and each having taken a cask on his shoulders, they easily got over
the wall. As they approached the bason, they perceived a man lying
asleep on the bank; and when they drew nearer they discovered him to
be Assad. They divided into two parties; and whilst one set was
filling the casks as quietly, and with the greatest dispatch
possible, the other had surrounded Assad, and watched to secure him
in case he should wake. He did not, however, disturb them, and when
the casks were filled, and hoisted on the shoulders of those who
were to carry them, the others seized him and took him away before
he had time to recollect himself; they conveyed him over the wall,
put him in the boat along with their casks, and rowed with all their
strength to the ship. When they had nearly reached it, they cried
out, with repeated bursts of joy, “Captain, order your hautboys
and your drums, we bring you back your slave.”
Behram, who could not conceive how his seamen had been able to find
and retake Assad, and who could not discern him in the boat, owing
to the darkness of the night, waited with impatience for their
coming on board to inquire what they meant; but when he saw the
prince before him, he could not contain himself for joy; and without
staying to be informed how they had managed to succeed in so
valuable a capture, he put on his irons again, and ordering his boat
to be hauled up as quickly as possible, he bent his course full sail
towards the mountain of fire.
Margiana, in the mean time, was in the greatest alarm; she did not
feel uneasy at first, when she perceived the absence of prince
Assad, as she did not doubt he would soon return, she waited
patiently for him; but finding that after a considerable time had
elapsed, he did not make his appearance, she began to be very
uneasy. She commanded her women to search for him, which they did,
but to no purpose, and they could bring her no intelligence of him.
Night came on, and she had him sought for with lights, but still as
ineffectually.
In the state of impatience and alarm which Margiana experienced, she
went herself to look for the prince by the light of flambeaux, and
as she observed that the garden gate was open, she went in with her
women, supposing he might be there. Passing near the fountain, she
observed a slipper on the bank, which, when examined, she, as well
as her women, knew to be one of those worn by the prince. This
circumstance, added to the quantity of water spilt on the edge of
the bason, led her to conclude that Behram might have taken him away
by force. She immediately sent to inquire if his ship was still in
the harbour; and as she was informed that he had sailed just before
the night came on, that he had stopped for some time off the shore,
and that his boat had been to fetch water from her garden, she
instantly dispatched a messenger to the commander of ten ships of
war, which were always kept in port fully equipped and ready to sail
on the shortest notice, to acquaint him, that she intended to embark
the following day, about an hour after sun-rise.
The commander was diligent in obeying her orders; she assembled the
captains and other officers, the sailors and soldiers; and every
thing was ready by the appointed hour. She embarked, and when her
squadron got out to sea and was in full sail, she declared her
intention to the commander, “You must use all expedition,” said
she, “and pursue the merchant vessel which sailed from the harbour
yesterday evening. I give it up as your prize, if you take it; but
if you do not succeed, your life shall be the forfeit.”
The ten ships chased Behram’s vessel for two whole days, without
being able to get within sight of it. On the third they discovered
it at break of day; and by noon they had surrounded it so that it
could not escape. The cruel Behram had no sooner perceived the ten
vessels than he concluded it must be the squadron of queen Margiana
in pursuit of him, and he immediately inflicted the bastinado on
prince Assad; for he had continued that practice daily, from the
time he had left the city of the Magi; and he now repeated his
chastisement with more violence than usual. He was extremely
embarrassed, when he found he was on the point of being surrounded
on all sides. If he kept Assad, he proved himself culpable. If he
deprived him of life, he was fearful that some mark might remain to
discover his guilt. He had him unchained, and the prince was then
made to go up from the hold of the ship, where he was confined, and
appear before him. “It is thou,” said he, “who art the cause
of our being pursued,” and, on saying this, he threw him into the
sea.
