her revenge, carried away the chest, without knowing what it
contained, or so much as the least curiosity to inquire (being
used to pay a blind obedience to her commands), than she was
seized with a tormenting uneasiness; a thousand perplexing
thoughts disturbed her rest; sleep fled from her eyes, and she
spent the night in contriving how to conceal her crime. "My
consort," said she, "loves Fetnah more than ever he did any of
his favourites. What shall I say to him at his return, when he
inquires of me after her?" Many contrivances occurred to her, but
none were satisfactory. Still she met with difficulties, and knew
not where to fix. There lived with her a lady advanced in years,
who had bred her up from her infancy. As soon as it was day, she
sent for her, and having entrusted her with the secret, said, "My
good mother, you have always assisted me with your advice; if
ever I stood in need of it, it is now, when the business before
you is to still my thoughts, distracted by a mortal anxiety, and
to show me some way to satisfy the caliph."
"My dear mistress," replied the old lady, "it had been much
better not to have run yourself into the difficulties you labour
under; but since the thing is done, the best consolation is to
think no more of it. All that must now be thought of, is how to
deceive the commander of the believers; and I am of opinion, that
you should immediately cause a wooden image resembling a dead
body to be carved. We will shroud it up in linen, and when shut
up in a coffin, it shall be buried in some part of the palace;
you shall then immediately cause a marble mausoleum to be built,
in the form of a dome, over the burial place, and erect a tomb,
which shall be covered with embroidered cloth, and set about with
great candlesticks and large wax tapers. There is another thing,"
added the old lady, "which ought not to be forgotten; you must
put on mourning, and cause the same to be done by your own and
Fetnah's women, your eunuchs, and all the officers of the palace.
When the caliph returns, and sees you all and the palace in
mourning, he will not fail to ask the occasion of it. You will
then have an opportunity of insinuating yourself into his favour,
by saying, it was out of respect to him that you paid the last
honours to Fetnah, snatched away by sudden death. You may tell
him, you have caused a mausoleum to be built, and, in short, that
you have paid all the last honours to his favourite, as he would
have done himself had he been present. His passion for her being
extraordinary, he will certainly go to shed tears upon her grave;
and perhaps," added the old woman, "he will not believe she is
really dead. He may, possibly, suspect you have turned her out of
the palace through jealousy, and look upon all the mourning as an
artifice to deceive him, and prevent his making inquiries after
her. It is likely he will cause the coffin to be taken up and
opened, and it is certain he will be convinced of her death, as
soon as he shall see the figure of a dead body buried. He will be
pleased with all you shall have done, and express his gratitude.
As for the wooden image, I will myself undertake to have it cut
by a carver in the city, who shall not know the purpose for which
it is designed. As for your part, madam, order Fetnah's woman,
who yesterday gave her the lemonade, to give out, among her
companions, that she has just found her mistress dead in her bed;
and in order that they may only think of lamenting, without
offering to go into her chamber, let her add, she has already
acquainted you with the circumstance, and that you have ordered
Mesrour to cause her to be buried."
As soon as the old lady had spoken, Zobeide took a rich diamond
ring out of her casket, and putting it on her finger, and
embracing her in a transport of joy, said, "How infinitely am I
beholden to you, my good mother! I should never have thought of
so ingenious a contrivance. It cannot fail of success, and I
begin to recover my peace. I leave the care of the wooden figure
to you, and will go myself to order the rest."
The wooden image was got ready with as much expedition as Zobeide
could have wished, and then conveyed by the old lady herself into
Fetnah's bed-chamber, where she dressed it like a dead body, and
put it into a coffin. Then Mesrour, who was himself deceived by
it, caused the coffin and the representation of Fetnah to be
carried away, and buried with the usual ceremonies in the place
appointed by Zobeide, the favourite's women weeping and
lamenting, she who had given her the lemonade setting them an
example by her cries and lamentations.
That very day Zobeide sent for the architect of the palace, and,
according to orders, the mausoleum was finished in a short time.
Such potent princesses as the consort of a monarch, whose power
extended from east to west, are always punctually obeyed in
whatsoever they command. She soon put on mourning with all the
court; so that the news of Fetnah's death was quickly spread over
the city.
