after the fairest fashion of woman's adornment, till he was as
one of the Houris of the Garden of Heaven, and when she saw him
thus she exclaimed, "Blessed be Allah, best of Creators! By
Allah, thou art handsomer than the damsel.[FN#17] Now, walk with
thy left shoulder forwards and thy right well behind, and sway
thy hips from side to side."[FN#18] So he walked before her, as
she bade him; and, when she saw he had caught the trick of
woman's gait, she said to him, "Expect me tomorrow night, and
Allah willing, I will take and carry thee to the palace. But when
thou seest the Chamberlains and the Eunuchs be bold, and bow thy
head and speak not with any, for I will prevent their speech; and
with Allah is success!" Accordingly, when the morning dawned, she
returned and, carrying him to the palace, entered before him and
he after her step by step. The Chamberlain would have stopped his
entering, but the old woman said to him, "O most ill omened of
slaves, this is the handmaid of Naomi, the Caliph's favourite.
How durst thou stay her when she would enter?" Then said she,
"Come in, O damsel!"; and the old woman went in and they ceased
not faring on, till they drew near the door leading to the inner
piazza of the palace, when she said to him, "O Ni'amah, hearten
thyself and take courage and enter and turn to the left: then
count five doors and pass through the sixth, for it is that of
the place prepared for thee. Fear nothing, and if any speak to
thee, answer not, neither stop." Then she went up with him to the
door, and the Chamberlain there on guard accosted her, saying
"What damsel is this?"--And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day
and ceased saying her permitted say.

When it was the Two Hundred and Forty-fourth Night,