34-the story of prince ahmed-第4部分

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and　pleasant　sight。　A　large　side　table　was　set　out

with　all　sorts　of　gold　plate；　so　finely　wrought　that　the

workmanship　was　much　more　valuable　than　the　weight

of　the　gold。　Several　choruses　of　beautiful　women　richly

dressed；　and　whose　voices　were　ravishing；　began　a　concert；

accompanied　with　all　sorts　of　the　most　harmonious

instruments；　and　when　they　were　set　down　at　table　the　Fairy

Paribanou　took　care　to　help　Prince　Ahmed　to　the　most

delicate　meats；　which　she　named　as　she　invited　him　to

eat　of　them；　and　which　the　Prince　found　to　be　so

exquisitely　nice　that　he　commended　them　with　exaggeration；

and　said　that　the　entertainment　far　surpassed　those　of

man。　He　found　also　the　same　excellence　in　the　wines；

which　neither　he　nor　the　Fairy　tasted　of　till　the　dessert

was　served　up；　which　consisted　of　the　choicest　sweet…

meats　and　fruits。



The　wedding　feast　was　continued　the　next　day；　or；

rather；　the　days　following　the　celebration　were　a　continual

feast。



At　the　end　of　six　months　Prince　Ahmed；　who　always

loved　and　honored　the　Sultan　his　father；　conceived　a

great　desire　to　know　how　he　was；　and　that　desire　could

not　be　satisfied　without　his　going　to　see；　he　told　the　Fairy

of　it；　and　desired　she　would　give　him　leave。



〃Prince；〃　said　she；　〃go　when　you　please。　But　first；

don't　take　it　amiss　that　I　give　you　some　advice　how　you

shall　behave　yourself　where　you　are　going。　First；　I　don't

think　it　proper　for　you　to　tell　the　Sultan　your　father　of

our　marriage；　nor　of　my　quality；　nor　the　place　where　you

have　been。　Beg　of　him　to　be　satisfied　in　knowing　you　are

happy；　and　desire　no　more；　and　let　him　know　that　the　sole

end　of　your　visit　is　to　make　him　easy；　and　inform　him　of

your　fate。〃



She　appointed　twenty　gentlemen；　well　mounted　and

equipped；　to　attend　him。　When　all　was　ready　Prince

Ahmed　took　his　leave　of　the　Fairy；　embraced　her；　and

renewed　his　promise　to　return　soon。　Then　his　horse；

which　was　most　finely　caparisoned；　and　was　as　beautiful

a　creature　as　any　in　the　Sultan　of　Indies'　stables；　was　led

to　him；　and　he　mounted　him　with　an　extraordinary　grace；

and；　after　he　had　bid　her　a　last　adieu；　set　forward　on　his

journey。



As　it　was　not　a　great　way　to　his　father's　capital；　Prince

Ahmed　soon　arrived　there。　The　people；　glad　to　see　him

again；　received　him　with　acclamations　of　joy；　and　followed

him　in　crowds　to　the　Sultan's　apartment。　The　Sultan

received　and　embraced　him　with　great　joy；　complaining

at　the　same　time；　with　a　fatherly　tenderness；　of　the

affliction　his　long　absence　had　been　to　him；　which　he　said　was

the　more　grievous　for　that；　fortune　having　decided　in

favor　of　Prince　Ali　his　brother；　he　was　afraid　he　might

have　committed　some　rash　action。



The　Prince　told　a　story　of　his　adventures　without　speaking

of　the　Fairy；　whom　he　said　that　he　must　not　mention；

and　ended：　〃The　only　favor　I　ask　of　your　Majesty　is　to

give　me　leave　to　come　often　and　pay　you　my　respects；　and

to　know　how　you　do。〃



〃Son；〃　answered　the　Sultan　of　the　Indies；　〃I　cannot

refuse　you　the　leave　you　ask　me；　but　I　should　much

rather　you　would　resolve　to　stay　with　me；　at　least　tell　me

where　I　may　send　to　you　if　you　should　fail　to　come；　or

when　I　may　think　your　presence　necessary。〃　〃Sir；〃

