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

As soon as the ladies arrived, the collation was served up, and we sat down to supper. I sat opposite to the stranger lady, and she never left off looking upon me with a smile: I could not resist her conquering eyes, and she made herself mistress of my heart with such force, that I had not power to offer opposition. But, by inspiring me, she took fire herself, and was equally touched, and was so far from showing any thing of constraint in her carriage, that she told me many sensible moving things. The other lady did nothing at first but laugh at us. I told you, said she, addressing herself to me, you would find my friend full of charms; and I perceive you have already violated the oath you made of being faithful to me. Madam, said I, laughing as well as she, you would have reason to complain of me, if I were wanting in civility to a lady whom you brought hither, and one whom you are fond of; you might then upbraid me, both of you, for not knowing the measures of hospitality and entertainment.

We continued to drink on; but as the wine grew warm in our stomachs, the stranger lady and I ogled one another with so little reserve, that her friend grew jealous, and quickly gave us a dismal proof of her jealousy. She rose from the table, and went out, saying she would be with us presently again; but a few moments after, the lady that staid with me changed her countenance, fell into violent convulsions, and, in fine, expired in my arms, while I was calling to the people to come and assist me in relieving her. Immediately I went out, and asked for the other lady; and my people told me she had opened the street-door, and gone out of doors. Then I suspected she had been the cause of her friend's death. In fine, she had the dexterity and the malice to put some strong poison into the last glass, which she gave her out of her own hand. I was afflicted to the last degree with the accident. What shall I do? thinks I within myself: What will become of me? I thought there was no time to lose, and so, it being then moon-light, made my servants quietly take up a great piece of marble, with which the yard of my house was paved; under that I made them dig a hole presently, and there inter the corpse of the young lady. After replacing the stone, I put on a travelling suit, and took what silver I had; and, having locked up every thing, affixed my own seal to the door of my house. This done, I went to seek for the jewel merchant, my landlord, paid him what rent I owed, with a year's rent more; and giving him the key, prayed him to keep it for me: a very urgent affair, said I, obliges me to be absent for some time; I am under the necessity of going to find out my uncles at Cairo. I took my leave of him, and that very moment mounted my horse, and set out with my equipage.

I had a good journey, and arrived at Cairo without any ill accident. There I met with my uncles, who were much surprised to see me. To excuse myself, I pretended that I was tired staying for them; and, hearing nothing of them, was so uneasy that I could not be satisfied without coming to Cairo. They received me very kindly, and promised my father should not be angry with me for leaving Damascus without his permission. I lodged in the same khan with them, and saw all the curiosities of Cairo. Having finished their traffic, they began to speak of returning to Moussol, and to make preparations for their departure. But I, having yet a mind to see something in Egypt, left my uncles, and went to lodge at a great distance from the khan, and did not appear till they were gone. They had sought for me all over the city; but, not finding me, they judged the remorse of having come to Egypt without my father's consent, had induced me to return to Damascus, without saying any thing to them. So they began their journey, expecting to find me at Damascus, and there to take me up.

I remained at Cairo, after their departure, three years, to give full satisfaction to the curiosity I had of seeing all the wonders of Egypt, During that time, I took care to send money to the jewel-merchant, ordering him to keep my house for me, for I had a design to return to Damascus, and stay there for some years. I had no adventure at Cairo worthy of your hearing; but doubtless you will be surprised at that I met with after my return to Damascus. On my arrival in this place, I went to the jewel-merchant's house, who received me joyfully, and went along with me to my house, to show me that nobody had entered it whilst I was absent. The seal was still entire upon the lock; and, when I went in, I found every thing in the same order in which I left it.

In sweeping and cleaning out my hall, where I had used to eat, one of my servants found a gold chain necklace, with ten very large and very perfect pearls placed upon it at certain distances. He brought it to me, and I knew it to be the same I had seen upon the lady's neck that was poisoned; and concluded it had broken off, and fallen without my perceiving it. I could not look upon it without shedding tears, when I called to mind the lovely creature I had seen die in so fatal a manner; so I wrapped it up, and put it in my bosom.

I passed some days to work off the fatigues of my voyage; after which I began to visit my former acquaintances. I abandoned myself to all manner of pleasure, insensibly squandered away all my money, and in this condition, instead of selling my moveables, resolved to part with my necklace, but had so little skill in pearls, that I took my measures very ill.

