I buried him and had perlections of the Koran made for him, and mourned for him days and nights: then I opened his shop and found that he had left in it few goods, while his debts were many. However I compounded with his creditors for time to settle their demands and betook myself to buying and selling, paying them something from week to week on account; and I gave not over doing this till I had cleared off his obligations in full and began adding to my principal. One day, as I sat in my shop, suddenly and unexpectedly there appeared before me a young lady, than whom I never saw a fairer, wearing the richest raiment and ornaments and riding a she mule, with one negro slave walking before her and another behind her. She drew rein at the head of the exchange bazar and entered followed by an eunuch who said to her, "O my lady come out and away without telling anyone, lest thou light a fire which will burn us all up." Moreover he stood before her guarding her from view whilst she looked at the merchants' shops. She found none open but mine; so she came up with the eunuch behind her and sitting down in my shop saluted me; never heard I aught fairer than her speech or sweeter than her voice. Then she unveiled her face, and I saw that she was like the moon and I stole a glance at her whose sight caused me a thousand sighs, and my heart was captivated with love of her, and I kept looking again and again upon her face repeating these verses:— "Say to the charmer in the dove hued veil, * Death would be welcome to abate thy bale! Favour me with thy favours that I live: * See, I stretch forth my palm to take thy vail! When she heard my verse she answered me saying:— "I've lost all patience by despite of you; * My heart knows nothing save love plight to you! If aught I sight save charms so bright of you; * My parting end not in the sight of you! I swear I'll ne'er forget the right of you; * And fain this breast would soar to height of you: You made me drain the love cup, and I lief * A love cup tender for delight of you: Take this my form where'er you go, and when * You die, entomb me in the site of you: Call on me in my grave, and hear my bones * Sigh their responses to the shright of you: And were I asked 'Of God what wouldst thou see?' * I answer, 'first His will then Thy decree!'