I cannot adequately express my acknowledgments.
As to the rest, ladies," said he, addressing himself to all the three
sisters, "since you do me so great an honor, I shall always look upon
myself as one of your most humble slaves."
When he had spoken these words he would have returned the money he had
received, but Zobeide ordered him to keep it.
"What we have once given," said she, "we never take back. We are
willing, too, to allow you to stay on one condition, that you keep
secret and do not ask the reason for anything you may see us do. To
show you," said Zobeide, with a serious countenance, "that what we
demand of you is not a new thing among us, read what is written over
our gate on the inside."
The porter read these words, written in large characters of gold: "He
who speaks of things that do not concern him, shall hear things that
will not please him."
"Ladies," said he, "I swear to you that you shall never hear me utter
a word respecting what does not relate to me, or wherein you may have
any concern."
These preliminaries being settled, Amina brought in supper, and after
she had lighted up the room with tapers made of aloewood and
ambergris, which yield a most agreeable perfume as well as a delicate
light, she sat down with her sisters and the porter. They began
again to eat and drink, to sing, and repeat verses. The ladies
diverted themselves by intoxicating the porter, under pretext of
making him drink their healths, and the repast was enlivened by
reciprocal sallies of wit.
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