to be more resolute. I am ready to sacrifice
my honour and life for you: and, that you may
not doubt of my sincerity, I swear by all that is
sacred in our religion, to keep your secret inviolable.
Be persuaded then, prince, that you will find in me
the friend whom you have lost.” This declaration
encouraged the prince, and comforted him under Ebn
Thaher’s absence. “I am glad,”
said he to the jeweller, “to find in you a reparation
of my loss; I want words to express the obligations
I am under to you. I pray God to recompense your
generosity, and I accept your obliging offer with
all my heart. Believe me,” continued he,
“Schemselnihar’s confidant came to speak
to me concerning you. She told me that it was
you who advised Ebn Thaher to go from Bagdad; these
were the last words she spoke to me, as she went away,
and she seemed persuaded of what she said; but they
do not do you justice. I doubt not, after what
you have told me, she is deceived.” “Prince”
replied the jeweller, “I have had the honour
to give you a faithful account of my conversation
with Ebn Thaher. It is true, when he told me
he meant to retire to Bussorah, I did not oppose his
design; but let not this prevent your putting confidence
in me. I am ready to serve you with all imaginable
zeal. If you do not use my service, this shall
not hinder me from keeping your secret religiously,
according to my oath.” “I have already
told you,” replied the prince, “that I
did not believe what the confidant said: it is
her zeal which inspired her with this groundless suspicion,
and you ought to excuse it, as I do.”
They continued their conversation for some time, and
consulted together about the most convenient means
to keep up the prince’s correspondence with
Schemselnihar. They agreed to begin by undeceiving
the confidant, who was so unjustly prepossessed against
the jeweller. The prince engaged to remove her
mistake the first time he saw her again, and to intreat
her to address herself to the jeweller whenever she
might bring letters, or any other information from
her mistress to him. In short, they determined,
that she ought not to come so frequently to the prince’s
house, because thereby she might lead to the discovery
of what it was of so great importance to conceal.
At last the jeweller arose, and, after having again
intreated the prince of Persia to place an unreserved
confidence in him, withdrew.
The jeweller returning to his house perceived before
him a letter, which somebody had dropped in the street.
He took it up, and as it was not sealed, he opened
it, and read as follows:
Letter from Schemselnihar to the Prince of Persia.