Part 21

“What, my son!” exclaimed Fatima, “can you add more objections to those you have already stated? I was going to answer you, and refute your arguments with one word.”--“That need not prevent you, madam,” replied the prince, “I shall probably have some reply to make to your answers.”

“I was going to say, my son,” resumed Fatima, “that it is easy for a prince, who should have the misfortune to marry a princess, such as you describe, to leave her, and also to adopt such measures as might prevent her ruining the state.”

“Well, madam,” said prince Camaralzaman, “and do you not consider what a cruel mortification it must be to a prince to be under the necessity of having recourse to such extremities? Is it not much better both for his peace of mind, and for his reputation, not to expose himself to it?”

“But, my son,” replied Fatima, “from the way you treat this matter, I conclude that you intend to be the last king of the race from which you are descended; and which has so gloriously filled the throne of the island of the children of Khaledan.”

“Madam,” continued the prince, “I have no wish of surviving the king my father. Even should I die before him, he ought not to be surprised, since there are so many examples of children dying before their parents. But it is always glorious for a race of kings to finish with a prince so worthy of being a sovereign as I should endeavour to be, by imitating my predecessors and him, with whom the line began.”

After this, Fatima frequently had conversations of the same nature with the prince, her son: and she left no means untried, by which she hoped to eradicate his aversion. But he confuted all the reasons she could produce, by others equally strong, to which she knew not what to reply; and he remained unshaken in his determination.

The year passed on, and prince Camaralzaman, to the great regret of the sultan Schahzaman, did not show the least appearance of having altered his sentiments. At length one day, when the grand council met, and the first vizier, the other viziers, the principal officers of the crown, and the generals of the army were assembled, the sultan thus addressed the prince: “It is now a long time, my son, since I expressed to you the anxious desire I have of seeing you married: and I expected from you a greater attention to the wishes of a father who required of you nothing but what was reasonable. After so long a resistance on your part, which has entirely exhausted my patience, I now repeat the same thing to you, in the presence of my council. It is not only, that by persisting in your refusal, you disoblige your father, but the welfare of my dominions requires your compliance, and all these nobles join with me in requesting it. Declare your sentiments before them, that from the answer you make me, I may know what measures to adopt.

Prince Camaralzaman answered with so little temper, or rather with so much warmth, that the sultan, justly irritated by the behaviour of his son before the full council, exclaimed, “What, undutiful son! have you the insolence to speak thus to your father and your sultan?” He immediately ordered him to be arrested by the officers present, and to be conducted to an ancient tower which had been long neglected, where he was confined, with only a bed and very little furniture, a few books, and one slave to attend him.

Camaralzaman, satisfied with having the liberty of amusing himself with his books, looked on his imprisonment with indifference. Towards evening, he washed himself, repeated his prayers, and after having read some chapters in the Koran with the same tranquillity as if he had been in his own apartment in the palace of the sultan, he lay down without extinguishing his lamp, which he left by his bed’s side, and fell asleep.

In this tower there was a well, which, during the day, formed a retreat for a fairy, called Maimounè, the daughter of Damriat, the king or chief of a legion of Genii. It was about midnight when Maimounè lightly darted to the top of the well, to prepare for her nightly excursion, as was her usual custom, and wander about the world, wherever curiosity might lead her. She was much surprised to see a light in the chamber of Camaralzaman. She entered it; and without being stopped by the slave, who was stationed at the door, she approached the bed, the magnificence of which attracted her attention, but her surprise was much increased, at observing that somebody was in it.

Camaralzaman’s face was half concealed by the covering of the bed. Maimounè raised it a little, and beheld the handsomest youth she had ever seen in any part of the habitable world, through all of which she had frequently traversed. “What brilliancy,” said she to herself, “or rather what a prodigy of beauty must those eyes display, when no longer concealed, as they now are, by such well-formed eye-lids! What cause can he have given to be treated in a manner so unworthy of his rank?” for she had already heard of his disgrace, and did not doubt who it was.

Maimounè could not cease admiring the beauty of prince Camaralzaman; at length, however, having gently kissed him on the cheek, and on the middle of his forehead, without waking him, she replaced the covering as it was before, and took her flight through the air. When she had risen very high towards the middle region, she was suddenly struck with the sound of wings, which inclined her to fly to the quarter from whence it came. On approaching she found it to be a Genius, who occasioned the noise; but one of those who had rebelled against God. Maimounè was, on the contrary, one of those, whom the great Solomon had compelled to acknowledge his power.

This Genius, who was named Danhasch, and who was the son of Schamhourasch, recognised Maimounè, though not without very great terror. In fact, he knew that she possessed considerable superiority over him, in consequence of her submission to God. He would fain, therefore, have avoided this meeting, but he found he was so close to her, that he must either encounter a battle, or submit.

