Fetnah, without being able to give any reason for it, had a curiosity to see them. The syndic would have conducted her to his house, but she would not give him the trouble, and was satisfied that a slave of his should go and show her the way. She alighted at the door, and followed the syndic’s slave, who was gone on before to give notice to his mistress, she being then in the chamber with Alcolomb and her mother, for they were the persons the syndic had been talking of to Fetnah.
The syndic’s wife, being informed by the slave that a court-lady was in her house, was going out of the room to meet her; but Fetnah, who had followed close to the slave’s heels, did not give her so much time, and coming into the chamber, the syndic’s wife fell down before her, to express the respect she had for all that belonged to the caliph. Fetnah took her up, and said, My good lady, I desire you would let me speak with those two strangers that arrived at Bagdad last night. Madam, answered the syndic’s wife, they lie in those two little beds you see close by each other. The favourite immediately drew near the mother’s, and viewing her carefully, Good woman, said she, I come to offer you my assistance: I have a considerable interest in this city, and may be assisting to you and your companion. Madam, answered Ganem’s mother, I perceive by your obliging offers that Heaven has not quite forsaken us, though we have cause to believe it, after so many misfortunes as have befallen us. Having uttered these words, she wept so bitterly that Fetnah and the syndic’s wife could not forbear letting fall some tears.
The caliph’s favourite, having dried up hers, said to Ganem’s mother, Be so kind as to tell us your misfortunes, and recount your story. You cannot give the relation to any persons better disposed than we are to use all possible means to comfort you. Madam, replied Abou Ayoub’s disconsolate widow, a favourite of the commander of the true believers, a lady whose name is Fetnah, is the occasion of all our misfortunes. These words were like a thunderbolt to the favourite: but suppressing her concern and uneasiness, she suffered Ganem’s mother to proceed, who did it after this manner: I am the widow of Abou Ayoub, a merchant of Damascus; I had a son, called Ganem, who, coming to trade at Bagdad, has been accused of having debauched that Fetnah. The caliph has caused search to be made for him every where, to put him to death; and not finding him, wrote to the king of Damascus, to cause our house to be plundered and razed, and to expose my daughter and me three days successively, stark naked, to be seen by the people, and then to banish us out of Syria for ever.
But how unworthy soever our usage has been, I should still be comforted, were my son alive, and I could meet with him. What a pleasure would it be for his sister and me to see him again! Embracing him, we should forget the loss of our goods, and all the evils we have suffered for him. Alas! I am fully persuaded he is the innocent cause of them; and that he is no more guilty towards the caliph, than his sister and I.
No doubt of it, said Fetnah, interrupting her there; he is no more guilty than you are; I can assure you of his innocence, for I am that very Fetnah you so much complain of, who, through some fatality in my stars, have occasioned so many misfortunes. To me you must impute the loss of your son, if he is no more; but if I have occasioned your misfortune, I can in some measure relieve it. I have already cleared Ganem to the caliph, who has caused it to be proclaimed throughout his dominions, that he pardons the son of Abou Ayoub; and I do not question but that he will do you as much good as he has done you harm. You are no longer his enemies: he expects Ganem to requite the service he has done me by uniting our fortunes: he gives me to him for his consort; therefore look on me as your daughter, and permit me to vow an eternal friendship to you. Having so said, she bowed down on Ganem’s mother, who was so astonished that she could return no answer. Fetnah held her a long time in her arms, and only left her to run to the other bed to Alcolomb, who, sitting up, held out her arms to receive her.
When the caliph’s charming favourite had given the mother and daughter all the tokens of affection they could expect from Ganem’s wife, she said to them, Cease both of you to afflict yourselves: the wealth Ganem had in this city is not lost; it is in my apartment in the palace; but I know all the treasure in the world cannot comfort you without Ganem: I judge so of his mother and sister, if I may judge of them by myself; blood is no less powerful than love in great minds. But why should we despair of seeing him again? We shall find him: the good fortune of meeting with you makes me conceive fresh hopes: and perhaps this is the last day of your sufferings, and the beginning of a greater felicity than you enjoyed in Damascus when Ganem was with you.
Fetnah would have gone on, when the syndic of the jewellers came in, saying, Madam, I am come from seeing a very moving object; it is a young man, a camel-driver, who was carrying to the hospital of Bagdad: he was bound with cords on a camel, because he had not strength enough to sit him. They had already unbound, and were carrying him into the hospital, when I happened to be passing by. I went close up to the young man, viewed him carefully, and fancied his countenance was not altogether unknown to me. I asked him some questions concerning his family and his country; but all the answer I could get, consisted only in sighs and tears. I took pity on him, and perceiving, by being so much used to sick people, that he had great need to have particular care taken of him, I would not permit him to be put into the hospital; for I am too well acquainted with their way of looking to the sick, and am sensible of the incapacity of the physicians. I have caused him to be brought home to my house by my slaves; and they are now, by my orders, putting on some of my own linen, and serving him as they would do me, in a chamber for that purpose.
Fetnah’s heart leaped at these words of the jeweller, and she felt a sudden emotion, for which she could not account. Show me, said she to the syndic, into that sick man’s room; I would gladly see him. The syndic conducted her, and whilst she was going thither, Ganem’s mother said to Alcolomb, Alas! daughter, as wretched as that sick stranger is, your brother, if he be living, is not perhaps in a more happy condition.
The caliph’s favourite, coming into the chamber where the sick man was, drew near the bed, into which the syndic’s slaves had already laid him. She saw a young man whose eyes were closed, his countenance pale, disfigured, and bathed in tears. She gazed earnestly on him, her heart beat, and she fancied she beheld Ganem; but yet she would not believe her eyes. Though she found something of Ganem in the object she beheld, yet, in other respects, he appeared so different, that she durst not imagine it was he that lay before her. However, not being able to withstand the earnest desire of being satisfied, Ganem, said she, with a quivering voice, is it you I behold? Having spoken these words, she stopped to give the young man time to answer; but observing that he seemed insensible, Alas! Ganem, added she, it is not you that I talk to! My imagination being overcharged with your image, has given this stranger a deceitful resemblance: the son of Abou Ayoub, though ever so sick, would know the voice of Fetnah. At the name of Fetnah, Ganem (for it was really he) opened his eyes, and turned his face towards the person that spoke to him, and knowing the caliph’s favourite, Ah! madam, said he, what miracle?——He could say no more; such a sudden transport of joy seized him that he fell into a swoon. Fetnah and the syndic did all they could to bring him to himself; but as soon as they perceived he began to revive, the syndic desired the lady to withdraw, for fear lest the sight of her should heighten Ganem’s distemper.
The young man, having recovered his senses, looked all about, and not seeing what he looked for, cried out, What is become of you, charming Fetnah? did you really appear before mine eyes, or was it only an illusion? No, sir, said the syndic, it was no illusion. It was I that caused that lady to withdraw, but you shall see her again as soon as you are in a condition to bear her sight. You now stand in need of rest, and nothing ought to obstruct your taking it. The posture of your affairs is altered, since you are, as I suppose, that Ganem, in favour of whom the commander of the true believers has caused a proclamation to be made in Bagdad, declaring that he forgives him what is past. Be satisfied for the present, with knowing so much; the lady who just now spoke to you will acquaint you with the rest; therefore think of nothing but recovering your health: I will contribute all that shall be in my power towards it. Having spoken these words, he left Ganem to take his rest, and went himself to provide all such medicines for him as were proper to recover his strength, quite spent by want and toil.