Ganem was one of the last who heard of it; for, as I have before
observed, he hardly ever went abroad. Being, however, at length
informed of it, "Madam," said he to the caliph's fair favourite,
"you are supposed in Bagdad to be dead, and I do not question but
that Zobeide herself believes it. I bless heaven that I am the
cause, and the happy witness of your being alive; would to God,
that, taking advantage of this false report, you would share my
fortune, and go far from hence to reign in my heart! But whither
does this pleasing transport carry me? I do not consider that you
are born to make the greatest prince in the world happy; and that
only Haroon al Rusheed is worthy of you. Supposing you could
resolve to give him up for me, and that you would follow me,
ought I to consent? No, it is my part always to remember, 'that
what belongs to the master is forbidden to the slave.'"
The lovely Fetnah, though moved by the tenderness of the passion
he expressed, yet prevailed with herself not to encourage it. "My
lord," said she to him, "we cannot obstruct the momentary triumph
of Zobeide. I am not surprised at the artifice she uses to
conceal her guilt: but let her go on; I flatter myself that
sorrow will soon follow her triumph. The caliph will return, and
we shall find the means privately to inform him of all that has
happened. In the mean time let us be more cautious than ever,
that she may not know I am alive. I have already told you the
consequences to be apprehended from such a discovery."
At the end of three months the caliph returned to Bagdad with
glory, having vanquished all his enemies. He entered the palace
with impatience to embrace Fetnah; but was amazed to see all the
officers in mourning; and his concern was redoubled when,
approaching the apartment of Zobeide, he beheld that princess
coming to meet him in mourning with all her women. He immediately
asked her the cause, with much agitation. "Commander of the
believers," answered Zobeide, "I am in mourning for your slave
Fetnah; who died so suddenly that it was impossible to apply any
remedy to her disorder." She would have proceeded, but the caliph
did not give her time, being so agitated at the news, that he
uttered a feeble exclamation, and fainted. On recovering himself,
he, with a feeble voice, which sufficiently expressed his extreme
grief, asked where his dear Fetnah had been buried. "Sir," said
Zobeide, "I myself took care of her funeral, and spared no cost
to make it magnificent. I have caused a marble mausoleum to be
built over her grave, and will attend you thither if you desire."
The caliph would not permit Zobeide to take that trouble, but
contented himself to have Mesrour to conduct him. He went thither just
as he was, in his camp dress. When he saw the tomb, the wax-lights
round it, and the magnificence of the mausoleum, he was amazed that
Zobeide should have performed the obsequies of her rival with so much
pomp; and being naturally of a jealous temper, suspected his wife's
generosity and fancied his mistress might perhaps be yet alive; that
Zobeide, taking advantage of his long absence, might have turned her
out of the palace, ordering those she had entrusted to conduct her, to
convey her so far off that she might never more be heard of. This was
all he suspected; for he did not think Zobeide wicked enough to have
attempted the life of his favourite.
The better to discover the truth himself, he ordered the tomb to
be removed, and caused the grave and the coffin to be opened in
his presence; but when he saw the linen wrapped round the wooden
image, he durst not proceed any farther. This devout caliph
thought it would be a sacrilegious act to suffer the body of the
dead lady to be touched; and this scrupulous fear prevailed over
his love and curiosity. He doubted not of Fetnah's death. He
caused the coffin to be shut up again, the grave to be filled,
and the tomb to be made as it was before.
The caliph thinking himself obliged to pay some respect to the
grave of his favourite, sent for the ministers of religion, the
officers of the palace, and the readers of the Koraun; and,
whilst they were collecting together, he remained in the
mausoleum, moistening with his tears the marble that covered the
phantom of his mistress. When all the persons he had sent for
were come, he stood before the tomb, and recited long prayers;
after which the readers of the Koraun read several, chapters.
The same ceremony was performed every day for a whole month,
morning and evening, the caliph being always present, with the
grand vizier, and the principal officers of the court, all of
them in mourning, as well as the caliph himself, who all the time
ceased not to honour the memory of Fetnah with his tears, and
would not hear of any business.
