OF AMINÈ.
Commander of the Faithful, that I may not repeat those things which your majesty has already been informed of by my sister, I will only mention, that my mother, having taken a house to pass her widowhood in private, first bestowed me in marriage on the heir of one of the richest men in this city.
I had not been married quite a year before my husband died. I thus became a widow, and was in possession of all his property, which amounted to above ninety thousand sequins. The interest only of this sum would have been quite sufficient for me to have passed the remainder of my life with ease and reputation. In the mean time, as soon as the first six months of my mourning were over, I ordered ten different dresses to be made up, which were so very magnificent that each cost me a thousand sequins; and when my year of mourning was finished, I began to wear them.
I was one day quite alone, and employed about my domestic affairs, when they came and told me that a lady wanted to speak with me. I desired them to let her come in. She appeared to be very far advanced in years. On her entrance she saluted me, by kissing the ground, and then rising on her knees, she said, “I entreat you, my good lady, to excuse the liberty which I have taken, in coming to importune you; but the assurance I have received of your charitable disposition is the cause of my boldness. I must inform you, most honourable lady, that I have an orphan daughter, who is to be married to-day: we are both strangers, and have not the least knowledge of any one in this city. This causes us great anxiety and confusion; because we wish that the numerous family, with which we are going to be connected, should be acquainted, that we are not altogether unknown and of no respectability and credit. It is for this reason, most charitable lady, that you would lay us under an infinite obligation, if you would honour the nuptials with your presence. If, therefore, you grant us this favour, our own countrywomen will know, that we are not looked upon here as poor wretches, when they shall be informed, that a person of your rank has had the condescension to do us so great an honour. But if, alas! you reject our petition, how great will our mortification be; because we know not to whom else to address ourselves!”
The poor lady was in tears during the whole of this speech, which very much excited my compassion. “My good mother,” replied I, “do not afflict yourself any more; I shall be very happy to oblige you in the way you wish. Tell me where I must come to; I only wish for time sufficient to dress myself properly for such an occasion.” The old lady was so overjoyed at this answer, that she would have fallen at my feet and kissed them, if I had not prevented her. “My dear good lady,” she cried in getting up, “God will recompense you for the goodness you have shown to those who will always consider themselves as your servants; he will make your bosom overflow with joy from the reflection of your having been the cause of so much to us. It is not necessary for you to have the trouble of remembering the address, but only that you will have the goodness to go with me in the evening, at the time I shall come and call for you. Adieu, madam,” added she, “till I have the honour of seeing you again.”
She had no sooner left me, than I went and took that dress I liked best; also a necklace of large pearls, a pair of bracelets, some rings both for the fingers and ears, of the finest and most brilliant diamonds; for I, somehow or other, seemed to have a presentiment of what would happen to me.
The evening began to close, when the old lady, with a countenance that expressed great joy, arrived at my house. She kissed my hand, and said, “The parents and relations of my son-in-law are all arrived; and they are ladies of the first consequence in this city. You may now come, whenever it is agreeable to you; and I am ready to serve you as a guide.” We immediately set out, and she walked before to show me the way. I followed, together with a great number of my female slaves, all properly dressed for the occasion. Having come into a wide street, that had been fresh swept and watered, we stopped at a large door, lighted by a lamp, by the help of which I could distinguish this inscription, written over the door, in letters of gold; “this is the continual abode of pleasures and of joy.” The old lady knocked, and the door instantly opened.
They conducted me through a court into a large hall, where I was received by a young lady of incomparable beauty. She came immediately towards me; and after embracing me, she made me sit next to her on a sofa, over which there was a sort of throne, or canopy, formed of precious wood enriched with diamonds. “You have come here madam,” she said to me, “to assist at some nuptials; but I trust they will belong to different persons from those which you expect. I have a brother, who is one of the best made and accomplished of men. He is so charmed with the description which he has heard of your beauty, that his fate absolutely depends upon you; and he will be most unfortunate and wretched, if you do not have pity upon him. He is well acquainted with the situation you hold in the world, and I can assure you that he is not unworthy of your alliance. If my prayers, madam, can have any weight with you, I readily join them to his, and entreat you not to reject the offer which he makes you, of receiving him for your husband.”
Since the death of my husband, the idea of marrying again never came into my head; but I did not possess sufficient resolution to refuse so beautiful a person. I had no sooner given my assent to this by my silence, accompanied by a blush, which suffused my cheek, than the young lady clapped her hands; a young man immediately entered, with so majestic an air and so much apparent grace, that I thought myself fortunate in having made so excellent a conquest. He seated himself near me; and I discovered, by the conversation that passed between us, that his merit was still greater than his sister had informed me of.
