Part 63

This done, queen Gulnare and king Saleh, who verily believed king Beder asleep, agreed to awake him before they retired; and he dissembled so well, that he seemed to wake from a profound sleep. He had heard every word they said, and the character they gave of the princess Giauhara had inflamed his heart with a new passion. He had conceived such an idea of her beauty, that the desire of possessing her made him pass the night very uneasy, without closing his eyes.

Next day king Saleh would take leave of queen Gulnare and the king his nephew. The young king, who knew the king his uncle would not have departed so soon but to go and promote without loss of time his happiness, changed colour when he heard him mention his departure. His passion was become so violent, it would not suffer him to wait so long time for the sight of his mistress as would be required to accomplish the marriage. He more than once resolved to desire his uncle to bring her away with him: but as he did not care to let the queen his mother understand he knew any thing of what had passed, he desired him only to stay with him one day more, that they might hunt together, intending to take an opportunity to discover his mind to him.

The day for hunting was set, and king Beder had many opportunities of being alone with his uncle to declare his mind to him; but he had not the courage to open his mouth to acquaint him with his design.

In the heat of the chase, when king Saleh was separated from him, and not one of his officers and attendants were near him, he alighted near a rivulet; and having tied his horse to a tree, which, with several others growing along the banks, afforded a very pleasing shade, he laid himself down on the grass, and gave free course to his tears, which flowed in great abundance, accompanied with many sighs. He remained a good while in this condition, absorbed in thought, without speaking a word.

King Saleh, in the mean time, missing the king his nephew, began to be much concerned to know what was become of him; but could meet no one who could give any tidings of him. He therefore left his company to go in search of him, and at length perceived him at a distance. He had observed the day before, and more plainly that day, that he was not so lively as he used to be; that he was more pensive than ordinary; and that, if he was asked a question, he either answered not at all, or nothing to the purpose; but he never in the least suspected the cause of all this alteration. As soon as he saw him lying in that disconsolate posture, he immediately guessed he had not only heard what passed between him and queen Gulnare, but was become passionately in love. He hereupon alighted at some distance from him, and having tied his horse to a tree, took a compass, and came upon him so softly, that he heard him pronounce the following words:

Amiable princess of the kingdom of Samandal, cried he aloud, I have no doubt had but an imperfect sketch of your incomparable beauty; I hold you to be still more beautiful in preference to all the princesses in the world, and to excel them as much as the sun does the moon and stars. I would this moment go and offer you my heart, if I knew where to find you: it belongs to you, and no princess shall be possessor of it but you.

King Saleh would hear no more; he advanced immediately, and discovered himself to king Beder. From what I see, nephew, said he, you heard what the queen your mother and I said the other day of the princess Giauhara. It was not our intention you should have known any thing, and we thought you were asleep. My dear uncle, replied king Beder, I heard every word, and have sufficiently experienced the effect you foretold; which it was not in your power to prevent. I detained you on purpose to acquaint you with my love before your departure; but the shame to disclose to you my weakness, if it be any to love a princess so worthy of my love, sealed up my mouth. I beseech you, then, by the friendship you profess for a prince who has the honour to be so nearly allied to you, that you would pity me, and not wait to procure me the consent of the divine Giauhara, till you have gained the consent of the king of Samandal that I may marry his daughter, unless you had rather see me die with love for her, before I have a sight of her.

These words of the king of Persia greatly embarrassed king Saleh. He represented to him how difficult it was to give him the satisfaction he desired, and that he could not well do it without carrying him along with him; which might be of dangerous consequence, since his presence was so absolutely necessary in his kingdom. He conjured him, therefore, to moderate his passion, till such time as he had put things into a train to satisfy him, assuring him he would use his utmost diligence, and would come to acquaint him in a few days. But these reasons were not sufficient to satisfy the king of Persia. Cruel uncle, said he, I find you do not love me so much as you pretended, and that you had rather see me die than grant the first request I ever made you.

I am ready to convince your majesty, replied king Saleh, that I would do any thing to serve you; but as for carrying you along with me, I cannot do that till I have spoken to the queen your mother. What would she say of you and me? If she consents, I am ready to do all you would have me, and I will join my entreaties to yours. You cannot be ignorant, replied the king of Persia, that the queen my mother would never willingly part with me; and therefore, this excuse of yours does but farther convince me of your unkindness. If you do realty love me, as you would have me to believe you do, you must return to your kingdom immediately, and carry me along with you.

