
+
+"God be praised!" he said, "we are now near the end of our
+enterprise. Return, Noureddin, to the old man; go up to him
+fearlessly, and bring to me the chest on which his head rests."
+
+I obeyed, and on my return to the subterranean hall I drew near to the
+throne, to which three silver steps led up. When I placed my foot on
+the first step the old man stood up; in spite of my surprise I
+ascended the second step, when, seizing a bow, he placed a
+keen-pointed arrow in it, and aimed it at me. Without any
+consideration of my benefactor's orders, I jumped backwards and took
+to flight anew. When the Arab saw me, he said, "Is this what you
+promised me? cowardly man, come with me, and you will find inestimable
+riches!" I then conducted him to the place where the old man was to be
+found. When my master was near the throne, he ascended the first step,
+and the old man arose; at the second step he took his bow and arrow;
+and at the third he shot it at my master, who received it on the
+sacred book, from which it rebounded as from a steel cuirass, and fell
+broken on the ground. The old man fell back motionless on the throne,
+and his eyes ceased to shine. My master then laid hold of the
+mysterious chest of which he had spoken to me, and took from it the
+magic key which opened subterranean recesses where heaps of pearls,
+diamonds, and rubies were deposited. The Persian allowed me to take as
+much as I pleased. I filled my trousers and the folds of my robe and
+turban with the finest pearls, the largest diamonds, and many other
+kinds of precious stones. As Saadi the Wise passed by all these
+treasures without looking at them, I said to him, "O my lord, why do
+you leave here all this wealth, and take away with you, as the reward
+of so many fatigues, an article of so little value? The book of wisdom
+is now useless; what man is there who does not think himself wise?"
+
+"My son," replied the old man, "I am near the end of my career, and my
+life has been spent in the search after true wisdom. If I have done
+nothing to improve mankind, God, when I appear before Him, will
+reckon with me not only for the evil I shall have done, but also for
+the good I may have neglected to do. As for you, who have a wife and
+children, I approve of your wishing to provide for their future
+condition."
+
+We left the enchanted city and its treasures, which I greatly
+regretted not being able to carry away. When we reached the open
+country, I looked back to gaze upon the palace and city, but they had
+disappeared, at which I expressed my astonishment to my master, who
+replied, "Noureddin, do not seek to fathom the mysteries of knowledge,
+but be contented to rejoice with me at the success of our journey." We
+then directed our faces towards Bagdad, and at the end of a short time
+arrived there, without meeting with any thing else worth relating. My
+family were rejoiced at my return and at the good fortune I had so
+unexpectedly met with. The old man abode with us for some time, which
+he employed in reading the Gulistan and in giving me useful counsels
+as to my future conduct.
+
+"Noureddin," he said, "you are the possessor of great wealth; know how
+to make a good use of it; always remember the wretched condition in
+which I found you in the mosque; beware of bad company and pretended
+friends and flatterers; avoid covetousness, and be charitable toward
+the poor; remember the uncertainty of riches, and how Providence often
+punishes those who give way to ingratitude and pride." Besides his
+good advice, he would often relate to me instructive histories by way
+of example, and I shall not tire you too much if I repeat one of them
+to you.
+
+
+THE STORY OF THE DERVISE ABOUNADAR.
+
+A dervise, venerable from his age, fell ill at the house of a woman
+who was a widow, and who lived in a state of great poverty in the
+outskirts of Balsora. He was so affected by the care and zeal with
+which she had nursed him, that at the time of his departure he said to
+her, "I have noticed that your means are sufficient for yourself
+alone, and are not adequate for the additional support of your only
+son, the young Mujahid; but if you will entrust him to my care, I will
+do my utmost to repay through him the obligations which I am under to
+your care."
+
+The good woman received the proposal with pleasure, and the dervise
+took his departure with the young man, stating, at the same time, that
+they were to be absent two years on a journey. While travelling in
+various countries the widow's son lived in opulence with his
+protector, who gave him excellent instructions, attended to him in a
+dangerous illness which he had, and, in short, treated him in every
+respect as if he had been his only son. Mujahid often said how
+grateful he was for such kindness, and the old man's constant reply
+was, "My son, gratitude is shown by actions, not words; at the proper
+time and place we shall see how you estimate my conduct towards you."
+
+One day, in their journeyings, they reached a place out of the beaten
+road, and the dervise said to Abdallah, "We are now at the end of our
+travels; I am about to cause the earth to open and allow you to enter
+a place where you will find one of the greatest treasures in the bosom
+of the globe; have you courage sufficient to descend into this
+subterranean recess?" Mujahid declared that he might be depended upon
+for his obedience and zeal. The dervise then lighted a small fire,
+into which he threw some perfumes, and when he had pronounced some
+prayers the earth opened, and the dervise said to the young man, "You
+can now enter; remember that it is in your power to render me a great
+service, and that the present occasion is perhaps the only one when
+you can prove to me that you are not ungrateful. Do not allow yourself
+to be dazzled by all the wealth which you will find, but think only of
+getting possession of an iron chandelier with twelve branches which
+you will see near a door; lose no time in bringing it to me." The
+youth promised to attend to all that was required of him, and plunged
+into the subterraneous recess full of confidence in himself.
+Forgetting, however, what had been so expressly enjoined upon him,
+while he was busy filling his pockets with the gold and diamonds
+spread around in prodigious quantities, the entrance by which he had
+descended was closed. He had, however, the presence of mind to lay
+hold of the iron chandelier which the dervise had urged him to bring
+away; and although he was now, by the closing of the entrance, placed
+in circumstances which were enough to appal a stouter heart, he did
+not abandon himself to despair. While trying to discover some way of
+escape from a place which was likely otherwise to be his grave, he saw
+but too plainly that the opening had been closed upon him on account
+of his not having strictly followed the dervise's orders; and
+reflecting on the kindness and care with which he had been treated, he
+bitterly reproached himself for his ingratitude. At length, after a
+busy search and much anxiety, he was fortunate enough to discover a
+narrow passage that led out of this dark cavern. The opening was
+covered over with briers and thorns, through which he managed to
+struggle, and thus recovered the light of day. He looked around him
+every where for the dervise in order to deliver the chandelier to him,
+but in vain; he was not to be seen.
+
+Unable to recognize any of the places where he had been, he walked at
+random, and was very much astonished to find himself, after a short
+time, at his mother's door, from which he had thought himself at a
+great distance. In reply to her inquiries respecting the dervise, he
+frankly told her all that had happened, and the danger he had
+encountered in order to gratify the fancy of the dervise; and then he
+showed her the riches with which he was loaded. His mother concluded,
+on seeing all this wealth, that the dervise only wanted to try his
+courage and obedience, and that he ought to take advantage of his good
+luck, adding, that such was no doubt the intention of the holy man.
+
+While they gazed on these treasures with avidity, and framed a
+thousand dazzling projects for spending them, the whole vanished
+suddenly from their eyes. Mujahid then reproached himself again for
+his ingratitude and disobedience; and looking at the iron chandelier
+which alone remained of all his treasure, said, "What has happened is
+just. I have lost what I had no wish to render back; and the
+chandelier, which I desired to give to the dervise, remains with
+me,--a proof that it belongs to him, and that the rest was improperly
+obtained." So saying, he placed the chandelier in the middle of his
+mother's small house.
+
+When night came on, Mujahid thought he would put a light in the
+chandelier, by way of turning it to some use. No sooner had he done
+this, than a dervise immediately appeared, who, after turning round,
+vanished, and threw a small coin behind him. Mujahid, whose thoughts
+were occupied all next day with what he had seen the evening before,
+wished to see what would be the event if he placed a light in each of
+the twelve branches. He did so, and twelve dervises immediately
+appeared, who, after wheeling round, also became invisible, each of
+them at the same time throwing down a small coin. Every day Mujahid
+repeated the same ceremony with the same success; but he could only
+make it occur once in twenty-four hours. The moderate sum with which
+the dervises supplied him daily was sufficient for the subsistence of
+himself and his mother, and for a long time this was all that he
+desired. By and by, however, his imagination began to feast itself
+with the idea of the riches of the cavern, the sight of those which he
+had once thought to be safe in his possession, and the schemes which
+he had formed as to the use to be made of his wealth; all these things
+had left so deep an impression on his mind, that he found it
+impossible to rest. He resolved, therefore, if possible, to find out
+the dervise, and to take him the chandelier, in the hope of obtaining
+the treasure by bringing to the holy man an article for which he had
+shown so strong a desire.
+
+Fortunately Mujahid recollected the dervise's name, and the name of
+the city, Magnebi, where he dwelt. He set out on his journey as soon
+as possible, bidding farewell to his mother, and taking the chandelier
+with him, which supplied him every evening, after being lit, with the
+means of supporting himself, without having occasion to resort for
+assistance to the compassion of the faithful. When he reached Magnebi,
+his first inquiry was after the house where Abounadar lodged. He was
+so well known, that the first person he met could tell him his
+residence. On arriving at the house, or rather palace, he found fifty
+porters keeping watch at the door, each of them bearing a wand with a
+golden apple for its handle. The courts of the palace were crowded
+with slaves and domestics; indeed, no prince's residence ever
+displayed greater splendour. Mujahid, struck with astonishment and
+admiration, was reluctant to proceed further. "Either," said he to
+himself, "I have described the person whom I wanted imperfectly, or
+those to whom I spoke must have wished to make a mock of me,
+observing that I was a stranger. This is not the residence of a
+dervise, but of a king."
+
+Mujahid was in this state of embarrassment when a man came up to him
+and said, "You are welcome, Mujahid; my master, Abounadar, has been
+long expecting you;" and so saying, he conducted him into a
+magnificent garden, where the dervise was seated. Mujahid, struck with
+the riches which he saw every where around him, would have thrown
+himself at his feet, but Abounadar would not permit him, and
+interrupted him when he was about to make a merit of bringing back the
+chandelier which he presented to him, by saying, "You are an
+ungrateful wretch. Do you think to impose upon me? I know all your
+thoughts; and if you had known the worth of this chandelier, you would
+never have brought it to me. I shall now make you acquainted with its
+true use." In each of the branches of the chandelier he now placed a
+light; and when the dervises had turned round, Abounadar gave each of
+them a blow with a stick, and immediately they were converted into
+twelve heaps of sequins, diamonds, and other precious stones. "Look,"
+he said, "at the use to be made of this wonderful chandelier. My only
+reason, however, for wishing to place it in my cabinet, was on account
+of its being a talisman composed by a sage whom I revered; and I shall
+be always happy to show it to persons who visit me. To prove to you,"
+he continued, "that curiosity is the only reason which induced me to
+procure the lamp, take the keys of my cellars, open them, and judge
+for yourself of the extent of my opulence, and say if I should not be
+the most insatiably avaricious of all men, not to be contented with
+what I have." Mujahid took the keys, and made a survey of twelve
+magazines so filled with every description of precious stones, that he
+was unable to tell which of them most deserved his admiration. Regret
+at having restored the chandelier, and at not having discovered its
+uses, now wrung his heart intensely. Abounadar seemed not to perceive
+this, but on the contrary loaded Mujahid with caresses, kept him for
+some days in his palace, and desired his servants to treat him as they
+would himself. On the evening before the day fixed for his departure,
+Abounadar said to him, "Mujahid, my son, I think, from what has
+occurred, that you are now cured of the frightful sin of ingratitude;
+however, I owe you something for having undertaken so long a journey
+for the purpose of bringing to me an article which I wished to
+possess. You may now depart; I will detain you no longer. To-morrow
+you will find at the gate of my palace one of my horses to carry you
+home. I will make you a present of it, together with a slave who will
+bring you two camels loaded with gold and precious stones, which you
+can select for yourself from among my treasures."
+
+During the night Mujahid was restless and uneasy, and unable to think
+of any thing except the chandelier and its wonderful qualities. For a
+long time he said to himself, "It was in my power; Abounadar would
+never have obtained it but for me. What risks did I not encounter in
+the subterranean cave in order to secure it! Why is it that he is now
+the fortunate owner of this treasure of treasures? Is it not owing to
+my fidelity, or rather folly, in bringing it to him, that he now
+profits by the trouble and danger I underwent in the long journey I
+had to make? And what does he give me in return? only two miserable
+camels loaded with gold and precious stones, when in a moment the
+chandelier could supply me with ten times as much! It is Abounadar who
+is ungrateful, and not I who am so. What injury shall I do him by
+taking the chandelier? Not any; for he is rich, and wants nothing
+more."
+
+These ideas determined him, at last, to do all in his power to get
+possession of the chandelier; and it was not difficult to do so. He
+knew where to find it, and having taken it, he placed it at the
+bottom of one of his sacks which he had filled with the treasure given
+to him, and put the sack, along with the others, on the back of one of
+the camels. His only desire now was to get away, and after having
+hurriedly bid farewell to the generous Abounadar, he took his
+departure, with his slave and camels.
+
+When now at some considerable distance from Balsora, he sold his
+slave, not wishing to retain him as a witness of his former poverty,
+or of the source of his wealth. He purchased another, and went
+straight to his mother's house, whom he scarcely noticed, so absorbed
+was he with his treasures. His first care was to place the camels'
+luggage in a secure place; and, in his impatience to feast his eyes
+with solid riches, he placed lights in the chandelier without delay.
+The twelve dervises made their appearance, and he bestowed on each of
+them a blow with all his might, being afraid of not complying
+sufficiently with the laws of the talisman; but he had not noticed
+that Abounadar, when striking them, held his stick in his left hand.
+Mujahid naturally held his in his right hand, and the dervises,
+instead of being changed into heaps of treasure, drew from beneath
+their robes formidable bludgeons, with which they all belaboured him
+so long and so severely, that they left him nearly dead, after which
+they disappeared, carrying with them the camels and all their burdens,
+the horse, the slave, and the chandelier.
+
+Thus, for not being contented with a large fortune honestly acquired,
+Mujahid fell into a state of misery from which he never recovered--a
+suitable punishment for his ingratitude and avarice.
+
+The old man at last took his leave of us, and returned to Schiraz, his
+native place, bearing with him the blessings of all my family.
+
+After Saadi's departure, I unhappily neglected to follow his good
+advice. I purchased a new and splendid residence, where I lived in
+great splendour and luxury. Instead of being grateful to Heaven for
+its bounty, I became proud and insolent. I entertained and feasted all
+the gay companions I could meet with, while I refused to give alms,
+and drove the needy from my door; in short, I spent my money rapidly,
+and made the worst possible use of what I had so mysteriously
+acquired. My treasure soon began to run low; still I lived in the same
+profuse extravagance, until at last all was spent, and I found that,
+for some time, I had been living upon credit. The truth could no
+longer be concealed, and, being unable to meet the demands upon me, I
+had to sell off the whole of my property. A small sum would have
+sufficed to release me, so that I might again return to my trade, and,
+for this purpose, I appealed for assistance to my former friends and
+companions. Not one of these, however, would come forward in my
+behalf. The produce of the sale of my house and effects was
+insufficient to pay my debts, and I was consequently thrown into
+prison, where I have remained for three years, my family, in the mean
+time, living upon the casual alms of the faithful. The aid you have
+rendered me will suffice to set me free, and I am now resolved to
+labour with diligence, in order to repair, as far as possible, my past
+folly.
+
+[Illustration: Shooting at the Enchanted Keys, p. 29]
+
+
+CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF HASSAN ABDALLAH.
+
+In this manner our journey was beguiled, and on the sixth day, in the
+morning, we entered on an immense plain, whose glittering soil seemed
+composed of silver dust. In the middle of the plain arose a lofty
+pillar of granite, surmounted by a statue of copper, representing a
+young man, whose right hand was stretched out open, and to each of
+whose fingers was suspended a key; the first was of iron, the second
+of lead, the third of bronze, the fourth of copper, and the fifth of
+gold.
+
+This statue was the workmanship of an enchanter, and each key was a
+talisman; whoever was led by accident or his own free will into this
+desert, and became possessed of these keys, inherited the destiny
+attached to them. The first was the key of calamities, the second of
+physical sufferings, the third of death, the fourth of glory, and the
+last of knowledge and wealth.
+
+I was ignorant of all these matters; but my master had become
+acquainted with them from a learned Indian, who had also informed him
+that the keys could only be obtained by shooting them down with
+arrows. The Arab planted his foot near to the column, and then fixing
+an arrow in his bow, which was of a foreign make, he shot it towards
+the statue, but, whether from want of skill or intentionally, the
+arrow did not reach halfway. He then said to me, "Hassan, you have
+now an opportunity of discharging your debt to me, and of purchasing
+your liberty. You are both strong and skilful; take this bow and
+arrows, and bring me down those keys." I took the bow, and perceived
+that it was of Persian workmanship, and made by a skilful hand. In my
+youth, I had accustomed myself to this exercise, and had acquired
+great reputation in it. Desirous of displaying my attainments, I bent
+the bow with all my strength, and with the first arrow I brought down
+the first key. Overjoyed, I took it up, and presented it to my master.
+"Keep it," he said; "it is the reward of your skill." With a second
+arrow, I brought down the leaden one. The Arab would not touch it, and
+I took it, and put it in my belt, along with the other. With two other
+arrows, I brought down two more keys--the copper key and the golden
+key. My companion took them up, uttering exclamations of delight.
+
+"O Hassan," he said, "God be praised! blessed be he who trained your
+arm and practised your eye to such accuracy. I am proceeding happily
+towards the accomplishment of my object."
+
+I was about to aim at the last key--that of death, and had raised my
+bow for that purpose, but he forbade me, and struck my arm to prevent
+my shooting. In doing this, he caused the arrow to fall and pierce my
+foot, producing a painful wound. Having dressed it as well as he
+could, he assisted me to mount my camel, and we thereupon continued
+our journey. After three days and nights of laborious travelling, we
+arrived in the neighbourhood of a small wood, where we stopped to
+spend the night. I set about looking for water, and some refreshing
+fruits, and particularly some with whose good qualities I was
+acquainted, but I could find nothing eatable. At last I discovered in
+the crevice of a rock a small spring, which invited me, by its clear
+and limpid waters, to refresh myself; but stooping down to drink, I
+heard the voice of my companion shouting to me not to taste the
+water, for that it was poisoned. "What matters it," I said, "whether I
+die of thirst or of poison?"
+
+"This water," he said, "comes from the infernal regions, and passes
+through the mass of sulphur, bitumen, and metals that feed the fires
+in the centre of the earth; and if you drink, you will in all
+probability fall a victim to your imprudence."
+
+Although bitter, the water was so clear and fresh, that without
+heeding what he said, I drank some of it, and feeling refreshed for
+the time, I agreed to proceed on our journey, but I had scarcely gone
+on a hundred paces, when I was attacked by the most racking pains, and
+with many exclamations and cries to Heaven for help, I endeavoured to
+moderate the speed of my camel, who was following his companion at a
+brisk pace. My tortures became so great, that I called aloud to the
+Arab, and begged him to stop; he consented, when I dismounted and
+walked for some time, which partly relieved me. The Arab chid me for
+my disobedience to his commands, and taking out a small phial from his
+pocket, gave me a few drops of a cordial, which in a short time
+completely cured me.
+
+Towards evening we came near a high mountain, where we stopped to take
+a little rest. The Arab said, "God be praised, to-day will not be a
+fast day with us! by experience I have learned to collect a healthy
+and refreshing nourishment from a quarter where you would only find
+poison." He then went to a bush with leaves of a very thick and
+prickly nature, and having cut off some of them with his sabre, and
+stript them, of their skins, he extracted from them a yellow and
+sugary substance, similar in taste to figs, and I partook of the food
+until I was quite satisfied and refreshed. I was beginning to forget
+my sufferings, and hoped to pass the night in peaceful slumber, but
+when the moon arose my master said to me, "I expect you to perform a
+signal service for me; you have to ascend this mountain, and when at
+the summit, you must wait for sunrise; then, standing up and turning
+towards the East, you must offer up your devotions and descend; but
+take care, and do not allow yourself to be overtaken by sleep, for the
+emanations which arise from the ground in this place are extremely
+noxious, and you may suffer severely from them."
+
+Although overwhelmed with fatigue and pain, I obeyed the Arab's
+orders, remembering that he had given bread to my children; and that,
+perhaps, should I refuse, he would abandon me in this savage
+wilderness. I ascended the mountain and reached the summit about
+midnight. The soil was bare and stony; not a shrub, not a blade of
+grass was to be found upon it. The extreme cold, together with
+fatigue, threw me into such a state of torpor that I could not resist
+lying down on the earth and falling asleep. I awoke at the rising of
+the sun to fulfil my instructions. I stood up with difficulty; my
+aching limbs refused to support my body; my head hung down as if made
+of lead, and I was unable to lift up my paralyzed arms. Making a
+painful effort, and holding myself up towards the East, I invoked the
+name of God. I then endeavoured to descend the mountain, but it was so
+steep, and my weakness was so great, that at the first step my limbs
+tottered under me, and I fell, and rolled down the mountain with
+frightful rapidity; stones and thorns were the only obstacles to my
+descent, and they tore my dress and my skin, causing me to bleed at
+every pore. At length I reached the bottom of the hill, near to where
+my master was stretched on the ground, tracing lines on it with such
+attention, that he did not observe in what a state I was. "God be
+thanked and praised," he said, without noticing me; "we were born
+under a happy planet; every thing succeeds with us! Thanks to you,
+Hassan, I have just discovered what I wanted, by measuring the shadow
+projected by your head from the summit of the mountain. Assist me to
+dig where I have stuck my lance." He raised his head, and seeing me
+extended on the earth, motionless, came up to me, and exclaimed,
+"What! in disobedience to my orders you have slept on the mountain,
+and imbibed its unwholesome vapours into your blood! Do not despair,
+however, I will cure you;" and he took from his pocket a lancet, with
+which, before I could offer any resistance, he made small incisions in
+different parts of my body, from which I bled profusely. He then
+dressed my wounds and bruises carefully, and I felt a little better.
+Seeing that I was too weak to assist him, he began to dig in the earth
+himself at the place which he had marked. He soon exposed to view a
+tomb of white marble, which he opened; it contained some human bones,
+and a book written in letters of gold on the skin of the gazelle.
+
+My master began reading it with attention: at length his pale brow
+became lit up with pleasure, and his eyes sparkled with delight.
+
+"Hassan Abdallah," he said to me, "this book teaches me the way to the
+mysterious city; we shall soon enter into Aram, built on columns,
+where no mortal has ever as yet penetrated; it is there that we shall
+find the principle of earthly riches, the germ of the metallic mines
+which God has placed in the centre of the earth."
+
+"My lord," I replied, "I share with you in your joy; but this treasure
+is of little or no advantage to me; I would rather, I assure you, be
+poor and in good health at Cairo, than rich and in wretchedness here."
+
+"Ungrateful man!" he exclaimed; "I am labouring for your advantage as
+well as for my own, intending to share with you the fruit of our
+journey, as I have done until now."
+
+"True," I said, "but, alas! all the ill fortunes and calamities fall
+to me." However, after some further assurances on the part of the
+Arab, I became pacified, and the same day, after having laid in a
+stock of fruits, we reascended our camels, and continued our journey
+towards the East.
+
+We journeyed thus for three days and nights. The fourth day in the
+morning we perceived in the horizon the appearance of a large mirror,
+which reflected the sunbeams. On drawing near we saw that it was a
+river of quicksilver; it was crossed by a bridge of crystal, without
+balustrades, but so narrow and slippery that no man in his senses
+would think of attempting to pass it. My master told me to unsaddle
+the camels, to let them feed at liberty, and to prepare woollen
+slippers with thick and soft soles for both of us; and having ordered
+me to walk behind him without looking to the right hand or to the
+left, he crossed the bridge with a firm step, and I followed him
+trembling.
+
+After we had crossed the river and proceeded for some hours, we found
+ourselves at the entrance of a gloomy valley. It was surrounded on all
+sides with black rocks, hard as iron, and here and there on the ground
+were spread human bones, bleached by time. Through the dark foliage of
+the shrubs which grew there might be seen the undulating and scaly
+forms of serpents gliding along. I retreated hastily from this den of
+horror, but could not discover the spot at which I had entered, the
+rocks seeming every where to rise up like the walls of a great cavern.
+
+I began to weep, and said to my companion, "You have led me on to
+death by the path of suffering and misery; I shall never see my wife
+and children again. Why have you torn me away from my poor but
+peaceful home?"
+
+"Hassan," he said to me, "be a man! Have patience; we shall soon get
+out of this horrible place. Wait a few moments, and I will show you
+how we may escape." So saying, he sat down on the ground, and, opening
+the mysterious book, began turning over the pages and reading in it
+as calmly as if he had been sitting in his own house. After a short
+time he called to me, and said, "My friend, call up your courage, your
+task is easy; you are a skilful marksman; take this bow and arrows;
+examine the valley until you meet with a huge serpent with a black
+head, kill him and bring his head and heart to me."
+
+"Alas!" I said, weeping, "is this indeed a thing so easy for me? Why
+will you not do it yourself? We are too fortunate not to be molested
+by these monsters; why should we go in search of them?" Upon this he
+started up with a fierce aspect, and, drawing his sword, swore that he
+would kill me that instant if I did not obey him.
+
+"Do you see all these bones?" he said. "They are the bones of men who
+disobeyed me, and who died in consequence by my hand." Trembling, I
+took the bow and arrows, and went among the rocks where the serpents
+were to be found. Selecting one which appeared to me to answer the
+description given me, I took aim at its head, and, invoking the
+assistance of Heaven, discharged my arrow. The serpent, mortally
+wounded, sprung up, and twisting and contorting itself in a frightful
+manner, fell dead on the ground. When I was certain that he was dead,
+I took my knife, cut off his head, and took out his heart. With these
+bloody trophies I returned to my master, who received me with a
+smiling countenance. "Forgive me," he said, "for employing threats
+towards you; in reality I was anxious to save you from a miserable
+fate. The men to whom these bones belonged died here of hunger by
+their own fault; they proved deficient in courage, and I was
+compelled, in spite of myself, to abandon them to their fate."
+
+"Now," he continued, "come and assist me to make a fire."
+
+I collected dry leaves and small branches of trees, of which he made a
+small heap; then turning an enchanted diamond towards the sun, which
+was then in its meridian, a ray of light issued from the precious
+stone which set the materials in a blaze. He next drew from under his
+robe a small iron vase and three phials; the first, of ruby, contained
+the elements of winds; the second, of emerald, contained a ray of
+moonlight; and the third, which was of gold, contained the blood of a
+phoenix. All these substances he placed in the vase, and added the
+heart and brain of the serpent. He then opened the book and put the
+vase on the fire, pronouncing at the same time some words which to me
+were unintelligible. When he had finished, he uncovered his shoulders,
+as the pilgrims do at their departure, and dipping a portion of his
+garment in the mixture, handed it to me, desiring me to rub his back
+and shoulders with it. As I did so I observed the skin swell out and
+wings spring forth, which, visibly increasing in size, soon reached
+the ground. The Arab spread them and began to rise in the air. Fear of
+remaining in this doleful place lent me courage, and laying hold with
+all my might of the end of his girdle, I was borne up along with him,
+and in a few moments we bade farewell to the black rocks of this fatal
+valley. Presently, as we pursued this aerial tour, we found ourselves
+soaring above an immense plain, surrounded by a precipice of crystal,
+tinged with azure and purple. The earth seemed formed of golden dust,
+and the pebbles upon it looked like precious stones. Before us were
+the lofty walls of a city crowded with magnificent palaces and
+delicious gardens. Lost in admiration of this glorious scene, the Arab
+forgot to keep his wings moving, and we descended rapidly towards the
+ground, which I of course reached first, he falling upon me. I then
+perceived his wings gradually diminish, and by degrees wholly
+disappear. When I noticed this to him, he replied, that,
+unfortunately, science was limited in its powers; it enabled him to
+construct wings of great power, but could not avail for their
+preservation beyond a certain time. "To become the possessor," said
+he, "of the ingredients which you saw me employ in forming these
+wings, I have spent thirty years of my life, the lives of many men,
+and money sufficient for a king's ransom. The wings helped me but for
+a few moments, long enough, however, for my purpose; they have borne
+me to glory and fortune. Rejoice, Hassan Abdallah; behold Aram, the
+city built on columns, the mysterious city!"
+
+[Illustration: The Escape of Hassan Abdallah and the Arab from the
+Enchanted Valley, p. 36.]
+
+We then approached the walls; they were built of alternate layers of
+bricks of gold and silver. The battlements were of marble, cut and
+sculptured by the hands of genii. There were eight gates in the
+walls,--the number of the gates of paradise; the first was of silver,
+the second of gold, the third of agate, the fourth of coral, the fifth
+of pearl, the sixth of topaz, the seventh of emerald, and the eighth
+of ruby.
+
+The Arab informed me that this city had been built by the famous
+enchanter Tchedad, the son of Aad, who had exhausted upon it all the
+treasures of earth, sea, and sky. He wanted in his pride to rival the
+glory of the Almighty by this piece of workmanship; but God, to punish
+him, struck him and his family with lightning at the very instant he
+and they were solemnly taking possession of the palace. An
+impenetrable veil hangs over the city ever since, and no one has been
+able to discover it.
+
+We went forward, invoking the name of God; the streets were lined with
+palaces adorned with columns of marble, agate, and all kinds of costly
+materials; streams of odoriferous waters embalmed and refreshed the
+atmosphere; trees of a wondrous form furnished a delicious shelter
+from the rays of the sun, and in their branches birds of song produced
+concerts of ravishing sweetness. The very air that one breathed seemed
+to fascinate the mind, and to lift it up to heaven.
+
+The Arab, taking me by the hand, conducted me towards the palace of
+Tchedad; its construction, in point of art and splendour of adornment,
+was unspeakably magnificent. Terraces, formed of coloured crystal,
+were supported on a thousand columns of gold. In the midst of the
+palace was an enchanted garden, where the earth, breathing of musk,
+bore fruits and flowers of marvellous richness and beauty. Three
+rivers surrounded the garden, flowing with wine, rose-water, and
+honey. In the centre of the garden there was a pavilion, whose dome,
+formed of a single emerald, overshadowed a throne of gold covered with
+pearls and rubies. On the throne there was a small chest of gold; the
+Arab opened it, and found in it a red powder. "Throw away this dust,"
+I said, "and fill the casket with precious stones."
+
+"Poor fool that you are," he replied; "this dust is the source of all
+the riches of the world; it is red sulphur. A small portion of it is
+sufficient to change into gold the basest metals. With it I can build
+palaces, found cities, purchase the life of men and the admiration of
+beautiful women. I can even, if I please, cause myself to become
+prince and king; but I cannot by it prolong my life a single day, or
+efface an hour from my by-past existence. God alone is great! God
+alone is eternal!"
+
+Whilst he thus spoke, I employed myself in collecting precious stones
+and pearls, filling with them my girdle, pockets, and turban.
+
+"Unhappy man!" he cried, "what are you doing? You will bring down upon
+us the vengeance of Heaven. We are only permitted to touch this
+casket; and if we should attempt to carry out of the valley a leaf
+from one of these trees, or a stone from off the ground, instantaneous
+death would be our lot."
+
+I immediately emptied my pockets, much to my regret, and followed my
+master, not however without often turning my head aside to look at the
+incalculable riches spread around me. Fearing that I should fall a
+prey to the seductions of wealth, my master took me by the hand and
+led me out of the city. We quitted it by the path by which we came,
+but more slowly than we approached. When we arrived at the crystal
+precipice it opened before us, and we passed through it; when we had
+done so, we looked about in vain for the wonderful plain and the
+city,--they could no longer be seen. We found ourselves on the brink
+of the river of quicksilver, and crossed the bridge. Our camels were
+feeding on the flowery herbage, and I ran to mine with delight, as to
+an old friend. After refastening our girths, we mounted and set out on
+the road to Egypt. We were three months in reaching Cairo. During all
+this time I suffered many privations; my health was destroyed, and I
+endured every kind of evil. From some fatality, the cause of which was
+unknown to me at the time, I alone was exposed to all the accidents of
+the journey, while my companion continued in health and comfort,
+passing safely through every danger. I discovered afterwards that all
+my misfortunes arose from my having in my possession the enchanted
+keys. This was one day towards the close of our journey, when the Arab
+confessed to me that he was aware of this fatal quality of theirs, and
+that it was in order to free himself from it that he purchased me.
+When I wanted to throw away the accursed keys, he withheld me.
+"Patience and resignation," said he, "and these virtues only, can
+exhaust their evil influence, and for your own sake I would advise you
+to keep them to the end. All will turn out eventually for your good."
+
+A few days after receiving this communication we arrived at Cairo, and
+I immediately ran to my home, the door of which was open and broken,
+and the interior occupied by crowds of famished and prowling dogs, who
+had taken up their abode there. A neighbour, who heard me calling out
+in an agony of despair, opened her door, and said to me, "Hassan
+Abdallah, is that you? Well may you be astounded! Know that some time
+after your departure,--that is, about five months ago,--some thieves,
+knowing that you were absent, and that there was no male slave left to
+take care of your house, broke into your house during the night,
+insulted the women, and went off with all the property that you had
+left. Your mother died a few days after, in consequence. Your wife, in
+her destitution, resolved to go to Alexandria, to her brother. The
+caravan which she accompanied was attacked by the Arabs of the desert,
+who, being enraged at the resistance they met with, put all to the
+sword without mercy."
+
+On hearing these sad tidings, I shed many tears, and returning to the
+Arab, accused him with being the cause of all my misfortunes. "God is
+the author and end of all things," he said to me, and then, taking me
+by the hand, led me along with him. It appeared that on the same day
+he had hired a magnificent palace, to this he now compelled me to
+repair and reside with him; and for my consolation, he told me that he
+would share with me the treasures of science, and teach me to read in
+the book of alchemy.
+
+Here we resided a long time: whenever his costly fancies caused him to
+be in want of money, he used to have several hundred-weight of lead
+conveyed secretly to him, and when it was melted he threw some small
+portions of red sulphur into it, and in a moment the vile metal was
+changed into the purest gold. In the midst of all this luxury, I
+continued ill and unhappy; my feeble body was unable to support the
+weight, or to endure the contact of the rich clothes and the precious
+stuffs with which I was covered. The most delicate food was served up
+to me in vain, and the most delicious wines; I only felt disgusted and
+disinclined towards them all. I had superb apartments, beds formed of
+sweet smelling and costly woods, and divans of purple; but sleep, in
+spite of all, was a stranger to my eyes.
+
+I called on death, but he refused to come to me. The Arab, on the
+other hand, passed his time in pleasure and feasting.
+
+The palace gardens extended to the banks of the Nile; they were
+planted with the rarest trees, brought at a great expense from India,
+Persia, China, and the isles. Machines, constructed with great skill,
+raised the water of the Nile, and caused it to fall in fresh and
+brilliant jets into marble reservoirs,
+
+     "'Mid orange groves and myrtle bowers, that breathed a gale
+     of fragrance round,"
+
+mingled with the perfume of jasmines and roses; there were silken
+pavilions, embroidered with gold, and supported on pillars of gold and
+silver; brilliant lamps, enclosed in globes of crystal, shed over all
+a light soft and effulgent as that of the moon.
+
+There, on each returning night, the Arab received his companions, and
+treated them with the utmost magnificence. His liberality made every
+one who approached him his friend, and they styled him the Great, the
+Magnificent.
+
+He would sometimes come to see me at the pavilion, where my illness
+compelled me to remain, a solitary prisoner. On one such occasion, he
+paid me his visit after a night of pleasure, early in the morning. He
+was heated with wine, his face red, and his eyes shining with a
+strange lustre. He sat down beside me, and taking hold of my hand,
+began singing, and when he had concluded, shut his eyes, leaned his
+head on his breast, and appeared to fall asleep. Alarmed at length at
+his unnatural stillness, I leaned over to him; his breathing had
+ceased, he had expired.
+
+Perceiving that all help was useless, I began to rummage his pockets,
+his girdle, and his turban, in the hope of finding the keys of
+happiness and of wisdom, but could not discover them. I thereupon, in
+spite of my bad state of health, and without losing a moment, laid
+hold of the casket containing the book of alchemy and the red sulphur;
+and considering that I might lawfully regard myself as the legitimate
+proprietor, I carried it secretly to my former house, which I had
+previously caused to be rebuilt and provided with new furniture.
+
+Returning to the palace just as I had left it, I began to cry aloud,
+and to ask for help; the slaves and servants ran immediately to know
+what was the matter, and I then sent them to bring the best physician,
+even the caliph's, if he could be found. When the medical men came
+they declared that the stranger had died by the will of God. I then
+gave orders for the funeral.
+
+His body, attired in the richest vestments, was placed, exposed to
+view, in a coffin of aloe-wood, lined with gold. A cloth of a
+marvellously fine tissue, which had been manufactured for a Persian
+prince, served for a coverlet. Fifty servants, all dressed in mourning
+attire, bore, in turns, the coffin on their shoulders; and every good
+mussulman who passed by, hastened to lend his assistance, if it were
+only by a helping hand.
+
+A considerable number of women, hired for the purpose, followed the
+bier, uttering plaintive cries.
+
+The keepers of the mosque sung sacred verses, and the crowd repeated,
+"God is God! There is no God but God! He alone is eternal." In this
+order, accompanied by numerous friends whom the Arab had made by his
+generosity, we proceeded to the cemetery, southward of the city, and
+near to the gate of Bab-el-Masr (the gate of victory). I gave a purse
+of gold to a skilful architect, with orders to raise a tomb to the
+memory of my master.
+
+Returning to the palace, it fell to my lot, of course, to preside at
+the funeral repast. This painful duty was scarcely over, when I saw
+some officers from the caliph arrive, who were commanded by his order
+to take possession of the wealth contained in the palace, and which
+belonged to him, as a stranger's heir. I was driven away, and left the
+palace, taking with me, in appearance, nothing but the dress which I
+wore, but, in reality, the owner of an inestimable treasure.
+
+Betaking myself to my house, I resolved to live there an unknown and
+peaceful life, passing the time in the study of the sciences, and only
+using the red sulphur to impart benefit to others in secret.
+
+A curious and jealous neighbour having ascended the terrace of my
+house one evening, and seen me at work, effecting the transmutation of
+the lead into gold, told my secret to his wife, who repeated it at the
+bath, and next morning all Cairo was acquainted with it.
+
+The report reached the ears of the caliph, Theilon, who sent for me,
+and told me that he knew I possessed the great secret of knowledge,
+and that if I would share it with him, he would overwhelm me with
+honours, and associate me with him in rank. I refused to the impious
+man the distinguished favour which God had denied to him. Transported
+with rage, he caused me to be loaded with chains, and thrown into a
+gloomy dungeon; and being baffled in his attempts to penetrate my
+secret, he placed the casket and the book under the care of a person
+on whose fidelity he could depend, hoping to force the secret from me
+by the sufferings which he made me endure. In this state I have lived
+for forty years. By my persecutor's orders, I have been made to
+undergo all kinds of privations and tortures, and only knew of his
+death by my being relieved from punishment.
+
+This morning, when kneeling on the ground at my devotions, I put my
+hand on a strange and hard substance. Looking at it, I perceived that
+it was the fatal keys which I had years ago buried under the floor of
+my dungeon. They were so worn by rust and damp, that they crumbled
+into powder in my hand, and I then thought that God intended to have
+pity upon me, and that my afflictions were about to end, either by
+death or the alleviation of my sufferings. A few moments after, your
+officers came and set me at liberty.
+
+"Now, O king!" continued the old man, "I have lived long enough, since
+I have been permitted to approach the greatest and most upright of
+monarchs."
+
+Mohammed, overjoyed at performing an act of justice, thanked Heaven
+for having sent him such a treasure, and being desirous to prove its
+reality, he caused one thousand hundred-weight of lead to be melted in
+immense caldrons; and having mixed some of the red powder in the fiery
+mass, and pronounced over it the magical words dictated to him by the
+old man, the base metal was instantly changed into pure gold.
+
+The caliph, in order to propitiate the favour of Heaven, resolved to
+employ this treasure in the building of a mosque which should
+transcend by its magnificence every other in the world. He collected
+architects from all the neighbouring countries, laid before them the
+plan of a vast edifice, unfettered by the difficulties or expense of
+its execution.
+
+The architects traced out an immense quadrangle, the sides of which
+faced the four cardinal points of the heavens. At each corner a tower
+of prodigious height was placed, of admirable proportions; the top of
+the structure was surrounded with a gallery and crowned with a dome of
+gilt copper. On each side of the edifice one thousand pillars were
+raised, supporting arches of an elegant curve and solid construction,
+and on the arches terraces were laid out with balustrades of gold of
+exquisite workmanship. In the centre of the edifice an immense
+pavilion was erected, whose construction was of so light and elegant a
+nature, that one would have thought it reached from earth to heaven.
+The vault was inlaid with azure-coloured enamel and studded with
+golden stars. Marbles of the rarest kinds formed the pavement, and the
+walls consisted of a mosaic formed of jasper, porphyry, agate,
+mother-of-pearl, sapphires, rubies, and other precious stones. The
+pillars and arches were covered with arabesques and verses from the
+Koran, carved in relief, and painted. No wood was employed in the
+building of this wonderful edifice, which was therefore fire-proof.
+Mohammed spent seven years in erecting this celebrated mosque, and
+expended on it a sum of two millions of dinars.
+
+Although so old, Hassan Abdallah recovered his health and strength,
+and lived to be a hundred years of age, honoured with the esteem and
+the friendship of the caliph.
+
+The mosque built by the caliph Mohammed is still to be seen at Cairo,
+and is the largest and the finest of all the mosques of that great
+city.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+One day, very shortly after the completion of the mosque, the caliph
+and Hassan Abdallah were absent for three days on a journey. Mohammed
+communicated to no one but his first vizir his intention; but on his
+return he assembled his whole court, and informed them that the object
+of the expedition had been to bury the casket, with the book and the
+powder, where it was impossible they could ever be discovered. "I have
+done," added Mohammed, "what I could to consecrate this wonderful
+treasure, but I would not trust even myself any longer with so
+dangerous a temptation."
+
+FOOTNOTES:
+
+[1] Most of our readers will also recognize in the Story of the
+Princess Schirine the groundwork of one of Hans Andersen's beautiful
+Danish Tales, "The Flying Trunk."
+
+
+
+
+II.
+
+SOLIMAN BEY AND THE THREE STORY-TELLERS.
+
+
+Soliman Bey, passing one day along a street in Cairo, saw three
+common-looking men seated at the door of a coffee-house and sipping
+their cup of mocha. From their dull and meaningless looks he
+conjectured that they were under the influence of haschich[2]. After
+looking at them attentively, the bey saluted them, and was pursuing
+his way, when he suddenly found himself obliged to stop, as a long
+train of camels, heavily laden, blocked up the street and prevented
+him from passing on. The bey, having nothing better to do, amused
+himself by scrutinizing attentively the eaters of haschich, who were
+old men. A warm discussion seemed to be going on among them; they
+raised their arms, vied with each other who should cry the loudest,
+and made the strangest possible grimaces; but owing to the distance at
+which he stood, he was unable to hear what they said. On his return
+home, being curious to know the subject of their dispute, he sent his
+officer to beg these three originals to wait upon him.
+
+When they arrived, he said to them, "What were you disputing about, my
+friends, when I passed you?"
+
+"May Allah prolong your days!" replied one of them; "we were
+disputing about which of us it was to whom the salutation belonged
+that your highness addressed to us, for each of us took that honour to
+himself."
+
+The bey burst out laughing. "I greeted," he said, after a moment's
+reflection, "him among you who did the greatest number of foolish
+things while intoxicated by the haschich."
+
+"It was I, my lord," they all at once exclaimed.
+
+"Stop," replied the bey; "let each of you tell me one of the tricks
+played him by the haschich, and the honour of my greeting shall be his
+who shall have committed the greatest act of folly; and do you begin,"
+added the bey, pointing to one of the men.
+
+
+THE FIRST STORY-TELLER.
+
+"Be it known to you, my lord," said the first story-teller, "that a
+short time ago I had in my purse a thousand piastres, which were
+enough for my expenses, and I was contented with my lot. One day,
+however, I had been taking a walk, and on my return I sat down to rest
+and chewed a bit of haschich, took my coffee, and lit my pipe; in two
+or three hours my head began to buzz. I went out again and walked
+about the streets. In front of a coffee-house I noticed some men
+collected round an _improvisatore_, who was singing and accompanying
+himself on the timbrel. I sat down in the circle and asked for coffee.
+I lighted my pipe and commenced listening. The improvisatore depicted
+a young girl. Oh, how beautiful she was! it was impossible not to love
+her. Compared with her Iyleika[3] was but as a star in the presence of
+the sun, and Ablia[3] but as the dirt of the street. I was so
+captivated by his description of the beautiful girl, that when he
+ceased I gave him all the money I had about me.
+
+"Next day, at the same hour, while the haschich was boiling in my
+brain, I ran to the coffee-house, where the improvisatore was
+commencing the continuation of his yesterday's story. He now told how
+paladins and padishahs disputed for the possession of my adorable
+Haridee, and how she disdained their love and refused their offers. I
+became more distracted this time than before, and the improvisatore
+got from me twice as much as he did the day before. I gave him all
+that I had, even to the last farthing.
+
+"Next day I never left my little seat at the _cafe_. The improvisatore
+struck his tambourine this time with more vehemence while singing the
+charms of the beautiful Haridee. He then began to relate how Haridee
+was in love with a certain worthless fellow. At this it was impossible
+to tell what I felt; the hydra of jealousy devoured my heart and
+poured a maddening poison through my veins. I became as one deprived
+of all sense and feeling. But stop; the parents have separated the
+lovers and plunged them in an ocean of tears. I again breathed more
+freely, and emptied my pockets to fill the purse of the improvisatore.
+
+"Thus were passed many days in succession. The flame of love and the
+stings of jealousy tormented me without ceasing. The haschich did its
+part unremittingly, and threw me at one moment into fire, and at
+another into ice and snow, hurling me from the height of bliss into
+the depths of misery. My fortunes fell with me, and I soon became
+totally destitute. But my thoughts were otherwise taken up than with
+eating or drinking; my love for Haridee had become the only source to
+me of life and action. In this way, with empty stomach and purse, I
+went one day to the _cafe_ after having paid a few paras for a little
+haschich. I listened--the voice of the improvisatore trembled; in
+truth he wept, and grief was depicted on his features.
+
+"'What has happened?' I asked, drawing near to him.
+
+"'Poor Haridee!' he replied.
+
+"'What is the matter? What has taken place?' I exclaimed.
+
+"'She is dead!' he muttered.
+
+"I wept, I tore my clothes, and fled I scarce knew where. When the
+first transports of my despair had subsided, I saw pass before my
+eyes, still under the influence of the haschich, the funeral of
+Haridee. The mournful cry of 'There is no God but God, and Mahomet is
+his prophet,' echoed in my ears, amidst the outcries and the
+lamentations of the women. I ran like a madman from street to street,
+while the crowd followed on my path with the coffin of Haridee, and
+the frightful groans and cries burst forth louder and louder on my
+ears. At length, worn out, and sore all over, I fell down in a state
+of complete unconsciousness, and when I came to myself, I perceived
+that I was at the threshold of my own home. I arose, and endeavoured
+to recal past events, which as they woke up in my memory caused me to
+feel the utmost surprise. My purse was empty, my heart broken, and the
+blood was flowing down my face, for in my fall I had cut open my head.
+After remaining a whole day in the house, I took a small piece of
+haschich and went to a coffee-house near at hand, where my friend the
+landlord poured me out a cup of mocha, and gave me a pipe. It was
+there that I met my two friends, and received from you, my gracious
+lord, a look, and a nod."
+
+"This story is not a bad one," replied Soliman Bey, "but do not too
+hastily take to yourself the honour of my greeting; let me hear first
+what the others have to say."
+
+
+THE SECOND STORY-TELLER.
+
+"Know, my lord," replied the second, "that I was formerly a rich and
+respected merchant, with a beautiful wife and fine children. My life
+was like a morning of spring-time--clear, peaceful, and balmy. But
+haschich has ruined the structure of my happiness, and destroyed it
+from the roof to the foundations. One day when I had imbibed a little
+of this fatal poison, I was reclining, after the labours of the day,
+on my sofa, sipping from time to time a mouthful of coffee, and
+inhaling a whiff of perfumed _latakia_. My wife was occupied at my
+side in embroidery, and my children were at play in the room, which
+they made ring again with their shrill voices. At length, my brain
+becoming overpowered by the vapours of the haschich, the thickening
+fancies began to chase each other in quick succession, and my
+imagination at length became morbidly excited. The cries of my
+children seemed insupportable to me. I ordered them several times to
+be quiet, but the brats, wild with their games and noise, paid no
+attention to me. At last I lost patience, laid hold of my stick, and
+rapped angrily on the floor, ordering them sternly to be quiet. In the
+midst of this fit of anger, I stopped short, all of a sudden. The
+floor of my apartment emitted a hollow sound, as if there were a vault
+beneath it. The haschich suggested to me that there might be hidden
+treasure down below. 'Oh, oh,' I said to myself, 'I must not be in a
+hurry. If I should discover the treasure in my wife's presence, she
+will foolishly run and trumpet it about to all our neighbours. What
+good would that do? Let me consider, then, what I shall do to get her
+away.' Intoxicated as I was, there was no need to deliberate long. I
+darted from my seat, exclaiming, 'Woman! thou art separated from me by
+a triple divorce!'[4]
+
+"My wife became pale as death. She threw aside her embroidery, and
+rose up.
+
+"'What is the matter, my dear husband? What has happened? Of what have
+I been guilty?'
+
+"'Don't say a word! And hasten this moment to leave the house, with
+your children.'
+
+"'But pray inform me, my lord and master, when and how I have given
+you any cause of complaint? We have now lived together twelve years in
+perfect peace and harmony, and never been but on the most affectionate
+terms; tell me.'
+
+"'No more explanations,' I replied; 'here are a thousand
+_grouches_[5]. Go to your room, and take of the furniture as much as
+you require, and return to your father's house.'
+
+"Sadly and sorrowfully she thereupon proceeded to collect her wearing
+apparel, uttering mournful cries and lamentations, and taking her
+children with her, left the house.
+
+"'Now!' I exclaimed, with satisfaction, 'now, I am quite alone.'
+
+"'Silence, Abou-Kalif,' whispered the haschich to me; 'don't be in
+such haste. Suppose you find this treasure, who knows but that at the
+first meeting of haschich-eaters, you will disclose your discovery to
+all the world. Put yourself to the proof beforehand, by some effectual
+means, and thus find out if your tongue have sufficient self-command
+to keep still, and not say one word too much.'
+
+"Faithful to the voice of my inward monitor, I arose, and taking from
+my chest the sum of five hundred grouches, went to pay a visit to the
+vali[6].
+
+"'Here,' said I to him, 'take this money, and give me on the soles of
+my feet five hundred blows with a leathern thong, and, while laying
+them on, ask me if I have seen, found, or discovered any thing?'
+
+"The man was extremely surprised at my request, and refused to comply
+with it; but the people about him said that my body was my own, and
+that I was at liberty to dispose of it as I thought proper. 'Take his
+money,' they said to him, 'and give him a hearty flogging.'
+
+"The vali, shrugging his shoulders, gave the signal; I was laid on the
+ground, my feet were tied together, and the lash whistled and sung on
+my bare feet. At each blow, the question I had suggested was asked,
+and I replied in the negative. This system of question and answer went
+on till the last blow. Fairly exhausted with the pain, I fell down the
+moment I attempted to stand up. I therefore crawled along on my knees,
+and reached my ass, on whose back I managed, somehow or other, to
+raise myself, and thus reached my home.
+
+"A few days' rest having restored me in some measure, I resolved to
+prosecute my search for the hidden treasure. But the haschich, to
+which I had not forgotten on that day to pay my usual respects,
+stopped me in my intention. 'O Abou-Kalif,' it muttered in my ear,
+'you have not yet put yourself sufficiently to the proof. Are you now
+in a fit state to resist all attempts to make you disclose your
+secret? Submit to another trial, my good fellow!' This suggestion was
+all-powerful, and I submitted forthwith. I drew from my strong-box one
+thousand grouches, and went to the aga of the Janissaries. 'Take this
+money,' I said to him, 'and give me in exchange for it a thousand
+stripes with a thong on the bare back; asking me between the blows,
+Have you seen any thing? have you found any thing? have you discovered
+any thing?' The aga did not keep me waiting long for a reply,--and
+having pocketed the money, bestowed upon me most faithfully the full
+complement of the lashes desired.
+
+"At the conclusion of the whipping my soul seemed hovering on my lips,
+as if about to leave my mutilated body, which was quite prostrated by
+the infliction. I was obliged to be carried to my ass, and it was many
+days before I could set my feet to the ground. When I had recovered a
+little, I recollected all the details of the strange adventure which
+had brought upon me the acute anguish that I felt in every part of my
+body; and the more I reflected on the matter, the more vividly I saw
+the fatal consequences that would follow from too much confidence in
+the suggestions inspired by the haschich. I cursed the hateful ideas
+produced by the vapours of this drug, and promised myself that I would
+amend my ways, and repair, as far as possible, my injustice to my
+wife. But at the very moment when this praiseworthy resolution arose
+in my brain and diffused its odours there, like a fresh-opening
+flower, my hand, from the strength of habit, sought for the tin box
+that lay under my pillow, and drew from it a white particle, which I
+placed in my mouth, as if to mock all the weak efforts of my will. In
+fact, while my mind was occupied in planning a final rupture with the
+perfidious hempen-seed, my enemy stole in on me like a midnight robber
+by night, imposed his yoke, and overthrew completely all my good
+intentions. Unwittingly I found myself again in the power of the
+enemy. 'Well, Abou-Kalif,' he said, 'arise. The precautions you have
+taken are sufficiently severe; it is time to set to work, and not
+allow the favourable moment to escape, otherwise you may repent it.'
+In this manner spake the delusive poison working within me, and I was
+wholly in its power, incapable of resistance. I rose from my bed with
+a frightful pain in my back and sides, dragged myself along towards
+the mysterious flag-stone, and with my heart beating violently, and my
+brain cloudy and obscured, I set to work to raise the stone, which
+speedily yielded to my efforts. In a state of the highest excitement,
+I sat down on the edge of the cavern with my legs hanging down into
+it, and my hands leaning on its sides; I scarcely dared to look
+downwards. The haschich, however, pushed me forwards, and seemed to
+press on my shoulders. My hands at last yielded, and I fell down. O my
+sovereign and master, do not ask where I found myself; enough that I
+felt myself stifled. The noisome matter into which I had fallen up to
+the chin, being disturbed and agitated, had emitted exhalations which
+fairly suffocated me. I strove to cry out, but in vain. I fainted, and
+lost all consciousness.
+
+"Meanwhile, whilst I, pursued by the fatal influence of the haschich,
+had fallen over the edge of the precipice, where I was now struggling,
+my disconsolate wife had begged her father to allow her to make
+inquiry respecting me. 'I know,' she said, weeping, 'that a sudden
+attack of madness has seized him, and that the real cause of his
+sending me away, as well as of all the evil that has just befallen us,
+is the haschich. Let no curse fall upon him. No doubt my husband will
+change his conduct with regard to me, as I cannot reproach myself with
+any thing; I will therefore go and see what has happened to him.'
+'Well, my child, you may go,' replied her father; 'I shall not seek to
+hinder you.' She went, and knocked at the door, but no one replied.
+She then inquired of the neighbours if Abou-Kalif was at home; they
+said they had not seen him leave the house for the last week. On being
+told this, she had the door burst open, and, followed by a crowd of
+neighbours of both sexes, searched for me for a long time in vain. At
+last, however, I was discovered, half dead and stifled. They pulled me
+out, cleansed and sweetened me, and attired me in a fresh suit of
+clothes; after which I left the house to breathe the fresh air and
+recover myself. It was not long, however, before the haschich regained
+its old dominion over me, and led me to the coffee-house, where you
+saw me, and condescended to honour me with your greeting."
+
+"Not quite so soon," exclaimed the bey, holding his sides with
+laughter; "your story is also a very good one, but before I award to
+you the honour of my salutation, I must hear what your other companion
+has got to say."
+
+
+THE THIRD STORY-TELLER.
+
+"Sovereign and master," commenced the third eater of haschich, "no
+longer ago than a week I was so happy and satisfied with my lot, that
+in truth I would not have exchanged it even for your own. I had a
+house filled with every comfort, plenty of money, and a wife who was a
+miracle of beauty. One day this charming better half of myself, after
+having passed all the day in the bath, returned from it looking so
+clean, fresh, and rosy, that my head, where the haschich which I had
+been taking for the last hour and a half was breeding disorder, became
+on fire and was lost. My eyes grew intoxicated with my wife, as if I
+had then beheld her beauty for the first time, and my heart bounded
+like the holy waves of the Nile during a storm.
+
+"'Dear cousin,' I cried, for she was my cousin as well as my wife,
+'how captivating you are to-day! I am over head and ears in love with
+you again!'
+
+"At this instant the haschich suggested to me to divorce her
+immediately in order to contract a new marriage and taste again the
+bliss of a first union. No sooner said than done; I pronounced the
+prescribed phrase, and the next day I celebrated a new marriage with
+her[7]. When the festivities were over, I conducted my relations and
+guests to the door, which, from absence of mind, I had forgotten to
+shut.
+
+"'Dear cousin,' said my wife to me when we were alone, 'go and shut
+the street door.'
+
+"'It would be strange indeed if I did,' I replied. 'Am I just made a
+bridegroom, clothed in silk, wearing a shawl and a dagger set with
+diamonds, and am I to go and shut the door? Why, my dear, you are
+crazy; go and shut it yourself!'
+
+"'Oh indeed!' she exclaimed; 'am I, young, robed in a satin dress,
+with lace and precious stones, am I to go and shut the court-yard
+door? No, indeed, it is you who have become crazy, and not I. Come,
+let us make a bargain,' she continued; 'and let the first who speaks
+get up and bar the door.'
+
+"'Agreed,' I replied, and straightway I became mute, and she too was
+silent, while we both sat down, dressed as we were in our nuptial
+attire, looking at each other, and seated on opposite sofas. We
+remained thus for one--two--hours. During this time thieves happening
+to pass by, and seeing the door open, entered and laid hold of
+whatever came to their hand. We heard footsteps in the house, but
+opened not our mouths; the robbers came even into our room, and saw us
+seated, motionless and indifferent to all that took place. They
+continued therefore their pillage, collecting together every thing
+valuable, and even dragging away the carpets from beneath us; they
+then laid hands on our own persons, which they despoiled of every
+article worth taking, while we, in the fear of losing our wager, said
+not a word.
+
+"Having thus cleared the house, the thieves departed quietly, but we
+remained on our seats, saying not a syllable. Towards morning a police
+officer came round on his tour of inspection, and, seeing our door
+opened, walked in. Having searched all the rooms and found no one, he
+entered the apartment where we were seated, and inquired the meaning
+of what he saw. Neither my wife nor I would condescend to reply. The
+officer became angry, and ordered our heads to be cut off. The
+executioner's sword was just about to perform its office, when my wife
+cried out, 'Sir, he is my husband, spare him!'
+
+"'Oh, oh!' I exclaimed, overjoyed and clapping my hands, 'you have
+lost the wager; go, shut the door.'
+
+"I then explained the whole affair to the police officer, who shrugged
+his shoulders and went away, leaving us in a truly dismal plight.
+Immediately after I went to a coffee-house, where you deigned to
+honour me with a salutation."
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+At the conclusion of this story the bey, who was ready to die with
+laughter, exclaimed, "This time it is you who are in the right; you
+are truly entitled to my respects."
+
+FOOTNOTES:
+
+[2] An intoxicating drug, like opium.
+
+[3] Personages who figure in Arabian legends.
+
+[4] This is the legal form of pronouncing a divorce among the
+Mahometans.
+
+[5] A small coin, in circulation in Turkey, about the value of
+eighteenpence of our money. It is probably from the same root as the
+German _groschen_.
+
+[6] The public executioner.
+
+[7] The Mahometans may immediately take back the woman whom they had
+divorced, but a fresh marriage ceremony must take place.
+
+
+
+
+III.
+
+THE STORY OF PRINCE KHALAF AND THE PRINCESS OF CHINA.
+
+
+Prince Khalaf was the son of an aged khan of the Nagaei-Tartars. The
+history of his time makes honourable mention of his name. It relates
+that he surpassed all the princes of the age in beauty, in wisdom, and
+in valour; that he was as learned as the greatest doctors of his age;
+that he could fathom the deepest mysteries of the commentaries on the
+Koran; and that he knew by heart the sayings of the prophet: it speaks
+of him, in short, as the hero of Asia and the wonder of the East.
+
+This prince was the soul of the councils of his father Timurtasch.
+When he gave advice, the most accomplished statesmen approved it, and
+could not sufficiently admire his prudence and wisdom. If, moreover,
+it were necessary to take up arms, he was immediately seen at the head
+of the troops of the state, seeking out the enemy, engaging them and
+vanquishing them. He had already won several victories, and the Nagaeis
+had rendered themselves so formidable by their repeated successes,
+that the neighbouring nations did not venture to quarrel with them.
+
+Such was the prosperous state of affairs in the khan's dominions, when
+an ambassador from the sultan of Carisma arrived at the court of
+Timurtasch, and demanded in the name of his master that the Nagaeis
+should henceforth pay him a yearly tribute; he added that in default
+he would come in person, with an overwhelming force, and compel them
+to submit, at the same time depriving their sovereign of his crown as
+a punishment for his refusal. On hearing this arrogant message, the
+khan immediately assembled his council in order to decide whether to
+pay the tribute rather than risk a war with so powerful an enemy, or
+whether to treat his menaces with contempt and prepare to repel the
+invaders. Khalaf, with the majority of the council, were of the latter
+opinion, and the ambassador being dismissed with a refusal, took his
+departure for Carisma.
+
+The khan lost no time in sending deputies to the neighbouring nations,
+in order to represent to them that it was to their interest to unite
+with him against the sultan of Carisma, whose ambition now exceeded
+all bounds, and who would undoubtedly exact the same tribute from them
+if he should succeed in conquering the Nagaeis. The deputies succeeded
+in these negotiations; the neighbouring nations and tribes, and
+amongst them the Circassians, engaged to join in the proposed
+confederation, and to furnish among them a quota of fifty thousand
+men. On this promise, the khan proceeded to raise fresh troops, in
+addition to the army which he already had on foot.
+
+While the Nagaeis were making these preparations, the sultan of Carisma
+assembled an army of two hundred thousand men, and crossed the
+Jaxartes at Cogende. He marched through the countries of Ilac and
+Saganac, where he found abundance of provisions; and had advanced as
+far as Jund, before the army of the khan, commanded by prince Khalaf,
+was able to take the field, in consequence of the Circassians and the
+other auxiliary troops not having been able sooner to join him. As
+soon as these succours arrived, Khalaf marched direct towards Jund,
+but he had scarcely passed Jenge Kemt, when his scouts informed him
+that the enemy was close at hand, and was advancing to attack him. The
+young prince immediately ordered his troops to halt, and proceeded to
+arrange them in order of battle.
+
+The two armies were nearly equal in numbers, and the men who composed
+them equally courageous. The battle which ensued was bloody and
+obstinate. The sultan did all that a warrior skilled in the conduct of
+armies could do; and the prince Khalaf, on his side, more than could
+be expected from so young a general. At one time the Nagaei-Tartars had
+the advantage, at another they were obliged to yield to the
+Carismians; at last both parties, alternately victors and vanquished,
+were obliged by the approach of night to sound a retreat. The combat
+was to have recommenced in the morning; but, in the mean time, the
+leader of the Circassians went secretly to the sultan, and offered to
+abandon the cause of the Nagaeis, provided the sultan would pledge
+himself, on oath, never to exact tribute from the Circassians upon any
+pretence whatever. The sultan having consented, the treaty was
+confirmed, and the Circassian leader, instead of occupying his place
+next day in the army of the khan, detached his troops from the Nagaeis,
+and took the road back to his own country.
+
+This treachery was a terrible blow to prince Khalaf, who, seeing
+himself now much weakened in numbers, would have withdrawn for the
+time from the conflict; but there was no possibility of retreat. The
+Carismians advanced furiously to the charge, and taking advantage of
+the ground which allowed them to extend their lines, they surrounded
+the Nagaeis on all sides. The latter, notwithstanding that they had
+been deserted by their best auxiliaries, did not lose their courage.
+Animated by the example of their prince, they closed their ranks, and
+for a long time firmly sustained the terrible onset of their enemies.
+At last, however, resistance became hopeless, and Khalaf, seeing all
+hope at an end, thought of nothing but his escape, which he
+fortunately succeeded in effecting. The moment the sultan was apprised
+of his flight, he sent six thousand horsemen to endeavour to capture
+him, but he eluded their pursuit, by taking roads that were unknown to
+them; and after a few days' hard riding through unfrequented and
+unknown tracts, arrived at his father's court, where he spread sorrow
+and consternation, by the disastrous tidings he brought.
+
+If this piece of news deeply afflicted Timurtasch, the intelligence he
+next received drove him to despair. An officer who had escaped from
+the battle, brought word that the sultan of Carisma had put to the
+sword nearly all the Nagaeis, and that he was advancing with all
+possible speed, fully resolved to put the whole family of the khan to
+death, and to absorb the nation into his own kingdom. The khan then
+repented of having refused to pay the tribute, but he fully recognized
+the force of the Arab proverb, "When the city is in ruins, what is the
+use of repentance?" As time pressed, and it was necessary to fly, for
+fear of falling into the hands of the sultan, the khan, the princess
+Elmaze (diamond), his wife, and Khalaf, made a selection of all their
+most precious treasures, and departed from the capital, Astracan,
+accompanied by several officers of the palace, who refused to abandon
+them in their need, as well as by such of the troops as had cut their
+way through the ranks of their enemies with the young prince.
+
+They directed their march towards Bulgaria; their object being to beg
+an asylum at the court of some sovereign prince. They had now been
+several days on their journey, and had gained the Caucasus, when a
+swarm of some four thousand suddenly poured down upon them from that
+range. Although Khalaf had scarcely a hundred men with him, he
+steadily received the furious attack of the robbers, of whom numbers
+fell; his troops, however, were by degrees overpowered and
+slaughtered, and he himself remained in the power of the bandits, some
+of whom fell upon the spoil, whilst others butchered the followers of
+the khan. They only spared the lives of that prince, his wife, and
+his son, leaving them, however, almost naked in the midst of the
+mountains.
