178 &. The Story of Zobeide

of her sad condition, she told me. with tears how inhumanly her
husband had dealt with her. I was so much concerned at her mis-
fortune that it drew tears from my eyes: I clothed her with my
own apparel, and spoke to her thus: ‘ Sister, you are the elder, and
I esteem you as my mother: during your absence, God has blessed
the portion that fell to my share, and the employment I follow of
feeding and bringing up silk-worms. Assure yourself that there is
nothing I have but is at your service, and as much at your disposal
as my own,

We. lived very comfortably together for some months; and
one day as we were discoursing together about our third sister, and
wondering we heard no news of her, she came home in as bad
a condition as the elder; her husband had treated her after the
same manner: and I received, her likewise with the. same.affection
as I had done the other.

Some time after, my two sisters, on the ground that they would
not be an expense to me, told me they intended to marry again. I
answered them, that if their putting me to expense was all the reason
they might lay those thoughts aside, and be very welcome to stay
with me; for what I had would be sufficient to: maintain us all.three
in a manner suitable to our condition. ‘But, said I, ‘I rather believe
you have a mind to marry again. If you do, I am sure it will very
much surprise-‘me: after the experience you have had of the small
satisfaction there if in marriage, is it ‘ possible you dare’ venture

asecond time? You know how rare it is to meet with a husband
that is a-really honest man. Believe’ what I say, and let us live
together as comfortably as we can.’ All my persuasion was. in vain;
they were resolved to marry, and so they did. But after some months’
were past they came back again, and begged my pardon a thousand
times for not following my advice. ‘You are our youngest sister,
said’ they, ‘and much wiser than we; but if ‘you will vouchsafe
to receive us once more into your house and account us your slaves,