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

to see the jeweller, who was the owner of the house where they found us. I know this jeweller, said one of the rogues, who seemed to have some authority over the rest; I have some obligations to him, of which he yet knows nothing; and I take upon me to bring him hither to-morrow morning from another house he has; but you must not expect to stir till he come and tell us who you are; though, in the mean time, I promise there shall be no manner of injury offered to you.

The jeweller was brought next morning, as he said; who, thinking to oblige us, as he really did, declared to the rogues the whole truth of the matter. The thieves no sooner knew who we were, but they came and asked my pardon; and I believe did the like to the prince, who was shut up in another room. They protested to me, they would not have broken open the jeweller's house, had they known whose it was. They soon after took us, (the prince, the jeweller, and myself), and carried us to the river-side, where, having put us on board the boat, they rowed us across the water; but we were no sooner landed, than a party of the horse-guards came up to us.

The rogues fled. I took the commander aside, and told him my name, informing him withal, that the night before I had be seized by robbers who forced me along with them; but having been told who I was, they had re*aleased me, and the two persons he saw with me, on my account. He alighted and paid his respects to me; and expressing a great deal of joy for being able to oblige me, he caused two boats to be brought, putting me and two of his soldiers, whom you have seen, into one, and the prince, and jeweller, with two more, into the other. My guides have conducted me hither; but what is become of the prince and his friend, I cannot tell.

I trust in Heaven, added she, with a shower of tears, no harm has happened to them since our separation; and I do not doubt that the prince's concern is equal to mine. The jeweller, to whom we have been so much obliged, ought to be recompensed for the loss he has sustained on our account. Do not you therefore fail, said she, speaking to the confident, to take two purses of a thousand pieces of gold each, and carry them to him to-morrow morning in my name; and, at the same time, be sure to inquire after the prince's welfare.

When my good mistress had done speaking, I endeavoured, as to the last article of inquiring into the prince's welfare, to calm her mind, which was in some disorder, and to persuade her not to yield so much to love, since the danger she had so lately escaped would be soon renewed by such indulgence. She bid me hold my tongue, and do what she had commanded. I was forced to be silent, and am come hither to obey her commands without any further scruple. I have been at your house, and, not finding you at home, was about to have gone to wait on the prince of Persia, but did not dare to attempt so great a journey. I have left the two purses with a particular friend of mine, and, if you have patience, I shall go and fetch them immediately.

The confident returned quickly to the jeweller in the mosque, where she had left him. She gave him the two purses, and bid him accept them for her lady's sake. They are more than necessary, said the jeweller; and I can never be enough thankful for so great a present from so good and generous a lady: but I beseech you to acquaint her, on my behalf, that I shall preserve an eternal remembrance of her bounties. He then agreed with the confident, that she should find him at the place where she had first seen him whenever she had occasion to impart any commands from Schemselnihar, or to know any thing of the prince of Persia.

The jeweller returned home very well satisfied, not only that he had got wherewithal plentifully to make up his losses, but also to think that no person in Bagdad could possibly come to know of the prince and Schemselnihar being in his other house when it was robbed. It is true, he had acquainted the thieves with it, but their secrecy he thought might very well be depended on, as he imagined they had not sufficient converse with the world to give him any disturbance. He therefore hugged himself in his good fortune, paid his debts, and furnished both his houses to a nicety. Thus he forgot all his past danger, and next morning set out to wait on the prince of Persia.

The prince's domestics told the jeweller, on his arrival, that he came in very good time to make their lord speak, for they had not been able to get a word out of him ever since he was there. They introduced him softly into his chamber, where he found him in such a condition as raised his pity. He was lying in bed, with his eye-lids shut; but when the jeweller saluted him, and exhorted him to take courage, be faintly opened his eyes, and regarded him with such an aspect, as sufficiently declared the greatness of his affliction. He, however, took and grasped him by the hand, to testify his friendship, telling him, in a faint and weak tone, that he was extremely obliged to him for coming so far to seek one so exceedingly unhappy and miserable.

My lord, replied the jeweller, mention not, I beseech you, any obligations you owe to me; I could wish, with all my soul, that the good offices I have endeavoured to do you had had a better effect. But, at present, let us discourse only of your health, which I fear you greatly injure by unreasonably abstaining from proper nourishment.

The prince's servants, hearing the jeweller say this, took occasion to let him know that it was with the greatest difficulty they had prevailed on him to take even the smallest morsel and that for some time he had taken nothing. This obliged the jeweller to beg the prince to let his servants bring him something to eat, which favour he obtained with much intercession.

