Chapter XXX: Part 30

The caliph then 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 the present which Noureddin, with a generosity not to be paralleled, has made me of your person. I have sent him to Balsora to be king there; and when I have given him the despatches necessary for his establishment, you shall go thither and be 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 encouraged the Fair Persian, and comforted her very sensibly. The joy for the advancement of Noureddin, 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. With the letter held up in his hand, he pressed through the crowd, 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 shewing it to the vizier Saouy, Noureddin’s irreconcilable enemy.

Saouy, who had discovered Noureddin, and began to conjecture, with great 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 that very moment upon a way to evade it. He pretended not to have read the letter quite through, and therefore, desiring a second view of it, he turned himself a little on one side, as if he wanted a better light, and, without being perceived by any body, dexterously tore off from the top of it the form that showed the caliph would be absolutely obeyed, and putting it into his mouth, swallowed it.

After this egregious 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 form is not to it. The king had observed that very well, but in his confusion, 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, and 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 like your majesty was never deposed without that formality, any other man as well as Noureddin might come with a forged letter: let who will bring such a letter as this, it ought not to be put in execution. --Your majesty may depend upon it, that is never done; and I will take upon myself all the consequence of disobeying this order.

King Zinebi, 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 and deepest dungeon, with a strict charge to the gaoler to give him nothing but bread and water.

When Noureddin, half dead with the strokes, came to himself, and found what a nasty dungeon he was in, he bewailed his misfortunes in the most pathetic manner. --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 loaded some of his slaves with rich presents, which he, at the head of them, went and presented to the king. Behold, sire, said he, with the blackest malice, what the new king has 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 that wretch still living? I thought you had put him to death already. Sire, 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. Sire, 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 in every quarter of the city, that every body may be satisfied he has made a sufficient reparation for the affront. The king granted his request; and the criers, in performing their office, diffused an universal sorrow through the whole city. The memory of his father’s virtues being yet very fresh among them, no one could hear without horror and indignation that the son was going to suffer an ignominious death, through the villany and instigation of the vizier Saouy.

Saouy went in person to the prison, accompanied with twenty slaves, ministers of his cruelty, who took Noureddin out of the dungeon, and put him upon a shabby horse without a saddle. When Noureddin saw himself in the hands of his enemy, Thou triumphest now, said he, and abusest thy power; but I trust in the truth of what is written in one of our books, ‘You judge unjustly, and in a little time you shall be judged yourself.’ The vizier Saouy, who really triumphed in his heart, What, insolent! said he, darest thou insult me yet? --but go, I pardon thee, and care not whatever happens to me, so I have the pleasure of seeing thee lose thy head in the public view of all Balsora. Thou oughtest also to remember what another of our books says, ‘What signifies if one dies the next day after the death of his enemy?’

The vizier, still implacable in his hatred and enmity, surrounded by part of his slaves in arms, ordered Noureddin to be conducted by the other, and went himself towards the palace. The people were ready to fall upon him as he went along; and if any body had set the example, they would certainly have stoned him to death. When he had brought him to the place of suffering, which was to be in sight of the king’s apartment, he left him in the executioner’s hands, and went straight to the king, who was in his closet, ready to glut his eyes with the bloody spectacle he had prepared.

The king’s guard and the vizier’s slaves, which made a circle round Noureddin, had much ado to withstand the people, who made all possible efforts, but in vain, to break through them, and carry him off by force. The executioner coming up to him, Sir, said he, I hope you will forgive me; I am but a slave, and cannot help doing my duty. If you have no occasion for any thing more, I beseech you prepare yourself; for the king is just going to give me orders to strike the blow.

The poor unfortunate Noureddin, at that cruel moment, looking round upon the people, Will no charitable body, cried he, bring me a little water to quench my thirst? which immediately they did, and handed it up to him upon the scaffold. The vizier Saouy, perceiving this delay, called out to the executioner from the king’s closet-window, where he had planted himself, Strike! what dost thou stay for? At these barbarous and inhuman words the whole place echoed with loud imprecations against him; and the king, jealous of his authority, made it appear, by enjoining him to stay awhile, that he was angry at his presumption. But there was another reason; for the king that very moment, casting his eye to a large street that faced him, and joining to the place of execution, saw about the middle of it a troop of horsemen come gallopping full speed towards the palace. Vizier, said the king immediately, look yonder; what is the meaning of those horsemen? Saouy, who knew not what it might be, earnestly pressed the king to give the executioner the sign. No, replied the king; I will first know who those horsemen are. It was the vizier Giafar, with his train, who came in person from Bagdad by the caliph’s order.

