and took a stone and went up to the lock.  Said Amjad, “Be not in haste, but have patience till the servant come.”  However, she hearkened not to him, but smote the wooden bolt with the stone and broke it in half, whereupon the door opened.  Quoth he, “What possessed thee to do this deed?” Quoth she, “Pooh, pooh, my lord! what matter it?  Is not the house thy house and thy place?” He said, “There was no need to break the bolt.”  Then the damsel entered, to the confusion of Amjad, who knew not what to do for fear of the people of the house; but she said to him, “Why dost thou not enter, O light of mine eyes and core of my heart?” Replied he, “I hear and obey; but my servant tarrieth long and I know not if he have done aught of what I bade him and specially enjoined upon him, or not.”  Hereupon he entered, sore in fear of the people of the house, and found himself in a handsome saloon with four dais’d recesses, each facing other, and containing closets and raised seats, all bespread with stuffs of silk and brocade; and in the midst was a jetting fountain of costly fashion, on whose margin rested a covered tray of meats, with a leather tablecloth hanging up and gem-encrusted dishes, full of fruits and sweet-scented flowers.  Hard by stood drinking vessels and a candlestick with a single wax-candle therein; and the place was full of precious stuffs and was ranged with chests and stools, and on each seat lay a parcel of clothes upon which was a purse full of monies, gold and silver.  The floor was paved with marble and the house bore witness in every part to its owner’s fortune.  When Amjad saw all this, he was confounded at his case and said to himself, “I am a lost man!  Verily we are Allah’s and to Allah we are returning!” As for the damsel, when she sighted the place she rejoiced indeed with a joy nothing could exceed, and said to him, “By Allah, O my lord, thy servant hath not failed of his duty; for see, he hath swept the place and cooked the meat and set on the fruit; and indeed I come at the best of times.”  But he paid no heed to her, his heart being taken up with fear of the house-folk; and she said, “Fie, O my lord, O my heart!  What aileth thee to stand thus?” Then she sighed and, giving him a buss which sounded like the cracking of a walnut, said, “O my lord, an thou have made an appointment with other than with me, I will gird my middle and serve her and thee.  Amjad laughed from a heart full of rage and wrath and came forwards and sat down, panting and saying to himself, “Alack, mine ill death and doom when the owner of the place shall return!” Then she seated herself by him and fell to toying and laughing, whilst Amjad sat careful and frowning, thinking a thousand thoughts and communing with himself, “Assuredly the master of the house cannot but come, and then what shall I say to him? he needs must kill me and my life will be lost thus foolishly.”  Presently she rose and, tucking up her sleeves, took a tray of food on which she laid the cloth and then set it before Amjad and began to