The Arabian Nights [49]
I could get nothing farther from him, but was obliged to take my leave. As I returned to my uncle's palace, the vapours of the wine got up into my head; however, I reached my apartment, and went to bed. Next morning, when I awoke, I began to reflect upon what had happened, and after recollecting all the circumstances of such a singular adventure, I fancied it was nothing but a dream. Full of these thoughts, I sent to enquire if the prince my cousin was ready to receive a visit from me; but when they brought word back that he did not lie in his own lodgings that night, that they knew not what was become of him, and were in much trouble in consequence, I conceived that the strange event of the tomb was too true. I was sensibly afflicted, and went to the public burying-place, where there were several tombs like that which I had seen: I spent the day in viewing them one after another, but could not find that I sought for, and thus I spent four days successively in vain.
You must know, that all this while the sultan my uncle was absent, and had been hunting for several days; I grew weary of waiting for him, and having prayed his ministers to make my apology at his return, left his palace, and set out towards my father's court. I left the ministers of the sultan my uncle in great trouble, surmising what was become of the prince: but because of my oath to keep his secret, I durst not tell them what I had seen.
I arrived at my father's capital, where, contrary to custom, I found a numerous guard at the gate of the palace, who surrounded me as I entered. I asked the reason, and the commanding officer replied, "Prince, the army has proclaimed the grand vizier, instead of your father, who is dead, and I take you prisoner in the name of the new sultan." At these words the guards laid hold of me, and carried me before the tyrant: I leave you to judge, madam, how much I was surprised and grieved.
This rebel vizier, had long entertained a mortal hatred against me; for this reason. When I was a stripling, I loved to shoot with a cross-bow; and being one day upon the terrace of the palace with my bow, a bird happening to come by, I shot but missed him, and the ball by misfortune hit the vizier, who was taking the air upon the terrace of his own house, and put out one of his eyes. As soon as I understood this, I not only sent to make my excuse to him, but did it in person: yet he never forgave me, and, as opportunity offered, made me sensible of his resentment. But now that he had me in his power, he expressed his feelings; for he came to me like a madman, as soon as he saw me, and thrusting his finger into my right eye, pulled it out, and thus I became blind of one eye.
But the usurper's cruelty did not stop here; he ordered me to be shut up in a machine, and commanded the executioner to carry me into the country, to cut off my head, and leave me to be devoured by birds of prey. The executioner conveyed me thus shut up into the country, in order to execute the barbarous sentence; but by my prayers and tears, I moved the man's compassion: "Go," said he to me, "get you speedily out of the kingdom, and take heed of returning, or you will certainly meet your own ruin, and be the cause of mine." I thanked him for the favour he did me; and as soon as I was left alone, comforted myself for the loss of my eye, by considering that I had very narrowly escaped a much greater evil.
Being in such a condition, I could not travel far at a time; I retired to remote places during the day, and travelled as far by night as my strength would allow me. At last I arrived in the dominions of the sultan my uncle, and came to his capital.