Chapter 40

She being persuaded that Ebn Thaher spoke to her only out of friendship, did not take amiss what he said to her, but made a right use of it. Then she made a sign to the slave, her confident, who immediately went out, and in a little time brought a collation of fruit upon a small silver table, which she set down between her mistress and the prince of Persia. Schemselnihar presented some of the best to the prince, and prayed him to eat for her sake: he did so, and put that part to his mouth which she had touched; and then he presented some to her, which she took, and ate in the same manner. She did not forget to invite Ebn Thaher to eat with them; but he not thinking himself safe in that place, ate only from complaisance. After the collation was taken away, they brought a silver basin with water in a vessel of gold, and washed together; they afterwards returned to their places, when three of the ten black women brought each of them a cup of rock crystal full of curious wines, upon a golden salver, which they set down before Schemselnihar, the prince of Persia, and Ebn Thaher. That they might be more private, Schemselnihar kept with her only ten black women, with ten others who began to sing and play upon instruments; and, after she had sent away all the rest, she took up one of the cups, and holding it in her hand, sung some tender expressions, which one of her women accompanied with her lute. When she had done, she drank, and afterwards took up one of the other cups, and presented it to the prince, praying him to drink for love of her, as she had drunk for love of him. He received the cup with a transport of love and joy, but, before drinking, he also sung a song, which another woman accompanied with an instrument and as he sung, the tears fell from his eyes in such abundance, that he could not forbear expressing in his song that he knew not whether he was going to drink the wine she had presented to him, or his own tears. Schemselnihar at last presented the third cup to Ebn Thaher, who thanked her for her kindness, and for the honour she did him.

She then took a lute from one of her women, and sung to it in such a passionate manner as bespoke her to be beside herself, the prince of Persia standing with his eyes fixed upon her, as if he had been enchanted. As these things were passing, her trusty slave arrived all in a fright; and, addressing herself to her mistress, said, Madam, Mesrour and two other officers, with several eunuchs that attend them, are at the gate and want to speak with you from the caliph. When the prince of Persia and Ebn Thaher heard these words, they changed colour, and began to tremble, as if they had been undone; but Schemselnihar, who perceived it, recovered their courage by a smile.

After Schemselnihar had quieted the prince of Persia and Ebn Thaher's fears, she ordered the slave, her confident, to go and entertain Mesrour and the two other officers till she was in a condition to receive them, and send to her to bring them in. She immediately ordered all the windows of the saloon to be shut, and the painted cloth on the side of the garden to be let down; and having assured the prince and Ebn Thaher that they might continue there without fear, she went out at the gate leading to the garden, and shut it upon them; but, whatever assurance she had given them of their being safe, they were still much terrified all the while they were there.

As soon as Schemselnihar was in the garden with the women that followed her, she ordered all the seats which served the women who played on the instruments to be set near the window where Ebn Thaher and the prince of Persia heard them, and having got things in order, she sat down upon a silver throne; then she sent by the slave, her confident, to bring in the chief of the eunuchs, and his subaltern officers.

They appeared, followed by twenty black eunuchs, all handsomely clothed, with scimitars by their sides, and gold belts of four inches broad. As soon as they perceived the favourite Schemselnihar at a distance, they made her a profound reverence, which she returned them from her throne. When they came near, she got up and went to meet Mesrour, who came first. She asked what news he brought. He answered, Madam, the commander of the faithful has sent me to signify that he cannot live longer without seeing you; he designs to come to you tonight, and I come beforehand to give notice, that you may be prepared to receive him. He hopes, madam, that you long as much to see him as he is impatient to see you.

Upon this discourse of Mesrour, the favourite Schemselnihar prostrated herself to the ground, as a mark of the submission with which she received the caliph's order. When she rose again, she said, Pray tell the commander of the faithful, that I shall always esteem it my glory to execute his majesty's commands, and that his slave will do her utmost to receive him with all the respect that is due to him. At the same time she ordered the slave, her confident, to tell the black women appointed for that service to get the palace ready to receive the caliph; and dismissing the chief of the eunuchs, said to him, You see it requires some time to get all things ready, therefore I pray you to take care that his majesty may have a little patience, that, when he arrives, he may not find things out of order.

