The old woman knocked at the gate, which opened; and we entered a carpeted vestibule hung with lighted lamps and candles and adorned with pendants of precious stones and minerals. Through this we passed into a saloon, whose like is not to be found in the world, hung and carpeted with silken stuffs and lighted by hanging lamps and wax candles in rows. At the upper end stood a couch of juniper-wood, set with pearls and jewels and canopied with curtains of satin, looped up with pearls. Hardly had I taken note of all this, when there came out from the alcove a young lady more perfect than the moon at its full, with a forehead brilliant as the morning, when it shines forth, even as says the poet: Upon the imperial necks she walks, a loveling bright, For bride-chambers of kings and emperors bedight. The blossom of her cheek is red as dragon's blood, And all her face is flowered with roses red and white. Slender and sleepy-eyed and languorous of gait, All manner loveliness is in her sweetest sight. The locks upon her brow are like a troubled night, From out of which there shines a morning of delight. She came down from the dais and said to me, "Welcome, a thousand times welcome to the dear and illustrious sister!" and she recited the following verses: If the house knew who visits it, it would indeed rejoice And stoop to kiss the happy place whereon her feet have stood; And in the voice with which the case, though mute, yet speaks, exclaim, "Welcome and many a welcome to the generous and good!" Then she sat down and said to me, "O my sister, I have a brother, who is handsomer than I; and he saw thee at certain festivals and assemblies and fell passionately in love with thee, for that thou art possessed of beauty and grace beyond thy share. He heard that thou wast thine own mistress, even as he also is the head of his family, and wished to make thine acquaintance; wherefore he used this device to bring thee in company with me; for he desires to marry thee according to the law of God and His prophet, and there is no shame in what is lawful." When I heard what she said, I bethought me that I was fairly entrapped and answered, "I hear and obey." At this she was glad and clapped her hands, whereupon a door opened and out came the handsomest of young men, elegantly dressed and perfect in beauty and symmetry and winning grace, with eyebrows like a bended bow and eyes that ravished hearts with lawful enchantments, even as says a poet, describing the like of him: His face is like unto the new moon's face With signs[FN#56], like pearls, of fortune and of grace. And God bless him who said: