The Enchanted Horse - 4

In common politeness the prince could hardly refuse this request, and the princess set about inventing every kind of amusement for him, and succeeded so well that two months slipped by almost unnoticed, in balls, spectacles and in hunting, of which, when unattended by danger, the princess was passionately² fond. But at last, one day, he declared seriously that he could neglect his duty no longer, and entreated³ her to put no further obstacles in his way, promising⁴ at the same time to return, as soon as he could, with all the magnificence due both to her and to himself. 

 

"Princess," he added, "it may be that in your heart you class me with those false lovers whose devotion cannot stand the test of absence. If you do, you wrong me; and were it not for fear of offending you, I would beseech⁵（恳求） you to come with me, for my life can only be happy when passed with you. As for your reception at the Persian Court, it will be as warm as your merits deserve; and as for what concerns the King of Bengal, he must be much more indifferent to your welfare than you have led me to believe if he does not give his consent to our marriage." 

 

The princess could not find words in which to reply to the arguments of the Prince of Persia, but her silence and her downcast eyes spoke⁶ for her, and declared that she had no objection to accompanying him on his travels. 

 

The only difficulty that occurred to her was that Prince Firouz Schah did not know how to manage the horse, and she dreaded⁷ lest they might find themselves in the same plight⁸ as before. But the prince soothed⁹（安慰，缓和） her fears so successfully, that she soon had no other thought than to arrange for their flight so secretly, that no one in the palace should suspect it. 

 

This was done, and early the following morning, when the whole palace was wrapped in sleep, she stole up on to the roof, where the prince was already awaiting her, with his horse's head towards Persia. He mounted first and helped the princess up behind; then, when she was firmly seated, with her hands holding tightly to his belt, he touched the screw, and the horse began to leave the earth quickly behind him. 

 

He travelled with his accustomed speed, and Prince Firouz Schah guided him so well that in two hours and a half from the time of starting, he saw the capital of Persia lying beneath him. He determined¹⁰ to alight neither in the great square from which he had started, nor in the Sultan's palace, but in a country house at a little distance from the town. Here he showed the princess a beautiful suite¹¹ of rooms, and begged her to rest, while he informed his father of their arrival, and prepared a public reception worthy¹² of her rank. Then he ordered a horse to be saddled, and set out. 

 

All the way through the streets he was welcomed with shouts of joy by the people, who had long lost all hope of seeing him again. On reaching the palace, he found the Sultan surrounded by his ministers, all clad in（穿着） the deepest mourning, and his father almost went out of his mind with surprise and delight at the mere¹³ sound of his son's voice. When he had calmed down a little, he begged the prince to relate his adventures. 

 

The prince at once seized the opening thus given him, and told the whole story of his treatment by the Princess of Bengal, not even concealing¹⁴ the fact that she had fallen in love with him. "And, Sire," ended the prince, "having given my royal word that you would not refuse your consent to our marriage, I persuaded her to return with me on the Indian's horse. I have left her in one of your Highness's country houses, where she is waiting anxiously to be assured that I have not promised in vain." 

 

As he said this the prince was about to throw himself at the feet of the Sultan, but his father prevented him, and embracing him again, said eagerly: 

 

"My son, not only do I gladly consent to your marriage with the Princess of Bengal, but I will hasten to pay my respects to her, and to thank her in my own person for the benefits she has conferred on you. I will then bring her back with me, and make all arrangements for the wedding to be celebrated¹⁵ to-day." 

 

So the Sultan gave orders that the habits of mourning worn by the people should be thrown off and that there should be a concert of drums, trumpets¹⁶（喇叭，小号） and cymbals¹⁷（铙）. Also that the Indian should be taken from prison, and brought before him. 

 

His commands were obeyed, and the Indian was led into his presence, surrounded by guards. "I have kept you locked up," said the Sultan, "so that in case my son was lost, your life should pay the penalty. He has now returned; so take your horse, and begone for ever." 

 

The Indian hastily quitted the presence of the Sultan, and when he was outside, he inquired of the man who had taken him out of prison where the prince had really been all this time, and what he had been doing. They told him the whole story, and how the Princess of Bengal was even then awaiting in the country palace the consent of the Sultan, which at once put into the Indian's head a plan of revenge for the treatment he had experienced. Going straight to the country house, he informed the doorkeeper who was left in charge that he had been sent by the Sultan and by the Prince of Persia to fetch the princess on the enchanted¹⁸ horse, and to bring her to the palace. 

 

The doorkeeper knew the Indian by sight, and was of course aware that nearly three months before he had been thrown into prison by the Sultan; and seeing him at liberty, the man took for granted that he was speaking the truth, and made no difficulty about leading him before the Princess of Bengal; while on her side, hearing that he had come from the prince, the lady gladly consented to do what he wished. 

 

The Indian, delighted with the success of his scheme, mounted the horse, assisted the princess to mount behind him, and turned the peg¹⁹ at the very moment that the prince was leaving the palace in Schiraz for the country house, followed closely by the Sultan and all the court. Knowing this, the Indian deliberately²⁰ steered²¹ the horse right above the city, in order that his revenge for his unjust imprisonment²² might be all the quicker and sweeter. 

 

When the Sultan of Persia saw the horse and its riders, he stopped short with astonishment²³ and horror, and broke out into oaths and curses, which the Indian heard quite unmoved, knowing that he was perfectly²⁴ safe from pursuit. But mortified²⁵ and furious as the Sultan was, his feelings were nothing to those of Prince Firouz Schah, when he saw the object of his passionate¹ devotion being borne rapidly away. And while he was struck speechless with grief and remorse²⁶ at not having guarded her better, she vanished swiftly out of his sight. What was he to do? Should he follow his father into the palace, and there give reins²⁷ to his despair? Both his love and his courage alike forbade it; and he continued his way to the palace. 

 

The sight of the prince showed the doorkeeper of what folly²⁸ he had been guilty, and flinging himself at his master's feet, implored²⁹ his pardon. "Rise," said the prince, "I am the cause of this misfortune, and not you. Go and find me the dress of a dervish（托钵僧）, but beware of saying it is for me." 

 

At a short distance from the country house, a convent of dervishes was situated³⁰, and the superior, or scheih, was the doorkeeper's friend. So by means of a false story made up on the spur of the moment, it was easy enough to get hold of a dervish's dress, which the prince at once put on, instead of his own. Disguised like this and concealing about him a box of pearls and diamonds he had intended as a present to the princess, he left the house at nightfall, uncertain where he should go, but firmly resolved not to return without her.

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