“If I to aught save you, O lords of me, incline; * Ne’er may I
     win of you my wish, my sole design! 
Who doth comprise all loveliness save only you? * Who makes
     the Doomsday dawn e’en now before these eyne? 
Far be it Love find any rest, for I am one * Who lost for love
     of you this heart, these vitals mine.”

When he had made an end of his verses, he wept with sore weeping and she said to him, “O Prince, I fear to grant myself wholly to thee lest I find in thee nor fondness nor affection; for oftentimes man’s fidelity is small and his perfidy is great and thou knowest how the lord Solomon, son of David (on whom be the Peace!), took Bilkis to his love but, whenas he saw another fairer than she, turned from her thereto.”  Sayf al-Muluk replied, “O my eye and O my soul, Allah hath not made all men alike, and I, Inshallah, will keep my troth and die beneath thy feet.  Soon shalt thou see what I will do in accordance with my words, and for whatso I say Allah is my warrant.”  Quoth Badi’a al-Jamal, “Sit and be of good heart and swear to me by the right of thy Faith and let us covenant together that each will not be false to other; and whichever of us breaketh faith may Almighty Allah punish!” At these words he sat down and set his hand in her hand and they sware each to other that neither of them would ever prefer to the other any one, either of man or of the Jann.  Then they embraced for a whole hour and wept for excess of their joy, whilst passion overcame Sayf al-Muluk and he recited these couplets,

“I weep for longing love’s own ardency * To her who claims the
     heart and soul of me. 
And sore’s my sorrow parted long from you, * And short’s my
     arm to reach the prize I see;
And mourning grief for what my patience marred * To blamer’s
     eye unveiled my secresy;
And waxed strait that whilome was so wide * Patience nor force
     remains nor power to dree. 
Would Heaven I knew if God will ever deign to join * Our
     lives, and from our cark and care and grief set free!”

After this mutual troth-plighting, Sayf al-Muluk arose and walked in the garden and Badi’a al-Jamal arose also and went forth also afoot followed by a slave-girl bearing somewhat of food and a flask[FN#454] of wine.  The Princess sat down and the damsel set the meat and wine before her:  nor remained they long ere they were joined by Sayf al-Muluk, who was received with greeting and the two embraced and sat them down.—­And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

    When it was the Seven Hundred and Seventy-sixth Night,