The Arabian Nights II (21 page)

The hope of getting more money for the plate induced 'Ala al-Din to pull it out from under his gown and show it to the goldsmith. The old man, who knew at first sight that it was made of fine silver, asked him whether he had sold similar plates to the Jew and how much he had gotten for it. 'Ala al-Din told him plainly that he had sold twelve and that he had received only one piece of gold for each. The goldsmith cried out, “Ah! the thief!” adding, “Son, what is done is done, and you should forget about it. But when I tell you the value of your plate, which is made of the finest silver we use in our shops, you will realize how much the Jew has cheated you.”

The goldsmith took a pair of scales and weighed the plate, and after explaining to 'Ala al-Din how much an ounce of silver, as well as its fractions, contained, he told him that according to its weight the plate was worth seventy-two pieces of gold, which he paid him immediately, saying, “This is the fair value of your plate. If you doubt it, you may go to any of our goldsmiths you please, and if he tells you that it is worth more, I promise to pay you twice as much, for we make money only on the workmanship of the silver goods we buy, and this is something that even the fairest Jews don't do.” 'Ala al-Din thanked him very much for his fair treatment, which was so much to his advantage.

Afterwards, he went to no other person but him, and sold him all the plates, as well as the basin, receiving the fair value, according to their weight. Though 'Ala al-Din and his mother had an inexhaustible source of money from the lamp and might have had as much as they
wanted whenever the money was spent, they nevertheless continued to live with the same frugality as before, for 'Ala al-Din spent just enough to support himself modestly and to provide for the needs of the household. As for his mother, she did not spend on her clothes more than what she earned from her cotton spinning. Considering their simple way of life, it is easy to figure out how much the money 'Ala al-Din received from the goldsmith for the plates and the basin, according to their weight, lasted. They lived in this way for many years, by the good use 'Ala al-Din made of the lamp from time to time.

During this time, 'Ala al-Din never failed to be often in the company of persons of distinction who met at the shops of the most prominent merchants of cloth of gold and silver, silk fabrics, and the most delicate linens, as well as jewelry, and with whom he sometimes joined in conversation. Thus he matured slowly and acquired all the manners of the people of fashion. By his acquaintance with the jewelers, he discovered his error in thinking that the transparent fruits he had gathered in the garden when he went to get the lamp were nothing but colored glass, as he found out that they were stones of great value. For as he had seen all sorts of jewels bought and sold in their shops, he came to know their quality and value, and as he saw nothing there that equaled his in beauty or size, he realized that he possessed, not pieces of glass, which he had considered as trifles, but an inestimable treasure. However, he had the prudence not to say anything of it to anyone, not even to his mother, and there is no doubt that it was this reticence that brought him the great fortune, as we are about to see from the following account.

One day, as he was strolling in one quarter of the city, he heard a crier proclaim with a loud voice an order of the king, commanding people to close their shops and houses and stay indoors, while Princess Badr al-Budur, the king's daughter, went to the baths and came back. This public order aroused in 'Ala al-Din the curiosity to see the face of the princess; however, he could not do it without entering the house of some acquaintance and looking through shutters. But this did not satisfy him, because, according to custom, the princess had to cover her face with a veil when she went to the baths. He therefore devised a way that succeeded. He went and placed himself behind the door of the baths, which was so situated that he could not fail to see her face. He did not have to wait long before the princess came, and he was able to see her through a large crack in the door, without being seen. She was accompanied by a great number of her female attendants and eunuchs, who walked on each side as well as behind her. When she was within three or four steps from the door of the baths, she took off her veil, which had bothered her very much, giving 'Ala al-Din the opportunity to see her clearly as she came toward him.

