Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 4.djvu/49
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pleaſe to accompany me, we’ll trade together as equal Partners; and divide the Profit.
I thank’d the Young Man, ſaid the Chriſtian Merchant, for the Preſent he made me, and as to the Propoſal of travelling with him, I willingly embrac’d it, affuring him that his Intereſt ſhould always be as dear to me as my own.
We ſet a Day for our Departure, and accordingly entred upon our Travels. We paſſed through Syria and Meſopotamia, travell’d all over Perſia, and after ſtopping at ſeveral Cities, came at laſt, Sir, to this your Metropolis. Some time after our Arrival in this Place, the young Man having form’d a Deſign of returning to Perſia, and ſettling there, we ſettled our Accounts, and parted very good Friends. So he went from hence, and I, Sir, continue here at your Majeſty’s Service. This, Sir, is the Story I had to tell you: Does not your Majeſty find it yer more ſurprizing, than that of the crooked Buffoon?
The Sultan of Caſgar fell into a Paſſion againſt the Chriſtian Merchant. You are very bold, ſaid he, to tell me a ſtory ſo little worth my hearing, and then to compare it to that of my Jeſter. Can you flatter your ſelf ſo far, as to believe that the trifling Adventures of a young Rake can make ſuch an Impreſſion upon me, as thoſe of my Jeſter? Well, I’m reſolv’d to hang you all four to revenge his Death.
This ſaid, the Purveyor fell down frighted at the Sultan’s Feet. Sir, ſaid he, I humbly beſeech your Majeſty to ſuſpend your juſt Wrath, and hear my Story; and if my Story appears to your Majeſty to be prettier than that of your Jeſter to pardon us all four. The Sultan having granted his Requeſt, the Purveyor began thus.
The Story told by the Sultan of Caſgar’s Purveyor.