consult her, and if she be satisfied therewith we will invite you.”  They said to him, “This be a rede that is right and an affair which no blame can excite.”  When the day had reached its term the masons and workmen were dismissed after they had taken their wage; but as for the Bhang-eater the Sultan gave him two gold pieces and set him free about sunset tide; so he fared to his handmaid and informed her of what had befallen him from the King, adding, “He hath indeed looked upon the necklace and hath asked me to invite him hither as well as the Wazir.”  Quoth she, “No harm in that; but to-morrow (Inshallah!) do thou bring all we require for a state occasion of meats and drinks, and let me have them here by noon-tide, so they may eat the early meal.  But when he shall ask to buy me of thee compose thy mind and say thou, ‘No,’ when he will reply to thee, ’Give me this damsel in free gift.’  Hereat do thou say, ’She is a present from me to thee’; because indeed I am his slave and bought with his money for one thousand and five hundred dinars; and thou hadst never become my lord save through my foes who devised a device against me and who sold me when thou boughtest me.  However the hour of thy prosperity hath now come.”  And when morning morrowed she gave him five gold pieces and said to him, “Bring for me things that be such and such,” and said he, “Hearing and obedience.”  So he went to the market-street where he purchased all the supplies wherewith she had charged him and returned to her forthright.  Hereupon she arose and tucking up her sleeves prepared meats that befitted the King and likewise she got ready comfits and the daintiest of dainties and sherbets and she tempered the pastilles and she besprinkled the room with rosewater and looked to the furniture of the place.  About midday she sent to the Sultan and the Wazir with notice that she was ready; so the Bhang-eater repaired to the Palace and having gone in to the presence said, “Have the kindness!"[FN#274] The twain arose without more ado and hied with him privily till they reached his house and entered therein.—­And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased to say her permitted say.  Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet is thy story, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I should relate to you on the coming night, an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was

The Four Hundred and Ninth Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!” She replied, “With love and good will!” It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right-guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting and of deeds fair-seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Sultan and the Wazir entered the place wherein were the Bhang-eater and the damsel, and took their seats.  Now the meats