Eastern Tales by Many Story Tellers Part 45

"The unknown lady caused other stuffs to be brought to her. She chose some of them, and carried from my shop goods to the value of three hundred pieces of gold. In my enthusiasm I would have given her credit for two thousand. As soon as she was gone I returned to my mother, and now showed as much joy as formerly I had shown sorrow and dejection. I related to her the lucky adventure of the day, and perceived the full force of the reasoning which till that time she had made use of in vain, to persuade me that in trade _he who never ventures can never gain_.

"In short, respectable dervish, I continued to deal in the same manner with the unknown lady, who always carried from my shop stuffs worth more money than she left in it, till she was owing me about ten thousand crowns, equal to all the profit which I had been able to make in my different bargains with her.

"One day, after opening my shop, I was scarcely seated on my sofa when an aged woman came and accosted me. I thought she wanted some robes or stuffs, and proposed to show them to her.

"'No, my son,' answered she, 'I am entrusted with a commission of much greater importance: I come from the young lady who owes you ten thousand crowns. I do not bring you payment, but I am charged by her to tell you that you became her merchant in preference to every other of the same profession at Bagdad, only because her heart granted you a preference of another kind. In short, she is beautiful, young, and rich, and offers you her hand in marriage. If you find it agreeable to enter into this engagement after you have seen and conversed with her, no other dowry is required than the ten thousand crowns in which she stands indebted to you; if you do not agree to it, the money shall instantly be paid down. But you must resolve to follow me, that you may have it in your power to know whether the affair is agreeable to your wishes.'

"During this discourse of the old woman, a flame, to which I was till then quite a stranger, penetrated through my veins, and the hope which was now suggested having increased its violence, I soon felt the fire of love burning in my heart. The beautiful eyes of the lady, from the first moment I beheld them, had so dazzled and blinded me concerning my real interest, that I allowed her to carry off my goods without knowing how I should receive payment for them. Though, in the visits which she afterwards made me, her veil had wholly concealed the features of her countenance, yet the fulness of her dress could not conceal the elegance of her stature, the gracefulness of her motions, the exquisite form of her foot, and the extraordinary beauty of her hands. Besides, she disputed with me about the price with so much courtesy, and with such an angelic voice, that she never left my shop without carrying away something more than my goods; but I did not well know what it was. Scarcely had she left my shop, when I felt myself extremely uneasy; said to myself, This is a charming lady! and then fell into a long state of profound thoughtfulness.

"When the old woman had informed me that the unknown lady was in love with me, my pa.s.sion increased to a desperate height. I ordered my slaves to shut up my shop; and, having desired them to tell my father and mother that I was going to enjoy myself with some of my friends, in a garden at some distance from the city, before I returned home, I put myself under the direction of the old woman.

"'You will never repent,' said she, as we went along, 'of having put confidence in me; but you must still give me another proof of it. If the lady is not agreeable to you, if you do not accept the proposals which she is to make, and consequently a separation takes place, it is proper that she should remain always unknown. Her delicacy requires this; and I was ordered to put a covering over your eyes, that you may not be able to discover the house to which you are going.'

"I readily agreed to this condition; and we withdrew under a portico, where, being concealed by two advanced pillars, she covered my eyes with a very thick silk handkerchief. She made me turn three or four times round on my heel; then took me by the hand, and caused me to walk by her side for a full quarter of an hour. We suddenly stopped. I heard her knock at a door, which opened, and, as soon as we had entered, immediately shut.

"I was in a short time restored to the use of my eyes, and committed to the care of two female slaves of remarkable beauty and richness of dress. They conducted me through seven doors, at the end of which I was received by fourteen other slaves, whose figures were so striking, and whose dress so magnificent, that I was dazzled with beholding them. I was now in a superb apartment, where everything was marble, jasper, or rich gilding. My adventure had so much the appearance of a dream, that, though my eyes were open, I could scarcely be convinced that I was really awake. The old woman, who had still followed me, went out for an instant, and soon returned, accompanied by a slave, who brought breakfast upon a large golden plate. I sat down to refresh myself.

"While I was satisfying my hunger, the old woman counted down upon a table the ten thousand crowns which were owing to me. 'There is your whole sum,' said she. 'Be not uneasy that my mistress does not yet appear. The law commands, and decency requires, that you should not see one another before the contract is made.'

"Before she had done speaking, a Cadi appeared, with ten persons in his train. I arose to salute him, when the old woman, addressing the lawyer, said to him,

"'The young lady who is to be married to this merchant has chosen you for her guardian: do you agree to accept the office?'

"The Cadi replied, 'that he reckoned himself highly honoured by the choice which had been made of him.'

"He immediately drew up the contract, and got it signed by the witnesses whom he had brought with him. After partaking of an ample collation, which was served up to him and his attendants, and having been presented with a magnificent dress and three hundred sequins, he retired, charging the old woman to beg her mistress to accept his thanks.

