Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 4.djvu/72

dam, ſaid I, you ſhall do what you pleaſe; but whatever you may fay of: your Friend, I defy all her Charms to tear my Heart from you, to whom ’tis ſo inviolably tied, that nothing can diſengage it. Do not be too poſitive, faid ſhe, I now tell you, I’m about to put your Heart to a ſtrange Trial.

We ſtayed together all Night, the next Morning at parting, inſtead of Ten Sheriffs, ſhe gave me Fifteen, which I was forced to accept. Remember, ſaid ſhe, that in Two Days Time you’re to have a new Gueſt; pray take care to give her a good Reception: We’ll come at the uſual Hour, after Sun ſet. I took care to have my Hall in great order, and a nice Collation prepared againſt they came.

Here Scheherazade obſerving it was Day ſtopp’d; but next Night ſhe went on as follows,

SIR, the Young Man of Mouſſoul, recounting the Hiſtory of his Adventures to the Jewish Phyſician, continued thus. I waited, faid he, for the Two Ladies with Impatience, and at laſt they arrived, They both unveil’d themſelves, and as I had been ſurpriz’d with the Beauty of the firſt, I had reaſon to be much more ſo when I faw her Friend. She had regular Features, a lively Complection, and ſuch ſparkling Eyes that I could hardly bear their Splendor, I thanked her for the Honour ſhe did me, and intreated her to excuſe me, if I did not give her the Reception ſhe deſerved. No Compliments, faid ſhe, it ſhould be my part to make. them to you for allowing my Friend to bring me hither. But fince you are pleas’d to ſuffer it; let’s lay aſide all Ceremony, and think of nothing but being merry.

As ſoon as the Ladies arrived, the Collation was ſerved up, and we ſat down to Supper. I ſat oppoſite to the ſtranger Lady, and ſhe never left off looking upon me with a Smile: I could not reſiſt her conquering Eyes, and ſhe made her ſelf Miſtreſs of my Heart with ſuch Force, that I had not power to offer Oppoſition. But inſpiring me ſhe took Fire her ſelf, and was equally tonch’d; and was fo far from ſhewing any thing of Conſtraint in her Carriage, that ſhe told me very fenſible moving things.