The Arabian Nights Entertainments — Volume 04 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 317 pages of information about The Arabian Nights Entertainments — Volume 04.

The Arabian Nights Entertainments — Volume 04 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 317 pages of information about The Arabian Nights Entertainments — Volume 04.
whose heart had been nearly broken on the flight of her son, or the glad transports of Eusuff’s own ladies, who were in number three wives and forty concubines.  Suffice it to say, that all was joy and pleasure in the palace, except in the breast of Eusuff; who mingled with the satisfaction of return to his family an ardent desire to meet again the beautiful Aleefa, so that the caresses of his women gave him no pleasure; and when he retired to his apartment, he did not, as was usual, call any of them to his presence, but passed the night alone, thinking of his beloved.  Morning invited him to new scenes of festivity, prepared by his happy parents, who little suspected how soon they were again to lose their son.

Eusuff having sacrificed a few days (to him long as the eve of dissolution) to his sense of duty, could no longer restrain his impatience, but with a faithful slave named Hullaul, mounted on a favourite courser behind him, left the palace undiscovered in the darkness of night, and speeded with the swiftness of the gale towards the citadel of Aleefa.  Being arrived on the banks of the lake, he secured his saddle and bridle among some bushes, and was carried with his attendant safely through the water by his noble steed.  Unbounded was the joy of the princess at again meeting her faithful lover, nor was his rapture less than hers.  Having committed Hullaul to the care of the ladies of Aleefa, they retired to their apartment.  Thirty days rolled on almost unpcrceived by Eusuff, who forgot his parents, his family, and country, in the delights of love.

On the thirtieth evening, as Eusuff and Aleefa were viewing the beautiful prospect from the terrace of the palace, they perceived a boat sailing towards it, which, as it drew nearer, the princess knew to belong to her father the sultan Mherejaun; upon which she requested her lover to keep himself concealed from view, while she received the persons in the vessel.  Eusuff accordingly withdrew into a chamber, the lattice of which looked upon the lake; but how can we express his indignant surprise, and furious jealousy, when he beheld landing from the boat two handsome young men, into the arms of one of whom Aleefa threw herself with eager transport, and after mutual embraces they withdrew together into the palace.  Without considering that his supposed rival might be a near relation to the princess, as he in fact was, being her first cousin, who had been brought up with her till her confinement to the lake; EusufF suffered himself to be overcome by unworthy suspicion, and resolved to quit for ever a faithless mistress.  Having written an angry letter upraiding her with falsehood, and bidding her farewell, he with his attendant Hullaul mounted his courser; then delivering his note to one of the females, to be given to the princess, he swam over the lake and speeded rapidly to his own country, where he was once more joyfully received by his parents and family; and in order to forget the charms of Aleefa, he indulged himself in mirth and pleasure with his lately forsaken ladies, who, delighted with the long-wished-for return of his affection, strove with each ether who should please him best.

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The Arabian Nights Entertainments — Volume 04 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.