+
+It is impossible to describe the grief of Timurtasch when he saw
+himself reduced to this extremity. He envied the fate of those whom he
+had seen slain before his eyes, and giving way to despair, sought to
+destroy himself. The princess burst into tears, and made the air
+resound with her lamentations and groans. Khalaf alone had strength to
+support the weight of their misfortunes; he was possessed of an
+indomitable courage. The bitter lamentations which the khan and his
+wife uttered were his greatest trouble. "Oh, my father! Oh, my
+mother!" said he, "do not succumb to your misfortunes. Remember that
+it is God who wills that you should be thus wretched. Let us submit
+ourselves without a murmur to his absolute decrees. Are we the first
+princes whom the rod of justice has struck? How many rulers before us
+have been driven from their kingdoms, and after wandering about for
+years in foreign lands, sharing the lot of the most abject of mortals,
+have been in the end restored to their thrones! If God has the power
+to pluck off crowns, has He not also the power to restore them? Let us
+hope that He will commiserate our misery, and that He will in time
+change into prosperity the deplorable condition in which we now are."
+
+[Illustration: Prince Khalaf holding back his father, p. 63.]
+
+With such arguments he endeavoured to console his father and mother,
+and to some extent succeeded; they experienced a secret consolation,
+and at last allowed themselves to take comfort. "So be it, my son,"
+said the khan, "let us bow to Providence; and since these evils which
+encompass us are written in the book of fate, let us endure them
+without repining." At these words the royal party made up their minds
+to be firm under their misfortunes, and proceeded to continue their
+journey on foot, the robbers having taken their horses. They wandered
+on for a long time, living upon the fruits they found in the valleys;
+but at length they entered upon a desert, where the earth yielded
+nothing upon which they could subsist, and now their courage deserted
+them. The khan, far advanced in years, began to feel his strength fail
+him; and the princess, worn out with the fatigue of the journey she
+had made, could scarcely hold out any longer. In this predicament,
+Khalaf, although wofully tired himself, had no resource but to carry
+them by turns on his shoulders. At last all three, overwhelmed by
+hunger, thirst, and weariness, arrived at a spot abounding with
+frightful precipices. It was a hill, very steep, and intersected with
+deep chasms, forming what appeared to be dangerous passes. Through
+these, however, seemed to be the only way by which to enter upon the
+vast plain which stretched out beyond; for both sides of the hill were
+so encumbered with brambles and thorns, that it was impossible to
+force a way through. When the princess perceived the chasms, she
+uttered a piercing cry, and the khan at length lost his patience. He
+rushed furiously forward. "I can bear this no longer," said he to his
+son; "I yield to my hard destiny; I succumb to so much suffering. I
+will throw myself headlong into one of these deep gulfs, which,
+doubtless, Heaven has reserved for my tomb. I will escape the tyranny
+of wickedness. I prefer death to such a miserable existence."
+
+The khan, yielding himself up to the frenzy which had taken possession
+of him, was on the point of throwing himself down one of the
+precipices, when prince Khalaf seized him in his arms and held him
+back. "Oh, my father!" said he, "what are you doing? Why give way to
+this transport of fury? Is it thus that you show the submission you
+owe to the decrees of Heaven? Calm yourself. Instead of displaying a
+rebellious impatience of its will, let us endeavour to deserve by our
+constancy its compassion and favour. I confess that we are in a
+deplorable state, and that we can scarcely take a step without danger
+amidst these abysses; but there may be another road by which we can
+enter the plain: let me go and see if I can find one. In the mean
+time, my lord, calm the violence of your transports, and remain near
+the princess; I will return immediately."
+
+"Go, then, my son," replied the khan, "we will await you here; do not
+fear that I will any longer give way to despair."
+
+The young prince traversed the whole hill without being able to
+discover any path. He was oppressed with the deepest grief; he threw
+himself on the ground, sighed, and implored the help of Heaven. He
+rose up, and again searched for some track that would conduct them to
+the plain. At length he found one. He followed it, returning thanks to
+Heaven for the discovery, and advanced to the foot of a tree which
+stood at the entrance of the plain, and which covered with its shade a
+fountain of pure transparent water. He also perceived other trees
+laden with fruit of an extraordinary size. Delighted with this
+discovery, he ran to inform his father and mother, who received the
+news with the greater joy, since they now began to hope that Heaven
+had begun to compassionate their misery.
+
+Khalaf conducted them to the fountain, where all three bathed their
+faces and their hands and quenched the burning thirst which consumed
+them. They then ate of the fruits which the young prince gathered for
+them, and which, in their state of exhaustion from want of food,
+appeared to them delicious. "My lord," said Khalaf to his father, "you
+see the injustice of your complaints. You imagined that Heaven had
+forsaken us; I implored its succour, and it has succoured us. It is
+not deaf to the voice of the unfortunate who put their whole trust in
+its mercy."
+
+They remained near the fountain two or three days to repose and
+recruit their wasted strength. After that they collected as much of
+the fruit as they could carry, and advanced into the plain, hoping to
+find their way to some inhabited place. They were not deceived in
+their expectations; they soon perceived before them a town which
+appeared large and splendidly built. They made their way to it, and
+having arrived at the gates, resolved to remain there and wait for
+night, not wishing to enter the town during the day, covered with dust
+and perspiration, and with what little clothing the robbers had left
+them, travel-worn and rent with brambles. They selected a tree which
+cast a delicious shade, and stretched themselves upon the grass at its
+foot. They had reposed there some time, when an old man came out of
+the town and directed his steps to the same place, to enjoy the cool
+shade. He sat down near them after making them a profound obeisance.
+They in turn saluted him, and then inquired what was the name of the
+town. "It is called Jaic," replied the old man. "The king,
+Ileuge-Khan, makes it his residence. It is the capital of the country,
+and derives its name from the river which flows through it. You must
+be strangers since you ask me that question." "Yes," replied the khan,
+"we come from a country very far from here. We were born in the
+kingdom of Chrisnia, and we dwell upon the banks of the Caspian Sea;
+we are merchants. We were travelling with a number of other merchants
+in Captchak; a large band of robbers attacked our caravan and pillaged
+us; they spared our lives, but have left us in the situation in which
+you see us. We have traversed mount Caucasus, and found our way here
+without knowing where we were directing our steps."
+
+The old man, who had a compassionate heart for the distress of his
+neighbour, expressed his sympathy for their misfortunes, and, to
+assure them of his sincerity, offered them shelter in his house. He
+made the offer with such cordiality, that, even if they had not needed
+it, they would have felt some difficulty in refusing.
+
+As soon as night set in he conducted them to his home. It was a small
+house, very plainly furnished; but every thing was neat, and wore the
+appearance rather of simplicity than of poverty. As the old man
+entered he gave some orders in an undertone to one of his slaves, who
+returned in a short time followed by two boys, one of whom carried a
+large bundle of men's and women's clothes ready made, the other was
+laden with all sorts of veils, turbans, and girdles. Prince Khalaf and
+his father each took a caftan of cloth and a brocaded dress with a
+turban of Indian muslin, and the princess a complete suit. After this
+their host gave the boys the price of the clothes, sent them away, and
+ordered supper. Two slaves brought the table and placed upon it a tray
+covered with dishes of china, sandal, and aloe-wood, and several cups
+of coral perfumed with ambergris. They then served up a repast,
+delicate, yet without profusion. The old man endeavoured to raise the
+spirits of his guests; but perceiving that his endeavours were vain,
+"I see clearly," said he, "that the remembrance of your misfortunes is
+ever present to your minds. You must learn how to console yourselves
+for the loss of the goods of which the robbers have plundered you.
+Travellers and merchants often experience similar mishaps. I was
+myself once robbed on the road from Moussul to Bagdad. I nearly lost
+my life on that occasion, and I was reduced to the miserable condition
+in which I found you. If you please I will relate my history; the
+recital of my misfortunes may encourage you to support yours." Saying
+this, the good old man ordered his slaves to retire, and spoke as
+follows.
+
+
+THE STORY OF PRINCE AL ABBAS.
+
+I am the son of the king of Moussul, the great Ben-Ortoc. As soon as I
+had reached my twentieth year, my father permitted me to make a
+journey to Bagdad; and, to support the rank of a king's son in that
+great city, he ordered a splendid suite to attend me. He opened his
+treasures and took out for me four camel-loads of gold; he appointed
+officers of his own household to wait upon me, and a hundred soldiers
+of his guard to form my escort.
+
+I took my departure from Moussul with this numerous retinue in order
+to travel to Bagdad. Nothing happened the first few days; but one
+night, whilst we were quietly reposing in a meadow where we had
+encamped, we were suddenly attacked so furiously by an overwhelming
+body of Bedouin Arabs, that the greater part of my people were
+massacred almost before I was aware of the danger. After the first
+confusion I put myself at the head of such of the guards and officers
+of my father's household as had escaped the first onslaught, and
+charged the Bedouins. Such was the vigour of our attack, that more
+than three hundred fell under our blows. As the day dawned, the
+robbers, who were still sufficiently numerous to surround us on all
+sides, seeing our insignificant numbers, and ashamed and irritated by
+the obstinate resistance of such a handful of men, redoubled their
+efforts. It was in vain that we fought with the fury of desperation;
+they overpowered us; and at length we were forced to yield to
+numbers.
+
+They seized our arms and stripped off our clothes, and then, instead
+of reserving us for slaves, or letting us depart, as people already
+sufficiently wretched, in the state to which we were reduced, they
+resolved to revenge the deaths of their comrades; and were cowards and
+barbarians enough to slaughter the whole of their defenceless
+prisoners. All my people perished; and the same fate was on the point
+of being inflicted on me, when making myself known to the robbers,
+"Stay, rash men," I exclaimed, "respect the blood of kings. I am
+prince Al Abbas, only son of Ben-Ortoc, king of Moussul, and heir to
+his throne." "I am glad to learn who thou art," replied the chief of
+the Bedouins. "We have hated thy father mortally these many years; he
+has hanged several of our comrades who fell into his hands; thou shalt
+be treated after the same manner."
+
+Thereupon they bound me; and the villains, after first sharing among
+them all my baggage, carried me along with them to the foot of a
+mountain between two forests, where a great number of small grey tents
+were pitched. Here was their well-concealed camping ground. They
+placed me under the chief's tent, which was both loftier and larger
+than the rest. Here I was kept a whole day, after which they led me
+forth and bound me to a tree, where, awaiting the lingering death that
+was to put an end to my existence, I had to endure the mortification
+of finding myself surrounded by the whole gang, insulted with bitter
+taunts, and every feeling miserably outraged.
+
+I had been tied to the tree for some considerable time, and the last
+moments of my life appeared fast approaching, when a scout came
+galloping in to inform the chief of the Bedouins that a splendid
+chance offered itself seven leagues from thence; that a large caravan
+was to encamp the next evening in a certain spot, which he named. The
+chief instantly ordered his companions to prepare for the expedition;
+this was accomplished in a very short time. They all mounted their
+horses, and left me in their camp, not doubting but at their return
+they would find me a corpse. But Heaven, which renders useless all the
+resolves of men which do not agree with its eternal decrees, would not
+suffer me to perish so young. The wife of the robber chief had, it
+seems, taken pity on me; she managed to creep stealthily, during the
+night, to the tree where I was bound, and said to me, "Young man, I am
+touched by thy misfortune, and I would willingly release thee from the
+dangers that surround thee; but, if I were to unbind thee, dost thou
+think that thou hast strength enough left to escape." I replied, "The
+same good God who has inspired thee with these charitable feelings
+will give me strength to walk." The woman loosed my cords, gave me an
+old caftan of her husband's, and showing me the road, "Take that
+direction," said she, "and thou wilt speedily arrive at an inhabited
+place." I thanked my kind benefactress, and walked all that night
+without deviating from the road she had pointed out.
+
+The next day, I perceived a man on foot, who was driving before him a
+horse, laden with two large packages. I joined him, and, after telling
+him that I was an unfortunate stranger, who did not know the country,
+and had missed my way, I inquired of him where he was going. "I am
+going," replied he, "to sell my merchandise at Bagdad, and I hope to
+arrive there in two days." I accompanied this man, and only left him
+when I entered that great city; he went about his business, and I
+retired to a mosque, where I remained two days and two nights. I had
+no desire to go forth into the streets; I was afraid of meeting
+persons from Moussul, who might recognize me. So great was my shame at
+finding myself in this plight, that far from thinking of making my
+condition known, I wished to conceal it, even from myself. Hunger at
+length overcame my shame, or rather I was obliged to yield to that
+necessity which brooks no refusal. I resolved to beg my bread, until
+some better prospect presented itself. I stood before the lower
+window of a large house, and solicited alms with a loud voice. An old
+female slave appeared almost immediately, with a loaf in her hand,
+which she held out to me. As I advanced to take it, the wind by chance
+raised the curtain of the window, and allowed me to catch a glimpse of
+the interior of the chamber; there I saw a young lady of surpassing
+beauty; her loveliness burst upon my vision like a flash of lightning.
+I was completely dazzled. I received the bread without thinking what I
+was about, and stood motionless before the old slave, instead of
+thanking her, as I ought to have done.
+
+I was so surprised, so confused, and so violently enamoured, that
+doubtless she took me for a madman; she disappeared, leaving me in the
+street, gazing intently, though fruitlessly, at the window, for the
+wind did not again raise the curtain. I passed the whole day awaiting
+a second favourable breeze. Not until I perceived night coming on,
+could I make up my mind to think of retiring; but before quitting the
+house, I asked an old man, who was passing, if he knew to whom it
+belonged. "It is," replied he, "the house of Mouaffac, the son of
+Adbane; he is a man of rank, and, moreover, a rich man and a man of
+honour. It is not long since he was the governor of the city, but he
+quarrelled with the cadi, who found means of ruining him in the
+estimation of the caliph, and thereby caused him to lose his
+appointment."
+
+With my thoughts fully taken up by this adventure, I slowly wandered
+out of the city, and entering the great cemetery determined to pass
+the night there. I ate my bread without appetite, although my long
+fast ought to have given me a good one, and then lay down near a tomb,
+with my head resting on a pile of bricks. It was with difficulty that
+I composed myself to sleep: the daughter of Mouaffac had made too deep
+an impression upon me; the remembrance of her loveliness excited my
+imagination too vividly, and the little food I had eaten was not
+enough to cause the usual tendency to a refreshing sleep. At length,
+however, I dozed off, in spite of the ideas that filled my
+imagination; but my sleep was not destined to be of long duration; a
+loud noise within the tomb soon awoke me.
+
+Alarmed at the disturbance, the cause of which I did not stay to
+ascertain, I started up, with the intention of flying from the
+cemetery, when two men, who were standing at the entrance of the tomb,
+perceiving me, stopped me, and demanded who I was, and what I was
+doing there. "I am," I replied, "an unfortunate stranger, whom
+misfortune has reduced to live upon the bounty of the charitable, and
+I came here to pass the night, as I have no place to go to in the
+town." "Since thou art a beggar," said one of them, "thank Heaven that
+thou hast met with us; we will furnish thee with an excellent supper."
+So saying, they dragged me into the tomb, where four of their comrades
+were eating large radishes and dates, and washing them down with
+copious draughts of raki.
+
+They made me sit near them, at a long stone that served as a table,
+and I was obliged to eat and drink, for politeness' sake. I suspected
+them to be what they really were, that is to say, thieves, and they
+soon confirmed my suspicions by their discourse. They began to speak
+of a considerable theft they had just committed, and thought that it
+would afford me infinite pleasure to become one of their gang; they
+made me the offer, which threw me into great perplexity. You may
+imagine that I had no desire to associate myself with such fellows,
+but I was fearful of irritating them by a refusal. I was embarrassed,
+and at a loss for a reply, when a sudden event freed me from my
+trouble. The lieutenant of the cadi, followed by twenty or thirty
+_asas_ (archers) well armed, entered the tomb, seized the robbers and
+me, and took us all off to prison, where we passed the remainder of
+the night. The following day, the cadi came and interrogated the
+prisoners. The thieves confessed their crime, as they saw there was no
+use in denying it; for myself, I related to the judge how I had met
+with them, and, as they corroborated my statement, I was put on one
+side. The cadi wished to speak to me in private, before he set me
+free. Accordingly, he presently came over to me, and asked what took
+me into the cemetery where I was caught, and how I spent my time in
+Bagdad. In fact, he asked me a thousand questions, all of which I
+answered with great candour, only concealing the royalty of my birth.
+I recounted to him all that had happened to me, and I even told him of
+my having stopped before the window of Mouaffac's house to beg, and of
+my having seen, by chance, a young lady who had charmed me.
+
+At the name of Mouaffac I noticed the eyes of the cadi sparkle, with a
+curious expression. He remained a few moments immersed in thought;
+then, assuming a joyous countenance, he said, "Young man, it depends
+only on thyself to possess the lady thou sawest yesterday. It was
+doubtless Mouaffac's daughter; for I have been informed that he has a
+daughter of exquisite beauty. Though thou wert the most abject of
+beings, I would find means for thee to possess the object of thine
+ardent wishes. Thou hast but to leave it to me, and I will make thy
+fortune."
+
+I thanked him, without being able to penetrate his designs, and then
+by his orders followed the aga of his black eunuchs, who released me
+from the prison, and took me to the bath.
+
+Whilst I was there, the judge sent two of his _tchaous_ (guards) to
+Mouaffac's house, with a message that the cadi wished to speak to him
+upon business of the greatest importance. Mouaffac accompanied the
+guards back. As soon as the cadi saw him coming he went forward to
+meet him, saluted him, and kissed him several times. Mouaffac was in
+amazement at this reception.
+
+"Ho! ho!" said he to himself, "how is this, that the cadi, my greatest
+enemy, is become so civil to me to-day? There is something at the
+bottom of all this."
+
+"Friend Mouaffac," said the judge, "Heaven will not suffer us to be
+enemies any longer. It has furnished us with an opportunity of
+extinguishing that hatred which has separated our families for so many
+years. The prince of Bozrah arrived here last night. He left Bozrah
+without taking leave of his father the king. He has heard of your
+daughter; and from the description of her beauty which he has
+received, he has become so enamoured of her, that he is resolved to
+ask her in marriage. He wishes me to arrange the marriage,--a task
+which is the more agreeable to me, as it will be the means of
+reconciling us."
+
+"I am astounded," replied Mouaffac, "that the prince of Bozrah should
+have condescended to confer upon me the honour of marrying my
+daughter; and that you of all men should be the chosen means of
+communicating this happiness to me, as you have always shown yourself
+so anxious to injure me."
+
+"Let us not speak of the past, friend Mouaffac," returned the cadi;
+"pray let all recollection of what we have done to annoy each other be
+obliterated in our happiness at the splendid connexion which is to
+unite your daughter with the prince of Bozrah; let us pass the
+remainder of our days in good fellowship."
+
+Mouaffac was naturally as good and confiding as the cadi was crafty
+and bad: he allowed himself to be deceived by the false expressions of
+friendship that his enemy displayed. He stifled his hatred in a
+moment, and received without distrust the perfidious caresses of the
+cadi. They were in the act of embracing each other, and pledging an
+inviolable friendship, when I entered the room, conducted by the aga.
+This officer, on my coming out of the bath, had clothed me with a
+beautiful dress, which he had ready, and a turban of Indian muslin,
+with a gold fringe that hung down to my ear, and altogether my
+appearance was such as fully to bear out the statements of the cadi.
+
+"Great prince," said the cadi as soon as he perceived me, "blessed be
+your feet, and your arrival in Bagdad, since it has pleased you to
+take up your abode with me. What tongue can express to you the
+gratitude I feel for so great an honour? Here is Mouaffac, whom I have
+informed of the object of your visit to this city. He consents to give
+you in marriage his daughter, who is as beautiful as a star."
+
+Mouaffac then made me a profound obeisance, saying, "O son of the
+mighty, I am overwhelmed with the honour you are willing to confer
+upon my daughter; she would esteem herself sufficiently honoured in
+being made a slave to one of the princesses of your harem."
+
+Judge of the astonishment that this discourse caused me. I knew not
+what to answer. I saluted Mouaffac without speaking; but the cadi,
+perceiving my embarrassment, and fearing lest I should make some reply
+which would destroy his plot, instantly took up the conversation.
+
+"I venture to submit," said he, "that the sooner the marriage contract
+is made in presence of the proper witnesses the better." So saying, he
+ordered his aga to go for the witnesses, and in the mean time drew up
+the contract himself.
+
+When the aga arrived with the witnesses, the contract was read before
+them. I signed it, then Mouaffac, and then the cadi, who attached his
+signature the last. The judge then dismissed the witnesses, and
+turning to Mouaffac said, "You know that with great people these
+affairs are not managed as with persons of humble rank. Besides, in
+this case you readily perceive that silence and despatch are
+necessary. Conduct this prince, then, to your house, for he is now
+your son-in-law; give speedy orders for the consummation of the
+marriage, and take care that every thing is arranged as becomes his
+exalted rank."
+
+I left the cadi's house with Mouaffac. We found two mules richly
+caparisoned awaiting us at the door; the judge insisted upon our
+mounting them with great ceremony. Mouaffac conducted me to his house;
+and when we were in the court-yard dismounted first, and with a
+respectful air presented himself to hold my stirrup,--a ceremony to
+which of course I was obliged to submit. He then took me by the hand
+and conducted me to his daughter, with whom he left me alone, after
+informing her of what had passed at the cadi's.
+
+Zemroude, persuaded that her father had espoused her to a prince of
+Bozrah, received me as a husband who would one day place her upon the
+throne,--and I, the happiest of men, passed the day at her feet,
+striving by tender and conciliating manners to inspire her with love
+for me. I soon perceived that my pains were not bestowed in vain, and
+that my youth and ardent affection produced a favourable impression
+upon her. With what rapture did this discovery fill me! I redoubled my
+efforts, and I had the gratification of remarking that each moment I
+made advances in her esteem.
+
+In the mean time Mouaffac had prepared a splendid repast to celebrate
+his daughter's nuptials, at which several members of his family were
+present. The bride appeared there more brilliant and more beautiful
+than the houris. The sentiments with which I had already inspired her,
+seemed to add new lustre to her beauty.
+
+The next morning I heard a knock at my chamber-door; I got up and
+opened it. There stood the black aga of the cadi carrying a large
+bundle of clothes. I thought that perhaps the cadi had sent robes of
+honour to my wife and myself, but I was deceived.
+
+"Sir adventurer," said the negro in a bantering tone, "the cadi sends
+his salutations, and begs you to return the dress he lent you
+yesterday to play the part of the prince of Bozrah in. I have brought
+you back your own old garment, and the rest of the tatters, which are
+more suited to your station than the other."
+
+I was astounded at the application; my eyes were opened, and I saw
+through the whole malicious scheme of the cadi. However, making a
+virtue of necessity, I gravely restored to the aga the robe and turban
+of his master, and retook my own old caftan, which was a mass of rags.
+Zemroude had heard part of the conversation; and seeing me covered
+with rags, "O heavens!" she exclaimed, "what is the meaning of this
+change, and what has that man been saying to you?"
+
+"My princess," I replied, "the cadi is a great rascal, but he is the
+dupe of his own malice. He thinks he has given you a beggar for a
+husband, a man born in the lowest grade, but you are, indeed, the wife
+of a prince, and my rank is in no way inferior to that of the husband,
+whose hand you fancy you have received. I am to the full the equal of
+the prince of Bozrah, for I am the only son of the king of Moussul,
+and am heir to the kingdom of the great Ben-Ortoc; my name is Al
+Abbas." I then related my history to her, without suppressing the
+least circumstance. When I had finished the recital,
+
+"My prince," said she, "even were you not the son of a great king, I
+should love you none the less; and, believe me, that if I am overjoyed
+to learn the circumstance of your exalted birth, it is but out of
+regard to my father, who is more dazzled by the honours of the world
+than I; my only ambition is to possess a husband who will love me
+alone, and not grieve me by giving me rivals."
+
+I did not fail to protest that I would love her, and her alone, all my
+life, with which assurance she appeared delighted. She then summoned
+one of her women, and ordered her to proceed with all speed and
+secrecy to a merchant's, and buy a dress, ready made, of the richest
+materials that could be procured. The slave who was charged with this
+commission acquitted herself in the most satisfactory manner. She
+returned speedily, bringing a magnificent dress and robe, and a turban
+of Indian muslin as handsome, even handsomer, than what I had worn the
+previous day, so that I found myself even more gorgeously dressed than
+on the occasion of my first interview with my father-in-law. "Well, my
+lord," said Zemroude, "do you think the cadi has much reason to be
+satisfied with his work? He thought to heap reproaches on my family,
+and he has bestowed upon it an imperishable honour. He thinks that we
+are now overwhelmed with shame. What will be his grief when he knows
+that he has conferred such a benefit upon his enemy? But before he is
+made aware of your birth, we must invent some means of punishing him
+for his wicked designs against us. I will take that task upon me.
+There is in this city a dyer, who has a daughter most frightfully
+ugly. I will not tell you further," she continued, checking herself.
+"I will not deprive you of the pleasure of the surprise. I shall only
+let you know that I have conceived a project which will drive the cadi
+nearly mad, and make him the laughingstock of the court and the city."
+
+She then dressed herself in plain clothes, and covering her face with
+a thick veil, asked my permission to go out, which I granted her. She
+went alone, repaired to the cadi's house, and placed herself in one
+corner of the hall, where the judge gave audience.
+
+He no sooner cast his eyes upon her, than he was struck with her
+majestic figure; he sent an officer to ask who she was, and what she
+desired. She answered that she was the daughter of an artisan in the
+town, and that she wished to speak to the cadi on important private
+business. The officer having borne her answer to the cadi, the judge
+made a sign to Zemroude to approach, and enter his private apartment,
+which was on one side of the court; she complied, making a low
+obeisance. When she entered the cadi's private apartment, she took her
+seat upon the sofa, and raised her veil. The cadi had followed her,
+and as he seated himself near her, was astonished at her beauty.
+
+"Well! my dear child," said he, patronizingly, "of what service can I
+be to you?"
+
+"My lord," she replied, "you, who have the power to make the laws
+obeyed, who dispense justice to rich and poor alike, listen, I pray
+you, to my complaint, and pity the unfortunate situation in which I am
+placed."
+
+"Explain yourself," replied the judge, already moved, "and I swear by
+my head and my eyes that I will do every thing that is possible, ay,
+and impossible, to serve you."
+
+"Know then, my lord," replied Zemroude, "that, notwithstanding the
+attractions which Heaven has bestowed upon me, I live in solitude and
+obscurity in a house, forbidden not only to men, but even to women, so
+that even the conversation of my own sex is denied me. Not that
+advantageous proposals were at one time wanting for my hand; I should
+have been married long ago, if my father had not had the cruelty to
+refuse me to all who have asked me in marriage. To one he says, I am
+as withered as a dead tree; to another, that I am bloated with
+unnatural fat; to this one, that I am lame, and have lost the use of
+my hands; to that one, that I have lost my senses, that I have a
+cancer on my back, that I am dropsical; in fact, he wishes to make me
+out a creature not worthy the society of human beings, and has so
+decried me, that he has at length succeeded in making me the reproach
+of the human race; nobody inquires about me now, and I am condemned to
+perpetual celibacy."
+
+When she ceased speaking she pretended to weep, and played her part so
+well that the judge allowed himself to be deceived.
+
+"What can be the reason, my angel," said he, "that your father
+prevents your marrying? What can his motive be?"
+
+"I know not, my lord," replied Zemroude; "I cannot conceive what his
+intentions can be; but I confess my patience is exhausted. I can no
+longer live in this state. I have found means to leave home, and I
+have escaped to throw myself into your arms, and to implore your help;
+take pity on me, I implore you, and interpose your authority, that
+justice may be done to me, otherwise I will not answer for my life."
+
+"No, no," replied he, "you shall not die, neither shall you waste your
+youth in tears and sighs. It only remains with yourself to quit the
+darkness in which your perfections are buried, and to become this very
+day the wife of the cadi of Bagdad. Yes, lovely creature, more fair
+than the houris, I am ready to marry you, if you will consent."
+
+"My lord," replied the lady, "even were not your station one of the
+most dignified and honourable in the city, I could have no objection
+to give you my hand, for you appear to be one of the most amiable of
+men; but I fear that you will not be able to obtain the consent of my
+father, notwithstanding the honour of the alliance."
+
+"Don't trouble yourself upon that point," replied the judge, "I will
+pledge myself as to the issue; only tell me in what street your father
+lives, what his name is, and what his profession."
+
+"His name is Ousta Omar," replied Zemroude; "he is a dyer, he lives
+upon the eastern quay of the Tigris, and in front of his door is a
+palm-tree laden with dates."
+
+"That is enough," said the cadi; "you can return home now; you shall
+soon hear from me, depend upon my word."
+
+The lady, after bestowing a gracious smile upon him, covered her face
+again with her veil, left the private chamber, and returned to me.
+
+"We shall be revenged," she said, laughing gaily; "our enemy, who
+thought to make us the sport of the people, will himself become so."
+
+The judge had scarcely lost sight of Zemroude, ere he sent an officer
+to Ousta Omar, who was at home. "You are to come to the cadi," said
+the man, "he desires to speak with you, and he commanded me to bring
+you before him." The dyer grew pale at these words, he thought that
+some one had lodged a complaint against him before the judge, and that
+it was on that account the officer had come to fetch him. He rose,
+however, and followed in silence, but in great uneasiness.
+
+As soon as he appeared before the cadi, the judge ordered him into the
+same chamber where he had had the interview with Zemroude, and made
+him sit upon the same sofa. The artisan was so astonished at the
+honour paid him, that he changed colour several times.
+
+"Master Omar," said the cadi, "I am glad to see you; I have heard you
+spoken very well of this long time past. I am informed that you are a
+man of good character, that you regularly say your prayers five times
+a day, and that you never fail to attend the great mosque on Friday;
+besides, I know that you never eat pork, and never drink wine nor
+date-spirits; in fact, that whilst you are at work one of your
+apprentices reads the Koran."
+
+"That is true," replied the dyer; "I know above four thousand _hadits_
+(sayings of Mahomet), and I am making preparations for a pilgrimage to
+Mecca."
+
+"I assure you," replied the cadi, "that all this gives me the greatest
+pleasure, for I passionately love all good mussulmen. I am also
+informed that you keep concealed at home a daughter of an age to
+marry; is that true?"
+
+"Great judge," answered Ousta Omar, "whose palace serves as a haven
+and refuge for the unfortunate who are tossed about by the storms of
+the world, they have told you true. I have a daughter who is old
+enough, in all conscience, to be married, for she is more than thirty
+years old; but the poor creature is not fit to be presented to a man,
+much less to so great a man as the cadi of Bagdad; she is ugly, or
+rather frightful, lame, covered with blotches, an idiot; in a word,
+she is a monster whom I cannot take too much pains to hide from the
+world."
+
+"Indeed," said the cadi, "that is what I expected, master Omar. I was
+certain that you would thus praise your daughter; but know, my friend,
+that this blotchy, idiotic, lame, frightful person, in short, this
+monster, with all her defects, is loved to distraction by a man who
+desires her for his wife, and that man is myself."
+
+At this speech the dyer seemed to doubt whether he were awake; he
+pinched himself, rubbed his eyes, and then looking the cadi full in
+the face, said,
+
+"If my lord, the cadi, wishes to be merry, he is master; he may make a
+jest of my child as much as he pleases."
+
+"No, no," replied the cadi, "I am not joking, I am in love with your
+daughter, and I ask her in marriage."
+
+The artisan at these words burst into a fit of laughter. "By the
+prophet," cried he, "somebody wants to give you something to take care
+of. I give you fair warning, my lord, that my daughter has lost the
+use of her hands, is lame, dropsical."
+
+"I know all about that," replied the judge, "I recognize her by her
+portrait. I have a peculiar liking for that sort of girls, they are my
+taste."
+
+"I tell you," insisted the dyer, "she is not a fit match for you. Her
+name is Cayfacattaddhari (the monster of the age), and I must confess
+that her name is well chosen."
+
+"Come, come!" replied the cadi, in an impatient and imperious tone,
+"this is enough, I am sick of all these objections. Master Omar, I ask
+you to give me this Cayfacattaddhari just as she is, so not another
+word."
+
+The dyer, seeing him determined to espouse his daughter, and more than
+ever persuaded that some person had made him fall in love with her
+upon false representations for fun, said to himself, "I must ask him a
+heavy _scherbeha_ (dowry): the amount may disgust him, and he will
+think no more of her."
+
+"My lord," said he, "I am prepared to obey you; but I will not part
+with Cayfacattaddhari unless you give me a dowry of a thousand golden
+sequins beforehand."
+
+"That is rather a large sum," said the cadi, "still I will pay it
+you." He immediately ordered a large bagful of sequins to be brought,
+a thousand were counted out, which the dyer took after weighing them,
+and the judge then ordered the marriage contract to be drawn out.
+When, moreover, it was ready for signature, the artisan protested that
+he would not sign it except in the presence of a hundred lawyers at
+least.
+
+"You are very distrustful," said the cadi; "but never mind, I will
+satisfy your wishes, for I don't intend to let your daughter slip
+through my fingers." He thereupon sent immediately for all the
+neighbouring doctors, alfayins, mollahs, persons connected with the
+mosques and courts of law, of whom far more crowded in than the dyer
+required.
+
+When all the witnesses had arrived at the cadi's, Ousta Omar spoke
+thus,
+
+"My lord cadi, I give you my daughter in marriage, since you
+absolutely require me to do so; but I declare before all these
+gentlemen that it is on condition, that if you are not satisfied with
+her when you see her, and you wish afterwards to repudiate her, you
+will give her a thousand gold sequins, such as I have received from
+you."
+
+"Well! so be it," replied the cadi, "I promise it before all this
+assembly. Art thou content?" The dyer replied in the affirmative, and
+departed, saying that he would send the bride.
+
+He had scarcely left the house before the enamoured judge gave orders
+to have an apartment furnished in the most splendid manner to receive
+his new bride. Velvet carpets were laid down, new draperies hung up,
+and sofas of silver brocade placed round the walls, whilst several
+braziers perfumed the chamber with delicious scents. All was at length
+in readiness, and the cadi impatiently awaited the arrival of
+Cayfacattaddhari. The fair bride, however, not making her appearance
+so speedily as his eagerness expected, he called his faithful aga, and
+said, "The lovely object of my affections ought to be here by this
+time, I think. What can detain her so long at her father's? How slow
+the moments appear which retard my happiness!" At length his
+impatience could brook no longer delay, and he was on the point of
+sending the aga to Ousta Omar's, when a porter arrived carrying a deal
+case covered with green taffeta.
+
+"What hast thou got there, my friend," inquired the judge.
+
+"My lord," replied the porter, placing the box on the ground, "it is
+your bride; you have only to take off the covering and you will see
+what she is like."
+
+The cadi removed the cloth and saw a girl three feet and a half high:
+she had a lank visage covered with blotches, eyes sunk deep in their
+sockets and as red as fire, not the least vestige of a nose, but above
+her mouth two horrid wide nostrils like those of a crocodile. He could
+not look at this object without horror; he hastily replaced the cover,
+and, turning to the porter, cried,
+
+"What am I to do with this miserable creature?"
+
+"My lord," replied the porter, "it is the daughter of master Omar, the
+dyer, who told me you had married her from choice."
+
+"Merciful heavens!" exclaimed the cadi, "is it possible to marry such
+a monster as that?"
+
+At that moment the dyer, who had foreseen the surprise of the judge,
+arrived.
+
+"Wretch," said the cadi, "what dost thou take me for? Thou certainly
+hast an amazing amount of impudence to dare to play me such a trick as
+this. Dost thou dare thus to treat me who have it in my power to
+revenge myself on my enemies; me who, when I please, can put the like
+of thee in fetters? Dread my wrath, wretch! Instead of the hideous
+monster which thou hast sent me, give me instantly thy other daughter,
+whose beauty is unparalleled, or thou shalt experience what an angry
+cadi can do!"
+
+"My lord," replied Omar, "spare your threats, I beg, and don't be
+angry with me. I swear by the Creator of the light that I have no
+other daughter but this. I told you a thousand times that she would
+not suit you; you would not believe--whose fault is it?"
+
+The cadi at these words felt his soul sink within him, and said to the
+dyer,
+
+"Master Omar, a damsel of the most exquisite loveliness came here this
+morning and told me that you were her father, and that you represented
+her to the world as a perfect monster, indeed so much so, that no one
+would ask her in marriage."
+
+"My lord," returned the dyer, "that girl must have been playing you a
+trick; you must have some enemy."
+
+The cadi bent his head on his bosom, and remained some time in deep
+thought.
+
+"It is a misfortune that was destined to befal me; let us say no more
+about it; have your daughter taken back home; keep the thousand
+sequins you have got, but don't ask for any more, if you wish us to be
+friends."
+
+Although the judge had sworn before witnesses that he would give a
+thousand sequins more if Omar's daughter did not please him, the
+artisan did not dare to endeavour to compel him to keep his word, for
+he knew him to be a most vindictive man, and one who would easily find
+an opportunity of revenging himself upon any one he disliked, and was,
+of course, afraid to offend him. He thought it better to be content
+with what he had received.
+
+"My lord," said he, "I will obey you, and relieve you of my daughter,
+but you must, if you please, divorce her first."
+
+"Oh! true," said the cadi; "I have not the least objection; be assured
+that shall soon be done."
+
+Accordingly, he instantly sent for his naib, and the divorce was made
+out in due form, after which master Omar took leave of the judge, and
+ordered the porter to bear the wretched Cayfacattaddhari back home.
+
+This adventure was speedily noised all over the city. Every body
+laughed at it, and warmly applauded the trick which had been played
+upon the cadi, who could not escape the ridicule in which the whole
+city indulged at his expense. We carried our revenge still further. By
+Mouaffac's advice, I presented myself before the prince of the
+faithful, to whom I told my name and related my story. I did not
+suppress, as you may imagine, the circumstances which put the malice
+of the cadi in so strong a light. The caliph, after listening to me
+with the greatest attention, received me very graciously. "Prince,"
+said he, "why did you not come at once to me? Doubtless you were
+ashamed of your condition, but you might, without a blush, have
+presented yourself before my face, even in your wretched state. Does
+it depend upon men themselves to be happy or unhappy? Is it not Allah
+that spins the thread of our destiny? Ought you to have feared an
+ungracious reception? No! You know that I love and esteem king
+Ben-Ortoc, your father; my court was a safe asylum for you."
+
+The caliph embraced me, and conferred on me a _gulute_ (robe of
+honour) and a beautiful diamond which he wore on his finger. He
+regaled me with excellent sherbet, and when I returned to my
+father-in-law's house, I found six large bales of Persian brocade,
+gold and silver, two pieces of damask, and a beautiful Persian horse
+richly caparisoned. In addition, he reinstated Mouaffac in the
+government of Bagdad; and as to the cadi, by way of punishment for his
+malicious attempt to deceive Zemroude and her father, he deposed him,
+and condemned him to perpetual imprisonment, and, to crown his misery,
+ordered him as a companion in his confinement the daughter of Ousta
+Omar.
+
+A few days after my marriage, I sent a courier to Moussul, to inform
+my father of all that had happened to me since my departure from his
+court, and to assure him that I would return shortly, with the lady
+whom I had married. I waited most impatiently for the return of the
+courier; but, alas! he brought me back news which deeply afflicted me.
+He informed me that Ben-Ortoc having heard that four thousand Bedouin
+Arabs had attacked me, and that my escort had been cut to pieces,
+persuaded that I no longer lived, took my supposed death so much to
+heart that he died; that prince Amadeddin Zingui, my cousin-german,
+occupied the throne; that he reigned with equity; and that,
+nevertheless, although he was generally beloved, the people no sooner
+learned that I was still alive, than they gave themselves up to the
+greatest joy. Prince Amadeddin himself, in a letter which the courier
+placed in my hands, assured me of his fidelity, and expressed his
+impatience for my return, in order that he might restore the crown to
+me, and become the first subject in my dominions.
+
+This news decided me to hasten my return to Moussul. I took my leave
+of the prince of the faithful, who ordered a detachment of three
+thousand cavalry of his own guard to escort me to my kingdom, and,
+after embracing Mouaffac and his wife, I departed from Bagdad with my
+beloved Zemroude, who would almost have died of grief at the
+separation from her parents, if her love for me had not somewhat
+moderated the violence of her sorrow. About halfway between Bagdad and
+Moussul, the vanguard of my escort discovered a body of troops
+marching towards us. Concluding at once that it was a body of Bedouin
+Arabs, I immediately drew up my men, and was fully prepared for the
+attack, when my scouts brought me word, that those whom we had taken
+for robbers and enemies were, in fact, troops from Moussul, who had
+set out to meet me, with Amadeddin at their head.
+
+This prince, on his part, having learned who we were, left his little
+army to meet me, accompanied by the principal nobles of Moussul. When
+he reached the spot where I was awaiting him, he addressed me in the
+same tone in which his letter had been couched, submissively and
+respectfully, whilst all the nobles who accompanied him assured me of
+their zeal and fidelity. I thought it my duty to show my entire
+confidence in them, by dismissing the soldiers of the caliph's guard.
+I had no reason to repent of this step; far from being capable of
+forming any treacherous design, prince Amadeddin did all in his power
+to give me proofs of his attachment.
+
+When we came to Moussul, our safe and auspicious arrival was
+celebrated by gifts to the mosques, abundant alms to the poor, fetes,
+and an illumination of the palace gardens with lamps of a thousand
+different colours. The people in general testified the delight they
+felt at my return by acclamations, and for a space of three days gave
+themselves up entirely to great rejoicings. The booths of the
+itinerant merchants, and the bazaars, were hung within and without
+with draperies, and at night they were lit up by lamps, which formed
+the letters of a verse of the Koran, so that every shop having its
+particular verse, this holy book was to be read entire in the city;
+and it appeared as though the angel Gabriel had brought it a second
+time in letters of light to our great prophet.
+
+In addition to this pious illumination, before each shop were placed
+large dishes, plates of pillau, of all sorts of colours, in the form
+of pyramids, and huge bowls of sherbet and pomegranate juice, for the
+passers-by to eat and drink at pleasure. In all the cross streets were
+to be seen dancers, displaying their graceful evolutions to the sounds
+of drums, lutes, and tambourines.
+
+The different trades formed a procession, consisting of cars decorated
+with tinsel and many-coloured flags, and with the tools used in their
+trades; and after traversing the principal streets, defiled to the
+music of pipes, cymbals, and trumpets, before my balcony, where
+Zemroude was sitting by my side, and after saluting us, shouted at the
+top of their voices, "Blessing and health to thee, Apostle of God, God
+give the king victory."
+
+It was not enough for me to share these honours with the daughter of
+Mouaffac, my study was to find out every thing that would afford her
+any pleasure. I caused her apartments to be adorned with every thing
+most rare and pleasing to the sight. Her suite was composed of
+twenty-five young Circassian ladies, slaves in my father's harem; some
+sang and played the lute exquisitely, others excelled on the harp, and
+the rest danced with the greatest grace and lightness. I also gave her
+a black aga, with twelve eunuchs, who all possessed some talent which
+might contribute to her amusement.
+
+I reigned over faithful and devoted subjects; every day I loved
+Zemroude more and more, and she as ardently reciprocated my
+attachment.
+
+My days passed thus in perfect happiness, till one day a young
+dervise appeared at my court. He introduced himself to the principal
+nobles, and gained their friendship by his pleasing and agreeable
+manners, as well as by his wit and his happy and brilliant repartees.
+He accompanied them to the chase, he entered into all their gaieties,
+and was a constant guest at their parties of pleasure. Every day some
+of my courtiers spoke to me of him as a man of charming manners, so
+that at last they excited in me a desire to see and converse with the
+agreeable stranger. Far from finding his portrait overdrawn, he
+appeared to me even more accomplished than they had represented him.
+His conversation charmed me, and I was disabused of an error into
+which many persons of quality fall, namely, that men of wit and high
+sentiment are only to be met with at court. I experienced so much
+pleasure in the company of the dervise, and he seemed so well suited
+to manage affairs of the greatest importance, that I wished to appoint
+him my minister, but he thanked me, and told me he had made a vow
+never to accept any employment, that he preferred a free and
+independent life, that he despised honours and riches, and was content
+with what God, who cares for the lowest animals, should provide for
+him; in a word, he was content with his condition.
+
+I admired a man so much raised above worldly considerations, and
+conceived the greatest esteem for him; I received him with pleasure
+each time he presented himself at court; if he was among the crowd of
+courtiers my eyes sought him out, and to him I most frequently
+addressed myself; I insensibly became so attached to him, that I made
+him my exclusive favourite.
+
+One day during a hunt, I had strayed from the main body of my
+followers, and the dervise was alone with me. He began by relating his
+travels, for although young he had travelled extensively. He spoke of
+several curious things he had seen in India, and, amongst others, of
+an old Bramin whom he knew. "This great man," said he, "knew an
+infinity of secrets, each more extraordinary than the former. Nature
+had no mystery but what he could fathom. He died in my arms," said the
+dervise, "but as he loved me, before he expired he said, 'My son, I
+wish to teach you a secret by which you may remember me, but it is on
+condition that you reveal it to no one.' I promised to keep it
+inviolate, and on the faith of my promise he taught me the secret."
+
+"Indeed!" said I, "what is the nature of the secret? Is it the secret
+of making gold?"
+
+"No, sire," replied he, "it is a greater and much more precious secret
+than that. It is the power of reanimating a dead body. Not that I can
+restore the same soul to the body it has left, Heaven alone can
+perform that miracle; but I can cause my soul to enter into a body
+deprived of life, and I will prove it to your highness whenever you
+shall please."
+
+"Most willingly!" said I, "now, if you please."
+
+At that moment there passed by us most opportunely a doe; I let fly an
+arrow, which struck her, and she fell dead. "Now let me see," said I,
+"if you can reanimate this creature."
+
+"Sire," replied the dervise, "your curiosity shall soon be gratified;
+watch well what I am about to do."
+
+He had scarcely uttered these words, when I beheld with amazement his
+body fall suddenly without animation, and at the same moment I saw the
+doe rise with great nimbleness. I will leave you to judge of my
+surprise. Although there was no room left to doubt what I beheld, I
+could hardly believe the evidence of my senses. The creature, however,
+came to me, fondled me, and after making several bounds, fell dead
+again, and immediately the body of the dervise, which lay stretched at
+my feet, became reanimated.
+
+I was delighted at so wonderful a secret, and entreated the dervise to
+impart it to me.
+
+[Illustration: The Dervise and the Prince, p. 91.]
+
+"Sire," said he, "I deeply regret that I cannot comply with your
+desire; for I promised the dying Bramin not to disclose it to any one,
+and I am a slave to my word."
+
+The more the dervise excused himself from satisfying my wishes, the
+more did I feel my curiosity excited.
+
+"In the name of Allah," said I, "do not refuse to comply with my
+entreaties. I promise thee never to divulge the secret, and I swear by
+Him who created us both never to employ it to a bad purpose."
+
+The dervise considered a moment, then turning to me said,
+
+"I cannot resist the wishes of a king whom I love more than my life; I
+will yield to your desire. It is true," added he, "that I only gave a
+simple promise to the Bramin. I did not bind myself by an inviolable
+oath. I will impart my secret to your highness. It consists only in
+remembering two words; it is sufficient to repeat them mentally to be
+able to reanimate a dead body."
+
+He then taught me the two magic words. I no sooner knew them, than I
+burned to test their power. I pronounced them, with the intention to
+make my soul pass into the body of the doe, and in a moment I found
+myself metamorphosed into the animal. But the delight I experienced at
+the success of the trial was soon converted into consternation; for no
+sooner had my spirit entered into the body of the doe, than the
+dervise caused his to pass into mine, and then suddenly drawing my
+bow, the traitor was on the point of shooting me with one of my own
+arrows, when, perceiving his intention, I took to flight, and by my
+speed just escaped the fatal shaft. Nevertheless, he let fly the arrow
+at me with so true an aim, that it just grazed my shoulder.
+
+I now beheld myself reduced to live with the beasts of the forests and
+mountains. Happier for me would it have been if I had resembled them
+more perfectly, and if in losing my human form, I had at the same
+time lost my power of reason. I should not then have been the prey to
+a thousand miserable reflections.
+
+Whilst I was deploring my misery in the forests, the dervise was
+occupying the throne of Moussul; and fearing that, as I possessed the
+secret as well as himself, I might find means to introduce myself into
+the palace, and take my revenge upon him, on the very day he usurped
+my place he ordered all the deer in the kingdom to be destroyed,
+wishing, as he said, to exterminate the whole species, which he
+mortally hated. Nay, so eager was he for my destruction, that the
+moment he returned from the hunting expedition, he again set out at
+the head of a large body of followers, intent upon the indiscriminate
+slaughter of all the deer they might meet.
+
+The people of Moussul, animated by the hope of gain, spread themselves
+all over the country with their bows and arrows; they scoured the
+forests, over-ran the mountains, and shot every stag and deer they met
+with. Happily, by this time I had nothing to fear from them; for,
+having seen a dead nightingale lying at the foot of a tree, I
+reanimated it, and under my new shape flew towards the palace of my
+enemy, and concealed myself among the thick foliage of a tree in the
+garden. This tree was not far from the apartments of the queen. There,
+thinking upon my misfortune, I poured forth in tender strains the
+melancholy that consumed me. It was one morning, as the sun rose, and
+already several birds, delighted to see its returning beams, expressed
+their joy by their minstrelsy. For my part, taken up with my griefs, I
+paid no attention to the brightness of the newborn day; but with my
+eyes sadly turned towards Zemroude's apartment, I poured forth so
+plaintive a song, that I attracted the attention of the princess, who
+came to the window. I continued my mournful notes in her presence, and
+I tried all the means in my power to render them more and more
+touching, as though I could make her comprehend the subject of my
+grief. But, alas! although she took pleasure in listening to me, I had
+the mortification to see, that instead of being moved by my piteous
+accents, she only laughed with one of her slaves, who had come to the
+window to listen to me.
+
+I did not leave the garden that day, nor for several following, and I
+took care to sing every morning at the same spot. Zemroude did not
+fail to come to the window; and at length, by the blessing of
+Providence, took a fancy to have me. One morning she said to her
+female attendants, "I wish that nightingale to be caught; let
+birdcatchers be sent for. I love that bird; I doat upon it; let them
+try every means to catch it, and bring it to me." The queen's orders
+were obeyed; expert birdcatchers were found, who laid traps for me,
+and, as I had no desire to escape, because I saw that their only
+object in depriving me of my liberty was to make me a slave to my
+princess, I allowed myself to be taken. The moment I was brought to
+her she took me in her hand, with every symptom of delight. "My
+darling," said she, caressing me, "my charming bul-bul, I will be thy
+rose; I already feel the greatest tenderness for thee." At these words
+she kissed me. I raised my beak softly to her lips. "Ah! the little
+rogue," cried she laughing, "he appears to know what I say." At last,
+after fondling me, she placed me in a gold filigree cage, which an
+eunuch had been sent into the city to buy for me.
+
+Every day as soon as she woke I began my song; and whenever she came
+to my cage to caress me or feed me, far from appearing wild, I spread
+out my wings, and stretched my beak towards her, to express my joy.
+She was surprised to see me so tame in so short a time. Sometimes she
+would take me out of the cage, and allow me to fly about her chamber.
+I always went to her to receive her caresses, and to lavish mine upon
+her; and if any of her slaves wished to take hold of me, I pecked at
+them with all my might. By these little insinuating ways I endeared
+myself so much to Zemroude, that she often said if by any mishap I
+were to die, she should be inconsolable, so strong was her attachment
+to me.
+
+Zemroude also had a little dog in her chamber, of which she was very
+fond. One day, when the dog and I were alone, it died. Its death
+suggested to me the idea of making a third experiment of the secret.
+"I will pass into the body of the dog," thought I, "for I wish to see
+what effect the death of her nightingale will produce upon the
+princess." I cannot tell what suggested the fancy, for I did not
+foresee what this new metamorphosis would lead to; but the thought
+appeared to me a suggestion of Heaven, and I followed it at all risks.
+
+When Zemroude returned to the room, her first care was to come to my
+cage. As soon as she perceived that the nightingale was dead, she
+uttered a shriek that brought all her slaves about her. "What ails
+you, madam?" said they in terrified accents. "Has any misfortune
+happened to you?"
+
+"I am in despair," replied the princess, weeping bitterly; "my
+nightingale is dead. My dear bird, my little husband, why art thou
+taken from, me so soon? I shall no more hear your sweet notes! I shall
+never see you again! What have I done to deserve such punishment from
+Heaven?"
+
+All the efforts of her women to console her were in vain. The dervise
+had just returned from his murderous expedition, and one of them ran
+to acquaint him with the state in which they had found the queen. He
+quickly came and told her that the death of a bird ought not to cause
+her so much grief; that the loss was not irreparable; that if she was
+so fond of nightingales, and wanted another, it was easy to get one.
+But all his reasoning was to no purpose, he could make no impression
+upon her.
+
+"Cease your endeavours," she exclaimed, "to combat my grief, you will
+never overcome it. I know it is a great weakness to mourn so for a
+bird, I am as fully persuaded of it as you can be, still I cannot bear
+up against the force of the blow that has overwhelmed me. I loved the
+little creature; he appeared sensible of the caresses I bestowed on
+him, and he returned them in a way that delighted me. If my women
+approached him, he exhibited ferocity, or rather disdain; whereas he
+always came eagerly on to my hand when I held it out to him. It
+appeared as though he felt affection for me, he looked at me in so
+tender and languishing a manner, that it almost seemed as though he
+was mortified that he had not the power of speech to express his
+feelings towards me. I could read it in his eyes. Ah! I shall never
+think of him without despair." As she finished speaking her tears
+gushed out afresh, and she seemed as if nothing could ever console
+her.
+
+I drew a favourable omen from the violence of her grief. I had laid
+myself down in a corner of the room, where I heard all that was said
+and observed all that passed without their noticing me. I had a
+presentiment that the dervise, in order to console the queen, would
+avail himself of the secret, and I was not disappointed.
+
+Finding the queen inaccessible to reason, and being deeply enamoured
+of her, he was moved by her tears, and instead of persevering in
+fruitless arguments, he ordered the queen's slaves to quit the room
+and leave him alone with her. "Madam," said he, thinking that no one
+overheard him, "since the death of your nightingale causes you so much
+sorrow, he must be brought to life. Do not grieve, you shall see him
+alive again; I pledge myself to restore him to you; to-morrow morning,
+when you wake, you shall hear him sing again, and you shall have the
+satisfaction of caressing him."
+
+"I understand you, my lord," said Zemroude; "you look upon me as
+crazed, and think that you must humour my sorrow; you would persuade
+me that I shall see my nightingale alive to-morrow; to-morrow you
+will postpone your miracle till the following day, and so on from one
+day to another; by this means you reckon on making me gradually forget
+my bird; or, perhaps," pursued she, "you intend to get another put in
+his place to deceive me."
+
+"No, my queen," replied the dervise, "no; it is that very bird which
+you see stretched out in his cage without life; this very nightingale,
+the enviable object of such poignant grief; it is that very bird
+himself that shall sing. I will give him new life, and you can again
+lavish your caresses upon him. He will better appreciate that delight,
+and you shall behold him still more anxious to please you, for it will
+be I myself who will be the object of your endearments; every morning
+I will myself be his fresh life in order to divert you. I can perform
+this miracle," continued he; "it is a secret I possess; if you have
+any doubts upon it, or if you are impatient to behold your favourite
+reanimated, I will cause him to revive now immediately."
+
+As the princess did not reply, he imagined from her silence that she
+was not fully persuaded he could accomplish what he professed; he
+seated himself on the sofa, and by virtue of the two cabalistic words
+left his body, or rather mine, and entered into that of the
+nightingale. The bird began to sing in its cage to the great amazement
+of Zemroude. But his song was not destined to continue long; for no
+sooner did he begin to warble than I quitted the body of the dog and
+hastened to retake my own. At the same time running to the cage, I
+dragged the bird out and wrung his neck. "What have you done, my
+lord?" cried the princess. "Why have you treated my nightingale thus?
+If you did not wish him to live, why did you restore him to life?"
+
+"I thank Heaven!" cried I, without paying any regard to what she said,
+so much were my thoughts taken up with the feeling of vengeance which
+possessed me at the treacherous conduct of the dervise, "I am
+satisfied. I have at length avenged myself on the villain whose
+execrable treason deserved a still greater punishment."
+
+If Zemroude was surprised to see her nightingale restored to life, she
+was not the less so to hear me utter these words with such fierce
+emotion.
+
+"My lord," said she, "whence this violent transport which agitates
+you, and what do those words mean which you have just spoken?"
+
+I related to her all that had happened to me, and she could not doubt
+that I was truly Al Abbas, because she had heard that the body of the
+dervise had been found in the forest, and she was also of course well
+acquainted with the order which he had given for destroying all the
+deer.
+
+But my poor princess could not recover the shock her sensitive love
+had sustained. A few days after she fell ill, and died in my arms,
+literally frightened to death by the imminence of the danger from
+which she had just been so happily rescued.
+
+After I had bewailed her, and erected a splendid tomb to her memory, I
+summoned the prince Amadeddin.
+
+"My cousin," said I, "I have no children, I resign the crown of
+Moussul in your favour. I give the kingdom up into your hands. I
+renounce the regal dignity, and wish to pass the rest of my days in
+repose and privacy." Amadeddin, who really loved me, spared no
+arguments to deter me from taking the step I proposed, but I assured
+him that nothing could shake my resolution.
+
+"Prince," said I, "my determination is fixed, I resign my rank to you.
+Fill the throne of Al Abbas, and may you be more happy than he. Reign
+over a people who know your merit, and have already experienced the
+blessings of your rule. Disgusted with pomp, I shall retire to distant
+climes, and live in privacy; there freed from the cares of state, I
+shall mourn over the memory of Zemroude, and recall the happy days we
+passed together."
+
+I left Amadeddin upon the throne of Moussul, and, accompanied only by
+a few slaves, and carrying an ample supply of riches and jewels, took
+the road to Bagdad, where I arrived safely. I immediately repaired to
+Mouaffac's house. His wife and he were not a little surprised to see
+me, and they were deeply affected when I informed them of the death of
+their daughter, whom they had tenderly loved. The recital unlocked the
+fountains of my own grief, and I mingled my tears with theirs. I did
+not stay long in Bagdad, I joined a caravan of pilgrims going to
+Mecca, and after paying my devotions, found, by chance, another
+company of pilgrims from Tartary, whom I accompanied to their native
+country. We arrived in this city; I found the place agreeable, and
+took up my abode here, where I have resided for nearly forty years. I
+am thought to be a stranger who was formerly concerned in trade, and
+whose time is now passed in study and contemplation. I lead a retired
+life, and rarely see strangers. Zemroude is ever present to my
+thoughts, and my only consolation consists in dwelling fondly upon her
+memory and her virtues.
+
+
+CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF PRINCE KHALAF AND THE PRINCESS OF CHINA.
+
+Al Abbas, having finished the recital of his adventures, thus
+addressed his guests:
+
+"Such is my history. You perceive by my misfortunes and your own, that
+human life is but as a reed, ever liable to be bent to the earth by
+the bleak blasts of misfortune. I will, however, confess to you that I
+have led a happy and quiet life ever since I have been in Jaic; and
+that I by no means repent having abdicated the throne of Moussul; for
+in the obscurity in which I now live, I have discovered peaceful and
+tranquil joys which I never experienced before."
+
+Timurtasch, Elmaze, and Khalaf bestowed a thousand flattering
+encomiums upon the son of Ben-Ortoc; the khan admired the resolution
+which had caused him to deprive himself of his kingdom, in order to
+live in privacy in a country of strangers, where the station which he
+had filled in the world was unknown. Elmaze praised the fidelity he
+displayed towards Zemroude, and the grief he experienced at her death.
+And Khalaf remarked, "My lord, it were to be wished that all men could
+display the same constancy in adversity which you have done, under
+your misfortunes."
+
+They continued their conversation till it was time to retire. Al Abbas
+then summoned his slaves, who brought wax-lights in candlesticks made
+of aloe-wood, and conducted the khan, the princess, and her son to a
+suite of apartments, where the same simplicity reigned that
+characterized the rest of the house. Elmaze and Timurtasch retired to
+sleep in a chamber appropriated to themselves, and Khalaf to another.
+The following morning their host entered the chamber of his guests as
+soon as they were up, and said,
+
+"You are not the only unfortunate persons in the world; I have just
+been informed that an ambassador from the sultan of Carisma arrived in
+the city last evening; that his master has sent him to Ileuge-Khan, to
+beg of him not only to refuse an asylum to the khan of the Nagaeis, his
+enemy, but if the khan should endeavour to pass through his dominions,
+to arrest him. Indeed, it is reported," pursued Al Abbas, "that the
+unfortunate khan, for fear of falling into the hands of the sultan of
+Carisma, has left his capital and fled with his family." At this news,
+Timurtasch and Khalaf changed colour, and the princess fainted.
+
+The swoon of Elmaze, as well as the evident trouble of the father and
+son, instantly caused Al Abbas to suspect that his guests were not
+merchants.
+
+"I see," said he, as soon as the princess had recovered her senses,
+"that you take a deep interest in the misfortunes of the khan of the
+Nagaeis; indeed, if I may be permitted to tell you what I think, I
+believe you are yourselves the objects of the sultan of Carisma's
+hatred."
+
+"Yes, my lord," replied Timurtasch, "we are, indeed, the victims for
+whose immolation he is thirsty. I am the khan of the Nagaeis, you
+behold my wife and my son; we should, indeed, be ungrateful, if we did
+not discover our position to you, after your generous reception, and
+the confidence you have reposed in us. I am encouraged even to hope,
+that by your counsels you will aid us to escape from the danger which
+threatens us."
+
+"Your situation is most critical," replied the aged king of Moussul;
+"I know Ileuge-Khan well, and, as he fears the sultan of Carisma, I
+cannot doubt that, to please him, he will search for you every where.
+You will not be safe, either in my house or in any other in this city;
+the only resource left you, is to leave the country of Jaic as
+speedily as possible, cross the river Irtisch, and gain, with the
+utmost diligence, the frontiers of the tribe of the Berlas."
+
+This advice pleased Timurtasch, his wife, and son. Al Abbas had three
+horses instantly got ready, together with provisions for the journey,
+and giving them a purse filled with gold; "Start immediately," said
+he, "you have no time to lose, by to-morrow, no doubt, Ileuge-Khan
+will cause search to be made for you every where."
+
+They returned their heartfelt thanks to the aged monarch, and then
+quitted Jaic, crossed the Irtisch, and joining company with a
+camel-driver, who was travelling that way, arrived after several days'
+journey in the territories of the tribe of Berlas. They took up their
+quarters with the first horde they met, sold their horses, and lived
+quietly enough as long as their money lasted; but, as soon as it came
+to an end, the misery of the khan recommenced. "Why am I still in the
+world?" he began to exclaim. "Would it not have been better to have
+awaited my blood-thirsty foe in my own kingdom, and have died
+defending my capital, than to drag on a life which is only one
+continued scene of misery? It is in vain that we endure our
+misfortunes with patience; for, in spite of our submission to its
+decrees, Heaven will never restore us to happiness, but leaves us
+still the sport of misery."
+
+"My lord," replied Khalaf, "do not despair of our miseries coming to
+an end. Heaven, which decrees these events, is preparing for us, I
+doubt not, some relief which we cannot foresee. Let us proceed at
+once," added he, "to the principal horde of this tribe. I have a
+presentiment, that our fortunes will now assume a more favourable
+aspect."
+
+They all three proceeded accordingly to the horde with whom the khan
+of Berlas resided. They entered a large tent which served as a refuge
+for poor strangers. Here they laid themselves down, worn out with
+their journey, and at a loss at last to know how to obtain even the
+necessaries of life. Khalaf, however, quietly slipt out of the tent,
+leaving his father and mother there, and went through the horde,
+asking charity of the passers-by. By the evening he had collected a
+small sum of money, with which he bought some provisions, and carried
+them to his parents. When they learned that their son had actually
+solicited charity, they could not refrain from tears. Khalaf himself
+was moved by their grief, but cheerfully remarked, nevertheless, "I
+confess that nothing we have yet endured has appeared to me more
+mortifying than to be reduced to solicit alms; still, as at present I
+cannot procure you subsistence by any other means, is it not my duty
+to do it, in spite of the mortification it costs me? But," he added,
+as though struck with a sudden thought, "there is still another
+resource--sell me for a slave, and the money you will receive will
+last you a long time."
+
+"What do you say, my son?" cried Timurtasch, when he heard these
+words. "Can you propose to us that we should live at the expense of
+your liberty? Ah! rather let us endure for ever our present misery.
+But if it should come to this, that one of us must be sold, let it be
+myself; I do not refuse to bear the yoke of servitude for you both."
+
+"My lord," said Khalaf, "another thought strikes me; to-morrow morning
+I will take my station among the porters; some one may chance to
+employ me, and we may thus earn a living by my labour." They agreed to
+this, and the following day the prince stationed himself among the
+porters of the horde, and waited till some one should employ him; but
+unfortunately no one wanted him, so that half the day passed and he
+had not had a single job. This grieved him deeply. "If I am not more
+successful than this," thought he, "how am I to support my father and
+mother?"
+
+He grew tired of waiting among the porters on the chance of some
+person wanting his services. He went out of the encampment and
+strolled into the country, in order to turn over in his mind
+undisturbedly the best means of earning a livelihood. He sat down
+under a tree, where, after praying Heaven to have pity on his
+perplexity, he fell asleep. When he woke he saw near him a falcon of
+singular beauty: its head was adorned with a tuft of gaudy feathers,
+and from its neck hung a chain of gold filigree-work set with
+diamonds, topazes, and rubies. Khalaf, who understood falconry, held
+out his fist, and the bird alighted on it. The prince of the Nagaeis
+was delighted at the circumstance. "Let us see," said he, "what this
+will lead to. This bird, from all appearance, belongs to the sovereign
+of the tribe." Nor was he wrong. It was the favourite falcon of
+Almguer, khan of Berlas, who had lost it the previous day. His
+principal huntsmen were engaged at that moment in searching every
+where for it with the greatest diligence and uneasiness, for their
+master had threatened them with the severest punishments if they
+returned without his bird, which he loved passionately.
+
+Prince Khalaf returned to the encampment with the falcon. As soon as
+the people of the horde saw it, they began to cry out, "Ha! here is
+the khan's falcon recovered. Blessings on the youth who will make our
+prince rejoice by restoring him his bird." And so it turned out, for
+when Khalaf arrived at the royal tent, and appeared with the falcon,
+the khan, transported with joy, ran to his bird and kissed it a
+thousand times. Then addressing the prince of the Nagaeis, he asked him
+where he found it. Khalaf related how he had recovered the falcon. The
+khan then said to him, "Thou appearest to be a stranger amongst us;
+where wast thou born, and what is thy profession?"
+
+"My lord," replied Khalaf, prostrating himself at the khan's feet, "I
+am the son of a merchant of Bulgaria, who was possessed of great
+wealth. I was travelling with my father and mother in the country of
+Jaic, when we were attacked by robbers, who stripped us of every thing
+but our lives, and we have found our way to this encampment actually
+reduced to beg our bread."
