Part 11

The ladies laughed heartily at the reasoning of the porter. Zobeidè, however, then addressed him in a serious manner. “You carry your fooleries, my friend, a little too far; but though you do not deserve that I should enter into any explanation with you, I will at once inform you, that we are three sisters, who arrange all our affairs so secretly, that no one knows any thing of them. We have too great reason to fear a discovery to permit us to impart our arrangements; and an established author whom we have read, says, _Keep thy own secret, and tell it to no one; for he who reveals a secret is no longer master of it. If thy own breast cannot contain thy secret, how can the breast of him to whom you intrust it?_”

“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.

On entering they made a low bow to the sisters, who had risen to receive them; and who obligingly told them they were welcome, and that they were happy in being able to oblige them, and contribute towards lessening the fatigue of their journey. They then invited their new guests to sit down with them. The magnificence of the place and the kindness of the ladies gave the calenders a very high idea of the beautiful hostess and her sisters; but before they took their places, having by chance cast their eyes towards the porter, and observing that he was dressed very like other calenders, from whom they differed in many points of discipline, and whose beard and eyebrows were not shaved, one of them said, “This man appears to be one of our Arabian brethren, who revolted.”

The porter, half asleep and heated with the wine he had drunk, was much disturbed at these words; and without getting up he said to the calenders, casting at the same time a fierce look at them, “Seat yourselves, and meddle not with what does not concern you. Have you not read the inscription over the door? Do not pretend then to make the world live after your fashion; but live according to ours.” --“My good friend,” replied the calender, who had before spoken, “do not be angry, for we should be very sorry to give you any cause; on the contrary, we are ready to receive your commands.” The dispute would not have ended here had not the ladies interfered, and pacified all parties.

When the calenders were seated, the sisters helped them, and the delighted Safiè in particular took care to supply them with wine. When they had both eaten and drunk as much as they wished, they intimated that they should be happy to give them some music, if they had any instruments, and would order them to be brought. They accepted the offer with pleasure; and the beautiful Safiè immediately got up to enquire after some, and returned the next moment and offered them a flute of that country, also another used in Persia, and a tambour de basque. Each calender received from her hand that instrument he liked best, and they all began to play a little air. The females were acquainted with the words, which were very lively, and accompanied the air with their voices: frequently interrupting each other with fits of laughter from the nature of the words.

In the midst of this entertainment, and when the party were highly delighted, they heard a knock at the door. Safiè immediately left off singing, and went to see who it was.

“But I must now inform you, Sire,” said Scheherazadè to the sultan, in this place, “that it is proper for your majesty to know how any one came to knock so late at the door of this house. The caliph Haroun Alraschid made it a practice to go very often, during the night, through the city in disguise, in order to discover whether every thing was quiet. On this evening, therefore, the caliph set out from his palace, at his accustomed hour, accompanied by Giafar, his grand vizier, and Mesrour, chief of the eunuchs, all three disguised as merchants. In passing through the street where these ladies lived, the prince heard the sound of the instruments, interrupted by laughter, and said to his vizier, “Go and knock at the door of that house, where I hear so much noise; I wish to gain admittance, and learn the cause of it.” The vizier endeavoured to persuade the caliph that they were only women, who were making merry that evening, and the wine seemed to have exhilirated their spirits; and that they ought not to expose themselves, where it was probable they might meet with some insult; besides, the time, he said, was improper, and it was useless to disturb their amusements. “Never mind,” said the caliph, “knock as I order you.”

It was, then, the grand vizier Giafar who had knocked at the door by order of the caliph, who wished not to be known. Safiè opened it, and the vizier observed, by the light of a candle she carried, that she was very beautiful. He played his part very well. He first made a most profound reverence, and then, with a respectful air, he said, “Madam, we are three merchants of Moussoul, and arrived here about ten days ago, with some very rich merchandise, which we have deposited in a khan; where we have taken up our lodging. We have been to spend the day with a merchant of this city, who had invited us to go to see him. He treated us with a fine collation; and as the wine we drunk put us into a very good humour, he sent for a company of dancers. The night was already far advanced, and while we were playing on our instruments, the others dancing, and the whole company making a great noise, the watch happened to pass by, and obliged us to open the door. Some of the company were arrested: we were however so fortunate as to escape, by getting over a wall. But,” added the vizier, “as we are strangers, and have taken perhaps rather more wine than we ought, we are afraid of meeting with a second party of the watch, or perhaps the same before we arrive at our khan, which is at a considerable distance from hence. And we should even then get there to no purpose, for the gate would be shut, and whoever may come there, they will not open it till morning. This is the reason, madam, that as we heard, in passing by, the sound of instruments and voices, we thought all those who belonged to the house were not yet retired, and we took the liberty to knock, to beg you to afford us a retreat till the morning. If we appear to you worthy of taking a part in your amusements, we will endeavour, as far as we are able, to contribute to it, in order to repair the interruption we have caused; if not, do us at least the favor to suffer us to pass the night under the cover of your vestibule.”