Prince Assad could swim very well, and made use of his hands and
feet with so much success, that, assisted by the waves, which bore
him towards the shore, he had sufficient strength to hold out till
he reached land. When he was in safety, the first thing he did was
to return thanks to God for having delivered him from so great a
peril, and again favoured his escape from the hands of the idolaters
of fire. He then undressed himself, and having wrung the water from
his clothes, he spread them on a rock to dry. This was soon
effected, as well from the heat of the sun, as from that of the
rock, which had received considerable warmth from the power of its
rays.
He laid down for some time, deploring his miserable fate, ignorant
of the country in which he was, and uncertain which way to go. He
then took up his clothes, put them on, and without leaving the coast
he began to proceed, and continued walking till he came to a road,
which he followed. He pursued this path or road, for ten days,
through a country that seemed to be without inhabitants: and in
which he found nothing but wild fruits, and a few plants along the
banks of the rivulets, on which he lived. He at last arrived at a
town, which he immediately knew to be the city of the Magi, where he
had been so ill used, and where his brother Amgiad was grand vizier.
At this he was much rejoiced; but was determined to address himself
to no one, whom he knew to be a worshipper of fire, but only to
speak to mussulmen; for he remembered to have remarked a few of the
latter as he came into the city the first time. As it was late, and
he knew very well that all the shops were shut up, and that few
people were abroad at that hour, he resolved to go into a
burial-place, which was close to the town, and pass the night there,
as there were many tombs in it that were built like mausoleums. In
looking about he discovered one, of which the door was open. He went
in, and determined to remain there.
We will now return to the vessel of Behram. It was not a great while
after he had thrown Assad into the sea, before it was surrounded on
all sides by the fleet of Margiana. He was first boarded by the ship
in which the queen herself was; and as he was not able to make any
resistance, Behram at her approach hauled down his sails as a mark
of having surrendered.
Margiana immediately went on board the vessel, and asked Behram
where the secretary was whom he had the audacity either to take
away, or to make others carry him from her palace. “Queen,”
replied Behram, “I swear to your majesty, that he is not on board
my vessel: if you will order it to be searched you will then know my
innocence.”
Margiana commanded the vessel to be searched with the greatest
possible strictness; but he whom she was so desirous of finding, as
much for the love she had for him, as from her natural goodness of
disposition, could not be found. She was even on the point of
killing Behram with her own hand; but she restrained herself, and
was satisfied with confiscating the vessel and all its cargo, and
putting him and all the sailors afloat in their open boat, with the
chance of reaching the shore. Having landed, Behram and his crew
went on, and happened to arrive at the city of the Magi on the very
same night in which Assad had taken refuge in the burial-ground, and
retired to the tomb. As the gate of the city was shut, he was also
obliged to have recourse to the cemetery, and to find some tomb to
wait in, till day appeared, and the gate was again open.
Unfortunately for Assad, Behram came to that in which he was. He
went in, and saw a man asleep, with his head wrapped in his clothes.
The prince awoke at the noise, and lifting up his head, demanded who
was there. Behram immediately recognised him: “Ah, ah,” said he,
“is it then you, who are the cause of my being ruined for the rest
of my life. You have escaped being sacrificed this year, but you
shall not evade it again on the following.” Having said this, he
threw himself upon him, put his handkerchief into his mouth, to
prevent his calling out, and then made his sailors bind him.
The next morning, as soon as the gate of the city was open, it was
very easy for Behram to carry Assad back to the old man’s house,
who had so completely deceived him by his cunning tricks; and by
taking him through unfrequented streets, as few people were yet
risen, he was sure of not being discovered. As soon as he arrived
there, he took him into the same dungeon from whence he had before
been brought, and then went and informed the old man of the
unfortunate cause of his return, and the bad success of his voyage.
The wicked wretch did not forget to impress his two daughters very
strongly with the necessity of ill-treating the unfortunate prince
in a still worse manner, if possible, than before.
Assad was extremely surprised at finding himself again in the same
place where he had already suffered so much; and in expectation of
the same tortures, from which he thought himself delivered for ever.