To understand the occasion of this minister’s coming to Balsora, we must observe, that after Noureddin’s departure with the caliph’s letter, the caliph, the next day, nor several days after, never thought of sending him the patent that he mentioned to the Fair Persian. He happened one day to be in the inner palace, which was that of the women, and passing by the apartment, he heard the sound of a fine voice. He listened to it; and he had no sooner heard the words of one complaining for the absence of somebody, than he asked the officer of the eunuchs that attended him, who that woman was that belonged to that apartment? The officer told him it was the young stranger’s slave, whom he had sent to Balsora to be king in the room of Mohammed Zinebi.

Ah! poor Noureddin, cried the caliph presently, I had forgot thee: but haste, said he to the officer, and bid Giafar come to me. The vizier was with him in an instant. As soon as he came, Giafar, said he, I have hitherto neglected sending the patent to Noureddin, which was to confirm him king of Balsora; but we have no time now to draw up one; therefore immediately take post-horses, and, with some of your servants, make what haste you can to Balsora. If Noureddin is no longer alive, but put to death by them, order the vizier Saouy to be hanged; but if he is living, bring him to me, with the king and the vizier.

The grand vizier stayed no longer than just to get on horseback; and being attended by a great train of officers belonging to his house, he set off for Balsora, where he arrived in the manner and at the time already mentioned. As soon as he came to the palace-yard, the people cleared the way for him, crying out, A pardon for Noureddin! and with his whole train he rode into the palace, even to the very stairs, where he alighted.

The king of Balsora, knowing him to be the caliph’s chief minister, went to meet him, and received him at the entrance of his apartment. The first question the vizier asked, was, If Noureddin was living? and if he was, that he might be sent for. The king made answer he was alive, and gave orders to have him brought in. Accordingly he soon made his appearance as he was, tied and bound with cords. The grand vizier Giafar caused him to be untied, and setting him at liberty, ordered the vizier Saouy to be seized, and bound him with the same cords.

The grand vizier Giafar lay but one night in Balsora; the next day he set out again for Bagdad; and, according to the order he had received, carried Saouy, the king of Balsora, and Noureddin, along with him. As soon as he came to Bagdad, he presented them all to the caliph: and after he had given him an account of his journey, and particularly the miserable condition he found Noureddin in, and his ill usage by the advice and malice of Saouy, the caliph desired Noureddin to behead the vizier himself. Commander of the true believers, said Noureddin, notwithstanding the injury this wicked man has done me, and the mischief he endeavoured to do my deceased father, I should think myself the basest of mankind, if I were to stain my hands with his blood. The caliph was extremely pleased with his generosity, and ordered justice to be done by the executioner’s hand.

The caliph would fain have sent Noureddin back to Balsora to have been king there: but Noureddin humbly begged to be excused from accepting of the offer. Commander of the true believers, said Noureddin, the city of Balsora, after the misfortunes that have happened to me there, will be so much my aversion, that I beseech your majesty to give me leave to keep the oath that I have made, of never returning thither again; and I shall think it my greatest glory to serve near your royal person, if you are pleased to allow me the honour. The caliph consented to it; and placing him among the number of those courtiers who were his greatest favourites restored the Fair Persian to him again. To all these favours he added a plentiful fortune; and he and the Fair Persian lived together to their dying day, with all the happiness they could desire.

As for the king of Balsora, the caliph contented himself with only letting him see how careful he ought to be in the choice of his viziers, and so sent him back into his kingdom.

The Story of Beder, Prince of Persia, and Giahaure, Princess of Samandal.

Persia is a country of so vast extent, that their ancient monarchs have, not without some colour of reason, assumed the haughty title of King of Kings. For, not to mention those subdued by their arms, there are kingdoms and provinces whose kings are not only tributary, but also in as great subjection as governors in other nations are to kings.

