“Ladies,” replied the porter, “from your appearance alone I thought you possessed a singular degree of merit; and I perceive that I am not mistaken. Although fortune has not been so propitious to me, as to bring me up to any profession, superior to the one I follow, yet I have cultivated my mind as much as I was able by reading books of science and history; and permit me, I entreat, to say, that I also have read in another a maxim which I have always happily practised; Conceal your secret, he says, only from such as are known to be indiscreet, and who will abuse your confidence; but make no difficulty in discovering it to prudent men, because they know how to keep it. The secret, then, with me is as safe as locked up in a cabinet, the key of which is lost, and the door sealed.”
Zobeidè saw that the porter was not deficient in cleverness, but thinking that he was desirous of being at the entertainment they were going to have, she good-humouredly replied, “You know that we are preparing to regale ourselves, and you must also know we cannot do this but at a considerable expense; and it would not be just that you should partake of the feast without bearing part of the costs.” The beautiful Safiè was of the same opinion as her sister. “My friend,” she said to the porter, “have you never heard the common saying, if you bring something you shall return with something; if you bring nothing, you shall carry nothing back?”
The porter would have been obliged to retire in confusion in spite of his rhetoric, had it not been for Aminè, who took his part very strongly: “My dear sisters,” she said to Zobeidè and Safiè, “I entreat you to permit him to remain with us. It is unnecessary to tell you he will divert us, for you must see he is capable of it. I assure you that had it not been for his readiness, quickness, and courage to follow me, I should not have executed so many commissions in so short a time. Besides, if I were to repeat to you all the amusing things he said to me on the way, you would not be much surprised that I am become his advocate.”
At this speech of Aminè’s, the porter in a transport of joy fell on his knees and kissed the ground at the feet of this charming female. “My dear lady,” said he, raising himself, “you have from this moment begun my happiness, and placed it almost at its summit by so generous an act, for which I can never sufficiently express my gratitude. In short, ladies,” added he, addressing the three sisters at once, “do not suppose, because you have done me so great an honor, that I will abuse it; and that I shall consider myself as a man who is worthy of it; on the contrary, I shall ever regard myself as the humblest of your slaves.” In saying this he wished to return the money he had received, but the grave Zobeidè ordered him to keep it. “What we have once given,” she said, “as a recompense to those who have rendered us any service, never returns. But in agreeing that you should remain with us, it is not only on condition that you keep the secret we are going to intrust you with, but we also require, that you shall strictly observe the rules of propriety and decorum.” While she was speaking, the beautiful Aminè took off her walking dress, and fastening her robe to her girdle, in order to be more at liberty to prepare the table, she placed on it various kinds of meat, and put some bottles of wine, and several golden cups upon a sideboard. This done, the ladies seated themselves round the table, and made the porter place himself by their side, who was delighted beyond measure, at seeing himself at table with three persons of such extraordinary beauty.
They had scarcely began to eat, when Aminè, who had placed herself near the buffet, or sideboard, took a bottle and goblet, and poured some for herself. Having drank the first glass, according to the Arabian custom, she then poured out one for each of her sisters, who drank it one after the other. Then filling the same goblet for the fourth time, she presented it to the porter, who in taking it, kissed her hand, and before he drank it he sung a song, the meaning of which was, that as the wind carried with it the odour of any perfumed spot over which it passed, so the wine, which he was about to drink, coming from her hand acquired a more exquisite flavour than it naturally possessed. This song pleased them very much, and they each sung in their turn. In short the whole company were in most excellent spirits during the repast, which lasted a long time, and was accompanied with every thing that could render it agreeable.
The day began to close, when Safiè, in the name of her sisters, said to the porter, “Arise, and go it; is time to retire.” To this the porter, not having resolution to quit them, answered, “Ah, ladies, where would you command me to go in the state I am in? I am almost beside myself from gazing on you, and the good cheer you have given me; and I shall never find the way to my own house. Allow me the night to recover myself in; I will pass it wherever you please, but less time will not restore me to the state I was in, when I came here; and even then I doubt I shall leave the better part of myself behind.”
Aminè again took the part of the porter: “He is right, my sister,” she exclaimed; “I am convinced of the propriety of his demand. He has sufficiently diverted us; and if you wish to believe me, or rather if you love me, I am sure you will suffer him to pass the evening with us.”—“We cannot refuse any request of yours, my sister,” replied Zobeidè. “Porter,” she added, addressing herself to him; “we wish to grant you even this favour, but we must premise a fresh condition: whatever we may do in your presence, with respect to yourself or any thing else, take great care that you do not ask the reason; for in questioning us about things that do not at all concern you, you may hear what will not please you. Take care, therefore, and be not too curious in attempting to discover the motives of our actions.”
“Madam,” replied the porter, “I promise to observe the conditions with so much exactitude, that you shall have no reason to reproach me with having infringed them, and even still less to punish my indiscretion. My tongue shall be motionless; and my eyes shall be like a mirror, that preserves no part of the objects it receives.”—“To let you see,” said Zobeidè, with a serious air, “that what we require of you is not newly established among us, observe what is written over the door, on the inside.” The porter went and read these words, which were written in large letters of gold, whoever talks about what DOES NOT CONCERN HIM, OFTEN HEARS WHAT DOES not please him! He came back directly, and said to the three sisters, “I swear to you, ladies, that you shall not hear me speak a word concerning any thing which does not regard me, and in which you have any interest.”
This being settled, Aminè brought supper; and when she had lighted up the hall with numerous candles prepared with aloes and ambergris, which scattered a very agreeable perfume, and cast a brilliant light, she seated herself at the table with her sisters and the porter. They began to eat, drink, sing, and recite verses. The females took pleasure in making the porter intoxicated, under the pretence of making him drink to their health. Wit and repartee were not wanting. They were at length all in the best humour, when they heard a knocking at the gate. They instantly got up, and all run to open it; but Safiè, to whom this office more particularly belonged, was the most active. The other two, seeing her before them, stopped, and waited till she came back to inform them who could have any business with them at so late an hour. Safiè soon returned. “A charming opportunity, my sisters, offers itself to spend great part of the night very pleasantly, and if you are of the same opinion as I am, we will not let it escape us. There are three calenders at the door; at least they appear so by their dress; but what will doubtless surprise you is, that they are all three blind of the right eye, and have their heads, beards, and eyebrows shaved. They say, they are only just arrived at Bagdad, where they have never been before, and as it is dark, and they knew not where to lodge, they knocked at our door by chance; and entreat us for the love of God, to have the charity to take them in. They care not where we put them, provided they are under cover; and will be satisfied even with a stable. They are young and well-made and appear to possess some spirit, but I cannot without laughing, think of their amusing and uniform figures. Safiè could not indeed refrain from laughing most heartily at this moment, nor could either her sisters or the porter do otherwise than join in it. “Shall we,” said she, “let them come in? It is impossible but that with such men as I have described, we shall finish the day still better than we begun it. They will divert us very much, and they will be no expense to us, since they only ask a lodging for one night, and it is their intention to leave us as soon as it is day.”
Zobeidè and Aminè made some difficulty in agreeing to the request of Safiè; and she herself well knew the reason of it: but expressed so great a desire to have her way, that they could not refuse her. “Go,” said Zobeidè to her, “and let them come in, but do not fail to caution them not to speak about what does not concern them, and make them read the inscription over the inside of the door. At these words, Safiè joyfully ran to open the door, and soon returned, accompanied by the three calenders.