Page:Arabian Nights Entertainments (1728)-Vol. 2.djvu/84

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was only the hundredth Door left, the opening of which I was forbid.

Day began to appear in the Apartments of the Sultan of the Indies, which impoſed Silence upon Scheherazade: But Schahriar was too much taken with this pleaſant Story, rot to hear the remainder of it next Day, and accordingly he got up with that Reſolution.


The Sixty Second Night.


DInarzade who had as ardent Deſire as Schahriar, to hear what wonderful things were lock’d up by the Key belonging to the Golden Door, called the Sultaneſs very early. If you be not aſleep, Siſter, pray make an end of that amazing Story of the third Callender. He went on thus, ſays Scheherazade, I was come to the fortieth Day after the Departure of theſe charming Princeſſes, and had I but retained ſo much Power over myſelf as I ought to have had, I ſhould have been this Day the happieſt of all Mankind, whereas now I am the moſt unfortunate. They were to return next Day, and the Pleaſure of ſeeing them again ought to have reſtrained my Curioſity: But through my Weakneſs, which I ſhall ever repent, I yielded to the Temptations of the Evil Spirit, who gave me no reſt till I had thrown my ſelf into thoſe Misfortunes that I have ſince undergone.

I opened that ſatal Door, which I promiſed not to meddle with, and had not moved my Foot to go in, till a Smell that was pleaſant enough, but contrary to my Conſtitution, made me faint away: Nevertheleſs I came to my ſelf again, and inſtead of taking notice of this Warning to ſhut the Door, and forbear ſatisfying my Curioſity, I went in, after I had ſtood fome Time in the Air to carry off the Scent, which did not incommode me any more: I found a large Place very well vaulted; the Pavement was ſtrew’d over with Saffron; ſeveral Candleſticks of maſſy Gold, with lighted Tapers that ſmeil’d of Aloes and Ambergreeſe, lighted the Place; and this Light was augmented by Lamps of Gold and Silver, that burnt with Oil made of ſeveral Sorts of ſweet ſcented Materials.

Amongſt a great many Objects that engaged my Attention, I perceived. a black Horſe, of the handſomeſt and

beſt