Seite 729 von 1116

Presently in came the handmaiden, my mistress, walking straight

up to us; and I rose to her and embraced her while she kissed me

and shed tears.[FN#562] We talked awhile; after which she made me

get into one of the chests which she locked upon me. Presently

the other eunuchs came back with a quantity of packages and she

fell to stowing them in the chests, which she locked down, one by

one, till all were shut. When all was done the eunuchs embarked

the chests in the boat and made for the Lady Zubaydah's palace.

With this, thought began to beset me and I said to myself,

"Verily thy lust and wantonness will be the death of thee; and

the question is after all shalt thou win to thy wish or not?" And

I began to weep, boxed up as I was in the box and suffering from

cramp; and I prayed Allah that He deliver me from the dangerous

strait I was in, whilst the boat gave not over going on till it

reached the Palace gate where they lifted out the chests and

amongst them that in which I was.