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Then, three months after the arrival of the army of Syria, as soon as the troops were all assembled and the Arabs had come in, he set out, at the head of his troops, with his brother Sherkan on his right and his brother-in-law the Chamberlain on his left hand. The name of the general of the army of the Medes was Rustem and that of the general of the army of the Turks Behram.
As soon as he was brought in, he was again thrown into the same dungeon. Behram acquainted the old man with the unfortunate circumstances of his return, and the ill success of his voyage. The old savage, upon this, commanded his two daughters Bostama and Cavama to treat him, if possible, more cruelly than before.
The queen herself came on board him, and demanded where the clerk was whom he had the boldness to take away from her out of her very palace. Behram replied, 0 queen, I swear before your majesty, that he is not in my ship; you will, by searching it, see my innocence.
The first to spur into the fight was the Vizier Dendan, with the army of Syria, thirty thousand cavaliers, followed by Rustem, the general of the Medes, and Behram, the general of the Turks, with other twenty thousand horse, behind whom came the men of the sea-coast, sheathed in glittering mail as they were full moons passing through a night of clouds.
It was so early that they met nobody in the streets; and when he came to the old man's house, he was again thrown into the dungeon. Behram acquainted the wizard with the sad occasion of his return, and the ill success of his voyage. The old rascal, upon this, commanded his two furies, Bostava and Cavama, to treat him, if possible, more cruelly than before.
Asked she, "Who art thou?" and he answered, "I am Behram, the King's son of Persia, who have changed my favour and am become a stranger to my people and estate for thy sake and have lavished my treasures for thy love."
At last he came to a fountain, where he washed his face and hands to refresh himself; and, lying down on some grass plots which surrounded the fountain, fell asleep. It was almost night, and Behram, fearing the queen would do as she threatened, had weighed anchor, and was under sail, mightily troubled at the loss of Assad, by which he was disappointed of a most acceptable sacrifice.
As soon as Behram espied the ten ships of war, he made sure it was queen Margiana's squadron in pursuit of him; and upon that he ordered Assad to be bastinadoed, which he had done every day. He was much perplexed what to do, when he found he was surrounded. To keep Assad, was to declare himself guilty; to kill him was as dangerous, for he feared some marks of the murder might be seen.
Behram commanded prince Assad's chains to be taken off, and had him neatly habited like a slave, as became one who was to pass for his clerk before the queen of the country. They had scarcely time to do this, before the ship drove into the port, and dropped anchor. Queen Margiana's palace was so near the sea, that her garden extended down to the shore.
Amgiad, in consideration of Behram turning Mussulmaun, and to compensate for the loss which he had suffered before he deserved his favour, made him one of his principal officers, and lodged him in his house.
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