Part 27

After all, the caliph reflecting on what had passed, began to think that Zobeide had as much reason as himself to maintain that she had won. In the embarrassment he was, of not being able to find out the truth, he advanced towards the two corpses, and sat himself down at the head, searching after something that might gain him the victory over Zobeide. Well, cried he, presently after, I swear, by the holy name of God, that I will give a thousand pieces of gold to him that can tell me which of these two died first.

No sooner were these words out of the caliph’s mouth, but he heard a voice under Abon Hassan’s pall, say, Commander of the Faithful, I died first, give me the thousand pieces of gold. At the same time he saw Abon Hassan throw off the piece of brocade, and come and prostrate himself at his feet, while his wife did the same to Zobeide, keeping on her pall of brocade, out of decency. The princess at first shrieked out, and frightened all about her; but recovering herself at last, expressed a great joy to see her slave rise again alive. Ah! wicked Nouz-hatoul-aonadat, cried she, what affliction have I been in for thy sake! However, I forgive thee from my heart, and am glad to see thee well.

The caliph, for his part, was not so much surprised when he heard Abon Hassan’s voice; but thought he should have died away with laughing at this unravelling of the mystery, and to hear Abon Hassan ask so seriously for the thousand pieces of gold. What, Abon Hassan, said he, hast thou conspired against my life, to kill me a second time with laughing? How came this thought into your head, to surprise Zobeide and me thus, when we least thought on such a trick?

Commander of the Faithful, replied Abon Hassan, I will declare to your majesty the whole truth, without the least reserve. Your majesty knows very well, that I always loved to eat and drink well; and the wife you gave me rather increased than restrained that inclination. With these dispositions, your majesty may easily suppose we might spend a good estate; and, to make short of my story, we were not the least sparing of what your majesty so generously gave us. This morning, accounting with our caterer, who took care to provide every thing for us, and paying what we owed him, we found we had nothing left. Then reflections of what was past, and resolutions to manage better for the future, crowded into our thoughts apace, and after them a thousand projects, all which we refused. At last, the shame of being reduced to so low a condition, and not daring to tell your majesty, made us contrive this trick to relieve our necessities, and to divert your majesty, hoping that you would be pleased to pardon us.

The caliph and Zobeide were very well satisfied with Abon Hassan’s sincerity; and then Zobeide, who had all along been very serious, began to laugh, and could not help thinking of Abon Hassan’s scheme; when the caliph, who had laughed his sides sore at the singularity of this adventure, rising up, said, Follow me both of you, and I will give you the thousand pieces of gold I promised you. Zobeide desired him to let her make her slave a present of that sum. By this means Abon Hassan and his dear wife Nouz-hatoul-aonadat preserved the favour of the caliph Haroun Alraschid and the princess Zobeide; and by their liberalities were made capable of pursuing their pleasures.

Footnotes

[1]A famous player on the lute, that lived at Bagdad at that time.

[2]Giauhara, in Arabic, signifies a Precious Stone.

END OF THE THIRD VOLUME.

LONDON: PRINTED BY THOMAS DAVISON, WHITEFRIARS.

Transcriber’s notes

--Silently corrected several palpable typos.

End of Project Gutenberg's The Arabian Nights, Volume III (of 4), by Anonymous