The Arabian Nights Entertainments, vol 3 | Page 9

sea began to be disturbed. The closet the king
was in was so contrived, that looking through the lattice on the same
side with the windows that faced the sea, he could plainly perceive it.
At length the sea opened at some distance; and presently there arose out
of it a tall, handsome young man, with whiskers of a sea-green colour;
a little behind him, a lady, advanced in years, but of a majestic air,
attended by five young ladies, nothing inferior in beauty to the Queen
Gulnare.
Queen Gulnare immediately came to one of the windows, and saw the
king her brother, the queen her mother, and the rest of her relations,
who at the same time perceived her also. The company advanced,
supported, as it were, upon the waves. When they came to the edge,
they nimbly, one after another, sprung in at the window. King Saleh,
the queen her mother, and the rest of her relations, embraced her
tenderly on their first entrance, with tears in their eyes.
After Queen Gulnare had received them with all imaginable honour,
and made them sit down upon a sofa, the queen her mother addressed
herself to her: "Daughter," said she, "I am overjoyed to see you again
after so long an absence; and I am confident that your brother and your
relations are no less so. Your leaving us without acquainting any one
with your intention, involved us in inexpressible concern; and it is
impossible to tell you how many tears we have shed on your account.
We know of no reason that could induce you to take such a resolution,
but what your brother related to us respecting the conversation that
passed between him and you. The advice he gave you seemed to him at
that time advantageous for settling you in the world, and suitable to the
then posture of our affairs. If you had not approved of his proposal, you
ought not to have been so much alarmed; and give me leave to tell you,
you took his advice in a different light from what you ought to have
done. But no more of this; it serves only to renew the occasion of our
sorrow and complaint, which we and you ought to bury forever in
oblivion; give us now an account of all that has happened to you since
we saw you last, and of your present situation, but especially let us
know if you are married."
Gulnare immediately threw herself at her mother's feet, and kissing her

hand, "Madam," said she, "I own I have been guilty of a fault, and I am
indebted to your goodness for the pardon which you are pleased to
grant me. What I am going to say, in obedience to your commands, will
soon convince you, that it is often in vain for us to have an aversion for
certain measures; I have myself experienced that the only thing I had an
abhorrence to, is that to which my destiny has led me." She then related
the whole of what had befallen her since she quitted the sea for the
earth. As scon as she had concluded, and acquainted them with her
having been sold to the king of Persia, in whose palace she was at
present; "Sister," said the king her brother, "you have been wrong to
suffer so many indignities, but you can properly blame nobody but
yourself; you have it in your power now to free yourself, and I cannot
but admire your patience, that you could endure so long a slavery. Rise,
and return with us into my kingdom, which I have reconquered from
the proud usurper who had made himself master of it."
The king of Persia, who heard these words from the closet where he
stood, was in the utmost alarm; "Ah!" said he to himself, "I am ruined,
and if my queen, my Gulnare, hearken to this advice, and leave me, I
shall surely die, for it is impossible for me to live without her." Queen
Gulnare soon put him out of his fears.
"Brother," said she smiling, "what I have just heard gives me a greater
proof than ever of the sincerity of your affection; I could not brook
your proposing to me a match with a prince of the earth: now I can
scarcely forbear being angry with you for advising me to break the
engagement I have made with the most puissant and most renowned
monarch in the world. I do not speak here of an engagement between a
slave and her master; it would be easy to return the ten thousand pieces
of gold he gave for me; but I speak now of a contract between a wife
and a husband--and a wife who has not the least reason