Danhasch was the first to speak; “Good Maimounè,” said he, in a supplicating tone, “swear to me, by the great name of God, that you will not hurt me, and I promise you on my part not to annoy you.”

“Cursed Genius,” cried Maimounè, “what harm canst thou do to me? I fear thee not. But I will grant thee this favor, and I make the oath thou requirest. Now tell me whence thou comest, what thou hast seen, and what thou hast done this night?”--“Beautiful lady,” replied Danhasch, “we meet opportunely for you to hear something wonderful. Since you wish it, I will tell you that I come from the extremity of China, where its coast overlooks the farthest islands of this hemisphere. But, charming Maimounè,” interrupted Danhasch, who trembled with fear in the presence of this fairy, and had some difficulty in speaking before her, “you promise at least to forgive me, and to permit me to depart, when I shall have satisfied your curiosity?”

“Go on, go on, wretch,” replied Maimounè, “and fear nothing. Dost thou think I am as perfidious as thyself, and that I am capable of breaking the terrible oath I have taken? take care only to relate nothing but what is true; otherwise I will cut thy wings, and shall treat thee as thou deservest.”

Danhasch felt a little relieved by these words of Maimounè; “my dear lady,” continued he, “I will tell you nothing but what is very true; have but the goodness to listen to me. The country of China, from whence I come, is one of the largest and most powerful kingdoms in the world; and attached to it are the most extreme isles of this hemisphere, of which I spoke just now. The present king is named Gaiour, who has an only daughter, the most beautiful creature that ever was beheld on earth, since this world has been a world. Neither you, nor I, nor the genii of your party, nor of mine, nor all mankind put together, can find proper terms, words sufficiently expressive, or eloquence suited to convey the most distant idea of what she is in reality. Her hair is of a fine brown, and of such a length, that it reaches below her feet, and in such abundance, that when she wears it in curls on her head, it resembles a fine bunch of grapes, of which the fruit is of an extraordinary size. Under her hair appears her well-formed forehead, as smooth as the finest polished mirror; her eyes even with it, a brilliant black, and full of fire; the nose, neither too long nor too short; the mouth small and tinted with vermillion; her teeth are like two rows of pearls, which surpass the finest in whiteness; and when she opens her mouth to speak, she utters a sweet and agreeable voice, and expresses herself in words which prove the liveliness of her wit. The most beautiful alabaster is not whiter than her bosom. In short, by this feeble sketch, you may easily suppose, that there is not a more perfect beauty in the world.

“Whoever is not well acquainted with the king her father would imagine, from the various proofs of affection he is continually giving her, that he is enamoured of her. The most tender lover was never known to do so much for the most beloved mistress, as he has done for his daughter. In fact, the most violent jealousy never invented so much, as his care to render her inaccessible to every one, except the fortunate person who is destined to marry her; and that she might not feel the retreat irksome, to which he has confined her, he has had seven palaces built for her, which surpass in magnificence every thing that was ever heard of.

“The first palace is composed of rock crystal, the second of bronze, the third of the finest steel, the fourth of another kind of bronze, more precious than either the first or steel, the fifth of touchstone, the sixth of silver, and the seventh of massive gold. He has furnished them in the most sumptuous style, each in a manner appropriate to the materials of which it is built. Nor has he forgotten to embellish the gardens, which are attached to them, with every thing that can delight the senses; smooth lawns, or pastures enamelled with flowers; fountains, canals, cascades; groves thickly planted with trees, through which the rays of the sun never penetrate, and all differently disposed in each garden. In short, King Gaiour’s paternal love alone has induced him to incur this enormous expence.

“The fame of this princess’s incomparable beauty has induced the most powerful of the neighbouring kings to demand her in marriage by the most solemn embassies. The King of China received all their proposals with the same degree of ceremony; but as he had determined not to marry the princess except with her own entire consent; and as she did not approve of any of the offers made her, the ambassadors returned unsuccessful with respect to the purport of their mission, yet all highly gratified by the civilities and attentions they had received.

“Sire,” would the princess say to the king of China, “you wish to marry me, and you think by so doing to make me happy. I know your motive, and feel obliged to you for your kindness. But where should I find such superb palaces and such delicious gardens, unless in the territories of your majesty? Added to which, by your goodness, I am under no restraint, and I receive the same honors as are paid to your own person. These are advantages which I should not enjoy in any other part of the world, whatever prince I might be united to. Husbands ever will be masters, and I am not of a disposition to brook command.”

“After several fruitless embassies, one at last arrived from a king, who was richer and more powerful than any who had before applied. The king of China proposed him to his daughter, and enlarged on all the advantages which would result from such an alliance. The princess entreated him to dispense with her compliance, urging the same reasons as on former occasions.

