that cup was a souvenir.  Seeing this, all in the boat arose and sent for a diver who asked, saying, ’In what place hath the finjan fallen that I may seek it? and do ye inform me of its whereabouts.’  So we sought for a pebble in the caique but we found none, and as I wore upon my finger a signet ring which was worth two treasuries of money I drew it off and cast it into the water crying, ’The cup fell from me in this place.’  But when the ducker saw me throw my ring he said to me, ’Wherefore, O my lord, hast thou parted with thy seal?’ and said I to him, ‘The deed is done.’  Then he went down and plunged into the deep for a while and behold he came up grasping the cup, in the middle of which we saw the signet ring.  Now when this mighty great matter befel me, I said to myself, ’Ho certain person, there remaineth upon this good luck no better luck; and haply there will befal thee somewhat contrary to this.’[FN#340] However those with me rejoiced at the finding of my two losses, not did any fear therefrom my change of state and downfall, but they wondered and said, ’By Allah, this is a rare matter!’ Then we went forward in the caique until we had reached the place intended, where we tarried the whole of that day and presently returned home.  But hardly was I settled and had I taken seat in my home quarters when behold, a party of Chamberlains of the King’s suite came in to me and said, ’The Sultan requireth thee!’ Accordingly, I arose and mounted horse and rode on till I had come to the palace and entered the presence; and I designed to offer suit and service to the King as was my wont, when suddenly he cried, ‘Carry him away.’  So they bore me off and confined me in this place, after which the Sultan sent and interdicted me from eating a tittle of flesh food, and here I am after the space of seven years, O Darwaysh, still in the same condition.  Now on the morning of this day my stomach craved for meat, so I said to the gaoler, ’O Such-and-such, ’tis now seven years since I tasted flesh, so take this ashrafi and bring us an ounce of meat.’  He accepted the money saying, ’ ‘Tis well,’ and went forth from me and brought me my need.”—­And Shahrazad was surprised by the dawn of day and fell silent and ceased saying her permitted say.  Then quoth her sister Dunyazad, “How sweet and tasteful is thy tale, O sister mine, and how enjoyable and delectable!” Quoth she, “And where is this compared with that I would relate to you on the coming night an the Sovran suffer me to survive?” Now when it was the next night and that was

The Seven Hundred and Thirty-Third Night,

Dunyazad said to her, “Allah upon thee, O my sister, an thou be other than sleepy, finish for us thy tale, that we may cut short the watching of this our latter night!” She replied, “With love and good will!” It hath reached me, O auspicious King, the director, the right guiding, lord of the rede which is benefiting, and of deeds fair seeming and worthy celebrating, that the Wazir continued to