your interposition, said she, to accommodate our matters:  upon which the eunuch fell a laughing, and, calling me aside, made me weigh the gold.  While I was weighing, the eunuch whispered in my ear, I know by your eyes that you love this lady, and am surprised to find you have not the assurance to disclose your love to her:  she loves you more passionately than you do her.  Do you imagine that she has any real occasion for your stuffs?  She only makes an errand to come hither, because you have inspired her with a violent passion.  Do but ask her the question; it will be your fault if you do not marry her.  It is true, said I, I have had a love for her from the first moment I cast my eyes upon her; but I did not aspire to the happiness of thinking my love acceptable to her.  I am entirely hers, and shall not fail to retain a grateful sense of your good offices in that matter.  In fine, I made an end of weighing the gold, and while I was putting it into the bag, the eunuch turned to the lady, and told her I was satisfied, that being the word they had both agreed upon between themselves.  Presently after that, the lady rose and took leave; telling me she would send the eunuch to me, and that I should do what he directed me to do in her name.

I carried every one of the merchants their money, and waited some days with impatience for the eunuch.  At last he came.  I entertained him very kindly, and asked him how his mistress did?  You are, said he, the happiest lover in the world; she is quite sick of love for you; she covets extremely to see you; and were she mistress of her own conduct, would not fail to come to you, and willingly pass every moment of her life in your company.  Her noble mien and graceful carriage, said I, evinced that she was a lady beyond the common level.  The judgement you have formed upon that head, said the eunuch, is very just; she is the favourite of Zobeide, the caliph’s lady, who has brought her up from her infancy, and intrusts her with all her affairs.  Having a mind to marry, she has declared to Zobeide that she has cast her eyes upon you, and desired her consent.  Zobeide told her she agreed to it, only she had a mind to see you first, in order to judge whether she had made a good choice:  if she had, Zobeide meant to defray the charges of the wedding.  Thus you see your felicity is certain; since you have pleased the favourite, you will be equally agreeable to the mistress, who seeks only to oblige her favourite, and would by no means thwart her inclination.  In fine, all you have to do is to come to the palace.  I am sent hither to call you, so you will please to come to a resolution.  My resolution is formed already, said I; and I am ready to follow you whithersoever you please to conduct me.  Very well, said the eunuch; but you know that men are not allowed to enter the ladies’ apartments in the palace, and so you must be introduced with great secrecy:  the favourite lady has contrived the matter very well.  Upon your side you are to act your part very discreetly; for if you do not, your life is at stake.