Chapter 52

When Giendar saw that the two princes were the men who saved his life, he threw himself at their feet, and thanked them for the great obligation he had to them, in words which sufficiently showed his gratitude. Princes, said he, rising up and kissing their hands, with tears in his eyes, God forbid that ever I should attempt any thing against your lives, especially after having so humanely and bravely saved mine! It shall never be said that the emir Giendar was guilty of such ingratitude.

The service we have done, answered the princes, ought not to hinder you from executing the orders you have received. Let us catch your horse, and then return to the place where you left us.

They were at no great trouble to take the horse, whose mettle was come down a little with running. When they had restored him to Giendar, and were near the fountain, they begged and argued with him to do as their father had commanded; but all to no purpose. I only take the liberty to desire you, said Giendar, and I pray you not to deny me, that you will divide my clothes between you, and give me yours; and go so far, that the king your father may never hear of you more.

The princes were forced to comply. Each of them gave him his clothes, and covered themselves with what he could spare of his. He also gave them all the gold he had, and took his leave of them.

When emir Giendar parted from the princes, he passed through the wood where Amgrad had killed the lion, in whose blood he dipped their clothes; which having done, he proceeded on his way to the capital city of the isle of Ebene.

On his arrival, king Camaralzaman asked him if he had done what he ordered? Giendar, replied, See, sir, the faithful witnesses of my obedience, giving him, at the same time, the clothes of the princes.

How did they take the punishment I commanded to be executed on them? Giendar answered, With wonderful constancy, sir, and a holy resignation to the decrees of Heaven; which showed how sincerely they professed their religion. But, particularly, they behaved themselves with great respect towards your majesty, and an entire submission to the sentence of death. We die innocent, said they; however, we do not murmur; we take our death as from the hand of Heaven, and forgive our father; for we know very well he has not been rightly informed of the truth.

Camaralzaman was sensibly touched at emir Giendar's relation, and, putting his hand into prince Amgrad's pocket, he found an open billet. He no sooner knew that queen Haiatalnefous wrote it, as well by a lock of her hair which was in it, as by her handwriting, than he froze with horror. He then, trembling, put his hand into the pocket of Assad, and, finding there likewise queen Badoura's billet, his surprise was so great and so lively that he swooned away.

Never did man grieve like Camaralzaman when he was recovered from swooning. Barbarous father as thou art! cried he, what hast thou done? Thou hast murdered thy own children, thy innocent children! Did not their wisdom, their modesty, their obedience, their submission to thy will in all things, their virtue; did not these all plead in their behalf--Blind and insensible father! dost thou deserve to live after the execrable crime which thou hast committed? I have brought this abomination on my own head, and Heaven chastises me for not persevering in the aversion to women with which I was born. And, oh ye detestable wives! I will not--no, I will not, as ye deserve--wash off the guilt of your sins with your blood; ye are unworthy of my rage; but perdition seize me if ever I see you more!

King Camaralzaman was a man of too much religion to break his vow. He commanded the two queens to be lodged in separate apartments that very day, where they were kept under strong guards, and never afterwards saw them.

While the king of the isle of Ebene afflicted himself for the loss of the princes his sons, of which he thought he had been the author by too rashly condemning them, the royal youths wandered through deserts, endeavouring to avoid all places that were inhabited, and the sight of any human creature. They lived on herbs and wild fruits, and drank only stinking rainwater, which they found in the crevices of the rocks. They slept and watched by turns at night, for fear of wild beasts.

When they had travelled about a month, they came to the foot of a high mountain inaccessible for its cragginess; the stones being black, and so rugged, that it was impossible to ascend over them to the summit of the hill. At last, they discovered a kind of path; but it was so narrow and difficult, they durst not venture up it. This obliged them to go along by the foot of the mountain, in hopes of finding a more easy way to reach the top. They went round it five days, but could see nothing like a path; so they were obliged to return to that which they had neglected. They still thought it would be in vain to attempt going up by it. They deliberated on what they should do for a long time; and at last, encouraging one another, resolved to ascend the hill.

The more they advanced, they thought it was the higher and steeper, which made them think several times of giving up the enterprise. When one was weary, the other stopped, and both rested together. Sometimes they were both so tired, that they wanted strength to go further; then, despairing of being able to reach the top, they thought they must lie down, and die of fatigue and weariness. When they found they had recovered a little strength, they would animate each other, and go on.

Notwithstanding all their endeavours and their courage, they could not get to the top that day. Night came on, and prince Assad was so much fatigued, that he stopped, and said to prince Amgrad, I can go no further; I am ready to die. Stay as long as you will, replied prince Amgrad; let us rest ourselves, and have a good heart; it is but a little way to the top, and the moon befriends us.

