Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 2.djvu/37

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dian Brocard; and ſome time after, ſhe cover’d a Table with ſeveral Diſhes of delicate Meats. We eat together, and paſſed the remaining Part of the Day with very much Satisfaction; and at Night ſhe receiv’d me into her Bed.

The next Day, as ſhe contriv’d all manner of Ways to pleaſe me, ſhe brought in, at Dinner, a Bottle of old Wine, the moſt excellent that ever was taſted, and out of Complaiſance, ſhe drank ſome Part of it with me. When my Head grew hot with the agreeable Liquor, Fair Princeſs, ſaid I, you have been too long thus buried alive, come follow me, and enjoy the real Day, from which you have been deprived ſo many Years, and abandon this falſe Light, that you have here. Prince, replied ſhe, with a Smile, Leave this Diſcourſe, if you out of ten Days will grant me Nine, and reſign the laſt to the Genie, the faireſt Day that ever was would be nothing in my Eſteem. Princeſs, ſaid I, it’s the Fear of the Genie that makes me ſpeak thus; for my part, I value him ſo little, that I will break his Taliſman, with the Conjuration that’s wrote about it, in Pieces, Let him come then, I will expect him, and how brave or redoubtable ſoever he be I ſhall make him feel the Weight of my Arm. I ſwear ſolemnly, that I will extirpate all the Genies in the World, and him firſt. The Princeſs, who knew the Conſequence, conjur’d me not to touch the Taliſman, for that would be a means, ſaid ſhe, to ruin both you and me; I know what belongs to Genies better than you. The Fumes of the Wine did not ſuffer me to hearken to her Reaſons; bur I gave the Taliſman a Kick with my Foot, and broke it in ſeveral Pieces.

At theſe Words Scheherazade perceiving Day, grew ſilent, and the Sultan got up, not doubting but the breaking of the Taliſman had ſome remarkable Event, and therefore reſolved to hear that Story to the end.

The Forty Fourth Night.
DInarzade being awake ſomewhat before Day, ſays to the Sultaneſs, Siſter, if you be not aſleep, I pray you acquaint us with what happen’d in the ſubterranean Palace
after