But she exclaimed, ‘Hush!’ and saying thus went forward to the foot of the passage, and Boolp was there, following Ukleet, both of them under a weight of bags and boxes.  So she welcomed the broker, and led him to the feast, he coughing and wheezing and blinking, unwitting the vexation of the Vizier, nor that one other than himself was there.  When Boolp heard the voice of the Vizier, in astonishment, addressing him, he started back and fell upon his bags, and the task of coaxing him to the board was as that of haling a distempered beast to the water.  Then they sat and feasted together, and Ukleet with them; and if Aswarak or Boolp waxed impatient of each other’s presence, he whispered to them, ’Only wait! see what she reserveth for you.’  And Bhanavar mused with herself, ’Truly that reserved shall be not long coming!’ So they drank, and wine got the mastery of Aswarak, so that he made no secret of his passion, and began to lean to her and verse extemporaneously in her ear; and she stinted not in her replies, answering to his urgency in girlish guise, sighing behind the veil, as if under love’s influence.  And the Vizier pressed close, and sang: 

   ’Tis said that love brings beauty to the cheeks
    Of them that love and meet, but mine are pale;
   For merciless disdain on me she wreaks,
    And hides her visage from my passionate tale: 
   I have her only, only when she speaks. 
        Bhanavar, unveil!

   I have thee, and I have thee not!  Like one
    Lifted by spirits to a shining dale
   In Paradise, who seeks to leap and run
    And clasp the beauty, but his foot doth fail,
   For he is blind:  ah! then more woful none! 
        Bhanavar, unveil!

He thrust the wine-cup to her, and she lifted it under her veil, and then sang, in answer to him: 

   My beauty! for thy worth
        Thank the Vizier!

   He gives thee second birth: 
        Thank the Vizier!

   His blooming form without a fault: 
        Thank the Vizier!

   Is at thy foot in this blest vault: 
        Thank the Vizier!

   He knoweth not he telleth such a truth,
        Thank the Vizier!

   That thou, thro’ him, spring’st fresh in blushing youth: 
        Thank the Vizier!

   He knoweth little now, but he shall soon be wise: 
        Thank the Vizier!

   This meeting bringeth bloom to cheeks and lips and eyes: 
        Thank the Vizier!

   O my beloved in this blest vault, if I love thee for aye,
        Thank the Vizier!

   Thine am I, thine! and learns his soul what it has taught—­to die,
        Thank the Vizier!

Now, Aswarak divined not her meaning, and was enraptured with her, and cried, ’Wullahy! so and such thy love!  Thine am I, thine!  And what a music is thy voice, O my mistress!  ’Twere a bliss to Eblis in his torment could he hear it.  Life of my head! and is thy beauty increased by me?  Nay, thou flatterer!’ Then he said to her, ’Away with these importunate dogs! ’tis the very hour of tenderness!  Wullahy! they offend my nostril:  stung am I at the sight of them.’