Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 5.djvu/67

Friend underſtood by this that they deſired to go to Bed. Upon which he conducted them to an Apartment where he left them.

Tho’ the Prince of Perſia flept, he had troubleſome Dreams, which repreſented Schemſelnihar in a Swoon, at the Califf’s Feet, and encreaſed his Affliction. Ebn Thaher was very impatient to be at Home, and doubted not but his Family was in great Trouble, becauſe he never uſed to lie abroad. He roſe and departed early in the Morning, after he had taken Leave of his Friend, who roſe at Break of Day to ſay his Prayers, At laſt he came home, and the firſt Thing the Prince of Perſia did, who had walked ſo far with much Trouble, was to lie down upon a Sopha, as weary as if he had gone along Journey. Being not in a Condition to go home, Ebn Thaher ordered a Chamber to be made ready for him, and ſent to acquaint his Friends with his Condition, and where he was. In the mean time he begged him to compoſe himſelf, to command in his Houſe, and to order ail things as he pleas’d. I thank you heartily for thoſe obliging Offers, ſays the Prince of Perſia; but that I may not be any ways troubleſome to you, I conjure you to deal with me as if I were not at your Houſe, I would not ſtay one Moment, it I thought my Preſence would incommode you in the leaſt,

As ſoon as Ebn Thaher had Time to recollect himſelf, he told his Family all that paſs’d at Schemſelnihar’s Palace, and concluded, by thanking God, who had delivered him from the Danger he was in, The Prince of Perſia’s principal Domeſticks came to receive his Orders at Ebn Thaher’s Houſe, and in a little time there arrived ſeveral of his Friends who had Notice of his Indiſpoſition. Thoſe Friends paſſed the great part of the Day with him, and tho’ their Converſation could not extinguiſh thoſe ſad Ideas which were the Cauſe of his Trouble, yet it gave him ſome Relief. He would have taken his Leave of Ebn Thaher towards the Evening; but this faithful Friend found him ſtill ſo weak, that he obliged him to ſtay till next Day, and in the mean time to divert him, he gave him a Conſort of Vocal and Inſtrumental Muſick in the Evening; but this Conſort ſerved only to put him in mind of the preceding Night, and renewed his Trouble inſtead of aſſwaging it; ſo that next Day his Diſtemper ſeemed to increaſe; Upon