The Eighth Constable's History.



Ye must know that a company, amongst whom was a friend of mine,
once invited me to an entertainment; so I went with him, and when
we came into his house and sat down on his couch, he said to me,
"This is a blessed day and a day of gladness, and who is he that
liveth to see the like of this day? I desire that thou practice
with us and disapprove not our proceedings, for that thou hast
been accustomed to fall in with those who offer this."[FN#80] I
consented thereto and their talk happened upon the like of this
subject.[FN#81] Presently, my friend, who had invited me, arose
from among them and said to them, Listen to me and I will
acquaint you with an adventure which happened to me. There was a
certain person who used to visit me in my shop, and I knew him
not nor he knew me, nor ever in his life had he seen me; but he
was wont, whenever he wanted a dirham or two, by way of loan, to
come to me and ask me, without acquaintance or introduction
between me and him, and I would give him what he required. I told
none of him, and matters abode thus between us a long while till
he began a-borrowing at a time ten or twenty dirhams, more or
less. One day, as I stood in my shop, behold, a woman suddenly
came up to me and stopped before me; and she was a presence as
she were the full moon rising from among the constellations, and
the place was a-light by her light. When I saw her, I fixed my
eyes on her and stared in her face; and she fell to bespeaking me
with soft voice. When I heard her words and the sweetness of her
speech, I lusted after her; and as soon as she saw that I longed