King Saleh, finding himself obliged to yield to his nephew’s importunity, drew from his finger a ring, on which were engraven the same mysterious names of God that were upon Solomon’s seal, that had wrought so many wonders by their virtue. Here, take this ring, said he, put it upon your finger, and fear neither the waters of the sea, nor their depth. The king of Persia took the ring, and when he had put it on his finger, king Saleh said to him, Do as I do. At the same time they both mounted lightly up into the air, and made towards the sea, which was not far distant, whereinto they plunged.

The sea-king was not long getting to his palace, with the king of Persia, whom he immediately carried to the queen’s apartment, and presented him to her. The king of Persia kissed the queen his grandmother’s hands, and she embraced him with great demonstrations of joy. I do not ask you how you do, said she to him; I see you are very well, and I am rejoiced at it; but I desire to know how my daughter, your mother, queen Gulnare, does? The king of Persia took great care not to let her know he came away without taking leave of her; on the contrary, he told her the queen his mother was in perfect health, and had enjoined him to pay her duty to her. Then the queen presented him to the princesses; and while he was in conversation with them, she left him and went with king Saleh into a closet, who told her how the king of Persia had fallen in love with the princess Giauhara, upon the bare relation of her beauty, and contrary to his intention; that he had brought him along with him, without being able to hinder it; and that he was going to concert measures to procure the princess for him in marriage.

Although king Saleh was, to do him justice, perfectly innocent of the king of Persia’s passion, yet the queen could hardly forgive his indiscretion in mentioning the princess Giauhara before him. Your imprudence is not to be forgiven, said she to him: can you think that the king of Samandal, whose character is so well known, will have greater consideration for you, than the many kings he has refused his daughter to, with such evident contempt? would you have him send you away with the same confusion?

Madam, replied king Saleh, I have already told you it was contrary to my intention that the king my nephew heard what I related of the beauty of the princess Giauhara to the queen my sister. The fault is committed, and we must consider what a violent passion he has for this princess, and that he will die with grief and affliction, if we do not speedily use every possible means to obtain her for him. For my part, I shall omit nothing that can contribute to it, since I was, though innocently, the cause of the malady; I will therefore do all that I can to remedy it. I hope, madam, you will approve of my resolution, to go myself and wait upon the king of Samandal, with a rich present of precious stones, and demand the princess his daughter of him for the king of Persia your grandson. I have some reason to believe he will not refuse me, but will be pleased at an alliance with one of the greatest potentates of the earth.

It were to have been wished, replied the queen, that we had not been under a necessity of making this demand, since the success of our attempt is not so certain as we could desire; but since my grandson’s peace and content depend upon it, I freely give my consent to it. But, above all, I charge you, since you well know the humour of the king of Samandal, that you take care to speak to him with due respect and in a manner that cannot possibly offend him.

The queen prepared the present herself, composing it of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and strings of pearls; all which she put into a very neat and very rich box. Next morning king Saleh took leave of her majesty and the king of Persia, and departed with a chosen and small troop of officers, and other attendants. He soon arrived at the kingdom and the palace of the king of Samandal, who delayed not to give him audience immediately upon his arrival. He rose from his throne as soon as he perceived him; and king Saleh, forgetting his character for some moments, knowing whom he had to deal with, prostrated himself at his feet, wishing him the accomplishment of all his desires. The king of Samandal immediately stooped to take him up, and after he had placed him by him on his left hand, he told him he was welcome, and asked him if there was any thing he could do to serve him.

Sir, answered king Saleh, though I should have no other motive than that of paying my respects to the most potent, most prudent, and most valiant prince in the world, feeble would be my expressions how much I honour your majesty. Could you penetrate into my inmost soul, you would be convinced of the great veneration I have for you, and the ardent desire to testify my attachment. Having spoke these words, he took the box of jewels from one of his servants, and having opened it, presented it to the king, imploring him to accept of it for his sake.

Prince, replied the king of Samandal, you would not make me such a present without you had a request proportionable to it to propose. If there be any thing in my power, you may freely command it, and I shall feel the greatest pleasure in granting it. Speak, and tell me frankly wherein I can serve you.

I must own ingenuously, replied king Saleh, I have a boon to ask of your majesty; and I shall take care to ask nothing but what is in your power to grant. The thing depends so absolutely on yourself, that it would be to no purpose to ask it of any other. I ask it then with all possible earnestness, and I beg of you not to refuse it me. If it be so, replied the king of Samandal, you have nothing to do but acquaint me what it is, and you shall see after what manner I can oblige when it is in my power.

