Part 5

Scheich Ibrahim, without stirring very far from his place, pulled a lute out of a cupboard, and presented it to the Fair Persian, who began to put it in tune. The caliph, in the mean time, turning to the grand vizier; Giafar, said he, the young lady is going to play upon the lute; and if she performs well, I will forgive her, and the young man for her sake; but, as for thee, thou mayest go hang thyself. Commander of the true believers, replied the grand vizier, if that is your intention I wish she may play ill. Why so? said the caliph. Because, replied the grand vizier, the longer we live in this world, the more time we shall have to comfort ourselves with the hopes of dying in good social company. The caliph, who loved a jest dearly, began to laugh at this repartee; and putting his ear to the open side of the door, he listened to hear the Fair Persian play.

The Fair Persian made such artful flourishes upon the lute, that from the first moment of her touching it, the caliph perceived that she did it with a masterly hand. Afterwards, she began to sing; and suiting her voice, which was admirably fine, to the lute, she sang and played with so much skill and sweetness, that the caliph was quite ravished to hear her.

As soon as the Fair Persian had finished her song, the caliph went down the steps, and the vizier Giafar after him. When he came to the bottom, By my soul, said he to the vizier, I never heard a more charming voice, or a lute better touched in my life. Isaac[1], that hitherto I thought the most skilful player in the world, does not come up to her. In short, I am so charmed with her music, that I must hear her play before me; and therefore contrive some way how to bring it about.

Commander of the true believers, said the grand vizier, if you should go in, and Scheich Ibrahim chance to know you, he would infallibly die with the fright. I should be extremely concerned at that, replied the caliph, and should be loath to be the occasion of his death, after so many years’ service. But there is a thought just come into my head, how to compass my design: stay here with Mesrour, and wait for me in the next alley till I come.

The neighbourhood of the Tigris had given the caliph the conveniency of turning a sufficient quantity of water under a stately bridge, well terraced, into his garden, to make a fine canal, whither the choicest fish of the whole river used to retire. The fishermen knew it very well, and would have given the world to fish there; but the caliph had expressly charged Scheich Ibrahim not to suffer any of them to come near it. However, that very night, a fisherman passing by the garden door, which the caliph had left open as he found it, made use of this opportunity, and going in, went directly to the canal.

The fisherman immediately fell to work with his casting-nets, and was just ready to draw them, when the caliph, fearing what would be the effect of Scheich Ibrahim’s negligence, but willing to make use of it, to bring his design about, came to the same place. The fisherman, in spite of his disguise, knew him, and throwing himself at his feet, humbly implored his pardon, and excused himself upon account of his poverty. Rise, saith the caliph, and be not afraid; only draw your nets, that I may see what fish you have got.

The fisherman, recovered of his fright, quickly obeyed the caliph’s orders. He drew out five or six very large fishes; and the caliph, choosing the two largest, tied them together by the head with a sprig of a tree. After this, said he to the fisherman, Give me thy clothes, and here take mine. The exchange was soon made; and the caliph being dressed like a fisherman, even to his boots and turban, Take thy nets, said he to the fisherman, and get thee about thy business.

When the fisherman, very well pleased with his good fortune, was gone, the caliph, taking the two fishes in his hand, went to look after the grand vizier Giafar and Mesrour. He made a full stop at the grand vizier, who, not knowing him, asked him what he wanted, and bade him go about his business. Upon this, the caliph fell a-laughing; by which the vizier finding it to be him, Commander of the true believers, said he, is it possible it can be you? I knew you not; and I ask a thousand pardons for my rudeness: you are so strangely disguised now, that without any fear of being discovered by Scheich Ibrahim, you may venture into the hall. Stay you here with Mesrour, said the caliph, while I go yonder and play my part.

The caliph went up to the hall, and knocked at the door. Noureddin hearing him first, told Scheich Ibrahim of it, who asked who was there. The caliph opened the door, and stepping a little way into the hall to show himself, Scheich Ibrahim, said he, I am the fisherman Kerim, who being informed of your design to treat some of your friends, have brought two very large fishes, fresh caught, to see if you have any occasion for them.

Noureddin and the Fair Persian, mightily pleased to hear him name fish, Pray, said she to Scheich Ibrahim, let him come in, that we may look upon them. Scheich Ibrahim, by this time, was incapable of asking this counterfeit fisherman how or what way he came thither; but his whole design being only to oblige the Fair Persian, with much ado he turns his head towards the door, being quite drunk, and in a stammering tone, calling to the caliph, whom he took to be a fisherman, Come hither, thou nightly thief, said he, and let us see what thou hast got.

