who knew not what it meant or whither it was gone; so he marvelled at this and exclaimed, “Praise be to Allah who hath brought me in safety to this city!” Then he sat down by a stream and washed his hands and feet and face and rested awhile; and, recalling his late easy and pleasant life of union with his beloved and contrasting it with his present plight of trouble and fatigue and distress and strangerhood and famine and severance, the tears streamed from his eyes and he began repeating these cinquains,

“Pain had I hid thy handwork, but it showed, *
     Changed sleep for wake, and wake with me abode: 
When thou didst spurn my heart I cried aloud *
     Pate, hold thy hand and cease to gird and goad: 
          In dole and danger aye my sprite I spy!

An but the Lord of Love were just to me, *
     Sleep fro’ my eyelids ne’er were forced to flee. 
Pity, my lady, one for love o’ thee *
     Prom his tribes darling brought to low degree: 
          Love came and doomed Wealth beggar-death to die.

The railers chide at thee:  I ne’er gainsay, *
     But stop my ears and dumbly sign them Nay: 
‘Thou lov’st a slender may,’ say they; I say, *
     ‘I’ve picked her out and cast the rest away:’ 
          Enough; when Fate descends she blinds man’s
          eye!"[FN#310]

And as soon as he had finished his poetry and had taken his rest, he rose and walked on little by little, till he entered the city.—­And Shahrazad perceived the dawn of day and ceased saying her permitted say.

         When it was the Two Hundred and Eighth Night,

She said, It hath reached me, O auspicious King, that as soon as Kamar al-Zaman had finished his poetry and had taken his rest, he arose and entered the city-gate[FN#311] not knowing whither he should wend.  He crossed the city from end to end, entering by the land-gate, and ceased not faring on till he came out at the sea-gate, for the city stood on the sea-shore.  Yet he met not a single one of its citizens.  And after issuing from the land-gate he fared forwards and ceased not faring till he found himself among the orchards and gardens of the place; and, passing among the trees presently came to a garden and stopped before its door; where-upon the keeper came out to him and saluted him.  The Prince returned his greeting and the gardener bade him welcome, saying, “Praised be Allah that thou hast come off safe from the dwellers of this city!  Quick, come into the garth, ere any of the townfolk see thee.”  Thereupon Kamar al-Zaman entered that garden, wondering in mind, and asked the keeper, “What may be the history of the people of this city and who may they be?” The other answered, “Know that the people of this city are all Magians:  but Allah upon thee, tell me how thou camest to this city and what caused thy coming to our capital.”  Accordingly Kamar al-Zaman told the gardener all that had befallen him from beginning to end, whereat he marvelled with