Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 2.djvu/73

Room, and do not enquire into any thing that concerns us, nor the Reaſon why we are all blind of the Right-Eye, be content with what you ſee, and let not your Curioſity go any further.

The old Man having ſat a little while, roſe up and went out, but he return’d in a Minute or two, brought in Supper to thoſe ten Gentlemen, diſtributed to each Man his Proportion by himſelf, and likewiſe brought me mine, which I eat my ſelf, as the reſt did; and when Supper was almoſt done, he preſented to each of us a Cup of Wine.

They thought my Story ſo extraordinary, that they made me repeat it after Supper, and this gave occaſion to Diſcourſes that laſted a good part of the Night. One of the Gentlemen, obſerving that it was late, ſaid to the old Man, you ſee it is time to go to-bed, and you don’t bring us that with which we may acquit our ſelves of our Duty: At theſe Words the old Man aroſe, and went into a Cloſet, from whence he brought out upon his Head ten Baſons one after another, all cover’d with blue Stuff; he ſet one before every Gentleman, together with a Light.

They uncover’d their Baſons, in which there was Aſhes, Coul-Duſt and Lamp-black; they mix’d altogether, and rubb’d and bedaub’d their Faces with it in ſuch a Manner, that they look’d very frightful. After having thus black’d themſelves, they fell a weeping and lamenting, beating their Heads and Breaſts, and cry’d continually, this is the Fruit of our Idleneſs and Debauchies.

They continued thus almoſt the whole Night, and when they left off, the old Man brought them Water, with which they waſh’d their Faces and Hands, they chang’d alſo their Cloaths which were ſpoil’d, and put on others; that they did not look in the leaſt as if they had been doing ſo ſtrange an Acton.

You may judge, Madam, how uneaſy I was all the while, I had a mind a thouſand times to break the Silence, which thoſe young Gentlemen had impoſed upon me, ask Queſtions, nor was it poſſible for me to ſleep that Night.

After we got up next Day, we went out to walk, and then I told them, Gentlemen, I declare to you, that I muſt renounce that Law which you preſcrib’d to me laſt