Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 6.djvu/2
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all imaginableReſpect, and were ſo far from doing them any Injury, that we treated them with all the Kindneſs we were capable of on your Account. You may ſecure your ſelf of the like Favour, proceeded they, in regard to your own Perſon, and put all Manner of Confidence in us without the leaſt Reſerve.
The Jeweller being hearten’d at this, and overjoy’d to hear that the Prince of Perſia, and Schemſelnibar were ſafe, reſolv’d to engage the Thieves yet farther in their Intereſt. For this Purpoſe he commended them, flatter’d them, and gave them a thouſand Benedictions. Gentlemen, ſaid he, I muſt confeſs I have not the Honour to know you, yet ’tis no ſmall Happineſs to me that I am not wholly unknown to you; and I can never be ſufficiently grateful for the Favours which that Knowledge has procur’d me at your Hands: Without mentioning ſo great an Act of Humanity as that I lately received from you, | muſt needs ſay, l’m fully perſwaded no Perſons in the World can be ſo proper to truſt a Secret with, and none ſo fit to undertake a great Enterprize, which you can beſt bring to a good Iſſue by your Zeal, Courage, and Intrepidity. In confidence of theſe great and good Qualities, which are ſo much your Due, I will not ſtick to relate to you my whole Hiſtory, with that of thoſe two Perſons you found in my Houfe.
After the Jeweller had thus ſecured, as he thought, the Thieves Secrecy, he made no Scruple to relate to them the whole Amour of the Prince of Perſia and Schemſelnihar, from the Beginning of it to the Time he received them into his Houſe.
The Thieves were greatly aſtonifhed at the ſurprizing Particulars they heard, and could not forbear crying out, How! Is it poſſib'e that that young Man ſhould be the Illuſtrious Ali Ebn Becar, Prince of Perſia, and the young Lady the Fair and celebrated Beauty Schemſelnihar! The Jewel er affur’d them nothing was more certain, and that they needed not to think it ſtrange, that Perſons of fo diſtinguiſh’da Character ſhould not care for being known.
Upon this Aſſurance of their Quality, the Thieves went immediately, one after another, and threw themſelves at their Feet, imploring their Pardon, and begging them to believe, they would never have offered any Violence to
their Perſons, had they but known who they were; and that