This said, we parted, and I passed
the next day in great impatience.
On Friday I got up betimes, and put on my best clothes, with
fifty pieces of gold in my pocket: thus prepared, I mounted an
ass, which I had bespoken the day before, and set out,
accompanied by the man that lent me the ass. When we came to
Devotion-street, I directed the owner of the ass to inquire for
the house I wanted: he accordingly inquired, and conducted me to
it. I paid him liberally, and sent him back directing him to
observe narrowly where he left me, and not to fail to come back
with the ass to-morrow morning to carry me back again.
I knocked at the door, and presently two little girl slaves,
white as snow, and neatly dressed, came and opened it. Be pleased
to come in, sir, said they, our mistress expects you impatiently;
for two days she has spoken of nothing but you. I entered the
court, and saw a great pavilion raised upon seven steps, and
surrounded with iron rails that parted it from a very pleasant
garden. Besides the trees which embellished the prospect, and
formed an agreeable shade, there was an infinite number of other
trees loaded with all manner of fruit. I was charmed with the
warbling of a great number of birds, which joined their notes to
the murmurings of a very high water-work in the middle of a
ground-plot enamelled with flowers.
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