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

ground, and told me, kneeling, Dear lady, pray excuse the freedom I take; the confidence I have in your charity makes me thus bold: I must acquaint your ladyship that I have a daughter, an orphan, who is to be married this day; she and I are both strangers, and have no acquaintances at all in this town: this puts me in a perplexity, for we would have the numerous family with whom we are going to ally ourselves to think we are not, altogether strangers, and without credit: Therefore, most beautiful lady, if you would vouchsafe to honour the wedding with your presence, we shall be infinitely obliged to you; because the ladies of your country will then know that we are not looked upon here as despicable wretches, when they shall come to understand that a lady of your quality did us that honour. But, alas! madam, if you refuse this request, we shall be altogether disgraced, and dare not address ourselves to any other.

The poor woman's discourse, mingled with tears, moved my compassion. Good woman, said I, do not afflict yourself; I am willing to grant you the favour you desire; tell me what place I must come to, and I will meet you as soon as I am dressed. The old woman was so transported with joy at my answer, that she kissed my feet, without my being able to hinder her. Good charitable lady, said she, rising up, God will reward the kindness you have shown to your servants, and make your heart as joyful as you have made theirs. It is too soon yet to give yourself that trouble; it will be time enough when I come to call you in the evening: So farewell, madam, said she, until I have the honour to see you again. As soon as she was gone, I took the suit I liked best, with a necklace of large pearls, bracelets, pendents in my ears, and rings set with the finest and most sparkling diamonds; for my mind presaged what would befall me. When night drew on, the old woman came to call me with a countenance full of joy; she kissed my hands, and said, My dear lady, the relations of my son-in-law, who are the principal ladies of the town, are now met together; you may come when you please, I am ready to wait on you. We went immediately, she going before, and I followed her with a good number of my maids and slaves, very well dressed. We stopped in a large street, newly swept and watered, at a large gate, with a lantern before it, by the light of which I could read this inscription over the gate in golden letters: 'Here is the abode of everlasting pleasures and content.' The old woman knocked, and the gate was opened immediately. They brought me to the lower end of the court into a large hall, where I was received by a young lady of admirable beauty; she came up to me, and after having embraced me, and made me sit down by her upon a sofa, where there was a throne of precious wood beset with diamonds, Madam, said she, you are brought hither to assist at a wedding; but I hope this marriage will prove otherwise than you expect. I have a brother, one of the handsomest men in the world; he has fallen so much in love with your beauty, that his fate depends wholly upon you, and he will be the unhappiest of men, if you do not take pity on him. He knows your quality, and I can assure you he is not unworthy of your alliance. If my prayers, madam, can prevail, I shall join them with his, and humbly beg you will not refuse the offer of being his wife.

After the death of my husband, I had no thoughts of marrying again; but I had not power to refuse the offer made by so charming a lady. As soon as I had given consent by silence, accompanied with a blush, the young lady clapped her hands, and immediately a closet-door opened, out of which came a young man of a majestic air, and of so graceful a behaviour, that I thought myself happy to have made so great a conquest. He sat down by me, and, by the discourse we had together, I found that his merits far exceeded the account his sister had given me of him. When she saw that we were satisfied one with another, she clapped her hands a second time, and out came a cadi, or scrivener, who wrote our contract of marriage, signed it himself, and caused it to be attested by four witnesses he brought along with him. The only thing that my new spouse made me promise was, that I should not be seen nor speak with any other man but himself; and he vowed to me, upon that condition, that I should have no reason to complain of him. Our marriage was concluded and finished after this manner; so I became the principal actress in a wedding to which I was invited only as a guest.

