Sweet his favours； but lovers still choke； if he give Them to drink of the gall of his rigours austere。
His brow is perfection； perfection his shape； And my love is perfection； so true and sincere。
The folds of his raiment the new moon （69） enclose； From his collars she Rises； as if from a sphere。
His eyes and his moles and my tears are as nights Upon nights upon nights； full of blackness and fear；
And his eyebrows and face and my body （70） new moon On new moon on new moon to the aspect appear。
His eyes fill his lovers a goblet of wine； Which； though bitter； is sweet to my sorrowful cheer。
With a smile of his mouth； on the day of delights My thirst he allayed with sweet water and clear。
My slaughter's with him； ay； the shedding my blood Is thrice lawful to him whom I tender so dear。
Then said she to Noureddin； 'God on thee； O my lord； am I not handsome？' And he answered； 'O princess of fair ones； is there in the world a goodlier than thou？' 'Then why；' rejoined she； 'seest thou the other merchants bid for me and art silent nor sayest a word neither addest one dinar to my price？ It would seem I please thee not； O my lord！' Quoth he； 'O my lady； were I in mine own land； I had bought thee with all that my hand possesseth of good。' 'O my lord；' replied she； 'I would not have thee buy me against thy will； yet； didst thou but add somewhat to my price； it would fort my heart； though thou buy me not； so the merchants may say； 〃Were not this girl handsome； yonder merchant of Cairo had not bidden for her； for the people of Cairo are connoisseurs in slave girls。〃'
Her words abashed Noureddin and he blushed and said to the broker； 'How stand the biddings for her？' 'Her price hath reached nine hundred and sixty dinars；' answered he； 'besides brokerage。 As for the Sultan's dues； they fall on the seller。' Quoth Noureddin； 'Let me have her for a thousand dinars； price and brokerage。' And the damsel hastened to leave the broker； saying； 'I sell myself to this handsome young man for a thousand dinars。' Quoth one； 'We sell to him；' and another； 'He deserves her；' and a third； 'Accursed； son of accursed； is he who bids and does not buy！' and a fourth； 'By Allah； they befit one another！' Then； before Noureddin could think； the broker fetched cadis and witnesses； who drew up a contract of sale and purchase； which the broker handed to Noureddin； saying； 'Take thy slavegirl and may God make her a blessing to thee； for she beseemeth none but thee and none but thou beseemeth her。' And he recited the following verses：
Unto him fair fortune all unbidden hies； Drags her skirts （71） tohimward on obsequious wise。
None but she befitteth him and none but he Of the maid is worthy； underneath the skies。
Noureddin was abashed before the merchants； so he paid down the thousand dinars； that he had left with his friend the druggist； and taking the girl； carried her to the house in which the latter had lodged him。 When she entered and saw nothing but patched carpets and worn out rugs； she said to him； 'O my lord； have I no value in thine eyes and am I not worthy that thou shouldst carry me to thine own house wherein are thy goods； that thou bringest me into thy servant's lodging？ Why dost thou not carry me to thy father's dwelling？' 'By Allah； O princess of fair ones；' answered he； 'this is my house wherein I dwell； but it belongs to an old man； a druggist of this city； who hath set it apart for me and lodged me therein。 I told thee that I was a stranger and that I am of the people of Cairo。' 'O my lord；' rejoined she； 'the least of houses will serve till thy return to thy native place； but； God on thee； O my lord； go now and fetch me somewhat of roast meat and wine and fruit and dessert。' 'By Allah； O princess of fair ones；' answered he； 'I had no money with me but the thousand dinars I paid down to thy price！ The few dirhems I had I spent yesterday。' Quoth she； 'Hast thou no friend in the town； of whom thou mayst borrow fifty dirhems and bring them to me； that I may tell thee what thou shalt do therewith？' And he said； 'I have no friend but the druggist。'
Then he betook himself forthright to the druggist and said to him； 'Peace be on thee； O uncle！' He returned his salutation and said to him； 'O my son； what hast thou bought for a thousand dinars this day？' 'I have bought a slavegirl；' answered Noureddin。 'O my son；' rejoined the old man； 'art thou mad that thou givest a thousand dinars for one slavegirl？ What kind of slavegirl is she？' 'She is a damsel of the children of the Franks；' replied Noureddin and the druggist said； 'O my son； the best of the girls of the Franks are to be had in this town for a hundred dinars； and by Allah； they have put a cheat on thee in the matter of this damsel！ However； if thou hast a mind to her； lie with her this night and do thy will of her and tomorrow morning go down with her to the market and sell her； through thou lose two hundred dinars by her； and put it that thou hast been robbed of them or lost them by shipwreck。' 'Thou sayst well； O uncle；' replied Noureddin； 'but thou knowest that I had but the thousand dinars wherewith I bought the damsel； and now I have not a single dirhem left to spend； so I desire of thy favour and goodness that thou lend me fifty dirhems； to provide me withal； till tomorrow； when I will sell her and repay thee out of her price。' 'Willingly； O my son；' said the old man and counted out to him the fifty dirhems。
