In the mean time, while we were striving to outdo one another in grief, the princess cried, I burn; Oh, I burn! She found that the fire which consumed her had at last seized upon her whole body, which made her still to cry, I burn, until death had made an end of her intolerable pains. The effect of that was so extraordinary, that in a few moments she was wholly reduced to ashes like the genie.
I cannot tell you, madam, how much I was grieved at so dismal a spectacle. I had rather all my life have continued an ape or a dog, than to have seen my benefactress thus miserably perish. The sultan, being afflicted beyond all that can be imagined, cried out piteously, and beat himself upon his head and stomach, until such time as, being quite overcome with grief, he fainted away, which made me fear his life. In the mean time the eunuchs and officers came running at the sultan's cries, and with very much ado brought him to himself again. There was no need for that prince and me to give them a long narrative of this adventure, in order to convince them of their great loss. The two heaps of ashes, into which the princess and genie had been reduced, were demonstration enough. The sultan was hardly able to stand upright, but was forced to be supported by them till he could get to his apartment.
When the noise of this tragical event had spread itself through the palace and the city, all the people bewailed the misfortune of the princess, the lady of beauty, and were sensible of the sultan's affliction. Every one was in deep mourning for seven days, and a great many ceremonies were performed: The ashes of the genie were thrown into the air, but those of the princess were gathered into a precious urn, to be kept; and the urn was set in a stately tomb, which was built for that purpose, on the same place where the ashes had lain.
The grief which the sultan conceived for the loss of his daughter threw him into a fit of sickness, which confined him to his chamber for a whole month. He had not fully recovered strength when he sent for me: Prince, said he, hearken to the orders that I now give you; it will cost you your life if you do not put them in execution. I assured him of exact obedience; upon which he went on thus: I have constantly lived in perfect felicity, and never was crossed by any accident; but by your arrival all the happiness I possessed is vanished; my daughter is dead, her governor is no more, and it is through a miracle that I am yet alive. You are the cause of all those misfortunes, for which it is impossible that I should be comforted; therefore depart from hence in peace, but without further delay, for I myself must perish, if you stay any longer: I am persuaded that your presence brings mischief along with it. This is all I have to say to you. Depart, and take care of ever appearing again in my dominions; there is no consideration whatsoever that shall hinder me from making you repent of it. I was going to speak, but he stopped my mouth by words full of anger; and so I was obliged to remove from his palace, rejected, banished, thrown off by all the world, and not knowing what would become of me. Before I left the city, I went into a bagnio, where I caused my beard and eye-brows to be shaved, and put on a calender's habit. I began my journey, not so much deploring my own miseries as the death of the two fair princesses of which I had been the occasion. I passed through many countries without making myself known; at last I resolved to come to Bagdad, in hopes to get myself introduced to the commander of the faithful, to move his compassion by giving him an account of my strange adventures. I came hither this evening, and the first man I met was this calender, our brother, that spoke before me. You know the remaining part, madam, and the cause of my having the honour to be here.
When the second calender made an end of his story, Zobeide, to whom he had addressed his speech, told him, It is very well, you may go which way you please; I give you leave: but, instead of departing, he also petitioned the lady to show him the same favour she had vouchsafed to the first calender, and went and sat down by him.
The third calender, perceiving it was his turn to speak, addressed his speech, as the rest had done, to Zobeide, and began in this manner.
THE HISTORY OF THE THIRD CALENDER, A KING'S SON.
Most Honourable Lady,
That which I am going to tell you very much differs from what you have heard already. The two princes that spoke before me have each lost an eye by the pure effects of their destiny, but mine I lost through my own fault, and by hastening to seek my own misfortune, as you shall hear by the sequel of my story.
My name is Agib, and I am the son of a king who was called Cassib. After his death I took possession of his dominions, and resided in the same city where he lived before. This city is situate on the sea-coast; has one of the finest and safest harbours in the world, and an arsenal large enough for fitting out fifty men of war to sea, that are always ready on occasion, and light frigates, and pleasure-boats for recreation. My kingdom is composed of several fine provinces upon Terra Firma, besides a number of spacious islands, every one of which lies almost in sight of my capital city.