34-the story of prince ahmed-第3部分

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been　acquainted　with　the　Princess's　illness　by　Prince

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

artificial　apple。　Therefore；　as　neither　tapestry；　ivory

perspective　glass；　nor　artificial　apple　have　the　least

preference　one　before　the　other；　but；　on　the　contrary；　there's　a

perfect　equality；　I　cannot　grant　the　Princess　to　ally　one

of　you；　and　the　only　fruit　you　have　reaped　from　your

travels　is　the　glory　of　having　equally　contributed　to

restore　her　health。



〃If　all　this　be　true；〃　added　the　Sultan；　〃you　see　that

I　must　have　recourse　to　other　means　to　determine　certainly

in　the　choice　I　ought　to　make　among　you；　and

that；　as　there　is　time　enough　between　this　and　night；

I'll　do　it　today。　Go　and　get　each　of　you　a　bow　and

arrow；　and　repair　to　the　great　plain；　where　they　exercise

horses。　I'll　soon　come　to　you；　and　declare　I　will　give

the　Princess　Nouronnihar　to　him　that　shoots　the　farthest。〃



The　three　Princes　had　nothing　to　say　against　the

decision　of　the　Sultan。　When　they　were　out　of　his　presence

they　each　provided　themselves　with　a　bow　and　arrow；

which　they　delivered　to　one　of　their　officers；　and

went　to　the　plain　appointed；　followed　by　a　great

concourse　of　people。



The　Sultan　did　not　make　them　wait　long　for　him；

and　as　soon　as　he　arrived　Prince　Houssain；　as　the　eldest；

took　his　bow　and　arrow　and　shot　first；　Prince　Ali　shot

next；　and　much　beyond　him；　and　Prince　Ahmed　last

of　all；　but　it　so　happened　that　nobody　could　see　where

his　arrow　fell；　and；　notwithstanding　all　the　diligence　that

was　used　by　himself　and　everybody　else；　it　was　not　to

be　found　far　or　near。　And　though　it　was　believed　that

he　shot　the　farthest；　and　that　he　therefore　deserved　the

Princess　Nouronnihar；　it　was；　however；　necessary　that

his　arrow　should　be　found　to　make　the　matter　more

evident　and　certain；　and；　notwithstanding　his　remonstrance；

the　Sultan　judged　in　favor　of　Prince　Ali；　and

gave　orders　for　preparations　to　be　made　for　the　wedding；

which　was　celebrated　a　few　days　after　with　great

magnificence。



Prince　Houssain　would　not　honor　the　feast　with　his

presence。　In　short；　his　grief　was　so　violent　and　insupportable

that　he　left　the　Court；　and　renounced　all　right

of　succession　to　the　crown；　to　turn　hermit。



Prince　Ahmed；　too；　did　not　come　to　Prince　Ali's　and

the　Princess　Nouronnihar's　wedding　any　more　than　his

brother　Houssain；　but　did　not　renounce　the　world　as

he　had　done。　But；　as　he　could　not　imagine　what　had

become　of　his　arrow；　he　stole　away　from　his　attendants

and　resolved　to　search　after　it；　that　he　might　not　have

anything　to　reproach　himself　with。　With　this　intent　he

went　to　the　place　where　the　Princes　Houssain's　and

Ali's　were　gathered　up；　and；　going　straight　forward

from　there；　looking　carefully　on　both　sides　of　him；　he

went　so　far　that　at　last　he　began　to　think　his　labor　was

all　in　vain；　but　yet　he　could　not　help　going　forward　till

he　came　to　some　steep　craggy　rocks；　which　were　bounds

to　his　journey；　and　were　situated　in　a　barren　country；

about　four　leagues　distant　from　where　he　set　out。





II





When　Prince　Ahmed　came　pretty　nigh　to　these　rocks

he　perceived　an　arrow；　which　he　gathered　up；　looked

earnestly　at　it；　and　was　in　the　greatest　astonishment

