Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 5.djvu/30

I the Vizier, your Father-in-Law, I would order you a hundred Laſhes with a Bulls-Pizzle, and ſend you through the Town with your Character written on your Forehead. My Brother on this fatal Accident, came to himſelf, and perceiving that he had brought this Misfortune upon himſelf, by his unſupportable Pride, he beat his Face, tore his Cloaths, and cried ſo loud, that the Neighbours came about him; and the People, who were going to their Noon Prayers, ſtopt to know what was the Matter. Being on a Friday, more People went to Prayers than uſual; ſome of them took pity on Alnaſchar, and others only laughed at his Extravagancy. In the mean Time, his Vanity being deſpers’d, as well as his Glaſſes, he bitterly bewail’d his Loſs; and a Lady of Note paſſing by upon a Mule, with rich Capariſons, my Brother’s Condition mov’d her Compaſſion: She asked who he was, and what was the Matter with him? They told her, that he was a poor Man, who laid out a little Money he had in buying a Basket of Glaſſes, and that the Basket falling, all his Glaſles were broke. The Lady immediately turn’d to an Eunuch who attended her, and ſays to him, Give the poor Man what you have about you. The Eunuch obey’d, and put into my Brother’ Hands 500 Pieces of Gold. Alnaſchar was like to die of Joy when he received it: He gave a thouſand Bleſſings to the Lady, and ſhutting up his Shop, where he had no more Occaſion to ſit, he went to his Houſe.

While he was making deep Reflections upon his good Luck, he heard one knock at his Door; before he open’d, he ask’d who it was, and knowing by the Voice that it was a Woman, he let her in, My Son, ſays ſhe, I have a Favour to beg of you: The Hour of Prayer is come, pray let me waſh my ſelf, that I may be fit to ſay my Prayers. Pray let me come into your Houſe, and give me a Baſon of Water. My Brother look’d upon her, and ſaw that ſhe was a Woman well advanced in Years, tho’ he knew not, he granted what ſhe requir’d, and then ſat down again, being ſtill tull of his new Adventure. He put his Gold in a long ſtrait Purſe, proper to carry at his Girdle. The old Woman in the mean time ſaid her Prayers, and when ſhe had done, came to my’ Brother, and bowed to the Ground twice, ſo low, that ſhe touched it with her Forehead, as if ſhe had been going to ſay her Prayers;