Eastern Tales by Many Story Tellers Part 39

The guards, entering the tomb, found no one within, but at the upper end they saw a stone case supported by two blocks of black marble. The stone case was covered with a flat marble, which the guards could not remove from its place.

The Vizier, being acquainted with these particulars, returned to the Sultan, and related to him what the guards had discovered. But Misnar, recollecting the many devices which the enchanters had prepared to ensnare him, was very doubtful what course to take.

On a sudden the moon, which shone exceeding bright, was overcast, and the clouds appeared of a glowing red, like the fiery heat of a burning furnace; hollow murmurs were heard at a distance, and a putrid and suffocating smell arose; when, in the midst of the fiery clouds, the black form of a haggard and hideously distorted female became visible, furiously riding on an unwieldy monster with many legs.

In an instant the clouds to the east disappeared, and the heavens from that quarter shone like the meridian sun, and discovered a lovely graceful nymph, the brightness of whose features expressed the liveliest marks of meekness, grace, and love.

"Hapacuson," said the fair one, addressing herself to the hag, "why wilt thou vainly brandish thy rebellious arms against the powers of Heaven? If the Sultan, though he be the favourite of Allah, do wrong, the Mighty One, who delighteth in justice, will make thee the instrument of His vengeance on the offending Prince. But know the extent of thy power, vain woman! and presume not to war against the will of Heaven, lest the battle of the faithful genii be set in array against thee, and thou be joined to the number of those who are already fallen."

"Proud va.s.sal of light," answered the enchantress Hapacuson, "I fear not thy threats, nor the bright pageants that surround thee: war, tumult, chaos, and darkness, fear and dismay, are to me more welcome than the idle splendours of thy Master."

"Abandoned wretch!" answered the bright being, "defile not thy Maker's creations by thy blasphemous tongue; but learn at least to fear that Mighty One thou art not worthy to honour."

Thus saying, she blew from her mouth a vivid flame, like a sharp two edged-sword, which, entering into the clouds that surrounded Hapacuson, the hag gave a horrible shriek, and the thick clouds rolling around her, she flew away into the darkness.

The fair one then descending towards the Sultan, the brightness disappeared, and Misnar, the Vizier, and the guards, fell prostrate before her.

"Arise, Misnar," said she, "Heaven's favourite! and fear not to enter the tomb, where the enchantments of Hapacuson are now at an end."

The Sultan was about to answer, but the fair one led the way to the tomb, and commanded him to enter with her, and uncover the stone case which stood at the upper end.

As the lid was removing, a sigh issued from its case, and a lovely female arose as from a deep sleep.

"Inform me," said the Sultan, "whom it is my happy fate to release from this wretched confinement?"

"Alas!" answered the beautiful maiden, "art thou the vile Bennaskar, or the still more vile Mahoud? Oh, let me sleep till death, and never more behold the wretchedness of life!"

"What!" said the Sultan, starting from his knees, "do I behold the unfortunate Princess of Ca.s.simir?"

"Ill.u.s.trious Hemjunah," said the Vizier Horam, as the Princess stared wildly about her, "Misnar, the Sultan of India, is before thee."

"Yes," interrupted the fair spirit, "doubt not, Hemjunah, the truth of the Vizier Horam; for behold! Macoma, thy guardian genius, a.s.sures thee of the reality of what thou beholdest."

"Helper of the afflicted," answered the Princess of Ca.s.simir, "doubt vanishes when you are present; but wonder not at my incredulity, since my whole life has been a false illusion. O Allah, wherefore hast Thou made the weakest the most subject to deceit?"

"To call in question the wisdom of Allah," answered the genius Macoma, "is to act like the child of folly: go, then, thou mirror of justice and understanding, and span with thy mighty arms the numberless heavens of the Faithful; weigh in thy just balance the wisdom of thy Maker, and the fitness of His creation; and, joined with the evil race from whom I have preserved thee, rail at that goodness thou canst not comprehend."

"Spare me, just genius," answered the Princess of Ca.s.simir; "spare the weakness of my disordered head. I confess my folly; but weak is the offspring of weakness."

"True," replied the genius; "but although you are weak, ought you therefore to be presumptuous? Knowest thou not that the Sultan Misnar suffered with you because he despaired? And now would Hapacuson return thee to thy former slumbers, did not Allah, who has beheld thy former sufferings, in pity forgive the vain thoughts of mortality."

"Blessed is His goodness," answered the Princess, "and blessed are His servants, who delight in succouring and instructing the weak and distressed."

"To be sorry for our errors," said the genius, "is to bring down the pardon of Heaven; and Hemjunah, though so long overpowered by the malicious, is nevertheless one of the loveliest of her s.e.x.

