The Adventures of Prince Camaralzaman 7

In this fashion he was led on by hill and dale through the entire day, and when night came the tiresome¹ creature roosted on the top of a very high tree where it could rest in safety. 

 

The prince in despair at all his useless trouble began to think whether he had better return to the camp. "But," thought he, "how shall I find my way back? Must I go up hill or down? I should certainly lose my way in the dark, even if my strength held out." Overwhelmed by hunger, thirst, fatigue²（疲劳） and sleep, he ended by spending the night at the foot of the tree. 

 

Next morning Camaralzaman woke up before the bird left its perch³, and no sooner did it take flight than he followed it again with as little success as the previous day, only stopping to eat some herbs and fruit he found by the way. In this fashion he spent ten days, following the bird all day and spending the night at the foot of a tree, whilst it roosted on the topmost bough⁴. On the eleventh day the bird and the prince reached a large town, and as soon as they were close to its walls the bird took a sudden and higher flight and was shortly completely out of sight, whilst Camaralzaman felt in despair at having to give up all hopes of ever recovering the talisman⁵（护身符，法宝） of the Princess Badoura. 

 

Much cast down, he entered the town, which was built near the sea and had a fine harbour. He walked about the streets for a long time, not knowing where to go, but at length as he walked near the seashore he found a garden door open and walked in. 

 

The gardener, a good old man, who was at work, happened to look up, and, seeing a stranger, whom he recognised by his dress as a Mussulman, he told him to come in at once and to shut the door. 

 

Camaralzaman did as he was bid, and inquired why this precaution was taken. 

 

"Because," said the gardener, "I see that you are a stranger and a Mussulman, and this town is almost entirely⁶ inhabited by idolaters, who hate and persecute⁷ all of our faith. It seems almost a miracle that has led you to this house, and I am indeed glad that you have found a place of safety." 

 

Camaralzaman warmly thanked the kind old man for offering him shelter, and was about to say more, but the gardener interrupted him with: 

 

"Leave compliments alone. You are weary and must be hungry. Come in, eat, and rest." So saying he led the prince into his cottage, and after satisfying his hunger begged to learn the cause of his arrival. 

 

Camaralzaman told him all without disguise, and ended by inquiring the shortest way to his father's capital. "For," added he, "if I tried to rejoin the princess, how should I find her after eleven days' separation. Perhaps, indeed, she may be no longer alive!" At this terrible thought he burst into tears. 

 

The gardener informed Camaralzaman that they were quite a year's land journey to any Mahomedan country, but that there was a much shorter route by sea to the Ebony Island, from whence the Isles⁸ of the Children of Khaledan could be easily reached, and that a ship sailed once a year for the Ebony Island by which he might get so far as his very home. 

 

"If only you had arrived a few days sooner," he said, "you might have embarked⁹ at once. As it is you must now wait till next year, but if you care to stay with me I offer you my house, such as it is, with all my heart." 

 

Prince Camaralzaman thought himself lucky to find some place of refuge, and gladly accepted the gardener's offer. He spent his days working in the garden, and his nights thinking of and sighing for his beloved wife. 

 

Let us now see what had become during this time of the Princess Badoura. 

 

On first waking she was much surprised not to find the prince near her. She called her women and asked if they knew where he was, and whilst they were telling her that they had seen him enter the tent, but had not noticed his leaving it, she took up her belt and perceived that the little pouch¹⁰（育儿袋） was open and the talisman gone. 

 

She at once concluded that her husband had taken it and would shortly bring it back. She waited for him till evening rather impatiently, and wondering what could have kept him from her so long. When night came without him she felt in despair and abused the talisman and its maker¹¹ roundly. In spite of her grief and anxiety however, she did not lose her presence of mind, but decided¹² on a courageous¹³, though very unusual step. 

 

Only the princess and her women knew of Camaralzaman's disappearance¹⁴, for the rest of the party were sleeping or resting in their tents. Fearing some treason should the truth be known, she ordered her women not to say a word which would give rise to any suspicion, and proceeded to change her dress for one of her husband's, to whom, as has been already said, she bore a strong likeness¹⁵. 

 

In this disguise she looked so like the prince that when she gave orders next morning to break up the camp and continue the journey no one suspected the change. She made one of her women enter her litter, whilst she herself mounted on horseback and the march began. 

 

After a protracted¹⁶ journey by land and sea the princess, still under the name and disguise of Prince Camaralzaman, arrived at the capital of the Ebony Island whose king was named Armanos. 

 

No sooner did the king hear that the ship which was just in port had on board the son of his old friend and ally than he hurried to meet the supposed prince, and had him and his retinue¹⁷ brought to the palace, where they were lodged¹⁸ and entertained sumptuously¹⁹. 

 

After three days, finding that his guest, to whom he had taken a great fancy, talked of continuing his journey, King Armanos said to him: 

 

"Prince, I am now an old man, and unfortunately 1 have no son to whom to leave my kingdom. It has pleased Heaven to give me only one daughter, who possesses such great beauty and charm that I could only give her to a prince as highly born and as accomplished²⁰ as yourself. Instead, therefore, of returning to your own country, take my daughter and my crown and stay with us. I shall feel that I have a worthy²¹ successor, and shall cheerfully retire from the fatigues²² of government." 

 

The king's offer was naturally rather embarrassing to the Princess Badoura. She felt that it was equally impossible to confess that she had deceived him, or to refuse the marriage on which he had set his heart; a refusal which might turn all his kindness to hatred²³ and persecution²⁴. 

 

All things considered, she decided to accept, and after a few moments silence said with a blush, which the king attributed to modesty: 

 

"Sire, I feel so great an obligation for the good opinion your Majesty²⁵ has expressed for my person and of the honour you do me, that, though I am quite unworthy of it, I dare not refuse. But, sire, I can only accept such an alliance if you give me your promise to assist me with your counsels." 

 

The marriage being thus arranged, the ceremony was fixed²⁶ for the following day, and the princess employed the intervening time in informing the officers of her suite²⁷ of what had happened, assuring them that the Princess Badoura had given her full consent to the marriage. She also told her women, and bade them keep her secret well. 

 

King Armanos, delighted with the success of his plans, lost no time in assembling his court and council, to whom he presented his successor, and placing his future son-in-law on the throne made everyone do homage²⁸（敬意，尊敬） and take oaths of allegiance to the new king.

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