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between the Puniſhment and the Crime! Plague on the Ragoo, Plague on the Cook that dreſſed it, and may he be equally unhappy that ſerved it up.

Here the Sultaneſs diſcontinued her Story, obſerving the Dawn of Day; and Schahriar roſe, laughing heartily at the Favourite Lady’s Anger, and curious to know the Upſhot of the Story.


The Hundred and Forty Eighth Night.


NEXT Morning Scheherazade, waking before Day, reſumed the Thread of her Diſcourſe to this Purpole, All the Ladies that were by, continued the Bagdad Merchant, took Pity of me when they heard the cutting of my Hand ſpoken of. Dear Madam, dear Siſter, ſaid they to the Favourite Lady, you carry your Reſentment too far. We own he’s a Man quite ignorant of the World, that does not obſerve your Quality, and the Regards that are due to you: But we beſeech you to overlook and pardon the Fault he has committed. I have not received ſuitable Satisfaction, ſaid ſhe, I’ll teach him to know the World, I’ll make him bear the ſenſible Marks of his Impertinence, and be cautions hereafter how he taſtes a Garlick Ragoo without waſhing his Hands However, they ſtill continued their Sollicitation, and fell down at her Feet, and kiſſing her fair Hand. Good Madam, ſaid they, in the Name of God moderate your Wrath, and grant the Favour we requeſt. She anſwered ne’er a Word, but got up, and after throwing out a thouſand hard Words againſt me, walked out of the Chamber; and all the Ladies followed her, leaving me in unconceivable Affliction.

I continued there ten Days, without ſeeing any body but an old Woman: Slave that brought me Victuals, I asked the old Woman what was become of the Favourite Lady. She’s ſick, ſaid the old Woman, ſhe’s ſick, ſaid the old Woman, ſhe’s fick of the poiſon’d Smell you infect her with, Why did not you take care to waſh your Hands after eating of that curſed Ragoo? Is it poſſible, thought I to my ſelf, that thoſe Ladies can be ſo nice, and fo vindictive for ſo ſmall a Fault! In the mean time I loved my Wife, notwithſtanding all her Cruelty.

One day the old Woman told me, my Spouſe was recovered, and gone to bathe, and would come to ſee me the

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