alway, nor is it possible that he leave it for a single hour; moreover once when he related what I have now recounted to thee, he brought it out of his breast-pocket and allowed me to look upon it.”  When Alaeddin heard these words, he joyed with exceeding joy and said, “O my lady, do thou lend ear to me.  ’Tis my design to go from thee forthright and to return only after doffing this my dress; so wonder not when thou see me changed, but direct one of thy women to stand by the private pastern alway and, whenever she espy me coming, at once to open.  And now I will devise a device whereby to slay this damned loon.”  Herewith he arose and, issuing from the pavilion door, walked till he met on the way a Fellah to whom he said, “O man, take my attire and give me thy garments.”  But the peasant refused, so Alaeddin stripped him of his dress perforce[FN#203] and donned it, leaving to the man his own rich gear by way of gift.  Then he followed the highway leading to the neighbouring city and entering it went to the Perfumers’ Bazar where he bought of one some rarely potent Bhang, the son of a minute,[FN#204] paying two dinars for two drachms thereof and he returned in disguise by the same road till he reached the pavilion.  Here the slave-girl opened to him the private pastern wherethrough he went in to the Lady Badr al-Budur.—­And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

     When it Was the Five Hundred and Eighty-second Night,

Quoth Dunyazad, “O sister mine, an thou be other than sleepy, do tell us some of thy pleasant tales,” whereupon Shahrazad replied, “With love and good will.”—­It hath reached me, O King of the Age, that when Alaeddin went in disguised to his wife he said, “Hear me!  I desire of thee that thou dress and dight thyself in thy best and thou cast off all outer show and semblance of care; also when the Accursed, the Maghrabi, shall visit thee, do thou receive him with a ‘Welcome and fair welcome,’ and meet him with smiling face and invite him to come and sup with thee.  Moreover, let him note that thou hast forgotten Alaeddin thy beloved, likewise thy father; and that thou hast learned to love him with exceeding love, displaying to him all manner joy and pleasure.  Then ask him for wine which must be red and pledge him to his secret in a significant draught; and, when thou hast given him two to three cups full and hast made him wax careless, then drop these drops into his cup and fill it up with wine:  no sooner shall he drink of it than he will fall upon his back senseless as one dead.”  Hearing these words, the Princess exclaimed,” ’Tis exceedingly sore to me that I do such deed;[FN#205] withal must I do it that we escape the defilement of this Accursed who tortured me by severance from thee and from my sire.  Lawful and right therefore is the slaughter of this Accursed.”  Then Alaeddin ate and drank with his wife what hindered his hunger; then, rising without stay or delay, fared