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"If he be a Prince," answered I, "he has hitherto concealed his circumstances and birth from me, or he is not that Mahoud whom I remember in the deserts of Tarapajan." "That," answered Eloubrou, "you will soon discover when you see him. But," continued she, "he desires a private audience." "Well, then," replied I, "introduce him, Eloubrou; but let my slaves be ready to enter at my call."
"Princess," replied Eloubrou, "the Prince is to see you this night: nay, the ceremonies are preparing, the changes of vestment, the dessert, and the choral bands." "Ah," said I, "cruel Eloubrou! what hast thou said? Am I to be sacrificed this night to my father's policy? Am I to be given as a fee to the plunderer of cities? for such they are whose profession is arms."
Eloubrou obeyed, and brought the merchant Mahoud into my presence, and then retired. Mahoud fell at my feet, and said, "Forgive my presumption in approaching the throne of Cassimir, and that I have added hypocrisy to my boldness, by assuming the title of a Prince." "What, then," answered I, sternly, "has induced you to deceive my Court?"
The faithful Eloubrou shrieked at the words of the female slave, and endeavoured to clap her hands and bring the chief of the eunuchs to her assistance; but the female slave waved her left hand, and Eloubrou and the rest of the slaves stood motionless before her.
"Hemjunah," said he, "the Prince of Georgia is my friend, and I intend to give my daughter to his arms." Shocked at these successive declarations of my fate, which I had no reason to suspect the day before, I fainted away, and when I recovered, found myself on a sofa, with Eloubrou at my feet.
"My lovely Princess," said Eloubrou, "how little am I able to see you thus! and yet I fear the news I have to impart to you may reduce you to your former condition." "Alas," said I, "nurse, what new evil has befallen me? What worse can happen than my marriage with a stranger?"
A merchant of the city had furnished him with the robes in which he appeared. Then clapping my hands, Eloubrou appeared, and I said, "Eloubrou, let the Prince Mahoud be lodged in my father's palace, and let a proper number of slaves attend him; and do you acquaint the Vizier with his quality."
Had you not yielded to that tale, I could have had no power over you or your father; but it is our triumph to circumvent the prudence of Mahomet's children; wherefore, seeing you would not yield openly to my wishes, I had no sooner left you with Eloubrou, than, by Hapacuson's assistance, I entered this tomb invisibly, and, by my enchantments, overpowered your father Zebenezer, and then, assuming his person, I sent for my Princess, and she came obedient to my call.
My nurse Eloubrou was witness to the hard command my mother had imposed upon me, and endeavoured to comfort me in my affliction; but her words were as the wind on the surface of the rock; and to add to my griefs, in a few minutes after, the chief of the eunuchs entered, and bade me prepare to receive the Sultan my father. The Sultan of Cassimir entering my apartment, I fell at his feet.
"What is it?" said she in emotion, "what is it I behold? Art thou the departed shade of my once-loved Hemjunah?" "No shade, beloved Eloubrou," said I, running to her, "but the true Princess of Cassimir, whom Misnar the Sultan of India hath rescued from the enchantments of the wicked Ulin." "Oh that thy royal mother," said Eloubrou, "were, like me, blessed with the sight of thy return!"
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