to　find　it　was　the　same　he　shot　away。　〃Certainly；〃

said　he　to　himself；　〃neither　I　nor　any　man　living　could

shoot　an　arrow　so　far；〃　and；　finding　it　laid　flat；　not

sticking　into　the　ground；　he　judged　that　it　rebounded

against　the　rock。　〃There　must　be　some　mystery　in

this；〃　said　he　to　himself　again；　〃and　it　may　be

advantageous　to　me。　Perhaps　fortune；　to　make　me　amends

for　depriving　me　of　what　I　thought　the　greatest　happiness；

may　have　reserved　a　greater　blessing　for　my　comfort。〃



As　these　rocks　were　full　of　caves　and　some　of　those

caves　were　deep；　the　Prince　entered　into　one；　and；　looking

about；　cast　his　eyes　on　an　iron　door；　which　seemed

to　have　no　lock；　but　he　feared　it　was　fastened。　However；

thrusting　against　it；　it　opened；　and　discovered　an

easy　descent；　but　no　steps；　which　he　walked　down　with

his　arrow　in　his　hand。　At　first　he　thought　he　was　going

into　a　dark；　obscure　place；　but　presently　a　quite　different

light　succeeded　that　which　he　came　out　of；　and；　entering

into　a　large；　spacious　place；　at　about　fifty　or

sixty　paces　distant；　he　perceived　a　magnificent　palace；

which　he　had　not　then　time　enough　to　look　at。　At　the

same　time　a　lady　of　majestic　port　and　air　advanced　as

far　as　the　porch；　attended　by　a　large　troop　of　ladies；　so

finely　dressed　and　beautiful　that　it　was　difficult　to

distinguish　which　was　the　mistress。



As　soon　as　Prince　Ahmed　perceived　the　lady；　he　made

all　imaginable　haste　to　go　and　pay　his　respects；　and　the

lady；　on　her　part；　seeing　him　coming；　prevented　him　from

addressing　his　discourse　to　her　first；　but　said　to　him：

〃Come　nearer；　Prince　Ahmed；　you　are　welcome。〃



It　was　no　small　surprise　to　the　Prince　to　hear　himself

named　in　a　place　he　had　never　heard　of；　though　so　nigh

to　his　father's　capital；　and　he　could　not　comprehend

how　he　should　be　known　to　a　lady　who　was　a　stranger

to　him。　At　last　he　returned　the　lady's　compliment　by

throwing　himself　at　her　feet；　and；　rising　up　again；　said

to　her：



〃Madam；　I　return　you　a　thousand　thanks　for　the

assurance　you　give　me　of　a　welcome　to　a　place　where　I

believed　my　imprudent　curiosity　had　made　me　penetrate

too　far。　But；　madam；　may　I；　without　being

guilty　of　ill　manners；　dare　to　ask　you　by　what　adventure

you　know　me？　and　how　you；　who　live　in　the　same　neighborhood

with　me；　should　be　so　great　a　stranger　to　me？〃



〃Prince；〃　said　the　lady；　〃let　us　go　into　the　hall；　there

I　will　gratify　you　in　your　request。〃



After　these　words　the　lady　led　Prince　Ahmed　into　the

hall。　Then　she　sat　down　on　a　sofa；　and　when　the　Prince

by　her　entreaty　had　done　the　same　she　said：　〃You　are

surprised；　you　say；　that　I　should　know　you　and　not　be

known　by　you；　but　you　will　be　no　longer　surprised　when

I　inform　you　who　I　am。　You　are　undoubtedly　sensible

that　your　religion　teaches　you　to　believe　that　the　world

is　inhabited　by　genies　as　well　as　men。　I　am　the　daughter

of　one　of　the　most　powerful　and　distinguished　genies；

and　my　name　is　Paribanou。　The　only　thing　that　I　have

to　add　is；　that　you　seemed　to　me　worthy　of　a　more　happy

fate　than　that　of　possessing　the　Princess　Nouronnihar；

and；　that　you　might　attain　to　it；　I　was　present　when

you　drew　your　arrow；　and　foresaw　it　would　not　go　beyond

Prince　Houssain's。　I　took　it　in　the　air；　and　gave

it　the　necessary　motion　to　strike　against　the　rocks　near