One of these kings, who in the beginning of his reign had signalized himself by many glorious and successful conquests, enjoyed so profound a peace and tranquillity, as rendered him the happiest of monarchs. The only thing in which he thought himself unfortunate was, that amongst all his wives, not one of them ever brought him a son; and being now far advanced in years, he was desirous of an heir to succeed him after his death. However, he had above a hundred ladies, all lodged in separate apartments, after a magnificent manner, with women-slaves to wait upon, and eunuchs to guard them; yet, notwithstanding all his endeavours to please and gratify them in every thing, there was not one that answered his expectation. He had women very often brought him from the most remote countries; and if they pleased him, he not only gave the merchants their full price at first word, but loaded them with honours, favours, and benedictions, in hopes that at last he might be so happy as to meet with one by whom he might have a son. There was scarce any act of charity but what he performed, to prevail with Heaven. He gave immense sums to the poor, besides large donatives to the religious of his religion; building for their use many noble colleges richly endowed, in hopes of obtaining by their prayers what he so earnestly desired.

One day, according to the custom of his royal predecessors, during their residence in their capital city, he held an assembly of his courtiers, at which all the ambassadors and strangers of quality about the court were present; and where they not only entertained one another with talking of news and politics, but also of the sciences, history, poetry, literature, and whatever else was capable of diverting the mind after the most agreeable manner. Upon that day an eunuch came to acquaint him with the arrival of a certain merchant from a far country, who, having brought a slave along with him, desired leave to show her to his majesty. Give him admittance instantly, said the king, and after the assembly is over I will talk with him. The merchant was introduced, and seated in a convenient place, from whence he might easily have a full view of the king, and hear him talk familiarly to those that stood near his person. The king observed this rule to all strangers, with a design that by degrees they might grow acquainted with him; so that, when they saw with what freedom and civility he addressed himself to all, they might be encouraged to talk with him in the same manner, without being the least surprised at the pomp and splendour of his appearance, which was enough to deprive those of their power of speech that were not used to it. He treated the ambassadors also after the same manner. He eat with them, and during the repast asked them several questions concerning their health, their journey, and the particularities of their country. After they had been thus encouraged, he gave them audience.

When the assembly was over, and all the company retired, the merchant, who was the only person left, fell prostrate before the king’s throne with his face to the earth, wishing his majesty an accomplishment of all his desires. As soon as he rose up, the king asked him if the news of his having brought a slave for him was true, and whether she was handsome.

Sire, replied the merchant, I doubt not in the least but your majesty has very beautiful women, since you search every corner of the earth for them; but I may boldly affirm, without overvaluing my merchandise, that you never yet saw a woman that could stand in competition with her for shape and beauty, agreeable qualifications, and all the perfections that she is mistress of. --Where is she? said the king: bring her to me instantly. --Sire, replied the merchant, I have delivered her into the hands of one of your chief eunuchs; and your majesty may send for her at your pleasure.

The fair slave was immediately brought in; and no sooner had the king cast his eyes on her, but he was charmed with her beautiful and easy shape. He went presently into a closet, whither the merchant, with a few eunuchs, followed him. The fair slave wore a red satin veil striped with gold over her face; and when the merchant had taken it off, the king of Persia beheld a lady that surpassed in beauty, not only his present ladies, but all that he ever had before. He immediately fell passionately in love with her, and bid the merchant name his price.

Sire, said he, I gave a thousand pieces of gold to the person of whom I bought her; and in my three years’ journey to your court, I reckon I have spent as much; but I shall forbear setting any price to so great a monarch; and therefore, if your majesty likes her, I humbly beg you would accept of her as a present. I am highly obliged to you, replied the king; but it is never my custom to treat merchants, who come hither purely for my pleasure, after so ungenerous a manner: I am going to order thee ten thousand pieces of gold; will that be sufficient? Sire, answered the merchant, I should have esteemed myself very happy in your majesty’s acceptance of her for nothing, yet I dare not refuse so generous an offer. I shall not fail to publish it in my own country, and in every place through which I pass. The money was presently paid; and before he departed, the king made him put on a rich suit of cloth of gold.

The king caused the fair slave to be lodged in the finest apartment next his own, and gave particular orders to the matrons, and the women-slaves appointed to attend her, that after bathing they should dress her in the richest habit they could find, and carry her the finest pearl necklaces, the brightest diamonds, and other the richest precious stones, that she might choose those she liked best.

The officious matrons, whose only care was to please the king, were astonished at her beauty; and being well versed therein, they told his majesty, that if he would allow them but three days, they would engage to make her so much handsomer than she was at present, that he could scarce know her again. The king could hardly deprive himself of the pleasure of enjoying her so long; but at last he consented, upon condition they would be as good as their word.

