Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 1.djvu/312

288 day, as he was sitting in his usual place, gazing on her, she caught sight of him, and perceiving that he had fallen a captive to her love, smiled in his face, and he smiled back at her. Then she withdrew and sent her slave-girl to him with a parcel of red flowered silk. The girl accosted him and said to him, “My lady salutes thee and would have thee cut out for her, with a skilful hand, a shift of this stuff and sew it handsomely.” “I hear and obey,” answered he; and cut out the shift and made an end of sewing it the same day. Next morning early, the girl came back and said to him, “My mistress salutes thee and would fain know how thou hast passed the night; for she has not tasted sleep by reason of her heart being taken up with thee.” Then she laid before him a piece of yellow satin and said to him, “My mistress bids thee cut her two pairs of trousers of this stuff and sew them this day.” “I hear and obey,” answered he; “salute her for me with abundant salutation and say to her, ‘Thy slave is obedient to thy commands, so order him as thou wilt.’” Then he applied himself to cut out the trousers and used all diligence in sewing them. Presently the lady appeared at the window and saluted him by signs, now casting down her eyes and now smiling in his face, so that he made sure of getting his will of her. She did not let him budge till he had finished the two pairs of trousers, when she withdrew and sent the slave-girl, to whom he delivered them, and she took them and went away. When it was night, he threw himself on his bed and tossed from side to side, till morning, when he rose and sat down in his shop. By-and-by, the slave-girl came to him and said, “My master calls for thee.” When he heard this, he was afraid; but the girl, seeing his alarm, to him, “Fear not: nought but good shall befall thee. My lady would have thee make acquaintance with my master.” So my brother rejoiced greatly and went out with her. When he came into his landlord’s presence he kissed