Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 2.djvu/40

deſire that he might hear it out, and therefore got up, with an Intention to hear the reſt next Morning.

THE Day following, Dinarzade call’d upon the Sultneſs, My dear Siſter, pray tell us how the Genie treated the Prince. I will ſatisfy your Curioſity, replied Scheherazade, and then re-aſlum’d her Story of the ſecond Callender, thus:

The Callender continuing his Diſcourſe to Zobeide, Madam, ſays he, After the Genie had put that Queſtion to me, he gave me no Time to anſwer, nor was it in my Power; ſo much had his terrible Aſpect put me beſide my ſelf. He graſp’d me by the Middle, dragg’d me out of the Chamber, and mounting into the Air, carried me up as high as the Skies with ſuch Swiftneſs, that I perceived I was got ſo high without being able to take notice of the Way he carried me in ſo few Moments. He deſcended again in like manner to the Earth, which on a ſudden he cauſed to open with a Knock of his Foot, and ſo ſunk down at once, where I found my ſelf in the inchanted Palace, before the fair Princeſs of the Iſle of Ebene. But alas, what a Spectacle was there! I ſaw that which pierc’d me to the Heart; this poor Princeſs was quite naked, all in Blood, and laid upon the Ground more like one dead than alive, with her Cheeks all bath’d in Tears.

Perfidious Wretch, ſaid the Genie to her, pointing at me, Is not this your Gallant? She caſt her languiſhing Eyes upon me, and anſwered mournfully, I do not know him, I never ſaw him till this Moment. What, ſaid the Genie, He is the Cauſe of thy being in the Condition thou art juſtly in; and yet dar’ſt thou ſay thou doſt not know him? If I do not know him, ſaid the Princeſs, would you have me to make a Lie on purpoſe to ruin him? Oh then, ſaid the Genie, pulling out a Scimiter, and preſenting it to the Princeſs, It you never ſaw him before, take the Scimiter and cut off his Head. Alias, replied the Princeſs, How is it poſſible that I ſhould execute what you would force me to