+
+"Young man," replied the khan, "I am glad that it is thou who hast
+found my falcon; for I swore to grant to whomsoever should bring me my
+bird, whatever two things he might ask; so thou hast but to speak.
+Tell me what thou desirest me to grant thee, and doubt not that thou
+shalt obtain it." "Since I have permission to ask two things,"
+returned Khalaf, "I request in the first place that my father and
+mother, who are in the strangers' tent, may have a tent to themselves
+in the quarter where your highness resides, and that they may be
+supported during the rest of their days at your highness's expense,
+and waited on by officers of your highness's household; secondly, I
+desire to have one of the best horses in your highness's stables and a
+purse full of gold, to enable me to make a journey which I have in
+contemplation." "Thy wishes shall be gratified," said Almguer; "thou
+shalt bring thy father and mother to me, and from this day forth I
+will begin to entertain them as thou desirest; and to-morrow, dressed
+in rich attire, and mounted on the best horse in my stables, thou
+shalt be at liberty to go wherever it shall please thee. Thy modesty,
+the filial love which is imprinted upon thy features, thy youth, thy
+noble air, please me; be my guest, come and join my festivities, and
+thou shalt listen to an Arabian story-teller, whose knowledge and
+imaginative powers instruct and amuse my tribes."
+
+The khan and the son of Timurtasch presently seated themselves at a
+table loaded with viands, confectionary, fruit, and flowers; gazelle
+venison, red-legged partridges, pheasants, and black cock were
+displayed as trophies of the skill of the hunter king. The Arab
+stationed near the khan awaited his orders. "Moustapha," said the khan
+at length, turning to the Arab, "I have been extolling thy knowledge
+and wit to my guest; surpass thyself, and let him see that I have not
+exaggerated. He shall give thee a subject; treat it in such a manner
+as to deserve his praise."
+
+"I am curious," said the prince, "to hear of China; I ask thee to
+instruct me concerning the government of that important kingdom, and
+to give me an insight into the manners and customs of its people."
+
+The Arab reflected a moment, and then, prefacing his recital with a
+few general remarks, proceeded to depict in glowing colours this
+celestial empire, whose civilization dates back to the remotest ages
+of the world. He described its extent as equal to one-half of the
+habitable globe; its population as so numerous that it might be
+counted by hundreds of millions; he spoke of cities, each of which
+alone brought a revenue to their crown, which surpassed that of entire
+kingdoms; of those gigantic works, the canals, whose extent equalled
+the course of the largest rivers, which traversed the vast empire. And
+he foretold that a time would come when Tartar warriors should scale
+that very wall which the terror of their arms had caused to be built,
+and should again reconquer the whole of that wealthy tract. He then
+began his story as follows.
+
+
+THE STORY OF LIN-IN.
+
+A CHINESE TALE.
+
+At Wou-si, a town dependent upon the city of Tchang-tcheou, in the
+province of Kiang-nan, there resided a family in the middle sphere of
+life. Three brothers composed the family; the name of the eldest was
+Lin-in (the jasper); the second Lin-pao (the precious); the youngest
+Lin-tchin (the pearl); this last was not yet old enough to marry; the
+other two had taken wives to themselves. The wife of the first was
+named Wang; the wife of the second Yang; and both possessed every
+grace which can constitute the charm of woman.
+
+Lin-pao's engrossing passions were gambling and wine; he evinced no
+inclination to good. His wife was of a similar disposition, and
+depraved in her conduct; she was very different from her sister-in-law
+Wang, who was a pattern of modesty and propriety. So although these
+two women lived together on neighbourly terms, there was but little
+real sympathy between them.
+
+Wang had a son named Hi-eul, that is to say, "the son of rejoicing."
+He was a child of six years old. One day having stopped in the street
+with some other children, to look at a great procession in the
+neighbourhood, he was lost in the crowd, and in the evening did not
+return to the house.
+
+This loss caused the deepest sorrow to his parents. They had handbills
+posted up, and there was not a street in which they did not make
+inquiries, but all to no purpose; they could gain no intelligence
+respecting their darling child. Lin-in was inconsolable; and giving
+way to the grief that overwhelmed him, he sought to fly from his home,
+where every thing brought back the remembrance of his dear Hi-eul. He
+borrowed a sum of money from one of his friends to enable him to carry
+on a small trade in the neighbourhood of the city and the adjacent
+villages, hoping that in one of these short excursions he might be
+able to recover the treasure he had lost.
+
+As his whole thoughts were taken up with his child, he took little
+pleasure in the circumstance that his trade flourished. He
+nevertheless continued to pursue it during five years, without making
+long journeys from home, whither he returned every year to spend the
+autumn. At length, being utterly unsuccessful in discovering the least
+trace of his son after so many years, and concluding that he was lost
+to him for ever, and finding moreover that his wife Wang bore him no
+more children, as he had now amassed a good sum of money, he
+determined to divert his thoughts from painful recollections by
+trading in another province.
+
+He joined the company of a rich merchant travelling the road he had
+fixed upon; and the merchant, having observed his aptitude for
+business, made him a very advantageous offer. The desire of becoming
+wealthy now took possession of him, and diverted his thoughts from
+their accustomed channel.
+
+Within a very short time after their arrival in the province of
+Chan-si every thing had succeeded to their utmost wishes. They found a
+quick sale for their merchandise, and the profits arising from it was
+considerable. The payments, however, were delayed for two years in
+consequence of a drought and famine which afflicted the country, as
+well as by a tedious illness by which Lin-in was attacked. They were
+detained altogether three years in the province; after which, having
+recovered his money and his health, he took his departure to return to
+his own country.
+
+He halted one day during his journey near a place named Tchin-lieou
+to recruit his strength, and strolling round the neighbourhood
+accidentally came upon a girdle of blue cloth, in the form of a long,
+narrow bag, such as is worn round the body, under the dress, and in
+which money is usually kept; as he took it up, he found the weight
+considerable. He retired to a quiet spot, opened the girdle, and found
+it contained about two hundred taeels.
+
+At sight of this treasure he fell into the following train of
+reflection: "My good fortune has placed this sum in my hands; I might
+keep it and employ it for my own use without fearing any unpleasant
+consequences. Still the person who has dropt it, the moment he
+discovers his loss, will be in great distress, and will return in
+haste to look for it. Do they not say that our forefathers dared
+scarcely touch money found in this way; and if they picked it up, only
+did so with a view of restoring it to its owner? This appears to me a
+very praiseworthy custom, and I will imitate it, the more so as I am
+growing old and have no heir. Of what benefit would money got by such
+means be to me?"
+
+Whilst thus reasoning, he had wandered to some distance from the spot
+where he had found the money; he now, however, retraced his steps to
+the place, and waited there the whole day, to be ready in case the
+owner should return. Nobody came, however, and the next day he
+continued his journey.
+
+After five days' travelling, he arrived in the evening at
+Nan-sou-tcheou, and took up his quarters at an inn where several other
+merchants were staying. The conversation having turned upon the
+advantages of commerce, one of the company said, "Five days ago, on
+leaving Tchin-lieou, I lost two hundred taeels, which I had in an
+inside girdle. I had taken it off, and placed it near me whilst I lay
+down to sleep, when a mandarin and his cortege chanced to pass by. I
+hastened to get out of the way for fear of insult, and in my hurry
+forgot to take up my money. It was only at night, as I was undressing
+to go to bed, that I discovered my loss. I felt sure that as the place
+where I lost my money was by the side of a well-frequented road, it
+would be useless to delay my journey for several days in order to look
+for what I should never find."
+
+Every one condoled with him on his loss. Lin-in asked him his name and
+place of abode. "Your servant," replied the merchant, "is named Tchin,
+and lives at Yang-tcheou, where he has a shop and a large warehouse.
+May I be so bold in return to inquire to whom I have the honour of
+speaking?" Lin-in told him his name, and said that he was an
+inhabitant of the town of Wou-si. "My shortest road there," added he,
+"lies through Yang-tcheou; and, if agreeable to you, I shall have much
+pleasure in your company so far."
+
+Tchin acknowledged this politeness in a becoming manner. "Most
+willingly," said he; "we will continue our journey together, and I
+esteem myself very fortunate in meeting with such an agreeable
+companion." The journey was not long, and they soon arrived at
+Yang-tcheou.
+
+After the usual civilities, Tchin invited his fellow-traveller to his
+house, and on their arrival there immediately ordered refreshments to
+be brought. Whilst they were discussing their meal, Lin-in managed to
+turn the conversation on the subject of the lost money.
+
+"What," he asked, "was the colour of the girdle which contained your
+money, and of what material was it made?"
+
+"It was of blue cloth," replied Tchin; "and what would enable me to
+identify it is, that at one end the letter Tchin, which is my name, is
+embroidered upon it in white silk."
+
+This description left no doubt as to the owner. Lin-in, therefore,
+rejoined in a cheerful tone, "If I have asked you all these
+questions, it was merely because passing through Tchin-lieou, I found
+a belt such as you describe." At the same time producing it, he added,
+"Look if this is yours." "The very same," said Tchin. Whereupon Lin-in
+politely restored it to its owner.
+
+Tchin, overwhelmed with gratitude, pressed him to accept the half of
+the sum which it contained; but his entreaties were in vain, Lin-in
+would receive nothing. "What obligations am I not under to you?"
+resumed Tchin; "where else should I find such honesty and generosity?"
+He then ordered a splendid repast to be brought, over which they
+pledged each other with great demonstrations of friendship.
+
+Tchin thought to himself, "Where should I find a man of such probity
+as Lin-in? Men of his character are very scarce in these days. What!
+shall I receive from him such an act of kindness, and not be able to
+repay him? I have a daughter twelve years old; I must form an alliance
+with such an honest man. But has he got a son? On this point I am
+entirely ignorant."
+
+"My dear friend," said he, "how old is your son?"
+
+This question brought tears into the eyes of Lin-in. "Alas!" replied
+he, "I had but one, who was most dear to me. It is now eight years ago
+since my child, having run out of the house to see a procession pass
+by, disappeared; and from that day to this I have never been able to
+learn any thing of him; and, to crown my misfortune, my wife has not
+borne me any more children."
+
+Upon hearing this, Tchin appeared to think for a moment, then,
+continuing the conversation, said, "My brother and benefactor, of what
+age was the child when you lost him?" "About six years old," replied
+Lin-in. "What was his name?" "We called him Hi-eul," returned Lin-in.
+"He had escaped all the dangers of the small-pox which had left no
+traces upon his countenance; his complexion was clear and florid."
+
+This description gave the greatest pleasure to Tchin, and he could not
+prevent his satisfaction from displaying itself in his looks and
+manner. He immediately called one of his servants, to whom he
+whispered a few words. The servant, having made a gesture of
+obedience, retired into the interior of the house.
+
+Lin-in, struck by the questions, and the joy which lit up the
+countenance of his host, was forming all sorts of conjectures, when he
+saw a youth of about fourteen years of age enter the room. He was
+dressed in a long gown, with a plain though neat jacket. His graceful
+form, his air and carriage, his face with its regular features, and
+his quick and piercing eyes, and finely arched black eyebrows, at once
+engaged the admiration and riveted the attention of Lin-in.
+
+As soon as the youth saw the stranger seated at table, he turned
+towards him, made a low bow, and uttered some respectful words; then
+approaching Tchin, and standing modestly before him, he said in a
+sweet and pleasing tone, "My father, you have called Hi-eul; what are
+you pleased to command?" "I will tell you presently," replied Tchin,
+"in the mean time stand beside me."
+
+The name of Hi-eul, by which the youth called himself, excited fresh
+suspicions in the breast of Lin-in. A secret sympathy suddenly forced
+itself upon him; and by one of those wonderful instincts of nature
+which are so unerring, recalled to his recollection the image of his
+lost child, his form, his face, his air, and manners; he beheld them
+all in the youth before him. There was but one circumstance that made
+him doubt the truth of his conjectures, and that was his addressing
+Tchin by the name of 'father.' He felt it would be rude to ask Tchin
+if the youth really were his son; perhaps he might truly be so, for it
+was not impossible that there might be two children bearing the same
+name, and in many respects resembling each other.
+
+Lin-in, absorbed in these reflections, paid little attention to the
+good cheer placed before him. Tchin could read on the countenance of
+Lin-in the perplexing thoughts that filled his mind. An indescribable
+charm seemed to attract him irresistibly towards the youth. He kept
+his eyes constantly fixed upon him, he could not turn them away.
+Hi-eul, on his part, despite his bashfulness and the timidity natural
+to his age, could not help gazing intently upon Lin-in; it seemed as
+though nature was revealing his father to him.
+
+At length Lin-in, no longer master of his feelings, suddenly broke the
+silence, and asked Tchin if the youth really was his son.
+
+"I am not," replied Tchin, "really his father, although I look upon
+him as my own child. Eight years ago, a man passing through this city,
+leading this child in his hand, addressed me by chance, and begged me
+to assist him in his great need. 'My wife,' said he, 'is dead, and has
+left me with this child. The impoverished state of my affairs has
+compelled me to leave my native place, and go to Hoaingan to my
+relations, from whom I hope to receive a sum of money, to enable me to
+set up in business again. I have not wherewith to continue my journey
+to that town, will you be so charitable as to lend me three taeels? I
+will faithfully restore them on my return, and I will leave as a
+pledge all that I hold most dear in the world, my only son; I shall no
+sooner reach Hoaingan, than I will return and redeem my dear child.'
+
+"I felt gratified by this mark of confidence, and I gave him the sum
+he asked. As he left me he burst into tears, and gave every evidence
+of the grief he felt in leaving his child. I was, however, surprised
+that the child did not exhibit the least emotion at the separation;
+as, however, time wore on, and the pretended father did not return,
+suspicions began to rise, which I was anxious to set at rest. I called
+the child, and by various questions I put to him, learned that he was
+born in Wou-si, that having one day run out to see a procession pass
+by, he had strayed too far from home, and lost his way, and that he
+had been trepanned and carried off by a stranger. He also told me the
+name of his father and mother; indeed, it is that of your own family.
+I thus discovered that the fellow, so far from being the father of the
+poor child, was the identical rascal who had carried him off. Not only
+was my compassion excited, but the boy's pleasing manners had entirely
+won my heart; I treated him from that time as one of my own children,
+and I sent him to college with my own son, to study with him. I have
+often entertained the plan of going to Wou-si, to inquire after his
+family. But business of some kind always prevented me from undertaking
+the journey, of which, however, I had never fully relinquished the
+idea; when, happily, a few moments ago, you chanced in the course of
+conversation to mention your son, my suspicions were aroused, and upon
+the extraordinary coincidence of your tale, and the circumstances of
+which I was acquainted, I sent for your child to see if you would
+recognize him."
+
+At these words Hi-eul wept for joy, and his tears caused those of
+Lin-in to flow copiously. "A peculiar mark," said he, "will prove his
+identity; a little above the left knee you will find a small black
+spot, which has been there from his birth." Hi-eul pulled up the leg
+of his trouser, and showed the spot in question. Lin-in, on seeing it,
+threw himself upon the neck of the child, covered him with kisses, and
+folded him in his arms. "My child," cried he, "my dear child, what
+happiness for your father to find you after so many years' absence."
+
+It is not difficult to conceive to what transports of joy the father
+and son delivered themselves up, during these first moments of
+pleasure. After a thousand tender embraces, Lin-in at length tore
+himself from the arms of his son, and made a profound obeisance to
+Tchin. "What gratitude do I not owe you," said he, "for having
+received my son into your house, and brought up this dear portion of
+myself with so much care. But for you we should never have been
+united."
+
+"My kind benefactor," replied Tchin, rising, "it was the act of
+disinterested generosity you practised towards me, in restoring the
+two hundred taeels, which moved the compassion of Heaven. It is Heaven
+that conducted you to my house, where you have found him whom you
+sought in vain for so many years. Now that I know that good youth is
+your son, I regret that I have not treated him with greater
+consideration."
+
+"Kneel, my son," said Lin-in, "and thank your generous benefactor."
+
+Tchin was about to return these salutations, when Lin-in himself
+prevented him, overcome with this excess of respect. This interchange
+of civilities being over they resumed their seats, and Tchin placed
+little Hi-eul on a seat by his father's side.
+
+Then Tchin resuming the conversation, said, "My brother (for
+henceforth that is the title by which I shall address you), I have a
+daughter twelve years of age, and it is my intention to give her in
+marriage to your son, in order that the union may cement our
+friendship more closely." This proposition was made in so sincere and
+ardent a manner, that Lin-in did not feel it right to make the usual
+excuses that good breeding prescribed. He therefore waived all
+ceremony, and gave his consent at once.
+
+As it was growing late, they separated for the night. Hi-eul slept in
+the same chamber with his father. You may imagine all the tender and
+affectionate conversation that passed between them during the night.
+The next day Lin-in prepared to take leave of his host, but he could
+not resist his pressing invitation to remain. Tchin had prepared a
+second day's festivity, in which he spared no expense to regale the
+future father-in-law of his daughter, and his new son-in-law, and
+thereby to console himself for their departure. They drank and sang,
+and gave themselves up fully to the hilarity of the occasion.
+
+When the repast was ended, Tchin drew out a packet of twenty taeels,
+and looking towards Lin-in, said, "During the time my dear son-in-law
+has been with me, it is possible he may have suffered many things
+against my wish, and unknown to me; here is a little present I wish to
+make him, until I can give him more substantial proofs of my
+affection. I will not hear of a refusal."
+
+"What!" replied Lin-in, "at a time when I am contracting an alliance
+so honourable to me, and when I ought, according to custom, to make
+marriage presents for my son, presents which I am prevented from doing
+at this moment, only because I am travelling, do you load me with
+gifts? I cannot accept them; the thought covers me with confusion."
+
+"Well!" replied Tchin, "I am not dreaming of offering _you_ such a
+trifle. It is for my son-in-law, not the father-in-law of my daughter,
+that I intend this present. Indeed, if you persist in the refusal, I
+shall consider it as a sign that the alliance is not agreeable to
+you."
+
+Lin-in saw that he must yield, and that resistance would be useless.
+He humbly accepted the present, and making his son rise from table,
+ordered him to make a profound reverence to Tchin. "What I have given
+you," said Tchin, raising him up, "is but a trifle, and deserves no
+thanks." Hi-eul then went into the house to pay his respects to his
+mother-in-law. The whole day passed in feasting and diversions; it was
+only at night that they separated.
+
+When Lin-in retired to his chamber, he gave himself up entirely to the
+reflections to which these events gave rise. "It must be confessed,"
+cried he, "that by restoring the two hundred taeels, I have done an
+action pleasing to Heaven, and now I am rewarded by the happiness of
+finding my child, and contracting so honourable an alliance. This is,
+indeed, joy upon joy; it is like putting gold flowers upon a beautiful
+piece of silk. How can I be sufficiently grateful for so many favours?
+Here are the twenty taeels that my friend Tchin has given me; can I do
+better than employ them towards the maintenance of some virtuous
+bonzes? It will be sowing them in a soil of blessings."
+
+The next day, after breakfast, the father and son got ready their
+luggage, and took leave of their host; they proceeded to the quay,
+hired a boat, and commenced their journey. They had scarcely gone half
+a league, ere they came in sight of a scene of terrible excitement;
+the river was full of struggling people, whose cries rent the air. A
+bark, full of passengers, had just sunk, and the cries of the
+unfortunate creatures for help were heart-rending! The people on the
+shore called loudly to several small boats which were near to come to
+the rescue. But the hard-hearted and selfish boatmen demanded that a
+good sum should be guaranteed them, before they would bestir
+themselves. At this critical moment Lin-in's boat came up. The moment
+he perceived what was going on, he said to himself: "It is a much more
+meritorious action to save the life of a man, than to adorn the
+temples and support bonzes. Let us consecrate the twenty taeels to this
+good work; let us succour these poor drowning souls." He instantly
+proclaimed that he would give the twenty taeels amongst those who would
+take the drowning men into their boats.
+
+At this offer all the boatmen crowded towards the scene of the
+disaster, and the river was, in a moment, covered with their boats; at
+the same time, some of the spectators on shore, who knew how to swim,
+threw themselves into the water, and, in a few moments, all were
+saved, without exception. Lin-in then distributed amongst the boatmen
+the promised reward.
+
+The poor creatures, snatched from a watery grave, came in a body to
+return thanks to their preserver. One amongst them, having looked
+attentively at Lin-in, suddenly cried out, "What! is that you, my
+eldest brother? By what good luck do I find you here?"
+
+Lin-in, turning towards him, recognized his youngest brother,
+Lin-tchin. Then, transported with joy, he exclaimed, clasping his
+hands, "O wonderful circumstance! Heaven has led me hither to save my
+brother's life." He instantly reached out his hand to him, and made
+him come into his boat, helped him off with his wet clothes, and gave
+him others.
+
+As soon as Lin-tchin had sufficiently recovered, he paid the respects
+due to an elder brother which good breeding demands from a younger,
+and Lin-in, having acknowledged his politeness, called Hi-eul, who was
+in the cabin, to come and salute his uncle; he then recounted all his
+adventures, which threw Lin-tchin into a state of amazement, from
+which he was a long time in recovering. "But tell me," said Lin-in, at
+length, "your motive in coming to this country."
+
+"It is not possible," replied Lin-tchin, "to tell you in a few words
+the reason of my travels. In the course of the three years which have
+elapsed since your departure from home, the melancholy news of your
+death from illness reached us. My second brother made every inquiry,
+and assured himself that the report was true. It was a thunderbolt for
+my sister-in-law; she was inconsolable, and put on the deepest
+mourning. For my part, I could not give credit to the report. After a
+few days had elapsed, my second brother tried all in his power to
+induce my sister-in-law to contract a fresh marriage. She, however,
+steadily rejected the proposal; at length she prevailed upon me to
+make a journey to Chan-si, to ascertain upon the spot what had become
+of you; and, when I least expected it, at the point of perishing in
+the water, the very person I was in search of, my well-beloved
+brother, has saved my life. Is not this unexpected good fortune, a
+blessing from Heaven? But believe me, my brother, there is no time to
+be lost; make all possible haste to return home, and to put an end to
+my sister-in-law's grief. The least delay may cause an irreparable
+misfortune."
+
+Lin-in, overwhelmed at this news, sent for the captain of the boat,
+and, although it was late, ordered him to set sail, and continue the
+voyage during the night.
+
+Whilst all these events were happening to Lin-in, Wang, his wife, was
+a prey to the most poignant grief. A thousand circumstances led her to
+suspect that her husband was not dead; but Lin-pao, who by that
+reported death became the head of the family, so positively assured
+her that it was true, that, at last, she had allowed herself to be
+persuaded into that belief, and had assumed the widow's weeds.
+
+Lin-pao possessed a bad heart, and was capable of the most unworthy
+acts. "I have no doubt," said he, "of my elder brother's death. My
+sister-in-law is young and handsome; she has, besides, no one to
+support her; I must force her to marry again, and I shall make money
+by this means."
+
+He thereupon communicated his plan to Yang, his wife, and ordered her
+to employ some clever matchmaker. But Wang resolutely rejected the
+proposal; she vowed that she would remain a widow, and honour the
+memory of her husband by her widowhood. Her brother-in-law, Lin-tchin,
+supported her in her resolution. Thus all the artifices which Lin-pao
+and his wife employed were useless; and, as every time they urged her
+on the subject it occurred to her that they had no positive proof of
+his death, "I am determined," said she, at length, "to know the truth;
+these reports are often false; it is only on the very spot that
+certain information can be obtained. True, the distance is nearly a
+hundred leagues. Still, I know that Lin-tchin is a good-hearted man;
+he will travel to the province of Chan-si to relieve my anxiety, and
+learn positively if I am so unfortunate as to have lost my husband;
+and, if I have, he will, at least, bring me his precious remains."
+
+Lin-tchin was asked to undertake the journey, and, without a moment's
+hesitation, departed. His absence, however, only rendered Lin-pao more
+eager in the pursuit of his project. To crown the whole, he had
+gambled very deeply, and, having been a heavy loser, was at his wit's
+end to know where to obtain money. In this state of embarrassment, he
+met with a merchant of Kiang-si, who had just lost his wife, and was
+looking for another. Lin-pao seized upon the opportunity, and proposed
+his sister-in-law to him. The merchant accepted the offer, taking
+care, however, to make secret inquiries whether the lady who was
+proposed to him was young and good-looking. As soon as he was
+satisfied on these points, he lost no time, and paid down thirty taeels
+to clinch the bargain.
+
+Lin-pao, having taken the money, said to the merchant, "I ought to
+warn you, that my sister-in-law is proud and haughty. She will raise
+many objections to leaving the house, and you will have a great deal
+of trouble to force her to do it. Now this will be your best plan for
+managing it. This evening, as soon as it gets dark, have a palanquin
+and good strong bearers in readiness; come with as little noise as
+possible, and present yourself at the door of the house. The young
+woman who will come to the door, attired in the head-dress of
+mourners, is my sister-in-law; don't say a word to her, and don't
+listen to what she may say, but seize her at once, thrust her into
+your palanquin, carry her to your boat, and set sail at once." This
+plan met with the approbation of the merchant, and its execution
+appeared easy enough of accomplishment.
+
+In the mean time, Lin-pao returned home, and, in order to prevent his
+sister-in-law from suspecting any thing of the project he had planned,
+he assumed an air of the most perfect indifference, but as soon as she
+left the room, he communicated his plans to his wife, and, alluding to
+his sister-in-law, in a contemptuous manner, said, "That two-legged
+piece of goods must leave this house to-night. However, not to be a
+witness of her tears and sighs, I shall go out beforehand, and, as it
+gets dark, a merchant of Kiang-si will come, and take her away in a
+palanquin to his boat."
+
+He would have continued the conversation, when he heard the footsteps
+of some person outside the window, and went hurriedly away. In his
+haste he forgot to mention the circumstance of the mourning dress. It
+was doubtless an interposition of Providence that this circumstance
+was omitted. The lady Wang easily perceived that the noise she made
+outside the window had caused Lin-pao to break off the conversation
+suddenly. The tone of his voice plainly showed that he had something
+more to say; but she had heard enough; for having remarked by his
+manner that he had some secret to tell his wife when he entered the
+house, she had pretended to go away, but listening at the window had
+heard these words distinctly, "They will take her away and put her
+into a palanquin."
+
+These words strongly fortified her suspicions. Her resolution was
+taken at once. She entered the room, and approaching Yang, gave
+utterance to her anxiety. "My sister-in-law," said she, "you behold an
+unfortunate widow, who is bound to you by the strongest ties of a
+friendship which has been always sincere. By this long-standing
+friendship I conjure you to tell me candidly whether my brother-in-law
+still persists in his design of forcing me into a marriage that would
+cover me with disgrace."
+
+At these words Yang at first appeared confused, and changed colour;
+then, assuming a more confident expression, "What are you thinking
+of?" she asked, "and what fancies have you got into your head? If
+there were any intention of making you marry again, do you think there
+would be any difficulty? What is the good of throwing oneself into the
+water before the ship is really going to pieces?"
+
+The moment the lady Wang heard this allusion to the ship, she
+understood more clearly the meaning of the secret conference of her
+brother-in-law with his wife. She now suspected the worst, and gave
+vent to her lamentations and sighs; and yielding to the current of her
+grief, she shut herself up in her room, where she wept, groaned, and
+bewailed her hard lot. "Unfortunate wretch that I am," cried she, "I
+do not know what has become of my husband. Lin-tchin, my
+brother-in-law and friend, upon whom alone I can rely, is gone on a
+journey. My father, mother, and relations live far from hence. If this
+business is hurried on, how shall I be able to inform them of it? I
+can hope for no assistance from our neighbours. Lin-pao has made
+himself the terror of the whole district, and every body knows him to
+be capable of the greatest villany. Miserable creature that I am! how
+can I escape his snares? If I do not fall into them to-day, it may be
+to-morrow, or at any rate in a very short time."
+
+She fell to the ground half dead; her fall, and the violence of her
+grief, made a great noise. The lady Yang, hearing the disturbance,
+hastened to her room, and finding the door firmly fastened, concluded
+that it was a plan of her distracted sister-in-law to evade the scheme
+of the night; she therefore seized a bar which stood by and broke the
+door open. As she entered the room, the night being very dark, she
+caught her feet in the clothes of the lady Wang, and fell tumbling
+over her. In her fall she lost her head-dress, which flew to some
+distance, and the fright and fall brought on a faint, in which she
+remained for some time. When she recovered she got up, went for a
+light, and returned to the room, where she found the lady Wang
+stretched on the floor, without motion and almost without breath.
+
+At the moment she was going to procure other assistance, she heard a
+gentle knock at the door. She knew it must be the merchant of Kiang-si
+come to fetch the wife he had bought. She quickly ran to receive him
+and bring him into the room, that he might himself be witness of what
+had occurred; but remembering that she had no head-dress, and that she
+was unfit to present herself in that state, she hastily caught up the
+one she found at her feet, which was the lady Wang's head-dress of
+mourning, and ran to the door.
+
+It was indeed the merchant of Kiang-si, who had come to fetch away his
+promised bride. He had a bridal palanquin, ornamented with silk flags,
+festoons, flowers, and several gay lanterns; it was surrounded by
+servants bearing lighted torches, and by a troop of flute and
+hautboy-players. The whole cortege was stationed in the street in
+perfect silence. The merchant, having knocked gently and finding the
+door open, entered the house with some of those who bore torches to
+light him.
+
+Upon the lady Yang's appearance, the merchant, who spied at a glance
+the mourning head-dress, which was the mark by which he was to
+distinguish his bride, flew upon her like a hungry kite upon a
+sparrow. His followers rushed in, carried off the lady, and shut her
+into the palanquin, which was all ready to receive her. It was in vain
+she endeavoured to make herself heard, crying out, "You are mistaken;
+it is not me you want." The music struck up as she was forced into the
+palanquin, and drowned her voice, whilst the bearers flew rather than
+walked, and bore her to the boat.
+
+[Illustration: The lady Yang carried off in the Palanquin, p. 122.]
+
+Whilst all this was taking place, the lady Wang had gradually revived
+and come to her senses. The great hubbub she heard at the door of the
+house renewed her fears, and occasioned her the most painful anxiety;
+but as she found that the noise of music, and the tumult of voices,
+which had arisen so suddenly died gradually away in the distance, she
+regained her courage, and after a few minutes summoned up strength to
+go and inquire what was the matter.
+
+After calling her sister-in-law two or three times without effect, the
+truth began to dawn on her; and after considering the matter
+carefully, she could only come to the conclusion that the merchant had
+made a mistake, and had carried off the wrong lady. But now a fresh
+cause of uneasiness arose; she dreaded the consequences when Lin-pao
+should return and be informed of the mistake. She shut herself up in
+her room, and after picking up the head-pins, the earrings, and the
+head-dress, which were lying on the floor, threw herself, quite worn
+out with fatigue and anxiety, on her couch, and endeavoured to get a
+little sleep, but she was not able to close her eyes all night.
+
+At daybreak she rose and bathed her face, and proceeded to complete
+her toilet. As, however, she was searching about for her mourning
+head-dress, some one began making a great noise at the room-door,
+knocking loudly and crying out, "Open the door instantly!" It was, in
+fact, Lin-pao himself. She recognized the voice at once. She made up
+her mind at once what to do; she let him go on knocking without
+answering him. He swore, stormed and bawled, till he was hoarse. At
+length the lady Wang went to the door, and standing behind it without
+opening it, asked, "Who is knocking there, and making such a
+disturbance?" Lin-pao, who recognized the voice of his sister-in-law,
+began to shout still louder: but seeing that his storming had no
+effect, he had recourse to an expedient which proved successful.
+"Sister-in-law," said he, "I have brought you good news! Lin-tchin, my
+youngest brother, has come back, and our eldest brother is in
+excellent health; open the door at once!"
+
+Overjoyed at this intelligence, the lady Wang ran to complete her
+toilet, and in her haste put on the black[8] head-dress that her
+sister-in-law had left behind, and eagerly opened the door; but, alas!
+in vain did she look for her friend Lin-tchin; no one was there but
+Lin-pao. He entered her room hurriedly and looked round, but not
+seeing his wife, and perceiving a black head-dress on the head of his
+sister-in-law, his suspicions began to be excited in a strange manner.
+
+"Well! where is your sister-in-law?" he asked roughly.
+
+"You ought to know better than I," replied the lady Wang, "since you
+had the whole management of this admirable plot."
+
+"But tell me," returned Lin-pao, "why don't you still wear a white
+head-dress? have you left off mourning?" The lady Wang forthwith
+proceeded to relate to him all that had happened during his absence.
+
+Just at this moment he caught sight through the window of four or five
+persons hurrying towards his house. To his utter astonishment he
+perceived that they were his eldest brother Lin-in, his youngest
+brother Lin-tchin, his nephew Hi-eul, and two servants carrying their
+luggage. Lin-pao, thunderstruck at this sight, and not having
+impudence enough to face them, ran off by the back-door, and
+disappeared like a flash of lightning.
+
+The lady Wang was transported with joy at her husband's return. But
+who shall describe her ecstasies of joy when her son was presented to
+her? She could scarcely recognize him, so tall and handsome had he
+grown. "Oh!" cried she, "by what good fortune did you recover our dear
+child, whom I thought we had lost for ever?"
+
+Lin-in gave her in detail an account of his adventures; and the lady
+Wang related at length all the indignities she had endured at the
+hands of Lin-pao, and the extremities to which she had been reduced by
+his scandalous treatment.
+
+Lin-in lavished on his wife encomiums which indeed her fidelity
+deserved; after which, reflecting on the whole chain of events by
+which the present meeting had been brought about, he seemed deeply
+moved, and remarked, "If a blind passion for wealth had caused me to
+keep the two hundred taeels I found by accident, how should I have ever
+met with our dear child? If avarice had prevented me from employing
+the twenty taeels in saving those drowning people, my dear brother
+would have perished in the waves, and I should never have seen him; if
+by an unlooked-for chance I had not met my kind-hearted brother, how
+should I have discovered the trouble and confusion that reigned in
+this house in time to prevent its disastrous consequences? But for all
+this, my beloved wife, we should never have seen each other again. I
+recognize the special interposition of Providence in bringing about
+all these things. As to my other brother, that unnatural brother, who
+has unconsciously sold his own wife, he has drawn upon himself his own
+terrible punishment. Heaven rewards men according to their deserts;
+let them not think to escape its judgments.
+
+"Let us learn from this how profitable in the end, as well as good, it
+is to practise virtue; it is that alone which bestows lasting
+prosperity upon a house."
+
+In due course of time Hi-eul brought home his bride, the daughter of
+Tchin. The marriage was celebrated with great rejoicings, and proved a
+happy one. They had several children, and lived to see a crowd of
+grandchildren, several of whom became men of learning, and acquired
+important positions in the state.
+
+
+CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF PRINCE KHALAF AND THE PRINCESS OF CHINA.
+
+The prince applauded the narrative of the story-teller; and, dinner
+being over, he prostrated himself a second time before the khan, and,
+after thanking him for his goodness, returned to the tent, where
+Elmaze and Timurtasch were anxiously expecting him. "I bring you good
+news," said he to them; "our fortune has changed already." He then
+related to them all that had passed. This fortunate event caused them
+the greatest pleasure; they regarded it as an infallible sign that the
+hardness of their destiny was beginning to soften. They willingly
+followed Khalaf, who conducted them to the royal tent and presented
+them to the khan. This prince received them with courtesy, and renewed
+to them the promise he had given to their son; and he did not fail to
+keep his word. He appointed them a private tent, caused them to be
+waited on by the slaves and officers of his household, and ordered
+them to be treated with the same respect as himself.
+
+The next day Khalaf was arrayed in a rich dress; he received from the
+hand of Almguer himself a sabre with a diamond hilt and a purse full
+of gold sequins; they then brought him a beautiful Turcoman horse. He
+mounted before all the court; and to show that he understood the
+management of a horse, he made him go through all his paces and
+evolutions in a manner that charmed the prince and all his courtiers.
+
+After having thanked the khan for all his benefits, he took his leave.
+He then sought Elmaze and Timurtasch; and after some time spent in
+desultory conversation, proceeded to unfold to them a scheme which for
+some days past had been agitating his mind. "I have a great desire,"
+said he, "to see the great kingdom of China; give me permission to
+gratify that wish. I have a presentiment that I shall signalize myself
+by some splendid action, and that I shall gain the friendship of the
+monarch who holds that vast empire under his sway. Suffer me to leave
+you in this asylum, where you are in perfect safety, and where you can
+want for nothing. I am following an impulse which inspires me, or
+rather, I am yielding myself to the guidance of Heaven."
+
+"Go, my son," replied Timurtasch; "yield to the noble impulse which
+animates you; hasten to the fortune that awaits you. Accelerate by
+your valour the arrival of that tardy prosperity which must one day
+succeed our misfortunes, or by a glorious death deserve an illustrious
+place in the history of unfortunate princes."
+
+The young prince of the Nagaeis, after having embraced his father and
+mother, mounted upon his beautiful charger, took a respectful leave of
+the khan, received from the hand of the princess Elmaze, who came out
+of her tent for the purpose, the parting cup, and set out on his
+journey. Historians do not mention that he encountered any thing
+worthy notice on his route; they only say that, having arrived at the
+great city Canbalac, otherwise Pekin, he dismounted at a house near
+the gate, where a worthy woman, a widow, lived. Khalaf reined up his
+horse here, and on the widow presenting herself at the door, he
+saluted her and said,
+
+"My good mother, would you kindly receive a stranger? If you could
+give me a lodging in your house, I can venture to say that you will
+have no cause to regret it." The widow scrutinized him; and judging
+from his good looks, as well as from his dress, that he was no mean
+guest, she made him a low bow, and replied, "Young stranger of noble
+bearing, my house is at your service, and all that it contains."
+
+"Have you also a place where I can put my horse?"
+
+"Yes," said she, "I have," and called a young slave, who took the
+horse by the bridle, and led him into a small stable behind the house.
+Khalaf, who felt very hungry, then asked her if she would kindly send
+and buy something for him in the market. The widow replied, that she
+had a maiden who lived with her, and who would execute his orders. The
+prince then drew from his purse a sequin of gold and placed it in the
+girl's hand, who went off to the market.
+
+In the mean time, the widow had enough to do to answer the inquiries
+of Khalaf. He asked her a thousand questions; what were the customs of
+the inhabitants of the city? how many families Pekin was said to
+contain? and, at length, the conversation fell upon the king of China.
+
+"Tell me, I pray you," said Khalaf, "what is the character this prince
+bears. Is he generous, and do you think that he would pay any regard
+to a young stranger, who might offer to serve him against his enemies?
+In a word, is he a man to whose interests I could worthily attach
+myself?"
+
+"Doubtless," replied the widow; "he is an excellent prince, who loves
+his subjects as much as he is beloved by them, and I am surprised that
+you have never heard of our good king, Altoun-Khan, for the fame of
+his justice and liberality is spread far and wide."
+
+"From the favourable picture you draw of him," replied the prince of
+the Nagaeis, "I should imagine that he ought to be the happiest and
+most prosperous monarch in the world."
+
+"He is not so, however," replied the widow; "indeed, he may be said to
+be the most wretched. In the first place, he has no prince to succeed
+him on his throne; a male heir is denied him, notwithstanding all the
+prayers of himself and his subjects, and all the good deeds he
+performs to that end. But I must tell you, the grief of having no son
+is not his greatest trouble; what principally disturbs the peace of
+his life is the princess Tourandocte, his only daughter."
+
+"How is it," replied Khalaf, "that she is such a source of grief to
+him?"
+
+"I will tell you," replied the widow; "and, indeed, I can speak upon
+the subject from the very best authority; for my daughter has often
+told me the story and she has the honour of being among the attendants
+on the princess."
+
+"The princess Tourandocte," continued the hostess of the prince of the
+Nagaeis, "is in her nineteenth year; she is so beautiful, that the
+artists to whom she has sat for her portrait, although the most expert
+in the East, have all confessed that they were ashamed of their
+efforts; and that the most able painter in the world, and the best
+skilled in delineating the charms of a beautiful face, could not
+express those of the princess of China; nevertheless, the different
+portraits which have been taken of her, although infinitely inferior
+to the original, have produced the most disastrous consequences.
+
+"She combines, with her ravishing beauty, a mind so cultivated, that
+she not only understands all that is usual for persons in her station
+to know, but is mistress of sciences suited only for the other sex.
+She can trace the various characters of several languages, she is
+acquainted with arithmetic, geography, philosophy, mathematics, law,
+and, above all, theology, she knows the laws and moral philosophy of
+our great legislator, Berginghuzin; in fact, is as learned as all the
+wise men put together. But her good qualities are effaced by a
+hardness of heart without parallel, and all her accomplishments are
+tarnished by detestable cruelty.
+
+"It is now two years ago since the king of Thibet sent to ask her in
+marriage for his son, who had fallen in love with her from a portrait
+he had seen. Altoun-Khan, delighted with the prospect of this
+alliance, proposed it to Tourandocte. The haughty princess, to whom
+all men appeared despicable, so vain had her beauty rendered her,
+rejected the proposal with disdain. The king flew into a violent rage
+with her, and declared that he would be obeyed; but instead of
+submitting dutifully to the wishes of her father, she burst into
+bitter lamentations, because he showed a disposition to force her to
+comply; she grieved immoderately, as though it were intended to
+inflict a great injury upon her; in fact, she took it so much to heart
+that she fell seriously ill. The physicians, who soon discovered the
+secret of her complaint, told the king that all their remedies were
+useless, and that the princess would certainly lose her life, if he
+persisted in his resolution to make her espouse the prince of Thibet.
+
+"The king then, who loves his daughter to distraction, alarmed at the
+danger she was in, went to see her, and assured her that he would send
+back the ambassador with a refusal. 'That is not enough, my lord,'
+replied the princess; 'I am resolved to die, except you grant what I
+ask you. If you wish me to live, you must bind yourself by an
+inviolable oath never to try to influence my wishes in this matter,
+and to publish a decree declaring that of all the princes who may seek
+my hand, none shall be allowed to espouse me who shall not previously
+have replied, without hesitation, to the questions which I shall put
+to him before all the learned men in this city; that if his answers
+prove satisfactory, I will consent to his becoming my husband, but if
+the reverse, that he shall lose his head in the court-yard of your
+palace.'
+
+"'By this edict,' added she, 'of which all the foreign princes who may
+arrive at Pekin shall be informed, you will extinguish all desire of
+asking me in marriage; and that is exactly what I wish, for I hate
+men, and do not wish to be married.'
+
+"'But, my child,' said the king, 'if by chance some one should present
+himself, and reply to your questions?'--
+
+"'Ha! I do not fear that,' she said quickly, interrupting him; 'I can
+put questions which would puzzle the most learned doctors; I am
+willing to run that risk.'
+
+"Altoun-Khan pondered over what the princess demanded of him. 'I see
+clearly,' thought he, 'that my daughter does not wish to marry, and
+the effect of this edict will be to frighten away all lovers. I run no
+risk, therefore, in yielding to her fancies, no evil can come of it.
+What prince would be mad enough to face such danger?'
+
+"At length the king, persuaded that this edict would not be followed
+by any bad results, and that the recovery of his daughter entirely
+depended upon it, caused it to be published, and swore upon the laws
+of Berginghuzin to see that it was observed to the letter.
+Tourandocte, reassured by this oath, which she knew her father dare
+not violate, regained her strength, and was soon restored to perfect
+health.
+
+"In spite of the decree, the fame of her beauty attracted several
+young princes to Pekin. It was in vain that they were informed of the
+nature of the edict; and as every body, but particularly a young
+prince, entertains a good opinion of himself, they had the hardihood
+to present themselves to reply to the questions of the princess; and
+not being able to fathom her deep meaning, they perished miserably one
+after another.
+
+"The king, to do him justice, appears deeply afflicted with their sad
+fate. He repents of having made the oath which binds him; and however
+tenderly he may love his daughter, he would now almost rather he had
+let her die than have saved her life at such a price. He does all in
+his power to prevent these evils. When a lover whom the decree cannot
+restrain comes to demand the hand of the princess, he strives to deter
+him from his purpose; and he never consents, but with the deepest
+regret, to his exposing himself to the chance of losing his life. But
+it generally happens that he is unable to dissuade these rash young
+men. They are infatuated with Tourandocte, and the hope of possessing
+her blinds them to the difficulty of obtaining her.
+
+"But if the king shows so much grief at the ruin of the unfortunate
+princes, it is not the case with his barbarous daughter. She takes a
+pride in these spectacles of blood with which her beauty periodically
+furnishes the Chinese. So great is her vanity, that she considers the
+most accomplished prince not only unworthy of her, but most insolent
+in daring to raise his thoughts towards her, and she looks upon his
+death as a just chastisement for his temerity.
+
+"But what is still more deplorable, Heaven is perpetually permitting
+princes to come and sacrifice themselves to this inhuman princess.
+Only the other day, a prince, who flattered himself that he had
+knowledge enough to reply to her questions, lost his life; and this
+very night another is to die, who, unfortunately, came to the court of
+China with the same hopes."
+
+Khalaf was deeply attentive to the widow's story.
+
+"I cannot understand," said he, after she had ceased speaking, "how
+any princes can be found sufficiently devoid of judgment to come and
+ask the hand of the princess of China. What man would not be terrified
+at the condition without which he cannot hope to obtain her? Besides,
+despite what the artists may say who have painted her portrait;
+although they may affirm that their productions are but an imperfect
+image of her beauty, my firm belief is that they have added charms,
+and that their portraits exaggerate her beauty, since they have
+produced such powerful effects; indeed, I cannot think that
+Tourandocte is so beautiful as you say."
+
+"Sir," replied the widow, "she is more lovely by far than I have
+described her to you; and you may believe me, for I have seen her
+several times when I have gone to the harem to visit my daughter. Draw
+upon your fancy as you please, collect in your imagination all that
+can possibly be brought together in order to constitute a perfect
+beauty, and be assured that even then you would not have pictured to
+yourself an object which could approach the perfections of the
+princess."
+
+The prince of the Nagaeis could not credit the story of the widow, so
+overdrawn did he consider it; he felt, nevertheless, a secret pleasure
+for which he could not account. "But, my mother," said he, "are the
+questions which the king's daughter proposes so difficult of solution
+that it is impossible to reply to them to the satisfaction of the
+lawyers who are judges? For my part, I cannot help thinking that the
+princes who were not able to penetrate the meaning of her questions,
+must have been persons of very little ingenuity, if not absolutely
+ignorant."
+
+"No, no!" replied the widow. "There is no enigma more obscure than the
+questions of the princess, and it is almost impossible to reply to
+them."
+
+Whilst they were conversing thus of Tourandocte and her lovers, the
+girl arrived from the market loaded with provisions. Khalaf sat down
+to a table which the widow had prepared, and ate like a man famishing
+with hunger. Whilst thus engaged the night drew on, and they heard
+shortly in the town the gong of justice. The prince asked what the
+noise meant. "It is to give notice to the people," replied the widow,
+"that some person is going to be executed; and the unfortunate victim
+about to be immolated is the prince of whom I told you, and who is to
+be executed to-night for not being able to answer the princess's
+questions. It is customary to punish the guilty during the day, but
+this is an exceptional case. The king, who in his heart abhors the
+punishment which he causes to be inflicted upon the lovers of his
+daughter, will not suffer the sun to be witness of such a cruel
+action."
+
+The son of Timurtasch had a wish to see this execution, the cause of
+which appeared so singular to him. He went out of the house, and
+meeting a crowd of Chinese in the street animated by the same
+curiosity, he mixed with them, and went to the court-yard of the
+palace, where the tragic scene was to be enacted. He beheld in the
+middle of the yard a _schebt-cheraghe_, in other words a very high
+wooden tower, the outside of which, from the top to the bottom, was
+covered with branches of cypress, amongst which a prodigious quantity
+of lamps, tastefully arranged, spread a brilliant light around, and
+illuminated the whole court-yard. Fifteen cubits from the tower a
+scaffold was raised, covered with white satin, and around the scaffold
+were arranged several pavilions of taffetas of the same colour open
+towards the scaffold. Behind these two thousand soldiers of the guard
+of Altoun-Khan were stationed, with drawn swords and axes in their
+hands, forming a double rank, which served as a barrier against the
+people. Khalaf was looking with deep attention at all that presented
+itself to his view, when suddenly the mournful ceremony commenced. It
+was ushered in by a confused noise of drums and bells, which proceeded
+from the town, and could be heard at a great distance. At the same
+moment twenty mandarins and as many judges, all dressed in long robes
+of white woollen cloth, emerged from the palace, advanced towards the
+scaffold, and after walking three times around it, took their places
+under the pavilions.
+
+Next came the victim, crowned with flowers interwoven with cypress
+leaves, and with a blue fillet round his head,--not a red one, such as
+criminals condemned by justice wear. He was a young prince, who had
+scarcely reached his eighteenth year; he was accompanied by a mandarin
+leading him by the hand, and followed by the executioner. The three
+ascended the scaffold; instantly the noise of the drums and bells
+ceased. The mandarin then addressed the prince in a tone so loud that
+he was heard by nearly the whole concourse of people. "Prince," said
+he, "is it not true that you were apprised of the terms of the king's
+edict before you presented yourself to ask the princess in marriage?
+Is it not also true that the king himself used all his endeavours to
+dissuade you from your rash resolution?" The prince, having replied in
+the affirmative, "Acknowledge, then," continued the mandarin, "that it
+is by your own fault that you lose your life to-day, and that the king
+and princess are not guilty of your death."
+
+"I pardon them," returned the prince; "I impute my death to myself
+alone, and I pray Heaven not to require of them my blood which is
+about to be shed."
+
+He had scarcely finished these words, when the executioner swept off
+his head with one stroke of the sword. The air instantly resounded
+with the noise of the drums and the bells. Then twelve mandarins took
+up the body, laid it in a coffin of ivory and ebony, and placed it
+upon a litter, which six of them bore away upon their shoulders into
+the gardens of Serail. Here they deposited it under a dome of white
+marble, which the king had ordered to be erected purposely to be the
+resting-place of all those unfortunate princes who should share the
+same fate. He often retired there to weep upon the tombs of those who
+were buried within it, and tried, by honouring their ashes with his
+tears, in some measure to atone for the barbarity of his child. As
+soon as the mandarins had carried away the body of the prince who had
+just suffered, the people and all the councillors retired to their
+homes, blaming the king for having had the imprudence to sanction
+such barbarity by an oath that he could not break. Khalaf remained in
+the court-yard of the palace in a state of bewilderment; he noticed a
+man near him weeping bitterly; he guessed that it was some person who
+was deeply interested in the execution that had just taken place, and
+wishing to know more about it, addressed him in these words:
+
+"I am deeply moved," said he, "by the lively grief you exhibit, and I
+sympathize in your troubles, for I cannot doubt that you were
+intimately acquainted with the prince who has just suffered."
+
+"Ah! sir," replied the mourner, with a fresh outburst of grief, "I
+ought indeed to know him, for I was his tutor. O unhappy king of
+Samarcand!" added he, "what will be thy grief when thou shalt be told
+of the extraordinary death of thy son? and who shall dare to carry
+thee the news?"
+
+Khalaf asked by what means the prince of Samarcand had become
+enamoured of the princess of China. "I will tell you," replied the
+tutor: "and you will doubtless be astonished at the recital I am about
+to make. The prince of Samarcand," pursued he, "lived happily at his
+father's court. The court looked upon him as a prince who would one
+day be their sovereign, and they studied to please him as much as the
+king himself. He usually passed the day in hunting and playing at
+ball, and at night he assembled secretly in his apartments the
+distinguished youth of the court, with whom he drank all sorts of
+liquors. He sometimes amused himself by seeing the beautiful slaves
+dance, or by listening to music and singing. In a word, his life was
+passed in a constant round of pleasure.
+
+"One day a famous painter arrived at Samarcand with several portraits
+of princesses which he had painted in the different courts through
+which he had passed. He showed them to my prince, who, looking at the
+first he presented, said, 'These are very beautiful pictures; I am
+certain that the originals are under a deep obligation to you.'
+
+"'My lord,' replied the artist, 'I confess that in these portraits I
+have somewhat flattered the sitters; but I crave permission to tell
+you that I have one far more beautiful than these, which does not
+approach the original.' Saying this, he drew from the case which
+contained his portraits that of the princess of China.
+
+"Scarcely had my master looked at it, when not conceiving that nature
+was capable of producing so perfect a beauty, he exclaimed that there
+was not in the world a woman of such exquisite loveliness, and that
+the portrait of the princess of China was more flattering than the
+others. The artist protested that it was not, and assured him that no
+pencil could convey an idea of the grace and beauty which shone in the
+countenance of the princess Tourandocte. Upon this assurance my master
+bought the portrait, which made so deep an impression on him, that,
+leaving the court of his father, he quitted Samarcand, accompanied by
+me alone, and without informing any one of his intentions, took the
+road for China, and came to this city. He volunteered to serve
+Altoun-Khan against his enemies, and asked the hand of his daughter
+the princess. We were apprized of the severe edict connected with the
+proposal, but alas! my prince, instead of being dismayed by the
+severity of the conditions, conceived the liveliest joy. 'I will go,'
+said he, 'and present myself to answer the questions of Tourandocte; I
+am not deficient in talent or ready wit, and I shall obtain the hand
+of the princess.'
+
+"It is needless to tell you the rest, sir," continued the tutor,
+sobbing; "you may judge by the mournful spectacle you have beheld that
+the unfortunate prince of Samarcand was unable to answer, as he hoped,
+the fatal questions of this barbarous beauty, whose delight is to shed
+blood, and who has already been the means of sacrificing the lives of
+several kings' sons. A few moments before his death he gave me the
+portrait of this cruel princess. 'I entrust,' said he, 'this portrait
+to thee; guard carefully the precious deposit. Thou hast but to show
+it to my father when thou informest him of my sad fate, and I doubt
+not that when he beholds so beautiful a face, he will pardon my
+temerity.' But," added the old man, "let any one else who pleases
+carry the sad news to the king his father; for my part, borne down by
+the weight of my affliction, I will go far from hence and Samarcand,
+and mourn for my beloved charge. This is what you wished to know; and
+here is the dangerous portrait," pursued he, taking it from beneath
+his cloak and throwing it on the ground in a paroxysm of rage; "behold
+the cause of the sad fate of my prince. O execrable portrait! why had
+my master not my eyes when he took thee into his hands? O inhuman
+princess! may all the princes of the earth entertain for thee the same
+sentiments as those with which thou hast inspired me! Instead of being
+the object of their love, thou wouldest then be their aversion."
+Saying this, the tutor of the prince of Samarcand retired full of
+rage, regarding the palace with a furious eye and without speaking
+another word to the son of Timurtasch. The latter quickly picked up
+the portrait of Tourandocte, and turned to retrace his steps to the
+house of the widow; but he missed his way in the darkness, and
+wandered heedlessly out of the city. He impatiently awaited the
+daylight to enable him to contemplate the beauty of the princess of
+China. As soon as the approach of dawn furnished him with sufficient
+light to satisfy his curiosity, he opened the case which contained the
+portrait.
+
+Still he hesitated before he looked at it. "What am I about to do?"
+cried he; "ought I to disclose to my eyes so dangerous an object?
+Think, Khalaf, think of the direful effects it has caused; hast thou
+already forgotten what the tutor of the prince of Samarcand has just
+narrated to thee? Look not on this portrait; resist the impulse which
+urges thee, it is nothing more than a feeling of idle curiosity.
+Whilst thou retainest thy reason thou canst prevent thy destruction.
+But what do I say? prevent," added he, checking himself; "with what
+false reasoning does my timid prudence inspire me. If I am to love the
+princess, is not my love already written in indelible characters in
+the book of fate. Besides, I think that it is possible to look upon
+the most beautiful portrait with impunity; one must be weak, indeed,
+to be influenced by the sight of a vain array of colours. Never fear;
+let us scan these surpassing and murderous features without emotion. I
+will even find defects, and taste the pleasure of criticizing the
+charms of this too beautiful princess; and I could wish, in order to
+mortify her vanity, that she might learn that I have looked upon her
+portrait without emotion."
+
+The son of Timurtasch had fully made up his mind to look upon the
+portrait of Tourandocte with an indifferent eye. He now casts his eyes
+on it, he regards it attentively, examines it, admires the contour of
+the countenance, the regularity of the features, the vivacity of the
+eyes,--the mouth, the nose, all appear perfect; he is surprised at so
+rare a combination of perfect features, and although still on his
+guard, he allows himself to be charmed. An inconceivable uneasiness
+takes possession of him in spite of himself; he can no longer
+understand his feelings. "What fire," said he, "has suddenly kindled
+itself in my bosom! What tumult has this portrait produced in my
+thoughts! Merciful Heaven, is it the lot of all those who look upon
+this portrait to become enamoured of this inhuman princess? Alas! I
+feel but too surely that she has made the same impression upon me, as
+she did upon the unhappy prince of Samarcand; I yield to the charms
+that wounded him, and far from being terrified by his melancholy fate,
+I could almost envy his very misfortune. What a change, gracious
+Heaven! I could not conceive a short time ago, how one could be mad
+enough to despise the severity of the edict, and now I see nothing
+that frightens me, all the danger has vanished.
+
+"No! incomparable princess," pursued he, devouring the portrait with
+an enamoured gaze, "no obstacle can stop me, I love you spite of your
+barbarity; and since it is permitted to me to aspire to your
+possession, from this day I will strive to win you; if I perish in the
+bold attempt, I shall only feel in dying the grief of not being able
+to possess you."
+
+Khalaf, having formed the resolve of demanding the hand of the
+princess, returned to the widow's house, a journey which cost him no
+little trouble, for he had rambled to some considerable distance
+during the night. "Ah! my son," exclaimed his hostess, as soon as she
+beheld him, "I am so glad to see you, I was very uneasy about you, I
+feared some accident had befallen you; why did you not return
+earlier?"
+
+"My good mother," replied he, "I am sorry to have caused you any
+uneasiness, I missed my way in the darkness." He then related to her
+how he had met the tutor of the prince whom they had put to death, and
+did not fail to repeat to her all that he had told him. Then showing
+her the portrait of Tourandocte; "Tell me," said he, "if this portrait
+is only an imperfect likeness of the princess of China; for my part, I
+cannot conceive that it is not equal to the original."
+
+"By the soul of the prophet Jacmouny," cried the widow, after she had
+examined the portrait, "the princess is a thousand times more
+beautiful, and infinitely more charming than she is here represented.
+I wish you could see her, you would be of my opinion, that all the
+artists in the world who should undertake to paint her as she really
+is, could never succeed. I will not even make an exception in favour
+of the famous Many."
+
+"You delight me above measure," replied the prince of the Nagaeis, "by
+assuring me that the beauty of Tourandocte surpasses all the efforts
+of the artist's power. How flattering the assurance! It strengthens me
+in my determination, and incites me to attempt at once the brilliant
+adventure. Oh that I were before the princess! I burn with impatience
+to try whether I shall be more fortunate than the prince of
+Samarcand."
+
+"What do you say, my son?" eagerly asked the widow, "what enterprise
+are you so rashly planning? And do you seriously think of carrying it
+into effect?"
+
+"Yes, my good mother," returned Khalaf, "I intend this very day to
+present myself to answer the questions of the princess. I came to
+China only with the intention of offering my services to the great
+king, Altoun-Khan, but it is better to be his son-in-law than an
+officer in his army."
+
+At these words the widow burst into tears. "Ah! sir, in the name of
+Heaven do not persist in so rash a resolution; you will certainly
+perish if you are bold enough to aspire to the hand of the princess;
+instead of allowing her beauty to charm you, let it be the object of
+your detestation, since it has been the cause of so many frightful
+tragedies; picture to yourself what the grief of your parents will be
+when they hear of your death; let the thoughts of the mortal grief
+into which you will plunge them deter you."
+
+"For pity's sake, my mother," interrupted the son of Timurtasch,
+"cease to present to my mind such affecting images. I cannot be
+ignorant, that if it be my destiny to die this day, my sad end will be
+a source of bitter and inexhaustible grief to my beloved parents; nay,
+I can conceive their misery being so excessive as to endanger their
+own lives, for well do I know their extreme affection for me;
+notwithstanding all this, however, notwithstanding the gratitude with
+which their love ought to inspire, and indeed does inspire me, I must
+yield to the passion that consumes me. But, what! Is it not in hopes
+of making them more happy that I am about to expose my life? Yes,
+doubtless, their interest is bound up with the desire that urges me
+on, and I feel sure that if my father were here, far from opposing my
+design, he would rather excite me to its speedy execution. My
+resolution is taken; waste no more time in trying to dissuade me;
+nothing shall shake my determination."
+
+When the widow found that her young guest would not heed her advice,
+her grief increased. "So it must be, then, sir," continued she; "you
+will not be restrained from rushing headlong on your destruction. Why
+was it ordained that you should come to lodge in my house? why did I
+speak of Tourandocte? You became enamoured of her from the description
+I gave of her; wretched woman that I am, it is I who have caused your
+ruin; why must I reproach myself with your death?"
+
+"No, my good mother," said the prince of the Nagaeis, interrupting her
+a second time, "you are not the cause of my misfortune; do not blame
+yourself because I love the princess; I am to love her, and do but
+fulfil my destiny. Besides, how do you know that I shall not be able
+to reply to her questions? I am not without understanding, and I have
+studied much; and Heaven may have reserved for me the honour of
+delivering the king of China from the grief with which his frightful
+oath overwhelms him. But," added he, drawing out the purse which the
+khan of Berlas had given him, and which still contained a considerable
+quantity of gold pieces, "as my success is after all uncertain, and I
+may chance to die, I make you a present of this purse to console you
+for my death. You may sell my horse and keep the money, for it will be
+of no more use to me, whether the daughter of Altoun-Khan become the
+reward of my boldness, or my death be the mournful forfeit of my
+audacity."
+
+The widow took the purse from Khalaf, saying, "O my son, you are much
+mistaken if you imagine that these pieces of gold will console me for
+your loss. I will employ them in good works, I will distribute a
+portion among the poor in the hospitals, who bear their afflictions
+with patience, and whose prayers are consequently acceptable to
+Heaven; the remainder I will give to the ministers of our religion,
+that they all may pray together that Heaven may inspire you, and not
+suffer you to perish. All the favour I ask you is, not to go to-day
+and present yourself to answer the questions of Tourandocte; wait till
+to-morrow, the time is not long; grant me that interval to enlist the
+hearts of the pious in your behalf, and propitiate our Prophet in your
+favour, after that you can do as you think best. I pray you to grant
+me that favour; I am bold to say that you owe it to one who has
+conceived so great a friendship for you, that she would be
+inconsolable if you were to die."
+
+Indeed Khalaf's appearance had made a favourable impression upon her,
+for, besides being one of the handsomest princes in the world, his
+manners were so easy and pleasing that it was impossible to see him
+without loving him. He was moved by the grief and affection the good
+lady exhibited. "Well, my mother," said he, "I will do as you desire
+me; and I will not go to-day to ask the hand of the princess; but, to
+speak my sentiments frankly, I don't believe that even your prophet
+Jacmouny will be able to make me forego my determination."
+
+The following morning, the prince appeared more determined than ever
+to demand Tourandocte. "Adieu, my good mother," said he, to the widow.
+"I am sorry that you have given yourself so much trouble on my
+account; you might have spared it, for I assured you yesterday that I
+should be of the same mind." With these words, he left the widow, who,
+giving herself up to the deepest sorrow, covered her face with her
+veil, and sat with her head on her knees, overwhelmed with
+indescribable grief.
+
+The young prince of the Nagaeis, perfumed with rare scents and more
+beautiful than the moon, repaired to the palace. He found at the gate
+five elephants, and, on each side, a line of two thousand soldiers,
+with helmets on their heads, armed with shields, and covered with
+plate armour. One of the principal officers in command of the troops,
+judging from Khalaf's air that he was a stranger, stopped him, and
+demanded his business at the palace.
+
+"I am a foreign prince," replied the son of Timurtasch. "I am come to
+present myself to the king, and pray him to grant me permission to
+reply to the questions of the princess his daughter."
+
+The officer, at these words, regarding him with astonishment, said to
+him, "Prince, do you know that you come to seek death? You would have
+done more wisely to have remained in your own country, than form the
+design which brings you hither; retrace your steps, and do not flatter
+yourself with the deceitful hope that you will obtain the hand of the
+cruel Tourandocte. Although you may have studied until you have become
+more learned in science than all the mandarins, you will never be able
+to fathom the meaning of her ambiguous questions."
+
+"Accept my heartfelt thanks," replied Khalaf; "but, believe me, I am
+not come thus far to retreat."
+
+"Go on to your certain death, then," returned the officer, in a tone
+of chagrin, "since it is impossible to restrain you." At the same
+moment, he allowed him to enter the palace, and then, turning towards
+some other officers who had been listening to their conversation, he
+said, "How handsome and well-grown this young prince is. It is a pity
+he should die so early."
+
+Khalaf traversed several saloons, and, at length, found himself in the
+hall where the king was accustomed to give audience to his people. In
+it was placed the steel throne of Cathay, made in the form of a
+dragon, three cubits high; four lofty columns, of the same material,
+supported above it a vast canopy of yellow satin, ornamented with
+precious stones. Altoun-Khan, dressed in a caftan of gold brocade
+upon a crimson ground, was seated on his throne, with an air of
+gravity which was in admirable keeping with his long moustache and
+ample beard. The monarch, after listening to some of his subjects,
+cast his eyes by chance to where the prince of the Nagaeis stood
+amongst the crowd; he saw, at once, by his noble bearing and splendid
+dress, that he was not a man of common birth; he pointed out Khalaf to
+one of his mandarins, and gave an order, in an undertone, to learn his
+rank, and the reason of his visit to his court.
+
+The mandarin approached the son of Timurtasch, and told him that the
+king desired to know who he was, and whether he wished to make any
+request of the king. "You may tell the king, your master," replied the
+prince, "that I am the only son of a king, and that I am come to
+endeavour to merit the honour of becoming his son-in-law."
+
+Altoun-Khan no sooner learned the reply of the prince of the Nagaeis,
+than he changed colour; his august countenance became pale as death,
+he broke up the audience, and dismissed all the people; he then
+descended from his throne, and, approaching Khalaf, "Rash young man,"
+said he, "are you aware of the severity of my edict, and of the
+miserable fate of those who have hitherto persisted in their desire to
+obtain the hand of the princess my daughter?"
+
+"Yes, my lord," replied the son of Timurtasch, "I know all the danger
+I incur; my eyes have witnessed the just and severe punishment your
+majesty inflicted upon the prince of Samarcand; but the deplorable end
+of the audacious youths who have flattered themselves with the sweet,
+though vain, hope of possessing the princess Tourandocte, only
+stimulates the desire I have of deserving her."