The caliph went forwards, and counterfeiting all the humours and actions of a fisherman to a nicety, presented them with the two fishes. These are very fine ones indeed, said the Fair Persian; and if they were well ordered, and delicately dressed, I should be glad to eat some of them. The lady is in the right, answered Scheich Ibrahim; but what the plague can we do with your fish, unless it was dressed? Go, dress it thyself, and bring it to us; thou wilt find every thing necessary for thee in my kitchen.

The caliph went back to the grand vizier: Giafar, said he, I have been very well received; but they want the fish to be dressed. I will take care to dress it myself, said the grand vizier, and they shall have it in a moment. Nay, replied the caliph, so eager am I to accomplish my design, that I will take abundance of pains about it too; for since I have personated the fisherman so well, sure I can play the cook for once: besides, in my younger days, I dealt a little in cookery, and always came off with flying colours. In saying these words, he went directly towards Scheich Ibrahim’s lodgings, and the grand vizier and Mesrour followed him.

All three of them presently fell to work, and though Scheich Ibrahim’s kitchen was not very large, yet there was every thing in it that they wanted. The fish was quickly cooked, and the caliph served it up, putting to every one’s plate a lemon to squeeze, if they thought it proper, into the sauce. They all ate very heartily, but especially Noureddin and the Fair Persian; and the caliph sat down with them at the lower end of the table.

As soon as the repast was over, Noureddin looking upon the caliph, Fisherman, said he, never were better fish eaten, and you have done us the greatest favour in the world. At the same time putting his hand into his bosom, and pulling out a purse of thirty pieces of gold, the remainder of the forty that Sangiar, gentleman-usher to the king of Balsora, had given him just upon his departure; Here, said he to him, take that, and if I had any more, thou shouldst have it: had I known thee in my prosperity, I would have taken care of securing thee from ever wanting: do not refuse the small present I make thee, but accept of it as kindly as if it was much greater.

The caliph took the purse, and perceiving by the weightiness that it was all gold, Sir, said he, I cannot enough thank you for your liberality, and I think myself very fortunate in having to do with a person of your generosity; but before I take my leave, I have a favour to ask, which I beg you not to deny me. Yonder is a lute, which makes me believe that the lady understands playing upon it; and if you can prevail with her to play but one tune, I shall go away the best satisfied in the world: a lute, sir, is an instrument I greatly admire.

Fair Persian, said Noureddin, immediately addressing himself to her, I ask that favour of you, and I hope you will not refuse me. She took up the lute without more entreaties, and putting it presently in tune, played and sang with such an air as charmed the very soul of the caliph with its harmony. Afterwards she played upon the lute without singing, but with so much skill and softness that it transported him into an ecstasy of joy.

When the Fair Persian had given over playing, the caliph cried out, What a voice! What a hand! What skill is here! Was there ever finer singing, or better playing upon the lute? Never was there any heard or seen like it.

Noureddin, who was a person of breeding, and always returned the compliment that was made him; Fisherman, said he, I find thou hast some taste for music, since thou art delighted with her performance; and if thou likest her she is thine; I make thee a present of her. At the same time he rose up, and taking his robe, which he had laid by, was for going away and leaving the pretended fisherman in possession of the Fair Persian.

The Fair Persian was extremely surprised at Noureddin’s liberality; she took hold of him, and looking very wishfully at him, Whither, sir, are you going? said she; sit down in your place, I entreat you, and hearken to the song I am going to sing and play. He did as she desired him, and then the Fair Persian touching her lute, and looking upon him with tears, sang some verses that she had made _extempore_ to reproach him with his indifference, and the easiness as well as cruelty of resigning her to Kerim. She only hinted, without explaining herself any farther to the fisherman, for she was ignorant of his being the caliph, as well as Noureddin. When she had done playing, she put the lute down by her, and clapped a handkerchief to her face to hide the tears she could not help shedding.

Noureddin made no answer to all these reproaches, but by his silence seemed to declare he did not repent of what he had done. The caliph surprised at what he had newly heard, Sir, said he, as far as I see, this beautiful lady, that so generously you have made me a present of just now, is your slave, and you are her master. It is very true, Kerim, replied Noureddin, and thou wouldst be more surprised than thou art now, should I tell thee all the misfortunes that have happened to me on her account. Ah! I beseech you, sir, replied the caliph, still behaving himself like a fisherman, oblige me so far as to let me hear part of your story.

Noureddin, who had already obliged him in several things of a higher nature than this, was so complaisant as to relate the whole story to him. He began with his father’s buying the Fair Persian for the king of Balsora, and omitted nothing of what he had done, or what had happened to him, from that time to their arrival at Bagdad, and since, to that very moment he was talking to him.

When Noureddin had ended his story, Whither are you going now? said the caliph. Even where Heaven shall direct me, answered Noureddin. Believe me, replied the caliph, you shall go no farther, but on the contrary, return to Balsora: I will go and write a short letter, which you shall give the king in my name; and you shall see upon the reading of it, he will give you a very handsome reception, and nobody will dare to speak against you.

