"And indeed," quoth she, "'twas said that Azzah boasted exceeding beauty and loveliness." Then she asked Sharrkan saying, "O Prince, dost thou know aught of Jamíl's[FN#194] verses to Buthaynah? if so repeat to us somewhat of them;" and he answered, "Yes, I know them better than any;" whereupon he began repeating these couplets, "Jamil, in Holy war go fight!" to me they say: * What war save fight for fair ones would I e'er essay? To me their every word and work are mere delight, * And martyrs clepe I all they slay in fight and fray: An ask I, 'O Buthaynah! what's this love, I pray, * Which eats my heart?' quoth she ' 'Twill stay for ever and aye!' And when I cry, 'Of wits return some small display * For daily use,' quoth she, 'Far, far 'tis fled away!" Thou seekst my death; naught else thy will can satisfy * While I no goal espy save thee and thee alway. "Thou hast spoken right well," said she, "O King's son, and Jamil also spoke excellently well. But what would Buthaynah have done with him that he saith in his hemistich, 'Thou seekst my death; naught else thy will can satisfy?'" "O my lady," quoth Sharrkan, "she willed to do him what thou willest to do with me, and even that will not satisfy thee." She laughed at his opportune reply and they ceased not carousing till Day put out her light and Night came in darkness dight. Then she rose and went to her dormitory and slept, while Sharrkan slept in his place till morning dawned. As soon as he awoke, the hand-maids came to him with tabrets and other instruments of mirth and merriment, as wont; and, kissing the ground between his hands, said to him, "Bismillah!--in Allah's name--be so kind as to come[FN#195]: our mistress biddeth thee to her presence!" So he rose and accompanied the slave-girls who surrounded him, playing on tabrets and other instruments of music, till they passed from that saloon into another and a yet more spacious hall, decorated with pictured likenesses and figures of birds and beasts, passing all description. Sharrkan marvelled at the art and artifice of the place and began reciting, "He pluckt fruits of her necklace in rivalry, * And her breast-pearls that bedded in gold-mine lie. Pure water on silvern bars is her brow, * And her cheeks show roses with rubies vie: Meseems in her eyne that the violet's hue * Lies purpling set in the Ithmid's[FN#196] dye." When the lady saw Sharrkan, she stood up to him in honour and, taking his hand, seated him by her side and asked, "O son of King Omar bin al-Nu'uman, hast thou any cunning in the game of chess?" "Yes," he answered, "but do not thou with me as said the poet,