And
may God save thee from her mischief!" When I heard this, I
rejoiced and besought God to hasten the night. As soon as it was
dark, I rose to go, and my cousin said to me, "If thou foregather
with her, repeat to her the verse I taught thee, at the time of
leave-taking." "On my head and eyes," replied I, and going out,
repaired to the garden, where I found all as on the previous
night, with meat and drink spread ready, and dessert and flowers
and so forth. I went up into the pavilion and smelt the odour of
the viands and my soul lusted after them; but I forbore awhile,
till at last I could no longer restrain my appetite. So I went up
to the table, and raising the cover, found a dish of fowls,
surrounded by four smaller dishes, containing various meats. I
ate a mouthful of each dish and a piece of meat and as much as I
would of the sweetmeat: then I tasted a dish of rice dressed with
honey and saffron and liking it, supped of it by the spoonful,
till I was satisfied and my belly was full. With this, my eyelids
became heavy; so I took a cushion and put it under my head,
saying, "Surely I can recline upon it, without going to sleep."
Then I closed my eyes and slept, nor did I wake till the sun had
risen, when I found myself lying on the bare marble, with a die
of bone, a play-stick,[FN#130] a green date-stone[FN#131] and a
carob-bean on my stomach. There was no furniture nor aught else
in the place, and it was as if there had been nothing there
yesterday.
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