Kerim, said Noureddin, what thou hast told me is very unaccountable and singular: didst thou ever hear that a poor fisherman, as thou art, had any correspondence with a king? Be not astonished at that, replied the caliph; you must know then, that we both studied together under the same masters, and were always the best friends in the world. It is true, fortune has not been equally favourable to us both; she has made him a king, and me but a fisherman. However, this inequality has not at all lessened our friendship: he has often expressed a readiness and desire to advance my fortune, but I always refused it; and am better pleased with the satisfaction of knowing that he never will deny me whatever I ask for the service and advantage of my friends. Let me do it then, and you shall see the success.

Noureddin consented to what the caliph had proposed; and there being every thing necessary for writing in the hall, the caliph wrote a letter to the king of Balsora; at the top of which, pretty near the edge of the paper, he placed this set form, in three small characters: ‘In the name of the most merciful God,’ to show he would be absolutely obeyed.

THE LETTER OF CALIPH HAROUN ALRASCHID TO THE KING OF BALSORA

‘Haroun Alraschid, son of Mandi, sends this letter to Mohammed Zinchi, his cousin, greeting. As soon as Noureddin, son to the late vizier Khacan, the bearer, has delivered you this letter and you have read it, pull off the royal mantle, put it on his shoulders, and place him in thy seat: fail not. So farewell.’

The caliph folded up the letter, and sealed it, and giving it to Noureddin, without saying any thing of what was in it, Go, said he, and embark immediately in a vessel that is ready to go off, (as there did constantly every day at the same hour), and you may sleep when you are aboard.

Noureddin took the letter, and away he went with the little money he had about him when Sangiar gave him his purse; and the Fair Persian, distracted with grief at his departure, retired by herself to one of the sofas, and fell a-weeping bitterly.

Noureddin was scarce gone out of the hall, when Scheich Ibrahim, who had been silent during the transaction of this affair, looking steadfastly upon the caliph, whom he still believed to be a fisherman: Hark you, said he, Kerim, thou hast brought us two fishes that are worth twenty pieces of leather or more, and thou hast got a purse and a slave: but dost thou think to have it all for thyself? I here declare that I will go halves with thee in the slave; and as for the purse, show me what is in the inside: if it is silver, thou shalt have one piece for thyself; but if it is gold, I will have it all, and in exchange, give thee some pieces of leather I have in my pocket.

(For the better understanding of what follows, said Scheherazade, interrupting herself here, we must observe to you, that the caliph, before his serving up the fish, had despatched the grand vizier Giafar to his palace, with orders to get four slaves with a rich habit, and to wait on the other side of the pavilion till he gave a signal with his finger against the window. The grand vizier receiving his commission, he, Mesrour, and the four slaves, waited at the appointed place, expecting the sign).

The caliph, still personating the fisherman, answered Scheich Ibrahim very boldly, I know not what there is in the purse, gold or silver: whatever it is, you shall freely go my halves; but, as to the slave, I will have her all to myself; and if you will not accept of these conditions, you shall have nothing at all.

Scheich Ibrahim, enraged to the last degree at this insolence, considering him only as a fisherman, snatched up one of the china dishes, and flung it at the caliph’s head. The caliph easily avoided the blow, being thrown by a person in drink; but the dish striking against the wall, was dashed into a thousand pieces. Scheich Ibrahim having missed his aim, grew more enraged, and catching up the candle that stood upon the table, rose from his seat, and staggering along, went down a back pair of stairs to look for a cane.

The caliph made use of this opportunity, and striking his hands against the window, the grand vizier, Mesrour, and the four slaves were with him in a trice, who quickly pulled off the fisherman’s clothes, and put on him the habit they had brought. They had not quite dressed the caliph, (who had seated himself upon the throne that was in the hall), but they were very busy about him, when Scheich Ibrahim, spurred on by interest, came back, with a swinging cane in his hand, with which he designed to pay the pretended fisherman soundly; but, instead of finding him, he saw his clothes in the middle of the hall, and the caliph upon his throne, with the grand vizier and Mesrour on each side of him. He stood a while gazing upon this unexpected sight, doubting whether he was awake or asleep. The caliph fell a-laughing at his astonishment; and, calling to him, Scheich Ibrahim, said he, what dost thou want? whom dost thou look after?

Scheich Ibrahim, no longer doubting that it was the caliph, immediately threw himself at his feet, with his face to the ground: Commander of the true believers, cried he, your vile slave has offended you; but he implores your clemency, and asks a thousand pardons for his offence. As soon as the slaves had made an end of dressing him, he came down from his throne, and advancing towards him, Rise, said he; I forgive thee.