"Sultan of India," continued Macoma, turning to Misnar, "I leave the Princess of Ca.s.simir to your care, in full a.s.surance that the delicacy of her sentiments will not be offended by your royal and n.o.ble treatment of her. But let an amba.s.sador be immediately dispatched from your Court to inform her aged and pious father of the safety of his daughter."

"The dictates of Macoma," answered the Sultan, bowing before her, "are the dictates of virtue and humanity, and her will shall be religiously obeyed."

At these words the genius vanished, and the Sultan bade part of his guards return to Delhi to the chief of his eunuchs, and order him to prepare a palanquin and proper attendants to convey the Princess of Ca.s.simir to the royal palace.

While these preparations were making, the Sultan and his Vizier endeavoured to soothe and entertain the Princess of Ca.s.simir; and though Horam was desirous of hearing her adventures, yet the Sultan would not suffer him to request Hemjunah's relation, till she was carried to the palace, and refreshed after her fatigues.

The chief of the eunuchs arrived in a short time, and the Princess was conveyed, ere morning, to the palace of Misnar, where the female apartments were prepared for her reception, and a number of the first ladies of Delhi appointed to attend her.

The Sultan, in the meantime, having ordered the fakeer to be released and sent out of the city, entered the divan with his Vizier, and, having dispatched the complainants, retired to rest.

In the evening of the same day, the Princess, being recovered from her fatigue, sent the chief of the eunuchs to the Sultan, and desired leave to throw herself at his feet in grat.i.tude for her escape.

The Sultan received the message with joy, and ordering Horam his Vizier to be called, they both went into the apartments of the females, where the Princess of Ca.s.simir was seated on a throne of ivory, and surrounded by the slaves of the seraglio.

The Princess descended from her throne at the approach of the Sultan, and fell at his feet; but Misnar, taking her by the hand, said, "Rise, Princess, and injure not your honour by thus abasing yourself before your slave. The lovely Hemjunah has promised to relate her wonderful adventures; and Horam, the faithful friend of my bosom, and our former fellow-sufferer, is come to partic.i.p.ate with me in the charming relation."

"Prince," said Hemjunah, "I shall not conceal what you are so desirous of knowing."

The Sultan then waved his hand, and the slaves withdrew.

THE HISTORY OF THE PRINCESS OF Ca.s.sIMIR.

Before I had attained my thirteenth year, my father proposed to marry me to the Prince of Georgia. It was in vain that, when my mother disclosed the fatal news to me, I urged my youth, and my entire ignorance of the Prince or his qualities.

"My child," said Chederazade, "to make ourselves happy, we must be useful to the world. The Prince of Georgia has done your father great service in the wars, and you are destined to reward his toils: all the subjects of Ca.s.simir will look upon your choice as a compliment to them, and they will rejoice to see their benefactor blessed with the hand of their Princess."

"But, madam," answered I, "does the happiness of my father's subjects require such a sacrifice in me? Must I live in a country to whose language and manners I am a stranger? must I be for ever banished?"

"I have given sufficient reasons," replied my mother, "to engage your compliance with your father's desire, and these will influence you, if prudence and wisdom are the motives of your choice; and if you want prudence, it is fit that those who are able to instruct you should also guide and direct your actions."

At these words, Chederazade left me bathed in tears and trembling at my fate.

My nurse Eloubrou was witness to the hard command my mother had imposed upon me, and endeavoured to comfort me in my affliction; but her words were as the wind on the surface of the rock; and to add to my griefs, in a few minutes after, the chief of the eunuchs entered, and bade me prepare to receive the Sultan my father.

The Sultan of Ca.s.simir entering my apartment, I fell at his feet.

"Hemjunah," said he, "the Prince of Georgia is my friend, and I intend to give my daughter to his arms."

Shocked at these successive declarations of my fate, which I had no reason to suspect the day before, I fainted away, and when I recovered, found myself on a sofa, with Eloubrou at my feet.

"My lovely Princess," said Eloubrou, "how little am I able to see you thus! and yet I fear the news I have to impart to you may reduce you to your former condition."

"Alas," said I, "nurse, what new evil has befallen me? What worse can happen than my marriage with a stranger?"

"Princess," replied Eloubrou, "the Prince is to see you this night: nay, the ceremonies are preparing, the changes of vestment, the dessert, and the choral bands."

"Ah," said I, "cruel Eloubrou! what hast thou said? Am I to be sacrificed this night to my father's policy? Am I to be given as a fee to the plunderer of cities?--for such they are whose profession is arms."

"No, Princess," said a young female slave who attended on Eloubrou; "trust but to me, and the Prince of Georgia shall in vain seek the honour of your alliance."