She was as diligent as her promise, and returning to the jeweller, told him that her mistress would not fail to keep the appointment in the evening.  In the mean time she gave him a purse, and told him it was to prepare a collation.  He carried her immediately to the house where the lovers were to meet, that she might know whither to bring her mistress:  and when she was gone, he went to borrow from his friends gold and silver plate, tapestry, rich cushions, and other furniture, with which he furnished the house very magnificently; and when he had put all things in order, went to the prince of Persia.

You may easily conceive the prince of Persia’s joy, when the jeweller told him that he came to conduct him to the house he had prepared to receive him and Schemselnihar.  This news made him forget all his former trouble.  He put on a magnificent robe, and went without his retinue along with the jeweller; who led him through several by-streets that nobody might observe them, and at last brought him to the house, where they conversed together until Schemselnihar’s arrival.

They did not wait long for this passionate lover.  She came after evening prayer, with her confidant, and two other slaves.  It is impossible to express the excess of joy that seized these two lovers when they saw one another.  They sat down together upon a sofa, looking upon one another for some time, without being able to speak, they were so much overjoyed:  but when their speech returned, they soon made up for their silence.  They said to each other so many tender things, as made the jeweller, the confidant, and the two other slaves weep.  The jeweller however restrained his tears, to attend the collation, which he brought in himself.  The lovers ate and drank little, after which they sat down again upon the sofa:  Schemselnihar asked the jeweller if he had a lute, or any other instrument, The jeweller, who took care to provide all that could please her, brought her a lute:  she spent some time in tuning it, and then sung.

While Schemselnihar was charming the prince of Persia, and expressing her passion by words composed extempore, a great noise was heard; and immediately the slave, whom. the jeweller had brought with him, came in great alarm to tell him that some people were breaking in at the gate; that he asked who they were, but instead of any answer the blows were redoubled.  The jeweller, being alarmed, left Schemselnihar and the prince to inform himself of the truth of this intelligence.  No sooner had he got to the court, than he perceived, notwithstanding the darkness of the night, a company of men armed with spears and cimeters, who had broken the gate, and came directly towards him.  He stood close to a wall for fear of his life, and saw ten of them pass without being perceived by them.  Finding he could give no great assistance to the prince of Persia and Schemselnihar, he contented himself with lamenting their fate, and fled for refuge to a neighbour’s