kalan was one of the principal favourites of mahmoud, of whom we have said so much in the preceding article. he had chosen him from among the number of his courtiers, to bestow on him those favours of which royalty was possessed, and which he merited. he was more beholden to nature than to art for his education, which would have been sufficient to make him happy, had it been his lot to live remote from the snares and artifices of a court.
an open and disinterested heart, instead of procuring him love and esteem, often carried him to the brink of ruin; for those with whom he mingled, were artful and treacherous hypocrites, a set of vermin that infest every court. though he wished to hate no man, yet he could not love those who were every day privately seeking his destruction.
these ungenerous attempts were so often repeated, that kalan, fearing he should acquire a habit of despising human beings, resolved to retire from the noise and bustle of a court. he was strengthened in this resolution by a review of his affairs, which were so much deranged by his unbounded charity and benevolence, that he found it impossible any longer to support such expences.
kalan, before he retired to enjoy a peaceful and tranquil life, left the following lines engraven on his door:
"the man who no ingratitude has found,
has never trod on courtiers' slipp'ry ground."
the calif, having one day heard these lines repeated, desired to know who was the author of them. at this time kalan was supposed to be dead, and therefore the courtiers had nothing to fear, and no reason to conceal the name of the author. those people who had formerly returned all his favours with ingratitude, now launched into high encomiums on his merit. in all this there is nothing astonishing. with respect to the arts and sciences, we see how different is the treatment the professors of them receive during their lives, and after they are no more. while living, he could perhaps hardly support his miserable existence; when dead, sumptuous and costly monuments are erected to his memory.
kalan, having accidentally heard how much mahmoud was pleased with the inscription on his door, quitted his retreat, and again appeared at ispahan, to the astonishment of his friends, and the invidious regret of the courtiers. the calif received him kindly, and made him ample amends for all the neglect of his friends. kalan was put into an office which enabled him to gratify all his beneficent wishes.
as the nettle and the rose thrive together on the same soil, so was the bosom of kalan not without a weed. his too strong attachment to women sometimes led him astray, and made him unmindful of his duty. the calif was not ignorant of this fault in kalan, for the courtiers that surrounded him took care that this error should not remain concealed. mahmoud, though he pitied his weakness, did not esteem him the less on that account. "true it is," said the calif, "that an unbounded passion for women is much to be censured; but this folly will in time forsake him; while ambition, cruelty, and avarice, had any such vices got possession of him, would grow stronger as he advanced in age."
the calif's courtiers extolled the sublimity of this observation; but no sooner had he turned his back on them, than they ridiculed such a paltry idea. how much are courtiers to be pitied, who take so much pains to render themselves contemptible!
some little time afterwards, the calif gave kalan a commission to the furthest part of persia, and fixed even the day and hour when he should expect him back. kalan immediately set out on his journey, discharged his duty with the strictest punctuality, and returned a day before the time allowed. he received the applause due to his diligence, and was told, that every hour he gained on the stipulated time was of the utmost service to his country.
kalan was the more pleased with these marks of the calif's approbation, as he received it in the presence of many courtiers, who all showed him the highest marks of applause, while in their hearts they hated and detested him, and envied the honours paid him by the calif.
the next day, however, one of these courtiers, deputed by the rest, approached mahmoud, and, after bowing to the earth, thus addressed him:—"most noble and glorious sovereign of the faithful, though i know not the nature of kalan's late commission, yet i judge it was of the highest importance. pardon then my zeal if, notwithstanding the transcendent light in which i behold him, i am under the disagreeable necessity of informing your highness, that he presumed to pass five days of that time so precious to the state, in the enjoyment of the pleasures of love."
the calif, astonished at this declaration, told the malevolent informer, that he hoped he could prove what he had asserted. "dread sovereign," answered he, "his own slave will prove to you, that, at gauri, nearly a hundred miles from this capital, he loitered in the lap of pleasure. the daughter of a caravanserist had influence over him sufficient to induce him to neglect, for five days, the confidence you had reposed in him, and the most important concerns of the state. if time should prove that i have accused him falsely, let me be the victim of your resentment."
mahmoud thanked him for his vigilant information, which he presumed could arise from no other motive than his great attachment to his glory; and he assured him, that he would nicely search into the truth of what he had informed him. "neither will i be forgetful," said the calif, "of the greatness of your soul, which has induced you to sacrifice to my interest the man, you say, you so much admire and revere."
the courtier then bowed his head to the earth, and retired, not much pleased, however, with the last words of the calif, who, he had from thence reason to believe, was not greatly satisfied with the accusation, and who might let fallthat vengeance on this head, which he was endeavouring to prepare for another.
mahmoud presently afterwards sent for kalan; which being known to the courtiers, they secretly triumphed in the idea, that the hour was hastily approaching, in which they hoped to find their revenge and hatred amply gratified.
as soon as kalan appeared before the calif, "i will not," said the latter, "ask you any artful questions, such as may lead you inadvertently to criminate yourself; and, in the course of this business i will be your judge and counsellor, and will afford you every opportunity of clearing yourself of the charge laid against you. you cannot forget how precious i told you was the time i allowed you for the completion of your embassy; yet it has been reported to me, that you stopped five days on the road, to enjoy yourself in the lap of pleasure, without blushing at the praises you received for that one day, which i supposed your zeal and attachment to my interest had procured me. say, are these things true?"