They rested about half an hour, when Assad having attained more strength, proceeded on their way to the mountain's summit, where they at last arrived, and lay down. Amgrad rose first, and, advancing, saw a tree at a little distance: he went to it, and found it was a pomegranate-tree, with large fruit upon it, and a fountain near the foot. He ran to his brother Assad to tell him the good news, and conducted him to the tree which grew by the side of the fountain. They both refreshed themselves there by eating each a pomegranate; after which they fell asleep.

Next morning, when they awoke, Come, brother, said Amgrad to Assad, let us go on; I see the mountain is easier to be travelled over on this side than the other; all our way now is down hill. But Assad was so fatigued with the last day's journey, that he wanted three or four days' repose to recruit his strength.

They spent them, as they had done many before, in discoursing on their mother's inordinate desires, and deploring their misfortunes. But, said they, since Heaven has so visibly declared itself in our favour, we ought to bear them with patience, and comfort ourselves with hopes that we shall soon see an end of them.

At the end of three days' rest, the two brothers continued their travels, and were five days in descending the hill before they came into the valley. Then they discovered a great city, at which they were very joyful: Brother, said Amgrad to Assad, are not you of my opinion, which is, that you should stay in some place out of the city, where I may come to you again, while I go to learn the language, and inform myself of the name of the city, and in what country we are? and when I come back, I will bring provisions with me. It is not convenient for us to go there together; there may be danger in it; and so much notice will not be taken of one stranger as of two.

Brother, replied Assad, I approve of what you say; it is prudent; but if one of us must part from the other on that account, I cannot suffer that it shall be you; allow me to go; for what a trouble will it be to me if any ill accident should happen to you!

Ah! but, brother, answered Amgrad, the same ill accident you fear for me, I am as much afraid of for you. Pray let me go; and do you stay here with patience.--I will never yield to it, said Assad: if any ill should happen to me, it will be some comfort to think that you are safe. Amgrad was forced to submit; and Assad, going towards the city, stopped in a grove at the foot of the mountain.

Prince Assad took the purse of money which Amgrad had in charge, and then proceeded towards the city. He had not gone far in the first street, before he met with a reverend old man with a cane in his hand: he was neatly dressed; and the prince taking him for a man of note in the place, who would not put a trick upon him, accosted him thus: Pray, my lord, which is the way to the market-place? The old man looked on prince Assad, smiling: Child, said he, it is plain you are a stranger, or you would not have asked that question.

Yes, my lord, I am a stranger, replied Assad. The old man answered, you are welcome then; our country will be honoured by the presence of so handsome a young man as you are: Tell me what business you have at the market-place?

My lord, replied Assad, it is nearly two months since my brother and I left our own country, which is a great way from hence; we have not ceased travelling ever since, and we arrived here but to-day. My brother, fatigued with so long a journey, waits at the foot of the mountain; and for him and myself I am come to buy provisions.

Son, said the old man, you could not have come in a better time, and I am glad of it, both for your and your brother's sake. I made a feast to-day for some friends of mine, and a great deal of victuals is left untouched. Come along with me; you may eat as much as you please; and, when that is done, I will give you enough to last your brother and you several days. Do not spend your money when there is no occasion; travellers are always in want of it; while you are eating, I will give you an account of our city, which nobody can do better than myself, who have borne all the honourable offices in it. It is well for you that you happened to meet with me; for, I must tell you, all our citizens cannot so well help and inform you as I can. I can assure you that some of them are wicked. Come along; you shall see the difference between a real honest man, as I am, and such as boast to be so, and are not.

I am infinitely obliged to you, replied Assad, for your good-will; I put myself entirely into your hands, and am ready to go with you wherever you please.

The old man laughed in his sleeve to think that he had got the prince in his clutches: he walked by his side as close as he could; and, to preserve the favourable opinion which Assad had conceived of him, he kept talking all the way with great civility and politeness. Among other things, he said, It must be confessed it was your good fortune to meet with me, rather than with any other man; for which I thank God. When you come to my house, you will know the reason why I express so much satisfaction at meeting you.

Arriving at the old man's house, he introduced Assad into a hall, where were forty such old fellows as himself, who formed a circle round a flaming fire, which they adored. The prince was not more seized with horror at the sight of so many men adoring the creature for the Creator, than with the fear of finding himself betrayed, and in such an abominable place.

While Assad stood motionless with surprise, the old cheat saluted the forty grey-headed men round the fire: Devout adorers of fire, said he, this is a happy day for us! Where is Gazban! Call him.

