I felt the truth of everything he said, Sinouis, but this cruel attitude was much less born out of friendship than selfishness. Zelimon (the name of this friend) had his reasons for telling me these things. You will soon see why.
Boldeon’s return from the kingdom of the Amphicleocles, where he had gone to deal with some business of the Queen, brought some wonderful changes for the Houcaïs. The Queen was recognized as Ruler of the land by means of the skillful minister’s ruses; and the conspiracy he had hatched with the subjects who were still loyal to Nasilaë was far more successful than anyone could have imagined. Everyone was happy and the Abdalles showed it by celebrating all the festivals they had for good fortune. I shared the pleasure by getting married to Clemelis. The Houcaïs, the Queen and all the Court attended. Zelimon, my closest friend at the time, served as Ab-sok-cor.256 The test only made me more confident in my feelings. The next day I was the luckiest man alive.
A few months passed in the drunkenness of pleasures, which created a mutual tenderness. The lovely Clemelis was always on my mind. The sweetness of her personality, her seductive ways, everything in her enchanted me; and nothing seemed able to alter my happiness. But how little I knew the world, or better said how little I knew myself! I soon learned through a fateful experience that the happier you believe you are, the more you are on the lookout not to be. The cycles of life, like the seasons of the year, follow one after another. That’s what will be proved right now.
The Queen, who was burning with desire to put the crown of the Amphicleocles on the head of her most beloved spouse, sought insistently day after day to make the trip. Eventually the Houcaïs gave in. Orders for the departure were given and Clemelis was appointed to accompany the Queen. For myself, I would stay by the King who would follow them a few days later. This delay was, in fact, political in order to give time to the Queen’s subjects to receive her with the requisite solemnity. This cruel, short separation was a dire omen of a much longer one and the dreadful source of all my wanderings.
Clemelis had only just left when an unbearable unrest took hold of my mind. Those rivals whom I did not fear so much when I was in a position to watch their craving for my wife now seemed dangerous and oppressive. It was no good looking in Clemelis’ wisdom for an antidote against the fatal poison that was slipping into my heart—nothing could assuage my alarms. Little by little the unrest took control of my worried mind and I could not hide it anymore.
Zelimon saw it. “Well now,” he said one day after watching me with pity, “isn’t this exactly the state I predicted you would be in? You’re jealous and slowly losing it. If this continues, you’ll wind up at death’s door. And I see no relief for your torment since the cause is not about to disappear. Clemelis is young and her charms are only just blooming. There will be more lovers everyday and consequently more torments for you. Thankfully among all these admirers there’s not one who is nice enough, powerful enough or, to be sure, relentless enough in his pursuit to put you in the position of having to question your wife’s wisdom. But that’s when things will come to a head. There will be no comfort for you then.”
Zelimon told me things like that everyday. Instead of reassuring me, he only talked about the fickleness and wickedness of women. His moral philosophy was constantly poisoned by the most detestable traits and outrageous examples. Sometimes it got so bad that I was 20 times on the verge of sneaking away and going alone to verify my mistrust. Only shame held me back. Alas, why didn’t it last forever?
The time appointed for the Houcaïs to meet up with the Queen had arrived and he prepared to leave. His entourage was sprightly and gleaming. Every courtier kept adding to the cortege and trying hard to honor his powerful Monarch. Mine was not one of the less noticeable. I even dare say that after the King’s it was the best arrayed. The idea of showing up before my dear Clemelis looking nice on the outside to flatter her vanity played a major role in the care I took to manage it. The Queen and her Court were supposed to be in the galleries when we entered. It was a day to get oneself noticed and when you’re in love, you try more and more to please.
But baneful fate refused me the consolation that I had sought for so long—I got sick the night before our departure. The teams had already left and the message already sent to the Queen, so when the Houcaïs came to see me alone, he assured me that he wanted to postpone the trip, but he could not do it because of the trouble that he knew a second message would cause the Queen. In spite of my agitation, I was able to show my appreciation of his good intentions. But alas, could I have foreseen that I would soon be so blind. Heavens, is it possible that our reason hangs on by a thread and vanishes at the first shock to our desperate passions. My sickness degenerated into lethargy and I became so weak that I could not travel.
If anything could have distracted me from my devouring melancholy, it was Clemelis’ letters in which she expressed her most sincere and tender love. It seemed that this lovely woman foresaw my menacing fate or she spotted the cruel downward spiral in my character caused by jealousy: she gave a faithful account of the effects of her beauty, joked about her victories, ridiculed the admirers and made me want to blush at my ridiculous, misplaced suspicions. But in spite of these honest means to calm me, I could not get over my mistrust: Zelimon was writing me as often as Clemelis. He reeled off camouflaged stories with such skill and malignity that they always seemed to have something to do with what I was thinking and my defiant jealousy would not stop brooding over his words. I waited impatiently for my health to return so that I could watch Clemelis myself. Every minute I imagined different ways to get to the heart of her secrets and my suspicions became so strong that I felt a kind of pleasure when my overheated imagination conjured up proofs to dishonor me. Could the torture have gone further? Yes, of course. The passion drove me to the brink, which I will talk about in time.