+
+"What madness!" rejoined the king; "scarcely has one prince lost his
+life, than another presents himself to share the same fate; it appears
+as though they took a pleasure in sacrificing themselves. What
+blindness! Reconsider the step you are taking, and be less prodigal of
+your blood; you inspire me with more pity than any who have hitherto
+come to seek their destruction; I feel a growing inclination towards
+you, and wish to do all in my power to hinder you from perishing.
+Return to your father's kingdom, and do not inflict upon him the pain
+of learning from strangers' lips the sad intelligence that he will
+never more behold his only son."
+
+"My lord," replied Khalaf, "I am overjoyed to hear, from your
+majesty's own lips, that I have the honour of pleasing you; I draw a
+happy presage from it. It may be that Heaven, touched by the
+misfortunes caused by the beauty of the princess, will use me as a
+means of putting an end to them, and securing you, at the same time,
+tranquillity for the remainder of your life, which the necessity of
+authorizing these cruel deeds disturbs. Can you be sure that I shall
+not be able to answer the questions that may be put to me? What
+certainty have you that I shall perish? If others have been unable to
+fathom the depths of the obscure propositions of Tourandocte, is it to
+be concluded that I cannot penetrate their meaning? No, my lord, their
+example shall never make me renounce the brilliant honour of having
+you for a father-in-law."
+
+"Ah! unhappy prince," replied the king, melting into tears, "you wish
+to die; all the princes who have presented themselves before you, to
+answer the fatal questions put by my daughter, used the same language;
+they all hoped that they could penetrate her meaning, and not one was
+able to do so. Alas! you will be the dupe of your own confidence. Once
+more, my son, let me dissuade you. I love you, and wish to save you;
+do not frustrate my good intentions by your obstinacy; whatever
+confidence you may feel, distrust it. You deceive yourself, if you
+imagine that you will be able to answer upon the spot what the
+princess may propose to you; you will, it is true, have seven minutes
+to answer in; that is the rule. But if in that time you do not give a
+satisfactory reply, and one that shall be approved of by all the
+doctors and wise men who are appointed the judges, that moment you
+will be declared worthy of death, and on the following night will be
+conducted to execution. So, prince, retire; pass the rest of the day
+in considering what is your duty in reference to the step you propose
+to take; consult wise persons, reflect well, and to-morrow let me know
+your determination." When the king had finished speaking, he dismissed
+Khalaf, who immediately quitted the palace, much mortified that he was
+obliged to wait till the next day, for he was no way daunted by what
+the king had said. He returned to his hostess without exhibiting the
+least concern about the danger to which he had determined to expose
+himself. As soon as he presented himself to the widow, and had related
+all that had passed at the palace, she began to remonstrate with him
+afresh, and bring every argument she could think of into play to
+dissuade him from his enterprise; but her efforts were crowned with no
+better success, and she had the mortification of seeing that they only
+inflamed her young guest more, and strengthened him in his resolution.
+The next day the prince returned to the palace, and was announced to
+the king, who received him in his cabinet, not wishing any one to be
+present at their interview.
+
+"Well, prince," began Altoun-Khan, "am I to rejoice or grieve at your
+presence here to-day? What is your determination?"
+
+"My lord," replied Khalaf, "I am in the same mind as yesterday. Before
+I had the honour of presenting myself then before your majesty, I had
+thoroughly reflected upon the matter; and I am still prepared to
+suffer the same punishment as my rivals, if Heaven has not otherwise
+ordained." At these words the king smote his breast, rent his
+clothes, and plucked the hairs from his beard.
+
+"Wretched man that I am!" cried he, "that I should have conceived such
+friendship for him. The death of the others has not caused me half the
+pain which his will occasion me. Ah! my son," continued he, embracing
+the prince of the Nagaeis with a tenderness that caused him deep
+emotion, "yield to my grief, if my arguments are not able to shake
+thee. I feel that the blow which takes thy life will strike my heart
+with deadly force. Renounce, I conjure thee, the hope of possessing my
+cruel daughter; thou wilt find in the world plenty of other princesses
+whom thou mayst gain with more ease and as much honour. Why persevere
+in the pursuit of an inhuman creature whom thou wilt never be able to
+obtain? Remain, if thou wilt, in my court; thou shalt hold the first
+rank after me; thou shalt have beautiful slaves; pleasures shall
+follow thee wherever thou goest; in a word, I will look on thee as my
+own son. Desist from thy pursuit of Tourandocte. Oh! let me at least
+have the joy of rescuing one victim from the sanguinary princess."
+
+The son of Timurtasch was deeply moved by the friendship which the
+king of China exhibited towards him; but he replied, "My lord, let me
+for pity's sake expose myself to the danger from which you seek to
+deter me; the greater it is, the more do I feel myself tempted to
+encounter it. I must avow that even the cruelty of the princess
+stimulates my love. I feel an inward pleasure in the thought that I am
+the happy mortal who is to triumph over this proud beauty. For
+Heaven's sake, your majesty," pursued he, "cease to oppose a design
+which my glory, my repose, my life even render it necessary for me to
+prosecute; for, truly, I cannot live unless I obtain Tourandocte."
+
+Altoun-Khan, perceiving that Khalaf was not to be moved, was
+overwhelmed with affliction. "Ah! rash youth," said he, "thy
+death-warrant is sealed, since thou art still determined to persist in
+demanding my daughter. Heaven is witness that I have done all in my
+power to inspire thee with rational thoughts. Thou rejectest my
+counsel, and lovest rather to perish than follow it; let us say no
+more; thou wilt receive the reward of thy mad constancy. I consent to
+thy undertaking to answer the questions of Tourandocte, but I must
+first pay thee the honour which I am accustomed to bestow upon princes
+who seek my alliance."
+
+At these words he called the chief of his first band of eunuchs; he
+ordered him to conduct Khalaf into the princes' palace, and to assign
+him two hundred eunuchs to wait upon him.
+
+The prince of the Nagaeis had scarcely entered the palace to which the
+eunuch conducted him, before the principal mandarins came to salute
+him, which they did in the following manner: they placed themselves on
+their knees before him, bowed their heads to the ground, saying one
+after the other, "Prince, the perpetual servant of your illustrious
+race comes to make his obeisance to you." They then all made him
+presents and retired.
+
+The king, who felt the greatest friendship for the son of Timurtasch,
+and pitied him, sent for the most learned professor of the royal
+college, and said to him, "There is a new prince, who has come to my
+court to demand the hand of my daughter. I have spared no pains to
+induce him to renounce his intention, but without success. I wish thee
+to exert thine eloquence in endeavouring to make him listen to reason.
+It is for this I have sent for thee." The professor obeyed. He went to
+Khalaf and entered into a long conversation with him; after which he
+returned to Altoun-Khan, and said, "My lord, it is impossible to
+dissuade this young prince; he will absolutely deserve the princess or
+die. When I saw the futility of attempting to conquer his resolution,
+I had the curiosity to try and ascertain whether his obstinacy did
+not proceed from some other cause than his love. I interrogated him
+upon several different subjects, and I found him so well informed that
+I was surprised at his learning. He is a Moslem, and appears to me
+perfectly instructed in all that concerns his religion; in fact, to
+confess the truth to your majesty, I believe if any prince is capable
+of replying to the questions of the princess it is he."
+
+"O wise man," cried the king, "I am overjoyed at thy report. Heaven
+grant that he may become my son-in-law. From the moment he appeared
+before me I felt an affection for him; may he be more fortunate than
+the others who came to this city only to seek a grave."
+
+After prayers and sacrifices, the Chinese monarch sent his calao to
+the prince of the Nagaeis with notice that he was to hold himself in
+readiness to reply to the princess's questions on the next day, and to
+tell him that the proper officers would come at the right time to
+conduct him to the divan; and that the persons who were to compose the
+assembly had already received orders to attend.
+
+Notwithstanding his inflexible determination to persevere in this
+adventure, Khalaf did not pass a quiet night; if at one time he dared
+to trust to his genius, and promise himself success, at another,
+losing confidence, he represented to himself the shame he should
+endure if his replies did not please the divan; at another time he
+thought of Elmaze and Timurtasch. "Alas!" said he, "if I die, what
+will become of my father and mother?"
+
+Day surprised him occupied with these conflicting thoughts. Presently
+he heard the ringing of bells and beating of drums. He concluded that
+this was to call to the council all those who were ordered to attend.
+Then raising his thoughts to Mahomet, "O great prophet," said he, "you
+behold my difficulties and know my doubts. Inspire me, and reveal to
+me whether I must go to the divan, or must confess to the king that
+the danger terrifies me!" He had scarcely pronounced these words,
+before he felt all his fears vanish and his confidence return. He rose
+and dressed himself in a caftan, and mantle of red silk worked with
+gold flowers, which Altoun-Khan had sent him, with stockings and
+slippers of blue silk.
+
+When he had finished dressing, six mandarins, booted and dressed in
+very wide robes of crimson, entered his apartment, and after having
+saluted him in the same manner as on the previous day, informed him
+that they came from the king to lead him to the divan. He immediately
+rose and accompanied them; they traversed a court between a double
+file of soldiers, and when they arrived in the first council-chamber
+found more than a thousand singers and players upon instruments, who
+performing in concert produced a wonderful noise. From thence they
+advanced into the hall, where the council was sitting, and which
+communicated with the interior palace.
+
+All the persons who were to assist at this assembly were already
+seated under canopies of different colours arranged round the hall.
+The mandarins of the highest rank were on one side, the calao with the
+professors of the college on the other, and several doctors, renowned
+for their erudition, occupied other seats. In the middle were placed
+two thrones of gold raised upon triangular pedestals.
+
+As soon as the prince of the Nagaeis appeared, the noble and learned
+assembly saluted him with gestures of great respect, but without
+speaking a word; for every body, being in expectation of the king's
+arrival, preserved the strictest silence.
+
+The sun was upon the point of rising. As soon as the first rays of
+that brilliant luminary were perceived, two eunuchs drew aside the
+curtains which hung before the door of the inner palace, and
+immediately the king appeared, accompanied by the princess
+Tourandocte, who wore a long robe of silk and gold tissue, whilst her
+face was concealed by a veil of the same material. When the king and
+princess had taken their seats upon their thrones, which they ascended
+by five steps of silver, two young girls of perfect beauty approached
+and stationed themselves, one on the side of the king and the other
+near the princess. They were slaves of the harem of Altoun-Khan; their
+faces and necks were exposed; they wore large pearls in their ears;
+and they stood each with pen and paper, ready to transcribe what the
+king or the princess might desire. All this time the whole assembly,
+who had risen upon the entrance of Altoun-Khan, stood up with great
+gravity and their eyes half closed. Khalaf alone looked about him, or
+rather looked only at the princess, whose majestic demeanour filled
+him with admiration.
+
+When the powerful monarch of China had ordered the mandarins and
+doctors to be seated, one of the six nobles who had conducted Khalaf,
+and who stood with him at fifteen cubits' distance from the two
+thrones, kneeled down and read a petition, which contained the demand
+of the stranger prince for the hand of the princess Tourandocte. He
+then rose and told Khalaf to make three salutations to the king. The
+prince of the Nagaeis acquitted himself with so much grace, that
+Altoun-Khan could not refrain from smiling and expressing the pleasure
+he experienced in seeing him.
+
+The calao then rose from his place and read with a loud voice the
+fatal edict, which condemned to death all the rash lovers who should
+fail to reply satisfactorily to the questions of Tourandocte. Then
+addressing Khalaf, "Prince," said he, "you have just heard the
+conditions upon which alone the princess's hand is to be obtained. If
+the sense of danger makes any impression upon you, there is still time
+to retire."
+
+"No, no!" said the prince; "the prize to be carried off is too
+precious to be lost by cowardice."
+
+The king, seeing Khalaf ready to reply to the questions of
+Tourandocte, turned towards the princess and said, "My daughter, it
+is for you to speak; propose to this young prince the questions which
+you have prepared; and may all the spirits to whom sacrifices were
+offered yesterday grant that he may penetrate the meaning of your
+words."
+
+Tourandocte thereupon said, "I take the prophet Jacmouny to witness,
+that I behold with sorrow the death of so many princes; but why do
+they persist in desiring to wed me? why will they not leave me to live
+in peace without making attempts on my liberty? Know then, rash young
+man," added she, addressing Khalaf, "that you cannot reproach me if
+you suffer a cruel death; you have the examples of your rivals before
+your eyes; you alone are the cause of your own destruction; I do not
+oblige you to come and ask my hand."
+
+"Lovely princess," replied the prince of the Nagaeis, "I am fully alive
+to all that has been said upon this subject; propound, if you please,
+your questions, and I will endeavour to unravel their meaning."
+
+"Well then," said Tourandocte, "tell me what creature is that which
+belongs to every land, is a friend to the whole world, and will not
+brook an equal?"
+
+"Madam," replied Khalaf, "it is the sun."
+
+"He is right," exclaimed all the doctors, "it is the sun."
+
+"What is that mother," resumed the princess, "who, after having
+brought her children into the world, devours them when they are grown
+up?"
+
+"It is the sea," replied the prince of the Nagaeis; "because the
+rivers, which draw their sources from the sea, discharge themselves
+into it again."
+
+Tourandocte, seeing that the prince gave correct replies to her
+questions, was so vexed that she resolved to spare no effort to
+destroy him. Exerting all her ingenuity, she next asked, "What tree is
+that whose leaves are white on one side and black on the other?" She
+was not satisfied with proposing the riddle alone; the malignant
+princess, in order to dazzle and confuse him, raised her veil at the
+same moment, and allowed the assembly to see all the beauty of her
+countenance, the haughty charms of which were only enhanced by the
+violence of her emotions. Her head was adorned with natural flowers
+arranged with infinite art, and her eyes shone more brilliantly than
+the stars. She was as lovely as the sun in all his splendour, when he
+emerges from a thick cloud. The son of Timurtasch, at the sight of
+this incomparable princess, remained mute and motionless; so much so,
+that all the divan, who were deeply interested in him, were seized
+with terror; the king himself grew pale, and thought that the prince
+was lost for ever.
+
+But Khalaf, recovering from the surprise that the beauty of
+Tourandocte had caused him, quickly reassured the assembly by
+resuming, "Charming princess, I pray you pardon me if I remained for
+some moments speechless; I could not behold so much loveliness without
+being disturbed. Have the goodness to repeat the question, for I no
+longer remember it; your charms have made me forget every thing."
+
+"I asked you," said Tourandocte, "what tree is that whose leaves are
+white on one side and black on the other?"
+
+"That tree," replied Khalaf, "is the year, which is composed of days
+and nights."
+
+This reply was again applauded in the divan. The mandarins and the
+doctors said that it was correct, and bestowed a thousand praises on
+the young prince. Altoun-Khan said to Tourandocte, "Come, my daughter,
+confess thyself vanquished, and consent to espouse thy conqueror; the
+others were not able to reply to even one of thy questions, and this
+one, thou seest, has answered them all."
+
+"He has _not_ gained the victory," angrily retorted the princess,
+replacing her veil to conceal her confusion and the tears she was not
+able to repress; "I have others to propose to him. But I will defer
+them till to-morrow."
+
+"No," replied the king, "I will certainly not permit you to propose
+questions without end: all that I can allow you is to ask him one
+more, and that immediately."
+
+The princess objected, saying that she had only prepared those which
+had just been answered, and entreated the king, her father, for
+permission to interrogate the prince on the following day.
+
+"I will certainly not grant it," cried the monarch of China, in a
+rage; "you are only endeavouring to perplex this young prince, while I
+am eagerly grasping at the prospect of escaping from the frightful
+oath I had the imprudence to make. Ah! cruel one, you breathe nothing
+but blood, and the death of your lovers is a pleasant sight to you.
+The queen, your mother, touched by the first misfortunes your cruelty
+caused, died of grief at having brought into the world so barbarous a
+child; and I, you know well, am plunged into a state of profound
+melancholy, which nothing can dissipate, whilst I behold the fatal
+results of the love I entertained for you; but, thanks to the sun, and
+the moon, and the spirits who preside in the heavens, and by whom my
+sacrifices have been regarded with a propitious eye, no more of those
+horrible executions which have rendered my name execrable shall be
+committed in my palace. Since this prince has answered your questions
+satisfactorily, I ask all this assembly if it is not right that you
+should become his wife?"
+
+The mandarins and the doctors expressed their assent in murmurs, and
+the calao took upon himself to speak. "My lord," said he, addressing
+the king, "your majesty is no longer bound by the oath you made, to
+execute your severe edict; it is for the princess to fulfil her
+engagement. She promised her hand to him who should answer her
+questions correctly; a prince has answered them, to the satisfaction
+of the whole divan; she must keep her promise, or we cannot doubt that
+the spirits who preside over the punishment of perjurers will quickly
+take vengeance upon her."
+
+Tourandocte kept silence during the delivery of this speech; she sat
+with her head on her knees, and appeared buried in deep affliction.
+Khalaf, perceiving this, prostrated himself before Altoun-Khan, and
+said, "Great king, whose justice and goodness have raised the vast
+empire of China to such prosperity, I beg of your majesty to grant me
+a favour. I see that the princess is in despair at my having been so
+fortunate as to reply to her questions; doubtless she would rather it
+had so happened that I should have deserved death. Since she exhibits
+so strong an aversion to me, that, in spite of her promise, she
+refuses to become my wife, I will renounce my right to her, on
+condition that she, on her part, replies correctly to a question which
+I shall propose."
+
+The whole assembly was surprised at this speech. "Is this young prince
+mad," they whispered one to another, "to risk the loss of that for
+which he perilled his life? Does he imagine he can propose a question
+that will be too difficult for Tourandocte to solve? He must have lost
+his senses." Altoun-Khan was also amazed at the request which Khalaf
+had the temerity to make. "Prince," said he, "have you reflected upon
+the words which have just escaped your lips?"
+
+"Yes, my lord," replied the prince of the Nagaeis, "and I implore you
+to grant me this favour."
+
+"I grant it," returned the king; "but, whatever be the result, I
+declare that I am no longer bound by the oath I made, and that,
+henceforth, I will not cause another prince to be put to death."
+
+"Divine Tourandocte," resumed the son of Timurtasch, addressing the
+princess, "you have heard what I said. Although the decision of this
+learned assembly has awarded to me the prize of your hand, although
+you are mine, I will give you back your liberty, I will yield up
+possession of you, I will despoil myself of a treasure precious to me
+above all things, provided you reply at once to a question I shall
+ask; but, on your part, swear that if you cannot, you will consent
+willingly to complete my happiness and crown my love."
+
+"Yes, prince," replied Tourandocte, "I accept the conditions, and I
+take this assembly as witnesses of my oath."
+
+All the divan awaited, in breathless suspense, the question that
+Khalaf was to propose to the princess, and there was not one who did
+not blame the young prince for exposing himself to the risk of losing
+the daughter of Altoun-Khan; they were all amazed at his temerity.
+"Lovely princess," said Khalaf, "what is the name of that prince who,
+after suffering a thousand hardships, and being reduced even to beg
+his bread, finds himself, at this moment, overwhelmed with glory and
+joy?"
+
+"It is impossible," said Tourandocte, "for me to reply to that
+question on the spot, but I promise that to-morrow I will tell you the
+name of that prince."
+
+"Madam," cried Khalaf, "I asked no time for consideration, and it is
+not right to grant you any; still, I will grant you your wish; I hope,
+after that, you will look more favourably on me, and not oppose any
+further difficulty to your becoming my bride."
+
+"She must make up her mind to that," said Altoun-Khan, "if she cannot
+reply to the question proposed. Let her not think by falling ill, or
+pretending to do so, that she will thereby escape. Even if my rash
+oath should not bind me to grant him her hand, and she were not his
+according to the tenor of the edict, I would rather let her die, than
+send this young prince away. Where would it be possible for her to
+meet with one more perfectly worthy of her?" With these words, he rose
+and dismissed the assembly. He re-entered the inner palace with the
+princess, who retired to her own apartments.
+
+As soon as the king had left the divan, all the mandarins and doctors
+complimented Khalaf upon his wit and understanding. "I admire," said
+one, "your ready and easy conception." "No!" said another, "there is
+not a bachelor licentiate, or doctor even, of greater penetration than
+you. Not one of all the princes who has presented themselves hitherto,
+in the least degree approached your merit, and we feel the most
+heartfelt joy at your success." The prince of the Nagaeis had no light
+task to perform in thanking all those who pressed round him to
+congratulate him. At length, the six mandarins who had conducted him
+to the council-chamber, led him back to the same palace whence they
+had brought him, whilst the others, together with the learned doctors
+retired, not without anxiety about the answer which the daughter of
+Altoun-Khan would return to the question.
+
+The princess Tourandocte regained her palace, followed by the two
+young slaves who enjoyed her confidence. No sooner had she entered
+into her apartment, than she tore off her veil, and throwing herself
+upon a couch, gave free vent to the grief and rage which agitated her;
+shame and sorrow were depicted on her countenance; her eyes already
+bedimmed with tears, overflowed afresh; she tore off the flowers that
+adorned her head, and allowed her hair to fall about her in confusion.
+Her two favourite slaves attempted to console her, but she only said
+bitterly, "Leave me, both of you, cease your useless attentions. I
+will listen to nothing but my despair; leave me alone to pour forth my
+tears and lamentations. Ah! how great will be my confusion to-morrow,
+when I shall be forced to acknowledge before the whole council, and
+the wisest doctors of China, that I cannot solve the question. Is
+that, they will say, the transcendent princess who prides herself
+upon knowing every thing, and to whom the solution of the most
+difficult enigma presented no difficulty?"
+
+"Alas!" continued she, "they all take an interest in this young
+prince. I noticed them grow pale with anxiety when he appeared
+embarrassed. I saw their faces beaming with joy when he penetrated the
+meaning of my questions. I shall have the bitter mortification of
+seeing them again rejoice at my confusion, when I shall have to
+confess myself conquered. How great will be their delight when I make
+the degrading avowal, and what agony must I endure in making it."
+
+"My princess," said one of her slaves, "instead of afflicting yourself
+beforehand, instead of picturing to yourself the shame you fear to
+suffer to-morrow, would it not be better to think of some means of
+preventing it? Is the question the prince has proposed so difficult,
+that you cannot answer it? with the genius and penetration you
+possess, can you not accomplish it?"
+
+"No," said Tourandocte, "it is impossible. He asks me to name the
+prince who, after suffering a thousand hardships, and being reduced to
+beg his bread, is, at this moment, overwhelmed with joy and glory? I
+feel assured that he is himself that prince, but not knowing him, I
+cannot tell his name."
+
+"Still, madam," rejoined the same slave, "you have promised to name
+that prince to-morrow; when you made that promise, you hoped,
+doubtless, to be able to fulfil it."
+
+"I had no hope," replied the princess, "and I only demanded time to
+die of grief, rather than be obliged to acknowledge my shame, and
+marry the prince."
+
+"The resolution is a violent one," said the other favourite slave. "I
+know well that no man is worthy of you, but you must allow that this
+prince possesses singular merits; his beauty, his noble bearing, and
+his ready wit ought to plead in his favour."
+
+"I grant it all," interrupted the princess. "If there is any prince
+in the world who is worthy of my regards, it is he. Indeed, I will not
+deny it, that I grieved for him, before I put my questions to him; I
+sighed when I beheld him, and--what has never happened till to-day--I
+almost hoped he would reply to my questions correctly. It is true
+that, at the same moment, I blushed at my weakness, but my pride got
+the better of me, and the apt answers he made excited my abhorrence
+towards him; all the commendations which the doctors bestowed on him
+so deeply mortified me, that I then felt, and still feel, the most
+bitter hatred against him. O unhappy Tourandocte, lay thee down and
+die of vexation and grief, at having found a man, and he a youth, who
+has been able to load thee with disgrace, and compel thee to become
+his wife."
+
+At these words she redoubled her tears, and in the transport of her
+rage spared neither her hair nor her clothes. She raised her hands
+more than once towards her cheeks to tear them, and punish them as the
+prime authors of the disgrace she had endured; but her slaves, who
+were watching her frenzy, prevented her. They tried, however, in vain
+to console her; they could not calm the fury of her agitation. Whilst
+she was in this fearful state of excitement, the prince of the Nagaeis,
+charmed with the result, and overwhelmed with joy, delivered himself
+up to the hope of bearing off his bride the next day.
+
+The king, having returned from the council-chamber, sent for Khalaf to
+talk over in private the events which had taken place at the divan.
+The prince of the Nagaeis hastened to obey the orders of the monarch,
+who, after embracing him with great tenderness, said, "Ah! my son,
+release me from the anxiety I am suffering. I fear lest my daughter
+should be able to answer the question you have proposed. Why have you
+risked the danger of losing the object of your love?"
+
+"Let not your majesty be under the least apprehension," replied
+Khalaf; "it is impossible that the princess can tell me who the prince
+is whose name I have asked, for I am that prince, and no one in your
+court knows me."
+
+"This gives me fresh hope," cried the king in a transport of joy; "I
+confess I was most anxious about you. Tourandocte is very shrewd; the
+subtlety of her wit made me tremble for you; but, thank Heaven, you
+dispel my doubts. However great her facility of penetrating the sense
+of enigmas, she cannot guess your name. I can no longer accuse you of
+temerity; and I see what appeared to me a lack of prudence, is an
+ingenious device you have formed to remove every pretext for my
+daughter's refusal."
+
+Altoun-Khan, after laughing with Khalaf at the question proposed to
+the princess, prepared to enjoy the diversion of the chase. He dressed
+himself in a light and close-fitting caftan, and enclosed his beard in
+a bag of black satin. He ordered the mandarins to hold themselves in
+readiness to accompany him, and commanded a hunting-dress to be given
+to the prince of the Nagaeis. They partook of a slight repast, and then
+quitted the palace. The mandarins, in open palanquins of ivory inlaid
+with gold, headed the procession, each carried by six men; two men
+armed with whips of cord marched before each palanquin, and two others
+followed with tablets of silver, upon which were written in large
+characters all the mandarin's titles. The king and Khalaf, in an open
+litter of red sandalwood, carried by twenty military officers, on
+whose dresses were embroidered in silver the monarch's monogram
+and badges,--the latter consisting of several figures of
+animals,--appeared next. After the mandarins, two generals of
+Altoun-Khan's army marched on either side of the litter, carrying
+large fans or umbrellas to ward off the heat, and three thousand
+eunuchs on foot completed the cortege.
+
+When they arrived at the place where the hunters awaited the king with
+the falcons, the sport began by flying hawks at quails; this
+diversion lasted till sunset, when the king and the prince, and the
+persons of their suites, returned to the palace in the same order in
+which they had left. They found in the court several pavilions of silk
+of different colours, a great number of small tables, beautifully
+polished and covered with all sorts of viands ready cut up. As soon as
+the king had taken his seat, Khalaf and the mandarins sat down, each
+at a little separate table, near which stood another, which served as
+a buffet. They all began by drinking several bumpers of rice wine
+before touching the viands; they then proceeded to eat without
+drinking any more. The banquet ended, the king, Altoun-Khan, led the
+prince of the Nagaeis into a large hall, brilliantly illuminated, and
+fitted up with seats arranged for seeing some spectacle, and they were
+followed by all the mandarins. The king appointed each his place, and
+made Khalaf sit near him, upon a large ebony throne, inlaid with gold
+tracery.
+
+As soon as the company had taken their places, singers and musicians
+entered, who commenced an agreeable concert. Altoun-Khan was delighted
+with it. Infatuated with the Chinese music, he asked the son of
+Timurtasch, from time to time, what he thought of it, and the young
+prince, out of politeness, gave it the highest rank of all the music
+in the world. The concert finished, the singers and musicians retired,
+to make room for an artificial elephant, which having advanced by
+secret springs into the middle of the hall, vomited forth six
+vaulters, who began by making some perilous leaps. They were attired
+in very thin dresses; they had on only drawers of Indian cloth, caps
+of brocade, and light shoes. After they had exhibited their agility
+and suppleness by a thousand extraordinary performances, they
+re-entered the elephant, which went away as it came. Next, there
+appeared players, who performed, impromptu, a piece, the subject of
+which the king chose. When all these diversions were finished, and
+the night was far advanced, Altoun-Khan and Khalaf rose, to retire to
+their apartments, and the mandarins followed their example.
+
+The young prince of the Nagaeis, conducted by eunuchs bearing wax
+candles in gold candelabra, was preparing to taste the sweets of
+repose as well as his impatience to return to the divan would permit
+him, when on entering his chamber, he found a young lady, dressed in a
+robe of red brocade with silver flowers, and adorned with rubies and
+emeralds; she wore a head-dress of rose-coloured silk, ornamented with
+pearls and bound by a very light silver border, which only covered the
+top of her head, and allowed her beautiful hair to escape, which hung
+down in ringlets, adorned with a few artificial flowers; as to her
+figure and face it was impossible to see any more beautiful and
+perfect except that of the princess of China.
+
+The son of Timurtasch was much surprised at meeting a lady alone, and
+so beautiful, at midnight in his room. He could not have looked upon
+her with indifference, had he not seen Tourandocte; but as the lover
+of that princess he had no eyes for any other.
+
+As soon as the lady perceived Khalaf, she rose from the sofa where she
+was seated, and upon which she had laid her veil, and after making a
+low inclination of her head, "Prince," said she, "I doubt not that you
+are surprised to find a woman here; for you cannot be ignorant that it
+is rigorously forbidden for men and women who inhabit the harem, to
+have any communication together; but the importance of the matter that
+I have to communicate to you, has made me disregard all danger. I have
+had dexterity and good fortune enough to overcome all the obstacles
+which opposed my design. I have gained the eunuchs who wait upon you.
+It now only remains for me to tell you what brought me here."
+
+Khalaf felt interested; he could not doubt but that the lady who had
+taken so perilous a step, had something to communicate worthy his
+attention; he begged her to resume her seat on the sofa; they both sat
+down; and the lady then continued in these terms:
+
+"My lord, I believe I ought to begin by informing you that I am the
+daughter of a khan, one of the tributaries of Altoun-Khan. Some years
+ago, my father was bold enough to refuse to pay the usual tribute,
+and, relying too much upon his experience in the art of war, as well
+as upon the valour of his troops, prepared to defend himself in case
+he were attacked. What he expected happened. The king of China
+irritated by his audacity, sent the most experienced of his generals
+with a powerful army against him. My father, though considerably
+weaker in numbers, went out to meet him. After a sanguinary battle,
+which was fought on the banks of a river, the Chinese general remained
+victorious. My father, pierced with a thousand wounds, died during the
+battle, but before his death, he ordered all his wives and children to
+be thrown into the river, to preserve them from slavery. Those who
+were charged with the generous, though inhuman order, executed it;
+they threw me, together with my mother, sisters, and two brothers,
+whose tender age had kept them with us, into the river. The Chinese
+general arrived at the spot at the very moment when they had cast us
+in, and when we were about to finish our miserable existence. This
+mournful and horrible sight excited his compassion; he promised a
+reward to any of the soldiers who should save any of the vanquished
+khan's family. Several Chinese horsemen, in spite of the rapidity of
+the stream, dashed in, and urged their horses wherever they saw our
+dying bodies floating. They recovered a few, but their assistance was
+only of use to me. I still breathed when they brought me to shore. The
+general took great pains for my recovery, as though the glory acquired
+by my captivity would bestow a fresh lustre on his victory; he brought
+me to this city, and presented me to the king, after giving an
+account of his mission. Altoun-Khan placed me with his daughter the
+princess, who is two or three years younger than I am.
+
+"Although still a child, I could not help reflecting that I had become
+a slave, and that I ought to have sentiments conformable to my
+situation. I therefore studied the disposition of Tourandocte, and
+strove to please her, and I succeeded so well by my compliance with
+her wishes and my attentions, that I gained her friendship. From that
+time I have shared her confidence with a young person of illustrious
+birth, whom the misfortunes of her family have reduced to slavery.
+
+"Pardon, my lord," she continued, "this narrative which does not bear
+any relation to the subject that has brought me here. I thought it but
+right to apprize you that I am of noble blood, that you might place
+more reliance in me; for the important communication I have to make is
+such, that an ordinary slave might induce you to give but little
+credence to what she had to say; and I know not, that even I, though
+the daughter of a khan, shall be able to influence you: would a prince
+enamoured of Tourandocte give credit to what I am about to say of
+her?"
+
+"Princess," replied the son of Timurtasch, interrupting her, "keep me
+no longer in suspense, tell me, I pray you, at once what you have to
+say concerning the princess of China."
+
+"My lord," replied the lady, "Tourandocte, the barbarous Tourandocte
+has formed a plot to assassinate you!"
+
+At these words Khalaf, falling back on the sofa, lay for a moment in a
+state of horror and amazement.
+
+The slave-princess, who had foreseen the astonishment of the young
+prince, said,
+
+"I am not surprised that you should thus receive this frightful
+announcement, and I was right when I doubted that you would believe
+it."
+
+"Merciful Heaven," cried Khalaf, when he recovered from his
+stupefaction, "did I hear aright? Is it possible that the princess of
+China could be guilty of such an atrocious attempt? How could she
+conceive so base a project?"
+
+"Prince," replied the lady, "I will explain to you how she came to
+take this horrible resolution. When she left the divan this morning,
+where I had been stationed behind her throne, I saw that she was
+mortally enraged at what had taken place; she returned into her
+apartments writhing under the most bitter feelings of mortification
+and fury; she pondered over the question you asked her for a long
+time, and not being able to find a suitable answer, she abandoned
+herself to despair. While she was in the bath, I spared no means, in
+which I was seconded by the other favourite slave, to calm the
+violence of her transports; we tried all in our power to inspire her
+with sentiments favourable to you; we extolled your person and your
+talents; we represented to her, that she ought to determine to bestow
+her hand upon you; we pointed out the unseemliness of such immoderate
+grief; but she imposed silence upon us, with a torrent of injurious
+words. The most agreeable and handsome make no more impression upon
+her than the ugliest and most deformed. 'They are all,' said she,
+'objects of my contempt, and for whom I shall always entertain the
+deepest aversion. As regards him who has presented himself last, I
+entertain a greater hatred towards him than towards the others, and if
+I cannot rid myself of him by any other means I will have him
+assassinated.'
+
+"I opposed this detestable design," continued the slave-princess, "and
+laid before her the terrible consequences of such a deed. I
+represented to her the injury she would inflict upon herself, the
+despair she would occasion the king, and the just horror that future
+ages would entertain for her memory.
+
+"The other favourite slave supported with all her eloquence the
+arguments I adduced, but all our persuasions were of no avail; we
+could not turn her from her purpose. She has entrusted her faithful
+eunuchs with orders to take your life to-morrow morning as you leave
+your palace to repair to the divan."
+
+"O inhuman princess, perfidious Tourandocte," cried the prince of the
+Nagaeis, "is it thus you prepare to crown the affection of the unhappy
+son of Timurtasch? Has Khalaf indeed appeared so hateful to you, that
+you would rather rid yourself of him by a crime that will dishonour
+you, than unite your destiny with his? Great Heaven! how chequered
+with strange events is my life! At one moment I seem to enjoy
+happiness that the greatest might envy, at another I am plunged into a
+whirlpool of misery."
+
+"My lord," said the slave-princess, "if Heaven ordains that you should
+suffer misfortunes, it does not will that you should sink beneath
+their weight, since it warns you of the dangers that threaten you.
+Yes, prince, it is Heaven that has doubtless inspired me with the
+thought of saving you, for I come not only to point out the snare laid
+for your life, I come also to furnish you with means to escape. By the
+assistance of some eunuchs who are devoted to me, I have gained over
+the soldiers of the guard, who will facilitate your flight from the
+serail. As they will not fail to make a searching investigation, when
+they know of your departure, and discover that I am the author of it,
+I am resolved to fly with you, and escape from this court, where I
+have more than one cause for discontent; my state of bondage makes me
+hate it, and you make it still more odious to me.
+
+"Let us waste no time; come, and let to-morrow's sun, when he begins
+his course, find us far, far from Pekin.
+
+"In a certain spot in the town," continued she, "horses await us; let
+us fly, and reach if possible the territory of the tribe of Berlas."
+
+Khalaf replied, "Beautiful princess, I render you a thousand thanks
+for your wish to save me from the danger with which I am encompassed.
+Oh! that I could, to prove my gratitude, deliver you from your
+slavery, and conduct you in safety to the horde of the khan of Berlas
+your relation. With what pleasure would I place you in his hands! I
+should thereby repay some of the obligations I lie under to him. But I
+ask you, princess, ought I thus to steal away from Altoun-Khan? What
+would he think of me? He would believe that I came to his court for
+the sole purpose of carrying you off, and at the very time when I
+should be flying, only that I might save his daughter from
+perpetrating a fearful crime, he would be accusing me of violating the
+laws of hospitality. Ah! must I confess it, cruel though the princess
+of China be, I could never find in my foolish heart to hate her?
+Whatever misfortune may be in store for me, I cannot consent to so
+ignominious a flight. I acknowledge that charms like yours would amply
+repay your liberator, and that my days with you might pass in the
+greatest bliss, but I am not born to be happy, my destiny is to love
+Tourandocte; despite the aversion she feels towards me, I should wear
+out my days in endless sorrow, were they spent away from her."
+
+"Well then, ingrate, remain," cried the lady passionately,
+interrupting him, "and let the spot in which thy happiness is
+concentrated be sprinkled with thy blood." Saying these words, she
+replaced her veil, and quitted the apartment.
+
+The young prince, after the lady had retired, remained upon the
+sofa in a state of bewilderment. "Must I believe," said he, "what I
+have just heard? Can she carry her cruelty thus far? Alas! I dare
+not doubt it, for the slave-princess's expressions of horror at
+Tourandocte's plot were so natural--the risks she ran in coming
+herself to warn me of it so great, and the feelings she displayed
+so unquestionable,--that all are pledges of the truthfulness of her
+words. Ah! cruel daughter of the best of kings, is it thus that you
+abuse the gifts with which Heaven has endowed you? O Heaven! how
+couldst thou confer on this barbarous princess so much beauty, or
+why adorn so inhuman a soul with so many charms?"
+
+Instead of seeking a few hours' sleep, he passed the night, distracted
+with the most painful reflections. At length day appeared, the ringing
+of the bells and beating of drums was again heard, and shortly after
+six mandarins arrived to conduct him to the council-chamber, as on the
+preceding day. He traversed the court where the soldiers were arranged
+in two files: he expected to meet his death at this spot, and that it
+was here the persons who had been appointed to assassinate him were
+posted, in order to despatch him as he passed. Far from thinking of
+defending himself or putting himself upon his guard, he walked on like
+a man prepared to die; he even appeared to chide the delay of his
+assassins. He passed through the court, however, without any attack
+being made upon him, and reached the first hall of the divan. "Ah!
+doubtless it is here," thought he, "that the sanguinary order of the
+princess is to be put in execution." He looked around him on all
+sides, and thought he saw in every one he surveyed a murderer. He
+nevertheless advanced and entered the hall where the council was
+sitting, without receiving the deadly stroke which he thought awaited
+him.
+
+All the doctors and mandarins were already seated under their
+canopies, and Altoun-Khan was momentarily expected. "What can be the
+design of the princess?" thought he. "Can she wish to be an
+eye-witness of my death, and does she desire to have me assassinated
+before the eyes of her father? Can the king be an accomplice in the
+deed? What am I to think? Can he have changed his mind, and issued the
+order for my death?"
+
+Whilst his thoughts were occupied with these doubts, the door of the
+inner palace opened, and the king, accompanied by Tourandocte, entered
+the hall. They took their seats upon their thrones, and the prince of
+the Nagaeis stood before them, at the same distance as on the day
+before.
+
+When the calao saw the king seated, he rose, and demanded of the young
+prince whether he remembered having promised to renounce the hand of
+the princess if she answered the question which he had proposed.
+Khalaf replied that he did, and again declared that in that event, he
+would renounce all claim to the honour of being the king's son-in-law.
+The calao then addressed Tourandocte, and said, "And you, great
+princess, you are aware of the oath that binds you, and of the penalty
+to which you are subjected if you do not this day declare the name of
+the prince, which you are required to give."
+
+The king, persuaded that she could not reply to the question of
+Khalaf, said to her, "My daughter, you have had ample time to consider
+the question which was proposed to you; but if you had a whole year to
+think of it, I believe that in spite of your sagacity you would be
+obliged, at the end of it, to acknowledge that it is something which
+even you could not reveal. So, as you cannot guess, yield with good
+grace to the love of this young prince, and satisfy the wish I feel
+that he should be your husband. He is worthy of being so, and of
+reigning with you, after my death, over the people of this mighty
+empire."
+
+"My lord," replied Tourandocte, "why do you think that I shall not be
+able to reply to the question of this prince? It is not so difficult
+as you imagine. I suffered the shame of a defeat yesterday, but to-day
+I look forward to the honour of a victory. I will confound this rash
+young man who has entertained so mean an opinion of my talents. Let
+him put the question, and I will answer it."
+
+"Madam," thereupon said the prince of the Nagaeis, "I ask, what is the
+name of that prince who, after suffering a thousand hardships, and
+being reduced to beg his bread, finds himself at this moment covered
+with glory, and overwhelmed with joy?"
+
+"This prince," replied Tourandocte, "is named Khalaf, and he is the
+son of Timurtasch."
+
+When Khalaf heard his name he changed colour, a dark mist seemed to
+cover his eyes, and he fell senseless to the ground. The king and all
+the mandarins, judging from this that Tourandocte had answered
+correctly, and had given the prince's real name, grew pale, and sat in
+great consternation.
+
+After Khalaf had recovered from his swoon, through the attentions of
+the mandarins and the king himself, who had quitted his throne to come
+to his assistance, he thus addressed Tourandocte:
+
+"Beautiful princess, you are mistaken if you think you have given a
+fitting answer to my question; the son of Timurtasch is not covered
+with glory, and overwhelmed with joy; he is rather covered with shame,
+and overwhelmed with grief."
+
+"I agree with you," replied the princess, "that at this moment you are
+not overwhelmed with glory and joy, but you were so when you proposed
+this question; so, prince, instead of having recourse to vain
+quibbles, confess honestly that you have lost your right to
+Tourandocte. I therefore can, if I choose, refuse you my hand, and
+abandon you to the regret of having lost your prize; nevertheless, I
+will acknowledge to you, and declare here publicly, that I entertain
+different feelings towards you to what I did. The friendship my father
+has conceived for you, and your own merit, have determined me to take
+you for my husband."
+
+At these words all etiquette was for a moment forgotten; the
+council-chamber resounded with shouts of joy. The mandarins and
+doctors applauded the words of Tourandocte. The king approached her,
+and kissing her, said, "My child, you could not have formed a decision
+more agreeable to me; by this act you will efface the bad impression
+you have made upon the minds of my people, and you confer upon your
+father a joy to which he has long been a stranger, and which hitherto
+he had hoped for in vain. Yes, that aversion you entertained for
+marriage, that aversion so contrary to nature, robbed me of the sweet
+hope of seeing princes of my own blood spring from you. Happily, that
+aversion has ceased, and what crowns my wishes is, that you have
+extinguished it in favour of a young hero who is dear to me. But tell
+us," added he, "how you have been able to guess the name of a prince
+who was unknown to you."
+
+"My lord," replied Tourandocte, "it was not by enchantment that I
+learned it; it was by perfectly natural means. One of my slaves sought
+the prince Khalaf, and had subtlety enough to rob him of his secret,
+and I hope he will forgive me for taking advantage of this treachery,
+since I have made no worse use of it."
+
+"Ah! charming Tourandocte," hereupon cried the prince of the Nagaeis,
+"is it possible that you entertain such favourable sentiments towards
+me? From what a frightful abyss do you draw me, to raise me to the
+height of bliss! Alas, how unjust was I! whilst you were preparing
+such a glorious fate for me I thought you guilty of the blackest of
+all treachery. Deceived by a horrible fable which darkened my reason,
+I repaid your good intentions with injurious doubts. Oh! what
+impatience do I feel to expiate my unjust suspicions at your feet."
+
+Altoun-Khan ordered the preparations for the marriage of Khalaf and
+Tourandocte to be set on foot, and whilst they were engaged about them
+he sent ambassadors to the tribe of Berlas, to inform the khan of the
+Nagaeis of all that had taken place in China, and to beg him to come
+with the princess his wife.
+
+The preparations being concluded, the marriage was celebrated with all
+the pomp and magnificence which belonged to the high birth of the
+happy pair. Khalaf was raised to the rank of the highest subject, and
+the king himself made a public declaration that, to mark his sense of
+the esteem and consideration he entertained for his son-in-law, he
+should allow him to dispense with the customary obeisances to his
+bride. During a whole month nothing was seen at the court but feasting
+and pageants, and in the city nothing but gaiety and rejoicings.
+
+The possession of Tourandocte did not diminish the love Khalaf
+entertained for her, and the princess, who had hitherto regarded men
+with so much contempt, could not but love so perfect a prince. Some
+time after their marriage the ambassadors whom Altoun-Khan had sent to
+the country of Berlas returned, bringing with them not only the father
+and mother of the king's son-in-law, but also prince Almguer, who, to
+pay honour to Elmaze and Timurtasch, insisted on accompanying them,
+with the most distinguished of his nobles, and conducting them to
+Pekin.
+
+The young prince of the Nagaeis, apprized of their arrival, immediately
+rode out to meet them. He found them nearly at the gate of the palace.
+The joy he felt on seeing his father and mother, and their transports
+on seeing him, can be scarcely conceived, much less described. They
+all three embraced each other over and over again, and the tears they
+shed drew forth corresponding signs of emotion from the Chinese and
+Tartars who were present.
+
+After these tender embraces, Khalaf saluted the khan of Berlas; he
+expressed to him how deeply he felt his kindness, and more especially
+his condescension in himself accompanying his parents to the court of
+China; the prince Almguer replied that, being ignorant of the rank of
+Timurtasch and Elmaze, he had not shown towards them the respect that
+was due to them, and thus to atone for any neglect they might have
+experienced, he thought it his duty to pay them this mark of honour;
+the khan of the Nagaeis and his wife the princess, however, paid a high
+tribute to the attentive kindness of the khan of Berlas; they then all
+entered the palace of the king, to be presented to Altoun-Khan. They
+found this monarch awaiting them in the first hall. He embraced them
+all, one after the other, and received them very graciously; he then
+conducted them into his cabinet, where, after expressing the pleasure
+he felt at seeing Timurtasch, and his sympathy in his misfortunes, he
+assured him that he would employ all his power to avenge him on the
+sultan of Carisma. This was no empty offer, for that very day he
+despatched orders to the governors of the provinces to march with all
+speed with the soldiers who were in the towns within their
+jurisdiction, and to take the route to lake Baljouta, which was chosen
+for the rendezvous of the formidable army he proposed to assemble
+there.
+
+For his part, the khan of Berlas, who had foreseen this war, and who
+wished to assist in the re-establishment of Timurtasch in his
+dominions, had, previous to his departure from his tribe, ordered the
+general of his army to be in readiness to take the field at the first
+summons. He now commanded him also to repair to lake Baljouta with all
+possible speed.
+
+During the time the officers and soldiers who were to compose the army
+of Altoun-Khan, and who were dispersed throughout the kingdom, were
+marching to assemble at the spot indicated, this king spared no pains
+to express his high consideration for his new guests; he appointed a
+separate palace to each, with a great number of eunuchs, and a guard
+of two thousand men. Every day some new fete was contrived for their
+entertainment, and the king's whole attention seemed turned towards
+affording them pleasure. Khalaf, although he had now every day a
+thousand matters to occupy his attention, did not forget his kind
+hostess; he remembered with gratitude the solicitude she expressed for
+him; he sent for her to the palace, and begged Tourandocte to receive
+her amongst her attendants.
+
+The hope that Timurtasch and Elmaze entertained of reascending the
+throne of the Nagaei-Tartars, by the assistance of the king of China,
+insensibly made them forget their past troubles; and when Tourandocte
+gave birth to a beautiful prince, they were quite overwhelmed with
+joy. The birth of this child, who was named the prince of China, was
+celebrated in all the cities of this vast empire by public rejoicings.
+
+Whilst these festivities were taking place, news was brought by
+couriers, sent by the officers who had orders to collect the army,
+that all the troops of the kingdom, and those of the khan of Berlas,
+had assembled at lake Baljouta. Immediately Timurtasch, Khalaf, and
+Almguer set out for the camp, where they found every thing in
+readiness, and seven hundred thousand men ready to march; they
+immediately took the read to Kotan, from whence they marched to
+Raschar, and at length entered the dominions of the sultan of Carisma.
+
+This prince, informed of their numbers, and of the invasion of his
+territories, by couriers whom the governors of the frontier towns had
+despatched, far from being alarmed at the number of his enemies,
+courageously prepared to meet them. Instead even of intrenching
+himself, he had the boldness to take the field himself, at the head of
+four hundred thousand men, whom he had hastily collected. The armies
+met near Cogendi, where they drew up in battle array. On the side of
+the Chinese, Timurtasch commanded the right wing, prince Almguer the
+left, and Khalaf the centre. On the other side, the sultan confided
+the command of his right wing to the ablest of his generals, opposed
+the prince of Carisma to the prince of the Nagaeis, and reserved the
+left to himself, where the elite of his cavalry were stationed. The
+khan of Berlas began the attack with the soldiers of his tribe, who,
+fighting like men who knew the eyes of their master were on them, soon
+turned the right wing of their enemies; the officer who commanded it,
+however, succeeded in reforming it almost immediately. Meanwhile the
+right wing, commanded by Timurtasch, was not so fortunate; the sultan
+broke them at the first onset, and the Chinese in disorder were on
+the point of taking flight, in spite of every effort of the khan of
+the Nagaeis, when Khalaf, informed of what had taken place, confided
+the care of the centre to an experienced Chinese general, and rushed
+to the assistance of his father at the head of reinforcements. In a
+short time things assumed a different aspect. The left wing of the
+Carismians was driven back, and in turn routed; the whole of the ranks
+fell into disorder and were easily broken--the entire wing was put to
+flight. The sultan determined to conquer or die, and made incredible
+efforts to rally his soldiers; but Timurtasch and Khalaf gave them no
+time, and surrounded them on all sides, whilst prince Almguer having
+defeated the right wing, victory declared in favour of the Chinese.
+
+There remained but one chance of safety for the sultan of Carisma, and
+that was to cut his way through the ranks of his enemies, and to take
+refuge with some foreign prince; but he preferred not surviving his
+defeat to exhibiting amongst the nations his brow despoiled of the
+diadem; so rushing blindly into the thickest of the carnage, he fell
+bravely, fighting to the last, and pierced with a thousand mortal
+wounds, on a heap of slain. The prince of Carisma, his son, shared the
+same fate; two hundred thousand of their troops were killed or made
+prisoners, the rest seeking safety in flight. The Chinese also lost a
+great number of men; but if the battle had been a bloody one, it was
+decisive. Timurtasch, after thanking Heaven for this signal success,
+despatched an officer to Pekin to give an account of the battle to the
+king of China; he then advanced into Zagatay, and seized upon the city
+of Carisma.
+
+He made a proclamation in this capital that he would not touch the
+property, or interfere with the liberty of the Carismians; that Heaven
+having made him master of the throne of his enemy, he intended to take
+possession of it, and that henceforth, Zagatay, and the other
+countries which had been under the sway of the sultan, should
+acknowledge for their sovereign his son Khalaf.
+
+The Carismians, tired of the harsh rule of their late master, and
+persuaded that that of Khalaf would be milder, submitted readily, and
+proclaimed as sultan this young prince, with whose merits they were
+acquainted. Whilst the new sultan took all necessary measures to
+strengthen his position, Timurtasch departed with a body of Chinese
+troops with all possible speed to his own dominions. The Nagaei-Tartars
+received him like faithful subjects, and were overjoyed to see their
+legitimate sovereign; but he was not content with regaining his
+throne; he declared war against the Circassians, in order to punish
+them for their treachery to prince Khalaf at Jund. Instead of trying
+to appease him by submission, these warlike people speedily collected
+an army to oppose him. He attacked them, and cut them nearly all to
+pieces; after which he caused himself to be proclaimed king of
+Circassia, and then returned to Zagatay, where he found Elmaze and
+Tourandocte, whom Altoun-Khan had sent to Carisma in great state.
+
+Such was the end of the misfortunes of prince Khalaf, who gained by
+his virtues the love and esteem of the Carismians. He reigned long and
+peacefully over them, and never abated in his love for Tourandocte; he
+had a second son by her, who became afterwards the sultan of Carisma.
+As for the prince of China, Altoun-Khan brought him up, and chose him
+for his successor. Timurtasch and the princess Elmaze passed the rest
+of their days at Astrachan, and the khan of Berlas, after having
+received from them and their children all the tokens of gratitude
+which his generosity merited, retired to his tribe with the remainder
+of his troops.
+
+FOOTNOTES:
+
+[8] The Chinese mourning colour is white.
+
+
+
+
+IV.
+
+THE WISE DEY.
+
+
+Chaaban, Dey of Algiers, being dead, the Turkish janissaries bethought
+themselves of electing a new dey; and their intention was to place in
+this high station an inert, weak, and indolent man, who would allow
+them to be their own masters, to act as they pleased either with or
+without justice, and who would never inflict any punishment upon them.
+Passing through the streets of Algiers, they beheld Hadgi-Achmet, a
+man of ripe age, seated peaceably at the door of his dwelling, and
+carefully mending his old slippers, without taking any part either in
+the outcries, the conversation, or the gossiping going on all around
+him. Hadgi-Achmet seemed to them to be just the sort of apathetic man
+they were in search of, a man who would never interfere with any one,
+would allow them to do exactly as they pleased, and who, in short,
+would be but the shadow of a dey. They therefore laid hold of
+Hadgi-Achmet, tore him from his work, led him to the divan, and
+elected him dey in spite of himself.
+
+Hadgi-Achmet, thus forced to assume the reins of government, wisely
+examined into the duties of his new position, and set himself to
+fulfil them with as much assiduity and zeal as he had employed in the
+humbler task of mending his old slippers. He watched over the
+interests of the country, and over those of justice, and punished
+severely all misdeeds which came under his observation; having a
+stern, strange habit of knitting his shaggy eyebrows and flashing his
+brilliant eyes whenever any thing mean or wicked came under his
+notice. All this was very displeasing to the Turkish janissaries, and
+to several members of the divan. Four of these latter formed a species
+of plot with the design of bringing Hadgi-Achmet into contempt in the
+eyes of the public. Now as it was the pleasure of the dey to
+administer justice himself, and to enquire into the smallest matter
+that concerned the interests of the people, they thought to render him
+ridiculous, by begging him one day to judge four distinct matters,
+unworthy, in their opinion, to occupy the attention of a great ruler.
+
+"Hadgi-Achmet," said one of the members of the divan to the dey, "my
+lord, here is a culprit who can only be judged by thee, O sun of
+justice! He is a Tunisian merchant, who has established himself a
+short time since at Bab-a-Zoun street, not far from the mosque. At
+first he carried on his trade with tolerable honesty; but by degrees
+it has been shown that he is nothing better than a rogue, and has
+cheated a great number of his customers in the weight, the quality,
+and the value of his goods. Thou knowest well the law which condemns
+such offenders to lose an ear. This man was seized, carried before the
+cadi, and his rogueries being but too apparent, condemned by the cadi
+to lose his left ear, the right being reserved in the event of fresh
+misdemeanors. But when the man's turban was removed, it was discovered
+that his left ear was already gone. The cadi, being informed of the
+fact, ordered the right ear to be cut off. To execute this order, they
+had to pull the hand of the culprit away from his right ear, and when
+this had been done, it was discovered that the Tunisian's right ear
+was missing as well as the left. The cadi therefore sent to inform me,
+and I, knowing the pleasure thou takest in resolving grave and
+important questions, have come to submit this one to thy consummate
+prudence, to thy glorious justice."
+
+Hadgi-Achmet, having heard these words, knit his brows, his eyes
+flashed fire upon him who had just spoken, and upon all those who were
+present at this audience; then, turning towards the man without ears,
+he said,
+
+"Since thou hast always been a rogue, and that nothing could reform
+thee, I condemn thee all thy life long to wear neither turban nor any
+head-dress whatsoever to conceal the mutilation of thy ears.
+Purchasers, on beholding this mutilation, will shun thee if they are
+wise, for no one is ignorant that a merchant without ears is nothing
+else than a rogue."
+
+The earless Tunisian went sadly away. Being compelled to exhibit to
+every one and at all times the mutilation he had undergone, was a far
+worse punishment than the loss of five hundred ears, if he had had
+them.
+
+This judgment pronounced, a second member of the divan addressed the
+dey,
+
+"Hadgi-Achmet, our lord and master, here are two men who are
+quarrelling upon a question which thou only canst decide by thy
+profound wisdom. One of these men is the father of a beautiful and
+promising boy. He had this son and two others. One day, about ten
+years ago, Ibrahim, his neighbour, who was childless, said to him,
+'Chamyl, give me thy youngest son, I will adopt him; he shall live in
+my house, inherit my wealth, and be happy. If thou desirest it, I will
+give thee in exchange for thy son my country-house at Boudjareah; thou
+knowest that the north breeze is wafted there in the hottest days of
+summer.'
+
+"Chamyl consented to give his son, and took the house at Boudjareah in
+exchange. Ormed, the son of Chamyl, went to live with Ibrahim, who
+soon loved him very tenderly, whilst Ormed, if only out of gratitude,
+soon became much attached to him.
+
+"Chamyl has now lost both his other sons, and having become rich,
+desires to take back Ormed, saying, 'This child is henceforth the sole
+hope of my race, the joy of my heart, and I wish him to become my
+heir.'
+
+"As for Ibrahim, he has lost nearly the half of his fortune, but he
+has not lost the attachment which he bears to his adopted son. On the
+contrary, his affection continues daily to strengthen for this child,
+who is endowed with the finest qualities of mind, and with a grateful
+and affectionate heart.
+
+"With whom dost thou decree that Ormed shall remain? with his adopted
+or with his real father?"
+
+Hadgi-Achmet, addressing himself to Chamyl, said, "In what does thy
+fortune consist?"
+
+Chamyl enumerated his possessions: a house, a ship, several country
+houses, and merchandise.
+
+"Can these things be removed?" asked Hadgi-Achmet.
+
+"Some of them can," replied Chamyl.
+
+"And the others," replied Hadgi-Achmet; "couldst not thou, if
+necessary, dispose of them, and buy others with the price?"
+
+"I could," replied Chamyl.
+
+"And the affection which thou hadst for thy sons who are dead, couldst
+thou transfer it, and bestow it upon other children."
+
+"Ah! that would be impossible," replied Chamyl, sorrowfully.
+
+"Then affection cannot be transferred or exchanged," said
+Hadgi-Achmet; "and as it forms part of the heart of man, it is of far
+higher consequence than material things, is it not?"
+
+"Yes, my lord," answered Chamyl.
+
+"So that," continued the dey, "we may say to a man, Sell, or give
+away, thy possessions; but we cannot, without absurdity, say to any
+one, Cease to love him whom thou lovest. For which reason, Chamyl, I
+condemn thee to leave with Ibrahim the child whom he loves, and whom
+thou voluntarily gavest him when thou hadst affection for thy two sons
+who are no more. As to thy possessions, thou canst bear them
+whithersoever thou wilt, for riches are not the heart."
+
+"But I love my son," cried Chamyl, "and I will have him, and him only,
+for my heir."
+
+"Ah! thou lovest thy son," rejoined Hadgi-Achmet. "It may be so, but
+thou gavest no proofs of it so long as thy two other children were
+alive. Moreover, thou hast taken a house in exchange for thy son; it
+is exactly the same as if thou hadst sold thy child."
+
+"I was poor," murmured Chamyl.
+
+"A lame excuse," said the dey, "for there are many more poor men than
+rich men, yet we do not see poor men giving up their children for any
+gain whatsoever."
+
+"No, no! I have not sold my son," cried Chamyl, "and my son is mine."
+
+"No, thy son is no longer thine," said the dey, "for thou art not a
+father after my heart, and for ten years thy son has been cared for by
+the man to whom thou gavest him in exchange for a house. Ibrahim has
+not deserved that the child whom he so tenderly loves should be taken
+from him, and I order him to be left with him. But since thou wilt
+have none other than thy son for thine heir, I decree moreover that
+all thy property shall revert to him after thy death, which is nothing
+but justice."
+
+Ibrahim then interposed. "My lord," said he to the dey, "Ormed and I
+have no need of the fortune of Chamyl. What Allah has left to us is
+sufficient for our wants. Permit Chamyl then to preserve the right of
+choosing for himself an heir among orphans or poor children, of whom
+he will now probably adopt one."
+
+"No," replied the dey, "the man who has been able to calmly select one
+from among his own children and barter him for a house, can never
+attach himself to the orphan or the unfortunate. I see no reason to
+alter the judgment I have pronounced. Ormed will have for his
+inheritance the love of his adopted father and the wealth of his real
+one."
+
+Chamyl withdrew, greatly incensed at this judgment, which seemed to
+him unjust, but which appeared highly equitable to the inhabitants of
+Aldgezaire.
+
+A third member of the divan then addressed Hadgi-Achmet:
+
+"All thy words bear the impress of the wisdom which illuminates thee.
+It suffices to hear thee, in order to know and venerate thee. If we do
+not abuse thy patience and thy goodness, it is because both are
+inexhaustible. Behold," added he, "a woman veiled, according to the
+law. She accuses her husband of leaving her to perish with hunger,
+whilst her husband here maintains that the woman tells an infamous
+untruth, and that he supplies her with ample means for becoming fat
+and strong; he adds, that the famished locusts from the desert eat not
+more voraciously than doth this woman, all the while remaining lean
+and feeble, as thou seest. The woman persists in asserting that her
+husband scarcely gives her sufficient to languish on like a dying
+tree, and she claims thy pity and thy justice."
+
+Hadgi-Achmet, having heard these words, knit his brows, his eyes
+flashed fire upon him who had just spoken, and upon those present at
+this audience. Then he said, "Mahmoud, dost thou declare that thou
+affordest sufficient nourishment to thy wife?"
+
+"Yes, my lord," replied Mahmoud.
+
+"And thou, woman," said the dey, "dost thou still maintain that thy
+husband leaves thee in want of nourishment?"
+
+"Yes, my lord," replied the poor starving woman in a faint voice, and
+extending her transparent hands and long thin arms, in a supplicating
+manner towards her master and her judge.
+
+"Art thou poor?" demanded Hadgi-Achmet of Mahmoud.
+
+"No, my lord," replied Mahmoud, "I could support several wives if I
+wished, but it pleases me to have only this one in my house."
+
+"Ah! thou couldst support several wives," replied the dey; "and why
+then dost thou not give to this one all she desires, even supposing
+she devoured as voraciously as the famished locusts of the desert?"
+
+"I never refuse her any thing," said Mahmoud.
+
+The poor veiled woman sighed.
+
+"Well," added Hadgi-Achmet, "since thou art both rich and generous, I
+will put thee in the position to repel an accusation so disgraceful to
+thee as that of leaving the woman whom thou hast espoused to perish of
+hunger. To which end I order that thy wife shall dwell in my palace in
+the apartments of my women and receive from thee a pension which will
+enable her to purchase whatever food she may desire. If at the end of
+a year of peace and plenty she should still possess that feeble voice
+and that excessive thinness which inspire my compassion, I shall
+regard her as inflicted with an incurable malady, and will leave her
+to go and die beneath thy roof; but if, on the contrary, she regains
+strength and voice, thou shalt be hung, not only for having violated
+the law which commands the husband to minister to the support of his
+wife, but still more for having lied before thy lord and thy judge,
+who knows and ever will know how to punish those who offend him."
+
+Having spoken thus, Hadgi-Achmet cast terrible looks upon all the men
+present at this audience. Mahmoud withdrew only too sure of being hung
+next year, and every one preserved a gloomy silence which lasted for
+several minutes.
+
+Hadgi-Achmet meanwhile resumed: "If there remains any other cause for
+me to judge, let it be declared."
+
+Then with less self-possession and confidence than his colleagues had
+displayed, a fourth member of the divan presented himself. "Here, my
+lord," said he, "is a strange affair which occupies us, and which thou
+alone canst judge.
+
+"These two men here present are twin-brothers. They have always loved
+each other, and have never been separated. Their father is just dead.
+After having deplored his loss, they said to each other: 'The roof of
+our father's dwelling has sheltered us to this day, let it shelter us
+still; and let us amicably share all that is left us by our father,
+arms, vestments, or jewels.'
+
+"But all at once an object presented itself which could not be
+divided, and for the loss of which nothing else would compensate. The
+article in question is a holy amulet, which it is said bestows wisdom
+on him who wears it upon his breast beneath his tunic. Now the two
+brothers equally desire wisdom, and both would fain possess the
+precious talisman left them by their father."
+
+Hadgi-Achmet having heard these words, knit his brows, again his eyes
+flashed fire, as he said to one of the twins:
+
+"Mozza, canst thou not yield to thy brother, who so earnestly desires
+it, the amulet left you both by your father?"
+
+"No, my lord," replied Mozza, "I could easily reconcile myself to my
+brother's being richer than myself, but not to his being wiser!"
+
+Hadgi-Achmet turned to the other brother:
+
+"Farzan, canst thou not yield to thy brother the amulet he wishes to
+possess?"
+
+"No, my lord," replied Farzan, "for wisdom not alone bestows upon its
+possessor the things of the earth, but those also which belong to
+heaven, and I desire those above all."
+
+Hadgi-Achmet then ordered Mozza to place upon his breast beneath his
+tunic the cherished amulet, which being done, he said to the young
+man:
+
+"I am charmed to find that thou preferrest wisdom to fortune, for
+wisdom is above all. But dost thou not see that it is wise to be at
+peace with thy brother, and that to obtain this peace there is no
+sacrifice too great? To yield to thy brother is the beginning and the
+end of wisdom; he who yields is ever the best and the wisest. On this
+ground thou wilt now, I am persuaded, yield cheerfully this amulet to
+thy brother."
+
+"I repeat, my lord," answered Mozza, "that I will yield every thing to
+my brother, slaves, diamonds, house--my entire fortune; but I will
+never willingly give up this sacred amulet: it is the only heritage I
+covet."
+
+"Ah!" said Hadgi-Achmet, "thou hast not changed thy mind then! well,
+give me thy father's amulet."
+
+Mozza reluctantly handed the precious talisman to the dey.
+
+"Farzan," said the dey, "place this amulet upon thy breast, and
+beneath thy tunic."
+
+Farzan obeyed. He had no sooner placed the amulet upon his breast than
+he felt so lively a joy that he would have embraced his brother had he
+dared, and his eyes glistened with pleasure.
