The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Volume 01Anonymous
General
The Arabian Nights Entertainments - Volume 01
Anonymous
Arabs -- Folklore; Fairy tales; Folklore -- Arab countries
I was charmed no less with her wit than I had been before with
the beauty of her face; but there was a necessity for denying
myself the pleasure of her conversation: I ran out to seek for
the stuffs she wanted, and after she had pitched upon what she
liked, we struck the price at five thousand drams of coined
silver; so I wrapped up the stuffs in a small bundle, and gave it
to the eunuch, who put it under his arm; after which, she rose
and took leave. I still continued to look after her, till she had
got to the bezestein gate; and mounted her mule again.
The lady had no sooner disappeared than I perceived that love was
the cause of great oversights; it had so engrossed all my
thoughts; that I did not recollect she had gone off without
paying the money; nor had I the consideration to ask who she was,
or where she dwelt. However, I considered that I was accountable
for a large sum to the merchants, who, perhaps, would not have
the patience to stay for their money; so I went to them, and made
the best excuse I could, pretending that I knew the lady; but
came home equally affected with love, and with the burden of such
a heavy debt.
I had desired my creditors to stay eight days for their money,
and, when the eight days were past, they did not fail to dun me;
then I intreated them to give me eight days more, which they
agreed to; and the very next day I saw the lady come to the
bezestein, mounted on her mule, with the same attendants as
before, and exactly at the same hour of the day. She came
straight to my shop. I have made you stay some time, said she,
but here is your money at last; carry it to a banker, and see
that it is all good. The eunuch, who brought me the money, went
along with me to the banker's, and we found it very right. I came
back again, and had the happiness of conversing with the lady
till all the shops in the bezestein were open: though we talked
of ordinary things, she gave them such a turn, that they appeared
new and uncommon, and convinced me that I was not mistaken in
admiring her wit.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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