Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 5.djvu/77

Goodneſs, I read it over and over, and was confounded at the Exceſs of my good Fortune. You would have me to ſignify to you, that I always love you: Ah! though I did not love you ſo perfectly as I do, I could not forbear adoring you, after all the Marks you have given me, of a Love ſo uncommon: Yes, I love you, my dear Soul, and ſhall account it my Glory to burn all my Days, with that ſweet Fire you have kindled in my Heart. I will never complain of that brisk Ardour, with which I find it conſumes me: And how rigorous ſoever the Grief be, which I ſuffer, I will bear it couragiouſly, in Hopes to ſee you ſome time or other. Would to Heaven it were to Day, and that inſtead of ſending you my Letter, I might be allow’d to come and aſſure you, that I die for Love of you! My Tears hinder me from ſaying any more. Adieu.

Ebn Thaher could not read thoſe laſt Lines without weeping. He return’d the Letter to the Prince of Perſia and aſſur’d him it wanted no Correction. The Prince, ſhut it, and when he had ſeal’d it, he deſir’d the truſty Slave to come near, and told her, this is my Anſwer to your dear Miſtreſs, I conjure you to carry it her, and to ſalute her in my Name. The Slave took the Letter, and retir’d with Ebn Thaher.

Here the Sultaneſs ſtopp’d, and continued her Story next Night in the following manner.

AFTER Ebn Thaher has walk’d ſome way with the slave, he left her, and went to his Houſe, and began to think in earneſt upon the amorous Intrigue into which

he found himſelf unhappily engaged. He conſider’d, that the Prince of Perſia and Schemſelnihar, notwithſtanding their Intereſt to conceal their Correſpondence, did manage themſelves with ſo little Diſcretion, that it could not be long a Secret. He drew all the Conſequences from it, which a Man of good Senſe ought to do. Were Schemſelnihar, ſaid he to himſelf, an ordinary Lady, I would contribute all my Power, to make her and her Sweetheart happy; but ſhe is the Califf’s Favourite, and no Man can without Danger undertake to diſpleaſe him. His Anger would fall at firſt upon Schemſelnihar, it will coſt the