When she found, that we were very well satisfied with each other, she clapped her hands a second time, and the cadi immediately entered, who made a contract for our marriage, signed it, and had it also witnessed by four persons whom he brought with him for that purpose. There was one condition, and it was the only one my new husband required of me; and this was, that I should neither see nor speak to any other man than himself. He then took an oath that if I preserved these terms, I should have every reason to be satisfied with him. Our marriage was then concluded, and thus I became a principal person concerned, when I only thought of being a spectator, and a guest.
About a month after our marriage, having occasion to purchase some silk stuff, I asked leave of my husband to go out and execute this commission. This he immediately granted; and I took with me by way of companion, the old woman of whom I have already spoken, and who lived in the house, and two of my female slaves.
When we had come to that street in which the merchants reside, the old woman said to me, “Since you are come, my good mistress, to look for silk stuff, I will take you to a young merchant whom I am very well acquainted with here; he has some of every sort; and without, therefore, fatiguing yourself by running from shop to shop, I assure you that at his you will find whatever you may want.” I suffered her to conduct me; and we entered a shop, where there was a young merchant, who was very well made. I sat down, and desired him, by means of the old woman, to show me some of the most beautiful silk stuffs that he had. The old woman wished me to make the request myself, but I told her that one of the conditions of our marriage was, not to speak to any man besides my husband; and I did not intend to infringe it.
The merchant showed me a variety of sorts; one of which pleased me more than the rest, and I desired her to ask the price of it. In answer to her, he said, “I will sell it to her for neither silver nor gold; but I will make her a present of it if she will have the condescension to permit me to kiss her cheek.” I desired the old woman to tell him, that his proposal was a very rude and impertinent one. But instead of doing what I ordered, she told me she thought that what the merchant required was a matter of no importance; that he did not ask me to speak, but I had only to present my cheek to him, which was merely the business of a moment. My desire to possess the silk was so great, I was foolish enough to follow the old woman’s advice. She and my slaves immediately stood up before me, that no person might observe me; I then drew aside my veil, when, instead of kissing me, the merchant gave me such a bite, that the blood flowed from the wound.
The surprise and pain were so great, that I fainted and fell down. I remained for so great a length of time in that state that it afforded the merchant sufficient opportunity to shut up his shop, and make his escape. When I returned to my senses, I perceived my cheek entirely covered with blood. The old lady and my women had the precaution, at the first instant, to cover my face with my veil, so that when the people collected to see what was the matter, they could perceive nothing; but believed it to be only a sudden weakness that had seized me.
The old woman who accompanied me, and who was extremely chagrined at the accident which had happened, endeavoured nevertheless to give me courage. “Indeed, my good mistress,” she said to me, “I sincerely ask your pardon. I am the only cause of this misfortune. I carried you to this merchant because he was my countryman, and I could never have thought he would have been guilty of so great a wickedness; but do not afflict yourself; let us lose no time in returning to your house; I will give you a remedy which shall make so perfect a cure in three days, that not the least possible mark, or scar, shall remain.” My fainting had rendered me so weak that I could scarcely walk; I, however, contrived to get home, but on entering my chamber I again fainted. In the mean time the old woman applied her remedy, I recovered from the fit, and went immediately to bed.
Night came, and my husband arrived. He perceived that my head was very much wrapped up, and asked me the reason of it. I told him that I had a bad head-ache, which I hoped would have satisfied him, but he took up a taper, and observing that I had a wound on my cheek, “How happened this?” he cried. Now, although I was not guilty of a very great fault, I could not make up my mind to discover the whole affair to him; to enter also into this detail, seemed to me not the most decorous. I told him that as I was going to purchase the silk I wanted, and which he had given me permission to do, a porter with a bundle of wood had passed so close to me at the corner of a very narrow street, that one of the sticks had grazed my cheek; but that it was a mere trifle.
At this my husband was excessively enraged. “This act,” he cried, “shall not remain unpunished; I will to-morrow give an order to the officer of the police, to arrest all these brutes of porters, and hang every one of them.” Fearful of occasioning the death of so many innocent people, “Take care, my lord,” I cried, how you commit such an act of injustice: I should be very sorry to be the cause of your doing it; and if I were to be guilty of such a crime, I should think myself unworthy of pardon.”—“Tell me then, sincerely,” he said, “what am I to think of your wound?”
