Meanwhile, if I have any occasion for him by day or night, as
soon as I touch a talisman, which is at the entrance of my
chamber, the genie appears. It is now the fourth day since he was
here, and I do not expect him before the end of six more; so, if
you please, you may stay five days and keep me company, and I
will endeavour to entertain you according to your quality and
merit. I thought myself too fortunate to have obtained so great a
favour without asking it, to refuse so obliging a proffer. The
princess made me go into a bagnio, which was the most handsome,
the most commodious, and the most sumptuous, that could be
imagined; and when I came forth, instead of my own clothes, I
found another very costly suit, which I did not esteem so much
for its richness as that it made me look worthy to be in her
company. We sat down on a sofa covered with rich tapestry, with
cushions to lean upon, of the rarest Indian brocade; and, some
time after, she covered a table with several dishes of delicate
meats. We ate together, and passed the remainder of the day with
very great satisfaction; and at night she received me to her bed.
The next day, as she contrived all manner of ways to please me,
she brought in at dinner a bottle of old wine, the most excellent
that ever was tasted, and, out of complaisance, she drank part of
it with me.
Pages:
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192