recovery.
After a month thus passed she began to grow better, and expressed
a wish to go to the bath. Before she went, "Cousin," said she
(for so she used to call me out of familiarity), "I long for some
apples; if you would get me any, you would greatly please me. I
have longed for them a great while, and I must own it is come to
that height, that if I be not satisfied very soon, I fear some
misfortune will befall me." "I will cheerfully try," said I, "and
do all in my power to make you easy."

I went immediately round all the markets and shops in the town to
seek for apples, but I could not get one, though I offered to pay
a sequin a piece. I returned home much dissatisfied at my
failure; and for my wife, when she returned from the bagnio, and
saw no apples, she became so very uneasy, that she could not
sleep all night. I got up by times in the morning, and went
through all the gardens, but had no better success than the day
before; only I happened to meet an old gardener, who told me,
that all my pains would signify nothing, for I could not expect
to find apples any where but in your majesty's garden at
Bussorah. As I loved my wife passionately, and would not neglect
to satisfy her, I dressed myself in a traveller's habit, and
after I had told her my design, went to Bussorah, and made my
journey with such speed, that I returned at the end of fifteen
days with three apples, which cost me a sequin apiece, for as
there were no more left, the gardener would not let me have them
for less. As soon as I came home, I presented them to my wife,
but her longing had ceased, she satisfied herself with receiving
them, and laid them down by her. In the mean time she continued
sickly, and I knew not what remedy to procure for her relief.

Some few days after I returned from my journey, sitting in my
shop in the public place where all sorts of fine stuffs are sold,
I saw an ugly, tall, black slave come in, with an apple in his
hand, which I knew to be one of those I had brought from
Bussorah. I had no reason to doubt it, because I was certain
there was not one to be had in Bagdad, nor in any of the gardens
in the vicinity. I called to him, and said, "Good slave, pr'ythee
tell me where thou hadst this apple?" "It is a present" (said he,
smiling) "from my mistress. I went to see her to-day, and found
her out of order. I saw three apples lying by her, and asked her
where she had them. She told me the good man, her husband, had
ma