"I was so astonished at what I saw, that when the Cadi went away, I made a motion to follow him, without perceiving that I left my money behind. I was prevented by the old woman, who made me sit down again.

"'Are you mad?' said she. 'Need I inform you that the marriage follows the contract? Come, be wiser, and remain quiet till night, when everything will be ready for the completion of the ceremony.'

"I continued in the hall, where a great number of slaves were attentive to every motion and ready to antic.i.p.ate every wish. I was in a very extraordinary state of mind. The power of that feeling which had made me run so fast with my eyes blindfolded was no longer felt, and love remained fixed at the bottom of my heart, astonished at the luxury with which I was surrounded, and the ceremony of this extraordinary marriage.

"Towards the evening, a magnificent repast was served up, accompanied with all kinds of confections, and exquisite wines, which I used very sparingly. As soon as I made a signal for them to remove the dishes, the old woman took me by the hand, and conducted me to the bath. I was there received by eight slaves, dressed in silk, who wrapped me in stuffs of the same material, entered into the water with me, and served me with all that respect and attention which could have been paid to the Caliph himself.

"Imagine, O respectable dervish, my astonishment: it almost deprived me of my senses! I was soon drawn from it, however, by the appearance of twenty female slaves, beautiful and well dressed. Some held flambeaux, and other pots full of exquisite perfumes, the sweet odour of which, mingled with that of the wood of aloes, which served to warm the bath, embalmed the air, and raised an agreeable vapour to the very roof of the apartment.

"From these delights I was carried to the enjoyment of others. Twenty slaves went before me, and conducted me into a magnificent apartment; I sat down on a sofa covered with cloth of gold. I was there attended by the most melodious music, which was at the same time so cheerful and lively, and so fitted to inspire delight, that I could not help feeling a little reanimated. The slaves at length proposed to conduct me into the apartment destined for the celebration of the nuptials.

"I arose. A great door opened; and I beheld the person approach who had marked me out for her husband, preceded by twenty other slaves, whom she alone could surpa.s.s in beauty. At the sight of her I remained almost senseless; but this first impression instantly gave place to love; and my pa.s.sion at length a.s.sumed over me that power, which even at this day makes me, every moment of my life, endure torments worse than death.

"The beautiful stranger, preceded by her twenty slaves, and I attended by the same number, went into the grand apartment prepared for our nuptials, and there sat down together on the same sofa. The old woman then appeared at the head of four slaves, and brought us, on golden plates, different refreshments, exquisite confections, and fruit of all kinds, which we mutually presented to one another. After this, the service disappeared, and we remained alone.

"I was almost trembling, when the lovely unknown lady took me by the hand to encourage me.

"'Halechalbe,' said she, 'since the day when curiosity first led me into your shop I have loved you; and the same sentiment has frequently carried me back, under pretence of cheapening and purchasing goods.

The little intercourse we have had together has given me an opportunity of knowing you; and my liking for you has so much increased as to make me ambitious of being united to you for life. Can you think of sacrificing your liberty?'

"'Madam,' answered I, 'from the first moment you appeared in my sight, your charms failed not to produce their effect. I never saw you without feeling an unaccountable disorder, mixed, however, with the sweetest pleasure. You never left me without occasioning the most lively regret: I expected you every day, and my thoughts were incessantly occupied about your image. I dared not avow my pa.s.sion to myself; but since you have confessed your regard for me, I swear to you, that nothing can equal the strength of my love, and that the sacrifice of liberty is nothing to one who would give his life for your sake.'

"'Halechalbe,' said she, 'truth seems to flow from your lips: spare your life; it is essential to my happiness; but if we are to be united for life, attend to the conditions upon which I will yield my heart.

My name and rank must remain unknown to you until the steps I am now taking shall have enabled me publicly to acknowledge you for my husband. You shall make no inquiry within this place for the purpose of getting information, and the door of the house shall be opened only once a year.'

"'O madam,' said I, 'I will keep silence; I will remain ignorant; I will never leave the house----

"'Stop,' said she, 'I have a still more severe condition to impose upon you: as I give myself wholly to you, it is reasonable that you should be wholly mine. My slaves are become yours, and will obey you in everything; but you must not speak to them, except to require their services. If you condescend to use the smallest familiarity with any one of them, further than mere expressions of kindness, if----I must discover to you a part of my character. I am inclined to be jealous; and if you make me the subject of this fatal pa.s.sion, I know not how far my resentment may carry me against you.'

"'Take courage,' said I, 'my adorable spouse: the strength of my pa.s.sion secures you from every indiscretion on my part. I should die with vexation were I capable of displeasing you; but I am not afraid that I will ever be so unlucky as to give you offence.'

"The unknown lady burst into tears when she saw the frankness and air of sincerity with which my protestations were accompanied.

'Halechalbe,' said she, 'we will now be united; but had you hesitated about accepting them, I would have sacrificed my happiness to my delicacy, and we would have separated for ever.'

