Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 2.djvu/12

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ders to ſit down on the Soſa on one ſide, and the Califf with his Companions on the other: As to the Porter, ſhe ſays to him, Get up and prepare your ſelf to ſerve in what we are going about; a Man like you, that is as one of the Family, ought not to be idle. The Porter being ſomewhat recovered from his Wine, gets up immediately, and having tied the Sleeve of his Gown to his Belt, anſwers, Here am I, ready to obey your Commands in any thing. That’s very well, replied Safie, ſtay till you are ſpoke to, you ſhall not be idle very long. A little time after, Amine came in with a Chair, which ſhe placed in the middle of the Room; and ſo went to a Cloſet, which having opened, ſhe beckon’d to the Porter, and ſays to him, Come hither and help me, which he obeying, enter’d the Cloſet, and return’d immediately, leading two black Bitches, with each of them a Collar and Chain; they look’d as if they had been ſeverely whipt with Rods, and he brought them into the middle of the Room.

Then Zobeide ariſing from her Seat between the Callenders and the Calif, march’d very gravely towards the Porter, Come on, ſays ſhe, with a great Sigh, let us perform our Duty; then tucking up her Sleeves above her Elbows, and receiving a Rod from Safie, Porter, ſaid ſhe, deliver one of the Bitches to my Siſter Amine, and come to me with the other.

The Porter did as he was commanded, the Bitch that he held in his Hand begun to cry, and turning towards Zobeide, held her Head up in a begging Poſture; but Zobeide having no Regard to the ſad Countenance of the Bitch, (which would have mov’d Pity) nor her Cries that ſounded through all the Houſe) whipt her with the Rod till ſhe was out of Breath; and having ſpent her Strength that ſhe could ſtrike no more, ſhe threw down the Rod and taking the Chain from the Porter, lift up the Bitch by her Paws and looking upon her with a ſad and pitiful Countenance, they both wept: After which, Zobeide with her Handkerchief wiped the Tears from the Bitch’s Eyes, kiſs’d her, return’d the Chain to the Porter, bid him carry her to the Place whence he took her, and bring her the other. The Porter led back the whipt Bitch to the Cloſet, and receiv-
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