for her, she did her errand and promising me an assignation, went
away, leaving my thoughts occupied with her and fire a-flame in
my heart. Accordingly I abode, perplexed and pondering my affair,
the fire still burning in my heart, till the third day, when she
came again and I could hardly credit her coming. When I saw her,
I talked with her and cajoled her and courted her and craved her
favour with speech and invited her to my house; but, hearing all
this, she only answered, "I will not go up into any one's house."
Quoth I, "I will go with thee" and quoth she, "Arise and come
with me." So I rose and putting into my sleeve a kerchief,
wherein was a fair sum of silver and a considerable, followed the
woman, who forwent me and ceased not walking till she brought me
to a lane and to a door, which she bade me unlock. I refused and
she opened it and led me into the vestibule. As soon as I had
entered, she bolted the entrance door from within and said to me,
"Sit here till I go in to the slave-girls and cause them enter a
place whence they shall not see me." "'Tis well," answered I and
sat down: whereupon she entered and was absent from me an
eye-twinkling, after which she returned to me, without a veil,
and straightway said, "Arise and enter in the name of Allah." So
I arose and went in after her and we gave not over going till we
reached a saloon. When I examined the place, I found it neither
handsome nor pleasant, but desolate and dreadful without symmetry
or cleanliness; indeed, it was loathsome to look upon and there
was in it a foul smell. After this inspection I seated myself
amiddlemost the saloon, misdoubting; and lo and behold! as I sat,
there came down on me from the dais a body of seven naked men,
without other clothing than leather belts about their waists. One
of them walked up to me and took my turband, whilst another
seized my kerchief that was in my sleeve, with my money, and a