Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 4.djvu/78

how this Necklace fell into your Hands, conceal nothing of the Matter from me. Then I told plainly all that had paſs’d, and declared I had choſen rather to paſs for a Thief, than to reveal that Tragical Adventure. Good God, ſaid the Governor, thy Judgments are in comprehenſible, and we ought to ſubmit to them without Murmuring. I receive, with an entire Submiſſion, the Stroke thou haſt been pleafed to inflict upon me. Then directing his Diſcourſe to me; My Child, ſaid he, having now heard the Cauſe of your Diſgrace, for which I am very much concerned, I’ll give you an Account of the Diſgrace that befel me. Know then, that I am the Father of theſe two Young Ladies you were ſpeaking of but now.

Scheherazade perceiving the Appearance of Day, ſtopped here; but went on next Night in the following manner.

SIR, ſaid ſhe, the Diſcourſe that the Governor of Damaſcus made to the Young Man of Mouſſoul, was this, My Child, ſaid the Governor, know that the firſt Lady, who had the Impudence to come to your Houſe, was my eldeſt Daughter. I had given her in Marriage to one of her own Couſins, my own Brother’s Son at Cairo. Her Husband died, and ſhe returned home corrupted with all manner of Wickedneſs, which ſhe had learned in Egypt. Before I took her home, her younger Siſter who died in that deplorable manner in your Arms, was a very prudent young Woman, and had never given me any Occaſion to complain of her Conduct. But after that, the eldeſt Siſter grew very intimate with her, and inſenfibly made her as wicked as her ſelf.

The Day after the Death of the youngeſt, not finding her at Table, asked her eldeſt Siſter what was become of her, but ſhe inſtead of anſwering, fell a crying bitterly, from whence I formed a fatal Preſage. I preſſed her to inform me of what I asked her. My Father, ſaid ſhe with Sobs, I can tell you no more but that my Siſter put on her beſt Cloaths Yeſterday, and her fine Necklace, and went abroad, and has not been heard of ſince. I made ſearch for my Daughter all over the Town; but could learn nothing of