He spoke these words so loud, that a negro, who waited at the lower end of the hall, came immediately to him. This black was Gazban, who, as soon as he saw the disconsolate Assad, imagined for what purpose he had been called; he therefore instantly seized him, and with amazing nimbleness tied him hand and foot. When you have done, said the old man, carry him down, and bid my daughters, Bostava and Cavama, give him every day the bastinado, and allow him only a little bread morning and evening for his subsistence, sufficient just to keep him alive till the next ship departs for the Blue Sea and the Fiery Mountain, when he shall be offered up an agreeable sacrifice to our divinity.

As soon as the old man gave the cruel order, Gazban bore prince Assad into a cellar underneath the hall, from whence they proceeded through several dark rooms, till they came to a dungeon, the descent to which was by twenty steps, where he left him bound in chains of prodigious weight and bigness. Gazban then went to give notice of it to the old man's daughters; but he might have spared himself the trouble, their father having before sent for them, and given instructions himself how they were to proceed. Daughters, said he, I have just now caused a young Mussulman to be secured in the dungeon; therefore, as you well know how to do it, go instantly and give him the bastinado; and, as you cannot better show your zeal for our divinity, and the fire which you adore, than by your severity to him, do not be sparing in the punishment you are to inflict.

Bostava and Cavama, who had been bred up in their hatred to Mussulnien, received this order with joy: they descended immediately into the dungeon, stripped Assad, and bastinadoed him so unmercifully, that the blood issued out of the wounds, and he was left almost dead. After this cruel execution, they put a piece of bread and a pot of water by him, and retired.

It was some time before Assad recovered from the state of insensibility in which they had left him; and, in reflecting on his melancholy condition, he burst into a flood of tears, bitterly deploring the misery with which he was surrounded. The pleasing reflection, however, that this misfortune had not happened to his brother Amgrad, gave him some degree of comfort amidst his distress.

Prince Amgrad waited for his brother till the evening with great impatience; but when it was two, three, and four of the clock in the morning, and Assad not returned, his sorrow was so very violent, that he grew almost desperate. He spent the night in that dismal condition, and, as soon as it was day, went to the city, which, on entering, he was surprised to see but very few Mussulmen. He accosted the first he met, and asked him the name of the place; who told him it was the city of the magicians, so called because of the great number of magicians therein who adored fire, and that there were but very few Mussulmen. Amgrad then demanded how far it was to the isle of Ebene: he was answered, that it was four months' voyage by sea, and a year's journey by land. The man, having satisfied the prince as to these two questions, hastily left him, and went about his business.

Amgrad, who was about six weeks coming from the isle of Ebene with his brother Assad, could not comprehend how they came to this city in so short a time, unless the way across the mountain were much shortened, and not frequented because of the difficulty of the pass.

Proceeding further through the town, he stopped at a tailor's shop, whom he knew to be a Mussulman by his habit, as he had likewise known the man with whom he had just before conversed. Having saluted him, he sat down, and told him the occasion of troubling him.

When prince Amgrad had done speaking, the tailor replied, If your brother has fallen into the hands of some magician, depend upon it you will never more see him; he is irrecoverably lost: Comfort yourself, therefore, as well as you can, and beware of falling into the same misfortune; to avoid which, I would advise you to stay for some time at my house, and I will acquaint you with all the tricks of these magicians, that, when you go from hence, you may take the more care of yourself by being guarded against them. Amgrad, impressed with the deepest concern for the loss of his brother, accepted the tailor's offer, and returned him a thousand thanks for his kindness.

THE STORY OF PRINCE AMGRAD, AND A LADY OF THE CITY OF THE MAGICIANS.

Prince Amgrad went not out of the tailor's house for a whole month, without his host accompanying him; at last, however, he ventured to go to the baths. Returning home through a street in which there was nobody but himself and a lady, he was surprised at her approaching him unveiled. The lady, seeing a handsome young man just come out of the bath, asked him, with a smiling air, whither he was going? casting, at the same time, such amorous glances, that Amgrad could not possibly resist her charms. Madam, said he, I am going to my own house or yours, as you please.

My lord, replied the lady, with an agreeable smile, ladies of my quality never take men to their own houses; they always go to the men's.

At this unexpected answer of the lady, Amgrad was very much confounded; he durst not venture to take her home to his landlord's, fearing that he would be so highly displeased with him as to withdraw his protection, of which, considering he was in a place where he must always be upon his guard, he stood in too much need. Quite unacquainted with the city, he knew not where to carry her, and yet was unwilling to lose so happy an opportunity. In this uncertainty he resolved to leave it to chance, and therefore, without returning an answer, he went forwards, the lady following him. Amgrad led her through so many streets, lanes, and alleys, that both grew weary with walking: at last, however, they came into a street, having a great gate at the end of it, which, being shut, prevented their going further. The gate, which had a seat on each side of it, belonged to a house fronting the street. Amgrad sat himself down on one seat to take breath, and the lady, being also much fatigued, seated herself on the other.

