Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Basem; Or, The Blacksmith. An Oriental Apologue.
neither smell to my flowers , nor touch my victuals , nor impertinently trouble me . ; and indeed my provision is barely sufficient to satisfy my own appetite . " , " God forbid , " cried Mesrour , " that it should ever be satisfied ! May he never give meat or drink to such a miserly glutton ! By the Lord- we never before met with such a selfish churl" Basem no
, . sooner heard these words , than with rage in his countenance , turning to Mesrour , _ "You contemptible beggarly rascal , " exclaimed he , " whom divine power has dyed black , what have you rascals brought along with you ? I pray heaven you may never prosper . It would have been well had you ' sent some present before you ; but you are pitiful fehpws , a salt sea , of which no one ever drank : you
never , even hy mistake , brought any thing to enrploy one ' s teeth ; never thought of bringing your supper to eat here ; you pretend too to be merchants , but you are th . e most niggardly rascals that God ever created . " The Khalif could npt help laughing heartily ; butspeaking softly to Giafar ; " After all , " said he , ' "the man has some reason to complain ; you have come three nihts epipty-handedmake
g ; up matters with him Giafar , sp . eak gently , and promise to behave better to-morrow-ni ght . " " I beseech you , Hadgi Basem , " said the vizir , with great humility , « forgive what is past ; we have been to blame ; but to-morrow night we will bring such a splendid supper , as we hope will make up for all former deficiencies . " v A splendid supper ! "
replied Basem , " you lie , you niggards , I dp not believe a word you say . Yourbottle companions ( as the song ' says ) perish from thirst , and the guests at your table pine with hunger , your dog is mangy . andyour door bolted against hospitality . " ' It was not in the power of the Khalif to prevent laughing immoderately : but Basem returned to his wine , and without taking notice of his guestscontinued to regale himselftill he became to all
-, , ap pearance intoxicated . " Giafar , " said the Khalif ; " our friend seems to have nearly done for himself ; now is the time to learn of him by what means he procured the five drachms this day . " ' ¦ ' Hadgi Basem ! " said the vizir , in a submissive tone of voice . ' .. What would you have , " replied he , " yon fellow with the old bear ' s whiskers !" " Hadgi , " continued the vizir , " we take a lively interest in every
thing concerning you ; we grie \ 'e when you are distressed , and rejoice when you are happy . " " Well , well , what then , what is it that you require of me ! " " Only to know , " said Giafar , « what happened after you found this morning that all the bagnios were shut up . " " Now for once , I will tell you , but upon condition , that you do not disclose what I sjjall communicate" " " Giafar assured him that he had
. nothing to apprehend , and that they were ' on the point of departing from Bagdat . ' Basem then entered into a circumstantial detail of all that day ' s adventures , and having concluded , " The Khalif / ' said he , " may , if he pleases ' , shut up the mahkamy , and provoke the populace to an insurrection ; but for my part , my resolution is fixed to
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Basem; Or, The Blacksmith. An Oriental Apologue.
neither smell to my flowers , nor touch my victuals , nor impertinently trouble me . ; and indeed my provision is barely sufficient to satisfy my own appetite . " , " God forbid , " cried Mesrour , " that it should ever be satisfied ! May he never give meat or drink to such a miserly glutton ! By the Lord- we never before met with such a selfish churl" Basem no
, . sooner heard these words , than with rage in his countenance , turning to Mesrour , _ "You contemptible beggarly rascal , " exclaimed he , " whom divine power has dyed black , what have you rascals brought along with you ? I pray heaven you may never prosper . It would have been well had you ' sent some present before you ; but you are pitiful fehpws , a salt sea , of which no one ever drank : you
never , even hy mistake , brought any thing to enrploy one ' s teeth ; never thought of bringing your supper to eat here ; you pretend too to be merchants , but you are th . e most niggardly rascals that God ever created . " The Khalif could npt help laughing heartily ; butspeaking softly to Giafar ; " After all , " said he , ' "the man has some reason to complain ; you have come three nihts epipty-handedmake
g ; up matters with him Giafar , sp . eak gently , and promise to behave better to-morrow-ni ght . " " I beseech you , Hadgi Basem , " said the vizir , with great humility , « forgive what is past ; we have been to blame ; but to-morrow night we will bring such a splendid supper , as we hope will make up for all former deficiencies . " v A splendid supper ! "
replied Basem , " you lie , you niggards , I dp not believe a word you say . Yourbottle companions ( as the song ' says ) perish from thirst , and the guests at your table pine with hunger , your dog is mangy . andyour door bolted against hospitality . " ' It was not in the power of the Khalif to prevent laughing immoderately : but Basem returned to his wine , and without taking notice of his guestscontinued to regale himselftill he became to all
-, , ap pearance intoxicated . " Giafar , " said the Khalif ; " our friend seems to have nearly done for himself ; now is the time to learn of him by what means he procured the five drachms this day . " ' ¦ ' Hadgi Basem ! " said the vizir , in a submissive tone of voice . ' .. What would you have , " replied he , " yon fellow with the old bear ' s whiskers !" " Hadgi , " continued the vizir , " we take a lively interest in every
thing concerning you ; we grie \ 'e when you are distressed , and rejoice when you are happy . " " Well , well , what then , what is it that you require of me ! " " Only to know , " said Giafar , « what happened after you found this morning that all the bagnios were shut up . " " Now for once , I will tell you , but upon condition , that you do not disclose what I sjjall communicate" " " Giafar assured him that he had
. nothing to apprehend , and that they were ' on the point of departing from Bagdat . ' Basem then entered into a circumstantial detail of all that day ' s adventures , and having concluded , " The Khalif / ' said he , " may , if he pleases ' , shut up the mahkamy , and provoke the populace to an insurrection ; but for my part , my resolution is fixed to