。
Then said she； 'By Allah； my breast is straitened to night and I am fevered。' Quoth Mesrour； 'May God dilate thy breast and do away thy trouble！' And she aaid； 'O Mesrour； I am used to play at chess： knowest thou aught of the game？' 'Yes；' answered he； 'I am skilled therein；' whereupon she bade her maid Huboub fetch her the chessboard。 So she went away and presently returning with the board； set it before her； and behold； it was of ebony inlaid with ivory； with squares traced out in glittering gold； and its pieces were of pearl and ruby。 Mesrour was amazed at this and she said to him； 'Wilt thou have red or white？' 'O princess of fair ones and adornment of the morning；' answered he； 'do thou take the red； for they are handsome and fitter for the like of thee； and leave me the white。' 'So be it；' answered she and taking the red pieces； ranged them opposite the white； then put out her hand to make the first move。
He looked at her fingers； which were white as paste； and was confounded at their beauty and elegant shape； whereupon she turned to him and said； 'O Mesrour； be not bewildered； but take patience and calm thyself。' 'O thou whose beauty puts the moons to shame；' answered he； 'how shall a lover look on thee and have patience？' 'Checkmate！' （7） said she and beat him； wherefore she knew that he was mad for love of her and said to him； 'O Mesrour； I will not play with thee save for a set stake。' 'I hear and obey；' answered he and she said； 'Swear to me and I will swear to thee that neither of us will cheat the other。' So they swore this and she said； 'O Mesrour； if I beat thee； I will have ten dinars of thee； and if thou beat me； I will give thee nothing。' 'O my lady；' rejoined he； 'be not false to thine oath； for I see thou art an over match for me at this game！' 'Agreed；' said she and they ranged their men and fell again to playing。
Now she had on her head a kerchief of blue brocade； so she laid it aside and tucking up her sleeve； showed a wrist like a shaft of light and passed her hand over the red pieces； saying to him； 'Look to thyself。' But he was dazzled at her beauty and the sight of her charms bereft him of reason； so that he became dazed and stupefied and put out his hand to the white men； but it lit upon the red。 'O Mesrour；' said she； 'where are thy senses？ The red are mine and the white thine。' And he replied； 'Who can look on thee； without losing his senses？' Then； seeing how it was with him； she took the white from him and gave him the red； and they played and she beat him。
He ceased not to play with her and she to beat him； whilst he paid her each time ten dinars； till； seeing him to be distracted for love of her； she said to him； 'O Mesrour； thou wilt never e to thy desire； except thou beat me； and henceforth； I will not play with thee save for a stake of a hundred dinars a game。' 'With all my heart；' answered he and they went on playing； whilst she still beat him and he won not a single game； but paid her a hundred dinars each time； and on this wise they abode till the morning； when he rose。 Quoth she； 'What wilt thou； O Mesrour？' And he replied； 'I mean to go to my lodging and fetch somewhat of money： it may be I shall attain my desire。' 'Do as seemeth good to thee；' said she。 So he went home and taking all the money he had； returned to her； reciting the following verses：
Methought I caught a bird in sleep； as I did deem； All in a garden fair with smiling flowers agleam。
That I shall get of thee the amorous delight； Th' interpretation is； meseems； of this my dream。
Then they fell aplaying again； but she still beat him and he could not beat her once； and on this wise they abode three days； till she had gotten of him all his money： whereupon； 'O Mesrour；' said she； 'what wilt thou do now？' And he answered； 'I will stake thee a druggist's shop。' 'What is its worth？' asked she； and he replied； 'Five hundred dinars。' So they played and she won the shop of him in five bouts。 Then he staked slavegirls and lands and houses and gardens； and she won them all； till she had gotten of him all he had； whereupon she turned to him and said； 'Hast thou aught left to stake？' 'By Him who made me fall into the snare of thy love；' answered he； 'I have neither money nor aught else left； little or much！' 'O Mesrour；' said she； 'the end of that whose beginning was contentment shall not be repentance； wherefore； if thou repent thee； take back thy good and begone from us； and I e。' 'By Him who decreed these things to us；' replied Mesrour； 'though thou soughtest to take my life； it were a little thing； pared to thine approof； for I love none but thee！'
Then said she； 'Go and fetch the Cadi and the witnesses and make over to me by deed all thy lands and possessions。' 'Willingly；' replied he and going out forthright； returned with the Cadi and the witnesses。 When the magistrate saw her； his reason fled and his mind was troubled by reason of the beauty of her fingers； and he said to her； 'O my lady； I will not draw up the deed of conveyance； save upon condition that thou purchase the lands and houses and slavegirls and that they all pass under thy control and into thy possession。' 'We are agreed upon that；' replied she； 'write me a deed； whereby all Mesrour's houses and lands and slavegirls and all his hand possesseth shall pass to Zein el Mewasif and bee her property at such a price。' So he wrote out the deed and the witnesses set their hands thereto； whereupon she took it from the Cadi and said to Mesrour； 'Now go thy ways。' But her slavegirl Huboub turned to him and said； 'Recite us some verses。' So he improvised the following verses upon ＇his own case and＇ the game of chess：
