34-the story of prince ahmed-第2部分

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right　senses　yesterday；　I　can　assure　you　he　is　one　of　the

ablest　criers　we　have；　and　the　most　employed　of　any

when　anything　valuable　is　to　be　sold。　And　if　he　cries

the　ivory　perspective　glass　at　thirty　purses　it　must　be

worth　as　much　or　more；　on　some　account　or　other。　He

will　come　by　presently；　and　we　will　call　him；　and　you

shall　be　satisfied；　in　the　meantime　sit　down　on　my　sofa；

and　rest　yourself。〃



Prince　Ali　accepted　the　merchant's　obliging　offer；　and

presently　afterward　the　crier　passed　by。　The　merchant

called　him　by　his　name；　and；　pointing　to　the　Prince；

said　to　him：　〃Tell　that　gentleman；　who　asked　me　if

you　were　in　your　right　senses；　what　you　mean　by　crying

that　ivory　perspective　glass；　which　seems　not　to　be

worth　much；　at　thirty　purses。　I　should　be　very　much

amazed　myself　if　I　did　not　know　you。〃　The　crier；

addressing　himself　to　Prince　Ali；　said：　〃Sir；　you　are　not

the　only　person　that　takes　me　for　a　madman　on　account

of　this　perspective　glass。　You　shall　judge　yourself

whether　I　am　or　no；　when　I　have　told　you　its　property

and　I　hope　you　will　value　it　at　as　high　a　price　as　those　I

have　showed　it　to　already；　who　had　as　bad　an　opinion

of　me　as　you。



〃First；　sir；〃　pursued　the　crier；　presenting　the　ivory

pipe　to　the　Prince；　〃observe　that　this　pipe　is　furnished

with　a　glass　at　both　ends；　and　consider　that　by　looking

through　one　of　them　you　see　whatever　object　you　wish

to　behold。〃　〃I　am；〃　said　the　Prince；　〃ready　to　make　you

all　imaginable　reparation　for　the　scandal　I　have　thrown

on　you　if　you　will　make　the　truth　of　what　you　advance

appear；〃　and　as　he　had　the　ivory　pipe　in　his　hand；　after

he　had　looked　at　the　two　glasses　he　said：　〃Show　me　at

which　of　these　ends　I　must　look　that　I　may　be　satisfied。〃

The　crier　presently　showed　him；　and　he　looked

through；　wishing　at　the　same　time　to　see　the　Sultan　his

father；　whom　he　immediately　beheld　in　perfect　health；

set　on　his　throne；　in　the　midst　of　his　council。　Afterward；

as　there　was　nothing　in　the　world　so　dear　to　him；

after　the　Sultan；　as　the　Princess　Nouronnihar；　he　wished

to　see　her；　and　saw　her　at　her　toilet　laughing；　and　in　a

pleasant　humor；　with　her　women　about　her。



Prince　Ali　wanted　no　other　proof　to　be　persuaded　that

this　perspective　glass　was　the　most　valuable　thing　in

the　world；　and　believed　that　if　he　should　neglect　to

purchase　it　he　should　never　meet　again　with　such　another

rarity。　He　therefore　took　the　crier　with　him　to　the

khan　where　he　lodged；　and　counted　him　out　the　money；

and　received　the　perspective　glass。



Prince　Ali　was　overjoyed　at　his　bargain；　and

persuaded　himself　that；　as　his　brothers　would　not　be　able

to　meet　with　anything　so　rare　and　admirable；　the　Princess

Nouronnihar　would　be　the　recompense　of　his　fatigue

and　trouble；　that　he　thought　of　nothing　but　visiting　the

Court　of　Persia　incognito；　and　seeing　whatever　was

curious　in　Schiraz　and　thereabouts；　till　the　caravan

with　which　he　came　returned　back　to　the　Indies。　As

soon　as　the　caravan　was　ready　to　set　out；　the　Prince

joined　them；　and　arrived　happily　without　any　accident

or　trouble；　otherwise　than　the　length　of　the　journey　and

fatigue　of　traveling；　at　the　place　of　rendezvous；　where　he

found　Prince　Houssain；　and　both　waited　for　Prince

