Arabian Nights Entertainments (1706)/Volume 4/The Sultans Purveyor
The Story told by the Sultan of Caſgar’s Purveyor.
SIR a Perſon of Quality invited me Yeſterday to his Daughter’s Wedding, accordingly I went to his Houſe at the Hour appointed, and found there a large Company of Doctors, Miniſters of Juſtice, and others of the beſt Quality in the City. After the Ceremony was over, we had a ſplendid Treat, and among other Things, ſet upon the Table, there was a Courſe with Garlick Sauce, which indeed was very delicious, and palatable to every body: Only we obſerved that one of the Gueſts did
not offer to touch it, though it ſtood juſt before him, and there upon we invited him to do as we did. But he conjured us not to preſs him upon that Head: I’ll take care, ſaid he, not to touch any thing that has Garlick in it; I remember well what the taſting of ſuch a Thing coſt me once before. We intreated him to tell us what was the Occaſion of his ſo ſtrong Averſion to Garlick: But before he had time to make Anſwer; [s it thus, ſaid the Maſter of the Houſe, that you honour my Table? This Ragoo is excellent, do not you pretend to be excus’d from eating of it; you muſt do me that Favour as well as the reſt. Sir, ſaid the Gentleman, who was a Bagdad Merchant, I hope you do not think I refuſe to eat of it, out of a miſtaken Nicety; if you will have me eat of it, I will do it; but ſtill upon this Condition, that after eating of it I may waſh my Hands, with your good Leave forty times with Alcali[1], forty times more with the Aſhes of the ſame Plant, and forty times again with Soap. I hope you will not take it ill that I ſtipulate this Condition, in Purſuance of an Oath I have made never to taſte Garlick without obſerving it.
Scheherazade, perceiving Day, ſtopped here, and ſo Schahriar roſe with a Curioſity to know why the Merchant had ſworn to waſh himſelf 120 Times, after eating of a Ragoo with Garlick. Towards the Cloſe of the next Night, the Sulianeſs ſatisficd his Curioſity in the following Words.
The Hundred and Forty Firſt Night.
THE Maſter of the Houſe, continued the Purveyor of the Sultan of Caſgar, would not diſpenſe with the Merchant from eating of the Ragoo with Garlick; and therefore order’d his Servant to get ready a Baſon with water, together with Alcali, the Aſhes of the ſame Plant, and Soap, that the Merchant might waſh as often as he pleas’d, When every thing was got ready, Now, ſaid he to the Merchant, I hope you’ll do as we do.
The Merchant, diſpleas’d with the Violence that was offer’d him, reach’d out his Hand and took up a Bit, which he put to his Mouth trembling, and cat with a Reluctancy that ſurprized us all. But the greateſt Surprizal of all was, that he had only four Fingers, and no Thumb, which none of us obſerv’d before, tho’ he had eat of other Diſhes. You have loſt your Thumb, ſaid the Maſter of the Houſe, how came that about? It muſt have been occafioned by ſome extraordinary Accident: A Relation of which will be agreeable Entertainment to the Company. Sir, replied the Merchant, I have ne’er a Thumb, neither on the Right nor on the Left Hand. In ſpeaking this, he ſhewed us his Left Hand as well as his Right. But this is not all, continued he, I have ne’er a great Toe on either of my Feet, I hope you will take my Word for it. I was maim’d in this manner by an unheard of Accident, which I am willing to relate to you, if you’ll have the Patience to hear me. The Relation will equally aſtoniſh you, and affect you with Pity. Only ſuffer me to waſh my Hands firſt. With this he roſe from the Table, and after waſhing his Hands 120 times, took his Place again, and recounted the Story as follows.
You muſt know, Gentlemen, that in the Reign of the Calif Haroun Alraſchid, my Father lived at Bagdad, the Place of my Nativity, and was reputed one of the richeſt Merchants in the City. But, being a Man mightily addicted to his Pleaſures, a Man that loved an irregular Life, and neglected his private Affairs, inſtead of leaving me a plentiful Fortune at his Death, he left me in ſuch a Condition, that all the Occonomy I could maſter, was ſcarce ſufficient to clear his Debts. However, with much ado, I paid ’em all, and through my Induſtry and Care my little Fortune began to look with a ſmiling Countenance.