replied　Prince　Ahmed；　〃what　your　Majesty　asks　of　me　is

part　of　the　mystery　I　spoke　to　your　Majesty　of。　I　beg

of　you　to　give　me　leave　to　remain　silent　on　this　head；　for　I

shall　come　so　frequently　that　I　am　afraid　that　I　shall

sooner　be　thought　troublesome　than　be　accused　of　negligence

in　my　duty。〃



The　Sultan　of　the　Indies　pressed　Prince　Ahmed　no

more；　but　said　to　him：　〃Son；　I　penetrate　no　farther　into

your　secrets；　but　leave　you　at　your　liberty；　but　can　tell

you　that　you　could　not　do　me　a　greater　pleasure　than　to

come；　and　by　your　presence　restore　to　me　the　joy　I　have

not　felt　this　long　time；　and　that　you　shall　always　be

welcome　when　you　come；　without　interrupting　your　business

or　pleasure。〃



Prince　Ahmed　stayed　but　three　days　at　the　Sultan　his

father's　Court；　and　the　fourth　returned　to　the　Fairy

Paribanou；　who　did　not　expect　him　so　soon。



A　month　after　Prince　Ahmed's　return　from　paying　a

visit　to　his　father；　as　the　Fairy　Paribanou　had　observed

that　the　Prince；　since　the　time　that　he　gave　her　an　account

of　his　journey；　his　discourse　with　his　father；　and　the　leave

he　asked　to　go　and　see　him　often；　had　never　talked　of　the

Sultan；　as　if　there　had　been　no　such　person　in　the　world；

whereas　before　he　was　always　speaking　of　him；　she　thought

he　forebore　on　her　account；　therefore　she　took　an　opportunity

to　say　to　him　one　day：　〃Prince；　tell　me；　have　you

forgot　the　Sultan　your　father？　Don't　you　remember　the

promise　you　made　to　go　and　see　him　often？　For　my　part

I　have　not　forgot　what　you　told　me　at　your　return；　and

so　put　you　in　mind　of　it；　that　you　may　not　be　long　before

you　acquit　yourself　of　your　promise。〃



So　Prince　Ahmed　went　the　next　morning　with　the　same

attendance　as　before；　but　much　finer；　and　himself　more

magnificently　mounted；　equipped；　and　dressed；　and　was

received　by　the　Sultan　with　the　same　joy　and　satisfaction。

For　several　months　he　constantly　paid　his　visits；　always

in　a　richer　and　finer　equipage。



At　last　some　viziers；　the　Sultan's　favorites；　who　judged

of　Prince　Ahmed's　grandeur　and　power　by　the　figure　he

cut；　made　the　Sultan　jealous　of　his　son；　saying　it　was　to

be　feared　he　might　inveigle　himself　into　the　people's　favor

and　dethrone　him。



The　Sultan　of　the　Indies　was　so　far　from　thinking　that

Prince　Ahmed　could　be　capable　of　so　pernicious　a　design

as　his　favorites　would　make　him　believe　that　he　said

to　them：　〃You　are　mistaken；　my　son　loves　me；　and　I　am

certain　of　his　tenderness　and　fidelity；　as　I　have　given　him

no　reason　to　be　disgusted。〃



But　the　favorites　went　on　abusing　Prince　Ahmed　till

the　Sultan　said：　〃Be　it　as　it　will；　I　don't　believe　my　son

Ahmed　is　so　wicked　as　you　would　persuade　me　he　is；　how

ever；　I　am　obliged　to　you　for　your　good　advice；　and　don't

dispute　but　that　it　proceeds　from　your　good　intentions。〃



The　Sultan　of　the　Indies　said　this　that　his　favorites

might　not　know　the　impressions　their　discourse　had　made

on　his　mind；　which　had　so　alarmed　him　that　he　resolved

to　have　Prince　Ahmed　watched　unknown　to　his　grand

vizier。　So　he　sent　for　a　female　magician；　who　was　introduced

by　a　back　door　into　his　apartment。　〃Go　immediately；〃

he　said；　〃and　follow　my　son；　and　watch　him　so　well

as　to　find　out　where　he　retires；　and　bring　me　word。〃



The　magician　left　the　Sultan；　and；　knowing　the　place

