Pagina 420 van 1116

The door stood open as I entered and found myself in a spacious

and goodly hall, wide exceedingly, even as a horse-course; and

around it were an hundred chambers with doors of sandal and aloes

woods plated with red gold and furnished with silver rings by way

of knockers.[FN#286] At the head or upper end[FN#287] of the hall

I saw forty damsels, sumptuously dressed and ornamented and one

and all bright as moons; none could ever tire of gazing upon them

and all so lovely that the most ascetic devotee on seeing them

would become their slave and obey their will. When they saw me

the whole bevy came up to me and said "Welcome and well come and

good cheer[FN#288] to thee, O our lord! This whole month have we

been expecting thee.