Then the girl went away, running, after her mistress, whereupon I left the shop and set out after them, so I might see her abiding-place.  I followed after them all the way, till she disappeared from mine eyes, when I returned to my place, with a heart on fire.  Some days after, she came to me again and bought stuffs of me.  I refused to take the price and she said, “We have no need of thy goods.”  Quoth I, “O my lady, accept them from me as a gift;” but she said, “[Wait] till I try thee and make proof of thee.”  Then she brought out of her pocket a purse and gave me therefrom a thousand dinars, saying, “Trade with this till I return to thee.”  So I took the purse and she went away [and returned not to me] till six months had passed by.  Meanwhile, I traded with the money and sold and bought and made other thousand dinars profit [on it].

Presently, she came to me again and I said to her, “Here is thy money and I have gained [with it] other thousand dinars.”  Quoth she, “Keep it by thee and take these other thousand dinars.  As soon as I have departed from thee, go thou to Er Rauzeh[FN#183] and build there a goodly pavilion, and when the building thereof is accomplished, give me to know thereof.”  So saying, she left me and went away.  As soon as she was gone, I betook myself to Er Rauzeh and addressed myself to the building of the pavilion, and when it was finished, I furnished it with the goodliest of furniture and sent to the lady to tell her that I had made an end of its building; whereupon she sent back to me, saying, “Let him meet me to-morrow at daybreak at the Zuweyleh gate and bring with him a good ass.”  So I got me an ass and betaking myself to the Zuweyleh gate, at the appointed time, found there a young man on horse- back, awaiting her, even as I awaited her.

As we stood, behold, up came the lady, and with her a slave-girl.  When she saw the young man, she said to him, “Art thou here?” And he answered, “Yes, O my lady.”  Quoth she, “To-day I am bidden by this man.  Wilt thou go with us?” And he replied, “Yes.”  Then said she, “Thou hast brought me [hither] against my will and perforce.  Wilt thou go with us in any event?"[FN#184] “Yes, yes,” answered he and we fared on, [all three,] till we came to Er Rauzeh and entered the pavilion.  The lady diverted herself awhile with viewing its ordinance and furniture, after which she put off her [walking-]clothes and sat down [with the young man] in the goodliest and chiefest place.  Then I went forth and brought them what they should eat at the first of the day; moreover, I went out also and fetched them what they should eat at the last of the day and brought them wine and dessert and fruits and flowers.  On this wise I abode in their service, standing on my feet, and she said not unto me, “Sit,” nor “Take, eat” nor “Take, drink,” what while she and the young man sat toying and laughing, and he fell to kissing her and pinching her and hopping about upon the ground and laughing.