Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 2.djvu/23

You muſt know that all this while the King, my Uncle; was abſent, and had been a hunting for ſeveral Days, I grew weary of ſtaying for him; and having pray’d his Miniſters to make my Apology to him at his Return, I left his Palace, and ſet out towards my Father’s Court, from which I had never been ſo long abſent before. I left the Miniſters of the King my Uncle in great Trouble to think what was become of the Prince my Couſin; but becauſe of my Oath I had made to keep his Secret, I durſt not tell them any thing of what I had ſeen or knew, in order to make them eaſy.

I arriv’d at my Father’s Capitol, the uſual Place of his Reſidence, where, contrary to Cuſtom, I found a great Guard at the Gate of the Palace, who ſurrounded me as I enter’d. I ask’d the Reaſon, and the commanding Officer replied, Prince, the Army has proclaimed the Grand Viſier King, inſtead of your Father, who is dead; and I take you Priſoner in the Name of the new King. At theſe Words the Guards laid hold on me, and carried me before the Tyrant: I leave you to judge, Madam, how much I was ſurprized and grieved.

This Rebel Viſier had entertained a mortal Hatred againſt me of a long time, upon this Occaſion. When I was a Stripling, I lov’d to ſhoot in a Croſs-bow; and being one Day upon the Terrace of the Palace with my Bow, a Bird happening to come by, I ſhot, but miſs’d him, and the Ball by Misfortune hit the Viſier, who was taking the Air upon the Terrace of his own Houſe, and put out one of his Eyes, As ſoon as I underſtood it, I not only ſent to make my Excuſe to him, but did it in Perſon: Yet he always reſented it, and, as Opportunity offer’d, made me ſenſible of it. But now, Madam, that he had me in his Power, he expreſs’d his Reſentments in a very barbarous Manner; for he came to me like a Mad-man, as ſoon as ever he ſaw me, and thruſting his Finger into my right Eye, pull’d it out himſelf; and ſo, Madam, I became blind of one Eye.

But the Uſurper’s Cruelty did not ſtop here; he order’d me to be ſhut up in a Box, and commanded the Executioner to carry me into the Country to cut off my Head, and leave me to be devour’d by the Birds of Prey. The Hang-