The last day of the month, the prayers and reading of the Koraun
lasted from morning till break of day the next morning. The
caliph, being tired with sitting up so long, went to take some
rest in his apartment, and fell asleep upon a sofa, between two
of the court ladies, one of them sitting at the bed's-head, and
the other at the feet, who, whilst he slept, were working some
embroidery, and observed a profound silence.
She who sat at the bed's-head, and whose name was Nouron-Nihar,
perceiving the caliph was asleep, whispered to the other, called
Nagmatos Sohi, "There is great news! The commander of the
believers our master will be overjoyed when he awakes, and hears
what I have to tell him; Fetnah is not dead, she is in perfect
health." "O heavens!" cried Nagmatos Sohi, in a transport of joy,
"is it possible, that the beautiful, the charming, the
incomparable Fetnah should be still among the living?" She
uttered these words with so much vivacity, and so loud, that the
caliph awoke. He asked why they had disturbed his rest? "Alas! my
sovereign lord," answered the slave, "pardon me this
indiscretion; I could not without transport hear that Fetnah is
still alive; it caused such emotion in me, as I could not
suppress." "What then is become of her," demanded the caliph, "if
she is not dead?" "Chief of the believers," replied the other, "I
this evening received a note from a person unknown, written with
Fetnah's own hand; she gives me an account of her melancholy
adventure, and orders me to acquaint you with it. I thought fit,
before I fulfilled my commission, to let you take some few
moments' rest, believing you must stand in need of it, after your
fatigue; and----"
"Give me that note," said the caliph, interrupting her eagerly,
"you were wrong to defer delivering it to me."
The slave immediately presented to him the note, which he opened
with much impatience, and in it Fetnah gave a particular account
of all that had befallen her, but enlarged a little too much on
the attentions of Ganem. The caliph, who was naturally jealous,
instead of being provoked at the inhumanity of Zobeide, was more
concerned at the infidelity he fancied Fetnah had been guilty of
towards him. "Is it so?" said he, after reading the note; "the
perfidious wretch has been four months with a young merchant, and
has the effrontery to boast of his attention to her. Thirty days
are past since my return to Bagdad, and she now thinks of sending
me news of herself. Ungrateful creature! whilst I spend the days
in bewailing her, she passes them in betraying me. Go to, let us
take vengeance of a bold woman, and that bold youth who affronts
me." Having spoken these words, the caliph rose, and went into a
hall where he used to appear in public, and give audience to his
court. The first gate was opened, and immediately all the
courtiers, who were waiting without, entered. The grand vizier,
came in, and prostrated himself before the throne. Then rising,
he stood before his master, who, in a tone which denoted he would
be instantly obeyed, said to him, "Jaaffier, your presence is
requisite, for putting in execution an important affair I am
about to commit to you. Take four hundred men of my guards with
you, and first inquire where a merchant of Damascus lives whose
name is Ganem, the son of Abou Ayoub. When you have learnt this,
repair to his house, and cause it to be razed to the foundations;
but first secure Ganem, and bring him hither, with my slave
Fetnah, who has lived with him these four months. I will punish
her, and make an example of that insolent man, who has presumed
to fail in respell to me."
The grand vizier, having received this positive command, made a
low prostration to the caliph, having his hand on his head, in
token that he would rather lose it than disobey him, and
departed. The first thing he did, was to send to the syndic of
the dealers in foreign stuffs and silks, with strict orders to
find out the house of the unfortunate merchant. The officer he
sent with these orders brought him back word, that he had
scarcely been seen for some months, and no man knew what could
keep him at home, if he was there. The same officer likewise told
Jaaffier where Ganem lived.
Upon this information, that minister, without losing time, went to the
judge of the police, whom he caused to bear him company, and attended
by a great number of carpenters and masons, with the necessary tools
for razing a house, came to Ganem's residence; and finding it stood
detached from any other, he posted his soldiers round it, to prevent
the young merchant's making his escape.
Fetnah and Ganem had just dined: the lady was sitting at a window
next the street; hearing a noise, she looked out through the
lattice, and seeing the grand vizier, approach with his
attendants, concluded she was their object as well as Ganem. She
perceived her note had been received, but had not expected such a
consequence, having hoped that the caliph would have taken the
matter in a different light. She knew not how long the prince had
been returned from his campaign, and though she was acquainted
with his jealous temper, yet apprehended nothing on that account.
