to rest
upon an immovable foundation; show yourself more and more worthy of
the favours of the Most High. Cast a look of compassion upon a feeble
young man, whose innocence is his only support; who never opens his
eyes to the light but to shed tears; every moment of whose existence
has been marked by sufferings and misfortune. The unfortunate
Shaseliman never could offend you: restore him his liberty."

"I would agree to your request," replied Balavan, "had I not some
reasons to fear that he would form a party against me, and become the
leader of the malcontents whom a King never fails to make in spite of
his best intentions."

"Alas! sire," replied the Prince who had spoken, "who would follow a
young man in whom nature is partly wasted by suffering, and whose soul
has no longer any vigour? Your subjects are devoted to your interest,
and where would he find any who would be foolish enough to cherish
ambitious designs against you?"

Balavan yielded to these arguments, and affecting clemency in the
presence of his Court, he set the young Shaseliman at liberty, dressed
him in a rich robe, and gave him the command of a distant province.
But this was not so much with a view to procure him prosperity as to
get rid of him altogether, by sending him to the defence of a country
which was continually exposed to the attacks of Infidels. He presumed,
with some reason, that he would sacrifice his life there, since none
of his predecessors had ever escaped the dangers with which that part
of Persia was threatened.

The young Prince departed with a small party. Scarcely had they
arrived at the place of their destination when the conjectures of his
uncle Balavan were partly verified. The Infidels made an irruption.
Shaseliman, having nothing to oppose to them but a handful of men, was
forced to yield to numbers, and fell himself into the hands of the
enemy. But they, on account of his age and beauty (departing from the
cruel usage they practised on such occasions), instead of putting him
to death, were satisfied with letting him down into a well, where
several Mussulmans were already shut up prisoners. This unhappy
Prince, the victim of destiny, saw a whole year elapse in this
dreadful captivity.

These Infidels had a custom every year, on a certain day, of carrying
such as they had made prisoners to be thrown from the top of a very
high tower.

Shaseliman was drawn up from the well, conducted to the top of the
tower, and thr