Ahmed。



Prince　Ahmed；　who　took　the　road　of　Samarcand；　the

next　day　after　his　arrival　there　went；　as　his　brothers

had　done；　into　the　bezestein；　where　he　had　not　walked

long　but　heard　a　crier；　who　had　an　artificial　apple　in

his　hand；　cry　it　at　five　and　thirty　purses；　upon　which

he　stopped　the　crier；　and　said　to　him：　〃Let　me　see　that

apple；　and　tell　me　what　virtue　and　extraordinary

properties　it　has；　to　be　valued　at　so　high　a　rate。〃　〃Sir；〃

said　the　crier；　giving　it　into　his　hand；　〃if　you　look　at　the

outside　of　this　apple；　it　is　very　worthless；　but　if　you

consider　its　properties；　virtues；　and　the　great　use　and　benefit

it　is　to　mankind；　you　will　say　it　is　no　price　for　it；　and　that

he　who　possesses　it　is　master　of　a　great　treasure。　In

short；　it　cures　all　sick　persons　of　the　most　mortal　diseases；

and　if　the　patient　is　dying　it　will　recover　him　immediately

and　restore　him　to　perfect　health；　and　this　is

done　after　the　easiest　manner　in　the　world；　which　is　by

the　patient's　smelling　the　apple。〃



〃If　I　may　believe　you；〃　replied　Prince　Ahmed；　〃the

virtues　of　this　apple　are　wonderful；　and　it　is　invaluable；

but　what　ground　have　I；　for　all　you　tell　me；　to　be

persuaded　of　the　truth　of　this　matter？〃　〃Sir；〃　replied　the

crier；　〃the　thing　is　known　and　averred　by　the　whole

city　of　Samarcand；　but；　without　going　any　further；　ask

all　these　merchants　you　see　here；　and　hear　what　they

say。　You　will　find　several　of　them　will　tell　you　they

had　not　been　alive　this　day　if　they　had　not　made　use　of

this　excellent　remedy。　And；　that　you　may　better

comprehend　what　it　is；　I　must　tell　you　it　is　the　fruit　of　the

study　and　experiments　of　a　celebrated　philosopher　of

this　city；　who　applied　himself　all　his　lifetime　to　the　study

and　knowledge　of　the　virtues　of　plants　and　minerals；

and　at　last　attained　to　this　composition；　by　which　he

performed　such　surprising　cures　in　this　town　as　will

never　be　forgot；　but　died　suddenly　himself；　before　he

could　apply　his　sovereign　remedy；　and　left　his　wife　and

a　great　many　young　children　behind　him；　in　very　indifferent

circumstances；　who；　to　support　her　family　and

provide　for　her　children；　is　resolved　to　sell　it。〃



While　the　crier　informed　Prince　Ahmed　of　the　virtues

of　the　artificial　apple；　a　great　many　persons　came　about

them　and　confirmed　what　he　said；　and　one　among　the

rest　said　he　had　a　friend　dangerously　ill；　whose　life　was

despaired　of；　and　that　was　a　favorable　opportunity　to

show　Prince　Ahmed　the　experiment。　Upon　which

Prince　Ahmed　told　the　crier　he　would　give　him　forty

purses　if　he　cured　the　sick　person。



The　crier；　who　had　orders　to　sell　it　at　that　price；　said

to　Prince　Ahmed：　〃Come；　sir；　let　us　go　and　make　the

experiment；　and　the　apple　shall　be　yours；　and　I　can　assure

you　that　it　will　always　have　the　desired　effect。〃

In　short；　the　experiment　succeeded；　and　the　Prince；　after

he　had　counted　out　to　the　crier　forty　purses；　and　he　had

delivered　the　apple　to　him；　waited　patiently　for　the　first

caravan　that　should　return　to　the　Indies；　and　arrived

in　perfect　health　at　the　inn　where　the　Princes　Houssain

and　Ali　waited　for　him。



When　the　Princes　met　they　showed　each　other　their

treasures；　and　immediately　saw　through　the　glass　that

the　Princess　was　dying。　They　then　sat　down　on　the

carpet；　wished　themselves　with　her；　and　were　there　in　a