The king of Persia’s capital was situated in an island: and his palace, which was very magnificent, was built upon the seashore: his apartment looked upon that element; and the fair slave’s, which was pretty near it, had also the same prospect, and it was the more agreeable, upon the account of the sea’s beating almost against the foot of the wall.

At the three days’ end, the fair slave, magnificently dressed and set off, was alone in her chamber, sitting upon a sofa, and leaning against one of the windows that faced the sea, when the king, being informed that he might visit her, came in. The slave hearing somebody walk in the room, with an air quite different from that of the women-slaves, who had hitherto attended her, immediately turned her head about, to see who it was. She knew him to be the king; but without discovering the least surprise, or so much as rising from her seat to salute or receive him, as if he had been the most indifferent person in the world, she put herself in the same posture again.

The king of Persia was extremely surprised to see a slave of so beauteous a form so very ignorant of the world. He attributed this to the narrowness of her education, and the little care that was taken of instructing her in the first rules of civility. He went to her at the window, where, notwithstanding the coldness and indifference with which she had just now received him, she suffered herself to be admired, caressed, and embraced as much as he pleased.

In the midst of these amorous embraces and tender endearments, this monarch paused awhile, to gaze upon, or rather to devour her with his eyes. My goddess! my angel! my charmer! cried the king; whence came you, and where do those happy parents live that brought into the world so surprising a master-piece of nature as you are? Ah! how I love you, and shall always continue to do so. Never did I feel for a woman what I now feel for you; and though I have seen, and do see every day, a vast number of beauties, yet never did my eyes behold so many charms in one single person, which have so transported me out of myself, that I shall entirely devote myself to you. My dearest life, continued he, you neither answer, nor by any visible token give me the least reason to believe that you are sensible of the many demonstrations I have given you of the violence of my passion; neither will you turn your eyes on me to afford mine the pleasure of meeting them, and to convince you that it is impossible to love more than I do you. Why will you still keep this obstinate silence, which chills me? and whence proceeds the seriousness, or rather sorrow, that torments me to the soul? Do you mourn for your country, your friends, or your relations? Alas! is not the king of Persia, who loves and adores you, capable of comforting, and making you amends for the loss of every thing in the world?

What protestations of love soever the king of Persia made the fair slave, or all he could say to oblige her to speak to him, she continued her astonishing reserve; and keeping her eyes still fixed upon the ground, would neither look at him nor utter a word.

The king of Persia, charmed with the purchase he had made of a slave that pleased him so well, pressed her no farther, in hopes that by treating her kindly, he might prevail upon her to change her mind. He presently clapped his hands; and the women that waited in an outward room entered: he commanded them to bring in supper. When it was on the table, My soul, said he to the slave, come hither and sup with me. She rose from her seat; and being seated over against the king, his majesty helped her, before he began eating himself; and so he did of every dish during the whole supper. The slave eat as well as the king, but still with downcast eyes, and without speaking a word; though he often asked her how she liked the entertainment, and whether it was dressed according to her taste.

The king, willing to change the discourse, asked her what her name was, how she liked the clothes and the jewels she had on, what she thought of her apartment and the rich furniture, and whether the prospect of the sea was not very agreeable? but to all these questions she answered not a word; so that the king was at a loss what to think of her silence. He imagined, at first, that perhaps she might be dumb: but then, said he to himself, can it be possible that Heaven should form a creature so beautiful, so perfect, and so accomplished, yet, at the same time, with so great an imperfection? Were it however so, I could not love her with a less passion than I do.

When the king of Persia rose from the table, he washed his hands on one side, while the fair slave washed hers on the other. He took that time to ask the women that held the basin and napkin, if ever they had heard her speak. One of them presently made answer, Sire, we have neither seen her open her lips, nor heard her speak any more than your majesty has just now; we have rendered her our services in the bath; we have combed and dressed her head, put on her clothes, and waited upon her in her chamber, but she has never opened her lips, so much as to say, that is well, or I like this. We have often asked her, Madam, do you want any thing? is there any thing you wish for? Do but ask, and command us: but we have never been able to draw a word from her. We cannot tell whether her silence proceeds from pride, sorrow, stupidity, or dumbness; and this is all we can inform your majesty of.

