Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 5.djvu/91

thus, the Prince embraced him with a Tranſport of Joy. You revive, ſays he, by this charming Promiſe, an unhappy Lover, who was reſolved to die: I ſee that you have fully repair’d the Loſs of Ebn Thaher; whatever you do ſhall be well done, I will leave my ſelt entirely to you.

After the Prince had thank’d him for his Zeal, the Jeweller return’d home, and next Morning Schemſelnihar’s Confident came to him: He to!d her that he had put the Prince of Perſia in Hopes that he ſhould ſee Schemſelnihar ſpeedily: I am come on purpoſe, anſwer’d ſhe, to take Meaſures with you for that End. I think, continued ſhe, this Houſe will be convenient enough for their Interview: I could receive them very well here, reply’d he, but I think they will have more Liberty in another Houſe of mine where no-body lives at preſent: I will quickly furniſh it for receiving them. Since the Matter is ſo, reply’d the Confident, there remains nothing for me to do but to make Schemſelnihar conſent to it. I will go and tell her, and return ſpeedily with an Anſwer.

She was as diligent as her Promiſe, and returning to the Jeweller, told him that her Miſtreſs would not fail to keep the Appointment in the Evening. In the mean time ſhe gave him a Purſe of Money, and told him it was to prepare a Collation. He ſent her immediately to the Houſe, where the Lovers were to meet, that ſhe might know whither to bring her Miſtreſs, and when ſhe was gone, he went to borrow from his Friends Veſſels of Gold and Silver, Tapeſtry, rich Cuſhions and other Furniture with which he furniſh’d the Houſe very magnificently; and when he had put all Things in Order he went to the Prince of Perſia.

You may eaſily conceive the Prince of Perſia’s Joy, when the Jeweller told him that he came to conduct him to the Houſe he had prepared to receive him and Schemſelnihar. This News made him forget all his former Trouble. He put on a magnificent Robe, and went without his Retinue along with the Jewellers, who led him through ſeveral By-Streets that no-body might obſerve him, and at laſt brought him to the Houſe, where they diſcourſed together until Schemſelnihar came.

They did not ſtay long for this paſſionate Lover. She came after Evening Prayer, with her Confident, and two other Slaves. One cannot expreſs the Exceſs of Joy that