"Scott Volume II" - читать интересную книгу автора (Scotts Version)
УSon,Ф replied the king, Уafter what I have just heard, and what I see by the ring on your finger, I cannot doubt but that your passion is real, and that you have seen this lady, who is the object of it. Would to God I knew who she was. I would instantly comply with your wishes, and should be the happiest father in the world! But where shall I seek her? How came she here, and by what conveyance, without my consent? Why did she come to sleep with you only to display her beauty, to kindle a flame of love while she slept, and then leave you while you were in a slumber? These things, I must confess, I do not understand; and if heaven do not favour us in our perplexity, I fear we must both go down to the grave together.Ф As he spoke, he took the prince by the hand, and said, УCome then, my son, let us go and grieve together; you with hopeless love, and I with seeing your affliction, without being able to afford you relief.Ф
Shaw Zummaun then led his son out of the tower, and conveyed him to the palace, where he had no sooner arrived, than in despair at loving an unknown object he fell sick, and took to his bed; the king shut himself up with him, without attending to the affairs of his kingdom for many days.
The prime minister, who was the only person that had admittance, at length informed him, that the whole court, and even the people, began to murmur at not seeing him, and that he did not administer justice every day as he was wont to do; adding, he knew not what disorder it might occasion. УI humbly beg your majesty, therefore,Ф proceeded he, Уto pay some attention. I am sensible your majesty's company is a great comfort to the prince, and that his tends to relieve your grief; but you must not run the risk of letting all be lost. Permit me to propose to your majesty, to remove with the prince to the castle near the port, where you may give audience to your subjects twice a week only. During these absences the prince will be so agreeably amused with the beauty, prospect, and good air of the place, that he will bear them with the less uneasiness.Ф
The king approved this proposal: he removed thither with the prince; and, excepting when he gave audience, never left him, but passed all his time endeavouring to comfort him by sharing his distress.
Whilst matters passed thus in the capital of Shaw Zummaun, the two genies, Danhasch and Caschcasch, had carried the princess of China back to the palace where the king her father had confined her, and laid her in her bed as before.
When she awoke next morning, and found that prince Kummir al Zummaun was not by her, she cried out in such a manner to her women, that she soon brought them to her bed. Her nurse, who arrived first, desired to be informed if any thing disagreeable had happened to her.
УTell me,Ф said the princess, У what is become of the young man that has passed the night with me, and whom I love with all my soul?Ф УMadam,Ф replied the nurse, Уwe cannot understand your highness, unless you will be pleased to explain yourself.Ф
УA young man, the handsomest and most amiable,Ф said the princess, Уslept with me last night, whom, with all my caresses, I could not awake; I ask you where he is?Ф'
УMadam,Фanswered the nurse, Уyour highness asks us these questions in jest. I beseech you to rise.Ф УI am in earnest,Ф said the princess, Уand I must know where this young man is.Ф УMadam,Ф insisted the nurse, Уyou were alone when you went to bed last night; and how any man could come to you without our knowledge we cannot imagine, for we all lay about the door of your chamber, which was locked, and I had the key in my pocket.Ф
At this the princess lost all patience,and taking her nurse by the hair of her head, and giving her two or three sound cuffs, cried, УYou shall tell me where this young man is, you old sorceress, or I will put you to death.Ф
The nurse struggled to get from her, and at last succeeded. She went immediately with tears in her eyes, and her face all bloody, to complain to the queen, who was not a little surprised to see her in this condition, and asked who had misused her.
УMadam,Ф began the nurse, Уyou see how the princess has treated me; she had certainly murdered me, if I had not had the good fortune to escape out of her hands.Ф She then related what had been the cause of all that violent passion in the princess. The queen was surprised at her account, and could not guess how she came to be so infatuated as to take that for a reality which could be no other than a dream. УYour majesty must conclude from all this,Ф continued the nurse, Уthat the princess is out of her senses. You will think so yourself if you will go and see her.Ф
The queen of China sat down by her daughter's bed-side on her arrival in her apartment, and after she had informed herself about her health began to ask her what had made her so angry with her nurse, as to treat her in the manner she had done. УDaughter,Ф said she, Уthis is not right, and a great princess like you should not suffer herself to be so transported by passion,Ф
УMadam,Ф replied the princess, УI plainly perceive your majesty is come to mock me; but I declare I will never let you rest till you consent to my marrying the young man who lay with me last night. You must know where he is, and therefore I beg of your majesty to let him come to me again.Ф
УDaughter,Ф answered the queen, Уyou surprise me; I do not understand your meaning.Ф The princess now forgot all respect for the queen; УMadam,Ф replied she, Уthe king my father and you have persecuted me about marrying, when I had no inclination; I now have an inclination, and I will have this young man I told you of for my husband, or I will destroy myself.Ф
The queen endeavoured to calm the princess by conciliatory language: УDaughter,Ф said she, Уyou know well you are guarded in this apartment, how then could any man come to you?Ф But instead of attending to her, the princess interrupted her, by such extravagancies as obliged the queen to leave her, and retire in great affliction, to inform the king of all that had passed.
