صفحة 829 من 1116

And she was carrying him to the upper story when the people of

the house said to him, "What dost thou here?" But the old woman

answered them, "Hold your peace and trouble him not: he is a

workman and we have occasion for him." Then she brought him into

a fine great pavilion, with a garden in its midst, never eyes saw

a fairer; and made him sit upon a handsome couch. He had not sat

long, be fore he heard a loud noise and in came a troop of slave

girls surrounding a lady like the moon on the night of its

fullest. When he saw her, he rose up and made an obeisance to

her, whereupon she welcomed him and bade him be seated. So he sat

down and she said to him, "Allah advance thee to honour!