As soon as he returned home, he, with his own hands, made a pyramid of the fruit he had bought, and served it up himself to the lady, in a large dish of the finest china ware, saying, Madam, be pleased to make choice of some of this fruit, while a more solid entertainment, and more worthy yourself, is made ready. He would fain have continued standing before her; but she declared she would not touch any thing, unless he sat down and ate with her. He obeyed; and when they had eaten some small matter, Ganem observing that the lady’s veil, which she had laid down by her on a sofa, was embroidered along the edge with golden letters, begged leave of her to look upon that embroidery. The lady immediately took up the veil, and delivered it to him, asking him whether he could read. Madam, replied he, with a modest air, a merchant would be able to manage his business very ill, if he could not at least read and write. Well then, said she, read the words which are embroidered on that veil, which gives me an opportunity of telling you my story.
Ganem took the veil, and read these words, ‘I am yours, and you are mine, thou descendant from the prophet’s uncle.’ That descendant from the prophet’s uncle was the caliph Haroun Alraschid, who then reigned, and was descended from Abbas, Mahomet’s uncle.
When Ganem perceived the sense of these words, Alas! madam, said he, in a melancholy tone, I have just saved your life, and this embroidery is my death! I do not comprehend all the mystery; but it makes me too sensible that I am the most unfortunate of men. Pardon the liberty I take, madam, of telling you so much. It was impossible for me to see you without giving you up my heart. You are not ignorant yourself, that it was not in my power to refuse it to you; and that makes my presumption excusable. I proposed to myself to move yours by my respect, my diligence, my complaisance, my assiduity, my submission, and my constancy; and no sooner had I flattered myself with that design, than I am robbed of all my hopes. But be that as it will, I shall have the satisfaction of dying entirely yours. Proceed, madam, I conjure you, to give me a full information of my unhappy state.
He could not deliver those words without letting fall some tears. The lady was moved, but was so far from being displeased at the declaration he made, that she felt an inward joy, for her heart began to yield. However, she concealed it; and, as if she had not regarded what Ganem said, I would have been very cautious, answered she, of showing you my veil, had I thought it would have made you so uneasy; and I do not perceive that what I have to say to you can make your condition so deplorable as you imagine.
You must understand, proceeded she, in order to acquaint you with my story, that my name is Fetnah, (which signifies a storm or tempest) which was given me at my birth, because it was judged that the sight of me would occasion many calamities. You cannot be a stranger to it, since nobody in Bagdad but knows that the caliph Haroun Alraschid, my sovereign lord and yours, has a favourite so called.
I was carried into his palace in my very tender years, and I have been brought up there with all the care that is usually taken with such persons of my sex as are designed to reside there. I made no ill advances in all they took the pains to teach me; and that, with some share of beauty, gained me the caliph’s affection, who gave me a particular apartment adjoining to his own. That prince was not satisfied with such a mark of distinction: he appointed twenty women to wait on me, and as many eunuchs; and, ever since, he has made me such considerable presents, that I was once richer than any queen in the world. You may reasonably judge, by what I have said, that Zobeide, the caliph’s wife and kinswoman, could not but be jealous of my happiness. Though Haroun has all the regard imaginable for her, she has used all her endeavours to ruin me.
Hitherto, I had secured myself against all her snares; but, at length, I fell under the last effort of her jealousy; and, were it not for you, I had now been exposed to inevitable death. I do not question but that she had corrupted one of my slaves, who, last night, in some lemonade, gave me a drug, which causes such a deep sleep, that it is easy to dispose of those who have taken it; and that sleep is so profound, that nothing can dispel it for the space of seven or eight hours. I have the more reason to judge so, because naturally I am very light of sleep, and apt to wake at the least noise.
Zobeide, the better to put her design in execution, has laid hold of the opportunity of the absence of the caliph, who has been gone lately to put himself at the head of his troops, to chastise some neighbouring kings, who have presumed to join in league to make war on him. Were it not for this opportunity, my rival, courageous as she is, durst not have presumed to attempt any thing against my life. I know not what she will do to conceal this action from the caliph; but you see it highly concerns me that you should keep my secret. My life depends on it. I shall be safe in your house as long as the caliph is from Bagdad. It behoves you to keep my adventure private; for, should Zobeide know the obligation I owe you, she would punish you for having saved me.
When the caliph returns, I shall not need to be so much upon my guard. I shall find means to acquaint him with all that has happened, and I am fully persuaded he will be more earnest than myself to requite a service which restores me to his love.
As soon as Haroun Alraschid’s beautiful favourite had done speaking, Ganem began, and said, Madam, I return you a thousand thanks for having given me the information I took the liberty to desire of you; and I beg of you to believe that you are here in safety; the sentiments you have inspired in me are a pledge of my secrecy.