When the Khalif returned from the chase, he betook himself to Tuhfeh’s pavilion and bringing out the key, opened the door and went in to her.  She rose to receive him and kissed his hand, and he took her to his breast and seated her on his knee.  Then food was brought to them and they ate and washed their hands; after which she took the lute and sang, till Er Reshid was moved to sleep.  When she was ware of this, she left singing and told him her adventure with the Lady Zubeideh, saying, ’O Commander of the Faithful, I would have thee do me a favour and heal my heart and accept my intercession and reject not my word, but go forthright to the Lady Zubeideh’s lodging.’  Now this talk befell after he had stripped himself naked and she also had put off her clothes; and he said, ’Thou shouldst have named this before we stripped ourselves naked.’  But she answered, saying, ’ O Commander of the Faithful, I did this not but in accordance with the saying of the poet in the following verses: 

All intercessions come and all alike do ill succeed, Save
     Tuhfeh’s, daughter of Merjan, for that, in very deed,
The intercessor who to thee herself presenteth veiled Is not her
     like who naked comes with thee to intercede.’

When the Khalif heard this, her speech pleased him and he strained her to his bosom.  Then he went forth from her and locked the door upon her, as before; whereupon she took the book and sat looking in it awhile.  Presently, she laid it down and taking the lute, tightened its strings.  Then she smote thereon, after a wondrous fashion, such as would have moved inanimate things [to delight], and fell to singing marvellous melodies and chanting the following verses: 

Rail not at the vicissitudes of Fate, For Fortune still spites
     those who her berate. 
Be patient under its calamities, For all things have an issue
     soon or late. 
How many a mirth-exciting joy amid The raiment of ill chances
     lies in wait! 
How often, too, hath gladness come to light Whence nought but
     dole thou didst anticipate!

Then she turned and saw within the chamber an old man, comely of hoariness, venerable of aspect, who was dancing on apt and goodly wise, a dance the like whereof none might avail unto.  So she sought refuge with God the Most High from Satan the Stoned[FN#193] and said, ’I will not give over what I am about, for that which God decreeth, He carrieth into execution.’  Accordingly, she went on singing till the old man came up to her and kissed the earth before her, saying, ’Well done, O Queen of the East and the West!  May the world be not bereaved of thee!  By Allah, indeed thou art perfect of qualities and ingredients, O Tuhfet es Sudour![FN#194] Dost thou know me?’ ‘Nay, by Allah,’ answered she; ‘but methinks thou art of the Jinn.’  Quoth he, ’Thou sayst sooth; I am the Sheikh Aboultawaif[FN#195] Iblis, and I come to thee every night, and with me thy sister Kemeriyeh, for that she loveth thee and