Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 4.djvu/25

Corps to the Head of the Stairs, and leaving it there, ſcowr’d off.

In the mean time the Maid having told the Doctor, that a Man and a Woman ſtaid for him at the Door, deſiring he would come down and look upon a ſick Man they brought with them; and the Maid clapping the Money ſhe had receiv’d into his Hand, the Doctor was tranſported with Joy; being paid before-hand thought it was a good Chap, and ſhould not be neglected. Light, Light, cries he to the Maid, follow me nimbly. However, without ſtaying for the Light, he gets to the Stair-head, and that in fuch haſte that ſtumbling againſt the Corps, he gave him ſuch a Kick, as made him tumble quite down to the Stair-foot: Nay, he had almoſt fallen himſelf, and tumbled down along with my Lord. A Light, a Light, cries he to the Maid, Quick, Quick. At laſt the Maid came with a Light, and ſo he went down Stairs with her; but when he ſaw that the ſlumbling Block he had kicked down was a dead Man, he was ſo frighted, that he invoked Moſes, Aaron, Joſhua and Eſdras, and all the other Prophets of his Law. Unhappy Man that I am, ſaid he, what made me offer to come down without a Light? I have e’en made an end of the Fellow that was brought me to be cured: Queſtionleſs, I am the Cauſeof his Death, and unleſs Esdra’s Aſs^[1] comes to aſſiſt me, I’m ruined: Mercy on me, they will be here out of hand, and lug me out of my Houſe for a Murderer.

But notwithſtanding the Perplexity and Jeopardy he was in, he had the Precaution to ſhut his Door, for fear any one paſſing by in the Street ſhould obſerve the Miſchance, of which he reckon’d himſelf to be the Author, Then he took the Corps into his Wife’s Chamber, upon which ſhe ſwooned away.