THE HISTORY OF AMINE. gi

with so many tears, that they made a very strong impression on
my husband. |

“Well, then,” said he to his nurse, “out of regard for you |
will grant her life; but 1 am determined she shall not go un-
punished.” Having said this, one of the slaves, by his order,
gave me so many blows with a small pliant cane on my sides
and bosom, that the skin and flesh were torn in every part. I
was obliged to keep my bed four months; at length I was
cured ; but all the scars which I could not prevent you from
seeing yesterday, have remained there ever since. As soon as
1 was able to walk about and go out, I wished to return to the
house which I possessed by my first husband; but I could
only discover its situation, for my second husband, of whom 1
could hear nothing, in the excess of his fury, was not satisfied
with having that pulled down: he had even caused the whole
street where it stood to be razed to the ground.

Entirely desolate, and deprived of every succour, I had re-
course to my dear sister Zobeidé, who has already related her
history to your majesty. She received me with her accustomed
goodness, and exhorted me to bear my afflictions with patience.
She then informed me of her two sisters’ jealousy towards her,
and in what manner they had been transformed into dogs.

Having presented my youngest sister to me, who after her
mother’s death had come to reside with her, we resolved for the
future to live together, and never again to separate. We have
for a long time continued to pass this tranquil kind of life, and
as I have the whole management of the house, I take a pleasure
in sometimes going out myself to purchase the provisions we
may have occasion for. I went out yesterday for this purpose,
and ordered them to be brought home bya porter, who proved to
be possessed of some wit and humour, and we detained him in
order to divertus. The three calenders arrived about the begin-
ning of the evening, and requested us to afford them an asylum till
the morning. We received them upon one express condition,
which they agreed to; and after placing them at our own table,
they amused us with some music in a manner peculiar to them-
selves. At this particular time, we heard a knock at our gate,
and we saw there were three merchants of Moussoul, of pre-
possessing appearance, who requested the same favour of us
which the calenders had before done; and we granted it them