Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 4.djvu/70

fo advantageouſly for me, that I got five Hundred per Cent. This Sale fetched me ſo conſiderable a Sum, that I was tranfported to ſee my ſelf Poſſeſſor of it.

My Father and my Uncles left me in Damaſcus, and purſued their Journey. After their Departure, I uſed mighty Caution not to lay out their Money idly. But at the ſame time I took a ſtately Houſe, all of Marble, adorn’d with Pictures of Gold, and pure branched Work, and excellent Water-works, I furniſhed it, not ſo richly indeed as the Magnificence of the Place deſerved, but at leaſt handſomely enough for a young Man of my Condition. It had formerly belonged to one of the principal Lords of the City, whoſe Name was Moudoun Adalraham; but then was the Property of a rich Jewel Merchant, to whom I paid for it only two Sheriffs^[1] a Month. I had a large Number of Domeſticks, and lived honourably; ſometimes I gave Entertainments to ſuch People as I was acquainted with, and ſometimes I went and was treated by them. Thus did I ſpend my Time at Damaſcus, waiting for my Father’s Return; no Paſſion diſturb’d my Repoſe, and my only Employment was converfing with People of Credit.

One Day as I ſat taking the cool Air at my Gate, a very handſome fine Lady came to me, and asked if I did not ſell Stuffs; but no ſooner ſpoke the words than ſhe went into my Houſe.

Here Scheherazade ſtopp’d, perceiving Day; but the next Night went-on as follows.

WHEN Iſaw, ſaid the young Gentleman of Mouſſoul, that the Lady had gone into the Houſe, I roſe, and having ſhut the Gate, carried her into a Hall, and pray’d her to ſit down. “Madam, (ſaid I) I have had Stuffs that were fit to be ſhewn to you, but I have ’em not now, for which I am very ſorry.” She took off the Veil that covered her Face, and made a Beauty ſparkle in my Eyes, which affected me with ſuch Motions as I