Then she fell down in a fainting-fit and weeping arose amongst
the folk; and I also cried out and fainted away. The sailors were
startled by me and one of the Hashimi's pages said to them, 'How
came ye to take this madman on board?' So they said one to other,
'As soon as we come to the next village, we will set him ashore
and rid us of him.' When I heard this, I was sore troubled but I
heartened and hardened myself, saying in thought, 'Nothing will
serve me to deliver myself from their hands, except I make shift
to acquaint her with my presence in the ship, so she may prevent
my being set ashore.' Then we sailed when we came hard by a
hamlet[FN#46] and the skipper said, 'Come, let us go ashore.'
Therewith they all landed, save myself; and as evening fell I
rose and going behind the curtain took the lute and changed its
accord, mode[FN#47] by mode, and tuning it after a fashion of my
own,[FN#48] that she had learnt of me, returned to my place in
the ship;" --And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased
to say her permitted say.

When it was the Eight Hundred and Ninety-eighth Night,

She resumed, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that the
young man continued, "I returned to my place in the ship; and
presently the whole party came on board again and the moon shone
bright upon river and height. Then said the Hashimi to the
damsel, 'Allah upon thee, trouble not our joyous lives!' So she
took the lute, and touching it with her hand, gave a sob, that
they thought her soul had fled her frame, and said, 'By Allah, my
master and teacher is with us in this ship!' Answered the
Hashimi, 'By Allah, were this so, I would not forbid him our