“The first palace is composed of rock crystal, the second of bronze, the third of the finest steel, the fourth of another kind of bronze, more precious than either the first or steel, the fifth of touchstone, the sixth of silver, and the seventh of massive gold. He has furnished them in the most sumptuous style, each in a manner appropriate to the materials of which it is built. Nor has he forgotten to embellish the gardens, which are attached to them, with every thing that can delight the senses; smooth lawns, or pastures enamelled with flowers; fountains, canals, cascades; groves thickly planted with trees, through which the rays of the sun never penetrate, and all differently disposed in each garden. In short, King Gaiour’s paternal love alone has induced him to incur this enormous expence.
“The fame of this princess’s incomparable beauty has induced the most powerful of the neighbouring kings to demand her in marriage by the most solemn embassies. The King of China received all their proposals with the same degree of ceremony; but as he had determined not to marry the princess except with her own entire consent; and as she did not approve of any of the offers made her, the ambassadors returned unsuccessful with respect to the purport of their mission, yet all highly gratified by the civilities and attentions they had received.
“Sire,” would the princess say to the king of China, “you wish to marry me, and you think by so doing to make me happy. I know your motive, and feel obliged to you for your kindness. But where should I find such superb palaces and such delicious gardens, unless in the territories of your majesty? Added to which, by your goodness, I am under no restraint, and I receive the same honors as are paid to your own person. These are advantages which I should not enjoy in any other part of the world, whatever prince I might be united to. Husbands ever will be masters, and I am not of a disposition to brook command.”
“After several fruitless embassies, one at last arrived from a king, who was richer and more powerful than any who had before applied. The king of China proposed him to his daughter, and enlarged on all the advantages which would result from such an alliance. The princess entreated him to dispense with her compliance, urging the same reasons as on former occasions.
“He pressed her to accede; but instead of obeying, she forgot the respect due to the king, her father, and angrily replied, ‘Sire, speak to me no more of this, nor of any other marriage; if you persist in your importunities, I will plunge a dagger in my heart, and thus free myself from them.’
“The king of China, extremely irritated against the princess, replied, ‘My daughter, you are mad, and as such I must treat you.’ In fact, he had her confined to an apartment in one of his palaces, and allowed her only ten old women to associate with and attend on her, the principal of whom was her nurse. Then, that the neighbouring kings, who had sent embassies to request her, might not entertain any farther prospects of obtaining her, he dispatched envoys to announce to them all her absolute determination against marriage. And as he supposed that she really had lost her senses, he commanded the same envoys to make known in each court, that, if there were any physician sufficiently skilful to restore her, he should obtain her in marriage as a recompense.
“Beautiful Maimounè,” continued Danhasch, “things are at present in this situation, and I do not fail to go regularly every day to contemplate this wonderful beauty, whom I should grieve to injure in the slightest degree, notwithstanding my natural malicious inclinations. I entreat you to come and see her; it is well worth the trouble. When you are convinced by your own eyes that I do not tell an untruth, I am sure you will feel obliged to me for having shown you a princess, who has no equal in beauty. I am ready to conduct you to her, and you have only to command.”
Instead of replying to Danhasch, Maimounè burst into a loud fit of laughter, which continued for some time, and which very much astonished Danhasch, who did not know to what cause to attribute it. Having at last however composed herself, she said, “Yes, yes, thou thinkest to impose on me. I thought thou wast going to tell me of something very surprising and extraordinary, and thou talkest to me only of a blear-eyed wench. Fye, fye! What wouldst thou say then, wretch, if thou hadst seen the beautiful prince I have just been looking at, and whom I love as he deserves? He indeed is rather different. Thou wouldst be mad for love of him.
“Amiable Maimounè,” replied Danhasch, “may I inquire who this prince can be, whom you speak of?”—“Know,” said the fairy, “that nearly the same thing has happened to him as to the princess thou hast been talking of. The king his father would marry him by force; after long and repeated importunities he has frankly declared, that he would not agree to it. For this reason he is at this moment imprisoned in an ancient tower, where I take up my abode, and where I have had an opportunity of admiring him.”
“I will not absolutely contradict you,” resumed Danhasch, “but, my dear lady, you will give me leave, until I have seen your prince, to think, that no mortal, either male or female, can equal, or even approach the beauty of my princess.”—“Peace, wretch,” replied Maimounè, “I tell thee again that thou art wrong.”—“I will not obstinately oppose you,” added Danhasch; “the only means of convincing you whether I speak truth or not, is to accept the proposal I have made you to come and see my princess, and afterwards to show me your prince.”—“There is no occasion for me to take so much trouble,” said Maimounè, “there is another method, by which we can both be satisfied; that is to bring thy princess and place her by the side of my prince on his bed. We can then easily compare them with each other, and thus settle our dispute.”