34-the story of prince ahmed-第7部分

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from　an　expedition　you　were　engaged　in；　and　from

which　I　heard　with　pleasure　you　returned　victorious；

and　so　took　the　liberty　now　to　call　for　you。〃



At　these　words；　Schaibar；　looking　on　Prince　Ahmed

favorably；　said：　〃Is　there　anything　else；　sister；　wherein

I　can　serve　him？　It　is　enough　for　me　that　he　is　your

husband　to　engage　me　to　do　for　him　whatever　he　desires。〃

〃The　Sultan；　his　father；〃　replied　Paribanou；　〃has　a

curiosity　to　see　you；　and　I　desire　he　may　be　your　guide　to

the　Sultan's　Court。〃　〃He　needs　but　lead　me　the　way

I'll　follow　him。〃　〃Brother；〃　replied　Paribanou；　〃it　is

too　late　to　go　today；　therefore　stay　till　to…morrow　morning；

and　in　the　meantime　I'll　inform　you　of　all　that　has

passed　between　the　Sultan　of　the　Indies　and　Prince

Ahmed　since　our　marriage。〃



The　next　morning；　after　Schaibar　had　been　informed

of　the　affair；　he　and　Prince　Ahmed　set　out　for　the　Sultan's

Court。　When　they　arrived　at　the　gates　of　the　capital

the　people　no　sooner　saw　Schaibar　but　they　ran　and　hid

themselves；　and　some　shut　up　their　shops　and　locked

themselves　up　in　their　houses；　while　others；　flying；

communicated　their　fear　to　all　they　met；　who　stayed　not

to　look　behind　them；　but　ran　too；　insomuch　that　Schaibar

and　Prince　Ahmed；　as　they　went　along；　found　the

streets　all　desolate　till　they　came　to　the　palaces　where

the　porters；　instead　of　keeping　the　gates；　ran　away　too；

so　that　the　Prince　and　Schaibar　advanced　without　any

obstacle　to　the　council…hall；　where　the　Sultan　was　seated

on　his　throne；　and　giving　audience。　Here　likewise

the　ushers；　at　the　approach　of　Schaibar；　abandoned　their

posts；　and　gave　them　free　admittance。



Schaibar　went　boldly　and　fiercely　up　to　the　throne；

without　waiting　to　be　presented　by　Prince　Ahmed；　and

accosted　the　Sultan　of　the　Indies　in　these　words：　〃Thou

hast　asked　for　me；〃　said　he；　〃see；　here　I　am；　what　wouldst

thou　have　with　me？〃



The　Sultan；　instead　of　answering　him；　clapped　his

hands　before　his　eyes　to　avoid　the　sight　of　so　terrible　an

object；　at　which　uncivil　and　rude　reception　Schaibar

was　so　much　provoked；　after　he　had　given　him　the

trouble　to　come　so　far；　that　he　instantly　lifted　up　his

iron　bar　and　killed　him　before　Prince　Ahmed　could

intercede　in　his　behalf。　All　that　he　could　do　was　to

prevent　his　killing　the　grand　vizier；　who　sat　not　far　from

him；　representing　to　him　that　he　had　always　given　the

Sultan　his　father　good　advice。　〃These　are　they；　then；〃

said　Schaibar；　〃who　gave　him　bad；〃　and　as　he

pronounced　these　words　he　killed　all　the　other　viziers　and

flattering　favorites　of　the　Sultan　who　were　Prince

Ahmed's　enemies。　Every　time　he　struck　he　killed　some

one　or　other；　and　none　escaped　but　they　who　were　not

so　frightened　as　to　stand　staring　and　gaping；　and　who

saved　themselves　by　flight。



When　this　terrible　execution　was　over　Schaibar　came

out　of　the　council…hall　into　the　midst　of　the　courtyard

with　the　iron　bar　upon　his　shoulder；　and；　looking　hard

at　the　grand　vizier；　who　owed　his　life　to　Prince　Ahmed；

he　said：　〃I　know　here　is　a　certain　magician；　who　is　a

greater　enemy　of　my　brother…in…law　than　all　these　base

favorites　I　have　chastised。　Let　the　magician　be　brought

to　me　presently。〃　The　grand　vizier　immediately　sent

for　her；　and　as　soon　as　she　was　brought　Schaibar　said；

at　the　time　he　fetched　a　stroke　at　her　with　his　iron　bar：

〃Take　the　reward　of　thy　pernicious　counsel；　and　learn

to　feign　sickness　again。〃



After　this　he　said：　〃This　is　not　yet　enough；　I　will　use

the　whole　town　after　the　same　manner　if　they　do　not

immediately　acknowledge　Prince　Ahmed；　my　brother…in…

law；　for　their　Sultan　and　the　Sultan　of　the　Indies。〃　Then

all　that　were　there　present　made　the　air　echo　again　with　the

repeated　acclamations　of：　〃Long　life　to　Sultan　Ahmed〃；

and　immediately　after　he　was　proclaimed　through　the

whole　town。　Schaibar　made　him　be　clothed　in　the　royal

vestments；　installed　him　on　the　throne；　and　after　he　had

caused　all　to　swear　homage　and　fidelity　to　him　went

and　fetched　his　sister　Paribanou；　whom　he　brought　with

all　the　pomp　and　grandeur　imaginable；　and　made　her

to　be　owned　Sultaness　of　the　Indies。



As　for　Prince　Ali　and　Princess　Nouronnihar；　as　they

had　no　hand　in　the　conspiracy　against　Prince　Ahmed

and　knew　nothing　of　any；　Prince　Ahmed　assigned　them

a　considerable　province；　with　its　capital；　where　they　spent

the　rest　of　their　lives。　Afterwards　he　sent　an　officer　to

Prince　Houssain　to　acquaint　him　with　the　change　and

make　him　an　offer　of　which　province　he　liked　best；　but

that　Prince　thought　himself　so　happy　in　his　solitude

that　he　bade　the　officer　return　the　Sultan　his　brother

thanks　for　the　kindness　he　designed　him；　assuring　him

of　his　submission；　and　that　the　only　favor　he　desired　of

him　was　to　give　him　leave　to　live　retired　in　the　place　he

had　made　choice　of　for　his　retreat。＇1＇


＇1＇　Arabian　Nights。