He wept, and was lamenting the hardness of his destiny, when he saw
Bostana enter the dungeon with a stick in her hand, a piece of
bread, and a pitcher of water. He trembled at the sight of this
merciless creature, and groaned aloud when he reflected upon the
daily torments he was again to endure for another whole year, before
he was to be led to his most horrible kind of death.
Bostana, however, did not treat the unfortunate Assad in so cruel a
manner as she had done, when he was in this prison the former time.
The lamentations, the complaints, and the continual prayers of the
prince to spare him, joined to his tears, were at length so
powerful, that Bostana could not avoid being softened by them, and
even to mingle her tears with his. “Sir,” she said to Assad, as
she again covered his shoulders, “I ask you a thousand pardons for
the cruelty with which I have before treated you, and of which I
have again made you feel the ill effects. Hitherto I have been
afraid of disobeying my father, who is so unjustly enraged against
you, and who is determined upon your destruction. But I now detest
and abhor his barbarity. Console yourself, therefore, for your evils
are at an end; and I am going to repair all my crimes, the enormity
of which I am well aware of, by better treatment. You have hitherto
looked upon me as an infidel; you must for the future regard me as a
mussulman. I have already received much instruction from a female
slave, who attends me; I hope that you will complete what she has
begun. To prove to you my good intentions, I ask pardon of the true
God for all my offences against, and ill treatment of, you; and I
have full confidence, that he will discover to me the means of
restoring you to your full liberty.”
This speech afforded prince Assad great consolation; he offered up
his grateful thanks to God for instilling such kindness into the
heart of Bostana, and converting her to the true religion. After
first thanking her for the good opinion she had expressed for him,
he neglected nothing that he thought would confirm her in her new
opinions; not only by endeavoring to instruct her still further in
the various doctrines of the mussulman religion, but even giving her
a long and faithful account of himself, of all his misfortunes, and
his illustrious descent. As soon as he was convinced of her firmness
in the good resolutions she had taken, he asked her how she would be
able to prevent her sister Cavama from becoming acquainted with this
change; and also from using him so ill, when it should be her turn;
“Let not that give you any pain,” replied Bostana, “I know
very well how to manage, so that she shall give herself no further
trouble about you.”
In fact, Bostana found some means of preventing Cavama, every time
she expressed a wish to go into the dungeon. She herself, however,
saw the prince very often; and instead of carrying only bread and
water to him, as she was ordered, she brought him wine, and a
variety of excellent food, which was prepared by twelve mussulman
slaves, who attended on her. She frequently also partook of his
repasts with him, and did every thing in her power to console him.
Some days after prince Assad’s return to the city of the Magi,
Bostana happened to be at the door of her house, when she heard the
public crier giving notice of something. As she could not understand
what the crier said, because he was so far off, and as she observed
him coming up towards the house, she went in, but left the door a
little open and listened. She saw him walking on before the grand
vizier, Amgiad, prince Assad’s brother, accompanied by several
officers of state: and with a great multitude of people following
them.
The crier had not gone many steps from the door before he made the
following proclamation in a loud tone of voice; _The most excellent
and illustrious grand vizier, who is now present, comes in person to
inquire after, and seek for, his dear brother, who has been
separated from him for more than a year. His person and description
are as follows. If any person has given him a lodging at his house,
or knows where he is, his Excellency commands them to bring him to
him, or to give him some information concerning him, and he promises
to reward them handsomely. But if any one shall conceal and detain
him, and he shall afterwards be discovered, his Excellency declares
that he will punish such persons with death, together with their
wives, their children, and all their family; and will also raze
their houses to the ground._
Bostana no sooner heard these words than she instantly shut the
door, and went to the dungeon, where Assad was. “Prince,” cried
she in a joyful manner, “your misfortunes are at length
terminated, follow me as quickly as possible.” Assad, whom she had
released from his chains on the very first day that he had been
brought back to the dungeon, followed her into the street, and when
there, she instantly cried out, “Behold him, behold him.” The
grand vizier, who had not proceeded far, turned round. Assad
instantly recognised his brother, ran towards him, and fell into his
arms. Amgiad too knew him from the first moment, and embraced him.