She then inquired of the prince, whether the house belonged to him. Yes, madam, said Amgrad. Why, then, do not you enter? replied the lady. Whom do you wait for? Fair lady, answered the prince, I have not got the key of the gate; I left it with my slave, who, being sent on an errand, is not yet returned: besides, having been ordered to provide something good for dinner, I am afraid we shall be under the disagreeable necessity of waiting a long time for him.

The prince met with so many difficulties in satisfying her passion, that he began to repent of having undertaken it; he therefore contrived this answer, in hopes that the lady, out of resentment, would have left him, and gone in pursuit of another lover; but he was mistaken.

Your slave is an impertinent fellow, said madam, to stay so long: when he comes back, I will chastise him myself as he deserves, if you refuse to do it. It is by no means decent to sit here alone with a man to whom I am an entire stranger. She then rose, and, taking up a stone, began to force open the lock of the gate, which being only made of wood, after the country manner, was very weak.

Amgrad did all he could to hinder her: What are you doing, madam? said the prince. For Heaven's sake, stay a little! What are you afraid of? replied the lady; is it not your house? The breaking of the lock will be no great damage; a new one can be purchased at a trifling expense. She accordingly broke it open, and entered the house.

Amgrad, when he saw the door forced open, gave himself up as a lost man: he reflected whether it would be more advisable to go into the house, or to retreat as fast as he could, to avoid the danger which he believed inevitable, and was just going to have recourse to the latter, when the lady returned.

Seeing that he did not enter, Why do not you come into your house? said she. Fearing we have nothing ready, answered the prince, I am looking to see if my slave is coming. Come in, come in, said madam; it will be more prudent to wait within doors than without.

Amgrad, though with great reluctance, followed her into the house. After passing through a spacious court, which had been newly paved, they ascended by several steps into piazzas, which led to a large, open, and well-furnished hall, where he and the lady saw a table ready spread with all sorts of delicate dishes, a side-board heaped with fruit, and a cistern full of bottles of wine.

When Amgrad saw everything in such order, he doubted not that he was undone, the quality of the owner appearing by the richness of the feast. Poor Amgrad! said he to himself, thou wilt soon follow thy dear brother Assad!

The lady, on the contrary, being transported at the sight, cried out, How, my lord, did you fear there was nothing ready? Your slaves, you see, have done more than you expected. But, if I am not mistaken, these preparations were made for some other lady, and not for me. No matter; let her come; I promise you I will not be jealous: I only beg the favour of being permitted to wait on her and you.

Amgrad, though much concerned at this accident, could not help laughing at the lady's pleasantry. Madam, said he, thinking of something else besides what perplexed him, there is nothing in what you fancy; this is my common dinner, and no exraordinary preparations, I assure you. He could not prevail on himself to sit at a table which was not prepared for him; he therefore took his seat on a sofa [Footnote: A Turkish bench on which mats and cushions are put.]; but the lady still kept teasing him with her importunities. Come, sir, said she, you must certainly be hungry after bathing; let us eat and enjoy ourselves.

Amgrad, complying at last with her request, sat down to table. The lady, having eaten a bit, took a bottle and glass, and poured out some wine; then, having drunk to Amgrad, filled another and presented it to him, who pledged her. The more the prince reflected on this adventure, the more he was anaazed that the master of the house did not appear, and that a house so elegant and well furnished should be left without a servant. It will be lucky, said he to himself, if the man of the house does not come till I am got clear of this intrigue. While he was indulging this and some other troublesome thoughts, the lady ate and drank heartily, obliging him to do the same; and they were almost come to the last course when the master of the house arrived.

It happened to be Bahader, master of the horse to the king of the magicians, to whom this house belonged; but, generally residing in another, he seldom visited it, unless to regale himself with two or three chosen friends. On such occasions he always sent provisions from his other house by some of his servants, who were just gone as the lady and Amgrad entered.

Bahader, as usual, came in disguise, and without attendants, a little while before the time appointed for his friends coming, and was not a little surprised to see the door of his house broken open: he entered without making a noise; but hearing some persons talking and making merry in the hall, he crept along by the side of the wall, and put his head half way within the door to see who they were.

Perceiving a young gentleman and a young lady eating, at his table, the victuals which he had provided for his friends and himself, and that there was no great harm done, he resolved to make a jest of it.

The lady, who sat with her back towards the dooi, did not see the master of the horse; but Amgrad, who had the glass in his hand, and was just going to drink, observed him immediately: his countenance instantly changed at the sight of Bahader, who made a sign not to say a word, but to come and speak with him.

Amgrad drank and rose: Where are you going? said the lady. The prince answered, Pray, madam, stay here a little; I shall return in a minute; a small affair obliges me to go out at present. Bahader waited for him in the piazza, and led him into the court, to talk to him without being heard by the lady.