Then she made fast the paper to a shaft and setting it upon a bow-handle drew the string aiming high in air, and the arrow fell between the feet of the Prince, who seeing it took it up and read the writ and comprehended its meaning and full significance.  So he hung back and he turned to wandering amongst the mountains, but anon he said in himself, “There is no help but that I discover this matter.”  Then he dismounted from his steed and stabled it in a cave hard-by, and having loosed the antelopes he propped himself against a rock and fell to gazing upon the batel, which ceased not floating down until it made fast at the Palace gate.  Hereupon there issued from it a youth, singular of comeliness, whom Al-Hayfa greeted and embraced, and forth- right led within her Palace.  Presently came forth from the batel the four pages that were therein, and amongst them was a man hight Mohammed ibn Ibrahim, one of the King’s cup-companions, whereas the youth she had embraced was her cousin, named Sahlub, the son of her maternal aunt.  But when Yusuf looked upon this lover-like reception, his wits were wildered and the sparks started from his eyes, and he deprecated and waxed care-full and indeed he was like one Jinn-mad, and he cried, “Wallahi, I will stay away from them this night and see whatso they do.”  Now Al-Hayfa had left her trusty handmaid at the Palace gate, saying to her, “Tarry here alone:  haply Yusuf shall return during the dark hours, when do thou open to him the door.”  Then she returned to her guests and bade serve the table of wine and seated Sahlub and Ibn Ibrahim, and took seat between them after she had hidden the Mameluke Hilal in a closet and she had disposed of the pages about the Palace-sides.  Then they fell to drinking wine.  Such was the case with these; but as regards Yusuf, he took patience until the dark hours drew near, when he swam the stream and he came forth it to the Palace-door, at which he knocked a light knock.  Hereupon the porter-hand-maiden opened to him and he accosted her and questioned her concerning her lady, and was told that she was sitting with her cousin and the prime favourite and cup-companion of her sire.  So quoth he to the girl, “Say me, canst thou place me in some commanding place that I may look upon them?” and she did accordingly, choosing a site whence he might spy them without being espied.  He gazed at them as one distraught, while Al-Hayfa engaged them in converse and improvised verse to them; and this was so distressful to him that at last he asked the slave-girl, “Say me, hast thou by thee ink-case and paper?” And—­ Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say.  Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was