One Morning, as I opener my Shop, a Lady, mounted upon a Mule, and attended by an Eunuch and two Women Slaves, ſtopped near my Shop-Door, and with the Aſſiſtance of the Eunuch alighted, Madam, faid the Eunuch, I told you, you would be too ſoon; you ſee there’s no Body yet in the Bezeſtein; if you had taken my Advice, you might have ſaved your ſelf the Trouble of waiting here. The Lady looked all round her, and finding there was no Shop open but mine, addreſſed her ſelf to me, asking leave to ſit in my Shop till the reſt of the Merchants came: So I could do no leſs than return a civil Anſwer, and invite the Lady into my Shop.
The Hundred and Forty Second Night.
THE Sultaneſs, being awak’d by her Siſter Dinarzade, proceeded to addreſs her ſelf to the Sultan in the following manner. The Lady ſat down in my Shop continued the Merchant of Bagdad, and obſerving there was no body in the whole Bezeſtein but the Eunuch and I, uncovered her Face to take the Air; and I muſt ſay I never ſaw any thing ſo pretty in my Lifetime: I no ſooner had a ſight of her Face, than I loved her in Courſe, I fix’d my Eyes upon her, and perceived that ſhe was not diſpleaſed with my Ogling, for ſhe gave me a full Opportunity to look upon her, and did not cover her Face but when ſhe was afraid of being taken notice of.
After he had pulled down her Veil again, ſhe told me ſhe wanted ſeveral ſorts of the richeſt and fineſt Stuffs, and asked me if I had ’em. Alas! Madam, ſaid I, I am but a young Man, and juſt beginning the World. I have not Stock enough for ſuch great Concerns; and ’tis a Mor-tification to me that I have nothing to ſhew you ſuch as you want: But to ſave you the Trouble of going from Shop to Shop, as ſoon as the Merchants come, I’ go, if you pleaſe, and fetch from them what you want, with the loweſt Prices; and ſo you may do your Buſineſs without going any further. She complied with my Propoſals, and enter’d into Diſcourſe with me, which continued fo much the longer, that I ſtill made her believe the Merchants, that could furniſh what ſhe wanted, were not yet come.
I was then no leſs charmed with her Wit, than I had been before with the beauty of her Face; but there was a Neceſſity of denying my ſelf the Pleature of her Conversation. I run out to ſee for the Stuffs ſhe wanted, and after ſhe had pitch’d upon what ſhe liked, we ſtruck the Price at 5000 Drams of coin’d Silver; ſo I wrapp’d up the Stuffs in a ſmall Bundle, and gave it to the Eunuch, who put it under his Arm, This done, ſhe roſe and took leave. I ſtill continued to look after her till ſhe was got at the Bezeſtein Gate, and mounted her Mule again.
The Lady had no ſooner diſappeared, than I perceiv’d that Love is the Cauſe of great Overſights. It had ſo ingroſs’d all my Thoughts, that truly I did not mind that ſhe went off without paying the Money, neither had I the Conſideration to ask who ſhe was, or where ſhe dwelt, However, I conſidered I was accountable for a large Sum to the Merchants, who, perhaps, would not have the Patience to ſtay for their Money: And fo I went to them and made the beſt Excuſe I could, pretending that I knew the Lady; and then came home again equally affected with Love, and with the Burden of ſuch a heavy Debt.
Scheherazade had no ſooner ſpoke theſe Words than Day appear’d: But the next Night we proceeded as follows.
The Hundred and forty Third Night.
I HAD deſired my Creditors, continued the Merchant, 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 ſtreight to my Shop. I have made you ſtay ſome time, ſaid ſhe, but here’s your Money at laſt; carry me to a Banker, and ſee it is all good. The Eunuch, who brought me the Money, went along with me to the Bankers, amd we found it very right. Then came back again, and had the Happineſs of converſing with the Lady till all the Shops of the Bezeſtein were open, Tho&nsquo; we talk’d but of ordinary Things, ſhe gave them ſuch a Turn, that they appear’d new and uncommon; and convinc’d me that I was not miſtaken in admiring her Wit, when I converſed with her.
