第85章

after which they all dispersed and went their ways.As for Zumurrud，she thought the night would never come，that she might be alone with the beloved of her heart.As soon as it was dark，she withdrew to her sleeping-chamber and made her attendants think her overcome with sleep； and it was her wont to suffer none to pass the night with her save those two little eunuchs who waited upon her.After a while when she had composed herself，she sent for her dear Ali Shar and sat down upon the bed，with candles burning over her head and feet，and hanging lamps of gold lighting up the place like the rising sun.When the people heard of her sending for Ali Shar，they marvelled thereat and each man thought his thought and said his say； but one of them declared，'At all events the King is in love with this young man，and to-morrow he will make him generalissimo of the army.'[319] Now when they brought him into her，he kissed the ground between her hands and called down blessings her，and she said in her mind，'There is no help for it but that I jest with him awhile，before I make myself known to him.''[320] Then she asked him，'O Ali，say me，hast thou been to the Hammam？'[321] and he answered，'Yes，O my lord.' Quoth she，'Come，eat of this chicken and meat，and drink of this wine and sherbet of sugar； for thou art weary；

and after that come thou hither.' 'I hear and I obey，' replied he and did as she commanded him do.Now when he had made an end of eating and drinking，she said to him，'Come up with me on the couch and shampoo[322] my feet.' So he fell to rubbing feet and kneading calves，and found them softer than silk.Then said she，'Go higher with the massage；' and he，'Pardon me，O my lord，to the knee but no farther！' Whereupon quoth she，'Durst thou disobey me？： it shall be an ill-omened night for thee！'--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Three Hundred and Twenty-seventh Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that Zumurrud cried to her lord，Ali Shar，'Durst thou disobey me？： it shall be an ill-omened night for thee！ Nay，but it behoveth thee to do my bidding and I will make thee my minion and appoint thee one of my Emirs.' Asked Ali Shar，'And in what must I do thy bidding，O King of the age？' and she answered，'Doff thy trousers and lie down on thy face.' Quoth he，'That is a thing in my life I never did； and if thou force me thereto，verily I will accuse thee thereof before Allah on Resurrection-day.Take everything thou hast given me and let me go from thy city.' And he wept and lamented； but she said，'Doff thy trousers and lie down on thy face，or I will strike off thy head.' So he did as she bade him and she mounted upon his back； and he felt what was softer than silk and smoother than cream and said in himself，'Of a truth，this King is nicer than all the women！' Now for a time she abode on his back，then she turned over on the bed，and he said to himself，'Praised be Allah！ It seemeth his yard is not standing.'

Then said she，'O Ali，it is of the wont of my prickle that it standeth not，except they rub it with their hands； so，come，rub it with thy hand，till it be at stand，else will I slay thee.' So saying，she lay down on her back and taking his hand，set it to her parts，and he found these same parts softer than silk； white，plumply-rounded，protuberant，resembling for heat the hot room of the bath or the heart of a lover whom love-longing hath wasted.

Quoth Ali in himself，'Verily，our King hath a coynte； this is indeed a wonder of wonders！' And lust get hold on him and his yard rose and stood upright to the utmost of its height； which when Zumurrud saw，she burst out laughing and said to him，'O my lord，all this happeneth and yet thou knowest me not！' He asked 'And who art thou，O King？'； and she answered，'I am thy slave-girl Zumurrud.' Now whenas he knew this and was certified that she was indeed his very slave-girl，Zumurrud，he kissed her and embraced her and threw himself upon her as the lion upon the lamb.Then he sheathed his steel rod in her scabbard and ceased not to play the porter at her door and the preacher in her pulpit and the priest[323] at her prayer niche，whilst she with him ceased not from inclination and prostration and rising up and sitting down，accompanying her ejaculations of praise and of 'Glory to Allah！' with passionate movements and wrigglings and claspings of his member[324] and other amorous gestures，till the two little eunuchs heard the noise.So they came and peeping from behind the curtains saw the King lying on his back and upon him Ali Shar，thrusting and slashing whilst she puffed and blew and wriggled.Quoth they，'Verily，this be no man's wriggle：

belike this King is a woman.''[325] But they concealed their affair and discovered it to none.And when the morrow came，Zumurrud summoned all the troops and the lords of the realm and said to them，'I am minded to journey to this man's country； so choose you a viceroy，who shall rule over you till I return to you.' And they answered，'We hear and we obey.' Then she applied herself to making ready the wants of the way，to wit provaunt and provender，monies and rarities for presents，camels and mules and so forth； after which she set out from her city with Ali Shar，and they ceased not faring on，till they arrived at his native place，where he entered his house and gave many gifts to his friends and alms and largesse to the poor.And Allah vouchsafed him children by her，and they both lived the gladdest and happiest of lives，till there came to them the Destroyer of delights and the Severer of societies and the Garnerer of graves.

And glorified be He the Eternal without cease，and praised be He in every case！ And amongst other tales they tell one of

THE LOVES OF JUBAYR BIN UMAYR AND THE LADY BUDUR.