Bostana no sooner heard these words than she instantly shut the door, and went to the dungeon, where Assad was. “Prince,” cried she in a joyful manner, “your misfortunes are at length terminated, follow me as quickly as possible.” Assad, whom she had released from his chains on the very first day that he had been brought back to the dungeon, followed her into the street, and when there, she instantly cried out, “Behold him, behold him.” The grand vizier, who had not proceeded far, turned round. Assad instantly recognised his brother, ran towards him, and fell into his arms. Amgiad too knew him from the first moment, and embraced him. He then made him mount the horse of one of his officers, who returned on foot, and conducted him in triumph to the palace, where he presented him to the king, who appointed him one of his viziers.
Bostana, who after this event did not wish to return to her father’s, whose house was razed to the ground the very same day, and did not leave prince Assad till he arrived at the palace, was sent to an apartment belonging to the queen. The old man, her father, and Behram, as well as all their families, being brought the next day before the king, he ordered them all to lose their heads. On this, they threw themselves at his feet, and implored his mercy. “You shall have no mercy shown you,” replied the king, “unless you renounce the adoration of fire, and embrace the mussulman religion.” By adopting this conduct, they saved their lives; and so also did Cavama, the sister of Bostana, and all their families.
In consideration of Behram’s being converted to a mussulman, and in order to give him some recompense for the loss he had before suffered, Amgiad made him one of his principal officers, and lodged him at his own house. A few days after, when Behram was made acquainted with the adventures of his benefactor Amgiad and his brother Assad, he proposed to fit out a vessel, and to carry them back to their father Camaralzaman. “There is no doubt,” he said, “but that the king is by this time convinced of your innocence, and is impatient to see you again. Should, however, that not be the case, it is very easy to be informed of it before you land, and then, should he still continue in his unjust prepossession, you will find no difficulty in returning.”
The two brothers accepted Behram’s offer. They mentioned their design to the king, who not only approved of it, but gave orders for the immediate equipment of a vessel. Behram hastened the preparations as much as possible; and when he was ready to set sail, the princes went and took leave of the king on the morning before they embarked. While they were paying their compliments, and thanking the monarch for all his kindness to them, they heard a great bustle and tumult through the whole city; and at the same moment an officer came, and said, that a very large army was approaching, and that no one could tell to whom it belonged.
Observing the alarm that this bad news gave the king, Amgiad said to him, “Although, Sire, I am now come for the purpose of resigning the office of grand vizier, with which you have honored me, I am, notwithstanding, ready to take upon myself the charge of rendering you any service in my power; and I entreat you to suffer me to go and see who this enemy is, that comes thus to attack you, in your very capital, without having first declared war.” The king begged he would, and he instantly set out with very few attendants.
It was not long before prince Amgiad discovered the army, which appeared so formidable, and continued to approach. The advanced guards, who had received their orders, gave him a favorable reception, and conducted him before a princess, who stopped, with her whole army, to hold a conference with him. Prince Amgiad made her a most profound reverence; and asked her, if she came as a friend or an enemy, and if she was an enemy, he requested to be informed what cause of complaint she had against the king, his master. “I come as a friend,” she replied, “and have no cause whatever for complaint against the king of the Magi. His dominions and mine are situated in such a manner, that it is almost impossible we can ever have any dispute together. I come only to require a slave, whose name is Assad, and who has been taken away from me by a captain belonging to this city, who is called Behram, and is the most insolent of men. And I trust your king will afford me justice, when he shall know that my name is Margiana.”
“Powerful queen,” replied Amgiad, “I am the brother of that slave whom you seem to search after with so much interest and concern. I had lost him, and have now recovered him. Come with me, and I will give him up to you, and will likewise have the honor to inform you of every other particular. The king, my master, will be delighted to see you.”
Queen Margiana then ordered her army to encamp in the spot where it then was, and accompanied prince Amgiad through the city to the palace, where he presented her to the king. When the monarch had received her in the way she deserved, prince Assad, who was present, and who knew her the moment she appeared, came and paid his compliments to her. She expressed great joy at seeing him again; when, at this very instant, some one entered, and announced to the king, that another army, much more powerful than the first, had made its appearance on the other side of the city. The king of the Magi seemed more alarmed now than he was when that belonging to Margiana came in sight, as the present appeared much the most numerous, if he might judge from the clouds of dust which its approach occasioned, and which seemed to spread itself through the whole air. “What will become of us, Amgiad?” he cried; “there is a fresh army approaching to overwhelm us.” The prince knew what the king meant; he therefore mounted his horse, and rode as fast as possible to meet this second army. He demanded of the first part of it which he encountered, to speak to their commander, and they conducted him before a king, as he instantly conjectured, from a crown, which he had upon his head. As soon as he perceived him, although at some distance, he alighted, and when he was come nearer, he prostrated himself on the ground, and asked what he wished of the king, his master.
“I am called Gaiour,” replied the monarch, “and am king of China. The desire of learning some intelligence of a daughter, named Badoura, whom many years since I gave in marriage to prince Camaralzaman, son of Schahzaman, king of the Islands of the Children of Khaledan, has been the cause of my leaving my dominions. I gave this prince leave to go and see his father, with the charge of coming to spend every other year with me, and bringing my daughter with him. I have, however, for a great length of time, been unable to hear any thing of them. Your king, therefore, will much oblige an afflicted father, if he can give him the least information on the subject.”
Prince Amgiad, who instantly knew by this speech, that it was his grandfather, kissed his hand with great tenderness, and said to him, “Your majesty will pardon this liberty, when you shall know, that I behave thus in order to pay my respects to you as my grandfather. I am the son of Camaralzaman, at this time king of the Island of Ebony, and of queen Badoura, on whose account you are so much distressed; and I do not doubt, but that they are at this time in their dominions, in perfect health.” The king of China instantly embraced him in the most affectionate manner, so much was he delighted at thus seeing his grandson. And this very unexpected and happy meeting drew tears from the eyes of both. On asking what was the reason of his being thus in a foreign country, prince Amgiad related his history, and that of his brother Assad. When it was finished, “My son,” replied the king of China, “it is not just, that two princes, so innocent as you are, should experience any further bad effects from your ill-treatment. Console yourself; I will carry back both you and your brother, and will make your peace. Go, and make my arrival known to your brother.”