As ſoon as the Merchants were come and had opened their Shops, I carried to the reſpective Men the Money that was due for their Stuffs, and was readily intruſted with more which the Lady had defired to ſee. In ſhort the Lady took Stuffs to the Value of 1000 Pieces of Gold, and carried them away again without paying for them; nay, without saying one Word, or giving me to know who ſhe was. I was aftoniſh’d, when I conſidered that at this Rate ſhe left me without any Security, of not being troubled if ſhe never came again, She has paid me, thinks I to my ſelf, a good round Sum; but ſhe leaves me in the lurch for another that runs much deeper. Sure, ſhe can’t be a Cheat; it is not poſſible ſhe can have any ſuch Deſign as to inveigle me to my Ruin: The Merchants do not know her; they’ll all come upon me. In ſhort, my Love was not ſo powerful as to guard off the Uneaſineſs I was under, when I reflected upon all Circumſtances: A whole Month paſſed before I heard any thing of my Lady again, and during that Time the Alarm grew higher and higher every Day. The Merchants were impatient for their Money, and to ſatisfy them, I was e’en going to ſell off all I had; when the Lady returned one Morning with the ſame Equipage as before.
Take your Weights, ſaid ſhe, and weigh the Gold I have brought you. Theſe Words diſpell’d my Fear, and inflamed my Love. Before we told down the Money, ſhe asked me ſeveral Queſtions, and particularly if I was married. I made anſwer, I never was. Then reaching out the Gold to the Eunuch, let’s have your Interpoſition, ſaid ſhe, to accommodate our Matters: Upon which the Eunuch fell a laughing and calling me aſide, made me weigh the Gold. While I was weighing the Gold, the Eunuch whiſpered in my Ear, I know by your Eyes you love this Lady, and I’m ſurprized to find that you have not the Aſſurance to diſcloſe your Love to her, She loves you more paſſionately than you do her. Do you imagine that ſhe has any real occaſion for your Stuffs? She only makes an Errand to come hither, becauſe you have inſpired her with a violent Paſſion. Do but ask her the Queſtion, it will be your own Fault only if you do not marry her. ’Tis true, ſaid I, I have had a Love for her from the firſt Moment that I caſt my Eyes upon her; but I durſt not aſpire to the Happineſs of thinking my Love acceptable, to her. I am entirely hers, and ſhall not fail to retain a grateful Senſe of your good Offices in that Matter.
In fine, I made an end of weighing the Gold, and while I was putting it into the Bag, the Eunuch turned to the La-dy, and told her I was ſatisfied; that being the Word they had both agreed upon between themſelves. Preſently after that, the Lady roſe and took leave, telling me, ſhe would ſend the Eunuch to me, and that I ſhould do what he directed me to in her Name.
I carried every one of the Merchants their Money, and waited ſome Days with impatience for the Eunuch. At laſt he came. But here Scheherazade ſtopp’d, becauſe it was Day, and purſued the Sequel of her Story next Night in the following manner.
The Hundred and Forty Fourth Night.
I Entertained the Eunuch very kindly, ſaid the Bagdad Merchant, and asked him how his Miſtreſs did; You are, ſaid he, the happieſt Lover in the World; ſhe is quite ſick of Love for you; ſhe covets extremely to ſee you, and were ſhe maſter of her own Conduct, would not fail to come to you, and willingly paſs all the Moments of her Life in your Company. Her noble Mein and graceful Carriage, ſaid I, gave me to know that ſhe was a Lady beyond the common Level. The Judgment you have formed upon that Head, ſaid the Eunuch, is very juſt; ſhe is that Favourite of Zobeide the Califf’s Lady, who has brought her up from her Infancy, and intruſts her with all her Affairs. Having a mind to marry, ſhe has declared to the Califf’s Lady, that ſhe has caſt her Eyes upon you, and deſired her Conſent. Zobeide told her ſhe agreed to it, only ſhe had a Mind to ſee you firſt, in order to judge if ſhe had made a good Choice; the which if ſhe had, Zobeide meant to defray the Charges of the Wedding. Thus you ſee your Felicity is certain, ſince you have pleaſed the Favourite, you’ll be equally agreeable to the Miſtreſs who ſeeks only to oblige her Favourite, and would by no means thwart her Inclination. In fine, all you have to do is to come to the Palace. I am ſent hither to call you, fo you’ll pleaſe to come to a Reſolution. My Reſolve is formed already, ſaid I, and I’m ready to follow you whitherſoever you pleaſe to conduct me. Very well, ſaid the Eunuch; but you know Men are not allowed to enter the Lady’s Apartments in the Palace, and ſo you muſt be introduced with great Secrecy. The Favourite Lady has contrived the matter very well. Upon your Side, you are to act your Part, and that very diſcreetful, for if you do not, your Life is at Stake.
