صفحة 429 من 1116

After taking my pleasure there awhile I went from it and, having

closed the door as it was before, opened the third door wherein I

saw a high open hall pargetted with parti-coloured marbles and

pietra dura of price and other precious stones, and hung with

cages of sandal-wood and eagle-wood; full of birds which made

sweet music, such as the Thousand voiced,[FN#295] and the cushat,

the merle, the turtle-dove and the Nubian ring dove. My heart was

filled with pleasure thereby; my grief was dispelled and I slept

in that aviary till dawn. Then I undocked the door of the fourth

chamber and therein found a grand saloon with forty smaller

chambers giving upon it. All their doors stood open: so I entered

and found them full of pearls and jacinths and beryls and

emeralds and corals and car buncles, and all manner precious gems

and jewels, such as tongue of man may not describe.