CHAPTER IX.

When the next morning came, the Ninth Vizier appeared before the King

and said, that his extraordinary forbearance and lenity in respect to

Bakhtyār had given occasion to much scandal; as every criminal, however

heinous his offence, began to think that he might escape punishment by

amusing the King with idle stories.

The King, on hearing this, sent to the prison for Bakhtyār, and desired

the executioner to attend. When the unfortunate young man came before

the King, he requested a respite only of two days, in the course of

which he hoped his innocence might be proved; “although,” said he, “I

know that the malice of one’s enemies is a flame from which it is almost

impossible to escape: as appears from the story of Abū Temām, who, on

the strength of a false accusation, was put to death by the King, and

his innocence acknowledged when too late.”

“Who was that Abū Temām?” demanded the King, “and what were those

malicious accusations which prevailed against him?”

STORY OF ABŪ TEMĀM.

ABŪ TEMĀM (said Bakhtyār) was a very wealthy man, who resided in a city,

the King of which was so tyrannical and unjust, that whatever money any

one possessed above five direms he seized on for his own use. Abū Temām

was so disgusted and terrified by the oppressions and cruelties of this

King, that he never enjoyed one meal in peace or comfort, until he had

collected all his property together and contrived to escape from that

place. After some time he settled in the capital of another King, a city

adorned with gardens, and well supplied with running streams. This King

was a man of upright and virtuous principles, renowned for hospitality

and kindness to strangers. In this capital Abū Temām purchased a

magnificent mansion, in which he sumptuously entertained the people of

the city, presenting each of them, at his departure, with a handsome

dress suited to his rank. The inhabitants were delighted with his

generosity, and his hospitality was daily celebrated by the strangers

who resorted to his house. He also expended considerable sums in the

erection of bridges, caravanseries, and mosques. At last the fame of his

liberality and munificence reached the King, who sent to him two

servants with a very flattering message and an invitation to court. This

Abū Temām thankfully accepted; and having prepared the necessary

presents for the King, he hastened to the palace, where he kissed the

ground of obedience and was graciously received.

In a short time he became so great a favourite that the King would not

permit him to be one day absent, and heaped on him so many favours that

he was next in power to his royal master; and his advice was followed in

all matters of importance.

But this King had ten viziers, who conceived a mortal hatred against Abū

Temām, and said, one to another: “He has robbed us of all dignity and

power, and we must devise some means whereby we may banish him from this

country.” The chief vizier proposed that, as the King was a very

passionate admirer of beauty, and the Princess of Turkestān one of the

loveliest creatures of the age, they should so praise her charms before

him as to induce him to send Abū Temām to ask her in marriage; and as it

was the custom of the King of Turkestān to send all ambassadors who came

on that errand to his daughter, who always caused their heads to be cut

off, so the destruction of Abū Temām would be certain.

This advice all the other viziers approved of; and, having proceeded to

the palace, they took an opportunity of talking on various subjects,

until the King of Turkestān was mentioned, when the chief vizier began

to celebrate the charms of the lovely Princess.

When the King heard the extravagant praises of her beauty, he became

enamoured, and declared his intention of despatching an ambassador to

the court of Turkestān, and demanding the Princess in marriage. The

viziers immediately said, that no person was so properly qualified for

such an embassy as Abū Temām. The King accordingly sent for him, and,

addressing him as his father and friend, informed him that he had now

occasion for his assistance in the accomplishment of a matter on which

his heart was bent. Abū Temām desired to know what his Majesty’s

commands might be, and declared himself ready to obey them. The King

having communicated his design, all the necessary preparations were

made, and Abū Temām set out on his journey to the court of Turkestān. In

the meantime the viziers congratulated one another on the success of

their stratagem.

When the King of Turkestān heard of Abū Temām’s arrival, he sent proper

officers to receive and compliment him, and on the following day gave

him a public audience; and when the palace was cleared of the crowd, and

Abū Temām had an opportunity of speaking with the King in private, he

disclosed the object of his mission, and demanded the Princess for his

master. The King acknowledged himself highly honoured by the proposal of

such an alliance, and said: “I fear that my daughter is not qualified

for so exalted a station as you offer; but if you will visit her in the

harem, and converse with her, you may form an opinion of her beauty and

accomplishments; and if you approve of her, preparations for the

marriage shall be made without delay.”