The king of Persia was more astonished at hearing this than he was before: however, believing the slave might have some cause of sorrow, he was willing to endeavour to divert and amuse her. Accordingly he made a very splendid assembly, to which all the ladies of the court came; and those who were skilful in playing upon musical instruments performed their parts, while others sung or danced, or did both together; at last, they played at all sorts of games, which mightily diverted the king. The fair slave was the only person that took no pleasure in these diversions; she never stirred out of her place, but kept her eyes fixed on the ground with so much indifference, that all the ladies were no less surprised than the king. After the assembly was over, every one retired to her apartment, and the king, who was left alone with the fair slave, lay with her that night.

The next morning the king of Persia rose more pleased than ever he had been with all his women he had seen before, and more enamoured with the fair slave than he was the day before. Indeed, he soon made it appear, by resolving henceforth to attach himself only to her; and he performed his resolution. On the very same day he dismissed all his other women, giving every one of them their jewels, and other valuable things, besides a considerable fortune, with free leave to marry whom they thought fit; and only kept the matrons and a few other elderly women to wait upon the fair slave. However, for a whole year together, she never afforded him the pleasure of one single word; yet the king continued his assiduities to please her, with all the complaisance imaginable, and to give her the most signal proofs of a violent passion.

The year was now expired, when the king, sitting one day by his mistress, protested to her that his love, instead of being diminished, grew every day more violent. My queen, said he, I cannot divine what your thoughts are: but nothing is more true, and I swear to you, that having the happiness of possessing you, there remains nothing for me to desire: I esteem my kingdom, great as it is, less than an atom, when I have the pleasure of beholding you, and of telling you a thousand times, that I adore you. I desire not that my words alone should oblige you to believe me. Surely you can no longer doubt it, after the vast number of women who were in my palace, whom I have sacrificed to your beauty. You may remember it is about a year since I sent them all away; and I repent of it as little even now I am talking with you, as I did the first moment of their departure; and I never shall repent. Nothing would be wanting to complete my happiness and crown my joy, would you but speak one single word to me, by which I might be assured that you thought yourself at all obliged to me. But how can you speak to me if you are dumb? and alas! I feel too fearful this is the case. How can I doubt, since you still torment me with silence, after a whole year’s entreating you continually to speak to me? If it is impossible for me to obtain of you that consolation, may Heaven at least grant me the blessing of a son by you, to succeed me after my death. I find myself growing old every day, and I begin already to want one to assist me in bearing the weight of my crown. Still I cannot conceal the great desire I have of hearing you speak; for something within me tells me you are not dumb: and I beseech, I conjure you, dear madam, to break through this long silence, and speak but one word to me; and after that I care not how soon I die.

At this discourse the fair slave, who, according to her usual custom, had hearkened to the king with downcast eyes, and had given him cause to believe not only that she was dumb, but that she had never laughed in her life, began to smile a little. The king of Persia perceived it with a surprise that made him break forth into an exclamation of joy: and no longer doubting but that she was going to speak, he waited for that happy moment with an eagerness and attention that cannot easily be expressed.

At last the fair slave, breaking her long-kept silence, thus addressed herself to the king: Sire, said she, I have so many things to say to your majesty, that having once broke silence, I know not where to begin. However, in the first place, I think myself in duty bound to thank you for all the favours and honours you have been pleased to confer upon me, and to implore Heaven to bless and prosper you, to prevent the wicked designs of your enemies, and not suffer you to die, after hearing me speak, but to grant you a long life. After this, sire, I cannot give you a greater satisfaction than by acquainting you that I am with child; and I wish, as you do, it may be a son. Had it never been my fortune to have been pregnant, I was resolved (I beg your majesty to pardon the sincerity of my intention) never to have loved you, as well as to have kept an eternal silence; but now I love you as I ought to do.

The king of Persia, ravished to hear the fair slave not only speak, but tell him tidings in which he was so nearly concerned, embraced her tenderly. Shining light of my eyes, said he, it is impossible for me to receive a greater joy than what you have now given me: you have spoken to me, and you have declared your being with child, which I did not expect. After these two occasions of joy, I am transported out of myself.

The king of Persia, in the transport of his joy, said no more to the fair slave. He left her, but in such a manner as made her perceive his intention was speedily to return: and being willing that the occasion of his joys should be made public, he declared it to his officers, and sent in all haste for the grand vizier. As soon as he came, he ordered him to distribute a thousand pieces of gold among the holy men of his religion, who made vows of poverty; as also among the hospitals and the poor, by way of returning thanks to Heaven: and his will was obeyed by the direction of that minister.