I said that Clemelis often wrote to me. Her regularity slowed down the impetuous turmoil that was stirring me up, but I lost it when I was severed from these life-saving letters that were so necessary to me at the time. I pictured thousands of reasons, each one crueler than the last, why Clemelis no longer loved me and was so caught up in her new feelings that she forgot even the least propriety. But I held back the final thought for a few days. A foundation of respect and veneration kept arguing in her favor and prevented me from surrendering to the fires of jealousy that were consuming me. I went from one courtier to another to figure out what was best to do until a letter from Zelimon made my mind up for me. It is too crucial to the events that followed to omit it here. Moreover, you will be able to see the character of this worthless friend. It was written thus:
Letter of Zelimon to Lamekis
I would be lying to you, dear Lamekis, if I tried to insinuate that your absence plunges us in sadness and grief—nothing is less true. The Court was never so brilliant and never had so many pleasures. They are endless: what you have seen so far is nothing compared with the present. There’s a rumor that the Houcaïs is in love and that the brilliant parties he keeps throwing are aimed at an appreciable, valuable prize. But I’ll stop there. Silence is prudent.
All our ladies, without exception, are trying to outdo one another in beauty and pleasure. Do you think in this environment that love is lacking? No, Lamekis, it feeds all the courtiers with its sultry flames; it is all we see.
The King still loves you a lot. He often says something is missing and it’s you he means. You should have received a letter from him the day before yesterday. He is surprised, like everyone, that your sickness drags on. If some hearts are indifferent, we don’t bother them. We want you here. We love you and we will be delighted when you come. So, hurry up; it’s the best thing that can happen to me.
The letter was the last word. Without saying anything definitive, didn’t it tell me everything? I reread it a hundred times and the more I analyzed it, the more convinced I was that Clemelis was unfaithful. One part in particular plunged my thoughts into the dark depths: There’s a rumor that
the Houcaïs is in love and that the brilliant parties he keeps throwing are aimed at an appreciable, valuable prize. But I’ll stop there. Silence is prudent. What should I make of this silence and odd discretion? I decided that in spite of my weakness I would leave and go there “incognito.”
While passing through a town where I had to change horses and rest a few hours because of my weakness, I learned that a lady of the Court had left by herself with a man who had met her there. Without thinking I asked for a name. They did not know, but they did say that she was beautiful and their description was so like Clemelis that if I were not sure that she could not leave the Court, I would have thought it was her. When I arrived, I went secretly to Zelimon’s rooms. I had to wait a long time for him and when he finally showed up well into the night, he recoiled at the sight of me, looked stunned and turned pale.
“Oh, Lamekis,” he said, “what are you doing here? And why all this secrecy in coming? It would have been better if you had announced your journey 15 days ago…” And he shut up as if he had said too much. I urged him to explain, but it was no good. His silence made me desperate and I was so bitter that I went to a room, which had been prepared, with my mind made up to change my lodgings the next day.
As much as I needed to rest, I could not get any. I was totally lost. I did not know what to make of Zelimon’s welcome and his behavior. Both were hiding some dark mystery that tormented me. What did it matter whether I announced my arrival? Was there a risk of surprising Clemelis? Oh Heavens, how cruel is uncertainty when a sensitive heart is so troubled! I was being tortured and if it continued, I was in no condition to resist.
I was getting ready to leave Zelimon’s house and giving orders to a freedman to find a house for me where I could stay incognito, when my fatal friend came into my room. I was so bitter against him that I continued getting dressed without deigning to answer the usual compliments. He said nothing to me until they came to tell me that the house was ready and I could leave.
“What do you mean by doing this?” he tried to hold me back. “Do you think that I would let you stay anywhere else but here with me?” I answered coldly and tried to go. “No,” he said, “I was forced to keep silent out of respect, but since you’re reacting so unfairly, I will break it. Go back to bed, Lamekis,” Zelimon was more open now, “your situation demands it, then I will tell you what your reckless curiosity wants to know.”
The thought of finally learning the truth calmed me down. I obeyed everything he said and went to bed—in fact I needed it. When I was ready to listen, he ordered a slave to wait at the door and let no one enter. After this precaution to be undisturbed, he told me.
Part 7
Zelimon’s Account
It only takes the fear of losing such a close, highly valued friend to get me to talk. Remember that you are forcing me to break my silence and you are demanding sincerity—and for this I fear for you. After this preamble, I’ll start. You are going to regret this ill-advised confession, but it’s too late. I wish to the Father of Light that I had never known you! I did not want to have to tell you such cruel things. Your tender, gullible love brought you here. You have come as a loyal, loving husband to catch a fickle, faithless wife and, no doubt, give her proofs of your commitment that she does not deserve. Poor Lamekis, how sorry I feel for you. Clemelis has been gone for days. Her trip is a big secret; it is barely allowed to even think about it. Isn’t it too risky to pretend to have discovered the heart of an intrigue that has been carried out with so much skill and caution? But what am I saying? You don’t believe me. Maybe these are only assumptions. There has to be conclusive proof and I give you only suspicions. Maybe I’ve been fooled. That’s for you to decide.