Sir, said king Saleh, after the confidence your majesty has been pleased to encourage me to put in your good-will, I will not dissemble any longer, that I came to beg of you to honour our house with your alliance by the marriage of your honourable daughter the princess Giauhara, and to strengthen the good understanding that has so long subsisted between our two crowns.

At these words the king of Samandal burst out a laughing, falling back in his throne against a cushion that supported him, and with an imperious and scornful air, said to king Saleh, King Saleh, I have always hitherto thought you a prince of great sense, wisdom, and prudence; but what you say convinces me how much I was mistaken. Tell me, I beseech you, where was your wit or discretion, when you formed to yourself so great a chimera as you have but now proposed to me? Could you conceive a thought only of aspiring in marriage to a princess, the daughter of so great and powerful a king as I am? You ought to have considered better beforehand the great distance between us, and not run the risk of losing in a moment the esteem I always had for your person.

King Saleh was extremely nettled at this affronting answer, and had much ado to restrain his resentment; however, he replied with all possible moderation, God reward your majesty as you deserve! I have the honour to inform you, I do not demand the princess your daughter in marriage for myself: had I done so, your majesty and the princess ought to have been so far from being offended, that you should have thought it an honour done to both. Your majesty well knows I am one of the kings of the sea as well as yourself; that the kings my ancestors yield not in antiquity to any other royal families; and that the kingdom I inherit from them is no less potent and flourishing than it has ever been. If your majesty had not interrupted me, you had soon understood that the favour I ask of you was not for myself, but for the young king of Persia my nephew, whose power and grandeur, no less than his personal good qualities, cannot be unknown to you. Every body acknowledges the princess Giauhara to be the most beautiful person under heaven: but it is no less true, that the young king of Persia my nephew, is the best made and most accomplished prince on the land. Thus the favour that is asked being likely to redound both to the honour of your majesty and the princess your daughter, you ought not to doubt that your consent to an alliance so equal will be unanimously approved in all the kingdoms of the sea. The princess is worthy of the king of Persia, and the king of Persia is no less worthy of her. No king or prince in the world can dispute her with him.

The king of Samandal had not let king Saleh go on so long after this rate, had not the rage he put him in deprived him of all power of speech. He was some time longer before he could find his tongue, so much was he transported with passion. At length, however, he broke out into outrageous and injurious expressions, unworthy of a great king. Dog! cried he, dare you talk to me after this manner, and so much as mention my daughter’s name in my presence? Can you think the son of your sister Gulnare worthy to come in competition with my daughter? Who are you? Who was your father? Who is your sister? And who your nephew? Was not his father a dog, and a son of a dog, like you? Guards, seize the insolent wretch, and cut off his head!

The few officers that were about the king of Samandal were immediately going to obey his orders, when king Saleh, who was in the flower of his age, nimble and vigorous, got from them, before they could draw their sabres; and having reached the palace-gate, he there found a thousand men of his relations and friends, well armed and equipped, who were just arrived. The queen his mother having considered the small number of attendants he took with him, and moreover foreseeing the bad reception he would probably have from the king of Samandal, had sent these troops to protect and defend him in case of danger, ordering them to make haste. Those of his relations who were at the head of this troop had reason to rejoice at their seasonable arrival, when they beheld him and his attendants come running in great disorder, and pursued. Sire, cried his friends, the moment he joined them, what is the matter? We are ready to revenge you: you need only command us.

King Saleh related his case to them in as few words as he could, and putting himself at the head of a large troop, he, while some seized on the gates, re-entered the palace as before. The few officers and guards who had pursued him, being soon dispersed, he re-entered the king of Samandal’s apartment, who, being abandoned by his attendants, was soon seized. King Saleh left sufficient guards to secure his person, and then went from apartment to apartment, to search after the princess Giauhara. But that princess, on the first alarm, had, together with her women, sprung up to the surface of the sea, and escaped to the desert island.

While this passed in the palace of the king of Samandal, those of king Saleh’s attendants who had fled at the first menaces of that king, put the queen mother into terrible consternation, upon relating the danger her son was in. King Beder, who was by at that time, was the more concerned, in that he looked upon himself as the principal author of all the mischief that might ensue: therefore, not caring to abide the queen’s presence any longer, he, while she was giving the orders necessary at that conjuncture, darted up from the bottom of the sea; and, not knowing how to find his way to the kingdom of Persia, he happened to light on the same island where the princess Giauhara had saved herself.

