So, by Allah, O richest of all men in charms, Vouchsafe to a
lover, who's bankrupt well-nigh
Of patience, thy whilom endearments again, That I never to any
divulged, nor deny
The approof of my lord, so my stress and unease I may ban and
mine enemies' malice defy,
Thine approof which shall clothe me in noblest attire And my rank
in the eyes of the people raise high.

When she had made an end of her song, all who were in the
assembly wept for the daintiness of her speech and the sweetness
of her voice and El Abbas said to her, "Well done, O Merziyeh I
Indeed, thou confoundest the wits with the goodliness of thy
verses and the elegance of thy speech." All this while Shefikeh
abode gazing upon her, and when she beheld El Abbas his
slave-girls and considered the goodliness of their apparel and
the nimbleness of their wits and the elegance of their speech,
her reason was confounded. Then she sought leave of El Abbas and
returning to her mistress Mariyeh, without letter or answer,
acquainted her with his case and that wherein he was of puissance
and delight and majesty and venerance and loftiness of rank.
Moreover, she told her what she had seen of the slave-girls and
their circumstance and that which they had said and how they had
made El Abbas desireful of returning to his own country by the
recitation of verses to the sound of the strings.

When the princess heard this her slave-girl's report, she wept
and lamented and was like to depart the world. Then she clave to
her pillow and said, "O Shefikeh, I will instruct thee of
somewhat that is not hidden from God the Most High, and it is