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 of the
miserable condition he found Noureddin in, and that all his ill usage was
purely 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 had stained 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 the
offer, saying, Commander of the true believers, the city of Balsora,
after the misfortunes that have happened to me there, is so much my
aversion, and will always continue to be so, that I beseech your majesty
to give me leave to keep the oath I have made of never returning thither
again: and I shall think it my greatest glory to do you some services
near your royal person, if you are pleased to do 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
satisfaction they could both 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 SAMARCAND.
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 nations subdued by their arms, there are
whole kingdoms and provinces whose kings are not only tributary, but also
in as great subjection to them as petty governors in other nations are to
kings.
Some ages ago one of these kings, who, in the beginning of his reign, had
signalized himself by many glorious and successful conquests, enjoyed so
profound and lasting a peace and tranquillity as rendered him the
happiest of monarchs. The only thing in which he could be termed
unfortunate was, that amongst all his mistresses 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 and eunuchs to wait upon and take care of them.
Yet, notwithstanding all his endeavours to please and humour 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 the first
word, but treated them with all respect and civility imaginable, and by
considerable presents obliged them still to bring others, flattering
himself, 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, fancying by that means to prevail with Heaven. He gave immense
sums to the poor, besides large donatives to the religious of his own
persuasion, building for their use many noble colleges richly endowed, in
hopes of obtaining by their prayers what he earnestly desired.
One day, according to the custom of his royal predecessors, during their
residence in the capital city, he gave his mistresses a ball, 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 learning, history, poetry, and whatever
else was capable of diverting the understanding after the most agreeable
manner. It was upon that day that 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, says the king, and after the ball is done 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 with abundance of familiarity to those that stood near his
person. The king was extremely civil in his conversation with 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
the whole assembly, they took courage and began to discourse with him
also, without being the least surprised at the dazzling pomp and
splendour of his appearance, which was enough to deprive those of their
power of speech that were not used to such glorious sights. He treated
the ambassadors also after the same manner: first he ate with them, and
during the repast, he asked them several questions concerning their
health, of their voyage, and the affairs of their country; and, after
they had been encouraged by his generous entertainment, he gave them
audience.
When the ball was over, 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.
Sir, 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 saw a woman that could stand in competition with her for shape
and beauty, besides a thousand other agreeable qualifications that she is
mistress of. Where is she? says the king; bring her to me instantly. Sir,
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, than the genteelness of her mien and shape charmed
him. He went presently into his closet, whither the merchant, with a few
eunuchs, followed him. The 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
mistresses, but even all that ever he had before; in short, he
immediately fell passionately in love with her, and bade the merchant
name his price.
Sir, said he, I gave a thousand pieces of gold to the persons of whom I
bought her, and in my three years’ journey to your court, 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; therefore speak, whether thou art pleased with
that sum or not. Sir, answered the merchant, though 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 take care to
publish it, not only in my own country, but also in every place through
which I pass. The money was presently paid him; and, before he stirred
out of his presence, 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 to the women
slaves appointed to attend her, that after bathing they should dress her
in the richest clothes the kingdom afforded. He also commanded them to
carry her some pearl-necklaces, with abundance of diamonds, and other
precious stones, that she might have the liberty of choosing those she
liked best.
The officious matrons, whose only care it was to please the king, were
astonished with admiration at her beauty; and being well skilled in that
affair, 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 should scarce know her again. The king at first was very
loath to defer the pleasure of enjoyment 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 sea-shore: 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 beating almost against the foot of the wall.
At the three days’ end, the fair slave, gloriously 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 meanest 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 ignorant of the world. He attributed this piece of ill breeding
to the narrowness of her education, and the little care that was taken of
instructing her at first in the rules of civility and good manners. He
went to her at the window, where, notwithstanding the coldness and
indifferency 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 a while 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 masterpiece of nature as you are? Ah! how I adore you! and
my passion shall continue the same. Never did I feel for a woman what I
now suffer 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 am no
longer at my own, but entirely at your disposal. My dearest life,
continued he, you neither answer me, 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 with an
amorous glance, and to convince you that it is impossible to love more
than I do you. Why will you still keep this obstinate silence, which
freezes me to death? 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
to oblige her to speak to him, she continued her astonishing
reservedness, and keeping her eyes still fixed on the ground, would not
so much as open her lips.
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 civilly, he might prevail upon her to change her mind. He presently
gave the usual sign to the women that waited in an outward room; and as
soon as they entered, he commanded them to bring in supper. When it was
on the table, My dear, said he to the slave, come hither and sup with me.
She rose up from her seat, and being placed 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 ate with downcast eyes, and
without speaking one word, though he often asked her how she liked the
entertainment, and whether it was dressed 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 and charming. 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, and yet at the same time
with so great an imperfection? However, I cannot love with 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 the towel, if ever they had heard
her speak. One of them presently made answer, Sir, we have neither seen
her open her lips, nor heard her speak, any more than your majesty has
just now: we have taken care of her 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? let us
know what you would have; do but ask, and we are ready to get it for you:
but we have never been able to draw a word from her; so that we cannot
tell whether her silence proceeds from pride, sorrow, stupidity, or
dumbness; and this is all we can inform your majesty.