(Zelimon’s beginning made me tremble to the bottom of my heart, but I swallowed my emotion fearing that if he saw it, he would hide some of the details of my tragedy. When he saw that I was still listening, he continued.)
A few days ago when I was alone with the King, discussing some important business matters, he received a note that he read with some embarrassment and emotion. I pretended not to notice and continued working. The messenger reminded me of one of Clemelis’ servants and while he waited for orders from the Houcaïs, I took time to examine him. The harder I looked at him, the more convinced I was that I was right. The idea piqued my curiosity. Your lovely wife had countless opportunities to see the Houcaïs in the Queen’s chambers and I could not help being surprised that she had recourse to letters to inform him of menial things. I slyly watched to see if I could shed some light on the old suspicions that I had long ago rejected. The King gave me the chance to verify. He led the servant into a little side room but left the letter on a marble stand that he had leaned on to read it. I skimmed over it as quickly as possible. The note was signed Clemelis and I saw the words “love,” “impatient” and “journey,” which made me doubt that it was concerning the settlement of some business affair between the King and the charming lady. But I heard the King coming back, so I could not read it all before jumping back to my chair. He was daydreaming for a little while, but soon got back to work. I was sure that Clemelis was mixed up in all this and it did not take long for me to be thoroughly convinced.
Around an hour later I heard a whistle257 in the lock of the little room and I got up wanting to spare the King the trouble of going to see who was asking to enter, but he ordered me to sit still and to continue working until he came back and he shut the door behind him.
This precaution was suspicious to me. I went to the door and looked through the keyhole to see if I might not be able to see who was shut in there with the King. Chance and diligence were on my side. I caught sight of the Houcaïs presenting his knee to Clemelis to kiss.258 Then she talked very excitedly to him before the Houcaïs led her away. As much as I tried, I could see no more. I tried to crack open the door as gently as possible, but it was locked from the inside. This other precaution put all kinds of thoughts in my head. Lamekis, in my place wouldn’t you have thought the same? But we can fool ourselves, as I already told you. You can’t always believe what you see.
I brooded over all this while I pitied the dire fate attached to marriage and I swore to myself that I would never put myself in such a position. When the door opened the King motioned to me to leave. He seemed all astir and I could not fathom why, but I obeyed. The same day he held a secret meeting and when he came out he told us that he would not be seeing us for a few days. Before shutting himself away, he assured us it had to do with some important affairs with his chief minister. Everyone believed him but me. I believed that his behavior held a mystery and that it was a result of his conversation with Clemelis. My eyes were opened too wide not to see clearly and I soon found out that I was not wrong.
I was with the Queen at the gathering that was held after every dinner and even though I should not have expected to meet Clemelis there, I was still as surprised as if I had had no reason to be suspicious. I cleverly found out the reason for her absence: she was a little sick and the Queen told her to stay in her room until she felt completely better. The pretext seemed even more peculiar to me, Lamekis, in that the Queen was in on it. I was completely baffled and I’ve been hemming and hawing until today. What is it based on? The Houcaïs is still absent or at least nobody has seen him and Clemelis is closed up, they say, in her room. I have nothing else to say. Now it’s up to you, Lamekis, if you can, to penetrate this dark mystery. For me, I won’t dare say anything more. Oh, what have I done? Haven’t I said too much already?
Lamekis uncovers the mystery
I had enough control over myself to hide some of my fury from Zelimon. While he was plunging a dagger into my heart with his cruel assumptions, I mulled over the most terrible revenge: it would be no less than to kill the criminal architects of my dishonor.
My answer to Zelimon was concise. I said that after what he’d just told me, the only solution left for me was to go as far away as possible…forever. The traitor fought shrewdly against this supposed pl
an, but his reasons to keep me there were spitefully explained!
“How many partners in misfortune do you have?” he asked me. “Does the Court itself have any? If some men, out of brutality instead of honor, have had recourse to violence, what was the effect of their cruel vengeance? The loss of their wealth and universal invective. For unrequited evils the only solution is patience. There are even those that have turned it to their greater benefit. All things considered, though this may not be the most respectable choice, at least it is more certain and less dangerous.”
I still feel the loathing I had for his cruel advice, as well as for just being in his presence. We cannot love those who strike such sensible blows. Zelimon started to disgust me and being afraid that I might show it, I pretended that I could no longer live in a place where my honor was torn to shreds. He asked me what I wanted to do. “To flee to the other end of the earth,” I answered. “To cut myself off from all mankind and never come back.” Alas, I did not know how true these words were. My experience has taught me that I foresaw everything that would happen to me.
When I left Zelimon, I went to hide in the house that I had rented. I waited there for the right time to put my plan of revenge into action. I wanted to catch the Houcaïs with my wife and wash away the stains of my dishonor in their guilty blood. But I did not want to take any risks. It was not easy getting into Clemelis’ room because it was not far from the Queen’s and from the outside it could be confused with the other ladies’ rooms. I had to enter cunningly and be able to recognize it. I was still so weak that sometimes I despaired that I would not be able to accomplish my goal. But fury supplemented strength and was even more formidable in that it reflected and judged calmly the meaningful blows it wanted to deal.
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