had taken of him and asked him, "O Masrur, hast thou a
flower-garden whither we may wend and take our pleasure?";
whereto he answered, "Yes, O my lady, I have a garden that hath
not its like." Then he returned to his lodgings and bade his
slave-girls make ready a splendid banquet and a handsome room;
after which he summoned Zayn al-Mawasif who came surrounded by
her damsels, and they ate and drank and made mirth and merriment,
whilst the cup passed round between them and their spirits rose
high. Then lover withdrew with beloved and Zayn al-Mawasif said
to Masrur, "I have bethought me of some dainty verses, which I
would fain sing to the lute." He replied, "Do sing them"; so she
took the lute and tuning it, sang to a pleasant air these
couplets,

"Joy from stroke of string doth to me incline, * And sweet is
a-morning our early wine;
Whenas Love unveileth the amourist's heart, * And by rending the
veil he displays his sign,
With a draught so pure, so dear, so bright, * As in hand of
Moons[FN#338] the Sun's sheeny shine
O' nights it cometh with joy to 'rase * The hoar of sorrow by
boon divine."

Then ending her verse, she said to him, "O Masrur, recite us
somewhat of thy poetry and favour us with the fruit of thy
thought." So he recited these two couplets,

"We joy in full Moon who the wine bears round, * And in concert
of lutes that from gardens sound;
Where the dove moans at dawn and where bends the bough * To Morn,