It is my great
trouble that I have not a son to whom I may leave my crown.
Heaven has only blessed me with one daughter, who cannot desire
to be more happy than a prince of your virtues can make her,
whose merit is equal with your birth. Instead of going home, stay
and take her from my hand: with her I will give you my kingdom,
and retreat myself to a quiet life, free from the business and
cares of the world, having long enough had the weight of the
crown upon me; and nothing could be a greater pleasure in my
retirement, than to consider what a worthy successor sits on my
throne, and rules my happy people.
The king of the isle of Ebene's generous offer to bestow his only
daughter in marriage on the princess Badoura, who could not
accept of it because she was a woman, gave her unexpected
trouble, and she could not presently think of an expedient to
extricate herself out of it. She thought it would not become a
princess of her rank to deceive the king, and to own that she was
not prince Camaralzaman, but his wife, when she had assured him
she was he himself, whose part she had hitherto acted so well,
that her sex was not in the least suspected. She was also afraid
to refuse him; seeing him so much bent upon the conclusion of the
marriage, that there was reason to apprehend his kindness would
turn to aversion and hatred, if the honour he offered her was
rejected, and that he might attempt something even against her
life.
Pages:
768
769
770
771
772
773
774
775
776
777
778
779
780
781
782
783
784
785
786
787
788
789
790
791
792