The prince, not a little disturbed in mind, went and seated himself under the shade of a large tree, surrounded with divers others. Whilst he was endeavouring to recover himself, he heard somebody talking, but was too far off to understand what was said. He arose, and advanced softly towards the place whence the sound came, where, among the branches, he perceived a beauty that dazzled him. Doubtless, said he, within himself, stopping and considering her with great attention, this must be the princess Giauhara, whom fear has obliged to abandon her father’s palace; or, if it be not, she no less deserves my hearty love. This said, he came forward, and discovering himself approached the princess with profound reverence. Madam, said he, I can never sufficiently thank Heaven for the favour it has done me in presenting to my eyes this day so much beauty. A greater happiness could not have befallen me, than this opportunity to offer you my most humble services. I beseech you, therefore, madam, to accept them, it being impossible that a lady in this solitude should not want assistance.

True, my lord, replied Giauhara very sorrowfully; it is not a little extraordinary for a lady of my quality to be in this situation. I am a princess, daughter of the king of Samandal, and my name is Giauhara. I was at ease in my father’s palace, and my apartment, when all of a sudden I heard a dreadful noise: news was immediately brought me, that king Saleh, I know not for what reason, had forced the palace, seized the king my father, and murdered all the guards that made any resistance. I had only time to save myself, and escape hither from his violence.

At these words of the princess, king Beder began to be concerned that he had quitted his grandmother so hastily, without staying to hear from her an explanation of the news that had been brought her. But he was on the other hand, overjoyed to find that the king his uncle had rendered himself master of the king of Samandal’s person, not doubting but he would consent to give up the princess for his liberty. Adorable princess, continued he, your concern is most just, but it is easy to put an end both to that and your father’s captivity. You will agree with me, when I shall tell you that I am Beder king of Persia, and king Saleh is my uncle: I assure you, madam, he has no design to seize upon the king your father’s dominions; his only intent is to obtain of him that I may have the honour and happiness of being his son-in-law. I had already given my heart to you, upon the bare relation of your beauty and charms; and now, far from repenting of what I have done, I beg of you to accept it, and to be assured that I will love you as long as I live. I dare flatter myself you will not refuse this favour, but be ready to acknowledge that a king, that quitted his dominions purely on your account, deserves some acknowledgment. Permit me, then, beauteous princess, to have the honour to go and present you to the king my uncle; and the king your father shall no sooner have consented to our marriage, but king Saleh will leave him sovereign of his dominions as before.

This declaration of king Beder did not produce the effect he expected. It is true, the princess no sooner saw him, than his person and air, and the good grace wherewith he accosted her, led her to look on him as one who would not have been disagreeable to her; but when she heard from his own mouth that he had been the occasion of the ill treatment her father had suffered, of the grief and fright she had endured, and especially the necessity she was reduced to of flying her country; she looked upon him as an enemy with whom she ought to have no manner of converse. Whatever inclination she might have to consent to this marriage, which he desired, she determined never to yield to it, in consideration that one of the reasons that her father might have had against this match might be, that king Beder was son of a king of the earth; and therefore she resolved to submit entirely to his will in that particular.

She would not, however, let king Beder know her resentment, and only sought an occasion to deliver herself dexterously out of his hands; and seeming in the mean time to have a great kindness for him: Are you then, sir, said she, with all possible civility, son of the queen Gulnare, so famous for her wit and beauty? I am glad of it, and rejoice that you are the son of so worthy a mother. The king my father was much in the wrong so strongly to oppose our union: he could not have seen you, but he must have consented to make us both happy. Saying so, she reached forth her hand to him as a token of friendship.

King Beder, believing himself arrived at the very pinnacle of happiness, held forth his hand and taking that of the princess, stooped down to kiss it, when she, pushing him back, and spitting in his face for want of water to throw at him, said, ‘Wretch, quit that form of a man, and take that of a white bird, with a red bill and feet.’ Upon her pronouncing these words, king Beder was immediately changed into a bird of that sort, to his great surprise and mortification. Take him, said she, to one of her women, and carry him to the Dry Island. This island was only one frightful rock, where there was not a drop of water to be had.

The waiting-woman took the bird, and in executing her princess’s orders, had compassion on king Beder’s destiny. It would be great pity, said she to herself, to let a prince, so worthy to live, die of hunger and thirst. The princess, so good and gentle, will, it may be, repent of this cruel order when she comes to herself: it were better that I carried him to a place where he may die a natural death. She accordingly carried him to a well-frequented island, and left him in a charming plain, planted with all sorts of fruit-trees, and watered by divers rivulets.