Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 4.djvu/58

were only proper for Ladies, and that by opening them his Lady would be deprived of the pleaſure of ſeeing them firſt. I ſay, open them, cried the Califf; I have a mind to ſee them, and I will ſee them. She ſtill repreſented that her Miſtreſs would be angry with her if ſhe opened them; No, no, ſaid he, I’ll engage ſhe ſhall not ſay a Word to you for ſo doing, Come, come, open them, I can’t ſtay.

There was a Neceſſity of obeying, which gave m ſuch ſhocking Alarms, that I tremble every time I think on’t. Down ſat the Califf; and the Fayourite ordered all the Trunks to be brought before him one after another. Then ſhe opened them, and to ſpin out the Time, ſhewed all the Beauties of each particular Stuff, thinking thereby to tire out his Patience; but her Stratagem did not take. Being as loth as I to have the Trunk where I lay opened, ſhe left that laſt. So when all the reſt were viewed, come, ſays the Califf, make an end; let’s ſee what’s in that one. I am at a loſs to tel! you whether I was dead or alive that Moment; for I little thought of eſcaping ſo great a Danger.

Day appearing, Scheherazade ſtopp’d ;but carried on her Story next Night as follows.

WHEN Zobeide’s Favourite, continued the Bagdad Merchant, ſaw that the Califf would needs have the Trunk open’d, where I lay: As for this Trunk, ſaid ſhe, your Majeſty will pleaſe to diſpence with the oppening of it, there are ſome Things in it which I can’t ſhew you without your Lady be by. Well, well, ſaid the Califf ſince it is ſo, I am ſatisfied; order the Trunks to be carried away. The Word was no ſooner ſpoke, than the Trunks were moved into her Chamber, where I began to come to life again.

As ſoon as the Eunuchs, who had brought them, were gone, we preſently opened the Trunk where I was Priſoner. Come out, ſaid ſhe, go up theſe Stairs that lead to an upper Room, and ſtay there till I come. The Door which led to the Stairs ſhe lock’d after I was in; and that wa sno ſooner done, than the Califf came and clapped him down upon the very Trunk where I had been, The Occaſion of