Page:The Perfumed Garden - Burton - 1886.djvu/57

Rh and graceful waist; she humbled the hearts of those who got enamoured with her.

Stupified by her beauty, the King was like stunned. He then said to himself, "How is there any getting out of this place? O my spirit, do not give way to love!"

And continuing his inspection of the room, he perceived in the hands of those who were present glasses filled with wine. They were drinking and eating, and it was easy to see they were overcome with drink.

While the King was thinking how to get out of his embarrassment he heard one of the women saying to one of her companions, calling her by name, "Oh, so and so, rise and light a torch, so that we can go to bed, for the sleep is overpowering us. Come, light the torch and let us retire to the other chamber."

They rose and lifted up the curtain to leave the room. The King hid himself to let them pass out; then, perceiving that they had left their chamber to do a thing necessary and obligatory to human kind, he took advantage of their absence, entered their apartment, and hid himself in a cupboard.

Whilst the King was thus in hiding the women returned and shut the doors. Their reason was obscure by the fumes of wine; they pulled off all their clothes and began to caress each other mutually.

The King said to himself, "Omar has told me true about this house of misfortune as an abyss of debauchery."

When the women had fallen asleep the King rose,