Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 4.djvu/85

Look; You’re very bold, ſaid ſhe, to make ſuch a Propoſal to me; I diſcharge you ever to ſee me again with ſuch diſcourſe in your Month.

Do not let this caſt you down; continued ſhe, I am not eaſily diſheartned, and if your Patience does but hold out, I am hopeful I ſhall compaſs my End. To ſhorten my Story, ſaid the young Man, this good Procureſs made ſeveral fruitleſs Attempts on my Behalf with the proud Enemy of my Reſt. The Fret I thereby underwent inflam’d my Diſtemper to that Degree, that my Phyſicians gave me quite over. So I was looked upon as a dead Man, when the old Woman came to give me Life.

That no Body might hear what was ſaid, ſhe whiſpered in my Ear; remember now you owe me a Preſent for the good News I bring you. Theſe Words produced a marvellous Effect; I raiſed my ſelf to ſit up in the Bed, and with Tranſports made anſwer, You ſhall not be without a Preſent; but what are the News you bring me. Dear Sir, ſaid ſhe, you ſhall not die this bout; I ſhall ſpeedily have the Pleaſure to ſee you in perfect Health, and very well ſatisfied with me. Yeſterday being Monday, I went to ſee the Lady you love, and: I found her in a very good Humour, As foon as I came in, I put on a ſad Countenance, and fetched many deep Sighs, and began to ſqueeze out ſome Tears. My good Mother, ſaid ſhe, what’s the Matter with you, why are you ſo caſt down! Alas, my dear and honourable Lady, ſaid I, I have been juſt now with the young Gentleman I ſpoke to you of the other Day; his Buſneſs is done; he’s giving up his Life for the Love of you; ’tis a great Injury, I’ll aſſure you, and there’s a great deal of Cruelty on your ſide, I am at a loſs to know, replied ſhe, for what you mean me to be the Cauſe of his Death;. how can I have contributed to it? How, replied I, did not you tell me t’other Day, that he ſat before your Window when you opened it to water your Flower-Pot? He then ſaw that Prodigy of Beauty, thoſe Charms that your Looking-Glaſs repreſents to you every Day; From that moment he languiſhes, and his Diſeaſe is riſen to that height, that in fine he is reduced to that deplorable Condition I have mentioned to you.

At this Period, Scheherazade ſeeing Day, diſcontinued the Story till next Night, then ſhe reſumed it as follows.