Although king Saleh was, to do him justice, perfectly innocent of the king of Persia’s passion, yet the queen could hardly forgive his indiscretion, in mentioning the princess Giahaure before him. Your imprudence is beyond parallel, said she to him: can you think that the king of Samarcand, whose character is so well known, will have greater consideration for you than the many other kings he has refused his daughter to with scorn and contempt? Would you have him send you away with the same confusion he has done them?
Madam, replied king Saleh, I have told you it was contrary to my intention that the king my nephew heard what I related of the beauty of the princess Giahaure to the queen my sister. The fault, if it be one, is already committed; and we must consider what a violent passion he has for this princess, and that he will die with grief and affliction if we do not speedily obtain her for him, with whatever trouble we are to do it. For my part, I shall omit nothing that may contribute to it, since I was, though innocently, the cause of the malady: I will therefore do all that I can to remedy it. I hope, madam, you will approve of my resolution, to go and wait upon the king of Samarcand, with a rich present of precious stones, and demand the princess his daughter of him for the king of Persia, your grandson and my nephew. I have some reason to believe he will not refuse me, nor neglect to ally himself with one of the greatest potentates of the earth.
It were to have been wished, replied the queen, that we had not been under a necessity of making this demand, since the success of our attempt is not so certain as we could desire; but since my grandson’s quiet and content totally depend upon it, I freely give my consent to it. But, above all, I charge you, since you sufficiently know the humour of the king of Samarcand, that you take care to show him due respect, and not in any wise offend him by too presuming a behaviour.
The queen prepared the present herself, composing it of diamonds, rubies, emeralds, and strings of pearl; all which she put into a box, very neat and very rich. Next morning, king Saleh took his leave of her majesty and the king of Persia, and departed with a chosen but small troop of officers and other attendants. He soon arrived at the capital and palace of the king of Samarcand, who did not scruple to afford him audience immediately upon his arrival. He rose from his throne as soon as he perceived king Saleh; who, being willing to forget his character for some moments, knowing whom he had to deal with, prostrated himself at his feet, wishing him an accomplishment of whatever he desired. The king of Samarcand immediately stooped to take him up; and, after he had placed him by him on his left-hand, he told him he was welcome, and asked him if there was any thing he could do to serve him.
Sir, answered king Saleh, though I should have no other motive than that of rendering my respects to the most potent and most prudent prince in the world, yet would I endeavour to convince your majesty, though poorly, how much I honour and adore you. Were it possible you could penetrate into my inmost soul, you would soon be convinced of the great veneration I have had for you, and the ardent desire I entertain to pay you my most humble acknowledgments. Having spoken these words, he took the box of jewels from one of his servants, and having opened it, presented it to the king, imploring him to accept of it for his sake.
Prince, replied the king of Samarcand, I hope you do not make me this present without requiring a proportional benefit from me. If there be any thing within the compass of my capacity, you may freely command it, and will do me signal honour in accepting it. Speak, and tell me frankly wherein I can serve you.
I must own ingenuously, replied king Saleh, I have a boon to ask of your majesty; but I shall take care to ask nothing but what is within your power to grant. The thing depends so absolutely on yourself, that it would be to no purpose to require it of any other. I ask it then with all possible earnestness, and I beg of you not to refuse it me. If it be so, replied the king of Samarcand, you have nothing to do but to acquaint me what it is, and you shall see after what manner I can oblige people of desert.
Sir, then said king Saleh, after the confidence your majesty has been pleased to think I have put in your good-will, I will not dissemble any longer, that I came to beg of you to honour our house with your alliance by marriage, and by that means to fortify the good understanding that has always hitherto been between our two crowns.
At these words, the king of Samarcand began to laugh heartily, falling back in his throne against a cushion that supported him; and soon after said, with an injurious and scornful air, to king Saleh; King Saleh, I have always hitherto thought you were a prince of great sense and wisdom; but now I find you just the contrary. Tell me, I beseech you, where was your wit or discretion, when you formed to yourself so great a chimera as you have just now proposed to me? Could you conceive a thought only of aspiring in marriage to so great a princess as my daughter? You ought to have considered better the great distance between us, and not to run the risk of losing in a moment the esteem I always had for your person.
King Saleh was extremely nettled at this affronting answer, and had much ado to restrain his just resentment: however he replied, with greater moderation than could be expected, God reward your majesty according as you deserve. I beg the honour to inform you, I do not demand the princess in marriage for myself: had I done so, your majesty, or the princess, ought to have been so far from being offended, that you might rather have taken it for an honour done to both. Your majesty knows well I am a king of the sea as well as yourself; that the kings my ancestors have no reason to yield in antiquity to any other royal families; and that the kingdom I inherit from them is no less potent and flourishing than it has ever been. If your majesty had not interrupted me, you had soon understood, that the favour I asked of you was not for myself, but for the young king of Persia, my nephew, whose power and grandeur, no less than his personal good qualities, cannot be unknown to you. Every body acknowledges the princess Giahaure to be one of the finest ladies under the heavens; but it is at the same time acknowledged by all, that the young king of Persia, my nephew, is as accomplished as any prince, either upon land or under the water. Thus the favour that is asked being likely to redound both to the honour of your majesty and the princess your daughter, you ought not to delay your consent to an alliance so equal, and which no doubt will be approved by the generality of people. The princess is worthy of the king of Persia, and the king of Persia is no less worthy of her. No king or prince in the world can deny me this.