Page:The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night, Vol 9.djvu/76

58 reached the middle of the gallery, I heard a great noise and saw the light of flambeaux coming towards me. As the light drew near me, I looked at it and behold the Khalif himself, surrounded by the slave-girls carrying flambeaux, and I heard one of the women [by whose door I had passed] say to another, “O my sister, have we two Khalifs? Verily, the Khalif hath already passed by my chamber and laid the bean at my door, as is his wont, and I smelt the perfumes and essences on him, and now I see the light of his flambeaux, and here he comes with them.” “Indeed this is a strange thing,” replied the other; “for none would dare disguise himself in the Khalif’s habit.”

Then the light drew near me, whilst I trembled in every limb; and up came an eunuch, crying out to the women and saying, “Hither!” Whereupon they turned aside to one of the chambers and entered. Then they came out again and went on till they came to the chamber of my mistress and I heard the Khalif say, “Whose chamber is this?” They answered, “This is the chamber of Shejeret ed Durr.” And he said, “Call her.” So they called her and she came out and kissed the feet of the Khalif, who said to her, “Wilt thou drink to-night?” Quoth she, “But for thy presence and the looking on thy face, I would not drink, for I have no mind to wine this night.” Then said the Khalif to the eunuch, “Bid the treasurer give her such a necklace.” And he commanded to enter her chamber. So the torches entered before him and he followed them into the apartment.

At the same moment, there came up to me a damsel, the lustre of whose face outshone that of the flambeau in her hand, and said, “Who is this?” Then she laid hold of me and carrying me into one of the chambers, said to me, “Who art thou?” I kissed the earth before her, saying, “I implore thee by Allah, O my lady, spare my blood and have pity on me and commend thyself unto