“He pressed her to accede; but instead of obeying, she forgot the respect due to the king, her father, and angrily replied, ‘Sire, speak to me no more of this, nor of any other marriage; if you persist in your importunities, I will plunge a dagger in my heart, and thus free myself from them.’

“The king of China, extremely irritated against the princess, replied, ‘My daughter, you are mad, and as such I must treat you.’ In fact, he had her confined to an apartment in one of his palaces, and allowed her only ten old women to associate with and attend on her, the principal of whom was her nurse. Then, that the neighbouring kings, who had sent embassies to request her, might not entertain any farther prospects of obtaining her, he dispatched envoys to announce to them all her absolute determination against marriage. And as he supposed that she really had lost her senses, he commanded the same envoys to make known in each court, that, if there were any physician sufficiently skilful to restore her, he should obtain her in marriage as a recompense.

“Beautiful Maimounè,” continued Danhasch, “things are at present in this situation, and I do not fail to go regularly every day to contemplate this wonderful beauty, whom I should grieve to injure in the slightest degree, notwithstanding my natural malicious inclinations. I entreat you to come and see her; it is well worth the trouble. When you are convinced by your own eyes that I do not tell an untruth, I am sure you will feel obliged to me for having shown you a princess, who has no equal in beauty. I am ready to conduct you to her, and you have only to command.”

Instead of replying to Danhasch, Maimounè burst into a loud fit of laughter, which continued for some time, and which very much astonished Danhasch, who did not know to what cause to attribute it. Having at last however composed herself, she said, “Yes, yes, thou thinkest to impose on me. I thought thou wast going to tell me of something very surprising and extraordinary, and thou talkest to me only of a blear-eyed wench. Fye, fye! What wouldst thou say then, wretch, if thou hadst seen the beautiful prince I have just been looking at, and whom I love as he deserves? He indeed is rather different. Thou wouldst be mad for love of him.

“Amiable Maimounè,” replied Danhasch, “may I inquire who this prince can be, whom you speak of?”--“Know,” said the fairy, “that nearly the same thing has happened to him as to the princess thou hast been talking of. The king his father would marry him by force; after long and repeated importunities he has frankly declared, that he would not agree to it. For this reason he is at this moment imprisoned in an ancient tower, where I take up my abode, and where I have had an opportunity of admiring him.”

“I will not absolutely contradict you,” resumed Danhasch, “but, my dear lady, you will give me leave, until I have seen your prince, to think, that no mortal, either male or female, can equal, or even approach the beauty of my princess.”--“Peace, wretch,” replied Maimounè, “I tell thee again that thou art wrong.”--“I will not obstinately oppose you,” added Danhasch; “the only means of convincing you whether I speak truth or not, is to accept the proposal I have made you to come and see my princess, and afterwards to show me your prince.”--“There is no occasion for me to take so much trouble,” said Maimounè, “there is another method, by which we can both be satisfied; that is to bring thy princess and place her by the side of my prince on his bed. We can then easily compare them with each other, and thus settle our dispute.”

Danhasch consented to do as the fairy desired, and was going instantly to set off for China, but Maimounè stopped him; “Stay,” said she, “come with me first, that I may show thee the tower where thou art to bring thy princess.” They flew together to the tower, and when Maimounè had shown it to Danhasch, she said, “Now go and fetch thy princess; be quick, and thou wilt find me here. But listen, I intend thou shalt pay me a forfeit if my prince turns out to be handsomer than thy princess. I will also pay thee one, if thy princess is the most beautiful.”

Danhasch, having quitted the Fairy, flew to China, and returned with inconceivable swiftness, bearing the beautiful princess along with him fast asleep. Maimounè received her, and introduced her into the chamber of prince Camaralzaman, where they placed her on the bed by his side.

When the prince and princess were thus close to each other, a grand contest arose on the pre-eminence of their beauty, between the Genius and the Fairy. They stood for some time admiring and comparing them in silence. Danhasch was the first to speak: “Now you are convinced,” said he to Maimounè, “I told you that my princess was more beautiful than your prince. Have you any doubts remaining?”

“How! any doubts?” cried Maimounè, “Yes, truly I doubt it. Thou must be blind not to see, that my prince is infinitely superior to thy princess. She is beautiful, I confess; but do not hurry thyself: compare them well one with the other, without prejudice, and then thou wilt see that it is as I say.”

“Were I to compare them for any length of time,” replied Danhasch, “I should think no otherwise than I do. I saw what I now see from the first glance, and time would show me no more than what is now visible to my eyes. This, however, will not prevent me from giving up my judgment to yours, charming Maimounè, if you wish it.”--“It shall not be so,” interrupted the Fairy. “I will never suffer a cursed Genius, such as thou art, to show me favor. I will submit the contest to an arbitrator, and if thou dost not consent, I win the cause by your refusal.”

