The History of Badoura - Page 33

Author: Laurence Housman

This news so delighted Camaralzaman that taking the old man's hand he kissed it saying, " I too have tidings for you of a happy kind." And leading the gardener to the tree he lifted the trap, and disclosed to his astonished eyes the gold that lay stored below.

" Well," said the gardener, " I am glad that my poor plot of ground should have yielded thee such rich fruit. Take it, my son, and Heaven prosper thee by its aid till thou come once more to thine own land and the heart of thy beloved."

" Not so," replied Camaralzaman, " I will take nothing if I may not share it equally with thee."

So it was agreed. Then said the gardener, "My son, hast thou thought how to convey safely so much gold on a voyage where thou wilt be alone in the hands of strangers? Surely if they find thee possessed of such wealth they will kill thee for the sake of it. Hearken, therefore, to what I shall advise. From this country we send olives into all parts of the world, and many ships go laden with them. FiU for thyself, therefore, fifty jars from the olive-trees which are in this garden, and at the bottom of each jar lay a portion of the gold: so shall it be safe, and no man will know of it."

So the Prince did as the gardener advised; and fearing lest, while on the voyage, he himself might be robbed, he put the talisman along with the gold in one of the olive jars, marking it with a number so that he might know it again. Then he made a bargain with the owner of the vessel, and on the third day the seamen came and carried away the jars and stowed them on board. And the captain said to Camaralzaman, who had accompanied them, " Do not be long in returning, for the wind is fair and I only wait for you to set sail."

So Camaralzaman hastened back to say farewell to the old gardener and to thank him for all that he had done; but when he arrived at the house he found the old man so stricken with grief at his departure that he was already at the point of death. Camaralzaman therefore sat down by his bed and tended him, holding him by the hand and speaking many comfortable words; and toward evening, having made his profession of faith, as all good Mussulmans do, the old man let fall his head and expired.

Camaralzaman closed his eyes, wrapped his body for burial, and having dug a grave in the garden, interred it. Then he went down in haste to the shore and found that the vessel had gone.