Marzavan replied, that if he were made acquainted with the disease which the person was labouring under, perhaps he might be able to find a remedy for it. The grand vizier then explained to Marzavan the state in which prince Camaralzaman was; taking up his history from the very beginning. He concealed nothing from him; his so much wished-for birth, his education, the desire of king Schahzaman to see him married at an early age, the extraordinary aversion the prince had shown to enter into an engagement of so serious a nature, his behaviour before the council, his subsequent imprisonment, the extravagant excesses he committed in prison, which had suddenly changed into a violent love for an unknown lady, for which there was no other foundation than a ring, which, as the prince pretended, had belonged to this lady, who, perhaps, was not in existence; in short, the vizier related every circumstance with the most faithful exactness.
This account gave Marzavan great joy, because, in consequence of his shipwreck, he had so fortunately met with the object of his search and inquiry. He felt convinced, beyond any doubt, that prince Camaralzaman was the person, with whom the princess of China was so deeply enamoured, and that this princess was no less the object of the prince’s ardent vows. He did not mention his thoughts to the grand vizier; he only said to him, that if he saw the prince, he should be better able to judge what remedies it might be necessary to administer. “Follow me,” said the vizier, “you will find the king with him, who has already expressed a wish of seeing you.”
The first thing that met the eyes of Marzavan, when he entered the chamber, was the figure of the prince lying in his bed, with a languishing air, and his eyes closed. Notwithstanding the situation in which he found him, and regardless of king Schahzaman, who was seated by the side of the bed, as well as of the prince, whom such an exclamation might have alarmed and agitated, he cried, “Heavens! nothing on earth can bear a stronger resemblance.” He meant the resemblance of the princess of China; for, in fact, there was a great similitude in their features.
These words of Marzavan excited the curiosity of prince Camaralzaman, who opened his eyes and looked at him. Marzavan, who had great quickness of invention, took advantage of this moment, and instantly repeated some extempore complimentary verses, although in so mysterious a sense, that the king and grand vizier did not comprehend the meaning of them. He so well explained what had happened to him with the princess of China, that the prince entertained no doubt of his knowing her, and being able to give him some information respecting her; and he felt a degree of joy at the hope of hearing of her, that soon displayed itself in his eyes and countenance. When Marzavan had finished his compliment, the prince took the liberty of making signs to his father to rise from his seat, and permit Marzavan to take his place.
The king, delighted to see in his son a change which flattered him with hope, arose, and taking Marzavan by the hand, obliged him to sit down in the place he had just quitted. He asked him who he was, and from whence he came; and after Marzavan had replied, that he was a subject of the king of China, and that he was then come from his dominions; “God grant,” said the king to him, “that you may restore my son to health, and divert his mind from the profound melancholy in which it is absorbed; my obligations to you will be without bounds, and the proofs of my gratitude shall be so extensive, that the whole world shall know, that no service was ever before so largely recompensed.” As he concluded these words, he left the prince at liberty to converse with Marzavan, whilst he was rejoicing with his grand vizier at so fortunate an occurrence.
Marzavan approached very close to prince Camaralzaman, and speaking to him in a low voice; “Prince,” said he, “the time is come that you should cease to afflict yourself so piteously. The lady for whom you suffer, is well known to me; she is the princess Badoura, daughter to the king of China, whose name is Gaiour. I am certain of the fact from what she has herself related to me of her adventure, and from what I have already learned of yours. The princess does not suffer less from love of you, than you do from your affection towards her.” He then related all that he knew of the history of the princess, since the fatal night of their almost incredible interview: he did not omit also to inform him of the punishment inflicted, by order of the king of China, on all those who undertook to cure the princess Badoura of her supposed madness, when they failed of success. “You are the only one,” continued he, “who can accomplish her perfect recovery, and you may, therefore, present yourself for that purpose, without fear of incurring the dreadful penalty. But before you can undertake so long a journey, you must be in good health yourself; we will then take the necessary measures for the performance of it. Endeavour, therefore, to regain your strength as quickly as possible.”
This discourse of Marzavan instantly produced a wonderful effect: prince Camaralzaman was so comforted by the hope which had just been poured into his bosom, that he felt sufficiently strong to get up, and he entreated the king, his father, to permit him to dress himself, with an air and countenance which gave him inexpressible joy.
The king embraced Marzavan, to express his thanks, without inquiring the means by which so surprising a change was instantaneously effected; and immediately went out of the room with the grand vizier, to proclaim this agreeable intelligence. He ordered public rejoicings for several days; he distributed presents to his officers and the populace, gave alms to the poor, and had all prisoners set at liberty. In short, nothing but joy and mirth reigned in the capital, and which very soon spread its influence throughout the dominions of king Schahzaman.
Prince Camaralzaman, who felt extremely weakened by continual want of sleep, and by his long abstinence from almost all kinds of food, soon recovered his usual health. He no sooner found himself sufficiently re-established to be able to support the fatigue of so long a journey, than he took Marzavan in private, and said to him, “My dear Marzavan, it is now time to put in execution the promise you have made me. The impatience I feel to see this charming princess, and to put an end to the singular torments she endures for my sake, would soon, I plainly feel, reduce me to the state in which you first saw me, if we were not to set out, immediately. One circumstance alone afflicts me, and makes me fear there may be delay: that is, the tender affection of my father, who will never be able to grant me permission to leave him. This will drive me to despair, if you cannot devise some scheme to obviate it. You see that he will never suffer me to be out of his sight.” The prince could not refrain from tears as he pronounced these last words.
“Prince,” replied Marzavan, “I have before now foreseen the great obstacle you mention; it remains with me to act so that he will not prevent our going. The original intention of my journey was to procure remission of her grief and sufferings to the princess of China, which I owed to the mutual friendship that has united us almost from our birth, and to the zeal and affection with which it is my duty to serve her. I should fail in that duty were I to neglect any means of obtaining consolation for her, and for you at the same time, if I did not employ all the address I am capable of for that purpose. Hear, then, what I have conceived to obviate the difficulty of obtaining the king’s permission to accomplish what we both so earnestly desire. You have not yet been out, since I arrived here; express to him a wish to take some exercise, and ask his leave to go on a little hunting excursion, for two or three days, with me; there is no reason to suppose he will refuse you: when he has granted your request, you will give orders to have two good horses ready for each; one to ride on, the other for relay, and leave the rest to me.”