part06-第4章

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these　birds　drooping　in　solitude；　or　tearing　each　other　in　pieces；

instead　of　fluttering　cheerfully　about　the　groves；　or　sporting　with

each　other　among　flowers？

　　He　lay　one　morning　on　his　couch　meditating　on　this　inexplicable

matter。　The　window　of　his　chamber　was　open　to　admit　the　soft　morning

breeze；　which　came　laden　with　the　perfume　of　orange　blossoms　from

the　valley　of　the　Darro。　The　voice　of　the　nightingale　was　faintly

heard；　still　chanting　the　wonted　theme。　As　the　prince　was　listening

and　sighing；　there　was　a　sudden　rushing　noise　in　the　air；　a

beautiful　dove；　pursued　by　a　hawk；　darted　in　at　the　window；　and　fell

panting　on　the　floor；　while　the　pursuer；　balked　of　his　prey；　soared

off　to　the　mountains。

　　The　prince　took　up　the　gasping　bird；　smoothed　its　feathers；　and

nestled　it　in　his　bosom。　When　he　had　soothed　it　by　his　caresses；　he

put　it　in　a　golden　cage；　and　offered　it；　with　his　own　hands；　the

whitest　and　finest　of　wheat　and　the　purest　of　water。　The　bird；

however；　refused　food；　and　sat　drooping　and　pining；　and　uttering

piteous　moans。

　　〃What　aileth　thee？〃　said　Ahmed。　〃Hast　thou　not　every　thing　thy　heart

can　wish？〃

　　〃Alas；　no！〃　replied　the　dove；　〃am　I　not　separated　from　the　partner

of　my　heart；　and　that　too　in　the　happy　spring…time；　the　very　season　of

love！〃

　　〃Of　love！〃　echoed　Ahmed；　〃I　pray　thee；　my　pretty　bird；　canst　thou

tell　me　what　is　love？〃

　　〃Too　well　can　I；　my　prince。　It　is　the　torment　of　one；　the　felicity

of　two；　the　strife　and　enmity　of　three。　It　is　a　charm　which　draws

two　beings　together；　and　unites　them　by　delicious　sympathies；　making

it　happiness　to　be　with　each　other；　but　misery　to　be　apart。　Is　there

no　being　to　whom　you　are　drawn　by　these　ties　of　tender　affection？〃

　　〃I　like　my　old　teacher　Eben　Bonabben　better　than　any　other　being；

but　he　is　often　tedious；　and　I　occasionally　feel　myself　happier

without　his　society。〃

　　〃That　is　not　the　sympathy　I　mean。　I　speak　of　love；　the　great　mystery

and　principle　of　life：　the　intoxicating　revel　of　youth；　the　sober

delight　of　age。　Look　forth；　my　prince；　and　behold　how　at　this　blest

season　all　nature　is　full　of　love。　Every　created　being　has　its　mate；

the　most　insignificant　bird　sings　to　its　paramour；　the　very　beetle

woos　its　lady…beetle　in　the　dust；　and　yon　butterflies　which　you　see

fluttering　high　above　the　tower；　and　toying　in　the　air；　are　happy　in

each　other's　loves。　Alas；　my　prince　hast　thou　spent　so　many　of　the

precious　days　of　youth　without　knowing　any　thing　of　love？　Is　there

no　gentle　being　of　another　sex…　no　beautiful　princess　nor　lovely

damsel　who　has　ensnared　your　heart；　and　filled　your　bosom　with　a

soft　tumult　of　pleasing　pains　and　tender　wishes？〃

　　〃I　begin　to　understand；〃　said　the　prince；　sighing；　〃such　a　tumult

I　have　more　than　once　experienced；　without　knowing　the　cause；　and

where　should　I　seek　for　an　object　such　as　you　describe；　in　this　dismal

solitude？〃

　　A　little　further　conversation　ensued；　and　the　first　amatory　lesson

of　the　prince　was　complete。

　　〃Alas！〃　said　he；　〃if　love　be　indeed　such　a　delight；　and　its

interruption　such　a　misery；　Allah　forbid　that　I　should　mar　the　joy

of　any　of　its　votaries。〃　He　opened　the　cage；　took　out　the　dove；　and

having　fondly　kissed　it；　carried　it　to　the　window。　〃Go；　happy　bird；〃

said　he；　〃rejoice　with　the　partner　of　thy　heart　in　the　days　of　youth

and　spring…time。　Why　should　I　make　thee　a　fellow…prisoner　in　this

dreary　tower；　where　love　can　never　enter？〃

　　The　dove　flapped　its　wings　in　rapture；　gave　one　vault　into　the

air；　and　then　swooped　downward　on　whistling　wings　to　the　blooming

bowers　of　the　Darro。

