of me?  Freely I give myself to thee, do thou with me whatso thou wilt.”  Hereupon Peri-Banu said to Prince Ahmad, “Thou art my husband and I am thy wife.[FN#334] This solemn promise made between thee and me standeth in stead of marriage-contract:  no need have we of Kazi, for with us all other forms and ceremonies are superfluous and of no avail.  Anon I will show thee the chamber where we shall pass the bride-night; and methinks thou wilt admire it and confess that there is none like thereto in the whole world of men.”  Presently her handmaidens spread the table and served up dishes of various kinds, and the finest wines in flagons and goblets of gold dubbed with jewels.  So they twain sat at meat and ate and drank their sufficiency.  Then Peri-Banu took Prince Ahmad by the hand and led him to her private chamber wherein she slept; and he stood upon the threshold amazed to see its magnificence and the heaps of gems and precious stones which dazed his sight, till recovering himself he cried, “Methinks there is not in the universe a room so splendid and decked with costly furniture and gemmed articles such as this.”  Quoth Peri-Banu, “An thou so admire and praise this palace what wilt thou say when sighting the mansions and castles of my sire the Jann-King?  Haply too when thou shalt behold my garden thou wilt be filled with wonder and delight; but now ’tis over late to lead thee thither and night approacheth.”  Then she ushered Prince Ahmad into another room where the supper had been spread, and the splendour of this saloon yielded in naught to any of the others; nay, rather it was the more gorgeous and dazzling.  Hundreds of wax candles set in candelabra of the finest amber[FN#335] and the purest crystal, ranged on all sides, rained floods of light, whilst golden flowerpots and vessels of finest workmanship and priceless worth, of lovely shapes and wondrous art, adorned the niches and the walls.—­And as the morn began to dawn Shahrazad held her peace till

       The end of the Six Hundred and Fifty-third Night.

Then said she:—­I have heard, O auspicious King, that tongue of man can never describe the magnificence of that room in which bands of virgin Peris, loveliest of forms and fairest of features, garbed in choicest garments played on sweet-toned instruments of mirth and merriment or sang lays of amorous significance to strains of heart bewitching music.  Then they twain, to wit the bride and bridegroom, sat down at meat, ever and anon delaying to indulge in toyings and bashful love-play and chaste caresses.  Peri-Banu with her own hands passed the choicest mouthfuls to Prince Ahmad and made him taste of each dish and dainty, telling him their names and whereof they were composed.  But how shall I, O auspicious King Shahryar, avail to give thee any notion of those Jinn-made dishes or to describe with due meed of praise the delicious flavour of meats such as no mortal ever tasted or ever beheld?  Then, when both had supped, they