During this speech of Giafar, the beautiful Safiè had an opportunity of examining the vizier and the two persons whom he also called merchants, and judging from their countenances that they were not common men, she said that she was not mistress, but if they would give themselves a moment’s patience she would return and bring the answer. Safiè went and related all this to her sisters, who hesitated some time as to what they ought to do. But they were naturally kind, and as they had conferred the same favor on the three calenders, they resolved to permit these also to come in. The caliph, the grand vizier, and the chief of the eunuchs, being introduced by the beautiful Safiè, saluted the ladies and the calenders with great civility. They, supposing them merchants, returned it in the same manner; and Zobeidè, as the principal person, with that grave and serious air which so well suited her, said, “You are welcome, but in the first place do not take it ill if we ask of you one favor.”--“What favor,” cried the vizier, “can we refuse to such beautiful ladies!”--“It is,” replied Zobeidè, “to have only eyes and no speech; to forbear from asking questions about what you may see, in order to learn the cause; and not to speak about what does not concern you, for fear you should hear what will not be pleasant to you.”--“You shall be obeyed, madam,” replied the vizier; “for we are neither censurers nor curious imprudent persons. It is enough for us to attend to our own business without meddling with what does not regard us.” After this each seated himself, and the conversation became general; and they drank to the health of the new guests.

While the vizier Giafar entertained them, the caliph ceased not from admiring the extraordinary beauty, the great elegance, the lively disposition and spirit of the ladies; while the appearance of the three calenders, all blind of the right eye, surprised him very much. He anxiously wished to learn the cause of this singularity, but the conditions they had imposed upon him and his companions, prevented any inquiry. Besides all this, when he reflected upon the richness of the services and furniture; with the regularity and arrangement every where apparent, he could hardly persuade himself it was not the effect of enchantment.

The conversation having fallen upon the various sorts of amusement, and the different modes of enjoying life, the calenders got up and danced in their peculiar way, which much augmented the good opinion the ladies had already conceived of them; and attracted also the applause and esteem of the caliph and his company. As soon as the calenders had finished, Zobeidè got up, and taking Aminè by the hand, said to her, “Come, sister, the company shall not think that we will put them under any restraint; nor shall their presence prevent us from doing as we have always been accustomed.” Aminè, who perfectly understood what her sister meant, got up and took away the dishes, tables, bottles, glasses, and also the instruments on which the calenders had played. Nor did Safiè remain idle; she swept the hall, put every thing in its proper place, snuffed the candles, and added more aloe wood and ambergris. Having done this, she requested the three calenders to sit on a sofa on one side, and the caliph and his company on the other. “Get up,” said she then to the porter, looking at him, “and be ready to assist in whatever we want you; a man like you, as strong as the house, ought never to remain idle.” The porter had slept till he was rather more sober: he got up therefore very quickly, and after fastening his cloak to his girdle, “I am ready,” he cried, “to do any thing you please.”--“That is well,” answered Safiè, “and you shall not remain long with your arms crossed.” A little while after Aminè came in with a sort of seat, which she placed in the middle of the room. She then went to the door of a closet, and having opened it, she made a sign to the porter to approach. “Come and assist me,” she cried. He did so, and went in with her, and returned a moment after, followed by two black dogs, each of which had a collar with a chain fastened to it, by which he held them. He brought these dogs, which appeared to have been very ill used and beaten with a whip, into the middle of the room.

Zobeidè, who was sitting between the calenders and the caliph, then got up, and approaching to the porter in a very grave manner, “We must,” cried she, with a deep sigh, “do our duty.” She then turned up her sleeves, so as to uncover her arms up to the elbow, and after taking a whip which Safiè presented to her, “Porter,” she said, “take one of these dogs to my sister Aminè, and then come to me with the other.” The porter did as he was ordered; and as he approached Zobeidè, the dog, which he held, immediately began to howl, and turning towards her lifted up its head in a most supplicating manner. But she, without regarding the melancholy expressions of the dog, which must have excited pity, or its cries which filled the whole house, flogged it till she was out of breath, and when she had not strength left to beat it any more, she threw away the whip; then taking the chain from the porter, she took up the dog by the paws, and both looking at each other with a melancholy air, they mingled their tears together. Zobeidè after this took out her handkerchief, wiped the tears from its eyes and kissed it, then returning the chain to the porter, she desired him to lead that back from whence he had taken it, and bring her the other.

The porter carried the one that had been beaten back to the closet; and in returning took the other from the hands of Aminè, and presented it to Zobeidè, who was waiting for it. “Hold it as you did the first,” said she; then taking the whip, she served this in the same manner. She then wept with it, dried its tears, kissed it, and returned it to the porter, who was saved the trouble of carrying it back to the closet by the agreeable Aminè, who took it herself.

The three calenders, as well as the caliph and his party, were much astonished at this ceremony. They could not comprehend why Zobeidè, after having whipped, with so much violence, the two dogs, which, according to the tenets of the Mussulman religion, are impure animals, should afterwards weep with them, kiss them, and dry their tears. They conversed together about it, and the caliph in particular was very desirous of knowing the reason of an action which appeared to him so singular. He made signs to the vizier to inquire, but he turned his head another way, till at last, importuned by repeated signs, he answered in the same manner, that it was not yet time to satisfy his curiosity.

Zobeidè remained for some time in the middle of the room, as if to rest from her fatigue in beating the two dogs. “My dear sister,” said the beautiful Safiè, “will you not return to your place, that I also may perform my part?”--“Yes,” replied Zobeidè, and seated herself on the sofa with the caliph, Giafar, and Mesrour, on her right hand, and the three calenders and the porter on her left.