The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Volume 01

by Anonymous

Though it was about midnight when he arrived there, the prince was not asleep. His separation from the fair princess of China, his wife, afflicted him in the usual manner, and he lay awake bemoaning his ill fortune. He cursed the day in which his curiosity tempted him to touch the fatal girdle.

Thus did he pass those hours which are devoted to rest, and was in these mournful meditations when he heard somebody knock at the garden-door; he ran hastily to open it, half dressed as he was; and had no sooner done it, than the captain and his seaman took hold of him, and carried him by force to the boat, and so on ship-board; when they set sail immediately, and made the best of their way to the isle of Ebene.

Hitherto Camaralzaman, the captain, and his men, had not said a word to each other. At last the prince broke silence, and asked the captain, whom he knew again, why they had taken him away by force. The captain, in his turn, demanded of the prince whether he was not a debtor to the king of Ebene? I the king of Ebene's debtor! replied Camaralzaman, in amazement; I do not know him; I never had anything to do with him in my life, and never set foot in his kingdom. The captain answered, You should know that better than me; you will soon talk to him yourself; till then, stay here and have patience.

The captain was not long on his voyage back to the isle of Ebene. Though it was night when he cast anchor in the port, he landed immediately; and, taking prince Camaralzaman with him, hastened to the palace, where he demanded to be introduced to the king.

The princess Badoura was withdrawn into the inner palace. However, as soon as she heard of the captain's return, and Camaralzaman's arrival, she came forth to speak to him. As soon as she cast her eyes on the prince, she knew the man for whom so many tears had been shed, though he was still in his gardener's habit. As for the prince, who trembled in the presence of a king, as he thought her, to whom he was to answer for an imaginary debt, it did not enter his thoughts that the person, whom he so earnestly desired to see, stood before him. If the princess had followed the dictates of her inclination, she would have run to him, and, by embracing, discovered herself; but she put on herself a constraint, believing that it was for both their interests she should act the part of a king a little longer before making herself known. She contented herself for the present to put him into the hands of an officer who was then in waiting, charging him to take care of him, and use him well, till next day.

When the princess Badoura had provided for prince Camaralaman's entertainment, she turned to the captain, whom she was now to gratify for the important service he had done. She commanded another officer to go immediately and take the seal off the warehouse where the goods belonging to him and the merchants were deposited, whom she discharged. She also gave the master of the vessel a jewel worth much more than the expense he had been at in both his voyages. She bade him, besides, keep the one thousand pieces of gold he had got for the pots of olives; telling him she would make up the account with the merchant he had brought with him.

This done, she retired to the princess of the isle of Ebene's apartment, to whom she communicated her joy, praying her still to keep the secret. She told her how she intended to manage their discovering themselves to each other, and to the kingdom; adding, that so vast was the distance between a gardener and a great prince, as he was, that it might be dangerous to raise him at once from the lowest condition of the people to the highest degree, though it was but justice it should be done. The princess of the isle of Ebene was so far from betraying her, that she rejoiced, and entered into the design; assuring her she would contribute to it all that lay in her power, and do whatever she would desire to serve them.

Next morning the princess of China ordered prince Camaralzaman to be conducted to the royal baths, and apparelled in the robes of an emir or governor of a province. She then went to the council, with the name, habit, and authority, of king of the island of Ebene. She commanded Camaralzaman to be introduced; and his fine mien and majestic air drew upon him the eyes of all the lords who were present.

The princess Badoura was charmed to see him again as lovely as she had often seen him, and that pleasure inspired her to speak the more warmly in his praise. When she addressed herself to the council, having ordered the prince to take his seat among the emirs, she spoke to them thus; my lords, Camaralzaman, the man whom I have advanced to the same dignity with yourselves, is not unworthy of the honour that is done him. I have known enough of him in my travels to answer for him; and I can assure you he will make his merit known to all of you, as well by his valour, as by a thousand other shining qualities which distinguish him from the rest of mankind.

Camaralzaman was extremely amazed to hear the king of the isle of Ebene, whom he was far from taking for a woman, much less for his dear princess, name him, and declare that he knew him, who, as he thought, was certain he had never seen him before. He was much more surprised to hear himself praised so excessively. However, those eulogiums, excessive as they were, did not confound him, though they came from the mouth of a king: he received them with sueh modesty as showed that he deserved them, and did not grow vain upon it. He porptrated himself before the throne of the king; and rising again, Sir, said he, I want words to express ny gratitude to your majesty for the honour you have done me: I shall do all that lies in my power to render myself worthy of your royal favour.