I gave him repeated Aſſurances of a punctual Performance of whatever ſhould be injoined me. Then, ſaid he, in the Evening you muſt be at the Moſque built by the Califf’s Lady on the Bank of the Tigris, and ftay there till one comes to call you. I agreed to all he propoſed; and after paſſing the Day in great Impatience, went in the Evening to the Prayer that’s ſaid an Hour and a half after Sun-ſet in the Moſque, and there I ſtayed after all the People were gone.
Soon after I ſaw a Boat making up to the Moſque, the Rowers of which were all Eunuchs, who came on Shore and put ſeveral large Trunks into the Moſque, and then retired; only one of them ſtaid behind, whom I perceived to be the ſame Eunuch that had all along accompanied the Lady, and had been with me that Morning. Much about the ſame time I ſaw the Lady enter the Moſque; and making up to her, told her I was ready to obey her Orders. Come, come, ſaid ſhe, we have no time to loſe; with that, ſhe opened one of the Trunks, and bid me get into it, that being neceſſary both for her Safety and mine. Fear nothing, added ſhe, leave the Management of all to me. I confider’d with my ſelf, I had gone too ſar to look back; and fo obey’d her Orders, upon which ſhe locked the Trunk. This done, the Eunuch that was her Confident, called the other Eunuchs who had brought in the Trunks, and order’d &nsquo;em to carry them on board again. Then the Lady and Eunuch re-imbarqued, and the Boat-Men row’d to Zobeide’s Apartment.
In the mean time I reflected very ſeriouſly upon the Danger to which I had expos’d my ſelf; and made Vows and Prayers, tho’ it was then too late.
The Boat put into the Palace Gate, and the Trunks were carried into the Apartment of the Officer of the Eunuchs, who keep the Key of the Lady’s Apartments, and ſuffers nothing to enter without a narrow Inſpection: The Officer was then in Bed, and ſo there was a neceſſity of calling him upBut now, Sir, ſaid Scheherazade, I ſee ’tis Day; upon which Schahriar roſe to hold a Council, reſolving to hear the reſt of the Story next Night.
The Hundred and Forty Fifth Night.
SOME Minutes before Day, the Sultaneſs of the Indies waking, purſued her Story as follows. The Officer of the Eunuchs, continued the Bagdad Merchant, was angry that they ſhould break his Reſt, and chide the Favourite Lady ſeverely for coming home ſo late; You ſhall not come off fo eaſily as you think for, ſaid he; not one of theſe Trunks ſhall paſs till I have opened ’em every one. At the ſame time he commanded the Eunuchs to bring ’em before him, and open ’em one by one. The firſt they begun with was that where I lay, which run me to the laſt degree of Conſternation.
The Favourite Lady, who had the Key of that Trunk, proteſted it ſhould not be opened. You know very well, ſaid ſhe, I bring nothing hither but what is to ſerve Zobeide your Miſtreſs and mine, this Trunk, continued ſhe, is filled with rich Goods that I had from ſome Merchants lately arrived, beſides a Number of Bottles of Zemzem Water[2] ſent from Mecca; and if any of theſe ſhould happen to break, the Goods will be ſpoiled, and then you muſt anſwer for them, Zobeide will take care, I’ll warrant you, to reſent your Inſolence. In fine, ſhe ſtood up ſo right to the Matter, that the Officer did not dare to take upon him to open any of the Trunks. Let them go then, ſaid he, carry them off. Upon that the Lady’s Apartment was opened, and all the Trunks were carried in.
