and costliest jewels and accompanied her to the door, where she commended her to the old woman’s charge, saying, " ’Ware lest thou let any of Almighty Allah’s creatures look upon her, for thou knowest her husband’s rank with the Caliph; and do not tarry, but bring her back to me as soon as possible.”  The old woman carried the girl to the young man’s house which she entered, thinking it the place where the wedding was to be held:  but as soon as she came into the sitting saloon,—­And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

          When it was the Six Hundred and First Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that as soon as the damsel entered the sitting saloon, the youth sprang up to her and flung his arms round her neck and kissed her hands and feet.  She was confounded at his loveliness, as well as at the beauty of the place and the profusion of meat and drink, flowers and perfumes that she saw therein, and deemed all was a dream.  When the old woman saw her amazement, she said to her, “The name of Allah be upon thee, O my daughter!  Fear not; I am here sitting with thee and will not leave thee for a moment.  Thou art worthy of him and he is worthy of thee.”  So the damsel sat down shame-fast and in great confusion; but the young man jested and toyed with her and entertained her with laughable stories and loving verses, till her breast broadened and she became at her ease.  Then she ate and drank and growing warm with wine, took the lute and sang these couplets,

“My friend who went hath returned once more; * Oh, the welcome
     light that such beauty shows! 
 And but for the fear of those arrowy eyes, * From his lovely
     cheek I had culled the rose.”

And when the youth saw that she to his beauty did incline he waxt drunken without wine and his life was a light matter to him compared with his love.[FN#233] Presently the old woman went out and left them alone together to enjoy their loves till the next morning, when she went into them and gave them both good morrow[FN#234] and asked the damsel, “How hast thou passed the night, O my lady?” Answered the girl, “Right well, thanks to thy adroitness and the excellence of thy going between."[FN#235] Then said the old woman, ’’Up, let us go back to thy mother.”  At these words the young man pulled out an hundred sequins and gave them to her, saying, “Take this and leave her with me to night.”  So she left them and repaired to the girl’s mother, to whom quoth she, “Thy daughter saluteth thee, and the bride’s mother hath sworn her to abide with her this night.”  Replied the mother, “O my sister, bear her my salaam, and, if it please and amuse the girl, there is no harm in her staying the night; so let her do this and divert herself and come back to me at her leisure, for all I fear for her is chagrin on account of an angry husband.”  The old woman ceased not to make excuse after excuse to the girl’s mother and to put off cheat upon