The History of Badoura - Page 37

Author: Laurence Housman

After a few days Badoura, wishing to find occasion for Camaralzaman's more frequent presence, appointed him to the office of Grand Treasurer, and thereafter scarcely a day passed that she did not bestow on him fresh honours; while Camaralzaman, for his part, wondering why such high favours were shown him, served the King diligently, and was greatly respected not only by all the emirs and officials of the Court, but by the common people, who swore by his life, and would have asked no better than for such an one as he to be their ruler.

So time went on, and ever did the wonder of Camaralzaman increase why he alone had been chosen for such great honours. And because this thing seemed to him without reason, he came at last to fear it. Furthermore, for loss of his beloved, restlessness and the desire for travel filled his heart, and in no one place could he find happiness. So one day coming to the King - that is to say to Badoura - he spoke as follows: " O King of the Age, so great is the favour that thou hast shown me, that I know well it cannot last. Suffer me therefore to depart before I have outstayed my welcome; so shall my gratitude be undiminished and the nature of thy regard for me unchanged."

When Badoura heard these words she smiled on him and said: " If indeed it is thy will to depart, then must thou take and cast away once more - yea, lose utterly - this stone whose virtue brought thee back to me, and by which, while it is in my possession, our lives are bound." So saying she reached out and put the talisman in his hand.

When Camaralzaman beheld the stone once more his wonder was beyond words. " O King," he cried, " whence came this to thee? For herein lies the cause of all my afflictions and separation from one whom I loved as my own soul."

" Surely," answered Badoura, " none can part from that talisman without estrangement and separation. And since now I have parted from it to thee, our separation must infallibly begin from this hour. Therefore the King of the Ebony Isles thou shalt see no more."

So saying she passed out of the chamber, and Camaralzaman stood and wondered, not knowing what to think.

Then Badoura went in haste to a closet, and there she put on the dress and the girdle which she had worn on the day of separation; and taking from her head the man's turban, she spread her hair and put on a head-dress of fine gold delicately wrought. So she returned to him, and when Camaralzaman saw her he uttered a cry and ran into her arms and held her with kisses as if he could never let her go. And when at last he spoke of things other than his joy - " How," he inquired, '* has the King accomplished this miracle? Surely when he spoke I understood nothing of what he said."