The Arabian Nights Entertainments
the prince to relate the whole story to him.
Camaralzaman did so at great length, showed the ring, and implored his
father to help to find the bride he so ardently desired.
"After all you tell me," remarked the king, "I can no longer doubt your
word; but how and whence the lady came, or why she should have stayed
so short a time I cannot imagine. The whole affair is indeed
mysterious. Come, my dear son, let us wait together for happier days."
So saying the king took Camaralzaman by the hand and led him back to
the palace, where the prince took to his bed and gave himself up to
despair, and the king shutting himself up with his son entirely
neglected the affairs of state.
The prime minister, who was the only person admitted, felt it his duty
at last to tell the king how much the court and all the people
complained of his seclusion, and how bad it was for the nation. He
urged the sultan to remove with the prince to a lovely little island
close by, whence he could easily attend public audiences, and where the
charming scenery and fine air would do the invalid so much good as to
enable him to bear his father's occasional absence.
The king approved the plan, and as soon as the castle on the island
could be prepared for their reception he and the prince arrived there,
Schahzaman never leaving his son except for the prescribed public
audiences twice a week.
Whilst all this was happening in the capital of Schahzaman the two
genii had carefully borne the Princess of China back to her own palace
and replaced her in bed. On waking next morning she first turned from
one side to another and then, finding herself alone, called loudly for
her women.
"Tell me," she cried, "where is the young man I love so dearly, and who
slept near me last night?"
"Princess," exclaimed the nurse, "we cannot tell what you allude to
without more explanation."
"Why," continued the princess, "the most charming and beautiful young
man lay sleeping beside me last night. I did my utmost to wake him,
but in vain."
"Your Royal Highness wishes to make game of us," said the nurse. "Is
it your pleasure to rise?"
"I am quite in earnest," persisted the princess, "and I want to know
where he is."
"But, Princess," expostulated the nurse, "we left you quite alone last
night, and we have seen no one enter your room since then."
At this the princess lost all patience, and taking the nurse by her
hair she boxed her ears soundly, crying out: "You shall tell me, you
old witch, or I'll kill you."
The nurse had no little trouble in escaping, and hurried off to the
queen, to whom she related the whole story with tears in her eyes.
"You see, madam," she concluded, "that the princess must be out of her
mind. If only you will come and see her, you will be able to judge for
yourself."
The queen hurried to her daughter's apartments, and after tenderly
embracing her, asked her why she had treated her nurse so badly.
"Madam," said the princess, "I perceive that your Majesty wishes to
make game of me, but I can assure you that I will never marry anyone
except the charming young man whom I saw last night. You must know
where he is, so pray send for him."
The queen was much surprised by these words, but when she declared that
she knew nothing whatever of the matter the princess lost all respect,
and answered that if she were not allowed to marry as she wished she
should kill herself, and it was in vain that the queen tried to pacify
her and bring her to reason.
The king himself came to hear the rights of the matter, but the
princess only persisted in her story, and as a proof showed the ring on
her finger. The king hardly knew what to make of it all, but ended by
thinking that his daughter was more crazy than ever, and without
further argument he had her placed in still closer confinement, with
only her nurse to wait on her and a powerful guard to keep the door.
Then he assembled his council, and having told them the sad state of
things, added: "If any of you can succeed in curing the princess, I
will give her to him in marriage, and he shall be my heir."
An elderly emir present, fired with the desire to possess a young and
lovely wife and to rule over a great kingdom, offered to try the magic
arts with which he was acquainted.
"You are welcome to try," said the king, "but I make one condition,
which is, that should you fail you will lose your life."
The emir accepted the condition, and the king led him to the princess,
who, veiling her face, remarked, "I am surprised, sire, that you should
bring an unknown man into my presence."
"You need not be shocked," said the king; "this is one of my emirs who
asks your hand in marriage."
"Sire," replied the princess, "this is not the one you gave me before
and whose ring I wear. Permit me to say that I can accept no other."
The emir, who had expected to hear the princess talk nonsense, finding
how calm and reasonable she was, assured the king that he could not
venture to undertake a cure, but placed his head at his Majesty's
disposal, on which the justly irritated monarch promptly had it cut off.
This was the first of many suitors for the princess whose inability to
cure her cost them their lives.
Now it happened that after things had been going on in this way for
some time the nurse's son Marzavan returned from his travels. He had
been in many countries and learnt many things, including astrology.
Needless to say that one of the first things his mother told him was
the sad condition of the princess, his foster-sister. Marzavan asked if
she could not manage to let him see the princess without the king's
knowledge.
After some consideration his mother consented, and even persuaded the
eunuch on guard to make no objection to Marzavan's entering the royal
apartment.
The princess was delighted to see her foster-brother again, and after
some conversation she confided to him all her history and the cause of
her imprisonment.