Afterwards the caliph addressed himself to the Fair Persian, who had suspended her sorrow, as soon as she understood that the garden and pavilion belonged to that prince, and not to Scheich Ibrahim, as he had all along made her believe, and that it was he himself disguised in the fisherman’s clothes. Fair Persian, said he, rise and follow me: by what you have lately seen, you ought to know who I am, and to believe that I am above taking any advantage of Noureddin’s humour, who, with a generosity not to be paralleled, has made me a present of your person. I have sent him to Balsora to be king there; and when I have despatched some business necessary for his establishment, you shall also go thither and be a queen. In the mean time, I am going to order an apartment for you in my palace, where you shall be treated according to your desert.

This discourse put the Fair Persian in heart again, and comforted her after a very sensible manner. The joy of Noureddin’s advancement, whom she passionately loved, to so high an honour, made her sufficient amends for her affliction. The caliph kept his promise, and recommended her to the care of his lady Zobeide, whom he acquainted with the esteem he had lately entertained for Noureddin.

Noureddin’s return to Balsora was more fortunate and speedier by some days than he could have expected. Upon his arrival, without visiting any of his friends or relations, he went directly to the palace, where the king at that time was giving public audience. He pressed through the crowd with the letter held up in his hand, who presently made way for him to come forward and deliver it. The king took and opened it; and his colour changed in reading it: he kissed it thrice, and was just about to obey the caliph’s orders, when he bethought himself of showing it to the vizier Saouy, Noureddin’s irreconcileable enemy.

Saouy, who had discovered Noureddin, and began to think with himself, with a great deal of uneasiness, what might be the design of his coming, was no less surprised than the king, at the order contained in the letter; and being as much concerned in it, he thought upon a way that very moment how to evade it. He pretended not to have read the letter quite through, and therefore desired a second view of it; he turned himself a little on one side, as if he wanted a better sight, and without being perceived by any body, dexterously tore off the set form that showed the caliph would be absolutely obeyed, from the top of it, and putting it into his mouth, swallowed it down.

After this notorious piece of villany, Saouy turned to the king, and giving him the letter, Sir, said he to him, in a low voice, what does your majesty intend to do? What the caliph has commanded me, replied the king. Have a care, sir, said the wicked vizier, what you do: it is true, this is the caliph’s hand; but the set form is not to it. The king had observed that very well, but in the confusion he was in, he thought his eyes deceived him, when he saw it was gone.

Sir, continued the vizier, we have no reason to doubt, but that the caliph upon the complaints he has made against your majesty and me, has granted him this letter purely to get rid of him, not with any intention of having the order contained in it executed. Besides, we must consider, he has sent no express with a patent: and without that, the order is of no force: and since a king of your majesty’s grandeur was never deposed without that formality, let who will bring such a letter as this, it ought not to be put in execution. Your majesty may depend upon what I have said; and how dangerous soever the consequence of disobeying this order may be, I will take it all upon myself.

King Zinchi, easily persuaded by this pernicious counsel, left Noureddin entirely to the discretion of the vizier Saouy, who led him to his house after a very insulting manner; where, after causing him to be bastinadoed till he was almost dead, he ordered him to a prison, where he commanded him to be put in the darkest dungeon, with a strict charge to the gaoler to give him nothing but bread and water.

When Noureddin, sadly bruised with the strokes, came to himself, and found what a nasty dungeon he was in, he bewailed his misfortunes after the most pathetic manner imaginable. Ah! fisherman, cried he, how hast thou cheated me; and how easy have I been in believing thee! Could I, after the civility I showed thee, expect so inhuman and barbarous usage! However, may Heaven reward thee: for I cannot persuade myself, that thy intention was so base, and I will with patience wait the end of my afflictions.

The poor disconsolate Noureddin remained six whole days in this miserable condition, and Saouy did not forget that he had confined him there, but being resolved to put him to a shameful death, and not daring to do it by his own authority, to accomplish his villanous design, he ordered some of his slaves to prepare some very rich presents, which he, at the head of them, went and presented to the king, saying, Behold, sir, what the new king hath sent you upon his accession to the crown, and begs your majesty to accept of it.

The king taking the matter just as Saouy intended it, What! replied he, is the wretch still living? I thought you had put him to death already. Sir, I have no power, answered the vizier, to take any person’s life away; that only belongs to your majesty. Go, said the king, behead him instantly; I give you full authority. Sir, replied the vizier Saouy, I am infinitely obliged to your majesty for the justice you do me; but, since Noureddin has publicly affronted me, I humbly beg the favour that his execution may be performed before the palace, and, that the criers may publish it in every quarter of the city, that every body may be satisfied that he has made sufficient reparation for the affront. The king granted the request, and the criers, in performing their office, diffused a universal sorrow through the whole city. The memory of his father’s virtues being yet fresh among them, there was no one could hear of the ignominious death the son was going to suffer, through the villany and instigation of the vizier Saouy, without horror and indignation.