Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 5.djvu/72

they were ignorant of the Cauſe of her Diſtemper, and the Preſence of the Califf augmented it. She got a little Reſt however this Night, and as ſoon as ſhe awoke ſhe Charged me to come to you, to hear News of the Prince of Perſia. I have already inform’d you of his Caſe, ſaid Ebn Thaher; ſo return to your Miſtreſs, and aſſure her, that the Prince of Perſia waits for News from her with the like Impatience that ſhe does from him: beſides exhort her to Moderation, and to overcome her ſelf, for fear ſhe drop ſome Word before the Califf, which may prove fatal to us all. As for me, reply’d the Confident, I confeſs I dread her Tranſports; I have taken the Liberty to tell her my Mind, and am perſuaded that ſhe won’t take it ill that I tell her this from you.

Ebn Thaher, who had but juſt come from the Prince of Perſia’s Lodgings, thought it not convenient to return ſo ſoon, and neglect his own important Affairs, and therefore went not till the Evening: The Prince was a one, and no better than in the Morning. Ebn Thaher, ſays he to him, as ſoon as he ſaw him, you have doubtleſs many Friends, but they don’t know your Worth, which you diſcover to me by the Zeal, Care, and Trouble you give your ſelf, to oblige me in my Condition. I am confounded withall that you do for me with ſo great Affection, and I know not how I ſhall be able to expreſs my Gratitude, Prince, anſwer’d Ebn Thaher, don’t ſpeak ſo I entreat you; I am ready, not to only to give one of my own Eyes to ſave one of yours, but to ſacrifice my Lite for you. But this is not the preſent Buſineſs, I come to tell you that Schemſelnihar ſent her Confident to ask me about you, and at the ſame time to inform me of her Condition, You may aſſure yourſelf that I ſaid nothing but what might confirm the Exceſs of your Paſſion for her Miſtreſs, and the Conſtancy with which you love her. Then Ebn Thaher gave him a particular Account of all that had paſs’d betwixt the truſty Slave and him. The Prince liſten’d with all the different Motions of Fear, Jealouſy, Affection, and Compaſſion which his Diſcourſe could inſpire him with, making upon every thing which he heard all the afflicting or comforting Reflections that ſo paſſionate a Lover was capable of.