　　The　prince　followed　him　with　his　eyes；　and　then　gave　way　to　bitter

repining。　The　singing　of　the　birds　which　once　delighted　him；　now　added

to　his　bitterness。　Love！　love！　love！　Alas；　poor　youth！　he　now

understood　the　strain。

　　His　eyes　flashed　fire　when　next　he　beheld　the　sage　Bonabben。　〃Why

hast　thou　kept　me　in　this　abject　ignorance？〃　cried　he。　〃Why　has　the

great　mystery　and　principle　of　life　been　withheld　from　me；　in　which

I　find　the　meanest　insect　is　so　learned？　Behold　all　nature　is　in　a

revel　of　delight。　Every　created　being　rejoices　with　its　mate。　This…

this　is　the　love　about　which　I　have　sought　instruction。　Why　am　I　alone

debarred　its　enjoyment？　Why　has　so　much　of　my　youth　been　wasted

without　a　knowledge　of　its　raptures？〃

　　The　sage　Bonabben　saw　that　all　further　reserve　was　useless；　for

the　prince　had　acquired　the　dangerous　and　forbidden　knowledge。　He

revealed　to　him；　therefore；　the　predictions　of　the　astrologers；　and

the　precautions　that　had　been　taken　in　his　education　to　avert　the

threatened　evils。　〃And　now；　my　prince；〃　added　he；　〃my　life　is　in

your　hands。　Let　the　king　your　father　discover　that　you　have　learned

the　passion　of　love　while　under　my　guardianship；　and　my　head　must

answer　for　it。〃

　　The　prince　was　as　reasonable　as　most　young　men　of　his　age；　and

easily　listened　to　the　remonstrances　of　his　tutor；　since　nothing

pleaded　against　them。　Besides；　he　really　was　attached　to　Eben

Bonabben；　and　being　as　yet　but　theoretically　acquainted　with　the

passion　of　love；　he　consented　to　confine　the　knowledge　of　it　to　his

own　bosom；　rather　than　endanger　the　head　of　the　philosopher。

　　His　discretion　was　doomed；　however；　to　be　put　to　still　further

proofs。　A　few　mornings　afterwards；　as　he　was　ruminating　on　the

battlements　of　the　tower；　the　dove　which　had　been　released　by　him　came

hovering　in　the　air；　and　alighted　fearlessly　upon　his　shoulder。

　　The　prince　fondled　it　to　his　heart。　〃Happy　bird；〃　said　he；　〃who

can　fly；　as　it　were；　with　the　wings　of　the　morning　to　the　uttermost

parts　of　the　earth。　Where　hast　thou　been　since　we　parted？〃

　　〃In　a　far　country；　my　prince；　whence　I　bring　you　tidings　in　reward

for　my　liberty。　In　the　wild　compass　of　my　flight；　which　extends　over

plain　and　mountain；　as　I　was　soaring　in　the　air；　I　beheld　below　me　a

delightful　garden　with　all　kinds　of　fruits　and　flowers。　It　was　in　a

green　meadow；　on　the　banks　of　a　wandering　stream；　and　in　the　centre　of

the　garden　was　a　stately　palace。　I　alighted　in　one　of　the　bowers　to

repose　after　my　weary　flight。　On　the　green　bank　below　me　was　a

youthful　princess；　in　the　very　sweetness　and　bloom　of　her　years。　She

was　surrounded　by　female　attendants；　young　like　herself；　who　decked

her　with　garlands　and　coronets　of　flowers；　but　no　flower　of　field　or

garden　could　compare　with　her　for　loveliness。　Here；　however；　she

bloomed　in　secret；　for　the　garden　was　surrounded　by　high　walls；　and　no

mortal　man　was　permitted　to　enter。　When　I　beheld　this　beauteous

maid；　thus　young　and　innocent　and　unspotted　by　the　world；　I　thought；

here　is　the　being　formed　by　heaven　to　inspire　my　prince　with　love。〃

　　The　description　was　a　spark　of　fire　to　the　combustible　heart　of

Ahmed；　all　the　latent　amorousness　of　his　temperament　had　at　once　found

an　object；　and　he　conceived　an　immeasurable　passion　for　the

princess。　He　wrote　a　letter；　couched　in　the　most　impassioned　language；

breathing　his　fervent　devotion；　but　bewailing　the　unhappy　thraldom

of　his　person；　which　prevented　him　from　seeking　her　out　and　throwing

himself　at　her　feet。　He　added　couplets　of　the　most　moving　eloquence；

for　he　was　a　poet　by　nature；　and　inspired　by　love。　He　addressed　his