I then related to him that it had been done by a seller of brooms upon his ass, who, as he came behind me, had his head turned on one side, and the ass pushed by me so violently, that I fell down and cut my cheek against a piece of glass.”—“This being the fact,” added my husband, “the sun shall not have risen to-morrow morning before the grand vizier Giafar shall be informed of this insolence. He shall order the death of every broom-seller in the city.”—“In the name of God, my husband,” I cried, interrupting him, “I entreat you to pardon them, they are not culpable.”—“What then, madam,” said he, “am I to believe? Speak, I insist on hearing the strict truth from your lips.”—“My lord,” I replied, “I was seized with a giddiness, and fell down; this is the fact.”
My husband lost all patience at these words. “I have already,” he cried, “listened too long to your falsehoods;” and in saying this, he clapped his hands, and three slaves immediately came in. “Drag her from the bed,” he exclaimed, “and lay her at length in the middle of the chamber.” This order was instantly executed by the slaves, one of whom held me by the head, another by the feet, and he commanded the third to fetch a sabre. As soon as my husband saw him return with it, “Strike,” he cried, “cut her body in two and throw it into the Tigris, and let it become food for its fish. This is the punishment I inflict on those upon whom I have bestowed my affections, and who cannot preserve their fidelity to me.” As he observed that the slave rather hesitated in his obedience, “Strike,” he again cried, “why do you stop? what do you wait for?”
“Madam,” said the slave to me, “almost the last moment of your existence is at hand, recollect if there be any thing you wish to dispose of before your death.” I requested permission to speak a few words. This was granted me; I then raised my head, and casting a tender look at my husband, I said, “To what a state, alas! am I reduced! Must I then die in the very prime of my life.” I wished to proceed, but my tears and sighs choaked my utterance. This, however, had no effect on my husband. On the contrary, he began to reproach me in a way that it would have been useless for me to answer him. I then had recourse to prayers; but he heeded them not, and ordered the slave to do his duty. At this moment the old woman, who had been my husband’s nurse, came in, and throwing herself at his feet, endeavoured to appease him. “My son,” she cried, “as a reward for having nursed and brought you up, I conjure you to grant me her pardon. Consider, I beg, that he who slays shall be slain; and that you will thus tarnish your reputation, and lessen yourself in the estimation of society. What will they not say of such a cruel, inhuman disposition?” She pronounced these words in so affecting manner, and accompanied them with so many tears, that they made a very strong impression on my husband.
“Well then,” said he to his nurse, “out of regard for you I will grant her life; but I am determined she shall carry some marks to make her remember her crime.” Having said this, one of the slaves, by his order, gave me so many blows with a small pliant cane on my sides and bosom, that the skin and flesh were torn in every part. I remained quite senseless. After this, the same slaves who were the agents of his rage, carried me into another house, where I was taken all possible care of by the old woman. I was obliged to keep my bed four months; at length I was cured; but the scars which I could not prevent you from seeing yesterday, have remained there ever since. As soon as I was able to walk about and go out, I wished to return to the house which I possessed by my first husband, but I could only discover its situation, for my second husband, in the excess of his fury, was not satisfied with having that pulled down; he had even caused the whole street where it stood to be razed to the ground. This no doubt was a most unjustifiable and unheard-of revenge; but against whom could I lodge my complaint? Its author had taken such measures to conceal himself that I could not discover him. Besides, if I should have found him out, I might easily conjecture, from the manner in which he had treated me, that his power was almost absolute. How then dare I have complained?
Entirely desolate, and deprived of every succour, I had recourse to my dear sister Zobeidè, who has already related her history to your majesty; and I informed her of my misfortune. She received me with her accustomed goodness, and exhorted me to bear my afflictions with patience. “Such is the world,” she said: “it generally deprives us either of our fortunes, our friends, or our lovers, and sometimes even of all.” To prove, at the same time, the truth of what she said to me, she gave me an account of the death of the young prince, which was occasioned by her two sisters’ jealousy. She then informed me in what manner they had been transformed into dogs. After having, in short, given me a thousand proofs of her friendship and regard, she presented my youngest sister to me, who after the death of her mother had come to live with her.
Having returned our thanks to God for thus again uniting us, we resolved for the future to live free, and never again to separate. We have for a long time continued to pass this tranquil kind of life, and as I have the whole management of the house, I take a pleasure in sometimes going out myself to purchase the provisions we may have occasion for. I went out yesterday for this purpose, and ordered them to be brought home by a porter, who proved to be possessed of some wit and humour, and we detained him in order to divert us. The three calenders arrived about the beginning of the evening, and requested us to afford them an asylum till the morning. We received them upon one express condition, which they agreed to; and after placing them at our own table, they amused us with some music in a manner peculiar to themselves. At this particular time we heard a knock at our gate; and we saw there were three merchants of Moussoul, of a good handsome appearance, who requested the same favour of us which the calenders had before done; and we granted it them on the same condition, but not one of them observed their promise. Although we had the power to punish them, and with the greatest justice, we were satisfied with only requiring the recital of each of their histories; and we confined our revenge to the act of immediately dismissing them, and thus depriving them of the retreat they had requested.
