Part 16

From the council-board the prince was conducted to a palace, which the Princess Badoura had ordered to be fitted up for him; where he found officers and domestics ready to obey his commands, a stable full of fine horses, and everything suitable to the rank of an emir. Then the steward of his household brought him a strong box full of gold for his expenses.

The less he understood whence came his great good fortune, the more he admired it, but never once imagined that he owed it to the Princess of China.

Two or three days after, the Princess Badoura, that he might be nearer to her, and in a more distinguished post, made him high treasurer, which office had lately become vacant. He behaved himself in his new charge with so much integrity, yet obliging everybody, that he not only gained the friendship of the great but also the affections of the people, by his uprightness and bounty.

Camaralzaman 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 where she must necessarily have come on her way to his father's court after their separation. He would have suspected something had the Princess Badoura still gone by the name of Camaralzaman, but on her accession to the throne she changed it, and took that of Armanos, in honour of the old king her father-in-law. She was now known only by the name of the young King Armanos. There were very few courtiers who knew that she had ever been called Camaralzaman, which name she assumed when she arrived at the court of the Isle of Ebony, nor had Camaralzaman so much acquaintance with any of them yet as to learn more of her history.

The princess fearing he might do so in time, and desiring that he should owe the discovery to herself only, resolved to put an end to her own torment and his; for she had observed that as often as she discoursed with him about the affairs of his office, he fetched such deep sighs as could be addressed to nobody but her. She herself also lived under such constraint that she could endure it no longer.

The Princess Badoura had no sooner made this decision with the Princess Haiatalnefous, than she took Prince Camaralzaman aside, saying, 'I must talk with you about an affair, Camaralzaman, which requires much consideration, and on which I want your advice. Come hither in the evening, and leave word at home that you will not return; 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 with her into the inner apartment, and having told the chief chamberlain, who was preparing to follow her, that she had no occasion for his service, and that he should only keep the door shut, she took him into a different apartment.

When the prince and princess entered the chamber she shut the door, and, taking the talisman out of a little box, gave it to Camaralzaman, saying, 'It is not long since an astrologer presented me with this talisman; you being skilful in all things, may perhaps tell me its use.'

Camaralzaman took the talisman, and drew near a lamp to look at it. As soon as he recollected it, with an astonishment which gave the princess great pleasure, 'Sire,' said he to the princess, 'your majesty asked me what this talisman is good for. Alas! it is only good to kill me with grief and despair, if I do not quickly find the most charming and lovely princess in the world to whom it belonged, whose loss it occasioned by a strange adventure, the very recital of which will move your majesty to pity such an unfortunate husband and lover, if you would have patience to hear it.'

'You shall tell me that another time,' replied the princess; 'I am very glad to tell you 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 dressing-room, put off her royal turban, and in a few minutes dressed herself like a woman; and having the girdle round her which she wore on the day of their separation, she entered the chamber.

Prince Camaralzaman immediately knew his dear princess, ran to her, and tenderly embraced her, crying out, 'How much I am obliged to the king, who has so agreeably surprised me!'

'Do not expect to see the king any more,' replied the princess, embracing him in her turn, with tears in her eyes; 'you see him in me: sit down, and I will explain this enigma to you.'

They sat down, and the princess told the prince the resolution she came to, in the field where they encamped the last time they were together, as soon as she perceived that she waited for him to no purpose; how she went through with it till she arrived at the Isle of Ebony, where she had been obliged to marry the Princess Haiatalnefous, and accept the crown which King Armanos offered her as a condition of the marriage: how the princess, whose merit she highly extolled, had kept the secret, and how she found the talisman in the pots of olives mingled with the gold dust, and how the finding it was the cause of her sending for him to the city of the idolaters.

The Princess Badoura and Prince Camaralzaman rose next morning as soon as it was light, but the princess would no more put on her royal robes as king; she dressed herself in the dress of a woman, and then sent the chief chamberlain to King Armanos, her father-in- law to desire he would be so good as to come to her apartment.

When the king entered the chamber, he was amazed to see there a lady who was unknown to him, and the high treasurer with her, who was not permitted to come within the inner palace. He sat down and asked where the king was.