Until that moment, 'Ala al-Din had never seen any woman's face except his mothers', who was old and who never had such beautiful features as to make him think that other women were beautiful. He might very well have heard that there were some women of astonishing beauty, but whatever words are used to praise a beautiful woman, they never make the same impression as the woman herself. But as soon as he saw Princess Badr al-Budur, he changed his belief that all women looked more or less like his mother; his attitude changed considerably, as his heart could not resist the inclinations aroused by such a charming object. For indeed, the princess was the most beautiful brunette in the world. Her eyes were large, sparkling, and striking, her looks modest and sweet, her nose justly proportioned and without blemish, her mouth small, her lips vermillion and charmingly symmetrical—in short, all the features of her face were perfectly proportioned. One should therefore not be surprised that 'Ala al-Din, who had never seen such a combination of charms, was dazzled and beside himself. In addition to all these perfections, the princess had so stately a figure, and so majestic an air, that the mere sight of her commanded the respect due her.

After she went into the baths, 'Ala al-Din remained for some time in a state of amazement and a kind of ecstasy, retracing and imprinting deeply in his mind the image of one who had charmed him and penetrated deep into his heart. At last, considering that the princess was gone past him and that it would be useless for him to stay behind the door in order to see her again, since when she came out of the baths, her back would be turned toward him and she would be veiled, he resolved to quit his post and go home.

When he arrived, he could not conceal his uneasiness and anxiety, so that his mother noticed and was surprised to see him much more preoccupied and melancholy than usual. She asked him whether something had happened to him or whether he was not feeling well. 'Ala al-Din made no reply, but slumped on the sofa and remained in that state, full of the charming image of Princess Badr al-Budur. His mother, who was preparing supper, pressed him no further. When it was ready, she set it near him, before the sofa, and sat down to eat, but seeing that he paid no attention to it, she asked him to eat, and it was with difficulty that she persuaded him to leave his place and come to the table. But he ate much less than usual, with his eyes cast down and with such a profound silence, that his mother could not get a single word out of him in answer to all the questions she asked him to find the reason for such an extraordinary alteration. After supper, she asked again the reason for such a deep melancholy, but she could find out nothing, and 'Ala al-Din decided to go to bed rather than give her the slightest satisfaction.

Without going into how 'Ala al-Din spent the night, captivated by the beauty and charm of Princess Badr al-Budur, I shall only say that as he sat the following day on the sofa, facing his mother, who was spinning cotton as usual, he spoke to her in these words, “Mother, I am breaking the silence that I have kept ever since my return home yesterday and which, I know, has troubled you. I was not ill, as I assume you thought, nor am I ill now, but I can tell you that what I felt then and what I feel now is worse than any disease. I don't know what to call this affliction, but I have no doubt that when you hear what I will tell you, you will know what it is.” 'Ala al-Din continued, “It was not known in this quarter of town, and therefore you yourself could not know, that yesterday, Princess Badr al-Budur, the king's daughter, was to go to the baths after dinner. I heard the news, as I was strolling in the city, and an order was proclaimed that all the shops should be closed and everybody should stay indoors, in order to pay the princess her due respect and to leave the streets free for her. Since I was not far from the baths, the curiosity of seeing her face unveiled gave me the idea to go and stand behind the door of the baths, supposing that she would remove the veil when she was about to enter. You know the position of the door, and you could judge for yourself that I could see her easily, if what I had supposed happened, and indeed, as she entered, she removed the veil, and I had the good fortune of seeing this lovely princess, with the greatest satisfaction in the world. This, mother, was the main cause of the state in which you saw me, when I came in yesterday, and the reason for the silence I have kept till now. I love the princess with a love so intense that I cannot express it to you, and as my lively and ardent passion increases every moment, I know that it will be satisfied only by the possession of the lovely princess, Badr al-Budur. I have therefore decided to ask the king for her hand in marriage.”

'Ala al-Din's mother listened attentively to what her son told her, but when she heard of his desire to ask for the hand of Princess Badr al-Budur in marriage, she could not help interrupting him with a loud burst of laughter. 'Ala al-Din wanted to continue, but she interrupted him again, saying, “Ah! son, what are you thinking of? You must be mad to talk like this.” 'Ala al-Din replied, “Mother, I assure you that I am not mad, but in my right mind. I expected you to accuse me of folly and extravagance, but your reproaches will not stop me from asking the king for the princess's hand in marriage.”

