Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 2.djvu/31

Ambaſſador, but with no great Retinue, becauſe of the Length and Difficulty of the Journey.

When we had travell’d about a Month, we diſcover’d at a Diſtance a great Cloud of Duſt, and under that we ſaw very ſoon 50 Horſemen well armed, who were Robbers coming toward us at a full Gallop. Scheherazade perceiving Day, told the Sultan of it, who got up, but deſiring to know what paſt between the 50 Men on Horſeback, and the Indian Ambaſſador, this Prince was ſomewhat impatient till next Night came.

IT was almoſt Day when Dinarzade awak’d next Morning, and call’d to her Siſter, if you be not aſleep, dear Siſter, I pray you continue the Story of the ſecond Callender. Scheherazade began in this Manner:

Madam (ſays the Callender) always ſpeaking to Zobeide, as we had 10 Horſes laden with Baggage and other Preſents, that I was to carry to the Indian Sultan, from the King my Father, and that my Retinue was but ſmall, you may eaſily judge that theſe Robbers came boldly up to us; and not being in a Poſture to make any Oppoſition, we told them that we were Ambaſſadors, belonging to the Sultan of the Indies, and hop’d they would attempt nothing contrary to the Reſpect that is due to them, thinking by this Means to ſave our Equipage and our Lives: But the Robbers moſt inſolently replied, For what Reaſon would you have us ſhew any Reſpect to the Sultan your Maſter; we are none of his Subjects, nor are we upon his Territories? And having ſpoke thus, they ſurrounded and fell upon us: I defended my ſelf as long as I could; but finding my ſelf wounded, and ſeeing the Ambaſſador with his Servents and mine lying on the Ground, I made uſe of what Strength was yet remaining in my Horſe, who was alſo very much wounded, and ſeparated my ſelf from the Crowd, and rode away as faſt as he could carry me: but he happening all of a ſudden to fall under me, by Wearineſs and the Loſs of Blood, he fell down dead. I got rid of him in a Trice;