He then made him mount the horse of one of his officers, who
returned on foot, and conducted him in triumph to the palace, where
he presented him to the king, who appointed him one of his viziers.
Bostana, who after this event did not wish to return to her
father’s, whose house was razed to the ground the very same day,
and did not leave prince Assad till he arrived at the palace, was
sent to an apartment belonging to the queen. The old man, her
father, and Behram, as well as all their families, being brought the
next day before the king, he ordered them all to lose their heads.
On this, they threw themselves at his feet, and implored his mercy.
“You shall have no mercy shown you,” replied the king, “unless
you renounce the adoration of fire, and embrace the mussulman
religion.” By adopting this conduct, they saved their lives; and
so also did Cavama, the sister of Bostana, and all their families.
In consideration of Behram’s being converted to a mussulman, and
in order to give him some recompense for the loss he had before
suffered, Amgiad made him one of his principal officers, and lodged
him at his own house. A few days after, when Behram was made
acquainted with the adventures of his benefactor Amgiad and his
brother Assad, he proposed to fit out a vessel, and to carry them
back to their father Camaralzaman. “There is no doubt,” he said,
“but that the king is by this time convinced of your innocence,
and is impatient to see you again. Should, however, that not be the
case, it is very easy to be informed of it before you land, and
then, should he still continue in his unjust prepossession, you will
find no difficulty in returning.”
The two brothers accepted Behram’s offer. They mentioned their
design to the king, who not only approved of it, but gave orders for
the immediate equipment of a vessel. Behram hastened the
preparations as much as possible; and when he was ready to set sail,
the princes went and took leave of the king on the morning before
they embarked. While they were paying their compliments, and
thanking the monarch for all his kindness to them, they heard a
great bustle and tumult through the whole city; and at the same
moment an officer came, and said, that a very large army was
approaching, and that no one could tell to whom it belonged.
Observing the alarm that this bad news gave the king, Amgiad said to
him, “Although, Sire, I am now come for the purpose of resigning
the office of grand vizier, with which you have honored me, I am,
notwithstanding, ready to take upon myself the charge of rendering
you any service in my power; and I entreat you to suffer me to go
and see who this enemy is, that comes thus to attack you, in your
very capital, without having first declared war.” The king begged
he would, and he instantly set out with very few attendants.
It was not long before prince Amgiad discovered the army, which
appeared so formidable, and continued to approach. The advanced
guards, who had received their orders, gave him a favorable
reception, and conducted him before a princess, who stopped, with
her whole army, to hold a conference with him. Prince Amgiad made
her a most profound reverence; and asked her, if she came as a
friend or an enemy, and if she was an enemy, he requested to be
informed what cause of complaint she had against the king, his
master. “I come as a friend,” she replied, “and have no cause
whatever for complaint against the king of the Magi. His dominions
and mine are situated in such a manner, that it is almost impossible
we can ever have any dispute together. I come only to require a
slave, whose name is Assad, and who has been taken away from me by a
captain belonging to this city, who is called Behram, and is the
most insolent of men. And I trust your king will afford me justice,
when he shall know that my name is Margiana.”
“Powerful queen,” replied Amgiad, “I am the brother of that
slave whom you seem to search after with so much interest and
concern. I had lost him, and have now recovered him. Come with me,
and I will give him up to you, and will likewise have the honor to
inform you of every other particular. The king, my master, will be
delighted to see you.”
