so art thou in my safeguard and under my protection. Have no fear； by the virtue of the Messiah， if all the people of the earth sought to harm thee， they should not come at thee till the breath had left my body for thy sake； for thou art under my protection and that of the Messiah." Then she sat down by his side and began to sport with him， till his alarm subsided and he knew that， had she been minded to kill him， she would have done so on the past night. After awhile， she spoke in the Greek tongue to one of her serving-women， who went away and returned in a little with a goblet and a tray of food； but Sherkan abstained from eating， saying in himself， "Maybe she hath put somewhat in this meat." She knew what was in his thought； so she turned to him and said， "By the virtue of the Messiah， the case is not as thou deemest， nor is there aught in this food of what thou suspectest！ Were I minded to kill thee， I had done so before now." Then she came to the table and ate a mouthful of every dish， whereupon Sherkan came forward and fell to. She was pleased at this， and they both ate till they were satisfied， after which she let bring perfumes and sweet-smelling herbs and wines of all colours and kinds， in vessels of gold and silver and crystal. She filled a first cup and drank it off， before offering it to Sherkan， even as she had done with the food. Then she filled a second time and gave the cup to him. He drank and she said to him， "See， O Muslim， how thou art in the utmost delight and pleasure of life！" And she ceased not to drink and to ply him with drink， till he took leave of his wits， for the wine and the intoxication of love for her. Presently she said to the serving-maid， "O Merjaneh， bring us some instruments of music."
"I hear and obey，" replied Merjaneh， and going out， returned immediately with a lute， a Persian harp， a Tartar flute and an Egyptian dulcimer. The young lady took the lute and tuning it，sang to it in a dulcet voice， softer than the zephyr and sweeter than the waters of Tesnim，[FN#12] the following verses：
May Allah assoilzie thine eyes！ How much is the blood they have shed！ How great is the tale of the shafts thy pitiless glances have sped！
I honour the mistress， indeed， that harshly her suitor entreats；
"Tis sin in the loved to relent or pity a lover misled.
Fair fortune and grace to the eyes that watch the night，sleepless， for thee， And hail to the heart of thy slave， by day that is heavy as lead！
"Tis thine to condemn me to death， for thou art my king and my lord. With my life I will ransom the judge， who heapeth unright on my head.
Then each of the damsels rose and taking an instrument played and sang to it in the Greek language. The lady their mistress， sang also， to Sherkan"s delight. Then she said to him， "O Muslim， dost thou understand what I say？" "No，" replied he； "it was the beauty of thy finger-tips that threw me into ecstasies." She laughed and said， "If I sang to thee in Arabic， what wouldst thou do？" "I should lose the mastery of my reason，" replied he. So she took an instrument and changing the measure， sang the following verses：
Parting must ever bitter be； How shall one bear it patiently？
Three things are heavy on my heart， Absence， estrangement，cruelty.
I love a fair to whom I"m thrall， And severance bitter is to me.
Then she looked at Sherkan and found he had lost his senses for delight： and he lay amongst them insensible awhile， after which he revived and recalling the singing inclined to mirth. Then they fell again to drinking and ceased not from sport and merriment till the day departed with the evening and the night let fall her wings. Thereupon she rose and retired to her chamber. Sherkan enquired after her and being told that she was gone to her bedchamber， said， "I commend her to the safe-keeping of God and to His protection！" As soon as it was day， a waiting-woman came to him and said， "My mistress bids thee to her." So he rose and followed her， and as he drew near her lodging， the damsels received him with smitten tabrets and songs of greeting and escorted him to a great door of ivory set with pearls and jewels.
Here they entered and he found himself in a spacious saloon， at the upper end of which was a great estrade， carpeted with various kinds of silk， and round it open lattices giving upon trees and streams. About the place were figures， so fashioned that the air entered them and set in motion instruments of music within them，and it seemed to the beholder as if they spoke. Here sat the young lady， looking on the figures； but when she saw Sherkan， she sprang to her feet and taking him by the hand， made him sit down by her and asked him how he had passed the night. He blessed her and they sat talking awhile， till she said to him， "Knowest thou aught touching lovers and slaves of passion？" "Yes，" replied he；
"I know some verses on the subject." "Let me hear them，" said she. So he repeated the following verses：
Pleasure and health， O Azzeh， and good digestion to thee！ How with our goods and our names and our honours thou makest free！
By Allah， whene"er I blow hot， she of a sudden blows cold， And no sooner do I draw near， than off at a tangent flies she！
Indeed， as I dote upon Azzeh， as soon as I"ve cleared me of all That stands between us and our loves， she turns and abandons me；
As a traveller that trusts in the shade of a cloud for his noontide rest， But as soon as he halts， the shade flits and the cloud in the distance cloth flee.
When she heard this， she said， "Verily Kutheiyir[FN#13] was a poet of renown and a master of chaste eloquence and attained rare perfection in praise of Azzeh， especially when he says：
"If Azzeh should before a judge the sun of morning cite， Needs must the umpire doom to her the meed of beauty bright；
And women all， who come to me， at her to rail and flite， God make your cheeks the sandal-soles whereon her feet alight！"