Danhasch, who was ready to show any degree of complaisance to Maimounè, had no sooner consented, than the fairy struck the ground with her foot. The earth opened, and instantly a hideous Genius appeared, who was hunchbacked, lame, and blind with one eye; having six horns on his head, and his hands and feet hooked. As soon as he was out, and the ground had closed again, he perceived Maimounè, and threw himself at her feet; and kneeling on one knee, he asked what she desired of his very humble services.

“Rise, Caschcasch,” said she, for this was the name of the Genius, “I sent for you hither to be judge in a dispute, which exists between me and this cursed Danhasch. Cast your eye on that bed, and tell us impartially, which appears to you the most beautiful, the young man, or the young lady?”

Caschcasch looked very attentively at the prince and princess, and showed every mark of great surprise and admiration. After having examined them very accurately for a long time, without being able to make up his mind; “Madam,” said he to Maimounè, “I confess to you, that I should deceive you, and betray myself, if I were to tell you, that I thought one of them more handsome than the other. The more I examine them, the more each seems to me to have separately that sovereign perfection of beauty which they jointly possess: and neither has the least defect, which we can assert the other to be free from, and consequently superior. If there be, in truth, any difference between them, there seems to be only one mode of discovering that difference. And this mode is, to wake them one after the other, and to agree, that the person who feels for the other the most violent love, and proves it by the strongest and most ardent expressions, as well as by the general conduct, shall be considered in some point or other to be less beautiful.”

The proposal of Caschcasch was approved of, both by Maimounè and Danhasch. Maimounè then changed herself into a flea, and jumped upon the neck of Camaralzaman. She gave him so sharp a bite, that he awoke, and put his hand to the place, but he caught nothing, for Maimounè, prepared for this, had jumped away, and taking her original form, invisible, however, like the other two Genii, to all but themselves, stood by in order to witness what was going forward.

In drawing back his hand, the prince let it fall upon that of the princess of China. He opened his eyes and expressed great surprise at seeing a lady by the side of him; and one, too, who possessed such beauty. He lifted his head up and supported it on his elbow, in order the better to observe her. The great youth of the princess, joined to her incomparable beauty, kindled in an instant a flame in his heart, to which he had hitherto been a stranger, and excited sensations which he had till now looked upon with aversion.

A passion of the most animated kind now occupied his soul; and he could not help exclaiming, “What beauty! what charms! Oh my heart, my soul,” and saying this, he kissed her forehead, her cheeks, and her lips, with so little precaution, that it must have broken her slumbers, if she had not, through the enchantment of Danhasch, slept more soundly than usual.

“What, my beautiful creature,” said the prince, “will not these marks of the love of Camaralzaman disturb your repose? Whoever you may be, he is not unworthy of your affection.” He was then going to wake her in good earnest, but he suddenly stopped himself, “There cannot be a doubt,” he exclaimed, “but that this is the person to whom the sultan, my father, wished to marry me. He has been much to blame, not to let me see her sooner; I should not then have offended him, both by my disobedience, and my public behaviour towards him; and he would thus have spared himself the contusion which I have caused him.” Prince Camaralzaman repented most heartily of the fault he had been guilty of; and was again upon the point of waking the princess of China, “perhaps indeed,” added he, “the sultan, my father, wished to surprise me; and has therefore sent this lady to ascertain whether I really have so great an aversion to marriage as I have always shown. Who knows if he may not have brought her here himself, and may even now be concealed, in order to see how I conduct myself, and make me ashamed of my former dissimulation. This second fault would be much worse than my first; I will therefore satisfy myself with this ring in remembrance of her.”

The princess of China had a very beautiful ring on her finger; and as the prince concluded his speech, he drew it quietly, and put one of its own in its place. He then turned his back, and it was not long before, through the enchantment of the Genii, he fell into as deep a sleep as he was in at first.

As soon as prince Camaralzaman’s eyes were completely closed, Danhasch, in his turn, transformed himself into a flea, and bit the princess directly under her lip. She awoke suddenly, and starting up opened her eyes: how great was her astonishment at finding herself in bed with a man. From surprise, she passed to admiration; and from admiration to excess of joy, which was very apparent as soon as she saw that it was a young, handsome, and well-made man.

“What!” she exclaimed, “are you the person, whom the king, my father, has destined for my husband? How unfortunate am I at not having known this before! I should then never have been deprived for so long a time of a husband, whom it is impossible not to love with my whole soul. Awake, and rouse yourself; it but ill becomes a husband to sleep thus soundly on the very first night of his nuptials.”