Miriam, carrying on her shoulders the couple of saddle-bags. She
mistook the black for Nur al-Din and handed him one pair of bags,
which he laid on one of the stallions: after which she gave him
the other and he set it on the second steed, without word said to
discover that it was not her lover. Then they mounted and rode
out of the gate[FN#5] in silence till presently she asked, "O my
lord Nur al-Din, what aileth thee to be silent?" Whereupon the
black turned to her and cried angrily, "What sayst thou, O
damsel?" When she heard the slave's barbarous accents, she knew
that the speech was not of Nur al-Din; so raising her eyes she
looked at him and saw that he was a black chattel, snub-nosed and
wide-mouthed, with nostrils like ewers; whereupon the light in
her eyes became night and she asked him, "Who art thou, O Shaykh
of the sons of Ham and what among men is thy name?" He answered,
"O daughter of the base, my name is Mas'ud, the lifter of horses,
when folk slumber and sleep." She made him no reply, but
straightway baring her blade, smote him on the nape and the blade
came out gleaming from his throat-tendons, whereupon he fell
earthwards, weltering in his blood, and Allah hurried his soul to
the Fire and abiding-place dire. Then she took the other horse by
the bridle and retraced her steps in search of Nur al-Din, whom
she found lying, asleep and snoring, in the place where she had
appointed him to meet her, hending the halters in hand, yet
knowing not his fingers from his feet. So she dismounted and gave
him a cuff,[FN#6] whereupon he awoke in affright and said to her,
"O m lady, praised be Allah for thy safe coming!" Said she "Rise
and back this steed and hold thy tongue!" So he rose and mounted
one of the stallions, whilst she bestrode the other, and they
went forth the city and rode on awhile in silence. Then said she
to him, "Did I not bid thee beware of sleeping? Verily, he