The first thing she did was to take the mirror and，putting it into the bag，tie it up and throw it back into the room；then she let down her hair over her face and set the lamp on the pot of flowers during the twinkling of an eye；then she took up all the things and went away shutting the window without saying a word.My heart was riven by this state of the case，and by her secret signals，her mysterious secrets and her utter silence；and thereby my longing waxed more violent and my passion and distraction redoubled on me.So I retraced my steps，tearful-eyed and heavy hearted，and returned home，where I found the daughter of my uncle sitting with her face to the wall；for her heart was burning with grief and galling jealousy；albeit her affection forbade her to acquaint me with what she suffered of passion and pining when she saw the excess of my longing and distraction.Then I looked at her and saw on her head two bandages，one on account of the accident to her forehead and the other over her eye in consequence of the pain she endured for stress of weeping；and she was in miserable plight shedding tears and repeating these couplets，'I number nights；indeed I count night after night；Yet lived I long ere learnt so sore accompt to see，ah！
Dear friend，I compass not what Allah pleased to doom For Layla，nor what Allah destined for me，ah！
To other giving her and unto me her love，What loss but Layla's loss would He I ever dree，ah！
And when she had finished her reciting，she looked towards me and seeing me through her tears，wiped them away and came up to me hastily，but could not speak for excess of love.So she remained silent for some while and then said，'O my cousin，tell me what befel thee with her this time.' I told her all that had passed and she said，'Be patient，for the time of thy union is come and thou hast attained the object of thy hopes.As for her signal to thee with the mirror which she put in the bag，it said to thee，When the sun is set；and the letting down of her hair over her face signified，When night is near and letteth fall the blackness of the dark and hath starkened the daylight，come hither.As for her gesture with the pot of green plants it meant，When thou comest，enter the flower garden which is behind the street；and as for her sign with the lamp it denoted，When thou enterest the flower garden walk down it and make for the place where thou seest the lamp shining；and seat thyself beneath it and await me；for the love of thee is killing me.' When I heard these words from my cousin，I cried out from excess of passion and said，'How long wilt thou promise me and I go to her，but get not my will nor find any true sense in thine interpreting.' Upon this she laughed and replied，'It remaineth for thee but to have patience during the rest of this day till the light darken and the night starker and thou shalt enjoy union and accomplish thy hopes；and indeed all my words be without leasing.' Then she repeated these two couplets，'Let days their folds and plies deploy，And shun the house that deals annoy！
Full oft when joy seems farthest far Thou nighmost art to hour of joy.'
Then she drew near to me and began to comfort me with soothing speech，but dared not bring me aught of food，fearing lest I be angry with her and hoping I might incline to her；so when coming to me she only took off my upper garment and said to me，'Sit O my cousin，that I may divert thee with talk till the end of the day and，Almighty Allah willing，as soon as it is night thou shalt be with thy beloved.' But I paid no heed to her and ceased not looking for the approach of darkness，saying，'O Lord，hasten the coming of the night！' And when night set in，the daughter of my uncle wept with sore weeping and gave me a crumb of pure musk，and said to me，'O my cousin，put this crumb in thy mouth，and when thou hast won union with thy beloved and hast taken thy will of her and she hath granted thee thy desire，repeat to her this couplet，'Ho，lovers all！by Allah say me sooth What shall he do when love sore vexeth youth？'[499]
And she kissed me and swore me not to repeat this couplet till I should be about to leave my lover and I said，'Hearing is obeying！' And when it was supper-tide I went out and ceased not walking on till I came to the flower garden whose door I found open.So I entered and，seeing a light in the distance，made towards it and reaching it，came to a great pavilion vaulted over with a dome of ivory and ebony，and the lamp hung from the midst of the dome.The floor was spread with silken carpets embroidered in gold and silver，and under the lamp stood a great candle，burning in a candelabrum of gold.In mid pavilion was a fountain adorned with all manner of figures；[500] and by its side stood a table covered with a silken napkin，and on its edge a great porcelain bottle full of wine，with a cup of crystal inlaid with gold.Near all these was a large tray of silver covered over，and when I uncovered it I found therein fruits of every kind，figs and pomegranates，grapes and oranges，citrons and shaddocks[501] disposed amongst an infinite variety of sweet scented flowers，such as rose，jasmine，myrtle，eglantine，narcissus and all sorts of sweet smelling herbs.I was charmed with the place and I joyed with exceeding joy，albeit I found not there a living soul and my grief and anxiety ceased from me.--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day，and ceased to say her permitted say.
When it was the One Hundred and Sixteenth Night，She said，It hath reached me，O auspicious King，that the young merchant continued to Taj al-Muluk：'I was charmed with the place and joyed with great joy albeit there I found not a living soul of Almighty Allah's creatures，and saw nor slave nor hand maid to oversee these things or to watch and ward these properties.So I sat down in the pavilion to await the coming of the beloved of my heart；but the first hour of the night passed by，and the second hour，and the third hour，and still she came not.Then hunger grew sore upon me，for that it was long since I had tasted food by reason of the violence of my love： but when I found the place even as my cousin had told me，and saw the truth of her in terpretation of my beloved's signs，my mind was set at rest and I felt the pangs of hunger；moreover，the odour of the viands on the table excited me to eat.So making sure of attaining my desire，and being famished for food I went up to the table and raised the cover and found in the middle a china dish containing four chickens reddened with roasting and seasoned with spices，round the which were four saucers，one containing sweetmeats，another conserve of pomegranate seeds，a third almond pastry[502] and a fourth honey fritters；and the contents of these saucers were part sweet and part sour.
