The king caused the fair slave to be lodged in the finest apartment next his own, and gave particular orders to the matrons and to the women slaves appointed to attend her, that after bathing they should dress her in the richest clothes the kingdom afforded. He also commanded them to carry her some pearl-necklaces, with abundance of diamonds, and other precious stones, that she might have the liberty of choosing those she liked best.
The officious matrons, whose only care it was to please the king, were astonished with admiration at her beauty; and being well skilled in that affair, they told his majesty, that, if he would allow them but three days, they would engage to make her so much handsomer than she was at present, that he should scarce know her again. The king at first was very loath to defer the pleasure of enjoyment so long; but at last he consented, upon condition they would be as good as their word.
The king of Persia’s capital was situated in an island, and his palace, which was very magnificent, was built upon the sea-shore: his apartment looked upon that element; and the fair slave’s, which was pretty near it, had also the same prospect; and it was the more agreeable upon the account of the sea beating almost against the foot of the wall.
At the three days’ end, the fair slave, gloriously dressed and set off, was alone in her chamber, sitting upon a sofa, and leaning against one of the windows that faced the sea, when the king, being informed that he might visit her, came in. The slave hearing somebody walk in the room, with an air quite different from that of the women slaves who had hitherto attended her, immediately turned her head about to see who it was. She knew him to be the king; but without discovering the least surprise, or so much as rising from her seat to salute or receive him, as if he had been the meanest person in the world, she put herself in the same posture again.
The king of Persia was extremely surprised to see a slave of so beauteous a form so ignorant of the world. He attributed this piece of ill breeding to the narrowness of her education, and the little care that was taken of instructing her at first in the rules of civility and good manners. He went to her at the window, where, notwithstanding the coldness and indifferency with which she had just now received him, she suffered herself to be admired, caressed, and embraced, as much as he pleased.
In the midst of these amorous embraces and tender endearments, this monarch paused a while to gaze upon, or rather to devour her with his eyes: My goddess! my angel! my charmer! cried the king; whence came you? and where do those happy parents live that brought into the world so surprising a masterpiece of nature as you are? Ah! how I adore you! and my passion shall continue the same. Never did I feel for a woman what I now suffer for you: and though I have seen, and do see every day, a vast number of beauties, yet never did my eyes behold so many charms in one single person, which have so transported me out of myself, that I am no longer at my own, but entirely at your disposal. My dearest life, continued he, you neither answer me, nor by any visible token give me the least reason to believe that you are sensible of the many demonstrations I have given you of the violence of my passion; neither will you turn your eyes on me, to afford mine the pleasure of meeting them with an amorous glance, and to convince you that it is impossible to love more than I do you. Why will you still keep this obstinate silence, which freezes me to death? and whence proceeds the seriousness, or rather sorrow, that torments me to the soul? Do you mourn for your country, your friends, or your relations? Alas! is not the king of Persia, who loves and adores you, capable of comforting and making you amends for the loss of every thing in the world?
What protestations of love soever the king of Persia made the fair slave to oblige her to speak to him, she continued her astonishing reservedness, and keeping her eyes still fixed on the ground, would not so much as open her lips.
The king of Persia, charmed with the purchase he had made of a slave that pleased him so well, pressed her no farther, in hopes that, by treating her civilly, he might prevail upon her to change her mind. He presently gave the usual sign to the women that waited in an outward room; and as soon as they entered, he commanded them to bring in supper. When it was on the table, My dear, said he to the slave, come hither and sup with me. She rose up from her seat, and being placed over against the king, his majesty helped her before he began eating himself; and so he did of every dish during the whole supper. The slave ate with downcast eyes, and without speaking one word, though he often asked her how she liked the entertainment, and whether it was dressed to her taste.
The king, willing to change the discourse, asked her what her name was, how she liked the clothes and the jewels she had on, what she thought of her apartment and the rich furniture, and whether the prospect of the sea was not very agreeable and charming. But to all these questions she answered not a word; so that the king was at a loss what to think of her silence. He imagined at first, that perhaps she might be dumb: But then, said he to himself, can it be possible that Heaven should form a creature so beautiful, so perfect, and so accomplished, and yet at the same time with so great an imperfection? However, I cannot love with less passion than I do.
When the king of Persia rose from the table, he washed his hands on one side, while the fair slave washed hers on the other. He took that time to ask the women that held the basin and the towel, if ever they had heard her speak. One of them presently made answer, Sir, we have neither seen her open her lips, nor heard her speak, any more than your majesty has just now: we have taken care of her in the bath, we have combed and dressed her head, put on her clothes, and waited upon her in her chamber; but she has never opened her lips, so much as to say, That is well, or, I like this. We have often asked her, Madam, do you want any thing? let us know what you would have; do but ask, and we are ready to get it for you: but we have never been able to draw a word from her; so that we cannot tell whether her silence proceeds from pride, sorrow, stupidity, or dumbness; and this is all we can inform your majesty.