Presently she bespoke in the Grecian tongue one of her slave girls，who went away and soon came back bringing a beaker and a tray of food；but Sharrkan abstained from eating and said to himself，'Haply she hath put somewhat in this meat.' She knew what was in his thought；so she turned to him and said，'By the truth of the Messiah，the case is not on such wise，nor is there aught in this meat of what thou suspectest！Had my mind been set on slaying thee，I had slain thee ere now.' Then she walked up to the tray and ate of every dish a mouthful；where upon Sharrkan came forward and ate too.She was pleased at this and both ate till they were satisfied.They washed their hands and after that she rose and ordered a handmaid to bring perfumes and herbs of sweet savour，wines of all colours and kinds and a wine-service with vessels of gold，silver and crystal.She filled a first goblet and drank it off before offering it to him，even as she had done with the food： then she crowned a second and handed it to him.He drank and she said to him，'O Moslem，see how thou art here in all solace and delight of life！' And she ceased not to drink and ply him with drink，till he took leave of his wits，--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day，and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Forty-ninth Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that the damsel ceased not to drink and ply Sharrkan with drink till he took leave of his wits，for the wine and the intoxication of love he bore her.Presently she said to the slave girl，'O Marjanah[188]！bring us some instruments of music！''To hear is to obey，' said the hand maid and going out，returned in the twinkling of an eye with a Damascus lute，[189] a Persian harp，a Tartar pipe，and an Egyptian dulcimer.The young lady took the lute and，after tuning each several string，began in gentle undersong to sing，softer than zephyr's wing and sweeter than Tasmin[190] spring，with heart safe and secure from everything the couplets following，'Allah assain those eyne！What streams of blood they shed！How many an arrowy glance those lids of thine have sped.
I love all lovers who to lovers show them cure；'Twere wrong to rue the love in wrong head born and bred：
Haply fall hapless eye for thee no sleeping kens！Heaven help the hapless heart by force of thee misled！
Thou doomest me to death who art my king，and I Ransom with life the deemster who would doom me dead.'
Thereupon each and every of the maidens rose up and taking an instrument，played and recited couplets in the Roumi tongue；then their mistress sang also and seeing Sharrkan in ecstasies asked him，'O Moslem，dost thou understand what I say？'；and he answered，'Nay，my ecstasy cometh from the beauty of thy finger sips.' She laughed and continued，'If I sing to thee in Arabic what wouldst thou do？' 'I should no longer，' quoth he，'be master of my senses.' Then she took an instrument and，changing the measure，began singing these verses，'The smack of parting's myrrh to me，How，then，bear patience'aloe？
I'm girt by ills in trinity Severance，distance，cruelty！
My freedom stole that fairest she，And parting irks me bitterly.'
When she ended her verse，she looked at Sharrkan and found him lost to existence，and he lay for a while stretched at full length and prone among the maidens.[191] Then he revived and，remembering the songs，again inclined to mirth and merriment；and the twain returned to their wine and wassail，and continued their playing and toying，their pastime and pleasure till day ceased illuminating and night drooped her wing.Then the damsel went off to her dormitory and when Sharrkan asked after her they answered，'She is gone to her sleeping chamber，' whereto he rejoined，'Under Allah's ward and His good guard！' As soon as it was morning，a handmaid came to him and said to him，'My mistress biddeth thee to her.' So he rose and followed her and，as he drew near her lodging，the damsels welcomed him with smitten tabrets and songs of greeting，and led him through a great door of ivory studded with pearls and jewels.Thence they passed with him into a tall and spacious hall，at the upper end of which was a wide dais carpeted with all kinds of silks，and round it open lattices commanding a view of trees and streams.About the saloon were figures carved in human form，and fashioned on such wise that the air passed through them and set in motion musical instruments within，so that the beholder would fancy they spoke.[192] Here sat the young lady，looking at the figures；but when she saw Sharrkan，she sprang to her feet and，taking him by the hand，made him sit down by her side，and asked him how he had passed the night.He blessed her and the two sat talking awhile till she asked him，'Knowest thou aught touching lovers and slaves of love？'and he answered 'Yes！ I wot somewhat in verse on that matter.' 'Let me hear it，' quoth she，so he began quoting，'Pleasure and health，good cheer，good appetite To Azzah，freest with our name and fame！
By Allah！ would I near her off she flies At tangent，granting less the more I claim：
I dote on Azzah，but when clear I off My rivals，clears me too that dearest dame；
Like wandering wight that chose for shade a cloud Which，ere siesta done，thin air became.'
When she heard this she said，'Verily Al-Kuthayyir[193] was conspicuous for sweet speech and chaste，and he was superlative in his praise of Azzah when he sang' （and she began to recite），'Did Azzah deal behest to Sun o' noon，The judge had judged her beauty's bestest boon；
And girls who come to me and carp at her，God make their rosy cheeks her sandal-shoon！
And indeed，' quoth she，''twas said that Azzah boasted exceeding beauty and loveliness.' Then she asked Sharrkan saying，'O Prince，cost thou know aught of Jamil's[194] verses to Buthaynah？if so repeat to us somewhat of them；' and he answered，'Yes，I know them better than any；' whereupon he began repeating these couplets，'Jamil，in Holy war go fight！' to me they say：What war save fight for fair ones would I e'er essay？
