When Amjad heard these her words, they gladdened his heart which inclined to her and his bowels yearned towards her and the hands of love sported with him; so he sighed to her in reply and spoke these couplets, "Above the rose of cheek is thorn of lance;[FN#385] * Who dareth pluck it, rashest chevisance? Stretch not thy hand towards it, for night long * Those lances marred because we snatched a glance! Say her, who tyrant is and tempter too * (Though justice might her tempting power enhance):— Thy face would add to errors were it veiled; * Unveiled I see its guard hath best of chance! Eye cannot look upon Sol's naked face; * But can, when mist-cloud dims his countenance: The honey-hive is held by honey-bee;[FN#386] * Ask the tribe-guards what wants their vigilance? An they would slay me, let them end their ire * Rancorous, and grant us freely to advance: They're not more murderous, an charge the whole * Than charging glance of her who wears the mole." And hearing these lines from Amjad she sighed with the deepest sighs and, signing to him again, repeated these couplets, "'Tis thou hast trodden coyness path not I: * Grant me thy favours for the time draws nigh: O thou who makest morn with light of brow, * And with loosed brow-locks night in lift to stye! Thine idol-aspect made of me thy slave, * Tempting as temptedst me in days gone by: 'Tis just my liver fry with hottest love: * Who worship fire for God must fire aby: Thou sellest like of me for worthless price; * If thou must sell, ask high of those who buy." When Amjad heard these her words he said to her, "Wilt thou come to my lodging or shall I go with thee to shine?" So she hung her head in shame to the ground and repeated the words of Him whose Name be exalted, "Men shall have the pre-eminence above women, because of those advantages wherein Allah hath caused the one of them to excel the other."[FN#387] Upon this, Amjad took the hint.—And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say. When it was the Two Hundred and Thirty-first Night,