The three calenders and the caliph, with his companions, were
extremely surprised at this execution, and could not comprehend
why Zobeide, after having so furiously whipped those two bitches,
that, by the Mussulman religion, are reckoned unclean animals,
should cry with them, wipe off their tears, and kiss them. They
muttered among themselves; and the caliph, being more impatient
than the rest, longed exceedingly to be informed of the cause of
so strange an action, and could not forbear making signs to the
vizier to ask the question; the vizier turned his head another
way; but, being pressed by repeated signs, he answered by others
that it was not yet time for the caliph to satisfy his curiosity.
Zobeide sat still some time in the middle of the room, where she
had whipped the two bitches, to recover from the fatigue; and
fair Safie called to her, Dear sister, will you be pleased now to
return to your place, that I may also act my part? Yes, sister,
replies Zobeide, and then went and sat down upon the sofa, having
the caliph, Giafar, and Mesrour, on her right hand, and the three
calenders, with the porter, on her left.
After Zobeide sat down, the whole company was silent for a while;
at last Safie, sitting on a chair in the middle of the room,
spoke to her sister Amine; Dear sister, I conjure you to rise up;
you know well enough what I would say, Amine rose up, and went
into another closet near to that where the bitches were, and
brought out a case covered with yellow satin, richly embroidered
with gold and green silk; she came near Safie, and opened the
case, from whence she took a lute, and presented her, and, after
some time spent in tuning it, Safie began to play, and,
accompanying it with her voice, she sung a song about the
torments that absence creates to lovers, with so much sweetness
as to charm the caliph and all the company.
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