Then he said to him； 'O my son； thou art young and the damsel is fair； and belike thy heart will be taken with her and it will be grievous to thee to part from her。 Now thou hast nothing to live on and the fifty dirhems will ＇soon＇ be spent and thou wilt e to me and I shall lend thee once or twice and thrice and so on up to ten times； but； if thou e to me after this； I will not return thee the legal salutation （72） and our friendship with thy father will e to nought。' Noureddin took the fifty dirhems and returned with them to the damsels who said to him； 'O my lord； go straight to the market and fetch me twenty dirhems' worth of silk of five colours and with the other thirty buy meat and bread and wine and fruit and flowers。' So he went to the market and buying her all she sought； returned to her therewith； whereupon she rose and tucking up her sleeves； cooked food after the most skilful fashion； and set it before him。 He ate and she ate with him； till they had enough； after which she set on the wine； and they drank； and she ceased not to ply him with drink and entertain him with talk； till he became drunken and fell asleep： whereupon she arose and taking out of her budget a sachet of Tain leather； （73） opened it and brought out a pair of knittingpins； with which she fell to work and stinted not； till she had made a beautiful girdle。 She cleaned it and ironed it and folding it in a piece of rag； laid it under the pillow。
Then she put off her clothes and lying down beside Noureddin； kneaded him till he awoke and found by his side a girl like virgin silver； softer than silk and more delicate than a fat sheep's tail； more conspicuous than a standard （74） and goodlier than the red camels； （75） low of stature； with swelling breasts； eyes like gazelles' eyes and brows like bended bows and cheeks like bloodred anemones； slender belly； full of dimples； and a navel holding an ounce of benzoin ointment； thighs like bolsters stuffed with ostrich down； and between them what the tongue fails to describe and at mention whereof the tears pour forth。 Indeed it seemed as it were she to whom the poet alludes in the following verses：
Her hair is night； her forehead day； her cheeks a blossomed rose And wine the honeyed dews wherewith her mouth for ever flows。
Heaven in her favours is and hell in her disdain； her teeth Are very pearls and in her face the moon at full doth glow。
And how excellent is another's saying：
She shih forth； a moon； and bends； a willowwand； And breathes out ambergris and gazes； a gazelle。
Meseems as if grief loved my heart and when from her Estrangement I abide； possession to it fell。
She hath a face outshines the very Pleiades And brows whose lustre doth the crescent moon excel。
And quoth a third：
Unveiled； new moons they shine； and all displayed； like moons at full； They burn： like boughs they sway； and eke like antelopes they turn：
And in their midst's a blackeyed maid； for whose sweet beauty's sake； To be the earth whereon she treads the Pleiades would yearn。
So he turned to her and pressing her to his bosom； sucked first her under lip and then her upper lip and slid his tongue into her mouth。 Then he rose to her and found her an unpierced pearl and a filly that none but he had mounted。 So he did away her maidenhead and had of her the amorous delight and there was contracted between them love that might never know breach nor severance。 He rained down kisses upon her cheeks； like the falling of pebbles into water； and beset her with stroke upon stroke； like the thrusting of spears in the mellay； for that Noureddin still yearned after clipping of necks and sucking of lips and letting down of tresses and pressing of waists and biting of cheeks and pinching of breasts； with Cairene motitations and Yemani wrigglings and Abyssinian sobbings and Hindi torsions and Nubian lasciviousness and Rifi （76） legliftings and Damiettan gruntings and Upper Egyptian heat and Alexandrian languor； and this damsel united in herself all these attributes； together with excess of beauty and amorous grace； and indeed she was even as saith of her the poet：
By Allah； I will never all my life long fet her； my dear； And those only will I tender who shall bring her to me to draw near！
Now glory to her Maker and Creator be given evermore！ As the full moon of the heavens in her aspect and her gait she doth appear。
Though my sin； indeed； be sore and my offending in loving her be great； I know repentance not； whilst of her favours a hope to me be clear。
She； indeed； hath made me weariful and wakeful； full of sorrow； sick for love： Yea； my heart is all confounded at her beauty； dazed for trouble and for fear；
And I go a line of verse for e'er repeating that none knoweth 'mongst the folk Save the man who rhymes and verses hath recited and studied many a year。
None knoweth of lovelonging save he only who hath its pains endured And none but he can tell the taste of passion； who's Proved its woe and cheer。
So Noureddin lay with the damsel in solace and delight； clad in the straitlinked garments of emplacement； secure against the accidents of night and day； and they passed the night after the goodliest fashion； fearing not； in lovedelight； abundance of talk and prate。 As says of them the right excellent poet：
Cleave fast to her thou lov'st and let the envious rail amain； For calumny and envy ne'er to favour love were fain。
Lo； the passionate hath made no fairer thing to see Than when one couch in its embrace enfolders lovers twain；
Each to the other's bosom clasped； clad in their own delight； Whilst hand with hand and arm with arm about their necks enchain。
Lo； when two hearts are straitly knit in passion and desire； But on cold iron smite the folk that chide at them in vain。
Thou that for loving censurest the votaries of love；