Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 3.djvu/59

SChahariar pretended the Sultaneſs, and deſir’d to know what the young Man’s Speech was to Haroun Alraſchid, Sir, ſaid Scheherazade, the Words he ſpoke were theſe.

COmmander of the Faithful, your Majeſty may be pleas’d to know, That this murder’d Lady was my Wife, the Daughter of this old Man you ſee here, who is my own Uncle by the Father’s Side. She was not above twelve Years old when he gave her to me, and it is now eleven Years ago. I have three Children by her, all Boys, yet alive; and I muſt do her that Juſtice to ſay, That ſhe never gave me the leaſt Occaſion of Offence; ſhe was Chaſte, of good Behaviour, and made it her whole Buſineſs to pleaſe me. And for my part I loved her entirely, and rather prevented her in granting any Thing ſhe deſired than oppoſed it.

About two Months ago ſhe fell ſick; I took all imaginable Care of her, and ſpared nothing that could procure her a ſpeedy Recovery. After a Month ſhe began to grow better, and had a mind to go to the Bagnio. Before ſhe went out of the Houſe, Couſin, ſaid ſhe (for ſo ſhe us’d to call me out of Familiarity) I long for ſome Apples, if you could get me any, you would pleaſe me extreamly: I have longed for ’em a great while, and I muſt own its now come to that height, that if I be not ſatisfied very ſoon, I fear ſome Misfortune will befal me. With all my Heart, ſaid I, I will do all that’s in my Power to make you eaſy.

I went immediately round all the Markets and Shops in the Town to ſeek for Apples, but I cou’d not get one, though I offer’d to pay a Sequin a-piece. I returned home very much diſſatisfied at my Diſappointment. And for my Wife, when ſhe returned from the Bagnio, and ſaw no Apples, we became ſo very uneaſy that ſhe could not ſleep all Night, I got up betimes in the Morning, and went through al! the Gardens, but had no better Succeſs