They were ſcarce got in, when all on a ſudden I heard the Folks cry, here’s the Califf, here comes the Califf! This put me in ſuch a Fright, that I wonder I did not die upon the Spot; for in effect it was the Calif. What haſt thou got in theſe Trunks, ſaid he to the Favourite? Some Stuffs, ſaid ſhe, lately arriv’d, which your Majeſty’s Lady had a mind to ſee. Open ’em cried he, and let me ſee ’em too. She pretended to excuſc her ſelf, alledging the Stuffs were only proper for Ladies, and that by opening them his Lady would be deprived of the pleaſure of ſeeing them firſt. I ſay, open them, cried the Califf; I have a mind to ſee them, and I will ſee them. She ſtill repreſented that her Miſtreſs would be angry with her if ſhe opened them; No, no, ſaid he, I’ll engage ſhe ſhall not ſay a Word to you for ſo doing, Come, come, open them, I can’t ſtay.
There was a Neceſſity of obeying, which gave m ſuch ſhocking Alarms, that I tremble every time I think on’t. Down ſat the Califf; and the Fayourite ordered all the Trunks to be brought before him one after another. Then ſhe opened them, and to ſpin out the Time, ſhewed all the Beauties of each particular Stuff, thinking thereby to tire out his Patience; but her Stratagem did not take. Being as loth as I to have the Trunk where I lay opened, ſhe left that laſt. So when all the reſt were viewed, come, ſays the Califf, make an end; let’s ſee what’s in that one. I am at a loſs to tel! you whether I was dead or alive that Moment; for I little thought of eſcaping ſo great a Danger.
Day appearing, Scheherazade ſtopp’d ;but carried on her Story next Night as follows.
The Hundred and Forty Sixth Night.
WHEN Zobeide’s Favourite, continued the Bagdad Merchant, ſaw that the Califf would needs have the Trunk open’d, where I lay: As for this Trunk, ſaid ſhe, your Majeſty will pleaſe to diſpence with the oppening of it, there are ſome Things in it which I can’t ſhew you without your Lady be by. Well, well, ſaid the Califf ſince it is ſo, I am ſatisfied; order the Trunks to be carried away. The Word was no ſooner ſpoke, than the Trunks were moved into her Chamber, where I began to come to life again.
As ſoon as the Eunuchs, who had brought them, were gone, we preſently opened the Trunk where I was Priſoner. Come out, ſaid ſhe, go up theſe Stairs that lead to an upper Room, and ſtay there till I come. The Door which led to the Stairs ſhe lock’d after I was in; and that wa sno ſooner done, than the Califf came and clapped him down upon the very Trunk where I had been, The Occaſion of this Viſit was a Motion of Curioſity that did not reſpect me. He had a mind to diſcourſe the Lady about what ſhe had ſeen or heard in the City. So they diſcourſed together a pretty while; and then he left her, and retired to his Apartment.
When ſhe found the Coaſt clear, ſhe came to the Chamber where I was, and made many Apologies for the Alarms ſhe had given me. My Uneaſineſs, ſaid ſhe, was no leſs than yours; you can’t well doubt of that, ſince I have run the ſame riſque out of Love to you; perhaps another Perſon would not have had the Preſence of Mind to mannage Matters ſo dextrouſly, upon ſo tender an Occaſion; nothing leſs than the Love I had for you, could have inſpired me with Courage to do it. But come, take heart, now the Danger is over. After ſome tender Diſcourſe between us, ſhe told me it was time to go to Bed, and that ſhe would not fail to introduce me to Zobeide her Miſtreſs, to Morrow ſome Hour of the Day; for the Califf never ſees her, added ſhe, at Nights. Heartned by theſe Words, I ſlept very well; or at leaſt whatever Interruptions happen’d to my Sleep, were agreeable Diſquietings, cauſed by the Hopes of enjoying a Lady that was bleſt with ſuch ſparkling Wit and Beauty.
