THE STORY OF PRINCE AMGRAD, AND A LADY OF THE CITY OF THE MAGICIANS.

Prince Amgrad went not out of the tailor's house for a whole month, without his host accompanying him; at last, however, he ventured to go to the baths. Returning home through a street in which there was nobody but himself and a lady, he was surprised at her approaching him unveiled. The lady, seeing a handsome young man just come out of the bath, asked him, with a smiling air, whither he was going? casting, at the same time, such amorous glances, that Amgrad could not possibly resist her charms. Madam, said he, I am going to my own house or yours, as you please.

My lord, replied the lady, with an agreeable smile, ladies of my quality never take men to their own houses; they always go to the men's.

At this unexpected answer of the lady, Amgrad was very much confounded; he durst not venture to take her home to his landlord's, fearing that he would be so highly displeased with him as to withdraw his protection, of which, considering he was in a place where he must always be upon his guard, he stood in too much need. Quite unacquainted with the city, he knew not where to carry her, and yet was unwilling to lose so happy an opportunity. In this uncertainty he resolved to leave it to chance, and therefore, without returning an answer, he went forwards, the lady following him. Amgrad led her through so many streets, lanes, and alleys, that both grew weary with walking: at last, however, they came into a street, having a great gate at the end of it, which, being shut, prevented their going further. The gate, which had a seat on each side of it, belonged to a house fronting the street. Amgrad sat himself down on one seat to take breath, and the lady, being also much fatigued, seated herself on the other.

She then inquired of the prince, whether the house belonged to him. Yes, madam, said Amgrad. Why, then, do not you enter? replied the lady. Whom do you wait for? Fair lady, answered the prince, I have not got the key of the gate; I left it with my slave, who, being sent on an errand, is not yet returned: besides, having been ordered to provide something good for dinner, I am afraid we shall be under the disagreeable necessity of waiting a long time for him.

The prince met with so many difficulties in satisfying her passion, that he began to repent of having undertaken it; he therefore contrived this answer, in hopes that the lady, out of resentment, would have left him, and gone in pursuit of another lover; but he was mistaken.

Your slave is an impertinent fellow, said madam, to stay so long: when he comes back, I will chastise him myself as he deserves, if you refuse to do it. It is by no means decent to sit here alone with a man to whom I am an entire stranger. She then rose, and, taking up a stone, began to force open the lock of the gate, which being only made of wood, after the country manner, was very weak.

Amgrad did all he could to hinder her: What are you doing, madam? said the prince. For Heaven's sake, stay a little! What are you afraid of? replied the lady; is it not your house? The breaking of the lock will be no great damage; a new one can be purchased at a trifling expense. She accordingly broke it open, and entered the house.

Amgrad, when he saw the door forced open, gave himself up as a lost man: he reflected whether it would be more advisable to go into the house, or to retreat as fast as he could, to avoid the danger which he believed inevitable, and was just going to have recourse to the latter, when the lady returned.

Seeing that he did not enter, Why do not you come into your house? said she. Fearing we have nothing ready, answered the prince, I am looking to see if my slave is coming. Come in, come in, said madam; it will be more prudent to wait within doors than without.

Amgrad, though with great reluctance, followed her into the house. After passing through a spacious court, which had been newly paved, they ascended by several steps into piazzas, which led to a large, open, and well-furnished hall, where he and the lady saw a table ready spread with all sorts of delicate dishes, a side-board heaped with fruit, and a cistern full of bottles of wine.

When Amgrad saw everything in such order, he doubted not that he was undone, the quality of the owner appearing by the richness of the feast. Poor Amgrad! said he to himself, thou wilt soon follow thy dear brother Assad!

The lady, on the contrary, being transported at the sight, cried out, How, my lord, did you fear there was nothing ready? Your slaves, you see, have done more than you expected. But, if I am not mistaken, these preparations were made for some other lady, and not for me. No matter; let her come; I promise you I will not be jealous: I only beg the favour of being permitted to wait on her and you.