The princess answered, 'Yesterday I was king, sir, and to-day I am the Princess of China, wife of the true Prince Camaralzaman, the true son of King Schahzaman. If your majesty will have the patience to hear both our stories, I hope you will not condemn me for putting an innocent deceit upon you.' The king bade her go on, and heard her discourse from the beginning to the end with astonishment. The princess on finishing it said to him, 'Sir, in our religion men may have several wives; if your majesty will consent to give your daughter the Princess Haiatalnefous in marriage to Prince Camaralzaman, I will with all my heart yield up to her the rank and quality of queen, which of right belongs to her, and content myself with the second place. If this precedence was not her due, I would, however, give it her, after she has kept my secret so generously.'

King Armanos listened to the princess with astonishment, and when she had done, turned to Prince Camaralzaman, saying, 'Son, since the Princess Badoura your wife, whom I have all along thought to be my son-in-law, through a deceit of which I cannot complain, assures me that she is willing, I have nothing more to do but to ask you if you are willing to marry my daughter and accept the crown, which the Princess Badoura would deservedly wear as long as she lived, if she did not quit it out of love to you.'

'Sir,' replied Prince Camaralzaman, 'though I desire nothing so earnestly as to see the king my father, yet the obligation I am under to your majesty and the Princess Haiatalnefous are so weighty, I can refuse her nothing.' Camaralzaman was proclaimed king, and married the same day with all possible demonstrations of joy.

Not long afterwards they all resumed the long interrupted journey to the Isles of the Children of Khaledan, where they were fortunate enough to find the old King Schahzaman still alive and overjoyed to see his son once more; and after several months' rejoicing, King Camaralzaman and the two queens returned to the Island of Ebony, where they lived in great happiness for the remainder of their lives.

THE STORY OF ZOBEIDE TOLD BY HERSELF

The following story is one of the strangest that ever was heard. Two black dogs long dwelt with me in my house, and were very affectionately disposed towards me. These two black dogs and myself were sisters, and I shall acquaint you by what strange accident they came to be metamorphosed. After our father's death, the estate that he left was equally divided among us. My two sisters and myself stayed with our mother, who was still alive, and when she died she left each of us a thousand sequins. As soon as we received our portions, the two elder (for I am the youngest), being married, followed their husbands and left me alone. Some time after, my eldest sister's husband sold all that he had, and with that money and my sister's portion they both went into Africa, where her husband, by riotous living, spent all; and finding himself reduced to poverty, he found a pretext for divorcing my sister, and sent her away.

She returned to this city, and, having suffered incredible hardships by the way, came to me in so lamentable a condition that it would have moved the hardest heart to compassion. I received her with all the tenderness she could expect, and on my inquiring into the cause of her sad condition, she told me with tears how inhumanly her husband had dealt with her. I was so much concerned at her misfortune that it drew tears from my eyes: I clothed her with my own apparel, and spoke to her thus: 'Sister, you are the elder, and I esteem you as my mother: during your absence, God has blessed the portion that fell to my share, and the employment I follow of feeding and bringing up silk-worms. Assure yourself that there is nothing I have but is at your service, and as much at your disposal as my own.'

We lived very comfortably together for some months; and one day as we were discoursing together about our third sister, and wondering we heard no news of her, she came home in as bad a condition as the elder; her husband had treated her after the same manner: and I received her likewise with the same affection as I had done the other.

Some time after, my two sisters, on the ground that they would not be an expense to me, told me they intended to marry again. I answered them, that if their putting me to expense was all the reason they might lay those thoughts aside, and be very welcome to stay with me; for what I had would be sufficient to maintain us all three in a manner suitable to our condition. 'But,' said I, 'I rather believe you have a mind to marry again. If you do, I am sure it will very much surprise me: after the experience you have had of the small satisfaction there is in marriage, is it possible you dare venture a second time? You know how rare it is to meet with a husband that is a really honest man. Believe what I say, and let us live together as comfortably as we can.' All my persuasion was in vain; they were resolved to marry, and so they did. But after some months were past they came back again, and begged my pardon a thousand times for not following my advice. 'You are our youngest sister,' said they, 'and much wiser than we; but if you will vouchsafe to receive us once more into your house and account us your slaves, we shall never commit such a fault again.' My answer was, 'Dear sisters, I have not altered my mind with respect to you since we last parted from one another; come again and take part of what I have.' Upon this I embraced them again, and we lived together as we did formerly.