"I tenderly embraced her, and she fainted away in my arms. A slave was called, and she, the idol of my heart, after a time opened her beautiful eyes, and with rapture I beheld them turned towards me.

"I pa.s.s over the remaining events of my marriage, because they cannot be interesting to you, and the remembrance of them is still the torment of my life.

"I was so enchanted by my pa.s.sion, that I spent a fortnight in total forgetfulness of the whole world besides; and I will confess, to my shame, that I even omitted the most essential of all duties, for I never once thought of the uneasiness of my father and mother on my account. At last, by little and little, nature resumed her rights, and I began to think seriously of the grief which I must have occasioned to my affectionate parents. I uttered some sighs, which proceeded from the bottom of my heart; and the distress of my mind appeared in my countenance. My wife, who possessed great discernment, soon perceived the change which I underwent, got from me the secret, took an interest in my pain, and pointed out the method of being delivered from its attacks.

"'Dear Halechalbe,' said she, 'I commend you for your attachment to your father and mother: they are dear to me on your account. We have given ourselves laws; but, as we are the judges, we must not allow them to do injury to nature. You will go to see your parents, spend a week with them, and also resume your business. There are many reasons for so doing. First of all, it will serve as a cloak to hide our marriage, and will furnish you with an opportunity of being present or absent at pleasure, without occasioning any suspicion of our marriage.

It will likewise enable you to acquire, by your civil, frank, and generous dealings, the public esteem, which will one day be of great advantage to us; for we live under the government of a Caliph who has ears everywhere, and who likewise makes very good use of his own. Go, then, and my heart will accompany you wherever you are: if it could be rendered visible, you would see it continually fluttering around you.

Besides, you will be under my hand: we have our trusty old woman, by whose means you will have the satisfaction of hearing me spoken of, and I shall have that of being informed of your welfare, and communicating to you my wishes. Above all,' added she, 'as our marriage cannot be concealed from your parents, charge them to keep it a profound secret.'

"Night was beginning to come on when this discourse was ended; and my wife ordered the old woman to blindfold me, and conduct me out of the gates of the palace till I was under the portico where I had first submitted to this operation. As soon as my guide had restored to me the use of my eyes, I flew with all speed to my father's house. A neighbouring lady was just entering it. She discovered me by the light of a shop before which I pa.s.sed.

"'Halechalbe!' exclaimed she, 'what! is it you? Do not show yourself so unexpectedly to your mother. Retire for a few minutes into my house, and in the meantime my husband will go and inform her of your return. She is in the utmost distress and despair at your loss; and the joy occasioned by your sudden and unexpected return might be productive of fatal consequences.

"'Whence come you, wicked young man?' said she, as soon as she had sat down. 'How could you let your worthy parents continue ignorant of what had become of you?'

"Not having a story ready made for the first inquisitive person I should meet, and it being necessary to conceal my marriage from everybody, I was very much at a loss what answer to give. But I made it up by presence of mind, and was obliged to have recourse to a lie.

"'I am astonished, madam,' answered I, 'to hear you talk of the vexation which I have occasioned to my parents. Having met with an opportunity of going to Balsora, where I had a very urgent and important examination to take against one of my most considerable debtors, and, not having a moment to lose, I set out without being able to inform my father of my departure. I dispatched an express as soon as it was in my power; but some accident must have befallen him, as no news have been received of me.'

"The lady was satisfied with the excuse.

"'All Bagdad, however,' said she, 'supposed you dead, and, moreover, magnificently buried; for a superb funeral was given you yesterday. I will relate the whole affair to you, when once my husband has prepared our neighbours for again seeing in good health the son whom they believed dead.'

"The husband having with great pleasure undertaken the commission, the woman returned to her recital.

"'Your slave informed your father and mother that you were to spend the remainder of the day and the night in a garden with your friends.

This prevented them from being uneasy during that evening and next day; but on the following days all the merchants of Bagdad were in search of you. Messengers were sent to all the gardens in the neighbourhood of the city, to the woods, and to a great distance in the country. As you were nowhere to be found, and n.o.body had observed you, it was conjectured that you had fallen into one of those snares which are too common at Bagdad, where young people without knowledge and experience find death in the very cup of pleasure.

"'Your father and mother tore their hair through grief; your family and friends went into mourning. Some kind of consolation was supposed to be derived from the pretended funeral, which all the mourners in Bagdad were hired to attend, but where many real tears were shed.

Every person was affected with the distress of your parents.'

"This recital, O virtuous dervish! made me very uneasy. I perceived the dreadful consequences of forgetting myself and my duty; and I always considered my misfortunes, and the distraction of mind which was the consequence thereof, as a punishment from Heaven, because, in the arms of love, I was unmindful of the sacred obligations of nature.

"After our neighbour had related that part of my history which it was necessary I should know, she rose up.

"'It is now time,' said she, 'to appear: my husband must already have announced you; go, and confirm the account which he has given of your return.'