第49章

When it was the Two Hundred and Eighty-fourth Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that the sweep continued，'When I entered that saloon I saw a person seated on a couch of Indian rattan，with ivory feet and before her a number of damsels.When she saw me she rose to me and called me； so I went up to her and she seated me by her side.Then she bade her slave-girls bring food，and they brought all manner of rich meats，such as I never saw in all my life； I do not even know the names of the dishes，much less their nature.So I ate my fill and when the dishes had been taken away and we had washed our hands，she called for fruits which came without stay or delay and ordered me eat of them； and when we had ended eating she bade one of the waiting-women bring the wine furniture.So they set on flagons of divers kinds of wine and burned perfumes in all the censers，what while a damsel like the moon rose and served us with wine to the sound of the smitten strings； and I drank，and the lady drank，till we were seized with wine and the whole time I doubted not but that all this was an illusion of sleep.

Presently，she signed to one of the damsels to spread us a bed in such a place，which being done，she rose and took me by the hand and led me thither，and lay down and I lay with her till the morning，and as often as I pressed her to my breast I smelt the delicious fragrance of musk and other perfumes that exhaled from her and could not think otherwise but that I was in Paradise or in the vain phantasies of a dream.Now when it was day，she asked me where I lodged and I told her，'In such a place；'whereupon she gave me leave to depart，handing to me a kerchief worked with gold and silver and containing somewhat tied in it，and took leave of me，saying，'Go to the bath with this.'I rejoiced and said to myself，'If there be but five coppers here，it will buy me this day my morning meal.'Then I left her，as though I were leaving Paradise，and returned to my poor crib where I opened the kerchief and found in it fifty miskals of gold.So I buried them in the ground and，buying two farthings'worth of bread and 'kitchen，'[184] seated me at the door and broke my fast； after which I sat pondering my case and continued so doing till the time of afternoon，prayer，when lo！ a slave-girl accosted me saying，'My mistress calleth for thee.'I followed her to the house aforesaid and，after asking permission，she carried me into the lady，before whom I kissed the ground，and she commanded me to sit and called for meat and wine as on the previous day； after which I again lay with her all night.On the morrow，she gave me a second kerchief，with other fifty dinars therein，and I took it and going home，buried this also.In such pleasant condition I continued eight days running，going in to her at the hour of afternoon prayer and leaving her at daybreak； but，on the eighth night，as I lay with her，behold，one of her slave-girls came running in and said to me，'Arise，go up into yonder closet.'So I rose and went into the closet，which was over the gate，and presently I heard a great clamour and tramp of horse； and，looking out of the window which gave on the street in front of the house，I saw a young man as he were the rising moon on the night of fulness come riding up attended by a number of servants and soldiers who were about him on foot.He alighted at the door and entering the saloon found the lady seated on the couch； so he kissed the ground between her hands then came up to her and kissed her hands； but she would not speak to him.However，he continued patiently to humble himself，and soothe her and speak her fair，till he made his peace with her，and they lay together that night.'--And Shahrazed perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Eighty-fifth Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that the scavenger continued，'Now when her husband had made his peace with the young lady，he lay with her that night； and next morning，the soldiers came for him and he mounted and rode away；

whereupon she drew near to me and said，'Sawst thou yonder man？'

I answered，'Yes；'and she said，'He is my husband，and I will tell thee what befell me with him.It came to pass one day that we were sitting，he and I，in the garden within the house，and behold，he rose from my side and was absent a long while，till I

grew tired of waiting and said to myself： Most like，he is in the privy.So I arose and went to the water-closet，but not finding him there，went down to the kitchen，where I saw a slave-girl；

and when I enquired for him，she showed him to me lying with one of the cookmaids.Hereupon，I swore a great oath that I assuredly would do adultery with the foulest and filthiest man in Baghdad；

and the day the eunuch laid hands on thee，I had been four days going round about the city in quest of one who should answer to this deion，but found none fouler nor filthier than thy good self.So I took thee and there passed between us that which Allah fore ordained to us； and now I am quit of my oath.'Then she added，'If，however，my husband return yet again to the cookmaid and lie with her，I will restore thee to thy lost place in my favours.'Now when I heard these words from her lips，what while she pierced my heart with the shafts of her glances，my tears streamed forth，till my eyelids were chafed sore with weeping，and I repeated the saying of the poet，'Grant me the kiss of that left hand ten times；*And learn it hath than right hand higher grade；[185]

For 'tis but little since that same left hand*Washed off Sir Reverence when ablution made.'