Amgrad, though much concerned at this accident, could not help laughing at the lady's pleasantry. Madam, said he, thinking of something else besides what perplexed him, there is nothing in what you fancy; this is my common dinner, and no exraordinary preparations, I assure you. He could not prevail on himself to sit at a table which was not prepared for him; he therefore took his seat on a sofa [Footnote: A Turkish bench on which mats and cushions are put.]; but the lady still kept teasing him with her importunities. Come, sir, said she, you must certainly be hungry after bathing; let us eat and enjoy ourselves.

Amgrad, complying at last with her request, sat down to table. The lady, having eaten a bit, took a bottle and glass, and poured out some wine; then, having drunk to Amgrad, filled another and presented it to him, who pledged her. The more the prince reflected on this adventure, the more he was anaazed that the master of the house did not appear, and that a house so elegant and well furnished should be left without a servant. It will be lucky, said he to himself, if the man of the house does not come till I am got clear of this intrigue. While he was indulging this and some other troublesome thoughts, the lady ate and drank heartily, obliging him to do the same; and they were almost come to the last course when the master of the house arrived.

It happened to be Bahader, master of the horse to the king of the magicians, to whom this house belonged; but, generally residing in another, he seldom visited it, unless to regale himself with two or three chosen friends. On such occasions he always sent provisions from his other house by some of his servants, who were just gone as the lady and Amgrad entered.

Bahader, as usual, came in disguise, and without attendants, a little while before the time appointed for his friends coming, and was not a little surprised to see the door of his house broken open: he entered without making a noise; but hearing some persons talking and making merry in the hall, he crept along by the side of the wall, and put his head half way within the door to see who they were.

Perceiving a young gentleman and a young lady eating, at his table, the victuals which he had provided for his friends and himself, and that there was no great harm done, he resolved to make a jest of it.

The lady, who sat with her back towards the dooi, did not see the master of the horse; but Amgrad, who had the glass in his hand, and was just going to drink, observed him immediately: his countenance instantly changed at the sight of Bahader, who made a sign not to say a word, but to come and speak with him.

Amgrad drank and rose: Where are you going? said the lady. The prince answered, Pray, madam, stay here a little; I shall return in a minute; a small affair obliges me to go out at present. Bahader waited for him in the piazza, and led him into the court, to talk to him without being heard by the lady.

When Bahader and prince Amgrad were in the court, Bahader demanded of the prince, how the lady came into his house, and why they broke open his door? My lord, replied Amgrad, you may very reasonably think me guilty of a very unwarrantable action; but if you will have patience to hear me, I hope my innocence will appear. He then told Bahader, in few words, what had happened, without disguising any part of the truth; and, to convince him that he was not capable of being so criminal as he might think, he declared himself a prince, and related the reason of his coming to the city of the magicians.

Bahader, who naturally loved strangers, was transported with an opportunity of obliging one of Amgrad's rank and quality; for by his air, his actions, his handsome discourse, and his noble look, he did not in the least doubt the truth of what he had said, Prince, said Bahader, I am very glad I can oblige you in so pleasant an adventure as this; and, so far from disturbing the feast, it will be a pleasure to me to contribute to your satisfaction in any thing. My name is Bahader; I am master of the horse to the king of the magicians. I commonly dwell in another house, which I have in the city, but come here sometimes to have the more liberty with my friends, for I cannot be so free at home among my children and domestics. As you have made this lady believe that you have a slave, I will support your assertion by personating the character; and, to spare your excuses, I repeat that it shall positively be so; you will presently know my reason for it. Go to your place, and continue to divert yourself: when I return, and come before you in a slave's habit, chide me for staying so long; do not be afraid even to strike me. I will wait upon you all the while you are at table till night: you shall sleep here, and so shall the lady; and tomorrow morning you may send her home with honour. I shall afterwards endeavour to do you more important services. Go, and lose no time.

Amgrad would have made an excuse, but the master of the horse would not let him, forcing him to go to the lady. He had scarcely entered the hall before Balmder's friends arrived. Bahader called them to him, and apologized his not entertaining them that day, telling them they would approve of the reason when they knew it, which should be in due time. When they were gone, he also went forth, and dressed himself in a slave's habit.

