One day as she sang before the Commander of the Faithful, he was moved to exceeding delight, so that he took her and offered to kiss her hand; but she drew it away from him and smote upon her lute and broke it and wept Er Reshid wiped away her tears and said, ’O desire of the heart, what is it maketh thee weep?  May God not cause an eye of thine to weep!’ ‘O my lord,’ answered she, ’what am I that thou shouldst kiss my hand?  Wilt thou have God punish me for this and that my term should come to an end and my felicity pass away?  For this is what none ever attained unto.’  Quoth he, ’Well said, O Tuhfeh.  Know that thy rank in my esteem is mighty and for that which wondered me of what I saw of thee, I offered to do this, but I will not return unto the like thereof; so be of good heart and cheerful eye, for I have no desire for other than thyself and will not die but in the love of thee, and thou to me art queen and mistress, to the exclusion of all humankind.’  Therewith she fell to kissing his feet; and this her fashion pleased him, so that his love for her redoubled and he became unable to brook an hour’s severance from her.

One day he went forth to the chase and left Tuhfeh in her pavilion.  As she sat looking upon a book, with a candlestick of gold before her, wherein was a perfumed candle, behold, a musk-apple fell down before her from the top of the saloon.[FN#190] So she looked up and beheld the Lady Zubeideh bint el Casim,[FN#191] who saluted her and acquainted her with herself, whereupon Tuhfeh rose to her feet and said, ’O my lady, were I not of the number of the upstarts, I had daily sought thy service; so do not thou bereave me of thine august visits.’[FN#192] The Lady Zubeideh called down blessings upon her and answered, ’By the life of the Commander of the Faithful, I knew this of thee, and but that it is not of my wont to go forth of my place, I had come out to do my service to thee.’  Then said she to her, ’Know, O Tuhfeh, that the Commander of the Faithful hath forsaken all his concubines and favourites on thine account, even to myself.  Yea, me also hath he deserted on this wise, and I am not content to be as one of the concubines; yet hath he made me of them and forsaken me, and I am come to thee, so thou mayst beseech him to come to me, though it be but once a month, that I may not be the like of the handmaids and concubines nor be evened with the slave-girls; and this is my occasion with thee.’  ‘Hearkening and obedience,’ answered Tuhfeh.  ’By Allah, O my lady, I would well that he might be with thee a whole month and with me but one night, so thy heart might be comforted, for that I am one of thy handmaids and thou art my lady in every event.’  The Lady Zubeideh thanked her for this and taking leave of her, returned to her palace.