Commander of the Faithful, that I may not repeat the things which your majesty has heard from my sister, I will only mention, that my mother, having taken a house to pass her widowhood in private, first bestowed me in marriage on the heir of one of the richest men in this city.
I had not been married quite a year before my husband died. I thus came into possession of all his property, which amounted to above ninety thousand sequins.
One day, when I had been a widow more than a year a lady desired to speak to me. I gave orders that she should be admitted. She was a very old woman. She saluted me by kissing the ground, and said to me, kneeling, “Dear lady, the confidence I have in your charity makes me thus bold. I have a daughter, whose wedding is on this night. She and I are both strangers, and have no acquaintance in this town. Therefore, most beautiful lady, if you would vouchsafe to honor the wedding with your presence, we shall be infinitely obliged, because the family with whom we shall be allied will then know that we are not regarded here as unworthy
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