Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 4.djvu/82

left me, which I did not ſquander away fooliſhly, but applied it to ſuch Uſes, that every Body reſpected me for my Conduct.

I had not been yet diſturbed with Paſſion: I was ſo far from being ſenſible of Love, that I acknowledge, perhaps to my Shame, that I cautiouſly avoided the Converſation of Women. One Day walking in the Streets, I ſaw a great Company of Ladies before me; and that I might not meet ’em, turned down a narrow Lane juſt by, and ſat down upon a Bench by a Door. I ſat over againſt a Window where there ſtood a Pot with Pretty Flowers; and I had my Eyes fix’d upon this, when all on a ſudden the Window opened, and a young Lady appeared whoſe Beauty was dazling. Immediately ſhe caſt her Eyes upon me; and in watring the Flower-Pot with a Hand whiter than Alabaſter; looked upon me with a Smile, that inſpir’d me with as much Love tor her, as I had formerly an Averſion for all Women. After having watred all her Flowers, and darted upon me a Glance full of Charms that quite pierced me Heart, ſhe ſhut the Window again, and Io left me in inconceivable Trouble and Diſorder.

I had dwelt upon theſe Thoughts long enough, if a Noiſe that aroſe in the Streets had not brought me to my ſelf. Alarmed with the Noiſe, I turned my Head in ariſing Poſture, and ſaw it was the upper Cadis of the City, mounted on a Mule, and attended by five or fix Servants; alighted at the Door of that Houſe, where the young Lady had open’d the Window, and went in there; from whence I concluded he was the young Lady’s Father.

I went home in a different ſort of Humour from what I brought with me; toſs’d with a Paſſion which was ſo much the more violent, that I had never felt its Aſſaults before: in fine, I went to Bed with a violent Fever upon me, which all the Family was mightily concerned at. My Relations, who had a great Love for me, were ſo alarmed with the ſudden Diſorder I was in, that they came about me, and importuned me to know the Cauſe; which I took care not to reveal to ’em. My Silence created an Uneaſineſs, that the Phyſicians could not diſpel, becauſe they knew nothing of my Diſtemper, and by the Medicines they exhibited, rather inflam’d than repair’d it.