A certain singing-girl was fair of favour and bruited of repute, and it happened one day that she fared forth to a garden a-pleasuring. As she sat in the summer-house, behold, a man lopped of the hand stopped to beg of her, and suddenly entered in at the door. Then he touched her with his stump, saying, “An alms, for the love of Allah!”[94] but she answered, “Allah open!” and insulted him. Many days after this, there came to her a messenger and gave her the hire of her going forth.[95] So she took with her a hand-maid and an accompanyist;[96] and when she came to the place appointed, the messenger brought her into a long passage, at the end whereof was a saloon. So (quoth she) we entered therein and found nobody, but we saw the room made ready for an entertainment with candles, dried fruits and wine, and in another place we saw food and in a third beds. Thereupon we sat down and I looked at him who had opened the door to us, and behold he was lopped of the hand. I misliked this, and when I sat a little longer, there entered a man, who filled the candelabra in the saloon and lit the waxen candles; and behold, he also was handlopped. Then flocked the folk and there entered none except he were lopped of the hand, and indeed the house was full of these companions.[97] When the session was complete, the host came in and the company rose to him and seated him in the place of honour. Now he was none other than the man who had fetched me, and he was clad in sumptuous clothes, but his hands were in his sleeves, so that I knew not how it was with them. They brought him food and he ate, he and the company; after which they washed hands and the host began casting at me furtive glances. Then they drank till they were drunken, and when they had taken leave of their wits, the host turned to me and said, “Thou dealtest not in friendly fashion with him who sought an alms of thee, and thou saidst to him:—How loathsome art thou!” I considered him and behold, he was the lophand who had accosted me in my pleasance.[98] So I asked, “O my lord, what is this thou sayest?” and he answered, “Wait; thou shalt remember it.” So saying, he shook his head and stroked his beard, whilst I sat down for fear. Then he put out his hand to my mantilla and walking-boots and laying them by his side, cried to me, “Sing, O accursed!” Accordingly, I sang till I was tired out, what while they occupied themselves with their case and drank themselves drunk and the heat of their drink redoubled. Presently, the doorkeeper came to me and said, “O my lady, fear not; but when thou hast a mind to go, let me know.” Quoth I, “Thinkest thou to delude me?” and quoth he, “Nay, by Allah! But I have ruth on thee for that our Captain and chief purposeth thee no good and methinketh he will kill thee this night.” Said I to him, “An thou be minded to do me a favour, now is its time;” and said he, “When our Chief riseth to his need and goeth to the Chapel of Ease, I will precede him