The Adventures of Prince Camaralzaman 6

"Now you shall choose. Shall I cure the princess in her own presence, or shall I do it from here without seeing her?" 

 

The eunuch（阉人）, who had expressed many contemptuous（轻蔑的） doubts as they came along of the newcomer's powers, was much surprised and said: 

 

"If you really can cure, it is immaterial when you do it. Your fame will be equally great." 

 

"Very well," replied the prince: "then, impatient though I am to see the princess, I will effect the cure where I stand, the better to convince you of my power." He accordingly drew out his writing case and wrote as follows--"Adorable princess! The enamoured Camaralzaman has never forgotten the moment when, contemplating¹ your sleeping beauty, he gave you his heart. As he was at that time deprived of the happiness of conversing² with you, he ventured to give you his ring as a token of his love, and to take yours in exchange, which he now encloses in this letter. Should you deign³ to return it to him he will be the happiest of mortals, if not he will cheerfully resign himself to death, seeing he does so for love of you. He awaits your reply in your ante-room." 

 

Having finished this note the prince carefully enclosed the ring in it without letting the eunuch see it, and gave him the letter, saying: 

 

"Take this to your mistress, my friend, and if on reading it and seeing its contents she is not instantly cured, you may call me an impudent⁴ impostor." 

 

The eunuch at once passed into the princess's room, and handing her the letter said: 

 

"Madam, a new astrologer has arrived, who declares that you will be cured as soon as you have read this letter and seen what it contains." 

 

The princess took the note and opened it with languid（倦怠的） indifference⁵. But no sooner did she see her ring than, barely glancing at the writing, she rose hastily and with one bound reached the doorway⁶ and pushed back the hangings. Here she and the prince recognised each other, and in a moment they were locked in each other's arms, where they tenderly embraced, wondering how they came to meet at last after so long a separation. The nurse, who had hastened after her charge, drew them back to the inner room, where the princess restored her ring to Camaralzaman. 

 

"Take it back," she said, "I could not keep it without returning yours to you, and I am resolved to wear that as long as I live." 

 

Meantime the eunuch had hastened back to the king. "Sire," he cried, "all the former doctors and astrologers were mere⁷ quacks⁸. This man has cured the princess without even seeing her." He then told all to the king, who, overjoyed, hastened to his daughter's apartments, where, after embracing her, he placed her hand in that of the prince, saying: 

 

"Happy stranger, I keep my promise, and give you my daughter to wife, be you who you may. But, if I am not much mistaken, your condition is above what you appear to be." 

 

The prince thanked the king in the warmest and most respectful terms, and added: "As regards my person, your Majesty⁹ has rightly guessed that I am not an astrologer. It is but a disguise which I assumed in order to merit your illustrious alliance. I am myself a prince, my name is Camaralzaman, and my father is Schahzaman, King of the Isles¹⁰ of the Children of Khaledan." He then told his whole history, including the extraordinary manner of his first seeing and loving the Princess Badoura. 

 

When he had finished the king exclaimed: "So remarkable¹¹ a story must not be lost to posterity¹². It shall be inscribed¹³ in the archives of my kingdom and published everywhere abroad." 

 

The wedding took place next day amidst great pomp and rejoicings. Marzavan was not forgotten, but was given a lucrative¹⁴ post at court, with a promise of further advancement¹⁵. 

 

The prince and princess were now entirely¹⁶ happy, and months slipped by unconsciously in the enjoyment¹⁷ of each other's society. 

 

One night, however, Prince Camaralzaman dreamt that he saw his father lying at the point of death, and saying: "Alas¹⁸! my son whom I loved so tenderly, has deserted¹⁹ me and is now causing my death." 

 

The prince woke with such a groan²⁰ as to startle the princess, who asked what was the matter. 

 

"Ah!" cried the prince, "at this very moment my father is perhaps no more!" and he told his dream. 

 

The princess said but little at the time, but next morning she went to the king, and kissing his hand said: 

 

"I have a favour to ask of your Majesty, and I beg you to believe that it is in no way prompted by my husband. It is that you will allow us both to visit my father-in-law King Schahzaman." 

 

Sorry though the king felt at the idea of parting with his daughter, he felt her request to be so reasonable that he could not refuse it, and made but one condition, which was that she should only spend one year at the court of King Schahzaman, suggesting that in future the young couple should visit their respective parents alternately. 

 

The princess brought this good news to her husband, who thanked her tenderly for this fresh proof of her affection. 

 

All preparations for the journey were now pressed forwards, and when all was ready the king accompanied the travellers for some days, after which he took an affectionate leave of his daughter, and charging the prince to take every care of her, returned to his capital. 

 

The prince and princess journeyed on, and at the end of a month reached a huge meadow interspersed²¹ with clumps²² of big trees which cast a most pleasant shade. As the heat was great, Camaralzaman thought it well to encamp in this cool spot. Accordingly the tents were pitched, and the princess entering hers whilst the prince was giving his further orders, removed her girdle, which she placed beside her, and desiring her women to leave her, lay down and was soon asleep. 

 

When the camp was all in order the prince entered the tent and, seeing the princess asleep, he sat down near her without speaking. His eyes fell on the girdle which, he took up, and whilst inspecting the precious stones set in it he noticed a little pouch²³ sewn to the girdle and fastened by a loop. He touched it and felt something hard within. Curious as to what this might be, he opened the pouch and found a cornelian engraved²⁴ with various figures and strange characters. 

 

"This cornelian must be something very precious," thought he, "or my wife would not wear it on her person with so much care." 

 

In truth it was a talisman²⁵ which the Queen of China had given her daughter, telling her it would ensure her happiness as long as she carried it about her. 

 

The better to examine the stone the prince stepped to the open doorway of the tent. As he stood there holding it in the open palm of his hand, a bird suddenly swooped²⁶ down, picked the stone up in its beak²⁷ and flew away with it. 

 

Imagine the prince's dismay at losing a thing by which his wife evidently set such store! 

 

The bird having secured its prey²⁸ flew off some yards and alighted on the ground, holding the talisman it its beak. Prince Camaralzaman advanced, hoping the bird would drop it, but as soon as he approached the thief fluttered on a little further still. He continued his pursuit till the bird suddenly swallowed the stone and took a longer flight than before. The prince then hoped to kill it with a stone, but the more hotly he pursued the further flew the bird.

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