Then said she:--I have heard, O auspicious King, that the Prince
marvelled with excessive marvel at the price, and, beckoning the
dealer, examined his wares right well; then said he, "A carpet
such as this is selleth for a few silverlings. What special
virtue hath it that thou demand therefor the sum of thirty
thousand gold coins?" The broker, believing Husayn to be a
merchant man lately arrived at Bishangarh, answered him saying,
"O my lord, thinkest thou I price this carpet at too high a
value? My master hath bidden me not to sell it for less than
forty thousand Ashrafis." Quoth the Prince, "It surely cloth
possess some wondrous virtue, otherwise wouldst thou not demand
so prodigious a sum;" and quoth the broker, "'Tis true, O my
lord, its properties are singular and marvellous. Whoever sitteth
on this carpet and willeth in thought to be taken up and set down
upon other site will, in the twinkling of an eye, be borne
thither, be that place nearhand or distant many a day's journey
and difficult to reach."[FN#319] The Prince hearing these words
said to himself, "Naught so wonder-rare as this rug can I carry
back to the Sultan my sire to my gift, or any that afford him
higher satisfaction and delight. Almighty Allah be praised, the
aim of my wayLare is attained and hereby, Inshallah! I shall win
to my wish. This, if anything, will be to him a joy for ever."
Wherefore the Prince, with intent to buy the Flying Carpet,
turned to the broker and said, If indeed it have properties such
as thou describest, verily the price thou askest therefor is not
over much, and I am ready to pay thee the sum required." The
other rejoined, "An thou doubt my words I pray thee put them to
the test and by such proof remove thy suspicions. Sit now upon
this square of tapestry, and at thy mere wish and will it shall
transport us to the caravanserai wherein thou abidest: on this
wise shalt thou be certified of my words being sooth, and when
assured of their truth thou mayest count out to me, there and
then, but not before, the value of my wares." Accordingly, the
man spread out the carpet upon the ground behind his shop and
seated the Prince thereupon, he sitting by his side. Then, at the
mere will[FN#320] and wish of Prince Husayn, the twain were at
once transported as though borne by the throne of Solomon to the
Khan. So the eldest of the brothers joyed with exceeding joy to
think that he had won so rare a thing, whose like could nowhere
be found in the lands nor amongst the Kings; and his heart and
soul were gladdened for that he had come to Bishangarh and hit
upon such a prodigy. Accordingly he counted out the forty
thousand Ashrafis as payment for the carpet, and gave, moreover,
another twenty thousand by way of sweetmeat to the broker.
Furthermore, he ceased not saying to himself that the King on
seeing it would forthright wed him to the Princess Nur al-Nihar;
for it were clear impossible that either of his brothers, e'en
though they searched the whole world over and over, could find a
rarity to compare with this. He longed to take seat upon the
carpet that very instant and fly to his own country, or, at
least, to await his brothers at the caravanserai where they had
parted under promise and covenant, pledged and concluded, to meet
again at the year's end. But presently he bethought him that the
delay would be long and longsome, and much he feared lest he be
tempted to take some rash step; wherefore he resolved upon
sojourning in the country whose King and subjects he had ardently
desired to behold for many a day, and determined that he would
pass the time in sight-seeing and in pleasuring over the lands
adjoining. So Prince Husayn tarried in Bishangarh some months.
Now the King of that country was wont to hold a high court once
every week for hearing disputes and adjudging causes which
concerned foreign merchants; and thus the Prince ofttimes saw the
King, but to none would he tell a word of his adventure. However,
inasmuch as he was comely of countenance, graceful of gait, and
courteous of accost, stout hearted and strong, wise and ware and
witty, he was held by the folk in higher honour than the Sultan;
not to speak of the traders his fellows; and in due time he be
came a favourite at court and learned of the ruler himself all
matters concerning his kingdom and his grandeur and greatness.
The Prince also visited the most famous Pagodas[FN#321] of that
country. The first he saw was wrought in brass and orichalch of
most exquisite workmanship: its inner cell measured three yards
square and contained amiddlemost a golden image in size and
stature like unto a man of wondrous beauty; and so cunning was
the workmanship that the face seemed to fix its eyes, two immense
rubies of enormous value, upon all beholders no matter where they
stood.[FN#322] He also saw another idol-temple, not less strange
and rare than this, builded in a village on a plain surface of
some half acre long and broad, wherein bloomed lovely rose-trees
and jasmine and herb-basil and many other sweet-scented plants,
whose perfume made the air rich with fragrance. Around its court
ran a wall three feet high, so that no animal might stray
therein; and in the centre was a terrace well-nigh the height of
a man, all made of white marble and wavy alabaster, each and
every slab being dressed so deftly and joined with such nice
joinery that the whole pavement albeit covering so great a space,
seemed to the sight but a single stone. In the centre of the
terrace stood the domed fane towering some fifty cubits high and
conspicuous for many miles around: its length was thirty cubits
and its breadth twenty, and the red marbles of the revetment were
clean polished as a mirror, so that every image was reflected in
it to the life. The dome was exquisitely carved and sumptuously
ornamented without; and within were ranged in due rank and
sequence rows and rows of idols. To this, the Holy of Holies,
from morn till eve thousands of Brahmins, men and women, came
docking for daily worship. They had sports and diversions as well
as rites and ceremonies: some feasted and others danced, some
sang, others played on instruments of mirth and merriment, while
here and there were plays and revels and innocent merry-makings.
And hither at every season flocked from distant lands hosts of
pilgrims seeking to fulfil their vows and to perform their
orisons; all bringing gifts of gold and silver coin and presents
rare and costly which they offered to the gods in presence of the
royal officers.--And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her
peace till