The Arabian Nights Entertainments, Anonymous [summer beach reads .txt] 📗

person in the world, should penetrate by night into this place without entering at the door, and walking over the belly of your slave? I beseech you, my lord, recollect yourself, and you will find this only a dream which has made this impression on you.

I give no ear to what you say, said the prince, in an angry and high tone; I must know of you absolutely what is become of the lady; and if you scruple to obey me, I am in a place where I shall soon be able to force you to tell me.

At these stern words the grand vizier began to be under greater confusion than before, and was thinking how he could in the best manner get away. He endeavoured to pacify the prince by good words; and begged of him, in the most humble manner, to tell him if he had seen this lady.

Yes, yes, answered the prince; I have seen her, and am very well satisfied that you sent her to tempt me. She played the part you had given her admirably well, for I could not get a word from her: she pretended to be asleep; but I was no sooner got into a slumber, than she rose and left me. You know all this, as well as myself; for I do not doubt but that she has gone to make her report of her dexterity.

My lord, replied the vizier, I swear to your highness, that nothing of this has been acted which you seem to reproach me with! And I vow, by the head of our great prophet, that neither your father nor myself have sent the lady you speak of, if I may believe my royal master's protestations; and sure I am, I can answer for myself. I am confident that neither of us had ever any such thought: permit me, therefore, to certify your highness once more that this must needs have been a dream.

How! do you come thus to affront and contradict me, said the prince in a great rage, and to tell me to my face that what I have told you is a dream. You are an unbelieving varlet! cried he; and at the same time took him by the beard, and loaded him with so many blows, that he was hardly able to stand under them.

The poor grand vizier endured patiently all the brunt of his lord's indignation, and could not help saying within himself, Now am I even in as bad a condition as the slave, and shall think myself happy if I can, like him, escape from any further danger. In the midst of the blows that were given him, he cried out but for a moment's audience; which the prince, after he had nearly tired himself with beating him, consented to give.

I own, my lord, said the grand vizier, dissembling, that there is something in what your highness suspects; but you cannot be ignorant under what necessity a minister is to obey his royal master's orders; yet if your highness will but be pleased to set me at liberty, will go and tell him any thing on your part that you shall think fit to command. Go, then, said the prince, and tell him from me, that, if he pleases, I will marry the lady he sent me, or rather that was brought me, last night. Do this quickly, and bring me a speedy answer. The grand vizier made a profound reverence, and went away, not thinking himself altogether safe till he had got out of the tower, and shut the door upon the prince.

He came and presented himself before the sultan Schahzaman, with a countenance that sufficiently showed he had been ill used. Well, said the king, in what condition did you find my son? Sir, answered the vizier, what the slave reported to your majesty is but too true. He then related the interview he had had with Camaralzaman; how he was in a passion upon his endeavouring to persuade him it was impossible that any lady should get in to him; how he had used him very scurvily, and by what means he made his escape.

Schahzaman was the more concerned, because he loved the prince with an exceeding tenderness, and resolved to find out the truth of this matter; he therefore proposed to go and see his son in the tower himself, accompanied by the grand vizier.

Prince Camaralzaman received the king his father in the tower with great respect. The king sat down, and made the prince his son seat himself by him, putting several questions to him, which he answered with a great deal of good sense. As they were talking, the king every now and then cast his eyes on the grand vizier, thereby intimating to him, that he did not find his son had lost his senses, but rather thought he had lost his.

The king at length spoke of the lady to his son. Son, said he, I desire you to tell me what lady that was who lay with you last night, as I have been told?

Sir, answered Camaralzaman, I beg your majesty not to give me any more disturbance on that head, but rather to oblige me so far as to let me have her in marriage: whatever aversion I may formerly have discovered for women, this young lady has charmed me to that degree, that I cannot help betraying my weakness. I am ready to receive her at your majesty's hands, with all the acknowledgments imaginable.

King Schahzaman was surprised at this answer of the prince's, so remote, as he thought, from the good sense he had found in him before; he therefore said to him, Son, you put me under the greatest consternation imaginable, by what you now say to me: I swear to you, by my crown, which is to devolve upon you after me, that I know not one word of what you mention about the lady; and if there has any such come to you, it was altogether without my knowledge or privity. But how could she get into this tower without my consent? For whatever my grand vizier told you, it was only to appease you that he said it: it must therefore be nothing but a dream; and I beg of you not to believe any thing to the contrary.

