Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 2.djvu/35

Here Scheherazade ſtopt, becauſe Day appeared: But Dinarzade ſaid, Dear Siſter, I confeſs I am extreamly well-pleas’d with what you have told us to-day, and I do imagine that the following Part muſt be no leſs ſurprizing. You are not miſtaken, ſaid the Sultaneſs, for the Remainder of, this Story of the ſecond Callender is better worth, my Lord, the Sultan’s Attention, than all that he has hitherto heard. I doubt that, ſays Schahriar, (as he was getting up) but we ſhall know that to-morrow.

THE Sultaneſs being awak’d, as uſual, gave the Sultan an Account, that the ſecond Callender continu’d the Story, thus: Being deſirous (ſays he) to ſpare the Lady the Trouble to come to me, I made haſte to meet her; and as I was ſaluting her with a low Bow, ſhe ask’d me, What are you, a Man or a Genie? A Man, Madam, ſaid I: I have no Correſpondence with Genies. By what Adventure, ſaid ſhe, (fetching a deep Sigh) are you come hither? I have liv’d here theſe 25 Years, and never ſaw any Man but your ſelf, during that Time.

Her great Beauty, which had already ſmitten me, and the Sweetneſs and Civility wherewith ſhe received me, made me bold to ſay to her, Madam, before I have the Honour to ſatisfy your Curioſity, give me leave to tell you, that I am infinitely ſatisfy’d with this unexpected Rencounter, which offers me an Occaſion of Conſolation in the midſt of my Affliction; and perhaps it may give me an Opportunity to make you alſo more happy than you are. I gave her a true Account by what ſtrange Accident, ſhe ſaw in me, the Son of a King, in ſuch a Condition as I then appear’d in her Preſence; and how Fortune would have it, that I ſhould diſcover the Entrance into that magnificent Priſon, where I had found her, but in an uneaſie Condition, according to Appearance.

Alas! Prince, ſaid ſhe, (ſighing once more) you have juſt Cauſe to believe, this rich and pompous Priſon, cannot be otherwiſe than a moſt weariſome Abode; the moſt