The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Anonymous (best novels to read in english .TXT) 📗

sake, stay a little! What are you afraid of? replied the lady; is it not your house? The breaking of the lock will be no great damage; a new one can be purchased at a trifling expense. She accordingly broke it open, and entered the house.

Amgrad, when he saw the door forced open, gave himself up as a lost man: he reflected whether it would be more advisable to go into the house, or to retreat as fast as he could, to avoid the danger which he believed inevitable, and was just going to have recourse to the latter, when the lady returned.

Seeing that he did not enter, Why do not you come into your house? said she. Fearing we have nothing ready, answered the prince, I am looking to see if my slave is coming. Come in, come in, said madam; it will be more prudent to wait within doors than without.

Amgrad, though with great reluctance, followed her into the house. After passing through a spacious court, which had been newly paved, they ascended by several steps into piazzas, which led to a large, open, and well-furnished hall, where he and the lady saw a table ready spread with all sorts of delicate dishes, a side-board heaped with fruit, and a cistern full of bottles of wine.

When Amgrad saw everything in such order, he doubted not that he was undone, the quality of the owner appearing by the richness of the feast. Poor Amgrad! said he to himself, thou wilt soon follow thy dear brother Assad!

The lady, on the contrary, being transported at the sight, cried out, How, my lord, did you fear there was nothing ready? Your slaves, you see, have done more than you expected. But, if I am not mistaken, these preparations were made for some other lady, and not for me. No matter; let her come; I promise you I will not be jealous: I only beg the favour of being permitted to wait on her and you.

Amgrad, though much concerned at this accident, could not help laughing at the lady's pleasantry. Madam, said he, thinking of something else besides what perplexed him, there is nothing in what you fancy; this is my common dinner, and no exraordinary preparations, I assure you. He could not prevail on himself to sit at a table which was not prepared for him; he therefore took his seat on a sofa [Footnote: A Turkish bench on which mats and cushions are put.]; but the lady still kept teasing him with her importunities. Come, sir, said she, you must certainly be hungry after bathing; let us eat and enjoy ourselves.

Amgrad, complying at last with her request, sat down to table. The lady, having eaten a bit, took a bottle and glass, and poured out some wine; then, having drunk to Amgrad, filled another and presented it to him, who pledged her. The more the prince reflected on this adventure, the more he was anaazed that the master of the house did not appear, and that a house so elegant and well furnished should be left without a servant. It will be lucky, said he to himself, if the man of the house does not come till I am got clear of this intrigue. While he was indulging this and some other troublesome thoughts, the lady ate and drank heartily, obliging him to do the same; and they were almost come to the last course when the master of the house arrived.

It happened to be Bahader, master of the horse to the king of the magicians, to whom this house belonged; but, generally residing in another, he seldom visited it, unless to regale himself with two or three chosen friends. On such occasions he always sent provisions from his other house by some of his servants, who were just gone as the lady and Amgrad entered.

Bahader, as usual, came in disguise, and without attendants, a little while before the time appointed for his friends coming, and was not a little surprised to see the door of his house broken open: he entered without making a noise; but hearing some persons talking and making merry in the hall, he crept along by the side of the wall, and put his head half way within the door to see who they were.

Perceiving a young gentleman and a young lady eating, at his table, the victuals which he had provided for his friends and himself, and that there was no great harm done, he resolved to make a jest of it.

The lady, who sat with her back towards the dooi, did not see the master of the horse; but Amgrad, who had the glass in his hand, and was just going to drink, observed him immediately: his countenance instantly changed at the sight of Bahader, who made a sign not to say a word, but to come and speak with him.

Amgrad drank and rose: Where are you going? said the lady. The prince answered, Pray, madam, stay here a little; I shall return in a minute; a small affair obliges me to go out at present. Bahader waited for him in the piazza, and led him into the court, to talk to him without being heard by the lady.

When Bahader and prince Amgrad were in the court, Bahader demanded of the prince, how the lady came into his house, and why they broke open his door? My lord, replied Amgrad, you may very reasonably think me guilty of a very unwarrantable action; but if you will have patience to hear me, I hope my innocence will appear. He then told Bahader, in few words, what had happened, without disguising any part of the truth; and, to convince him that he was not capable of being so criminal as he might think, he declared himself a prince, and related the reason of his coming to the city of the magicians.