After the prince had eaten more largely than he had hitherto, at the persuasion of the jeweller, he commanded the servants to quit the room, and leave him alone with his friend. When the room was clear, he said, In conjunction with my misfortune which distracts me, I have been exceedingly concerned to think of what you have suffered on my account; and as it is but reasonable that I should make you a recompence, I shall be sure to take the first opportunity; at present, however, begging only your pardon a thousand times, I must conjure you to tell me whether you have learnt any thing of Schemselnihar since I had the misfortune to be parted from her.

Here the jeweller, upon the confident's information, related to him all that he knew of Schemselnihar's arrival at her hotel, her state of health from the time he had left her, and how she had sent her confident to him to inquire after his highness's welfare.

To all this the prince replied with sighs and tears only; then he made an effort to get up, and, being assisted by the jeweller, made shift to rise. Being upon his legs, he called his servants, and made them open his wardrobe, whither he went in person, and having caused several bundles of rich goods and plate to be packed up, ordered them to be carried to the jeweller's house.

The jeweller would fain have withstood this kind offer; but although he represented that Schemselnihar had already made him more than sufficient amends for what he had lost, the prince would be obeyed. The jeweller thought himself obliged to make every possible acknowledgment, and protested how much he was confounded at his highness's liberality. He would then have taken his leave, but the prince would not let him; so they passed in discourse the greater part of the night.

Next morning the jeweller waited again on the prince before he went away, but he would not let him stir; he must first sit down, and hear what he had to say. You know, said he, there is an end proposed in all things. Now, the end the lover proposes, is to enjoy the beloved object in spite of all opposition. If he loses that hope, he must not think to live. You also know that this is my hard case; for when I had been twice at the very point of fulfilling my desires, I was all of a sudden torn from her I loved in the most cruel manner imaginable: I had then no more to do, but to think of death; and I had certainly proved my own executioner, did not our holy laws forbid us to commit suicide. But there is no need of such violent means; death will soon do its own work by a sure though gentle method; I find myself in a manner gone, and that I have not long to wait the welcome blow. Here he was silent, and vented the rest of his passion only in groans, sighs, and tears, which came from him in great abundance.

The jeweller, who knew no better way of turning him from despair than by bringing Schemselnihar into his mind, and giving him some hopes of enjoying her, told him, he feared the confident might be come from her lady, and therefore did not think it proper to stay any longer from home. I will let you go, said the prince; but conjure you, that if you see her, you recommend to her to assure Schemselnihar, that if I die, as I expect to do every minute, I will love her to the last moment, and bless her with my last breath.

The jeweller returned home in expectation of seeing the confident, who came some few hours after, but all in tears, and in great affliction. He asked, with great earnestness, what was the matter; she answered, that Schemselnihar, the prince, herself, and he, were all ruined. He demanded how. Hear the sad news, said she, as it was told me just upon my entering our hotel, after I had left you.

Schemselnihar had, it seems, for some fault, chastised one of the slaves you saw with her in your other house; the slave, enraged at the ill treatment, ran presently, and, finding the gate open, went forth; so that we have just reason to believe she has discovered all to an eunuch of the guard, who gave her protection, as we have since heard.

This is not all. The other slave, her companion, is fled too, and has taken refuge in the caliph's palace, so that we may well fear she has acted her part in a discovery; for, just as I came away, the caliph had sent twenty of his eunuchs for Schemselnihar, who carried her to the palace. I just found means to come and tell you this, yet I fear no good will come of it; but, above all, I recommend it to you as a secret.

The confident added, that it was expedient he should go and acquaint the prince with the whole affair, that he might be ready on all occasions, and contribute what he was able to the common cause; upon which she departed in great haste, without speaking a word more, or waiting for an answer.

What answer, however, could the jeweller have made, in the deplorable condition he was placed? He stood still as if thunderstruck, and had not a word to say. He was, however, sensible that the affair required expedition, and therefore went immediately to give the prince an account of it. He addressed himself to him with an air that sufficiently showed the bad news he brought. Prince, said he to him, arm yourself with courage and patience, and prepare to receive the most terrible assault ever yet made on your nature. Tell me, in few words, said the prince, what it is I must prepare to receive; for if it be death only, I am ready and willing to undergo it.

Then the jeweller told him all that he had learned from the confident. You see, continued he, that your destruction is inevitable, if you delay. Rise, save yourself by flight, for the time is precious. You, of all men, must not expose yourself to the anger of the caliph, and should much less confess any thing in the midst of torments.

At these words the prince