Abū Temām thanked his Majesty for this readiness in complying with his

demands; but said that he could not think of profaning the beauty of her

who was destined for his sovereign by gazing on her, or of allowing his

ears to hear the forbidden sounds of her voice;—besides, his King never

entertained a doubt on the subject of her charms and qualifications: the

daughter of such a monarch must be worthy of any King, but he was not

sent to make any inquiry as to her merits, but to demand her in

marriage.

The King of Turkestān, on hearing this reply, embraced Abū Temām, and

said: “Within this hour I meditated thy destruction; for of all the

ambassadors who have hitherto come to solicit my daughter, I have tried

the wisdom and talents, and have judged by them of the Kings who

employed them, and finding them deficient, I have caused their heads to

be cut off.” On saying this, he took from under his robe a key, with

which he opened a lock, and going into another part of the palace, he

exhibited to Abū Temām the heads of four hundred ambassadors.

After this the King directed the necessary preparations for the

departure of his daughter, and invested Abū Temām with a splendid robe

of honour, who, when ten days had elapsed, embarked in a ship with the

Princess, her damsels, and other attendants. The news of his arrival

with the fair Princess of Turkestān being announced, the King, his

master, was delighted, and the viziers, his mortal enemies, were

confounded at the failure of their stratagems. The King, accompanied by

all the people, great and small, went two stages to meet Abū Temām and

the Princess, and, having led her into the city, after three days

celebrated their marriage by the most sumptuous feasts and rejoicings,

and bestowed a thousand thanks on Abū Temām, who every day became a

greater favourite.

The ten viziers, finding, in consequence of this, their own importance

and dignity gradually reduced, consulted one with another, saying: “All

that we have hitherto done only tends to the exaltation of Abū Temām; we

must devise some other means of disgracing him in the King’s esteem, and

procuring his banishment from this country.”

After this they concerted together, and at length resolved to bribe two

boys, whose office was to rub the King’s feet every night after he lay

down on his bed; and they accordingly instructed these boys to take an

opportunity, when the King should close his eyes, of saying that Abū

Temām had been ungrateful for the favours bestowed on him; that he had

violated the harem, and aspired to the Queen’s affections, and had

boasted that she would not have come from Turkestān had she not been

enamoured of himself. This lesson the viziers taught the boys, giving

them a thousand dīnars, and promising five hundred more.

When it was night the boys were employed as usual in their office of

rubbing the King’s feet; and when they perceived his eyes to be closed,

they began to repeat all that the viziers had taught them to say

concerning Abū Temām.

The King, hearing this, started up, and dismissing the boys, sent

immediately for Abū Temām, and said to him: “A certain matter has

occurred, on the subject of which I must consult you; and I expect that

you will relieve my mind by answering the question that I shall

ask.”—Abū Temām declared himself ready to obey.—“What, then,” demanded

the King, “does that servant merit, who, in return for various favours,

ungratefully attempts to violate the harem of his sovereign?”—“Such a

servant,” answered Abū Temām, “should be punished with death: his blood

should expiate his offence.” When Abū Temām had said this, the King drew

his scimitar, and cut off his head, and ordered his body to be cast into

a pit.

For some days he gave not audience to any person, and the viziers began

to exult in the success of their stratagem; but the King was melancholy,

and loved to sit alone, and was constantly thinking of the unfortunate

Abū Temām.

It happened, however, that one day the two boys who had been bribed by

the viziers were engaged in a dispute one with the other on the division

of the money, each claiming for himself the larger share. In the course

of their dispute they mentioned the innocence of Abū Temām, and the

bribe which they had received for defaming him in the King’s hearing.

All this conversation the King overheard; and trembling with vexation,

rage, and sorrow, he compelled the boys to relate all the circumstances

of the affair; in consequence of which the ten viziers were immediately

seized and put to death, and their houses levelled with the ground;

after which the King passed his time in fruitless lamentation for the

loss of Abū Temām.

* * * * *

“Thus,” said Bakhtyār, “does unrelenting malice persecute unto

destruction; but if the King had not been so hasty in killing Abū Temām,

he would have spared himself all his subsequent sorrow.”

The King, affected by this observation, resolved to indulge Bakhtyār

with another day, and accordingly sent him back to prison.