Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 1.djvu/64

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eat up by the Hogrefs and her Children. Schahriar having fignified that he had the fame Fear, the Sultaneſs replies, Well, Sir, I will fatisfy you immediately.

After the counterfeit Indian Princeſs had bid the young Prince recommend himſelf to God, he could not believe ſhe ſpoke ſincerely, but thought ſhe was ſure of him, and therefore lifting up his Hands to Heav’n, ſaid, Almighty Lord, caſt thine Eyes upon me, and deliver me from this Enemy. After this Prayer, the Hogreſs entered the Ruins again, and the Prince rode off with all poſſible Haſte. He happily found his way again, and arriv’d fate and ſound at his Father’s Court, to whom he gave a particular Account of the Danger he had been in, through the Viſier’s Neglect; upon which, the King being incens’d againſt that Miniſter, order’d him to be ſtrangled that very Moment.

Sir, continues the Grecian King’s Viſier: To return to the Phyſician Douban, if you don’t take care, the Confidence you put in him will be fatal to you; I am very well aſſured that he is a Spy ſent by your Enemies to attempt your Majeſty’s Life. He has cur’d you, you will ſay: But alas! who can aſſure you of that? He has perhaps cur’d you only in Appearance, and not radically; who knows but the Medicine he has given you, may in time have pernicious Effects.

The Grecian King, who had naturally very little Senſe, was not able to diſcover the wicked Deſign of his Viſier, nor had he Firmneſs enough to perſiſt in his firſt Opinion. This Diſcourſe ſtaggered him: Viſier, ſays he, thou art in the right; he may be come on purpoſe to take away my Life, which he may eaſily do, by the very Smell of ſome of his Drugs. We muſt conſider what is fit for us to do in this Caſe.

When the Viſier found the King in ſuch a Temper as he would have him, Sir, ſays he. the ſureſt and ſpeedieſt Method you can take to ſecure your Life, is to ſend immediately for the Phyſician Douban, and order his Head to be cut off as ſoon as he comes. In truth, ſays the King, I believe that’s the way we muſt take to prevent his Deſign. When he had ſpoke thus, he call’d for one of his Officers, and order’d him to go for the Phyſician, who knowing

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