The mother replied very seriously, “Really, son, I can't help telling you that you have completely forgotten yourself, but even if you still wish to carry out this decision, I don't see whom you will venture to ask to make this proposition on your behalf to the king.” 'Ala al-Din replied immediately, “You yourself.” The mother cried out in surprise
and astonishment, “I? To the king? Ah! I will be very careful not to engage in such an enterprise.” She added, “And who are you, son, to have the temerity to think of your king's daughter? Have you forgotten that you are the son of a man who was a tailor, one of the poorest in the capital, and a woman who is of no better pedigree? Don't you know that kings don't condescend to marry their daughters even to the sons of kings, unless they expect to rule one day as kings like themselves?” 'Ala al-Din replied, “Mother, I have already told you that I had foreseen all that you have said or can say. Neither your speech nor your remonstrances will make me change my mind. I have told you that through your mediation, I will demand Princess Badr al-Budur in marriage; this is a favor I ask of you, with all the respect I owe you, and I beg of you not to refuse me, unless you would rather see me die than give me life a second time.”

'Ala al-Din's mother was very embarrassed when she saw how stubbornly her son persisted in pursuing such a foolish plan. She said to him again, “Son, I am your mother, and as a good mother who brought you into the world, there is nothing reasonable or appropriate that I would not readily do out of my love for you. If it was a question of marriage with one of the daughters of one of our neighbors, whose circumstances were equal or similar to ours, I would do all I can with all my heart, and even then, you would need to have some property, income, or profession. When poor people like us wish to marry, the first thing they ought to think about is how to earn a living. But without reflecting on the meanness of your birth or the little merit and the few possessions you have, you aspire to the highest degree of fortune, and your pretensions are no less than to demand in marriage the daughter of your sovereign, who with one single word can crush you and destroy you. I leave aside what concerns you, for it is for you to consider what you ought to do, if you have some sense. I come now to consider what concerns me. How could such an extraordinary thought come into your head, that I should go to the king and propose to him to give you his daughter the princess in marriage? Suppose I had, not to say the boldness, but the impudence to present myself before his majesty and make such a foolish request, to whom should I address myself to introduce me to him? Do you think that the first person I would speak to would not take me for a madwoman and drive me away indignantly, as I should deserve? Suppose there is no difficulty in having an audience with his majesty; I know that there is none for those who go to him to demand justice, which he grants readily to his subjects; I also know that when people ask him for a favor, he grants it gladly, when he sees that they deserve it and are worthy of it. But is that your case, and do you think that you have deserved the favor you wish me to ask for you? What have you done for your king or country?
How have you distinguished yourself? If you have done nothing to deserve such a great favor, nor are worthy of it, with what face can I demand it? How can I open my mouth to make the proposal to the king? His majestic presence and his dazzling court would immediately silence me, I who used to tremble before my late husband, your father, when I asked him for the slightest thing. There is another reason, son, which you don't think of and which is that one never presents oneself before the king to ask for a favor without a present, for a present has at least one advantage, and that is that if for whatever reason he refuses the favor, the demand will at least be heard. But what do you have to offer? And if you had any present worthy of the least attention of such a great king, how commensurate would it be with the favor you wish to ask of him? Reflect on it yourself, and realize that you aspire to something that is impossible to attain.”

'Ala al-Din listened very calmly to all that his mother could say to dissuade him from his plan, and after he reflected on all the points of her remonstration, he at last replied, “I admit, mother, that it is very rash of me to presume to carry my pretensions so far, and very inconsiderate to ask you with so much ardor and urgency to make the proposal of my marriage to the king, without first taking the proper measures to secure you an audience and a favorable reception, and I therefore beg your pardon. But don't be surprised that, in the intensity of my passion, I did not at first think of everything necessary to procure me the happiness I seek. I love Princess Badr al-Budur beyond all you can imagine, or rather I adore her and shall always persevere in my plan to marry her. It is a thing that is determined and fixed in my mind. I am grateful to you for the suggestion you have given me, and I look on it as the first step toward procuring me the happy success I promise myself.