The king of Persia was more astonished at hearing this than he was
before: however, believing the slave might have some reason for her
sorrow, he was willing to endeavour to divert it, and make her merry.
Accordingly, he made a very splendid ball, to which all the fine ladies
of the court came, and those who were skilful in playing upon musical
instruments showed their parts, while others sang or danced, or did both
together: in short, they played at a great many sorts of games, which
mightily diverted the king. The fair slave was the only person that took
no pleasure in those diversions: she never stirred out of her place, but
with her eyes still fixed on the ground, without taking any notice of the
entertainment, behaved herself with so much indifferency that all the
ladies were no less surprised at it than the king. After the ball was
done, 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 arose more pleased than he had been
with all the women he had ever seen, and more enamoured with the fair
slave than he was before. Indeed, he soon made it appear, by resolving
henceforth to keep constant 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 old women, to wait upon and attend the fair
slave. However, for a whole year together, she never afforded him the
pleasure of one single word; yet the king took abundance of pains to
please her, and, with all complaisance imaginable, to give her the most
signal proofs of his 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 conceive what your thoughts
are; but, however, nothing is more true, and I swear to you the same,
that in 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 your eyes, and of telling you a
thousand times how I adore you. You see I have given you some other
proofs of my affection than bare words; and therefore surely you can
never doubt of it, after the vast number of women I have sacrificed to
your beauty. You may remember, it is about a year since I sent them away
from my court; 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 believe I never
shall. Nothing would be wanting to complete my happiness, and crown my
joys for ever, would you speak but one single word to me, by which I
might be assured that you thought yourself in some measure obliged to me.
But how can you speak to me if you are dumb? and alas! how fearful I am
lest it should be true! yet what reason have I to doubt of it, since you
still torment me with silence, after a whole year’s entreating you every
hour to speak to me! However, if it is impossible for me to obtain 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 to want one to assist me in bearing the weight of a crown. But
still I cannot refrain from the desire I have of hearing you speak; for
methinks something within me tells me you are not dumb; and, therefore,
dear madam, I beseech, I conjure you, to break through this obstinate
humour, 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 never had laughed in
her life, began to look up and 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 be easily expressed.
At last, the fair slave, breaking her long silence, thus addressed
herself to the king: Sir, 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 obliged in duty to thank your
majesty for all the favours and honours you have been pleased to confer
upon me, and to implore the gods to bless and prosper you, to prevent the
wicked designs and intentions of your enemies, and that they would not
suffer you to die after hearing me speak, but grant you a long and happy
reign. After this, sir, I cannot give you a greater satisfaction than
acquainting you with my being with child; and I wish, as you do, it may
be a son. Had it never been my fortune to have been breeding, 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 and respect you as I ought to do.
The king of Persia, ravished to hear the fair slave not only speak, but
at the same time tell him news 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 declared your being with child; so that I
am fully satisfied in myself, that after these two signal occasions of
joy, I ought to expect no other.
The king of Persia, in the transport of joy he was in, said no more to
the fair slave. He left her; but after such a manner as made her perceive
his intention was speedily to return; and being willing that the occasion
of his joy 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 had 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 came 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 entertain me some other
time, since I am desirous to know of you several things of a much greater
consequence. However, in the mean time, tell me, I beseech you, my
dearest charmer, 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, ate and drank with me, and every
night lay with me? I shall pass by your not speaking; but how you could
carry yourself after such an indifferent manner, that I could never
discover whether you were sensible of what I said to you, or no, I must
confess it 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, this fair person replied,
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 from my mother, my brother, my friends, and my acquaintance,
are not 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
unsupportable to every one, who is not wholly destitute of sense and
reason, 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 or domineered
over, but still remains free and unconfined, depending on itself alone,
and your majesty has found an example 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 mournful resolution
of procuring their own deaths a thousand ways, rather than survive it,
and wear out a wretched life in shameful slavery.
Madam, replied the king, I am now convinced of the truth of what you say;
but till this moment I was of opinion, that a person beautiful,
well-shaped, with a great deal of wit and good sense, such as yourself,
whom her rigorous stars had destined to be a slave, ought to think
herself very happy in meeting with a king for her master.
Sir, replied the fair slave, whatever the slave is, supposing her to be
such as I have already mentioned to your majesty, there is no king on
earth can tyrannize over her will. But, however, when you speak of a
slave, mistress of charms enough to captivate a monarch, and make him
adore her, provided she is of a rank infinitely below him, I am of your
opinion she ought to think herself happy in her misfortune; but what
happiness can it be when she considers herself only as a slave, torn from
her parents’ arms, and perhaps a lover’s, for whom she has a passion that
death only can extinguish? But when this very slave is nothing inferior
to the king that bought her, your majesty shall then judge yourself of
the rigour of her destiny, of her misery, and of her sorrow, and to what
desperate attempts the anguish of despair may drive her.
The king of Persia, astonished at this discourse, said, Madam, 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. Ah! 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.
Sir, said the fair slave, my name is Gulnare 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, 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, an enemy to our
repose, 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 a steep inaccessible place, with a few trusty
officers, who were so generous as not to forsake us in our distress.