We continued thus a whole year in perfect love and tranquillity; and seeing that God had increased my small stock, I projected a voyage by sea, to hazard somewhat by trade. To this end I went with my two sisters to Balsora, where I bought a ship ready fitted for sea, and laded her with such merchandise as I brought from Bagdad. We set sail with a fair wind, and soon cleared the Persian gulf; and when we got into the ocean we steered our course to the Indies, and on the twentieth day saw land. It was a very high mountain, at the foot of which we saw a great town, and having a fresh wind we soon reached the harbour, where we cast anchor.

I had not patience to stay till my sisters were ready to go with me, but went ashore in the boat by myself; and, making directly for the gate of the town, I saw there a great number of men on guard, some sitting and others standing, with sticks in their hands; and they had all such dreadful countenances that it frightened me; but perceiving they had no motion, not so much as with their eyes, I took courage, and went nearer, and then found they were all turned into stone. I entered the town and passed through the several streets, wherein men stood everywhere in various attitudes, but all motionless and petrified. On that side where the merchants lived I found most of the shops shut, and in such as were open I likewise found the people petrified. I looked up to the chimneys, but saw no smoke; which made me conjecture that the inhabitants both within and without were all turned into stone.

Being come into a vast square in the heart of the city, I perceived a great gate covered with plates of gold, the two doors of which stood open, and a curtain of silk stuff seemed to be drawn before it; I also saw a lamp hanging over the gate. After I had well considered, I made no doubt but that it was the palace of the prince who reigned over that country; and being very much astonished that I had not met with one living creature, I went thither in hopes to find some one. I entered the gate, and was still more surprised when I saw none but the guards in the porches, all petrified, some standing, some sitting, and some lying.

I crossed over a large court where I saw a stately building just before me, the windows of which were enclosed with gates of massive gold: I supposed it to be the queen's apartment, and went into a large hall, where there stood several black chamberlains turned into stone. I went from thence into a room richly hung and furnished, where I perceived a lady. I knew it to be the queen by the crown of gold that hung over her head, and a necklace of pearls about her neck, each of them as big as a nut; I went up close to her to view it, and never beheld a finer sight.

I stood some time and admired the riches and magnificence of the room; but above all, the footcloth, the cushions and the sofas, which were all lined with Indian stuff or gold, with pictures of men and beasts in silver admirably executed.

I went out of the chamber where the petrified queen was, and passed through several other apartments richly furnished, and at last came into a vast room, where was a throne of massive gold, raised several steps above the floor and enriched with large emeralds, and a bed upon the throne of rich stuff embroidered with pearls. What surprised me more than all the rest was a sparkling light which came from above the bed. Being curious to know from whence it came, I mounted the steps, and lifting up my head, I saw a diamond, as big as the egg of an ostrich, lying upon a low stool; it was so pure that I could not find the least blemish in it, and it sparkled so brightly that I could not endure the lustre of it when I saw it by daylight.

On each side of the bed's head there stood a lighted torch, but for what use I could not comprehend; however, it made me imagine that there was some living creature in this place, for I could not believe that these torches continued thus burning of themselves.

The doors being all open, or but half shut, I surveyed some other apartments that were as fine as those I had already seen. I looked into the offices and store-rooms, which were full of infinite riches, and I was so much taken with the sight of all the wonderful things that I forgot myself; and did not think of my ship or my sisters; my whole design was to satisfy my curiosity. Meantime night came on, which put me in mind that it was time to retire. I was for returning by the way I came in, but I could not find it; I lost myself among the apartments; and finding I was come back again to that large room where the throne, the couch, the large diamond, and the torches stood, I resolved to take my night's lodging there, and to depart the next morning betimes, to get aboard my ship. I laid myself down upon the couch, not without some dread of being alone in a desolate place; and this fear hindered my sleep.