+
+"Ah!" said Hadgi-Achmet, addressing himself to Farzan, "I perceive
+that this amulet has great power over thee. Thy heart is opened to
+wisdom, and thou wilt renounce foolish quarrels, wilt thou not, and
+yield to thy brother the talisman which he so much desires, and of
+which he has perhaps greater need than thou?"
+
+"I!" cried Farzan, "rather would I die than part with my father's
+amulet! I feel myself capable of plunging my dagger into the bosom of
+any one rash enough to attempt to tear it from me, whoever he might
+be."
+
+"In truth," rejoined Hadgi-Achmet, "I see that this amulet is far from
+bestowing all the wisdom of which you young men deem it capable. On
+the contrary it only seems to me fit to sow dissensions between you,
+since notwithstanding you have both worn it upon your breast, you
+have nevertheless preserved your animosity and unjust pretensions in
+the dispute in question. For which reason I ordain that this precious
+talisman, of whose real power we are doubtless ignorant, shall remain
+in my palace and be restored in ten years' time to whichever of you
+two shall have given by his conduct the most incontestable proofs of
+piety and virtue."
+
+Having heard this sentence, the two brothers sorrowfully withdrew. But
+they had no sooner crossed the threshold of the palace, than they were
+reconciled to each other, avowing that the dey had acted with justice,
+and thenceforth they lived happy and united as before.
+
+In the mean time, Hadgi-Achmet, having delivered these four judgments,
+knit his brows once more, and turning to the members of the divan,
+addressed them as follows:
+
+"Joyfully have I just occupied myself with the smallest things which
+concern the welfare and repose of my subjects, and I should not regret
+my time had it been employed in affairs still more trifling. Every
+thing appears of importance to me which in any way relates to the
+wellbeing of one of those over whom Allah has made me sovereign. I
+nothing doubt that you applaud my conduct, and that you would gladly
+imitate my zeal in the service of the people. Your praises prove it;
+but I know well that men such as you prefer proving their zeal by
+actions, rather than by words. I am about therefore to entrust you
+with a task of great importance to me, since it is for the most
+interesting class of my subjects, namely, the most unfortunate. I am
+about to distribute before the Ramadan, four sacks of rice among poor
+old men and widows. An unskilful hand has contrived in filling these
+sacks with the rice, to spill amongst it a quantity of _oats_. Now as
+I do not wish these poor people to think themselves treated with
+contempt by receiving rice mixed with oats, I wish that pious hands
+should carefully sift the rice and extract from it these grains. It is
+on you I rely for the performance of this duty, which awaits you in
+one of the halls of my palace. I cannot at this moment be an
+eye-witness of your zeal in obeying me, and serving the people; but
+before your task is finished, I will be with you."
+
+Having spoken these words, the dey caused the members of the divan to
+be respectfully conducted by his guards to a large hall, where they
+found four sacks of rice and several baskets.
+
+The members of the divan feeling persuaded that this was an affair
+which more nearly concerned their heads than the sacks of rice, set
+themselves silently to this unexpected work, whilst the guards
+remained stationary at the entrance of the hall in which the labour
+was being carried on.
+
+The flight of a musquito might have been heard in this hall where the
+members of the divan were busily engaged sifting the rice for the
+poor, all the while vowing to be revenged upon Hadgi-Achmet, if they
+ever had the power.
+
+Towards the evening the members of the divan were joined by
+Hadgi-Achmet, who perceiving that one of them had made less progress
+in his task than his three colleagues, said,
+
+"I would not accuse thee of want of zeal: man knows not always what he
+wishes, nor knows what he can do; I will therefore aid thee in thy
+task," and he began gravely to assist the four members of the divan in
+sifting the rice of the poor.
+
+The tasks being accomplished, the four sacks of rice were carefully
+closed. Hadgi-Achmet thanked his enemies, and caused them to be
+conducted with the greatest respect to the gates of his palace.
+
+These men left to themselves, regarded each other with consternation
+and shame; they then said, "We would fain have laughed at
+Hadgi-Achmet, and it is he who has mocked us. Let us henceforth
+abstain from criticizing his scrupulous exactitude in rendering
+justice, but let us think only of avenging ourselves."
+
+But they sought the opportunity in vain. Hadgi-Achmet, who had
+commenced his career by so carefully mending his old slippers, held
+the reins of power with a strong hand, and whilst other deys in those
+times almost always met a violent death by steel or poison, he died
+peacefully in his palace, after having lived many long years.
+
+
+
+
+V.
+
+THE TUNISIAN SAGE; OR, THE POWDER OF LONGEVITY.
+
+
+Selim-ben-Foubi had been twenty years engaged in commerce when he
+inherited a fortune which greatly surpassed his wants and even his
+desires.
+
+As he had lost all his children, his great wealth caused him but
+little joy, and he felt it even embarrassing to possess so much gold
+and so many precious things, of which he should never be able to make
+any use.
+
+"I am now fifty," said he, "and were I to live to a hundred, I should
+not spend half of what I possess. I can only take one meal at a time,
+dress in a single suit, and sleep in but one bed. Hence if I can but
+rest in peace in a substantial and commodious house, eat as much as I
+desire, and invite a friend to partake of my repast, that is all I
+need wish for. I have therefore resolved to give away the half of my
+fortune during my lifetime, that I may enjoy the pleasure of beholding
+happiness of my own creating."
+
+Having formed this generous project, Selim nevertheless wished before
+putting it into execution to take counsel with two of his friends.
+
+Quitting therefore his country-house at Boudjareah, he repaired to
+Aldgezaire, where in the garden of the grand mosque dwelt usually a
+sage mufti, a grave and reverend man. Seating himself by his side
+beneath the shade of some flowering pomegranate trees, he thus
+accosted him:
+
+"Mehemet, I have come to visit thee in order to open my whole heart
+to thee and take counsel of thy wisdom. I am suddenly become very
+rich, as thou knowest, and I have no son to inherit my wealth; is it
+not too great for a single solitary man? speak, answer me."
+
+"That which Allah gives should never be despised," replied the sage.
+
+"I do not disdain my riches," replied Selim, "but I am thinking of
+sharing them with others, and of keeping only what is necessary to my
+existence for the remainder of my days."
+
+"Thou knowest not what the number of thy days will be."
+
+"I will suppose that I may enjoy the longest of lives, a hundred years
+for example, thinkest thou I shall live yet longer?"
+
+"Allah alone knows."
+
+"Let us say five hundred," continued Selim, "surely that covers all
+chances; well then, during this long course of years, would it not be
+more agreeable to me to know that my riches are useful, than to feel
+that they were hidden in some coffer, where they might become an
+object of envy to the poor, or tempt the cupidity of the ill-doer?"
+
+"May be so," said the mufti.
+
+"My thought is a good one then?"
+
+"It may be; but will it be good in practice? I cannot say. Nothing is
+more common than to think wisely; nothing more rare than to put wise
+thoughts into practice."
+
+"Advise me," said Selim, "and I shall then be sure of fulfilling the
+law, and of doing good. How ought I to distribute the half of my large
+fortune?"
+
+The mufti reflected profoundly, and then replied:
+
+"I advise thee first to take at least one year to reflect upon thy
+project. Time is the sun that ripens the thoughts of men. We never
+repent of having reflected before acting; we often regret not having
+done so. Reflect then, and afterwards come and consult with me."
+
+Selim quitted the mosque, and repaired to Bab-a-Zoun street, to the
+house of his other friend, a Moorish merchant, who laboured hard to
+support himself by his calling. He began thus:
+
+"We have been friends and have known each other these ten years, for
+which reason I come to put to thee this question: 'In what way,
+thinkest thou, a man who is both rich and beneficent should employ his
+fortune, in order to be useful?'"
+
+The Moorish merchant replied: "Thou makest a very singular demand of
+me. I cannot believe that a man can find any difficulty in giving, if
+he really possess the desire. He may found a mosque, succour the aged,
+support the widow and the orphan, enrich his friends, if he have any,
+and the rich are seldom without friends."
+
+"But thou," rejoined Selim, "if thou hadst aught to give away, what
+wouldst thou do?"
+
+"I? I cannot fancy myself having any thing to give away, seeing that I
+can scarcely pay the rent of my poor shop, and fill that shop with a
+few sacks of rice and a little coffee. If I had money, it is very
+certain that I should begin by buying a house and goods. It is of no
+use to say to a poor man like me, 'To whom wouldst thou give thy
+money?' But I repeat to thee there is no lack of good actions to be
+done. Happy he who has only to choose."
+
+"Thou art right," said Selim to his friend; and quitting him, he
+returned to his country-house at Boudjareah. One of his neighbours,
+Achmet the Arab, accosted him upon the road thither; and Selim, having
+stopped to converse with his friend, said to him: "Thou art of a ripe
+age, and art not wanting in experience of the things of this life.
+Tell me then if thou considerest that it would be well for a man who
+is rich and childless to give away, while still living, the half of
+his fortune, reserving the other half, upon which to subsist
+honourably the remainder of his days."
+
+Achmet replied, "I cannot say whether it is better in the sight of
+Allah to give away or to retain the goods with which he has endowed
+thee. As for myself, I have nothing to give, for I have a very small
+fortune, and a great many children; but if I were rich and without
+heirs, I would bury my gold in some corner of my garden, sooner than
+bestow it to gratify men who are either wicked or ungrateful, and such
+they almost all are. This gold would sooner or later be discovered by
+some one whom Allah desired to enrich, and thus I should not be
+responsible for the use that was made of it."
+
+"Thy idea is not, perhaps, a bad one," said Selim, "and I will
+certainly reflect upon it."
+
+While Selim and his neighbour were talking together, a Tunisian of
+miserable aspect approached the spot. This was no other than Hussein
+Muley, a physician of Tunis. He was already advanced in years, and
+passed for a man rich in science, but poor in money. Selim requested
+this man to rest himself in his house, and his invitation being
+accepted, he saluted his neighbour Achmet, and conducted his guest
+into one of the fresh and salubrious halls of his smiling abode.
+Hussein Muley, fatigued by two hours' walk under a broiling sun, threw
+himself upon a divan, whilst fruits and coffee were abundantly served
+to him. When he had somewhat reposed and refreshed himself, Selim said
+to him in a friendly manner, "I am happy to receive thee at my house,
+because thou art a wise man, and of good renown in thy profession.
+Thou hast travelled, read, and seen life; thou must of necessity be
+able to judge wisely of the things which relate to this life. I should
+therefore be very glad to have thy opinion upon a project which I have
+formed. I have become very rich by inheritance; and having no
+children, I think of disposing, while yet living, of a great portion
+of my wealth. In what way dost thou consider it would be most
+desirable to employ this wealth?"
+
+Hussein Muley regarded Selim with surprise.
+
+"Thou wouldst give away a great portion of what thou hast," said he.
+"This is, indeed, a marvellous thing. I have, as thou sayest,
+travelled, read, and seen life, but never yet have I heard of any man
+giving away, during his lifetime, the greater part of his fortune."
+
+"Does that prove that it would be wrong to do so?" demanded Selim.
+
+"I know not," replied the Tunisian, falling into a fit of profound
+meditation, and looking all the while at the tips of his old slippers,
+instead of contemplating from afar the ever-changing sea and azure
+sky.
+
+"On what dost thou muse?" at length demanded Selim.
+
+"I was thinking--I was thinking that if the duration of man's life
+were longer, it would be better both for those who study science, and
+for those who are the fortunate possessors of great wealth; it would
+be equally good for the poor, since they might one day hope to enjoy
+the fruit of their toils, if they took pains to become rich."
+
+"What profits it to meditate so deeply upon a thing which all the
+reflections of man cannot change?"
+
+"I do not regard the prolongation of human existence as impossible.
+Hitherto physicians have most frequently been instrumental in
+abridging it. My aim is to repair the wrongs they have involuntarily
+committed. I would have succeeding ages regard my memory with
+gratitude."
+
+"What sayest thou?" cried Selim. "Thou wouldst change the order of
+things, the whole course of nature?"
+
+"Nothing can convince me that we follow the course of nature by dying
+at sixty or eighty years of age, when men formerly lived hundreds of
+years. On the contrary, I am certain that we were created to live
+longer, much longer, and I consecrate all my days, my nights, and my
+studies to the pursuit of a discovery which is destined to prolong the
+existence of mankind, and renew the state of things as they were when
+men married at a hundred years of age, and lived to see their sons'
+sons grow up and marry in their turn. Why, have I often asked myself,
+should our lives be shorter than those of an oak of the forests, of a
+serpent, or even of a vulture?"
+
+"If we lived as long as an oak," replied Selim, "the cedars and the
+palm trees would still live longer than we."
+
+"Thou dost but jest, but thy jesting is ill-timed; nothing is more
+serious than the thought which occupies me. Thou thyself, confess now,
+wouldst thou not be enchanted to see suns succeed suns, and to
+contemplate for ages to come the wonders of the heavens and the
+fecundity of the earth?"
+
+Selim reflected a little, and replied, "Man does not love death, it is
+true; nevertheless life is not so desirable as thou wouldst fain have
+us believe."
+
+"Then thou desirest not to prolong thy days upon the earth? For
+myself, I confess that I desire it greatly; so that besides my days
+and my nights, I consecrate all that I glean from learned researches
+to the accomplishment of this great end. I am already upon the track.
+But unfortunately gold is wanting--this gold which thou despisest, or
+knowest not how to employ--this gold would in my hands contribute to
+the happiness of future generations. With gold--with gold you can
+purchase books of precious value, measure the stars, dig the bowels of
+the earth, rend metals from her bosom, decompose substances, in short,
+penetrate into every mystery. Yes, gold which heretofore has been
+unable to bestow a day, nay an hour upon its possessor, gold in my
+hands would accomplish a wondrous discovery. I should certainly not
+keep the secret for myself alone, and I should share it first of all
+with the man whose wealth had helped me to the means of obtaining it."
+
+"But shouldst thou discover the means of prolonging my life for many
+centuries, I should not then be rich enough to give away half of my
+fortune."
+
+"What!" cried the physician of Tunis, "is not life preferable to all
+the riches in the world? and if at this moment it were said to thee,
+'thou shalt die, or give up the whole of thy possessions,' wouldst
+thou not readily yield them to avoid the thrust of a yataghan, or the
+discharge of a gun in thy breast?"
+
+"Thou puzzlest me, but I think that in such a case I should give up my
+property to preserve my life."
+
+"Thou seest then that life is dear, even to the poor. Why not
+therefore endeavour to prolong thine own? Even if my profound science
+did not succeed, thou wouldst still be rich enough to enjoy an
+existence of the shorter duration."
+
+Listening thus to the learned physician, Selim fell by degrees into a
+profound reverie, and the Tunisian, instead of continuing his
+discourse, gave himself up to meditation also; so that both these two
+men became absorbed in their own dreams in presence of each other, but
+without communicating their ideas, and Allah alone knows of what they
+were thinking.
+
+After long and silent reflection, Selim said to Hussein Muley, "Before
+seeing thee I had intended to bestow while yet alive one-half of my
+fortune in making others happy. It will, I think, be no change of
+purpose, if I aid thee in pursuing those learned researches which tend
+to prolong the life of man. For which reason, Hussein Muley, I propose
+at once to present thee with the gold of which thou hast need. Come
+with me."
+
+The Tunisian, appearing more astonished than rejoiced at these words,
+gravely arose, followed Selim into another apartment in the house, and
+received from him a little casket filled with pieces of gold.
+
+"Employ this wisely," said Selim, "and communicate to me the result of
+thy labour."
+
+"I will not fail to do so," replied Hussein Muley. And clasping the
+precious casket to his breast, he exclaimed, "Here then is the means
+of satisfying my thirst for knowledge, of surmounting all obstacles,
+of snatching from the past the secret which shall add hundreds of
+years to the existence of man, and prolong his days to the space of
+those of his fathers. Selim," added he, "thou dost a meritorious
+action in giving me this. I need not thank thee, because I am going to
+work for thee as for myself; nevertheless I do thank thee, and with my
+whole heart."
+
+Having said these words the learned physician withdrew gravely, and
+with an air of deep abstraction.
+
+Selim was not less preoccupied. Left to himself, he meditated long and
+profoundly on long and short lives, and on the prodigies accomplished
+by science, and he ended by asking himself whether he should confide
+to the sage mufti, whom he was soon about to see again, what he had
+done for Hussein Muley, and his hope of beholding the existence of the
+human species prolonged to an almost indefinite period. His final
+resolution was to admit no one to his confidence in the matter, but to
+await in silence the marvellous discovery of his new friend Hussein
+Muley, the physician of Tunis.
+
+Several months passed by without the reappearance of the latter, but
+when at length he returned to Boudjareah he was yellower, leaner, and
+more attenuated even than a man who had crossed on foot the mighty
+desert of Sahara. His limbs, in fact, could scarcely support his
+trembling frame.
+
+"Well," said Selim, "what has befallen thee? art thou sick, or dost
+thou return to me perishing of hunger?"
+
+"No, but I have travelled night and day beneath the pale light of the
+stars, and the burning rays of the sun, and have often forgotten to
+take necessary sustenance, so deeply was I absorbed in my studies."
+
+"Well, and the result?"
+
+"Alas! I have not yet succeeded as I could desire. Thus far have I
+attained only, that I have secured the power of prolonging our days
+fifty years."
+
+Having uttered these words, Hussein Muley sorrowfully clasped his
+withered hands upon his breast, and then added:
+
+"I know that such a discovery would afford intense joy to any other
+but myself, but it is far from satisfying me. To live fifty years
+longer than usual, what is that?"
+
+"It is something, nevertheless," replied Selim, "and wilt thou tell me
+what is necessary to be done, in order to add fifty years to one's
+existence?"
+
+"Will I tell thee?" cried the Tunisian; "I am come expressly for that
+purpose, and to give thee this powder. It must be taken every morning
+fasting, for one year, three months, a week, and a day, without fail."
+
+"I must write down these directions," said Selim.
+
+He wrote them down at once, and then asked, "Dost thou not think thou
+shouldst rest satisfied with thy discovery, and begin to live well,
+and sleep well, in order to enjoy the remaining years of thy life?"
+
+"I have no desire to repose yet from my labours. Of what account are
+fifty years added to sixty or eighty, soon to be over for me? No, no,
+I would live two centuries at the least, to enjoy the fruits of my
+toil, and make the fortunes of my children, and my children's
+children. For thou dost not imagine we shall at first give to every
+one for nothing this magnificent secret, which has cost us so much. It
+is this secret which will procure us the means of living in splendour
+to the end of our days. Thou canst, for heavy sums of money, dispose
+of the powder which I shall have composed to whomsoever thou pleasest,
+while I on my part equally will part with it for gold; and when at
+length we die, surfeited with life, we will leave our secret to the
+multitude that survives us."
+
+"This arrangement seems to me just, and well conceived. Nevertheless,
+I desire not to sell the powder, but may I bestow it, and at once,
+upon one or two men whom I esteem highly?"
+
+"No, let us not yet draw attention to our happy fortune; let us wait
+until my discovery shall be completely perfected."
+
+"Agreed; but I lament to see thee yellow, thin, and attenuated, as
+thou art."
+
+"Oh! that is nothing," said the Tunisian, striking his forehead with
+his hands; "do not let my haggard appearance disturb thee. I would
+rather have nothing but skin upon my bones, and keep my secret to
+myself. I shall soon regain my flesh and my complexion. No, my health
+causes me no uneasiness. I merely suffer from anxiety, which arises
+from not having money sufficient for the prosecution of my studies."
+
+"Dost thou require much?" demanded Selim.
+
+"Ah! yes, much," replied Hussein with a sigh; "and if I fail in
+procuring it, instead of living fifty years longer than the usual
+course of things, I will either starve myself to death, or drown
+myself in the well of my house."
+
+"Beware of acting thus," said Selim. "I can still give thee something;
+make use of that, and afterwards follow my advice, and sell to some
+rich man thy powder, in order to meet the expenses of thy lengthened
+researches."
+
+Hussein Muley appeared to meditate profoundly with his forehead buried
+in his hands, and seemed not to listen to Selim, but it is not
+improbable that he heard him very well.
+
+"Thou dost not listen to me," continued Selim. "Hussein! Hussein! I
+will give thee another little casket of gold; but after this casket I
+have nothing more to give thee. There will only remain just
+sufficient for me, during the time that I hope to live, thanks to thy
+powder. If thou discoverest another still more marvellous, thou wilt
+give it me, at least for my own use, wilt thou not?"
+
+Hussein Muley seemed suddenly to come to himself, and exclaimed:
+
+"Oh! I have at length found that of which I was in search! Yes, one
+herb alone is now wanting; I will go in quest of it, were it at the
+other end of the earth, and I will resolve the great problem which has
+occupied me for more than thirty years. Selim! Selim! entrust to my
+keeping what thou canst still consecrate to the happiness of mankind,
+and rest assured that thou wilt merit the admiration and the gratitude
+of ages to come."
+
+"I desire neither the one nor the other," replied Selim; "I only wish
+to do a little good, that is all. Shall I succeed in my purpose? I
+will confess to thee, Hussein Muley, that I have more than once
+regretted devoting my fortune to a discovery which may prove more
+fatal than useful to the world; for the world is already peopled
+enough, and what would it be, if men lived for several centuries?
+Would they not kill each other for want of room?"
+
+"Do they not already kill each other by sea and by land?" said Hussein
+Muley with a strange smile. "Come," continued he, "do not disquiet
+thyself about what will some day happen upon the earth; profit by what
+fate offers thee, and prolong thy days in peace."
+
+Having thus spoken, he took the second casket proffered him by Selim,
+put it under his arm, and said in a grave tone:
+
+"I am about to undertake a journey into Asia. There, near the Indies,
+is a high mountain, Mount Himalaya--dost thou not know it?"
+
+"No," answered Selim.
+
+"Well, nor I either; but I go to cull from its summit, covered with
+perpetual snows, a plant, which will complete the discoveries I have
+already made."
+
+"I thought that no plant was ever to be found on those mountain tops
+covered with perpetual snow and frost?"
+
+"There grows none, but that of which I have immediate need; I am going
+in quest of it, and will show it thee on my return."
+
+"It is well," said Selim, and they separated.
+
+Hussein Muley retreated with rapid strides.
+
+Selim carefully placed in a small box the powder which he was to take
+fasting, during one year, three months, a week, and a day, and he
+began from the very next day to administer to himself this drug, which
+happily he did not find to be very nauseous to the taste.
+
+Meanwhile the Tunisian set out from Aldgezaire with his wife, his
+children, and several chests, containing no doubt his books, and the
+papers necessary for his studies; but Selim never saw him more. He
+awaited his return, three, five, ten years, and, as he judged that ten
+years should suffice to go to Asia, and scale the highest mountain
+there, he began to think that the yellow, thin, and learned Tunisian
+was either dead, or else had taken advantage of his credulity and
+ignorance.
+
+Whilst these thoughts occupied his mind, an epidemic broke out in
+Aldgezaire; Selim was attacked by it.
+
+He therefore begged the wise mufti, who was still alive, to come and
+visit him; and then with that burst of confidence which seizes men in
+the hour of danger, he opened his heart to him, and related how he had
+given two caskets full of gold to Hussein Muley, in the hope of
+prolonging the existence of mankind for many centuries.
+
+The wise mufti stroked his venerable beard and exclaimed:
+
+"Selim, Selim, thou hast been played upon by a swindler, to whom thou
+hast imprudently confided thy generous thoughts. This proves the truth
+of what I one day said to thee, 'With the best intentions we may
+commit the most foolish actions.'"
+
+"Ah!" said Selim sorrowfully, "my misfortune has been in not
+spontaneously following the first impulse of my heart, for I had
+really the wish to do good, but in taking counsel of one and another I
+have followed the worst I received."
+
+"Yes," replied the mufti, "thou mightest perhaps have acted wisely in
+following thy first idea; at the same time, if thou hadst, in
+accordance with my advice, reflected longer upon thy projects of
+benevolence, it is certain that thou wouldst not have given thy gold
+to a cheat who has done nothing but laugh at thy credulity."
+
+Selim willingly consented to acknowledge his fault. He confessed that
+it is useless to take the opinion of the wise and learned, if we do
+not mean to profit by it; then he prostrated himself devoutly before
+Allah, recovered his health by degrees, and caused a large sum of
+money to be distributed among the poor of the mosques, for he relied
+no longer on the hundreds of years of existence which were to come to
+him from Mount Himalaya, any more than on the powder of longevity.
+
+
+
+
+VI.
+
+THE NOSE FOR GOLD.
+
+
+Mohammed and Yousouf, young Moors, born in Aldgezaire, had loved each
+other from infancy, and increasing years only served to strengthen the
+bonds of their attachment. Besides the happiness they enjoyed in their
+mutual affection, their friendship tended also to elevate their
+characters, and make them remarkable, for every body knows that
+constant friendships are never the lot of vulgar minds. These two
+young men, therefore, raised themselves above the level of the vulgar
+herd by the fidelity of their affection; they were cited as models in
+their native city; people smiled with pleasure on seeing them pass,
+always together, ever in good humour; and although they were far from
+being rich, yet their fate was envied by every one.
+
+Mohammed and Yousouf generally dressed alike, and they had recourse to
+the same trade to gain their living. Their only trouble,--there must
+always be some in this world,--arose from the shops in which they were
+engaged during the day being separated from each other; evening, it is
+true, reunited them in the same dwelling, but that was not enough for
+them. When they married even, they contrived that it should be to each
+other's relatives. One family established itself on the first floor of
+the house, the other immediately above, and the two friends continued
+to love as heretofore, and to rejoice in their common felicity.
+
+Over and over again, during their long conversations, they would
+repeat with the reiteration usual to those to whom a subject is dear,
+some such sentiments as these:
+
+"The restless periods of youth, marriage, and commercial affairs have
+tried our friendship without altering it; it is henceforth secure from
+all changes; old age will only serve to render us dearer to each
+other, and we shall leave to our families the record and example of an
+affection which a future day will doubtless see renewed in our sons."
+
+"It is probable," they would often say, "that Allah, touched by our
+friendship upon earth, will reunite us eternally in the paradise of
+true believers, beneath fresh shades, and by the side of bubbling
+fountains, surrounded by flowers of sweet perfume."
+
+At this prospect of an eternal union, an eternal happiness, both would
+smile in anticipation, and such expressions as these they were never
+weary of repeating to each other.
+
+These two friends were about thirty years of age, when a lucky chance
+gave them the opportunity of accomplishing the dearest wish of their
+hearts, that of occupying together two small shops adjoining each
+other.
+
+An old Israelite, without family and without children, had inhabited
+them for twenty years. In one he slept and ate, not having any other
+house; in the other he displayed his merchandise; essences, amber,
+pastilles, necklaces and bracelets for the rich Moors, small
+looking-glasses, and beads of coral for the slaves; all of which he
+sold at the dearest possible price, as if he had a dozen children to
+support, and as many of his co-religionists.
+
+Mohammed and Yousouf established themselves with lively satisfaction
+in these shops, the possession of which they had so long coveted,
+without at the same time desiring the death of the old Jew. They were
+incapable of a wicked action; but the Jew being dead, as they could
+not restore him to life, they saw no harm in lawfully taking
+possession of his domicile. This event seemed to complete their
+happiness.
+
+But who can say or know what is really a good or an evil? who can
+foresee the consequences of things?
+
+Mohammed one day, while knocking a nail into the partition wall
+between his shop and that of Yousouf, discovered that this wall was
+hollow, and that it contained some pieces of metal. His first impulse
+was to call, "Yousouf! Yousouf! there is gold or silver in our wall;"
+but the next moment he thought, "I will first assure myself of what
+this part of the wall contains, and if I really make a fortunate
+discovery, I shall give Yousouf such an agreeable surprise by calling
+him to partake of it."
+
+Accordingly he waited until Yousouf should be out of the way for an
+hour or two to give him the opportunity of exploring further into his
+wall, but it so happened that Yousouf was never absent at all for
+several days following.
+
+Mohammed then said to his friend:
+
+"I fancy that something has been stolen from my shop during the night.
+I shall sleep there to-night, in order to surprise the thief, if he
+should reappear."
+
+"I shall not leave thee alone here all night," replied Yousouf, "but
+shall sleep also in my shop by the side of thee."
+
+Mohammed in vain strove to oppose the resolution of his friend; he
+could not revisit his shop alone in the evening, and for several days
+following, Yousouf seeing that he appeared pensive and uneasy, quitted
+him less than ever, and said to him with the solicitude of true
+friendship:
+
+"Thou seemest sad! Thy wife and thy sons, are they ill? Regrettest
+thou what has been taken from thy shop? Compensate thyself for thy
+loss by selecting whatever thou wilt from that which I possess."
+
+Mohammed thanked Yousouf, and replied with a smile:
+
+"Rest satisfied, I have no grief." He dared not add, "I have no
+secret," for he had one.
+
+In order however to put an end to the feeling of intense anxiety that
+filled his mind, he came to his shop one night unknown to Yousouf, and
+hastily detaching from the partition wall first one stone, then two or
+three more, he discovered a hundred Spanish doubloons, and eight
+four-dollar pieces. This was a perfect treasure to Mohammed, who had
+never in his life possessed more than the half of a small house, and
+the few goods exposed for sale in his shop.
+
+"We are rich," said he. "Yousouf and I can now purchase a country
+house by the sea-side, as we have so often wished. Our wives and our
+children will disport themselves in our sight. My son Ali, that
+beautiful child whom I so tenderly love, will be delighted to run
+among the trees and climb up into their topmost branches. Ah! how
+rejoiced I am, if only for his sake."
+
+Thus thinking, Mohammed took his gold and his silver, replaced, as
+well as he was able, the stones in his wall, and returned to his home,
+his mind occupied with delightful visions, and already beholding
+himself in imagination enjoying the pleasures of a delightful
+habitation by the sea-shore, with his beautiful Ali, that dear child
+whom he so tenderly loved. During two days he put off from hour to
+hour the disclosure which he had to make to Yousouf; and during those
+two days he revolved all sorts of ideas in his mind.
+
+"If I made the fortune of my son, instead of that of my friend," said
+he at length to himself, "should I be guilty? Is not a son nearer and
+dearer than all the friends in the world? Yes; but then the gold and
+silver which I have discovered belong by rights as much to Yousouf as
+to myself, for the wall whence I have taken them belongs as much to
+his shop as to mine."
+
+Unable to resolve either to share his treasure with his friend or to
+keep it for himself alone, he took the resolution of carefully
+concealing it in the chamber in which he slept, and of waiting until
+the agitation caused in his mind by so important an event should have
+somewhat subsided, to which end he hastened to secure his newly
+acquired possession.
+
+"Reflection is no crime," said he. Consequently he gave himself time
+to reflect, instead of following the first impulse of his heart and
+remaining faithful to that devotion of friendship which had hitherto
+constituted his pride and glory, and which still bore the promise of
+so rich a harvest in the future.
+
+He passed all his time then, extended during the heat of the day upon
+a mat by the side of his merchandise, and with closed eyes feigning to
+sleep, while in reality he was thinking of nothing but his treasure,
+and of what he ought to do with it.
+
+Yousouf meanwhile, impressed with the idea that his friend was
+sleeping, took every care to guard his slumbers from interruption,
+thinking as he gently fanned his fevered brow of nothing but Mohammed,
+and what he could possibly invent to divert him and render him happy.
+
+One day as Yousouf and Mohammed were reposing after their labours, an
+old hump-backed Jew with a sallow complexion and an enormous nose
+accosted Yousouf, saying:
+
+"Was it not here that Nathan Cohen, the son of David, lived about two
+years since?"
+
+"Speak low," replied Yousouf to the Jew. "My friend is asleep, and I
+would not that his slumbers should be disturbed."
+
+The Jew seated himself on the edge of Yousouf's little counter, and
+repeated his inquiry, at the same time lowering the harsh and hollow
+tones of his voice.
+
+"Yes, it was here that Nathan Cohen, the son of David, dwelt," replied
+the young Moor.
+
+"Ah!" said the old Jew, working his large and flexible nostrils, "I
+was sure of it--that is why I scent gold hidden here."
+
+"Indeed!" said Yousouf, regarding somewhat incredulously the
+extraordinary nose of his interlocutor. "Thou dost well to talk of
+smelling gold or silver either. Thy olfactory nerves are of the
+strongest no doubt, nevertheless I fear me they are at fault in this
+dwelling, where gold and silver but seldom make their appearance."
+
+"They are not often to be seen here," replied the Jew; "I know that
+full well; they are not heard here either, for the earth conceals them
+both from sight and sound. But remove them from the envious ground
+that covers them, and they will dazzle thine eyes and charm thine
+ears."
+
+"Indeed!" said Yousouf, laughing. "Thou art the bearer of good news.
+How much dost thou demand for thy reward?"
+
+"I would have thee share with me all that I shall cause to be
+discovered in thy house by means of the marvellous sense of smelling
+with which I am endowed, and at which thou now jestest."
+
+"Share with thee!" exclaimed Yousouf. "Oh no, indeed! If I were
+fortunate enough to discover a treasure, it is with my friend Mohammed
+that I should hasten to share it."
+
+"But thou wilt have nothing to share with him if I do not disclose to
+thee the spot where thy treasure lies concealed."
+
+"Perhaps so. But if I put any confidence in thy nose, what prevents me
+from turning my whole shop topsy-turvy, digging up the floor, and
+pulling down the walls and the shelves?"
+
+The Jew slowly regarded the ground, the walls, and the shelves, as
+they were severally named by Yousouf; then he said in an ironical
+manner:
+
+"Thou wouldst not do much harm if thou wert to demolish all around
+thee; but to save thyself so much trouble and labour, thou hadst far
+better give me at least one-third of what I shall discover in thy
+dwelling. The other two-thirds can be for thyself and thy friend, if
+thou art fool enough not to wish to keep all for thyself."
+
+"Ah, it may suit such a man as thou to call him who prefers friendship
+to money a fool! But in spite of all thy arguments I shall never
+change, and I shall love Mohammed better than all the money in the
+world."
+
+"As you please. It remains to be seen if Mohammed would do the same
+for you."
+
+"I have not the slightest doubt of it," replied Yousouf.
+
+The Jew uttered a suppressed laugh.
+
+"And I have every doubt of it," said he. "I doubt even _thy_ future
+disinterestedness, notwithstanding the warmth of thy discourse.
+Yousouf! Yousouf! thou hast not yet beheld the dazzling brilliancy of
+gold! It is the lustre of this metal which charms the eyes and wins
+the heart of man. Once let him see gold before him, and know that he
+has the power to possess himself of it, and adieu to every other
+thought. Gold! why it is the thing to be most desired in the world.
+Possessed of gold, what can we not enjoy? a fine house, smiling
+pasturage, blooming gardens, rich stuffs, divans, perfumes, all, in
+short, that renders life desirable!"
+
+"That is very true," replied Yousouf. "We can procure many things with
+gold; but still gold cannot purchase youth, gaiety, friendship, or
+even a good appetite or sound sleep. Leave me then in peace with thy
+discoveries, and if thou art so skilled in the art of scenting gold,
+learn also to scan the disposition of him to whom thou addressest
+thyself."
+
+"Then thou wilt not consent to give me the third of what I know to be
+here, hidden though it may be?"
+
+"Decidedly not," replied Yousouf. "I have no faith in thy ridiculous
+pretensions; moreover, I do not know thee, and have never seen thee
+either in the public walks, the streets, or elsewhere."
+
+"I have just returned from a long journey," replied the old man; "my
+name is Ephraim. When I quitted this city, thou wert but sixteen
+years of age; my friend Nathan Cohen, son of David, was then very old:
+he has been dead, they say, these two years."
+
+"And so thou comest to exercise thy sense of smelling in thy
+accustomed haunt," said Yousouf gaily; "and seest thou not then that
+there is some power in friendship, since it is the memory of a friend
+that brings thee hither?"
+
+"Ah! it is not the memory of the past, but hope for the future,"
+replied the old Jew. "So long as our friends are alive they may be
+useful, though that is a thing that very rarely happens; but when they
+are dead, what is the use of thinking any more of them?"
+
+Yousouf, wearied out with so much discussion, said at length to
+Ephraim:
+
+"Come, come, enough of this! Leave this place; thy voice will, I am
+sure, awaken my friend, and prevent him from sleeping, as he delights
+to do during the heat of the day."
+
+"Do not let us awaken him," replied the Jew, "but let us remove the
+ground there beneath thy feet. I will hope that a feeling of gratitude
+may induce thee to bestow upon me a portion of what I shall discover
+for thee."
+
+So saying, the Jew drew a long iron pickaxe from beneath his dirty
+brown tunic, and began to break up the ground around the feet of
+Yousouf. The latter regarded the old man--his prodigious nose inflated
+by the hope of gain--with a smile of derision. But in a short space of
+time their eyes were dazzled by a sight of the precious metal. The Jew
+had, indeed, succeeded in disinterring a veritable treasure.
+
+"Let us now count this gold and silver," said he.
+
+They took it, and counted it, and found that Yousouf had suddenly
+become the possessor of five hundred Spanish doubloons, and sixty
+four-dollar pieces. He could scarcely believe his eyes.
+
+"Well," said the Jew, "what sayest thou? have I lied to thee, or
+deceived myself? Come, let us see now what thou art going to give me
+in reward for my pains."
+
+"I will awaken Mohammed," said Yousouf, "and he and I will certainly
+give thee something as a recompense."
+
+"Yousouf!" said the Jew, arresting the young Moor by the arm, "reflect
+a moment before awakening thy friend. Would it not be better to keep
+this treasure for thyself and for thy sons? Hast thou not children,
+and are not children much dearer than a friend?"
+
+"If I have children," replied Yousouf, "Mohammed has them also. We
+loved each other before they were born, and we know how to be good
+fathers without being faithless friends."
+
+At this moment Mohammed, who had not awaked, for the very sufficient
+reason that he had not been asleep, started as if he had been stung by
+a thousand mosquitoes at once, and rose with a sudden bound. The
+concluding words of Yousouf had awakened a feeling of remorse within
+his breast.
+
+"Yousouf! Yousouf!" said he to his friend, "I have heard all. Yes,
+every thing, and thy sincere friendship, tried by time and tried by
+gold, is now the sole treasure I desire."
+
+"I know for how long a time thou hast thought thus," replied Yousouf.
+"But since Allah has chosen to make us rich, let us not disdain the
+blessing which he sends. He it was who first inspired us with the wish
+for these two little shops, and who has bestowed them upon us. It is
+he who has conducted hither this Jew who has been the instrument of
+our discovering this treasure. Let us offer our thanks to Allah, and
+let us give to Ephraim that which is meet and right."
+
+"Be that as thou only wilt," said Mohammed with a preoccupied air.
+"Thou art just and righteous, and thy thoughts are pure in the sight
+of Allah."
+
+Yousouf paid no great heed to this friendly eulogium, but continued
+gaily:
+
+"Since thou permittest me to be the sole arbiter in the affair, this
+is my decision."
+
+Then, turning towards Ephraim: "Thou shalt be more or less
+recompensed," said he, "according to the candour with which thou
+repliest to my question. Come, then, answer me truly, hast thou
+really, thanks to the singular form of thy nose, so fine a sense of
+smell as to be able to trace any metal whatever, either under ground
+or elsewhere?"
+
+"Yes," said the Jew, "I possess this rare faculty, thanks to my nose;
+and to give thee a farther proof of it, I declare that I can again
+scent in this spot in the wall a sum of gold and silver, the exact
+amount of which I cannot enumerate."
+
+Mohammed turned pale at these words. "In this wall?" said he.
+
+"Yes. Suffer me to make a little hole with this gimlet here, and you
+will see if I speak falsely."
+
+"Dig where thou wilt," replied Yousouf; "we have no right to prevent
+thee after the discovery thou hast just made here."
+
+The Jew instantly set to work at the wall, but it was now his turn to
+be astonished, for the wall, hollow it is true, was guiltless of gold
+or silver either.
+
+Yousouf burst out laughing at the disconcerted and stupified look of
+the old Jew.
+
+"Never mind," said he, "thy nose has deceived thee for once; but thou
+must not let that discourage thee. Still, hadst thou frankly told me
+that as a friend of old Nathan Cohen thou knewest where he had hidden
+his treasure, in return for thy confidence I should have given thee a
+quarter of what thou hast found; but since thou hast persisted in
+assuring me that thy nose is gifted with supernatural powers, I shall
+give thee much less. Besides, with such a nose as thine no one can
+doubt but thy fortune is made."
+
+"Ah!" cried the Jew, clasping his withered and wrinkled hands,
+"Yousouf! Yousouf! since thou art good and just, as Mohammed says,
+take pity on my poverty; it impelled me to deal falsely with thee; I
+confess it now; and spite of its singular form, my nose has nothing
+but what is common to other noses. Accord then to my tardy sincerity
+that which thou wouldst at first have given me."
+
+Yousouf consulted Mohammed again, who replied thus:
+
+"Thou art just and pious; act according to thy own desire."
+
+Yousouf then counted out to the old Jew the fourth part of what he had
+just found, thus rendering him happy for the remainder of his days.
+
+Then, finding himself alone with his friend, he began to divide into
+two equal parts the gold and silver which remained.
+
+"Give me none! give me none, Yousouf!" exclaimed Mohammed, "I am no
+longer deserving of thy friendship."
+
+"Thou!" said Yousouf, "art thou mad? what sayst thou?"
+
+"I speak the melancholy truth," cried Mohammed; "I have not a noble
+heart like thine. Some time since I discovered in the wall the gold
+and silver which the Jew thought to find there; but instead of saying
+as thou hast done, 'I will share it with my friend,' I put off from
+day to day the fulfilment of this sacred duty. Ah, Yousouf, I am
+unworthy of thy friendship, and am very unhappy!"
+
+Yousouf remained silent for a few moments, but soon his brow grew
+clear, and a pleasing smile diffused itself over his features and
+illuminated his fine dark eyes.
+
+"What man," said he, "is entirely master over his own thoughts? Thou
+didst hesitate, sayst thou, before confiding to me the discovery thou
+hadst made. That may be, but thou wouldst not have failed to do so at
+last. Thou wouldst never have been able to behold thyself rich,
+knowing me to be poor, and to sit at a feast whilst I lived upon black
+bread. Thou didst not thoroughly understand the wants and feelings of
+thy heart: that is all. Thou didst not at once perceive wherein lies
+true happiness, for which reason thou hast caused thyself much
+uneasiness. It is over now; our friendship has been tried by gold;
+nothing remains for us but to enjoy the good fortune that has befallen
+us. Let us seek to do so like wise men, and never let us forget to set
+apart for the poor a portion of that which Allah has bestowed upon
+us."
+
+The two friends agreed therefore to give a hundred doubloons to the
+poor of the great mosque. Then with the rest of their treasure they
+purchased a beautiful country house not far from the sea, on the coast
+of Punta Pescada. There they lived happily for many long years, always
+admired and esteemed for their mutual affection, and for the goodness
+of their hearts; for, strange to say, their sudden and unexpected
+change of fortune never served to render them callous to the poor, nor
+indifferent to the wants and troubles of their fellow-creatures.
+
+
+
+
+VII.
+
+THE STORY OF THE TREASURES OF BASRA.
+
+
+All historians agree that the caliph Haroun-al-Raschid would have been
+the most perfect prince of his time, as he was also the most powerful,
+if he had not so often given way both to anger and to an insupportable
+vanity. He was always saying that no prince in the world was so
+generous as himself. Giafar, his chief vizir, being at last quite
+disgusted with his boasting, took the liberty to say to him one day,
+"Oh, my sovereign lord, monarch of the world, pardon your slave if he
+dares to represent to you that you ought not thus to praise yourself.
+Leave that to your subjects and the crowds of strangers who frequent
+your court. Content yourself with the knowledge that the former thank
+heaven for being born in your dominions, and that the latter
+congratulate themselves on having quitted their country to come and
+live under your laws." Haroun was very angry at these words; he looked
+sternly at his vizir, and asked him if he knew any one who could be
+compared to himself in generosity.
+
+"Yes, my lord," answered Giafar, "there is in the town of Basra a
+young man named Aboulcassem, who, though a private individual, lives
+in more magnificence than kings, and without excepting even your
+majesty, no prince is more generous than this man."
+
+The caliph reddened at these words, his eyes flashed with anger. "Do
+you know," he said, "that a subject who has the audacity to lie to his
+master merits death?"
+
+"I have said nothing but the truth," replied the vizir. "During my
+last visit to Basra I saw this Aboulcassem; I stayed at his house; my
+eyes, though accustomed to your treasures, were surprised at his
+riches, and I was charmed with the generosity of his manners."
+
+At these words the impetuous Haroun could no longer contain his anger.
+"You are most insolent," he cried, "to place a private individual on
+an equality with myself! Your imprudence shall not remain unpunished."
+
+So saying, he made a sign for the captain of his guards to approach,
+and commanded him to arrest the vizir Giafar. He then went to the
+apartment of the princess Zobeide his wife, who grew pale with fear on
+seeing his irritated countenance.
+
+"What is the matter, my lord?" said she; "what causes you to be thus
+agitated?"
+
+Haroun told her all that had passed, and complained of his vizir in
+terms that soon made Zobeide comprehend how enraged he was with the
+minister. This wise princess advised him to suspend his resentment,
+and send some one to Basra to ascertain the truth of Giafar's
+assertion; if it was false, she argued, the vizir should be punished;
+on the contrary, if it proved true, which she could not believe, it
+was not just to treat him as a criminal. This discourse calmed the
+fury of the caliph.
+
+"I approve of this counsel, madam," said he, "and will acknowledge
+that I owe this justice to such a minister as Giafar. I will do still
+more; as any other person I charged with this office might, from an
+aversion to my vizir, give me a false statement, I will myself go to
+Basra and judge of the truth of this report. I will make acquaintance
+with this young man, whose generosity is thus extolled; if Giafar has
+told me true, I will load him with benefits instead of punishing him
+for his frankness; but I swear he shall forfeit his life if I find he
+has told me a falsehood."
+
+As soon as Haroun had formed this resolution he thought of nothing but
+how to execute it. One night he secretly left the palace, mounted his
+horse, and left the city, not wishing any one to follow him, though
+Zobeide entreated him not to go alone. Arriving at Basra, he
+dismounted at the first caravansary he found on entering the city, the
+landlord of which seemed a good old man.
+
+"Father," said Haroun, "is it true that there is in this city a young
+man called Aboulcassem, who surpasses even kings in magnificence and
+generosity?"
+
+"Yes, my lord," answered the landlord; "and if I had a hundred mouths,
+and in each mouth a hundred tongues, I could not relate to you all his
+generous actions." As the caliph had now need of some repose, he
+retired to rest after partaking of a slight refreshment. He was up
+very early in the morning, and walked about until sunrise. Then he
+approached a tailor's shop and asked for the dwelling of Aboulcassem.
+"From what country do you come?" said the tailor; "most certainly you
+have never been at Basra before, or you would have heard where the
+lord Aboulcassem lives; why, his house is better known than the palace
+of the king."
+
+The caliph answered, "I am a stranger; I know no one in this city, and
+I shall be obliged if you will conduct me to this lord's house."
+
+Upon that the tailor ordered one of his boys to show the caliph the
+way to the residence of Aboulcassem. It was a large house built of
+stone, with a doorway of marble and jasper. The prince entered the
+court, where there was a crowd of servants and liberated slaves who
+were amusing themselves in different ways while they awaited the
+orders of their master. He approached one of them and said, "Friend, I
+wish you would take the trouble to go to the lord Aboulcassem and tell
+him a stranger wishes to see him." The domestic judged from the
+appearance of Haroun that he was no common man. He ran to apprise his
+master, who coming into the court took the stranger by the hand and
+conducted him to a very beautiful saloon. The caliph then told the
+young man, that having heard him mentioned in terms of praise, he had
+become desirous of seeing him, and had travelled to Basra for that
+purpose. Aboulcassem modestly replied to this compliment, and seating
+his guest on a sofa, asked of what country and profession he was, and
+where he lodged at Basra.
+
+"I am a merchant of Bagdad," replied the caliph, "and I have taken a
+lodging at the first caravansary I found on my arrival."
+
+After they had conversed for a short time there entered twelve pages
+bearing vases of agate and rock crystal, enriched with precious
+stones, and full of the most exquisite beverages. They were followed
+by twelve very beautiful female slaves, some carrying china bowls
+filled with fruit and flowers, and others golden caskets containing
+conserves of an exquisite flavour. The pages presented their beverages
+to the caliph; the prince tasted them, and though accustomed to the
+most delicious that could be obtained in the East, he acknowledged
+that he had never tasted better. As it was now near the hour for
+dinner, Aboulcassem conducted his guest to another room, where they
+found a table covered with the choicest delicacies served on dishes of
+massive gold. The repast finished, the young man took the caliph by
+the hand and led him to a third room more richly furnished than the
+two others. Here the slaves brought a prodigious quantity of gold
+vases, enriched with rubies, filled with all sorts of rare wines, and
+china plates containing dried sweetmeats. While the host and his guest
+were partaking of these delicious wines there entered singers and
+musicians, who commenced a concert, with which Haroun was enchanted.
+"I have," he said to himself, "the most admirable voices in _my_
+palace, but I must confess they cannot bear comparison with these. I
+do not understand how a private individual can live in such
+magnificence."
+
+Amongst the voices there was one in particular the extraordinary
+sweetness of which attracted the attention of the prince, and whilst
+he was absorbed in listening to it Aboulcassem left the room and
+returned a moment after holding in one hand a wand, and in the other a
+little tree whose stem was of silver, the branches and leaves
+emeralds, and the fruit rubies. On the top of this tree was a golden
+peacock beautifully executed, the body of which was filled with amber,
+essence of aloes, and other perfumes. He placed this tree at the
+caliph's feet; then striking the head of the peacock with his wand,
+the bird extended its wings and tail, and moved itself quickly to the
+right and left, whilst at each movement of its body the most
+odoriferous perfumes filled the apartment. The caliph was so
+astonished and delighted that he could not take his eyes off the tree
+and the peacock, and he was just going to express his admiration when
+Aboulcassem suddenly took them away. Haroun was offended at this, and
+said to himself, "What does all this mean? It appears to me this young
+man does not merit so much praise. He takes away the tree and the
+peacock when he sees me occupied in looking at them more than he
+likes. Is he afraid I want him to make me a present? I fear Giafar is
+mistaken in calling him a generous man." He was thus thinking when
+Aboulcassem returned accompanied by a little page as beautiful as the
+sun. This lovely child was dressed in gold brocade covered with pearls
+and diamonds. He held in his hand a cup made of one single ruby, and
+filled with wine of a purple colour. He approached the caliph, and
+prostrating himself to the ground, presented the cup. The prince
+extended his hand to receive it, but, wonderful to relate, he
+perceived on giving back the cup to the page, that though he had
+emptied the cup, it was still quite full. He put it again to his lips
+and emptied it to the very last drop. He then placed it again in the
+hands of the page, and at the same moment saw it filling without any
+one approaching it. The surprise of Haroun was extreme at this
+wonderful circumstance, which made him forget the tree and the
+peacock. He asked how it was accomplished. "My lord," said
+Aboulcassem, "it is the work of an ancient sage who was acquainted
+with most of the secrets of nature;" and then, taking the page by the
+hand, he precipitately left the apartment. The caliph was indignant at
+this behaviour. "I see how it is," said he, "this young man has lost
+his senses. He brings me all these curiosities of his own accord, he
+presents them to my view, and when he perceives my admiration, he
+instantly removes his treasures. I never experienced treatment so
+ridiculous or uncourteous. Ah, Giafar! I thought you a better judge of
+men."
+
+In this manner they continued amusing themselves till sunset. Then
+Haroun said to the young man, "Oh, generous Aboulcassem, I am confused
+with the reception you have given me; permit me now to retire and
+leave you to repose." The young lord of Basra not wishing to
+inconvenience his guest, politely saluted him, and conducted him to
+the door of the house, apologizing for not having received him in a
+more magnificent style. "I quite acknowledge," said the caliph on
+returning to his caravansary, "that for magnificence Aboulcassem
+surpasses kings, but for generosity, there my vizir was wrong in
+placing him in comparison with myself; for what present has he made me
+during my visit? I was lavish in my praises of the tree, the cup, and
+the page, and I should have thought my admiration would have induced
+him to offer me, at least, one of these things. No, this man is
+ostentatious; he feels a pleasure in displaying his riches to the eyes
+of strangers. And why? Only to satisfy his pride and vanity. In
+reality he is a miser, and I ought not to pardon Giafar for thus
+deceiving me." Whilst making these disagreeable reflections on his
+minister, he arrived at the caravansary. But what was his astonishment
+on finding there silken carpets, magnificent tents, a great number of
+servants, slaves, horses, mules, camels, and besides all these, the
+tree and the peacock, and the page with his cup? The domestics
+prostrated themselves before him, and presented a roll of silk paper,
+on which were written these words, "Dear and amiable guest, I have
+not, perhaps, shown you the respect which is your due; I pray you to
+forget any appearance of neglect in my manner of receiving you, and do
+not distress me by refusing the little presents I have sent you. As to
+the tree, the peacock, the page, and the cup, since they please you,
+they are yours already, for any thing that delights my guests ceases
+to be mine from that instant." When the caliph had finished reading
+this letter, he was astounded at the liberality of Aboulcassem, and
+remembered how wrongly he had judged the young man. "A thousand
+blessings," cried he, "on my vizir Giafar! He has caused me to be
+undeceived. Ah, Haroun, never again boast of being the most
+magnificent and generous of men! one of your subjects surpasses you.
+But how is a private individual able to make such presents? I ought to
+have asked where he amassed such riches; I was wrong not to have
+questioned him on this point: I must not return to Bagdad without
+investigating this affair. Besides, it concerns me to know why there
+is a man in my dominions who leads a more princely life than myself. I
+must see him again, and try to discover by what means he has acquired
+such an immense fortune."
+
+Impatient to satisfy his curiosity, he left his new servants in the
+caravansary, and returned immediately to the young man's residence.
+When he found himself in his presence he said, "Oh, too amiable
+Aboulcassem, the presents you have made me are so valuable, that I
+fear I cannot accept them without abusing your generosity. Permit me
+to send them back before I return to Bagdad, and publish to the world
+your magnificence and generous hospitality." "My lord," answered the
+young man with a mortified air, "you certainly must have had reason to
+complain of the unhappy Aboulcassem; I fear some of his actions have
+displeased you, since you reject his presents; you would not have done
+me this injury, if you were satisfied with me."
+
+"No," replied the prince, "heaven is my witness that I am enchanted
+with your politeness; but your presents are too costly; they surpass
+those of kings, and if I dared tell you what I think, you would be
+less prodigal with your riches, and remember that they may soon be
+exhausted."
+
+Aboulcassem smiled at these words and said to the caliph, "My lord, I
+am very glad to learn that it is not to punish me for having committed
+any fault against yourself that you wished to refuse my presents; and
+now to oblige you to accept them, I will tell you that every day I can
+make the same and even more magnificent ones without inconveniencing
+myself. I see," added he, "that this astonishes you, but you will
+cease to be surprised when I have told you all the adventures which
+have happened to me. It is necessary that I should thus confide in
+you."
+
+Upon this he conducted Haroun to a room a thousand times richer and
+more ornamented than any of the others. The most exquisite essences
+perfumed this apartment, in which was a throne of gold placed on the
+richest carpets. Haroun could not believe he was in the house of a
+subject; he imagined he must be in the abode of a prince infinitely
+more powerful than himself. The young man made him mount the throne,
+and placing himself by his side, commenced the history of his life.
+
+
+HISTORY OF ABOULCASSEM.
+
+I am the son of a jeweller of Cairo, named Abdelaziz. He possessed
+such immense riches, that fearing to draw upon himself the envy or
+avarice of the sultan of Egypt, he quitted his native country and
+established himself at Basra, where he married the only daughter of
+the richest merchant in that city. I am the only child of that
+marriage, so that inheriting the estates of both my parents I became
+possessed on their death of a very splendid fortune. But I was young,
+I liked extravagance, and having wherewith to exercise my liberal
+propensities, or rather my prodigality, I lived with so much
+profusion, that in less than three years my fortune was dissipated.
+Then, like all who repent of their foolish conduct, I made the most
+promising resolutions for the future.
+
+After the life I had led at Basra, I thought it better to leave that
+place, for it seemed to me my misery would be more supportable among
+strangers. Accordingly I sold my house, and left the city before
+daybreak. When it was light I perceived a caravan of merchants who had
+encamped on a spot of ground near me. I joined them, and as they were
+on their road to Bagdad, where I also wished to go, I departed with
+them; I arrived there without accident, but soon found myself in a
+very miserable situation. I was without money, and of all my large
+fortune there remained but one gold sequin. In order to do something
+for a living I changed my sequin into aspres, and purchased some
+preserved apples, sweetmeats, balms, and roses. With these I went
+every day to the house of a merchant where many persons of rank and
+others were accustomed to assemble and converse together. I presented
+to them in a basket what I had to sell. Each took what he liked, and
+never failed to remunerate me, so that by this little commerce I
+contrived to live very comfortably. One day as I was as usual selling
+flowers at the merchant's house, there was seated in a corner of the
+room an old man, of whom I took no notice, and on perceiving that I
+did not address him, he called me and said, "My friend, how comes it
+that you do not offer your merchandise to me as well as the others? Do
+you take me for a dishonest man, or imagine that my purse is empty?"
+
+"My lord," answered I, "I pray you pardon me. All that I have is at
+your service, I ask nothing for it." At the same time I offered him my
+basket; he took some perfume, and told me to sit down by him. I did
+so, and he asked me a number of questions, who I was, and what was my
+name.
+
+"Excuse me satisfying your curiosity," said I, sighing; "I cannot do
+so without reopening wounds which time is beginning to heal."
+
+These words, or the tone in which I uttered them, prevented the old
+man from questioning me further. He changed the discourse, and after a
+long conversation, on rising to depart he took out his purse and gave
+me ten gold sequins. I was greatly surprised at this liberality. The
+wealthiest lords to whom I had been accustomed to present my basket
+had never given me even one sequin, and I could not tell what to make
+of this man.
+
+On the morrow, when I returned to the merchants, I again found my old
+friend; and for many days he continued to attract my attention. At
+length, one day, as I was addressing him after he had taken a little
+balm from my basket, he made me again sit by him, and pressed me so
+earnestly to relate my history, that I could not refuse him. I
+informed him of all that had happened to me; after this confidence he
+said:
+
+"Young man, I knew your father. I am a merchant of Basra; I have no
+child, and have conceived a friendship for you; I will adopt you as my
+son, therefore console yourself for your past misfortunes. You have
+found a father richer by far than Abdelaziz, and who will have as much
+affection for you." I thanked the venerable old man for the honour he
+did me, and followed him as he left the house. He made me throw away
+my basket of flowers, and conducted me to a large mansion that he had
+hired. There I was lodged in a spacious apartment with slaves to wait
+on me, and by his order they brought me rich clothes. One would have
+thought my father Abdelaziz again lived, and it seemed as if I had
+never known sorrow. When the merchant had finished the business that
+detained him at Bagdad,--namely, when he had sold the merchandise he
+brought with him,--we both took the road to Basra. My friends, who
+never thought to see me again, were not a little surprised to hear I
+had been adopted by a man who passed for the richest merchant in the
+city. I did my best to please the old man. He was charmed with my
+behaviour. "Aboulcassem," he often said to me, "I am enchanted that I
+met you at Bagdad. You appear worthy of all I have done for you." I
+was touched with the kindness he evinced for me, and far from abusing
+it, endeavoured to do all I could to please my kind benefactor.
+Instead of seeking companions of my own age, I always kept in his
+company, scarcely ever leaving him. At last this good old man fell
+sick, and the physicians despaired of his life. When he was at the
+last extremity he made all but myself leave him, and then said, "Now
+is the time, my son, to reveal to you a most important secret. If I
+had only this house with all its riches to bequeath, I should leave
+you but a moderate fortune; but all that I have amassed during the
+course of my life, though considerable for a merchant, is nothing in
+comparison to the treasure that is concealed here, and which I am now
+about to reveal to you. I shall not tell you how long ago, by whom, or
+in what manner it was found, for I am ignorant of that myself; all I
+know is, that my grandfather, when dying, told the secret to my
+father, who also made me acquainted with it a few days before his
+death. But," continued he, "I have one advice to give you, and take
+care you do not slight it. You are naturally generous. When you are at
+liberty to follow your own inclinations, you will no doubt be lavish
+of your riches. You will receive with magnificence any strangers who
+may come to your house. You will load them with presents, and will do
+good to all who implore your assistance. This conduct, which I much
+approve of if you can keep it within bounds, will at last be the cause
+of your ruin. The splendour of your establishment will excite the envy
+of the king of Basra, and the avarice of his ministers. They will
+suspect you of having some hidden treasure. They will spare no means
+to discover it, and will imprison you. To prevent this misfortune, you
+have only to follow my example. I have always, as well as my
+grandfather and father, carried on my business and enjoyed this
+treasure without ostentation; we have never indulged in any
+extravagance calculated to surprise the world."
+
+I faithfully promised the merchant I would imitate his prudence. He
+told me where I should find the treasure, and assured me that whatever
+idea I might have formed of its splendour, I should find the reality
+far exceed my expectations. At last, when the generous old man died,
+I, as his sole heir, performed for him the last offices, and, taking
+possession of his property, of which this house is a part, proceeded
+at once to see this treasure. I confess to you, my lord, that I was
+thunderstruck. I found it to be, if not inexhaustible, at least so
+vast that I could never expend it, even if heaven were to permit me to
+live beyond the age of man. My resolution therefore was at once
+formed, and instead of keeping the promise I made to the old merchant,
+I spend my riches freely. It is my boast that there is no one in Basra
+who has not benefited by my generosity. My house is open to all who
+desire my aid, and they leave it perfectly contented. Do you call it
+_possessing_ a treasure if it must not be touched? And can I make a
+better use of it than by endeavouring to relieve the unhappy, to
+receive strangers with liberality, and to lead a life of generosity
+and charity? Every one thought I should be ruined a second time.
+
+"If Aboulcassem," said they, "had all the treasures of the commander
+of the faithful, he would spend them."
+
+But they were much astonished, when, instead of seeing my affairs in
+disorder, they, on the contrary, appeared every day to become more
+flourishing. No one could imagine how my fortune increased, while I
+was thus squandering it. As the old man predicted, a feeling of envy
+was excited against me. A rumour prevailed that I had found a
+treasure. This was sufficient to attract the attention of a number of
+persons greedy of gain. The lieutenant of police at Basra came to see
+me.
+
+"I am," said he, "the daroga, and am come to demand where the treasure
+is which enables you to live in such magnificence."
+
+I trembled at these words, and remained silent. He guessed from my
+confused air that his suspicions were not without foundation; but
+instead of compelling me to discover my treasure, "My lord
+Aboulcassem," continued he, "I exercise my office as a man of sense.
+Make me some present worthy of my discretion in this affair, and I
+will retire."
+
+"How much do you ask?" said I.
+
+"I will content myself with ten gold sequins a day."
+
+"That is not enough--I will give you a hundred. You have only to come
+here every day or every month, and my treasurer will count them out
+to you."
+
+The lieutenant of police was transported with joy at hearing these
+words. "My lord," said he, "I wish that you could find a thousand
+treasures. Enjoy your fortune in peace; I shall never dispute your
+possession of it." Then taking a large sum of money in advance he went
+his way.
+
+A short time after the vizir Aboulfatah-Waschi sent for me, and,
+taking me into his cabinet, said:
+
+"Young man, I hear you have discovered a treasure. You know the fifth
+part belongs to God; you must give it to the king. Pay the fifth, and
+you shall remain the quiet possessor of the other four parts."
+
+I answered him thus: "My lord, I acknowledge that I _have_ found a
+treasure, but I swear to you at the same time that I will confess
+nothing, though I should be torn in pieces. But I promise to give you
+every day a thousand gold sequins, provided you leave me in peace."
+
+Aboulfatah was as tractable as the lieutenant of police. He sent his
+confidential servant, and my treasurer gave him thirty thousand
+sequins for the first month. This vizir, fearing no doubt that the
+king of Basra would hear of what had passed, thought it better to
+inform him himself of the circumstance. The prince listened very
+attentively, and thinking the affair required investigating, sent to
+summon me. He received me with a smiling countenance, saying:
+
+"Approach, young man, and answer me what I shall ask you. Why do you
+not show me your treasure? Do you think me so unjust, that I shall
+take it from you?"
+
+"Sire," replied I, "may the life of your majesty be prolonged for
+ages; but if you commanded my flesh to be torn with burning pincers I
+would not discover my treasure; I consent every day to pay to your
+majesty two thousand gold sequins. If you refuse to accept them, and
+think proper that I should die, you have only to order it; but I am
+ready to suffer all imaginable torments, sooner than satisfy your
+curiosity."
+
+The king looked at his vizir as I said this, and demanded his opinion.
+
+"Sire," said the minister, "the sum he offers you is considerable--it
+is of itself a real treasure. Send the young man back, only let him be
+careful to keep his word with your majesty."
+
+The king followed this advice; he loaded me with caresses, and from
+that time, according to my agreement, I pay every year to the prince,
+the vizir, and the lieutenant of police, more than one million sixty
+thousand gold sequins. This, my lord, is all I have to tell you. You
+will now no longer be surprised at the presents I have made you, nor
+at what you have seen in my house.
+
+
+CONCLUSION OF THE STORY OF THE TREASURES OF BASRA.
+
+When Aboulcassem had finished the recital of his adventures, the
+caliph, animated with a violent desire to see the treasure, said to
+him, "Is it possible that there is in the world a treasure that your
+generosity can never exhaust? No! I cannot believe it, and if it was
+not exacting too much from you, my lord, I would ask to see what you
+possess, and I swear never to reveal what you may confide to me." The
+son of Abdelaziz appeared grieved at this speech of the caliph's. "I
+am sorry, my lord," he said, "that you have conceived this curiosity;
+I cannot satisfy it but upon very disagreeable conditions."
+
+"Never mind," said the prince, "whatever the conditions, I submit
+without repugnance."
+
+"It is necessary," said Aboulcassem, "that I blindfold your eyes, and
+conduct you unarmed and bareheaded, with my drawn scimitar in my hand,
+ready to cut you to pieces at any moment, if you violate the laws of
+hospitality. I know very well I am acting imprudently, and ought not
+to yield to your wishes; but I rely on your promised secrecy, and
+besides that, I cannot bear to send away a guest dissatisfied."
+
+"In pity then satisfy my curiosity," said the caliph.
+
+"That cannot be just yet," replied the young man, "but remain here
+this night, and when my domestics are gone to rest I will come and
+conduct you from your apartment."
+
+He then called his people, and by the light of a number of wax tapers,
+carried by slaves in gold flambeaux, he led the prince to a
+magnificent chamber, and then retired to his own. The slaves disrobed
+the caliph, and left him to repose, after placing at the head and foot
+of his bed their lighted tapers, whose perfumed wax emitted an
+agreeable odour. Instead of taking any rest, Haroun-al-Raschid
+impatiently awaited the appearance of Aboulcassem, who did not fail to
+come for him towards the middle of the night. "My lord," he said, "all
+my servants are asleep. A profound silence reigns in my house. I will
+now show you my treasure upon the conditions I named to you."
