Page:The Perfumed Garden - Burton - 1886.djvu/67

Rh "May God give you his blessing." He then asked her, "Ho long can a woman patiently do without coition?" She seemed amazed, but the King said, "Speak, and do not be abashed."

She then answered, "A well-born lady of high origin can remain for six months without; but a lowly woman of no race nor high blood, who does not respect herself when she can lay her hand upon a man, will have him upon her; his stomach and his member will know her vagina."

Then said the King, pointing to one of the women, "Who is this one?" She answered, "This is the wife of the Kadi." "And this one?" "The wife of the second Vizir." "And this?" "The wife of the chief of the Muftis." "And that one?" "The Treasurer's." "And those two women that are in the other room?" She answered, "They have received the hospitality of the house, and one of them was brought here yesterday by an old woman; the negro has so far not got possession of her."

Then said Omar. "This is the one I spoke to you about, O my master."

"And the other woman? To whom does she belong?" said the King.

"She is the wife of the Amine of the carpenters," answered she.

Then said the King, "And these girls, who are they?" She answered, "This one is the daughter of the clerk of the treasury; this other one the daughter of the