which　you　found　it；　and　I　tell　you　that　it　lies　in　your

power　to　make　use　of　the　favorable　opportunity　which

presents　itself　to　make　you　happy。〃



As　the　Fairy　Paribanou　pronounced　these　last　words

with　a　different　tone；　and　looked；　at　the　same　time；

tenderly　upon　Prince　Ahmed；　with　a　modest　blush　on　her

cheeks；　it　was　no　hard　matter　for　the　Prince　to　comprehend

what　happiness　she　meant。　He　presently　considered

that　the　Princess　Nouronnihar　could　never　be　his　and

that　the　Fairy　Paribanou　excelled　her　infinitely　in

beauty；　agreeableness；　wit；　and；　as　much　as　he　could

conjecture　by　the　magnificence　of　the　palace；　in　immense

riches。　He　blessed　the　moment　that　he　thought　of　seeking

after　his　arrow　a　second　time；　and；　yielding　to　his

love；　〃Madam；〃　replied　he；　〃should　I　all　my　life　have

the　happiness　of　being　your　slave；　and　the　admirer　of

the　many　charms　which　ravish　my　soul；　I　should　think

myself　the　most　blessed　of　men。　Pardon　in　me　the　boldness

which　inspires　me　to　ask　this　favor；　and　don't　refuse

to　admit　me　into　your　Court；　a　prince　who　is　entirely

devoted　to　you。〃



〃Prince；〃　answered　the　Fairy；　〃will　you　not　pledge

your　faith　to　me；　as　well　as　I　give　mine　to　you？〃　〃Yes；

madam；　replied　the　Prince；　in　an　ecstacy　of　joy；　〃what

can　I　do　better；　and　with　greater　pleasure？　Yes；　my

sultaness；　my　queen；　I'll　give　you　my　heart　without　the

least　reserve。〃　〃Then；〃　answered　the　Fairy；　〃you　are

my　husband；　and　I　am　your　wife。　But；　as　I　suppose；〃

pursued　she；　〃that　you　have　eaten　nothing　today；　a　slight

repast　shall　be　served　up　for　you；　while　preparations　are

making　for　our　wedding　feast　at　night；　and　then　I　will

show　you　the　apartments　of　my　palace；　and　you　shall

judge　if　this　hall　is　not　the　meanest　part　of　it。〃



Some　of　the　Fairy's　women；　who　came　into　the　hall

with　them；　and　guessed　her　intentions；　went　immediately

out；　and　returned　presently　with　some　excellent　meats

and　wines。



When　Prince　Ahmed　had　ate　and　drunk　as　much　as　he

cared　for；　the　Fairy　Paribanou　carried　him　through　all　the

apartments；　where　he　saw　diamonds；　rubies；　emeralds

and　all　sorts　of　fine　jewels；　intermixed　with　pearls；　agate；

jasper；　porphyry；　and　all　sorts　of　the　most　precious

marbles。　But；　not　to　mention　the　richness　of　the　furniture；

which　was　inestimable；　there　was　such　a　profuseness

throughout　that　the　Prince；　instead　of　ever　having　seen

anything　like　it；　owned　that　he　could　not　have　imagined

that　there　was　anything　in　the　world　that　could　come　up

to　it。　〃Prince；〃　said　the　Fairy；　〃if　you　admire　my　palace

so　much；　which；　indeed；　is　very　beautiful；　what　would　you

say　to　the　palaces　of　the　chief　of　our　genies；　which　are

much　more　beautiful；　spacious；　and　magnificent？　I　could

also　charm　you　with　my　gardens；　but　we　will　let　that

alone　till　another　time。　Night　draws　near；　and　it　will　be

time　to　go　to　supper。〃



The　next　hall　which　the　Fairy　led　the　Prince　into；　and

where　the　cloth　was　laid　for　the　feast；　was　the　last　apartment

the　Prince　had　not　seen；　and　not　in　the　least　inferior

to　the　others。　At　his　entrance　into　it　he　admired　the

infinite　number　of　sconces　of　wax　candles　perfumed　with

amber；　the　multitude　of　which；　instead　of　being　confused；

were　placed　with　so　just　a　symmetry　as　formed　an　agreeable

and　pleasant　sight。　A　large　side　table　was　set　o