"my dread sovereign," replied kalan, "had i a soul mean enough of having recourse to a falsehood to cover a crime, i should perhaps answer in the negative; but, sorry i am to say, that the charge is true. i really did saunter away in idleness five whole days at gauri. i was intoxicated; yes, commander of the faithful, i was intoxicated with a passion that destroyed all my other faculties. i know i have merited death; but it is not the fear of death that terrifies me, but the hateful recollection of having displeased my friend and sovereign. having completed the business of my embassy, and being arrived, on my return, at gauri, wanting horses, and my slave too being harassed with the journey, i resolved to stop one night, which was the first i had indulged myself in from the time of my leaving the palace.
"having taken a little refreshment, and being seated near a window, i suddenly heard a voice in the adjoining chamber strike forth in such melodious notes, that nothing could equal it. i listened with eager attention, and could plainly distinguish they were the lamentations of love. i was in great doubt to determine which were the more excellent, the music or the words. as soon as she had finished, i enquired who she was, and found it was the daughter of my host; that her voice was not her only merit, since the words were of her own composition, and besides, she was said to be as lovely as venus, and as chaste as diana.
"no wonder if this description excited my desire to see her; and i begged the caravanserist would gratify my wish. he for some time objected; but i persisted in my request, and at last, his great respect for the ambassador of131 mahmoud made him yield to my entreaties. the moment she appeared i was enamoured with her beauty; but, when i heard her play upon her harp, o powerful love! my embassy, my duty as a subject, and the punishment to which my delay might expose me, every thing of this sort was totally forgotten.
"all my thoughts were absorbed at this time in one wish only, that of being beloved by zada. i offered my hand in marriage, but during two days she made many trifling excuses. on the third day she confessed, that if ever she could love any man, it probably would be me. the fourth day she received my addresses, and on the fifth gave me every thing to hope for. on the arrival of the evening of this day, she happened to mention your name, when, recollecting myself, i became fully sensible of my guilt. she perceived my confusion, and begged to know the cause of it. as soon as i told her, she insisted on my setting out that night—that very night on which i promised myself so much felicity.
"sensible i am that i merit death, for having thus shamefully neglected my duty; but one thing i have to beg, that my sufferings may not be long."
all was silent for a few moments. after which said the calif—"your punishment shall be the slowest that human ingenuity can possibly invent. imprisonment shall be your fate as long132 as life shall be able to support it. take him hence, soldiers, and let his treatment henceforward be the severest man can endure."
the soldiers conducted kalan to his place of confinement, and the courtiers followed him with their eyes, which seemed to be moistened with tears, while their hearts rejoiced in his disgrace.
in about an hour or two after this event, it was reported, that the calif had dispatched a messenger; but no one could tell whither, or on what account. in the course of the five following days, the name of kalan was forgotten; but on the sixth, to the astonishment of every one, the calif ordered him again to be brought before him.
as soon as kalan appeared, the calif, after asking him some taunting questions, "yes," said he, "a song on some voluptuous subject, and a harp in that fair damsel's hand you saw upon your journey, made you negligent of what you knew your duty. i am, therefore, resolved both to punish and remind you of the fault you have committed, by decreeing, that in future you shall listen to such songs as are descriptive of complaining lovers. let the egyptian take her harp and play upon it."
instantly was heard a voice so sweet, that mahmoud's courtiers scarce dared to breathe, for fear of interrupting so much harmony. as soon as it began, the prisoner gave a cry, fell down, and beat the ground with his forehead.
"rise, kalan," said the calif, "and hear your sentence. you that at present surround my throne," speaking to his courtiers, "who so often stand in need of indulgence, tell me, which among you, being in kalan's place, on the point of having all his wishes accomplished, and after having passed five days in the pursuit of it, would not have presumed to hazard a sixth day?" (here a pause ensued.) "no answer?—kalan, since even envy thus keeps silence, you find favour with your king. take your zada, therefore, and be happy for the time to come; she is now yours."
kalan, after having thrown himself at the feet of the calif, was no sooner risen up than he flew into the arms of his beloved zada. they retired in mutual embraces; and the courtiers with hearts full of envy and fell malignity.