The caliph Haroun Alraschid was very well satisfied with the account he thus received, and for which he was so anxious. And he publicly expressed the pleasure and astonishment which these narratives had afforded him. When the caliph had thus satisfied his curiosity, he wished to give some proofs of his generosity and magnificence to the calenders who were princes; and also to make the three ladies feel the consequences of his bounty. Without therefore employing the intervention of his grand vizier, he himself said to Zobeidè, “Has not that fairy, madam, whom you first beheld under the form of a serpent, and who has imposed so rigorous a law upon you, given you any information were she lives; or rather, has she not promised to see you again, and suffer the two dogs to re-assume their natural form?”
“I ought not to have forgotten, Commander of the Faithful,” replied Zobeidè, “to have informed you, that the fairy put a small packet of hair into my hand; saying, at the same time, that I should one day have occasion for her presence; and then, if I only burnt two single hairs she would instantly be with me, although she should happen to be beyond Mount Caucasus.”—“Where, madam,” replied the caliph, “is this packet of hair?” She replied, that she had from that time always carried it about with her very carefully. She then took it out of her pocket, and opening the lid of the box in which she kept it, she showed it to him. “Let us then,” cried the caliph, “make the fairy appear now; you cannot, since I wish it, call her more opportunely.”
Zobeidè having agreed to it, they brought some fire, and she directly put the contents of the packet upon it. At the same moment the whole palace shook, and the fairy, in the shape of a lady most magnificently dressed, appeared before the caliph. “Commander of the Faithful,” said she to the prince, “you see me here, ready to receive your commands. The lady who has called me here at your desire, has rendered me a very important service; to give her a proof of my gratitude, I have punished the perfidy of my sisters by transforming them into dogs, but if your majesty desires it, I will restore them to their natural shape.”
“Beautiful fairy,” answered the caliph, “you cannot afford me a greater pleasure than by granting me that favour. I will then find some means of consoling them for so severe a punishment: but in the first place I have another request to make to you in behalf of the lady who has been so ill-treated by her husband. As you are acquainted with almost every thing, I do not believe you can be ignorant of that. And you will oblige me very much if you mention the name of the cruel wretch who was not satisfied with executing so much cruelty towards her, but even most unjustly deprived her of all her fortune which belonged to her. I am really astonished that so criminal and inhuman an act, and one which flies in the very face of my power and authority, has never come to my knowledge.”
“For the sake of obliging your majesty,” replied the fairy, “I will restore the two dogs to their original form; I will cure the lady of all her scars so perfectly, that no one shall be able to tell that she has ever been wounded; and I will then inform you of the name of him who has treated her so ill.”
The caliph instantly sent to Zobeidè’s house for the two dogs; when they were come, the fairy asked for a cup-full of water, which they gave her. She pronounced some words over it, which they did not understand, and then threw some of it over Aminè and the two dogs. The latter were immediately changed into two females of most extraordinary beauty, and the scars of the former disappeared. The fairy then addressed the caliph as follows: “I have, O Commander of the Faithful, only now to discover to you what is the name of the unknown husband, which you require. He is very nearly related to you, since indeed it is Prince Amin, your eldest son, and brother to Prince Mamoun. He, having become enamoured of this lady from the description he had heard of her beauty, made use of that pretence to get her into his power, and married her. With regard to the blows he ordered her, he is in some measure to be excused. His wife was too easily prevailed on; and the different excuses she invented were enough to make him think that she was much more criminal than she really was. This is all that I can tell you for your satisfaction.” Having concluded this speech, she saluted the caliph and disappeared.
This prince, filled with wonder and astonishment, and well satisfied at the alterations and changes that he had been the means of effecting, performed some actions which will be eternally spoken of. He first of all called his son, Prince Amin, and told him he was acquainted with the secret of his marriage, and informed him of the cause of the wound in Aminè’s cheek. The prince did not wait till his father ordered him to take her again, but immediately received her.
The caliph next declared that he bestowed his heart and hand upon Zobeidè, and proposed her other three sisters to the calenders, the sons of kings, who accepted them with much joy for their wives. The caliph then assigned a most magnificent palace to each of them in the city of Bagdad; he raised them to the first offices of the empire, and admitted them into his council. They sent for the first cadi of Bagdad, who, with proper witnesses, drew up the forms of marriage; and the illustrious and famous caliph Haroun Alraschid, in bestowing happiness on so many persons, who had experienced such incredible misfortunes, acquired a thousand benedictions.