But there is no need of such violent means; death will soon do
its own work by a sure though gentle method; I find myself in a
manner gone, and that I have not long to wait the welcome blow.
Here he was silent, and vented the rest of his passion only in
groans, sighs, and tears, which came from him in great abundance.
The jeweller, who knew no better way of turning him from despair
than by bringing Schemselnihar into his mind, and giving him some
hopes of enjoying her, told him, he feared the confident might be
come from her lady, and therefore did not think it proper to stay
any longer from home. I will let you go, said the prince; but
conjure you, that if you see her, you recommend to her to assure
Schemselnihar, that if I die, as I expect to do every minute, I
will love her to the last moment, and bless her with my last
breath.
The jeweller returned home in expectation of seeing the
confident, who came some few hours after, but all in tears, and
in great affliction. He asked, with great earnestness, what was
the matter; she answered, that Schemselnihar, the prince,
herself, and he, were all ruined. He demanded how. Hear the sad
news, said she, as it was told me just upon my entering our
hotel, after I had left you.
Schemselnihar had, it seems, for some fault, chastised one of the
slaves you saw with her in your other house; the slave, enraged
at the ill treatment, ran presently, and, finding the gate open,
went forth; so that we have just reason to believe she has
discovered all to an eunuch of the guard, who gave her
protection, as we have since heard.
Pages:
681
682
683
684
685
686
687
688
689
690
691
692
693
694
695
696
697
698
699
700
701
702
703
704
705