The next Day, before I was introduced to Zobeide, her Favourite inſtructed me how to behave before her, naming much the ſame Queſtions as ſhe put to me, and dictating the Anſwers I was to give. This done, ſhe carried me into a very magnificent and richly furniſh’d Hall: I was no ſooner entred than Twenty ſhe Slaves, in rich and uniform Habits, came out of Zobeide’s Apartment, and placed themſelves very modeſtly before the Throne in two equal Rows; they were followed by twenty other Ladies, that looked younger, and were cloathed after the ſame manner, only their Habits appeared ſomewhat gayer. In the middle of theſe appeared Zobeide with a majeſtick Air, and fo loaded with Jewels that ſhe could ſcarce walk. Then Zobeide went and ſat down on the Throne, and the favourite Lady, who had accompanied her, ſtood juſt by her on her Right Hand; the other Ladies being placed at ſome diſtance on each ſide of the Throne.
As ſoon as the Califf’s Lady was ſet down, the Slaves that came in firſt made a fign for me to approach. So I advanced between the Rows they had formed, and proſtrated my ſelf upon the Tapeſtry that was under the Princeſs’s Feet. She ordered me to riſe, and did me the Honour to ask my Name, my Family, and the Condition of my Fortune upon all which I gave herſatisfatory Anſwers, as I perceived, not only by her Countenance, but by her Words; I am very glad, ſaid ſhe, that my Daughter (fo ſhe uſed to call the favourite Lady, looking upon her as ſuch after the Care ſhe had taken of her Education) I am glad, ſhe has made a Choice that pleaſes me; I approve of it, and give Conſent to your Marriage. I’ll give Orders my felf for what is to be done inſolemnizing it; but I want to have her ſtay ten Days with me before the Solemnity; and in that time I’ll ſpeak to the Califf and obtain his Conſent: Mean while do you ſtay here; you ſhall be taken care of.
Scheherazade perceiving Day, ſtopp’d here, but went on next Night as follows.
The Hundred and Forty Seventh Night.
PUrſuant to the Califf’s Lady’s Orders, continued the Bagdad Merchant, I ftaid ten Days in the Lady’s Apartments; and during that time was deprived of the Pleaſure of ſeeing the Favourite Lady; but was ſo well uſed by her Orders, that I had no Reaſon to be diſſatisfied.
Zobeide told the Calif her Reſolution of marrying the favourite Lady; and the Califf leaving to her the Liberty of doing upon that Head what ſhe pleaſed, granted the Favourite a conſiderable Sum to help out her Fortune. When the ten Days were expired, Zobeide ordered the Contract of Marriage to be drawn up, and the neceſſary Preparations being made for the Solemnity, the Dancers (both Men and Women) were call’d in, and there were great Rejoicings, in the Palace for nine Days The tenth Day being appointed for the laſt Ceremony of the Marriage, the favourite Lady was conducted to a Bath, and I to another. At Night I ſat down to Table, and had all manner of Rarities ſerved up to me, and among other things Ragoo with Garlick, ſuch as you have now forced me to eat of. This Ragoo I liked ſo well, that I ſcarce touched any of the other Diſhes. But ſuch was my Unhappineſs, that when I roſe from the Table, I only wiped my Hands inſtead of waſhing them well; a Piece of Negligence I had never been guilty of before.
Tho’ it was then Night, the whole Apartment of the Ladies was as light as Day, by means of many Illuminations Nothing was to be heard all over the Palace, but Muſical Inſtruments, and Acclamations of Joy. My Bride and I were introduced into a great Hall, where we were placed upon two Thrones. The Women that attended her, made her ſhift her ſelf ſeveral times, and painted her Face with different ſorts of Colours, according to the uſual Cuſtom on Wedding-Days; and every time ſhe changed her Habit, they expoſed her to my View.