I went to the bezestein, where I called a crier aside, and, showing him the necklace, told him I had a mind to sell it, and desired him to show it to the principal jewellers. The crier was surprised to see such an ornament: What a pretty thing it is! tried he, staring upon it with admiration, never did our merchants see any thing so rich; I am sure I shall oblige them by showing it; and you need not doubt they will set a high price upon it from emulation. He carried me to a shop, which proved to be my landlord's: Tarry here, says the crier; I will return presently, and bring you an answer.

While he was running about to show the necklace, I sat with the jeweller, who was glad to see me; and we discoursed on common subjects. The crier returned, and calling me aside, instead of telling me that the necklace was valued at two thousand sherriffs, he assured me nobody would give me more than fifty. The reason is, added he, the pearls are false; so see if you can part with it at that price. I took the crier to be an honest fellow; and wanting money, Go, said I, I trust to what you say, and to those who know better than I; deliver it to them, and bring me the money immediately.

The crier had been ordered to offer me fifty sherriffs by one of the richest jewellers in town, who had made that offer only to sound me, and try if I was acquainted with the value of the goods which I exposed to sale. He had no sooner received my answer, than he carried the crier to the justiciary judge; and showing him the necklace, Sir, said he, here is a necklace that was stolen from me, and the thief, under the character of a merchant, has had the impudence to offer it to sale, and is this minute in the bezestein. He is willing to take fifty sherriffs for a necklace that is worth two thousand, which is a plain argument that it is stolen.

The judge seat immediately to seize me, and, on coming before him, he asked me if the necklace in his hand was not the one I had exposed to sale in the bezestein? I told him it was. Is it true, said he, that you are willing to deliver it for fifty sherriffs? I answered in the affirmative. Well, said he, in a scoffing way, give him the bastinado; he will quickly tell us, with all his fine merchant's clothes, that he is only a downright thief; let him be beaten till he confesses. The violence of the blows made me tell a lie: I confessed, though it was not true, that I had stolen the necklace, and presently the judge ordered my hand to be cut off.

This made a great noise in the bezestein, and I was scarcely returned to my house, when my landlord came. My son, said, he, you seem to be a young man well educated, and of good sense; how is it possible that you could be guilty of such an unworthy action? You gave me an account of your estate yourself, and I do not doubt the correctness of it. Why did you not ask money of me, and I would have lent it you? Since, however, the thing has happened, I cannot allow you to lodge longer in my house; you must look out for other lodgings. I was extremely troubled, and entreated the jeweller, with tears in my eyes, to let me stay three days longer in, his house, which he granted.

Alas! said I to myself, this affront is insufferable; how shall I dare to return to Moussol? Nothing will persuade his father that I am innocent.

Three hours after this fatal accident, my house was assaulted by the judge's officers, accompanied by my landlord and the merchant who had falsely accused me of having stolen the necklace. I asked them what brought them there? But, instead of giving me an answer, they bound me, calling me a thousand rogues, and told me that the necklace belonged to the governor of Damascus, who had lost it about three years ago, and whose daughter had not been heard of since. Conceive my thoughts when I heard this news. However, I called all my resolution about me: I will tell, thinks I, the governor the truth; and so it will lie at his door either to put me to death, or to pardon me.

When I was brought before him, I observed he looked upon me with an eye of compassion, from whence I prophesied good things. He ordered me to be untied, and addressing himself to the jeweller who accused me, and to my landlord, Is this the man, said he, who sold the pearl necklace? They had no sooner answered yes, than he said, I am sure he did not steal the necklace, and I am much astonished at the injustice that has been done him. These words giving me courage, Sir, said I, I do assure you that I am really innocent, and am likewise persuaded that the necklace never did belong to my accuser, whose horrible perfidiousness is the cause of my unjust treatment. It is true, I made a confession as if I had stolen it; but this was contrary to my conscience, through the force of torture, and for another reason that I am ready to tell you, if you will be so good as hear me. I know enough of it already, replied the governor, to do you one part of the justice that is due to you: take from hence, continued he, the false accuser, and let him undergo the same punishment which he caused to be inflicted on this young man, whose innocence is known to me.

The governor's orders were immediately put in execution, and the jeweller was punished according to his demerit. Then the governor, having ordered all the company to withdraw, said to me, My child, tell me without fear how this necklace fell into your hands; conceal nothing of the matter from me. Then I told him plainly all that had passed, and declared I had chosen rather to pass for a thief, than to reveal that tragical adventure. Good God! said the governor, thy judgments are incomprehensible, and we ought to submit to them without murmuring. I receive, with an entire submission, the stroke thou hast been pleased to inflict upon