After the counterfeit Indian princess had bid the young prince
recommend himself to God, he could not believe she spoke sincerely,
but thought she was sure of him: and therefore, lifting up his hands
to heaven, said, “Almighty Lord, cast thine eyes upon me, and
deliver me from this enemy.” After this prayer, the Ogress entered
the ruins again, and the prince rode off with all possible haste. He
happily found his way again, and arrived safe and sound at his
father’s court, to whom he gave a particular account of the danger
he had been in through the vizier’s neglect: upon which the king,
being incensed against the minister, ordered him to be immediately
strangled.
Sir, continued the Grecian king’s vizier, to return to the
physician Douban, if you do not take care, the confidence you put in
him will be fatal to you: I am very well assured, that he is a spy
sent by your enemies to attempt your majesty’s life. He has cured
you, he will say: but alas! who can assure you of that? He has,
perhaps, cured you only in appearance, and not radically; who knows
but the medicine he has given you may, in time, have pernicious
effects?
The Grecian king, who had naturally very little sense, was not able
to discover the wicked design of his vizier, nor had he firmness
enough to persist in his first opinion. This discourse staggered
him. Vizier, says he, thou art in the right; he may be come on
purpose to take away my life, which he may easily do by the very
smell of some of his drugs. We must consider what is fit for us to
do in this case.
When the vizier found the king in such a temper as he wished, Sir,
said he, the surest and speediest method you can take to secure your
life, is to send immediately for the physician Douban, and order his
head to be cut off as soon as he comes. In truth, says the king, I
believe that is the way we must take to prevent his design. When he
had spoken thus, he called for one of his officers, and ordered him
to go for the physician; who, knowing nothing of the king’s
design, came to the palace in haste.
Know ye, says the king, when he saw him, why I sent for you; No,
sir, answers he; I wait till your majesty be pleased to inform me. I
sent for you, replied the king, to rid myself of you by taking your
life.
No man can express the surprise of the physician, when he heard the
sentence of death pronounced against him. Sir, said he, why would
your majesty take my life? What crime have I committed? I am
informed by good hands, replies the king, that you come to my court
only to attempt my life; but to prevent you, I will be sure of
yours. Give the blow, says he to the executioner, who was present,
and deliver me from a perfidious wretch, who came hither on purpose
to assassinate me.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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