The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Anonymous (best novels to read in english .TXT) 📗

this order, though to obey it would be a great loss to him and his merchants. He acquainted them with it; and they all very wisely considering that to lose their goods and their lives would be a much greater, hastened him away as fast as they could. They set all hands to work to load the ship with provisions and fresh water for the voyage back, and were so diligent, that she was ready to sail before night. Accordingly, the captain weighed anchor, and made for the city of the idolaters, where he arrived in a short time, the wind and weather favouring him during the whole of the voyage. When he was as near the city as he thought convenient, he would not cast anchor, but let the ship ride off-shore; and, going into his boat with as many hands as he wanted, he landed a little way off the port, whence he went directly to Camaralzaman's garden.

Though it was about midnight when he arrived there, the prince was not asleep. His separation from the fair princess of China, his wife, afflicted him in the usual manner, and he lay awake bemoaning his ill fortune. He cursed the day in which his curiosity tempted him to touch the fatal girdle.

Thus did he pass those hours which are devoted to rest, and was in these mournful meditations when he heard somebody knock at the garden-door; he ran hastily to open it, half dressed as he was; and had no sooner done it, than the captain and his seaman took hold of him, and carried him by force to the boat, and so on ship-board; when they set sail immediately, and made the best of their way to the isle of Ebene.

Hitherto Camaralzaman, the captain, and his men, had not said a word to each other. At last the prince broke silence, and asked the captain, whom he knew again, why they had taken him away by force. The captain, in his turn, demanded of the prince whether he was not a debtor to the king of Ebene? I the king of Ebene's debtor! replied Camaralzaman, in amazement; I do not know him; I never had anything to do with him in my life, and never set foot in his kingdom. The captain answered, You should know that better than me; you will soon talk to him yourself; till then, stay here and have patience.

The captain was not long on his voyage back to the isle of Ebene. Though it was night when he cast anchor in the port, he landed immediately; and, taking prince Camaralzaman with him, hastened to the palace, where he demanded to be introduced to the king.

The princess Badoura was withdrawn into the inner palace. However, as soon as she heard of the captain's return, and Camaralzaman's arrival, she came forth to speak to him. As soon as she cast her eyes on the prince, she knew the man for whom so many tears had been shed, though he was still in his gardener's habit. As for the prince, who trembled in the presence of a king, as he thought her, to whom he was to answer for an imaginary debt, it did not enter his thoughts that the person, whom he so earnestly desired to see, stood before him. If the princess had followed the dictates of her inclination, she would have run to him, and, by embracing, discovered herself; but she put on herself a constraint, believing that it was for both their interests she should act the part of a king a little longer before making herself known. She contented herself for the present to put him into the hands of an officer who was then in waiting, charging him to take care of him, and use him well, till next day.

When the princess Badoura had provided for prince Camaralaman's entertainment, she turned to the captain, whom she was now to gratify for the important service he had done. She commanded another officer to go immediately and take the seal off the warehouse where the goods belonging to him and the merchants were deposited, whom she discharged. She also gave the master of the vessel a jewel worth much more than the expense he had been at in both his voyages. She bade him, besides, keep the one thousand pieces of gold he had got for the pots of olives; telling him she would make up the account with the merchant he had brought with him.

This done, she retired to the princess of the isle of Ebene's apartment, to whom she communicated her joy, praying her still to keep the secret. She told her how she intended to manage their discovering themselves to each other, and to the kingdom; adding, that so vast was the distance between a gardener and a great prince, as he was, that it might be dangerous to raise him at once from the lowest condition of the people to the highest degree, though it was but justice it should be done. The princess of the isle of Ebene was so far from betraying her, that she rejoiced, and entered into the design; assuring her she would contribute to it all that lay in her power, and do whatever she would desire to serve them.

Next morning the princess of China ordered prince Camaralzaman to be conducted to the royal baths, and apparelled in the robes of an emir or governor of a province. She then went to the council, with the name, habit, and authority, of king of the island of Ebene. She commanded Camaralzaman to be introduced; and his fine mien and majestic air drew upon him the eyes of all the lords who were present.

The princess Badoura was charmed to see him again as lovely as she had often seen him, and that pleasure inspired her to speak the more warmly in his praise. When she addressed herself to the council, having ordered the prince to take his seat among the emirs, she spoke to them thus; my lords, Camaralzaman, the man whom I have advanced to the same dignity with yourselves, is not unworthy of the honour that is done him. I have known enough of him in my travels to answer for him; and I can assure you he will make his merit known to all of you, as well by his valour, as by a thousand other shining qualities which distinguish him from the rest of mankind.