The chief of the eunuchs and his retinue being gone, Schemselnihar returned to the saloon, extremely concerned at the necessity she was under of sending back the prince of Persia sooner than she thought to have done. She came up to him again with tears in her eyes, which heightened Ebn Thaher's fear, who thought it no good omen. Madam, said the prince to her, I perceive you are come to tell me that we must part; provided there be nothing more to dread, I hope Heaven will give me the patience which is necessary to support your absence. Alas, my dear heart, my dear soul, replied the tender-hearted Schemselnihar, how happy do I think you, and how unhappy myself, when I compare your lot with my sad destiny! No doubt, you will suffer by my absence; but that is all, and you may comfort yourself with the hope of seeing me again; but as for me, just Heaven! what a terrible trial am I brought to! I must not only be deprived of the sight of the only person whom I love, but I must be tormented with the sight of one whom you have made hateful to me. Will not the arrival of the caliph put me in mind of your departure? And how can I, when I think of your sweet face, entertain that prince with that joy which he always observed in my eyes whenever he came to see me? I shall have my mind wavering when I speak to him; and the least complaisance which I show to him, will stab me to the heart like a dagger. Can I relish his kind words and caresses? Think, prince, to what torments I shall be exposed when I can see you no more! Her tears and sighs hindered her to go on, and the prince of Persia would have replied to her; but his own grief, and that of his mistress, made him incapable.

Ebn Thaher, whose chief business was to get out of the palace, was obliged to comfort them, and to exhort them to have patience. But the trusty slave interrupted them: Madam, said she to Schemselnihar, you have no time to lose, the eunuchs begin to arrive, and you know the caliph will be here immediately. 0 Heaven, how cruel is this separation! cried the favourite. Make haste, said she to the confident, carry them both to the gallery which looks into the garden on the one side, and to the Tigris on the other; and when the night grows dark, let them out by the back gate, that they may retire with safety. Having spoken thus, she tenderly embraced the prince of Persia, without being able to say one word more, and went to meet the caliph in such disorder as cannot well be imagined.

In the mean time the trusty slave carried the prince and Ebn Thaher to the gallery, as Schemselnihar had appointed; and having brought them in, left them there, and shut the door upon them, after having assured them that they had nothing to fear, and that she would come for them when it was time.

Schemselnihar's trusty slave leaving the prince of Persia and Ebn Thaher, they forgot she had assured them that they needed not to be afraid; they searched all the gallery, and were seized with extreme fear, because they knew no place where they might escape, in case the caliph, or any of his officers, should happen to come there.

A great light, which came on a sudden from the side of the garden through the windows, caused them to approach to see from whence it came. It was occasioned by a hundred flambeaux of white wax, carried by as many young eunuchs; these were followed by as many others, who guarded the ladies of the caliph's palace, clothed, and armed with scimitars, in the same manner as those already mentioned; and the caliph came after them, betwixt Mesrour, their captain, on his right, and the vassif, their second officer, on his left hand.

Schemselnihar waited for the caliph at the entry of an alley, accompanied by twenty women, all of surprising beauty, adorned with necklaces and ear-rings of large diamonds, and some of them had their whole heads covered with them. They played upon instruments, and made a charming concert. The favourite no sooner saw the prince appear than she advanced, and prostrated herself at his feet; and while doing this, Prince of Persia, said she within herself, if your sad eyes bear witness to what I do, judge of my hard lot; if I was humbling myself so before you, my heart should feel no reluctance.

The caliph was ravished to see Schemselnihar. Rise, madam, said he to her; come near: I am angry that I should have deprived myself so long of the pleasure of seeing you. Saying this, he took her by the hand, and, after abundance of tender expressions, went and sat down upon a silver throne which Schemselnihar caused to be brought for him, and she sat down upon a seat opposite, and the twenty women made a circle round about them upon other seats, while the young eunuchs, who carried flambeaux, dispersed themselves at a certain distance from each other, that the caliph might enjoy the cool of the evening the better.

When the caliph sat down, he looked round him, and beheld with satisfaction a great many other lights besides those flambeaux which the young eunuchs held; but taking notice that the saloon was shut, was astonished thereat, and demanded the reason. It was done on purpose to surprise him; for he had no sooner spoken, than the windows were at once opened, and he saw it illuminated within and without in a much better manner than ever he had seen it before. Charming Schemselmhar, cried he at this sight, I understand you; you would have me to know there are as fine nights as days. After what I have seen, I cannot disown it.

Let us return to the prince of Persia and Elm Thaher, whom we left in the gallery. Ebn Thaher could not enough admire all he saw. I am not very young, said he, and in my time have seen great entertainments; but I do not think any thing can be more surprising and magnificent. All that is said of enchanted palaces does no way come near this prodigious spectacle we now see. O strange! what riches and magnificence together!

The prince of Persia was nothing moved with those objects which were so pleasant to Ebn Thaher; he could look on nothing but Schemselnihar, and the presence of the caliph threw him into inconceivable grief. Dear Ebn Thaher, said he, would to God I had my mind as free to admire these things as you! But, alas! I am in a quite different condition; all those objects serve only to increase my torment. Can I see the caliph cheek to cheek with her that I love, and not die of grief? Must such a passionate love as mine be disturbed by so potent a rival? O heavens, how cruel is my destiny! It is but a moment since I esteemed myself the most fortunate lover in the world, and at this instant I feel my heart so struck, that it is like to kill me. I cannot resist it, my dear Ebn Thaher; my patience is at an end; my distemper overwhelms me, and my courage fails. While speaking, he saw something pass in the garden, which obliged him to keep silence, and to turn all his attention that way.