After the king of Persia had given this order, he returned to the fair slave again. Madam, said he, pardon me for leaving you so abruptly, since you have been the occasion of it; but I hope you will indulge me with some conversation, since I am desirous to know of you several things of much greater consequence. Tell me, my dearest soul, what were the powerful reasons that induced you to persist in that obstinate silence for a whole year together, though every day you saw me, heard me talk to you, eat and drank with me, and every night lay with me? I shall pass by your not speaking; but how you could carry yourself so as that I could never discover whether you were sensible of what I said to you or no, I confess, surpasses my understanding; and I cannot yet comprehend how you could contain yourself so long; therefore I must conclude the occasion of it to be very extraordinary.

To satisfy the king of Persia’s curiosity, replied this fair person, think whether or no to be a slave, far from my own country, without any hopes of ever seeing it again, --to have a heart torn with grief, for being separated for ever from my mother, my brother, my friends, and my acquaintance, --are not these sufficient reasons for my keeping a silence your majesty has thought so strange and unaccountable? The love of our native country is as natural to us as that of our parents; and the loss of liberty is insupportable to every one who is not wholly destitute of common sense, and knows how to set a value on it. The body indeed may be enslaved, and under the subjection of a master, who has the power and authority in his hands; but the will can never be conquered, but remains free and unconfined, depending on itself alone, as your majesty has found an instance of it in me: and it is a wonder that I have not followed the example of abundance of unfortunate wretches, whom the loss of liberty has reduced to the melancholy resolution of procuring their own deaths a thousand ways, by a liberty which cannot be taken from them.

Madam, replied the king, I am convinced of the truth of what you say; but till this moment I was of opinion, that a person beautiful, well-shaped, of good understanding, like yourself, whom her evil destiny had condemned to be a slave, ought to think herself very happy in meeting with a king for her master.

Sire, replied the fair slave, whatever the slave is, as I have already observed to your majesty, there is no king on earth can tyrannize over her will. But when you speak of a slave mistress of charms enough to captivate a monarch, and induce him to love her; if she is of a rank infinitely below him, I am of your opinion, she ought to think herself happy in her misfortunes: but what happiness can it be, when she considers herself only as a slave, torn from a parent’s arms, and perhaps from those of a lover, her passion for whom death only can extinguish? But when this very slave is in nothing inferior to the king that bought her, your majesty shall then judge yourself of the rigour of her destiny, her misery, and her sorrow, and to what desperate attempts the anguish of despair may drive her.

The king of Persia, astonished at this discourse, Madam, said he, can it be possible that you are of royal blood, as by your words you seem to intimate? Explain the whole secret to me, I beseech you, and no longer augment my impatience. Let me instantly know who are the happy parents of so great a prodigy of beauty; who are your brothers, your sisters, and your relations; but, above all, what your name is.

Sire, said the fair slave, my name is Gulnare [89] of the Sea; and my father, who is now dead, was one of the most potent monarchs of the ocean. When he died, he left his kingdom to a brother of mine, named Saleh, [90] and to the queen my mother, who is also a princess, the daughter of another puissant monarch of the sea. We enjoyed a profound peace and tranquillity through the whole Kingdom, till a neighbouring prince, envious of our happiness, invaded our dominions with a mighty army; and penetrating as far as our capital, made himself master of it: and we had but just time enough to save ourselves in an impenetrable and inaccessible place, with a few trusty officers who did not forsake us in our distress.

In this retreat, my brother was not negligent in contriving all manner of ways to drive the unjust invader from our dominions. One day taking me into his closet, Sister, said he, the events of the smallest undertakings are always dubious. As for my own part, I may fail in the attempt I design to make to recover my kingdom; and I shall be less concerned for my own disgrace, than what may possibly happen to you. To prevent it, and to secure you from all accident, I would fain see you married first: but in the miserable condition of our affairs at present, I see no probability of matching you to any of the princes of the sea; and therefore I should be very glad if you would concur with my opinion, and think of marrying to some of the princes of the earth. I am ready to contribute all that lies in my power towards it; and I am certain there is not one of them, however powerful, but, considering the beauty you are mistress of, would be proud of sharing his crown with you.

