“My son, well persuaded that his sister continued to love him, prepared this subterraneous asylum, under pretence of building a tomb, hoping some day to find an opportunity of getting access to the object of his flame, and concealing her in this place. He chose the moment of my absence, to force the retreat of his sister, which is a circumstance that my honour will not allow me to publish. After this criminal deed, he shut himself up with her in this building, which he furnished, as you perceive, with all sorts of provisions, to be able to enjoy for a length of time his detestable amours; which must create horror in all who hear of them. But God would not suffer such an abominable crime; and has justly punished each of them.” He wept bitterly on finishing these words, and I mingled my tears with his.
Some time after, he cast his eyes on me; “But, dear nephew,” resumed he, embracing me, “if I lose an unworthy son, I may find in you a happy reparation of my loss.” The reflections which arose on the untimely end of the prince and the princess, his daughter, again drew tears from us both.
We ascended the same staircase, and quitted this dismal abode. We put the iron trap-door in its place, and covered it with earth and the rubbish of the building, to conceal, as much as possible, so dreadful an example of the anger of God.
We returned to the palace before our absence had been observed, and shortly after, we heard a confused noise of trumpets, cymbals, drums, and other warlike instruments. A thick dust, which obscured the air, soon informed us what it was, and announced the arrival of a formidable army. It was the same vizier who had dethroned my father, and taken possession of his dominions, and who came now with a large number of troops to seize those of my uncle.
This prince, who had only his usual guard, could not resist so many enemies. They invested the city, and as the gates were opened to them without resistance, they soon took possession of it. They had not much difficulty to penetrate to the palace of the king, who attempted to defend himself, but he was killed, after having dearly sold his life. On my part, I fought for some time, but seeing that I must surrender if I continued, I retired, and had the good fortune to escape, and take refuge in the house of an officer of the king, on whose fidelity I could depend.