Of Fate I plain me and for that which hath befall'n me sigh And make my moan of loss by chess and by the ＇evil＇ eye；
For love of one； a damsel fair； slender and delicate； Female or male； there's not her like of all beneath the sky。
Arrows upon me from her looks she launched and 'gainst me brought Troops that would conquer all the world and all men； far and nigh；
Red men and white men； ay； and knights for shock of battle ranged； Then came she forth to me and did to single fight defy。
'Look to thyself；' quoth she； but； when she put her fingers out； Midmost a pitchblack night； most like her sable hair in dye；
I had no power to move the white； to rescue them from her And passion caused the tide of tears in me run fierce and high。
On； with the queens； fall pawns and rooks； they charge the host of white； And these give way； disfited； and turn their backs to fly；
Yea； and she launched at me； to boot； an arrow of her looks； And to the kernel of my heart the quivering shaft did hie。
'Twixt the two hosts she gave me choice； and I chose that which whiteWas with the whiteness of the moon that shih in the sky。
'The white； indeed； are those which best beseem to me and they Are what I fain would have； so take the red to thee；' quoth I。
Then played she with me for a stake agreed 'twixt us； but Fate did unto me the wishedfor boon of her consent deny。
Alas； the misery of my heart！ Alas； my longing sore For the enjoyment of a maid who with the moon doth vie！
It is not for my goods and lands my heart is all afire But that； alack！ familiar 'tis grown with the ＇evil＇ eye。
Distraught I'm grown and stupefied for dreariment； and Fate； For what's betided me； I chide with many a tear and cry。
'What ails thee to be dazed？' asked she； and I； 'Shall winebibbers Be whole of wit； when drunkenness their sense doth stupefy？'
A mortal maid hath ta'en my wit with her fair shape； if it Be soft； her bowels are like rock； uneath to mollify。
Myself I heartened； saying； 'Her today I shalt possess Upon the wager； fearing not defeat I should aby。
My heart ceased not to covet her； till I to poverty Became reduced； and beggared now in goods and hope am I。
Will he who is in love forswear a love that irketh him； Though in the oceans of desire he struggle like to die？
So is the slave grown penniless； to love and longing thrall； All unacplished yet the hope he staked his all to buy。
Zein el Mewasif marvelled at the eloquence of his tongue and said to him； 'O Mesrour； leave this madness and return to thy senses and go thy ways； for thou hast wasted all thy substance at the game of chess； yet hast not attained to thy desire； nor hast thou any resource whereby thou mayst acplish it。' But he turned to her and said； 'O my lady； ask of me what thou wilt and I will bring it to thee and lay it at thy feet。' 'O Mesrour；' answered she； 'thou hast no money left。' 'O goal of all hopes；' rejoined he； 'if I have no money； the folk will help me。' Quoth she； 'Shall the giver turn asker？' And he said； 'I have friends and kinsfolk； and whatsoever I seek of them； they will give me。' Then said she； 'O Mesrour； I will have of thee four bladders of musk and four vases of civet and four pounds of ambergris and four thousand dinars and four hundred pieces of coloured brocade； wroughten with gold。 Bring me these things； and I will grant thee my favours。' 'This is a light matter to me； O thou that puttest the moons to shame；' replied he and went forth to fetch her what she sought。
She sent Huboub after him； to see what interest he had with the folk of whom he had spoken to her； but； as he went along the streets； he turned and seeing her afar off； waited till she came up to him and said to her； 'Whither away； O Huboub？' So she told him what her mistress had said to her and he said； 'By Allah； O Huboub； I have nothing！' 'Then why didst thou promise her？' asked she； and he answered； 'How many a promise is unkept of its maker！ Fine words needs must be in lovematters。' When she heard this； she said to him； 'O Mesrour； be of good heart and cheerful eye； for； by Allah； I will be the means of thy ing to enjoy her！' Then she left him and returned； weeping sore； to her mistress； to whom said she； 'O my lady； indeed he is a man of great consideration； wellreputed among the folk。' Quoth Zein el Mewasif； 'There is no resource against the ordinance of the Most High！ Verily； this man found not in me a passionate heart； for that I spoiled him of his substance and he got of me neither affection nor plaisance in granting him the amorous mercy； but； if I incline to his desire； I fear lest the thing be bruited abroad。' 'O my lady；' answered Huboub； 'verily； his present plight and the loss of his good is grievous upon us； and thou hast with thee none but myself and thy slavegirl Sukoub； so which of us two would dare prate of thee； and we thy handmaids？'
With this； she bowed her head and the damsels said to her； 'O my lady； it is our counsel that thou send after him and show him favour and suffer him not ask of the sordid； for how bitter is asking！' So she accepted their counsel and calling for inkhorn and paper； wrote him the following verses：
Fulfilment draws near； O Mesrour： rejoice in fair presage and true； For； tonight； when the darkness falls down； the deed without fail thou shalt do；
And ask not the sordid； O youth； for money to mend thine estate： Indeed； I was drunken； but now my wit is restored me anew。
Moreover； thy good that I took shall all unto thee be restored； And to crown； O Mesrour； my largesse； I'll add thee my favours thereto；
Since patience thou had