Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 4.djvu/66

ſed him, I perceived he wanted the Right Hand, and that it had not been long cut off, which had been the Occaſion of his Diſtemper, tho’ conceal’d from me; for while the People about him were applying proper Medicines externally, they had called me to prevent the Conſequence of the Fever he was then in. I was very much ſurprized, and concern’d in ſeeing his Misfortune; which he obſerved by my Countenance. Doctor, cried he, do not be aſtoniſh’d to ſee that my Hand is cut off, ſome Day or other I’ll tell you the Occaſion of it, and in that Relation you’ll be entertain’d with very ſurprizing Adventures.

After we had done bathing, we ſat down and eat, and after we had ſome other Diſcourſe together, he asked me if it would be any Prejudice to his Health, if he went and fetch’d a walk out of Town in the Governor’s Garden, I made Anſwer, it would be fo far from that, that it would benefit his Health. Since it is ſo, ſaid he, if you’ll let me have your Company, I’ll tell you the Hiſtory of my Adventures. I replied, I was at his Command for all that Day. Upon which he preſently called his Servants to bring ſomething for a Collation, and ſo we wen: to the Governor’s Garden. There we took two or three Turns, and then ſat down upon a Carpet that his Servants had ſpread under a Tree, which gave a very pleaſant Shade. After we were ſet, the young Man gave his Hiſtory in the following Terms.

I was born, ſaid he, at Moufſoul, and come of one of the moſt conſiderable Families in the City. My Father was the eldeſt of ten Brothers, that were all alive, and all married when my Grandfather died. All the Brothers were Childleſs, but my Father; and he had ne’er a Child but me. He took a particular Care of my Education; and made me learn every thing that was proper for a Child of my Quality.——But, Sir, ſaid Scheherazade, I am injoined ſilence by the Day which now appears, So ſhe ſtopped, and the Sultan roſe.