Thereupon the servant conducted his new master Goria, the shoemaker,
into the courtyard, where he beheld a great throng of servants,
horses, and carriages, in the most splendid array; and the servants
all made their obeisance to him, as to the Prince, and the musicians
played on all sorts of instruments; and when the music ceased, Goria
the shoemaker went into the marble palace, where he saw a table
covered with all kinds of dishes; so he seated himself at the table,
ate and drank his fill, and lived in this palace like a great man.
Meanwhile Prince Dardavan, after his betrothal with Dogada, was
travelling on business to another city; and the trusty servant
Prituitshkin thought this a favourable opportunity to marry Goria the
shoemaker to Dogada. So he went to his master, the shoemaker, and
said: "Now is the time to settle this affair; we must contrive that
Mistafor takes you for Dardavan." So saying, he went out in front of
the marble palace, raised a large tent, and ordered all the musicians
to strike up. When Mistafor heard such a variety of beautiful sounds
he bethought himself that Prince Dardavan must be arrived, and sent to
inquire. As soon as he was informed that the supposed Prince Dardavan
had arrived, he sent a number of his people to invite his dear
son-in-law to a feast. Then the messengers went to Goria, bowed humbly
before him, and invited him in the name of their Prince Mistafor
Skurlatovich to visit him and be his guest. "Go," answered Goria, "and
tell Mistafor Skurlatovich that I will soon come to him." So the
ambassadors bowed low to the shoemaker, and returned and related to
their Prince what they had heard from the supposed Tsarevich Dardavan,
and all they had seen.
After the departure of Mistafor's messengers, Prituitshkin went to
Goria the shoemaker and said: "Now is the time for you to go to
Mistafor; listen to what I say: when you come to the courtyard of the
palace, and dismount from your steed, do not fasten him up, nor give
him to anyone to hold, but only cough loudly, and stamp on the ground
with all your might. When you enter the hall, seat yourself on the
chair numbered One. In the evening, when it is time to retire to rest,
remain behind, and as soon as your bed is ready, do not lie down upon
it, for Prince Dardavan always lies on his own bed, which weighs a
hundred poods. I will provide you with such a bed; and if I delay,
strike me in the presence of Mistafor and his daughter. When you go to
bed, and the servants bring you a number of lights, bid them take the
lights all away, and order me to bring you a stone, which Prince
Dardavan always lays on his table at night. I will bring you this
stone, which shows more light than a thousand candles."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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