Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 2.djvu/11

Zobeide replied, It is, that you would only have Eyes, but no Tongues, that you put no Queſtion to us, about the Reaſon of any thing you may happen to ſee, and not to ſpeak of any thing that does not concern you, leſt you come to hear of things that will by no means pleaſe you; Madam, replied the Viſier, you ſhall be obey’d.

We are not cenſorious nor impertinently curious; ’tis enough for us to take notice of that which concerns us, without meddling with that which does not belong to us: Upon this they all ſat down, and the Company being united, they drank to the Health of the New-Comers.

While the Viſier entertain’d the Ladies in Diſcourſe, the Califf cou’d not forbear to admire their extraordinary Beauty; graceful Behaviour, pleaſant Humours and ready Wit; on the other hand, nothing was more ſurprizing to him than the Callenders, being all three blind of the right Eye. He would gladly have been inform’d of this Singularity; but the Conditions ſo lately impos’d upon himſelf and his Companions, would not allow him to ſpeak. This, with the Richneſs of the Furniture, the exact Order of every thing, and Neatneſs of the Houſe, made him to think it was ſome enchanted Place.

Their Entertainment happening to be upon Divertiſements, and different ways of making merry, the Callenders aroſe, and danced after their Faſhion, which augmented the good Opinion the Ladies had conceived of them, and procur’d them the Eſteem of the Calif and his Companions.

When the three Callenders made an end of their Dance, Zobeide aroſe, and taking Amine by the Hand, ſaid, Pray, Siſter, riſe up, for the Company will not take it ill if we uſe our Freedom, and their Preſence need not to hinder our Performance of what we are wont to do. Amine, by, underſtanding her Siſters Meaning, roſe up from her Seat, carried away the Diſhes, the Table, the Flasks and Cups, together with the Inſtruments which the Callenders had played-upon.

Safie was not idle, but ſwept the Room, put everything again in its Place, ſnuff’d the Candles, and put freſh Aloes and Ambergreeſe to them, and then pray’d the three Callen-