Allah curse her and curse her husband with her！'[315] And he began to revile the Eunuch，who could make him no answer，because his mistress had charged him to do Zau al-Makan no hurt，nor bring him save of his own especial free will；and，if he would not accompany him，to give him the thousand diners.So the Castrato began to speak him fair and say to him，'O my lord，take this purse and go with me.We will do thee no upright，O my son，nor wrong thee in aught；but our object is that thou bend thy gracious steps with me to my mistress，to receive her answer and return in weal and safety：and thou shalt have a handsome present as one who bringeth good news.'When Zau al- Makan heard this，he arose and went with the Eunuch and walked among the sleeping folk，stepping over them；whilst the Fireman followed after them from afar，and kept his eye upon him and said to himself，'Alas the pity of his youth！Tomorrow they will hang him.'And he ceased not following them till he approached their station，[316] without any observing him.Then he stood still and said，'How base it will be of him，if he say it was I who bade him recite the verses！'This was the case of the Stoker；but as regards what befel Zau al-Makan，he ceased not walking with the Eunuch till he reached his station and the Castrato went in to Nuzhat al-Zaman and said，'O my lady，I have brought thee him whom thou soughtest，and he is a youth，fair of face and bearing the marks of wealth and gentle breeding.'When she heard this，her heart fluttered and she cried，'Let him recite some verses，that I may hear him near hand，and after ask him his name and his condition and his native land.'Then the Eunuch went out to Zau al-Makan and said to him，'Recite what verses thou knowest，for my lady is here hard by，listening to thee，and after I will ask thee of thy name and thy native country and thy condition.'
Replied he，'With love and gladness but，an thou ask my name，it is erased and my trace is unplaced and my body a waste.I have a story，the beginning of which is not known nor can the end of it be shown，and behold，I am even as one who hath exceeded in wine drinking and who hath not spared himself；one who is afflicted with distempers and who wandereth from his right mind，being perplexed about his case and drowned in the sea of thought.'When Nuzhat al-Zaman heard this，she broke out into excessive weeping and sobbing，and said to the Eunuch，'Ask him if he have parted from one he loveth even as his mother or father.'The Castrato asked as she bade him，and Zau al-Makan replied，'Yes，I have parted from every one I loved： but the dearest of all to me was my sister，from whom Fate hath separated me.'When Nuzhat al-Zaman heard this，she exclaimed，'Allah Almighty reunite him with what he loveth！'--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.
When it was the Seventy-fifth Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that when Nuzhat al-Zaman heard his words she said，'Allah reunite him with what he loveth！'Then quoth she to the Eunuch，'Tell him to let me hear somewhat anent his separation from his countrymen and his country.'The Eunuch did so，and Zau al-Makan sighed heavily and began repeating these couplets，[317]'Is not her love a pledge by all mankind confest？The house that hometh Hinda be forever blest'Her love all levels；man can reck of naught beside；Naught or before or after can for man have zest 'Tis though the vale is paved with musk and ambergris That day when Hinda's footstep on its face is prest：
Hail to the beauty of our camp，the pride of folk，The dearling who en'Slaves all hearts by her behest：
Allah on 'Time's Delight'send large dropped clouds that teem With genial rain but bear no thunder in their breast.'
And also these，'I vow to Allah if at home I sight My sister Nuzhat al-Zamani highs I'll pass the days in joyance and delight Mid bashful minions，maidens soft and white：
To sound of harps in various modes they smite Draining the bowl，while eyes rain lively light 'Neath half closed lids，a sipping lips red bright By stream bank flowing through my garden site.'
When he had finished his verse，Nuzhat al-Zaman lifted up a skirt of the litter curtain and looked at him.As soon as her eyes fell on his face，she knew him for certain and cried out，'O my brother！ O Zau al-Makan！'He also looked at her and knew her and cried out，'O my sister！ O Nuzhat al-Zaman！'Then she threw herself upon him and he gathered her to his bosom and the twain fell down in a fainting fit.When the Eunuch saw this case，he wondered at them and throwing over them somewhat to cover them，waited till they should recover.After a while they came to themselves，and Nuzhat al-Zaman rejoiced with exceeding joy：
oppression and depression left her and gladness took the mastery of her，and she repeated these verses，'Time sware my life should fare in woeful waste； Forsworn art Time，expiate thy sin in haste！[318]
Comes weal and comes a welcome friend to aid； To him who brings good news，rise，gird thy waist I spurned old world tales of Eden bliss； Till came I Kausar[319] on those lips When Zau al-Makan heard this，he pressed his sister to his breast；tears streamed from his eyes for excess of joy and he repeated these couplets，[320]'Long I lamented that we fell apart，While tears repentant railed from these eyne；And sware，if Time unite us twain once more，'Severance'shall never sound from tongue of mine：
Joy hath so overwhelmed me that excess Of pleasure from mine eyes draws gouts of brine：
Tears，O mine eyes，have now become your wont Ye weep for pleasure and you weep for pine！'
