Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 2.djvu/46

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Convent. He Commanded his Guards to halt, whilſt he with his principal Officers went in. The Derviſes received him with profound Reſpect.

The Sultan called their Head aſide, and ſays, Good Sheich, it may be, you know already the Cauſe of my coming hither. Yes, Sir, replies he very gravely, it I do not miſtake it, ’tis the Diſeaſe of the Princeſs which procures me this Honour that I have not deſerved. That’s the very Thing, replied the Sultan, You will give me new Life, if your Prayers, as I hope they will, can procure my Daughter’s Health. Sir, ſaid the good Man, if your Majeſty will be pleaſed to let her come hither, I am in hopes, that thro’ God’s Aſſiſtance and Favour, ſhe ſhall return in perfect Health.

The Prince, tranſported with Joy, ſent immediately to Fetch his Daughter, who very ſoon appear’d with a numerous train of Ladies and Eunuchs, but maſqued, ſo that her Face was not ſeen. The Chief of the Derviſes caus’d a Pall to be held over her Head, and he had no ſooner thrown the ſeven Tufts of Hair upon the burning Coals, but the Genie Maimoun, the Son of Dimdim, gave a great Cry without any Thing being ſeen, and left the Princeſs at Liberty; upon which ſhe took off the Veil from her Face, and roſe up to ſee where ſhe was, ſaying, Where am I, and who brought me hither? At which Words the Sultan overcome with Exceſs of Joy, embraced his Daughter, and kiſſed her Eyes; he alſo kiſſed the Chief of the Derviſes Hands, and ſaid to his Officers, Tell me your Opinion, What Reward does he, deſerve that has thus cured my Daughter? They all cry’d, He deſerves her in Marriage. That is what I had in my Thoughts, ſaid the Sultan; and I make him my Son-in-Law from this Moment. Some Time after the prime Viſier died, and the Sultan conferr’d the Place upon the Derviſe. The Sultan himſelf alſo died without Heirs male; upon which the religious Orders and the Militia gathered together, and the honeſt Man was declared and acknowledged Sultan by general Conſent.

Day-light appearing, Scheherazade was obliged to break off her Story. Schahriar look’d upon the Dervis to be worthy of the Crown he had got, but was deſirous to know
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