daughter cried, “Go thou before me, for the decree of Allah may not be rejected.” Accordingly they went up to the place where Ardashir sat, as he were the full moon at its fullest, and the old woman said to him, “See O youth, who is present before thee! ’Tis the daughter of our King of the age, Hayat al-Nufus: bethink thee of her rank and appreciate the honour she doth thee in coming to thee and rise out of respect for her and stand before her.” The Prince sprang to his feet in an instant and his eyes met her eyes, whereupon they both became as they were drunken without wine. Then the love of him and desire redoubled upon the Princess and she opened her arms and he his, and they embraced; but love-longing and passion overcame them and they swooned away and fell to the ground and lay a long while without sense. The old woman, fearing scandalous exposure, carried them both into the pavilion, and, sitting down at the door, said to the two waiting-women, “Seize the occasion to take your pleasure in the garden, for the Princess sleepeth.” So they returned to their diversion. Presently the lovers revived from their swoon and found themselves in the pavilion, whereat quoth the Prince, “Allah upon thee, O Princess of fair ones, is this vision or sleep-illusion?” Then the twain embraced and intoxicated themselves without wine, complaining each to other of the anguish of passion; and the Prince improvised these couplets, “Sun riseth sheen from her brilliant brow, * And her cheek shows the rosiest afterglow: And when both appear to the looker-on, * The skyline star ne’er for shame will show: An the leven flash from those smiling lips, * Morn breaks and the rays dusk and gloom o’erthrow. And when with her graceful shape she sways, * Droops leafiest Bán-tree[FN#289] for envy low: Me her sight suffices; naught crave I more: * Lord of Men and Morn, be her guard from foe! The full moon borrows a part of her charms; * The sun would rival but fails his lowe. Whence could Sol aspire to that bending grace? * Whence should Luna see such wit and such mind-gifts know? Who shall blame me for being all love to her, * ’Twixt accord and discord aye doomed to woe: ’Tis she won my heart with those forms that bend * What shall lover’s heart from such charms defend?” ——And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say. When it was the Seven Hundred and Thirty-second Night,