On this wise she abode a great while and indeed yearning for him came nigh to slay her; so she stood and watched for him one day at the door of her chamber and straining him to her bosom, kissed him on the cheek and breast.  At this moment, out came the master of the king’s household and seeing her embracing the youth, abode amazed.  Then he asked to whom that chamber belonged and was answered, ‘To Shah Khatoun, wife of the king,’ whereupon he turned back, trembling as [one smitten by] a thunderbolt.  The king saw him quaking and said to him, ’Out on thee! what is the matter?’ ‘O king,’ answered he, ’what matter is graver than that which I see?’ ‘What seest thou?’ asked the king and the officer said, ’I see that yonder youth, who came with the eunuch, he brought not with him but on account of Shah Khatoun; for that I passed but now by her chamber door, and she was standing, watching; [and when the youth came up,] she rose to him and clipped him and kissed him on his cheek.’

When the king heard this, he bowed [his head] in amazement and perplexity and sinking into a seat, clutched at his beard and shook it, till he came nigh to pluck it out.  Then he arose forthright and laid hands on the youth and clapped him in prison.  Moreover, he took the eunuch also and cast them both into an underground dungeon in his house, after which he went in to Shah Khatoun and said to her, ’Thou hast done well, by Allah, O daughter of nobles, O thou whom kings sought in marriage, for the excellence of thy repute and the goodliness of the reports of thee!  How fair is thy semblance!  May God curse her whose inward is the contrary of her outward, after the likeness of thy base favour, whose outward is comely and its inward foul, fair face and foul deeds!  Verily, I mean to make of thee and of yonder good-for-nought an example among the folk, for that thou sentest not thine eunuch but of intent on his account, so that he took him and brought him into my house and thou hast trampled my head with him; and this is none other than exceeding hardihood; but thou shall see what I will do with you.’

So saying, he spat in her face and went out from her; whilst Shah Khatoun made him no answer, knowing that, if she spoke at that time, he would not credit her speech.  Then she humbled herself in supplication to God the Most High and said, ’O God the Great, Thou knowest the hidden things and the outward parts and the inward’ If an advanced term[FN#137] be [appointed] to me, let it not be deferred, and if a deferred one, let it not be advanced!’ On this wise she passed some days, whilst the king fell into perplexity and forswore meat and drink and sleep and abode knowing not what he should do and saying [in himself], ’If I kill the eunuch and the youth, my soul will not be solaced, for they are not to blame, seeing that she sent to fetch him, and my heart will not suffer me to slay them all three.  But I will not be hasty in putting them to death, for that I fear repentance.’  Then he left them, so he might look into the affair.