The caliph had ordered one of the women, who was near him, to play on her lute, and she began to sing. The words that she sung were very passionate; and the caliph was persuaded that she sung thus by order of Schemselnihar, who had frequently entertained him with the like testimonies of her affection; therefore he interpreted all in his own favour. But this was not now Schemselnihar's meaning; she applied it to her dear Ali Ebn Becar, and was so sensibly touched with grief, to have before her an object whose presence she could no longer enjoy, that she fainted and fell backwards upon her seat, which having no arms to support her, she must have fallen down, had not some of the women helped her in time; who took her up, and carried her into the saloon.

Ebn Thaher, who was in the gallery, being surprised at this accident, turned towards the prince of Persia; but, instead of seeing him stand and look through the window as before, he was extremely amazed to see him fall down at his feet, and without motion. He judged it to proceed from the violence of his love to Schemselnihar, and admired the strange effect of sympathy which threw him into great fear, because of the place in which they were. In the mean time he did all he could to recover the prince, but in vain. Ebn Thaher was in this perplexity when Schemselnihar's confident, opening the gallery door, came in out of breath, as one who knew not where she was. Come speedily, cried she, that I may let you out. All is confusion here, and I fear this will be the last of our days. Ah! how would you have us go? replied Ebn Thaher, with a mournful voice. Come near, I pray you, and see in what condition the prince of Persia is. When, the slave saw him in a swoon, she ran for water in all haste, and returned in an instant.

At last the prince of Persia, after they had thrown water on his face, recovered his spirits. Prince, said Ebn Thaher to him, we run the risk of being destroyed, if we stay here any longer; let us therefore endeavour to save our lives. He was so feeble that he could not rise unassisted. Ebn Thaher and the confident lent him their hands, and supported him on each side. They came to a little iron gate which opened towards the Tigris, went out at it, and got to the side of a little canal communicating with the river. The confident clapped her hands, and immediately a little boat appeared, which came towards them with one rower. Ali Ebn Becar and his comrade went aboard, and the trusty slave staid at the side of the canal. As soon as the prince sat down in the boat, he stretched out one hand towards the palace and laid the other upon his heart. Dear object of my soul! cried he with a feeble voice, receive my faith with this hand, while I assure you with the other, that for you my heart shall for ever preserve the fire with which it burns!

In the mean time the boatman rowed with all his might; and Schemselnihar's trusty slave accompanied the prince of Persia and Ebu Thaher, walking along the side of the canal, until they came to the Tigris; and when she could go no further, she took farewell of them, and returned.

The prince of Persia continued very feeble. Ebn Thaher comforted him, and exhorted him to take courage. Consider, said he, that when we are landed, we have a great way to go before we come to my house; and I would not at this hour, and in this condition, advise you home to your lodgings, which are a great way further off than mine. At length they got out of the boat, but the prince was so weak that he could not walk, which put Ebn Thaher into great perplexity. He remembered he had a friend in the neighbourhood, and carried the prince thither with great difficulty. His friends received them very cheerfully; and, when he made them sit down, asked where they had been so late. Ebn Thaher answered him, I was this evening with a man who owed me a considerable sum of money, and designed to go a long voyage. I was unwilling to lose time to find him, and by the way I met with this young nobleman whom you see, and to whom I am under a thousand obligations; for, knowing my debtor, he would needs do me the favour of going along with me. We had a great deal of trouble to bring the man to reason; besides, we went out of the way, and that is the reason we are so late. In our return home, this good lord, for whom I have all possible respect, was attacked by a sudden distemper; which made me take the liberty of calling at your house, flattering myself that you would be pleased to give us quarters for this night.

Ebn Thaher's friend, who believed all this, told them they were welcome, and offered the prince of Persia, whom he knew not, all the assistance he could desire; but Ebn Thaher spoke for the prince, and said, that his distemper was of a nature that required nothing but rest. His friend understood by this that they desired to go to bed; on which he conducted them to an apartment, where he left them.

Though the prince of Persia slept, he had troublesome dreams, which represented Schemselnihar in a swoon at the caliph's feet, and increased his affliction. Ebn Thaher was very impatient to be at home, and doubted not but his family were in great trouble, because he never used to lie abroad. He rose and deported early in the morning, after taking leave of his friend, who rose at break of day to say his prayers. At last he came home; and the prince of Persia, who had walked so far with much trouble, lay down upon a sofa, as weary as if he had travelled a long journey Not being in a condition to go home, Ebn Thaher ordered a chamber to be got ready for him, and sent to acquaint his friends with his condition, and where he was. In the mean time he begged him to compose himself, to command in his house, and order things as he pleased. I thank you hcartily for these obliging offers, said the prince of Persia; but, that I may not be any way troublesome to you, I conjure you to deal with me as if I were not at your house. I would not stay one moment, if I thought my presence would incommode you in the least.

