with speech sweeter than syrup, his love for her redoubled,
passion got the mastery of his reason and he had not patience to
endure from her. So springing up from his hiding-place, he rushed
upon her and laying hold of her by the hair dragged her to him
and carried her down to the basement of the palace and set her in
his own chamber, where he threw over her a silken cloak[FN#70]
and left her weeping and biting her hands. Then he shut the door
upon her and going to his sister, informed her how he had made
prize of his lover and carried her to his sleeping-closet, "And
there," quoth he, "she is now sitting, weeping and biting her
hands." When his sister heard this, she rose forthright and
betook herself to the chamber, where she found the captive
weeping and mourning. So she kissed ground before her and
saluted her with the salam and the young lady said to her, "O
King's daughter, do folk like you do such foul deed with the
daughters of Kings? Thou knowest that my father is a mighty
Sovran and that all the liege lords of the Jinn stand in awe of
him and fear his majesty: for that there are with him magicians
and sages and Cohens and Satans and Marids, such as none may cope
withal, and under his hand are folk whose number none knoweth
save Allah. How then doth it become you, O daughters of Kings,
to harbour mortal men with you and disclose to them our case and
yours? Else how should this man, a stranger, come at us?"
Hasan's sister made reply, "O King's daughter, in very sooth this
human is perfect in nobleness and purposeth thee no villainy; but
he loveth thee, and women were not made save for men. Did he not
love thee, he had not fallen sick for thy sake and well-nigh
given up the ghost for desire of thee." And she told her the
whole tale how Hasan had seen her bathing in the basin with her
attendants, and fallen in love with her, and none had pleased him