About midnight I heard a voice like that of a man reading the Koran, after the same manner and in the same tone as we read in our mosques. Being extremely glad to hear it, I got up immediately, and, taking a torch in my hand to light me, I passed from one chamber to another on that side where the voice came from: I came to a door, where I stood still, nowise doubting that it came from thence. I set down my torch upon the ground, and looking through a window I found it to be an oratory. In short, it had, as we have in our mosques, a niche that shows where we must turn to say our prayers; there were also lamps hung up, and two candlesticks with large tapers of white wax burning.

I saw a little carpet laid down, like those we have to kneel upon when we say our prayers, and a comely young man sat upon this carpet, reading with great devotion the Koran, which lay before him upon a desk. At the sight of this I was transported with wonder. I wondered how it came to pass that he should be the only living creature in a town where all the people were turned into stones, and I did not doubt but that there was something in it very extraordinary.

The door being only half shut, I opened it and went in, and standing upright before the niche, I said this prayer aloud: 'Praise be to God, who has favoured us with a happy voyage, and may He be graciously pleased to protect us in the same manner until we arrive again in our own country. Hear me, O Lord, and grant my request.'

The young man cast his eyes upon me, and said, 'My good lady, pray let me know who you are, and what has brought you to this desolate city; and, in return, I will tell you who I am, what happened to me, why the inhabitants of this city are reduced to that state you see them in, and why I alone am safe and sound in the midst of such a terrible disaster.'

I told him in few words from whence I came, what made me undertake the voyage, and how I had safely arrived at the port after twenty days' sailing; and when I had done I prayed him to fulfil his promise, and told him how much I was struck by the frightful desolation which I had seen in all places as I came along.

'My dear lady,' said the young man, 'have patience for a moment.' At these words he shut the Koran, put it into a rich case, and laid it in the niche. I took that opportunity of observing him, and perceived so much good-nature and beauty in him that I felt strange emotion. He made me sit down by him; and before he began his discourse I could not forbear saying to him, 'Sir, I can scarcely have patience to wait for an account of all those wonderful things that I have seen since the first time I came into your city; and my curiosity cannot be satisfied too soon: therefore pray, sir, let me know by what miracle you alone are left alive among so many persons that have died in so strange a manner.'

'Madam,' said the young man, 'you have given me to understand that you have a knowledge of the true God by the prayer you have just now addressed to Him. I will acquaint you with the most remarkable effect of His greatness and power. You must know that this city was the metropolis of a mighty kingdom, over which the king, my father, did reign. He, his whole court, the inhabitants of the city, and all his other subjects were magi, worshippers of fire, and of Nardoun, the ancient king of the giants, who rebelled against God.

'And though I had an idolatrous father and mother, I had the good fortune in my youth to have a governess who was a good Mussulman; I learned the Koran by heart, and understood the explanation of it perfectly. "Dear prince," would she oftentimes say, "there is but one true God; take heed that you do not acknowledge and adore any other." She taught me to read Arabic, and the book she gave me to practice upon was the Koran. As soon as I was capable of understanding it, she explained to me all the heads of this excellent book, and infused piety into my mind, unknown to my father or anybody else. She happened to die, but not before she had instructed me in all that was necessary to convince me of the truth of the Mussulman religion. After her death I persisted with constancy in this belief; and I abhor the false god Nardoun, and the adoration of fire.

'It is about three years and some months ago that a thundering voice was heard, all of a sudden, so distinctly, through the whole city that nobody could miss hearing it. The words were these: "Inhabitants, abandon the worship of Nardoun, and of fire, and worship the only God that shows mercy."

'This voice was heard for three years successively, but nobody was converted: so on the last day of the year, at four o'clock in the morning, all the inhabitants were changed in an instant into stone, every one in the same condition and posture they happened to be then in. The king, my father, had the same fate, for he was metamorphosed into a black stone, as he is to be seen in this palace; and the queen, my mother, had the like destiny.