Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 2.djvu/69

ny. My father will not fail to be here anon, to give you a Teſtimony of his Gratitude for it, and ſhall furniſh you with all that’s neceſſary for your Return to your Kingdom, but in the mean time, ſaid he, I beg of you to get ready ſome Water very warm, to waſh my whole Body in that portable Bagnio, that I may clean my ſelf, and change my Cloaths, to receive my Father more chearfully.

I ſet the Water on the Fire, and when it was hot put it into the moveable Bagnio: The Youth went in, and I my ſelf waſh’d and rubb’d him, At laſt he came out, and laid himſelf down in his B:d that I had prepared, and covered him with his Bed-cloaths. After he had ſlept a while he awak’d, and ſaid, Dear Prince, pray do me the Favour to fetch me a Melon and ſome Sugar, that I may eat ſome and refreſh me.

Out of ſeveral Melons that remain’d, I took the beſt and laid it on a Plate; and becauſe I could not find a Knife to cut it with, I asked the young Man, If he knew where there was one? There is one, ſaid he, upon this Corniſh over my Head: I accordingly ſaw it there, and made ſo much haſte to reach it, that while I had it in my Hand, my Foot being intangled in the Covering, I fell molt unhappily upon the young Man, and the Knife run into his Heart in a Minute.

Ar this Spectacle I cried out moſt hideouſly; I beat my Head, my Face and Breaſt; I tore my Cloaths; I threw my ſelf on the Ground with unſpeakable Sorrow and Grief: Alas! I cry’d, There was only ſome Hours wanting to have put him out of that Danger, from which he ſought Sanctuary here. And when I my ſelf thought the Danger paſt, then I became his Murtherer, and verified the Prediction. But, O Lord! ſaid I, lifting up my Face and my Hands to Heaven, I beg thy Pardon, and, if I be guilty of his Death, let me not live any longer.

Scheherazade, perceiving Day, was obliged to break oft this doleful Story. The Sultan of the Indies was mov’d with it, and found himſelf very uneaſy to think what would become of the Callender after this, and reſolved that Scheherazade ſhould not die that Day, becauſe ſhe was the only Perſon that cou’d reſolve him.