Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 2.djvu/18

Fellows come. Madam, I beg you not to deſtroy the Innocent with the Guilty, and conſider, that it is more glorious to pardon ſuch a Wretch as I, who have no way to help my ſelf, than to ſacrifice me to your Reſentment.

Zobeide, notwithſtanding her Anger, could not but Laugh within her ſelf at the Porter’s Lamentation: But without anſwering him, ſhe ſpoke a ſecond time to the reſt; anſwer me, ſays ſhe, and tell me who you are, otherwiſe you ſhall not live one Moment longer. I cannot believe you to be honeſt Men, nor Perſons of Authority or Diſtinction in your own Countries; for if you were, you I would have been more modeſt and more reſpectful to us.

The Calif who was naturally impatient, was infinitely more impatient than the reſt, to find his Life to depend upon the Command of a Lady juſtly incens’d; but he began to conceive ſome Hopes, when he ſaw ſhe would know who they all were: For he imagin’d ſhe would not take away his Life, when once ſhe came to be inform’d who he was; therefore he ſpoke with a low Voice to the Viſier, who was near him, to declare ſpeedily who he was: But the Viſier being more prudent, reſolv’d to ſave his Maſter’s Honour, and not let the World know the Affront he had brought upon himſelf by his own Weakneſs; and therefore anſwer’d We have what we deſerve. But if he would have ſpoke in Obedience to the Califf, Zobeide did not give him time: For having turn’d to the Callenders, and ſeeing them all three blind of one Eye, ſhe ask’d if they were Brothers. One of them anſwer’d, No, Madam, no otherwiſe than as we are Callenders, that is to ſay, as we obſerve the ſame Rules. Were you born blind of the Right Eye, replied ſhe? No, Madam, anſwers he, I loſt my Eye in ſuch a ſurprizing Adventure, that it would be inſtructive to every Body were it in Writing: After that Misfortune I ſhav’d my Beard and Eye-brows, and took the Habit of a Callender, which I now wear.

Zobeide ask’d the other two Callenders the ſame Queſtion, and had the ſame Anſwer; bur he who ſpoke laſt added, Madam, to ſhew you that we are no common Fellows, and that you may have ſome Conſideration for us, be pleas’d to know that we are all three Sons of Kings; and