Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 5.djvu/70

Ebn Thaher was ſcarce at his own Houſe, when Schemſelnihar’s Confident arrived with a melancholy Countenance, which he reckon’d a bad Omen. He asked News of her Miſtreſs: Tell me yours firſt, ſays the Confident, for he was in great Trouble to ſee the Prince of Perſia go away in that Condition. Ebn Thaher told her all that ſhe deſired to know, and when he had done, the Slave began her Diſcourſe: If the Prince of Perſia, ſays ſhe, has ſuffer’d, and does ſtill ſuffer for my Miſtreſs, ſhe ſuffers no leſs for him. After I departed from you, continues ſhe, I return’d to the Saloon, where I found Schemſelnihar not yet recovered from her Swoon, notwithſtanding all the Help they endeavoured to give her. The Califf was ſitting near her with all the Signs of real Grief: He ask’d all the Women, and me in particular, if he knew the Cauſe of her Diftemper; but we kept all ſecret, and told him we were all together ignorant of it. In the mean time we all wept to ſee her ſuffer ſo long, and forgot nothing that might any ways help her. Ina Word, it was almoſt Midnight before ſhe came to herſelf. The Califf, who had the Patience to wait all the while, was very glad at her Recovery, and ask’d Schemſelnihar the Cauſe of her Diſtemper. As ſoon as ſhe Heard him ſpeak, ſhe endeavoured to recover her Seat and after ſhe had kiſs’d his Feet, before he could hinder her, Sir, ſays ſhe, I have Reaſon to complain of Heaven, that it did not allow me to expire at your Majeſty’s Feet, to teſtify thereby how ſenſible I am of your Favours.

I am perſuaded you love me, ſays the Califf to her, and I command you to preſerve your ſelf for my Sake. You have probably exceeded in ſomething to Day, which has occaſioned this Indiſpoſition; take heed I pray you, abſtain from it for the future; I am very glad to ſee you better, and I adviſe you to ſtay here to Night, and not to return to your Chamber, for fear the Motion diſturb you. Upon this he commanded a little Wine to be brought her, in order to ftrengthen her, and then taking his Leave of her, return’d to his Apartment.

As ſoon as the Califf was gone, my Miſtreſs gave me a Sign to come near her. She ask’d me earneſtly concerning you: I affur’d her that you had been gone a long Time, which made her caſy to that Matter: I took Care not to ſpeak of the Prince of Perſia’s fainting, leaſt it ſhould make