Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 4.djvu/53

leave. I ſtill continued to look after her till ſhe was got at the Bezeſtein Gate, and mounted her Mule again.

The Lady had no ſooner diſappeared, than I perceiv’d that Love is the Cauſe of great Overſights. It had ſo ingroſs’d all my Thoughts, that truly I did not mind that ſhe went off without paying the Money, neither had I the Conſideration to ask who ſhe was, or where ſhe dwelt, However, I conſidered I was accountable for a large Sum to the Merchants, who, perhaps, would not have the Patience to ſtay for their Money: And fo I went to them and made the beſt Excuſe I could, pretending that I knew the Lady; and then came home again equally affected with Love, and with the Burden of ſuch a heavy Debt.

Scheherazade had no ſooner ſpoke theſe Words than Day appear’d: But the next Night we proceeded as follows.

I HAD deſired my Creditors, continued the Merchant, to ſtay eight Days for their Money; and when the eight Days were paſt. they did not fail to dun me. Then I intreated them to give me eight Days more, which they agreed to; and the very next Day, I ſaw the Lady come to the Bezeſtein, mounted on her Mule with the ſame Attendants as before, and exactly at the ſame Hour of the Day.

She came ſtreight to my Shop. I have made you ſtay ſome time, ſaid ſhe, but here’s your Money at laſt; carry me to a Banker, and ſee it is all good. The Eunuch, who brought me the Money, went along with me to the Bankers, amd we found it very right. Then came back again, and had the Happineſs of converſing with the Lady till all the Shops of the Bezeſtein were open, Tho&nsquo; we talk’d but of ordinary Things, ſhe gave them ſuch a Turn, that they appear’d new and uncommon; and convinc’d me that I was not miſtaken in admiring her Wit, when I converſed with her.

As ſoon as the Merchants were come and had opened their Shops, I carried to the reſpective Men the Money that was due for their Stuffs, and was readily intruſted with more which the Lady had defired to ſee. In ſhort the Lady took Stuffs to the Value of 1000 Pieces of Gold, and