The Story of Zobeide | 22190

 

we shall: never commit such a fault again” My answer was, ‘ Dear
sisters, I have not altered my mind with respect to you since we last
parted from one another ; come again and take part of what I have.’
Upon this I embraced them again, and we lived together as we
did formerly. ; :

We continued thus a whole year in perfect love and tranquillity ;
and seeing that God had increased my small stock, I projected a
voyage by sea, to hazard somewhat by trade. To this end I went
with my two sisters to Balsora, where I bought a ship ready fitted
for sea, and laded her with such merchandise as I brought from
Bagdad. We set sail with a fair wind, and soon cleared the Persian
gulf ; and when we got into the ocean we steered our: Course to the
Indies, and on the twentieth day saw land. It was a very high
mountain, at the foot of which we saw a great town, and having a
fresh wind we soon reached the harbour, where we cast anchor.

I had not patience to stay till my sisters were ready to go
with. me, but went ashore in the boat by myself; and, making
directly for the gate of the town, 1 saw there a great number of
men on guard, some sitting and others standing, with sticks in
their hands ; and they had all such dreadful countenances that it
frightened me; but perceiving they had no motion, not so much as.
with their eyes, I took courage, and went nearer, and then found

‘they were all turned into stone. I entered the town and passed
through the several streets, wherein men stood everywhere in various
attitudes, but all motionless and petrified. On that side where the
merchants lived I. found most of the shops shut, and in such as were
open I likewise found the people petrified. I looked up to the
chimneys, but saw no smoke; which made me conjecture that the
inhabitants both within and without were all.turned into stone: —

Being come into.a vast square in the heart of the city, I perceived
a great gate covered with plates of gold, the two doors of which.
stood open, and a curtain of silk stuff seemed to be drawn before

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