Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 4.djvu/94

and Dance of Zantout that rubs the People in Baths; mind me, pray, and ſee if I do not imitate it exactly.

Scheherazade went no farther this Night, becauſe ſhe perceived Day; next Morning ſhe continued her Story in the following Words.

THE Barber ſung the Song and danced the Dance of Zantout, continued the lame Youth, and let me ſay what I could to oblige him to make an end of his Buffoonries, he did not give over till he imitated in like manner the Songs and Dances of the other People he had named. After that, addreſſing himſelf to me, I am a going, ſays he, to invite all theſe honeſt Perſons to my Houle; if you’ll take my Advice, you’ll join in with us, and baulk your Friends yonder, who perhaps are noiſy Prattlers, that will only teaze you to Death with their nauſeous Diſcourſes, and make you fall into a Diſtemper worſe than that you’re ſo lately recovered of; whereas at my Houſe you ſhall have nothing but Pleaſure.

Notwithſtanding my Anger I could not forbear Laughing at the Fellow’s Impertinence. I wiſh I had no Buſineſs upon my Hands, ſaid I; it I had not, I would accept of the Propoſal you make me; I’d go withall my Heart to be merry with you; but I beg to be excuſed, I am too much engaged this Day; another Day I ſhall be more at Leiſure, and then we ſhall make up that Company. Come, ha’ done ſhaving me, and make haſte to return home; perhaps your Friends are already come to your Houſe. Sir, ſaid he, do not refuſe me the Favour I ask of you; come and be merry with the good Company I am to have: If you were but once in our Company, you would be ſo well pleaſed with it, you would forſake your Friends to come to us. Let’s talk no more of that, ſaid I; I can’t be your Gueſt.

I found I gained no Ground upon him by mild Terms. Since you wili not come to my Houſe, replied the Barber, then pray let me go along with you: I’ll go and carry theſe Things to my Houſe, where my Friends may eat of ’em if they like ’em; and I’ll return immediately; I would not be ſo uncivil as to leave you alone; you deſerve the Complaiſance at my Hands, Heavens, cried I, then I ſhall not