“Delighted with my good fortune, I immediately gave orders for my people to bring us several kinds of fruit, and some bottles of wine. We were served quickly, and we eat and drank, and regaled ourselves till midnight; in short, I had never passed a night so agreeably before. The next morning I was going to put ten scherifs into her hand; but she withdrew it quickly, and said, ‘I did not come to see you from interested motives; you wound my delicacy. Far from receiving money from you, I insist on your accepting some from me, otherwise I will never see you more.’ At the same time she took ten scherifs out of her purse, and forced me to accept them. ‘Expect me in three days,’ said she, ‘after the sun is set.’ She then took her leave, and I felt that she carried away my heart with her.
“At the expiration of three days, she did not fail to return at the appointed hour, and I received her with the joy of a man who impatiently expected her. We passed the evening and night as we had the former one, and the next day, when she left me, she again promised to return in three days, but would not depart till she had obliged me as before to take ten scherifs.
“Having returned the third time, and being both heated with wine, she said to me, ‘My dear love, what do you think of me? Am I not handsome and pleasing?’—‘Madam,’ replied I, ‘these questions, I think, are very useless; all the proofs of affection I give you, ought to convince you I love you; I am enchanted to see and possess you; you are my queen, my sultana; you form the sole happiness of my life.’—‘Ah!’ resumed she, ‘I am sure you would change your tone, if you were to see a lady of my acquaintance, who is younger and handsomer than I am; she has such lively spirits, that she would make the most melancholy laugh. I must bring her to you; I have spoken to her about you, and from what I said, she is dying with impatience to see you. She begged me to procure her this gratification, but I did not dare to comply with her request, till I had mentioned it to you.’—‘Madam,’ said I, ‘you will do as you please; but say what you will about your friend, I defy all her attractions to have any power over my heart, which is so devotedly yours, that nothing can ever alter my attachment.’—‘Take care,’ replied she, ‘I warn you, that I am going to put your heart to a great trial.’
“The subject was then dropped, and the following morning at her departure, instead of ten scherifs she gave me fifteen, which she obliged me to accept. ‘Remember,’ said she, ‘that in two days you will have a new guest; prepare to give her a good reception; we will come at the usual hour after sun-set.’
“I had the room ornamented, and prepared an elegant collation against the day that they were to come; I waited for them with great impatience, and they at length arrived towards the close of the evening. They both unveiled; and if I had been surprised with the beauty of the first, I had much more reason to be so with that of her friend. She had regular features, and perfectly formed; a glowing complexion, and eyes of such brilliancy, that I could scarcely sustain their lustre. I thanked her for the honour she conferred on me, and entreated her to excuse me, if I did not receive her in the style she deserved. ‘No compliments,’ said she, ‘I ought to bestow them on you, for having allowed me to accompany my friend hither; but as you are so good as to suffer me to remain, let us waive all ceremony, and think of nothing but amusing ourselves.’
“As I had given orders for the collation to be served as soon as the ladies arrived, we shortly sat down to table. I was opposite to my new guest, who did not cease to look and smile at me. I could not resist her winning glances, and she made herself mistress of my heart without any resistance. But while inspiring me with love, she felt the flame herself; and far from practising any restraint, she said a number of tender things to me.
“The other lady, who observed us, at first only laughed. ‘I told you,’ said she, addressing herself to me, ‘that you would be charmed with my friend, and I perceive you would have already violated the oath you made me to remain constant.’ ‘Madam,’ replied I, laughing as she had done, ‘you would have reason to complain, if I were remiss in politeness towards a lady whom you love, and have done me the honour to bring here; both of you would reproach me with not knowing how to perform the honours of my house.’
“We continued drinking, but in proportion as we became heated with wine, the new lady and I exchanged glances with so little precaution that her friend conceived a violent jealousy, of which she soon gave us a fatal proof. She got up and went out, saying, that she should soon return; but a few minutes after, the lady who had remained with me changed countenance; she fell into strong convulsions, and shortly after expired in my arms, whilst I was calling my servants to assist me in relieving her. I went out immediately, and inquired for the other lady; my people told me that she had opened the street door, and had gone away. I then began to suspect, and nothing could be more just than my suspicions, that she had occasioned the death of her friend. In fact, she had had the address and the wickedness to put a strong poison into the last cup, which she herself had presented to her.
“I was extremely afflicted at this accident. ‘What shall I do?’ said I to myself. ‘What will become of me?’ As I considered that I had no time to lose, I ordered my people to raise up, by the light of the moon, and as quietly as possible, one of the largest pieces of marble with which the court of my house was paved, and to dig a grave, where they interred the body of the young lady. After the marble was replaced, I put on a travelling dress, and taking all the money I was possessed of, I locked up every thing, even the door of my house, on which I put my own seal; I went to the jeweller, who was the proprietor, paid him what rent I was in his debt, and a year in advance besides; and giving him the key, begged him to keep it for me: ‘A very important affair,’ said I, ‘obliges me to be absent for some time; I am under the necessity of going to my uncle’s at Cairo.’ I then took my leave of him; instantly mounted my horse, and set off with my people, who were waiting for me.
“I had a good journey, and arrived at Cairo without any unpleasant interruption. I found my uncles, who were astonished to see me. I said to them, by way of excuse, that I was tired of waiting for them; and that, receiving no intelligence of them, my uneasiness had induced me to undertake the journey. They received me very kindly, and promised to intercede with my father, that he should not be displeased at my quitting Damascus, without his permission. I lodged in the same khan with them, and saw every thing that was worthy of attention in Cairo.