Prince Amgrad approached the lady in a much better humour than when he left her, on finding that the house belonged to a man of quality, who had received him so courteously. As he sat down to table again, he said, Madam, I beg a thousand pardons for my rudeness; I was vexed that my slave should tarry so long: the rascal shall pay for it when he comes: I will teach him to use me so another time.

Let not that trouble you, said the lady, if he is guilty of any faults, let him pay for it; do not think of him; we can enjoy ourselves without him, I warrant. Amgrad continued at the table with the more pleasure, being under no apprehensions at the consequence of the lady's indiscretion, who ought not to have broken open the door, had it even been Amgrad's own house. They drank and laughed, and drank again, till Bahader arrived, disguised as a slave.

Bahader entered like one who feared his master's displeasure for staying out when he had company with him: he fell down at his feet, and kissed the ground, to implore his clemency; and, when he had done, stood behind him with his hands across, in expectation of his commands.

Sirrah! said Amgrad, with a fierce tone and a fiery look, is there such a slave as thou in all the world? Where have you been? What have you been doing, that you came no sooner? My lord, replied Bahader, I ask your pardon; I was endeavouring to do as you ordered me, and could not despatch it sooner: besides, I did not think you would come home so early.

You are a rascal! said Amgrad; and I shall bang your sides for you, to teach you to lie, and to fail me another time. He then rose up, took a stick, and gave him two or three blows, but so slightly, that he hardly felt it; after which he sat down to table again.

The lady, not satisfied with the chastisement Amgrad had bestowed on him, also rose, took the stick, and struck Bahader so unmercifully, that the tears came into his eyes. Amgrad, offended at such freedom, and knowing that the pretended slave was not a proper object of resentment, cried out, It is enough: but she continued her rude discipline, regardless of the prince's intercession: Let me alone with him, said she; I will punish him severely, and I warrant that he will be more expeditious in future. But, repeating her blows, Amgrad rose from the table, and forced the stick out of her hand; which, however, she did not give up without some difficulty. When she found that she could beat Bahader no longer, she sat down, and railed at and cursed him.

Baliader wiped his eyes, and stood behind his fictitious master to fill out wine. When he saw they had done eating and drinking, he took away the cloth, and put every thing in its place; and, night coming on, lighted up the lamps. As often as he passed the lady, she muttered and threatened him, and gave him abusive language, to Amgrad's great disliking, who would have hindered her, if he could. When it was time to retire, Bahader prepared a bed for them, and withdrew into a chamber over against that where they were to lie, and laid himself down, and soon fell asleep, having been fatigued with his beating. Amgrad and the lady entertained one another a good half hour afterwards; but the lady wanting to go forth before she went to bed, passed through the gallery that parted Bahader's chamber from theirs; and hearing him snore, and seeing a sabre hanging up by him, she turned back again, and said to prince Amgrad, Pray, my lord, as you love me, do me one favour. In what can I serve you? replied the prince. The lady answered, Oblige me so far as to take down your sabre, and cut off your slave's head. Amgrad was astonished at such a proposal from a lady, and doubted not it was the wine she had drunk that instigated her. Madam, said he, let my slave alone; he is not worthy of your notice. I have beaten him, and you have beaten him; it is sufficient: I am very well satisfied with him; he is seldom guilty of such faults.

That shall not do! replied the lady in a violent fury; the rogue shall die, if not by your hands, by mine! Saying this, she ran and took down the sabre from the place where it hung, drew it out of the scabbard, and was going to execute her wicked design.

Amgrad, to prevent her, took the sabre out of her hand, saying, You shall be satisfied; madam; the slave shall die, since you will have it so: but I shall be sorry that any one but myself should kill him. When she had given him the sabre, Come, follow me, said he; make no noise, lest we wake him. They went into the chamber, where Amgrad, instead of gratifying the lady's desire, struck at her with the weapon, and severing her head with the blow, it fell upon Bahader.