moment。



Prince　Ahmed　no　sooner　perceived　himself　in　Nouronnihar's

chamber　than　he　rose　off　the　tapestry；　as　did

also　the　other　two　Princes；　and　went　to　the　bedside；　and

put　the　apple　under　her　nose；　some　moments　after　the

Princess　opened　her　eyes；　and　turned　her　head　from

one　side　to　another；　looking　at　the　persons　who　stood

about　her；　and　then　rose　up　in　the　bed；　and　asked　to　be

dressed；　just　as　if　she　had　waked　out　of　a　sound　sleep。

Her　women　having　presently　informed　her；　in　a　manner

that　showed　their　joy；　that　she　was　obliged　to　the

three　Princes　for　the　sudden　recovery　of　her　health；　and

particularly　to　Prince　Ahmed；　she　immediately　expressed

her　joy　to　see　them；　and　thanked　them　all　together；　and

afterward　Prince　Ahmed　in　particular。



While　the　Princess　was　dressing　the　Princes　went　to

throw　themselves　at　the　Sultan　their　father's　feet；　and

pay　their　respects　to　him。　But　when　they　came　before

him　they　found　he　had　been　informed　of　their　arrival

by　the　chief　of　the　Princess's　eunuchs；　and　by　what

means　the　Princess　had　been　perfectly　cured。　The

Sultan　received　and　embraced　them　with　the　greatest

joy；　both　for　their　return　and　the　recovery　of　the

Princess　his　niece；　whom　he　loved　as　well　as　if　she　had　been

his　own　daughter；　and　who　had　been　given　over　by　the

physicians。　After　the　usual　ceremonies　and　compli…

ments　the　Princes　presented　each　his　rarity：　Prince

Houssain　his　tapestry；　which　he　had　taken　care　not　to

leave　behind　him　in　the　Princess's　chamber；　Prince　Ali

his　ivory　perspective　glass；　and　Prince　Ahmed　his

artificial　apple；　and　after　each　had　commended　their　present；

when　they　put　it　into　the　Sultan's　hands；　they　begged

of　him　to　pronounce　their　fate；　and　declare　to　which

of　them　he　would　give　the　Princess　Nouronnihar　for　a

wife；　according　to　his　promise。



The　Sultan　of　the　Indies；　having　heard；　without

interrupting　them；　all　that　the　Princes　could　represent

further　about　their　rarities；　and　being　well　informed　of

what　had　happened　in　relation　to　the　Princess　Nouronnihar's

cure；　remained　some　time　silent；　as　if　he　were

thinking　on　what　answer　he　should　make。　At　last　he

broke　the　silence；　and　said　to　them：　〃I　would　declare

for　one　of　you　children　with　a　great　deal　of　pleasure　if

I　could　do　it　with　justice；　but　consider　whether　I　can

do　it　or　no。　'Tis　true；　Prince　Ahmed；　the　Princess　my

niece　is　obliged　to　your　artificial　apple　for　her　cure；　but

I　must　ask　you　whether　or　no　you　could　have　been　so

serviceable　to　her　if　you　had　not　known　by　Prince　Ali's

perspective　glass　the　danger　she　was　in；　and　if　Prince

Houssain's　tapestry　had　not　brought　you　so　soon。　Your

perspective　glass；　Prince　Ali；　informed　you　and　your

brothers　that　you　were　like　to　lose　the　Princess　your

cousin；　and　there　you　must　own　a　great　obligation。



〃You　must　also　grant　that　that　knowledge　would　have

been　of　no　service　without　the　artificial　apple　and　the

tapestry。　And　lastly；　Prince　Houssain；　the　Princess

would　be　very　ungrateful　if　she　should　not　show　her

acknowledgment　of　the　service　of　your　tapestry；　which

was　so　necessary　a　means　toward　her　cure。　But　consider；

it　would　have　been　of　little　use　if　you　had　not

been　acquainted　with　the　Princess's　illness　by　Prince

Ali's　glass；　and　Prince　Ahmed　had　not　applied　his

arti