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paſs’d in the Garden, without being perceiv’d himſelf. He obſerv’d that the Perſons who accompanied the Sultaneſs, threw off their Veils, and long Robes, that they might be at more Freedom, but was wonderfully ſurpriz’d when he ſaw ten of them to be Blacks, and that each of ’em took his Miſtreſs. The Sultaneſs, on her part, was not long without her Gallant. She clapp’d her Hands, and call’d Maſoud, Maſoud, and immediately a Black came down from a Tree, and run to her in all haſte.
Modeſty will not allow, nor is it neceſſary to relate what paſs’d betwixt the Blacks and the Ladies. It’s fufficient to ſay, that Schahzenan ſaw enough to convince him, that his Brother had as much Cauſe to complain as himſelf. This amorous Company continued together til Midnight, and having bath’d all together in a great Pond, which was one of the chief Ornaments of the Garden, they dreſs’d themſelves, and re-entred the Palace by the ſecret Door, all except Maſoud, who climb’d up his Tree, and got over the Garden-Wall the fame Way as he came in.
All this having paſſed in the King of Tartary’s Sight, it gave him occafion to make a Multitude of Reflections. How little reaſon had I, ſays he, to think that no body was ſo unfortunate as my ſetf? It is certainly the unavoidable Fate of all Husbands, ſince the Sultan my Brother, who is Sovereign of ſo many Dominions, and the greateſt Prince of the Earth, could-not eſcape it. The Caſe being ſo, what a Fool am I to kill my ſelf with Grief! I’ll throw it off, and the Remembrance of a Misfortune ſo common, ſhall never after this diſturb my Quiet. So that from that Moment he forbore afflicting himſelt: Being unwilling to ſup, till he ſaw the whole Scene that was acted under his Windows. He called then for his Supper, eat with a better Appetite than he had done at any time after his coming from Samarcande, and liſtened with Pleaſure to the agreeable comfort of vocal and inſtrumental Muſick, that was appointed to entertain him while at Table.
He continued after this to be of a very good Humour; and when he knew that the Sultan was returning, he went to meet him, and paid him his Complements, with a greatdeal
