till the place shone in the season of darkness even as the day. Then the eunuchs removed thither the wine-service and (quoth Abu al-Hasan) "I saw drinking-vessels and rarities whose like mine eyes never beheld, vases of gold and silver and all manner of noble metals and precious stones, such as no power of description can describe, till indeed it seemed to me I was dreaming, for excess of amazement at what I saw!" But as for Ali bin Bakkar, from the moment Shams al-Nahar left him, he lay strown on the ground for stress of love and desire; and, when he revived, he fell to gazing upon these things that had not their like and saying to Abu al-Hasan, "O my brother, I fear lest the Caliph see us or come to know of our case; but the most of my fear is for thee. For myself, of a truth I know that I am about to be lost past recourse, and the cause of my destruction is naught but love and longing and excess of desire and distraction, and disunion from my beloved after union with her; but I beseech Allah to deliver us from this perilous predicament." And they ceased not to look out of the balcony on the Caliph who was taking his pleasure, till the banquet was spread before him, when he turned to one of the damsels and said to her, "O Gharám,[FN#189] let us hear some of thine enchanting songs." So she took the lute and tuning it, began singing, "The longing of a Bedouin maid, whose folks are far away, * Who yearns after the willow of the Hejaz and the bay,[FN#190]— Whose tears, when she on travellers lights, might for their water serve * And eke her her passion, with its heat, their bivouac-fire purvey,— Is not more fierce nor ardent than my longing for my love, * Who deems that I commit a crime in loving him alway."[FN#191]