where　Prince　Ahmed　found　his　arrow；　went　immediately

thither；　and　hid　herself　near　the　rocks；　so　that　nobody

could　see　her。



The　next　morning　Prince　Ahmed　set　out　by　daybreak；

without　taking　leave　either　of　the　Sultan　or　any　of　his

Court；　according　to　custom。　The　magician；　seeing　him

coming；　followed　him　with　her　eyes；　till　on　a　sudden　she

lost　sight　of　him　and　his　attendants。



As　the　rocks　were　very　steep　and　craggy；　they　were　an

insurmountable　barrier；　so　that　the　magician　judged　that

there　were　but　two　things　for　it：　either　that　the　Prince

retired　into　some　cavern；　or　an　abode　of　genies　or　fairies。

Thereupon　she　came　out　of　the　place　where　she　was　hid

and　went　directly　to　the　hollow　way；　which　she　traced

till　she　came　to　the　farther　end；　looking　carefully　about

on　all　sides；　but；　notwithstanding　all　her　diligence；　could

perceive　no　opening；　not　so　much　as　the　iron　gate　which

Prince　Ahmed　discovered；　which　was　to　be　seen　and

opened　to　none　but　men；　and　only　to　such　whose　presence

was　agreeable　to　the　Fairy　Paribanou。



The　magician；　who　saw　it　was　in　vain　for　her　to　search

any　farther；　was　obliged　to　be　satisfied　with　the　discovery

she　had　made；　and　returned　to　give　the　Sultan　an　account。



The　Sultan　was　very　well　pleased　with　the　magician's

conduct；　and　said　to　her：　〃Do　you　as　you　think　fit；　I'll

wait　patiently　the　event　of　your　promises；〃　and　to

encourage　her　made　her　a　present　of　a　diamond　of　great

value。



As　Prince　Ahmed　had　obtained　the　Fairy　Paribanou's

leave　to　go　to　the　Sultan　of　the　Indies'　Court　once　a

month；　he　never　failed；　and　the　magician；　knowing　the

time；　went　a　day　or　two　before　to　the　foot　of　the　rock

where　she　lost　sight　of　the　Prince　and　his　attendants；　and

waited　there。



The　next　morning　Prince　Ahmed　went　out；　as　usual；　at

the　iron　gate；　with　the　same　attendants　as　before；　and

passed　by　the　magician；　whom　he　knew　not　to　be　such；

and；　seeing　her　lie　with　her　head　against　the　rock；　and

complaining　as　if　she　were　in　great　pain；　he　pitied　her；

turned　his　horse　about；　went　to　her；　and　asked　her　what

was　the　matter　with　her；　and　what　he　could　do　to　ease　her。



The　artful　sorceress　looked　at　the　Prince　in　a　pitiful

manner；　without　ever　lifting　up　her　head；　and　answered

in　broken　words　and　sighs；　as　if　she　could　hardly　fetch

her　breath；　that　she　was　going　to　the　capital　city；　but　on

the　way　thither　she　was　taken　with　so　violent　a　fever　that

her　strength　failed　her；　and　she　was　forced　to　lie　down

where　he　saw　her；　far　from　any　habitation；　and　without

any　hopes　of　assistance。



〃Good　woman；〃　replied　Prince　Ahmed；　〃you　are　not　so

far　from　help　as　you　imagine。　I　am　ready　to　assist　you；

and　convey　you　where　you　will　meet　with　a　speedy　cure；

only　get　up；　and　let　one　of　my　people　take　you　behind

him。〃



At　these　words　the　magician；　who　pretended　sickness

only　to　know　where　the　Prince　lived　and　what　he　did；

refused　not　the　charitable　offer　he　made　her；　and　that　her

actions　might　correspond　with　her　words　she　made　many

pretended　vain　endeavors　to　get　up。　At　the　same　time

two　of　the　Prince's　attendants；　alighting　off　their　horses；

helped　her　up；　and　set　her　behind　another；　and　mounted

their　horses　again；　and　followed　the　Prince；　who　turned

back　to　the　iron　gate；　which　was　opened　by　one　of　his

retinu