The History of Badoura - Page 34

Author: Laurence Housman

Once again, therefore, despair returned to him, foi now a second time the talisman was lost, and he had no hope of recovering it. Also he must needs wait another year before the ship could return and take him upon his way. So going to the landlord of the garden he became a tenant in the place of his dead friend, and hiding what remained of the gold in fifty other olive jars, he set to work once more as a gardener until the time should once more come round for him to embark.

Meantime, under a favourable wind, the ship arrived at the island of Ebony; and it so happened that as it came into the harbour the Princess Badoura was looking out of one of the palace windows toward the sea. No sooner did her eyes rest upon the sails of that ship than her heart became uplifted with joy. " Surely," she said to herself, " either my beloved is there on board or it brings news of him."

So going down to the shore, accompanied by her emirs and attendants, she caused the master of the vessel to be summoned before her and inquired of him what merchandise he had brought. " O King," replied the captain, " I have spices, drugs, aromatic scents, and sweet ointments; I have also rich fabrics and metal-work; and in addition to all these things I have olives such as are not to be found in any other country, and these, since I came by them fortunately, I can let you have cheap."

On hearing this a desire for the olives took hold of the Princess and she said, " What quantity have you brought?" "Fifty jars," answered the master; "that is all I have." "Well," said the Princess, "I will take fifty." And she paid him for them the price that he asked - a thousand pieces of silver.

Now presently, when the olives had been conveyed to the palace, there came upon the Princess a strange desire to taste that which she had just purchased so she gave orders for one of the jars to be opened and the contents to be poured into a dish; and as the attendant poured, first came olives and then a heap of red gold.

Then said Badoura to the Princess Hayatelnefoos, who alone was with her, " That is gold!" So she examined further and in every jar found gold in equal quantity. Presently as she emptied one of the jars, along with the gold came the talisman which Camaralzaman had concealed there; and no sooner did the Princess Badoura see it than she knew it again; and she showed it to Hayatelnefoos, saying, " Lo, this is the stone whose loss hath caused our separation; now, finding it again, I know that my beloved will be restored to me."

Then she sent in haste and caused the master of the vessel to be brought before her, and she said to him, " Whence had you these olives? Tell me the truth, or you shall die! "