I was one day abroad on business with certain of my comrades;
and, as we walked along behold, we fell in with a company of
women, as they were moons, and among them one, the tallest of
them and the handsomest. When I saw her and she saw me, she
lagged behind her companions and waited for me till I came up to
her and bespake her. Quoth she, "O my lord (Allah favour thee!) I
saw thee prolong thy looking on me and I fancied that thou
knewest me. An it be thus, let me learn more of thee." Quoth I,
"By Allah, I know thee not, save that the Most High Lord hath
cast the love of thee into my heart and the goodliness of thy
qualities hath confounded me; and that wherewith the Almighty
hath gifted thee of those eyes that shoot with shafts hath
captivated me." And she rejoined, "By Allah, indeed I feel the
like of that which thou feelest; ay, and even more; so that
meseemeth I have known thee from childhood." Then said I, "A man
cannot well effect all whereof he hath need in the
market-places." She asked me, "Hast thou a house?" and I
answered, "No, by Allah, nor is this city my dwelling-place."
Rejoined she, "By Allah, nor have I a place; but I will contrive
for thee." Then she went on before me and I followed her till she
came to a lodging-house[FN#49] and said to the Housekeeper, "Hast
thou an empty room?" The other replied, "Yes:"[FN#50] and my
mistress said, "Give us the key." So we took the key and going up
to see the room, entered to inspect it; after which she went out
to the Housekeeper and giving her a dirham, said to her "Take the
douceur of the key[FN#51] for the chamber pleaseth us, and here
is another dirham for thy trouble. Go, fetch us a gugglet of