Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 3.djvu/66

There’s no Difficulty in that, replied the Elder, for I am perſuaded, that beſides the uſual Articles of the Marriage Contract, you will not ſail to promiſe in his Name at leaſt three thouſard Sequins, three good Mannors and three Slaves. No, ſaid the Younger, I will not conſent to that, we are not Brethren, and equal in Title and Dignity. Don’t you and I both know what’s juſt: The Male being nobler than the Female, it is your part to give a large Dowry with your Daughter. By what I perceive, you are a Man that would have your Buſineſs done at another Man’s Charge.

Altho’ Nonreddin Ali ſpoke theſe Words in jeſt, his Brother being of an ill Temper was offended at it, and falling into a Paſſion, A Miſchief upon your Son, ſaid he, ſince you prefer him before my Daughter, I wonder you had fo much Confidence, as to believe him worthy of her; you muſt needs have loſt your Judgment, to think you are my Equal, and ſay we are Colleagues: I would have you to know you Fool, that ſince you are ſo impudent, I would not marry my Daughter to your Son, tho’ you would give him more than you are worth. This pleaſant Quarrei between two Brothers about the Marriage of their Children before they were born, went ſo far that Schemſeddin Mohammed concluded with Threatnings; Were I not not to morrow, ſays he, to attend the Sultan, I would treat you according as you deſerve; but at my Return, I ſhall make you ſenſible that it does not become a younger Brother to ſpeak ſo inſolent]y to his elder Brother, as you have done to me. Upon this, he retir’d to his Apartment, and his Brother went to Bed.

Schemſeddin Mohammed roſe very early next Morning, and goes to the Pa/ace to attend the Sultan, who went to hunt about Cairo near the Pyramids. As for Noureddin Ali, he was very uneaſy all the Night, and conſidering that it would not be poſſible for him to live longer with a Brother who treated him with ſo much Haughtineſs; he provided a good Mule, furniſhed himſelf with Money, Jewels, Proviſion and Victuals, and having told his People, that he was going on a private Journey for two or three Days, he departed.

When he was out of Cairo, he rode by the Deſart towards Arabia; but his Mule happening to tire by the way, he was forced to continue his Journey on Foot. A Courier