its regions contain from its East to its West, 'twere but a
little thing, compared with thy favour;" and quoth she, "I will
have of thee three suits, each worth a thousand Egyptian dinars,
and adorned with gold and fairly purfled with pearls and jewels
and jacinths, the best of their kind. Furthermore I require that
thou swear to me thou wilt keep my secret nor discover it to any
and that thou wilt company with none but me; and I in turn will
swear to thee a true oath that I will never false thee in love."
So he sware to her the oath she required and she sware to him,
and they agreed upon this; after which she said to her nurse
Hubub, "To-morrow go thou with Masrur to his lodging and seek
somewhat of musk and ambergris and Nadd and rose-water and see
what he hath. If he be a man of condition, we will take him into
favour; but an he be otherwise we will leave him." Then said she
to him, "O Masrur, I desire somewhat of musk and ambergris and
aloes-wood and Nadd; so do thou send it me by Hubub;" and he
answered, "With love and gladness; my shop is at thy disposal!"
Then the wine went round between them and their s‚ance was sweet:
but Masrur's heart was troubled for the passion and pining which
possessed him; and when Zayn alMawasif saw him in this plight,
she said to her slave-girl Sukub, "Arouse Masrur from his stupor;
mayhap he will recover." Answered Sukub, "Hearkening and
obedience," and sang these couplets,

"Bring gold and gear an a lover thou, * And hymn thy love so
success shalt row;
Joy the smiling fawn with the black-edged eyne * And the bending
lines of the Cassiabough:
On her look, and a marvel therein shalt sight, * And pour out thy
life ere thy life-term show: