Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 5.djvu/50

to love her without giving them Time to adviſe. My Lord, anſwers Ebn Thaher, this is the famous Schemſelnihar^[1], the principal Favourite of the Califf our Maſter. She is juſtly ſo called, adds the Prince, ſince ſne is more beautiful than the Sun at Noon Day. That is true, reply’d Ebn Thaher, therefore the Commander of the Faithful loves, or rather, adores her; he gave me expreſs Orders to furniſh her all that ſhe ask’d of me, and to prevent as much as poſſible every Thing that ſhe can deſire of me.

He ſpoke after this Manner, to hinder him from engaging in an Amour, which could not but prove unhappy to him; but this ſerv’d only to inflame him the more. I was very doubtful, charming Schemſelnihar, cries he, I ſhould not be allow’d ſo much as to think of you; I perceive well however, that without Hopes o! being loved by you, I cannot forbear loving you; I will love you then, and bleſs my Lot that I am Slave to an Object fairer than the Meridian Sun.

While the Prince of Perſia, was thus conſecrating his Heart to Fair Schemſelnihar, this Lady when ſhe came Home, thought upon a Way how ſhe might ſee, and have free Converſe with him. She no ſooner entred her Palace, but ſhe ſent to Ebn Thaher, the Woman ſhe had ſhew’d him, and in whom ſhe had put all her Confidence, to tell him to come and ſee her without delay, and to bring the Prince of Perſa. with him. The Slave came to Ebn Thaher’s Shop while he was ſpeaking with the Prince, and endeavouring to diſſwade him, by very ſtrong Arguments from loving the Califf’s Favourite. When ſhe ſaw them together, Gentlemen, ſays ſhe to them, My honourab’s

Miſtreſs, Schemſelnihar, the Chief Favourite of the Commander of the Faithful, entreats you to come to her Palace where fhe waits for you. Ebn Thaher, to teſtify his Obedience, roſe up immediately, without anſwering the Slave, and followed her, not without ſome Reluctancy. As for the Prince, he followed without reflecting upon the Danger there might be in ſuch a Viſit. The Company of Ebn Thaher, who had Liberty, when he pleas’d, to go to the Favourite, made the Prince very eaſy in the Matter:

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