However, the sight of the grand vizier, and the soldiers made her
tremble, not indeed for herself, but for Ganem: she did not
question clearing herself, provided the caliph would but hear
her. As for Ganem, whom she loved less out of gratitude than
inclination, she plainly foresaw that his incensed rival might be
apt to condemn him, on account of his youth and person. Full of
this thought, she turned to the young merchant and said, "Alas!
Ganem, we are undone." Ganem looked through the lattice, and was
seized with dread, when he beheld the caliph's guards with their
naked cimeters, and the grand vizier, with the civil magistrate
at the head of them. At this sight he stood motionless, and had
not power to utter one word. "Ganem," said the favourite, "there
is no time to be lost; if you love me, put on the habit of one of
your slaves immediately, and disfigure your face and arms with
soot. Then put some of these dishes on your head; you may be
taken for a servant belonging to the eating house, and they will
let you pass. If they happen to ask you where the master of the
house is, answer, without any hesitation, that he is within."
"Alas! madam," answered Harem, concerned for himself than for
Fetnah, "you only take care of me, what will become of you?" "Let
not that trouble you," replied Fetnah, "it is my part to look to
that. As for what you leave in this house, I will take care of
it, and I hope it will be one day faithfully restored to you,
when the caliph's anger shall be over; but at present avoid his
fury. The orders he gives in the heat of passion are always
fatal." The young merchant's affliction was so great, that he
knew not what course to pursue, and would certainly have suffered
himself to be seized by the caliph's soldiers, had not Fetnah
pressed him to disguise himself. He submitted to her persuasions,
put on the habit of a slave, daubed himself with soot, and as
they were knocking at the door, all they could do was to embrace
each other tenderly. They were both so overwhelmed with sorrow,
that they could not utter a word. Thus they parted. Ganem went
out with some dishes on his head: he was taken for the servant of
an eating-house, and no one offered to stop him. On the contrary,
the grand vizier, who was the first that met him, gave way and
let him pass, little thinking that he was the man he looked for.
Those who were behind the grand vizier, made way as he had done,
and thus favoured his escape He soon reached one of the gates,
and got clear of the city.
Whilst he was making the best of his way from the grand vizier,
that minister came into the room where Fetnah was sitting on a
sofa, and where there were many chests full of Ganem's clothes,
and of the money he had made of his goods.
As soon as Fetnah saw the grand vizier, come into the room, she
fell upon her face, and continuing in that posture, as it were to
receive her death; "My lord," said she, "I am ready to undergo
the sentence passed against me by the commander of the believers;
you need only make it known to me." "Madam," answered Jaaffier,
falling also down till she had raised herself, "God forbid any
man should presume to lay profane hands on you. I do not intend
to offer you the least harm. I have no farther orders, than to
intreat you will be pleased to go with me to the palace, and to
conduct you thither, with the merchant that lives in this house."
"My lord," replied the favourite, "let us go; I am ready to
follow you. As for the young merchant, to whom I am indebted for
my life, he is not here, he has been gone about a month since to
Damascus, whither his business called him, and has left these
chests you see under my care, till he returns. I conjure you to
cause them to be carried to the palace, and order them to be
secured, that I may perform the promise I made him to take all
possible care of them."
"You shall be obeyed," said Jaaffier, and immediately sent for
porters, whom he commanded to take up the chests, and carry them
to Mesrour.
As soon as the porters were gone, he whispered the civil
magistrate, committing to him the care of seeing the house razed,
but first to cause diligent search to be made for Ganem, who, he
suspected, might be hidden, notwithstanding what Fetnah had told
him. He then went out, taking her with him, attended by the two
slaves who waited on her. As for Ganem's slaves, they were not
regarded; they ran in among the crowd, and it was not known what
became of them.
No sooner was Jaaffier out of the house, than the masons and
carpenters began to demolish it, and did their business so
effectually, that in a few hours none of it remained. But the
civil magistrate, not finding Ganem, after the strictest search,
sent to acquaint the grand vizier, before that minister reached
the palace. "Well," said Haroon al Rusheed, seeing him come into
his closet, "have you executed my orders?" "Yes," answered
Jaaffier "the house Ganem lived in is levelled with the ground,
and I have brought you your favourite Fetnah; she is at your
closet door, and I will call her in, if you command me. As for
the young merchant, we could not find him, though every place has
been searched, and Fetnah affirms that he has been gone a month
to Damascus."