Bahader, who naturally loved strangers, was transported with an opportunity of obliging one of Amgrad's rank and quality; for by his air, his actions, his handsome discourse, and his noble look, he did not in the least doubt the truth of what he had said, Prince, said Bahader, I am very glad I can oblige you in so pleasant an adventure as this; and, so far from disturbing the feast, it will be a pleasure to me to contribute to your satisfaction in any thing. My name is Bahader; I am master of the horse to the king of the magicians. I commonly dwell in another house, which I have in the city, but come here sometimes to have the more liberty with my friends, for I cannot be so free at home among my children and domestics. As you have made this lady believe that you have a slave, I will support your assertion by personating the character; and, to spare your excuses, I repeat that it shall positively be so; you will presently know my reason for it. Go to your place, and continue to divert yourself: when I return, and come before you in a slave's habit, chide me for staying so long; do not be afraid even to strike me. I will wait upon you all the while you are at table till night: you shall sleep here, and so shall the lady; and tomorrow morning you may send her home with honour. I shall afterwards endeavour to do you more important services. Go, and lose no time.

Amgrad would have made an excuse, but the master of the horse would not let him, forcing him to go to the lady. He had scarcely entered the hall before Balmder's friends arrived. Bahader called them to him, and apologized his not entertaining them that day, telling them they would approve of the reason when they knew it, which should be in due time. When they were gone, he also went forth, and dressed himself in a slave's habit.

Prince Amgrad approached the lady in a much better humour than when he left her, on finding that the house belonged to a man of quality, who had received him so courteously. As he sat down to table again, he said, Madam, I beg a thousand pardons for my rudeness; I was vexed that my slave should tarry so long: the rascal shall pay for it when he comes: I will teach him to use me so another time.

Let not that trouble you, said the lady, if he is guilty of any faults, let him pay for it; do not think of him; we can enjoy ourselves without him, I warrant. Amgrad continued at the table with the more pleasure, being under no apprehensions at the consequence of the lady's indiscretion, who ought not to have broken open the door, had it even been Amgrad's own house. They drank and laughed, and drank again, till Bahader arrived, disguised as a slave.

Bahader entered like one who feared his master's displeasure for staying out when he had company with him: he fell down at his feet, and kissed the ground, to implore his clemency; and, when he had done, stood behind him with his hands across, in expectation of his commands.

Sirrah! said Amgrad, with a fierce tone and a fiery look, is there such a slave as thou in all the world? Where have you been? What have you been doing, that you came no sooner? My lord, replied Bahader, I ask your pardon; I was endeavouring to do as you ordered me, and could not despatch it sooner: besides, I did not think you would come home so early.

You are a rascal! said Amgrad; and I shall bang your sides for you, to teach you to lie, and to fail me another time. He then rose up, took a stick, and gave him two or three blows, but so slightly, that he hardly felt it; after which he sat down to table again.

The lady, not satisfied with the chastisement Amgrad had bestowed on him, also rose, took the stick, and struck Bahader so unmercifully, that the tears came into his eyes. Amgrad, offended at such freedom, and knowing that the pretended slave was not a proper object of resentment, cried out, It is enough: but she continued her rude discipline, regardless of the prince's intercession: Let me alone with him, said she; I will punish him severely, and I warrant that he will be more expeditious in future. But, repeating her blows, Amgrad rose from the table, and forced the stick out of her hand; which, however, she did not give up without some difficulty. When she found that she could beat Bahader no longer, she sat down, and railed at and cursed him.

Baliader wiped his eyes, and stood behind his fictitious master to fill out wine. When he saw they had done eating and drinking, he took away the cloth, and put every thing in its place; and, night coming on, lighted up the lamps. As often as he passed the lady, she muttered and threatened him, and gave him abusive language, to Amgrad's great disliking, who would have hindered her, if he could. When it was time to retire, Bahader prepared a bed for them, and withdrew into a chamber over against that where they were to lie, and laid himself down, and soon fell asleep, having been fatigued with his beating. Amgrad and the lady entertained one another a good half hour afterwards; but the lady wanting to go forth before she went to bed, passed through the gallery that parted Bahader's chamber from theirs; and hearing him snore, and seeing a sabre hanging up by him, she turned back again, and said to prince Amgrad, Pray, my lord, as you love me, do me one favour. In what can I serve you? replied the prince. The lady answered, Oblige me so far as to take down your sabre, and cut off your slave's head. Amgrad was astonished at such a proposal from a lady, and doubted not it was the wine she had drunk that instigated her. Madam, said he, let my slave alone; he is not worthy of your notice. I have beaten him, and you have beaten him; it is sufficient: I am very well satisfied with him; he is seldom guilty of such faults.

That shall not do! replied the lady in a violent fury; the rogue shall die, if not by your hands, by mine! Saying this, she ran and took down the sabre from the place where it hung, drew it out of the scabbard, and was going to execute her wicked design.

Amgrad, to prevent her, took the sabre out of her hand, saying, You shall be satisfied; madam; the slave shall die, since you will have it so: but I shall be sorry that any one but myself should kill him. When she had given him