Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 5.djvu/345

311 nothing,” said she; “but enter this cabinet, till I get rid of him and come back to thee.” So she put him in the third compartment and locked the door on him, after which she went out and opened the door and in came the King.

When she saw him, she kissed the earth before him, and taking him by the hand, led him into the saloon and seated him on the couch at the upper end. Then said she to him, “Verily, O King, thou dost us honour, and if we brought thee the whole world and all that therein is as a gift, it would not equal a single one of thy steps towards us: but give me leave to speak one word.” “Say what thou wilt,” answered he, and she said, “O my lord, take thine ease and put off thy clothes and turban.” So he put off his clothes, which were worth a thousand dinars, and she clad him in a patched gown, not worth ten dirhems, and fell to talking and jesting with him, whilst the folk in the cabinet heard all that passed, but dared not say a word. Presently, the King put his hand to her neck and sought to do his desire of her; but she said, “This thing shall not escape us; but, first, I had promised myself to entertain thee in this sitting-chamber, and I have that which shall content thee.” At that moment, some one knocked at the door and he said to her, “Who is that?” “My husband,” answered she, and he, “Make him go away of his own accord, or I will go forth to him and send him away perforce.” “Nay, O my lord,” replied she; “have patience till I send him away by my skilful contrivance.” “And how shall I do?” asked the King; whereupon she took him by the hand and making him enter the fourth compartment of the cabinet, locked it upon him.

Then she went out and opened the door, when the carpenter entered and saluted her. Quoth she, “What manner of thing is this cabinet thou hast made me?”