Had not the noise of the blow which Amgrad gave the lady, in cutting off her head, wakened Bahader, her head falling upon him would have done it: he was amazed to see Amgrad with a sabre covered with blood, and the body of the lady lying headless on the ground. The prince told him what had passed; and, ending his discourse, said, I had no other way to hinder her from killing you, she was so transported with fury against you. My lord, replied Bahader, full of gratitude, persons of your rank, and so generous as you, are not capable of doing so wicked an action as she desired of you. You are my deliverer, and I cannot enough thank you. After embracing him, in order to show him what sense he had of his obligations, he said, We must carry this corpse out before it is quite day. Leave it to me; I will do it. Amgrad would not agree to that, saying that he would carry it away himself, since he had done the deed. Bahader replied, You are a stranger in this city, and will not come off so well as one who is acquainted here: I must do it, if for no other reason than both our safeties, to prevent our being questioned for her death. Stay you here; and if I do not come back before day, you may be sure the watch has taken me: and, for fear of the worst, I will by a writing give you this house and furniture for your habitation while you stay in this city.

When he had written, signed, and delivered the paper to prince Amgrad, he put the lady's body and head in a bag, took it on his shoulder, and went out with it from one street to another, taking the way to the sea-side; but he had not gone far before he was met by one of the judges of the city, going the rounds in person, as was usual for the chief magistrates to do there. Bahader was stopped by the judge's followers, who, opening the bag, found the body of a murdered lady, bundled up with the head. The judge, who knew the master of the horse notwithstanding his disguise, took him home to his house; and, not daring to put him to death without telling the king, because of his quality, he conveyed him to court as soon as it was day. As soon as the king had heard from the judge what a foul action the master of the horse had been guilty of, as appeared by the circumstances of the matter, he upbraided him in these words: Is it thus, then, that you rob and murder my subjects, and then would throw their dead bodies into the sea to hide your villany? Let us rid the world of such a monster; go hang him up immediately!

Innocent as Bahader was, he received his sentence of death with perfect resignation, and said not a word to justify himself. The judge escorted him to his house; and, while the gallows was preparing, sent a crier to publish throughout the city, that at noon the master of the horse was to be hanged for committing a murder.

Prince Amgrad, who had in vain expected Bahader's return, was in a terrible consternation when he heard the crier publish the approaching execution of the master of the horse. If, said he to himself, somebody must die for the death of such a wicked woman, it is I, and not Bahader; I will never let an innocent man be punished for the guilty: and, without deliberating any more, hastened to the place of execution, whither the people were running from all parts.

When Amgrad saw the judge bringing Bahader to the gibbet, he went up to him, and said, I am come to tell you, and to assure you, that the master of the horse, whom you are leading to execution, is wholly innocent of the lady's death: I am guilty of the crime, if it is one to have killed the most detestable of women, who would have murdered Bahader. So he told him the affair as it had happened.

The prince having informed the judge how he met her coming out of the bath; how she was the cause of going into the master of the horse's house of pleasure, and what had passed till the moment in which he was forced to cut off her head to save Bahader's life; the judge ordered the execution to be stopped, and conducted Amgrad to the king, taking the master of the horse with them.

The king had a mind to hear the story from Amgrad himself; and the prince, the better to prove his own and the master of the horse's innocence, embraced that opportunity to discover his quality, with all the accidents that had befallen him and his brother Assad, before and after their departure from the capital city of the isle of Ehene to that time.

The prince having done speaking, the king said, I rejoice that I have by this means come to the knowledge of you. I not only give you your own and my master of the horse's life, whom I commend for his civility to you, but I restore him to his office: and as for you, prince, I declare you my grand vizier, to make amends for your father's unjust usage of you, though it is also excusable; and I permit you to employ all the authority I now give you to find out prince Assad.

Prince Amgrad having thanked the king of the city and country of magicians for the honour he had done him, and taken possession of his office of grand vizier, ordered the common crier to promise a great reward to any one who should bring forth prince Assad, or tell any tidings of him. He sent men up and down the country to the same purpose; but, notwithstanding all his and their diligence, they could hear nothing.