from the window, but he kept the bevy in sight espying them from
a place whence he could not be espied. They walked under the very
lattice and advanced a little way into the garden till they came
to a jetting fountain amiddlemost a great basin of water; then
they stripped off their clothes and behold, ten of them were
women, concubines of the King, and the other ten were white
slaves. Then they all paired off, each with each: but the Queen,
who was left alone, presently cried out in a loud voice, "Here to
me, O my lord Saeed!" and then sprang with a drop leap from one
of the trees a big slobbering blackamoor with rolling eyes which
showed the whites, a truly hideous sight.[FN#7] He walked boldly
up to her and threw his arms round her neck while she embraced
him as warmly; then he bussed her and winding his legs round
hers, as a button loop clasps a button, he threw her and enjoyed
her. On like wise did the other slaves with the girls till all
had satisfied their passions, and they ceased not from kissing
and clipping, coupling and carousing till day began to wane; when
the Mamelukes rose from the damsels' bosoms and the blackamoor
slave dismounted from the Queen's breast; the men resumed their
disguises and all, except the negro who swarmed up the tree,
entered the palace and closed the postern door as before. Now,
when Shah Zaman saw this conduct of his sister in law he said in
himself, "By Allah, my calamity is lighter than this! My brother
is a greater King among the kings than I am, yet this infamy
goeth on in his very palace, and his wife is in love with that
filthiest of filthy slaves. But this only showeth that they all
do it[FN#8] and that there is no woman but who cuckoldeth her
husband, then the curse of Allah upon one and all and upon the
fools who lean against them for support or who place the reins of
conduct in their hands." So he put away his melancholy and