As soon as Ebn Thaher had time to recollect himself, he told his family all that had passed at Schemselnihar's palace, and concluded by thanking God, who had delivered him from the danger he was in. The prince of Persia's principal domestics came to receive his orders at Ebn Thaher's house, and in a little time several of his friends who had notice of his indisposition arrived. Those friends passed the greater part of the day with him; and, though their conversation could not dissipate those sad ideas which were the cause of his trouble, yet it gave him some relief. He would have taken his leave of Ebn Thaher towards the evening; but this faithful friend found him still so weak, that he obliged him to stay till next day, and in the mean time, to divert him, gave him a concert of vocal and instrumental music in the evening; but this concert served only to put him in mind of the preceding night, and renewed his trouble, instead of assuaging it; so that next day his distemper seempd to increase. Upon this, Ebn Thaher did not oppose his going home, but took care to accompany him thither; and, when alone with him in his chamber, he represented to him all those arguments which might influence him to a generous endeavour to overcome that passion, which in the end would neither prove lucky to himself nor to the favourite. Ah, dear Ebn Thaher! cried the prince, how easy is it for you to give this advice, but how hard is it for me to follow it! I am sensible of its importance, but am not able to profit by it, I have said already, that I shall carry with me to the grave the love that I bear to Schemselnihar. When Ebn Thaher saw that lie could not prevail on the prince, he took his leave of him, and would have retired.

The prince of Persia detained him, and said, Kind Ebn Thaher, since I have declared to you that it is not in my power to follow your wise counsels, I beg you will not charge it on me as a crime, nor forbear to give me the usual testimonies of your friendship; you cannot do me a greater favour than to inform me of the destiny of my dear Schemselnihar, when you hear any news of it. The uncertainty I am in concerning her fate, and the apprehensions which her fainting occasioned me, keep me in this languishing condition you reproach me with. My lord, answered Ebn Thaher, you have reason to hope that her fainting was not attended with any serious consequences; her confident, will soon come and inform me of the issue, and as soon as I know the particulars, I shall not fail to impart them.

Ebn Thaher left the prince in this hope, and returned home where he expected Schemselnihar's confident all day, but in vain, nor did she come next day. His uneasiness to know the state of the prince of Persia's health would not suffer him to stay any longer without seeing him; he went to his lodgings to exhort him to patience, and found him lying in bed as sick as ever, surrounded by many of his friends, and several physicians, who used all their art to discover the cause of his distemper. As soon as he saw Ebn Thaher, he looked upon him smiling, to signify that he had two things to tell him; the one, that he was glad to see him; the other, how much the physicians, who could not discover the cause of his distemper, were mistaken in their reasonings.

His friends and physicians retired one after another; so that Ebn Thaher, being alone with him, came near his bed, to ask how he did since he saw him. I must tell you, answered the prince, that my passion, which continually gathers new strength, and the uncertainty of the lovely Schemselnihar's destiny, augment my distemper every moment, and throw me into such a condition as afflicts my kindred and friends, and breaks the measures of my physicians, who do not understand it. You cannot think, added he, how much I suffer to see so many importunate people about me, and whom I cannot in civility put away. It is your company alone that is comfortable to me: but, in a word, I conjure you not to dissemble with me; what news do you bring of Schemselnihar? Have you seen her confident? What said she to you? Ebn Thaher answered, that he had not yet seen her; and no sooner had he told the prince of Persia this sad news, than tears came from his eyes, and his heart was so oppressed that he could not answer him one word. Prince, added Ebn Thaher, suffer me to tell you, that you are very ingenious in tormenting yourself. In the name of God, wipe away your tears: If any of your people should come in just now, they would discover you by this, notwithstanding the care you ought to take to conceal your thoughts. Whatever this judicious confident could say, it was impossible for the prince to refrain from weeping. Wise Ebn Thaher, said he, when he had recovered his speech, I may well hinder my tongue from revealing the secrets of my heart, but I have no power over my tears upon such a direful subject as Schemselnihar's danger! If that adorable and only object of my desires be no longer in the world. I shall not be one moment after! Reject so afflicting an idea, replied Ebn Thaher; Schemselnihar is yet alive; you need not doubt the certainty of it. If you have heard nothing of her, it is because she could find no occasion to send to you; and I hope you will hear from her to-day. To this he added several other comfortable things, and then retired.