When their meal was done, the beautiful women bore away the dishes, and black slaves appeared. These men led them to baths such as they had never seen, where they washed first in hot water, then in cold. Afterwards they were rubbed with spicy-smelling oils, and having been wrapped in white robes, conducted back to their chamber, where they found beds spread for them. On these, being very weary, they lay down, when the strange, sweet music broke out afresh, and to the sound of it they fell asleep. When they awoke it was to see the light streaming through the high, latticed windows. “Did you sleep well, Godwin?” asked Wulf. “Well enough,” answered his brother, “only I dreamed that throughout the night people came and looked at me.” “I dreamed that also,” said Wulf; “moreover, I think that it was not all a dream, since there is a coverlet on my bed which was not there when I went to sleep.” Godwin looked at his own, where also was another coverlet added, doubtless as the night grew colder in that high place. “I have heard of enchanted castles,” he said; “now I think that we have found one.” “Ay,” replied Wulf, “and it is well enough while it lasts.” They rose and dressed themselves, putting on clean garments and their best cloaks, that they had brought with them on the mules, after which the veiled women entered the room with breakfast, and they ate. When this was finished, having nothing else to do, they made signs to one of the women that they wished for cloths wherewith to clean their armour, for, as they had been bidden, they pretended to understand no word of Arabic. She nodded, and presently returned with a companion carrying leathers and paste in a jar. Nor did they leave them, but, sitting upon the ground, whether the brethren willed it or no, took the shirts of mail and rubbed them till they shone like silver, while Godwin and Wulf polished their helms, spurs, and bucklers, cleansing their swords and daggers also, and sharpening them with a stone which they carried for that purpose. Now as these women worked, they began to talk to each other in a low voice, and some of their talk, though not all, the brethren understood. “A handsome pair truly,” said the first. “We should be fortunate if we had such men for husbands, although they are Franks and infidels.” “Ay,” answered the other; “and from their likeness they must be twins. Now which of them would you choose?” Then for a long while they discussed them, comparing them feature by feature and limb by limb, until the brethren felt their faces grow red beneath the sunburn and scrubbed furiously at their armour to show a reason for it. At length one of the women said: “It was cruel of the lady Masouda to bring these birds into the Master’s net. She might have warned them.” “Masouda was ever cruel,” answered the other, “who hates all men, which is unnatural. Yet I think if she loved a man she would love him well, and perhaps that might be worse for him than her hate.”