Marzavan listened with downcast eyes and the utmost attention. When
she had finished speaking he said,
"If what you tell me, Princess, is indeed the case, I do not despair of
finding comfort for you. Take patience yet a little longer. I will
set out at once to explore other countries, and when you hear of my
return be sure that he for whom you sigh is not far off." So saying, he
took his leave and started next morning on his travels.
Marzavan journeyed from city to city and from one island and province
to another, and wherever he went he heard people talk of the strange
story of the Princess Badoura, as the Princess of China was named.
After four months he reached a large populous seaport town named Torf,
and here he heard no more of the Princess Badoura but a great deal of
Prince Camaralzaman, who was reported ill, and whose story sounded very
similar to that of the Princess Badoura.
Marzavan was rejoiced, and set out at once for Prince Camaralzaman's
residence. The ship on which he embarked had a prosperous voyage till
she got within sight of the capital of King Schahzaman, but when just
about to enter the harbour she suddenly struck on a rock, and foundered
within sight of the palace where the prince was living with his father
and the grand-vizir.
Marzavan, who swam well, threw himself into the sea and managed to land
close to the palace, where he was kindly received, and after having a
change of clothing given him was brought before the grand-vizir. The
vizir was at once attracted by the young man's superior air and
intelligent conversation, and perceiving that he had gained much
experience in the course of his travels, he said, "Ah, how I wish you
had learnt some secret which might enable you to cure a malady which
has plunged this court into affliction for some time past!"
Marzavan replied that if he knew what the illness was he might possibly
be able to suggest a remedy, on which the vizir related to him the
whole history of Prince Camaralzaman.
On hearing this Marzavan rejoiced inwardly, for he felt sure that he
had at last discovered the object of the Princess Badoura's
infatuation. However, he said nothing, but begged to be allowed to see
the prince.
On entering the royal apartment the first thing which struck him was
the prince himself, who lay stretched out on his bed with his eyes
closed. The king sat near him, but, without paying any regard to his
presence, Marzavan exclaimed, "Heavens! what a striking likeness!"
And, indeed, there was a good deal of resemblance between the features
of Camaralzaman and those of the Princess of China.
These words caused the prince to open his eyes with languid curiosity,
and Marzavan seized this moment to pay him his compliments, contriving
at the same time to express the condition of the Princess of China in
terms unintelligible, indeed, to the Sultan and his vizir, but which
left the prince in no doubt that his visitor could give him some
welcome information.
The prince begged his father to allow him the favour of a private
interview with Marzavan, and the king was only too pleased to find his
son taking an interest in anyone or anything. As soon as they were
left alone Marzavan told the prince the story of the Princess Badoura
and her sufferings, adding, "I am convinced that you alone can cure
her; but before starting on so long a journey you must be well and
strong, so do your best to recover as quickly as may be."
These words produced a great effect on the prince, who was so much
cheered by the hopes held out that he declared he felt able to get up
and be dressed. The king was overjoyed at the result of Marzavan's
interview, and ordered public rejoicings in honour of the prince's
recovery.
Before long the prince was quite restored to his original state of
health, and as soon as he felt himself really strong he took Marzavan
aside and said:
"Now is the time to perform your promise. I am so impatient to see my
beloved princess once more that I am sure I shall fall ill again if we
do not start soon. The one obstacle is my father's tender care of me,
for, as you may have noticed, he cannot bear me out of his sight."
"Prince," replied Marzavan, "I have already thought over the matter,
and this is what seems to me the best plan. You have not been out of
doors since my arrival. Ask the king's permission to go with me for
two or three days' hunting, and when he has given leave order two good
horses to be held ready for each of us. Leave all the rest to me."
Next day the prince seized a favourable opportunity for making his
request, and the king gladly granted it on condition that only one
night should be spent out for fear of too great fatigue after such a
long illness.
Next morning Prince Camaralzaman and Marzavan were off betimes,
attended by two grooms leading the two extra horses. They hunted a
little by the way, but took care to get as far from the towns as
possible. At night-fall they reached an inn, where they supped and
slept till midnight. Then Marzavan awoke and roused the prince without
disturbing anyone else. He begged the prince to give him the coat he
had been wearing and to put on another which they had brought with
them. They mounted their second horses, and Marzavan led one of the
grooms' horses by the bridle.
By daybreak our travellers found themselves where four cross roads met
in the middle of the forest. Here Marzavan begged the prince to wait
for him, and leading the groom's horse into a dense part of the wood he
cut its throat, dipped the prince's coat in its blood, and having
rejoined the prince threw the coat on the ground where the roads parted.
In answer to Camaralzaman's inquiries as to the reason for this,
Marzavan replied that the only chance they had of continuing their