day was now dazzling bright and the firmament shone with light
and the folk had begun to circulate; so he hired a man with a
mule and, bringing him to the tomb, lifted the chest wherein he
had put the damsel and set it on the mule. Her love now engrossed
his heart and he fared homeward with her rejoicing, for that she
was a girl worth ten thousand gold pieces and her raiment and
ornaments would fetch a mint of money. As soon as he arrived at
his house he carried in the chest and opening it,--And Shahrazad
perceived the dawn of day and ceased to say her permitted say.

When it was the Forty-first night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that when Ghanim
son of Ayyub arrived with the chest at his house, he opened it
and took out the young lady, who looked about her and, seeing
that the place was handsome, spread with carpets and dight with
cheerful colours and other deckings; and noting the stuffs up
piled and packed bales and other else than that, knew that he was
a substantial merchant and a man of much money. There upon she
uncovered her face and looked at him, and lo! he was a fair
youth; so when she saw him she loved him and said, "O my lord,
bring us something to eat." "On my head and mine eyes!" replied
he; and, going down to the bazar, bought a roasted lamb and a
dish of sweetmeats and with these dry fruits and wax candles,
besides wine and whatsoever was required of drinking materials,
not forgetting perfumes. With all this gear he returned to the
house; and when the damsel saw him she laughed and kissed him and
clasped his neck. Then she began caressing him, which made his
love wax hotter till it got the mastery of his heart. They ate
and drank and each had conceived the fondest affection; for