To this Kanmakan made no reply， but returned to Baghdad： and Kuzia Fekan also returned home and complained of her cousin to her mother， who said to her， "O my daughter， belike he meant thee no ill， and is he not an orphan？ Indeed， he said nought that implied reproach to thee； so look thou tell none of this， lest it come to the Sultan"s ears and he cut short his life and blot out his name and make it even as yesterday， whose remembrance hath passed away." How ever， Kanmakan"s case was not hidden from the people， and his love for Kuzia Fekan became known in Baghdad， so that the women talked of it. Moreover， his heart became contracted and his patience waned and he knew not what to do.
Then longed he to give vent to the anguish he endured， by reason of the pangs of separation； but he feared her anger and her rebuke： so he recited the following verses：
What though I be fearful， anon， of her wrath， Whose humour serene is grown troubled and dour，I bear it with patience， as he who is sick Endureth a caut"ry in hopes of a cure.
His verses came one day to the knowledge of King Sasan （for so had they named the Grand Chamberlain， on his assumption of the Sultanate）， as he sat on his throne， and he was told of the love the prince bore to Kuzia Fekan； whereat he was sore vexed， and going in to his wife Nuzhet ez Zeman， said to her， "Verily， to bring together fire and dry grass is of the greatest of risks；
and men may not be trusted with women， so long as eyes cast furtive glances and eyelids quiver. Now thy nephew Kanmakan is come to man"s estate and it behoves us to forbid him access to the harem； nor is it less needful that thy daughter be kept from the company of men， for the like of her should be cloistered."
"Thou sayest sooth， O wise King，" answered she. Next day came Kanmakan， according to his wont， and going in to his aunt，saluted her. She returned his greeting and said to him， "O my son， I have somewhat to say to thee， that I would fain leave unsaid； yet must I tell it thee， in my own despite." "Speak，"
said he. "Know then，" rejoined she， "that thine uncle the Chamberlain， the father of Kuzia Fekan， has heard of thy love for her and the verses thou madest of her and has ordered that she be kept from thee； wherefore， if thou have occasion for aught from us， I will send it to thee from behind the door， and thou shalt not look upon Kuzia Fekan nor return hither from day forth." When he heard this， he withdrew， without speaking a word， and betook himself to his mother， to whom he related what his aunt had said to him. Quoth she， "This all comes of thy much talk. Thou knowest that the news of thy passion for Kuzia Fekan is noised abroad everywhere and how thou eatest their victual and makest love to their daughter." "And who should have her but I？" replied the prince. "She is the daughter of my father"s brother and I have the best of rights to her." "These are idle words，" rejoined his mother. "Be silent， lest thy talk come to King Sasan"s ears and it prove the cause of thy losing her and of thy ruin and increase of affliction. They have not sent us the evening meal to-night and we shall die of want； and were we in any land other than this， we were already dead of the pangs of hunger or the humiliation of begging our bread." When Kanmakan heard his mother"s words， his anguish redoubled； his eyes ran over with tears and he sobbed and complained and repeated the following verses：
Give o"er this unrelenting blame， that never lets me be！ My heart loves her to whom it"s thrall and may not struggle free.
Look not to me for any jot of patience， for I swear By God His house， my patience all is clean divorced from me！
Blamers to prudence me exhort； I heed them not， for I In my avouchment am sincere of love and constancy.
They hinder me by very force from visiting my dear， Though， by the Merciful， nor rogue am I nor debauchee！
Indeed， my bones， whenas they hear the mention of her name， Do quake and tremble even as birds from sparrow-hawks that flee.
O daughter of my uncle， say to him who chides at love， That I， by Allah， am distraught with love-longing for thee.
And he said to his mother， "I can dwell no longer in my aunt"s house nor among these people， but will go forth and abide in the corners of the city." So he and his mother left the palace and took up their abode in one of the quarters of the poorer sort：
and she used to go from time to time to King Sasan"s palace and take thence food for her own and her son"s subsistence. One day，Kuzia Fekan took her aside and said to her， "Alas， my aunt， how is it with thy son？" "O my daughter，" replied she， "sooth to say，he is tearful-eyed and mournful-hearted， being fallen into the snare of thy love." And she repeated to her the verses he had made； whereupon Kuzia Fekan wept and said， "By Allah， I rebuked not him for his words of ill-will or dislike to him， but because I feared the malice of enemies for him. Indeed， my passion for him is double that he feels for me； words fail to set out my yearning for him； and were it not for the extravagances of his tongue and the wanderings of his wit， my father had not cut off his favours from him nor decreed unto him exclusion and prohibition. However， man"s fortune is nought but change， and patience in every case is most becoming； peradventure He who ordained our severance will vouchsafe us reunion！" And she repeated the following：
O son of mine uncle， the like of thine anguish I suffer， the like of thy passion I feel；
Yet hide I from men what I suffer for longing， And shouldst thou not also thy passion conceal？
When his mother heard this， she thanked her and blessed her： then she left her and returning to her son， told him what his mistress had said； whereupon his desire for her increased. But he took heart， being eased of his despair， and the turmoil of his spirits was quelled. And he said， "By Allah， I desire none but her！" And he repeated the following verses：
Give over thy chiding； I"ll hearken no whit to the flouts of my foes： Indeed I"ve discovered my secret that nought should have made me disclose；