Never was passion equal to that of the caliph, when he heard that
Ganem had made his escape. As for his favourite, believing that
she had been false to him, he would neither see nor speak to her.
"Mesrour," said he to the chief of the eunuchs, who was then
present, "take the ungrateful and perfidious Fetnah, and shut her
up in the dark tower." That tower was within the precinct of the
palace, and commonly served as a prison for the favourites who
any way offended the caliph.
Mesrour being used to execute his sovereign's orders, however
unjust, without making any answer, obeyed this with some
reluctance. He signified his concern to Fetnah, who was the more
grieved because she had assured herself, that the caliph would
not refuse to speak to her. She was obliged to submit to her hard
fate, and to follow Mesrour, who conducted her to the dark tower,
and there left her.
In the mean time, the enraged caliph dismissed his grand vizier,
and only hearkening to his passion, wrote the following letter
with his own hand to the king of Syria, his cousin and tributary,
who resided at Damascus.
"This letter is to inform you, that a merchant of Damascus, whose
name is Ganem, the son of Abou Ayoub, has seduced the most
amiable of my women slaves, called Fetnah, and is fled. It is my
will, that when you have read my letter, you cause search to be
made for Ganem, and secure him. When he is in your power, you
shall cause him to be loaded with irons, and for three days
successively let him receive fifty strokes of the bastinado. Then
let him be led through all parts of the city by a crier,
proclaiming, 'This is the smallest punishment the commander of
the believers inflicts on him that offends his lord, and
debauches one of his slaves.' After that you shall send him to me
under a strong guard. It is my will that you cause his house to
be plundered; and after it has been razed, order the materials to
be carried out of the city into the middle of the plain. Besides
this, if he has father, mother, sister, wives, daughters, or
other kindred, cause them to be stripped; and when they are
naked, expose them three days to the whole city, forbidding any
person on pain of death to afford them shelter. I expect you will
without delay execute my command."
The caliph having written this letter, dispatched it by an
express, ordering him to make all possible speed, and to take
pigeons along with him, that he might the sooner hear what had
been done by Mahummud Zinebi.
The pigeons of Bagdad have this peculiar quality, that from
wherever they may be carried to, they return to Bagdad as soon as
they are set at liberty, especially when they have young ones. A
letter rolled up is made fast under their wing, and by that means
advice is speedily received from such places as it is desired.
The caliph's courier travelled night and day, as his master's
impatience required; and being come to Damascus, went directly to
king Zinebi's palace, who sat upon his throne to receive the
caliph's letter. The courier having delivered it, Mahummud
looking at it, and knowing the hand, stood up to shew his
respect, kissed the letter, and laid it on his head, to denote he
was ready submissively to obey the orders it contained. He opened
it, and having read it, immediately descended from his throne,
and without losing time, mounted on horseback with the principal
officers of his household. He sent for the civil magistrate; and
went directly to Ganem's house, attended by all his guards.
Ganem's mother had never received any letter from him since he
had left Damascus; but the other merchants with whom he went to
Bagdad were returned, and all of them told her they had left her
son in perfect however, seeing he did not return, she could not
but be persuaded that he was dead, and was so fully convinced of
this in her imagination, that she went into mourning. She
bewailed Ganem as if she had seen him die, and had herself closed
his eyes: never mother expressed greater sorrow; and so far was
she from seeking any comfort, that she delighted in indulging her
grief. She had caused a dome to be built in the middle of the
court belonging to her house, in which she placed a tomb. She
spent the greatest part of the days and nights in weeping under
that dome, as if her son had been buried there: her daughter bore
her company, and mixed her tears with hers.
It was now some time since they had thus devoted themselves to
sorrow, and the neighbourhood, hearing their cries and
lamentations, pitied such tender relations, when king Mahummud
Zinebi knocked at the door, which being opened by a slave
belonging to the family, he hastily entered the house, inquiring
for Ganem, the son of Abou Ayoub.