After we bad been married about a month, I had occasion for some stuffs; I asked my husband's leave to go out to buy them which he granted; and I took that old woman along with me of whom I spoke before, she being one of the family, with two of my own female slaves. When we came to the street where the merchants dwell, the old woman told me, Dear mistress, since you want silk stuffs, I must carry you to a young merchant of my acquaintance who has of all sorts, which will prevent your wearying yourself by going from one shop to another. I can assure you that he is able to furnish you with that which nobody else can. I was easily persuaded, and we entered into a shop belonging to a young merchant. I sat down and bid the old woman desire him to show me the finest silk stuffs he had: The woman bid me speak myself; but, I told her it was one of the articles of my marriage-contract not to speak to any man but my husband, and that I must keep to it. The merchant showed me several stuffs, of which one pleased me better than the rest. I bid her ask the price. He answered the old woman, I will not sell it for gold or money, but I will make her a present of it, if she will give me leave to kiss her cheek. I bid the old woman tell him that he was very rude to propose such a thing. But, instead of obeying me, she said, What the merchant desires of you is no such great matter; you need not speak, but only present him your cheek, and the business will soon be done. The stuff pleased me so much, that I was foolish enough to take her advice. The old woman and my slaves stood up, that nobody might see, and I put up my veil; but, instead of a kiss, the merchant bit me till the blood came. The pain and surprise were so great, that I fell down in a swoon, and continued in it so long, that the merchant had time to shut his shop, and fly for it. When I came to myself, I found my cheek all bloody: The old woman and my slaves took care to cover it with my veil, lest the people who cams about us should perceive; but they supposed it only a fainting-fit. The old woman that was with me, being extremely troubled at the accident, endeavoured to comfort me: My dear mistress, said she, I beg your pardon, for I am the cause of this misfortune, having brought you to this merchant because he is my countryman; but I never thought he could be capable of so vile an action. But do not grieve; let us make haste to go home. I will give you a medicine that will perfectly cure you in three days time, so that the least mark will not be seen. The fit had made me so weak, that I was scarcely able to walk; but at last I got home, where I had a second fit as I went into my chamber. Meanwhile the old woman applied her remedy, so that I came to myself, and went to bed.

My husband came to me at night, and seeing my head bound up, asked the reason. I told him I had the headache, and hoped he would inquire no further; but he took a candle, and saw that my cheek was hurt: How comes this wound? said he. Though I was not very guilty, yet I could not think of owning the thing: besides, to make such confession to a husband, was somewhat indecent; therefore I told him, that as I was going to seek for that stuff you gave me leave to buy, a porter carrying a load of wood came so close by me, as I went through a narrow street, that one of the sticks gave me a rub on my cheek; but it is not much hurt. This put my husband into such a passion, that he vowed it should not go unpunished; for he should to-morrow give orders to the lieutenant of the police to seize upon all those brutes of porters, and cause them to be hanged. Being afraid to occasion the death of so many innocent persons, I told him, Sir, I should be sorry that so great a piece of injustice should be committed. Pray, do not do it; for I should judge myself unpardonable, if I were the cause of so much mischief. Then tell me sincerely, said he, how you came by this wound? I answered, that it came through the inadvertency of a broom-seller upon an ass, who coming behind me, and looking another way, his ass gave me such a push, that I fell down, and hurt my cheek upon some glass. Is it so? said my husband, then to-morrow morning, before sun-rise, the grand vizier Giafar shall have an account of this insolence, and he shall cause all the broom-sellers to be put to death. For the love of God, sir, said I, let me beg of you to pardon them, for they are not guilty. How, madam, said he, what is it I must believe? Speak, for I am absolutely resolved to know the truth from your own mouth. Sir, said I, I was taken with a giddiness, and fell down; and that is the whole matter. At these last words, my husband lost all patience. Oh! cried he, I have given ear to your lies too long. With that, clapping his hands, in came three slaves: Pull her out of bed, said he, and lay her in the middle of the floor. The slaves obeyed his orders, one holding me by the head, and another by the feet: he commanded the third to fetch him a scimitar, and when he had brought it, Strike, said he, cut her in two in the middle, and then throw her into the Tigris to feed the fishes. This is the punishment I give to those to whom I have given my heart, if they falsify their promise. When he saw that the slave made no haste to obey his orders, Why do not you strike? said he; who is it that holds you? what art thou waiting for?

Madam, then, said the slave, as you are near the last moment of your life, consider if you have, any thing to dispose of before you die. I begged to be allowed to speak one word, which was granted me. I lifted up my head, and looking wistfully to my husband, Alas, said I, to what condition am I reduced? must I then die in the prime of my youth? I could say no more, for my tears and sighs prevented me. My husband was not at all. moved, but to the contrary, went on to reproach me; so that to have made an answer would have been in vain. I had recourse to entreaties and prayers; but he had no regard to them, and commanded the slaves to proceed to execution. The old woman that had been his nurse came in just at that moment, fell down upon her knees, and endeavoured to appease his wrath: My son, said she, since I have been your nurse, and brought you up, let me beg the favour of you to grant me her life; consider that he who kills shall be killed, that you will stain your reputation, and lose the esteem of mankind. What will not the world say of such a bloody rage? She spoke these words in such a taking away, accompanied