Queen Margiana then ordered her army to encamp in the spot where it
then was, and accompanied prince Amgiad through the city to the
palace, where he presented her to the king. When the monarch had
received her in the way she deserved, prince Assad, who was present,
and who knew her the moment she appeared, came and paid his
compliments to her. She expressed great joy at seeing him again;
when, at this very instant, some one entered, and announced to the
king, that another army, much more powerful than the first, had made
its appearance on the other side of the city. The king of the Magi
seemed more alarmed now than he was when that belonging to Margiana
came in sight, as the present appeared much the most numerous, if he
might judge from the clouds of dust which its approach occasioned,
and which seemed to spread itself through the whole air. “What
will become of us, Amgiad?” he cried; “there is a fresh army
approaching to overwhelm us.” The prince knew what the king meant;
he therefore mounted his horse, and rode as fast as possible to meet
this second army. He demanded of the first part of it which he
encountered, to speak to their commander, and they conducted him
before a king, as he instantly conjectured, from a crown, which he
had upon his head. As soon as he perceived him, although at some
distance, he alighted, and when he was come nearer, he prostrated
himself on the ground, and asked what he wished of the king, his
master.
“I am called Gaiour,” replied the monarch, “and am king of
China. The desire of learning some intelligence of a daughter, named
Badoura, whom many years since I gave in marriage to prince
Camaralzaman, son of Schahzaman, king of the Islands of the Children
of Khaledan, has been the cause of my leaving my dominions. I gave
this prince leave to go and see his father, with the charge of
coming to spend every other year with me, and bringing my daughter
with him. I have, however, for a great length of time, been unable
to hear any thing of them. Your king, therefore, will much oblige an
afflicted father, if he can give him the least information on the
subject.”
Prince Amgiad, who instantly knew by this speech, that it was his
grandfather, kissed his hand with great tenderness, and said to him,
“Your majesty will pardon this liberty, when you shall know, that
I behave thus in order to pay my respects to you as my grandfather.
I am the son of Camaralzaman, at this time king of the Island of
Ebony, and of queen Badoura, on whose account you are so much
distressed; and I do not doubt, but that they are at this time in
their dominions, in perfect health.” The king of China instantly
embraced him in the most affectionate manner, so much was he
delighted at thus seeing his grandson. And this very unexpected and
happy meeting drew tears from the eyes of both. On asking what was
the reason of his being thus in a foreign country, prince Amgiad
related his history, and that of his brother Assad. When it was
finished, “My son,” replied the king of China, “it is not
just, that two princes, so innocent as you are, should experience
any further bad effects from your ill-treatment. Console yourself; I
will carry back both you and your brother, and will make your peace.
Go, and make my arrival known to your brother.”
While the king of China was ordering his army to encamp in the
place, where prince Amgiad encountered him, the latter went back to
give an account to the king of the Magi, who was waiting for him
with the greatest impatience. The king was extremely surprised to
hear that so powerful a monarch as the king of China had undertaken
such a long and painful journey through the desire of gaining some
intelligence of his daughter, and that he should be so near his
capital. He immediately gave orders to have him handsomely treated,
and made preparations to go and receive him in person.
In this interval, considerable clouds of dust seemed to arise from a
third side of the city, and the news soon came, that a third army
was approaching. This circumstance obliged the king to stop, and
request Amgiad again to go and see what was the cause of it. The
prince departed, and this time he took his brother Assad with him.
They discovered, that this was the army of Camaralzaman, their
father, who was come to search after them. He had shown signs of the
greatest grief at having destroyed them, when the emir Giondar at
last informed him in what manner he had preserved their lives. This
made the king resolve to go and discover them, in whatever country
they might be.
This afflicted father embraced the two princes with tears of joy,
the first he had for a long time shed, which had not been tinged
with the deepest affliction. The princes had no sooner informed him
of the arrival of his father-in-law, the king of China, on the very
same day, than he went with them, accompanied by a very few
attendants, to see him in his camp. They had not proceeded far on
their road, before they perceived a fourth army, which seemed to
advance in perfect order, and to come from the side towards Persia.
Camaralzaman desired his sons to go and see to whom that army
belonged; and said that he would wait for them where he was. They
departed immediately, and when they got up to it, they presented
themselves to the king who commanded it. After saluting him with the
greatest respect, they asked him his motive for coming thus near to
the capital of the king of the Magi.