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His will; and I will not gainsay thee in aught.’ Quoth the jeweller, ‘Nothing will quench the fire of thy passion save union with her whom thou lovest: and this must not be in this perilous place, but in a house of mine other than in which the girl and her mistress came to me. This place she chose for herself, to the intent that ye may there foregather and complain one to the other of what you have suffered from the pangs of love.’ ‘O my lord,’ answered Ali ben Bekkar, ‘do as thou wilt and may God requite thee for me! What thou deemest fit will be right: but be not long about it, lest I die of this anguish.’ So I abode with him (quoth the jeweller) that night, entertaining him with converse, till daybreak, Night clxiii.when I prayed the morning prayers and going out from him, returned to my house. Hardly had I done so, when the damsel came up and saluted me. I returned her greeting and told her what had passed between Ali ben Bekkar and myself; and she said, ‘Know that the Khalif has left us and there is none in our lodging, and it is safer for us and better.’ ‘True,’ replied I; ‘yet it is not like my house yonder, which is both surer and fitter for us.’ ‘Be it as thou wilt,’ rejoined she. ‘I will go to my lady and tell her what thou sayest.’ So she went away and presently returned and said to me, ‘It is to be as thou sayest: so make us ready the place and expect us.’ Then she took out a purse of dinars and said to me, ‘My lady salutes thee and bids thee take this and provide therewith what the case calls for.’ But I swore that I would have nought of it; so she took the purse and returning to her mistress, said to her, ‘He would not take the money, but gave it back to me.’ ‘No matter,’ answered Shemsennehar. As soon as she was gone, I betook myself to my other house and transported thither all that was needful, by way of furniture and utensils and rich carpets and vessels of china and glass and gold and silver, and made ready meat and drink for the occasion.