Sir, replied the prince, I should be for ever unworthy of the good-will of your majesty, if I did not give entire credit to what you are pleased to say; but I humbly beseech you, at the same time, give ear to what I shall say to you, and then to judge whether what I have the honour to tell you be a dream or not. Then prince Camaralzaman related to the king his father after what manner he had been awaked, exaggerating the beauty and charms of the lady he found by his side, the love he had for her at first sight, and the pains he took to awake her with- out effect. He did not conceal what had obliged him to awake, arid fall asleep again, after he made the exchange of his ring with that of the lady. Showing the king the ring, he added, Sir, your majesty must needs know my ring very well, and you see I have it not on my finger, but another of a woman's in- stead of it. From this proof, therefore, I hope you will be pleased to be convinced that I have not lost my senses, as you have been almost made to believe.

King Schahzaman was so perfectly convinced of the truth of what his son had been telling him, that he had not a word to say, remaining astonished for some time, and not being able to utter a syllable.

The prince took advantage of this opportunity, and said further, May it please your majesty, the passion I have conceived for this charming lady, whose precious image I bear continually on my mind, is so strong, that I cannot live unless your majesty procures me the happiness of enjoying her; which I know you can well do, as not being ignorant who she is.

Son, replied the king, after what I have just heard, and what I see by the ring on your finger, I cannot doubt but your passion is real for this lady; and would to God I knew who she was, I would make you happy from this moment. But what means have I to come at the knowledge of her? Where shall I find her, and how seek for her? How could she get in here, and by what conveyance, without my consent? Why did she come to sleep only, inflame you with her beauty, and then leave you while you was in a slumber? These things, I must confess, are past my finding out; and if Heaven is not so favourable as to give some light into them, we, I fear, must both go down to the grave together. Come, then, my son, continued he, let us go and afflict ourselves in conjunction; you for the hopes you have lost, and I for seeing you grieve, and not being in a capacity to remedy your affliction.

King Schahzaman then led his son out of the tower, and conveyed him to the palace; where he was no sooner arrived, than he fell sick, and took to his bed; which made the king shut himself up with him, and grieve so bitterly, that he was not in a condition to take any cognizance of the affairs of his kingdom.

The prime minister, who was the only person that had admittance, came one day and told him the whole court, and even the people, began to murmur at their not seeing him, and that he did not administer justice every day as he was wont to do before this accident happened, on which account he knew not what disorders it might occasion. I humbly beg your majesty, therefore, proceeded he, to take some notice of what I now represent to you. I am sensible your majesty's company is a great comfort to the prince in his condition, and that his is no less assuaging to your grief; but then you must not run the risk of letting all be lost. I should think it were proper to be proposed to your majesty, that you would be pleased to suffer yourself to be transported to a castle which you have in a little island opposite the port, where you may give audience to your subjects twice a week; and where, during that function, the prince will be so agreeably amused with the beauty, prospect, and good air of the place, that he will be likely to bear your absence with the less concern.

King Schahzaman approved of this proposal; and when the castle, where he had not resided for some time, had been new furnished; he caused himself to be transported thither with the prince; where, excepting the times that he gave audience as aforesaid, he passed all his hours on his son's pillow; sometimes endeavouring to comfort him, but oftener afflicting himself with him.

Whilst matters passed thus in the capital of King Schahzaman, the two genii, Danhasch and Cascheasch, had carried the princess of China back to the palace, where the king her father had shut her up, and laid her in her bed as before.

When she awaked next morning, and found, by looking to the right and to the left, that prince Camaralzaman was not by her, she cried out with such a voice to her old women, as soon made them come to know what she wanted. Her nurse, who presented herself first, desired to be informed what her highness would be pleased to have, and what had happened to hot that occasioned her to call out so earnestly.

Tell me, said the princess, what is become of the young man that has lain with me to-night, and whom I love with all my soul? Madam, replied the nurse, we know of no such person, and cannot pretend to understand your highness, unless you will be pleased to explain yourself.

How do you mean explain myself! quoth the princess. Why, I had a lovely and most amiable young man that slept with me last night; whom, though I caressed ever so much, I could not awake: I only ask you where he is?

Madam, answered the nurse, is it to jest and impose upon us that your highness asks these questions? I beseech your highness to be pleased to rise, and you shall be satisfied in all things that we are capable of satisfying you in. I am in earnest, then, said the princess; and I must know where this young man is. Madam, insisted the nurse, you were