Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 4.djvu/42

rally and ſent him back; directing him to obſerve narrowly where he left me, and not to fail to come back with the Aſs to Morrow Morning, to carry me back again.

I knocked at the Door, and preſently two little Girls, Slaves white as Snow, and neatly dreſſed, came and opened it. Be pleaſed to come in, Sir, ſaid they, my Miſtreſs expects you impatiently;, Theſe two days ſhe has ſpoke of nothing but you. So I enter’d the Court, and ſaw a great Pavillion raiſed upon ſeyen Steps, and ſurrounded with Iron Rails, that parted it from a very pleaſant Garden. Befides the Trees which imbelliſhed the Proſpect, and forced an agreeable Shade, there was an infinite Number of other Trees loaded with all manner of Fruit. I was charmed with the Warbling of a great Number of Birds, that joyn’d their Notes to the murmurings of a very high Water-work, in the middle of a Ground-Plot enamel’d with Flowers. This Water-work was a very agreeable ſight; Four large gilded Dragons adorned the Angles of the Baſin, which was of a ſquare Form; and theſe Dragons ſpouted out Water clearer than Rock Chryſtal. This delicious Place gave me a charming Idea of the Conqueſt I had made. The two little Slaves conducted me into a Parlour magnificently furniſh’d; and while one of ’em went to acquaint her Miſtreſs with my Arrival, the other tarried with me, and pointed out to me the Ornaments of the Hall.

At this Period, Scheherazade diſcontinued her Story, upon the Appearance of Day: And Shahriar get up, curious to know what the Bagdadeſe would do in the Lady’s Parlour. The next Morning the Sultaneſs gratified the Sultan’s Curioſity, by purſuing the Sequel of the Story in the following manner.

SIR, the Chriſtian Merchant continued his Diſcourſe to the Sultan of Caſgar to this Purpoſe. I did not tarry long in the Hall, ſaid the Young Man of Bagdad, till the Lady I loved appeared, adorned with Pearls and Diamonds, but the Splendor of her Eyes did far outſhine that of her Jewels. Her Shapes, which were now not diſguiſed by the Habit uſual in the Streets, were extreme fine and charming. I need not mention with what Joy we received