Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 5.djvu/51

They followed the Slave, who went a little before them, and entered after her into the Califf’s Palace, and joyn’d her at the Gate of Schemſelnihar’s little Palace, which was ready open. She introduc’d them into a great Hall, where ſhe pray’d them to ſit down.

The Prince of Perſia thought himſelf in one of thoſe delicious Palaces that are promiſed us in the other World: He had never ſeen any thing that came near the Magnificence of the Palace he was in. The Carpets, Cuſhions, and other Furniture: of the Sopha, the Moveables, Ornaments and Architecture, were ſurprizingly rich and beautiful. A little time after Ebn Thaher and he had ſat down, a very handſome black Slave brought them a Table cover’d with ſeveral very fine Diſhes, the admirable Smells of which made them judge of the Delicacy of the Sauce. While they were eating, the Slave which brought them in, waited upon them; She took Care to invite them to eat of what ſhe knew to be the greateſt Dainties. The other Slaves brought ’em excellent Wine after they had eaten. When they had done, there was preſented to each of them a fine Gold Baſon full of Water to waſh their Hands; after which, they brought ’em a golden Pot full of the Perfume of Aloes, with which they perfumed their Beards and Cloaths. Odoriferous Water was not forgot, but ſerved in a golden Veſſel enrich’d with Diamonds and Rubies, made particularly for this Uſe, and it was thrown upon their Beards and Face according to Cuſtom, then they went to their Places; but they had ſcarce ſat down when the She entreated them to ariſe and follow her: She open’d a Gate of the Hall where they were, and they enter’d into a large Saloon of a marvellous Structure. It was a Dome of the moſt agreeable Faſhion, ſupported by a hundred Pillars of Marble, white as Alabaſter: The Baſes and Chapiters of the Pillars were adorn’d with four footed Beaſts, and Birds of ſeveral Sorts, gilded. The Foot Carpet of this noble Parlour conſifted of one Piece of Cloth of Gold, embroidred with Garlands of Roſes in red and whlte Silk, and the Dome being painted in the fame Manner, after the Arabian Form, was one of the moſt charming Objects that Eye could behold: Betwixt each Column there was a little Sopha adorn’d in the ſame Manner, and great Veſſels of China, Chryſtal, Jaſper,