+
+"Let us go then," said the caliph. "I am ready to follow you, and I
+again swear that you will not repent thus satisfying my curiosity."
+
+The son of Abdelaziz aided the prince to dress; then putting a bandage
+over his eyes, he said, "I am sorry, my lord, to be obliged to treat
+you thus; your appearance and your manners seem worthy of confidence,
+but--"
+
+"I approve of these precautions," interrupted the caliph, "and I do
+not take them in ill part."
+
+Aboulcassem then made him descend by a winding staircase into a garden
+of vast extent, and after many turnings they entered the place where
+the treasure was concealed. It was a deep and spacious cavern closed
+at the entrance by a stone. Passing through this they entered a long
+alley, very dark and steep, at the end of which was a large saloon,
+brilliantly lighted by carbuncles. When they arrived at this room the
+young man unbound the caliph's eyes, and the latter gazed with
+astonishment on the scene before him. A basin of white marble, fifty
+feet in circumference and thirty feet deep, stood in the middle of the
+apartment. It was full of large pieces of gold, and ranged round it
+were twelve columns of the same metal, supporting as many statues
+composed of precious stones of admirable workmanship. Aboulcassem
+conducted the prince to the edge of the basin and said to him, "This
+basin is thirty feet deep. Look at that mass of gold pieces. They are
+scarcely diminished the depth of two fingers. Do you think I shall
+soon spend all this?"
+
+Haroun, after attentively looking at the basin, replied: "Here are, I
+confess, immense riches, but you still may exhaust them."
+
+"Well," said the young man, "when this basin is empty I shall have
+recourse to what I am now going to show you."
+
+He then proceeded to another room, more brilliant still, where on a
+number of red brocaded sofas were immense quantities of pearls and
+diamonds. Here was also another marble basin, not so large or so deep
+as that filled with gold pieces, but to make up for this, full of
+rubies, topazes, emeralds, and all sorts of precious stones. Never was
+surprise equal to that of the caliph's. He could scarcely believe he
+was awake, this new basin seemed like enchantment. His gaze was still
+fixed on it, when Aboulcassem made him observe two persons seated on a
+throne of gold, who he said were the first masters of the treasure.
+They were a prince and princess, having on their heads crowns of
+diamonds. They appeared as if still alive, and were in a reclining
+posture, their heads leaning against each other. At their feet was a
+table of ebony, on which were written these words in letters of gold:
+"I have amassed all these riches during the course of a long life. I
+have taken and pillaged towns and castles, have conquered kingdoms and
+overthrown my enemies. I have been the most powerful monarch in the
+world, but all my power has yielded to that of death. Whoever sees me
+in this state ought to reflect upon it. Let him remember that once I
+was living, and that he also must die. He need not fear diminishing
+this treasure: it will never be exhausted. Let him endeavour so to use
+it as to make friends both for this world and the next. Let him lead a
+life of generosity and charity, for in the end he must also die. His
+riches cannot save him from the fate common to all men."
+
+"I will no longer disapprove of your conduct," said Haroun to the
+young man on reading these words; "you are right in living as you now
+do, and I condemn the advice given you by the old merchant. But I
+should like to know the name of this prince. What king could have
+possessed such riches? I am sorry this inscription does not inform
+us."
+
+The young man next took the caliph to see another room in which also
+there were many rarities of even greater value than what he had seen,
+amongst others several trees like the one he had given the prince.
+Haroun would willingly have passed the remainder of the night admiring
+all that was contained in this wonderful cavern, but the son of
+Abdelaziz, fearing to be observed by his servants, wished to return
+before daybreak in the same manner as they came, namely, the caliph
+blindfolded and bareheaded, and Aboulcassem with his scimitar in his
+hand, ready to cut off the prince's head if he made the least
+resistance. In this order they traversed the garden, and ascended by
+the winding stairs to the room where the caliph had slept. Finding the
+tapers still burning, they conversed together till sunrise; the caliph
+then, with many thanks for the reception he had received, returned to
+the caravansary, from whence he took the road to Bagdad, with all the
+domestics and presents he had accepted from Aboulcassem.
+
+Two days after the prince's departure, the vizir Aboulfatah, hearing
+of the magnificent gifts that Aboulcassem made to strangers when they
+came to see him, and above all astonished at the regularity of his
+payments to the king, the lieutenant, and himself, resolved to spare
+no means to discover the treasure from which he drew such
+inexhaustible supplies. This minister was one of those wicked men to
+whom the greatest crimes are nothing, when they wish to gain their own
+ends. He had a daughter eighteen years of age, and of surpassing
+beauty. She was named Balkis, and possessed every good quality of
+heart and mind. Prince Aly, nephew of the king of Basra, passionately
+loved her; he had already demanded her of her father, and they were
+soon to be married. Aboulfatah summoned Balkis one day to his presence
+and said: "My daughter, I have great need of your assistance. I wish
+you to array yourself in your richest robes, and go this evening to
+the house of the young Aboulcassem. You must do every thing to charm
+him, and oblige him to discover the treasure he has found."
+
+Balkis trembled at this speech; her countenance expressed the horror
+she felt at this command. "My lord," said she, "what is it you propose
+to your daughter? Do you know the peril to which you may expose her?
+Consider the stain on your honour, and the outrage against the prince
+Aly."
+
+"I have considered all this," answered the vizir, "but nothing will
+turn me from my resolution, and I order you to prepare to obey me."
+
+The young Balkis burst into tears at these words. "For heaven's sake,
+my father," said the weeping girl, "stifle this feeling of avarice,
+seek not to despoil this man of what is his own. Leave him to enjoy
+his riches in peace."
+
+"Be silent, insolent girl!" said the vizir angrily, "it does not
+become you to blame my actions. Answer me not. I desire you to repair
+to the house of Aboulcassem, and I swear that if you return without
+having seen his treasure, I will kill you."
+
+Balkis, hearing this dreadful alternative, retired to her apartment
+overwhelmed with grief; she called her women, and made them attire her
+in the richest apparel and most costly ornaments, though in reality
+she needed nothing to enhance her natural beauty. No young girl was
+less desirous to please than Balkis. All she feared was appearing too
+beautiful in the eyes of the son of Abdelaziz, and not sufficiently so
+to prince Aly.
+
+At length, when night arrived and Aboulfatah judged it time for his
+daughter to go, he secretly conducted her to the door of the young
+man's house, where he left her, after again declaring he would kill
+her if she returned unsuccessful. She timidly knocked and desired to
+speak to the son of Abdelaziz. A slave led her to a room where his
+master was reposing on a sofa, musing on the vicissitudes of his past
+life. As soon as Balkis appeared Aboulcassem rose to receive his
+visitor; he gravely saluted her, and, taking her hand with a
+respectful air, seated her on a sofa, at the same time inquiring why
+she honoured him by this visit. She answered, that hearing of his
+agreeable manners, she had resolved to spend an evening in his
+company.
+
+"Beautiful lady," said he, "I must thank my lucky star for procuring
+me this delightful interview; I cannot express my happiness."
+
+After some conversation supper was announced. They seated themselves
+at a table covered with choice delicacies. A great number of officers
+and pages were in attendance, but Aboulcassem dismissed them that the
+lady might not be exposed to their curious looks. He waited on her
+himself, presenting her with the best of every thing, and offering her
+wine in a gold cup enriched with diamonds and rubies. But all these
+polite attentions served but to increase the lady's uneasiness; and at
+length, frightened at the dangers which menaced her, she suddenly
+changed countenance and became pale as death, whilst her eyes filled
+with tears.
+
+"What is it, madam?" said the young man much surprised; "why this
+sudden grief? Have I said or done any thing to cause your tears to
+flow? Speak, I implore you; inform me of the cause of your sorrow."
+
+"Oh, Mahomet!" exclaimed Balkis, "I can dissimulate no longer; the
+part I am acting is insupportable. I have deceived you, Aboulcassem; I
+am a lady of rank. My father, who knows you have a hidden treasure,
+wishes me to discover where you have concealed it. He has ordered me
+to come here and spare no means to induce you to show it me. I refused
+to do so, but he has sworn to kill me if I return without being able
+to satisfy his curiosity. What an unhappy fate is mine! If I was not
+beloved by a prince who will soon marry me, this cruel vow of my
+father's would not appear so terrible."
+
+When the daughter of Aboulfatah had thus spoken, Aboulcassem said to
+her, "Madam, I am very glad you have informed me of this. You will not
+repent your noble frankness; you shall see my treasure, and be treated
+with all the respect you may desire. Do not weep, therefore, or any
+longer afflict yourself."
+
+"Ah, my lord," exclaimed Balkis at this speech, "it is not without
+reason that you pass for the most generous of men. I am charmed with
+your noble conduct, and shall not be satisfied until I have found
+means to testify my gratitude."
+
+After this conversation Aboulcassem conducted the lady to the same
+chamber that the caliph had occupied, where they remained until all
+was quiet in the dwelling. Then blindfolding the eyes of Balkis he
+said, "Pardon me, madam, for being obliged to act thus, but it is only
+on this condition that I can show you my treasure."
+
+"Do what you please, my lord," answered Balkis; "I have so much
+confidence in your generosity that I will follow wherever you desire;
+I have no fear but that of not sufficiently repaying your kindness."
+
+Aboulcassem then took her by the hand, and causing her to descend to
+the garden by the winding stairs, he entered the cavern and removed
+the bandage from her eyes. If the caliph had been surprised to see
+such heaps of gold and precious stones, Balkis was still more so.
+Every thing she saw astonished her. But the objects that most
+attracted her attention were the ancient owners of the treasure. As
+the queen had on a necklace composed of pearls as large as pigeons'
+eggs, Balkis could not avoid expressing her admiration. Aboulcassem
+detached it from the neck of the princess, and placed it round that of
+the young lady, saying her father would judge from this that she had
+seen the treasure; he then, after much persuasion, made her take a
+large quantity of precious stones which he himself chose for her.
+
+The young man then, fearing the day would dawn whilst she was looking
+at the wonders of the cavern, again placed the bandage over her eyes,
+and conducted her to a saloon where they conversed together until
+sunrise. Balkis then took leave, repeatedly assuring the son of
+Abdelaziz that she would never forget his generous conduct.
+
+She hastened to her father's and informed him of all that had passed.
+The vizir had been impatiently awaiting his daughter's return. Fearing
+she might not be sufficiently able to charm Aboulcassem, he remained
+in a state of inconceivable agitation. But when he saw her enter with
+the necklace and precious stones that Aboulcassem had given her, he
+was transported with joy.
+
+"Well, my daughter," he said, "have you seen the treasure?"
+
+"Yes, my lord," answered Balkis, "and to give you a just idea of its
+magnitude, I tell you that if all the kings of the world were to unite
+their riches, they could not be compared to those of Aboulcassem. But
+still, however vast this young man's treasures, I am less charmed with
+them than with his politeness and generosity." And she then related to
+her father the whole of her adventure.
+
+In the mean time Haroun-al-Raschid was advancing towards Bagdad. As
+soon as he arrived at his palace he set his chief vizir at liberty,
+and restored him to his confidence. He then proceeded to relate to him
+the events of his journey, and ended by asking, "Giafar, what shall I
+do? You know the gratitude of monarchs ought to surpass the pleasures
+they have received. If I should send the magnificent Aboulcassem the
+choicest and most precious treasure I possess, it will be but a slight
+gift, far inferior to the presents he has made me. How then can I
+surpass him in generosity?"
+
+"My lord," replied the vizir, "since your majesty condescends to
+consult me, I should write this day to the king of Basra and order him
+to commit the government of the state to the young Aboulcassem. We can
+soon despatch the courier, and in a few days I will depart myself to
+Basra and present the patents to the new king."
+
+The caliph approved of this advice. "You are right," he said to his
+minister, "it will be the only means of acquitting myself towards
+Aboulcassem, and of taking vengeance on the king of Basra and his
+unworthy vizir, who have concealed from me the considerable sums they
+have extorted from this young man. It is but just to punish them for
+their violence against him; they are unworthy of the situations they
+occupy."
+
+He immediately wrote to the king of Basra and despatched the courier.
+He then went to the apartment of the princess Zobeide to inform her of
+the success of his journey, and presented her with the little page,
+the tree, and the peacock. He also gave her a beautiful female slave.
+Zobeide found this slave so charming that she smilingly told the
+caliph she accepted this gift with more pleasure than all his other
+presents. The prince kept only the cup for himself; the vizir Giafar
+had all the rest; and this good minister, as he had before resolved,
+made preparations for his departure from Bagdad.
+
+The courier of the caliph no sooner arrived in the town of Basra than
+he hastened to present his despatch to the king, who was greatly
+concerned on reading it. The prince showed it to his vizir.
+"Aboulfatah," said he, "see the fatal order that I have received from
+the commander of the faithful. Can I refuse to obey it?"
+
+"Yes, my lord," answered the minister; "do not afflict yourself.
+Aboulcassem must be removed from hence. Without taking his life I will
+make every one believe he is dead. I can keep him so well concealed
+that he shall never be seen again; and by this means you will always
+remain on the throne and possess the riches of this young man; for
+when we are masters of his person we can increase his sufferings until
+he is obliged to reveal where his treasure is concealed."
+
+"Do what you like," replied the king; "but what answer shall we send
+the caliph?"
+
+"Leave that to me. The commander of the faithful will be deceived as
+well as others. Let me execute the design I meditate, and the rest
+need cause you no uneasiness."
+
+Aboulfatah then, accompanied by some courtiers who were ignorant of
+his intention, went to pay a visit to Aboulcassem. He received them
+according to their rank, regaled them magnificently, seated the vizir
+in the place of honour, and loaded him with presents without having
+the least suspicion of his perfidy. Whilst they were at table and
+partaking of the most delicious wines, the treacherous Aboulfatah
+skilfully threw unperceived into the cup of the son of Abdelaziz a
+powder which would render him insensible, and cause his body to remain
+in a state of lethargy resembling that of a corpse long deprived of
+life. The young man had no sooner taken the cup from his lips than he
+fainted away. His servants hastened to support him, but soon
+perceiving he had all the appearance of a dead man, they placed him on
+a sofa and uttered the most lamentable cries. The guests, struck with
+sudden terror, were silent from astonishment. As for Aboulfatah, it is
+impossible to say how well he dissimulated. He not only feigned the
+most immoderate grief, but tore his clothes and excited the rest of
+the company to follow his example. He ordered a coffin to be made of
+ivory and ebony, and while they were preparing it, he collected all
+the effects of Aboulcassem and placed them in the king's palace. The
+account of the young man's death soon spread abroad. All persons, men
+and women, put on mourning, and came to the door of the house, their
+heads and feet bare; old and young men, women and girls, were bathed
+in tears, filling the air with their cries and lamentations. Some said
+they had lost in him an only son, others a brother or a husband
+tenderly beloved. Rich and poor were equally afflicted at his death;
+the rich mourned a friend who had always welcomed them, and the poor a
+benefactor whose charity had never been equalled. His death caused a
+general consternation.
+
+Meanwhile the unhappy Aboulcassem was enclosed in the coffin, and a
+procession having been formed, the people, by order of Aboulfatah,
+carried him out of the town to a large cemetery containing a number of
+tombs, and amongst others a magnificent one where reposed the vizir's
+father and many others of his family. They placed the coffin in this
+tomb, and the perfidious Aboulfatah, leaning his head on his knees,
+beat his breast, and gave way apparently to the most violent grief.
+Those present pitied and prayed heaven to console him. As night
+approached the people returned to the town, but the vizir remained
+with two of his slaves in the tomb, the door of which he shut and
+double locked. They lit a fire, warmed some water in a silver basin,
+and taking Aboulcassem from the coffin, bathed him with the warm
+water. The young man by degrees regained his senses. He cast his eyes
+on Aboulfatah, whom he at once recognized. "Ah, my lord," said he,
+"where are we, and to what state am I reduced?"
+
+"Wretch!" answered the minister, "know that it is I who have caused
+your misfortune. I brought you here to have you in my power, and to
+make you suffer a thousand torments if you will not discover to me
+your treasure. I will rack your body with tortures--will invent each
+day new sufferings to render life insupportable: in a word, I will
+never cease to persecute you until you deliver me those hidden
+treasures which enable you to live with even more magnificence than
+kings."
+
+"You can do what you please," replied Aboulcassem; "I will never
+reveal my treasure."
+
+He had scarcely uttered these words, when the cruel Aboulfatah, making
+his slaves seize the unfortunate son of Abdelaziz, drew from his robe
+a whip made of twisted lion's skin, with which he struck so long and
+with such violence that the young man fainted. When the vizir saw him
+in this state, he commanded the slaves to replace him in the coffin,
+and leaving him in the tomb, which he firmly secured, returned to his
+palace.
+
+On the morrow he went to inform the king of what he had done. "Sire,"
+said he, "I tried yesterday, but in vain, to overcome the firmness of
+Aboulcassem; however, I have now prepared torments for him which I
+think he cannot resist."
+
+The prince, who was quite as barbarous as his minister, said, "Vizir,
+I am perfectly satisfied with all you have done. Ere long, I hope, we
+shall know where this treasure is concealed. But we must send back the
+courier without delay. What shall I write to the caliph?"
+
+"Tell him, my lord, that Aboulcassem, hearing he was to occupy your
+place, was so enchanted, and made such great rejoicings, that he died
+suddenly at a feast."
+
+The king approved of this advice, and writing immediately to
+Haroun-al-Raschid, despatched the courier. The vizir, flattering
+himself that he should at length be able to force Aboulcassem to
+reveal his treasure, left the town, resolving to extract the secret or
+leave him to perish. But on arriving at the tomb, he was surprised to
+find the door open. He entered trembling, and not seeing the son of
+Abdelaziz in the coffin, he nearly lost his senses. Returning
+instantly to the palace, he related to the king what had occurred. The
+monarch, seized with a mortal terror, exclaimed, "Oh, Waschi! what
+will become of us? Since this young man has escaped, we are lost. He
+will not fail to hasten to Bagdad, and acquaint the caliph with all
+that has taken place."
+
+Aboulfatah, on his part, in despair that the victim of his avarice was
+no longer in his power, said to the king his master, "What would I now
+give to have taken his life yesterday! He would not then have caused
+us such uneasiness. But we will not quite despair yet; if he has taken
+flight, as no doubt he has, he cannot be very far from here. Let me
+take some soldiers of your guard, and search in all the environs of
+the town; I hope still to find him."
+
+The king instantly consented to so important a step. He assembled all
+his soldiers, and dividing them into two bodies, gave the command of
+one to his vizir, and placing himself at the head of the other,
+prepared with his troops to search in all parts of his kingdom.
+
+Whilst they were seeking Aboulcassem in the villages, woods, and
+mountains, the vizir Giafar, who was already on the road to Basra, met
+the courier returning, who said to him, "My lord, it is useless for
+you to proceed further, if Aboulcassem is the sole cause of your
+journey, for this young man is dead; his funeral took place some days
+past; my eyes were witnesses of the mournful ceremony."
+
+Giafar, who had looked forward with pleasure to see the new king, and
+present his patents, was much afflicted at his death. He shed tears on
+hearing the sad news, and, thinking it was useless to continue his
+journey, retraced his steps. As soon as he arrived at Bagdad, he went
+with the courier to the palace. The sadness of his countenance
+informed the king he had some misfortune to announce.
+
+"Ah, Giafar!" exclaimed the prince, "you have soon returned. What are
+you come to tell me?'
+
+"Commander of the faithful," answered the vizir, "you do not, I am
+sure, expect to hear the bad news I am going to tell. Aboulcassem is
+no more; since your departure from Basra the young man has lost his
+life."
+
+Haroun-al-Raschid had no sooner heard these words than he threw
+himself from his throne. He remained some moments extended on the
+ground without giving any signs of life. At length his eyes sought the
+courier, who had returned from Basra, and he asked for the despatch.
+The prince read it with much attention. He shut himself in his cabinet
+with Giafar, and showed him the letter from the king of Basra. After
+re-reading it many times, the caliph said,
+
+"This does not appear to me natural; I begin to suspect that the king
+of Basra and his vizir, instead of executing my orders, have put
+Aboulcassem to death."
+
+"My lord," said Giafar, "the same suspicion occurred to me, and I
+advise that they should both be secured."
+
+"That is what I determine from this moment," said Haroun; "take ten
+thousand horsemen of my guard, march to Basra, seize the two guilty
+wretches, and bring them here. I will revenge the death of this most
+generous of men."
+
+"We will now return to the son of Abdelaziz, and relate why the vizir
+Aboulfatah did not find him in the tomb. The young man, after long
+remaining insensible, was beginning to recover, when he felt himself
+laid hold of by powerful arms, taken from the coffin, and gently laid
+on the earth. He thought it was the vizir and his slaves come again on
+their cruel errand.
+
+"Executioners!" he cried, "put me to death at once; if you have any
+pity spare me these useless torments, for again I declare that nothing
+you can do will ever tempt me to reveal my secret."
+
+"Fear not, young man," answered one of the persons who had lifted him
+from the coffin; "instead of ill-treating you, we are come to your
+assistance."
+
+At these words Aboulcassem opened his eyes, and, looking at his
+liberators, recognized the young lady to whom he had shown his
+treasure.
+
+"Ah, madam!" he said, "is it to you I owe my life?"
+
+"Yes, my lord," answered Balkis; "to myself and prince Aly, my
+betrothed, whom you see with me. Informed of your noble behaviour, he
+wished to share with me the pleasure of delivering you from death."
+
+"It is quite true," said prince Aly; "I would expose my life a
+thousand times, rather than leave so generous a man to perish."
+
+The son of Abdelaziz, having entirely recovered his senses by the help
+of some cordials they had given him, expressed to the lady and the
+prince his grateful thanks for the service they had rendered him, and
+asked how they had been informed he still lived.
+
+"My lord," said Balkis, "I am the daughter of the vizir Aboulfatah. I
+was not deceived by the false report of your death. I suspected my
+father in this affair, and, bribing one of his slaves, was informed of
+all concerning you. This slave is one of the two who were with him in
+the tomb, and as he had charge of the key he confided it to me for a
+few hours. I no sooner made this affair known to prince Aly than he
+hastened to join me with some of his confidential domestics. We lost
+not a moment in coming hither, and, thanks be to heaven, we did not
+arrive too late."
+
+"Oh, Mahomet!" said Aboulcassem, "is it possible so unworthy and cruel
+a father possesses such a daughter?"
+
+"Let us depart, my lord," said prince Aly; "the time is precious. I
+doubt not but that to-morrow the vizir, finding you have escaped, will
+seek you in all directions. I am going to conduct you to my house,
+where you will be in perfect safety, for no one will suspect me of
+giving you an asylum."
+
+They then covered Aboulcassem with a slave's robe, and all left the
+tomb. Balkis proceeded to her father's, and returned the key to the
+slave, whilst prince Aly took the son of Abdelaziz to his own palace,
+and kept him so well concealed, that it was impossible his enemies
+could discover him. Aboulcassem remained some time in prince Aly's
+house, who treated him most kindly, until the king and his vizir,
+despairing of finding him, gave up their search. The prince then gave
+him a very beautiful horse, loaded him with sequins and precious
+stones, and said to him:
+
+"You can now safely depart; the roads are open, and your enemies know
+not what is become of you. Hasten to seek a place where you will be
+secure from harm."
+
+The young man thanked this generous prince for his hospitality, and
+assured him he should ever gratefully remember it. Prince Aly embraced
+him, and prayed heaven to protect and watch over him on his journey.
+Aboulcassem then took the road to Bagdad, and arrived there in safety
+a few days afterwards. The first thing he did on entering the city was
+to hasten to the place where the merchants usually assembled. The hope
+of seeing there some one he had known at Basra, and of relating his
+misfortunes, was his only consolation. He was vexed at being unable to
+find this place, and traversing the town, sought in vain for the face
+of a friend amongst the multitudes he met. Feeling fatigued, he
+stopped before the caliph's palace to rest a little: the page whom he
+had given to his former guest was then at a window, and the child
+looking by chance that way, instantly recognized him. He ran to the
+caliph's apartment.
+
+"My lord," he exclaimed, "I have just seen my old master from Basra!"
+
+Haroun put no faith in this report. "You are mistaken," he said;
+"Aboulcassem no longer lives. Deceived by some fancied resemblance,
+you have taken another for him."
+
+"No, no, commander of the faithful; I assure you it is he: I am
+certain I am not mistaken."
+
+Though the caliph did not believe this assertion, still he wished to
+fathom the mystery, and sent one of his officers with the page to see
+the man the boy declared was the son of Abdelaziz. They found him in
+the same place, for, imagining he had recognized his little page, he
+waited till the child reappeared at the window. When the boy was
+convinced he was not deceived, he threw himself at the feet of
+Aboulcassem, who raised him, and asked if he had the honour of
+belonging to the caliph.
+
+"Yes, my lord," said the child; "it was to the commander of the
+faithful himself--he it was whom you entertained at Basra--it was to
+him that you gave me. Come with me, my lord; the caliph will be
+delighted to see you."
+
+The surprise of the young man at this speech was extreme. He allowed
+himself to be conducted into the palace by the page and the officer,
+and was soon ushered into the apartment of Haroun. The prince was
+seated on a sofa. He was extremely affected at the sight of
+Aboulcassem. He hastened towards the young man, and held him long
+embraced without uttering a word, so much was he transported with joy.
+When he recovered a little from his emotion he said to the son of
+Abdelaziz:
+
+"Young man, open your eyes, and recognize your happy guest. It was I
+whom you received so hospitably, and to whom you gave presents that
+kings could not equal."
+
+At these words Aboulcassem, who was not less moved than the caliph,
+and who from respect had drawn his cloak over his head, and had not
+yet dared to look up, now uncovered his face, and said:
+
+"Oh, my sovereign master! oh, king of the world, was it you who
+honoured your slave's house?" And he threw himself at the feet of
+Haroun, and kissed the floor before him.
+
+"How is it," said the prince, raising him, and placing him on a sofa,
+"that you are still alive? Tell me all that has happened to you."
+
+[Illustration: ABOULCASSEM AND THE PAGE, p. 246.]
+
+Aboulcassem then related the cruelties of Aboulfatah, and how he had
+been preserved from the fury of that vizir. Haroun listened
+attentively, and then said:
+
+"Aboulcassem, I am the cause of your misfortunes. On my return to
+Bagdad, wishing to repay my debt to you, I sent a courier to the king
+of Basra, desiring him to resign his crown to you. Instead of
+executing my orders, he resolved to take your life. Aboulfatah, by
+putting you to the most frightful tortures, hoped to induce you to
+reveal your treasures; that was the sole reason he delayed your death.
+But you would have been revenged. Giafar, with a large body of my
+troops, is gone to Basra. I have given him orders to seize your two
+persecutors, and to bring them here. In the mean time you shall remain
+in my palace, and be attended by my officers with as much respect as
+myself."
+
+After this speech he took the young man by the hand, and made him
+descend to a garden, filled with the choicest flowers. There he saw
+basins of marble, porphyry, and jasper, which served for reservoirs to
+multitudes of beautiful fish. In the midst of the garden, supported
+upon twelve lofty pillars of black marble, was a dome, the roof of
+sandal wood and aloes. The spaces between the columns were closed by a
+double trellis-work of gold, which formed an aviary containing
+thousands of canaries of different colours, nightingales, linnets, and
+other harmonious birds, who mingling their notes formed the most
+charming concert. The baths of Haroun-al-Raschid were under this dome.
+The prince and his guest took a bath, after which the attendants
+rubbed them with the finest towels, which had never before been used.
+They then clothed Aboulcassem in rich apparel. The caliph conducted
+him to a chamber where refreshments awaited them, such as roasted
+fowls and lamb, white soups, pomegranates from Amlas and Ziri, pears
+from Exhali, grapes from Melah and Sevise, and apples from Ispahan.
+After they had partaken of these delicacies, and drunk some delicious
+wine, the caliph conducted Aboulcassem to Zobeide's apartment. This
+princess was seated on a throne of gold, surrounded by her slaves, who
+were ranged standing on each side of her; some had tambourines, others
+flutes and harps. At that moment their instruments were mute, all
+being attentively engaged in listening to a young girl whose charming
+voice rang through the saloon like the warblings of a nightingale. As
+soon as Zobeide perceived the caliph and the son of Abdelaziz, she
+descended from her throne to receive them.
+
+"Madam," said Haroun, "allow me to present to you my host of Basra."
+
+The young man prostrated himself before the princess. At this moment
+the vizir Giafar was heard returning with the troops, and bringing
+with him Aboulfatah securely bound. As for the king of Basra, he was
+left behind dying of grief and fright at not finding Aboulcassem.
+Giafar had no sooner rendered an account of his mission, than the
+caliph ordered a scaffold to be erected before the palace, to which
+the wicked Aboulfatah was conducted. The people knowing the cruelty of
+this vizir, instead of being touched with his misfortune, testified
+the utmost impatience to witness his execution. The executioner was
+already prepared, sabre in hand, to strike off the guilty man's head,
+when the son of Abdelaziz prostrating himself before the caliph,
+exclaimed, "Oh, commander of the faithful, yield to my prayers the
+life of Aboulfatah! Let him live to witness my happiness, to behold
+all the favours you are conferring upon me, and he will be
+sufficiently punished."
+
+"Oh, too generous Aboulcassem," replied the caliph, "you, indeed,
+deserve a crown! Happy the people of Basra to have you for their
+king."
+
+"My lord, I have one more favour to ask. Give to the prince Aly the
+throne you destined for myself. Let him reign, together with the lady
+who had the generosity to avert from me the fury of her father; these
+two lovers are worthy this honour. As to myself, cherished and
+protected by the commander of the faithful, I have no need of a crown;
+I shall be superior to kings."
+
+The caliph assented to this proposal, and to recompense prince Aly for
+the service he had rendered the son of Abdelaziz, sent him the
+patents, and made him king of Basra; but finding Aboulfatah too guilty
+to accord him liberty as well as life, he ordered the vizir to be shut
+up in a dark tower for the remainder of his days. When the people of
+Bagdad were informed that it was Aboulcassem himself who had begged
+the life of his persecutor, they showered a thousand praises on the
+generous young man, who soon after departed for Basra, escorted by a
+troop of the caliph's guards, and a great number of his officers.
+
+
+
+
+VIII.
+
+THE OLD CAMEL.
+
+
+Eggadi-ben-Yousouf, a merchant at Miliana, was a mere lover of gain;
+he never gave away any thing in alms; his heart was dry as the earth
+in the hottest days of summer, and never open to pity for the
+unfortunate. To amass, to amass for ever was the sole desire of
+Eggadi. But in what did his riches consist? None could say, for he
+concealed them with the utmost care.
+
+One day one of his camels having died, he bought to replace it the
+only camel of Ali-Benala, a poor dealer in mats. This camel was the
+sole heritage of which Ali came into possession at the death of his
+father. He sold it for much less than its value;--Eggadi, who was an
+adept at bargaining, depreciating it in every possible way, especially
+on account of its extreme age.
+
+On his next journey Eggadi added this camel to his little caravan. As
+he was passing a solitary place, he was surprised to see the camel
+betake itself with hasty steps to a spot at some distance behind some
+rocks, and on its arrival there kneel down and groan, as camels
+usually do when they expect to be unloaded. A negro, having run after
+the animal, brought it back to its place in the caravan.
+
+Eggadi soon took a second journey on the same road, and on this
+occasion too the camel sold him by Ali-Benala again quitted the rank,
+and was again observed to kneel down and groan at the same place.
+This time Eggadi followed it, and saw with surprise that the spot at
+which it stopped was one where no merchant of any country had been
+ever known to unload his merchandise. He reflected deeply on this
+circumstance, and in the end resolved to revisit the spot alone with
+the camel, who, faithful perhaps to some recollection, might, he
+thought, be the means of disclosing to him some mysterious act, or
+perhaps the place where a treasure lay concealed.
+
+Eggadi returned, in short, soon after, to this solitary spot. He had
+brought with him a spade, and proceeded to dig with care around the
+camel, who had invariably knelt in the same place. He had scarcely
+laboured ten minutes ere he discovered traces of another spade; this
+redoubled his zeal, and soon after, to his intense satisfaction, he
+came upon some bags of money, then a coffer firmly shut, but which
+contained, he could not doubt, objects of costly value. He first took
+the bags, which were filled with good and true Spanish doubloons; with
+these he loaded his camel, who thus had gained nothing but a double
+burden for his pains; then, having re-covered with stones and sand the
+precious coffer, which he resolved upon examining another time, he
+returned with his mind greatly preoccupied, asking himself whether it
+must not have been the old father of Ali-Benala to whom all the wealth
+he had just discovered formerly belonged.
+
+This question, which he could not help addressing to his conscience
+over and over again, prevented him from fully enjoying the possession
+of his treasure. Although he dearly loved money, yet Eggadi to obtain
+possession of it had never yet plundered the widow and the orphan. The
+first step in the road to evil is not accomplished without difficulty
+and without remorse; Eggadi painfully experienced the truth of this.
+"And yet," said he to himself, "I made a fair bargain with poor Ali
+for this very camel which has been the means of my finding a
+treasure."
+
+Before going to take possession of the coffer left underground behind
+the rocks, Eggadi, impelled by his conscience, approached the
+miserable shop where Ali carried on the sale of his mats, and said to
+him:
+
+"How comes it, Ali, that your father, rich as it is said he was, left
+you no fortune, only an old camel and a house in ruins?"
+
+"Ah!" replied Ali, "my father was good to the poor. Not only did he
+call every poor man his brother, but assisted him to the utmost of his
+power. At times, however, I have suspected that my father may have had
+riches concealed in some spot, and that he intended to bestow them
+upon me before he died. And I will tell you what led me to suppose so.
+
+"A few moments before his death he sent for me, and said: 'I have a
+great secret to confide to thee. Come close to me that my voice may
+reach thy ear alone: but before our conversation, my son, let us pray
+to Allah to grant us on this solemn day that which is best for us.'
+
+"We prayed, and in ten minutes my father was no more. Allah, no doubt,
+judged that that which was best for me was poverty. Allah be praised."
+
+Ali bowed his head profoundly, laying his hand upon his breast.
+Eggadi, much disturbed at the virtuous resignation of Ali-Benala,
+rejoined:
+
+"But thinkest thou, that if good fortune befel thee, thou wouldst know
+how to make good use of it?"
+
+"Allah alone knows," said Ali. "Should he ever see fit to make me
+rich, he will know how to fit me for the change. For myself, I cannot
+succeed in improving the poverty of my estate. I work incessantly, but
+nothing succeeds with me. My oxen, if I have any, drown themselves in
+crossing a torrent; my goods either do not sell or are damaged. I am
+destined to possess upon this earth nothing but this miserable hut,
+which has been my only home for ten years, But what matters it,
+provided I fulfil the law of the prophet? I shall see Abraham, in
+heaven. If at times my poverty renders me uneasy, it is only for the
+sake of my poor children, who live miserably in a house as open to the
+wind and the rain as though it were without a roof."
+
+"Well," said Eggadi, "it is certainly not just that such an honest man
+as thou should be in such a wretched state of poverty."
+
+"How! not just!" replied Ali. "Are there not, then, many honest men
+who are no richer than myself?"
+
+"That may be," said Eggadi. "Nevertheless, since thy father was rich,
+it seems to be but just that thou shouldst be so too, and I come to
+propose to thee to enter into partnership with me. I have two good
+houses outside the town; one shall be for thy family, the other for
+mine. We will live as brothers, and unite our children as in the time
+of the patriarchs."
+
+Ali remained greatly astonished at such a proposition, coming
+especially from Eggadi-ben-Yousouf, who had never had any friendship
+for him, and who so far from evincing any generosity towards him, had
+bargained with him for his poor camel like the veriest Jew in the
+world.
+
+He therefore remained silent, neither accepting nor refusing the
+offer, but looking with an abstracted air upon the mats in his
+miserable dwelling.
+
+"Well," said Eggadi, ashamed at the bottom of his heart at making this
+show of generosity to one whom he was secretly despoiling, "well, thou
+dost not reply to me?"
+
+"Grant me time to imitate the example of my father by invoking Allah
+before taking a resolution," said Ali. "Allah alone can know whether
+it will be best for me to keep at once my poverty and the freedom of
+all my actions, or to accept opulence and with it the necessity of
+being always of thy opinion; for bringing into our partnership nothing
+but my two stout arms, I should be an ingrate if I did not yield in
+every thing to thy wishes."
+
+Eggadi involuntarily cast down his eyes before this poor man who spoke
+with so much wisdom.
+
+"Well," said he again, "reflect till to-morrow, and come to me in the
+morning under the palm trees in front of my house; I will there await
+thee."
+
+Then these two men separated. Ali, praying in the mosque, thought he
+heard his father pronounce these words. "Never associate thyself save
+with him who has no more than thyself, and who already knows the right
+way. The good are spoilt by associating with the rogue and the miser,
+whilst neither rogue nor miser is reformed by association with one
+better than himself."
+
+The next morning Ali repaired to the palm trees which grew before the
+house of Eggadi, where the latter awaited him uneasy and fatigued
+after a sleepless night. After the usual Mussulman salutation,
+Ali-Benala said to the rich Eggadi:
+
+"How comes it that thou appearest sad, thou who possessest fine
+houses, coffers of gold, and merchandise, whilst I, I who have
+nothing, rise with a joyous heart, and smoke my pipe all day with
+pleasure, seated on the threshold of my poor shop?"
+
+"The weight of business overwhelms me," replied Eggadi; "I have great
+need of some one to share it."
+
+"Then why not diminish thy transactions, and live in peace?" inquired
+Ali.
+
+"No, no, it is impossible to set limits to one's purchases and sales.
+A fortunate speculation balances an unlucky one. You must accept all
+if you would grow rich. But come, hast thou decided? Wilt thou enter
+into partnership with me?"
+
+"I have reflected and prayed," said Ali. "I am very grateful for thy
+offers, and Allah will doubtless recompense thee; but prudence forbids
+me to accept them. I will never enter into partnership but with one
+who is as poor as myself."
+
+"Indeed!" exclaimed Eggadi-ben-Yousouf, "be no longer then surprised
+at thy poverty, since thou refusest the opportunity of enriching
+thyself. The traveller who does not stop beneath the first trees he
+meets runs the risk of not finding another upon his road, and of
+performing the whole journey without enjoying their refreshing shade.
+Such a man would have no right to complain of the dust of the roads,
+or the heat of the sun."
+
+"I do not complain," replied Ali, "I come, on the contrary, to tell
+thee that I live and sleep in peace."
+
+"It is well, it is well," said Eggadi, who had not closed his eyes
+till the morning, "it is well, remain as thou art. Instead of gold
+pieces, be content to receive rain-drops through thy roof, eat bread
+when thou hast any, and go fasting oftener; it concerns me no more."
+
+"I should be a fool," added he internally, "to trouble myself any
+longer about the poverty of this man." And he remembered his fine
+house, where gilded cakes, a delicious repast, and rich and rare
+fruits awaited him.
+
+He ate his meal in company with his sons; then he washed his beard and
+hands, rose from the table, and called his wife, his daughters, his
+mother, and his grandmother, and said to them, "Women, eat in your
+turn; this is for you."
+
+The women respectfully kissed his hands, and proceeded to make their
+meal, whilst he went and sat down out of doors, and smoked with his
+sons, to whom he spoke as follows whilst a negro waited upon him with
+coffee:
+
+"I am about to take another journey. During my absence see to such and
+such things, and do not forget any of my orders, if you would not run
+the risk of becoming poor, poor--" he was going to say, "as Ali, the
+seller of mats," but this name excited too keenly his remorse; he
+could not venture to pronounce it.
+
+So that in spite of the good repast of which he had just partaken,
+Eggadi felt ill at ease, for the thought was ever recurring to him,
+"Ali is poor, his father was rich, and it is I who have unjustly taken
+possession of his father's wealth." Meanwhile Eggadi had this very
+moderate relief, he might still enjoy the benefit of a doubt as to
+whether the father of Ali was really the possessor of the discovered
+treasures. However, the coffer left behind the rocks would doubtless
+throw a light upon this matter. Eggadi proceeded at once in search of
+this coffer; he opened it, and his eyes, dazzled though they were by
+the precious objects that met their gaze, were constrained to perceive
+at the same time a sheet of parchment, upon which the following words
+were very distinctly inscribed:
+
+"All the treasures buried in this spot have been lawfully acquired, or
+received in heritage by me, Mustapha Selim. I bequeath them to my only
+son, Ali-Benala, who has ever been a faithful servant of Allah, and
+respectful towards me. May he, and his children, and his children's
+children inherit and enjoy these possessions, to which I add my
+benediction."
+
+As soon as Eggadi had read these words a profound sadness took
+possession of him, for he could no longer doubt that these hidden
+riches were the inheritance of Ali-Benala. If therefore he
+appropriated them, he was a despoiler of the poor and the orphan. It
+would have been so delightful to have been able to keep up the
+illusion, and to say to himself: "This wealth was without an owner;
+Allah has been pleased to bestow it on me!" But if Eggadi had never as
+yet committed any very culpable actions, he had never done any good
+ones, and did not merit the protection of heaven. He dared not doubt
+that by keeping unlawful possession of the property of Ali he should
+incur the wrath of heaven; at the same time he could not bring himself
+to renounce it. He took the coffer, carried it home, meditating by
+turns on the uses to which he might turn his great fortune, and on
+what might be done by way of compromising his conscience for poor Ali,
+his children, and his children's children.
+
+Arrived at his own house, he placed his treasures in a large chest,
+which he kept thenceforth in the chamber where he passed his nights.
+By day, too, this coffer often served him for a seat; whilst scarce a
+day passed without his opening it, to assure himself that nothing had
+disappeared. He kept it carefully fastened with the aid of several
+locks and a master key, of which he never gave up the possession.
+
+Eggadi contemplated a thousand times these treasures acquired with so
+little trouble; if we can call that gained with little trouble which
+is purchased at the price of our peace of mind. And each time after
+having contemplated them, he would repeat to himself the words of Ali,
+"Allah will no doubt recompense thee." "Ah! if he recompenses me as I
+deserve," he could not help reflecting, "he will send me great
+disasters indeed."
+
+Pursued by the dread of a heavy chastisement, Eggadi became so
+miserable in the midst of his fine family and his treasures, that he
+formed the project of quitting his country, where the sight of Ali,
+his humble house and miserable shop, haunted him incessantly. So he
+adjusted his affairs, collected his merchandise, and then communicated
+his intention to his children and his servants.
+
+But whilst, spurred on by a secret terror, he was hastening the
+preparations for his departure, Allah, on whose will depend all things
+on earth and in heaven, visited him with a severe fever, accompanied
+with delirium, during which he spoke incessantly of the old camel of
+Ali, of concealed treasures, and the vengeance of Heaven.
+
+Salmanazar, an old Jew doctor, had charge of Eggadi; he heard the
+incoherent ravings of his patient, and immediately divined them to be
+the result of preceding mental anguish. Thanks to the skill acquired
+by medical science, and still more to the intuition engendered by the
+desire of self-enrichment, the old Jew was not slow in comprehending
+that there was a secret relating to a treasure unjustly acquired, and
+he saw no reason, moreover, why he should not be a partaker in the
+booty.
+
+He found means therefore to remove all the attendants, and
+constituting himself sole guardian of the sick man, seated himself by
+his bedside and patiently awaited the auspicious moment which should
+deliver into his merciless keeping a soul harassed by the stings of
+remorse.
+
+This moment at length arrived; Eggadi ceased to be delirious, and as
+though awakening from a painful dream, drew a long breath, and cast
+looks of inquiry around him.
+
+Salmanazar, who had been watching for this opportunity, then
+exclaimed: "Eggadi! Eggadi! you Mussulmans cry, 'God is great,' but
+you do not believe it, for if you did, how could you dare enrich
+yourselves at the expense of the poor man and his children? Thou art
+rich, Eggadi, and Ali is poor."
+
+"What sayst thou?" cried the sick man, distending his eyes with terror
+as dismal recollections thronged upon him.
+
+"I say that thou hast a treasure which should not belong to thee, and
+that this is why thou hast the fever, and why moreover thou wilt die,
+unless I save thy life by my profound science. Restitution must be
+made; nay, if indeed thou wert to do good with this treasure to poor
+Jews like me, God would perhaps pardon thee, but thou takest care to
+give us nothing. If I cure thee what will be my profit? a few
+miserable doubloons, which I shall have all the same if thou diest;
+for thy sons will give them me, and if they refused to pay me, I
+should summon them before the cadi. Thus, whether thou livest or
+whether thou diest is much the same to me. Nevertheless, if I had a
+mind I could easily cure thee, and cause thee still to live, that thy
+days might be long upon the earth. But what profit would this be to
+me?"
+
+"Cure me, cure me," cried the sick man, "and I will give thee far more
+than my sons would give thee, far more than the cadi would grant thee
+did my children refuse thee payment. I will give thee twenty
+doubloons; nay, fifty. That would be a fine thing for thee."
+
+"It would be a much better thing for thyself," chuckled Salmanazar.
+"Of what use will thy doubloons be to thee when thou art dead? I
+demand five hundred doubloons for curing thee, and I will have them at
+once, for in an hour's time I shall demand a thousand, and if you then
+delay deciding there will be no longer any time to choose."
+
+"A thousand doubloons!" exclaimed the patient; "I will not even give
+thee five hundred. If I did,--Allah would not pardon me the more, even
+supposing I really am guilty of what thou suggested."
+
+"Well, then, thou wilt die," rejoined Salmanazar, settling himself
+again in his chair.
+
+The chamber of the sick man was gloomy. A small lamp cast a fitful
+light upon one corner, while the rest seemed inhabited by nothing but
+dim shadows. An odour of fever and its remedies pervaded the
+atmosphere; out of doors,--for it was night,--the dismal cry of the
+jackals seeking food resounded, whilst the deep baying of the
+neighbouring dogs was heard without intermission. The weather was
+windy and tempestuous. All this but served to increase the deep
+depression which filled the soul of Eggadi. He threw a wistful look
+around his shadow-haunted room; it fell upon the old Jew who was
+watching him askance, his large dark eyes dimmed by ophthalmia, and he
+asked himself whether the old man with his prominent nose, yellow
+visage, long, lean and withered arms, habited in a scanty and dirty
+garment, were not some evil genius come thither to curse him for his
+crime, and drag him to the bottomless pit of perdition.
+
+Nevertheless, Eggadi contrived to raise himself up in a sitting
+posture on his bed. He collected all his strength, drew a long breath,
+sighed feebly, and said:
+
+"Well, I have decided, Salmanazar; give me the remedy which will make
+my days long upon the earth."
+
+"Give me first the five hundred doubloons," said Salmanazar.
+
+"I have them not here," replied the sick man.
+
+"Tell me where they are, I will go and get them."
+
+"That is impossible," said Eggadi; "but summon Bankala, my black
+slave, he will bring me the key of my coffer, and the coffer itself
+which contains my treasures."
+
+"Well and good," replied Salmanazar; and he summoned Bankala.
+
+Eggadi gave some orders to the slave in a language unknown to
+Salmanazar, and he disappeared. He returned shortly with two other
+slaves, whom he placed like two sentinels by the side of his master's
+bed.
+
+"Send away those men," said Salmanazar to the sick man. The latter
+replied, "They are needed to go and bring the coffer as soon as
+Bankala shall have given us the key; he and I alone know where it is
+hidden."
+
+"It is well," said the Jew; and he held his peace, looking alternately
+at the sick man and the two slaves.
+
+"What wilt thou do to effect my cure?" began Eggadi to inquire of the
+Jew in a doleful tone.
+
+"Thou shalt see--thou shalt see," replied the latter. And they both
+awaited the return of the slave with an equal anxiety, which they in
+vain strove to conceal.
+
+Bankala made them wait a long time, but when at length he did return,
+Ali, the poor seller of mats, followed upon his footsteps. "Arise
+quickly," had been the summons of the slave to him; "Eggadi my master
+summons thee in the name of Allah, and desires to see thee before he
+dies." Ali had hastened to obey. At sight of him the Jew trembled.
+Eggadi, on the contrary, felt himself happy and reassured.
+
+"Come hither, Ali," said he; "come and behold a man guilty but
+repentant. The example of thy virtues did not suffice to bring me back
+to the path of duty: it was necessary that I should be struck by
+misfortune. Thanks to Heaven misfortune has befallen me. Ali! Ali! it
+was I who bought of thee the old camel which was left thee by thy
+father. That camel no doubt aided him in concealing the great wealth
+he would fain have bestowed upon thee ere he died. I discovered this
+wealth, and I conceived the iniquitous design of keeping it, instead
+of restoring it to thee in accordance with the demands of justice. I
+was on the point of quitting my country to avoid the further sight of
+thy poverty, the unceasing reproach to my crime, when Allah visited me
+with a terrible malady, and a still more terrible physician. This
+physician, whom thou there beholdest, having discovered my secret,
+instead of urging me to the restitution of my ill-acquired fortune,
+dreamt only of sharing it with me, and threatened me with death if I
+refused the division of the plunder.
+
+"His horrible conduct, his avarice and cruelty combined, have inspired
+me with horror, and have shown me to what lengths an inordinate love
+of gold may lead. I have mourned for my fault, and have taken a sudden
+resolution to repair it. By deceiving this skilful man, I have been
+enabled to send for thee, and before him I declare that I render thee
+up joyfully all the treasures which are enclosed in the chest upon
+which Salmanazar is seated."
+
+Salmanazar started up on hearing these words. How! he had been
+actually sitting upon the treasure and had not divined it.
+
+Eggadi continued:
+
+"Consider, Ali, what will be most suitable to bestow upon this Jew. He
+demanded of me five hundred doubloons down, or a thousand in an hour's
+time, if I desired to live. I think that five hundred blows with a
+stick should be his recompense; at the same time I am unworthy to
+judge any man in this world. Thou who art just, act towards him as
+thou thinkest best, but deign, above all things, to grant me thy
+forgiveness."
+
+Ali was of course greatly surprised at all he had just heard. He took
+a moment to collect his thoughts and then said:
+
+"Eggadi-ben-Yousouf, I pardon thee willingly; and to prove it, I say
+to thee as thou once saidst to me:
+
+"Let us enter into partnership, let us live as brothers, and unite our
+children as in the time of the patriarchs. As for Salmanazar, let his
+only punishment be to behold the riches he would have forced thee to
+share with him, and after having seen them, let him return home
+without money and without blows."
+
+The wish of the wise Ali was put into execution. The coffer, the key
+of which Eggadi had about him, was opened; and the Jew, though still
+trembling with the fear of receiving the blows, could not help eagerly
+regarding the gold and precious stones which were revealed to his
+cupidity. Then he departed, filled with grief at having missed his
+aim, and at not having been himself the fortunate purchaser of the old
+camel of Ali. This event was engraven on his memory, and caused him to
+regard with looks of eager anxiety all the old camels whom he chanced
+to meet. He often stopped before them, and seemed to endeavour to
+trace in their movements some mysterious sign which might lead to the
+discovery of hidden treasures.
+
+Eggadi, having his conscience at ease, regained his health without the
+aid of any other physician. He became the adopted brother of Ali, who
+insisted on sharing with him his newly-acquired fortune; and these two
+men, their children, and their children's children, continued to live
+together wealthy and united.
+
+
+
+
+IX.
+
+THE STORY OF MEDJEDDIN.
+
+
+Many hundred years ago there lived in the famous city of Bagdad a
+retired merchant named El Kattab. The earlier part of his life had
+been assiduously devoted to commercial pursuits, in the prosecution of
+which he had made many a long journey, and crossed many a sea. In the
+course of his wanderings he had not only amassed the wealth he sought,
+but, what was better, had stored his mind and memory with the
+treasures of wisdom and general information. The property he had
+acquired was far from immense, yet it was amply sufficient to enable
+him to live in a style of substantial comfort and respectability, and
+to devote himself to the darling object of his declining years, the
+education and training of his only son.
+
+El Kattab's beard was grey, yet he had not very long passed the prime
+of life, and still retained most of the vigour and elasticity of his
+earlier years. He was wise enough to be content with the quiet
+enjoyments of a moderate affluence, and had no desire to wear out the
+rest of his life in the feverish labour of constant acquirement, for
+the mere sake of amassing a splendid fortune; therein differing from
+too many of his friends, who seemed to forget in their headlong
+pursuit of enormous riches, that by the time these might be acquired,
+life would be nigh spent, and at any rate all its charms gone, unless
+some higher and nobler object had been substituted for that of mere
+wealth-getting.
+
+The city of Mossul had been El Kattab's home in his earlier days; but
+he quitted it, and took up his abode in Bagdad, partly in order to be
+near his friend Salek, with whom he had been on the most intimate
+terms from his youth; partly, too, for the sake of his son's
+education, as he expected that a residence in the latter city would
+produce good and lasting impressions on the mind of the young man; for
+the great city of Bagdad was at this time under the rule of the
+far-famed caliph Haroun al Raschid, and was the resort of strangers
+from all parts of the globe; and here artists and sages of all
+countries mingled with each other. Nor had El Kattab conceived a vain
+expectation. His son, whose name was Medjeddin, was a young man gifted
+with good natural abilities, and endowed with a pure and noble heart.
+He used every opportunity to extend his knowledge and 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 not only, therefore, as was natural
+enough, 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 son, so the latter, with
+all the fervour of a well-directed mind, clung affectionately to his
+father.
+
+Some years passed over them in this mutual love, rendered still more
+delightful by the companionship of their friend Salek, and their
+happiness was full and uninterrupted. It chanced one day that El
+Kattab and Salek were taking their accustomed walk in the 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 usual length.
+They passed the last garden, and wandered on over some green
+meadow-land, behind a little wood, at the entrance of which stood high
+palms, whose shadows invited to repose, while a fresh spring gushed
+from a neighbouring rock, and meandered among the verdant herbage and
+variegated flowers.
+
+The two friends lay down in the shade, and conversed on the perils to
+which even the most virtuous men are subject, particularly enlarging
+on the danger of an over-confidence in the rectitude of our own
+intentions, and on the comparative ease with which a sudden impulse
+will sometimes hurry even the best of men, who possesses an
+overweening reliance on his own firmness of purpose, into a false or
+even fatal step in life.
+
+"I have known men," observed Salek, "who, although among the best and
+noblest I have ever met in the course of my life, have been led
+unawares, by too great self-confidence, into an action which they
+might easily have avoided by moderate caution, but which has proved
+the beginning of a long chain of evils, ending at last in their
+complete ruin."
+
+El Kattab, on the contrary, maintained that a heart accustomed from
+early youth to virtue, would not be easily led to commit a serious
+fault; and even if this should happen, that it would readily find its
+way back from a slight error to the right road. They continued to talk
+on these subjects, each endeavouring to confirm his assertions by
+examples, whilst Medjeddin, stretched beside them, listened with
+attention to their conversation. Suddenly he sprang to his feet, and
+ran quickly up the woody hill, at the foot of which they were
+reposing. His father and Salek looked after him surprised, as they
+could not comprehend what had occasioned his sudden disappearance.
+They then 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 called to him to come back; but in vain. They
+waited for a quarter of an hour, and still Medjeddin did not return.
+Growing uneasy about him, they advanced in the direction in which he
+had disappeared, but could discover nothing. At last the sun set; then
+Salek said, "Let us return home: your son is a strong, active young
+man; he will easily find his way back to the city. Perhaps he has gone
+home some other way, and will be there before us."
+
+After much opposition, the father was 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 Medjeddin: but he
+had not returned. Salek's cheering suggestions were of no more avail;
+El Kattab would no longer listen to him, but threw himself weeping on
+his couch. Salek 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 all at
+once.
+
+"He has no doubt found a shelter where he will remain till morning,"
+continued he; "he will return here early to-morrow, and will laugh
+heartily at your fears."
+
+When Salek was gone, El Kattab gave free scope to his feelings. He
+wept aloud, tore his beard, and dashed himself upon the ground, like a
+madman. The slaves stood around in motionless astonishment, surprised
+to see their master exhibiting such passionate emotion; others sought
+to console him, but fruitlessly; at length they all began to cry and
+bewail with him for his dear son, who was beloved by them all. After a
+sleepless night, the afflicted father rose not at all quieted. He
+wished early in the morning to send messengers in all directions; but
+Salek, who had come to inquire if the lost one had returned home,
+explained to him how foolish this step would be.
+
+"Consider," said he, "that your Medjeddin has most probably found a
+night's lodging, and slept better than you. Supposing him, therefore,
+to be at any probable distance, even if he had set out on his way at
+daybreak, he could hardly be here now: 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 mid-day."
+
+El Kattab yielded; he appointed the messengers to be ready at noon,
+and in the meanwhile walked through the gardens and in the country
+around the city, where they had been on the preceding day. His friend
+accompanied him, although he pointed out that Medjeddin might, in the
+interval, have reached home while they were walking, and that El
+Kattab was thus perhaps giving himself more trouble than was
+necessary.
+
+"I have yielded to you in the rest," replied El Kattab; "let me at
+least in this instance have my own will, and 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 seen a young man, whom they
+accurately described. Nobody could give them any information about
+him. El Kattab now sent out his messengers in all directions;
+promising a rich reward to the one who should lead his lost son back
+to his arms. The messengers returned on the tenth day, and reported
+that all their researches had been without success. At this the
+parent's grief knew no bounds. His friend Salek remained almost
+constantly with him, comforting him; and all his friends held a
+consultation on the possible means of gaining tidings of Medjeddin.
+They agreed that he could not have been killed, for then his corpse
+would have been found: that he had no cause to conceal himself: that
+he could not have been attacked by enemies, as he had none: might he,
+they suggested, in the pursuit of the bird, have been led to the brink
+of the river, and have thrown himself in, and been carried away by
+the stream? scarcely had this idea presented itself, ere two
+messengers were despatched to each side of the river to search, from
+its junction with the Euphrates above Balsora to the spot where it
+flows into the Arabian Sea, and ascertain if the corpse of Medjeddin
+had been washed ashore. But these messengers also returned to the
+anxious parent, without having found what they sought. The parent and
+his friend now gave up Medjeddin for lost; El Kattab's spirit was
+broken; grief for his lost son shortened his life; he soon became old:
+all joy fled from his mind; and his sorrow was only a little
+alleviated when his faithful friend Salek sat by him in the evening,
+talking with him of his son, relating the virtues by which he had been
+distinguished, and telling him how it had been his darling wish that
+this excellent young man should marry his daughter Maryam.
+
+A few days afterwards the caliph Haroun al Raschid went, as he was
+accustomed, in disguise, with his grand vizier Giafar, and Mesrur 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 the
+joys and pleasures of his subjects, as they had then ended their daily
+toils, and were seeking comfort and repose in the bosoms of their
+families. In the course of his progress he came to a street remarkable
+for its peculiar 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 El Kattab; and, as
+usual at this hour, his friend Salek is sitting 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, the man turned away, and entered
+the house, and the other followed him.
+
+"Have you ever heard of this unfortunate El Kattab before?" asked
+Haroun al Raschid of his grand vizier; and as he answered in the
+negative, the caliph proceeded, "Let us make an inspection of the
+house where this El Kattab 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 applied his eye to the aperture, and after he
+had watched for some time, beckoned his followers to him, and said,
+"Two grey-headed men are sitting in this court by the light of a lamp,
+and one seems to be comforting the other; but this latter continues to
+weep all the more bitterly, the more his companion endeavours to
+console him: both appear to be of the same rank. I am desirous of
+knowing what sorrow oppresses the unfortunate El Kattab: 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. El Kattab was
+alarmed when he heard that his presence was required at the palace. He
+was led into the great hall where the divan usually assembled; but
+there the attendants left him quite alone. 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 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. El Kattab rose from the
+ground, and bowed his head down to the carpet on which the caliph
+stood.
+
+"El Kattab," said the caliph, "a heavy weight of grief seems to
+oppress you; and by the anxiety which your neighbours manifest to show
+respect for your sorrow, I must consider you as a man of worth: I wish
+then to know the cause of your despondency; have you any objection to
+inform me of it before these two witnesses, or would you rather
+confide to me alone the reason of your tears?"
+
+"Ruler of the faithful," answered El Kattab, "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."
+
+The caliph replied, "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. If I am careful for my whole kingdom, this care none the less
+extends to each individual; and, if 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 affliction?"
+
+El Kattab then recounted the mysterious disappearance of his son; how
+he had sought for him every where, and how 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 in
+tears perhaps my sorrow might expend itself, if at the same time a
+spark of hope did not live in my heart, that possibly he is still
+alive: but ah! where? This spark of hope keeps the wound in the
+father's heart always open."
+
+"You have, indeed, 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 into 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 in order to do my pleasure. That
+which was not possible to yourself, your friends, and your servants to
+accomplish, may perhaps prove easy for me. Now go home, and believe
+that you shall obtain news of your son, if he live 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 recognised.
+
+When El Kattab was sitting again with his friend Salek in the evening,
+he related to him the gracious and comforting words of the caliph.
+Salek perceived that hope was revived in his friend's heart, and that
+he confidently trusted to find his son. He thought it his duty,
+therefore, to damp somewhat this hope, and said, "Beloved friend, I
+have once heard a speech, which sunk deeply in my memory: it is,
+'Trust not in princes; they are but men.' In truth, the mightiest on
+earth are subject to destiny. If the caliph have influence in distant
+lands, it must still be within a comparatively confined and narrow
+limit; whilst what is in the farthest regions of the earth, as well as
+what is but a span distant, are all equally under the control of
+all-governing fate, even from the meanest slave to the ruler of the
+faithful."
+
+Haroun al Raschid meanwhile resolved to do all he could to fulfil the
+hope he had raised in El Kattab's heart. He gave a commission to all
+his servants in the 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 on terms of friendship, at the same time
+despatching messengers with the charge to search for Medjeddin with
+all diligence, giving them a description by which they might recognise
+him if they found him. But week after week, and month after month
+passed away; even a whole year elapsed, without any intelligence being
+received either of the life or death of the lost one. So that all hope
+of finding him deserted the father for ever.
+
+Medjeddin, meantime, had not perished--none of the accidents suggested
+by his father's advisers had befallen him; he still lived, but in such
+complete concealment that it was impossible for any one to discover
+him. He had 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 at the same time so slowly. The tardiness of its flight
+made him conjecture that it must have hurt one of its wings; several
+times he succeeded in getting quite close to it, but just as he
+stretched out his hand to seize it, the bird again raised its wings,
+and flew a little in advance. Medjeddin 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 climbed a hill, and soon after found himself in a narrow
+meadow-valley, down which he ran; 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 seize his prisoner, it flew away, leaving only one of its
+tail-feathers tightly grasped in his hand: still he saw it through the
+twilight flying before him, and still he hastened after it. The bird
+seemed now to quicken its pace; but as he had so nearly caught it
+once, he continued the pursuit with more eagerness; he ran through the
+high grass, with his strained sight fixed on this glimmering white
+object, he saw nothing else. Thus he came unexpectedly on a small but
+deep pool of water, which lay across his path; he jumped in, swam
+across, and tried to climb the other side, but it was so steep that he
+fell in with some of the crumbling earth: the water closed over his
+head, and he lost all consciousness. When he came to himself, he found
+himself lying on the turf, and a tall, grey-headed man of strange
+appearance by him, clothed in a long black robe reaching to his
+ancles, and fastened by a glittering girdle of a fiery colour. Instead
+of a turban, he wore a high pointed cap on his head, with 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 the stranger raised him from the ground, passed his
+left arm round his body, and flew with him through the air with the
+speed of an arrow. Medjeddin again soon lost recollection, and did not
+know how long he remained in this condition. He awoke at last as from
+a deep sleep; and looking around, the first thing he observed was a
+cage of gold wire, hanging 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 which served as windows were
+protected by lattices so skilfully contrived with winding tracery,
+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, was received in a white basin beneath,
+from which it disappeared unseen. Whilst he was observing this, and
+wondering what had happened to him, and how he came there, suddenly
+the old man in the black robe entered 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, and have it safe 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. Medjeddin 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 from any he had before seen. The hall seemed to be
+high in the air, as if it were the upper story of a lofty tower. No
+other edifice was to be seen, and from the windows he could not
+distinguish what shrubs and plants bloomed beneath. He drew the
+curtain aside, and discovered a doorway; 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 lattices, that he might put his head out,
+and see if there were any body beneath, to whom he might cry out.
+There was no door; he could not open the lattices; and as far as he
+could strain his sight in every direction, he could see nobody: he
+threw himself in despair on the pillow, 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 a grating of
+iron." Then he rose and shouted through 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 these useless efforts, he observed that the white bird
+fluttered restlessly in its prison, and pecked at the golden dish for
+its food, without finding any.
+
+"Poor brother in misfortune," said Medjeddin, "you shall not suffer
+want; I will take care of you; come, I will bring you what you want."
+
+He took the pans from the cage, filling one with water from the urn,
+and 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 this had happened; still it
+was not long before he attacked the meats with the zest of a young man
+who had fasted nearly all day. Although these viands were altogether
+different from those he had been accustomed to taste in his father's
+house, they all appeared excellent. He ate till he was fully
+satisfied, and then took from the table a golden cup, and quenched his
+thirst with pure water from the urn. After this he threw himself on a
+couch and fell asleep. When he awoke he felt strong and well. He arose
+and began to make another tour of the hall, and he then observed that
+the table with the meats had disappeared. This was a disappointment,
+as he had thought to make a good supper of the remainder. He did not
+allow this, however, to trouble him much, as he now felt pretty sure
+that he was not to die of hunger. He next proceeded to scrutinise his
+prison more closely: he examined all anew, pillars, walls, and floor;
+but could no where find a crevice or a fissure: all was fast and
+whole. His view from the windows did not allow him to make any further
+discovery; he only saw that he was very far above the earth, and in a
+spacious valley; mountains were to be seen in the distance, with
+curiously-pointed summits. 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 gazed at him with its bright eyes,
+which seemed as if sense and speech lay in them, the interpretation
+only was wanting.
+
+Night put an end to these reflections. Next morning he observed that
+the bird again wanted food. He filled its seed-pan with grain from his
+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; Medjeddin 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-pan. He could not perceive who brought the table, nor how it
+disappeared. It always came whilst 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 rest for you;
+you have performed your duty during the preceding days in giving the
+bird its food, you may now 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; he then opened a small metal trap-door,
+and then Medjeddin descended twenty steps more: they next came to a
+similar door, and descended twenty more steps to a third, 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.
