Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 4.djvu/52
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asking leave to ſit in my Shop till the reſt of the Merchants came: So I could do no leſs than return a civil Anſwer, and invite the Lady into my Shop.
The Hundred and Forty Second Night.
THE Sultaneſs, being awak’d by her Siſter Dinarzade, proceeded to addreſs her ſelf to the Sultan in the following manner. The Lady ſat down in my Shop continued the Merchant of Bagdad, and obſerving there was no body in the whole Bezeſtein but the Eunuch and I, uncovered her Face to take the Air; and I muſt ſay I never ſaw any thing ſo pretty in my Lifetime: I no ſooner had a ſight of her Face, than I loved her in Courſe, I fix’d my Eyes upon her, and perceived that ſhe was not diſpleaſed with my Ogling, for ſhe gave me a full Opportunity to look upon her, and did not cover her Face but when ſhe was afraid of being taken notice of.
After he had pulled down her Veil again, ſhe told me ſhe wanted ſeveral ſorts of the richeſt and fineſt Stuffs, and asked me if I had ’em. Alas! Madam, ſaid I, I am but a young Man, and juſt beginning the World. I have not Stock enough for ſuch great Concerns; and ’tis a Mor-tification to me that I have nothing to ſhew you ſuch as you want: But to ſave you the Trouble of going from Shop to Shop, as ſoon as the Merchants come, I’ go, if you pleaſe, and fetch from them what you want, with the loweſt Prices; and ſo you may do your Buſineſs without going any further. She complied with my Propoſals, and enter’d into Diſcourſe with me, which continued fo much the longer, that I ſtill made her believe the Merchants, that could furniſh what ſhe wanted, were not yet come.
I was then no leſs charmed with her Wit, than I had been before with the beauty of her Face; but there was a Neceſſity of denying my ſelf the Pleature of her Conversation. I run out to ſee for the Stuffs ſhe wanted, and after ſhe had pitch’d upon what ſhe liked, we ſtruck the Price at 5000 Drams of coin’d Silver; ſo I wrapp’d up the Stuffs in a ſmall Bundle, and gave it to the Eunuch, who put it under his Arm, This done, ſhe roſe and tookleave