When she saw me， she laughed and said， "How is it that thou art awake and that sleep hath not overcome thee. Now that thou hast passed the night without sleep， I know that thou art in love， for it is the mark of a lover to watch the night for stress of longing." Then she signed to her women and they went away，whereupon she came up to me and strained me to her bosom and kissed me and sucked my upper lip， whilst I kissed her and sucked her lower lip. I put my hand to her waist and pressed it and we came to the ground at the same moment. Then she undid her trousers and they fell down to her anklets and we fell to clipping and toying and cricketing and speaking softly and biting and intertwining of legs and going round about the House and the corners thereof，[FN#133] till her senses failed her for delight and she swooned away. And indeed that night was heart-gladdening and eye-refreshing， even as says the poet：
The sweetest of all the nights that ever the world can show！ The cup in it stinted never from hand to hand to go.
Therein I did dissever mine eyes from sleep and made The ear-drop[FN#134] and the anklet[FN#135] foregather evermo".
We lay together till the morning， when I would have gone away，but she stopped me， saying， "Stay， till I tell thee somewhat and give thee a charge." So I waited， whilst she undid a handkerchief and taking out this piece of linen， spread it out before me. I saw worked on it these two figures of gazelles and admired it exceedingly； and she said to me， "Keep this carefully， for it is my sister"s work." "What is thy sister"s name？" asked I， and she answered， "Nour el Huda." Then I took the piece of linen and went away， joyful， after we had agreed that I should visit her every night in the garden； but in my joy I forgot to repeat to her the verse my cousin had taught me. When I reached home， I found Azizeh lying down； but， as soon as she saw me， she rose， with the tears running from her eyes， and coming up to me， kissed me on the breast and said， "Didst thou repeat the verse to her， as I enjoined thee？" "I forgot it，" answered I； "and here is what made me forget it." And I threw the piece of linen down before her.
She rose and sat down again， but was unable to contain herself and her eyes ran over with tears， whilst she repeated the following verses：
O thou that seekest severance， forbear； Let not the fair delude thee with their sleight.
Softly， for fortune"s nature is deceit And parting is the end of love-delight.
Then she said， "O my cousin， give me this piece of linen." So I gave it to her， and she took it and unfolding it， saw what was therein. When the time came for my going to my mistress， she said to me， "Go and peace be with thee； and when thou art about to leave her， repeat to her the verse I taught thee and which thou forgottest." Quoth I， "Repeat it to me." So she repeated it. Then I went to the garden and entered the pavilion， where I found the lady awaiting me. When she saw me， she rose and kissed me and made me sit in her lap； and we ate and drank and did our desire as on the previous night. In the morning， I repeated to her my cousin"s verse：
Tell me， O lovers， for God"s sake I do entreat of you， When love is sore upon a maid， alack！ what shall she do？
When she heard this， her eyes filled with tears and she answered with the following verse：
Against her passion she must strive and hide her case from view And humble and submissive be， whatever may ensue.
This I committed to memory and returned home， rejoiced at having done my cousin"s errand. When I entered the house， I found Azizeh lying on the bed and my mother at her head， weeping over her condition. When the latter saw me， she said to me， "Out on thee for a cousin！ How couldst thou leave the daughter of thine uncle in ill case and not ask what ailed her？" Azizeh， seeing me，raised her head and sat up and said， "O Aziz， didst thou repeat the verse to her？" "Yes，" replied I； "and she wept and recited，in answer， another verse， which I remember." "Tell it me，" said Azizeh. I did so； and she wept and repeated the following verses：
How shall she temper her desire， It doth her fire undo， And still with each recurring day her heart is cleft in two.
Indeed， she strives for patience fair， but findeth nought in her Except a heart too weak to bear the love that makes her rue.
"When thou goest to thy mistress as of wont，" added she， "repeat to her these verses also." "I hear and obey，" answered I and betook myself， at the wonted time， to the garden， where there passed between my mistress and myself what the tongue fails to describe. As I was about to leave her， I repeated to her my cousin"s verses； whereupon the tears streamed from her eyes and she replied：
If she her secret cannot hide and lack of patience due， I see no help for her but death， of all things old and new.
Then I returned home， where I found Azizeh fallen of a swoon and my mother sitting at her head. When she heard my voice， she opened her eyes and said， "O Aziz， didst thou repeat the verses to her？" "Yes，" answered I； "and she replied with this verse."
And I repeated it； whereupon my cousin swooned again， and when she came to herself， she recited the following verses：
"I hearken， I obey， I die； yet bear to one who slew My hopes of union and delight， my greeting and adieu.
Fair fall the happy of their joy， alack！ and fair befall The wretched lover of the cup that"s set her lips unto."
When it was night， I repaired， as of wont， to the garden， where I found my mistress awaiting me. We sat down and ate and drank，after which we did our need and slept till the morning； and as I was going away， I repeated to her Azizeh"s verses. When she heard them， she gave a loud cry and was greatly moved and exclaimed，"Alas！ Alas！ She who said these words is dead！" Then she wept and said to me， "Out on thee！ What kin is she， who spoke thus， to thee？" "She is the daughter of my father"s brother，" replied I.
