The Arabian Nights [220]
"Come on," said the Barmecide, "bring us something to eat, and do not let us wait." When he had spoken, though nothing appeared, he began to cut as if something had been brought him upon a plate, and putting his hand to his mouth began to chew, and said to my brother, "Come, friend, eat as freely as if you were at home; come, eat; you said you were like to die of hunger, but you eat as if you had no appetite." "Pardon me, my lord," said Schacabac, who perfectly imitated what he did, "you see I lose no time, and that I play my part well enough." "How like you this bread," said the Barmecide; "do not you find it very good?" "O! my lord," replied my brother, who saw neither bread nor meat, "I have never eaten anything so white and so fine." "Eat your belly-full," said the Barmecide; "I assure you the woman who bakes me this good bread cost me five hundred pieces of gold to purchase her."
The Barmecide, after having boasted so much of his bread, which my brother ate only in idea, cried, "Boy, bring us another dish:" and though no boy appeared, "Come, my good friend," continued he, "taste this new dish; and tell me if ever you ate better mutton and barley-broth than this." "It is admirably good," replied my brother, "and therefore you see I eat heartily." "You oblige me highly," resumed the Barmecide; "I conjure you then, by the satisfaction I have to see you eat so heartily, that you eat all up, since you like it so well." A little while after he called for a goose and sweet sauce, made up of vinegar, honey, dry raisins, grey peas, and dry figs, which were brought just in the same manner as the others had. "The goose is very fat," said the Barmecide, "eat only a leg and a wing; we must save our stomachs, for we have abundance of other dishes to come." He actually called for several others, of which my brother, who was ready to die of hunger, pretended to eat; but what he boasted of more than all the rest was a lamb fed with pistachio nuts, which he ordered to be brought up in the same manner. "Here is a dish," said the Barmecide "that you will see at nobody's table but my own; I would have you eat your belly-full of it." Having spoken thus, he stretched out his hand as if he had had a piece of lamb in it, and putting it to my brother's mouth, "There," said he, "swallow that, and you will judge whether I had not reason to boast of this dish." My brother thrust out his head, opened his mouth, and made as if he took the piece of lamb, and eat it with extreme pleasure. "I knew you would like it," said the Barmecide. "There is nothing in the world finer," replied my brother; "your table is most delicious." "Come, bring the ragout; I fancy you will like that as well as you did the lamb: Well, how do you relish it?" "O! it is wonderful," replied Schacabac; "for here we taste all at once, amber, cloves, nutmeg, ginger, pepper, and the most odoriferous herbs, and all these delicacies are so well mixed, that one does not prevent our tasting the other." "How pleasant! Honour this ragout," said the Barmecide, "by eating heartily of it. Ho, boy, bring us another ragout." "No, my lord, if it please you," replied my brother, "for indeed I can eat no more."
"Come, take away then," said the Barmecide, "and bring the fruit." He stayed a moment as it were to give time for his servants to carry away; after which, he addressed my brother, "Taste these almonds, they are good and fresh gathered." Both of them made as if they had peeled the almonds, and eaten them; after this, the Barmecide invited my brother to eat something else. "Look," said he, "there are all sorts of fruits, cakes, dry sweetmeats, and conserves, take what you like;" then stretching out his hand, as if he had reached my brother something, "Look," he continued, "there is a lozenge, very good for digestion." Schacabac made as if he ate it, and