Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 2.djvu/216

204 204 ST. RUSIXA she lived near the palace of Prince Ele- mento. She said he loved a young lady of Ceesarea so much that he had wasted nearly to death. The king and queen were much distressed by this news, and when they had given Uie widow some magnificent presents and bidden her fare« well, they consulted together as to what was best to be done. The queen wished Busina to be put to death. The king demurred to this and thought he would sell her to some Babylonish merchants. He accordingly sent for two who were then in port, and after seeing Kusina, they readily agreed to buy her for a large sum of money. The king told Kusina that these merchants were going to take her to Elemento, but she knew instinctively that he was deceiving her, and begged for mercy. He, how- ever, remained obdurate, merely tell- ing the merchants to gag her, so that her screams might not be heard. On board ship the gag was soon removed from her mouth, and she was kindly treated by the men, but nothing could console her, and she wept and prayed for days, growing so thin that her pur- chasers became alarmed for her life. On their arrival at Babylon, they went to the best inn, where they did what they could to restore Busina to health, and then went to the Sultan and told him they had brought from CaBsarea the most beautiful maiden that ever was seen. He commanded her to bo brought be- fore him. To please the merchants she dressed in her most splendid clothes, and commending herself to the protec- tion of God, was led to her new master weeping copiously all the time. The Sultan, touched alike by her beauty and her distress, promised that she should bo honoured among the women of the Seraglio. He had a magical cup, by means of which he could tell when he bought a slave for his harem whether her virtue was equal to her beauty, for unless she was perfectly innocent she would certainly spill all the wine when she tried to drink it. He sent for the cup, which was of gold set with precious stones. He filled it to the brim with beautiful red wine, handed it to Busina, and bade her drink. She drank the wine without spilling a drop. Ho was charmed and gave more money to the merchants than they had asked, and told the keeper of the Seraglio that Busina was to have the lion-painted room and to be treated with every attention. Soon after the Sultan had given these orders, he was seized with a sudden illness, and lay sick for many days. In the mean time Elemento had had letters sent to him by one of the barons of his father's kingdom, telling him that Busina had been sold to the Saltan of Babylon. His distress was great. He at once determined to rescue her or perish in the attempt. All his com- panions volunteered to go with him and render him what help they could. Touched by his sad story, the king and queen of France promised him an escort of a thousand knights. In three days they all left Paris for Cadsarea. When they arrived there Elemento did not go to see his father and mother, but re- mained at the house of his friend tbe baron. The king on hearing of his arrival went to see him and reproached him for not coming to his own house. Elemento answered, "I do not wish it ever to be my own house, and I no longer consider yon and the queen, my fftther and mother, because you have been so cruel to Busina, who was the hope of my life. She loved me better than you and my mother, for she loves and fears the Ood of Paradise, which you do not. You have sold her for a slave, although you know that she is the daughter of a greater King than you. May the King of Kings give you what you deserve ! If it were not that I still owe you some consideration as my father, I would run this sword through you. I will not return evil for evil, but I tell you plainly, that you will not see me again without her. Since it pleases you and my mother that I should go and die in Babylon, I see clearly that you do not love me much." The king was deeply distressed. Seeing this, Elemento became reconciled to him, and he there- upon undertook to give his son money and jewels, and recommended Elemento to try to effect Busina's recovery by their means sooner than have recourse