Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 3.djvu/29

reached to the Sea. The Ceremony being over, they covered the Hole again with the Stone, and returned.

It’s needleſs, Gentlemen, for me to tell you that I was the only melancholy Spectator of this Funeral, whereas the reſt were ſcarcely moved at it, the Thing was ſo cuftomary to them. I could not forbear ſpeaking my Thoughts of this Matter to the King. Sir, ſays I, I cannot enough admire at the ſtrange Cuſtom in this Country, of burying the Living with the Dead, I have been a great Traveller, and ſeen many Countries, but never heard of ſo cruel a Law. What do you mean, Sindbad, ſays the King, ’tis a common Law? I ſhall be interr’d with the Queen, my Wife, if ſhe die firſt. But Sir, ſays I, may I preſume to demand of your Majeſty, If Strangers be obliged to obſerve this Law? Without doubt, replies the King, ſmiling at the occaſion of my Queſtion, they are not excepted if they be married in this Iſland.

I went home very melancholy at this Anſwer, for the Fear of my Wife’s Dying firſt, and that I ſhould be interr’d alive with her, occaſion’d me to have very mortifying Reflections. But there was no Remedy, I muſt Fave Patience, and ſubmit to the Will of God. I trembled however at every little indiſpoſition of my Wife; but alas! In a time my Fears came upon me all at once; for ſhe fell ſick and died in a few Days.

Scheherazade ſtopt here for that time, and reſum’d the thread of her Story next Night thus,

YOU may judgeat my Sorrow, continues Sindbad; to be interr’d alive ſeem’d to me as deplorable an end as to be devour’d by Canibals. But I muſt ſubmit, the King and all his Court would honour the Funeral with their Preſence, and the moſt conſiderable People of the City did the like. When all was ready for the Ceremony, the Corps was put into the Coffin with all her Jewels and magnificent Apparel. The Cavalcade was begun, and as ſecond Actor in this doleful Tragedy, I went next the Corps, with my Eyes full of Tears, bewailing my deplorable Fate. Before I came to the Mountain, I made an Eſſay on the Minds of the Spectators, I addreſt my ſelf to the King in the firſt