CHAP. III.

As the agents of Fate and Providence, being perpetually employed in the affairs of mortality, are watchful that every object of divine will, which rests concealed in the hidden mansion of decree, may at the appointed time and fixed season, be ushered into the public court of appearance; necessarily, in com­pliance with the customs and habits of the world of causes, they incite a means, so that without hindrance of delay, they may draw the object from behind the curtain of secrecy into the plain of dis­closure. A proof of this observation follows.

Jehaundar Sultan on a certain day, having retired into the private chamber of prosperity, enjoyed the company of one of his women, in form like the Peris,* named Mhere Perwer,* in whose captivity his heart was held. From the intoxicating fascination of her unparal­leled beauty, being overcome with excess of rapture, under the curve of her cres­cent-like eyebrow, he drank repeated draughts of wine, pure as the sun, from cups resplendent as the moon. The angel-like damsel, in the warmth of her bliss and delight, when the glow of beauty and sparkling of wine gave a double enjoyment, perceiving her figure in a mirror, became vain of her own charms from self-conceit, which is the most degrading weakness in the region of sense. In this state of exultation and folly, the consequence of wine, being from her confined ideas overpowered by vanity, she, unable to command herself, exclaimed:

“My dear prince! although it is impertinent, and far distant from the rules of respect, yet I wish that for an instant, placing your dignity and royal state aside, you would not give the reins of impartiality from your hand; but, without the intervention of cere­mony, with truth and candour tell me, whether the self-existent delineator of omnipotence ever pourtrayed with the pencil of decree in the volume of creation, or on the pages of existence, any figure among the varying races of mankind, of such elegance and beauty as mine? or ever before traced a sketch with such abundant graces?”

The prince had not as yet replied, when the parrot laughed; on which account, the late blooming flower of the garden of beauty, shrinking like a blighted rose-bud, the signs of displeasure appeared upon her countenance, and with impatience she laid the hand of importu­nity on the vest of the Sultan, and said, “It is necessary that you disclose to me the reason why the bird laughed on this occasion, or I will put myself to instant death.”

Though the prince on this point enquired repeatedly, the parrot, not in the least bringing his tongue to acquaintance with speech, like the picture of a nightingale, remained silent; till at length, when importunate enquiry had passed the bounds of reason, he said, “My mistress, the disclosure of this mystery will in no manner profit you, or give any advantage. It is adviseable for your affairs that you free your mind from such a wish.”

As importunity and unreasonableness is the fashion of women, and the dispo­sition of this sex is leavened with folly and ignorance, she would not pass the least from her demand, but became more violent in requisition than ever; till at last the prudent bird, remediless, having broken the talisman of silence from the cover of the treasury of speech, poured the jewels of relation into the lap of audience of the prince, and the lady vain of her own beauty; saying,

“The cause of my smiles was your vanity and mistaken pride, in fancying yourself in grace and charms like the freely towering cypress, exalted above all the confined in the chain of humanity, and conceiting yourself superior to all the beauties of the world. Know you not, that the excellence of divine workmanship is not restrained to one being? or the elegance of the garden of creation dependent on one flower? Under this vaulted canopy are many rose-gardens, and in each, thousands of blossoms outblooming each other in tint and fragrance. Bordering upon this, is a region, which in population, extent, and cul­tivation, is an hundred times prefer­able, and superior in comparison with your dominions. The sovereign of it has a daughter named Bherawir Banou; upon whose countenance the world-illuming sun, with all his globe-enlightening splendour, dare not look without the medium of a veil or cover­ing. The rose, from desire to behold her charms, bursts the collar of patience; and the Nergus,* with eager­ness to gaze at her beauties, becomes all eyes. In short, if you, my mistress, were seated by her side, you would, like Soha* in presence of the sun, no longer have an opinion of yourself. The colour of a weed has no value placed by the rose.”

On hearing the above description, the lady became overwhelmed in the waves of envy, and the warmth of mor­tification appeared upon her countenance. The prince, secretly enamoured of the world-conquering charms of Bherawir Banou, lost his heart from his power, and unseeing, submitting the neck of his life to the kummund* of her fascinating locks, became like Mujenou,* fran­tic in the road of desire for her enjoy­ment. Separating his mind at once from relations and friends, and uniting himself to her, he so ardently pushed the courser of love on the plain of intense affection for his mistress, that he deserted the boundary of care for others and himself.

VERSE.
Not only does love arise from the sight,
Often has this happiness proceeded from description.
Let the glory of beauty but enter at the ear,
It will snatch repose from the soul, and sense from the heart.
There is no occasion to behold the object of affection,
For love often captivates many without hav­ing seen it.*