At this discourse of my brother’s, I fell into a violent passion. Brother, said I, you know that I am descended, as well as you, by both father and mother’s side, from the kings and queens of the sea, without any mixture of alliance with those of the earth; therefore I do not design to marry below myself, any more than they did; and I took an oath to that effect as soon as I had understanding to inquire into the nobleness and antiquity of our family. The condition to which we are reduced shall never oblige me to alter my resolution; and if you perish in the execution of your design, I am prepared to fall with you, rather than to follow the advice I so little expected from you.

My brother, who was still earnest for the marriage, however improper for me, endeavoured to make me believe, that there were kings of the earth who were nowise inferior to those of the sea. This put me into a more violent passion, which occasioned him to say several bitter reflecting things, that nettled me to the quick. He left me, as much dissatisfied with myself as he could possibly be with me; and in this peevish mood I gave a spring from the bottom of the sea, up to the island of the moon.

Notwithstanding the violent discontent that made me cast myself upon that island, I lived content in retirement. But in spite of all my precautions, a person of distinction, attended by his servants, surprised me sleeping, and carried me to his own house. He expressed much love to me, and omitted nothing which he thought might induce me to make a return to his passion. When he saw that fair means would not prevail upon me, he attempted to make use of force; but I soon made him repent of his insolence. So at last he resolved to sell me; which he did to that very merchant who brought me hither and sold me to your majesty. He was a very prudent, courteous, humane person; and during the whole of the long journey, never gave me the least reason to complain.

As for your majesty, continued the princess Gulnare, if you had not shown me all the respect you have hitherto paid, (for which I am extremely obliged to your goodness,) and given me such undeniable marks of your affection, that I could no longer doubt of it; if you had not immediately sent away your women, I hesitate not to tell you plainly, that I should not have remained with you. I would have thrown myself into the sea out of this very window, where you accosted me when you first came into this apartment, and I would have gone in search of my mother, my brother, and the rest of my relations. I should have persisted in that design, and I would infallibly have put it in execution, if after a certain time I had found myself deceived in the hopes of being with child; but now, in the condition I am in, all I could say to my mother or brother, would never convince them that I have been a slave to a king like your majesty. They would never believe it, but would for ever upbraid me with the crime I have voluntarily committed against my honour. However, sire, be it a prince or princess that I shall bring into the world, it will be a pledge to engage me never to be parted from your majesty; and therefore I hope you will no longer look upon me as a slave, but as a princess worthy your alliance.

After this manner the princess Gulnare discovered herself to the king of Persia, and finished her story. My charming, my adorable princess, cried he, what wonders have I heard! and what ample matter for my curiosity to ask a thousand questions concerning those strange and unheard-of things which you have related to me! But first, I ought to thank you for your goodness and patience in making trial of the truth and constancy of my passion. I thought it impossible for me to love you more than I did; but since I know you to be so great a princess, I love you a thousand times more. Princess! did I say? Madam, you are no longer so, but you are my queen --the queen of Persia; and by that title you shall soon be proclaimed throughout the whole kingdom. To-morrow the ceremony shall be performed in my capital, with a pomp and magnificence that was never yet beheld; which will plainly show that you are my queen and my lawful wife. This should long ago have been done, had you sooner convinced me of my error; for from the first moment of my seeing you. I have been of the same opinion as now, to love you always, and never to place my affections on any other.

But that I may satisfy myself, and pay you all the respect that is your due, I beseech you, madam, to inform me more particularly of the kingdom and people of the sea, which are altogether unknown to me. I have heard much talk, indeed, of the inhabitants of the sea, but I always looked upon it as nothing but a tale or fable; but, by what you have told me, I am convinced there is nothing more true; and I have a very good proof of it in your own person, who are one of them, and are pleased to condescend to be my wife; which is an honour no other inhabitant on the earth can boast of besides myself. There is one thing yet which puzzles me; therefore I must beg the favour of you to explain it; that is, I cannot comprehend how it is possible for you to live or move in the water without being drowned. There are very few amongst us who have the art of staying under water; and they would surely perish, if, after a certain time, according to their activity and strength, they did not come up again.

