Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 4.djvu/39
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your ſelf, and ſhall now write you a Note impowering you to diſcount that Sum upon the other Goods you have of mine. In fine, I wrote, ſign’d and deliver’d the Note; and then handed the Stuff to the Lady, Madam, ſaid I, you may take the Stuff with you, and as for the money you may either ſend it tomorrow or next Day; or if you will accept the Stuff as a Preſent from me. I beg your Pardon, Sir, ſaid ſhe, I mean nothing of that; you uſe me ſo very civil and obligingly that I ought never to ſhew my Face in the World again, if ſ did not ſhew my Gratitude to you. May God reward you, in inlarging your Fortune; may you live many years when I am dead; may the Gate of Heaven be open’d to you when you remove to the other World, and may all the City proclaim your Generofity.
Theſe Words inipired me with ſome Aſſurance. Madam, ſaid I, I deſire no other Reward for what Service I have done you, than the Happineſs of ſeeing your Fate; that will repay me with intereſt. I had no ſooner ſpoke, than ſhe turned towards me, took off the Muſlin that covered her Face, and difcovered to my Eyes a killing Beauty. I was ſo truck with the ſurprizing ſight, that I could not expreſs my Thoughts to her. I could have look’d upon her for ever, without being cloy’d; but fearing any one ſhould take Notice ſhe quickly covered her Face, and pulling down the Crape, took up the Piece of Stuff, and went away, leaving me in a quite different ſort of Temper from what I was in, when I came to the Shop. I continued for ſome time in great Diſorder and Perplexity, Before I took leave of the Merchant,I ask’d him if he knew the Lady; yes, ſaid he, ſhe’s the daughter of an Emir, who left her an immenſe Fortune at his Death.
I went home, and ſat down to ſupper, but could not eat; neither could I ſhut my Eyes all Night long; I thought it the longeſt Night in my Life-time. As ſoon as it was Day, I got up, in hopes to ſee once more the Object that diſturb’d my Repoſe; and to engage her Affection, I dreſſed my ſelf yet more nicely than I had done the Day before.
Scheherazade perceiving Day ſtopp’d here; but went on next Night as follows.
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