In fine, all theſe Ceremonies being over, we were conducted to the Wedding-Room, where, as ſoon as the Company retired, I approached to embrace my Miſtreſs; but inſtead of anſwering me with Tranſports, ſhe ſhoved me off, and cried out moſt fearfully; upon which all the Ladies of the Apartment came running into the Chamber, to know what ſhe cried for. And for my own part, I was ſo Thunder-ſtruck, that I ſtood like a Poſt, without the Power ſo much as asking what ſhe meant by it. Dear Siſter, ſaid they to her, what is the matter? Let us know it that we may try to relieve you. Take, ſaid ſhe, take out of my fight that vile Fellow. Why, Madam, ſaid I, wherein have I deſerved your Diſpleaſure? You’re a Villain, ſaid ſhe with furious Paſſion, what to eat Garlick, and not waſh your Hands! D’ye think I’d ſuffer ſuch a filthy Fellow to touch me? Down with him, down with him upon the Ground continued ſhe, addreſſing her ſelf to the Ladies and pray let me have a good Bull’s Pizzle. In ſhort, I was thrown upon the Ground, and while ſome held my Hands, and others my Feet, my Wife, who was preſently furniſh’d with a weapon, laid me on moſt unmercifully till I could ſcarce breathe. Then ſhe ſaid to the Ladies, take him, ſend him to the juſtitiary Judge, and let the Hand be cut off with which he fed upon the Garlick Ragoo.
God Bleſs my Soul, cried I, muſt I be beat and bruiſed, and unmercifully mauled, and ſtill, to complete my Affliction, have my Hand cutoff! and all for eating of Ragoo with Garlick, and forgetting to waſh my Hands; What Proportion is there between the Puniſhment and the Crime! Plague on the Ragoo, Plague on the Cook that dreſſed it, and may he be equally unhappy that ſerved it up.
Here the Sultaneſs diſcontinued her Story, obſerving the Dawn of Day; and Schahriar roſe, laughing heartily at the Favourite Lady’s Anger, and curious to know the Upſhot of the Story.
The Hundred and Forty Eighth Night.
NEXT Morning Scheherazade, waking before Day, reſumed the Thread of her Diſcourſe to this Purpole, All the Ladies that were by, continued the Bagdad Merchant, took Pity of me when they heard the cutting of my Hand ſpoken of. Dear Madam, dear Siſter, ſaid they to the Favourite Lady, you carry your Reſentment too far. We own he’s a Man quite ignorant of the World, that does not obſerve your Quality, and the Regards that are due to you: But we beſeech you to overlook and pardon the Fault he has committed. I have not received ſuitable Satisfaction, ſaid ſhe, I’ll teach him to know the World, I’ll make him bear the ſenſible Marks of his Impertinence, and be cautions hereafter how he taſtes a Garlick Ragoo without waſhing his Hands However, they ſtill continued their Sollicitation, and fell down at her Feet, and kiſſing her fair Hand. Good Madam, ſaid they, in the Name of God moderate your Wrath, and grant the Favour we requeſt. She anſwered ne’er a Word, but got up, and after throwing out a thouſand hard Words againſt me, walked out of the Chamber; and all the Ladies followed her, leaving me in unconceivable Affliction.
I continued there ten Days, without ſeeing any body but an old Woman: Slave that brought me Victuals, I asked the old Woman what was become of the Favourite Lady. She’s ſick, ſaid the old Woman, ſhe’s ſick, ſaid the old Woman, ſhe’s fick of the poiſon’d Smell you infect her with, Why did not you take care to waſh your Hands after eating of that curſed Ragoo? Is it poſſible, thought I to my ſelf, that thoſe Ladies can be ſo nice, and fo vindictive for ſo ſmall a Fault! In the mean time I loved my Wife, notwithſtanding all her Cruelty.
One day the old Woman told me, my Spouſe was recovered, and gone to bathe, and would come to ſee me the next Day. So, ſaid ſhe, I would have you to call up your Patience, and endeavour to accommodate your ſelf to her Humour. Beſides, ſhe’s a Woman of good Senſe and Diſcretion, and intirely beloved by all the Ladies about Zobeide’s Court.