letter…　〃To　the　unknown　beauty；　from　the　captive　Prince　Ahmed〃；

then；　perfuming　it　with　musk　and　roses；　he　gave　it　to　the　dove。

　　〃Away；　trustiest　of　messengers！〃　said　he。　〃Fly　over　mountain　and

valley；　and　river；　and　plain；　rest　not　in　bower；　nor　set　foot　on

earth；　until　thou　hast　given　this　letter　to　the　mistress　of　my　heart。〃

　　The　dove　soared　high　in　air；　and　taking　his　course　darted　away　in

one　undeviating　direction。　The　prince　followed　him　with　his　eye

until　he　was　a　mere　speck　on　a　cloud；　and　gradually　disappeared　behind

a　mountain。

　　Day　after　day　he　watched　for　the　return　of　the　messenger　of　love；

but　he　watched　in　vain。　He　began　to　accuse　him　of　forgetfulness；

when　towards　sunset　one　evening　the　faithful　bird　fluttered　into　his

apartment；　and　falling　at　his　feet　expired。　The　arrow　of　some　wanton

archer　had　pierced　his　breast；　yet　he　had　struggled　with　the

lingerings　of　life　to　execute　his　mission。　As　the　prince　bent　with

grief　over　this　gentle　martyr　to　fidelity；　he　beheld　a　chain　of　pearls

round　his　neck；　attached　to　which；　beneath　his　wing；　was　a　small

enamelled　picture。　It　represented　a　lovely　princess　in　the　very　flower

of　her　years。　It　was　doubtless　the　unknown　beauty　of　the　garden；　but

who　and　where　was　she…　how　had　she　received　his　letter；　and　was　this

picture　sent　as　a　token　of　her　approval　of　his　passion？

Unfortunately　the　death　of　the　faithful　dove　left　every　thing　in

mystery　and　doubt。

　　The　prince　gazed　on　the　picture　till　his　eyes　swam　with　tears。　He

pressed　it　to　his　lips　and　to　his　heart；　he　sat　for　hours

contemplating　it　almost　in　an　agony　of　tenderness。　〃Beautiful

image！〃　said　he；　〃alas；　thou　art　but　an　image！　Yet　thy　dewy　eyes

beam　tenderly　upon　me；　those　rosy　lips　look　as　though　they　would　speak

encouragement：　vain　fancies！　Have　they　not　looked　the　same　on　some

more　happy　rival？　But　where　in　this　wide　world　shall　I　hope　to　find

the　original？　Who　knows　what　mountains；　what　realms　may　separate　us；

what　adverse　chances　may　intervene？　Perhaps　now；　even　now；　lovers

may　be　crowding　around　her；　while　I　sit　here　a　prisoner　in　a　tower；

wasting　my　time　in　adoration　of　a　painted　shadow。〃

　　The　resolution　of　Prince　Ahmed　was　taken。　〃I　will　fly　from　this

palace；〃　said　he；　〃which　has　become　an　odious　prison；　and；　a　pilgrim

of　love；　will　seek　this　unknown　princess　throughout　the　world。〃　To

escape　from　the　tower　in　the　day；　when　every　one　was　awake；　might　be　a

difficult　matter；　but　at　night　the　palace　was　slightly　guarded；　for　no

one　apprehended　any　attempt　of　the　kind　from　the　prince；　who　had

always　been　so　passive　in　his　captivity。　How　was　he　to　guide

himself；　however；　in　his　darkling　flight；　being　ignorant　of　the

country？

　　He　bethought　him　of　the　owl；　who　was　accustomed　to　roam　at　night；

and　must　know　every　by…lane　and　secret　pass。　Seeking　him　in　his

hermitage；　he　questioned　him　touching　his　knowledge　of　the　land。

Upon　this　the　owl　put　on　a　mighty　self…important　look。　〃You　must　know；

O　prince；〃　said　he；　〃that　we　owls　are　of　a　very　ancient　and

extensive　family；　though　rather　fallen　to　decay；　and　possess　ruinous

castles　and　palaces　in　all　parts　of　Spain。　There　is　scarcely　a　tower

of　the　mountains；　or　a　fortress　of　the　plains；　or　an　old　citadel　of

a　city；　but　has　some　brother　or　uncle；　or　cousin；　quartered　in　it；　and

in　going　the　rounds　to　visit　this　my　numerous　kindred；　I　have　pryed

into　every　nook　and　corner；　and　made　myself　acquainted　with　every

secret　of　the　land。〃

　　The　prince　was　overjoyed　to　find　the　owl　so　deeply　versed　in

topography；　and　now　informed　him；　in　confidence；　of　his　tender　passion

and　his　intended　elopement；　urging　him　to　be　his　companion　and

cou