Camaralzaman was extremely amazed to hear the king of the isle of Ebene, whom he was far from taking for a woman, much less for his dear princess, name him, and declare that he knew him, who, as he thought, was certain he had never seen him before. He was much more surprised to hear himself praised so excessively. However, those eulogiums, excessive as they were, did not confound him, though they came from the mouth of a king: he received them with sueh modesty as showed that he deserved them, and did not grow vain upon it. He porptrated himself before the throne of the king; and rising again, Sir, said he, I want words to express ny gratitude to your majesty for the honour you have done me: I shall do all that lies in my power to render myself worthy of your royal favour.

From the council-board the prince was conducted to a palace which the princess Badoura ordered to be fitted up for him; where he found officers and domestics ready to receive and obey his commands, a stable full of fine horses, and every thing suitable to the quality of an emir. When he was in his closet, the steward of his household brought a chest full of gold for his expenses.

The less he conceived how it came about that he met with so much good fortune, the more he wondered at it, never once imagining it was owing to the princess of China.

Two or three days after, the princess Badoura made him lord-treasurer, which office was then vacant, that he might be nearer her person. He behaved himself in this new charge with much integrity, and was so obliging to every body, that he not only gained the friendship of the great, but also the affections of the people, by his uprightness and bounty.

Camaralzaman, being the reigning favourite of the king of the isle of Ebene, and in the esteem of all his subjects, would have been the happiest man in the world, if he had had his princess with him. In the midst of his good fortune he never ceased lamenting her, and grieved that he could hear no tidings of her, especially in a country which she must necessarily have passed in her way to his father's court, and have arrived long before, if she had not met with some ill accident by the way: he would have doubted something, had the princess Badoura still gone by the name of Camaralzaman, which she took with his habit; but, on her accession to the throne, she changed it to that of Armanos, in honour of the old king her father-in-law. There were very few courtiers who knew that she had ever been called Camaralzaman, which she assumed when she arrived at the court of the isle of Ebene; nor had Camaralzaman so much acquaintance with any of them as yet to inform himself further of her history.

The princess, fearing he might do it in time, and desirous he should owe the discovery to herself only, resolved to put an end to their mutual torments, for she had observed that, as often as she discoursed about the affairs of his office, he fetched such deep sighs as could be applied to nobody but her. She herself lived in such constraint, that she could endure it no longer. Add to this the friendship of the emirs and courtiers, and the zeal and affection of the people; in a word, every thing contributed to her putting the crown of the isle of Ebene on his head without any obstacle.

The princess Badoura consulted the princess Haiatalnefous in this, as she had done in the other parts of the adventure; and both agreeing to have it done, she one day took prince Camaralzaman aside, saying, I must talk with you about an affair, Camaralzaman, in which I want your advice: it will not be so proper to do it by day-light, for our discourse may be long, and I would not be observed. Come hither in the evening: do not let us wait for you; I will take care to provide you a bed.

Camaralzaman came punctually to the palace at the hour appointed by the princess: she took him into the inner apartment; and, having told the chief eunuch, who prepared to follow her, that she had no occasion for his service, but only keep the door shut, she carried him into a private apartment adjoining to the princess Haiatalnefous, where she used to lie.

When she entered the chamber, where was a bed, she shut the door; and, taking the talisman out of her pocket, gave it to Camaralzaman, saying, It is not long since an astrologer presented me with this talisman: you being skilful in all things, pray tell me for what it is good.

Camaralzanrian took the talisman, and drew near a lamp to view it. As soon as he knew it to be the princess's, he was transported with pleasure, and she was no less pleased to see it. Sir, said the prince, your majesty asked me what this talisman is good for. Oh, king! it is only good to kill me with grief and despair, if I do not suddenly find the most charming and lovely princess in the world, to whom it belongs; whose loss I was the occasion of, and of a strange adventure to me, the very recital of which will move your majesty to pity such an unfortunate husband and lover, if you have patience to hear it.

You shall tell me that another time, replied the princess; I am very glad I know something of it already. Stay here a little, and I will return to you in a moment.

At these words she went into her closet, put off her royal turban, and in a few minutes dressed herself like a woman; and, having the girdle round her which she had on the day of their separation, she entered the chamber.

Prince Camaralzaman immediately knew his dear princess; he ran to her, and tenderly embraced her, crying out, Ah! how much am I obliged to the king, who has so agreeably surprised me!—Do not expect to See the king any more, replied the princess, with tears in her eyes: Let us sit down, and I will explain the enigma.

They sat down, and the princess told the prince her