was seated on it, with a crown of precious stones on her head, and clothed in a superb dress; she held in her hand a cup made of ruby, and seated, was drinking wine.  The throne descended by slow degrees from its height, and rested on [the floor of] the dome.  Then the fairy called me, and placed me beside her [on the throne]; she began to make use of expressions of endearment, and having pressed her lips to mine, she made me drink a cup of rosy wine, and said, ’The human race is faithless, but my heart loves thee.’  The expressions she uttered were so endearing and so fascinating, that in a moment my heart was enraptured, and I felt such pleasure as if I had tasted the supreme joys of life, and thus I conceived that I had only on that day entered the world [of enjoyment].

“The result is my present state! but no one [on earth] hath ever seen, or heard such ecstatic pleasure!  In that zest, with our hearts at ease, we both were seated, when all at once our joys were dashed to pieces!  Now listen to the unlooked-for circumstance [which produced this sudden change].  At the moment, four fairies descended from the heavens, and whispered something in that beloved one’s ear.  On hearing it, her colour changed, and she said to me, ’O my beloved, I fondly wished to pass some moments with you, and regale my heart, and to repeat my visits in the same manner, or to take thee with me.  But fate will not permit two persons [like us] to remain in one place in peace and felicity; farewell, my beloved! may God protect you!’ On hearing these [dreadful words], my senses vanished, and my bliss fled from my grasp. [239] I cried, ’O my charmer, when shall we meet again? what dreadful words of wrath are these which you have made me hear?  If you will return quickly, then you will find me alive, otherwise you will regret the delay; or else tell me your name and place of residence, that I may from those directions, by diligent search, conduct myself to you.’  On hearing this she said, ’God forbid [you should do so]; may the ears of Satan be deaf; may your age amount to a hundred and twenty years; [240] if we live we shall meet again; I am the daughter of the king of the Jinns, and I dwell in the mountain of Kaf. [241] On saying this, she caused the throne to ascend, [242] and it ascended in the same manner as it had descended.

“Whilst the throne was in sight, our eyes were fixed on each other; when it disappeared from my eyes, my state became such as if the shadow of a fairy had fallen on me; a strange sort of gloom was spread over my heart, and my understanding and consciousness left me; the world appeared dark under my eyes; distracted and confused, I wept bitterly, and scattered dust over my head, and tore my clothes; I became regardless of food and drink, nor cared for good or evil.

    ’What various evils result from this same love! 
    In the heart are produced sadness and impatience.’ [243]