The next day, prince Camaralzaman watched his opportunity; he told the king, his father, how much he wished to take an airing, and begged him to allow him to hunt for a day or two with Marzavan. “I do not object to it,” replied the king, “provided, however, that you promise me, not to remain out longer than one night. Too much exercise at first might be injurious, and a longer absence would be painful to me.” The king gave orders for the best horses to be chosen for him, and took care himself, that nothing should be wanting for his expedition. When every thing was ready, he embraced him, and having earnestly recommended him to the care of Marzavan, he let him depart.
Prince Camaralzaman and Marzavan reached an open country, and, to deceive the two grooms that led the relay of horses, they pretended to hunt, and got as distant from the city as possible. At night they stopped at a caravansera, where they supped and slept till about midnight. Marzavan, who was the first to wake, called prince Camaralzaman, without waking the grooms. He begged him to give him his dress, and to put on another, which one of the grooms had brought for him. They each mounted the horses of relay, and Marzavan leading one of the groom’s horses by the bridle, they set out in a quick pace.
At day-break, the travellers found themselves in a forest, at a place where the road divided in four. At this spot Marzavan begged the prince to wait for him a moment, and rode into the thickest of the forest. He there killed the groom’s horse, tore the dress which the prince had on the preceding day, and dipped it in the blood: when he returned to the prince, he threw it into the middle of the road where it divided.
The prince asked Marzavan what was his design by so doing. “When the king, your father,” replied Marzavan, “perceives that you do not return to-night, as you promised, or learns from the grooms that we set out without them, while they were asleep, he will undoubtedly send people out different ways to search for us. Those who come this way, and find this bloody vest, will conclude, that some beast of prey has devoured you, and that I have made my escape, to avoid the king’s anger and resentment; he, thinking from their account, that you are no longer in existence, will desist from his researches after us, and thus afford us the opportunity of continuing our journey without interruption, and the fear of being pursued. It is true, that the stratagem is a violent one, to occasion so tender a parent the afflicting alarm of having lost a son whom he doatingly loves; but the joy of your father will be beyond all bounds, when he shall again discover you to be alive and happy.”—“Wise Marzavan,” cried the prince, “I cannot but approve so ingenious an invention, and feel additional obligations to you for having put it in execution.”
The prince and Marzavan, well supplied with valuable jewels to defray their expences, continued their travels by land and by sea, and met with no other obstacle than the length of time, which necessarily must elapse, before they could reach their place of destination.
They at length arrived at the capital of China, where Marzavan, instead of conducting the prince to his own house, made him alight at a public khan for the reception of travellers. They remained there three days, to recover from the fatigue of the journey; and during this interval, Marzavan had an astrologer’s dress made for the prince to disguise himself in. When the three days were expired, they went together to the bath, where Marzavan made the prince put on the astrologer’s dress, and when they left the bath, he conducted him within sight of the palace of the king of China, and there left him, to go and acquaint his mother, the nurse of princess Badoura, of his arrival, that she might prepare the princess for the interview.
The prince, instructed by Marzavan in what he was to do, and furnished with every implement necessary for his assumed dress and character, approached the gate of the palace; and stopping before it, cried out with a loud voice, in the hearing of the guard and porters, “I am an astrologer, and I come to complete the cure of the illustrious princess Badoura, daughter of the great and puissant monarch Gaiour, king of China, according to the conditions proposed by his majesty, to marry her, if I succeed; or to lose my life, if I fail.
The novelty of this address instantly assembled a multitude of people round prince Camaralzaman, besides the guard and porters belonging to the palace. In fact, it was a long time since either physician, astrologer, or magician had presented himself, after so many tragical examples of people who had failed in their enterprise. They supposed the race was extinct, or, at least, that there were no more so foolish as to expose themselves to almost certain death.
On observing the elegant figure of the prince, his noble air, and the extreme youth which was discernible in his countenance, every one present felt compassion for him. “What are you thinking of, sir?” said those, who were nearest to him; “what can be your motive for thus exposing to certain death, a life which seems to possess such flattering hopes? Have not the heads, which you have seen ranged at the top of the gates of the city, inspired you with horror? In the name of God, abandon this useless and fatal design, and withdraw.”
The prince remained firm, notwithstanding all these remonstrances, and instead of listening to the entreaties of these people, as he saw that no one appeared to introduce him, he repeated the same words as before, with an oath, which made every one shudder; and they all exclaimed, “He is resolved to die; may God have pity on his youth and on his soul!” He called out a third time, and the grand vizier then came himself, by order of the king of China.