returned not to me] till six months had passed by. Meanwhile, I
traded with the money and sold and bought and made other thousand
dinars profit [on it].

Presently, she came to me again and I said to her, "Here is thy
money and I have gained [with it] other thousand dinars." Quoth
she, "Keep it by thee and take these other thousand dinars. As
soon as I have departed from thee, go thou to Er Rauzeh[FN#183]
and build there a goodly pavilion, and when the building thereof
is accomplished, give me to know thereof." So saying, she left me
and went away. As soon as she was gone, I betook myself to Er
Rauzeh and addressed myself to the building of the pavilion, and
when it was finished, I furnished it with the goodliest of
furniture and sent to the lady to tell her that I had made an end
of its building; whereupon she sent back to me, saying, "Let him
meet me to-morrow at daybreak at the Zuweyleh gate and bring with
him a good ass." So I got me an ass and betaking myself to the
Zuweyleh gate, at the appointed time, found there a young man on
horse- back, awaiting her, even as I awaited her.

As we stood, behold, up came the lady, and with her a slave-girl.
When she saw the young man, she said to him, "Art thou here?" And
he answered, "Yes, O my lady." Quoth she, "To-day I am bidden by
this man. Wilt thou go with us?" And he replied, "Yes." Then said
she, "Thou hast brought me [hither] against my will and perforce.
Wilt thou go with us in any event?"[FN#184] "Yes, yes," answered
he and we fared on, [all three,] till we came to Er Rauzeh and
entered the pavilion. The lady diverted herself awhile with
viewing its ordinance and furniture, after which she put off her
[walking-]clothes and sat down [with the young man] in the