When the king had heard the account, he wished likewise to be satisfied in person, and coming to his daughter's apartment, asked her, if what he had been told was true? УSir,Ф replied the princess, Уlet us talk no more of that; I only beseech your majesty to grant me the favour, that I may marry the young man I lay with last night.Ф
УWhat! daughter,Ф said the king, Уhas any one lain with you last night?Ф УHow, sir,Ф replied the princess, without giving him time to go on, Уdo you ask me if any one lay with me last night? Your majesty knows that but too well. He was the most beautiful youth the sun ever saw: I ask him of you for my husband; I entreat you do not refuse me. But that your majesty may not longer doubt whether I have seen this young man, whether he has lain with me, whether I have caressed him, or whether I did not my utmost to awake him without succeeding, see, if you please, this ring.Ф She then reached forth her hand, and shewed the king a man's ring on her finger. The king was perplexed what to think. He had confined his daughter as mad, he began now to think her more insane than ever. Without saying any thing more to her, lest she might do violence to herself or somebody about her, he had her chained, and confined more closely than before, allowing her only the nurse to wait on her, with a good guard at the door.
The king, exceedingly concerned at this indisposition of his daughter, sought all possible means to effect her cure. He assembled his council, and after having acquainted them with her condition УIf any of you,Ф said he, Уis capable of undertaking to restore her to health, and succeed, I will give her to him in marriage, and make him heir to my dominions.Ф
The desire of obtaining a handsome young princess, and the hopes of one day governing so great a kingdom as that of China, had a powerful effect on an emir, already advanced in years, who was present at this council. As he was well skilled in magic, he offered the king to recover his daughter, and flattered himself with success. УI consent to the trial,Ф said the king; Уbut I forgot to tell you one condition, and that is, that if you do not succeed, you shall lose your head. It would not be reasonable you should have so great a reward, and yet run no risk: and what I say to you,Ф continued the king, УI say to all others who shall come after you, that they may consider beforehand what they undertake.Ф
The emir accepted the condition, and the king conducted him to the princess's place of confinement. She covered her face as soon as she saw them enter, and exclaimed, УYour majesty surprises me, in bringing with you a man whom I do not know, and by whom my religion forbids me to let myself be seen.Ф УDaughter,Ф replied the king, Уyou need not be scandalized, it is only one of my emirs who is come to demand you in marriage.Ф УIt is not, I perceive, the person that you have already given me, and whose faith is plighted by the ring I wear,Ф replied the princess; Уbe not offended that I will never marry any other.Ф
The emir expected the princess would have said or done some extravagant thing, and was not a little disappointed when he heard her talk so calmly and rationally; for he then concluded that her disease was nothing but a violent and deep-rooted passion. He therefore threw himself at his majesty's feet, and said, УAfter what I have heard and observed, sir, it will be to no purpose for me to think of curing the princess, since I have no remedies proper for her malady; for which reason I humbly submit my life to your majesty's pleasure.Ф The king, enraged at his incapacity, and the trouble he had given him, caused him to be immediately beheaded.
Some days after, unwilling to have it said that he had neglected his daughter's cure, the king put forth a proclamation in his capital, importing, that if there were any physician, astrologer, or magician who would undertake to restore the princess to her senses, he needed only to offer himself, and he should be employed, on condition of losing his head if he failed. He had the same published in the other principal cities and towns of his dominions, and in the courts of the princes his neighbours.
The first that presented himself was an astrologer and magician, whom the king caused to be conducted to the princess's prison by an eunuch. The astrologer drew forth, out of a bag he carried under his arm, an astrolabe, a small sphere, a chafing-dish, several sorts of drugs proper for fumigations, a brass pot, with many other articles, and desired he might have a fire.
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