Page 525 - Child's own book

lord ; the good saltan is no more 1"— u I am glad of It,” cried
Nouijahad, “ I shall now have my liberty. “ Wlio Is next to
reign m OrmuzV’—44Doubtless,my lord, the Prince Schemerzad,
the eldest eon of Schemzeddin.'*—4* Slave, Schemzeddin had no
son.”—“ Pardon me, my lord, the prince was bom the very
hour Cadiga died by your hand; and he is esteemed the wisest
and most accomplished prinee of his age,”— tc Thou art very
insolent, methinlsB, to mention Cadiga before me ; and a sultan
of fouT~atid^ twenty hours old must needs he very wise and
accomplished IT1—u Nay, my lord,Pt replied the man, “ the prince
this very day is twenty years old,”
Nomjahadj on hearing this, looked in the face of the man,
and perceived him to be a stranger: “ Twenty years old!’f
said he, starting up ,* ** It should seem, then, that I have slept
twenty years. And who art thou ? for 1 do not remember ever
to have seen thy face hefoie; and how earnest thou hither?1’—
“ My name,” answered the stranger, “ is Cozro: I am the
hrother of Cadiga, who sent for me when she was dying, and
made me swear by our holy Prophet, to her, that X would watch
and attend on you carefully. I did not know till afterwards
that you had murdered my sister : and when I did leara it, J
could scarce refrain from inflicting vengeance on thee ! :J—46 And
pray what restrained thee?1'— “ Reverence for my oath, and
the fear of offending the Almighty.1*
Nourjaliad was struck with awe at this answer; but he con­
tinued silent, while Cozro proceeded to inform him that his
slaves, even those he had most trusted, had plundered his coffers
and absconded, a Ala&!" cried Nourjahad, 44 my treacherous
joys have deceived m e; I am bereft of hope - I am like a savage
beast in the desert, whose paths are shunned by all mankind.”
“ Nourjahadj” said Cozro, “ 1 have heard thy story from Cadiga,
and know, O mistaken man, that thy misfortunes are the