In Effect, my Wife came next Night and accoſted me thus, You ſee I am too good in ſeeing you again, after the Affront you have offered me: But ſtill I can’t ſtoop to be reconciled to you, till I have puniſhed you according to your demerit, in not waſhing your Hands after eating the Garlick Ragoo. This ſaid, ſhe called the Ladies, who, by her Order, threw me upon the Ground; and after binding me faſt, had the Barbarity to cut off my Thumbs and great Toes themſelves with a Razor. One of the Ladies applied a certain Root to ftanch the Blood; but what by Bleeding, and what by the Pain, I ſwooned away.
When I came to my ſelf, they gave me Wine to drink to recruit my Strength. Ah! Madam, ſaid I to my Wife, if ever I eat of a Garlick Ragoo again, I ſolemnly ſwear to waſh my Hands 120 times with the Herb Alcali, with the Aſhes of the ſame Plant, and with Soap. Well, replied my Wife, upon that Condition I am willing to forget what’s Paſt and live with you as my Husband.
This continued the Bagdad Merchant, addreſſing himſelfto the Company, This is the Reaſon why I refuſed to eat of the Garlick Ragoo that’s now upon the Table.
Day appearing ſtopp’d Scheherazade; but next Night ſhe went on to the following Purpoſe.
The Hundred and Forty Ninth Night.
SIR,to make an end of the Bagdad Merchant’s Story, The Ladies, ſaid he, applied to my Wounds not only the Root I mentioned to you, but likewiſe ſome Balſam of Necca, which they were morally aſſured was not adulterated, becauſe they had it out of the Calif’s own Diſpenſary. By Virtue of that admirable Balſam was I perfe@iy, cured in few Days, and my Wife and I lived together as agreeable as if I never had eat of the Garlick Ragoo. But having been all my Life time uſed to the Liberty of ranging abroad, I was very uneaſy at the being confined to the Califf’s Palace; and yet I ſaid nothing of it to my Wife for fear of diſ-pleafing her. However ſhe ſmelt it; and wanted nothing more her ſelf, than to get out, for it was gratitude alone that made her continue with Zobeide. In fine, being a very witty Woman, ſhe repreſented in ſuch lively Terms to her Miſtreſs the Conſtraint I was under, in not living in the City with my Fellow Companions, as I had always done; this ſhe did ſo effectually that the good Princeſs choſe rather to deprive her ſelt of the Pleaſure of having her Favourite about her, than not to grant what ſhe equally deſired.
In purſuance of this Grant about a Month after Marriage, my Wife came in my Room with ſeveral Eunuchs, carrying each of them a Bag of Silver. When the Eunuchs were gone; You never told me, ſaid ſhe, that you were uneaſy in being confined to Court; but I perceived it very well and have happily found Means to make you contented. My Miſtreſs Zobeide gives us leave to go out of the Palace; and here are Fifty thouſand Sequins, of which ſhe has made us a Preſent, in order to enable us to live comfortable in the City. Prithee take ten Thouſand of them, and go and buy us a Houſe.
I quickly found a Houſe for the Money, and after furniſhing it richly, we went and lived in it; and kept a great many Slaves of both Sexes with a very pretty Equipage. In ſhort w ebegan to live after a very agreeable Manner, but it did not laſt long. At a Year’s end my wife fell ſick and died.
I might have married again and lived honourably at Bagdad; But the Curioſity of ſeeing the World put me upon other thoughts, I fold my Houſe, and after buying up ſeveral ſorts of Goods, I went with a Caravan to Perſia, from Perſia I travelled to Samaroande, and from thence hither.
This, ſaid the Purveyor to the Sultan of Caſgar, this is the Story that the Bagdad Merchant told in a Company where I was yeſterday. This Story, ſaid the Sultan, has ſomething in it that’s extraordinary; but it does not come near that of my little Hunch-back. Then the Jewiſh Phyfician proſtrated himſelf before the Sultan’s Throne, and, riſing again, addreſſed himſelf to that Prince in the following Manner. Sir, if you will be ſo good as to hear me, I flatter my ſelf you will be pleaſed with a Story I have to tell to you. Well ſpoke, ſaid the Sultan, but if it is not more ſurprizing than that of little Hunch-back, do not you expect to live.
Day appearing, the Sultaneſs topped here; but reſum’d her Diſcourſe next Night as follows,