+Medjeddin 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 stories, each about fifteen feet
+in height. The tower was nine-sided, with a window in the third side
+of each story, so arranged that no window was directly over another,
+and that consequently only three altogether appeared in each side of
+the tower from bottom to top. 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; 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. He found the gardens surrounded on all sides
+by a lofty wall, constructed of the same materials, and quite as
+glassy, as the tower. After making the whole circuit of the garden, he
+at length found a gate, consisting of a grating of strong iron bars,
+polished to the highest degree of smoothness, and 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 he lost his hold and
+fell backwards on the earth. He next examined the grating closely to
+see if there were no means of escape; but all was in vain: every where
+the bars were high, thick, and like polished glass. Sorrowfully 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 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 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 again 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 grating. But
+there was something wanting for this work; he had not even a dagger or
+a knife. As he thus thought, 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 Medjeddin,
+"what is the matter? are you ill?" It seemed as if the bird was
+affected by these sympathising 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 mean time 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."
+
+One day the old man appeared and led him into the garden as usual; 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. Medjeddin also remarked that the white bird, which he had
+learnt to love more every day, sat at the bottom of its cage, more
+mournful than it usually was after the old man's visit. He drew near,
+and observed a little door in the cage 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, and worked into the
+ornamental parts of the cage so cunningly, that nobody could have
+discovered them if his attention had not been drawn to them by design
+or accident. Medjeddin pushed back the bolt and opened the door; the
+bird started up as if some sudden joy had seized it, hopped out, and
+as soon as it touched the floor was transformed, and in its stead a
+young maiden stood before Medjeddin, clothed in a white silk robe;
+beautiful dark locks streamed over her neck and shoulders, and a thin
+fragrant veil fell over them, confined by a fillet set with precious
+stones; her finely-formed countenance was as white as ivory, relieved
+by the softest shade of the rose. Surprised and astonished, Medjeddin
+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 helpless 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 Omar, king of Zanguebar; 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 his son with him, and praises his excellent qualities. This he
+has done regularly for many months past, tormenting me at every visit
+for my consent to this odious union; and he now threatens me with
+cruel tortures if I give it not by 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 continue to entreat: 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 maiden," answered Medjeddin, "how willingly would I free you!
+but, alas, I am as helpless as yourself, and cannot even free myself.
+But tell me how is it? 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.
+
+"But even then," pursued Medjeddin, "the son could not conceal himself
+from me on the stairs, or in the narrow passage."
+
+"Quite true," she answered, "but he carries him in his pocket."
+
+"What," exclaimed Medjeddin in astonishment, "in his pocket!--how can
+that be?"
+
+The princess informed him that the young man became on the occasion of
+each visit 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 the pertinacious obstinacy of a brutal affection, would
+follow her and settle confidingly near her. "You must," she continued,
+"have remarked how tired and mournful I always was on the ninth day
+when you returned."
+
+Medjeddin, astonished at this explanation, assured her of his
+willingness to free her, but bewailed his helplessness. The princess,
+however, would not give up hopes of their success. "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 I can be
+delivered from the magician's power; on any other day I should still
+have remained a dumb bird, even if you had freed me from my cage; only
+on this day has my touching the floor had power to restore me to my
+natural form; the enchantment lies in the cage."
+
+Medjeddin instantly seized the cage, exclaiming, "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 like thunder resounded through the
+air. The whole building shook as with a furious tempest, the doors
+flew open with a crash, 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?"
+
+Medjeddin was so terrified he could answer nothing. The enchanter then
+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 thence a small
+box; this he opened, and a white bird flew out and perched on the
+table. He then took a smaller box from his girdle and opened it,--it
+was filled with grains of millet; from these he took one, and laid it
+before the bird, who had scarcely eaten it before such a distorted man
+stood in its place, that both Medjeddin and the princess screamed
+aloud. His head was large and thick, his eyes red and dark, his nose
+small and quite flat, his lips thick and blueish red, his chin broad
+and projecting, and on his head grew a few stiff white hairs; a hump
+grew out in front, and a similar one behind; his shoulders were quite
+drawn up, and his head so jammed between them that his ears could not
+be seen. The upper part of his body was so unwieldy, 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.
+
+"Come forward, my son," said the enchanter to this deformed 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 own 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
+to motion him away. But by this time Medjeddin's courage had returned:
+resolving to venture all, he stepped before the princess and gave the
+deformity such a blow that he reeled and fell backwards. His head
+struck in the fall on the corner of the pedestal of one of the marble
+pillars with such violence, that his skull was broken: a stream of
+blood flowed from the wound, and the monster gave a hollow groan.
+Medjeddin thought of nothing but 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, and appeared stupified with horror
+and amazement. Presently he threw himself down beside him, examined
+the injury, and wrung his hands, forgetting his revenge in his sorrow.
+Medjeddin quickly seized the hand of the princess, and led her through
+the door and down the stairs: all the doors were open, and they found
+their way without any obstacle into the garden. Soon they stood before
+the grating of the iron gate, which was closed.
+
+"Of what use is our flight?" said Medjeddin despondingly; "we are
+still as much as ever in the power of the enchanter; and even if we
+were on the other side of the gate, and concealed 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 many of the
+things on which the superior power of this magician depends, and I
+believe that if we could only get out of this place, we should be
+safe."
+
+They went on a little further, and came to a spot where a number of
+trees had been uprooted by the hurricane; one of these lay overturned
+with its summit resting on the top of the wall, and its boughs and
+branches hanging far over the other side. At this sight the young man
+rejoiced; he climbed quickly on to the trunk, pulling the princess
+after him, and guiding her with great care and tenderness into the top
+of the tree. They then clambered over the wall in spite of a
+formidable row of spikes, and let themselves down on the other side by
+the overhanging branches of the tree. These did not quite reach to the
+ground, but near enough for them to leap down; they let go
+accordingly, and fell gently to the earth; then jumping up, they
+proceeded as rapidly as the strength of the princess and the
+difficulties of the way would allow them, through thickets, underwood,
+and plains studded with prickly plants, towards the distant mountains.
+
+After the two fugitives had continued their flight for several hours
+without looking back on the scene of their imprisonment, the princess
+felt her strength exhausted, and that she could go no further; she
+begged her companion, therefore, to stop and rest for a short time.
+Medjeddin sought a place free from bushes, and clad with moss and long
+grass; they seated themselves there, and Medjeddin entreated the
+princess to relate her history. She was too much exhausted at first,
+but after a short pause recovered her strength and commenced thus:
+
+"My early history is very simple. I am called Jasmin, the only
+daughter of the sultan of Zanguebar. My mother was brought over the
+wide-stretching sea, from beyond Arabia and Mount Caucasus, and was
+sold to him as a slave. Soon attracted by her beauty and manners, he
+raised her to the dignity of wife. My earliest youth was spent in
+happy sports under my mother's eyes, who died, however, 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. My father
+loved me as his greatest treasure, and confided 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. On that day we always went
+together in a light bark to a neighbouring promontory, where he had a
+beautiful palace and gardens. The air there was 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 mean time 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 Mundiana Mesoud, often accompanied us in these
+visits to the castle on the promontory.
+
+"It happened one day, as we were sitting on a terrace by the sea, that
+a foreign ship anchored just below us. A stranger 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
+his wares, and begged my father to admit him. The man laid many costly
+trinkets of gold and precious stones before us; and my father bought
+some which pleased me the most. I remarked that the merchant watched
+me closely, but he did this with such evident pleasure that my vanity
+ascribed it to his admiration of my charms, and found no harm in it.
+Whilst he showed his goods, he let fall some words which intimated
+that he had left his most precious articles behind in the ship; he had
+there, he said, many curious birds, particularly a snow-white bird
+which was the most beautiful of all creatures of this kind. He managed
+thus to excite my curiosity so much that I begged my father to allow
+me to go with the stranger to his ship to see these rarities. My
+father was weak enough to comply with this unreasonable wish. A
+suitable train ought to 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 strangers came
+into his ship. 'They are only things fit for the royal princess,' he
+said; 'there is no fear that I should expose her to danger. I can
+never forget that a powerful king has entrusted his only daughter to
+my care. However, the prince may accompany you as a watchful
+protector.' We accompanied 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 cabins 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 sort of box; and as I could not
+see it distinctly, he took it out and placed it in my hand. 'The most
+wonderful circumstance,' said he, 'connected with this bird is, that,
+being a native of a far distant country, when removed to this it can
+only remain a few days alive, but I have found the corn of life of
+which I give it some grains 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
+Mesoud. When I offered the grain to the bird, it refused it; and when
+I pressed my hand closer, 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, however,
+with a sort of 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 at 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. Upon this 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 and the attendants on the terrace, and could
+distinguish their gestures of wonder as they saw the ship depart; I
+believed even 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 any thing of prince Mesoud.
+
+"When my home was far in the distance, and even the summit of the
+mountains which overhung it 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 do not 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 round the cage. 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 up
+immediately. It was then changed into a man, the same ugly wretch you
+saw 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. It
+was also part of my enchantment to be obliged to allure you here. I
+have now no other wish than to return to my father in Zanguebar,
+because I know he is living in great affliction."
+
+This relation vividly reminded Medjeddin of his own father; he knew,
+from the great love he had always shown him, that he must have pined
+for his loss, and his mournful countenance and bowed-down form
+presented themselves before his mind. "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 seen you safe into the hands of those who will
+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 it was necessary to find a resting-place for the night; fortune
+was favourable; they soon found a nook overhung by a large and lofty
+bush. Medjeddin broke away the boughs, so as to form a hedge which
+fenced round a small spot in which he concealed the princess, leaving
+only a narrow entrance, before which he lay down to watch. Night
+passed without danger. However anxiously Medjeddin strove against
+sleep in order to watch over his companion, it at last weighed down
+his eyelids; and they both awoke with the first rays of the sun. They
+wandered the whole day, resting occasionally; 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
+mountains. There they found cultivated land and human habitations.
+Medjeddin inquired where they were, and asked the way to the sea. The
+people told them the name of the country, which was unknown to
+Medjeddin and to the princess Jasmin, and added, that on the other
+side of the high mountains lay a large flat land, bordering on the
+sea. They received this information with great joy, and, tired and
+footsore as they were, addressed themselves, without loss of time, to
+the task of crossing the mountains, and at last, after a wearisome
+journey, during which they had seen the sun rise and set seven times,
+they arrived at the flat country and the sea-coast of which they had
+been told. A ship lay ready at anchor; and when they inquired its
+destination, the steersman answered, "We are going to Zanguebar, to
+fetch a cargo of cinnamon." To Medjeddin's question where they came
+from, and the name of the land where they were, 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 the fillet on her forehead, and gave it for the passage money
+of herself and her companion. The following morning they weighed
+anchor, and, after a prosperous voyage, reached the very 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 Jasmin led her deliverer through
+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 hastily forwards, they concealed themselves behind a bush,
+for on the terrace sat a venerable and noble-looking man, with the
+profoundest melancholy stamped on his features; he was looking
+seawards, and the vessel had just caught his eye; 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.
+
+The princess Jasmin was rushing towards him, but Medjeddin held her
+back, and said, "Let me first prepare him for your arrival, for
+otherwise joy may kill him." And he came forward, and bowed himself
+before the sorrowing old man.
+
+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."
+
+Medjeddin stood up and answered, "From my appearance, you might well
+take me for a beggar, O great king Omar. But know that under these
+ragged clothes is concealed a magician, who is able to change your
+tears into smiles, your sobs into transports of joy."
+
+"Can any man on earth do this?" asked Omar.
+
+"I have only to speak three words," answered the other, "and it will
+happen. Are you strong enough to support the highest joy that your
+heart can feel or conceive?"
+
+At these questions, a ray of hope kindled in the soul of the mourning
+father. "What is it? Who are you who can promise this?" asked he; and,
+on Medjeddin repeating his question, he answered, "I think so,"
+regarding him, at the same time, with eager looks.
+
+"Approach, princess Jasmin," cried the youth; and she sprang forward
+into her father's open arms.
+
+Medjeddin's promise was indeed fulfilled; the aged monarch's tears
+were changed into smiles of joy. Their embrace continued long. At last
+Omar raised himself, beckoned Medjeddin to approach, and said, "You
+are indeed a magician such as I have never seen before. By your 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, nor 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 the king's barge, and soon the joyful
+news of the unexpected reappearance of the princess spread every
+where. Crowds assembled at the palace to ascertain if the news were
+true, and the princess at length went out of the principal gate of the
+palace, and showed herself at the head of the flight of steps which
+led up to it. Then arose a shout of joy from ten thousand voices, and
+loud wishes for her health and happiness.
+
+The next day, after the king had heard from his daughter the history
+of her imprisonment, and of the devotion with which Medjeddin had
+watched over her and when Medjeddin had in turn narrated his history
+Omar became 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 placed over the people next to the king."
+
+After longer consultation, the eldest of the councillors rose, and
+said, "Omar, my king and lord, the youth has certainly performed a
+great service to you and the princess Jasmin; it seems to me,
+therefore, that his reward ought to come from you. It is fitting that
+the king, having received from him a great benefit in his family,
+should reward him from his family. Were I in such a case, I would
+constitute him 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," said he, "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 so
+good a husband. The prince Mundiana Mesoud, whom I had before chosen,
+has disappeared; and this youth, although of lower birth, is of noble
+soul, and will soon, under my guidance, acquire the necessary
+experience to enable him to promote justice and order in my kingdom."
+
+He did not delay, but immediately caused Medjeddin 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 immediately added their congratulations.
+
+Medjeddin expressed his gratitude in becoming terms, but inquired,
+smiling, what was the precise nature of the dignity conferred on him.
+
+The eldest councillor stepped forward and said, "This name points out
+the highest post of honour which the king can bestow. You are found
+worthy of this honour, and no other lives who bears the title, because
+the Mundiana Prince Mesoud 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
+officer was placed, and led through the streets. Heralds went before
+him, and cried aloud, "Listen to what Omar 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 Jasmin for his wife. To-morrow the betrothal will be
+celebrated; and every body is invited to the court of the palace to
+partake of the general joy."
+
+Medjeddin hardly knew how all this had come about. He had 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 Jasmin, but was to succeed Omar on the throne, and to reign
+over that beautiful and rich land. In his happiness he forgot his
+early life, his father's sorrow, and even his playfellow Maryam and
+his father's faithful friend Salek, and thought no more of his home or
+his father-land. 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, although, she felt a very sincere
+friendship for her intended husband, and treated him with great
+respect and attention, as she did not forget in her prosperity how
+much she had owed to him in the time of misfortune. The first days and
+weeks after the ceremony of betrothal were devoted to recreation and
+amusement, after which he was formally introduced by the king to the
+council, and instructed in the business of the state. The king and
+councillors had soon reason to wonder at the acuteness of his judgment
+in difficult cases, and above all, at his quick perception of right
+and order. Throughout the country, 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 Jasmin, in her apartments. He happened to enter very rapidly
+after his announcement by the attendant, and saw the princess hastily
+wiping her eyes; and as he drew nearer, he perceived the traces of her
+tears. Sympathising with her, he asked the cause of her grief; 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 constant heart. You know that I was formerly beloved by
+prince Mesoud, the son of the neighbouring king; I related to you that
+this prince was changed into a black bird 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 the desire to ascertain his
+fate, and I have obtained certain news of his present condition, by
+the secret knowledge of a certain wise man. I have learned that he
+still lives in his new form, and that he has flown away, from fear of
+the machinations of the demon hunter, called among us Dolda Waldas,
+and is now in far 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 his mournful destiny has drawn these tears from my
+eyes, the traces of which you observed."
+
+This narrative made a deep impression on Medjeddin; he discovered that
+Jasmin had acceded to her father's wish only from gratitude and filial
+obedience, whilst her affections were still fixed on the absent
+prince. He saw that he could purchase the good fortune of being the
+husband of the noble princess, and son-in-law of the great king Omar,
+and after him king of Zanguebar, only by the misfortunes of prince
+Mesoud. He asked himself if this were right, and was obliged to
+confess that 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 his imagination
+pictured 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 Zanguebar.
+Scarcely had these thoughts and feelings arisen in his breast, than he
+made up his mind: he went to the king, told him all, and begged him to
+let him go and fulfil a son's duty to a father whom he had too long
+neglected. Omar sighed deeply at these disclosures of his expected
+son-in-law; he proposed to send a ship to bring his father, so that he
+might spend the rest of his life in sharing his son's good fortune and
+companionship. Upon this Medjeddin 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 that the prince Mesoud must, through my
+happiness, always remain in his present condition, if I thus take away
+the possibility of his ever returning to his human form, I should be
+in the highest degree culpable, if I did not voluntarily give up my
+good fortune."
+
+All the persuasions and arguments of Omar 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 seek
+information about prince Mesoud 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, including many precious stones from his treasury, and
+provided him with a ship, and all necessaries for the voyage.
+
+The heavens seemed to favour the resolution of the returning son: the
+finest 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, and recognised the very place where he had lain
+at the feet of his father and Salek, and listened to their
+conversation; their last discourse there returned to his memory.
+"Well," said he to himself, "my own experience has indeed proved how
+true it is that it is easy for a man to be seduced from virtue into
+one false step, if he be not watchful, but relies on his own power: I
+thought that my heart was sure to be always right, and neglected the
+practice of weighing carefully each action beforehand. In this manner
+have I so much forgotten my love for my father, and had nearly
+committed a great wrong, having been about to sacrifice to my vanity,
+in the intoxication of good fortune, the happiness of the princess and
+her betrothed. And you, my 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
+brought me up to what was good." As he spoke, he espied a small
+solitary hut where the palm-trees used to stand. A venerable man, much
+marked by sorrow, appeared at the door; he stood still before the
+threshold, and regarded the youth with astonishment; the young man
+gazed earnestly at him. Then suddenly recognising the features of the
+old man, he threw himself on his knees before him, seized his hand,
+and covered it with kisses.
+
+"My father," cried he, "is it so indeed? have you become so much
+altered in the course of so few years? that is my fault. Father,
+forgive your offending son, who forgot you in the height of
+prosperity."
+
+El Kattab extended 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 again, he saw a man approaching, accompanied by a
+maiden, whose features he recognised. It was Salek and his daughter
+Maryam, Medjeddin's playfellow. After welcoming him, they sat down,
+and Medjeddin related to them all that had happened to him since the
+memorable 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 greatness, and by honours. As they
+were sitting and conversing, they observed three birds coming up from
+a distance, and who seemed to be chasing one another. They soon
+perceived that one of them was a black bird flying in great fright
+from a large hawk. It was obvious that the hawk would soon have seized
+his prey, had he not been pursued in turn by a larger bird, to avoid
+which, he was often compelled to dart from side to side: at last they
+came to close conflict. The pursued black bird fell into Medjeddin's
+lap; the hawk, struck by his pursuer, fell to the ground at their
+feet, and was, by the strong hooked bill and sharp claws of his
+adversary, soon killed and torn to pieces. Scarcely had this taken
+place, when the conqueror changed into a venerable-looking sage. He
+turned to Medjeddin, who was quite astonished, and said: "Dip quickly
+your forefinger in the blood of this slain bird, and anoint with it
+the beak of the black one."
+
+Medjeddin obeyed immediately; and scarcely had he touched the black
+bird's beak with the blood, ere it was transformed, and a handsome
+youth in kingly dress stood before them.
+
+"Guess who this is," said the genius.
+
+"The prince Mesoud?" asked Medjeddin.
+
+The genius answered, "It is he!" And as he stood looking at the young
+prince with astonishment, added, "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 for you to perform all this, that you might be tried: you
+are found worthy, and Heaven rewards you with Maryam, the early
+companion of your youth, now to be your wife."
+
+Then Medjeddin turned towards Maryam, and looked inquiringly at Salek,
+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 transformed the princess Jasmin and the prince Mesoud. 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 El Kattab, who had built his hut at the
+edge of the wood to be always near the place of his sorrow, dwelt
+again in his house with his children. The prince proceeded to
+Zanguebar in the same ship that had brought Medjeddin. He was received
+there with great joy, and was soon married to his early love. But
+Medjeddin'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 Medjeddin'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. And when Giafar, his aged vizier,
+expressed a wish to end his life in quietness, the caliph raised
+Medjeddin to the grand viziership; and he continued long in this
+office, to the pleasure of his friends and the happiness of the
+people, by whom he was greatly beloved.
+
+
+
+
+VIII.
+
+THE STORY OF KING BEDREDDIN-LOLO AND HIS VIZIR ATALMULC.
+
+
+The city of Damascus is one of the most populous and flourishing
+cities of the East, and to this capital of a rich kingdom travellers
+and caravans arrive from all the countries of the world. Its
+sovereigns bear the title of "Prince of the Believers," and their
+person is sacred.
+
+Bedreddin-Lolo, king of Damascus, had for his grand vizir a man
+celebrated in history for his goodness. This minister, whose real name
+was Aswad, but whose great virtues had acquired for him the surname of
+Atalmulc[9], was in every way worthy of the high name he had so
+obtained; uniting to an indefatigable zeal for the king's service a
+vigilance that nothing could deceive, a penetrating and capacious
+mind, and a disinterestedness that was universally admired. But he was
+surnamed the "sorrowful" vizir, because he appeared to be always
+plunged in a profound melancholy. Whatever he did at court was
+performed in a grave and serious manner, and he never smiled at the
+wittiest remark that was made in his presence.
+
+One day the king entertained this vizir and Sedif-Elmuloak, his
+favourite, and related to them, laughing immoderately all the while,
+the following misfortunes that happened to a rich old miser.
+
+
+THE OLD PAIR OF SLIPPERS.
+
+There was at Bagdad a merchant very notorious for his avarice, and his
+name was Abou-Cassem-Tambouri. Although he was enormously rich, his
+clothes were constantly in rags and tatters, and his turban, made of
+coarse stuff, was so dirty that its colour could no longer be
+distinguished. Of all his garments, however, his slippers were the
+most remarkable; the soles were kept together by large, clumsy nails,
+and the upper leathers were pieced in every direction. The famous ship
+Argo was not made up of a greater number of separate fragments. During
+the ten years of their existence as slippers, the cleverest cobblers
+of Bagdad had exerted their utmost skill to tag together their
+remains, and had only succeeded by adding piece on piece, by which
+means they had become so heavy, that they had passed into a proverb;
+and when any one wished to describe something weighty, the slippers of
+Cassem were always the object of comparison.
+
+One day, when this merchant was taking a walk in the great bazaar of
+the city, a proposal was made to him to buy a considerable quantity of
+glass; he agreed to the offer, because it was an advantageous one; and
+having heard a few days afterwards, that a perfumer who had fallen
+into difficulties had nothing left but some rose-water, which he would
+of course be obliged to sell as speedily as possible, Cassem took
+advantage of the poor man's misfortune, and purchased it at less than
+half its value. This successful stroke of business had put him into
+good humour, and instead of giving a great feast, according to the
+custom of Eastern merchants, when they have made an excellent bargain,
+he thought it better to take a bath, a luxury which he had not enjoyed
+for a long time.
+
+Whilst he was taking off his clothes, one of his friends, or at least
+one who pretended to be a friend--for it is a rare thing for a miser
+to have one--remarked to him that his slippers made him the
+laughing-stock of the whole city, and that he certainly ought to
+purchase a new pair.
+
+"I have long thought of doing so," replied Cassem; "but my old ones
+are not so very bad, and will last me for some time even yet." While
+talking, he stripped off his clothes, and entered the bath.
+
+At this juncture the cadi of Bagdad came also to take one. Cassem,
+having finished his bath before the judge, went into the first
+apartment, where he found his clothes, but not his slippers, which had
+disappeared, and in their place was a new pair, which our miser was
+convinced were a present from the man who had made him such a friendly
+remonstrance about them. With that he made no more ado, but put the
+new pair on his own feet, thus sparing himself the pain of buying new
+ones, and left the bath overjoyed with his prize.
+
+When the cadi had finished his bath, his slaves looked about in vain,
+for their master's slippers, and finding only a wretched pair, which
+were immediately recognized as Cassem's, the police ran after the
+supposed sharper, and brought him back with the stolen goods upon his
+feet. The cadi, after having exchanged the slippers, sent Cassem to
+prison; and, as he was well known to be rich as well as avaricious, he
+was not allowed to come out of prison until he had paid a handsome
+fine.
+
+On returning home the afflicted Cassem threw his slippers, in a rage,
+into the Tigris, which flowed beneath his windows. A few days after,
+some fishermen, drawing up a net heavier than usual, found in it
+Cassem's slippers. The nails, with which they had been patched, had
+broken the meshes of the net. The fishermen, out of spite to Cassem
+and his slippers, threw them into his room by the open window, and in
+their passage they struck the bottles containing the rose-water, and
+knocking them down, the bottles were broken and the water totally
+lost.
+
+The grief and wrath of Cassem on seeing this may easily be conceived.
+He cursed his slippers, and tearing out the hair from his beard, vowed
+that they should cause him no more mischief; and so saying, he took a
+spade, and digging a hole in his garden, buried them there.
+
+One of his neighbours, however, who had borne him a grudge for a long
+time, perceived him turning up the earth, and ran and told the
+governor that Cassem had dug up a treasure in his garden. This was
+enough to excite the cupidity of the officer, and he sent forthwith
+for Cassem. In vain our miser declared that he had not found money,
+that he was only employed in burying his slippers. The governor had
+calculated on his bribe, and the afflicted Cassem could only regain
+his liberty by paying down a second large sum.
+
+Our friend, in an extremity of despair, consigned his slippers to
+Shitan[10], and went and threw them into an aqueduct at some distance
+from the city, thinking that this time he should hear no more of them.
+But as though the evil spirit he had invoked was determined to play
+him a trick, the slippers somehow found their way just to the very
+pipe of the aqueduct, by this means preventing the flowing of the
+water. The persons who had the care of the aqueduct having gone to
+ascertain the cause of the stoppage, and to remove it, carried
+Cassem's slippers to the governor of the city, declaring them to be
+the cause of all the injury. Their unfortunate owner was thrown again
+into prison, and condemned to pay a larger fine than before. The
+governor who had punished the offence, and who pretended to be
+indebted to no one for any thing, returned Cassem's precious slippers
+to him again most faithfully; and Cassem, in order to free himself
+from all the evils which they had brought upon him, resolved to burn
+them. As they were saturated with water, he first of all put them out
+to dry in the sun on the terrace of his house. But Cassem's evil
+genius had not yet quite done with his tricks, and the last which he
+played him was the worst of all.
+
+A neighbour's dog prowling along the terrace on the housetops spied
+out the slippers, and, darting at them, carried off one of them. As,
+however, the dog was playing with it, and tossing it about, he
+contrived to let it fall off the terrace on to the head of a woman who
+happened to be passing below. The fright and the violence of the blow
+together, made the poor woman quite ill; and her husband having
+carried his complaint before the cadi, Cassem was condemned to pay a
+fine proportionate to the misfortune of which he had been the cause.
+Going home, he took up his slippers, and returned to the cadi with
+them in his hands.
+
+"My lord," he exclaimed with a vehemence which excited the judge's
+laughter, "my lord, look at the fatal cause of all my troubles! These
+abominable slippers have at length reduced me to poverty; be pleased
+now to issue a decree, in order that the misfortunes which they will,
+no doubt, still continue to occasion, may not be imputed to me."
+
+The cadi could not refuse to comply with this request, and Cassem
+learned, at great expense, the danger there is in not changing one's
+slippers often enough.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The vizir listened to this story with such a serious countenance that
+Bedreddin was astonished.
+
+"Atalmulc," he said, "you are of a strange disposition; you seem
+always sad and melancholy. During ten years that you have been in my
+service I have never seen the slightest sign of pleasure on your
+countenance."
+
+"May it please your majesty," replied the vizir, "you need not be
+surprised at it; all have their secret sorrows; there is no man on
+earth who is exempt from them."
+
+"Your remark is surely untrue," replied the king. "Do you mean to say
+that all men have some secret anxiety preying on their minds, because
+you appear in that state? Do you really believe this to be the truth?"
+
+"Yes, your majesty," replied Atalmulc; "such is the condition of all
+the children of Adam; our bosoms are incapable of enjoying perfect
+ease. Judge of others by yourself. Is your majesty quite contented?"
+
+"Oh, as to me," exclaimed Bedreddin, "that is impossible! I have
+enemies to deal with--the weight of an empire on my hands--a thousand
+cares to distract my thoughts, and disturb the repose of my life; but
+I am convinced that there are in the world a vast number of persons
+whose days run on in unruffled enjoyment."
+
+The vizir Atalmulc, however, pertinaciously adhered to what he had
+stated, so that the king, seeing him so strongly attached to his
+opinion, said to him:
+
+"If no one is exempt from vexation, all the world, at any rate, is not
+like you, wholly overcome by affliction. You have made me, however,
+very curious to know what it is that has rendered you so pensive and
+sorrowful; tell me therefore the reason of your melancholy."
+
+"I shall comply with your majesty's wish," replied the vizir, "and
+reveal the cause of my secret cares to you, by relating the history of
+my life."
+
+
+THE HISTORY OF ATALMULC, SURNAMED "THE SORROWFUL VIZIR," AND THE
+PRINCESS ZELICA.
+
+I am the only son of a rich jeweller of Bagdad. My father, whose name
+was Cogia Abdallah, spared no expense in my education; having from my
+earliest infancy hired masters, who taught me the various sciences,
+philosophy, law, theology, and more particularly the different
+languages of Asia, in order that they might be useful to me in my
+travels, if I should ever make any in that part of the world.
+
+Shortly after this my father died, and when the funeral ceremony,
+which was magnificent, was over, I took possession of all his immense
+property. Instead of giving myself up to the pursuit of pleasure, I
+resolved to devote myself to my father's profession. Being well versed
+in the knowledge of precious stones, I had reason to believe that I
+should succeed in business, and accordingly I went into partnership
+with two merchant jewellers of Bagdad, friends of my father, who were
+about to undertake a trading expedition to Ormus. At Basra we hired a
+vessel, and embarked on our enterprise from the bay which bears the
+name of that city.
+
+Our companions on board were agreeable; the ship wafted by favourable
+winds glided swiftly through the waves. We passed the time in festive
+mirth, and our voyage promised to end as pleasantly as we could
+desire, when my two associates gave me a startling proof that they
+were not the honourable characters I had supposed. We were just at the
+end of our voyage, and being in good spirits on that account, we held
+a sort of farewell feast, and did ample justice to some exquisite
+wines which we had laid in at Basra. For my part, being in the highest
+spirits, I made copious libations, and, on retiring to rest, lay down
+on a sofa, without taking off my clothes. In the middle of the night,
+while I was buried in profound slumber, my partners took me up in
+their arms, and threw me over-board through the cabin window. Death
+would seem inevitable under the circumstances, and in truth it is
+still impossible for me to imagine how I was fortunate enough to
+survive such a catastrophe. The sea was running high at the time, but
+the waves, as if Heaven had commanded them to spare me, instead of
+overwhelming me, bore me to the foot of a mountain, and cast me
+violently on shore. As soon as I recovered the shock, I found myself
+safe and sound on the beach, where I passed the remainder of the night
+in thanking God for my deliverance, at which I could not sufficiently
+wonder.
+
+At break of day I clambered up with great difficulty to the top of the
+mountain, which was very steep, and met there with some peasants of
+the neighbourhood, who were occupied in collecting crystal, which they
+afterwards sold at Ormus. I related to them the danger in which my
+life had been placed, and my escape seemed miraculous to them, as well
+as to myself. These worthy people took pity on me, gave me part of
+their provisions, which consisted of honey and rice, and as soon as
+they had finished gathering their crystal, acted as my guides to the
+great city of Ormus. I put up at a caravansary, where the first object
+that met my eyes was one of my associates.
+
+His surprise was great at seeing a man whom he no doubt believed to be
+safely housed in some marine monster's stomach, and he ran off
+instantly to find his companion, in order to acquaint him with my
+arrival, and to plan how they should receive me. They soon settled as
+to their course of proceeding, and, returning to the place where I
+was, they took no notice of me, and studiously conducted themselves as
+though they had never seen me before.
+
+"O traitors!" I exclaimed, "Heaven frustrated your murderous
+intentions, and in spite of your cruelty I am still alive; give me
+back instantly all my precious stones; I will no longer associate with
+such vile wretches."
+
+On hearing these words, which ought to have overwhelmed them with
+shame and remorse, they had the impudence to reply:
+
+"O thief and rogue! who are you, and where do you come from? What
+precious stones do you speak of that we have belonging to you?"
+
+So saying, they set on me, and gave me several blows with a stick. I
+threatened to complain to the cadi, but they anticipated me by going
+to that judge themselves. Bowing down before him, after having
+previously taken care to present him with some valuable brilliants,
+which no doubt belonged to me, they said to him:
+
+"O lamp of justice! light which dispels the darkness of deceit! We
+have recourse to you. We are poor strangers, come from the ends of the
+earth to trade here; is it right that a thief should insult us, and
+will you permit that he should deprive us by an imposture of what we
+have acquired at the risk of our lives, and after running a thousand
+dangers?"
+
+"Who is the man of whom you make this complaint?" asked the cadi.
+
+"My lord," they replied, "we do not know him, we never saw him before
+this morning."
+
+At this moment I presented myself before the judge, to make my own
+complaint, but as soon as they saw me they exclaimed:
+
+"Here is the man--here is the wretch, the arrant thief! He is even
+impudent enough to venture into your palace, and show himself before
+you, the very sight of whom ought to frighten the guilty. Great judge,
+condescend to protect us."
+
+I now approached the cadi, in order to address him, but having no
+presents to make to him, I found it impossible to get him to listen to
+my story. The calm and unmoved aspect with which I spoke to him,
+proceeding from the testimony of a good conscience, was thought by the
+cadi's prejudiced mind to arise from impudence, and he ordered his
+archers to convey me instantly to prison, an order which they lost no
+time in executing. So that while I, an innocent man, was loaded with
+chains, my partners departed, not only unpunished but in triumph, and
+well persuaded that a new miracle would require to be wrought to
+deliver me from the hands of the cadi.
+
+And, indeed, my escape from my present difficulty might not have been
+of so fortunate a nature as that from drowning, had not an incident
+occurred which showed the goodness of Heaven still visibly displayed
+on my behalf. The peasants who had brought me to Ormus, having heard
+by chance that I had been put in prison, moved with compassion, went
+to the cadi, and told him in what way they had fallen in with me,
+together with all the details which they had heard from myself on the
+mountain.
+
+This recital began to open the eyes of the judge, and caused him to
+regret that he had not listened to me. He forthwith resolved to
+investigate the matter; and first of all sent to the caravansary to
+inquire for the two merchants, but they had hastily decamped, and
+returned on board the ship, which had put to sea; for in spite of the
+bias of the cadi in their favour they had taken the alarm. Their rapid
+flight effectually convinced the judge that I had been committed to
+prison unjustly, and he gave orders to set me at liberty. Such was the
+termination of the partnership I had entered into with the two honest
+jewellers.
+
+As one saved from drowning, and the hands of justice, (or rather
+injustice,) I might well have considered myself eminently bound to
+return thanks to the Almighty. My situation, however, was such as to
+render me rather indifferent as to what might happen to me; for I was
+without money, without friends, without credit, and reduced either to
+subsist on charity, or to perish of hunger. I quitted Ormus, without
+knowing what would become of me, and walked in the direction of the
+prairie of Lar, which is between the mountains and the Persian Gulf.
+On arriving there, I met a caravan of merchants from Hindostan, who
+were setting out for Schiras, and, joining myself to them, I gained a
+subsistence by rendering myself useful on trifling occasions. On our
+arrival at Schiras, where the shah Tahmaspe held his court, I stopped
+for some time in that city.
+
+One day, when returning from the great mosque to the caravansary where
+I lodged, I saw an officer of the king of Persia, richly dressed and
+very handsome; looking at me attentively, he came up to me and said,
+"Young man, from what country do you come; for I see you are a
+stranger, and evidently not in a very prosperous condition?" I
+replied, that I came from Bagdad, and that his conjecture was but too
+well founded. I then related my history more at length, to which he
+listened attentively, and with much feeling for my misfortunes. He
+next asked me how old I was; and when I told him that I was nineteen
+years of age, he desired me to follow him, and walking before me
+proceeded to the king's palace, which I entered along with him.
+Conducting me into a very elegant apartment, he asked me, "What is
+your name?" I replied, "Aswad;" he then asked many other questions,
+and being satisfied with my replies, said at last:
+
+"Aswad, your misfortunes have affected me greatly, and I wish to
+assist you as a father: I am the capi-aga[11] of the king of Persia;
+there is now a place vacant for a new page, and I have appointed you
+to it. You are young and handsome, and I cannot make a better choice,
+for there is not one among the present pages who surpasses you in good
+looks."
+
+I thanked the capi-aga for his kindness, and he forthwith took me
+under his command, and caused me to be equipped in the dress of a
+page. I was made acquainted with my duties, which I soon learned to
+discharge in such a manner as to gain the esteem of the zuluflis[12],
+and to confer honour on my protector.
+
+There was a rule that no page of the twelve chambers should, under
+pain of death, remain in the gardens of the seraglio after a certain
+hour, when the women were accustomed occasionally to walk there. The
+same rule extended to all the officers of the palace and the soldiers
+of the guard. Being in the gardens one evening quite alone, and musing
+on my misfortunes, I became so lost in thought that I did not perceive
+that the proper time for men to leave the gardens was already past:
+knowing that no time was to be lost, I quickened my pace in order to
+enter the palace, when just as I was turning the corner of one of the
+walks, a lady appeared before me. She was of a majestic stature, and
+in spite of the darkness I could see that she was both young and
+beautiful. "You are in a great hurry," she remarked; "what can it be
+that obliges you to walk so fast?"
+
+"I have very good reasons for doing so," I replied, "and if you belong
+to the palace, as doubtless you do, you cannot be ignorant of them.
+You know that men are forbidden to appear in the gardens after a
+certain hour, and that whoever breaks this rule suffers death."
+
+"You have been rather slow in remembering the rule," replied the lady,
+"for the hour is long past; however, on another account you may thank
+your stars you have loitered, for if you had not, you would not have
+met with me."
+
+"How unfortunate for me that I should have mistaken the time," I
+exclaimed, thinking only that I had placed my life in danger.
+
+"Don't reproach yourself," said the lady; "if you do, I shall feel
+offended. You ought to look on your misfortune to be rather a source
+of congratulation. It is very true that the danger in which you are
+placed presents ideas disagreeable enough, but it is not quite so
+certain that you will be beheaded, for the king is a good prince, who
+may be induced to forgive you. Who are you?"
+
+"I am one of the pages," I replied.
+
+"Indeed!" she exclaimed, "you make very wise observations for a page;
+the grand vizir could not make better. Well, don't distress yourself
+about what may happen to-morrow, the events of which are hidden from
+you, and are only known to Heaven, which has perhaps even now prepared
+a means of escape for you. Leave then the future to take care of
+itself, and think only of the present. If you knew who I am, and the
+great honour conferred upon you by this adventure, instead of
+poisoning the precious moments by bitter reflections, you would esteem
+yourself the most fortunate of mortals."
+
+By such animating language the lady at length dispelled my fears: the
+idea of the punishment which threatened me vanished from my mind as I
+abandoned myself to the flattering ideas which she held out to me, and
+I proceeded somewhat over ardently to ingratiate myself with my
+companion. The next moment, however, as if at a signal from her, I
+found myself surrounded by ten or a dozen women who had concealed
+themselves close by, in order to listen to our conversation. It was
+easy now to see that the woman who had played me this trick was
+laughing at me. I supposed she was one of the female slaves of the
+princess of Persia who was desirous of having a little amusement at my
+expense. All the other women ran quickly to her assistance, and,
+bursting into laughter, began to surround me, and to joke with me.
+One remarked that I was of a lively character, and well fitted for an
+amusing companion. "If I should ever walk all alone at night," said
+another, "I hope I shall meet with somebody quite as clever as this
+page." Their pleasantries put me quite out of countenance, while every
+now and then they laughed outrageously, and I felt as ashamed as if
+they had rallied me for being too bashful. They even made themselves
+merry at my having permitted the hour for leaving the gardens to
+escape me, and said that it would be a pity if I were to die on that
+account; and that I well deserved to live since I was so devoted to
+the service of the ladies. The first one then, whom I had heard
+addressed as Cale-Cairi, said to another, "It is for you, my princess,
+to determine respecting his lot: is it your wish that he should be
+abandoned to his fate, or shall we lend him our assistance?"
+
+"He must be saved from the danger he is in," replied the princess: "I
+give my consent for him to live; and, indeed, to the end that he may
+remember this adventure of his for a long time to come, we must make
+it still more agreeable to him; let him come to my apartments."
+
+When I entered the chamber of Zelica Begum--for such was her name, and
+she was the princess of Persia--she inquired my name, and how long I
+had been a page. When I had satisfied her curiosity on these points
+she said:
+
+"Well, Aswad, make yourself at home, and forget that you are in an
+apartment which is forbidden to be entered by any man: forget that I
+am Zelica: speak to us as if you were with a party of young ladies,
+the daughters of plain citizens of Schiras: look attentively at all
+these young women, and tell me frankly which one among us all you like
+best."
+
+Although Zelica's slaves were perfectly beautiful, and the princess
+herself might be considered to have a just claim to the preference, my
+heart decided at once in favour of the charming Cale-Cairi; but
+concealing sentiments which would seem to cast Zelica into the shade,
+I said to her that she ought not to place herself in the same rank
+with the others, or contend with her slaves for the possession of my
+heart, for that her beauty was such that wherever she was seen, all
+eyes must be directed to her, and her alone. While speaking thus,
+however, I could not resist looking at Cale-Cairi in a way which would
+make her think that my language had been dictated by courtesy alone,
+and not by the real feelings of my breast. Zelica noticing this, said,
+"Aswad, you flatter me too much: you must be more candid: I am certain
+that you have not spoken your real sentiments, and you must really
+answer me truly in reply to my question: open your inmost soul to us:
+we all beg you to do this, and you cannot confer a greater pleasure
+both on myself and all my slaves." Yielding at last to their urgent
+requests, I threw off my timidity, and addressing myself to Zelica, I
+said:
+
+"I will then endeavour to comply with your highness's wishes: it would
+be difficult to decide which of the exquisitely beautiful assemblage
+before me is the most beautiful, but I will avow to you that the
+amiable Cale-Cairi is the lady for whom the inclinations of my heart
+plead the most strongly."
+
+Zelica, instead of being offended by my boldness, replied: "I am well
+pleased, Aswad, that you have given the preference to Cale-Cairi; she
+is my favourite, and that is sufficient to prove that your taste is
+not bad. You do not know the full worth of the fair lady whom you have
+chosen: we unite in owning that she excels us all."
+
+The princess and her slaves now began to banter Cale-Cairi on the
+triumph which her charms had achieved--and she received all their
+witticisms in very good part. Zelica then ordered a lute to be
+brought, and placing it in Cale's hands, said to her, "Show your lover
+what you can do with it," and she played upon it in a style which
+enchanted me, accompanying it at the same time with her voice in a
+song which indicated that when a lover has made choice of a suitable
+object, he ought to love that dear one for ever. An old slave at
+length came to inform us that daylight was approaching, and that there
+was no time to be lost, if it were intended that I should quit the
+apartments in safety. Zelica then told me to follow the slave, who led
+me through many galleries, and by many windings and turnings, until we
+reached a little gate of which she had the key; and on the door being
+opened, I went out, and as it was now daylight, I saw that I was no
+longer in the palace. A few hours after I rejoined my companions.
+
+Eight days after this, an eunuch came to the door of the king's
+apartments, and said that he wished to speak with me. I went to him
+and inquired what he wanted.
+
+"Is not your name Aswad?" he asked.
+
+I replied that it was. He then put a note into my hands, and went
+away. The letter stated that if I felt inclined to pay a visit to the
+gardens of the seraglio next night, and would be at the same place as
+before, I should there see a lady who was very sensibly touched with
+the preference I had given to her over all the princess's women.
+Although I suspected that Cale-Cairi had taken a fancy to me, I had no
+idea of receiving such a letter as this from her. Intoxicated with my
+good luck, I asked leave from the oda-baschi to pay a visit to a
+dervise--who was a countryman of my own, and who had just arrived from
+Mecca. Leave being granted me, I ran, or rather flew, to the gardens
+of the seraglio, as soon as night was come. If, on the first occasion
+time fled too swiftly and surprised me into stopping after the hour
+for leaving the gardens, it seemed now too slow in bringing me the
+promised pleasure, and I thought the hour of retreat would never come.
+It did come, however, and I could see, shortly afterwards, approaching
+the place where I was concealed, a lady whom I recognized by her
+stature and air to be Cale-Cairi. Transported with delight, I drew
+near, and throwing myself at her feet, I remained for some time
+prostrate on the ground without speaking a word, so completely had I
+lost all self-possession.
+
+"Rise, Aswad," she said, "I am enraptured at having inspired you with
+such feelings towards me, for I will confess to you that for my part I
+have not been able to resist a friendly regard for you. Your youth,
+good looks, and lively and brilliant wit, but more than all, perhaps,
+your preferring me to other ladies of great beauty, have endeared you
+to me. My conduct proves this sufficiently; but, alas! my dear Aswad,"
+she added, sighing, "I scarcely know whether I ought to be proud of
+the conquest I have made, or rather to regard it as an event which
+will embitter the whole course of my life."
+
+"But, madam," I replied, "why give way to such gloomy presentiments at
+the very time when your presence brings me such delight?"
+
+"It is not," she replied, "a foolish fear that now, at such a moment
+as this, causes me annoyance and disturbs the pleasure of our meeting;
+my fears are only too well founded, and you are ignorant of the cause
+of my grief. The princess Zelica loves you, and when she has freed
+herself, as she will do soon, from the splendid bondage in which she
+is held, she will inform you of your happiness. When she confesses to
+you that you are dear to her, how will you receive such a glorious
+avowal? Will your love for me hold out against the honour of having
+the affections of the first princess in the world?"
+
+"Yes, charming Cale-Cairi," I said, interrupting her; "I would prefer
+you even to Zelica. Were it to please Heaven that you should have even
+a still more formidable rival, you would see that nothing could shake
+the constancy of a heart that is devoted to you."
+
+"Unhappy Aswad!" exclaimed the lady, "whither does your love carry
+you? What a fatal assurance you are giving me of your fidelity! You
+forget that I am a slave of the princess of Persia. If you were to
+repay her kindness by ingratitude you would draw down her anger upon
+us both, and we should perish. Better it were that I should yield you
+up to so powerful a rival; it would be the only means of saving
+ourselves."
+
+"No, no," I replied hastily; "there is another means which I should
+rather choose in my despair, and that would be to banish myself from
+the court altogether. After my retreat you would be safe from the
+vengeance of Zelica, and you would regain your peace of mind: by
+degrees you would forget the unfortunate Aswad, who would retire into
+the deserts to seek for rest in his misfortunes."
+
+I spoke with such deep feeling and truth that the lady was herself
+overcome with my grief, and said:
+
+"Cease, Aswad, to yield to a needless affliction. You are mistaken;
+your merits are such that it would be wrong to keep you longer in the
+dark. I am Zelica herself, and not her slave. That night when you came
+to my apartment I personated Cale-Cairi, and you supposed my attendant
+to be myself."
+
+Zelica then called one of her women, who ran to her from amidst some
+cypress trees where she was concealed, and I perceived that she was
+the slave whom I supposed to be the princess of Persia.
+
+"Aswad," said the princess to me, "you now see the true Cale-Cairi; I
+give her back her name and take my own: I have no wish to disguise
+myself any longer. Although your love is greater than your ambition, I
+am certain that it will be a source of new pleasure to you to know
+that the lady who loves you is a princess."
+
+We passed nearly the whole night in walking about and conversing, and
+daylight would no doubt have found us in the gardens, had not
+Cale-Cairi, who was with us, taken care to inform us that it was time
+to withdraw. It was needful then that we should separate, but before
+I parted from Zelica the princess said to me:
+
+"Adieu, Aswad! do not forget me. We shall see each other again, and I
+will soon let you know how dear you are to me." I threw myself at her
+feet to thank her for so flattering a promise, after which Cale-Cairi
+took me out by the same winding passages as before, and I then left
+the seraglio.
+
+Beloved by the august princess whom I idolized, and forming an
+enchanting image of what she had promised me, I abandoned myself to
+the most pleasing fancies that the mind could depict, when an
+unlooked-for event deprived me all on a sudden of my proud hopes. I
+had heard a report that the princess Zelica was ill, and two days
+afterwards the rumour of her death was circulated in the palace. I was
+unwilling to give credit to this fatal intelligence, and refused to do
+so until I saw preparations going for the funeral ceremony. I did not
+see the whole of it, because excessive grief threw me into a
+succession of dangerous fainting fits which lasted for a long time.
+One of the officers of the palace gave directions for me to be carried
+into the pages' room, where great care was taken of me; my limbs were
+rubbed with a balm of exceeding virtue, and in spite of my
+overwhelming misery, such was the progress I made, that in two days my
+strength was restored. A stay in Schiras, however, having become
+insupportable, I secretly left the court of Persia three days after
+the interment of my beloved princess. Overwhelmed with grief, I walked
+all night without knowing whither I was going or where I ought to go.
+Next morning, having stopped to rest myself, a young man approached
+who was dressed in a very extraordinary manner. Coming up to me he
+saluted me and presented me with a green branch which he held in his
+hand, and after having civilly made me accept it, he began to recite
+some Persian verses to induce me to bestow my charity upon him. As I
+had no money I could not give him any. Thinking that I was ignorant
+of the Persian language he recited some Arabic verses, but seeing that
+he had no better success this way than the other, and that I did not
+do what he wanted, he said to me, "Brother, I cannot persuade myself
+that you are deficient in charity, but rather in the means wherewith
+to exercise it."
+
+"You are right," I said, "I have not a farthing in the world, and I
+know not even where to shelter my head."
+
+"Unfortunate man," he exclaimed, "what a sad plight you are in; I
+really pity you, and wish, moreover, to assist you."
+
+I was not a little astonished to be thus addressed by a man who had
+been asking alms of me a moment before, and I supposed that the
+assistance he offered was merely that of his prayers, when he went on
+to say:
+
+"I am one of those merry fellows they call fakirs; and I can tell you,
+that though we subsist entirely on charity, we fare none the less
+sumptuously for that, as we have discovered the secret of exciting the
+compassion of well-meaning people by an appearance of mortification
+and penance which we well know how to impart to ourselves. It is true
+there are a few fakirs fools enough to be really what they seem, and
+who lead a life of such austerity as sometimes to go ten whole days
+without the least nourishment. But we are a little less rigorous than
+these ascetics; we make no pretensions to the reality of their
+virtues, only to the appearance of them. Will you become one of our
+fraternity? I am now on my way to meet two of them at Bost; if you
+have a fancy to make the fourth, you have but to follow me."
+
+"I am afraid," I replied, "that not being accustomed to your religious
+exercises I shall acquit myself but clumsily."
+
+"Pray don't trouble yourself," he broke in, "on that head; I repeat to
+you that we are not fakirs of the austere order; in short, we have
+really nothing of the fakir about us but the dress."
+
+Although I guessed from what the fakir had told me, that he and his
+companions were in reality three libertines in disguise, I
+nevertheless did not hesitate to join them; for besides being reckless
+from sheer misery, I had not learned among the pages of the court many
+lessons of scrupulousness on the score of morality. As soon as I had
+signified to the fakir my consent, he set out with me at once for
+Bost, feeding me on the road with abundance of dates, rice, and other
+good things, which people presented to him in the towns and villages
+through which we passed; for the moment his little bell and his
+peculiar cry became heard, the good Mussulmans came running to him
+with provisions from all quarters.
+
+In this way we arrived at the large town of Bost; we made our way to a
+small house in the suburbs, where the two other fakirs resided. They
+received us with open arms, and appeared delighted with my resolution
+of joining them. They soon initiated me into their mysteries; that is
+to say, they showed me how to perform their antics. As soon as I was
+well instructed in the art of imposing on the populace, they sent me
+into the town to present respectable citizens with flowers or
+branches, and to recite verses to them. I always returned home with
+some pieces of silver, which enabled us to live merrily enough.
+
+I passed nearly two years with the fakirs, and should have lived there
+much longer had not the one who had induced me to join them, and whom
+I liked the best, proposed to me to travel.
+
+"Aswad," said he one day, "I am sick of this town; I begin to long to
+roam a little. I have heard wonderful accounts of the city of
+Candahar; if you will accompany me we will put the truth of these
+reports to the test."
+
+I consented at once, for I had a curiosity to see some new country,
+or rather, I was impelled by that superior power which guides our
+destinies.
+
+Accordingly we both quitted Bost, and passing through many cities of
+Segestan without stopping, we reached the noble city of Candahar,
+surrounded with its strong fortifications. We betook ourselves to a
+caravansary, where our dresses, the most commendable thing about us by
+the way, procured us a kind and hearty reception. We found the
+inhabitants of the city in a great bustle, as they were going to
+celebrate the feast of Giulous on the following day. We learned that
+at court they were no less busy, as every one was anxious to show his
+attachment for the king Firouzshah, who had earned by his justice the
+love of all good men, and still more by his rigour the fear of the
+wicked.
+
+The fakirs going where they please without hindrance, we proceeded
+next day to court to witness the festival, which however had few
+charms for the eyes of a man who had seen the Giulous of the king of
+Persia.
+
+Whilst we were attentively watching what passed, I felt myself pulled
+by the sleeve, and turning round, perceived close to me the very
+eunuch who, in the shah's palace, had been the bearer of Cale-Cairi's,
+or rather Zelica's letter.
+
+"My lord," he whispered, "I recognized you at once in spite of your
+strange dress; but indeed, though I flatter myself I am never
+mistaken, I am not quite sure whether on the present occasion I ought
+not to doubt the evidence of my own eyes. Is it possible that it is
+you I have met here?"
+
+"And pray," I asked in reply, "what are you doing at Candahar, and why
+have you left the court of Persia? Can the death of the princess
+Zelica have driven you away as it did me?"
+
+"That," replied he, "is exactly what I cannot tell you at this moment,
+but I will amply satisfy your curiosity if you will meet me here
+to-morrow alone at the same hour. I have a few things to tell you
+which will astonish you, and which--let me add--concern you not a
+little."
+
+I promised to return alone to the same spot the following day, and
+took care to keep my word. The eunuch was there, and coming up to me,
+proposed that we should leave the palace and seek some place better
+adapted for conversation. We accordingly went out into the city, and
+after traversing several streets, stopped at last at the door of a
+good-sized house, of which he had the key. We entered, and I observed
+suites of apartments magnificently furnished, delicious carpets and
+luxurious sofas, whilst through the windows I perceived a garden
+beautifully laid out, with a delightful piece of water in the middle,
+bordered with variegated marble.
+
+"My lord Aswad," said the eunuch, "I trust the house pleases you."
+
+"I am delighted with it," I replied.
+
+"I am glad to hear you say so," he returned, "for I yesterday took it,
+just as you see it, for _you_. You will next want slaves to wait on
+you. I will go and purchase some whilst you take a bath."
+
+So saying, he conducted me to a chamber, where I found baths all
+ready.
+
+"In Heaven's name," I exclaimed, "tell me for what purpose you have
+brought me here, and what the news is you have promised to tell me."
+
+"At the proper time and place," he rejoined, "you shall learn all; for
+the present be content to know that your lot is materially changed
+since I met you, and that I have my orders for every thing I am
+doing."
+
+As he spoke, he assisted me to undress--a process which did not take
+long--I entered the bath and the eunuch left me, enjoining patience.
+
+All this mystery furnished ample food for conjecture, but I wearied
+myself fruitlessly in endeavouring to fathom it. Schapour left me a
+long time in the bath, and my patience was beginning to be exhausted,
+when he returned, followed by four slaves, two of whom carried towels
+and garments, and the others all sorts of provisions.
+
+"I beg your pardon, my lord," said he, "I am extremely sorry I have
+kept you waiting so long."
+
+At the same time the slaves placed their bundles on the sofas and
+proceeded to wait on me: they rubbed me with towels of the finest
+texture, and then dressed me in rich garments, with a magnificent robe
+and turban.
+
+"What on earth is all this to end in?" said I to myself; "and by whose
+orders can it be that this eunuch treats me in such a manner?"
+
+My impatience to be enlightened became so lively that I could not
+conceal it. Schapour soon perceived it, and said:
+
+"It is with the deepest regret that I see you so restless and uneasy,
+but I cannot yet relieve you. Even supposing I had not been expressly
+forbidden to say a word, or even supposing that I betrayed my trust,
+and told you every thing I am now concealing from you, I should not
+succeed in tranquillizing you in the least; anxieties still more
+harassing would take the place of those which now worry you--you must
+wait till night, and you shall then learn all you desire to know."
+
+Though I would not but augur well from what the eunuch said, yet it
+was impossible to help being for the rest of the day in a state of
+cruel suspense. I really believe that the expectation of evil causes
+less real suffering than that of some great pleasure. The night
+however came at last, and the slaves proceeded to light up the whole
+house, and particularly the principal apartment, with wax candles. In
+this apartment I took my seat with Schapour, who, to assuage my
+impatience, kept saying to me, "They will be here in a moment--have
+but a little more patience." At last we heard knocking at the door,
+the eunuch went himself to open it, and returned with a lady whom,
+the moment she raised her veil, I recognized as Cale-Cairi. My
+surprise was extreme, for I believed her to be at Schiras.
+
+"My lord Aswad," said she, "however astonished you may be to see me,
+you will be much more so when you hear the story I have to tell you."
+
+At these words Schapour and the slaves quitted the apartment, leaving
+me alone with Cale-Cairi; we both sat down on the same sofa, and she
+commenced her narration as follows:
+
+"You recollect well, my lord, that night on which Zelica made herself
+known to you, nor can you yet have forgotten the promise she made you
+on leaving. The following day I asked her whether she had come to any
+resolution what course to pursue in the matter; I represented to her
+the absurdity of a princess of her rank dreaming of exposing herself
+to disgrace and death for the sake of a mere page; in short, I used
+every effort to overcome her passion; and you may well pardon me for
+doing so, as all my reasoning served but to strengthen her attachment.
+When I saw I was utterly unable to prevail with her, 'Madam,' I said
+at length, 'I cannot contemplate without shuddering the danger into
+which you are rushing, but since no consideration seems powerful
+enough to detach you from your lover, we must endeavour to contrive
+some plan for you to meet without endangering either your life or his.
+I have thought of one which would doubtless be gratifying to your
+affection, but it seems to me so daring that I hardly like to propose
+it.'
+
+"'Let me hear it at once, Cale-Cairi,' said the princess; 'whatever it
+may be, pray do not keep it from me.'
+
+"'If you put it in practice,' replied I, 'you must make up your mind
+to quit the court and live as though you had been born to the humblest
+lot in life. You must renounce all the honours of your rank. Do you
+love Aswad sufficiently to make so great a sacrifice?'
+
+"'_Do_ I love him?' returned she, drawing a deep sigh. 'Ah! the very
+humblest lot with him would please me far more than all the pomp and
+luxury with which I am now surrounded. Only point out to me what I can
+do in order to enjoy his society without constraint and without
+impropriety, and I am ready to do it without a moment's hesitation.'
+
+"'Well, madam,' I replied, 'since I perceive it is useless to
+endeavour to overcome your attachment, I will do all in my power to
+favour it. I am acquainted with the properties of a herb of singular
+power. One leaf of it placed in your ear will in an hour bring on so
+lethargic a sleep that you will appear quite dead; they will then
+perform the funeral rites, and carry you to your tomb, from which at
+nightfall I can easily release you--'"
+
+Here I interrupted Cale-Cairi, "Great Heavens!" I exclaimed, "is it
+possible that the princess Zelica did not die after all--what then has
+become of her?--"
+
+"My lord," said Cale-Cairi, "she is still alive. But pray listen
+patiently to my story, and you will learn all that you desire to know.
+My mistress," she continued, "threw herself into my arms with joy, so
+clever did my plan appear to her; presently, however, she began to
+perceive many difficulties connected with the rites and observances
+usual at funerals. I removed all her doubts, and thus we set about the
+execution of our plan.
+
+"Zelica complained of a terrible pain in her head, and went to bed.
+The next morning I spread a report that she was dangerously ill; the
+royal physician was sent for; it was no difficult matter to deceive
+him. He sent some remedies which of course were never taken. From day
+to day the princess's illness increased; and as soon as, in my
+judgment, her last moments ought to approach, I placed in her ear a
+leaf of the herb I have mentioned. I immediately after ran to the
+shah, and told him the princess had but a few moments to live, and
+desired anxiously to speak to him. He came to her at once, and,
+observing that, as the herb began its work, her face changed rapidly,
+he was deeply moved, and began to weep.
+
+"'My lord,' said his daughter, in faint accents, 'I implore you, by
+the love you have always borne me, to order my last wishes to be
+carried out to the letter. My wish is, that when I am dead, no one but
+Cale-Cairi shall be permitted to wash my body, and that none of my
+other slaves shall share that honour with her. I also beg that none
+but she shall watch my tomb the first night, that no tears but hers
+shall fall on it, and that her prayers alone shall ascend to the
+prophet, to avert from me the assaults of evil spirits.'
+
+"Shah Tahmaspe promised his daughter that I alone should perform for
+her these last sad duties.
+
+"'But this is not all, my lord,' continued she; 'I also implore you to
+give Cale-Cairi her liberty the moment I am no more, and to give her,
+with her freedom, presents worthy of yourself and of the affection she
+has always evinced towards me.'
+
+"'My child,' replied the shah, 'make yourself perfectly easy on all
+the matters you have commended to my notice; should it be my
+misfortune to lose you, I swear that your favourite slave, loaded with
+presents, shall be at liberty to go whither she pleases.'
+
+"He had hardly done speaking when the herb completed its work. Zelica
+lost all consciousness, and her father, supposing her to be dead,
+retired to his own apartments in deep grief. He gave orders that I
+alone should wash and embalm the body, which I pretended to do, and
+then wrapping it in a white cloth, laid it in the coffin. The princess
+was then carried in great pomp to the tomb, where by the shah's
+express orders I was left alone for the first night. I made a careful
+survey all round, to assure myself that no one was on the watch, and,
+not having discovered any one, I roused my mistress at once from her
+sleep in the coffin, made her put on a dress and veil I had concealed
+under my own, and we both repaired to a spot where Schapour was in
+waiting. The faithful eunuch conducted the princess to a small house
+which he had taken, and I returned to the tomb to pass the remainder
+of the night. I made up a bundle to represent the corpse, covered it
+with the same cloth in which I had previously wrapped Zelica, and
+placed it in the coffin. The next morning the princess's other slaves
+came to take my place, which I took care not to leave without
+previously indulging in all the expressions of inconsolable grief
+usual on such occasions. A faithful account of this exhibition of woe
+was duly carried to the king's ear, who was induced by it to make me
+presents far beyond what he had determined on. He ordered me ten
+thousand sequins out of his treasury, and granted me permission, the
+moment I asked it, to quit the court and carry with me the eunuch
+Schapour. I immediately proceeded to join my mistress, and
+congratulate her on the complete success of our stratagem. Next day we
+sent the eunuch to the royal apartments with a note asking you to come
+and see me. But one of your attendants told him you were ill, and
+could see no one. Three days after we sent him again; he brought back
+word that you had left the palace, and that no one knew what had
+become of you. We caused search to be made for you all through the
+city; Schapour left nothing undone in order to discover you; and when
+at last we gave up the search in despair and left Schiras, we took the
+road to the Indus, because we thought it just possible that you might
+have turned your steps in that direction;--and, stopping at every town
+on our route, we set on foot the most careful inquiries, which
+nevertheless proved entirely useless.
+
+"One day, on our road from one city to another, though we were
+travelling with a caravan, a vast horde of robbers surrounded us, and,
+in spite of a vigorous defence, swept down the merchants and plundered
+their goods. Of us, of course, they soon made themselves masters,
+robbed us of our money and jewels, carried us to Candahar, and sold us
+to a slave merchant of their acquaintance. This merchant had no sooner
+secured Zelica, than he resolved to show her to the king of Candahar.
+Firouzshah was charmed the moment he saw her, and asked her whence she
+came. She told him Ormus was her native place, and answered the
+prince's other inquiries in a similar manner. In the end he purchased
+us, and placed us in the palace of his wives, where the handsomest
+apartments were assigned to us. Passionately though she is loved by
+the king of Candahar, she cannot, nevertheless, forget you; and,
+though he sighs at her feet, he has never succeeded in obtaining the
+slightest proof of any return of attachment. No one ever saw any thing
+like the joy she exhibited yesterday when Schapour informed her he had
+met with you. She was quite beside herself all the rest of the day.
+She ordered Schapour instantly to engage a furnished house for you, to
+conduct you there to-day, and to suffer you to want for nothing. I am
+now here by her orders to inform you of the several things I have
+communicated, and to prepare you to see her in the course of to-morrow
+night. We shall leave the palace unobserved, and let ourselves in here
+by a small door in the garden wall, of which we have had a key made
+for us." As she uttered these last words the favourite slave of the
+princess of Persia rose and quitted the apartment, in order to return
+to her mistress, and Schapour accompanied her.
+
+I could do nothing all that night but think of Zelica, my love for
+whom seemed to return with tenfold ardour. Sleep never approached my
+eyelids, and the following day seemed a century. At last, as I almost
+began to think I should fall a victim to the agonies of suspense, I
+heard a knocking at the door; my slaves ran to open it, and the next
+moment I saw my princess entering the room. How shall I describe the
+feelings which her presence excited in me! and for her part what was
+her delight to see me once more! I threw myself at her feet and for
+some time could do nothing but embrace them without uttering a
+syllable. At length she forced me to rise, and seating me next her on
+the sofa, "Aswad," said she, "I render thanks to Heaven for reuniting
+us; let us now hope that the goodness of Providence will not stop
+here, but will remove the new obstacle which hinders our union. In
+expectation of the arrival of that happy hour we will live here in
+contentment; and if circumstances prevent our meeting unconstrainedly,
+we can at least enjoy the consolation of hearing daily news of each
+other, as well as of occasional secret interviews." In such
+conversation we passed the greater part of the night. Next day, in
+spite of the happy thoughts which now filled my mind, I did not forget
+the fakir in whose company I had come to Candahar; and picturing to
+myself his uneasiness at not knowing where I was, I determined to go
+and find him out. I met him by accident in the street and we embraced
+each other.
+
+"My friend," said I, "I was on my way to your caravansary to inform
+you of what has happened to me, and to set your mind at ease. No doubt
+I have occasioned you some uneasiness."
+
+"That is true enough," replied he; "I was in no small trouble about
+you. But what a change! What clothes are these you appear in? You seem
+to have been in luck. Whilst I was worrying myself about what had
+become of you, you were passing your time, as it seems to me,
+pleasantly enough."
+
+"I confess it, my dear friend," replied I; "and I can assure you,
+moreover, that I am a thousand times happier than it is possible for
+you to conceive. I want you not only to be witness of my good fortune,
+but to profit by it as well. Quit your caravansary and come and live
+with me."