Sire, replied the queen Gulnare, I shall with pleasure satisfy the king of Persia. We can walk at the bottom of the sea with as much ease as you can upon land; and we can breathe in the water as you do in the air; so that instead of suffocating us, as it does you, it absolutely contributes to the preservation of our lives. What is yet more remarkable is, that it never wets our clothes; so that when we have a mind to visit the earth, we have no occasion to dry them. Our common language is the same with that of the writing engraved upon the seal of the great prophet Solomon, the son of David.

I must not forget to tell you further, that the water does not in the least hinder us from seeing in the sea; for we can open our eyes without any inconvenience; and as we have quick, piercing sight, we can discern any object as clearly in the deepest part of the sea, as upon land. We have also there a succession of day and night, the moon affords us her light, and even the planets and the stars appear visible to us. I have already spoken of our kingdoms; but as the sea is much more spacious than the earth, so there are a greater number of them, and of greater extent. They are divided into provinces; and in each province there are several great cities, well peopled. In short, there are an infinite number of nations, differing in manners and customs, as well as upon the earth.

The palaces of the kings and princes are very sumptuous and magnificent. Some of them are of marble of various colours; others of rock-crystal, with which the sea abounds, mother-of-pearl, coral, and of other materials more valuable; gold, silver, and all sorts of precious stones, are more plentiful there than on earth. I say nothing of the pearls, since the largest that ever was seen upon earth, would not be valued amongst us; and none but the very lowest rank of citizens would wear them.

As we have a marvellous and incredible agility to transport ourselves whither we please in the twinkling of an eye, we have no occasion for any carriages or riding-horses; not but the king has his stables, and his stud of sea-horses; but they are seldom made use of, except upon public feasts, or rejoicing days. Some, after they have trained them, take delight in riding them, and show their skill and dexterity in races; others put them to chariots of mother-of-pearl, adorned with an infinite number of shells of all sorts, of the liveliest colours. These chariots are open; and in the middle there is a throne upon which the king sits, and shows himself to the public view of his subjects. The horses are trained up to draw by themselves; so that there is no occasion for a charioteer to guide them. I pass over a thousand other curious particulars relating to these marine countries, which would be very entertaining to your majesty; but you must permit me to defer it to future leisure, to speak of something of much greater consequence; which is, that the method of delivering, and the way of managing the women of the sea in their lying-in, is quite different from those of the women of the earth; and I am afraid to trust myself in the hands of the midwives of this country: therefore since my safe delivery equally concerns us both, with your majesty’s permission, I think it proper for greater security, to send for my mother and my cousins, to assist at my labour; at the same time to desire the king my brother’s company, to whom I have a great desire to be reconciled. They will be very glad to see me again, after I have related my story to them, and when they understand I am wife to the mighty king of Persia. I beseech your majesty to give me leave to send for them: I am sure they will be happy to pay their respects to you; and I venture to say you will be extremely pleased to see them.

Madam, replied the king of Persia, you are mistress; do whatever you please; I will endeavour to receive them with all the honours they deserve. But I would fain know how you would acquaint them with what you desire, and when they will arrive, that I may give orders to make preparation for their reception, and go myself in person to meet them. Sire, replied the queen Gulnare, there is no need of these ceremonies; they will be here in a moment; and if your majesty will but step into the closet, and look through the lattice, you shall see the manner of their arrival.

As soon as the king of Persia was in the closet, queen Gulnare ordered one of her women to bring her a fire-pan with a little fire. After that she bid her retire and shut the door. When she was alone, she took a piece of aloes out of a box, and put it into the fire-pan. As soon as she saw the smoke rise, she repeated some words unknown to the king of Persia, who observed with great attention all that she did. She had no sooner ended, but the sea began to be disturbed. The closet the king was in was so contrived, that looking through the lattice on the same side with the windows that faced the sea, he could plainly perceive it.

At length the sea opened at some distance; and presently there arose out of it a tall, handsome young man, with whiskers of a sea-green colour; a little behind him, a lady, advanced in years, but of a majestic air, attended by five young ladies, nothing inferior in beauty to the queen Gulnare.

Queen Gulnare immediately came to one of the windows, and saw the king her brother, the queen her mother, and the rest of her relations, who at the same time perceived her also. The company came forward, borne, as it were, upon the surface of the waves. When they came to the edge, they nimbly, one after another, sprung to the window, from whence the queen Gulnare had retired to make room for them. King Saleh, the queen her mother, and the rest of her relations, embraced her tenderly, with tears in their eyes, on their first entrance.