as virgin silver and when he eyed her semblance in the glass he
saw it pure as a white dove's. THen sent he forthright for the
Kazi and witnesses and they knotted the knot and wrote the writ
and the bride was duly throned. Presently the Prince took the
Wazir his father-in-law into his own mansion, and to the young
lady he sent a present of costly jewels and it was a notable
marriage-festival, none like it was ever seen; no, never. Zayn
al-Asnam applied himself to inviting the folk right royally and
did honour due to Abu Bakr the Imam, giving him abundant gifts,
and forwarded to the bride's father offerings of notable
rarities. As soon as the wedding ended, Mubarak said to the
Prince, "O my lord, let us arise and wend our ways lest we lose
our time in leisure, for that we sought is now found." Said the
Prince, "Right thou art;" and, arising with his companion, the
twain fell to equipping them for travel and gat ready for the
bride a covered litter[FN#56] to be carried by camels and they
set out. Withal Mubarak well knew that the Prince was deep in
love to the young lady. So he took him aside and said to him, "O
my lord Zayn al-Asnam, I would warn thee and enjoin thee to keep
watch and ward upon thy senses and passions and to observe and
preserve the pledge by thee plighted to the King of the Jann." "O
Mubarak," replied the Prince, "an thou knew the love-longing and
ecstasy which have befallen me of my love to this young lady,
thou wouldst feel ruth for me! indeed I never think of aught else
save of taking her to Bassorah and of going in unto her." Mubarak
rejoined. "O my lord, keep thy faith and be not false to thy
pact, lest a sore harm betide thee and the loss of thy life as
well as that of the young lady.[FN#57] Remember the oath thou
swarest nor suffer lust[FN#58] to lay thy reason low and despoil
thee of all thy gains and thine honour and thy life." "Do thou, O