+
+So saying, I led him to my house and showed him all over it. He
+admired the rooms and the furniture amazingly, and every now and then
+would exclaim, "O Heaven! what has Aswad done more than other men to
+deserve such an accumulation of good fortune?"
+
+"What, now, fakir," asked I, "do you view my happy condition with
+chagrin? It seems to me that my good fortune is positively annoying to
+you."
+
+"On the contrary," returned he, "it affords me the liveliest
+satisfaction; so far from envying my friends' happiness, I am never so
+happy as when I see them flourishing."
+
+As he concluded this speech he embraced me ardently, the better to
+persuade me of the sincerity of his words. I believed him sincere, and
+acting towards him myself in the most perfect good faith, betrayed
+myself without the least mistrust into the hands of the most envious,
+the most cowardly, and the most treacherous of men.
+
+In this way we continued to live for some time. Schapour or Cale-Cairi
+brought me daily intelligence of my beloved princess, and an
+occasional stolen interview elevated me to the seventh heaven of
+happiness. The fakir expressed the liveliest interest in the progress
+of my attachment, and I confided to him, as to my bosom friend, every
+particular of my life.
+
+One day, as I was reposing on a sofa and dreaming of Zelica, I was
+aroused by a great noise in my house. I rose in order to ascertain the
+cause, and to my great dismay, found that it was occasioned by a body
+of Firouzshah's own guards.
+
+"Follow me," said the officer in command; "our orders are to conduct
+you to the palace."
+
+"What crime have I committed?" asked I; "of what am I accused?"
+
+"We have not been informed," replied the officer; "our orders are
+merely to carry you before the king; we know nothing about the cause:
+but I may tell you for your comfort, that if you are innocent you have
+nothing whatever to fear, for you have to do with a prince of the
+strictest justice, who never lightly condemns any one who is brought
+before him. He requires the most convincing proofs before he will pass
+an adverse sentence; but it is true at the same time that he punishes
+the guilty with the utmost rigour, so that, if you are guilty, I pity
+you."
+
+There was no help for it; I was obliged to follow the officer. On my
+way to the palace I said to myself, "Firouzshah has no doubt
+discovered my correspondence with Zelica; but how can he have learned
+it?" As we crossed the court-yard of the palace I observed that four
+gibbets had been erected there. I made a shrewd guess at their
+destination, and apprehended that this kind of death was the least
+part of the punishment I had to expect from the wrath of Firouzshah. I
+raised my eyes to heaven and prayed that at least the princess of
+Persia might be saved from this. We entered the palace; the officer
+who had charge of me conducted me into the king's apartment. That
+prince was there, attended only by his grand vizir and the fakir. The
+moment I perceived my treacherous friend I saw that I had been
+betrayed.
+
+"It is you, then," said Firouzshah to me, "who has secret interviews
+with my favourite. Wretch! you must be bold indeed to dare to trifle
+with me! Speak, and reply exactly and truly to my questions:--When you
+came to Candahar, were you not told that I was a severe punisher of
+criminals?"
+
+I replied that I was informed of it.
+
+"Well," he continued, "since you knew that, why have you committed the
+greatest of all crimes?"
+
+"Sire," I answered, "may your majesty's days last for ever. You know
+that love gives courage to the dove: a man possessed by a violent
+passion fears nothing: I am ready to be a victim to your just wrath;
+and as to any tortures that may be reserved for me I shall not
+complain of your severity, provided you grant a pardon to your
+favourite. Alas! she was living peacefully in your palace before I
+came here, and would soon have been contented with rendering a great
+king happy, while gradually forgetting an unfortunate lover whom she
+never thought to see again. Knowing that I was in this city, her
+former attachment returned. It was I that separated her from your
+affection, and your punishment should fall on me alone."
+
+While I was thus speaking, Zelica, who had been sent for by the king's
+order, entered the apartment, followed by Schapour and Cale-Cairi, and
+hearing the last words I uttered, ran forward and threw herself at the
+feet of Firouzshah.
+
+"Great prince!" she exclaimed, "forgive this young man: it is on your
+guilty slave, who has betrayed you, that your vengeance ought to
+fall."
+
+"Traitors that you both are!" exclaimed the king "expect no favour
+either of you: die! both of you. This ungrateful woman only implores
+my kindness in behalf of the rash man who has offended me; while his
+sensibilities are only alive to the loss of her whom he loves; both of
+them thus parading in my very sight their amorous madness; what
+insolence! Vizir!" he cried, turning to his minister, "let them be led
+away to execution. Hang them up on gibbets, and after their death, let
+their carcasses be thrown to the dogs and the vultures."
+
+The officers were leading us away, when I resolved on one more
+desperate effort to save the princess.
+
+"Stop, sire!" I shouted at the top of my voice, "take care what you
+do, and do not treat with ignominy the daughter of a king! Let your
+jealousy even in its fury have respect to the august blood from which
+she has sprung!"
+
+At these words Firouzshah appeared thunderstruck, and then addressing
+Zelica, he inquired, "Who then is the prince who is your father?"
+
+The princess looked at me with a proud countenance, and said:
+
+"Alas! Aswad, where was your discretion? how is it that you have told
+what I wished to conceal, if it were possible, even from myself? I
+should have had the consolation in death of knowing that my rank was
+a secret, but in disclosing it, you have overwhelmed me with shame.
+Learn then who I am," she continued, addressing herself to Firouzshah;
+"the slave whom you have condemned to an infamous death is the
+daughter of shah Tahmaspe!" She then related her whole story, without
+omitting the slightest circumstance.
+
+When she had concluded her recital, which increased the king's
+astonishment, she said to him, "Now I have revealed a secret which it
+was my intention to bury in my own breast, and which nothing but the
+indiscretion of my lover could have wrung from me. After this
+confession, which I make with extreme humiliation, I beg that you will
+instantly give orders for my immediate execution. This is the only
+favour I now ask of your majesty."
+
+"Madam," replied the king, "I revoke the order for your death: I have
+too great a love for justice not to honour your faithfulness: what you
+have told me makes me look upon you in a different light; I have no
+complaint to make against you, and I set you at liberty. Live for
+Aswad, and may the happy Aswad live for you! Schapour also and your
+friend have life and liberty granted to them. Go, most faithful
+lovers, and may you pass the rest of your days in the enjoyment of
+each other's society, and may nothing interrupt the course of your
+happiness. As for you, traitor," he continued, turning to the fakir,
+"you shall be punished for your treason, for your base and envious
+heart, which could not endure to see the happiness of your friend, and
+led you to deliver him up yourself to my vengeance. Miserable wretch!
+You shall yourself be the victim of my jealousy!"
+
+While this villain was being led to the gallows, Zelica and I threw
+ourselves at the feet of the king of Candahar, and bathed them with
+tears of gratitude and joy. We assured him that we should ever retain
+a grateful sense of his generous goodness. And at length we left his
+palace, accompanied by Schapour and Cale-Cairi, with the intention of
+taking up our lodging at a caravansary. We were just about to enter,
+when an officer sent by the king accosted us. "I come," he said, "from
+my master, Firouzshah, to offer you a lodging: the grand vizir will
+lend you a house of his, situated at the gates of the city, where you
+will be very commodiously lodged. I will be your conductor thither, if
+you will allow me, and will take the trouble to follow me." We
+accompanied him, and soon arrived at a house of imposing appearance,
+and elegant architecture: the interior corresponded to the outside
+appearance. Every thing was magnificent, and in good taste. There were
+more than twenty slaves, who told us that their master had desired
+them to supply us with every thing that we wanted, and to treat us as
+they would himself all the time that we remained in the house.
+
+Here my marriage with the princess was duly celebrated, though with
+the strictest privacy. Two days after we received a visit from the
+grand vizir, who brought an immense quantity of presents from the
+king. There were bales of silk and cloth of India, with twenty purses,
+each containing a thousand sequins of gold. As we did not feel
+ourselves quite at our ease in a house which was not our own, and as
+the king's bounty enabled us to go elsewhere, we joined ourselves to a
+great caravan of merchants, who were proceeding to Bagdad, where we
+arrived without encountering any disaster.
+
+We took up our lodgings at my own house, where we remained for a few
+days after our arrival, for the purpose of recovering ourselves from
+the fatigue of our long journey. I then went into the city and visited
+my friends, who were astonished to see me, as they had been told by my
+associates on their return, that I was dead. As soon as I knew that
+they were at Bagdad, I hastened to the grand vizir, threw myself at
+his feet, and related their perfidious conduct towards me. He gave
+orders for their immediate arrest, and commanded them to be
+interrogated in my presence. "Is it not true," I asked them, "that I
+awoke when you took me up in your arms, that I asked what you intended
+doing with me, and that without replying you threw me out through the
+porthole of the ship into the sea?"
+
+They replied that I must have been dreaming, and that I must certainly
+have thrown myself into the sea when asleep.
+
+"Why then," said the vizir, "did you pretend not to know him at
+Ormus?"
+
+They replied that they had not seen me at Ormus.
+
+"Traitors!" he replied, eyeing them with a threatening aspect, "what
+will you say, when I show you a certificate from the cadi of Ormus,
+proving the contrary?"
+
+At these words, which the vizir only made use of to put them to the
+proof, my associates turned pale and became confused. The vizir
+noticed their altered looks, and bade them confess their crime, that
+they might not be compelled to do so, by being put to the torture.
+
+They then confessed every thing and were conveyed to prison, until the
+caliph should be informed of the matter, and give his orders
+respecting the kind of death which they were to undergo. In the mean
+time, however, they contrived to make their escape, either by bribing
+their guards, or deceiving their vigilance, and concealed themselves
+so carefully in Bagdad, that all search after them proved ineffectual.
+Their property, however, was confiscated to the caliph, excepting a
+small part which was bestowed upon me, by way of some compensation for
+the robbery.
+
+After this all my ambition consisted in living a quiet life with the
+princess, with whom I was perfectly united in love and affection. My
+constant prayer to Heaven was, that such a state of felicity might be
+continued to us; but alas! how vain are the wishes and hopes of man,
+who is never destined to enjoy unruffled repose for a long time, but
+whose existence is continually disturbed by contending cares and
+sorrows! Returning home one evening from partaking of an entertainment
+with some friends, I knocked at the door of my house, but could get no
+one to admit me, although I knocked loudly and repeatedly. I was
+surprised at this, and began to form the gloomiest conjectures. I
+redoubled my knocks at the door, but no slave came to admit me. What
+can have happened? I thought; can this be some new misfortune that has
+befallen me? Such were my surmises. At the noise I made several
+neighbours came out of their houses, and being as astonished as myself
+at none of the domestics appearing, we broke open the door, and on
+entering found my slaves lying on the floor, with their throats cut,
+and weltering in their blood. We passed from them to Zelica's
+apartment, and here another frightful spectacle presented itself, for
+we found both Schapour and Cale-Cairi stretched lifeless on the
+ground, bathed in their blood. I called on Zelica, but received no
+reply. I searched every room and corner in the house, but without
+finding her. Such a blow was too much for me, and I sank back in a
+swoon in the arms of my neighbours. Happy would it have been for me
+had the angel of death at that moment borne me away; but no! it was
+the will of Heaven that I should live to see the full horror of my
+fate.
+
+When my neighbours by their attentions had succeeded in recalling me
+to life, I asked how it was possible that so terrible a slaughter
+could have taken place in my house, and not the slightest sound of it
+have been heard by them. They replied that they were as astonished as
+I was at the circumstance. I then ran to the cadi, who despatched his
+nayb[13] into all the surrounding country with all his asas[14], but
+their inquiries were fruitless, and every one formed his own
+conjecture respecting this horrible tragedy. As for myself, I
+believed, as well as many others, that my former partners were the
+perpetrators of the crime. My grief was so intense that I fell ill,
+and continued in a languishing state at Bagdad for a long time. When I
+recovered I sold my house, and went to reside at Mossoul, carrying
+with me the wreck of my fortune. I adopted this course because I had a
+relation there of whom I was extremely fond, and who belonged to the
+household of the grand vizir of the king of Mossoul. My relation
+received me very cordially, and in a short time I became known to the
+minister, who, thinking that he saw in me good business talents, gave
+me some employment. I endeavoured to discharge effectively the duties
+entrusted to me, and I had the good fortune to succeed. His
+satisfaction with me daily increased, and I became insensibly
+initiated into the most secret state affairs, the weight of which I
+even assisted him to bear. In a few years this minister died, and the
+king, who was perhaps too partial to me, appointed me to his place,
+which I filled for two years, to the satisfaction of the king, and the
+contentment of the people. To mark, also, how much he was pleased with
+my conduct as minister, he first gave me the name of Atalmulc. And now
+envy soon began to be excited against me. Some of the chief nobles
+became my secret enemies, and plotted my ruin. The better to secure
+their ends, they instilled suspicions respecting me into the mind of
+the prince of Mossoul, who, being influenced by their unfavourable
+insinuations, asked the king, his father, to deprive me of power. The
+king at first refused, but yielded at last to the urgent requests of
+his son. I thereupon left Mossoul, and came to Damascus, where I had
+soon the honour of being presented to your majesty.
+
+I have now related to you, sire, the history of my life, and the cause
+of the deep grief in which I seem to be buried. The abduction of
+Zelica is ever present to my mind, and renders me insensible to every
+kind of pleasure. If I could learn that she was no more in life, I
+might, perhaps, lose the recollection of her, as I did before; but the
+uncertainty of her fate brings her ever back to my memory, and
+constantly feeds my grief.
+
+
+CONTINUATION OF THE STORY OF KING BEDREDDIN-LOLO AND HIS VIZIR.
+
+When the vizir Atalmulc had concluded the recital of his adventures,
+the king said to him:
+
+"I am no longer surprised at your melancholy, for you have, indeed,
+good reason for it; but every one has not, like you, lost a princess,
+and you are wrong in thinking that there is not one man in the world
+who is perfectly satisfied with his condition."
+
+For the purpose of proving to his grand vizir that there are men in
+this state, the king of Damascus said, one day, to his favourite
+Seyf-Elmulouk, "Go into the city, walk before the shop of the
+artisans, and bring me here immediately the man who seems the gayest
+of the gay." The favourite obeyed, and returned to Bedreddin in a few
+hours. "Well," said the monarch, "have you done what I commanded you?"
+
+"Yes, sire," replied the favourite, "I passed in front of several
+shops, and saw all descriptions of workmen who sung while at their
+various occupations, and seemed quite contented with their lot. I
+noticed one among them, a young weaver, named Malek, who laughed with
+his neighbours till I thought he would have split his sides, and I
+stopped to have some chat with him. 'Friend,' I said, 'you appear to
+be very merry.' 'Yes,' he replied, 'it is my way: I don't encourage
+melancholy.' I asked his neighbours if it was true that he was of such
+a happy turn of mind, and they all assured me that he did nothing but
+laugh from morning till night. I then told him to follow me, and I
+have brought him to the palace. He is now at hand: does your majesty
+wish him to be introduced to your presence?"
+
+"By all means," replied the king, "bring him here, for I wish to speak
+with him."
+
+Seyf-Elmulouk immediately left the king's cabinet and returned in an
+instant, followed by a good-looking young man, whom the favourite
+presented to the king. The weaver threw himself down at the monarch's
+feet, who said to him, "Rise, Malek, and tell me truly if you are as
+happy as you seem to be: I am told you do nothing but laugh and sing
+the live-long day while at your work: you are thought to be the
+happiest man in my dominions, and there is reason to believe that such
+is really the case. Tell me whether or not this is a correct judgment,
+and if you are contented with your condition. This is a matter that I
+am concerned to know; and I desire that you will speak without
+disguise."
+
+"Great king," replied the weaver, standing up, "may your majesty's
+days last to the end of the world, and be interwoven with a thousand
+delights, unmixed with the slightest misfortune. Excuse your slave
+from satisfying your curiosity. If it is forbidden to lie to kings, it
+must also be owned that there are truths that we dare not reveal. I
+can only say that a false idea is entertained respecting me: in spite
+of my laughter and songs, I am perhaps the most unfortunate of men. Be
+contented with this avowal, sire, and do not compel me to relate my
+misfortunes to you."
+
+"I am resolved to have them," replied the king. "Why should you be
+afraid to tell them? Are they not creditable to you?"
+
+"Of this your majesty must judge," replied the weaver. "I had resolved
+to keep them to myself, but since it is necessary I will proceed with
+my story."
+
+The weaver then began as follows:--
+
+
+THE STORY OF MALEK AND THE PRINCESS SCHIRINE.
+
+I am the only son of a merchant of Surat, who left me at his death
+considerable wealth, most of which I squandered away in a very short
+time. I was nearly at the end of my property, when one day a stranger,
+who was going to the island of Serendib, happened to be dining with
+me. The conversation turned on voyages and travels: some who were
+present praised the advantages and the pleasure attending them, and
+others expatiated on their dangers. Among the guests there were a few
+persons who had travelled extensively, and who gave us detailed
+accounts of their experience in this adventurous kind of life. Between
+their accounts of the strange and curious scenes which they had
+witnessed and of the dangers which they had encountered, my mind was
+kept in suspense, as I conceived a strong desire to travel, and yet
+felt afraid of the accompanying risks. After listening to all that was
+related, I remarked:
+
+"It is impossible to hear your striking account of the pleasure
+experienced by you in travelling over the world without feeling a
+strong wish to travel also; but the dangers to which a traveller is
+exposed deprive me of all inclination for visiting foreign countries.
+If it were possible," I added, smiling, "to go from one end of the
+earth to the other, without meeting with any bad accident by the way,
+I would leave Surat to-day."
+
+These words excited universal laughter, but the stranger before
+alluded to remarked:
+
+"O Malek! if you have a desire to travel, and if nothing prevents you
+but the fear of encountering robbers and other dangers, I will teach
+you whenever you have a mind, a method of travelling at your pleasure,
+and without peril, from one kingdom to another."
+
+I thought he was joking, but after dinner he took me aside, and told
+me that he would pay me a visit the following morning and show me
+something extraordinary. He was true to his word, for the next day he
+came to see me, and said, "I mean to keep my promise, but some days
+must elapse before you can see the effect, for what I have to show you
+is a piece of workmanship which cannot be constructed in a day. Send
+therefore for a carpenter; let one of your slaves go for him, and let
+them both return with planks and other materials according to this
+list." I immediately complied with his request. When the slave and the
+carpenter returned, the stranger directed the latter to construct a
+box in the form of a bird, six feet in length and four in breadth, the
+upper part open, so as to admit a man to sit in it. The artisan
+immediately set to work, and the stranger on his part was not idle,
+for he made or brought from his lodging several parts of the machine,
+such as wings, wheels, and springs. For several days the carpenter and
+he worked together, and afterwards the former was dismissed, while the
+stranger spent one day in putting together the machinery and finishing
+the work.
+
+At length on the sixth day the box was finished, and covered with a
+Persian carpet. I observed that in this box there were several
+apertures, as well to admit air as to serve for look-outs. At the
+stranger's desire I then ordered some of my slaves to carry it into
+the country, whither I followed with the stranger. When we arrived at
+the spot he said to me, "Send away your slaves and let no one be here
+but ourselves. I do not wish to have other persons present beside
+yourself to see what I am about to do."
+
+I ordered my slaves to return home, while I remained alone with the
+stranger. I was very anxious to know what he intended to do with this
+machine, and eagerly watched his movements. He removed the carpet, and
+stepped inside. In a moment the box began to ascend above the earth
+and soared into the sky with incredible swiftness, carrying him
+rapidly to a great distance in the clouds; before I had recovered from
+my astonishment he was down again on the ground. I cannot express to
+you my amazement at witnessing this miracle of art.
+
+"You behold," said the stranger to me, as he stepped out of the
+machine, "a very quiet carriage, and you must admit that in travelling
+in it there is no fear of being robbed on the journey. This is the
+method I spoke of, and I now make you a present of the machine to be
+employed by you if ever you should take a fancy to visit foreign
+countries. Do not suppose that there is any magic or black art in what
+you have seen: it is neither by cabalistic words nor by virtue of a
+talisman that the box rises above the earth: its motion is produced
+merely by an ingenious adaptation of machinery. I am perfectly
+conversant with the mechanical arts, and know how to construct other
+machines quite as surprising as this one."
+
+I thanked the stranger for such a rare gift, and as a mark of my
+gratitude presented him with a purse of sequins. I then requested him
+to instruct me how to set the machine in motion. "It is very easily
+done," he said, and requested me to step into the box along with him:
+he then touched a spring and we immediately mounted up into the air;
+when there, he next showed me how to steer the machine. "By turning
+this screw," he said, "you will go to the right, and that other screw
+will take you to the left; by touching this spring you will ascend,
+and the same operation applied to another spring will cause you to
+descend." I wanted to make the experiment myself: I turned the screws
+and touched the springs, and the machine, obedient to my hand, went
+whither I pleased; I quickened its movements, or slackened them, just
+as I wished. After having taken several turns in the air, we directed
+our flight towards my house and alighted in the garden.
+
+We reached home before my slaves, who were astonished beyond measure
+when they found we had returned. I shut up the box in my room, where I
+watched it more carefully than any heap of gold; and the stranger
+departed as well satisfied with me as I was with him. I continued to
+amuse myself in the society of my friends until I had eaten and drunk
+all my fortune--was compelled to borrow money, and eventually got over
+head and ears in debt. As soon as it was known in Surat that I was a
+ruined man, I lost all credit; no one would trust me, and my creditors
+being impatient to get their money, sent me summonses to pay them.
+Finding myself almost penniless, and consequently exposed to all kinds
+of insults and mortifications, I had recourse to my machine, and
+dragging it out one night from my room into the open air, I stepped
+into it, taking with me some provisions and the little money I had
+left. I touched the spring which caused the machine to ascend; and
+then moving one of the screws, I turned my back upon Surat and my
+creditors, without any fear of their sending the officers after me. I
+put on as much propelling power as possible all night, and it seemed
+to me that my flight was swifter than the winds. At daybreak I looked
+out of one of the apertures in the carpet to see whereabouts I was. I
+could see nothing but mountains, precipices, a barren country, and a
+frightful desert. Wherever I looked I could discover no signs of human
+habitations. During all that day and the following night I continued
+my aerial tour, and next day I found myself above a very thick wood,
+near which was a fine city situated in an extensive plain. I stopped
+here in order to take a view of the city, as well as of a magnificent
+palace which I saw at some distance from it at the extremity of the
+plain. I was extremely anxious to know where I was, and began to
+ponder in what way I could satisfy my curiosity, when I observed a
+peasant at work in a field. I descended in the wood, left my box
+there, and going up to the labourer, asked the name of the city.
+"Young man," he replied, "it is easy to see that you are a stranger,
+since you do not know that this is the renowned city of Gazna, where
+the just and valiant king Bahaman resides."
+
+"And who lives," I asked, "in the palace at the end of the plain?"
+
+"The king of Gazna," he replied, "has built it in order to keep his
+daughter, the princess Schirine, shut up there; for the princess's
+horoscope declares that she is threatened with being deceived by a
+man. Bahaman, for the purpose of evading this predicted danger, has
+erected this palace, which is built of marble, and surrounded by a
+deep ditch. The gate is formed of Indian steel, and while the king
+himself keeps the key, a numerous body of troops keep watch round it
+day and night to prevent any man from gaining entrance. The king goes
+once a week to see his daughter, and then returns to Gazna. Schirine's
+only companions in the palace are a governess and a few female
+slaves."
+
+I thanked the peasant for his information, and directed my steps
+towards the city. When I was near to it, I heard the noise of an
+approaching multitude, and soon espied a vast crowd of horsemen
+magnificently attired, and mounted on very fine horses richly
+caparisoned. I perceived in the midst of this splendid cavalcade a
+tall individual, with a crown of gold on his head, and whose dress was
+covered with diamonds. I concluded that this person was the king of
+Gazna, going to visit the princess his daughter; and, in fact, I
+learned in the city that my conjecture was correct.
+
+After having made the circuit of the city, and somewhat satisfied my
+curiosity, I bethought me of my machine; and although I had left it in
+a spot which seemed to promise security, I became uneasy on its
+account. I left Gazna and had no peace of mind until I reached the
+place where I had left the box, which I found quite safe. I then
+became tranquil, and partook with a good appetite of the food which I
+had brought with me, and as night was coming on, I resolved to pass it
+in the wood. I had reason to hope that a profound sleep would soon
+overpower me, for latterly my debts, as well as the general
+complication of my affairs, had naturally caused me much uneasiness
+and many sleepless nights: but my wishes were in vain, I could not
+sleep; for what the peasant had told me respecting the princess
+Schirine was constantly present to my mind. The more I thought of her
+and her peculiar situation, the more did I become possessed with the
+desire of effecting an interview; at length my inclinations became
+ungovernable, and I resolved to convey myself to the roof of the
+princess's palace and endeavour to obtain an entrance into her
+chamber. "Perhaps," thought I, "I may have the happiness to please
+her, perhaps to dispel the _ennui_ she must suffer under: perhaps even
+I may be the mortal whose fortunate audacity was foretold by the
+astrologers." I was young and consequently thoughtless, and I was not
+deficient in courage, or such a scheme would not have occurred to me.
+However, having formed the rash resolution, I instantly proceeded to
+execute it. I raised myself up in the air and steered my machine in
+the direction of the palace: the night was as dark as I could wish. I
+passed without being seen over the heads of the soldiers, who were
+dispersed around the palace fosse, keeping watch, and descended on the
+roof near a spot where I saw a light; quitting my box I then slipped
+in at a window which had been left open to admit the cool night
+breeze. The room was furnished with the utmost magnificence; and I
+saw, reposing in slumber on a sofa, a young lady who, from the
+splendour and luxury with which she was surrounded, I could not doubt
+was the princess Schirine herself. I gazed for some time on her and
+found her to be of such dazzling beauty as exceeded the highest idea I
+had formed of her. I drew nearer in order to gaze upon her more
+intently: I could not, without an overwhelming emotion of rapture,
+contemplate such charms. I was quite overcome; and hardly knowing what
+I was about, knelt down beside her to kiss one of her beautiful hands.
+She awoke at that instant, and seeing a man near her, though in an
+attitude of respect which need have excited no alarm, uttered a cry
+which soon brought her governess, who slept in an adjoining room.
+
+"Help, Mahpeiker!" exclaimed the princess: "here is a man! how was it
+possible for him to get into my room? You must surely have admitted
+him, and are an accomplice in his crime."
+
+"I his accomplice!" exclaimed the governess: "the bare idea is an
+insult to me! I am as astonished as you can be, to see here this rash
+young man. Besides, if I had even been inclined to favour him in his
+bold attempt, how was it possible for me to deceive the vigilance of
+the guards who keep watch around the palace? You know also that there
+are twenty gates of burnished steel to be opened before any person can
+get in here; the seal royal is on every lock, and the king, your
+father, keeps the keys. I cannot imagine how this young man has been
+able to overcome all these obstacles."
+
+All this time I remained kneeling, overwhelmed with confusion: the
+governess's long speech, however, gave me time to collect my thoughts,
+and it occurred to me that I would endeavour to persuade them that I
+was a being of a superior order.
+
+"Beautiful princess," I said to Schirine, rising from my knee and
+making her a profound obeisance, "do not be surprised at seeing me
+here. I am not a lover who lavishes gold, and resorts to nefarious
+tricks to accomplish his wishes; far be from me any unworthy
+intention: I have not a wish at which your virtuous mind need be
+ashamed. Know then that I am the king of the genii: for a long time I
+have been aware of your singular position, and could not without
+pitying you see you condemned to pass your best days in a prison. I am
+come here to throw myself at your feet, and to ask you in marriage
+from Bahaman: as my bride it will be in my power to shield you from
+the danger alluded to by the prediction which has terrified your
+father. Deign, therefore, beautiful princess, to look kindly on my
+suit, and then let both your father and yourself be at rest respecting
+your future fate, which cannot fail to be both glorious and happy; for
+as soon as the news of your marriage is spread abroad in the world,
+all the kings of the earth will stand in awe of the father-in-law of
+so powerful a monarch, and every princess will envy your fate."
+
+Schirine and her governess looked at each other during this speech as
+if desirous of consulting together whether they should give credit to
+it. I confess I had reason to believe that they would give no heed to
+such a fable, but women are fond of the wonderful, and both Mahpeiker
+and her mistress believed me.
+
+After passing the greater part of the night in delightful conversation
+with the princess of Gazna and her governess, I left her apartment
+before daybreak, promising to return next day. I lost no time in
+getting into my machine, and ascended to a great height that I might
+not be seen by the soldiers. I alighted in the wood, left the box
+there, and went into the city, where I purchased a stock of provisions
+for eight days, magnificent robes, a turban of Indian woof surrounded
+with a golden circlet, darting forth rays of light, and a rich girdle.
+At the same time I did not forget the costliest perfumes and
+essences. I spent all my money in these purchases without troubling my
+head about the future; for I thought that after such a pleasant
+adventure as had befallen me, I should never more want for any thing.
+I remained all day in the wood employed in dressing and perfuming
+myself with the utmost care and attention. When night came on, I
+entered the machine and set off for the roof of Schirine's palace,
+where I introduced myself into her apartment as before, and spent
+another delightful evening in conversation with the princess and her
+attendant. I left the palace when night was waning, for fear lest my
+imposture should be discovered. I returned next day, and always
+conducted myself so cleverly that the princess and Mahpeiker had not
+the least idea that I was an impostor. True it is that the princess by
+degrees had acquired such a fondness for me that, on this account, she
+gave a more ready belief to what I said; for love is blind and, when
+such feelings exist in favour of a person, his sincerity is never
+doubted. I, too, had become deeply enamoured of the beautiful
+princess, and more than once regretted the imposture I was practising
+on her; but what was I to do? To discover it was certain destruction,
+and I could not summon up courage to undeceive her.
+
+After some days had elapsed, the king of Gazna, attended by some of
+his officers, paid his weekly visit to his daughter's palace, and
+finding the gates securely fastened, and his seal on the locks, said
+to the vizirs who accompanied him:
+
+"Every thing goes on as well as possible: so long as the palace gates
+continue in this state I have little fear of the evil with which my
+daughter is threatened."
+
+He went up to her apartment alone and unannounced, and at seeing him
+she could not help betraying some emotion, which he noticed and
+required to know the reason of. His curiosity added to her perplexity;
+and, finding herself at last compelled to satisfy him, she related
+all that had taken place. Your majesty may conceive the astonishment
+of king Bahaman when he learned that, without his knowledge, a
+proposal of marriage had been made by the king of the genii. But he
+was not so easily duped as his daughter. Suspecting the truth, he
+exclaimed:
+
+"Alas! my child, how credulous you are! O Heaven! I see that it is
+hopeless to endeavour to avoid the misfortunes destined for us; the
+horoscope of Schirine is fulfilled; some villain has deceived her!"
+
+So saying, he left the princess's room in a state of great agitation,
+and went over all the palace, from the top to the bottom, searching
+every where, and strictly examining all the attendants, but I need
+hardly say without success, for he found no trace of any stranger, nor
+the slightest circumstance to lead to the supposition that bribery had
+been resorted to, which increased his astonishment. "By what means,"
+he said, "can any person, however ingenious and daring, enter this
+fortress? To me it is inconceivable."
+
+He resolved to get at the truth of the matter somehow, but being
+desirous of setting to work prudently, and of speaking himself alone,
+in the first instance, and without witnesses, to the pretended genius,
+he sent back his vizirs and courtiers to Gazna. "Withdraw," he said to
+them, "and I will remain alone at the palace this night with my
+daughter; and do you return here to-morrow."
+
+They all obeyed the king's orders: they returned to the city, and
+Bahaman set about questioning the princess afresh until night drew on.
+He asked her if I had eaten with her. She replied that I had not, for
+that she had in vain offered me refreshments, and that she had not
+seen me either eat or drink any thing since I came to her. "Tell me
+the whole occurrence again," he said, "and conceal nothing." Schirine
+related to him her story all over again, and the king, who was
+attentive to her recital, weighed every circumstance of it carefully.
+
+Night had now set in; Bahaman seated himself on a sofa, and ordered
+tapers to be lit and to be placed before him on the marble table. He
+then drew his sabre, to be employed, if necessary, in wiping out with
+my blood the insult he conceived to have been offered to his honour.
+He sat thus, expecting me every moment; and the idea of seeing me
+appear instantaneously probably agitated him not a little.
+
+That night it happened that the atmosphere was highly charged with
+electric matter. A brilliant flash of lightning darted across the sky
+before him and made him start. Approaching the window at which
+Schirine had told him I should enter, and observing the heavens to be
+on fire with vivid flashes, his imagination was excited, although
+nothing was taking place but what was quite natural: he thought he saw
+in the clouds fanciful forms, among which was prominently conspicuous
+that of a venerable old man, such as the prophet is represented to us.
+As he gazed he forgot to reflect that these meteors arose merely from
+exhalations of an inflammable nature that exploded in the air, and
+came to regard them as brilliant lights announcing to the world the
+descent of the king of the genii. In such a state of mind the king was
+disposed to receive me as really bearing the character to which I
+pretended, and therefore when I appeared at the window, instead of
+exhibiting the fury he had contemplated, he was overcome with respect
+and fear; he dropped his sabre, and, falling at my feet, kissed them,
+and said, "O great king! what am I, and what have I done to deserve
+the honour of being your father-in-law?"
+
+From these words I could guess what had passed between the king and
+the princess, and discovered that the worthy monarch was almost as
+easily imposed upon as his daughter. We sat down together on the sofa
+and conversed. I now formally renewed to him my suit for the hand of
+the princess. He believed all I told him, and feeling delighted at the
+prospect of being allied to me, again prostrated himself at my feet
+in sign of gratitude for my kindness. I raised him up, embraced him,
+and assured him of my protection, for which he could not find language
+sufficiently strong to thank me. It was arranged that the marriage
+should take place the following day. I stopped with Schirine and her
+father for a few hours, but however pleased I might be with our
+interview, I did not forget how time was flying; I was apprehensive of
+daylight surprising us, and of my box being seen on the roof of the
+palace. I therefore made haste to leave in good time and to reseat
+myself in the machine.
+
+The following day, on the return of the vizirs and great officers of
+state, a magnificent banquet was prepared at the palace, and
+immediately on my arrival in the evening the marriage was celebrated
+with great pomp and rejoicing.
+
+A month had nearly passed during which I continued to be looked on and
+treated as the king of the genii, and I was leading a most agreeable
+life, when there arrived in the city of Gazna an ambassador from a
+neighbouring monarch to demand Schirine in marriage. On being admitted
+to an audience, and detailing the object of his embassy, Bahaman said
+to him:
+
+"I am sorry that I am unable to give my daughter in marriage to the
+king, your master, for I have already bestowed her hand on the king of
+the genii."
+
+From such a reply the ambassador supposed that king Bahaman had lost
+his senses; he therefore took leave and returned to his master, who
+also at first thought Bahaman was mad, but on reconsidering the answer
+began to look on the refusal as a studied insult; he therefore raised
+troops, and forming a large army, entered the kingdom of Gazna in a
+hostile manner. This king, whose name was Cacem, was more powerful
+than Bahaman, who also was so slow in preparing to oppose his enemy
+that he could not prevent him from making great progress. Cacem
+defeated some troops which opposed him, and advancing rapidly towards
+the city of Gazna, found the army of Bahaman intrenched in the plain
+before the castle of the princess Schirine. The design of the
+irritated lover was to attack Bahaman in his intrenchments; but as his
+troops had need of rest, and he had only arrived that evening in the
+plain after a long forced march, he delayed his attack until the
+following morning.
+
+The king of Gazna, having been informed of the numbers and valour of
+Cacem's soldiers, began to tremble for the result. He assembled his
+privy council and asked for their advice, when one of its members
+spoke in the following terms:
+
+"I am astonished that the king should appear to be at all uneasy on
+this occasion. What alarm can all the princes of the world, to say
+nothing of Cacem, occasion to the father-in-law of the king of the
+genii? Your majesty need only address yourself to him, and beg his
+assistance, and he will soon confound your enemies. It is his duty to
+do this, indeed, since it is on his account that Cacem has come to
+disturb the quiet of your majesty's subjects."
+
+This speech did not fail to inspire king Bahaman with confidence.
+
+"You are right," he said to the courtier; "I shall at once go and beg
+of him to repulse my proud enemy, and I venture to hope that he will
+not reject my supplication."
+
+So saying, he went to visit his daughter, and said to her:
+
+"Schirine, to-morrow at daybreak it is Cacem's intention to attack us,
+and I am afraid he will carry our intrenchments. I wish to entreat of
+the king of the genii that he would undertake our defence. Let us
+unite our prayers that he would be favourable to us."
+
+"My lord and father," replied the princess, "there will be no great
+difficulty in engaging the king on our side; he will soon disperse the
+enemy's troops, and all the kings of the world will learn, at Cacem's
+expense, to respect you."
+
+"But," resumed king Bahaman, "night is coming on, and still the king
+of the genii does not appear; can he have forsaken us?"
+
+"No, no, my father," replied Schirine; "do not fear that he will fail
+us in time of need. He sees the army which is now besieging us, and is
+perhaps at this moment preparing to carry disorder and terror into all
+its ranks."
+
+And this, in fact, was what I was desirous of doing. I had watched
+during the day Cacem's troops; I had observed their arrangement, and
+taken particular notice of the head-quarters of the king. I collected
+a quantity of stones and pebbles, both large and small, with which I
+filled my box, and at midnight I mounted aloft. Advancing towards the
+tents of Cacem, I easily discovered that in which the king was
+reposing. It was very lofty, richly adorned with gilding, and in the
+form of a dome, supported on twelve columns of painted wood, fixed
+deep in the ground; the spaces between the columns were intertwined
+with branches of different kinds of trees, and towards the summit
+there were two windows, one at the east, and another at the south
+side.
+
+All the soldiers around the tent were asleep; and this circumstance
+permitted me to descend near one of the windows without being
+perceived. Through it I saw the king lying on a sofa, with his head
+supported on a satin cushion. Rising a little in my box, I hurled a
+large stone at Cacem; I struck him on the forehead, and wounded him
+dangerously; he uttered a cry, which soon awoke his guards and
+officers, who, running up to him, found him covered with blood, and
+almost insensible. Immediately loud cries were heard, and the alarm
+was communicated to the whole quarter, every one asking what had
+happened. A report was soon circulated that the king was wounded, and
+it was not known by whom the blow had been struck. Whilst the culprit
+was being searched for, I ascended high up among the clouds, and
+discharged from an immense height a shower of stones on the royal tent
+and all near it. The stones cut through the silk of the tent, and
+severely wounded the attendants; many of the soldiers who surrounded
+it, too, were very badly hit, and began to cry out that stones were
+being rained down on them from heaven. The news soon spread, and to
+confirm it I scattered my stony artillery in all directions. Terror
+took possession of the army; both officers and soldiers thinking that
+the Prophet was enraged with Cacem, and that his anger was too
+evidently declared by this miraculous interference. In short,
+Bahaman's enemies took to flight in a panic, and with such
+precipitation, that they abandoned their tents and baggage to their
+foes, crying out, "We are lost; Heaven is destroying us!"
+
+When day dawned the king of Gazna was not a little surprised to find,
+that, instead of advancing to the attack, the enemy was in full
+retreat. Seeing this, however, he pursued the fugitives with his best
+troops, who made prodigious carnage, and took prisoner Cacem himself,
+whose wound prevented his making a sufficiently speedy flight.
+
+"Why," asked Bahaman, when his enemy was brought before him, "why have
+you advanced into my dominions against all right and reason? What
+provocation have I given you for making war against me?"
+
+"Bahaman," replied the vanquished monarch, "I thought you had refused
+me your daughter out of contempt for me, and I thirsted to be revenged
+upon you. I believed the story of the king of the genii being your
+son-in-law to be a mere pretext. I have now, however, good reason to
+be sure of its truth, for it is he who has wounded me and dispersed my
+army."
+
+When the pursuit was ended Bahaman returned to Gazna with Cacem, who,
+however, died of his wound the same day. The spoil was divided, and it
+was so considerable, that even the common soldiers returned home
+laden with booty; and prayers were offered up in all the mosques
+thanking Heaven for having confounded the enemies of the state.
+
+When night arrived, the king repaired to the princess's palace.
+
+"My daughter," he said, "I have come to thank the king of the genii
+for a success I owe entirely to him. The courier whom I despatched to
+you has informed you of all that he has done for us, and I am so
+profoundly grateful for it, that I am dying with impatience to embrace
+his knees."
+
+This satisfaction was soon granted him. I entered Schirine's room by
+the usual window, and there, as I indeed expected, I found him.
+
+"O great king!" he exclaimed, "language is wanting to express to you
+what I feel on this occasion. Read yourself in my countenance the full
+measure of my gratitude."
+
+I raised up Bahaman, and kissed his forehead.
+
+"Prince," I said to him, "could you possibly think that I would refuse
+to help you in the embarrassing situation in which you were placed on
+my account? I have punished the proud Cacem who intended to make
+himself master of your kingdom, and to carry off Schirine, to place
+her among the slaves of his seraglio. No longer fear that any
+potentate on the earth will dare to make war against you; but if any
+one should be so bold, be assured that I will rain a fiery shower upon
+his troops, which will reduce them to ashes."
+
+After having again assured the king of Gazna that I would take his
+kingdom under my protection, I related how the enemy's army had been
+terrified at seeing stones showered down upon their camp. Bahaman, for
+his part, repeated to me what Cacem had told him, and then took his
+departure, leaving Schirine and myself to ourselves. The princess was
+as sensible as her father of the important service I had rendered to
+the country, and manifested the greatest gratitude, caressing me a
+thousand times over.
+
+Two days after the interment of Cacem, on whom, although a foe, a
+magnificent funeral was bestowed, the king of Gazna commanded that
+rejoicings should take place in the city for the defeat of the enemy's
+troops. I thought that a festival prepared in my honour ought to be
+signalized by some wonderful prodigy; and for this purpose I purchased
+in Gazna some combustible materials. With these I manufactured
+fireworks, which I let off at as great a height as possible, while the
+people in the streets were celebrating their victory with great
+rejoicings. My pyrotechnic display was very successful; and as soon as
+daylight appeared I left my machine, and went into the town to have
+the pleasure of hearing what people said about me. I was not deceived
+in my expectations. A thousand extravagant accounts were current among
+those who had been spectators of my display. Some said that the king
+of the genii had illuminated the whole heavens expressly to show his
+satisfaction with the festival; and others asserted that they had even
+seen him in the sky, surrounded by a blaze of meteors.
+
+All these speeches amused me exceedingly. But alas! while I was
+indulging in these pleasurable sensations, my box--my dear
+machine--the instrument by which I had worked all my wonders--was
+burning to ashes in the wood. A spark, which I had not perceived, had
+set fire to it in my absence, and consumed it, and in this state I
+found it on my return. A father who enters his house, and finds his
+only son pierced with a thousand mortal wounds, and lying bathed in
+his blood, could not suffer more than I did on this occasion. I tore
+my hair and garments, while the wood resounded with my cries and
+lamentations; I even wonder that I did not lay violent hands upon
+myself in the paroxysm of my despair. However, by degrees I became
+calmed, and reflecting that there was no help for my disaster, I at
+the same time perceived that some resolution must be formed
+immediately. Only one course seemed open to me, and that was to seek
+my fortunes elsewhere.
+
+Leaving, therefore, Bahaman and Schirine, doubtless in the deepest
+distress about me, I left the city of Gazna, and falling in with a
+caravan of Egyptian merchants, returning to their own country, I
+joined myself to them, and travelled to Grand Cairo, where I became a
+weaver in order to gain a subsistence. I lived there for some years
+and afterwards came to Damascus, where I have followed the same
+occupation. In appearance I am very well satisfied with my condition,
+but in reality I am not at all happy, I cannot forget my former
+fortunate condition, Schirine is ever present to my thoughts, and
+although I would wish to banish her from my recollection, and in truth
+make every effort to do so, yet the attempt, as painful as useless,
+merely causes me constant uneasiness.
+
+I have now, may it please your majesty, performed what you required of
+me. I know very well that you do not approve the deceit I practised
+towards the king of Gazna and the princess Schirine, for I have
+perceived oftener than once, that my story was repugnant to your
+feelings and that your piety shuddered at my sacrilegious audacity.
+But be pleased to remember that you demanded a true account from me,
+and condescend to forgive the confession I have made of my adventures,
+in consideration of the necessity I was under of obeying you.
+
+
+CONCLUSION.
+
+The king of Damascus made a suitable reply, and dismissed the weaver,
+whose story afforded a new argument in favour of the grand vizir's
+opinion that there is no man who is perfectly happy: however, the king
+would not desist.
+
+"Atalmulc," he said, "with the exception of yourself, there is no man
+approaches me but with a smiling countenance; it cannot be that not
+one of all these is perfectly happy; I shall ask my generals,
+courtiers, and all the officers of my household. Go, vizir, and summon
+them all into my presence in succession."
+
+He had the patience to speak to them all individually, and they all
+made the same reply; namely, that they were not exempt from grief. One
+complained of his wife, another of his children; the poor accused
+their poverty as the cause of all their misfortunes, and the rich
+either did not enjoy good health, or laboured under some other source
+of affliction.
+
+Bedreddin having questioned so many persons, not one of whom was
+contented with his lot, came at last to be of the same mind with
+Atalmulc, and was obliged to admit to his favourite vizir that perfect
+felicity is not to be looked for in the present life; that every lot
+and every station has its cares, its anxieties, and its misfortunes;
+and that we approach the condition of complete happiness only as we
+conscientiously discharge those duties which our position daily and
+hourly requires of us.
+
+[Illustration]
+
+THE END.
+
+
+FOOTNOTES:
+
+[9] A gift to the kingdom.
+
+[10] The Devil.
+
+[11] Captain of the door of the king's chamber.
+
+[12] The officer in command of the pages.
+
+[13] Lieutenant.
+
+[14] Archers.
+
+GILBERT AND RIVINGTON, PRINTERS, ST. JOHN'S SQUARE, LONDON.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+WILLIAM LAY'S
+
+_Catalogue_
+
+OF
+
+ATTRACTIVE AND ENTERTAINING WORKS
+
+BY POPULAR AUTHORS.
+
+LONDON:
+
+WILLIAM LAY, KING WILLIAM STREET, STRAND.
+
+1857.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+THE AMUSING LIBRARY
+
+FOR HOME AND RAIL.
+
+
+The object is to provide a choice supply of Books of Light Reading,
+entirely free from objectionable matter, and which may be
+indiscriminately used by young and old. Great care has been bestowed
+in the selection; and it is hoped that the Works contained in this
+Series will be found adapted in every respect for the perusal of all
+who desire a sound and healthy imaginative literature, free from
+everything immoral on the one hand, or controversial on the other. The
+volumes, while issued at a price which brings them within the reach of
+all, yet possess sufficient attractions of typography and
+embellishment to fit them for the drawing-room table and for presents
+to friends.
+
+"We have not seen for many a day books which so deeply interested us,
+and which are so much in advance of the ordinary books provided for
+the rail or road. The 'Amusing Library' will be the most popular of
+the many which these stirring days have produced."--_Churchman's
+Companion._
+
+"Ministers of religion and philanthropists have long lamented the
+absence of some well-written serial works suitable for the million, to
+counteract the baneful influence of the impure literature of the day.
+The want is here supplied with judgment and good taste. The books are
+valuable both to old and young."--_Manchester Courier._
+
+
+Grantley Manor:
+
+     The well-known and favourite Novel by Lady Georgiana
+     Fullerton. 2_s._ boards; 2_s._ 6_d._ cloth.
+
+"The skill with which the plot of 'Grantley Manor' is constructed, the
+exquisite truth of delineation which the characters exhibit, and the
+intensity of passion which warms and dignifies the subject, are alike
+admirable.... The depth of passion which surrounds the story of
+Genevra is the result of unquestionable genius. No heroine that we can
+remember excels this lovely creation in purity, deep affection, a
+solemn sense of the sanctity of duty, and a profound feeling of the
+beauty and holiness of religion."--_Times._
+
+
+Tales of Humour.
+
+     Fcap. 8vo, 2_s._ boards; 2_s._ 6_d._ cloth.
+
+"Spirited and well-selected tales of most inviting dimensions. Will be
+a favourite on the 'line.'"--_Brighton Herald._
+
+
+Abroad and at Home.
+
+     Tales Here and There. By Miss Pardoe. Fcap. 8vo, 2_s._
+     boards; 2_s._ 6_d._ cloth.
+
+"Ten pretty tales, full of interesting matter, gracefully
+related."--_Glasgow Herald._
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+[Illustration: The Lay of the Golden Dice.]
+
+Amusing Poetry.
+
+A new and choice selection, Edited by Shirley Brooks. Fcap. 8vo, 2_s._
+boards; 2_s._ 6_d._ cloth.
+
+13; KING WILLIAM STREET, STRAND.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+AMUSING LIBRARY, _continued_.
+
+Hendrik Conscience's Tales.
+
+Complete in Six Volumes. Each Fcap. 8vo, 2_s._ boards; 2_s._ 6_d._
+cloth.
+
+     I. THE DEMON OF GOLD. (_Just ready._)
+
+     II. THE LION OF FLANDERS.
+
+     III. THE CURSE OF THE VILLAGE, ETC.
+
+     IV. VEVA; OR, THE WAR OF THE PEASANTS.
+
+     V. THE MISER, AND RICKETICKETACK.
+
+     VI. TALES OF FLANDERS.
+
+"Had our writers of fiction preserved the healthful tone which
+characterises these volumes, they would not have been a proscribed
+class. Each of the tales may be read by the most modest without a
+blush, and by the most fastidious without scruple."--_Eclectic
+Review._
+
+"Writing in a language familiar to comparatively few, Conscience owes
+to his own merits alone the European reputation which he now enjoys.
+There is a truthfulness in his pictures which is perfectly delightful,
+while the whole moral of his works is such as to make them a valuable
+addition to the light-reading division of a library."--_Notes and
+Queries._
+
+"We do not know if, laying aside Sir Walter Scott, it would be
+possible to name any English historical novel at all equal in
+deep interest to the 'Lion of Flanders,' or the 'War of the
+Peasants.'"--_Scotsman._
+
+Romantic Tales of Great Men:
+
+Artists, Poets, Scholars, Statesmen, etc. 2s. boards; 2_s._ 6_d._
+cloth.
+
+This volume will be found to convey information as well as amusement,
+all the tales being founded on historical facts. It is charmingly
+written, and forms an excellent prize or gift-book.
+
+Tales of the City and the Plain.
+
+1_s._ 6_d._ boards; 2_s._ cloth.
+
+The Betrothed;
+
+A Romance of the Seventeenth Century. By Manzoni. 2_s._ boards; 2_s._
+6_d._ cloth.
+
+This unrivalled romance, which stands quite alone in the literature of
+fiction, is now brought within the reach of every reader in this very
+neat and portable edition.
+
+"_I am not sure_," says Rogers, "_that I would not rather have written
+the Betrothed than all Scott's novels_." "It has every quality that a
+work of fiction ought to have."--_Heir of Redcliffe._
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+[Illustration]
+
+The Adventures of Jules Gerard, the "Lion-killer"
+
+of Northern Africa, during his Ten Years' Campaigns among the Lions of
+Algeria; including the Details of more than Forty Encounters,
+Adventures, and Episodes, and a variety of interesting sketches of
+Arab life.
+
+New Edition, Enlarged, and Profusely Illustrated, containing a
+Complete and Concise History and Description of Algeria, with Maps,
+Sections, and numerous Illustrations of Arab and French Colonial Life
+and Manners; and further enriched with numerous new Engravings
+illustrative of M. Gerard's startling Adventures among the Lions of
+North Africa. Fcap. 8vo, 3s. 6d., cloth.
+
+The Amusing Library Edition may still be had, price 2s. boards; 2s.
+6d. cloth. Also a Cheap Edition, 1s., boards.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Popular Tales and Sketches.
+
+By Mrs. S. C. Hall. Containing Eighteen Beautiful Tales by this most
+popular Authoress. 2_s._ boards; 2_s._ 6_d._ cloth.
+
+
+Tales of France.
+
+Romantic Historical, and Domestic. 2_s._ boards; 2_s._ 6_d._ cloth.
+
+"Original in style, full of interest, and unexceptionable in
+morals."--_Hants Advertiser._
+
+
+Tales of Paris and its Streets.
+
+2_s._ boards; 2_s._ 6 _d._ cloth.
+
+[**three asterisks]These tales, of which the scenes are laid in the
+capital of France, introduce to the English reader some of the most
+interesting, and, at the same time, unexceptionable of the shorter
+fictions of our Continental neighbours; many of which will be found
+useful as well as entertaining, from the illustrations which they
+supply of history and manners at different periods.
+
+
+Tales and Traditions of the Netherlands.
+
+1_s._ 6_d._ boards; 2_s._ cloth.
+
+"A most varied, interesting, and readable volume."--_Caledonian
+Mercury._
+
+"Wrought up with great skill, and extremely interesting."--_Daily
+Express._
+
+
+Romantic Tales of Spain.
+
+    I. THE RIVALS; A TALE OF CASTILE.
+    II. THE GIPSY LOVERS. By Cervantes.
+    III. THE GUIDE; AN EPISODE OF THE CIVIL WARS.
+
+Fcap. 8vo, 1_s._ 6_d._ boards; 2_s._ cloth.
+
+
+Sea Stories:
+
+Tales of Discovery, Adventure, and Escape. A new and choice
+Collection, containing several striking Narratives, mostly unknown to
+English readers; also a complete and graphic Sketch of the Adventures
+of Columbus. 2_s._ boards; 2_s._ 6_d._ cloth.
+
+"The best volume of the kind we have ever met with."--_Churchman's
+Companion._
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+NEW WORKS.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+A Life of John Banim, the Irish Novelist.
+
+Author of "Damon and Pythias," etc., and one of the writers of "Tales
+by the O'Hara Family." With Extracts from his Correspondence--general
+and literary. By Patrick Joseph Murray. Fcap. 8vo.
+
+[_Just ready._
+
+_In the Press, and will speedily appear at short intervals,_
+
+Tales by the O'Hara Family.
+
+Reproductions of several of the most popular and powerful of these
+wonderfully graphic Tales, with the addition of Prefaces and Notes by
+Michael Banim, the survivor of the O'Hara family.
+
+
+_Nearly ready,_
+
+    CROHOORE OF THE BILLHOOK.
+    FATHER CONNELL.
+    JOHN DOE.
+
+
+Tales of Brigands and Smugglers.
+
+A collection of some of the most remarkable events in the lives of
+some celebrated Bandits and Smugglers, as well as of Adventures met
+with by Travellers in their company, not hitherto published in any
+other collection. Fcap. 8vo, 2_s._ boards; 2_s._ 6_d._ cloth.
+
+[_Just ready._
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+THE ENTERTAINING LIBRARY.
+
+A NEW SERIES OF CHOICE BOOKS OF RECREATION FOR THE YOUNG, FULLY
+ILLUSTRATED.
+
+
+The History of Jean Paul Choppart;
+
+Or, the Surprising Adventures of a Runaway. Illustrated with 22
+Engravings. Fcap. 8vo, 2_s._ 6_d._ cloth.
+
+"'Jean Paul Choppart' is a translation of a work which has become very
+popular on the Continent, and is destined to receive a like share of
+favour in this country, should parents and instructors of children
+become aware of the excellent moral which its pages convey through the
+medium of a story which is most piquant and catching for the youthful
+mind."--_Court Journal._
+
+
+The Thousand and One Days;
+
+Or, Arabian Tales. A select and thoroughly unexceptionable collection
+of highly entertaining tales, illustrative of Oriental manners and
+customs, carefully revised and adapted for the young. With a Preface
+by Miss PARDOE. Fcap. 8vo, with numerous engravings, 3_s._ 6_d._
+cloth.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+_Books for Students and Travellers._
+
+
+The Vade Mecum
+
+For Tourists in France and Belgium; containing a copious Phrasebook
+and Vocabulary adapted for every emergency of the traveller, with Maps
+of the chief routes, and full information as to Money, Passports,
+Hotels, etc. etc. Of a size for the waistcoat-pocket, limp cloth,
+1_s._; with pockets and strap for passport, etc., 2_s._
+
+"Everything wanted on the journey, and nothing more."
+
+
+The German Vade Mecum;
+
+Or German and English Phrase and Guide Book for Students, Travellers,
+etc. Compiled on exactly the same principles, and containing precisely
+the same sort of matter, as the French Vade Mecum. 1_s._
+
+
+A Compendious French Grammar,
+
+For the use of Students and Travellers; with full instructions in
+Pronunciation, and containing the substance of all the best French
+Grammars in a neat portable form, easily carried in the pocket. 1_s._
+
+
+The Pocket French Dictionary.
+
+A compendious French and English and English and French Dictionary,
+for the use of Students and Travellers.
+
+[_Nearly ready._
+
+
+The following is an enumeration of the principal points which
+distinguish this Dictionary:--
+
+I. All those words are excluded which, however much they are in place
+in a large Dictionary, like that of Johnson or Webster, or the French
+Dictionary of the Academy, are yet totally useless to ordinary
+readers.
+
+II. The space thus saved is occupied by matter really useful to the
+student or traveller, such as--
+
+     (1.) The various meanings and uses of words in different
+     connections, so as at once to point out the particular term
+     required.
+
+     (2.) Commercial and travelling expressions, especially those
+     recently introduced; also technical words in general use.
+
+     (3.) A selection of the most useful idioms and phrases.
+
+     (4.) The prepositions required by the French verbs and
+     adjectives.
+
+III. A clear and full explanation of the Rules of Pronunciation is
+prefixed, while that of all difficult or exceptional words is
+indicated as they occur.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+A LIST OF NEW AND POPULAR WORKS FOR YOUNG PEOPLE.
+
+SOLD BY W. H. DALTON,
+
+BOOKSELLER TO THE QUEEN,
+
+28, COCKSPUR STREET, CHARING CROSS.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+The Adventures of a Cat; and a Fine Cat too! By ALFRED Elwes, Author
+of "The Adventures of a Bear," &c. With Eight Illustrations by
+HARRISON WEIR. Fcap. 4to. cloth, 3s. 6d.; or 6s. with coloured plates.
+
+The Adventures of a Dog, and a Good Dog too! By ALFRED ELWES, Author
+of "The Adventures of a Bear," &c. With Eight large Illustrations by
+HARRISON WEIR. Fcap. 4to. cloth, 3s. 6d.; or 6s. coloured pictures,
+gilt edges.
+
+The Adventures of a Bear, and a Great Bear too! By ALFRED ELWES. With
+Nine Illustrations by HARRISON WEIR. Fcap. 4to. 3s. 6d. cloth; or 6s.
+with coloured pictures, gilt edges.
+
+The Old Story Teller. Translated from the German of LUDWIG BECHSTEIN,
+by the Translators of "Grimm's Household Stories." With 100
+Illustrations by LUDWIG RICHTER. Crown 8vo. cloth, 8s. coloured
+pictures, gilt edges.
+
+Danish Fairy Tales and Legends. By HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN. The
+genuine edition, translated direct from the Danish. With Twenty
+Illustrations, and a Memoir and Portrait of the Author. Fcap. 8vo. 5s.
+cloth.
+
+A Hero: Philip's Book; A Tale for Young People. By the Author of
+"Olive," "The Head of the Family," "Cola Monti," &c. Illustrated by
+JAMES GODWIN. Fcap. 8vo. cloth, 3s. 6d. coloured pictures, gilt edges.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+W. H. DALTON, BOOKSELLER TO THE QUEEN, 28, COCKSPUR STREET, CHARING
+CROSS.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+Instructive and Amusing Works.
+
+
+The Little Drummer; or, the Boy Soldier. A Story of the Russian
+Campaign. Edited by H. W. DULCKEN. Illustrated by JOHN GILBERT. Fcap.
+8vo. cloth, 3s. 6d. coloured pictures, gilt edges.
+
+All is not Gold that Glitters. By ALICE B. NEAL (Cousin Alice).
+Illustrated by DALZIEL. Fcap. 8vo. cloth, 3s. 6d.
+
+
+BY MRS. HARRIET MYRTLE.
+
+The Little Sister. With Sixteen Illustrations on Steel by H. J.
+SCHNEIDER. Fcap. 4to. cloth, gilt edges, 7s. 6d.
+
+A Day Of Pleasure. A Simple Story for Young Children. With Eight
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+
+Home and its Pleasures. Simple Stories for Young Children. With Eight
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+
+The Pleasures of the Country. Simple stories for Young Children.
+Second Edition. With Eight Illustrations by JOHN GILBERT. Fcap. 4to.
+cloth, 3s. 6d.; or 6s. with coloured pictures, gilt edges.
+
+The Ocean Child; or, Showers and Sunshine. A Tale of Girlhood. Small
+8vo. cloth, 5s.
+
+
+BY THE BROTHERS GRIMM.
+
+Household Stories. All the Popular Fairy Tales and Legends of Germany,
+collected by the BROTHERS GRIMM. Newly Translated, and Illustrated
+with Two Hundred and Forty Engravings, by EDWARD H. WEHNERT. In two
+volumes, post 8vo. 12s. cloth; or, 18s. coloured, gilt edges.
+
+The English Struwwelpeter; or, Pretty Stories and Funny Pictures for
+Little Children. After the 17th Edition of DR. HEINRICH HOFFMANN'S
+celebrated Work. With many large coloured pictures, post 4to. 2s. 6d.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+_Companion to the "English Struwwelpeter."_
+
+A Laughter-Book for Little Folk. New Edition. Translated from the
+German by MADAME DE CHATELAIN. With Eighteen large Coloured Comic
+Illustrations by THOMAS HOSEMAN. Post 4to. 2s. 6d. in coloured picture
+binding, by KENNY MEADOWS.
+
+Naughty Boys and Girls. Comic Tales and Coloured Pictures. From the
+German of Dr. JULIUS BAHR, by MADAME DE CHATELAIN. New Edition. A
+Companion to the "English Struwwelpeter." Post 4to, 2s. 6d. in
+coloured picture binding, by KENNY MEADOWS.
+
+       *       *       *       *       *
+
+W. H. DALTON, BOOKSELLER TO THE QUEEN, 28, COCKSPUR STREET, CHARING
+CROSS.
+
+     The Picture Pleasure-Book, Comprising nearly 1000
+     Illustrations by Eminent Artists. In a coloured Pictorial
+     Binding, by LUKE LIMNER, 2 vols. imp. 4to. 6s. each.
+
+An edition is also published mounted on cloth, 12s.
+
+     Comical Creatures from Wurtemberg; from the Stuffed Animals
+     in the Great Exhibition. With Twenty Pictures. Square cloth,
+     3s. 6d.; or coloured, 6s.
+
+     Comical People, met with at the Great Exhibition. From
+     Drawings by J. E. GRANDVILLE. With Sixteen Pictures. Small
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+
+     Funny Dogs with Funny Tales. The Dogs from the Pencil of
+     HARRISON WEIR. The Tales from the pens of ROBERT B. BROUGH,
+     ALFRED ELWES, JAMES HANNAY, and EDMUND F. BLANCHARD. Eight
+     Illustrations, post 4to. cloth, 6s.
+
+     Natural History in Stories. By M. S. C. Author of "Little
+     Poems for Little People," "Twilight Thoughts," &c. With
+     Illustrations by HARRISON WEIR. Small 4to. cloth, 3s. 6d.
+     coloured pictures, gilt edges.
+
+     Merry Tales for Little Folk. Edited by MADAME DE CHATELAIN.
+     An entirely New Edition, with new Frontispiece and binding.
+     16mo. cloth, 3s. 6d.
+
+This volume, illustrated with 200 Pictures, by first-rate Artists,
+contains about Forty of the long-established favourite Stories of the
+Nursery in England and Abroad, re-written or re-translated from
+original Authors, by MADAME DE CHATELAIN.
+
+     AEsop's Fables. A New Version, chiefly from the Original
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+     cloth extra, 3s. 6d.
+
+     Arthur's (Little) History of England. By LADY CALLCOTT.
+     Eighteenth Edition. Woodcuts, 18mo. 2s. 6d.
+
+     Croker's (Right Hon. J. W.) Stories for Children, Selected
+     from the History of England. Fifteenth Edition. Woodcuts,
+     16mo. 2s. 6d.
+
+     Puss in Boots. With 12 Illustrations; for Old and Young. By
+     OTTO SPECKTER. A New Edition. 16mo. 1s. 6d.
+
+     The Illustrated Book of Songs for Children. With Thirty
+     Illustrations by BIRKET FOSTER. Small 4to. cloth, gilt
+     edges, 3s. 6d.; or 5s. with coloured Pictures.
+
+     Aunt Effie's Rhymes for Little Children. With Twenty-four
+     Illustrations by HABLOT K. BROWNE. Small 4to. cloth, gilt
+     edges, 4s. 6d.; or 6s. with coloured Pictures.
+
+W. H. DALTON, BOOKSELLER TO THE QUEEN,
+28, COCKSPUR STREET, CHARING CROSS.
+
+     Original Poems for Infant Minds. A New Revised Edition. Two
+     Volumes. 18mo. cloth, 1s. 6d.
+
+     The Ice King. A Tale for Children, showing the Influence of
+     Good and Bad Temper. With Eight Illustrations. Second
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+
+     Indestructible Pleasure-Books. Printed in Colours, on
+     prepared Cloth. One Shilling each.
+
+         1. LITTLE BO-PEEP                 7 Pictures.
+         2. MOTHER GOOSE                   7 Pictures.
+         3. HOUSE THAT JACK BUILT         11 Pictures.
+         4. WEDDING OF COCK-ROBIN          7 Pictures.
+         5. DEATH OF COCK-ROBIN           12 Pictures.
+         6. OLD MOTHER HUBBARD            14 Pictures.
+         7. THE CAT AND THE MOUSE          7 Pictures.
+         8. LIFE AND DEATH OF JENNY WREN   8 Pictures.
+         9. OLD WOMAN AND HER PIG          7 Pictures.
+        10. LITTLE MAN AND LITTLE MAID     7 Pictures.
+
+     Indestructible Pleasure-Books. FIRST SERIES comprising Parts
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+     Mavor's Primer. Illustrated with Thirty-eight Engravings by
+     JOHN GILBERT. Coloured pictures, 1s.
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+     Imperial 4to. cloth, 15s.
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+     The Pictorial Sunday Book. By Dr. KITTO. Illustrated by 1303
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+     The Pictorial Museum of Animated Nature. By CHARLES KNIGHT.
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+     The Pictorial Gallery of Arts, both Useful and Fine Arts. By
+     CHARLES KNIGHT. With about 4000 engravings, 2 vols. folio,
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+
+W. H. DALTON, BOOKSELLER TO THE QUEEN,
+28, COCKSPUR STREET, CHARING CROSS.
+
+
+
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