Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 5.djvu/66

Here Scheherazade perceiving Day, held her Peace, and next Night reſum’d her Story thus,

IN the mean time the Boat-man rowed with all his Might, and Scherſelnibar’s truſty Slave accompanied the Prince of Perſia and Ebn Thaher, walking along the Side of the Canal, until they came to the Tygris, and when ſhe could go no farther, ſhe took her Farewel of them and returned.

The Prince of Perſia continued very feeble, Ebn Thaher exhorted him, and comforted him to take Courage. Conſider, ſays he to him, that when we are landed, we have a great way to go before we come to my Houſe, and I would not adviſe you to go to your Lodgings, which are a great deal farther than mine, at this Hour, and in this Condition. At laſt they went out of the Boat, but the Prince had ſo little Strength that he could not walk, which put Ebn Thaher into great Perplexity. He remember’d he had a Friend in the Neighbourhood and carried the Prince thither with great Difficulty. His Friend received them very chearfully, and when he made them ſit down, he asked them where they had been ſo late, Ebn Thaher anſwered him, I was this Evening with a Man who owed me a conſiderable Sum of Money, anddelign’d to go along Voyage, I was unwilling to loſe Time to find him, and by the Way I met with this young Nobleman whom you ſee, and to whom I am under a thouſand Obligations, for knowing my Debtor, he would needs do me the Favour to go along with me. We had a great deal of Trouble to bring that Man to Reaſon. Beſides, we went out of the Way, and that’s the Reaſon we are ſo late. In our Return home, this good Lord, for whom I have a!l poſſible Reſpect, was attacked by a ſudden Diſtemper, which made me take the Liberty to call at your Houſe flattering my ſelf that you would be pleaſed to give us Quarters for this Night.

Ebn Thaher’s Friend took all this tor Truth, told them they were welcome, and offered the Prince of Perſia, whom he knew not, all the Aſſiſtance he could deſire; but Ebn Thaher ſpoke for the Prince, and ſaid, That his Diſtemper was of that Nature as required nothing but Reſt. His