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nothing of the King’s Deſign, came to the Palace in great Haſte.
Know ye, ſays the King, when he ſaw him, why I ſent for you? No, Sir, anſwer’d he, I wait till your Majeſty be pleas’d to inform me. I ſent for you, reply’d the King, to rid my ſelf of you, by taking your Life.
No Man can expreſs the Surprize of the Phyſician, when he heard the Sentence of Death pronounc’d againſt him. Sir, ſays he, why would your Majeſty take my Life? What Crime haye I committed? I am inform’d by good hands, replies the King, that you came to my Court only to attempt my Life; but to prevent you, I will be ſure of yours, Give the Blow, ſays he to the Executioner, who was preſent, and deliver me from a perfidious Wretch, who came hither en purpoſe to afſaſſinate me.
When the Phyſician heard this cruel Order, he readily judg’d that the Honours and Preſents he had received from the King, had procur’d him Enemies, and that the weak Prince was impos’d upon. He repented that he had cur’d him of his Leproſy, but it was now too late. Is it thus, replies the Phyſician, that you reward me for curing you? The King would not hearken to him, but ordered the Hangman a ſecond time to ſtrike the ſatal Blow. The Phyſician, then, had recourſe to his Prayers: Alas! Sir, cries he, prolong my Days, and God will prolong yours; don’t put me to death, leſt God treat you in the ſame manner. The Fiſherman broke off his Diſcourſe here, to apply it to the Genie, Well, Genie, ſays he, you ſee what paſſed then betwixt the Grecian King and his Phyſician Douban, is acted juſt now betwixt us.
The Grecian King, continues he, inſtead of having regard to the Prayers of the Phyſician, who begg’d him for God’s ſake to ſpare him, cruelly reply’d to him, No, no; I muſt of Neceſſity cut you off, otherwiſe you may take my Life away with as much Subtleneſs as you cur’d me. The Phyfician melting into Tears, and bewailing himſelf ſadly for being fo ill rewarded by the King, prepar’d for Death. The Executioner bound up his Eyes, ty’d his Hands, and went to draw his Scimiter.
Then
