The Arabian Nights [48]
When the porter had done, Zobeide said to him, "Depart, let us see you here no more." "Madam," replied the porter, "I beg you to let me stay; it would not be just, after the rest have had the pleasure to hear my history, that I should not also have the satisfaction of hearing theirs." And having spoken thus, he sat down at the end of the sofa, glad at heart to have escaped the danger that had frightened him so much. After him, one of the three calenders directing his speech to Zobeide, as the principal of the three ladies, began thus:
The History of the First Calender.
Madam, in order to inform you how I lost my right eye, and why I was obliged to put myself into a calender's habit, I must tell you, that I am a sultan's son born: my father had a brother who reigned over a neighbouring kingdom; and the prince his son and I were nearly of the same age.
After I had learned my exercises, the sultan my father granted me such liberty as suited my dignity. I went regularly every year to see my uncle, at whose court I amused myself for a month or two, and then returned again to my father's. These journeys cemented a firm and intimate friendship between the prince my cousin and myself. The last time I saw him, he received me with greater demonstrations of tenderness than he had done at any time before; and resolving one day to give me a treat, he made great preparations for that purpose. We continued a long time at table, and after we had both supped; "Cousin," said he, "you will hardly be able to guess how I have been employed since your last departure from hence, about a year past. I have had a great many men at work to perfect a design I have formed; I have caused an edifice to be built, which is now finished so as to be habitable: you will not be displeased if I shew it you. But first you are to promise me upon oath, that you will keep my secret, according to the confidence I repose in you."
The affection and familiarity that subsisted between us would not allow me to refuse him any thing. I very readily took the oath required of me: upon which he said to me, "Stay here till I return, I will be with you in a moment;" and accordingly he came with a lady in his hand, of singular beauty, and magnificently apparelled: he did not intimate who she was, neither did I think it would be polite to enquire. We sat down again with this lady at table, where we continued some time, conversing upon indifferent subjects; and now and then filling a glass to each other's health. After which the prince said, "Cousin, we must lose no time; therefore pray oblige me by taking this lady along with you, and conducting her to such a place, where you will see a tomb newly built in form of a dome: you will easily know it; the gate is open; enter it together, and tarry till I come, which will be very speedily."
Being true to my oath, I made no farther enquiry, but took the lady by the hand, and by the directions which the prince my cousin had given me, I brought her to the place. We were scarcely got thither, when we saw the prince following us, carrying a pitcher of water, a hatchet, and a little bag of mortar.
The hatchet served him to break down the empty sepulchre in the middle of the tomb; he took away the stones one after another, and laid them in a corner; he then dug up the ground, where I saw a trap-door under the sepulchre, which he lifted up, and underneath perceived the head of a staircase leading into a vault. Then my cousin,